I just can't even tell you how much I am learning over here. I feel like I take notes and make lists over and over of all the things I want to make sure to share with people. I am continually amazed. I actually kind of feel like I'm in a cultures class learning... there's something everyday that I notice or ask about. I told my brother I was needing to update this but wasn't sure what to write about besides all the things I'm learning.. we've gone on trips and done fun things and I will tell you all about them but along the way you'll have to read about all the things I think are amazing, crazy, and weird. If that's "geeky" of me I'm sorry.. but I hope you continue to read!!
I've done some more traveling around England over the last week. (and I have pictures up on Facebook if any one is interested) It's been pretty fun. I made a second trip in to London.. I really love that city. This trip was different... Tom and I both were a little disappointed but we tried to make the most of it. It was one of those days where you just couldn't make things right if you tried.... here's how that went:
We decided this time around to plan a little better because we flew by the seat of our pants last time and although we had a BLAST, we forgot a few important things along the way, like changing over our currency before we left etc! So.. we thought we had this a little more scoped out, however when we got there.. it just kind of all hit the fan if you know what I mean!! LOL. We decided first of all to get off on a different Tube Station to explore a bit and then once we got out and started walking we were starving... we were NOWHERE near a place to eat!! So we made a mental note: Temple Station... no food! When we finally did find a place to eat (Subway) the girl put so much sauce on our subs we thought we might drown in it... we decided then to walk to Trafalgar Square to eat because on the TomTom it said it was close... guess what.. sometimes GPS is WRONG!! So.. we walked and walked.. finally we found Trafalgar Sq and we ate our soaked subs!! Then we went in to the British Museum.... we were thinking ok cool... now we can get to seeing things.... we pulled out the camera to take pictures.... and it died! Then, in our effort to find Piccadilly Circus we found ChinaTown instead and forgot all about Piccadilly, which was no big deal at first... we'd just tried to get there last time and didn't know it would be a disappointment till later.. I'll tell you that story at the end... so then we came upon Leicester Square where we saw they were setting up a red carpet and lights... we thought we'd ask what was up.. A Movie premiere to our excitement.. so we asked what time it was going to start and who was going to be there... heartache struck again.. it was to start at 7pm and the lead man to show up... GEORGE CLOONEY.... (ps we had to leave by about 5pm) We took some pictures on our phones and headed on our way... next stop.. FLEET STREET.. home of Sweeney Todd's Barber shop... that's a long story, but it was a let down also.. just not what we expected. :) Oh well... so then.. we decided to book it over to Buckingham palace and check that out quick but because we decided to stop for some hot chocolate on the way we walked up to the Palace right as they FINISHED the changing of the guard... at that point.. we decided we just better get back... so we figured out where the closest station was (oh and by the way our TomTom died half way thru the day also) and of course when we got there it was about 530pm which we just so conveniently forgot was the busiest time of day to get on the tube because everyone is commuting back home from work... ugh.. what a day... we both agreed we still had fun, but it was very testing on our patience!!! (To go back now to my Piccadilly story.. I got home that night and happen to read a story about how Leona Lewis got punched in the head, when I got to the end of the story and they told where she had been signing autographs when she was struck they said she was in a bookstore in Piccadilly Circus...)
So.... enough about all of that.. my other trips over the last week weren't quite so trying and I enjoyed even just driving in the countryside of England.. it's soooo beautiful here!
The rest of the week brought a trip to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath!! Oh and we drove thru Oxford.. wow there are people everywhere in that city.. Along our journey we found more places that will give families military discounts.. and those that don't :) We learned that there are 38 independent, self governing colleges at Oxford University.. I'm sure that has to do with the amount of people!! We also learned that there is much mystery behind Stonehenge and there is really no clear information about why it is there. We learned that Windsor Castle is one of the only Castles still occupied in the country. (The queen floats about different places throughout the year and this is one of her stops) We also learned that the Roman Baths are the only Hot Spring in Britain. So much stuff!!! I never liked History in School but when it comes to life before your eyes.... TRULY AMAZING!!
I suppose I've written quite a bit for this entry.. I'll leave you with a few other fun tidbits I learned this week... very random and not really pertaining to anything in particular!
~ The McDonalds over here do not serve grilled chicken, everything is fried but the good news: their McFlurries... are only 99(pence)!!
~ Most portion sizes are smaller over here. You can't get the same size bottle of pop even
~ We have not found any Cadillacs over here... there are of course several brands of cars here that are not in the states but we have found almost all cars you would see in the states here, but no Caddys!
~ Because they are ahead here in the school system, you graduate at 16 but still go to college at 18. Strange I thought..
~ Your license plates come on your car when you buy it. They are white on the front plate, yellow on the back plate.
~ Some boarding schools here go until 5pm
~ Lots of places have breaks for afternoon tea!! (PS I need to find a grocer in the states that sells clotted cream!!! My new favorite food item!)
~ They have commercials on TV that you see in the states but the voices have been dubbed over with British accented people!
~ Gas is 1.10(lbs) per LITRE!!!
~ Lots of places figure your tip into your bill for you. The servers make a regular wage and tips are evenly distributed to all employees...
I know there are more, but I'll leave you with those for today.. hope you enjoy reading!! Have a great week!!
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