National War Museum && War Horse

The national war museum is home to some of the greatest world war I & II artifacts.  They have relics ranging from clothing to tanks.  They even have a model of the atomic bomb dropped on Japan in WWII on leave from the United States.

One very interesting exhibit is the Life at Home exhibit.  It is dedicated to showing the life of those who where here in England during WWII.  I has on display house and replicas of the Anderson forts (small bomb shelters) that were built to protect people.  It has old videos about how to put out fire bombs and put on gas masks.  It is an amazing exhibit.

Just up stairs is the Holocaust exhibit. It follows the time line of Hitlers reign.  It was very unsettling and amazing what they did.  Two of the most interesting points that i found were first, the superstitions that surrounded the Jews in all countries, second, the pseudo science of dominant race that permeated every country including the United States.  The Jews were believed to practice magic and performed all kinds of dark rituals including child bleeding.  This just gave an insight as to how a nation could easily turn on the Jews.  They had a pseudo science of measuring eye color, head size, extra to determine if one was of a good design and should be allowed to procreate.  There were even restrictive laws in the states.  It is no wonder then how Hitler came up with some of these ideas and just carried them off the cliff.

After the War Museum we went to War Horse that night.  This is a great production about the horrors of war through the eyes a horse and his boy.  It shows some of the tension world war I cause and how it really was a stupid war.  The hall mark of this play is the main character(the horse) is played as a three man puppet, which is all-together captivating.  In the end, though separated and changing sides, the horse and his boy finally meet up and return safely home.  It was a great production.

A Walk and a Play

Mrs. Dalloway is one of the most interesting novels that i have ever attempted to read.  It is written in a completely different style of writing which take some work to understand.  The novel is set here in London and through out the book she walks through part of it.  Yesterday we retraced Mrs. Dalloway's steps through London.  That walk is one of the most beautiful walks and take one through a beautiful part of London.

After we went to the Prince of Pagotus which is an amazing mix between Kind Lear and The Princess and the Frog.  It was an amazing ballet.  The performers were truly out of this world.  It was quality that one only sees in the movies and set in a venue that one only sees in the movies.  It was a glorious theater.

Diamond Jubilee Mon/Tue

Monday night found us in Hyde park watching what was intended to be one of the greatest concerts of the year.  Indeed i haven't seen anything like it.  They had hit stars for two hours solid.  Each star however would only sing one maybe two songs, so you can look up the line up.  It was a fun atmoshpere as people from all over came to be together and to celebrate with the Queen.

Tuesday was one of the most interesting history classes that i have sat in...we covered WWI.  There is something completely different about covering WWI and WWII while in Briton.  These street still echo with monuments and memories from these times.  After class lead us to the Churchill War Rooms, were Churchill and leaders lead the war efforts during WWII.  This was a top secret building full of phones maps and left just as it was in ~1945.  When the war ended they literary just left everything and locked the door and so what is there is riveting to see.

We then headed home and thanks to Matt Mason enjoyed traditional English scones with jam and curdled cream.  While eating we watched the Queens parade on TV. I felt very English.

Latter that night found us and the Queen's favorite play War Horse. The horses in the play are created using puppets and they did an amazing job.  The play was fascinating and moving.

Diamond Jubilee Sat/Sun

Welcome to Briton's 4th of July: the Diamond Jubilee--the 4th being celebrated around American independence and the Jubilee around the monarch.   I tell you want i thought Americans were proud--the English have had hundreds of year more practice!  But seeing all this festival had been so much fun!--it's a great time to be in the UK.  However, seeing all this country pride has made me burn to see my flag and country.

Saturday began in Jubilee style: we went down to Borough Market for a picnic.  I got an amazing chicken sandwich, traditional soda bread, cheese, raspberries, amazing pastries, and Turkish delight (rose and pistachio flavored) -- it was all to die for!  Borough market is amazing!

After the market we headed down to Forbidden Planet which in essence is the biggest geek store in all of London.  They specialize in anything geeky, such as movie paraphernalia, comic books, figurines, and anything dealing with a movie.  They have Harry Potter wands, cards, and Doctorwho muffin tins, it was crazy.


The Kaylee and I headed down to the Diamond Jubilee celebration at the Royal Albert Hall--this was something that i will never forget!  It was in one of Briton's iconic building, one that has deep ties to them as a country because of the monarch it was build after, and it was a complete celebration of what is Briton.  They played some of my all time favorite songs with a glorious choir, a celestial orchestra, a golden soloist, and an majestic organ, with a full visual component (They used the center lighting facilities to their fullest extend).




They played: Fantasia on Greensleeves, Nimrod (Wow, i had chills all over!), Danny Boy, The White Cliffs of Dover, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Hallelujah Chorus, Bring Him Home, Sailing By, Abide With Me, Amazing Grace, We'll Meet Again, By the Sleepy Lagoon, You'll Never Walk Alone, and Rule Britannia!

There were stunning bag pipes, guest military wive women, and every audience member had a British flag they were waving the entire time.  Some of my favorite moments:  when the director surprised the audience with his British flag inner vest, the directors bejeweled directors coat with flag on back, his fat jokes (came when he tried to race the  audience with his orchestra), and the amazing light show with Rule, Britannia!  It was amazing--i hope they have something like this for the 4th it would be unforgettable.  It was also fun because i sat next to a British man that shared some fun stories about meeting the Queen and going to her garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Sunday came with its usual: i taught the Teacher quorum and i think it went very well.  After we tried to go see the barges floating down the Thames.  We got off at Embankment and were headed like cattle up away from the river to the main street.  Ended up being headed again across Waterloo bridge, one in which they closed and after being trampled on we headed back to the center and just watched it on TV ;)

Kew Gardens

Almost all of yesterday was spent touring Kew gardens, i would swear that the gardens are about the size of Blackfoot itself...ok, maybe not that big--but pretty close!  Kew is the worlds largest botanical garden and holds the worlds largest glass house.  They have gardens ranging from desert to tropical rain forest.  It was truly a sight to behold.  We arrived at Kew at ~10 and left about 1 and only saw about a quarter of it.  It was so amazing.  My favorite part of the gardens was the pond in the middle of the garden.  It was a beautiful pond with a bridge in which one can cross.  Just up from the pond is a tree walk which was also my favorite part.

After Kew we headed home for a couple of hours.  On the way home we passed the coolest little bread stand and bought a loft of bread and an apple fold.  The best apple fold and bread i have ever had!! I love London.

We then headed over to The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe in Hyde park.  The play was set up in a tent, much like circus with a round stage in the center.  They had amazing sound and used the top part of the tent as a projection screen to help depict the changing areas.  It was an amazing performance!  My favorite part of the show was the way they depicted trees, they had actors on stage on huge stilts and acrobats flying from the ceiling.  It was really cool.  Aslan was a three person puppet, which was extremely well done.  It was a great performance.

Tired of London

A man who is tired of London is tired of life! That is so true, the more i'm here the more i have done, the more i do the more i realize i haven't done and yet want to do! This is one of the coolest cities, with an unlimited amount of stuff to do!

Yesterday began with an amazing adventure.  This has been interesting to travel unscripted in London it is the first real time that i have been in charge of traveling and making things work.  Because up till now i have always just deepened on someone else, but now its just up to me.  So yesterday we took off on an hour trip to Windsor castle.  The tube was nothing new but the train was a new experience on our own.  There is nothing more fun that a majestic adventure on train.  We bought tickets and within a few moments after eight we were on are way across the majestic country side of Briton.  If you want to know how it felt: think rolling hill, all green with lush dark trees, majestic rivers, old ancient towns, ocean, and a sparse fog: then through a lulling rocking rail car picture Hogwarts up on the hill.  It was amazing.

We spent the entire morning in Windsor.  It had amazing brick walls with a small town almost inside.  We went through St. George Cathedral with its amazingly painted organ, and bold vaulted walls.  Here is buried Charles I, Henry VIII, his wife Catherine, and more.  The choir held a dazzling display of wood work and craftsmanship.

After touring the cathedral we watched the changing of the guard and saw the doll house.  This is a huge doll house that hold an unreal amount of detail, including working pluming and lighting.  After the doll house we saw and exhibit of photographs of the queen--which reminded me of my grandma.

After wondering for a few minutes we toured the state rooms of the castle.  They were as grand as ever with the most impressive being the grand hall--impressive just because of its size and the fact it was filled with amazing portrait of everyone that fought during the victory of Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo.  Also of a grand nature was the Knights hall were a table of over 168 people is place for royal dinners.  It was an amazing castle for sure.

Finishing with the castle we got lunch at Eat and then walked around the town.  It too was filled with amazing shops down every street.  After we headed back home.

Once in London we toured the Soane museum, which is a very crazy house of a very exotic collector.  He collected all kinds of crazy things stuck them in his house and then when he died they turned it into a museum.  Crazy!

We then came home got some dinner and headed back out to see Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  It was an amazing play because of the theater. The theater is in the east end of London literally under a rail road.  The audience is only about 30-40 and you site almost literally in the stage with the pit right next to you.  One of my favorite numbers was 'if someone like you found someone like me'.  The girl who sang this was amazing! Another one of my most favorite part was the war between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, they used choreography with mirrors and an amazing song.  You could tell which one he was playing just by looking at him, no the less the dialog.  It was awesome.

And with all good nights it ended with ice cream.

Just a great Day!

Well after one crazy day of class it was free for all the city of London.

We raced out of the door to visit a couple amazing museums just in our back yard, the Victoria and Albert museum and the National History Museum.  The V&A had artifacts from all over the world, some of my most favorite pieces were the Greek and Roman sculptures.  They had a little bit of everything.  One of the most interesting parts of this museum is in the fact the very building that it is build in, it is a great mansion and castle.  It is truly as beautiful as everything that is housed there in.

After at the National History Museum we saw an amazing display about the earth and the changes that it has experienced since the dawn of time.  There were all kinds of informational exhibits from the earths core, to volcanoes, to earth quakes, and what causes each and how they work.  They also had an extensive collection of minerals and rocks that are found in the earth.  One interesting display was a 237 caret diamond.  They also had an extensive exhibit of dinosaurs. Located in the museum is also an amazing exhibit about the Charles Darwin research lab that is on site.  Over all it was way cool.


We ended up outside headed toward Leicester Square to get tickets for the opera Madam Butterfly.  On the way there we got caught in the most torrential rain storm i have seen.  It wasn't raining that fast but the rain drops were the size of ice cubes.  I was soaked in seconds.  It was so cool!!

After getting socked we ended up at Leicester Square.  There we got tickets and wandered around the area looking for a good place to eat.  I have never seen a cooler place!  Amazing shops line the streets!  We decided to eat at a little pizza place called Pizza Express, it really was a lot of fun!  However, i thought i was going to die from heat stroke as i changed into pants and shoes in the bathroom in order to get ready for the opera.  The pizza was great, it reminded me a lot of California pizza kitchen.

After dinner we continued to wonder around the area.  We found the theater and movie theater square.  It was so cool.  There in the square is a tribute to the freedom of the people give by Shakespeare and his memory.  In the same square is the coolest M&M shop i have ever seen.  You can get anything with M&Ms on it!  We also saw the red carpet for the movie premier of ILL.  We wondered all through the area through shops and gift shops and stores.  It was a lot of fun.



We then finished the night with Madam Butterfly.  It the coolest theater i have ever seen.  It was dedicated to the Coliseum.  It was rich, red, ornate, and beautiful.  The play and music were amazing!  It was a deeply interesting play about an Americans affair in the culture of Japan. The themes were love, loyalty, tradition, religion, honor, and hypocrisy.  One of the most interesting moments is when she blind folds her ~5year old son, he stands a little ways off, and she with her father's ceremonial and sacrificial blade kills herself as her son hold up the American flag and her cheating 'husband' comes over the hill just in time to see her last breath.  It was a interesting moment, statement...as if to say the American dream, with its freedom: has killed her and her culture.  And it has done so blindly, ignorantly.  It was a powerful moment, and over all the singing was amazing, these actors filled the whole stage and the pit with their voices.