My first full week in London

I can't believe it's been 3 days since I last posted. This week has flown by, and yet it hasn't because each day has brought a new and exciting adventure. Tuesday's Museum of London was great. The museum spans the Roman civilizations in London through to more modern exhibits, with many things to touch/try on/etc. It was great. Also by the museum are remains from the original Londinium Wall, built by the Romans around the original Roman town, Londinium from approximately 50AD. I climbed on top of it and walked along it! My professor almost had a heart attack, but it was nothing compared to a balance beam! :)

Wednesday was a new experience for me--we went to the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. While I am not an avid art lover, I did get a lot out of the experience. I saw original portraits of Elizabeth I, Henry the VII, and Shakespeare, all from the 16th century. Incredible. At the National Gallery, I saw Van Gogh's Sunflowers and several paintings from Monet's Waterlilies series. Talk about awe inspiring. I remember grade school art classes where we colored worksheets that were similar to the original paintings. I can't believe I actually got to stand in front of them! The brush strokes and colors and layers of paint are a sight to see. I never understood being "moved" by a painting until I visited the Gallery.

Wednesday night we went to see the musical Chicago, starring Jerry Springer as the lawyer Billy Flynn. I have to admit, I was sceptical of Jerry's singing ability, but he definitely did not disappoint! I had never seen the show on stage before, and it was by far one of my favorite experiences of my trip! We got up early Wednesday morning and went to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square, the only licensed discount ticket booth in London. We got 3RD ROW SEATS for only 30 pounds! (That's about $50). Most tickets at the St. Louis Fox are more than $50, and they are in the very back of the theatre! All I can saw is "wow." I can't wait to see more shows! We're hoping to see Hamlet (with Jude Law as Hamlet), Wicked, and maybe The Lion King.

Yesterday was my favorite class day so far--we went to Westminster Abbey. Originally a Catholic church, and at one time a Benedictine Monastery, the Abbey was changed to an Anglican church in the 16th century by Henry VIII when he separated from the Catholic Church and formed the Church of England. The Abbey is the home of the tombs of Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Henry VII, and my favorite--Poet's Corner, including Chaucer, Dryden, Hardy, and many more. It was an unforgettable experience to see the burial places of some of my favorite writers and memorials to many of my other favorites. Also buried in Westminster are Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Issac Newton, and Darwin.

Thursday night was our first "night out" in London. Our RA, Andy, took us to the Ice Bar, which is a leveled bar where the basement is kept at -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit). The whole room is made of ice, and the chairs and tables are also frozen ice structures. With the cover price comes a free drink in your very own ice glass--no kidding, the glasses are really made from ice! We also had to wear blue parka things with gloves and hoods to keep us warm, and you are only allowed inside for 40 minutes at a time. My the end of the 40 minutes, my toes were freezing! It was a bit pricey, but totally worth the money for the experience. We took some great pictures and had a fantastic, memorable time. The rest of the evening consisted of a few more bars, a dance club, and finally a bus ride home. It was a GREAT night out on the town! (And don't worry, we were in a group the whole time, and with Andy, who lives here, so he knows his way around the entire city.)

Today we spent the day lounging in Hyde Park listening to The Killers performing a concert a little ways away from where we were sitting. I read a book, took a nap, and had a gloriously relaxing afternoon. Tonight we're heading to DiMario's for dinner, a famous pizza place that Princess Di frequented when she lived in Kensington. So cool!