Good Times, but Winding Down

Well, by now I've walked most neighborhoods of London, been to most of the museums (though not all) and I'm starting to feel the first aches of boredom. I might have to go somewhere else soon.
Yesterday was fun though. I started off in the Marylebone Summer Fayre. As an aside, Marylebone is pronounced 'marly-bone.' Leicester is pronounced 'lester.' The English may have invented the English language but it seems they take too much license with spelling and pronunciation.
Anywho, the fayre was mostly torture, as it was mainly a food fair, with stalls representing cuisines from most of the world's countries, as well as bakers and cheesemakers and other local food craftsmen selling their wares. It smelled sooo good. What made up for all of it was a couple giving a dance demonstration; they were dancing the Salsa to "Never had a friend like me" from Aladdin. Legendary. After the fayre I walked to Hyde Park, where, on Sunday, in one corner of the park, anyone who wants can set up a little soapbox to pontificate on anything he/she may desire. I had to see it. It turned out to be a few arguments of varying civility between Muslim and Christian clerics, which was quite brilliant to listen to. Most of them, even though they were trained in seminary, were not brilliantly educated; one of them tried to bring an example from Greek mythology but confused Heracles with Antaeus, which undermined a significant point of his argument, though if anyone else caught it, they didn't speak up. What was very interesting though, is that the Islamic clerics would continually include Judaism and the Jews in their theology, specifically setting aside those two against the theology of Christianity, while the Christians took it for granted that the Jews are wrong in their beliefs. While, at the present political climate, many Jews perceive Muslims as enemies, it seem sin the religious arena, they are our closest friends.
After observing the religious wrangling I wandered about for a bit, up Baker St (221B isn't really there, a huge disappointment), into Regent's Park (very nice), into Selfridge's (similar to Macy's), and unexpectedly into the Wallace collection, one of my favorite museums so far. It is a small luseum, really a rather large private collection of all kinds of art, armour, and the like. The collection is magnificent and eclectic but not overwhelmingly huge. I got there 40 minutes before closing, but I have to go back. By the time I was done with the museum my knee was gone, so I had to return home.
Today I was going to go to the Tower of London, but the lines were huge AND, IT IS SO EXPENSIVE! 15 pounds for a student ticket! Yeesh. Instead I wandered around the Barbican and the Museum of London. I was starting to get a bit bored. The city was getting to be a bit repetitive, just, nice, relatively slow moving clean civilized touristy streets, park, museum, park, museum. I got into the Tube to go to the Imperial War Museum, free, and on high recommendation from a few people. I got out at Elephant & Castle (the Tube stop) and, BAM, a breath of fresh air! This part of the city was, well, gritty. At least more so than the center of town, all clean and pristine and proper and toursity. This place had some diversity, some realism. God, I miss New York. The museum was good, two great exhibits on the First World War and the Second World War 2, and a Holocaust museum. I was in the museum until 5, when I went home, ate some mediocre and overpriced Indian food, and ten just hung around.
I have to say though, before I sign off, that anyone who spreads the stereotype of the rude, impolite New Yorker has never been to London. If you are following, you know that I have re-injured my knee, and it has gotten to the point where it is difficult to walk normally, so, I got hold of a cane. Works wonders. Anywho, when I was walking around on my cane post-op in NYC, whenever I got on the Subway, without asking or even making eye contact, at least one person would offer me their seat if there wasn't one available, people in a rush would give me some room, and were generally pretty nice and considerate. Now, I am not so crippled that I cannot stand up in the subway or handle a bit of jostling, so I don't say this out of any personal affront or offense. No one here on any of the five Tube rides I took today, all of which were crowded, offered me a seat. People pushed and jostled and tried to get ahead and came barreling towards me with no concern and no regard and no consideration. Now, practically speaking, it was fine, like I said, I am more than fine enough to handle all of that. However, it was a noticeable behavior difference compared to New Yorkers, who really don't deserve a stereotype for rudeness. London seems to have us beat by a mile.