The Thames

I love the River Thames. I remember the first time I really paid attention to it was during my senior year of high school, when we were reading "Heart of Darkness" in A.P. English. Many students, including me, initially mispronounced it and few people knew where the river actually was.

Anyway, I remember that Joseph Conrad described it really beautifully. Although most of the book takes place on the Congo river, Conrad wrote about the winding, twisting Thames in such a way that it stuck with me. The historical and cultural importance of the Thames and what it means to London is outstanding. Last December, when I first came to London, the plane had to circle around a few times before landing and I had a great view of London from above. The Thames dominated the landscape, and the city spread in all directions from the water.

Last night, we went on a cruise of the Thames. Although I wasn't in the mood to dance to the same bad pop music I've been listening to all week, I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the deck and enjoying the view. Peter, Nick and I shared a bottle of red wine and made it a classy affair.

One of the best parts of the trip was crossing the Greenwich Mean Time line. At night, they mark the imaginary line with a super-strong green lazer that stretches across the sky. Of course-- similar to when midnight hits on New Year's Eve--nothing happened when we crossed, but it was cool nonetheless.

Pitcures: (1) Nick secretly enjoys hanging out with me, he's just too tough to show it; (2) the view was amazing; (3) Peter and I always seem to have a good time together; (4) crossing under the Tower Bridge was my favorite part.