Shakespeare and Walking

Hello Hello.  Lots to write about today, I've been without internet for a bit.  I'm in Alcester right now, sharing a room with 3 ladies.  Training starts tomorrow at 8:30am.

Yesterday I spent the night in Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace), which was beautiful.  Got in at about 5pm, trekked to the hostel, which was way outside of town and then trekked back in time to see a play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.  I managed to get last minute tickets for Heresy of Love - a new play, but very good and excellent seats for a steal!

I spent Friday in London.   I have never done so much walking - did covent garden piazza, Piccadilly square, oxford circus, Buckingham palace and Trafalgar square. Went to the national gallery and saw originals of Rembrandt and Monet. Also did Tate Modern Museum.

Here are some pictures.

Love.

These signs save my life - kept me from getting lost! 

Sherlock restaurant

Grosvenor - we are famous over here! 

The buildings in London are curvy 

Sweet bus

The statue in front of Buckingham Palace

Gates in front of the Palace

Buckingham Palace

The view from across the river

This was taken from my seat!

Welcome to London 

Mind the Gap

Hello! Yet another lovely day.  Decided to take a day off today and stayed in Bookham.  Made the family dinner (Gardener's Pie - i.e. Veggie Shepard's Pie), went for a run and starting knitting a sleeve for my netbook.  There is a bunch of paths and forest just up from the house so that's where I ran. The paths are along a farm and I got to run right by horses and sheep!

Yesterday was a travel day - spent at least 5 hours on trains, waiting for trains or getting to trains. I had an interview in Sevenoaks Kent which is south east of London.  Unfortunately there are no trains that just cut across so I had to go up to London and then back down to Sevenoaks - a 2 hour train ride as opposed to a 40 minute drive across.  Anyway, turns out I'm not even taking the job!

I did get to spend a couple hours in London on my way back - saw the London eye, covent garden and parliament estate.  Here are some pictures!

St. Margaret's 

Parliament from the back 

Parliament from the bridge

London Eye! It  moves reeaaally slow - I wouldn't want to be up there. 

Windsor and Eton

Hello again! Spending the morning and early afternoon in Windsor and Eton.  Currently having another tea in Windsor - very tired, jetlag plus an early morning (6:30am!) and walking around all day.

Windsor is lovely - toured the castle (pictures below) and then walked to Eton which is known for Eton College, public boys school.  Public here actually means very private.  The boys wear coat tails and bow ties. Eton College is where the royal sons went, I think Prince Charles.

Inside the castle (no pictures allowed) you get to tour the state rooms and Queen Elizabeth's doll house - a huge doll house, not for playing! Apparently famous artists recreated their work in miniature form for the doll house.  It's very intricate.

This is the path you take to get up to the castle, there's a moat on the other side of the short wall there.

These are all along the outside walls, it's part of a short (compared to the rest of the castle) wall .  These were used during battle to shoot arrows safely out of - very cool! 

This is the moat - apparently there has never been water in it. There are beautiful gardens all along the hills on the far side.

The view from the castle.  I think this is old Windsor.  

Eton college.  I believe these are dormitories.  

Landed Safe and Sound

Day 2

Yesterday I landed at London Gatwick Airport.  Lots of sinage so I didn't even get lost.  Took a train (two trains actually) to Bookham where Jo and Rob live with their two sons.  Made it safely!

Bookham is a very lovely little town.  Just a couple blocks from Rob's house is a field with horses! I saw a man walking a horse just up the street.

At the moment I am sitting in a little cafe enjoying a peppermint tea in Windsor.  It is 8:30 in the morning so I am waiting until the castle opens for tours and then I will walk around - It is supposed to be warm and sunny again today, Rob said it's supposed to go up to 16 degrees by the end of the week!

Pictures to come

P.S. I am already missing everyone I love in Canada :)