Black Keys, Tate Modern

So the Black Keys live was a borderline religious experience. You know how some songs are just ten thousand times better live? Well that was “Your Touch”. Do yourself a favour and just download it right now and listen to it on the highest volume.

Unfortunately I forgot I brought my camera and only got one good picture towards the end. But here’s the lead singer/guitarist laying down some killer riffs.

I spent pretty much the entire day today wandering around the Tate Modern. It’s seven floors of contemporary art from 1900 to present. On the second floor there is a mural about 150 meters long that is basically a time line of artists and movements over the last 100 years. The best part was that I got to see works from a bunch of the people we talked about in my avant garde film class. My favourite was this one statue from Umberto Boccioni, “Unique Forms of Continuity of Space”

Unfortunately, Tate Modern doesn’t allow pictures inside any of the exhibits, but I did get some good shots of the huge murals on the walls outside.

That’s it for now. Walking around the city all day is tiring even with a nap midday.

Oh The People You’ll Meet

Top three people I met even before I got to London:

3) Conner  -  Some film/art major from NYU that was on the same flight to London. He was cool, but I didn’t get an email address or anything. Plus, his hair looked like about three dozen little trees groing out of his head. It was like he was going for dreads, or started braiding each one and quit half-through.

2) The two big executive types that own and manage a Canadian meat company. They talked for two hours next to me on the flight to Toronto about expanding into the Chicken sector.

1) Lloyd – This guy started talking to me as soon as he sat down next to me on the flight to London. Lloyd is a 54-year old very wealthy art collector from Toronto. He offered to take me to my Hostel in the Limo that was picking him up from the airport because SURPRISE the new loft he just bought is right down the street! I declined.

I took the tube to the hostel and settled in. My roommates so far are three 18 year old spaniards that weren’t being talkative and an elderly man on the bottom bunk.

I had falafel again for dinner but that was only because it was the only place open still serving food. I wanted to stop in a pub and get my first beer but for some reason all the pubs were closed. It was only about 11:30. There were one or two bars that still had people in them (and drinking outside them)  but it looked like some exclusive club that I didn’t feel like barging in and flashing my passport to get one pint. You can bet I’ll get some tomorrow though.

That’s all for now. I haven’t slept in more than 36 hours. Plan for tomorrow is wandering around London, hitting up a museum, then to the Black Keys Concert!

Hey London, j/k — Bonjour Quebec!

So due to some inclement weather I missed my flight from Montreal to Quebec. So I stayed at a youth hostel in Montreal and didn’t get any sleep. It’s not too much of a bummer though since I just hate waiting. As long as I’m traveling or in a new place it’s not too bad.

Montreal seems like a nice place. Granted I only spent about 12 hours here. I’d heard the people would be mean if you didn’t speak french but everyone I met was very nice. Especially the elderly cab driver who kept reminding me to check if I had my tickets and passport. I almost wish I had more time in Montreal so I could hang out with my roommate (Don from Australia) or the guy who got booted from the same flight as me that looked exactly like the bassist from the Mountain Goats.

The only complaint I had about Montreal is that everything has to be in French and English. But even this wouldn’t be so bad if they picked one order and stuck with it. Instead they keep switching it up so sometimes it’s English then French and sometimes it’s vice versa. I keep getting really confused when I can’t understand one of the announcements and then I have to wait until they repeat it in English.

Two complaints actally. The falafel I had for dinner was less than stellar. 

In 36 hours I will be in London

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So I finished packing, and now I can’t get to sleep. Mary was telling me earlier that I didn’t sound excited enough about my trip. Well now I know why. I can’t stand waiting to do things and so if I get excited I can’t get to sleep. On the up side it might make the transatlantic flight go faster since I’ll just sleep there.