Some of my Favorite People

I've talked alot about what I've been doing, but not so much about the amazing people I've met here with whom I get to do all this fun stuff. So here's a run down of some of my favorite people in London.


My awesome flatmates Dheeraj and Hala. We share a love of food and walking...lucky for us one burns off the other. They are pretty incredible people.


Me and Aditi on a night out dancing at Madame JoJo's


Aditi, Maria and Alison on a Dance Dance outing.


Me and Eamonn...he makes me giggle.


Lynn...one of my food, travel and great talks friends who sadly...is not in London anymore :(


My nutty Jitsuians...we're a friendly bunch so one sofa is enough for 10.


Sensei Bevis. I did 20 squats with him on my back...always in training! This is why they call me Hollywood Hulk.


More of my Jitsu crew celebrating orange and green belts. (I baked cookies...so they call me Jitsu mum too)


My coursemates Krystel, Mike and Masami. They are a good time :)


My artsy coursemate Fathima...she's always doodling.


More coursemates...that's Milena in the blue falling down, Brian in the back and Leon to the left. We had fun that night!

If only I'd known...

Today was a day in which I was reminded how important it is to be open to the unexpected...and to have a camera! I spent most of the day working and at the end of my work day, all I knew was that I didn't want to go home yet. So I climbed on the tube for my usual journey home, still trying to decide which stop to get off at and wander. Turns out...I didn't even need to think about it. Ten minutes into my journey, the train driver got on the loudspeaker announcing that due to a faulty train in North Greenwich, the train would be terminating at Green Park. And it was decided...I would get off at Green Park...and wander.

For those of you familiar with London, Green Park is basically right in the middle of the city. It's bordered by Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Picadilly Circus and St. James Park. My initial thought was to just sit on the grass and read to enjoy the remaining bits of daylight. It wasn't until I plopped myself down that it occurred to me it had been raining earlier today...a wet butt reminded me of that. No biggie...wrapped my shirt around my waist and continued walking.

I should point out that the reason you're getting this little tale is because I DIDN'T have my camera today. And so I'm going to try to be a verbal camera supplemented by google pictures (thank goodness!) and fuzzy cell phone pictures. But I had to share!

Okay...so I was walking. I wandered around Buckingham Palace. Nothing unusual there except the funny way the guards walk...which they have to do so actually very...usual. In St. James was where I first wished I had my camera. There is a little lake/pond thing that weaves its way through the whole park which means lots of ducks, pigeons, swans and geese. But I saw some geese I'd never seen before that have this really cool pattern on the back of their head. Turns out they're called bar headed geese...totally uncreative...but they're pretty. Here's a google pic of them:



Then, a bit further down the pond, there were three pelicans that appeared to be ready to hunker down and sleep for the evening. In the middle of the path! If you've seen a pelican up close...you know they're big dudes. So...big dude birds...little path...photo-op. (In my head..."What was I thinking? I need to have my camera surgically attached!") So...google photos to the rescue:




Later, as I was walking near the London Eye where all the human statues are, I saw one I hadn't seen yet. A guy who looked like a bobby up top (police guy) and a ballerina on the bottom. Don't ask me why...didn't make sense...but funny nonetheless. Google images was stumped on this one.

The best photo op - rather video op - I discovered rounding a curve along the Thames. I came upon a bunch of people looking over the railing and music with musicians I couldn't locate. I walked to the railing and peeked over...and there were 5 guys...3 sitting on a sofa made of sand playing music...and 2 dressed like pirates carving more amazing things out of sand. They had already carved a sofa, coffee table, skull head (cause they're pirates of course) and treasure chest and were working on an octopus and something yet to be identified. It was really stinkin' cool. They had a little bulls eye laid out too for people to toss coins down...which I did of course cause they had mad skillz. The only pictures I got were with my cell phone though so you'll have to imagine it through the fuzz.





At the end of my day, I was walking home from the tube station and New Cross was all aglow with the sunset. Everything looked like it was lit with gold from the inside out and the sky was amazing shades of purple and blue. I think even if I'd had my camera it wouldn't have done it justice. I don't think I've ever seen new cross look so pretty.

So there you go. A few hours out of my day and a big lesson learned. The lesson...you never know what experiences or moments will catch you off guard, make you smile and have you wishing there were someone with you to see it. When all else fails though...google images, adjectives and blogs to the rescue.

Goodnight :)

Season Recap

Okay! I said ages ago I was going to get moving on this...and I didn't. So this is the short and sweet version of what I've been up to.

In April I zoomed off to France to spend 7 awesome days with Jen and Jas in Paris. I started blogging that trip but didn't get very far cause I had to write some essays. Got all of those done and then hopped a train to Scotland with my friend Lynn who just recently headed back home to the States (sniff...I miss her). After Scotland...I had to write one last paper and then I flew off to Italy to wander around with Travis from back home. We trekked our way through Bologna, Florence and Venice eating gelato and dying of heat along the way (those italians LOVE stairs!) After Italy I came home to get down to work. All I have left to do is my dissertation which is...in process. It's a big undertaking so I'm taking it one step at a time. In my downtime I got a part time job at a complementary health center...for the money...and cause without classes to attend I wouldn't know what day it is! So I go there and chat with clients, answer phones and test out the therapies like acupuncture, shiatsu and massage (It's rad!).

That's what I've been up to...now it's just work, school work and working out. I've taken up rock climbing again, still doing Jitsu every now and then and started running along the Thames which is keeping me zen and sane. The weather is perfect for it (except my run yesterday where 1 of the 5 miles took place in a downpour...gotta love London!)

In September I'll turn in my dissertation and fly home for a month to see all of you (or as many of you as I can) and then in October I'll head back to London to live, work and play. I love this city and I'm not ready to leave just yet. The good news is...if you're planning a trip...I'll be here! And since I got a new camera, I'll be able to keep you visually posted on what I'm up to.

NEW BLOG STUFF: If you look to your right...I've added two new links, "HezPics" and "MyTube" where you can see all my photos and videos. Scotland and Italy are on there so they're worth a look and I'll keep updating them with whatever I've been up to.

That's the bare bones of the last few months of my life. I've been loving every minute of it and will do my best to write about full episodes as they occur instead of do the quick "What happened this season" recap.

Hugs!!

After the Rain

Before I work my way back into the past, I'll show you what I did today. Despite it being spring, the past week has been super soggy. Plenty of rain, but the sun comes out every now and then and the sky is absolutely beautiful. Today, despite the rain, I ventured out to Hyde Park to sit in the cafe there next to the Serpentine (The Dell) and read. As is always the case...it was pouring rain while I was treking to the cafe and my umbrella was turned inside out twice, so I arrived in a waterlogged state and immedately ordered a cup of tea. 15 minutes after I settled in...the rain stopped...the sun came out...and the pigeons attempted to dry off. So on my walk back to the tube station, I took some pictures of flora and fauna in their dewdrop states. And of course...I took pictures of the soggy pigeons cause they made me giggle hiding from the rain with their frizzy feathers.

Blog Slacker

Yup...that's me. I have so much to catch everyone up on! April and May were really hectic months for me with 4 essays, a dissertation presentation, training for a new job and trips to Scotland and Italy. But now the essays are done and turned in. My dissertation is underway. My part time job is picking up so I'm making money and structuring my time (I have no classes to attend anymore). And my trips are done for now (...sniff..) so it's life as usual in London. I absolutely love this place though and the longer I'm here the more I want to stay. So we'll see...this year long stint could turn into a couple of years. It would be nice to get to know this city as a working person...not a poor student.

So...this is the introduction to a bunch of new posts in which I'll go through a bunch of random things I've been doing lately with plenty of pictures!

Hope you enjoy catching up with me :)

Lance Bass is my long lost twin

Before I get back to the Paris blogging...I must first share with you the thing that's had me giggling to myself all day (and was a fantastically funny hour or so of procrastination).

If you visit MyHeritage.com they have a tool where you can upload a photo and it matches your face to the celebrities you most look like. I tried one...and on my first try I got this great list of all women...and one guy (who...is a young hot hockey player...so not too shabby). Fun tidbit...the top match girl is a British TV star...how fitting!



Then....I decided to run a few more photos to see what I got...and it just got funnier from there. Turns out...a picture of me and my brother...turns up my highest match as Lance Bass...and his as really pretty model chick Adriana Lima...hmmm. Haha...and check out Shaquille...who knew we looked so much alike?!?



A few more photo uploads and I soon realized that Lance Bass is my long lost twin...as he was my number one or two for at least 4 of my photos! Uh...Mikhail Gorbachev came up twice too...but I'm gonna forget that ever happened. If you need a good laugh...go there now! Bonus...it matches all the faces in a photo so you get like 3 for 1! Below are some more of my matches...(who the heck is Kevin Mitnick and do I really look like him?! Ewww)









Oooh...I am Wonder Woman! And the hot hockey player again...go me!

Beeeep...interuption of the Hez Broadcast system

Since it's late...and my eyes are going buggy...the remainder of the Paris trip will have to wait for now. I'm sure between my many hours of studying for my 15,000 words due on May 1...I'll find some procrastinating time to put the rest up. Until then...enjoy days 1 through 3 and wait in eager anticipation :)

In the meantime...deep thoughts from Edward Monkton!

The sun came out...Thank God!

And to thank God...we wandered to Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame and St. Sulpice on Sunday. That means...we walked like fiends! And Montmartre, where Sacre Coeur is, is the hilliest part of Paris (at least...of everywhere we went) so our legs got a good workout. Luckily there was no nudity that day...but there was no shortage of weirdys. Since most of this day was uneventful...I'll let the pics speak for themselves (with my witty commenting of course).


This place really is beautiful.


It's crazy cause every picture of Sacre Coeur looks like it's been super imposed onto a blue sky...but that really was the sky!


Lovebirds on the steps.


On our hunt for lunch we came across the fruit stand from the movie Amelie...funny!


See...walking...everywhere...uphill...exhausting...


We were looking for a little place on one of our tour maps for lunch that was supposed to be by this windmill. We found the windmill...and no food!


Notre Dame...can you hear the bells?


Weirdy of the day...Bird Man.


That statue is stepping on someone...


Inside...coolest ceilings.


The famous rose window.


Pretty gardens and a pretty Jen at the back of Notre Dame.


Back of Notre Dame and the Seine.


The rose line in the St. Sulpice. What we didn't photograph were all the articles and postings about how the rose line really isn't the rose line...I don't think they're too keen on the DaVinci Code.

When the rain gets to pouring, the tourists hit the Louvre

Given that the rain hadn't let up...we planned an indoor adventure in the Louvre...with the millions of other tourists. Lucky for us that's one big place! So we wandered and saw everything we could. And I took a gazillion pictures of sculptures which are my favorite! Jen and Jas now have a photo of nearly every sculpture in the Louvre. I know 10 years from now they're gonna thank me!)

One thing we didn't get a photo of was the Mona Lisa...which you aren't supposed to photograph, and yet tons of stupid tourists take pictures anyway! But I will tell you it's very cool...smaller than many people think, but bigger than how small others say it is. And the best reason to not photograph the Mona Lisa...there are some things that one really should just come and see for themselves. Pictures can't do some things justice.

After the Louvre we decided to venture down the Champs Elysees. On our way to the Place de la Concorde, however, we had the Old Man Weiner experience! As we're walking with umbrellas and hoods, I see a man walking out of the trees wearing a coat, carrying an umbrella and wearing what I thought were shorts and kneepads. In my mind I'm wondering what kind of crazy old guy goes jogging in weather like this! Little did I know that the man wasn't jogging...nor was he wearing shorts. He wasn't wearing anything at all from the waist down! (except the knee pads of course) Jen contemplated getting a photo to prove the sighting...but when we turned around he had put his pants back on. Evidently he'd just left them on a table...perhaps a pant-less romp in the rain was something he felt he needed right then. Hard to say what he was thinking. All I know though...not anything I ever planned to see in Paris...or anywhere else!

Post Old Man Weiner...it was a normal photo taking wander from the Place de la Concorde, down the Champs Elysees (where we made frequent stops in shops...to stay dry of course) and then on to the Arc de Triomphe which is...ridiculously huge! And very pretty lit up at night (you'll see...) The last order of business was dinner...with wine...and warmth! Twas a good day!


We entered through the pyramid...this is Jason in awe.


The upside down pyramid


Sculpture land in the Louvre


One of my favorite sculptures...and I have mad photo skills.


Miss statue of liberty has a husband who lives in the Louvre. He is decidedly shorter.


Heh heh...butts


Venus de Milo...nuff said.


Jen and Jas and lots of touristy people.


Evidently if you're a sculpture..the first thing to go is the nose! Poor Marcus Aurelius.


Napoleon's apartments...super posh.


The Winged Victory


Me checking the menu for lunch...a regular occurrence throughout the whole trip


Me and Jas and lots of tourists. We weren't at the lending out the camera to get all 3 of us in a photo stage yet.


Jenny would like to have a huge funeral sculpture made for her like this one when she goes...mental note...make friends with a stoneworker.


Magic Carpet...in case of emergency...BREAK GLASS!


Absolutely beautiful...I love Eros and Psyche.


Code of Hammurabi...Jason's Favorite! Steal something...get your hand cut off. So simple.


Big stone kitty! Lucky for me...no teeth.


A picture of a statue that I DIDN'T take! Amazing! Note the greyhound...Jen and Jas missed the kids :)


This was NOT taken on the drippy day...but you get a better idea this way.


The glowing Arc. Nighttime is the best time to see this one.


Pretty...and useful as rain cover too!


Stinkin' cold! I look like an eskimo.