Despite the countless times I exclaimed to Justin that I don't know any French unless it's a phrase pulled from "Lady Marmalade," I not only made it to Paris but, with his help, I had one of the absolute best weekends I've ever had in recent memory..
So, being the brave-and-daring roommates that we are, Elyssa and I got up at 3am (so early that many of our friends upstairs were just coming in for the night) and we quickly readied ourselves for our near-epic journey to Kings Cross St. Pancras International Rail station in central (is it central?) London where our Eurostar train was scheduled to leave at 5:30am. We lugged our bags several blocks, even encountered a blood-thirsty fox along the way, and caught a bus not 5 minutes before 4am, then caught a second bus, then finally arrived at the train station. After discovering that our seats could hardly have been on more opposite sides of the train (I was in section 14, she however sat near the front), I missed my ipod terribly and nearly caught hypothermia - but nevertheless - made it to Paris after drifing in and out of sleep for the 2hr ride. By the way, WHY were there so many babies in my car?
When we arrived in Paris, the weather looked more like London (and, oddly enough, when we left London it was warm and dry). We dropped our bags off at our hostel - which was actually a very lovely hostel now that I look back on it - we made our way back to a store in which we got by with saying "bonjour" and "merci" and nothing else in order to buy some food. And then shortly thereafter, Justin stepped out of the metro station.
Now, I've had an incredible time thus far in London. I couldn't have lucked out more with my roommate and I've made some great friends here (and have become better friends with those on my program who I already knew). But, I was so, SO happy to finally see one of my best friends in person (NOT skype for once!), especially being that we had stepped into a country in which I knew nothing and could speak no more than 5 words of the language. Being abroad for a semester has been one of the most incredible experiences thus far, but one thing I have wanted so much was for some of my closest friends to be here to share it with me.
That being said, it wasn't more than 10 min until he convinced Elyssa, their friend Daniela and myself to eat food. Typical. We walked to the Sacre Coeur, which was absolutely beautiful even despite the misty weather. Not to mention that one of the street performers was playing "My Heart Will Go On" when I got there. I guess my obsession with that movie is blantant even in foreign lands..
Anyway, afterwards we grabbed some crepes and various baked goods. I was more than aware that the French are known for their food.. but keeping in mind that my diet has consisted of cheese sandwiches, ramen, potato & leek soup and reduced-price crisps.. even the most poorly-made pain au chocolat would have tasted divine. Oh, and it did.
So afterwards, Justin and Daniela had class obligations, so Elyssa and I made our way over to the Seine (and, as I predicted, the sun came out!). After getting proposed to (in French) by a homeless man, we took a thousand pictures by the river, then walked across to the Pont Neuf, which was absolutely beautiful in the warm sunshine.. I honestly thought I was going to fall asleep right then and there, so we quickly left and mistakenly stumbled into what I'm sure was an absolutely beautiful memorial to those displaced during the Holocaust. However, being that we know next to no French and had gotten completely lost, we had no clue where we were or why we were surrounded by blank white walls at all sides until minutes after we had left. So it was kind of comical on our behalves in that sense... We also made our way over to the Jardin du Luxembourg which I absolutely LOVED (particularly the palm trees!)...
Afterwards, I reunited with (my Big!) and good friend Rachel and the group of us carried out the genius idea of a picnic by the Eiffel Tower. Not only was the weather absolutely gorgeous, and the food absolutely cheap, but it was so relaxing (and so French!) to be able to just sit there with friends and more or less stuff our faces with delicious food (and cheap wine!). Plus, I was glad I got to see the Eiffel Tower when it twinkled, because otherwise I would've missed it..
We then went to the Louvre at night to see the infamous cellist who plays absolutely beautifully (the only street performer thus far in Europe that has received a tip from myself). It made me wish I had taken up an instrument that would allow for me to be a street performer myself (for a day, of course) besides the piano... okay,so there were those years of the flute, but I like to not revisit them...
So the next day, Justin skipped class (thankfully!) and we ventured out to the Moulin Rouge (so that he could pick up an application) and then made our way over to a FABULOUS chocolate shop. Oh my goodness, if I could just lock myself there for a while, the damage I'd accomplish would be phenomenal...
Although I barely understood a word of the owner's rapid-fire French, her love for her chocolates translated beyond any language. She was absolutely hysterical. If her long blonde braided hair and the inflection in her voice wasn't enough, her hand gestures and inability to let Justin take half a second of her time to turn to me and translate was absolutely comical. Nevertheless, we bought a (very rare) chocolate bar which was double-sided: half with dark chocolate and half with milk chocolate, for a little over 10 euros.. and oh my goodness, it was DELICIOUS.
We then met up with Rachel again and headed out over towards the Eiffel Tower. To state that the weather was absolutely gorgeous was an understatement. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I haven't been able to bask in the good weather so much in London due to obligations or being sick, or maybe it was because I was with good friends, but I'm pretty sure the weather could not have been any better.
So, being the mountainmen (and women) that we are, we took the stairs to the 2nd platform of the Eiffel Tower... which I'm actually very glad we had done, not only because it saved me a lot of money, but because I think you really get more of the experience that way. And, as Justin read t he posters on each of the landings, it gave me an opportunity to pretend that I was taking breaks to learn about French architecture (and that I wasn't stopping to catch my breath).
Finally, after a journey of an hour or more, we hopped on an elevator and made it to the top! It was absolutely beautiful and I felt like I could see all of France, even if the Eiffel Tower is actually one of the smaller observation decks I've been on.
And, a trip with Justin wouldn't be complete if it didn't involve an act or two of thievery. So, shortly afterwards, we more or less ran to the site of his program's welcome dinner... and, despite the fact that I still knew no French, I waltzed in as if Iwere a student. (Although I'm pretty sure when Anna, who I haven't seen in ages, ran up yelling "What are you doing here?!" some of the program directors may have gotten the idea. I don't think THAT got lost in translation). Regardless, it was a free (and delicious) dinner, and afterwards a busload of people ransacked a nearby grocery store and we all split bottles of wine (which somehow, the two of us ended up inheriting the latter portion of it). There's something classy about drinking on the seine, even if you do completely lose your bearings. It was absolutely hilarious and I had such an awesome time that it was sad to see Rachel and Justin have to leave early to catch their train the next morning to Nice.
Elyssa, Daniela and I then walked around in search of a bar/club and eventually settled on a very American bar, which was actually quite a lot of fun depsite the fact that both the upstairs and downstairs were booked for private parties. We then rushed out to catch the metro before closing time..
After mistakenly bumping into our new shirtless travelling musician roommate in our hostel, we stumbled out of bed in the morning to head over to the Louvre (which we ALSO snuck into) and finally saw the Mona Lisa! After a delicious second dosage of gelatos, we grabbed our bags and headed back to catch the Eurostar home.
While France in and of itself was in every way AMAZING, there were two really awesome things I learned on the trip that I hadn't quite realized I'd take away to London. The first being that even the greatest places can be 1,000 times better when you're with your best friends. The second, being that while away from London, I realized I became homesick for London. That doesn't mean I was at all sad to have been in Paris instead (I was NOT, trust me haha) BUT it means that I've finally started to really settle in here. It's certainly not home (and I rushed home to catch the finale of the Yanks/Red Sox series, which was very much NOT London haha), but nevertheless, I don't feel so much like an outsider to London, especially now that I've experienced being an outsider to Paris [from the inside haha]). That being said, while I'm here I have the unfortunate blessing of homework, and as I'm writing these incredibly long entries, my ESSAY, however, is NOT being written..
Monday, September 28, 2009
Some of History's Greatest.. Just Below Your Feet?
So this is a very long over-due blog post, but nonetheless I wanted to still write it.. I've more or less discovered that Westminster Abbey has become one of my absolute favorite places thus far in London. I realized that, when spending an extended period of time in Europe, you tend to have lots of opportunities to visit similar-looking Churches, and more or less it gets pretty mundane.. BUT, whatever the reason, I didn't have that experience with the abbey... perhaps it was because I had a free tour instead of a 3-hour in-class lecture but nevertheless, I LOVED it there..
Unfortunately, you're not allowed to take any photographs inside the abbey itself (the photo to the right is from a nave off to the side beyond the Church itself). I'm not sure if it's for preservation reasons or out of respect, but nevertheless there's about 120 less photos on my facebook account than there would have been...
That being said, there's just something so humbling about taking a few steps and realizing you have accidentally stepped onto the grave of Charles Dickens, or one of the Kings or Isaac Newton (although I don't believe you could physically step on Newton's grave). I realize by now - assuming that the British didn't carry out there favorite tradition of digging up corpses and placing them elsewhere - there's not much left in the graves themselves, to put it frankly. Nevertheless, I was in absolute awe. How different would world politics, scientific understanding and literature be without a quarter of those people buried in and around the abbey (I think someone blurted out a number somewhere in the low thousands, but many of those bodies are people that simply had the money to buy graves in the abbey)..
I'm not sure I completely appreciated our tour guide's remark about how "(The British) have THE tomb of the unknown soldier. It's ashame all the other countries have copied us..." I get what she meant, and one thing I've learned quickly here is the British (particularly their professional tour guides, oddly enough) like to speak with uncensored mouths. Nevertheless, the tomb of the unknown soldier has always been one of my absolute favorite places to visit in the DC area, so I'll let her remark roll off my back for now.
On the flip-side to my experiences with seeing some of the graves of those who have accomplished and contributed so much, there's the story of the grave of Queen Mary I (she's actually buried underneath Queen Elizabeth I) which kind of just proves that ANY monarch was buried in the abbey. I find it ironic to Britain that someone who burned nearly 300 Catholics at the stake would be buried in a glorious and extremely valuable grave cite in the nation's most revered Church, but I suppose they've given up their pasttime of relocating people.
To explain myself further, one of the (many) creepy stories our tourguide told us was about Oliver Cromwell, who nearly dissolved the monarchy and ruled more-or-less as the closest thing England's had to a President (save for the modern Prime Minister). Anyway, the story goes that he died in 1658 but when King Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660, Parliament decided that Cromwell's body was ordered to be dug up from the Abbey because of his role in diminishing of the monarchy. They then beheaded his corpse and to further convey the message of what happens when you "mess with the monarch," they irrespectively stuck his head outside of Parliament where it stood on a post for nearly a year. Then, or so the story goes, the wind or some other force of nature knocked the head off the post, and someone from a travelling circus-type group stole the head from Parliament and began travelling throughout London requiring people to pay money to see the head in their little street-side performances. Over time, someone ELSE stole the head (keeping in mind, this IS a human head you're talking about) and attempted to find the best price they could receive for it. After contacting as many of Cromwell's surviving relatives/descendants as they could find, they discovered that no one was willing to pay for the head. It wasn't until 1960 that someone had successfully convinced the school at which Cromwell studied (Sidney Sussex College) to purchase the head. They then buried it, supposedly in their Church somewhere, but there are no labels because they fear that someone will dig it up again as a prank.
Absolutely crazy.
As for my other amusing story from the Abbey (also not quite as poetic and romanticized as my experiences at the famous grave sites) was seeing the coronation chair. Now, it is absolutely amazing to see King Edward's Chair, which all monarchs have sat in during their coronation since 1308. BUT, what's even more impressive (and leaves me in absolute childish envy) is the amount of names scratched into the chair by devilish little Westminster schoolboys who in the 1950s snuck into the church to write messages like "Timmy WUZ HERE" all over one of the most supreme and time-honored symbols of the British monarchy.
Amazing.
Unfortunately, you're not allowed to take any photographs inside the abbey itself (the photo to the right is from a nave off to the side beyond the Church itself). I'm not sure if it's for preservation reasons or out of respect, but nevertheless there's about 120 less photos on my facebook account than there would have been...
That being said, there's just something so humbling about taking a few steps and realizing you have accidentally stepped onto the grave of Charles Dickens, or one of the Kings or Isaac Newton (although I don't believe you could physically step on Newton's grave). I realize by now - assuming that the British didn't carry out there favorite tradition of digging up corpses and placing them elsewhere - there's not much left in the graves themselves, to put it frankly. Nevertheless, I was in absolute awe. How different would world politics, scientific understanding and literature be without a quarter of those people buried in and around the abbey (I think someone blurted out a number somewhere in the low thousands, but many of those bodies are people that simply had the money to buy graves in the abbey)..
I'm not sure I completely appreciated our tour guide's remark about how "(The British) have THE tomb of the unknown soldier. It's ashame all the other countries have copied us..." I get what she meant, and one thing I've learned quickly here is the British (particularly their professional tour guides, oddly enough) like to speak with uncensored mouths. Nevertheless, the tomb of the unknown soldier has always been one of my absolute favorite places to visit in the DC area, so I'll let her remark roll off my back for now.
On the flip-side to my experiences with seeing some of the graves of those who have accomplished and contributed so much, there's the story of the grave of Queen Mary I (she's actually buried underneath Queen Elizabeth I) which kind of just proves that ANY monarch was buried in the abbey. I find it ironic to Britain that someone who burned nearly 300 Catholics at the stake would be buried in a glorious and extremely valuable grave cite in the nation's most revered Church, but I suppose they've given up their pasttime of relocating people.
To explain myself further, one of the (many) creepy stories our tourguide told us was about Oliver Cromwell, who nearly dissolved the monarchy and ruled more-or-less as the closest thing England's had to a President (save for the modern Prime Minister). Anyway, the story goes that he died in 1658 but when King Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660, Parliament decided that Cromwell's body was ordered to be dug up from the Abbey because of his role in diminishing of the monarchy. They then beheaded his corpse and to further convey the message of what happens when you "mess with the monarch," they irrespectively stuck his head outside of Parliament where it stood on a post for nearly a year. Then, or so the story goes, the wind or some other force of nature knocked the head off the post, and someone from a travelling circus-type group stole the head from Parliament and began travelling throughout London requiring people to pay money to see the head in their little street-side performances. Over time, someone ELSE stole the head (keeping in mind, this IS a human head you're talking about) and attempted to find the best price they could receive for it. After contacting as many of Cromwell's surviving relatives/descendants as they could find, they discovered that no one was willing to pay for the head. It wasn't until 1960 that someone had successfully convinced the school at which Cromwell studied (Sidney Sussex College) to purchase the head. They then buried it, supposedly in their Church somewhere, but there are no labels because they fear that someone will dig it up again as a prank.
Absolutely crazy.
As for my other amusing story from the Abbey (also not quite as poetic and romanticized as my experiences at the famous grave sites) was seeing the coronation chair. Now, it is absolutely amazing to see King Edward's Chair, which all monarchs have sat in during their coronation since 1308. BUT, what's even more impressive (and leaves me in absolute childish envy) is the amount of names scratched into the chair by devilish little Westminster schoolboys who in the 1950s snuck into the church to write messages like "Timmy WUZ HERE" all over one of the most supreme and time-honored symbols of the British monarchy.
Amazing.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
"Now the old king is dead - Long live the King!"
Insane. Absolutely insane. Every aspect from my day-long attempt to (cheaply) win tickets on the UK version of e-bay, to my epic journey to meet with the (extremely handsome) man who sold me the tickets, to the show itself and the unbelievable (and risky!) journey home afterwards was absolutely INSANE.
Now, just for the sake of shouting out to my friends back home whom I miss dearly - considering that Julie & I had tickets to a show where 70,000 PEOPLE were also in attendance, our seats were obviously no match to the free front row tickets that Katie scored us back in Camden in May (being at last night's show reminded me of how amazing that night was!). And, I know they both would've LOVED last night's show as well (and I miss them DEARLY).
That being said, I HAVE to at least use my blog as an outlet since no one ACTUALLY wants to hear me rave on and on about how much I loved last night's show. So feel free to just skip this entry if that's the case.. just don't ever tell me you did ;)
To kick off - how I got the tickets. Being that I spent the greater portion of my 4-day weekend sick and more or less stuck in bed - and thanks to quite a few people back home pointing out to me that they were seeing U2 this weekend (and that I was NOT) - I decided to spend my day stalking people on ebay. I set a mental limit of what I refused to pay for the tickets (especially considering that shipping would be difficult since the concert was less than 2 days away, AND, if that's not enough a threat, there's currently a postal strike going on and mail processing is often delayed)... I FINALLY learned the art of snaking people in the bidding process and won two (SEATED!) tickets on the top deck.
Then, after being the diligent Coldplay fan that I am, I made sure I paid everything IMMEDIATELY so my British hero who awarded me the tickets could pop those suckers in the mail ASAP. Much to my dismay, who other than BANK OF AMERICA failed me and for absolutely NO REASON at all, they left my payment as "pending" not just for the remainder of the day I purchased them, but for over 36 hours. I had called PayPal twice and Bank of America THREE TIMES. My personal plug here would have to be for PayPal because after they heard how upset I was, they verified (on their own) with bank of america that I had in fact had sufficient funds.. and then they emailed "JK2423498234" or whatever his name was and informed him that my money was on its way and they "urged him to deliver the items as soon as possible."
Then, John & I (yes, I've decided we're on first-name basis now after I called him FOUR TIMES) finally agreed to meet - Thank the Lord he lived just outside London and worked conveniently on a tube stop on the Picadilly Line. Not three hours before the doors opened to the concert did I FINALLY retrieve the tickets. ALLELUIA. No thanks to Bank of America, as usual.
Finally at Wembley..
For starters, we intentionally skipped the two openers - Girls Aloud and White Lies. No offense to anyone who may be fans of those groups, but I youtubed them beforehand and really had no urge to see them. Plus I was still running a mild fever and my epic journey to get the tickets had completely burnt out whatever slim percentage of energy I mustered through my sickness during the day.
Then, Jay-Z came on! I had completely forgotten how many of his songs were actually HIS and not someone else's. Considering Jay-Z was not only opening for quite possibly the whitest band in the history of rock music, but he also did so for quite possibly the whitest audience - he was awesome! And, after the British polished off their beer pints, people started dancing (some way more than others).
Then, Julie and I left to get beers (since it's the first concert where I could go myself to buy an overpriced lousy tap beer!) and after I slammed my elbow into a railing (thus SPILLING my beer all over the man who had sold me the tickets as well as a disgruntled rich lady who wore white to the concert), we sat down.. it started POURING on everyone who was at the center of the dome (mainly just general admission people) and when the speakers played the traditional classical song that always signifies that Coldplay's about to come on, the crowd went nuts.
While I'd have to obviously admit that I'd pick front row at Camden over "different time zone" seats (as Chris Martin called them) at Wembley, I'd also have to admit that I probably had just as much fun last night as I had back in May. There's something insane about catching a band (as big as Coldplay) in their hometown - not to mention the VERY last night of their epic tour. And, aside from Chris Marting forgetting the words to "The Hardest Part" (he literally stopped in the middle of the song, swore, and said "I'm sorry, I really can't remember the words"), I really thought they played better last night, knowing that they were home and in front of 70,000 fans.
Plus, they did "Lost" with Jay-Z, which was SO AWESOME.
The journey from the concert was just about as insane as the concert itself. Massive crowds all tried to catch the last tube of the night (why they can't run the subway system just a LITTLE past midnight on weekends, I don't know and it's really annoying, too). I literally got trampled on and someone pushed me so hard against the doors to the tube that my own elbow stabbed me right in the chest. It was so nuts, but what made it even crazier was NO ONE got angry and everyone laughed it off. And, to top it off, the drunker members of the crowd kept the "Oh-OH-oh-ohhh's" from Viva La Vida going - even so far as Gloucester Road.
SO AWESOME.
I realized last night that because I was out so late at the concert, I more or less am missing my last opportunity to catch the Changing of the guards at Buckingham today (they aren't doing it past October), but it was completely worth it. I get that London has so much history, so many castles and palaces and historical buildings.. but really, I think if you sit yourself in a 70,000-person Coldplay concert at Wembley Stadium, you get a pretty good sense of British culture...
Now, just for the sake of shouting out to my friends back home whom I miss dearly - considering that Julie & I had tickets to a show where 70,000 PEOPLE were also in attendance, our seats were obviously no match to the free front row tickets that Katie scored us back in Camden in May (being at last night's show reminded me of how amazing that night was!). And, I know they both would've LOVED last night's show as well (and I miss them DEARLY).
That being said, I HAVE to at least use my blog as an outlet since no one ACTUALLY wants to hear me rave on and on about how much I loved last night's show. So feel free to just skip this entry if that's the case.. just don't ever tell me you did ;)
To kick off - how I got the tickets. Being that I spent the greater portion of my 4-day weekend sick and more or less stuck in bed - and thanks to quite a few people back home pointing out to me that they were seeing U2 this weekend (and that I was NOT) - I decided to spend my day stalking people on ebay. I set a mental limit of what I refused to pay for the tickets (especially considering that shipping would be difficult since the concert was less than 2 days away, AND, if that's not enough a threat, there's currently a postal strike going on and mail processing is often delayed)... I FINALLY learned the art of snaking people in the bidding process and won two (SEATED!) tickets on the top deck.
Then, after being the diligent Coldplay fan that I am, I made sure I paid everything IMMEDIATELY so my British hero who awarded me the tickets could pop those suckers in the mail ASAP. Much to my dismay, who other than BANK OF AMERICA failed me and for absolutely NO REASON at all, they left my payment as "pending" not just for the remainder of the day I purchased them, but for over 36 hours. I had called PayPal twice and Bank of America THREE TIMES. My personal plug here would have to be for PayPal because after they heard how upset I was, they verified (on their own) with bank of america that I had in fact had sufficient funds.. and then they emailed "JK2423498234" or whatever his name was and informed him that my money was on its way and they "urged him to deliver the items as soon as possible."
Then, John & I (yes, I've decided we're on first-name basis now after I called him FOUR TIMES) finally agreed to meet - Thank the Lord he lived just outside London and worked conveniently on a tube stop on the Picadilly Line. Not three hours before the doors opened to the concert did I FINALLY retrieve the tickets. ALLELUIA. No thanks to Bank of America, as usual.
Finally at Wembley..
For starters, we intentionally skipped the two openers - Girls Aloud and White Lies. No offense to anyone who may be fans of those groups, but I youtubed them beforehand and really had no urge to see them. Plus I was still running a mild fever and my epic journey to get the tickets had completely burnt out whatever slim percentage of energy I mustered through my sickness during the day.
Then, Jay-Z came on! I had completely forgotten how many of his songs were actually HIS and not someone else's. Considering Jay-Z was not only opening for quite possibly the whitest band in the history of rock music, but he also did so for quite possibly the whitest audience - he was awesome! And, after the British polished off their beer pints, people started dancing (some way more than others).
Then, Julie and I left to get beers (since it's the first concert where I could go myself to buy an overpriced lousy tap beer!) and after I slammed my elbow into a railing (thus SPILLING my beer all over the man who had sold me the tickets as well as a disgruntled rich lady who wore white to the concert), we sat down.. it started POURING on everyone who was at the center of the dome (mainly just general admission people) and when the speakers played the traditional classical song that always signifies that Coldplay's about to come on, the crowd went nuts.
While I'd have to obviously admit that I'd pick front row at Camden over "different time zone" seats (as Chris Martin called them) at Wembley, I'd also have to admit that I probably had just as much fun last night as I had back in May. There's something insane about catching a band (as big as Coldplay) in their hometown - not to mention the VERY last night of their epic tour. And, aside from Chris Marting forgetting the words to "The Hardest Part" (he literally stopped in the middle of the song, swore, and said "I'm sorry, I really can't remember the words"), I really thought they played better last night, knowing that they were home and in front of 70,000 fans.
Plus, they did "Lost" with Jay-Z, which was SO AWESOME.
The journey from the concert was just about as insane as the concert itself. Massive crowds all tried to catch the last tube of the night (why they can't run the subway system just a LITTLE past midnight on weekends, I don't know and it's really annoying, too). I literally got trampled on and someone pushed me so hard against the doors to the tube that my own elbow stabbed me right in the chest. It was so nuts, but what made it even crazier was NO ONE got angry and everyone laughed it off. And, to top it off, the drunker members of the crowd kept the "Oh-OH-oh-ohhh's" from Viva La Vida going - even so far as Gloucester Road.
SO AWESOME.
I realized last night that because I was out so late at the concert, I more or less am missing my last opportunity to catch the Changing of the guards at Buckingham today (they aren't doing it past October), but it was completely worth it. I get that London has so much history, so many castles and palaces and historical buildings.. but really, I think if you sit yourself in a 70,000-person Coldplay concert at Wembley Stadium, you get a pretty good sense of British culture...
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Share and share alike.. especially when it comes to germs
How naiive of me to think that if I loaded up on vitamin C and sleep and an-apple-a-day and Cold-Eeze and follow all my mom's advice, it would actually work and I'd avoid catching the FIE sickness that's running rampant on all 3 of our housing developments.
It's 12:44pm on a pretty decent day here in London - one of my prized 4day-weekends which will only last for so long - and I'm lying in bed listening to a philly radio station online and staring at the wall. I don't think I have a fever (yet) but my throat is burning and I have an obnoxious cough that likes to flare up every now and then. I haven't started pitying myself enough to whine that "I want to go homeeee" but I do wish I had a better selection of soup here... and a nice mug full of Swiss Miss would be great, too.
Yesterday was pretty awesome though - for my SIS class, we went to Wembley (hopefully where I'll be going in a few days to see a certain CONCERT with a certain BAND). Anywho, my professor told us we were going to a London borough that had a large Indian population.. little did I know it would literally be like stepping into a city in India itself. It was absolutely amazing.. all of the shops were Indian, the entire area smelled of curries and masala and simosas and the PRICES -- aahh I'm tempted to go down there and buy some fresh fruits and vegetables at their shops.. they're probably 1/3 of the price we pay even at the discount racks at Sainsbury's here in Kensington. We went to a temple and saw their preparations for their upcoming festival this weekend, and then we ambushed a poor woman at the local library where all of the books were written in different languages and scripts.
To top it off - and every class should really end this way - we went to a nearby vegetarian Indian restaurant and had a free meal... I'd love to sound cultured and describe what it was that we ate, but I have NO clue what it was.. they handed us several courses and the main one looked like a massive crepe with potatos and spices - DELICIOUS. and their dessert was ice cream and some fried doughnut sort of thing that tasted so sweet...ahhh, SO GOOD. i'm already looking forward to my leftovers in the fridge (finally! a place where i didn't have to feel awkward asking for a bag to take home leftovers!)
Tomorrow - provided I'm feeling well enough (which, I have a very low standard for how healthy I need to feel to embark on a FREE trip) - I'm going to Bath & STONEHENGE! I'm so excited - particularly because I've always had this secret life-list and one of the things on my list of places I need to see has always been Stonehenge.. (the Eiffel Tower is on there too, but that'll have to wait until next week).
I really want to go to Brighton before it gets too cold - it would be nice to see something resembling a beach, just in case I can't afford to go to Malaga, Spain this semester :(
It's 12:44pm on a pretty decent day here in London - one of my prized 4day-weekends which will only last for so long - and I'm lying in bed listening to a philly radio station online and staring at the wall. I don't think I have a fever (yet) but my throat is burning and I have an obnoxious cough that likes to flare up every now and then. I haven't started pitying myself enough to whine that "I want to go homeeee" but I do wish I had a better selection of soup here... and a nice mug full of Swiss Miss would be great, too.
Yesterday was pretty awesome though - for my SIS class, we went to Wembley (hopefully where I'll be going in a few days to see a certain CONCERT with a certain BAND). Anywho, my professor told us we were going to a London borough that had a large Indian population.. little did I know it would literally be like stepping into a city in India itself. It was absolutely amazing.. all of the shops were Indian, the entire area smelled of curries and masala and simosas and the PRICES -- aahh I'm tempted to go down there and buy some fresh fruits and vegetables at their shops.. they're probably 1/3 of the price we pay even at the discount racks at Sainsbury's here in Kensington. We went to a temple and saw their preparations for their upcoming festival this weekend, and then we ambushed a poor woman at the local library where all of the books were written in different languages and scripts.
To top it off - and every class should really end this way - we went to a nearby vegetarian Indian restaurant and had a free meal... I'd love to sound cultured and describe what it was that we ate, but I have NO clue what it was.. they handed us several courses and the main one looked like a massive crepe with potatos and spices - DELICIOUS. and their dessert was ice cream and some fried doughnut sort of thing that tasted so sweet...ahhh, SO GOOD. i'm already looking forward to my leftovers in the fridge (finally! a place where i didn't have to feel awkward asking for a bag to take home leftovers!)
Tomorrow - provided I'm feeling well enough (which, I have a very low standard for how healthy I need to feel to embark on a FREE trip) - I'm going to Bath & STONEHENGE! I'm so excited - particularly because I've always had this secret life-list and one of the things on my list of places I need to see has always been Stonehenge.. (the Eiffel Tower is on there too, but that'll have to wait until next week).
I really want to go to Brighton before it gets too cold - it would be nice to see something resembling a beach, just in case I can't afford to go to Malaga, Spain this semester :(
Saturday, September 12, 2009
"Here we are now.. entertain us!"
While I have a bajillion more photos of swans and lakes and pretty trees to commemorate the fact that once again, we reached the mid-70s and had bright, beautiful sunshine all day today.. I figured last night's trip to O'Neills' bar in Leister Square (coupled with the fact that fog, rain and cold weather are SUPPOSEDLY in our forecast) warranted the photo that I posted. Maybe I'm just blind to the better clubs in DC because I'm still underage back in the states.. (good times, good times)... but I'm pretty sure O'Neill's is one of those not-so-secret places in London that just personifies why Europe is SO awesome.
First of all. Rock music. I can't say I've ever had a vodka and cranberry in a place where a live band covered Nirvana, Aerosmith and the best song EVER by the Killers. I also imagine that if I HAD been at a place like that in DC (which maybe I was actually there but had a few too many vodka cranberries, who knows), there probably weren't so many Irishmen in suits dancing around. In the course of a 20-min span I talked to someone from India, Israel and France. Oh, and I witnessed a really hilarious chick fight among three girls - all with RIDICULOUSLY thick British accents. HILARIOUS.
Basically, so far, in my 11 days of first impressions, O'Neill's has already become my favorite bar by far. The no-cover charge might also have contributed to that.. plus, we were able to catch the (FREE) bus home. So had I not paid 8 pounds to have double shots instead of singles, I would've had an insanely chcap night.. ohhh and I really can't wait to see some of the photos I expect people to upload soon to facebook, although I'm sure many of them won't be tagged.
Sooooo... today marks the first day I officially bought tickets to travel outside of the UK! In two weeks we'll be setting foot in Paris, which I'm SOO excited for.. I feel horrible that I'll be leaving for France on mine & my boyfriend's second anniversary (there's your plug!.. haha), but it seemed to be the only day that fit my schedule and my roommate's.. so it should be pretty exciting (and surprisingly much cheaper than what most people will be paying to do the same excursion). And... the weekend after that - OKTOBERFEST! Not necessarily the classic romantic getaway to mark an anniversary celebration... but potentially an incredibly fun and once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience... although hopefully someday we'll make it to the real schpeel in Munich. Someday :)
I REALLY should learn to go to sleep when my body starts feeling tired.. I spent the day organizing trips and grocery shopping (which, I don't want to waste anyone's time with explaining yet again how much of a penny-pincher I am... but MAN I am SO good at finding sales, it's kind of an embarrassing gift inherited from Grandmom Piechowski). Relaxing in Kensington Gardens was great as always and tomorrow - drumroll - THE THAMES FESTIVAL WITH ZACH & KATE!.. I love that several of my friends from AU are on the same program as I am, but GOSH I am SOOO EXCITED to see familiar, lovely faces from high school... I can't deny it, I've been outrageously homesick. Not down-in-the-dumps homesick, but at a level where my mind STILL can't comprehend being away from home for so long... I'm sure the two lovelies will help alleviate some of that tomorrow night... and if not, only a little over a week until Chris lands in Europe :)
Alright, time to clock out, now that British TV has failed to entertain me and my MLB online package still hasn't cleared :)
First of all. Rock music. I can't say I've ever had a vodka and cranberry in a place where a live band covered Nirvana, Aerosmith and the best song EVER by the Killers. I also imagine that if I HAD been at a place like that in DC (which maybe I was actually there but had a few too many vodka cranberries, who knows), there probably weren't so many Irishmen in suits dancing around. In the course of a 20-min span I talked to someone from India, Israel and France. Oh, and I witnessed a really hilarious chick fight among three girls - all with RIDICULOUSLY thick British accents. HILARIOUS.
Basically, so far, in my 11 days of first impressions, O'Neill's has already become my favorite bar by far. The no-cover charge might also have contributed to that.. plus, we were able to catch the (FREE) bus home. So had I not paid 8 pounds to have double shots instead of singles, I would've had an insanely chcap night.. ohhh and I really can't wait to see some of the photos I expect people to upload soon to facebook, although I'm sure many of them won't be tagged.
Sooooo... today marks the first day I officially bought tickets to travel outside of the UK! In two weeks we'll be setting foot in Paris, which I'm SOO excited for.. I feel horrible that I'll be leaving for France on mine & my boyfriend's second anniversary (there's your plug!.. haha), but it seemed to be the only day that fit my schedule and my roommate's.. so it should be pretty exciting (and surprisingly much cheaper than what most people will be paying to do the same excursion). And... the weekend after that - OKTOBERFEST! Not necessarily the classic romantic getaway to mark an anniversary celebration... but potentially an incredibly fun and once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience... although hopefully someday we'll make it to the real schpeel in Munich. Someday :)
I REALLY should learn to go to sleep when my body starts feeling tired.. I spent the day organizing trips and grocery shopping (which, I don't want to waste anyone's time with explaining yet again how much of a penny-pincher I am... but MAN I am SO good at finding sales, it's kind of an embarrassing gift inherited from Grandmom Piechowski). Relaxing in Kensington Gardens was great as always and tomorrow - drumroll - THE THAMES FESTIVAL WITH ZACH & KATE!.. I love that several of my friends from AU are on the same program as I am, but GOSH I am SOOO EXCITED to see familiar, lovely faces from high school... I can't deny it, I've been outrageously homesick. Not down-in-the-dumps homesick, but at a level where my mind STILL can't comprehend being away from home for so long... I'm sure the two lovelies will help alleviate some of that tomorrow night... and if not, only a little over a week until Chris lands in Europe :)
Alright, time to clock out, now that British TV has failed to entertain me and my MLB online package still hasn't cleared :)
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
It's Always Sunny in.. London?
I'd be trying to play humble if I said I didn't get very excited over the fact that my desktop weather says it is currently in the 60s and raining in DC.. That's not to say I wish ill or misery on my friends back at AU, but after hearing a countless number of people tell me, "Oh, you're going to London.. pack an umbrella (wink wink)" it feels good to say that we've been here a day short of a week and haven't even felt so much as a drop of rain. In fact, just to throw salt on any wounds back in the US - it's currently in the low 80s with a slight breeze and beautiful sunshine. But I'm sure there will be plenty of rainy days ahead, so I should probably bite my tongue.
I had 6 hours of classes today, so it looks like my (unfortunate) daily napping habit will continue for at least 1 more day.. my professors seem good but no matter who you are, a three-hour class about an unfamiliar country can get exhausting.. although listening to professors with British accents helps a bit.
I'm still stressed over money issues - although I suppose that's not much difference from how I'd usually be feeling during this time of year in the US. But here, I'm buying my own food, paying for my own books, and had to purchase my own "mobile phone" as well as a UK calling plan.. props to those kids who've been doing that for years, but it is my first trip ever outside the boundaries of the US.. I'd kick myself if I end up sitting inside because I can't afford to see anything.
That being said, I DID buy my desired Euroramen (don't worry, I'm the only person calling it that). I bought 6 packs along with two 5-packs of crisps and a few cans of soup for.. drumroll.. three pounds! My digestive system may need a surgical makeover when I return to the states, but at least my wallet will still hold some weight for a little while longer. And AHH! As I'm writing this, I just remembered that i have one last treasured paycheck from my time spent slaving away at the DQ this past summer.. although, I'm sure as per usual the dollar figure will be smaller than I anticipate.
They haven't cleaned our rooms today like they were supposed to, so my bed is kind of in shambles right now since re-covering a top bunk mattress is a slight challenge when you just want to plop down on the bed and pass out for a few hours. I understand that our classes here should be at the very least a little bit easier than our usual classes at AU, but I really don't understand how people concentrate while abroad.. even if I'm not energetic enough to go out into the city, there's so much within a few square miles that I just want to immerse myself with - and very few of those options involve a textbook and powerpoint.
So I learned a few other life lessons - the first being that evidently notebook sizes are different here..so while my mom did me a favor by packing me a 5-Star Notebook, all of my handouts stick out of the top by a good inch or so. For a country that's so "green-minded," they sure waste a lot of paper by having a couple inches of blank footer space at the bottom of all of their papers.. I also learned that no one actually really uses the term "loo" unless they're a little kid or just a childish adult. And, if you really want to sound like a drunken native, you could make a fool of yourself by saying "I need to see a man about a dog" in reference to having to go to the bathroom. I've also gotten better at winning the ever-continuous Cat & Mouse game that goes on between pedestrians & drivers.. although I still wouldn't duck out in front of a car on certain roads...
Countdown until I rejoin society (aka, FIE takes the insane amount of money we've paid and finally provides us with a 21st century-style internet): 6 days!
I had 6 hours of classes today, so it looks like my (unfortunate) daily napping habit will continue for at least 1 more day.. my professors seem good but no matter who you are, a three-hour class about an unfamiliar country can get exhausting.. although listening to professors with British accents helps a bit.
I'm still stressed over money issues - although I suppose that's not much difference from how I'd usually be feeling during this time of year in the US. But here, I'm buying my own food, paying for my own books, and had to purchase my own "mobile phone" as well as a UK calling plan.. props to those kids who've been doing that for years, but it is my first trip ever outside the boundaries of the US.. I'd kick myself if I end up sitting inside because I can't afford to see anything.
That being said, I DID buy my desired Euroramen (don't worry, I'm the only person calling it that). I bought 6 packs along with two 5-packs of crisps and a few cans of soup for.. drumroll.. three pounds! My digestive system may need a surgical makeover when I return to the states, but at least my wallet will still hold some weight for a little while longer. And AHH! As I'm writing this, I just remembered that i have one last treasured paycheck from my time spent slaving away at the DQ this past summer.. although, I'm sure as per usual the dollar figure will be smaller than I anticipate.
They haven't cleaned our rooms today like they were supposed to, so my bed is kind of in shambles right now since re-covering a top bunk mattress is a slight challenge when you just want to plop down on the bed and pass out for a few hours. I understand that our classes here should be at the very least a little bit easier than our usual classes at AU, but I really don't understand how people concentrate while abroad.. even if I'm not energetic enough to go out into the city, there's so much within a few square miles that I just want to immerse myself with - and very few of those options involve a textbook and powerpoint.
So I learned a few other life lessons - the first being that evidently notebook sizes are different here..so while my mom did me a favor by packing me a 5-Star Notebook, all of my handouts stick out of the top by a good inch or so. For a country that's so "green-minded," they sure waste a lot of paper by having a couple inches of blank footer space at the bottom of all of their papers.. I also learned that no one actually really uses the term "loo" unless they're a little kid or just a childish adult. And, if you really want to sound like a drunken native, you could make a fool of yourself by saying "I need to see a man about a dog" in reference to having to go to the bathroom. I've also gotten better at winning the ever-continuous Cat & Mouse game that goes on between pedestrians & drivers.. although I still wouldn't duck out in front of a car on certain roads...
Countdown until I rejoin society (aka, FIE takes the insane amount of money we've paid and finally provides us with a 21st century-style internet): 6 days!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
A Little Ramen Goes a Long Way..
Don't worry, I haven't actually bought it yet.. but after seeing the massive dip in my savings account after just 4 days across the pond, my roommate's news that Europe DOES have something similar to Ramen (For 9 PENCE!) offers hope that I won't have to cross countries off my wishlist!... i'm really not kidding. Euroramen has become my fail-proof financial plan. It'll also ensure that my bloodpressure remains in an unfortunately high range and that I never miss a day's supply of questionable powdered "veggies" and mystery meat (now featuring curry!). I'm literally SO EXCITED to pick some up tomorrow...
London has been getting more and more fabulous. I'm really loving the people on my program, and I'm sure (whether by choice or by force - hehe) we'll all become really close over the next couple months.. but I'm really excited. Plus, I'm SO excited that we all share similar hopes for travelling to other countries.
So last night we went out for dinner and frozen yogurt.. nothing too "London-esque" but a lot of fun nonetheless. I elected to stay in because I wasn't feeling very good and I know that if I can help boost my immunity (since I have the immune system of a kindergartener) I need to take advantage of any opportunity. Thankfully, it was the one night BBC 3 ran Pirates of the Carribean instead of some lame "TV Experts" show or another rerun of the Beatles' movies.
I start classes tomorrow - actually I only have one, but I'm kind of nervous, kind of excited. So long as I find it and the professor doesn't have too thick a foreign accent (although judging from her portrait, I suspect she does) I will be okay.
Unfortunately, the internet here is AWFUL (although they promise it will be fixed next Tuesday) so for the t ime being i'm more or less skype-less and i've been using my Vodafone minutes already. But, I'm absolutely in love with Vodafone - first off, my phone is ten times better and clearer than ANY phone I've ever had with verizon for the same pricerange. I also am under the impression that all incoming calls are free (and since I purchased a 609 number with skype so that my family and friends cancall me, I'm SO excited to find out if that's true).
And.. drumroll... we're supposed to reach the 70s tomorrow! AHHHH!
London has been getting more and more fabulous. I'm really loving the people on my program, and I'm sure (whether by choice or by force - hehe) we'll all become really close over the next couple months.. but I'm really excited. Plus, I'm SO excited that we all share similar hopes for travelling to other countries.
So last night we went out for dinner and frozen yogurt.. nothing too "London-esque" but a lot of fun nonetheless. I elected to stay in because I wasn't feeling very good and I know that if I can help boost my immunity (since I have the immune system of a kindergartener) I need to take advantage of any opportunity. Thankfully, it was the one night BBC 3 ran Pirates of the Carribean instead of some lame "TV Experts" show or another rerun of the Beatles' movies.
I start classes tomorrow - actually I only have one, but I'm kind of nervous, kind of excited. So long as I find it and the professor doesn't have too thick a foreign accent (although judging from her portrait, I suspect she does) I will be okay.
Unfortunately, the internet here is AWFUL (although they promise it will be fixed next Tuesday) so for the t ime being i'm more or less skype-less and i've been using my Vodafone minutes already. But, I'm absolutely in love with Vodafone - first off, my phone is ten times better and clearer than ANY phone I've ever had with verizon for the same pricerange. I also am under the impression that all incoming calls are free (and since I purchased a 609 number with skype so that my family and friends cancall me, I'm SO excited to find out if that's true).
And.. drumroll... we're supposed to reach the 70s tomorrow! AHHHH!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Lessons Learned in London (the Hard Way)
So I made it!! I'm finally in London - this is actually the start of my second day here and I've managed to survive my first night here and somehow, I still miraculously have 15GBP in my pocket - thanks in part to over a half a dozen stolen sandwiches and sodas and my mom's decision to pack crackers & candy into my bags before i left..
as expected, i've already made an ass (arse?) of myself on several occasions being culturally ignorant and having no sense of direction. ive already had close encounters with a few cars thanks to my inability to remember to look RIGHT and not LEFT first before crossing the street..
I've also learned that, unlike in DC, the subway system closes at midnight regardless of whether or not you've already paid 5.60 for a roundtrip. The toilets here are incredibly difficult to flush (and incredibly easy to clog.. although I didn't find that one out myself, thank you). You tip 10% NOT 20% (oops) and for cab drivers you round up to the nearest pound, nothing more (even though paige tipped ours about 8 pounds lol). Fries are chips and chips are crisps and whatever the hell prawn cocktail chips are.. they're quite possibly the most fabulous flavored "crisps" around. Diet coke cans are WAAAY too small to support my daily caffeine intake. A bloke is a man, not something you smoke. It's freakishly cold here and traffic is always bad when you're paying for a cab. It's a bill, not a check and you have to ask for it, otherwise you'll be sitting there like a fool for a long time until they ask you to leave. Hard apple cider is AMAZING and i don't understand why we don't sell it out of the tap in America. I thought I learned that a "note" is the equivalent of a dollar bill, but evidently you cant shove 50 pounds into a "note" slot at the self check-out. Food goes "off" (expires) more quickly here than in America, and I'm not sure what kind of mayo-like spread they put on BLTs, but it is FABULOUS. Also, a cheddar & pickle sandwich - isn't a sandwich with cheddar and pickle(s)... although I have absolutely no clue what it is/was. Also, if you buy a BRITISH travel hairdryer, evidently it will still burst into flames - which more or less literally happened to me last night. So now, I will either be airdrying my hair or I will have to live life on the edge and try to stay conscientious of when flames are about to spurt from my dryer again.. sad thing is, the USD-GBP ratio is so bad that i'm leaning towards picking the latter option until I basically run the risk of either burning my scalp or setting off the fire alarm.
However, London is amazing.. I haven't really had the chance to go out and see the city, but we did go to the pub and to some clubs last night which turned out to be a lot of fun.. especially since I didn't buy any drinks at the bar (otherwise i'd probably would have overdrawn my account)... Cheerio!
as expected, i've already made an ass (arse?) of myself on several occasions being culturally ignorant and having no sense of direction. ive already had close encounters with a few cars thanks to my inability to remember to look RIGHT and not LEFT first before crossing the street..
I've also learned that, unlike in DC, the subway system closes at midnight regardless of whether or not you've already paid 5.60 for a roundtrip. The toilets here are incredibly difficult to flush (and incredibly easy to clog.. although I didn't find that one out myself, thank you). You tip 10% NOT 20% (oops) and for cab drivers you round up to the nearest pound, nothing more (even though paige tipped ours about 8 pounds lol). Fries are chips and chips are crisps and whatever the hell prawn cocktail chips are.. they're quite possibly the most fabulous flavored "crisps" around. Diet coke cans are WAAAY too small to support my daily caffeine intake. A bloke is a man, not something you smoke. It's freakishly cold here and traffic is always bad when you're paying for a cab. It's a bill, not a check and you have to ask for it, otherwise you'll be sitting there like a fool for a long time until they ask you to leave. Hard apple cider is AMAZING and i don't understand why we don't sell it out of the tap in America. I thought I learned that a "note" is the equivalent of a dollar bill, but evidently you cant shove 50 pounds into a "note" slot at the self check-out. Food goes "off" (expires) more quickly here than in America, and I'm not sure what kind of mayo-like spread they put on BLTs, but it is FABULOUS. Also, a cheddar & pickle sandwich - isn't a sandwich with cheddar and pickle(s)... although I have absolutely no clue what it is/was. Also, if you buy a BRITISH travel hairdryer, evidently it will still burst into flames - which more or less literally happened to me last night. So now, I will either be airdrying my hair or I will have to live life on the edge and try to stay conscientious of when flames are about to spurt from my dryer again.. sad thing is, the USD-GBP ratio is so bad that i'm leaning towards picking the latter option until I basically run the risk of either burning my scalp or setting off the fire alarm.
However, London is amazing.. I haven't really had the chance to go out and see the city, but we did go to the pub and to some clubs last night which turned out to be a lot of fun.. especially since I didn't buy any drinks at the bar (otherwise i'd probably would have overdrawn my account)... Cheerio!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
1 MoreDay!
I leave for London tomorrow!! I can't believe it!...
Well, I didn't get to go to the beach today thanks to how unusually cool it is down the shore.. BUT I did get to go to an incredible baseball game & fireworks last night. I'm trying desperately to pack everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) today so I can have one more day to lay outside and tan tomorrow before I spend 4 months in ever-raining Europe! Not that I'm complaining about that..
Well, I didn't get to go to the beach today thanks to how unusually cool it is down the shore.. BUT I did get to go to an incredible baseball game & fireworks last night. I'm trying desperately to pack everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) today so I can have one more day to lay outside and tan tomorrow before I spend 4 months in ever-raining Europe! Not that I'm complaining about that..
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