On Monday, after classes and before MIKA, Michelle and I started the first part of the "city walk", one of the walks required for our class. We went in a really beautiful church and found some good stores for window shopping. On Tuesday after classes, we went back out to the same area to visit Dr. Samuel Johnson's house and finish the rest of the walk. The Johnson house was...educational, especially the 25-minute long movie. No really, we had some fun wandering around through all of the rooms. I loved flipping through the dictionary that he wrote.
The rest of the walk was through what I like to call "the future Annie" part of London. Basically we walked by a bunch of really awesome business buildings and practically everyone on the streets there was in a suit. I was wearing a bright pink jacket...how embarrassing! I think walking through that part of town gave me the courage to finally submit my application for the accounting program later that night. Wish me luck!
the Pickle
Our Wednesday day trip was long, but fabulous. Our first stop was Warwick Castle, where I spent most of the time with Michelle, Brittany, and Kira. I heard Warwick Castle best described as what Disneyland would be like if everything was closed. We still had fun running around through the towers, posing with the wax figures, and walking through the gardens, singing Kira's made-up song called "Guildeland". I got very up close and personal with a few peacocks as well.
Being dorks at Warwick
"Welcome to the 11th century!!"
around the gardens
posing with the wax people...bump it!
sweet nothings.
Hello Mr. Peacock.
After Warwick, the rest of the day was pretty much devoted to none other than William Shakespeare. We first stopped at Anne Hathaway's house, Shakespeare's wife. Cute and quaint. We took advantage of the "woodland walk" in the hour that we had to spend on the grounds.
The house
Next was Shakespeare's birthplace, in Stratford-upon-Avon. I actually really enjoyed this tour of his birthplace. I kept thinking over and over if he knew just how good he was. I mean seriously, people spend their whole lives studying his plays. Pretty cool guy. We also visited the Nash house, and his burial place in Holy Trinity Church. We then had a couple hours to spare before going to see King Lear. Michelle and I wandered through some really cute shops before they closed down, and then hit up Poundland for theatre candy. We found dinner at an old pub called Windmill Inn. Two meals for 10 pounds. SCORE.
King Lear was excellent. I was worried at first that I wouldn't be able to really get into the play, but I absolutely loved it. It was an excellent production, and totally worth getting home at almost 1 AM for. That's right, a 17-hour day trip.
After my five classes on Thursday morning, all I had time to do was go for a run and shower before kitchen crew started. That's right, it's my second week of kitchen crew for the semester. Just call me Hobart girl.
(for those of you reading this not familiar with the inner-workings of kitchen crew, the formerly mentioned Hobart is the 'machine' of sorts that we use to sanitize the dishes. I am pretty much a professional at maximizing the capacity of each load so as to minimize the time spent on kitchen crew.)
A Gelato Mio adventure topped off the evening.
Friday was a great day. We went as a group to Keats House, in Hampstead, which was adorable. Better yet, the day was sunny. Michelle and I then tromped across Hampstead Heath in the mud and sunshine to Kenwood House, which stars in the movie "Knotting Hill". After wandering through the house, Sarah Shepherd, Brittany, Kira and I sat on a bench on the grounds and enjoyed the sunshine for a while. We stopped by pizza express for an excellent lunch on the way home.
on the front stoop of Keats house
I'm still not sure what this means...
Hampstead Heath
On Friday night, Michelle and I ventured out to the Hard Rock Cafe. The actual restaurant was really busy, so we bypassed our plan to get milkshakes and instead just went to the store across the street. Going down in their vault was pretty cool. Lots of old guitars and crazy outfits worn by artists in their music videos. It was fun to see it all.
Since we were still hungry for desert, we hopped on over to Covent Garden and ate some excellent chocolate fudge cake in a little Italian cafe. I love the Italian food here, and can't wait for Rome in only six weeks!
Saturday was another class day, but I only had religion, so that was nice. After a sunny-day run and class, Michelle and I went to Camden Market, who everyone seems to have been raving about. It's basically Portland's Saturday Market, only bigger and with more desirable things to buy. I haggled for my first time with a lady from Hong Kong. The whole time I kept thinking of Abby's stories from when she was in China last winter...the conversation went something like this:
me: no, that's ok, maybe I'll think about it and come back...
her: wait, wait! Today a very slow day, I give you very good price, just for you, heh?
It went on for about five minutes or so, and my favorite line was, "I HAVE OTHER COLORS!" I ended up buying the bag after talking it down 5 pounds. Two points for me!
After Camden, I convinced Michelle that she was, in fact, NOT too tired to go to the Tate Britain museum. I'm so glad that we went, because I loved it. They have an entire gallery devoted just to JMW Turner, one of my favorite painters. I was smiling the entire time. There were also a few other rooms that we went into that were more "modern". I love trying to interpret modern art. I think it's funny when people seem to be offended by modern art, as though the artist were trying to trick them. Michelle and I had fun making up stories about the artists' intentions for their works. Fun stuff. There were also words and phrases on the walls in one of the open areas. Our favorite:
"If only you were hot, or cold.
But you are neither hot or cold.
I am going to vomit you out of my mouth"
But you are neither hot or cold.
I am going to vomit you out of my mouth"
Pure, glorious, hilarious. I think it means that "you" are lukewarm, and taste bad...hence, the vomiting.
Once we got back to the center, the rest of the night was pretty relaxed. Michelle's grandpa ordered her pizza again, so that meant free dinner for me (wahoo!) and the rest of the night was devoted to studying.
Good week indeed. Today is another sunny Sunday.
3 comments:
What, no basketball? March Madness always means basketball...
Seriously though, I love the details in your post, even though there's no basketball.
BTW, the lukewarm quote is from Revelation 3:15-16, except that the KJV says "spue" with a footnote to the Greek.
Also love the sign about NO KEEP ... it sounds like broken English, as in "No keep-um net or bag, but keep-um other stuff" ... er?
1. Totally got lost in the "future Annie" part of London, trying to find Dr. Johnson's house.
1. a. you should read my book about him. it was good.
2. Have you been to Dorothy Perkins yet?
3. Good luck with your application.
4. I had a dream that I was in London with you. All I remember was we went shopping. and i think someone was following us too. but we did have pizza.
5. Are you going to make a bracket?
6. I should email you.
7. bye
It's not hard to tell who "anonymous" is. Especially since he asked if I had seen his post. Beautiful pictures again.
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