Have the time (and the english keyboard) to make a decent update for now.

I loved Paris, to start. The city is a wonderful place to walk around in - beautiful buildings, fun statues, great atomsphere. The first night there I walked up the the quite new area La Defense, where they have built an incredibly modern business and entertainment center. Picture the region between the capital and the museum in Albany, only about 10 times bigger and more impressive. First time I ever saw escalators outside, for one. It was the first time I really felt like I was in an important city, as European cities, as a rule, don't build very tall buildings. The Corning Tower was taller than almost any I'd seen until Paris. Anyway, I watched a beautiful sunset from the new huge Arch they have, then took the metro back to my hostel.

Next day I went to the Louvre, and was there at 9:05. Good timing, as it only took me 5 minutes to go through security and get my tickets. Helped that I brought nothing - not even a camera. Didn't think they'd let us take pictures there, but they were far more lax about it than anywhere else. While in Rome or Athens all you hear staff shouting is ''NO FLASH! NO POSING!!'' every 30 seconds, here they didn't care. Anyway, spent about six hours in the Louvre, most of it speed walking through everything. The place is huge - 3 corridors, each a kilometer long, with five stories. It would take days to see everything properly. And yes, I saw the Mona Lisa.

After that I went back to La Defense, and watched Harry Potter and explored a french mall. Amazing how similar it is to American ones... it felt just like Crossgates, minus the signs saying 'NO ONE UNDER 16 AFTER 9:00'

Next day I met my Parisan friend and guide, Chris, at noon; after I walked to the arc and under the eiffel tower. Chris and I visited bookstores (I got yet another Neil Gaiman novel) and had lunch and then went to the science museum. It was rather boring, but the 3D film was great as ever. Best parts were the full size MC Escheresque rooms; the light and optical allusion exhibition and the sciencefiction monsters room. (two movie posters next to each other: 'I married a monster from outspace', 'I married a communist'. three earth animals with similarities to aliens: bug-eyed jellyfish, stick lobster, kitten)

Chris and I then went back to his car and moved it to free parking, then walked another several KM back to the tower. We were planning on going up but it costs too much - 11€. Turns out that it was also the French equivalent of the 4th of July that night, as the next day was Bastille Day and they have their fireworks the 13th. If we didn't have so much to do we would have stayed, but I had a train to catch the next day and he had to drive home. Also, he says that the french get very... boisterious on the 13th, and suggested I get to my hostel. From the sounds as I fell asleep, it was probably a good idea.

The 14th was a travel and relax day; after getting to London I walked down the Thames towards my hostel (which I only knew was east of the tower). Got sidetracked by a hilarious comedy duo The Maniax outside of the national theater, then a few hours later walked the remaining 5 km to the hostel. Found it eventually, had a good dinner and read myself to sleep.

Today I took the metro from the hostel to the city, found our hotel, walked through Hyde Park. Then met another friend, and we took a tour bus around the city for a few hours and then walked through Regent Park, after visiting 221b Baker Street.

Walked the 5 km back to the hotel, checked in, and am very glad to have 5 nights here. Nicest hotel I've ever stayed in, it's going to be great to have this place for our time here. Beds are comfortable, room is perfect, bathroom is a blessing after the rooms I've had at hostels. Dr Kelly, thank you.

I meet Sean tomorrow morning. I figure we'll come back to the hotel, walk around the city some, and then he's going to crash at night and I ordered a ticket to Les Miserables. I'm kinda excited. Only 35£, which is about $70, and it's actually a decent seat. Sean and I are going to see the Lord of the Rings stage performance some night, and depending on how things work out I might end up seeing something else - possible Othello at the Globe, or another musical. We'll see how the next few days go, we've got a lot of time in London - almost twice as long as I've spent anywhere since Athens.

I come home in two weeks - is everyone ready to hear me talk of nothing except Europe for another few months?