A Week in the Life of a City Doll

Hey guys,

I live off baker street... BAKER STREET! Do you know what that means people??? Sherlock Holmes lives on the same street as me!!! I think I'm gonna stop by and try and solve some mysteries with him one of these days. You think I would have figured this out sooner when all the Sherlock statues and pictures were around every time I got on the Underground.

You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I saw and learned this week.
For starters, Happy Ash Wednesday.. or something. Well, you know how we have Fat Tuesday before Ash Wed. in the states? WELL here in London its Called Pancake day! In Germany the holiday translates into Women's day and for some reason its a tradition to cut the ties of the men when they get home from work ? I don't' know its weird. Also, there is not Easter Sunday, instead its Easter Monday. All the food tastes different here. I found out that is because there is now Hydro fructose Corn Syrup here. Also food doesn't last more then three days and must stay cold because there are absolutely no preservatives in anything. Oh yea and most of the nutrition labels (if any) are in foreign languages.

I was watching their MTV which is TMF and I realized the spice girls are still HUGE here in the UK. I mean not collectively, but almost all of them are in the Top 40 here. Not to mention I have a new heart throb. They are called Take That. They are this adorable British boy band that is a modern version of the Beatles. I love them. You should all check them out. Their new video "shine" is super cool.

This afternoon my class went to the Tate Modern Museum. We didn't have time to see much but the Andy Warhol room was so cool. I think the double Elvis was my favorite. There was also a HUGE oil canvas of Monet's Waterlilies. We got free passes to this really prestigious exhibit called George and Gilbert? I don't' know, but we are gonna go back sometime this week and see it. We also got pases to go on this five story high twisty tube slide. It was so fast. I was so scared but it was really awesome.

Tonight, I saw GUYS AND DOLLS in the WEST END (that's like on Broadway). It was really good. I couldn't believe that I got to go for free because I'm taking a British American Theatre Class! The best part? They sell ice cream at intermission!!!!!!! (too bad I'm on a diet)

Earlier this week we saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. It was pretty interesting. The guards on horses escorted the band in and changed the guards behind the gate where they did the "changing of the guards" ceremony. Then they played a few songs and opened the front gates and paraded out. There were a lot of people so we stood at the top of the Victoria Monument. People kept smoking though and I was dying. One of my friend looked at another and was like... I don't get it... we are crammed in a crowd.. how can a person just light up a cigarette? And a man next to us said "because everyone in Europe smokes" and its true. I don't' get it, but its true.

Afterwords we went to Portabello Markets where there were lots of little shops of all sorts selling antics and things. I bought a super cozy sweatshirt that says "London". We didn't stay long though because the gym closes early on Sunday's and I'm going every day.

There was also a Chinese New Year Celebration here in London. The fireworks were at 5pm with threw us off and they only lasted 5 minutes. We were four minutes late, so we saw the last one go off... and was very confused when they stopped. I don't' think Europeans get the whole firework extravaganza thing.

This weekend me and Dana are going to go to Camden Markets and shopping in Oxford Circus. It should be an exciting weekend. If you are lucky, Dana will show me where the Post Office is and you will all get Post Cards =)

Love you,

Jenna Holmes ... That sounds like I'm married to Katie!!! hahah I mean Sherlock Jenna =)