Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Walking on the Thames
Yesterday and today were very busy!!
After our history class yesterday we went to Westminster Abbey, which was very crowded but so cool! I'm pretty sure I saw just about every grave of every famous dead British person you know (well, scratch that, but a lot of them). A few that you all might appreciate - Darwin (that's for all of my science friends), Handel (yep, the composer, I just about cried), Tennyson, Kipling, Dickens, and too many monarchs to name. We also saw the coronation chair that has been used since the 13th century. After the Abby we went to the National Gallery, where we ran around like crazy because our art professor had given us an assignment. Unfortunately, the impressionist exhibit is closed right now, so we missed out on all of that, but their collection is mainly Renaissance and Baroque, so I am trying to tell myself it wasn't that bad. After the National Gallery about five of us girls decided we wanted to go see Harrods. The only thing I could afford in the entire place was one piece of chocolate (emphasis on the one). The exact same pair of jeans I had on cost more in pounds at Harrods than it does in dollars in the United States; therefore, it is well over twice the cost of buying them in Arkansas. My advice to Britons: order your jeans from Fayetteville.
This morning we had another history class and then headed out to see the War Cabinet Rooms and Churchill Museum. It was a really cool museum! It is very new and interactive, and I love that era of history, so it was right up my alley. They have restored the actual building (which was mostly untouched) to its conditions of the turning point of WWII in 1940. This particular place is where Churchill and his war cabinet went during the bombing raids. There were bunks, a kitchen, conference rooms, a map room, and everything imaginable, even a direct line to the US President. Apparently, since all of these men and women spent so much time in there during the war right afterwards they basically just took pictures of how it looked (absolutely incredibly convenient, huh?) shut it up and no one really reopened it until the '70s, which has made the restoration really amazing. Off of this they have built a huge room/museum of Churchill's life, which is also fun if you like to learn about Churchill.
After that, we could do whatever we wanted, so Kelly (from LA), and I went down to Buckingham Palace. We walked around for a while and were actually heading to find a cafe for dinner when happened to see a British family standing at a gate guarded by the Royal Guards. Knowing that whatever was behind that gate must be important, we walked over. Turns out, it was the residence of Charles and Camilla, or so the family told us. That may not be true, but we are choosing to believe it. After that, we somehow wandered around and stumbled upon the Ritz, and then met up with the rest of the group.
Tonight we went on a walk along the Thames. We essentially walked down the river for a while and listened to a very colorful guide tell us a quite questionable history of the city while stopping at a few "historic" places along the way so some of our group could have a few beverages. We did get some great views of St. Paul's cathedral, where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married in 1981 (we're going there Friday), and also walked by both the recreation of the Globe, where we are seeing Othello Thursday night and the original Globe site.
Tomorrow morning Erica and I are going to attempt to see the changing of the guard if the weather is good, and a group of us is going to try to get last minute theatre tickets. Yea!!
A note to Paige Dunn - do not stay at the Leinster Inn. It is our hostel, and it is very dirty. If you go to Salisbury, stay at the Milford Hall Hotel. VERY nice. They even had a towel warmer in the bathroom. This place brought us crashing back to reality.
After our history class yesterday we went to Westminster Abbey, which was very crowded but so cool! I'm pretty sure I saw just about every grave of every famous dead British person you know (well, scratch that, but a lot of them). A few that you all might appreciate - Darwin (that's for all of my science friends), Handel (yep, the composer, I just about cried), Tennyson, Kipling, Dickens, and too many monarchs to name. We also saw the coronation chair that has been used since the 13th century. After the Abby we went to the National Gallery, where we ran around like crazy because our art professor had given us an assignment. Unfortunately, the impressionist exhibit is closed right now, so we missed out on all of that, but their collection is mainly Renaissance and Baroque, so I am trying to tell myself it wasn't that bad. After the National Gallery about five of us girls decided we wanted to go see Harrods. The only thing I could afford in the entire place was one piece of chocolate (emphasis on the one). The exact same pair of jeans I had on cost more in pounds at Harrods than it does in dollars in the United States; therefore, it is well over twice the cost of buying them in Arkansas. My advice to Britons: order your jeans from Fayetteville.
This morning we had another history class and then headed out to see the War Cabinet Rooms and Churchill Museum. It was a really cool museum! It is very new and interactive, and I love that era of history, so it was right up my alley. They have restored the actual building (which was mostly untouched) to its conditions of the turning point of WWII in 1940. This particular place is where Churchill and his war cabinet went during the bombing raids. There were bunks, a kitchen, conference rooms, a map room, and everything imaginable, even a direct line to the US President. Apparently, since all of these men and women spent so much time in there during the war right afterwards they basically just took pictures of how it looked (absolutely incredibly convenient, huh?) shut it up and no one really reopened it until the '70s, which has made the restoration really amazing. Off of this they have built a huge room/museum of Churchill's life, which is also fun if you like to learn about Churchill.
After that, we could do whatever we wanted, so Kelly (from LA), and I went down to Buckingham Palace. We walked around for a while and were actually heading to find a cafe for dinner when happened to see a British family standing at a gate guarded by the Royal Guards. Knowing that whatever was behind that gate must be important, we walked over. Turns out, it was the residence of Charles and Camilla, or so the family told us. That may not be true, but we are choosing to believe it. After that, we somehow wandered around and stumbled upon the Ritz, and then met up with the rest of the group.
Tonight we went on a walk along the Thames. We essentially walked down the river for a while and listened to a very colorful guide tell us a quite questionable history of the city while stopping at a few "historic" places along the way so some of our group could have a few beverages. We did get some great views of St. Paul's cathedral, where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married in 1981 (we're going there Friday), and also walked by both the recreation of the Globe, where we are seeing Othello Thursday night and the original Globe site.
Tomorrow morning Erica and I are going to attempt to see the changing of the guard if the weather is good, and a group of us is going to try to get last minute theatre tickets. Yea!!
A note to Paige Dunn - do not stay at the Leinster Inn. It is our hostel, and it is very dirty. If you go to Salisbury, stay at the Milford Hall Hotel. VERY nice. They even had a towel warmer in the bathroom. This place brought us crashing back to reality.
Monday, May 28, 2007
it's cold
We're back in London! Another train ride, another day of carrying our packs, and we're back in London. Yesterday was much more pleasant thanks to a successful purging of my pack. While it was sad to leave the only forms of entertainment I had in Salisbury, I have read books before, and my back is ever-so-thankful. Besides, after Blake (one of the girls on the tour) described RealSimple like this, "It's like, 'How to more efficiently organize your closet', and 'how to turn your candles into...mocassins!'", I decided everyone had made fun of my southern-ness enough, and I could part with it until I got home. Also, my back was very thankful after losing the extra weight.
Last night we went on a little walking tour of London to orient ourselves. We took a bus down to Piccadilly Circus then walked around to Trafalgar Square, walked by Tony Blair's house, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, saw Westminster Abbey, walked across the Thames, and then Erica and I rode the London Eye. Very touristy, I know, but it was worth it. We were lucky enough to be on with a really sweet young British family who told us what all of the buildings were, so we got to see everything across London and actually know what it was. Also, at one point their little girl who was three got really confused and grabbed onto my leg (apparently it looked really similar to her mother's) and didn't realize what she had done until we all started laughing and I was rubbing her hair. It basically made my night.
We're off to our 2nd history lecture. It's going to be riveting, I'm sure.
Last night we went on a little walking tour of London to orient ourselves. We took a bus down to Piccadilly Circus then walked around to Trafalgar Square, walked by Tony Blair's house, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, saw Westminster Abbey, walked across the Thames, and then Erica and I rode the London Eye. Very touristy, I know, but it was worth it. We were lucky enough to be on with a really sweet young British family who told us what all of the buildings were, so we got to see everything across London and actually know what it was. Also, at one point their little girl who was three got really confused and grabbed onto my leg (apparently it looked really similar to her mother's) and didn't realize what she had done until we all started laughing and I was rubbing her hair. It basically made my night.
We're off to our 2nd history lecture. It's going to be riveting, I'm sure.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Plane ride, Salisbury, and blood sausage
We're here! Thursday morning we arrived in London after a very long but actually quite pleasant flight. We sat next to a really sweet family with 2 kids from Baltimore. Paige was bumped to first class, poor baby, and I was really jealous.
After quite an adventure finding our way around the city, Erica, Paige, and I found our way to our neighborhood. We sat in a small cafe for a few hours just relaxing before heading to the hostel around 2. The Leinster, our hostel in London, is a hostel in every sense of the word. There are people around our age from many countries, and it was loud at all hours. There are rules against congregating on the stoop, so they simply moved across the street or to the next door. Clever, huh?
Yesterday we took the train to Salisbury, which is just near Stonehenge. We are going there this afternoon! It is a great place. I think I am going to move here. Last night we saw a concert of the European Union Chamber Orchestra in the Salisbury Cathedral (which holds one of only 4 original copies of the Magna Carta). I was in heaven. They were absolutely wonderful.
We are about to have our first history class, so I better go!! More soon.
After quite an adventure finding our way around the city, Erica, Paige, and I found our way to our neighborhood. We sat in a small cafe for a few hours just relaxing before heading to the hostel around 2. The Leinster, our hostel in London, is a hostel in every sense of the word. There are people around our age from many countries, and it was loud at all hours. There are rules against congregating on the stoop, so they simply moved across the street or to the next door. Clever, huh?
Yesterday we took the train to Salisbury, which is just near Stonehenge. We are going there this afternoon! It is a great place. I think I am going to move here. Last night we saw a concert of the European Union Chamber Orchestra in the Salisbury Cathedral (which holds one of only 4 original copies of the Magna Carta). I was in heaven. They were absolutely wonderful.
We are about to have our first history class, so I better go!! More soon.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
I should be packing...
In approximately 24 hours, Erica, Paige, and I will be leaving for five weeks in Europe! That said, I should be packing (and hopelessly attempting to stuff everything in my pack), but I'm not. Rather than e-mailing everyone throughout the next few weeks, I'm going to attempt to keep this updated so that you'll all know what I'm doing. Now that I've figured out how to work this thing, I'll leave you all with a schedule of our travels.
May 24: London
May 25-26: Salisbury
May 27 - June 1: London
June 2 - June 7: Paris
June 8: night train to Frankfurt
June 9 - 10: Bacharach
June 11 - 15: Berlin
June 16 - 18: Prague
June 19 - 21: Vienna
June 22 - 26: Munich
May 24: London
May 25-26: Salisbury
May 27 - June 1: London
June 2 - June 7: Paris
June 8: night train to Frankfurt
June 9 - 10: Bacharach
June 11 - 15: Berlin
June 16 - 18: Prague
June 19 - 21: Vienna
June 22 - 26: Munich
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