More from London.

Hey all,

Well, the jet lag is getting slightly better, except that I woke up exhausted this morning. However, that has worn off as the day has progressed so I didn't have to take a nap and ruin my time zone recovery.

I just compiled all of my syllabi for the semester and it looks like they're going to be keeping me VERY busy. I think I'm going to be utterly exhausted when they send me home in December. But it'll be completely worth it. I'm experiencing so much everyday, and yet, I know I won't have learned even a small percentage of what this city has to offer in that time.

Yesterday was my first time on the tube and I have to say that I think it’s possibly the coolest thing on the planet. We just swiped our oyster cards caught a connection and popped out two blocks from the British Museum. It's so fast and efficient. They need to do it everywhere. It’s interesting here because you see a lot of diversity on public transportation- from tourists, to business men in suits. Also, something we've learned about British people is: they are really quiet on the subway (in general too, but this is where I noticed it for the first time). They all have a newspaper in their hands and get on and read until their stop. And in the elevator, oh I'm sorry, the lift, you squish 30 people in and then stand still and silent for the 45 second ride even if you know someone. It's almost comical.

We only spent an hour or so at the museum, some of my friends were there for an assignment and when they were done we needed to work on something else, but it was unbelievable. I mean I got to see THE Rosetta Stone. And many of the statues and side pieces of the Pantheon. And a statue of Ramses II. And they weren't reproductions like everything I’ve ever seen before. They were real pieces of history two inches from me.

Afterward we started one of our assigned "Walks" (we have to do 12 all over London). This one traces the outer perimeter of the old city of London. It took us about 2 hours just to get half way through, probably because we were still trying to figure out how the city works. It started at the tower of London where the old wall starts, and then is supposed to end at St. Paul’s cathedral; however we only made it as far as Liverpool station. It was amazing just rambling around The City, called so because it's the site of the original city but is now the Financial district. The buildings were huge, which I've seen before, but not all squished together like that. And then right next to a gorgeous glass contemporary building would be a church that had stood there for hundreds if not thousands of years. It's so amazing to walk through such a great blend of the past and the present. That's really the description for most of the city, at least what I've seen so far.

By the time we got home for dinner, because we did all that between noon and five, we were beat. My legs are still hurting from walking so much. Later that night a group of us girls went around the corner to this Belgium waffle vendor and I'm afraid I might get addicted to them if I'm not careful.

Well I have a ton of homework to do and breakfast at 6:30 tomorrow before we leave for Stonehenge so I should call it a night.

Love ya,
Tracy

Ramses II

Rosetta Stone

Three Naiads

Old Port of England
This is where the Harry and Hagrid talk took place in the first movie
Tower of London, which I have yet to really tour.
Emperor Trajan at Tower Hill.
Triumphal Arch, World War I monument. You can't see in the picture but the black on the columns is actually inscripted with names.
I mentioned this before. Ancient and Modern coexisting.
This is right around the corner on Queensway. I thought it was funny how the entire street is lined with shops and hten there's a random church with Gothic architecture.
Me out in front.
Because I just had to.

This was probably one of the coolest things EVER! I never thought I'd be able to be standing there. And now I could go every day if I wanted to, but I can't I'm kind of busy at Hogwarts right now.