This week, so far

Thursday, Jan 10th

On Monday, Erik and I went to the morning orientation meeting with the students to learn about FIE and other important details. Then we came home and got our laundry, 2 big suitcases full and one little one. We walked to a laundromat and got it started, then the boys ordered lunch at a nearby pub.(After Ryan finished his lunch, he came and watched the dryers and I joined Bryn-I had breaded shrimp-yum.) Erik wanted to head back for another meeting where the students were learning about how to prepare for their service learning interviews, so he grabbed a shrimp sandwich, drink and candy bar at Sainsbury-3 for 3 pounds-a great deal.

We had dirty clothes still from our trip to Norway. We have a washing machine, but it takes a good 2 days for the clothes to dry on the rack, so I wanted to do up all the clothes. Then I'll be able to stay on top of it, I hope. We did 5 washers full and had to restart the 4 huge dryers numerous times. It cost us about $50 to do it all, but nice to have it done!


Tuesday we went on the bus and walking tour with the LC students. Our Blue Badge guide was very knowledgable about London and we got to see quite a lot of the city. We learned that London is made up of over 30 boroughs and 2 cities within the city: Westminster and London. After we drove downtown, we stopped at Buckingham Palace and saw the ending of the changing of the guard, 2 bands and quite a few soldiers. The weather was great too.

On the walking tour we went by Imperial College, Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park and Kensington Palace. Interesting to learn that the Royal Albert Hall wasn't built very well for concerts, etc. They've had to do lots of work to it, but I hear that now it's an impressive venue. Cirque Du Soleil is there now-over $100 for a ticket so we won't be going. Someday!

The Prince Albert Memorial in Hyde Park is very impressive. He died when he was 42 in 1861 and Queen Victoria mourned him for 40 more years. They were very close, first cousins, with 9 children. Our guide said he would not have liked the huge, golden statue that she had made in his memory. It took 10 years to make. It is surrounded with many smaller statues, at one place around the base there are 169 statues, Leaonardo Da Vinci is on there twice, and only one woman. They are 169 individual composers, architects, poets, painters, and sculptors. Musicians and poets were placed on the south side, with painters on the east side, sculptors on the west side, and architects on the north side.

Wednesday, we went North of London to Watford Junction, to the Warner Brothers studio tour where filming was done on the Harry Potter films. We saw lots of great displays and original props and monsters and sets. It was awesome. The tour ended with a display of the Hogwarts castle. It was truly amazing. Here is some info about it:


Get a 360˚ view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.

The model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films.

Check out my picasa for photos. We also bought butter beer, which was very tasty. A fun day for the 4 of us. Here's a link to more interesting facts about the studio if you're interested. http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/en/about-us/harry-potter-at-leavesden


Today we're catching up on errands, homework, planning etc. This afternoon we'll head to the Natural History Museum and then to the FIE reception for all the faculty and students. I think they have about 250+ students here this spring.

Bryn and Ryan brought their x box with them. When they first plugged it in, it blew out the cord, so they ordered one from Amazon or ebay that is wired for the UK and it came today! So they are happy.

All for now, we're having a great time.

I forgot to tell something funny. As we were waiting around for the guards to pass at Buckingham palace, all of a sudden I hear Bryn falling. I looked over and he was on his back on the lawn. In front of us was a chain fence about 3 feet high and he thought he was leaning back onto one like that, but where we were it was only 1 foot high, so he kept leaning back and back. Pretty funny!