After a three hour class we had a FREE DAY! 

Waaahooooooo!

So Kate MaCall Kelsey and I went to Portobello road

 I stopped at every antique store and stand- which is a lot because this market is known for antiques. . .

 I was in love with it all and I am defiantly going back soon! Plus we got waffles and listened to some street performers.

And the next day we woke up early to BRIGHTON! HELLO 

What a pleasure palace. Quite good fun to see this in person. I loved how it was like walking back into time. They have kept the place so nice and great for tours. But even more exciting then the Pavilion was the beach and pier of the beach town. 

 This is Kate and I pointing out to "Open Shea" towards our beach in the Outer Banks! (sorta. . .)

 WHile it was a record cold day- colder then Christmas- we all had a great time exploring the beach

 I even got to be amongst my fellow brethren the pirates. . .


We then were back on the bus to visit the town of Canterbury. What a fairy tail that place was. . .

There were little hidden treasures everywhere including the Cathedral. It was such a great example of the Gothic power to raise your eyes up towards heaven. It was an over powering yet spiritual place. We were able to be there for evensong. Surrounded by beauty, both visually and audibly, it was a great end to a great day.

Want to know why its called "BIG" Ben? 

Because it is so BIG!

I really never thought too much about Big Ben until I came out of the tube and saw it towering over everything- no pun intended. 

But as usual we had to run right by it to hurry and get our Blue Badge tour- Which was amazing

 COOLEST PLACE EVER! But no, really. I think that Westminster Abbey was, could be, the best thing we have yet done on our trip. The whole time I was in there I was holding my jaw closed, whipping the drool off my face, and getting a crick in my neck from looking every which way 360 degrees.

It was way nippy and windy 

It was way too crowded however and we were just rushing through like there was no tomorrow. 

But after we were rushed out, some of us went to go lift our cold spirits up with some waffles!!! FINALLY!! However. . . . Kinda a let down- not as good as BRUGES in Salt Lake City.

This was a sugar ice and cinnamon waffle (I split with Cree) 

 Not to mention that later that day we had ribs for dinner. . . what a great day. . . and to top it all off. . .

We only went to the Best Musical EVER
                                                         Les Miserables !

 Amazing, wonderful, powerful, stirring .  .   .   .    .     One of my favorites. Everyone in our group was crying. Our group especially was very audible. We have been singing songs all day long




After a three hour long English Lit class.. . . . loud groan. . .
We all went to the British Museum! !!

What a crazy event!!! This is my textbooks coming to life!

I saw so many things that I have been studying in my classes, but the real deal!

Luckily this time I was not alone in the museum, Kate and I stuck together the whole time and tackled the WHOLE place!

It took us roughly over three hours to semi zoom through the galleries

My arm and leggs became very sore after such a long day!

But it was so worth it!

                 This is me and a Lamassu .   .    .    . 

                                                                        .       .    .  And me with the three goddesses 

I also got to see mummies, jasper ware, funeral portraits, early Egyptian stools. . the list goes on and on!

To end a great day, I had the perfect moment in the underground as I ate some chinese noodles, in my left over Ben's cookie cup, while a street performer played, "Wouldn't It Be Loverly." I have been singing that song this whole trip!

Hampton Court

Early morning ride to Hampton Court

What a crazy cool place! It really is out in the middle of nowheres land though. . . It was a lovely day for us to wander out and about. I did not even need my jacket! Being there is so different then seeing pictures. We had to take the audio tours however, and I did not find them that entertaining. . .

But the building was magnificent. I really could hardly keep myself together. I underestimated the power of buildings- and how hard it is to take in. A beautiful pice of art or music is just as lovely, but they are easier to handle. Gigantic stone buildings are quite out of my league.    .        .

the gardens are are enchanting 

they have such a different idea of "Garden"

I really want to come back and read or draw. 

Mum, dad- here is a picture to try and style our backyard after

Rocky Road to Shakespeare

We took our first little day trip out into the London Country side. How lovely! 

 What a lucky shot right? We were all traveling by bus today and out the window I saw these sheep. Had to have a picture. Now I fully understand the meaning of "rolling hills". There was green, yellow, blue, and random old buildings as far as the eye could see. We visited a little town called Chipping Norton, and what a hustle and bustle for such a little and insignificant town.

Back on the bus, we drove to find the Anne Hathaway house. It was so quaint I LOVED it. Major through back to history of Architecture. . .

 Luckily it was one of the most brilliant and sunny days we have had! Actually it was the only nice day we had had. 

Going along with the journey of Shakespeare, we visited both his birthplace and his grave in the Trinity Church. They were both fun little sorts of places. But really it is the history and the ancientness of them that made them so great. 

We were then set free to wander the town of Stratford-Upon-Avon to try and find dinner. Kate and I decided to share a mustard sandwich. . . what a strange sensation! The mustard was SO strong it stung my nose!

After buying magnum bars we all went to the Royal Shakespeare Company to watch Twelfth Night. 

What     a          day      .       .              .                 .                 .                                      !

Time of my life! o how it flies

Rainy- rainy- Cold day!

Whoo! Saturday was the best day ever!

First off there was no kitchen crew. . .

I got to sleep in as well 8:20 

We started our day with a walk

we saw the monument to the great fire and a Christopher Wren church

 Breakfast this morning was what ever we could find in borough market. 

what a fun colorful place!

I got to try turkish delight for the first time and who knows what else....

 And yes there were homemade gigantic pretzels! 

Later on our walk we got to see the harry potter bridge, the globe theater, and a bunch of other theaters. Walking with all of these kids is so fun. I love all of the Laughter and smiles shared between all of us. I am really loving all of the kids over here with me.

 I turned in my first assignment today! It was so great. We were to go through the Tate Modern in certain rooms and write about our favorite and lest favorite work of art.

What a great Building!? I really loved going through the galleries, however, the gallery i was most excited for was closed! I am definitely going back. . . 

 This is when Kelsey turned into "shirley, the tour guide" and was telling MaCall and then the rest of us about the "very, very extinct newts. . ."

We continued our lovely walk, in the pouring rain. But we were bright and cheery anyway

during our walks, we go so fast that I feel like we barely even see anything around us, let alone taking good pictures. 

but o well.

Our whole afternoon was left open to do what ever we wanted to do. I was so impressed and supriesd how well our group went through and around London. We have not been here that long and I am already feeling comfortable running around. 

Sadly I still do not know everyones names, but I am really trying to work hard on that.

I have no idea when I am going to fit in my homework, I can barely find time to do a blog. How did Rebecca and Brianna do it?

For dinner, a bunch of us kids when to Tuk Tuk Thai. While the food was great, the service was horrid.

There was a woman server there that really reminded us of one of the huns from Mulan. She yelled at Kelsey and would mutter things under her breath. not sure I am going back there again....

But i was not phased at all because just a few minutes later across the street from the London center I saw an r8. Yes there was the most atractive r8 ever parked right on our street. 

Sadly I did not have my camera and had no time to grab it because we were all on our way to the Avengers. . . 

yes I saw the best movie of the year a week early.

I am not going to say any more on the subject until all you Americans can see it

So yesterday. . .

We took a little trip to go see the Tower of London

It was quite an enjoyable trip. Half the time through the museums I would look around to see that I had been left behind and was alone. O well. I got to enjoy all the armor and such at my very own pace. 

after touring around the tower we all met up to walk the perimeter of the old city Londinium, the Roman city. It was quite good fun to see parts of the wall and to get a feel of where London started and how it has grown since. It is so crazy to look around and see buildings both old and new. the architecture over here is really just too much for me. 

Thank goodness I have such wonderful walking buddies to help me!

Our Walk ended at the Museum of London where we had to enter four people at a time because large groups are not allowed... ooops! 

It was actually a really good museum and I wish I had had the strength to fully enjoy it. . .

but there you have it.

having to join my usual ranks in Kitchen Crew I was not able to wander during our free time and rushed back to the Center with Kate. Once again, really impressed how well we get around.

the rest of the night we all spent down stairs in the center "trying" to get home work done. . . 

I dont think I will ever get any of my work done

Wren

My breath was gone all day, thanks to St Paul's Beauty and its stairs...

 We got to go all the way up to the top of St Paul's and enjoy quite a view and a work out. I believe there was over 500 stairs we got to climb! It was worth it though. What a great experience- exploring one of Christopher Wren's most famous buildings from the crypt up to the top of the dome. the details, the history, and the over all grander of this building was over whelming.

 And might I say what a great camera I have? Thanks Mom and Dad! Look at the focus and the zoom on this baby!

My classes have only just begun and I am already over whelmed and way behind... but so is just about everyone else. I am really tired but holding on. I even fell asleep down in the crypt of St Paul's leaning against a pillar during our tour.... whoops

Kate and I were left on our own after our trip to St Paul's to find our way back to the center, and I am proud to say that without any problem we both made it safely back.

Later that night, against our better judgment, Kate and I joined some lovely girls in going to a local pub and got toffee pudding...

quite good, quite good

ps- apparently the actress who plays Ginny Weasley always goes to this pub

And we're off!

So today, or rather, yesterday I woke up bright and early and was on my way to LONDON !

After picking up my cousin Kate we made our way to the airport to start our journey. 

two airplane rides

5000 calories 

( My fun traveling buddy) 

3 movies

and one bus ride later. . . 

I was in London! 27 Palace Court

and now, 24+ hours later with no sleep, soaking wet, I get to go do Dish Crew reports in 15 min.

However today I got to see London for the first time, meet some more of the girls and guys here at BYU LONDON,

and I got to meet some great people at the airport; including an African woman just trying to call home.