This has been quite possibly my favorite weekend in London so far, and it's not even over. I didn't want to forget anything, so here's what has happened so far:
We had a huge group presentation due in class on Friday, and my group's went really well! Even though the instructor is very critical I think he was impressed... I'm sure our grades won't reflect that though, he is a very harsh grader. To celebrate being finished with everything, a bunch of the girls got dressed up and went out. We went to a great pub in Covent Gardens, and then found a Spanish tapas bar/ dance club nearby. It was so much fun to go dance and relieve all of our stress from the week. My feet were killing me at the end of the night because I was wearing pointy-toed heels, but it was so worth it to go out with my best friends in London.
Yesterday was another J-School excursion, this time to Leeds Castle and Canterbury. Leeds Castle was absolutely gorgeous. We had to walk about 15 minutes through these winding paths (and there were animals wandering the grounds, like peacocks!) to get to the castle, which looked like it was straight out of a Disney princess movie. The first floor was decorated with the original owner's things, and the top floor was furnished with the belongings of the last owner, a thoroughly modern Lady. Canterbury was also a cute, but very touristy town. We walked into the city center and saw the medieval church that devoted Catholics used to make their pilgrimages to, and we also went through this attraction that put us in the center of the Canterbury Tales with animatronic figures. It was cute, and I actually learned a lot too.
Last night was the big night, USA v. England in the World Cup! My friends and I wanted to go somewhere where there would be Americans too, so we attempted to go to this American pub called Sports Cafe, but we couldn't get in. We went next door to Planet Hollywood, and watched the game shoulder to shoulder in a room full of England fans! It was kind of intense but so much fun- the England fans yelled so loud and teased us, but we managed to get a few good "USA!" cheers in and met some England fans. We went to Sports Cafe after and ended up meeting some people our age, a first in London.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Thoughts at the halfway point
As of yesterday, I have been in London for 30 days. I can't even believe it! I remember being terrified before I left, and this trip has ended up absolutely amazing so far just like everyone said it would. I didn't realize how attached I was getting to London until I found myself comparing other cities to this one.
I thought I grew up a lot coming to college, but I feel like this experience will make me even more independent and self-sufficient when I come back. I have been cooking for myself, navigating public transportation, working, doing everything you are supposed to do post-college. Some days I do miss having pre-made food handed to you by an RPS kiosk and not having to clean, but overall I love being able to take care of myself.
I have been surprised at the number of times I've had to defend the US. In class one day, for example, our professor made us watch a documentary about 9/11 and pretty much told us Americans were fools for trusting Bush after 9/11, and our class had to argue back that it was a really scary time and even though he ended up sucking, he was our president.
This trip has also made me think a lot about the future. I can't decide if I like the US or being abroad more, but I do know that I want to live and work in a big city where there's a lot of life. I love how there are so many things to do here! I also know that I have been bitten by the travel bug, and that's not going to go away any time soon. Visiting Paris and Rome just made me think about all of the other places in the world I want to see. If I could afford it, the summer after I graduate college I'd love to go backpacking across Europe and see it all. And hopefully I have either a job that lets me travel or a salary high enough to afford vacations!
That's all the reflections I have for now! I will try to get some photos up soon :)
I thought I grew up a lot coming to college, but I feel like this experience will make me even more independent and self-sufficient when I come back. I have been cooking for myself, navigating public transportation, working, doing everything you are supposed to do post-college. Some days I do miss having pre-made food handed to you by an RPS kiosk and not having to clean, but overall I love being able to take care of myself.
I have been surprised at the number of times I've had to defend the US. In class one day, for example, our professor made us watch a documentary about 9/11 and pretty much told us Americans were fools for trusting Bush after 9/11, and our class had to argue back that it was a really scary time and even though he ended up sucking, he was our president.
This trip has also made me think a lot about the future. I can't decide if I like the US or being abroad more, but I do know that I want to live and work in a big city where there's a lot of life. I love how there are so many things to do here! I also know that I have been bitten by the travel bug, and that's not going to go away any time soon. Visiting Paris and Rome just made me think about all of the other places in the world I want to see. If I could afford it, the summer after I graduate college I'd love to go backpacking across Europe and see it all. And hopefully I have either a job that lets me travel or a salary high enough to afford vacations!
That's all the reflections I have for now! I will try to get some photos up soon :)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
When in Rome...
All of us have a picture in our minds of what Italy looks like… tiled roofs, Mediterranean-style buildings, twisting streets and alleys, open plazas with fountains. As it turns out, those stereotypes are all actually based on truth. Rome probably one of the most gorgeous places I have ever been in my life. The weather was warm and breezy when I visited this weekend, and it actually felt like a holiday even though we packed so much into our trip.
My group flew out of Heathrow at 6 am and arrived in Rome early enough to have a full day’s worth of adventures. The first of those was finding our hostel, which ended up being an odd basement room in a large, old building. Five beds were crammed into the tiny, funny room, but we were lucky enough to have our own bathroom and the woman who owned the hostel (and who didn’t speak English) brought us breakfast every morning. Then we visited the Museum of the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. There were so many statues dating back to Ancient Rome that it took more than two hours to get through the museum. Then we went to throw coins in the Trevi Fountain, which was my favorite part of Rome. We stayed there for at least half an hour, making wishes and watching a few couples take their wedding photos. Next, we decided to stop by the Coliseum to take a few photos. We were looking for a place to eat dinner, and we stumbled upon a restaurant with a rooftop garden that offered us seating up there with no service charge (in Italy, you have to pay at least £1.50 to eat in a restaurant!). We ended up eating real Italian pizza up there overlooking the Coliseum at sunset, and it was absolutely magical.
The next day, our group first went back to Vatican City to explore the city itself. Everyone I was travelling with was Catholic, so it meant a lot to them to be able to go there. We went inside St. Peter’s Basilica, the gigantic church, and then I hung out and observed while my friends attended mass (it was a very strange experience, but it was educational for sure). Also, all of the popes were buried in these catacombs under the church, so we saw those… kind of creepy, but worth seeing I guess. The highlight of our visit was climbing the 350 steps to the top of the cupola, which is not for the faint of heart (the steps were steep and spiralled!), and seeing the panoramic view of Rome. After leaving Vatican City, we stopped for some quality gelato. That night, we adventured to this beautiful plaza in the center of town that the hostel owner had recommended Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0
r some dinner. The fountain was lit up, street musicians roamed, and the night was buzzing. I ate the absolute best pasta I’ve ever had at this outdoor Italian restaurant, and we split a bottle of Italian wine. Also, because we were students they gave us free lemonciello, which is a liqeur you are supposed to sip to cleanse your palate after dinner. It was insanely sweet and strong, but it definitely quenched our sweet tooths. We also went to an Italian bar, where I had my first, and definitely not my last, Long Island Iced Tea and an awkward, old bartender tried to dance with us. The metro had closed by the time we left, so we made our own way back to the hotel and stopped to look at the monuments lit up on the way back.
The last day, we went to the Coliseum. It felt surreal to be walking among Roman ruins! There were also some really cool exhibits about gladiators and what the site was probably like during Roman times. Our ticket also granted us admission to see the ruins of the Forum and Venus’ Temple. It was amazing to be able to just stroll through the site and look at the history around us. After that, it was time to head back to London. Our journey back was long, as our flight got delayed, and we arrived back at midnight.
It was a whirlwind weekend, but a great one! The group I traveled with was so much fun, and Italy was beautiful. I hope I can get some rest this week!
My group flew out of Heathrow at 6 am and arrived in Rome early enough to have a full day’s worth of adventures. The first of those was finding our hostel, which ended up being an odd basement room in a large, old building. Five beds were crammed into the tiny, funny room, but we were lucky enough to have our own bathroom and the woman who owned the hostel (and who didn’t speak English) brought us breakfast every morning. Then we visited the Museum of the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. There were so many statues dating back to Ancient Rome that it took more than two hours to get through the museum. Then we went to throw coins in the Trevi Fountain, which was my favorite part of Rome. We stayed there for at least half an hour, making wishes and watching a few couples take their wedding photos. Next, we decided to stop by the Coliseum to take a few photos. We were looking for a place to eat dinner, and we stumbled upon a restaurant with a rooftop garden that offered us seating up there with no service charge (in Italy, you have to pay at least £1.50 to eat in a restaurant!). We ended up eating real Italian pizza up there overlooking the Coliseum at sunset, and it was absolutely magical.
The next day, our group first went back to Vatican City to explore the city itself. Everyone I was travelling with was Catholic, so it meant a lot to them to be able to go there. We went inside St. Peter’s Basilica, the gigantic church, and then I hung out and observed while my friends attended mass (it was a very strange experience, but it was educational for sure). Also, all of the popes were buried in these catacombs under the church, so we saw those… kind of creepy, but worth seeing I guess. The highlight of our visit was climbing the 350 steps to the top of the cupola, which is not for the faint of heart (the steps were steep and spiralled!), and seeing the panoramic view of Rome. After leaving Vatican City, we stopped for some quality gelato. That night, we adventured to this beautiful plaza in the center of town that the hostel owner had recommended Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0
r some dinner. The fountain was lit up, street musicians roamed, and the night was buzzing. I ate the absolute best pasta I’ve ever had at this outdoor Italian restaurant, and we split a bottle of Italian wine. Also, because we were students they gave us free lemonciello, which is a liqeur you are supposed to sip to cleanse your palate after dinner. It was insanely sweet and strong, but it definitely quenched our sweet tooths. We also went to an Italian bar, where I had my first, and definitely not my last, Long Island Iced Tea and an awkward, old bartender tried to dance with us. The metro had closed by the time we left, so we made our own way back to the hotel and stopped to look at the monuments lit up on the way back.
The last day, we went to the Coliseum. It felt surreal to be walking among Roman ruins! There were also some really cool exhibits about gladiators and what the site was probably like during Roman times. Our ticket also granted us admission to see the ruins of the Forum and Venus’ Temple. It was amazing to be able to just stroll through the site and look at the history around us. After that, it was time to head back to London. Our journey back was long, as our flight got delayed, and we arrived back at midnight.
It was a whirlwind weekend, but a great one! The group I traveled with was so much fun, and Italy was beautiful. I hope I can get some rest this week!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Paris, je t'aime!
Here is a LONG OVERDUE blog post… thought it would be important to write about Paris before heading off to Rome!
Paris was absolutely amazing. The weather was disgusting and the tour company we used was terrible, but the trip ended up being a lot of fun anyways. I was really excited to be able to put my five years of French to use, even if it was only to order food and ask directions!
On Saturday, we did a guided bus tour of the major sites in Paris like the Bastille, Les Invalides, the Madeline, and L’Opera Garnier. We were supposed to be able to get out of the bus and take photos, but because of our travel delays we zipped by and barely got any pictures. That night, Danielle, Caitlin, Liz and I ate our weight in crepes (FYI, banana and Nutella crepes are heavenly) and then went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was sunset as we headed up the elevators, and by the time we made it to the top of the tower it was dark and the city was illuminated with lights. It was absolutely gorgeous.
Sunday our group started off at Montmartre. We hiked the 150 steps to the top of Sacre Coeur, the beautiful white limestone chapel, to see a panoramic view of the city and to explore the winding side streets. We also stopped at the Place du Tertre, the artists’ square, and the Moulin Rouge. Then we went to Notre Dame, which was absolutely beautiful. Gypsies assaulted us for food before we went into the massive church. It was actually my first time in a Catholic church, let alone one so ominous and beautiful. We accidentally got swept into the procession after the service! We had the afternoon free to explore, and we must have walked miles… we stopped at a street market at Bastille and I bartered successfully, we visited the Arc d’Triomphe, and we just explored the city streets.
That night, all ten of the girls on the trip and Lesa ate an extravagant French dinner at a bistro by the Eiffel Tower. It was more than I had ever paid for a meal, but it was so much fun. Our waiter looked and acted just like Steve from Sex and the City, the food was amazing, and we had loud and hilarious conversations.
Monday we visited the Louvre. It was so crowded that we only had time to hit the highlights before the 10 hour bus trip back home.
It was a fun trip, but I still don’t think we have recovered fully. Work was pretty good this week, I got 5 bylines in the latest issue! Also, our bathroom in the flat flooded last night. I was really not happy because I wasn’t feeling wellProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0
nd my ankle was swollen and purple, and I really had just wanted to take a nap. Hopefully that will be taken care of soon!
One more day of classes until Rome! I am so excited! Look on my Facebook for photos from Paris and the rest of my trip!
Paris was absolutely amazing. The weather was disgusting and the tour company we used was terrible, but the trip ended up being a lot of fun anyways. I was really excited to be able to put my five years of French to use, even if it was only to order food and ask directions!
On Saturday, we did a guided bus tour of the major sites in Paris like the Bastille, Les Invalides, the Madeline, and L’Opera Garnier. We were supposed to be able to get out of the bus and take photos, but because of our travel delays we zipped by and barely got any pictures. That night, Danielle, Caitlin, Liz and I ate our weight in crepes (FYI, banana and Nutella crepes are heavenly) and then went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was sunset as we headed up the elevators, and by the time we made it to the top of the tower it was dark and the city was illuminated with lights. It was absolutely gorgeous.
Sunday our group started off at Montmartre. We hiked the 150 steps to the top of Sacre Coeur, the beautiful white limestone chapel, to see a panoramic view of the city and to explore the winding side streets. We also stopped at the Place du Tertre, the artists’ square, and the Moulin Rouge. Then we went to Notre Dame, which was absolutely beautiful. Gypsies assaulted us for food before we went into the massive church. It was actually my first time in a Catholic church, let alone one so ominous and beautiful. We accidentally got swept into the procession after the service! We had the afternoon free to explore, and we must have walked miles… we stopped at a street market at Bastille and I bartered successfully, we visited the Arc d’Triomphe, and we just explored the city streets.
That night, all ten of the girls on the trip and Lesa ate an extravagant French dinner at a bistro by the Eiffel Tower. It was more than I had ever paid for a meal, but it was so much fun. Our waiter looked and acted just like Steve from Sex and the City, the food was amazing, and we had loud and hilarious conversations.
Monday we visited the Louvre. It was so crowded that we only had time to hit the highlights before the 10 hour bus trip back home.
It was a fun trip, but I still don’t think we have recovered fully. Work was pretty good this week, I got 5 bylines in the latest issue! Also, our bathroom in the flat flooded last night. I was really not happy because I wasn’t feeling wellProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0
nd my ankle was swollen and purple, and I really had just wanted to take a nap. Hopefully that will be taken care of soon!
One more day of classes until Rome! I am so excited! Look on my Facebook for photos from Paris and the rest of my trip!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Still a klutz- even in London
Ladies and gentlemen, my klutzy ways have officially followed me overseas.
Yesterday, I wore heels to work to balance out the fact that my internship lets me wear jeans. Unfortunately, when I was walking home down Oxford Street where the sidewalk is uneven, I twisted my ankle. It is now swollen, and I am pretty sure they don't sell ACE bandages in England.
Also, a few minutes ago my computer fell off my bed and hit me in the face, and the bridge of my nose is now cut and bleeding. I wish this were a lie, but it is unfortunately so true.
Combine this with my normal spilling and falling tendencies, and you have a recipe for disaster. Here's to hoping I don't die walking to class today! More later :)
Yesterday, I wore heels to work to balance out the fact that my internship lets me wear jeans. Unfortunately, when I was walking home down Oxford Street where the sidewalk is uneven, I twisted my ankle. It is now swollen, and I am pretty sure they don't sell ACE bandages in England.
Also, a few minutes ago my computer fell off my bed and hit me in the face, and the bridge of my nose is now cut and bleeding. I wish this were a lie, but it is unfortunately so true.
Combine this with my normal spilling and falling tendencies, and you have a recipe for disaster. Here's to hoping I don't die walking to class today! More later :)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Another week in paradise
London has been hit by a heat wave.
Temperatures were up to the high 80's on Monday, which coincided perfectly with our group's marathon day of class, media visits and theater excursions. Despite a great day, everyone in our group was tired and agitated from a long day of running around London in heavy dress clothes. It was definitely worth the trouble though. In the morning, we visited the BBC and got a private tour of the world's largest newsroom. Even though I know places like the BBC are news agencies just like every other one, it still feels like a privilege and a surreal experience. We also got to speak with the director of the BBC's Olympic news coverage, and got a sneak peek on how the BBC intends to cover the Games on its home turf.
That night, we journeyed down to the theater district to see Wicked. Other than the jarring nature of hearing random phrases in British accents, the play was great and the actress playing Elphaba was phenomenal. I also ate my first real meal in about two weeks- we stopped at a small Italian restaurant and enjoyed pasta and vegetables with gelato. A nice quiet dinner in a classy, air conditioned place made the night so much better. It was deathly hot underground taking the tube back, so we were all exhausted and ready to sleep.
Another long week at work... two bylines in the next issue! I am also feeling more confident in my interview ability- It's very hard to ask questions and write stories on a topic you don't yet fully understand, but I'm getting closer. One more day of work and one day of classes, and it's off to Paris!!
As promised, here's some pictures...
All the girls at the Covent Gardens Market
Amy and I being touristy in a phone booth
The Millennium Bridge... yes I walked on it, yes I have been to a scene in the HP films :)
Melissa and I at Tower Bridge
Temperatures were up to the high 80's on Monday, which coincided perfectly with our group's marathon day of class, media visits and theater excursions. Despite a great day, everyone in our group was tired and agitated from a long day of running around London in heavy dress clothes. It was definitely worth the trouble though. In the morning, we visited the BBC and got a private tour of the world's largest newsroom. Even though I know places like the BBC are news agencies just like every other one, it still feels like a privilege and a surreal experience. We also got to speak with the director of the BBC's Olympic news coverage, and got a sneak peek on how the BBC intends to cover the Games on its home turf.
That night, we journeyed down to the theater district to see Wicked. Other than the jarring nature of hearing random phrases in British accents, the play was great and the actress playing Elphaba was phenomenal. I also ate my first real meal in about two weeks- we stopped at a small Italian restaurant and enjoyed pasta and vegetables with gelato. A nice quiet dinner in a classy, air conditioned place made the night so much better. It was deathly hot underground taking the tube back, so we were all exhausted and ready to sleep.
Another long week at work... two bylines in the next issue! I am also feeling more confident in my interview ability- It's very hard to ask questions and write stories on a topic you don't yet fully understand, but I'm getting closer. One more day of work and one day of classes, and it's off to Paris!!
As promised, here's some pictures...
All the girls at the Covent Gardens Market
Amy and I being touristy in a phone booth
The Millennium Bridge... yes I walked on it, yes I have been to a scene in the HP films :)
Melissa and I at Tower Bridge
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Excursion #1
Yesterday the J-School took the group on our first trip outside London, to Stonehenge and Bath. Our whole group has been busy with work and exploring the city in smaller groups, so it was really great to see everyone again!
Stonehenge was about a 2 hour drive from London. I woke up from my nap just in time to see the rock formation out the window, and I must say I was unimpressed at first. It just looked like a bunch of rocks in a circle. When we were admitted to the site, we were given headsets to walk us through a tour. Some of the folklore surrounding Stonehenge was quite humorous, and the weather was beautiful- perfect for photo opps! There is also a huge field of sheep right next to Stonehenge, and we had fun watching them run around.
Bath was our second stop, and it was absolutely spectacular. The buildings in the city are all made of this honey colored stone, and the whole town sits on the river. We had a few hours to explore the city, so we walked around and saw the shops and attempted to go to the Fashion Museum. Somewhere in that time, I thought I had lost my wallet. My friends calmed me down and helped me focus on the day until the bus got back, and thank god it was in my seat. Needless to say, I will be much more careful about my wallet. Then we took a tour of the Roman baths, which was awesome! Archaeologists preserved the sites of a Roman temple and gathering place, so we got to walk through those and see things found at the site. The baths were fully restored, and we walked around and talked to actors in character about the history.
It was a fun day, and now it's work time. We have a paper due for our class tomorrow, so I am hanging out with some people at a cafe and trying to get as much done as I can. Wish me luck!
Stonehenge was about a 2 hour drive from London. I woke up from my nap just in time to see the rock formation out the window, and I must say I was unimpressed at first. It just looked like a bunch of rocks in a circle. When we were admitted to the site, we were given headsets to walk us through a tour. Some of the folklore surrounding Stonehenge was quite humorous, and the weather was beautiful- perfect for photo opps! There is also a huge field of sheep right next to Stonehenge, and we had fun watching them run around.
Bath was our second stop, and it was absolutely spectacular. The buildings in the city are all made of this honey colored stone, and the whole town sits on the river. We had a few hours to explore the city, so we walked around and saw the shops and attempted to go to the Fashion Museum. Somewhere in that time, I thought I had lost my wallet. My friends calmed me down and helped me focus on the day until the bus got back, and thank god it was in my seat. Needless to say, I will be much more careful about my wallet. Then we took a tour of the Roman baths, which was awesome! Archaeologists preserved the sites of a Roman temple and gathering place, so we got to walk through those and see things found at the site. The baths were fully restored, and we walked around and talked to actors in character about the history.
It was a fun day, and now it's work time. We have a paper due for our class tomorrow, so I am hanging out with some people at a cafe and trying to get as much done as I can. Wish me luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
