Hey guys. Sorry again that it's been so long. So I'm going to try to make it up to you. That means Mutiple Posts! Yeah! I'm only going to go so far tonight since I have a busy busy day tomorrow and didn't get much sleep last night. I have over 3 weeks to catch up on and I feel terrible about not having enough time to post SOMETHING earlier. I hope you forgive me. Please?
Ok, ready? Here goes...the start of 3 weeks!
10 November 2007: The Lord Mayor and a Children's Play
So this was a good day. Got up early and met the Tullos' at 8:15 for the Lord Mayor's Parade - a big to-do in London where the new Lord Mayor rides through town in his big stagecoach preceeded by a huge parade with people from everywhere (literally). Took the Tube to St. Paul's and found an amazingly (warm) spot in front of a Starbucks. Thank goodness for Starbucks!! I got hot chocolate and a cinnamon roll, which was fabulous. I loved every bite of it. We staked out our spots by 9 and sat until 11 when the parade started. Ian and I got different seats from everyone else, but his parents didn't mind that. So we had our spots and they were great...until this family of 10 (no joke) showed up and decided that their kids were too good for the sidewalk, so they stood in the street, blocking everyone's view cause the man was like 6 feet tall, and holding two kids, both older than 7, in his arms, meaning that he took up a lot more space than he needed to, meaning he blocked several people's views. So people kept moving farther and farther into the street (because there were no barriers, which was London's first mistake). The second? Unhelpful bobbies. One brave one of our group went up to the bobbie and asked him if he could make the family move to the pathway, but he said that "it wasn't his problem" and that he couldn't do anything anyway. Jerk. So the entire group of ours that was there had to move into the street, which was a pain because now the amazing seats we had were not amazing any more - people were now blocking our view, and Ian's short so he couldn't see so he moved in front of the crowd now gathering right in front of me. Great...now I can't see. But the parade came and there were people from everywhere. Scotland, Wales, Taiwan (I think) and lots of charity and hospitals in and around London. It was cool. I got lots of pictures. I like them, except for the fact that the same woman's head is in most of them because she kept moving in front of me. People kept trying to move in front of the others in the group, but someone (and I won't say who) pushed a little kid out of the way who was trying to get in front of them because they were sitting down and the kid was in the way. Makes sense. We had been out there literally before anyone else and no one was going to steal their looking space, dang it. Finally, I got fed up with the fact that I couldn't see very well and that the same woman's head was in lots of my pictures and I moved to the front where Ian was. I'm pretty sure I stood directly in front of someone, but I didn't care anymore. I wanted to see and if someone else lost their privilege, they could move, too. London has taught me to be rude. Sometimes it is necessary. In this case, I think it was - at least, I'm saying it was. But I really did enjoy the parade, aside from the people I was standing with. I saw the Lord Mayor because he was leaning out of the carriage on the side I was on. I got a really good picture of him, too. Yeah! As soon as he passed, the parade was over and people started leaving (they waste no time in getting where they're going).
I went back to the flat to change because I was taking Ian to a play later that day at 2:30. He had been looking forward to it for three weeks and was so excited! I have to admit that I was pretty excited, as well. So I changed and met him at 1:15 and we took the Tube to London Bridge and followed the signs from there to the Unicorn Theatre. Yeah, a children's play! We wen to see How to Beat a Giant, just in case you were wondering. Got to the theatre, picked up the tickets and waited until house opened - which was about 15 minutes. Ian and I stood right by the door because we wanted the best seats (there was no reserve seating for this show). So we were the first in the theatre and picked out seats on the very front row on the end in the middle. When I saw front seats, I mean the floor - the stage - because the stage was on the floor. It was great. The actors came up the audience during the play - close enough I could have reached out and touched them. It was amazing for a children's play. I really enjoyed it. The main actor was one that was in the Merchant of Venice and Holding Fire. He was really good. (If you want to know what the play was about, I will explain later - as in when I'm in the States - if you want me to.) So, went to a really good play and left for St. James Park where we went to feed thhe birds on the lake. If you don't know, this is the same lake that is in many of the pictures people take of Buckingham Palace. Yeah, that lake. And we went during sunset, so I was at the lake looking at the Palace at sunset feeding the Queen's birds and having a grand ole time with Ian. We left there because we wanted to see the Lord Mayor's Fireworks, which are the best that London has - yeah, much better than Guy Fawkes Day. So we got on the Tube and got off at Temple - at 5:15. Fireworks started at 5, so we missed them. I was so disappointed! Oh well, I will go back another time during November and see them...hopefully. But Ian and I walked back from Temple via Covent Garden. It didn't take as long as I thought it would have. We talked the whole way and saw London at night. It was pretty amazing. I really enjoyed that day - again, with the exception of all the rude people at the parade. I was glad that I could spend time away from people my own age and hang out with a 10 year old.
yeah, good times.
11 November 2007: Remembering those who gave their lives
So for all you history buffs reading this (I can think of at least 1, maybe 2), I hope you recognize the date. No? Search your memory? Still drawing a blank? Let's fill it in. This was Remembrance Sunday - or Veterans Day in the States. It was nice this year that the 11th was on a Sunday this year because England celebrates Remembrance Sunday on the closet to the 11th. For those of you who are still drawing a blank as to why this date is even remotely interesting, I will fill in another blank. 11/11 at 11:00 am is the time that WWI ended and peace was going to start happening (until the second war...). So, every year on November 11th (or the Sunday closest to the 11th in England) at 11:00 there is two minutes of silence (at least in England. I dont know about the States). The two minutes is begun and ended with the firing of a cannon and the time is kept according to Big Ben. So, at 11, a cannon fired, Big Ben chimed 11 and we were all silent for two minutes.
Let me start at the beginning...
I got up (that's always a good thing) and got dressed (again, a good thing). I left about 9:15 with Kaitlin, Megan and Chanel for Whitehall, just off Trafalgar Square, for the Remembrance Day service. This was the service the Queen was going to be at, so of course we had to be there early. Next time, I'm getting there at 6 in the morning. When we arrived, had our bags checked just to make sure we weren't there to kill the queen or something really stupid like that, and started walking towards the monument the Queen was going to lay a poppy wreath on, people were already half-way down Whitehall. We found a spot that was sort of close and we could see the monument pretty well...until later on, but I will tell you why. Met this nice lady and her daughter who had travelled to London for the day just for the ceremony. Her husband was in the parade. Yes, there was a parade. Every year, the Queen invites war veterans from every war (those that are still alive) and every veteran she invites gets to walk down Whitehall and place a wreath on the WWII monument. So we get there, talk to her, and then these people start coming down the street in a monumentously long line (am I allowed to say that?). There were 5 lines of war veterans ranging from WWII to the War in Iraq. And there were people there from every country that fought on the Allied side with the British - commonwealths at that time in other words. So there were people from Ireland, Scotland, Australia, Asia, and other places. I'm guessing, because I don't know for sure, but there looked to be about 4000 veterans that walked down Whitehall, all invited by the Queen at some point (when a veteran gets invited, they can come back year after year). It was so wonderful! I started tearing up, honestly. Sometimes, I don't understand why the U.S. doesn't make a big deal of of Veterans Day. But then again, the last war fought on our soil was the Civil War, and there is no one alive today who remembers that. I know the President goes and lays a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier, but it's not a public thing like Whitehall is. That makes me sad. There are so many veterans who do not get the recognition they deserve for laying down their lives for their country. Honestly, the U.S. could learn so many things from England - I don't know why they don't. But the veterans came walking down the street, some in wheelchairs, some barely able to stand making their way towards the monument with their comrads. I heard several of them as they walked past catching up on old times. It was like time had not moved on - like it had only been a few days since they had last parted, but I know for many of them, it had been at least 60 years since they had seen one another. Finally, all veterans were in place holding poppy wreaths or flowers to lay on the monument after the Queen. Then the service started. The bishop (of Canterbury, if I'm not mistaken) read somethings we sang a song and then....there was a cannon and two minutes silence. I had seen the men and women of their respective countries walk by, those who had given everything they had for their country, seen friends fall from enemy and friendly fire, and lived through horrific times, and I thought of my grandfather. He served in both WWII and the Korean War and passed away last summer. During those two minutes, I thought of him, his war buddies, and those standing in front of me. I started crying because I realized, to a very small degree, just how many people devoted their lives to protecting their homeland. I thought of my grandfather and everything I wished I had asked him and thanked him for serving to protect his family, and his country. It was a touching two minutes - I thought about a lot during that really short time. Another cannon sounded and the two minutes silence was over and the service continued - the Queen laid a wreath, etc. Then all the veterans went, row by row (5 total rows) to lay their wreaths or flowers upon the monument with the Queen's. It was beautiful. I got pictures after everyone left of the monument after the poppies had been laid. So many people died in so many wars. I'm glad they at least get a day to be remembered.
After we left Whitehall, Kaitlin, Megan, Chanel, and I went to Nando's - a chicken restaurant - and I got a plate of chips because I had been craving them for a long time. It was really good and I highly recommend it. Plus, FREE REFILLS! I'd go there just for the refills. Then I went to do homework and class. Yay...
That was the extent of that day.
Another day another day. Bed time. It's almost midnight and I'm going someplace tomorrow that I really should not be tired for.
BTW, I'm in Rome at the moment on my two and a half week free travel. After this I will be returning to the States. Europe has to end sometime. I really think I'm ready to get back and see everyone - but Europe first!
Sorry its only two days, guys, but sleep is important, especially since I didn't get enough of it last night.
Cheers! Ciao! Au revoir!
Aimee
acancien@harding.edu
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