Sunday Thoughts

Not much happens here on Sundays. We all get up for breakfast, get ready for church, and are all out of the door before 9 - even though none of us start until at least 10...it takes that long for us to get to all of the different wards.

After church the leftovers in the kitchen are raided and then everyone retires to their rooms for naps and stuff until dinner. Its a really nice environment actually haha. After dinner there is a fireside in the classroom followed by more kitchen raiding and then bed.

So...with a lack of exciting things to talk about, I have been thinking about all of the things the London Center has made me realize that I take for granted at home...

1. fast internet
2. hot showers
3. flushing toilets (not water closets)
4. hand towels instead of air dryers
5. my own bedroom
6. sinks where the hot and cold water come out of the same faucet
7. personal space in general
8. clean air without cigarette smoke
9. my car...driving in general actually
10. easy communication with a cell phone
11. free refills on everything
12. free water at restaurants
13. good customer service in general
14. boys
15. things being open past 7 at night
16. snacks
17. good toilet paper that doesn't scratch my bum
18. cooking for myself
19. music playing pretty much all of the time
20. sunshine

this doesn't mean that i hate it here...these are just things that i am now realizing are blessings in my life at home. thats all.

Celebrating 20 in Bath

Today was my 20th birthday, and what better way to spend it then taking a day trip out to Bath! Me, Jordan, Rachel, Ari, Nicole, and Jenny left on the 7:00 train which was super early but totally worth it. When we first got there I was a little nervous because it was raining really hard which sucks. We ran to the Marks and Spencer (one store that I am really going to miss when I go back home) and found some food for breakfast...and got some shelter from the rain.

After breakfast we went to Bath Abbey, a really quaint church that had a piano playing and just a really nice quiet atmosphere. Maybe it was just because there weren't a million tourists there. I dunno what it was exactly but it was nice.

From there we walked over to the highlight of the trip...Bath Spa. I loved this tour! It was so cool to see the transition of the Baths from Roman times to the 18th century to now. I had no idea it was such a huge complex...with a temple and steam rooms and everything. It was intense and so cool. After we even got to taste the water...and interesting experience to say the least...very mineral tasting and warm. I wasn't too fond of it but Rachel loved it.

In front of the main bath...it didn't always used to be green.



From the baths we walked around the shops for a while and then went to the Fashion Museum where we got to try on corsets and hoop skirts. So fun! I kinda liked the feeling of a corset, not gonna lie. Besides the fact that it makes me super skinny and gives a little lift...anyway...

My corset and hoop skirt (that was falling off).

After the museum we got some lunch at this noodle bar called Wagamamas...so so good. I loved it! And they even gave us refills on our water...unheard of in this country...seriously! From there we stopped by the Jane Austen center and got our picture with Mr. Darcey, a must when visiting Bath.

Mr. Darcey and the crew.

We hopped on the train to come back home and then celebrated my birthday by going to Ciao's...our favorite ice cream place. Their creations are so so good! Overall it was a great day. Oh and thanks for my family for sending the flowers. I loved them.

My dessert ice cream creation.

My flowers.

Home from Cornwall

As fun as Cornwall was, it is nice to be "home". On the way home our first stop was the Exeter Cathedral - its a medieval cathedral with the oldest piece of woodwork in the world...or something like that. It was pretty cool but kinda the same as all of the others. It was interesting because the lady that gave us the tour kept telling us about all the other uses of the cathedral and I was so glad that the places of worship in our church are just that...places of worship. We don't have rock concerts or school plays or art exhibitions...not that these are bad things, they just have a place and I really like that that place is not in church.

The outside of Exeter Cathedral.

The largest stain glass window in the cathedral.

After a couple of hours of driving we stopped to tour Jane Austen's house in Chawton. It was cool to see how one of the writers that we have been studying lived. There were copies of some original manuscripts, a lock of her hair, and some dresses that she wore. I quite enjoyed it.

Outside of Jane Austen's House.

Overall Cornwall was a great trip. I really loved the English countryside and the beach, but especially the cliffs. Tomorrow a small group of us are going out to Bath for the day which should be a great birthday treat!

The First Two Days in Cornwall

Yesterday the entire group took off in a bus to tour the area of Cornwall for a few days. From what I understand (being just a follower in this whole situation) I am now in the southwestern part of England. It is a beautiful area with fun villages and towns, grassy cliffs, and beaches. I love it here.

Yesterday our first stop was in Polperro. It is a fishing village in the southern coast of Cornwall. When we were there it was pretty cloudy and the tide was out - all the ships were stuck in mud - but it was still very pretty. We found a cave to explore and climbed the cliffs for a little bit. It amazes me how green it is out here...being from the desert and all. I just wish it was a little sunnier, then it would be perfect.

Climbing the cliffs.

The cute town all nestled in in the hills.

Exploring caves in Polperro.

On the beach in Polperro with a little of the town in the background.

After Polperro we drove down to Truro to see one of the newer cathedrals in England - its the first to be built in England since St. Paul's and the great fire of 1666. I honestly didn't find anything remarkable about this cathedral...they are all kinda blending together for me, but we did get to hear the organ and the choir perform which was a new experience. I have to say though I enjoy MoTab much more than the creepy, eerie organ music they were playing.

The outside of Truro Cathedral.

We spent the night at a hotel in Falmouth, another coastal town. After a nice dinner at the hotel we walked along the beach and around some piers. There didn't seem to be much around so I asked the girl at the front desk this afternoon if there was anything cool to do and she gave me a map and showed me all of the pubs in town and said that was about it...so we stayed in tonight.

Our exploring group that walked around the entire town trying to find something to do...we found the pier...thats about it.

Anyway, this morning we took off to Tintagel to see the castle that claims to be the birthplace of King Arthur. It is probably my favorite place out of everywhere we have been so far. I loved it! It was up on a cliff overlooking some of the most blue water I have ever seen. It wasn't even the castle ruins that were awesome (I mean they were cool...but not the best part) it was the scenery and the peacefulness there. I could have stayed for hours. In Tintagel I got a traditional cornish pasty which is a pastry filled with beef and potatoes. It was delicious followed by some clotted cream ice cream. Oh so good. Also in Tintagel is one of Britains oldest post offices. This is back to when the people who ran the post lived in the house so it was basically a tour of an old home...it kinda reminded me of a church history site.

The castle ruins and some ruins of other town buildings.

On the cliff where the castle used to be.


Tintagel...I could have stayed there forever!

The old post office.

Mom! In Tintagel I saw a surf shop. So although I didn't see any surfers, people must surf because there is a surf shop with like Quicksilver and Billabong, and O'Neil. So your book was correct.

That one is for you Mom.

From Tintagel and the post office we drove to Porthcurno beach which is the most southern part of England. It was a pretty beach but thats about it. We did however get to visit the Loo of the Year in Porthcurno. Yep, I was honored enough to pee (or wee as I heard one mom say here) in the 2006 Loo of the Year. My favorite part is that the bathroom didn't have mirrors, there was no soap, the water turned on for two seconds at a time, and there was no way to dry our hands...I think they just gave up after they won. Near Porthcurno is Lands End, the most western part of England, which we also visited. These are both types of places that you visit to say you have been to and then you leave.

It was totally official. This certificate took the place of the mirrors.

Stairs carved into the rocks at Porthcurno.

Hopefully tomorrow I will have pictures to try and show how beautiful it all is but they really can't do it justice.

Customer Service

I have come to find out that customer service - and the restaurant experience in general - is very different here in London. For example, it is taboo to go into a restaurant and order just a dessert, or to share meals, both of which are fairly common in the U.S. The waiters in restaurants here are also a lot different. They don't usually come to ask how the meal is going, service is slow, FORGET about free refills, and don't plan on having your check anytime soon.

Today I had two very different experiences with customer service, one which really surprised me. For lunch me, Jordan, Rachel and Ari were in the Trafalgar Square area when we decided to go to an Italian cafe. After ordering some water she asked flat or sparkling and when we said tap she informed us that they "don't do tap." So not wanting to pay 2 pounds for a tiny bottle we just went without. After taking forever with our meals that didn't look appetizing at all (they don't care much about presentation here haha) she brought us a check with a note at the bottom that said "tip not included" with the not crossed out....followed by the tip amount she wanted and a new total. Really? For not wanting water? Whatever.

Later Jordan, Rachel and I went out to see the Lion King. This was a much different experience than what I remember seeing in New York when I was 10 but it was still very good. The set is incredible and the costumes are so fun. I was a little disappointed in Simba's voice (it sounded like he hadn't quite reached puberty yet). Anyway, our original seats were in the second row of the balcony which is great for half price tickets but there were 5 very annoying teenage (yep, I am now bagging on teenagers - thats what happens when you are almost 20 haha) boys behind us who talked through the entire first half. One kid even answered his cell phone and talked on it for a few minutes. SERIOUSLY?!?! Then when we would "shhh" them they would tell us to shut up. It was real fun....not!

So at intermission we went up to an usher and after telling the boys off she led us downstairs to the seventh row where she said we could remain for the rest of the show. Beautiful! She needs to teach the restaurant lady a thing or two.

Outside the theater.

Good News!

Today was pretty chill since I have to have read Northanger Abbey and have written a paper on Castle of Otranto by class tomorrow so I was working most of the day. Jordan, Rachel and I visited the Cortauld, a small gallery of impressionist and post-impressionist art located in the Somerset House, in the morning though. One of my favorite things about it is that since it is so small I was able to look at all of the paintings and take time to understand each one without getting bored. We went through the entire gallery in an hour. It was great. Oh and its free on Mondays...nothing better.

Jord and I doing our fountain pose (whatever that is) in front of the fountains at the Somerset House.

After that it was time to help with dinner and such but we received the bad news that the server for the center is down, which means no internet for a while. Not to be discouraged a group of us went to our local McDonalds and bought a McFlurry so we could used their WiFi. It was the best internet access I have had in a while haha. So, as a result, I am going to be up late finishing my paper BUT there are pictures on all of my previous blogs. So go check them out because they definitely enhance my writing haha.

Kew Gardens

Today was another lovely day in London...made even better by the fact that it was a Saturday. This morning Jordan and I went to Portabello Road to get fresh fruit salads and some pastries for breakfast (so delicious...there is nothing better). When we got back and saw that the weather was alright we decided to go out to Kew Gardens.

Kew Gardens is basically a collection of the worlds plants all in one place. They have greenhouses with climates and plants from all different areas of the world, a walk that takes you above the trees, tunnels that go underground and show you the world of the badger, and more flowers than I think I have ever seen before. We had such a good time walking around and we even took a nap on the grass (until an old lady tripped over a hole and almost fell on top of Jordan while she was sleeping haha).

On the treetop walk.

Looking down from the treetop walk. It was pretty far up there.

The view from one side of the walkway to the other...just to show what it looks like.

Jordan and I posing like our bear friend.

The azaleas were in all different colors. I loved the orange ones.

We tried to take a boat trip home like we did from Greenwhich but it didn't work out so we ended up walking forever through the town of Kew which is really cute, I liked it a lot and its not far from London which is nice. It was definitely a good day trip for sure.

So the internet here is being super lame and not letting anyone upload pictures onto blogger or anything so I will try to get all of them up as soon as possible. They are all sitting on my desktop in order ready to go...