Exploring London Town! (the first week)

Tuesday (1/12)
First day of classes! It took some rearranging but my official schedule is ClCv 241Mythology, Eng 300 British Literature, ClCv 201 – Classical Tradition (Greek and Roman Classicism), RelC 350 Religious Studies in a World Setting (aka British Church History – you’d love it dad), and IAS 201 Cultural Survey – UK Culture & Community (aka “London Walks”). Pretty good schedule. I love it because everything we learn about relates to being here in London, and our weekly field trips correspond to what we’re learning about in our classes. All the classes are in the morning (so earrrlllyy) but we’re always done by about noon or 1:20. Then off to explore! Here's where I live... 27 Palace Court!

So I know I’m a slowpoke with blogging (getting internet access is a challenge. And I’m busy exploring London!) but I do remember what I did the last 2 weeks because I write dutifully in my journal every night. :)

Tuesday after classes a group of us went to Harrod’s (ginormous department store) – very cool. There were so many levels, some of them decorated with Egyptian sculptures and on the balconies stood fancy mannequins looking over the escalators. We felt a little out of place but it was still fun to explore all the rooms with clothes etc that are ridiculously expensive! I found the memorial to Princess Diana – very cool. The basement held cheap Harrod’s brand stuff (awesome purses!) but THE BEST was the food courts with all the ethnic foods and, last but not least, a huge room filled with chocolate. Paradise. I bought a chocolate fudge-mousse-raspberry creation that looked like art (too pretty to eat but I ate it anyway).
We went home (kitchen duty all week - yuck), and some of us went out after dinner. We tried to see a horror-play (Woman in Black) but got there 2 minutes too late so we got gelato instead (nutella flavored!) then went to the river Thames. I finally got to see Big Ben, Parliament, and the London Eye! So pretty at night. It was completely bone-chillingly freezing though! I love riding the tube. I’ve got it down now. It’s funny because whenever we travel in big groups (mostly girls – there’s like 35 girls and 4 boys in my program haha) we’re always loud and goofing off and we got lots of stares and eye-rolls. The British are too quiet on the tube! Haha they always know we’re Americans because we’re the loudest and we smile too much. :)
Wednesday – bit of shopping and wandering the streets

Thursday (1/14)

Ali and I explored Notting Hill (pretty much our neighborhood! Technically we live in Westminster) and I bought Oliver Twist at a cheap bookstore for my class… we ended up at Tesco’s (as usual) and I bought chocolate – Digestives! (as usual). After dinner a group of us went to find a pub called Elgins (in Notting Hill). After over an hour of wandering the tube and various neighborhoods (and getting directions like 4 times from British people who now think Americans really are stupid) we found it! There was live music and a really cute guy singing/playing guitar. Lots of gorgeous British eye candy at the pub (yes dad there are more than a couple cute British boys!). Haha on that note… on the tube there was an awkward transvestite guy (?) all dolled up and rolling a joint. London is fun haha.

Friday (1/15)

Today was long and tiring but fun. Our class took a field trip to the Tower of London! It was wicked cool. I saw Tower Bridge and then we went behind the walls to the Tower, which is more like a big square with a church, towers (museums), courtyards, and disgustingly massive ravens! They all have clipped wings (and are obese) because legend says if all the ravens leave the Tower, England will fall.

I got to see the Crown Jewels (very sparkly haha) and the prisoner rooms with their engravings carved in the walls. Sad. I also saw the ancient royal Armory, giant cannons, and a cool museum for Henry VIII.

Afterwards we crossed the Thames and explored Borough Market. It is huge! It has everything (food-related) from French cuisine to Ostrich meat burgers to all ethnic foods to fresh fruits and vegetables and meats (hanging quails) and bakeries and desserts and everything else. It was amazing. Among other things I got a French chocolate soufflé (from real gorgeous French men) and literally almost died of joy.

Friday night a big group of us went to Leicester Square (lots of theatre) to see Chicago! Very fun although our seats were in the nosebleeds and it was boiling hot!

Saturday (1/16)

An adventurous day. Ali and I went to the National Gallery (mythology homework - art scavenger hunt) at Trafalgar Square.

So we were planning on going home and being productive (we’ve neglected homework…) but on the way home we stopped at Covent Gardens (a big outdoor shopping area). We found Lush, a cool organic soap/body store, and met Kevin (our salesman) who’s British but lived in southern California for awhile. He was friendly and cool and after he got off work we met him for dinner at a bar near Soho. Then we walked around London for awhile, and he showed us some of his favorite places in the city (our own local tour guide haha). We even got down to the riverside, which was fun. I love London at night!

Sunday (1/17)

Today was supposed to be my first Sunday in the Whitechapel ward (I’ve been assigned to it with Dr. Howe and three other girls) but after wandering the area for a long time we were told that the church had moved from the school it used to be held at. By the time we got home (hours later! And never finding the church) it was nearly noon so we went to the Hyde Park singles ward instead. Afterwards I spent the afternoon managing intense Nutella cravings. I’ve discovered that Nutella tastes delicious on: bread, fruit, Digestive cookies, candy bars, a spoon, my finger, with peanut butter, on muffins, crepes, as an ice cream flavor, in hot chocolate, etc. I’m only beginning to discover the possibilities! Haha it was too hard to fit much homework in the weekend. The first 10 days in London = fabulous!