London, Day 7!

Today was really random. If we felt like doing something, we did! Starting with a tube ride to Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately, no tours occur this time of year, as the Queen is living there. However, the changing of the guards occurs every day at 11:30 am. We arrive over an hour early, and there were people lining the gate to the palace. By 11:00 am, I could barely move! I ended up standing next to a Jewish woman, which made me smile. :) I tried to talk to her, but she didn't speak English. I said, "Are you Jewish?". (She was reading the Torah and mouthing the words.) I pointed to the Scriptures, and she nodded. I greeted her with Shalom, and she answered back. I delight in interacting with God's holy people.

Finally, things started buzzing as soldiers rode by on horseback, followed by a "marching band", complete with marching horns and bassoons. Here's a picture I accidentally took:

Honestly, I couldn't see much. The guards were changed with much shouting of marching orders and military movement. The highlight was the mini-concert that the band gave afterwards. Jazz at the Palace! I found that surprising...


Afterwards, Dad and I went to a cupcake place that I have been begging to visit for the past week. It was ok. I haven't had that much sugar in a very long time! Of course, we needed lunch. Guess where I went?

Tibits. For the third time. I can't stay away! Their veggie meatballs with ratatouille were delicious! And, of course I had to pile on the country potatoes. I also ate some mango strawberry whip. Quite good.

While I usually shop at thrift stores, I figured I should at least shop once. After seeing an ad for dresses for 7.99 pounds at H & M, I went there. This was a very good decision! I bought a concert black shirt and cardigan for a total of 9 pounds (around $15). Fun fact: While we didn't shop here, we passed T. K. Maxx. I wonder why they changed the name?

That guy is wondering the same thing.

What followed was a rather uneventful souvenir hunt, including raw, organic, cold pressed juice and dark chocolate sorbet. Yum!

Rather than boring you with the shopping details, I figured I would show you some random things we found throughout the city:

"No one will steal my bike now!"

This is an ad for an expensive coffee machine, using music for marketing. I found it quite clever. The catchline was, "Savour the long notes of a more intense Lungo Grand Cru."

A street performer. You can't really tell by looking at the picture, but he is suspended in mid-air and stays there for hours! I have no idea how...

Does this even need a comment?

This is a really awesome bridge we found on a side street. Check out the dedication plaque below:

This famous ballet school sits next to the Royal Opera House:

London side streets are often decorated. Check out these giant hula hoops! 

Lush flowers. :)

This is the entry to our hotel. It took us a while to figure this out...

And here's our tiny, un-airconditioned room. The community shower is even smaller!

The past week in London has been incredible! We have been able to view some of the world's most famous sights and eat some of the world's greatest food. I will miss this city and all of the cultural curiosities found here, but I am ready to enter a new country of opportunity. 

Ciao, London!

See y'all in Norway!

Amy

London, Day 6

Hello out there!

Today started with me sleeping an hour later than normal (yay!). After granola for breakfast, we visited the Victoria and Albert museum, which is a free museum with a huge variety of exhibits. We saw everything from sculptures to sixteenth century Asian tile work. It was quite fascinating!

Asian, carved wooden spoon

Carved Pillar

Glasswork in the entryway 

The horse used to produce the movie War Horse

The costumes for the Lion King on Broadway

Playbill advertising an opera about Jerry Springer...

After our visit to the V&A museum, Dad and I loaded up on cash and headed back to that ginormous stable market that I mentioned yesterday. Thankfully, although crowded, significantly less people filled the narrow streets.

The subway ride to get there was relatively long, compared to our usual stops, and I was basically falling asleep. Dad said I needed caffein; I said I needed food. ;) We stumbled upon a vegan cafe across from the market. (I wish this happened in America...). I ate a scrumptious olive ciabatta sandwich stuffed with leafy greens, cashew cheese, vegan pesto, cherry tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Later, I came back for raw vanilla berry cheesecake.

We proceeded to shop for souvenirs. I bought a British hat: For all you Columbus people, prepare to see me wearing it around Schwob! I also bought a really nice scarf for 2.99 pounds, which is a fantastic price! I bought a similar one in a thrift store a few years ago for 2 dollars, which was an unbelievable steal. I was quite satisfied with this find.

When we returned to the vegan cafe for my cheesecake, a Lebanese-turned British woman asked to sit at our table so she could see the view overlooking a canal. We had a lovely conversation about traveling and music and America. Traveling can be so lonely, so it was nice to interact with people outside our entourage of two.

We returned to the room, where I surfed the world-wide-web and practice my horn for a bit. (Actually, most of my practicing happened on the subway today. Mental practicing at its finest!). You'll never guess where we ate dinner--

Chipotle!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Chipotle is just as good in England as it is Columbus, GA. Not to mention that the prices are exactly the same, except the monetary unit is pounds instead of dollars. So it was actually cheaper here than back home!

As exciting as raw cheesecake, British hats, and Chipotle are, there was one momentous event that trumps them all!

Drumroll, please.

prrrrrrrrrrrrrrr--

Les Mis at the Queen's Theatre! (Ok. I am having way too much fun with this blog...) After playing Les Mis for over a month, I was curious how this experience would be. Of course, you cannot see anything from the pit, so the perspective is totally different. I didn't realize how much of the plot I did not know.

Stage production at the Queen's Theatre is absolutely top-notch. The set utilized a revolving floor, which added some really neat effects, as people walked against it. Also, the sound guys thought about the acoustics of the given environment and reciprocated them! For example, the sewer scene boasted an extreme echo. Also, the lighting guys used lights to add depth and detail to the set. For example, they had these lights that looked like windows that they would project onto the wall, but they would also project a similar image onto the ground,  portraying the light streaming through the window and onto the ground. The production team utilized all five senses, leaving no detail forgotten.

Only one day remains on our London stint. Tomorrow will be more laid back, but interesting, I'm sure!

Oh. I almost forgot.

Mad kitty:

Until tomorrow!
Amy

London, Day 5

Good evening!

Our London Passes expired today, so were able to slow down our pace. I'm so glad! All of this walking has worn me out...

Today, we walked through lovely green space near Euston. I was very pleased to see a plethora of dogs! It seems as if the British train their dogs very well. All of them walked without a leash and were very well-mannered. Life on a Sunday afternoon seemed to slow down here, as the entire city seemed to leave their offices and enjoy the sunny afternoon. During our walk, we found the Queen's Garden. Thousands of lovely roses were scattered about ponds and waterfalls which teemed with ducks and pigeons. (Ok. I know that pigeons are neither impressive nor romantic, but they were there. I felt they should be included, since they always seem to get a bad rep!)

From here, Dad ate a baguette sandwich, and I ate a gloriously filling Mediterranean salad at a place called My Village Cafe. I have never eaten a salad quite like it: I felt as though the greens were an afterthought, lost under mounds of beans and chickpeas, julienned beets, and sauces that I have never seen before. On the side was pita, hummus, and what I thought would be falafel, but was actually veggie bites of some kind. Very good!

On our way to the tube, we stumbled upon a MASSIVE market. When I say massive, I mean massive. It is called Stables Market and covers multiple blocks. Within the gate, you can find just about any type of product or food. I must admit that I was very overwhelmed, as it was almost as crowded as the market in Nainital, India. Many shops burned incense or some other type of aromatic stick, and there were many types of loud, clashing music-- including a man dressed up as a pirate playing a natural trumpet to attract customers to his restaurant. We are returning tomorrow, when less people will be there.

While in the area, I had to stop at a Vegan Coffeeshop. :) For only 1.9 pounds, I bought a chocolate-filled croissant. Man, am I spoiled in this city!! All of these yummy restaurants sure make going home seem difficult. On the plus side, I think I would gain a lot of weight if lived here... Too many desserts to choose from!

Of course, this is the prelude to a music trip, so Dad and I keep our eyes open for any musical opportunities in the city. (By the way: that pun was intended.) We had the pleasure of attending a free organ recital at Westminster Abbey. The organist is a post-graduate student at the Royal Academy of Music, which was very evident in his skillful playing. 

On the program:

Allegro maestoso                                                                                                                Edward Elgar

from Sonata in G Op. 28                                                                                                         1857-1934

Chorale Prelude on 'Eventide'                                                                                              Hubert Parry

from Seven Chorale Preludes for Organ Set 2                                                                         1848-1918              

Andantino in D flat                                                                                                            Edwin Lemare

                                                                                                                                                 1866-1934

Triumphal March                                                                                                              Alfred Hollins

                                                                                                                                                 1865-1942

I must say: Peter Holder is a fabulous player. I was blown away by his sophisticated and inventive choices of stops. At times, I felt as if an ensemble of instruments was playing, rather than a solo organ. Honestly, I didn't realize the organ could sound so delicate. I am very glad we were able to attend this recital. 

After this, Dad helped a stranger out by taking his picture in front of Big Ben. He didn't really speak English, so I asked him where he was from. Turns out, he's a Spaniard! We talked in Spanish briefly. It felt good to get the Spanish working again. It's been too long!

Now, we're chilling in the room. I am looking forward to tomorrow, for reasons that I shall refrain from disclosing. :) You'll have to tune back in to find out. 

Until tomorrow!

Amy

London, Day 4

Hello, hello!

Today was particularly enjoyable because of the day's relevance to my passion: music.

We began with a tour of Royal Albert Hall, home of the Proms every summer (basically a marathon Classical music concert). This is a performing venue used by hundreds of the world's most famous celebrities and musicians, including Frank Sinatra and Sir Simon Rattle. We were able to see all parts of the hall, including HMT Queen's box and retiring room. :) Here's a picture:

After this, we walked to the monument memorializing Prince Albert, after whom the hall was named. He actually created the concept of building a culture center within London. The monument cost much more than the entire Royal Albert Hall and took twice as long to build! Why? It's made of gold, instead of terra-cotta and brick.

Next, came a very important leg of the trip: A visit to Handel's house! Yes, that's right, folks. I had the pleasure of visiting the very room where The Messiah was written. I was very upset that they did not let us take pictures, but the tour was amazing! I had the pleasure of viewing a hand-written draft of "He Was Despised", among a few other pieces. I also learned the inner workings of a harpsichord and was able to see a very intricately painted reproduction of the instrument on which Handel played. At the end, a very knowledgable woman presented a talk on the lives of certain English singers of Handel's day. And people thought American celebrities personified scandal. Sheesh... 

Of course, it's important to mention dinner! I didn't detail lunch, because it was an only-slightly-above-average burrito. For dinner, I returned back to Tibits. I really can't keep myself away! This time, I only paid 4.5 pounds for much of the same food from the other day, except this time I ate a lovely quinoa salad, more country potatoes than before (so good!), pineapple, delicious chocolate pudding, and an amazing sponge cake. I didn't even know sponge cake was good. It sounds horrible, but it was absolutely incredible! I admit to buying two flavors of Italian sorbet later: strawberry and coconut. Mmm. 

But the day ended a little differently than expected; Dad and I bought tickets to Wicked, knowing the music was phenomenal, but we left at intermission. The plot offended the integrity I hold dear, since it was so heavily entrenched in sorcery. I have to be honest: I was hesitant to leave after spending all of that money. Sure, they were cheap compared to most of the other tickets, but I paid a pretty penny of my hard-earned money for a seat that remains empty as we speak. Is it worth it? 

Of course. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a tourist in this city, but I just cannot travel without knowing my divine purpose: to spread the news about the Love that first loved me--the Love that has forgiven me for every sin, replacing my mourning with sorrow and my apprehension with peace. He is teaching me to obey Him without questioning (Philippians 2:14). As a result, I sense the spiritual oppression that blankets this city. Hurt runs rampant, begetting hurt. These people need to know the one true Savior, not because I'm boasting some insensitive propaganda, but because I have seen in my own life the difference it makes to trust the Lord. 

Sure, I can travel for fun. God is not against fun at all! But there's a deeper purpose here. I'm asking you all to pray for me to have wisdom in my journey. Please pray that I may be clothed in confidence and not question the nudges of the Holy Spirit. But even more so, pray for the people of London, that they may see Truth and experience freedom. 

Until tomorrow!

Amy

London, Day 3

I sit in a 9X9 hotel room with city noises drifting through an open window and crumbs of a gluten free scone on my chin. Today was pleasant and much different from yesterday! We began at the Jewel Tower at 10 am sharp. The tour through the tower was interesting, to say the least. It basically consisted of two sparsely decorated floors and a very steep spiral staircase. We left from there to a river cruise on the River Thames. I enjoyed this part of the day. :) Glory in the pictures:

The Glass Shard, tallest building in Europe.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

 A pretty building... I don't remember what it is.

A really awesome modern bridge

We disembarked from our boat ride at the Tower of London, where we were journeyed through the outlying wall. Most of all, we were able to see the Crown Jewels! Amazing. I didn't realize it was possible to excavate diamonds of that size.

Ancient carvings in the outside wall

A marching band passed through the grounds. (They had marching horns!! I should have checked out which horns they played, but I didn't get a chance.) Check it out:

The Tower of London is huge. We were exhausted at this point, even after skipping some of the exhibits there. Nevertheless, we stood near the Tower Bridge, so we decided to tour it. Other than the pretty view and some random information, there's not much to say about it. When I say random, I mean random. The west walkway was filled with information about 60's pop culture in the UK, which had nothing to do with the bridge. Check out my imitation of Twiggy:

So from here, it was 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and we needed "lunch". We went tramping around the area looking for Pod, which is supposed to have cheap curry. By the time we got there, there was none left. However, they had some kind of mineral soup. I figured I might as well eat it at 3.99 pounds. It ended up looking like water from a stagnant lake, but it tasted pretty good. Apparently I got more than 2 servings of vegetables with that small meal, so... yay?

With tired feet, we made our way to Covent Gardens, a central gathering place of street performers, artisan vendors, and shops. It was really neat! I think this may have been my favorite part of the day. We found Food for Thought, a vegetarian restaurant in the area, and I bought vegetable stir fry with rice for 4.80 pounds, and the aforementioned scone for 2.00 pounds. Pretty good, considering the price! I sat down to eat it in the Gardens (By the way, there's no real garden.), next to a group of teenage Spaniards. They began to sing and clap together, dancing their hearts away. It was extremely entertaining, especially when a nearby street magician tried to quiet them down. Here's how they responded:

Here's a closer look at the dancing:

They definitely won that power struggle!

We rode the tube (subway) home. I took advantage of the longer ride by body-mapping my spine and attempting to carry my weight in the center of my body without tipping over and without using muscles to control myself. It was fun! :)

Well, I'm tired, folks. Until tomorrow!

Amy

London, Day 2

Touring commenced at the crack of 10am this morning, after a long, restful sleep. Dad and I began out self-guided tour by riding the Tube to Westminster, where we saw Big Ben (connected to the House of Parliament), the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey.

Because we purchased London passes, we received the "fast pass" equivalent when entering the Abbey. I did not realize how massive that building truly is... It was overwhelming, to say the least. Seemingly hundreds of people are memorialized, if not buried under the Abbey's age-old gothic architecture, including Handel, Chaucer, Isaac Newton, Henry VIII, Ralph Vaughn Williams, and Benjamin Britten. We plan on returning there for a free organ recital on Sunday night. :) (Even the tourist part of this trip includes music!)

At this point, we were ravished! I convinced Dad to go to the city's best vegetarian restaurant, Tibits. 

Oh My...

This food was amazing! Let me show you:

Tibits is set up as a buffet, where you pay a little over 2 pounds for every 100 g of food. I chose: red rice salad with rice, bell peppers, courgettes, and some fancy oil that I don't know how to spell; country style potatoes; organic whole rice with roasted parsnips and sweet potatoes; mixed summer vegetables; power greens (edamame, broccoli, and sweet peas in a chili fruit dressing); a linseed gluten free bread roll; and topped off with black forest dessert and sticky toffee pudding! All of this is organic and GMO free! 

After an extremely satisfying meal, we traveled to the Kensington Palace, home of Queen Victoria. It was a nice break from the Abbey-- there were colors on the wall, and not too many items to read about. Here are some pictures: 

(This was the "Grand King's Staircase". His accommodations were obviously much more intricate and grand than those of the queen...)

(This is a look through a peep-hole in one of Queen Victoria's childhood toys. It's quite intricate. The perspective is created by literally lengthening the box and placing paper cutouts further back.)

Side note: We entered the palace through Kensington Gardens, which house a carousel. I noticed that it actually runs clockwise instead of counterclockwise like those in America. 

We needed food again at this point, so I ate sushi, and Dad ate pizza. After an hour of effective practicing, I am chilling in the hotel room. :) 

Until tomorrow!

Amy

Arrival in London

Today has been great, although my body may not know exactly what day it really is. We boarded a flight around 7 pm last night and took an 8 hour flight over the pond. Much to my delight, they had Shark Tank available to watch. :)

When we got to London, we took the tube to Kensington and Chelsea, where we're staying. It seems to be a ritzy area, since we passed a Ferrari and a Lamborghini... Also, it's very beautiful here! There is a lot of old architecture, and the British seem to love flowers. All of the apartments seem to boast vibrant flower boxes.

At this point, we were pretty exhausted. Instead of touring, we just walked through a couple of exhibits at the National History Museum, which is free.

It's a gorgeous building! We walked through the human biology exhibit, reminding me the differences in culture in Europe (they left no part of the reproductive process to the imagination...). Many school groups were touring the museum; thus, many buses were parked outside. Check out this picture of a school bus. It basically warns traffic to be careful when driving because the vehicle holds future police officers, firemen, chefs, salesman, etc. I love that they look for potential in their children!

After this, it was time for some grub! Dad and I ate at the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. I had a super-yummy felafel sandwich with chili sauce. Quite yummy! The vegan in me had to tour all of the local grocery stores, especially since London has been named the world's friendliest city for vegetarians. I bought a bag of tangerines for around 1.5 pounds, and a rather large bag of breakfast granola for 2.5 pounds. Great deals!

We continued to wander around, stumbling upon the former home of Beatrix Potter, author of Peter Rabbit. This was one of my favorite things we found today!

On the way back, a herd of roller-bladers overtook the street! It was quite odd. Here's a video:

(Sorry it's sideways...)

Now, it's off to bed! It did not get dark here until around 9:30, which I found odd, but it's no matter! We'll sleep soundly regardless. :)

Let the adventure continue!

Amy