Visitors Galore

Alex and my dearest friend Amanda just spent 10 days with me in London. It was a fun-filled week and a half, that is for sure...

Day 1: Friday- Amanda got in a day later than Alex so we went to go pick her up at Heathrow in the morning.... discovered that our friend from high school, who was visiting another friend from our high school, who was also studying here, was on the same flight as Amanda... small world. We left airport a little earlier than them and learned that Eva Longoria was also at the airport and they saw her walk by just as we had walked bye. Drats

After a couple hour cat-nap we went to High Tea at Kensington Palace... since mom enjoyed it so much, I figured A&A would love it too.. And they did. Afterwards, I showed them Kensington, where I go to school and High street where a lot of the local shopping is.

Later, we went to Oxford Circus to meet the two girls that went to our high school for a drink at a pub near  her school. I played basketball and soccer with these two girls all through elementary school, middle school , and high school and it was just so bizarre that the three of us now were in London together! Very cool. The pub ended up being an older persons pub... so we felt a little out of place. In addition, Alex and Amanda were not adjusted to the time difference after a couple hours of being there. We went home short after I caught them both with their heads face planted on the pub table.

Day 2: Slept in till around lunch time then made our journey to the infamous BuRbErRy OUTLET! haaa it was in no man's land... East London, where I have never been before. My roommate had gone with her mom a week before and she got items that A& A adored and needed to have. We had to take the tube to one stop, switch to another line then catch a bus to Hackney Central.  It was a good couple of hours truck over there. I honestly had no desire to go there, but I had to please the guests.

We walked around Hackney Central for a good 15 minutes, looking for the street we were suppose to look for. When we finally asked for directions... we realized this outlet was not in the best neighborhood. It was in a hidden, back alley warehouse! Eeeek.

Amanda and Alex were very successful at the outlet and got matching coats that would have been 500 dollars more expensive in America. Nailed it!

Later that evening.... we went to Arch Angel a couple blocks from where I live in Kensington with a couple of my friend from my program. It is the only place in my area that is open passed 23:00 hr. Alex met an Italian who thought she was Italian and proceeded to speak to her in Italian. As we were leaving the pub, an older man, dressed in a business suit, scooted up to Amanda in a green razor scooter and offered it to her for free. Obviously Amanda took and scooted all the way back to my dorm. It currently is sitting outside my door.

Day 3:  Woke up at a decent hour and went to this pancake house that I had been meaning to go to since I had gotten here!  The pancakes are different than they are in America.  First of all, they are extremely thin pancakes that cover an entire plate. Also, if you ask for eggs or bacon or anything on the side like A & A did, they put it inside the pancake. Mine was fairly simple though because I just wanted fruit. But when I got my pancake I had a little treat on top as well.. Vanilla ICE CREAM!!! It was delicioussssss..

There was a celebration for St. Pattrick's day at Trafaglar Square that day. I figured we should go to get a little pre-party before we left for Dublin Tuesday.  It was UNBELIEVABLE GORGEOUS out this day. I honestly don't think it has been that nice since I have been here. Perfect for parade and the Irish band that played in the middle of the square. The parade was pretty neat too. There were little irish dances, dancing throughout the street and men in bagpipes. Floats were playing irish music and older people were dancing along to the beat. Fun fun times

After we had the irish jig implanted into our brains, we made our way to the Madam Tussauds, wax museum in Westminster. It was SOO COOOL! I can't believe how real these people looked. They had different room scenarios where certain people were placed that made it more fun... for example... sports room for the athletes, office room for the presidents and pope and people of that sort. Pop room for musicians... The Beatles, Britney Spears, Bob Marely and my favorite Michael Jackson hung out in this room. I got a professional picture taken this him. There also was a red carpet room where the actors and actresses posed.  It was a really entertaining museum and I am happy we went.

We had been walking around allllll day and hadn't eaten since breakfast. I decided to take them to our Tuesday night hang out in Piccadilly Circus, The SportsCafe! I had never gotten real food there before and it was surprisingly really good. It was also a really fun atmosphere because there was a rugby game going on and a football game so there were a lot of people and all the TVS were on and blaring. It was also cool because at our booth, there was a mini tv that we could catch some of the game on too.

Hung out there for quite some time, and then made our way to Leicester Square to go see Alice In Wonderland in 3D at the same theatre where the premier was held. THEEEE BESTT and most amazing theatre I have ever been too. So formal and decorative, I don't even know how to describe it but I felt like I was actually seeing a premier movie... I guess it makes sense. The movie itself was pretty cool.... a little different than what Disney Version but still quite entertaining. Meg and her parents met us there and watched the movie with us too.

Day 4: I had class this day so I sent Amanda and Alex to Harrods and the free museums right down the street.... later that night tho, we went to a free comedy show at a pub right next door to my street. Let me tell you, they looooveeeee making fun of Americans. We were the butt of most of the jokes! English people do have a different sense of humor than we do but after about a half an hour, we really got into it and it was hilarious!!!

Day 5: LEAVE FOR DUBLINNNNNNNNNN