Day Twenty: My Favorite Day So Far

If anyone would have told me at any point in my life before today everything that I would be a part of  today, I absolutely would have laughed out loud and sent them on their way. Seriously, there was no way I could have predicted such an incredible day as this. The title of this post is absolutely true; despite all the other incredible things I have been able to do recently, this was definitely my favorite day so far. 

Today was our first free London day, meaning we get driven to London and are dropped off to go do whatever we want until the designated time, where we meet back at the van and make the three hour drive back to Cardiff. The problem, though, was that the van was leaving today at five in the morning, for the second time this week, and we were all very physically drained from the intense pace we had maintained, and we had returned from our big overnight trip at about 10pm, so by the time i finished what i needed to do before bed, that wasnt much sleep time. 

No one from the other house was saying that they were interested in going to London today (as free days are optional), and a few from my house were saying the same thing. Some said that they didnt want to wade through thousands of people again in the big city, others said that they just needed a day to physically recharge, and a few needed time to treat leg and ankle injuries sustained by keeping up our intense pace the last few weeks. I totally got what they were saying, as I also felt so physically sore and exhausted. 

But I'll be darned if I miss an available ride to the ruddy city of London again!!!

So, less than four hours of sleep later, I fell out of bed, got ready for the day, munched on some breakfast on my way out the door, and fastened my seat belt. I looked around: there were only three other girls from my house (Abby, Miya, and Lydia). Our four group leaders (Tom, Katy, Courtney, and Anders) came out only a few minutes later.

I remembered what Tom had said the night before about not making the long drive if we didnt have enough people. He got in the drivers seat, then turned to scan the van silently. I was super nervous that he would say that it wasnt worth it and that we should all go back to bed (my body was super okay with that idea, frustratingly enough). After a few seconds, he just turned,  shrugged, and started the van. We cheered, then the four of us took a whole row each to stretch out on for the long drive. 

I have my lesson to teach in Sunday school tomorrow, which I haven't had time to look thorough yet, so instead of sleeping, I pulled out my manual and started reading my lesson. I'm super excited about this lesson, as its on the persecution of the saints and the purpose of Zion's Camp. Hopefully I'll do okay. 

I was only able to stay awake for about an hour before I got too sleepy to meaningfully read more. I had read through the whole lesson and was thinking of discussion direction points by this time, so I packed things up and crashed. 

When I woke up, we were parked in our usual spot outside the Robin Hood Pub. Well, when I say I woke up, I guess I meant that my eyes were open and I was following all direct instructions, but nothin else was happening upstairs. Seriously, I went about two and a half blocks before complete sentences started happening up there. I won't even admit how long the simple algebra took (haha, like it ever comes, regardless of my state of consciousness). We were off though, back to the nearest tube, aka: magical portal into the heart of London Town. 

I finally decided in the car ride here that I wanted to go see Les Misrables over Wicked while I was here. Now, this was a super tough decision because I haven't seen much of either, and I had heard amazing things about both. I had seen the new Lea Mis movie, but really hadn't liked it, but I didn't think I would love Wicked with all British accents. I decided I would kick myself if I passed up giving Les Mis another try here in London, so I went with Lydia, Courtney, and Anders to pick up tickets once we got on the tube. 

After a few transfers, we got off and walked a few blocks through the crazy London streets until we got to the Queens Theatre. Apparently this is the theatre that was built for and has only showed Les Mis for the last 27 years. Cool huh? We were there an hour before the ticket booth opened, as we were hoping that they still had a few tickets left at semi-decent price for the matinee. Yet despite our early arrival time, we we not alone; one other girl had been there an hour before us, waiting patiently by the big glass doors. 

It would have been super dumb to not say anything to her, so I started chatting with her and introduced myself and my group. She was a doll! Turns out she's from Belgium, here in London studying Latin for the summer and uses her free weekends to see the amazing shows here. We had a blast talking with her!

Eventually, our hour of queuing wound down and we made our way into the theatre at last. 

Now, gentle reader, you get the supreme luxury of getting my thought paths in the few seconds that actually elapsed while they raced through my head. At this particular moment, I was still a little hesitant about this whole lets-pay-a-bunch-of-money-for-a-play-I'm-not-sure-I-love plan. First of all, I'm a bit of a penny pincher. I just don't blow through big bucks for things that aren't gifts for other people or are things I can live without for myself, so this was breaking all sorts of rules. Second, I was a little nervous about choosing Les Mis, simply because of how little I enjoyed the movie. But somehow, I just felt like this had to be the best choice, so I walked in, and kept my fingers crossed for the best. 

After talking with the ticket dude, I found that they had like five tickets left, two in a very obstructed area (which Courtney and Anders actually bought at the other window at that moment), one expensive one down front, and another two together in the second level. Lydia and I looked at each other and decided to go for it. My goal was to pay no more than 40 pounds, but under the circumstances to see the best production of Les Mis in the world, in London no less, and snagging the last tickets, I was okay paying the 45 pounds for my ticket. 

So we walked away triumphantly, but not too triumphantly, as a long line had formed behind us, and we knew that tonight's evening performance had been sold out for days. I was a bit excited that we scored the tickets, but to be totally honest, I was a little bummed that it had cost that much. (Haha, THAT much, those tickets sell for 200 pounds easily). But the more time that went by, the better I felt about it. 

Once we scored our tickets, me and Lydia took the tube alone to meet up with Abby and Miya, who were across town at the Wicked theatre. We all went over to the famous Portobello road first. It was just like the Bedknobs and Broomsticks song said, 'anything and everything' was sold on that street. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn't paid for two Les Mis tickets (Lyidas card was having struggles, so she's paying me back on Monday), but we walked around for long enough to dodge some smoke and say we were there. After that, we hopped back on the tube and then walked to the British Museum. 

I really love that all the museums and art galleries in London are free. I know people need money to keep the lights on, but everything about free access to great education through historical artifacts doesn't sound like a bad plan to me (Though I think it makes their taxes higher). 

Okay, nerd alert: once upon a time, I really enjoyed playing computer games. One of my favorites was a very high-detail rpg, where one of the many huge levels takes place in the British Museum, though about two hundred years ago. I won't admit how many hours I was stuck running around every nook and cranny of the British Museum in that game, as It took me a pretty long time before I was able to find the questions and answers I needed. 

I know this sounds super weird, but as soon as we entered the gates to the museum courtyard, I was looking at a place that I swear I already knew. It was the weirdest feeling! I had never been to the British museum before, and though the game had stuck with the time-appropriate details of the day (dirt roads beyond the entrance gate, gravel in the courtyard, no glass roof covering the inner library round) I was already completely familiar with the layout of the building. The game had done a phenomenal job with proportions, as my view while walking through the yard, the entry hall, and through the different rooms was the exact same as my view through the eyes of my game character walking through the same building. 

What was really funny was walking through and seeing the old permanent historical items that I had needed to use to solve my riddles and codes. The two crumbling lion statues in a little unnoticed staircase off the entrance, the Babylonian gates tucked away along a side room I still remembered how to get to, even the five Greek pots of the hundred others that were in the same Greek room. I just shook my head the whole way in delighted surprise. 

I promise I did enjoy the other new things as well. It was cool to see the Rosetta Stone (the museum hadn't acquired it yet in the game), the room that used to house neolithic life now houses many statues and parts of pillars from The Parthenon, and what I was used to seeing as art galleries upstairs was now Chinese, myan, Native American, and Mexican artifacts. I had an absolute ball!

We all met up at 1:15 on the massive front steps to eat some lunch before we split for our plays. We had some good laughs and then packed up by 1:30. Lydia and I took a single tube and then walked about ten minutes back to our theatre. 

When we got in, my first thought was that I was surprised at how small the theatre and stage was. The whole thing was probably a little less than half the size of the deJong concert hall. While it had Three levels, they were all quite small. We were up on the second level, on the far left side, so there was no one in front of us at all. We just hung out above the stage, but were still looking straight on at it somehow. I was a little nervous about being so close to the stage, but I was starting to get pretty excited by this point, so it was all good. 

Two ladies sat down on my left. After a moment or two of observation, I decided that they seemed like they would be nice to talk with. I couldn't have predicted how much of an understatement that was. These two ladies were so sweet! When they learned this was my first time seeing the play, they got super excited and told me to ask them if I had any questions during the performance. It's probably easier to do the next bit in script. 

"How many times have you seen this show now?" I asked. 

"This is my fifty-third time." Said the lady, not even batting an eye. 

"Woah, seriously?! That's incredible!" 

"Yeah, well my daughter is in the play, so I come as often as I can to see her. She just got offered a six month extension to her contract here, which is amazing because they never do that here, so it looks like I'll be able to keep coming for a while still." 

"Wow! Who does your daughter play?" 

"Little Cosette." 

.....Gaaa...nice. 

So we chatted about that for a bit, how much her daughter loves doing this play four times a week, but its hard with school too, since she is only nine years old. Apparently she has already been down the red carpet for something else she was in, so this girl is set for life I think. 

The lady, Eva, then told me that her daughter was really going to miss having the guy playing Jean valJean (I'm not sure how you spell all these names, just btw) as her "play dad." I asked what was happening with that and learned that they guy who had played that role for years now was just offered a contract to be THE Phantom of the Opera here in London, so this was HIS VERY LAST DAY PLAYING THIS ROLE. crazy huh??? 

Just before the play began, Eva leaned over and asked if I wanted a tissue. I apologetically thanked her, but told her that I really wasn't a cryer at all, so I didn't need one. 

The play then started. I'll tell you what, for being such a small stage, they made incredibly good use of it. It was actually a little bigger than I thought, but the way they used the turning circle part that took up most of the stage made it seem like they could walk miles and over all sorts of changing terrain as they went. It was very masterfully done. 

I should be shot if I just said that the play was good; it was honestly the greatest production I have ever seen, and I have seen a handful of top-notch performances now. I think it was because i wasnt just watching a play about the lives people lived; i was watching embodied characteristics of raw humanity interact with one another. Fontaine was Loss. The master of the House was every word synonymous with Gluttony, while his wife was Sin. Eponine represented Hope. Cosette was Innocence. The school boys represented a Loyalty and Determination to fight for what is right, not what is easy. Marius was Love. ValJean is Mercy and the strength of Self-Sacrifice. And Jovair is unrelenting Justice; unrelenting to the point where he showed mercy over justice, he had to end his own life. With the exception of the Master of the House and his wife, I realized that major sacrifices were made by each of these people for other people because each of these qualities of humanity are precious enough to fight for, even to the bitter end of ones own life. 

My very favorite character, the little boy, was Courage. When 'I Dreamed a Dream' and 'Bring Hm Home' were sung, I teared up a bit, but I was actually a bit frustrated that those incredible moments were still not enough to get a tear from me. I began to wonder if something inside of me was broken, that my tear switch was no longer connected to my emotion gauge. 

And then this fearless little boy descended the outside of the ramparts. When I could hear the wavering in his brave little song, my eyes filled with tears. The first shot was fired. He didnt flee. He trembled, but no one was coming to comfort him. He didnt stop his proud little song ether, but sang as loud as his quivering voice would allow. It was his last remaining source of comfort on this earth. While constantly eyeing an invisible assailant, he gathered bullet after murderous bullet into his little tattered pouch. The second shot, it hit his leg. He yelled, his face screwed up with pain. His song continued, louder now, but more broken with sounds of stifled pain. One more bullet in the bag, he took it off his shoulder and threw it to one of the many boys who had been calling down to him since he left. It was caught. The little boys song, still audibly laced with pain, was now victorious and mighty again, more triumphant than ever. But it was never finished. The final shot took his life so very quickly before the last word of his brave little song could be completed. In a second, his proud outstretched arms were brought down as he crumpled onto one of the many dead soldiers bodies he had taken bullets from. 

By this time, my face was glistening with dozens of tears. And they didnt stop there; just as one batch of tears dried, another powerful scene of love, sacrifice, selflessness, loyalty, devotion, and finally, the dearly longed-for peace that all had sacrificed so much for wet my cheeks with a new collection of tears. 

Now remember, I had gone in with a bad attitude; I was not excited about this play like everyone else was or said I should be. But that was such a powerful depiction of what is worth choosing to live through Hell for, that I couldn't not be moved. 

It's made me consider what people have sacrificed for me. My parents have done everything in their power to provide an exceptional life for me, far above and beyond what many people do for and with their children. My siblings have always been there to express their love for me. My friends continue to bouy me up and show me great love as well. My People Upstairs have never once left me alone. Teachers, priesthood leaders, extended family; these and many others have made sacrifices for me. Time, talents, food, money, personal gain, and personal safety are some of the greatest things that people have given for me, and I do not say thank you enough. 

For what it's worth, to you who read this now, thank you so very much for everything you have done for me. I wish I was observant enough to show adequate gratitude for everything you have done for me, but what I have failed to express appreciation for, please know that your kindness has surely made a difference in my life for the better. 

Well, after the play ended, Eva jumped up and told us to come with her. She then led Lydia and I outside to a backstage area, where we got to meet the whole cast! I got just about everyone's photo and autograph, much to my delight, including our cute Belgian friend that we ran into again after the show! It was wonderful to see her again! 

Tom and Katy's show was actually playing in the theatre right next to ours and at the same time, so they came with Courtney and Anders and found us talking with the cast. We all got back on the tube and headed for our next meeting spot: Khans restaurant. This was an Indian food place that Tom and Katy have raved about, but was closed the last time we were in London. It was open when we got there though. 

I had never had Indian food before, so I was excited to try it out. I got one of the two things that Tom said was best, a chicken kabuto I think it was called. I was super confused when the waiter brought around empty plates for everyone, then set out a few small trays of rice and then handed me what looked like a pot of curry. But then I looked at all the pieces of my puzzle, and then put  it all together on my lovely plate. Rice, the rich orange kabuto on top, and some garlic naan to the side: sheer divinity. I had no idea how hungry I was until I took my first bite, then I started wolfing everything down like a crazy person. A few of us actually ordered another big tray of rice because we were all still hungry. I honestly have to say that Amelia's naan was more delicious than the naan at the restaurant, but I forgave them since theirs was more available than Amelia's at the time. Just sayin though...

After doing nothing more in London than Portobello road, the Museum, a play, and then a long simple dinner, we were all feeling very wonderful about the amazing day we had just had. We took the tube back to the closest station to our van and then walked about 15 minutes before we got there. It was about 8 o'clock by the time we started driving away, so we arrived at our Cardiff home by around 11. From there we greeted Josie and Theresa, the girls from our house who decided to stay home, and then went to bed. 

Thanks, People Upstairs, for paving out such an incredibly wonderful day. That meant so very much to me.