For Whom The Bell Tolls (It's Me, Y'all)

I promised a picture!  Still haven't tried it though

Home sweet home.  Too bad my eyes are closed.

Sunday was my first dose of culture shock/homesickness/becoming convinced that I'm an idiot for coming here.  It probably had something to do with not seeing anything I was really excited about.  I was disappointed about not getting my calling or getting things settled in the ward (I think there are five of us going to that ward, by the way) and hadn't been to any of the places I want to see so badly.  I tried to go to McDonalds to Skype with my family but I couldn't get my computer to access the internet.  They were waiting for me so I tried to run to another place.  I was kind of upset though, so I stopped paying attention to where I was going for a few minutes.  It was enough to get me very, very lost.  It was dark and I was all by myself.  At first I figured I'd be fine but after several minutes I still couldn't figure out where I was.  I was still okay though (Inner thoughts: "Self, you can do this. You'll need to go places by yourself while you're here.  No big deal.") until a couple of drunk guys started yelling at me ("Don't yell at me!  I'm a mormon!") and I'd been wandering around for an hour going up and down streets trying to figure out where I was.  Finally I came to Hyde Park and was able to get back all right.  Things like that made the day pretty hard.  A few other incidents, well, not really worth mentioning here.

I was determined that yesterday would be better though.  As Dr. N pointed out, every day in London is a new day to explore yourself and the world and see or do something that will change your life.  I got up early and showered (can I just say how marvelous it is showering at six o'clock?  I don't have to worry about people coming in while I'm changing or the see through doors) then hung out until breakfast.  Then we started school.  We weren't looking forward to classes but it looks like it's going to be really fun.  I think I'm really going to enjoy them.

I always look the wrong direction :(

We had an hour break where we were given 100 pounds (I REALLY wish I had gotten a picture.  Next month I guess) to top off our Oyster cards (Read: Tube and bus pass).  I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch because the centre provides supplies for that.  I guess I'd better get used to them.  I'd better get used to eating half as much and using about ten times as much energy and sleeping for a lot less time.  Yikes.  Afterwards we met to go on another one of our walks.

Something old and Roman

Creepy Gate

The old wall

This walk was focused on on Old Londinium, or the Roman part of London.  They say that if you did down fifteen feet anywhere you'll find something Roman and things have just built on top of it but some things are still able to be seen.  We got off the Tube and saw part of the old wall and also a great view of the TOWER OF LONDON!  Cue excited shrieking.  I had thought we were going there but we're going today instead.  We took many pictures until Dr. N banned them.  We all started taking pictures in front of the Port Authority building because it was so pretty until we realized what it was.

Hangin' with the executioner.

A really cool spot was St. Olave church which was one of the few to not get burned down in the Great Fire of 1666.  We didn't get to go in but we walked into the yard, enjoyed the tombstones, and walked through the morbid gate.  Mother Goose is buried here and it was Dickens' favorite church (he called it "St. Ghastly Grim."  There was a guy whose name is Pepys, pronounced "Peeps".  He is burried here and his diary tells us about the plague and the great fire.  The best part of the walk was when Dr. Nick yelled, "'Sup, my peeps!  RESPECT!" and was doing gangster signs and stuff.  I wish I had it on video!

Tower of London

Inside Christ's Church

Walking along the street was interesting.  Foreigners weren't allowed to go into the main part of the city and we walked along where they had to be.  We passed India Street and a street for the Jews where there was a huge slaughter of them in 1262. We went by a church called St. Botolph's Aldgate where Daniel Defoe was married.  Another church was Christ's Church which was very impressive and grand on the inside.

Christ's Church

That there is beautiful green grass!

Darn.  Left mine at home.

The first insane asylum.  Did you know that "barbarians" come from someone saying that they couldn't understand what people were saying and could just be saying "bar bar bar".  

Spitafields Market was interesting looking but we didn't have time to look through.  It used to be for fresh fruits and vegetables but now it's for everything.  We also saw a statue called Broadgate Venus that was a half-naked woman.  Naturally, several of the group had to stop and document our presence there.  Lovely.  Walking out I was impressed by all the green grass.  It stays nice all year round here!  By the way, no rain yet!

Roman Stuff

We walked through the train station and passed some more old stuff that I don't remember.  Sorry... there's a lot of it!  We saw Tower 42, London's first skyscraper and some more of the wall.

Old Medieval style house

After a LOT of walking (my poor ankles feel like they're dying) we reached the Museum of London (along with the Barbican, with the logo of Dick Whittington and his cat!).  I LOVED the Museum and was very sad that we had to get back for dinner and couldn't explore more thoroughly.  We went really slowly through Prehistoric, Roman, Saxon and Viking, and Medeival (of course... this is me) sections and then had to rush through the rest.  I was glad I was with Sarah, who is willing to take time to appreciate cool things with me.  At one point I was like, "Here... take my camera and just take pictures of me in front of everything!" and she did.  She's amazing.  Most aren't very good because flash wasn't allowed.  I might be able to lighten them up but I don't have a program to do that here.  One of my favorites was the Medieval Game of Life.  I died about ten times before I finally reached the ripe old age of 24 and managed to get married.  I was also able to try on a Boy's leather jerkin!  YAY!

One Happy Girl

My favorite picture so far

I'm in heaven.  Can you tell?

Picking out a husband

Boy's leather jerkin!!!

Something a little less pointy

Curtsey for the camera!

We went back for dinner and a few of us sat with the professors and their families which was a little awkward at first but soon we were talking about the amazing thing we'd seen and done.  After dinner I planned to just do homework and blog but I was invited to go get gelato and then see St. Paul's.  I didn't want to move because I was so tired but I remembered my "no regrets" motto and went with them.  I wasn't going to get gelato because of issues with the bank and I didn't know when I'd be able to have money again.  The group of people I was with all pitched in to buy me some.  I was so touched.  And it was delicious.

I had a pretty interesting moment of the Tube.  I kind of wish it hadn't happened but I wasn't thinking.  It was really dangerous!  My group was all on the Tube and it was about to leave so I just run and jump on.  They caught me but I stumbled around quite a bit bumping into everyone before I was able to get myself situated.  It must have looked awesome, my coat flapping behind me and me jumping on two seconds before the doors closed... anyway, I made it on, they didn't leave me, all was well.  Let's not do that again.

Occupy London

We went to St. Paul's and passed by Occupy London.  As soon as we got off the Tube there the bells starting ringing.  It was spectacular.  We took a few pictures than got on the Tube again and went to Westminster.  It was amazing to be so close to Big Ben and Westminster Abbey!  Big Ben chimed and my heart soared.  I kept looking up at it and feeling so overwhelmed.  Little Aylea was standing under Big Ben.  Wow.

St. Paul's

London Eye

Westminster Abbey

So tired when we got back though, so I skipped blogging and went to bed.  Sorry everyone!  When I go out at night I probably won't blog for the day... so probably every day.  I'll have to do it when I get up.  I've been getting up pretty early so I'll squeeze it in during my homework time.

Cheers, mates!