what are you still doing in brisbane??

This morning I decided to face my demons and go *shopping*. Though I usually despite this dreary task, I was excited about Oxford and Regent Streets, not only as they are usually my properties of choice in Monopoly, but because I saw a huge Topshop there the night before with Chiara. Every store had at least two if not four floors, and I practically needed an oxygen mask when I entered the 1 square kilometre of Topshop. Though I didn’t actually buy anything, I liked and appreciated everything that I saw, which is really in the spirit of shopping.

This afternoon I swung by the Houses of Parliament to see what was crack-a-lacking in case any hardcore sh!t was going down, so I could get jiggy with it, yo. As a matter of fact, the topical issue of defence was being discussed in question time in the House of Commons (there was actually quite little that was common about it). After a bit of a wait in Westminster Hall – which in case you were wondering, has the largest surviving single span undivided medieval timber roof in the United Kingdom – I was able to catch the last of this enlightening debate and the beginning of my special subject: political and constitutional reform. Some bloke called Cliggs or Cloggs* or something announced a referendum for an alternate vote next year and some serious rethinking of the electoral divisions and MP numbers (ie. delicately instigating gerrymandering). I noted that the spirit of question time was quite like that of Australia’s, with lots of hoo-haa-ing, ‘hear hear’ing, and good-hearted tomfoolery (especially from the right honourable member for the Isles – what DID he eat for breakfast!?).

Moving on I saw some other amazing architecture. I’m not actually sure what a lot of it was, but it was quite impressive. To be honest, I think Nazareth House is a brilliant piece of work, so you can imagine my amazement when I saw shit like this:

Then I brisked past “Democracy City”, which I’m told is a permanent installation in Westminster Park. A bunch of people protesting something topical – Afghanistan maybe?. I did note that “Capitalism is over” was scrawled on a huge canvas which turned out to be the back of a Vampire Weekend ‘Contra’ sign. Ah Vampire Weekend: so versatile, so alternative. I love this city!

I also must include the fact that I ventured out last night with all my BFFLs at the hostel, and visited the equivalent of Magic City and The Vault. And four out of the five following statements are true (I’m going to let your imagination decide):

- I took a piss outside the Headquarters of the Commonwealth

- Any food left unattended in hostels automatically become communal food

- One unnamed Aussie male who works in the blood bank stole Kate Beckinsale and the Queen’s blood samples and took them to a bar

- T-Pain is universally loved in clubs

- Bar stools can float along the Thames

*Nick Clegg, turns out he’s the deputy PM