A few highlights on London

I've been to London four times in the last three years -- (but that's counting a long layover in 2005 on the way to South Africa when my friends picked me up and took me to Windsor Castle and back). So, I think that this is the first time I really got to see the sites. Other than Windsor Castle, Eton College and Imperial College in the past, this was the first time I stayed downtown, which made it so easy to hop on the underground and go anywhere. For example, one afternoon I met up with a Hungarian girl, Luca, who is living as a nanny in London. Her and I are pictured with the London Eye in the background. We visited all the sites around the Westminster tube stop, which included places like Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, Big Ben, Parlaiment, and the River walk there.

Highlights for me on this trip were reconnecting with old friends and making some new ones. In two years time, there are a lot of things that can happen! People got married, had children, and some have moved around a bit throughout Europe. New people have moved into new places. Of course I really enjoyed the music. One of the pastors from Sweden had a kickin' band and they played one morning. They had the Scottish team play another time and then the London team. I was loving the variety and the music, period. I so miss that part of our services here in Budapest. We usually do one song or two but nothing in depth.

Another highlight was reconnecting with two girls, Liga and Inta, whom I met in Latvia two years ago when we did a Straight Up Beautiful event there. Since then, one of the girls has gone through an incredible amount of difficult thing. She's living in London now and found out I would be in town so we visited. Being able to speak life to her and encourage her felt sooooo good. We spent a whole evening together and I missed that nights session because I really felt it was important that we talk. Overall, the trip was great. I was really pleased this time and felt like I can actually say I saw London.

I also got a neighborhood run in one morning and ran past a building with a plaque dedicated to Winston Churchill as apparently he had lived in that building for 9 years of his life. That was awesome. Speaking of working out, I have been such the slacker since the 5K race. Nothing consistent, just hit and miss for me so I need to kick it back into start mode but I need a race or something to start training for. The next races I have planned aren't until 2009. I need something before December I think. If not, maybe I'll just create one in my head so that I have something to train for. I seem to work better that way.