Well I am back in Hong Kong now, and nearly (but not quite) caught up on all the sleep that I missed out on while in London. It was definitely a great three weeks, though I don’t know if my body could have taken much more of that grueling schedule. Funny, when I worked the night shift in New Jersey before moving out to Asia, I had very little trouble adjusting to the hours. I had a regular schedule that I followed almost every day, and it couldn't have gone smoother. Things were so much harder this time around. Chalk it up to London being such a fascinating place with so much to do. I could never bring myself to sleep when there was a constant stream of possible time-fillers.
Piccadilly Circus at twilight
Anyway, my final week in London was every bit as wonderful as the two that preceded it. A couple of fellow graduates of the class of 2009, Lauren and Chrissy, passed through town, so we met up for dinner and drinks around Leicester Square one night. They were at the tail end of a grand adventure that began (of all places) in Hong Kong, lead them throughout Thailand, continent-hopped over to Amsterdam and finally landed them in London, where Lauren's sister Lindsay (a 'Nova junior) is studying this semester.
Lauren, Chrissy, me and Lindsay
Way back when they had first started planning the trip, the initial idea was to have a reunion in Asia. With the breaking news of my three week assignment in London, things just happened to work out in our favor, with our visits coinciding completely by chance. Funny how that worked out, no? And I'm so glad it did, too!
During my last week, I also finally made it to the Imperial War Museum, a place I’ve wanted to visit ever since my first days in London back in the summer of 2006. It was an incredible museum, full of planes, bombs, tanks, army uniforms, documents, weapons, a life-size WWII-era British home and even an entire section of town recreated to mimic London during the Blitz. It was a stunning museum, and I feel so stupid for taking so long to get there.
Imperial War Museum
On Thursday I caught the matinee of Noël Coward’s comedy Private Lives, which is one of my all-time favorite plays. It was a well-done production starring Kim Cattrall, and I had a really good seat to boot.
On Friday morning, after my last day of work, I went to the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court, and watched the barristers (in their wigs) question witnesses in a murder trial! I had no idea what case I was going to view when I arrived at the courthouse, even as I was shown where to sit in the public gallery. I figured I would get some boring divorce proceeding or something similarly dull. To my surprise, the first witness being questioned as I sat down was discussing the blood and fabric samples she found on a knife a young man used to stab his stepfather! The case was fascinating to watch, and held my interest until the court adjourned for lunch.
That last weekend, two of my friends from Villanova who are both studying abroad in Europe came to visit me. Nick, who is doing a program in Urbino, Italy and Mallory, who is studying in Brussels, Belgium made my last days in London amazing, completing the trip with a bang! We rode the London Eye, saw a musical in the West End (with Sporty Spice in the lead role!), toured the Tower of London and strolled around town revisiting all of my favorite spots.
On Friday morning, after my last day of work, I went to the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court, and watched the barristers (in their wigs) question witnesses in a murder trial! I had no idea what case I was going to view when I arrived at the courthouse, even as I was shown where to sit in the public gallery. I figured I would get some boring divorce proceeding or something similarly dull. To my surprise, the first witness being questioned as I sat down was discussing the blood and fabric samples she found on a knife a young man used to stab his stepfather! The case was fascinating to watch, and held my interest until the court adjourned for lunch.
That last weekend, two of my friends from Villanova who are both studying abroad in Europe came to visit me. Nick, who is doing a program in Urbino, Italy and Mallory, who is studying in Brussels, Belgium made my last days in London amazing, completing the trip with a bang! We rode the London Eye, saw a musical in the West End (with Sporty Spice in the lead role!), toured the Tower of London and strolled around town revisiting all of my favorite spots.
With Mallory and Nick on the London Eye
At the Tower of London, with a guard in the background
In front of Tower Bridge
I can’t believe how quickly the weeks in London flew by, and now I am back to Hong Kong, just in time for Easter. The office is closed for Good Friday and Easter Monday. It is also closed on Tuesday, as well, in observance of the Ching Ming Festival, a traditional local holiday for welcoming in spring and remembering deceased family members. It doesn’t always coincide quite so perfectly with Easter, but this year we are lucking out with a lovely little five day weekend!
It’s nice to be back, see my Hong Kong friends and, most of all, have a normal working schedule! I'm easing back into the life I lead a month ago and looking forward to the promise of even warmer weather as spring arrives.
I will always look back on my time in London with a huge smile and great memories, and hopefully I will be able to go back again—even if just for a short visit—sometime soon!
Traitor's Gate of the Tower of London
It’s nice to be back, see my Hong Kong friends and, most of all, have a normal working schedule! I'm easing back into the life I lead a month ago and looking forward to the promise of even warmer weather as spring arrives.
I will always look back on my time in London with a huge smile and great memories, and hopefully I will be able to go back again—even if just for a short visit—sometime soon!
Traitor's Gate of the Tower of London
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