DAY 7: Can you spell that please?

Made my way through SOHO and Chinatown- stopped to eat at a great Italian bakery, "PRINCI." Another cappuccino and pasqualina (spinach & egg pastry). I love the Italians- clean, modern, open, exuberant... hopefully I don't change my tune in a month.

Found my way to Oxford today to stay with a lovely British couple I met in Finland. Caroline is a hypnotherapist and Bede does IT work for the Oxford Press, who prints one of my favorite books, The Dictionary! Got lost getting back to the hostel (shocking, I know) so Luigi (obese midget), Roo (baby kangaroo) & I caught a taxi to the bus stop. Bought a ticket in the machine that said BUY TICKETS HERE- got on the bus and Arthur the Asshole bus driver told me it was the wrong ticket and that I had to go buy the right one.
"Can't I just buy one from you, since you have the actual ticket machine in your lap?"
"I suppose, " Arthur says, in a put-out, I'd-rather-get-hit-by-this-bus-than-drive-it-tone.
"Gee, thanks for DOING YOUR JOB Arthur..." I fell asleep on the way only to be yelled at by Arthur, "Git a mooooove awn!" Waking me up from a deep sleep is like waking a bearcat out of hybernation- I wanted to scratch his eyes out.

An hour and a half later I arrive in Oxford and had to find my way to the Dunlop residence. Getting directions over the phone from a Brit is a real treat... it's like listening to proper ebonics. "Can you spell that please?" And then when you see the road sign and how it's actually spelled... they put the wrong emPHASis on the wrong syLABol... Finally I arrive at 9 Davenant Street and Bede has tea, biscuits and a jolly good conversation waiting for me. Such a dear man- reminds me of a tall mouse with spectacles and a tie. Caroline was in London for the evening so he cooked a feast of smoked herring, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli with a tomato mushroom sauce paired with a Carmanere vino. I love food. Not sure if you noticed... it only consumes 90% of my stories... we sat and talked about Finland and all sorts of places he's travelled- it was a great, comfortable evening.

I decided to take a bath, something I haven't actually "taken" in years. I was ecstatic to be reminded of what hot water feels like... I grabbed, what I thought was soap, and used it to shave my legs... turns out it was kitchen appliance cleaner (don't ask why it was in the bathroom), so my legs are now silky smooth with a lovely gunmetal sheen to them. SEXY. The bottom of the tub looked like someone shaved an albino gorilla. High maintinance Whitney has FLOWN out the window.

It was nice to stay in a home, in a comfy bed, with a clean bathroom (though no fluffy, Downy-fresh towel). I've realized just how much we take for granted in the States- dishwashers, hot water galore, CLOTHES DRYERS, nice, big Riedel wine glasses :) MAN ARE WE SPOILED!!!

Perhaps I should have put a DISCLAIMER on my blog... regardless:
-I'm not racist.
-I say it like I see it. There is NO filter.
-I have ZERO shame.
-I'm not a homophobe by ANY means.
-I'm a grammar nazi when I've had a good amount of sleep. I realize I've unleashed some mis-spellings and I'm more embarrassed about those than about leg hair in a bathtub (yes mom, I cleaned it.)
-I know I'm in Europe, and I'm not complaining. Like I said, I call it like I see it.
- I'm not vain. I try to talk about as many OTHER people around me as possible... I just happen to be around ALL the time.

Until tomorrow :)