Playing tourist: Day trip

Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath...in one day.

Windsor Castle is the Queen's residence. It's gigantic, old, and lovely. And it has some of the most crazy beautiful interior decorating I've ever seen. Unfortunately, it also has a strict no photo policy inside the castle, so you don't get to see any of that. But the exterior is nice too.

As our tour guide said, "When we get to Stonehenge, some of you will be having deep and profound thoughts, while others of you shiver and drink coffee. It means different things to different people."

Bath is such a pretty little town. And we were lucky enough to see it in the sunshine. It's famous for its hot springs (and the Roman baths that made use of them), but I was probably most enamored with the impressive stone architecture.

Snow.

Heathrow cancelled almost 400 flights, trains were delayed, and panic ensued this weekend, as London was crippled by a fierce snowstorm that brought the city its first snow this year.

Now, based on the chaos it caused, you might be picturing something like this:

  

Notice that the ground floor apartments are barely visible...

But you would be wrong. That picture is the entrance to my apartment complex in Illinois after the Snowpocalypse that hit our area and surrounding states a couple of years ago. We got a foot of snow in one afternoon, and I still went to work the next day.

No, this was the snowfall that wreaked havoc throughout London over the weekend:

A whopping several inches. Enough snow to make a footprint, and yet somehow enough to cause Europe’s busiest airport to grind to a halt.

Still, snow does make London look particularly picturesque. My parents were in town, and we decided to brave the “blizzard” and play tourist while the rest of the city hid indoors. 

I’m glad we did, because this is what we saw:

Isn't it lovely? It certainly makes winter feel worthwhile.

 

CTRL+Z

I've never been a big celebrator of New Year's. My family just never got into it. And I guess I don't really understand the hype either -- this concept that at the first of the year, all our mistakes are washed away and somehow we magically get a fresh new start; a blank page. As if there's something special about this particular stroke of midnight. As if it's a reset button. CTRL+Z.  

Nope, not buying it.

Sounds cynical? Let me explain.

I don't think new beginnings are reserved for the start of the year. I think they're always up for grabs, if you want them. Worst month of your life? Well guess what: the next one is full of potential. You made a mistake today? Tomorrow is your chance to get it right. Your morning was terrible? This afternoon is going to be full of sunshine.

Tennyson said, "Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering 'it will be happier...'" And he was right. But why stop there? Sure, there's hope for the new year. But it's for the whole new year. You don't need to wait till the first of January to believe for better days.

Let's be hopeful the whole year through.
 

New Year's Eve.

What are you doing New Year's Eve? 

Me? Well, I'll be headed into Central to watch the fireworks with my brother (he's visiting!), so I'm hoping they'll be good as last year's...which were absolutely incredible.

Happy last day of 2012.

Simply having a wonderful Christmastime.

 

I spent Christmas up north in Manchester, with my sweet friend Hannah. It was lovely and festive and full of warmth and cheer (despite the grim weather). 

The cherry on top was tuning into Christmas with my family in New Mexico.

 Skype is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

A stick, a carrot & string.

I'm a big fan of Christmas songs (provided it's after Thanksgiving and before New Year's). My grandmother's favorite was Bing Crosby's White Christmas, so that one holds a special place in my heart. But this year, the album I've had on repeat is courtesy of Dave Barnes, though there are a few other standouts, like this one from Matt Wertz, and this one from Sara Bareilles, and this one, which I'd never heard of till I moved to London, but now I absolutely adore.

However, there's another song that I'm especially fond of. It's not the traditional Christmas song. In fact, it doesn't sound very Christmassy at all. But the lyrics are absolutely wonderful.

Have a listen (lyrics below):



---------------

The horse's hay beneath his head
Our Lord was born to a manger bed
That all whose wells run dry
Could drink of his supply.

To keep him warm, the sheep drew near,
So grateful for His coming here.
You come with news of grace;
Come to take my place.

The donkey whispered in his ear,
"Child, in 30-some-odd years,
You'll ride someone who looks like me
(Untriumphantly)."

The cardinals warbled a joyful song,
"He'll make right what man made wrong -
Bringing low the hills,
That the valleys might be filled."

Then "child", asked the birds ,
Well, aren't they lovely words we sing?"
The tiny baby laid there
without saying anything.

At a distance stood a mangy goat
With crooked teeth and a matted coat;
Weary eyes and worn
Whipped and twisted horns.

Thinking, "Maybe I'll make friends someday
with the cows and the hens and the rambouillet,
But for now, I'll keep away
I've got nothing smart to say."

There's a sign on the barn in the cabbage town:
"When the rain picks up and the sun goes down
Sinners, come inside;
With no money, come and buy.
No clever talk, nor a gift to bring
Requires our lowly, lovely king.
Come you empty handed, you don't need anything."

And the night was cool and clear as glass
With the sneaking snake in the garden grass,
Deep cried out to deep,
The disciples fast asleep.

And the snake perked up when he heard You ask,
"If you're willing that this cup might pass,
We could find our way back home
maybe start a family all our own."

"But does not the Father guide the Son?
Not my will, but Yours be done.
What else here to do?
What else me, but You?"

And the snake who'd held the world,
A stick, a carrot and a string
Was crushed beneath the foot
Of your not wanting anything.

---------------

I especially like the "come you, empty handed" bit, because that's what Christmas is all about, isn't it? Celebrating the fact that the world has received the ultimate gift. One that we don't have to work for. One that we couldn't earn, no matter how hard we tried. "For unto us a child is born; unto us, a son is given..." 
   

It's the Gospel, and it's beautiful.

Merry Christmas.

"Sorry."

I think the most commonly used word in the UK is the word "sorry." (Okay, so this might not necessarily be the case for London crowds, especially when you're using the Tube during peak hours, but whenever you get a British person one-on-one, it pretty much holds true.)

People say it all the time. Someone bumps into you? Sorry. You bump into them? They still say sorry. The culture is just terribly apologetic. People are generally very concerned with being polite. But you also occasionally get the feeling it's all very passive aggressive, and perhaps just for keeping up appearances -- and that because they're all trying so very hard to be polite, they are going to get particularly bothered if you're not. It's like the British have perfected this mentality of worrying about doing the right thing not because it's right, but because you're worried you'll be judged if you don't. So when I stumbled upon British Problems, I couldn't help but laugh.

Here are a few of my favorites:

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(image c/o buzzfeed)

I absent-mindedly walked into the kebab shop instead of the cafe next door. I couldn't very well admit my mistake and just walk out again, so I ended up having a kebab for lunch.

I feel that in the interests of british neighbourly spirit I should get to know my neighbours. But now that we've been living in our house 4 years it would be too weird if I was to suddenly pop round and introduce myself.

My Chilean friends actually take food when I offer it to them.

I thanked a woman for letting me use the self-checkout ahead of her but I was already ahead of her in the queue.

After spending 3 hours waiting in A&E yesterday to have my hand X-rayed over a suspected fracture, I apologised for wasting the nurse's time when it was only a major soft tissue tear. She said it was ok but I could tell she despised me.

I couldn't order the pastry that I wanted this morning as there was only one left and I didn't want to create any awkwardness with the customers behind me in case they wanted it.

I'm simultaneously relieved and offended when no one sits next to me on the bus.

At work, I'm constantly offered cups of tea or coffee or biscuits; I feel guilty for turning the offers down, but I don't want to seem greedy by taking the offers up.

I said 'thank you' as a warden handed me a parking ticket.

A man in the supermarket was browsing the food I wanted to browse, so I had to pretend to look at things I didn't even want until he left.

--------------------

And it's here that I should probably admit that this is one area where I feel at home. At least I'm not the only one standing awkwardly behind the old lady in the middle of the aisle who didn't hear me when I said 'sorry.' We'll all just wait patiently (and only slightly passive aggressively) together until she shuffles out of the way. 

Thanks for making me feel like I belong, England.