(Days #11, 12, 13) My Whimsical Weekend with Dukes, Towers... & Tennis?? OH MY!

What are your first thoughts when you hear (wait for it) ... BA-BADA BAH!...TOWER OF LONDON?! Gloom and doom, right? Most people think of the chopping blocks, crown jewels (NO GLOOM THERE! Holy Sparkles! There were so many gold and shiny things! I felt like a dog in a park full of squirrels...Diamond! Ruby! Pearls! AH!) and Anne Boleyn, right? Well so did I! But that was all before I bumped into a duke...;) It all started as a simple group excursion to another London landmark...but ended with a romantic rendezvous (not really not I like alliteration if you haven't noticed!) It was a cloudy (with no chance of meatballs) morning and adventure was just around (the river bend! ...ok, I'll stop!) the next looming corridor. Guess whats right next to it!

It's the TOWER Bridge, NOT the London Bridge... the locals are touchy about that- Oops! (My finger will now LIFT the bridge :D) Apparently the London Bridge is in San Francisco! Confusing much? I was! I need to pay more attention in class instead of daydreaming about HBs though, because this was clarified in class...hah! Here begins our journey...

First, we went through the Royal Armoury where I thought a knight in shining amour could be my love...

But sadly, I offended his honor when I said he suit wasn't that shiny...which resulted in this!

Needless to say, our relationship ended and I was left lonely... AGAIN searching for my Knight...or Duke! As we were walking out of the Crown Jewels exhibit, I noticed a group of people taking pictures with a man dressed in a regal red coat, so naturally I went over to inspect! It turned out being a young man dressed for the Costume reenactment, but being an actress I played along ;) He was James Scott the Duke of Monmouth and I was his Lady Wentworth...

You still don't believe that he loved me? Well here's proof in the first few seconds!...("You, Madame, cannot come close enough!")

It was a lovely afternoon in the Tower of London afterwards! Not even the block, shackles, or ghosts got me down! A little role play made my day :) (I rhymed!) We then walked across the Tower Bridge and got purposefully lost in Southwark for the rest of the day!

Day #12: On Saturday, we decided to take a step off the beaten track by going up to Wimbledon! Home of the Lawn Tennis Court Championship! I have always said that if I could pick a sport to be a pro at it would be tennis. Its one of the random facts I keep in my pocket when you're on an awkward date and the guy's like, "So tell me something random about yourself!" Can't you see a champion in that form?!

The Centre Court is further out from the actual town of Wimbledon which was adorable! We happened upon an art exhibit at the public library and found the best kept secret in local artists. I could live there eating crumpets for the rest of my life! And then stop my the Cafe at the tennis courts that is famous for its strawberries and cream :P

Later that night our group made the long trek to Greenwich (Prime Meridian, what!?) to see a production for King Lear. It was...interesting to say the least. I've never seen so much fog in my life! *Gasping for real air!* King Lear was actually QUEEN Lear, there was a blow horn between each scene, and Edmund was parallel gesturing (a BIG no-no in acting!). I have a feeling our class discussion on the production will be quite heated tomorrow! The real tragedy happened when we missed our train back home...I. Was. THIS! Close....

Day # 13: It was Stake Conference today for the London wards, and I was amazed by the dedication of the members who came from all over! Did you know that there are 3 other BYU study abroad groups here right now? A general, business, and accounting one! BYU takes London! The conference was broadcast from Salt Lake with Elder Richard G. Scott and President Henry B. Eyring addressing us. I was so touched by the love they expressed to the members, and then looking around and seeing the same love being completely reciprocated back in their eyes. SO humbling to be here... I took a walk in Hyde Park by myself today and it was the first time I've been alone in I dont know how long! Doesn't it look like I walked straight out of a BBC film?!

All in all, I rather enjoyed my weekend of Dukes, Towers, (stupid trains) & Tennis! Thank you, London for making everyday quite whimsical (if you're looking for adventure at least!)