Jean returned to the National Gallery today and I decided to take a spin around London. Our day began with an overcrowded and slow subway due to technical problems on two different lines. It took us longer than usual to get downtown and we were packed like sardines.
After dropping Jean at the National I went out into Trafalgar Square to look for a bus tour of London. The square was beginning to fill with folks wearing red and yellow and chanting. Barcelona fans. I dodged around them and found the bus queue. My ticket gave me a 3 hour tour of Westminster town and London town. Westminster contains most of the famous landmarks that we all have heard of. London is the oldest part of the city and contains London Bridge (the new one) and the Tower of London. I rode around on the top of an open air bus for 3 hours in 50 degrees and wind. It was very cold, but also entertaining and educational.
Upon returning to Trafalgar I discovered a square filled to capacity with singing, shouting, drinking, partying fans. Most of them were from Spain. Manchester United fans were scarce. The feeling walking through that crowd was incredible. There is so much joy in seeing their team play for the final. I took some video and stills. It will take some time to process the video.
After connecting with Jean we got on our tube and found that it was the tube connecting to Wembley Stadium. We rode two stops with shouting singing Barcelona fans. Then we transferred to our home line. A half mile from our stop the train stopped and didn’t move. After 10 minutes we were told there was a signal failure and we would be taken to the station on an alternative track and everyone must transfer to a new train. Lucky for us this was our stop. We walked home and decided to order out for Indian delivery again while we watched the pre-game show. Now the match is due to start and I must sign off.
Travels With Picasso 
Good thing the fans weren’t violent. My first experience with the train and fans involved a station full of police!
They were jubilant, but well behaved. There were many police around the squares, but none on the trains. When two of them climbed the steps of the National Gallery with their flags and elderly museum docent told them flags and football colors were not allowed. They put their flags away without question. Very civil.