I love, love, love it here.
Today I had my advertising class, and we took a field trip to the European bank where my tutor (aka teacher) is a consultant for Bulgaria. It was fun, and he is hillllarrrious.
After class I decided to walk home along the River Thames path from the Tower of London. My walk along the river was wonderful despite the chilly wind and sprinkles.
I even took a detour on the Millennium Bridge to stop in at Tate Modern - an impressive modern art gallery. Once I had my fill, I left and bought some tasty roasted peanuts. (I may or may not have chased the roasted peanut guy down... I couldn't believe he was rolling his cart of goodies away!)
It was on my way back over the Millennium Bridge towards St. Paul's Cathedral when I thought, "OH MY GOODNESS... life is great."
My time in London has definitely taught me to be more in the moment - spend less time worrying about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of itself.
Today I took a long walk, ate roasted peanuts and pretended to love art. And I enjoyed every minute of it because I let myself soak it all in.
I eventually made it back to Vandon for a quick pit-stop, and then headed to Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street and Oxford Circus where I spent some time shopping (aka just looking).
It was on my way home again when I ran into Steph Cottrell - a fellow AGD back at Iowa State. HOW NUTS! I still can't get over it. At first I didn't think there was any possible way it was her... but it was! We had a nice little chat, and then we were both on our way. (I think I might have to start singing Disney's "It's a Small World After All" after this crazy meeting!)
It has been a wonderful day, but my legs and feet are hating me from all the walking. I am making some supper soon, and then spending a relaxing night in.
Tomorrow: A day trip to Oxford.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Comments and Cooking
I love it when people post comments on my blog.
I know Mother Ruth probably gets the "Best Comments Award", but all the other ones are really good too. And they are always welcomed.
Also.
I have become quite the cook since being in London.
Jenon's Specialty of Deliciousness:
An array of mixed vegetables sauteed in olive oil with garlic seasoning.
With rice (that I heat up in the microwave).
And when I feel real feisty in the kitchen, I make mozzarella cheese croissants... (stick cheese on a croissant and put it in the oven).
I know, I know... watch out Jamie Oliver. I am basically a chef now.
I know Mother Ruth probably gets the "Best Comments Award", but all the other ones are really good too. And they are always welcomed.
Also.
I have become quite the cook since being in London.
Jenon's Specialty of Deliciousness:
An array of mixed vegetables sauteed in olive oil with garlic seasoning.
With rice (that I heat up in the microwave).
And when I feel real feisty in the kitchen, I make mozzarella cheese croissants... (stick cheese on a croissant and put it in the oven).
I know, I know... watch out Jamie Oliver. I am basically a chef now.
Monday, February 23, 2009
I am sick of smoke in my face
On Saturday we went to the longest market in London - Portobello Road Market. This was made famous in the movie Notting Hill.
The first part was antiques, then came the food (YES!) and finally it ended with clothing-like stuff. My favorite part: The food... DUH. (I keep thinking, "I don't have enough time here to eat and experience all sorts of different food! So much to eat, so little time!)
Now, the fruits and veggies didn't make this place great. It was the bread and doughnuts and candy in the middle of the market that made it great. We stood and stared at a stand full of pastries and doughnuts for a good five minutes... (Yes, I am going back to try one... or two.)
Walking along the market, I also smelled whiffs of fish, which was actually disgusting, but I decided it added to the whole market atmosphere...
The only thing that took away from our journey down this winding street full of antiques and yummy goodies?
Smoke.
I seriously think that people aim for my face when they are blowing their cigarette smoke into the air. And I am going to be honest, it is getting old.
I still love London; I think it's great. But the smoke has got to go.
Saturday night we went out on the town to a place I would call a "club". At first I was not so excited about the whole thing... there was loud techno music, which I am definitely not keen of because I like to keep my hearing.
Thankfully, though, we went up one floor where they were playing a different kind of music: Oldies! It was fun to dance the night away to the classics - Thank goodness for Grease and the Beatles!
The first part was antiques, then came the food (YES!) and finally it ended with clothing-like stuff. My favorite part: The food... DUH. (I keep thinking, "I don't have enough time here to eat and experience all sorts of different food! So much to eat, so little time!)
Now, the fruits and veggies didn't make this place great. It was the bread and doughnuts and candy in the middle of the market that made it great. We stood and stared at a stand full of pastries and doughnuts for a good five minutes... (Yes, I am going back to try one... or two.)
Walking along the market, I also smelled whiffs of fish, which was actually disgusting, but I decided it added to the whole market atmosphere...
The only thing that took away from our journey down this winding street full of antiques and yummy goodies?
Smoke.
I seriously think that people aim for my face when they are blowing their cigarette smoke into the air. And I am going to be honest, it is getting old.
I still love London; I think it's great. But the smoke has got to go.
Saturday night we went out on the town to a place I would call a "club". At first I was not so excited about the whole thing... there was loud techno music, which I am definitely not keen of because I like to keep my hearing.
Thankfully, though, we went up one floor where they were playing a different kind of music: Oldies! It was fun to dance the night away to the classics - Thank goodness for Grease and the Beatles!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Random
Top 5 reasons why I love going to school abroad:
1. No multiple choice tests. (Not that I hate them, but seriously... love it.)
2. Less in the classroom, and more out and about learning from the real world.
3. History. Enough said.
4. We have to write all of our assignments and tests. I am definitely cool with this.
5. In advertising class, we watch a television show called Mad Men about New York advertisers in the 50s and 60s. Very entertaining.
5b. My "tutors" all have different accents, and I LOVE accents.
Yesterday and today I visited a couple of museums, one including the Imperial War Museum which was very interesting. I also visited Temple Church which was founded by the Knights Templar.
And as a side note for the day:
Today as I was swept up in a mad rush of people pushing and shoving to get in an elevator, I accidentally touched an old lady's bum... and she gave me dirty looks, but there was nothing I could do about it... I wouldn't choose to do it... (it's SO AWKWARD). But it's times like those when I think, "URGH.... this city is so annoying. I am going to live in a small town someday so I don't have to be touching so many strangers in such a small space."
I'm just saying... London is awesome, but Iowa is pretty great too.
Iowa = space = no accidental, awkward touching
1. No multiple choice tests. (Not that I hate them, but seriously... love it.)
2. Less in the classroom, and more out and about learning from the real world.
3. History. Enough said.
4. We have to write all of our assignments and tests. I am definitely cool with this.
5. In advertising class, we watch a television show called Mad Men about New York advertisers in the 50s and 60s. Very entertaining.
5b. My "tutors" all have different accents, and I LOVE accents.
Yesterday and today I visited a couple of museums, one including the Imperial War Museum which was very interesting. I also visited Temple Church which was founded by the Knights Templar.
And as a side note for the day:
Today as I was swept up in a mad rush of people pushing and shoving to get in an elevator, I accidentally touched an old lady's bum... and she gave me dirty looks, but there was nothing I could do about it... I wouldn't choose to do it... (it's SO AWKWARD). But it's times like those when I think, "URGH.... this city is so annoying. I am going to live in a small town someday so I don't have to be touching so many strangers in such a small space."
I'm just saying... London is awesome, but Iowa is pretty great too.
Iowa = space = no accidental, awkward touching
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A Normal London Day
I would like to use yesterday as a "typical London day in the life of Jenon".
Due to all the food we consumed over the weekend in Dublin, Kathryn and I decided to walk to class. Okay, so we didn't walk ALL the way, but we were fairly close to our destination by the time we got on the Tube...
After a couple hours of learning about British culture and all about the government over here, I decided to walk back to Vandon. It was a nice, "I have no idea where I am at, but I am going to go with it and just wander around like I know where I am going" type walk.
I walked through Soho and Chinatown.
At one point I thought, "Oh, this is a busy corner." Then I turned around to see Piccadilly Circus. Who knew it was so close?
I got back to Vandon, put some running clothes on and decided to enjoy the nice day outside by running around in Hyde Park. It was beautiful running by the water!
After that I went to go get some groceries and browsed in a bookstore.
I came back to Vandon, and Allie, Kathryn and I made chicken casserole... which turned out to be more like chicken soup, but it was still delicious.
After that... tea, e-mails, reading and bedtime!
OH WAIT... I can't forget about this... I skyped with my mom and dad for the first time. And it was absolutely hilarious. The entire time my mom was holding up our cat Lucy to the webcam saying, "Dave, I am going to have so much fun with this!"
Another great day in London: Check.
Due to all the food we consumed over the weekend in Dublin, Kathryn and I decided to walk to class. Okay, so we didn't walk ALL the way, but we were fairly close to our destination by the time we got on the Tube...
After a couple hours of learning about British culture and all about the government over here, I decided to walk back to Vandon. It was a nice, "I have no idea where I am at, but I am going to go with it and just wander around like I know where I am going" type walk.
I walked through Soho and Chinatown.
At one point I thought, "Oh, this is a busy corner." Then I turned around to see Piccadilly Circus. Who knew it was so close?
I got back to Vandon, put some running clothes on and decided to enjoy the nice day outside by running around in Hyde Park. It was beautiful running by the water!
After that I went to go get some groceries and browsed in a bookstore.
I came back to Vandon, and Allie, Kathryn and I made chicken casserole... which turned out to be more like chicken soup, but it was still delicious.
After that... tea, e-mails, reading and bedtime!
OH WAIT... I can't forget about this... I skyped with my mom and dad for the first time. And it was absolutely hilarious. The entire time my mom was holding up our cat Lucy to the webcam saying, "Dave, I am going to have so much fun with this!"
Another great day in London: Check.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Irish for the Weekend
Last Thursday Kathryn, Allie, Erin and I headed out for Dublin, Ireland.
The following were our highs and lows:
Low: RyanAir - It's a budget airline. Poor Allie got charged the equivalent of $100. We were all angry for her.
High: Getting to Dublin safely.
Low: Wandering around Dublin on our first night trying to find somewhere cheap to eat. (Whoever told me that London is the most expensive city in the world... you lied. I don't think you've been to Dublin.)
High: Finding a 1950s American diner to eat at. (Thank you, Dublin, for the best American meal I have had outside the States. Cheeseburgers, fries and an oreo shake = I love Dublin.)
High: Eating at a 1950s American diner in Dublin and looking around at all the red-heads that were in the place. Welcome to Ireland!
Low (but not that low): My first hostel experience. Better than what I thought, but my mom would have had a heart attack if she saw how messy our 12 female room was...
High: A three-hour walking tour of Dublin with a lively tour guide. (He even played on his Irish whistle for us.) We saw the Dublin Castle, Trinity College, Temple Bar... a lot of statues in honor of a lot of really important historical events that I don't remember...
High: The weather was warmer than in London - and no rain. Yes!
Low: GUINNESS BEER! SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK! We went through the Guinness Storehouse, and it was very interesting. We made it to the Tasting Lab, and they gave us a small sample to try. Absolutely disgusting. After this traumatizing event, we made it all the way to the Gravity Bar. We had an awesome view overlooking all of Dublin. Erin and I turned in our tickets to get a complimentary pint of Guinness. (I only did this because I knew my brother Jeremy would think I was boring if I didn't.) Kathryn and Allie got complimentary Diet Cokes. I took one sip, took a picture and then I was done with my pint. Thankfully, we had mentos on hand to ease the harsh aftertaste.
High: History. It's amazing how much there is to learn in such a short amount of time! Three days to learn 12,000 years of history is difficult.
Low: Waking up in the middle of the night because you are sharing a room with 11 other girls from around the world... and they are not quiet.
High: Howth. We woke up on Saturday and took a train to this small village just north of Dublin. Howth is on a small peninsula, and we had a great view of the sea! It was REAL fresh air! (Who knew I would get so excited about that?) We walked out to the lighthouse, and asked a stranger if she could take a picture of the four of us. It turned out that she was from Connecticut and had a son graduate from the journalism school at Iowa State. I have said this over and over... but wowzas! What a small world. We stayed in Howth for most of the afternoon, and it was so much fun to sit on the rocks, dangle our feet and eat jelly sandwiches while looking out on the sea.
High: Valentine's Day. This is an invitation to ice cream at Haagen Dazs. 3 scoops? Yes, please.
Low: The cost of 3 scoops of Haagen Dazs ice cream. (I think I like DQ blizzards better anyways.)
High: Walking around the Temple Bar area - it was full of couples and all the ladies had flowers. (How cute.) There was live music everywhere, and it was a very fun environment to be in on our last night in Dublin.
Low: RyanAir, and the flight back to London.
At the end of the weekend, we were all exhausted, but we learned a lot on our first weekend trip out of London. The lows were never that low, and the highs? They were great. The Irish are such nice people, and Dublin was definitely more relaxed than London. (People were actually wearing sweat pants... Amen to that.)
The following were our highs and lows:
Low: RyanAir - It's a budget airline. Poor Allie got charged the equivalent of $100. We were all angry for her.
High: Getting to Dublin safely.
Low: Wandering around Dublin on our first night trying to find somewhere cheap to eat. (Whoever told me that London is the most expensive city in the world... you lied. I don't think you've been to Dublin.)
High: Finding a 1950s American diner to eat at. (Thank you, Dublin, for the best American meal I have had outside the States. Cheeseburgers, fries and an oreo shake = I love Dublin.)
High: Eating at a 1950s American diner in Dublin and looking around at all the red-heads that were in the place. Welcome to Ireland!
Low (but not that low): My first hostel experience. Better than what I thought, but my mom would have had a heart attack if she saw how messy our 12 female room was...
High: A three-hour walking tour of Dublin with a lively tour guide. (He even played on his Irish whistle for us.) We saw the Dublin Castle, Trinity College, Temple Bar... a lot of statues in honor of a lot of really important historical events that I don't remember...
High: The weather was warmer than in London - and no rain. Yes!
Low: GUINNESS BEER! SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK! We went through the Guinness Storehouse, and it was very interesting. We made it to the Tasting Lab, and they gave us a small sample to try. Absolutely disgusting. After this traumatizing event, we made it all the way to the Gravity Bar. We had an awesome view overlooking all of Dublin. Erin and I turned in our tickets to get a complimentary pint of Guinness. (I only did this because I knew my brother Jeremy would think I was boring if I didn't.) Kathryn and Allie got complimentary Diet Cokes. I took one sip, took a picture and then I was done with my pint. Thankfully, we had mentos on hand to ease the harsh aftertaste.
High: History. It's amazing how much there is to learn in such a short amount of time! Three days to learn 12,000 years of history is difficult.
Low: Waking up in the middle of the night because you are sharing a room with 11 other girls from around the world... and they are not quiet.
High: Howth. We woke up on Saturday and took a train to this small village just north of Dublin. Howth is on a small peninsula, and we had a great view of the sea! It was REAL fresh air! (Who knew I would get so excited about that?) We walked out to the lighthouse, and asked a stranger if she could take a picture of the four of us. It turned out that she was from Connecticut and had a son graduate from the journalism school at Iowa State. I have said this over and over... but wowzas! What a small world. We stayed in Howth for most of the afternoon, and it was so much fun to sit on the rocks, dangle our feet and eat jelly sandwiches while looking out on the sea.
High: Valentine's Day. This is an invitation to ice cream at Haagen Dazs. 3 scoops? Yes, please.
Low: The cost of 3 scoops of Haagen Dazs ice cream. (I think I like DQ blizzards better anyways.)
High: Walking around the Temple Bar area - it was full of couples and all the ladies had flowers. (How cute.) There was live music everywhere, and it was a very fun environment to be in on our last night in Dublin.
Low: RyanAir, and the flight back to London.
At the end of the weekend, we were all exhausted, but we learned a lot on our first weekend trip out of London. The lows were never that low, and the highs? They were great. The Irish are such nice people, and Dublin was definitely more relaxed than London. (People were actually wearing sweat pants... Amen to that.)
Monday, February 9, 2009
Pictures from the BAFTAs
 |
| Kate Winslet on the right |
 |
| Daniel Craig and Erin |
 |
| Ron Howard |
 |
| Red Carpet |
 |
| Angelina Jolie |
Never Again
Earlier last week Kathryn, Jill, Erin, Allie and I decided we wanted to be on the red carpet at the BAFTA awards (British Oscars, for the most part). We found out that free wristbands are given away to a selected number of people at 8 am on the morning of the event. We decided to wake up at 3:15 am Sunday to make sure we got a front row view to the stars.
We packed lunches, bundled up and headed out the door at 4 am. At this point, the mood was light-hearted and filled with excitement. We took a bus and headed for the Royal Opera House in Convent Garden. Once we arrived, there was no one in sight except for the workers setting up the red carpet. We thought maybe we looked like desparate fanatics showing up so early, but no worries... the workers pointed us in the direction of the queue already full of people waiting - some camping out all night.
We walked through this dark alley and took our place in line... and we couldn't see a thing. We were creeped out already.
We were telling ourselves just to make it to 7 am because that is when the nearest Starbucks opened... The first hour I had my ipod and was singing while everyone tried to guess what song it was. This was my "Oh, isn't this so fun??" mood.
After an hour of 'pure bliss' in a creepy, dark alley with strangers (and lying on concrete, having my bookbag as a pillow and using my raincoat as a blanket), Allie, Kathryn and I decided it was time to walk around. We walked to Starbucks, and found out that it didn't open until 8am... Urrrggghhh!
At this point, at 5:30 in the morning, it was chilly, so three of us took the bus back to Vandon, put on more layers, and came back to the line to find Erin and Jill holding on to each other shivering frantically in the cold. Great. (Don't worry, they went to McDonald's to warm up.)
It was during the hours of 7:30-9:30 that I went into Crab-mode. And I didn't even care. When you can't feel your feet anymore, I think it's okay to be a little bit of a crabby pants. (The whole time I kept thinking, "I don't even like Brad and Angelina this much...")
We FINALLY got our wristbands at 9:30. Thankfully we found out that they were numbered, so we could leave, come back and still have our spots in line.
After long naps, we headed back to the opera house, and they let us onto the red carpet at 3 pm. Everyone was pushing and shoving. We were throwing elbows back because we agreed that there would be no Miss Nice Iowa Girl on the red carpet. We were going to hold our ground.
We stood in the front row by the red carpet for about two hours, and eventually the stars started showing up!
It was nuts to be that up close, and I have to admit, it was worth it to wait all day in the freezing cold.
And as soon as I saw Ron Howard, I turned into a crazed, screaming fan.
I am more embarrassed to say that I freaked out even more when Brad and Angelina arrived. (Seriously, I would consider it a low point in my life.) "I love Brad and Angelina!!! You are my favorite!!! Team Brad!!! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!" And then from there it was just a continuous "BRAD! BRAD! BRAD!"
(Highlight: When Angelina came up to us, Allie yells at her, "Can I just... take a picture of you??!?!!" And I think I saw Angelina give her a look that said, "Hm, weird.")
Here is a list of the stars we saw - some came over to talk to us... others we saw from just feet away!
Ron Howard
Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire)
Frieda Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire)
Meryl Streep
Shia LaBeouf
Brad Pitt
Angelina Jolie
Amy Adams
Sharon Stone
Danny Boyle
Daniel Craig
Emma Watson
Kate Winslet
Goldie Hawn
Penolope Cruz
It was definitely fun screaming their names and getting their attention for some photos and autographs, but up close... they are just regular people like everyone else. (Except that they are really skinny, have perfect skin and wear expensive dresses.)
So it was an adventure, from waking up early and traveling around London, waiting in the queue with people smoking (who knows what) in your face and being under the bright lights of the red carpet...I had a great time.
But I would never do it again.
We packed lunches, bundled up and headed out the door at 4 am. At this point, the mood was light-hearted and filled with excitement. We took a bus and headed for the Royal Opera House in Convent Garden. Once we arrived, there was no one in sight except for the workers setting up the red carpet. We thought maybe we looked like desparate fanatics showing up so early, but no worries... the workers pointed us in the direction of the queue already full of people waiting - some camping out all night.
We walked through this dark alley and took our place in line... and we couldn't see a thing. We were creeped out already.
We were telling ourselves just to make it to 7 am because that is when the nearest Starbucks opened... The first hour I had my ipod and was singing while everyone tried to guess what song it was. This was my "Oh, isn't this so fun??" mood.
After an hour of 'pure bliss' in a creepy, dark alley with strangers (and lying on concrete, having my bookbag as a pillow and using my raincoat as a blanket), Allie, Kathryn and I decided it was time to walk around. We walked to Starbucks, and found out that it didn't open until 8am... Urrrggghhh!
At this point, at 5:30 in the morning, it was chilly, so three of us took the bus back to Vandon, put on more layers, and came back to the line to find Erin and Jill holding on to each other shivering frantically in the cold. Great. (Don't worry, they went to McDonald's to warm up.)
It was during the hours of 7:30-9:30 that I went into Crab-mode. And I didn't even care. When you can't feel your feet anymore, I think it's okay to be a little bit of a crabby pants. (The whole time I kept thinking, "I don't even like Brad and Angelina this much...")
We FINALLY got our wristbands at 9:30. Thankfully we found out that they were numbered, so we could leave, come back and still have our spots in line.
After long naps, we headed back to the opera house, and they let us onto the red carpet at 3 pm. Everyone was pushing and shoving. We were throwing elbows back because we agreed that there would be no Miss Nice Iowa Girl on the red carpet. We were going to hold our ground.
We stood in the front row by the red carpet for about two hours, and eventually the stars started showing up!
It was nuts to be that up close, and I have to admit, it was worth it to wait all day in the freezing cold.
And as soon as I saw Ron Howard, I turned into a crazed, screaming fan.
I am more embarrassed to say that I freaked out even more when Brad and Angelina arrived. (Seriously, I would consider it a low point in my life.) "I love Brad and Angelina!!! You are my favorite!!! Team Brad!!! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!" And then from there it was just a continuous "BRAD! BRAD! BRAD!"
(Highlight: When Angelina came up to us, Allie yells at her, "Can I just... take a picture of you??!?!!" And I think I saw Angelina give her a look that said, "Hm, weird.")
Here is a list of the stars we saw - some came over to talk to us... others we saw from just feet away!
Ron Howard
Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire)
Frieda Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire)
Meryl Streep
Shia LaBeouf
Brad Pitt
Angelina Jolie
Amy Adams
Sharon Stone
Danny Boyle
Daniel Craig
Emma Watson
Kate Winslet
Goldie Hawn
Penolope Cruz
It was definitely fun screaming their names and getting their attention for some photos and autographs, but up close... they are just regular people like everyone else. (Except that they are really skinny, have perfect skin and wear expensive dresses.)
So it was an adventure, from waking up early and traveling around London, waiting in the queue with people smoking (who knows what) in your face and being under the bright lights of the red carpet...I had a great time.
But I would never do it again.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Time Just Flies By!
Yesterday I had my advertising class all morning, and then we walked past Hyde Park to go to Harrod's. I was somewhat creeped out by this place. There were restaurants (I want to go back to the Chocolate Bar) and anything else you could imagine. (There were writing pens that sold for thousands and thousands of pounds... What the heck? Why not just use the free ones you get from businesses?)
After Herrod's a group of us went out to eat at a nice pizza restaurant across from Hyde Park. It was very nice, and I even had an egg smack dab in the middle of my pizza. (I was a litlte weirded out by it, but I went with it.)
After that... Karaoke! I went out long enough just to sing one duet, and even got a couple compliments on my singing. (BAHAHAHAHA)
This morning we woke up and headed for Westminster Pier to catch a boat headed to Greenwich. I (of course) ran into problems when we left Vandon and realized I had forgotten my Oyster card... The whole group rode the Tube to the river, but Kathryn and I sprinted down the streets of London to catch up with the group. Nothing like a little morning workout...
We couldn't have picked a worse day to go to Greenwich. The boat ride was fun, but it was chilly and raining. When we got to Greenwich we went to the Royal Observatory, and I was in two hemispheres at once! We also hit up the Maritime Museum and the Queen's House, both historically interesting.
A highlight of the trip came in the form of food (go figure). We ate at a delicious Mexican restaurant, and my oh my! How I had missed nachos!
I definitely plan to go back to Greenwich on a warmer day, and take in all the sights while I can still feel all of my toes. It was very cute there, and a nice little break from the city. (And yes, I will go have more nachos at the Mexican restaurant.)
Each week goes by faster than the last one! This doesn't surprise me though... my dad has taught me from an early age that life just flies by.
"You're in third grade already, Jenon. Can you believe it? Before you know it you will be graduating high school and then off to college."
This is just an example of what Dave would say to me many mornings before I caught the bus to school. (At one point in my life, I thought I would be five years-old forever. I promised myself I would never grow up because I never wanted to do "grown up things". My biggest fear as a youngin': Trying to buy a plane ticket.)
This talk has continued through the years, and my dad still reminds me how short life really is. I can't think of a better lesson to learn. I know my time in London is limited, and it's a great reminder to make the most of every day.
And because of it, I am definitely not taking any time in London for granted.
After Herrod's a group of us went out to eat at a nice pizza restaurant across from Hyde Park. It was very nice, and I even had an egg smack dab in the middle of my pizza. (I was a litlte weirded out by it, but I went with it.)
After that... Karaoke! I went out long enough just to sing one duet, and even got a couple compliments on my singing. (BAHAHAHAHA)
This morning we woke up and headed for Westminster Pier to catch a boat headed to Greenwich. I (of course) ran into problems when we left Vandon and realized I had forgotten my Oyster card... The whole group rode the Tube to the river, but Kathryn and I sprinted down the streets of London to catch up with the group. Nothing like a little morning workout...
We couldn't have picked a worse day to go to Greenwich. The boat ride was fun, but it was chilly and raining. When we got to Greenwich we went to the Royal Observatory, and I was in two hemispheres at once! We also hit up the Maritime Museum and the Queen's House, both historically interesting.
A highlight of the trip came in the form of food (go figure). We ate at a delicious Mexican restaurant, and my oh my! How I had missed nachos!
I definitely plan to go back to Greenwich on a warmer day, and take in all the sights while I can still feel all of my toes. It was very cute there, and a nice little break from the city. (And yes, I will go have more nachos at the Mexican restaurant.)
Each week goes by faster than the last one! This doesn't surprise me though... my dad has taught me from an early age that life just flies by.
"You're in third grade already, Jenon. Can you believe it? Before you know it you will be graduating high school and then off to college."
This is just an example of what Dave would say to me many mornings before I caught the bus to school. (At one point in my life, I thought I would be five years-old forever. I promised myself I would never grow up because I never wanted to do "grown up things". My biggest fear as a youngin': Trying to buy a plane ticket.)
This talk has continued through the years, and my dad still reminds me how short life really is. I can't think of a better lesson to learn. I know my time in London is limited, and it's a great reminder to make the most of every day.
And because of it, I am definitely not taking any time in London for granted.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Snow, York and Skipton Photos
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| Snow! It feels just like home... only warmer! |
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| St. James Park |
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| Kathryn and I at St. James Park with Buckingham Palace in the background |
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| On the wall in York |
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| Skipton |
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| Street leading to York Minster |
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| York |
Walking Through Slush
Monday
Over Sunday night and into Monday, London got around five inches of snow. The bus routes were all shut down, and there were major delays and suspensions on the Tube. It was crazy!
Our morning classes were canceled, so we decided to watch Bridget Jones's Diary. After that, we braved the weather (it was actually fairly warm) and the snow (more like slush). We went and found a large store called Primark - very crowded with cheap clothes and lots of people.
We headed back, and I had a relaxing snow day in London reading, journaling and catching up on e-mails.
Tuesday
Today I didn't have to go in to work (because of the snow), so Kathryn and I went for a nice walk through St. James Park to Trafalgar Square. There we went to the National Gallery to see an impressive display of paintings.
We thought it would be a great idea to get the audio guide, and we used it for the first three paintings. Then we decided it would take us two entire days if we listened to a nice British lady giving us all the historic and artistic details about each painting.
The building itself is impressive, but I had never experienced art like this before (I know nothing about art, but I know this is outstanding). I enjoyed it a great deal, and it was free - what a deal!
Next we continued on our walk to the British Museum. Also VERY impressive (and free). There was so much to see including the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon and some good old-fashioned mummies. You could easily spend an entire day exploring the place, and it was a great history lesson of every part of the world.
The best part about the day: Kathryn and I walked outside, enjoyed the slush and the sun... and... ? We never got lost. (Victory!)
Over Sunday night and into Monday, London got around five inches of snow. The bus routes were all shut down, and there were major delays and suspensions on the Tube. It was crazy!
Our morning classes were canceled, so we decided to watch Bridget Jones's Diary. After that, we braved the weather (it was actually fairly warm) and the snow (more like slush). We went and found a large store called Primark - very crowded with cheap clothes and lots of people.
We headed back, and I had a relaxing snow day in London reading, journaling and catching up on e-mails.
Tuesday
Today I didn't have to go in to work (because of the snow), so Kathryn and I went for a nice walk through St. James Park to Trafalgar Square. There we went to the National Gallery to see an impressive display of paintings.
We thought it would be a great idea to get the audio guide, and we used it for the first three paintings. Then we decided it would take us two entire days if we listened to a nice British lady giving us all the historic and artistic details about each painting.
The building itself is impressive, but I had never experienced art like this before (I know nothing about art, but I know this is outstanding). I enjoyed it a great deal, and it was free - what a deal!
Next we continued on our walk to the British Museum. Also VERY impressive (and free). There was so much to see including the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon and some good old-fashioned mummies. You could easily spend an entire day exploring the place, and it was a great history lesson of every part of the world.
The best part about the day: Kathryn and I walked outside, enjoyed the slush and the sun... and... ? We never got lost. (Victory!)
Sunday, February 1, 2009
A York Weekend
Here is a synopsis of my York experiences...
Friday
We arrived in York, and after taking an hour guided bus tour, we were off to explore! We walked through a lot of cute shops in the town centre. Allie gravitates to the jewelry shops (to look at diamond rings), and Erin heads straight for the clothing stores. I make Kathryn and Jill follow me to the bakeries or chocolate shops.
We made our way to York Minster, the Anglican Church Cathedral, where we attended Evensong. The boys choir sang, and it was amazing! They were almost as good as the Faith Lutheran choir back home. ;)
After our ears were pleasantly entertained and our bodies were freezing from the cold air inside the church, we ate dinner at a nice Italian restaurant with a colorful older man as our server. Highlight of the dinner: My calzone was twice the size of my head.
At night we went to the local Pantomine at the Royal York Theatre. It was a different theatrical experience. The audience was very involved, and the plot was very random. There was also a lot of current issues and British jokes that went over our heads at times, but it was definitely an entertaining cultural experience.
Saturday
We got back on our bus and headed an hour and a half to see the Yorkshire Dales. Dale is the Scandanavian word for valley. We saw beautiful rolling hills with lots of sheep in fields.
We went to the small town of Skipton for a couple hours. They had a cute castle, (I feel weird describing a castle as "cute") and a market to browse through as well. We went through many shops, and I had my first mocha (I don't know why I have waited so long to have one of these) at a quiet coffee shop.
After exploring a small town (it was refreshing to be in a small town!), we got back on the bus for York. Once we were back, we walked along a wall that encloses most of the city. (I wish I could remember all the history of the wall, but there was history overload this weekend...)
We went through the Castle Museum, and then I had my first fish and chips experience at a local pub. I can't wait to have fish and chips again - very deep fat fried and delicious.
Last night we went on a Ghost Walk of York. We found out that York is the most haunted city in the world. Our guide also told us that our bed and breakfasts were also probably haunted. (No old man should ever be allowed to tell a gullible 21 year-old girl from the States that she is sleeping in a ghost's playground...)
We experienced a lot in our short time at York and Skipton, including a full English breakfast. Here are some tips for dealing with this morning food:
Skip the bread pudding. It looks like a chocolate candy bar, but this is very deceiving. It's cow blood.
Be prepared to have your arteries clogged for days after consuming the fried bread. (I didn't know it was possible to deep fat fry a piece of bread.)
The bacon looks like a gross piece of ham. Some parts can be tasty if you cut around it.
Nonetheless, I recommend eating it (the mushrooms and tomatoes weren't bad... and the greasy egg could have been worse), and I am sure I will do it again sometime.
Oh, it's only the beginning of many more cultural experiences to come!
Friday
We arrived in York, and after taking an hour guided bus tour, we were off to explore! We walked through a lot of cute shops in the town centre. Allie gravitates to the jewelry shops (to look at diamond rings), and Erin heads straight for the clothing stores. I make Kathryn and Jill follow me to the bakeries or chocolate shops.
We made our way to York Minster, the Anglican Church Cathedral, where we attended Evensong. The boys choir sang, and it was amazing! They were almost as good as the Faith Lutheran choir back home. ;)
After our ears were pleasantly entertained and our bodies were freezing from the cold air inside the church, we ate dinner at a nice Italian restaurant with a colorful older man as our server. Highlight of the dinner: My calzone was twice the size of my head.
At night we went to the local Pantomine at the Royal York Theatre. It was a different theatrical experience. The audience was very involved, and the plot was very random. There was also a lot of current issues and British jokes that went over our heads at times, but it was definitely an entertaining cultural experience.
Saturday
We got back on our bus and headed an hour and a half to see the Yorkshire Dales. Dale is the Scandanavian word for valley. We saw beautiful rolling hills with lots of sheep in fields.
We went to the small town of Skipton for a couple hours. They had a cute castle, (I feel weird describing a castle as "cute") and a market to browse through as well. We went through many shops, and I had my first mocha (I don't know why I have waited so long to have one of these) at a quiet coffee shop.
After exploring a small town (it was refreshing to be in a small town!), we got back on the bus for York. Once we were back, we walked along a wall that encloses most of the city. (I wish I could remember all the history of the wall, but there was history overload this weekend...)
We went through the Castle Museum, and then I had my first fish and chips experience at a local pub. I can't wait to have fish and chips again - very deep fat fried and delicious.
Last night we went on a Ghost Walk of York. We found out that York is the most haunted city in the world. Our guide also told us that our bed and breakfasts were also probably haunted. (No old man should ever be allowed to tell a gullible 21 year-old girl from the States that she is sleeping in a ghost's playground...)
We experienced a lot in our short time at York and Skipton, including a full English breakfast. Here are some tips for dealing with this morning food:
Skip the bread pudding. It looks like a chocolate candy bar, but this is very deceiving. It's cow blood.
Be prepared to have your arteries clogged for days after consuming the fried bread. (I didn't know it was possible to deep fat fry a piece of bread.)
The bacon looks like a gross piece of ham. Some parts can be tasty if you cut around it.
Nonetheless, I recommend eating it (the mushrooms and tomatoes weren't bad... and the greasy egg could have been worse), and I am sure I will do it again sometime.
Oh, it's only the beginning of many more cultural experiences to come!
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