Surprise!!!!!

This weekend I had the best surprise ever!! I was expecting my Grandmother to be visiting with me in London from Thursday to Tuesday. She wanted me to meet her in the lobby of her hotel Thursday morning, so when I got there everything seemed normal, hugs were exchanged, we walked up the steps...... and MY DAD WAS JUST SITTING IN A CHAIR LIKE IT WAS NO BIG DEAL. 

Needless to say, I got the best Dad hug ever :D

Thursday afternoon we went to lunch at Pizza Express, then I showed them both around my campus and had them meet some of my friends. We went to dinner down in Covent Garden, walked around the market area and saw some beautiful Christmas lights. 

Friday, we went on a "Hop On, Hop Off" bus tour of the city, meaning we bought a pass for a specific sightseeing bus company, and we could get on and off the bus as many times during the day as we liked to explore parts of the city on foot. We stopped at Piccadilly Circus (London's Times Square), Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye. 

Piccadilly Circus

London Eye

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament (and a little birdie friend!!)

Saturday was our day trip to the city of Canterbury and Dover Castle. We had a great day, it was very sunny in Canterbury and only drizzled a little at Dover Castle. The Canterbury Cathedral was probably one of my favorite old churches I've visited while studying abroad. 

Canterbury Cathedral

After the tour of the Cathedral, we had some free time to explore the city - it was very quaint and had great shopping streets!

Canterbury

Sunday we were all very tired, so we kinda chilled out in the morning and walked up to Abbey Road to get Dad's picture in the famous crosswalk. :) Glad we got to do that - it was on my bucket list!! That afternoon we went down to the Hyde Park/Kensington area. Gramma and I went to Harrod's for a little while - it was SO overwhelming but I really just wanted to see the lights on the outside, and the famous window displays. While we were doing that, Dad went to the Hard Rock Cafe and got his new baseball cap :) 

Monday began a slightly stressful end to the visit. Most of you know I've struggled with my health while I've been in London, specifically finding enough food to eat that my body doesn't reject, and while the cafeteria at school has been very good about making me more well-balanced meals, I have not felt well since returning from Italy about 4 weeks ago. Needless to say, we decided as a family that I need to get home as soon as possible to see my doctors and figure out what's wrong. I will be returning to the US tomorrow night. 

After deciding that I was definitely leaving early, I needed to finish some homework, so Gramma and Dad took the tube (by themselves - I'm so proud) to the Southbank, where they rode the Eye and had a walk around the Southbank Christmas Festival. I met them there and we went to see a play for my Theatre class called Our Ajax.

Tuesday was a productive day - I got the OK from all my professors to leave, we got my flight changed and my car booked to the airport. 

I'm sad to be leaving this amazing city, but I know that my getting myself healthy again is the most important thing right now. I've truly had the experience of a lifetime and made some amazing friends - you know who you are - and I will DEFINITELY be keeping in touch with all of you lovelies!! <3 

And who's to say I won't be back again?? ;)


Lots of Love, (and I'll be seeing some of you VERY soon!!!)
Casey

London Days and the English Countryside

First of all, I just want to say sorry it has been so long since I've posted!! The past couple weeks since Fall break has been my time to recuperate and focus on feeling closer to 100%, and I'm glad to say a lot of positives have come out of my all my efforts. :)

After break, I knew something had to change with the food I was able to eat from my school's cafeteria, which sadly wasn't much - mostly salad and fruit. After meeting with the head of the catering staff and voicing my many concerns, I am now on a meal plan that offers more well-balanced, hot meals every day! Success!

The first week after break I didn't do too much in the city, just took it easy, rested a lot, and wrote a paper for my English class. I did see a couple plays, one called The Events on October 28th, and another called Liola on November 4th. I really enjoyed Liola - it was one of my favorite plays that I've seen in London so far. On Friday the 1st, I took a trip to Greenwich Village and spent some time at the market there. I love Greenwich because of it's rich maritime history. There is a huge sailing ship there called the Cutty Sark that was once used for trading, and I was able to tour it! So cool!

On Sunday the 2nd I finally met up with a friend from London that I made a couple years ago named Megan! I went to her house and had lunch with her family, and it was absolutely fascinating to spend time with a real British family in a real British house! I'm so lucky to have opportunities like that to experience real British culture - and I can say I absolutely love everything about it :)

This past weekend I went to York and the English countryside with a few girls from my study abroad program. All I can say is, if you ever want to come to England and experience the "real Britain" - York, Fountains Abbey, and Haworth are the places you want to go. York's narrow cobblestone streets, crooked houses, and numerous chocolate shops would make anyone fall in love, and I sure did!!! :) 

We left early Saturday morning by coach and got to York at about 2 in the afternoon. We immediately set out on a walking tour and first got to see Yorkminster Cathedral, York's parliament building, much like Westminster Abbey in London. After that, we got a tour of the city itself, then had some free time to shop. We went back to the hostel that night, and Sunday morning left around 8:45 to visit Fountains Abbey and the town of Haworth.

Fountains Abbey is a huge monastic ruin (demolished by Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries). I was absolutely overwhelmed by the beauty of the place - even though it was a ruin. I honestly think that's why I liked it so much. All I've been seeing are the same huge, opulent cathedrals and churches, and I just felt so much more history and raw beauty here. It's hard to describe if you weren't there.

After that, we wound around the narrow countryside to the town of Haworth where the Bronte sisters lived and wrote. Now, if you know me at all, you'll know I was SO EXCITED about this part of the trip because I love the sisters' work so much, especially Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. We toured the Bronte Parsonage Museum, and then spent a little time in the town for lunch. I found a place that had gluten free sandwiches - YUM :)

Overall, I had a fantastic time in York and exploring the English countryside, and I'm so glad I got to see it while I'm abroad!! 



Lots of Love,
Casey