Wild goose chase for stamps

I'm getting bored and decided I'll just blog about my little "escapade". Some of you may have already heard about it but what the heck...

Last week I was at Harringey Post Office. I was sending letters back home and I was given a 44p stamp with a picture of the Queen on it.
I realised they had come out with a new line for the Queen's 80th Bday so I asked if they had mint condition stamps in forms of presentation packs. The lady behind the counter told me that I would need a bigger branch and that I should try Wood Green.
Anyway, I then made a trip to the Wood Green branch yesterday. I never knew they had one! Walked up and down Broadway where it was supposed to be but saw nothing. Decided that it had to be where the public library was and was right.
Unfortunately, the lady there told me that I needed an even bigger branch!! She suggested either Swiss Cottage or Hampstead. UghZ.. so I had to make my way to Hampstead. Swiss Cottage was just too out of the way. Luckily though they had a few packs left so I bought 2 for myself.
Very popular and very rare now. Go get your own. I'm too busy now! It's too late!!! You should have asked earlier! GAH!!

Move it, Dance London 2006

'Move it' was held at Olympia, Kensington between 21-23rd April 2006, and "offers everything you need to know about dance – an unrivalled shopping and information arcade, conveniently gathered for three days under one roof." (dance-london.co.uk)

I went with Jo, Ali and Ming. I personally had a great time. So many dancers under one roof, and you can 'shop' and try out all these different styles of dance at the 'taster classes'. There were also seminars for things like make up tips or even for those who want to pursue careers as dancers and etc. There were 3 'classes' set up with proper floors. Each class had a small stage where an instructor would conduct a taster class. Each class would be different from the other and a variety of instructors from an array of schools throughout the UK (quite a lot form London), would give participants a 45 minutes session. You pay £6.50, a one of payment, so classes inside were 'free'. Unfortunately, for each class, you'd have to queue for half an hour to an hour just to be assured a place in the class.. if not you dance on the carpet behind. There was also an exhibition. Lots of stalls for companies selling material for costumes, shoes, etc etc etc.. there was also a main stage where there were performances.

When we got there, the girls wanted to go for the Make up seminar so me and Ming decided to opt out. We attended the Lambada (a sensual dance from Brazil) class instead. It was alright. It didnt stray very far from the basic latin moves. The girls somehow wriggled in but got bored so left. After the class, we met up with the girls and joined the 'Professional Warm Up' taster class. It's meant to teach the correct warm up techniques. It didnt feel very 'professional' to me. More like a kids game actually.. hehe.. but bits of it was quite good... very ballet-ish. We were only there for half the class.

Then we went upstairs for a demonstration. Caught the 'Get together' show. Had examples of Lindy Hop, Salsa, Ballroom. The London Swing Dance Society was there and in their group, they had members from as young as 17 and an old man who was 78 performing. Quiet impressive (though overall their performance was a little dull). The Salsa couple... er.. well.. nothing much to say about them. Didnt really like them and didnt like their costumes! :-S Ballroom was performed by Stephen and Gemma-Louisde Arnold (brother and sister team), ranked 5th in the UK with the English Amateur Dancers Association (EADA). Performed the Waltz and Quickstep. They were quite good :-).

After that we went downstairs to get in line for the East Coast Swing. I only knew of the West Coast Swing which is a little like a very slow jive, but has other moves too. The East Coast Swing feels much more like a Rock n Roll and incorporates Lindy Hop moves which is said to be the roots of Rock n Roll. Lots of hopping and kicking but it was tremendous fun really. The instructor was a little weird as in he couldn't count us in properly! He'd take like a whole 15 seconds just to get the correct timing which was very weird. Still, very fun class.

Right after that class we went back into the line for the next class (Latin Jazz). "A sensational unique fusion of Latin Dance Moves and routines based on salsa, lambada, chacha, rumba and even Ballroom Latin." Again the girls didn't really like the class but I could understand why. The instructor, though a great dancer, was a little fickle. She'd keep changing some of the moves, she'd change counts and confuse us... her instructions weren't always clear... people got fed up. However, most of us stayed. I strained to listen and watch and eventually got the routine. It was actually quite nice. Fast class, but I liked the routine. Very contemporary.. not so strictly latin. Only part I had a problem with was the 'battacadas(?)'. Bloody fast.

After that was the Flamenco. Very interesting. Very different style. Thought I'd give it a go cause it might help with stylistic improvements on my Paso. Came out of the class with one improvement to think about. No straight arms. But I was complimented by an observer.. hehe... the Lambada instructor liked me too.. hehe.. *head expanding*

Anyway, all in all, it was a great day with lots of fun and exercise. By the end of the day, I started calling the 'Lambada' the 'La Bamba' instead cause the stupid song kept running through my head, and Alison was calling the East Coast Swing the East Coast West Wing, and Ming was calling the Flamenco the Flamingo.. hehaheha... imagine how tired we were...

Day trips (Part 3 - Oxford)

Ox
Definition: An adult castrated bull of the genus Bos; especially Bos taurus 2: any of various wild bovines especially of the genera Bos or closely related Bibos
Ford
Definition: A shallow place in a body of water, such as a river, where one can cross by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle.
(dictionary.com)
The Hertford Bridge is often called the Bridge of Sigh, like in Venice, because of it's similarities in their designs. However, many would also claim that their similarities do not stop there. In Venice, the name came from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice out the window before being taken down to their cells. In Oxford, it is suggested that students would sigh when crossing the bridge to sit for their exams...

Lincoln College

Trinity College

Christ Church College. Lewis Carroll who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was a mathematics tutor at Christ Church from 1855-1895. His real name was in fact Charles Dodgson and he had befriended the daughters of the Dean of Christ Church, especially Alice. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass grew out of tales which the shy tutor made up to entertain the sisters. Many of the characters in the books were inspired by people and objects in Christ Church.


The wide stone staircase leading into the Dining Hall.

Visiting the Dining Hall is quite an event. Scenes for the first two J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter were shot at Christ Church in the Dining Hall. Only difference is, instead of 3 rows, the movie required 4 rows of tables for the four houses at Hogwarts. But if you look close enough, you may notice traces of its original literary association.

First, high on the left hand wall, the fifth window from the entrance shows portraits otf Alice and oher characters from the book. Click on the pic to enlarge. You'll see what I mean.


On the ground level, the brass 'firedogs' which guard the fire have long necks. If you remember the story well, Alice's neck grows long in the story. The White Rabbit was apparently based on Alice's father as he would leave dinner every night descending down a narrow spiral stair behind the raised 'High Table' (behind the panelled door, far left) - hence the rabbit hole in the book.

The Great Quadrangle

Peckwater Quad. Built on the site of a medieval inn which was run by the Peckwater family. Now students live and work in these buildings.

Magdalene College.

Radcliffe Camera. Built in 1749 to house the Radcliffe Science Library, the Radcliffe Camera (camera is another word for 'room') is now a reading room for the Bodleian Library.

University Church of St. Mary the Virgin

ps. I wasnt in any of the pictures because my friend backed out at the last minute and I had to go to Oxford by myself... how sad... oohh.. I also went to Wadham College...

Day trips (Part 2 - York)

In the year 306, Constantine The Great was proclaimed Emperor in York after his father, Julius Ceaser died in Eboracum (modern York) and became the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. He initiated the conversion of the empire into a Christian state and also inspired a distinctively Christian culture that laid the foundations for the growth of Byzantine and Western medieval civilisation.

York Minster in the background. Walked in and walked out. Didnt want to pay the entrance fees.. hehe... Anyway, after the withdrawal of Roman forces in Britain and during the Pagan invasion, Christianity somewhat dissapeared in the community. However, "in 625 Christianity returned to York when Bishop Paulinus accompanied Ethelburga, a Christian princess from Kent in southern England, who came north to marry Edwin, the pagan king of Northumbria. Edwin accepted Christianity two years later and was baptised, along with his court, by Paulinus in a church built especially for the occasion - this building is traditionally regarded as the first York Minster." (www.yorkminster.com) However, through the centuries, the church was destroyed and rebuilt. A Cathedral replaced it but it too was destroyed by the Danes. It's remains can still be viewed in the exhibition in the Minster. Construction of the Minster as we know it began in the year 1220. It was decided that they would rebuild the Norman Minster on a scale to rival Canterbury. The rebuilding of York Minster that began with the transepts went on almost continuously for two hundred and fifty years.


"The Shambles is often called Europe's best preserved medieval street...The Shambles has the effect of a time machine, transporting you back to the Elizabethan period. The houses that jostle for space along The Shambles project out over the lane in their upper stories, as if trying to meet their neighbours opposite." (www.britainexpress.com)


The Castle Museum really had very interesting exhibits. The above is a recreated parlour in the home of a middle class family back in the 1870s (Victorian style). Practically everything is richly patterned...

Kirkgate, the oldest recreated Victorian street in Britain. You can wonder through the cobbled street in the museum itself. The sound system was amazing and the lights were dimmed every once in awhile to give you a feel of how it felt being on Kirkgate at night.

Inside the stagecoach garage on Kirkgate.

Tea shop...

At a garage on Half Moon Court. This is another street recreated from the Edwardian era (1901 - 1910). It was built in the half moon shaped part of the original prison yard.


Clifford's Tower. Erected by William the Conqueror in his bid to overthrow the North. However, in 1190, "the Jews of York sought refuge there after being attacked by a local mob. They were given the choice of being either baptised or killed, but they took a third option and committed mass suicide. At this time the tower was built of timber and so burned to the ground. It was rebuilt in stone." (www.cliffordtower.com)

York Minster...

Day trips (Part 1 - Stonehenge and Bath)

Stonehenge

There was a certain aura that hung around the area... the eerieness that clung to each stone.. what were they placed there for? Who placed them here? How did they erect such massive objects? These stones were brought from the Presili Hills in Wales, some 250km away... how did they transport these stones, some weighing as much as 7 adult elephants put together, to it's present location?

Legend has it that Merlin had got a giant construct the Stonehenge and then he magically moved it from Mount Killaraus in Ireland to its present location. Others say that it was the Devil who is responsible for the Stonehenge.

Definitely worth a visit I'd say...

Bath
Bath was quite a lovely town. Housemates of Endymion Rd...

Think that's the Abbey...

Pulteney Bridge in Bath... it's got shops on the bridge itself...

We had also gone to the Roman Bath Spa, but cause it was £8 + to get in we decided it wasnt worth going... people have told us it was a rip off anyway...

Depression Test

Disorder	Your Score
Major Depression:	High
Dysthymia:	Moderate
Bipolar Disorder:	Very Slight
Cyclothymia:	Slight
Seasonal Affective Disorder:	High
Postpartum Depression:	N/A
Take the Depression Test

Edited: 17th May

It's been pretty much decided... I'm flying back on the 17th of May 2006.

Good bye UK.

Hello My Life. I hope you've not been waiting too long...

Why do you think people get married?

"Because we need a witness to our lives. There's a
billion people on the planet. I mean, what does one
life really mean?

But in a marraige you're promising to care about
everything. The good things, the bad things, the
terrible things, the mundane things. All of it, all the
time, every day. You're saying your life will not go
unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not
go unwitnessed because I will be your witness."

Mrs Clark, Shall We Dance