The End Is in Sight--Day 42

Today was a very exciting day because I signed up for my last few London activities. I really can't believe that I've been here six weeks! I am so very excited for all of my classes next term and to see where I'll be living (I hope it's a TLA because I really like this whole cooking-for-myself thing, plus I really want to cook some of the recipes in my new cookbooks, and I have a feeling that they will be slightly less expensive in Rock Island than in London). The best part is that I don't have to say goodbye to my friends for long! That's why Augustana rocks! I can go abroad for a term with students from my own school, and then we can see each other for the rest of the year. I really think that I have formed some long-term friendships while I have been here, and I am so glad about it. I never would have befriended these people if I had not gone on London Term, and that would have been a crying shame.

Anyway, back to business. I am already signed up for Salisbury/Stonehenge on Friday, so look for that post in a couple of days. We are obviously going to see the ruins and also  Salisbury Cathedral and the newer town of Salisbury. Monday (October 17th) is our fancy afternoon tea at the Kensington Gore Hotel. Now, we had a nice tea in Glasgow, if you will remember, but this will be so much better! It will be elegant (we have to dress up), and it will be filling enough to supplant our dinner for the night. You can't beat high tea for a pound! The Friday of next week (October 21st) is our tour of Chiswick House and its grounds. The house itself is remarkable for its neo-Palladian architecture, but I am most excited for the gardens because they were influential in setting the standard for all English gardens--how perfect for my paper! On Sunday of that week (October 23rd), we are going to the Fulham game at Craven Cottage stadium. It will be interesting to observe a live football game and the fans. I know a couple of students who are memorizing some (admittedly unsavory) chants so that they can sing along with the spectators when we go.

The Friday after that (October 28th) is our day trip to Brighton! I can't wait to see the place Jane Austen writes about so often in her books and also take in the fresh sea air. There is a very ornate Royal Pavilion there that we will see as well as a district full of specialty shops known as The Lanes. The next day is a morning tour of the Houses of Parliament, which I am very excited to see. I think that the British political system is extremely interesting. I think it's safe to say that after this trip, I will be watching CSPAN every Wednesday so I can catch Prime Minister's Questions, which are extremely colorful and entertaining.

Friday the 4th of November is a trip to Windsor and Windsor Castle, which I am sure will be very charming. As you may or may not know, Windsor is the weekend retreat of the Queen. We will see St. George's Chapel, where King Henry VIII is buried and Eton, where Princes Harry and William went to school. After that, there are not many more days left of the trip. Our final event as a group takes place on November 5th, which if you will recall is Guy Fawkes Night, a pretty big deal here in London. Josh didn't want to give too much away, but he said that part of the evening would involve watching fireworks! (Ah, so that's what he meant by "dress warmly," which should be interesting given that I have one nice outfit, and it's not the warmest thing in the world--oh, well, that's what a coat is for, right?) Our last day in London (Wednesday, November 9th) is a group lunch at Maggie Jones's, which looks very rustic and cute. I am glad that our last few days in London will be filled mostly with fun and getting ready to leave. Our classes all end the week before we leave, so it will be nice to be able to focus on getting the most out of our last few days in London and on packing up and taking care of other last-minute details.

Other than that, today was a pretty calm day. I went to History class and turned in my paper on the Great Fire, which made me feel very accomplished. I also found out that I got an A on my history test! Hurray! I am very pleased with the result; I think our professor is a very kind grader because he said he was pleased with the results and said that there were quite a few A's and high B's. I'm not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow, but since my roommate Lauren is gone to Paris for a few days, I'll probably sneak over to the Science Museum or maybe even Harrods. I hear they sell puppies. Not only that, but I thought I'd pick up a I'd like to get my dog a little London souvenir, too. :)

Oh, and on the way back from signing up for classes, I took this picture of a cute little side street. I have noticed that London has a lot of cute side streets. Plus, while we were taking a break from class this afternoon, I saw this cute little goose statue sitting on top of one of the walkways. How charming! Enjoy!

I don't really know what he's doing up there, but it sure looks like he has a good view!

Another photo contest candidate? (I'm still pretty partial to the picture of the other side street, though.)