Captured Delicacy

Last Saturday I went on the LDS young single adults temple trip to see the London temple. It was gorgeous! I absolutely feel in love with it and once my camera cord comes in the mail I'm going to upload photos that I took by the lake. Instead of the traditional reflection pool there was this small pond/lake that some ducks were swimming on! =)

here is the same temple at nighhht (mk voice!) =P

It was on this trip that I made some really great friends. There are three english girls who I became good friends with. Katie, Sarah, and Ruth. It was delightful getting to know them better. Throughout the day we were talking to this girl Anne who is Norwegian and I was talking about coming to visit her there when she mentioned the YSA dance in Sweden over Valentine's Day weekend.

Katie who was right there said that she wanted to go. It was then decided that a group of us would go to Sweden over Valentine's day weekend.

Sunday night I went over to their apartment for dinner, which was lovely, and we bought our tickets to Sweden! We couldn't find the details of the YSA (Young Single Adult) dance and there are two airports in Sweden. Therefore, we decided to just book one. Later we found out it was the wrong one, but it's going to be a great trip anyways because of the group of girls that I'll be with. Plus, we're staying in a boat hostel! Altogether it will be Katie, Sarah, Ruth, Grace, and me (this is the order in the picture, with the exception that I'm taking the picture).

After the temple trip we went back to the chapel and danced it up at the 1970s themed dance taking place in the cultural hall. Katie and Sarah are hilarious girls. I enjoyed dancing with them. I also have a friend named Katherine that is from England who was at the dance and we rocked it out!

Monday was a busy day! Starting with an appointment to get my computer fixed at the Apple store in Covent Garden. Afterwards I returned to Nido and met my new roommate Amber who had just moved in :) She's an english major from New York and she's very nice. We started talking and I was telling her about the local places around our area (Kings Cross and Angel station). What started as us taking a trip over to Angel station turned into me becoming a tour guide from 5-6 new students who also moved in Monday as we made our way down stairs. lol

But I didn't mind because I found it entertaining. Besides, I am more than happy to help people with the transition into London because I know mine was rough. I basically told them everything I wish someone would have told me. I showed them around the area, took them to the grocery stores, showed them where/how to get their phones set up, what kind of Oyster card & pass they should get.

After I helped them get better aquatinted with London I left them at a pub in Victoria so I could meet Grace at Angel station. She just started a new job there and I was meeting her to get money for her ticket and hostel to Sweden which we booked on Sunday evening. When I met up with Grace she introduced me to her coworker George. He is a very interesting fellow! I was on my way to have dinner with Chris. A young man I met on the temple trip. George and I talked for a long time in the tube station when I was trying to persuade him to come to South Kensington, my stop where I was meeting Chris, so we could talk on the way and I wouldn't be late. The thing about George is he's very entertaining/funny as well as persuasive. So the next fifteen-twenty minutes became a game of us talking and me needing to leave. For clarification for any who read this blog, there isn't anything going on between Chris and I. We are just friends. However, my relationship with George is developing...but I will get to that.

We finally compromised and he rode half way there with me, exiting at Green Park, after we had agreed to a date on Saturday. I arrived at the chapel where Chris had made me dinner. After that we joined in on FHE (family home evening) taking place. They were on the activity and it was a blast! The first game we played was a circle of chairs and the person in the middle had to call out a category or description. If you matched it you had to get up and switch chairs with the other people that it also applied to. There was quite a bit of commotion as we scrambled around. The next game was a variation of the game Big Booty. I got my Norwegian friend Anders, pronounced Onders, out and then we picked a personal revenge with me during the game. It was pretty entertaining ;) I went home that night and very tired, but happy person!

Tuesday I went to pick up my computer from the Apple store! They were able to fix it really quickly, and I am definitely grateful for that. I am also thankful for apple care because the three things they fixed didn't cost me anything. After that I explored Apple market were I found a really cool stand called Ahura collectables U.K. LTD. They had some really cool things! I'd love to buy one of their telescopes and old fashioned telephones!! http://ahuracollectables.co.uk/

I also went to H&M to get a few things to keep me warm!

Tuesday nothing incredibly exciting happened, but I did hang out with Anders =) He came by Nido and we played pool and made dinner. It was just microwaved pita, chicken, and cheese. However, that night I talked to George on the phone for 3 and a half hours! We arranged the details for Saturday and joked around about a variety of things. He's very entertaining to talk to.

Wednesday I had a really good scripture study in the kitchen with my journals, books, and scriptures sprawled out across the table! haha. But I enjoyed it. Then I got a great work out in, showered, caught up with Amber and then went to meet Chris at the chapel. We were going to have some scripture study. Upon arriving at the church I got talking to the missionaries who had also just got there. They are the ones in the Hyde Park ward. The first Elder was from Idaho and he's a film major. The other is from Utah and he was really fun! He reminded me of Ethan!! Speaking of Ethan I just sent him two letters. He's in France doing well! This is the latest on him http://elderkirkpatrick.blogspot.com/

After talking to the missionaries for about an hour about various topics we parted ways. I studied the scriptures with Chris for about an forty five minutes and then headed home. From there I talked to George on the phone for an hour or two.

Thursday was a great day! The sky was so clear! I took ahold of such an opportunity to go to Primrose Hill. It's just up from Regent's park and during the summer it supposedly has some celebrity sightings. Although, mainly I just saw people with their dogs or children, if not both, which was fabulous to me! I hiked up to the top of the hill with a view that spanned across the city! I carefully selected my spot and sat down amongst the blades or emerald reflecting glimpses of sunshine. The only unfortunate thing was how windy it was! I started listening to my ipod and just looked up at the sky while laying flat in the grass. The song I started with was Liz on top of the world from the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack. In the midst of it all I felt like I was floating, flying above the city and sweeping through the clouds. That's when I realized London is the perfect place for my personality. One moment I can be in the middle of the Urban Art scene, with the chaotic bustle, and the next be laying in a boundless field feeling as if I'm in another world entirely. It's a magical and captivating feeling that I can coexist in my two joys. I've also decided that once a week I need to go to a park to lay in the grass and listen to instrumental music, to meditate. Once the wind chilled me to the bone I decided I was not dressed adequately to stay at the top of that hill much longer. Instead of taking the tube home immediately I decided to walk towards Camden Market, which I love!!! It reminds me of my old roommate Lauren because she loved it so much. But also because I truly love it to! It is a very Hipster place with the coolest shops. I bought some leggings to keep me warm and an adorable vintage dress for 5 GBP. There were two places that I absolutely adored! I love this designer! I'm going to go back to buy a couple of shirts when I have cash http://lovelymonstory.com/index.htm The other store I like had such cute things for decorating. But I just looked at the website http://carpediemgift.com/ and it does not do justice to how adorable the store was simply because the website is only focused on the bottle holders that they sell. Camden is the type of place you could spend hours and days exploring!

From there I went to Institute at the church and caught up with my Australian friend Erika, Anders, and Taylor (who's from Gilbert). The lessons are taught by this british man, so it's like listening to a cool documentary about the church =P Then when I got home I talked to George on the phone, surprise surprise ;)

Friday

I went with my roommate Amber to check out Cass, my favorite art store, and then explored Sloane Square. There are some cute shops down there. We got some dinner at EAT and then headed back to our part of town. Then I had a lovely nap, which was much needed!

Then I met up with Sarah and Katie at a dance at the church building. It was a lot of fun :)

I danced my heart out! This week has gone by really fast for me! And I start classes up again on Monday. Because I'm going to busy, I'll just write what I have planned for the rest of this weekend in case I don't get around to blogging about it. lol

Saturday

I'm going to wake up and go running in the park. I'm trying to dedicate Saturdays to a long distance run at one of the several gorgeous parks. I am training for a half marathon with my dad for August in Flagstaff. AT 3:30p.m. I'm meeting up with Katie, Sarah, and a this guy Dave I just met tonight at the dance. We're meeting at Chalkfarm to go to an art exhibit. Then at 8pm I'm meeting George at Kings Cross for our date. We're making dinner, after we go grocery shopping, and then probably seeing a movie.

Sunday

I have church at 9am! the time just changed. I might possibly be going to St. Paul's Cathedral with a friend in the afternoon to see some choral performance. Then I have to find time to skype or call my parents before I have dinner/break the fast at Ruth's apartment.

Monday I start school again!

One week from today I'll be sleeping over at Katie and Sarah's so the lot of us can wake up Saturday morning to fly to Sweden! That's so legit =P

Then I'll be back in London Sunday night.

I'm probably going to start writing closer together because it was exhausting to recall everything from this week. Also, I'd really like to get better about writing about my experiences here so I wont forget :)

That's all for now!

Cheers!

Today was a wonderful day. I decided I wanted to get out of my student housing to get back in the habit of exploring London!

I took the Victoria Line to Oxford Circus and switched to the Bakerloo line. That was going directly to Regents Park, but for whatever reason it wasn't stopping there today. Instead it took me just past it to Baker Street. When I got out to the street I followed some signs and realized Regents park is right at the end of Maryebone Rd. just past the Beatles Store and the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Mica and I walked to the Sherlock Holmes Museum when trying to find the S.H. Hotel because we were meeting a group tour just outside the entrance. That was when we went on a celebrity tour around London!

Anyways, back to Regents park. When I first got there I was captivated by the lake with hundreds of Swan and ducks. So what is Emily to do? Start taking pictures :)

I want to do a sketch of a swan later and I always refer back to pictures when I'm sketching.

I sat on the ground and get fairly close to the water's end. The three swan I was photographing did not seem phased by this at all.

Then I decided to start video taping on my lovely Canon Rebel T2 in HD of these magnificent creatures when the one to my right side gets out of the water. I start laughing and then the one on my left gets out of the water. I'm naturally amused by this because I'm catching the footage on tape. The one on my left keeps waddling closer and closer until PECK, he dived for my knee!!! hahahah I was freaking out. I immediately stood up and backed away, but I kept taping. Then he wandered over to my backpack and started pecking at my jacket that I had attached to the straps. I was still laughing at this point but after taking a few pictures of him doing so I grabbed my bag and slowly took it away from him.

So that pretty much made my day!!! And I've decided Regents Park is one of my new favorite places! There so much to see there, including the zoo. I plan to return for future visits.

For the rest of my time in the park I crossed a rickety, yet solid bridge and found a bench I liked along the water's edge. The sky was gray and the wind was grew fierce but I was warm and content. I was grateful for the layered winter clothing I bought from American Eagle over break. I spent the next half hour-hour writing in my notebook about the Swan experience and listing routines I want to create this semester. It was really nice to reflect as the birds squawked and the seagulls hollered. It was as if I was no longer in the city, rather some distant island where you could spend a weekend before returning to the chaos of life.

So the bad news is I think I left my camera USB cord at home over Christmas break so I'm not able to upload the video of the swan at this point. I looked into buying one here but it was going to be 19 pounds! I don't have that kind of money to spend on a camera cord that my mom could mail me.

After returning to the central area of where I live by Kings Cross and Angel station I went to one of my favorite art stores CASS. I love that place! I bought a new notebook and some more oil pastels! I've been working a lot with oil pastels lately because they have such a rich colour and smooth consistency. In addition, I see a huge difference using these ones and not just buying the cheap Walmart set. Go figure. hah

Ok good news! I just used my roommates computer, with permission, to upload some of my photos.

Here's my friend before I started filming