Because tonight and tomorrow are going to be full of, "Oh, we forgot to make sure we did THIS while in London!" kind of moments, I'm going to say a few words commemorating the end of my study abroad program (which is official on Saturday morning).
To be cliche, it has been a dream come true. I have completely fallen in love with this city. I love everything about it. The pubs, the Indian food, the fish and chips, the public transportation, the parks, the shopping, the architecture, the history, the literature, the professors, the people, the cafes (shout out to Caffe Nero, they sponsored by caffeine addiction while staying here), even the cars driving on the left side of the street. I don't know how I'm going to fall asleep without the sounds of King's Road floating through my window at night.
Technically I'll be back to London in a week and a half to visit with my parents, but this Saturday marks the end of my living here, as a student. And the last time I'm going to see some of the people in my program for a long time!
The only thing I'm not going to miss: how astronomically EXPENSIVE everything is. Seriously. Even McDonald's is pushing it with their prices. London is a cruel lover who stole my heart and then my wallet.
So just to outline it for everyone at home, here are the places I will be visiting in the 16 days after the program and before my return to the States:
Canterbury (to see the Cathedral and St. Augustine's Abbey)
Oxford (duh)
York (to see the York Minster)
Edinburgh & Glasgow (where I will meet up with my friend Greer and her family for a few days and take a tour of the Highlands)
Windermere (to tour the lake district)
Haworth (to see the Bronte Parsonage)
Liverpool (where I will meet my parents and do some Beatles tours)
Dublin ('nuff said)
Back to London for a few days to show my parents around (and take a day trip to Winchester Cathedral so I can visit Jane Austen's final resting place)
The next two weeks will be packed, but I'm very excited to see more of the United Kingdom and do a little independent traveling! I always learn so much about myself when I do things on my own, so I don't feel very nervous about the times that I'll be alone. I've got a few Jane Austen books to keep me company, too. :)
I'll get back to you on how the famous Afternoon Tea experience goes tomorrow! Until then...stay classy, friends.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Brighton
My day trip on Sunday to the southern seaside town of Brighton was fantastic! (Best fish and chips I've had in England so far. 6 pounds well-spent.)
Once upon a time, Bath was the fashionable place to vacation and give your health a boost by soaking in the heated springs...until Brighton took over with its chilly ocean water. It became THE place to go to heal mild maladies (as well as a place to see and be seen at the right places with the right people). People even drank the saltwater as a health measure; but, since most people can't stomach that, they created a recipe that included cream and required boiling it to a congealed gelatin sort of concoction. Yummy.
Nowadays, it is a nice little vacation spot with a rocky beach (not sandy), a fun amusement park pier, and dozens of cute market-style sale booths and shops. Apparently, on a clear day, you can see France from the shore.
Here are some pictures of the area:
(Don't judge my hair. It was windy.)
The highlight of this trip was not only the fresh, open ocean air (which, by the way, was an incredible alternative to my stupid-small dorm room), but getting a chance to see the Brighton Pavilion. It was the most shockingly out-of-place, over-the-top fantasy palace. Here are some pictures, historical explanations to follow!
It was built near the end of the 1700s for George, Prince of Wales (later King George IV, who was known for his extravagant spending) as a seaside vacation home. It is, obviously, in the Indian style of architecture. However, the inside is decorated very ostentatiously in a traditional Chinese fashion.
It really is too bad that I couldn't take pictures inside, because it was INCREDIBLE. There were a lot of illusionist strategies that made the art on the wall pop out at you. Handrails and mirror frames looked like bamboo, even though they weren't. Carpet was so lush, you could feel your feet sink in a little bit. The kitchen had one of the first self-revolving spits over the cooking fire. The dining room chandelier, when lit, gave the impression that silver dragons were blowing fire, and the large dragon at the top of it was so life-like and scary that some guests refused to sit under it.
Probably my favorite palace I've visited since being here. And I've seen a lot of castles, let me tell ya.
Once upon a time, Bath was the fashionable place to vacation and give your health a boost by soaking in the heated springs...until Brighton took over with its chilly ocean water. It became THE place to go to heal mild maladies (as well as a place to see and be seen at the right places with the right people). People even drank the saltwater as a health measure; but, since most people can't stomach that, they created a recipe that included cream and required boiling it to a congealed gelatin sort of concoction. Yummy.
Nowadays, it is a nice little vacation spot with a rocky beach (not sandy), a fun amusement park pier, and dozens of cute market-style sale booths and shops. Apparently, on a clear day, you can see France from the shore.
Here are some pictures of the area:
(Don't judge my hair. It was windy.)
The highlight of this trip was not only the fresh, open ocean air (which, by the way, was an incredible alternative to my stupid-small dorm room), but getting a chance to see the Brighton Pavilion. It was the most shockingly out-of-place, over-the-top fantasy palace. Here are some pictures, historical explanations to follow!
It was built near the end of the 1700s for George, Prince of Wales (later King George IV, who was known for his extravagant spending) as a seaside vacation home. It is, obviously, in the Indian style of architecture. However, the inside is decorated very ostentatiously in a traditional Chinese fashion.
It really is too bad that I couldn't take pictures inside, because it was INCREDIBLE. There were a lot of illusionist strategies that made the art on the wall pop out at you. Handrails and mirror frames looked like bamboo, even though they weren't. Carpet was so lush, you could feel your feet sink in a little bit. The kitchen had one of the first self-revolving spits over the cooking fire. The dining room chandelier, when lit, gave the impression that silver dragons were blowing fire, and the large dragon at the top of it was so life-like and scary that some guests refused to sit under it.
Probably my favorite palace I've visited since being here. And I've seen a lot of castles, let me tell ya.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Time to Get Misty-Eyed
I know it's been a while since I last posted, but I've been so BUSY! Classes are really hitting a high point this week and last. Who knew study abroad classes would be this time consuming? Not that I'm complaining. I'm in LONDON, after all.
I can't believe I only have 10 more days in this program. I have about 2 weeks more to explore the UK when it's over, but man, I'm gonna miss these people. It might sound trite, but we've been through a lot together! Navigating London, making day trip plans, experiencing pub culture, attempting to understand British English (and British menus, and British men)... We were thrown into this intense, stressful, emotional situation together and became a family. It's been a beautiful 6 weeks, and I'm gonna miss every last one of you.
Another thing that made me misty-eyed since the last time I updated you? The final Harry Potter film. Tears actually streamed down my face 6 separate times. I know everyone has said this, but part of me feels like my childhood has completed. When Professor McGonagall and the others began putting charms and spells on Hogwarts to protect it in the battle... The tears began. It sounds silly, but in a way, Hogwarts feels like my home too. Like any well-written novel I've read, I became attached to the characters and attuned to their intricacies, their worries, their flaws, their triumphs. I literally grew up with Harry Potter, practically the same age as he was with each book and film that came out, and his world became a part of mine. Now that both the books and films have ended, and I don't have more of Harry's story to look forward to, I feel like I've parted with a piece of myself.
I guess it doesn't help that I'm becoming a senior this year, and I'm going to have an internship and be looking into grad school and real career-related jobs soon... It all feels like it's moving so fast. There are many childish things I'll have to give up soon, and many more responsibilities I'll have to take up in their place. Forgive me for wanting to delay.
But, I'll have to say, seeing Harry Potter in London was priceless. Everyone cried, laughed, and clapped at all the right moments, like we were watching a live show. But I know this would've happened in America too. It was just special to watch it amongst the British, laugh with them, connect with them over this extremely touching saga set on their turf. (Oh, and it was neat to recognize some of the scenery too.)
I must sign off here for now, but my next posts will include: my personal review of the 8 London museums I have attended, an account of my day trip to Brighton, and my travel plans for after the program.
Until then... Keep your head up, Harry Potter fans. Michael Martinez of CNN said it best: "And though they are no longer budding wizards with broken glasses, bushy hair and dirty noses, the fans take comfort in knowing Potter will never be gone, not as long as those who remain are loyal to him."
I can't believe I only have 10 more days in this program. I have about 2 weeks more to explore the UK when it's over, but man, I'm gonna miss these people. It might sound trite, but we've been through a lot together! Navigating London, making day trip plans, experiencing pub culture, attempting to understand British English (and British menus, and British men)... We were thrown into this intense, stressful, emotional situation together and became a family. It's been a beautiful 6 weeks, and I'm gonna miss every last one of you.
Another thing that made me misty-eyed since the last time I updated you? The final Harry Potter film. Tears actually streamed down my face 6 separate times. I know everyone has said this, but part of me feels like my childhood has completed. When Professor McGonagall and the others began putting charms and spells on Hogwarts to protect it in the battle... The tears began. It sounds silly, but in a way, Hogwarts feels like my home too. Like any well-written novel I've read, I became attached to the characters and attuned to their intricacies, their worries, their flaws, their triumphs. I literally grew up with Harry Potter, practically the same age as he was with each book and film that came out, and his world became a part of mine. Now that both the books and films have ended, and I don't have more of Harry's story to look forward to, I feel like I've parted with a piece of myself.
I guess it doesn't help that I'm becoming a senior this year, and I'm going to have an internship and be looking into grad school and real career-related jobs soon... It all feels like it's moving so fast. There are many childish things I'll have to give up soon, and many more responsibilities I'll have to take up in their place. Forgive me for wanting to delay.
But, I'll have to say, seeing Harry Potter in London was priceless. Everyone cried, laughed, and clapped at all the right moments, like we were watching a live show. But I know this would've happened in America too. It was just special to watch it amongst the British, laugh with them, connect with them over this extremely touching saga set on their turf. (Oh, and it was neat to recognize some of the scenery too.)
I must sign off here for now, but my next posts will include: my personal review of the 8 London museums I have attended, an account of my day trip to Brighton, and my travel plans for after the program.
Until then... Keep your head up, Harry Potter fans. Michael Martinez of CNN said it best: "And though they are no longer budding wizards with broken glasses, bushy hair and dirty noses, the fans take comfort in knowing Potter will never be gone, not as long as those who remain are loyal to him."
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The Shakespeare Post We All Knew Was Coming
Here is where I put everything else on pause and speak to you for a few moments about the greatness that is William Shakespeare.
While I have already been to the Globe Theatre, we took a more in-depth tour with a very knowledgeable guide last Tuesday, and Saturday (yesterday) we took a day-trip to Stratford upon Avon, where Shakespeare was born and buried. I'm also studying for a Shakespeare midterm, so I'm currently in a Shakespeare Fervor, as it were.
Some pictures, with captions following!
The above two pictures are of the house where Shakespeare was born and lived with his family. Shortly thereafter he lived in the smaller cottage next to it, which his family also owned, with his wife Anne. He was 18 and Anne was 26 when they married; they had a daughter 6 months later named Susanna. (You do the math.)
I know it's blurry, but this is one of the original copies of Shakespeare's portfolio of plays. Someone must have taken great pains to compile it, because back then, plays weren't written like we read them now. Shakespeare would've written out the different parts for different people and they were posted around the stage so actors knew what they were supposed to be doing during rehearsals.
Holy Trinity Church, a 15th-century church where Shakespeare is buried. Somewhat ironically, because it is a Protestant church (as all churches had to be at the time), and Shakespeare was Catholic. But alas, you want to be buried on hallowed ground, and so it had to be.
Shakespeare's grave site (next to his wife, Anne). I stood in quiet contemplation here. I couldn't believe I was standing before the very place where William was buried, a man who, as an English speaker, I owe so much. And as a lover of literature, theatre, art, and the study of the human condition...so much more.
Other things I have learned:
The year Shakespeare was born (1564), there was an outbreak of the plague in Stratford, and he was actually quite lucky to survive. Given that he has contributed thousands of words to the English language, I can't imagine what life would be like today had it not been for his existence.
Shakespeare did not attend university at Oxford or Cambridge, as some might have assumed. In fact, he didn't pursue higher education than high school (called grammar school at the time). What a thorn in the side that must be for traditionalists. But hey, when you're genius, you're genius.
We don't have any record of what William was up to between 1585 and 1592, when he finally showed up in London and people began performing his plays.
Shakespeare's style and plots were extremely original for his time. Before him, the only plays put on were Biblical stories and very simple tales that existed purely to teach morals.
William died in 1616 of consumption, an illness he contracted after a night of partying with one of his contemporaries, Ben Jonson.
The Globe theatre burned down in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII. A canon misfired, hit the thatched roof, and the entire building burned down in about 2 hours. Of the thousands of people who were likely to have been in the audience, all got out alive. (Although one man's pants caught fire, luckily people threw their ale on him and put it out.) It was rebuilt with a tiled roof, but The Globe Theatre that stands in London today was built in the exact likeness (as much as we can guess, anyway) of the first model, which means it has the first approved thatched roof since the fire of 1666.
I could go on for days about this man. The more I study him, the more I am inspired by his wit and his cunning ability to not only capture the nature of humanity, but to do so in such a way that arrests all the senses. His characters steal my heart every time, and after seeing an AMAZING rendition of Macbeth by the Royal Shakespeare Company, I feel, in a way, indebted to him. The most I can do to show my gratitude is...well...worship him. We are not worthy, Shakespeare! I applaud thee.
While I have already been to the Globe Theatre, we took a more in-depth tour with a very knowledgeable guide last Tuesday, and Saturday (yesterday) we took a day-trip to Stratford upon Avon, where Shakespeare was born and buried. I'm also studying for a Shakespeare midterm, so I'm currently in a Shakespeare Fervor, as it were.
Some pictures, with captions following!
The above two pictures are of the house where Shakespeare was born and lived with his family. Shortly thereafter he lived in the smaller cottage next to it, which his family also owned, with his wife Anne. He was 18 and Anne was 26 when they married; they had a daughter 6 months later named Susanna. (You do the math.)
I know it's blurry, but this is one of the original copies of Shakespeare's portfolio of plays. Someone must have taken great pains to compile it, because back then, plays weren't written like we read them now. Shakespeare would've written out the different parts for different people and they were posted around the stage so actors knew what they were supposed to be doing during rehearsals.
Holy Trinity Church, a 15th-century church where Shakespeare is buried. Somewhat ironically, because it is a Protestant church (as all churches had to be at the time), and Shakespeare was Catholic. But alas, you want to be buried on hallowed ground, and so it had to be.
Shakespeare's grave site (next to his wife, Anne). I stood in quiet contemplation here. I couldn't believe I was standing before the very place where William was buried, a man who, as an English speaker, I owe so much. And as a lover of literature, theatre, art, and the study of the human condition...so much more.Other things I have learned:
The year Shakespeare was born (1564), there was an outbreak of the plague in Stratford, and he was actually quite lucky to survive. Given that he has contributed thousands of words to the English language, I can't imagine what life would be like today had it not been for his existence.
Shakespeare did not attend university at Oxford or Cambridge, as some might have assumed. In fact, he didn't pursue higher education than high school (called grammar school at the time). What a thorn in the side that must be for traditionalists. But hey, when you're genius, you're genius.
We don't have any record of what William was up to between 1585 and 1592, when he finally showed up in London and people began performing his plays.
Shakespeare's style and plots were extremely original for his time. Before him, the only plays put on were Biblical stories and very simple tales that existed purely to teach morals.
William died in 1616 of consumption, an illness he contracted after a night of partying with one of his contemporaries, Ben Jonson.
The Globe theatre burned down in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII. A canon misfired, hit the thatched roof, and the entire building burned down in about 2 hours. Of the thousands of people who were likely to have been in the audience, all got out alive. (Although one man's pants caught fire, luckily people threw their ale on him and put it out.) It was rebuilt with a tiled roof, but The Globe Theatre that stands in London today was built in the exact likeness (as much as we can guess, anyway) of the first model, which means it has the first approved thatched roof since the fire of 1666.
I could go on for days about this man. The more I study him, the more I am inspired by his wit and his cunning ability to not only capture the nature of humanity, but to do so in such a way that arrests all the senses. His characters steal my heart every time, and after seeing an AMAZING rendition of Macbeth by the Royal Shakespeare Company, I feel, in a way, indebted to him. The most I can do to show my gratitude is...well...worship him. We are not worthy, Shakespeare! I applaud thee.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Ancient Art, Ancient Rocks, AncIent Cathedrals, Ancient Baths
This is about to be a long post, so bear with me!
Last Wednesday I went to the V&A museum, AKA the Victoria and Albert Museum. Victoria and Albert were huge supporters of education and the arts, which is why this museum was named after them. Inside are many forms of art: clothing, theatre costumes/sets, old silver decor, paintings, tapestries, even furniture styles throughout the years. I didn't take too many pictures inside, but here is the building:
On Friday some friends and I went to Platform 9 and 3/4 (because we're Harry Potter nerds), but it turns out King's Cross Station is under a lot of construction so they moved this tourist attraction outside. This is the very cheap version by which I posed, wearing an extremely disappointed look on my face.
However, we also made it to Harrod's, a gigantic (and famous) store where you can pretty much buy anything you can dream up. Seriously. It's like Santa's workshop in there. It's also extremely expensive. You have to pay a pound just to go to the bathroom.
After this we checked out China Town and had some DELICIOUS authentic Chinese food! That and the trip to Harrod's made up for the Harry Potter Disappointment.
Saturday morning we left to visit Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath. I will let the following pictures (and their captions) narrate that adventure!
Stonehenge was built around 3000BC, before the wheel was invented, and we suspect that they stopped using it around 1500BC. However, we still don't know WHY they built it. It must have been important though, because these rocks weigh around 3 tons and came from a mountain about 40 miles away. There are a few theories, ranging anywhere from funeral-like rituals, to a calendar, to extraterrestrial conspiracies.
After this we went to Salisbury, where we saw the Doom Painting in St. Thomas Beckett Cathedral, depicting the good going to Heaven and the bad going to Hell:
I'm not sure you can see this, but Jesus is up at the top in the middle, the angels are on the left, and the people going to Hell are on the right. It was painted around 1460, and likely because this church was mainly for commoners who probably were illiterate and couldn't read the Bible.
We then went to the Salisbury Cathedral, which has the second-highest spire (the tallest one is in Ulm, Germany) and houses an original copy of the Magna Carta (of which I was not allowed to take pictures).
The oldest working clock! Too bad I can't remember how old it is...
Baptism Pool
We then went to Bath, which was a great city that I really enjoyed! Here are some pictures of the Roman Baths, where men would go to relax and be healed by the spring water (which continues to surface hundreds of thousands of litres each day, at about 125 degrees Fahrenheit).
Here are a few more pictures of the scenery in Bath:
Bath Abbey
The Royal Crescent (appears in some films of Jane Austen's Work)
We also managed to check out the Jane Austen Centre and went on a tour of the exhibit there. I learned a lot more about her (although nothing was necessarily picture-worthy), like how she absolutely hated Bath. She didn't like that it was a big fashionable city to visit and was much more of a country girl, but it did become the basis of her social commentary in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. However, we found out where her house was located when she was living in Bath (25 Gay Street) and took a picture by it! It is now a dentist's office.
Last Wednesday I went to the V&A museum, AKA the Victoria and Albert Museum. Victoria and Albert were huge supporters of education and the arts, which is why this museum was named after them. Inside are many forms of art: clothing, theatre costumes/sets, old silver decor, paintings, tapestries, even furniture styles throughout the years. I didn't take too many pictures inside, but here is the building:
On Friday some friends and I went to Platform 9 and 3/4 (because we're Harry Potter nerds), but it turns out King's Cross Station is under a lot of construction so they moved this tourist attraction outside. This is the very cheap version by which I posed, wearing an extremely disappointed look on my face.
However, we also made it to Harrod's, a gigantic (and famous) store where you can pretty much buy anything you can dream up. Seriously. It's like Santa's workshop in there. It's also extremely expensive. You have to pay a pound just to go to the bathroom.
After this we checked out China Town and had some DELICIOUS authentic Chinese food! That and the trip to Harrod's made up for the Harry Potter Disappointment.
Saturday morning we left to visit Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath. I will let the following pictures (and their captions) narrate that adventure!
Stonehenge was built around 3000BC, before the wheel was invented, and we suspect that they stopped using it around 1500BC. However, we still don't know WHY they built it. It must have been important though, because these rocks weigh around 3 tons and came from a mountain about 40 miles away. There are a few theories, ranging anywhere from funeral-like rituals, to a calendar, to extraterrestrial conspiracies.After this we went to Salisbury, where we saw the Doom Painting in St. Thomas Beckett Cathedral, depicting the good going to Heaven and the bad going to Hell:
I'm not sure you can see this, but Jesus is up at the top in the middle, the angels are on the left, and the people going to Hell are on the right. It was painted around 1460, and likely because this church was mainly for commoners who probably were illiterate and couldn't read the Bible.We then went to the Salisbury Cathedral, which has the second-highest spire (the tallest one is in Ulm, Germany) and houses an original copy of the Magna Carta (of which I was not allowed to take pictures).
The oldest working clock! Too bad I can't remember how old it is...
Baptism PoolWe then went to Bath, which was a great city that I really enjoyed! Here are some pictures of the Roman Baths, where men would go to relax and be healed by the spring water (which continues to surface hundreds of thousands of litres each day, at about 125 degrees Fahrenheit).
Here are a few more pictures of the scenery in Bath:
Bath Abbey
The Royal Crescent (appears in some films of Jane Austen's Work)We also managed to check out the Jane Austen Centre and went on a tour of the exhibit there. I learned a lot more about her (although nothing was necessarily picture-worthy), like how she absolutely hated Bath. She didn't like that it was a big fashionable city to visit and was much more of a country girl, but it did become the basis of her social commentary in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. However, we found out where her house was located when she was living in Bath (25 Gay Street) and took a picture by it! It is now a dentist's office.
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