I'm in an internet cafe, and have 40 mins for 2 quid, so here goes.

Left York about noon on Saturday. Surprisingly enough, I'm not all that sad to have left. I'm sure it will sink in at some point that I'm not going to be going back again (although I do hope to get to my graduation in March, we'll see...). Got to London about 2:30, and if you've ever done hiking/backpacking/camping, you'll know that carrying a backpack that's a ridiculous weight on your back when it's 20-odd degrees celsius (in the 70s fahrenheit) isn't all that much fun. Got to R's flat and was a sweaty gross mess. Way to make a first impression with someone you've only ever talked to online, eh? R is a fellow historian, and was absolutely fantastic about looking over my dissertation - she's also a Baptist minister, and so I was left to my own devices on Sunday, but more about that later.

Once I'd cleaned up we (being R, R's husband and myself), went for a walk and I got to see St Bart's hospital, the Old Bailey and the courts, and then we wnet over the Millennium Bridge - nope, hadn't been before. From there it's only a hop skip and a jump to the Globe, where we had tea and cake in the cafe, and mosied down to Blackfriars, over the bridge, and back to the flat (which is light, lovely, and full of Ikea furniture).

On Sunday, I decided to head out to Hampton Court. I went, got there about 11:30ish, and was there until about 5 p.m. The Tudor Kitchens are fantastic, and I picked up a facsimile of a "Working Class Cook Book" published in 1861. I was proud of myself. The rest of the palace was pretty nifty as well. Afterwards I met A.S. for dinner (some of you may remember her as Mrs. Ottewell from a couple of summers ago), which we had at a place called Busaba Eathai, which has great Thai food.

Monday again, left to my own devices. Decided that I hadn't been to the Globe Properly the Saturday night, so went there and took the tour and got to go inside and such. Unfortunately didn't get to see any plays - sold out until October - but was extremely intrigued about a new one they were staging this summer - "In Extremis" about Heloise and Abelard. Bought the t-shirt, 'cuz the t-shirt is damn cool.

Also went to St. Paul's. I'd never been in. Climbed all 500-odd stairs to the top of the dome, and hugged the dome as I made my way around. The view is probably well worth it on a clear day, but it was grey, misty and gross.

I left London Euston at about 20 after 5 p.m. and made my way up to Chester, where M and her husband greeted me at the station. Hers isn't far from the station at all, so last night we just sat in and watched Spooks! I was so happy to be watching Spooks (I missed the first two episodes of this series, but wasn't all that far off picking it back up).

Today M took me 'round Chester. She also has an MA in History, so she's been able to spout off all sorts of great historic facts as we've walked round the city walls (much more complete than York's, although I think York's are prettier) and the Cathedral (the cloister garden is lovely, but again, I think York wins) and through town. I've spent most of the afternoon in the Grosvenor museum, which has an astonishing collection of Roman tombstones that were preserved by being used face-in on the walls. Not much impressed with the rest of the collection, though.

Tomorrow it's off to Newcastle via Durham to meet another M who's here from the States. Will hopefully find someplace with Internet whilst there or whilst in Inverness. The next post may be a ways off, and I'm afraid that I've left my USB cable in the boxes I shipped or with my laptop in London, so no downloading any photos until I get back to my laptop and card reader/USB cable.

Take care, everyone.