Mind the Gap, Please!

So I am going to begin this blog post the same way that I have began the past few.....apologizing for the lengthy delay!  Tons has happened since I last posted - in fact, I have been in four countries since that last post - so let's get started!

During our travel break over the Easter weekend, Shannon and I traveled to London to visit Rachel, a friend from Dartmouth interning there this term.  But unfortunately we had to fly there through the Bratislava International Airport.....simply put, my favorite thing in Bratislava was the duty free shop and the Haribo gummy candies sold there.  In any case, we finally got to London.  Over the next few days we wandered around the city.  We toured Westminster Abbey, the British Library, and the British Museum (where we saw the Rosetta Stone).  We visited Platform 9 3/4 (which was unfortunately under construction, but at least something was still there), toured a house where Charles Dickens lived, and saw the Tower of London (where we saw the Crown Jewels, the armor of King Henry VIII, and the spot where Anne Boleyn got the chop).  Other than that, we walked around the city and took in all London had to offer.  Food wise: Great Indian food?  Check.  Traditional Fish and Chips?  Check.  Pastries?  Check.  English High Tea?  Check.

Sadly, there were no tickets available for Hamlet at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre....

Pure glee.  Enough said.

This is on all the street crossings so tourists don't get run over.

Rosetta Stone

Mmmmmmm.....the chocolate mousse in the middle was divine.

Fish, chips, and mushy peas!

"The perfect Sunday roast served with lashings of gravy!"

221b Baker Street - Home of Sherlock Holmes

High Tea: I am now a HUGE fan of scones, clotted cream, and strawberry jam :)

Westminster Abbey isn't so well equipped for the wiring needed to broadcast the Royal Wedding...

Armor of King Henry VIII

We had to......

Changing of the guard at the Tower of London

We arrived back in Vienna late last Tuesday night, and on Thursday Dad came to visit!  He was in Germany on a business trip and decided stop by Vienna on his way home.  It was really, really great to see him, and even though he was only here 24 hours or so, we got an opportunity to walk around a lot of the city.  We had some gelato, went into Stephansdom Cathedral in the center of town, and generally had a good time.  It was definitely sad to say goodbye and made me more excited for whenever I get to come back here with my whole family.

With the State Opera in the background.....I think Dad was talking....

Then, this past weekend, our whole FSP took a trip back to Prague, something that Shannon and I were really looking forward to since we so enjoyed the city the last time we were there.  We made a point to find that wonderful bakery again and buy větrníky (those wonderful pillow doughnut things).  The Easter Markets were still set up and we even managed to find our way back to the vegetarian restaurant, taking some of our FSP-mates there.  But we also explored many news places in Prague: we walked over the Charles Bridge, toured one of the largest Jewish ghettos in Europe, cruised the Vltava, saw Mozart's Don Giovanni in the original theatre in which it was performed (the production was very tacky, but it was cool nonetheless), and heard the Czech Philharmonic.  Apparently Prague is also known for its jazz scene, so we also visited two jazz clubs while there, which was a really cool experience (Bill Clinton played at one of them in 1994).  All in all, I really love Prague and the Czech Republic and would love to get back there someday.

Don Giovanni in its original theatre

A clock in the Jewish ghetto

A traditional Czech meal of honey-roasted duck, dumplings, and red cabbage.

And I think there hasn't been enough sugar in the blog post, so one more picture is necessary.  Until next time, cheerio!

Hugely rich hot chocolate and a "schokobombe" from Café Demel here in Vienna - this was just two hours ago, and I'm still in heaven!