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Published: February 26th 2009
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Hallo!!!
Wait until you hear what happened to me at the BBC on Monday....but first...
What an interesting and crazy few days I have had. Lets begin with Monday morning:
Monday, after arriving home early in the morning. We took the tube home to our flat, I came into my bedroom, dropped off my backpack, and jumped directly in the shower. It felt great!!!! If I could have stayed in there all day, I would have (seriously). After I was forced out by time, I got dressed and headed off the BBC. They are testing me out in a new Sitcom....just kidding (imagine though?) My class was scheduled to take a tour of the building and learn a little about it. Well....despite getting lost on the way there...twice, the best thing happened! So...there we are, towards the end of the tour and they have an interactive section. The guide says..."I need 3 volunteers to play "The Weakest Link"....ummm, OF COURSE! So my hand flies up into the air and I get selected to play.
There we are...the 3 of us, under bright hot lights, the music in the
Fish and Chips Lunch
Oldest Fish and Chips place in London background, the audience on their tippy-toes, anticipating what will happen next. Question after question we go back and for, getting some right, and some wrong (sad but true). Then.....its all over. Out of no where, the game ends....BUT there is a tie. After announcing the lonely and sad 3rd place, it is me and Chase (a fellow student). Head to head, bonus round. One last question. The question about a clip we just saw is asked. I pounce on the buzzer. So does Chase. The lights go off and the buzzer sounds...but whose is it? The guide says..."Darren?" YES! ok...here we go. I take a deep breath, collect my thoughts...and answer. The guide pauses...looks at the audience....then me....then Chase....then me....then her untied shoe....then me. "Correct! We have a winner!" The champion's music plays, I scream, shout and jump in the air. Then realize everyone is just sitting there staring at me. The guide then informs me I won a prize...woo hoo! I win...a BBC mug and pen. What what!!! It is now proudly sitting in my flat.
Tuesday...nothing special.....class and such.
Wednesday (today) was a lot of fun. I used my day off to see a bunch of
really cool sites. First off, I had fish and chips for lunch, then I went to the Saatchi Gallery. Now the Saatchi Gallery is extremely cool. Possibly my favorite museum visit, up there with the Churchill War Rooms. Please look at the the pictures I posted. I will try to briefly explain what is being depicted in the captions.
The reason I went there was because Lindsey went a few weeks ago and showed me pictures of this one exhibit. The exhibit in the basement level consists of several wax figures sitting in wheelchairs (sorry dad, no business cards). They are on an open floor and the wheelchairs move around. There are sensors on them so they don't hit the walls or each other (not that it didn't happen anyway). Bare with me for some description, its worth it:
Sitting on these wheelchairs are representatives of different political figure heads around the world. I disagree with the artists first of all. They say it is a controversial piece allowing "crippled leaders to battle it out." While that might have been their intentions, this is what I got out of it:
The exhibit shows that no matter what
their (our) beliefs are, our political actions, our hatred, our love, we are all the same. And in a state of growing old, we are all equal. All of the political differences the representatives have mean nothing. We are born the same, and die the same. All human beings. The wheelchairs moving around symbolizes that we can all interact with each other, and that the hatred we feel for others doesn't need to exist if we all worked together to abolish it. It is a fantastic exhibit, and moving up to the top of list of things to do when my parents arrive.
There is a middle eastern artist theme now, and each exhibit is fascinating, engaging, and enlightening.
After that, I traveled to Fleet Street. Now even though there is a lot of historical important background on the street, I went because of Sweeney Todd. I walked the street a little, took a picture of the sign, and moved on.
I then went to see the London Bridge (overrated). It was pretty lame, but...the Tower Bridge is awesome! I took pictures of both, you can judge....although since I was standing on the London Bridge, the views
Model of Apartment
This the artists old apartment building. Still standing in Beirut but eerily vacated. aren't comparable. Oh well, just come visit and judge for yourself.
As for my mystery trip. I am leaving tomorrow for the weekend to a city I can't reveal. That is because, I love surprises! Someone I know will be traveling to the same city, and we are setting up a surprise because they do not know I am going. Therefore in case they are reading this, they will have no idea. You can think its you....but it's probably not. Once the surprise occurs, you will get a full breakdown.
Oh yea...we just booked the Best Western. Wasn't going through that again.
Hopefully I will be able to post an entry from the hotel.
Trivia Answer: The Netherlands. If you thought Holland, that is just a region. I also didn't realize the website was going to advertise the Netherlands flag along side the entry when I asked the question.
Trivia Question: What is the proper way to sign a letter you are sending to the Queen? The answer might shock you, or not for that matter.
Safe travels to all you going away this weekend!
Londoner,
Sir Darren Nigel Goldberg III of Maida Vale
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Dad
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Cards
Dar, go back and leave my card on each of their laps, you never know :). Love, Dad