Saturday, December 18, 2010

Hapiness Project October...

I was marginally successful, but yes I will say it was a success. I did actually enjoy London, a bit. I had fantasized about staying home right up until the day we left for the trip, but I made it. I threw up in the train station in Harrogate (in the bathroom thankfully) but did not throw up on any train or underground or bus the whole weekend, which I think was quite a feat. I mean I threw up on the way to the hotel after the train ride and in underground stations in between transfers etc. but not a train itself. The train ride down was pretty fun, with the exception that I was not feeling great so Drew was my complete hero taming the toddler. Our hotel was awesome. We had an adjoining room with Joan and Fred. So we could hang out in their room while Anna was sleeping.

We decided to go and see the Tate Modern Museum as they had an exhibit of 100 million hand painted ceramic sunflower seeds. Originally they were intended to be able to walk on the sunflower seeds but they learned that it was actually creating toxic dust, thus you could only look at it from a distance.




At this point it was getting pretty late after a train ride and museum we decided to head to Chipotle for dinner.



Then we headed back to the hotel.

Next morning, I had a huge struggle waiting to eat breakfast, as the "morning" sickness was pretty unrelenting. So whilst waiting in the cue I had to go down a flight of stairs to the bathroom and get sick. But during my travels I found the pool which looked like a lot of fun. So, Drew, Anna, and myself, went for a swim after breakfast. Then headed out to Windsor Castle.





Touring the castle was quite an experience. I really liked St. Georges Chapel where worship services have been held every day since the 1600's!

The castle itself had loads of fun stuff to see, but Anna was a tired toddler without a nap, so while we got to see most things, we did it quickly.


Here is Anna trying on a hat at one of the shops outside of the castle.

We headed to dinner at pizza express, which is a chain of restaurants out here, upscalish for pizza and pretty tasty. Then caught the hour long bus ride back to the hotel.

Sunday, we went to Church in the morning and I really was not sure I was going to make it. This was my sickest feeling day of the trip.



I spent a good portion of church in the bathroom. Drew was surprised by a conversation he heard in the nursery. The congregation was predominantly from Africa and one woman said she had just come back from Zimbabwe and that the church was flourishing there because people didn't have to worry about all the things they do here like jobs and what not. They can focus on spiritual things, interesting comment, kind of makes you think.

After church we headed to Trafalgar square for the big Dwali celebration.




We did not stay too long, but it was fun to watch dancing etc. It was very crowded and hard to see anything. So we headed back to the hotel for the rest of the evening. Drew and Fred went out hunting for pizza and we celebrated Halloween by knocking on Joan and Fred's door in costume. The only treat Joan had were mentos, which Anna loved and referred to as `trick or treats` for the remainder of the trip.

Next day we decided that wanted to go to see St. Paul's Cathedral and the Globe Theatre. Well, we went to St. Paul and then realized that it would cost us 50 pounds to all get in and kept moving. That was the first church I had ever been to that charged money to go into and we have been to churches and Cathedrals all around the world! Anyway, we moved onto the Globe Theatre. We were a little disappoint to learn its location. It was literally the building next to the Tate Modern Museum. So, had we thought things out a little better we would have had a bit less in commute. But, It was really cool. They also had a really neat museum and it was fun to see the exhibits.



Oh, and I did have to miss a portion of the tour in order to go get sick but I got the gist. After the Globe, we headed back home. All in all a decent trip, less the 5 + times of getting sick per day. But I we did have a good time, so goal achieved!