Today we did Madame Tussauds (which was fun except for the lines), The British Museum (the most exciting parts for me were the Egyptian exhibit and the Rosetta Stone), and The London Dungeon (super cheesy but still fun). Andddd I had wonderful fettucine alfredo for dinner, I'd missed it. Overall another great day in London.
Pictures from today!
Sunday 27 July 2008
Saturday 26 July 2008
Brighton
So today we spent the whole day in Brighton. It's on the south coast of England and by far my favorite place that I've visited so far since I've been here. The weather was perfect, sunny and around 80, and it was the best day I've had all summer.
We went straight to the beach from the train station... I think I prefer sand beaches to pebble beaches (yes, even with how much I hate sand) because the rocks hurt my feet. We lay in the sun for a couple hours, which was fabulous because I am finally not incredibly pale. We ate lunch at a restaurant on the beach (I had macaroni and cheese, random but amazing) and then walked to Brighton Pier. We rode several rides (a couple roller coasters, a log flume, a haunted house... yes I kept my eyes closed... and a really incredibly tall one you can see in my pictures called the Booster.) The Booster was SO tall-- I've never been scared on a ride before... until that. We had to sit at the top while they were loading the rest of the passengers and it was ridiculously scary. Once the ride started going, though, it was a huge rush and a beautiful view of all of Brighton. After getting ice cream (wonderful) we went back to the beach for a couple hours before coming home. Overall it was an amazingly relaxing and fun day... I want to go back. It was definitely the boost I needed to make it through these last two weeks in busy, crowded, dirty London (even though I love it).
Tomorrow we're going to Madame Tussauds, The British Museum, and The London Dungeon. Best weekend so far? I think so.
Here's the link to my album from Brighton: pictures.
I promise I will get around to posting pictures from Dublin sometime soon!
We went straight to the beach from the train station... I think I prefer sand beaches to pebble beaches (yes, even with how much I hate sand) because the rocks hurt my feet. We lay in the sun for a couple hours, which was fabulous because I am finally not incredibly pale. We ate lunch at a restaurant on the beach (I had macaroni and cheese, random but amazing) and then walked to Brighton Pier. We rode several rides (a couple roller coasters, a log flume, a haunted house... yes I kept my eyes closed... and a really incredibly tall one you can see in my pictures called the Booster.) The Booster was SO tall-- I've never been scared on a ride before... until that. We had to sit at the top while they were loading the rest of the passengers and it was ridiculously scary. Once the ride started going, though, it was a huge rush and a beautiful view of all of Brighton. After getting ice cream (wonderful) we went back to the beach for a couple hours before coming home. Overall it was an amazingly relaxing and fun day... I want to go back. It was definitely the boost I needed to make it through these last two weeks in busy, crowded, dirty London (even though I love it).
Tomorrow we're going to Madame Tussauds, The British Museum, and The London Dungeon. Best weekend so far? I think so.
Here's the link to my album from Brighton: pictures.
I promise I will get around to posting pictures from Dublin sometime soon!
Wednesday 23 July 2008
Nothing in Particular
So today after work I went to some London Harry Potter filming locations (Gringotts, Kings Cross Station, 12 Grimmauld Place, etc.) and it was awesome.
Today I really miss Madam, mexican food, and home in general. It's nice to know that I'll be home soon.
I had the afternoon of yesterday and I went to the Tower of London. I got to see where Ann Boleyn was jailed, executed, and buried, along with a lot of other important people (Catherine Howard, Sir Walter Raleigh, etc.). I took one of the free guided Yeoman Warder tours, which was really historically informative and entertaining. It's probably been one of my favorite sightseeing places in London.
Afterward I went by Westminster Cathedral, a lot less well-known than Westminster Abbey but still gorgeous.
This weekend is going to be great. Saturday we're spending the day in Brighton Beach (there's a pier and restaurants and I don't know what else) and Sunday we're having a whole day packed of London sightseeing: The British Museum, Madame Tussauds, and The London Dungeon (an amusement park with attractions like Sweeney Todd, Jack the Ripper, and the Great London Fire). super exciting.
Today I really miss Madam, mexican food, and home in general. It's nice to know that I'll be home soon.
I had the afternoon of yesterday and I went to the Tower of London. I got to see where Ann Boleyn was jailed, executed, and buried, along with a lot of other important people (Catherine Howard, Sir Walter Raleigh, etc.). I took one of the free guided Yeoman Warder tours, which was really historically informative and entertaining. It's probably been one of my favorite sightseeing places in London.
Afterward I went by Westminster Cathedral, a lot less well-known than Westminster Abbey but still gorgeous.
This weekend is going to be great. Saturday we're spending the day in Brighton Beach (there's a pier and restaurants and I don't know what else) and Sunday we're having a whole day packed of London sightseeing: The British Museum, Madame Tussauds, and The London Dungeon (an amusement park with attractions like Sweeney Todd, Jack the Ripper, and the Great London Fire). super exciting.
Monday 21 July 2008
Wednesday 16 July 2008
Paris
Paris was AMAZING. We took a Eurostar train through the tunnel and it was only like 2 hours from London. We had a bus tour of all the important sites and had lunch in a traditional French restaurant (I had quiche) then checked into our hotel, which was super nice. We even had a view of the Eiffel Tower from our window. Right after we got settled we went straight to the Eiffel Tower. It was 12 Euro to take the lift (elevator) to the top, and the view was absolutely as breathtaking as you could imagine. We also saw the Arc de Triomphe that afternoon. That night, we went to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up (it was blue!) and it sparkles for ten minutes every hour on the hour, and it was so so pretty.
The next morning we took a boat down the Seine that drops you off at the main monuments and places. We went to Notre Dame, and the inside was the most amazing thing I've seen so far on this trip. For lunch I had the best cheese pizza I've ever had in my entire life, ever, then we got back on the boat and got off at the Louvre. We saw all the big works (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Sphinx, Winged Victory) and the building itself was gorgeous. We had to rush, but it was totally worth it. We took the train home (and I read Harry Potter the whole way) and I went right to sleep. Overall it was a great weekend, even though Paris isn't my favorite city in the world, but I'm definitely glad to be back in London.
I'll be posting pictures from this weekend in the next few days!
And, I'm going to Dublin this weekend, yay.
The next morning we took a boat down the Seine that drops you off at the main monuments and places. We went to Notre Dame, and the inside was the most amazing thing I've seen so far on this trip. For lunch I had the best cheese pizza I've ever had in my entire life, ever, then we got back on the boat and got off at the Louvre. We saw all the big works (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Sphinx, Winged Victory) and the building itself was gorgeous. We had to rush, but it was totally worth it. We took the train home (and I read Harry Potter the whole way) and I went right to sleep. Overall it was a great weekend, even though Paris isn't my favorite city in the world, but I'm definitely glad to be back in London.
I'll be posting pictures from this weekend in the next few days!
And, I'm going to Dublin this weekend, yay.
Sunday 13 July 2008
Back from Paris
So, I just got home from Paris. It was amazing, and that's all I have the energy to say about it. I'll write more later.
Monday 7 July 2008
Oxford
Oxford was absolutely amazing. Look at the second photo album on the last entry for pictures.
We saw SO much Harry Potter amazingness... it was wonderful. At The New College, we saw two courtyards where parts of the movies and at Christ Church College, we saw the Great Hall (!) and a staircase featured in the first movie.
The town of Oxford as a whole was really pretty and really old. We saw a tower that was a thousand years old... crazy.
Today was incredibly rainy in London, and the forecast says it will rain for most of the week. Tonight we saw Avenue Q, a play in the West End, and it was absolutely hilarious; I liked it even more than Spamalot. The only play I plan to see that I haven't already is Wicked.
Upcoming exciting events:
Tuesday- seminar for our Paris trip this weekend!
Thursday- group trip to see Mamma Mia! (the movie)
Saturday/Sunday- PARIS!!!!!!!
Monday- going to Shakespeare's Globe to see A Midsummer Night's Dream
In other words, London is amazing and I'm so glad I'm utilizing my time here so I can see and do as much as possible.
We saw SO much Harry Potter amazingness... it was wonderful. At The New College, we saw two courtyards where parts of the movies and at Christ Church College, we saw the Great Hall (!) and a staircase featured in the first movie.
The town of Oxford as a whole was really pretty and really old. We saw a tower that was a thousand years old... crazy.
Today was incredibly rainy in London, and the forecast says it will rain for most of the week. Tonight we saw Avenue Q, a play in the West End, and it was absolutely hilarious; I liked it even more than Spamalot. The only play I plan to see that I haven't already is Wicked.
Upcoming exciting events:
Tuesday- seminar for our Paris trip this weekend!
Thursday- group trip to see Mamma Mia! (the movie)
Saturday/Sunday- PARIS!!!!!!!
Monday- going to Shakespeare's Globe to see A Midsummer Night's Dream
In other words, London is amazing and I'm so glad I'm utilizing my time here so I can see and do as much as possible.
Sunday 6 July 2008
Pictures
I will write about this weekend when I'm not so exhausted. But here are two photo albums, one from this whole trip and one from this weekend in Oxford where we saw all of the Harry Potter filming sites.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006372&l=a0763&id=1395090091
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006586&l=f30f0&id=1395090091
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006372&l=a0763&id=1395090091
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006586&l=f30f0&id=1395090091
Saturday 5 July 2008
London Wonderfulness
Thursday was GREAT. I had the entire afternoon off to go to galleries; I went to Tate Modern and the Hayward Gallery, which had an amazing exhibit called Art Meets Architecture. That night we went to see Spamalot, which was so incredibly funny.
I had all day Friday off to go to galleries. I went to The Photographers Gallery (which was okay), The National Portrait Gallery (which was great), and the Barbican Art Gallery which had a Viktor and Rolf fashion exhibit that was absolutely ridiculously amazing. Friday night we went to a restaurant that had a 4th of July celebration, and all the Americans sang the Star Spangled Banner as loud as possible at one point and it was wonderful.
Today, I spent the entire afternoon at the London Zoo. We saw all the typical zoo animals (zebra, giraffes, camels, meerkats, penguins, etc.) PLUS the Reptile House, where Harry Potter learned how to talk to snakes... amazing. This evening we went out to dinner with the program at a really nice restaurant.
Tomorrow, we're spending the day in Oxford where we'll see some amazing historical sites (Oxford Divinity School, etc.) and wonderful Harry Potter filming locations.
Back to work Monday, but Monday night, my roommate and I are planning to go see the play Avenue Q. So exciting!
I had all day Friday off to go to galleries. I went to The Photographers Gallery (which was okay), The National Portrait Gallery (which was great), and the Barbican Art Gallery which had a Viktor and Rolf fashion exhibit that was absolutely ridiculously amazing. Friday night we went to a restaurant that had a 4th of July celebration, and all the Americans sang the Star Spangled Banner as loud as possible at one point and it was wonderful.
Today, I spent the entire afternoon at the London Zoo. We saw all the typical zoo animals (zebra, giraffes, camels, meerkats, penguins, etc.) PLUS the Reptile House, where Harry Potter learned how to talk to snakes... amazing. This evening we went out to dinner with the program at a really nice restaurant.
Tomorrow, we're spending the day in Oxford where we'll see some amazing historical sites (Oxford Divinity School, etc.) and wonderful Harry Potter filming locations.
Back to work Monday, but Monday night, my roommate and I are planning to go see the play Avenue Q. So exciting!
Tuesday 1 July 2008
Exciting News
So, although things at my office have been a little disappointing so far, I have a wonderful opportunity tomorrow. Patricia suggested that I go visit the photography galleries in London-- at the company's expense. I'll have the whole afternoon to visit places like Tate Modern (http://tate.org.uk/modern) and Proud Galleries (www.proudgalleries.co.uk) and see some amazing photography exhibits. I couldn't be more excited.
In other news, I did laundry for the first time this evening (yuck) and today was the "hottest day of the year" in London, a whopping 77 degrees Fahrenheit. What a joke.
Yesterday, I got off work even earlier than usual and went to Westminster Abbey. It was 9 pounds for students, and it was worth every bit of it. They have a free audio tour, which I did, and everything was so beautiful (especially the ceiling). As you all probably know, Westminster has held the funerals of many important people (most notably Diana Princess of Wales and Queen Elizabeth), and it has been the site of the coronation of every British monarch since like 1500. It also holds the tombs of many important British royals (Mary Queen of Scots, King Henry VII, etc.) as well as other famous people (Geoffrey Chaucer, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, The Unknown Warrior, etc.). It was absolutely amazing and the postcards don't do it justice-- I had to buy some, though, since photography isn't permitted inside.
Also, my program has decided to sponsor a trip to Oxford by charter bus this Sunday for only 15 pounds which means we can do our own Harry Potter tour for much cheaper! We'll be seeing everything we would have seen on the tour, but for a lot less money and at our own pace. I can't wait. Saturday afternoon, we're going to visit the filming locations for Harry Potter in London (King's Cross Station, The London Zoo, etc.). Yay for saving money slash Harry Potter amazingness!
Tonight I'm going to take advantage of the warm weather and go take some night shots of Big Ben and Parliament.
In other news, I did laundry for the first time this evening (yuck) and today was the "hottest day of the year" in London, a whopping 77 degrees Fahrenheit. What a joke.
Yesterday, I got off work even earlier than usual and went to Westminster Abbey. It was 9 pounds for students, and it was worth every bit of it. They have a free audio tour, which I did, and everything was so beautiful (especially the ceiling). As you all probably know, Westminster has held the funerals of many important people (most notably Diana Princess of Wales and Queen Elizabeth), and it has been the site of the coronation of every British monarch since like 1500. It also holds the tombs of many important British royals (Mary Queen of Scots, King Henry VII, etc.) as well as other famous people (Geoffrey Chaucer, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, The Unknown Warrior, etc.). It was absolutely amazing and the postcards don't do it justice-- I had to buy some, though, since photography isn't permitted inside.
Also, my program has decided to sponsor a trip to Oxford by charter bus this Sunday for only 15 pounds which means we can do our own Harry Potter tour for much cheaper! We'll be seeing everything we would have seen on the tour, but for a lot less money and at our own pace. I can't wait. Saturday afternoon, we're going to visit the filming locations for Harry Potter in London (King's Cross Station, The London Zoo, etc.). Yay for saving money slash Harry Potter amazingness!
Tonight I'm going to take advantage of the warm weather and go take some night shots of Big Ben and Parliament.
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