Goodbye World, See You Soon?

Winter Wonderland

Saturday I went to a food market and drank gluhwein and ate an amazing brownie, some Turkish delight and all of the free samples I could fit into my mouth. Then I went and saw a play “The woman in the Black Dress” It was an alright play, it was a little slow but it was the first time I have seen a play in a long time and it made me feel cultured.

Sunday I took it easy just walked around to some places I had already been and walked around in some new places. The weather was cold and rainy and I wasn’t too excited about being outside so I stayed in and watched a movie. I did go to a pub and watch Chelsea play Arsenal in a soccer match between the two teams that are in London. The pub was very much pro Arsenal which disappointingly lost 3-0 to Chelsea.

I was thinking about going to Stonehenge on Monday but the weather has really started to get cold and I was worried I would travel out there and there would be fog and rain which would ruin the experience so I decided to check out some free museums instead. I again forgot that on Monday’s many museums are closed and went to one that wasn’t open before going to the Imperial War Museum, which is free and really incredible. The museum was started during World War I to show all of the things that happened there but has since expanded to include World War II and lots of other events. There are tanks and planes and lots of interesting exhibits. I nearly raced through the museum and I was still there for four hours. They have these “experience” exhibits and one was a simulated trench which was interesting and another was a simulation of living in London when it was being bombed by the Germans. The Air Raid Experience was not very informative, exciting or interesting. At the museum there was a whole section on the children of London during WWII about how kids were shipped out into the countryside for fear that London would be invaded and the only way the kids would be safe was in the country. Some children spent years in the countryside and some loved the freedom and the life in the country, which was very much unlike what they were used to in London, while other children were placed with families they didn’t like and had bad experiences.

At the museum I also watched a Disney cartoon from 1942 entitled “Symphony Hour” in which all of the familiar Disney characters, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy are in a symphony and are broadcasting their performance over the air. Goofy gets all of the instruments crushed which makes them all sound strange and Donald Duck decides that he has had enough and is leaving in the middle of the performance. Mickey Mouse, who is the conductor, keeps trying to stop Donald and get him to stay and play. Finally Donald has had enough and heads towards the door which prompts Mickey Mouse to produce a revolver and hold it up to Donald’s head as an ultimatum. I can imagine the controversy if that were to air today.

I had an amazing time in London and even looked into staying a few extra days but it was really expensive, it just means I will have to come back that much sooner. I am also looking forward to seeing everyone back at home. My flight leaves London at 8:45am and I need to be out the door by 6:15am, it is going to be one heck of a long day.

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