A Library, A Palace, A Play, and Greatness :)

Day 6!  ....Crazy.  

It's so weird how it seems like we've been here longer than that.  But at the same time - not that long?  I know- it makes no sense.

Anyhoo.  

So, this morning began with class, day #2!  Class really is interesting.  I don't think it'll ever be an "unwanted" thing to go :)  Super great.  I mean, all we do is discuss plays, theatre, and Shakespeare.  Couldn't get much better than that!  ;)

After that, we headed back to the flat for some lunch, then out on a "class field trip" to The British Library to see a super great display of amazingly old, crazily AWESOME stuff.

Front of the British Library

British Library!

There were SO many things I wish with all my heart I could have taken pictures of - but alas.  No photography was allowed.  But to name a "few" of the things I saw:

• The original copy of Handel's Messiah, 
• Writings of Oscar Wilde, 
• Written notes of Leonardo Da Vinci, 
• The Gutenberg Bible, 
• Multiple (and gorgeous!) Qur'an's, dating back to the 9th century!, 
• Tyndale's New Testament (1 of only 3 that are still in existence from 1526),
• The Magna Carta.  (Or a copy of it, that is.)  Along with a handwritten copy of the revised Magna Carta.  
• A book of writings from JANE AUSTEN (her handwriting?  BEAUTIFUL!), 
• Jane Austen's actual lap desk, and glasses!  

It was super crazy to think of, and look at all these things, realizing just how old they are, and yet- they're still here.  Completely intact, gorgeous, and b-e-a-utiful pieces of history.  

And now- for my favorite part of the exhibit?

The Beatles.  

Yup.  As in the band.  There was a small section devoted to The Beatles, including:

• Pictures
• Cards they used to hand out to fans (which gave each fan an actual number of what # fan they were!), 
• Records, 
• A ticket to a show, and 
• Handwritten lyrics, including:
• "Help!" 
• "Michelle," (written on an envelope) 
• "Yesterday," 
• "Ticket to Ride," and 
• "Hard Day's Night," (which was written by John Lennon on the back of a birthday card from his son's 1-year-old birthday).  

SUPER cool.  SO wonderful.  Totally could have looked at that display forever and ever and ever... Oh!  And it was also kinda cool seeing the changes/tweaks they made to songs.  Example: on "Help!" the original lyric John wrote was "And I would appreciate you being round" rather than "do."  Super super cool :)
After the Library, a few of us decided to head to Buckingham Palace, since we had a few hours before going to a theatre to get student rush tickets.  And, of course, the tube station we went to in order to get to Buckingham, just so happened to be Kings Cross Station -- aka: Platform 9 3/4.  :)

Not actually King's Cross. This is the outside of St. Pancras Station
(which is also a hotel!  Yup.  This gigantic, gorgeous thing is a hotel.)
- Right across from Kings Cross :)

King's Cross!

King's Cross! (Harry Potter-esque, anyone?)

The infamous Platform :)

And...of course.  The picture ;)

Been to Platform 9 3/4?  Check that off the bucket list of life :)

Also, in the same station is this place called "Upper Crust Pasty Shop."  First Pasty ever eaten today :) And it was definitely delicious.  Pretty sure we'll all be getting that at least once more before we leave... - That technically wasn't ever "on" my bucket list, but it was definitely added today- just so I could cross it off.  Haha.

Then... we arrived at Buckingham.  Gorgeous.  And GIANT.  Really.  Giant.

The Palace!

Statue/Monument? outside the Palace!

So... There was this statue.
Sort of half-naked man...
Becca and I saw other people climbing up on him to take pictures,
and we followed suit.  Haha. 

Becca!

Man statue

Front of the Statue - yes, the full thing is actually a man, and a woman.

I was creeping on Becca and Ariel --
I think the guy next to them thought I was taking a picture of him.  Awkward.

Ariel and Becca!

Buckingham!

A guard

So... as we were walking up to Buckingham, both Becca and I saw this wall.
Our conversation went like this:
Becca:  Wow.  That's really cool looking.
Me:  Yeah.  I wonder what it is...
Becca:  Yeah!
...Oh- no biggie.  It's basically just part of Buckingham Palace. (The gift shops, attached to Buckingham)
 Haha.  Ohhh how little we know ;)

Then... as I mentioned earlier, we went to go get student rush tickets, for this little play called The King's Speech. :)  SO good.  Super good seats - Super pretty theatre, amazingly cool set, complete with a turn-table stage, beautiful crisp lighting, phenomenal actors, costuming -- everything.  Just wonderfulness all around.

The King's Speech - Wyndham Theatre :) 

The stage - gorgeous?  Yes.
This theatre?  Opened in 1899.
No biggie.
It's beautiful. 

All in all?  Great day... just like every other ;)