My British Life and Culture class is probably one of the best classes I've taken. I've got the token British guy teaching with lanky features and an awesome accent to boot. On top of that, we get to go on fun field trips like Shakespeare's Globe Theater AND a tour of Parliament!
I think it's quite funny that I have lived in DC for over two years and not once have I gotten a tour of the White House OR gone inside the Capitol building. I still have yet to step foot into the National Portrait Gallery. Yet, I was able to step into the House of Lords and the House of Commons. I saw where the Prime Minister and his opponents yell at each other from "two sword lengths apart" and where the Queen sits when she comes to take a gander at the political system reigning in her kingdom (queendom?).
The people in the House of Lords get there mostly through genetics, not popular vote. Generations of men in certain families have sat in these red seats. The UK is getting fed up with that rule and these hereditary lines are slowly being diminished in government.
No one knows why, but the House of Commons' theme is green. You see the red line where that woman is crossing her legs? It's on both sides of the seats. It's a myth that the two lines are two sword lengths apart because the different parties would get to angry at each other they'd want to start fighting. Our tour guide told us that swords were never allowed into the room, and there are still hooks next to where the people put their jackets for where they can hang their swords (haha, that sounds sexual).
Our tour guide was a little cute lady who works for some political guy (I forgot if he was in the House of Lords or Commons) but she gave an awesome history lecture while quickly ushering us around the maze that is Parliament. Coming to London, and Europe for that matter, has given me a new found interest in history because, well, history is everywhere. Every building and landmark has a unique story and I can feel my brain start churning back in time imagining what it would have been like to see London when it was the head of an empire, when the Colosseum held the ancient Gladiator battles, where Plato sat in Athens writing his Allegory of the Cave, where Scottish people started getting sloshed in the afternoon...
Anyway, after my tour through the history of England I left the ancient realm and thrust into the here and now at a little place called PRIMARK.
To you mudblood civilians in America, Primark seems like just another cheap store to buy clothing. WRONG. Primark is heaven. I went in to specifically buy a pair of black flats to wear to my internship and instead had a shopping orgasm. Everything was soft and pretty and wintery and londony and..... I left with 5 shirts, ear muffs, and flats. I warn you- don't go to Primark alone. You won't have a person next to you telling you to "PUT THE SHIRT DOWN!" or "close your eyes and CAREFULLY walk away from the shoes before someone gets hurt."
I couldn't find a better picture on google. sry.
Had I gone in with nothing in mind I would have needed a truck to help carry all of the stuff I bought back to my flat. Another thing I recommend is checking UK sizes to US sizes. All in all I only spent 35 pounds, which is great considering the amount of stuff I bought.
Another thing I've noticed in London is the sushi restaurants. If you know me, you know my favorite food is sushi. I can eat that shit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is difficult to resist a spicy crunchy tuna roll from Satay Asian Club in DC (REPRESENT!) and in London they make eating sushi easy. The places that sell sushi individually wrap pieces to go and have these cute little trays pre-made begging for you to pick them up and buy them. Instead of sitting in a restaurant waiting for a half hour while an old asian man in a funny hat makes it for you, it's all ready to go.
So, because the English don't believe in Thanksgiving (GASP) they completely ignore it and right after Halloween EVERYONE goes into a Christmas frenzy. Certain tube stops have sparkly decorations and all of the restaurants are promoting their Christmas dinners. I haven't gotten around to asking anyone, but it seems that when Christmas rolls around people want to be out on the town, not drinking egg nog and listening to Nat King Cole. Regardless, I love it. Especially since this town is getting dark at around 3:30 PM and is getting COLDER by the second. With no Christmas cheer, I think more people would want to kill themselves. I can't imagine being any more north at the moment.
I keep checking the weather in Brisbane, Australia to get excited for the heat, sun, and FUN I'll be having down under. That's bad though, because I only have a few little weeks left before I jump on a plan and recross the pond. I genuinely love this city, and this country. There is something special about England that I can't put my finger on. I'm getting the hang of being a Londoner and it's weird to think Paris won't be a train ride away (I know I haven't gone yet SHH) and all of these awesome cities won't be 2 hours away either.
Okay Okay I'm getting too sentimental. It's only the beginning of November. I'm gonna sign off now.
CHEERS!
Miriam