Bonjour!
This weekend I went to Paris and had a great time. We left early Friday morning on the 6:55 a.m. Eurotrain from St. Pancras to Paris. I will start off by saying that most of the 2 hour ride is above ground and only about 20 minutes or so is it dark as we cross under the water. When we got to Paris we took about a 20 minute walk from the station to our hotel, The Carlton. The two closest metro stations were Anvers and Pigalle (Pigalle being the sex district...needless to say we had a 12 p.m. curfew). The hotel was very nice. Our beds were so comfortable and the shower was amazing. We also had a rooftop terrace that looks out over the whole city. From there you could see the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Arc de Triomphe, etc. When we arrived not all our rooms were prepared so we dropped off our bags and then went out to grab a bite to eat. Around 12:30 we all got checked in and then took the metro from Anvers to Charles de Gaulle where we connected to Bir-Hakeim, near the Eiffel Tower. We snapped a few pics and then got on one of the red tour buses. We did the full loop around Paris which took between 2 and 3 hours and then we got off and wandered around Notre Dame. Then we all met up for dinner. We were allowed to select a starter, entre, and dessert. I had the French onion soup, a vegetarian dish with potatos, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese, and then chocolate mousse for dessert. It was pretty good. After dinner we went back to the hotel where we relaxed on the rooftop terrace.
Saturday morning we all met in the lobby after a breakfast of bread and cheese to go to the Eiffel Tower. We went up to the second level, snapped some pictures, and then headed out to explore the rest of Paris. Krysta, Nate, Gina, and I went to the Musee d’Orsay which was absolutly wonderful. It is a museum of mostly impressionist art, but I got to see all kinds of famous paintings by Degas, Monet, Manet, Renoir, etc. It was a good size museum and had really interesting architecture since it used to be a rail station. After wandering through the museum for a few hours we took the bus to the Champs Elysees where we walked around and window shopped. We got some ice cream and continued our walk. Nate and Gina split off to go to the Louvre and Krysta and I went and laid down in a park for about an hour. (Turns out it was a good decision to go rest in the park because by the time Nate and Gina got to the Louvre it was closed). After our break we went on a mission to find dinner. Everything was so expensive (15-30 euro plates). We finally found this little pub/restaurant place with reasonable prices. The food really wasn’t that good, but at least it wasn’t any more bread and cheese. (We had been stocking up on the bread and cheese we got for free for breakfast from the hotel. It tasted really good, but I think I’m all bread and cheesed out.) The guy who owned the restaurant was really nice, but very flirtatious which made us rather uncomfortable. After we gobbled down our food we went to go take the bus back to the Eiffel Tower to meet up for the night cruise but they said the bus wasn’t running anymore. So we basically ran back to the tower to meet up with the group. We took a night cruise down the Seine which was really nice. We got to see a lot of places that we’d seen during the day on the bus but it was really pretty to watch the sun set and the Eiffel Tower light up. After the boat cruise our guide, Michelle, took us on a walk past the Moulin Rouge where we stopped to take a few pictures and dance around a little. Then we walked back to the hotel and waited until midnight to wish Dr. Harf a happy birthday. We all stayed up pretty late celebrating.
Sunday morning we got up about 8:30 and went down for breakfast about 9. After breakfast we checked out, stored our bags, and then hiked up to the Sacre Coeur. We can see the church from our hotel and it is absolutely beautiful. Dr. Harf told us not to go up there at night though because the gypsies and thieves are particularly aggressive. So, we went early in the morning and were still haggled quite a bit, but nothing bad happened. The hike up was hot, but it was beautiful inside. Around 11:00 we took the metro to the Champs Elysee to get a good spot for the Tour de France. We all bought t-shirts and other souvenirs and then we found our place to watch. We were right up front and we sat there until about 4:15 when the cyclists came flying by. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. The people standing near us were really nice and they had been there before so they kind of filled us in on what was going on. They had huge screens set up by the side of the road so you could watch the race as it was coming. Then there was a parade of floats from all the different sponsors. Last came the cyclists. It was really cool because the anticipation grew so much. First you would see the cars come flying down the road with the extra bikes on top, then some police motorcycles, then you hear the screams of people further down the road and then the cyclists literally go flying past. They were going SO unbelievably fast. The videos I have of it look like I sped everything up. It is literally a blur. You can’t even see them peddling. They circled around 10 times, but we left after 4 since we had to leave for the train station. It was an amazing experience and I’m so glad I went.
So, after all that excitement we headed back to the hotel to grab our bags and use the toiletts one last time before heading to the train station. The ride back seemed to take forever for some reason, even though it was only 2 hours. After that, we walked back to Byng and I went right to bed.
All in all, it was a great trip. I definitely do prefer London to Paris. There is a lot more to do in London and I feel 100 times safer in London. I did enjoy Paris but I felt like I always had to be on my guard. There were always people coming up to try to trick you to pick your pocket and there were gypsies everywhere. I don’t think I’d like to spend much more than a weekend in Paris, but I would definitely like to go back to France and check out some of the other cities and the countryside a bit more.
I’ve been trying to upload my pictures from Paris, but the internet here is REALLY slow and it hasn’t been cooperating. I did, however, manage to get up an album of just some random pictures from the trip of me and my friends in various places. So, definitely check that out until I can get all my other pics up.
29.7.08
24.7.08
A Day in the Royal Borough of Kensington
Today I spent most of the day in Kensington. We went to the science museum this morning for class. I didn't particularly care for it. I liked the Natural History Museum much better. I thought the Natural History Museum had a much more interesting and scientific collection than the Science Museum, which basically had a lot of gadgets. After the museum my roomie and I ate at the crepe place I love and then we walked to Kensington Park and visited the palace. I really liked Kensington Palace. It was really interesting and reminded me a lot of Kew. There was an interesting display about the deputantes and I loved the paintings and clothing they showed throughout the palace. After the palace we walked down toward the high street and I found my flat in Lexham Gardens. It is so nice and the neighbourhood is cute and quiet, unlike my current location. I LOVE IT! We hung around there for awhile but there didn't seem to be anyone coming or going so I could sneak in. I hope the inside is as nice as the outside. We could kind of see in some of the lower windows. I think I'll really like it there. Compared to Byng, it will be a palace! It will definitely be easier for me to come into High Street Kensington. Lexham Gardens is literally just around the corner...I walked right past the hotel I stayed at with Dr. Piper. It would be a realllly long walk, especially with luggage from S. Kensington. After we checked out my flat we went to H&M where we did some speed shopping for cheap dresses for Paris. It was SO hot here today and it is supposed to be really hot while we're in Paris. I just finished washing a bunch of stuff and packing and I really need to get to bed since we have to leave to catch the train at 5:15 a.m. I can't wait! It should be fun. Nighty night
22.7.08
Takin it easy
The past few days have been nice. I've gone to class in the morning, grabbed lunch, and then relaxed in the park. It's so interesting to go people watch there and just have some time to myself. This afternoon I ate in the park and then wrote some of my papers. It was good to get away from the computer and the craziness of being in such a large group. I have definitely realized my need for independence and quiet on this trip. It is sometimes frustrating being in such a large group because everything takes 10x longer and ends up being more complicated and rushed than necessary. I love the people on the trip. I just need a little break from them. We're always all together 24/7 and I just need some space.
It is really loud living in central London. My bedroom faces out to the street and it is REALLY loud at ALL hours of the day. At night there are loud drunks stumbling in and in the morning the traffic is crazy loud and the cyclists are swearing and garbage trucks are dumping glass bottles. haha It certainly is always an interesting way to wake up in the morning. I loved going to Oxford and out into the Scottish highlands. It was so nice and quiet. I am having a great time here. The parks, even though they are right next to the road, are still somehow a bit quieter and provide me with some sanity. Tonight Krysta and I were craving chocolate cake so we bought a bunch of cakes from Waitrose and brought them back for people at Byng. It made everyone really happy.
I am really tired, so I think I'm going to head to bed early. I'm still trying to get over whatever bug I had. I think I'm getting better, but I'm still not feeling 100% and I still have a nasty sounding cough. I'm feeling a bit less congested though and my ears don't hurt as much. I have had a stomach ache all day today though. Hopefully I'll feel better in the morning and I'll be completely better by this weekend when we're off to Paris!
It is really loud living in central London. My bedroom faces out to the street and it is REALLY loud at ALL hours of the day. At night there are loud drunks stumbling in and in the morning the traffic is crazy loud and the cyclists are swearing and garbage trucks are dumping glass bottles. haha It certainly is always an interesting way to wake up in the morning. I loved going to Oxford and out into the Scottish highlands. It was so nice and quiet. I am having a great time here. The parks, even though they are right next to the road, are still somehow a bit quieter and provide me with some sanity. Tonight Krysta and I were craving chocolate cake so we bought a bunch of cakes from Waitrose and brought them back for people at Byng. It made everyone really happy.
I am really tired, so I think I'm going to head to bed early. I'm still trying to get over whatever bug I had. I think I'm getting better, but I'm still not feeling 100% and I still have a nasty sounding cough. I'm feeling a bit less congested though and my ears don't hurt as much. I have had a stomach ache all day today though. Hopefully I'll feel better in the morning and I'll be completely better by this weekend when we're off to Paris!
19.7.08
Sleeping in
Yay for sleeping in! It was SO nice to be able to sleep in this morning!!! I am so happy to have this weekend free. Yesterday was a lot of fun going out to Oxford and just being able to wander at my own pace and not have to be on some rigid schedule. This morning I slept in and then got up to go to Camden market. There was a lot of really cool stuff there but I just don't have the money to spend. There were also a million people there since it was a saturday morning so it was a bit overwhelming and I had to leave. I met up with my roomie and her friend Emily and we all grabbed lunch together. I've bascially been trying to take it easy today. I think I'm starting to get sick. I've had really bad allergies, mainly to something in the building I think. My eyes have been super itchy and I have the sniffles. The past few days have been particularly bad. I'm super stuffed up, my ears feel are all muffled and feel like they need to pop, and my chest is tight and I have a cough. We did a lot last week and it is half way through the trip so I think I'm just a bit run down. I mean, we're always on the go here. It's nice to have this weekend to just relax, sleep, and hopefully get better.
So I thought I'd make a list of all my favourite places here so far. Or at least the places we tend to frequent.
Night and Day- A pub just off Russell Square. They have delicious chicken pesto baguettes for 4.50.
Wagamama- SO good. It's a Japanese chain restaurant that's all over the place and they have the most amazing food. My personal favourite is the Yaki Soba, which is fried noodles with veggies and chicken. It is AMAZINg. Other people like the chicekn soup, which comes in a HUGE bowl that you could feed a small family with. You can usually get out of there for around 6.45 or 7.50.
Kensington Creperie- Another one of our favourites. We try to go here every week. It is a creperie just around the corner from the South Kensington tube station and the crepes are AWESOME. My personal favourite is the Italian crepe...it is a crepe with mozzerella cheese, fresh basil, and cherry tomatos. YUM! Again you can get out of there for around 7.50.
Yo! Sushi- Is in Brunswick Square which is just off Russell Square. There are lot of them throughout London. Basically you go in, sit down, and there is a conveyer belt that has sushi on it and you pick up what you want. The dishes are each a different colour that corresponds to a price. Mondays & Tuesdays you get a 50% discount on an already cheap meal. They're chicken rice is really good (2.70), edemame (1.70), cucumber sushi rolls (1.70), and they also have unlimited miso soup.
The Rocket- A pub near Euston station, a short walk from Byng. We like going here. It's a fun pub usually open until midnight. A lot of young people, good music, decent priced food. Student discounts. Always a great time.
Cafe in the Park- There is a cafe in Russell Square park that we like to go to for breakfast before class or to grab a coffee before class. It's right across from the school and the prices are reasonable. For breakfast we usually get eggs on toast or a cappaccino. They're cappaccino is great...has tons of cafeine that makes class much more tolerable. Breakfast is about 4.50 and cappaccino is about 1.80.
Ben's Cookies- Only the most AMAZING cookies EVERR! They are sooo moist and delicious, I cannot even begin to describe them. Let's just say if you find a Ben's Cookies DO NOT PASS IT UP. Go for the triple chocolate or the milk chocolate chip. The triple chocolate is, by far, my favourite.
Tesco- The grocery store we usually go to is Tesco. There is a 24 hour express one just across from Russell Square station. They seem to have reasonable prices. I can usually get out of there for around 6.65 which will buy me... a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jelly, milk, cereal, and some chocolate or cookies. There is also a Waitrose in Brunskwick Square (near the Yo! Sushi). It's really nice but a little further of a walk and little more expensive.
Goodge- is our favourite tube stop, or at least we think it's the closest. It's on the northern line. It is really easy to walk up there and there are a lot of cafes and such nearby. Russell Square is also close as is Euston and Holbourn.
We can walk pretty much anywhere from Byng. We're very centrally located. We usually walk to covent garden, leceister square, even trafulgar sqaure is a do-able walk. I really wish I would have brought my pedometer. I can't even begin to guess how many miles I walk each day.
Well, I think it's time to go work on my paper. Roman London circa 200 AD...what a thrilling topic. haha.
So I thought I'd make a list of all my favourite places here so far. Or at least the places we tend to frequent.
Night and Day- A pub just off Russell Square. They have delicious chicken pesto baguettes for 4.50.
Wagamama- SO good. It's a Japanese chain restaurant that's all over the place and they have the most amazing food. My personal favourite is the Yaki Soba, which is fried noodles with veggies and chicken. It is AMAZINg. Other people like the chicekn soup, which comes in a HUGE bowl that you could feed a small family with. You can usually get out of there for around 6.45 or 7.50.
Kensington Creperie- Another one of our favourites. We try to go here every week. It is a creperie just around the corner from the South Kensington tube station and the crepes are AWESOME. My personal favourite is the Italian crepe...it is a crepe with mozzerella cheese, fresh basil, and cherry tomatos. YUM! Again you can get out of there for around 7.50.
Yo! Sushi- Is in Brunswick Square which is just off Russell Square. There are lot of them throughout London. Basically you go in, sit down, and there is a conveyer belt that has sushi on it and you pick up what you want. The dishes are each a different colour that corresponds to a price. Mondays & Tuesdays you get a 50% discount on an already cheap meal. They're chicken rice is really good (2.70), edemame (1.70), cucumber sushi rolls (1.70), and they also have unlimited miso soup.
The Rocket- A pub near Euston station, a short walk from Byng. We like going here. It's a fun pub usually open until midnight. A lot of young people, good music, decent priced food. Student discounts. Always a great time.
Cafe in the Park- There is a cafe in Russell Square park that we like to go to for breakfast before class or to grab a coffee before class. It's right across from the school and the prices are reasonable. For breakfast we usually get eggs on toast or a cappaccino. They're cappaccino is great...has tons of cafeine that makes class much more tolerable. Breakfast is about 4.50 and cappaccino is about 1.80.
Ben's Cookies- Only the most AMAZING cookies EVERR! They are sooo moist and delicious, I cannot even begin to describe them. Let's just say if you find a Ben's Cookies DO NOT PASS IT UP. Go for the triple chocolate or the milk chocolate chip. The triple chocolate is, by far, my favourite.
Tesco- The grocery store we usually go to is Tesco. There is a 24 hour express one just across from Russell Square station. They seem to have reasonable prices. I can usually get out of there for around 6.65 which will buy me... a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jelly, milk, cereal, and some chocolate or cookies. There is also a Waitrose in Brunskwick Square (near the Yo! Sushi). It's really nice but a little further of a walk and little more expensive.
Goodge- is our favourite tube stop, or at least we think it's the closest. It's on the northern line. It is really easy to walk up there and there are a lot of cafes and such nearby. Russell Square is also close as is Euston and Holbourn.
We can walk pretty much anywhere from Byng. We're very centrally located. We usually walk to covent garden, leceister square, even trafulgar sqaure is a do-able walk. I really wish I would have brought my pedometer. I can't even begin to guess how many miles I walk each day.
Well, I think it's time to go work on my paper. Roman London circa 200 AD...what a thrilling topic. haha.
18.7.08
I'm still alive
YAY for the internet!!! This is the first time my internet has worked in the past week. It is such a mess, and it really messes things up for me since all my homework has to be submitted online. Anyways, I don't even remember where I left off last. Scotland was a lot of fun. I really liked the highlands. They were so beautiful. We also went on a ghost tour which was pretty cool. York was alright. I think people built it up too much for me so I was rather disappointed when we got there. The ride home was rediculous! It took soo long to get home. We had to take a series of buses and trains that seemed never ending...kind of like our ride home tonight, I'll get to that later. So let's see, after our weekend in Scotland and York we had a regular week of classes. Monday night we went to see Chicago. It was great. Tuesday night we all hung out around the dorm and then went to this place called the Ice Bar. It was really cool. The whole thing is made of ice and you have to wear a blue parka. The glasses were cool because they were made out of ice. I don't know, it was fun. Wednesday we went to see Into the Hoods, which was AMAZING. I absolutley LOVED it. It was a hip-hop show that was simply A-M-A-ZING. Last night a bunch of us just hung out and went to a pub near us called the Rocket. It is such a small world. So get this, we met these guys at the hostel we were staying at in Scotland, they were both from Australia and one is now living in south london. Anyways, we get to the Rocket and these other guys come over to play cards with us and it turns out they live like 10 minutes away from my friend Krysta. This other guy with them is from Buffalo and their other friend is from Australia and who else do we see at the Rocket but the two australians from scotland who, turns out, live 2 minutes away from the other australian. I'm not sure any of that made sense, but it all comes down to EVERYONE was at the Rocket last night. haha. This morning we slept in until about 9:00 and then we headed to Paddington station to catch a train to Oxford. Four of us went so we got a 'group' rate of 9.50 for a return ticket. The ride out was nice and only about an hour and a half. We spent the afternoon wandering around Oxford, taking pictures, and shopping. It was nice to not be on a strict schedule for a change and to be able to just wander around on our own pace. We were all a bit tired and the weather was deteriorating so we got on the train to come home. The ride back was not so short. We left at 5:20 and we got into the station at 7:00. We stopped at pretty much EVERY station between Oxford and London. Then there were problems on the underground so we had to wait another 45 minutes before the tube even came. Then we got on only to have it break down so we needed to change to another train and then walk back to the dorm. It wasn't that bad, it just took forever. Tonight we're just taking it easy. Some people are out of town for the weekend. I'm working on putting more picutres online. Definitely check them out. I think I'm going to head down to the common room to watch Across the Universe with some people. Hopefully this week I'll have the internet again so I can keep this thing updated.
14.7.08
Scotland and York
The past few days have been very busy but a lot of fun. Our first night in Scotland a small group of us got together and went on a ghost tour of a large cemetary in Edinburgh. It was actually a lot cooler than we had anticipated and was well worth the money. We went on the last tour of the day which left at 10 so it was starting to get dark. Our guide was awesome. The next day we got up early in the morning to get on a bus and drive to the highlands. We spent the day riding the bus and stopping off in different places. We stoped to see the William Wallace staue, which was quite a hike. We literlly had to climb a small mountain to get to the top. It was cool though, and there was a great view. Then we got back on the bus and drove through some of the most beautiful countryside I've ever seen. I loved the highlands. They were SO undescribably beautiful. I tried taking pictures, but they're just not the same and don't do them justice. We took a short potty break and visited Hamish, a large hairy highland cow that is probably one of the most photographed scotts. We got back on the bus and stopped in a small town for lunch and a group picture. Next we headed to The Famous Grouse distillery. We went on a tour of the facility and they taught us about malt whiskey and how it's made and what makes a good whiskey. At the end we had a smell test of the different whiskies and then they gave out free shots. After the distillery we headed back to Edinburgh where we walked around and had a cheap dinner and dessert. We met up with a bunch of people in the lobby of our hostel from Autralia, Wales, and Ireland. They were rather amusing, so we hung out with them for awhile before going to bed.
The next morning we were up early to catch a train to York. We spent about 6 hours in York. We took a bus tour around the city and then we spent the rest of the afternoon walking the wall, eating lunch, and poking around the little side streets and shops. It was nice, but I honestly was expecting something a lot more spectacular since everyone talks about it so much. It was pretty, but after the scottish highlands nothing really compares. Then we got back on the train for about 2 hours, then we had to switch to a bus for about an hour and a half, then we got back on a train to King's Cross, and then we walked back to Byng. It was a long day of crazy transportation. I think I may have liked York better if the transportation would have been easier. The trains were nice though, and when I had one of the table seats it was nice and comfortable. Everyone was really tired last night so we all went to bed early and a lot of people skipped class this morning. I went, and we walked all over London for 4 hours. Then I stopped at the grocery store on my way back from class and now I'm just taking it easy before we go see Chicago tonight. We also just bought tickets to go see Into the Hoods this Wednesday. I'm really exicted for that. It should be a really good hip hop show. We're also thinking about going back to Oxford this Friday. Krysta's sister gets in on Wednesday so we're trying to take her around, plus we didn't have nearly enough time in Oxford on our day trip. Well, I think I'm going to take a power nap to recharge a bit before this evening. I'm so happy to have the internet again, even if the connection is spotty.
The next morning we were up early to catch a train to York. We spent about 6 hours in York. We took a bus tour around the city and then we spent the rest of the afternoon walking the wall, eating lunch, and poking around the little side streets and shops. It was nice, but I honestly was expecting something a lot more spectacular since everyone talks about it so much. It was pretty, but after the scottish highlands nothing really compares. Then we got back on the train for about 2 hours, then we had to switch to a bus for about an hour and a half, then we got back on a train to King's Cross, and then we walked back to Byng. It was a long day of crazy transportation. I think I may have liked York better if the transportation would have been easier. The trains were nice though, and when I had one of the table seats it was nice and comfortable. Everyone was really tired last night so we all went to bed early and a lot of people skipped class this morning. I went, and we walked all over London for 4 hours. Then I stopped at the grocery store on my way back from class and now I'm just taking it easy before we go see Chicago tonight. We also just bought tickets to go see Into the Hoods this Wednesday. I'm really exicted for that. It should be a really good hip hop show. We're also thinking about going back to Oxford this Friday. Krysta's sister gets in on Wednesday so we're trying to take her around, plus we didn't have nearly enough time in Oxford on our day trip. Well, I think I'm going to take a power nap to recharge a bit before this evening. I'm so happy to have the internet again, even if the connection is spotty.
11.7.08
Stupid slow internet
Sorry about the lack of posts the past few days. Our internet has been really messed up. Basically I've just had class as usual during the day and then we've been going out at night. We took the train from King's Cross to Edinburgh today. It was a beautiful 4 hours ride. The weather is rather nice. It rains lightly on and off and it's a bit chilly but nothing to complain about. The other day, on the other hand, it POURED all day long in London. We had to go out to visit the Oxo Tower and we were soaked through by the end of the evening. An umbrella was of no use since the wind was so strong and blowing rain in every direction. Oh! That's what I forgot to mention Krysta and I went to the National Youth Dance Festival on the southbank and it was great! It only cost about £10 and then the next day we got to see short highlights from all the west end shows for free. We are going to go see Chicago Monday night and Wednesday night we are going to hopefully go see Into the Hoods, a really cool looking hip-hop show. Um... what else...I think that's really it. Just classes, museums, and dance shows. Well, I'm in an internet cafe and my time is almost up. I need to get going. So far I love Scotland. It is so beautiful. I can't wait for our trip to the highlands tomorrow.
8.7.08
Just an ordinary day
Today was just another day. I got up, put my sheets out to be washed, walked to school, went to the British Museum, came back, took a nap, went to the Soane Museum, grabbed a coffee, did some homework, went to South Kensington for a crep dinner, went to a sports cafe, found it boring, came back, watched blood diamond with a bunch of people in the common room, and now I am getting ready to go to sleep in a bed with no linens (for some reason they were unable to give me new sheets today, but they were also not able to give me my old sheets back. the cleaner had a very thick accent and I couldn't really tell what he was saying, plus I had just woken up from a nap. The important thing is I should have clean sheets some time tomorrow. I had a fun night in last night. A bunch of us ended up hanging out in the common rooms of Byng and we had a great time playing cards and stuff. I got to bed really late though, so I'm trying to get to sleep at a semi-decent time this evening. Well, that's all. Nothing really to report home about. I'm still having a great time and I think we're going to try to see a dance performance or two this week. I'll keep you posted. Nighty night.
7.7.08
Week two of classes
It's already the start of our second week here. I got up this morning and went to my history of london class. We sat and listened to my professor lecture for about an hour and a half and then we headed over to the Museum of London. Once we were there, we were paired up with another student and we had to write a small paper about a certain section of London under Roman influence in the first, second and third centuries. My partner and I had to write about daily working life. It was interesting. The museum had a lot to offer, but I didn't particularly care for it. It was very dark, confusing, and I just had a very weird feeling in it. And there were tons of little kids there this morning.
I was supposed to go check out the Soane Museum for class tomorrow, but it is closed on Mondays and we were gone all weekend so none of us got that section of the homework done. Tomorrow we will be going to the British Museum for my Musuems and Galleries class. I do like that museum, and it is so close to the school I hope to spend some more time there.
It was really rainy all day today. We even had a bit of thunder in the afternoon. For the most part we all just laid low today. Krysta has been having trouble with her cell phone and oyster card so I walked over to Huron with her to try and get things sorted out. Then we got stuck there for awhile, due to the rain, and then we chatted with Prof. Hertz and Prof. Harf. Once it cleared up a bit we walked back to Byng. We sat and talked with some of our other friends and then we all went out to dinner. I've been really tired all day, even though I went to bed early last night. Maybe I'll go to bed really early tonight. Well, that's pretty much it. It's been a rather uneventful day. I think we might try to go to the Soane tomorrow after class or sometime in the afternoon. Time to socialize with other people from Byng before bed.
I was supposed to go check out the Soane Museum for class tomorrow, but it is closed on Mondays and we were gone all weekend so none of us got that section of the homework done. Tomorrow we will be going to the British Museum for my Musuems and Galleries class. I do like that museum, and it is so close to the school I hope to spend some more time there.
It was really rainy all day today. We even had a bit of thunder in the afternoon. For the most part we all just laid low today. Krysta has been having trouble with her cell phone and oyster card so I walked over to Huron with her to try and get things sorted out. Then we got stuck there for awhile, due to the rain, and then we chatted with Prof. Hertz and Prof. Harf. Once it cleared up a bit we walked back to Byng. We sat and talked with some of our other friends and then we all went out to dinner. I've been really tired all day, even though I went to bed early last night. Maybe I'll go to bed really early tonight. Well, that's pretty much it. It's been a rather uneventful day. I think we might try to go to the Soane tomorrow after class or sometime in the afternoon. Time to socialize with other people from Byng before bed.
6.7.08
Bath, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Hampton Court
Sorry for the minor delay in posts and pictures. We have the internet here at Byng but it can be quite spotty. We've also been really busy travelling the past few days so I haven't had much free time. Our bus has been leaving at 8:30 the past 3 mornings and then we spend a good chunk of the day on the bus travelling from place to place.
BATH
Yesterday we spent the majority of the day in Bath. It was beautiful. For some reason I thought there would be more Roman baths, but the one that we saw was very beautiful. The town around the bath was beatiful as well. I really wish I could back when there are fewer people. There were so many tourists since it was a saturday and there were a lot of locals because there was a small dance showcase and to top off all the chaos there was a wedding taking place as well. As I said, the baths and town were absolutly beatuiful. I really liked the architecture of the area. It has a very quaint feel, minus all the zillions of crazed tourists.
STONEHENGE
After Bath, we road about an hour and a half to Stonehenge. It was pretty much exactly what I was epxecting, a bunch of rocks in the middle of a very random field. For some reason I was under the impression it would be closer to a river, but I wasn't able to see one from the site, but I couldn't see one at Newgrange either. It was very cold and windy, similar to my experience at Newgrange, and the rocks were shorter than I anticipated. In all the professional photographs the monument seems to tall, but in actuality it is quite short. The drive between Bath and Stonehenge was beautiful, but not quite as nice as the drive between Oxford and Stratford. That truly was a BEAUTIFUL drive.
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Today we visited Windsor Castle and Hampton Court. I went to both of these places on a previous trip with Dr. Piper. I am glad I'd already been since our day tours on this trip are rather short and it seems just as we're getting settled on location it is time to get back on the bus. Really, all the places we've visited deserve no less than a FULL day each. I don't know how some tour groups get three to four in in one day.
WINDSOR
We got to Windsor just as it was opening this morning. We went in and a small group of us attended the church service in St. George's Cathedral. It was a very beautiful and moving expereince. Here we are, sitting in the church, in these really old seats (I quite literally had the best seat in the church. I don't know how I managed that) an amazing chorale, candels, beautiful prayers about peace and a sermon about the current struggles of the church, it was very small and peaceful. The church felt nice and warm despite the cold wind and rain outside. After the service we didn't have much time to wander around the rest of the castle, so we waited in line, for about 30 minutes, to see the doll house and walk through the state apartments. We gobbeled down lunch and it was on to the bus and out of the rain we go.
HAMPTON COURT
I really enjoyed our trip to Hampton Court. It was nice to see different parts of it that I had not seen last time. Our guide took us through, what she felt were, the most important parts and gave a us a brief history. Then we had time to wander around. Last time I came I spent a lot of time inside the palace and the kitchen. This time I chose to spend more time outside, despite the cold wind and rain. The gardens were lovely. There were so many beautiful flowers and I am in love the clouds and the sky here. Everything is just so breath-takingly beautiful. I can't imagine what it must have been like to live in such a grand palace. I only have a few photo links in this blog, but I would really encourage you to look through all the Hampton Court pictures on the online photo album. I haven't got time to put captions on each since the internet is so slow here, but they are all pretty obvious, and most are just of the garden. They are just so beautiful.
Well, it's about quarter to eight here. I haven't done my homework yet so I should probably get a move on that. I am enjoying my classes, but I am really really busy. The workload is really heavy, although the content is quite easy. A lot of people complained about it, so hopefully it will lighten a bit. If this were a full semester-long course the work they are asking us to do would be reasonable. Since it is only 6 weeks and we travel on the weekends, however, it is quite hard to find time to get everything done and still go out and explore England. Well, I'm just waiting for my pictures to finish uploading online so I can post the links into this blog then I'll get to the homework.
I'm really having a great time here. I absolutly love England. It's just so me.
PS: When I come for the semester, I will definitely need to pack WARM clothes.
BATH
Yesterday we spent the majority of the day in Bath. It was beautiful. For some reason I thought there would be more Roman baths, but the one that we saw was very beautiful. The town around the bath was beatiful as well. I really wish I could back when there are fewer people. There were so many tourists since it was a saturday and there were a lot of locals because there was a small dance showcase and to top off all the chaos there was a wedding taking place as well. As I said, the baths and town were absolutly beatuiful. I really liked the architecture of the area. It has a very quaint feel, minus all the zillions of crazed tourists.
STONEHENGE
After Bath, we road about an hour and a half to Stonehenge. It was pretty much exactly what I was epxecting, a bunch of rocks in the middle of a very random field. For some reason I was under the impression it would be closer to a river, but I wasn't able to see one from the site, but I couldn't see one at Newgrange either. It was very cold and windy, similar to my experience at Newgrange, and the rocks were shorter than I anticipated. In all the professional photographs the monument seems to tall, but in actuality it is quite short. The drive between Bath and Stonehenge was beautiful, but not quite as nice as the drive between Oxford and Stratford. That truly was a BEAUTIFUL drive.
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Today we visited Windsor Castle and Hampton Court. I went to both of these places on a previous trip with Dr. Piper. I am glad I'd already been since our day tours on this trip are rather short and it seems just as we're getting settled on location it is time to get back on the bus. Really, all the places we've visited deserve no less than a FULL day each. I don't know how some tour groups get three to four in in one day.
WINDSOR
We got to Windsor just as it was opening this morning. We went in and a small group of us attended the church service in St. George's Cathedral. It was a very beautiful and moving expereince. Here we are, sitting in the church, in these really old seats (I quite literally had the best seat in the church. I don't know how I managed that) an amazing chorale, candels, beautiful prayers about peace and a sermon about the current struggles of the church, it was very small and peaceful. The church felt nice and warm despite the cold wind and rain outside. After the service we didn't have much time to wander around the rest of the castle, so we waited in line, for about 30 minutes, to see the doll house and walk through the state apartments. We gobbeled down lunch and it was on to the bus and out of the rain we go.
HAMPTON COURT
I really enjoyed our trip to Hampton Court. It was nice to see different parts of it that I had not seen last time. Our guide took us through, what she felt were, the most important parts and gave a us a brief history. Then we had time to wander around. Last time I came I spent a lot of time inside the palace and the kitchen. This time I chose to spend more time outside, despite the cold wind and rain. The gardens were lovely. There were so many beautiful flowers and I am in love the clouds and the sky here. Everything is just so breath-takingly beautiful. I can't imagine what it must have been like to live in such a grand palace. I only have a few photo links in this blog, but I would really encourage you to look through all the Hampton Court pictures on the online photo album. I haven't got time to put captions on each since the internet is so slow here, but they are all pretty obvious, and most are just of the garden. They are just so beautiful.
Well, it's about quarter to eight here. I haven't done my homework yet so I should probably get a move on that. I am enjoying my classes, but I am really really busy. The workload is really heavy, although the content is quite easy. A lot of people complained about it, so hopefully it will lighten a bit. If this were a full semester-long course the work they are asking us to do would be reasonable. Since it is only 6 weeks and we travel on the weekends, however, it is quite hard to find time to get everything done and still go out and explore England. Well, I'm just waiting for my pictures to finish uploading online so I can post the links into this blog then I'll get to the homework.
I'm really having a great time here. I absolutly love England. It's just so me.
PS: When I come for the semester, I will definitely need to pack WARM clothes.
4.7.08
Oxford and Stratford
Today we got up early and left for Oxford. It was a nice drive, about an hour and a half, maybe a bit more. The longest part of our trip was trying to get out of London. When we got to Oxford we were supposed to be able to go see all these things but they were all closed and we didn't have very much time. I felt bad for everyone since it was their first time and they really didn't get to enjoy it. I think Krysta and I may go back. I think to really enjoy Oxford you need to spend at least a whole day there, not just and hour and a half. We did, however, find a cute place to get a cheap bite to eat. After lunch and a 15 minute walk, our time was up at Oxford and we were rushed back on to the bus and wisked away to Stratford.
The drive from Oxford to Stratford was beautiful. We passed a lot of very typical english scenes of gently rolling hills and sheep. We stopped and visited the Anne Hathaway cottage and took some time to roam around the gardens. Then we went to see the birthplace of Shakespeare. They were both very interesting, beautiful and OLD. After walking through Shakespeare's old house we enjoyed an ice cream cone and took a walk around the small town and then back on the bus we went to get back to London.
The Huron students prepared a BBQ for us tonight as a 4th of July celebration. It was nice to get to talk with some of the other students that go here that aren't in our group.
We had lovely weather for our trips today. It was a bit on the cool side, but at least it didn't rain. Let's hope we have the same luck tomorrow.
Well, that's pretty much it. I'm dead tired. It's been a long day of walking and buses. We have to be on the bus by 8:30 tomorrow morning to go to Bath and Stonehenge. I'm very excited about Bath. I can't wait. Time for bed.
The drive from Oxford to Stratford was beautiful. We passed a lot of very typical english scenes of gently rolling hills and sheep. We stopped and visited the Anne Hathaway cottage and took some time to roam around the gardens. Then we went to see the birthplace of Shakespeare. They were both very interesting, beautiful and OLD. After walking through Shakespeare's old house we enjoyed an ice cream cone and took a walk around the small town and then back on the bus we went to get back to London.
The Huron students prepared a BBQ for us tonight as a 4th of July celebration. It was nice to get to talk with some of the other students that go here that aren't in our group.
We had lovely weather for our trips today. It was a bit on the cool side, but at least it didn't rain. Let's hope we have the same luck tomorrow.
Well, that's pretty much it. I'm dead tired. It's been a long day of walking and buses. We have to be on the bus by 8:30 tomorrow morning to go to Bath and Stonehenge. I'm very excited about Bath. I can't wait. Time for bed.
3.7.08
Day 6: Rain, classes, and walks
This morning we spent an extra long amount of time in the classroom since it was raining rather hard. Once the weather cleared up a bit we went to the Wellcome Collection. It was an awesome msueum. They had an exhibit about medicine and "what it means to be human". There was also a section with random old medical tools, Darwin's walking stick, Napoleon Bonaparte's toothbrush, Lord Nelson's razor,japanese sex toys, a chasity belt and all kinds of other weird odds and ends. It was all very interesting. (Sorry the pictures aren't that clear. I wasn't allowed to use a flash so they got all blurry.) After that we went to the British library where I got to see the Magna Carta, Beatles manuscripts, hand written pieces by Shakespeare, Mozart, Handel and tons and tons of other really old and very famous books and manuscripts.
After class we can back and lunch at the dorm. Then Krysta, Amy, and I went for a walk to Leicester Square and Covent Garden to see if we could find cheap tickets to a show. We ended up finding the best prices online so we'll probably try to see a show next week some time. While we were down in Covent Garden we stopped at Ben's Cookies and had the most AMAZING cookies ever. I got a triple chocolate cookie that was honestly THE BEST COOKIE I have ever tasted in my life. Then we walked back to the dorm and I took a nap until dinner.
Krysta and I went walking around to find a place to eat, and we ended up going to the Night and Day pub where we went the second day we were here. Their food is pretty good and it is a decent price and it's within walking distance of the dorm. After dinner we decided to walk around and go exploring. We walked through Russell Square, down the little side streets near Huron, past the Museum Tavern (a pub we went to the first night in London across from the British Museum), stopped at a starbucks for a chai latte and then made our way back to the dorm. I just finished up some homework and I chatted with a few Huron students down in the common room. Now it's time to get to bed. Our bus leaves tomorrow at 8:30 so I need to be showered, dressed, and fed before 8:15. We're off to Oxford and Stratford tomorrow. In the evening we will be having a BBQ in the courtyard so we'll get a chance to meet other students from Huron and visitng schools.
After class we can back and lunch at the dorm. Then Krysta, Amy, and I went for a walk to Leicester Square and Covent Garden to see if we could find cheap tickets to a show. We ended up finding the best prices online so we'll probably try to see a show next week some time. While we were down in Covent Garden we stopped at Ben's Cookies and had the most AMAZING cookies ever. I got a triple chocolate cookie that was honestly THE BEST COOKIE I have ever tasted in my life. Then we walked back to the dorm and I took a nap until dinner.
Krysta and I went walking around to find a place to eat, and we ended up going to the Night and Day pub where we went the second day we were here. Their food is pretty good and it is a decent price and it's within walking distance of the dorm. After dinner we decided to walk around and go exploring. We walked through Russell Square, down the little side streets near Huron, past the Museum Tavern (a pub we went to the first night in London across from the British Museum), stopped at a starbucks for a chai latte and then made our way back to the dorm. I just finished up some homework and I chatted with a few Huron students down in the common room. Now it's time to get to bed. Our bus leaves tomorrow at 8:30 so I need to be showered, dressed, and fed before 8:15. We're off to Oxford and Stratford tomorrow. In the evening we will be having a BBQ in the courtyard so we'll get a chance to meet other students from Huron and visitng schools.
2.7.08
Day 5: History of London
Today we had a wonderful lecture about the history of London. I really like my professor. He did a wonderful job giving us a crash course of English history from pre-roman times up until 1914. Then we took the tube and went for a walk along the river.
Today we ran into our first rain and it was rather chilly. Actually, the weather has been very much like it usually is at home. After our walk we went to this place near the river called Wagamama. It was DECLICIOUS and it only cost a little over 6 pounds. Then we headed back to Bloomsbury to go visit two museums for tomorrow's class. They were alright. Nothing to really write home about. After that we stopped at Tesco to stock up on some groceries. Most of us have opted for cerial or toast for breakfast and pb&j for lunch or dinner.
I just finished writing up and submitting all my little papers and I think Krysta and I are going to go out and explore a bit on our own. I'll be sure to post again if we discover anything cool and exciting. Otherwise, today was a good day and a busy day. And tomorrow is another day of class before our weekend trips begin!
Today we ran into our first rain and it was rather chilly. Actually, the weather has been very much like it usually is at home. After our walk we went to this place near the river called Wagamama. It was DECLICIOUS and it only cost a little over 6 pounds. Then we headed back to Bloomsbury to go visit two museums for tomorrow's class. They were alright. Nothing to really write home about. After that we stopped at Tesco to stock up on some groceries. Most of us have opted for cerial or toast for breakfast and pb&j for lunch or dinner.
I just finished writing up and submitting all my little papers and I think Krysta and I are going to go out and explore a bit on our own. I'll be sure to post again if we discover anything cool and exciting. Otherwise, today was a good day and a busy day. And tomorrow is another day of class before our weekend trips begin!
1.7.08
Uneventful Day 3 and First Day of Classes Day 4
Not much to report about for Day 3. We spent the majority of the day in orientation listening to various rules and safety tips. After orientation we did go out for dinner at a wonderful Indian restaurant near Covent Garden. After we ate we went to a bar/club called Zoo Bar. One of the girls who had been here before recommended it. It was alright, not really my scene but at least it was free because we went early.
Today we got up and walked to a small cafe in Russel Square Park for breakfast. I had fluffy scrambled eggs on toast with a glass of orange juice for a semi-decent price. The cafe is right across from the school, but there were a lot of people so we had to wait longer than expected and ended up making egg sandwiches to eat on the way to class.
The class I had today was Museums and Galleries. We had the typical first day discussion of course expectations, rules, and procedures, etc. and then we went on our first walk. This afternoon we walked just around the corner from the school to go see the first church in Bloomsbury. It was a very unique building, very different from most other churches I've seen. As we walked toward the church we discussed the "acceptable" and rather "traditional" models of architecture, with the bottom floor appearing to be the largest and the higher floors being smaller to establish a sense of balance. The church, however, was built in the opposite way. It is also interesting because it looks more like a governmental building, from the front, than a church. It's architecture was also controversial because it placed the communion area in the north end of the church rather than the east end, and has a statue of George I on the top of the steeple. This happens to be the only statue of George I.
Another reason for the governmental appearance and statue of George I was becuase of the history of the area and the need for a church in Bloomsbury. Back in the 1550s Bloomsburry was still a very rural area lush with orchards and market gardens. By the 1800s, it was no longer as rural and was actually very built up and one of the most poverty-stricken areas. This area was known as a "Rookery", or a slum. There was also the widespread problem of drinking gin. Things got so bad the government felt the only way to help turn it around would be to establish a church there. Hence the construction of St. George's church. All in all, it is a very intersting building with a facinating history. They also, just recently, cleared out the crypt below the church to rent out the space to raise money to maintain the church. Over 900 people were burried there.
After going to St. George's we went to the Cartoon Museum, which is also just around the corner from the school. It was a small, but very interesting museum. All the pieces were British cartoons, my favourites being Pont's the British Character Series. They were amusing little sketches of "typical" british manners and characteristics.
After class we came back to Byng to veg out for awhile and then we took the tube to Oxford Circus. We stopped at Top Shop and H&M and then as the afternoon dragged on we stopped at a Starbucks to grab a coffee. All shopped out, we headed back to Byng to take a nap before heading down for the "Free Food and Drink" in the dining room. When we came down, the food turned out to be terrible so we opted to go out for dinner. We took the tube to South Kensington and ate at a small creperie less than a block from the station. I had an Italian crepe which was delicious. Then we headed back to Byng where half our group went off the pubs while the other half returned to our rooms to do our homework. Speaking of which, I should stop writing all this and get my homework done.
To give you an idea of the workload, for Museums and Galleries on Thursday I need to have written a response about the history of Bloomsbury, a paper about St. George's, a response to the Cartoon Museum and a commentary on a particular cartoon. Then I have to research and write a brief summary of the Foundling Museum and October Gallery, write my expectations for the galleries, visit the galleries, write a response to my experiences there, and then prepare for Thursday's class by researching and summarizing the British Library and Wellcome Collection, followed by my expectations for the two museums. It's a lot and it will certainly keep me busy, but at least they do not have to be too in depth.
Time to get some of that out of the way so I can get a good night's rest for tomorrow's busy day. I have the History of London tomorrow. We are supposed to go for a Southbank walk from London Bridge to Westminster Bridge after a historical introduction. After that I think we're going to try and go to the Foundling Museum and October Gallery.
Time to go write write write.
Today we got up and walked to a small cafe in Russel Square Park for breakfast. I had fluffy scrambled eggs on toast with a glass of orange juice for a semi-decent price. The cafe is right across from the school, but there were a lot of people so we had to wait longer than expected and ended up making egg sandwiches to eat on the way to class.
The class I had today was Museums and Galleries. We had the typical first day discussion of course expectations, rules, and procedures, etc. and then we went on our first walk. This afternoon we walked just around the corner from the school to go see the first church in Bloomsbury. It was a very unique building, very different from most other churches I've seen. As we walked toward the church we discussed the "acceptable" and rather "traditional" models of architecture, with the bottom floor appearing to be the largest and the higher floors being smaller to establish a sense of balance. The church, however, was built in the opposite way. It is also interesting because it looks more like a governmental building, from the front, than a church. It's architecture was also controversial because it placed the communion area in the north end of the church rather than the east end, and has a statue of George I on the top of the steeple. This happens to be the only statue of George I.
Another reason for the governmental appearance and statue of George I was becuase of the history of the area and the need for a church in Bloomsbury. Back in the 1550s Bloomsburry was still a very rural area lush with orchards and market gardens. By the 1800s, it was no longer as rural and was actually very built up and one of the most poverty-stricken areas. This area was known as a "Rookery", or a slum. There was also the widespread problem of drinking gin. Things got so bad the government felt the only way to help turn it around would be to establish a church there. Hence the construction of St. George's church. All in all, it is a very intersting building with a facinating history. They also, just recently, cleared out the crypt below the church to rent out the space to raise money to maintain the church. Over 900 people were burried there.
After going to St. George's we went to the Cartoon Museum, which is also just around the corner from the school. It was a small, but very interesting museum. All the pieces were British cartoons, my favourites being Pont's the British Character Series. They were amusing little sketches of "typical" british manners and characteristics.
After class we came back to Byng to veg out for awhile and then we took the tube to Oxford Circus. We stopped at Top Shop and H&M and then as the afternoon dragged on we stopped at a Starbucks to grab a coffee. All shopped out, we headed back to Byng to take a nap before heading down for the "Free Food and Drink" in the dining room. When we came down, the food turned out to be terrible so we opted to go out for dinner. We took the tube to South Kensington and ate at a small creperie less than a block from the station. I had an Italian crepe which was delicious. Then we headed back to Byng where half our group went off the pubs while the other half returned to our rooms to do our homework. Speaking of which, I should stop writing all this and get my homework done.
To give you an idea of the workload, for Museums and Galleries on Thursday I need to have written a response about the history of Bloomsbury, a paper about St. George's, a response to the Cartoon Museum and a commentary on a particular cartoon. Then I have to research and write a brief summary of the Foundling Museum and October Gallery, write my expectations for the galleries, visit the galleries, write a response to my experiences there, and then prepare for Thursday's class by researching and summarizing the British Library and Wellcome Collection, followed by my expectations for the two museums. It's a lot and it will certainly keep me busy, but at least they do not have to be too in depth.
Time to get some of that out of the way so I can get a good night's rest for tomorrow's busy day. I have the History of London tomorrow. We are supposed to go for a Southbank walk from London Bridge to Westminster Bridge after a historical introduction. After that I think we're going to try and go to the Foundling Museum and October Gallery.
Time to go write write write.
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