London Day 5

Today.  Oh what a day.  It ended up being wonderful, though the entire day was composed of traveling.  We got up early and bid the horror hostile goodbye.  I forgot to mention previously that one night we were just barely asleep when we were awoken through very thin walls by the sound of a man violently vomiting.  He coughed and hacked and I think I heard splashing and I was so disgusted and horrified that the next day I did not even go near that restroom.  I could barely sleep thinking of his head so close to that molded toilet.  GROSS.  ANYWAY, we left the dear town of North Cross behind us and purchased a train ticket from London to Dover, the coast of Great Britain.  IT was a very long train ride which was very nice as we got to see much of the charming rural areas of Britain that we hadn’t before.  There really are rolling green hills and beautiful farms.  But it was frustrating trying to get pictures.  Britain is SO green that you barely have gaps in the trees to take a picture.  I managed to get some pictures of our trip though.  When we got into Dover we got a bus to the port where we got tickets to pass through the English channel.  Long story short, we boarded a boat and I got my very first look at the sea.  It was a beautiful sea filled with mystery and drama.  In spite of it being mid-day it was blanketed in a cloud of fog and a cold spray of mist.  I expected Mary Shelly’s monster from Frankenstein to come from the deep English sea.  When the ship took off I began to feel queasy, so spent some time leaning over the side, breathing deeply of the cold misty air.  I didn’t throw up the cheese and onion tart that I’d eaten earlier either.  OH that reminds me, a day ago in Britain I tried this fruit juice that I’ve never had before.  IT’s called Liche.  It has the strangest flavor that has the texture of a pinia colada, somewhat creamy and milky, but tastes more like a cherry/mango/ coconut flavor.  It was tasty but not life changing.  After we got to the dock we entered France.  And straight away we needed to speak French.  People know enough English and we know enough French that we can get by, but it is still strange and nerve wracking.  I’m way excited for France though, I want to eat good food, see great art, paint great paintings and maybe eat more good food.  J I love you all! Tomorrow we are going to the French Beach and painting Calias. J Then on to Paris.