Brighton Beach

So Friday I discovered that I am actually quite good at finding my way around London and Kingston and that I am a whiz at reading Tube maps and finding train stations.  Kate and I went into London to meet her cousin for a day of exploring and pub hopping.  Upon getting to London we went to the Millennium bridge (where the Harry Potter scene with the death eaters and the snapping bridge was filmed) and took tons of pictures of the bridges and could see the Tower Bridge and the London Bridge because they were all in the same area.  We then went to the Tate Modern Museum and saw a bunch of art, most of it which was over my head but I did recognize some artists, like Andy Warhol and Dali.  It was interesting to see a museum like that that is free to the public at all times, not like in the states where we have to pay for everything.... Afterwards we went to the Kings Head Pub which was hopping because it was their grand reopening, so after standing there for quite some time and not getting any closer to the bar we went to a place called O'Neills instead which is somewhat like an Applebees at home.  There Kate's cousin ordered strawberry beer for everyone, which sounds totally disgusting but it turns out that this is really good stuff! I might be addicted.

Saturday was the day to go down to the tip of England and see the little coastal town of Brighton.  It was freezing cold, but enjoyable because of all the things that I got to see and experience.  Brighton has the cutest little shops that are down narrow streets called the Alleys.  There were all kinds of local fare and it was good just to see what people are like on a day to day basis in England. Then we went to the Royal Pavilion where I saw the palace that Queen Victoria sold in spite of her uncle.  It was a Oriental inspired palace, as seen by the pictures that I hope to be able to get on here and it is just beautiful.  Everything about it was so gorgeous but it seemed really out of place in the small town of Brighton.  Then we went to Brighton Pier and got to see what real Fish and Chips and the coast of England looks like.  It was very cold, but very beautiful. I also got to see the hotel that was bombed by the IRA when Margaret Thatcher was PM and the burnt out pier in Brighton that is the center of a lot of controversy right now because while some people want it restored, others want it to remain a historical monument.

Today, classes start for the Uni, but I don't have my first class until tomorrow at 3pm (so 9 am ya'lls time).  It should be an interesting class, its American Literature and I can't wait to see what the books we are going to be reading are..... Then on Wednesday I am off to Shakespeare and my American Lit Seminar followed by my British Life and Culture class. Thursday is Abnormal Psych which I am very excited about and then begins my long weekend once again....

Cheers!