I was looking through the long lists of posts on this blog a few days back when I came across this post, still in draft form at the time. I first started this post back in England, while I was on a train to Oxford, I believe. However, that post was done on my iPad which, without internet, failed to save. Therefore I wrote the post a second time, didn't quite like how it was going, gave up, and left a half-completed draft waiting sadly for it's time in the spotlight. Now, I've finally made it back around to that post. Go on, little draft. Be free.
You remember that post about Billy Elliot? The morning of the musical (or perhaps the day before), me and my dad traveled out into the wilderness that is the city of London and tried to hunt down some theatre tickets. This was not in itself very hard to do; there had to be a dozen vendors all promising lower prices then the next lining the streets of the theatre district. Dad had his trusty Rick Steves' guidebook on hand, though, and so on Rick's advice ignored those people and traveled to a more professional looking place in the middle of a square.
That was when the weird and wonderful side of London decided to show itself.
London is often portrayed as a medieval city full of ancient buildings and architecture, and I can tell you that this is a reasonably true stereotype. aadispite this I can say with confidence that even in a modern cityI the bright-yellow building I saw upon entering the square would stick out like a sore thumb.
Sitting pleasently on the side of the square was a large shop proudly showing its overwhelming colour to the world. Bright yellow stores are generally strange. Even more so if they're dedicated to the sale of M&M's.
Beleive it or not, those Londoners have a huge, two-story building dedicated to everything and anything M&M. M&M shirts, pants, hats! M&M candy in every form ever created! Stuffed M&M mascots!
I still havn't decided whether a store that devotes itself so valiantly to one product and idea restores my faith in humanity or destroys it. Probably the latter.
I'm afraid that I can't tell you too much about the M&M shop, as in the end me and my dad didn't go into it for both the sheer tackiness of the place and the need to buy those theatre tickets. My sweet tooth's craving wouldn't go unsatisfied, however, as just across the square from the M&M store was another strange shop. The focus this time? Hagan Daz ice cream.
Now, what are the chances that two stores such as these would find their way to be practically parallel to one another across a square? The whole thing defies all logic. Its like someone decided to open a store devoted to Elton John and his music. They could stack their walls with faded records and t-shirts from every concert he ever played, but would it really be necessary?
Don't take this the wrong way. I honestly think that those stores were great. Therefore, me and my dad decided to scout out the Hagan Daz joint to see what it was all about.
Upon entering, we were immediately confronted with upwards of two dozen ice cream flavours sitting innocently in bins, silently pleading to be eaten. Asides from the usual flavours of chocolate, vanilla and mint, they had some more exotic flavours such as- get this- tiramisu! Who creates these flavours?
I personally went for the tiramisu, whereas my dad had chocolate and mint. After he tasted his ice cream, I was quite shocked to here my father, a generally reserved and serious man, exclaim "this is so good it should be criminal!" You know that your product is good if you can get a reaction like that out of my dad.
As soon as we were done with the ice cream we headed off to the next store down the line; a bookstore, rumoured to be one of the biggest in the world. Alas, that story will have to wait till next time, as I have run out of time to post. Perhaps I would have had time, had my ipad not failed to save my writing AGAIN! Anyhow, I'll see you next time.
Thanks for reading,
-Mark
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