Making the pilgrimage....

I will be the first to admit it. I hated The Canterbury Tales. I know most people think of me as a literary dork, but I really could not deal with this one... Why then, would I seek out the very place the pilgrims in that book were going? Well, honestly, just to say I did.

So here it was, Monday. No classes. The perfect day to go, right? Wrong. It was the coldest day since I arrived in London, and even though the weatherman said there was only a 20% chance of precipitation, it was steadily misting. O well. I was on a mission! And I don't get deterred that easily...

Let me just say that this week has really made me appreciate where my flat is. Waterloo station has trains to pretty much everywhere, so I never have to walk far or take the tube in order to get to a station that can get me to where I intend to go. And for this trip, I discovered that Waterloo is actually comprised of TWO stations- Main and East. Ahhh convenience.

That being said, I hopped onto the 10:30 train. And in an hour and a half I was in Canterbury! It was a pleasant enough trip, LSAT studying and a REALLY annoying recorded message being repeated after every stop aside. (*This train will split at ...Ashford International... the first four coaches will continue onto ...Sandwich... . The rear four coaches will continue onto ...Margate... . Please ensure you are in the right section of this train. The first four coaches will call at ...~precede to list ALL the stations it will call at~ and the last four coaches will call at ...~again, ALL the stations~. Thank you.*) Yes, I memorized it.

As I got off the train, I was told to follow the signs to the Cathedral. Um, what signs? Yeah, there were none. Until you got to the center of town. So, like anyone trying to look like they belong, I clutched my England Guidebook to my chest (subtle, right?!) and followed the crowd. Good thing I wasn't following a bunch of lemmings.

Finally, I got to a sign that pointed me in the direction of the Cathedral. Which just really pointed diagonally across a street. Odd. And then I came upon this gem of a pub...

The Bishops Finger... too cool for an apostrophe to indicate possession.

Ba-dum, chhhh. Insert dirty joke here. They make it too easy over here in England.

Onwards! I walked through the city center, which is really just a cobblestone road with lots of pubs and chain stores, and continued toward the Cathedral. Or so I thought. Their signs are not helpful at all. All I know is that I was headed down the main road, following the signs, and all of a sudden, the signs were pointing to where I had just come from.

Because it was right around noon, I was hungry. So I decided to head down this narrow alleyway that had a bunch of pubs in it to see what they had to offer. Funny how over here an alleyway is not something to be nervous about. If I had a 5 pence piece for every time someone gave me directions that involved an alley, I would be very rich.

...these may be famous last words.

Although the pubs had plenty to offer, for some reason I had a hankering for something with melty cheese. (Yes, I said "hankering". Deal with it.) I decided to venture on. And what did I find on the other end of the alley? Signs pointing in the direction of the Cathedral. Either: a) I am blind and missed the sign; b) Canterbury hid the sign from me; or c) Canterbury enjoys watching tourists wander around aimlessly, so they purposely do not have a sign pointing you down the alley toward the Cathedral. Which also contains the Canterbury Roman Museum. I believe it is choice c.

At this point, I just wanted to find the Cathedral in order to make sure it actually existed. And just like that, I found it. After making a mental note of how to get back to the entrance, I wandered further into the city in order to find some noms.

Nothing was really catching my eye. There were plenty of pubs, but none had anything that made me want to stop in. Just when I thought hope was lost, I rounded a forgotten corner and found Heaven in the form of an Italian restaurant.

Osteria Posillipo, the Italian restaurant in the shadow of the Cathedral

Now, my first meal in England was Italian. And it was good. I figured I was taking a chance coming into an Italian restaurant that was not in London. Would I make it to 56 days of continuous good food?

---Pause for dramatic effect.........---

YES I DID! Not only was this restaurant owned and run by ACTUAL Italians, (Hey, the accent can't lie) but it had an AMAZING menu! As I walked in, I realized I was the only person there. The nice waiter (who commented that a pretty girl like me shouldn't have to sit alone... how nice- Brownie Points for him!) sat me at the window of the restaurant at a huge table, and gave me the menu, a specials menu, a wine list, and a dessert menu. I needed the table just to hold all of this. Talk about choices!

As I hunkered down to read the stack of pages in front of me, an older couple came in. Good sign. They sat directly to my right. A few moments later, we were joined by an elderly man and a middle aged man, who sat to my left. They probably pitied me, sitting there by my lonesome. Truth be told, I wouldn't have had it any other way... if I had someone with me, I probably wouldn't have been able to eavesdrop on their conversations!

I finally decided on the Fettucini al Forno- whole wheat fettucini served with a homemade tomato sauce, minced meat, mushrooms, peas, basil, and melty mozzarella. All the produce used in this restaurant is bought from local markets. When my meal came out, both parties sitting to either side of me asked what I had ordered. This picture doesn't do it justice. I admit, by the time I took the photograph I had already dug in. I felt a little weird taking a picture of my food since I felt as though the people present were already judging me for being alone. O well. Just trust me on the fact that this dish was AMAZING. And I'm Italian. Nana makes the best pasta dishes ever, and I think I may have to request this one upon my return home.

...Also, can I just say that the pepper grinder the waiter used was 3.5 feet long. NO JOKE. Usually I don't get pepper put on my pasta, but I had to see this guy crank the giant contraption. Ahhh, entertainment.

Fettucini al Forno

The portion of pasta I got was perfect- it left me content, not full. That is one thing I love here. I never overstuff myself! As I was sitting, enjoying my food, I listened in on the conversations going on around me. Make that conversation. The old couple to my right said 3 words at MOST the entire time. I thought it odd. However, it may be due to the fact that we were all listening to the conversation going on to my left.

Do you know what it is like to have part of your intestine removed? Well I sure do now, thanks "George" and his middle-aged lunch date. Yeah. Apparently, the younger guy had just had surgery for Crohn's Disease and was describing the recovery process in extraordinary detail to George, an old man with a thick Italian accent. How do I know that the older man was George, you may ask? Well, the younger guy said it in EVERY sentence. I mean it. "You know George, I was held back in my recovery due to internal bleeding".... "George, how do you like your new car?"... "Natalie is great, George. Thank you so much for sending her to me as a companion, George. She is truly the best thing that has come out of all of this George."

Um, wait. WHAT?! Back that up for a second! Companion? Thanks for "sending" her? I just hope Natalie was a nurse that the guy ended up falling for. As I sat and listened to their conversation, the entire thing ended up sounding like a scene from The Godfather. (George's accent kinda helped) Quality entertainment, even if I had to hear about all the internal bleeding. I think the couple to the right of me was a little freaked out though...

After being offered dessert, I politely declined, opting instead to stop for a spot of tea after my tour of the Cathedral. I paid my bill (a little peeved that they charged me for my water...) and then left the restaurant. It was finally time for the Cathedral.

First, I came to the official entrance of the Cathedral, which I had passed earlier. Unfortunately, the 'cool' entrance was under construction, so I used the small footpath to the side. LAME!

The entrance to the Cathedral. Finally!

As I walked into the entrance, I was amazed at the immense size of the Cathedral. Since it is surrounded by buildings on all sides, you really couldn't grasp it's size until you entered. Instead of writing a lot about the Cathedral, I will supply a little information here, and then just caption some of the pictures I took.

First of all, let me first say that yes, I realize that I have been to a ton of churches/cathedrals during my stay in England. I might as well visit them all right? HA! And here I was, the kid that HATED going to church when I was younger. And now what am I doing? I am so involved at church at school, and I can't visit enough churches here! If you told my priest from my hometown, he probably wouldn't believe you. I love that these buildings are older than any structure standing in The States. I love the gothic architecture. Nothing can really compare...

Ok, now onto Canterbury Cathedral. If you have read The Canterbury Tales, you know that the pilgrims in this book are making their way to this very spot. St. Thomas of Canterbury was murdered here by knights of Henry II. Originally, the cathedral had a shrine to St. Thomas, but Henry VIII (Grrrr) had it destroyed during his reign. Now, a very creepy monument to Saint Thomas is housed in the cathedral.

This cathedral is absolutely gorgeous, and even though the weather was pretty terrible, I couldn't have picked a better day or time to go. I was one of the ONLY people there. It was so peaceful! I actually ended up spending almost 2 hours wandering around the cathedral, its crypt, cloisters, chapter house, and library. Surprisingly, even though Canterbury is directly en route to London, the only part of the cathedral that was harmed during the World War II air raids was the library. Everything else is pretty much original!

So here are some pictures. Feel free to browse my Facebook for even more!

Canterbury Cathedral

I wanted my picture in front of the Cathedral. Apparently the guy taking the picture for me thought the entirety of my body was more important than the Cathedral itself. Nice.

Bell Harry Tower

The original shrine was an ornate gold tomb for St. Thomas, which was then destroyed by Henry VIII. It has been replaced with this freaky thing. Who OK'ed this?! I want to know, and I want to smack them.

Entrance to the Quire... so ornate and SO pretty!

Above and Below: The view as you enter from the Quire... how amazing is that?!

Ok, I took over 100 pictures, so I obviously didn't post them all here. But believe me, this Cathedral had so much to offer.

After about two hours of touring the Cathedral I needed a rest. On my way from the little Italian restaurant to the Cathedral I saw a cafe had posted that it served Cream Tea for £3. Score. I decided to head over there to drink some hot coffee and have some scones to regain my energy.

As I walked in, I discovered that I had sat down at a table next to the one the two ladies in the above picture were sitting at. Yes. That woman is wearing a yellow fur coat. And the one in the pink suit was a witch. They both sounded like men... yay smoking! Sitting at the table with them was a nice old man.

As I sat down, the woman in pink started questioning the old man, who turned out to be her husband. "Me and Mary want to go shopping. Why don't you want to come with us? You should come with us. Why are you content to just sit here? I want more out of life! I want to go OUT!"

Um, wow. Take a chill pill. I give the guy credit though- he calmly replied, "I like this cafe, and I always have. I am content to sit here while you and Mary shop. Take your time. I'll be waiting right here."

In a huff, the wife and her yellow-fur-clad friend walked out. The man took a deep breath, exhaled, and slumped into his chair with a smile on his face, and then put his hands behind his head. I gave him a polite smile. He looked me in the eye, and went, "This is the first peaceful moment I have had in awhile. You learn to savour them when you can!" I chuckled. "Well said, sir. I'm sure my future husband will feel the same way!" He laughed.

For the rest of my time in the cafe, we sat at our tables in silence. Yet I felt a connection to him. There was no need to talk. Although I will never know his name, never know his story, I felt we had bonded in that small moment. The sharing of a glance, a joke, and a laugh. And that was enough. I was left to look casually at my guidebook and make my own assumptions about the life this man led. I'm sure he had his own assumptions about me.

It is experiences like these that I will always remember.

O, and here is my cream tea...

I stayed in the cafe until the man's wife and her friend returned. Once again, the man took a deep breath. As I got up to leave, I gave him a faint smile. And just like that, our story ended.

I went on to explore the city for another hour. Soon enough, it was 4:30- time to catch the train back to London! The temperature had dropped drastically, and just as I entered the station, it started to rain. I like to think Canterbury was sad to see me go! Haha! I know I was certainly sad to leave- I had really enjoyed my time here!

...I feel as if I say that about every place I visit here. It will truly be hard to leave come June.

Until next time, cheers!

...I swear I am going to school in England

Ahhh Friday. Usually, the only thing I have is my dreadfully boring "Climate Variability and Change" class at 2pm. However, by some grace of God, my professor had to be at a conference in France on Friday, so he cancelled class. Obviously, this meant that I had to go exploring.

I set my sights on Windsor Castle, the weekend and summer home of the Queen. Hey, might as well see what my future home will look like, seeing as the Royal Wedding is a mere 2 months away! (Yes, I am still going to kick Kate Middleton out of the way... just you wait!)

For a mere £5 for round trip tickets, a few friends and I headed out to Windsor on the train. Less than an hour later, we were there! When we were in the train station we tried to find a map so we could see how to get to the castle. Turns out it wasn't needed. The castle was directly outside the station atop a huge hill, looking over the towns of Windsor and Eton. Well, at least that was easy!

As we walked to the castle through the town of Windsor, we marveled at the quaint, village-like feel. Inside colorful little cottages were shops selling a variety of goods, including Scottish wool and kilts. SO tempting...

Once we got to the castle, all feelings of "quaint" and "cute" were abandoned. This castle was HUGE! Then we discovered that there was a line. A long line. Of people waiting to get in. O well. We passed the time solving a riddle Matt gave us, and before you knew it, we were going through security in order to get to the castle.

Once inside, we received audio guides to help us navigate our way through the Lower, Middle, and Upper Wards, the North Terrace, Queen Mary's Doll House (Yes, that's right, the Queen had a MASSIVE doll house and collected items for it until her death), the Drawing Room (which had a collection of drawings by Leonardo di Vinci), and finally, the State and Semi-State Rooms. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed. However, I did sneak in a few... when I thought a guard wasn't looking. Turns out that even though the guards might not be looking, security cameras are. Oops! O well, apart from a mild scolding, no harm came to me. Imagine if they threatened to deport me?! HA!

Standing in front of Windsor Castle, aka my future weekend/summer home

The group poses for a shot in front of the Castle gates

Here are the pictures I got in trouble for... The Crimson and Green rooms, which are part of the Semi-State Rooms. How lovely!

After we were done touring the Castle, we headed back down to the Lower Ward in order to see St. George's Chapel. Which is more like a cathedral. Whatever- royalty gets what royalty wants. St. George's is the home of the tombs of many well known monarchs. Charles I is here, severed head and all. Henry VIII is also here. I may have stomped on the marble slab over his tomb while thinking, "Take THAT, Wife-Killer!". Also, George VI and Elizabeth the Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth's parents) are buried here. There are a bunch of others too, but those are the big names.

On the side of the chapel, there was a little glass case with some drawings inside of it. Curious, I looked in, and ended up reading the story of how Henry VIII got screwed over in death. It is quite comical- read on.

So most people know the story of Cardinal Wolsey. Once a Roman Catholic Cardinal, he befriended Henry VIII and soon became the Archbishop of York. However, he soon fell from favor with Henry VIII when he could not get an annulment for Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon's marriage. Because of this, Henry had him disgraced, and took the Cardinal's house, Hampton Court, for himself. Rude, right?

Well, apparently, Henry could not stop there. Upon Cardinal Wolsey's death, Henry also took the tomb/monument that was to house the remains of the Cardinal for himself. The Cardinal was given a plain grave, and Henry hired people to make what was to be a grand tomb even grander. Henry wished for his tomb to be to most ornate tomb in England.

However, the tomb was not finished at the time of Henry's death. So one would think work would continue, and the remains of the King would be put in upon it's completion, right? WRONG! Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth, Henry's children, decided it was not worth the money to have the tomb completed, and instead buried their father under the Quire of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The only thing marking the grave was a marble slab built into the floor. HA! Isn't that the greatest, "EFF YOU, DAD!" you have ever heard of?

The story, however, continues. Obviously, the craftsmen working on the tomb didn't just throw it out. They kept it. And continued working on it. Once completed, it stayed empty for some time. However, upon Admiral Nelson's death, the hero was granted the honor of the tomb. And it was put in St. Paul's Cathedral. Guess who wins? TAKE THAT HENRY!

I got a laugh out of that story...

View of St. George's Chapel from the Lower Ward

After we finished touring the Castle and all it contained, my friends and I ventured out into Windsor, grabbed a quick sandwich at Rachel's of Windsor (and met Rachel herself... we had a connection, even if our names are spelt differently), and then walked over the Windsor Bridge to Eton. Our goal was to see Eton College, one of the most famous private schools in the world. This school was founded by Henry VI in 1440, and has taught the Duke of Wellington, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Ian Fleming, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and 20 future Prime Ministers. The school basically took over Eton. It was so pretty, and we even had sightings of some of the students! Lesson learned? If you have a lot of money, a noble name, and the connections, you too can go to Eton College and wear a funny looking uniform. HA!

By this time, we had toured two towns and were exhausted. So we hopped back on the train back to London. During this time, I had some time to reflect. And you know what is interesting? Although the Queen has been coming to Windsor her whole life, she probably never walked the paths I did today. I mean, how do you allow a Queen to walk in crowded streets full of little trinket shops? Even though she is right there, she probably isn't even aware of what life is like in the town that her castle looks down upon. How sad is that?

...maybe I don't want to marry into the Royal Family after all.

Cheers!

"Oh, if one could but go to Brighton!"

Today, I lived the life of Lydia Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. Without Mr. Wickham. Or an elopement. Ok, long story short, I went to Brighton!

Although Brighton is only 55 minutes outside of London, I still wanted to get an early start. I woke up at dawn, went to the gym, and showered before catching the 9:54 am train from Waterloo. For a mere £15.50, I was transported to one of the first of the great seaside resorts of Europe.

I couldn't have had a better day to go. Not only was it 55 degrees Fahrenheit out, but it was SUNNY! Needless to say, I was excited.

Upon arriving to Brighton, I decided I could do with a spot of tea. Heeding the advice of my trusty Frommer's Guidebook to England 2011, I headed towards the Mock Turtle Tea Shop. My guidebook promised that this "small but busy tearoom has many locals stopping by to gossip and take their tea." I was not disappointed.

According to my map, the tea shop should have been located about a stones throw from the water. So I just walked along the boardwalk, looking for a tea room. I couldn't find it. I couldn't even find the street it was on! Giving up hope, I decided I would have to skip on tea, and started heading towards the Royal Pavilion. As I was walking I passed an alley and casually looked in. GUESS WHAT I FOUND?!?!

The Mock Turtle, the most amazing tea shop EVER!

That's right! Nestled in this little alleyway was the quaintest baby blue building. I may have squealed. Yeah, girly, I know. But I was so excited! I noticed some people in it, so I decided to venture in. And found Heaven on Earth.

The inside of the Mock Turtle- my idea of Heaven

That's right. Blue and White China. Ever since I was young, I have loved this classic china. In my dream house, I have a room just to showcase what will be a fine collection. Yellow walls and mahogany shelves will highlight the beauty of the collection. I will have the perfect little baby blue armchair in there, where I can plan out recipes for dinner parties and... OK, enough with my fantasy. Back to the tea shop.

So according to my guide, the shop is KNOWN for their scones with cream and strawberry jam, which they make themselves. Indeed, when I walked in, it was the first thing on their menu. For £5.95, I was promised tea and 2 scones. I had no idea how much this would turn out to be. After ordering, I got a table. Within minutes, my tea came out. It was REAL tea. Like, no tea bag. You got a strainer. And extra piping hot water to add to your teapot when you finished your initial tea. And a cup of sugar cubes. And a little pitcher of milk. I was impressed.

After making myself a cup of tea, my scones were brought out. I got one brown and one white scone. These were accompanied by a small bowl of homemade strawberry jam, fresh whipped cream, and a tiny pot of fresh butter. I haven't had butter since coming here, trying to maintain my "girlish figure". But I had to give in. And it was SO worth it. Although they gave me enough jam, butter, and whipped cream for 4 scones, I caked the stuff on, and finished EVERYTHING. It was so delicious. Seriously, I could go on forever about this place. If you are ever in Brighton, look it up. I am definitely going back before I have to go back to the States. It MIGHT just be so I can go to the Mock Turtle Tea Shop again.

My delicious spread... commence drooling.

Also, another reason to go? It is not a shop frequented by tourists! It really is a local haunt. I have never felt more like an outsider. Every person that came in knew someone else in the shop, and I heard SO much gossip! For example, did you know that Mary is pregnant again? It's her sixth child, and she and her husband can't afford any more. According to the lady telling the story, it was in her opinion that couples like that should have the man's tubes tied.

...imagine how hard it was for me to contain my laughter.

Now it was around lunch time, but because I had just eaten SO much, I decided to walk it off. I walked back to the waterfront to take in the sights.

Brighton lies on the English Channel. It was gorgeous. The air smelled clean (funny, I didn't notice how bad the air was in London), and all I could think of was how this town reminded me of Narragansett and a little bit of Old Lyme. Which made me a little homesick.

Coming upon the beach, I was delighted to find that it was a pebble beach. Back home, Adam and I love going to rock beaches and carrying on a tradition my parents started- finding heart-shaped rocks. We are in the process of building up our collection, so I decided to find some good candidates for us, as well as my parents and grandparents. I was successful! After, I walked down to the water, touched the water of the English Channel, and then set off again.

My first view of the English Channel

Just to prove I was there- me in front of the English Channel!

My next stop was the famous Brighton Pier. The Pier in Narragansett has NOTHING on this. Not only is there a casino in the middle of the pier, but the end of it has a ton of amusement rides. It kind of had a Coney Island-like feel. I absolutely loved it. As I walked along the pier, there were tons of vendors offering a variety of goods. Jewelery, clothing, and food items were popular. One of the stands that stood out was the Shellfish Seafood Bar. Besides selling a variety of shellfish (all of which I am allergic to, so no I didn't try them) they also sold "Jellied Eels", which are apparently a big seller out here. Nothing could possess me to eat an animal that absolutely terrifies me, so I passed. What I did find amusing, however, is that the servers arranged your seafood in a Styrofoam cup and made it look like an ice cream sundae! It was so cool!

Brighton Pier

After the pier I continued along the beach for some time. Along the boardwalk a bunch of shops had been built under the road that runs along the beach. They sold a variety of beach related goods, and if I had unlimited luggage space, I would have definitely picked up a few knick-knacks. O well, browsing is just as fun!

The shops along the beach

After deciding that I had passed enough time, I made my way to East Street to get some fish and chips. I mean, you can't go to a seaside resort and NOT get them, right? My original plan was to head to English's of Brighton, which was recommended by my guidebook. However, after much searching, I still couldn't find it. Instead, I happened upon The Fishbowl. I thought it looked kinda funky (in a good way), so I decided to head in.

The Fishbowl

The Fishbowl turned out to be a really nice pub! Although they had 4 different batter options for their fish and chips, I decided to go with the good ol' traditional beer batter. I couldn't have been more pleased. Not only is one plate of their DELICIOUS fish and chips enough to feed two people, but they give you a TON of tartar sauce, which is a big plus for me. Other places barely give you enough for 1/4 of the fish. Here, there was enough for the entire fish piece AND the chips! YES! Also, the US needs to get on board with serving peas- whether mushy or not- with their fish and chips. Seriously, how did we miss this memo?!

Yeah, I bet you are jealous of all the amazing food I keep having.

So full I was about to pop, I decided to head out again. At this time, I barely had 3 hours before my train left, and I still had so much to do! I made a beeline for the Royal Pavilion, once the home of George IV and then later on Queen Victoria. However, Victoria abandoned the residence because she thought that it was too "flippant" for her, and she was upset that a palace in a seafront town didn't even have a water view. (I would be pretty pissed too, poor planning on George's part.)

Upon arriving to the Pavilion, I realized how correct Victoria was in her opinion of it. John Nash's version of an Indian Palace was extremely flamboyant.

Some views of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton

I paid the £7.80 charge to get in to the Pavilion, and spent about 45 minutes touring it. It is too bad that photography is not allowed. Words can not even describe. Actually, I can try. Imagine China threw up inside a house. That is how it was decorated. I have never seen anything more inspired by the Orient. To the point where it was tacky. George IV had interesting taste...

My next stop was the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, which was directly next to the Pavilion and thankfully free. Because if I had paid money to go in here, I would have been angry. It was really just a hodgepodge of modern art, a small room on Ancient Egypt, and a gallery dedicated to the history of Brighton, highlighting the recent past. Which is when Brighton opened it's arms to the gay population of Britain. Some of the stuff in the exhibit was not suitable for the children that passed through. That gave me a laugh. Poor kids and their virgin eyes...

I spent about 45 minutes in here in order to finish it, and then I headed back out.

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery

Because I had a little less than 2 hours, I decided to take a stroll through the Lanes, which is a close-knit section of alleyways that sell trinkets and gifts. The most amusing? A book of William and Kate paper dolls which you could dress up for different occasions. REALLY, ENGLAND?! The amount of William and Kate memorabilia is starting to get sickening.

By the time I had walked through The Lanes and explored some of the shops, I still had about an hour and a half to explore. So I headed towards St. Nicholas' Church, which has been around since the 11th century. I snapped some pictures, but the church wasn't open, so I couldn't go inside.

This is where things go dangerous. I had an hour. And residential Brighton was right there. I went exploring. And fell in love. I could really see myself living in a place like this. Which is scary, since if you asked me in high school where I would want to live, it would not be somewhere that reminded me of Old Lyme or Narragansett. I mean, look at these houses!!! I WANT ONE! They had the most amazing views of the Channel, and were so quaint. If I ever have enough money for a second home, I know where I want it...

Yeah, I could live here...

I continued to walk around, looking into people's windows, imagining what their British lives were like. It was so peaceful. Eventually though, I had to head back to the train station.

On the way though, I came upon Jamie Oliver's (Britain's 30 Minute Meals guy) store Recipease. Clever, right?! In it, he had a small restaurant, (No, he wasn't there) a bakery, deli, kitchen supply center, and cafe. I decided to stop in and purchase a coffee and savory muffin for the train ride home. The panchetta, mozzarella, and green pepper muffin was calling my name. Needless to say, I indulged. You only live once, right? And yet again, it was worth it.

I jumped on the train just in time, grabbed a seat, and happily munched on my snack as the train made its way back to London. What a lovely day trip. I could not have enjoyed it more. It was nice being able to see a beach again, something I have seen almost every day of my life until I came to London. (No, the bank of the Thames does not count!) I really enjoyed my time in Brighton, and because of this, I am determined to go back again before June rolls around.

"A cock, wearing a frock, on a rock..."

What's better than finding a really great Mexican restaurant AND taking in a show in London's Leicester Square?

...going to both for FREE!

Ok, so maybe it wasn't exactly "free". Interstudy, the program that sent me over here, paid for it. Which means that indirectly, I paid for tonight since I paid Interstudy a fee before coming over. O well... I still like to think it was for free.

The night started with a trip to Wahaca, a Mexican restaurant near Covent Garden. We got there at 5, and were seated at 6:30. Yeah. It sucked. HOWEVER, the food was excellent! I got the Baja-California Fish Tacos, which were smothered in chipotle mayo and came with a side of Spicy Slaw and Black Bean Salad. YUM! Unlike getting seated, the service was quick! We ordered once we sat down, and our food was brought to us in less than 15 minutes! So basically, we waited 1.5 hours in order to eat in 30 minutes. Nice. O well, it definitely satisfied the craving I have had for Mexican food since coming to London!

Do you like fish... tacos? Ok, it's not the same as "fish sticks". But Kanye would still be confused...

Next, with 15 minutes to spare, we headed toward Leicester Square to see "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". The only thing I knew about this show is that it's theater entrance was adorned with a HUGE glittery shoe, which I had seen on previous walks through the square.

I was in for a treat. It turns out that the play is based on a popular Australian movie of the same title. It follows a couple of drag queens on their journey from Sydney to Alice. Go to YouTube to see some videos! You won't be disappointed. Especially with the dance to "I Will Survive"!

This show was fantastic. I was either laughing, mouthing the words to the songs sung, or containing my need to dance the entire time! The energy from the actors and the audience was electric. And I have never seen more skin on a man in my life. So. Many. Thongs. Let's just say, it takes a VERY secure man to do the things these actors did on stage. And it TOTALLY paid off! I would definitely go back! I have never had more fun at a show! (Even "Mama Mia"... so that's sayin' something, since I LOVE "Mama Mia")

Some of the awesome costumes worn by the men of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert"

After the play, me and the other girls from Interstudy went out for coffee and cake. Yes, I had coffee at 11:30. Which explains why I am still up, and it is almost 3am. O well, the soundtrack from the show is playing on my computer now, and I couldn't be in a better mood!

...and I would be lying if I said I wasn't dancing around to "Shake Your Groove Thing", "I Love the Nightlife", "Finally", and others. I am guessing this will continue until I pass out from my caffeine crash. Probably around 5am. O well!

CHEERS!!

I walked HOW MANY miles today?!?!?!

Never have I ever been so energized in my entire life! (At least that I can remember)

Once you hear what I did today, you will be wondering how I could ever feel this way. Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you.

My day started off just like any other. My plans for the day, however, were ambitious. Because it was going to be sunny and 50 degrees, I was going to attempt to walk to Hyde Park and then do the "Hyde Park Walk" outlined in my guidebook, then go to Marble Arch, and depending on whether the sun was still up, I would walk back. In all, I would be able to check 5 things off my list- Green Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Speaker's Corner, and Marble Arch.

And this was for AFTER I completed my mock-triathlon!

Yes, you read that right. I wanted to see how ready I would be for my triathlon if I had to do it today. My triathlon (a sprint triathlon) will consist of a 0.5 mile swim, 12.4 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run. Because there is no pool at King's College, I decided to swap the 0.5 mile swim for a 1 mile row.

I completed the "triathlon" (with equipment cleaning breaks) in 1 hour and 20 minutes. Now it's time to improve. But I did it!!!!

After I finished, I was ready to take on London. I started out along South Bank, and crossed Westminster Bridge. I then walked through St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace, and then walked through Green Park. Which is really... green.

Green Park, walking towards Wellington Arch

I enjoyed my brisk walk through Green Park, and soon I was at Wellington Arch. And now it was time to do my 2 mile walk through Hyde Park. It all started at Hyde Park Corner... which is basically a huge marble archway into the park:

Hyde Park Corner

Inside Hyde Park

My tour brought me along The Serpentine (a giant pond in the park where you can rent paddle boats), to the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, the Serpentine Gallery, the Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace and Gardens, the Round Pond, and the famous Peter Pan Statue. Here are some of my favorite pictures from my walk...

The Serpentine

Princess Diana Memorial Fountain

Albert Memorial during the day

Peter Pan!

Next, my mission was to see Marble Arch and Speaker's Corner, which is a place where anyone can say anything, as long as it is not blasphemous. I like to think of it as a mini USA within England...

Marble Arch

By the time I got around to completing these things, the sun was setting, so I decided to head back to Hyde Park Corner, and then retrace my steps back to my flat. After all, I had basically gone around the entirety of Hyde Park, and even gone to it's center.

I returned to my flat just as Big Ben started to announce it was 6pm. I had been walking for 3.5 hours! I knew that my "Hyde Park Walk" was 2 miles as outlined in my guidebook. However, I had added extra by visiting Marble Arch and Speaker's Corner, and I also walked to and from the park. Curious, I went to the "Map My Run" website in order to see how far I had walked.

9.5 miles. WHAT?! I was only gone for 3.5 hours! HOW DID I DO THAT? HOW AM I NOT TIRED? Why is it 9pm now, and all I want to do is go for a run so I can get out some energy?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

NINE. POINT. FIVE. MILES. AFTER my mock-triathlon. That means that the total amount of miles I have rowed/biked/run/walked today is 26 miles. I am still amazed.

If I keep up this pace, I won't have to worry about not seeing all of London. I will finish London within the week and walk to every town in England. Nothing's impossible.

...well, except maybe that. But one can dream!

Cheers!

Off to the land of Haggis and Kilts....

This weekend, I ventured to the land that my mother's father's family came from... Scotland! Specifically, I went to Glasgow. My friend Silvana has been studying there since the beginning of the school year, so it was not only a great excuse to see the city, but also to catch up with an old friend!

My adventure started on Saturday morning. At 4am. Because the airport was 1 hour outside London Proper, I had to take a tube, bus, AND train, just to get to my plane! However, everything was running on time and once I got to the airport I was checked in and finished with security in less than 30 minutes. After less than 50 minutes being airborne, I saw my first view of Scotland:

And just like that, we began our descent. After seeing a couple wind-farms on the way, we touched down at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which is 1 hour by train from Glasgow. I still can not get over that I was in a different COUNTRY in that short amount of time! I love Europe!

Upon my arrival to Glasgow Central Station, I was greeted by the LOVELY Silvana! After the stereotypical scream/run/hug greeting frequently seen in movies, we made our way from the station towards Silvana's flat. We headed up Sauchiehall, one of the major shopping areas in Glasgow, and then past Kelvingrove Park, which Silvana's flat is near.

Along the way, I found out an important fact. Kilts are not just used for ceremony. People actually wear them on a day to day basis here. I saw soooo many men (young and old) wearing them! And they can cost over £600 for a good one. These people are legit.

After dropping off my bags we wasted no time- it was time to explore! The sun was out and it was relatively warm! This had to be taken advantage of.

First, we headed to Silvana's school, which looks like a castle. I would like to say Hogwarts. It is absolutely gorgeous! Because I lack descriptive writing skills, I'll just post some pictures here:

Some amazing views of The University of Glasgow

To read Silvana's blog about her life there, follow this link!
http://silvanarose.wordpress.com/

After getting a small tour, we continued on to Ashton Lane which was a cute little lane lined with pubs and small restaurants. Continuing on, Silvana led us to the Botanical Gardens. Not only did we get to see "Killer Plants" aka VENUS FLYTRAPS (!!!) but we also got to see basically every exotic plant that should never be in Scotland. The greenhouses were a humid 75 degrees Fahrenheit, so it was kinda like a mini tropical vacation. With coats. And boots. And jeans.

Silvana among the Amazonian flora

After viewing all the plants the Botanical Gardens had to offer, we returned to Ashton Lane and went into "Ketchup", a gourmet burger joint. Reading the menu is a daunting task- everything looks delicious, and you can only pick one! An easy burger to rule out? The one that costs £19. I set my sights on "The Italian Job"- a chicken burger topped with a fried mozzarella wheel, sauteed sweet peppers and onions, garlic anoli, Parmesan cheese, and a rich napoli sauce. Let's just say, I inhaled it.

Feeling re-energized, we continued exploring. We basically just wandered about Glasgow. Among the more interesting sites were a church that was turned into an apartment complex, a fake church tower ATTACHED to an apartment complex, and an Aztec "Pyramid" in a playground that was erected to show "Glasgow's status as a European City of Culture".

Eventually, we found our way back to Sauchiehall, and continued to Merchant City, which is pictured below. It was gorgeous! We then went to St. George's Square, and got to see City Hall. If you know me at all, I am obsessed with City Halls because they usually have some of the most impressive architecture. Glasgow's City Hall was gorgeous- especially at night.

Inside Merchant city, looking at the back of the Glasgow Museum of Art

Standing in St. George's Square, looking at City Hall

Next, it was time to find food again. We finally decided on going to the Islay Inn, which was close to Silvana's flat. It was here that I first tasted Haggis.

According to Wikipedia (such a great source...) Haggis is "a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), mincd with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours."

Yeah, I ate that. Actually, what I had to eat was "Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties". Let me translate that: Haggis (definition above, please read for full affect again), Mashed Turnips, and Mashed Potatoes.

Let me say this- if you are to have haggis in the future, and are wondering what it was made of again, don't look it up! It will only scare you. Instead, embrace the new food with open arms. Do not question the contents. Because you will find that this traditional Scottish dish is absolutely delicious! Seriously. I loved it. Look how fricken happy I am here:

Me and my Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties. I ate every little bit.

Granted, I had not tasted it yet. HOWEVER, I did have more haggis on Sunday. So that shows you- I really liked it!

Now Silvana had found out that this particular pub was having a band come by at 9pm to play traditional Scottish music. When we arrived at 8pm, Silvana and I noticed that the pub was not crowded for a Saturday night. Except for a large group of guys taking over a couple tables. It turned out to be a Stag (Bachelor) Party.

How did we know, you ask? Well, it could have been the large group of 30-something males, drinking a TON! Or the fact that they kept toasting this one particular guy.

...who happened to be in a fake kilt. And wearing a fake red beard, and a red wig. With a Scottish cap.

...and a 4 foot long, stuffed penis hanging down from his kilt.

I kid you not. This was legit. He and his friends drunkenly paraded around the pub all night, going up to tables with old couples at it, rubbing the penis and giggling. And you know what? The grannies got a kick out of it! Some even touched the stuffed member.

How many people can say they have seen this in their life? Not many. Not only was this experience scarring, but it was absolutely hilarious!

Soon the band started playing their traditional Scottish music, and people were pouring in a started dancing. Eventually, the band started playing covers of Johnny Cash songs- so we decided to leave. By the time we left the pub, it was around 10:45pm, and I had been up for almost 19 hours. But my night was not done. It was time.

Time to try IRN BRU. This popular Scottish soda outsells Coke in Scotland. It is orange in color, and if cotton candy and bubble gum got together and had a love child, IRN BRU would be the product. My friend Jess says she refuses to drink it because it is made of dead ginger children. That gave me a laugh! Regardless, Silvana and I headed to Tesco, and then brought our cans back to her flat.

Now you need to understand. This stuff is horrible for you. 1/3 of a can has 38% of your daily sugar intake. I had one at 11pm. And guess what? I was soooo tired, I fell asleep at midnight. Yeah. THAT is how tired I was! However, it was definitely yummy, and I think that when Adam gets here at 5:30am on March 5th, I am going to have to get him one to keep him awake for the day.

On Sunday, Silvana and I woke up to rain. Disappointed, but not deterred, we ventured to Montgomery's, a cafe close to her flat and across from Islay Inn, for some breakfast. I ended up getting a coconut cappuccino (made with coconut flavored milk) and Pear & Toffee Waffles. Words can not describe the deliciousness of this dish. Just look at the picture:

Drool-worthy waffles topped with warm pears and drizzled with warm toffee

After an amazing breakfast, we went to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. By now the rain had stopped. This museum had everything. Literally. And everything was placed sporadically throughout the museum. See the example below:

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Which object does NOT belong in the "Natural History" exhibit? Hmmm?

All joking aside, we had a blast perusing the collection, and making offerings to the Egyptian gods in honor of some random dude that had a sarcophagus in the room. Yes, the museum was THAT interactive.

After finishing the Museum, we decided to head to Glasgow Cathedral, on the other side of the city. It was on our walk that we discovered many interesting shops and businesses. Mostly to do with kilts.

The kilts... THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!

Before heading to the Cathedral, we stopped in The 13th Note for some awesome Organic/Vegetarian/Vegan options. We decided on the Falafel wraps, and I got some hummus to go with it. It was amazing. Again. Yes. 43 days and going strong.

My Falafel Wrap with my side of hummus. Which was consumed. Using one half of the wrap.
...I have a problem.

After filling ourselves up with delicious cuisine, we headed back out to the Cathedral. This Cathedral was left relatively intact throughout the Reformation, and is said to house the body of St. Mungo. We got there 15 minutes before it closed, so we quickly toured the inside, and then headed to the Necropolis. We spent a decent amount of time there. The Necropolis is located on one of the highest hills in Glasgow, and from the top you can see the entire city, and the countryside beyond. Check out my Facebook to see the pictures- they came out pretty well! It was really cool to see such old and ornate graves!

... Except for the one that had a gate on it with a sign saying "DANGER: Do not enter". I approached it to joke around, and all of a sudden a pigeon flew out and scared me to DEATH! (Almost) At least it gave Sil a good laugh...

Glasgow Cathedral from half-way up the Necropolis

View when walking toward the Necropolis... you do NOT want to get stuck here at night.
(There are big iron gates surrounding the site, and the graves are uber old and freaky!)

Starting to feel the cold on the top of the hill, we ventured down and decided to get ice cream for dinner near Silvana's flat. So off to the other side of the city we went. Then we came upon this speed limit sign. Yet another reason why I love the UK...

After getting some delicious ice cream at 3 Steps 2 Heaven, Silvana told me about this place she goes (also near her dorm) where you can get fried pizza. Yes. Fried. Pizza.

...Guess what dessert was!

I even got haggis! (TOLD YOU!) And guess what? That was fried too.

I was skeptical. Especially when the lady at the counter asked me if I wanted salt and vinegar on my fried haggis and pizza. Following Silvana's lead, I accepted the offer.

Who knew that something that sounds SO gross and is SO bad for your health could be SO GOOD! Seriously. You can't knock it till you try it. And you will find yourself craving it once you have had it. All you need is a microwavable pizza that is heated up, and then you drop it in a deep fryer. Easy. And delicious. How has the US not come up with this yet?

My fried Haggis and Pizza- covered in malt vinegar and salt. Surprisingly delicious. And obviously the food of champion triathlon athletes. Like me. Or at least, it will be.

Being late, Silvana and I stayed in and watched many YouTube videos of British comedians in order to pass the time, and then headed to bed since I had to be up at 7am in order to catch the 8:30am train to the airport.

And just like that, it was Monday. Why do these days go by so fast? After bidding my friend adieu and thanking her for a marvelous time (she is the BEST tour guide!!!) I took a cab to the station, that way Silvana wouldn't have to get up and walk over 2 miles at 8 in the morning.

It was then that I realized that Scottish accents- especially Glasgownian ones- are nearly IMPOSSIBLE for me to understand. I felt so bad. He kept trying to strike up conversation, but I could barely understand a word. He realized that I am a kinda shy person, and then said "I hate silence, I like talking. Mind if I tell you about my life?"

The next 20 minutes stuck in traffic were highly entertaining. It turns out he used to be an engineer, and his son went to The University of Glasgow. He said he was getting too old (and bored) for his work, so he quit, took a year off with his wife, and explored Greece and the Mediterranean. Then he needed a source of income, so he decided, "Hey! Might as well drive a Taxi!" Logical....

After asking whether I just wanted him to drive me to the airport in Prestwick so he could finish his story, I politely declined. My train fare would only be £3.35, whereas this taxi fare for a journey that was only 1.3 miles was £5.40. And it was a 50 minute ride to the airport. He laughed and said he understood, and then offered to give me the fare for only £5. I gave him £6 because otherwise I would have felt bad. No tip AND coming up short on the fare? No way! He was so grateful, he told me to wait in the cab. He then stepped out, opened the door for me, and asked for my bag. I told him I could manage my small carry-on bag, and he shushed me and insisted. He grabbed my bag, closed the door, and walked me to the train station. After reaching the station, he placed my bag down, and wished me well. As he walked away, he shouted out, "O! And a Happy Valentine's to ya!"

I LOVE SCOTLAND AND IT'S FRIENDLY PEOPLE!

After a pleasant ride back to the airport through the countryside, I got some last pictures of the country and the Scottish coastline. My camera doesn't do it justice.

And just like that, my trip was done. I got to the airport so early, I enjoyed a traditional English breakfast AND a cup of porridge, and then boarded the plane to London!

What a lovely country. I definitely want to go back and explore more- especially the countryside. Seriously, why did my ancestors ever leave Europe for the US? I am seriously questioning their judgment. Can I moved here?

Again, a special thank you to my friend Silvana! If it wasn't for her guidance and hospitality, I would have never seen everything I did, or had such a good time! So a million thanks! (Cheers!)

Until next time, ta!