London Yesterday!
Greeting to all,
So yesterday, as many of you know, was a London day, sadly the last to be had for a solid amount of time. Lucie and I resolved to wake up early and shower and leave so we wouldn't arrive in london after noon as we did last time. We successfully woke up at 8 (she woke me up, as I requested) and I showered and was ready and fed by 9. Unfortunately, as circumstances would have it, Lucie had to ring quite a few people and we ended up reaching London at noon, for a second time. We did not let this daunt us!
We head from the rail station to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Luckily we picked all free things to do today as I seem to have quite tragically run out of funds. Nevertheless we trudge onwards towards the museum. We enter it and go through a few rooms, but Lucie and I feel the pangs of hunger so we leave to go have McDonald (I know!). I am going to be honest and say I was slightly disappointed in myself. I promised myself I wouldn't have any american fast food while I was here but alas! we received coupons to get an entire meal for 2 pounds which is an amazingly good price so we had to take up this offer. We order our food and eat it sitting on a ledge of a very short wall around a tree in front of a lane where very VERY rich people live and people watched. We then headed back to the V & A and as Lucie had to use the facilities, we unfortunately missed the tour. Then we decided to hell with the tour! We'll make our own tour! And so we did. We spent a very substantial amount of time wandering around the medieval art from Europe. It was breath taking. I've been yearning to look at art for quite some time. I actually wish there had been more paintings but the statues were AMAZING! I find it marvelous that someone is able to see the picture of what they are going to carve in the rock, and make it beautifully without any flaws. It takes more talent than painting, in my humble opinion.
We wandered around and looked at beautiful art for a few hours. Then we relaxed in the giant and ornate cafe and nibbled on kit kat bars.
When we had gathered our strength we wandered on towards the Museum of Natural History. Another wonderfully free museum. We waited in queue for about 20 minutes before we finally got in and ...discovered another huge 45 min queue. I discovered that this was to see the dinosaur exhibit and as it was approximately 4pm already and the museum closed about an hour and a half after that so we decided to press on with the other exhibits. We happened upon some pretty interesting things. We explored the bird room and saw the monkey exhibit. To my excitement I saw an area for the deep sea exhibit (which has ALWAYS fascinated me) and much to my woe it required payment for entrance. One day. Moving on we went and looked at the fairly boring rock exhibit...but at the end of the rock exhibit was the very intriguing "vault" which we entered and saw pretty, shiny jewelery everywhere!! And beautiful rocks! There was a stone from mars, the moon and worlds largest uncut amethyst! Then a display with all the colors a diamond could ever be. And emeralds, oh the emeralds. I do so love emeralds. I sighed and moved on.
We walked around a bit and saw a few more fossils then spent a bit of time in the best place in any museum...the gift shop! Just looking and touching the pretty things (some very lovely jewelry) and some very fluffy stuffed animals. We then departed the museum. As it was approximately 530ish and we wanted to be at the Globe by 6:30ish we decided to head over and hang out at a cafe, resting as the tickets we bought to the production were "groundling" tickets. Which means we would be standing for the entirety of it. Lucie and I hopped a train and got off at the Mansion House station, crossed the Southwark Bridge, and settled in a quick food eatery / cafe called Eat. There was a wonderful view of the bridge from there. I sat and lazed in a corner while Lucie went to go get a small pizza which she shared with me. We then headed over to the Globe to sit on the steps and wait to get in queue so we could be first into the theater and get the best standing spots (preferably close to the stage so we could lean against it). The lady in line was very friendly and chatty as we waited (shivering slightly) for the doors to open. They did actually open at around 7ish and we entered happily and got very good standing spots practically in the center! The production opened with some music and was incredibly amusing! I laughed several times. It was 1 1/2 to intermission and I was feeling kind of fainty and tired at that point. I have some slight blood sugar issues and standing for so long and not having eaten that much was a bad choice. However during intermission I sat and drank water and had half a kit kat bar and felt right as rain for the last hour of the production. It was amazing! I am more awed, impressed and enamored with William Shakespeare. I remember in my Shakespeare class that my teacher told us that Shakespeare never meant for his plays to be read and analyzed, they were meant to be acted and enjoyed. That really made me think how true those words are. It made me reevaluate and renew my appreciation for Shakespeare ever since then. Finally watching one of his productions, and at the Globe Theater no less! I find myself understanding that idea more completely.
So wiping the tears of laughter from our eyes and clapping heartily, the production ends. It is fairly dark and cold outside and Lucie and I scuttle off to the tube, and then to the train. As we reach the train station we realize that we have to run halfway across the entire station in under 1 minute to make the train that was set to depart...and we hauled ass and made it about 5 seconds in time. Gasping and panting, we settled in our seats and headed off towards Cambridge. I whipped out my Wuthering Heights and finally finished it. The struggle between Heathcliff and Catherine and Heathcliff and Cathy and add in all the Earnshaws just for good measure and you have an amazing novel. It actually makes me want to (and I will!) sit down and trace all the name changes, marriages, love affairs and love interactions between the 6 or so main characters and truly understand the complexity and beauty of this novel which I have not read in FAR too long. New favorite book. ^.^
Anyways, we landed in Cambridge, took a taxi home, and I rushed to the computer so I could talk to my love for a little while. Only 3 days left, as of today! While I've had a truly epic vacation here, I truly do miss my friends and very much so my loves. (Referencing both Fiona and Paul here =] ) Thanks going out to my sister and her husband for making these two very fun and amazing weeks!
Going to the Fitzwilliam Museum tomorrow and punting on the river Cams on Friday. It looks to be a very relaxing and fun end of the week. Signing off now!
So yesterday, as many of you know, was a London day, sadly the last to be had for a solid amount of time. Lucie and I resolved to wake up early and shower and leave so we wouldn't arrive in london after noon as we did last time. We successfully woke up at 8 (she woke me up, as I requested) and I showered and was ready and fed by 9. Unfortunately, as circumstances would have it, Lucie had to ring quite a few people and we ended up reaching London at noon, for a second time. We did not let this daunt us!
We head from the rail station to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Luckily we picked all free things to do today as I seem to have quite tragically run out of funds. Nevertheless we trudge onwards towards the museum. We enter it and go through a few rooms, but Lucie and I feel the pangs of hunger so we leave to go have McDonald (I know!). I am going to be honest and say I was slightly disappointed in myself. I promised myself I wouldn't have any american fast food while I was here but alas! we received coupons to get an entire meal for 2 pounds which is an amazingly good price so we had to take up this offer. We order our food and eat it sitting on a ledge of a very short wall around a tree in front of a lane where very VERY rich people live and people watched. We then headed back to the V & A and as Lucie had to use the facilities, we unfortunately missed the tour. Then we decided to hell with the tour! We'll make our own tour! And so we did. We spent a very substantial amount of time wandering around the medieval art from Europe. It was breath taking. I've been yearning to look at art for quite some time. I actually wish there had been more paintings but the statues were AMAZING! I find it marvelous that someone is able to see the picture of what they are going to carve in the rock, and make it beautifully without any flaws. It takes more talent than painting, in my humble opinion.
We wandered around and looked at beautiful art for a few hours. Then we relaxed in the giant and ornate cafe and nibbled on kit kat bars.
When we had gathered our strength we wandered on towards the Museum of Natural History. Another wonderfully free museum. We waited in queue for about 20 minutes before we finally got in and ...discovered another huge 45 min queue. I discovered that this was to see the dinosaur exhibit and as it was approximately 4pm already and the museum closed about an hour and a half after that so we decided to press on with the other exhibits. We happened upon some pretty interesting things. We explored the bird room and saw the monkey exhibit. To my excitement I saw an area for the deep sea exhibit (which has ALWAYS fascinated me) and much to my woe it required payment for entrance. One day. Moving on we went and looked at the fairly boring rock exhibit...but at the end of the rock exhibit was the very intriguing "vault" which we entered and saw pretty, shiny jewelery everywhere!! And beautiful rocks! There was a stone from mars, the moon and worlds largest uncut amethyst! Then a display with all the colors a diamond could ever be. And emeralds, oh the emeralds. I do so love emeralds. I sighed and moved on.
We walked around a bit and saw a few more fossils then spent a bit of time in the best place in any museum...the gift shop! Just looking and touching the pretty things (some very lovely jewelry) and some very fluffy stuffed animals. We then departed the museum. As it was approximately 530ish and we wanted to be at the Globe by 6:30ish we decided to head over and hang out at a cafe, resting as the tickets we bought to the production were "groundling" tickets. Which means we would be standing for the entirety of it. Lucie and I hopped a train and got off at the Mansion House station, crossed the Southwark Bridge, and settled in a quick food eatery / cafe called Eat. There was a wonderful view of the bridge from there. I sat and lazed in a corner while Lucie went to go get a small pizza which she shared with me. We then headed over to the Globe to sit on the steps and wait to get in queue so we could be first into the theater and get the best standing spots (preferably close to the stage so we could lean against it). The lady in line was very friendly and chatty as we waited (shivering slightly) for the doors to open. They did actually open at around 7ish and we entered happily and got very good standing spots practically in the center! The production opened with some music and was incredibly amusing! I laughed several times. It was 1 1/2 to intermission and I was feeling kind of fainty and tired at that point. I have some slight blood sugar issues and standing for so long and not having eaten that much was a bad choice. However during intermission I sat and drank water and had half a kit kat bar and felt right as rain for the last hour of the production. It was amazing! I am more awed, impressed and enamored with William Shakespeare. I remember in my Shakespeare class that my teacher told us that Shakespeare never meant for his plays to be read and analyzed, they were meant to be acted and enjoyed. That really made me think how true those words are. It made me reevaluate and renew my appreciation for Shakespeare ever since then. Finally watching one of his productions, and at the Globe Theater no less! I find myself understanding that idea more completely.
So wiping the tears of laughter from our eyes and clapping heartily, the production ends. It is fairly dark and cold outside and Lucie and I scuttle off to the tube, and then to the train. As we reach the train station we realize that we have to run halfway across the entire station in under 1 minute to make the train that was set to depart...and we hauled ass and made it about 5 seconds in time. Gasping and panting, we settled in our seats and headed off towards Cambridge. I whipped out my Wuthering Heights and finally finished it. The struggle between Heathcliff and Catherine and Heathcliff and Cathy and add in all the Earnshaws just for good measure and you have an amazing novel. It actually makes me want to (and I will!) sit down and trace all the name changes, marriages, love affairs and love interactions between the 6 or so main characters and truly understand the complexity and beauty of this novel which I have not read in FAR too long. New favorite book. ^.^
Anyways, we landed in Cambridge, took a taxi home, and I rushed to the computer so I could talk to my love for a little while. Only 3 days left, as of today! While I've had a truly epic vacation here, I truly do miss my friends and very much so my loves. (Referencing both Fiona and Paul here =] ) Thanks going out to my sister and her husband for making these two very fun and amazing weeks!
Going to the Fitzwilliam Museum tomorrow and punting on the river Cams on Friday. It looks to be a very relaxing and fun end of the week. Signing off now!