THANK YOU, BERLIN!

     No, I did not visit Germany tonight. Nor, I am certain, did Jack Johnson. Had he perhaps been coherent enough even to remember his own song lyrics, he may not have made the mistake of thanking Berlin in a gathering of 60,000 Londoners. The concert was a blast despite (or maybe as a result of) Jack’s drunken blunders. Ben Stiller even made a cameo appearance playing the air guitar! One of the excerpts we were required to read for our English class over here was Xenophobe’s Guide to England, in which the author describes the English as polite and non-confrontational at all costs. This I have found to be utterly untrue. Two girls were standing up in front of us at the concert—the only two standing in the entire section, mind you—and the couple next to us kindly asked them to sit so that we could all see the stage. Before we knew it, Jeff and I were surrounded by caustic accusations from all sides. “We paid good money for these seats and we can’t see through you!” “Oh so you’re calling me fat now?” “How dare you insult my mate?” This is the PG version. Overall, quite an adventure.

     
     Earlier today, we rode the London Eye which is the largest farris wheel in existence. We saw the entire city from a bird’s eye view. It could literally take your breath away. After that we wandered around the city, had fish and chips, and took pictures in telephone booths. Yesterday, we explored the main tourist attractions that everyone comes to London to see. We visited Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Parliament and of course, Big Ben. I hate to dwell on the minute details, but I feel it would be a great injustice not to describe the little things that make London so special. Just as the intricacies of the architecture are what make the city’s buildings timeless treasures so endearing that they are protected by the state, so it is the corner flower shops, the black taxis that speed erratically through the streets, the “give way” (yield) signs, the millions of coffee shops and the 300 languages that are spoken within the city that truly comprise the beauty—nay, the SPLENDOR—of London.

     Last night, after eating at a noodle bar called Wakamama (seriously), our group split up to go see different theatre shows. We went to the Her Majesty’s Royal Theatre to see Phantom of the Opera. It was unlike anything I have ever seen—beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Afterward, we met up with the rest of the gang at Chanos, a popular pub near Tralfalgar Square. Pubs are such a major part of the culture here, and it really was the conclusion to a perfect day. We have to be awake before 6 tomorrow to head to Stonehenge and Winchester (JANE AUSTEN!!!!!), so as it is nearly 2AM now, I will have to share the rest of the details later!