After hitting the sack early last evening, the alarm started blaring to "A Beautiful Day" at 7:45 AM. A quick glance outside (sans contacts) confirmed my suspicious that it was in fact NOT such a beautiful day (at least if we are using the Cayman Islands as a basis of comparison). For London, it was very much typical: Grey, slightly chilly, and misting. mmm mmmm gooooood!
Why on earth was I up at that hour on a Sunday? Well, besides the fact that I am an 85 year old man on the inside (as many of you well know); Zach, Bri, and I were going to church services at Westminster Abbey. Church at THE Westminster Abbey? No, your eyes didn't just lie.. I was pretty excited, too.
Services didn't begin until 10:00, but we wanted to leave PLENTY of time for transport on the Tube. The tiny bit of foresight we had getting up at such an early hour paid off when we realized that the Tube line we were planning on taking operates every day except Sunday. Hmm. The somewhat helpful man at the Landward ended up giving us some directions in very broken English so we called it good and left.
Potential drama evaporated when we arrived at the Westminster stop minus battle scars. We walked up, out, and practically right into the side of Big Ben (oh joy). I'm going to say the building looked phenomenal, the service was phenomenal, the Westminster Abbey Choir (complete with ruffles by the neck, bed head, and glorious sound) was phenomenal. Overuse? Good golly, getting to the church, sitting practically at the alter (we had decent seats), and taking in the sheer beauty of EVERYTHING was almost too much for my mind to juggle at once. Zach and Bri can definitely attest to the experience. It is definitely worthwhile regardless of the beliefs you hold.
Walking out into the cold served as an instant slap-in-the-face reality check. It was cold. Not even going to lie. Making best use of our 48 hour bus tickets (the big brown one), we figured it would be wise to skip the Tube and take the bus back to the Landward. Everything sounds good in theory, right? Well, this was good idea until we realized (what Zach estimated would take 20 minutes) turned into an hour and a half cruise around London. Always thinking glass half-full, we got to practice our British accents. Splendid! When I say practice, some of us need a little more than others....and by some of us, I really just mean me.. haha. Bri (being a theatre major) is pretty much good to go and Zach is leaps and bounds ahead of me. He even went so far as to create his own slang.. but that's another story. I am learning though. Taking it a word at a time lol. Thus far, "Sorry" is pretty solid.....one word down!
So we managed crawl back to the bus stop, power walk to the Landward and arrive before the entire day was consumed by an agonizingly slow tour of London.
We then quickly changed clothes and went to grab a take away sandwich at Pret A Manger. Delicious, quick, cheap food. Cheap being the operative word, mom. No worries!! lol
We then planned on getting back on the infamous brown bus to St. Paul's Cathedral. As we were getting on, I realized that I left my bus pass in my suit coat, and thus, would be forced to take the Tube (a much faster mode of transport). So it being broad daylight, me carrying minimal possessions (phone, student ID, Oyster card, and debit card) I figured it would be a brilliant learning experience that would really force me to figure out what the heck I was doing.
It is amazing what a little pressure can do to speed up comprehension. I managed to figure out exactly where St. Paul's was, switch lines, and not go the wrong way...Shocking, I know....All of that meant I beat that pesky brown bus by a solid 30 minutes. I called the group to see where they were and, not surprisingly, they were going to be a while. Making the best use of my time, it seemed like a good idea to go in, get ticket prices, and get a glimpse of the interior.
"Sorry sir, we do have student discounts, however, we are only open for site seeing Mon-Sat." Bummer. In retrospect, one of us should have made that realization, but it wasn't a huge deal. There is always more to do in London!
Let's recap: Service at Westminster Abbey, Failed attempt to visit St. Paul's Cathedral, and visit to the Tate Modern Art Gallery. Which one doesn't belong?
The Tate Gallery (a converted power plant sitting at the feet of the Thames) is free to the public and is five stories of modern art bliss. I suppose only bliss if you actually have the intellectual capacity to comprehend what the heck is going on, but modern art nevertheless.
Our visit was somewhat rushed, but I don't regret it. We had a great time, saw some original Warhol pieces, a movie of a nude man and woman passing a balloon, and flattened dinnerware hung from the ceiling arranged in crazy collages.. What more does one need?
Tomorrow is the beginning of the end. The end of long-winded days devoted exclusively to traveling around London, but the beginning of (what hopefully will be) some interesting classes at Regent's.
My room is still purple and the pub across the street is most def hoppin' with some crazy chants. I cannot wait for the World Cup!!
Cheers!!!
24 January, 2010
Thames = The Muddy Maumee?
After spending the first couple days getting acclimated to the west end of London, Regent's and the masculine pink and purple walls of our flat, it was time to put on our tourist hats and get crackin'.
On a somewhat cloudy mid-morning, we boarded a big, brown tour bus and sprinted up the stairs to the top level. Instantly, the wind cut through my supposed "windbreaker" jacket, and I realized just how chilly it was going to be. Awesome. This was not a concern for long as I was (almost) instantly distracted by multiple pictures of Emma Watson at the flagship Burberry store, hilarious conversation, and a highly entertaining audio guide. We decided to jump off at the Trafalgar Square stop and take a look at the uber-cool National Gallery. Instead, we found a massive group of (what looked like) professional photographers. They were photographing a baby (Zach is convinced it was royal) in a stroller-- probably one of the creepiest things I have ever seen. Still no word on what the occasion was..
After taking some hilarious pictures in/around the main fountain in Trafalgar Square, we spotted Big Ben and made a beeline for it. I can't tell you how awesome it was to put on my tourist hat and see one of the most famous places in London!
From there we walked down to the Thames and got our first "good" look at the London Eye (Even though we can see it from the window of our flat, it was so neat to see it from a few feet away). Surprisingly, the sidewalks lining the river were pretty empty... always a plus.
We saw signs for "Boat Tours on the Thames," and after remembering they were included with our bus ticket, we ventured down to the water to see what all the fuss was about. About that water: If you did a side-by-side comparison of the Thames with the Maumee, the poopy/muddy/ultra-gross Maumee would probably claim victory. No bueno.
To keep this story going and to save your eyes from reading every possible detail of my day, we ended up cruising down the Thames, flying by London Bridge, Tower Bridge, lots of INCREDIBLE apartments, and calling it quits at the Tower of London.
We hopped off with our stomachs growling and decided to grab a (late) lunch at Gourmet Burger Kitchen. BAHHH. 100% Aberdeen-Angus Prime Cut Beef? Slightly ridiculous/unnecessary/but absolutely incredible? It was.
To wrap up a long and exhausting day, we stumbled upon St. Martin-in-the-fields right off Trafalgar Square on our way back to the Tube station. I knew my Aunt Ellie had mentioned a brilliant little restaurant downstairs in the Crypt, so we decided to take a quick walk through the place. The restaurant looked delicious and the concerts at the church are happening all the time. I definitely anticipate grabbing a quick dinner before a show sometime in the coming weeks.
I hope everyone back in the U.S. is doing well!!
Cheers from my purple bedroom,
Andrew
On a somewhat cloudy mid-morning, we boarded a big, brown tour bus and sprinted up the stairs to the top level. Instantly, the wind cut through my supposed "windbreaker" jacket, and I realized just how chilly it was going to be. Awesome. This was not a concern for long as I was (almost) instantly distracted by multiple pictures of Emma Watson at the flagship Burberry store, hilarious conversation, and a highly entertaining audio guide. We decided to jump off at the Trafalgar Square stop and take a look at the uber-cool National Gallery. Instead, we found a massive group of (what looked like) professional photographers. They were photographing a baby (Zach is convinced it was royal) in a stroller-- probably one of the creepiest things I have ever seen. Still no word on what the occasion was..
After taking some hilarious pictures in/around the main fountain in Trafalgar Square, we spotted Big Ben and made a beeline for it. I can't tell you how awesome it was to put on my tourist hat and see one of the most famous places in London!
From there we walked down to the Thames and got our first "good" look at the London Eye (Even though we can see it from the window of our flat, it was so neat to see it from a few feet away). Surprisingly, the sidewalks lining the river were pretty empty... always a plus.
We saw signs for "Boat Tours on the Thames," and after remembering they were included with our bus ticket, we ventured down to the water to see what all the fuss was about. About that water: If you did a side-by-side comparison of the Thames with the Maumee, the poopy/muddy/ultra-gross Maumee would probably claim victory. No bueno.
To keep this story going and to save your eyes from reading every possible detail of my day, we ended up cruising down the Thames, flying by London Bridge, Tower Bridge, lots of INCREDIBLE apartments, and calling it quits at the Tower of London.
We hopped off with our stomachs growling and decided to grab a (late) lunch at Gourmet Burger Kitchen. BAHHH. 100% Aberdeen-Angus Prime Cut Beef? Slightly ridiculous/unnecessary/but absolutely incredible? It was.
To wrap up a long and exhausting day, we stumbled upon St. Martin-in-the-fields right off Trafalgar Square on our way back to the Tube station. I knew my Aunt Ellie had mentioned a brilliant little restaurant downstairs in the Crypt, so we decided to take a quick walk through the place. The restaurant looked delicious and the concerts at the church are happening all the time. I definitely anticipate grabbing a quick dinner before a show sometime in the coming weeks.
I hope everyone back in the U.S. is doing well!!
Cheers from my purple bedroom,
Andrew
22 January, 2010
EUPHORIA!!! London meets Lebanon?
I must apologize for the previous post. It really was somewhat depressing. I didn't realize it until I clicked "publish." In reality, my excitement/joy/sheer appreciation for getting the opportunity to experience such a wonderful, cosmopolitan city trumped any negative emotion I might have had.
After getting over the undeniable jet-lag, eating tons of delicious food, walking a lot (for some exercise), and meeting a bunch of WONDERFUL people, it is safe to say that my experience is better than I could have ever imagined it. Even in all of my over-exaggerated dreams, I couldn't have imagined everything turning out so perfectly in reality.
Trust me, Google Street view is not a good representation of a city (even though I am a huge nerd and had virtually "walked" my way to school about a dozen times prior to boarding the plane in Detroit.
Post plane-arrival, we pulled up to The Landward Apartments after a hair-raising 45 minute car ride into the heart of London (our driver was absolutely insane)!!
If you eliminated all of the classic black cabs, you would probably guess you were in Lebanon. It is widely-considered the most diverse area of London with a heavy middle eastern influence. What does this mean? It means a huge selection of some of the best middle eastern restaurants in the world. So great!
Bottom line, after having a comprehensive orientation at Regent's, meeting tons of mew people, and getting settled into the flat, I couldn't be more thrilled! Look for much, much more about some adventurous eating, travels, and good fun!
Cheers!
After getting over the undeniable jet-lag, eating tons of delicious food, walking a lot (for some exercise), and meeting a bunch of WONDERFUL people, it is safe to say that my experience is better than I could have ever imagined it. Even in all of my over-exaggerated dreams, I couldn't have imagined everything turning out so perfectly in reality.
Trust me, Google Street view is not a good representation of a city (even though I am a huge nerd and had virtually "walked" my way to school about a dozen times prior to boarding the plane in Detroit.
Post plane-arrival, we pulled up to The Landward Apartments after a hair-raising 45 minute car ride into the heart of London (our driver was absolutely insane)!!
If you eliminated all of the classic black cabs, you would probably guess you were in Lebanon. It is widely-considered the most diverse area of London with a heavy middle eastern influence. What does this mean? It means a huge selection of some of the best middle eastern restaurants in the world. So great!
Bottom line, after having a comprehensive orientation at Regent's, meeting tons of mew people, and getting settled into the flat, I couldn't be more thrilled! Look for much, much more about some adventurous eating, travels, and good fun!
Cheers!
a rather anticlimactic arrival..
My arrival in London was rather anticlimactic. Our program director, Lee, had warned us that "London Heathrow is the biggest and scariest airport in the world. It will take at LEAST 45 - 60 minutes to get through customs."
We got off the half-empty plane fighting polar-opposite emotions. Our uncontainable excitement/smiles/laughter was in stark contrast to the undeniable need to sleep, eat and just veg out. As we deplaned, we made the (what seemed like) two mile walk to the baggage claim, found out bags far quicker than anyone ever has (I'm convinced) in the history of international air travel and walked to customs.
When we arrived at the customs gate, we were greeted, not by a line stretching from there to Piccadilly Circus, but one that was merely a dozen people, give or take a few.
The lady at the counter had the most intoxicating British accent I had ever heard, and so it was a slight disappointment when she ONLY asked me what my business was in the UK. To which I said "Study Abroad".....stamp...stamp.. "OK, have a nice stay." Nope, she didn't ask how long I would be here, where I was studying, if I had my papers (which I was all-too prepared to hand over). In retrospect a good thing? Probably, but that accent....
After getting our bags and finding the correct driver, we embarked on the 45 minute journey to Regent's College in the heart of Regent's Park. In the absence of rain, we were able to enjoy the slight hint of pollution, traffic that would put L.A. to shame, and some of the best-looking German cars on sale today. London is a car enthusiasts heaven and the student lot at Regent's could easily be mistaken for an exotic car dealership.
Much, much more soon!
Cheers!!
We got off the half-empty plane fighting polar-opposite emotions. Our uncontainable excitement/smiles/laughter was in stark contrast to the undeniable need to sleep, eat and just veg out. As we deplaned, we made the (what seemed like) two mile walk to the baggage claim, found out bags far quicker than anyone ever has (I'm convinced) in the history of international air travel and walked to customs.
When we arrived at the customs gate, we were greeted, not by a line stretching from there to Piccadilly Circus, but one that was merely a dozen people, give or take a few.
The lady at the counter had the most intoxicating British accent I had ever heard, and so it was a slight disappointment when she ONLY asked me what my business was in the UK. To which I said "Study Abroad".....stamp...stamp.. "OK, have a nice stay." Nope, she didn't ask how long I would be here, where I was studying, if I had my papers (which I was all-too prepared to hand over). In retrospect a good thing? Probably, but that accent....
After getting our bags and finding the correct driver, we embarked on the 45 minute journey to Regent's College in the heart of Regent's Park. In the absence of rain, we were able to enjoy the slight hint of pollution, traffic that would put L.A. to shame, and some of the best-looking German cars on sale today. London is a car enthusiasts heaven and the student lot at Regent's could easily be mistaken for an exotic car dealership.
Much, much more soon!
Cheers!!
12 January, 2010
Flying Time and Packing....Stressful? nahh....
It has been a few days since I published the semi-awkward-don't-really-know-what-to-say initial post.
I'm not going to say my state of euphoria is waning, I just think I'm reaching the point of "Let's get the show on the road, folks." By this point in the week, most everyone has returned to their respective universities and the daily grind of "college life" has returned in a rather brash fashion.
It might just be me, but I feel like I am still trying to comprehend why I am not still sitting in accounting, having incredible discussions in Katchen's UC200H class and living life in an awkwardly-designed dorm room choked full of an unhealthy amount of London paraphernalia. Where did the last semester go?!?
That's not to say I miss it, because it was getting rather dull going through the same routine over and over (despite having a penchant for a routine lifestyle).
Where is this post going, you say? In truth, I sit here at 11:11 AM (make a wish!) with a whole lot of nothing to do. I say that whilst sitting on 3/4 of the clothes I own, albeit clean ones, that wait patiently to be chucked in a suitcase and shipped across the blue pond.
Ahhh, packing....The bane of my existence. It really is something that, no matter how many times I check, recheck and use OCD folding techniques; forgetting a pair of socks, toothpaste or that infamous belt is inevitable. I made an executive decision when I returned home from Capital to abstain from the art of "putting clothes away."
It would be utterly pointless to put ANY of those pesky garments into drawers due to the fact I would be packing them back up in no time at all.
This decision has proven to be good and bad. Good because the time and (little) effort it takes to fold and insert into their respective drawers is put to better use by doing (nothing). Bad because my already warm down comforter is now as warm as a North Face Inferno Sleeping bag. All of this means I get quite toasty underneath that thick layer of cotton and polyester. We all know how lovely it is waking up coated in a thin layer of slimy sweat. mmm mmmm good!
So packing...Despite the never-ending "put your clothes away" command by the parental units, the clothes are going to have to wait another 5ish days to be folded and packed away.
That's all for now.
Cheers!
I'm not going to say my state of euphoria is waning, I just think I'm reaching the point of "Let's get the show on the road, folks." By this point in the week, most everyone has returned to their respective universities and the daily grind of "college life" has returned in a rather brash fashion.
It might just be me, but I feel like I am still trying to comprehend why I am not still sitting in accounting, having incredible discussions in Katchen's UC200H class and living life in an awkwardly-designed dorm room choked full of an unhealthy amount of London paraphernalia. Where did the last semester go?!?
That's not to say I miss it, because it was getting rather dull going through the same routine over and over (despite having a penchant for a routine lifestyle).
Where is this post going, you say? In truth, I sit here at 11:11 AM (make a wish!) with a whole lot of nothing to do. I say that whilst sitting on 3/4 of the clothes I own, albeit clean ones, that wait patiently to be chucked in a suitcase and shipped across the blue pond.
Ahhh, packing....The bane of my existence. It really is something that, no matter how many times I check, recheck and use OCD folding techniques; forgetting a pair of socks, toothpaste or that infamous belt is inevitable. I made an executive decision when I returned home from Capital to abstain from the art of "putting clothes away."
It would be utterly pointless to put ANY of those pesky garments into drawers due to the fact I would be packing them back up in no time at all.
This decision has proven to be good and bad. Good because the time and (little) effort it takes to fold and insert into their respective drawers is put to better use by doing (nothing). Bad because my already warm down comforter is now as warm as a North Face Inferno Sleeping bag. All of this means I get quite toasty underneath that thick layer of cotton and polyester. We all know how lovely it is waking up coated in a thin layer of slimy sweat. mmm mmmm good!
So packing...Despite the never-ending "put your clothes away" command by the parental units, the clothes are going to have to wait another 5ish days to be folded and packed away.
That's all for now.
Cheers!
07 January, 2010
The Final Countdown
Invariably when you tell someone you are studying abroad, they will follow up with "Oh, really? Where are you going?"
They secretly hope it will be a far-off, uber-exotic destination like Bali, Djibouti, or Antarctica. The disappointment on their face is evident when you simply say "London." Why London, you ask? There are truly many reasons why I settled on Big Ben's home: Keira Knightley, Keira Knightley, and well, Keira Knightley. In actuality, it all fell into place relatively easily. The location, diversity, and the English-speaking nature of the city all helped the decision-making process.
As of January 21, 2010, I will be living, studying, and most importantly eating in London. This blog will hopefully showcase the bulk of my travels, good times, bad times, and some of the incredible eats I am bound to stumble upon during inevitable epicurean adventures.
Studying will take place at Regent's American College London. It is in the heart of Regent's Park (Central London). My roommate Zach and I will be staying in off campus flats about 10ish minutes from campus. The Anglophile inside me couldn't be more ecstatic. The copious amounts of paperwork, endless anticipation, and undeniable pressure to actually follow through with my grand plans after telling everyone what I wanted to do has evaporated. What a relief!
I will definitely miss my family and friends, but there is no doubt in my mind that this will be an experience of a lifetime. Hopefully this blog will enable me to share some of it with all of you!
I will definitely miss my family and friends, but there is no doubt in my mind that this will be an experience of a lifetime. Hopefully this blog will enable me to share some of it with all of you!
Cheers!
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