markets markets markets markets.

Today has been a great day. Really. For the first time in the last two weeks, I got more than six hours of sleep last night, and it's made a world of difference!

The day started out with one of my new favorite places: Camden Market. We left relatively early so we could have a couple of hours there, and I could've stayed there hours after we had to leave! Dresses, sweatshirts, scarves, shoes, bags, souvenirs... all for a great price. Not only was I pleased with the prices, but I also discovered the art of bargaining. Seriously, I would have spent close to 100 pounds today, and I spent 45 instead. Got a sweater of a British flag (it's cuter than it sounds), three black and white prints of London, a jumper dress, a London umbrella, and a couple other things. These markets could be very very dangerous, especially because they carry an enormous amount of things that match my black and white and red European-themed room back home. Uh oh.

We only took one picture at the market and the camera was zoomed in, so just pretend that the rest of our faces are included.

After the market, Taylor and Hadley and I went on quite the adventure trying to make it to the Globe Theatre in time for our private tour. We were told by a woman at the station that we needed to get off at the Westminister stop, so we followed her direction without much question. Turns out that that particular stop was a ridiculously long ways away from the Globe... we ended up running (literally) several blocks, taking a taxi when we were tired of pretending like we knew where we were going, and making it to the theatre just a few seconds before the tour began. No question that we got our workout in.

The Globe is gorgeous! It's really fun to talk about a place in all your drama and history classes growing up and finally be able to see it in person. We're going to have the traditional experience of being "groundlings" at Othello tomorrow; this means that you stand near the stage the whole show for only 5 pounds instead of buying a seat. It's going to be great, but awfully cold in that open-top theatre. Guess I'm going to have to buy another hoodie at the Portobello Market tomorrow.... dang it all. During the tour, we were able to watch a professional cast from another country rehearse Richard III. Seeing so many plays lately is making me really want to be on stage again. I miss acting! All the actors and actresses here in London are so talented and are very fun to watch.

Tonight Kyla and I met up with Katherine, Jaden, and Kaylie for gelato. So good to see them; it felt like a little piece of home away from home! I wish that our group schedules matched up a little better so we could plan more activities together. It was fun to hear about their favorite things that they've done thus far and learn about the differences between our groups. Oops, there I go again... apparently I'm in "learning mode" all the time here. How bout this: we had some great gelato, laughed lots, talked about men, and partied (in the Utah sense of the word) like ladies should! There. That's better.

It continues to be bloody cold in this place, so I'm sitting in the lounge room still bundled up in my boots, my running jacket, and a thick parka overtop. Isn't it May?!

Torturous Tower.

Today was our tour of the London Tower. An entertaining beefeater as our guide, we were educated about the cruelties that were performed in the area. We learned about executions of royalty and prisoners, torture chambers, prisons, proper soldier attire, and the stories of many individuals who witnessed it all. Stories of kings and queens beheaded for stepping out of line. Stories where loved ones' lives were ended and no one even paid tribute, because things like that were just a normal occurrence of the day. As interesting as it was, I found that I didn't have the stomach for much of it. The idea that humans can inflict such incredible suffering on one another is beyond me; I literally felt sick as we walked through the towers that displayed various tools for torturing prisoners. I don't know what else I'd ever be, but sometimes I'm embarrassed to be a human being.

Site of execution. There's a small pillow on that table... I guess if you're going to get your head chopped off, at least you'll be comfortable. Sick and wrong.

While at the London Tower, we stopped at a small cafe for a "hot cup of cocoa to warm us up from head to toe..." because the weather was all sorts of cold and miserable today. The sky was dark grey, and even when it wasn't raining there was a cold mist blowing in our faces and freezing our fingers. The cafe was warm and homey, so we snuck our snacks in and enjoyed visiting with each other and obsessing over chocolate Kinder eggs.

I've been slacking a bit this week on my paper-writing and reading, so tonight is being dedicated to doing just that. Writing a review and reading As You Like It. What a night, huh? Homework really shouldn't exist in London. 

"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag..."

Class was great today. We discussed Othello and the strange production of Matilda we saw last night, and I actually really enjoyed it. I like school.

St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen. The baptismal font, the nave, the dome, the choir, the crypt, and all the little things in between are so pretty. We hiked the 530 steps to the top and got an excellent view of the entire city. 

Feeding the birds (or at least pretending) on the Mary Poppins steps!

Utah smiles.

Just got back from Matilda the Musical with the whole group. It had some of the greatest special effects I've ever seen, but I'd have to say that I wasn't crazy about the production as a whole. It wasn't the Matilda story I know and love, but it was still enjoyable. I think it's hard to find something that's not at all entertaining when it's being performed in an incredible theatre with professional actors. After the show, we strolled around Covent Gardens, then got some pizza and gelato on our way out. It's a dang good thing we're walking so many miles each day.

Today was a bit more relaxed, with some extra time to spend getting organized and finishing up homework. I did, however, visit the V&A museum with Brittany and Janessa. It was definitely interesting (in the strange sense of the word) with lots of naked folks and whatnot, but I found the European exhibit very interesting (in the fascinating sense of the word). There was also an unbelievable jewelry collection from past royalty of different countries... I really wish I would've been allowed to take photos in that exhibit. To make museums more intriguing, I've started playing a game with myself where I think "if I could choose one thing in this exhibit to take home with me, what would it be?" This way, I'm constantly looking for my favorite things and in doing so I've started to appreciate the artifacts more. It's working nicely.

Today I realized that there's one thing about the city I just don't love; one thing that I miss from my home state. I miss my Utah smiles. Many people here are kind when they need to be, but they definitely don't go around smiling at you for no reason. They're all business. I miss the hyper-friendly people of Utah.

Before I left, I'd been doing really well at eliminating gluten from my diet (except for Corinne's chocolate chip cookies, of course), so now I'm upsetting my poor stomach by eating everything that is supposedly part of the London experience. It doesn't help that there are so many "must-try"s here... I don't want to miss out on the full experience! But as soon as I check off these crucial foods, I'm going to have to start improving my self-control so I don't feel sick the whole trip.

I'm enjoying myself here. Definitely learning a great deal every day--about London, about history, about literature, and about myself. Five weeks left is all I have left out here! Time is going to fly all too fast.

-Cass

"That was wwwicked!!!"

"I have been changed.... for good!!" My life might seriously be considered complete, as I have finally seen WICKED on broadway. And I'll never ever forget how good it was. We walked around for about an hour tonight, looking to see Phantom initially, then Les Mis when Phantom was sold out, then we thought we'd try Wicked in the last attempt of the night when Les Mis was completely full. Little did we know that when we arrived at the Wicked box office two minutes before the start of the show, we'd be offered fourth row seats for only 28 pounds!! I really can't stop thinking about how much I loved it, and how much I can't wait to see the next musical here. Matilda tomorrow, and Les Mis this Thursday! I'm in heaven!

As a large group, we visited both the British Library and the British Museum earlier today. I enjoyed both! I have to admit, I'm not naturally a huge museum person, but I'm trying to become one. Kind of like I'm trying to become passionate about Shakespeare while I'm here. It's starting to work... at least a little bit. Making progress. At the Library, it was fun to see some original lyrics (scribbles) of a few of the Beatles songs, including their hit Yesterday. I also saw Beethoven's tuning fork, the Magna Carter, and a few other favorite things which I can't remember at the moment. Maybe they weren't such favorites after all. I enjoyed the British Museum much more than I thought I would, all because of my Music Civ class. Never thought I'd say it, but that class paid off. I was able to see the Egypt exhibit, along with the Greek and Roman exhibits. I loved looking at the Greek and Roman sculptures! Some of them are definitely strange, but now that I know a bit of history behind them, they've become especially interesting.

(There's a man that draws these flags in front of the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square almost every day... I think it's super cool.)

Maybe more than any other lesson, I'm learning the importance of being educated. There are so many people here who know what it means to appreciate literature and to understand history and to embrace different cultures. Although I'm learning rapidly, I'm also rapidly learning how much I have yet to learn. I wish I could go back to every history class I've ever taken and work ten times harder at not just  memorizing the facts but really learning them and keeping them in my brain. I feel like I have a whole lot of homework to do on a whole lot of people and dates and events. I know I don't have to learn it all at once, but I've really been inspired while I've been here (over the the course of the last week going on two months) to take advantage of every opportunity to learn. I'm also discovering that I can change the way I think. Before this year, my brain wasn't wired to do statistics. Now that I've worked long and hard in a stats class, it is. And I figure that it's possible for the same thing to happen with history, Shakespeare, or whatever else I'd like to master. Time to get to work, baby.

-Cass

Sssunday in the City.

I'm stuffed to the brim. This evening the first counselor of the London North ward invited us over for dinner and dessert, which consisted of steak and Digestibles cookies. We've already been called to help in the primary, and have dates set to speak and sing in sacrament meeting. Yes, both. Why waste time, I guess... cut to the chase.

For the most part, today was very very cold and rainy. I don't believe I've really described this little basement apartment that five of us have been assigned to for the next six weeks. It's a nice roof over our heads, don't get me wrong. But it makes even the Elms look glorious! The shower's a 2' x 2' box with a shower head that touches even my head... I feel bad for the other two tall girls who have to use it. On full blast, it drizzles, so a person's gotta plan to either spend 30 minutes in the shower, or come out hardly cleaner than when they entered. By the smell of it, the lounge area must have a sewage pipe right outside the window. The beds are not much softer than an rock, and not much warmer either. The few outlets that are here have blown any voltage converters, meaning no blowdryers or appliances of any kind. Hence, the Tarzan look I've been portraying in every picture since I've arrived. But hey, at least I'll have some healthy hair when I return home. The kitchen is roomy and clean. And there's plenty of space for our things in our rooms. Despite a few glitches, I actually like it here, and I can always take refuge in the upstairs lounge when my toes start to freeze. It's an experience! 

The London North ward is really great to us. All my life, I've heard people go on about how "you'll always have a friend somewhere in the world as long as you're in the Church..." I'm not sure I really understood the significance of that until today. I was amazed by the familiar and comfortable feelings that a foreign ward could bring. The people in that ward are incredibly friendly, and I'm very excited to get to know as many of them as I can in the next six weeks.

The only picture I've got today is of five girls stuffed in a fascinating old elevator, so.... enjoy!

All for a blasted alarm clock.

Today was a bit more relaxed than the last few, but still plenty eventful. The morning started out late again, with me still not owning a functioning alarm clock and all. But it worked out fine; a group of us quickly got ready and headed to Borough Market. The markets here might just be my favorite thing. I take that back... I can't get myself to choose a favorite, but I really like them. They're an awesome cultural experience with people of all kinds buzzing around everywhere and hundreds of little booths to explore and foods to sample. I'm looking forward to Portabello Road next Saturday.

Right next to the market was the London Bridge, which Brittany and Janessa and I had way too much fun on today. We imitated Fergie's music video of London Bridges and sang and danced. Yes, we got a few weird looks in the process, along with a funny man who wanted to dance with us... we probably won't try that again.

We saw Hay Fever today, a play that we had to read for class. It was put on at the Noel Coward Theatre (Noel Coward is the author of Hay Fever), which was built in 1903! It was beautiful, and it made me want to go to play after play after play in this city. It was a fun production with plenty of witty dialogue, and I really enjoyed it... until I had to come home and write a review about it. Still working on that. 

On the way home from the play, Kenzie and I still needed to find a blasted alarm clock, which turned into a two-hour event. Got on the wrong train (embarrassing), came back, took another train, stopped at Ben's Cookies, hit three different stores between two tube stops trying to find an alarm clock, finally found one at a store where you order items from a menu like you would at restaurant (so cool!), stopped at a two-story Tesco's to stock up on groceries, got creeped out by our ultra-friendly cashier, then walked home in the pouring rain and bitter wind. And now, my friends, I will be waking up tomorrow morning to my little battery-operated alarm clock which better work EXTRA well..... or else.