Walking Among the Stars

Monday night. Back home, this would be a night where I would catch up on homework I avoided over the weekend and then prepare for the week ahead.

In London, I go to movie premiers. Yes, you read that right.

My friend Naeemah won tickets to the London premier of "I AM Number Four". In attendance were two of the main characters, Number Four (Alex Pettyfer) and Number Six (Teresa Palmer), as well as the director, DJ Caruso of "Disturbia" fame. The movie was only officially finished on Friday, so we were some of the first people to see it! Here are some pictures of the experience!

Apollo Theater, where the premier took place

Insert intense movie poster here.....

Naeemah and I, eagerly awaiting the start of the show....

The big screen!

Number Four, Number Six, and the Director

All in all, it was one of those movies that is not supposed to be funny, but TOTALLY is! Some of the action scenes were BEYOND ridiculous. For example, if there is an explosion that can decimate an area equivalent to 5 football fields and you run behind a little metal door to escape the flames, and the glass in the door blows out from the blast, there is NO WAY IN HELL that the door will keep you safe. YOU WILL BE BARBECUE! Also, if you just meet someone, after 2 days you do not tell that person that "You are all I can think about", and then proceed to make out HARD CORE on said person's doorstep with the parents watching! Geez Hollywood...

However, me and Naeemah had a BLAST! And did I mention we got free snacks? Yes. Water and Toffee Popcorn. Said popcorn came in a very large bag, and was inhaled by yours truely. Before the movie started. Yeah. I have a problem.

So, if I had a bucket list, I could officially cross off "Go to a movie premier!" But I don't. Still, it is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life!

Cheers!

From ancient Londinium to the Tate Modern.... and the week of delicious noms.

So here it is, my update for the week! Classes are really cutting into my exploration time, but I still manage to get out and about! Slowly but surely, I am checking off my "London To Do List", which has 211 must-see attractions! I only hope that I will be able to check off everything AND travel Europe by June 4th....

Monday:

Just because I don't have class today doesn't mean that I sleep in! In order to get a head start I wake up at 7 and go to the gym. My motivation? That impending triathlon. And the fact that I can watch "Friends", "Gilmore Girls", and really old episodes of "Everwood". Yay for individual TVs on the treadmills!

After cleaning up, I head to "The City", the oldest part of London. This part of London used to be part of the Roman Empire, and was referred to as "Londinium". In certain areas, you can see remains of the ancient Roman wall that used to protect the city from Nordic invaders. I decided to check out two museums dedicated to the history of London while I was here- Guildhall and The Museum of London. Both are required visits for my "Museums of London" class, so besides sightseeing, I am also doing some coursework! WIN!

My first stop is Guildhall. Over the years it has been used for many important functions. Now, it houses an art museum holding the coronation portraits of some of England's royalty. The best part of the museum, however, is in the basement. While making additions to Guildhall for the art museum, the builders stumbled upon what turned out to be the remains of the Roman's Londinium Amphitheater! (Think of gladiators) Archeologists uncovered most of the remains, which are now on display for the general public!

Guildhall

Remains of the Roman Amphitheater in the basement of Guildhall...

On the way from Guildhall to The Museum of London, I came upon this ad, just outside of PRET. I. Love. This. Country.

My next stop was the Museum of London. This museum caters exclusively to London's past, present, and future. From Roman artifacts to spoils of the Great Exhibition to predictions of London's future, this museum has it all. I spent a good 3 hours here. Although interesting, it doesn't compare to the British Museum or the V&A. But I still enjoyed it!

Entrance to the Museum of London

Part of Londinium's Roman wall, located outside of the Museum of London...

Tuesday:

Today I did have class, so after the gym I went to my castle-library in order to get in some reading. After attending my lecture for "Museums of London" on Roman and Greek Art and Architecture, our class walked to the British Museum to see specific examples of these. Although I had already been to the parts of the British Museum that our professor brought us to, I still enjoyed it. Our professor really opened our eyes to the purpose of many of the artifacts. Our last stop was to the Parthenon Marbles, and we talked about Archeological Ethics. Yes, even my British Museums professor confesses that England should not be in possession of these artifacts. I say the Greeks go all James Bond on Britain's ass and steal the artifacts back!

Wednesday:

My busy day. After a very interesting lecture and discussion in "Environmental Risk", I went to my "Social Theory and the Environment" class and learned about how "wonderful" communism is. Yay. Not. However, now we only have lecture for the first hour of class. After that, a group presents on a topic relating to the lecture. And this is when I had an epiphany. Although all my British student counterparts are well read and are amazing writers, they can not present AT ALL! Apparently, they do not get much practice in presenting, and instead of coming up with interesting speeches, they put all their information on a Powerpoint Presentation and then proceed to READ OFF THE SLIDES! HA! If they did that in the US they would fail in a second! So now, I feel much better about this class.

After realizing that I still had over half of the British Museum to see after yesterday's Museums class, I walked to the BM after my classes were over. And FINISHED it! It only took me another 3 hours... 3 hours of me basically glancing at objects in cases. If you try to take in EVERY object here you would be here for years, considering that the BM has OVER 7 MILLION artifacts on display! But still, well worth the experience.

Thursday:

No classes today! I spent the morning running errands, and then met up with Caitlin. We went to the Tate Modern to see some modern art, and then ate delicious pizza, followed by a trip to a bakery that is just a minute from our flat! HOORAY! Instead of explaining some of the art, here are some pictures!

Ever wanted to know what over 100 million porcelain, hand-painted sunflower seeds look like? Well here you go!

Wow, who told the Tate Modern I was art?!?!

If this is art, then my dad owes me A LOT of money for painting walls all these years...

Andy Warhol Room!

My DELICIOUS pizza at Gourmet Pizza- grilled chicken, spinach, and mozzarella cheese. YUM!

Friday:

I took the morning to get some work done, and then after my class, I headed to a Fish and Chips joint that I heard was the best in London. And the cheapest. And a 30 second walk from my flat. A win and fail at the same time- win because the fish and chips are so close, and fail due to the fact that this place is gonna take all my money and make me obese.

What is this Fish and Chips place called, you ask? It's called Fishcotheque. Like Discotheque. Yes.

AND IT WAS DELICIOUS! I went in, ordered cod and chips, and had my food in less than a minute! The inside is decorated with old 50's era ads, and there are many old men sitting there eating with their newspapers. One thing to know is that whenever you see old men sitting in a place, it's gonna be a good place. Old men will not go somewhere that is no good. So all in all, I would definitely go back.

Saturday:

Caitlin and I decide to head to Hampton Court Palace. After getting our tickets (at quite a steal!) from a friendly ticket sales person, I purchased my breakfast- my VERY FIRST Krispy Kreme donut (Butterscotch Fudge) and a coffee. Yeah, I know Krispy Kreme is popular in the US. But whatever, I never do anything right- in Germany, my first taste of beer was at a Mexican techno bar, and my first drink was at an Irish pub. So I guess it just follows that I will have something American for the first time in the UK.

PROOF!

After a quick train ride, me and Caitlin got off at Hampton Court- the favorite palace of Henry VIII. We were able to tour the private apartments of many monarchs, AND wear court attire used in Henry's time! DRESS UP FTW! This palace is absolutely breath-taking, and the gardens are fabulous. I truely believe anyone that goes to England MUST visit this site!

Hampton Court Palace

Fountain Court inside Hampton Court Palace

Me in some of the gardens at Hampton Court

After we were done touring the palace, Caitlin and I ventured into the surrounding village. It was so quaint, and full of antique stores and cafes. We even stopped at a cafe called "Dish", where I feasted on a smoked Salmon and cream cheese sandwich with some tea!

Clever Marketing.

My lunch at "Dish"- Mint Tea with a Smoked Salmon and Creme Cheese Sandwich... my new favourite!

After bidding adieu to Hampton Court, we hopped on the train back to Waterloo, where we met Naeemah for dinner. And the vote was for Pizza Express! YAY!

Now, usually when you think "Express", you think fast food. This is not the case. Pizza Express has candlelit tables with flowers. And all the pizzas are to die for! I had the Pandera, which is pizza with a tomato base, goats cheese, caramelized onions, and spinach. Again, delicious! After inhaling my pizza, we decided that all the desserts were too good to pass up. I have never had gelato in my life, so it was here that I decided to finally have it! Enter Toffee Fudge Overload.

Toffee Fudge Overload. You guessed it- DELICIOUS!

After eating enough food for a week in one day, we called it a night.

Sunday:

Once again, this Sunday I went to St. Patrick's Church. And once again, a different priest. Seriously, back home we have to fight to keep one priest. How do they have an endless supply?!

After church I fit in a quick workout in order to compensate for all the delicious food I ate yesterday. And also because I knew I was headed to Brick Lane Market at 2- which is in the center of the Indian/Pakistani/Turkish section of The City.

Caitlin, Mark, Matt, and I headed out into London with blue skies and a brilliant sun shining overhead. We got off at the Liverpool Street Tube stop, and were confronted with the largest skyscraper in London. And by largest, I mean only. Most of the city's buildings are not that tall.

Brand new skyscraper in London

Next, we headed toward Brick Lane Market. Brick Lane is very similar to Camden Market, but on a smaller scale. Still, all the food being made here smells divine! You might go to the market on a full stomach, but within minutes you want to eat everything in sight! I passed on all the ethnic food since they are known to cook with nuts and peanut oil, and settled on a scone stand. I made the right choice. Behold, my new favorite snack:

Cheese and Herb scone, slathered in apple chutney and filled with slices of vintage cheddar, then warmed. About 2 seconds after I took this picture, the cheese melted. Glorious.

After perusing the market some more, the cold air finally got to us, so we decided to turn back and return home. Then we were greeted with this sign. Apparently, the Brits aren't as proper as we thought....

And thus ends another successful week in London! I realize these posts are getting long, so I hope to update the blog biweekly. Tune in Wednesday for some updates!

Cheers!

Thou legs shall become jacked.....

I. Love. This. City.

You can never run out of things to do! Everyday, I feel as if I discover totally new places, even after walking in the same areas. Whether you want to enjoy a nice brisk walk, a leisurely stroll through a park, take in a show, or visit historical sites, you will never be disappointed in London. Seriously. Come here. Now. If you don't love it, there is something wrong with you.

I have discovered over the past few days that even if you plan a route and plan to visit specific places, you often wind up visiting 4 times as many places, which you just happen upon along the way! I love my 5 mile walks in London- not only are they great exercise, but I get to see so much!

In order to avoid staying in my flat, reading about "Nature" and "Museums of London" for my classes, I decided to experience them. I spent these two days on my own. While all my friends were reading, I explored. You can learn so much more by doing something, rather than by reading it. So here is my fun-filled weekend, spent with the one, the only, ME!

Saturday:

The mission: Be able to check off the last few destinations in Royal London suggested to me by my Fodor's London book.

The Main Attractions: Walk to Westminster via Golden Jubilee Bridges, tour Banqueting House (aka- £4 for one room and a movie), see the Cenotaph (which honors departed British soldiers), walk towards Buckingham Place via St. James's Park, snap better pictures of the Victoria Monument and the Palace (sans thousands of tourists), walk back to Big Ben via Birdcage Walk and see the Wellington Barracks, then return to the flat via Westminster Bridge and South Bank.

The Outcome: Success!!- with added diversions! I ended up getting near my flat right around sunset, when I realized that if I backtracked to Waterloo Bridge, I could get some great shots!

Banqueting House

Buckingham Palace + Sun + Blue Skys - Tourists Everywhere = Perfect Picture!

Sunset from South Bank side of Waterloo Bridge, right next to my flat

Sunday:

The Mission: Walk South Bank towards the East to Tower Bridge

The Main Attractions: See Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, walk on Tower Bridge.

The Outcome: Success, and then some!! End up seeing sand art near the National Theater on the banks of the Thames, go inside Southwark Cathedral and discover mass is going on, get treated to a free concert in said Cathedral, see Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe, Hay's Galleria, HMS Belfast, walk over Tower Bridge, climb The Monument (A tribute to the Great Fire of 1666), walk along North Bank, walk back to South Bank via Millennium Bridge, see OXO tower up close at night.

Random Sand Art along the Thames, only to be washed away 1 hour later with the incoming tide

Shakespeare's Globe

Iconic

Tower Bridge

"The Monument"- yeah, I climbed EVERY ONE of those 311 dizzying spiral steps... worth it for the view, but I will never do it again!

Me on Millennium Bridge (with St. Paul's Cathedral in the background) attempting to look British....

And a "module" is.....? My first week of 'modules' at King's

This week marked the first of my classes. Yeah, kinda forgot that I had to start sitting in classrooms, listening to professors drone on and on, and do lots of homework. Damn Study Abroad. Puts a bit of a crimp in my exploring! However, I have lucked out- I don't have class on Mondays OR Thursdays, and on Tuesday and Friday, my first and only class starts at 2. And Wednesdays I only have class from 9-1. Not bad.

First thing to note is that the British System of Education is VERY different from the American system. First, you don't take "classes", you take "modules". Every class meets only once a week, and in my case, each class is only 2 hours. That's it. The professors give you a lecture, and then they expect you to basically teach yourself! How so, you ask? By reading.

Doesn't seem so hard, right? WRONG! I got a rude awakening when for my first (and what I though would be my easiest) class, I was handed a FIVE PAGE list of books to read! WHEN THE HECK WILL I HAVE TIME TO FINISH THIS?! I am a speed reader and all, but with three other classes to read for and London right outside of my door, I was not thrilled.

Not to fret though! The professors don't actually expect you to read ALL of the material! Since for most modules your only grade is an essay, they only give you a list of "helpful" pieces to help you write a persuasive essay. Never-mind if the books are written by the professors themselves. They wouldn't want you to be biased or anything.

So here is my week in review...

Monday:
NO CLASS! Wake up at 9, gym, errands, find where my classes are ahead of time so I am not late on the first day. After, I went to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, a church right on Trafalgar Square. On Mondays they sometimes have free lunchtime concerts, so I stuck around and not only got to enjoy piano and trumpet concertos, but also got to hear part of a Swedish opera! After spending some time in St. Martin's, I moseyed on over to the National Gallery right next door. I hadn't finished it the first time I went (the second day I was here) so I returned with a mission. After reading in my guidebook that I could go to a computer station in the Gallery and make my very own tour, highlighting artists I was interested in, and then print out a free map, I decided to make a bee-line for the basement. Not only did my personalized tour bring me into EVERY room in the Gallery, but I got to see work by Picasso, Monet, van Gogh, Renoir, Raphael, Rembrant, Michelangelo, da Vinci, and many, many others. I must admit, this feat takes stamina- don't assume that you can just traipse through certain rooms and finish the Gallery in an hour or two. In total, I spent EIGHT hours in the gallery (Over two days). You have to hit EVERY room in order to see all it has to hold. I highly suggest breaking the gallery up into multiple days- it is free to get into after all. It makes you appreciate all you are seeing- if you don't break it up, you'll find yourself not caring what you are looking at.

The inside of St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Tuesday:
Officially my first day of class. I decided to stay in for the morning, doing laundry and going to the gym. I headed over to the Strand Campus early to ensure I got to my class on time. My first class was "Museums of London: A Cultural History". I am very excited for this class, despite the 5 page long reading list. During some module times, we are taken to some of the museums in London and given private tours! We are going to the British Museum twice, due to it's large size. Focusing on art obtained through Grand Tours, it seems like this course is right up my alley. My professor is British, and with that comes a wonderful sense of humor. She is half deaf, and during our first class, she informed us of this fact. She then said that she completely expects and welcomes us to yell at her, due to the fact that that is the only way she will hear us. The only problem, she says, is that because of this, she won't be able to tell when we are angry at her- so feel free to stomp and make angry faces at her in order to convey our feelings.

Wednesday:
My busy day. I made the mistake of going to the gym before my 9 am class, which resulted in a rushed breakfast of cereal and tea, and then a light jog to class. But I was still there 15 minutes early! My first module of the day is "Environmental Risk, Governance, and Society", a 3rd year class. Undergraduate degrees in the UK are earned in 3 years, so this means that this is a very high level class. My professor is a Swed who likes to refer to himself in the third person and is a little too delighted to have an American in his class- he asked me how I was affected by the mud slides in California. Well, I said, considering I live in Connecticut, I was not affected at all. After discussing risk vs. hazard, and then discussing different kinds of risk (voluntary and involuntary), our professor asked us to give examples of each. Obviously, involuntary risk is any natural disaster. One student raised their hand and said "Climactic Environmental Events". Problem is, the Professor wanted 5 examples. After a long pause, a particularly sarcastic British student offered "Solar Flares" and "Being sucked up by a black hole". I love this country.

My second module is "Social Theory and the Environment", also a 3rd year course. This seems like it is more of a philosophy course. Where we are studying how Marxism reacts to the Environment. Well, if you know me, you know I HATE Marxism, Socialism, Communism.... all of it. Let's see how this one goes. After class, I spent some time in the library reading for my courses. I still love how my library is basically a castle. Never gets old.

Thursday:
A relatively chill day. Started with the gym and reading for classes, and ended with my second SNOG and a walk around Whitehall. On my walk, my initial goal was to go to Banqueting House. However, due to it being closed, I went to the Household Calvary Museum and Horse Guards Parade. This is where the Queen's personal guard (who ride on horseback) are housed. The Horse Guards Parade is not really a 'parade' at all- it is a giant sand court where the the Calvary prepares for the changing of the guard each day. After snapping some pictures, I went into the museum (which is the first I have had to pay for, a whole £4!) and discovered I was the only person there. I went through the small museum, taking pictures of the different uniforms and memorabilia, reading some interesting facts about the guards (every member must be at least 6 feet tall), and taking in the history. Then, I came to a room that had a glass wall. On the other side of the glass were the ACTUAL stables of the horses used in the guard. And right against the wall was a stall with a HUGE horse in it. As I was looking in, the horse turned its head to me, and just stared. I looked back. Knowing I was alone, I didn't care just staring back at it and making weird faces.

...that is, until I saw the attendant in the stalls staring at me. Embarrassed, I left the glass wall and pretended to be looking around. Seconds later, the same attendant appears inside the museum. Apparently, he was an off duty guard. In any movie, this would totally be a "meet-cute". Too bad I'm taken and the guy was not attractive at all. Sorry Hollywood, no great plot here. However, he did come up to me. I must've been as red as my coat. He then said, "Do you wanna come in the stable and pet the horse, he seems to like you! Usually we don't do this, but you are the only one here." Um, yeah. I didn't hesitate. After a few nice pats, I politely told him I should go, since I was probably breaking the law by touching the Queen's Guard Horses. He laughed, and then joked- "Wanna ride him? You have a red coat on- you can blend in!" HA! Yeah, I would love to get fricken deported. Thanks, but no thanks, buddy!

Horse Guards Parade

Friday:
Today was a whirlwind of a day- I never stopped moving! Starting off with a 5 mile run, a 5 mile bike ride, and some rowing at the gym, I then met my friend Annie at 10am to go to the Cabinet War Rooms and the Winston Churchill Museum. I HIGHLY suggest going to these museums- they are connected. Although the admission is a staggering £12.80 for a student, it is worth every penny! The War Rooms are very interesting, and everything is left EXACTLY how it was on the last day of WWII, when the rooms were finally emptied. Not only do you get to see what life was like in this underground, almost bomb-proof facility, but you also get to see Winston Churchill's room, his secret telephone room with a direct line to FDR, and many other interesting items. The Churchill Museum is also a must for anyone that has ever quoted Churchill, aka my Dad.

After the museums, Annie and I parted ways since I had class at 2. Luckily, I still had time for lunch, so I went to "Herman Ze German" near Embankment for some Wurst. Although the Bratwurst was delicious, it doesn't compare to the real stuff- especially since they offer to put Mayo on it. WTF? NO! I really don't get the Brits obsession with Mayo. I can't wait to go to Germany again! Since Herman Ze German does not have indoor seating, I went to the Victoria Embankment Gardens to eat. With 45 minutes left to get to class, I walked along the Embankment, took some pictures since it was GORGEOUS outside, and then headed to my last class- "Climate Variability, Change, and Society". It is in this class that I discovered that two amazing accents are no longer amazing when they are combined together.

German. Amazing accent that I love despite it's sometimes harsh tones. British. Drool-worthy accent. Combined..... not so much. The professor of my last class has this hybrid accent. It's not that it is ugly, it's just....weird. Also, it doesn't help that this class, a 2nd year class (what most study abroad students take for ALL of their classes, but you know, I am an overachiever and decide to stress myself out with two 3rd year classes) is COMPLETELY juvenile. I have basically learned all of the information in my Biology classes over the years. But hey- I can always learn something new. Maybe. The fact that he talked about the Greenhouse Effect for 2 hours seemed a little much. I could've given a lecture on this in 5 minutes. O well.

After class, I went an loaded up on groceries at Tesco, then returned to the dorm. Earlier, Annie had mentioned that she wanted to see "The King's Speech". After doing some research and consulting my flatmates on cheap theaters in London, we found Vue Islington. Only a tube ride away, we could see a movie for £8, compared to the £17 we would've paid for back-row seats at Leichester Square. My flatmate Matt joined us, and we set off, only to find upon our arrival that the 9:15 showing was sold out. We decided to see the 10pm showing, however, the movie was 2 hours long, and the Tube stops running at 12:30am. Problem.

After 20 minutes of previews, the movie finally started. GO SEE IT! It was easily the most amazing movie I have seen. (Yeah, above Pride and Prejudice... that good!) However, the only problem is that we were a 25 minute tube ride away from our flat, and by the time the movie got out, it was 12:20am. We were able to get kinda close to the flat before the Tube shut down, so we had to find alternate means of getting home. After realizing we were in a sketchy area of London, we settled on taking back a cab. Cab rides in London are insane. You keep thinking your driver is going to hit the car to the side or in front of it. They whip around corners and stop on a dime. I guess there is truth to The Knight Bus in Harry Potter.

After arriving safely home, I had finally finished my first school-week in London. Hooray!

Until next time.... Cheers!

Here's to abolishing the term "Lazy Sunday"

It's official. It has been two weeks since I have been on US soil. And I couldn't be happier.

Yesterday was less jam packed then usual, hence the lack of a post. I enjoyed a nice Saturday with friends at Camden Market. Now, if you have ever been to/heard of Camden Market, you know that it is a maze of vendors that seems to go on for miles. Seriously, you can spend an entire day there and not even see every stall. It's INSANE! Filled with arts and crafts stalls, vintage shops, book sellers, and cheap clothing, it is a shopaholics heaven! Luckily, being the frugal girl I am, I have some self control. But even Camden Market was nearly too much for me. I made one purchase. Yes, one. My dad would be so proud! After haggling with a vendor, I got a really nice red coat down from £65 to £40. Score! Now I have something to wear besides my shapeless winter coat or raincoat. I can look cute for once here!

After scoping out the deals at Camden, we decided to look for restaurants in the Notting Hill area. A huge fan of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, I was anything but hesitant- even after being informed that restaurants up that way are a little pricey. We walked to the Tube, only to find out that basically every possible route to Notting Hill was shut down. Bummer. Luckily, Covent Garden and Leichester Square were still on the table. Or so we thought.

Since coming to London, it has been hard to keep track of what day it is. With the lack of classes, who really cares?! All I know is, I am gonna get my explorin' on! However, this did not work to our advantage yesterday. Covent Garden and Leichester Square are by far the most populated parts of London, seeing as the latter is London's equivalent to NYC's Times Square. Now, factor in Saturday night at 7pm. Fail.

After wandering around and being told by numerous restaurants that the wait time would be 45 minutes to and hour, we finally stumbled upon Carluccio's. (Side note- right across from Snog! WIN! Sorry I am so obsessed with this place) A nice Italian restaurant, I got yet ANOTHER AMAZING DISH! 13 days and counting...

Today on the other hand, was a "Rachael" day. Meaning, I barely had any other social contact. For me, this is actually OK. I do like having alone time. I used this time to my advantage. I woke up early to the sun shining, got ready, and made my way to St. Patrick's Church, basically 30 seconds from my dorm. Mass was... interesting.

The church was on the second floor. They print out all the readings and prayers for the mass, and you pick it up as you walk in. Their hymnals didn't have music- just words, so no one sang, because no one knew the tune. Everyone wore jeans. I was wearing khakis, a nice button down shirt, and my new coat with my shiny black ballet flats. They looked at me like I was crazy. Then, the priest comes in. Anddddd......

He was American, and just got to England last week. Figures, I go to London to attend my first mass, looking forward to hearing all the prayers I have heard all my life spoken in an accent. And I was let down. Boo! I have decided that from now on, even though St. Patrick's takes literally 30 seconds to get to, I am going to do the 45 minute walk to Westminster Cathedral. From what I have heard, it is totally worth it. O, and Tony Blair (the old Prime Minister) goes there every Sunday morning. BONUS!

After, I went to our dungeon gym to continue training for my impending triathlon following my return to the US. Then, at around 3, I decided that it was complete rubbish for me to stay in my room all day. Braving the now stormy looking London weather, I ventured out on my own. Leaving my maps and London guide books at home, I only brought my wallet and camera. Not having an idea where I was headed, I went wherever the wind blew me... literally!

I ended up walking along South Bank towards Parliament. What I planned on being a 30 minute walk led to a 2.5 hour long walk, totaling over 4 miles. I got some great day/nighttime pictures, and those below are some of my favorites. Also, I got into a "black and white" phase, and also experimented with more grainy looking pictures. I love how they came out- kinda gave the photos a vintage vibe, a la the opening scene of Phantom of the Opera.... feel free to look through- my Facebook page has even more if you are interested! (*cough, cough* 93 pictures *cough, cough*)

...Hey! At least it is not the 153 I had originally!

When walking back to my flat after my little adventure, I reflected on my time here thus far. I know in every post, I say how much I love London. And I mean it. Walking along the South Bank, the smell of Belgian waffles would hit me, only to be replaced seconds later by that of hot dogs and roasted peanuts. Children and adults burst into laughter, and locals and tourists alike marvel at the sights around them. (It's hard not to) Street performers, human statues, and clowns making balloon animals could be found every 10 feet. People from every culture, crammed into the pubs and restaurants lining the Thames, enjoying each other's company. People still perusing the book market despite the harsh English weather. To me, this city is unlike any I have ever known. I hate to say it like this, since I think only crazy people talk like this, but this city has this energy. An inescapable energy. You can't NOT love this city. There is something for everyone here. After all, as Dr. Samuel Johnson once said, "To be tired of London is to be tired of life". I for one, know I will NEVER be bored in London.

I only hope I get to experience everything here before my time is up....

Cheers!

Parliament at dusk, with some statue in the front. Yeah, I forget what it was for...

The National Theater (which is right outside my dorm) lit up at night. Each night, the colors change.

Book Market under Waterloo Bridge- you can literally find any book here, in multiple languages!

Parliament and Big Ben at night...the love affair continues!

Big Ben and the London Eye... I have a problem.

Part of Westminster Abbey facing Parliament. I'm pretty sure that is "The Lady Chapel". The architecture is exquisite!

My attempt at an artsy photo. Lamp in foreground, Parliament and Big Ben in the background

View of the London Eye from directly under it

On lunch break? Why not throw back 2 pints?

So today I did something I never thought I would do in a million years.

I did a pub crawl.

Now, for most of you that know me, you know I don't drink. Like, at all. So why the hell did I do a pub crawl?! Well, not to sound like a follower, my Fodor's book told me to.

Let's get this straight- it was a HISTORIC pub crawl. Meaning every pub we went to had a lot of history behind it. Also, along the way, we got to see a lot of popular destinations for people visiting London. Did I mention we started out at 10am? And that the route from our flat, to the walk, and back was over SIX miles!? We did it ALL on foot.

Did I also mention that I didn't get any alcohol on the entire crawl? I stuck to water. It doesn't mean the pub crawl is any less legit. I took pictures of every one, and at one I even got fish and chips (my first in London) at The Black Friar (sooo good!), SO THERE!

What amazes me is how big pub culture is over here. People go out on their lunch breaks with friends, throw back a cold one, and then go about their day. Even in the early afternoon, you can see people of all ages (above 18), sitting around with close friends, laughing at each other's jokes and stories and asking the bartender for another round. In the US, if you drink before 5pm, you have a problem. Here, it is a way of life. Because none of the people seem to get the least bit drunk after a pint or two, I am convinced that they have been drinking the stuff since they were wee little babes.

Since I am not including ALL the pictures I took, the attractions I saw on the crawl in order (excluding pubs) were: The Borough Market (basically a farmer's market), Southwark Cathedral, The Clink Prison, Golden Hinde (a boat), Winchester Palace, London Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, Old Bailey Criminal Court, Gray's Inn Field (Where "A Comedy of Errors" was first performed), and Charles Dickens' house.

You think that is enough for one day? We also went to eight, yes EIGHT, historical pubs. In the captions of the picture, I will include relevant history. Happy reading!

The George Inn

Mentioned in Dickens's "Little Dorrit", this has been an inn since the 1500's. Notable patrons are Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare. We got there 30 minutes before it opened, so we just gazed into the windows.

The pictures above and below this are in Bourough Market. It smelled so good, and all the food was so fresh! And yes, the stall in the picture above sold ostrich meat. And kangaroo burgers. Methinks I will be returning there and trying some! ...When in London!

The Golden Hinde. Apparently this is a very old ship. Whatever. I live near Mystic!

The Anchor

Dates from 1775, and is thought to be the place where the writer Samuel Pepys stood when he observed the Great Fire of London

Ye Olde Watling

The building was originally completed only days before the Great Fire, and was soon destroyed. It has been rebuilt many times, the most recent being in 1947 after WWII. It is named after a Roman road, on which it stands.

St. Paul's Cathedral

This is where Prince Charles married Lady Diana!! I plan to go inside soon

The Black Friar

The first pub we actually went into. Used to be home to a bunch of friars. 'Nuf said.

While eating our lunch, a man in a business suit came in and DOWNED two HUGE beers... look like someone had a rough morning...

The bar of the Black Friar

The interior of the Black Friar. This is what the pub is famous for. Just don't get lost trying to find it like we did.

My first fish and chips in London! Complete with tartar sauce and "mushed peas"... and they were AMAZING!

That's right folks, 10 days in, and still no bad meals.

The Viaduct Tavern

This pub is supposedly haunted- apparently the cells in the basement are from the demolished Newgate Gaol, an old prison

Ye Olde Mitre

Hidden in an alley, making it hard to find. Dating from 1547 and rebuilt in 1772. A stone mitre from the Bishop of Ely's palace gatehouse is built into one of the walls, and there is also the preserved trunk of a cherry tree that Elizabeth I supposedly danced around.

The bar inside the alleyway. Apparently, the "in" thing to do is to drink your beer around the barrels outside. So Matt did as me and Chelsea watched.

Charles Dickens' House

The Lamb

One of Dickens' favorite pubs (it was right near his house), it has most of it's original fittings, including privacy, or "snob", screens.

The Queen's Larder

The last pub we visited. When George III was being treated by his doctor, who lived in the square, his wife, Queen Charlotte, rented the cellar and prepared his meals for him in the 1770s. The interior is decorated with clowns. I don't know why.

After the pub crawl, I went on a little walk to Covent Garden by myself, and did some errands. I fit right in here- I love this city. The second I graduate college, I'm moving to London. Peace out, USA! You've been warned...

Until next time!

Cheers!