FOR JESS: Regent's Park

Fall in London

I loved this walk. There were so many things that made it wonderful. I was with some of my favorite people, it's during one of my favorite times of the year, it reminded me of one of my favorite places, and it was one of the most beautiful places in London. So what wasn't there to like?! While we followed Dr. B's directions for our walk, we also took some liberties in exploring on our own to just live and be in the park.

The fall weather was perfect firstly. It was absolutely beautiful. While walking through, I couldn't for

London Fall

the life of me figure out why I was loving the park so much until it finally hit me that it was because it actually reminded me of home. It had beautiful trees, a river, bridges... I dunno... for whatever reason it felt more like Utah than anywhere else has. That was some introspective learning that happened - even when I love London and am so happy to be here, there still is no place like home. I also can be thousands of miles away from home and somehow I'm still connected
to home. I forget sometimes that we're not complete planets away.

All over the park people were playing sports. It was the first time I've been in a park here where they just play around together outside. Since we're in the middle of the city, people evidently can't go into their backyards and play, so this park is a great place where they can have neighborhood teams get together and play. It was fun to watch the families and the teams and all the variety of people have fun together.

Construction everywhere

Here's something about London that I've learned. Construction. It's everywhere. You can't escape it. Utah may constantly have roadwork, but London has so. much. construction. I don't want to burst any bubbles, but it's something that is London to me.

Rich houses with classy architecture

It was a family-friendly park and I love being reminded of all the families who have the wonderful opportunity to grow up here. Also this walk helped remind me that there are people out there who are definitely richer than I am. These kids certainly grow up in unique circumstances. The architecture all around the area outside the park reflects the wealth of the area. It's no surprise because - learned this on the walk - Regents Park was this huge project by George IV when he was still Regent and it was meant to be this huge, grand, rich park. So the surrounding terraces and buildings definitely reflect his desire for grand and ritzy.

One of the many beautiful
parts of the park

More than anything, I loved this walk because it felt like home and it was a simplistic kind of beauty (even though apparently it didn't start out that way). There may have been informative things I was supposed to learn and facts I needed to know, but I just appreciated being inside a beautiful park in the middle of a beautiful city. So this was one of those walks that I will really remember even if it wasn't stock-full of anything very scholarly or educational.


"How sweet the morning air is! See how one little cloud floats like a pink feather from some giant flamingo. Now the red rim of the sun  pushes itself over the London cloud-bank... How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of nature!" - Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle

Fun times together

Redheads in the Park

Sports

Another fun part to the garden

Love these three

FOR JESS: Little Venice

This architecture is so
similar to some near home!

Little Venice is this delightful little gem in the middle of nowhere. It's seriously one of the shortest walks, so what could I learn from it, you ask (Jess)? Well let me tell you. London is filled with hidden gems. Who knew that inside this horribly busy city there would be an entire little (rich) oasis! It's really quite beautiful and it comes out of nowhere.

Little Venice

So I emerged from the underground and had no concept of where I was. To be fair, that doesn't happen so much anymore. I might not be quite sure where everything connects, but in general I can find my way around and have a general understanding of home and the Thames. In that little area, I
had no idea. So just when you think you've got a grasp on things, you are forced to remember that maybe there's still a lot to learn. Same goes for London in general. There's always more to learn and it's probably a little too easy to get complacent and forget to keep my eyes open to learning!

Crescent where Robert
Browning lived

Another crazy thing is this area is known as Little Venice because it has this pretty, little canal that runs right down the center. I have no idea where the water comes from or where it goes and I have no idea how this river-like canal ended up in the middle of London, but it's wonderful. London comes through once again to surprise me with a new culture.

As an English major, I also really love learning about my favorite authors and guess what? Robert Browning lived here as did Lord Byron and rumor has it they were the ones
who helped give this area its nickname. I love being able to travel to places where my favorite authors and poets lived to be
able to see what they were seeing. It's like Wordsworth - when I visit the Lake District it makes sense why he wrote the way he did and where his inspiration came from. So it's always enlightening to go back to peoples' roots and see how it influences their writing.


"London is enchanting. I step out upon a tawny coloured magic carpet, it seems, and get carried into beauty without raising a finger.† People pop in and out, lightly, divertingly like rabbits; and I look down Southampton Row, wet as a seal's back or red and yellow with sunshine, and watch the omnibuses going and coming and hear the old crazy organs. One of these days I will write about London, and how it takes up the private life and carries it on, without any effort." - Virginia Woolf

Little Venice with
little cuties! 

St. Mary's church nearby

Bridge House Pub - famous
pub, interesting people

FOR JESS: Westminster and Lambeth: Church and State

London Eye

This is a short walk that everyone loves doing because it's basically like walking in the foot of a tourist. So... I figure that I would be amiss to disregard tourists as part of this culture. Here's something though (ready for this, Jess?) - there are so many wonderful things to see and do in London so what is it that makes certain things more touristy than others? Bam. That's my thought. I'm really getting deep here.

So first item of touristy excitement was the London Eye. It's ginormous. I know I have to go because... it's quintessential London. See that's the thing about the culture here, even if you live here you also have to participate in the tourist side of life. Here's a fun fact, the London Eye was only built
in the turn of the millennium. I've thought it was such a permanent part of London, but who knew?! It really shouldn't surprise me. London is constantly changing and growing and it's only natural that the famous skyline is a mix of old and new.

Parliament and Big Ben

Speaking of the London skyline, we then made our way to Big Ben. Second fun fact, Big Ben is actually the name of the bell within the tower. So... That's something. I don't think it really makes much of a difference, but now we're all better educated. Big Ben is attached to parliament and parliament is another classic aspect to London. The architecture behind London
is really
fascinating. When it was built there was a lot of discussion over what to make the new and current legislation building. So rather than going classical and building a Greek government building - which is definitely what we do in America - they decided to build it in the Gothic style. It's pretty unique.

St. Margaret's Church

Finally, we were able to look at Westminster and this fun church next to it - St. Margaret's Church. This was a church I had no idea existed, but I'm so glad I got to visit! We were really lucky because we got to be there right on the hour when - I guess - they do a prayer. They asked us all to find a seat or to stop walking and we all stopped for a prayer. They prayed for the queen, Ebola, serving military, and then they made a special prayer for families all across the world who all struggle and have their own problems. It was really, really cool. It was a fun taste of London that I love having because it's not typical London. So even when you think you're in a very touristy area, you still get small little London treats. And then of course Westminster is overwhelming and beautiful though I couldn't get in because it costs money.

So there you have it! These amazing monuments are integral to London not only because they're touristy, but because they're so rich in culture and beauty. I love it here.


"I'm not sure what I'll do, but -- well, I want to go places and see people. I want my mind to grow. I want to live where things happen on a big scale" - F Scott Fitzgerald

Claire and I at the Eye!

Classic London

Westminster Abbey

Just a giant statue over a
tourist shop. No big deal.

Touch the Sky in Scotland

This may come as a shock, but... Scotland was ages ago. So... let's breeze through again as usual and just go with the bullet points...

• Burghley House is an amazingly rich house and that was cool.
• Chatsworth followed close behind especially as it's Darcy's home in the newest P&P
• We were starving in a sketch part of town so we ordered free-delivery pizza. It came after an hour and a half and we scarfed it down. Poor decisions.
• York! I loved York.
• We saw the Jorvik Museum for vikings. There is definitely a little ride you take which was delightful.
• While there my mom suggested Betty's for tea. When we went it was delightful. Seriously we had such a blast. As they phrased it, "Well done Mama Raymond."
• York's Chocolate Story. I can't begin to describe to you the joy of this place. I'm going to be quick about it, but... I made my own chocolate candy bar. I freaking made my own. I also had a taste testing session. I also tried chocolate the way the Aztecs would have had it. I also sampled all different kinds. SO GOOD. Also Kit-Kats are wildly popular and cranked out like nobody's business.
• We attended Evensong at the cathedral and it was beautiful.
• Fountain Abbey - amazing! It's huge and so fun to explore.
• Whitby - home to Dracula. That was a quick stop but I think Dracula might have photobombed my photos!
• There was definitely a man at our Italian place that was interested in me. Flattering if not slightly creepy.
• ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS KALLIE CAME HOME. So I skyped in the bathroom of my hotel in Edinburgh.
• Hadrian's wall
• Tour of all things Potter in Edinburgh - I died. Again and again and again
• The Elephant House - where JK Rowling scribbled on napkins
• Tomb of Tom Riddle, Potters, McGonagall, and someone else
• School that perhaps inspired Hogwarts
• Hotel she finished Harry Potter in
• Edinburgh Castle
• New Lanark - also an enjoyable amusement ride there
• Watched Brave while in Scotland
• Another large house... which I can't remember the name of. We see so many!

Sorry I'm not making the photos look good. So... that's happening.

"I will ride, I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky, I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky" - Touch the Sky (Brave)

Jane Austen novel at
Chastworth

Betty's tea with Hannah

Lauren and I making our
own chocolate

Me, Hannah W, and Erica
with our own chocolate bars

I really liked my chocolate

Fountain Abbey

Posing at Whitby - is that Dracula?!

We were being vampires

Durham Cathedral

Edinburgh Castle - makes me
think of Harry Potter

Touch the sky

Having a blast

Elephant House

Eating at Oink for lunch

Tom Riddle Sr and Jr
buried here

School inspiration for Hogwarts

Graffiti in Elephant House
from all fans

My own token

The statue plaque reads,
"Do Not Kiss"

Wales, Wales, Wales What Do We Have Here

Once again, I wish I had time to really give the full glory of what occurred over the missing week of my life. This was our week abroad - abroad outside of London - and it was pretty intense. We had already chosen a code word for times when we felt grumpy and we were prepared to enjoy ourselves and emerge friends at the end of six days on a bus together. I am pleased to tell you we were successful. No friendships were broken and we only had one dead body.

So what all did we do my goodness! Okay well my favorite was the Lake District. It was beautiful. I just stared out onto the lakes and the mountains and wanted to dance and sing and write poetry - can't really do much of any of those... Hahaha. So I just breathed it in. Everything is so beautiful and peaceful there. God clearly is here living and full of love for his children. How can you look at so much beauty and not feel that God wants nothing more than our happiness? He certainly soothed my tired and perhaps grumpy feathers after some difficult times. Being with BYU students also is the best because we all share a unique understanding of God's love. Thus the video is a recording of our spontaneous outbreak of hymns while we sat on the dock. So I loved it all so much. Our hostel was directly in front of one of the lakes so we definitely ran out and jumped off the dock to swim in the frigid water. We also saw Dove Cottage (home to Wordsworth). I was so excited. I think I died a couple of times being there myself. It was wonderful. English major freak out for sure. (Shout out to my mom for raising me the way every girl should be raised - loving English.)

• Cardiff Castle
• Llandaff Cathedral
• National Museum in Wales (where I saw Monets and the Blue Lady and other random masterpieces --- Masterpiece anyone?)
• Big Pit Coal Mine
• Trip up to Snowdon (we were literally surrounded by fog and I've never felt more like Jane Eyre in my whole life)
• Conway Castle
• Time spent in Chester - we went to a cathedral, Chester Rows, and wandered around in general. Everything closes super early here in the UK so there came a point when there wasn't much to do.
• Some pretty crazy girl nights and movie nights
• Traumatic Slavery Exhibit in Liverpool. It was not very organized to begin with and then it was brutally honest in a really... horrifying way.
• We spent a good hour or so getting on and off the bus to look at church history sites... that weren't there... so that was fun. Lol. "Imagine what this would have looked like!" "We don't know if this is the right street or where the building would have been, but get off the bus and let's look around!" We were all pretty darn tired for that kind of trip.
• More church history sites throughout Preston - we actually got a really fun tour from an LDS Englishman!
• LAKE DISTRICT AND DOVE COTTAGE
• Morton House - it was this random stop we made and none of us knew why we were
• We eventually ended up at the Potteries... they were... It was our last day and we were all exhausted. It was just a museum and had no gift shop or anything so it was a bit of a bust. Suffice it to say that nowadays you're asked, "on a scale from the Potteries to Dove Cottage how was--?" Or when we're angry we'll tell someone to "go to the potteries." It's basically the biggest joke here.

That's all I can think of for now. It was an incredible trip though. I can't even describe how much fun I had. There were also some crazy things that went down and my friends here were unbelievably supportive. They laughed and joked and just made me feel better if ever I was feeling down. We also have dubbed the professor's wives Mama Wood and Mama Benfell. They fill in as mothers for us when we miss our own - though no one can beat my real mother. So it was just bonding and wonderful and a dream every day.

"For oft, when on my couch I lie / In vacant or in pensive mood, / They flash upon that inward eye / Which is the bliss of solitude; / And then my heart with pleasure fills, /  And dances with the daffodils." - "I wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by Wordsworth

Llandaff

They had an American food
store - yum

This was after our experience
in the mines. We survived 

Snowden Mountain

Conway Castlee

Fun candy store in Chester 

In Liverpool. Heh. 

Roman Ampitheatre

Castell Castle 

English Major moment
outside Dove Cottage 

Me and my man Wordsworth 

English major moment
Wordsworth was
poet laureate

HeartLee, me, Syd jumping into
the lake

Our personal lake

Lake District

Can't get any better than that

Me and Lauren early morning

Preston Temple

Morton House

Liverpool Beatles Museum 

Claire and I had to copy their sleeping
position because that's priceless