Arrived back in Granada yesterday a little after noon. Made it home in time for lunch and a quick nap before heading to the hospital for my Monday afternoon volunteering.
The weekend was fantastic, and I would have to say London is now my favorite city I've ever visited. Everywhere I went the people we friendly and accommodating, and even though London is enormous, it's easily navigated by the Underground "tube" and the bus system. Wide sidewalks and a variety of bridges make the city walkable as well, and I found the old architecture (and all the royal history!) and the lack of skyscrapers gave London a very fresh and clean feeling.
Millenium Bridge
My boyfriend Ross is interning with a member of Parliament in the city this semester, so it was especially nice to reunite with him in the yet-to-be-explored home of double decker busses, Big Ben and fish 'n chips.
The weather was typical London clouds and rain (with a little sleet) on Friday, but it really didn't matter as we spent the majority of the day inside. Ross's friend, an English student who works as a tour guide, took us on a private free tour of Westminster Hall, explaining little known facts and pointing out exclusive areas of Parliament's historical home. We visited the House of Lords (in session discussing the Gaza violence), the House of Commons, the old banquet and meeting hall where unfortunate souls like Guy Faux and William Wallace received death sentences, former church halls, areas where the common people can meet to lobby members of Parliament, and so much more. We were even allowed to adventure down into the usually closed Westminster Hall crypt where only members of Parliament can get married or have their children baptized. It seemed like a whole novel of history came along with every place we went.
Saturday and Sunday we had gorgeous weather, and even though it was super cold, it was pleasant walking around in the sun. Saturday morning we went to the Tate Modern Art Museum and had fun playing critic and attempting to interpret the "art" and its "deep meanings." The rectangular stack of yellow bricks was among the most difficult to wrap our little posmodernly-challenged minds around. On a more serious note, I especially enjoyed seeing works by Braque and Lichtenstein, two of my favorite artists. Walking along the Thames was equally enjoyable, and we made sure to cross over the London Bridge, Tower Bridge, AND the Millenium Bridge.
We went to Greenwich to see the Prime Meridian on Sunday. The town is picturesque beautiful like out of a painting, and the quietness of a Sunday afternoon provided a welcomed juxtaposition against the bustle of London. Ross and I spent some time wandering through Greenwich's market which featured foods and crafts from all over the world. We treated ourselves to Turkish pizza and an Italian panini for lunch and a French cinnamon crepe for dessert. Delicious!!
Ross and me at the Prime Meridian
The weekend was such a wonderful vacation. I happily reunited myself with all sorts of unhealthy food like chocolate and fish 'n chips, and speaking nothing but English for a change was an odd -- yet relieving -- change!
I like how everything feels familiar and still very exciting here in Granada, so coming back and readjusting wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Classes started today, and I have a really busy Monday and Wednesday schedule since I work at the hospital both days from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m., but it'll be nice to have some sort of concrete routine to work with now. And no classes on Fridays!!
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