Week Six: London

Monday 4 October 2010
 
Today after classes Mandy, Kaitlyn, Julie and I decided to go see all the monuments at Hyde Park Corner. There was a massive tube strike so we decided to take the bus over there and then hopefully walk back in time for those on kitchen crew. Ridding the bus there was a huge success because we figured out which bus to take and in what direction and only had to wait two minutes. Go us. The monuments were pretty cool. My favorite was the Australian one--it looks a lot like the Vietnam memorial and the words of the battles are made up by smaller words across the stone with water running over the whole thing. I really liked it. There were also monuments for New Zealand, the artillery squadron, and the Duke of Wellington. Nearby there were also some gates dedicated for Queen Elizabeth II silver jubilee (...or something...) in 2002 that memorialized all those from India, Africa, and other areas of the Empire who gave their lives for England during a war (usually WWI or WWII).

We walked a ways across Hyde Park, but ran out of time and caught another bus. It was ridiculously crowded but we got home and I think it was a successful venture. We calculated on Sunday--we're almost to the middle of the program! Therefore, from here on out every day has some activity. We must get it all in. Stay tuned.

Tuesday 5 October 2010

Today after classes a big group of us (Katy, Julie, Mandy, Kaitlyn, Bethany, Amanda, Sarryn, Rachel, Olivia, and I) headed to the Tate Britain Museum. This museum is chock full of some of the most fantastic artwork I have ever seen! Oh my goodness! Sir Joshua Reynolds, Gainsborough, Joseph Wright of Derby, Hogarth, Constable, Linnel, Rossetti, Millais, Leighton, and so so many Turners!! Turner is one of the greatest painters ever. Both his early and late work are fantastic but for such different reasons. His landscapes and seascapes are breathtaking. Later on he was so impressionistic. Ah! I could go on him for forever. There was also my favorite Leighton: And the Sea Gave Up the Dead Which Were In It. This is my favorite representation of the resurrection. There are people in various states of returning to life and the very foreground is a husband, wife, and child all rising together, united, out of the sea. It is just such a wonderful idea--a family coming forth together in resurrection.

I certainly need to spend more time in this museum. But, Mandy, Kaitlyn, Bethany, and I left a little early to ask at the box office about Phantom of the Opera tickets. Turns out they don't give student discounts, but four people had canceled so we got 40 pound tickets for 25.75 each. They were on the second balcony, but we could see the whole stage. Plus, the effects were so good and the singing was so excellent that it was only slightly annoying to have to move my head to see around the person in front of me. Not an inconvenience at all. There were several times when the Phantom was up above the stage or swinging from set pieces in the air--we had a great view for that. This is another story that I did not know the ending to and yet again I was totally taken in! So bittersweet and wonderful! Bethany was crying. I loved it. It is certainly up there with Les Mis.

Wednesday 6 October 2010
What a fabulous day! Bright and early rising--breakfast at 5:45--but it was a great day trip. We started out at Glastonbury: "Grandly constructed to entice the dullest minds to prayer." Yes! It was such a cool place. The biggest center for Englsih/British mythology. In the Abbey we saw the graves of King Arthur and Guinevere. Oh yeah. We also saw some medieval food. And took some really dorky pictures. We also saw the thorn tree that grew from when Joseph of Arimathea planted his staff after he and Jesus arrived there when Jesus was a boy (no joke). We tried to prick our fingers on it--like with Christ wearing a crown of thorns. We were really bad at it. We broke skin but never drew blood. In the chapel of St. Patrick there was a piece of stained glass (probably Victorian) of St. Dunstan (who rebuilt Glastonbury abbey over the original wattle church that Christ built) subduing the devil by grabbing him by the nose with pinchers. Awesome. Finally, we hiked the Tor. This is a large outcropping that used to be an island; with the ruins of St. Michael's church at the top. We could see so much, including the other rising where Joseph of Arimathea and Jesus landed. It was all just so cool.

Next, we headed to Stourhead. This is a picturesque garden and they filmed several Kiera Knightly Pride and Prejudice scenes there. I had to get over this fact and it was something of a struggle. But the gardens are beautiful. We saw the bridge she runs across and the rotunda where he does his first proposal. Poor Beno is too nice to say no and so lots of girls took proposal pictures with him. What a trooper. I got some nice shots for a class assignment though. It was so nice and sunny all day--that made it really enjoyable.

Finally, we did Bath. We didn't have much time here, but Julie and I made every second count! We were dropped off at the Baths and went through them. It's all just so cool. We saw the spring and took pictures by the water. ...I touched the water. I wasn't supposed to. But I did. Oh yes. I also had some of the water in the pump room. I was the first of our little group to try it and I was all: "It's so good. Wow." People thought I was nuts. Actually, it's quite nasty--but you have to take some. And it's just fun. Jane Austen must have taken some too. Then we ran up to the Assembly Rooms. We took dancing pictures in the Ballroom. We're so nutty. I navigated and we didn't get lost! We just passed the museum because I was so busy paying attention to street names. I'm still proud. We then dashed back down to Bath Abbey. This was super exciting because I didn't get to go in last time. The organ was playing while we were there! I loved it. Then we took pictures at the colonnade where Wentworth kissed Anne for the first time. No street performers and no dashing sailors, but still pretty cool. I love this town. It's such a wonderful place. Beautiful. On the bus ride home those of us at the back of the bus were discussing retiring here. I'm up for that. It's marvelous.

Thursday 7 October 2010

Homework is bogus. But, it must be done. Today was just homework and studying for a Great War and Modernism quiz tomorrow. First test/quiz here. I'm not too worried, but then I get nervous I'm not worried enough... Anyway, either way it'll all be over tomorrow.

We managed to get out to the National Gallery to purchase audio guides which I'm hoping the program will refund for us. On Sunday we're going to do a tour on the guide called "Life of Christ." We also saw a memorial to a WWI nurse just off of Trafalgar Square (right where the National Gallery is). All in all a pretty slow day. Oh, and I really dislike dumb homework assignments. I could go on a whole rant on busy work and simplistic questions and being unclear and.... well, I'll save that one for another day.

Friday 8 October 2010

One word for today: banner. Our group field trip today was out to Hampstead Heath. This is where John Keats lived in the same house as Fannie Brawne--separate areas of course--and had his most productive poetry-producing period. Can anyone say Bright Star? In the house there is a bust of him on a stand that makes the head stand as tall as Keats would. A whopping 5' 1". Wow. It was really fun to see the house where he lived and wrote in. After walking through the house we walked across the Heath to Parliament Hill and ate peanut butter sandwiches on a bench overlooking the Heath. While there we saw my twin! She had my hair and even walked like me. At first Katilyn wondered how I had gotten down the hill so fast. I always knew I was actually British. My twin and I must have been separated at birth. Then we walked through Kenwood House. This place has a massive garden! Inside the artwork included the Guitar Player by Vermeer and one of Rembrandt's final self portraits. It was amazing.

Then we left the Heath and walked over to Highgate Cemetery. Going into the cemetery cost a few pounds but I think it was worth it! I got a guide to the cemetery for another pound so we could find people. There are many people buried here--people are still being buried here--including Mahler's daughter, an artist, several writers including George Eliot (actually Mary Ann Evans) and Douglas Adams, who wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (awesome), and Herbert Spencer ("survival of the fittest"). But the most interesting grave sight--hold on to your socks--Karl Marx! Yes. I stood next to his grave. Really wild.

From the cemetery we walked past a St. Michael's church where....some writer...is buried... Anyway. We took a bus from Hampstead to Camden Market. Pretty cool. Lots of crazy wild people and tons and tons of clothes! Personally, I prefer Portabello because it's closer to home and there's less cigarette smoke to inhale. (Speaking of which--we saw a guy in the tube this morning making his own cigarette. He rolled it and licked the end to seal it and everything. We're not sure if it was regular tobacco or marijuana but it was really bizarre that he would do it on the underground.)

All in all, it was a very good day. We saw and did a lot. And now, homework time.

Saturday 9 October 2010

Today the morning was all homework and laundry (in preparation for our trip to the North country on Monday). But, in the afternoon Kaitlyn, Julie, and I went to the Imperial War Museum. It was choc full of absolutely wonderful stuff. I could spend a very very long time there just soaking in all the information. Every time I turned a corner and read a blurb I would find myself saying "I didn't know that." "Wow, that's so interesting." "Really?" I was worried it would be lower on my list of favorite museums but I would not be opposed to going back for another visit.

After a wonderful dinner with Julie, Kaitlyn, and Mandy at Nando's--a local chain of South American chicken (muy bueno)--we returned to the center to watch Northanger Abbey (since we'll be in Liverpool for the return from the North when they'll be watching it on the coach) for Austen class. It was a pleasant little movie with a pleasant love story and we all loved it! It was so much funnier than expected and we liked it so much better than the book. We may have to watch that again to cheer our spirits. Henry Tilney was very funny and wonderful, and bore a striking resemblance to Jude Law.

Fast Sunday tomorrow. Good thing no one emailed me the hymns for Sacrament Meeting...

Sunday 10 October 2010

Today church was pretty much the same. I got through playing the piano in both primary and sacrament meeting. But I had a little surprise during the second hour of primary. Here I thought I was just substituting the one week for the 8 to 11 year old class, right? Nope. Apparently I'm teaching for the rest of the semester. I'm fine with this, I just wish I had known earlier. Again, I didn't prepare a lesson and we only talked for about 10 minutes in class and then tried to think of quiet games. I want Primary to be fun, but I'm no good at extending a lesson to the proper time and keeping the kids engaged in what we're doing.

After skyping the family I'm going to head to the National Gallery to do a tour called Life of Christ (with my audio guide). I was going to do this right after church, but I forgot my pass to collect my audio guide--already paid for by the program--and since I'm talking to my family in just a little bit here, I'll go afterward. This way I'm busy until dinner so I won't be tempted to break my fast early.

Going North tomorrow! Should be a great week and staying a night in Liverpool to boot.