Advertisement
Published: September 9th 2008
Edit Blog Post
Buckingham Palace, the home of the monarch since the reign of Queen Victoria.
I know that from just skimming through my entries it may look as though I have already been there several times, when in truth I have only
passed it several times. Since it is a centre point in the city. But on Thursday one of my classes was canceled in the middle of the afternoon so I had a five hour gap with nothing to do. Everyone I talked to had another class in that time frame so I just ended up walking to Buckingham by myself. It was really refreshing and I am very proud of the fact that I know how to get there. I got a student ticket for about £14 which is expensive I know, but it is a once in a lifetime opportunity because it is only open about 2 months a year. It was a self guided tour with a little audio headset, so in the end it really didn't matter that I went by myself as everyone does the tour individually.
We only saw staterooms like galleries, drawing rooms, dining rooms, state rooms, throne rooms, etc. But it was
so amazing. Walking down those steps I almost cried thinking of how many amazing people have taken those steps as well. Not as over-whelming as the Abbey, but my cheeks did hurt from smiling the whole time.
The changing of the guard is a big to-do at Buckingham. It happens every other day, weather permitting, and people line up hours before hand otherwise you never see a thing. I guess the day of my tour happened to be one of those days, so while I was in the palace, my audio guide leading me to the centre courtyard deck, the changing of the guard ceremony had begun. I was very lucky in this timing because I don't think many people can say that they have seen the changing of the guard from
inside the palace. Now what I wouldn't give to be invited to a state dinner. (If you're reading this Queenie, that's a hint)
After the tour, they spit you up in the back garden of the Palace, as you will be able to see in the pictures, the back of the palace is a different colour than it's facade. The garden was beautiful but I thought
it was funny that they had life preservers near all these small ponds and lakes. Does anyone even go near that water? The exit of the tour was through some back gate out of the garden. This was far away from the main entrance so I had no idea where I was. I had some time still so instead of asking for directions I just started walking. I figured if I got too lost, I would just get on the tube and ride back. I ended up walking under Wellington Arch (which I had to play hopscotch just to get around all the horse poo) and into Hyde Park. This is when I knew I was going in the complete wrong direction. But from there I was able to find my way back to Buckingham and back tracked from there. No map, no asking for directions, no reservations. In fact during the course of the day I was asked by three seperate British people for directions. One for the tube, one for the palace, and one for Trafalgar square. They were quite amazed to hear I was American and was still able to answer their questions. Not bad for a
week in the city if I do say so myself.
Thursday night was when I got to see Chris for the first time since I've been here, for the first time since June actually. His sister Liz, and his friend Adam came along to pick me up, and Reading is where I spent most all of this weekend. It was very relaxing and I had an amazing time. I met his family and friends for the first time, they being some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. Even the ones that I was told would be mean were super sweet. His step brother is the same age as my brothers, and he reminded me of them alot and his step mother is American so I almost felt at home there. Chris' mum gave me some books that to read and I really hope I can get to them soon. I think I have read a total of 2 pages from the other book she gave me since I have arrived. We are very much into the same kind of books so that was really nice of her to think of me. She offered to
take me shopping if ever I wanted to go over there but Chris was at work. Which I just might take her up on, I need some new clothes and they are too expensive in London. We saw the new Keira Knightly film, the Duchess. It was long and I was tired so I almost feel asleep but it was really really good. Definitely my kind of film, and those of you that know me, know what I mean. We also went to Sweeny&Todd's pie shop for lunch one day, which I suppose is called so because of copyright laws. But what is really interesting about it is the fact that it is right next door to a barber shop. The only thing that would make it perfect would for it to be on fleet street. Liz brought me home again on Sunday night, and I'm not to surprised to find that I miss him already. But it is just another entry to the long list of things I am missing right now.
Yesterday was Monday and we began FYE class with a walk around the area known as Whitehall. We spent a majority of this time in St.James'
park and got a general introduction into politics in this country. We stopped at this cute little cafe for tea in the park, everything was on the uni! So I got elderberry and apple juice and a blueberry muffin, blueberries of course, being my weakness. There were tonnes of birds there so I took plenty of pictures of those and some of the landscape.
I learned another crazy thing about my Archeology professor. She lived in Albania for six years and had to be smuggled out of the country in the boot of a car because she received a death threat from the mafia. This woman is insane... I want to be just like her! I have to admit that I was dozing during her class though, I was so sososososo tired as I haven't been getting the most sleep lately. Matt and Andy like to distract me with late night serenades , baking, tarot card reading, or homework. So after class I walked up to my flat and went to sleep for about an hour. I then rolled out of bed, didn't change, didn't fix my hair or make-up and went straight down stairs to meet the group
Black phone box
The one on Pall Mall that I used to call my mother from when I was in London in January. going to the globe for my Shakespeare class that night. We saw Midsummer Night's Dream and boy was it good! It really wasn't one of my favourite shakespeare's but I have never seen it done like that before. It was done in a completely old fashioned yet very contemporary way. One of the actors got sick two hours before the show and they had to get one of the extra faries to play the part of puck, book in hand. But he was still amazing, that is professionalism. The way the globe is set up is that it is modeled after the original globe where Shakespeare's plays were once performed. It is a round open air theatre, the middle being open to all elements of the weather. There are three levels with benches around the outside and for £5 you can be a groundling, or one of the lower class that stood in the open area in front of the stage. So that was us. It was alright, but after being so dead tired, taking the hour long walk to the theatre standing for 3 hours and then talking the hour walk back. It was pretty painful. I got back
and stayed up with talking with Matt a bit later than I should have but managed to get six hours of sleep last night.
This morning the only thing I have done is Math but I will be going to another show tonight for my theatre class. Thank the lord I will be sitting.
observation: The expression "cheers" is also used as goodbye or thank you. Not just when you have a beverage. But it really doesn't work when an American says it.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.113s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 14; qc: 50; dbt: 0.0565s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
CORAL
non-member comment
ahh!!
first of all...you liked a keira knightly movie?!? i was for sure certain that you would hate that movie!! now i guess its worth seeing.. and is that a bank with my name? i was dying without your daily blog XD missyouloveyou