I've just gotten back from downtown London...

I'm not going to do too long an update now, as it's 2AM here and I have to get up at 6:30am for my flight back to the states.

I just saw a beautiful report on ABC News tonight about London, they rebroadcast it here. The final report, about how the city reacted to today's attacks was spot on. It really is giving me chills, because of how much ABC got it right. People were shocked by the attacks, but they really are determined not to let it get them down - I'd say much more so than we were on September 11. Meaning, we were more freaked than they are now. Much of that is due to their experience with the IRA bombings - this isn't exactly new.

Still, they were shocked, and saddened. And many businesses closed tonight, though I think of a lot of it was more out of respect than fear. Many however were open, and the restaurants, including outdoor restaurants, were packed. The trains were packed. The buses were packed. People walked through the Kensington Gardens (where we walked by Michael Stipe taking a walk with some friends).

I can imagine it would take me a long time to get back on any public transportion in DC after an attack. Here, they all did right away, and I joined them, and it didn't phase me. I'm not sure why. All I can say is that their calm in the face of all of this calmed me as well - I can't imagine I just rode the train in London and didn't really give a second look to who was on the car with me, or about the threat of any further attacks.

I've got lots more details to give, but really need to get to bed. I will say that more than one person has expressed a certain amount of sympathy, well, perhaps empathy or understanding is the better word, for why this happened. Again, none of those are the "right" word, they're not saying "we deserved it," but more than a few are saying, between the lines, that Blair's, and Bush's, actions led to the attack, even caused the attack. Perhaps the most surprising was a cop in front of Buckingham Palace who, when asked by my friend why he thought today happened, the cop responded: "Because some people just want to be free." Pretty interesting words from a cop guarding Buckingham Palace on the day the flag is at half mast for the second time in history (Lady Di's death being the first time).

But in the end, London still stands, strong, and lovely, calm, and resolved, and with dignity. It really is an amazing city.