Last Couple of Days and NOW HOME!

Hi all, this is it for me! The last couple of days in london I was attending an archaeology archive course which was a total waste of time. and then I got to see the Queen's Rose Garden (pics coming later) and the girls (and Paul) went out to TigerTiger for my last night and I had a great time! (pics from that soon too). Now Im home and I just want to say that I had a great time and thanks for reading! I'm going to make a slide show of pics eventually, email me if you want a copy.
LOVE!

May 18th to 30th, 2008- West Dean Estate

On these days, I was at the West Dean Estate doing my archaeological field course... (see green book for arch stuff). Some highlights include going in the archaeological van to the Indiana Jones movie (not worth it but going in the van was cool and with other archaeologists). Our site was a late bronze age field system... not very exciting. and it was on this gigantic hill we had to climb everymorning. just like when i went to belize. whats with the high up sites? I also went in to Chichester on our saturday off, which was interesting... got good food and a chance to be in civilization. The food was terrible, but since I am lactose intolerant... and was being really strict since i was in the woods and not wanting to deal with that, I got special meals made... which were way better then the other food. thank god for that. A couple of the nights we walked down to the thai pub... that was fun. Other nights we hung out by the camp fire and chilled. There were so many slugs... I have never woken up and had my tent covered by 10 huge slugs before... it was gross. Also i got two ticks.... which sucked. I met some cool people and some not so cool people. It was ok, besides the slugs and the fact that there was a gale (basically an intense rain and wind storm) that blew my tent over, thankfully when i was not in it. But all of my stuff got soaked. And not many people were sympathetic, which would be understandable if it was my tent and it sucked, but it wasnt my tent, i borrowed it from another girl who only after the gale, mentioned that it tended to flip because i was too tall. Thankfully a couple of guys helped me fix the tent to the fence near my tent and it was pretty stable. and i didnt have to take it down because another girl needed it. that was awesome. I met this israeli guy who i became friends with (ADD). On the last day, they took us to this great museum that was built like all arch museums should be built, with walkways above the actual site and enclosed. so that you dont walk on the site... kind of like a board walk. It was a great roman palace. and then we got to see the archive for that part of the uk. which was boring but fine.

May 16th, 2008-- Amsterdam Day 3

On this day it was raining which was sucky. We had left the museums for this day tho and that was a good idea. We first stopped at the I AMsterdam sign. That was cool. We went to the Van Gogh museum which was really cool. It followed his travels and painting phases. It was really amazing. I learned alot about him. But the museum was really crowded. We then we went for pancakes... which were amazing. I had apple and honey. sooooo good. (ADD) then we went to the sex museum... which was a bit tramazing but people had told us to see it. We then had sorbet again... after walking through the shopping district. We then went back for our bags and left!

May 15th, 2008- Amesterdam Day 2

This day, Amy and i went to Anne Frank's House, which was really powerful. We saw the annex, it was really small. I actually passed behind the staircase. It was insane. There is no furniture because the nazis took everything and her dad felt it wouldnt be right to put false furniture in. Everything was so mindblowing. Then we walked through the flower market... which was more bulbs then flowers, got salads, ate them in the Dam (the central square in amsterdam) and then met up with Jamie!! He led us around and we walked and walked through all sorts of neighborhoods.... its awesome how you can be in busy area and then walk around the corner and get into a quaint area... its beautiful. We saw where he lives... next to the gay square in amsterdam. Then we had reallly good thai food in Jordaan. and walked back to the hostel for our coasts and jamie walked us through the red light district which was really awkward because there are almost naked women in windows. and theyre real and its so awkward.... rumor is that if you take pictures... the bouncers will through you and your camera into the canal. so we didnt take pictures. it was quite funny tho and really awkward. Jamie introduced us to these fantastic cookies that are basically little waffles and syrup. Amazing... amy and i bought extra to take back to the Uk with us. We sat for some drinks and then jamie went back to the other city he was staying in. (ADD... hehe)

May 14th, 2008-- Amsterdam Day 1

On this day, Amy and I took a plane from Gatwick to Amsterdam. My ipod decided it didnt want to work on the flight there. We got there and took a short train ride to Central Station, walked past the millions of bikes to our hostel... which turned out to be really nice, except for the tiny winding staircase that is in every amsterdam house i guess. Then we went around town... it is beautiful... like venice with all the canals. (Insert stuff later... haha) There are a million argenintian grills in amsterdam... jamie says its just to make a grill sound better. We found great sorbet and a park with statues.... from a painting by Rembrandt. We walked the city, sat in an outdoor cafe for wine and the tram was behind us and everytime it passed, it sounded like thunder. Then we went back to the hostel to sleep!

May 13th, 2008- Lots of Stuff

On this day, I went to the Vanity Faire Exhibit, which was showing alot of the famous covers from the 30s and from the 80s- now. It was so cool, but surprisingly not one was one that I have on my walls at home. but they were awesome, and i really wished that i had the 40 pounds to buy the book. and then I met Amy for a trip to platform 9 and 3/4 which was at Kings Cross Station... in some random place... technically between platform 9 and 10 but not really, but it was cool to finally get there. It took us a couple of pics to get a decent one, the angle is really not flattering. Then we took the tube (a lady handed me a free tube pass... which was awesome) and we went to Abbey Road!!! It was great... We got to see the Abbey Records Building and tried many times to cross the road.... very tricky, since it is a busy street and no lights... Then we went back to the pub and had strawberry cider... which was awesome.

May 12th, 2008- Sex in the City premiere!

On this day, I bought stuff for my dig, like socks and shirts and my trowel!!! and rain pants! And then I went with a bunch of friends to the Sex in the City movie premiere. Which was a tad weird since it was in the wrong city. But i did get to see all of the stars (the girls anyway, no Mr Big) and other celebrities... like Nelly, Colin god of sex and Natalie from love actually. It was awesome.

May 10th, 2008- Trip to Bath

On this day was the last butler trip and it was to Bath! Which wasnt as exciting as it could be. but that may have been because we were exhausted. But we did get to see the roman baths and got to wander around the town... which was nice. I of course found fudge, which i seem to do when ever i can because british fudge is heaven (even if it makes me feel a tad sick afterwards... sacrifices... you know?).

May 9th, 2008--- Tower of London!

On this day, Amy and I walked most of the river Thames and eventually got to the Tower of London! And it was awesome. We had this very enthusiastic tour guide that terrified the young children... because basically the whole place is about execution and torture. The tour guides are still in military service and live in the tower grounds. and have to wear ridiculous (and wool) outfits. and they are called beefeaters. It was pretty awesome! We got to see where they Boleyn sisters were buried and the others. and we got to see the crown jewels. I also got my picture in front of the tower of london bridge which is awesome!!

May 8th 2008

On this day, I had to endure a painfully boring archive orientation. It was in a renovated warehouse that now holds all of the archaeological artifacts from digs in and surrounding London. We got to see some interesting objects, like Gilbert and Sullivans piano that they wrote their musicals on and the old operators telephone board from one of the palaces. But other then that really it was being led around a building and told boring stuff. Oh well.

Sorry for the lack of posts.

Hi whoever reads this. I am so sorry I haven't posted in eons. I have been super busy in my last month here in london. So let me try and catch you up.

The other parks and the battle of the bands

On monday, amy and I decided to take advantage of the Brit holiday Mayday (even though it was the 5th) and the holiday of cinco de mayo and head to the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham palace. I dont know if going on a holiday made any difference about the crowds... but it was insane. We hung around for a while waiting for it to happen. Then two different marching bands marched into the square and then into the palace gates with a whole bunch of guards and while random guards did random walks around the area just infront of the palace (getting their excersize for the day we think) the bands proceeded to have a british form of battle of the bands. One band was set up in concert formation with stands while the other in marching formations and they each took their turns playing while the guards marched around. And it was good. I had a blast, except for being behind a million people and then a huge iron fence. and it was hot. but thier was a couple of huge guards with huge gold axes that at a couple of points they swung around. When it was done, we walked down "the mall" by buckingham palace through green park to hyde park (dipped our feet in the princess di memorial fountain) and ventured around into Kensington gardens, which isnt gardens sadly but just a park. And kensington palace is just a brick big house... not really spectacular. just like buckingham palace was another big white building.... more royal looking i think. We then were really hungry (it was like 2) and we walked into the area of Kensington to find a grocery store so we could buy stuff for a picnic. We found a whole foods, which was quite an experience (the first international location of whole foods in fact and my first trip to any whole foods). We bought organic everything, including the south african chardonnay. and sourdough rolls and roast beef and turkey and avacado hummos and chips and razzberries and had a fantastic picnic. We then ventured off to find the peter pan statue and found it, which was a miracle. and then went back to the di fountain to sit and dip our feet in again, while we tried to figure out how we were going to get home. We got home and had a second picnic (this time in my room while we watched house). It was an awesome day. As amy said, "we are americans in england drinking south african wine on a mexican holiday!" quite a statement.