Getting ready to take a ride on The Tube, London's Underground or metro. Don't forget your oyster card, it's the easiest and cheapest way to travel the Tube. I have found it not to be the easiest or the cheapest. I have been taking Tanner through with me because he is free. For some reason, my card isn't registering that I have gone through so it charges me double, then it at other times it doesn't even let me through. I had one attendant try and fix it. He asked me where I had come from and I said I didn't know, then he asked where was I going and I said I didn't know that either. If this was a church question I could start drawing circles and boxes, but it wasn't. And of course, Todd stood on the other side of the gates like he wasn't with me, just watching the action. He reloaded my card and we were on our way. I stopped having Tanner go with me but the kids got a kick out of watching me sweat, breath heavy, scan my car, and make an olympic effort to go through the gates before they closed. The attendant was explaining to me that when the light goes green go through the gates. I pointed to a green arrow and he let me know that that sign was always green, maybe it wasn't a surprise that I didn't know where I was. A day or so later, I was out of money again and lost it. Of course, I was the only one of the other side of the gates left. The kids along with Todd acted like they didn't know me when I started frothing at the mouth and hollaring in their direction. The girls confered and decided that the guy for sure thought I was crazy. Todd concurred and the boys chimmed in too. Thanks family for the moral support. At least the crazy lady now has more money on her oyster card than you do. I think he reloaded most of it back on to make sure I wouldn't be back to see him. So much for international relations. I am sure I am being used at this very moment as a videocameraed teaching tool as to how to deal with crazy people during the Olympics. I hope the queen realizes that I did her country a benefit, stupid oyster cards.

It's easy to find with signs like this posted.

This Tube stop is Charing Cross, close to Trafalgar Square.

Above and below are the many flags of Britain flying over streets in Piccadilly Circus. Circus comes from the Latin word circle and this circus joins five busy streets. 

Created in 1819, Piccadilly Circus consists of theatres, shops, and restaurants drawing crowds to sample their wares.

Enjoying a traditional lunch of British fish and chips. This place was really good. The kids even ate fish and chips and didn't complain. Maybe it was all the ketchup they enjoyed with their chips.

Not sure what all these crests represent, but they looked pretty cool to me.

A look down another of the five streets feeding into the circus.

There are all sorts of crazy things in this area. Mr. Britain I guess.

Not quite sure what a neon kiosk that looks like a red telephone box but is labeled as a beacon is for. Why not, take a picture of it anyway. I passed. It wasn't my color.

Right next to it was this, not sure what this is either.

The boys are trying to unlock this Pandora's Box.