I’m totally in the mood for a more lighthearted post for this evening.  My life in London is lavish. The weather has been surprisingly temperate.  I’ve been eating well because there is a organic grocery store half a block from my temporary housing.  Dare I say it rivals Whole Foods?  I joined a badass gym, and I worked out for the first time in a week yesterday.  I’m finally, finally starting to conquer jet lag – hallelujah.  Plus, I find it almost impossible to be anything but deliriously intoxicated by the European atmosphere and that fact that I’ve arrived in London during the midst of the “sale season.”  Needless to say, I have no complaints except that I seem to have a unwelcome furry roommate.  Thankfully, I’m only in this temporary housing until Monday.

Aside from having class at 8:00 AM this morning, it was quite the lovely day.  My program went on a tour of the United Kingdom Supreme Court building.  Judicial review is a relatively new venture for the United Kingdom, and the Supreme Court was founded in 2009.  In my mind, this translated to the fact that English legal studies must not include Constitutional law, and obviously, I should have gone to law school in England.  The Supreme Court building was previously the Middlesex Guildhall and is located in Parliament square.  Because the Court was created recently, the decor is a nice mix of traditional designed, mixed with some simplistic, yet appropriately modern decor.

I was totally in love with these curtains.  Gorgeous, right?

Justice cannot be for one side alone but must be for both. Eleanor Roosevelt

I think this was the library because of all the books, but I arrived late to the presentation.  I was straggling behind in an attempt to take some decent pictures.  Typical.

Aside from a few rays of sun shine, it was a dreary, yet rainless day in London.  Leaving the Supreme Court, I got some shots of Westminister Abbesy across the way.

And along St. James Park, some blue sky momentarily peaked through the clouds.

Then, my classmates and I grabbed some grub at a local pub.  Honestly, I just wrote that, and I had no intention to make it rhyme. Pure talent or luck … I went with the South Indian Samosas, and they were outstanding.  I finally found a pub with some decent vegetarian food, and I can’t remember the name; however, I do remember where it is located, so perhaps I’ll have to return and try again.

To end the day, we toured the Parliament building.  The House of Lords was absolutely breathtaking, but unfortunately, pictures were not allowed, but please feel free to use your imagination and picture lots of deep reds, gold, highly ornate ceilings, and the obligatory pictures of the Royal family.  All in all quite the enjoyable, albeit exhausting day for someone who woke up at  2:00 AM, damn jet lag.

Tip of the Day: Never, ever sleep when after you arrive in Europe after an overnight flight.  It will be a  huge mistake.