When we got back from spring break the second half of our semester began, and along with it our internships. I'm now working Tuesday through Friday at the Dalí Universe in County Hall Gallery. I'm in their events planning office, so it's not a normal PR internship, but it is exactly what asked for (almost). Ideally I wanted to work for a non-profit in the arts, but the gallery is very cool. The Dalí Universe houses the largest collection of Slavador Dali's sculpture. It is a very cool place to work, but there has been a lot of turnover in the staff lately, so only one person in the events office has worked there for more than 2 months.
My co-workers have been very welcoming-- they even invited me along to drinks with them at the end of the first week. The first few days, as with most internships, were pretty much a test to see what I could do, and also piling me up with all of the extra little projects that hadn't been attended too. Okay, I still have to do some menial tasks, but once they found out that I am a good writer they let me do lots of other things. I've gotten to help re-write our press kit (exciting stuff in the PR world) as well as helping re-write/edit our events brochure.
One of the coolest things about my job is the wide range of people that I get to work with. Denise, one of the events managers and the person who has been in the office the longest, is from the Netherlands. Rob, our Head of Events, is from New Zealand. Derek, the food and beverage manager, is from England, but lived in Brazil for a long time. Also in other offices there are people from Italy, Scotland, Ireland, and lots of other places. Friday in our office I heard four different languages. Sarah one of the Fine Arts staff is from Italy, but grew up in Switzerland, so she is fluent in French as well.
Work is definitely more relaxed here than at home. Although I work in a small, and at the moment, fairly busy office, it's perfectly acceptable for staffers to leave early or come in late. Our 9:30 start time is pretty much a be there before ten start time (although I'm early every day mom, so don't worry). I have to say that this experience is especially unique for me because I have never worked for free. So it's strange to put in thirty hours a week and get no compensation... I know that I'm getting credits, but I'm working in a real-world setting for nothing.
Overall my internship has been a lot of fun so far, and I'm interested to see how much I learn over the rest of the semester. Also I work in one of the liveliest areas in London. We're right next to the London Eye on the Thames, and I get to walk across Westminster Bridge everyday on my way to and from work. It's so strange that I will only be in London for another five weeks-- I've really grown to feel at home here.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Spring Break Part 2: Barcelona!
After a VERY early morning in Madrid, we finally arrived in Barcelona. I was super excited to take a shower, regroup, and then show Katie and Steph the city I had so much fun in the year before. The resting and regrouping wasn't exactly in the cards for us. We had a couple problems with the hostel-- their computer was down and they weren't being very helpful, but after a short struggle over what to do, we ended up moving to a different hostel, and the result was fantastic. This, however, ate up most of our morning and spilled into our afternoon-- the whole reason that we had taken such an early flight. Eventually we got settled into a room that we loved (we stayed right on passeig de gracia), and the three of us headed out into the city.
Our hostel, centric point, right on passeig de gracia!
The view from the sweet room we had in our hostel!
I got to play tour guide with Katie and Steph. The first thing that they wanted to do was go to the beach. I was pretty excited about this because it meant that I got to spend the afternoon hanging around Barceloneta. I was proud because I successfully navigated my way to the beach, and through the roads of the city. It wasn't as warm as Madrid, and it got a bit chilly as the sun started to set, but I had really missed being near the ocean. We were all so excited, that we ran (Katie, on the left in purple, literally started sprinting) toward the water.
There were a lot of people surfing, and even though they weren't that good, it was fun to watch them wipe-out or, ocasionally, successfully ride a wave in. After the stress of the first day, we decided that our first day should be casual, so we just stuck to the area around Barceloneta and the harbor, and looked for a good paella restaurant for that night.
After a shower and a late siesta we headed out to a great paella restaurant on the water and then over to Chupitos for some Harry Potter shots. Now Mom, I know that you don't like shots, but you would like a Harry Potter shot. They light it on FIRE, and it tastes delicious. We had a fantastic evening, and even ended up heading over to Ryan's for a beer. It wasn't the same without the boys, but it was still a lot of fun.
The next day we got up ready to take on Barcelona, and since, we hadn't gotten to see much the day before we really made moves. We started out by heading up to Parque Guell. Sadly, part of the park was closed so we didn't get to go all the way up, but I finally got to have my ANTM (America's Next Top Model, for those of you who aren't in the know) moment on the runway. Also, you really can't beat the view from the park looking out over the city, that is, unless you head over to Mount Juic, which is where we headed next.
Mount Juic is a fort located on a hill near the water looking out over the water and the city, and it provides a stunning view.
We then decided to round the day out at Sagrada Familia. This was an absolutely amazing take. The building itself is just so impressive, and when you think about the history behind it, it becomes even more impressive. Every detail is carefully planned and the forethought that goes into every detail is amazing.
After a full day, Steph, Katie, and I treated ourselves to a long, leisurely dinner and then went out for a couple drinks before another extremely early flight home. Steph's flight was before Katie and mine which meant that she had to leave the hostel at 4:30 a.m. Katie and I followed a few hours behind her, and we made it home before noon. If the excitement of our vacation wasn't enough, Katie and I had tickets for that afternoon to see our first football match. We got home and had enough time to shower and change before heading out to the match. Although we were exhuasted and running on only a few hours of sleep, the match was amazing! The chants that the fans sing are intense, and the atmosphere is electric. It was a great end to our week, and after the match ended we headed home to get some much needed shut-eye before starting the second half of our semester.
Our hostel, centric point, right on passeig de gracia!
The view from the sweet room we had in our hostel!
I got to play tour guide with Katie and Steph. The first thing that they wanted to do was go to the beach. I was pretty excited about this because it meant that I got to spend the afternoon hanging around Barceloneta. I was proud because I successfully navigated my way to the beach, and through the roads of the city. It wasn't as warm as Madrid, and it got a bit chilly as the sun started to set, but I had really missed being near the ocean. We were all so excited, that we ran (Katie, on the left in purple, literally started sprinting) toward the water.There were a lot of people surfing, and even though they weren't that good, it was fun to watch them wipe-out or, ocasionally, successfully ride a wave in. After the stress of the first day, we decided that our first day should be casual, so we just stuck to the area around Barceloneta and the harbor, and looked for a good paella restaurant for that night.
After a shower and a late siesta we headed out to a great paella restaurant on the water and then over to Chupitos for some Harry Potter shots. Now Mom, I know that you don't like shots, but you would like a Harry Potter shot. They light it on FIRE, and it tastes delicious. We had a fantastic evening, and even ended up heading over to Ryan's for a beer. It wasn't the same without the boys, but it was still a lot of fun.The next day we got up ready to take on Barcelona, and since, we hadn't gotten to see much the day before we really made moves. We started out by heading up to Parque Guell. Sadly, part of the park was closed so we didn't get to go all the way up, but I finally got to have my ANTM (America's Next Top Model, for those of you who aren't in the know) moment on the runway. Also, you really can't beat the view from the park looking out over the city, that is, unless you head over to Mount Juic, which is where we headed next.
Mount Juic is a fort located on a hill near the water looking out over the water and the city, and it provides a stunning view.
We then decided to round the day out at Sagrada Familia. This was an absolutely amazing take. The building itself is just so impressive, and when you think about the history behind it, it becomes even more impressive. Every detail is carefully planned and the forethought that goes into every detail is amazing.
After a full day, Steph, Katie, and I treated ourselves to a long, leisurely dinner and then went out for a couple drinks before another extremely early flight home. Steph's flight was before Katie and mine which meant that she had to leave the hostel at 4:30 a.m. Katie and I followed a few hours behind her, and we made it home before noon. If the excitement of our vacation wasn't enough, Katie and I had tickets for that afternoon to see our first football match. We got home and had enough time to shower and change before heading out to the match. Although we were exhuasted and running on only a few hours of sleep, the match was amazing! The chants that the fans sing are intense, and the atmosphere is electric. It was a great end to our week, and after the match ended we headed home to get some much needed shut-eye before starting the second half of our semester.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Spring(?) Break Adventure Part I: Madrid!
Here is a long overdue update on what I've been up to for the past two weeks...
We had finals and exams last Monday and Tuesday (not fun, but really not that bad). The exams did, however, lead to a break that, although far too short, was a lot of fun.
Our adventures began in Madrid, but the fun started before we had even left South Ken. The morning of my final exam I finally found the notice telling me that my camera, which I thought had been lost in the mail, had merely been waiting for me to pick it up at the South Kensington Royal Mail Office for the past week and a half. I managed to run over and get it before we left, so I was very excited to have my (JD's) trusty old camera to take with me on the trip. Our exams finished at two, and by nine we were in Madrid.
Our hostel was amazing, and only steps away from the metro stop. We were staying basically in the center of Madrid in the Puerta del Sol. The hostel where we stayed was nestled on a side street about three blocks back from Sol. After checking in at the hostel, we immediately headed out for tapas and sangria.
Katie, Steph, Julia, and I found a great spot right down the street. This was the first point where I realized that I really should have brushed up on my vocab. I knew what most things were, but there were a couple words on the menu that escaped me. Steph decided to be brave and order one of the items we didn't know... Gambas a la plancha. Now, I knew that a la plancha meant grilled, but as for the gambas part I had not a clue. Well, gambas are shrimps, for those of you who were wondering. After asking the waiter to show us the proper way to eat them, and him having a bit of a laugh, Steph dove in and really enjoyed them. The rest of our meal was standard, delicious tapas (tortilla española, jamón y queso, croquettas, pan tostada) and of course a jara de sangria.
After dinner, Jeannie and some of her friends from the Madrid program came to meet us. We ended up going salsa dancing, which, seeing as how Jeannie and her friend Chloe were the only ones who actually knew how to salsa, was extremely entertaining.
The next day we hit up some of Madrid's best attractions. We went to the Reina Sofia Museum where we got to see some amazing works by Picasso and Dalí. There was also another artist Joan Miro, that I really enjoyed. I had never seen his work before, but he had many in the museum and we also saw prints of his art thoughtout the break. We also spent some time in Parque Retiro-- probably my favorite place in Madrid. They have a large lake in the center of the park where you can rent out row boats and paddle around. Thankfully, Katie is a crew vetran, so she hopped behind the oars and we got to spend the better half of an hour soaking up the sun on the water.
That night Jeannie took Julia and I to see her apartment. Unfortunately we didn't get to meet her host mom, but the apartment was really cute and quirky and Jeannie seems to fit in perfectly there. It was really exciting to get to see another one of my friends who is so well settled-in and at home.
The next day we headed out to see the Royal Palace. On our walk over there we visited the Plaza Mayor, and walked through some of the many open air markets. Madrid, after spending so much time in London, was dirt cheap, so I picked up two new scarves, a pashmina and a palestino (a cool checkered scarf, worn bandit style around your neck that is all the rage over here), for only 5e. The Royal Palace, although not nearly as stunning as Versaille, was still impresive. It was used well into the 20th century, so it was interesting to imagine people living in such an ornate buliding not too long ago.
My favorite part was definitely the view from the palace. It's on a hill and looks out partly at some of the urban sprawl of the city but also toward mountains. Truly beautiful.
After the palace we relaxed in a nearby plaza and soaked up the sun. All of the girls that I went with and I really enjoyed the city. Madrid had a very laid back atmosphere. It was really easy to walk from place to place (our hostel being so centrally located really helped), and best of all the weather was fantastic. After weeks of often rainy, sometimes dreary London weather it was so nice to spend a day baking in the sun under a blue, cloudless sky. It was an absolutely fantastic break from the ordinary, and something I definitely needed.
After another lovely dinner, we all headed in to get some sleep before our ridiculously early flight to Barcelona the next day.
An interesting thing to note about Madrid was how much attention we attracted. It was not in a negative way, but Katie is 5'10" and blonde and I am fairly tall (at least taller than most spanish people) and have sandy blonde hair. So although we tried very hard not to draw attention to ourselves, it's kind of difficult not to be noticed. When Jeannie, Julia, and I went out to dinner, everyone in the restaurant was looking at us because we were different. It's something that I've never really expereinced before, and was very interesting to me.
I'll fill you all in on the second part of the trip in BCN soon! Sorry to keep you all waiting for so long.
We had finals and exams last Monday and Tuesday (not fun, but really not that bad). The exams did, however, lead to a break that, although far too short, was a lot of fun.
Our adventures began in Madrid, but the fun started before we had even left South Ken. The morning of my final exam I finally found the notice telling me that my camera, which I thought had been lost in the mail, had merely been waiting for me to pick it up at the South Kensington Royal Mail Office for the past week and a half. I managed to run over and get it before we left, so I was very excited to have my (JD's) trusty old camera to take with me on the trip. Our exams finished at two, and by nine we were in Madrid.
Our hostel was amazing, and only steps away from the metro stop. We were staying basically in the center of Madrid in the Puerta del Sol. The hostel where we stayed was nestled on a side street about three blocks back from Sol. After checking in at the hostel, we immediately headed out for tapas and sangria.
Katie, Steph, Julia, and I found a great spot right down the street. This was the first point where I realized that I really should have brushed up on my vocab. I knew what most things were, but there were a couple words on the menu that escaped me. Steph decided to be brave and order one of the items we didn't know... Gambas a la plancha. Now, I knew that a la plancha meant grilled, but as for the gambas part I had not a clue. Well, gambas are shrimps, for those of you who were wondering. After asking the waiter to show us the proper way to eat them, and him having a bit of a laugh, Steph dove in and really enjoyed them. The rest of our meal was standard, delicious tapas (tortilla española, jamón y queso, croquettas, pan tostada) and of course a jara de sangria.
After dinner, Jeannie and some of her friends from the Madrid program came to meet us. We ended up going salsa dancing, which, seeing as how Jeannie and her friend Chloe were the only ones who actually knew how to salsa, was extremely entertaining.
The next day we hit up some of Madrid's best attractions. We went to the Reina Sofia Museum where we got to see some amazing works by Picasso and Dalí. There was also another artist Joan Miro, that I really enjoyed. I had never seen his work before, but he had many in the museum and we also saw prints of his art thoughtout the break. We also spent some time in Parque Retiro-- probably my favorite place in Madrid. They have a large lake in the center of the park where you can rent out row boats and paddle around. Thankfully, Katie is a crew vetran, so she hopped behind the oars and we got to spend the better half of an hour soaking up the sun on the water.
That night Jeannie took Julia and I to see her apartment. Unfortunately we didn't get to meet her host mom, but the apartment was really cute and quirky and Jeannie seems to fit in perfectly there. It was really exciting to get to see another one of my friends who is so well settled-in and at home.
The next day we headed out to see the Royal Palace. On our walk over there we visited the Plaza Mayor, and walked through some of the many open air markets. Madrid, after spending so much time in London, was dirt cheap, so I picked up two new scarves, a pashmina and a palestino (a cool checkered scarf, worn bandit style around your neck that is all the rage over here), for only 5e. The Royal Palace, although not nearly as stunning as Versaille, was still impresive. It was used well into the 20th century, so it was interesting to imagine people living in such an ornate buliding not too long ago.
My favorite part was definitely the view from the palace. It's on a hill and looks out partly at some of the urban sprawl of the city but also toward mountains. Truly beautiful.
After the palace we relaxed in a nearby plaza and soaked up the sun. All of the girls that I went with and I really enjoyed the city. Madrid had a very laid back atmosphere. It was really easy to walk from place to place (our hostel being so centrally located really helped), and best of all the weather was fantastic. After weeks of often rainy, sometimes dreary London weather it was so nice to spend a day baking in the sun under a blue, cloudless sky. It was an absolutely fantastic break from the ordinary, and something I definitely needed.
After another lovely dinner, we all headed in to get some sleep before our ridiculously early flight to Barcelona the next day.
An interesting thing to note about Madrid was how much attention we attracted. It was not in a negative way, but Katie is 5'10" and blonde and I am fairly tall (at least taller than most spanish people) and have sandy blonde hair. So although we tried very hard not to draw attention to ourselves, it's kind of difficult not to be noticed. When Jeannie, Julia, and I went out to dinner, everyone in the restaurant was looking at us because we were different. It's something that I've never really expereinced before, and was very interesting to me.
I'll fill you all in on the second part of the trip in BCN soon! Sorry to keep you all waiting for so long.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Maurice! The baguettes! Hurry up!
Hello... or should I say, Bonjour!
I'm back in action in London after a fabulous weekend in Paris. I have never seen such a beautiful city.
Our trip started VERY early on Friday morning. Ashley, Katie, Steph, and I decided to take the first train out of St. Pancras Station (sadly, no Harry Potter sightings at King's Cross, right across the road), so we could have a full day in Paris on Friday. As a consequence we were up at about 5:00 a.m. to make our 7:20 train. Fortunately, the Euro Star is very comfortable, and I think we all got a solid nap in before arriving in Paris later that morning.
After dropping our bags at the hostel, we immediately headed into the heart of Paris. We started out our day at Notre Dame, yet another beautiful, Gothic church bursting at the seams with history. Apparently, Notre Dame is famed for possessing three holy relics: a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified, a nail from the Crucifixion, and Jesus' crown of thorns. These were not on display, so unfortunately, I didn't have my DaVinci Code moment.
After Notre Dame we walked over to the other side of the Seine, where we found the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore-- the one place in Paris Steph had been dying to go. The tables and walls overflowed with books, contemporary and classic, new and used. There were books on every topic, stunning works of fiction and beautiful words of truth strung along each and every shelf. The entire shop is bursting with the written word. Needless to say, I was in heaven. Although I wanted to take the entire shop home with me (as is the case any time I walk into a bookstore), I settled on buying an old favorite, and classic that my flatmates and I have been referencing constantly since we got here, Pride and Prejudice.
On top of being the coolest bookstore in existence, it also provides housing for aspiring writers and authors. In return for a free bed, all you have to do is work in the bookstore, and you get to actually sleep in the bookstore. The second floor is called the Tumble Weed Hotel, and there are beds set up amongst the books. Hello, my dream come true. Mom and Dad, I may at some point be compelled to do this... Just to give you a heads up.
After the bookstore we started to wander through the Latin Quarter. There are so many crêpe stands and souvenir shops, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants that you could walk for days and not get bored.
After that we went to Sainte-Chappelle, another church. The second floor is basically all stained glass. It was so beautiful. We were there in the early afternoon, so light was streaming in through the windows and casting sparkling pools of light on the floor. After that we were a little church-ed out, so we beat feet over to the Musee D'Orsay. We got there around five, an hour before closing, so we got in for free. Unfortunately we didn't have as much time to explore, but we saw a very interesting Picasso exhibit. The exhibit featured Picasso's many interpretations of a Manet work. It was a little confusing at first to see the same picture over and over again in various styles, but once I put my very limited français to work, we figured out that they were all imitations of the large Manet, hanging on the main wall.
After we left Musee D'Orsay, we had a quick dinner at a cafe. French food is awesome. The people truly appreciate a good baguette or pastry, and they know how to make the best. Several times during the weekend we would duck into a boulangerie and grab a couple baguettes to split while we walked.
The louvre is free after seven on Friday nights, so we headed over there. It was an overwhelming amount of beautiful art. There was SO much to take in and see that it was slightly overwhelming. After the Louvre we were pretty much exhausted, so we went back to the hostel, and planned out day two.
Versaille.
I cannot even begin to describe how absolutely decadent the entire complex is. From the gates to the Hall of Mirrors, to the Queens Hamlet, everything is so ornate and over-the-top. I really want to go back when everything is in bloom and the fountains are turned on. I think that I would absolutely cry from the beauty of it all. You can also understand, however, why the French people rebelled against Louis and Marie Antoinette. These two had absolutely everything that they could want, and ignored their dissatisfied people... If I was extremely poor and had no hope of a better life and my monarch were building Versaille... I would be pretty angry too.
A quick side note-- if you ever feel the urge to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Marie Antoinette had a miniature town constructed on the grounds, and I swear it is the inspiration for Belle's town in the movie, except there were some very creepy fish in the pond.
That night we headed over to the Tour Eiffel to see it sparkle. Walking out of the metro and seeing the top of the tower was a thrilling moment. The four of us were dancing around with excitement, and when it sparkled... well, my only complaint was that Prince Harry and I have yet to start dating, so he couldn't pop the question beneath those dazzling lights. (Don't worry mom, I'm working on it.)
We got up Sunday morning, all charged up for another full day in Paris, which we would start off by visiting the Bastille. So the Bastille... we were a little confused. For some reason we thought it was a prison. I had this distorted Dickensian, A Tale of Two Cities, reference in my head, that Steph had too. Not a prison. Or at the very least, we couldn't find it. I think it was a large memorial in the middle of a traffic circle, but we are still none-the-wiser about what we should have been looking for. Don't worry though, Flat Four rallied, and we grabbed a quick crêpe before doing some shopping.
The majority of the day consisted of us wandering, and enjoying the atmosphere of the city. My personal highlight was when, freezing cold and wind burnt, we wandered into one of the many crêperies. I got the crêpe du arts. And believe me, it was a work of art. A crêpe topped with banana, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and two gelattos (strawberry and chocolate) all sprinkled with nuts. Fantastic.
We arrived back in London to a snowstorm, and were very happy that we had taken the train rather than flown. Our classes were canceled today because, apparently, four inches of snow is an epidemic in London. People were playing in the streets and taking pictures. It was a great way to top off the weekend.
I'm back in action in London after a fabulous weekend in Paris. I have never seen such a beautiful city.
Our trip started VERY early on Friday morning. Ashley, Katie, Steph, and I decided to take the first train out of St. Pancras Station (sadly, no Harry Potter sightings at King's Cross, right across the road), so we could have a full day in Paris on Friday. As a consequence we were up at about 5:00 a.m. to make our 7:20 train. Fortunately, the Euro Star is very comfortable, and I think we all got a solid nap in before arriving in Paris later that morning.
After dropping our bags at the hostel, we immediately headed into the heart of Paris. We started out our day at Notre Dame, yet another beautiful, Gothic church bursting at the seams with history. Apparently, Notre Dame is famed for possessing three holy relics: a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified, a nail from the Crucifixion, and Jesus' crown of thorns. These were not on display, so unfortunately, I didn't have my DaVinci Code moment.
After Notre Dame we walked over to the other side of the Seine, where we found the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore-- the one place in Paris Steph had been dying to go. The tables and walls overflowed with books, contemporary and classic, new and used. There were books on every topic, stunning works of fiction and beautiful words of truth strung along each and every shelf. The entire shop is bursting with the written word. Needless to say, I was in heaven. Although I wanted to take the entire shop home with me (as is the case any time I walk into a bookstore), I settled on buying an old favorite, and classic that my flatmates and I have been referencing constantly since we got here, Pride and Prejudice.
On top of being the coolest bookstore in existence, it also provides housing for aspiring writers and authors. In return for a free bed, all you have to do is work in the bookstore, and you get to actually sleep in the bookstore. The second floor is called the Tumble Weed Hotel, and there are beds set up amongst the books. Hello, my dream come true. Mom and Dad, I may at some point be compelled to do this... Just to give you a heads up.
After the bookstore we started to wander through the Latin Quarter. There are so many crêpe stands and souvenir shops, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants that you could walk for days and not get bored.
After that we went to Sainte-Chappelle, another church. The second floor is basically all stained glass. It was so beautiful. We were there in the early afternoon, so light was streaming in through the windows and casting sparkling pools of light on the floor. After that we were a little church-ed out, so we beat feet over to the Musee D'Orsay. We got there around five, an hour before closing, so we got in for free. Unfortunately we didn't have as much time to explore, but we saw a very interesting Picasso exhibit. The exhibit featured Picasso's many interpretations of a Manet work. It was a little confusing at first to see the same picture over and over again in various styles, but once I put my very limited français to work, we figured out that they were all imitations of the large Manet, hanging on the main wall.
After we left Musee D'Orsay, we had a quick dinner at a cafe. French food is awesome. The people truly appreciate a good baguette or pastry, and they know how to make the best. Several times during the weekend we would duck into a boulangerie and grab a couple baguettes to split while we walked.
The louvre is free after seven on Friday nights, so we headed over there. It was an overwhelming amount of beautiful art. There was SO much to take in and see that it was slightly overwhelming. After the Louvre we were pretty much exhausted, so we went back to the hostel, and planned out day two.
Versaille.
I cannot even begin to describe how absolutely decadent the entire complex is. From the gates to the Hall of Mirrors, to the Queens Hamlet, everything is so ornate and over-the-top. I really want to go back when everything is in bloom and the fountains are turned on. I think that I would absolutely cry from the beauty of it all. You can also understand, however, why the French people rebelled against Louis and Marie Antoinette. These two had absolutely everything that they could want, and ignored their dissatisfied people... If I was extremely poor and had no hope of a better life and my monarch were building Versaille... I would be pretty angry too.
A quick side note-- if you ever feel the urge to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Marie Antoinette had a miniature town constructed on the grounds, and I swear it is the inspiration for Belle's town in the movie, except there were some very creepy fish in the pond.
That night we headed over to the Tour Eiffel to see it sparkle. Walking out of the metro and seeing the top of the tower was a thrilling moment. The four of us were dancing around with excitement, and when it sparkled... well, my only complaint was that Prince Harry and I have yet to start dating, so he couldn't pop the question beneath those dazzling lights. (Don't worry mom, I'm working on it.)
We got up Sunday morning, all charged up for another full day in Paris, which we would start off by visiting the Bastille. So the Bastille... we were a little confused. For some reason we thought it was a prison. I had this distorted Dickensian, A Tale of Two Cities, reference in my head, that Steph had too. Not a prison. Or at the very least, we couldn't find it. I think it was a large memorial in the middle of a traffic circle, but we are still none-the-wiser about what we should have been looking for. Don't worry though, Flat Four rallied, and we grabbed a quick crêpe before doing some shopping.
The majority of the day consisted of us wandering, and enjoying the atmosphere of the city. My personal highlight was when, freezing cold and wind burnt, we wandered into one of the many crêperies. I got the crêpe du arts. And believe me, it was a work of art. A crêpe topped with banana, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and two gelattos (strawberry and chocolate) all sprinkled with nuts. Fantastic.
We arrived back in London to a snowstorm, and were very happy that we had taken the train rather than flown. Our classes were canceled today because, apparently, four inches of snow is an epidemic in London. People were playing in the streets and taking pictures. It was a great way to top off the weekend.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
St. Paul's Cathedral: Taking Holiness to New Heights
One of the best things about my classes over here are the field trips that we get taken on. I think that this is the program's way of ensuring that even the most apathetic of students will be forced to go out on at least one or two cultural outings. I love these trips because I don't have to pay to see many of the things that I would otherwise have to shell out £10 for.
Yesterday we went to St. Paul's Cathedral for my history class. I would pay the admission price to go again.
It is an absolutely beautiful cathedral with amazing views of the city. As soon as we entered the cathedral, our professor immediately had us set out on the long climb to the top. The cathedral has three different galleries as you go up. The first gallery, called the Whispering Gallery, is at the base of the domed ceiling and it gives you a stunning view of the quire and the area leading to the alter. It's called the whispering gallery because apparently if you are whispering at one wall it can be heard across the dome. I didn't get a chance to try this out, but I really want to go back and see if it's true. As I was walking around the whispering gallery, the choir started preparing for the five o'clock mass. Although they were more than 30 meters below, the sound of their voices floated up to us, providing a stunning background music to the scene.
We then continued up to the Stone Gallery, where we got an amazing view of the city of London. Once again there was that striking contrast between the old and the new, with the London Eye looming against the sky in one direction, the Globe Theatre nestled against Tate Modern Museum across the Thames, and the Tower Bridge cropping up to the East. Unfortunately, this was as high as we could climb that day. There is one more gallery farther up called the Golden Gallery that I really want to go back to see.
After we descended from the galleries, we explored the crypts. The one thing that stunned me most about St. Paul's was how clean everything was. The crypt was extremely well lit and well preserved, standing in my mind as a sharp contrast to Westminster Abbey. At Westminster it was very well kept also, but you could appreciate a bit more the history of the building. You could see the dust and the age of the place in the corners. St. Paul's was absolutely immaculate, and to some extent the crypt felt almost like a museum.
Once we were done in the crypt, our professor suggested that we walk over the Millennium Footbridge and look back on the cathedral. It was the perfect time of day to do this. It was dusk and the street lamps were just turning on, casting the perfect glow around the cathedral dome. After crossing I walked down the south bank walk way and up to the Westminster Bridge before taking the tube home. It was a beautiful walk in the early evening, and as I walked the whole city was lighting up.
Yesterday we went to St. Paul's Cathedral for my history class. I would pay the admission price to go again.
It is an absolutely beautiful cathedral with amazing views of the city. As soon as we entered the cathedral, our professor immediately had us set out on the long climb to the top. The cathedral has three different galleries as you go up. The first gallery, called the Whispering Gallery, is at the base of the domed ceiling and it gives you a stunning view of the quire and the area leading to the alter. It's called the whispering gallery because apparently if you are whispering at one wall it can be heard across the dome. I didn't get a chance to try this out, but I really want to go back and see if it's true. As I was walking around the whispering gallery, the choir started preparing for the five o'clock mass. Although they were more than 30 meters below, the sound of their voices floated up to us, providing a stunning background music to the scene.
We then continued up to the Stone Gallery, where we got an amazing view of the city of London. Once again there was that striking contrast between the old and the new, with the London Eye looming against the sky in one direction, the Globe Theatre nestled against Tate Modern Museum across the Thames, and the Tower Bridge cropping up to the East. Unfortunately, this was as high as we could climb that day. There is one more gallery farther up called the Golden Gallery that I really want to go back to see.
After we descended from the galleries, we explored the crypts. The one thing that stunned me most about St. Paul's was how clean everything was. The crypt was extremely well lit and well preserved, standing in my mind as a sharp contrast to Westminster Abbey. At Westminster it was very well kept also, but you could appreciate a bit more the history of the building. You could see the dust and the age of the place in the corners. St. Paul's was absolutely immaculate, and to some extent the crypt felt almost like a museum.
Once we were done in the crypt, our professor suggested that we walk over the Millennium Footbridge and look back on the cathedral. It was the perfect time of day to do this. It was dusk and the street lamps were just turning on, casting the perfect glow around the cathedral dome. After crossing I walked down the south bank walk way and up to the Westminster Bridge before taking the tube home. It was a beautiful walk in the early evening, and as I walked the whole city was lighting up.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Team Rally Holds It Down
It's always the nights that start out quietly that end up being the most fun, and last night was a prime example.
Three of my flatmates (Ashley, Katie, and Steph) and I went out last night to a pub up by Notting Hill called the Old Swan. The Old Swan, along with many of the pubs around town, is running a sale this January of £5 meals. The pub was great. It was a really cozy place with leather couches and booths, and we settled into a corner for a great meal. After a filling dinner, we were all feeling a little sleepy and just about ready to head home and have a quiet evening.
On the way home we decided to stop at another pub, the Churchill Arms, mostly because it was named after Winston Churchill, and also because (as my flatmate Steph pointed out) there was an Irish flag hanging outside. It was another great pub. Katie and I tried pints of London Pride, which was delicious. I'm becoming a fan of the more bitter, traditional ales. We were debating our next move when Steph got a phone call from a friend saying that a bunch of people were going to the University College of London bar called The Rocket. It sounded promising, especially when two other friends told us that they would be going there as well.
We decided it was time to rally.
We shed our post-dinner sleepiness, and ran back to the flat. After getting ready, we made it over to The Rocket. The place was fantastic. It was full of students from all over London, the music was blasting, and everyone was dancing and having a fantastic time. I love the music that they play over here. It's a great mix of 90's US hits, modern main-stream, and throwbacks. Last night we heard everything from The Black-Eyed Peas (Pump it-- I thought of you, Mary!) to The YMCA and Sir Mix-A-Lot. There's a lot of techno too, but fortunately The Rocket didn't play an overwhelming number of techno songs.
I had a great time dancing the night away with my friends, and we'll be sure to make it back there at some point soon.
This morning we all slept late, and then got up and decided to go out to brunch. There's a place around the corner from us called the Muffin Man (no, sadly, it is not on Drury Lane). We had a fantastic (and inexpensive) brunch and tea.
Another quick note... I forgot to talk about the inauguration this past week. Our administration had a viewing at our classroom building and it was nice to be with such a large group of Americans to celebrate such a historic moment. It was also very cool to see how excited the British people were about our inauguration as well. We went over to Imperial College that night to have a celebratory pint, and everyone was buzzing about the inauguration.
The media over here really talks a lot more about international politics than our news at home, and a large majority of the people I have spoken to are better informed about American politics and policies than many US citizens that I know.
It's actually okay to be recognized as an American right now because so many people are excited to ask you what you think about Obama. But, as one of our lecturer's told us at the beginning of term, everyone is especially interested in Americans right now because of the changes that are (hopefully) going to happen in the next four years, and as such it is a time for all of us to be very aware that the way we act is a representation of our country.
Three of my flatmates (Ashley, Katie, and Steph) and I went out last night to a pub up by Notting Hill called the Old Swan. The Old Swan, along with many of the pubs around town, is running a sale this January of £5 meals. The pub was great. It was a really cozy place with leather couches and booths, and we settled into a corner for a great meal. After a filling dinner, we were all feeling a little sleepy and just about ready to head home and have a quiet evening.
On the way home we decided to stop at another pub, the Churchill Arms, mostly because it was named after Winston Churchill, and also because (as my flatmate Steph pointed out) there was an Irish flag hanging outside. It was another great pub. Katie and I tried pints of London Pride, which was delicious. I'm becoming a fan of the more bitter, traditional ales. We were debating our next move when Steph got a phone call from a friend saying that a bunch of people were going to the University College of London bar called The Rocket. It sounded promising, especially when two other friends told us that they would be going there as well.
We decided it was time to rally.
We shed our post-dinner sleepiness, and ran back to the flat. After getting ready, we made it over to The Rocket. The place was fantastic. It was full of students from all over London, the music was blasting, and everyone was dancing and having a fantastic time. I love the music that they play over here. It's a great mix of 90's US hits, modern main-stream, and throwbacks. Last night we heard everything from The Black-Eyed Peas (Pump it-- I thought of you, Mary!) to The YMCA and Sir Mix-A-Lot. There's a lot of techno too, but fortunately The Rocket didn't play an overwhelming number of techno songs.
I had a great time dancing the night away with my friends, and we'll be sure to make it back there at some point soon.
This morning we all slept late, and then got up and decided to go out to brunch. There's a place around the corner from us called the Muffin Man (no, sadly, it is not on Drury Lane). We had a fantastic (and inexpensive) brunch and tea.
Another quick note... I forgot to talk about the inauguration this past week. Our administration had a viewing at our classroom building and it was nice to be with such a large group of Americans to celebrate such a historic moment. It was also very cool to see how excited the British people were about our inauguration as well. We went over to Imperial College that night to have a celebratory pint, and everyone was buzzing about the inauguration.
The media over here really talks a lot more about international politics than our news at home, and a large majority of the people I have spoken to are better informed about American politics and policies than many US citizens that I know.
It's actually okay to be recognized as an American right now because so many people are excited to ask you what you think about Obama. But, as one of our lecturer's told us at the beginning of term, everyone is especially interested in Americans right now because of the changes that are (hopefully) going to happen in the next four years, and as such it is a time for all of us to be very aware that the way we act is a representation of our country.
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