Days 35, 36, and 37

Hey everybody! It's been a jam packed couple of days, and it is only going to get worse.
Tuesday was going to be just another day in London, when some girls approached me and asked if I wanted to go and see the matinee show of "Phantom of the Opera" with stall seats that normally cost 50 quid for only 23. Well, I am no fool. I jumped up and screamed "YEAH!" and we were off a few hours later. All I can say is "OH MY GOSH!" It was the best thing that I have ever spent $50 on (I bought the program, too....of course.) I never ever felt bad for the phantom until this show. I was crying as it ended. The music was phenominal, Christine was fabulous, and Raoul and the Phantom are going to be at an eternal tug of war in my head for the most attractive singing man in existence. It may be the phantom just because he was really tall and ripped, but he's the bad guy, so I dunno. All that matters is that a dream came true.
Wednesday we got up at 3:30 and got on a bus and went to the train station, where we took a train to Paris! We were only there for 12 hours, but here's what I did: Notre Dame cathedral and belltower to look for Quasimodo, crepe stand(duh), walked along the Seine River, saw the Louvre and danced in front of it, walked through the Place de la Concorde and took a picture of a really cute French couple, saw the Arc de Triomphe and ooohed, walked up to the second level of the Eiffel Tower and wrote our names on the stone railings and ate a croissant, went to the National Opera House and pretended we were in Phantom of the Opera, walked through the Cimeterie du Pere-Lachaise and saw Chopin's grave, ate at another crepe joint near the Pompedu and watched my friend get her portrait drawn, walked up some more stairs to the Sacre Coeur and enjoyed the war memorial there, and then raced back to the train station where we had to go through some rigorous customs stuff, and then jumped on the train and got back here at 11:00. EXHAUSTING! And I am very sore today. No more stairs EVER!!!
Today wasn't going to be very exciting, but I went to the Houses of Parliament with two girls, and it was SO cool! I am not a government person, but watching the debating and things was really cool! And we met people from Winamac, Indiana and South Bend, Indiana. Crazy as my friend was from Zionsville, Indiana.... The security guy thought it was hilarious that we all met up in London. I also learned about Malta from one the guards, and had another warn me about tall, dark strangers. He then added, "Unless they're rich, o'course." Of course.
Tomorrow we're off to Bath, and I am so excited about it! Time is winding down!
Cheers!

Rachel and I at Phantom. We sat next to each other and squealed as soon as we got in. Couldn't help it; we were in the 9th row, for crying out loud!

The elevator, yes, elevator, that took us up to the street from the metro.

Notre Dame. Really cool.

I made friends with the gargoyle at the top of Notre Dame.

My first crepe of the day. Nutella......mmmmmm.

In front of the Louvre. Didn't go in, it was too expensive.

The Arc de Triomphe.

A very pretty view of the Seine.

The accordian guy by the Eiffel Tower. Can you GET more French???

The Eiffel Tower, obviously.

Directly underneath the tower.

The view off one side of the second level of the tower.

Those great stairs at the Opera. MASQUERADE!

Typical French street.

Sacre Coeur, which is French for Sacred Heart.

What I've Noticed...

I had a little bit of extra time tonight, so I started to think about the things that I have seen in London that have struck me. These are in no particular order.
1)There are no drinking fountains. Anywhere. The only one that I have seen was in the Temple.
2)There are very few public toilets. Some restaraunts have them, but in most cases you have to be a paying customer to use them.
3)There are these little crosswalk zones with zig-zag lines and big black and white striped poles with a yellow light on top that indicate that it is a "Zebra Zone", which means thatthe pedestrians have right-of-way. But it is a very very scary thing because you never know if those drivers are actually going to stop for you.
4)EVERYBODY smokes. If you don't smoke, you've either quit smoking, are on your way to buy more cigarettes because you've just finished your last one, or you are Mormon. Or 10 years old or younger.
5)They go for the natural hair out here. I am not talking about the color, because obviously, they don't care about that. But with all of the public transportation and unpredicatable weather, the hair is not as perfectly coiffed as it is in the States.
6)The Brits are SO QUIET! I have to strain my ears to do any sort of eavesdropping. Unless, of course, they are drunk. Then I have to cover my ears.
7)They read a lot. Novels, newspapers, magazines, work stuff, it doesn't matter. When they are travelling, they are reading.
8)They aren't so fond of loud American tourists. If looks could kill...
9)There are almost more other cultures in London than there are Brits. Not joking.
10)They have a very strange form of Fanta that is actually quite fabulous. You can't get it in the States, but it is quite popular here. I wonder if I could import it.....

Anyway, London is still fun. I go to Phantom of the Opera tomorrow, and then PARIS (YAY!!!) on Wednesday, so I won't write again till I get back from those adventures. Til then!
Cheers!

Days 30, 31, 32, and 33

Having just returned from adventures on the emerald shores of the homeland of my ancestors, I have many experiences to share, and a lot less money than I had before I left....but that can't be helped. I mean, it IS the home of Guiness.....haha, you know me better than that!!! Eh.......don't you?

Oh well. So, Thursday I had art class again, and I think I am getting better, but when you are surrounded by a lot of really talented artistic people, it is hard to determine. But we left for the airport before dinner and had to take two tubes and a train to get there. And then we had to PAY to check in there! 4 quid! Seriously, if I had to pay $8 to check in in the States, I would walk everywhere or travel by boat. If you travel to London, don't use Gatwick. Anyway, we landed in Ireland at 10:00 and the sun was JUST SETTING!!! So weird! And Ryanair unloaded us from the front AND the back! I have always thought that the back of the plane should be used for unloading, and somebody listened to me! Our hostel was just like any other hostel...a little dirty, a little scary, and, of course, in a darkened alley. But they had toilets, showers (sort of), and beds, so we didn't complain.

Friday we took a bus tour to the Wicklow mountains, lakes, and valleys, and Lori Rahlf, I have to contest with you on your "Montana has the best air in the world" theory, because, having experienced both, I would have to say that Irish countryside air is the best in the world. Sorry. What I saw on that tour was the epitome of what we all consider Ireland. It was AMAZING! We got back to Dublin that evening and walked around, ate some cheap food, and generally avoided crowds as Celine Dion was in town and we didn't want to get trapped with a bunch of drunk Celine fans, though it might have made for some great pics. We did get to see a cricket match at Trinity College, which was fun, if a little confusing.

Saturday we spent in Dublin, shopping around, going to St. Patrick's cathedral, and finding a whole lot of really cool family name memorabilia. Then we had to come back to London, which was the scariest adventure of my life. See, they decided that starting on June 1st, they would no longer allow alcohol or drunk people on the Underground. So what did everybody decide to do on May 31st from 9-midnight? Why, get shnockered up and ride the tube for hours and hours until they were forced off! This, of course, led to the closure of the underground rail that my companions and I needed to return to the Centre, and so we were forced outside, smack INTO the brouhaha of drunken, high, and moral decrepit Brits fighting with the police, blocking traffic, singing horribly off key, and approaching innocent pedestrians with truly abomianble breath and utterly unacceptable invitations. The four of us EVENTUALLY caught a taxi, mostly because he was stopped at a red light and we walked into traffic to talk to him. We paid 20 quid to get home, but when you are fearing for your life and your chastity and your wallet, who cares? We FINALLY got home around 11:45, and we were all shaking when we walked in. I thought that Rice-Eccles staduim on BYU-Utah game day was hell, but this one might take the cake. Close call, though. I'll have to think about that.
Today was nice, just going to church and then napping for a few hours. We have a fireside in a few minutes, and then dessert--huzzah! More adventures this week, but I'll talk about those as they come.

Cheers!

A slice of Irish countryside....

At the Wicklow Gap. Best air in the world, Lori. I swear.

Still at Wicklow Gap. That's granite, right there. No clue why I am leaning....

At Glendalough, such a cute little sight of some very Medieval ruins.

St. Stephens Park in the middle of Dublin. So beautiful!

We have a bookstore, family. I knew it!

At the door of Christ's Church Cathedral. Cool, huh?

St. Patrick's Cathedral. For you, Pops. It was so cool!

Days 23-29

Wow, it's been a bit since you guys have had anything exciting to read. Let me see if I can recap what the last week has been like.

Thursday was art day and we had to look like complete idiots at the British Museum as we were drawing because we weren't allowed to LOOK AT OUR SKETCHBOOK! We could not look down while we drew, and we had to do that for an hour. It was embarrassing! But we got the point: notice the details with your eyes. Don't just skim over it.

Friday we went to the London Temple, which was AMAZING. They have a genuine chef working in the kitchens, and so the food in the cafeteria was pretty much the most celestial food on the planet. Then we watched "The Queen" and "Amazing Grace" in our projector room. I highly recommend those movies to all.

Saturday was a fun day, as all Saturdays should be. I went to Portobello Road Market again (Sally and Laurie, you HAVE to come out here and go there) and I bought a really cute hat for 10 pounds. Not bad. Then we had the ball....which was more fun to get dressed up for that go to, but whatever. It was a lot of old people and old people's music and it took us two hours to get there when it should have taken one. Oh well. I looked good.

Sunday was Sunday. Nuff said.

Monday we had English class, then went to see Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe Theater. It was SO GOOD! That was one play I had never gotten around to reading, and the play was awesome!

Tuesday I went to Westminster Abbey, which was probably the most amazing place ever. I saw the place where Charles Dickens, George Fredric Handel, and William Wilberforce were buried. I saw the tomb of Elizabeth I. I saw the throne that they use for coronations. I lit a candle of prayer with hundreds of others. I cried at the memorial to the unknown soldiers. I saw Poet's Corner, where nearly all of England's literary minds are honored or buried. It was truly amazing.

Wednesday....today. We went to Cambridge. It was fun! We went punting on the Cam, saw a really boring exhibit in honor of Milton's 400th birthday (that was a requirement, unfortunatly), and then went shopping around. It's a really cute town, and I got this way cool shirt!

We go to Ireland tomorrow night, so I am so excited! See you all when I get back!

Cheerio!

Ready for the ball! Yes, I know. I look awesome! Tee hee...

The Globe Theater. So cool...

Erin, this one is for you.

Westminster Abbey. No pictures inside, sorry guys.

The Mathematical Bridge at Cambridge. Rumor has it that the Cambridge students were so curious about how the original was made with only pegs and no bolts, that they took it apart to figure out, couldn't do it, and so had to put nuts and bolts in to put it back up.

The name of our punt. Family, laugh all you want. I thought of you.

Some of the girls and our punter, Ben.

The Bridge of Sighs.....and yes, I did sigh as we went under.

50 Facts about Me

I saw this one on my sister-in-law Erin's blog and I loved it. And right now I am doing nothing but watching a movie and waiting for my creative juices to return, so there. It's apparently supposed to be 100, but nobody wants 100 facts about me. So, here we go.

1. I was terrified of thunderstorms for most of my childhood.
2. Consequently, I would hide in my bedroom or anywhere near my mother just in case the storm turned into a tornado that would pick up my house and drop it on a wicked witch.
3. When these storms would come, if there was time, my mom would put on the Sound of Music for me. I have loved that movie ever since.
4. I was also terrified of fire. Not in general, but when my dad would make a fire in the fireplace. I was fine once it was built, but I was scared that while he was making it, a match would fall out and the carpet would catch fire and then we'd all die.
5. I intentionally catch my marshmellows on fire because I like the carbon-y taste of it on my smores. But it has to be all the way on fire, or the middle won't melt.
6. I love to camp, until we have to go to bed. I hate that part. Not the outside bit, or the bugs bit, but the hard ground, waking up feeling the dew, and knowing that breakfast was going to be stale doughnuts or leftover cobbler.
7. I am the only one in my family who stuck with piano lessons
8. I am a very fast reader, and it drives my family nuts.
9. I am more than content to spend entire days sprawling out in easy chairs or couches or my bed and doing nothing but read.
10. I have, and always have had, a very vivid imagination. I used to make up stories as a kid, and not much has changed today.
11. In elementary school, we had this book shop that would bind a student's story and leave room for illustrations. I wrote quite a few and never managed to illustrate them.
12. I am abysmal at anything art related. My stick figures are well known for looking more like....well, sticks than firgures of anything.
13. My left hand is useless by itself.
14. My hand-eye coordination doesn't exist in most cases.
15. I am the least athletic member of my family, and probably enjoy sports the least. Which totally explains why I majored in Athletic Training....
16. I love music. But real music, not the crap that we sometimes get on the radio. I like music that has feeling and power and tells a story.
17. I love theater. Particularly, musicals. If I could have done anything else in high school, that would have been it. I did one and I was quite good, I must say.
18. I was on the tech crew for two musicals at my high school just so I could be a part of the shows. They were 'My Fair Lady' and 'Hello Dolly'.
19. I participated in a summer musical production of 'South Pacific' between my junior and senior year. Technically, I had an actual character role, but it was very small, very pointless, and very forgettable.
20. My one and only real role in a musical was my senior year when I convinced myself to do it regardless of swimming season, and I played Phyllis Owens in "Babes in Arms", which is a dumb musical, but will always have a place in my heart. I was a middle-aged stage mother with my own agenda, and I loved every minute of it.
21. I just lied to you all. I had another main role in a musical. In 6th grade, we put on a show called "Mean and Ugly" and I played Madame Ghoulis, the female Death. It was so cool...then.
22. I want a Welsh corgi for a dog. And a masiff.
23. Dessert is my favorite meal of the day. I literally tremble in the face of fudge, cheesecake, brownies a la mode, or anything else that falls under the category of dessert.
24. I used to be able to eat whatever I want with no effects.
25. I vividly remember one day when I came home from track practice and headed straight for the ice cream and my brother made a comment about canceling out what I had just done by eating it. I shrugged and ate it anyway. It was, after all, chocolate ice cream.
26. My favorite ice creams are chocolate, and mint chocolate chip.
27. I have many many nicknames. Beckster, Beck, Bink, Boo, Bucky, Zulu, Trainer, Becky-Lou-Who, Becky-Boo, Binky, Becky-baby, etc.
28. My grandpa was the only one to call me "Becky-babes". It was probably my favorite nickname of all.
29. I cry in most movies. Happy times, sad times, hopeful times, reminiscent times, inspirational times, death scenes, birth scenes, love scenes, end scenes, I cry.
30. My sisters take great pleasure in my crying in movies. They watch me for it. They wait for it. I become the movie entertainment. One time, I caught Sarah staring at me and eating popcorn, just waiting and watching. I should sell tickets. The most posed question to Becky in the movie theater is "Are you crying?"
31. I have very strong cravings. If it is not a dessert, it is usually meat. Burgers, steak, chicken, bacon, and the like.
32. I cannot smell popcorn without wanting some.
33. I am obsessed with love. Love stories, love movies, love songs, love poetry, love pictures, etc.
34. I can count all of the dates I have ever had on one hand.
35. When I was a youngster, my parents could never get me to go to nursery or to have a babysitter. I would scream and cry and cling and be the child from hell every time. Not much has changed.
36. I played lots of sports growing up, an the only one that I succeeded in was the one not on land. Go figure.
37. My name, Rebecca Lynne, was going to be both Chris and Timmy's name if they had been girls.
38. I would willingly watch the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice any time, any place.
39. I am doubled jointed in my thumbs, and can hyperextend my elbow. I used to be able to sit with my knees in a W but I grew up.
40. I cannot flip on the trampoline. I have tried and tried and tried, but I cannot do it.
41. I have never gotten a speeding ticket.
42. I can't drive stick shift, though I have been sort of taught.
43. I have over twenty story ideas and plots on my computer and in my head, just waiting to be typed out.
44. My eyes are blue on the outside, then turn grey, and then turn yellow at the pupil.
45. I love dogs, which is bizarre, as when I was a child I was also terrifed of dogs.
46. I love watching movies, and tend to get sucked in really easily.
47. I have never liked a guy who liked me back.
48. My only real goal in life that I am sure to never achieve is to be taller than my mother. I am the runt in my family. And I am 5'9".
49. My hair is thin and fine, and therefore, does not hold any sort of style.
50. All I really want out of life is to love and be loved in return. That or a promising lifetime as a NY Times Bestselling Author. Both would be ideal.

Days 19, 20, 21, and 22

It's been a moderately busy few days for me over on this side of the pond. Sunday was just like any other Sunday, except that we had a Munch 'n Mingle after church. These Brits know how to munch! The mingling was all right, but let's focus on the munch. It is me, after all. There was so much food for a ward this small! And it was all FANTASTIC! Of course, the only things missing from the smorgasborg was some funeral potatoes, baked beans, and jello, green or otherwise. It was the best Sunday ever. Monday was uneventful as we sat in British Literature class, yet again focusing on T.S. Elliot, who has done nothing that I am especially fond of. He's not even British! He was born in Missouri! Just because he lived here forever we talk about him, and it's at trial for me every time. Tuesday I went with some girls to the Tower of London, which was really fun! The only disappointing part was that the city has turned it into such a tourist place that it is difficult to imagine all of the things that happened there actually happening. But we took a guided tour with one of the warders and that was the best part of all. Then a bunch of us went to see The Sound of Music at the Palladian. It was one of the best moments of my life! The actors were awesome, the sets were amazing, and the singing was phenominal. When the Mother Abbess (who was actually a very accomplsihed opera singer) went into Climb Ev'ry Mountain, I got chills like you wouldn't believe and she literally took my breath away. Tears were shed. Outstanding. Maybe I'll go again. Then today, Wednesday, we took a group day to Hampton Court. For those of you who don't know (and I assume that is most of you), Hampton Court was the palace of Henry VIII (you know, the fat one who like going through wives) and also the residence of William and Mary. Various other monarchs lived there, but those are the most famous. Because William and Mary did some expansion work, half of the palace is Tudor style (Henry) and half is Boroque (Will and Mary). "And if it's not Boroque, don't fix it!" Hahaha...haha...ha...heh. Hmm. Bad joke. Sorry. The entire palace was amazing and very VERY well preserved. It was one of the coolest places I have seen yet, and I apologize, but there were no picture-taking allowed inside.
We have a free weekend here, and a ball on Saturday night. No joke, a real one. With posh frocks as a requirement. I'm excited! And ladies and gents, I just found out 30 seconds ago that some of our girls saw Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson today as they were filming something and they have the pictures to prove it. Amazing, unreal, not fair.

Our warder at the Tower. He was an entertainer of the highest order!

Tower of London outer walls. So cool!

This reminded me of Beauty and the Beast. "Bonjour!"

The Tower of London. Where many people died, mostly by beheading. Ick. And yet...

Hampton Court. Carlos was rude and walked through on purpose. Oh well.

Golden Arch of leaves at Hampton Court. Honestly, can you blame me?

Contemplating on the footbridge at Hampton Court. Romantic....

Swans in the Long Water. Swans may look elegant and graceful, but they growl. Really. It's terrifying.

Looking like a dork in one of the oldest and most well-known hedge mazes in the world. It was pretty cool, and, don't worry, I had my wand with me at all times to send up red sparks if I got into trouble.

So pretty! Flower tunnel at Hampton Court. Should lead somewhere awesome, right? WRONG! Totally leads to the toilets. Go figure.

Days 15, 16, 17 and 18

Well, I'm back from Scotland! I ate haggis [and survived...it tastes like spicy meatloaf], ate bangers and mash [truly the best food I have ever EVER eaten in my life], and had some real honest to goodness English tea. Camomile, but still. Scotland was dreary and cold and cloudy when we arrived and walked 10 miles--not exaggerating--up to Arther's Seat [why he wanted to sit so high up, I will never know], but it was still really REALLY pretty, and an amazing view. But then a literal miracle happened. We were on our way down the mountain and the clouds suddenly vanished and the sun came out, and my breath was stolen from me. It was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. Color was everywhere, and so bright and vibrant and pure that I was sure it was fake, but then I'd blink, and it was still there. I cannot even describe it to you. There is nothing I can put on here in words or pictures that could possibly show you what it looked like. It was amazing, and that word can't even compare with what I saw.
Anyway, then we walked back down and started to explore the town, and the Edinburgh Castle, which was SOOO cool. Edinburgh also has two wonderful fudge shops... and a whole host of various shops that were so cute and lots of fun. The hostel we stayed at was WAY cool, and it was a really fun place to hang out. I bought a real Scottish sweater [which still smells of sheep it is so real], a real Scottish scarf [which I have been getting MILES out off since its purchase], and some real Scottish fudge [which is no longer available for consumption, I fear]. Good souveniers.
York, on the other hand....well, let's just say that we were all really tired when we got there and there was not much to endear York to us. There was a Viking museum....that seven year olds would enjoy, but it was something to do. We went to Evensong at the York Minster, the center of the Anglican church there, which was amazing, if really interesting. And the town was really very quaint. Lots and lots of shopping, and they had a Borders and at least three Starbucks. So there you go. BUT as a redeeming quality for the lovely town of York, the Scarlet Pimpernel the Broadway musical was playing by the York Music Theatre Company. It was SO good! And the theatre was so pretty! It was without a doubt, the best part of the day. Oh, and York has a fudge shop too...
So, it is lovely to be back in London, though it is now raining and cold just as it was most of our trip, but it is nice to be 'home' all the same.

Saw this, and laughed. I am one of three sisters, you know. It was appropriate.

On top of Arthur's Seat. Amazing view, and a whole lot of walking and climbing and sweating and cursing Arthur to get there.

Edinburgh Castle. There should be lightening splitting the sky right now, huh?

The Royal Guard. See, the castle is a real working military base and they do this every day. It was SO cool with those bagpipers in red going along with the marching!

This one's for you, Mom. White cream fudge drizzled with dark chocolate....it was heaven.

Me and my camomile tea in the Elephant House, where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter. Never fear, I channelled the writing energy and wrote upon my own napkin in there.

Ah, the American spirit. Hard Rock in Edinburgh. Why Emily and I look vicious is beyond me.

The Fudge guy in York. Chocolate covered toffee flavored. In case you were wondering, fudge is really REALLY good when it is warm...

Evensong at York Minster. THAT was amazing. The Minster was HUGE!!! And SO beautiful.

Eryn and I at the Scarlet Pimpernel. SO AWESOME!!!!!!

So, I guess that's it, folks! See you in a few days! Cheerio!