I am back!

Good news, I am home. Some quick backround, I just spend a week traveling across the south of England. I was doing research for the blog here, so I can write it off now, right? Sorry for that last post, things got strange at the end. Probably sleep deprivation, or something Hunter Thompson might call 'the fear'. Anyhow, the trip was great and I have much to share, including pictures. I spent a lot of time in pubs talking with local folk, strictly as research for the blog mind you. They are keenly aware of what is happening politically here and can't stand our administration. America had two big allies when we went to war against Iraq: Spain and England. The leadership in Spain just all got voted out because of their allegiance to us and the whole fraudulent war against Iraq. Every single person I talked to there (both young and old, and from different ends of the political spectrum) all said they can't wait to vote out Tony Blair. They said without question he will be gone because he allowed himself and his country to be led along regarding the completelely and provenly false pretenses of the war. Those were our two allies, everyone else already thinks we're collosal dicks... now it's official that everyone in the world does. It is important to have allies, and right now we have only Britain... until Blair leaves office which seems a certainty. God forbid Bush wins re-election because in the end there will be NO ONE to stand up for our interests anywhere anymore. Sounds dramatic, doesn't it? I bet if you went into any bar in America about 20% would even know who Tony Blair is. Well over there every single person knows who George Bush is. I swear I went on vacation to forget about this shit, but this is the most pressing issue in the free world right now. Sorry, back to fun stuff. While I was there I learned how to drive on the wrong (or, as the English say... proper) side of the road. We rented a car for two days, it was a stick shift. So I had to get into the car on the wrong side, shift with the wrong arm, and then drive on the wrong side of the road. Wow was that weird! Try doing that after a few pints of good strong ale, gov'nah. Other observances for you > they drink their beer flat, and neer room temperature. It took several of these ales to get the hang of the taste (again, I did this for you, the reader). Though I would like it a bit colder, the no carbonation thing isn't bad at all. You can really taste the flavor of the beer, which is quite good. Also, without foam you can drink them MUCH quicker... I heard. I saw Stonehenge and it was much smaller than I imaqined. I mean much smaller. I somehow thought the site was acres wide across, it's only about 60 feet at the most. I mentioned the 'motherland' in the last piece as an homage to Roy... because he called it that. I guess since I am white... it is my home of origin. However, I didn't seem to have anything in common with anyone there at all. I feel much more comfortable in Mexico, personally. Here is another wacky thing: when offering to help, they do not say 'can I help you?'. They say "All you alright, then?". The first time I heard this I was in the subway trying to figure which line to take. A nice lady who was an employee of the Underground (their subway system) asked me "All you alright, then?". I freaked out because I thought I was in trouble and did something wrong. Then I noticed they all say this when you walk into a store. I still find it disturbing. Anyhow, here is the picture link, and expect a big meaty blog piece in the next week about King Henry the 8th. Quick synopsis, he was a collosal asshole who changed the course of the world. Picture link to ofoto, you may have to log in... but you don't have to pay. * a quick note about the pictures. In case it isn't painfully obvious... that crosswalk I am walking across is the crosswalk from the cover of Abbey Road by the Beatles. It was like a pilgrimage for me, seriously. I trimmed down the picures you have to wade through from 463 to 24. If you wanna see the rest, come over with some ale.