London

We arrived in London today (Gatwick) from Shannon Airport via Ryan Air, the cheapest airline I've ever heard of. It was something like 15 Euros per person. Unfortunately, with all the taxes, it ended up being more like 40. Speaking of getting the price jacked up on you, it turns out that castle WAS too good to be true. They tricked us by showing us a brochure with off-season rates featured prominently (with the in-season ones down at the bottom). Did they mention anything about this when my mom and I were discussing the prices with them? No. I retract my previous comments about Irish hospitality. It's certainly no better than anywhere else.

London has been calm. We got to the hotel, ate, have been watching free PPV -- not sure why we got it, and chilled. My mom has a bunch of business to take care of so it looks like I'll be on my own tomorrow.

Several things:
- Hot Fuzz is one of the greatest movies ever. Maybe not, but it IS damned funny.
- British people are weird. I got assaulted by a (very rich) drunk guy at the concierge desk. He told me (in no particular order) "I tell em my cock is 12 inches, when it's really more like 2, hah!", "[pointing to his Lithuanian girlfriend/money order wife/escort as she walks away] what do you rate that ass?", "Are you American? Of course you are, fuckin yanks. Do you know who Ira Hayes is?" (more to come as I remember them)... he then tried to drive away in his Mercedes. The hotel staff was having quite a time dealing with this guy.
- Is it an oxymoron to say you serve the best of British Food? I mean, even if it is the best, it still sucks. We ate Italian tonight. From a cheap Italian chain (Strada). It was the best food I've had in days.

My arms and shoulders are going to fall off from schlepping the bags from Gatwick to the train, to the tube, to the hotel. Sleep time.