A Duck Walks Into a Pub: Day 3: London - Authentic British Cuisine

As Josh mentioned, last night was our first attempt at authentic British food at a pub called Albert's. It was our tour guide Mike's favorite spot in London, and we were excited to hang out with some locals. After grabbing a few pints at the bar, we trekked upstairs to our table.

Dinner was a little different than here in the states - Beef stew covered in mashed potatoes served with stewed carrots and English peas. British food may not be the most delicate in the world, but it did fill us up for the first time on our trip. We grabbed another beer downstairs and then headed to Zoo Bar, which Mike insisted was the best spot for a Wednesday night. (Side note: If you ever have a chance to try an ale called "Old Speckled Hen", for God's sake run. Do not drink it. Or smell it. I am a fan of new foods and obviously a fan of beer - but this was like liquid feet. It was the worst £3 I could have spent, but at least I learned a lesson for all of us).

Moving on - Zoo Bar was a dual level club...bar on top, dance club on bottom. We got directed to the dance floor as our group arrived, mostly because that is where many of the college sophomores were dying to go. However, after a few minutes of techno music and strobe lights, a few of us went upstairs with Mike and some locals to grab a few pints. It was a fun atmosphere, and knowing that our tour guide is a cool guy will make this trip that much more enjoyable. After a short bus detour and brisk walk in the late London air, we arrived home safely for a few hours sleep.

Today, we were on our own and decided to take in some British culture. Our first stop was the British Museum. It is the largest in the world and holds some of the most impressive pieces of our history. There were so many incredible things to see, but the short list includes: The Rosetta Stone, Cleopatra (who looked quite chubby), pieces of the Parthenon and the Lindow Man. I didn't take any pictures of him, but look it up. Creepy stuff.

Afterward, we took the tube across town to the Tate Modern to see some more recent artwork. Some Picassos and Pollocks were hanging on the walls, and it was good to take in a little bit more of the British culture. From the Tate, we decided to venture into far east London for the national food of Britain - Indian Cuisine. It was well off the beaten path and in a dodgy looking neighborhood, but we had a great time navigating the streets. We were swarmed by about 5 restaurant owners, and finally bargained our way into a fee bottle of wine, 2 free pints a piece, and free appetizers for Josh, Karlie, Lauren and myself. The food was great, and it felt pretty cool to be able to make our way through the city so easily. Unfortunately, tomorrow at 6 AM we leave for a new city with a new subway system and a language other than English. Hopefully we catch on quickly. If not, at least we can get you around the city if we ever take another trip to London.

Time for one last night at the pub and a lot more packing.

Cheers,

Russell