I Love London!

Well, I just got back from a fun trip to London! On Wednesday afternoon, Catherine, Marfo, and I hopped on the train to London. The ride lasts about 2 hours, and it's really nice because you get to go through the beautiful countryside. When we arrived in London, Cat and I dropped our bags off at the hostel (Marfo's cousin lives in London, so she stayed with her), and headed to Leicester Square. The three of us really wanted to see a musical, but it's half term (spring break) for ALL of the schools in England, so EVERY musical was sold out. We were sad! Marfo and Cat are HUGE theater fans, so they bought tickets to see "Embers," a play starring Jeremy Irons. Marfo has only been to London once, so we showed her some of the fun sights before dinner. We went through Chinatown and SoHo, and then to Trafalgar Square. A group of students from Mississippi College are studying in London for the semester, including two girls from Madison, so we made plans to eat dinner together. Catherine is from Texas, and was craving some Tex-Mex (there are only about TWO places in England where you can find it, and they're both in London), so the three of us had a wonderful dinner with Mallory Sullivan, Lee Ann Babb, and their friend Pat. It was SO fun getting to see Mallory and Lee Ann! It's always nice to hear a Southern accent, but it's even better when you know the person speaking! :) After dinner, Cat and Marfo headed to their play, and Mallory, Lee Ann, Pat, and I went and hung out. It was so fun catching up! Their program sounds fun but very demanding! They'll be in Stratford-upon-Avon at the end of March, so I'll get to hang out with them some more...hooray! I met up with Catherine and Marfo after their play, which they said was NOT good. It was opening night, and Jeremy Irons forgot his lines THREE times and had to call for someone to read them to him! Wow. We dropped Marfo off at her cousin's flat, and then went back to the hostel to go to bed. Cat and I stayed at Picadilly Backpackers, which was a very nice hostel! Hostels are like dorm rooms, usually with 6 or 8 beds. Most hostels are NOT co-ed, which is nice. Hostels are great for people traveling in Europe on a budget (i.e. students!), but I wouldn't stay in one if I was older. They're very safe and clean, though. Hostels usually run about 15 pounds a night, which is about $25. You'll never find a hotel room that cheap in Europe! On Thursday, we woke up and met Marfo in Leicester Square. The three of us went to Covent Garden and looked around, and then I took them to Camden Town, which is one of my FAVORITE places in London. It's a really neat shopping area, and you can find such an eclectic selection for a really good price. Cat and Marfo stocked up on lots of goodies, but I didn't find anything. Next, we went to the South Bank (southern part of the River Thames - pronounced Tims) to enjoy the sunshine. London is just beautiful, especially from the river! The weather was nice and sunny, and not too cold! Marfo is a huge art fan, so she wanted to stop in the Tate Museum of Modern Art. Cat and I sat outside while she went in for a quick look. We walked around some more, and then ate a delicious dinner in a pizza restaurant in Gabriel's Wharf. After dinner, we went to see "Measure for Measure," a play Marfo and Cat had been wanting to seen. It was pretty good! I would rather see a musical than a play anyday, but this was a modern adaptation, and it was pretty good! England is much more of a play/theater society. Given the chance, most Brits would choose to see a play over a movie. Americans are very much the opposite! That's probably why "Walk the Line" JUST came out here! I'm dying to see it. It'll be in Stratford at the beginning of March, and Michelle and I have made plans to go see it. After the play, we brought Marfo back to her cousin's flat and went to bed. Catherine's sister, Erin, and her friend Andrea flew into London Thursday night to spend a week with Cat, so the next morning we met them for breakfast. Erin and Andrea are in seminary in Boston, and they're so much fun! I took Erin, Andrea, Cat, and Marfo to Monmouth Cafe, my FAVORITE coffee shop in London, which is in Southwark on the South Bank. When Jeannie and I spent a summer in London, we went there all the time. My parents and Claire have even been there, too! We walked around Southwark, and then Marfo, Erin, and Andrea went back to the Tate. Then, we walked across the Milennium Bridge towards St. Paul's. We walked along the Thames, checking out the sights, and then we had to head back to get our bags. Marfo and I caught the 3:00 train back to Stratford, and Cat, Erin, and Andrea left for Exeter to visit some of Erin's friends. It's nice to be back in Stratford, but I absolutely LOVE London! Sometimes I wonder if I should have lived there instead, but then I think that I may get tired of London if I actually lived there. And I would hate to get tired of London! It's a fast paced city, and not for everyone. Cat can only handle it for a little while. But I LOVE it! It's so unique. Everyone needs to visit, at least once! And when you go, take me, too, so I can be your tour guide! :)

Me, Mallory, Pat, and Lee Ann outside of St. Margaret's Hotel in Russell Square, where they are staying for a while in London.

Me and Mallory, hanging out after dinner

Monmouth Cafe, my favorite coffee shop! That's Marfo on the left, putting sugar in her coffee

Cat, me, and Marfo, standing on the London bridge with the Tower Bridge in the background