We took our last 30 minute tube, 2 hour train, and 45 minute bus ride through Europe of the week. We got the opportunity to see Haddon Hall, it is this ancient medieval style house that was abandoned in the 17th Century and wasn't updated or renovated, so it's just how it was back then. It was so different from what we've been seeing, and it smelled a lot worse. The interior was darker, it was pretty but I really loved the outside gardens and windows. The windows were stained glass but they were swervey... very cool. Next was Chatsworth. The scenery surrounding both of these houses is incredibly beautiful, lush and green with trees everywhere! Chatsworth was big, but the gardens were even bigger. I think these may have been my favorite gardens of the trip: there was a rock garden, with giant moss covered boulders everywhere. There were waterfalls, leaning hedges, ponds, flowers, artwork, fat statues, fountains, and a MAZE made out of bushes! We gave it a valliant effort for about 30 minutes and then gave up. It was beautful. We adventured through the gift shop for a while, and then journeyed back to the bus. Afterwards, we came back to our flat and layed on our beds.
Throughout life, you experience many firsts: The first time you ride a bike. Your first kiss. Your first bee sting. Your first broken bone (or 5 in my case, I was quite the accident prone child.) On this beautiful, rainy, city night I experienced my first Broadway play: Billy Elliot! We went to the ticket office early that morning and bought our golden tickets. We made a quick stop at the grocery store (Kelloggs has been holding out on America, they sell this cereal called Crunchy Nut here and it is heaven in a box), stocked up for the remaining 5 days (we found Orangina in London!), and headed back to our flat to get all spiced up for Billy. I had the pleasure of sitting front row and I couldn't stop smiling: I was SO excited!! I was constantly chastised for taking pictures in a no picture taking theatre, but I didn't even care. During the first half however, I almost caused a public scene. There was an antsy, ADD, oblivious, view blocking woman of Asian ethnicity sitting on the left of me. Apparently in Asia it is okay to lean halfway onto someone, placing your head directly in front of someones clear view to the stage, during a first time, incredible, life changing musical masterpiece. So Brady traded me spots and the 2nd half was fantastic, profound, breathtaking, spectacular: the singing, the dancing, and acting, the humor, even the 80 casual swears. AMAZING!! 3 hours was not long enough for 12 year old Billy to pursue and live his dancing career during an industrial British mining strike. My first Broadway play was better than I could have ever imagined... everything sounds better with a British accent. Now I'm slightly addicted... I will be attending my childhood favorite movie, The Lion King, on Saturday (stay tuned for that, although my smiles may look slightly cheesy they are full of 100% genuine excitement and enthusiasm). Wicked is also on the Agenda... Why not?? I'm in young, loving my life, and in London. These memories are priceless, and my bank account will understand one day.
Today was skin tanning-ly hot, beautiful, and not a cloud in the sky!!! Not. It poured. And even underneath two pathetic, repeatedly worn jackets, it was freezing. I have yet to invest in an umbrella, but Ali so kindly sacrifices her looks to wear her hooded, blue, rain jacket and let me use her umbrella. After a late night of living up London, we were exhausted this morning. We pull down the food tray and sleep every morning on our express destination train rides. But nevertheless we excitedly endeavored to the Burgley House. By house, they mean small, castle-like mansion of a house. Complete with it's own herd of REINDEER!!! I couldn't have asked for a better surprise!! Their reindeer horns are as soft as those soft baby toys in Babies 'R Us, and they did not flee: they were SO friendly that they came right up to us and we were lovin it!! I loved the house too... it was just so English. We got a private tour before the House opened to the public and it was so intriguing and fascinating. Pride and Prejudice was also filmed at this location, and the tour guide let us know the Kiera Knightly is a, "well, it rhymes with witch." We were told we had to try the clotted creme: so we did. It tasted like butter, but the best butter ever made. And creamier. On scones. With Jam. Ah-mazing!! I hear the gardens are delightful, but I sat inside while Brady ventured outward in the foreboding, inclimate weather to capture them. We took our chartered bus to the town of Stamford. It was cozy and cute just like you would expect. We explored some little shops, walked the streets, and ate some freshly made Gmen. I found the cure to my tanlessness displayed clearly in a shop window. It was an adorable afternoon. Later that night at the bus stop, we stopped by the infamous platform known by wizard lovers round the world: Platform 9 and three quarters. Phenominal!! I'll have you know that I was mid-air (when the picture was supposed to be taken) but this was the tail end of my flight. It was magical.
The forecast for today said clear skies, in the 70's, a mere 20% chance of rain. It lied. And it rained: again. I was extra tired today, as will be seen in every picture taken. We have and will continue to travel by tube, train and bus every day this week outside of London, all over England. Today we discovered the quaint town of Oxford: it was just wonderful. We arrived at Blenheim Palace, and were left on our own to tour. No matter what anyone tells you: neverrr, everrr everrr get conned into taking the 45 minute audio visual tour at Blenheim Palace. Ever. Doors automatically lock you into the trap of a tour, and it is the longest, most ridiculous holographic tour that could have ever been taken. We learned our lesson after that and took ourselves on a self guided tour of the house. The house was extraordinarily beautiful, and cool fact of the day: it was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill! He was an extraordinary man as well. Then, the best part: the secret gardens. The gardens of Palaces never cease to amaze me, they are so lush, green, good smelling, bright, floral, full of buzzing and chirping and ponds streaming away. We took a family picture on a tree, quite original, I know. Afterward we took the double decker bus back to Oxford for some lunch. I got a cheddar and chicken crepe: with MUSTARD!!! Oh I've been missing mustard since July 1st, and I finally, finally found it! It was just as I remember it being: delicious. And then I became an official tourist. If you thought the fanny pack was touristy enough, It just got worse. I bought an I Love London shirt. It was made to fit a large, husky fit Asian man I'm sure, but I don't even care. I wear my oversized, overpriced tourism with pride. In honor of my purchase (Ali and Brady also gave in to the pressures of tourism) we took a top bunk picture. One thing led to another, and before I knew it I was laughing so hard I was crying. We don't know how to take a good picture. I went to the Tesco to get a treat, and saw some $1.6 million dollar Bugattis driving right by me. No big deal. I also learned today that I led a deprived childhood, never in my all my youthful years did I know about the existence of the Padington Bear. I was informed of it today, whilst traveling in the train station and seeing a kiosk for it. But that doesn't matter now that I'm almost legally an adult (less than a month and counting down), because I have a brand new shirt.
The tube station at 630 am has become all too familiar. Along with the 2 hour train rides. Rain. And the regular: large hot chocolate with an apple cinnamon muffin. Best muffins I've ever tasted. However, today we added an additional step: the public bus. What a treat that was. We arrived at the Wilton House and it was phenomenal. For all avid movie watchers, you may have seen Sense and Sensibility, or perhaps Pride and Prejudice: they were filmed here. We watched a short movie involving a nun who disappeared into walls that was quite difficult to fully appreciate and historically learn from due to immaturity and lack of sleep. After the epic screening, we toured the House, and it was gorgeous. The Earl of Pembroke (attractive doesn't even begin to do this man justice) is the 18th heir of the property. Our adorable tour guide gave us the rare opportunity to walk on the bridge in the gardens. It was such a serene and beautiful bridge, built by the same architect who built the Rialto Bridge in Italy. So beautiful. And gorgeous. This was followed by pastries and lemonade: I acquired some sort of blueberry apple delight and it was magnificent! Next stop: Salisbury Cathedral. Perhaps I thought to myself: another cathedral, if I've seen one I've seen them all. I'm happy to say I was completely wrong: I've never seen one like this. It started out just as any other tour, with the bonus of an old perky tour guide of a man who told every story like it was the first time and used phrases such as "it was a hell of a good time" and other such casual swears, in church. The spire on Salisbury is the tallest in England... we gained a full knowlegde of the Cathedral and it was fascinating, it's incredible to learn about the process behind the incredible architecture you are standing in and touching. Then the real tour started: we were granted a special behind the scenes rafter tour. If you are afraid of heights and/or sketchy wooden beams, this is not the tour for you. We were taken up above the chapel, then up into the cieling, up into the ringing bell towers (I still can't hear out of my left ear, and our architect tour guide made us take a picture: he missed the bells. It is also possibly the worst picture of all of us ever taken.) and finally up into the 400 foot spire. I'm still speachless, the views were incredible, the stories were priceless, and being able to see the church like this was eye opening to say the least! It was quite the adventure, and I loved every minute of it. Not to mention I saw the document that changed changed democracy as we know it and influenced our constitution. We climbed back down the smallest spiral staircase you've ever set foot on, and rushed to catch our taxi's to perhaps the most famous ruins in all of England: Stone Henge! On the run to the taxi's, Kait and I happened upon our friendship written on a wall, we couldn't pass it up. The drive there was just like a scenic drive through Logan, Utah: cows. Cows everywhere coving rolling hills and plains. And then, just like that, out of nowhere we beheld the monumental ancient ruins. We were told that the area would be roped off, and we were not allowed to touch the rocks unless we had a blind person with us. That can always be arranged. Unfortunately, there were no blind performing people on the tube that day to con into the job. I've seen many a discovery channel documentary on how Stone Henge came to be, today I listened to a 30 minute audio guided tour, and I still couldn't tell you how this beautiful composition of colapsed rocks came about. I can tell you however that the heaviest stone weighs the equivilant of 7 full size elephants. It was unreal, there is just a presence about it that you can feel the moment you set foot on the ground. It was such a special and unique experience, but by the end of this 17 hour day I was exhausted. Refer to picture below:
It was so different from what we've been seeing, and it smelled a lot worse. The interior was darker, it was pretty but I really loved the outside gardens and windows. The windows were stained glass but they were swervey... very cool. 
Next was Chatsworth. 
The scenery surrounding both of these houses is incredibly beautiful, lush and green with trees everywhere! Chatsworth was big, but the gardens were even bigger. I think these may have been my favorite gardens of the trip: there was a rock garden, with giant moss covered boulders everywhere. There were waterfalls, leaning hedges, ponds, flowers, artwork, fat statues, fountains, and a MAZE made out of bushes! We gave it a valliant effort for about 30 minutes and then gave up. 
It was beautful. We adventured through the gift shop for a while, and then journeyed back to the bus. Afterwards, we came back to our flat and layed on our beds. 
