Plains, Trains, and Thunderstorms

Our trip back to the States was long and delayed some due to nasty weather in Chicago but we eventually arrived in Denver around 1am Monday morning. The bus ride back to Chadron was sleepless for me but i sure enjoyed seeing the sun rise and was glad I didn't have tall buildings blocking my view. London was a great place to visit and I learned a great deal during my time there; I still say this trip was a 'once in a lifetime' trip. I would recommend it to anyone.

The last day

Saturday the 21st was spent trying to get in some of the things I had already seen and really like or those things I had not yet gotten to try. A group of us went to the British Museum for another look and then took the Tube over to Hyde Park for a relaxing picnic. After spending two weeks in London I really appreciate the peace offered in the many parks.

Saturday night we all met up at the Beefeater for a interesting dinner and after a couple of hours shouting at my own personal bar wench I was ready for sleep. i went back to the hotel and packed for the journey home.

Drop back 5 and punt!

The day was spent at Cambridge and what a beautiful place. I thought about taking a punt (small boat) out onto the Cam river but decided it could be hazardous to my health or the fish if I fell in. I walked the town and looked at the old colleges; I think I found the name Bogner scratched into the wall of Kings College but I could be mistaken. Bicycles were every where and they were dangerous. I found a shade tree and just sat by the river and watch the people and ducks float by, it was very relaxing.

Flames and Carnies in the Yard!

We had the special honor of standing inside the Buckingham Palace grounds during the changing of the guard Thursday morning. It was an experience I will not forget; thank you PC Watson for making it a possibility!

New Scotland Yard was our destination Thursday afternoon and it was really interesting. We were briefed by a Constable and a Sargent concerning Public Order issues in London. The first session dealt with the Olympic planning for the London games in 2012 and all the planning which was going into crowd control and security for the games.

Sear gent Eric Stuart discussed the planning for security for the Olympic torch and his experience during the last games. Both presentations were good but Sargent Stuart transitioned from discussing the torch into security issues for the annual Nottinghill Carnival. His presentation included video footage of past events and criminal activity as well as crowd safety concerns. Having a play by play description of the criminal events really added to the presentation. It is very apparent the MPS is well versed in handling huge crowds and events; it was a great learning experience.

The last presentation of the day came from PC Watson and words cannot adequately describe the powerful visuals he utilized to demonstrate differences between American and English police officers. My eyes are still burning!

Please rise!!

The morning began with a stop by the Magistrate Court of London. The Magistrate who provided the briefing was very proper and I felt more refined after 30 minutes in the room with him, a very proper gentleman. We were allowed to observe a couple of different court proceedings; one was overseen by a magistrate and the other by three JPs. Both were equally interesting and I enjoyed watching how the system played out in the courtroom. We even got to read some interesting graffiti which had something colorful to say about the judge on the wall of the public gallery. The rapid pace of the court was surprising and the Magistrate said it commonly takes the Magistrate court one hour to handle what it takes the Crown court to do in a day.

Hand to Hand and Hidden Cameras

We started our day at Central Command, the 999 call center for the Met Police Service. Had an interesting tour and saw where the operators handle service calls.

Next we walked about 75 miles over to a Met training center where we were taught about tactical communication (verbal judo) and then some of the students were allowed to beat the snot out of a senior police officer who was wearing the "angry man" suit with batons. Great fun was had by all!

Stopped by the British Museum on the way back and just scratched the surface, the place is amazing. I will attempt to go back before I leave. It was a busy day and I am ready for some Shepperd's pie.

All things Five-O!

Today we had a steady diet of Metropolitan Police information. This morning we started off at the Metropolitan Central Training Center which is located in a very fancy office building which also houses a newspaper and other various businesses. Ironically, the Met. police service is paying millions of pounds rent on the building space when a number of police buildings currently set vacant due to budget cuts. It would appear the mentality of English and American politicians is frightening similar.

We had two veteran officers share some of their experiences while serving on the Met as well as some of the major changes which have taken place over the 20-30 years during which they have been police officers. Listening to them explain their training, and use or assignment of equipment or "kit", clearly demonstrated a great difference between American police mentality and that of the English policeman.

In the afternoon we traveled over to the Charing Cross Police Station and Constable R. Watson was our host. We were allowed to tour some of the facility as well as handle equipment and vehicles. The tour through the custody area went smoothly and I am pleased to report that no one was shanked.

A side note about Metropolitan Police Service and their donuts; they have better sweets than American cops. They don't get to carry firearms for the most part but they get much better donuts; it would be hard for me to decide which would be more desirable.

Hope some vid will be available soon but no promises. Cheers! (The use of vid and cheers is so English).

Hallo Govna!

Before I go any further I need to clarify a certain point from yesterday's post. The tour was top-notch but short of perfect due to the fact we were not escorted by an officer of the Metropolitan Police Service.

The morning was spent at Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, and the Imperial War Museum. The square was enormous and I got to watch a falconer use two Harris hawks chase the pigeons away from the monument. I had never been in an art gallery until today and I have to say the National Gallery was amazing. The art was just beautiful and I could not believe how much I loved my time there. I am not exactly what you would call an "artsy guy" but I have a whole new appreciation for art after viewing all those spectacular paintings. The war museum was great and I especially enjoyed the history behind the Trench Warfare exhibit.

The resort complex of Pentonville was our destination for this afternoon. A senior segregation prison officer, Mr. Palmer conducted out tour along with Mr. Grimes; the entire event was quite proper. The history surrounding this local jail is very interesting; it currently holds over 1,000 prisoners of various levels of villainy. Interestingly Pentonville was built after the design of an Atlanta, GA prison in 1841. I guess the English copied some stuff from us Yanks. Mr. Palmer was a great host and if I had to go to jail while in London I think Pentonville would be my first choice.

Lincoln Inn and Ole Baily

We went on the Legal Studies walk this AM and our guide did a fine job in describing the workings of the Inns of the Court. The system of solicitors, barristers, and Queen's Councilors (senior barristers) seems a bit complicated but I understand better now after the tour. We actually saw many wonderful old buildings, one which was actually built in 1490 and it is still used daily.

The afternoon was spent at Ole Baily which is also known as Newgate prison. The building is actually a courthouse and prison with extensive history and most of the people tried there now are charged with murder. Our tour guide was a Sergeant with the City of London police department and he was great. He shared a great deal of history about London and the development of the courts. We toured from the depths of the old dungeons all the way to the roof top of Ole Baily; by far, it was the best tour I have been on sense in London. The courthouse was especially beautiful on the main floors and sitting in the courtroom was a little eerie as I considered how many people in the past had been tried in those chambers and then taken out to be hung until dead.

Camden !?!?!?

A group of us went to Camden market this afternoon in search of souvenirs and got so much more! I honestly can say I have never been anywhere else that rivals the weirdness of Camden. In a matter of feet I could have been tattooed, pierced, fitted for leathers, and so much more. The place was a zoo and thousands full of bizarre looking people. This may sound like a negative post but not at all. Camden provided a great opportunity for people watching and one that I will not soon forget. The thought did cross my mind that it must be great fun being a Met officer in Camden, never a dull moment I suppose.

Ramsgate the great!

We took a trip on the high speed rail line out to Ramsgate located on the English Channel side. The town was great and had a beautiful harbor. We stumbled upon the HMS Bulldog Sea Cadet Academy while walking around town. The former commander was nice enough to give us a tour and it happened that many of the former staff and cadets were present for a social. We spoke to many of them and had a good visit. I was also impressed with the current cadets and how they handled themselves. The program is sponsored by the Royal Navy and is basically an after school program for boys and girls who are at risk. It is structured in a para-military fashion and the young cadets learn such skills as sailing, drill and ceremony, marksmanship, knots, etc... It gives the kids a positive place and solid role models when those things are lacking at home.

The folks we spoke to were in their 70s and 80s and provided great detail about the town of Ramsgate during WWII and other interesting facts. It was a great day trip and I hope to return again some day.

Olympic gold its not but I will take the pin!

A small group of us were allowed to tour the Olympic village today. Kevin was our host and did a great job in showing us around the huge complex and answering many questions. The park has been purposefully located in some of the poorest Burroughs in the UK and the hope is it will usher in Urban renewal to the area. The buildings were amazing and we were told the project is under budget and ahead of schedule.

At the end of our visit Kevin gave each one of us lapel pins with the 2012 Olympic symbol, this particular pin will not be issued to the public so I am sure it will gain in value over night. I may use it to finance my next visit to London in 2016; actually it will be a great keep sake from this trip and I really appreciate our host and his willingness to spend the afternoon with us.

Hand to Hand and Hidden Cameras

Yesterday we split our time between Central Command and a Met training facility used for Officer Safety training. The briefing and tour at CCC was informative as well as the tour but the best was the officer safety training conducted by Kaz and Richard. They did a great job in explaining the Met's approach to training officer in dealing with citizens, especially those who become violent. The hands on training was great and the man in the angry suit did a great job terrorizing all the participants.

I stopped by the British Museum on the way back to the hotel and was amazed at the size and all the diverse items on display. A person could spend a week and not cover the entire museum. I will be going back before the trip is over hopefully.

All things Five-O!

Today we had a steady diet of Metropolitan Police information. This morning we started off at the Metropolitan Central Training Center which is located in a very fancy office building which also houses a newspaper and other various businesses. Ironically, the Met. police service is paying millions of pounds rent on the building space when a number of police buildings currently set vacant due to budget cuts. It would appear the mentality of English and American politicians is frightening similar.

We had two veteran officers share some of their experiences while serving on the Met as well as some of the major changes which have taken place over the 20-30 years during which they have been police officers. Listening to them explain their training, and use or assignment of equipment or "kit", clearly demonstrated a great difference between American police mentality and that of the English policeman.

In the afternoon we traveled over to the Charing Cross Police Station and Constable R. Watson was our host. We were allowed to tour some of the facility as well as handle equipment and vehicles. The tour through the custody area went smoothly and I am pleased to report that no one was shanked.

A side note about Metropolitan Police Service and their donuts; they have better sweets than American cops. They don't get to carry firearms for the most part but they get much better donuts; it would be hard for me to decide which would be more desirable.

Hope some vid will be available soon but no promises. Cheers! (The use of vid and cheers is so English).

PS. Rick and I went on an adventure this evening; we went to Green Park and after walking across the park I noticed a rather large building which seemed familiar, it turned out to be Buckingham Palace. The Queen did not invite us in so we moved on to St James Park and then on to Westminster Abbey. We covered a lot of ground and saw some beautiful sites. I look forward to going back next week to watch the changing of the Guard.

So to begin with I apologize for the lack of video, we are having some issues with down loading but hopefully it will get worked out and I can give you something more exciting then just my written words.

Today was full of interesting locations. We began with a stop at Oxford and the old structures in that city are amazing; beautiful architecture and the chapel we toured was really a pleasant surprise. The wood work and the ceiling were my favorite and our guide explained that "fan vaulting" found in this particular chapel was unique to England. You could just feel the history all around us as we walked through a local college and along the streets.

Stratford upon Avon was a good stop. We were able to check out W. Shakespeare's home and even had lunch in the pub where the old playwright fell dead. My Plowman's Lunch was especially tasty with the knowledge I was consuming it at the same spot where such a talented man had probably enjoyed his last meal.

The last stop for the day was Warwick castle and what a stop it was. I hit my head twice while maneuvering through the small passage ways and through the low built doors. It became painfully obvious that the castle was not constructed for someone of my height or girth. The climb to the top of the tower left me breathless for two reasons, the first being the 100 plus steps required to reach the tower and secondly due to the amazing view of the countryside. The historical background surrounding one of the castle's former owners, Richard Nevil (The King Maker), was very interesting and a reminder that political intrigue is not a new idea.

The day was great and the weather perfect, the only thing lacking was my 6 year old son who had to celebrate his birthday without his dad today. Maybe we can get him into Oxford some day and then he can celebrate his 19 birthday in England.

What a day! We arrived in London after a long but good flight. The first stop after Heathrow was Windsor Castle. The castle was amazinig and te city of Windsor interesting. We all were dealing with soe jet lag but te new sights and sounds were enough to keep us awake. One day in and I am ffurther convinced this is a trip of a life time. I will attempt a video download soon.

The packing is really starting to stress me a little. I have packed and re-packed hoping to not leave something of importance behind.

I finished my last final this morning and the thought struck me that a trip to London immediately after graduation sounded like a really good deal. I have enjoyed my time at CSC and this study abroad program is going to add some great finishing touches to an already quality experience.

testing out the gear

This is just a test.

Excitement builds!

London here I come! Time is flying bye and the "to-do" list is getting shorter. Tuesday I received the final briefing on all things related to London and am especially looking forward to using the term "bubbles & squeaks" when ordering lunch. If I can perfect my English accent before leaving they will never know I am from America; unless my white sneakers give it away. Tally Ho!

Safety briefing yesterday! I am now paranoid about riding the Tube in London. If any strange person gets near me I will immediately assume they are a pick-pocket and scream for help! That will be a sure way to build strong rapport with the locals.

In the begining...

I am preparing for the Study Abroad trip to London and as part of my extensive study of all things English I have been reviewing the many fine culinary dishes produced by the fine folks over there in Great Britian. The first example I discovered was Bangers and Mash! I love the name and know that I could consume a steady amount of Bangers and Mash and be perfectly happy; maybe not healthy but at least happy, for awhile. So I changed the name of my blog to Big Bickets of Bangers and Mash in honor of the beautiful dish and the really cool name. I will be sure to include photos of my first actual encounter with the meal as soon as possible.