Trafalgar Square

Dad got in last night after an all day train ride from Glasgow. We had Chinese food in Chinatown and then hit Trafalgar Square for some banjo playing. We only got in a few songs before we were politely informed that musical instruments are not allowed in Trafalgar Square. I guess that explains why there are so (relatively) few people hanging around there. It's still a nice place to be, but we'll have to find somewhere else to play.

Today, while I worked, Dad sampled the London church scene. He attended mass at St. Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square this morning (you can see it on the far right in this picture, with all the scaffolding around the steeple--they're in the middle of a huge reconstruction project). We met up for lunch in the courtyard of Somerset House and then Dad headed to Westminster to attend an alternative worship service at St. Matthew's. Tonight he's at the pub with the clergy from St. Matthew's for discussion.

Tomorrow, he's planning on walking around a lot to see some more of London. Hopefully he'll get to check out some of the newly installed Gormley statues (more on this soon). Then the plan is to head up to Brick Lane for Indian food for dinner. mmm....

我爸爸今天来伦敦!

我爸爸今天晚上坐火车来伦敦看我. 他星期四坐飞机去巴黎. 我们星期二晚上去酒吧喝英国啤酒. 英国饭不好所以我们吃中国饭.

Translation:

My dad is coming to London today!

This evening, my dad is taking the train to London to see me. On Thursday, he'll fly to Paris. On Tuesday evening, we'll go to the pub to drink English beer. English food is not good, so we'll eat Chinese food.

Actually, maybe we'll have some Chinese food, but I'm sure we'll have Indian food and maybe some Ethiopian food.

Banff!

I got waitlisted for a while, but in the end I managed to finagle myself an invitation to this modular forms workshop at the Banff International Research Station in Calgary.

Nice, huh? I can't wait. It's in early June (just before I move to my new flat). It's right on target for me (research wise). They haven't sent out any sort of schedule yet and I heard they're not doing a conventional conference (tea and cookies sandwiched by research talks), so I'm not entirely sure what to expect. But I know at least that there are some people attending who know a lot about the stuff I'm working on, so it should be helpful. Plus, those mountains! I could use some fresh air.

I have so much work to do in preparation though. There's a lot that I want to know and have done before I go talk to these guys.

We've got one!

It looks like we've got a flat. (Fingers crossed that the landlord will accept our offer.) It's just up the block from where we are now, so it will be an easy move. It also means that I don't have to break down and buy a monthly tube pass; I can continue walking everywhere.

It's not super nice, but the location and price are right. I'm still just down the block from Borough market, but now I'll have a lounge (living room) and a washing machine.

Tomorrow is the London installment of the London-Paris Number Theory Seminar at Imperial College and Saturday Dad gets here! With his travel banjo! He doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to have him playing old union songs in Trafalgar Square for me.