Friday, May 9, 2014

Phoenixes Fly Far From Home

May 9th
I offered to give devotional today in class. We talked about King Lear most of the day and analyzed different choices made by the director, actors, and designers. After class we popped back home for lunch and then to Leicester Square for tickets to Once.

Once plays at the Phoenix Theatre. Sarah, Raeni, Jennifer, Jessa, Camilla, Jace, and I all bought tickets. Dallin and Ben didn't see the show with us, but they still wandered around with us during the day.

After buying tickets we stopped in another bookstore. What can you expect with English majors? They are all very nice though. Next on our list is probably a used bookstore since we're been going to the large, nice ones. They can be such hipsters when it comes to book covers and not having enough copies. I don't mind the intelligent banter and lovely stores though. You can find me in the theatre section. 

Dallin bought this book, The Sherlock Holmes School of Self Defense. It teaches you how to fight like Mr. Holmes. I'm tempted to steal it. He's in charge of fighting people off from now on if there is ever a situation.

M&M World - London!
Dallin had never been inside a M&M store so we took him through. This had at least four stories.

Someday.

Jace, Dallin, and I suddenly found ourselves in Piccadilly Circus. We actually lost the rest of the group in the bookshop. They had gone into another store and missed us as we were coming out. No one really has a phone that works here, so we just kept adventuring by ourselves. Piccadilly is like a little Times Square. It isn't as a big, glamorous, or cool, but it's London. 

I'm sorry, but it's everywhere. On every side of every direction are buildings that you just want to stare at until someone invites you in.

Piccadilly Circus. We think it's cupid at the top.

Taking roads no one has dared traveled! At least ones that we haven't seen before. They have cool statues.

The Duke of York. Jace thinks they let you climb to the top some days and present you with a certificate for it. Sadly, today was not such a day.

Possible Benjamin Franklin and his house across the way?

A random park! St. James Park actually. We walked by it down a road and under these bright green trees that were so pretty, until they attacked! Every few feet Jace and I had to rub pollen out of our eyes. I'm not sure how Dallin escaped the treachery. He said one time pollen fell into his eyes, but he faced it like a man. 


Oh wait! Who could it be? 

The Queen!!!
Welcome to Buckingham Palace. I will be returning here for a tour and a picture with on of the guards. In the meantime, we had to get back to the flat for a small fireside with the stake president. He was giving us our ward assignments for Sundays here in London.
*The queen's guards don't stand on the outside of the gates the whole time like you think. Most are up by the actual palace, out of the way of tourists like me.

Not bad, not bad. We agreed living here would be tolerable.

First Musical at West End, Once.
I nearly cried during the Act One Finale. The musical was so different. I loved the accents, the folksy music, and realistic story line. I had very few prenotions and expectations for this show. They were all met. We saw Arthur Darvill play Guy. Mr. Darvill is apparently an important character on Dr. Who. I wouldn't know, but Raeni and Sarah were so excited to meet him. We waited by the stage door for him and saw almost the whole cast come out. Later, though, we were told he exited through a different door. So rude. 

Raeni located a cute gelato shop that we stopped at before taking the underground home. I wasn't hungry so I didn't have any, but everyone said the flavors were so good. England use to be known as the country of bland foods, but the international London has some delicious tricks up its sleeve. 
It is now 2am and I am exhausted, even though I don't feel like sleeping. Since the blog is all caught up I guess I should. We leave for the London Museum at 9:15 this morning. Tally-ho!

No comments:

Post a Comment