London Randomness

I am going to take a little break from my usual entries and describe what London life for me is like at least in terms of my routine.  I will also throw in some pics from various little adventures I have taken.

Be warned I will be "borrowing" some of these pics from google, as I haven't had the thought or courage to take pictures of some of these places...

yet...

My time here hasn't all been sightseeing and day trips.  On Monday through Thursday I have classes.  My routine usually involves me getting up around 9, showering, getting ready, then relaxing until I have to make my trip to campus.

I usually turn on the telly and watch this discussion show called The Wright Stuff and check my emails and Facebook.  I eat breakfast (either cereal or a bagel with cream cheese) and if I have time, I work on a blog entry. 

I don't technically have to leave my flat until 11:30 am, but I usually get out of here by 10:45am and head to my tube station, Gloucester Road, which is about two blocks away.

I take the Piccadilly line for about 20 minutes until I reach Russell Square, which is my stop for school.  It is about a ten minute walk from the station to school...

and if I am early, I grab a table at the student union with Ryan and we hang out until class starts.

I have two classes each day, Shakespeare, and Art History on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Film Appreciation and British Life and Culture class (which everyone has) on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I usually finish with school between 4:30 and 5:30, depending on the day and how the professor feels.  Most days, my friends and I part ways and go home, but sometimes, especially on Thursdays, we try to find something to do.

During the week, I usually come home and do homework, or I go grocery shopping if I need to (I need to often because we don't have a lot of food storage here, so my supplies only last me a few days).  If I am not doing either of these things, than I am constantly hitting refresh on facebook and gmail, hoping someone has emailed me or is trying to chat with me.

Just kidding

...sort of...

Back to Thursdays after school...

Usually we eat.  We found a Chipotle near campus that we have enjoyed a couple of times, and there is this chain italian place called "Ask" near my house that we love (they are super friendly and make us feel like we are back in the states).

A week ago we went to the Museum of London.



I made Matt wear a bonnet.  It remains one of my fondest memories..especially when he started crying.

I also used this crazy device that apparently used to be what phones looked like...or something?  Weird.

We also try to find things to do on Sundays.  Camden Market was one example of a short Sunday outing.

Not too long ago, the boys and I visited the Natural History Museum, which is only a ten minute walk from my flat.

It is pretty big

Darwin is my homeboy

I could do without the creepy fetus though...I still have nightmares about that...*shudders*

and where else could you take a giant escalator into the center of the earth!

Or carry it on your shoulders ("I am Atlas!")

I also learned that some guy "invented" Dinosaurs.  Who knew? (I made this picture bigger so you could see what the sign behind me says)

The boys and I also went to check out Piccadilly Circus, which is famous for its neon lights.

It was supposed to look like this...




but because of all the construction, this is what I got.

London is getting itself ready for the Olympics; there is construction everywhere, especially at all of the touristy places.  They definitely want to be shiny and nice when the hoards of sports fans from all over the world come here next summer.

But at least I got a picture with a horse fountain