European Wednesday

England is a place steeped with a culture and a history that dates back thousands of years. I feel incredibly privileged that I had the opportunity to visit this wonderful place. I don't have my notes with me from that trip right now so I might have to update this particular day at a later time when I have those with me. I went there with the Arizona Ambassadors of Music in 2005. It was an Arizona all-state band where we traveled to and performed music in several different countries. England happened to be our first stop. We had the opportunity to experience pieces of England such as Westminster Abbey, the London Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and many other churches and palaces in the surrounding area. I remember being fascinated with so many things. They actually had telephone booths, like the old red ones that you see in the movies, and absolutely amazing architecture on every street you could walk down. You should be warned at how expensive England can be though. One US Dollar when I was there got you just about 0.5 Pounds. Right now it's about one USD to 0.61 GBP. Needless to say other than food, I really didn't much money there. Pictures are the best souvenirs anyone can have anyway right? Well, maybe not but it's the best alternative to spending cash. If I could recommend any one particular thing to visit and see it would have to be the London Eye. It's basically the world's largest enclosed ferris wheel. On a clear day you can see nearly all of London and you can pick out spots you want to travel to. The tube is London's underground public transit system which is incredibly efficient once you get the hang of it. Just remember to 'mind the gap!'My group did have something not very nice happen to them one day when we were walking down the street. Some kids on the other side of the street behind a high chain-linked fence threw a water bottle at us. It just goes to show you that not everyone is a fan of America. Which I honestly don't blame them, they were no more than 10 or 12 years old. I'll admit it is a little unnerving to get stuff thrown at you but at the same time eye opening to the fact that the world is a really big place with many different views and ways to go about living a life and yours isn't always considered to be the best way.

"England and America are two countries separated by the same language."
-George Bernard Shaw