British Museum 2/13/08

Today for our BLC trip was the British Museum, which I was very excited about (www.britishmuseum.org). As I mentioned, London museums are free. It was very crowded inside and out when we walked in, but luckily we had a tour guide.

 

 

In the main entrance room you can see the outside of the Reading Room. I could have gone inside but I didn’t want to pay an obscene amount to see the Chinese Terracotta warriors. You also had to have tickets way in advance, and I wanted to see the warriors for the first time in China. If you were never going to China, I would understand paying for the exhibition, but otherwise I would not. It was the first time any of the warriors had left China to be shown, which I thought was an interesting fact.

 

Seeing the Rosetta Stone is a highlight. But beware because there is a copy because so many people are always around the real one. Make sure you see the real one. My guide said it would be hard to get a picture of it, but just be aggressive and you can get a picture of one of the greatest historical artifacts. (Stupidly, while my family visited me at Drapers, I told them and my coworker Steve that I saw the Magna Carta at the British Museum. My brother quickly corrected me, but it was funny because Steve said he would believe anything I said.)

 

The museum also has a ton of pieces from the ancient Assyrian Palace of Sargon including the ‘dying lioness’ relief and the winged bull creatures that guard the palace. I was excited to see this work because I studied it in an art class and I love ancient art.

A large room is also devoted to the Parthenon and Ancient Greece. The museum has many portions of the east pediment of the building and many friezes from inside the Parthenon. Although the Greeks just built the Acropolis Museum, I don’t think the British will be giving these artifacts back anytime soon.

We were also shown the Lewis Chess pieces that I saw in Scotland. And another popular highlight is the mummy room. You’ll know where you’re in it because it’s so crowded and mummies surround you. The mummies were hard to photograph around all the people and glass reflections.

 

The British Museum also houses some artifacts from the Sutton Hoo ship burial from about 625 A.D. That was neat to see also because I studied it in high school in British Literature (in the book Beowulf).

 

My group’s tour was over and I decided to look around a little while longer. This is not an easy museum to see quickly. I went to see the famous Lindow Man who was discovered in England in 1984 and he was from the first century. I also went back to photograph the Royal Game of Ur. It dates to about 2500 B.C in Iraq and the game was one of the most popular ancient games.

 

My DK Great Britain guidebook also pointed out the Shiva Nataraja from India so I visited that too. When I walked out, I saw a hot dog stand. It made me realize how badly they were attracting tourists. There were also many shops with copy museum artifacts. I did buy my brother a small Terracotta warrior figure because my brother likes Asian history.

 

I still had plenty of the day to use, so I went to explore Regent’s Park and the London Zoo (www.zsl.org). Regent’s Park is located in the northwest area of central London. It’s a beautiful park. It was a decent day temperature-wise so I took out my packed sandwich and people watched.

 

And I’ll just mention this: people think it rains all the time in London. It really doesn’t.

 

Anyway, after I finished lunch I strolled to the middle of the park to the zoo. I don’t know what really possessed me to go to the zoo, but it was something to do. I had a bad feeling standing in line that the zoo was not going to be good. I still paid the crazy fee of 12.40 pounds (13.90 for adults) and they try to get you to pay a voluntary donation fee of 1.60 pounds.

 

I walked around disappointed. St. Louis, Missouri has one of the best zoos and the only one that has really compared is San Diego. In my opinion, the London Zoo is a waste of time unless you live in London and you want to take your kids.

 

I did see gorillas, giraffes, cats and birds. They do have an African area, which was neat because I saw some African wild dogs (I saw some information about them on the awesome Plant Earth series). But overall, a lot of things weren’t out and most of these animals I could see back home in St. Louis for a lot cheaper.

 

The one thing I wanted to do I forgot to do: see the reptile house because the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone zoo snake scene was filmed there! I don’t think I’ll be paying again to see it.

 

Although I didn’t like the zoo, I was happy to enjoy the scenery and walk around Regent’s Park. It was a new area of London that I had never seen.

Greenwich 2/3/08

Today I decided to visit Greenwich, which is on the outskirts of London. The English pronounce it ‘grinich.’ To get to Greenwich, you can use the Tube to connect to the Docklands Light Railway. The DLR is a train that is used often by commuters and if you get off at the Cutty Sark stop, you’ll be in Greenwich. Wherever you are staying in London, just use the ‘trip planner’ at tfl.gov.uk. If you want to take in the sights, you can also take river cruise on the Thames to Greenwich from the heart of London. Here is an example of one such cruise: www.thamesriverservices.co.uk/discount-boat-trips-greenwich.cfm

 

I was a little confused when I connected to the DLR from the Tube, but I figured it out. If you have an Oyster Card, make sure it has enough for the journey because I never saw a machine to top up your card. So I’ll admit I did ride some of it for free because there were no barriers to the entrances or workers present. But I was lucky tough because my friend had the same problem and she got a ticket for at least 20 pounds. So don’t do what I got away with.

 

I just missed the train when I arrived and I had to wait at least 20 minutes for a new one. I guess they aren’t as frequent on the weekends.

 

After a 20-minute ride, I arrived in Greenwich, which is right by the Thames. Its claim to fame is the prime meridian. The prime meridian is a vertical line that marks zero degrees longitude. The site for the meridian is located at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park (www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-observatory).

 

And another great thing about Greenwich is that everything I’m going to discuss is free. The observatory is located on a hill in the part that offers great views of the city. You can see St. Paul’s far in the distance.

 

The observatory has some exhibits, but I was too excited to see the prime meridian line. It was crowded, but I waited my turn and had someone take my picture. At the line, you have to straddle it—one foot on each side, so you can be east and west at the same time.

 

I then walked down the hill to visit the Old Royal Naval College. It is in the park right by the Thames. The college’s two domed buildings were used in the Golden Compass movie with digital enhancement (www.clipmarks.com/clipmark/3516FE10-FB9A-44BB-8B3B-95ACE3E99FFE/).  Then I visited the Painted Hall at the college. If you walk to the river and turn around to look at the college, the hall is in the domed building on your right. A chapel is in the domed building on the left. They were both beautiful, but I really enjoyed the Painted Hall because the painting on the ceiling is so inspiring.

 

After walking around the college, I walked back into the park to the National Maritime Museum (www.nmm.ac.uk/places/maritime-galleries). I didn’t stay long though. Most of the exhibits were very interactive and are meant for kids, so I headed to the Queen’s House next door (www.nmm.ac.uk/places/queens-house). It was built as a retreat for a Danish queen in the early 1600s. Today it holds several galleries of paintings.

 

I walked back to the water to see Cutty Sark, but unfortunately it was under renovation (www.cuttysark.org.uk). The Cutty Sark is the only remaining tea clipper in the world. It traveled the world in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It now rests by the Greenwich pier.

 

Also, right by Cutty Sark is the tourist information center that has free maps of the area. It would have been nice if I went here first (if I knew about it), but I managed without it. There are plenty of signs to guide you, if you don’t have a map.

 

I briefly passed by the Greenwich Market and then got back on the DLR. With much of the day still left, I got off at the Piccadilly tube station to see some sights and take a long walk home to enjoy the city. Looking at a map now, it was about a 2 ½ mile walk, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

 

Walking along Piccadilly I stopped by Burlington Arcade, but it was closed (www.burlington-arcade.co.uk). The Burlington Arcade is an upscale shopping arcade that has dressed up guards and crazy rules (no spitting, singing, or whistling). I knew one day I had to come back to actually walk through the arcade.

 

I forgot to photograph the Ritz so walk back toward the circus to get a shot of the famous hotel. Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant filmed a scene of Notting Hill here. When my family visited, we tried to get a drink at the hotel only to find that my dad and brother were under dressed—suit and tie were required!

 

Then I walked to the famous Buckingham Palace so I could explore the area more. When I was at the palace for changing of the guard, I couldn’t walk up to the fountains or gates of the palace. I photographed a beautiful crest on the gates and the golden Queen Victoria statue in front of the palace. I stayed a little while trying to get creative with my photos.

 

After Buckingham, I made the short walk to St. James Palace that is never crowded to see the guards. Then I continued my walk down Piccadilly when I saw Wellington Arch, which is between Hyde Park and St. James Park. Piccadilly turned into Knightsbridge and I made my way to Harrods. By this time Harrods was lit beautifully with its white lights.

 

I took in the rest of affluent Kensington as I walked the last 30 minutes to my flat. I started to love London more each minute I spent there. 

1/30/08: Tower Bridge, Tate Britain and Queen’s Club

http://www.flickr.com/photos/taltraveltips/sets/72157608714663882/

 

Before the visiting the Tate Britain for BLC, my flat mate Kim and I decided to visit the Tower Bridge exhibition (www.towerbridge.org.uk). You take an elevator up to get beautiful views of London on the Thames. I brought my SLR camera but unfortunately the batteries were dead. Luckily I still had my point and shoot camera so that had to do. At the exhibition, you can slide the windows so you can get the best pictures possible. You can see St. Paul’s, but the best view is of the Tower of London because it’s the closest.

 

As you walk across the bridge and go back down another elevator, you get a chance to see the engine room, which was neat because it’s something you don’t see everyday. Looking back, I would recommend St. Paul’s and the Eye for views over Tower Bridge but I’m still glad I can say I’ve been inside the bridge.

 

After we left the exhibition, we made our wade to Tate Britain. We realized we needed to hurry so we looked for a Tube stop. Unfortunately there weren’t any nearby so we decided to just walk to the opposite side of the Thames. We didn’t realized how long the walk would take. We almost grabbed a taxi but we didn’t want to spend the money. So we just quickly walked there and were sweating when we arrived. I ran into some classmates and they said my group already went inside. I rushed in to find them before they got too far in the museum. I found them quickly and told my BLC mentor Professor Dickey why I was late.  I was so luckily to have him as my mentor in the class because he was an easy grader and he didn’t care why I was late. He was a very nice man.

 

While trying to cool down, we were shown the museum that has British art from 1500 to the present. Its Web site (www.tate.org.uk/britain) is very interactive and you can see the paintings and artists in each room. Although it was a beautiful museum, I would prefer to go to the V&A and the British Museum instead. The paintings are beautiful but I think you get a better experience at the other two museums.

 

After I took the Tube home I decided to walk to the Queen’s Club. It’s a tennis club where a pre Wimbledon tournament takes place. It used to be called the Stella Artois tournament but I believe they have dropped sponsorship. I’m a big tennis fan but I also know about the club because Andy Roddick usually plays there.

 

I took my trusty Garmin for the 30 minute walk (I decided to save a few pounds since I didn’t have a monthly pass yet) but it took me to the back of the club so I wondered around for at least another 20 minutes until I finally found the entrance. I told the gate attendant that I wanted to visit the gift shop.

 

It’s funny because I called the gift shop earlier that day to make sure I could get in and the woman thought I was interested in a job at the shop. I wish! If I wasn’t working for Drapers that would have been fun. And I would have actually made an income.

 

But anyway, I was going to get something with Stella Artois on it but they only have that merchandise around the tournament time. But I did get a bright red polo with a royal Queen’s Club symbol on it. And the cashier helped me saved money by getting a kid’s size that fit me. I asked the cashier if I could get a peek at the courts and she said to go up the steps outside the shop. She mentioned not to go anywhere else since it was a private club. She also said not to spend too much time on the steps.

 

The club had perfect grass courts. I quickly took a few photos and looked back at the main building of the club. A bunch of cute men in suits were mingling. If only I could have said hello. A hot British man in a tennis club—right up my alley!

 

As I walked back I was so excited that I just visited in the Queen’s Club. I called my dad, another tennis fan, to tell him what I just did. He was happy for me. Another successful day down!

 

Living and Adjusting to London

I didn’t really experience culture shock abroad but there were differences I had to adjust to. For example, Europe follows military time. A trick to convert to standard, 12 hour time: if the time is past noon, just drop the first number and subtract two from the next number. My travel agent taught me this trick. So for example, for 14:00 I would drop the one and subtract 2 from 4 which gives me 2. So it’s 2 p.m. I still have to think of that trick in my head to get it right. It also makes booking travel a pain too. You really have to make sure you know what time it is.

 

Also, if you need to buy a phone or mobile as they say I would recommend Carphone Warehouse (www.carphonewarehouse.com). They are helpful in picking the right phone for you and have plenty of locations in London. In Europe they have monthly rates but they also have pay as you go where you can top up your minutes (buy more) if you run out. Since I was only there for four months, I just did pay as you go. To buy more minutes, you can call the mobile provider or you can go to a grocery store cashier. You just tell the cashier you want to top up your minutes. You tell him your provider and how many minutes you want. You then follow the instructions on the receipt. You usually just call a number, type in the code and the minutes are allocated.

 

You usually need to get a SIM card with your phone as well, which Carphone Warehouse will help you with too. I bought two: one only worked in the UK but it got cheap international rates (only 10 pence/~20 cents to call US), and the other card (T-Mobile) worked in most European countries but the minutes were very expensive.

 

As far as grocery shopping goes, it is much easier than New York. Luckily, Earl’s Court is close to two huge grocery stores: Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Tesco is generally a little cheaper but Sainsbury’s was closer so I shopped there. Waitrose is a decently priced grocery store. Marks and Spencers is another one but it is more high end. Mini markets are also all around too and the one by me was Somerfield’s. Sainsbury’s Local is a smaller version of Sainsbury’s. If you want the cream of the crop, go to Fortnum and Mason, the queen’s grocery store. Prices here are ridiculously high but it’s an adventure to go inside (like Harrods).

 

For money abroad, it’s really hard to get away from fees. Make sure you call your credit card company and tell them you’ll be abroad to make sure your card will work. You can also ask the company what banks they are interchangeable with. The best way to avoid fees is to start a bank in London, but I’ve read you can’t do that from the US. You must be living in the UK so you can’t start the account until you arrive. There are plenty of banks but Barclay’s is probably the most well-known. Also another random fact about credit cards: sign your name on the back of your card. Apparently, it’s illegal if it’s not signed. That’s what a cashier told us at Windsor Castle. She said usually they will just take your card away. But I’ve also read to that signing your card can lead to fraud so just write “see ID” on the space where you sign.

 

And you’re in a new city so you need to find your way around. Cheaply, I would recommend the StreetWise maps (www.streetwisemaps.com). They are easy to read, portable and show public transportation too. If you really want an expensive map, the A-Z (‘z’ is pronounced ‘zed’ in the UK) maps come highly recommended (www.a-zmaps.co.uk/). I bought one but I never really used it. They have so much information on them that they get complicated. But the map is very extensive and covers all of London including outside the city center (StreetWise doesn’t).

 

If you want to spend the money, I would recommend a handheld navigator. I have a Garmin eTrex that I received as a gift from my dad. It took me a little bit to get used to but once I figured it out, I had it taking me to all the sites. You can also plug in a location and it will guide you to it. You can also save addresses so when I traveled I would save my hostel’s address so I always knew how to get back to it. The Garmin is currently only $99 but then you have to buy map CDs that will cost you another $100 or $200. As I said, it’s worth it, but then again I got it as a gift. I’m pretty frugal so I would have just lived off maps if I didn’t have my Garmin.

 

And if you want to know more about public transportation search for it in my other blog entries, but this is the site you want to know: tfl.gov.uk/

For trains you should look at nationalrail.co.uk. And if you want to use buses I would recommend nationalexpress.co.uk. MegaBus (megabus.com) is also in the UK but National Express has more destinations in the UK with similar prices. Buses are better if you want to travel overnight and save on paying for a hotel or hostel. Trains are usually faster but are generally more expensive.

 

And a funny fact to end: pedestrian crosswalks are called zebras. The British are so smart.

1/20/08: Hampton Court and Windsor Castle

Follow along visually at www.flickr.com/photos/taltraveltips/sets/72157609148779080/

Luckily, our program set up several optional weekend trips so we could see sites with our friends at a cheaper group rate. Today is Hampton Court (www.hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace), the famous residence of Henry VIII, and Windsor Castle (www.windsor.gov.uk.), the queen’s summer residence. The bus picked us up at 9 a.m. outside the Knaresborough flat and it was off to Hampton Court. But if you don’t have a car, you can take a train from the Waterloo station (which you can get too by Tube). For Hampton Court, you get off at the Hampton Court Station and for Windsor Castle you get off at Windsor Central station. Both are just a short ride outside London (no more than an hour).

 

I was excited to see Hampton Court because I had been watching the Tudors TV series, which is about Henry VIII. The price is hefty but worth it: 11.30 pounds for students and 13.30 for adults. It’s also a pound cheaper if you book online. An audio guide and garden access are included in the price. Also just a note, nothing else is really by Hampton Court, unlike Windsor Castle where there is the town of Windsor (and Eton) nearby.

 

Hampton Court lies right on the river and the outside is beautiful but imposing with its red brick and size. And there happened to be a large photo of Henry visible from the outside to cover up renovation of the clock tower. Fierce lions with shields great you at the entrance. Even the chimneys were cool: They had intricate tops and different brick patterns.

 

I do have to admit that I was more impressed with the outside of the castle and its gardens. The inside is pretty typical for castle rooms: state apartments, royal chapel, queen’s apartments, king’s apartments and the kitchen. But you can really see the ornate detail and vast proportions on the outside. You are not allowed to take photos inside except in the kitchen and all of the self-guided tours start from the clock tower.

 

Also be sure to pick up not only a castle guide but also a garden guide. The Great Fountain Garden is a must and probably the most famous. The Privy Garden is another big one. I would recommend about 2 hours for Hampton Court once you arrive. If it’s a nice day maybe longer so you can enjoy the gardens more with a picnic. A random fact: the word’s largest and oldest grape vine is on view on the grounds too!

 

After we had a quick bite at the court’s café, the bus drove us to Windsor Castle. The castle is 900 years old, and it is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Another expensive admission though: Adults are 14.80 pounds and students are 13.30. That price includes an audio guide. When the queen is at Windsor, the Royal Standard flag flies over the famous Round Tower and when she’s gone the Union Jack flag flies.

 

I would recommend two hours to see this castle. So it’s very realistic to do both Hampton Court and Windsor Castle in one day. If you would like to take a for to see both I would recommend Anderson Tours (www.andersontours.co.uk). I used them for a few trips while I was in Europe and liked them. They have many trips outside the UK as well.

 

At Windsor Castle, make sure to see the state apartments, which are lavish beyond imagination (but she is the queen) and St. George’s Chapel. You even get to an amour suit of Henry VIII and you can tell he was chubby. But again, you can’t take photos. As one attendant told me: since this is royal property it’s copyrighted. And for the big tourists, you can see the guards. Check the web site’s schedule if you want to see changing of the guard, otherwise there are always a few guards on duty to see. You can also get pretty views of Windsor below from the castle. Although touristy, the city of Windsor is charming with little shops.

 

We had some extra free time before we had to leave. I tried to walk to the nearby town of Eton because I heard it was pretty, but I ran out of time and turned around. After buying a London oven mitt for my mom and getting some ice cream, we boarded the bus to head back to the flats. Both Hampton Court and Windsor Castle are musts to see if you have time but I preferred Hampton Court mostly because it wasn’t as ornate and I liked the decorations on the outside better.

 

I relaxed that night on my couch in the living room because Isle of Wight was tomorrow. As you can tell, I kept myself busy. And it’s only the first week.

1/17/08

This week, Emily and I went to the Prince of Teck pub (www.princeofteck.com/, http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub1562.html) for our first real drink (my first drink didn’t count). I had read about pub etiquette so I wouldn’t look like an idiot. To start, if you sit down, no one will come to wait on you. You have to go up to the bar to order and pay for food and drink. Also never tip at the pub. It is considered an insult if you do. And be wary that if a sports event is on, your chances of finding a seat will be slim.

 

Going in with this knowledge we were spotted as tourists right away. We sat down to look at the menu and then I was going to go up to the bar to order. But someone came over to take our drink order (we must have taken too long to look the menu over). I politely explained that I knew how to order and that I would come up when we were ready. I just wanted to fit in. I had a Staropramen, which is a Czech beer that I enjoyed. Emily had a Fire Engine cocktail, which has vodka, grenadine and lemonade.

 

I remember talking about how cool it was that we were in London for the semester and that the adventure had just started. I was still in disbelief. It was also nice to order drinks legally and not be carded. Although some of my friends did get carded sometimes. It just depends but in general you won’t get carded. And also just to throw this in I’m pretty much your classic beer girl so you might hear more about beer as I continue to write about last semester. I love trying different types of beer around the world and since you are in close proximity to many countries in Europe this is pretty easy to do.

 

1/17/08

Today we had more program meetings at Imperial College. Emily and I had a break so we decided to check out the area. We went inside the Natural History Museum (www.nhm.ac.uk/), which is fun but I would say it’s more for kids or people interested in science. They “reveal how the jigsaw of life fits together,” according to their brochure. There are many interactive exhibits and a dinosaur to greet you at the entrance. For me, the building is the best part—inside and out. Climb to the top floor inside for a neat view. Check out the photos at Flickr to see what I’m talking about.

 

We also walked by the Victoria and Albert Museum (www.vam.ac.uk/), but we didn’t go in because we knew our class was going there later in the semester. This museum is a definite must for locals and tourists.

 

I also walked by the famous Harrods on Knightsbridge. Later in the semester I did go inside just for the experience. I tried to go on several floors for a whole experience but I felt out of place. Even things on sale aren’t really on sale but while inside you are instantly happy because it’s the super mall where nothing can go wrong. They even have a pet store on the 2^nd floor. A Blue Badge guide told me you could buy elephants and camels there. With five floors make sure you use the beautiful Egyptian Escalator. Also the food court is must visit. Just about anything you can eat is there to buy.

 

On the walk back to my flat I made sure to take photos of my street and the flat building to show everyone back home. Tomorrow, Dublin here we come.  

1/13/08-1/16/08

Everyone who had an internship was enjoying the city because most of us hadn’t started our internships yet. My interview with Drapers went great. I met Stephen Spears and Melinda who I would be working closely with. Laura Jackson and Khabi Mizra were two other co-workers. They are such sweet people!

 

 

Since we had a lot of free time Emily and I planned a trip to Dublin. We decided to go that Friday because on Saturday we have already paid for a Hampton Court and Windsor Castle tour. But there was one problem: I was still waiting for Drapers and I didn’t know when I might start work. They called, said I had the job and to start on Monday (Jan. 21^st). So Dublin would be our first international stop. We thought it a wise choice since they spoke English.

 

11/15/08

With another day off, I decided to visit and ascend St. Paul’s Cathedral. I picked a bad day to do it because it was raining lightly and very windy. But I was already there and I didn’t know when I would be able to visit it again because I planned on traveling every weekend for the most part.

 

I paid 8.50 pounds for a student price (see stpauls.co.uk for all current prices) and that includes access to the crypt, nave, and 360-degree panoramic views at the gallery. Although in my opinion it lacks the historical charm of Westminster Abbey it is still a beautiful church. If you liked St. Peter’s in Rome, you’ll enjoy this cathedral.

 

The Baroque cathedral has been rebuilt five times including after the Great Fire of London in 1666. You can stand in awe for a while just looking up and as you climb the 434 steps you get to see the cathedral at several levels inside and out.

 

I remember stopping several times to catch my breath on the way up first at the Whispering Gallery where a whisper can be heard on the other side of the dome. The climb is not for the faint hearted but I was not about to give up. When I finally reached the top I had to be careful not to blow away because of the wind. It was still drizzling so it didn’t make for the best pictures but I got great photos of the cathedral, Tate Modern and the river.

 

Of course when I left it stopped raining so I decided to spend my day walking along the Thames. I wanted to explore the city on my own terms. Since St. Pauls is in the middle of the sight seeing area of the Thames I walked east first and then worked my way back. I crossed to the south side of the river and walked in Southwark, an up and coming area. The Borough Market (boroughmarket.org.uk/), Vinopolis (a wine tasting place, http://www.vinopolis.co.uk/), and the Clink Prison Museum (www.clink.co.uk/) are just a few fun things in the area.

 

Then I got up close with Tower Bridge since I had only seen it at a distance. You can also go inside the bridge for a view but I’ll talk more about that later (www.towerbridge.org.uk/). Many people think Tower Bridge is London Bridge but this isn’t the case. London Bridge is close by but is actually very plain. You can also see the walls of the Tower of London if you by the bridge. The detail on the bridge is fascinating with old crests, windows and turrets. I walked west along the Thames to see Big Ben. The walk from Tower Bridge to Big Ben is about 2.5 miles, which I think took me about an hour to walk. But this walk is a must for a traveler that has time because you get to see the heart of the city.

 

After photographing the Eye and Parliament, I walked north to see Trafalgar Square. I knew I was going to climb one of the eight massive lion statues but I wanted to wait to do it with a friend. I stopped to admire several of the square’s fountains and then walked farther north to Leicester Square, home of the West End theatre district and movie premieres. My flat mates saw Colin Firth and Uma Thurman later in the semester. I left London right before the Sex and the City premiere but I was in the square when the Rolling Stones were promoting their Martin Scorsese film. I couldn’t see them but it was still cool.

 

While I was in London I saw Mama Mia (good), Les Mis (not for me) and Spamalot (great). If your time is flexible go the specific theater’s box office for discounts. Two of the three times though I used TKTs (in New York too), a ticket booth in the square that offers half off prices for day of performances so get ready to stand in line. But it worked for me: I never sat more than 20 rows behind the stage on the orchestra level. Check out TKTs’ website for more information and what shows they discount because it changes frequently (www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/tkts/). The square is also near Chinatown if you are craving Chinese.

 

After a few quick shots of Covet Garden I was spent. As I rode the Tube home, I was glad that I decided to get out there and explore the city for myself. This was a reoccurring theme through out my time in Europe of traveling alone. But I’m happy I did it. To me, there’s nothing better than exploring a city on your own time.

 

11/16/08

Today was our first British Life and Culture (BLC) class and we were off to the Museum of London (www.museumoflondon.org.uk). This was not a good BLC class to start off the semester. I was disappointed with the museum. They did have some interesting artifacts dating back to ancient Rome but it got boring with their hokey exhibits. I remember leaving early since our teachers didn’t really care. I had enough information to write my weekly paper. I guess I would say if you are fascinated by London and its history please visit. Otherwise try The British Museum or the V&A, which I’ll talk about later. I can see why the program picked it though since we were living in London. But hey, it was much better than sitting in a classroom all day!

 

After the museum my flat mate Emily and I went to visit Westminster Abbey (www.westminster-abbey.org). Thank goodness it was Wednesday because at the time they happened to stay open later on that day so we barely made it inside before visitors were not allowed in. It was nice to visit the church with few visitors in it. Even though we weren’t allowed to photograph inside I can still picture it.

 

The poets’ corner was my favorite. It is in the south transept where famous writers are buried or have memorials. Actually buried there include: Chaucer, Dickens and Kipling. Memorials include: Austen, Bronte sisters, Shakespeare, Keats, Wordsworth and Milton. You literally step into history and be sure to look down so you don’t miss any graves.

 

The exit of the abbey is no less stunning. A view of Big Ben and the Eye stand high above. It was even more special for us because it was turning dark with a half-moon out. After a few pictures we took the Tube home exhausted but happy.

1/12/08

My flat mates and I started the day at Piccadilly Circus, which is the Times Square of London. It is definitely not as overwhelming as Times Square but still neat to see. Also, circus means circle, so unlike Times Square it is a large circle. It is usually crowded on the weekends and at peak seasons. There is a tube stop at the circus (called Piccadilly Circus, on the Piccadilly/Blue Line). If you are in the mood to walk, it’s a great place to start site seeing. From here you can easily walk to Buckingham Palace, Leicester Square, Big Ben and Trafalgar Square.

 

I usually recommend walking around more than using public transportation because you really get to explore the city. Even though London is a huge, walking is your best bet to see it. And after using many cities’ public transportations, I have to say that London’s is the best. The Tube is easy to use with frequent stops. The prices could be cheaper though. That’s why it’s important to get an Oyster Card (www.tfl.gov.uk/oyster) if you are staying for more than a few days. Otherwise you can buy one way fares and they also have one and three day passes.

 

After Piccadilly Circus, we walked to Trafalgar Square. We visited the National Gallery (http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/), which is at the top of the square. The gallery is free, like all museums in London, except for the temporary expositions. The gallery includes paintings from 1250 to 1900 and here is a sample the famous artists: Van Gogh (Sunflowers painting), Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, Van Eyck, Rembrandt and Vermeer. I’m glad I visited it but I get impatient and usually just look around quickly. I would recommend saving your time for the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum if you are short on time.

 

Then we found four red telephone booths to the right of Trafalgar Square and we couldn’t pass up the photo op especially since there were four of us. We also stopped by Covet Garden quickly to see what it was. We learned it was a shopping area but it was rather touristy. In front of the market by the church, people put on acts for including a stilt one I saw.

 

We started to walk south towards the river. We went by Westminster Abbey but decided not to go in. We were going to be in London for several months after all. We crossed Westminster Bridge because we wanted to get a good look at Big Ben. We also saw the Eye, London’s ferris wheel. Although expensive it shows great views. But I actually preferred St. Paul’s view, which I did a few days later.

 

We stopped walking along the south side of the Thames when we got to Tate Modern (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/), London’s modern museum. If you are a fan of modern art, this place is for you. But if not and if you have time, I would say it’s worth a quick peek just to see the inside of the enormous building.

 

Everyone was starting to get tired so we walked across the pedestrian Millennium Bridge that heads in the direction of St. Pauls. We boarded the Tube at St. Pauls on the Central/Red line. When I got home, I was already crossing sites off my list and figuring out which ones I wanted to go to next.

1/9/08-1/11/08

See photos of London at www.flickr.com/photos/taltraveltips/sets/72157608714663882/

1/09/08

I was worried at first because no one answered the main flat door. I had decided not to take the group flight so I waited by myself for about 20 minutes until finally someone told me where I would be living. The program owned two flats. The one on Knaresborough and the one I lived in, 40 Hogarth Road.

 

I was the first to arrive in my flat and luckily I was on the first floor so I didn’t have to carry my luggage up the steps (there was no elevator). Before I say what happened next I just want to say that I have had my own room at home and just one roommate every year in college. I found out that I was going to have three others in my room plus another two in a different room. I wanted the two-person room but we were already assigned a room. But I had the advantage of picking my bed and unpacking everything where I wanted it to be before everyone else arrived. I remember looking around at the small bedroom, little kitchen with no dishwasher and the small bathroom wondering how I was going to survive. The saving grace was the large living room with a chandelier.

 

After I unpacked, I figured out how to use our flat’s computer. I told my parents and my travel agent Beth that I had arrived and unpacked. About an hour later, everyone else arrived and unpacked. Then our program took us to a pub to get fish and chips (fries). We went to Gloucester Arms (http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub3134.html) in South Kensington. Not my favorite of pubs but it was a free meal and my first English fish and chips experience. We had to wait forever for the food because apparently they didn’t know we were coming even though the program told them. I also went to the bar and ordered my first legal beer since you only have to be 18 to drink in England (I was 20 at the time). I remember how confident and special I thought I was. But it tasted great; I believe I had a Stella Artois but don’t hold me to that.

 

The program kept us up all day showing us the area and we had a few safety orientations. It was about 6 p.m. when my head started to fall because I was so tired. But we went to bed around 10 p.m. and I didn’t have jet lag anymore after that.

1/10/08

 

The next day, our program arranged for a Blue Badge guide to give us a tour of the city. Diana our guide was lovely. She had a perfect accent and knew anything about London you could ask. While most of the tour was on the bus we did a photo stop at St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge. We also got out to see Changing of the Guard. I knew the bus tour was not going to be enough and I was going to have a lot fun touring the city for the first few weeks.

 

The tour ended at Trafalgar Square. Diana said she could take us back to our flats but recommended that we find our own way home to get used to the Tube. She also suggested that we buy an Oyster Card. It is a card that offers significantly cheaper rates if you are a frequent traveler. Luckily with my three roommates, we found our way home.

 

1/11/08

 

We had several boring orientations for the program. Some students were going to take classes while the journalism students including me were going to have an internship and take two night classes, Issues in Reporting and British Life and Culture (BLC). Also for the BLC class, every Wednesday was a required full day class, and the program had a place organized for us to go. Some were in London and others were outside the city but I’ll write individually about those. And both classes were through Imperial College, about a 15 minute walk from the flats. Imperial College is right up there in the mix with Cambridge and Oxford.  

 

I found out that I was going to be working for Drapers for my internship. It’s a weekly fashion trade magazine. I was excited and nervous. We even had to interview with them the next week to make sure they liked us.

 

I got a mobile phone and immediately felt more secure. I realized my dependence on it was bigger than I thought.

 

For the rest of the day, I was figuring out what sites my flat mates and me could see over the weekend in town.

Traveling to London, 1/8/08

I stuffed two massive black, roll away suitcases with bright green and pink polka dot ribbons for identification. I packed everything I could think of including clothes (business and casual), reading materials, my camera plus toiletries and some plastic food containers. I was not about to spend extra money in London because of the awful exchange rate (one dollar was worth half a pound or 50 pence). Also, a leg on one of the suitcases was missing (I didn’t realize this until I got to the airport) so my suitcase was constantly tipping over.

And yes, my suitcases weighed more than 50 pounds but somehow I managed to get out of a fee at the airport. I politely explained to the American Airlines check in attendant that I was living in London this semester and it wasn’t easy to pack up four months of your life especially when you are trying to be cheap. She smiled and said she understood.

I had to fly to O’Hare in Chicago first because unfortunately St. Louis has lost its international status. My flight was delayed for about an hour but I was reassured by my travel agent Beth that I was going to make my connecting flight to London. My flight to Chicago finally took off at 2:30 p.m. I spoke with a nice lawyer named Bob from Chicago during the flight who happened to do business in London several weeks of the year. He told me what a great city it was and how much fun I was going to have. He even had British sterling coins to give me. That would come in handy later. He also gave me his business card. He said to e-mail him and he would let me know if he would be in London while I was there. I actually met him for a drink later in the semester.

When I got to Chicago I quickly changed terminals and found my new flight’s gate. I was sweating already because I was carrying too much and I had to bring a heavy jacket with me because it wouldn’t fit in my suitcases. I called my mom who was at a girl’s weekend in Palm Springs, CA. I actually had to physically say goodbye to her a few days before I left. It was just bad timing. I still give her trouble for it though. Then I spoke with my dad and uncle. It felt like the final calls I would be making for a while and the last time I would hear their voices. I was going to have to buy a new phone when I arrived in London. I got a sandwich at Starbucks because I wanted to use my gift card since airport food is expensive.

I boarded my flight, which was also 45 minutes late, to Heathrow at 6 p.m. and the flight was a smooth ride of about seven and a half hours, but of course I can never sleep on overnight flights. I arrived at Heathrow a little after 7 a.m. After the long walk (everything in Heathrow is a long walk), I made it through customs without a problem by showing the officer my visa. My suitcases came fast and in tact—no problems there thank goodness.

Then I rushed to a pay phone to let my mom know that I had arrived. It was actually beneficial that she was in California because it was earlier at night than it was in St. Louis so I could still call her. I put the sterling coins in that I received from Bob and let her know I was there. I could tell she was staying up for me because it was after 11 p.m. there.

I was really nervous about arriving at Heathrow—one of the largest airports in the world. How was I going to get into the city to my flat by myself? Luckily Beth prepped me on what to do. She said a taxi was going to run about 50 pounds and not to do it. Instead I took the Heathrow Express train (www.heathrowexpress.com) into the city that arrived at Paddington station (This is the train station in the Harry Potter movies; there is a platform 9 ¾ there.). This only cost me about 16 pounds one way. But I would now recommend if you don’t have a lot of luggage to take the Tube or Underground, London’s railway public transportation (www.tfl.gov.uk/tube) because it is significantly cheaper (a one way ticket was two pounds while I was there).

I took a cab from there to my flat, which was only about 15 minutes away. I remember getting into the cab and already realizing simple cultural differences. The driver was nice but didn’t help me put my luggage in the back seat with me (there was no trunk). So I threw everything in the back as best I could and gave him a map (from my study abroad program) telling him where to go. My suitcases were shifting around the whole time and I was sweating like crazy. It’s not easy to handle over 100 pounds especially when a car is in motion. And of course we weren’t driving on the right side of the road. But that only took me a few minutes to get over.

With big eyes, I was taking in the sites of London. I saw a park and asked if it was Hyde Park. The driver responded that it was and I was so excited. A large, beautiful park in London—I had read about it and knew that I wanted to go. While we drove by he showed me the Albert Memorial in the park. After a few direction mishaps (he said the map wasn’t quite accurate), I arrived at 6 Knaresborough Lane with my luggage in tow ready to check into my flat and my new life for the next four months.