We are marching to Trafalgar Square, oh yes oh!

Today we went to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery and as soon as we got there I had the song stuck in my head... Oh Camp K and the songs they teach us. It was a great day... seeing all the paintings that I studied in High and Late Renaissance class at the 'deis. I also got to see 5 Renoirs which made my day... No pictures allowed in the museum tho... which is wierd.. in the met you can!

Pics!

Today we're marching to declare that bomb has got to go!

me in front of the national gallery and with the lions of trafalgar square
us in front of the national gallery
the traditional london phonebooth shot
trafalgar square!
us in trafalgar square!
lions of trafalgar square and big ben in the background!
national gallery in trafalgar square!

More pics

the archaeologist and the rosetta stone!
dancing my bday away!
it looks like there were no people at the gay club... but about 30 minutes from then we were surrounded by gay dancing fools!

Some pics

in Regents Park

Birthday night # 1

So last night a whole bunch of us decided to accompany Willy to a gar bar.... well the bar was dead so we ventured some more to a gay club in central london called the ghetto. interesting.... i got in for free... dont really know why... i didnt bring any money... so they were nice. anyway... we spent the night trying to arrange Willy with random guys and the girls found companions as well... which is interesting because the guys arent supposed to be into girls... anyway... i tangoed with a flamboyant irishman... it was amazing...

Today I went to Regents Park and explored the grounds and the scenery... which will be amazing in the spring... now tho, the pond is beautiful with the black swans and other birds and the shrubbery. oh i cant wait to see the rose gardens in spring....

Tonight I think we are going to the Ice Bar.... Where its kept at -5 degrees (i think celcious) and they give us parkas.... the whole bar is made of ice, including the glasses and the seats. it should be awesome.... I'll update on that later. if you are interested... http://www.belowzerolondon.com/icebar/index.html

Pics from the weekend

on our way to karaoke with the guys.
at the union. Open your eyes Alexandra!

Two things

1. Whats with the shorts and tights fashion here?! its january. its cold. and youre wearing shorts. wow. i better go get some.
2. I love the little school kids in their uniforms that walk around by the archaeology building.... no idea why they are around but they walk in hoards with their teachers and chatter.... its the cutest thing i;ve seen in a loooong time!

The British Museum!

oh wow.
part of the sutton hoo ship burial!!!
more sutton hoo! (we studied it in class!)
inside the main area of the museum
an amazing room... king georges library
totem poles from british columbia
the rosetta stone!
one of the coolest things i've ever seen!

lots to recap...

So, friday I had archaeometallurgy and it seems really cool. learning about metals and who and how they used them. and its even better because its the only class where its starting now and im not thrown into the middle of it. also friday alexandra and i went out with some guys from the building to the union. we dont have a union in the states where they do everything and have like 4 bars in it. it was bar footsy(??) night where the prices changed constantly on the drinks and you had to get them at the right time ---"when the market crashed". but it was too loud and hot in there so we all went to the university of london union down the street and danced for hours. it was so great to have guys who would actually get up and danced. and some couldnt but it was great to laugh. so funny! anyway, they seemed like a really nice group of guys... low key. and then today, we went to the British museum which was breath taking.. i have lots of pics from that which i will upload later. then we came home and cooked dinner... pasta and sauce. we watched a movie and then were coerced into going out with the crazy guys (and girls) to the union again for karaoke. it was a great time and at the end, right before alexandra and i left, i got up and did summer of 69. and there was some creepy guys.... blah blah... but i had a great time and they seem like good people and fun. tommorow they said that they would teach us what good music was. tomorrow i have a lot of reading to do for maritime arch. now i have to watch the pats play but as little stick figures on the internet... but it starts here at 1am... ugggg. anyway.... go pats!

Pics from one of the best days ever!

Me, Alexandra and Amy at Spamalot!
Thats right... thats Tim Burton... there is no zoom on here! He was actually this close.
more tim!
thats johnny depps limo... he ran away really fast.
the beedle!
the premiere!

OMG JOHNNY AND TIM BURTON

most amazing night of my life. saw johnny depp and tim burton and the rest of the sweeney cast at the premiere in london. and then saw spamalot and then went out to celebrate! wow. i am speechless. i just saw johnny depp. no pics of him tho... he was shy... but tim came right up to me!! see pics! AHHHHHHHH!!!!

view from my window!

showers and socializing (not at the same time ;) )

So finally there is water again and i;ve taken two showers in the past like 12 hours, just in case it goes again. lets see... yesterday I had no class and did barely anything... napped.... but then at night Alexandra and I decided to be sociable and went down to the crazy end of the hall and was entertained for hours by the boys and their antics... at least there is entertainment whenever we want!

Today I had intro to greek archaeology at 9 am. ickkkk. but the prof is really nice and explained the arch library to me which I then went up to and did some reading.... need to do more but I need to get up the courage to ask the librarians for help...

On the way back from class and on the way to subway for lunch, I found a healthfood store, where I got fruitleathers!!! expensive, but a treat.

I love getting the caucas news from the brits. Some of the boys were actually going to watch it. and one of the americans didnt even know what it was. oh well. its all just interesting. Its also funny that everytime they mention football, they have to let us know that they mean soccer.... we know!! its just funny thats all.

funnnn

so i was about to write an entry when the third fire alarm in 2 days went off! yayyyyyy. ugh, and there has been no water in 3 days.... so no showers.... ugh.... fantastic!

First day of classes... well one class

Today was my first real day- real classes (well one) real cafeteria food, real experience(?). anyway, I got up early to eat breakfast which is only served from 8-930 and it was not that appetizing, but being optimistic- it wasnt that bad. then I walked around, sat in the archaeology park which was nice and was very early for class at noon- but thats not unusual for me. anyway, it was a good class- maritime arch, but it was so short and quick and he gave us the notes- why did i buy notebooks? and we are only meeting 9 times more, and only on the medival period. anyway, its just a half a class so thats fine... i think its just one paper and a in class paper (maybe). I asked if the books listed under each date were the ones needed to be read and he said if i wanted to. I have to figure out how to get the books. anyway, i am the only affiliate in the class right now, but thats ok. He was a very funny lecturer. I think i really like the british sense of humor. Then Amy and Alexandra and me walked to oxford street again- its such good shopping! its like having a mall like 10 blocks away! its prime sales time-- everything is cheap(er) so we better buy it now before sweaters become 40 pounds again (90 dollars). we then had ramsay hall dinner- which was ok. mashed potatoes and omlete and soup. This is all interesting. I love being an anthropologist and getting to analyze everything!! Thats one of the huge reasons i wanted to study abroad! I dont have class tomorrow and I have no idea what I am going to do! I got a different sim card for my phone to call home for cheaper- no change in the number tho! cheers!

My room!

Some pics of my room--- I need posters!

Sunday at IKEA

So I was going to go to the park today and explore by myself, but the girls on my hall were taking a trip to IKEA outside of London. So I had my first tube experience and found the IKEA, which was insane, but I got things I needed for my room, like a bowl and file holder and small blanket and hangers. Then we ventured back, tired and hungry and bought food stuff at tesco and went to dinner (pizza again). Its so cheap- 4 pounds for and individual pizza-- I think i will probably eat there alot. We went from restaurant to restaurant looking at the prices and couldnt eat at any of them... special nights maybe. The British students are moving in, met a bunch from my hall- they all are nice and it will be a good time on this hall I think. They say its a party hall, very sociable- which i'm happy about. Also they say the food downstairs isn't that bad. So thats good. Tomorrow I have a class (just one every day and none on tuesday), I have Marine Archaeology, which should be great. I have the usual worries of introducing my self to the lecturer (not proffesor) and the students. It will be fine tho.

Weekend!

Today Stephanie and I walked forever around central London. We walked for 4 hours and I bought 15 pound boots on Tottenham. I really needed a pair. They probably will hurt my feet. We went to Oxford Street (which I've been to 3 times already). Its crowded and crazy but its shopping central. I need to go on tuesday and do some shopping. I bought towels and sheets today while we were out. Also there was blue sky today (see picture) and that was so nice. It was kinda cold, but nothing like Massachusetts cold-- like 45 degrees. We went to this really cute area with random shops and pubs and had fish and chips (again) and beer. I love how every lecture I've had so far begins with, "Those of you who had a really good night last night, thanks for coming anyway." There are constant jokes about drinking even by lecturers and its what we do here, except its not getting drunk, its casual. Like grab a beer between classes type thing (I probably wont tho.) Don't really have anything else to say... Hope we go out tonight!

smelly courtyard!

So the main courtyard of UCL smells like vomit.... and all the drinking around here would explain that BUT its not vomit its: "It's actually a tree called a Ginko, donated by a country to our uni recently- it's seeds, when crushed, smell of vomit to attract insects." (uni=university) (Ginko=Ginkgo biloba). Interesting huh?

Here are some views of the main buildings of UCL!!!