London Eye, Oh My!

I beginning to realize that there is so much happening that it is hard to fit it into my posts…maybe I should post more than once a week? Rewinding to a week ago, my roommates and I attempted to make a traditional English dessert: a Swiss roll. And by attempted, I mean we had to completely start over half way though and it took us the good part of three hours before we were done. Future Reference: whisking without a whisk is pretty damn impossible.

We Managed to Make Something...

Last weekend was the Thames Festival. Not sure what it celebrates other than the Thames River, but it was a full weekend of parades, food, and festivities, which culminated in an evening of fireworks on Sunday. Quite spectacular.

Seems everyone is getting into the swing here, and with that comes the wave of people getting sick as well. I was greeted early last week with one of my best guests: The Sinus Infection!!! (cue haunting music). Sniffling, I went to class each day this week with a role of toilet paper in my bag, causing others to ask if I had a weird thing about only using my own toilet paper…

We saw Educating Rita on Wednesday night. After the terribleness that was Danton’s Death…this was two hours of pure bliss. The two person show is a revival of the popular 1980 show that made Julie Walters famous around the world (she plays Mrs. Wellesley in Harry Potter). Although I really enjoyed the play itself, and found the main point of the show—which was that too much academic knowledge causes one to loose their innocent a pure views—was fabulous, I was not in love with the performance. It will be interesting to see the movie, starring Walters and Michael Caine.

Official instruction started at the BBC Academy this Thursday! I must say, the program here is AMAZING!! I can already tell we are going to come back to the States so much more prepared for working in the industry than we imagined was possible. Our swanky ID badges are the same ones that full-time employees wear, and the building we are in is opposite the iconic BBC studios building where celebrities appear and tourists flock. This week, we concentrated on learning the role of a “Researcher.” This is one of the bottom people on a project, however it is these people that come up with the meat of a show, contact guests or experts, and any other odd-ends that need to happen.

On Thursday Night I joined other NYU students on a trip to the London Eye! (I’ve been calling it The London Eye, OH MY!!!) This is a really big ferris-wheel that tourists get on to see London from the sky. It is an iconic part of the London Skyline, and a humongous tourist attraction. Lots of fun, and really interesting to see the layout of the city from the sky…unlike New York, London grew in twists and turns, eventually spilling over to the other side of the Thames River.  Today, nothing makes sense at all!

This is from the bottom of the Eye...each pod holds about 20 people during the rotation.

View from the Eye!

Currently reading Bill Bryson’s “ Notes from a Small Island.” (My high school friends should remember the author.) Its about his last travels around the UK before leaving for the US after living in England for 20 years….very funny and insightful!

Going to see the Pope today and then off to Greenwich tomorrow! Looking forward to being at 0°, 0°!!!