Thursday Walks

Today was such a productive day. (I feel like I start each entry with "Today..." - is that annoying?) Our whole group went through Westminster Abbey today with the audio tour, but before meeting the group there, Jordan, Rachel and I decided to start one of the walks that stops at the Abbey, so we could finish it up after. The bus ride down to the start of the walk took forever because it was in the real touristy part of London - a part we are hardly ever in thankfully. But the walk across the river to the Abbey was great. Once we got to Westminster we picked up our audio guides and spent almost two hours walking around and learning about all of the different chapels, tombs, and memorials found there. The men who work at the Abbey are also very helpful and know a lot of long, fairly interesting history about the building (we found that out on accident haha).

Before we finished the walk we had started earlier that morning, we decided to grab some lunch so we headed to Pizza Hut. Now I know you are probably thinking we are crazy for going to an American chain in London but it is such a different experience. You can reserve tables at Pizza Hut here!!! And the waiters wear all black with aprons, like something you might find at an Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill back home. The people there are interesting too. They are mostly business people in suits on their lunch break, or dates with semi-nice dress. Its just funny to watch. The food was delicious, but I guess we were also super hungry.

After lunch we finished our walk which took us by Westminster Palace (Parliament buildings) and back across the river to see some other old buildings. Then we decided to finish up another walk that took us from the Parliament area, through Trafalgar square and up to Buckingham Palace. Even though it was cloudy, it was a really pleasant day for walking.

We made it back to the Center in time for evensong and dinner and then headed back out to do a walk through "little Italy". Before today I didn't know that London had a canal that ran through it. I guess that is how most of the transporting was done before the tube and buses and all that. It was a nice evening and a really cute part of town that I bet most tourists don't get to see.

On our way home we stopped at the waffle shop again...I am officially obsessed. This time I got it with toffee on top. Oh so so good! :)

Things at the center are looking up. The internet has been working better lately and the hot water should be running tomorrow. I will get some pictures up of what it looks like (especially for you Jess...our dining hall is nothing like Hogwarts haha).

A Garden Wednesday

Today started with another two hours of class. This time it was European Fine Arts...with a major emphasis on London of course. Going to class in the same building that I eat and sleep in is a very different experience. Its funny to just walk down the stairs from my bedroom and find a classroom with desks and stuff. Its also quite convenient though, great for those rushed mornings.

After class Jordan, Rachel and I took the bus to Regent Park to do one of our required walks. It is a beautiful park and it was such a nice day. It was sunny and warm but not too warm where it was uncomfortable to walk around. I loved it. The park has tons of grass, great old trees, and beautiful gardens as well as a lake and a couple ponds you can go boating in. We walked around for a couple hours and just took in the beauty of it all. It is hard to find something like the parks they have here in the states.


Here are a few of the beautiful things we saw in Regent Park.

After the park we were pretty hungry so we found a Pret (very popular here) and ate some great sandwiches - to eat out of course...it costs a lot more to eat in. After lunch we went back to the center to rest for a little and read for our English Lit class. Soon it was dinner time which was followed by some more reading (look at us being so studious haha) and then a trip to one of the many waffle stores down the road. It turns out that waffles and pancakes for dessert are very popular here, with chocolate or ice cream on top. I got a waffle with melted white chocolate on top and it was so so good. It may be a new addiction.

We did a picture exchange today so there are a lot of good ones.

Walking in the rain.

Freezing by the Thames.

Loving the bus ride.

We are so used to the tube now.

In front of the Sherlock Holmes museum that we almost went in.

A London mosque seen from Regents Park.

The girls on a bridge over a lake in the park.

Our "London" faces.

In front of a fountain at the park.

Posing in the park.

I was really excited to get back to the apartment and eat my waffle.

The Adventures of Tuesday

I decided that if I am going to keep up with this one post a day thing I am definitely going to need some new clever names…so if you have any ideas, please let me know.

Anyway…today was my first day of English Lit. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a super hard class but there is a lot of reading to do. We are focusing on mysteries and reading a book a week, luckily most of them are shorter.

After class we headed out to see the Sherlock Holme’s museum – we were still in the mystery mood. We decided to take a bus because we want to see the streets of London and not just the nasty tube stops. It took a little longer but it was fun to look at all the shops and try to understand how the city connects together. Once we got to the museum and saw that it was 6 pounds to get in we decided it wasn’t really worth it so we explored the gift shop and then left. It was a little disappointing because it took us so long to get there but every trip is an adventure that turns out to be fun and exciting somehow.

From the Sherlock Holme’s museum we hopped on the tube to the Cabinet War rooms, which was also very hidden (they really need to mark some of these things better). They are way cool and I definitely suggest a visit for anyone who is visiting London anytime soon. They are where Churchill met with his cabinet of advisors and planned out the British strategy during the bombings of WWII. The best part is that they are left exactly as they were when the war ended…the workers got up and left and then 20 years later they were opened up in the exact same condition. They even found a guy’s sugar rations still in his desk drawer!

From the War Rooms we bused over to the Imperial War Museum and looked at the Holocaust exhibit which was also very very cool. It thought it was way interesting to look at a view of the Holocaust from a different country’s point of view. Because the IWM was so far away, we barely made it back in time for Evensong and Dinner, not good. We had to run from the tube stop to our flat. Now I know how Londoner’s feel when they are in a hurry and there are tourists everywhere!

After dinner the whole group went and saw an Arthur Miller play called a View from the Bridge. It was decent…I thought a couple parts were a little over acted but other than that it was a fun night out.

I think I am finally over jetlag and getting used to this schedule. I can’t believe I have only been here four days…I feel like I have done so much. I am excited for what tomorrow will bring (hopefully hot water and internet that works).

Pictures Pictures Pictures

Here are some pictures from the first couple of days.


Whitney and I on the tube the first day.

Walking in the rain. Gotta love umbrella days.

The crew standing outside the home of Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula. On random houses all over London they have these little blue circles that show where important people lived. They are way fun.

Cheesin outside of Picadilly Circus.

In front of the theater for stomp.

A Rainy Monday

Before today, London weather has been beautiful…sunny skies and warm temperatures. Today was different however – today was typical London weather. It was cold, wet, and grey all day. So today we decided to…go on a walk!

After an hour of class (for London walks) we took of to walk through Chelsea, the walk of the superstars. We saw the homes of many popular writers, painters, and poets, well, UK popular I guess because I only recognized a couple of them, but that’s ok. The only bad part was the rain…and the wind that came along with it. We took some really cute pictures though but they will be added later…when I get them. I have some more blisters because I decided to wear flip-flops to let my blisters from yesterday heal a bit…yeah, not such a good idea.

After the walk we found a nice English café and warmed up with some lunch and a warm apple strudel with custard. Yum. Then it was back out into the rain, this time to go back to the Center and change clothes. By this time the rain had let up a bit but we decided we were done with the outdoors, so we headed to one of my possible new favorites…the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is a gorgeous building and the rooms that I saw in my short time there were amazing. I can’t wait to go back and explore more…and it’s so close!

Dinner came after the V&A - delicious of course. Dinner and breakfast here are provided by the Schulers…they stay in the London Center and are kind of like our home family…but they are American. Its really good food though so we are lucky to have them.

After dinner it was off to Leicester Square to try and get student discount tickets to a show. We were successful in finding good seats for Stomp…a show very similar to Stomp Out Loud in Vegas. It was way fun but I am so so tired. I need to rest up for tomorrow, because the whole group is going to see a play in the afternoon, and I don’t really want to fall asleep…and snore. Anyway…things are going well here. Hopefully I will have pictures up soon.

Sunday in Hyde Park

Today we attended the Hyde Park ward because we don't have our callings in the wards yet. We got to walk across beautiful (well my feet didn't think it was so beautiful - so they protested with blisters) Hyde Park and be a part of a very diverse ward. During relief society we were challenged to list ten things we are grateful for. Since nothing else very exciting happened today I decided to share my list (its not in any order).

1. the gospel
2. my family
3. my education at BYU
4. the opportunities I have been given in life
5. my friends
6. the atonement
7. the Book of Mormon
8. missionaries
9. personal revelation
10. my testimony

Day One

After getting in from the airport around 2 in the afternoon we received our orientation by the director of the spring study abroad. I was put in room four (which takes a lot of stair climbing to get to) with 11 others girls. We have a bathroom on our floor with three showers but the catch is that the entire building has no hot water. The heater is broken and probably won't be fixed until next week. Needless to say I just finished to coldest shower of my life - but I guess that's all part of the experience. We were also given our kitchen duty assignments as well as some basic rules, and then we were let free until dinner.

After moving in a group of us did our first school assignment (yep! school) We did the first walk in our London Walk's book which just goes around the neighborhood we are staying in and explores the shopping and restaurants in our area. When we returned from the walk we joined the rest of our group for some turkey sandwiches for dinner, much needed after having only airport food for over 24 hours.

To keep from falling asleep at 5 in the afternoon, me and 5 others decided to take a ride on the tube to Buckingham Palace. After a short ride in the wrong direction, we were able to find our way and take some great touristy pictures. I know we are supposed to blend in but its kind - like really, how often do you see six teenage London girls going to Buckingham Palace on a Saturday night. Honestly.


See, I told you. Cheesy touristy picture at Buckingham Palace. The queen was in though!

So from the Palace we went one through St. James Park which was really nice, especially because today was so sunny. From there we found some cool looking buildings with some funny looking guards in front of them...so we took pictures of course. Unfortunately a lot of pictures from this excursion are on other people's cameras because we felt bad asking someone to take a picture for us with 6 different cameras...but they will be up here eventually.

Down the street from the funny looking guards (yeah we didn't really know where we were) we found the House of Parliament, which helped us orient ourselves. From there we watched some protesters for a while and headed back to the tube to get to Boots before it closed. We loaded up on blow dryers, flat irons and everything else we need to look presentable at church tomorrow.

It has been a long day - I haven't slept in 48 hours - but it has been totally worth it. I can't wait to continue exploring this city.

So I know pictures with no people in them are kinda lame but here are some of the London sights I saw today.