What a Great Week!

So, as you may have seen in my last post, I went to an Arsenal game last night. I cannot believe how much our flat owners (Anglo American) hooked us up! We left for the game last night and low and behold the tube we were supposed to take to Arsenal was down... Luckily, we had left earlier on to go to the store before the game and just have some extra time. So, after moving 1 stop down we had to leave the tube and head to a bus stop... Now, normally this wouldn't be much of a problem, but on the way, we passed a lot of fashion stores and it's apparently London's fashion week or something. This definitely seemed to slow things up a bit. So, we took the bus to the Piccadilly Circus underground stop and got off to take the tube the last bit. You would know that it was a match night in the area as many Arsenal jersey wearing fans go on the tube to head that direction with us. We arrived at the Arsenal stop and stepped out into a fan filled street. It was pretty awesome to see them all and hear people doing chants and screaming things like, "Red Ar-my". (Red is team color) So, me and 3 others walked, following the fans, the little bit towards Emirates Stadium. We then, ran into the merchandise store and true to others words, jerseys were 40 pounds. Not too bad really for an official jersey. We then headed in and I bought a program for 2pds. Good souvenir I figure. Well, I was actually wrong about the price of the tickets being 30pds as they were 25! (Or roughly 40ish American) Also, we were 5th row club level seating! This meant that we had access to the restaurant and bars and it was quite fancy. We weren't high up at all and I took a lot of pictures even though you weren't supposed to when players were on the pitch. muahaha I'll try to upload them soon! The game was going great and competition was fierce as they took on West Bromwich Albion. It was so amazing to see such a talented group play so intensely. It was awesome to see how much communication they had going all of the time and most could generally put the ball where they wanted it and had incredible touches on the ball. The fanbase was amazing! The stadium houses a little over 60,000 and it was filled with 57 and some. Pretty impressive turnout. Everyone was so excited to be there and cheer on their team! Even the foreign West Bromwich fans were going crazy chanting. I sat next to a dad and his kid and the kid would occasionally get mad at their fans and once yelled some obscenities. haha It was pretty funny in the accent and all! Halftime came and the game stayed a scoreless, but very entertaining, match so far. We herded into the lobby close by and were greeted by tables filled with pints of beer. What kind you ask? Why... The best kind. FREE! So, we hung out in the lobby for the remainder and headed in shortly after the 2nd half started. In the second half, Arsenal scored two goals and we ended up hanging out in the lobby for a bit after the game and got some free sandwiches as they were going to throw them away. So, all in all we had a great time and it was so much fun to actually see a professional game here! Especially one in the Premier league! (Top league) We headed back on the tube pretty late and I went to bed for the night. I then woke up at a bright and early 7:40 to get ready for a 10am meeting at the base of Big Ben. Well, on the way there, we entered the underground and took an escalator down to the tube. Strangely, it stopped partway down and we walked the rest of the way down in a stairlike fashion. No big deal right... Well it wouldn't have been if it wasn't a forshadowing to the tube stopping 3 different times for delays on our way to meet Dr. Pinger. (The trips American Director) So, we arrived 25 minutes late. Really it wouldn't have been that bad, but I was tired and standing on a hot and unmoving tram is not good early in the morning... The day was great after that though as we walked from Ben over to the closely located Westminster Abbey. And all I can say about that place is that it is amazing! Such elaborate architecture adorns every wall and crevice of that church! Sadly I was not allowed to take any pictures inside of the building... I did get some of some inner courtyards and halls outside though! This is another thing that needs to be looked up if you have the time... Description really won't do it justice, but it was so beautiful in there. There was so much to see and it was very peaceful. I guess that the general public can attend service there on Sundays free of charge and I think I may try to actually do that one Sunday just for the experience of it all. After we had left there, we had a lunch break and then met Lyndon under Big Ben for a tour of the Houses of Parliament! Amazing architecture inside that place. The ceilings were very elaborate. It was also really cool to be able to put to picture what we'd learned in class about Parliament to the actual rooms that these things take place in. We got to see the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Once again, no pictures inside though... We also got to see where the Queen sits in there with a throne and very decorative area around it that is apparently painted in 23k gold. Very neat experience to be had and it was pretty interesting even with the monotonous old English tour guide lady. Then, later tonight I met up with Cassie and Carey at about 7:30ish. We went out to eat and took the tube down to the Westminster stop that outlets you right by Big Ben and walked the Thames some. Very pretty at night to see all the lights on the water and The Eye lit up in blue. Anyways, it was great to see them and we parted at the Tube to go our separate ways and here I am now. It was nice to hear from them what they had been up to and how the Au Pairing was going. I might eventually try and visit them as they are in Northern Italy on a lake by mountains. It sounded like a really cool area! Well... Thanks for reading!


Joel