Make Way

Sorry it has been awhile since my last post.
The past few weeks have been rather low key, as mom forgot to sign me up for social programs. I do have some interesting tid-bits. The week after my last post my class took multiple trips to the national gallery. I had a paper due on the portraits of Henry VIII, so I managed to look at a couple of portraits for that paper as well as some beautiful ones of Queen Elizabeth I. We also went to New and Old Bond street to see Sotheby's and the art market. The Sotheby's impressionist show was on exhibition, and it was amazing. Any museum would have loved that collection.
On Friday I went shopping at Oxford Circus. It was absolutely packed with people. Apparently London ends work early on Fridays to go shopping. It was fun while it lasted, but I think I will avoid Oxford Street on weekends from now on. Later that day my roommates and I went to the Fullers Brewery in Chiswick to do a tour and tasting. The brewery itself was interesting but the beer was not my favorite. I have to say that I am not at all fond of British beer. They like it really bitter. The best flavor was called Honeydew and no one actually drinks it except hippies as it is an all organic honey sweetened beer.
Saturday my roommates went to Stonehenge so I decided to journey out on my own into London. I was going to go to the Saatchi gallery, but instead decided to head to the aquarium. Unfortunately it was being remodeled, so I didn't get to see much. The good news is there were some sharks. They had a huge tank with sharks in it that made my day. I also got to see the touristy part of the South Bank which was really nice. The aquarium is right next door to the London eye so I got to see that too. Later that day I went back to the Natural History Museum to see the dinosaurs again. Unfortunately there was a huge line so I couldn't get in. I decided to go see the spiders instead which was actually a really fun exhibit. I still hate spiders.
On Sunday my roommates and I went shopping. First we went to Chinese New Years down in China Town. Everything there was decorated in red and there were a thousand Chinese lanterns everywhere you looked. First we got some scarves (as it was starting to snow) and then got Chinese buns for breakfast. The whole place was packed with people so we waited until the Lion Dance started. Amazingly I have never seen a lion dance live. It was fun and everyone got very into it, taking pictures and clapping along. Later that day we escaped the crowds and went to Camden Market to shop. The market is huge although, unfortunately for us, it is an open market so we couldn't stay that long in the snow.
The rumors are true everyone, it did snow in London on Monday. We got a whole 15cm and a snow day. London, unlike Boston totally shuts down at the hint of snow. All the stores were closed and everyone in London was in Hyde Park having a snowball fight. The whole flat went out, and I made my very first snow man. It was so much fun. Londoners love the snow, unfortunately they don't really know how to deal with it, so now it is just a lot of ice piling up in the streets. It should melt off soon.
Tuesday was perhaps the most exciting day of this post as I went to the Sotheby's art auction. It was incredible to watch. The auctioneer was so talented and knew exactly when to push people and when to sell a piece quickly. They sold a Degas Bronze ballerina for 11.8 million pounds! The whole auction was exhilarating. I am thinking about going to the Christies auction next week.
In more exciting news, my roommates and I are heading to Athens over Easter. So that makes Rome, Athens, Paris and York on the agenda. Any more suggestions? Does anyone know anything useful about those places? Let me know!
This weekend I am headed to the Dover Cliffs. Should be fun!