I woke up and had a delicious breakfast with Steve and his wife Jo. It was actually probably the most formal and biggest breakfast I have had the whole trip. I then got cleaned up and came back downstairs to find the two of them playing some Mario Kart Wii. I couldn’t resist and jumped in on the next game only to get my rear handed to me. I quickly realized that not only am I out of practice, but I am far inferior a player to the two of them. Sorry America for representing you so poorly in international Mario Kart.
After several games we decided to get ready and go into town. There is a place called the Custard Factory (which is not a custard factory) that they wanted to visit along with a couple of other places along the way. I gladly joined them and we soon headed out to catch a bus. All the while we traveled into town Steve explained some of the history of the place, which is always very interesting.
Steve and I got out at a music store that he likes and said we would meet up with Jo later. It was a very nice music store that sells a lot of second hand albums. I looked around for a while, but held off from buying anything (knowing that I would have to transport it a long way). But it has inspired me to find a place like it in Dallas. Then we walked into the Bullring area of the city center and met back up with Jo. We went and grabbed some lunch at a place called Wagamamas that was very good. Then we finally headed off to the Custard Factory.
It was about a 10 minute walk into the south area of town. I found that it was kind of a flea market for vintage arts and clothing stores. It was really cool, and again, I kind of want to find a place like that in Dallas. We walked through an art exhibition that was somehow related to work with people with mental and psychological
disabilities. We walked through a couple other stores, one at which we got to make these cool wooly pebbles. It was fun, and maybe something I can integrate into something back home. We walked through a couple more clothing stores that were very interesting.Finally it got to be about time for them to head back home and for me to catch my train, so I said my goodbyes and thanks and headed back down to London. When I arrived in London, it was spitting rain (I think that is the correct rain terminology). Not pleasant to be out in, but it doesn’t completely soak you. So, I tried to figure out where I could go. The train got to London faster than I thought it would meaning that I got into town about 3 hours before Grace started. So, I walked past University of London, which was not that exciting. Then I headed to the British Museum. I knew it was the one I had already been to, but it was the closest thing that I knew would be open and that I could probably find something to do in.
I did notice that there was a new exhibit showing called medals of dishonour. I checked it out and it was really interesting. Basically it was artists satirical making of medals to remember terrible things that people have done. They had some really old ones and ones up to very recent.
After that, I walked back to the center area and on the way saw half of an exhibit that was closed last time I was there, but nothing really exciting. I sat down for a while, which turned out to be kind of cool because there were a lot of foreign people around me, so I got to listen to several different languages at once.
After I got bored of that, I went outside again. The rain was still sprinkling down, and I still had about an hour before I needed to go to the tube to travel out to Grace. I walked around a little more and went into some shops. Finally, it started to rain a little harder, so I took refuge in a starbucks and grabbed a hot chocolate. I was hoping to get free internet too, but no luck there, so I read a little.
Finally it was time to head out to Grace and see them at their big service. I knew they were having a barbeque today, but since it was raining I hoped that everything would still go as planned. I entered the tube station to find that it was incredibly busy and that there were delays on the line I needed. Nevertheless, I waited it out and finally made it to where I needed to go just a little after 8, and to the church only about 20 minutes late. So I had about 3 and a half hours from the time I arrived in London to get there, but didn’t make it. I was a little frustrated with that, but just walked on in.
They were still having a barbeque but they were bringing all the cooked food inside where everyone was eating. I was not too late to miss the food and had plenty of time to eat and talk with people. At about 9 we started the service. It was a very nice service and I really enjoyed it and felt moved by it. We did some creative reflection and communion, and before I knew it it was over. We had some pudding at the end, which gave me more chance to talk to people. It was good to see people I had met before along with many knew people.
Eventually, it was time for me to run to catch a train back out to Fleet. I was pushing it already in banking on the very last train to leave, so I did not want to miss it. Luckily, everything went smoothly and I made it back very late, but safely.
What I learned:
Birmingham is the home of Cadbury and the outlying towns used to be where the workers lived. For some reason that whole image just reminded me of Willy Wonka.
How to make a wooly pebble (I don’t think that is what they were really called though).
There are a lot of drunk people on London public transportation after 11pm.
St. Pancras rail station has comfy chairs and is not a bad place to spend the night if you miss your train. This did not happen to me, but to one of the guys I was talking to tonight. Still, it was good to know given I still have a week to miss that last train out.
It is better to do nothing after having already reached your destination, rather than doing nothing and then frantically trying to get there on time.
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