:: mybackpages ::

day four, part two: the theatre/day five: my last london day

The second part of day four, which was Monday night, was much more exciting than the first in which I was wet and lost for most of the day.  After drying off and putting on more sensible footwear, I ventured across the Millennium Bridge (photo to be included later) over to Shakespeare´s Globe Theatre.  I went on a fabulous tour with a very neat, yet eccentric, tour guide.  The theatre is as near a replica to the original theatre which burned down many years ago.  I do have some photos, but cannot upload them at this time.  Fret not, the time is coming nigh. 

Later, I went to see Les Miserables.  Wowza!  It was a great show, with a great stage, great acting, incredible singing.  I really enjoyed it.  I took the Tube home and was fast asleep, replaying the entire night back in my mind.

Day Five: Not much to report here.  My last day in London was filled with everything and nothing at the same time.  I wanted to go back to a few different galleries and pick up some postcards that will serve as decoration when I return home in a couple of months.  Well, nothing opens until 10am, so, I found myself at 9am with no where to go.  Well, I finally found a good way to go from Trafalgar Square to Picadilly Circus and once again made my way into the Virgin Megastore.  I love this store!!!  Earlier in the week I had purchased a single that has songs that won´t be on the new Coldplay album (4 days and counting!!!).  Anyways, everything is super expensive, and that comes even before converting back into USD.  I didn´t want to spend $28 on a cd!  So, I just browsed and listened to new cds and enjoyed myself until the museums opened.  One of the cds I listened to, the Black Eyed Peas new album "Monkey Business" sampled from the Bangles song "Walk Like an Egyptian" AND from Jack Johnson´s song "Gone."  That made my day!  (Sampling is when artists take parts, or samples, from other songs and remix them into their song.)

That would have been enough, BUT then I went on a Beatles walking tour that ended at Abbey Road Studios.  The tour was a bust; there were far too many people on it.  But, getting to walk across Abbey Road was very exciting.  I do promise photos soon!

I ended the day by eating my new favorite kind of ice cream: oatmeal cookie chunk.  It is a Ben and Jerry´s flavor that I hope hops the pond.  It is a cinnamon ice cream with oatmeal cookie dough and some fudge chunks.  Yum.

days three and four: sleep and wet toes

Unfortunately, my recap of Sunday and my day thus far (Monday) will be a bit lacking.  Not for time or wealth of experience, but simply because I have slept through most of the last couple of days.  Being the bad ass that I know I am, I went to bed at 5pm last night.  5pm!!!  I slept through most of the night also and woke up at about 6 this morning.  And so far this day...I went for a run by the Thames River, I took the Tube (a.k.a. Underground) to Notting Hill and now I have been trapsing around Picadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square looking for shows to attend and food to eat.  Not too much accomplished so far today.  To add to the slow pace is the rain.  Thinking that the rain was over for today, I proudly wore my flip flops.  A bit of a mistake, as it has been raining and pouring on and off all day.  I am sure that my whining rain stories will garner any sympathy as I know it has been raining steadily in MN for quite some time. 

Yesterday was not a complete wash; I went to two church services: 1) at St. Paul's Cathedral, and 2) at Westminster Abbey.  It was very rigid and I could barely hear.  The songs were difficult to sing and most were sung by the church's choirs.  Not that I am complaining, it was nice to hear such heavenly voices.  The churches were beautiful as well; each covered with gold, glass, stories and history.  St. Paul's was exceptionally remarkable.  I sat beneath the dome, which echoed the sounds protruding from the organ, singer's voices, readers words and the vicar's (pastor's) mouth. 

To get from service to service, I took the Bus, which, like taking the Tube, is quite exciting.  I am becoming quite the transportation superstar. 

All is well as I am anticipating my next venture to Germany.  Cheers!

music of the week

With long plane rides comes much music:

Oasis: Lyla

Gorillaz: Feel Good Inc.

Imogen Heap: Hide and Seek

The White Stripes: Blue Orchid

The Bravery: Honest Mistake

Ben Lee: Catch My Disease

day two: the end of tourism (for now)

Well, I have finished my last official bit as a tourist in the completion of my double-decker bus tour this afternoon.  I saw many sights at various speeds with hordes of people trying to capture photos.  It was a bit hectic, and, in the end, not really worth it.  Sure there are more sights to see and things to do, but no more of the typical London sights that are to be seen and checked off as if all of life is a list of things to see and do.  I have a bit of time to relax and enjoy things at a more normal pace, if ever there was one.  I am looking forward to doing the things that I really want to do: a Beatles walking tour, Shakespeare's Globe, and perhaps a London show.

On that note...Today I ate at the original Hard Rock Cafe.  Lunch was good and I enjoyed a variety of music: Billy Idol, Phil Collins, The White Stripes, The Cranberries, U2 and Bruce Springsteen.  After lunch, I enjoyed a tour to The Vault: a former bank vault that now houses rock memorabilia.  I got to hold the world's most expensive guitar, whose owner and designer happened to be Jimi Hendrix.  Not only that, but I got to wear the hat Bob Dylan wore in the album cover of Nashville Skyline. 

Before the Hard Rock, I properly toured Westminster Abbey.  Many people are buried there: queens, kings, vicars, soldiers and poets alike.  Many are memorialized there, especially the poets,who, with their last word, leave us still with words both beautiful and real.  Here are two such words:

W.H. Auden: "In the prison of his days, teach the free man how to praise."

Dylan Thomas: "Time held me green and dying though I sang in my chains like the sea."

day one: blessed tourism

I've already had quite the busy day.  I've been quite the tourist: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, The National Gallery, Westminster Abbey.  All this and it is only 2pm London time.  I spent the bulk of my time at the National Gallery enjoying Rembrandt, Monet, Renoir, Da Vinci.   I felt quite spoiled, but I enjoyed it so very much.  One of a few observations I made was on the influence of Christ in the art, especially art created prior to the Renaissance.  The influence of the artist's culture in the paintings were, as to be expected, prevalent.  There was one painting in particular (though I am sorry to not have written down the particulars) that depicted the baptism of Christ.  It showed the infant Christ being baptized in a grand cathedral which was laden with Latin inscribed gold, chalices and vestiges.  Obviously historically inaccurate, I think it shows the operation of translation in the formation of the church.

 

The church was formed in Pentecost, when the good news of Christ was told to people in their own language.  Art is another form of language.  It speaks volumes into culture, society, people and the like.  The gold-laden church was the norm when the artist painted his depiction of Christ's baptism; he was translating Christ into his culture.

day one; part two In the nighttime I went over the Millennium bridge to the Tate Modern, where I enjoyed more contemporary artwork from the likes of Picasso, Matisse, Rothko and Warhol. A lot less hopeful; these artists often depicted anguish or death or, in the case of Andy Warhol, death and the cult of celebrity. Very interesting, but too existential when coupled with jet lag.

Later in the evening I ventured to Picadilly Circus. It's like a microcosm of Vegas with all its lights and people. The highlight, of course, was my going to the Virgin Megastore and picking up a single from the forthcoming Coldplay album. These nightly ventures took way too long and I found myself back at my hostel at about midnight.

All in a day's work.

it's 1am, I am in London safely

Greetings and salutations ladies and gentlemen.  I have made it to London without any hindrances or problems.  I've had a good and dare I say fun day of traveling.  I felt like quite the bad ass as I took the Tube or Underground (English for subway), but not so bad ass when I had to ask which way to go.  After a long walk with a heavy bag (I was hoping my bag would weigh only 30lbs, but I was astonished when the scale read 65!!!)  I made it to my hostel, from where I blog this night.  I walked past St. Paul's Cathedral on my way to the hostel.  I promise pictures soon.  As for now, I'd like to get the travel stench off and pajamas on.  I'll be in bed and hopefully asleep by 9pm CST.  Ah the young life.

the busyness

T-minus 3 days and counting.  I am not what you would call "ready" or "packed" or "knowing where I'm going to sleep my first night in Europe (or any night thereafter)."  I've got a bit of work to do, to say the least. 

Enough about that, here's what I have been doing:
After returning from an excellent week up north, I went to a friend's birthday party at Brits Pub in downtown Minneapolis, had a few and went to bed.  Bright and early the next morn I went to Iowa for a wedding.  It was a nice service with good hymns an untrite sermon and fun seminarians (not an oxymoron).  I carpooled with a couple of folks from Luther and was treated, as on every road trip, with some sweet tunes.  The highlight will remain the dance of the Stu.  Sunday brought the last church service before the trip and graduation.  It was holy trinity sunday; we sang great hymns and heard an excellent sermon.  Graduation is the most funnest time ever.  It is held at Central Lutheran in downtown Minneapolis.  It is crazy!  Songs and sermons, and readings and robes and funny hats and hoods.  This year's class at Luther was very large that it made trying to walk, drive or move difficult.  Afterwards I went to three graduation parties and ate way too much food, but it was good (and free!). 

This week promises to be busy, with Thursday looming large. 

music of the week

This week I spent a lot of time on the road--here are the top songs:

Radiohead: Fake Plastic Trees

Death Cab for Cutie: A Lack of Color

Ryan Adams, Ryan Adams, Ryan Adams

Iron & Wine: Trapeze Swinger

The Shins: New Slang

Ray LaMontagne: Trouble

Lucinda Williams: The Way You Move

Madeleine Peyroux: Careless Love

A whole lotta Jack Johnson

I heard this song twice on the radio and decided it had to be included:
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody

Coldplay is on SNL tonight

sin boldly

If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not the imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2 Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign. It suffices that through God’s glory we have recognized the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day. Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small price with a meager sacrifice for our sins? Pray hard for you are quite a sinner.

A letter from Martin Luther to Philipp Melanchthon, 1 August 1521

mellow gold

Having only one paper to write, I decided to head north this week.  It has been a nice week, full of respite, peace and quiet.  Amidst this peace was the necessity of actually writing my last paper of the semester.  I relaxed all day and worked all night.  I have barely used my cell phone all week and have rarely been on the internet.  It's been nice, no joke. 

I haven't missed the hectic pace this week.  I head back tomorrow, back to a full social schedule--birthdays, weddings, hanging out... and back to trip planning, hostel booking, last minute shopping.  Germany is closing in like a black hole; one week to go.

Musically, I've listened to some favorites of the year so far:

Iron and Wine: The Trapeze Swinger

The Shins: New Slang

Modest Mouse: The World At Large

The Kings of Convenience: I Don't Know What I Can Save You From

And some new favorites:

Death Cab for Cutie: A Lack of Color

Radiohead: Fake Plastic Trees