Come what may and love it.

I was a little disappointed to be greeted by 50 degree weather in December after my adventures in London. I was anticipating the snow and the harsh driving and couldn't wait to love it all.  While I was in London I was mocked for loving the cold crisp air and saying, "yeah it's cold, but it kind of feels good though," because it did kind of feel good.  The cold weather seems to be cleansing and offers something refreshing or if for nothing else, it has always guaranteed snow, which means skiing = one happy girl.  So the lack of a wintery Christmas break is sad.  But then I vividly remember receiving multiple texts and emails filled with pictures of my dad and little Kodiak (my dog that isn't so little) up on a fall bike ride when I was in London, which killed me, so I can't complain about this fall-like weather, because earlier this week I got to go on a night hike.  And today the October weather called for a mountain bike ride with my favorite people, and December 30th has never been so pretty, perhaps because I'm home or maybe just because I could taste renewal, but either way I've missed the racetrack with its Utah sunsets.  I can't ski without snow, but I will always be outside.  And… this weather almost makes me feel like I wasn't gone at all.

Anything for Shakespeare/ Harry Potter/ Canterbury?

Christ Church at Oxford University.  Recognize it? The dining hall for Harry Potter?

The college.

Anne Hathaway's cottage.  We went to a lot of Shakespeare type monuments/houses… and even went to his play in Stratford upon Avon - Measure for Measure.

Peter had an obsession with mushrooms.  Luckily there were a lot of them for him to obsess over while in Stratford upon Avon.  He claimed these were edible, yet advised none of us to eat them…. :/ mmk...

Canterbury Cathedral--- We went to evensong here too, and I of course can not stay awake for anything that doesn't require my full attention.

What the locals in Canterbury do for fun?  Go on strikes?  (Besides reading Canterbury Tales and running around like Chaucer of course).

Luckily Canterbury still has a Blockbuster.

Our last group visit was to the London England Temple.

Our last night in the hostel our director(s) gave up trying to separate us ten.  So we were all assigned to be in the same room!  We utilized our precious time together by learning/performing the Something Borrowed Dance, piling on Lauren's bed, and just talking.  It was the funnest night I've had in a hostel. I will miss these nine girls.  

And I'll miss Tony too...

Vienna and Prague

For the travel weekend in November Allie and I decided to go to Vienna and Prague.  I had some good friends, Naomi Romriell and Shelly Faber, in Vienna doing a study abroad with BYU, so they both showed us all around.  Naomi picked us up at the airport --- which was a huge relief because neither Allie or I speak German besides "das ist das, was sie sagte" (Allie taught me this) and "Danke". Neither of those phrases would get us very far.  We met up with some of their friends in the program and other university students they met through institute to get ice cream (it's tradition).  I had so much fun and was so glad to see Naomi and Shelly.  I live a charmed life.  

Viennese ice cream shop.

 The horse show. Pictures weren't allowed so… we snuck them.

 Stephan's Dom - A gothic cathedral we visited at the center of town.

Karlskirche- they had scaffolding to go all the way up to the top of the dome - it seemed too temporary to trust, but we made it to the top and touched the Fresco. :)

 Vapiano's - An Italian restaurant Naomi and Shelly took us to.  

 Naomi and I are both majoring in chemistry --- I don't know what I'd do without her. 

 The oldest ferris wheel in the world in Prater Park --- Riesenrad built in 1897. 

 Allie and I spent the last day in Vienna at Schönbrunn Palace - the 2nd biggest palace in Europe (following Versailles).  It's name means beautiful fountain and made in the Rococo style = one of my favorite styles.  (Allie and I obviously stopped at Starbucks for breakfast).  

 Welcome to Prague!  We spent a beautiful 4 plus hours on the bus to Prague.  Luckily we had wifi, so I looked up the top things to do while in Prague.  The top twenty included trying their brown beer, getting married, jumping off the bridge into the river, clubbing, and gambling.  I did a total of zero of those things.  But I did find a few brides, so that's good I guess.

 Allie and I on Charles Bridge.

 We found these at a Christmas market by the astronomical clock tower built in 1410.  

Prague was so so so cold.  And flying with Easyjet makes it hard, because you can only bring a backpack, so I didn't bring my peacoat= worst decision ever.  I piled on the layers, and I still wasn't warm enough…But somehow I managed to fit all my gifts into my backpack - it was a Christmas Miracle! 

Deadmau5

I was in the library earlier this week studying for the "much anticipated finals", but when Alyssa came into the library and told me about the free Deadmau5 concert I couldn't resist.  Alyssa's friend living in London told her about it last minute, so we had to go.   We didn't really quite realize what the concert entailed, but we jumped on the tube down to the Thames.  It was an awesome outdoor concert on the Thames.  A business building replaced the windows for this video/event.  Only later did we realize exactly who Deadmau5 was.

***ps my mom got here on Friday, and I couldn't be happier.***  

I miss those late November rides

I miss the fall bike rides that Utah's short falls always provide.  I went biking around London over a month ago, and it felt good to be on a bike again, even in the Unreal City.  And just this early November I rode around Versailles for an hour, surrounded by fall leaves, and now I'm missing my late November rides, and snow will surely be covering the ground when I get back to the US of A, so I told my dad to get my skis waxed promptly, so I can enjoy a different type of ride when the snow falls.  

WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER everyday is a snow day.

I have never been a Starbucks girl, but when a cup screams Christmas like this one here does, I can't resist, and who can blame me?…  "When we're together every day is a snow day." This Christmas season I have loved getting peppermint hot chocolate, and have recently discovered a love for steamed milk and gingerbread (and the best part is that it's completely legal, in terms of the word of wisdom).

Abbey Road --- It's a Beatles thing.

***Lala as George Harrison.  Laurel as Paul McCartney. Smil as Ringo Starr.  Me as John Lennon.***

MAGIC

Merry Christmas from London.  

I think I could handle this job… (I'm applying if I'm ever in London in November).

Real life reindeer. 

The taste of Christmas.