New Statue At The Mall, Near Buckingham Palace

Back in February of this year Prince Charles unveiled the new addition to the statues that are currently standing in the Mall, near Buckingham Palace. The statues is of her late grandmother, the Queen Mother, who had passed away back in 2002 at the age of 101.

Sculpted by Philip Jackson, the Queen Mother's likeness is presented during her younger years and who is wearing the formal Garter robes. This was to match the existing statue of her late husband King George VI, which depicts him around the same age. Jackson said that he did this so that no one would mistaken her as King George's mother.

In addition to the bronze statue, there are also bronze relief panels, designed by Paul Day, that depict scenes from the Queen Mother's life. According to the BBC, these panels will include:

"... one of her with families in the East End of London after the Blitz, another with her congratulating a winning jockey at a race meeting and another of her sitting with her beloved corgis at the Castle of Mey in Scotland."

So, when you visit the Mall and Buckingham Palace, make sure that you visit the Queen Victoria Memorial that stands right outside of the palace gates. But also take a minute to visit the new memorial statue of the Queen Mother as well as the statue of King George the VI who stands above and behind her.



References:
Relph, Daniela. 2009. "A New View of the Queen Mother." BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7907871.stm

(NA). 2009. "Prince Hails Queen Mother Tribute." BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7906986.stm

Welcome!

Hello! Thank you for visiting The Wielded Pen – London!

This blog came to life back in 2006 when I studied abroad in London, England for six amazing weeks. I used WP – L as a way to let everyone back home know of my comings, goings, and adventures in the city. These were not the best moments of blog typing, as it could be considered rather lame, but that was how I was during the experience.

Since then, the blog has morphed to become a place where people (especially those like students going for the first time) can learn of things to do and places to go when in London. I also provide travel advice based on my own experiences as well as announcements as I see them in the news.

I hope you enjoy the blog and please visit again!

Winter Hits London!

A blast of winter weather has hit London today. Snow has blanketed the city and has forced London Transport to suspend their bus services due to the road conditions. The Tube is also facing disruptions and suspensions. This includes a complete suspension of the Circle Line, which is, in my opinion, one of the most important lines within Zone 1 as it gets you around to all of the other lines. The airports are also facing delays and closures.

Due to the delays and closures of the transportation system what can one due? Well, there are two options to those traveling in London.

1. Stay inside. You can simply stay inside your hotel and stay warm. Watch some telly, read your guidebooks. Through, this is the warmest idea it can also be the dullest way to spend the day.

2. If you have you appropriate clothing – head out! London is a beautiful city and to see blanketed in snow is just an added plus! Take some pictures. Go to a public park, play in the snow. Build a snowman! Though transportation is dismal there are always the taxi cabs (remember, the black ones are the best and most reliable!) and you can always walk. If you get too cold, pop into a tea shop for some warm goodness. Go shopping for those souvenirs! Go roam the great museums and galleries. For other ideas go ahead and ask the front desk at your hotel or wherever you’re staying to learning about other great and unique things for you to do.

For those who are dreaming of London check out these great pictures that were submitted to the BBC by Londoners living in the snow (there are links to the right that have pictures from Saturday to Sunday and there are also links to Snow Sculptures and Animals in the Snow.)!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7876336.stm

Enjoy the weather as much as possible. Stay warm and have fun!

U.S. Embassy to Move!

Hello everyone! It has been a very long time since I last posted on the Pen-London. School has taken over all aspects of my life. However, the blog is still going to be alive (especially once I graduate out of school in May), and I several items I would like to post about when the time comes.

In the meantime, however, I thought I would post this for those who are currently in London or planning a trip to London in the future.

The U.S. Embassy is planning on moving its location. It is currently situated in Mayfair near Hyde Park and Oxford Street; however, it going to move to the south London’s Nine Elms area in Wandsworth. Nine Elms is located south of the Thames and west of the Vauxhall Bridge Rd and the Vauxhall tube station.

Here is the October press release from the embassy:

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION
Press Release
02 October 2008
U.S. Takes First Steps Toward Embassy Relocation

Meeting the challenge of providing a modern, open and secure American diplomatic facility in London, the U.S. State Department today signed a conditional agreement with the real estate developer Ballymore to acquire a site in the Nine Elms Opportunity Area in Wandsworth for the construction of a new Embassy.

“This has been a long and careful process,” said Ambassador Robert Tuttle, who has led the search for a new site. “We looked at all our options, including renovation of our current building on Grosvenor Square. In the end, we realized that the goal of a modern, secure and environmentally sustainable Embassy could best be met by constructing a new facility. I'm excited about America playing a role in the regeneration of the South Bank of London.”

A design competition will ensure the new facility reflects the best of modern design, incorporates the latest in energy-efficient building techniques, and celebrates the values of freedom and democracy.

This is an initial agreement conditioned on the approval of the United States Congress and local planning authorities. The existing Embassy building will be offered for sale almost immediately. However, it is still possible that the Embassy will remain at the current location if for whatever reason the site acquisition and acceptable planning consent do not materialize. The global real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield is advising the Overseas Buildings Operations Bureau (OBO), which directs the State Department's worldwide facilities program, on this project.

Sean Mulryan, Chairman of the Ballymore Group, said of the decision, “We are delighted the United States Embassy has chosen to invest in our Nine Elms project. The new Embassy will serve as a catalyst for the regeneration of the area.”

###

Members of the media may direct enquiries to presslon@state.gov

This is also available via the web at the following URL: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/ukpapress84.html

There is also a BBC News article about the planned move and provides a nice insight of why they are moving: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7649184.stm

As this is in the beginning stages, the embassy is still located at Grosvenor Square at the following address:

24 Grosvenor Square
London, W1A 2LQ
United Kingdom

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact or visit the embassy. Here is a schematic map of its location. You can also GPS or Google the location by using the address. Please make sure that the postcode W1A 2LQ or else you will be taken to a post office station!

For life or death emergency involving a United States citizen call [44] (20) 7499-9000. A Consular Duty Officer is available 24 hours a day.

Hope this bit of information is helpful in anyway. If anyone has concerns about traveling abroad, please read my post about Being Safe Abroad. Happy travels!

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays everyone! If you are fortunate enough to be staying or traveling through London during the Christmas or New Year season, there are numerous things to do and see to get into the holiday spirit.

There are a lot of things to do and see in London during the holiday seasons. The ones that I mention here may be considered the simplest yet perhaps the most fun things to do, especially for families.

Possibly considered the equivalent to New York’s Rockefeller Center, London’s Trafalgar Square is the home of the city’s Christmas tree. The tree, which is a Norwegian Spruce and is 65 feet in height, marks the 60th anniversary the people of Norway giving the people of London the tree. The tradition began in 1947 when Norway presented the tree as a sign of gratitude for Britain’s support for Norway during the Second World War.

The tree was lit back on December 6 and will remain there until January 4, 2008, the Twelfth Night of Christmas. When it is taken down, the tree will be recycled into the mulch, very eco friendly decision.

Along with the Christmas tree, there is also Carol-singing at Trafalgar. From December 10-23 there is will be dozen of groups will sing on the stage, many of which raise charitable donations.

The second fun thing to do during the winter season is to ice skate. There are many ice skating rinks around the city and its famous landmarks to enjoy. There are rinks at the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Somerset House, Alexandra Palace, the Natural History Museum, and Canary Wharf to name a few. You will have to purchase tickets in order to skate; however, the fee is fairly reasonable and range from £7.50 (children) to £12.50 (adults) depending on the location. For a “complete” listing of the ice rinks in London you can visit the View London.co.uk website for overviews of the rinks, which also have links to Ticketmaster to purchase tickets. However, I also highly recommend visiting the official website of the landmark locations, such as Somerset House or the Tower of London for information and how to purchase to tickets.

Also throughout London there are fantastic Christmas lights. Along with dozens of shows to see, the famous West End is covered in lights. Other well-known locations, which include Oxford Street and the store Harrod’s are lit for the holiday season.

Now, onto New Year celebration. There is one fantastical event to ring in the year 2008: the firework show on the South Bank at the London Eye. The city is expecting to have over 350,000 people to celebrate the New Year here. Big Ben will chime at midnight and the fireworks will fill the night sky for ten minutes. You can view the show anywhere you can see the London Eye, but prime choice spots would be between Blackfiars and Westminster Bridges on the banks of the Thames. For more information, such as safety, transportation, and FAQs please check out the city’s website.

Of course, if you would prefer to celebrate in a smaller crowd there are many pubs, bars, and clubs, to go to.

I hope that I have inspired some to take advantage of some of the events and things to do while in London. If you do, please exercise caution while in large crowds, especially if you are traveling with children.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Explore Haunted London

London is considered one of the most haunted cities in the world. If one of your goals is to visit as many haunted sites as possible while in London, I recommend reading and bring Richard Jones' book Walking Haunted London: 25 Original Walks Exploring London's Ghostly Past with you.

Walking Haunted London offers twenty-five walking tours that will take you around London's haunted areas. There is the classic Jack the Ripper tour, the Tower of London, a tour through the famous areas like Westminster to Piccadilly, Covent Garden, Kensington to Notting Hill, Greenwich, as well as places a little farther off: Windsor and Eton and Pluckley: England's most haunted village. There are detailed maps that will show where to go. There is also well written instructions for each and every tour that will tell you were to go (especially which Tube station to take) but also give a background story of why the place is haunted and what are the ghostly occurrences to people report hearing and seeing.

Richard Jones also has a website that provides more information about these specific tours as well as other London walking tours such as tours of Charles Dicken's London, which takes you around to the various places where Dicken's lived and the places that he included in his works. There is also a tour of the beautiful, yet haunted, Hampstead, a tour of Haunted Hotels of London, and much more.

I unfortunately left my copy of Walking Haunted London at home in the States when I went to London last year. However, I discovered Jones' website, which proved to be handy when I retraced the steps of the Jack the Ripper walking tour I took within the first month of my stay. The information really great and if I had more time I would have done more of his walking tours, especially one dedicated to Charles Dicken's.

If you would prefer to not to take a walking tour on your (or at lease till you learn your way around the city) there area literally hundreds of guided walking tours at reasonably prices. The one that is most popular and well-known is London Walks. I highly recommend them. My walking tours, the Jack the Ripper and the Harry Potter tour, were guided by great tour guides. I did not to my self-created walking tour of the houses of famous poets and authors or my retraced steps of Jack the Ripper until near the end of my six weeks stay when I new the city almost as well as the back of my hand.

Celebrating the Fourth in London

Happy Independence Day Y'all!

If you happen to be in London on the Fourth of July there is one place that you can go to celebrate. The Texas Embassy Cantina is a Tex-Mex restaurant that is at the corner of Pall Mall and Cockspur (walking distance from Trafalgar Square) This is the place where you can celebrate American holidays, including Thanksgiving!

This place has quite a history. First of all, the cantina represents the actual Texas embassy during the 19th century when Texas won their independence from Mexico and became the country The Republic of Texas (actual embassy was located on St. James Street and is now a wine shop). The embassy closed when Texas joined the United States. The second and perhaps most interesting fact is that, the actually building once was the White Star shipping line home office. When the Titanic sank, friends and relatives of the passengers flocked to this building to see if their love ones had survived.

Now, back to the present. I have eaten there once several years ago, but from what I remember the food is pretty good. Plus, for the Americans who miss their regular size drinks and free refills (and their Dr. Peppers!) – this is the place to come! The overall restaurant is very nice and quite large. The décor is very nice and is reminiscent of Texas - to a point. Also, the restaurant is kid friendly, a plus for families!

So, if you want to celebrate Independence Day while abroad or simply have good Tex-Mex food, visit the Texas Embassy Cantina.

Being Safe Abroad

Because of the recent attacks in the UK and Ireland I thought I would discuss the matter of safety for people who are traveling in London.

The first thing you should know before you leave or just arrive in London, or any other country for that matter, is where your country’s embassy can be found. The American Embassy in London in located in Grosvenor Square, which is just south of Oxford Street. The address is 55/56 Upper Brook Street, London W1A 2LQ. There are four Tube stations in this area; the closest being Marble Arch, but there is also Oxford Street, Hyde Park Corner, and Piccadilly Circus. For American Citizen Services you will have to join the line that forms on the Upper Grosvenor Street. Here is a map that will better illustrate the location.

Note: When you are searching for the location of an embassy, I suggest you use an updated map of the city or the actual embassy website. Just to feed my curiosity, I used Google Map to find a satellite photo of the location, and I was given a different location. The #1 way to find the embassy is to find the address and map on its official website!

Let me now concentrate on traveler safety by looking at the AIFS students. If you have any concerns about your safety, whether it is along the lines of what is currently happening in the UK and/or if it a personal security, you can talk to any of the Student Life staff. That is what they are there for. Also, if you are living in the Atlantic House, there is the 24-hour security watch, and if you are living in the Ambassador House, you will have to enter in a door code (which is suppose to change every so often) to enter the house. If there is a national emergency, the school officials should and will instruct you and fellow students you to take whatever necessary precautions.

I highly recommend that you keep at least one form of ID on your person. I personally wouldn’t carry around my passport cause of the off chance of it being lost or stolen (the AIFS rooms have personal safes that you can keep your important documents in), unless you’re going to the embassy or if you’re going to leave the country. If you are an AIFS student you will receive an ID card with your photo on it and necessary school phone numbers on the back. Keep this with you at all times. Another ID card that may prove to be handy, especially if you plan to travel around is the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). I personally did not get one, but that was because I did not plan on traveling outside of London on my own. I befriended several girls while in London that traveled about, and I believe only one of them had an ISIC card. However, whether you are planning to travel on your own or not, this card has some benefits. It is an ID for you and it does have benefits, such as discounts. Who doesn’t love discounts?

OK. My next suggestion for safety is to have a good map. In a previous post Mapping Your Way Around I talked about the different types of maps that I’ve used. I suggest that you have an up-to-date map of any sort that at least shows Tube stops and the Underground map. However, if you do have a map/guidebook that it older, that is alright. Just make sure that the important information, such as emergency phone numbers, is the same.

Here, are two more notes on safety, which AIFS students will no doubt hear when they first arrive. If you need help, you can always ask a policeman or policewoman for assistance. In the Kensington area, which is where the study-abroad school is located, the bobbies have patrols around the streets. Also, I try to be inconspicuous. Now, I know from personal experience that from the moment you open your mouth to talk you are labeled as a tourist and an American. Anyhow, I did not wear anything overly bright (no hot fuchsia or any neon color) and I didn’t wear any shirts that were blazoned with my hometown or university’s name (I did have some shirts that did mention these names; however they were small or faded enough for my to wear them.) If you wore clothing that screamed, “I’m an American,” pickpockets will spot you faster. However, I’m not saying that you should betray your personal style. I’m just suggesting of possibly toning it down in some areas.

My final advice is to simply be aware of your surroundings as you travel.

Well, hopefully this information is helpful to anyone that was concerned about safety while being in London. I know when I first started thinking about studying abroad I was really worried about that, especially cause it was only a few months earlier that the London bombings happened. With the AIFS and the school’s staff help and your common sense, traveling and studying abroad should be safe and fun.

Mapping Your Way Around

Let’s talk about maps. There are so many types of maps out there. There are the simple street maps. There are the travel guidebooks that have maps in them. Then there are the city maps that mark famous sites. As an AIFS student you will receive a city map with the famous sites on it. This does come in handy. I used mine until it started to tear at the seams. However, my primary map was the Knopf MapGuide: London. This map book is awesome!!! It’s wonderful traveling size (only 6” x 4”). It is organized by city areas (Westminster/ Whitehall and Covent Garden/ Soho/ Bloomsbury), and with in each section is a fold out map of the area and it also gives examples of restaurants, tearooms/pubs, shopping, theaters, Tube stations and must-see sights. The map is easily readable. Oh, and it also gives advise on matter such as tipping, clothes sizes, seasonal events, and so on. Plus, they only cost $9.95 on Amazon.com! It is absolutely fantabulous!

Another guidebook that I recommend is the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides. This book is heavier and bigger than the Knopf, however it holds much more information, such as the occasional background facts, that the handy-dandy Knopf sometimes doesn’t mention. They have all the info you need to travel around the city. I still have the copy I got when I was sixteen-years-old and I still read it. In fact I read it so much and so often when before I studied abroad, that I was familiar with most of the sights, though it was a different matter of actually getting to the places.

My suggestion would be to get a map guide like the Knopf that can easily be placed in a bag and cause from a distance it does not look like a touristy map However, you may also take a guidebook like the DK Eyewitnes Travel Guide and look through it when you want and simply leave it in the your room when you go out for the day. I believe the next time I go abroad, I’ll be doing this.

Status Report for The Wielded Pen - London

As you may notice, it has been a considerable amount of time since my last post The Blog Still Lives, which stated that despite returning from my studying abroad adventures I was still going to keep the blog running and add information about London and the the AIFS study abroad program. Well, has it turned out life and school took control.

However, with undergraduate school completed (I begin graduate school in the fall) and a burst of motivation, I have begun to compile information for numerous posts. I goal is to have at least some of the information posted by the end of July.

Please continue to check in on The Wielded Pen - London for updates. In the meantime, my other blog The Wielded Pen is alive and ready for visitors!

The Blog Still Lives

Hey everyone. It has been a week since I've arrived back in Texas. However this does not mean that this blog will stop running. I'm going to continue adding new posts that will talk about London and the AIFS program, and I will soon, hopefully, change out some of the pictures that are currently on the blog to the ones that I've downloaded from my camera. So, make sure that you visit every so often to see new posts and my pictures!

Leaving London and Arriving in Texas

This was a extremely long day. It started out at 5 AM. I got up to get dress and to zip up my suitcase and inspected my room to make sure that I didn't leave anything. My ride to the airport wasn't going to arrive until 6 AM, but I got down stairs with my luggage at 5:15. There was a group of other students that had a ride to Heathrow at 5:30. Most of my friends had left for the airport at 4 AM. I actually woke at that time because of the mixture of the sound of the coach outside of the house and of the thunder from the storm that came through the city around that time.

As I waited for my ride to come I took pictures of Atlantic House before it started to rain again. At that time there was only one other person who was waiting for the same ride. When 6 AM came around there was three more. Everyone but me had had two big suitcases. We waited and waited for our ride to came. Finally twenty minutes past his arrival time our minibus driver came with three other people from Ambassador House. Student Services planned for seven people but they didn't plan for seven people's luggage. I was so happy that I only had one suitcase and a carry-on bag.

Somehow we managed to get all of the luggage and people into the minibus, but that didn't mean that we left for the airport immediately. The driver was talking to the security guard inside the house for ten whole minutes before we began to whistle and say that we needed to go. He finally comes out and we discover that he barely speaks English and that he didn't know how to get out of the area. We had to direct him towards High Street Kensington before he knew where he was going. Even then he began to run red lights.

All of us began to wonder if we were going to make it to the airport alive. But we soon found ouselves waiting in traffic to exit the motorway at the Gatwick exit. The driver asked us when our flights were, and we told him between 10 and 10:30 AM. He responded that we had plenty of time to get to the airport. It was 8 o'clock. We all told him "No" and that we needed to check early at least three hours before we take off. Thankfully, the driver began to make more of an effort to get through the traffic and we finally arrived at the north gate.

Inside the airport we got in line to check in at British Airways and then went through security. I didn't go straight to my gate. I went to do a little shopping. I got a chocolate bar and a British Flag from one shop and I bought two books from the bookstore and then a sandwhich from a EATS for breakfast. I then found my gate and the Yanoff sisters, who were once again flying with me.

The flight was actually quite nice. I had a window seat this time, which I never had before. I think there is actually a little more leg room by the window and you are able to lean up against wall. It was comfy. Though you have to plan when is the best time to go to the bathroom. Always went when the sisters went. I watched two movies, one was V for Vendetta and then Ice Age 2: The Melt Down. My headphones weren't very good and then I fell asleep at the end of both, so I don't know what happens at the end of the movies. The meals weren't as good as when I flew to London, but I still ate it. Overal, however, everything was nice, and we landed in Dallas nine hours later.

Going through passport control was easy and finding my suitcase was easy too. I was almost in the clear when the last guard to see decided that I needed to go through more customs. So I went through the double doors to the side and waited in line for about twenty minutes. As I was waiting I realized that I did have some candy in my suitcase that I completely forgotten about and didn't mention on my Declaration Card, but I don't think that was the problem. (I am still exactly why I was sent through those double doors.) By the time I through the line all that the guard did was look things up on the computer and ask some questions like what I was studying and if I had a connecting flight to Austin. I told him about my classes, that my parents were picking me up, and also that forgot to mention the candy in my bag. But that was the extent of it. He didn't ask to look through my bags and he actually walked me to the door and told me where to go.

Finally free from security and customs I go through the double doors that lead to the main area of the airport. I spotted my mom and dad immediately. I was so excited! After my dad took some pictures of me and Mom, we got into the car and left the airport. We went to Steak n Shake for lunch. I got to eat a great tasting meal (the first in a very long time) and I got to call my grandma to let her know that I made it back home safe and sound. Stomachs full of burgers, fries, onion rings, chili, and milkshakes, we then headed for Austin.

Four hours later we are siting with my sister Evie at my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant Chuy's for yet another wonderful meal and great big drinks. Then an hour and a half later I'm rummaging through my carry-on bag and handing out presents. I wanted to give my brothers their presents but they both left for camp today. I'll just have to wait until next week when they come back. The rest of the evening I lounged on the couch, watched TV, played with the cats and checked my email. But now it's time to hit the sack. My body is telling me that it is 4:30 AM instead of 11:30 PM. I'm going to have fun re-Americanizing myself this next few days.

A Quick Tour of London on My Last Day

I spent my last day in London with Sarah D. and her friend Keya. Keya had arrived in London late Wednesday night. Today Sarah invited me to tag along as they did a a fast tour of the city for Keya. I thought it would be great to see the city for the last time and be with a friend for a day.

We started the day at the Tower Hill Tube station. There we took pictures of the Tower of London and of the London Wall. We then took the Tube to St. Paul's and took picture of the cathedral. We then walked across the Millennium Bridge and went into the Tate Modern so that Keya could see the interior of the converted power station. We went up to the second floor and sat on a balconey that had a great view of the Thames, the Millennium Bridge and St. Paul's. Plus the we got a good breeze from the altitude and from the air conditioning from the museum. It was very refreshing after walking in the heat.

From the Tate Modern, we walked down the river to see the Globe Theater that is next door. We then turned down the street. Sarah was going to show us where the Rose Theater stood and where the site of the original Globe Theater. When the plan to recreate the circular theater the wanted to build it on the same spot, however there was a house that is under the National Trust and so it couldn't be torn down. This is why the Globe is only a few blocks away. After this we found a McDonald's for lunch.

Stomachs full we then took the Tube from Tower Bridge to Westminster to show Keya Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Parliament, and the Eye of London. The we went to St. James' Park and walked to Buckingham Palace. There took pictures of the palace and of the Victoria Memorial. I also told Keya how the all the flags were framed the streets and how the entire place was a sea of people during the Trooping of the Colours. From Buckingham we walked down Buckingham Palace Road to Victoria Station.

There we went into a Marks and Spencers, which is a department store that has a Food Hall that is found all over London. This particular M&S was only food. Sarah and I split a carton of fresh Pineapple and a Rasberry and Cranberry sparkling water. The Pineapple was so fresh, sweet and it was refreshingly chilled. It was great. After sitting on the floor, up against a fencing that seperates the stores from the train platforms and eating, we did a little bit of souvenier shopping before we took the Tube back to Gloucester Station.

We to the Atlantic House and situated Keya in the computer lab, which were Sarah and I left her while we went to eat our last meal in the cafeteria. We then went back to the computer lab and played around on the web for a while before we went to veg in front of the telly in the commons.

Around 9 PM we left to go to the Gloucester Arms pub to give Keya the traditional pub experience. Sarah and Keya each bought a glass of Pimm's, and was happy with my water. The pub was actually quiet tonight. Of course it was Friday and it was late. I liked it. If wasnt't for the smoking and the fact that I was leaving tomorrow, I would've gone back there for a meal.

From the Gloucester Arms we all went to the Ambassador House where Sarah lived. This was the first time I have ever been inside of Ambassador House. It wasn't that bad. I liked the stairwells better than the Atlantic's. Sarah's room was on the second floor and through a corner door. You woud've never thought that was a room and a public bathroom there, which maybe one of the reasons why Sarah hadn't gotten fresh sheets and her trash taken out for most of the six weeks. Her room was big enough to be a double, however it was single. I thought it was very nice. It was out of the way and you didn't hear much noise, except from the little kids that lived in the house behind the Ambassor.

After seeing the room, we went down to the commons, which really the front room of the town house. We watched TV for a couple house. It was nice to just hang out and do nothing. When there was nothing left on the telly to watch we went back to Sarah's room. Sarah and Keya began start organizing their room so that it would be easier to pack. I just sat there in the doorway talking to them for a while before I had to say good bye and go off and pack myself. It was sad to say bye to Sarah. Other than talking to her via the web, I wonder if I'll ever see her again.

Back in my room I began to pack. I had already began to the packing process earlier today, however I needed to pack all of my souveniers and presents and the remained of my clothes. I packed my suitcase full with the clothes from today, all of my notes from both my classes, by two bags (one of which I realized that I really didn't use except for a few times towards the beginining of the program), and all of my theater programs, tickets, maps that I've collected over the six weeks, and finally my shoes. I had just enough stuff that I had to use the expandable feature of the suitcase, especially if I wanted to fit some of my remaining toiletries that were worth taking back to the States. Done with the suitcase I then turned to my weekend bag. This I've deemed as my souvenier bag. I packed my teapot's box full of toilet paper and plastic bags so that the teapot wouldn't rattle around during the flight. The sugar bowl and cup and saucer were already wrapped in paper but I wrapped them up in one of my shawls so that they would be etra protected. I then began to back everything else into the bag. I was surprised that I actually had a little bit of room left over.

After my room was basically empty of everything, I decided to take a break and get a Mars bar from vending machine and cool down in the computer lab, which is almost completely empty. Everyone is off to the pubs and clubs to celebrate their last night with their friends and in London. It feels sorta weird to be leaving London. I told Sarah that I'm going to miss the Tube. I actually like the Tube. It is so easy to use and it gets around town fast. I wish there was a Tube in Texas. Even though I'm going to miss the city and the Tube I'll be happy to be back home.

The Woman in Black

After I turned in my paper and completed a class evaluation sheet, I headed out to Leicester Square to the TKTS ticker booth to buy a ticket for The Woman in Black play. By the time I got through the line the only ticket that was available was in row E in the Upper Circle, but it was only £7.50.

With my ticket safe in my wallet, I then went off to do a little a bit of shopping for people on my list. Then with presents in one hand and a bag of Jelly Bellies in the other, I went back to the Atlantic House for dinner before I went off to theater.

The Woman in Black is a thriller play that is at the Fortune Theater in Convent Garden and is across the street from the Drury Lane Theater. The play was adapted from the novel "The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story" by Susan Hill. It is scary. It is about a haunting experience that the man Arthur Kipps had when he was a young man when he was sent out to handle the estate and papers of a deceased client.

The play had only two actors, sans who ever plays the Woman in Black, the actor or actress anonymous, that reenact the story of the haunting. It got really creepy at some points. There would be screams from the ghost and then from the audience, which would laugh afterwards to relieve anymore fear they had left over from the screams. However after awhile I couldn't tell whether the screams where coming from the stage or from the audience. It was great. I have to admitt that I was a little scared walking back to the Atlantic House at 10:30 PM. The Tube was fine cause all of the people, however the number of people thin out when I got to Gloucester Road.

My seat wasn't that bad actually. The theater was quite small and intimate. Of course, because of the height and the fact that The Fortune theater is an old theater, it was a bit stuffy and hot. I had to break down and bought an ice cream during the intermission. If I was going to see the show again, however, I think I would like to have a seat either in the front few rows of the Dress Circle or somewhere in the middle of the Stalls. If anyone likes ghost stories, this is a great play to see. I would like to read the book.

School Work Finished!

I'm so happy that I thought it deserved a post. I have finally finished my last paper for my Museums and Galleries class! This paper counts as my final and was on the topic of how I think future generations will view and interpret our contemporary art.

Writing this paper was a little stressful. This past week I've been keeping random notes about certain works of art I've seen during my museum visits. My plan was to go through them and organize them so they would provide the base for my paper. Our professor first said that the paper can be turned in either Thursday or Friday. However, it was just today that two other girls and I found out that the rest of the class had decided yesterday, while we we off on an errand, that the paper was going to be turned in Thursday - tomorrow. We had no idea and now found ourselves with one day less to work on it.

So I decided to forget the idea of seeing another play tonight and to spend all afternoon in the computer lab and write this paper. I wish I had more warning to organize my notes and thoughts, however I think I did quite well under such a time constrant. I must thank my dad for helping me proofread it. After spending several hours at a computer my brain had turned to mush and I couldn't tell if my paper made any sense. Thankfully, it does. I hope that my teacher likes it.

As I think about it now, I really didn't mind being in the computer lab all day. It's the only place in the Atlantic House that has air coniditioning. It is brutally hot over here - it's well into tho 90s! If I had gone through with my idea of buying a theater ticket and then finishing my shopping today I would've died. I even decided that I had to wear a skirt today and flip flops, however even then I was still hot when I went to see the Wallace Collection for class this morning.


Of course, I shouldn't complain too much about the heat here cause on Saturday I will be returning to Texas. But at least in Texas we have air conditioning all over the house! I can't wait!

Harry Potter Walking Tour

This evening I went on a Harry Potter walking tour. I liked it. Instead of going to certain parts of city where they filmed some of the movies this tour visited sites that inspired parts of the stories. Of course, now as I read the desctiption of the walk on the walking tour's website - The Original London Walks - I understand the walk even more. This is what it says:

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THE REAL WORLD OF HARRY POTTER
Wizards, Werewolves & Vampires
Nothing like a night-time stroll to give you ideas

Let's put the cat amongst the pixies: Harry Potter isn't just kids' stuff. There are very real tales - and real locales - behind the stories of Harry and friends. Those tales, those locales inform this walk. Was there really an invisibility cloak? What's the truth behind the Philosophers' Stone? What place inspired Diagon Alley? Where was the legend of Dracula born? Where in a famous movie did a werewolf go on a rampage? There's good gripping London stuff behind a lot of the Harry Potter goings on - everything from characters' names to the origin of monsters. We'll solve a mystery or two: e.g., where is the entrance to The Ministry of Magic and can we get in? In short, this walk is a serious study of a subject more fantastical than fiction. And, yes, there's even some magic.

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Yes, there was magic. There was a lot of swishing of a wand that would send out sparks. It was a little corny, but the guide was so into it that it was cute. So onto the walk. Yes, we did learn about the the idea of the invisibility cloak. There was a man, whose name and profession I have now forgotten, that thought that he had an invisibility cloak that was covered in symbols and such. However, it was all in his head and people really saw him when he was wearing it. He did ask a friend once "Why then does no one talk to me?" Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

We then learned about Nicholas Flamel. Flamel was a real man. He was a French alchemist and a bookseller. He dreamt of a book one night and then the next day a man comes into his shop with the very book. It was The Book of Abraham the Jew, and it was written in an ancient form of Hebrew, which Flamel did not know. Later in life, Flamel met a man who could translate the text, but the man died before he could finish. Left with only the translated bits, Flamel took it upon himself to use what he had so far to finish the translation. And what did this book talk about? The secret of the Philosophers' Stone, which not only brings you enternal life but the ability to make metal into gold. Through Flamel's experiences he became rich and used the money to build hospitals, churches, and housing for the poor.

Now the question is whether or not Flamel gained eternal life. Well, on his death he was supposedly buried his wife and the tomb was sealed. However, over the years people claimed to have seen him and his wife alive around the world. So people began to actually buy stocks in whether or not Flamel was alive. After awhile, the police were tired of the idea of such a silly notion of such a stock and the only way they could prove that the Flamel and his wife were dead was to open the tomb. And when they finally did they found - nothing. It was empty. And what happened to The Book Abraham the Jew? No one knows.

We then walked over to Trafalger Square and found the call box that is the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, which is across the way from the entrance of the National Portrait Gallery. No, we didn't try to get in.

We then walked up the street a little and then to a street that leads to Leicester Sqaure. There we saw the hardly noticed door that goes to a very exclusive gentlemens club. It was in here that writer Bram Stoker met a man who came from the region around the area of Transylvania. Through stories from this foreigner, Stoker learned about a man named Vlad the Impaler and his horrid method of putting people, while they are still alive, onto stakes. He was a man that did not like his borders crossed and his peace distrubed. Stoker was inspired and took Vlad's surname of Dracula and decided to turn him into a vampire, and the story of the Dracula the vampire was born.

At the end of our walk we headed up Charing Cross to a little alley, the only one on this street, that must be the inspiration for Harry Potter's Diagon Alley. There are a lot of little bookshops and antiquities shops, one of which does sell stuffed owls. It was really cool.

Oh, because it was mentioned in the walk description above, the location for the werewolf in the movie American Werewolf in London is at Picadilly Circus.

Over all the walk was fun. I liked learning about little known facts behind the stories such as the story of Dracula and so on. If anyone is interested in the walk, it is normally done on Sunday. But be wary, there will be a lot of kids who especially love the call box that leads to the Ministry of Magic. We were told by the guide that every single kid wants to try to get in it. Sounds very cute.

A Day In Leicester Square

I had a packed day in Leicester Square. Since I hadn't signed up to see Evita with the rest of the program, I decided that I was going to see the Agatha Christie's play "The Mousetrap." This is the longest playing show in London. It premiered in 1952 and has never stopped showing. I got lost finding the theater. I accidently went down the wrong way on Charing Cross, but I soon found it. I decided that I really wanted a good seat for once and so I spent £20 for a front seat in the Upper Circle.

Once I had my ticket I headed back to Leicester Square to do a little bit of shopping for my people back home. I then broke down yet again, because it was so hot, and I bought a rasberry frap from Starbucks. It might be a little expensive but it was sure worth it.

Normally after I finish what I set out to do I head back to the Atlantic house and eat dinner and then later go to my show. But today I decided to stand around and wait for a movie premiere to start. The movie was Stormbreaker, which was filmed in London, and has stars like Alex Pettyfer (a teen hearthrob here), Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, Alicia Silverstone, Robbie Coltrane, and so on.

So I stand around for a bit and then they start putting up the barriers, so I get my spot second row from the fence. After an hour or so the crowd grew bigger, especially when they laid out the red carpet. After a while the woman that I was standing next to and I began to talk. After another while I figured out that she was from Manchester and was in London for the day talking to casting agencies. We both wanted to see Ewan McGregor.

Finally, after standing for almost two hours, the stars began to arrive. Since we were standing right in front of the theater, we saw everyone. Billy Nighy was the first to arrive, then there was Alicia Silverstone, and then there was Alex Pettyfer. Of course they all head to the spots where the news cameras were first and then they made their way towards us. By that time two 14 year olds had weezled past us and were making horrible high pitched screams and yelling "Come over here!" all the time, and from behind and from both sides I was being squished. I could barely move, but at least I got some pictures.

It was getting closer to 7:30PM, which was when I really needed to leave for the theater, but I decided to wait a little longer and see if anyone else was coming. And finally, Ewan McGregor showed up. He looks better in person than he does in his pictures. He's very handsome and has great hair. Satisfied, the lady and I slowly made our way out and compared pictures of the clebrities we saw. We didn't do too badly. We then parted ways forever. I decided that I will probably never go to another premiere again, or at least one that involves teen heartthrobes.

I hurried up the street to the St. Martin's Theater to see The Mousetrap. I got to my seat and chugged down an entire bottle of water. I was really looking forward to sitting in a comfy seat and watching a mystery play.

The show was great. I loved the set - which apparently hasn't changed much since the show started in 1952. The actors were very good and were very convincing. I tried my hardest to figure out who was the murderer. I was close, but I didn't get it. But I won't tell you who did it. It's tradition explained at the end of the show to tell the audience that now that we have seen the show we are part of the crime itself, and should never reveal the murderer's identity. Ironically enough, this was done by the murderer. A nice touch. I really liked the show and the seat was great. Well worth the money.

I made my way back to the Atlantic house and took a well needed shower. I then had a very late dinner of Cadbury chocolate and a orange soda from the vending machines down in the commons and then it was on to the computer labs.

Walking Around London

Today I was on my own. So what did I do? I basically went all over the northern part of the city to find houses that belonged to famous writers and poets. I started off with the local area.

Just around the corner there is the apartment building where T.S. Eliot lived and died. His widow still lives in the apartment. When I first arrived in London, on my Kensington walking tour, the tour guide told us that one time the fire alarm went off and everyone had to evacuate, however the Mrs. Eliot didn't come out. Everyone started to get worried, but then she suddenly comes out with an armful of papers that must have belonged to her husband. But what type of papers were they? Were they an unseen manuscrpt of some sort? Who knows.

In the opposite direction there is the street De Vere Gardens. Here is the house that the poet Robert Browning lived and died in.

From this place I walked up to and along High Street Kensington and then up towards Notting Hill. On Sheffield Terrace, which is off of Campden Hill Road, there is the house that Agatha Christie once lived. I couldn't really read the blue plague with her name on it because the house was behind a wall and cause I think my eye sight is changing.

I walked further up the road to the Notting Hill Tube station. I took the Tube to Baker street. However on the way there, at the Edgware Road station, we had to leave one train and go to another one because there was something either wrong with the train itself or the tracks. I could barely understand what the man was saying on the P.A. system, so I just followed the other people to the other train. However, from there we didn't leave the station either. Thankfully it turns out that I had to actually find another train that was heading the direction that I wanted. Even though I was finally on the right train I still had to wait almost ten minutes before it actually started moving. Blah.

Finally at Baker Street I walked down to Gloucester Place where Elizabeth Barret Browning lived, and then I walked all the way to Wimpole Street where she also lived. On Upper Wimpole Street I saw the house where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle loved and wrote his famous mysteries.

I then took the Tube to the Russel Street stop and walked to see the Dickens' House Museum. I then took the Tube to Moorgate. On this road is the building were John Keats was born. I thought I had found the building, however it turns out that I didn't. I think I passed by the pub that that now stands on the site and didn't even realized it. I'm really disappointed. I'll have to go back sometime and really search for it.

Since I was in the area I went back to some of the sites that I had seen while on my Jack the Ripper walking tour. I really didn't have a lot of time during the tour to see everything. I'm surprised that I remembered exactly where things were. After that I had lost all of my energy. I walked to the Liverpool station where I broke down and bought a rasberry frapaccino from Starbucks and took the Tube back to Kensington.

I took a cold shower to wash off all of the grime that I picked up as I ventured around the city and then took a nap. For dinner I broke down yet again and had an Ameican style dinner - McDonald's. Since I had a chocolate muffin for lunch with a orange soda and the rasberry frap, I decided to stuff myself full with chicken nuggents and fries. I rarely eat at McDonald's but I certainly loved it tonight.

I'm actually getting homesick for good food. Food in London is actually sort of bland. The only thing that was really savory was the West Cornwall pasty, but that's it. I miss my Tex-Mex, the sugar free ice tea, grape soda (yes! I admit I love grape soda!), chinese food, and of course my mom's cooking. But when July 22nd comes around I'll get all of this back.

Leeds Castle and Canterbury

This morning I, along with a group of people from the program, boarded a coach to go to Leeds Castle and Canterbury.

Leeds Castle is located in Kent and it is beautiful. Most of it stands by a large bit of water and it is very picturesque. I understand why it has been deemed "The Loveliest Castle in the World." We were lead by our tour guide through the grounds where you get to see a large amount of peacocks. Yes, peacocks. There were the gorgous male peacocks and then there were the females ones with their babies who were so cute. Then up to the castle where the tour guide let us loose to go through the insides on our own. Out of the entire interior of the castle, I like the windows the most. Because of the reflections from the water on the outside, many of them, espeically the really old windows, began to glow. It was gorgeous.

Back in the grounds Callie and I walked through the traditional English gardens and found the maze. We were warned by our tour guide that some people have been lost in the maze for a half hour. We only had a half hour left before we had to meet back at the bus. Did we dare go in? Of course. Surprisingly, it only took us five minutes to find the center. Though we did have a little bit of help when two little kids began to follow us cause their dad was in the center telling them which way to go. But I think they ended up following us cause we somehow were going in the right direction. Once you get to the center of the maze, which turns out to be actually quite small, you climb this little tower to look over the entire maze. However, to get out you go down these steps to the grotto under ground. The grotto was actually quite creepy. There were stone inhuman figures and there was a great waterfall that came out of the mouth of a great face. After the maze, we headed back towards the bus, which was about a ten minute walk, stopping every so often to take some pictures.

From Leeds Castle, we went to Canterbury. There our tour guide took us into the town near the entrance to the Canterbury Cathedral that is known for the hundreds of pilgrimages throughout history - for anyone who has read The Canterbury Tales, this is the cathedral. From here our guide gave us an option to either go off and find food or to do some shopping or follow her because she was willing to do a little guided tour of the city. Only os us went on the little tour. The rest went shopping. So disappointing. Anyway, the guide took to us to some areas of the town where the oldest residential tudor architecture can be found along with other sites around the place including where the dunking chair is. This chair is what people used to see whether or not you were a witch. They would put you in the chair and dunk you into the river and if you drowned you were innocent and if you floated you were a witch(and then they killed you).

After the tour we were set free to find lunch and do whatever we wanted for two hours. Callie and I needed food so we found a West Cornwall Pasty Co. If you are ever in England you must eat here soemtime. A pasty is basically any type of meat and veggie and it is wrapped inside a dough pocket and baked. I had the traditional which is beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions. It was delicous. Another reason why I like the place is because the logo is a pirate eating a pasty. These days I like anything with a pirate theme. I would definetely eat at another West Cornwall Pasty Co.

After filling our bellies, we walked around and went into a few shops and bought a thing or two. We then went to the St. Augustine's Abbey ruins. You have to pay to get in. Many would think why would someone pay to see ruins of any abbey, but I actually liked it cause it was something that people don't really pay attention to. Many, when they come to Canterbury, are interested in the cathedral, which I am, but didn't have time to go see. But I think St. Augustine's abbey was just as cool.

After roaming around the ruins and taking pictures, Callie and I headed back to the meeting spot. We had to be there at 3:45 and not be late. Our guide was very stict on this. Basically cause there was a certain time when the coach was going to come back. Cars are only allowed on the outer part of the town, and they really don't like coaches, which have to wait somewhere outside of the town cause there is no area for them to park in. But anyway, we made it to the coach on time and we soon fell alseep on the way back to London.

I ate my usual dinner of a Tesco sandwhich and crisps (photato chips), and I ate in the commons cause, for once, no one was in there. I finally got to see an episode of Dr. Who , though it was a repeat of the second season when the Doctor regenerates and the city of London and the entire world is yet again under attack from aliens. Perhaps the only people who would understand what I'm talking about is my family. My favorite quote from this episdoe: The Doctor's hand grows back after being severed. Alien leader: "Witchcraft." Doctor: "Time Lord."

The Museum of London and Portobello Road

Today Sarah D. and I went to the Museum of the London. This is, obviously, the museum that is all about the history of London. It starts with the time before the Romans came to the island (called London Before London) with fossils, animal bones, and so on. Then it goes into the Roman history and all the way into the 20th century. There were all sorts of cool things to look at. In the Victorian Era section they had Queen Victoria's coronation robe and an outfit from Prince Albert. Queen Victoria was a very small woman, of course when she was crowned queen she was only seventeen years old. She had to be between five foot and five foot, four inches.

Another thing that I really liked was the Victorian Walk. You walk through a recreated street of London with different types of shops like a grocer, a bank, a pharmacy, a toyshop, and so on. It was really cool.

After exploring the entire museum, we then left to go to Portobello Road. We got there a half hour before the street market officially closed. Portobello is slightly different than the other markets that I have been to while I've been in London. Among some of the usual bag and scarf stalls, there are food stalls as well. There were people selling meat, cheese, and a lot of fruit. I must say that some of the stuff did not smell all that good, especially some of the fruit. If you bought anything you would have eat it that day or else it would go bad. But over all Sarah and I had fun, and we did buy a few things.