Becoming Brit-ified

We can tell we have been out of the US for a long time. We are starting to not notice things that are different. I notice it especially with things relating to cars. I'm getting used to which way to look when I cross the streets (although the words on the ground that say "look left" or "look right" also help). Then the other day, we were walking along the sidewalk and we saw a car where the driver's side was on the left and it looked strange to us. That's when you know it's been a while.

I'm also starting to laugh at the tourists. Today on my weekly trip into town, I went to the National Gallery which is right on Trafalgar Square. To add to that, I got off the tube at the stop that is right by Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. There were some people taking pictures on the steps and as there were so many of them, I thought something was going on on the river (where they were aiming their cameras). So I looked to see what was going on that was photo worthy but didn't see anything. Then it occurred to me that they were just taking a picture of the river. I chuckled and just thought "ah, tourists".

Then when I went to Trafalgar Square and saw the other tourists taking pictures of the buildings, I thought back to when I was first there. Trafalgar Square was the first place we went to in London after getting here and sleeping. I remember being amazed that I was here and just in awe of the whole place. That area of town is different from every other city I had been in before. The buildings look like something I would expect to see in a Jane Austen movie with the way they curve along the street. It really is a unique place and I am amazed at how quickly I have adjusted to being here and it's not new or novel to me anymore.

New topic, the museum was really cool. At first I just started wandering the galleries but was in the 17th paintings which isn't really my forte (although I've discovered I really enjoy the Dutch painters of this era). Naturally I was overwhelmed with everything and started just glazing over while I wandered the rooms. Then I discovered they have this way cool thing in the basement. They have computers that you can go to and look up what paintings they have in the museum and learn more about them. Or you can learn about the artists. Or you can print out a tour of paintings to see on themes or artists. Or you can look up pictures and put together your own tour. So I did just that and then went and looked at a few of my favorites (mostly impressionists) and was able to look at the others in the rooms that they were in and in the rooms on the way to where I was going without getting overwhelmed with it all.