London, England

july 2002

Between jobs I took a last-minute trip to London and Edinburgh. I spent just two nights in London, and wished I had two weeks.

In Trafalgar Square, I shared a bench (and some mysterious corn-based fried snack foods) with old-world women of indeterminate European descent, until too many sisters and daughters and nieces arrived, and I was squeezed off the end.

Cows as public art, just like home. Everywhere in London there are signs warning that you are currently being filmed on CCTV. I don't think surveillance is more intense there, I think they are under some sort of obligation to let you know. This CCTV post has been coated in "anti-climb" paint to prevent tampering.

I visited the Tate Modern for the first time, hoping to see the Lucian Freud exhibit, which turned out to be at the Tate Britain. I visited the Tate Britain for the first time, too, later that week. Before I realized you aren't allowed to take photographs, I snapped a few pictures of the interior. I also caught Mr. Tasty outside Shakespeare's Globe Theater.