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.
4.7.08
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.
29.6.08
Day Two Adventures
So far I really love London. It is just such an interesting and beautiful place. There are so many intricate little side streets to get lost on and parks to relax in. The whole city is so easy to get around, and the weather is perfect. It’s exactly the kind of cool, semi-cloudy weather I love.
I slept quite well last night. It was a bit noisy since my room looks out on the main road, but I was so tired I could have slept through anything. Between 4:00-7:00 a.m. all was silent. It was so nice. I woke up around 5:00 a.m. to find the sun already completely up and I felt well rested. I didn’t need to get up until 10:00 so I went back to sleep for a few hours. I finally rolled out of bed around 9:00, went upstairs to shower, then I wandered down the street to find a café for breakfast and a coffee. My roomie and I ended up finding the Goodage tube station, which I think is the closest even though everyone else seems to like Euston.
After grabbing a grande chai latte I headed back to Byng to meet up with everyone for the scavenger hunt. Dr. Harf divided us into 10 groups. We basically had a list of really random things that we needed to go find and take pictures of. The whole concept was to get us out and about and exploring the city. There were 3 people in my group, myself included. We stopped at Euston so the girls could buy an oyster card, I topped mine off, and then we headed down to South Kensington. The oyster cards are great. It costs £3 to buy a card and then you just put how ever much money you want on it as you go. It is so easy to use and very easy to top off. The best part is, is the most they will charge you on it per day is £5.30 which is the cost of an all day pass. So even if you’re doing a lot of traveling around in one day, it will never cost you more than a full day ticket.
We ended up doing a lot more roaming around of our own rather than looking for things on the list for the scavenger hunt. I think we got to see more interesting places that way. We popped into the V&A and then passed the Natural History Museum, strolled through Kensington Garden where we looked at the Peter Pan statue. Then we walked past Royal Albert Hall and stopped at a small café for lunch. After that we got on the tube and headed to St. James’s Park. We walked through the park, went by Buckingham Palace, walked down the Mall, passed Parliament and Big Ben and then we got to Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Sqaure was PACKED! There were so many people. I guess today they were having a Jewish celebration of sorts which turned into a rather controversial scene. Everyone was yelling and waving flags. The whole thing turned into an anti-Israel pro-Palestine event. People were waving Palestinian flags and handing out fliers about how we are killing Palestine and Israel needs to perish. In short, it was a rather scary scene and we left as quickly as possible.
After all that, we headed back to Byng to freshen up before meeting with the rest of the group at a pub called Night and Day. It is a very nice place and they have excellent food. It was very clean and well kept and just down the road from the building we have classes in. I ordered a chicken, mozzarella, and pesto baguette for £4.50 with a glass of ice cold water which tasted amazing.
Between lugging all my bags here, walking for 5 hours today, and going up and down the 70+ stairs to get to and from my room I have definitely been getting a good workout.
Right now a small group of us walked back to Byng to shower and take a short nap. I think later this evening we will go to a pub to watch a game of football. I really like Kensington. Everything was so beautiful and interesting around there. I think I’ll really enjoy living there in the fall. Later in the trip after I’ve gotten a feel for how classes are going, I would like to go back to Kensington and poke around a bit more and find exactly where I’ll be.
I just got back from Blackfriar Pub. I absolutely LOVE it. It is my favourite place so far. It is exactly the kind of place I’ve been hoping to find. It is right at the top of the tube station and it is a really cool looking building. The atmosphere inside is so warm and cozy and I just got a sense of peace. It is the perfect place to curl up in the corner and read a book or write a paper. I REALLY love it.
Tomorrow morning a bunch of us are going to go to this place near the school for breakfast. One of the girls that is here came on the trip last year so she knows a lot of cool places to go. We have orientation from 9:30-7:00 tomorrow. It’s going to be a long day. We have two walkikng tours we have to go on and then a bunch of mandatory meetings. I just got the internet on my computer tonight, hence the late posts. We weren’t supposed to get the passcode until tomorrow but one of the girls that lives here told us what it was. So, that means I will definitely be able to post daily :)
I slept quite well last night. It was a bit noisy since my room looks out on the main road, but I was so tired I could have slept through anything. Between 4:00-7:00 a.m. all was silent. It was so nice. I woke up around 5:00 a.m. to find the sun already completely up and I felt well rested. I didn’t need to get up until 10:00 so I went back to sleep for a few hours. I finally rolled out of bed around 9:00, went upstairs to shower, then I wandered down the street to find a café for breakfast and a coffee. My roomie and I ended up finding the Goodage tube station, which I think is the closest even though everyone else seems to like Euston.
After grabbing a grande chai latte I headed back to Byng to meet up with everyone for the scavenger hunt. Dr. Harf divided us into 10 groups. We basically had a list of really random things that we needed to go find and take pictures of. The whole concept was to get us out and about and exploring the city. There were 3 people in my group, myself included. We stopped at Euston so the girls could buy an oyster card, I topped mine off, and then we headed down to South Kensington. The oyster cards are great. It costs £3 to buy a card and then you just put how ever much money you want on it as you go. It is so easy to use and very easy to top off. The best part is, is the most they will charge you on it per day is £5.30 which is the cost of an all day pass. So even if you’re doing a lot of traveling around in one day, it will never cost you more than a full day ticket.
We ended up doing a lot more roaming around of our own rather than looking for things on the list for the scavenger hunt. I think we got to see more interesting places that way. We popped into the V&A and then passed the Natural History Museum, strolled through Kensington Garden where we looked at the Peter Pan statue. Then we walked past Royal Albert Hall and stopped at a small café for lunch. After that we got on the tube and headed to St. James’s Park. We walked through the park, went by Buckingham Palace, walked down the Mall, passed Parliament and Big Ben and then we got to Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Sqaure was PACKED! There were so many people. I guess today they were having a Jewish celebration of sorts which turned into a rather controversial scene. Everyone was yelling and waving flags. The whole thing turned into an anti-Israel pro-Palestine event. People were waving Palestinian flags and handing out fliers about how we are killing Palestine and Israel needs to perish. In short, it was a rather scary scene and we left as quickly as possible.
After all that, we headed back to Byng to freshen up before meeting with the rest of the group at a pub called Night and Day. It is a very nice place and they have excellent food. It was very clean and well kept and just down the road from the building we have classes in. I ordered a chicken, mozzarella, and pesto baguette for £4.50 with a glass of ice cold water which tasted amazing.
Between lugging all my bags here, walking for 5 hours today, and going up and down the 70+ stairs to get to and from my room I have definitely been getting a good workout.
Right now a small group of us walked back to Byng to shower and take a short nap. I think later this evening we will go to a pub to watch a game of football. I really like Kensington. Everything was so beautiful and interesting around there. I think I’ll really enjoy living there in the fall. Later in the trip after I’ve gotten a feel for how classes are going, I would like to go back to Kensington and poke around a bit more and find exactly where I’ll be.
I just got back from Blackfriar Pub. I absolutely LOVE it. It is my favourite place so far. It is exactly the kind of place I’ve been hoping to find. It is right at the top of the tube station and it is a really cool looking building. The atmosphere inside is so warm and cozy and I just got a sense of peace. It is the perfect place to curl up in the corner and read a book or write a paper. I REALLY love it.
Tomorrow morning a bunch of us are going to go to this place near the school for breakfast. One of the girls that is here came on the trip last year so she knows a lot of cool places to go. We have orientation from 9:30-7:00 tomorrow. It’s going to be a long day. We have two walkikng tours we have to go on and then a bunch of mandatory meetings. I just got the internet on my computer tonight, hence the late posts. We weren’t supposed to get the passcode until tomorrow but one of the girls that lives here told us what it was. So, that means I will definitely be able to post daily :)
Moving In
Well, here I am. I made it to Byng Place safely and with all my luggage! Both of my flights were delayed due to weather, but at least I didn’t miss my connecting flight. The first plane I was on was super tiny. I guess that made the big plane feel even more comfortable.
I got through the Chicago airport no problems, and I didn’t have a problem getting through Heathrow either. Immigration, on the other hand, was another story all together. The guy was nice he was just doing his job, and he was all confused as to why I had a visa in there for a trip I haven’t gone on yet. After a torrent of questions he finally let me through.
I found my way to baggage reclaim and the underground. It was really hot in the airport. Everyone was sweating buckets. I bought a day pass for the tube from the self-serve machine and I caught the first train to Cockfosters. The ride was very nice. A lot of it was above ground once we got away from the airport so I got to see a lot of little neighbourhoods between the airport and Bloomsbury. It was interesting to see the different people getting on in different places. At one of the stops it was all Middle Eastern people, at another it was all Hispanic and so on. The tricky part of my journey came when they announced that the Russell Square station would be closed for the duration of the weekend for maintenance. I had to leap off the subway at Holbourn and then walk to Byng, which is easier said than done.
All the directions I was given were from Russell Square, but luckily I had a small map that helped me wiggle my way through the side streets. I tried to look for big things I knew like the British Museum and Russell Square. Once I found those, I was pretty much set. My back and shoulders are soar though from lugging around my backpack and suitcase. I was wandering around, semi-lost, for about half an hour if not more. The weather here is beautiful, just not when you’re wearing a black turtleneck and lugging bags equivalent to half your total body weight.
The dorm is a rather typical dorm. I have pictures on my online photo album if you’d like to see them. I am in room 309, which is really the fourth floor since the first floor is the ground floor. I’ll definitely get my workout climbing up and down the stairs all day long.
The view is really nice from my room. It looks out over the main road, a small park is slightly to the left, a pretty brick building to the right, a beautiful cathedral, and a set of red phone booths and weathered wood benches.
I guess a lot of students were having trouble with their flights being delayed so not many people ended up going to Coven Garden. We’ll do that another weekend. I actually preferred it this way. I had time to get settled in and all organized. Then I took a short 40 minute power nap. I only got about 2 hours sleep on the plane, so I’m rather tired.
Around 7:30 we all met up in the common room downstairs to go to these two pubs. The first we went to was called College Arms. It was a nice little pub if you wanted to take in a soccer game. That pub didn’t serve food, at least not at night, so we headed over to the Museum Tavern. There people ordered food and more drinks. The tavern is located right across the street from the British Museum. It has a lot of dark wood and a very warm feeling but I think it usually attracts an older crowd than our group.
Then a group of us walked back and missed the turn to Byng so we found Euston station. We just overshot the dorm by a block. It was a nice walkl though. A group of us did a little exploring around the dorm and found a few computers and a small kitchenette on the first floor.
That’s about it for today. All in all it was a rather smooth journey, minus the long hot walk from Holburn to Byng. Even that I think was a good thing. It made me a bit more familiar with the roads around here.
Well, I think I’m going to get ready for bed. I’m tired from traveling and we have a long day of walking and adventures tomorrow. We are going on a scavenger hunt from 11-5 in randomly assigned groups. Hopefully I won’t get too lost with my group, and hopefully I’ll make some good new friends.
I got through the Chicago airport no problems, and I didn’t have a problem getting through Heathrow either. Immigration, on the other hand, was another story all together. The guy was nice he was just doing his job, and he was all confused as to why I had a visa in there for a trip I haven’t gone on yet. After a torrent of questions he finally let me through.
I found my way to baggage reclaim and the underground. It was really hot in the airport. Everyone was sweating buckets. I bought a day pass for the tube from the self-serve machine and I caught the first train to Cockfosters. The ride was very nice. A lot of it was above ground once we got away from the airport so I got to see a lot of little neighbourhoods between the airport and Bloomsbury. It was interesting to see the different people getting on in different places. At one of the stops it was all Middle Eastern people, at another it was all Hispanic and so on. The tricky part of my journey came when they announced that the Russell Square station would be closed for the duration of the weekend for maintenance. I had to leap off the subway at Holbourn and then walk to Byng, which is easier said than done.
All the directions I was given were from Russell Square, but luckily I had a small map that helped me wiggle my way through the side streets. I tried to look for big things I knew like the British Museum and Russell Square. Once I found those, I was pretty much set. My back and shoulders are soar though from lugging around my backpack and suitcase. I was wandering around, semi-lost, for about half an hour if not more. The weather here is beautiful, just not when you’re wearing a black turtleneck and lugging bags equivalent to half your total body weight.
The dorm is a rather typical dorm. I have pictures on my online photo album if you’d like to see them. I am in room 309, which is really the fourth floor since the first floor is the ground floor. I’ll definitely get my workout climbing up and down the stairs all day long.
The view is really nice from my room. It looks out over the main road, a small park is slightly to the left, a pretty brick building to the right, a beautiful cathedral, and a set of red phone booths and weathered wood benches.
I guess a lot of students were having trouble with their flights being delayed so not many people ended up going to Coven Garden. We’ll do that another weekend. I actually preferred it this way. I had time to get settled in and all organized. Then I took a short 40 minute power nap. I only got about 2 hours sleep on the plane, so I’m rather tired.
Around 7:30 we all met up in the common room downstairs to go to these two pubs. The first we went to was called College Arms. It was a nice little pub if you wanted to take in a soccer game. That pub didn’t serve food, at least not at night, so we headed over to the Museum Tavern. There people ordered food and more drinks. The tavern is located right across the street from the British Museum. It has a lot of dark wood and a very warm feeling but I think it usually attracts an older crowd than our group.
Then a group of us walked back and missed the turn to Byng so we found Euston station. We just overshot the dorm by a block. It was a nice walkl though. A group of us did a little exploring around the dorm and found a few computers and a small kitchenette on the first floor.
That’s about it for today. All in all it was a rather smooth journey, minus the long hot walk from Holburn to Byng. Even that I think was a good thing. It made me a bit more familiar with the roads around here.
Well, I think I’m going to get ready for bed. I’m tired from traveling and we have a long day of walking and adventures tomorrow. We are going on a scavenger hunt from 11-5 in randomly assigned groups. Hopefully I won’t get too lost with my group, and hopefully I’ll make some good new friends.
26.6.08
Here we go!
Hi everyone!
I cannot believe I'm going to England tomorrow! I should be getting into London around 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.
To keep in touch with everyone I have set up a blog site as well as an online photo album. I am hoping that I will be able to get to a computer with internet access on a daily basis to write about my experiences and share my photos with you all. Right now the sites are empty, obviously since I'm not there yet, but I have included the links below. If I cannot get to a computer daily, I will try posting on the site as often as I can to make sure you all get the latest and greatest.
It looks like I will be in class Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The two classes I'm taking are Museums and Galleries and The History of London. These classes are "Into the Streets" courses which means instead of sitting in a classroom to learn, we will take walking tours and visit various museums, galleries, and historical sites. I will also be getting credit for my general experiences there. Aside from all the amazing places I will get to see in my classes my weekend itinerary is as follows.
27 June: Covent Garden and Mini-Pub Crawl
28 June: Photo Scavanger Hunt around London
4 July: Stratford, Oxford, and Fourth of July part
5 July: Stonehenge and Bath
6 July: Windsor Castle and Hampton Court
11 July: Edinburgh Castle
12 July: Scottish Highlands
13 July: York
25 July: Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Latin Quarter
26 July: Paris, Eiffle Tower, Arc de Tromphe, Napoleon's tomb, Louvre, cruise the Seine
27 July: Last day of the Tour De France
Well, I think that's about it. Time to go repack a few things. I'd like to lighten my load a bit more.
Here is the link for my online photo album. Feel free to comment and check them daily.
Photo Album: http://amarquardt.myphotoalbum.com/
I cannot believe I'm going to England tomorrow! I should be getting into London around 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.
To keep in touch with everyone I have set up a blog site as well as an online photo album. I am hoping that I will be able to get to a computer with internet access on a daily basis to write about my experiences and share my photos with you all. Right now the sites are empty, obviously since I'm not there yet, but I have included the links below. If I cannot get to a computer daily, I will try posting on the site as often as I can to make sure you all get the latest and greatest.
It looks like I will be in class Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The two classes I'm taking are Museums and Galleries and The History of London. These classes are "Into the Streets" courses which means instead of sitting in a classroom to learn, we will take walking tours and visit various museums, galleries, and historical sites. I will also be getting credit for my general experiences there. Aside from all the amazing places I will get to see in my classes my weekend itinerary is as follows.
27 June: Covent Garden and Mini-Pub Crawl
28 June: Photo Scavanger Hunt around London
4 July: Stratford, Oxford, and Fourth of July part
5 July: Stonehenge and Bath
6 July: Windsor Castle and Hampton Court
11 July: Edinburgh Castle
12 July: Scottish Highlands
13 July: York
25 July: Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Latin Quarter
26 July: Paris, Eiffle Tower, Arc de Tromphe, Napoleon's tomb, Louvre, cruise the Seine
27 July: Last day of the Tour De France
Well, I think that's about it. Time to go repack a few things. I'd like to lighten my load a bit more.
Here is the link for my online photo album. Feel free to comment and check them daily.
Photo Album: http://amarquardt.myphotoalbum.com/
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