It looks like we are going to be enjoying nice weather for the Memorial Day weekend in NEPA.

As you gather with friends and family, take some time to remember those who sacrificed everything the freedoms we enjoy everyday.

For a brief look at the day once known as “Declaration Day”, check this out. Or if you prefer to see some video, The History Channel has a pretty good site.

Also, Arlington National Cemetery has a great photo gallery and info on the origins of the 21 Gun Salute, Taps, and other military history.

Sorry this took so long but my computer suddenly decided not to download pictures.  So I’m using the one in the Mountain cabin.

Here’s CJ and one million other tourists in front of the British Museum.  It was awesome but we didn’t get there until, like, 2pm and they close at 5:30, which is not nearly enough time.  He’s the one standing in between the pillars, in front of the steps, with that stupid Old Man hat on. 

The British Museum really is a must-see, if only for that alone.  But I still wish we had taken the tube to St. John’s Wood to see the crosswalk.

These people have pitched TENTS and live in them opposite Parliament to protest taxation.  And you thought the Tea Partiers were crazy!

We decided to go to Greenwich on the last day so we could stand on the Prime Meridian.  0′, 0″, you know.  Kinda cool.  Took a “Thames clipper” which is part of the public transit system, and even faster than the tube.  Took the tube back, and didn’t make it to Heathrow until 55 minutes before our flight left.  THAT story next….

This is the London Eye, when you’re NOT on it….notice the missing pod?  I got kind of freaked out when I saw…I figured it was one that FELL OFF!!  But my son explained, it’s pod #13!!!  So there IS none!!!  Ha, superstitious Brits.  Notice the puffy, white clouds in the sky.  This was an amazingly nice, sunny, although a bit chilly, day. 

Here’s a poster from the Imperial War museum’s Ministry of Food exhibit.  Mostly the exhibit is full of posters like this that urge people to grow their own food since because of WWII, they weren’t getting any imports.  They were terribly concerned about people getting enough vitamins.   My favorite is the savoy guy, I don’t even know what savoy is.  There’s also a “Blitz experience” exhibit where you sit in a bunker and they shake the floor around to simulate what it was like to get the crap bombed out of your city during the war.  My son is the one who made us go to the Imperial War Museum, having the “Y” chromosome and needing to see lots of rockets, bombs, and guns. 

British museum next….try not to go on a Sunday, since you will share history with every single human being ever born.  Here I am regarding the Rosetta Stone.  Again, the kid made me to it…I am not a real museum type, plus, every Saturday when I was growing up my mom took us to the University Museum in Philadelphia, and I’ve seen Egyptian and Roman stuff til it’s coming out every orifice.

By the way I wore that jacket every day, never expected to have to, it was 86 degrees when we left for London and 50 when we got there, and never got above 60 the whole time!

I was speaking with a fan of the Mountain the other day, Dave and our conservation turned to the subject of “One-Hit-Wonders” so I thought let’s revisit some of those great songs that gave some band or performer their 15 minutes of fame, some that we play on the Mountain and others you might remember.

I always like Jerry Mungo’s “In the Summertime”…Mungo like music. One of our famed Mountain Grown Artists are listed by Songfacts, it’s the Buoys with “Timothy”….and Patti Smith with “Because the Night.” Now on to some you should remember from the 70’s including….”Undercover Angel” by Alan O’Day, “Smoke from the Distant Fire”, good luck remembering who did that song…and finally “Pop Muzik” by a group simply known as M. I think I remember that video……Do you have some you want to share, then drop me a line and I will make sure to mention your song and name on The Mountain.

“Exile on Main Street” has always been my favorite Rolling Stones album.

It’s been 38 years, so, I guess it’s time to revisit one of the greatest albums of all time.

Train from Cardiff to London.  Highly civilized, the bar car also serves latte.  Jumped right on the “hop on, hop off” bus, for a tour of the city.  Saw every damn sight there was, in, like, 40 minutes…too many to take in…got off to see Buckingham palace, which you really can’t get close to these days.  Best part…and the old fashioned guards right next to the modern day, both carrying effective-looking semi-automatic weapons!

Tower of London next morning, there is a real Beefeater guy (tower guard) who gives you a tour and explains all the torture and beheading you could ever ask for.  The guards pack the real heat here, too.

Next was dinner at a pub, then a ride on the “London Eye” which until recently was the largest ferris wheel in the world.  You ride in an enclosed pod with a bunch of other tourists.  The views are great.

Me and the 20-year old.  Arrived at our first destination, a charming medieval village called Lacock (pronouced Lay-cock), with an abbey originally built in the 1300’s.  About an hour from Stonehenge, which, as one poster said, is a bunch of rocks in a field.  Sorry…I didn’t get a vibe at all.  Maybe it was the fact that there were, like, a million tourists and highway on both sides.  Maybe it disrupts the electro magnetism.

2 nights there, then Cardiff.  Yes, we went because they film Dr. Who there.  Wanna make something of it?  Yes we toured the tiny little Dr. Who Exhibit which costs 6.50 pounds (like, 9 bucks) each.  Yes, we spent an obscene amount of money at the gift shop. But Cardiff was a great city, reminded me of Scranton since it’s no-frills, except for Cardiff Bay, and very working class.  Wish we had more time there!

First person to identify who (or what) I’m shaking hands with gets a free Cathy Donnelly CD!!

London’s next!