I left my heart in England
May. 24th, 2003 10:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
morrigan716Well, I got home Thursday night. I felt like hell considering I was jetlagged and hungover at once. The Orange Alert made customs in the Newark airport a bitch. I wasn't exactly strip searched, but she made me pull my shorts forward to show that nothing was down them. (My zipper set of the metal detector). Anyway, all's well, but if I could have had Alexander shipped over there I would have just stayed.
We left DFW on Tuesday, May 13th. When we arrived at Gatwick it was 6:55 a.m. on the 14th. We drove to London on a bus and took a driving tour of the city. We went to The Tower of London and took a guided tour. It was nice and morbid. I loved it. I bought Alexander a book called "A Raven Named Charlie" since he's into the story of the ravens at The Tower. (If the ravens ever leave The Tower, it will fall and the monarchy with it.) Two people from our group were pickpocketed there, but they were both rich anyway so they still had plenty of money for the rest of the trip. After that I ate fish and chips at a little restaurant across from The Tower that looked like an old dungeon. Then we checked into the Raddison Grafton Hotel, which was by far the fanciest I've ever stayed in, and I had a long, hot bath. For dinner we ate at the Albert Pub. It was called a carvery dinner, which I think we'd just call a buffet here. I drank a few lagers there and on the bus on the way back to the hotel, I had to get the driver to let me off because I was about to wet myself. It was humiliating, but he actually waited for me, which was cool.
On Thursday the 15th, we had a huge breakfast at the hotel. (Why aren't the British fatter than Americans? They eat much more fattening shit). Then we went to our performance at St. Paul's Cathedral, what I've dreamed of doing since I was 15 years old. The choir guy there was so pretty. Very cherubic and English-looking. It was very emotional singing there, in spite of the fact that our only audience was American tourists. The echo was 9 seconds long. Awesome. Afterwards we had a short tour of the building and the crypt and saw Christopher Wren's grave ("If you seek his monument, look around you"). Then we walked across the New Millenium Bridge that crosses the Thames River, looking like a funeral procession because we were all in our choir dresses. We went to The Globe Theatre, a reproduction of Shakespeare's Globe. Our tour guide was hot. We stopped and sang "Shenandoah" which was awesome too. How many people from Wichita Falls can say they've performed at The Globe? Then I got irritated with Crystal and decided to go off on my own. I just ran around in the London Underground trying to see if I'm smart enough to figure out how to get from one place to another. I am! That night we went to the Lyceum Theatre to see "The Lion King". It rocked! The special effects were so good that I couldn't even figure out how they did it, and I'm a theatre person. The stampede scene was great.
On Friday we left London for Warwick. We sang at St. Mary's Collegiate Church for a very small audience. Then we went to Warwick Castle, which is supposed to be the finest example of a medieval castle in all of England. It is owned by Madame Toussoud's so it was full of creepy wax figures. Me and Crystal made the mistake of climbing the tower, which was like 500 steps or something. We definitely got our exercise. Then we drove to Chester and checked into our hotel, the Ramada Chester Hotel.
On Saturday, the 17th, we went to Chester Cathedral. We only sang 2 songs, but I still managed to get emotional. We took a nice rainy tour of the city. Chester is an old Roman city with ruins and things. We walked on the old city wall and listened to the "town cryer". I left everyone after that and went to wait for Daniel. He came from York and his train was running late, but I still managed to have plenty of time with him. He took me out to eat and I had fish and chips again at a pub called The Horse's Head. We went shopping so I could get a Chester cross necklace, and then we stopped for coffee. Then we went to hear Evensong at the cathedral. All those little choir boys! It was really nice talking to Daniel in person again. It's been 7 years! But it was just like old times. I made him promise to come visit me in Wichita Falls next time he decides to come to The States. And next time I go to England I'm going to York and taking Alexander with me.
On Sunday, the 18th, we left England for Scotland. We stopped in the Lake District of Northern England, which was very beautiful. The largest lake in Britain is called Windermere and it was very blue. We stopped in Moffat, Scotland where I nearly bought out the store getting a little scotty dog for Alexander, soap and a tea towel for myself, etc. We were supposed to stop at Blair Castle but we didn't because we were running late and we just had to get to the hotel in time for dinner. We had already paid for the castle so we all got pretty pissed off. They told us we'd be compensated but I'll believe it when I see it. We finally got to Inverness, the Thistle Hotel.
On Monday, the 19th, me and Crystal woke up so exausted we almost wanted to skip out of everything and just crash at the hotel till our concert. But after we ate we felt better. British toast is so awesome for some reason. Daniel says it's the bread because when he's here he hates the bread/toast. We went to the town of Elgin and visited the Cashmere Woolen Mill. I thought it would bore me to tears but it was really interesting. Now I know why cashmere's so expensive. Then we went to the Glenfiddich Distillery. We each got a free shot of 12-year-old whiskey, and since two of the girls with us didn't want theirs, I got 3 shots. That night was our concert in Dornoch Cathedral. It had been announced on the radio and so we had a HUGE audience. The building was packed. Dornoch was the cathedral where Madonna and Guy Ritchie were married. Supposedly, a photographer got in and hid behind the organ pipes. (A bit of trivia for you there.) It was an awesome concert. Afterwards, we had tea and sandwiches at the Dornoch Castle Hotel.
On Tuesday, the 20th, we drove down Loch Ness and stopped at Urquhart Castle. (No, I didn't see the Loch Ness Monster, but I am a believer). We stopped in Fort William for a little more shopping and lunch. Then we went to the Spectacular Pass of Glencoe and the Trossach Mountains. We stopped by the side of the road where there was a bagpiper just standing there playing. It was almost a religious experience. It was just in the middle of nowhere and so beautiful. We also saw some trailers and stuff where the new Harry Potter movie is being filmed. Wahoo. We stopped in a little town called Callander for a potty break but we all looked around and shopped a bit too. We got to Edinburgh that night. By the way, it doesn't get dark in Scotland until well after 10 p.m. And the sun is up again by 4 a.m. That night I drank a bottle of Chardonnay with Ulysses, Ryan, and Derrick.
On Wednesday, the 21st, we took a bus tour of Edinburgh. We sang at St. Giles during a little ceremony. It was the most emotional of all because it was Dr. Jones' last time to direct us. And it was just awesome to see the stained glass in front of us. We went to Edinburgh Castle, which I've seen before, but it was still as fascinating as it was. That night I had another bottle of chardonnay with Lyss, but then I got too drunk and made an arse out of myself. I don't remember this, but apparently I had 3 shots of whiskey and then more wine. I kept telling everyone I wasn't drunk while I was falling all over the place. I hurled all over the shower once I was dragged back to my room and started calling everyone in their rooms asking if they hated me. Oh well, my last night there went out with a bang.
Thursday we left for Glasgow and flew to Newark, then DFW. We drove home on the bus, which seemed to take days. I'm not really happy to be home. I feel British at heart and want to go back and stay. But I found out yesterday that I'm very good at my job. I have to work extra hours now to fix the mistakes the girl who worked in my place made. I don't mind at all because I'll need the extra money now that I'm broke.
By the way, after having gotten to know Evan (aka Choir Boy) better on this trip, it's probably a good thing I was too bashful to talk to him. And that we never hooked up....FREAK!
Anyway, God save the Queen and bless my British heart.
We left DFW on Tuesday, May 13th. When we arrived at Gatwick it was 6:55 a.m. on the 14th. We drove to London on a bus and took a driving tour of the city. We went to The Tower of London and took a guided tour. It was nice and morbid. I loved it. I bought Alexander a book called "A Raven Named Charlie" since he's into the story of the ravens at The Tower. (If the ravens ever leave The Tower, it will fall and the monarchy with it.) Two people from our group were pickpocketed there, but they were both rich anyway so they still had plenty of money for the rest of the trip. After that I ate fish and chips at a little restaurant across from The Tower that looked like an old dungeon. Then we checked into the Raddison Grafton Hotel, which was by far the fanciest I've ever stayed in, and I had a long, hot bath. For dinner we ate at the Albert Pub. It was called a carvery dinner, which I think we'd just call a buffet here. I drank a few lagers there and on the bus on the way back to the hotel, I had to get the driver to let me off because I was about to wet myself. It was humiliating, but he actually waited for me, which was cool.
On Thursday the 15th, we had a huge breakfast at the hotel. (Why aren't the British fatter than Americans? They eat much more fattening shit). Then we went to our performance at St. Paul's Cathedral, what I've dreamed of doing since I was 15 years old. The choir guy there was so pretty. Very cherubic and English-looking. It was very emotional singing there, in spite of the fact that our only audience was American tourists. The echo was 9 seconds long. Awesome. Afterwards we had a short tour of the building and the crypt and saw Christopher Wren's grave ("If you seek his monument, look around you"). Then we walked across the New Millenium Bridge that crosses the Thames River, looking like a funeral procession because we were all in our choir dresses. We went to The Globe Theatre, a reproduction of Shakespeare's Globe. Our tour guide was hot. We stopped and sang "Shenandoah" which was awesome too. How many people from Wichita Falls can say they've performed at The Globe? Then I got irritated with Crystal and decided to go off on my own. I just ran around in the London Underground trying to see if I'm smart enough to figure out how to get from one place to another. I am! That night we went to the Lyceum Theatre to see "The Lion King". It rocked! The special effects were so good that I couldn't even figure out how they did it, and I'm a theatre person. The stampede scene was great.
On Friday we left London for Warwick. We sang at St. Mary's Collegiate Church for a very small audience. Then we went to Warwick Castle, which is supposed to be the finest example of a medieval castle in all of England. It is owned by Madame Toussoud's so it was full of creepy wax figures. Me and Crystal made the mistake of climbing the tower, which was like 500 steps or something. We definitely got our exercise. Then we drove to Chester and checked into our hotel, the Ramada Chester Hotel.
On Saturday, the 17th, we went to Chester Cathedral. We only sang 2 songs, but I still managed to get emotional. We took a nice rainy tour of the city. Chester is an old Roman city with ruins and things. We walked on the old city wall and listened to the "town cryer". I left everyone after that and went to wait for Daniel. He came from York and his train was running late, but I still managed to have plenty of time with him. He took me out to eat and I had fish and chips again at a pub called The Horse's Head. We went shopping so I could get a Chester cross necklace, and then we stopped for coffee. Then we went to hear Evensong at the cathedral. All those little choir boys! It was really nice talking to Daniel in person again. It's been 7 years! But it was just like old times. I made him promise to come visit me in Wichita Falls next time he decides to come to The States. And next time I go to England I'm going to York and taking Alexander with me.
On Sunday, the 18th, we left England for Scotland. We stopped in the Lake District of Northern England, which was very beautiful. The largest lake in Britain is called Windermere and it was very blue. We stopped in Moffat, Scotland where I nearly bought out the store getting a little scotty dog for Alexander, soap and a tea towel for myself, etc. We were supposed to stop at Blair Castle but we didn't because we were running late and we just had to get to the hotel in time for dinner. We had already paid for the castle so we all got pretty pissed off. They told us we'd be compensated but I'll believe it when I see it. We finally got to Inverness, the Thistle Hotel.
On Monday, the 19th, me and Crystal woke up so exausted we almost wanted to skip out of everything and just crash at the hotel till our concert. But after we ate we felt better. British toast is so awesome for some reason. Daniel says it's the bread because when he's here he hates the bread/toast. We went to the town of Elgin and visited the Cashmere Woolen Mill. I thought it would bore me to tears but it was really interesting. Now I know why cashmere's so expensive. Then we went to the Glenfiddich Distillery. We each got a free shot of 12-year-old whiskey, and since two of the girls with us didn't want theirs, I got 3 shots. That night was our concert in Dornoch Cathedral. It had been announced on the radio and so we had a HUGE audience. The building was packed. Dornoch was the cathedral where Madonna and Guy Ritchie were married. Supposedly, a photographer got in and hid behind the organ pipes. (A bit of trivia for you there.) It was an awesome concert. Afterwards, we had tea and sandwiches at the Dornoch Castle Hotel.
On Tuesday, the 20th, we drove down Loch Ness and stopped at Urquhart Castle. (No, I didn't see the Loch Ness Monster, but I am a believer). We stopped in Fort William for a little more shopping and lunch. Then we went to the Spectacular Pass of Glencoe and the Trossach Mountains. We stopped by the side of the road where there was a bagpiper just standing there playing. It was almost a religious experience. It was just in the middle of nowhere and so beautiful. We also saw some trailers and stuff where the new Harry Potter movie is being filmed. Wahoo. We stopped in a little town called Callander for a potty break but we all looked around and shopped a bit too. We got to Edinburgh that night. By the way, it doesn't get dark in Scotland until well after 10 p.m. And the sun is up again by 4 a.m. That night I drank a bottle of Chardonnay with Ulysses, Ryan, and Derrick.
On Wednesday, the 21st, we took a bus tour of Edinburgh. We sang at St. Giles during a little ceremony. It was the most emotional of all because it was Dr. Jones' last time to direct us. And it was just awesome to see the stained glass in front of us. We went to Edinburgh Castle, which I've seen before, but it was still as fascinating as it was. That night I had another bottle of chardonnay with Lyss, but then I got too drunk and made an arse out of myself. I don't remember this, but apparently I had 3 shots of whiskey and then more wine. I kept telling everyone I wasn't drunk while I was falling all over the place. I hurled all over the shower once I was dragged back to my room and started calling everyone in their rooms asking if they hated me. Oh well, my last night there went out with a bang.
Thursday we left for Glasgow and flew to Newark, then DFW. We drove home on the bus, which seemed to take days. I'm not really happy to be home. I feel British at heart and want to go back and stay. But I found out yesterday that I'm very good at my job. I have to work extra hours now to fix the mistakes the girl who worked in my place made. I don't mind at all because I'll need the extra money now that I'm broke.
By the way, after having gotten to know Evan (aka Choir Boy) better on this trip, it's probably a good thing I was too bashful to talk to him. And that we never hooked up....FREAK!
Anyway, God save the Queen and bless my British heart.
