That Flighty Temptress, Adventure: February 2012

No, not Disney World. This is me we're talking about. LONDON!

My final trip of the semester was the one I was most looking forward to, since I've wanted to visit London since I was eight. I flew out on Thursday night, December 1st. It was so weird to walk into the airport and be able to read everything in English and only English. (Even in America at this point a lot of things are translated into Spanish as well, and I'd seen very little English in the last three months.) I got my passport stamped and then withdrew money from an ATM so that I could pay the bus fare to the train station. I chatted a little bit with the bus attendant about Bruce Springsteen, though we were both surprised the other knew who he was (because I'm too young and he's too British.) Anyway I got to the train and experienced my first London sticker shock when I found out how much a one-way train ticket cost, even before converting pounds to dollars. (The exchange rate, at least at the time, was about $1.5 to £1, which was killer.) With a little help from a nice gentleman who was also waiting for the train from the airport to the tube managed to find my way to Southark station, where Kerry picked me up.

Kerry and I met back in 2008 when we were both winners of that RENT contest that afforded us the opportunity to party at the Life Cafe and attend a final performance of the closing weekend. Though we haven't spoken a ton since then, Kerry was gracious enough to let me stay with her and even fed me sometimes. Thursday night we caught up for a while despite the late hour and made some plans for the following night.

Friday I got up fairly early and headed out to explore. Kerry happens to live in a very trendy part of London along the South Bank, not far from The Globe Theatre, the London Eye, and the Tate Modern art museum, not to mention being right behind the Young Vic and not far from the Old Vic. So I went off to the Tate, which is a donation-based museum, which in student language means "free." I spent a couple hours there, seeing some works by famous artists and some I'd never heard of before. There were some really interesting exhibits with focused themes combining different artists. From the museum you can see the Millenium or "Wobbly" Bridge, which is that big shiny bridge the death eaters destroyed in the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Price. After some pictures of that I walked over to the Globe, which unfortunately didn't have anything playing. Still it was cool to see.

Then I headed back to Kerry's apartment where she and I ate a little dinner before heading off for a walk down by the Thames by the London Eye, where there was a cute little Christmas market. Most things were overpriced, but Kerry found some funny little finger puppets (supposedly to entertain the kids she helps in Tanzania, but I think really just for her) that we named Harry the Hippo and Mike the Monkey. I found a necklace with a pocket watch pendant - the case has an owl on it. So perfect. On the way back to the apartment we bought a small bottle of Bailey's and made hot chocolate every night I was there. (A cheaper alternative to the overpriced drinks at the Christmas market.)

Saturday morning I got up early to go wait in line at the Young Vic to get a rush ticket for Hamlet. I figured I gotta see some Shakespeare somewhere while in London. Things were very nonchalant and so I ended up waiting longer than I should have had to because the ticket people didn't seem too concerned with being on time, but I eventually got a ticket and went back to Kerry's. I had porridge for breakfast, which is in fact just oatmeal made with milk instead of water and isn't quite as thick. I'd been craving oatmeal for months, which is not a thing in Spain, so I was quite happy.

After breakfast I went to meet up with a free walking tour like I'd done in Berlin and Paris. I got confused about what time it was, thinking it was an hour later (Madrid time) and thought I had missed the tour so went to get lunch at Chipotle (a New York favorite that doesn't exist in Spain). Then while back in the subway realized I had been an hour early, so I went back to the tour meeting place. The walking tour covered Hyde Park, St. James's Park, Buckingham Palace, all the royal-y places. Pretty cool. Buckingham Palace is actually not that impressive compared to Spanish palaces or Versailles though.

That night I saw Michael Sheen (who I best know as Wesley from 30 Rock) as Hamlet. I had issues with the production - it was set in an insane asylum but they didn't really use that convention once they set it up - but Michael Sheen was amazing. Hamlet is like three hours long, but I stayed interested. Not bad for £10.

Sunday I went to the National Gallery though only briefly. I couldn't get into the DaVinci show and everything else was a lot like what I was always looking at at the Prado. I caught a glimpse of The Last Supper, looked at the Spanish art, and left. Then I went to Harrods, because I figured that would be amusing. It was. It's more expensive than Macy's. But, while I was looking at funny little ornaments in the Christmas shop, I saw a sign for "the Harry Potter store" on the third floor. So then I spent a good half hour there. I could have stayed there for quite a while, but I had to head off to a Harry Potter walking tour.

The Harry Potter walking tour was led by a guy named Richard who was like a flamboyant, British version of my favorite theatre studies teacher, Bob. While walking through Leadenhall Market where Diagon Alley was filmed, Richard needed someone to say "Can you buy all this in London?" so he could say "If you know where to go." And yours truly was suddenly playing an 11-year-old Harry Potter in Diagon Alley. There may have been an accent. Of course the only time it rained while I was in London was during this tour, but it was fun anyway.

Westminster Abbey costs about £20, so instead I went when they had a free organ recital that night. I couldn't wander around, but I got to see plenty from my seat and hear amazing music in that amazing place.

Monday I failed again to get tickets to the DaVinci exhibit. Then I went to the changing of the guard, getting there ten minutes earlier than my tour guide had advised and still unable to really see anything. Plus I was surrounded by Spanish tourists, since the reason I was in London for five days was Spanish holidays. But then an amazing thing happened. The royal marching band played Don't Stop Believing as if they knew I was there.

After that random joy, I went to the British museum for a bit, saw some old stuff including the Rosetta Stone, and then met up with Kerry to go ice skating at Somorset House, my treat as a thanks for her hospitality. We had a great time and played a little bit with the penguins which were training tools for kids age 8 and under. After ice skating we met up with a friend of Kerry's for a drink at a pub and then I headed off for another night at the theatre.

In contrast with Hamlet, Monday night I saw We Will Rock You, the Queen Musical. If you know Rock of Ages, it's kind of like that but without the show being in on the joke, so it wasn't quite as good. Still I had a really good time, and my mom won't want to see that when we go in May anyway, so I'm glad I went on my own.

Tuesday morning I did a little souvenir shopping and then went to the train station to get to Birmingham. I tried to find Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross and couldn't find it. Which was incredibly embarrassing and I don't want to talk about it.

Then I was in Birmingham and it was amazing and then I went back to Madrid.

So much thanks to Kerry for all her hospitality, and hopefully we'll see each other again soon!

Roman Cross

Trevi Fountain!

Even the cars in Rome are old.

Vino.

Emily's pizza happiness.

Pantheon

Trevi Fountain and gelato!

YAY TORTELLINI!

French toast hostel breakfast. Yummm.

Citta del Vaticano

Funny uniforms

No wearing 1920s bathing suits at the Vatican.

St. Peter's Square

Jesus.

I wore this dress again on Christmas Eve (in Florida) and my dad said "at least you didn't wear that to the Vatican." Actually, Dad, it's exactly what I wore to the Vatican.