I wonder what Alexis is doing tonight . . .

Listening to Camelot and Brighton singing Camelot, which I approve of. Well, I have not been completely and overwhelmingly busy this week. There was the day I spent at Hampton Court Palace. Despite the fact that many many people lived there, it felt like a museum - empty and lifeless. These all seemed like showrooms more than the remnants of a home. It is a lifestyle very far removed from any I know. But I really don't understand much of what I see in museums. It is all very far removed. I went to the Imperial War Museum and even while I was going through the WWI trenches, I knew that I would not have to stay very long. The smell alone was sickening, but I could imagine burrowing into the mud to escape the bombs if they were going off just overhead.

I actually felt a greater connection to my family as I remembered growing up watching documentaries on wars (especially WWII). Within a museum there is always a distance between us as museum-goers and the material on display. I went to the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery today and while looking at the religious paintings from the 1300s I noticed the large difference between our view of religion and their view of religion. They use so much gold and gilding, I imagine their expectation of heaven is dripping in gold. But then I was wondering what we expect from heaven and religion.

The gilded pictures depict a vision of religion that is outside of my religious vision, but won't heaven be outside of all of our experience. This worldly frame of reference that we all have is all we know. Heaven and all the things beyond our mortal existence must be so profoundly different that I think it would be inexpressible with all the gold, shining lights, and art in the world. All this altar art is beautiful and you can see the dedication and belief of the artist in the craftsmanship and beauty but I think it is something beyond expression that the artist is trying to channel into a painting.
But enough profundity. Detroit at the National was a play that I really enjoyed. It may not have been the best play, but I connected to it so much that I was sucked into the experience of this play. It may not have been as good as Antigone, but it spoke volumes to me.

I loved this profound connection to insane humanity. I also saw Jersey Boys and The Duchess of Malfi this week along with spending a few hours at the Science Museum. There was a large section on the history of medicine, and many other things that I don't connect to as much, but find very interesting. In the Portrait Gallery I connected most to the portraits of authors. John Clare, Byron, Burns, Scott, Wollstonecroft, Paine, the Shelly's, Keats, Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Jane Austen - these were the pictures I was the most excited to see. These are my people. Not my family, but totes my people.

The Eternal Search for Bins

You may be wondering why I haven't written all week. If you are, you really need to have a busier life or have more hobbies. I have been sleeping, seeing all shows at the National Theatre that I haven't already, and searching for bins. Bins are what the Brits call waste receptacles or trash cans and there are not enough of them in London. Often I take a large bag just to carry waste until I find a bin, which may not be for hours and hours. You would expect that next to food kiosks you would have a bin. Not true. Sometimes they are in underground corridors with no food at all. Sometimes they are miles away from any food, behind a telephone box so as not to be visible. I believe they have a lovely and grand plan to hide bins. Sometimes I think I see a bin but it is for paper recycling and I only have old food wrappings. I wonder if it is to deter visitors from returning. But in the Underground they have many public announcement posters urging people to keep the city clean for the Jubilee and Olympics and bin trash - except there are not enough bins.

But enough of that. This week I have seen Antigone with Christopher Eccleston, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, War Horse, and Chariots of Fire. Currently, I am waiting to see Detroit at the National Theatre as well. Moon on a Rainbow Shawl and Antigone I saw at the National Theatre as well. Detroit is the last show I have not seen at the National. I'm not sure exactly what I will do now besides see the two plays by Hare and Rattigan that are playing together. Monday I spent much of the day sleeping to recover from Edinburgh until Moon on a Rainbow Shawl started. Tuesday I spent all day at the Imperial War Museum until I saw War Horse. After class on Wednesday, I saw Chariots of Fire followed by Antigone. Today I spent all day at Hampton Court Palace reveling in architecture and history. I also got lost in the maze and frolicked in the gardens.

Soon my time in London will come to an end and I will go on to search for bins in other parts of Europe. But for now I'm hoping Detroit will be amazing though I doubt it will be better than Antigone.

Tripping to Scotland

Scotland. Scotland. Home of Kailyard Literature, Sir Walter Scott, Nessy, and Willie from the Simpsons who has red hair and wears a kilt sometimes. Or was he from Ireland? No clue. Anyway, after much wandering around Edinburgh, including a hike to Arthur’s seat, I have concluded that Edinburgh is beautiful without the bone-freezing rain. The museums, art galleries, old closes, and castles are all admirable and I love them. The weather is the one thing to complain about.

Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday I have wandered all over this city. I have walked through hail, sleet, rain, cold gale-force winds, and pleasant sunny weather. The last was truly the best I could have done without all the others. Walking through hail ended with my legs turning into popsicles, and the rest just made me feel like crying whenever I saw men in kilts.

The National Art Gallery had some beautiful works including a Monet called "Seascape, Shipping by Moonlight," which I loved. I did my inevitable crying at some Monets, a Cezanne, and a Van Gogh. The Cezanne and the Van Gogh were unusual and a very early style for Cezanne and an unfinished style for Van Gogh. They were all moving. The Edinburgh Art Centre also had some beautiful works in their exhibit on gardens.

The National Museum of Scotland housed the cloned sheep Dolly, but also had some other interesting exhibits on geology, natural history, mummies, and Scottish history from the beginning of time. Staring at Pict engravings really reminded me of how little we know. The Picts lived so long ago and one of the few things we have left are these engravings which we can’t understand. We don’t know their culture or anything about them. We know so much about the dynasties of Egypt, and ancient Greek and Roman cultures, but these people left behind only a few things that lasted many thousands of years. So many people live, die, and disappear, leaving nothing permanent. Man is not a permanent thing and will be washed away by stronger and more everlasting forces. This feeling was confirmed as I walked up and down buildings that are hundreds of years old and falling into ruin. Even the memorials on Calton Hill will only commemorate for a little while, then they will deteriorate like everything else until there is nothing left. Edinburgh Castle also is built on stone left from an extinct volcano, as is Arthur’s Seat. The Castle is interesting, but the stones have been weathered just like the smooth stones all around Arthur’s Seat, worn from all the hikers. The elegance and beauty of the Castle will eventually be lost, along with memory of what it was like.

On Wednesday, we went out and sailed on the Firth of Forth. Cold wind made it an uncomfortable journey, but nothing as bad as Tuesday’s hail. We saw Edinburgh from the other side and also some seals, sunning themselves on a buoy. I have never been very close to wild animals ever. Most of my experience with animals is in zoos. But there are seals and puffins that live in the Firth. A fox was outside my bedroom window when we first arrived. A fox like from Disney’s Robin Hood! I have never lived in the country, so wildlife has always seemed more exotic than it probably is. Even sheep seem exciting. Or at least lambs. Lambing just concluded, so there are fields here covered in ewes with lambs. Many of the ewes look like they got hit too many times with the ugly stick, but the lambs are adorable. Delicate and prancing around their mothers. Even laying down exhausted in the field, they look so cuddly and sweet. The bus to the First of Forth and the bus to the Highlands took us past more lambs than I can imagine.

The Highlands have not even been mentioned. We took a day trip from the Royal Mile to Loch Ness and back again through Inverness and the Grampian Mountains. It was beautiful and much of the scenery reminded me of Glacier National Park and the desolate landscapes of New Zealand in Lord of the Rings. But it was starkly awesome. Despite the cold and the occasional showers, I loved it. We drove past the castle that was used as Castle Anthrax in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the place where they shoot parts of Monarch of the Glen. Of course there were also places where they filmed Braveheart as well, but that was assumed. I was sitting next to a French woman (I seem to be running into many French people here including those French guys at the pub who didn’t speak English). We had some basic communication back and forth about our trips, but the most enticing thing was right out the window. We arrived in Loch Ness and explored the ruins of Castle Urquart on the Loch and then took a boat (called The Jacobite Queen) around the dark waters of Loch Ness. While I didn’t see any sign of Nessy, I did try to call out to her. This attempt was unsuccessful. But then we got back on the bus and drove back through Inverness and the Grampians until we returned to the Lowlands and Edinburgh.

Speaking of the Grampians, there is the literary aspect of Edinburgh I have not mentioned. I read some novels set in the Grampians a semester ago, but Edinburgh itself has many different memorials to their writers. They have Makars Square with quotes from many of Scotland’s famous writers, a museum dedicated to Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Burns, a monument towering over the New City for Scott, a monument to Bobbie Burns, The Elephant House (where JK Rowling supposedly came up with the idea for Harry Potter), the schools where JK Rowling, Tony Blair, and many others went (including Ian Fleming and Sean Connery for a James Bond connection). I love all the literary connections, but it is interesting that most of my knowledge of Scottish history is from literature classes. I don’t really know much besides how Culloden, the Act of Union, and Jacobites relate to the authors of the time period and how they were influenced. It was interesting to learn more and be reminded of what I already knew.

I am about to leave the city of David Hume, Adam Smith, and many others very soon to return to London. It is a much smaller, homier city than London. Despite all the bad and good weather, I really loved everything I saw. I wish I could wander through Edinburgh more and instead of discovering a horrible side of myself (like Dr. Jekyll) I think I would find a place that speaks to me the same way it has spoken to other authors – loudly.

Scotland!

No Scotsmen on horses, but still amazing. We got here on Monday afternoon and I've been wandering around taking pictures ever since. We went to a great pub with live music the first night. Yesterday, I wandered the Royal Mile with Brighton and Caroline and we then hiked up to Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park. After that we walked back and it started hailing! It hailed earlier in the day when we were in the Royal Scots museum, but we were walking and found no shelter. Anyway, my legs and hands frozen by the time we met up with everyone else. Then we went to a pub that was much louder and not as down-key. I think I was feeling sick after the freezing walk, but I didn't stay too long. There were some French guys there who didn't speak English and tons of university students. But that's all I've done so far. Leaving again. This was a quick post to let you know I'm too busy to blog much.

Leaving London

After a few weeks in London, I left. Gone. Bu-bye. Vamos. I went to the London Temple on Friday. It is out in Lingfield near a race track. There were flowers, grounds, a man-made lake, a bench to sleep on; basically everything I could find in Hyde Park. But the temple was nice. I got to help in the baptistry, which I have never done before. It was a nice day overall followed by going to a fringe musical - Spring Awakening. It was definitely interesting. I didn't know much about it going in, but it was assuredly interesting in looking at a community that denies the existence of sex as something to be discussed. It was interesting in many ways, especially the staging. But it wasn't mind-blowing or something I loved excessively. The top shows I have seen so far have been the hip-hop Othello, The Collaborators, Misterman, and Long Day's Journey Into Night. After the play, we left early to take a bus to go to Dover via Canterbury. It is interesting that I really don't know the geography of England at all. I have no idea of where so many things are outside of London. I know where Wales is, but so many things exist in this mush of a country outside the map of London. I got a glimpse of Canterbury with a cathedral in the distance. Then off to Dover. The castle was the most impressive part of the trip. I loved exploring so much and the ancient buildings had their own sense of history. Walking on buildings from the 1200s was something that made me aware of how small I am and what a small amount of time I have existed. After my trip back in time, I walked along the beach and went to a museum with the oldest sea-faring vessel in the world. It was pretty cool. After a long bus ride back, we went to a fringe theatre production called Three Kingdoms which completely confused me. But it had some great movement-based theatre. Anyway, I had a great day outside of London. Then church was in Portuguese on Sunday. And now I am off to Scotland!

Magical Theatre and Harry Potter

It has happened. I rode a broomstick but in a very Muggle-ish CGI way. But since I am a Muggle, this is the only way I will probably get to ride a broomstick and open the door to Hogwarts and see all the other things I got to observe. Of course this mostly revolved around movie magic, but it was still really awesome. Drinking Butter Beer before seeing Hagrid's animatronic head, seeing the real big miniature of Hogwarts, and riding Sirius' flying motorcycle. It was an exciting and great day and felt very much like living as a child again. Unlike many of the people in the group, I did not grow up learning to read with Harry Potter, but he is very reminiscent of all things childish and long-gone. I'm no longer a child, but often I miss being one. Museums occasionally bring out the child in me with the pleasure of imagining myself in ancient civilizations.

Harry Potter brought out a different kind of childhood memory to me. I remember staying up all night just for the pleasure of reading the fourth book during my last year of high school. I also am reminded of the times I would buy the sixth and fifth books in Illinois after working all night at the hotel then driving to a YSA activity in Indiana. The activity was scheduled the day the book was released for two years in a row. I just remember staring at the book though I was exhausted while driving from Bloomington, Illinois to Bloomington, Indiana twice. It was nice to be a child again for 2 hours and revel in all the things that no longer find quite as magical.

But I still find life and the world magical, just in different ways. I saw Cillian Murphy in a one-man play called Misterman at the National Theatre last night and it was magical. It was disturbing, and moving, and beautiful, and horrible, and magical. I wasn't sure what to expect and there is so much I could say about this play. But somehow words are not enough to explain, describe, or even give a hint of the experience. Just walking across the Thames after the show, I kept thinking and thinking about this show that tried to show the life and mind of a crazy man while redeeming him in a way. But the river looked lovely with the lights from buildings on the shore reflecting on the waves as a speed boat hummed under the bridge. The rain has been soft and almost-mist for the last days, just kissing my hair and clothing. And despite all the noise, life has quiet moments when breathing can still be heard clearly and the world seems to pause in contemplation of all the life on it.

A different kind of magic happened today. We went on a fascinating tour of the National Theatre and it was amazing how they are able to continually find and produce so many plays. The technical aspects of having two shows in one space were revealed along with all the work involved. We examined how props and sets were created to make the realistic or symbolic worlds of these plays. I loved looking at this professional theatre and how they were doing what I have done in the past (sets and props) but on a larger and more professional scale, After the three shows I have seen at the National, I can say all of them are amazing in terms of lighting, sound, props, and sets.

Then I was able to see two shows today. The Woman in Black was very good. I love horror movies, so I loved the effect it had and was able to create in an audience. I hated the audience we were with since it was mostly middle-school-aged children who could not be quiet to save their lives. But, no matter. I still enjoyed the show to the utmost. I don't scream or react visibly during horror movies, but it was interesting sitting next to people who do scream in reaction while I sat stiff and unmoving.

Then after a mad dash through the streets of London, I went to One Man, Two Guvnors with the class. It was very entertaining and funny if not the best theatre I have seen. They seemed to be playing to the audience a bit too much, but I still enjoyed it. But now it is time for bed so I can go to the temple tomorrow.

Not Dead Yet

To add to the William Blake and John Donne memorials in St. Pauls, I added all the author's in the Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey. I was not allowed to photograph any of these because apparently that might be morbid or disrupt sanctity. If I was famous, I would love it if people took photos of my grave. But, I suppose I will probably be buried in the ground and no one will care if people take pictures outside. And I will probably never be famous.

I found Great Scotland Yard but it is more of a street than a yard. But more note-worthy is the plays and museums I have seen. Monday was Long Day's Journey Into Night and it was beautifully acted by Laurie Metcalf. Disturbing and dramatic, it ended and as painful as it was, I wanted it to keep going. This was after a day in Westminster Abbey, so despite the Dayquil (yes, I got sick in London) I had a very moving day, even if the movement was in a hazy fog. But as we all know from Eugene O'Neill, if you feel comfortable in a fog you are probably an alcoholic or dope fiend.

Before that on Sunday, I went to three hours of church in Portuguese and was very glad that I don't need to understand everything and am fine with knowing very little. I understood about 10% of what was going on, but it was very nice. No idea what I'm supposed to do, except learn more random phrases of Portuguese. Life is always a bit funny and interesting though.




On the interesting note, I saw two Shakespeare plays today, one very traditionally performed and one very avant garde. The avant garde MacBeth was in The Globe, in Polish, and involved many cross-dressing male prostitutes, dope fiends, addicts, masks, alienation, stylized movement, mooning the audience, glitter, sequins, lip-syncing to American pop hits, and a rape scene. I enjoyed it, but confusing and interesting is how I would describe it. It was interesting. Some parts were good, a couple parts were very good, and many parts were confusing. The plot wasn't confusing, but the stylistic choices being made were.

Then the traditional As You Like It was in a Pub Theatre and was very well done. We went as a class and I think most of the girls were more excited about the many good-looking actors on stage instead of the work they were doing, but I think I'm jaded. I was thinking about how cute the latest guy I have a crush on is and

how I'd like to hold his hand. But, I'm in Europe. Many fish in this pond too. Now, I just need to get better or go to pubs while hopped up on Dayquil. Either way is guaranteed good fun because as strange as I get on medication, I'm not too much different off of the juice. Well, goodnight says the Dayquil fiend. To sleep for 5 hours to arise and do lots of things tomorrow before Harry Potter Studio tour.

Hip-hop Othello and The Globe

You know those days when everything is mellow yellow? I had one of those yesterday and it was wonderful. It was very refreshing. Today, I am on Dayquil, but it has been fabulous (not because of the Dayquil, but because of everything I can do with Dayquil in me). Yesterday, was a fabulous Friday. I went to the Globe Theatre, that hallowed place for Theatre and English students, that is in fact a recreation. But we did not dwell on technicalities, but embraced the spirit of The Globe, especially after I got a Venti Hot Chocolate from Starbucks right across the way. This was needed with the cold wet wind off the Thames. But I survived and pledged to dress more warmly for tomorrow.

The Tate Modern then was perfect. My mind was in this state of pure relaxation so I could just stare and absorb art for hours. And that is what I did. It was wonderful. Picasso, Matisse, Ernst, and so many others. They just seemed to empty my soul and it was light and sunny. Then after a few hours of that I went down to the cafe and watched some of the Tour de Romandie on youtube. I love cycling. The sport and the hobby, but I haven't been able to watch Romandie yet this trip, so it was wonderful. After the fringe theatre show last night I also watched Romandie, and when I woke up this morning. I am watching it now.

The fringe show we saw was called His Greatness and it was about Tennessee Williams. It was decent and in an interesting theatre above a pub. But it was nothing compared to the Hip-hop version of Othello we saw today. The Globe was just as windy and cold today, but this play warmed everyone up. It was done by Chicago Shakespeare Company, but they decided to make the entire piece a series of hip-hop songs with a DJ in Juliet's balcony mixing the whole time. It was brilliant and amazing. And this is not the Dayquil talking - it really was. Everyone was dancing and when the music finally stopped was when Desdemona died and when Othello died. The silence was audible. They didn't stick to Shakespeare's words but made up their own verse

chock full of pop culture references and it worked. They rapped out Othello and had a couple cool dance moves, though they were obviously not dancers. It was an amazing show and almost ties with The Collaborators as my favorite show in London.

And before I went back to The Globe today I went to the British Museum again and got lost for a bit in an Asian art exhibition right next to the Picasso etchings. For this I entirely blame Dayquil. I walked into a different entrance and felt no need to even figure out where I was, much less what I wanted to see, but wandered. But it was amazing wandering. I saw mostly Asian things today but not everything yet. There is so much still to see there. But to continue the Asian theme I am going to see Wild Swans (the play) tonight. But for the next 30 minutes I am going back to the Tour de Romandie. Then the Giro d'Italia which starts today.

Weapons! Death! Dismemberment!

A day spent in the Tower of London and no scars to show for it. Though there are many many many weapons that could inflict much more than a scar. Weapons are so fascinating. It is not just their age but also their ability to kill more than a couple people. And they aren't easy to use. People have to be be strong and skilled to use them, which is not something I know anything about. But somehow we have all this armor and weaponry that no longer has a any practical usage unless an apocalyptic event happens and we have to survive with swords and lances. So, I liked the Tower of London, but it was probably just my morbid and twisted personality. The Crown Jewels seemed a bit overdone, like the entire exhibit was trying to persuade me of the ultimate glory of

monarchy and I wasn't buying. The coolest thing in the Crown Jewels was a 12th century spoon that has been used to anoint Kings and Queens since then. Everything else was Charles I or later. And I don't absolutely love Charles I. He was better than Charles II, but still hateable. After the many hours I spent at the Tower, I hit the Victoria and Albert Museum for an hour before they closed. I saw some amazing and wonderful Raphael's. There were eight of them and they were so large, they basically had a hall to themselves. Raphael had designed these to be made into tapestries, so they were as

large as the tapestries the Pope wanted. He had done them by pasting many smaller sheets of paper together to create this huge sheet. I then also saw many other 16th century remnants including altars, clothes, and furniture. While this may seem like an awesome day so far, it gets better.

I ran over to the National Theatre and saw this amazing tragi-comedy about Stalin and the playwright Mikhail Bulgakov. It was absurdist, hilarious, and tragic. I loved it. I have seen many shows here so far, but this has been my favorite. It was so beautiful and funny. Throughout the whole you knew it was going to end tragically, but you kept laughing upon occasion. I have never laughed so hard at Stalin. He was asking for a hug from Bulgakov, but Stalin with arms thrown out begging for a hug was priceless. As for the London thing, I have now had three people ask me for directions. Strangers. Maybe it is the way I walk, or my face that says, I know where I'm going. I usually do, so that's a plus.

Recommend: St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's is amazing. Hands down. But let me mention the crowds at the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. As someone who wasn't expecting it, I was surprised by the thousands of people gathered to view something I didn't know about until that morning. I guess I was never one for all the royal pomp and circumstance. I only watched the royal wedding because I was up all night working, and I couldn't even watch it for that long even then. I never cared much about the royals at all. So, the crowds were really not worth it. We stayed for the changing but the band was still playing as we were escaping the crowd. I do want to go back and do the tour of Buckingham Palace, but not when the changing of the guards is happening. I suppose I should get used to crowds since I am going to be going to many different World Heritage tourist sites.

After escaping from the crowds and going under Wellington's Arch again, we headed to St. Paul's. I wasn't über-excited about it, but I loved the beauty of the paintings, the sculptures, the frescos, and the dome. It was all wonderfully beautiful. It was so beautiful and I probably would have cried at certain points if I hadn't been so tired. The faith that created it and kept it up was amazing. While I wasn't allowed to take pictures, I wish I had been.

Then after climbing many many many stairs we got to the whispering gallery, then out to the outside of the bottom of the dome, then to the outside of the top of the dome. All of these provided amazing views of London, and made me appreciate the sunny day we came up on. London was spread out beneath me and was wonderfully large with very few skyscrapers. After that I went around Covent Garden to get some gourmet ice cream (loved it) and crepes (good) and watched a street performer put his entire body through a tennis racket. Then we wandered over to see Matilda the Musical. I liked the book better.

But I am tired. I'm not sure if it is all the walking, only sleeping six hours a night, or remnants of jet lag, but I am tired. I wish I could just keep going, but I may need to slow down a bit. But it's London, and there is so much to see and do and I now have the chance.

Regent's Park and zombies

Monday is a morning with classes and the dreaded early awakening. I arose with enough time to take a shower, which is always a win. After class, I attempted to find the company to get a Russian Visa at but without much success. I know where it is, I just couldn't get there in time and make it to the British Library for our field trip to see old books. It was a very tired day yesterday and that was reflected in how little amazement I had at these incredibly old texts. I was amazed and yet I was also in a bit of a daze. Luckily, after this trip I went by the Sherlock Holmes Museum and then just walked around Regent's Park, which was a much more relaxing occupation. It was a beautiful park and involved no effort from the brain whatsoever. It also stopped raining for the day, which made it all the more enjoyable.

Frankly, despite my love of intellectual engagement, I hit a point where I need a break, so I am currently doing laundry and going to Buckingham Palace later in the day before Matilda the Musical. It is nice to be up earlier and by myself just doing laundry. Just like drinking Coke, it seems to add a calming continuity to my life. As long as I can do my laundry, no matter where I am or what's going on, life is good. Or at least good enough.

Melanie has been progressing in her effort to make a movie about how to survive a zombie apocalypse in London. Regent's Park was excellent to shoot at and we filmed a zombie attack in the loo at the Sherlock Holmes museum as well. My character is very much what you would expect - practical but all for distancing myself from others in case they are turned to zombies. Melanie tells me this will be my downfall. It's raining again, so it won't be nearly as fun going to Buckingham Palace outside today as it was yesterday, but it will be in clean clothes.