I have heard the people sing

Singing the songs that I adore
It is the music of emotion
I just had to hear once more!

But before we get to that, I must apologize for failing to update my blog as usual. Let's jump back to last week...

On Wednesday, I had a lovely dinner with H and Jen at our new favorite restaurant--Cafe Pasta. After yummy--get this--pasta and a bottle of Austrailian Shiraz, we took in Les Miserables. I first saw "Les Miz" in London about a decade ago (it was on our trip with Aunt Jan and Clint, right Mom?), and it has been my favorite ever since. I'm happy to say I fell in love all over again on Wednesday.

Although the show has moved to a different (and seemingly smaller) theater, everything was as I remembered it--the rotating floor, the versatile set, the moving storyline, and, of course, the brilliant, brilliant music. The cast
was incredibly strong, especially John Owen-Jones (Jean Valjean), Cornell John (Javert), and Shonagh Daly (Eponine). (Fun fact: Owen-Jones is the longest-running Phantom in history with over 1,400 performances, and the youngest actor to play the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables.) Owen-Jones's vocal range was truly amazing, and John had such presence. All three of us agreed that Daly was gorgeous (even dirtied up and in rags), and I think she could really be a star.

The only portrayal I was disappointed in was that of the "Master of the House," Thenardier. He was my favorite character the first time I saw the show, but much of his humor was lost in mumbling and slurred words. I know he's a drunk, but I'd like to be able to understand him a bit!

Almost all the songs are truly memorable, but my favorites remain "At the End of the Day," "Master of the House," "Do You Hear the People Sing?", "On My Own," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," and the song during which the "ghosts" appear. For those scoring at home, the last four brought me to tears.

* * * * *

On Thursday evening I hosted a small gathering for the women's figure skating long program (with an assist from H and Jen). I thought it was quite the success.

I had planned to make fresh cookies for the party, but they were out of mix at the store. Instead, I bought fresh cookies from the bakery, and H got a Cadbury variety pack. The cookies were quite large so I sliced them into quarters (which had the added advantage of masking jut how many one was eating). I arranged the pieces on a plate with the Cadbury bars around it on a serving platter. Once Jen arrived with the cheese and crackers, I did a cool sprial with the Dutch Edam and arranged crackers around the Brie. Voila! Everything was ready. (I'll post a picture once I get it uploaded.) H was very, very amused by my party preparations, and she now refers to the evening as the "Rachel the Suzie-Homemaker Party." What can I say? I take pride in my party-hosting.

The figure skating was a bit disappointing, but the girl from Japan deserved to win. After Sasha fell twice, we were all pulling for Slutskya, but it wasn't to be for her either. I hope Sasha sticks around for Vancouver, and I was impressed with Emily and Kimmie. As for the costumes, it is increasingly obvious to all of us that Russians and fashion just don't mix.

After the skating was over, we got to talking about the our study abroad program, certain classes, and general political topics. As I'm sure everyone who reads this blog is well aware, I have a few opinions up my sleeve so I definitely enjoyed it. And it is always nice when people who clearly have major ideological differences can have respectful, productive discussions. The lively talk and wine carried the party until around midnight, when everyone finally trickled home.

At the beginning of the evening, I had been worried we had too much food. I should've known better than to underestimate our group--the cookies and cheese were almost completely gone. H and I were so happy with the party we're hoping to host one again before the semester is up.

Kind Regards,
Suzie-Homemaker

p.s. I'm planning another update tomorrow with pictures.

Harry Potter and the Incredibly Exhausting Weekend

On Friday morning I had no plans for this weekend. It turned out to be my fullest one yet...

FRIDAY
After our Friday afternoon class (that will thankfully be over in 2 weeks), H and I went down to the Tate Modern for afternoon tea. It was a great way to wind down, and H and I are never short on topics to discuss. We'll definitely have to go back soon, but certainly not beacuse of the waiter I may have flirted with just a little bit.

In the evening, H and I went to dinner in Chinatown with three other girls from the program. We ate at Wong Kei, which Jenna recommended to me a few weeks ago. When searching for a website to use as a link, I came across the perfect quote to describe the Wong Kei experience:

Wong Kei is undoubtedly Chinatown's most famous restaurant, providing some of the cheapest meals in town, along with arguably the rudest service. And that's what makes a visit here so appealing - trust us, it's really good fun! With a slap-up meal costing about a tenner (including drinks), you'll be marshalled to a table, hurried to make a choice from the long menu, hurried through each course and then asked to pay up pretty sharpish!

I couldn't have written it better myself.

After dinner we headed to Gordon's Wine Bar near Charing Cross. Established in 1890, it is London's (and perhaps the world's) oldest wine bar. The bar is housed in a cellar, part of which has an incredibly low ceiling. (Check out the pictures on the website; I didn't have my camera that night.) We were luckily enough to find a table in that part for our whole party. At first I felt a bit claustrophobic, but the atmosphere definitely grew on me. Or maybe it was just that excellent Shiraz I drank.... Anyway, I also managed to befriend a table of proper Brits, with whom I played a few "drinking" games (e.g. "Funny Bunny" and "Twenty-One"). After Gordon's closed, we went to The French House in Soho to finish out our night with a bit of dancing. It was definitely one of the best nights I've had in London.

SATURDAY
On Saturday I traveled to Oxford with my friend Jen. Our first stop was The Rose, a tearoom H fell in love with when she studied at Oxford. It was definitely love at first bite (of my warm scone) for me. The Classic Cream Tea was a scrumptious way to start our day.

We strolled around until we came upon Christ Church College, one of the largest colleges at the University of Oxford. The college is incredibly beautiful and has many points of interest. Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland was inspired by and written in Christ Church while he was a student there. It is also the only college in the world with both a cathedral and college chapel. The cathedral was so incredibly gorgeous that we were inspired to spend 45 minutes in it. Okay, so maybe the real reason we stayed for so long was to see the dining hall, which was closed when we arrived. You see, the dining hall serves as the Great Hall in the Harry Potter movies. We just had to see it!

After satisfying our inner HP-geeks, we went up into the tower of The University Church of St. Mary the Virgin. It was a pretty tight squeeze up the stairs and at the top, but we managed to get some nice aerial photos of Oxford. I put several of these in my latest Flickr Batch (as well as various other pictures from the weekend). Next, we took a quick jaunt to see the shrunken heads at the Pitt Rivers Natural History museum. H had told me about these, and I just couldn't resist seeing them. I must admit, they were pretty cool, if a bit unsettling.

Our dinner plans got pushed back an hour so we decided a snack was absolutely necessary. When Jen suggested a return to The Rose, I readily agreed. And this time we really went for it by splitting the Cream Tea Special, which includes fingerling sandwiches (pairs of salmon, cucumber, and cress), a scone, and a piece of cake. Delicious!

Re-energized by the tea and goodies, we browsed the shops for a couple hours. We were good and didn’t buy much, but I'm afraid we merely delayed the inevitable (most of the stores in Oxford also have London locations). Jen and I are now planning to shop for a dress for her to wear to a wedding over spring break. And I might try on a few for graduation while we’re at it.

We met up with three guys from school for dinner. One of them (Brian) studied at Oxford for a year in undergrad, and he still had a good friend (Pete) in school there so we got a pretty authentic experience. We drank and dined (on BBQ burgers!) at the Turf Tavern and then got a quick tour of Brian and Pete’s college, Sir Edmund Hall (aka Teddy Hall). We even got a beer in the Teddy Junior Common Room (JCR). At this point, Jen and I were pretty exhausted. The guys made sure we got on the bus back to London, and we got home around 1:30 AM. It was a much longer day than we had anticipated, but it definitely worth it.

SUNDAY
I went to a soccer football match! Eight of us from school went to Chelsea v. Colchester in the afternoon. Chelsea is a big-spending club (think Yankees or Red Sox) and current leader of the Premiership, while Colchester (think Royals) plays in a lower league. The two clubs were playing as part of the FA Cup, which is the giant knockout tournament open to all UK teams (674 teams entered in 2005-06). The Cup gives the lower-tier teams the chance to play the big boys in the big stadiums. And sometimes they even manage an upset.

But such was not the case on Sunday. Chelsea ultimately prevailed 3-1. Colchester technically struck first, but it was an own goal. The visiting fans, who stood and sang and cheered all game (like the student section at college games), went completely nuts. Down one-nil, the Chelsea players (and fans) finally started showing some intensity and tied it up before halftime. The second half was tight as well until Chelsea broke through with two goals in the last 12 minutes, including one in the final minute.

Generally speaking, it was definitely a new experience to watch soccer football with so many passionate fans. It’s a lot like going to a collegiate American football game in the States but much, much shorter (hurrah for the running clock). And though I had a really great seat, a part of me wished I was sitting in the visitor’s section. Chelsea is one of the "posh" London teams, and its fans were much less vocal. The game convinced me I need to see at least one more match before I leave. I’ve now promised H and Jen that we’ll all go to a match so I need to start looking into it.

I had an amazingly fun weekend, but I’m glad next weekend cannot possibly be so jam-packed. I’m housesitting/teenage son-minding for one of the program’s professors for a few days, and I’ve got my English Legal Systems exam to study (yes, study) for. As for the week, I don’t have anything planned, but I have no doubt some fun things will pop up.

Canterbury Tale

Saturday I traveled to Canterbury with two friends from school--H and Cassie--for a day trip. We caught an early morning train and arrived around 10:45 in the morning. Our first stop was Westgate Tower, through which we entered the main part of town.

The tower has a small museum inside, which had some interesting information (including a murder hole!). But the best part is climbing to the top and taking pictures of the cathedral. You can see one of my photos at right.

We decided food was necessary before we did anything else. As we roamed the streets, we came across a fudge shop that was offering free samples (toffee fudge--yummy!). Though we told the man working there we would be back, I don't think he believed us. Apparently he doesn't know the three of us that well. We lunched at a place nearby called Goodchilds, and after lunch we went to The Canterbury Tales.

For those of you unfamiliar with The Canterbury Tales (which should not include Lindsey or James!), it is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer. Each tale is told by a one of the pilgrims traveling in a group from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket. Five of these--the Knight's Tale, the Miller's Tale, the Wife of Bath's Tale (my personal favorite), the Nun's Priest's Tale, and the Pardoner's Tale--are told inside the attraction through various devices. It's a bit cheesy, but it was fun to hear some of the tales again. And I love that the attraction mentioned what having a gap between your two front teeth (like the Wife of Bath) used to mean. Bonus points if you know! (You can't play, Mom.)

We strolled around for a bit because I had been told parts of the cathedral would be closed until 2 pm, though unfortunately this intelligence would later prove incorrect. Finally, it was time to visit the famous Canterbury Cathedral!



[Note: I did not realize until we were just leaving the cathedral that you can buy a photo permit. Thus, I linked to a few photos I found online.]

We wandered around the cathedral, inside and out, for a couple hours. There's just so much to see and admire. The gothic style dominates the main part of the building; the vertical lines draw your eyes all the way to the ceiling. Incredible. Obviously, one of the highlights was seeing the spot where Thomas Becket was slain. He was murdered in 1170 by four knights in response to Henry VII's famous words, "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?" (though it is doubtful the King intended Becket to be murdered). The spot is now marked by the Altar of the Sword's Point.

After spending so much time at the cathedral, we were cold and hungry. After a brief stop by the fudge shop (the man looked so surprised to see us again he gave us a fourth slice of fudge free!), we found a fitting place to have dinner--Thomas Becket pub. We ordered some warm food, filling food (fish 'n chips, stew, etc.) and just relaxed. It's amazing how exhausting sightseeing can be sometimes.

When we left the pub, it was completely dark, and the cathedral looked even more amazing. I managed to get some night shots, which I think turned out amazingly well. Example:



And thus ends my Canterbury Tale!

p.s. Here is the link to my photo set from Canterbury.

Lobster Telephones and All That Jazz

On Thursday, my afternoon class was cancelled, leaving ample time for an extended visit to the Tate Modern (seen at right). The Tate Modern has been the permanent home of the Tate Gallery's modern art collection since 2000. The building itself used to be the Bankside Power Station, which closed in 1981, and was converted into the Tate in the late 90's.

I have a particular affinity for modern and post-modern art. I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea so you'll have to just have to humor me for a few paragraphs.

The Tate has an impressive collection, though I have definitely seen better. I was disappointed by the relatively few works by two of my favorite modern artists, Henri Matisse and Rene Magritte. But I think this forced me to broaden my horizons somewhat.

In the "Poetry and Dreams" phase, I saw a version of the surrealist classic Lobster Telephone by Salvador Dali. But I was most intrigued by Thomas Schutte's collection, United Enemies, which is a "satiricresponsesne to political corruption." Schutte sculptedlted eighteen tiny male figures with various expressions ("ranging from sly to disdainful to foolish"), dressed them in rags, and bound them together in pairs. He then took close-up pictures of the pairs in front of a black backdrop. It's hard to explain exactly why the I liked the exhibit, but perhaps it resonated with me because of the recent corruption scandals in the U.S.

The "Material Gestures" phase started with Anish Kapoor's unique sculpture, Ishi's Light, a fiberglass egg with a small opening. (Here is the only photo of it that I could find on the web.) As you step inside the sculpture, yreflectiontion bounces off the deep-red interior. If you speak, your hear multiple echoes. It's very simple but strangely fascinating. Also in this phase was an entire room of Rothko's, known as the Seagram murals, as well as several works by Jackson Pollock.

At this point, I took a short break at the Tate Modern Restaurant. Located on the top floor, the restaurant provides stunning views of the city. Thursday was a perfect day to enjoy the view--clear and sunny. I was lucky enough to sit by the window overlooking the Thames. [Mom and Dad, I suggest we have tea here some afternoon during your visit.] After enjoying some Earl Grey and a scone, I returned to the collection...

My leisurely tea break cost me precious time so I skimmed the final two phases--"History/Memory/Society" and "Nude/Action/Body." I did catch the Andy Warhol works, including Double Elvis and a self portrait. I also saw the Gilbert & George room, which features their massive four-part piece "Death Hope Life Fear."

I then scurried home across the Millennium Bridge because I had tickets to see "Chicago" with a friend from school. I've seen the movie, of course, but the stage musical was just as fun. The set and costumes minimalistic, as the music and dancing are the focus. The jazz band is up on stage throughout, providing a backdrop for the show.

I admit it took me a few songs to get Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger out of my head, but the two female leads did an amazing job. The headliner of this run is Darius Danesh, a former contestant on Pop Idol, the UK version of American Idol. Tall, very good looking, and possessing an amazing voice, he was outstanding as Billy Flynn.

But what I will probably remember most about "Chicago" is one of the male chorus members. So muscular he nearly burst out of his costume (a tight leather vest), he moved like a Chippendale's dancer (not that I would know from personal experience, Mom and Dad!). It took everything Jen and I had not to audibly giggle every time he came on stage.

After treating myself to some post-theatre dessert (thank goodness for the 99p MuFlurry), it was time to cue the exit music on my busy day.

A "Monumental" Sunday

I'm having to skip a few posts because I'm falling behind. Here's the short version of the posts that may never be. Please forgive the weak attempt at the Bridget Jones's Diary style, but I owe Linds at least an attempt.

Friday night: Weight: considerably higher (enchiladas). Alcohol units: 5 (v. good considering length of time at bar). Danced at bar with awesome 80's music. Did a killer version of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" with Ann (must acquire hilarious photo of this from Beth). Stayed out until 3:30 AM. Somehow still didn't beat roommate, T, out. Must rectify.

Saturday: Weight: back to normal (hurrah for dancing!). Hangovers: 0 (hurrah for moderation!). Met J and others on Portobello Road. Resisted the temptations of the market, though must return. Was exhausted so stayed home with good book.

My Sunday was ridiculously full. I woke up to a gorgeous day. It was bright and sunny, and it felt warmer than usual. I decided to take advantage with an extended walk along the Embankment. Not only was the this great exercise, but I also managed to take some good pictures along the way. Here's a rough map of my route:



(It would be helpful to click to enlarge the image. The green triangle in the upper left is where I started. I looped all the way around until I met my original route on Fleet Street.)

I have uploaded a set of pictures to my Flickr account. Start here to view them chronologically. If you want to read my descriptions and/or explanations of the photos, you will need to browse manually by clicking on the small photo on the right under the words "Walkabout (Set)," which will take you to the next photo. Unfortunately, you cannot see the descriptions if you view them as a slide show.

The walk was a marvelous way to spend three hours. Strangely, my favorite part was the climb up the 311 steps of The Monument because as I was doing so, these two British kids (probably aged 5 and 7) kept saying "this is so cool" to their parents. It was adorable.

I felt so energized by my walk that I decided to venture to the Imperial War Museum for the rest of the afternoon. I was so engrossed that I barely made it halfway through the museum in three hours. I particularly enjoyed the special exhibit--Great Escapes--on Allied attempts to escape from POW camps. I was also fascinated by the Secret War exhibit, which features Britain's secret forces, including MI6 (think James Bond). Also a highlight was the video reconstruction of Operation Nimrod, in which elite SAS forces worked to release hostages held in the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980. (Mom, Dad, James, do you guys remember seeing this crisis on TV?)

On Sunday evening, I met up with friends at Planet Hollywood for The Super Bowl. (It started at 11 PM GST.) Quite unsurprisingly, PH was jam-packed with Americans. The game itself was not particularly exciting (especially since we couldn't see the American commercials), but it was fun to hang out, have some drinks, and watch American football. The game was over around 3 AM here; I was a bit tired the next day, but it was worth it. And besides, I stayed out later than T for once!

I'm off on a day trip to Canterbury tomorrow with a friend from school. I hope to blog about it on Sunday, as well as my adventures from yesterday.

Afternoon Tea

On Thursday of last week, we had afternoon tea at the British Museum arranged through school (read: free!).

Since the last time I was at the museum (mid-90s?), the main courtyard has been completely transformed. The museum's library department was moved to the British Library, and the courtyard was roofed over to provide "the largest covered square in Europe"--The Queen Elizabeth II Great Court. As you can see, the new space is quite stunning...



The gorgeous Reading Room still sits in the middle of the court. The room is now open to the public and looks like a nice, quiet place to study. I must return soon and try it out.

The food at the tea was positively scrumptious. Naturally, we had cucumber sandwiches and scones. H had told earlier me that the "proper" British way to butter your scone is to put the jam on first and then the clotted cream so I tried to follow suit. I kept the cream to a minimum because it looked way too bad for me. Besides, we were having cake for dessert. ;P

And the actual tea itself? I had way too much. As many of your know, I don't drink much caffeine. I've taken a liking to green tea over the last few months, but it has a much lower caffeine content than regular tea. Well, I'm starting to love regular tea as well (I blame my barrister!), and I was sipping it up like it was going out of style. I paid for it later that night, when I didn't fall asleep until 2 AM.

After the tea, we wandered around a bit to check out the mummies and Elgin Marbles, but I plan to go back and do a proper tour. I also hope to go to another afternoon tea. H and I might get all dressed up and splurge on tea at the Ritz sometime in the spring.

I had a pretty eventful weekend so expect another 2-3 posts in the near future, including one with lots of pictures. And hello to all the new family and friends reading my blog. I hope you enjoy it.

Good Times in Soho: Part the First

I dropped the ball a bit after my last post so I need to get back into the habit of posting.

On Wednesday evening, I met up with a friend of my parents in Soho. I had never met J before, but she was a lot of fun. She currently teaches middle school at The American School in London. She's also taught in Venezuela (sidenote: I mispelled that word so badly the spellchecker came up with "bungalow" as a suggestion) and Budapest, and she's moving to Amsterdam to teach their next year. I must admit, I'm very jealous. Granted, there are downsides to living abroad--missing familiy and friends, cultural and linguistic isolation, different living standards/comforts, etc.--but I do think it would be fun to live and work abroad.

Random sidebar: J mentioned that American peanut butter is one of the things she brings back from the States every chance she gets. Now I quite like the peanut butter here, but that got me thinking about what particular foods I would miss. I definitely crave certain foods already--Chipotle, "regular" Pizza (even the Pizza Hut pizza is not quite the same), James's chocolate chip cookies. I'll be curious to see what else I start missing.

Anyway, we met up in Soho and had a pint at a traditional pub and then ventured to a larger bar for more drinks. It was fun to talk about our experiences in London and get more insider tips. And I am even more keen to travel to Amsterdam after hearing more it from J. (Fun Fact: The Netherlands has the tallest population in Europe.)


We befriended some "locals" (a term I use loosely as they are all foreigners working in London) with whom we were sharing a table. They were great fun, and we actually tagged along with them to a club--Ain't Nothing But the Blues--later in the evening.

The club was cramped and smoky (I sure miss smoke-free Lawrence), but I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. The house band played a couple sets; they were excellent. The lead vocalist looked like Paul Simon's long-lost twin, and the sax player was good fun.

All-in-all it was a great evening. I have a new friend in London, and the blues club was an unexpected find.

Wiggin' Out in Lewes

I accompanied my barrister to Lewes yet again this week. H came along, as her barrister's case is just not that interesting. Not only did we have an interesting day observing in court, but we also got to do something completely unexpected.

We were expecting to hear the Crown (what they call the prosecution/government here) cross examine the defendant, but it wasn't to be. I cannot lay out all the details, but basically everyone (the Crown, the defense, the Judge) was painted into a legal and ethical corner. After hearing arguments from both sides (which included quite a bit of bickering, much to our amusement), the judge ordered a re-trial to insure the defendant a fair trial and to avoid a sure-fire point for appeal if he was convicted. The jurors looked completely devastated, having served on the jury for over two weeks (including a site visit the week before). It was funny to think back to my first day in Lewes, when they looked shocked to learn they would be hearing a murder trial.

So quite dramatically, the case in Lewes ended (for now), but the best part was yet to come. The head barrister for the defense suggested we ask to see the judge. We were a bit nervous about asking, but the judge agreed to see us in his chambers. I had been impressed with the judge during our time in court, and he was incredibly nice in person. We chatted about exactly what transpired that day in court in greater detail for a while, and then I asked about his garb. (Our professor wasn't sure exactly what the different sashes meant so I thought I'd find out myself.) As he was explaining, he showed us his ceremonial wig (as opposed to his everyday wig). Then we had an exchange that went something like this...

Judge, as he lays out the wig for us to see: "It's too bad you don't have a camera."

Rachel (blurting out excitedly): "But I do have a camera!"

(You see, I had brought my camera along to Lewes to get some pictures (I've uploaded a few to Flickr) of the town on a nice day (the last two Mondays have been so dreary). I had taken some pictures over the lunch hour and accidentally left the camera in my suit pocket.)

But we didn't take any pictures at that moment. I figured he never intended to take pictures at all. So we continued to chat about various things (how he came to be a judge, his friend who serves as a federal judge in MI, etc.) for 10 more minutes, and then he insisted we take pictures WHILE WEARING HIS FANCY WIG.

I couldn't believe it. H couldn't either. But here we are in all our wiggified glory (H's posted with permission):





When we left, the Judge told us to e-mail him with any questions. I think we will e-mail him with our thanks and perhaps attach the pictures. Emma, Jonathan, and Sandra (the solicitor) thought it was great fun when we showed them the pictures, and I admit the whole thing put us in a bit of a silly mood. Our externship professor was so tickled when we showed her today that she wants me to put in the program brochure and frame them for her office.

Thus ends the tale of Lewes.

Chinese New Year

After our morning run, H and I strolled down to the parade Sunday morning. It was a beautiful day--sunny and warmer than expected. As a result, the parade route and Chinatown area were even more packed with people than anticipated (an estimated 200,000 people visisted the festivities throughout the day). But the parade was still good fun. The costumes were colorful, and the music was lively. My favorite were the smaller dragon-type things (seen below). They remind me the creatures from Fraggle Rock for some reason.



If you can't tell, it was extremely sunny where I was taking pictures, but I managed to get a few goods ones. I've uploaded a few more than I've posted to my Flickr account. Feel free to check them out. I also took some video of the large dragons "dancing" while I was at it. I might upload those to YouSendIt if I have time.

I tried to venture into Chinatown in the afternoon, but the crowds were just too overwhelming. If you look at the "Entrance to Chinatown" picture, you'll see what I mean.

In the evening, we went to the Chinese New Year party thrown by a group of girls in my program. We got a bit lost on the way there (entirely my fault), but H and I managed to arrive right on time. Although ordering and paying for the food was a bit of a hassle, it ended up being a really good time in the end. Almost everyone in my program was there, including two professors. I managed to make tentative Super Bowl plans for next week. It'll require staying up half the night, but I would really love to catch the game.

All-in-all, it was my best Chinese New Year celebration ever, even if was my first. ;)

I've got to write-up another blog post now. All sorts of interesting things happened in Lewes!