A Visit from Dan!

I got to play tour guide over the past two weeks and share my love of London and smartypants trivia that I've gathered over the accumulated 10 months I've been here!

It's sometimes confusing for my friends when I say that "Dan" is visiting because I have both a best friend Dan (Dan Grant) and a boy that I was seeing in Toronto before I left (Dan M. or "Dr. Dan" as he is finishing up school to be a chiropractor this year). Also, Dan Grant is moving to Edinburgh to do teacher's college in the fall and Dan M and and I went to Edinburgh this past week. Confused? Anyways, for clarity in the next few posts: Dan = Dr. Dan, not Dan Grant! :P

I was so excited for Dan to be coming. We've stayed in touch over the past few months and are very close now, albeit still in different countries. He came to visit for almost 2 weeks in between the end of his clinic rotations and his final exams. Things we did in London included:

- Watching the Champions Final between Man U and Barcelona at home with Fletch, Jade, Melissa, & Martin. Incidentally, I had picked Dan up from Gatwick that morning and there were tons of Barc fans singing songs and getting into the footie spirit!
- Sightsaw the whole Trafalgar/Parliament/Big Ben/Westminster/Buckingham area as well as a wonderful walk through Hyde Park and the Serpentine.
- Met up with Sophie and Kyle (who was in town for the week with work... He lived in England last year but now works for Barclay's NYC!) at the Shakespeare for Dan's introduction to the wonderful summer delight that is Pimm's!
- Went to Borough Market to have a delicious lunch. I had paella, he had a burger, and we shared a banoffee pie.
- Toured along the Southbank: Golden Hinde, Shakespeare's Globe, St. Paul's, Tower Bridge.
- Went in the Tate Modern and were amazed by the power and beauty of some of the pieces, as well as baffled by what some consider art
- Walked through Greenwich Park to see the Deer
- Took a Thames Clipper ride from Greenwich to Embankment
- Went to the London Science Museum and learned about "Energy", old medical tools and the creation of Plastic?? Random museum!
- Spent a night out in London (Went to Gordon's Wine Bar with Emma and Andrew and then off to the Porterhouse in Covent for some live music)
- Went on the London Eye. The first time I've ever been on it. It was fun, but a little boring. Great pics of London though!!
- Took Dan to Pub Quiz at the Fox. "Team Canaussie" came in last as usual.
- Had a fancy night out by dinner and a musical. We saw Chicago. It was great, minimalist set but excellent singing and dancing by all the cast members! Due to time restraints, we ended up eating at the "Golden Arches" (our posh name for a not so posh, well known fastfood joint, lol)

It was a wonderful time in London. It was the first time that Dan had ever been overseas and he said that he was falling in love with London just like I have! :) That's a pretty big statement from the boy from Chester, Nova Scotia. ;) We didn't just stay in London though, we also did a four day trip to Edinburgh in Scotland! But that, my friends, is another post.