A Day in D Minor

It has been a homework heavy few days.

A couple of days ago we went and toured from a distance the Olympic sights here in London.  It was a lot of fun to see the east end of London.  It was really different from the west end of London.  As per tradition the east end of London is the slums and the poor, you can still see this fact today.  It is still very run down and dirty.  It was such an interesting notice to see that part of the city and to realize why it is that way.

Yesterday we went to a Bach violin concerto by candle light.  It was a wonderful night in classic Briton, talk about skill in order to play those pieces.  They performed

Bach - Violin Concerto in A minor
Bach - Violin Concerto in E major
Handel - Harpsichord Concerto
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Bach - Concerto for 2 Violins

My favorites were Pachelbels Canon and the 4 Seasons which is not listed.  After the concert in a majestic hall we travel to a gelato house called Scoops.  It was a kick just to hang out and get something sweet.



I went to bed at 11:00....whoot that is so early! Booya!  Really, my current schedule is 12:30 to 6:30 its a little rough! I've got figure out this whole school/London thing, tell you what it sucks trying to figure out how to balance the two. Currently London is winning...
 

Just when you thought you had seen it all!

Wow, just when i thought that it couldn't get any better it does! Yesterday, despite the early morning was literally out of this world!

The day started on the bus with a trip to Jane Austins living quarters.  It is in a quiet little town.  We went out to the church were her mother and sister are buried and then to the cottage were she publish and or wrote her 6 novels.

The church was truly old and the grave yard ancient.  This is just stuff that looks made up in the movies.  It was rustic and beautiful.

The cottage was quaint and inspiring.  It is no wonder she had a great time writing here.  While at the cottage we wrote with a quill and smelt lavender.  I also played on an ancient piano.  It was just fun, after reading Sense and Sensibility it was interesting to see the sights that possess her books and writing, as well as to learn in many cases she lived the life captured in her novels.  It was so interesting to walk where Jane had walked to see first had some of the things that surly filled her novels.

After Jane's home we traveled to Stourhead to tour the gardens there.  Upon arrival we grabbed a small lunch, i bought a loaf of sun flower seed bread and a small chunk of mature cheddar and had a great Europe lunch.  After lunch we went into the gardens, I have never seen anything like this in my entire life.  They have literally taken a mountain rang and turned it into a garden.  The Garden of Eden is the only thing that comes to mind.  It is glorious and beautiful.  The entire garden is full of pavilions, water attractions, flowers, every kind of tree, shaded pathways, Lillie ponds, a lake, caves, pavilions, bridges, and grass hills.  The every corner holds a new picture and it looks so glorious that one cannot help but think it is made up.

This is also the place were parts of Pride and Prejudiced were filmed, and yes we stood in the exact spots! It took us three hours just to walk alone one of the condensed path ways.  I have never seen anything so breath taking.

We then traveled to Bath.  We walked all through the ancient Roman bath. I never realized how truly large these were.  They were extensive, very comparable to the fitness centers that we have today.  It was really cool to see this ancient building and see the systems that they designed to use this ancient spring.  These baths were a series of pools with complicated drain systems and supplementary heating systems.  While there i got to try some of the bath water, much to my surprise it tasted a lot like home! Everyone else disagreed with me though.

We finished our tour of bath by walking up the city to see The Circus and The Crescent these were truly cool.  After seeing these ancient building we got some dinner and headed home.  While traveling home i saw some of the most beautiful country that i have ever seen!  Wow England is glorious and awe-inspiring.

National Gallery and Legal London

I had so much fun yesterday!

 The day started with my three hour British Literature class, which believe it or not is absolutely fascinating.  It is one of the best classes i have ever taken.  There has never been a three hour class that goes by so fast!  We talked yesterday a lot about Sense and Sensibility and different readings that can be done: we talked about Eliza and Marianne characters and how we still see them today.  We talked about how Jane Austin is so much more that just love and guts!  The way her characters jump off the page is just one of the great artistry of Jane Austin.

After class we headed over the National Gallery and viewed some of my most favorite pieces of art yet!! You know up until this gallery i wondered why people spend so much time 'viewing' art.  But as i viewed a few of the painting i felt that catharsis that i get while watching plays and listening to music.  It was the first time i have ever been moved by a piece of art.  It was really cool...needless to say i have three pieces of art coming home with me!

After the National Gallery i took off on a tour of Legal London.  It was one of the best walks yet!  The walk is full of grand glorious building that rise high into the air adding majesty to the sky.  The sidewalks are full of Armani suits and Rolex watches and BMWs.  While walking we went into the Great Hall and Great Hall Art Gallery; the Great Hall was a magnificent call full of banner and national war heroes.  They were preparing for a event so we were unable to fully go in, but to look at this great building was amazing.

After we traveled through the art gallery, my favorite part of the art gallery was some Roman ruins of a coliseum.  They discovered these ruins while doing some work on the upper art gallery.  The ruins are now on display with green neon lights filling in the gaps of what is missing.  It is truly cool!

Also while on the the walk i ran into other glorious building and treasure, as well as hidden streets.  The Temple district was also a neat find.  However, i was unable to go through it because it was closed...everything closes here at 4 it seems.

But none the less the national gallery, great hall, art museum, temple church, and getting lost in London made for a great day!  Just when you think you have seen it all you round a corner and London surprises you with an ancient treasure that blows your mind!  There will never be a time to get tired of London.

The rest of my night was spent reading William Wordsworth and other great pieces of literature...in London!  This is the Life!

Written on the Heart

This is going to be a week that involves a lot of home work as i foretell.  Yesterday was therefore a lot of home work!  Not so fun, but i did something that i didn't think possible: i finished Sense and Sensibility.  It was an interesting novel, very well written, not one of my favorites.  I think one reason for this is the crazy schedule in which we were asked to read it and everything else, therefore this meant i was reading it on the train, tube, buss, and every spare second...its hard to concentrate in these moments.

However, for lunch Kaylee and I went to the Princess Diana cafe.  I had Humus and Falafel, it was way different but good!  It was fun to just get out and see the city again...there is so much that i want to do here, London is out of this world, it always brings something new and exciting around any turn.  If one wants a new adventure just get off at a different tube stop and walk around.




After lunch and dinner, we went to the play Written on the Heart which is a play concerning William Tyndale and a Bishop working to translate the Bible in two different era's: one, the time of King Henry VIII and the other James I.  King Henry VIII persecuted this attempt and killed all those who attempted the work, while James sponsored the work.  The contrast between these two times was vivid.  It was interesting to me to see played on stage some of the contentions on how the bible was to be translated.  The play depicted the struggle between church and state, and how this struggle translated directly into the work of translating the Bible.  The word chooses were directly affected by the offices and positions of those involved, none the less the king and Arch bishop himself.  They argued over words to help color the meanings they sought to portray, for example wither a word should be translated: church or congregation; penance or repentance; fold or flock ...

The play was also telling in that it gave birth to questions of integrity and repentance.  Should we do the right thing regardless of the circumstances and can we learn from past mistakes?  One of the most interesting points is that the main character despite visions with William Tyndale himself still decides to sway the bible in light of his position, this shows a view that they believe the bible has been erroneously translated in cases to fit the view of the time.

All in all a very great play, it left me thinking about what was paid for the Bible and how grateful i am for the restored Church of Jesus Christ.

Mother's Day

Sunday's are great!!

I truly love the ward that i have been assigned to, in all reality i wish i could just stay here!  How cool they are.  I have been working with the Teachers and now i'm working with Ryan the Teacher's advisor to plan a trip to tour a few parts of London with the Teachers.  This should be a whole lot of fun!  I will also be teaching the last lesson.

The lesson in Teacher's was also very unique.  They talked about every member a missionary and putting together their ward mission plan, as they did so i couldn't help remember a young man in my ward that our family prayed for over the years.  This young man who is now married in the Temple and amazing, but who for years we thought would never become fully active.  It was just one of those neat experiences.

I then got to talk with my mom multiple times, which was great!!  I sure hope she had a great day in spit of it all...  I also had the chance to pick up a rare artifact for her for mothers day... check it out...
I think she really likes it ;)

The rest of the day was spent reading! I hope i get it all done!

Well here comes the start of another great week.

Portobello Market

Yesterday was a slower day with a ton of reading!

The day began catching up on my blog, which was no small feat after traveling to Paris.  After i got my blog up to date i headed out to Portobello Market.  It is an amazing market in which people from all over the world come and shop.  Shops range from ancient antiques to the equivalent of farmers markets.  It was a lot of fun roaming the street just looking.  I got a crape which was exceedingly good.

After traveling half way down the street, i found the coolest little bakery.  I ended up sitting out side and ordering french toast.  The french toast had a creamy, vanilla mozzarella cheese with caramelized rhubarb and sprinkled heavily with powdered sugar.  While sitting out side on  Portobello street eating my french toast, i read Sense and Sensibility and listened to a live guitar rendition of fur elise being played just in front of me.  Yeah it doesn't get any better!  Did i mention i'm in London!

After the market we went to the BYU Singers concert in the St. James Concert Hall.  It was one of the best performances that i have heard so far.  The music and their voices were out of this world! I have now found one of my all time favorite songs that truly captured my soul: Sure on this Shining Night by Morten Lauridsen.  There are not words to describe the transcendent catharsis and euphoria that this concert brought.  Just goes to show you, you don't know the talent that is in your own back yard.

It was a great day!!

One day Left

With only one day left, we knew we had to make it count.

The day began with a visit to the Louvre art museum. It was one of the coolest places that i have ever seen.  We spent about three hours there and didn't get even close to seeing it all!  I saw the Monalisa and other extremely famious works of art.  My favorite part was all of the ancient Greek and Roman statues.  This museum is housed in a mansion that is as historic as every in it.  It was amazing.

After the Louvre we went to Orangerie were Monet's Waterlilies is housed.  This is an amazing
painting that spans two huge rooms, in which the
painting runs across all four walls.  This is magnificent and one can even see trees hanging over the water,



shaded areas, the sunset, and clouds in the distance.  It creates a beautiful reflective feeling and peaceful mood.

After the museums we began another quest for food.  We found an amazing little couples shop called "Pain and Chocolate."  It was some great food and one of the coolest little restaurants that i have ever been in, it was decorated and beautiful.  We then continued down the street to two bakeries for desert.  It was an amazing time.  I have never seen such a crazy assortment of pastries and breads.  We also learned that French people want one to "take it out" if it is not a restaurant.  It was interesting.

After lunch we went to the Museum Rodin and saw some amazing sculptures.  Some of which included the original "Thinker" and the metal "Gates of Hell."  Indeed these were amazing and most of them were showcased in a beautiful garden surrounded by trees.


The last few moments in our Paris trip were a sprint out of our group of six: two when to walk to the river, two get a water color from the book sellers and two to get shirts from the Latin Corner.  I went and got two shirts: a button up and a Paris shirt.  This was mostly done because i had 40 Euros left
 that i didn't want to convert back to pounds.

We then all raced back to Eurostar for our train ride home.

This was an amazing trip! Paris was great i had so much fun and ate some of the best food and some of the greatest works of art.  Paris is a dirty city from the attitude to the streets to the air, but it hold that young lover romantic charm.  I loved this trip.  It was also interesting to note that i was so grateful to back to London, i love London's tube, i love its people, and i love living here.  It is going to be so hard to leave!  

Live'n the Dream!

PS: it is just wrong to make one pay for public Toilets.