Dali and Giant Ferris Wheels
So finals are over and it is time for me to continue my updating. (By the way, I think I did quite well, thank you.) So we all arrive home safe from Paris. The Monday and Tuesday afterward weren't too eventful, but then on Wendesday I met Nana and Denny in London, for the last time before they left. We perused the Salvador Dali exhibit, which was fascinating and entertaining in and unsettling, Dali-sorta way. They also had a Picasso exhibit and a Marylin Monroe exhibit, which we caught glimpses of. Pretty cool. Then we hopped on the London Eye, which is the most enormous ferris wheel in the world, and it looks like a giant bicycle wheel. I could almost see some giant one-wheeled bike come rolling up, click the Eye on as its second wheel, and go rolling off down the Thames River. The compartment thingies were these clear oval rooms, which comfortably hold about 20 people. I'd heard nasty rumors about crowded, hot, stuffiness and body odour, but whoever had told me that had apparently not ridden the Eye. It was quite pleasant. It takes half an hour to go round, and it goes so slowly that it doesn't stop to let people on and off, so the ride is continuous. We got a magnificent panoramic view of London. Great shots of the Thames, the House of Parliament (with its attached companions, the Tower of London and Big Ben), as well as Westminister Abbey and a slightly distant view of the Palace. (Along with lots of other pretty buildings which I could not identify.) Pretty cool stuff. I think I got some good shots with my camera--we'll see. Then, as we approached the platform to get off, we got to pose for one of those in-motion pictures like they take at Disney Land while you're cheeks are flailing in the wind at 90mph on some roller coaster and then you get to buy it for $400 when you get off. Except, our pic turned out really cute. It was really big and came with a cute little fold-open paper frame. Nan and Denny and I were posed perfectly, and were quite proud of ourselves for knowing exactly where to look and when, in order for the pic to turn out well. Nan got one for me and her to share. :)
Then we had a scrumptious dinner in Covent Garden, where there was lots of music and street performers. I'd like to go back there, but time is running quite short. (However, once you've been to the other end of the world, you realize what a managable feat it really is, and that you can probably do it again someday. So I'm not worried about the stuff I didn't get to do or didn't do more than once.)
And so, after dinner, we all hopped on the train for our last ride together. Nan and Denny had to hop off and switch so they could go back to their B&B while I stayed on to Canterbury. I almost cried when they got off! It was so wonderful having my Nana with me in EUROPE!! I mean, how many people actually get that lucky?!? Having her and Denny there made my whole trip that much more awesome. And needless to say, they got smashing reviews from all my friends. "They're just so precious! -cool! -sweet! -fun! awesome!" Seriously, you two, everyone loved you guys. (But not as much as me. :) )
And so, off I went back to Canterbury. The next night, Thursday, I went back into London to see a bluegrass band called Yonder Mountain String Band. It was Dr. Frost, Jesse and his parents, Meredith, Faith, Heather, and myself (not that any of that means much to ya'll, but the chemistry of the group was perfect for the activity. Plus, it was kinda cool to have parents and a prof with us at a concert!) The band was too awesome. Lots of booty-shakin' and foot-stomin'. Then, their finale was a bluegrass version of Ozzy's "Crazy Train," which I absolutely ATE UP. Loved it. Everyone else stayed that night in London, but I had to catch the last train back so I could return my borrowed BritRail pass, which would be needed by its owner early the next morning.
That weekend was pretty chilled out. I was too outta money to go anywhere, but luckily there were 4 or 5 others in the same boat. (Yes, this means I had to forfeit Amsterdam...) But it's ok -t'was nice not to go 90mph for one weekend. I can't really say that I did too much, honestly. Just hung around and caught up on reading and journals and sleep. Others went to Edinborough (Scotland), Amsterdam, Bath, and Whitstable. So it was nice to hear their stories when they got back. Some were actually a bit jealous of my relaxing weekend!
-Oh, and MOM! I totally forgot to mention this in my Paris posts! My roommate at the hotel in Calais, who had to go back to England, went to a play in London where she got to meet *dun-dun-dunnnnn!* Patrick Stewart! Yup. Got his autograph and everything. She said that, while he was signing her book, he looked up at her and said, "well hello there!" Prolly sounds pretty anticlimactic just reading it from a computer screen, but according to her it was terribly exciting. :) Anyway, thought you should know that. :)
Ok, here is where I shall end this post. I love and miss you all!!!!
Then we had a scrumptious dinner in Covent Garden, where there was lots of music and street performers. I'd like to go back there, but time is running quite short. (However, once you've been to the other end of the world, you realize what a managable feat it really is, and that you can probably do it again someday. So I'm not worried about the stuff I didn't get to do or didn't do more than once.)
And so, after dinner, we all hopped on the train for our last ride together. Nan and Denny had to hop off and switch so they could go back to their B&B while I stayed on to Canterbury. I almost cried when they got off! It was so wonderful having my Nana with me in EUROPE!! I mean, how many people actually get that lucky?!? Having her and Denny there made my whole trip that much more awesome. And needless to say, they got smashing reviews from all my friends. "They're just so precious! -cool! -sweet! -fun! awesome!" Seriously, you two, everyone loved you guys. (But not as much as me. :) )
And so, off I went back to Canterbury. The next night, Thursday, I went back into London to see a bluegrass band called Yonder Mountain String Band. It was Dr. Frost, Jesse and his parents, Meredith, Faith, Heather, and myself (not that any of that means much to ya'll, but the chemistry of the group was perfect for the activity. Plus, it was kinda cool to have parents and a prof with us at a concert!) The band was too awesome. Lots of booty-shakin' and foot-stomin'. Then, their finale was a bluegrass version of Ozzy's "Crazy Train," which I absolutely ATE UP. Loved it. Everyone else stayed that night in London, but I had to catch the last train back so I could return my borrowed BritRail pass, which would be needed by its owner early the next morning.
That weekend was pretty chilled out. I was too outta money to go anywhere, but luckily there were 4 or 5 others in the same boat. (Yes, this means I had to forfeit Amsterdam...) But it's ok -t'was nice not to go 90mph for one weekend. I can't really say that I did too much, honestly. Just hung around and caught up on reading and journals and sleep. Others went to Edinborough (Scotland), Amsterdam, Bath, and Whitstable. So it was nice to hear their stories when they got back. Some were actually a bit jealous of my relaxing weekend!
-Oh, and MOM! I totally forgot to mention this in my Paris posts! My roommate at the hotel in Calais, who had to go back to England, went to a play in London where she got to meet *dun-dun-dunnnnn!* Patrick Stewart! Yup. Got his autograph and everything. She said that, while he was signing her book, he looked up at her and said, "well hello there!" Prolly sounds pretty anticlimactic just reading it from a computer screen, but according to her it was terribly exciting. :) Anyway, thought you should know that. :)
Ok, here is where I shall end this post. I love and miss you all!!!!