So I made it to London, got here on January 28th.  Since I've been here, it hasn't rained until yesterday.  It has been very cold though.. -1 to 4 degrees C, but its very surprising how cold it is...its quite windy and I wasn't well prepared.

First highlight:  my lab.  Wow, there is so much equipment and supplies...I am very happy...as opposed to my home lab where money is tight.  There is a gold mine of blood samples here too.  I'll be looking at platelets in patients with heart and lung transplants.  Unlike Vancouver...there is no way I'd get blood from such patients...there is so much red tape there. 

Second highlight: Stonehenge.  Took 4 hours to get there ( I took a bus...16 quid), but its in a middle of pasture, and boom all of a sudden its there.  And when I first looked at it, I was really amazed.  Its like this monolithic structure in the middle of nowhere.  And boy does it look mysterious.  I guess most TV-people would find Stonehenge boring in 10 minutes, but I was there for 1 hour just staring and wondering at it. 

But honestly, I think most people would be disappointed by Stonehenge, its certainly not a tourist attraction that we are used to-something more interactive maybe. 

A couple of days after that, Barry flew into town from Dublin.  It was so great to see him again.  He's changed.  He wears jeans now too.  He can really drink too now.  He was drinking his beer so quickly...I don't know why!

There it is.  Anyways, it was great to see this guy...boy he is growing up!  I had a lot of great conversations and stories with Barry.  What a clutch guy.

Third memorable experience:  I went to see the band HARD-Fi at the Hammersmith Palais.  HOLY CROW.  First, the Hammersmith Palais.  Its one of the only legendary rock clubs left still open that bore rocknroll.  So I can say that I've seen a concert in them all. For all you knowitalls, CBCG doesn't count anymore since its closed down.  But anyways, Hammersmith is the best venue I've been to.  Just imagine the stage of Commodore Ballroom, a similar venue three times the size of Richards on Richards with the balcony and a little hint of the fight scene in Kill Bill with the 88 ninjas.  PLUS- the ceiling is covered with royal blue drapes that dovetail at all corners of the ceiling but meet together in the center of the hall.  There are lasers/strobes everywhere.  The balcony's are rockstar cool.  There were celebrities there, but I couldn't see past the barrier (they're in some skybox thing).  The standing room is not elongated (unlike Commodore), so it forces mostly everyone to watch from some angle, which is cool. 

HARD-Fi are going to be a great band...perhaps even the best.  The lead singer doesn't have a vocal range (me neither) and the bass player sings like a mouse but the sound is great.  A memorable concert.  They will take over the world, they just need to stop rapping (yknow what I mean...). 

My favorite place in London?  Has to be Camden Market/Town.  This place is simply amazing.  Kinda like a punk-bohemian version of granville island, but over a 3 mile radius.  Its kinda dangerous, so I waited for a certain Kung Fu master before going.