Famous Dead People's Houses and other English Things

Yesterday was the last day in my brief phase of unemployment so I packed it full of super touristy, extremely gratifying adventures. (By the way, I've been referring to things here as "British" which, a true Brit informed me today, is incorrect. The correct term is "English.") Here is a rundown:

I started my morning in China Town. It only covers a few blocks and there are hardly any vendors, but it reminded me of San Francisco which made me think of California, which made me really happy. Someday though I need to actually go to China though, so I think of China when I go to China Town and not California...

Yum, chicken! But WHAT is that ORANGE THING???

Chinese bakery. SO good. I haven't had a real pork bun in years so I had to treat myself to some of that yummy goodness (candied bbq pork stuffed inside a big sweet roll for those who don't know).

I was in the theatre district and there are so many used bookshops lining the streets! I browsed through a few of them (I love old books) but this one was my favorite because it reminded me of Beauty and the Beast...

This is "Apple Market," a subsection of Covent Garden market/Jubilee market. It's very different from Camden and Borough market - all well organized stalls between pricey boutiques. Which makes it no fun in my opinion. I feel like a market should include as swarming mass of noisy people, crowded, over-flowing stalls of picked-over merchandise, lots of color and yummy smells, and the need to hug one's purse just a little closer.

Somewhere near the Muffin Man's house...

According to the map, The Old Curiosity Shop was supposed to be on this street. I hated the movie and would probably hate the book (the story depresses me) but still, it would have been cool to see the shop. So...I took a picture of the street instead.

London has an amazing surplus of fantastic buildings. Example? This beautiful structure holds the glamorous office of Land Registry.

Royal Courts of Justice.

Fleet St. Home to the Demon Barber of course.

Dragon on the Temple Bar on Fleet St. I think even without the history of Sweeny Todd this would be a really creepy street...

Yummy Cornish pasties which I ate...

...sitting up on a bench looking out at the Thames :)

Tower of London. I took a million pictures of this, but that would make this already long blog post even more ridiculously long...Suffice it to say that it was sufficiently intimidating and I would not be surprised if it actually is the most haunted building in London.

Tower Bridge.
Favorite gargoyle I've seen so far.

221B Bakers St. Home of the greatest detective all time. Especially if he actually did look like Robert Downey Jr.

Regent's Park

Ducklings! So cute!

Tourists narrowly avoiding peak traffic as they jump out onto Abbey Road, trying to take pictures like the Beatles. Perfect tourist moment and completely worth the pilgrimage out into the middle of nowhere.

Home of Charles Dickens. The plaque says "Home of Charles Dickens. Novelist." Novelist??? That's all the title he got?!?! Sorry...this guy is pretty much my favorite author of all time. Along with Robert Lewis Stevenson, C. S. Lewis, Tolkein... Sigh. I really need to branch out and read something that was written in the last 50 years...