My Homework is the National Gallery (Day 5)

Today was the first official day of classes, which takes up a huge chunk of time. Our classes for the term are Humanities from the Italian Renaissance on, and a History of the British Isles class. I actually really enjoy them both, it was just a change not having all morning free. Forunately we only have 12 days of class. (And approximately 15 papers to go along with that).

Anyway, so after class we decided to go do our homework for the day... which was to go look at some paintings in the National Gallery. So pretty much the coolest homework ever. It's really neat because here most of the museums are completely free, so you just walk right in whenever you feel like looking at some famous artwork. 

The National Gallery is located right on Trafalgar Square, which is an area of town that I had yet to discover. I love the atmosphere, it is just so fun. We walked out after doing our "homework" and there was a lady drawing flags on the sidewalk with the caption : "No politics, No religion, Just Flags" and you could take pictures, and the idea was you donate and put change on the flag of wherever you are from. It was so cool. 

The next little while, we just walked up the street to see Big Ben really quickly before heading back to the Centre for dinner and such. I really love how close everything seems to be to everything else. It makes it so much fun to just walk around the city! (Plus that's another one of my classes, so double win!) 

We had Ribs and Chips (that's French Fries for you Americans) with Cauliflower and it was so delicious (if really messy). I could probably start a blog purely on the food we get to eat here! Loving it all. 

Our homework assignment for Wednesday is to read Julius Caesar, so we read part of it out loud, until we decided we needed to take a break for Gelato, because...well who doesn't need gelato? 

It really does feel like I am starting to settle into this crazy life of living in the heart of London. And I am still absolutely loving it!

(Also thought I would include a pic of our dorm) 

Turn Right for the Chapel (Day 4)

Happy Sunday!! It was great to have a more low-key day of rest and spiritual uplifting. 

We are all assigned in groups of 5-7 to different wards of varying distances from the BYU Centre. My group is part of the Wandsworth Common ward, and it took us about 45 minutes to an hour to get there...once we figured out where we were going. This is the town where our ward meets:

And this is chapel:

(just to clarify, it's actually bigger than it looks in this picture..but whate'er)

I already got called to be the Ward Organist..that took less than an hour. But I'm used to that...it's a byproduct of playing the organ I guess ;) and I am happy to have a calling and be able to serve the ward. It is so small..and the ward is very diverse in ethnicity, but is mostly made of up older single women, which I was really surprised by. It is just so fascinating how different it is from what I expected. 

Other than church, I sat in the drawing room for a very, very long time looking out the window (now that I think about it, that was very romantically English of me..  Hoorah! I'm becoming cultured without even knowing it! ;) We can hope at least...) and we ate dinner and then went on another walk through Kensington Park. I will never get over how spectacular it is. 

Ah the English Countryside: An Adventure to the London Temple (Day 3)

Today was incredible. Rachel, Annalise, Brooke, Sydney and I made a trip to the London England TEMPLE! It was so incredible and gorgeous and I can't get over that we got to go! What an awesome once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (except we are planning to go again so twice-in-a-lifetime I suppose).

We had a travel adventure, that began with the Tube, then the overground, and then a long train ride, and a short Taxi until we arrived at the Temple. It is only about 20 miles from London, but with our travel inexperience, it took us about 2 hours to get there and then an hour and a half back once we knew what we were doing. Here are some pictures of the gorgeous countryside on the way there and then the cutest little train station at Lingfield, where the temple actually is:

Also here is a picture of the Taxi being driven on the left side of the road. Weirdest mind-boggling experience ever:

And some pictures of the Temple and the gorgeous, and HUGE grounds:

(Visitor's Centre)

(Accomodations Office)

For lunch we walked down the most narrow sidewalk I have ever experienced in my life about 10 minutes to this little restaurant. It was literally the only thing there in the middle of the country side. I had Ministroni (no idea if that is even close to spelled right) soup and potato skins.

Also right across from the restaurant, there was this huge field with horses. That gives you a feel for where this restaurant really is, in the middle of nowhere..

Of course we took lots of pictures. Here are just a few of us:

That was just the most fantastic adventure. I loved it so much and it was absolutely 100% worth it. Later in the day, I went through Kensington Park. Home of the... THE Kensington Palace. (Did I mention this is like 2 blocks from where we live?.. uh yeah. Is this even real life?!) And the park is huge! Like 5 Central Parks could fit inside. What? Here are some (OK a lot) of pictures:

They are playing Cricket. In real life. Just casually in the Park. For reals!

SO Gorgeous. It's just incredible, really. I can't get over it. Any of it.