Foggy Days in London Town

Went into London to meet up with Kaitlyn and Elise. I had arranged to stay at the same hostel as them for a couple nights to maximize our London time. Since I arrived before them I dropped my stuff off and went to explore the area. It was raining, but not bad enough to keep me in. Royal Albert Hall was not even a block away from my hostel. So many AMAZING concerts have been held in Royal Albert Hall. My personal fave being the 10th anniversary of Les Mis concert. Which is probably my favorite recording of Les Mis. Certainly the one I listened to the most. Anyways, there was a concert going on while I was there so I couldn't even go snoop the lobby. Next time!

Across the street from the Hall is Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, so I went to venture. I found a pond and from a distance I could see tons of swans and Canadian geese. I thought how nice it was having British swans and Canadian geese mingling together! What a good example of countries embracing each other! The closer I got I realized that the swans and the geese were in two separate groups. Definitely not mingling. So much for international unity! Geese, Swans, you'll have to work on that.

Then it was time to meet up with my friends. Elise wasn't feeling great so Kaitlyn and I went for dinner. We both got delicious burgers and filled each other in on our travels so far. It was quite nice. We stopped at a grocery store on the way back, I got a persimmon and candy. Back at the hostel Kaitlyn decided to call it a night.

I wasn't tired at all. And since I had an unlimited transit card for that day I decided to make use of it. I asked the reception at the hostel where the closest bus was and then I was off. I didn't care where I went cause I just planned on riding the bus around. It came in no time and before I knew it I was on the top level of a double decker bus, in the very front, listening to happy songs on my phone, and eating candy coke bottles while cruising around London at night. Quite possibly the best idea ever! Seeing London lit up was so beautiful! And I had the best view. The bus was pretty empty and I felt like the Queen up there. I'm sure she regularly cruises around London on the top level of a double decker bus eating candy coke bottles. What else would the Queen do? I cruised until I reached the end of the line and had to get off the bus which was right by Kings Cross station. Then I crossed the street and hopped on the same bus going back towards my hostel. I can't begin to tell you how happy I was. I was just in a state of bliss. It was a great ride, and I can't wait to do it again one day!

Monday started off heading straight for the Tower of London. It was Kaitlyn's choice since it was her birthday. In no time we were there exploring the old castle secrets. I like that stuff. They used to have somewhat of a zoo there. When they had polar bears they would tie a lease on them and let them into the Thame river to hunt for fish. Crazy.

We waited in line to see the crown jewels. Which all look very new and hardly old at all. Even though many had been around for hundred of years. I guess they don't get used a ton. We finished up the tower, the last thing we saw was the Bloody Tower. Where supposedly King Richard III had his nephews murdered so he could be king. Lots of mystery surrounding that, and not so much fact. But I was intrigued. And now I want to go watch the movie Richard III with Charleston Heston.

After the Tower of London we found food. And it was a steal of a deal. This lovely restaurant has food 1/2 price on Mondays. Yay it was Monday! So that is where we had Kaitlyn's birthday feast. We even got dessert, which the waiter so generously put candles into for her to blow out. All delicious food.

From there Elise was off to meet her friend, which left Kaitlyn and I to scope out the royal grounds. Starting with Big Ben, followed by Westminster Abbey. We didn't go in, but adored it from the outside. Next was Buckingham Palace. Took some pictures and walked around the walls. Which bear resemblance to the Berlin wall, but no graffiti.

To close off Kaitlyn's birthday we went on a walking tour of her choice. The Jack the Ripper tour. Yes you read right. He's not a very nice fellow. And the tour guide was very animated. It was actually very interesting, better than watching a movie. And spooky. At one point she was talking about a lady who had been murdered and was standing *she points to me* exactly where you are standing right now! Yikes. I took a step to the side. Later on a couple said to me "lucky you!". They had no sarcasm, and were very sincere. To which I thought "Yes, lucky me I was standing in the same spot as a victim who was about to get Jack-the-Rippered". Lucky me, was not my initial thoughts. We made it through the tour alive. And with a much deeper knowledge about Jack. Who apparently resembles Freddie Mercury. Bet you didn't know that! And after the tour we called it a night.

Tuesday was a big day. First stop was the Victoria Albert museum. Both Kaitlyn and I thought it was a museum about Victoria and Albert. We were wrong. Its an art gallery and very nice, but nothing to do with Victoria. Haha. So then we went to the Imperial War Museum, I love that museums are free here! The war museum made me very glad I did not live through the world wars. And I hope that I never have to. They had a big exhibit devouted to the Holocaust. Which was hard to go through, yet I felt like hearing these peoples stories is important for us to learn and grow from here.

We next went to find the Millennium Bridge. Which appeared in the Harry Potter movies. It was fun to walk across it (don't worry, no Death Eaters attacked it while I was on it) and then we explored the things on the other side. We found Shakespeare's Globe theatre, which sadly I did not get to see a show for. Next time! Then we saw London Bridge. Not super thrilling, but it was there. And we also checked out the Tate Gallery of modern art for a while as well.

We decided to head towards Kings Cross Station to further our unofficial self guided free Harry Potter movie sights tour. We grabbed some food first and ate it outside while admiring the beautiful St. Pancras building. Then we went to find Platform 9 3/4. We found it mobbed by a giant queue, with people waiting to get their picture taken by the professional photographer. Which you later could buy, after waiting in another very long line. We skipped the lines and took pictures of other people there instead. I thought it was funny, there was one guy whose job was to hold the end of a scarf (whichever Hogwarts house the person chose) and throw it in the air right before the photographer snapped the picture. He did this over and over. I wonder how he feels about Platform 9 3/4 haha. I was then determined to find the place where Hagrid and Harry walk with trains below them in the first movie. I found it, and didn't even have to buy a ticket. Though I didn't hang out too long in case people decided to check if I had ticket....

For dinner that night we stopped at a grocery store, I found a pack of 5 doughnuts for only £0.60. Of course I got those. And to make it a healthy dinner I bought a carrot. Which only came to £0.08. I'm pretty sure it was the cheapest carrot I've ever purchased! And it was big too. Yay! And don't worry, I shared the donuts.

That night we had tickets to Billy Elliot the musical. We met up with Elise and sat in our third row seats. The kid that played Billy was crazy good. I was blown away! Also the actress playing Mrs. Wilkinson had played the role of Fantine in the Les Mis 10th anniversary concert. I was fan-girling just a lot. Like I said previously, 10th anniversary concert was the CD I listened to the most. And I also watched the vhs about a million times, so seeing her live was pretty legit. It was indeed a lovely evening out.

A summary of Wednesday: Lots of running and lots of junk food and lots of theatre. A pretty perfect day. If you were to decrease the running by a little bit then it would be a totally perfect day.

I woke up early to go get day seats for the show Gypsy. I got to the theatre 20 minutes before it opened, enough to be fourth in line. They didn't release any cheap seats on the stage level, but I did manage to snag two cheap seats in balcony. They were still pretty good actually.

Before the show I met up with Kaitlyn. We rented bikes and rode around Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. It ended up being perfect weather for it. Not too hot nor too cold, just right. There were quite a few paths that bikes weren't allowed on, so navigating was a bit of an adventure at times. We did well. Saw lots of geese, swans, (neither mingling with each other) and ducks. Even a big line of horses with riders who were in fancy uniforms. I was secretly hoping that maybe someone from the royal family was passing by, but I didn't see them if they were. There wasn't much for cars afterwards, so perhaps they were just practising. We returned our bikes and then I headed to the theatre district.

I met Nefer's cousin Kleidy for some fun theatre-ing. We headed to the Savoy theatre for Gypsy, starring the incomparable Imelda Staunton. For you witches and wizards, that's the former Professor Umbridge at Hogwarts. She was amazing! Seriously, really quite a show to see her live. It was very well done. And I had my Broadway-noculars, so that was a nice considering we were in the balcony seats. Both Kleidy and I thoroughly enjoyed the show.

When it ended we decided to be spontaneous and get tickets to another show. I hadn't planned on it initially, but we thought hey why not. We checked at two theatres that didn't have cheap seats left before finding some at Beautiful. I had seen it in NY, and loved it, so we decided on it. Here was the catch. The box office guy said we could get cheaper better seats at 7. It was 6:20. Just enough time to go to my hostel and pick up my big backpack and come back. Except it wasn't really enough time. Perhaps underestimating how long it would take, Kleidy and I ended up running madly through the streets of London. We got to the hostel at 6:58, and the show was 7:30. So we picked it up a notch. Even though I wore my giant backpack we sped back to the underground station. Which wasn't very close...onto the train we finally got to our stop. With one last sprint to the end we made it at exactly 7:30. Since we still had to buy our tickets we missed the first number. But since it had already started we ended up getting a major discount. So it worked out. Good ole Carole King. She's got quite the story. My allegiance is still to Jessie Mueller, as the original star of the musical in NY. But Katie Brayben gave a good show nonetheless. Our seats were awesome! Front row of the first balcony. Super close to the stage. Good seats spoil you.

After the show we made our way to the train. But missed the last one that would take us all the way to Nefer's village, good thing she is a kind kind soul and volunteered to send her husband to pick us up one village over. It was a good way to spend a last day in London. Despite only eating junk food, no time for dinner or lunch when you are sprinting through London trying to get to your shows on time. Still a great day!

Travelling to London

I got to the airport in plenty of time. Though before I caught the shuttle I had to run back to the hostel since I had forgot my main pair of shoes. Still, I had left lots of time so I was alright. I got to the airport grateful that I had come early. The line was crazy. And for most of it I always seemed to be the last one in line. I had music in my head and I really just wanted to break out into song and dance. I imagined everyone in the airport joining in, and us having a great big musical number. With lyrics in both English and Italian, obviously.

I was able to check and I got through the security lines without a hitch. Actually I was a little worried cause I have two little jars of pesto, each is a little more than 100mL. But I arranged them in my liquids bag somewhat strategically, hoping it would get passed over. I acted confidant that it would all be alright as I went through. But the lady did pick it up and look at it. On the other side the security man asked where I was heading. Since I said England for a week, he let me keep them. Yay! Pesto in Canada I shall have. It won't be a problem again since I plan on checking my bag from London. I figured I had just enough time to buy two giant chocolate bars from the duty free store, since they were cheap. Then headed to my gate. Except there was a giant line there. It was a customs line, which I didn't account for, and they had at least five flights funnelling through there. This was the only time I maybe worried a little that I didn't have enough time. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten my giant chocolate bars. But they hadn't paged me yet, so I figured I was alright.

While I was waiting in line there was girl that tried to come back out the exit. Which is a bad idea when that exit is customs. She wanted to charge her cell phone and then come back through the line. She kept yelling at the workers, "I'm American! I need to go charge my phone. I'm going to Dublin and just want to charge my phone. Come on I'm American!"  Etc, etc. I realize that not all Americans are like that, in fact all the ones I know aren't. And I know there is people like that from everywhere, but if there is one way to get people to dislike you, speak that way to the very polite Italian workers. I don't get it, her flight left in half an hour anyways, so by the time she got out she would have to jump back in line cause it was so long. I just had to shake my head. Watch what you say people (aka the angry girl in the Napoli airport that wanted to exit customs just to charge her phone), others are watching. And maybe judging a little bit. And posting it on their blogs. That a handful of people read.

The flight was good. Then I hopped through customs super fast in London. Actually it was quite nice cause they had all UK/EU passport holders go in one line, and passports from everywhere else in another. I happened to be travelling with a lot of Europeans. Cause my line had maybe five of us in it, while there were hundreds in the other one. Win! Now I am back in the UK. I admit when I stepped off the plane I sang "Hail Britannia! Britannia rules the waves. We shall never, never, never be slaves!".

Back in London.

It was a lovely day. I got to stay with my friend Nefer again. Her cousin is also out staying with her. They were planning on heading into London to go see Phantom of the Opera. I was planning on a theatre day too, but I had a priority list of shows I wanted to see on the West End. London's equivalent of Broadway. I was in heaven! Since I had seen Phantom already I opted for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Miss Saigon. I had done my research and found that many shows offer 'day seats'. Kind of the like NY's rush tickets. Usually you have to line up before the box office opens and they release a certain amount of front row seats for around £20. A steal of a deal! I headed to Miss Saigon box office first and asked if they by chance had any day seats left. It was 12:30 by the point, so I didn't really think they would. But it was a two show day, so maybe. They didn't have any for the matinee, but they had one ticket left in the front row for £20, and it went straight to me. I was thrilled! Then we headed to the theatre where Charlie was playing. They don't do day seats, but the very back row is only £20. So I took it for the matinee. Sadly I left my binoculars at Nefer's house. I brought them solely for this purpose. All well, I really only needed them for Charlie.

Before our shows Nefer, Kleidi and I explored Piccadilly Circus and that area. Then we grabbed some lunch. It was way delicious, at Nandos. Then we headed our separate directions. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is done by the same people who made Matilda the Musical, which I had seen and loved. It was very well done. The special effects were amazing! I was totally taken into a different world. It was bright and catchy and wonderful! And the view from the very back row really wasn't that bad. I could see everything through the whole show. But there was a person or two that occasionally was checking their phone. This is a GIANT pet peeve of mine. Come on people, can you not live without your phone for an hour til intermission, or the show is over. And if you can't that's just sad. But you should at least stay in the hall and do it.

After the show I went and met up with Nef again and we all got dessert at a French Patisserie. It was delicious! We sat on a bench and loved every morsel while enjoying a lively conversation. Before long it was time for me to head to show number two. I was soooooo excited to sit in the front row. I love being so close to the stage. I feel like I'm part of the show. Then it started. I knew it was based on Madame Butterfly, but really wasn't familiar with the music. It started and was a bit scandalous, I wasn't expecting that. Luckily it cleared out and I could enjoy the rest of the show. The actors had amazing voices. Seriously, a man that can sing is the right kind of man. The lead girl who plays Kim was insanely talented. Her voice. Then I found out that she just graduated high school. What?! Crazy young talent. Me thinks this show should come to Broadway, I'm pretty sure she'd win the Tony award.

The show had some crazy effects too. Including an actual helicopter landing on the stage. And the way they did it made you feel the wind of it coming all the way through the theatre. I honestly thought it was flying over top of me for a bit. Oh I felt all the emotions. Especially at the end of the show. This story leaves me a blubbering mess. Seriously they need to give me more time before the house lights come up. So I can process. Overall there are some parts I'd leave out, but Miss Saigon also transported me to another world. Vietnam during the war. What a show!

Then I left the theatre. Sadly here in the West End you have to buy your programs. No freebies like all the Playbills in NYC. They charge £4 per program. And I had a giant moral debate about whether or not to buy one. I do have a collection, but £4 is a lot. So I bought one from Charlie (using all my change) and then snooped a display one for Miss Saigon. At least I have one show. That'll be enough. Now I'm on the train heading back. I like theatre days.

POMPEI

With a heavy heart I left Rome. I wanted to do more shopping, but alas my train was leaving at 11:45am. So off I went to Pompeii. Land immortalised by ash, until it was dug up for us to discover.

I got to the town and couldn't find any clues as to where this giant archeological site was. It looked like a normal town to me! Finally I asked someone and she was kind enough to point me in the right direction. Off I went to discover the ancient world. It was a ten minute walk from the train station and I could store my bags there. So boom, in no time I was off exploring old stuff. And loving it! The first part had hardly any people in it. I took a couple sweet pictures with my camera, thanks to the timer. You'll have to wait til I have computer access to see those!

I eventually made my way to main street. And that's where the really good stuff was. It was still another hot day in Italy, so I tried to stay in the shade when I could. I can't believe how well preserved this stuff is. It really is amazing. I watched some archeologists working, it was cool to see how much care they took. That's why we have what we have today. The walls were still painted, so well kept. About half way through my wandering I remembered I had a Rick Steves audio guide. So I pulled it out and listened from the beginning. I learned a lot of the peoples lives. I saw Mount Vesuvius itself, the volcano that started it all. Apparently its still active today.

The one part I especially wanted to see was the cast of the people that were caught unaware when the volcano exploded. I know that may sound a bit morbid, but I was really curious. I listened to the part where Rick explains where they are like a thousand times trying to find them. Alas, I came to the conclusion that they weren't there. Which is alright, there was so much else to see,  that though I was a bit disappointed I certainly didn't regret coming. Cause it was still really cool.

There were so many places I saw. Their main square, the bath houses, markets, and I even saw a brothel. Apparently there was a lot, maybe that's why the volcano erupted on them? I also saw some restaurants and gardens. Big houses and small houses. My favorite part was probably their theatre (surprised?). It was cool to see how even then they had cheap seats and the more expensive seats. I wonder if they did rush tickets back then? In the Colosseum I learned that their tickets were pieces of tile with the seat written on it. Pretty nifty I thought. I'm curious to known if they had a similar system there. They had a big theatre and a smaller one. The teatro piccolo<-I love the name!

This was near the end of my wanderings. I only had the amfiteatro left, aka amphitheatre. This was like their Colosseum. It was way on the other end, but I wanted to see everything. I'm sure glad I went. They (modern Pompei-ians) had a wooden pyramid right in the middle of it. Apparently there was a photography exhibit. In I went, and there were all the bodies they had cast and recovered. I got to see them after all. It literally took my breath away. Because all of the sudden, everything I just saw became real. These were real people with real lives. Lives that I got a glimpse of that day. There were adults and children and I stood and thought about their lives. I was alone in there for a while just thinking about them. It was a good way to close out my trip to Pompeii. After that I left.

Walking through the modern town of Pompeii I really enjoyed it. They are a super cute town, lots of locals out and about. I got yummy gelato, raspberry and peach, it was amazing. Almost tied with the Lindt store gelato. I'm going to miss this stuff. I caught my train to Napoli. The ride along the coast was quite pretty. I loved it. I would like to explore Sorrento next time I come, I hear its even prettier. Next time!

I navigated to a new hostel for the last time in Italy. It started out alright, but I still got lost near the end. I found it. I had enough time to grab pizza. The receptionist showed me on the map where her favorite place was. I decided to check it out. On the way I passed a nice quiet spot by a castle. I got to her fave pizzeria and there were tons of people there and no where to sit. So I turned around and went back to the quiet place. And it was wonderful. I got La Duchessa, a pizza with cream, mozzarella, ham, basil, and corn on. It was so so good. And it was huge! But since its been so hot, and I've been so cheap I've been skipping lunch just cause I'm not hungry. I eat a giant (free) hostel breakfast and then I'll eat dinner. So this made up for it, it was amazing! New life goal is to recreate it. When I get home its all Italian food experiments. I will learn how to cook!