an update after a short break

Its been a few days since my last post, and those have been full. Ready for a pathetic attempt at catch-up? Wednesday all day we spent at Hampton Court, one of the many palaces occupied by Henry VIII. It lies further along the Thames from London, and we were told that royal guests would take pleasure barges from London to Hampton Court to see the King. Some of the rooms have been kept in the Tudor style of the 16th century, and those were my favorite to walk through.
The largest room was the great hall, where Henry's guests would dine and sleep all together. It has high wood ceilings, and tapestries depicting the life of the Prophet Abraham made with gold and silver thread. Next to it is a long hallway lined with portraits called the haunted gallery, where they say the ghost of Catherine Howard runs down the halls, screaming for her husband Henry to save her from an execution at the Tower of London. I was hoping to see something, but nothing happened. Also on the grounds there was a hedge maze, and a working Tudor kitchen.
Yesterday morning I had class, and spent the day drawing and practicing and in the evening I went with four others to see a brand new play by the same man who wrote Billy Eliot. It was about a group of miners from Northern England who take an art appreciation class and turn out great works of art themselves. It was a great play. My seat was just on the side of the stage and I was probably two feet from the actors, whose emotions I can read very clearly. It was a fun night and when that play become popular, you all can remember I saw it when it first came out.
Today was spent entirely at the London Temple. About 30 of us went to perform Baptisms for the dead and then a few of stayed for a Session afterwards. The temple is about 35 miles from the city center, which meant a 40 minute train ride over and back. It is in a suburb of London with tons of land and gardens. I have to say that I love the British members. There is something great and comforting about being with those of the same Faith when you are far from home. We speak a global, church language. We left about 9 am and didn't make it home until 7:30 in the evening. So it was a full, complete day. Now I am unwinding in the classroom, while a bunch of girls are preparing to watch Amazing Grace on the projector. Tomorrow I hope to swim in the morning somewhere, and then spend the day at museums drawing and exploring. Another eventful British day.