May 30^th

Today, I visited the Tate Modern one of the greatest modern museums in the world. Anyone who knows me can guess that this was not my favorite spot in London. Modern art holds very little inspiration or captivation for me but there were a few pieces that I stopped to ponder.

The initial wonder of the Tate Modern is the building. Although it could come across as harsh due to the extent of concrete, I thought the curators did a wonderful job in providing an atmosphere that allowed for every type of artistic expression. It is lovely to see a free museum where families and travelers can wander in to experience floors of exhibits.

My first reflection is on the Landscape of Longing by Saleem Arif Quadri. It was made during the late 1990’s and was supposed to evoke a spiritual journey. I enjoyed the colors and textures of the seven wooden works. The borrows reminded me of the individual paths one might take but it also exhibited a fantastic use of negative space in how the shapes were purposefully arranged. It was meant to represent life’s many mysteries while resembling Islamic calligraphy.

The next memorable piece was Babel 2001 by Cildo Meireles. It was a modern take on the biblical story of the Tower of Babel which tells of man’s journey to reach heaven but ends with no one understanding each other due to God’s intervention. Meireles stacked stereos into a tower, and they span across all types and ages. Each radio plays a different station which cues the listener and viewer into the ideas of mass miscommunication and information overload. I enjoyed the message and construction of this work.

After reflecting on my enjoyment, I realize that I prefer modern art works that engage other senses. The first piece had such visual texture that, even though I could not touch it, it evoked the sense of feeling. The second work had a layer of sound, and this added meaning to the purpose behind the artist’s vision.

Regardless of my apathy, if any of you enjoy modern art of any kind, I highly recommend the Tate Modern. And even if you don’t, stop by for a quick look at the amazing architecture and free exhibits.

-Tabi is Booked

The voyage was long and arduous, but after many hours at 38,000 feet we made it to London! I believe that the novelty and intrigue of being in a new place was the only thing keeping me on my feet during the stretch of time between getting off of the plane and getting to the hotel. I nearly fell asleep in the lobby waiting for my room to be ready! I slept almost as soon as I hit the bed, and woke up at about 8:00PM local time. I did manage to do a bit of adventuring that first day though. Namely, finding a nearby Korean chicken place and a convenience store before returning to the hotel and falling asleep again.

The next day had much more going on, with a panoramic coach tour of London slated for the morning and a walking tour lined up after that. Our tour guide, Molly, enlightened me to all sorts of new knowledge. Some of the most interesting examples are as follows:

• There are actually two cities in the larger structure of London. There is the city of London, which is one square mile where the vast majority of finances are handled (banks, insurance companies, etc.), and there is the city of Westminster, which consists of most everything else. The larger city has 32 boroughs, and, in total, it makes up around 700 square miles!The Great Ormond Street Hospital is a premier children’s hospital, and the author of Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie, donated his royalties from the book to better the location.Fleet Street is named that because of the river that once ran along it. That river is now underground, but you can see it draining under the Blackfriars Bridge at low tide.London, due to its long history, is a city with many layers- like a spongecake, as our tour guide eloquently put it. There are structures and remains from the Romans, and then the Saxons, and then the Normans, and so on, and they all pile on top of each other underneath the present-day surfaces of the city.The Court of Common Counsel for the city of London can change any legislation within a single meeting of the committee, but this is, in part, due to them only holding sway over the one square mile city of London.The river Thames has a drastic swell based on the tides, falling and rising as much as 40 feet.Parliament cannot open without the Queen present, so they cannot technically achieve anything without her, despite her status as a figurehead monarch.

The walking tour was much less organized than the bus tour, or at least it seemed that way. We walked about Piccadilly Circus at around lunch time, and scattered to find restaurants that intrigued our individual interests nearby. On my part, I followed Taylor and Hailey, who were already set on a Malaysian restaurant that one of Taylor’s friends had recommended to her. The place was nice, and the food was great, but in the future, I should make sure I’m genuinely hungry before I buy lunch so I don’t leave any food behind.

To get to and from Piccadilly Circus, and to get to the next portion of the walking tour from King’s Cross back to the hotel, we got our first introduction to the London underground rail system, colloquially known as “the tubes.” Between the maps and different lines overlapping and keeping track of which direction you are supposed to be going in, it all seems very complicated and difficult to decipher to me. And the fact that our group was separated at our very first stop because of a lack of clarity regarding when we should get on the tubes versus wait for the next one did very little to uproot that idea. I’m sure that I’ll get a handle on it with time and practice, but I won’t be surprised if I get lost a few times in the process.

The evening of our second day in London, our group made our way to the Bridge Theatre to see Straight Line Crazy by David Hare. The presence of Ralph Fiennes as the lead had been emphasized to us in earlier discussion of our itinerary, so I was expecting a truly fantastic show of dramatic storytelling. The play was performed on a semi-thrust stage, as I call it, with the 2/3^rds of the playing area downstage being a thrust that goes out into the audience and the other 1/3^rd of the playing area upstage being wider and more like a proscenium. After watching it, I must say that I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t quite what I expected it to be. In the first act, all of the speaking characters felt larger than life. Robert Moses and the Governor in particular felt like caricatures in their big, blustering behaviors, and I cannot decide whether that works in the show’s favor or against it. On one hand, it amplifies the content being discussed, which might otherwise fail to intrigue an audience that likely consists of very few architects and landscape planners. On the other, it makes the characters a but harder to take seriously, or to relate to what their goals and given circumstances are. The second act felt much more believable than the first, though that might have been a consequence of becoming used to the characters over the first half.

All in all, these first two days were a struggle, though certainly a meaningful one. And that’s without mentioning my lost debit card and the hoops I had to jump through to cancel it and get a new one set up on my phone! I know things will get easier, and I can’t wait to see what London has in store for me!

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.