Anywho, I managed to get my stuff together and get everything printed, and packed, and make my way to the airport with plenty of time for my flight. After grabbing some dinner, I was on my way to LONDON!!
Upon arrival, I had to find my way to my hostel, which was surprisingly easy. I was staying near Oxford Street/Oxford Circus/Great Portland Street, so there were plenty of options for tube stops to head to. I got a bit lost finding the actual building, but I managed and finally checked in. I briefly considered some adventuring that night, but opted instead for facebooking, emailing, and music. The crazy adventures were to start the following morning, bright and early.
My hostel roommates were nice, and the hostel itself was really clean. I really enjoyed it. The showers were nice, and it had a nice little bar/cafe area, which sold breakfast in the mornings, and had plenty of comfy couches to set up on to surf the web and whatnot.
So Sunday morning, I got up bright and early (7:00!!!) and grabbed some breakfast at the hostel, after a quick shower and getting ready. I then headed out to the cathedral I had found online for Mass. It ended up being not even three blocks away, super convenient. The cathedral was gorgeous, and it was really nice to attend Mass in English again :)
After Mass, I decided to take myself on a walking tour of London. This proved more daunting than I thought, and I ended up getting tube passes for the rest of Sunday, and the rest of the week. Anyway, I headed first to Picaddily Circus. I walked along Oxford and Regent Street, and everything was calm and quiet, an amazing Sunday morning. I was loving London already.
Rather than include pictures here, here is a link to my facebook albums:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=549561&id=865190141&l=94f728e80c
After Piccadilly, I wound my way to Trafalgar Square. I admired the fountains, and some red telephone booths, before making the spontaneous decision to head into the National Gallery for a few hours. The great thing about London: all the museums are free. I did buy an audio guide, but only because I wanted to study some for my art history midterm.
I don't think I could ever detail all of the amazing things I saw: Caravaggios (I <3 Caravaggio), da Vinci, Raphaels, Michelangelos, Boticellis, van Goghs....it went on and on. I surprised myself by actually being able to identify a lot of key facts and ideas about the Renaissance pieces, especially the Raphaels and Caravaggios. 2.5 hours later, though, I was art-ed out, and after buying some post cards of my fave pieces (Caravaggio <3...seeing a trend??), I headed back into London proper.
I headed towards the West End, where my tickets for that day's Jersey Boys awaited. After picking them up from will call, I went on another crazy adventure. I hit Leicester Square, Charing Cross Road, Tottenham Court Road, and ended up down by the Thames, all before 12:30. I walked along the Thames, and saw the Parliament buildings, and Big Ben. I also saw a bit of Westminster, but then realized that I had only two and half hours to grab lunch and get back to the theater. So I broke down, and bought a tube day pass, and headed back to Leicester Square.
After a quick lunch (Pizza Hut...ashamed...but I missed American food. and it was really tasty, actually.), I headed to the theater.
Jersey Boys was INCREDIBLE. I was absolutely blown away by the guy who played Frankie Valli-his voice was mind blowing! I also really missed home while watching, since it's all about Jersey :) Weird thing about West End theater: you don't get playbills. I bought a program for something like 3 pounds.
After the show, I putzed around, trying to find a stage door, before giving up and heading off on another adventure. I found my way all the way to the Millennium Bridge, saw Shakespeare's Globe, and traipsed along the Thames, popping into a few stores along the way. I headed back pretty early, though, since my train to Edinburgh left at 7:00 Monday morning!
After accidentally over sleeping (until 6:15, when I planned on 5:45), I headed out to the tube, and then to King's Cross Station! I printed out my tickets for the day, and had some time to kill, so I grabbed breakfast, and settled in on the train. Great thing about British trains: wifi, outlets, and assigned seats, so no one could take my seat. The journey to Edinburgh was long (about four and a half hours), so I was ready to start exploring as soon as I got in!
The first place I went, of course: the cafe where Jo Rowling penned the first HP book! The Elephant House. I grabbed a pot of tea and a sandwich and cookie, and ate in the cafe, all while wondering if Jo herself had sat in my chair :P A quick stop in the bathroom proved my favorite part of the day: messages to Jo were scribbled everywhere, including a sign up sheet for Dumbledore's Army!! I, naturally, signed up, and added my own quote to the wall.
I then headed toward the castle. I won't go into details, but I spent a very enjoyable three hours wandering around, seeing the Crown Jewels and plenty of awesome medieval architecture. I also purchased a tartan scarf, and some gifts for various family members. After the castle, I wandered the streets for awhile, poking into the cashmere/tartan/Scottish clothing store/factory, and a few other stores along the way.
Before I knew it, it was time to head back to London! Another four hour train ride back, and I was in King's Cross again. I attempted to find Platform 9 3/4, but it is either no longer there, or I was too tired to see straight. So back to the hostel it was, for some down time and interwebs!
The next day was another long one. I got up relatively early, dragged myself down Baker Street to see the Sherlock Holmes museum, and 121b. I then frolicked in Regent's park, before meeting up with a free walking tour at the Wellington Arch. My tour guide was a very attractive, young British man-not bad at all!
We visited Buckingham, St. James, Parliament, Westminster-pretty much all the big sights. I got a picture with the Queen's guards, and also a picture with said attractive tour guide :) Then I joined him, a Canadian from our tour, an Aussie, and a Brazillian for lunch in a pub. the food was good, the company was....interesting.
The Aussie asked me what my plans for the day were, and I mentioned trying to hit the British museum. she decided to tag along. I wasn't thrilled, particularly because I wanted to mainly spend some time ogling the Elgin Marbles (hey, Classics major here!!). So after the Rosetta stone, and far less time with the Parthenon materials than I would have liked, I accidentally managed to lose her among the ancient Roman materials.
While I was sad I hadn't gotten to say goodbye, I was still relatively relieved, as I had a ticket for the London Eye and a ticket for Deathtrap that night waiting! London, however, chose that moment to live up to its reputation, drenching me in pouring rain as I made my way down to the Eye.
It stopped raining by the time I got there, however, and I very much enjoyed my twilight journey up on the viewing wheel. It was pretty incredible to watch the sun set from so high over London!! After my trip, I headed back to the West End for the climax of my break: Deathtrap, with Jonathan Groff.
Well, first I grabbed tea and a sandwich, then headed to the theater.
Wow. What an amazing show. It's far too complicated to explain, but it's a comedy-thriller. I was sitting next to this lovely British couple who were very amused by my scream of terror at one point. We had a nice chat during intermission about Groffy, and how he's an up-and-coming American actor. The second act was even better, and I was absolutely in love. Jonathan has grown so much as an actor since I last saw him in Spring Awakening. It was incredible to watch him command the stage, and to watch him put so much emotion into something that wasn't a musical!
After the show, I headed back to the stage door, which I had scoped out earlier that night. I ended up waiting with two other people: a Scottish guy named Nicholas, and a girl from California. We had an awkward few moments where we didn't talk, but the silence was broken when we started talking about how to ask for autographs and how we were super excited for Jonathan.
It was so different from an American stage door-no barriers, no screaming 13 years olds, no fighting! We chatted a bit with Simon Russell Beale, the other lead, and then Jon came out. Surprise of all surprises: he was toting Lauren Pritchard with him!! After pimping her CD, and making adorable comments about how cold it was (Look you can see our breath!), Jon signed and took pictures with us. We thanked him for the show, and we congratulated him on a job well done.
Of course, we also asked him for Glee secrets. He told us he wasn't allowed to really say, but he's in talks for next season!!!
So after an amazing day/night, I headed back to my hostel, where I had a glass of cider with a girl from Canada also staying there, and we had a great time chatting for three or so hours. But it was bedtime soon-I had to head out the next day for France!
I spent Wednesday morning doing some last minute shopping, before heading to the airport. My flight was unfortunately delayed, but I made it to Toulouse, and met up with Ms. Lepine and her husband, Philippe. I hadn't met him before, so it was pretty fun.
They took me to this beautiful restaurant for dinner, and I got to try some real French food (read: foie gras, pate....) And I got lots of delicious cheese and wine! It was great to catch up with Ms Lepine as adults, not as student-teacher. I really, really enjoyed it.
The next day she let me sleep in, and then we cooked dinner together. We made endives au gratin, bacon and onion quiche, and chocolate mousse. It was really fun learning how to make the different things, and everything tasted so good!! We finished off with cheese and dessert by the fireplace, and it was incredible!
The following day Ms. Lepine and I adventured to Cordres and Albi, where we saw some awesome Caesar-ish ruins, and the Toulouse-Lautrec museum. I <3 Toulouse-Lautrec now. he's the guy who did a lot of the Moulin Rouge stuff, btdubs. that night we went for dinner at Phillipe's family's restaurant, which was delicious, and a lot of fun to see Ms. Lepine and Philippe interact with their family. They also gave me a souvenir of my trip-the book of Toulouse-Lautrec's collection! It was really an incredible three days.
I unfortunately had to head back to Rome early Saturday. I spent the rest of the weekend catching up on sleep and homework, and even went out for Chinese food (GASP!) on Sunday night with some friends.
And that, dear friends, is fall break in a nutshell. Tune in soon for Imperial Fora, Ostia, and JESUITS!
Love,
Lauren
After the show, I putzed around, trying to find a stage door, before giving up and heading off on another adventure. I found my way all the way to the Millennium Bridge, saw Shakespeare's Globe, and traipsed along the Thames, popping into a few stores along the way. I headed back pretty early, though, since my train to Edinburgh left at 7:00 Monday morning!
After accidentally over sleeping (until 6:15, when I planned on 5:45), I headed out to the tube, and then to King's Cross Station! I printed out my tickets for the day, and had some time to kill, so I grabbed breakfast, and settled in on the train. Great thing about British trains: wifi, outlets, and assigned seats, so no one could take my seat. The journey to Edinburgh was long (about four and a half hours), so I was ready to start exploring as soon as I got in!
The first place I went, of course: the cafe where Jo Rowling penned the first HP book! The Elephant House. I grabbed a pot of tea and a sandwich and cookie, and ate in the cafe, all while wondering if Jo herself had sat in my chair :P A quick stop in the bathroom proved my favorite part of the day: messages to Jo were scribbled everywhere, including a sign up sheet for Dumbledore's Army!! I, naturally, signed up, and added my own quote to the wall.
I then headed toward the castle. I won't go into details, but I spent a very enjoyable three hours wandering around, seeing the Crown Jewels and plenty of awesome medieval architecture. I also purchased a tartan scarf, and some gifts for various family members. After the castle, I wandered the streets for awhile, poking into the cashmere/tartan/Scottish clothing store/factory, and a few other stores along the way.
Before I knew it, it was time to head back to London! Another four hour train ride back, and I was in King's Cross again. I attempted to find Platform 9 3/4, but it is either no longer there, or I was too tired to see straight. So back to the hostel it was, for some down time and interwebs!
The next day was another long one. I got up relatively early, dragged myself down Baker Street to see the Sherlock Holmes museum, and 121b. I then frolicked in Regent's park, before meeting up with a free walking tour at the Wellington Arch. My tour guide was a very attractive, young British man-not bad at all!
We visited Buckingham, St. James, Parliament, Westminster-pretty much all the big sights. I got a picture with the Queen's guards, and also a picture with said attractive tour guide :) Then I joined him, a Canadian from our tour, an Aussie, and a Brazillian for lunch in a pub. the food was good, the company was....interesting.
The Aussie asked me what my plans for the day were, and I mentioned trying to hit the British museum. she decided to tag along. I wasn't thrilled, particularly because I wanted to mainly spend some time ogling the Elgin Marbles (hey, Classics major here!!). So after the Rosetta stone, and far less time with the Parthenon materials than I would have liked, I accidentally managed to lose her among the ancient Roman materials.
While I was sad I hadn't gotten to say goodbye, I was still relatively relieved, as I had a ticket for the London Eye and a ticket for Deathtrap that night waiting! London, however, chose that moment to live up to its reputation, drenching me in pouring rain as I made my way down to the Eye.
It stopped raining by the time I got there, however, and I very much enjoyed my twilight journey up on the viewing wheel. It was pretty incredible to watch the sun set from so high over London!! After my trip, I headed back to the West End for the climax of my break: Deathtrap, with Jonathan Groff.
Well, first I grabbed tea and a sandwich, then headed to the theater.
Wow. What an amazing show. It's far too complicated to explain, but it's a comedy-thriller. I was sitting next to this lovely British couple who were very amused by my scream of terror at one point. We had a nice chat during intermission about Groffy, and how he's an up-and-coming American actor. The second act was even better, and I was absolutely in love. Jonathan has grown so much as an actor since I last saw him in Spring Awakening. It was incredible to watch him command the stage, and to watch him put so much emotion into something that wasn't a musical!
After the show, I headed back to the stage door, which I had scoped out earlier that night. I ended up waiting with two other people: a Scottish guy named Nicholas, and a girl from California. We had an awkward few moments where we didn't talk, but the silence was broken when we started talking about how to ask for autographs and how we were super excited for Jonathan.
It was so different from an American stage door-no barriers, no screaming 13 years olds, no fighting! We chatted a bit with Simon Russell Beale, the other lead, and then Jon came out. Surprise of all surprises: he was toting Lauren Pritchard with him!! After pimping her CD, and making adorable comments about how cold it was (Look you can see our breath!), Jon signed and took pictures with us. We thanked him for the show, and we congratulated him on a job well done.
Of course, we also asked him for Glee secrets. He told us he wasn't allowed to really say, but he's in talks for next season!!!
So after an amazing day/night, I headed back to my hostel, where I had a glass of cider with a girl from Canada also staying there, and we had a great time chatting for three or so hours. But it was bedtime soon-I had to head out the next day for France!
I spent Wednesday morning doing some last minute shopping, before heading to the airport. My flight was unfortunately delayed, but I made it to Toulouse, and met up with Ms. Lepine and her husband, Philippe. I hadn't met him before, so it was pretty fun.
They took me to this beautiful restaurant for dinner, and I got to try some real French food (read: foie gras, pate....) And I got lots of delicious cheese and wine! It was great to catch up with Ms Lepine as adults, not as student-teacher. I really, really enjoyed it.
The next day she let me sleep in, and then we cooked dinner together. We made endives au gratin, bacon and onion quiche, and chocolate mousse. It was really fun learning how to make the different things, and everything tasted so good!! We finished off with cheese and dessert by the fireplace, and it was incredible!
The following day Ms. Lepine and I adventured to Cordres and Albi, where we saw some awesome Caesar-ish ruins, and the Toulouse-Lautrec museum. I <3 Toulouse-Lautrec now. he's the guy who did a lot of the Moulin Rouge stuff, btdubs. that night we went for dinner at Phillipe's family's restaurant, which was delicious, and a lot of fun to see Ms. Lepine and Philippe interact with their family. They also gave me a souvenir of my trip-the book of Toulouse-Lautrec's collection! It was really an incredible three days.
I unfortunately had to head back to Rome early Saturday. I spent the rest of the weekend catching up on sleep and homework, and even went out for Chinese food (GASP!) on Sunday night with some friends.
And that, dear friends, is fall break in a nutshell. Tune in soon for Imperial Fora, Ostia, and JESUITS!
Love,
Lauren
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