But seriously. They aren't joking about this weather.
Today was a boring day (but in an excellent way. I needed it).
We walked around a church that was too expensive to go in, and then walked around to enjoy the nice weather. On our way to the next museum we crossed the millennium bridge- for a frame of reference, the walking bridge that the death eaters twist to shit in the 6th(?) Harry potter movie to scare all the muggles.
We went to the Tate modern, which is the modern and contemporary art museum of London. I just don't get it. Some of it was closer to pop art though, so I wasn't completely lost, and there's also interactive computers to help you out.
After that... Shopping, wandering in the rain, and an Americanized lunch led me eventually to the hotel, where I've spent most of the day finishing journal entries and watching British reality tv. I'm just tired of being in the rain. I went grocery shopping and have some nice snacks for the next few days (I am currently obsessing over digestive biscuits).
Basically nothing to report, other than I bought my ticket to see Sweeney Todd tomorrow, which I am so so excited for. I want to see Chicago, but it's just going on my list for when I'm home; it doesn't make sense to see it anywhere but in Chicago. But Sweeney Todd in London?
My life just keeps getting cooler.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Thursday
Thursday
Today we went to the Tate Britain, which is another of britains many fine free museums. Nothing was in it we had studied though, except for a small exhibit on turner.
Next we went to the part of town with the Victoria and Albert museum and the national history museum. The sun came out finally, so instead we walked down the street to Harrods, which was like a huge department store but for incredibly rich and fashionable people. A clothing museum. It had at least 4 floors and took up the entire block. It was like the place the brats on 'my super sweet 16' would fly out to get dresses for their party.
We stopped at a much cheaper area and I got a dress for graduation that I love, and was on sale, so now I officially have my England purchase.
Stopped at kings cross, and dound platform 9 3/4, which is NOT between platforms 9 and 10. Its actually just outside if platform 9, so you can take a picture with it even if you dint have a train ticket or an oyster card. It was fun, because true to the book, it was hard to find and just kind of unnoticeable.
Then we came back to the hotel and Megan made a grilled cheese sandwich in our tiny kitchen while I had some microwaveable popcorn. Comfort food for all.
Then we went to our final play at the national theater, "mister man". It was bizarre. Very disturbing, and unsettling, but so so good. It's a one man show from the perspective of a ?crazy? man/child who is doing gods work by spreading the word in his small town, but is also kind of a psychopath. I forget the actors name, but he did an amazing job. He was in inception, if that helps anyone. You would have to see it to even imagine what it was like; it was very different. There were a bunch of recordings and he would carry through life like he was reliving what happened the first time he recorded it, but he would leave parts out when he was thrust back into the present and then you would find out what you missed from the first time... Bizarre.
Tomorrow is pretty clear in the schedule, which is great.. I'm ready to catch up on my journals and get everything reorganized. Maybe even get back to a little reading!
Today we went to the Tate Britain, which is another of britains many fine free museums. Nothing was in it we had studied though, except for a small exhibit on turner.
Next we went to the part of town with the Victoria and Albert museum and the national history museum. The sun came out finally, so instead we walked down the street to Harrods, which was like a huge department store but for incredibly rich and fashionable people. A clothing museum. It had at least 4 floors and took up the entire block. It was like the place the brats on 'my super sweet 16' would fly out to get dresses for their party.
We stopped at a much cheaper area and I got a dress for graduation that I love, and was on sale, so now I officially have my England purchase.
Stopped at kings cross, and dound platform 9 3/4, which is NOT between platforms 9 and 10. Its actually just outside if platform 9, so you can take a picture with it even if you dint have a train ticket or an oyster card. It was fun, because true to the book, it was hard to find and just kind of unnoticeable.
Then we came back to the hotel and Megan made a grilled cheese sandwich in our tiny kitchen while I had some microwaveable popcorn. Comfort food for all.
Then we went to our final play at the national theater, "mister man". It was bizarre. Very disturbing, and unsettling, but so so good. It's a one man show from the perspective of a ?crazy? man/child who is doing gods work by spreading the word in his small town, but is also kind of a psychopath. I forget the actors name, but he did an amazing job. He was in inception, if that helps anyone. You would have to see it to even imagine what it was like; it was very different. There were a bunch of recordings and he would carry through life like he was reliving what happened the first time he recorded it, but he would leave parts out when he was thrust back into the present and then you would find out what you missed from the first time... Bizarre.
Tomorrow is pretty clear in the schedule, which is great.. I'm ready to catch up on my journals and get everything reorganized. Maybe even get back to a little reading!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Wednesday; Harry Potter day!
Found out this morning that the Tube workers are going on strike on Tuesday, which is the day we leave for stratford via coach. We just barely avoided that inconvenience, thank goodness. I can't even imagine trying to deal with that.
We went to the British museum for our day activity, but I didn't know anything in it and was really just over it. Don't get m wrong, the museums have been cool, but now that we're getting into the plays that's what I'm interested in. Plus, today was Harry potter day, so I was a bit proccupied.
I wandered around down near the museum before it was time for us to leave, and found a subway (like, the sandwhich restaurant) and a grocery store. It gave me a chance to pick up some lunch, since we wouldn't have time between Harry potter at 1 and our play at 7.
It was quite the adventure getting to harry potter. We had to take two metro switches to the overground, where we had to pay on our oyster card to get into the further districts.we were lucky that we got there 10 minutes before the next train. It took about 45 minutes, but we got to leaves don, where the Harry potter bus picked us up and brought us to the studio.
It was amazing. I saw EVERYTHING. Costumes, props, sets. The people working there were mostly extras in the movie that were huge Harry potter buffs. I got butter beer, which was delicious, and the whole thing last about 2 hours, but I could have stayed longer. You start in a theater, watch an intro movie, then go straight into the great hall. They give you a Mini guided tour, then set you free into this huge room of everything you could ever want to see. Then as you come out of there, about an hour later, you're in the backlot where you see the houses and the night bus and some snack shops. Then you walk into another studio where you see even more stuff.finally, you turn the corner and go into diagon alley, and walk through to the huge model of Hogwarts. It was at this point I was so overwhelmed I cried, which is probably the reaction I should have had for Michelangelo. But this is my childhood.
Went to the gift shop, got some stuff I don't need- it was expensive though, so i wasn't able to shop for anyone else,which made me sad. I didn't get myself a ravenclaw shirt, but I figured that's something I can get anywhere.
We booked itback to the train, which I jumped on and then the doors shut before the other three got on. I just turned around and saw them still on the platform, and my eyes got huge. I went back to the theater alone then,and made it in time- the next train didn't leave for a while, so they ended up having to rush.
We saw "moon over a rainbow shawl", which I hated. I'm kind of curious to hear what Thomas or uncle Peter think of it, but to me it was just an unrelatable winey poor person show. Wah, my husband is a drunk,and I'm poor, and the mean land lord makes me pay for my apartment,and my daughter got a scholarship but can't afford a uniform. Wah, I'm pregnant and the dad is leaving town. Wah, I'm a prostitute and my fiance doesnt like that. It just seemed really formulated. Also, any show that just ends with two crying people hugging each other is lame. You aren't lofty and artistic,you're just lazy. Make a damn conclusion.
So, getting gradually more and more homesick. Ready to keep moving and get to the end of this marathon. I don't mean to complain, and this is a great opportunity; but you can only go without sleeping and eating and so many overwhelming opportunities. I'm officially starting to drag.
We went to the British museum for our day activity, but I didn't know anything in it and was really just over it. Don't get m wrong, the museums have been cool, but now that we're getting into the plays that's what I'm interested in. Plus, today was Harry potter day, so I was a bit proccupied.
I wandered around down near the museum before it was time for us to leave, and found a subway (like, the sandwhich restaurant) and a grocery store. It gave me a chance to pick up some lunch, since we wouldn't have time between Harry potter at 1 and our play at 7.
It was quite the adventure getting to harry potter. We had to take two metro switches to the overground, where we had to pay on our oyster card to get into the further districts.we were lucky that we got there 10 minutes before the next train. It took about 45 minutes, but we got to leaves don, where the Harry potter bus picked us up and brought us to the studio.
It was amazing. I saw EVERYTHING. Costumes, props, sets. The people working there were mostly extras in the movie that were huge Harry potter buffs. I got butter beer, which was delicious, and the whole thing last about 2 hours, but I could have stayed longer. You start in a theater, watch an intro movie, then go straight into the great hall. They give you a Mini guided tour, then set you free into this huge room of everything you could ever want to see. Then as you come out of there, about an hour later, you're in the backlot where you see the houses and the night bus and some snack shops. Then you walk into another studio where you see even more stuff.finally, you turn the corner and go into diagon alley, and walk through to the huge model of Hogwarts. It was at this point I was so overwhelmed I cried, which is probably the reaction I should have had for Michelangelo. But this is my childhood.
Went to the gift shop, got some stuff I don't need- it was expensive though, so i wasn't able to shop for anyone else,which made me sad. I didn't get myself a ravenclaw shirt, but I figured that's something I can get anywhere.
We booked itback to the train, which I jumped on and then the doors shut before the other three got on. I just turned around and saw them still on the platform, and my eyes got huge. I went back to the theater alone then,and made it in time- the next train didn't leave for a while, so they ended up having to rush.
We saw "moon over a rainbow shawl", which I hated. I'm kind of curious to hear what Thomas or uncle Peter think of it, but to me it was just an unrelatable winey poor person show. Wah, my husband is a drunk,and I'm poor, and the mean land lord makes me pay for my apartment,and my daughter got a scholarship but can't afford a uniform. Wah, I'm pregnant and the dad is leaving town. Wah, I'm a prostitute and my fiance doesnt like that. It just seemed really formulated. Also, any show that just ends with two crying people hugging each other is lame. You aren't lofty and artistic,you're just lazy. Make a damn conclusion.
So, getting gradually more and more homesick. Ready to keep moving and get to the end of this marathon. I don't mean to complain, and this is a great opportunity; but you can only go without sleeping and eating and so many overwhelming opportunities. I'm officially starting to drag.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday in London
So, I knew I loved London, but when I got up for breakfast and they served me bacon and eggs with toast, it solidified the union. We are going to live happily ever after.
We started with Westminster Abbey, which was completely different from what I expected but still very cool. We got little walking tour buddies, these hand held Walkman type things that give you and audio tour as you walk through. I learned a lot compared to if I just stumbled around trying to find things. Poets corner was easily my favorite.
Then we went to the banqueting hall, which was super lame in comparison. Basically it was the first example of baroque story building in London, but really not very flashy baroque compared to what was going on in Italy. So it was just a sad comparison. Like "this is what they were doing when the Italians were making all those awesome churches". Sorry London.
We went to the national gallery, which was free, and saw some more art. Meghan and I walked around and adventured, until it started raining and hailing . Silly London weather. Then we stopped for lunch, I grabbed some groceries, and ran back to the hotel for a little nap before our play.
We saw "she stoops to conquer" at the national theater, and I loved it. Way funnier than when we watched the video during class, although s lot of people were surprised that it was 3 hours long. I'm so happy though; I went through all the art galleries for all the art history people, and now we finally get to get into the theater and English parts of the trip.
I'm getting gradually more home sick, but only 8 more days after today. I'm deffinitely ready to come home, but I'm not sure about the adjustment from going to constantly moving and carrying my suitcase to staying in one space. It sounds so nice and comfortable, but I was also getting used to this too.
But, no. I'm ready for home.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday in London
Monday
I am in London, and quite possibly never coming home. But seriously, I love it here and can't wait to figure out how I'm going to pay for a summer semester of classes.
We got here via tube, under the English channel. Not much to report there; it just felt like any other train ride, which just makes me sleepy. When we got here we found our hotel which is tinnnnyyyy, but only enough that climbing up two flights of stairs with luggage was a serious challenge. It's kind of jank and falling apart, but it has character, and will give us some for staying here.
We went on our walking tour of London, and stopped in Green Park to sit in the grass and just talk about our experience. It was nice to just sit back with everyone, and talk about our different worries and what we expect when we come home.
Then we walked through Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, The Strand, Whitehall down to Westminster Abbey. There is just so Much here! Shops and restaurants and performers and anything else you could ever hope for. Live shows I would love to see, if I could afford it (Chicago being one) and huge monuments...this is the place I will not have enough time for. Hopefully going to 21 Baker St and Fleet St while I'm here, too.
We found a store that was full of amazing things I wanted... There was a yellow submarine tea diffuser, which Maggie totally needs but I couldn't afford, and the funkiest painted toasters. Ellie Golding was on the radio, which just made it all perfect. I love you, England.
Alex, Dominique, kristen, Kaitlin and I went to a pub for dinner, where I got this really good
Pear and apple cider and a sandwhich. Then we found this comedy club in this tiny hole in the wall that was free, and had cheap drinks. It was really fun, and deffinitely not touristy, which was cool. They cracked some American jokes but most of them rang true, and there was an abundance of British humor, which is not for everyone but we all liked.
Then we came back to the hotel, satisfied with our day and ready to pass out on the cardboard mattress. I slept so well though, I was too tired to even care,which is the whole point of the trip.
I am in London, and quite possibly never coming home. But seriously, I love it here and can't wait to figure out how I'm going to pay for a summer semester of classes.
We got here via tube, under the English channel. Not much to report there; it just felt like any other train ride, which just makes me sleepy. When we got here we found our hotel which is tinnnnyyyy, but only enough that climbing up two flights of stairs with luggage was a serious challenge. It's kind of jank and falling apart, but it has character, and will give us some for staying here.
We went on our walking tour of London, and stopped in Green Park to sit in the grass and just talk about our experience. It was nice to just sit back with everyone, and talk about our different worries and what we expect when we come home.
Then we walked through Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, The Strand, Whitehall down to Westminster Abbey. There is just so Much here! Shops and restaurants and performers and anything else you could ever hope for. Live shows I would love to see, if I could afford it (Chicago being one) and huge monuments...this is the place I will not have enough time for. Hopefully going to 21 Baker St and Fleet St while I'm here, too.
We found a store that was full of amazing things I wanted... There was a yellow submarine tea diffuser, which Maggie totally needs but I couldn't afford, and the funkiest painted toasters. Ellie Golding was on the radio, which just made it all perfect. I love you, England.
Alex, Dominique, kristen, Kaitlin and I went to a pub for dinner, where I got this really good
Pear and apple cider and a sandwhich. Then we found this comedy club in this tiny hole in the wall that was free, and had cheap drinks. It was really fun, and deffinitely not touristy, which was cool. They cracked some American jokes but most of them rang true, and there was an abundance of British humor, which is not for everyone but we all liked.
Then we came back to the hotel, satisfied with our day and ready to pass out on the cardboard mattress. I slept so well though, I was too tired to even care,which is the whole point of the trip.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Friday- I'n catching up, I swear
I let myself sleep in a little bit today, but then it occurred to me that 8:30 has become "sleeping in", which feels like a very grow up accomplishment. My 9am sign language class isn't sounding so bad next semester.
Laundry day means hauling everything in plastic bags down two blocks to the tiny laundromat and relearning how the machines work- these ones were easier than the ones in Italy, and I could understand the directions a little better as well. There was a woman who kept coming in and muttering to herself, then she would go play with the dryers and get frustrated and yell at them, then leave while talking to herself about something upsetting, having to do with dryers. A little unnerving, but hardly exciting.
I went on the metro to make an excursion to northern Paris to see moulin rouge. We were instructed to not go far north, because it was shady (kind of like the elephant graveyard). I wanted to see it though, and so little Paige got herself into the red light district of Paris. I've probably never been sexually harassed more in my life, but it was daytime and I am here to tell the story. Moulin rouge, kind of disappointing. Not really a big deal at all.
I wanted to get myself a nice pair of earrings, but apparently this is an impossible task. I found a comic book district; thought about getting something for Harry, but most of it was English stuff anyways. Sorry brudder. The whole day was just a lot of that; wandering around and not finding what I wanted. I found a store in the 3rd district, but it was more like a pawn shop, and I gave up.
I wanted to go to musee d'orsay since I wasn't into it when we went the first time, but it was closed. Then it started to rain, and I ran into a little boutique to hide, where I found some stupid souvenirs for people. So even though the day was a failure as far as my goals, I did successfully get some gifts, and proved my metro mastery.
Now meghan and I are spending the night in, talking about what we've seen so far and how the rest of our lives could possibly compare. I don't know how to hold on to everything I've learned and the changes in myself, but still adapt to being back home. Something to consider. It's like a bigger version of when I left for college; I changed, but nothing else at home did.
Laundry day means hauling everything in plastic bags down two blocks to the tiny laundromat and relearning how the machines work- these ones were easier than the ones in Italy, and I could understand the directions a little better as well. There was a woman who kept coming in and muttering to herself, then she would go play with the dryers and get frustrated and yell at them, then leave while talking to herself about something upsetting, having to do with dryers. A little unnerving, but hardly exciting.
I went on the metro to make an excursion to northern Paris to see moulin rouge. We were instructed to not go far north, because it was shady (kind of like the elephant graveyard). I wanted to see it though, and so little Paige got herself into the red light district of Paris. I've probably never been sexually harassed more in my life, but it was daytime and I am here to tell the story. Moulin rouge, kind of disappointing. Not really a big deal at all.
I wanted to get myself a nice pair of earrings, but apparently this is an impossible task. I found a comic book district; thought about getting something for Harry, but most of it was English stuff anyways. Sorry brudder. The whole day was just a lot of that; wandering around and not finding what I wanted. I found a store in the 3rd district, but it was more like a pawn shop, and I gave up.
I wanted to go to musee d'orsay since I wasn't into it when we went the first time, but it was closed. Then it started to rain, and I ran into a little boutique to hide, where I found some stupid souvenirs for people. So even though the day was a failure as far as my goals, I did successfully get some gifts, and proved my metro mastery.
Now meghan and I are spending the night in, talking about what we've seen so far and how the rest of our lives could possibly compare. I don't know how to hold on to everything I've learned and the changes in myself, but still adapt to being back home. Something to consider. It's like a bigger version of when I left for college; I changed, but nothing else at home did.
Thursday- versailles!
Today was our day trip to Versailles! I feel like this is what I've been looking for the whole trip, and it was at the end- the end of Paris, which was tHe end of the trip. We even learned about it towards the end of the mini ester of classes. So it was a weird point in time to reach, this end of ends. I'm certainly excited for London, too, but this was big on the timeline.
The palace was made by king Louis, the sun god, and Marie Antoinette. Basically they wanted to be away from Paris, but to still make themselves important they just built this huge palace and grounds area that they had other important people live in. Inside the palace someone made e comment that "it looked like all the other palaces we've seen"- which is totally true- but how cool/bratty is it that it's a statement I have the authority to say? "Oh, you know. It was cool, but once you've seen ones lace, you've really seen them all".
The hall of mirrors was the highlight of the indoor portion- we had studied it in class, and it was cool to be there in person. It has so much history, and for whatever reason I dig the French revolution.
The main attraction, however, is the huge garden and outdoor area. There's a canal you can row boats in, and the whole thing is so big that they also have golf carts and bike rentals. We opted for bikes, since you had to be 24 to rent a golf cart (another luxury I was used to relying on Doug for. I don't remember the last time it crossed my mind that I wasn't old enough).
It was SO beautiful. The weather was perfect, and biking worked some muscles that hadn't been doing as much work with all the walking, as well as giving some of the blisters a break. We got to see this little town Marie Antoinette made- a little creepy, but still super pretty. It was basically a fake town she played pretend in to act like she was in the real world. Except it also had a petting zoo and fairy tale like cottages. Whatever makes you happy, I guess.
After our day in Versailles (I'm not going to do much more explaining, it's all about the pictures for this one. Unfortunately I don't have a bunch, since I was biking), we went to the Museo d'orsay for the impressionist art. I didn't stay long because my feet were all swollen again, so I nt back to the hotel and cleaned up and did everything to get ready for my free day.
I'm not sure what's going on with my feet. I don't want them to feel under appreciated; they're doing some tough work. But I don't feel like anyone else is having this much of a struggle. Everyone has a blister or two, but mine are legitimately making me gimpy and unable to walk, like the time I broke out in hives and couldn't go to school because my feet were too swollen to hold me up.
Hopefully by tomorrow they will be well rested, but if anyone has any suggestions for taking care of them- I'm open to anything. I've tried propping them up, bandaids, lotion, massage, and prayer. Snake oil is still a consideration.
The palace was made by king Louis, the sun god, and Marie Antoinette. Basically they wanted to be away from Paris, but to still make themselves important they just built this huge palace and grounds area that they had other important people live in. Inside the palace someone made e comment that "it looked like all the other palaces we've seen"- which is totally true- but how cool/bratty is it that it's a statement I have the authority to say? "Oh, you know. It was cool, but once you've seen ones lace, you've really seen them all".
The hall of mirrors was the highlight of the indoor portion- we had studied it in class, and it was cool to be there in person. It has so much history, and for whatever reason I dig the French revolution.
The main attraction, however, is the huge garden and outdoor area. There's a canal you can row boats in, and the whole thing is so big that they also have golf carts and bike rentals. We opted for bikes, since you had to be 24 to rent a golf cart (another luxury I was used to relying on Doug for. I don't remember the last time it crossed my mind that I wasn't old enough).
It was SO beautiful. The weather was perfect, and biking worked some muscles that hadn't been doing as much work with all the walking, as well as giving some of the blisters a break. We got to see this little town Marie Antoinette made- a little creepy, but still super pretty. It was basically a fake town she played pretend in to act like she was in the real world. Except it also had a petting zoo and fairy tale like cottages. Whatever makes you happy, I guess.
After our day in Versailles (I'm not going to do much more explaining, it's all about the pictures for this one. Unfortunately I don't have a bunch, since I was biking), we went to the Museo d'orsay for the impressionist art. I didn't stay long because my feet were all swollen again, so I nt back to the hotel and cleaned up and did everything to get ready for my free day.
I'm not sure what's going on with my feet. I don't want them to feel under appreciated; they're doing some tough work. But I don't feel like anyone else is having this much of a struggle. Everyone has a blister or two, but mine are legitimately making me gimpy and unable to walk, like the time I broke out in hives and couldn't go to school because my feet were too swollen to hold me up.
Hopefully by tomorrow they will be well rested, but if anyone has any suggestions for taking care of them- I'm open to anything. I've tried propping them up, bandaids, lotion, massage, and prayer. Snake oil is still a consideration.
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