Royal Wedding Day

Today Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married. Over 2 billion people are going to watch this happen - so there's no pressure or anything for them! We're also watching, unfortunately not in Hyde Park, because I'm ill (typical for me - waiting for something for so long and of course I can't see it because I'm ill).

I am looking forward to see two dresses in particular - it's obviously Kate's dress (I wonder if the Sarah Burton's Alexander McQueen design rumors are true), but also Victoria Beckham's dress (she's supposed to wear her own A/A design, but I think she might have prepared something special). Not so long to see!

AFTER:
The Dress is simply beautiful and classy. When I saw it, it reminded me of the Grace Kelly's dress when she married her prince. I was expecting something bigger, but I knew that Kate will keep it simple and traditional in her own way. She did it! Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen really delivered. So great to be today in London and feel the atmosphere.

St Patrick's Day in London

Even though this weekend tube on our station is not working, we decided to take Rail Replacement bus and go to central London anyway. It is a huge sacriface on our part, because the journey usually lasts an hour longer. But we were lucky to be riding an old fashioned bus - the one which is not normally driving on the London streets - it was a first time for me!

You can get on and off the bus from the open platform at the back

 We went to the British Museum for the permanent exhibition: Japan. After this horrible tragedy that struck Japanese nation, we wanted to at least make it closer to our hearts by learning and discovering the culture. The focus is on the ancient and medieval times, including the rule of samurai. In the exhibition overview is a mention of a XX and XXI century, but there's hardly anything relating to this subject, except some explicit drawings. There was a lot of people for a permanent exhibition, so I think we were not the only ones with the idea of coming.

Later we took a stroll and we ended up on the Trafalgar Square, where people were celebrating St Patrick's Day. There was a lot of green, beer and smiles. Irish people certainly know how to party!

Celebration at the Trafalgar Square

Fat Thursday

Today in Poland is a celebration of Tłusty Czwartek - literally "Fat Thursday". This is the last Thursday before lent and the custom is that you eat as many doughnuts as you can. Apparently a standard Polish person will eat 2,5 doughnut today and it is considered a bad luck when you eat none. 

The tradition has it's origins in Europe since XIII century. At the beginning people were stuffing their faces only on the eve of the Ash Wednesday - this was the culmination of the carnival. Later, Monday was included in the celebrations. Because longer festive equals longer preparations, but people were not allowed to work on Sundays, baking and cooking was moved to Saturday. However, it was a custom to only work on Saturdays until noon and Friday was out of the question, as the day when Jesus died, all of the preparations concentrated on Thursday. People started to call it Fat Thursday due to the indulgence in food and more - the last opportunity before long weeks of the lent.

I did not eat doughnuts today (I'm on a diet!), but I reserved this pleasure for the weekend - I will eat one and only ONE sweet from the bakery of my choice. I'm salivating on the memory of the Hummingbird cupcakes, so the choice is simple for me.

Instead in calories I invested in these...

...and these.

On the exercise front: I can't sit, I can't even stretch - my inner tights hurt so much! I knew that Personal Trainer will be my doom! Today I went to the gym and I was barely able to stretch and the cross-trainer hurt. On the plus side - I've lost 1 kg, which is a great start! Gives a motivation and a feeling of achievement!

Saint Nicholas Day

Because sometimes you just have to get up, put on your favourite heels, put on a slap of make-up, a brave face and walk out of door. Today I went to buy some Christmas cards and little gifts. I went today hoping that on Monday afternoon shopping at the shopping centre will be a rather nice experience. I was wrong. Just driving there I could see rows and rows of cars at the car park. What's happening inside can be described by only one word: frenzy. People walking everywhere, buying, trying, checking and carrying bags. I don't even want to know what was going on there yesterday and on Saturday! 

A little something for Boyfriend

I love buying gifts - it doesn't matter to whom. I just enjoy the thought that they will be pretty and useful for someone. I know almost every time what to buy for whom. I do have some problems, but usually after spending a far share of time at the shops I can dissect the best buy. Today is Saint Nicholas Day and it's a huge celebration in Poland. St. Nicolas is putting little gifts for children under the pillows and it's a huge deal. When I was going to school - doesn't matter if it was primary school or high school - it was a tradition that in the class we were drawing lots two weeks before and then buying gifts anonymously to the person we were lucky (or not) to draw. There were years when I was coming home with tears because a stupid boy bought me only chocolate and a stupid decorations while others got amazing colour books and crayons. There were years when I've exchanged draws with others so I could end up buying present to one of my best friends and she was buying mine, so we went out together and I was happy to know what I would get. Today I've bought Boyfriend little something, I hope he'll like it! I've also bought little something for myself, because it was such a long, long time since I've indulged myself. And I like it!

A little something...

...for me!

Remember, remember; the Fifth of November

"Remember, remember
The Fifth of November
Gunpowder treason and plot
We see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot..." 

2010 marks the 405th anniversary of Guy Fawkes. It's no wonder British children can recall the rhyme; every year there are massive celebrations to commemorate the failure of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot. Four hundred and five years ago, Catholic conspirator Guy Fawkes and his gang of accomplices attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King James I along with it. The group were executed for treason but they are remembered every year as children the length and breadth of the country make effigies of the infamous traitor to burn on large bonfires. This uniquely British commemoration of our past also sees thousands of fireworks being blasted into the sky in imitation of the plot's explosive failure.

It all sounds a bit gruesome but these days it's all in the name of fun. Across London there are scores of municipal displays as well as thousands of private parties. Residents regard their local displays as a source of pride and huge crowds gather to "ooh" and "aah" as thousands of pounds worth of pyrotechnics are sent up in smoke. Not only is Bonfire Night a spectacular occasion - fun for kids, with a bit of community spirit - but it gives you a chance to get outside, grab a piping hot snack and a glass of mulled wine and gaze into the skies with the rest of London.

Today Lord Mayor of London gives a spectacular show of the fireworks just above the Thames - next to the Big Ben and London Eye. Unfortunately I am not feeling very well and we decided not to go in the end. We're gonna watch some XFactor in the evening and I'm planning a indulge myself in huge belgian waffle with banana, whipped cream and maple syrup! Yum-yum!

Polish Independence Day

Today in Poland is National Independence Day. It is a public holiday celebrated every year on 11 November to commemorate the anniversary of Poland's assumption of independent statehood in 1918 after 123 years of partitions by Austria-Hungary, Prussia, and Russia.

When you think about all of the November is somehow remembrance of those who passed away. Maybe it has something to do with the weather and autumn which makes this month so nostalgic.

Today's weather in London is appalling. The wind and rain make it almost impossible to venture outside unless you have to go to work. Boyfriend already told me that he has never seen so many broken umbrellas on his way to work. It's a pity because I wanted to visit nearby cemetery and light a candle on the grave of some nameless soldier.

All Saints' Day

Today is All Saints' Day. Here in the UK it is not celebrated as it is in Poland. In Poland it is a proper holiday - you don't go to work, almost all shops are closed (except petrol stations but you can hardly buy a decent bread over there) and there are two places you must visit: church and cemetery. Ever since my grandmothers and grandfathers died, I look at this day differently. Before I was carefree and careless going to the local cemetery with Mother and lighting a candles on the graves of her friends and cousins. Sometimes we went to the Mother's birth place to visit an uncle and light some candles in the cemetery where Mother's family is buried - grandparents and cousins she has never met, because they were executed by the Nazis. But now for me this day is sad and I am no longer carefree. I remember my grandparents, all the fun memories and even those bad ones. And I wish I'd known them better and could talk to them just this once. It is a day when you pause for the minute and think about your existence and about loved ones, who are no longer here.

Because here in the UK this is a normal day, Boyfriend went to work and the only replacement of the tradition was that yesterday we went to visit a local cemetery. I was very surprised, because it is very neglected. It is still a beautiful place - full of mossed graves (people buried there are from the beginnings of XX century), mixture of autumn yellow and red leaves and two (!) old churches in the middle. In Poland, because this day and tomorrow (when people remember those who died) is a celebrated tradition the cemeteries are kept (or are trying to be kept) in a well state. Everyone is cleaning the graves and there are often collections and fund-rising events for the looking after the cemeteries. I still remember that in the school we were going to different cemetery each year and trying to tidy up some of the worst neglected graves at this time of year. I've checked on-line and the cemetery we went to yesterday actually has a fund for such activities, but apparently there is a lack of hands and people's free time to put it into a good use. It's a shame, because some of the buried there are RAF and Marine soldiers who died in the First and Second World War. I wish people remember those, who died, so we can now have our freedom.

Boyfriend's 24th Birthday

I don't want today to be only marked as a date of my failed interview, so I decided to write about something more cheerful. Yesterday was Boyfriend's 24th Birthday! Poor thing is really excited and terrified at once when this day comes every year. Because I am 6 months younger than him (and Mother sent me to school one year earlier; I was am smart and intelligent), I tease him by saying: "You're sooo old". He reacts VERY aggressively and immediately after makes a sad face and noises which I can only describe as "Sniff, sniff".

Yesterday was our little celebration. Boyfriend got his presents - extremely modest this year due to my non-working - but because I know what he likes they were spot on! I also chose a very nice card, from the series we follow for various celebrations - anniversaries, Christmas, I-like-giving-you-a-card days, I-am-so-in-love-with-you-it-hurts days etc., etc. Boyfriend was happy and immediately got suck up in the surprise book. It was a lazy Sunday, but I like those. It's the time when you can relax, we can eat BIG breakfast sitting together - and Boyfriend prepares everything. In the evening there was my guilty pleasure - Xfactor and looking out of the window to admire a full moon*.

On Saturday we had a little birthday celebrations linked together with the housewarming party of Dom-dom and AP. There was a lot of champagne, food and vodka. We certainly know how to party! But because I had stupid interview today and Boyfriend was driving (Dom-dom and AP's crib is not far away, but to get there by tube takes around 1-1.5 hour, because you need to go to Central London first to change to the Northern Line) - i.e. not drinking except very little champagne and beer (we are strict on Driving = Not drinking; that's how Boyfriend's Father had a small car accident) - we decided not to go clubbing. Everyone was already wasted and clubbing was in North London - not Central where all my favourites are. I truly have fabbest friends who understood, so off we went, to bed and to get some beauty sleep.

* I've recently found a new admiration for the moon when I learned that it is made of SILVER! How cool is that?! I hope one day to have my very own Moon Silver pendant, earings and bracelet! And a ring to match!