London Calling

Maria picks me up from the airport. I'm in shorts and searching through my backpack for a sweater. It's freezing cold; the rain picks up and I belatedly realize I forgot my umbrella, as well. The next morning, we sleep in and wake to a brand new day. It's sunny now, if still chilly. We take the Tube (the subway) down to the center of London and walk around. While traipsing around the oddly carnivalesque Covent Garden, I am careful not to spend money when I do a mental calculation of the exchange rate and realize that everything is approximately double its price. The buses are red and double decked. The Thames flows quietly beneath the huge Ferris wheel known as the London Eye, and Big Ben chimes slowly. A wonderful way to become a legal resident of Spain for three more months.