Friday, September 30, 2011

Is for Fun

I have been thinking about London a lot recently, so I thought I would take a moment to post some pictures that have not yet made it to the blog. I hope you enjoy! :D


The amazing Catford Ward. I love you guys!


The best professors I could have ever asked for...and check out Esme's face!


The Globe Theatre made out of teddy bears...Need I say more?


Me with the original manuscript of Jane Eyre. I am not ashamed to admit that I cried.


A View from the Bridge

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Start to a New School Year





Hello, blogging world! I have been busy about my job as a resident assistant these last two weeks, and now I am looking forward to school beginning on Monday. Call me a nerd, but I am really looking forward to my class load this semester. Shakespeare, American Literature 1960-Present, Intercultural Outreach Prep...it just keeps getting better. As this is the start of a new semester, I have a resolve to be a good student and study hard. There are few pursuits more rewarding than education. There is true power in knowledge. I believe that with all of my heart. And I better believe it, seeing as I want to be a professor someday. So, here is my thought for today: Seize every opportunity to learn! Not just from books, but from life.

Cheers from Amy. :)

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Missing London Already

So, to all of my followers out there, I made it home safe and sound. I almost got run into by a cart at the Houston airport because I have been trained to the left, but that was about as crazy as it got. I miss the UK already. It feels like a dream, and I am already planning my return trip. I have decided to keep this blog going. I will edit the top description soon, but I feel that I will always be a redcoat in London. Thanks for reading, and please continue to check often for updates about my crazy adventures and my reminiscing about England. I am going to keep posting pictures of my trip, seeing as I will never run out of them. :) Cheers!

This is a picture of my last night in England. I walked my favorite part of London, St. Pauls to London Bridge. I will post more about it later, when I am craving a conversation about the greatest city in the world. 

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Concluding Thoughts on the Walks

           My favorite walks were 1) Central Parks, 2) Bankside and Southwark, and 3) Lambeth. Each had remarkable moments, and they have really defined different aspects of my time in London.

          Central Parks is my favorite walk, and it is simply because I cannot believe how incredible it was to take a tour of Parliament, and then to follow the walk route and Trooping the Colour at the same time. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I mean, how can you beat seeing the Queen and Royal Family while taking in the Royal Parks of London.

          Bankside and Southwark was a personal favorite because it was the walk that I led. I was quite nervous that I would get us lost, so I read through all the details in the book. It made the walk go very smooth, even though we hit construction. It also contains some of my favorite places in the city: Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, Tower Bridge, and a Thames' view of the Tower of London. I know a lot of the history in this area, and I felt comfortable navigating it whenever we visited on subsequent days. I really love this part of the city, and I feel a strong personal connection. Walking on Tower Bridge was extremely magical for me. I love this city so much. It is overwhelming sometimes.

         Lastly, I loved Lambeth. We went at night, and it was gorgeous. It was calm and very relaxing. It is also where I discovered the part of the city that I stayed in when I came eight years ago. It has the iconic and perfect view of Parliament and Big Ben across the Thames. You also walk right beneath the Eye. It was a moment for me to reminisce, and I loved it.
(This is my favorite picture I have taken while in England.)
        I have loved this class since the day I discovered a London Walks book in the BYU bookstore about a year ago. This trip has been a goal and dream for me since I came when I was twelve. I have celebrated my twelfth and twentieth birthday in London, and I hope to celebrate many more. I have a strong and immovable desire to live here someday. It feels like home for me, and it is as incredible as I remembered it. I will always look to London as my home. As Samuel Johnson so wisely said, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."

Last Walk- Central Parks


This was by far the most incredible walk I have done this semester. It was surprisingly easy to navigate, and we managed to follow the entire route by following Trooping the Colour. Which means, of course, that we got to see the entire royal family!!! :) Seeing the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Will and Kate, and the rest of the royals....it was absolutely surreal. I cannot believe how amazing this day has been, and I would not have wanted to end the walks class any other way.

There are plenty more where this came from, btw. :) But this was the best one. 

We did this walk starting at Westminster and worked our way backwards. I loved seeing all of this familiar area, especially since we had just finished a spectacular tour of Parliament. We wandered St. James square, and that is where we noticed the large parade was just starting to leave from the celebration for the Queen's birthday. We decided to follow it, as it conveniently followed the route of our walk. We also saw the Royal Bird Park, and it had some really crazy birds. There is also a small chalet for the Royal Bird Keeper to live in, if they choose to do so. We then got to see the royal guards on horse and with arms as they followed behind the Queen. After watching them for a short while, we noticed that everyone was beginning to make their way towards Buckingham. I overheard a lady say, "We need to get to the balcony," and then I realized that the Queen would come out onto the balcony. We took off, weaving through the crowd as quickly as possible. We managed to make it to about the fifth row in front of Buckingham, and we chose to stay clear of the front gate so that it would not block our view. It turned out to be the best spot to see everything. We saw all of the Royal Family, and then the fly-by occurred. The final planes shot out red, blue, and white smoke. It was so awesome. The Queen waved to me, and I waved back. It was a moment I will never forget.

We then made our way through the masses, past the reporters, and then into Green Park. It was beautiful, but I was most excited to see the Wellington Arch. It was rather magnificent, even though it pales in comparison to other European arches in size. We saw the Hard Rock Cafe of London, the one that started it all. We also saw a rather large protest against the rape of prostitutes. Then we crossed into Hyde Park, and it was wonderful and familiar. I have wandered it on my own several times, and so I really enjoyed knowing my way around. We ended, of course, in good ole' Kensington. It really feels like home to me.

What an incredible walk! This one was, hands down, my favorite. Because what else can compete with the Queen?

Friday, June 10, 2011

Bloomsbury Walk

Wow, time flies. I feel like I just barely stepped off the airplane, and now I have to get back on. It is rather heartbreaking because I feel like I have found myself in London. I believe I have found my home. I love it here, and I know that this will not be my last encounter with The Big Smoke. :) But I digress... here is my information about the Bloomsbury walk.


After an already amazing day filled with classes, a Cricket Match, and Abbey Road, we did the Bloomsbury walk. I thought it would be fun to lead it, even though I have already led one, because of the Brunswick group. While I am not Virginia Woolfe's greatest fan, I appreciate her work and wanted to see the literary hub where she and other contemporaries wrote some of the greatest modern art of England. Her tragic life was filled with insight on human life, written in a revolutionary style. Unfortunately, the area that spawned such great writing has been turned into a commercial district. There is a large Brunswick shopping centre that is massive and enticing. I was impressed by it, but disappointed that the area that was once known as the publishing centre of London has almost altogether disappeared. This walk was more difficult to navigate than I had imagined because there was a large construction project near Brunswick square. However, we persevered and managed to do the entire walk. I particularly enjoyed finding one of Dicken's homes. This one was where he wrote The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, and Nicholas Nickleby. It amazes me that every turn in London brings the discovery of another famous Londoner's home. I love reading the small blue circles that seem to be on every street. The walk ends with the British Museum, and that is the perfect place to pose (see the picture above). I am excited to visit the Museum in the next couple of days. I really cannot get enough of London. 

The City Walk


This was a rather interesting walk because it deals mostly with the financial district. We explored this on Tuesday, May 31, and it was in the evening. It was apparent that the work day had ended because the area was rather deserted and closed. It turned out to be a fabulous time to explore the city because we had it all to ourselves. We even got to spin around and dance like annoying Americans in a Guildhall Yard within the walk. It was completely empty and entirely spacious. It was really interesting to see the last of the business employees leaving the buildings and going straight to the pubs. Drinking is a very social and exciting aspect of London culture, and it is amazing to see such a thriving social life. We took some fun pictures in front of the Royal Stock Exchange, as shown above. I was also amazed by Lloyds, as it was composed of several buildings. My favorite was the one that had architecture that reminded me of the Industrial Revolution, but modern. It was very steampunk. I really loved it. This walk was enlightening and rather fun, especially since it felt like we had London all to ourselves.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Inns of Court


I did the Inns of Court walk on Saturday, May 28th with Alison and Hayley. It seemed to be a rather uneventful walk, except for the Staple Inn Buildings. They were one of the few buildings in London that survived the Great London Fire. They did not fit in with the surroundings, so it made complete sense. They were beautiful. We walked past the Royal Courts of Justice, and they were quite stunning. They appeared to be a cathedral, rather than a government building. We also stumbled through the Financial District of England. I have never seen so many CCTV cameras, threatening posters, and patrols in my life. It was really beautiful, but very deserted. I have noticed that downtown London is rather empty on the weekends in local shop areas because the shops are only open for short hours. It was wgnderful to walk through the city without large crowds. I enjoyed this walk, even though we got a little turned around and it took us a little longer than predicted. This area is close to the St. Pauls walk, which includes Samuel Johnson's home and Hodge, a very fine cat indeed. I really get excited when I start to understand the areas of London in relation to other districts. So, if you are doing the Inns of Court walk, just remember that street maps will help you from going astray. Oh, and don't do anything too crazy in front of a CCTV at the London Silver Vaults.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Soho to Trafalgar Square Walk

 


          Today after church, I went on the Soho to Trafalgar walk with Kelsey, Amanda, Emily K. and and Corey. It was really fun. It was also smart because we were able to walk through Soho without everything being open. Starting at the National Gallery, this walk is full of beauty. I was also impressed with the Olympic Countdown calender in front of the building. Oh, and don't forget the living statues. It is a fun, artsy part of town. We continued on through the Theatre district. It was brightly lit, and it was fun to see in the daylight. It was difficult to see the entire theatre when we went to Les Miserables, so it was really cool to be able to see the entire thing today. I was also tempted with many more musicals that look incredible. There is just not enough time to do everything. The other part of this walk that I loved was Chinatown. I did not know it was so close. I am going to try to get a group together to  go and get some really good Oriental food. Sharing platters are always the best. It was a very relaxing walk, and it helped me to see the sides of buildings I had already visited. Every time I do one of these walks, I feel it better orients me to the massive and beautiful city that is London. My love of the city is deepened with the walks, and I develop a more personal connection to my surroundings.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Shakespeare's Globe





            I had the most amazing day so far of my trip on Friday. We toured the Globe, and it was incredible. The tour guide first took us to the sites of the Hope and Rose theatres, competitors of the Globe. The Rose was discovered when new construction was about to take place in the 90s. After a serious effort to save it by celebrities, historians, and archaeologists, the city made a compromise. They allowed the building to be built several stories higher so that the Rose could continue to be studied in the basement. It is underwater, and it is the best preserved Elizabethan theatre that has ever been found.  Another interesting tidbit: there are no recorded instances of Queen Elizabeth I ever going to a Shakespeare play, but she attended a lot of bear baiting, another popular recreation in Bankside. A bear would be placed in a cage with a lot of dogs, and bets would be placed on how many dogs would die, would the bear survive, etc. The Rose may have garnered its name as an ironic statement because it was the worst-smelling place in London. It is also thought by some scholars that Shakespeare's line from Romeo and Juliet, "that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" may be a gibe at the Rose theatre. When the modern Globe theatre (pictured above) was being built, it was unknown where the original had stood. They did discover the original site, and the guide took us there as well. It was incredible because he said, "This is the place where the English language was shaped and changed forever."

       We then took our tour of the Globe, which I had visited twice previous to see All's Well that Ends Well and As You Like It. They were both fantastic comedies, but I still wanted to see my favorite Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing. The guide told us that it was a blessing and a curse that we were touring during a tech rehearsal for my favorite play! We were not allowed to take pictures, but we were allowed to watch the play in working progress. Leonato was played by the man who plays Geoffrey in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. How amazing is that? Beatrice was played by Eve West, and she was phenomenal. She performed one of my favorite scenes while we were there. It was a speech about how she never wished to marry a man unless God made men of something other than human. She directed her acting to us, and even pointed at some of the students. It was just like Shakespeare would have wanted it. I loved every minute of it. It was absolutely magical. We are going to go see Much Ado About Nothing at the end of this month, and we have gallery tickets. I am so excited. It is the event I am looking forward to the most.






P.S. I included Platform 9 and 3/4 for anyone who interested. :)

Lambeth Walk





This looks like Big Ben in Peter Pan! :)



           This was a very relaxing walk, and it was breathtaking at times. Emily led the walk, and a large group of us navigated our way along this scenic route. It was really incredible to see a different view of the Thames. The backside of Parliament and Big Ben is a stunning view, and it is the picturesque and iconic shot that everyone should recognize. It is also the view that I had when I was here when I was twelve, so I really love it with all of my heart. When we first started the walk, it felt like a more suburbian area of London. We walked past the massive St. James Hospital, and we found a park decorated with local children's drawings of British history. It was also themed with adventure park toys, and it was really fun. Then we found the iconic setting I referred to in the beginning. As we walked along, we found the artsy party scene of London. Everything was lit in bright colors, and it felt like a beach-y area with painted beach houses right next to the water. We then crossed the Waterloo bridge, and it was beautiful. I loved seeing this different view of London, and it was very enjoyable after a long day.


Westminster Walk



On Friday morning, Laura, Sydney, and I set out to do the Westminster walk. It was absolutely breathtaking to step out of the Westminster tube stop and see Big Ben up close and personal. It was a dream come true for me. We went on the first half of the walk before going on the Globe theatre tour, and it was really fun. We saw most of the government buildings, and we saw the horse guards. We walked through St. James' Square, and wished would have had lunch on the grass. After the tour, we did the second half of the walk. I was fascinated by the Gentlemen's Club area, with all of the extremely ritzy millineries, bars, clubs, and barbershops. I was also intrigued by St. James Palace. It seems deserted, and that makes sense, seeing as it has not been used as a royal residence for quite some time. I got to see  Buckingham Palace up close for the first time, which was amazing. We asked a woman to take our picture,  and after asking us where we were from, she told us she is from Park City. Then, a man walked past and made fun of our excitement, and then laughed and said, "I'm a BYU graduate." It was crazy. There was a group of six of us in front of Buckingham, all with ties to Utah. He even quoted Daniel, saying, "The stone cut out of the mountain, rolling forth..." It was pretty funny. After Buckingham, we finally made it to Westminster. I realized that many of my heroes and heroines are buried there. I certainly hope that I get to take a tour while here. It was really amazing to see it up close. Then, we got some amazing up close view of Parliament. All in all, the walk was a complete success. I really enjoyed being up close to such icon buildings in London.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Bankside and Southwark Walk- My Third London Walk


 This was a crazy but incredible walk for me. I led this walk on Sunday evening, and I really feel like I could not have picked a better walk to lead. I read up on all of the history on the Tube as we went, so I was really able to contribute to the sites we discovered. A personal favorite of mine is tucked away to the left of the reconstructed Globe. It is a house with a small plaque indicating that Sir Christopher Wren lived here while he built St. Paul's Cathedral. While it cannot be proven, it was certainly worth the find. I loved Shakespeare's Globe, and I had already been there before to view All's Well that Ends Well. It is certainly one of my favorite places in London. Do not judge me, but I think I may have to go to at least three Shakespeare productions while I am here. There is no better place on earth to see them. We then wandered through the streets that were known as the "naughty district" in a royal proclamation in the 1500s. The nobility did not want to live near the rabble of the commoners, so they sectioned off this part of the city for low-class entertainment. Therefore, this district became known for brothels, bear and bull baiting, and theatres. In later additions, several debtors prisons were also located in this area. It was a fascinating walk, as many of these locations have now been cleaned up and have become tourist attractions. The Clink Prison Museum is one such example. We then discovered some heavy construction, so we had to be creative. Amazingly, we managed to find our way through all of the walk, including the Royal Hospital. Health officials in the city live right in that area. We then saw the HMS Belfast, one of the largest gun-carrying ships in the world. It was taken out of commission in 1963 and turned into a museum in 1971. It was quite the site. We also saw the unique design of city hall. It does not seem to fit with its surroundings, as the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London are so nearby. It is very modern, however, and reflects the changing city.



And then we made it to the Tower Bridge. I must admit, I have been waiting the entire trip just to cross this bridge. It was the most amazing experience, and it was very personal for me. I have dreamed of this moment since I was a little girl. I have always wanted to study in London, what I consider to be the most incredible city on earth. Since visiting for a short while when I was 12, London has been a dream for me. Walking across the Tower Bridge was that dream realized. I love London, plain and simple. It was also quite nostalgic for me to see the Tower of London so close. When I visited before, I celebrated my twelfth birthday while I was in London. My parents let me pick the place I wanted to visit most, and since I loved the history of the Tudors, I chose the Tower of London. With my twentieth birthday quickly approaching, it was really quite incredible to realize that I have made it back to this city I love so much. I will treasure the memory of this walk forever. It was beautiful to see the city lit up at night, and I honestly believe that I will not be able to top this walk. But London always seems to prove me wrong...:)

Fleet Street and St. Paul's Walk- My Second London Walk


While looking out for Sweeney Todd, we ventured down Fleet Street last Friday. It contains some of the most tucked away and hidden spots. It was really neat to wander through the streets and discover Samuel Johnson's home. He was so true in saying, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." It was also quite quirky to find a statue of his cat Hodge by his home with the inscription "a very fine cat indeed." We also discovered Ye Old Chesire Cheese, a pub that Samuel Johnson and Charles Dickens used to frequent. Every day in London is a reminder that this city is teeming with history. It is incredible to think that I was walking where these great men once lived. And of course, my favorite part of the walk was St. Paul's Cathedral. It gives me such a thrill every time I see it. I have loved Mary Poppins since I was a little girl, and each time I see the massive monument I have "Feed the Birds" stuck in my head. My favorite line, "All around the cathedral the Saints and Apostles look down as she sells her wares, and although you can't see it you know they are smiling each time some shows that he cares." I found the Saints and Apostles that are spoken of, and I feel a little bit safer when I am standing in the shadow of this incredible cathedral. This was a beautiful walk, and it showed me a side of London that I had never known existed.

Monday, May 2, 2011

First London Walk

My first London Walk took place right after we walked along Regent's Canal as a group and then hiked to the top of Primrose Hill, which provided the most incredible view. We also visited Camden Markets, and that was an experience I will never forget. My first walk was Regent's Park. Our group had some awesome leaders, which we affectionately referred to as "dictators." I believe that good leaders can really make a difference in the success of a London walk, and they were certainly wonderful. We made our way from Primrose Hill past the London Zoo, and I must say that this part of London is quite beautiful. It has a smaller and more quaint feeling than the area of Bayswater and Queensway. I think it has to do with it being a more residential area. Anyways, we made some small stops along the way, including stopping at this gorgeous water fountain that took awhile to figure out how to turn on. It reminded all of us of the Chamber of Secrets, which made for a fun connection to Harry Potter. We took pictures in front of it as a group, as seen below. Regent's Park is absolutely beautiful, and we took a moment to stop and rest underneath some trees by the Boating Lake. It was serene, and I loved being able to stop and soak up the surroundings. We also saw a wedding in the Park, and it was beautiful. All in all, my first walk was a success. I hope to do all of my future walks in a similar manner.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

First Pictures in London


This is a picture of me on the flight to Houston, psyched for London. Emily took it for me. 






This is a Cadbury Creme Egg McFlurry. Man, these are amazing. Oh, and check out the Monopoly advertisement on it. I also picked up a Monopoly board because the squares are all of the places in London!









This is Emily, me and Amberlee on the Tube for the first time. Man, was it crazy!

These are just a couple of quick photos of my amazing trip so far. Stay posted because I will post whatever shots I can get from the wedding. There are people who have camped out for 5+ days, so don't expect amazing shots from me. We are going straight for TV's, just like the rest of the world, as soon as they enter the chapel. What good would it do to stand outside and miss the whole thing? lol I am very excited, though. This whole thing has been a dream, and I can't wait to share more. 

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Thoughts on My First Day Across the Pond

Here is a short summary of some of the stuff that has happened during the trip/upon arrival:

British people are not very nice, carrying my luggage up four flights of tight stairs in the tube was horrible, I am physically exhausted but extremely excited, what in the world is a busker? (I know now...do you?), Cadbury vending machines will be in my Heaven, finding a friend from the trip at the airport was super cool, buying my first tube ticket= awesome, hearing the words "Please mind the gap" made me giggle with excitement, missing getting off the tube because I couldn't get my luggage through the aisle and watching Emily wave goodbye on the stop I needed was the worst feeling in the world, wandering through the streets of Kensington is exhilarating, but then falling asleep while walking in London is dangerous (especially on busy streets), a bloody and broken toenail from heavy luggage, and succumbing to a nap in desperation.

 I will post pictures later. I am not sure if I can do that in the Centre without pulling down on the wireless too much.

Ciao for now!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Two Days to Flight

So, I fly out on Tuesday, and I must admit: I am absolutely terrified. I really do not think it has sunk in yet. I have not realized that I am going to be living in a foreign country for a month and a half. I finished a crazy semester at BYU. It was the most amazing semester I have ever had, but it was still a lot of work. I just wish I had a longer break between classes. It would be nice to catch up on some sleep. :) But there is no way I am not going. I am just a little nervous, especially since I have had several people ask me if I have seen the movie Taken when I tell them I am going as a study abroad student. That is not the most reassuring thing I wanted to hear. Anyone have any good advice about living outside the country? Please share your ideas. Goodnight, and God bless.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Quick update on class

Hello, blogging world! I just got out of London Prep class, and we did "I Must See" presentations. I did mine on the house of Sherlock Holmes' on 221b Baker Street. It sounds amazing. I still cannot believe that fans wore black arm bands and protested when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle tried to kill him off in a short story. Sherlock Holmes certainly has staying power. He continues to reappear in pop culture. Anyways, here is a list of a couple of the places that really caught my eye from today's class:
  • Platform 9 3/4
  • Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
  • Westminster Abbey
  • Liverpool
  • Camden Markets
  • Covent Garden
  • Portobello Market 
  • The Button Queen
  • Charing Cross Road
  • St. Paul's Cathedral
  • Queens Theatre
  • Windsor Castle
  • Hampton Court
  • Abbey Road
  • VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
  • The Florence Nightingale Museum
Can you tell I am excited about the Victoria and Albert Museum? That is just a short list, but there are so many places we are going as a group and many more areas I want to explore on my own. Please comment with suggestions of places to go.  Six weeks will just not be long enough, I can already tell. Ciao for now!

Monday, March 7, 2011

What a Wonderful World

This is a blog dedicated to my exploits in London while I am studying abroad with Brigham Young University. I am overjoyed to be going! This certainly is a wonderful world, and I feel blessed to explore England this spring. If you are interested in viewing my pictures and new discoveries, please check back every so often. Please post comments, stories, and suggestions. Two heads are better than one, as the adage says.

I discovered tonight that I am not as proficient in HTML coding as I thought I was, so if you have any suggestions that could help my layout/color scheme, feel free to offer them. I am having particular trouble with my play list, and I would love advice.

My first topic about England is the Royal Wedding. I will be there for it, and I am so excited! My professor told us that we are to do nothing else that day except explore the parade route and join the crowds in front of Westminster Abbey. I am so excited. Here is the link to the royal wedding website: The Royal Wedding. You should really check it out. It looks to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What do you want pictures of (besides the dress)? Let me know.


Well, I am happy to be blogging, and I am very grateful for this opportunity to study abroad. Ciao for now!