Wow, it's so hard to believe that my semester in London is almost over. This week marks the final week of my studies and the reminder that Centre has determined my future for all exsistence (aka: finals). Although I'm going to miss London horribly I am looking forward to going home. London is an amazing city full of amazing things and a place where I would love to work for a couple years but no more than that. Not to sound all patriotic but my home is back in Kentucky, even if America is losing it's power on the world economic stage.
After the week from hell this coming week I'll be off to Paris on Saturday for a little structured r&r. Then the following Wednesday I'll be back in the UK and on a jet plane 14 hours later if everything goes according to plan. I should be back in Cincy at around 2:40PM EDT 8 May 2008. When I land I expect to hear My Old Kentucky Home playing on the intercom system. For my peeps at Centre, the current plan is to come up on Monday and stay the night.
I was thinking the other day about what I would love to pick up and bring back with me to KY. Here is a short list:
The Tube (public transportation is the best thing ever, even if you have to packed in like sardines)
Waitrose (there are good grocery stores, just not where I live, we need one)
The West End (that should be self-explanatory)
Punchdrunk Company and the RSC (gotta add a little variety to the theatre offerings)
Diversity (93 nationalities, 94 languages for the most part peacefully co-existing and producing great variety in foods, arts and culture)
thelondonpaper (it's a tabloid you don't feel bad reading)
thelondonpaper guy at Russel Street Station (he's always so nice)
Censorship regulations (aka: none)
The Royals (that's for you Ann)
Random protests/parades (including the anti-Scientology protestors in Guy Fawkes masks)
The Met (because Police forces shouldn't be scary)
And with that I'm signing off. This will be the last blog of my adventure. See you in 11 days!!
Cheers!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
A Busy Week
I had this startling realization yesterday that our semester here is over in like two weeks. Between now and then I have to finish 3 papers, prep a presentation, do my Hebrew translation, prep for 3 exams and that's just the official side of things. So, like all true Centre students, I have been procrastinating like there is no tomorrow, or in this case, like there are infinite tomorrows.
On Wednesday we took a class field trip to Hampton Court. HC is the giant palace Cardinal Wolsey had built for himself then gave to Henry VIII. It was really neat to see a Tudor palace in all its...glory. The Tudors liked their palaces to be brick, asymmetrical, dark and full of passageways. When William and Mary came to power, or something like that, they had the back half destroyed a built a new palace attached to the back. This palace was open and airy like Continental palaces of the time. The gardens were beautiful, the artwork was splendid, and it was just really awesome to go in the great hall where Henry VIII entertained guests. Note, the seen of Henry VIII announcing the arrival of a son in The Tudors could not have happened in that room.
Then, Derrick and I went to Primark. This store is like a clothing version of Target and really cheap. It has been my downfall the last couple days, but I've gotten some clothes for work this summer at $5 a shirt. Following this adventure we went to see Fram at the National Theatre. I really don't want to get into it, but it was not a coherent play at all and it took Steve like 30 minutes to explain to us what the playwright might have been trying to get at.
Today a few of us went to see Spamalot. There is no better way to spend a Friday afternoon than watching a great Monty Python production on stage. I've always enjoyed the soundtrack and getting to see the production has definitely fulfilled a life-goal for me. Tomorrow Brad and I are going to try and see The History Boys.
On a more personal note, I'm so jealous of the weather back home right now. Not that the weather here is bad, but the warmest day so far has been like 58. I would like to feel 70 at some point.
Cheers!
On Wednesday we took a class field trip to Hampton Court. HC is the giant palace Cardinal Wolsey had built for himself then gave to Henry VIII. It was really neat to see a Tudor palace in all its...glory. The Tudors liked their palaces to be brick, asymmetrical, dark and full of passageways. When William and Mary came to power, or something like that, they had the back half destroyed a built a new palace attached to the back. This palace was open and airy like Continental palaces of the time. The gardens were beautiful, the artwork was splendid, and it was just really awesome to go in the great hall where Henry VIII entertained guests. Note, the seen of Henry VIII announcing the arrival of a son in The Tudors could not have happened in that room.
Then, Derrick and I went to Primark. This store is like a clothing version of Target and really cheap. It has been my downfall the last couple days, but I've gotten some clothes for work this summer at $5 a shirt. Following this adventure we went to see Fram at the National Theatre. I really don't want to get into it, but it was not a coherent play at all and it took Steve like 30 minutes to explain to us what the playwright might have been trying to get at.
Today a few of us went to see Spamalot. There is no better way to spend a Friday afternoon than watching a great Monty Python production on stage. I've always enjoyed the soundtrack and getting to see the production has definitely fulfilled a life-goal for me. Tomorrow Brad and I are going to try and see The History Boys.
On a more personal note, I'm so jealous of the weather back home right now. Not that the weather here is bad, but the warmest day so far has been like 58. I would like to feel 70 at some point.
Cheers!
Monday, April 14, 2008
It.
Have you ever had one of those days where you just get it? I was messaging with a friend of mine the other day and I commented that the two of us just get it. I don't know what "it" is but then again what is anything? What I do know is that when it passes by and you get it, it just makes everything better.
This morning started off like most mornings except this morning I decided to sleep in and just compress my morning routine. With a little extra dosing under my belt, freshly showered and fed, I headed out the door to class. As soon as I rounded the corner and headed to Tavistock Square Garden I just got it. The air was supremely crisp. It was light, moist and refreshing. In many ways it reminded me of those gorgeous spring mornings back home where the dew glistens on the grass and the sun pricks your face. In the middle of the garden there is a statue of Ghandi and this morning two people were standing talking while looking at it. How odd that there would be a statue of a man who helped knock the crown jewel out of the crown of His Majesty. In that moment he persevered only to die at the assassin's hand. That's it.
This is London, and as I walked to class I realized just how much this city was powered by opposition. Men in business suits, pressed and clean, riding their bikes through puddles on their way to work in some middle-management position that barely affords them a living in the second most expensive city in the world. Pigeons stand on the sidewalk silently begging for crumbs and don't bother to fly away when you come near, they just walk. City Hall that doesn't actually house City Hall. Instead the city is governed from a building where they have a 25 year lease, probably because nobody expects the Greater London Authority to last that long. And most importantly, being totally ignored in a city of 10 million. Nobody cares and that's it.
The last week-ish has definitely put a strain on my focus and resolve but for good reason. I realized today as I was walking back from the grocery store that it has happened. Maybe it has always been, Mom pointed this out to me yesterday ("Hi Mom!"), but today I guess it really sunk in. I'm done with the games, the drama and the ineffectiveness of college. Life is not college. Life is going to the market and buying groceries for that spectacular meal you're going to prepare because you just want to try something new. Life is squeezing into that overcrowded Tube because you don't want to wait for the next train in 3 minutes. Life is realizing that that beggar on the street is your age. Life is not waiting on that lift but rather taking the stairs and getting to breathe a little harder after five flights. Life is being comfortable with the fact that everything is decaying/dying and your life is icing on the cake. That's it.
Today in drama we listened to an interview with the playwright that wrote Fram which we are seeing on Wednesday night. He comes from a background much like my own; working class family in a rural part of England known for its accents and coal mining. While his friends were out playing he was in studying and doing other nerdy things. During the interview he was talking about the sensual nature of poetry and said something that was like this, "it is about the sensuality of the words moving off the tongue and touching the lips and the ridges on the roof of the mouth." That's it.
Today while making dinner (lamb chops and baked squash) I was frying the chops in the skillet. The window was open to get some air, Brad was sleeping and the grease was popping. I had taken out the squash and set it atop the hob to cool slightly while the chops were finishing and as I opened the aluminum foil a pop of grease from the skillet hit my arm. For a moment I was taken aback and reflexively withdrew my arm. I stood there staring at the squash wondering what had just happened, squash doesn't pop, when another pop hit my face. Then I understood. While I was so focused on the squash I had forgotten the chops and was shocked when they hurt me. For some reason this just clicked and I got it.
By now if you are still reading this you really must not have anything to do because I'm not this interesting. Maybe that's it.
You know what I miss most of all about home...silence. There's no silence here. Everywhere you turn there is sound. From music to squeaky bed springs to sirens, the pulse of the city is all around. This morning as I rounded the corner and headed to Tavistock Square Garden there was silence and for a brief fleeting moment I was able to be still and listen to it and you know what the silence said..."go home." I was confused, how could I go home? Then I looked at the people talking at the Ghandi statue and realized I already was home. Home was inside me and then I got...it.
This morning started off like most mornings except this morning I decided to sleep in and just compress my morning routine. With a little extra dosing under my belt, freshly showered and fed, I headed out the door to class. As soon as I rounded the corner and headed to Tavistock Square Garden I just got it. The air was supremely crisp. It was light, moist and refreshing. In many ways it reminded me of those gorgeous spring mornings back home where the dew glistens on the grass and the sun pricks your face. In the middle of the garden there is a statue of Ghandi and this morning two people were standing talking while looking at it. How odd that there would be a statue of a man who helped knock the crown jewel out of the crown of His Majesty. In that moment he persevered only to die at the assassin's hand. That's it.
This is London, and as I walked to class I realized just how much this city was powered by opposition. Men in business suits, pressed and clean, riding their bikes through puddles on their way to work in some middle-management position that barely affords them a living in the second most expensive city in the world. Pigeons stand on the sidewalk silently begging for crumbs and don't bother to fly away when you come near, they just walk. City Hall that doesn't actually house City Hall. Instead the city is governed from a building where they have a 25 year lease, probably because nobody expects the Greater London Authority to last that long. And most importantly, being totally ignored in a city of 10 million. Nobody cares and that's it.
The last week-ish has definitely put a strain on my focus and resolve but for good reason. I realized today as I was walking back from the grocery store that it has happened. Maybe it has always been, Mom pointed this out to me yesterday ("Hi Mom!"), but today I guess it really sunk in. I'm done with the games, the drama and the ineffectiveness of college. Life is not college. Life is going to the market and buying groceries for that spectacular meal you're going to prepare because you just want to try something new. Life is squeezing into that overcrowded Tube because you don't want to wait for the next train in 3 minutes. Life is realizing that that beggar on the street is your age. Life is not waiting on that lift but rather taking the stairs and getting to breathe a little harder after five flights. Life is being comfortable with the fact that everything is decaying/dying and your life is icing on the cake. That's it.
Today in drama we listened to an interview with the playwright that wrote Fram which we are seeing on Wednesday night. He comes from a background much like my own; working class family in a rural part of England known for its accents and coal mining. While his friends were out playing he was in studying and doing other nerdy things. During the interview he was talking about the sensual nature of poetry and said something that was like this, "it is about the sensuality of the words moving off the tongue and touching the lips and the ridges on the roof of the mouth." That's it.
Today while making dinner (lamb chops and baked squash) I was frying the chops in the skillet. The window was open to get some air, Brad was sleeping and the grease was popping. I had taken out the squash and set it atop the hob to cool slightly while the chops were finishing and as I opened the aluminum foil a pop of grease from the skillet hit my arm. For a moment I was taken aback and reflexively withdrew my arm. I stood there staring at the squash wondering what had just happened, squash doesn't pop, when another pop hit my face. Then I understood. While I was so focused on the squash I had forgotten the chops and was shocked when they hurt me. For some reason this just clicked and I got it.
By now if you are still reading this you really must not have anything to do because I'm not this interesting. Maybe that's it.
You know what I miss most of all about home...silence. There's no silence here. Everywhere you turn there is sound. From music to squeaky bed springs to sirens, the pulse of the city is all around. This morning as I rounded the corner and headed to Tavistock Square Garden there was silence and for a brief fleeting moment I was able to be still and listen to it and you know what the silence said..."go home." I was confused, how could I go home? Then I looked at the people talking at the Ghandi statue and realized I already was home. Home was inside me and then I got...it.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Home is Only a Month Away
Yes, it's hard to believe, but I'll be coming home in less than a month (27 days to be exact). It will be difficult to leave London for reasons that should be obvious, but in many ways it will be nice to come home. Every time I travel I realise just how much I love Kentucky. For some strange reason I'm just attached to the hills, knobby plains, horse farms and smiling helpful people. London has been my surrogate home now for about 6 weeks and it has been a good one. I can easily see myself living here for a time at some point in my life, but in the end I'll always come home.
As for goings on here in London there have been a couple of adventures. Last week a couple of us went and saw Chicago. It was a great performance and our second-row centre seats were splendid. My only real complaint was the woman they cast as Mama Morton. For those you familiar with Centre, try to picture this. It was as if Dean Fabritius was playing a busty crooked jail warden. I've never heard Stephanie sing, but this actress was awful. Otherwise, everything else was top-notch. I was highly impressed by the level of control the dancers had, and they didn't look too bad either. ;-)
Last weekend was spent mostly writing my History of London paper and this weekend will be spent catching up on other homework and writing my HIS 110 paper. Yes, it is that time.
Wednesday we went to Southall, the most South Asian neighborhood in London. The neighborhood is 90% Hindu, Sikh or Muslim. It was a splendid neighborhood. There was so much cheap Indian cuisine I was absolutely stuffed by the time I left. Also, there was a very large Gurdwara with a golden dome that was gorgeous.
Finally, I had sushi for the first time yesterday. Can I just say it was amazing. I hadn't been having the best of weeks so I decided to treat myself to something new. A group of us went to the little Yo! Sushi Bar. I had different rolls with tuna, eel, octopus, salmon, prawns and vegetarian options. All told it cost me almost $40 but it was totally worth it.
Cheers!!
Todays Lovestruck: "To the girl in Asda in Battersea on Sunday afternoon. I wanted to chat, but got tongue-tied in the cheese section. You were lovely." -Stuart
As for goings on here in London there have been a couple of adventures. Last week a couple of us went and saw Chicago. It was a great performance and our second-row centre seats were splendid. My only real complaint was the woman they cast as Mama Morton. For those you familiar with Centre, try to picture this. It was as if Dean Fabritius was playing a busty crooked jail warden. I've never heard Stephanie sing, but this actress was awful. Otherwise, everything else was top-notch. I was highly impressed by the level of control the dancers had, and they didn't look too bad either. ;-)
Last weekend was spent mostly writing my History of London paper and this weekend will be spent catching up on other homework and writing my HIS 110 paper. Yes, it is that time.
Wednesday we went to Southall, the most South Asian neighborhood in London. The neighborhood is 90% Hindu, Sikh or Muslim. It was a splendid neighborhood. There was so much cheap Indian cuisine I was absolutely stuffed by the time I left. Also, there was a very large Gurdwara with a golden dome that was gorgeous.
Finally, I had sushi for the first time yesterday. Can I just say it was amazing. I hadn't been having the best of weeks so I decided to treat myself to something new. A group of us went to the little Yo! Sushi Bar. I had different rolls with tuna, eel, octopus, salmon, prawns and vegetarian options. All told it cost me almost $40 but it was totally worth it.
Cheers!!
Todays Lovestruck: "To the girl in Asda in Battersea on Sunday afternoon. I wanted to chat, but got tongue-tied in the cheese section. You were lovely." -Stuart
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Small but Positive Step
The link below is to an article about a church here in London that has decided to stop performing full weddings. I'll let you read the article for yourself, but I would like to say that I appreciate the efforts of this congregation. Newington Green was the Unitarian church I visited back at the start of the trip. The service was not all that I felt it could be, but the people have great hearts. Actually, the day that I attended they had a congregational debate about the possibility of boycotting weddings. I would just like to say thanks Newington Green for standing-up for what you believe in.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7336187.stm
Cheers!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7336187.stm
Cheers!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Olympics
Today the Olympic Torch passed through London. Actually as I'm writing this it should be at about Trafalgar Square. A group of us went to see the torch pass through Chinatown aka Gerrard Rd. The Chinatown here in London is really small. All down the street there were paper lanterns and Chinese flags. It was great! There was one protestor from Free Tibet. Everyone was kinda laughing about it because first off, she was white, secondly she was the only one and drowned out completely by the crowd. There were no real incidents and the small parade was cool. Here a few pics from the event for your enojoyment.
Update: As I was uploading these images, a march to Free Tibet started down the street in front of my building. Here are a couple pictures.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Bang, Bang, One Bullet
Sorry for not updating in forever, but when we got back from Ireland I was pummeled by a horrible cold and then I've been really busy. For details on Ireland I'll reference you to Kendall's blog again. She did a great job summarizing the trip. http://kallenadventures.blogspot.com/ . The following is the link to some pictures from the trip I posted on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2015802&l=8909e&id=59301097
Now that that is out of the way, a brief update on London. It is crunch time for papers and exams. In two weeks I need to have two papers in a pretty solid draft stage ready for the professor to look over. The HIS 110 paper is no problem since he doesn't want outside sources, but my History of London paper is going to be a trip. It's going to be a blast. Since work is beginning to ratchet up I haven't really been out on the town much lately. This weekend some of us may try to go see Chicago or Spamalot or Les Mis. We're still in the early planning stages.
The weather here is really looking to be on the up and up. At least for about the next 36 hours. The high today is supposed to be a scorching 57. Believe it or not, this is a warm day to British people, it's kinda scary. The sky is blue and I'm inside writing a blog. Maybe later I'll go down to the grocery or take a walk.
Speaking of taking walks. Sunday I got lost again. I had stayed behind after dinner with Milton to talk to Tubb for just a minute and by the time I left everyone was gone. Somewhere I took a wrong turn, but it was a nice day so I didn't mind. After walking down Baker Street for a long while and not finding a tube station I started up Edgeware Road looking for Edgeware Road station. Edgeware Road is a heavily Muslim neighborhood with lots of interesting shops and restaurants. I think I may go back down there and browse some more later in the trip. Finally I found Old Marylebone and hoping that London streets would behave like KY streets (they are just as confusing) I went up Old Marylebone looking for Marylebone and sure enough, after about 5 blocks, there it was. I found an eye hospital, Madame Toussad's, the Marylebone library and tons of other interesting things. Sometimes getting lost isn't such a bad thing.
Wednesday we are going to go see Masque of the Red Death by Punchdrunk Theatre Company. This company has converted the Battersea Arts Centre, all 7 floors of it, into the world of Edgar Allen Poe. Audience members are encouraged to explore on their own while scenes are acted out around them, and to facilitate people giving in to their curiosity and desire everyone is wearing plain white masques. If you can find the cloak room you can also rent a full body robe so as to be completely anonymous. It's going to be an interesting experience and I'll be sure to blog about it afterwards.
Otherwise, not much interesting has been going on. Hopefully something will happen so I'll have something to write about.
Cheers!
Todays lovestrucks:
"Hi Richard, fancy that Wimpy now?" -Candice Commentary: Wimpy Burger is a fast food chain here in the UK, but not knowing that makes it funnier.
"Greenwich station on Good Friday. Two girls met two boys, one ran along the platform waving goodbye. We laughed a lot. You looked like a right giggle. Do you want to meet up?" -Anonymous
"To the cute tall guy in Piccadilly Circus on Thurs 13 March. You helped me find my way using your iPhone. Wish I'd asked for your number." -Ricky Commentary: Duh, he was helping you with his iPHONE, that's an invitation.
Now that that is out of the way, a brief update on London. It is crunch time for papers and exams. In two weeks I need to have two papers in a pretty solid draft stage ready for the professor to look over. The HIS 110 paper is no problem since he doesn't want outside sources, but my History of London paper is going to be a trip. It's going to be a blast. Since work is beginning to ratchet up I haven't really been out on the town much lately. This weekend some of us may try to go see Chicago or Spamalot or Les Mis. We're still in the early planning stages.
The weather here is really looking to be on the up and up. At least for about the next 36 hours. The high today is supposed to be a scorching 57. Believe it or not, this is a warm day to British people, it's kinda scary. The sky is blue and I'm inside writing a blog. Maybe later I'll go down to the grocery or take a walk.
Speaking of taking walks. Sunday I got lost again. I had stayed behind after dinner with Milton to talk to Tubb for just a minute and by the time I left everyone was gone. Somewhere I took a wrong turn, but it was a nice day so I didn't mind. After walking down Baker Street for a long while and not finding a tube station I started up Edgeware Road looking for Edgeware Road station. Edgeware Road is a heavily Muslim neighborhood with lots of interesting shops and restaurants. I think I may go back down there and browse some more later in the trip. Finally I found Old Marylebone and hoping that London streets would behave like KY streets (they are just as confusing) I went up Old Marylebone looking for Marylebone and sure enough, after about 5 blocks, there it was. I found an eye hospital, Madame Toussad's, the Marylebone library and tons of other interesting things. Sometimes getting lost isn't such a bad thing.
Wednesday we are going to go see Masque of the Red Death by Punchdrunk Theatre Company. This company has converted the Battersea Arts Centre, all 7 floors of it, into the world of Edgar Allen Poe. Audience members are encouraged to explore on their own while scenes are acted out around them, and to facilitate people giving in to their curiosity and desire everyone is wearing plain white masques. If you can find the cloak room you can also rent a full body robe so as to be completely anonymous. It's going to be an interesting experience and I'll be sure to blog about it afterwards.
Otherwise, not much interesting has been going on. Hopefully something will happen so I'll have something to write about.
Cheers!
Todays lovestrucks:
"Hi Richard, fancy that Wimpy now?" -Candice Commentary: Wimpy Burger is a fast food chain here in the UK, but not knowing that makes it funnier.
"Greenwich station on Good Friday. Two girls met two boys, one ran along the platform waving goodbye. We laughed a lot. You looked like a right giggle. Do you want to meet up?" -Anonymous
"To the cute tall guy in Piccadilly Circus on Thurs 13 March. You helped me find my way using your iPhone. Wish I'd asked for your number." -Ricky Commentary: Duh, he was helping you with his iPHONE, that's an invitation.
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