Shenanigans on the Salisbury Plains

Yes, today was the day of Stonehenge, the henge made of Stone. Apparently the term "henge" has something to do with hanging...hence the name. I was actually a little shocked at how accessible the monument was as I had heard varying reviews of the site itself as being super crowded and touristy. Which, of course it was, but today Nicole and I boarded the bus with Fiona the tour guide and had ourselves a nice time there anyhow. The sun even came out for a few moments which made for a lovely setting and we learned a bit about how difficult and massive the effort must have been to construct this huge circle of stone. Also how magical it is that the stones are perfectly aligned with the sun's cycles and can even be used as a type of calendar to tell which month you are in by where the sun falls on the circle. Somebody was on to something way back when, that's for sure...

Although Stonehenge is a bit of a tick-box sight to see (you see it so you can tick it off your list), it was an enjoyable time nonetheless. We combined our tour with a visit to the city of Bath, formerly known as Aquae Sulis (waters of the goddess Sulis) and took a tour of the 2000 year old Roman baths that are still there today.

You wouldn't exactly want to take a dip or even touch the water as it stands in the baths today, but the hot springs that supply it are still flowing with water that could have fallen as rain thousands of years ago and is only now rising to the surface of the earth.  Yet again I am struck by how OLD things are here! The fact that structures and cities that were built thousands of years ago by ancient peoples still stand today is pretty amazing to witness.

Nic and I also tried some Cornish pasties during our afternoon which was a success, I have to say. A pasty is basically a bit of pastry folded over pretty much any topping you like - sort of like a perogy but with pastry instead of dough. An English classic, I figured it was about time I tried one of the suckers. Flaky golden deliciousness is the verdict.

It's been nice to have someone to do touristy things with and good to have a visit with my sis, although I think we will both need a rest after this weekend of adventure is over - we have been packing in the sightseeing, that's for sure. Favorites include wandering through Portobello Road, eating some delicious cupcakes and taking the train out to the Harry Potter Warner Bros. studio tour in Leavesden.

Tomorrow is another big one: Canada Day in London - which I'm sure will result in some more shenanigans to report back on. For now let's just say that two weary siblings need a little break from coaches and tubes and tickets and tour guides and are hoping to get a bit of rest in between all this excitement.

Sur La Plage

How I love to be beside the sea side...

I spent this past weekend "taking the air" in the British tourist town of Brighton, where people used to go to heal their ills with the fresh sea air. I have to say that my time in Brighton was indeed rather refreshing, but that was more due to the change of pace and scenery that it provided.

We spent a lot of time napping and laying in the sun, which will always do wonders for your health, I am told. Many picnics were had and on Sunday we found ourselves in a park outside the Royal Pavillion (read: palace) in the middle of a jazz concert. The town is really beautiful in a quaint kind of way and although the weather was not exactly beachy we enjoyed ourselves anyhow. I brought my bathing suit on principle as it is the end of June, a time when one could reasonably expect to possibly be able to suntan on the beach. Maybe if you are in a different country this would be true, but not in England - or the Land of the Wind and Rain as I have begun to call it.

The Brighton Pier was a fun time - it is like an amusement park out on the water. Not too large but definitely fun to spend a day at and wander around. We also visited a few museums (so cultured) and sat in a boat for a bit. Basically it was just nice to get away and have relaxation time. It's hard not to feel a little glad when you are listening to soft rock 80's and 90's tunes on a wooden pier and wondering whether you should have some gelato for dessert.

Even though I was only an hour's train ride outside of London it was really nice to feel like I was on a little "mini break" from work and things. Plus I got to enjoy the ocean which I do love and miss, and have a good time with some of my London friends. All in all a very successful getaway and I returned to London feeling refreshed and rejuvenated despite a mysterious lack of actual sleep over the weekend. I would confidently prescribe a solid dose of Brighton seaside air for anyone looking to chill out and enjoy a peaceful weekend at the coast.

My Mummy Says I'm A Miracle

This was the title of one of the songs from Matilda the Musical. This musical was a ton of  fun to watch and there were some fun surprises added in that are definitely not in the book! I don't want to ruin the surprise in case anyone is going to fly out to London to see it but let's just say the Russian Mafia gets involved...

He has some interesting theories, Mr. Roald Dahl. Basically he is saying that yes, every child is a miracle, and every one is a special little angel, just like our mummies and daddies say. But if every child is a miracle then really we're all on equal footing as we're all equally miraculous. A little depressing when you think about the billions of people on the planet and how you're really not that much more special or miraculous than any of them, but I do tend to agree with Mr. Dahl.

I think he's trying to say that it's important not to over value or under value the personal miracles in your life. To try to remember how miraculous it is that you have the relationships and memories that you do have, and to keep in mind a sense of perspective in terms of everybody else's private, secret little miracles of their own.

Bottom line: this musical is amusing for children and adults alike and I spend a lot of time pondering while going to and from places on the tube!

Every now and then I have to remind myself that my life is not always going to consist of planning my next European vacation. Oh, what a sobering thought that is, haha! So I have spent a lot of time pondering and I imagine I will continue to do so throughout the coming months, adventures and musicals and all. Mostly pondering how best to use the rest of my equally-as-miraculous-as-everyone-else's days.

Londontown

Well life in Londontown has settled down a little bit for me over the past week or so. I have begun to adjust to my new flat, learning the ins and outs of my area, finding the nearest supermarket and post office and things. I did some laundry, got a little rest and am almost feeling like myself again.

I joined up at the gym nearest my new house. I feel I should mention it because this club is HUGE and unlike anything I have ever seen. It is one of those megagyms - it has a trillion machines to work out on, a pool, a spa, childcare area, a cafe and lounge (with free wifi)...I could practically move in at the gym and I don't think they would mind!

Mostly I've been spending the past little while trying to catch up, in all areas. It seems as though over the past few weeks time has gone into overdrive. Everyday I am waking up and looking at the calendar somehow shocked to find that it is indeed one day later. Already the 11th? I think to myself. The 12th? The 13th???? I think it's a sign that I'm becoming more settled here. Which is good. I just know that time is going to fly and I don't want to get to the stage where I'm so worried about missing out on things that I don't enjoy properly what time I do have. So I am trying to just do one day at a time and remind myself to enjoy being in London.

On that note, it's time for another edition of Things That Are Different In London (Europe) after a period of observing my coworkers and new flatmates, many of whom are Spanish or Italian.

1) Coffee - You will not find any Tim Hortons in London - except possibly near the Canadian store in Central London that I have yet to go and check out. Nor will you find very much filter coffee at all. Instead you will find espresso everywhere, it is the European way. Yes, you will find tea. It is England, after all, but I have been astonished at the lack of plain old coffee over here. It is either espresso or instant coffee. Back in Canada I would think of instant coffee as gross, and more or less a last resort, but people over here drink it all the time! I guess because they don't have filter coffee machines in their homes, instant coffee is the at-home/work coffee drink. I've only had it a few times and it is beginning to grow on me, but definitely requires a shift in standards.

2) Hot Chocolate - While we're on the hot beverage train...the coffee may be worse in some cases over here, but the Hot Chocolate is usually better! This is because they take the term hot chocolate literally. I have had some really superb hot chocolates so far, with steamed milk and melted chocolate bits and cocoa and everything. Mmmm delicious.

3) Evening Meal - You can call it dinner but not usually supper. And if you're really British, you call it tea (which could mean tea or supper or both...I haven't fully worked that bit out yet).

4) Rain - I know I lived in Vancouver for three years....but MAN this is a lot of rain. And in the middle of June. Some British people say it's going to be like this all summer and that makes me a little sad. I can't help expecting real summer to come around at some point and it just feels perpetually like February to me here. Come on, England.

5) Football - I know more about the Spanish/Italian/Polish/Norwegian/English football clubs than I ever could have dreamed.

Stay tuned to hear about my experience at Matilda! The Musical tomorrow night and Poland's ranking in the Europe Cup...

Diamond Jubilations 2012

It was a pretty great weekend to be in London this past weekend, and even if I was busy dealing with slight housing issues, I was really glad to simply be here being a part of it.

I really dig how patriotic the Brits are towards their Queen, and the monarchy in general. Of course there is always opposition and politics and things, but I think you would be hard pressed to find anything short of a gold medal hockey game that would unite people back in Canada in such a way. It is about Her, for sure, and reigning for 60 years is equal parts lucky and impressive, but it's also just about the way that people enjoy themselves because of the celebrations. There were SO many people on the streets of Central London and everybody was just there to have a good time and celebrate their country.

After waiting for several hours in the damp weather on Sunday I did see the Queen float by on her royal barge, which was pretty cool. I was about 4th row back from the edge of the river, which meant that when the people in front of me turned their heads at certain angles, I could see her!! I'm not sure what the people behind me who turned up an hour before the pageant could see, but judging by the way they were pushing us it probably was not much. Highlight: waiting in line for the loo for literally 45 minutes - I am not exaggerating on this one folks...the line had to have been at least a city block long...and I timed it. Only for the Queen would I endure such sacrifices.

We managed to escape before the rain really started coming down and I watched the rest of the flotilla on TV at a friends house. Then there was the Jubilee Concert Monday night which took place outside Buckingham Palace on a really cool stage that they built in the middle of the road. They were showing the concert for free on huge screens in Hyde Park and that was just as much an event as the actual concert as thousands and thousands of people turned up to watch. I think this was one of my favorite London moments so far - it felt like I was really seeing Elton and the other performers live! Granted I was pretty darn close...it was just a really awesome atmosphere to be a part of something that so many people were celebrating and on such a historic occasion. Very. Cool. London.

In between all of this jubilation I also managed to (finally!) move house! Yay! So my things have made the transfer to my new room and house, which I have been happily residing in for approximately 24 hours (minus the time I've spent at work and watching Elton, obviously). It seems to be going well. I have a bed to sleep on in a room that's mine for the next 6 months, so I'll take it! Now the challenge is to try and catch up from a rather eventful weekend while going to work and settling in.

Should be a piece of cake.

The Importance of A Tenancy Agreement

Some important lessons were learned today by our hero. Namely, the importance of a tenancy agreement.

You might think that you are a pretty good judge of character, and that an older English woman with grandchildren in a well-kept home generally means what she says. You might also think that when you give her 220 pounds as a deposit on a room and she issues you a receipt you have, in essence, secured this room for yourself to live in. But alas, unless you have actually signed a tenancy agreement with this woman you may find that she sends you a text message a few hours before you are due to move in to said room stating that her extended family will now be living in it and therefore unfortunately you will not be.

Needless to say this may happen after you have already packed all of your belongings in preparation for the move, signed up for a redirection of your letters with Royal Mail and purchased a mobile broadband internet stick which will be rendered useless in future as virtually every other flat comes with broadband. And let us not forget that this situation would not have occured, at least in the same manner, if you had signed a tenancy agreement with your original flatmates in the first place and secured a length of stay for yourself.

So that is where I found myself this morning. After recieving this ninja kick in the stomach from London/the universe/Elaine-the-ill-fated-landlady I did indeed set about looking for places straight away, all ones that would include a guaranteed tenancy agreement for myself so that I will have somewhere to live for the next few months. Hopefully. At least on paper.

It is a little bit bizarre, especially seeing as I've looked for apartments tons of times before. I figured at first that I didn't want to sign anything too permanent for fear of tying myself down somewhere, and also that people rent casually ALL the time and it works out for them. But you can't really blame anyone in a situation where no actual paperwork was signed, aside from the fact that that wasn't a very nice thing to do, which means very little in legal/practical terms.

The bottom line is that I hope one day to no longer visit spareroom.co.uk on a daily/weekly basis, and also to have somewhere to call my home. I will not underestimate the importance of paperwork again and perhaps London is teaching me to be a little less trusting of people, at least at first. So wish me luck finding a flat...yet again. Third time's the charm???