15 Oct -- Oxford
I arrive at Victoria Station and get a text and a call from Devon saying that we have a problem. It turns out the place where we were supposed to pick up our tickets opens just as our bus is supposed to leave. Devon is freaking out, so I said "Let's just wait until these guys open, explain our situation, and see what they say. And if they turn out to be really huge dicks as well, then I guess we're kind of screwed." As it turns out, we weren't screwed. The woman who helped us said "Here are your tickets. Just catch the next bus out of here." Devon asked if there was an extra charge, and the woman said no. This was so much like the coach buses in the States that I suddenly grew more comfortable with this leaving bit.
Couldn't sleep the entire ride to Oxford because I didn't want to miss the pretty countryside. Upon arrival in Oxford, we went looking for our hostel, which we didn't find right away. Instead, we found a tourist information center who told us where to go to get to our hostel. We followed their directions and got to the right place. We couldn't check in right away (check in is at 1:30p and we were there around 11a or so) but we could leave our bags behind so we didn't have to carry them.
Returned to the visitor information center and booked a walking tour of the city that went to all the different colleges. The Oxford University campus was quite a distance away and we were saving our money for a trip to Stonehenge we liked so we decided to be frugal. In retrospect, I would really like to return to Oxford for the whole weekend this time. Anyway, we had about two hours to kill before the walking tour started, so we went to check out Christ Church.
We wandered in front of it for a while, debating if we could see it all before the walking tour. We walked down a path nearby to a river. There were some cows grazing nearby and Devon took a picture of me with them in the background. She was amused by my enthusiasm for cows.
It was beautiful! We had to pay about 5 pounds to get in . . . or, Devon had to pay 5 pounds. I didn't have any cash and the guy at the till wanted to rush us along so we can see the Hall before it closes. So in the general hype of "Move your butt or you'll miss it!", I was shepherded in without paying anything. Good for me.
The Hall is where they filmed the Great Hall scenes in the Harry Potter movies. Devon and I recognized it right away. Sorry I can't post pictures yet. But if you friend me on Facebook, you'll be able to see my entire weekend in picture form. One day, when the Internet connection is better, I'll upload the photos to the correlating posts. Until then, you'll just have to get text. Sorry.
Wandered into the chapel afterward and took some beautiful pictures of that as well. We got a sheet with a mini-guide of the chapel. The sheets came in all sorts of languages, so for kicks and giggles I got it in Japanese as well as English. While in the chapel, there was a spot where you could light a candle (like the spot in the back of St. Margaret Mary's back home). So I lit a candle and said a little prayer for my Grandmas Mary and Hazel. And, because there was a donation box, I donated the three two pence pieces I had. The two pence pieces because I'm confused about when to use them and I always seem to acquire so much of them. Also, I felt guilty seeing the entire thing free when everyone else has to pay. So that was my tribute.
Moved on to the courtyard, and then the shop. And then we left to make the walking tour. Picked up lunch at Pret a Manger and ate on the way there. It was a really good baguette sandwich. I'm going to miss baguette sandwiches when I get back home. I know they're like subs, but they're really not. Baguettes are smaller and easier to bit into and subs are quite large and takes three bites to get the length of the entire sandwich. It's only two for baguettes.
Our walking tour guide was named Joan and she was a wonderful woman. She had a sense of humor and made a few comments about people who built the colleges that made me laugh. The first college we went to, she explained how the couple acquired the land and then the husband died, so his wife took over building the school and founding it and such. Joan said she must have been a very grim woman because the entire courtyard is symmetrical -- there's even a false door to balance out the real door to the chapel on the other end of the courtyard! This was also the college with the brilliant idea to have the kitchens right above the dining hall. So the warmth of the fires rose to the dining students above and the food wouldn't get cold delivering it across the campus. The false door is under the dining hall.
Moving on, we saw a chapel for one of the smaller colleges. It was pretty, but it was hard to hear Joan because someone was practicing their piano in the back. It was very pretty piano and it gave the whole place atmosphere. Joan talked about the stained glass windows (which may have really been painted glass) and the artist of the glass. We also got to sit in the choir seats, which was pretty cool. The choir seats face each other, and they're not very comfortable at all. But I guess it prevents slouching and relaxing and falling asleep in church.
Talked a lot outside. Was led through an outdoors pub that looked pretty cool and talked about the graduation ceremonies outside a grand building. There was another building under construction and Joan complained about that. Devon complained about construction too. I said that the prestige of the school correlates to how much construction it has year-round, then I said that Madison must be really prestigious because I'm pretty sure we have about four things going on at once. Giant things, mind you. What it all boils down to is the fact that it's the same everywhere you go. There's always going to be construction on a college campus (er, University campus. College and University are two different things over here).
It was really cold outside. I just had a tee shirt and a sweatshirt and I started to question why I didn't bring my fleece along too. But I had a long sleeve shirt in my backpack so I was going to wear that the next day. It didn't help the fact that I was cold THEN and I wanted to be able to feel my fingers again. Thankfully, we walked into a small museum dedicated to someone by name of John Aubrey. The exhibition is called "John Aubrey and the Development of Experimental Science". I didn't care much about the exhibition, just the fact that I wanted to warm up. I also picked up a small brochure on it just to make sure I remembered it. Also, learned that the first science fiction-like novel was written in 1836 and was entitled The First Man on the Moone. Forget the author, but I wouldn't mind looking that up eventually.
We moved on from there and froze some more. Went into Radcliffe Square and learned about the library in the center of it. The library looked like an observatory, which I thought was neat. We also learned about the origin of the name Brasenose Lane. The house on Brasenose Lane had a brass nose for a knocker. One day, the knocker was stolen. A few years later, it was found again on a house in the countryside. The college had to buy the entire house to get the brass nose knocker back. Brass Nose because Brasenose and that's how the street got it's name.
Another interesting fact about streets. The tourist information center is on Broad Street, named so because it used to be the sight of a very broad ditch that marked the outer wall of Oxford back in the middle ages. Must learn more about the origins of street names in the UK because it's just so interesting!
We then went into the dining hall of another college and had a pretty good chat. Joan talked about a few places to get tea. Outside, Devon and Joan talked for a bit. She got her picture with her but I didn't. I did manage to get a picture of Joan, which can once again be seen on Facebook. (Stupid Internet)
To warm up, Devon and I went to a place called the Vault and Garden Cafe, which is connected to a church and all profit goes to the church. I had hot apple juice (which wasn't very hot because the girl had to make a new batch) and a scone with strawberry jam. Devon got tea with a scone. She shared some of her tea with me, and it was deliciously scalding. But we had tea and scones. TEA AND SCONES. How British. Also took a picture of the cafe because it was off the beaten path and we were probably the only tourists to venture there. It was a really cute cafe. Good scones too.
We returned to the hostel just then and was walked through the process of checking in. A youth hostel is a cheap place for young travelers like ourselves to spend the night when in another city. You see, people in Europe have the tendency to travel to a lot of different places. Like how in the States it's completely normal to travel around the country with your family on vacation, it's completely normal for you and a few friends to hop to a different country and spend a week there. Youth hostels are cheap and are typically dorm style, that is, multiple bunk beds in a single room.
This hostel was also a backpackers hostel. Meaning, it was cheap probably had a few other services other hostels would not. Like free Internet (or Internet in general), a self-service kitchen, free breakfast in the morning, satellite TV in the lounge, etc. It was a pretty cool place, but Devon seemed to be on edge. She didn't like the reception person we had -- apparently wasn't friendly enough -- and our room had a lot of people in it. I went cheap when I was booking.
For dinner, we went to Tesco about two blocks away and bought some penne and sauce. We made that in the kitchen and ate it in the lounge where we met an Australian guy who was touring Europe for a while. He said he had a part time job back home to help fund his travels. He also said that he didn't continue onto University yet, but he figured he could always do so later. Until then, he was going to work and travel.
Also watching real TV for the first time since the States. Commercials and clear signal and everything. Two episodes of friends and a movie called Rocknrollas starring Gerald Butler. I only half paid attention because my eyes were really droopy. Devon told me to go to bed, and going to bed alone with a travel buddy caught me off guard but I did anyway. The next morning, I learned that Devon wasn't too far behind me.
I slept right by the heater that first night. It was nice. Devon slept across the room. I also had my valuables tucked away in my sweatshirt and curled up with that for the night. Giant room of possible thieves. Call me paranoid, but I wasn't going to risk anything.
~~~
16 Oct -- Bath/Stonehenge
Checked out of the hostel around 9:30a and hopped on the next bus to Bath. Didn't take any pictures of the scenery because my camera was starting to go from just that one day. I suspect the battery didn't charge as it should have the night before we left, but there was nothing I could do about it. I just had to deal.
Still, I was determined to get a picture of sheep. They're about as common as cows here, but every uncommon in WI. So I just had to. (Those with access to me on Facebook know that I got my picture of sheep later that day.)
Upon arrival in Bath, we quickly located our hostel, which was the same company as the previous hostel. But we agree that this hostel was nicer. The receptionist was friendlier and took us through check in when we got there. We left our backpacks behind but I took out the bread, peanut butter, and jelly (plus knife and paper towels) that I packed for lunches. After getting directions to the tourist information center, that's where we went.
There were two companies with tours to Stonehenge. One was Mad Max which was about 15 pounds not including Stonehenge admission cost and was four hours. They went to Stonehenge and another small village where a few more Harry Potter scenes were apparently filmed. We didn't go on this one because the tourist center couldn't get through to them to book last minute. Also, they were probably full. Instead, we went through Scarper Tours, which was fourteen pounds not including Stonehenge admission and was just three hours. They have an obnoxiously purple bus announcing their company and destination so it's really hard to miss. Booked last minute through the tourist info center and then rushed to find our way to the meeting place.
Got there and thought there was some trouble because the tour guides had to converse with themselves about cancellations and what not. But it all worked out in the end. What happened was that so much stuff happened within the same minute that it took another two minutes to figure out what had just happened. Ever get one of those? Reminds me of the days when I was stage manager in high school. In any case, we got our spots for a Stonehenge tour.
It's about 55 minutes through beautiful countryside to Stonehenge. On the way, we saw thatched roofs, a chalked white horse on the hillside in the distance, a tiny and very unpleasant looking jail in a small village, a hotel that looked like a small castle, and a free range pig farm. Unfortunately, we didn't see any crop circles being as there aren't any crops at the moment.
Got to Stonehenge and was really excited! Because it's Stonehenge. We had an hour to do as we please around the sight. Devon and I both got an audio tour (it's free with admission). We took pictures, we listened to the mysteries and what we actually do know about the sight. I found the entire thing fascinating because of the mysteries and what we know and how the pieces we have don't seem to fit together into anything resembling a solid answer to our questions about the site. And it made me think of a story idea that I wrote down as soon as I had my notebook again. But it was a pain keeping that idea in my head for two hours. Just had to write it down, you know?
There was some sheep on the outskirts of the site. I got a picture with them, naturally.
I thought there would have been a mention of Doctor Who filming at Stonehenge, but there wasn't. Last season ended with the Doctor being locked in a box called the Pandorica under Stonehenge. It was a strategy formulated by every species that hated the Doctor! Oh no! But my inner geek is showing and taking this off topic. *ahem* Moving on . . .
Bought a gift for Adam at the gift shop. I thought it was witty so he better appreciate it. Also bought postcards. Got postcards at Oxford too, but not very many.
Ate a sandwich on the way back to Bath. Also just watched the scenery and got a better view of the white horse on the hillside.
Returned to Bath and wandered for a bit. We went shopping down the main avenue of shops. Then I got distracted by the church bell ringers in the middle of the lane so I went to check it out. I learned how to ring church bells and they tried to recruit me into their bell ringing guild. I find it funny. They gave me a brochure and everything. They attempted to recruit me by asking where I'm from.
"Wisconsin."
"That's no good. Where do you go to school?"
"Madison."
"That's no good either."
Amused me so much. But they had a place in Texas Devon could join if she wanted even if she didn't ring any church bells. Didn't get a picture of the church bell ringing because, well, I just didn't. Devon didn't whip out her camera and I was too busy to whip out mine. Oh well. You'll just have to take my word on this.
We each bought a pizza in Iceland to make in the hostel. While eating and sitting in the TV room, we talked with a few people. A Polish Dude started talking with us and said that his friend Cam is usually the one who gets to talk to Americans. He's charismatic with them for some reason or other. I got to play with the guy's iPhone so I was happy. Also, he friended me on Facebook for a while. More on this later.
Drunk Czech Guy started handing out free Stella Artois, which I finally tried. It was pretty good, but it'll taste better cold. Then DCG wanted to go out. I dragged Devon along and the Polish Dude came just because I guess. But I later learned Polish Dude's real intentions and said "No. Waaay too fast, buddy!" when he tried to kiss me. Drunk Czech Guy paid for the beers in the pub. He also didn't speak very good English. And he kept disappearing for unknown reasons. When Devon and I were alone at the table (Polish Dude finding a place with dancing because the bar was closing around 11p), she said "You see? This is why we say 'No, we're tired' when Drunk Czech Guy wants to go out." I know what she means. So, while the guys were gone, we left. Told Polish Dude at the door that we were going back. He wanted to walk us back, but we were really firm. We can take care of ourselves. Go away. He got the message.
Slept better that night than the one previous because there were less people in our room. Only ten beds instead of sixteen. Once again, slept with valuables in my sweatshirt and snuggled with that. At about five in the morning, I woke up by myself and just had to journal. I hadn't journaled all day so I wrote about my day and the happenings and what I learned about staying hostels. My UK phone has a flashlight built into it so I used that for light. Then I went back to sleep and woke up when the Polish guys in our room left.
~ ~ ~
17 Oct -- Bath/London
Breakfast was toast a la the bread I brought along with me. Devon and I went and bought tickets for the Roman baths and wandered those. We had audio tours for those as well, and it was fun to listen to. I tried to take as many pictures as I could before my camera finally died. Too bad. It had a good life, I think. When I return to the states, will have to look into investing into a second battery. (Dad, it's a FujiFilm Lithium Ion NP-45 in case you're interested -- which I know you probably are.)
The Roman Bath Museum had screens that would show replications of Roman daily life in Bath. They were good and all, but then I saw one with a stone masoner and his apprentice. The apprentice had a very modern haircut. It made me laugh because I don't think they would have had that kind of hair way back then. Whoops. Or maybe they really did, but long bangs and short in the back seems too modern for the ancients.
We caught a free walking tour around the town at around 10:30a. It was a fun tour. Couldn't get any pictures. Outside a theater, we learned about an actor in Bath who played Romeo in Romeo and Juliet so horribly that it became a nationwide sensation and he went on tour so people could laugh at him. Reminds me of those movies that are so horrible that they're actually quite enjoyable. Much like Jesus Christ Vampire Slayer (which I've never seen but have heard things about) and Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus (yes, that is a legit movie. Don't believe me? I have a link). Also learned that Jane Austen, who spent quite a bit of time in Bath, hated the town. There was also talk about a architects and people in the area with certain reputations.
There was a series of fancy townhouses that I tried to snap a picture of before the camera actually died. As in, refused to turn on and acknowledge the low battery level after that point. One of the townhouses had a lemon yellow door. Apparently, years and years ago, the woman who lived there painted it yellow. Her neighbors and the city council didn't approve that they took it to court. The case went all the way up to the hightest court in the UK, which then decreed that she can have her yellow door if she wanted a yellow door. It's been yellow ever since, even after she died.
A legend on the healing powers of Bath's hot spring:
There was once a man destined to become a councilman for court. However, he acquired leprosy so he was forced to become a lowly pig shepherd in the countryside (before Bath was built). His pigs eventually acquired the disease themselves. One day, they started playing in the mud surrounding the hot spring. This man used acorns to lure the pigs out of the mud. When they emerged, he realized that they were cured of their leprosy. So he took a bath in the waters and was himself cured as well. Then he went on to fulfill his destiny as a councilman.
Of course, that's just a very old legend.
We got a free glass of water from the hot springs at a really fancy restaurant called The Pump Room with purchase of our museum ticket. We waited a while for the water and when it did come, it was warm and not very good. But I still drank half a glass because I didn't think it was as bad as Devon made it out to be. All I needed was one of those oliver crackers (or whatever they were called) and my systems would have been cleared and healed! (according to ancient healing tradition)
Devon also kept complaining about the weather. Not sure how cool it was, but it was quite cool. She said it was Christmas weather and I said "Are you kidding? This isn't even close to cold!" She rolled her eyes. Then again, she is from San Antonio. I am from Madison (in a manner of speaking). Different climates.
Our bus for London left about quarter to two. This changed since I last told people because I didn't buy the bus ticket when I was supposed to. So we bought it when we got to Bath the previous day, before we found our hostel. Anyway, it was a good time to leave because there wasn't much else to see in the small town. Got into Victoria Station around 6p. Returned to the dorm and went to see if Oscar wanted to have dinner together.
Hung out with him for a while. We were invited to see The Social Network that night with Denise, Lynn, and Cieron. The theater was in Piccadilly Circus, which is a wonderful place at night. So many lights and tourists and the atmosphere is really fantastic. There was a small premiere thing going on, but we didn't know for what movie or anything. It cleared out a few minutes after we got there anyway, so we'll probably never know. Tickets to the movie were 10.50 pounds. Which is a LOT! The screen wasn't very big and the seats weren't stadium style like they are in Marcus Cinemas in the States. As always, there were 20 minutes of commercials before the movie actually started.
And that's how I learned that the founder of Facebook is a really big asshole. Pardon my language, but he is. In any case, it's a really good movie and I recommend it to anyone who wants a good movie. It kept me engaged in the happenings, I understood what was going on, but the only thing resolved was the court case. And I like that about it.
Ordered pizza with Oscar when we got back. Delicious pepperonni. Reminds me of home.
I was told by Ryan (who has long since returned to Syria) that you never stop missing your family and friends back home. That never goes away. He's been in Syria for all of a year now and he still misses his family. It's just something you come to live with. You talk with them when you can, you keep in touch, but you can still miss them.
I miss you Mom and Dad. I miss you when I sit in my room for two hours by myself blogging about my entire weekend. I miss you when I'm sitting on a coach bus and watching the stone cottages fly by because they remind me of fairy tales and if you saw them they will remind you of me. And I keep thinking about the coming day in January when I finally arrive in Minneapolis all jet-lagged and travel worn. And we'll lay in the hotel bed like we did before I left, the three of us snuggling together (and then getting tackled by Ryan and Adam -- it's a package deal I wouldn't trade for the world). But even though I'm across the world and having new experiences and making new friends, know that I still miss the close companionship of home and people who understand my subtle signs. I miss you and I love you.
I have another day ahead of me. I'm meeting with Becky to talk about travel plans in the coming months (she invited me to Rome!) and I have an entire essay to plan out for next week. Shit, I have an essay due in a week. You'll hear about that later today. Until then . . . [witty and cheesy closing line here].
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Spontaneious Shopping and Strangers
Today, I went to work and researched tapestry galleries. Felt like I didn't do much because it was really hard finding galleries displaying tapestries. But I managed to come up with a strategy to do it next week if it's what they want me to do when I come in next. We'll see, though.
After class, I took an unfamiliar bus that was supposed to stop at Tottenham Court Road. So I got off there and decided to walk to class. Except I saw a pasty shop on the way to class, so I bought a steak pasty. I waited until I was inside the building and nestled into my part of the wall before I ate it. I ate is slowly to enjoy it more. And it was good. Could have been hotter, but I blame the cold outside.
There is a guy in my class that came into the hallway and said "Darn, you beat me again!" Because I'm always the first one in class because I'm both paranoid and bored so I leave really early to get there really early. We had a nice chat. He brought some cookies, and actually called them cookies but he's British. He has such an American accent though! And dresses like one of those ghetto gangsters with a super baggy sweatshirt and the hat with the straight brim. But he's British. He doesn't know why he sounds American, but he does. He asked if I was American or Canadian. First time I had someone ask if I was Canadian. But I told him that he's not far. Wisconsin is almost on the Canadian border anyway.
I was talking with a Scottish guy in class during break, and of course it was the usual conversation. Only here a semester, going home in January, want to travel Finland and Sweden before I go. He said he knew a couple people in Finland and a bunch of people from Sweden. Told me to look them up on Facebook, friend them, explain my connection, and they should be all "Yeah, come a visit! We'll show you around!" My previous experiences with people that far north have been really positive, so I'm going to ask him for his name (so I can Friend him) and then ask for the names of his Swedish and Finish friends. Road trip is looking considerably cheaper but considerably more adventurous! (go me)
Walking home to the bus stop, I came across the store New Look, which Alysia described as being similar to Kohl's in the States. So I went in to check it out. Yeah, the prices were pretty decent. Decent enough to buy me a new watch (finally!!) and a present for Mom. Whether it's for her birthday or Christmas is yet to be determined. I figure I'll get her two things and the better one would be for Christmas. You're welcome, dear mother.
Still wandered around looking for my bus stop. So many buses stop at Oxford Circus that all the stops are sprawled within a three block radius. Managed to find myself by Hemley's Toy Store, which I walked past at first but then I turned right around. Why the hell not? I had thought to myself.
I swear, my eyes were as wide as the kid next to me. Seriously, five plus floors of toys, (TOYS) and games (GAMES)! Girls and Boys each have their own floor! Their own floor!! I figured they had to have Doctor Who something or other, so I looked around the boy's section and sure enough, there it was. A worker saw my age and my interest and asked which Doctor was mine. He displayed a giant box with all the doctors as action figures, and I said that I started with David Tennant. He gave me that "Oh, you're one of those people" and my look said "Yes, I am." I picked up the Eleventh Doctor's sonic screwdriver. Pricey, but I love it to death! My original thought was something along the lines of "Well, might as well now that I'm spending all this money." So glad I did!
On my way down, someone gave me a controller for this unique little care. The front wheels spun vertically so the car could do a bunch of nifty tricks against a wall and on the floor and all that. The guy was trying to sell it to me and I was just "Uh-huh, that's cool. Yes, that does sound versatile." A little boy and his dad walked up to observe, and before the sales man could attempt to sell it some more, I reached over to give the controller to the little kid. His father asked if I was really done, and I said yes, he can have it. The kid's eyes lit up so much! Like he was saying "I get to play with it? Really?" Yes, kid, really.
I'm totally going back to wander around when the Christmas season starts. That place must be AMAZING then.
Boarded another unfamiliar bus that was bound for Lambeth North. When I first got on, the machine wasn't reading my card. I thought it was my card's fault when a woman said "It's the machine, love, you don't have to do anything." I followed her to her seat and had the best conversation with a stranger I have ever had. It was mostly about me, but it was also about London and it's attractions and why the buses were better than the tubes and how I will go to Charing Cross Road one day for the book stores and a little bit of how I miss home mostly for the companionship of friends who've shared the best and the worst together, but I'll get back eventually. For now, I'm in LONDON. I told her I've been coming to Piccadilly Circus quite often recently and I've never been on the London Eye (she hasn't either and she's born and bred Londoner) but I can see it from the kitchen window. I told her about the Bloomsbury Festival, which she hasn't heard about before, and she told me about the Christmas market that goes on in Hyde Park. She said I've been doing a lot since coming here. When we parted, she wished me luck on my studies and best of luck on the rest of my time here. I told her to take care as well.
Best conversation with a stranger, ever.
Showed off my new toy to Oscar. He thought I was a loon, but you probably do too. Hung out with Denise, Lynn, and Oscar for a little bit. We were supposed to watch a movie, but they were waiting for Cieron and I had stuff to do (like pack) so I left when Oscar went to get some more food from the shop.
According to my plans, I should have been in bed an hour ago. But I still have to call my parents.
Expect the next post to be on Sunday night, and expect a really long one! You'll have three whole days to read up on when I come back (plus pictures), so at least you have something to look forward to.
After class, I took an unfamiliar bus that was supposed to stop at Tottenham Court Road. So I got off there and decided to walk to class. Except I saw a pasty shop on the way to class, so I bought a steak pasty. I waited until I was inside the building and nestled into my part of the wall before I ate it. I ate is slowly to enjoy it more. And it was good. Could have been hotter, but I blame the cold outside.
There is a guy in my class that came into the hallway and said "Darn, you beat me again!" Because I'm always the first one in class because I'm both paranoid and bored so I leave really early to get there really early. We had a nice chat. He brought some cookies, and actually called them cookies but he's British. He has such an American accent though! And dresses like one of those ghetto gangsters with a super baggy sweatshirt and the hat with the straight brim. But he's British. He doesn't know why he sounds American, but he does. He asked if I was American or Canadian. First time I had someone ask if I was Canadian. But I told him that he's not far. Wisconsin is almost on the Canadian border anyway.
I was talking with a Scottish guy in class during break, and of course it was the usual conversation. Only here a semester, going home in January, want to travel Finland and Sweden before I go. He said he knew a couple people in Finland and a bunch of people from Sweden. Told me to look them up on Facebook, friend them, explain my connection, and they should be all "Yeah, come a visit! We'll show you around!" My previous experiences with people that far north have been really positive, so I'm going to ask him for his name (so I can Friend him) and then ask for the names of his Swedish and Finish friends. Road trip is looking considerably cheaper but considerably more adventurous! (go me)
Walking home to the bus stop, I came across the store New Look, which Alysia described as being similar to Kohl's in the States. So I went in to check it out. Yeah, the prices were pretty decent. Decent enough to buy me a new watch (finally!!) and a present for Mom. Whether it's for her birthday or Christmas is yet to be determined. I figure I'll get her two things and the better one would be for Christmas. You're welcome, dear mother.
Still wandered around looking for my bus stop. So many buses stop at Oxford Circus that all the stops are sprawled within a three block radius. Managed to find myself by Hemley's Toy Store, which I walked past at first but then I turned right around. Why the hell not? I had thought to myself.
I swear, my eyes were as wide as the kid next to me. Seriously, five plus floors of toys, (TOYS) and games (GAMES)! Girls and Boys each have their own floor! Their own floor!! I figured they had to have Doctor Who something or other, so I looked around the boy's section and sure enough, there it was. A worker saw my age and my interest and asked which Doctor was mine. He displayed a giant box with all the doctors as action figures, and I said that I started with David Tennant. He gave me that "Oh, you're one of those people" and my look said "Yes, I am." I picked up the Eleventh Doctor's sonic screwdriver. Pricey, but I love it to death! My original thought was something along the lines of "Well, might as well now that I'm spending all this money." So glad I did!
On my way down, someone gave me a controller for this unique little care. The front wheels spun vertically so the car could do a bunch of nifty tricks against a wall and on the floor and all that. The guy was trying to sell it to me and I was just "Uh-huh, that's cool. Yes, that does sound versatile." A little boy and his dad walked up to observe, and before the sales man could attempt to sell it some more, I reached over to give the controller to the little kid. His father asked if I was really done, and I said yes, he can have it. The kid's eyes lit up so much! Like he was saying "I get to play with it? Really?" Yes, kid, really.
I'm totally going back to wander around when the Christmas season starts. That place must be AMAZING then.
Boarded another unfamiliar bus that was bound for Lambeth North. When I first got on, the machine wasn't reading my card. I thought it was my card's fault when a woman said "It's the machine, love, you don't have to do anything." I followed her to her seat and had the best conversation with a stranger I have ever had. It was mostly about me, but it was also about London and it's attractions and why the buses were better than the tubes and how I will go to Charing Cross Road one day for the book stores and a little bit of how I miss home mostly for the companionship of friends who've shared the best and the worst together, but I'll get back eventually. For now, I'm in LONDON. I told her I've been coming to Piccadilly Circus quite often recently and I've never been on the London Eye (she hasn't either and she's born and bred Londoner) but I can see it from the kitchen window. I told her about the Bloomsbury Festival, which she hasn't heard about before, and she told me about the Christmas market that goes on in Hyde Park. She said I've been doing a lot since coming here. When we parted, she wished me luck on my studies and best of luck on the rest of my time here. I told her to take care as well.
Best conversation with a stranger, ever.
Showed off my new toy to Oscar. He thought I was a loon, but you probably do too. Hung out with Denise, Lynn, and Oscar for a little bit. We were supposed to watch a movie, but they were waiting for Cieron and I had stuff to do (like pack) so I left when Oscar went to get some more food from the shop.
According to my plans, I should have been in bed an hour ago. But I still have to call my parents.
Expect the next post to be on Sunday night, and expect a really long one! You'll have three whole days to read up on when I come back (plus pictures), so at least you have something to look forward to.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Nighttime Sharpens, Heightens Each Sensation . . .
Woke up this morning. Went to work. Lunch included leftover sweet and sour beef from the other night and some cucumber slices. Also brought a candy bar with me, but I didn't eat it all day. Also went to the post office. Felt less incompetent than last time by a lot. Guy was also friendlier. I think there's a correlation.
Left work about five minutes early because I finished my task and Pheobe said I could. Arrived in Piccadilly Circus, debated taking the bus to Haymarket, but why? It's right around the corner! So I walked instead. Ben bailed on the show, but two girls named Hattie and Melissa invited themselves instead. I didn't mind. I guess Americans are less polite when it comes to stuff like that. Last night, when Ben asked if he could come, he said "I know this is rude, but can I come too?" They learn manners differently over here. Or maybe I'm just really chill?
Ate dinner at a Pizza Express. Seen them all over and first time in one. Really good pizza.
Her Majesty's Theater is the perfect place for the Phantom because it has that 19th century, gaudy and extravagant look. The lighting isn't the greatest. Mel made the comment that it was kind of eerie. I loved it, though. Suits the show very well. The theater itself isn't very large, from what I saw. Reminded me of the Grand Opera House in Oshkosh in terms of size and style. Lots of red. Red carpet, red walls, gold details. The illusion of being rich.
As for the show itself . . . .
Of course it was amazing. I smiled when things were getting good because I knew what was going to happen and because I love the drama of seeing it live. I prefer the stage show to the movie, but I'm most familiar with the original London cast recording. With this in mind, I thought that some of the slower tempo'd music in the soundtrack was sped up slightly for the stage. But that could be because there's a bit more freedom with a recording studio in terms of what can all be pulled together than on stage, where everything is live.
Caught a missed line on Raoul's part. In the first act, after the "Music of the Night" number, when he bursts into the manager's office he repeated "I want an answer" instead of saying "I mean Miss Daae" and then saying "I want an answer". (Inner geek, meet world.)
The second thing was the woman who played Christine, an actress from Portugal. I knew English wasn't her first language because of the way she sang and spoke. It's a good accent, but you can just tell, you know? Also, her acting. There was a lot of bending over on her part, as if every time something bad was happening she was kicked in the gut. I don't remember Christine bending over in fear that often. Or it could be I want Christine to be afraid but not act like she was abused by this guy. You know? I want the fear, not the over dramatization. Otherwise, she was pretty decent. It took a bit for me to warm up to her voice.
Also, the audience didn't jump very high when the chandelier fell. I remember that happening at the PAC. Literally, the entire first floor jumped a mile when the chandelier fell. Had my heart going.
Our seats were on the ground floor below the higher levels, so we didn't get to see how high the theater reached. Only saw a bit of the chandelier's ascent as well. It was a bit of a strain to see the top of the proscenium, but you could still see it. Otherwise, they were really good seats for 40 pounds. Or maybe that's an average price? Not sure.
Also had a head block a portion of stage left for me. Grr.
And now I'm home and realizing that I have one day until I leave for the weekend. I don't plan on having free Internet access during the weekend, so tomorrow will be my last blog until Sunday night. I'll be sure to update my location in the corner for your convenience.
On a side note, I told Hattie that I think of the Phantom's title song "The Music of the Night" as being an orgasm in a song. She said she didn't expect that kind of comment from me. But really. It's the "Music of the Night". And the passion you see on stage. It's just so . . . beautiful. *swoon*
Left work about five minutes early because I finished my task and Pheobe said I could. Arrived in Piccadilly Circus, debated taking the bus to Haymarket, but why? It's right around the corner! So I walked instead. Ben bailed on the show, but two girls named Hattie and Melissa invited themselves instead. I didn't mind. I guess Americans are less polite when it comes to stuff like that. Last night, when Ben asked if he could come, he said "I know this is rude, but can I come too?" They learn manners differently over here. Or maybe I'm just really chill?
Ate dinner at a Pizza Express. Seen them all over and first time in one. Really good pizza.
Her Majesty's Theater is the perfect place for the Phantom because it has that 19th century, gaudy and extravagant look. The lighting isn't the greatest. Mel made the comment that it was kind of eerie. I loved it, though. Suits the show very well. The theater itself isn't very large, from what I saw. Reminded me of the Grand Opera House in Oshkosh in terms of size and style. Lots of red. Red carpet, red walls, gold details. The illusion of being rich.
As for the show itself . . . .
Of course it was amazing. I smiled when things were getting good because I knew what was going to happen and because I love the drama of seeing it live. I prefer the stage show to the movie, but I'm most familiar with the original London cast recording. With this in mind, I thought that some of the slower tempo'd music in the soundtrack was sped up slightly for the stage. But that could be because there's a bit more freedom with a recording studio in terms of what can all be pulled together than on stage, where everything is live.
Caught a missed line on Raoul's part. In the first act, after the "Music of the Night" number, when he bursts into the manager's office he repeated "I want an answer" instead of saying "I mean Miss Daae" and then saying "I want an answer". (Inner geek, meet world.)
The second thing was the woman who played Christine, an actress from Portugal. I knew English wasn't her first language because of the way she sang and spoke. It's a good accent, but you can just tell, you know? Also, her acting. There was a lot of bending over on her part, as if every time something bad was happening she was kicked in the gut. I don't remember Christine bending over in fear that often. Or it could be I want Christine to be afraid but not act like she was abused by this guy. You know? I want the fear, not the over dramatization. Otherwise, she was pretty decent. It took a bit for me to warm up to her voice.
Also, the audience didn't jump very high when the chandelier fell. I remember that happening at the PAC. Literally, the entire first floor jumped a mile when the chandelier fell. Had my heart going.
Our seats were on the ground floor below the higher levels, so we didn't get to see how high the theater reached. Only saw a bit of the chandelier's ascent as well. It was a bit of a strain to see the top of the proscenium, but you could still see it. Otherwise, they were really good seats for 40 pounds. Or maybe that's an average price? Not sure.
Also had a head block a portion of stage left for me. Grr.
And now I'm home and realizing that I have one day until I leave for the weekend. I don't plan on having free Internet access during the weekend, so tomorrow will be my last blog until Sunday night. I'll be sure to update my location in the corner for your convenience.
On a side note, I told Hattie that I think of the Phantom's title song "The Music of the Night" as being an orgasm in a song. She said she didn't expect that kind of comment from me. But really. It's the "Music of the Night". And the passion you see on stage. It's just so . . . beautiful. *swoon*
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Small Things Make Life Nice
Today, I realized that I had a lot of homework to do. I also realized that only one thing is due in October. Which led me to believe that I had a lot of reading to do. Which is hard because all the readings are online, on a thing called Blackboard (which resembles Learn@UW in a way) that suffers from lots and lots of problems. One of these days, I'll learn to save all the readings on my computer to read at me leisure. One day, I will learn.
After Creative Writing About London, went shopping to a store called Top Shop with Shannon and Ana. We complained about the prices, but I found a few earrings that were pretty decent. Didn't buy them, though. Somehow, we got separated in the store and I spent a while looking for them. Then it was twenty to two and I figured they were both gone to their next class. So I left for my next class.
Caught a take away sandwich at a place called Mustard Cafe around the corner from the Regent Campus. The dude serving me knew I was American because of the way I sounded and because I didn't want mayonnaise on my sandwich. What is it with Britians and mayonnaise? He joked that his American accent wasn't very good at all. His co-worker teased saying he was American. But he was South American, which isn't the same thing. It was a good laugh. Got the same treatment a week earlier from another small sandwich shop. Must go to more small sandwich shops. They were nice enough to let me leave for a few minutes so I can get some cash from a cash machine (ATM to you). They didn't accept cards. Left the shop feeling chirper.
Spent the internship class going over the class objectives because no one seems to understand them. Ugh. Can't you just accept the fact that you have to take this class? It's not like you're doing any work anyway.
During the break between the lecture and seminar, I went to the vending machine to get a candy bar. I was debating between a Twirl and a Yorkie; both were very tempting. The Yorkie because of the giant "NOT FOR GIRLS" written along the side, and the Twirl because there was one hanging out and I thought I would get two. So I got two Twirl bars. Delicious!
After seminar, which just a bunch of discussion about our personal experiences on the internship, I went to Devon's room to finish booking for the weekend. Once again, my card was locked because my bank doesn't know I'm in the UK. It's not like I've been spending money over here for the past month or so. Devon booked the bus, failed at the hostel, and I said I would take care of it when I got home -- she should really get going if she was going to make that play.
Bus ride was long. There's lots of traffic going through Piccadilly Circus at night. Then we had to go buy Parliament Square, which is just as crowded. Felt like I had a long day when I got home. Which I guess I did. Made pizza for dinner and had to deal with crappy Internet. So I restarted my computer because I wasn't going to wait anymore. Internet has been normal as it usually is ever since. Which is still kind of crappy, but hey. At least I have Internet.
A boy named Ben came by to say "hi". I told him I was booking hostels and I lost my free Gold Card that came with the room. He gave me his because he wasn't using it. So I activated his under my name and now I don't have to pay any booking fees for hostels on Hostelworld.com for a whole year. Score! Also, since Ben is from Oxford, he told me about a bunch of places to visit when I'm there. A lot are restaurants and pubs, but at least I know what's nice now. Also said Bath was beautiful. Lots of hills, but beautiful.
He left to hang with friends, but came back a few minutes later looking kind of sheepish and with Hattie. He asked if he could come with us to the Phantom of the Opera tomorrow. I said I didn't mind, of course he could come! Then we planned to meet at Her Majesty's Theatre at 6p, buy the tickets, catch dinner, and then be back for the show. Can't wait for tomorrow! It'll be a REALLY long day tomorrow, but I'll be sure to blog before I collapse back into my bed for the night. Don't worry.
Called Mom and told her about how I sorted out my bank matters. They flagged my account until January. I'll be sure to call them whenever I'm traveling out of the UK. Two weeks notice. Must remember this!
Currently jamming to some tunes I got from good friend Jessica when I went to Ann Arbor last August. Made a list of things to take this weekend. Will sort out my bag for tomorrow and then get ready for bed. Early and long day tomorrow!
After Creative Writing About London, went shopping to a store called Top Shop with Shannon and Ana. We complained about the prices, but I found a few earrings that were pretty decent. Didn't buy them, though. Somehow, we got separated in the store and I spent a while looking for them. Then it was twenty to two and I figured they were both gone to their next class. So I left for my next class.
Caught a take away sandwich at a place called Mustard Cafe around the corner from the Regent Campus. The dude serving me knew I was American because of the way I sounded and because I didn't want mayonnaise on my sandwich. What is it with Britians and mayonnaise? He joked that his American accent wasn't very good at all. His co-worker teased saying he was American. But he was South American, which isn't the same thing. It was a good laugh. Got the same treatment a week earlier from another small sandwich shop. Must go to more small sandwich shops. They were nice enough to let me leave for a few minutes so I can get some cash from a cash machine (ATM to you). They didn't accept cards. Left the shop feeling chirper.
Spent the internship class going over the class objectives because no one seems to understand them. Ugh. Can't you just accept the fact that you have to take this class? It's not like you're doing any work anyway.
During the break between the lecture and seminar, I went to the vending machine to get a candy bar. I was debating between a Twirl and a Yorkie; both were very tempting. The Yorkie because of the giant "NOT FOR GIRLS" written along the side, and the Twirl because there was one hanging out and I thought I would get two. So I got two Twirl bars. Delicious!
After seminar, which just a bunch of discussion about our personal experiences on the internship, I went to Devon's room to finish booking for the weekend. Once again, my card was locked because my bank doesn't know I'm in the UK. It's not like I've been spending money over here for the past month or so. Devon booked the bus, failed at the hostel, and I said I would take care of it when I got home -- she should really get going if she was going to make that play.
Bus ride was long. There's lots of traffic going through Piccadilly Circus at night. Then we had to go buy Parliament Square, which is just as crowded. Felt like I had a long day when I got home. Which I guess I did. Made pizza for dinner and had to deal with crappy Internet. So I restarted my computer because I wasn't going to wait anymore. Internet has been normal as it usually is ever since. Which is still kind of crappy, but hey. At least I have Internet.
A boy named Ben came by to say "hi". I told him I was booking hostels and I lost my free Gold Card that came with the room. He gave me his because he wasn't using it. So I activated his under my name and now I don't have to pay any booking fees for hostels on Hostelworld.com for a whole year. Score! Also, since Ben is from Oxford, he told me about a bunch of places to visit when I'm there. A lot are restaurants and pubs, but at least I know what's nice now. Also said Bath was beautiful. Lots of hills, but beautiful.
He left to hang with friends, but came back a few minutes later looking kind of sheepish and with Hattie. He asked if he could come with us to the Phantom of the Opera tomorrow. I said I didn't mind, of course he could come! Then we planned to meet at Her Majesty's Theatre at 6p, buy the tickets, catch dinner, and then be back for the show. Can't wait for tomorrow! It'll be a REALLY long day tomorrow, but I'll be sure to blog before I collapse back into my bed for the night. Don't worry.
Called Mom and told her about how I sorted out my bank matters. They flagged my account until January. I'll be sure to call them whenever I'm traveling out of the UK. Two weeks notice. Must remember this!
Currently jamming to some tunes I got from good friend Jessica when I went to Ann Arbor last August. Made a list of things to take this weekend. Will sort out my bag for tomorrow and then get ready for bed. Early and long day tomorrow!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Double Whammy
Alright folks. You get a double-whopper today because the Internet was screwy last night and I couldn't post pictures. This wasn't going to be blogged without pictures. The first day is yesterday, Sunday, and the day after was today, Monday.
~~~
10 Oct -- Today, I woke up, I ate, I talked with my mom, I blogged, I took a shower, and then I put on the last outfit available to me: my nice dress. You know, the black one with the white and blue and green pattern. The empire waist and the square neckline? Mom, you know. I've worn it before. Good thing was: I got lots of compliments on it. Second good thing: I wore it to St. Paul's Cathedral for a service.
That's right. I actually went to church on a Sunday. Good for me.
Also, St. Paul's Cathedral. Unfortunately, no pictures could be taken while inside the cathedral, and I made no attempt to do so because it just seemed rude. Also, I was with a group of others who weren't sneaking cameras out of their bags, so I would have felt mean and bad doing so myself. They're really nice people.
The service was beautiful. We went to hear the choir sing. The choir was beautiful and amazing and I wish I could have recorded it to post it here but that wasn't allowed. The ushers were really nice and asked if everyone was from the same place in Denmark, and we said "Yes, we are." (I, of course, blended in perfectly with my Scandinavian skin and wonderful fashion sense so I at least passed as a real Dane). I got a program for the service, and it's going in my souvenirs folder along with a couple postcards of note, maps of museums, and other miscellanae from all over.
The group we met up with all study psychology at a University in Denmark. This is the same university Marianne, Syrie, Camina, and Nina study at. So of course all of them were there plus about seven to ten other girls. (The boy:girl ratio at the university isn't very good. In a class of 75, only 11 are male.) We went in, we sat, we admired the fancy walls and the dome, we listened to the choir, I fell in love with how the sermons and readings were read by the priests. They were seriously good readers. Articulated every word and spoke slowly. They were probably trained for audiobooks or something.
We decided to walk back (after taking the tube over there). Unfortunately, the Internet isn't allowing me to post the pictures here. But I do have pictures of the following:
- A funky street robot that gave a thumbs up when you gave it money:
- The Tate Modern from a distance:
- The London Bridge from the Millennium Bridge:
- St. Paul's from across the bridge:
Got home, ate pizza on a baguette, did laundry, talked to Sarah, and then realized that lease-signing season in Madison is coming up and I don't have a roommate for next year. I sent a mass message to a lot of people I know in Madison, so hopefully I find someone. If not, I'll just have to bum sublets my entire 4th year. Which would be a bummer. But I'll figure something out. If I don't, I'll bug people so they'll never hear the end of it. Mwahahaha!
Edinburgh news: Devon brought to my attention that it'll be cheaper to go on a later weekend. I had already switched my hours at Blackdog, but I hope I can do it again. I, personally, don't see a reason why it would be a problem, but I don't know everything about Blackdog just yet. Devon and I are going to sit down and seriously plan this tomorrow before class. Hopefully, I'll come home with solid travel plans not only for Edinburgh but also for this weekend. I wanted to start traveling earlier than this, but I guess the only thing to do is adjust. Talking with Devon tomorrow about travel plans. I'll update you how it goes.
~~~
11 Oct -- This morning, I went to work as per usual. Something happened on the bus line so I could only travel 2/3 of the journey by bus, so I walked the rest of the way to Blackdog. It was a nice walk. I learned a bit more about London getting-around.
Got to work and sent an email to Marianne asking about possibly switching hours for more weekends, hinting that it wouldn't happen often. She replied "Talk to Phoebe and Tom before submitting a request. Give us a few weeks notice. Also, don't make this a habit" in nicer terms but the general idea is still there. This means I won't be bringing up the subject until November. Indeed.
Went straight to Harrow after the half day at work and ate lunch and waited for Devon by mostly completing the newspaper sudoku and crossword. Our plans include taking a bus on Friday to Oxford, spending the night there, taking a bus to Bath, spending the night there, and then going to Stonehenge on Sunday and finding our way back to London from there. I hope it's cheap. We'll be booking the bus to Oxford and hostels in a few minutes. I'm waiting for her to get online.
Watched North by Northwest in class today. Also got rid of my left contact today. It was being a pain so I rubbed it and it came out. And I wasn't going to put it back in because it's at the last of its life. So I watched the movie half-blind. Still understood it, though. Came out of the theater feeling chirper than the average lecture.
At home, made sweet and sour beef with the sweet and sour sauce I bought last grocery run. Tomorrow, I need to buy more bread. I really am out.
Devon and I finished booking buses as I ate. We're booking hostels tomorrow after our internship class. So I'm going to have to remember my computer again tomorrow as I go out into the city. Also have to remember to return the book I borrowed from the Regent library too. Perhaps I'll return one book, and read what I gotta read for class while still there. Sounds like a plan.
Will also have to check out Charing Cross really soon. I Googled bookstores in London and there are a LOT on Charing Cross (props to Mr. Bowen for the tip -- THANK YOU).
Weekend plans:
-Friday, Oxford
-Saturday/Sunday, Bath and Stonehenge
Will talk about weekend to Edinburgh. Still looking for buddies for Prague and Brussels. But I'll get there.
~~~
10 Oct -- Today, I woke up, I ate, I talked with my mom, I blogged, I took a shower, and then I put on the last outfit available to me: my nice dress. You know, the black one with the white and blue and green pattern. The empire waist and the square neckline? Mom, you know. I've worn it before. Good thing was: I got lots of compliments on it. Second good thing: I wore it to St. Paul's Cathedral for a service.
That's right. I actually went to church on a Sunday. Good for me.
Also, St. Paul's Cathedral. Unfortunately, no pictures could be taken while inside the cathedral, and I made no attempt to do so because it just seemed rude. Also, I was with a group of others who weren't sneaking cameras out of their bags, so I would have felt mean and bad doing so myself. They're really nice people.
The service was beautiful. We went to hear the choir sing. The choir was beautiful and amazing and I wish I could have recorded it to post it here but that wasn't allowed. The ushers were really nice and asked if everyone was from the same place in Denmark, and we said "Yes, we are." (I, of course, blended in perfectly with my Scandinavian skin and wonderful fashion sense so I at least passed as a real Dane). I got a program for the service, and it's going in my souvenirs folder along with a couple postcards of note, maps of museums, and other miscellanae from all over.
The group we met up with all study psychology at a University in Denmark. This is the same university Marianne, Syrie, Camina, and Nina study at. So of course all of them were there plus about seven to ten other girls. (The boy:girl ratio at the university isn't very good. In a class of 75, only 11 are male.) We went in, we sat, we admired the fancy walls and the dome, we listened to the choir, I fell in love with how the sermons and readings were read by the priests. They were seriously good readers. Articulated every word and spoke slowly. They were probably trained for audiobooks or something.
We decided to walk back (after taking the tube over there). Unfortunately, the Internet isn't allowing me to post the pictures here. But I do have pictures of the following:
- A funky street robot that gave a thumbs up when you gave it money:
- The Tate Modern from a distance:
- The London Bridge from the Millennium Bridge:
- St. Paul's from across the bridge:
Got home, ate pizza on a baguette, did laundry, talked to Sarah, and then realized that lease-signing season in Madison is coming up and I don't have a roommate for next year. I sent a mass message to a lot of people I know in Madison, so hopefully I find someone. If not, I'll just have to bum sublets my entire 4th year. Which would be a bummer. But I'll figure something out. If I don't, I'll bug people so they'll never hear the end of it. Mwahahaha!
Edinburgh news: Devon brought to my attention that it'll be cheaper to go on a later weekend. I had already switched my hours at Blackdog, but I hope I can do it again. I, personally, don't see a reason why it would be a problem, but I don't know everything about Blackdog just yet. Devon and I are going to sit down and seriously plan this tomorrow before class. Hopefully, I'll come home with solid travel plans not only for Edinburgh but also for this weekend. I wanted to start traveling earlier than this, but I guess the only thing to do is adjust. Talking with Devon tomorrow about travel plans. I'll update you how it goes.
~~~
11 Oct -- This morning, I went to work as per usual. Something happened on the bus line so I could only travel 2/3 of the journey by bus, so I walked the rest of the way to Blackdog. It was a nice walk. I learned a bit more about London getting-around.
Got to work and sent an email to Marianne asking about possibly switching hours for more weekends, hinting that it wouldn't happen often. She replied "Talk to Phoebe and Tom before submitting a request. Give us a few weeks notice. Also, don't make this a habit" in nicer terms but the general idea is still there. This means I won't be bringing up the subject until November. Indeed.
Went straight to Harrow after the half day at work and ate lunch and waited for Devon by mostly completing the newspaper sudoku and crossword. Our plans include taking a bus on Friday to Oxford, spending the night there, taking a bus to Bath, spending the night there, and then going to Stonehenge on Sunday and finding our way back to London from there. I hope it's cheap. We'll be booking the bus to Oxford and hostels in a few minutes. I'm waiting for her to get online.
Watched North by Northwest in class today. Also got rid of my left contact today. It was being a pain so I rubbed it and it came out. And I wasn't going to put it back in because it's at the last of its life. So I watched the movie half-blind. Still understood it, though. Came out of the theater feeling chirper than the average lecture.
At home, made sweet and sour beef with the sweet and sour sauce I bought last grocery run. Tomorrow, I need to buy more bread. I really am out.
Devon and I finished booking buses as I ate. We're booking hostels tomorrow after our internship class. So I'm going to have to remember my computer again tomorrow as I go out into the city. Also have to remember to return the book I borrowed from the Regent library too. Perhaps I'll return one book, and read what I gotta read for class while still there. Sounds like a plan.
Will also have to check out Charing Cross really soon. I Googled bookstores in London and there are a LOT on Charing Cross (props to Mr. Bowen for the tip -- THANK YOU).
Weekend plans:
-Friday, Oxford
-Saturday/Sunday, Bath and Stonehenge
Will talk about weekend to Edinburgh. Still looking for buddies for Prague and Brussels. But I'll get there.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Scandinavian Dinner Party (plus the one Irishman)
9 Oct -- Woke up early expecting to go to the market. So I just hung about my room for a long while until I started to wonder where Alice was. At about two o'clock I called my mom and we talked for a while. Afterwards, I went to knock on Alice's door. She was home and said that he had to catch up on work and do her laundry so she just didn't go. She also didn't feel like it because she had stuff to do. I said all right, come get me when you are really going to go.
Then I took a shower and went to bug Oscar, who was majorly hungover. So he didn't want to go shopping. Then I took a bit of a chance and knocked on Marianne's door. Marianne is from Norway and I met her a few times and our personalities seemed to mesh in just the right way, you know? I asked if she wanted to go shopping, and she said she was studying before a small dinner party she was having because a friend of hers was in town. And because we were getting along, I got my things to study myself and we studied in her room for a few hours.
Yes, I studied. Amazing!
I joined Marianne and Syria* to Tesco where they bought the materials for the dinner. While we were shopping, they asked if I wanted to join them for dinner. I said I would love to, thank you for asking! And we had a blast.
Dinner was at 8.30p and consisted of baked salmon and vegetables and some noodles. Kieron from Ireland was in the kitchen as it was cooking and he came back in after we finished eating. We gave him a glass of wine and the six of us talked for a while. Kamina left because she had to get some studying done, then it was the five of us and four bottles of wine.
The Irish are big drinkers but so are the Danish. Nina and Kamina are originally from Denmark, Syria and Marianne from Norway, Kieron from Ireland, and me the American. Every time Kieron finished his glass, Marianne reached over and refilled it. The wine was mostly gone by midnight, about the same time we thought we should get going if we were going to go out tonight. But no one made the effort to start leaving the table just yet. We were also depressed because London stops selling alcohol at 11:30p (which the Scandinavians complained about because stops doing everything so early compared to Denmark!). That was the time we needed more wine.
Sometime during the night, Oscar came in and wanted me and Kieron to join him in watching a sad movie in Lynn's room on the sixth floor. The movie was My Sister's Keeper and the ploy was that Kieron and I were to help him carry cushions and pillows to Lynn's room. Except, it could have easily been done with just two people. Kieron complained about carrying Oscar's stuffed T-Rex and his stuffed bee, which I could have easily carried up despite the blanket and couple pillows I had. We returned to the first floor kitchen because at that time, there was still wine to be drunk. Free wine for Kieron, I might add.
We talked about Danish politics and the wars we mostly learned about in each of our countries. Once the movie was done, Oscar joined us. He asked if the US felt like we bailed out the world, and I said no. There was the Depression, and then the isolationist way of thinking, and then Pearl Harbor, and that's how we got into the war. I told them about the conspiracy theory that Pearl Harbor was planned just so we can get into the war. I also told them that we fought on two fronts because there was the Japanese on the Pacific and we also sent over troops to Europe. But before that, we were trying to be neutral but we were really sending supplies to the Allies. Also, WWII is when women workers took over the factories because all the men were fighting. Oscar said, "Oh, you guys did that too." Yep, we did.
Also talked about the education system differences. In America, there's something graded almost every week that has to be done. In Britain, it's not the case but the quality of the work is higher than it is in the States. In Denmark, the work is more similar to the States in that there is more to do, but the quality is actually really high. So I would have been shocked if I went to Denmark for a semester instead of London. Comparing Denmark to London, there's not a lot to do, but the girls were keeping up their normal quality of work. Good for them.
We talked a little bit about religion. In that the Irish will declare being Catholic, but a vast majority of the population doesn't practice it. It's the same in Denmark but they're all Protestants. Although Nina and Kieron admitted to being atheist, Nina did say that she liked the idea of an all encompassing spirit or something. That idea can neither be proved or disproved. And then we talked about the reason of religion and why can't people just accept the fact that we don't know everything about the universe just yet. But wait, religion is a fine way to keep a community together.
And that somehow got us onto Hitler. Nina, Syria, Marianne, and assumably Kamina (though she was gone by this point) all study psychology. Nina would love to do a psychoanalysis on Hitler because he is a fascinating character. Yes, he was evil, but he could do so much with just his words. If we grew up during that time in that area, we might have been part of his followers.
And the conversation moved on from one topic to another like they always do. I left at around three in the morning because my eyes were bloodshot and I could barely keep myself awake. Part of it was the wine. I get sleepy when I get tipsy.
Woke up around 11a, good for me. Talk to you later!
* Truthfully, I don't know if this is how you spell her name. But it's spelled how it sounds to me, so that should be enough.
Then I took a shower and went to bug Oscar, who was majorly hungover. So he didn't want to go shopping. Then I took a bit of a chance and knocked on Marianne's door. Marianne is from Norway and I met her a few times and our personalities seemed to mesh in just the right way, you know? I asked if she wanted to go shopping, and she said she was studying before a small dinner party she was having because a friend of hers was in town. And because we were getting along, I got my things to study myself and we studied in her room for a few hours.
Yes, I studied. Amazing!
I joined Marianne and Syria* to Tesco where they bought the materials for the dinner. While we were shopping, they asked if I wanted to join them for dinner. I said I would love to, thank you for asking! And we had a blast.
Dinner was at 8.30p and consisted of baked salmon and vegetables and some noodles. Kieron from Ireland was in the kitchen as it was cooking and he came back in after we finished eating. We gave him a glass of wine and the six of us talked for a while. Kamina left because she had to get some studying done, then it was the five of us and four bottles of wine.
The Irish are big drinkers but so are the Danish. Nina and Kamina are originally from Denmark, Syria and Marianne from Norway, Kieron from Ireland, and me the American. Every time Kieron finished his glass, Marianne reached over and refilled it. The wine was mostly gone by midnight, about the same time we thought we should get going if we were going to go out tonight. But no one made the effort to start leaving the table just yet. We were also depressed because London stops selling alcohol at 11:30p (which the Scandinavians complained about because stops doing everything so early compared to Denmark!). That was the time we needed more wine.
Sometime during the night, Oscar came in and wanted me and Kieron to join him in watching a sad movie in Lynn's room on the sixth floor. The movie was My Sister's Keeper and the ploy was that Kieron and I were to help him carry cushions and pillows to Lynn's room. Except, it could have easily been done with just two people. Kieron complained about carrying Oscar's stuffed T-Rex and his stuffed bee, which I could have easily carried up despite the blanket and couple pillows I had. We returned to the first floor kitchen because at that time, there was still wine to be drunk. Free wine for Kieron, I might add.
We talked about Danish politics and the wars we mostly learned about in each of our countries. Once the movie was done, Oscar joined us. He asked if the US felt like we bailed out the world, and I said no. There was the Depression, and then the isolationist way of thinking, and then Pearl Harbor, and that's how we got into the war. I told them about the conspiracy theory that Pearl Harbor was planned just so we can get into the war. I also told them that we fought on two fronts because there was the Japanese on the Pacific and we also sent over troops to Europe. But before that, we were trying to be neutral but we were really sending supplies to the Allies. Also, WWII is when women workers took over the factories because all the men were fighting. Oscar said, "Oh, you guys did that too." Yep, we did.
Also talked about the education system differences. In America, there's something graded almost every week that has to be done. In Britain, it's not the case but the quality of the work is higher than it is in the States. In Denmark, the work is more similar to the States in that there is more to do, but the quality is actually really high. So I would have been shocked if I went to Denmark for a semester instead of London. Comparing Denmark to London, there's not a lot to do, but the girls were keeping up their normal quality of work. Good for them.
We talked a little bit about religion. In that the Irish will declare being Catholic, but a vast majority of the population doesn't practice it. It's the same in Denmark but they're all Protestants. Although Nina and Kieron admitted to being atheist, Nina did say that she liked the idea of an all encompassing spirit or something. That idea can neither be proved or disproved. And then we talked about the reason of religion and why can't people just accept the fact that we don't know everything about the universe just yet. But wait, religion is a fine way to keep a community together.
And that somehow got us onto Hitler. Nina, Syria, Marianne, and assumably Kamina (though she was gone by this point) all study psychology. Nina would love to do a psychoanalysis on Hitler because he is a fascinating character. Yes, he was evil, but he could do so much with just his words. If we grew up during that time in that area, we might have been part of his followers.
And the conversation moved on from one topic to another like they always do. I left at around three in the morning because my eyes were bloodshot and I could barely keep myself awake. Part of it was the wine. I get sleepy when I get tipsy.
Woke up around 11a, good for me. Talk to you later!
* Truthfully, I don't know if this is how you spell her name. But it's spelled how it sounds to me, so that should be enough.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Paying in cash always makes me feel like an idiot
Once again, I got to work fifteen minutes early this morning. I'm so early, there's no one in the office yet. I even made a detour to get a tasty pastry at the Costa around the corner. A tasty pasty indeed. I sat on some steps and om om'd away until a silver Toyota pulls up in front of Blackdog. I start in surprise to find that Duncan, the CEO of the place, was riding in the back seat. He had a driver drive him to his place of work! Not sure how much he gets paid, but damn man! He preceded to pull out children's toys from the trunk of the car. It's apparently his young son's birthday party today. Aww.
Spent the day toiling away at scanning text and reading it to make sure it translated correctly. Lunch was leftover pesto pasta from last night including the piece of cheesy bread I didn't eat. Since there wasn't a microwave, I heated up the pasta on the stove and used the oven to heat the bread. Burnt my hand getting the bread out. When I finished eating and washing up my dishes, Marianne taught me some burn treatment tricks.
Burn treatments:
- dip burn in milk instead of water
- when milk isn't available, use lukewarm water
- it's important to keep the burn moist and cool
- feminine products are really good for bullet wounds (this she learned in Australia, where she's originally from)
Was also sent to the post office today. On the way there, a section of sidewalk was taken over by a group of protesters who wanted human rights somewhere in the world. I think it was the Congo because Marianne said that they do that on occasion. There were policemen keeping them contained in an area but not imposing on their right to free speech. Marianne also said that if you look around the corner, you see back up policemen crouching down and reading to keep the riot contained if it ever gets that bad. I wasn't looking. And everything Marianne said to me about those protesters I learned when I returned from the post office.
At the post office, I felt very incompetent because I was fumbling with change (can almost tell a twenty pence from a ten pence from a fifty pence!) and I wasn't sure what to do next with the letters. I would think that if someone looked that incompetent or had such a dubious look on their faces, the worker would be more inclined to help them. Apparently not. I had the feeling she rolled her eyes once or twice. Either way, I was glad to be done with it.
Then it was back to work where I learned that I can, indeed, take next week Friday off and split up the hours between Monday and Thursday. Which means no late nights on Sunday. I can live with that. When Monday happens, I'll have to check with Marianne to see if it could happen again sometime in November. No exact dates for my next trip yet, but I'll be planning!
Checked out a couple bargain bookstores on my way home. Both were entitled Bargain Books and both looked to be different branches of the same store. Liked the second branch more because there was a section of classics and they were mostly classics I want to read. What made it even better was that ALL the books in the ENTIRE shop were two pounds each. TWO POUNDS A BOOK!!! Such a steal! (That's roughly $4!)
Attempted to make a picture journey of the bus ride back to Lambeth North. Instead, the pictures turned out blurry and I got distracted by today's Evening Standard because Matt Smith was in the corner. (Matt Smith = current Doctor Who)
Made sweet and sour chicken on the stove when I got home. This was a meal from Iceland. You could either use the stove or the microwave, and I decided to use the stove. Halfway through cooking, Vanessa comes in and tells me I can use the microwave, it's much faster. I told her that I knew that and that I wanted to use the stove. One of these days, I'm going to tell her "If I wanted to use the [more convenient method], I'll use it." And it's going to sound as snappish as it's written.
Then I cleaned my room. Yes, that's right. You read me right. There's less clutter, I actually threw away the trash, and now I'm really annoyed about a stain in the corner of my desk. It's sticky and still wet and I would like it gone now. Also, there were a couple newspaper articles that were too funny to throw away (like the one about the thieves chased onto a roof and then got stuck waiting for a fire truck's cherry picker to get them down and the other one about a millionaire who ran off a cliff on his segway). I cut them out and they're now nestled in my "Souvenirs" folder. I also started decorating the area around my world map. Here, take a look:
There's a giant advertisement for Wicked in the paper. The dude in the corner of the map is the Matt Smith that distracted me today. The postcard is a generic postcard from London surrounded by a Tube travel card and a bus ticket. The red poppy in the corner was for the children. Yes, I did charity work in London.
Also today, I made plans with neighbor Hattie to see The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theater on Wednesday. Which means I did not think things through because I have to work the next day. Oh well, it'll be worth it. So worth it!! We're going to figure out tickets, but we figure they'll be cheaper than the website I found online. We hope. Repayment will happen in cash.
Goals next week:
- The Phantom of the Opera stage show
- leave for Edinburgh on Friday
Spent the day toiling away at scanning text and reading it to make sure it translated correctly. Lunch was leftover pesto pasta from last night including the piece of cheesy bread I didn't eat. Since there wasn't a microwave, I heated up the pasta on the stove and used the oven to heat the bread. Burnt my hand getting the bread out. When I finished eating and washing up my dishes, Marianne taught me some burn treatment tricks.
Burn treatments:
- dip burn in milk instead of water
- when milk isn't available, use lukewarm water
- it's important to keep the burn moist and cool
- feminine products are really good for bullet wounds (this she learned in Australia, where she's originally from)
Was also sent to the post office today. On the way there, a section of sidewalk was taken over by a group of protesters who wanted human rights somewhere in the world. I think it was the Congo because Marianne said that they do that on occasion. There were policemen keeping them contained in an area but not imposing on their right to free speech. Marianne also said that if you look around the corner, you see back up policemen crouching down and reading to keep the riot contained if it ever gets that bad. I wasn't looking. And everything Marianne said to me about those protesters I learned when I returned from the post office.
At the post office, I felt very incompetent because I was fumbling with change (can almost tell a twenty pence from a ten pence from a fifty pence!) and I wasn't sure what to do next with the letters. I would think that if someone looked that incompetent or had such a dubious look on their faces, the worker would be more inclined to help them. Apparently not. I had the feeling she rolled her eyes once or twice. Either way, I was glad to be done with it.
Then it was back to work where I learned that I can, indeed, take next week Friday off and split up the hours between Monday and Thursday. Which means no late nights on Sunday. I can live with that. When Monday happens, I'll have to check with Marianne to see if it could happen again sometime in November. No exact dates for my next trip yet, but I'll be planning!
Checked out a couple bargain bookstores on my way home. Both were entitled Bargain Books and both looked to be different branches of the same store. Liked the second branch more because there was a section of classics and they were mostly classics I want to read. What made it even better was that ALL the books in the ENTIRE shop were two pounds each. TWO POUNDS A BOOK!!! Such a steal! (That's roughly $4!)
Attempted to make a picture journey of the bus ride back to Lambeth North. Instead, the pictures turned out blurry and I got distracted by today's Evening Standard because Matt Smith was in the corner. (Matt Smith = current Doctor Who)
Made sweet and sour chicken on the stove when I got home. This was a meal from Iceland. You could either use the stove or the microwave, and I decided to use the stove. Halfway through cooking, Vanessa comes in and tells me I can use the microwave, it's much faster. I told her that I knew that and that I wanted to use the stove. One of these days, I'm going to tell her "If I wanted to use the [more convenient method], I'll use it." And it's going to sound as snappish as it's written.
Then I cleaned my room. Yes, that's right. You read me right. There's less clutter, I actually threw away the trash, and now I'm really annoyed about a stain in the corner of my desk. It's sticky and still wet and I would like it gone now. Also, there were a couple newspaper articles that were too funny to throw away (like the one about the thieves chased onto a roof and then got stuck waiting for a fire truck's cherry picker to get them down and the other one about a millionaire who ran off a cliff on his segway). I cut them out and they're now nestled in my "Souvenirs" folder. I also started decorating the area around my world map. Here, take a look:
There's a giant advertisement for Wicked in the paper. The dude in the corner of the map is the Matt Smith that distracted me today. The postcard is a generic postcard from London surrounded by a Tube travel card and a bus ticket. The red poppy in the corner was for the children. Yes, I did charity work in London.
Also today, I made plans with neighbor Hattie to see The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theater on Wednesday. Which means I did not think things through because I have to work the next day. Oh well, it'll be worth it. So worth it!! We're going to figure out tickets, but we figure they'll be cheaper than the website I found online. We hope. Repayment will happen in cash.
Goals next week:
- The Phantom of the Opera stage show
- leave for Edinburgh on Friday
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