Don't they know it's Christmas?

There's been a slight change in plans, I'll be staying a little bit longer in London that I had planned.

I talked to my friend Allie from London, and she offered to have me stay with her family for Christmas since I didn't have any plans, so I changed my ticket so that I leave the 26th of December going back to Dusseldorf, and then back to Nijmegen.
From Birmingham (BHX) to Düsseldorf (Weeze) (NRN)Fri, 26Dec08 Flight FR2185 Depart BHX at 10:55 and arrive NRN at 13:30

This way, I'll be able to see more of London and hopefully not miss anything, have my own personal tour guide, not to mention the fabulous company ; ) and also not be alone for Christmas. Poor Philip though, I'm kinda ditching him, but we're not really that close anyway.

Also, an excursion is being planned for the 13th of December to Maastrict and Aachen, Germany, and one of the stops is at the Christmas market, so luckily I won't miss that either!

Some of you heard about my lovely adventurous trip to Delft. I slept late, woke up at 7:50 when the bus was leaving the station at 8:30, in a bit of a miracle I got out of my place by 8:05 and ended up being the third on the bus out of a hundred or so people. Then realized that in my whirlwind to get out of my place I had left all credit and debit cards in my room. I had 5 euros and 55 cents in my pocket and that's it. Luckily I had made myself breakfast and lunch the night before and so wouldn't have to starve. I walked around with a group of american, irish, and a scottish girl, and they decided to get something to eat, since I didn't have any money, and already had a lunch I decided to do a little sight seeing while they ate and to meet them back at the restraunt. I ended up in a museum where the Prince William of Oranje was shot, which I paid 5 euros for. And after about an hour I went to meet the girls, and didn't find them in the restraunt. I went to a church, the next planned stop, but couldn't get in because you had to pay. Actually, I tried to sneak in, but some lady from behind the counter saw me and followed me into the church demanding my ticket, so I left. I just think it's wrong making a profit off of God (haha, that's the excuse for sneaking in). So for the rest of the day I just wandered around, found a church that was free of charge, ironically a Roman Catholic church, while the others were 'Reformed'. And spent some time there, and used 50 of my cents to light a candle, which I try and do everytime I have change in different churches in different towns or countries (the couple I've been to so far).

So, those of you who have been keeping track, this brings me down to 5 cents in my pocket, and of course as the universe would have it, a full bladder. Now, this being a very touristy city, you have to pay for everything, entrances in churches, and any kind of water closet facility. I wandered around some more, stopping in Hema and McDonalds trying to find somewhere I could use the toilet...the cheapest I found was 25 cents. I was beginning to get desparate and thought up elaborate plans of getting around paying 25 cents, but just settled on begging the man in the church that was free. But, when I got back to the church it was closed. So, there I was, no money to get into a church to go to the restroom, or to buy anything at all at a restraunt to use the restroom, when I saw my salvation. I spotted a bathroom door in a bar. I'm not sure why I didn't think of a bar before, probably because by this time it was getting dark and all the people were coming out to go get a beer. So, I slipped in and out quickly, and managed to walk around a little longer before heading back for the bus, much too early for fear I would miss it and be stranded in Delft with no way to get back to Nijmegen, and no phone numbers for anyone on the bus.

So, I plan to go back to Delft by train one of these days I have off, to see everything I was unable to because of a lack of financing and also get some Delft pottery. The two churches I was denied entrance in are quite significant to Dutch history, the old and the new Reformed Churches where members of the Royal Family were married and buried. Also, one of the churches leans, it began to lean while they were building it, but continued anyway. I'm not sure the whole story on that, but that's the short version. You can also scroll to 'Various Websites' and click on 'My Pictures'.

Goede Nacht!

p.s. title song by Band Aid