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.

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.

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.

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. 

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!!

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!