Crisps, pianos and paradus-interuptus

While on our lengthy stay in London, we are balancing between wanting to see everything at once because it's new! and in London! with well, the fact we're here for nearly three months. It is definitely overrun with tourists - and the Games haven't even started yet (unless you count the unending posters in the tube telling you to work from home or take another route). At our next residence, we'd hoped to take the Jubilee line, but apparently THAT will be the sardine-line of the Games.

But even with the constant hum of tourists, the weekends still bring even more people into the downtown. A stroll across the London Bridge (the newer one that looks AT the blue Tower Bridge), brought us upon one of fifty golden pianos placed around the city for the City of London Festival's Golden Jubilee. They say to sit down and tinkle the ivories....so we did.

After the short Liberace session, we strolled around to Covent Gardens on a Saturday. Those who have been to or are from London are probably whincing right now (why would they do that?!? On a Saturday no less!?!). Well, it's because we're tourists too and we didn't know any better. We flowed down the streets with the rest of the mobs (think: the Canada fireworks and leaving Government street at 10:30pm). We then t-boned right into the World Pride Day Parade. We thought they were winding the parade through a pedestrian mall, until we saw the LCD signs of Picadilly Circus! The traffic was human, with barely one or two lanes of cars allowed through. The parade didn't have floats, but the sheer number of people and bands made up for in length what they lacked in height. The parade was so long, we had time to stop for lunch and still see more afterwards.

Lunch was at the nearby Wholefoods....a block off Picadilly Circus, where, with a £50 purchase, your £12.50 parking fee will be covered. The store feels similar to the ones in Vancouver and the selection is much the same. Except maybe the chip selections.

We opted to split a freshly-made burrito wrap and a bottle of Fentiman's soda (which, being brewed here in England, is considerably cheaper than back in Canada). Who said London was expensive?!