That's right kids, yesterday, Sunday, January 28, I, Alicia Wickham Green, voluntarily attended church. Lauren, Ashley, Sarah, and I woke up early and took the #11 bus to St. Paul's Cathedral for the 11:30 mass. (Note for anyone coming to London- the #11 bus is even better than a sightseeing bus. It takes you past all the major attractions: Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's...pretty amazing ride.) Arrived at the cathedral a bit early, but since it was freezing outside we went inside and were able to sit down and take the whole thing in. It's an incredible building- I can't even fathom how it was constructed. The entire interior and exterior is decorated w. elaborate carvings and sculptures and artwork; the stained glass windows and paintings are beautiful as well- it's fairly difficult to describe such a building, but it was gorgeous.
The mass itself was beautifully orchestrated as well: everything was performed perfectly, with five priests and about five alter servers all dressed in a manner that can only be described as elegant. The choir that performed was incredible- it was a boys' and mens' choir, and the sound that came out of some of these 10 year olds was enough to give you goosebumps, although part of that may have been that fact that it was almost as cold inside the cathedral as it was outside. The choir boys were absolutely adorable in their robes and neck ruffles, and were the best part of the service by far.
After mass we headed back to the residence hall to get some reading done (yes, Melissa and Daryn, reading for school!) and cook yet another pasta dinner.
Later that night, the four of us headed out to Ain't Nothing But the Blues Bar, which is exactly what it sounds like. It's an adorable little hole-in-the-wall bar, and it is the only place in London which has live blues music seven night a week. The band that played was really quite good, and I had a great time! The good news is that there's no cover on Sunday nights, as well as Monday-Wednesday, so I am definitely going back.
Today, Lauren and I went back to our favorite cafe in Soho, Amato, for some jasmine tea. I was able to resist their amazing pastries in a valiant attempt to save money for traveling, but it was still lovely. Had to go to a film screening for my philosophy class, which was interesting, as usual. Then, we went out to the cinema where we saw 'The Last King of Scotland'. Although not a terribly uplifting movie (but what movie about Ugandan genocide can be?) I thought it was really well done, and I would definitely recommend seeing it- great acting, and a really important story.
So, here I am, procrastinating and not reading about metaethics. I'm going to Paris on Friday, and I can't even begin to describe how excited I am! I'm a bit worried about only knowing roughly 3 phrases in French, but Lauren has promised to write out a couple key sentences for us, and it's a touristy city, so I'm sure we'll be fine. I can not wait to see all the museums and I've heard stories of amazing food- crepes and baguettes to be specific. I'll let you know all about it soon!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Hampstead/Keats
Ok, I lied. I did not, in fact, go to Jane Austen's house today. Sadly, Lauren was not feeling well and couldn't accompany us, so Sarah and I decided to wait until we could all go to make the trek out to Winchester. However, being up so early, we figured that we might as well make the best of a strangely sunny day! After checking out the bus schedule for when we do go to Jane's former abode, we jumped back on the tube and headed out to visit John Keats's house. After a few minor confusions due to track work, we arrived in Hampstead, which is a very cute little town at the edge of zone 2. Not being prepared for this trip, we really didn't have any idea where to go, so we wandered around for a bit, stopping to have a cup of delicious French hot chocolate in Maison Blanc, one of the many pastries.
After stopping and asking for directions several times, we finally stumbled upon Keats's house, which is directly next to a public library. Somehow, we found an open gate, and hung out in the gorgeous front yard, sitting on the stoop until the house officially opened at 1:00. The Keats House is really well managed, and has student admission for a pound seventy-five, which is valid for an entire year, so if you're in London, you should definitely go check it out. Each room in the house was explained and designed with artifacts to simulate its appearance when Keats lived there with Charles Brown during the time period where he wrote virtually all of his poetry. Originally two separate houses, Fanny Brawne, his love and finance, lived 'next door', and the house had a lot of very interesting information about her as well as Keats.
After spending a significant amount of time there, Sarah and I went for a walk through the enormous public park nearby, Heath Dairy, where Keats and Shelley used to go walk and write. It is an incredibly beautiful open space, with paths, ponds, wildlife, woods, and open meadows. I know I'm not describing it well, but it's incredible and breathtaking. On our walk/hike we saw tons of families with adorable children (one little girl reminded me of Hannah- she was chasing pigons trying to kick them and screaming and laughing rather maniacally...), old couples feeding the birds, and countless individuals walking dogs- I think everyone in Hampstead has a dog, and it just made me want to move here, buy some galoshes, and get a puppy! We ventured off the path a bit and found a beautiful oak tree, which we climbed and just sat and thought in.
After a few hours the sun started to set, so we headed back to the tube, stopping at another amazing French bakery, Paul's, to buy a loaf of bread for dinner. When we got back, Sarah, Lauren, and I cooked dinner together and then, after failing to get enough tickets to see a movie in the cinema, watched some Arrested Development- a nice quiet night after a very long day.
After stopping and asking for directions several times, we finally stumbled upon Keats's house, which is directly next to a public library. Somehow, we found an open gate, and hung out in the gorgeous front yard, sitting on the stoop until the house officially opened at 1:00. The Keats House is really well managed, and has student admission for a pound seventy-five, which is valid for an entire year, so if you're in London, you should definitely go check it out. Each room in the house was explained and designed with artifacts to simulate its appearance when Keats lived there with Charles Brown during the time period where he wrote virtually all of his poetry. Originally two separate houses, Fanny Brawne, his love and finance, lived 'next door', and the house had a lot of very interesting information about her as well as Keats.
After spending a significant amount of time there, Sarah and I went for a walk through the enormous public park nearby, Heath Dairy, where Keats and Shelley used to go walk and write. It is an incredibly beautiful open space, with paths, ponds, wildlife, woods, and open meadows. I know I'm not describing it well, but it's incredible and breathtaking. On our walk/hike we saw tons of families with adorable children (one little girl reminded me of Hannah- she was chasing pigons trying to kick them and screaming and laughing rather maniacally...), old couples feeding the birds, and countless individuals walking dogs- I think everyone in Hampstead has a dog, and it just made me want to move here, buy some galoshes, and get a puppy! We ventured off the path a bit and found a beautiful oak tree, which we climbed and just sat and thought in.
After a few hours the sun started to set, so we headed back to the tube, stopping at another amazing French bakery, Paul's, to buy a loaf of bread for dinner. When we got back, Sarah, Lauren, and I cooked dinner together and then, after failing to get enough tickets to see a movie in the cinema, watched some Arrested Development- a nice quiet night after a very long day.
Friday, January 26, 2007
High Tea and Other Adventures
Today, Sarah, Lauren, Ashley, and I went to Kensington Gardens for High Tea at the Orangery. The site of the Orangery was built for Queen Anne in the early 18th century in the middle of her extensive gardens and next to Kensington Palace. So, essentially, we were able to have a very posh tea where royalty used to have theirs. It was such a beautiful building and an extremely sophisticated tea. I ordered a pot of Deereling tea and a fruit scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream- in the words of Rachael Ray, 'yum-o'! Plus, at 5 pounds, it didn't even break the bank. (Some local stranger must have pointed it out to me in a dark alley [that's for you Jesse and Melissa!])
After our classy tea time we headed to Neal's Yard in Covent Garden to get Sarah a chic little European haircut at a trendy little place call the Hair Fairy. Contrary to popular belief, they do not dye every customers' hair bright pink, and Sarah got a cute trim and some angles- adorable.
By that time, it had been about 3 hours since we had last eaten, so we wandered into Soho and found a cheap all-you-can-eat Thai buffet.
After another detour at the best pastry/coffee shop in London (Amato) where Lauren and Sarah could not resist the chocolate croissant, we split up and Ashley and I headed to Brick Lane for the Hookah Lounge. Eric, when you come to visit, I am taking you here- best hookah bar I've ever been to. It's an adorable little one room hookah/tea/middle eastern food/bar shop filled with comfy chairs, couches, and footstools. The owners dog perpetually naps, blocking the bathroom door, and everyone is comfortably packed in, fogging up all the windows. I loved it! Ashley and I got some peach hookah and a bottle of red wine and had an amazing talk. (Cheesy sidenote: I am so amazingly lucky that I have met such incredible people in this program- I could not have asked for better friends after two weeks, and I really am thankful)
After hanging out for a bit we stopped by Beigel Bake, a 24 hour beigel (bagel) shop with delicious, homemade, cheap bagels on Brick Lane- I chose cream cheese and chives. We ate our little treats riding back on the Number 11 night bus, which took up by Big Ben and Parliament, all lit up for the evening.
Can't wait for tomorrow- we're going to visit Jane Austin's house and museum!
After our classy tea time we headed to Neal's Yard in Covent Garden to get Sarah a chic little European haircut at a trendy little place call the Hair Fairy. Contrary to popular belief, they do not dye every customers' hair bright pink, and Sarah got a cute trim and some angles- adorable.
By that time, it had been about 3 hours since we had last eaten, so we wandered into Soho and found a cheap all-you-can-eat Thai buffet.
After another detour at the best pastry/coffee shop in London (Amato) where Lauren and Sarah could not resist the chocolate croissant, we split up and Ashley and I headed to Brick Lane for the Hookah Lounge. Eric, when you come to visit, I am taking you here- best hookah bar I've ever been to. It's an adorable little one room hookah/tea/middle eastern food/bar shop filled with comfy chairs, couches, and footstools. The owners dog perpetually naps, blocking the bathroom door, and everyone is comfortably packed in, fogging up all the windows. I loved it! Ashley and I got some peach hookah and a bottle of red wine and had an amazing talk. (Cheesy sidenote: I am so amazingly lucky that I have met such incredible people in this program- I could not have asked for better friends after two weeks, and I really am thankful)
After hanging out for a bit we stopped by Beigel Bake, a 24 hour beigel (bagel) shop with delicious, homemade, cheap bagels on Brick Lane- I chose cream cheese and chives. We ate our little treats riding back on the Number 11 night bus, which took up by Big Ben and Parliament, all lit up for the evening.
Can't wait for tomorrow- we're going to visit Jane Austin's house and museum!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Vintage Clothing
Today we went on a vintage clothing tour through Covent Garden and a bit of Soho led by Tim, one of our IES coordinators. He took us to several different shops and showed us some really cool areas of the garden, Soho, and Seven Dials. Sadly, vintage clothing has apparently just come back into fashion in the European club scene, so things were not as cheap as I had hoped. Still, we had a great time poking around and found some adorable shops and areas to come back to. We also found an amazing vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Neal's Yard where Lauren, Ashley, Sarah, Jordie, and I grabbed some lunch. I had a delicious spinach quiche and salad with the best homemade dressing I've had in a long time! Continued to wander around a bit and look in both shops and stores- went into H&M for the fun of it- it's really funny to see how different department stores are over here and the variety of clothing they carry.
Early day tomorrow- we're off to Oxford!
Early day tomorrow- we're off to Oxford!
Ballers
Last night I met up with Rachael, who is studying at King's College this semester, and we went out for a lovely dinner/night on the town. Strangely enough, our evening began with dinner at Walkabout, of all places. Having only really been there on the premise of pound beers, we were pleasantly surprised with their burgers- I even got to try a burger made of kangaroo meat! Dinner was lovely-lots of catching up and sharing stories, and a very strange encounter with a drunk man who stopped by our table, winked at me, then took some of my french fries off my dinner plate (thank goodness I'm sticking to that resolution and wasn't eating them). We then got a bottle of rose wine and headed into the main room of the bar to listen to a guy play his guitar and watch his two friends try and dance.
Entertaining though it was, we soon headed to another pub to get a drink, and Rachael learned the gin and tonic is not just a drink for old men. I attempted to break a bottle in a trash can (the bar tender told me to, but he should not have) and we began to feel as though chivalry may be dead (more about that to come).
Since pubs close at 11, we decided to make use of the 1/2 price cover coupon we had and we went to Roadhouse in Covent Garden, an endearingly sketchy club with overpriced drinks. Thankfully, there was a band there that night, so the music and dancing and singing was a lot of fun. The crowd somehow incorporated individuals from about 16-56 and let me tell you, the British can not dance. Period. End of sentence. First we met some kids from North Carolina, who bought us shots of cheap vodka- ewww. Then we hung out with a group of Indian kids, although the one who could dance might have been from Germany (?). Had some sketchy interactions with some middle aged men in suits, and escaped to the bar where we met the funniest individuals ever- gangster British kids, complete w. a gold tooth and chain.
Although it was a bit of a struggle to find the correct night buses, we both made it back to our respective abodes at around 5am. Such a fun night- I'm so glad Rachael is here too!
Entertaining though it was, we soon headed to another pub to get a drink, and Rachael learned the gin and tonic is not just a drink for old men. I attempted to break a bottle in a trash can (the bar tender told me to, but he should not have) and we began to feel as though chivalry may be dead (more about that to come).
Since pubs close at 11, we decided to make use of the 1/2 price cover coupon we had and we went to Roadhouse in Covent Garden, an endearingly sketchy club with overpriced drinks. Thankfully, there was a band there that night, so the music and dancing and singing was a lot of fun. The crowd somehow incorporated individuals from about 16-56 and let me tell you, the British can not dance. Period. End of sentence. First we met some kids from North Carolina, who bought us shots of cheap vodka- ewww. Then we hung out with a group of Indian kids, although the one who could dance might have been from Germany (?). Had some sketchy interactions with some middle aged men in suits, and escaped to the bar where we met the funniest individuals ever- gangster British kids, complete w. a gold tooth and chain.
Although it was a bit of a struggle to find the correct night buses, we both made it back to our respective abodes at around 5am. Such a fun night- I'm so glad Rachael is here too!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The Study Part of Study Abroad...But Don't Worry- We Can Still Party
I knew there was a catch...and here it is: classes. Granted, they are not as difficult as back at GW, but still, I did not anticipate, or rather I had hoped that it was be a complete joke. Alas, this is not to be. Still, I have to say that I think I'm going to enjoy the courses. Luckily, I managed to consolidate my schedule, so I only have classes 2 days a week (plus a film screening some Monday nights) which is a pretty sweet deal. On those two days, however, it's going to be difficult to keep my attention span alert. Here is my schedule:
Tuesday
10:00-12:30 London Women's Social History
1:30-4:00 History of London
4:30-7:00 Intro to Current Moral Philosophy
Wednesday
10:00-12:30 Women Writing in English
1:30-4:00 Government and Politics in Britain
Overall, great, but those two days are tough. Nevertheless, I'm sure I'll make it.
After class today, Lauren, Ashley, Sarah, and I went to STA and officially booked two of our trips! Ashely, Sarah, and I are going to Paris February 2-5, and the four of us are going to Amsterdam the following weekend (February 9-11)! I'm so unbelievably excited: never having traveled anywhere before, this is going to be incredible!
Later that evening, Sarah, Jordie, and I went out to Walkabout. In search of one pound pints, we made the unfortunate mistake of going to the incorrect location. However, I feel that this was indeed fate, as our evening was pretty entertaining regardless. Planning on just having one drink then leaving, Jordie got distracted by some movie on the tv, and was staring at it. A very drunk man, thinking she was staring at him, wanted to know why and came over. Upon discovering that we were from America, he launched into a diatribe against our nation and the wrongs inflicted upon his that day by the LA airport. Apparently, he had been attempting to fly home to New Zealand from London for his mom's birthday, and had a layover in LA. However, since his grandfather was Scottish his passport didn't have a certain bar code (since Scotland sucks) and they wouldn't let him into the country. After spending 6 hours in the airport bar he had to buy another ticket back to London and decided to just keep drinking. It is here that we entered the story. Soon his roommate and female friend came over to chat as well. His roommate, being a great friend, decided that one more drink would probably put him over the edge, so we should have a chugging contest with cider. He bought us each a pint and then we chugged. Actually we just drank, apparently chugged means to boot, so you don't want to confuse the two. I am pleased to report that my years on the ultimate team have served me well, and I finished 2nd. Our friend told me that I was "really quite good for a girl" which according to his friend was actually a high compliment. I then alluded to a friend from back at school who could kick his ass, so Maggie, Mark would like to meet you. It was then that our New Zealand friend indeed became over the edge and while he left to 'chug' in the 'toilets' Mark began inquiring how we knew his friend. Only then did he realize that he had just bought 3 pints for complete strangers and that we had met his friend about 10 minutes before. Awkward turtle definitely was swimming.
We then met a group of boys on the way to the tube (actually they informed up that it's pronounced "chube") who were taking a year off in between high school and university. We were, in fact, the first Americans they had ever met, and after figuring out that Sarah was drunk because she quickly imbibed alcohol rather than vomited, they just wanted to know if all Americans drove pick-up trucks and had guns. They were also curious if all the girls were really plastics and all the boys were jocks. Sadly, we had to burst their bubble, and their shocked response was, "but that's what we see in the movies!" We had an entertaining ride back full of conversations about American Hollywood and Family Guy- some things really are universal.
Went back to Sarah and Jordie's room and we had some great conversations for the next few hours.
It's really just shocking that so much of what people outside of American perceive about us is just wrong, yet we still perpetuate these stereotypes all the same. I have never, before this trip thought of myself, let alone introduce myself, as an American, and I really dislike doing it. I always this of myself as a Bostonian or a New Englander- never and American. But here, I'm stuck w. the stereotype of having people immediately associate me with our President and his policies or the picture Hollywood paints, and I'm really not a fan. Just some food for thought- I'm sure I'll come back to these musings again. But for now, I'm off to sleep.
Tuesday
10:00-12:30 London Women's Social History
1:30-4:00 History of London
4:30-7:00 Intro to Current Moral Philosophy
Wednesday
10:00-12:30 Women Writing in English
1:30-4:00 Government and Politics in Britain
Overall, great, but those two days are tough. Nevertheless, I'm sure I'll make it.
After class today, Lauren, Ashley, Sarah, and I went to STA and officially booked two of our trips! Ashely, Sarah, and I are going to Paris February 2-5, and the four of us are going to Amsterdam the following weekend (February 9-11)! I'm so unbelievably excited: never having traveled anywhere before, this is going to be incredible!
Later that evening, Sarah, Jordie, and I went out to Walkabout. In search of one pound pints, we made the unfortunate mistake of going to the incorrect location. However, I feel that this was indeed fate, as our evening was pretty entertaining regardless. Planning on just having one drink then leaving, Jordie got distracted by some movie on the tv, and was staring at it. A very drunk man, thinking she was staring at him, wanted to know why and came over. Upon discovering that we were from America, he launched into a diatribe against our nation and the wrongs inflicted upon his that day by the LA airport. Apparently, he had been attempting to fly home to New Zealand from London for his mom's birthday, and had a layover in LA. However, since his grandfather was Scottish his passport didn't have a certain bar code (since Scotland sucks) and they wouldn't let him into the country. After spending 6 hours in the airport bar he had to buy another ticket back to London and decided to just keep drinking. It is here that we entered the story. Soon his roommate and female friend came over to chat as well. His roommate, being a great friend, decided that one more drink would probably put him over the edge, so we should have a chugging contest with cider. He bought us each a pint and then we chugged. Actually we just drank, apparently chugged means to boot, so you don't want to confuse the two. I am pleased to report that my years on the ultimate team have served me well, and I finished 2nd. Our friend told me that I was "really quite good for a girl" which according to his friend was actually a high compliment. I then alluded to a friend from back at school who could kick his ass, so Maggie, Mark would like to meet you. It was then that our New Zealand friend indeed became over the edge and while he left to 'chug' in the 'toilets' Mark began inquiring how we knew his friend. Only then did he realize that he had just bought 3 pints for complete strangers and that we had met his friend about 10 minutes before. Awkward turtle definitely was swimming.
We then met a group of boys on the way to the tube (actually they informed up that it's pronounced "chube") who were taking a year off in between high school and university. We were, in fact, the first Americans they had ever met, and after figuring out that Sarah was drunk because she quickly imbibed alcohol rather than vomited, they just wanted to know if all Americans drove pick-up trucks and had guns. They were also curious if all the girls were really plastics and all the boys were jocks. Sadly, we had to burst their bubble, and their shocked response was, "but that's what we see in the movies!" We had an entertaining ride back full of conversations about American Hollywood and Family Guy- some things really are universal.
Went back to Sarah and Jordie's room and we had some great conversations for the next few hours.
It's really just shocking that so much of what people outside of American perceive about us is just wrong, yet we still perpetuate these stereotypes all the same. I have never, before this trip thought of myself, let alone introduce myself, as an American, and I really dislike doing it. I always this of myself as a Bostonian or a New Englander- never and American. But here, I'm stuck w. the stereotype of having people immediately associate me with our President and his policies or the picture Hollywood paints, and I'm really not a fan. Just some food for thought- I'm sure I'll come back to these musings again. But for now, I'm off to sleep.
Monday, January 15, 2007
A Recap to Catch Up
Since I've been in London for 5 days now, I'm going to attempt to recap the past few days so I can begin writing about the present and cease living in the past. Feel free to skim, as some of this may be boring. Let's begin:
DAY TWO: Orientation Day
Wake up bright and early and learn how to take the Underground/ the Tube to the IES Center where we have classes. However, thanks to my 5 hour nap, I have only gotten about an hour of sleep all night, and am feeling the effects of jet lag severely. My roommate and I, having slept through orientation the previous day, have not yet secured the Oyster Cards required to take the Tube, so we run ahead of the group w. our new friend James to purchase the cards w. the intention of meeting back up with the rather obvious group of 70+ Americans who have no idea how the underground works. Yet, but some twist of fate, we lose the group and are left with a horribly photocopied map of London to find our way there ourselves. We manage to figure out the Tube somehow, but upon emerging from underground, have no clue how to find the townhouse we are looking for. After walking/running in circles and making may wrong turns we finally meet up with the group. Good first adventure in London!
After that it was very boring classroom and London orientation with a quick break for lunch. Somehow we managed to find a Quaker bookstore/meeting house/ cafeteria restaurant and I got some beef stew type-food for only 2 pounds! I've definitely noticed that the food here is a bit bland, so I need to get on top of purchasing some spices for myself.
After the boringness myself and a few of my new friends: Ashley, Sarah, Lauren, and Jordie met up w. the one and only Peter Hoffman, who was still here for winter break. We went to a very strange Mini Mall/Arcade/Pool Hall place, where I was promptly carded, despite being 4 years older than the minimum drinking age...typical. Here we were introduced to my new favorite beer: Kronenburg, which is a light French beer- delicious and much more potent than say, Natty Light? We had a few drinks then headed home since we had to be up early again the next day. One the tube ride back we walked by an amazing performer in the tube playing Greenday's 'Time of Your Life'- pretty standard: all the people coming back from the pubs are appreciating it, but one little Asian man w. a briefcase was standing right next to the microphone completely rocking out- amazing!
One strange thing about going out in London is how early you need to get to the pub. Since most places close between 11:00 and midnight, and the Tube shuts down at 12:00 or 12:30 on weekends, everyone starts going out around 8 or 9. After the pubs close there are still bars and clubs to go to, but I don't think I'm quite in that stage yet...maybe later. Learned today about a club in East London that's open from 1-9am and then has an after-party/ chill-out from 9-1. Definitely will have to work my way up to Euro-clubbing.
DAY THREE: Class Registration, Bus Tour, Museum Tour
Made the 30/45 minute commute to the IES Center to register for courses bright and early this morning, and I still didn't get all the classes I wanted! Oh well- looks like this semester I will be taking: 300 Years of London Women's Social History, History of London, Intro to Current Moral Reasoning, Government and Politics in England, and Women Writing in English Worldwide. Not bad at all.
At 1:00 the entire IES program took a bus tour of London. The tour was two hours long, and I admit, I did end up taking a 5 or so minute nap during. However, we saw all the major sites in London, including the perpetual rush hour, and I'm now able to put the city into a better perspective. Stopped quickly at St. Jame's, which is gorgeous- definitely will have to go back. Note to self: if you attend mass first, you can get inside for free!
Ended the bus tour at the British Museum, which is only a short walk from where I take classes (!) and had to take a "quick overview tour" of its highlights. Possibly one of the most frustrating experiences. As most you know, I like museums, I like details, and I go slowly...this was the exact opposite, and our pushy tour guide was perpetually rushing us along. I NEED to go back on my own time. Did see the Rosetta Stone though, which was excellent, and the original British Museum Library where everyone whose everyone has done research.
Later that night, Sarah and I met up with Ashley, who had been to a very 'posh' restaurant bar to have a drink w. her uncle, at Leicester Sq. However, Ashley had on a pair of adorable black heels which she needed to wear for her fancy drinking, and literally could not walk anymore (girls, you know how this goes). Luckily, every 10 yards in London there's a pub, so we scrapped our plans to go to Waxy O'Conors, and went to Brewmasters to recoup. After a pint we were ready to move on, so, with my tube socks, I put on Ashley's heels (they were only a couple sizes too big! haha), she took my Crocs ("like walking on clouds"- that's for all you Croc haters!) and we headed off to Picadilly Circus. Found a pub close to the tube: St. Jame's Tavern, where we were by far the most sober individuals there. We all grabbed a pint of my new favorite beer: Kronenburg, and sat down to revel in the absurd awesomeness of the musical selections. Over the course of the evening we listened to absolutly every sort of music imaginable, from Queen, to the Killers, James Brown, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aretha Franklin, techno, etc. all accompanied by a fair sized disco ball. Sarah, after finishing her pint, did her part to help us fully experience these fine songs. Met a mildly sketchy French man named Ariel who decided he wanted to come sit with us and offer us cigarettes (very French of him). While we couldn't understand his English through his accent Sarah speaks Spanish and I can converse slightly, so the rest of our conversations about god-knows-what were in drunken Spanish.
We left around 12 in order to catch the tube back before it closed, but Sarah decided she had to used the 'toilets'. Upon finding the bathrooms in the underground closed we headed for our only remaining option: Burger King. This, however, is not just any Burger King. Picture two floors full of well-dresses respectable drunk people wolfing down Whoppers...interesting, to say the least. Once inside the tube and waiting for the next train we notice large numbers of mice running around on the platform and track. I decided to start trying to take picture of them, and it was then we met Filip and Ryan: two cute British men. They feel that we should name the mice, and proceed to do so. We get to talking and inevitably the question about what I study at school comes up and I tell them history and women's studies. With an look at Ryan Filip lets me know that it's alright- we'll like them (that sounded much more sketchy than it was) and implied that they were gay. Of course...I can't escape the GW curse! Kidding, but not really. We chat on the tube ride and ask them for suggestions of places to go out. They ask what we're looking for and unanimously we reply "cheap". Kindly, they suggested a few "cheap and cheerful" pubs to go to, they take my number and we leave. Naturally, as we are leaving the tube station, we come across another Greenday wannabe...'Time of Your Life' certainly is the drunken anthem here! Later that night our new buddies text: "It was great meeting you guys. Give you a buzz should we plan anything "cheap and cheerful"- Filip and Ryan"
Cheap and Cheerful, I think that should be our motto for this semester.
DAY FOUR: Greenwich trip
We met the group at 10am at an Underground station about 30 minutes away from the hall where we live. Once there, our program had arranged to take us on a ferry boat down the River Thames to Greenwich, England. The boat trip is absolutely amazing, and being 1 of 4 students from our group willing to go up top, the view is stunning. We are able to see every historic site along the river including the Globe Theater, London Tower and bridge, the docks, pubs which Shakespeare frequented, Parliament, Big Ben, and St. Paul's until we arrived in the tiny town of Greenwich. Upon arrival, we were first drawn towards some beautiful Victorian architecture including a large building which turned out to be an old retirement home of sorts for ex-sailors in the navy, the Maritime Museum, and the Royal College of Music. We took a walking tour of Greenwich, which is an absolutely adorable little town right on the river. The wind and freezing cold did take away from the experience, but, in retrospect, only minimally. We then walked up a very large hill to the Royal Observatory and took the obligatory touristy photo straddling the prime meridian. The view from up there was breath-taking and even though it was cloudy (shocking) the skyline was clearly visible. Really just a beautiful location. After, Sarah, Ashley, Jordie, Lauren, and I went to the Queen's House (originally built for Queen Anne, wife of James I [Tutor family]) which is now an art museum filled with all genres of paintings about the sea, navy, and English persons of these areas.
Took the train back from Greenwich and got to see an adorable view of the suburbs of England and figured out how to take black and white photos on the train. Came back to the room to take a quick nap, and slept for 3 hours...these are really long days. Luckily, I woke up refreshed and ready to go out!
That night was Pete's last night in England, so Sarah and Lauren came with me to meet up w. him and say bye. We went up to 'his area' (St. John's Wood) which is apparently near Abbey Rd. (we have to go back!) and to the pub him and all his friends used to go to in high school (I think it was called the Ordnance). It's my favorite pub in London thus far- fireplaces, candles, and 2 pound pints! Definitely "cheap and cheerful"! Sadly, we were unable to join the after pub festivities as we had to leave the next morning at 8, but it was a really good time. We learned many valuable things, including the fact that the essence of spaghetti lies not within the noodle itself, but in the tomato sauce.
DAY FIVE: Market Tour and Hyde Park exploration
We got up very early and at 8:00 took a bus to Columbia Rd. to the outdoor flower market there. First, England is freezing- the actual temperature wouldn't be horrible, but the ridiculous wind-chill really makes it a bit unpleasant. Nevertheless, the flower market was , well, for lack of a better word, adorable. It's one road lined with beautiful flowers in a surprising number of varieties. The vendors themselves are almost more interesting than the flowers- apparently East London is home to the infamous Cockney accent, and Columbia Road is most certainly in the East. Mostly older men and women, clad in large quantities of flannel and wool, they spoke with the thickest accent imaginable- at times, I highly doubted if it was still English. Off of the main road there were alley-ways and little shops selling everything from homemade olive oil, to English breakfasts, to mulled cider, to olives, to cheese...you get the idea. I loved the market, and can't wait to go back.
Next, we walked over to the covered market in Spitalfield, which was awesome. The closest I can come to describing it is to compare it to Eastern Market back in DC, but probably 4-5x larger. It was a lot of fun poking around looking at jewelry, clothing, and fresh produce, and Lauren, Sarah, and myself bought a delicious loaf of organic homemade rosemary onion bread for dinner!
After browsing through the market, the three of us went over to Hyde Park to do some exploring. Hyde Park is legitimately one of the most beautiful parks I've even seen, despite being in the middle of a large and extremely urban city. Apparently it's the largest open space in London and is more than 350 acres. It also has a pretty interesting history, and while I won't bore you with all the details, it was originally a the king's hunting forest, which he acquired from the monks of Westminster Abbey, and was extensively renovated in the 18th century by George II's wife, who ordered the creation of Lake Serpentine, which lies in the middle of the park. We walked around stopping in a few of the gorgeous gardens and as beautiful and it is, I can't even imagine what it must look like in spring. Around the park, on the perimeter, is a dirt path, which we later saw was for horseback riding (typical British). We also found an entire stretch full of roller-bladers doing tricks and choreographed routines- it was cool, but a bit odd.
After our stroll, we walked back to the residence hall, stopping by the Royal Albert Hall, which is beautiful, and a music school located right behind it.
Came back and made a nice cheap dinner of spaghetti, sauce, and bread (mmm carbs). However, we may have overestimated the amount of noodles needed, so there are going to have to be a few more spaghetti nights to finish it all up! After dinner, Sarah, Ashley, and I went down King's Road to a pub called the Chelsea Potters to hang out for a little bit, which was very nice. All in all, a very good day.
DAY TWO: Orientation Day
Wake up bright and early and learn how to take the Underground/ the Tube to the IES Center where we have classes. However, thanks to my 5 hour nap, I have only gotten about an hour of sleep all night, and am feeling the effects of jet lag severely. My roommate and I, having slept through orientation the previous day, have not yet secured the Oyster Cards required to take the Tube, so we run ahead of the group w. our new friend James to purchase the cards w. the intention of meeting back up with the rather obvious group of 70+ Americans who have no idea how the underground works. Yet, but some twist of fate, we lose the group and are left with a horribly photocopied map of London to find our way there ourselves. We manage to figure out the Tube somehow, but upon emerging from underground, have no clue how to find the townhouse we are looking for. After walking/running in circles and making may wrong turns we finally meet up with the group. Good first adventure in London!
After that it was very boring classroom and London orientation with a quick break for lunch. Somehow we managed to find a Quaker bookstore/meeting house/ cafeteria restaurant and I got some beef stew type-food for only 2 pounds! I've definitely noticed that the food here is a bit bland, so I need to get on top of purchasing some spices for myself.
After the boringness myself and a few of my new friends: Ashley, Sarah, Lauren, and Jordie met up w. the one and only Peter Hoffman, who was still here for winter break. We went to a very strange Mini Mall/Arcade/Pool Hall place, where I was promptly carded, despite being 4 years older than the minimum drinking age...typical. Here we were introduced to my new favorite beer: Kronenburg, which is a light French beer- delicious and much more potent than say, Natty Light? We had a few drinks then headed home since we had to be up early again the next day. One the tube ride back we walked by an amazing performer in the tube playing Greenday's 'Time of Your Life'- pretty standard: all the people coming back from the pubs are appreciating it, but one little Asian man w. a briefcase was standing right next to the microphone completely rocking out- amazing!
One strange thing about going out in London is how early you need to get to the pub. Since most places close between 11:00 and midnight, and the Tube shuts down at 12:00 or 12:30 on weekends, everyone starts going out around 8 or 9. After the pubs close there are still bars and clubs to go to, but I don't think I'm quite in that stage yet...maybe later. Learned today about a club in East London that's open from 1-9am and then has an after-party/ chill-out from 9-1. Definitely will have to work my way up to Euro-clubbing.
DAY THREE: Class Registration, Bus Tour, Museum Tour
Made the 30/45 minute commute to the IES Center to register for courses bright and early this morning, and I still didn't get all the classes I wanted! Oh well- looks like this semester I will be taking: 300 Years of London Women's Social History, History of London, Intro to Current Moral Reasoning, Government and Politics in England, and Women Writing in English Worldwide. Not bad at all.
At 1:00 the entire IES program took a bus tour of London. The tour was two hours long, and I admit, I did end up taking a 5 or so minute nap during. However, we saw all the major sites in London, including the perpetual rush hour, and I'm now able to put the city into a better perspective. Stopped quickly at St. Jame's, which is gorgeous- definitely will have to go back. Note to self: if you attend mass first, you can get inside for free!
Ended the bus tour at the British Museum, which is only a short walk from where I take classes (!) and had to take a "quick overview tour" of its highlights. Possibly one of the most frustrating experiences. As most you know, I like museums, I like details, and I go slowly...this was the exact opposite, and our pushy tour guide was perpetually rushing us along. I NEED to go back on my own time. Did see the Rosetta Stone though, which was excellent, and the original British Museum Library where everyone whose everyone has done research.
Later that night, Sarah and I met up with Ashley, who had been to a very 'posh' restaurant bar to have a drink w. her uncle, at Leicester Sq. However, Ashley had on a pair of adorable black heels which she needed to wear for her fancy drinking, and literally could not walk anymore (girls, you know how this goes). Luckily, every 10 yards in London there's a pub, so we scrapped our plans to go to Waxy O'Conors, and went to Brewmasters to recoup. After a pint we were ready to move on, so, with my tube socks, I put on Ashley's heels (they were only a couple sizes too big! haha), she took my Crocs ("like walking on clouds"- that's for all you Croc haters!) and we headed off to Picadilly Circus. Found a pub close to the tube: St. Jame's Tavern, where we were by far the most sober individuals there. We all grabbed a pint of my new favorite beer: Kronenburg, and sat down to revel in the absurd awesomeness of the musical selections. Over the course of the evening we listened to absolutly every sort of music imaginable, from Queen, to the Killers, James Brown, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aretha Franklin, techno, etc. all accompanied by a fair sized disco ball. Sarah, after finishing her pint, did her part to help us fully experience these fine songs. Met a mildly sketchy French man named Ariel who decided he wanted to come sit with us and offer us cigarettes (very French of him). While we couldn't understand his English through his accent Sarah speaks Spanish and I can converse slightly, so the rest of our conversations about god-knows-what were in drunken Spanish.
We left around 12 in order to catch the tube back before it closed, but Sarah decided she had to used the 'toilets'. Upon finding the bathrooms in the underground closed we headed for our only remaining option: Burger King. This, however, is not just any Burger King. Picture two floors full of well-dresses respectable drunk people wolfing down Whoppers...interesting, to say the least. Once inside the tube and waiting for the next train we notice large numbers of mice running around on the platform and track. I decided to start trying to take picture of them, and it was then we met Filip and Ryan: two cute British men. They feel that we should name the mice, and proceed to do so. We get to talking and inevitably the question about what I study at school comes up and I tell them history and women's studies. With an look at Ryan Filip lets me know that it's alright- we'll like them (that sounded much more sketchy than it was) and implied that they were gay. Of course...I can't escape the GW curse! Kidding, but not really. We chat on the tube ride and ask them for suggestions of places to go out. They ask what we're looking for and unanimously we reply "cheap". Kindly, they suggested a few "cheap and cheerful" pubs to go to, they take my number and we leave. Naturally, as we are leaving the tube station, we come across another Greenday wannabe...'Time of Your Life' certainly is the drunken anthem here! Later that night our new buddies text: "It was great meeting you guys. Give you a buzz should we plan anything "cheap and cheerful"- Filip and Ryan"
Cheap and Cheerful, I think that should be our motto for this semester.
DAY FOUR: Greenwich trip
We met the group at 10am at an Underground station about 30 minutes away from the hall where we live. Once there, our program had arranged to take us on a ferry boat down the River Thames to Greenwich, England. The boat trip is absolutely amazing, and being 1 of 4 students from our group willing to go up top, the view is stunning. We are able to see every historic site along the river including the Globe Theater, London Tower and bridge, the docks, pubs which Shakespeare frequented, Parliament, Big Ben, and St. Paul's until we arrived in the tiny town of Greenwich. Upon arrival, we were first drawn towards some beautiful Victorian architecture including a large building which turned out to be an old retirement home of sorts for ex-sailors in the navy, the Maritime Museum, and the Royal College of Music. We took a walking tour of Greenwich, which is an absolutely adorable little town right on the river. The wind and freezing cold did take away from the experience, but, in retrospect, only minimally. We then walked up a very large hill to the Royal Observatory and took the obligatory touristy photo straddling the prime meridian. The view from up there was breath-taking and even though it was cloudy (shocking) the skyline was clearly visible. Really just a beautiful location. After, Sarah, Ashley, Jordie, Lauren, and I went to the Queen's House (originally built for Queen Anne, wife of James I [Tutor family]) which is now an art museum filled with all genres of paintings about the sea, navy, and English persons of these areas.
Took the train back from Greenwich and got to see an adorable view of the suburbs of England and figured out how to take black and white photos on the train. Came back to the room to take a quick nap, and slept for 3 hours...these are really long days. Luckily, I woke up refreshed and ready to go out!
That night was Pete's last night in England, so Sarah and Lauren came with me to meet up w. him and say bye. We went up to 'his area' (St. John's Wood) which is apparently near Abbey Rd. (we have to go back!) and to the pub him and all his friends used to go to in high school (I think it was called the Ordnance). It's my favorite pub in London thus far- fireplaces, candles, and 2 pound pints! Definitely "cheap and cheerful"! Sadly, we were unable to join the after pub festivities as we had to leave the next morning at 8, but it was a really good time. We learned many valuable things, including the fact that the essence of spaghetti lies not within the noodle itself, but in the tomato sauce.
DAY FIVE: Market Tour and Hyde Park exploration
We got up very early and at 8:00 took a bus to Columbia Rd. to the outdoor flower market there. First, England is freezing- the actual temperature wouldn't be horrible, but the ridiculous wind-chill really makes it a bit unpleasant. Nevertheless, the flower market was , well, for lack of a better word, adorable. It's one road lined with beautiful flowers in a surprising number of varieties. The vendors themselves are almost more interesting than the flowers- apparently East London is home to the infamous Cockney accent, and Columbia Road is most certainly in the East. Mostly older men and women, clad in large quantities of flannel and wool, they spoke with the thickest accent imaginable- at times, I highly doubted if it was still English. Off of the main road there were alley-ways and little shops selling everything from homemade olive oil, to English breakfasts, to mulled cider, to olives, to cheese...you get the idea. I loved the market, and can't wait to go back.
Next, we walked over to the covered market in Spitalfield, which was awesome. The closest I can come to describing it is to compare it to Eastern Market back in DC, but probably 4-5x larger. It was a lot of fun poking around looking at jewelry, clothing, and fresh produce, and Lauren, Sarah, and myself bought a delicious loaf of organic homemade rosemary onion bread for dinner!
After browsing through the market, the three of us went over to Hyde Park to do some exploring. Hyde Park is legitimately one of the most beautiful parks I've even seen, despite being in the middle of a large and extremely urban city. Apparently it's the largest open space in London and is more than 350 acres. It also has a pretty interesting history, and while I won't bore you with all the details, it was originally a the king's hunting forest, which he acquired from the monks of Westminster Abbey, and was extensively renovated in the 18th century by George II's wife, who ordered the creation of Lake Serpentine, which lies in the middle of the park. We walked around stopping in a few of the gorgeous gardens and as beautiful and it is, I can't even imagine what it must look like in spring. Around the park, on the perimeter, is a dirt path, which we later saw was for horseback riding (typical British). We also found an entire stretch full of roller-bladers doing tricks and choreographed routines- it was cool, but a bit odd.
After our stroll, we walked back to the residence hall, stopping by the Royal Albert Hall, which is beautiful, and a music school located right behind it.
Came back and made a nice cheap dinner of spaghetti, sauce, and bread (mmm carbs). However, we may have overestimated the amount of noodles needed, so there are going to have to be a few more spaghetti nights to finish it all up! After dinner, Sarah, Ashley, and I went down King's Road to a pub called the Chelsea Potters to hang out for a little bit, which was very nice. All in all, a very good day.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
The Begining: A Brief Synopsis
The date is January 9. The time is 7:00pm. The location: Logan Airport, American Airlines, gate 32. In a day filled with high school classmate sightings (refer to Maderin restaurant in Reading earlier in the day) I am on the same flight as Pete Heitz, whom I haven't seen since we graduated in spring 2004, which was a surprisingly pleasant shock. Although we leave at 7:10pm we are scheduled to arrive at 6:30am, Greenwich Mean Time, so jet lag was eminent. Flight was alright- not much to speak of. Read What is the What, a new book by Dave Eggers until dinner, which was an experience within itself. Note to self: never eat airline food again- it is absolutely miserable. Attempted to nap a bit, but was largely unsuccessful so I landed at Heathrow airport bright and early, and utterly exhausted.
I had to figure out the Heathrow Express train that took me to Paddington Station, and after a couple circles around the airport with my massive hiking backpack and suitcase I found the correct platform and made it to the train station. From there I took my first London/British cab to my residence hall, which also serves as a youth hostel, about 10-15 minutes aways. The ride was nice, but weirded me out to no end- I have to work on getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road. Every time we took a turn I though we were going to die for the first few seconds! Got to my building, which is on the corner of Manresa Rd. and King's Rd. in Chelsea, London and found out a day to late that apparently it is not customary to tip cab drivers, waiters, or anyone for the matter. (I also discovered that cab drivers in London study for four years and then have to take an exam, out of which only about 1/2 pass, so they are paid quite well and really know the city [we should implement this system in DC!]. ) I came inside, checked in, and went to my room. My roommate wasn't there yet, so I unpacked and set up my home for the next 3 months. The rooms are cute, but extremely small: think bunk beds, 2 desks, 2 small closet-like things, a bathroom the size of a closet, and no room to walk around- but it serves its purpose and will be absolutely fine. As soon an I unpacked I immediately collapsed on one of the beds (around 11) where I slept for the next five hours. Missed the "mandatory" orientation and my floor meeting, but I think the nap was well worth it.
My new roommate and I woke up at about the same time and got to know each other a bit. Her name is Ashley, she goes to school outside Chicago, and we're both interested in NGOs, nonprofits, and gender studies- perfect! We hung out for the rest of the day and then went exploring to find some basic essentials: food and blankets. King's Road is an adorable, albeit rather 'posh', area, which has more shops than is healthy for me to be within a 10 mile radius of (no idea how many km that is yet...I'm working on it)! We went to a British department store: Peter Jones, where we purchased pillows and towels, then went to their version of a grocery store called Waitrose. Unfortunately, there are some blatant differences between American and British grocery stores beginning with size. Store here are tiny with a much more limited selection than I'm used to. In addition, the pound (lb.) is not used here, and I looked very much like a stupid American when I tried to order turkey from the deli. I ordered 50 grams of meat, which essentially equates to 1-2 slices, and then had to revise my order (I may just stick to prepackaged sandwich meat for the time being). Also, eggs, for some reason, are not refrigerated and just sit out on the shelf, so I am very skeptical to try eating them. And while cheap poultry was the staple of my diet at school, the chicken and turkey here is far more expensive than any of the red meat- the majority is free range (wonderful, but not cheap) and the rest is still fed on organic grains resulting is extremely expensive meat of a much higher quality. Money is also another area in the stores where I look like a complete foreigner. Instead of having lots of bills, English money is comprised of quite a few coins: pence (penny), twopence, 5 pence, 10 pence, twenty pence, fifty pence, 1 pound (dollar) coin, and a two pound coin. I'm still finding this a bit confusing and I have to read the backs of the coins before I hand them over, which can be a bit time consuming.
After our adventures we returned to the hall where we went back to sleep almost immediately. However, after the 5 hour nap, I woke up around 2am (although not having a working clock yet I had no idea what time it was) and could not fall back asleep for the next few hours. Oh well, I feel as though I finally have a grip on the jet lag now, and I'm definitely getting used to being 5 hours ahead of home.
Well that's all for tonight, but I will get caught up quickly (and hopefully in a less verbose and detailed manner!)
I had to figure out the Heathrow Express train that took me to Paddington Station, and after a couple circles around the airport with my massive hiking backpack and suitcase I found the correct platform and made it to the train station. From there I took my first London/British cab to my residence hall, which also serves as a youth hostel, about 10-15 minutes aways. The ride was nice, but weirded me out to no end- I have to work on getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road. Every time we took a turn I though we were going to die for the first few seconds! Got to my building, which is on the corner of Manresa Rd. and King's Rd. in Chelsea, London and found out a day to late that apparently it is not customary to tip cab drivers, waiters, or anyone for the matter. (I also discovered that cab drivers in London study for four years and then have to take an exam, out of which only about 1/2 pass, so they are paid quite well and really know the city [we should implement this system in DC!]. ) I came inside, checked in, and went to my room. My roommate wasn't there yet, so I unpacked and set up my home for the next 3 months. The rooms are cute, but extremely small: think bunk beds, 2 desks, 2 small closet-like things, a bathroom the size of a closet, and no room to walk around- but it serves its purpose and will be absolutely fine. As soon an I unpacked I immediately collapsed on one of the beds (around 11) where I slept for the next five hours. Missed the "mandatory" orientation and my floor meeting, but I think the nap was well worth it.
My new roommate and I woke up at about the same time and got to know each other a bit. Her name is Ashley, she goes to school outside Chicago, and we're both interested in NGOs, nonprofits, and gender studies- perfect! We hung out for the rest of the day and then went exploring to find some basic essentials: food and blankets. King's Road is an adorable, albeit rather 'posh', area, which has more shops than is healthy for me to be within a 10 mile radius of (no idea how many km that is yet...I'm working on it)! We went to a British department store: Peter Jones, where we purchased pillows and towels, then went to their version of a grocery store called Waitrose. Unfortunately, there are some blatant differences between American and British grocery stores beginning with size. Store here are tiny with a much more limited selection than I'm used to. In addition, the pound (lb.) is not used here, and I looked very much like a stupid American when I tried to order turkey from the deli. I ordered 50 grams of meat, which essentially equates to 1-2 slices, and then had to revise my order (I may just stick to prepackaged sandwich meat for the time being). Also, eggs, for some reason, are not refrigerated and just sit out on the shelf, so I am very skeptical to try eating them. And while cheap poultry was the staple of my diet at school, the chicken and turkey here is far more expensive than any of the red meat- the majority is free range (wonderful, but not cheap) and the rest is still fed on organic grains resulting is extremely expensive meat of a much higher quality. Money is also another area in the stores where I look like a complete foreigner. Instead of having lots of bills, English money is comprised of quite a few coins: pence (penny), twopence, 5 pence, 10 pence, twenty pence, fifty pence, 1 pound (dollar) coin, and a two pound coin. I'm still finding this a bit confusing and I have to read the backs of the coins before I hand them over, which can be a bit time consuming.
After our adventures we returned to the hall where we went back to sleep almost immediately. However, after the 5 hour nap, I woke up around 2am (although not having a working clock yet I had no idea what time it was) and could not fall back asleep for the next few hours. Oh well, I feel as though I finally have a grip on the jet lag now, and I'm definitely getting used to being 5 hours ahead of home.
Well that's all for tonight, but I will get caught up quickly (and hopefully in a less verbose and detailed manner!)
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Ahoy!
Hello All,
If you know me at all, which if you're reading this I'm sure you do, then you'll know that this was a rather difficult feat to accomplish (setting up a blog) for me, especially while mildly intoxicated by fine English brews. Nevertheless, I've been in London for three days, and decided it's high time I join the trend and start a blog of my own. Granted, my stories and antics may not quite live up to those of our dear friends who've been abroad in the past, but hey, it's a start. First point of order, beer in the UK, and potentially all of Europe, is quite a bit stronger than back in the U.S. which makes for a wonderful night out, no matter the day of the week.
I feel as though that's all I am capable of right now, but never fear: I shall update to include the particularly humorous and alicia-like tales of the past couple of days.
If you are reading this, then it's almost 100% guaranteed that I miss you, and I hope that you will keep in close touch.
Love you.
P.S. I want to take this moment to dedicate the title of this, my first blog, to Miss Casey Dalton, without whom the phrase Foggy London Town (meant to be spoken quickly and with a strong Boston accent) would not hold any significance.
If you know me at all, which if you're reading this I'm sure you do, then you'll know that this was a rather difficult feat to accomplish (setting up a blog) for me, especially while mildly intoxicated by fine English brews. Nevertheless, I've been in London for three days, and decided it's high time I join the trend and start a blog of my own. Granted, my stories and antics may not quite live up to those of our dear friends who've been abroad in the past, but hey, it's a start. First point of order, beer in the UK, and potentially all of Europe, is quite a bit stronger than back in the U.S. which makes for a wonderful night out, no matter the day of the week.
I feel as though that's all I am capable of right now, but never fear: I shall update to include the particularly humorous and alicia-like tales of the past couple of days.
If you are reading this, then it's almost 100% guaranteed that I miss you, and I hope that you will keep in close touch.
Love you.
P.S. I want to take this moment to dedicate the title of this, my first blog, to Miss Casey Dalton, without whom the phrase Foggy London Town (meant to be spoken quickly and with a strong Boston accent) would not hold any significance.
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