Just returned from a quick weekend in London - always has been a favourite city of mine. I went over with a group from Warner Brothers to look at different hotels, so sadly not a lot of free time. We stayed in the Sanderson (pic of bathroom below) which is 'terminally hip', attracting the music industry types. The only art work in the room was on the ceiling, so one could admire it only from the bed! All quite fun really. The exception was the trendy bars these places had where a small, warmish beer set me back $32 - thank goodness tip was included.
Anyhow on the trip from the airport going in, our driver was having a hard time with traffic - so many roads were blocked off, and police were swarming everywhere. He figured it must be a state visit. We saw the Saudi flag flying everywhere during the weekend, and heard of big demonstrations outside the Saudi embassy, so figured out what all the traffic mess was.
Our last night in town, we had dinner at the Intercontinental hotel at Hyde Park. The Miami Dolphins were staying there, and despite having just lost to the Giants, there was quite a party going on. While we were some of the few outsiders allowed in the hotel, I am not much of a pro football follower, so the opportunity to hang with these guys was lost on me. Anyway, as the hotel was full, there was only one suite empty to show us, booked for arrival in the middle on the night - yup, the King of Saudi Arabia. Wanted to leave him a little bedside note telling him what a nightmare London had been put through as the police had done a practice run for security a few days earlier.
Anyway, my trendy bathroom -
Cheers,
Mike
