Something that I have forgotten about the London culture and history is how much there is and how long it has been around. On our travels to the London Tower we past many remains of old building and structure’s. How they are just integrated into to the normal spaces around the city with modern building surrounding them as they are several 1,000 apart in age. One thing in particular was the Roman wall a structure that is much older than entrance of a subway tunnel not even 100 feet away. The wall is also visible to the street with motor vehicles driving. If this wall could talk what would it have to say, how much has it seen?
The tower of London is no different this castle overlooks the nearby river with modern boats along with planes and helicopters flying over. The castle having its own history separate from the Roman wall that is just a short distance away. I am fascinated with the insane amount of the depth of history that London is filled with. No matter where you go you will find history and stories in this modern city and the London tower is stocked full of it. The Tower of London is filled to the brim with history like, The keeping of animals on the grounds, The torture of prisoners, famous prisoners, the military history, and more. Not only is this a area of history it is still in use to house the Crown Jewels. The building that the Jewels and other artifacts are stored also incorporates much of the history of the royal crown and it importance. It was fascinating to be able to see the items in person, those items holding such a significant historical presence was mesmerizing. A fascinating history that Interested me was the fact that animals where kept on the grounds for many years. Many of these animals were imported from around the world. I came across a display telling of how an ape that was imported by sea killed a boy by throwing a cannon ball at him, he then continued to destroy and throw thing upon arriving at the London Tower. Currently the only animals that are still around, and could have been their before the castle are ravens. Ravens have a weird history behind them because there is only speculation on why they were kept but no facts. They speculated at some point they were kept on the grounds, but when they went to remove them a story of when the ravens leave the grounds the fall of the kingdom will shortly follow was brought up. There was many other animals on the grounds but the ravens are the only ones that still remain. They have actually trimmed part of the feathers so that they can not easily fly away or get harmed. In one of the buildings they had a museum filled with the military history of London. I found it interesting on how over time the uniforms changed and adapted, using resources from allies to complete their kits and impacting the next generation of outfits.
Like many places the tower of London also kept prisoners during its time of operations. It spanned from Nazi to spies and even an American all with their own stories and history. The Nazi person used a parachute to drop into the area on a unauthorized peace mission. One of the spies was discovered because he had a lemon and at the time it was used to create invisible ink, he was able to play the violin all night before he was executed by firing squad. This area has a large amount of history behind it and it continues create even more history.

Today we got to visit the Tower of London and I tagged along on a beefeater tour… still not sure if I needed to pay for that or not… In any case, I was very impressed with the tour, especially since our guide was able to give much information that was left out of the various plaques around the fortress. I think this was to make sure that the crowds kept moving through the exhibits. Shawn wasn’t kidding when he said that the crown jewels get crowded! There was about a forty-minute line to access them by the time I got out. Also, check out the suits of armor that were on display. The small one was likely designed for a five-year-old.

Jane Gray was the most interesting and tragic figure I learned about. Nine days after she was coronated, her sister Mary took power from her and imprisoned the teenage queen. The Catholics were popular at the time. Apparently, the forces keeping her at the Tower of London forced her to watch the execution of her husband on the green below from the window above. She was subsequently convicted of treason and executed.

I also saw two musicals: Frozen and the Phantom of the Opera. I didn’t really expect either to be as excellent as they were. Frozen definitely had the largest budget for any show I’d ever seen. At intermission, they sold programmes for six pounds and brochures for ten. I bought a programme which was filled with a bunch of information about the production and cast. It made me wonder what was in the more expensive brochure. However, you could tell how large the budget was for this show because multiple companies produced the costumes alone. There was a moment during “Let it Go” where Elsa’s dress transforms seemingly instantaneously, meant to be magic. From my seats in the upper rows, it was impossible to tell how it could’ve been anything else. Callie explained to me how it works though. Samantha Barks’ costume had a seam down the middle connected by two electromagnets. At a music cue, they change the electromagnetic force and the outer dress gets sucked into the stage in less than a second. Applause, in the middle of a song, during a matinee too. There were many more impressive technical bits during the show, but that one stood out. I’m sure it’ll be in costuming textbooks in the next decade.

I really enjoyed Phantom as well. This show definitely had the most skilled cast I’ve ever seen. I’ve heard the music many times before, but I was deeply effected when they raised the chandelier at the beginning and played the Overture. I also didn’t expect there to be as much explosion and pyrotechnics as there were. I knew the vague plot of the show, but had never read the book or seen the movie. I don’t want to spoil too much for those who want to still see it, but the music and action are enough to give you chills, easily. I was also greatly impressed with Lucy St. Louis’ voice. I believe you need over three octaves to play Christine professionally and St. Louis did it with great power and use of breath.

After seeing a straight play and two musicals, I’m beginning to understand better how to pick my seats. You benefit more from closer seats for plays because you can see the details of the acting better. However, you can afford to have more distant seats for musicals because you’ll get a better view of their overall choreography. Musicals can have a lot going on onstage at once, so it can help to have a wider view, especially if that means you get cheaper seats.

Based on the outside view that we were afforded during our bus tour on the first day, I was surprised by just how much there was to engage with inside the Tower of London’s walls. I think my recent time in Rome gave me the false expectation that we would be looking at stone ruins and a few plaques. How pleasantly surprised I was! The crown jewels exhibit, which we began our visit with, was genuinely jaw dropping. I’m not sure what my expectations were, but the level of opulence that I encountered would have exceeded even the highest, I imagine. I thoroughly enjoyed that portion of the morning, but I was also interested in seeing the areas where historical prisoners had been kept, and looking at the markings and signatures they had left on the walls. I liked reading about John Gerard, an English Jesuit Priest, who was one of the few that actually managed to escape the Tower of London by climbing over the moat via a rope that was tossed across, along with John Arden.

Gerard interested me because not only did he manage to pull off an escape, but he did so after being tortured there, which is relatively rare in its own right. Hung by his hands with heavy weights attached to his feet, he apparently suffered significant damage to his hands and was still recovering during his escape, according to his own writings. By his account, he was nearly unable to finish the escape across the rope because of his body’s weakness in the wake of the torture. Without the aid of his friend who had tossed the rope into the tower, he claims that he would have surely fallen into the moat. After reading about Gerard’s escape, I was able to walk up on the battlements and see the point where they would have stretched the rope across. I’m not sure I would have been able to make the escape myself.

Overall, I thought that the Tower of London was super metal.

[now playing: Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe) – Power Trip]

When I first heard of The Tower of London, I pictured something similar to Big Ben. Don’t ask me why I thought it was just a singular tower that was built hundreds of years ago because I won’t be able to defend myself. In reality, The Tower of London is a grand fortress filled with multiple structures dating back a thousand years. As I walked through this breathtaking historic site, I couldn’t help but revert to a child-like state of absolute wonder and amazement. I was standing in actual history. Kings walked where I was walking. Queens were beheaded mere feet from where I stood. To ask me to pick my favorite part of this castle is like asking one of the Queen’s weirdly terrifying ravens not to bite the general public: impossible. The Crown Jewels were breathtaking. Seeing artifacts that I had only read about or seen in documentaries was such an indescribable pleasure. I was standing before royalty. It almost felt like the spirits of the monarchs who proudly adorned these brilliant pieces were watching me marvel at their precious jewels and crowns. Another part of the castle that filled me with a morbid curiosity was building where prisoners were held at the Tower. One of the most famous prisoners held here was Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII. Anne spent a large portion of her childhood in Henry’s court and was greatly admired. Henry himself prevented her from marrying another as he had fallen in love with her. He tried to marry her but was turned away as he was already wed. Henry then denounced the catholic church for denying him his marriage to Anne and announced himself as the head of the church, granting himself an annulment. Soon after they were married, Queen Anne gave birth to a little baby girl who would later rule England as Queen Elizabeth I. While attempting to give Henry a male heir, Anne later suffered a miscarriage and the traumatic event of the birth of a stillborn son. Unable to provide Henry with what he so desperately wanted, she became unpopular and King Henry had her imprisoned (Britannica). Anne was punished for failing to provide the king with a male heir and was charged with treason and adultery. These charges were fabricated as a result of the belief that Anne had tricked the king into entering a “cursed marriage” (Andrews). After only three years of marriage, Queen Anne Boleyn was beheaded on the 19^th of May.

Walking through the eerie rooms where people spent their last days as enemies of the crown was a humbling experience. The walls of the rooms held original messages carved by people held prisoner there. Seeing these carvings was an incredibly emotional experience. I could feel the desperation of the souls of those prisoners even 500 years later. This transferred emotion wasn’t just isolated to the prison.

All of the Tower of London held a tangible energy only found in a place deeply affected by history. From the Chapel to the memorial for those beheaded at the palace, the historic significance weighed heavy on my heart. It is easy to become engulfed in modern affairs and we often forget to look back on the lives of those who lived before us.

Sources:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. “Anne Boleyn”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anne-Boleyn. Accessed 27 May 2022.

Andrews, Evan. “6 Famous Prisoners of the Tower of London.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 11 Sept. 2012, https://www.history.com/news/6-famous-prisoners-of-the-tower-of-london.

The London tube system is much like a subway station you would see in New York City or Chicago. My first experience with the tube was right off of the plane. My group arrived earlier than the other group, so we set off to check in to our hotel early. We boarded the tube with all of our luggage and braced ourselves for the forty-minute ride to the Russel Square Station which is located a block from our hotel. The tube ride itself is a blur. Between the sleep deprivation and the constant looks of annoyed British citizens wondering why a bunch of luggage is taking up their much-needed commute space, I just wanted the tube ride to end. My second ride on the tube was a much better experience. I felt like I settled into the flow of people entering and exiting the station and the ways in which to stand on the tube without falling over due to a sudden jolt. The true test was when we were boarding the tube with the whole group and due to some confusion and an overcrowded train, five of us were left standing on the platform as our fellow classmates and professors rode off in the tube. This could have been a cause for panic; however, we were calm and simply waited for the next train. When it came, we boarded and remembered where we were supposed to get off and like we had done this a million times, we exited the train and met our group on the platform. The tube, in reality, is very easy to navigate and will be a great mode of transportation when it comes to exploring London.

Our first play of the trip was Straight Line Crazy by David Hare. Ralph Fiennes (LITERALLY VOLDEMORT) starred as Robert Moses, an ambitious urban planner in New York City. This play covers thirty successful years that Moses dominated New York as the king of the expressway. Fiennes’s captivating portrayal of Moses completely enraptured the audience, showing the rise and fall of his power over the transportation industry. The play begins in 1926 as Moses begins his journey to power with the construction of two expressways in Long Island that would give access to cars filled with eager patrons looking for a beach day. The play later cuts to 1955, detailing Moses’s slow and painful fall from grace. From the minimalistic set to the larger-than-life characters, this show succeeded in holding the attention of its audience through powerful dialogue and intricate set details. The set being a thrust stage and relatively bare set gave the play an incredibly intimate feel. The actors were enthralling from the minute they stepped onto the stage. The play had neither a sad nor happy end, no ribbon to tie a nice bow as the final dialogue was uttered. The audience was left with a story of real life. As the cast took their bows, I found myself beginning to weep. I wasn’t sure why I was crying, but I was incredibly moved by the great piece of theatre I had just witnessed. Maybe I was crying because I want to do something great like that with my career. Maybe I was crying because the story was a rather tragic one. Whether it be the inspiration or the tragedy, I was moved to a deep emotion. That is the exact purpose of theatre. As artists, we aim to muster change in the audience witnessing our work. In the case of Straight Line Crazy, it was a resounding success.

Today’s excursion took us to the Tower of London. Walking through the room where the crown jewels were kept felt like an exercise in reverence. Past corridors of coronation regalia, like embellished swords and a robe embroidered with Tudor roses, a projection of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation flickered on the wall of a dark room. Chairs stood in pew-like rows, and guests settled into them wordlessly as if disrupting the silence might somehow make this space less sacred. I don’t think I can ever fully understand what the monarchy means for people who grew up in the U.K. Yet, as we passed by a display of crowns that belonged to the monarchy, some that were made to replace others that were destroyed and some that were recovered after wars, I couldn’t help but think of resurrection. Maybe, there’s something sacred about the fact that this symbol of Britain has continued to return to life again and again. As the White Tower exhibit mentioned, the coronation spoon was all that survived of the crown jewels when parliament took them to be made into coins in the 1600s (Jewel House: Ampulla and Coronation Spoon). In a sense, the fact that this spoon memorializes the crown jewels is fitting because it represents exactly what the Crown Jewels evoke: the connection between the implicit weight of leading a country and the responsibility to approach this duty as if it were a holy thing.

            One exhibition that surprised me was a section of the White Tower devoted to the Ordnance Survey. According to the exhibit, the Ordnance Survey was a city mapping endeavor that grew from a mapping room inside the tower of London (Ordnance Survey). The signs describe these maps as a crucial type of “control” that allowed Britain to protect the country “against rebellions and invasions” (Ordnance Survey), and this particular kind of control immediately reminded me of Straight Line Crazy. Robert Moses sought control through urban planning for himself, and the all-consuming nature of this kind of work ate away at his life and relationships, but what does it mean to stay in one place and devote yourself to the kind of work that sustains the community around you? What kind of challenges come from the slow, patient work of standing still? I wonder if Thomas Colby, a lead geographer for the Ordnance survey that the exhibit mentions, grew tired of returning to the tower every winter to draft maps of the places he’d been (Ordnance Survey), or if he knew that, somehow, it would all be worthwhile. 

            What’s left of Walter Raleigh’s lodgings at the Bloody Tower communicate a similar sense of steadfastness. In what was probably my favorite part of the Tower of London Exhibits, we were able to see the room where Walter Raleigh would have worked and the garden he tended during his imprisonment at the Bloody Tower. According to a website affiliated with the Tower of London, Historic Royal Places, Walter Raleigh was imprisoned within the Tower of London three times (“Sir Walter Raleigh”). The first imprisonment occurred as a result of the impulsive explorer marrying in secret against Queen Elizabeth’s strict demands that she be allowed to approve the marriages of those in her court (“Sir Walter Raleigh”). After rule transferred to James I, Raleigh was sentenced to life in prison for conspiring against the king (“Sir Walter Raleigh”). Yet, as the Bloody Tower exhibition indicates, Raleigh still worked during those bleak years by planting a garden of medicinal herbs with which he created remedies for other prisoners and the royal family (Raleigh’s Lost Garden). Raleigh lived the rest of his life without the freedom to roam where he wanted to, but he still lived, and I’m not sure what to make of the part of that decision that requires surrender to an, at times, unjust force.

            Inside the Beauchamp tower exhibit are more remnants of surrender. Carvings made from prisoners are scattered across the walls. Many of them, like the quote attributed to Arthur Poole below, are efforts at repentance. Poole writes, “To serve God/to enter into penance/to obey fate/is to reign” (Graffiti Attributed to Arthur Poole 1564). Although absolutely heart wrenching within the context of what these prisoners experienced, Poole’s final message made me wonder exactly what I believe about fate in general.

Does surrendering to our own fates and making the best of them give us power over them, or is it just another way of losing the life we wanted? I think on most days I would say the latter, and maybe this somewhat individualistic American attitude is what creates a barrier between me and my understanding of the British Monarchy. As I stood in that dark room watching a twenty-five year old Elizabeth II being crowned queen, I was struck by how young she was and how difficult it must have been to set aside the life she had in mind for the one that “fate” or family line had given her. Meanwhile, what I could have seen was a woman who chose to live for the good of others instead of herself by reigning over the life that was planned for her. Sometimes, an unexpected garden in the midst of gray is better than the miles of open sky you wanted. In the spirit of letting go of plans, here’s a picture of an unexpected garden I found on an unplanned outing to see a play that I went to instead of napping in my hotel room. 

Till tomorrow, 

Kath

Sources

Graffiti Attributed to Arthur Poole, 1564. Wall Text, Imprisonment at the Tower Exhibition, Tower of London, London, England. 

Jewel House: Ampulla and Coronation Spoon. Wall Text, White Tower Exhibition, Tower of London, London, England. 

Ordnance Survey. Wall text, White Tower Exhibition, Tower of London, London, England. 

  Raleigh’s Lost Garden. Wall Text, Bloody Tower Exhibition, Tower of London, London, England. 

“Sir Walter Raleigh.” Historic Royal Palaces, https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/sir-walter-raleigh/#gs.1z4fpd. 

Long post incoming!!! This has been my busiest day yet, and it was so much fun! It started once again with Starbucks to wake me up, and shortly after I met up with our group to head over to the Tower of London. I was especially excited to visit the Tower of London because of everything I would be able to learn. I had been there before when I was much younger, and at the time, I didn’t appreciate its vast history as I do now. Just walking up to the architecture was an experience in and of itself I think the design of the building was especially interesting to me because you can see its age. On our usual walks around London, we see buildings lined with ornate carvings and inlays; however, with the Tower of London, the building seemed less delicate and more sturdy in comparison. While outside of the tower, I got the chance to read about one historical figure that caught my interest in the worst way: King Edward I. I learned that King Edward I had the Jewish population pay for the majority of construction of the Tower of London, and afterwards he enacted the Edict of Expulsion. The Edict of Expulsion was a royal decree that expelled the Jewish population from England. Currently, King Edward I is accredited with constructing much of the current appearance of the Tower of London, albeit his own lack of funding.

Once inside the Tower of London, we had the opportunity to view the crown jewels. I think what surprised me most about this exhibit was just how intricate each piece was, and that there were more than one of each garment for a single person. For example, King Charles the II had different maces made, even though all were in good condition with designs that had only slight differences.

Despite my love for the crown jewels, my favorite part of the Tower of London would have to be the White Tower. There were so many different parts of the White Tower that made it unique! I loved how there were areas that showed the original foundation and flooring of the tower, that we were able to see the varieties of armor for both horses and man, and that we could see everyday items as they were (like a fireplace and toilet). Looking into the development of equipment during this part of history was captivating. I learned things I wouldn’t even think of– like how there were very realistic busts made to help artisans craft armor for those in power, and that these artisans were severely underpaid. There was also one of the earliest known wall fireplaces called the Norman Fireplace. The Norman Fireplace allowed for the escape of smoke from the White Tower (which was a big improvement from when they would just set a fire in the middle of the tower’s flooring).

Of course, after my hour and a half of roaming and learning in the Tower of London, I made my way to get some ice cream. I think ice cream will have to be a daily tradition for me while in London! Today I had the salted caramel flavor, and I will probably have it tomorrow and the day after as well.

After my ice cream, I left to go on the tube (which I am now a self-proclaimed pro at) to meet up with my mom who just flew into London yesterday! We had a wonderful time in Chinatown and Soho. In Chinatown, we stopped to eat dim sum and get boba. For dim sum we went to Orient London which was well priced and delicious, and for boba we went to Cha Time, a staple chain for boba in both the UK and US. We ended up walking around Chinatown and taking in all of what it had to offer, being mainly beautiful ambiances and good smells.

We then made our way to Soho to do some window shopping, and I had to take a moment to appreciate all of the interesting garments the stores had to offer. My favorite part of Soho, however, were the Harry Potter related stores. The first of these stores we visited was MinaLima. MinaLima is the design studio that is behind the graphic design of props and logos you see in the Harry Potter films! Their shop had a lot of posters, and one that stood out to me was a prop replica of a poster from Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald. I caved and bought it- which was my last purchase of the day! I thought it was perfect for me since I love movie props. After MinaLima, we went to the Noble Collection, which had an array of movie and TV prop replicas. Sadly, all of the Harry Potter replicas I was interested in were out of stock and put out as display only, but it was still cool to be able to see them in person.

After Soho, we went to a chain takeaway sushi spot called Wasabi. Wasabi is affordable and delicious! I will definitely be getting it again, and recommend it to those in a rush. It is also right around the corner from Russell Square station– so convenient!! My mom and I scrambled from Wasabi to the beautiful Adelphi theatre to see Back to the Future. Before I get into talking about this show, I would like to warn those who are sensitive to light and sound to not see it. It is filled with flashing lights and a very loud (but very talented) pit orchestra.

Back to the Future was easily one of the most fun and light hearted musicals I have seen. I had my doubts as many people do when they hear the words, “Back to the Future... but a musical”. Don’t be afraid! It was wonderful! At a certain point during the show, I couldn’t stop smiling at all of the references to lines from the original Back to the Future, and even references to other pop culture icons like Star Wars and Doctor Who. The set design was also spectacular, and there were effects that left me speechless. There was even a part of the show where I thought I was just watching the movie on the screen! Another stand out part of the show was the pit orchestra. They were loud and proud, and I was jealous of the fact that they were getting paid to play such emblematic music. What made the music so amazing were the subtle (and overt) nods to the original Back to the Future theme song, as well as how well each piece was executed by the pit. If you do end up going to see this show, I hope you are able to see the same cast as me. Each member of the cast was top notch, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else in their roles. Please go see this show if you like letting loose, or if you love nostalgia, or even if you just like breathing! Go see the show!

That just about wraps up my Day 3 in London. Sleep is calling and I’m going to answer. I’ll check back in for Day 4 tomorrow!

Today we visited the Tower of London, which actually is a fortress and not a tower at all! There are three walls surrounding the “white keep”.  I learned much about British culture including many things about the keep itself. Throughout history 1000 soldiers were stationed there, and it was used as a training ground for World War 1 volunteers. Despite the world still being at war, they decided to keep the tours of the Tower ongoing even though the entire war!

Going further back in time, a fire burned down much of the fort in 1841 on October 30th. It was so bad it resulted in the removal of the crown jewels and many of the other artifacts in the Tower at the time. At the time the moat was fully functioning and during which there was an outbreak of waterborne diseases. Which, believe it or not,was worsened by the large body of water known as the moat. The Duke at the time was against the draining of the moat despite the awful smell and notable harm it was causing. It turns out he was afraid of taking away a layer of defense in fear of his life.

Around 400 people were executed around this keep through the 1000 year it had been around. From that large number, only twenty two of them were actually inside the keep. But many others were kept as prisoners. One of these more interesting persons was Henry Percy. He was a Earl of Northumberland who spent 16 years as a prisoner! He was suspected of being involved in the “gunpowder plot” to blow up Parliament in 1605. Despite him being a potential domestic terrorist, he lived a life of luxury. He was kept in Martin tower and had his own personnel servants to help take care of him. He was even allowed to rent the nearby tower for his son and installed a bowling alley! Known as the “wizard Earl” he did many science experiments to pass the time while under guard. Despite his long prison sentence he was eventually released and died with his Wife at his home in Northumberland.

Favorite part of the tower was its vast history over the ages. From Zoos, to executing 16 year olds, this place has seen it all.

(All images included in this blog are mine, even this one above!)

Good evening from London!
	Yes, even someone as scattered and forgetful as me has made it across the sea. I’m in London! I’m saying it again because it’s still a bit hard to wrap my head around. It didn’t quite sink in until I was trying to go to sleep on my first night here… great timing really. I watched the clouds move across a sky dotted with the lucky few stars and I realized that I really am 4,476 miles away from everything I’ve ever known. I thought about my mom in my childhood home, and my little sister finishing her last day of school for the year, and I thought about my car in my driveway and all the familiar things, and I realized there is an entire ocean that separates me from all of that. It didn’t feel real until then, but I made it here. 
	Let’s backtrack and find out how I managed to do that then, shall we? 

The journey is my home”

– Muriel Rukeyser

From this moment on, time started moving faster than the beating wings of a hummingbird. The hours turned to minutes and the minutes turned to seconds. The flight to Chicago was short and sweet. And honestly, I was a bit nervous about being gone for so long, but I was very excited about the airport.

I arrived at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and it was everything I remembered – huge. Airports are a special kind of liminal space. I wouldn’t mind living there, the Chicago airport. They have coffee and giant hotdogs. There was even a rainbow light display on the walking moving walkways. What more could a girl need? Sidenote: those moving walkways are absolutely my favorite thing, I will always take the opportunity to use them.

Yet again, the time went by way too fast. Before I knew it, it was time for our next flight to board. They didn’t even let me finish my coloring page first. However, while we were all waiting at the gate, I immediately found that I was very thankful for the people I was surrounded with. They made me feel at ease, not so alone and it was reassuring that not only would I be making new friends, but I would be reconnecting with my old ones!

We boarded. We walked through the first-class seats, and I might have started drooling a little. I daydreamed about the naps I could take in those seats. I also wondered at the cost of these seats. (I googled it a couple days later; let’s just say they cost way too much.) I made my way back to my seat. Now, I never mean to complain. However, on the first flight I was a little spoiled. I had a window seat, and I got to watch as we floated through the dreamland of white and blue up in the sky. On this flight, I was in the middle aisle, and the middle seat. I remained optimistic! As soon as I sat down I was ready to pass out, especially when they turned all the lights out on the plane and it was the perfect airplane nighttime ambience. Then the pilot announced dinner, and I was wide awake. I’ve never heard anyone have anything good to say about airplane food, but I liked it! I got the buttered chicken AND it came with a little lemon ice-cream?! Are you kidding?! I love flying.

I did my best to sleep after dinner. It was six hours of changing positions every twenty minutes to something that was somehow even more uncomfortable. I had no where to put my head, my feet… really my whole body didn’t fit. The pilot had asked everyone to shut their windows, because we left during the dead of night but as we neared London the light would start to come through and he didn’t want to keep anyone awake. The guy in the row across the way had a different idea, apparently. Right as the sun came up he threw open his window so the light came blaring through. I loved every minute of it, honestly. I woke up just as we were flying over Ireland to a breakfast of yogurt and a biscotti. They let me have coffee and orange juice. Can I reiterate enough that I love airplanes?

We touched down in London and began the process of trying to find our bus. It took a few trips up and down different elevators and visits to the wrong terminal but we finally made it! We got a taste of London weather as soon as we got outside. The sky was bright, blue, and sunny when we stepped outside, and when we got on the bus it was pouring down rain.

As we walked to and arrived at the hotel the first thing, I noticed was how many different types of people were here. Everywhere I turned someone was speaking a completely different language. I’m pretty sure I heard German, French, Spanish and Russian all in the span of two minutes. London is home to one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world and that has been very evident throughout the trip. All the different displays of culture; food, music, art, buildings, and people. It was immediately one of my favorite parts about being here.

We got to our room and the keycards wouldn’t open the door. Some of us didn’t even have rooms available yet. We were already learning how to be flexible, patient, and adaptable. I went down to get our keys replaced, and they still didn’t work. I had to talk to a lot of people, but I eventually found the man in charge. He sounded just like Paddington Bear, so I trusted him. He had to replace the batteries on our key reader, and we were golden!

I got all set up in the room, so it felt a bit like home. We had a gorgeous view of the flats across the road and the street below. I’ve already made a habit of people watching from the window. From way up on the fifth floor I can see the people walking below. Some of them headed to work, some of them dragging suitcases on their way to their new adventure. At night I can see the people in the windows of their flats; folding laundry, working on their computers, talking to who I imagine must be a loving and devoted girlfriend. It’s easy to do that here – look at people and make up their story in your head. There are so many kinds of people with different backgrounds moving in different directions.

I went out on a walk with Abby as soon as I was settled. My favorite way to explore any city is on foot with a camera in my hands. I get to capture things the way I see them, and on the bus ride over to the hotel I was giddy seeing all the things I couldn’t wait to take pictures of. The other thing I was super excited about when planning for this trip was the coffee shops. I love finding cute coffee shops when I travel and picking out the best mocha I can find. We went to a place called Noxy Brothers. I really liked the vibes; they had a cute neon sign, and I really liked the design on the cups. I got a chai latte. I normally like chai, but everything is different in London—tastes especially. I’ll give it a 5/10, but I’ll have to go back and try something else before I give my final judgement.

I brought a raincoat because it was raining when we left, but by the time we made it two blocks the sun was beating down and I had to tie it around my waist. And I thought Arkansas weather was all over the place!

We found a beautiful park right by the hotel, Trafalgar Square. It has a big statue of Gandhi in the middle, and he sets the peaceful mood throughout the whole park. As I was taking pictures of Abby, a chunky little squirrel came up behind her and started licking the back of her shoe. I shouted, “don’t move!” and tried to capture the moment with my camera. The lighting wasn’t right, so I pulled out my phone camera for video, just in time. The squirrel was begging us for food, like a dog. He ran right up to me and stood on his hind legs. He looked at me with wide, pleading eyes and I was absolutely fascinated. I’d never seen a squirrel be so fearless. A woman with a beautiful English accent came up (at this point, hearing the London dialect and way of speaking was still fresh and very exciting – not sure if that will ever change though). The woman spoke to the squirrel and told it she might have some duck food so it approached her and began it’s cute little begging routine again. It was then that I thought about the potential for all the magical, fascinating, unexpected things that could happen on this trip. It was then that I knew that was all I wanted, even if it was scary.

A small group of us walked around and then went to Petit a Manger, which seems to be a chain here – really good food and coffee, with a large variety of stuff. It’s popular for a reason, it’s easy and it’s yummy! Then we went down to a pub and experienced even more of the chaotic weather. We sat outside and it rained, we went inside and the sun came out, and this went on perpetually until we decided to put our hoods up and endure the rain.

We went to a little bookstore across the street and had a lot of laughs looking at all the different books. I bought one that I’m excited to read about traveling! Perhaps some of its anecdotes will make it into the blog.

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We went into the London Pub underneath our hotel, and I tried authentic London fish and chips for the first time! I think I’ll wait to pass my final judgement on this foreign delicacy until I’ve tried it from a few more places, but so far – 7/10.

We walked around the area close to our hotel for a little longer and found some fun things– including an arcade and a sign in a Slim Chicken’s (yes, they have that here) that reminded me of home.

That night before I went to bed, I walked around the blocks surrounding our hotel and looked at all the buildings at night. It was peaceful. The University College London is right behind our hotel, and it’s one of the countless gorgeous buildings I’ve gotten to see so far.

The next morning, I discovered that American hotel breakfast does not hold a candle to the hotel breakfast here. Then we went on a bus tour around London and the magic truly began. It was the opening of the portal to this brand-new place, reality, and universe I’m discovering. All the historical buildings here are absolutely fascinating, but then you look in the opposite direction and they are living amongst the contemporary and modern buildings of glass and steel. It is magnificent; in every way possible, we get the best of both worlds here. Learning about some of the history of London had me entranced and excited to learn more.  I began to see that London is separated into little hubs, and as you move from one to the other the city completely transforms, different buildings, food, sights and atmospheres.

As we were driving, we saw some demonstrations happening on the sidewalks. On one side, there were a group of people with a Trump flag, and I questioned the placement of this kind of demonstration in a different country.  The sign they had was chilling, and I think it speaks to a lot more than just what they think they’re trying to say.

In much more pleasant news, the Queen’s Jubilee is coming up to celebrate 70 years on the throne! The city is abuzz with excitement and preparations, and I cannot wait to see what that day will be like. The royal family will be here, and the Queen will make an appearance!

From the bus we found the Underground and took the train to Piccadilly Circus! The Underground was so colorful, and just like London itself everything station is different from the next. It’s cleaner and seemingly more efficient than the New York subway systems. Some of us did get left behind and had to hop on a different train though! All just practice for when we are navigating the underground maze all by ourselves! I noticed that the subway is also a fantastic to place to observe and analyze the people here—I take note of their outfits, what they have, and the looks on their faces and I think about where they might be going. How are they feeling? Are they wondering about me too?

Once we all made it safely, we headed up the stairs and entered the eutopia of Piccadilly Circus! It reminded me of Times Square, but on steroids and seemingly unending. I loved it there, it was crowded and bustling, just like I like it. Everywhere I turned there was something new to look at, new décor, new people doing cool things like acrobats! It’s a perfect example of why I’m so thankful that I’m on this trip with all the people that are here with me. We are all experiencing this in different ways, noticing different things, capturing it in our own essence. It’s what art is all about, and we are all becoming more educated and well-rounded creators. I love getting to talk to my fellow classmates and hearing their perspectives about the things that I saw and hearing about the things that I might’ve missed – I’m getting such a wider range of experience that way!

I took this picture of a man with his camera, and it’s probably one of my favorite images I’ve captured so far. I was running by and I saw him lift his camera to capture the flag of the United Kingdom flying in the wind. He seemed peaceful and at home. I recognized my fellow artist, capturing his world in a completely different way than me. I didn’t even speak to him or see his face, but I will not soon forget him.

To end our afternoon, we had lunch at Shake Shack. Surprisingly enough the shake was lackluster, but the burger was fantastic.

That night we went to go see Straight Line Crazy. The route to the theatre was gorgeous, we had a great view of the bridge, and it was a beautiful evening. We even found some funky statues and had a little fun monkeying around.

The theatre was beautiful. We sat down in our seats, and I got a little queasy, so Leah took me to the bathroom to cool down—I was again very thankful to have such a good friend with me on this adventure. On our way out I noticed a couple kissing in the hallway. They were probably in their 80s, and she had a fun rainbow sparkle purse that caught my eye. It looked like something I will have in 60 years. Her husband kissed her twice and then put both of his hands on her cheeks. As I walked by I heard him gently speak to her, with love pouring from his being. “Has anyone ever told you that your eyes are simply lovely?” It immediately brought tears to my eyes. Everything I’ve seen in the past two days has shown me how magical everything is when you’re in the moment, focused and observant of everything around you. You just never know what you’ll see.

I loved Straight Line Crazy! They were using American accents, because it is a show about New York and the architect Robert Moss. and it was interesting to think about an English person learning an American accent because I’m used to it being the other way around. There were a couple moments that I noticed where I thought ‘that is definitely not how an American accent sounds saying that word.’ I do wonder if I only noticed that because I’m American, and if anyone else who’s not from America thought the same thing. I thought the set was super cool, and the way every piece on it was impermanent and movable so it was very dynamic, and the actors could use it to tell the story. My attention was brought to the blocking several times, it seemed very precise and almost metaphorical to what was happening in the show. The acting was great, especially the mayor—I loved his character. Every time he came on stage, I got excited because I knew I was going to laugh, and when Robert came out, I was really interested in their relationship dynamic. This show left me very thoughtful, especially the last line; it left me with chills. I was very interested in the writing and the way the playwright worked with the characters to get his point about greed and power across. Since it was a play that revealed the ignorance Robert Moss, I wondered what the non-Americans in the audience thought of it and what kind of impression it left on them.

After the show I walked with Leah and had an in-depth discussion about what we saw, and what we noticed about the production and the writing. Since her specialty is costume design, I was really interested to hear her insights and she noticed a lot of things that I didn’t and opened my eyes to looking at theatre in a more detailed way. Then I talked to Austin who is pursuing his masters in lighting design. I’ve loved his work in the past and so I was super excited to get his insight as well. He taught me a lot; I don’t know very much about lighting but I’m very fascinated by it. For instance, he told me that saturated and colorful lighting is utilized much more in American theatre. “We love color there,” he said. This show didn’t have any colored lights whatsoever, and it was very interesting to mark the difference that made.

 I am so blessed to share in this journey with people who share my passion and excitement for art and theatre. Talking with them after the shows is something I will always look forward to; those of us in different concentrations can learn from one another and those of us in the same concentration can bounce ideas off each other! I am overjoyed to be here.

Signing off from London,

              Margaret.