good times

Today was funny.  This morning we slept in till about 9:00 and then we all slowly got ready for the day.  It was nice not to have to rush off to anything.  After we were ready, we all went to the National Portrait Gallery.  We have an assignment to see Shakespeare's portrait and write something about it.  So we basically walked into the museum, saw the portrait, and left.  That's exactly how museums should be done.  See what is important, and leave.  After we left we found a little pizza shop that had pizza slices for 1.50 pounds.  We all pounced because you never find anything that cheap in this city!  We soon found out why it was so cheap.  Mine didn't even have sauce on it.  We justified it by saying it was carbs, which we need because we walk around so much.  Then we went to another museum that we had to go to for class.  It was dumb.  We have been to so many museums, we all hate museums now.  We never want to go to another museum until we go to Paris.  After the museum, we came home and put our swimsuits on.  That is when the adventure began.  We took a tube to the train station and a train to a little city where there was a fresh water pond.  It was quite a trek to find this little pond.  The 15 minute walk there was amazing though!!  Everything was so green and it looked like a movie.  The houses on the ponds and the green trees with the vines.  It was really cool!  We finally found the pond and we had to laugh because there was probably 50 people laying out on the tiniest bit of grass.  So we all felt the water and it was freezing.  That didn't stop us though.  Most of us got in, and we couldn't breathe because we were so cold.  But it was fun!  And we got cute pictures.  Then we came home and just ate dinner and kinda did nothing.  We decided to play card games so we went down to the basement where the common room is.  There was nine girls and we decided to play bs.  Not only did we play bs, but we played strip bs.  I probably shouldn't even be writing this on my blog, but oh well.  Needless to say, I was naked tonight in front of 8 girls.  And I wasn't the only one.  There was a table half way blocking our bodies, but not much.  I have never laughed so hard in my life.  It was honestly the funniest thing I have ever done.  We had so much fun!  I will never forget it.  Good times.

homebody

I got groceries last night.  That was my crazy adventure for the weekend.  A few of my friends went to a random rave techno birthday party but I really didn't feel like it.  It was nice to stay home.  We had church at 2:30 today.  Everybody in my flat basically stayed in their pajamas till 1:30 and just hung out.  It was kind of funny.  It's nice to have a day where we don't have to worry about anything.  When we got to church the bishop asked me to say the closing prayer!!  FREAKY!  The ward is big!  Of course I said yes.  So by the end of sacrament meeting my heart was pounding so hard and fast!!  I thought I was going to die.  During the prayer I mentioned mothers and our gratitude towards them.  Then I realized it wasn't even Mother's Day in the UK, so the bishop had to tell the congregation why I randomly talked about mothers in my prayer.  We stayed for all three hours.  The last hour was the institute graduation.  Afterwards they had snack refreshments.  Random food.  We piled it high because we never get free food.  Not one person talked to us.  The people here really aren't friendly.  It makes me want to welcome visitors even more when I am home.  I got to call home today!  It was fun to talk to everybody!!  Some more girls went to a cabaret, but I of course didn't feel like it.  First of all it was Sunday and second of all I just wasn't in the mood.  So while they were gone I found a new hobby.  I started making a movie on imovie of my London pictures and videos with music in the background.  It's so cute!  Everybody wants me to burn them a copy.  I told them there would be a charge. Well it's time for me to go to bed.  I hope my mom and all my other favorite moms (and future moms) had a wonderful mother's day!!  I love you!

Ready for Sunday

Wicked is the best show on the planet!!!!!  I cried at the end because I loved it so much!!  It would be so fun to be in a show like that.  I wish I could sing!  It really was amazing.  One of my friends and I started crying at the end because it was just so amazing, and then I started laughing because I was embarrassed and of course it turned into the laugh cry.  That is the worst!  But the best at the same time.  It's just not fun because I really can't control myself, laughing and crying.  Anyway, yesterday we went to Brighton Beach.  It is the place where all the celebrities live.  We had to take a train across the countryside there and it was so beautiful!  The beach was all rocks, but it didn't even hurt to lay on.  It was kind of weird.  It was really fun though!  It really had a California feel.  We went on the pier, and I only lasted a few minutes.  I hate piers and whoever I marry will know I hate piers.  They are just dirty with dirty people.  I did buy a chocolate banana crepe though.  It was great!  That night I noticed that I was really sunburned.  I didn't even care because I don't want to be a ghost when I go back to Utah!!  Last night we went to see the movie "What Happens in Vegas" and we had a really good time!!  It was fun.  We felt like we were in the USA and we liked it.  The movie was great!!  I was laughing so hard that I was clapping.  I know, it's embarrassing to go anywhere with me.  I also cried at the end of this.  Haha yeah I don't know why I have been so emotional lately.  Today we went to the Portabella Market.  They have antiques and clothes and treasures and a lot of junk.  I bought a real gold claddagh ring from the 1950's.  My mom bought me one from Ireland a long time ago, but I lost it.  I also bought a new wallet and a few summer clothes because it's so hot and humid here!!  We don't have any plans for tonight, but we are going grocery shopping.  Exciting I know.  Tomorrow is Mother's Day.  I have the best mother on the planet.  I have been a lot of places on the planet so I can say that.  She is the only mother out of my friends on the study abroad who emails her daughter daily.  And it's not just a few sentences, it's a novel.  I love it!!  It really means so much to me to know she cares.  I love her so much and I hope one day I am just like her!  All my guy friends already say we look exactly alike and that is the biggest complement to me!  Thanks for everything mom.  I love you!  And Happy Mother's day to my Grandma Davis, Grandma B and all my aunts!  You are all great examples!  Love you!

Mom, you're a wonderful mother, 

So gentle, yet so strong.

The many way you show you care 

Always make me feel I belong.

You're patient when I'm foolish;

You give guidance when I ask;

It seems you can do most anything;

You're the master of every task.

You're a dependable source of comfort;

You're my cushion when I fall.

You help in times of trouble; 

You support me whenever I call.

I love you more than I can express;

You have my total respect.

If I had my choice of mothers,

You'd be the one I'd select!

So much to do!!!

It's been a while!!  Monday we went to the London zoo.  We heard it was one of the greatest zoos on the planet, but I would have to disagree.  I think it is the only zoo in Europe so they just say that to get people there.  But it was still really fun!  It felt like we were in California, and it was kind of nice for a change.  Tuesday we went to the National Gallery.  It was so awesome!!  We saw paintings such as "Sunflowers" by Van Gough, and "The Virgin of the Rocks" by Di Vinci!  There were so many famous paintings.  I was reminded of all the good times I had in elementary school when my mom was the art master piece teacher. Good times.     Wednesday we went to the St. James park and played.  The weather has been extremely hot!!  None of us were prepared.  So we have been wearing our undershirts as shirts and sporting pony tails with sunglasses.  It's pretty fun!  We look like locals.  The last night we went to a really good and expensive dinner!  I hadn't had meat since we left, so I ordered a chicken breast that was filled with motzerella cheese and had a really good sauce.  When I got home I was really sick!  I think I got food poisoning.  It was not fun at all.  Today we tried to go to the criminal courts to watch a case, but we couldn't get in because we all had electronics in our bags.  So we tried to leave them at this little cafe that will hold things for a pound per bag.  So we all put our cameras and ipods in one purse, and then the lady was like "how many items are in there?" and I said "I don't know 9 or 10?" and she said "well it's a pound an item."  and we were mad because the man had just told us a pound a bag!  Then she was like "1 camera is 1 pound, 2 cameras is 2 pounds, 3 cameras is four pounds," and she was holding her fingers up and just being so so rude!!  So then I said "Oh so 4 cameras is 4 pounds and 5 cameras is 5 pounds and 6 cameras is 6 pounds?  Wow!"  I was really rude back.  And she said "I'm leaving."  And she left her cafe.  We were all so annoyed at the dumb lady!!!  I think that was our breaking point because everybody here is so rude!  They have no manners and they just are not friendly.  So we left the place and went to a little shopping area that has cheap market stuff and nice places to shop too.  I bought a sweatshirt and a luffa for the shower.  It was fun.  Tonight we are going to see Wicked!!!  I am so so excited!!  

Free Time

We have a lot of free time.  Almost too much for me.  I am the type of person that likes to feel like I am always doing something worth my time, especially while living in London.  I want to get a job here.  Haha-not really, but I want to find a hobby or something.  I've noticed Facebook has become my hobby, and I hate it.  I have nothing to do!  I did my homework, I went on a walk with my friend, I tried to watch the Jazz/Lakers game, and now I am just trying to think of some more things to do.  I wish I had like a blanket I was knitting or something productive to do.  We went to church today.  It was from 2:30-5:30.  I secretly hate that time of church.  It was really good though.  There was only one semi-cute boy, and I am hooking my friend Cailie up with him.  I already gave her a line to say to him, and she used it.  The line was "Hey, I liked your testimony today."  It worked.  I'm happy for her.  Anyway, I cannot believe my best friend and cousin Lauren Davis is engaged!!!!  I knew it was coming, but it's still weird.  The thought really freaks me out.  I love it though.  Congratulations Ryan and Lauren!  I love you both!

People, People, People

This city never stops.  We never stop.  Yesterday we went to the tower of London and it was really cool!  We got to see the two biggest diamonds in the world and all of the queen's jewelry.  It was amazing.  Later that day we went shopping and just explored around.  As we were walking home, we saw a bunch of people standing around waiting for someone.  We thought it was a celebrity.  A person told us it was the queen so we waited for her to come out and we saw her!!  She was only about 40 feet away.  A lot of people who live in England have never even seen the queen.  I have never even seen President Bush!   It was a cool experience.  Later that night we all went to a club.  It was pretty intense.  I actually got homesick from being in such an extreme environment, but it was still fun.  We found out the tube closes at 1 a.m. so we had no way back.  We took a random bus, then walked the rest of the way.  Needless to say it was pretty scary and very far.  We were lost half the time.  We finally got home around 3:45.  Yeah.  Today we went to the Hamptons Court Palace.  The gardens there were so beautiful!!!  All I could think of was how much my mom would love the flowers.  After we went to a market.  I bought some fish n' chips.  Then we took the tube to another market and that was insane!!!  There were so many people (mostly gothic)!  It was weird!  Very fun though.  I bought my sisters a present.  As we were leaving, I saw a sign in the tube that said over 55,700 people go through this tube station every Saturday.  WOW!  Insane.  Insane.

Busy Body

WOW!  There is so much to do in this city!!  We are seriously doing something every single second.  I love it!  It's opposite of BYU Hawaii.  Everything is fast paced and no smiling is allowed.  If you say "excuse me" it doesn't matter because people don't move.  I have started to give people rude looks who aren't polite.  So basically to every person in London.  I don't think they really notice though because their faces are always rude.  Anyway we started having class.  One of my teachers is really laid back and the other is very serious.  The serious one teaches Shakespeare and it's actually going to be kind of a hard class.  That's embarrassing that I am admitting this, but it's true.  I don't want to have to do multiple assignments every night!  I'm in London!  Oh well.  We have been to some amazing sights!  Yesterday we went to the Westminster Abby.  It is also known as the Church of England.  It was so amazing!!  It is almost 1,000 years old.  I couldn't believe it.  We couldn't take pictures inside, but the architecture was out of control.  It just boggles my mind.  Inside, there are a bunch of famous English people buried there.  Some of the more interesting ones include Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, and Charles Darwin.  It was pretty cool!  I wanted to get Isaac up from the grave and tell me he has caused a lot of pain in my life the last few years because of all his math discoveries.  We also saw Big Ben, the London Eye, Hyde Park and some other things.  There have been multiple adventures on the tube and rain like no other.  It's pretty much freezing here.  I have to wear a sweater, a zip up sweatshirt and my big rain coat.  I had three hoods on today!  People can tell we are from America.  But the boys don't seem to mind.  Yesterday I met a huge group of boys from Belgium.  I told them it was cool they were from there and they didn't know why that was cool. haha I said because I am from the United States and anywhere else is cool to me!!  They called me "beautiful Brittany from America" and one of them actually asked me for my number!  I laughed.  Today we went to the British Museum.  I thought of that Michael Buble song where it says "the British Museum has lost it's charm..."  Yeah I am a nerd.  It was the most amazing museum I have ever been too.  And that's saying something.  We saw the actual statues from the Panthenon, the Rosetta Stone, Sutton Hue and a lot more things.  I liked it.  Tonight we are going to the play "Romeo and Juliet."  It should be fun.