occupy london

i’m not too big on politics.   the odd news story might spark my interest, but in general, political campaigns and the such seem to play out more like a media circus than anything else.   but nevertheless, when i heard that the protestors outside of st. paul’s were going to be evicted soon, i thought it’d be interesting to walk down there and have a first-hand look at the scene before the protestors got kicked out.

like many other places around the world, london has been plagued with unrest over the past year.   a year ago, i inadvertantly let a whole bunch of student protestors into the university london campus.   they occupied the building for a week and proceeded to completely trash the place; posters were torn down, doors blocked and chained, bathrooms wrecked, garbage thrown around, etc.  so, the london campus was subsequently closed and classes cancelled.   how this was supposed to help decrease student fees is beyond me.  ultimately, police stormed the building, raiding from the roof like something out of a hollywood blockbuster, and the students were forced out.   personally, all this seems like a farce, especially since the increase in UK student fees to a maximum of £10,000 per year still looks like a bargain to me, a hapless american graduate currently paying off loans at about $10k per year, for the next - decade or so. *weep* converted into dollars, the new UK student fees is "only" $15k per year (for three years, since their degrees don't take as long), which is cheaper than some of the cheapest schools in the states.   so, needless to say, i had very little sympathy for the student protestors, especially when taking into consideration their haphazard and nonsensical approaches to protesting, which seem more like childish tantrums than anything reasonable and potentially effective.

i was also living in central london when the riots broke out last year.   however, as awful as it all was, i think the media somewhat blew it out of proportion - made it seem as though all of london was burning down.   i live in the waterloo area, so quite central, and aside from a few closed shops, i didn't see anything out of the ordinary - wouldn't even have noticed that riots were going on if it weren't for the news.

anyways, as for the st. paul's protestors, my feelings were pretty much the same as for the student protestors.   yes, they've camped out and turned the surrounding area into squalor, but what does that actually Do?   the economy is still struggling and people are still unemployed.   and can't protestors get their message across without littering and wrecking things?

at any rate, i wound up just walking around st. paul's and taking some photos of the protestors.   i might not really agree with them, but it was still nice to personally photographically document this little piece of history. =)

see my photos here.

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theresa tours

since i give so much touristy advice to a good chunk of people i know, i've decided to start a little tourist service and capitalize on my travelling skills.  since a few of my british friends are thinking of coming over and touring LA, i thought i'd draft up a little welcome pack for them:

LOS ANGELES  behold the wonders of capitalism

dear british tourist,

welcome to LA, the capital of capitalism.  my name is theresa and i will be your tour guide.  you will find included in this welcome pack the following items:  sunscreen (spf 200), flip-flops (also known as "sandals"), sunglasses, shorts (trousers with pant legs that do not extend past the knees), and an LA dialect - english translation dictionary.  while many of these items may be foreign and unfamiliar to you, many of these items will help you to cope with something prevalent in LA called "sunlight".  if you have any questions on how to use any of these items, your tour guide will be happy to show you.  below, you will find some information on LA that will help you prepare for your stay.  please read the information carefully, as failure to adjust to local LA custom may result in your getting shot.

general:  population - 4 million;  religion - hedonism;  popular activities - clubbing, shopping, sex;  ethnicity - 50% white, 50% asian, 50% mexican/latino, 50% african american, 50% mixed, 50% looking like one race on the outside but really another race on the inside.

language:

do not mention -
as a european, you may be accustomed to something called "walking to places" and "taking public transport".  these are not things that are done in LA.  "public transport" does not exist and the only place walking is done is in something called "outdoor malls" (please consult your LA-english dictionary for more information on what is an "outdoor mall").  therefore, do not say to the locals any form of the following:  "how do i walk to ____?",  "where is the train station?",  "can i take a bus there?".  saying such things may result in confusion, your being ridiculed, mugged (robbed at gun point; please refer to the LA-english dictionary for more on "mugging"), or shot.  instead say, "how long does it take to drive there?" and "where do i park?".  expect the local's reply to take the form of something similar to, "1-2hrs depending on traffic" for a distance of 15miles.  if you plan on taking theresa's red beetle bug service for transport, please do not be alarmed when she curses, pulls out a gun, and shoots other competing drivers when trying to park or merge into traffic.  this is common LA driving behaviour.  wear your safety belt at all times.

as a european, you will also be accustomed to other activities that are uncommon in LA and the united states in general.  therefore, do not begin your sentences with any of the following:  "i think"  "i studied"  "i read"  "i wrote", or mention anything having to do with "helping others".  thinking, studying, reading and writing, and helping others are un-american and particularly rare in LA.  do not mention "racism" or "political correctness"; while such topics are sensitive issues and treated with tact and discretion in other parts of the world, the concepts of "racism" and "political correctness" do not exist in california and ideas such as "tact", "sensitivity", and "subtlety" are absent from the minds of the locals.  do not mention other countries or states outside of california; californians are not aware that there is a world outside their state, and many cannot leave their home-state as they cannot survive away from their californian luxuries.  do not use words longer than 2-syllables; you will not be understood.  do NOT use any british words, such as "knackered" "toilet" "rubbish" "queue" "cheers"; you WILL get shot.  in the event that you are asked by a local any form of the following question: "how are you?", do not reply "horrible" and then list your life's miseries; you will only receive blank stares.  instead, the standard reply, regardless of your true feelings, is "good! and you?".  as a rule, refrain from moaning (or "complaining", as it is referred to in LA-dialect), as it is frowned upon in american culture in general.

if you wish to engage the locals in conversation, here are several common phrases in LA-dialect that you may wish to practice:  "did you see that ferrari?"  "what gym do you belong to?"  "what club do you want to hit this friday?" (consult the LA-english dictionary on the various uses and meanings of "hit", "hit on", and "hit up"), and  "i'm trying to lose weight", or if you're a bloke (or "guy" in LA-dialect), "i'm trying to get a six-pack".  please also familiarize yourself with the following words, as they may help you to understand the locals:  hella adv. very, that guy is hella hot!  hecka adv. very, that guy is hecka hot!  ghetto adj. run-down, not good, man! that dive is hella ghetto!  gangsta ghetto adj. resembling someone or something from the real LA ghetto, usually with connotations of being "cool" or "tough", dude! he's tryin' to be all gangsta ghetto!  hang out v. meet up, you wanna hang out sometime?  kick it v. meet up, come over and we can kick it!  however, be careful when using these words, as using them incorrectly with the wrong accent may result in your looking "uncool" and hence getting shot by someone who is "for real" "gangsta ghetto".  your tour guide will be happy to arrange a language exchange in order for you to become more familiar with the LA dialect.  this is highly recommended as a precaution against getting shot.  please also refer to your LA-english dictionary for further translations.

wildlife:

as one of the largest concrete jungles in the united states, LA is also home to some very exotic local wildlife.  in particular, be on the lookout for the celebrity species, as they can be spotted in camouflage in your day-to-day life.  in the event that you do spot one, please refrain from feeding it, as they often do not eat.  take photos quickly and discretely.  approach at your own risk, as they can become dangerous and aggressive:



cuisine:

like many of the major cities around the world, LA is also home to many areas of fine dining.  trying the local cuisine is always an excellent way to experience the native culture.  some popular local dishes include:  chocolate martini, sex on the beach, sour amaretto, body shot, diet pills.  the local fast food burger chain in n out is also a highly prized culinary gem.  do NOT mention anything negative related to in n out within hearing range of the locals, or you WILL return to england in a body bag.

if you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact your tour guide.  please also note that tipping is a great american custom.  please tip your tour guide as a sign of goodwill.  the standard american tipping rate is now 60%.

we hope you enjoy your stay in LA.  thank you for choosing theresa tours.

(fine print:  theresa tours is not responsible for lost or stolen items, or in the event that you are mugged, shot, or killed in a vehicular accident, the chances of which are 92.3% in LA).

the holiday season

halloween

the holiday season is a fun time of year in the UK.  it begins in october with halloween.  there are several good halloween activities in and around the london area to choose from, although many run all year round.  the ghost bus is similar to the london tour buses, except it takes you to some of the “haunted” and spooky sites of london.  also, the ghost bus has a couple of costumed performers to keep you entertained along the way.  personally, i think it’s a fun thing to do as a tourist, but if you’re a london resident, most of the sites will already be familiar to you, so might not be too thrilling.

for halloween, my favorite thing to do is a ghost walk.  there are a number throughout the whole of england.  there are also several jack-the-ripper walks in london.  these walks usually fill up really quickly for halloween, so need to be booked far in advance.  although ghost walks can be cold and cover long distances, for me, it’s better than the bus tour, because you can get right up close to the sites, rather than being enclosed in a bus the entire time.

guy fawkes day and political holidays

“remember, remember, the fifth of november”

the movie v for vendetta seems to have brought this british holiday to the american consciousness.  also known as ‘bonfire night’, guy fawkes day celebrates nov 5^th, 1605, when a plot to blow up parliament was foiled.  every year, the british mark this anniversary by putting on magnificent fireworks displays throughout england, similar to july 4^th (a holiday which is not celebrated in england).

a couple of other political celebrations follow guy fawkes day.  there’s the lord mayor’s show in mid-november, which is a historic procession dating back 800yrs.  each year, according to tradition, the mayor must make a journey to the royal courts of justice and pledge his loyalty.  today, this has resulted in an extensive, 3-mile-long parade with floats and pageantry.  it’s a fantastic chance to see a part of british history, and to witness a tradition that’s been taking place every year for nearly a millennium.

the day after the lord mayor’s show is remembrance sunday.  similar to veterans day in america, this is a time when those in the UK honor their world war veterans.  memorial services are held throughout the UK, such as on whitehall in london, which is attended by the royal family and notable politicians.  the weeks leading up to remembrance sunday are marked by the poppy appeal, a widespread charity event where artificial red poppies are bought and worn on clothing, with proceeds going towards the royal british legion, a charity for british war veterans and their families.

- the lord mayor's show:

thanksgiving

thanksgiving is an american holiday and isn’t celebrated here in the UK, so it’s a bit weird coming over to england and finding this important holiday abruptly missing from the calendar.  most years, you’ll have to work right through thanksgiving with no one else around you acknowledging its existence.  so, if you’re an american ex-pat, be prepared and plan a gathering with other american ex-pats.  also, anticipate getting a lot of questions about what exactly thanksgiving is.  in england, it’s often described as “a second christmas”, since the british usually serve a large turkey roast as a christmas meal.

christmas

this is, without a doubt, the biggest holiday in the UK.  no matter what your religion is (the UK is largely an atheistic country), you will celebrate christmas in a non-religious way.  here in england, they take their christmas decorations very seriously.  so if you’re in london in november and december, you can enjoy giant, spectacular christmas displays everywhere you go.  while i’ve always spent christmas in the states, i’ve heard that being in the UK over the christmas holidays is a bore, since everything’s closed.  so do not come to england on christmas.

- christmas decorations in london and newcastle:

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