Catching up

Firstly, I am going to tell a little bit of the differences about the British gym and people that inhabit it.  First noticeable difference is the size of the gym.  The gym is tiny and built up and not out, much like the rest of London.  Locker rooms which have sauna and shower in it are the floor above the actual gym. It is rather small compared to SJU weight room.  Maybe 1/4 of the size that I am used to.  It is fully equipped with the machines and free weights that are needed, but much less room to use them.  I have got to know all of the regulars (that are willing to talk to me) and they say that this club is one of the best in London.  There is no room in the city for a Lifetime Fitness so I guess his is one of the best.  The people in the gym are much like they are in the states, just far less of them.  There are a couple big guys that look like they were born in the weight room and then there are the guys that are small and wish that they were as big as the big guys.  The club offers a bunch of classes which British people are huge into.  They teach all sorts of classes ranging from boxing to abs blast to marshal arts.  The personal trainers are the ones that teach the class and they are free to attend.  Haven't had the chance to attend them yet but maybe I will by the end of it.

Anyways, Thursday we had class in the morning and then came home and ran to the gym outside again.  We checked it and it is a mile and a half.  It was an unusual Thursday seeing that we had a theater performance.  It was put on at RADA which is Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, a famous acting school.  It was a bunch of kids our age that put on the show, which was pretty good.  You could tell a big difference between the usual London theater compared to the the acting schools.

After the theater we heard of a Karaoke Bar.  So we eventually ended up at the Monument Tube stop where we went to the bar called Britanaca.  It was good night with cheap drinks.  First time we have found a place with good drinks that were cheap.  It ended up being a very fun night and we had probably 15 people from our group out.  It was a blast and we sang Sweet Caroline, some spice girls, Don't Stop Believing.  After Don't Stop Believing the DJ kept us on stage for the last song of the night and surprised with "Born in the USA".  He must of loved us.

Today we woke up(little bit of a headache) and headed to the huge market area of London.  Took the Picadilly line up to Leicester Square and headed north on the Northern line until we hit Camden Town.  It literally is a couple city blocks of straight stores and street vendors trying to sell some stuff.  We made our way to the end of the street which ends at Stable Market.  It used to be a horse hospital and the stalls of hospital are now turned into stores with food vendors yelling at you to buy their food.  It was incredibly cheap for a ton of food.  The problem with this area is it is where "punk" originated.  Lots of tattoo and piercing parlors.  Lots of mohawks and artsies people there.

shows the shops on each side of the road.

Tonight we are in to blog and do some homework because tomorrow we are off to a Rugby game! it will be a ton of fun.  It is a local league in London of semi professional Rugby.  I think it is like a farm system in the states.  Should be fun.

 

Cheers

Jimmy