The Bus

Today wasn’t super exciting because we decided to take a rest from walking around and being a tourist. We went out to Covent Garden, which is a really cute shopping area and looked around at the stores and street performers. We also got some super yummy ice cream at Thorton’s which is this really delicious chocolate place.

From there we decided to get on a bus and just see where it takes us. The bus is really fun for looking around at the streets and trying to figure out the layout of the city – especially if you ride up front and just relax. We went on the bus until it terminated and from there we figured out where we were and got on another bus and just rode around pretty much all day. It was very nice.

Tonight we are just hanging around the center and trying to get some work done. Rachel and I have to make a powerpoint for our class tomorrow which is going to be really hard with hardly any internet access. We also have another book to read by next week so, we are pretty busy.

Les Miserables

This morning I started the day off right by going to British mysteries class. We were discussing the book that we had all read, the Castle of Otranto. I really enjoyed this class because I was not impressed with the book after I finished it, but by going to class I realized all of the good things about the book and I was able to appreciate it much more. Even my professor agreed that the book was not the best example of literature (like I would be able to tell that) but that it was significant for other reasons – being the first gothic novel.

This class also made me realize something else. I am so lucky to be on this trip with people who mainly focus on the arts and English. Being a science major I am so focused on science and math all day every day that I don’t really know much about art or how to appreciate it. I really am so blessed to be able to go to museums and galleries with people like Jordan who point out all of the good qualities of the art and the things that make it stand out. I also get to go to class with people who read way more into books than I do – which really helps me to learn different perspectives on things.

Later tonight we took off to see Les Miserables. We were so lucky to get tickets in the eleventh row for 27 pounds, which was a good enough deal to begin with, but then, when we got there, there was no one sitting in front of us so we had a perfect view – amazing! The show was so well done we were all teary up by the end. Nothing beats a night out to the theater.

We asked a lady on the street to take this. I guess we forgot to mention that we wanted the theater in the background haha.


The stage before the show.

Life at the center hasn’t changed much. The internet still struggles (even though we have supposedly changed companies) and there is still cold water (because they got the part in but then it started leaking and they are waiting for another part that will come in on Thursday…) and my computer is still being lame. I’m sorry for the lack of pictures, maybe this will help make my writing more interesting…

Stonehenge, Wells, and Stourhead

Today we took our first day trip as a group. We took off at 6 in the morning for Stonehenge. The bus ride took about an hour and when we got there it was pretty cold and grey. I’m not gonna lie I was surprised at the siz e of the rocks…I have always pictured them being a lot bigger, but it was still very impressive. Thanks to some work by our leaders we were able to get inside the ropes and touch the rocks, which was super cool and something that most people don’t get to do.

Stonehenge...kinda speaks for itself haha We got to play around with the rocks for a while.

I guess this shows how big they are. Its pretty impressive.

This one was kinda a dare.

This position took a lot more work to get into than it was worth haha.

After that we went to Wells – a very small city (but its a city because it has a cathedral). We learned how to distinguish between a hamlet, a village, a town, and a city. First, a hamlet can have a pub or a church, but not both. Once a hamlet has a church and a pub it is considered a village. A town has more people than a village (but our bus d river didn’t know the exact numbers) and then a city has a cathedral. So Wells is a city, even though it has about the population of a village or small town. Anyway, we visited the cathedral there and then went to the Bishops Palace. Other than the fact that it was super cold, it was an interesting experience.

The cathedral at Wells.

The cathedral from the gardens. It was so gorgeous.

From Wells we took off to Stourhead, which is a beautiful garden. Our favorite part was an underground grotto complete with fountains and (Jordan is convinced) hidden treasure. There is also a temple where a scene from Pride and Prejudice was filmed.

On a pedestal...where I belong haha.

It was such a fun day, except for the rain and clouds and stuff.



The gardens were beautiful. There is nothing like this at home.

On our way home we stopped at King Alfred's tower. I'm not really sure why it is important but we climbed up to the top and saw the scenery.

Yep, we climbed that.

At the top looking over the countryside.

I would have pictures of this busy day (and of the past couple of days for that matter) but I can’t get any pictures from my camera to my computer because it says my start up disc is full and I can’t google how to fix that because my internet works for about five minutes every hour…very frustrating. Oh, and there is still no hot water thanks to this being a bank holiday and no one working today. So…as soon as these issues are resolved you will all have proof that I am in fact doing these things (Dad) and these posts will be a lot more interesting.

The Mitchum Ward

Today was the first Sunday where our whole group was split up and sent out to different wards. I was in a small group that was sent to the Mitchum Ward. It was such a good experience. It is a small ward but so full of the spirit. I was assigned to work with the Young Women and I will get to teach them too. I am so excited about it. The crazy part is that it takes and hour and a half to get out there and the same to come back...so we have a long journey but its totally worth it.

Other than that we have just been trying to plan our weekend excursion to somewhere outside of London. If anyone has any fabulous ideas of where to go please let me know. I love reading comments on my blog so if anyone is reading...tell me!

I know I said I would have pictures but I am so tired and I have to get up at 5 to go to Stonehenge tomorrow so...those will be up eventually. I promise (sorry Dad).

One Week Down

Today marks one week that I have been in London. Its crazy that it has gone so fast. It doesn't feel like I have been here a week but then I think about all of the things that I have done and I can't believe it. I have already become so much more natural walking around the streets and just today I didn't even have to look at a tube map to figure out how to get home from Leicester Square (just take the northern line to Trafalgar Square and then catch the central line to Queensway). I am starting to get used to all of the walking and standing and when I get tired I just think about all of the calories that I am burning haha.

This morning a small group of us headed off to Portabello road to see what the markets have to offer. We bought some pastries and fruit for breakfast...so so good! (the center doesn't offer any meals on Saturdays so we have to fend for ourselves).

After that another group of us took the tube out to Greenwich. We spent some time at the Royal Naval College and the Royal Maritime Museum (and the Queens House but that was a huge disappointment). Then we walked up the GIANT hill and went to the Royal Observatory, which is the center of time and space. We waited in line and each got a picture on zero longitude. Its funny that something so made up can be so cool haha.

Yep...that the THE prime meridian haha

The statue marks the spot.

Half of me is on the east and half is on the west!

We took a boat on the Thames to get back to the city. It was so cool to see the city from the water. Its amazing how many of the old warehouses they have turned into really upscale housing (that no one can afford to live in because of the economy - a fact our tourguide kept reminding us of). There are also a ton of cool bridges that cross the Thames and overall just a great ride when the weather is nice...like it was today!

Tower Bridge from our boat

After dinner and some studying (I finally finished my first book!) we went back out to experience the city at night. We did some walking along the Thames and found the best ice cream place. Its in the west end and so so good. It will definitely become a favorite of mine.

I do have a lot of pictures from today but I am just too tired to post them so look for them tomorrow :)

Pictures from Thursday

So my little group didn't do a picture swap on Thursday so I didn't have all of the pictures I wanted to show but we did do one yesterday so here they are.

Across the river from Westminster and the Parliament buildings.

With the Palace of Westminster in the background...and a nice runner man (the running community here is amazing...there are people running at ALL hours of the day...EVERYWHERE! it makes me wonder if they work...)

At Westminster Abbey.

Rachel and I in front of a door to an old palace. We thought the door was super small as we were walking up to it (like we were wondering how people went through it) but then we realized it just looked so small because it was next to a huge one haha.

The canal in "little Venice"

On the bridge over the canal.

Some of the buildings and monuments we saw on Thursday.

Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park

Fridays at the center mean no class! But since we have homework it was still an early morning to meet up with my group for European Fine Arts and visit the National Portrait Gallery. Our assignment is to make up questions for the entire class to answer when they visit next week. Then, in class on Thursday, we have to give a presentation about the Gallery. It wasn't a bad assignment and the National Portrait Gallery is definitely worth a visit. Some of the pictures in there are amazing.

Because we arrived at the Gallery a little early, we took a walk around Trafalgar square and decided to pay the lions there a visit.


It took a lot of work to get up there but the slide down was definitely worth it!


We also took some pictures at the base of Nelson's column in the square.


The entrance to the National Portrait Gallery.

After the Portrait Gallery we took off to Kensington Gardens to do our walk around there, and then over to Hyde Park (they are connected and its really hard to find the boundary between the two) to do another. It was a beautiful day so we decided to rest in Hyde Park and take a little nap.

Kensington Palace from the side.

Queen Victoria in front of Kensington Palace. She was born here.


In front of the gates to Kensington Palace.


Resting in Hyde Park.


In front of the Peter Pan Statue in Kensington Gardens.


The flowers in the parks are beautiful.


Showing off our sunburns (and a little cleavage...Jordan haha) from our day in the park.

Some more pictures of scenes from the gardens.