April 30, 2010
Well, I’m on a train back to England. And it is really hard to type crammed in this seat with my computer turned down to absolutely zero contrast to conserve battery and the train rolling around on the tracks. But I have to tell you about Edinburgh. I loved it! Viv and I concluded on the last day of our vacation that it was the city of sights, smells, and stairs. My legs are exhausted, my sinuses clear, and I have more panoramic pictures on my camera than anyone should ever have. Back to England, a quick stop to visit Viv’s cousins, and then London. My absolute last day. And I’m not really sad. Just excited to get home. Ask me after a week of living with Judy’s constant questions, sharing a car with the fam (no Tube!), and no digestives and I might say otherwise. But for right now, I’m super excited to see everyone and just relax.
Okay, Wednesday was a busy day. We woke up early and met our friend Laurel from London and her mom, who were also in Edinburgh for the week. We hopped on a tour bus bound for the decommissioned Royal Yacht, Britannia. The yacht and the tour were pretty interesting. We sat in the sunroom where Queen Elizabeth loved to take her tea in the morning as she traveled the globe, saw the piano where Diana loved to play after supper, and ate fudge that was Prince Harry’s favorite. They still make it for all the tourists. It was delicious. After the tour, we sat down for tea at the restaurant aboard the ship. Laurel’s mom, Lisa bought us all lunch and it was so nice of her!
After the yacht, we split from Laurel and Lisa when Viv and I headed for the Palace at Holyroodhouse. Yes, that is all one word. I’ve been stumbling over the pronunciation all week. Anyway, this is the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh, but even better, this is where Mary, Queen of Scots lived during her crazy reign as queen. I’m reading a book about her right now, so it was pretty interesting to actually see some of the places described in the book. There was this massive bed that belonged to her second husband that was just ridiculously decorated. Pretty much gold, lace, stain and big rubies. And the gardens around the palace were so pretty. Too bad the wind was crazy and kept blowing up my skirt! Oh, and the ruins of this old abbey were the best part. Straight out of a movie. There was no ceiling, just old pillars, some stone walls, and a frame of a giant stained-glass window that had been blown out.
So we started to head back to our hostel after that tour, but then decided to climb Calton Hill for some reason. This hill, more like a mountain, sits right in the middle of town and has about a dozen monuments to people or battles on top of it. Panting and tired, we finally reached the top. It was amazing! We could see everything. The entire city, the sea, the rolling hills. B-E-A-UTIFUL! We had to sit down for a while to recover and enjoy the view. Probably the best part of our trip.
After that excursion, we headed back to the hostel to collect my laptop and headed to Starbucks for free internet! Of course, we watched Glee illegally off the web. We are addicted. And then ate some Indian food for supper. Pretty good day if you ask me!
All right, Thursday was pretty much the same things. More walking, more castles, and more Starbucks. We got to the Edinburgh Castle just as it opened and were the first ones in. What good tourists we are! The castle reminded me a lot of the Tower of London – a huge stole wall surrounding a bunch of little towers and courtyards. Everything revolved around war or the military. Not as exciting as the Mary Queen of Scots drama, but still good. Everyone there wore kilts and everywhere we went we heard the Scottish national anthem or bagpipes. How patriotic! More good views as we looked over the sides of the wall. Literally, this castle sits on the highest point in Edinburgh so you can see everything. Unfortunately, the wind was crazy, so in every pictures my hair is all over… not cool. After checking out the gift shop, we headed back to the hostel for some warmer clothes. Who knew Scotland was cold?
Next was a long hike to the west side of town for the Scotland Museum of Modern Art and the Dean’s Gallery. Both were good. I can honestly say, that I have gotten sick of looking at art. For now, at least. A long walk back followed by a nap and some coffee at Starbucks put me in a good mood. More free internet and then an early bed time.
And today, we are currently on our way to Darlington. I said goodbye to Edinburgh and Scotland. Hopefully, I’ll be back some day. But as of right now, I can only think about getting home. Have I mentioned how excited I am??
Love,
Kelly
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Lions and Last Goodbyes
April 27, 2010
I’m in Edinburgh! I said goodbye to my flat, one of my roommates, my big suitcase, and London… well, I’ll be back in London on Sunday, but it just won’t be the same. Honestly, this entire week, I’ve been dreading leaving this amazing place. But now that I’ve packed everything up and moved out, I’m more resolved to coming home and having an awesome summer. Seriously, can’t wait for that flight out of Heathrow on Monday morning and seeing everyone when I get home. Ah, only one week. Well, six days now!
So, my last two days in London were pretty boring in comparison to all the crazy things I’ve done this semester. On Sunday, Viv and I arrived at Chelsea Old Town Hall at 11AM sharp for a local art fair. We paid our five pounds and had a really good time. A lot of local artists and galleries that loved to talk with us meager art students. Next, was Spitalfields Market. Again. I can finally say that I have worn out that place and I can’t find anything new to look at or buy. One of the vendor guys even recognized me…. But it was my last time. I said goodbye and headed for Brick Land. We ate Indian for lunch at Aladin. Again. Doing all my favorite things one last time. Problem is, I have too many favorites. Lunch was good. And so was shopping around Piccadilly afterwards. Souvenir shopping is so great. So many stupid things I’ll never use, but will look awesome on a shelf somewhere, collecting dust. Waterstones bookstore (the UK’s version of Barnes and Noble) sucked me in once again. Debated getting three books for the price of two (a special they run), but then I realized that I have absolutely no room in my backpack or suitcase. Had to leave them behind and settle for the other hundred books I bought here. No way my suitcase is making that 50 pound limit. It’s going to be interesting at that airport check-in desk on Monday morning…
So, after a full day of redoing the things I love, I packed. And it sucked. Dumb me put on some sad music and things just got worse from there. Not only did nothing fit, but I absolutely loathe packing. Does anyone enjoy it? It is comparable to how much I hate doing laundry. Ugh. But once packing was done, everything got a little better. I started to get excited to go to Edinburgh and then come home.
Monday… Not-Fun-Day. To begin with anyway. Viv and I hauled out overweight suitcases to her aunt’s house just outside of London. We are storing them there until we get back from Edinburgh. 70 pounds of clothes, books, and souvenirs + crowded Piccadilly Tube + hottest day since we’ve been here = one crabby, soar Kelly. Seriously, my calves and shoulders are still burning today. I’m a wimp. Anyway, we got to her aunt Janis’s house eventually. Not only did she take our luggage, but she fed us! Relatives are the best!
After that adventure, we were a bit tired so we planned to go back to our empty, quiet flat for some relaxing. However, Leicester Square called our name, mainly the half-price ticket booth, and we got off for a bit of a look at that night’s theatre offerings. We found 20 pound tickets! To Legally Blonde… Now, I did not really want to go to this musical. Not something I was really dying to see, but Viv and Hal were set, so I decided why not? It is our last night in London and I love musicals. This one can’t be that bad… We walk into the theatre and we find our seats. When we purchased them, the ticket guy told us we were on the upper circle, eight rows from the front. Great, right? Wrong. He failed to tell us that they were four rows from the very last, farthest back seats in the theatre, on the highest balcony. Could barely see. The actors were maybe a half-inch tall if I held out my hand and measured them between my thumb and first finger… So, at intermission, we moved up a bit and things got better. Now, just because our seats were bad, doesn’t mean the musical sucked. IT WAS AWESOME. Seriously so funny. The girl that played Elle was amazing and my favorite part was the FedEx guy. And they did this funny river dance and yodeled, I think. Ah, I almost died laughing. Even better than the movie, which I love by the way.
So, after the show, we did the last thing I wanted to do before leaving London. The thing I’ve been planning to do since the beginning and would have cried if I had missed it. We, mainly me, climbed up onto the giant lion statues in Trafalgar Square. Best night ever. I took pictures and just smiled my heart out. If I ever did anything worthy of note in London, it was climbing atop the lions… pictures will be on facebook soon!
Today, Tuesday, we got up early for our train to Edinburgh. I said goodbye to my trusty bunk bed. Always so creaky and rock hard. Goodbye to our room, 3C. Where everyone stopped on their way to their own room or the kitchen to say hello. And finally, 37 Hyde Park Gate, our flat. Seriously, best semester ever.
We got to King’s Cross in plenty of time, thankfully, because there was already a huge line for our train! One more goodbye before we went to stand in line, this one for Hal. She is flying out of London tomorrow to meet her parents in Florence. Going to miss her so much. Seriously the funniest, most entertaining, and most considerate person. Going to miss her. Until I see her all the time next semester in Madison!
Eventually we got on our train. The ride was long (four and a half hours) but good. I finished my latest British historical novel en route. I’m seriously obsessed. Philippa Gregory and Allison Weir, quit sucking me in! I don’t have time to sit around and read your books! I’ve got things to do, museums to see, pictures to take, lions to climb!
I’ve gotten so off topic this whole blog. I think it’s Edinburgh. There is something funny in the air here. No, I love Edinburgh. First, it is beautiful, of course. What British city/town isn’t? Everything is situated around this odd valley that houses the train station. There is the massive Edinburgh Castle and a hundred ancient, mesmerizing buildings surrounding it. So pretty! And we are located just by the Royal Mile, where the entire town in built up and there are all these different layers of streets and buildings and stairs. You enter a building on the street level, only to find out you are on the fifth floor and there is an entire alleyway or something below. I’m not sure how to explain it right, but it is really cool. And very easy to get lost in.
We found our hostel first thing and then set out to see the sights of Edinburgh. First, there was the Royal Mile. Mostly shopping and touristy stuff, which we skipped for the most part. Both of us can’t shop anymore. No money and no room in our suitcases. Next, of course, was the National Gallery of Scotland. Not as exciting as the one in London, but still good. I can never turn down free art. And after that, the Museum of Scotland. It is open late on Mondays so we thought, why not? Surprisingly, this one was pretty interesting. We saw a replica of the tomb of Mary Queen of Scots. I’m reading a book about her right now, so that was cool. Also, we saw a guillotine. So creepy. Beheadings are almost comical in the UK, but this was just chilling. And then we found a giant catapult. Seriously, this thing was huge! Three-stories tall! It was awesome until we found out it was actually some stupid engine for coal mining. I’m going to pretend I never heard that and go on believing it was a massive catapult.
After too many hours in museums, we ate supper. At a Mexican Restaurant. In Edinburgh. Why not? We thought there was absolutely no Mexican food on this whole island, but Mariachi (I that is what is was called) proved us wrong. And it was really good. Then, it was back to the hostel to change out of my shoes, which were killing me. With happy feet, we decided to go for a bit of a walk around town. Somehow, our walk around the neighborhood turned into a two-hour excursion across town. I’m so tired and sore and exhausted right now I could cry. But we have so much planned for the next few days, I’m going to have to suck it up. I love Edinburgh so far and I don’t want to miss anything!
Royal Yacht and more tomorrow!
Love,
Kelly
I’m in Edinburgh! I said goodbye to my flat, one of my roommates, my big suitcase, and London… well, I’ll be back in London on Sunday, but it just won’t be the same. Honestly, this entire week, I’ve been dreading leaving this amazing place. But now that I’ve packed everything up and moved out, I’m more resolved to coming home and having an awesome summer. Seriously, can’t wait for that flight out of Heathrow on Monday morning and seeing everyone when I get home. Ah, only one week. Well, six days now!
So, my last two days in London were pretty boring in comparison to all the crazy things I’ve done this semester. On Sunday, Viv and I arrived at Chelsea Old Town Hall at 11AM sharp for a local art fair. We paid our five pounds and had a really good time. A lot of local artists and galleries that loved to talk with us meager art students. Next, was Spitalfields Market. Again. I can finally say that I have worn out that place and I can’t find anything new to look at or buy. One of the vendor guys even recognized me…. But it was my last time. I said goodbye and headed for Brick Land. We ate Indian for lunch at Aladin. Again. Doing all my favorite things one last time. Problem is, I have too many favorites. Lunch was good. And so was shopping around Piccadilly afterwards. Souvenir shopping is so great. So many stupid things I’ll never use, but will look awesome on a shelf somewhere, collecting dust. Waterstones bookstore (the UK’s version of Barnes and Noble) sucked me in once again. Debated getting three books for the price of two (a special they run), but then I realized that I have absolutely no room in my backpack or suitcase. Had to leave them behind and settle for the other hundred books I bought here. No way my suitcase is making that 50 pound limit. It’s going to be interesting at that airport check-in desk on Monday morning…
So, after a full day of redoing the things I love, I packed. And it sucked. Dumb me put on some sad music and things just got worse from there. Not only did nothing fit, but I absolutely loathe packing. Does anyone enjoy it? It is comparable to how much I hate doing laundry. Ugh. But once packing was done, everything got a little better. I started to get excited to go to Edinburgh and then come home.
Monday… Not-Fun-Day. To begin with anyway. Viv and I hauled out overweight suitcases to her aunt’s house just outside of London. We are storing them there until we get back from Edinburgh. 70 pounds of clothes, books, and souvenirs + crowded Piccadilly Tube + hottest day since we’ve been here = one crabby, soar Kelly. Seriously, my calves and shoulders are still burning today. I’m a wimp. Anyway, we got to her aunt Janis’s house eventually. Not only did she take our luggage, but she fed us! Relatives are the best!
After that adventure, we were a bit tired so we planned to go back to our empty, quiet flat for some relaxing. However, Leicester Square called our name, mainly the half-price ticket booth, and we got off for a bit of a look at that night’s theatre offerings. We found 20 pound tickets! To Legally Blonde… Now, I did not really want to go to this musical. Not something I was really dying to see, but Viv and Hal were set, so I decided why not? It is our last night in London and I love musicals. This one can’t be that bad… We walk into the theatre and we find our seats. When we purchased them, the ticket guy told us we were on the upper circle, eight rows from the front. Great, right? Wrong. He failed to tell us that they were four rows from the very last, farthest back seats in the theatre, on the highest balcony. Could barely see. The actors were maybe a half-inch tall if I held out my hand and measured them between my thumb and first finger… So, at intermission, we moved up a bit and things got better. Now, just because our seats were bad, doesn’t mean the musical sucked. IT WAS AWESOME. Seriously so funny. The girl that played Elle was amazing and my favorite part was the FedEx guy. And they did this funny river dance and yodeled, I think. Ah, I almost died laughing. Even better than the movie, which I love by the way.
So, after the show, we did the last thing I wanted to do before leaving London. The thing I’ve been planning to do since the beginning and would have cried if I had missed it. We, mainly me, climbed up onto the giant lion statues in Trafalgar Square. Best night ever. I took pictures and just smiled my heart out. If I ever did anything worthy of note in London, it was climbing atop the lions… pictures will be on facebook soon!
Today, Tuesday, we got up early for our train to Edinburgh. I said goodbye to my trusty bunk bed. Always so creaky and rock hard. Goodbye to our room, 3C. Where everyone stopped on their way to their own room or the kitchen to say hello. And finally, 37 Hyde Park Gate, our flat. Seriously, best semester ever.
We got to King’s Cross in plenty of time, thankfully, because there was already a huge line for our train! One more goodbye before we went to stand in line, this one for Hal. She is flying out of London tomorrow to meet her parents in Florence. Going to miss her so much. Seriously the funniest, most entertaining, and most considerate person. Going to miss her. Until I see her all the time next semester in Madison!
Eventually we got on our train. The ride was long (four and a half hours) but good. I finished my latest British historical novel en route. I’m seriously obsessed. Philippa Gregory and Allison Weir, quit sucking me in! I don’t have time to sit around and read your books! I’ve got things to do, museums to see, pictures to take, lions to climb!
I’ve gotten so off topic this whole blog. I think it’s Edinburgh. There is something funny in the air here. No, I love Edinburgh. First, it is beautiful, of course. What British city/town isn’t? Everything is situated around this odd valley that houses the train station. There is the massive Edinburgh Castle and a hundred ancient, mesmerizing buildings surrounding it. So pretty! And we are located just by the Royal Mile, where the entire town in built up and there are all these different layers of streets and buildings and stairs. You enter a building on the street level, only to find out you are on the fifth floor and there is an entire alleyway or something below. I’m not sure how to explain it right, but it is really cool. And very easy to get lost in.
We found our hostel first thing and then set out to see the sights of Edinburgh. First, there was the Royal Mile. Mostly shopping and touristy stuff, which we skipped for the most part. Both of us can’t shop anymore. No money and no room in our suitcases. Next, of course, was the National Gallery of Scotland. Not as exciting as the one in London, but still good. I can never turn down free art. And after that, the Museum of Scotland. It is open late on Mondays so we thought, why not? Surprisingly, this one was pretty interesting. We saw a replica of the tomb of Mary Queen of Scots. I’m reading a book about her right now, so that was cool. Also, we saw a guillotine. So creepy. Beheadings are almost comical in the UK, but this was just chilling. And then we found a giant catapult. Seriously, this thing was huge! Three-stories tall! It was awesome until we found out it was actually some stupid engine for coal mining. I’m going to pretend I never heard that and go on believing it was a massive catapult.
After too many hours in museums, we ate supper. At a Mexican Restaurant. In Edinburgh. Why not? We thought there was absolutely no Mexican food on this whole island, but Mariachi (I that is what is was called) proved us wrong. And it was really good. Then, it was back to the hostel to change out of my shoes, which were killing me. With happy feet, we decided to go for a bit of a walk around town. Somehow, our walk around the neighborhood turned into a two-hour excursion across town. I’m so tired and sore and exhausted right now I could cry. But we have so much planned for the next few days, I’m going to have to suck it up. I love Edinburgh so far and I don’t want to miss anything!
Royal Yacht and more tomorrow!
Love,
Kelly
Sunday, April 25, 2010
St. George and Spitalfields
April 25, 2010
Well, I’ve put off writing this as long as possible. After I handed in my last assignments for class, I haven’t wanted to do anything that includes sitting around and actually thinking. It is so great to be in London and not be tied down with class and homework. Not that there ever was very much work to begin with, but now it just feels like vacation. These last couple days have been quite interesting. A lot of thing have happened that I didn’t expect, but overall it’s been good. Italy was canceled. I was a bit worried about catching my flight coming home after arriving back in London from Florence. If that makes any sense. I would have only had like three hours to switch airports, check my bags and do security. They are recommending you show up at least four-five hours early for your flight over here. It is still a bit crazy because of the volcano, but we’ve been having a great time in London. And, Viv and I found something to do during our down time… we are going to Edinburgh! Isn’t that awesome that I can just up and go to Scotland for the weekend if I want? It is so easy to travel here, never mind the volcano. Now, I just have to figure out how to pay for it… the train ride was relatively cheap and we will be staying with a few of Viv’s cousins along the way so it should be a pretty stress-free trip. I hope.
Okay, so Wednesday and Thursday were pretty much filled with studying, paper writing, and homework. The last of it for a while at least. My history final went well. Oh, on Wednesday, Viv, Hal and I went to an exhibit at the V&A filled with Grace Kelly’s dresses. It was really great to relax and walk around the gallery after all the craziness at the flat of everyone packing and frantically studying. So many dresses, purses, and hats. They even had a nice video showing on a wall with some highlights from her life. Well worth my four pounds! On Thursday, we had a last minute meeting with our advisers. They fed us sandwiches and we talked about flying out, traveling around Europe after, and cleaning up the flats. Luckily, because of the volcano, our landlords are letting us stay in our rooms until Wednesday April 28 to rebook flights and such. And we are taking full advantage of that.
And then on Thursday night, it hit me. Everyone was packing up and leaving and I got really sad. Part of me is super excited to come home and see everyone. But then the other half is in disbelief. I never want to leave London and I can’t imagine how this semester flew by so quickly. There are so many little things I will miss. Seriously, best semester ever. I hadn’t really had time to think about all this until Thursday night, because of that stupid volcano and exams. I just don’t really know what to think anymore. I’m going to enjoy my last days in London and Edinburgh. And get on that flight excited to come home. Even if I’m bawling the whole way there.
So, things got better on Friday. I had no plans except finishing a stupid art paper that I’d left for the last minute. But it was St. George’s Day here. It is like England’s, not Britain’s, national holiday – their 4th of July. They have parades and concerts and everyone sits outside pubs and drinks all day. It is great. Viv and I headed over to Spitalfields Market, again, to see this big show they had going on there. Everyone was dressed up in red and white and had the English flag hanging over their shoulders. This one really enthusiastic family was even dressed up as a bunch of knights! So, they planned to do this jousting tournament, but then the horse’s hair started to bother my eyes and we were lured away by the craft market, so we didn’t stick around for very long. It was fun to just see everyone dressed up, drinking beer, and having a good time.
After Spitalfields, we hit up Petticoat for a bit, but then headed across town to Trafalgar Square to see what was going on there. Supposedly, there was to be a big music festival going on, but when we got there… nothing. Turns out, we were a day early and the music was happening on Saturday. We missed the parade too, which happened earlier that morning. Way to go Kel and Viv…always planning ahead. We found a cheap shoe store and then a few books stores and were happy. There was also a Graphic Art Fair going on at Somerset House, right on the River Thames, so Viv and I walked through that. Once again, another great exhibit. After that, I went home to finish my stinking paper and then went to bed early, exhausted as always.
Saturday… I didn’t do anything. I went for a run in Hyde Park. Viv and I went to King’s Cross Station to buy our tickets to Edinburgh and I went shopping at Primark. I’m going to miss Primark. Pound shirts and absolute craziness… Walmart just isn’t the same. And after a day of nothing, we have a lot planned for today. Spitalfields again, it has become our Sunday morning ritual, followed by another art show and maybe a musical tonight. If we can find cheap tickets at the discount ticket office!
Back soon, I mean it this time.
Kelly
Well, I’ve put off writing this as long as possible. After I handed in my last assignments for class, I haven’t wanted to do anything that includes sitting around and actually thinking. It is so great to be in London and not be tied down with class and homework. Not that there ever was very much work to begin with, but now it just feels like vacation. These last couple days have been quite interesting. A lot of thing have happened that I didn’t expect, but overall it’s been good. Italy was canceled. I was a bit worried about catching my flight coming home after arriving back in London from Florence. If that makes any sense. I would have only had like three hours to switch airports, check my bags and do security. They are recommending you show up at least four-five hours early for your flight over here. It is still a bit crazy because of the volcano, but we’ve been having a great time in London. And, Viv and I found something to do during our down time… we are going to Edinburgh! Isn’t that awesome that I can just up and go to Scotland for the weekend if I want? It is so easy to travel here, never mind the volcano. Now, I just have to figure out how to pay for it… the train ride was relatively cheap and we will be staying with a few of Viv’s cousins along the way so it should be a pretty stress-free trip. I hope.
Okay, so Wednesday and Thursday were pretty much filled with studying, paper writing, and homework. The last of it for a while at least. My history final went well. Oh, on Wednesday, Viv, Hal and I went to an exhibit at the V&A filled with Grace Kelly’s dresses. It was really great to relax and walk around the gallery after all the craziness at the flat of everyone packing and frantically studying. So many dresses, purses, and hats. They even had a nice video showing on a wall with some highlights from her life. Well worth my four pounds! On Thursday, we had a last minute meeting with our advisers. They fed us sandwiches and we talked about flying out, traveling around Europe after, and cleaning up the flats. Luckily, because of the volcano, our landlords are letting us stay in our rooms until Wednesday April 28 to rebook flights and such. And we are taking full advantage of that.
And then on Thursday night, it hit me. Everyone was packing up and leaving and I got really sad. Part of me is super excited to come home and see everyone. But then the other half is in disbelief. I never want to leave London and I can’t imagine how this semester flew by so quickly. There are so many little things I will miss. Seriously, best semester ever. I hadn’t really had time to think about all this until Thursday night, because of that stupid volcano and exams. I just don’t really know what to think anymore. I’m going to enjoy my last days in London and Edinburgh. And get on that flight excited to come home. Even if I’m bawling the whole way there.
So, things got better on Friday. I had no plans except finishing a stupid art paper that I’d left for the last minute. But it was St. George’s Day here. It is like England’s, not Britain’s, national holiday – their 4th of July. They have parades and concerts and everyone sits outside pubs and drinks all day. It is great. Viv and I headed over to Spitalfields Market, again, to see this big show they had going on there. Everyone was dressed up in red and white and had the English flag hanging over their shoulders. This one really enthusiastic family was even dressed up as a bunch of knights! So, they planned to do this jousting tournament, but then the horse’s hair started to bother my eyes and we were lured away by the craft market, so we didn’t stick around for very long. It was fun to just see everyone dressed up, drinking beer, and having a good time.
After Spitalfields, we hit up Petticoat for a bit, but then headed across town to Trafalgar Square to see what was going on there. Supposedly, there was to be a big music festival going on, but when we got there… nothing. Turns out, we were a day early and the music was happening on Saturday. We missed the parade too, which happened earlier that morning. Way to go Kel and Viv…always planning ahead. We found a cheap shoe store and then a few books stores and were happy. There was also a Graphic Art Fair going on at Somerset House, right on the River Thames, so Viv and I walked through that. Once again, another great exhibit. After that, I went home to finish my stinking paper and then went to bed early, exhausted as always.
Saturday… I didn’t do anything. I went for a run in Hyde Park. Viv and I went to King’s Cross Station to buy our tickets to Edinburgh and I went shopping at Primark. I’m going to miss Primark. Pound shirts and absolute craziness… Walmart just isn’t the same. And after a day of nothing, we have a lot planned for today. Spitalfields again, it has become our Sunday morning ritual, followed by another art show and maybe a musical tonight. If we can find cheap tickets at the discount ticket office!
Back soon, I mean it this time.
Kelly
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Volcanoes and... absolutely nothing else, just volcanoes.
April 21, 2010
This is going to be brief… because I am freaking out. Stupid volcano is ruining everything. Not exactly how I thought my last week in London would go. But if things keep going the way they have been, I might be stuck in London until May 3rd! Not stuck, I’d be happy to stay in London a week longer, but I’d miss Italy. And part of me is so worried that this thing volcano is going to blow again (there is a sister volcano…) and I’ll get stuck in Italy if I go. Ugh. Every day we all wake up and immediately check if our flights are canceled or not. And then I check the BBC website for airport updates. We have to make like fifty plans for fifty different possibilities. It sucks. And I have history final and two papers due tomorrow! Yay!
So back to happier times before this giant invisible smoke monster above our heads ruined our lives. Sunday… we went shopping. At Spitalfields Market. Can’t get much better than that. And then we (Viv and I) went to see this really weird, but free art exhibit in Southwark. The entire room was pitch black and there were all these lasers around. It felt like a haunted house and I was terrified the entire time. Then, we came back to the flat to study. I had one exam, two papers, and a presentation all due the next day!
Monday… hmmm. I had that exam and presentation. Not fun, but now they are over with. But Monday night was much better. We took time off from studying and packing to eat at Sticky Fingers! It is this great American-style restaurant just off High Street Kensington that is owned by Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones. The entire place resembles a Hard Rock Café, but dedicated only to the Rolling Stones and mostly Bill Wyman… right. It was a lot of fun. On Monday nights, they have a bunch of half price specials or else I don’t think we’d ever been able to eat there. I had tomato basil soup and here, tomato soup is so thick, it is basically tomato sauce warmed up in a big bowl with a soupspoon. Yum!
Tuesday was a bit more exciting. We went to Harrod’s! And spent most of our time in the food halls looking at all the delicious grub. They didn’t play Willy Wonka as went up the escalators this time. The entire place was empty because we went rather early. The whole place was pretty sad and lonely. Like those times when you were a kid and you were terrified of getting locked in the department store when it closed at night. I was anyway! I remember losing my mom at Shopko once and sitting down with my “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelet in the electronics department and praying I would make it out before they locked up for the night. Nightmare! Off track… Harrods was good. After, we met for art history class at the Barbican, which is this really strange mix of buildings that serve all different purposes that are not related at all. For some reason, they lumped them all together and called them “The Barbican”. Sure. We saw an art exhibit there with live birds flying around, landing on guitars and cymbals hooked up to amps. These tiny birds making this huge noise as they sat around on the guitar string and ate birdseed out of the cymbals. It was pretty cool!
And that was pretty much my week. Boring, but busy at the same time. London was kind of a ghost town this whole week and weekend. Everyone stuck out that wants to get in and everyone stuck in that would rather be anywhere but here. If I could pronounce the name of that stupid volcano, I would. And then I’d rhyme it with a swear word and maybe write a hykoo about my frustration with volcanic ash. Ugh. So, I’ll probably be back soon or not for a while. Depends on if our flight leaves on Friday. We’ll see, we’ll see.
Cheers,
Kelly
This is going to be brief… because I am freaking out. Stupid volcano is ruining everything. Not exactly how I thought my last week in London would go. But if things keep going the way they have been, I might be stuck in London until May 3rd! Not stuck, I’d be happy to stay in London a week longer, but I’d miss Italy. And part of me is so worried that this thing volcano is going to blow again (there is a sister volcano…) and I’ll get stuck in Italy if I go. Ugh. Every day we all wake up and immediately check if our flights are canceled or not. And then I check the BBC website for airport updates. We have to make like fifty plans for fifty different possibilities. It sucks. And I have history final and two papers due tomorrow! Yay!
So back to happier times before this giant invisible smoke monster above our heads ruined our lives. Sunday… we went shopping. At Spitalfields Market. Can’t get much better than that. And then we (Viv and I) went to see this really weird, but free art exhibit in Southwark. The entire room was pitch black and there were all these lasers around. It felt like a haunted house and I was terrified the entire time. Then, we came back to the flat to study. I had one exam, two papers, and a presentation all due the next day!
Monday… hmmm. I had that exam and presentation. Not fun, but now they are over with. But Monday night was much better. We took time off from studying and packing to eat at Sticky Fingers! It is this great American-style restaurant just off High Street Kensington that is owned by Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones. The entire place resembles a Hard Rock Café, but dedicated only to the Rolling Stones and mostly Bill Wyman… right. It was a lot of fun. On Monday nights, they have a bunch of half price specials or else I don’t think we’d ever been able to eat there. I had tomato basil soup and here, tomato soup is so thick, it is basically tomato sauce warmed up in a big bowl with a soupspoon. Yum!
Tuesday was a bit more exciting. We went to Harrod’s! And spent most of our time in the food halls looking at all the delicious grub. They didn’t play Willy Wonka as went up the escalators this time. The entire place was empty because we went rather early. The whole place was pretty sad and lonely. Like those times when you were a kid and you were terrified of getting locked in the department store when it closed at night. I was anyway! I remember losing my mom at Shopko once and sitting down with my “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelet in the electronics department and praying I would make it out before they locked up for the night. Nightmare! Off track… Harrods was good. After, we met for art history class at the Barbican, which is this really strange mix of buildings that serve all different purposes that are not related at all. For some reason, they lumped them all together and called them “The Barbican”. Sure. We saw an art exhibit there with live birds flying around, landing on guitars and cymbals hooked up to amps. These tiny birds making this huge noise as they sat around on the guitar string and ate birdseed out of the cymbals. It was pretty cool!
And that was pretty much my week. Boring, but busy at the same time. London was kind of a ghost town this whole week and weekend. Everyone stuck out that wants to get in and everyone stuck in that would rather be anywhere but here. If I could pronounce the name of that stupid volcano, I would. And then I’d rhyme it with a swear word and maybe write a hykoo about my frustration with volcanic ash. Ugh. So, I’ll probably be back soon or not for a while. Depends on if our flight leaves on Friday. We’ll see, we’ll see.
Cheers,
Kelly
Friday, April 16, 2010
Wine and Whining
April 13, 2010
Last night was our farewell dinner… and I’m still in complete denial that I’m leaving here in a week. Where the heck did these four months go? It has been a pretty sad week around the flat – everyone rushing to do last minute things, packing, and kind of saying goodbye. And it all got worse last night. Mary and Damien, our program advisors, rented us a boat on the Thames for dinner. They fed us way too much food and way too much wine. We danced after we ate and after we danced, I bawled my eyes out like a baby. Oh, God, so embarrassing. I had way too much to drink (everyone did!) and then it hit me as we passed under Tower Bridge. I’m leaving. So freaking sad. Tears the whole way home. But then my feet started to hurt, so my tears turned into whining and then finally we got home and went to bed. Good night, but embarrassing. Good thing my camera died halfway through the night, so I don’t have any documentation…
And that has kind of been how the whole week has gone. Just in this pathetic, sad daze that makes everything worse. Every time I walk by something I love here, I’m upset because that is probably the last time I’ll see it. Ugh. So whiny right now. Gotta stop. Gotta enjoy this last week and go out on a good note! Yes.
We were busy on Sunday. A digital art show at the Victoria and Albert Museum was first thing. We got up early, waited in line for the museum to open, and were the first ones in the exhibit. Now, when I say early… the museum opened at 10. And we had to get there early because we waited for the last possible day to see the exhibit. It closed the next day. Always so on top of things. After the artsy fartsy stuff, we went to Wimbledon! And it was very different from what I thought it would be. Now, my knowledge of Wimbledon consists of the movie, Wimbledon with Kirsten Dunst and a few glimpses of the final match on that tiny TV in the Zimmer cabin up north as Grant watches it on 4th of July weekend… I didn’t really know what to expect, but that place was huge! Everything was green, too. Literally everything. We took a tour and saw all the big courts, the locker rooms, practice fields, this place called picnic hill, and the player’s café. All the minor courts were bundled together in pacts of three or four and there was no room to stand. Six feet between each court I think and the lady said they cram 200 people in there. In the heat in the middle of July? No thank you! But she did give us some tips on how to get tickets. We sat in the pressroom, in the very seat where they do all the interviews… I sat where Roger Federer sat. I think that was the only tennis guy I knew. Besides the Williams sisters. We saw a bunch of their outfits in the museum and Maria Sharapova’s golden shoes. Real gold on those babies. The gift shop was decent and we found some good stuff. And then headed back to London.
But we weren’t done for the day. We rode the tube up to St. John’s Wood and walked to a little place called Abbey Road. Saw Abbey Road Studios and the wall outside covered in signatures, Beatles lyrics and other messages in permanent marker. I wrote mine in highlighter. It was all I had. Walked across the cross walk to the annoyance of all the cars driving by. It was a busy intersection, but we did it anyway. And by this time, I was tired. There is some guy, I think George Shaw, who said, “If you are tired of London, you are tired of life”. It is written on stuff all over this city. I think I agree with him. There is so much to do!
Monday and Tuesday were loaded with class and homework… ugh. Wednesday was Viv’s birthday! We ate dinner at this Korean place in Holburn. It was a great time. It was Viv’s 21st, which wasn’t that big of a deal here because she has been drinking in bars all semester. Woo hoo!
And yesterday I had more class and the going away dinner on the boat. Not a very exciting week after Sunday, but still good. I’m going back to Spitalfields Market tomorrow to pick up some gifts and just shop around. I just love that place. And then I’m going to see the Tower Bridge one last time. And maybe the Tate Modern, but we’ll see.
Back soon.
Love,
Kelly
Last night was our farewell dinner… and I’m still in complete denial that I’m leaving here in a week. Where the heck did these four months go? It has been a pretty sad week around the flat – everyone rushing to do last minute things, packing, and kind of saying goodbye. And it all got worse last night. Mary and Damien, our program advisors, rented us a boat on the Thames for dinner. They fed us way too much food and way too much wine. We danced after we ate and after we danced, I bawled my eyes out like a baby. Oh, God, so embarrassing. I had way too much to drink (everyone did!) and then it hit me as we passed under Tower Bridge. I’m leaving. So freaking sad. Tears the whole way home. But then my feet started to hurt, so my tears turned into whining and then finally we got home and went to bed. Good night, but embarrassing. Good thing my camera died halfway through the night, so I don’t have any documentation…
And that has kind of been how the whole week has gone. Just in this pathetic, sad daze that makes everything worse. Every time I walk by something I love here, I’m upset because that is probably the last time I’ll see it. Ugh. So whiny right now. Gotta stop. Gotta enjoy this last week and go out on a good note! Yes.
We were busy on Sunday. A digital art show at the Victoria and Albert Museum was first thing. We got up early, waited in line for the museum to open, and were the first ones in the exhibit. Now, when I say early… the museum opened at 10. And we had to get there early because we waited for the last possible day to see the exhibit. It closed the next day. Always so on top of things. After the artsy fartsy stuff, we went to Wimbledon! And it was very different from what I thought it would be. Now, my knowledge of Wimbledon consists of the movie, Wimbledon with Kirsten Dunst and a few glimpses of the final match on that tiny TV in the Zimmer cabin up north as Grant watches it on 4th of July weekend… I didn’t really know what to expect, but that place was huge! Everything was green, too. Literally everything. We took a tour and saw all the big courts, the locker rooms, practice fields, this place called picnic hill, and the player’s café. All the minor courts were bundled together in pacts of three or four and there was no room to stand. Six feet between each court I think and the lady said they cram 200 people in there. In the heat in the middle of July? No thank you! But she did give us some tips on how to get tickets. We sat in the pressroom, in the very seat where they do all the interviews… I sat where Roger Federer sat. I think that was the only tennis guy I knew. Besides the Williams sisters. We saw a bunch of their outfits in the museum and Maria Sharapova’s golden shoes. Real gold on those babies. The gift shop was decent and we found some good stuff. And then headed back to London.
But we weren’t done for the day. We rode the tube up to St. John’s Wood and walked to a little place called Abbey Road. Saw Abbey Road Studios and the wall outside covered in signatures, Beatles lyrics and other messages in permanent marker. I wrote mine in highlighter. It was all I had. Walked across the cross walk to the annoyance of all the cars driving by. It was a busy intersection, but we did it anyway. And by this time, I was tired. There is some guy, I think George Shaw, who said, “If you are tired of London, you are tired of life”. It is written on stuff all over this city. I think I agree with him. There is so much to do!
Monday and Tuesday were loaded with class and homework… ugh. Wednesday was Viv’s birthday! We ate dinner at this Korean place in Holburn. It was a great time. It was Viv’s 21st, which wasn’t that big of a deal here because she has been drinking in bars all semester. Woo hoo!
And yesterday I had more class and the going away dinner on the boat. Not a very exciting week after Sunday, but still good. I’m going back to Spitalfields Market tomorrow to pick up some gifts and just shop around. I just love that place. And then I’m going to see the Tower Bridge one last time. And maybe the Tate Modern, but we’ll see.
Back soon.
Love,
Kelly
Monday, April 12, 2010
Museums and Maggie's
April 12, 2010
Of course I put writing this off until the very last minute. And now I can barely remember what I did this weekend. It has been so crazy. Nonstop running around, trying to cram everything in before we leave, saying goodbye to Mom and Grandma, and doing all the homework I left for the very end. Bah!
The last full day of Mom and Grandma’s visit was definitely the busiest of them all. We got up early and got on the tube, like always, and road across town to St. Paul’s Cathedral. After paying the admission charge, we just kind of wandered around, looking at the massive dome, the gold mosaics on the ceiling, and the hundreds of monuments lining the sides of the church. So much to look at! After a bit of time just sitting in the nave and cramping our necks looking up, we headed down to the crypt. Always my favorite part of these old churches. Lord Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington are buried down there – Britain’s big war heroes. The gift shop was okay… not enough books for my liking!
After St. Paul’s and a stop at the bathroom, we hopped on a bus toward Holborn and the British Museum. Because the museum is free, we thought we might splurge on the 4 pound audio guide. And let me tell you, that thing was intense. There was so much information on there, but it was a bit difficult to run. We listened to about 3/4 of the “Highlights of the British Museum” commentary before we had enough. Somewhere around the Egyptian mummies and the Viking chess set, we got tired and hurried through the rest of it. I think Grandma could have spent all day, maybe all week in that museum alone. Eventually we managed to drag her out, but then it was on to the British Library. Now, I hadn’t been there yet, so it was quite the adventure for all of us. They have a bunch of old pointless documents in this one gallery… let’s see, what did they have? The Magna Carta, Darwin’s Origin of Species, Beowulf, handwritten lyrics by the Beatles including Yesterday and I Want to Hold Your Hand, Bronte’s Jane Eyre, a few of Shakespeare’s plays, a Beethoven Sonata, and, my favorite, the original copy of Alice in Wonderland! Well worth the 5 pound taxi ride it took to get up there. We couldn’t figure out the bus system from the British Museum because they were doing all kinds of roadwork on Tottenham Court Road.
After our long day at the museums, we did a bit of shopping on Oxford Street. I showed Mom Primark… I don’t think she’ll be going in there anytime soon. Pushy teenagers, frantic moms, and big crowds just really aren’t her thing. Finally, we got on another bus headed for home. And Mom and Grandma almost didn’t make it off the bus. The doors closed just after me and they were stuck. Until the driver opened the front doors again. I almost lost them! After a bit of relaxing at the hotel, we hailed a cab and rode the five minutes to Kensington High Street and, more specifically, Maggie Jones’s restaurant. I’d been there before on a class trip, but it was all new to Mom and Grandma. The entire place is built out of old warped wood, the building has to be a few hundred years old. They have a million kitschy decorations on the wall and ceiling, including baskets full of grass and wheat hanging all around. It definitely has this country charm, especially noticeable when you throw in the hundreds of candles and lanterns that light the place. Talk about a fire hazard. Mom was freaking out the whole time we were there. One spark and the whole thing would go up in about fifteen seconds. But the food was good and quite expensive. Of course, Grandma wouldn’t let anyone else near the bill. I joked that I might have made money with Mom and Grandma here – buying me things, paying for my meals, giving me all their change when they left.
I forgot, so when we arrived at Maggie Jones’s, the host said he could seat us, only if we were out by 9PM. It was only 7:45, so we thought we would have plenty of time. Well, almost an hour later, we were finished eating, but still wanted dessert and our waiter hadn’t come to our table in quite some time. The host came up, a bit flustered, and asked if we were finished. Mom mentioned that we’d waited awhile for dessert, knowing we could fit it in before our time was up but no one came. The host offered us a compromise. He moved us downstairs, because someone had specifically requested our table, and brought us our dessert at that table. It was perfect and the desserts were delicious. I thought so anyway. But on the way downstairs, I heard the host yell into the kitchen, “Who left the ladies alone in the corner?” And before Mom and Grandma came downstairs, our waiter apologized, “Madame, I am so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Ah, they were so funny and considerate. Even when Mom accidentally elbowed the host in the stomach, he joked about it and gave us half our desserts for free. I just love Maggie Jones’s!
Saturday, Saturday. I packed up over half of my clothes in the morning to send home with Mom and Grandma. Somehow, my wardrobe at least doubled on this trip. Wonder how that happened? Anyway, I filled one of my suitcases and an extra on that Mom brought along. Now, I’ll only have one to worry about for my flight home. Poor Mom and Grandma had to haul my overweight luggage through the airport. Somehow, I think I got the better end of the stick. After packing, we ate breakfast downstairs and then I said goodbye as they got in their car for the airport. I’ll see them in three weeks, but it was still hard to say goodbye. I got a few texts from Mom during the day. One saying that all the bags got through check-in, none were too heavy. And then one saying they were on their plane! I’ll miss them soooo much! I won’t have anyone to share my stupid London fun facts with. Grandma won’t be there when I turn around to see if she made it through the ticketing machine at the tube station without any trouble! Mom not asking me if I’m all right every five seconds! I’ll be home in three weeks!
So, on Saturday, I thought I would have this great relaxing day inside. Doing a very little bit of homework, maybe watch a movie. But it was a beautiful day in the city and I just had to be outside. So I went for a run in Hyde Park. And after that, Viv, Hal and I got on the tube toward Piccadilly Circus, Regent and Carnaby Street. Viv and I checked out this exhibit dedicated to 50 years of Carnaby Street. It was kinda lame. But then we stopped at H&M and the day got a whole lot better. Next, we tried to get into the Royal College for Arts Van Gogh exhibit, but the line was massive and we didn’t want to wait. Instead, we popped into Fortum and Mason, this giant department store similar to Harrods, and bought cupcakes. Yum!
On the way home, we found a tiny arcade that was the length of an entire city block. Glass ceiling, only about 10 feet wide and lined with shops filled with jewels, neckties, hats, and chocolate. We even found a jewelry store in there that the queen shops at – her crest was over the door. Not that we could ever afford anything in there, but it was just fun to window shop. We also found sushi on the way home at a place called Itsu and it was delicious. After all this, we were a bit tired. I went to bed at 8:30 just exhausted.
Be back soon,
Love, Kelly
Of course I put writing this off until the very last minute. And now I can barely remember what I did this weekend. It has been so crazy. Nonstop running around, trying to cram everything in before we leave, saying goodbye to Mom and Grandma, and doing all the homework I left for the very end. Bah!
The last full day of Mom and Grandma’s visit was definitely the busiest of them all. We got up early and got on the tube, like always, and road across town to St. Paul’s Cathedral. After paying the admission charge, we just kind of wandered around, looking at the massive dome, the gold mosaics on the ceiling, and the hundreds of monuments lining the sides of the church. So much to look at! After a bit of time just sitting in the nave and cramping our necks looking up, we headed down to the crypt. Always my favorite part of these old churches. Lord Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington are buried down there – Britain’s big war heroes. The gift shop was okay… not enough books for my liking!
After St. Paul’s and a stop at the bathroom, we hopped on a bus toward Holborn and the British Museum. Because the museum is free, we thought we might splurge on the 4 pound audio guide. And let me tell you, that thing was intense. There was so much information on there, but it was a bit difficult to run. We listened to about 3/4 of the “Highlights of the British Museum” commentary before we had enough. Somewhere around the Egyptian mummies and the Viking chess set, we got tired and hurried through the rest of it. I think Grandma could have spent all day, maybe all week in that museum alone. Eventually we managed to drag her out, but then it was on to the British Library. Now, I hadn’t been there yet, so it was quite the adventure for all of us. They have a bunch of old pointless documents in this one gallery… let’s see, what did they have? The Magna Carta, Darwin’s Origin of Species, Beowulf, handwritten lyrics by the Beatles including Yesterday and I Want to Hold Your Hand, Bronte’s Jane Eyre, a few of Shakespeare’s plays, a Beethoven Sonata, and, my favorite, the original copy of Alice in Wonderland! Well worth the 5 pound taxi ride it took to get up there. We couldn’t figure out the bus system from the British Museum because they were doing all kinds of roadwork on Tottenham Court Road.
After our long day at the museums, we did a bit of shopping on Oxford Street. I showed Mom Primark… I don’t think she’ll be going in there anytime soon. Pushy teenagers, frantic moms, and big crowds just really aren’t her thing. Finally, we got on another bus headed for home. And Mom and Grandma almost didn’t make it off the bus. The doors closed just after me and they were stuck. Until the driver opened the front doors again. I almost lost them! After a bit of relaxing at the hotel, we hailed a cab and rode the five minutes to Kensington High Street and, more specifically, Maggie Jones’s restaurant. I’d been there before on a class trip, but it was all new to Mom and Grandma. The entire place is built out of old warped wood, the building has to be a few hundred years old. They have a million kitschy decorations on the wall and ceiling, including baskets full of grass and wheat hanging all around. It definitely has this country charm, especially noticeable when you throw in the hundreds of candles and lanterns that light the place. Talk about a fire hazard. Mom was freaking out the whole time we were there. One spark and the whole thing would go up in about fifteen seconds. But the food was good and quite expensive. Of course, Grandma wouldn’t let anyone else near the bill. I joked that I might have made money with Mom and Grandma here – buying me things, paying for my meals, giving me all their change when they left.
I forgot, so when we arrived at Maggie Jones’s, the host said he could seat us, only if we were out by 9PM. It was only 7:45, so we thought we would have plenty of time. Well, almost an hour later, we were finished eating, but still wanted dessert and our waiter hadn’t come to our table in quite some time. The host came up, a bit flustered, and asked if we were finished. Mom mentioned that we’d waited awhile for dessert, knowing we could fit it in before our time was up but no one came. The host offered us a compromise. He moved us downstairs, because someone had specifically requested our table, and brought us our dessert at that table. It was perfect and the desserts were delicious. I thought so anyway. But on the way downstairs, I heard the host yell into the kitchen, “Who left the ladies alone in the corner?” And before Mom and Grandma came downstairs, our waiter apologized, “Madame, I am so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Ah, they were so funny and considerate. Even when Mom accidentally elbowed the host in the stomach, he joked about it and gave us half our desserts for free. I just love Maggie Jones’s!
Saturday, Saturday. I packed up over half of my clothes in the morning to send home with Mom and Grandma. Somehow, my wardrobe at least doubled on this trip. Wonder how that happened? Anyway, I filled one of my suitcases and an extra on that Mom brought along. Now, I’ll only have one to worry about for my flight home. Poor Mom and Grandma had to haul my overweight luggage through the airport. Somehow, I think I got the better end of the stick. After packing, we ate breakfast downstairs and then I said goodbye as they got in their car for the airport. I’ll see them in three weeks, but it was still hard to say goodbye. I got a few texts from Mom during the day. One saying that all the bags got through check-in, none were too heavy. And then one saying they were on their plane! I’ll miss them soooo much! I won’t have anyone to share my stupid London fun facts with. Grandma won’t be there when I turn around to see if she made it through the ticketing machine at the tube station without any trouble! Mom not asking me if I’m all right every five seconds! I’ll be home in three weeks!
So, on Saturday, I thought I would have this great relaxing day inside. Doing a very little bit of homework, maybe watch a movie. But it was a beautiful day in the city and I just had to be outside. So I went for a run in Hyde Park. And after that, Viv, Hal and I got on the tube toward Piccadilly Circus, Regent and Carnaby Street. Viv and I checked out this exhibit dedicated to 50 years of Carnaby Street. It was kinda lame. But then we stopped at H&M and the day got a whole lot better. Next, we tried to get into the Royal College for Arts Van Gogh exhibit, but the line was massive and we didn’t want to wait. Instead, we popped into Fortum and Mason, this giant department store similar to Harrods, and bought cupcakes. Yum!
On the way home, we found a tiny arcade that was the length of an entire city block. Glass ceiling, only about 10 feet wide and lined with shops filled with jewels, neckties, hats, and chocolate. We even found a jewelry store in there that the queen shops at – her crest was over the door. Not that we could ever afford anything in there, but it was just fun to window shop. We also found sushi on the way home at a place called Itsu and it was delicious. After all this, we were a bit tired. I went to bed at 8:30 just exhausted.
Be back soon,
Love, Kelly
Friday, April 9, 2010
Sun and Salutes
April 8, 2010
Windsor on Wednesday! So we got up really early to catch the train out of Paddington by 10AM to try to avoid the lines. I just love Paddington Station – cheap train tickets, the buy-one get-one bookstore, Millie’s cookie stall, and our ever-faithful Platform 4. Grandma bought a Paddington bear and I think I’m going to have to, too. So we started out the day well. I think Mom said she was actually feeling awake that morning and finally getting used to the time change. No matter how tough you think you are, that change is difficult. It throws you completely off. Anyway, we bought some cookies, our tickets, the bear, and I bought a few books and we were off. Our train to Windsor was only about a half-hour and we had to transfer once. While we were waiting for our connecting train in Slough, a passing train drove through the station. And it scared the crap out of, I think, just about everyone. No warning or anything, just a 90 miles per hour train whipping by only a few feet from you. Like a bullet! I almost crapped my pants.
Eventually we got to Windsor. The connecting train from Slough was this tiny two-car passenger train and it was so cute. Just like a little Fisher-Price train set. And luckily, everything in Windsor is relatively close. The shopping, the castle, and the train station. I lead Grandma and Mom toward the castle. Like you could miss it. The thing dominates the town, sitting on this hill all old-looking and massive. Lazy me, didn’t want to do the two-hour tour all over again (and pay the 15 pounds), so I found a cozy chair in Café Rouge and read my book about Lady Jane Grey. She was actually queen of England for nine days before Mary I beheaded her. Great story! After about two and a half hours, Mom and Grandma came back tired and full of new info about the endlessly entertaining monarchy. They give you these great audio guides on tours here that have so much information. I think if you listened to all the commentary on the guide, it would take you all day to get through that castle.
We sat down for a bit and ate at Gourmet Burger Kitchen… yum. Grandma bought a book about Windsor Castle, which was quite good. And we did a very tiny bit of shopping before catching the train back to London. Another busy, fun day. I might have to go into sightseeing detox after this week! What am I going to do when I don’t have my two students listening intently to all of my random facts about London? And I’m not constantly checking behind me to see if they are still there and okay? I think they might have to stay until I’m finished with my program and go to Italy with me afterwards. Good idea.
Well, Thursday was a bit less crazy. Which was good. We needed a day to relax. And boy, was it a beautiful day in London. The sun was out, it wasn’t windy, and it was probably the warmest day since I’ve been here. A whole 61 degrees! We met at Gloucester Station, like always, and road the tube to Knightsbridge. From there, we hopped over a block to Hyde Park. So so pretty. All the flowers are blooming and the grass is green. Everyone is out with their families! We ate at the Serpentine Kitchen, just off the Serpentine Lake. Well, I think it’s a lake. I haven’t quite figured out exactly what that body of water is. They just call it the Serpentine. Anyway, we ate breakfast and enjoyed the view over the water.
And then we saw the horse guard marching across the water. Grandma tried to take a picture from inside the café, but we realized we needed to get closer. After a bit of a walk, we found the guards doing some kind of exercise on this lawn area. We got some pictures, but they left shortly after we arrived. And then they came back! We started to walk toward Kensington Gardens when a man in a carriage passed us and then the horse guard did this funny salute thing for him. They kept marching around in circles, going faster and faster each time. It looked neat. Their armor shined in the sun and I didn’t get any hives from the horses!
After that excitement, we found the Diana Memorial, Kensington Gardens, the Round Pond, and eventually, Kensington Palace. I left Mom and Grandma there, to tour the palace, while I had this crappy thing called class. No, it wasn’t that bad, but I definitely would have rather been outside in the sun. After their tour and my lecture, we met up at the Stanhope Arms again. The guy behind the bar recognized me. Does that make us regulars? Mom had her favorite apple pie again. This one is definitely her favorite.
And tomorrow, we are doing all the stuff we haven’t done yet. Which includes St. Paul’s, the British Museum, and shopping on Oxford and Carnaby Streets. Sounds like a good day to me!
Cheers,
Kelly
Windsor on Wednesday! So we got up really early to catch the train out of Paddington by 10AM to try to avoid the lines. I just love Paddington Station – cheap train tickets, the buy-one get-one bookstore, Millie’s cookie stall, and our ever-faithful Platform 4. Grandma bought a Paddington bear and I think I’m going to have to, too. So we started out the day well. I think Mom said she was actually feeling awake that morning and finally getting used to the time change. No matter how tough you think you are, that change is difficult. It throws you completely off. Anyway, we bought some cookies, our tickets, the bear, and I bought a few books and we were off. Our train to Windsor was only about a half-hour and we had to transfer once. While we were waiting for our connecting train in Slough, a passing train drove through the station. And it scared the crap out of, I think, just about everyone. No warning or anything, just a 90 miles per hour train whipping by only a few feet from you. Like a bullet! I almost crapped my pants.
Eventually we got to Windsor. The connecting train from Slough was this tiny two-car passenger train and it was so cute. Just like a little Fisher-Price train set. And luckily, everything in Windsor is relatively close. The shopping, the castle, and the train station. I lead Grandma and Mom toward the castle. Like you could miss it. The thing dominates the town, sitting on this hill all old-looking and massive. Lazy me, didn’t want to do the two-hour tour all over again (and pay the 15 pounds), so I found a cozy chair in Café Rouge and read my book about Lady Jane Grey. She was actually queen of England for nine days before Mary I beheaded her. Great story! After about two and a half hours, Mom and Grandma came back tired and full of new info about the endlessly entertaining monarchy. They give you these great audio guides on tours here that have so much information. I think if you listened to all the commentary on the guide, it would take you all day to get through that castle.
We sat down for a bit and ate at Gourmet Burger Kitchen… yum. Grandma bought a book about Windsor Castle, which was quite good. And we did a very tiny bit of shopping before catching the train back to London. Another busy, fun day. I might have to go into sightseeing detox after this week! What am I going to do when I don’t have my two students listening intently to all of my random facts about London? And I’m not constantly checking behind me to see if they are still there and okay? I think they might have to stay until I’m finished with my program and go to Italy with me afterwards. Good idea.
Well, Thursday was a bit less crazy. Which was good. We needed a day to relax. And boy, was it a beautiful day in London. The sun was out, it wasn’t windy, and it was probably the warmest day since I’ve been here. A whole 61 degrees! We met at Gloucester Station, like always, and road the tube to Knightsbridge. From there, we hopped over a block to Hyde Park. So so pretty. All the flowers are blooming and the grass is green. Everyone is out with their families! We ate at the Serpentine Kitchen, just off the Serpentine Lake. Well, I think it’s a lake. I haven’t quite figured out exactly what that body of water is. They just call it the Serpentine. Anyway, we ate breakfast and enjoyed the view over the water.
And then we saw the horse guard marching across the water. Grandma tried to take a picture from inside the café, but we realized we needed to get closer. After a bit of a walk, we found the guards doing some kind of exercise on this lawn area. We got some pictures, but they left shortly after we arrived. And then they came back! We started to walk toward Kensington Gardens when a man in a carriage passed us and then the horse guard did this funny salute thing for him. They kept marching around in circles, going faster and faster each time. It looked neat. Their armor shined in the sun and I didn’t get any hives from the horses!
After that excitement, we found the Diana Memorial, Kensington Gardens, the Round Pond, and eventually, Kensington Palace. I left Mom and Grandma there, to tour the palace, while I had this crappy thing called class. No, it wasn’t that bad, but I definitely would have rather been outside in the sun. After their tour and my lecture, we met up at the Stanhope Arms again. The guy behind the bar recognized me. Does that make us regulars? Mom had her favorite apple pie again. This one is definitely her favorite.
And tomorrow, we are doing all the stuff we haven’t done yet. Which includes St. Paul’s, the British Museum, and shopping on Oxford and Carnaby Streets. Sounds like a good day to me!
Cheers,
Kelly
Pies and Paddington
April 7, 2010
My time with Mom and Grandma is just flying by! Our week is almost up and they think they are leaving me on Saturday… Ha. Ha. We’ve done so much these past few days. Rode across the country on trains, visited too many churches, ate way too much pub food, and walked everywhere. I don’t know how Grandma is still going, I’m dead tired after every day! And we have a few last things planned for Friday and Saturday. They are going out with a bang!
I met Grandma and Mom at Gloucester Tube Station early on Monday morning and we got on the tube bound for Paddington Station. Once at the rail station, we bought our tickets to Oxford (we got the group rate!) and headed for our platform (number 4). After a bit of searching up and down the train for an empty car, we settled down for our hour trip out of London. It was quite a nice ride and we were in Oxford before we knew it. From there, we took a taxi to Grandma’s friend Cate’s home. And Cate was a great hostess. We sat around to chat for a bit, ate lunch, and then headed out to see the town and Oxford College. Cate knew so much about the town, the college, and its history. She was witty and very proud of her home. She should be a tour guide! Now, if I’m still going that strong by the time I’m 90, it will be a miracle. She was great. In the middle of this busy paved street there is a small patch of very old cobblestone. Cate told us that this marks the exact spot where martyrs were burned at the stake so long ago. We also saw a memorial to these people and a grand old church that once held a platform for trials and such, I think. I couldn’t stop looking at the beautiful stained-glass windows decorations and taking pictures. Finally, a church that allows visitors to take photos inside. Now, I’ll have exactly one church interior in my London photo album!
But churches and martyrs were not the only treat. We paid a pound to see inside this great old hall that used to be a library. All the windows were warped and it made the greenery outside look kind of magical. And conveniently, they filmed the infirmary scene from the first Harry Potter movie there. From HP we moved on to Cardinal Wosley, who we’ve heard so much about this week. Henry VIII’s wingman built Hampton Court and also started Christ Church, one of the many colleges that make up Oxford. We walked around the lawns surrounding the college and then walked down a very busy and tempting shopping street. And from about that point, we all got pretty tired. Another long day of walking and sightseeing.
We said goodbye and thanks to Cate and hopped on the train at around five. From Paddington, we took the tube to High Street Kensington and ate supper at the Prince of Wales Pub. And, of course, the food was great. Mom got another apple pie dessert. Conveniently, most of the pubs in London have the same menu and, therefore, they all have the same desserts. Hence, Mom’s apple pie parade through all the pubs we’ve visited. They are all a bit different, but comparable. We’ll see which one is the best by week’s end after about 50 more pub dinners. Yum!
Tuesday, Tuesday was a busy busy day. We got up early and met at Gloucester Station yet again. So nice to walk around the corner and see Mom and Grandma standing there smiling, waiting for me! I never want them or this nice weather to leave! We got going and arrived at Victoria station via tube a few minutes later. First stop was Westminster Cathedral, my favorite church in London. I’m not too sure why I love it so much, but there is something just really special and magical about the huge cathedral. The sparkly ceiling. The grand alter area. The many colorful mosaics. Oh, I love it.
Second, we walked to a rather stately home located on the west end of Westminster – Buckingham Palace. Have you heard of it? We joined the massive crowds surrounding the road in front of the palace to watch the changing of the guard. Basically, this ceremony is a bunch of guys in red coats marching to a cadence in and out of the palace gates. I’ve been putting off going to see the guard because they’ve been wearing these ugly gray coats all winter and we wanted the red coats. Well, we got them. Two whole groups/troops of guards in red marched by and we were happy.
Third, we walked around the side of Buckingham Palace to the Queen’s Gallery. This space holds works from the Royal Family’s personal art collection on season exhibitions. We saw a lovely show about Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. You need to watch “The Young Victoria”. I’ve watched it three times since I’ve been here. I’m in love. We all loved the gallery and the gift shop was good. Pounds well spent.
Fourth, I took Mom and Grandma to one of my favorite pubs – The Albert. I just love that place. Mom had the apple pie again. Her least favorite so far, I think. And from here, we split. I had class at the Tate Britain while Mom and Grandma headed toward Westminster to see the Abbey, Big Ben, and Parliament. About an hour later, I raced out of class and met up with them at Westminster.
Fifth, we decided to hop on the boat that heads down the Thames because it was such a lovely day. The sun was still shining! A miracle in London! And I thought the boat was fantastic. We saw Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Waterloo Bridge (which was built completely by women during WWII) and about a dozen other bridges, the 3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk they call Cleopatra’s Needle, and the HMS Belfast (an old warship which is now a wartime museum). About 45 minutes later, we arrived at Tower Pier and immediately took some pictures of Tower Bridge, Tower of London, and the funny looking city hall building across the river. The Tower of London gift shop is quite good so we spent some time there.
Sixth, after a few more pictures and some fun facts I’ve learned from my professors and tour guides, we hopped on the #15 bus toward Piccadilly Circus. The bus was packed because everyone is still on Easter break. Cool Britannia, a touristy store in Piccadilly, was also crazy busy, but we managed to find some good souvenirs to bring home.
Seventh, we ate. At a restaurant that Diana liked to bring William and Harry – DaMario’s. Good Italian food for the end of a good day.
I’m dividing this post in two. We’ve done soooo much and there is just too much to write.
Love,
Kelly
My time with Mom and Grandma is just flying by! Our week is almost up and they think they are leaving me on Saturday… Ha. Ha. We’ve done so much these past few days. Rode across the country on trains, visited too many churches, ate way too much pub food, and walked everywhere. I don’t know how Grandma is still going, I’m dead tired after every day! And we have a few last things planned for Friday and Saturday. They are going out with a bang!
I met Grandma and Mom at Gloucester Tube Station early on Monday morning and we got on the tube bound for Paddington Station. Once at the rail station, we bought our tickets to Oxford (we got the group rate!) and headed for our platform (number 4). After a bit of searching up and down the train for an empty car, we settled down for our hour trip out of London. It was quite a nice ride and we were in Oxford before we knew it. From there, we took a taxi to Grandma’s friend Cate’s home. And Cate was a great hostess. We sat around to chat for a bit, ate lunch, and then headed out to see the town and Oxford College. Cate knew so much about the town, the college, and its history. She was witty and very proud of her home. She should be a tour guide! Now, if I’m still going that strong by the time I’m 90, it will be a miracle. She was great. In the middle of this busy paved street there is a small patch of very old cobblestone. Cate told us that this marks the exact spot where martyrs were burned at the stake so long ago. We also saw a memorial to these people and a grand old church that once held a platform for trials and such, I think. I couldn’t stop looking at the beautiful stained-glass windows decorations and taking pictures. Finally, a church that allows visitors to take photos inside. Now, I’ll have exactly one church interior in my London photo album!
But churches and martyrs were not the only treat. We paid a pound to see inside this great old hall that used to be a library. All the windows were warped and it made the greenery outside look kind of magical. And conveniently, they filmed the infirmary scene from the first Harry Potter movie there. From HP we moved on to Cardinal Wosley, who we’ve heard so much about this week. Henry VIII’s wingman built Hampton Court and also started Christ Church, one of the many colleges that make up Oxford. We walked around the lawns surrounding the college and then walked down a very busy and tempting shopping street. And from about that point, we all got pretty tired. Another long day of walking and sightseeing.
We said goodbye and thanks to Cate and hopped on the train at around five. From Paddington, we took the tube to High Street Kensington and ate supper at the Prince of Wales Pub. And, of course, the food was great. Mom got another apple pie dessert. Conveniently, most of the pubs in London have the same menu and, therefore, they all have the same desserts. Hence, Mom’s apple pie parade through all the pubs we’ve visited. They are all a bit different, but comparable. We’ll see which one is the best by week’s end after about 50 more pub dinners. Yum!
Tuesday, Tuesday was a busy busy day. We got up early and met at Gloucester Station yet again. So nice to walk around the corner and see Mom and Grandma standing there smiling, waiting for me! I never want them or this nice weather to leave! We got going and arrived at Victoria station via tube a few minutes later. First stop was Westminster Cathedral, my favorite church in London. I’m not too sure why I love it so much, but there is something just really special and magical about the huge cathedral. The sparkly ceiling. The grand alter area. The many colorful mosaics. Oh, I love it.
Second, we walked to a rather stately home located on the west end of Westminster – Buckingham Palace. Have you heard of it? We joined the massive crowds surrounding the road in front of the palace to watch the changing of the guard. Basically, this ceremony is a bunch of guys in red coats marching to a cadence in and out of the palace gates. I’ve been putting off going to see the guard because they’ve been wearing these ugly gray coats all winter and we wanted the red coats. Well, we got them. Two whole groups/troops of guards in red marched by and we were happy.
Third, we walked around the side of Buckingham Palace to the Queen’s Gallery. This space holds works from the Royal Family’s personal art collection on season exhibitions. We saw a lovely show about Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. You need to watch “The Young Victoria”. I’ve watched it three times since I’ve been here. I’m in love. We all loved the gallery and the gift shop was good. Pounds well spent.
Fourth, I took Mom and Grandma to one of my favorite pubs – The Albert. I just love that place. Mom had the apple pie again. Her least favorite so far, I think. And from here, we split. I had class at the Tate Britain while Mom and Grandma headed toward Westminster to see the Abbey, Big Ben, and Parliament. About an hour later, I raced out of class and met up with them at Westminster.
Fifth, we decided to hop on the boat that heads down the Thames because it was such a lovely day. The sun was still shining! A miracle in London! And I thought the boat was fantastic. We saw Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Waterloo Bridge (which was built completely by women during WWII) and about a dozen other bridges, the 3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk they call Cleopatra’s Needle, and the HMS Belfast (an old warship which is now a wartime museum). About 45 minutes later, we arrived at Tower Pier and immediately took some pictures of Tower Bridge, Tower of London, and the funny looking city hall building across the river. The Tower of London gift shop is quite good so we spent some time there.
Sixth, after a few more pictures and some fun facts I’ve learned from my professors and tour guides, we hopped on the #15 bus toward Piccadilly Circus. The bus was packed because everyone is still on Easter break. Cool Britannia, a touristy store in Piccadilly, was also crazy busy, but we managed to find some good souvenirs to bring home.
Seventh, we ate. At a restaurant that Diana liked to bring William and Harry – DaMario’s. Good Italian food for the end of a good day.
I’m dividing this post in two. We’ve done soooo much and there is just too much to write.
Love,
Kelly
Monday, April 5, 2010
Tudors and Terrors
April 5, 2010
Okay. I’m back.
Saturday was a busy day. For Grandma and Mom’s first full day in England we traveled to the outskirts of London to Hampton Court Palace. We got up early to catch the train from Waterloo station headed southwest down the Thames. As soon as we got off the thirty-minute long train to Hampton Court, we saw the palace across the river. And that thing is huge. So many additions and renovations over the years have made it a rather grand patchwork display of different architectural styles. I only know this because of my History of London class. Thank you professor John Mackey.
We walked across the river and paid for our tickets. Mom was especially excited. A bit of history, a bunch of rooms that have been redecorated a million times, and spending time with her family = Judy’s favorite day out. We all had a lot of fun. First, we toured Henry VIII’s apartments. Henry really put Hampton Court on the map after he stole it from a minister that fell out of his favor. He held court there, inviting all of his friends – some thousand people in the peerage, is all. The palace was like a working hotel back then. The whole courtyard was filled with actors dressed up at courtiers and jesters, kings and queens. You could even rent a cape for the day as you toured the palace. We saw this family of five all dressed in red and green capes. The littlest boy has his cape, helmet and sword. Cutest thing ever.
We looked at the beautiful gardens from the warm rooms inside the palace. It was a cold and windy day. The gardens looked fantastic through the huge windows and the wood fireplaces felt so good. There were even people baking in the kitchens over the fires. They were dressed up, of course and the entire kitchen staff answered people’s questions in character. It was great. The gift shop was good. For most of the day we walked aimlessly around the huge complex, talking about monarchs and their crazy antics. You really couldn’t make some of that stuff up.
After about four hours, we were hungry and headed across the river for some food. A few plates of good Italian and we were back on the train home. Getting back to Waterloo, we didn’t head straight home. We got on the Northern line bound for Tottenham Court Road and some good used bookstores to fill our British history fix. Mom picked up an excellent book about the monarchy and we headed home.
Getting back to Kensington, we plopped ourselves into some comfy chairs at the Stanhope Arms Pub and relaxed. After a few rounds Grandma and Mom were dancing on the bar drunk. You know I’m kidding. We sat around, ate and looked at all of our purchases from the gift shops and bookstores. Good day.
And Easter Sunday. Not our typical holiday. It was definitely a London holiday and one to remember. First, we attended mass at the Brompton Oratory. It was quite good. The church was beautifully decorated and designed. I haven’t seen a church here that wasn’t! We sat right in front and could hear the wonderful children’s choir perfectly. Notably, the boys’ choir from that oratory sang on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. That was my favorite part. Mass at the oratory is held every hour, on the hour, every day from 8AM to noon. As soon as we finished, the next round of churchgoers was waiting anxiously in the back. We hurried out, got in our taxi, and headed to my flat.
Unfortunately, the boys in my apartment seem to be allergic to any form of cleaning or picking up, so our flat is always a disaster. Luckily, Hal, Viv, and I keep our room relatively clean so I can retreat to my bunk and ignore the mess in the living room and kitchen. I tried to hide it from Mom and Grandma when they walked in, but failed miserably. We got out of there as soon as possible, after Amy and I changed our shoes, and got on the bus just outside my building.
And what a day of adventures Easter 2010 became. Our first stop was the National Portrait Gallery. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be open or not, but we lucked out. We headed straight for the Tudor gallery and all the portraits of monarchs we learned about in Hampton Court. Henry VIII, Mary I, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Shakespeare. We saw them all at their best. What a classy bunch. After that we had to pop into the contemporary gallery on the first floor and see the newly painted portrait of Princes William and Harry. I was happy to see Henry VIII’s beautiful scowl, but this just made my day…
Well informed and hungry, we caught a bus headed for Liverpool Station. And from there we walked to Brick Lane for some Indian food. Yes, we ate curry on Easter. I think I’ll start eating curry on Easter every year. Better yet, there should be a holiday dedicated solely to curry. Perfect. Anyway on the to Brick Lane, we walked passed Spitalfields Market. Remember Amy and I were there on Friday, but nothing was going on? Well, holiday or not, Spitalfields was alive and kicking that afternoon. We decided to come back after our curry fix.
Oh, I almost forgot. While we were at mass at the Brompton Oratory, there was this terror of a child sitting in front of us that wouldn’t sit still. His mom and dad yelled at him like fifty times, but he just wouldn’t stop. Once, he attempted to climb over his dad and his mom grabbed him. But she must have misjudged his weight or inertia or something because he accidentally fell right into her and they both went rolling out into the aisle. Literally, fell right out into the aisle. I almost died laughing. Well, karma came back to get me in the form of a sneaky curb in front of Spitalfields. After not seeing the curb, I literally rolled out onto the street in front of Spitalfields. Fell right on my ass, scuffed up my new shoes, and jammed my elbow into the cobblestone. Wonderful. And Mom wouldn’t let me forget it. Every two seconds, “Oh sweetie, are you sure you are okay?” Aaron, I feel for you. After three years of college, I’d forgotten about Mom’s million questions and constant worrying. I’ll be home this summer, so you won’t be alone.
Curry cheered me right up. Always does. After eating, we headed back to Spitalfields and shopped. This was probably the best market for Mom and Grandma – millions of crafts, clothes, purses, jewelry, and other knick-knacks. Terri, my mom said you would have loved this place. Should have come along! Grandma bought Amy and I some early birthday presents… hmm, wonder if she’ll remember this in July and September. Looks like we get double presents this year! Guess she just likes us best out of all her grandkids.
After shopping, eating, and walking around, we were dead tired. Again. We headed back across town to Kensington. We ended the day in our favorite pub, the Stanhope Arms. I think they might even consider us regulars by week’s end. Mom ate some good apple pie, Hal had Bangers and Mash, which is an English staple consisting of a few big pieces of sausage, mashed potatoes, and peas. Amy ordered fish and chips, but I stole about half. Good night.
And Amy left us this morning. At around 10AM we met for breakfast and she got on her train for Heathrow. I don’t think I could live this far from the family again. It is too hard seeing everyone leave me!
Oxford today with Mom and Grandma. We are meeting Grandma’s friend Cate, so that should be great! Be back tonight.
Love,
Kelly
Okay. I’m back.
Saturday was a busy day. For Grandma and Mom’s first full day in England we traveled to the outskirts of London to Hampton Court Palace. We got up early to catch the train from Waterloo station headed southwest down the Thames. As soon as we got off the thirty-minute long train to Hampton Court, we saw the palace across the river. And that thing is huge. So many additions and renovations over the years have made it a rather grand patchwork display of different architectural styles. I only know this because of my History of London class. Thank you professor John Mackey.
We walked across the river and paid for our tickets. Mom was especially excited. A bit of history, a bunch of rooms that have been redecorated a million times, and spending time with her family = Judy’s favorite day out. We all had a lot of fun. First, we toured Henry VIII’s apartments. Henry really put Hampton Court on the map after he stole it from a minister that fell out of his favor. He held court there, inviting all of his friends – some thousand people in the peerage, is all. The palace was like a working hotel back then. The whole courtyard was filled with actors dressed up at courtiers and jesters, kings and queens. You could even rent a cape for the day as you toured the palace. We saw this family of five all dressed in red and green capes. The littlest boy has his cape, helmet and sword. Cutest thing ever.
We looked at the beautiful gardens from the warm rooms inside the palace. It was a cold and windy day. The gardens looked fantastic through the huge windows and the wood fireplaces felt so good. There were even people baking in the kitchens over the fires. They were dressed up, of course and the entire kitchen staff answered people’s questions in character. It was great. The gift shop was good. For most of the day we walked aimlessly around the huge complex, talking about monarchs and their crazy antics. You really couldn’t make some of that stuff up.
After about four hours, we were hungry and headed across the river for some food. A few plates of good Italian and we were back on the train home. Getting back to Waterloo, we didn’t head straight home. We got on the Northern line bound for Tottenham Court Road and some good used bookstores to fill our British history fix. Mom picked up an excellent book about the monarchy and we headed home.
Getting back to Kensington, we plopped ourselves into some comfy chairs at the Stanhope Arms Pub and relaxed. After a few rounds Grandma and Mom were dancing on the bar drunk. You know I’m kidding. We sat around, ate and looked at all of our purchases from the gift shops and bookstores. Good day.
And Easter Sunday. Not our typical holiday. It was definitely a London holiday and one to remember. First, we attended mass at the Brompton Oratory. It was quite good. The church was beautifully decorated and designed. I haven’t seen a church here that wasn’t! We sat right in front and could hear the wonderful children’s choir perfectly. Notably, the boys’ choir from that oratory sang on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. That was my favorite part. Mass at the oratory is held every hour, on the hour, every day from 8AM to noon. As soon as we finished, the next round of churchgoers was waiting anxiously in the back. We hurried out, got in our taxi, and headed to my flat.
Unfortunately, the boys in my apartment seem to be allergic to any form of cleaning or picking up, so our flat is always a disaster. Luckily, Hal, Viv, and I keep our room relatively clean so I can retreat to my bunk and ignore the mess in the living room and kitchen. I tried to hide it from Mom and Grandma when they walked in, but failed miserably. We got out of there as soon as possible, after Amy and I changed our shoes, and got on the bus just outside my building.
And what a day of adventures Easter 2010 became. Our first stop was the National Portrait Gallery. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be open or not, but we lucked out. We headed straight for the Tudor gallery and all the portraits of monarchs we learned about in Hampton Court. Henry VIII, Mary I, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Shakespeare. We saw them all at their best. What a classy bunch. After that we had to pop into the contemporary gallery on the first floor and see the newly painted portrait of Princes William and Harry. I was happy to see Henry VIII’s beautiful scowl, but this just made my day…
Well informed and hungry, we caught a bus headed for Liverpool Station. And from there we walked to Brick Lane for some Indian food. Yes, we ate curry on Easter. I think I’ll start eating curry on Easter every year. Better yet, there should be a holiday dedicated solely to curry. Perfect. Anyway on the to Brick Lane, we walked passed Spitalfields Market. Remember Amy and I were there on Friday, but nothing was going on? Well, holiday or not, Spitalfields was alive and kicking that afternoon. We decided to come back after our curry fix.
Oh, I almost forgot. While we were at mass at the Brompton Oratory, there was this terror of a child sitting in front of us that wouldn’t sit still. His mom and dad yelled at him like fifty times, but he just wouldn’t stop. Once, he attempted to climb over his dad and his mom grabbed him. But she must have misjudged his weight or inertia or something because he accidentally fell right into her and they both went rolling out into the aisle. Literally, fell right out into the aisle. I almost died laughing. Well, karma came back to get me in the form of a sneaky curb in front of Spitalfields. After not seeing the curb, I literally rolled out onto the street in front of Spitalfields. Fell right on my ass, scuffed up my new shoes, and jammed my elbow into the cobblestone. Wonderful. And Mom wouldn’t let me forget it. Every two seconds, “Oh sweetie, are you sure you are okay?” Aaron, I feel for you. After three years of college, I’d forgotten about Mom’s million questions and constant worrying. I’ll be home this summer, so you won’t be alone.
Curry cheered me right up. Always does. After eating, we headed back to Spitalfields and shopped. This was probably the best market for Mom and Grandma – millions of crafts, clothes, purses, jewelry, and other knick-knacks. Terri, my mom said you would have loved this place. Should have come along! Grandma bought Amy and I some early birthday presents… hmm, wonder if she’ll remember this in July and September. Looks like we get double presents this year! Guess she just likes us best out of all her grandkids.
After shopping, eating, and walking around, we were dead tired. Again. We headed back across town to Kensington. We ended the day in our favorite pub, the Stanhope Arms. I think they might even consider us regulars by week’s end. Mom ate some good apple pie, Hal had Bangers and Mash, which is an English staple consisting of a few big pieces of sausage, mashed potatoes, and peas. Amy ordered fish and chips, but I stole about half. Good night.
And Amy left us this morning. At around 10AM we met for breakfast and she got on her train for Heathrow. I don’t think I could live this far from the family again. It is too hard seeing everyone leave me!
Oxford today with Mom and Grandma. We are meeting Grandma’s friend Cate, so that should be great! Be back tonight.
Love,
Kelly
Wonka and Walking
April 5, 2010
Amy, Grandma, Mom, and I have been busy, busy all weekend and today we go to Oxford. I’m dead tired after our days full of walking and eating and seeing, but we aren’t stopping anytime soon. I can’t even say how much having these three here means to me. I didn’t realize how much I missed home and everyone there until this weekend. So nice to see a familiar face in this crazy city! Amy leaves this morning, but Mom doesn’t want to talk about it. We wish she were staying, but apparently, she has this crazy thing called a job… huh. I’m so spoiled after four months of traveling, touring, easy classes, and zero work. It is going to be a big adjustment back to Madison. I did get by presentation for history class over with and that was a relief!
For history class, we toured St. Paul’s Cathedral on Thursday afternoon. We couldn’t take any pictures inside, but that church was probably the biggest, most decorated, most grand church we’ve seen. Charles and Diana were married there. No big stained glass windows, but huge painted panels lined the walls and ceilings, statues of saints stood everywhere, and this massive dome dominated the center of the cathedral. It reminded me of the state capital in Madison, but this one is the second biggest is Europe. I just sat in a chair and looked up in amazement. Until my neck started to hurt.
After WWII, they decided that St. Paul’s was an appropriate place for a memorial for all the Americans that had died fighting alongside Britain in the war. So, at the very west end sits this rather decorated enclave that houses a giant book with all the deceased soldiers names. And behind it, a three-paneled window with 50 symbols comprising a border – one for each state. We found the little badger with ‘Forward’ written above it. After that, out history professor took us down to the crypt to see the tombs of a few of the people we’d studied. I kind of hurried out after we walked up to the top of the church to see the view because Amy was waiting back at my apartment. Her flight got in just as my class started, so she was probably napping, but I still wanted to see her as soon as I could!
We went to the Prince of Wales and ate some pub food that night with Hal. Amy had a few specific things she wanted to do while in London again. First of which were a Strongbow and some fish and chips. She’s definitely got her priorities straight! After our feast, we headed back to the flat after hunting down some Cadbury Creme Eggs at a convenience store. Yum!
On Friday, we woke early and traveled into the middle of the city via tube. Our intention was to give Amy a bit of a tour around the area known at Temple. This is where all the British lawyers, they call them barrister or solicitors here, have their offices. But, it was Good Friday and everything was closed. We were even going to sit on in a few court cases, but nothing was open. Shoot. Plan B – we headed across town to the East End, mainly Brick Lane for some Indian food. Yum. Whoever said English food sucks was way off. As soon as I get home, I’m going to have to find some good Indian food and a restaurant/bar that somewhat resembles a pub. Anyway, Brick Lane was amazing as always. We shopped a bit around Spitalfields, but the market wasn’t going to it wasn’t that exciting. Amy and I did find some glasses at this souvenir shop. Only five pounds!
After that, we headed down to the Thames, toward the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. The Tower Bridge just blew me away the first time I saw it and I insist on bringing everyone to see it at least once. I think Amy liked it. You can’t not like it. It’s awesome! We walked all the way across the bridge in an attempt to find Bridget Jones’s door, which is located somewhere near Borough Market in Southwark. After I forgot to write down the address, that adventure was a bust. We couldn’t find it, but we did see the market. It was filled with food stands and people. I’m definitely coming back! I’ll get to see beautiful views of my beloved bridge while shopping and eating on the riverbank… oh, perfect day.
We Tubed it back to Gloucester Road, our regular stop near our flat, and walked to meet Grandma and Mom at their hotel. I really can’t believe I haven’t seen them in three months! It feels like I’ve only been here a few weeks. But I’ve missed them so much. And everyone else! I can’t wait to get home and see you all! Anyway, after a bit of talking about their flight and cab ride, we headed out to find something to eat. We found the Bunch of Grapes Pub on Brompton Road. Mom and Grandma ordered fish, chips, and a Strongbow. That meal was great. I’m so used to sitting in my room, atop my bunk bed with my bowl of oatmeal. I’ve got to get out more.
We walked to Harrods next. I’ve been putting off this visit for the entire trip. All of my roommates that have gone to this crazy store advised that you set aside an entire afternoon to just look around and eat. It is like a museum of really nice stuff you could never afford and an entire floor dedicated to food. Seriously, the food court is huge and so intense. Mom compared it to Willy Wonka. Every inch of the hall is decorated – the walls, floors, doors, counters. The candy and sweets room leads into the exotic foods room which leads to the tea room and then to the meat and fish room. Amy picked up some cupcakes and we all just stared around in awe. Seriously felt like Charlie Bucket in the Chocolate Factory. As we where heading down an escalator, trying to find the bathroom, the Willy Wonka theme song started playing. So funny.
Next, we went to Knightsbridge Station to buy Grandma and Mom’s Oyster passes for the Tube and buses. We waited around for the #9 bus for a while, and it eventually came. We rode it all the way to Trafalgar Square, driving passed Green Park and Piccadilly Circus all lit up at night. We sat in the very front seats on the upper deck of the bus. It was great. When we got off at Trafalgar Square, we took some pictures and then headed down towards the Thames. The river at night is so beautiful with all the bridges and buildings lit up on either side. More pictures. Even I was tired from all the walking when we got on the tube headed home. Luckily, Mom and Grandma’s hotel is only about 100 feet from the tube stop. We hung out at the hotel for a bit before Amy, Hal, and I headed back to my flat for a good night’s sleep.
Okay, I’ll be back with more in a bit. Have a bunch of things planned for today and I still have to write about Saturday and Sunday. London’s calling!
Cheerio,
Kelly
Amy, Grandma, Mom, and I have been busy, busy all weekend and today we go to Oxford. I’m dead tired after our days full of walking and eating and seeing, but we aren’t stopping anytime soon. I can’t even say how much having these three here means to me. I didn’t realize how much I missed home and everyone there until this weekend. So nice to see a familiar face in this crazy city! Amy leaves this morning, but Mom doesn’t want to talk about it. We wish she were staying, but apparently, she has this crazy thing called a job… huh. I’m so spoiled after four months of traveling, touring, easy classes, and zero work. It is going to be a big adjustment back to Madison. I did get by presentation for history class over with and that was a relief!
For history class, we toured St. Paul’s Cathedral on Thursday afternoon. We couldn’t take any pictures inside, but that church was probably the biggest, most decorated, most grand church we’ve seen. Charles and Diana were married there. No big stained glass windows, but huge painted panels lined the walls and ceilings, statues of saints stood everywhere, and this massive dome dominated the center of the cathedral. It reminded me of the state capital in Madison, but this one is the second biggest is Europe. I just sat in a chair and looked up in amazement. Until my neck started to hurt.
After WWII, they decided that St. Paul’s was an appropriate place for a memorial for all the Americans that had died fighting alongside Britain in the war. So, at the very west end sits this rather decorated enclave that houses a giant book with all the deceased soldiers names. And behind it, a three-paneled window with 50 symbols comprising a border – one for each state. We found the little badger with ‘Forward’ written above it. After that, out history professor took us down to the crypt to see the tombs of a few of the people we’d studied. I kind of hurried out after we walked up to the top of the church to see the view because Amy was waiting back at my apartment. Her flight got in just as my class started, so she was probably napping, but I still wanted to see her as soon as I could!
We went to the Prince of Wales and ate some pub food that night with Hal. Amy had a few specific things she wanted to do while in London again. First of which were a Strongbow and some fish and chips. She’s definitely got her priorities straight! After our feast, we headed back to the flat after hunting down some Cadbury Creme Eggs at a convenience store. Yum!
On Friday, we woke early and traveled into the middle of the city via tube. Our intention was to give Amy a bit of a tour around the area known at Temple. This is where all the British lawyers, they call them barrister or solicitors here, have their offices. But, it was Good Friday and everything was closed. We were even going to sit on in a few court cases, but nothing was open. Shoot. Plan B – we headed across town to the East End, mainly Brick Lane for some Indian food. Yum. Whoever said English food sucks was way off. As soon as I get home, I’m going to have to find some good Indian food and a restaurant/bar that somewhat resembles a pub. Anyway, Brick Lane was amazing as always. We shopped a bit around Spitalfields, but the market wasn’t going to it wasn’t that exciting. Amy and I did find some glasses at this souvenir shop. Only five pounds!
After that, we headed down to the Thames, toward the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. The Tower Bridge just blew me away the first time I saw it and I insist on bringing everyone to see it at least once. I think Amy liked it. You can’t not like it. It’s awesome! We walked all the way across the bridge in an attempt to find Bridget Jones’s door, which is located somewhere near Borough Market in Southwark. After I forgot to write down the address, that adventure was a bust. We couldn’t find it, but we did see the market. It was filled with food stands and people. I’m definitely coming back! I’ll get to see beautiful views of my beloved bridge while shopping and eating on the riverbank… oh, perfect day.
We Tubed it back to Gloucester Road, our regular stop near our flat, and walked to meet Grandma and Mom at their hotel. I really can’t believe I haven’t seen them in three months! It feels like I’ve only been here a few weeks. But I’ve missed them so much. And everyone else! I can’t wait to get home and see you all! Anyway, after a bit of talking about their flight and cab ride, we headed out to find something to eat. We found the Bunch of Grapes Pub on Brompton Road. Mom and Grandma ordered fish, chips, and a Strongbow. That meal was great. I’m so used to sitting in my room, atop my bunk bed with my bowl of oatmeal. I’ve got to get out more.
We walked to Harrods next. I’ve been putting off this visit for the entire trip. All of my roommates that have gone to this crazy store advised that you set aside an entire afternoon to just look around and eat. It is like a museum of really nice stuff you could never afford and an entire floor dedicated to food. Seriously, the food court is huge and so intense. Mom compared it to Willy Wonka. Every inch of the hall is decorated – the walls, floors, doors, counters. The candy and sweets room leads into the exotic foods room which leads to the tea room and then to the meat and fish room. Amy picked up some cupcakes and we all just stared around in awe. Seriously felt like Charlie Bucket in the Chocolate Factory. As we where heading down an escalator, trying to find the bathroom, the Willy Wonka theme song started playing. So funny.
Next, we went to Knightsbridge Station to buy Grandma and Mom’s Oyster passes for the Tube and buses. We waited around for the #9 bus for a while, and it eventually came. We rode it all the way to Trafalgar Square, driving passed Green Park and Piccadilly Circus all lit up at night. We sat in the very front seats on the upper deck of the bus. It was great. When we got off at Trafalgar Square, we took some pictures and then headed down towards the Thames. The river at night is so beautiful with all the bridges and buildings lit up on either side. More pictures. Even I was tired from all the walking when we got on the tube headed home. Luckily, Mom and Grandma’s hotel is only about 100 feet from the tube stop. We hung out at the hotel for a bit before Amy, Hal, and I headed back to my flat for a good night’s sleep.
Okay, I’ll be back with more in a bit. Have a bunch of things planned for today and I still have to write about Saturday and Sunday. London’s calling!
Cheerio,
Kelly
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