Sunshine in the Rain....

Ted and I rode up in the London Eye, which gave us an amazing view of London. I really enjoyed it.

 

This is Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park. It has been around for centuries! People stand on their "soap box" (quite literally) and preach various ideas. One man expressed his Christian beliefs, another explained Islam, another promoted One World Federalism, another was a self-proclaimed Know-It-All. Very interesting! 

The British Museum is filled with artifacts and ancient relics. Above is the Rossetta Stone!

 

These are pictures of the University of Leicester in Leicester, England. It is a cute city and has a bit of breathing room! I visited to check out their Masters of Victorian Studies program.

Only in London!
[English yogurt, a London Underground station (the Tube), me in a red telephone booth, and Hula Hoops (a snack food)]

 

April 4 I said a sad goodbye to the UK and to Ted. It was a fantastic trip. I'll be back! Au Revoir!

Crusades Night!

Hail Lords and Ladies!
The Pleasure of Thy Company is requested for the Perusal of an Evening of History and Knightly Hospitality!
David (left) entertained the congregated throng with gripping tales of the Crusades. Authentic Food and Merriment were in Abundance!

My friend Thora and I thought it would be awesome to host a kickin' "intellectual" party where our friends could invite their friends and gather for some good, old-fashioned, medieval fun! I'd never been to, let alone planned, a gathering such as the one we envisioned, but we had a blast discovering our way! We knew Dave had an interest in the Crusades and he soon became an essential part in our scheming. He good-naturedly agreed to give a lecture on the Crusades, I sent out antiquey invitations (enclosed via wax seal!:), Thora provided the home, and we both planned the "authentic" food. It turned out great! Above is a picture of Dave teaching us in Thora's living room. Zach is modeling a costume and some of the weaponry Dave brought.

Some really awesome people even dressed up!! Beautiful Lady Rachel was a Royal Woman of England, while Eric represented the Muslims of Jerusalem. Luckily, there was no conflict and they united in harmony.

Les assistances interessees - Dave a fait un travail impressionnant!

People chillin' and eatin'. Among the dishes offered was "gyngerbred" - the ancestor of our more familiar gingerbread. It was made of dried bread crumbs, honey, and spices (including ginger). It was super sweet and somewhat sticky, but hey...it provided for a cultural experience. 

Eric brought me mangos from the Phillippines...mmm...yum.