The European Trip, Part 1 of something
Oct. 19th, 2009 10:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
geovikiWell, I'm back in America. Actually I've been back for almost a week, but the jet lag sapped me of my evening energy. It was the most wonderful holiday everevereverever! More details will follow, but I wanted to share with you about all the LJ people I got to meet up with in person across the pond. Yay!
The first major meet up was with the incomparable London-ish (I say 'ish' since several of them have to transport themselves there, which they do even without me) group of![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
parthenia14, ravurian, who looked absolutely dishy, jonem, who I was meeting live for the very first time and yes, he looks just like his photos; that is, cute!, ruric, who amazes me by seeming to age in reverse, patsyrant (ditto for first-time meeting, and he sounds awfully American for a Brit and was nice about explaining to this rude American as to why that was), and R.'s friend spintrian. We got together on a Friday night, first at a bar and then at a very trendy Soho bar-restaurant. It was here that I learned that waiters in England will continually refill one's wine glass if there is a bottle on the table when ONE IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION! This meant that by the end of the evening I had had far more to drink than 1) I realized and 2) was good for me. I hope I didn't embarrass myself too badly, guys. I nearly was run over by a cab like a dog in the Soho streets, though, on the way to the tube station. Mr. Geoviki shouted and P. managed to maneuver me out of the way in time.
Needless to say, I was fairly well hung over the next morning for my scheduled appointment atravurian's hairdresser. R strong-armed encouraged me to have my hair colored, which I did, and it's a few shades darker than it once was. I like it quite a bit. It was also expertly cut, so I look almost chic. I cannot imagine that the fact that both the colorist and the hairdresser were terrifically cute gay men has anything to do with R's continued business there. No, not a whit! (Really, it's a top notch place and I came away very pleased). Then R took me clothes shopping and made me try on many tops, a few of which I managed to squeeze into my tiny suitcase, along with a pair of shoes, which nearly sent the load over the edge. They were worth it, though. Patsyrant showed up at the sensible hour of 4 pm and the boys went off to hunt down a suitcoat, or whatever it's called in England. I had every intention of going to the London HP meetup after that, but I was feeling pretty wiped out at that point and so never made it. There was no way I could have started drinking again, for I had vowed I would never drink again!
calanthe_fics had mentioned getting together that Sunday morning, though, so I walked over to the British Museum to meet her, pushdragon, who was in town for 24 hours all the way from Australia (kinda), raitala, and pingrid. We had a wonderful chat at the snack bar, managing about 15 minutes of the Elgin Marbles and those big Assyrian beasts that feature in the movie version of 'Maurice', but really, we were more interested in each other's company.
That afternoon we took a side trip to visitparthenia14 and her family, and had an absolutely wonderful time. I think I impressed her daughter with my mad gerbil-handling skilz, and I was formally introduced to all 10 of the furry beasties. The hubbies got along well, too, and P. got to play tourist herself the next day.
Happily, AJ Hall (I've lost track of her active LJ name), who had thought she wouldn't have a chance to come to London to meet up again, had a fortuitous London work assignment when I was still in town. She and I spent Tuesday at the Tower of London and the Inns of Court and environs. I nearly had a heart attack when we came upon a busload of veeeery cute and fit (in all senses) Japanese men, who turned out to be the arriving national gymnastic team (according to their shirts, anyway). It was a terrific day, and it even stopped raining, but not before dousing poor AJ on her way from the tube station.
Finally, but not least, I got to meetshezan in Paris! She's one of my oldest LJ friends but we'd never met before. I got to visit her in her gorgeous flat and to meet the fantastic cats, Fausta and Metrobius, who are as beautiful in person as they are in their pictures. She made me a delicious French meal and this time I did not drink very much (mostly because I had to find my way back to my hotel after midnight on the Metro), so did not embarrass myself (I think).
I just have to say how utterly amazing my time in fandom and on LJ has been these past 6 years. I can go far from home and still have wonderful friends who share their time and their lives with me – I'm so grateful for each and every one of you! Don't let anyone say that internet friends are not "real"! *mwaaah*
The first major meet up was with the incomparable London-ish (I say 'ish' since several of them have to transport themselves there, which they do even without me) group of
parthenia14, ravurian, who looked absolutely dishy, jonem, who I was meeting live for the very first time and yes, he looks just like his photos; that is, cute!, ruric, who amazes me by seeming to age in reverse, patsyrant (ditto for first-time meeting, and he sounds awfully American for a Brit and was nice about explaining to this rude American as to why that was), and R.'s friend spintrian. We got together on a Friday night, first at a bar and then at a very trendy Soho bar-restaurant. It was here that I learned that waiters in England will continually refill one's wine glass if there is a bottle on the table when ONE IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION! This meant that by the end of the evening I had had far more to drink than 1) I realized and 2) was good for me. I hope I didn't embarrass myself too badly, guys. I nearly was run over by a cab like a dog in the Soho streets, though, on the way to the tube station. Mr. Geoviki shouted and P. managed to maneuver me out of the way in time. Needless to say, I was fairly well hung over the next morning for my scheduled appointment at
ravurian's hairdresser. R calanthe_fics had mentioned getting together that Sunday morning, though, so I walked over to the British Museum to meet her, pushdragon, who was in town for 24 hours all the way from Australia (kinda), raitala, and pingrid. We had a wonderful chat at the snack bar, managing about 15 minutes of the Elgin Marbles and those big Assyrian beasts that feature in the movie version of 'Maurice', but really, we were more interested in each other's company.That afternoon we took a side trip to visit
parthenia14 and her family, and had an absolutely wonderful time. I think I impressed her daughter with my mad gerbil-handling skilz, and I was formally introduced to all 10 of the furry beasties. The hubbies got along well, too, and P. got to play tourist herself the next day.Happily, AJ Hall (I've lost track of her active LJ name), who had thought she wouldn't have a chance to come to London to meet up again, had a fortuitous London work assignment when I was still in town. She and I spent Tuesday at the Tower of London and the Inns of Court and environs. I nearly had a heart attack when we came upon a busload of veeeery cute and fit (in all senses) Japanese men, who turned out to be the arriving national gymnastic team (according to their shirts, anyway). It was a terrific day, and it even stopped raining, but not before dousing poor AJ on her way from the tube station.
Finally, but not least, I got to meet
shezan in Paris! She's one of my oldest LJ friends but we'd never met before. I got to visit her in her gorgeous flat and to meet the fantastic cats, Fausta and Metrobius, who are as beautiful in person as they are in their pictures. She made me a delicious French meal and this time I did not drink very much (mostly because I had to find my way back to my hotel after midnight on the Metro), so did not embarrass myself (I think).I just have to say how utterly amazing my time in fandom and on LJ has been these past 6 years. I can go far from home and still have wonderful friends who share their time and their lives with me – I'm so grateful for each and every one of you! Don't let anyone say that internet friends are not "real"! *mwaaah*
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-10-20 04:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 11:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-20 05:26 am (UTC)and yes, the internet provides many folk in many places. it's pretty wawesome, i must agree.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 11:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-20 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 11:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-20 05:49 am (UTC)Sounds like an awesome time all around (push and I waxed lyrical on Saturday about how damned lovely you are, dear).
*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-10-20 08:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 11:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 11:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-20 05:13 pm (UTC)(And the cats say hello from my LJ!)
no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 11:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-20 10:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 11:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-26 02:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-21 02:42 am (UTC)Oh, and uh, welcome back!
no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 11:28 pm (UTC)