Holy Flying Buttresses, I'm Mad as Hell!

Yes, Yes, I know you are all shocked, but before you all assume I have picked up a potty mouth just read, read along and you will laugh too. I hope.
So, life. What have I been up to? Oh yes, France. Yep, I was there last week. It was fun. (Secretly this page has been up on my computer screen for a few hours. okay, maybe 3 days-  I am at a loss of words as to how to begin my experience there.) I guess the easiest way for me will just be taking it day by day.


Monday
Drove in a coach for 12 hours, but got a stamp in my passport. Totally worth the coach ride, and getting sick on the ferry crossing the English Channel.
Vimy Memorial (Go Canada!) 

Armistice Clearing (where the WW1 armistice was signed, thence the name)
Walked around Paris for a few hours, and of course got my first Crepe. Mmmmm. 

Tuesday

Chartres Cathedral- My favorite town in France, because I have been to so many. 

Versailles Palace: Just a whole different story. Anime. Your minds can fill in the rest, with the help of my picture. 

Arc de Triomphe 

Avenue des Champs Elysees

River Cruise

Wednesday- Museum o' Marathon

Notre Dame

La Madeleine

Notre Dame

Sainte Chapelle

Musee d'Orsay

Musee de l'Orangerie

The Louvre

The Biggest Haagen Daaz of my life

Thursday

Sacre'-Couer Basilica

Paris Opera Gernier

The Pompidou

The Jewish & Gay district (best ice cream & Pita, OF MY LIFE)

Drive to Amiens, Amiens Cathedral statue tour

Buy one get one free pizza, and handicapped room

Friday

Amiens Cathedral

Shopping

WW1 sites

HOME!

Overall, France was incredible! I was a little bit surprised when I got to Paris. It was much different than I would have expected. The overwhelming stench of urine and dirt may have overshadowed the whole fairy tale romantic scene for me. But I also blame that partially to running off 3 hours of sleep. I can't really say my favorite thing about france overall, but I most definitely have favorite daily memories.

On Monday I loved talking a 12 mile walk along the river. Partially because we may have been lost, and we couldn't use our Metro card more than twice that night. (To get there and back). We had an awesome roommate picture competition between Meegan and Laruen and Jani and I in front of the Eiffel Tower.  It was a sad day when I was walking around Paris and I looked up at the Eiffel Tower for the first time and immediately thought I was back in vegas looking at the Paris Casino. Sad, such a sad day. 

Tuesday I loved going to Chartes.   We had a Cathedral Window Club where a group of us each took a stained glass window and told the story. I have taken quite a liking to stained glass. I had the stained glass window about the correlation between The Fall and The Good Samaritan. I feel like I have become the BIGGEST nerd, ever. I have come here and all the sudden love going to cathedrals and listening to Gregorian Chants. Dad would be proud. We can have cathedral exploring parties dad, it's fun. 

. 

Oh! I love the French countryside. I would move there in a heart beat. It blows Paris out of the water. The town Chartes was just too good to be true. We saw a pair of Elders there and just got so thrilled to see them! It was fun. 

On Wednesday we had our absolutely ridiculous museum marathon. We woke up in the morning a ran to Notre Dame to see it, and then went back later in the day so we could hike to the top. When we were on the top you could see the view of the whole city. It was incredible. I just loved it. When I was at the top I looked over and saw three cathedrals and just kinda spilled out "HOLY FLYING BUTTRESSES". They were everywhere! It kinda turned into a joke the rest of the trip. But really, they were everywhere. 

Thursday rolled around, and I just wanted to weep because we got to sit on a bus! After Wednesday my feet were just begging me to stop killing them. We got to Amiens and we all had the happiest day of our lives. We practically stayed in a five star hotel, for college students standards at least. The bathroom was bigger than 4 * 4. And, to make it even cooler, it was a handicapped bathroom. Anyway, that night we were supposed to watch the Lights and Sounds show where they light up the Amiens Cathedral and it is just supposed to be totally gnarly. So Jani and I go out to talk to Brother Seely about said light show and it was cancelled! I said something like oh, I'm sad, I was kinda excited to see this one. And he got this look on his face and he said "No! Don't be sad! I am mad, mad as hell!". Yes Brother Seely, Yes. I am mad as hell. 

Friday! This was actually a really good day. We covered a few of the world war one memorial sites on our way back to London.  It was just incredible. I love learning about the war and it is just so real to see it all in person. A lot of France is still rugged from the shelling and bombing which I wasn't expecting at all. We stopped at one grave site and we all got a poppy seed cross to stick in the grave of our choice. We spent about an hour looking through the tomb stones and just reading and just soaking it all in. I stunk mine in a 16 year old boys. He died a few days before the war ended. It was just heart wrenching. I also found a Gresham in the war memorial we went to. It has sent a little desire to start doing family history. But I can't confess that to my dear mothers face yet. 

Over all, it was a wonderful trip. My favorite food is a curry chicken pita, and favorite dessert was this flower shaped gelato. Golly Gee, and the chocolate croissants. I will never be the same. That is a happy ending. 

Zac Efron, The Pope, and Everything In-between

Once again I am on the brink of failing at blogging. However, I am leaving for Parrrreeeee tomorrow morning and won't be blogging until next Saturday. So, here we go!

Wednesday, September 15
We had our second "field outing" aka: field trip for college kids. We went to East Sussex and Kent (yes, while we were there, Pride and Prejudice references may have spilled out on occasion). This was our days outline:
Bodiam Castle
Batemans (Rudeyard Kiplings home)
Battle Abby
Monk's House (Virginia Woolfs "country" home- because there is a difference)


We had a later start and we all slept on our way to the first destination. I got off the coach and just wanted to weep, (metaphorically speaking, of course) because the country side was so beautiful! I felt like all of my wildest dreams were coming true. Bodiam Castle was set up like a fairy-tale castle. It was just cute and quaint. I kept waiting for a knight in shining armor to ride up and rescue a damsel in distress from the high tower, which sadly enough didn't actually exist.
After Bodiam we had another sleepy journey over to Batemans, where I truly fell in love. These pictures just don't give it the justice needed. (Mom, Dad, I may have picked up a brochure about Holiday Cottages in this area. Next Christmas- problem solved.) This was the home of the poet Rudeyard Kipling. First, I just love that everyone actually does name their home in the countryside. And second, it was the perfect English country side home you would picture in Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South. It was a dream.
We headed over to Battle Abby (Battle is the city name) where the Battle of England was fought. I could intrigue you with my plethora of knowledge about the battle of 1066 between the Normands and English, but I will spare you. I may just dedicate a post to that battle for all of you lovers of war and English history. But until then, I will just continue on. Our last stop before heading home to London was Monk's House. No- it wasn't literally a monk's house. That would be a monastery. This however is the home of Virgina Woolf. No, I won't be offended if you didn't know who she was. I didn't either, and in fact probably never would have unless I wasn't required to read two of her novels this semester. It was a charming, cozy little home. A little too much sea-green paint for my taste, but if it suited her fancy, good for Virginia. I do have to give her credit to her garden. It was a rather large garden with a tree that was just the perfect climbing tree. Who could resist? Of course not me. To cap it off, there was even a rope swing. Good choice Mrs. Woolf, good choice.
Thursday September 16


Like every other Thursday, we had class in the morning. It was a lovely class period. I am sure I learned sometime worthwhile, but may be having a hard time recalling said lessons. After classes we ventured off to the NG (the Londoners lingo for National Gallery) to do Humanities Homework. After we wrapped things up with our wonderful homework Meegan and I wondered over to indulge ourselves in Hagen Daaz. Did I mention they have special European flavors and it is just ice cream on crack? Well, it is, and it's AMAZING. So upon arrival to said Ice Cream shop in Leicester Square we saw a overly large " CHARLIE ST. CLOUD UK PREMIER". Yep, Zac Efron was going to be in London, three hours from then. We rushed home to spread the good cheer. In the end, Meegan and I stayed home to do homework while the others were able to partake in the blue carpet, Zac Efron aura. Shame. We were so close. I don't really know what I was thinking, homework/ famous people, and I chose hw? That Haagen Daaz did have crack in it.
Friday September 17


Yes, I think you may start seeing our routine here. Friday's are our London Studies. Our "in town" field trips. It was rather a short and simple trip over to the Tower of London. Our first stop, naturally being a group of 36 girls, was the crown jewels. It was brilliant. Jani and I may or may not have rode the moving conveyer belt to see the crown jewels six times. If I ever said I didn't care what size my diamond was when I was little, I lied. Seeing all of those made me definitely want a big rock. :) But seriously. On a less selfish note. There is so much to be learned at the Tower of London. It had been around for some time. They had an exhibition on armory of all the different houses. (Tudors, Lancaster, etc). Let's just say, after viewing king Henry VIII's armor with a little British girl next to me, I won't be able to write anything appropriate. She sure didn't know any shame. Phew.
After the Tower of London we headed over to Borough Market which is my favorite place to eat, thus far. Words can't explain the splendor of such a market. It is just the atmosphere that is amazing to be part of. I had a baguette with pork, apple sauce and stuffing. My life is now complete. We will most surely be  weekly regulars to Borough Market, for there is just too much to be explored there.

Saturday I don't have too much to write about. My day consisted of me going on a run and running into the pope. So, it may have just been me running through Hyde Park while they were setting up for the pope coming two hours later. But, I ran where he would have stood, so in a round about way, he practically blessed me. But other than that, I sat on my bed for nine hours and wrote papers.

It was quite the wonderful week. London never ceases to amaze.

I am off to Paris and will update my trip on Saturday. Brace yourselves for a long post.
Just like I have to brace myself for the dreaded tomorrow---- Jani found a scale.

It is wonderful to be wonderful

Sunday, September 12
Last sunday 5 of us were assigned to go to the London North ward. On Sunday we (Mackenzie, Morgan, Lauren, Becca & I) headed off at 8:30 to get to church by 10 (so we thought.) We arrived promptly at 10:40. The ward we relatively small, so we made quite the entrance when the 5 of us tramped in 40 minutes late. But what can I say, go big or go home! To get there we had to take the tube, train, bus, and feet. We got to our tube stop that we were supposed to catch our train at, only to find out that it doesn't run on Sundays. We had to head over to Kings Cross to catch a different train, which we just missed. So 20 minutes later we finally got the train. Long story short, the bus was also late, and we got lost when walking there. It took us about 90 minutes to get home. So we figure going to church every week will be about a 6.5 hour venture. It's a good thing we love the gospel! 
I love the London North Ward! It only has roughly 80 active members, with 30 different nationalities represented. They were so thrilled to have us there. It was brilliant! I am very excited to go back next week. We will also get out callings next week, which I am very excited about. 


Monday, September 13
Monday was just our typical monday. We had class and then we scrounged for leftovers. Really though, I had a salad with spaghetti sauce as dressing. After lunch a few of us headed over to the National Gallery to do homework, and then over to the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) for our Jane Austen homework. Jani and I stopped at Marks & Spencer and then Tesco for a little grocery shopping (which may or may not have consisted of digestives and cereal....mmmmm) and then sprinted home for dinner.  
After dinner Sister Bird asked if Lauren, Meegan and I wanted to go see Wicked because she had extra tickets! We definitely hopped all over that. 
The seats were amazing! We were right up front, and it was such a nice change from our typical student discount tickets on the top row of the balcony where we had to stand up and peer over the edge to see. There wasn't the thrill of peering over a 30 ft balcony, but I felt like I was royalty. In all honestly I loved the London production much more than the production I saw in LA a few years back, and that, was GOOD. Almost all of the actors could easily compete with the original cast of Wicked (ie Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth). So, all in all, it was a good day.

Wilfred Owen

Today, Tuesday, I have just had class and lunch so far. Since coming to London and engaging myself into Humanities and my Great War and Modernism seminars my appreciation for the arts, mainly Gregorian chants, art, and poetry has significantly increased. In my Great War and Modernism seminar we connect the Great War to all the poetry, literature and art that was a product of the first World War, which I love because studying the Great War is most surely my forte. 
Today we were studying the work of two poets who were officers in the war, one of whom was Wilfred Owen. He was on the front lines and was killed 5 days before the end of the war. Before he departed for the front lines, he wrote The Parable of the Old Man, and the Young.

So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,

And took the fire with him, and a knife.

And as they sojourned both of them together,

Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father,

Behold the preparations, fire and iron,

But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?

Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps,

and builded parapets and trenches there,And stretchèd forth the knife to slay his son.

When lo! an angel called him out of heaven,

Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad,

Neither do anything to him. Behold,

A ram, caught in a thicket by its horns;

Offer the Ram of Pride instead of him.

But the old man would not so, but slew his son,

And half the seed of Europe, one by one.

Rockin' the Ruins

Yes, I did say I was getting better about blogging. Slowly, but surely. Maybe I am getting worse, I haven't decided yet. The Wifi here is not the best wifi in the world and so we can't stream, or technically upload pictures. So, be happy, that for all of you lovely readers I am breaking the rules, and you are all looking at illegal photographs.
On Wednesday we had our first "London Field Study". Field Studies are just a big group field trip, of sorts. We went to St. Paul's Cathedral in the morning and then headed to the Museum of London after we picked up some lunch. First, let me just say that whenever we go somewhere it's like a big mob overflows everything, and then on top of that, it turns into a paparazzi photo shoot. For 46 people. We get lots of looks, but it's fun.
This is our little group of friends taking out photo shoot in front of St. Pauls Cathedral.

St. Pauls Cathedral is by far my favorite thing in London thus far. Maybe-- actually, it may be tied with half naked men running through Hyde Park and Digestives. It's a tough tie. We took a tour of St. Pauls and then hiked up to the top (VERY top) of the dome. All 538 steps. Once we got to the top, all out of breath, there was a little tiny sign that said, NO WAY DOWN. I don't know a better way to greet visitors either.  It was such a breathtaking view of the city, I have never seen anything like it. I would gladly walk up all 538 steps everyday. (okay, maybe not everyday, every other day). Did I mention they also filmed part of Harry Potter here? Well, they did. Two words, Dumbledores Staircase. I would download another picture of us at the top, but I am averaging 10 minutes a picture, so pretend there is a picture below, and use your imagination. :)

On our way to the Museum of London I spotted Gresham Street! I stopped and took a picture, so in all reality, this is for mom and Aunt Julie!

Thursday we had class, and I just hung out at home and worked on homework and just kind of hung out. It was very, very nice just to take a nice relaxing day for myself.

Friday was our first day trip! It was an absolute adventure. We all woke up at about 4:50 am and had to be showered and ready by 6. At 6 we had breakfast and had to pack our lunches and be on the bus at 6:45. At precisely 7, we were off to Dover, and all 38 students, out. We had a two hour bus journey to Dover castle. Per usual- we spent the first hour having a photo shoot, and then we got our tour started! We first went to the WW2 "secret" tunnels (why they are called "secret" is a mystery. It's hard to miss 4 massive doors and windows sticking out the middle of The White Cliffs of Dover) and then had our own time to explore the castle. Not much exploring was done, it was mostly a photo shoot, again. This is an example: Why I am on a cannon, not really sure. We saw it and decided we would spend 20 minutes of our time taking pictures on it. But I guess I will forever have a picture of me on a canon at Dover castle, not many people can say that. Besides the 30 other girls in my group that took a picture on it, of course.
After Dover castle we hopped on a bus and went to Canterbury. In Canterbury we went to St. Martins Parish, St. Augustine's Cathedral Ruins, and Canterbury Cathedral.  We arrived to our first destination at St. Augustine and noticed a rather large CLOSED sign on the front gates. Brother Seeley called and showed them who was boss. They were going to send a tour guide to let us in, in a half hours time. In the mean time we went to St. Martins Parish. It was the first church in England and that is also where Queen Bertha went to church before her husband, Kind Ethelburg converted to Christianity. The church was very small, and set back in a graveyard. A cute older lady talked to us for a while and then we sung hymns in the church for about 10 or 15 minutes. It was quite the experience. You could tell the spirit had a very strong presence there. Brother Seeley pointed out that alot of our relatives would have gone to small parishes for church like St. Martins and it make the experience very special, Christianity really did pave the way for the Restoration.
We wrapped us St. Martins and then walked back over to St. Augustine's ruins. The ruins were cool to look at, and then once again it turned into a photo shoot. It was a blast, the ruins were like a jungle gym for big people. You can only look at ruins for so long, and then you have to rock the ruins, spice up the ruins a little bit. We took countless pictures, and then 5 of us were brave enough to climb to the top, and then we of course had to document that, in various different ways. I will spare you all, and just give you our Greek Goddess pose, and then mine and Jani's Roman warrior picture.

And we were off to our last stop! (it's almost over guys, promise) Canterbury Cathedral, here we come. This cathedral was amazing! It was constantly under renovation and construction from about 1200-1700 AD. The cathedral was HUGE. There really isn't a better word for it, it was just absolutely HUGE.

Because we had such a long day this tour seemed to drag on for a rather long period of time, though I did enjoy every moment of it. Once we got into the courtyard I was feeling kind of droopy and tired, and realized this looked familiar.
I got all excited and told my friend Meegan I was positive that this was where they filmed Harry Potter. She got all excited too and you could instantly see the group perk up once we figure out it looked exactly like HP. Meegan asked, no, yelled (he was hard of hearing) at our tour guide about 5 times if they filmed HP here and he looked completely clueless. So, we still don't know, but I am convinced it was filmed there.

Today was a really good day. I LOVE Saturday's. We had a pretty late night last night. We watched Pride and Prejudice and then stayed up to sing Happy Birthday to Lisa, and then just talked. I slept in till 9, and then Lauren and I went for a 6 mile run. A few of us went to Camden Market, which I like much more than Portabello. It's a little grungier, but it is just a blast to go there. Then we went to Tuk Tuk Thai. I would fly 7,000 miles just to eat there. I spend 4 pounds on the best Thai food I have ever had. Now that is a happy ending to this long blog.

The Cheers to Tube Strikes and Dances

I will just do a quick recap of life from Friday to Monday and expound where needed.

Friday
Homework at the National Gallery
YSA Dance. Party Like a Rockstar
Lost girls at the dance, Jani and I searching for an hour. Almost heart attack.
Walk home from nice English lads

Saturday
Portabello Road (1,500 antique shops. Saturday only- OVERWHELMING)
Les Miserables
Italian Restaurant
Haagen Daz (Carmel Biscuit. Europe only. AMAZING)


Sunday
Church at Hyde Park- Hyde Park Ward
Slovenian man asking Brother Seely for all of our addresses- he is determined to marry one of us.
Called to the London North Ward
3 hour nap
Fireside with President and Sister Maythem (He is from S. Africa, she is from Scotland. HILARIOUS couple)

Monday
Classes
Ben's Cookies
Big Ben
Asian couple wedding pictures
V&A Museum Homework (Grace Kelly Exhibit)
Tube Strike
Dessert at the Waffle House (Best Ice Cream waffle in the world. Really.)


As for the tube strike- Becca, Lauren, Jani and I were rushing home from the V&A at 5:10 so we could make it to dinner, and briefly remembering our professors talking about tube strike starting at 5 may or may have not had something to do with our rush. (yes, they may have more than just briefly talked about it, maybe every night for a few days, telling us to not get caught in it, and not to be on the tube at 5.) In the long run, who knew the rush could be so exciting. So we only had three tube stops to go, and we made it to Notting Hill! It was a miracle. When we got off they started saying over intercom that the strike was beginning and everyone needed to get off at the next tube stop. The church is true, we got to dinner on time!

Living and going to school in London is more difficult than one would actually think. As Lauren would say, considering the term "Study Abroad", we have got the whole Abroad thing down, it's just studying we need to learn to conquer. We have class Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from roughly 9-12. Tuesdays I only have The Great War and so I have class from 10:35- 12:10 and Mondays/Thursdays I have three classes, from 9-12:40. After class we usually go out and do stuff, and we generally have "field assignments" for class and need to go to various museums. Dinner is promptly at 5:20 and then we usually go out again, or do homework, usually the first, of course.

Living with your professors is just a whole other world. This morning I was doing my hair in soccer shorts and a tank top when all the professors waddled on by, and Sister Bird complimenting me on my hair. It was just odd. Oh so odd. They also know who is up till 3 am finishing their homework and just our daily patterns of life. It is fun, but I am still getting used to the idea, especially them seeing me fold my underwear. Two words. AWK WARD

That is all for now, homework and a nap are calling my name!

Love Is Like A Gelato Shop

First, let me just say that time here feels like a blur--granted the jet lag may or may not have something to do with that, but my last blog feels like five days ago, not two. 

Yesterday morning Jani, Lauren, Meeghan and I all went for a nice  5K run around Hyde Park. I can't even begin to describe the beauty of waking up a day break, and going running as the fog is just beginning to clear over the lake. I have never experienced something like that, it truly took my breath away (in such a way that I wanted to start singing "Take My Breath Away" from Jessica Simpson, but spared my good running buddies the pleasure). I am now incredibly motivated to get up every morning for my run. 

In the morning we had orientation where we recieved a little "exploration of London" assignment. A group of us went and we just got a little taste of different museums, bus routes, tube stops, shopping areas, Herrods, etc. It really was a great day. My favorite memories are the group of ten of us standing on the corner with a map the size of one street block, wide open, and 5 other little maps out trying to figure out where we were, and definitely making ourselves known as the American Tourists. Finally we just asked a nice lad to point us in the right direction and he was more than willing. Problem solved. Did I mention how my sense of direction has dwindles since I came to London? Well, it has. 

My lovely street

To top off the evening we made a very last second decision to go to a broadway show The Lion King. Because we are students we found out we can go to a show a half an hour before it begins, and if they have extra seating they will sell us poor students deeply discounted tickets. It was 6:30 and the show started at 7:30. We all changed at lightning speed (and for girls, ten minutes is lightning) and headed off! Wrong tube stop, lost lion king, lost time, and 20 pounds later, we were at LEGALLY BLONDE: The Musical. Yes, yes, as my father put it "now tell me one more time, you flew 9,000 miles, half way around the world, to the culture capital of the world, and saw THAT?" Well said dad, that was it. Surprisingly it was really well done. Give us drunk guys cracking up hysterically behind us (made the show sooo much more entertaining), people singing happy birthday over and over again, us sitting literally on top of the stage we were so high, more drunk birthday girls, and a pregnant ELLE WOODS, and once more us getting lost in London, and you had our evening! It was very memorable. 

So, you all are probably wondering about my title. I am getting there, believe it or not. 

We will start with Gelato. Well, take that back. Classes started today. They were good. Now, back to Gelato. We (Me, Jani, Natalie, Lauren, Jenna, Becca,and Meegan) were galavanting along Notting Hill, just exploring our neighborhood, doing a little school supply shopping and came across a cute little gelato shop,Mia Bella (in all honestly, I can't remember what it was called, so I made that name up). There was this amazing Peanut Butter flavor that Jani and I fell in love with. Now pause, just remember Peanut Butter was on the back row. Continuing, the gelato was amazing. After gelato we wondered our way back to home, and didn't get lost. A few of the girls just stayed home, and so Meegan, Becca, Lauren and I went back out to see if we could sneak onto Embassy row (we got rejected last time we tried). Yes, we were successful. Embassy row in incredible! It's amazing walking down a street of billion dollar homes, and knowing their backyard is shared with Kensington Palace, and they had all been there for hundreds of years. 

So later that night my roommates and I (Jani, Jenna, Kaitlyn, Beth) stated up talking about love and all our crazy theories about it. Best conclusion of the night, Love is like a gelato shop. You can't see all the flavors, but the ice cream man can, so you need to ask the gelato man what flavor he thinks will fit you best, which will be peanut butter of course. So, we know it's deep if we tell someone that we "found our peanut butter gelato"

Well, this was actually from two days ago and I never got around to posting it, so do forgive me. I will give today and tomorrow's update tomorrow night. 

Teaser: Party like a Rockstar, YSA style.