Sunset (09/12/10)

Tree Lighting in Trafalgar Square (02/12/10)

The Christmas tree--a gift from Norway every year
They turned the lights on about a minute after we got off the bus. :)

Fountain in Trafalgar Square

that turned on as part of the ceremony.

Carol singers!

the fountain

Trafalgar Square with the tree and Big Ben in the background

Me, Trafalgar Square, tree, and Big Ben 

Big Ben

Trafalgar Square

My first London snow! (30/11/10)

The view from my window. 

Les Mis! (29/11/10)

We got cheap tickets to Les Mis at the Queen's Theatre on Shaftesbury Ave.

Stonehenge & Winchester (27/11/10)

Can you spot the sheep?

Christmas market in Winchester!

Ice skating!

We tried the Glühwein (mulled wine)--the tradition Weihnachtmarkt drink...but it wasn't very good.
Should have gotten the spiced cranberry juice.

Carol singers!

Lights in the town!

At Normando's request (26/11/10)

My housing: 109 Camden Road, London NW1 9HZ

Looking into the Ifor Evans Hall Site. The building straight ahead is where reception/my "pigeonhole"/the dining hall are.

The security gate at the entrance. The steps on the right just through the entrance are to the building I live in.

Denys Holland Lodge, where I live. My window is on the top floor, the third over from the right (starting where that thing juts out). That's the tree outside my window.

The Shed Bar outside my dorm that unfortunately lost its liquor license, so it's closed.

Entrance to Denys Holland Lodge.

The staircase.

The third floor (the American fourth floor).

My hallway. It has a lovely, hospital-esque feel.

My room.

Thanksgiving as an ex-pat (25/11/10)

For Thanksgiving, IFSA Butler arranged for us to have a three course meal at a spiffy restaurant on the Strand. The restaurant was decked in 4th of July decorations--I guess they just went with an "America" theme instead of getting "Thanksgiving" decorations.

Red, white, and blue decorations on the table and an American flag hanging above.

It was "Happy Hour" from 5-7, so cocktails were about half price. I got an "Italian Job"--very, very good.

For a starter, I got black bean soup. It was amazing.

The vegetarian main course was a stuffed pepper with couscous (and potatoes, of course!). I apparently forgot to photograph my dessert, but I had peanut butter cheesecake--fantastic! 

Smollensky's -- the restaurant

Trafalgar Square, where we caught the bus back home

The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square