Finally back in London

First, I apologize for the time between my posts. Second, this is long. Sorry!!! but lots and lots to say :D

After a finishing finals and a stint in both Scotland and Northern Ireland, I am back in London. Only 3 days till I come home.......then I leave for the Middle East. But I will be in the U.S. for a small time which is what matters.

Seriously missing home and my bed and especially my cat Tabbi (yes, i'm that cat lady).

But finally have some time to relax and write a bit for the blog. Have only had a brief time to journal so I have to catch you up on everything that has happened.

We finished up finals and said goodbye as everyone dispersed to their various destinations. It was super sad to leave our London home and especially each other. Before I left for London, I was super afraid that I wouldn't have time to make friends and be able to experience the U.K. with other people. That fear totally disappeared after a few days in our flat. Flat 18A was my family away from home and we all got along super well. They have all since returned home, making London quite lonely at the moment but we made some awesome memories.



After a picnic of food and wine for dinner/lunch (linner?) by the Thames and London eye, we went home to pack. What a horrible, horrible thing to pack away such amazing experiences. Even worse when you realize how much stuff you have to try to bring back. Our last night in London we fiesta'ed of course. Cassie and I ended up wandering around to say our goodbyes to London. We somehow ended in Trafalgar square and I accomplished my dream (not really a dream, but more something on my list of things to do) of climbing the giant lion statues. After climbing off the lion, we ran since the cops were coming to yell at us and found ourselves outside of Heaven, the gay club, on the banks of the River Thames. Seriously the best club ever, we made tons of new friends and didn't have to worry about creeps. Plus we still managed to get free drinks while dancing our way around the multiple rooms of the club. My favorite was the disco music in the main room. Totally my fave jams.

 

Castle AAAaaahhhhhhh.... from Monty Python (Scotland)                Highland Cattle: The big one in the back is called Hamish

Since then, I went to Scotland and saw the beautiful Highlands and Loch Ness. The weather was ridiculous and everything was just so beautiful. Hoping to one day go back with the family. The hostel that I stayed at was in an old church and super cool. I even made a few friends and we went out to this awesome rock bar called Banshee Labrynth. It's in an old dungeon and has plenty of different rooms you can wander around in. My new Irish friend Rory made me get up and sing since one of the rooms had an open mic night. Totally embarrassing but still super awesome. I ended Scotland with a tour of the beautiful city of Edinburgh and a Harry Potter tour (which was equal parts embarrassing equal parts awesome since we all got wands and our guide was dressed in wizard robes). Edinburgh is seriously the best. They have a castle that just looks over everything....all the time. WTF, all we have is disneyland (which is awesome but still not as cool as a castle on a giant rock).

 

Loch Ness                                                                          Edinburgh Castle and the Observatory

Belfast was an...interesting city. It is definitely not like other cities that I have traveled to. More like L.A. but with a ton of tension. The first day I met with Liz and she took me to where I was staying. My teaching got cut short a little bit because of the royals babies arrival. The Loyalists decided to march a whole bunch to show their British pride, causing the school where I was supposed to teach to close down for a few days since it was made up of both Protestant and Catholic kids (which is why I went to Scotland for a few days). But still, it was awesome getting to teach the little kiddies. I only helped out for like 3 classes but it was fun. Little kids with accents are the freaking cutest. Also, everyone has a ton of musical talent their. They may not be able to read music but it's just...in their blood. They all have a ton of rhythm and were just so cute. I can't wait to see what they turn into later on. Hopefully I can go back someday and visit them. I taught a sea chanty to little little kids (about 5 years old) and some other songs. Then did a little fiddle with Liz and some older kids (about 7-10 years old). Taught them some easy stuff since a lot were beginners. I cannot express how wonderful it was to be working with them.

 

I got to learn a little more about the background of the conflict (aside from what I learned in classes) by going on a Black Cab tour. It's a tour in a cab of the murals and the peace wall. Our driver was an amazing guy who lived through the troubles. He took part in the protests and is a devout Catholic. His story was just amazing and the wall just blows my mind. The recent G8 conference took place in Belfast because it was a "post-conflict" society. Which is a joke considering everything that I had seen and heard. From a lady screaming at a marching band calling them traitors, to a few teenagers loudly applauding the boys who were marching. It really blew my mind. The city is truly fantastic though. I even had some free time to go and see the Giant's Causeway and walk across a rope bridge (I can't remember the name right now). Even saw some amazing castles and places where Game Of Thrones was filmed. Super awesome. So many historic places and buildings in these countries. It is ridiculous how much history a random field or pile of rocks can have. My last night I went out to a great bar, it was more like an Irish saloon where they had a ton of musicians just jamming. I even sang a song and got up to dance with the bartender who showed me some Irish dancing. It was completely awesome. I was in heaven. I ended up staying up all night at the bar and with some Liz before I packed up my stuff. I had a really early flight and had to be at the airport at like 5am.

Peace Wall Graffiti

City Hall in Belfast

The early flight really took a toll on me. Allnighters while traveling are totally exhausting. Not to mention that I am feeling a little sick. Slept all yesterday to recover and am sitting in drinking tea trying to study since it's all rainy outside. Only 2 more days till I get to the U.S.

It's been 10 days

since my last post! So sorry to keep you all in the dark about my adventures.

I have been super busy trying to finish up all my final papers for my classes. But I AM DONE!!! No more work, and only adventures  :D

So on July 10th, my class did a tour of the Globe Theatre (my favorite place in London).

Outside the Globe

The side of the Cathedral

On the walk over we visited the beautiful St. Paul's Cathedral. It was an amazingly sunny day and the walk was refreshing.

My whole class with our teacher

Inscription outside the Church

World War I memorial statue by the church

Me outside the Cathedral....with my weird twisted foot (idk why that is happening)

 We also walked across the Millennium Bridge (featured and destroyed by the Death Eaters in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film). So that was exciting, especially since I was going to the Harry Potter Studio Tour that day!

On the bridge with the Shard in the background

The actual tour of the Globe was not all that interesting but we got a sneak peak of a new play called Gabriel, as they were rehearsing for their opening that was about to occur in a few days. Seeing the cast rehearse was an new and awesome experience. They had to do some stuff over cause some people forgot their lines, but it was great to see the different choices that an actor would make the second time around. It really makes me wish I could act.

Cassie trying to get someones attention while we were trapped in the theatre

After we had the tour and talked about the play we were going to see the next night, A Midsummer Nights Dream, in one of the rooms. Myself and two of my friends got locked in the room as we were trying to leave! You need an employee card to open the door and, because we are slow grandmas, got a little behind the group and locked underneath the theatre. After about 10 minutes of trying to get someones attention, a random Danish chick who was on a different tour told someone we were locked in. A really nice worker finally came and set us free. After opening the door and seeing us, she exclaimed "My Prisoners!". I would get locked and trapped at the Globe theatre. It was hilarious but also super embarrassing.

May the Road Rise Up to Meet You

May the Wind Be Always At Your Back

Just got back from Dublin, aka THE MOTHERLAND!!! It was so amazing getting to see where Dads family came from back in the day. A weekend was not enough, I definitely need at least a year there to see everything. I really wish I could have seen more of the Isle but I was glad to spend the weekend there.

I went out in Dublin but I also took a small tour to Wicklow and the Irish countryside. It was absolutely amazing. Here is a little taste of everything I did.

Visited the beaches of Dalkey

 The Lake in the Wicklow Mountains, Wicklow National Park

The fields where they filmed the battles in Braveheart.

Jameson Whiskey factory

 Guinness Factory

I promise to write more about my trip to Dublin once I finish my work for the day.

Dea Bhail

Docklands and the Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf

Everyone in the program at Isle of Dog

The best guest speaker we have had so far has been Dr. Alastair Owens from the University of London. We talked about gentrification in London and the regenerating of different parts of the city such as Canary Wharf and the Docklands. The best part were our role plays as different companies and non-profits that take place around Canary Wharf (which is a huge financial district).

Roomies strutting their stuff (Freshta, Jessica, Brittany, Brenda)

"Pie Hard" at the pub down the street

150th Anniversary of the Underground

We took a tour of the Dockland's Museum and of Canary Wharf and it was pretty cool and interesting. The area is super nice and I definitely wanna go back.

The Tempest and the Night Owls Pt. 2

The weekend is over and now I have finally have a few moments to do a proper post on the awesomeness that was Thursday.

My professors are truly amazing and let me miss an apparently really boring and useless guest speaker (even my professor didn't like her) to go to see the Tempest since I had emailed them about it earlier. It was at Shakespeare's New Globe Theatre. It is on the site of the original Globe Theatre and the show was AMAZING!!

Walking along the Thames on my way to the Globe. Got t see the Shard.

St. Paul's bells were ringing while I waited in the line

I got to be an underling (which means you stand for the whole play) but you are right up at the stage. I was right there and all the actors interacted with me and words can't even describe it. The girl who played Miranda was super awesome.Colin Morgan was playing Ariel and he was just brilliant. I also got to meet him after the play. I could have cried I was so happy. He is the most precious, adorable Irish  man and I am in love with him. If I marry an Irishman, it is going to be Colin Morgan. Like I said, I am completely in love.

Inside the Globe

Colin Morgan after the show, at the actor's entrance

Shakespeare's New Globe Theatre

After I got back to the flat, we decided to go out to a club since we were done with classes for the week. It was our first time going out to a club in London and we had a blast. 4 of my flatmates (Cassie, Jessica, Brittany, Brenda), our friend Gloria, and Cassie's friend Mikio went out. The first bar we went to we walked in and noticed that it was all guys. We had just walked into a bar on Pride night (Pride was only 2 days away). So naturally, we stayed, met a really awesome British guy named Will who bought us multiple rounds of tequila shots, and belted "I Will Survive".  It was seriously the best. We all loved Will and he kept telling us how much Londoners loved Americas (which I am pretty sure is a lie). He also invited us to his country home and promised to get us a "carriage" there so that we could have tea. It was just so British, I couldn't help but laugh.

First night out (Mikio, Jessica, Cassie, Moi, WILL, & Brittany)

Ready for the Night (Cassie, Mikio, Me, Brittany, Jessica, Brenda)

Afterwards we moved onto a club in Soho called Zoo and, being a group a girls (minus Mikio who was our one guy), we were super popular and had a ton of fun. A night of dancing, drinking, and getting a wee bit lost on our way home. When we finally arrived at the flat, we were completely exhausted and had some great talks before resting up since we had to wake up early to try and get Les Mis tickets (...which we failed at doing).

All in all, Thursday was the best day ever.

P.S. Sorry for the late post  :P

The New Flat

And we perseverance wins out!

After all of our complaining, we finally got a new flat. It is way bigger an finally fits all six of us. Before they had stuffed us in an apartment meant for only four people. It was horrid. 

Now, we have two giant bedrooms, three baths, and a bigger kitchen. It is like a new try. 

We all feel like it is a new start. It was a total bitch to move everything but totally worth it. We were so happy yesterday that we got about two days worth of school work done. 

We go on a tour if Mayfair today (a very posh area). We are looking at the occupy and austerity movements so it will be interesting to see the posh areas of London from that perspective. I am so glad we got so much work done cause it means we can run around Green Park an Buckingham Palace after our tour. 

I just feel so refreshed and happy after a very tiring week and weekend. Can't wait for the rest of the week. Othello on Thursday and Dublin over the weekend!!