Happy Halloween!

Halloween isn't as big a deal in England as it is in the U.S.

But we still got ready for trick-or-treaters:



We also put our own costumes on:



And we ended the evening with dinner at the Hitchcock Hotel, where I got a (spooky!) Hitchcock Burger:



(Ladies' size, of course.)

London Living

I work in a fairly new building. My law firm moved into it about two years ago, when it was first completed. In those two years, the people who manage the building don't seem to have been able to figure out the fire alarm. We had dozens of fire alarms in the first few months. They've tapered off over time, but we had another one today.

Since I had to evacuate the building (the fire warden came around and practically yanked me from my desk) and my BlackBerry's reception was having problems, I decided to walk down to Liverpool Street station to get a haircut. But Liverpool Street station had been evacuated, too, on account of a security threat.

Liverpool Street station was not functioning last night, either. I left work at around 7:20 to get to an 8:00 antenatal class. When I got to Liverpool Street, the power had just gone out on the Central line that runs out to our house (and to the nearby antenatal class). I suppose I'm glad I wasn't in the Tube when it happened. But I had to take a train halfway there and then get a taxi (which meant waiting 15 minutes in a line, in the cold rain). Taxis in London aren't cheap. So I spent around $30 just to get out to the class.

These are the routine joys of living in London.

At the Athens Airport

Athens airport is in many ways the antithesis of Copenhagen airport: unstylish, inconvenient, and low on amenities.

I wanted to buy some water for my flight. There were plenty of options pre-security, but those are of course useless. After security, I found a sole vending machine near my gate. 500ml of water for 50 euro cents -- a good price. But it wouldn't take my 2-euro coins, which is all I had. So I walked all the way across the terminal to find the only other option: 500ml bottles of soda for 3.10 euro each at a little refreshment stand. Six times as much for something I wanted less.

And on going through security, I was told my 118ml bottle of contact lens solution was too big and would have to be confiscated. Can't be more than 100ml. Even though it was only half full. Now, the people here are just following the rules. I don't begrudge them that. It's just some of the rules are ridiculously stupid. This particular rule is one of many that wastes tax (and in this case consumer) dollars and time for, in my opinion, no benefit.

Random Thoughts from Athens

1) Having a taxi driver who, on the way from the airport to my hotel, swerved from lane to lane on the freeway, raced down narrow alleys, and honked at people upwards of a dozen times was strangely reassuring. I guess he fit the stereotype I expected. (He had plenty of arm hair, too. And he was very friendly.)

2) If you're ever at the Marriott in Athens and have about 2.5 hours before you have to speak at a conference at the hotel, you've got plenty of time to walk up to the Acropolis and look around for a while. If you walk fast.

3) If you're going to be climbing marble steps, it's a good idea to wear shoes with at least a little bit of traction.

4) A lot of people seem more interested in taking pictures of themselves contributing to the slow erosion of monuments than they do in preserving monuments. (It was amazing to me how many people ignored the multi-lingual signs and repeated warnings of archaeological staff to stay off various parts of the Acropolis.) I guess their thinking is that at least when the monuments are gone, humankind will be able to remember them thanks to the roughly zillion digital pictures of people standing/sitting/spitting/whatevering on those monuments while flashing grins/grimaces/victory signs to emphasize their triumphant being-in-the-same-placeness with those monuments. (Ok, I take pictures of myself or other people with cool things, too, but I usually try my best not to contribute to the destruction of those things.)

5) Athens is a mess in many ways. Bad streets. Worse sidewalks. Crazy drivers. Architecturally and culturally more chaotic than London. But there is far less litter in Athens. Almost none. Which makes a big difference. (Maybe it's just the neighborhood I'm in.)

Athens

I'm going to Athens for the first time next Monday and Tuesday to speak at a conference on derivatives.  I arrive midday Monday and had been scheduled to speak Monday afternoon and early Tuesday afternoon.  I had hoped to spend Tuesday morning looking around Athens.  But now the conference organizers have asked me to speak Tuesday morning, too.  Oh, well.  I'm sure the Acropolis sucks, anyway.  I'll make my own Acropolis, and it will be *way* better.

Shorter Days

From now until April, I'll basically never get out of the office until after dark.  Since I don't have a window it means I'll be surviving on electric light.  Like a bat.  But one that lives inside an office building instead of a cave.  And has the lights on all day.