Einfach London!

 Hallo, Leute!  Wie geht's euch?  Ich bin gut gewesen, weil jetzt ich Ferien habe - und für noch eine Woche!  

Hey, everybody!  How are you all?  I have been well, because I now have break, and still for another week!  

Time is flying by.  I can't believe it's already been 2 1/2 months!!!  O.O

You ask, what have I been up to since my last post?  Nothing too new to mention, but this past week I had the great opportunity to spend a week in London with my host mom!  It was a great week.  Here's an overview:

A great friend of my host mom's kindly allowed us to stay in his apartment in Covent Gardens for the week, so it didn't take long to be amidst the bustle of London life.  One thing that you may or may not know about London is that it is EXPENSIVE.  Even more than Germany!  Despite this, London is super fun, modern, interesting, and historic.  Here was my week! 

You see some really weird street performers in London.  

Despite juggling huge knives on this thin rope between these pillars, this guy did survive.

What has Yoda been eating?  Since when is he so tall?  Maybe I should've asked for some growing advice...

I guess he just couldn't face the day...

A cool building 

The M&M store.

Big Ben

                                             

Westminster Abbey!

...and a beautiful courtyard on the inside!  

Westminster Abbey was awesome.  I spent a great time touring it (pictures weren't allowed inside), and it was so cool to see the tombs of famous people in English history (like Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Elizabeth I, King Henry VIII, etc.).  I also saw the graves of Charles Darwin, Handel, and other cool people.  I stayed for the 5:00 Evensong service, and it was AMAZING.  I was one of the first people there, so I sat in the Quire section, practically amongst the choir (the famous one with the young boys who sing soprano and wear cute white robes)!  It was absolutely stunning.
                                   

What building is this, you ask?  Good question.  

Piccadilly Circus.  Don't be fooled as I was...it really isn't a real circus...

St. Paul's Cathedral was awesome, too.  Mama and I took a lengthy tour (the self-tour where you can go your own pace) and climbed to the very top of the Cathedral, where you could see this view.  The climb, I tell you, was quite a workout.  But it was totally worth it!
                                             

The view atop St. Paul's Cathedral

Mama and Me

                                               

Cool view from above!

And another!  

                                      

Yup, the typical London phone booth!  

Big Ben, red phone booth, red double-decker Bus.  All in one picture!

                                             
                                     

                                               

                                      

A view from Tower Bridge.

                                     

Buckingham Palace

                                     

The cool monument behind it.

Very expensive but soooooooo good!

I was so excited to see The Phantom of the Opera!  We had great seats, and finally, after so many years of adoring this musical, I was able to see it live...and in London!  
                                                

Ohhhhhh, yes!

The Phantom of the Opera!!!!!  Absolutely stunning.

                                               

                                               

Some sort of march protesting something about teachers (I believe pro-teacher).  That's all I  got from reading the signs.  Realllllly long march and really loud.

                                      

Well, hello, Mr. Bean (or Johnny English, whichever you prefer).  So nice of you to greet me with that face!

                                           

                                     

                                                  

It was so weird hearing and speaking English again.  I'm so used to hearing and responding in German on a daily basis that it was a strange transition back to English.  It was quite funny: the first day we were there, Mama and I went grocery shopping.  At some point we couldn't find something, so I asked an employee where it was, obviously in English.  But after he told me where it was, without thinking I responded, 'Danke.'  I guess German is just engraved into my mind!  I thought that was pretty funny.

So, I hope you enjoyed this post!  London is a really great place, and I hope you have a chance to go there someday.  My next post will be sometime next month, after our move to a new house in a neighboring village.  

Until then!  Over and out.