Day 15: Scum of the Earth.

I never realized how truly STRANGE London fashion was, until today. Yes, I see it on the streets, plastic leggings and odd looking shirts, and neon colored hair... But I guess I didn't think it was actually advocated by the fashion industry. ...Well, I was wrong. We strolled in and out of some of the high end clothing stores on our street, and I'm sorry to say, it's even weirder in there than on the streets.

It was like visiting a badly done modern art museum.

I'm not even sure what some of the things I was looking at were meant to be. Is this a shirt? pants? a hat maybe? ... And why would anyone pay 150 quid for it??

Honestly.

You know, TJ Maxx is called TK Maxx here. Strange, huh? I can only assume it's the same store, because the logo is an EXACT replica, minus the J.

Oh, and here's an interesting fact! I saw a car covered in artificial grass today, instead of paint.

Anyway, I digress. After we'd had our fill of the high prices and fantastical clothing, we went to the grocery store. Did you know they don't have frozen cookie dough here? Never even heard of it. ... Guess we Americans are just sort of lazy. But you know what they DO have?? Creme Brulee. Pre made. Sitting there in their own little glass dishes, in the frozen dessert section. Only 1 pound fifty for two! So I grabbed one of those, and some raspberries, and had a wonderful treat when I got home.

You know, we did something sort of ground breaking today. We stepped foot into Hyde Park for the first time. I've lived next to it for two weeks, and never seen the inside. Well. Today, I saw it. Only thing is, it's sort of... anticlimactic.

I mean yes, there's some lovely stretches of grass, and some tall trees, and what not. But... well honestly it's just outshined by the other parks I've seen in London. And you know, an interesting thing happened after we'd got about 20 steps in.

...

There we stood, admiring the round pond, and Kensington palace, and an adorable little white dog chasing pigeons, when Rachel decided she probably ought to get her camera out. So we stood and chatted, while she fished in her backpack, observing the runners, and other passers by, commenting amongst ourselves that the little dog was adorable...

When suddenly, the dog's owner--a hunch backed, ginger headed old lady-- started talking. At first, we thought she must be talking to her dog. In his pigeon chasing endeavors, the dog had trotted over in our general direction, and she was trying to get him to leave. All we could catch was "bloody dog" for a minute... and then suddenly, Robyn glanced at me and said through the corner of her mouth, "Is she talking to us?"...

"no... no, she's talking to her dog!" says I. ...

I listened closer and heard the very distinct sentence:

"Go back to your own bloody country!"....

Ah...

Apparently not.

She began hobbling nearer, uttering the following phrases in our not so general direction...

"F--- off! You scum of the earth! Take a picture of your own bloody dog! Get back to your own bloody country! Scum!"

Yes, Well....

I'll admit we were in a state of total shock. I couldn't believe this crotchety old woman was actually swearing and cursing us for being American. I tried to figure what had provoked it... all we'd been doing is standing there, admiring the scenery, talking to one another. Admittedly, we commented on her dog. Which I suppose may have upset her... Though I can't imagine why.

We laughed, awkwardly.

She kept at it...

"You bloody scum of the earth! Get out!"

So, naturally, I began singing the Star Spangled Banner.

Boy, did that set her off. Haha. I just couldn't help it. Poor woman. She really was making a fool of herself.

We just walked away, slowly. I turned around to face her, and kept singing. Ahe scowled at me, and I just laughed. A string of profanities followed us until we'd out walked her less than limber legs.

Ah, well. I probably shouldn't have provoked the lady so, with my singing. But what can I say? I AM the scum of the earth, after all...

;)

We saw an excellent show. I love British comedy. (Though, I'd nearly had enough of it in the park). And then took the bus back home again.

Ha. What a day.