London

London was Fantastic!!!!! I spent evenings with dear friends who have the greatest gift of hospitality – thanks guys! Since day one was spent sleeping and visiting my feet hit the ground on Thursday morning and they didn’t stop until seven miles later that evening. Then on Friday I walked for about 5 miles (mostly because I got turned around in Hyde Park and kept going the wrong direction) and took a bus to see all that my feet did not have the energy to take me to. I saw a LOT while I was there – all of the places that a respecting tourist would see. Next time I am picking one thing a day and doing it properly. But it was a smashing start. I pay to go into Westminster Abby and ended up wandering around there for more than two hours. I am grateful that my Mom taught me to read Old English which was on many of the monuments and tomb stones. I would probably still be there reading if I knew Latin. Here are a few of my favorite photos…

London

Big Ben

Parliment (& Big Ben)

Westminster Abby

St. James' Park

Buckingham Palace

Abby Road


Opps - Really Changing of the Guard

A Look inside Queen's Private Garden

Monument


Trafalgar Square


Looking at St. Paul's Cathedral


My First Introduction to London Tower


The Tower


Tower Bridge & Tower of London

Lost in Translaton

I have never posted photos on a Blog before so today was my first try. Unfortunately, the 'Blogger' website is all in Swedish and I had no idea where to go and attach a photo. I started looking up words in the dictionary - but that took way too long. I decided that the best thing was to call my friend in Costa Rica who uses blogger a call and have them tell me where all the buttons are. She had to translate from the Spanish to English and then I found the Swedish. What fun! So without further ado here are a few photos. - I also just found out that spell check does not work for me either - all my English words are in yellow.

Thank you to everyone who has replied to my blogg - it is nice to know that you have not forgotten about me. If you dont mind - please post replies on the website rather than sending me an email. That way I can keep your message - even after I clean out my email's inbox.

Danish Ship on the High Seas Between Sweden and Denmark

Kronborg / Hamlet's Castle
Denmark

Helsingor, Denmark

Lund, Sweden
(outside my window)

Procrastination

Procrastination is a terrible thing. I have done so much over the past 10 days that I am not sure where to begin. I will start with where I am. For the past seven days I have been on the southern tip of Sweden in Lund. The people here have been welcoming and very helpful especially when you cannot read labels in the grocery store. I am taking two classes while I am here but the homework is light – as is the sky. The sun does not officially set until 10pm and it rises again at 4.30am. That is the official time but it is only ‘dark’ from 12-2am. This has made it hard for my body to know when to go to sleep. Many of us cannot fall asleep until after midnight.

I and others in the Suffolk program are staying in University housing and we all have fantastic private rooms. The dorm is close to the city center. In addition to being convenient the noises from the train, and constant buses, have provided much entertainment.

Speaking of entertainment – I saw Will Ferrell!!! Lunds University invites famous individuals on a regular basis to speak to students. Will Ferrell started by speaking in Swedish, listing all of his favorite Swedish foods (meatballs) and commodities (Ikea, Abba). It was an opportunity of a lifetime – Will Ferrell in Sweden – worth standing in line for an hour and a half.

Today I went to Kronborg Castle in Denmark. The castle has the largest knight’s hall in Scandinavia, a beautiful chapel, was the residence of Danish royal families for 300 years until1785. Most importantly it is the home to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. The castle was beautiful and appropriate to Hamlet it was an overcast and rainy day.

FYI - "Blogger" has all of the posting links in Swedish. I hope Publicera Inlagg is the right button to push - we will see....