London by bus

When my friend Beth lived in London eons ago, she commented that when she took the underground she felt like a mole, popping up at location b after having traveled there underground from location a. Being underground, you miss all the sights!

I've been taking the bus for most trips, in part so I can see more of London. Plus it's much cheaper! Only 90p per ride with my Oyster Card (and if I were receiving public benefits it would be half that courtesy of Hugo Chavez and the Venezuelan Government). It's a bit trickier to figure out bus routes, but Transport for London has a great trip planner online.

The other day I took a new bus route to attend a lecture by Rabbi Lionel Blue (he was great by the way and while I'd never heard of him, he is well known here and is apparently a regular on Radio 4). As I walked from my bus stop to the Sion Centre where the talk was, I realized I was walking by Portabello Road in Notting Hill, scene of that great scene in Notting Hill the movie where Hugh Grant takes a melancholy walk down Portabello Road as the seasons pass by. I was early so I took a little detour and walked by the brightly colored antique shops. I even saw a Spike look-alike! The picture is of the character Spike from Notting Hill - not Rabbi Lionel Blue, in case you were wondering. ;)

Today I had to run a few errands after work, so I ended up taking a different bus home than usual and ended up going by the Abbey Road Studios. I'd heard that this particular bus went by the studios, but was wondering if I'd be able to spot it as the bus zoomed by. I shouldn't have worried ... the gaggle of Japanese tourists having their pictures taken outside was a dead give away.

Before boarding that particular bus, I found myself walking through Leicester Square after picking up my ticket for the matinee of Parade tomorrow afternoon (recommended by Bloggy Friend Mollie.) I lost my footing and as I looked down at the ground in an effort to regain my balance, I saw Coling Firth's hand prints. I didn't have my camera with me, but luckily some other Mr. Darcy fan has already put it on the internet.

That's your not so serious random London update for the day.