The Week I was a Tourist...

With the third week of the BBC program almost at a close, I am starting to feel like I am actually back at school! I am taking a Writing for TV class that requires us to create a pilot episode by the end of the semester; this week we turned in the treatment outlining the entire storyline of the episode…this meant we had actual homework for the first time since arriving in London! At the BBC Academy we are in a DV workshop learning about using and operating the EX1 Camera. Hard to believe, but this is the first time I have been teched on a digital camera! Tomorrow we shoot short sequences and then have a professional edit them all together into one story-line. I should be prepping for that, but instead I decided to update all you lovely (this is the only word I can say with a British Accent) people on my life. 

The past few days have been filled with lots of sights and travel! Last week London was in a state of uproar with the official visit of Pope Benedict. All over the papers there were stories outlining his location and plans for each day of his visit; there was also a great deal of press protesting some of the comments from the Vatican of late. Regardless, I set out with my suitemate Saturday afternoon to see the Pope process (in the Popemobile!) down The Mall and to Hyde Park. We waited for over an hour for a five second glimpse. But it was worth it! We were less than 20 feet away from him! He looked scared to me…but as my father pointed out, he always looks scared. I guess if you are the pope, maybe that makes sense?

Bummer its a bit blurry...but still its The Pope!

On Sunday, I set off with a few friends to Greenwich. It is a small town right outside of London made famous for being the home of the Prime Meridian….0° longitude. Ya know when people say they use Greenwich Standard Time? They are referring to this place. The town itself is perfect for a day trip out of the city, for there are tons of small pubs and a very cool market—Greenwich Market—which is where we began the day. We then went over to the Royal Navel College, built in the 1700s and home to a very popular and well known military training base. Cool Fact: The man that designed these buildings, Christopher Wren, designed the current St. Paul’s Cathedral. We also checked out the Queen’s House, where we saw some great paintings dating from Henry VII’s time.

Greenwich is also known to be the favored location of the Tudors. Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were born in the now demolished Greenwich Palace, and for many seasons out of the year, the royal court resided in Greenwich. It is a happy coincidence that the Prime Meridian is located in the same town.

On Tuesday, our Arts in London Class visited the Victoria and Albert Museum. One of the great things about Britian is that all museums are free—it’s a good thing cause it seems that every museum we go to is bigger than the next! We spent most of our time in the British history section, however there is still a great expanse of things to see.

Our Feet on the Prime Meridian Line!

Wednesday was another massive London tourism day! I began by visiting the State Rooms at the Buckingham Palace. These rooms are only available for Public Viewing during the summer months when the Queen is not in residence. She comes back Oct 1….so going has been on my priority for the last few days. Now for those who like the expression “Wow,” you have not properly used it until you have seen the inside of this palace! Everything is covered in gold…Everything! The carpets are so thick you could sleep on them and the ceilings are so ornately designed they could be art exhibits themselves. I felt as if I had stepped into a Disney Fairy Tale. One of the coolest things, however, is that I could work there next summer if I wanted! They higher seasonal help to monitor the rooms and grounds…usually college kids. Officially added to the things I want to do one day.

This is from the back of Buckingham Palace. Look how sunny! Who says its ALWAYS raining in London...

From there I went to meet my fellow BBC colleagues to see The Mary Wives of Winsor at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. We were in the Standing Section—OMG my feet hurt after standing for 3 hours—but the performance was amazing! The theatre itself is very cool and realistic…it has an open roof, so there were no lights or special effects. And because we were standing by the stage, we were very engaged in the action of the play. This was by far one of my favorite experiences so far, but I must say I need to see a Tragedy before I leave. Otherwise, I may feel like I didn’t get the full Shakespeare experience. And if this isn’t enough for one day, Wednesday concluded with a visit to the West End to see Yes, Prime Minister. Based on an 80s TV sitcom of the same name, the show revolved around the politics of the Euro, the BBC’s national tax (which they call the license fee), and oil. Lots of laughs!

Tomorrow my roommate and I set off for Edinburgh, Scotland! Can’t wait, but fear I may not be a fan of the colder weather. Having a great time, only trick is when will I fit in this homework I’m starting to accrue? Hmmm….