Three great days

I've had some of the most incredible experiences in the past three days. I’m still in sightseeing mode. I’m not quite hooked on the idea that I’ll be here for four whole months, not just two weeks. But I'm sure once I get my internship started and get in the groove of the workforce, I'll be much more like a Londoner (or at least be able to act like one) than a tourist.

Sunday we had a sort of late start but decided to head back to Trafalgar Square to see more of the National Gallery and experience the Russian Festival taking place in the square. Unfortunately, the festival was extremely difficult to get into with long queues (lines, in American speech), and a crowded concert-like atmosphere. There weren't abundant booths of food or vodka, so it didn't seem like it would be my cup of tea. (Just kidding about the vodka, parents!) So instead we walked the Renaissance period of the gallery, which was spectacular. I stood just feet away from Da Vinci's 'Virgin on the Rocks' and gorgeous sketch of 'The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and John the Baptist.' It was absolutely breathtaking. I'd never been witness to such famous art before, so this experience was extremely moving. I also saw many of Raphael's and Michealangelo's works, amongst many other famous artists. We've only tackled about a fifth of the museum so far. Luckily, it's free, so I have access to the amazing collection any time I want. Just a couple of tube stops away! You've got to love all the free museums in London for that reason.

I thought Sunday night was going to be a night in, but Pam and another friend and I felt up for a pint. We hit up a last call at a pub and then decided to explore a local wine bar, just 30 seconds from our flat. It was tucked away a bit and hard to spot if you hadn't been looking. We entered the basement venue and were greeted by the lovely Russian owner. We spent the next two or so hours there chatting and enjoying her delicious wine selection. I also had my first interaction with "real, live" Brits. Two guys, John and Matt, who are physicists working for CERN (Yes, the place that invented the Internet. You also may recognize the place if you've ever read Dan Brown's Angels and Demons.) sat down and talked with us about everything--from the job of a physicist to the hot ski spots in Europe. It was nice to finally have a good conversation with someone who is not American. It's weird, but it seems like Americans always find eachother or seek eachother out at pubs. The accents give us all away, and I guess it's a good commonplace to start conversation.

Yesterday, our big tourist point was Westminster Abbey. If you ever go to London, this should be your top sight. You’re right in the middle of everything--Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the Thames River. But the abbey itself is the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. I knew I had to visit it because my mom would kill me if I spent four months in London and failed to go inside. Last time we were in town, it was Sunday and only open to services. This time we hit it on a Monday, and it was an experience I’ll never forget. It is an absolutely breathtaking structure. The architecture is so old and intricate; you could literally spend hours staring at the walls and ceilings. But what’s even more incredible is the amount of history within the floors and walls. I saw the graves of Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles Dickens, Chaucer and Charles Darwin, just to name a few. I learned about how the abbey was made and all the incredible artifacts used in coronations. I saw paintings that were over 700 years old. It was definitely worth the £7 admission. I plan on seeing it again at some point. I’ll get some pictures up here as soon as I can.

Another big thing on Monday was that I found where I’d be working this semester. I’ll be placed at EMAP (check out www.emap.com), a big media group that has over 50 magazines, 42 radio stations and seven digital television stations. It’s a big business-to-business conglomeration, and I found out I'll be helping out with account services, serving the liaison between EMAP’s clients and the business. I’ve been told that I will have a lot of personal responsibility overseeing projects through from beginning to end, so I’m really excited to get some good hands-on experience. I think it sounds like a perfect match. I’ve heard from other students who’ve worked with them in the past that it’s a great place for ad majors. I’m really optimistic about it. Even if it isn’t exactly what I expected, it’s a great resume filler. I mean, I get to work in downtown London! Who does that? (OK, a lot of people, but I feel I’m doin’ all right for my age.) I start my internship next Monday, but I have an official interview this Thursday with my supervisor. I’ve heard she’s great, and I’m looking forward to meeting her and getting a tour of the office. I’ll keep you posted on everything.

Today we got our bus tickets for Wales (only £20 to Cardiff and back! So awesome!) and then explored the Tate Modern. It’s an amazing contemporary art museum and absolutely huge. I saw some great work by Matisse and Picasso and Andy Warhol. I was hoping I’d see some Dalí, but there’s actually a museum in London called Dalí Universe that features a lot of his work. It probably has an admission fee, but that’s ok. Totally worth it. Dalí’s pretty trippy, but still amazing art to see. I also think Pete’s taking me to see more Picasso at a museum in Spain. I’m not going to lie, being in warm Spain right now would beat out the rainy, chilly London weather. Hurry up spring!

Coming up this week: I FINALLY get to see Wicked! Hooray! I will have to restrain myself from singing the entire musical along with the cast. Tomorrow we’re going to the Museum of London for class and Friday is the day we travel to Wales. Very exciting. Stay tuned for pictures and more.