Portobello road, portobello road...

This morning we got up early enough to go Portobello Market before going to the Globe. I've never seen a bigger market in my life! It lined both sides of the street for at least a mile. Bright colors, people fighting through crowds, musicians playing on ever corner, cars trying to squeeze down the road without killing anyone, the smell of pastries and freshly-baked bread... it's quite the exciting environment. I got a few cheap scarves and a British flag beanie to block out the cold a bit. I love to experiment and see just how low of a price I can get away with when I find something I like; I pretend to walk away because their price is just too high and I usually hear someone calling after me saying something like "wait Miss, you're my first customer, so I give you deal!" in some cool accent. I do that at least a couple of times and eventually get down to a decent price. Normally I'm really not a fan of arguing or even debating, but for some season I am fascinated by this new game I've found.

We saw Hip hop Othello at the Globe. Oh my goodness, those actors were talented. Four men from Chicago wrote the script in rhyming rap, and the same four acted out every character in the play. It was extremely entertaining, but also extremely inappropriate... I guess maybe that was to be expected, being Shakespeare and all. Very very impressive show, though.

Bundled up, ready for the Globe.

We spent the rest of the evening sitting around the family room, doing homework, and giggling over nothing. Turned out to be one of my favorite evenings yet.

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