5 Planes, 2 Days, 1 Night, 1 Friend Ride, and an Empty House

Day 24 & 25

So I headed to London Heathrow Airport on the Tube with all my stuff.  I got on a plane to Iceland, yep you read correctly.  The coolest view ever of the coast as we flew up.

The Iceland airport was fun, but I will say that I had almost no clue what I was actually paying for things, because all the prices were only in Icelandic money numbers, which is not anything like ours. Then it was back on a plane to JFK with no problems.  But then the real fun began.  I not only had to find a place to eat so late at night, I had to figure out my boarding pass situation for the next day where I had three planes to get on.  Sleeping overnight in an airport again was not really fun and Rachel and Jules were not exactly unconcerned either, but their worries did not come to fruition.  But talk about being tired and feeling much in need of a shower by this point.  I was very happy to try and sleep on the plane to help with sleep deprivation.  Funny, but all my family were out of town on the day I came in so lucky for me Jules picked me up and took me home to an empty house to eat, shower, and sleep.  And in fact I slept for 14 hours.  Great to be home, but just ask me if I would do it again, I dare you!

Independence Day in the Mother Country

Day 23

Yep it was the 4th of July and I was in the very country we had fought to gain that independence.  But if may not have been exactly what you would think would happen.  There were no flags or parades or candy or fireworks.  It was just another day of the year to them.  They weren't excited, but nor were they upset at the fact that we left the Empire so long ago.  I heard one or two cracks about it, but no more.

Now this was my day to do all the things I wanted to do that Aubs and I didn't get around to.  There weren't a ton, just two in particular.  First and I know it might be funny, but I am an avid reader and one of my favorites is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.  And believe it or not they have a Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street.  So laugh all you want, I went and enjoyed myself.

Something I found really funny was the fact that you have to go into the souvenir shop to buy your ticket, before you go into the house.  I didn't buy any, because honestly most of them didn't make me jump for joy and they were seriously expensive.  Not worth it when I already have all the books and the audio, maybe someday when I am made of cash I can spend it on all the lovely frivolous stuff.

Have to love that address.

And the bobby that stood out front and let us in slowly...and posed for pictures.

As I was all on my sad and lonely I had to take a picture of myself in the room.  It was much smaller than I had always imagined.  The look of it was just right, although maybe a little cleaner than it would have been if Sherlock Holmes had actually been there that day.

The hats and kind clay pipe.

The famous violin.

The Albert Memorial

If anyone ever doubted that Queen Victoria loved her husband, however odd their courtship may have been, the proof is in her behavior for the rest of her life.  He was not only remembered, but honored and revered and possibly even a rather unhealthy obsession by her for the rest of her years.  After all the reading I have done about her and her family through her letters, journals, and historical literature.

I told you that people had a thing about feeding the squirrels, but this sign proves it better than any pictures.

In every corner that is a representation of a the four major continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.  They were fun representations of the Empire.

Encased in Gold for eternity.

Took me a while to actually frame this shot.  I mean it takes more work to take a picture of yourself than it looks.

I was headed to the Victoria and Albert Museum just down the road when I saw a spire and some very familiar typeface.  Then I noticed the Christus Statue in the window.

It turned out to be the Hyde Park Chapel on Exhibition Street in London.  Which also works as a Visitor's Center, Mission Home, and even more.  Amazing to find a home away from home around every corner.

And I spent at least 2-3 hours there with the very sweet Sister Brooks.  We looked at Mormon Messages and such.  Also I saw the Joseph Smith video.  She was so kind to be my friend when I was left alone to travel the world by myself.  Due to my own decisions mind you.

Okay and I just found this really cool.  We were on the map, well the church was.  They have these you are within 5 or 15 minute maps around all the touristy places and the LDS Church apparently made the cut.  Wahoo!

On to the Museum.  I pretty much only looked at stuff of Victoria and Albert.

The Opening of The Great Exhibition

The Glass Palace

Her chair, or at least with her on it.

Medal Winning-Vases

Personal bust, wasn't she pretty.

Aren't they so cute dancing together?  I always say that there is nothing more romantic.

Better together than ever could be apart.

Queen Victoria in her Coronation Robes

Empress of India

Raphael Room, I wasn't actually supposed to take pictures, but I didn't see the sign, whoops.

So sorry this one is so fuzzy; I was actually moving in these great spinning chairs at the entrance. You can certainly enjoy the fabulous fun of childhood like behavior.

Here it is not moving.

The Main Entrance that I actually exited from.

Modern art everywhere, aren't they a little weird sometimes?  And odd locations.

I went home and enjoyed an easy evening with TV and packing for I had a farewell flight the next day.

All my Love to Shakespeare

Day 22

I woke up on the floor of Aubrey's flat once more and then headed back to London for my last couple of days.  I dropped off my things and headed out directly for my afternoon showing at the Globe.  I was really excited so I ended up there rather early and so walked around to see what I could.  I went into the Tate Modern, which is not really my thing, but I saw the most hilarious sign by the elevator...

The Globe
I had tried to wait some time, but I still at the theater rather early and ended up spending my time chatting with two fun people.  A Canadian man and a British woman (both probably in their 40s) ended up sitting at my table.  We talked about the play we were about to see and all the plays they have seen.  The Canadian man was a play junky.  He comes across the pond 4 times a year for about a month of seeing multiple plays a day.  It was absolutely amazing to see how much he knew and enjoyed the theater.  They gave me some great advice about getting a cushion to sit on.

The Globe is smaller than I thought it would be, but it makes for a wonderfully personal performance.  You are not allowed take pictures once the actors our on the stage, so here are the ones of just the crowd and building.

I liked the ceiling.

I was rather happy to be there as you can see.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been to have Aubrey with me.  I had left her only that morning and yet already missed her.  Traveling alone is just not quite the same as sharing all the new experiences with someone close to you.

It started raining during the performance and this open roof although wonderful for natural light and atmosphere made me very happy to have a seat underneath the cover and not a standing spot in the open air.

The stage entrance close to me where I enjoyed so many actors coming out to perform for me.

So close to the stage even if you are sitting that I was literally living in the play.  As you can a post is kind of in the way, but it made no difference for my experience.  It is a truth of the atmosphere of theater that as soon as the players began I was no longer in 2012 England but in 1588 and sitting in the same theater as Queen Elizabeth and all of the royal court listening to the newest play by this William Shakespeare character called "The Taming of the Shrew."  I will never forget my personal time travel trip.

After the play ended I headed to The Anchor a famous pub just down the road.  It was very comfy and had fantastic food.  I was there rather early so the service wasn't fast but it didn't matter in the slightest.  I had the fun of watching all the people around the room and listening to just what they had to say and do.

Doesn't it look cozy and very British!

The box.

My view.

After I ate I headed back to my hotel room to relax.  Not only was it not as  fun to travel alone, I didn't feel overly confident with my ability to navigate and my feeling of safety alone on the streets in such a big city.  So I drew a wonderful bath and laid down to my journal and the TV where I found Murder, She Wrote, Poirot, and Mrs. Marple.  What a happy experience!  And a lovely rest that night.

A Rainy Day in Cambridge

Day 21

So I slept that night on Aubrey's floor curled up in her comforter.  Not the most comfortable place to sleep but it wasn't really set up for extras and I did sleep so no big deal.  She got up and went to orientation such and I slept in and got ready.

The Snug

 I walked to the place next door for the biggest English Breakfast ever: baked beans, British bacon, a sausage link, hash browns, toast, a tomato, and mushrooms.  I couldn't believe I ate it all and washed it down with a lovely cup of hot cocoa.  My waitress was really nice, and I had the whole place to myself.

I then headed out to explore the city as Aubs had so much to do in getting everything ready for school and her flat and was not sure when she would be done, plus the lovely fact that neither of us had cell phones as a way of contacting each other.  I mean being unplugged was so relaxing, but the convenience of communication is a wonder.

As it was raining I ducked into a shop and found the cutest clear bubble umbrella and from then on was undaunted by the weather no matter what it did.  I found a cute bookshop and saw all the Harry Potter books with fun covers.

This the bench where I sat and red one of the books I bought as a souvenir.  People watching was fun too.

One of the colleges of Cambridge, did you know that Cambridge University is not actually a single college, but 31 one self-governing institutions that run themselves almost entirely separate of each other.

If you notice this store was established in 1689?  How many times can you say you have seen something like that, but in Cambridge it is not uncommon, very cool though.

Wish I could have been there for that.

People ride bikes everywhere and it is the perfect size town to do it in.

A grasshopper clock.

Punting on the river.

Don't sit there!

 The Fitzwilliam Museum

It was so rainy and cold that I went back to the Snug for a second cup of hot cocoa and to just sit and read.

 So cozy.

I also watched part of Wimbledon on the TV.  It was on everywhere in England and rather captivating to watch.

 They were going to have a 4th of July celebration the next day.  What a thought!

I met up with Aubrey that night and we went to the FHE group with all the other Cambridge people and it made me wish I were staying and enjoying their company and the learning experience instead of heading back to London and home so soon. 

Oh and Aubrey showed me a few things of her college. Pembroke Library.