So this semester I am currently living in a home-stay. I selected the home-stay option in November. I found out their ADDRESS in late January, and I came to Paris still with no idea WHO THEY ARE?! It still baffles me how they couldn't just let me know the AGES and NUMBER of people in my home-stay. Truly unbelievable.
As I said in a previous post, the first night I stayed in a hotel. After going through all the previously described orientation items, we finally got our home-stay information!!! The woman had a full, typed out sheet about my family. (How about attaching that baby to an email and sending it out??) She told me I would be staying in one of the swankiest (my words, not hers) parts of Paris. When she pulled out my sheet, her face lit up, and she said, "Quelle chance!" (aka What luck!). This instantly made me excited. She explained how my madame is a widow (late 50's/early 60's) with four kids. She works part-time at a museum near her apartment. The only people that live in er apartment are another exchange student (a girl (named Oksana) from "Russia", but she's from Uzbekistan) and my madame. One of her sons (named Max) still lives in the building, but not in the apartment. However, he can reach the apartment through a door in the kitchen, but he has no bathroom or kitchen.
(Okay, that sounds confusing right? Try hearing that s**t in French on your second day in Paris. I felt so dumb because I thought my comprehension was way off, but I heard her right. My home-stay exchange sister later explained that Max lives in what used to be considered the "maid's quarters". Thus, connected to the kitchen, but still on a part of the apartment. It is an old building, but still, weird.)
Her husband, when he was alive, restored old paintings. She said her apartment is covered in beautiful art and is just stunning. I asked how her husband passed away, but I couldn't really understand her. I think she said it was his heart, but then said in English, "that kind of stuff happens..." I just giggled in my head about that response because it was the only thing she said in English (it was extremely broken English too). Anyway, after she explained all that, she kept the sheet with all of the information about their lives on it. She handed me a separate sheet on how to get into the building and how to take the best metro route from her apartment to school.
After everyone spoke with Beatrice about their home-stay, we all went back to the hotel to collect our suitcases. We then each took our own cabs to our new homes! My cab was the last of the 25 cabs to come because my madame was still at work. As the cab took me to this random woman's house (I probably will never call it home), I couldn't help but notice the amazing area I would be living in. There are tons of cute, little boutiques. I'm sandwiched between two massive and beautiful churches (St. Sulpice and St. Germain). By sandwiched, I mean I am 50 feet from one and a block from the other. Cafes and other little restaurants also line the streets. It's a perfect location and probably the best of anyone on the trip. So after the quick 8 minute cab drive, I was finally dropped off in front of the place I'd being staying at while in Paris (again, not home). I had no idea what to expect, but I just dived in. "Bonsoir, Madame..."
Friday 4 March 2011
Orientation...
So after an awesome first day in Paris, day two consisted of orientation all day until 4pm. Then, at 4pm, we FINALLY would get our home-stay information (this will be thoroughly explained in the next post). It was a very nerving racking day because everyone just wanted to find out information on their home-stay.
The first part of orientation just explained everything banking. It explained that the currency is the Euro. Each bill and coin is a different size based on value (50's are huge, while 5's are like Monopoly™ money). They told us which ATM's to NOT use because they liked to eat international cards. They explained how American credit cards didn't have the "pus" or chip, so you would need to explain to some places that they need to swipe it (by explain, they mean do a swiping motion).
After money, they moved onto the Metro. They tried to scare us by going way over the top about it. They saidwe would get pick-pocketed on the Metro. It was a foregone conclusion. We would stick out like dumb Americans and be prime targets for thugs. And we shouldn't ride the Metro late at night!! Absolutely not, that's when all the scary bad men come out... Needless to say, I haven't felt unsafe on the Metro yet. I have listened to my iPod, played games on my cell phone and even almost fell asleep once. No pickpockets and no trouble yet (knocking on wood).
Outside of that, orientation was pretty uneventful. They went over emergency contacts and how to call the police/fire department. After six hours of endless meetings and stuff, we finally got to the topic everyone wanted to talk about: our home-stays!
The first part of orientation just explained everything banking. It explained that the currency is the Euro. Each bill and coin is a different size based on value (50's are huge, while 5's are like Monopoly™ money). They told us which ATM's to NOT use because they liked to eat international cards. They explained how American credit cards didn't have the "pus" or chip, so you would need to explain to some places that they need to swipe it (by explain, they mean do a swiping motion).
After money, they moved onto the Metro. They tried to scare us by going way over the top about it. They saidwe would get pick-pocketed on the Metro. It was a foregone conclusion. We would stick out like dumb Americans and be prime targets for thugs. And we shouldn't ride the Metro late at night!! Absolutely not, that's when all the scary bad men come out... Needless to say, I haven't felt unsafe on the Metro yet. I have listened to my iPod, played games on my cell phone and even almost fell asleep once. No pickpockets and no trouble yet (knocking on wood).
Outside of that, orientation was pretty uneventful. They went over emergency contacts and how to call the police/fire department. After six hours of endless meetings and stuff, we finally got to the topic everyone wanted to talk about: our home-stays!
Thursday 3 March 2011
My First Day Part 3
So upon arrival, I checked in at the front desk of ACCENT and received information about the first few week of orientation, meetings, and class. I guess the people who had arrived early were being given a walking tour of the neighborhood. I had gotten there around 1:45pm-ish, while some people had arrived at 9am... The woman behind the desk assured me that I didn't miss anything, and I could use the computers if I wanted. This is where I met the first person from my program. She had actually been in London for the past week as well and took the train that left 30 minutes before mine. It was bizarre.
After people got back from the tour, there was a group of eight or so of us that went exploring around ACCENT. We stopped at a Monoprix (kind of a Target-like store with a much larger/better selection of groceries). While there, I tried to help some of the girls find hair-driers. None of us knew how to say hair-drier in French (not one of the first words you learn...), so we wandered around the store for a bit. After no luck, one of the girls described in French what we were looking for and were told they had none left. (After a few weeks, we realized it is EXTREMELY difficult to find a Monoprix with hair-driers in stock). Before leaving there, I also purchased my first food in France: a pre-made cheese sandwich. Mmm, tasty I know...
After Monoprix, we found the hotel that we'd be staying at the first night. It was typical European where you leave your key at the front desk (keep this in mind). It looked pretty classy, but was exceptionally weird. They did have an elevator, but it was in the MIDDLE of each staircase. Which means, you had to drag your suitcase up half a set of stairs. Then, you get off a half floor above your actual floor. So I needed to go to the 4th floor, it opened in between floors 4 and 5... Also, it could fit THREE people or 225 kg (495 pounds or about 165 pounds per person). Meaning it would take about 2, but more likely 3 trips in the elevator to take my family of five up to our room. Another weird thing was we got a room for three people. There were three twin beds with about two inches of space between them. It was like a super king-size bed. It was creepy.
After dropping off the bags, some people napped, and others continued wandering. We stumbled upon "le jardin des plantes". It's supposed to be really pretty when everything is blooming in the spring. There will also be a zoo there with tons of animals. However, at the start of February, there is just bare trees and empty cages. It was still easy on the eyes though.
Once we got back to the hotel, we decided to go to dinner at 8pm (it was 6:30pm at the time). My roommate for the night had decided to nap, but I took the key and left it at the front desk before leaving (I wanted to be able to get back into the room without needing to bang it down). So I go to the front desk to retrieve the key, and the key for room 402 is gone (or so I thought at the time). Therefore, I awkwardly chill in this room of three girls because I thought my roommate had taken the key, but forgot to leave it at the desk. I stayed there for about an hour, then we went downstairs to wait for my roommate to come back. After waiting in the lobby for about 10 minutes, I look again at the key rack. I realized I read the board wrong. The key for room 502 was missing, but 402 had been there the whole....... ...... I just felt so dumb.
After retrieving my roommate, a group of six of us went to this little crêperie by the hotel. We dined on galettes (dinner crepes) and crepes (name reserved for sweeter, dessert crepes). The waiter was a charming young Frenchman who asked us, in French, what we wanted, but added, "I speak English too if it makes it easier for you...". I should have asked what it was that I ordered, but I mistakenly got a galette with blood sausage in it. (NEVER order anything with the word boudin in it). It's amazing how I will never forget what that word means now. At the time, I didn't know what it was, and it tasted fine. Although, I could just be saying that because I was starving.
Anyway, we got a bottle of wine with dinner and cider with dessert. The waiter said it was common in France to have cider with the sweeter, dessert crepes. It was served in a teapot, and we drank it out of teacups. I looked around the restaurant and saw a number of other tables were doing the same. After finishing dinner, my roommate and I went to a few of the cafes in the area. The drinks in Paris are expensive. It was so depressing paying the equivalent of five dollars 4.7 ounces of wine (14 centiliters), which is a little less than a glass of wine (5.5 ounces). We chatted with one of the bartenders who said our French was really good for it being our first night in Paris. He also explained that in a restaurant, and other public places, the bathroom is called a W.C. (pronounced Vay-Say for water closet). A "salle de bains" (the word they taught us in all French classes) is supposed to include a shower and/or tub. It was a great little tip. After a few crepes and a few glasses of wine, we moseyed on back to hotel for a good night's sleep. What a wonderful first day in Paris.
After people got back from the tour, there was a group of eight or so of us that went exploring around ACCENT. We stopped at a Monoprix (kind of a Target-like store with a much larger/better selection of groceries). While there, I tried to help some of the girls find hair-driers. None of us knew how to say hair-drier in French (not one of the first words you learn...), so we wandered around the store for a bit. After no luck, one of the girls described in French what we were looking for and were told they had none left. (After a few weeks, we realized it is EXTREMELY difficult to find a Monoprix with hair-driers in stock). Before leaving there, I also purchased my first food in France: a pre-made cheese sandwich. Mmm, tasty I know...
After Monoprix, we found the hotel that we'd be staying at the first night. It was typical European where you leave your key at the front desk (keep this in mind). It looked pretty classy, but was exceptionally weird. They did have an elevator, but it was in the MIDDLE of each staircase. Which means, you had to drag your suitcase up half a set of stairs. Then, you get off a half floor above your actual floor. So I needed to go to the 4th floor, it opened in between floors 4 and 5... Also, it could fit THREE people or 225 kg (495 pounds or about 165 pounds per person). Meaning it would take about 2, but more likely 3 trips in the elevator to take my family of five up to our room. Another weird thing was we got a room for three people. There were three twin beds with about two inches of space between them. It was like a super king-size bed. It was creepy.
After dropping off the bags, some people napped, and others continued wandering. We stumbled upon "le jardin des plantes". It's supposed to be really pretty when everything is blooming in the spring. There will also be a zoo there with tons of animals. However, at the start of February, there is just bare trees and empty cages. It was still easy on the eyes though.
Once we got back to the hotel, we decided to go to dinner at 8pm (it was 6:30pm at the time). My roommate for the night had decided to nap, but I took the key and left it at the front desk before leaving (I wanted to be able to get back into the room without needing to bang it down). So I go to the front desk to retrieve the key, and the key for room 402 is gone (or so I thought at the time). Therefore, I awkwardly chill in this room of three girls because I thought my roommate had taken the key, but forgot to leave it at the desk. I stayed there for about an hour, then we went downstairs to wait for my roommate to come back. After waiting in the lobby for about 10 minutes, I look again at the key rack. I realized I read the board wrong. The key for room 502 was missing, but 402 had been there the whole....... ...... I just felt so dumb.
After retrieving my roommate, a group of six of us went to this little crêperie by the hotel. We dined on galettes (dinner crepes) and crepes (name reserved for sweeter, dessert crepes). The waiter was a charming young Frenchman who asked us, in French, what we wanted, but added, "I speak English too if it makes it easier for you...". I should have asked what it was that I ordered, but I mistakenly got a galette with blood sausage in it. (NEVER order anything with the word boudin in it). It's amazing how I will never forget what that word means now. At the time, I didn't know what it was, and it tasted fine. Although, I could just be saying that because I was starving.
Anyway, we got a bottle of wine with dinner and cider with dessert. The waiter said it was common in France to have cider with the sweeter, dessert crepes. It was served in a teapot, and we drank it out of teacups. I looked around the restaurant and saw a number of other tables were doing the same. After finishing dinner, my roommate and I went to a few of the cafes in the area. The drinks in Paris are expensive. It was so depressing paying the equivalent of five dollars 4.7 ounces of wine (14 centiliters), which is a little less than a glass of wine (5.5 ounces). We chatted with one of the bartenders who said our French was really good for it being our first night in Paris. He also explained that in a restaurant, and other public places, the bathroom is called a W.C. (pronounced Vay-Say for water closet). A "salle de bains" (the word they taught us in all French classes) is supposed to include a shower and/or tub. It was a great little tip. After a few crepes and a few glasses of wine, we moseyed on back to hotel for a good night's sleep. What a wonderful first day in Paris.
Wednesday 2 March 2011
My First Day Part 2
So I sheepishly collected my suitcase from the rack and made my way off the train. I remember the air smelling different, and it was much sunnier than in London. Instantly, people were speaking French. I was like, "what the hey..." For some reason, I forgot that I was going to a country where they spoke a different language. Weird, I know.
The first thing I needed to do was get cash from the ATM. I joined a line and figured out how to work the machine. The instructions were in French, of course. I kind of aimlessly wandered around the station for about five minutes. I wanted to make sure I was leaving from the correct exit, and I wanted to be able to get a cab. I had written the address of my school on a sheet of a paper on the train because I wanted to be sure the cab driver knew where he was going.
I proceeded to the line of people waiting for cabs. I had been warned at orientation to only take the cabs that lined up at the "taxi" stands. As I was waiting for a cab, I saw a homeless person begging for money. After spending spring break in Italy during high school, I wasn't that thrown off by all the beggars. However, I did think it was a bit desperate to pick up a lit, unfinished cigarette off the ground. He then smoked it and continued begging. Ah, France.
After about 10 minutes, I snagged a cab and handed the driver the slip of paper with the address. He helped me with my bag and took me to my school. It was awesome just looking at all the buildings around Paris. I'll never forget the first time I saw the Bastille (now I see it nearly everyday). The sun was shining, and there were at least 100 cars whizzing around the Bastille. It reaffirmed the fact that I have absolutely no interest in driving in Paris. There were no lines on the cobblestone street. Cars weaved back and forth without turn signals. It was crazy.
Once I got to ACCENT (my program provider), my cab driver asked for more than was on the meter. At the time, I thought he was trying to scam me/knew I was an American. I gave him like a 16 euros for a 15.80 euro charge. Later, I realized the meter didn't include the charge for my bags... So I was a complete dick and tipped him basically nothing for helping me with my bags. I wouldn't blame him if he hated Americans a little more after driving me. Anyway, I had a minor panic because I forgot you had to walk down a courtyard to get to my building. It looked like my building didn't exist. I figured it out and lugged my over-sized suitcase and backpack to door.
The first thing I needed to do was get cash from the ATM. I joined a line and figured out how to work the machine. The instructions were in French, of course. I kind of aimlessly wandered around the station for about five minutes. I wanted to make sure I was leaving from the correct exit, and I wanted to be able to get a cab. I had written the address of my school on a sheet of a paper on the train because I wanted to be sure the cab driver knew where he was going.
I proceeded to the line of people waiting for cabs. I had been warned at orientation to only take the cabs that lined up at the "taxi" stands. As I was waiting for a cab, I saw a homeless person begging for money. After spending spring break in Italy during high school, I wasn't that thrown off by all the beggars. However, I did think it was a bit desperate to pick up a lit, unfinished cigarette off the ground. He then smoked it and continued begging. Ah, France.
After about 10 minutes, I snagged a cab and handed the driver the slip of paper with the address. He helped me with my bag and took me to my school. It was awesome just looking at all the buildings around Paris. I'll never forget the first time I saw the Bastille (now I see it nearly everyday). The sun was shining, and there were at least 100 cars whizzing around the Bastille. It reaffirmed the fact that I have absolutely no interest in driving in Paris. There were no lines on the cobblestone street. Cars weaved back and forth without turn signals. It was crazy.
Once I got to ACCENT (my program provider), my cab driver asked for more than was on the meter. At the time, I thought he was trying to scam me/knew I was an American. I gave him like a 16 euros for a 15.80 euro charge. Later, I realized the meter didn't include the charge for my bags... So I was a complete dick and tipped him basically nothing for helping me with my bags. I wouldn't blame him if he hated Americans a little more after driving me. Anyway, I had a minor panic because I forgot you had to walk down a courtyard to get to my building. It looked like my building didn't exist. I figured it out and lugged my over-sized suitcase and backpack to door.
Monday 21 February 2011
My First Day Part 1
So holy moley, I'm in Paris. What the hell?! Not sure who among the readers knows this, but I started planning to come here during winter break of my freshman year. Two and a half years later, I'm chilling in my room in some random French family's house. I can't friggin' believe I'm here. I get the goose pimples (translated: goosebumps, chicken skin, etc. Rat Race reference) sometimes just thinking about it.
My first day in Paris was almost two weeks ago, but I will never forget it for the rest of my life. It will forever be the start to this European endeavor. I started it like I start too many days here: a flustered hot-mess. I set my alarm early so I'd have plenty of time to shower, finish packing, and double-check everything. I was determined to not leave anything behind in London. I woke up at the right time, but when sleeping in a flat with seven girls and two showers, it's not exactly easy to take a quick shower. I ended up getting access to the shower 20 minutes later than I had anticipated. I still left myself plenty of time though, or so I thought.
I triple checked everything and walked out of my friend's flat with her and three of her roommates as they went to class. This was at like 8:30, and my train left at 9:22. It was a quick five minute Tube ride to King's Cross, and a ten minute walk to the Farringdon Tube Station. At worst, I thought, I would get to King's Cross at 9:00 with 20 minutes to get on the train. In hindsight, even if everything went smoothly (it didn't by a long shot), I would still have cut it too unnecessarily close. Anyway, I get about halfway to the Tube and start patting myself down (a bad habit I've picked up in Europe to make sure I have everything, looks terribly awkward to passersby). I instantly realize I don't have my CAMERA! Of all things in my pockets, camera is third (behind wallet, then passport) of things to make sure I have. A shitty cell phone, loose change, random receipts, etc. completely fine to leave behind. I'm in Europe, I need my flippin' camera.
I quickly turn around and start racing back towards my friend's flat with my 50 pound suitcase. I try calling my friend: phone is off. I call her friend that's with her: goes to voicemail. At this point, I'm thinking I either won't have a camera in Paris for at least a week or so, or my 68 dollar, non-flexible train ticket gets flushed down the tubes. Then, I spot this one guy I met for 20 minutes one night in Oxford. Thank the lord I'm great with names and yell, "ERIC," to get his attention. He looks at me like I'm the creepiest thing to walk the Earth, but I manage to spit out (I'm out of breath of "running" with my stuff) that I met him in Oxford, that I'm his friend's friend, and I NEED him to let me into the Fort Knox like ND London dorms. He obliges, and I storm into the elevator (leave all my belongings in the lobby). In retrospect, this was dumb, but I was desperate. I get to my friend's door and bang like hell. Her flatmate let's me in, we exchange pleasantries as I grab my camera and sprint towards the elevator.
I get to the street and it's 8:45... I have 37 minutes to get my stuff to King's Cross, then get my ticket, go through security and get on the train. I make the executive decision to take a cab to the station. This was a good idea for the first two blocks, then massive traffic jam. Then I just pay the cabbie to let me just RUN to King's Cross. There was a bit of a snafu because I still had effing Scottish pounds that the Brits are too good to take.
Tangent: People from England think they are better and distinctly different from Scotland and Wales (and Northern Ireland). They think they are their own countries. This is NOT true at all. You are the United Kingdom. England would be worse off if they reduced their land by 3/4. Accept the fact that you are the UK and get on with it. Ugh, I was furious with my cab driver that she would SCOFF at two Scottish pounds. I gave her no tip after that and didn't even thank her for the two block trip. Screw that.
Regardless, I run as fast as I can to King's Cross. Then, I ask someone for directions to the international trains, and they tell me I have to go to St. Pancras. It was only an extra block, but with a 50-plus pound suitcase and poor cardio, it was a lot. I get inside the station at 9:05.... 17 minutes till departure.
I go to the ticket retrieval machine and insert my credit card for verification. I get my tickets and run through the ticket gate, security, and passport stamp stand. I get on the train at 9:15. I had seven minutes to spare. At 9:20, two minutes prior to departure, I look in my wallet for my credit card, and it's not there. I start freaking out again about how it's left in the ticket machine, and I have no way of going back to get. I quickly call my dad at home (it's 3:20am...., I'm so sorry) to tell him to cancel the card. 20 minutes after that, I find the ******* card behind my license. At this point, all I could do was laugh. I made my train with everything. Extremely stressful, but before I had too much time to fret over it, the train was already pulling into Gare du Nord.
My first day in Paris was almost two weeks ago, but I will never forget it for the rest of my life. It will forever be the start to this European endeavor. I started it like I start too many days here: a flustered hot-mess. I set my alarm early so I'd have plenty of time to shower, finish packing, and double-check everything. I was determined to not leave anything behind in London. I woke up at the right time, but when sleeping in a flat with seven girls and two showers, it's not exactly easy to take a quick shower. I ended up getting access to the shower 20 minutes later than I had anticipated. I still left myself plenty of time though, or so I thought.
I triple checked everything and walked out of my friend's flat with her and three of her roommates as they went to class. This was at like 8:30, and my train left at 9:22. It was a quick five minute Tube ride to King's Cross, and a ten minute walk to the Farringdon Tube Station. At worst, I thought, I would get to King's Cross at 9:00 with 20 minutes to get on the train. In hindsight, even if everything went smoothly (it didn't by a long shot), I would still have cut it too unnecessarily close. Anyway, I get about halfway to the Tube and start patting myself down (a bad habit I've picked up in Europe to make sure I have everything, looks terribly awkward to passersby). I instantly realize I don't have my CAMERA! Of all things in my pockets, camera is third (behind wallet, then passport) of things to make sure I have. A shitty cell phone, loose change, random receipts, etc. completely fine to leave behind. I'm in Europe, I need my flippin' camera.
I quickly turn around and start racing back towards my friend's flat with my 50 pound suitcase. I try calling my friend: phone is off. I call her friend that's with her: goes to voicemail. At this point, I'm thinking I either won't have a camera in Paris for at least a week or so, or my 68 dollar, non-flexible train ticket gets flushed down the tubes. Then, I spot this one guy I met for 20 minutes one night in Oxford. Thank the lord I'm great with names and yell, "ERIC," to get his attention. He looks at me like I'm the creepiest thing to walk the Earth, but I manage to spit out (I'm out of breath of "running" with my stuff) that I met him in Oxford, that I'm his friend's friend, and I NEED him to let me into the Fort Knox like ND London dorms. He obliges, and I storm into the elevator (leave all my belongings in the lobby). In retrospect, this was dumb, but I was desperate. I get to my friend's door and bang like hell. Her flatmate let's me in, we exchange pleasantries as I grab my camera and sprint towards the elevator.
I get to the street and it's 8:45... I have 37 minutes to get my stuff to King's Cross, then get my ticket, go through security and get on the train. I make the executive decision to take a cab to the station. This was a good idea for the first two blocks, then massive traffic jam. Then I just pay the cabbie to let me just RUN to King's Cross. There was a bit of a snafu because I still had effing Scottish pounds that the Brits are too good to take.
Tangent: People from England think they are better and distinctly different from Scotland and Wales (and Northern Ireland). They think they are their own countries. This is NOT true at all. You are the United Kingdom. England would be worse off if they reduced their land by 3/4. Accept the fact that you are the UK and get on with it. Ugh, I was furious with my cab driver that she would SCOFF at two Scottish pounds. I gave her no tip after that and didn't even thank her for the two block trip. Screw that.
Regardless, I run as fast as I can to King's Cross. Then, I ask someone for directions to the international trains, and they tell me I have to go to St. Pancras. It was only an extra block, but with a 50-plus pound suitcase and poor cardio, it was a lot. I get inside the station at 9:05.... 17 minutes till departure.
I go to the ticket retrieval machine and insert my credit card for verification. I get my tickets and run through the ticket gate, security, and passport stamp stand. I get on the train at 9:15. I had seven minutes to spare. At 9:20, two minutes prior to departure, I look in my wallet for my credit card, and it's not there. I start freaking out again about how it's left in the ticket machine, and I have no way of going back to get. I quickly call my dad at home (it's 3:20am...., I'm so sorry) to tell him to cancel the card. 20 minutes after that, I find the ******* card behind my license. At this point, all I could do was laugh. I made my train with everything. Extremely stressful, but before I had too much time to fret over it, the train was already pulling into Gare du Nord.
Whirlwind: Changing of the Guard, Parliament, and Tower of London
So this will be my final post about actual events of my time in London. After this, I'll have a wrap-up post about my experience and final remarks. Then, I'll finally start PARISSS.
So by far, my most touristy event in London was going to the changing of the guard. The changing of the guard happens in front of Buckingham Palace where the Queen resides. These are the guards who stand very still and act all serious all the time. Here's a little pic of them:
It was packed with people even though it happens every other day during the winter and everyday from April to October... We showed up at around 11:10-ish for an 11:30 start. This event was one of those things where you say you went to it, but that's it. Not much to comment on. It took a really long time. Parts of it were tough to see, and I didn't understand what was going on. This was ignorant on my part for not reading a little bit about it beforehand. Oh well, I saw it:
Pretty unspectacular, but later on in my trip, I was lucky enough to eat lunch at Parliament. My friend is currently doing an internship there, and she got her visitor's pass the LAST day I was in London. What luck! She gave me a little tour of Parliament, and I got to see a debating chamber and few other cool things. I was worried about taking pictures because I didn't want her to get in trouble for my tourist ways. Definitely cool to see. I thought it was funny that they had a pub in Parliament, and there's this picturesque deck. The MP's can take their lunch out to this deck that overlooks the River Thames. The food was cafeteria-style, but extremely cheap for the quality. I ate chicken tikka at Parliament: no big deal.
After eating at Parliament, I considered just calling it a day. I was pretty tired, and I was just sort of fed-up (I know this sounds terrible) with constantly doing things. I decided I would just look at Tower of London for 10 minutes from the outside. After that, I would just do the same at St. Paul's Cathedral, then go back to my friend's flat and nap. Keep in mind, this was the day after the Superbowl, which ended at 3:00am here.
So I took the Tube from Parliament to Tower of London and just all of a sudden got a rush of adrenaline. I have no idea why, but I'm really glad it happened. I bought a ticket for ToL and made it just in time for a free tour of the place. The tours are led by these fools (I mean, respectable gents):
Side Note: I found out in France that they're actually called "Beefeaters". I went to the grocery store with my Uzbekistani homestay sister (more on this in future posts) and her German friend. We were in the alcohol section (obviously), and he explained that this one bottle of booze was called Beefeater, and it had a cartoon of a man dressed like the above. Not a very marketable name for booze if you ask me... "Yeah, just give me a vodka (I think it's vodka) and tonic... which vodka... Beefeater, of course..."
Anyway, after the tour, I got to see the crown jewels of London and other cool stuff. I wasn't blown away by the crown jewels, but still very appealing stones. I feel like since I'm one of the heirs to a jewelry empire, I should have a higher appreciation for those luxurious jewels. I didn't, maybe it skips a generation? Again, nothing extremely noteworthy, but definitely a great way to spend a day.
After Tower of London, I made a quick stop at St Paul's Cathedral. Churches haven't gotten old yet, so it was definitely cool to see. There was a mass that was about to start, and I almost stayed, but I had to meet my friend for dinner. It's weird how Europe makes me more interested in attending mass.
I will always remember my last landmark seen on my London trip was St Paul's. My last dinner was delicious Indian food. I had to order for the group since I was the resident Indian expert (thanks mom). We got mutter paneer (thanks Kev), chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, butter chicken and vegetable biryani. It was the best Indian food I've ever eaten:
After Indian, we went out one last time. My last night out consisted of Belgian beer.... I did protest. I wanted to finish at a pub with a few pints of Strongbow, but the Belgian beer was tasty. It's tough to call it beer since it was strawberry infused and extraordinarily sweet. It was still really good though. After the Belgian beer, we went back to my friend's flat, and I finished packing up my stuff. Sadly, the London part of my adventure was over.
So by far, my most touristy event in London was going to the changing of the guard. The changing of the guard happens in front of Buckingham Palace where the Queen resides. These are the guards who stand very still and act all serious all the time. Here's a little pic of them:
It was packed with people even though it happens every other day during the winter and everyday from April to October... We showed up at around 11:10-ish for an 11:30 start. This event was one of those things where you say you went to it, but that's it. Not much to comment on. It took a really long time. Parts of it were tough to see, and I didn't understand what was going on. This was ignorant on my part for not reading a little bit about it beforehand. Oh well, I saw it:
Pretty unspectacular, but later on in my trip, I was lucky enough to eat lunch at Parliament. My friend is currently doing an internship there, and she got her visitor's pass the LAST day I was in London. What luck! She gave me a little tour of Parliament, and I got to see a debating chamber and few other cool things. I was worried about taking pictures because I didn't want her to get in trouble for my tourist ways. Definitely cool to see. I thought it was funny that they had a pub in Parliament, and there's this picturesque deck. The MP's can take their lunch out to this deck that overlooks the River Thames. The food was cafeteria-style, but extremely cheap for the quality. I ate chicken tikka at Parliament: no big deal.
After eating at Parliament, I considered just calling it a day. I was pretty tired, and I was just sort of fed-up (I know this sounds terrible) with constantly doing things. I decided I would just look at Tower of London for 10 minutes from the outside. After that, I would just do the same at St. Paul's Cathedral, then go back to my friend's flat and nap. Keep in mind, this was the day after the Superbowl, which ended at 3:00am here.
So I took the Tube from Parliament to Tower of London and just all of a sudden got a rush of adrenaline. I have no idea why, but I'm really glad it happened. I bought a ticket for ToL and made it just in time for a free tour of the place. The tours are led by these fools (I mean, respectable gents):
Side Note: I found out in France that they're actually called "Beefeaters". I went to the grocery store with my Uzbekistani homestay sister (more on this in future posts) and her German friend. We were in the alcohol section (obviously), and he explained that this one bottle of booze was called Beefeater, and it had a cartoon of a man dressed like the above. Not a very marketable name for booze if you ask me... "Yeah, just give me a vodka (I think it's vodka) and tonic... which vodka... Beefeater, of course..."
Anyway, after the tour, I got to see the crown jewels of London and other cool stuff. I wasn't blown away by the crown jewels, but still very appealing stones. I feel like since I'm one of the heirs to a jewelry empire, I should have a higher appreciation for those luxurious jewels. I didn't, maybe it skips a generation? Again, nothing extremely noteworthy, but definitely a great way to spend a day.
After Tower of London, I made a quick stop at St Paul's Cathedral. Churches haven't gotten old yet, so it was definitely cool to see. There was a mass that was about to start, and I almost stayed, but I had to meet my friend for dinner. It's weird how Europe makes me more interested in attending mass.
I will always remember my last landmark seen on my London trip was St Paul's. My last dinner was delicious Indian food. I had to order for the group since I was the resident Indian expert (thanks mom). We got mutter paneer (thanks Kev), chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, butter chicken and vegetable biryani. It was the best Indian food I've ever eaten:
After Indian, we went out one last time. My last night out consisted of Belgian beer.... I did protest. I wanted to finish at a pub with a few pints of Strongbow, but the Belgian beer was tasty. It's tough to call it beer since it was strawberry infused and extraordinarily sweet. It was still really good though. After the Belgian beer, we went back to my friend's flat, and I finished packing up my stuff. Sadly, the London part of my adventure was over.
Los Campesinos!
So Los Campesinos! is one of my favorite bands, and they're actually from the UK. My friend told me that they would be playing in London while I was there. After hearing about it, I knew that I had to go. No questions asked.
I've seen LC twice before. Once at Lollapalooza a few years ago (that's where my initial interest was peaked). Then last April I went to their show in Madison. It was awesome in Madison, and they even played the encore in the crowd! It was great.
So my expectations for the show actually weren't that high. I wasn't really sure what to expect or what it would be like going to a show in Europe. After going, even if I had had high expectations, they would have been blown away. The show was amazing. The crowd, the venue, the music, the atmosphere = unreal.
The show started with typical openers. No one in the crowd really knew who they were, and the low interest in them were evident. The only highlight was the second opener. The band consisted of a man and a woman. They set up a white screen for a slideshow. They started playing it, and the slideshow was full of old photos from the 1970's/1980's. Or at least I hope that's when they were from because the picture quality, setting and clothing in every picture screamed retro. I thought it was a joke when it started, but then it cycled back to the start of the same pics... It was odd. Also, the woman was wearing overalls. Once they came out to start, a drunkard in the crowd hollered, "STRIP THE BIB!" It was hilarious. The girl was completely shocked, and her male counterpart looked at her with a "is really going to do it" look.
Okay so after the two openers, the crowd was kind of dead. There were limited signs of life or interest in the entire building. The only noteworthy thing about the crowd was this pack of wasted teenagers. (I know, this makes me sound like 40-plus, but oh well). Their ring-leader started talking about the ideals of Socialism and down with the Queen! He chanted, "The only solution is a revolution!" It was funny, the first few times. It quickly turned obnoxious after about chant number 11. About 15 minutes before LC came on, I thought to myself, "this crowd sucks." I couldn't have been more wrong.
The instant LC came on stage, there was a sudden swarming of people to the front. This is pretty typical, but then everyone in the crowd just chanted Los Campesinos! over and over again. Without words, LC started playing, and the crowd started humming the beat. After going to 50-plus concerts in my life, I have NEVER heard the crowd humming the beat. Everyone in the building knew every word and beat to every single one of their songs. The atmosphere was unmatched during their set. The only lull came when LC played two new songs, to which the crowd was silent. I thought this was significant because it showed people didn't try to follow the beat or repeat the chorus to an unfamiliar song. One person in the crowd even shouted, "Get on with it already!" This inspired a few other crowd members to tell him to shut up. Then he asked if they actually enjoyed hearing their new songs they had never heard. It was a really entertaining exchange.
The crowd was a typical sweat-inducing mob of people. However, in this venue, there were blasts of A/C being blown onto the crowd. It also seemed like they really cranked it up during slower songs, so that people cool down. It was a nice touch and much appreciated.
All in all, the show was probably my most favorite part of London. The experience was similar to something I could do at home with just a few minor enhancements. It made me realize going to concerts like that were definitely shared experiences. Whether it's London, Chicago, Madison or wherever, it's a similar feel and experience. I really enjoyed that thought and made me feel a lot more connected to my fellow British concert-goers. So glad I went.
I've seen LC twice before. Once at Lollapalooza a few years ago (that's where my initial interest was peaked). Then last April I went to their show in Madison. It was awesome in Madison, and they even played the encore in the crowd! It was great.
So my expectations for the show actually weren't that high. I wasn't really sure what to expect or what it would be like going to a show in Europe. After going, even if I had had high expectations, they would have been blown away. The show was amazing. The crowd, the venue, the music, the atmosphere = unreal.
The show started with typical openers. No one in the crowd really knew who they were, and the low interest in them were evident. The only highlight was the second opener. The band consisted of a man and a woman. They set up a white screen for a slideshow. They started playing it, and the slideshow was full of old photos from the 1970's/1980's. Or at least I hope that's when they were from because the picture quality, setting and clothing in every picture screamed retro. I thought it was a joke when it started, but then it cycled back to the start of the same pics... It was odd. Also, the woman was wearing overalls. Once they came out to start, a drunkard in the crowd hollered, "STRIP THE BIB!" It was hilarious. The girl was completely shocked, and her male counterpart looked at her with a "is really going to do it" look.
Okay so after the two openers, the crowd was kind of dead. There were limited signs of life or interest in the entire building. The only noteworthy thing about the crowd was this pack of wasted teenagers. (I know, this makes me sound like 40-plus, but oh well). Their ring-leader started talking about the ideals of Socialism and down with the Queen! He chanted, "The only solution is a revolution!" It was funny, the first few times. It quickly turned obnoxious after about chant number 11. About 15 minutes before LC came on, I thought to myself, "this crowd sucks." I couldn't have been more wrong.
The instant LC came on stage, there was a sudden swarming of people to the front. This is pretty typical, but then everyone in the crowd just chanted Los Campesinos! over and over again. Without words, LC started playing, and the crowd started humming the beat. After going to 50-plus concerts in my life, I have NEVER heard the crowd humming the beat. Everyone in the building knew every word and beat to every single one of their songs. The atmosphere was unmatched during their set. The only lull came when LC played two new songs, to which the crowd was silent. I thought this was significant because it showed people didn't try to follow the beat or repeat the chorus to an unfamiliar song. One person in the crowd even shouted, "Get on with it already!" This inspired a few other crowd members to tell him to shut up. Then he asked if they actually enjoyed hearing their new songs they had never heard. It was a really entertaining exchange.
The crowd was a typical sweat-inducing mob of people. However, in this venue, there were blasts of A/C being blown onto the crowd. It also seemed like they really cranked it up during slower songs, so that people cool down. It was a nice touch and much appreciated.
All in all, the show was probably my most favorite part of London. The experience was similar to something I could do at home with just a few minor enhancements. It made me realize going to concerts like that were definitely shared experiences. Whether it's London, Chicago, Madison or wherever, it's a similar feel and experience. I really enjoyed that thought and made me feel a lot more connected to my fellow British concert-goers. So glad I went.
Saturday 19 February 2011
The Blog is Back
Unbelievable first 10 days in Paris. I have a lot of catching up to do, but I couldn't tear myself away from Paris my first 10 days here. School hasn't really started, so I've been out and about for nearly the entire time. A little bit of a routine (starting Monday) will be back in my life for the first time since December. It's kind of strange how I'm craving it. Anyway, I hope to finish London by the time I go to bed tomorrow night. I just posted two more posts on London, and they can be seen below. They were both written in about 15 minutes, so please excuse any grammatical errors or wordy sentences. I'll be putting off writing about my trip to Scotland until a later date. There is wayyy too much Paris to write about it. I hope everything is going well in the US!
A Series of Museums: Science, British, V&A
So as a requisite part of my trip, I went to a number of museums while in London. Each of the three I visited had their own tone and vibe, but there isn't really too much to blog about. I'll give a brief synopsis of each one in an attempt to expedite these three days.
The Science Museum: I wasn't quite sure what to expect when we went here, but it was sort of a joke to say the least. I felt like I was in Chuck E. Cheese babysitting hundreds of little gremlins running and climbing on everything. Okay, I get it, we were dumb for going here on a Sunday afternoon. However, everything there was too interactive and kid friendly for parents to resist. We saw a 3-D movie about underwater creatures. It was abut 45 minutes long and narrated by Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet.... I was like, "huh?" It was really funny because they would have awkward banter between the two about why a sea creature did something. I was a bit tired and fell asleep for part of it. Then we roamed around, saw a bunch of friends playing with everything, and then stumbled upon a 4-D movie. I have never seen a 4-D movie, but it was hilarious. It was about the first landing on the moon, and we had to get strapped in as if it were a roller coaster. So the seat would rumble a bit, we had 3-D glasses on, and they would put smelly smoke in the room for us to "smell space"... To top it off, the finale was "the crew" landing in the ocean... So of course, they sprayed us with water.... I know what jumping in water feels like, honestly, I do. 4-D = overrated, if it's even rated. To sum up, we had a lot of fun goofing around and having a good laugh about the museum. I'm really glad I went because it makes every other European museum seem so illustrious.
The British Museum: We went here on a Monday afternoon (a.k.a pretty empty). The building itself was beautiful and HUGEEE. There were too many things in there to truly appreciate in a day. After seeing 50 "different" types of bowls that looked painfully similar, even though they were crafted 1,000 years apart half-way across the globe, we kind of sped through too many sections. I took over 100 pictures here, so I'd say just check Facebook to see them. It was a little uncomfortable to be here though. Too many of the artifacts were from other places, a.k.a clearly not belonging to the UK. They kind of pass it off as we were an imperial power, so places we conquered, we get your stuff. I don't buy in to that logic. If they had paid for these decorative bowls, jewelery, etc, I would be fine with it. Don't get me wrong, it was awesome to look at and see. However, I just question how it's sitting in a museum in the UK, instead of near its place of origin. I guess I'm too cynical. To sum up, wonderful museum and a must-see if you're in London for more than a weekend. OH, it's free too :)
Victoria & Albert: I went here on a Thursday afternoon, but I braved this one alone. The V&A was the best museum I've ever been too. It is named after Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. It houses mostly artsy designs and furnishings used/collected by the royal family. Each room brought something new and spectacular. The museum itself was a rectangle with a picturesque little park with a pond in the middle. Inside were rooms filled with sculptures, golden&silver objects, decorative glass, unreal hand-crafted tapestries, marble staircases: very aesthetically pleasing. I spent over two hours there, and I was still looking for more as I left. My favorites were the glass room, the gold room and the silver room. Everything within those rooms were shiny and pristine. I really enjoyed this museum because it truly had a very royal feeling to it. Again, I took tons of pictures here, but would recommend just checking out my Facebook to see them all. I've attached one of my favorites at the end of this post. To sum up, an absolute must-see. I almost didn't go because I didn't feel like having them search my huge overstuffed backpack. I had it with me because I checked out of my B&B that day and couldn't drop it off at my friend's flat before she went to class. I am so glad I sucked it up and went. Great place.
The Science Museum: I wasn't quite sure what to expect when we went here, but it was sort of a joke to say the least. I felt like I was in Chuck E. Cheese babysitting hundreds of little gremlins running and climbing on everything. Okay, I get it, we were dumb for going here on a Sunday afternoon. However, everything there was too interactive and kid friendly for parents to resist. We saw a 3-D movie about underwater creatures. It was abut 45 minutes long and narrated by Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet.... I was like, "huh?" It was really funny because they would have awkward banter between the two about why a sea creature did something. I was a bit tired and fell asleep for part of it. Then we roamed around, saw a bunch of friends playing with everything, and then stumbled upon a 4-D movie. I have never seen a 4-D movie, but it was hilarious. It was about the first landing on the moon, and we had to get strapped in as if it were a roller coaster. So the seat would rumble a bit, we had 3-D glasses on, and they would put smelly smoke in the room for us to "smell space"... To top it off, the finale was "the crew" landing in the ocean... So of course, they sprayed us with water.... I know what jumping in water feels like, honestly, I do. 4-D = overrated, if it's even rated. To sum up, we had a lot of fun goofing around and having a good laugh about the museum. I'm really glad I went because it makes every other European museum seem so illustrious.
The British Museum: We went here on a Monday afternoon (a.k.a pretty empty). The building itself was beautiful and HUGEEE. There were too many things in there to truly appreciate in a day. After seeing 50 "different" types of bowls that looked painfully similar, even though they were crafted 1,000 years apart half-way across the globe, we kind of sped through too many sections. I took over 100 pictures here, so I'd say just check Facebook to see them. It was a little uncomfortable to be here though. Too many of the artifacts were from other places, a.k.a clearly not belonging to the UK. They kind of pass it off as we were an imperial power, so places we conquered, we get your stuff. I don't buy in to that logic. If they had paid for these decorative bowls, jewelery, etc, I would be fine with it. Don't get me wrong, it was awesome to look at and see. However, I just question how it's sitting in a museum in the UK, instead of near its place of origin. I guess I'm too cynical. To sum up, wonderful museum and a must-see if you're in London for more than a weekend. OH, it's free too :)
Victoria & Albert: I went here on a Thursday afternoon, but I braved this one alone. The V&A was the best museum I've ever been too. It is named after Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. It houses mostly artsy designs and furnishings used/collected by the royal family. Each room brought something new and spectacular. The museum itself was a rectangle with a picturesque little park with a pond in the middle. Inside were rooms filled with sculptures, golden&silver objects, decorative glass, unreal hand-crafted tapestries, marble staircases: very aesthetically pleasing. I spent over two hours there, and I was still looking for more as I left. My favorites were the glass room, the gold room and the silver room. Everything within those rooms were shiny and pristine. I really enjoyed this museum because it truly had a very royal feeling to it. Again, I took tons of pictures here, but would recommend just checking out my Facebook to see them all. I've attached one of my favorites at the end of this post. To sum up, an absolute must-see. I almost didn't go because I didn't feel like having them search my huge overstuffed backpack. I had it with me because I checked out of my B&B that day and couldn't drop it off at my friend's flat before she went to class. I am so glad I sucked it up and went. Great place.
Market, Harrod's and Puppies
So after our splendid (a little flowery for my taste, but I need to use some more varied adjectives) day trip, we had a very relaxing day in London. We slept in and headed out to the Borough (sp?) Market for the afternoon. It was insane. During the warmer months of the year, Madison has a farmer's market on Saturday afternoons. Those pale in comparison to this spectacle.
When I was told we were going to a market for the day, I wasn't overly excited. I guess I didn't know what to expect, or at least, I was totally shocked when we got there. First, there were a LOT more people at this market when compared to the Madison one. The selection of items was also exceptionally different. It makes sense since less things are in season in January. I couldn't quite place a staple item to this market. In Madison, it's fruit, vegetables and cheese. That's pretty much it. Here, there's a much more eclectic set of things. There were olives (tons), tea, china, souvenirs, cheese, falafel, Indian stands, German sausage stands, Ostrich burgers, olive oil, breads, seafood, soups, sandwiches, smoothies, Kangaroo burgers, pastas: everythinggg. So many stands, so many people, so many free samples!
My personal favorites were the buffalo mozzarella (so moist), all the oil olives (too many flavors), and this unbelievable Darjeeling tea. I was surprised by the ostrich/kangaroo burgers, and I refused to drop five pounds per burger to try them. I just think there's something wrong with eating ostriches and kangaroos (especially kangaroos). I guess ostriches are like overgrown chickens, but just too much outside my comfort zone. We decided to eat there, and I waited in line for 15 minutes for this crazy good chicken sandwich. The chicken was marinated in a lemon, garlic and olive oil sauce. The bread was fresh with dark green leafs and fried squares of a cheese that started with an A. I also spread some fresh mint over the top. It was probably the best chicken sandwich I've ever had in my life. A picture is below, but it doesn't do it justice:
After the delectable sandwich, my friend and I headed to Harrod's. My mom said if some of my friends lived in London and didn't know what Harrod's was, they weren't women... A pretty scathing assessment, but after going, I could see what she means. Harrod's was bedazzled from floor to ceiling. There's no other way to describe it. Before getting there, I thought I might pick up a pair of shoes. After checking out the prices, I decided very few items in this mega-super-store weren't quite in my price range.
Some highlights from Harrod's:
1) Huge candy store. They had their version of Frango mints and some actual Frango mints as well. Also, there was a huge food court that had a Starbuck's in it.
2) Luxury home furnishings. There were vases for over 14,000 pounds (currency). I was in awe. It didn't seem like anyone was buying any of them, but every definitely walked through to take a peak
3) Unbelievable kid's section. I was an entire floor! There were board games, stuffed animals, remote-control cars, etc. everywhere. I guess there was a 10,000 pound (currency) golden Monopoly board somewhere in Harrod's. Sadly, I couldn't locate it, but I did find this awesome fake snow. It felt cold and airy, and it even packed like really snow. However, when you'd shake it off your hands, it was like dust. Coolest little play bin ever.
4) Finally, pet store and beauty salon. They had little puppies inside big cages for people to come look at them! I guess they used to have tigers and animals like that there too, but then got rid of them. not sure why, but they turned that space into a pet beauty salon. They had see-through glass where you could see all these gadgets and even a doggy treadmill! It was terrifying and hilarious all at the same time.
Side Note: There are so many dogs in London! I was completely shocked at the number of people who were walking their dogs. And, a number of them didn't have leashes with them! The dogs were insanely well-behaved and friendly. I couldn't help but think about one little miss Kozi Kohler who would be running wild around London without a leash...
After a day at Harrod's, we went back to my friend's flat, made dinner then just relaxed. After being constantly on the move the past two days straight, it was nice to finally sit and relax.
When I was told we were going to a market for the day, I wasn't overly excited. I guess I didn't know what to expect, or at least, I was totally shocked when we got there. First, there were a LOT more people at this market when compared to the Madison one. The selection of items was also exceptionally different. It makes sense since less things are in season in January. I couldn't quite place a staple item to this market. In Madison, it's fruit, vegetables and cheese. That's pretty much it. Here, there's a much more eclectic set of things. There were olives (tons), tea, china, souvenirs, cheese, falafel, Indian stands, German sausage stands, Ostrich burgers, olive oil, breads, seafood, soups, sandwiches, smoothies, Kangaroo burgers, pastas: everythinggg. So many stands, so many people, so many free samples!
My personal favorites were the buffalo mozzarella (so moist), all the oil olives (too many flavors), and this unbelievable Darjeeling tea. I was surprised by the ostrich/kangaroo burgers, and I refused to drop five pounds per burger to try them. I just think there's something wrong with eating ostriches and kangaroos (especially kangaroos). I guess ostriches are like overgrown chickens, but just too much outside my comfort zone. We decided to eat there, and I waited in line for 15 minutes for this crazy good chicken sandwich. The chicken was marinated in a lemon, garlic and olive oil sauce. The bread was fresh with dark green leafs and fried squares of a cheese that started with an A. I also spread some fresh mint over the top. It was probably the best chicken sandwich I've ever had in my life. A picture is below, but it doesn't do it justice:
After the delectable sandwich, my friend and I headed to Harrod's. My mom said if some of my friends lived in London and didn't know what Harrod's was, they weren't women... A pretty scathing assessment, but after going, I could see what she means. Harrod's was bedazzled from floor to ceiling. There's no other way to describe it. Before getting there, I thought I might pick up a pair of shoes. After checking out the prices, I decided very few items in this mega-super-store weren't quite in my price range.
Some highlights from Harrod's:
1) Huge candy store. They had their version of Frango mints and some actual Frango mints as well. Also, there was a huge food court that had a Starbuck's in it.
2) Luxury home furnishings. There were vases for over 14,000 pounds (currency). I was in awe. It didn't seem like anyone was buying any of them, but every definitely walked through to take a peak
3) Unbelievable kid's section. I was an entire floor! There were board games, stuffed animals, remote-control cars, etc. everywhere. I guess there was a 10,000 pound (currency) golden Monopoly board somewhere in Harrod's. Sadly, I couldn't locate it, but I did find this awesome fake snow. It felt cold and airy, and it even packed like really snow. However, when you'd shake it off your hands, it was like dust. Coolest little play bin ever.
4) Finally, pet store and beauty salon. They had little puppies inside big cages for people to come look at them! I guess they used to have tigers and animals like that there too, but then got rid of them. not sure why, but they turned that space into a pet beauty salon. They had see-through glass where you could see all these gadgets and even a doggy treadmill! It was terrifying and hilarious all at the same time.
Side Note: There are so many dogs in London! I was completely shocked at the number of people who were walking their dogs. And, a number of them didn't have leashes with them! The dogs were insanely well-behaved and friendly. I couldn't help but think about one little miss Kozi Kohler who would be running wild around London without a leash...
After a day at Harrod's, we went back to my friend's flat, made dinner then just relaxed. After being constantly on the move the past two days straight, it was nice to finally sit and relax.
Monday 7 February 2011
SUPER BOWL
It really stinks being in Europe for the Super Bowl. The broadcast is being aired on ESPN America, and there are NO American Super Bowl commercials. It's so sad. The commercial breaks are filled with hokey NFL films' clips of past Super Bowls. There are also player interviews and interviews from past players about playing in the Super Bowl (like John Elway). The announcers are the NFL Network people, meaning Bob Pappa and Joe Theismann. I'm not sure if this is an improvement over Joe Buck and co. Still watching the game right now... It's 2:20am. Tomorrow is going to be a really rough day, but oh well.
Oxford Day Trip: Doors, Christ Church, and Harry Potter
So last Friday my friends and I headed to Oxford for a day trip. We took a train directly from the Paddington Station to Oxford. It was about an hour train ride, which sounds easy enough, but it was an early morning. And just when I dozed off, the conductor (or whatever they're called) comes around to check tickets. This still baffles me. You have to swipe your ticket when you get on the train, then you have to swipe your card when getting off the train. Why do you need a third check? And it's like an automatic 20 pound fine if you don't produce a ticket when you get off. Regardless, we made it to Oxford, and it was freezing there. I really regretted not bringing my gloves (luckily, I did have my scarf). I started assessing whether I wanted to take a picture based on how willing I was to have my hands exposed. The most clutch purchase of the day was a two pound hot chocolate at the train station. It really perked me up and warmed my soul (maybe that's getting too dramatic).
Heading to Oxford, we legitimately had nothing planned. None of us had looked at any guidebooks, read anything online or even received tips about things to check out. We had a vaguely heard there was a Willy Wonka-esque candy store and a Harry Potter tour to see locations used during filming. Unfortunately, the HP tour was only held on Saturdays, and the woman running the tourist info center had never heard of any such candy store (this is mean, but she looked like the kind of woman who would have been to this store MANY times). So we grabbed a map of the city and started wandering. We stumbled upon the Sheldonian Library and a church in its shadow. We entered the church and lucked out. For three pounds, you could go to the top and see the entire city. It was amazing. A picture of our view is below:
After coming down from the top, we asked the woman running the gift what we should see. She said the Christ Church was the THING to see. We were sold. We continued to wander around the streets as we made our way to the church.
Side Note: We quickly realized that there were all these "colleges" around the city. Christ Church was an example of one the "colleges". So at Oxford, the university is broken up into like 30 different colleges. From what we gathered, they are kind of a cross between a dorm and a frat. Each with their own crest, personality, etc. Sounded interesting. Since it was during the week (or maybe it's always like this), the colleges weren't really open to the public. Each college also kind of had their own little grassy square. You could poke your head in to see the square, but most were closed to the public or paid entry. Neither really fit with our goals. We actually snuck into a few of them. There was one where a woman refused to let us exit through this side gate because "you had to have a key to open the gate," which she opened and grabbed the gate to close it shut so we couldn't slip through. It was so disgustingly pretentious. We went the other way through the main gate and met her on the street. I wanted to say a few snarky remarks, but I held off.
We made it to Christ Church around 1ish, and the guard said it wouldn't open until 2:30. Therefore, we went to eat to kill some time. My friend got a scone/afternoon tea combo, and it looked so delicious with clotted cream and jam (see below).
The food there was great, and we were able to refuel for the rest of our day. Once we were able to go into the Christ Church, we were in awe. For me, it was my first European church in five years. The churches here are just so massive with so much history. They don't make them like this in America:
Tangent: Maybe it's those Catholic roots, but I think of all old European buildings, churches are the most mesmerizing to me. I can't want to see Notre Dame in Paris and other churches around Europe (I also love castles, which is in-line with my desire to be treated like a king ((kidding, kind of...)))
Christ Church did not disappoint. We did get a chance to see some Harry Potter sites. We saw the staircase used during the first movie when the first years were lining up to enter the Great Hall for sorting. Then, the best part of Oxford, we saw and went INSIDE the Great Hall. It was awesome!! Here's a picture of it:
Truly unreal. After Christ Church, we hunted for the Willy Wonka candy shop. We did end up finding it, and it was cool, but I just wasn't in the mood for candy or chocolate at the time (I regretted this later). After candy, we popped into a few smaller museums and snapped a few photos of forbidden college grounds. However, after the awe-inspiring view from the original church and the Great Hall, everything seen wasn't quite as appreciated. It was understandable though. By the end of the day, all we wanted was some pub food and a speedy train back to London.
End of the Trip Thoughts (ETT's): Oxford was wonderful. The city was way more beautiful than London. A lot more history and older buildings. That's sounds wrong I know, but Oxford seemed to be built all at the same time. More cohesion. London has more history, obviously, but the history is more concentrated in Oxford. Oxford is actually how I thought London was going to look. It was breathtaking. I have never been so enthralled by the simplest things. The weirdest this was their doors. Every door had character. It varied from door to door, but I've never taken so many pictures of just doors. They varied by color, size, shape, fixtures, etc. Just crazy. Here's one of them:
One of my friends said she wishes she went there. Initially, I was thinking, yeah this place is amazing. But in the end, I was quite glad to be in Paris for a few reasons. First, the pretentious nature of going to a school like Oxford is suffocating. They serve up their Oxford "Kool-Aid" on the daily. It was just obnoxious. Also, I feel like after one day there, we saw most of the city. I need more to do than that. I thought being there for more than two days would have been a waste. I am so glad we got to see England outside of London, but I'm also glad home base was London. All in all, great day trip and worth a visit.
Heading to Oxford, we legitimately had nothing planned. None of us had looked at any guidebooks, read anything online or even received tips about things to check out. We had a vaguely heard there was a Willy Wonka-esque candy store and a Harry Potter tour to see locations used during filming. Unfortunately, the HP tour was only held on Saturdays, and the woman running the tourist info center had never heard of any such candy store (this is mean, but she looked like the kind of woman who would have been to this store MANY times). So we grabbed a map of the city and started wandering. We stumbled upon the Sheldonian Library and a church in its shadow. We entered the church and lucked out. For three pounds, you could go to the top and see the entire city. It was amazing. A picture of our view is below:
After coming down from the top, we asked the woman running the gift what we should see. She said the Christ Church was the THING to see. We were sold. We continued to wander around the streets as we made our way to the church.
Side Note: We quickly realized that there were all these "colleges" around the city. Christ Church was an example of one the "colleges". So at Oxford, the university is broken up into like 30 different colleges. From what we gathered, they are kind of a cross between a dorm and a frat. Each with their own crest, personality, etc. Sounded interesting. Since it was during the week (or maybe it's always like this), the colleges weren't really open to the public. Each college also kind of had their own little grassy square. You could poke your head in to see the square, but most were closed to the public or paid entry. Neither really fit with our goals. We actually snuck into a few of them. There was one where a woman refused to let us exit through this side gate because "you had to have a key to open the gate," which she opened and grabbed the gate to close it shut so we couldn't slip through. It was so disgustingly pretentious. We went the other way through the main gate and met her on the street. I wanted to say a few snarky remarks, but I held off.
We made it to Christ Church around 1ish, and the guard said it wouldn't open until 2:30. Therefore, we went to eat to kill some time. My friend got a scone/afternoon tea combo, and it looked so delicious with clotted cream and jam (see below).
The food there was great, and we were able to refuel for the rest of our day. Once we were able to go into the Christ Church, we were in awe. For me, it was my first European church in five years. The churches here are just so massive with so much history. They don't make them like this in America:
Christ Church did not disappoint. We did get a chance to see some Harry Potter sites. We saw the staircase used during the first movie when the first years were lining up to enter the Great Hall for sorting. Then, the best part of Oxford, we saw and went INSIDE the Great Hall. It was awesome!! Here's a picture of it:
Truly unreal. After Christ Church, we hunted for the Willy Wonka candy shop. We did end up finding it, and it was cool, but I just wasn't in the mood for candy or chocolate at the time (I regretted this later). After candy, we popped into a few smaller museums and snapped a few photos of forbidden college grounds. However, after the awe-inspiring view from the original church and the Great Hall, everything seen wasn't quite as appreciated. It was understandable though. By the end of the day, all we wanted was some pub food and a speedy train back to London.
End of the Trip Thoughts (ETT's): Oxford was wonderful. The city was way more beautiful than London. A lot more history and older buildings. That's sounds wrong I know, but Oxford seemed to be built all at the same time. More cohesion. London has more history, obviously, but the history is more concentrated in Oxford. Oxford is actually how I thought London was going to look. It was breathtaking. I have never been so enthralled by the simplest things. The weirdest this was their doors. Every door had character. It varied from door to door, but I've never taken so many pictures of just doors. They varied by color, size, shape, fixtures, etc. Just crazy. Here's one of them:
One of my friends said she wishes she went there. Initially, I was thinking, yeah this place is amazing. But in the end, I was quite glad to be in Paris for a few reasons. First, the pretentious nature of going to a school like Oxford is suffocating. They serve up their Oxford "Kool-Aid" on the daily. It was just obnoxious. Also, I feel like after one day there, we saw most of the city. I need more to do than that. I thought being there for more than two days would have been a waste. I am so glad we got to see England outside of London, but I'm also glad home base was London. All in all, great day trip and worth a visit.
Thursday 3 February 2011
Really Behind!
So I'm heading to Edinburgh this weekend, and I'm exceptionally far behind on my blogging! By next week, I hope to be fully caught up with everything. However, there won't be any new posts this weekend. Check back on Monday for updates! Hopefully everyone is surviving the snowpocalypse at home!
Monday 31 January 2011
Argos, O'Neill's and Stowford
So after crossing "the pond" (Atlantic Ocean, my piss-poor attempt at being clever), I was obviously exhausted. I slept until 2pm on my first full day in London. It was quite uneventful. I literally just lounged around my friend's flat in Earls Court until it was feeding time. I did do a few productive things: set-up this wonderful blog, looked for things to do in London, read sports articles and checked/responded to email.
Tangent: Okay, so my two friends live in London. One lives in Earls Court/Kensington (the one I'm staying with for fours days in the beginning). The other lives in Farringdon/Islinton (the one I'm staying with for two days at the end of this trip). Their locations are completely different. E.C. is like a wealthier part of town with loads of young professionals. It's most similar to Wriglyeville or Lincoln Park in Chicago. Everything is a town house, and there are tons of BMW's, Mercedes, etc. on the streets. There's also this amazingly old church down the block from where this friend lives. It looks so out of place with all the other updated buildings, but it's still beautiful. The other friend lives in a more urban area. They both definitely look European, but the other friend lives in an area filled with many more apartments/shops/pubs. The architecture is more varied and more aesthetically pleasing.
Before dinner, my friend and I went to this store called "Argos". It's the strangest store I've ever been too. It's basically like an Ikea without any of the productions built and displayed throughout the store. Let me explain. You walk in and flip through a 2,000 page binder to find what you want. You can get like anything there: bedding, clothing, jewellery (they spell it with two l's), appliances, electronics, etc. After deciding what you want, you dial the number into this box phone thing and see if it's in stock. If it is, you write the code down on a grid. Then you go pay for it and wait for a conveyor belt to deliver your items to you. It was so creepy, yet efficient. However, there is no impulsive buying. You there get exactly what you need and that's it. There are no tempting displays for some unnecessary shopping. At Argos, I got a huge duvet, pillows and towels for my stay in the flat. Those seemingly small comforts were life-savers.
For dinner, my friend and I went to O'Neill's in E.C. My friend described the fare as "pub food", but I wasn't really sure what that entailed. It was my first MEAL in a pub, but this pub was also a chain. It's kind of similar to an AppleBee's or TGI Friday's. I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of stews and burgers on the menu. There was the typical British dishes of "fish & chips" (chips = steak fries) and "bangers & mash" (sausage and mashed potatoes). I didn't get either. I decided to order the "Steak and Guinness Pie" (pictured below, my first attempt at spicing up this blog).
Inside that pastry puff thing was steak, onions and light brown gravy. I guess a lot of the British meals are served with peas. That sounds great to me, as I love peas. The fries to right would be described as chips, and the dark brown gravy in the back is supposed to poured all over the pastry puff. That gravy was made with Guinness (thus the "Guinness" within its title). The meal was so friggin' good! It was the first truly substantial thing I had eaten all day, and it was heavenly. I came in expecting the food to be bad, but my expectations were more than exceed.
After dinner, we took the Tube out to this little pub out by Euston Square. It was called "Jeremy Bentham's", and it was famous for something. I had the most tasty cider in the world their called Stowford something or other (it was the best of the four ciders I've had, and I need to figure out its name because I need to order it again sometime). I should have just stuck with it, but I had to get fancy and tried an Old Rosie. This cider was disgusting. It tasted like vodka mixed with a cast iron pot. It was not smooth or tasty! It was just unnecessarily alcoholic. Also, this pub had a bit of an older crowd. There were a number of tables filled with older men in their 40's/50's, but again the pub only had a handful of tables. Of course, like clockwork, this pub closed at 11pm. It was probably good that the night ended there because we had to get up early the next morning to head to Oxford for our planned day trip. After getting back to the flat, we booked our tickets to Oxford and went to bed.
Tangent: Okay, so my two friends live in London. One lives in Earls Court/Kensington (the one I'm staying with for fours days in the beginning). The other lives in Farringdon/Islinton (the one I'm staying with for two days at the end of this trip). Their locations are completely different. E.C. is like a wealthier part of town with loads of young professionals. It's most similar to Wriglyeville or Lincoln Park in Chicago. Everything is a town house, and there are tons of BMW's, Mercedes, etc. on the streets. There's also this amazingly old church down the block from where this friend lives. It looks so out of place with all the other updated buildings, but it's still beautiful. The other friend lives in a more urban area. They both definitely look European, but the other friend lives in an area filled with many more apartments/shops/pubs. The architecture is more varied and more aesthetically pleasing.
Before dinner, my friend and I went to this store called "Argos". It's the strangest store I've ever been too. It's basically like an Ikea without any of the productions built and displayed throughout the store. Let me explain. You walk in and flip through a 2,000 page binder to find what you want. You can get like anything there: bedding, clothing, jewellery (they spell it with two l's), appliances, electronics, etc. After deciding what you want, you dial the number into this box phone thing and see if it's in stock. If it is, you write the code down on a grid. Then you go pay for it and wait for a conveyor belt to deliver your items to you. It was so creepy, yet efficient. However, there is no impulsive buying. You there get exactly what you need and that's it. There are no tempting displays for some unnecessary shopping. At Argos, I got a huge duvet, pillows and towels for my stay in the flat. Those seemingly small comforts were life-savers.
For dinner, my friend and I went to O'Neill's in E.C. My friend described the fare as "pub food", but I wasn't really sure what that entailed. It was my first MEAL in a pub, but this pub was also a chain. It's kind of similar to an AppleBee's or TGI Friday's. I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of stews and burgers on the menu. There was the typical British dishes of "fish & chips" (chips = steak fries) and "bangers & mash" (sausage and mashed potatoes). I didn't get either. I decided to order the "Steak and Guinness Pie" (pictured below, my first attempt at spicing up this blog).
Inside that pastry puff thing was steak, onions and light brown gravy. I guess a lot of the British meals are served with peas. That sounds great to me, as I love peas. The fries to right would be described as chips, and the dark brown gravy in the back is supposed to poured all over the pastry puff. That gravy was made with Guinness (thus the "Guinness" within its title). The meal was so friggin' good! It was the first truly substantial thing I had eaten all day, and it was heavenly. I came in expecting the food to be bad, but my expectations were more than exceed.
After dinner, we took the Tube out to this little pub out by Euston Square. It was called "Jeremy Bentham's", and it was famous for something. I had the most tasty cider in the world their called Stowford something or other (it was the best of the four ciders I've had, and I need to figure out its name because I need to order it again sometime). I should have just stuck with it, but I had to get fancy and tried an Old Rosie. This cider was disgusting. It tasted like vodka mixed with a cast iron pot. It was not smooth or tasty! It was just unnecessarily alcoholic. Also, this pub had a bit of an older crowd. There were a number of tables filled with older men in their 40's/50's, but again the pub only had a handful of tables. Of course, like clockwork, this pub closed at 11pm. It was probably good that the night ended there because we had to get up early the next morning to head to Oxford for our planned day trip. After getting back to the flat, we booked our tickets to Oxford and went to bed.
Sunday 30 January 2011
Sainsbury's, Pubs, and the Tube
During my first night in London, we dined on some homemade food. It was quite a trip to the grocery store (called Sainsbury's). First, it was a huge cluster of people. The aisles weren't nearly as wide as they are in the US. And on top of that, they weren't very clearly marked. This made navigating the store extremely difficult and almost impossible. It's hard to tell whether groceries are cheaper in the US or the UK too. I'm still trying to figure out that whole conversion thing between kilograms to pounds. Also, I knew this before coming, but eggs are NOT refrigerated. Still skeptical about whether to eat those or not... However, there was plenty of chilled, non-dry milk. It's also really funny to see a number of products that have the EXACT same packaging as American products, but the label just printed a different name. A prime example of this is the bag of "Walker's" crisps that are simply and exactly "Lay's" chips. (I am sort of curious which came first?) Also, this store is NOT meant for bulk shopping. The check-out counter is a little two-foot stand. You can't pile more than five items on it without everything toppling over. And, they charge you five pence (each Pound is 100 pence, like pennies) per bag used. Their way of "going green" of course. There was a nice selection, but the entire store was like a small Trader Joe's. There are definitely no supermarkets here, or at least, I haven't seen one yet.
After much deciding, my friend and I decided to make stir-fry. We got a nice collection of vegetables, a pack of pre-diced chicken and some strange (meaning cheap) stir-fry sauce. We also got a package of rice, but really struggled with trying to cook it. All the measurements were in grams and milliliters, and my friend's flat had NO measuring cups or spoons. I can't cook like that!! So we just poured a bunch of water in a pot and boiled rice. Everything turned out pretty tasty. I mean the rice was a little soggy/mushy, but we made it work. After dinner, we went to my first pub.
Tangent: Okay, so after being at a few pubs so far, I've decided that I love them. They're great. The one's I've been to have all had kitschy wooded decors and tons of one of my other new favorite things: cider. Cider is perfect. Plenty of alcohol, good taste and goes down real smooth and easy (maybe too easy). There was one cider I didn't like (Old Rosie), but otherwise it's been delicious. The only problem with pubs is they close at 11pm, which is just too early for me. Otherwise, pubs and cider are fantastic.
The first pub I went to reminded me of a quaint old-style inn. Very small, yet very charming. All of the seven tables inside were filled with people, but we managed to snag a few bar stools along one of the windows. I got to meet some of the fellow students on one of my friends' study abroad program. Not much to say about this night outside of that. I did get drunk much quicken than usual because of being jet lagged, which was a nice way to spend the last few hours of my first day. Before heading to the train, my friends insisted on stopping by a McDonald's for Cadbury Egg McFlurry's. I didn't get anything, but I thought it was funny that I was in Europe for less than 24 hours, and I had already made my way to a Mickey D's.
To end the night, I got my weekly Tube pass (called an Oyster, I guess) for zones 1&2. In London, they divide their routes in zones. Zones 1 & 2 are the main zones that pretty much everyone uses. Zones 3, 4 and 5 extend to the far reaches of the city - including the airport. Anyway, again, the Tube was eerie clean, fast and efficient. Changing trains was a cinch because all the lines criss-cross and intersect. Completely different from Chicago, where you have to go all the way to the Loop to try and change trains. Finally, it seemed like no time before we were home (even though we basically had to go across London). The only odd thing about the Tube is you have to swipe your card or ticket as you're leaving. Since it's so easy to change trains, I guess which line you started on really changes the price, and it's the price you have to pay for good service though. My other friend's place is only like five minutes from the Tube station, so it was a quick walk back to her apartment. After a long first day, it was nice to finally lay my head down and sleep.
After much deciding, my friend and I decided to make stir-fry. We got a nice collection of vegetables, a pack of pre-diced chicken and some strange (meaning cheap) stir-fry sauce. We also got a package of rice, but really struggled with trying to cook it. All the measurements were in grams and milliliters, and my friend's flat had NO measuring cups or spoons. I can't cook like that!! So we just poured a bunch of water in a pot and boiled rice. Everything turned out pretty tasty. I mean the rice was a little soggy/mushy, but we made it work. After dinner, we went to my first pub.
Tangent: Okay, so after being at a few pubs so far, I've decided that I love them. They're great. The one's I've been to have all had kitschy wooded decors and tons of one of my other new favorite things: cider. Cider is perfect. Plenty of alcohol, good taste and goes down real smooth and easy (maybe too easy). There was one cider I didn't like (Old Rosie), but otherwise it's been delicious. The only problem with pubs is they close at 11pm, which is just too early for me. Otherwise, pubs and cider are fantastic.
The first pub I went to reminded me of a quaint old-style inn. Very small, yet very charming. All of the seven tables inside were filled with people, but we managed to snag a few bar stools along one of the windows. I got to meet some of the fellow students on one of my friends' study abroad program. Not much to say about this night outside of that. I did get drunk much quicken than usual because of being jet lagged, which was a nice way to spend the last few hours of my first day. Before heading to the train, my friends insisted on stopping by a McDonald's for Cadbury Egg McFlurry's. I didn't get anything, but I thought it was funny that I was in Europe for less than 24 hours, and I had already made my way to a Mickey D's.
To end the night, I got my weekly Tube pass (called an Oyster, I guess) for zones 1&2. In London, they divide their routes in zones. Zones 1 & 2 are the main zones that pretty much everyone uses. Zones 3, 4 and 5 extend to the far reaches of the city - including the airport. Anyway, again, the Tube was eerie clean, fast and efficient. Changing trains was a cinch because all the lines criss-cross and intersect. Completely different from Chicago, where you have to go all the way to the Loop to try and change trains. Finally, it seemed like no time before we were home (even though we basically had to go across London). The only odd thing about the Tube is you have to swipe your card or ticket as you're leaving. Since it's so easy to change trains, I guess which line you started on really changes the price, and it's the price you have to pay for good service though. My other friend's place is only like five minutes from the Tube station, so it was a quick walk back to her apartment. After a long first day, it was nice to finally lay my head down and sleep.
Saturday 29 January 2011
Trafalgar, Pret and Jet Lag
So the Heathrow Express was shocking (in a good way). It was truly amazing. The floors were spotless. The seats and the entire train was in prime condition. Compared to the "L", it was like world class travel. I finally figured out how to text, and I was able to send texts to my friends about my arrival.
The train ride seemed to be set in traditional London fashion: dark/damp weather. The train zipped through the outskirts of the city, and I could instantly see some of the differences between here and the US. The houses were obviously smaller and inexplicably squished. The windows, doors and buildings looked like a person trying to fit into something sizes too small. They did look charming, but just a weird observation.
Once I arrived to Paddington Station, I needed to get a cab to my friend's flat. I was actually a little worried about this because I wasn't sure how to flag a cab in the UK. I wasn't sure if it's like the US where you just keep waving your arms like a baboon until a cab stops. Fortunately, Paddington station had a line plastered on the ground to direct pedestrians to the taxi rank. So I just got in line with others to wait for the cabs; however, we were ushered into spots where a cab would pull up and wait for direction. After watching the people go in front me, I realized you're supposed wait for the cab to pull up. Then, they roll down the window, and they wait for you to tell them where you need to go. If they know where it it is, you get in. Not sure what happens if they don't know where to go? (Side note: I still don't know how to flag a cab here. I'll just rely on someone else to take care of it.)
According to my friend, you don't really have to tip your cab driver in London. I wasn't sure if I should trust them, but I ended up tipping the guy a pound. After being silent the entire ride from Paddington to the flat, the tip really seemed to perk him up. He wanted to my bag and wanted to make sure I got to the exact correct address. It was a nice touch.
My friend's flat was charming. Seven people, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big open kitchen, and a living room with two couches and a TV. A little cramped by US standards, but it was a pretty nice view. For Europe, it was perfect. My friend and I dawdled around the flat for like 20 minutes (checked email, facebook, etc.) then started the walk to her class. Keep in mind, it's like 2:00pm on day two of traveling with little sleep. I was exhausted to begin with, and after the 35 minute walk to her class building, I was beyond tired. Her class is less than a block away from Trafalgar Square. Her building was breathtaking. She's goes to Notre Dame, and it's like Notre Dame in London. (They outbid the country of France for the use of the building. France wanted to use it for an embassy. Needless to say, ND won.)
My friend gave me a map and an umbrella. For three hours, I needed to entertain myself around the Square and its area. I also neeeeeded to eat again. I was starving. So I stopped in at one of the five million "Pret A Manger"'s. For those that don't know, Pret is like an already made sandwich/soup/salad place. They charge more for eating at their locations (an extra pound). It was delicious. A nice beef sandwich with rye bread, roasted onions, and a mustard/mayo spread really hit the spot. After a large water, I felt like a person again.
After Pret, I walked down a random street to see what I'd find. I kind of refused to take out the map: I did NOT want to be a huge tourist. Obviously a stubborn thought, but I wasn't exactly thinking too clearly at the time. I stumbled upon St. James's Park, but it was a little rainy and cold. I didn't feel like walking in the park at that time. I looped around the block and saw Big Ben, Westminster, Parliament and St Margaret's Church. Epic block. A snapped a few postcard-esque pictures and moved along the Thames. I saw the British aquarium (or so I was told) and the London Eye. That is definitely something I want to try and ride before leaving London. I continued on aimlessly walking until I made my way back to Trafalgar Square.
At this point, I was starting to get tired, and the damp/cold weather really picked up. I decided to take a look around the free National Gallery. The art inside was pretty uneventful. The art from 1250-1500 all looked the same: misshapen, fat and naked women with a clothed muscular man and their child or children. Usually, they had Jesus in them or the Bible or some other clearly Christian reference. I snagged a seat on a plush leather couch and slept for 30 minutes. I was sleeping sitting up next to a middle-aged Asian man who was doing the same thing. I thought they were going to yell at me, so I'd jerk awake or my head would pop up. The old British people/young kids on field trips probably thought I was strung out on something. Finally, my friend got out of class, and we headed back to her flat.
The train ride seemed to be set in traditional London fashion: dark/damp weather. The train zipped through the outskirts of the city, and I could instantly see some of the differences between here and the US. The houses were obviously smaller and inexplicably squished. The windows, doors and buildings looked like a person trying to fit into something sizes too small. They did look charming, but just a weird observation.
Once I arrived to Paddington Station, I needed to get a cab to my friend's flat. I was actually a little worried about this because I wasn't sure how to flag a cab in the UK. I wasn't sure if it's like the US where you just keep waving your arms like a baboon until a cab stops. Fortunately, Paddington station had a line plastered on the ground to direct pedestrians to the taxi rank. So I just got in line with others to wait for the cabs; however, we were ushered into spots where a cab would pull up and wait for direction. After watching the people go in front me, I realized you're supposed wait for the cab to pull up. Then, they roll down the window, and they wait for you to tell them where you need to go. If they know where it it is, you get in. Not sure what happens if they don't know where to go? (Side note: I still don't know how to flag a cab here. I'll just rely on someone else to take care of it.)
According to my friend, you don't really have to tip your cab driver in London. I wasn't sure if I should trust them, but I ended up tipping the guy a pound. After being silent the entire ride from Paddington to the flat, the tip really seemed to perk him up. He wanted to my bag and wanted to make sure I got to the exact correct address. It was a nice touch.
My friend's flat was charming. Seven people, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big open kitchen, and a living room with two couches and a TV. A little cramped by US standards, but it was a pretty nice view. For Europe, it was perfect. My friend and I dawdled around the flat for like 20 minutes (checked email, facebook, etc.) then started the walk to her class. Keep in mind, it's like 2:00pm on day two of traveling with little sleep. I was exhausted to begin with, and after the 35 minute walk to her class building, I was beyond tired. Her class is less than a block away from Trafalgar Square. Her building was breathtaking. She's goes to Notre Dame, and it's like Notre Dame in London. (They outbid the country of France for the use of the building. France wanted to use it for an embassy. Needless to say, ND won.)
My friend gave me a map and an umbrella. For three hours, I needed to entertain myself around the Square and its area. I also neeeeeded to eat again. I was starving. So I stopped in at one of the five million "Pret A Manger"'s. For those that don't know, Pret is like an already made sandwich/soup/salad place. They charge more for eating at their locations (an extra pound). It was delicious. A nice beef sandwich with rye bread, roasted onions, and a mustard/mayo spread really hit the spot. After a large water, I felt like a person again.
After Pret, I walked down a random street to see what I'd find. I kind of refused to take out the map: I did NOT want to be a huge tourist. Obviously a stubborn thought, but I wasn't exactly thinking too clearly at the time. I stumbled upon St. James's Park, but it was a little rainy and cold. I didn't feel like walking in the park at that time. I looped around the block and saw Big Ben, Westminster, Parliament and St Margaret's Church. Epic block. A snapped a few postcard-esque pictures and moved along the Thames. I saw the British aquarium (or so I was told) and the London Eye. That is definitely something I want to try and ride before leaving London. I continued on aimlessly walking until I made my way back to Trafalgar Square.
At this point, I was starting to get tired, and the damp/cold weather really picked up. I decided to take a look around the free National Gallery. The art inside was pretty uneventful. The art from 1250-1500 all looked the same: misshapen, fat and naked women with a clothed muscular man and their child or children. Usually, they had Jesus in them or the Bible or some other clearly Christian reference. I snagged a seat on a plush leather couch and slept for 30 minutes. I was sleeping sitting up next to a middle-aged Asian man who was doing the same thing. I thought they were going to yell at me, so I'd jerk awake or my head would pop up. The old British people/young kids on field trips probably thought I was strung out on something. Finally, my friend got out of class, and we headed back to her flat.
Friday 28 January 2011
Touched Down in London Town
So my plane ride was pretty uneventful. I got to see The Social Network on the flight over. Great movie, maybe not better than The King's Speech, but still great. I got asked if I wanted tea at least seven times. And all of the flight attendants were British, and they all smelled the same. Guy or girl, young or old, it's the same scent. It was the same smell as the hand soap on the plane, so maybe they get free tubs of it and bathe in it. Who knows. Sadly, I didn't get much sleep on the plane. They kept me up with my Stoffer's-esque beef brisket and Sprite on the flight. The food plus sugar kept my sleepiness at bay. There was some turbulence, and I had flashbacks to "LOST" (my winter break was filled with a lot of episodes of it). After landing, the real fun began.
Before even heading to customs, I tried to get money out of the ATM. It only let me take out 100 pounds (which ended up being more than enough for the first two days). The phone graciously donated to me had a PIN number that I struggled to remember, but after two guesses, it unlocked. I couldn't even figure out how to send text messages on it because it required a country code that I wasn't sure about for the UK. The guy at customs was extremely probing. He asked about where I was staying, why I was there, when I was leaving, what I was doing, what my occupation was, how I paid for the trip if I'm a student: it was ridiculous. How I paid for the trip?! Really..... it was a joke. I actually thought for a moment that he would NOT let me come into the country.
Then I grabbed my luggage and took a breather. I was a little overwhelmed by not knowing where to go, having all my luggage and being a hot mess with my over-sized suitcase/backpack plus a sweatshirt and winter coat. I was hot as hell, to say the least. Luckily, I came to realize the airport (later, I realized the entire city) was designed to help instruct anyone that can read a sign, literally. A woman bombarded me to sell the appropriate Heathrow express ticket. Water bottles and food were available for marked up purchase once you left the baggage claim (or "reclaim" as they call it). Of course the water bottle wasn't refrigerated, but I've always been fine with lukewarm water. After retrieving my bag, water and a ticket on the train, I made my way to the Heathrow Express.
Before even heading to customs, I tried to get money out of the ATM. It only let me take out 100 pounds (which ended up being more than enough for the first two days). The phone graciously donated to me had a PIN number that I struggled to remember, but after two guesses, it unlocked. I couldn't even figure out how to send text messages on it because it required a country code that I wasn't sure about for the UK. The guy at customs was extremely probing. He asked about where I was staying, why I was there, when I was leaving, what I was doing, what my occupation was, how I paid for the trip if I'm a student: it was ridiculous. How I paid for the trip?! Really..... it was a joke. I actually thought for a moment that he would NOT let me come into the country.
Then I grabbed my luggage and took a breather. I was a little overwhelmed by not knowing where to go, having all my luggage and being a hot mess with my over-sized suitcase/backpack plus a sweatshirt and winter coat. I was hot as hell, to say the least. Luckily, I came to realize the airport (later, I realized the entire city) was designed to help instruct anyone that can read a sign, literally. A woman bombarded me to sell the appropriate Heathrow express ticket. Water bottles and food were available for marked up purchase once you left the baggage claim (or "reclaim" as they call it). Of course the water bottle wasn't refrigerated, but I've always been fine with lukewarm water. After retrieving my bag, water and a ticket on the train, I made my way to the Heathrow Express.
Thursday 27 January 2011
My Last Day in America
What a totally insane stretch of 32 hours!! My math might be a little because I don't really understand how to add up the time. Anyway, my last day in America and flight over were taxing (to say the least). I started my final day the way I started the previous month in the US: waking up past 10:00am. It's always nice to get nine hours of sleep per night for a month (ah, the joys of being a college student on break). After my wake up, I showered and went shopping with my mom for some last minute items. Most of the day was filled with regret (wish I started packing earlier), sadness (leaving my family and friends for a long time), fear (unknown challenges ahead) and of course, excitement (I'm going to friggin' Europe for a couple of months). After finishing up shopping and eating lunch, I said my final goodbyes to my grandparents and picked up my six month supply of contacts. Once I got home, I did some last minute packing and rearranging. Then, I sat down and ate my last meal in America: my mom's chicken noodle soup. "Entertainment Tonight" was on TV, and it just made me think of how little television I'll be able to watch in Europe. By no means would I say I watch tons of TV, but I always have a show or two that I like to watch online. This was just one of the many reminders that my life will be extremely different over the coming months.
After eating, my parents and little brother helped me carry my over-stuffed suitcase and backpack out to the car. As we drove to the airport, silent tears streamed down my face. I really have no idea why, especially since I'm usually much of a "crier". I think it was a culmination of everything I've done to make sure I could study abroad, and the realization that that was the easiest part of the whole study abroad experience. Once we got to the airport, I said my final goodbye to my dad first. My mom and little bro-sef dragged my things to the United check-in counter. (Side-note: my bag weighed 50.5 pounds the night before when I weighed). They weighed my suitcase, and it weighed 56 pounds... I have no idea how i managed to squeeze six more pounds in! The scale at home must be broken because that's ridiculous! I added like slippers and contact lenses... Anyway, the man behind the counter was nice enough to waive the 200 dollar over 50 pound fee. I was more than relieved.
Now came the hardest part: saying goodbye to my mom. I would like to think I'm a pretty independent person, but I would describe it as "bounded independence". In America, I'm rarely more than a 2.5 hour car ride from my parents. If I ever need anything, I can easily go home or they can easily drive up to school. Now I'll be at least an expensive eight hour plane ride away! One last time, my mom reassured me that everything will be fine, and it will be an amazing trip. It took a long sip of water to hold back all the different emotions I was feeling. With one final squeeze, my mom and little brother headed out of O'Hare.
Going through security was a complete breeze, and I made it to my gate with plenty of time to spare. I got to catch some of Obama's State of the Union Address. It was so nice of him to give me a final sending off before leaving America. Such a nice guy. Then, my uncle met me at my gate and was able to change my seat so I'd have my own row. It was nice to be able to stretch out (thanks again Uncle D)! As we prepared for final flight preparations, I texted my family goodbye, and Kev told me mom was on the verge tears. He also said he hoped I was holding it together better than she was... It was a nice chuckle before I buckled my seat, turned off my phone for good, and prepared for take-off. My last and very cliched thought as we picked up speed for takeoff was this: HERE WE GO!!
After eating, my parents and little brother helped me carry my over-stuffed suitcase and backpack out to the car. As we drove to the airport, silent tears streamed down my face. I really have no idea why, especially since I'm usually much of a "crier". I think it was a culmination of everything I've done to make sure I could study abroad, and the realization that that was the easiest part of the whole study abroad experience. Once we got to the airport, I said my final goodbye to my dad first. My mom and little bro-sef dragged my things to the United check-in counter. (Side-note: my bag weighed 50.5 pounds the night before when I weighed). They weighed my suitcase, and it weighed 56 pounds... I have no idea how i managed to squeeze six more pounds in! The scale at home must be broken because that's ridiculous! I added like slippers and contact lenses... Anyway, the man behind the counter was nice enough to waive the 200 dollar over 50 pound fee. I was more than relieved.
Now came the hardest part: saying goodbye to my mom. I would like to think I'm a pretty independent person, but I would describe it as "bounded independence". In America, I'm rarely more than a 2.5 hour car ride from my parents. If I ever need anything, I can easily go home or they can easily drive up to school. Now I'll be at least an expensive eight hour plane ride away! One last time, my mom reassured me that everything will be fine, and it will be an amazing trip. It took a long sip of water to hold back all the different emotions I was feeling. With one final squeeze, my mom and little brother headed out of O'Hare.
Going through security was a complete breeze, and I made it to my gate with plenty of time to spare. I got to catch some of Obama's State of the Union Address. It was so nice of him to give me a final sending off before leaving America. Such a nice guy. Then, my uncle met me at my gate and was able to change my seat so I'd have my own row. It was nice to be able to stretch out (thanks again Uncle D)! As we prepared for final flight preparations, I texted my family goodbye, and Kev told me mom was on the verge tears. He also said he hoped I was holding it together better than she was... It was a nice chuckle before I buckled my seat, turned off my phone for good, and prepared for take-off. My last and very cliched thought as we picked up speed for takeoff was this: HERE WE GO!!
Brief Intro
This blog is designed as a sort of online journal of my events throughout Europe during this semester. I actually have no clue how often I'll actually write entries, but this is so much easier than trying to send individual emails. They'd contain pretty much the exact same info. Ideally, I'd like to post at least 3-4 entries per week, but we'll see how dedicated I am to this. Feel free to comment on any of the posts, and I hope you enjoy reading about my European adventures!
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