The Villages of London
For this assignment we were to visit one of the villages of London, either Wimbledon or Hampstead Village. I chose to go to Wimbledon.
We took the tube to Wimbledon. It was strange to see the city giving way to green parks and trees, and to realize that we were still in London. It was a piece of a country village within a busy city. The hustle and bustle seemed to melt away. It was a perfect day to go as well; the sun was shining and warm. We walked around and looked at the houses and cars. I say looked, but it was more like marveled. I lost count of the number of Rolls Royces that drove past me. The houses are big and you can just smell the money that has gone into them. We went into the shops and found many antiques.
For lunch we debated going to the Dog & Fox, but scraped that idea as it was such a nice day. Then we thought of going to Tesco and having a picnic in a huge park. However we found a health food store and they brought out fresh baguettes. Being put on the shelf, they were still warm. So we each grabbed a baguette for a quid. It was fantastic just eating the warm, fresh bread in the warm sunlight and walking around admiring the sights.
Saturday, 27 April 2013
BES Assignment 6
Greenwich & Docklands: British Imperialism, 80's Bust & 90's Boom
For this assignment, we visited Greenwich (Gren-itch). Then we took the DLR via Carary Wharf back to Russell Square.
First we took a boat ride from Westminster Pier up the River Thames to Greenwich. We passed iconic structures such as The London Eye, Parliament and Big Ben, The National Theatre, the OXO Hotel, The Golden Hinde, the London Bridge, and the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. After arriving at Greenwich we glanced around a bit. It is very green. It seemed to me to almost have more park than city. I can see why they chose to film most of Les Miserables in Greenwich, it's beautiful.
We first visited the Royal Observatory. Let me tell you...wear some walking shoes! It is up a very steep hill and there were several times when I said to myself, "surely we are almost there..." It is a long steep walk. And I say walk because there is a path, so that is a plus I suppose. It was fascinating to see England's progression and scientific advancement due to the observatory. There were interactive exhibits in which one could anything from time-telling all over the world to games with constellations. And speaking of time-telling, at the Royal observatory one is able to straddle the Prime Meridian. So I have stood with one foot in the Eastern and one foot in the Western Hemisphere.
After the Royal Observatory, we visited the National Maritime Museum. They had some pretty cool exhibits with moving projections and lights. The light tech in me kind of nerded out. We saw exhibits that told the story of England's maritime superiority. The most compelling exhibit had to with England and the American Colonies. It was about England's involvement in the American slave trade and the War of 1812.
After that, we had lunch at Cafe Sol, which was a Mexican restaurant. The drinks were a bit pricey, but the food was fantastic. I had a chimmy changa, and some fruity drink. I would recommend going at least once. From there we headed to the Greenwich Market. The market was a combo of food and material items. There were a bunch of antiques. We found a poffertjes stand. It was a little piece of home.
From the market, we left via the DLR which was basically the tube above ground. It was a long day and finally reaching home felt good.
For this assignment, we visited Greenwich (Gren-itch). Then we took the DLR via Carary Wharf back to Russell Square.
First we took a boat ride from Westminster Pier up the River Thames to Greenwich. We passed iconic structures such as The London Eye, Parliament and Big Ben, The National Theatre, the OXO Hotel, The Golden Hinde, the London Bridge, and the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. After arriving at Greenwich we glanced around a bit. It is very green. It seemed to me to almost have more park than city. I can see why they chose to film most of Les Miserables in Greenwich, it's beautiful.
We first visited the Royal Observatory. Let me tell you...wear some walking shoes! It is up a very steep hill and there were several times when I said to myself, "surely we are almost there..." It is a long steep walk. And I say walk because there is a path, so that is a plus I suppose. It was fascinating to see England's progression and scientific advancement due to the observatory. There were interactive exhibits in which one could anything from time-telling all over the world to games with constellations. And speaking of time-telling, at the Royal observatory one is able to straddle the Prime Meridian. So I have stood with one foot in the Eastern and one foot in the Western Hemisphere.
After the Royal Observatory, we visited the National Maritime Museum. They had some pretty cool exhibits with moving projections and lights. The light tech in me kind of nerded out. We saw exhibits that told the story of England's maritime superiority. The most compelling exhibit had to with England and the American Colonies. It was about England's involvement in the American slave trade and the War of 1812.
After that, we had lunch at Cafe Sol, which was a Mexican restaurant. The drinks were a bit pricey, but the food was fantastic. I had a chimmy changa, and some fruity drink. I would recommend going at least once. From there we headed to the Greenwich Market. The market was a combo of food and material items. There were a bunch of antiques. We found a poffertjes stand. It was a little piece of home.
From the market, we left via the DLR which was basically the tube above ground. It was a long day and finally reaching home felt good.
Friday, 26 April 2013
BES Assignment 5
The East End: London's Contemporary Art Centre
For this assignment we had to walk around and explore London's East End. The walk started at Liverpool Street station after taking the tube. It then took us north past Spital Square. The first point of interest is dennis Severs' House. This is an 18th century house that has been wonderfully restored. Next we went to Spitalfields Market. It was packed! We found a stand that made smoothies and took advantage of the opportunity. There were also a lot of quirky stands selling material items like hand-made coasters. The next structure of significance is the Christ Church. It was beautiful, but honestly at this point in the semester, I think I am a little 'churched out'. So unfortunately I don't think I fully appreciated it's beauty. Our next sight was the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. I remembered seeing it from when we went to Tayyab's. It is really cool to think that the Liberty Bell came from that building. It felt almost surreal that the foundry was still standing and that this simple building is older than the United States. From there we retraced our steps and went back to Brick Lane. I have been here a couple times already, once during the day and once at night. Packed to the brim both times. There are some cool shops that are relatively cheap. We stumbled into a warehouse of some sort food heaven. There was every kind of ethnicity represented here: English, Mexican, Sri Lankan, Ethiopean, chinese, Italian, and a few I had never heard of. We ended up getting Ethiopean, which helped me with my goal of expanding my horizons. There was a lot of chickpeas, beans, lentil stew, and koose-koose. It was actually pretty delightful. I would eat it again. After that we headed back to Liverpool Street and visited some small market stands on the way.
Overall, I enjoyed the East End. There was uniquely beautiful architecture and wonderful shops. Not to mention that the East End is generally a little cheaper on the whole.
For this assignment we had to walk around and explore London's East End. The walk started at Liverpool Street station after taking the tube. It then took us north past Spital Square. The first point of interest is dennis Severs' House. This is an 18th century house that has been wonderfully restored. Next we went to Spitalfields Market. It was packed! We found a stand that made smoothies and took advantage of the opportunity. There were also a lot of quirky stands selling material items like hand-made coasters. The next structure of significance is the Christ Church. It was beautiful, but honestly at this point in the semester, I think I am a little 'churched out'. So unfortunately I don't think I fully appreciated it's beauty. Our next sight was the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. I remembered seeing it from when we went to Tayyab's. It is really cool to think that the Liberty Bell came from that building. It felt almost surreal that the foundry was still standing and that this simple building is older than the United States. From there we retraced our steps and went back to Brick Lane. I have been here a couple times already, once during the day and once at night. Packed to the brim both times. There are some cool shops that are relatively cheap. We stumbled into a warehouse of some sort food heaven. There was every kind of ethnicity represented here: English, Mexican, Sri Lankan, Ethiopean, chinese, Italian, and a few I had never heard of. We ended up getting Ethiopean, which helped me with my goal of expanding my horizons. There was a lot of chickpeas, beans, lentil stew, and koose-koose. It was actually pretty delightful. I would eat it again. After that we headed back to Liverpool Street and visited some small market stands on the way.
Overall, I enjoyed the East End. There was uniquely beautiful architecture and wonderful shops. Not to mention that the East End is generally a little cheaper on the whole.
BES Assignment 2
Making Sense of it all: the Museum of London
Ok. Here's the deal. I am sure that the museum is very entertaining to some people. However, it was just not my 'cup of tea'. I just didn't feel that the museum was very engaging. It tells the story of how London was founded and how it has fought and survived all these years. It started with exhibits about the landscape and animals and then flowed into the first neanderthal's arrival. It continues like this, moving through time until we come to the present.
There were only two exhibits I really enjoyed: the Great Fire and the Black Plague. Learning about how the fire and plague began, spread, and was finally subdued was made interesting by the movies and models you could interact with.
Like I said, the Museum of London was just not for me. However I do think everyone should go and see it at least once.
Ok. Here's the deal. I am sure that the museum is very entertaining to some people. However, it was just not my 'cup of tea'. I just didn't feel that the museum was very engaging. It tells the story of how London was founded and how it has fought and survived all these years. It started with exhibits about the landscape and animals and then flowed into the first neanderthal's arrival. It continues like this, moving through time until we come to the present.
There were only two exhibits I really enjoyed: the Great Fire and the Black Plague. Learning about how the fire and plague began, spread, and was finally subdued was made interesting by the movies and models you could interact with.
Like I said, the Museum of London was just not for me. However I do think everyone should go and see it at least once.
BES Assignment 1
Street Life: London's Neighborhoods and Markets
For this assignment we were required to visit and explore two different markets within London. I had adventures at several, but I will discuss Borough Market and Camden Market.
Borough Market is probably the best place in all of London to get food. That is what is mainly there; there aren't clothing or material item stands. But it contains some of the most unique fruits and veg I have seen. If you want it, you can probably find it: strawberries, carrots, chiles, all kinds of meat; I think I even saw coconuts and blackcurrant berries.
I actually had the privilege of my internship being right next to the market, so I was able to eat there every day I worked. There are sandwich stands galore! Beef, pannini, lamb, veg wraps, stew, soup...the lost goes on and on. On several occasions I had a pork sandwich and I watched as the vendor cut the meat right off the roasting hog, cooked it, and served it with apple sauce (not the American version, but a runny paste of sorts) and greens. I also got to try several different kinds (flavors?) of curry w/ rice.
The biggest difference between Borough during the week and during the weekend is the crowd. It is not really that busy during the week, but on the weekends it gets packed. Sardines does not even begin to describe it.
Camden in general is what I imagine southside Chicago to be like if you could not get brutally murdered. I saw more drug paraphernalia than anywhere else I have ever been. This market, unlike Borough Market, does not specialize in food but material goods. Hipsters, Hipees, and Goths would really like this market. There were several shops selling vintage clothing, and many others selling things like Fake-Beats, pipes, mugs, shirts, and electronics. I actually got my wallet here. I was able to haggle the merchant down 5 quid.
Be prepared for another packed experience. It thinned out near the late evening, but was very populated the day we visited.
For this assignment we were required to visit and explore two different markets within London. I had adventures at several, but I will discuss Borough Market and Camden Market.
Borough Market is probably the best place in all of London to get food. That is what is mainly there; there aren't clothing or material item stands. But it contains some of the most unique fruits and veg I have seen. If you want it, you can probably find it: strawberries, carrots, chiles, all kinds of meat; I think I even saw coconuts and blackcurrant berries.
I actually had the privilege of my internship being right next to the market, so I was able to eat there every day I worked. There are sandwich stands galore! Beef, pannini, lamb, veg wraps, stew, soup...the lost goes on and on. On several occasions I had a pork sandwich and I watched as the vendor cut the meat right off the roasting hog, cooked it, and served it with apple sauce (not the American version, but a runny paste of sorts) and greens. I also got to try several different kinds (flavors?) of curry w/ rice.
The biggest difference between Borough during the week and during the weekend is the crowd. It is not really that busy during the week, but on the weekends it gets packed. Sardines does not even begin to describe it.
Camden in general is what I imagine southside Chicago to be like if you could not get brutally murdered. I saw more drug paraphernalia than anywhere else I have ever been. This market, unlike Borough Market, does not specialize in food but material goods. Hipsters, Hipees, and Goths would really like this market. There were several shops selling vintage clothing, and many others selling things like Fake-Beats, pipes, mugs, shirts, and electronics. I actually got my wallet here. I was able to haggle the merchant down 5 quid.
Be prepared for another packed experience. It thinned out near the late evening, but was very populated the day we visited.
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
BES Week 5
- I hate tourists and children on the Tube. They talk so loudly and just wander around. Sir...I have places to be!! Victoria is hard enough to navigate without you obstructing the way.
- I had an interesting experience on Thursday. We went to the Stop Light Party at Tiger Tiger. First off, drinks are expensive and everyone needs to pay me back...I bought a round that cost 73.90. They did not tell me this until I had been served and people had consumed the drinks. Then when Caroline and I left, we had to navigate the buses. We went to Victoria and then found out that we needed to go back the opposite way. Is there an easy way to figure out the bus routes?
- Stonehenge is pretty cool for about 10 mins. and then it loses its magic. I imagine that it would be pretty cool on the Summer Solstice. It was pretty well timed with our religion class. Which made it a little better. We did get to see a druid though! She was clad in animal skins and had a wicked-looking staff. She was doing something that looked like paying respects to the dead.
- Bath was probably the most beautiful city I have ever seen. The color of the buildings were a soft yellow and they were all in Roman architecture. The Roman baths were very plain it seemed at first, but then one stepped into the museum and saw the expansive and comprehensive history of the Roman city. It was very eerie thinking that I was walking on the very ground that Constantine and Julius Caesar once tread. The city also had a nightlife all its own. There were pubs and bars that were buzzing with students and people. One thing that did surprise me was that all the shops close so early. Every shop was closed by 5:30. It was slightly irritating. I also had a full english breakfast at the YMCA. It was delightful! Yet another thing I can add to my 'Again' list.
- Avebury was a pretty interesting historical site. But there really was not a lot to see. The history of the stone circle was very educational and the stones were massive, but beyond that, not much to see. The Avebury Mansion however was VERY intruiging. I had a hay-day being able to touch everything in the time-weathered house. It was a theatrical designer goldmine! There were rooms from different periods throughout the house. My favorite was the Pre-WWI Billiards Room. It was decorated in animal heads and a real record player! It was the classic idea of a Pre WWI 'Man Cave'.
BES Week 4
- This week all the Americans showed their faces...it was the Superbowl! :) It felt good to watch American football again. The game was great. What was best of all was that I saw Brits there too and some of them went crazy! There was one that kept running around the tables and shouting obnoxiously.
- I had another amazing night with Anna and Megan. On Wednesday we were walking around Soho and then we saw the advertisement for Les Miserables. That is when we went to the ticket booth just to see if they had any seats lefts anywhere. The show had only started 5 mins ago and then they offered us 65 GBP tickets on the ground floor, nearer the stage than the back...for 26 GBP!! It was incredible!
- On my way to work, I heard an old guy shouting in an unintelligible english accent. He just kept talking on the bus. All I wanted was for him to STOP TALKING! It was so irritating.
- It was a pretty calm weekend, I didn't go anywhere. I stayed here at Woburn and met some other students studying here. There actually seems to be quite a few biology and business students residing here.
- I also went to Camden Market on Saturday and explored. It was fantastic. There were so many stores with everything from vintage clothing to antiques to cyber-wear to stores with bong gas masks! I haggled for a wallet to so that I could have a proper place to keep my IDs and money. It was only my first time in Camden, but it seemed to me that it was quite empty. I also tried to reach out and I got Chinese food...it was great! I can't wait to go back.
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