Good friends who convince their parents to let them travel all the way over to London for Thanksgiving.
An afternoon by myself spent at Westminster Abbey, admiring the unbelievable architecture and history of London.
Thanksgiving...with twenty friends and a Whole Foods feast, it was the second best thing to being home with the family.
Dancing to "Fight for this Love" at Punk with the besties.
Looking up at the Christmas lights while ice skating at the Natural History Museum
Our adventure at the Winter Wonderland festival in Hyde Park.... complete with bratwurst, mulled wine and churros.
The fact that even though I'm thousands of miles away, it's almost Christmas and everything is lit up in London...and I'LL BE HOME IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!
What a whirlwind weekend! I arrived home Monday morning from my final trip...to Amsterdam. It is so strange to think that my next flight will be my Delta flight to SFO. I have been flying so often I have mastered the art of packing the night before and have a separate set of toiletries all packed and ready to go.
Friday, after working on a million projects due to the Office Manager being out sick, I managed to get off at 3 in order to make it to the train station on time. I met Avery at the gate at Gatwick, and an hour later, we were landing in Amsterdam. I was immediately impressed by the cleanliness of the city-no trash in sight. We found our Stayokay hostel (located right near Vondelpark) and set off to find our Madrid friends, who had arrived the day before. Amsterdam is such a beautiful city-I know, I say that about everywhere I go, but Amsterdam stands out in terms of its quaint architecture and beautifully molded buildings. With its 100% tolerance stance and the clean sidewalks, it feels like some sort of weird utopia where everyone gets along and does what they please. We found ourselves in the middle of the "Red Light" district later in the evening, and found myself thinking it looked a lot like the Haight in San Francisco, minus the women in the lit up windows. It was such a culture shock to see clearly lit stores offering services deemed illegal in the majority of other countries. I finally got my fill of Chinese food at a wonderful take out restaurant, Wok to Walk. I plan on starting a franchise in Winston-Salem when I return.
Our breakfast the next morning reminded me of our Dutch au pairs....plain yogurt with granola and toast with chocolate flakes on top. First stop of the day was to the Van Gough museum. Quite an experience to see his work up close. I particularly loved the Iris painting, one of his most famous. Heineken's main factory is in the center of Amsterdam and located next to our hostel, so we took the tour there and learned how to correctly prepare a Heineken. The process of serving beer is an art, and they take it pretty seriously. Dad, I'll show you when I get home
Sunday morning was rainy and cold, so we decided to visit Anne Frank's house before it got busy. Well, apparently it's busy-all the time. It was a long wait but well worth it. I kept thinking about Keelin and our sophomore year production of Anne Frank. It was a very eerie feeling walking in the exact house where she stayed for almost two years. I continue to be amazed by the fact that 1 million people visit every year...she has quite a lasting legacy.
Sunday evening was spent on pins and needles anticipating the Tri-Delt slate (list of officers for the next year). I am very honored and excited to mention that I will be the new President for the 2010-2011 year.
Got home early Monday morning....luckily, I have a relaxing week to catch up and anticipate Catherine's arrival in London!!
After our whirlwind weekend Parisian getaway, I was ready for a relaxing week in London. Debra had other plans. It being her first trip to Europe, this meant we had to make the most out of our limited amount of days. Between my insane work schedule and her trip to Bath, we squeezed in a couple wonderful dinners before she left.
On Monday after my Advertising class, we tubed it to the Tower of London. I had heard rave reviews, and I was not disappointed. Our tour, led by an actual Beefeater in the Tower was incredible. In order to become a beefeater, you must fulfill a long list of requirements dictated by the Queen, including serving in the Army for at least ten years. Our guide was not only a master storyteller, but an expert historian on the Tower. Created as a fortress, the Tower has served many roles throughout Britain's history, most notably acting as a prison and torture chamber for the condemned at the hands of the monarchy. We saw the very spot where Anne Boylen was decapitated, as well as where they house the Royal Jewels. The Beefeaters live in the Tower year round to protect the jewels, and I understand why after seeing the biggest diamond in the world housed in the main tower. After seeing such amazing monuments in Paris, Italy and Madrid, I was proud of the Tower's history and the fact that I live here!
No visit to London would be complete without tea, so I made a reservation for tea at the Wolseley after our Tower tour. The Wolseley is an upscale tearoom recommended by a colleague at work. We decided on mint tea (with actual mint leaves, Moroccan style) and pumpkin soup as it was especially chilly out. I am going to have to adjust to a real "fall" in London...with a stop on the way home in Harrods, our British excursion was complete.
Quite possibly my best experience in London so far (it will be pretty difficult to top): LES MISERABLES. When I say there aren't any words to describe the feeling in the audience, I mean it. After years of listening to the music with Dad, I finally had the opportunity to experience it live. I think I cried for the majority of the three hour show. Seeing shows here in London has furthered my belief that theater is such a cathartic experience that we all should be lucky to experience often. An absolutely flawless performance.
A recap of my amazing, European life for the past two weeks:
Thursday night, MOM arrived in London! Seeing her at the Gloucester Road tube stop was surreal. We went out for Indian food and stopped off at our local pub, The Queen's Arms. Sitting in the back of the pub was the ideal way to start off her trip here, giving us plenty of time to catch up over a glass of London's best: Aspall cider.
I woke up early Friday morning to meet mom at the train station for our 9 am Eurostar train to PARIS. We noticed how much more organized Europe is regarding transportation. The Eurostar waiting area is very modern and sophisticated, much different than our lovely BART back at home. I am a convert of Eurostar after our 2 hour trip-it was incredibly comfortable and efficient. Before I knew it, we were pulling in to the Gare du Nord train station in Paris. Good thing I don't live in London permanently...because if I did, I would be in Paris every weekend.
I am very impressed with how well we did in terms of navigating the three days we spent in Paris. Although I can speak some French, we really needed to be on our game in order to figure out directions and transportation. We made it to our hotel, the lovely Hotel Familia in the St. Michel area, and made it out to find Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle. It was unbelievably freezing on Friday-NC and SF's weather doesn't normally require a coat. Surprisingly, the miserable weather didn't detract from the stunning views of the Seine as we walked down the cobblestone streets. Paris is everything people say and more, making it difficult to fully describe.
Notre Dame is one of the oldest churches in Paris and arguably the most famous. I can see why now: the stained glass circular windows, high beams and muted candlelight made it impossible not to love. We lit a candle for grandma Grace in one of the small alcoves with light streaming in from the outside. After a bit of misguided direction, we made it to Saint-Chapelle, a "gem of architecture built with the wishes of King Louis IX to house the relics of the Passion of the Christ." Although a large portion of the chapel is being restored, the upper chapel is breathtaking with its 15 stained glass windows that make the room glitter when the sun pours in. We spent quite a lot of time staring up, trying to interpret the different scenes in each window, before heading out for an authentic French dinner.
Our dinner, at a small bistro around the corner from our hotel, consisted of: Le carte fixte: les moules (mussels) le tortellini avec le fromage, la viande avec le jus poivre (steak with pepper sauce), et les patates de creme (creamed potatoes), followed by a " floating island" dessert. I was so relieved I knew how to order in French, as our waiter did not speak English whatsoever. It was definitely 'authentic'.
One of the many bistros we walked by, all lit up at night
We had many plans for Saturday-starting with the Eiffel Tower.We followed the path my friend Steph gave us, which led us to a spot at the Trocadero with an unbelievable look out of the city.
Getting there relatively early, we made it up the stairs to the first level by 10 am. So much of Paris is simply undescribable...the view from the Eiffel Tower being one of them. It was hard to believe I was actually in such a memorable icon of Paris. Even though it was slightly foggy, we still managed to be awestruck.
After barely making it down the hundreds of stairs, we crossed the street and began the walk toward the Champs-Elysees. We ran straight into the Arc de Triomphe, only to find it jam packed with plenty of tourists all struggling to get a clear shot. There is a hidden underground entrance that takes you to the middle of the Arc, which many hadn't figured out, causing them to run into the middle of traffic hoping they would make it to the center. I'll admit, it took us a while before we figured this out.
The Champs-Elysees reminded me of New York, with its imposing stores and outdoor cafes lining the street. It is a substantial walk from the Arc to the Jardin de Tuileries and the Louvre, but we did it, passing the Palais Royal along the way. Upon reaching the Louvre and seeing the winding line, we decided to return the next day. Mom had been told about the most amazing cafe called Angelina's on the Rue de Rivoli, which we found across from the Louvre. We patiently waited, only to be rewarded with a pot of steaming Chocolat Africain (which is literally thick, melted milk chocolate disguised as a drink) and a Monte-Blanc, an unbelievable pastry made of cream, meringue and hazelnut paste. Heaven.
Realizing we were exhausted and experiencing quite a sugar low, we made it back to the hotel for a nap. I attempted to make reservations for a restaurant many friends had told me about, but when I called and asked in English, I was told it was completely booked for the night. Discouraged, I had a thought and tried again, this time in French. Surprise, surprise, they now had a ten o'clock reservation. So, we agreed to go back to the Arc de Triomphe and climb to the top before heading over to Monmartre for dinner.
**My favorite moment of our trip** -standing on top of the Arc de Triomphe, looking down at the glittering Champs-Elysees with the hundreds of cars and blinking signs from every direction. No words. As we attempted to take it all in, the Eiffel Tower turned dark, and began to sparkle brilliantly. It was quite an experience, spending Halloween on the top of this monument, watching the Eiffel Tower light show with my mom. I cannot believe my luck, and have to keep reminding myself that this whole experience is REAL.
Coming off that high, mom and I took the subway to Monmartre, home of the Moulin Rouge and the infamous favorite Wake Forest restaurant, Les Refuges des Fondues. Monmartre is one of the more run-down areas of Paris, and it was no surprise to find quite a bizarre crowd there on Halloween night. Les Refuges des Fondues is the epitome of French insanity-it is a small, tucked away restaurant with wall to wall murals created by its diners. The walls were plastered with neon pink and green 'WFU Eurotour' and "Wake Forest Deacons' signs. Although we sat shoulder to shoulder with mostly all french folk, we had a comical night eating steak fondue and drinking 'chilled' red wine out of baby bottles.Why baby bottles? To avoid the French tax on wine that is served in glasses. Somehow we made it out by midnight and found our way back to the subway in the dark. Dad, you would have been proud. :)
Wanting to make the most out of our last day in such an amazing city, we woke up early, enjoyed our last free breakfast of cafe au lait and croissants, and strolled into the Louvre without any wait. I will say, the outside architecture of the Louvre impressed me much more than the actual inside. Although it was amazing to see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo with my own eyes, the masses of tourists detracted from the experience. Our one regret was passing up the Musee d'Orsay due to the long line. Instead, we found the famous cafe, Le deux Magots and the gorgeous La Duree bakery. Mom had been told about the shopping district of Marais, so we took the subway there and found some unbelievable stores, although somehow we managed to restrain our buying impulses. Lunch consisted of a lovely all you can eat brunch in Marais including: crepes, fresh fruit, quiche, eggs, bacon, cous cous, breaded chicken, etc.. absolutely wonderful. As it began to rain and our energy started to fade, we traveled back to the hotel and took the Eurostar home, absolutely exhausted but completely satisfied. I want to go back. I need to go back. Sometime in the near future.
I have decided that one of the best parts about studying abroad is getting the opportunity to visit friends in foreign cities. With almost half of my sorority going abroad, I knew there would be plenty of places to visit, but I had no idea how busy that would make me!
After a chaotic first week of work, I realized Wednesday night that I was leaving Friday afternoon for Madrid to visit Sam, my old roommate, Megan, my future roommate, Lindsay and Greta. I always thought that traveling required extensive planning beforehand, but I am learning to love spontaneous packing and no planned itinerary. Nontheless, travel is always stressful, and we are lucky enough to have such great friends help organize these weekends away.
Frannie, Avery, Ashley and I barely made it to the Gatwick Express in time as we all rushed to get there after work in the Friday afternoon tube traffic. Ryanair really is a godsend-although there is no reserved seating and you have to get there at least two hours early, it makes traveling to Madrid for the weekend a reasonable venture. Our flight left at 9 pm, so we spent the two hour flight keeping ourselves awake with our Ipod's and Diet Cokes. It is such a strange experience to leave London at night and be in a completely different city that same night...we were so excited to see our friends that we booked it through customs and successfully the metro line. I keep surprising myself with our ability to find the right transportation in every city we've visited.
I'm sure the Spaniards thought we were all insane as we jumped up and down upon re-uniting in the Metro station. A group of Spanish boys joined in on the group hug, yelling, "Rubia! Rubia!", which Greta later told me, means "Blondes! Blondes!" Apparently, there is a fascination with blonde haired women in Spain. It was a comical introduction to Spain. I could not stop smiling watching all of us together..i can't explain the feeling of hugging Sam in the middle of a foreign country. It's simply not expressable without being corny.
With Megan's expert help, we found our hostel that ended up being a couple blocks from the station (a huge benefit). They took us to a local bar where all the American students studying abroad congregate, and despite our fatigue, spent several hours catching up and trying something called "Panther Milk", which ingredients are a mystery to me. Madrid is completely different than London in terms of its nightlife-whereas in London, everyone goes out around 4 or 5 pm after work and leaves at 12 pm when the pubs close, the Spaniards eat dinner at 10 pm, go out at 12 pm, and stay out until 5 or 6 am. Insanity. That being said, we returned to the hostel at a reasonable hour in order to prepare for Saturday night's activities.
My wonderful sophomore year roomie and good friend Sam, had prepared an extensive itinerary that began with a visit to the beautiful Buen Retrio Pakr, which houses the Rose Garden and Crystal Palace. The amount of intricate fountains and manicured gardens was impressive. We strolled in the park and tried a Spanish tortilla, which is essentially an egg and potato omelet. It was a relaxing start to the day and gave us a chance to catch up with each other.
Sam and I in the Rose Garden
Monument to Alfonso XII
My favorite landmark in the park was the beautiful Crystal Palace, or Palacio de Cristal. It is a glass pavilion inspired by The Crystal Palace in London and built for the Philippine Islands Exhibitions. It reminded me of the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco.
"Las Rubias" in the Grotto
After a quick lunch, we made our way to the Reina Sophia Museum, one of the three most prestigious in the city. It houses mostly 20th century Spanish art, and although most of the art was abstract and difficult to understand, Sam explained several pieces of artwork which proved to be helpful.
Sculpture in the courtyard of the Reina Sophia
Paella for dinner, with patates bravas and my first taste of sangria followed our museum tour. Now having been to Italy and Madrid, I can say that the best part of both trips have been the walks throughout the cities. I saw so much different architecture, people and food, I felt as if I had been in Madrid for weeks. This is the way I like to travel-without a plan, map or itinerary, but rather, with a few friends and a gorgeous city to explore. Our night out was spent at Pancha, a massive dance club that stays open all night. We had a blast, as I usually do whenever there is dancing involved, and followed the masses to a local cafe where they serve churros and chocolate (cocoa).
Waking up at nine was rough, to say the least, but we had our bags packed and were out the hostel door by 10 for our last day in Madrid. We tried chicken durum kebabs for lunch, which are Megan's favorite, and walked around the Royal Palace. With a little time left, we hiked up to a park with stunning views of the city, and laid out on the grass. It was a perfect end to a weekend spent with close friends. This trip left me feeling slightly more homesick for Wake than I've been so far, but I am comforted by the fact that I am still loving it here, and am mostly eagerly anticipating their trip to London in December the week before we leave. It will be amazing to get to show them OUR city. :)
With another week of work, I need to catch up on my sleep....there just never seems to be enough time to do everything! But the next seven weeks are going to fly-
Next Wednesday-Mom arrives! Paris for the weekend
Nov. 13th- Amsterdam with Avery, Sam and Lindsay
Nov. 20th- US girls arrive!!!!
Nov. 26th- Thanksgiving-Need to learn how to cook a turkey
Dec. 4th- Madrid girls arrive
Dec. 12th-I come home
Dec. 14th-Sarah and Julie come to SF for my birthday
Now that I have returned from my mid-semester break in Italy and exams are over, the second half of my program is finally here! Boston University's London Program is split into two parts: the first five weeks I went to two classes from 9-1 Monday to Thursday. For the next eight weeks, I will be taking one class, Seminar in Advertising Strategy, on Mondays, and working as an intern at a firm appropriate to my major.
I started work last Tuesday at a small media PR firm here in London. Thanks to my summer internship last year, the office environment is not new to me, but the cultural differences are much more prevalent than expected. Every morning I arrive and read through all the daily newspapers (which I have had to research extensively in order to catch up on UK culture!). Everyone enjoys a cup of tea and biscuits before rushing off to our desks, which are arranged in specific way so we can discuss and bounce ideas between each other throughout the day. I am working on small projects that the account managers need help with, such as researching potential new business clients, making press cuttings from relevant newspaper articles, calling agents and journalists, and secretarial tasks such as binding, copying, and answering the phones. It has been quite an adjustment from the lecture environment I am used to, as I have never worked in a PR firm before. That being said, I can tell that interning will give me more cultural exposure than my classroom of american students, and I am excited to get to know everyone I work with.
The theory we learn in the classroom is not nearly as applicable as I would have thought. Success within the office tends to be more focused on applying practical knowledge about a company, product or individual. I am learning fast in order to keep up, but I am excited that the office is busy, potentially a sign of a better economy. Although I sometimes feel out of my league, I have learned that asking questions is better than messing up, and in general, most of my co-workers are incredibly friendly and willing to help me out.
Hi all,
Time seems to be escaping me here in London. I cannot believe it has been almost three weeks since I last wrote. I take this as a good sign-being that busy makes me feel energized and happy. Although the past three weeks have been a blur of trips, classes, work, and nights out, I find myself missing Wake and San Francisco. You can imagine how excited I was then for an early birthday present-my little sister Sarah and big sister Julie in Tridelt are coming to SF in December for my 21st BIRTHDAY!! I am absolutely ecstatic and eagerly anticipating our reunion.
After exams finally ended (only two which weren't two bad), Natasha, Calais and I left London at 5 am for Venice and Florence for a week. I was not enthused about our early wake-up, but we miraculously made it there with time for breakfast. We arrived safely and manuvered our way to our hostel and out to St. Mark's Square to meet up with Avery, Frannie, and Tonis, our lovely friend who is staying at Casa Artom on the Grand Canal in Venice. Venice was more amazing than I could have imagined-the pictures do not do it justice! Every building looked like something out of a fairytale. We had INCREDIBLE wine, pasta, pizza, bread and gelato everywhere we went....hard to imagine having that food around all the time! I discovered a new love of crema gelato and tried the most delicious tortellini. Amidst all the eating, we made it to St. Mark's Basilica which had breathtaking mosaic ceilings and ornate sculptures, took a gondola around the canals, and wandered throughout the shops before heading across the city to make it to the station in time for our train to Florence.
Our two hour train ride was a lovely break from all the walking....only to be surprised by Louisa, who met us at the station in Florence. She is another close Tridelt friend from Wake, and it was so wonderful to see her face among all strangers. I am amazed at all of our friends' ability to adjust to a foreign language and city-it makes London seem like New York or San Francisco in terms of cultural differences.
We found a reasonable apartment right in central Florence that needed after our communal bathroom experience in Venice. Walking down the street with my eight friends and the lit up Ponte Vecchio in the background, I realized just how many once in a lifetime moments I've had the past month.
The following night our group stumbled upon a bar with American music-which was what everyone wanted. In true Wake Forest srat style, we rocked out for hours, explaining to the DJ that we needed some more Rihanna, Annie Lennox and JLo in an attempt to feel more at home. The next morning we strolled the Mercado Centrale and found lots of trinkets and insanely cheap pashimas in every stall. Heaven. After a lunch of fresh tomatoes, sweet peaches, and tortellini, we reconvened to head out for our wine tour.
Best part of my trip this far-Lousia managed to find us a reasonable trip into Tuscany for a tour of the area and wine tasting at one of the local wineries. Our guide, Massimo, pointed out all the landmarks and drove us up high where we could see the gorgeous landscape and setting sun. Casa Emma was a smaller, family business winery that continues to grow and harvest their grapes by hand in order to preserve the taste of wine. We learned how wine is made and sampled several types of Chianti, the wine famous in the area. It was informative and I feel much more competent to understand wine after our lesson!
Saying goodbye to our friends from Florence was hard, but we are all anticipating their trip to London in November. Our trip home tok forever but we finally made it back in time to shower and get to bed before class the next morning.
Monday night, I met up with three Sigma Pi's from Wake who are studying in Barcelona. It is SO incredible to see familiar faces here in London-I am counting down the days until Mom and Catherine get here! It makes my living here seem more of a reality..not sure why.
As classes come to an end this week, I have been dreading writing my two serious papers due this Friday. Classes here have been a big change-although I am not doing nearly as much work as compared to Wake, I feel like I am absorbing more information from my lectures. This is probably because I finally have found actual public relations and broadcasting classes!
I spent the majority of the week working on my public relations report on the Cadbury organization. Eight pages later, I feel like I have a better idea of how PR is situated in corporations and its behind the scenes influence. Everywhere I go, I am reminded by material covered in class. Something as simple as a Stella ad makes me think of CSR and corporate branding. I am taking that as a good sign.
Luckily, amidst all the work, I had something to look forward to this week.The Corrigans gave me the most amazing going-away present ...BILLY ELLIOTT tickets! A night out at a musical is my idea of a perfect evening, and I was so glad I could invite my roomie Devon to come with me after our night at the Globe. After arriving two hours early to make sure we got our tickets (I told you I would, George!), we went to dinner at an Italian restaurant. As we walked into the theater, I literally got a chill realizing how amazing my life is in this city. I am finally experiencing a city on my own terms, and it.is.incredible.
The inside of the theater was stunning...with beautiful intricate molding and mahogany seats, it felt like a trip back in time. Just when Devon and I thought it couldn't get any better, we found our seats. 4th row, two in, so close to to the stage I could see the wires and the feet of the actors under the curtain. There are no words to describe the moment...we spent the minutes before the show speechless.
The inside of the Victoria Palace Theater
Devon and I
And then then the lights dimmed and I remembered that comforting, exhilarating feeling of being in the theater. Sitting in the Victoria Palace Theater sent me back to high school nights spent in the dark of Wiegand, practicing endless amounts of lines and yet incredibly content. How lucky I am to be able to experience such a feeling every time I walk into a theater. Theater=as good as it gets for me.
I wish I was more eloquent to describe the show itself. The moving, thought-provoking and entrancing story and choreography stunned me into silence. I teared up- watching Billy reading the letter from his mother. During the opening notes of "Solidarity." His final audition piece. Watching this boy perform ballet, gymnastics, tap, all while acting and singing for three hours made me realize how many talented people there are that want to give their talent to an audience. It was incredibly humbling.
This is what I cannot possibly explain via email, skype, or even in person when I get home. That indescribable feeling of satisfaction and amazement that continues to grow every chance I get to experience this city. Thank you, Jane and George, for an evening full of excitement and pure happiness. :)
It has been an INCREDIBLE week and finally, I have a moment to sit down and update you all now that it is Sunday, although Dirty Dancing is on TV. :) Have I mentioned how badly I miss American television and movies? I am looking forward to returning to Entourage, Brothers and Sisters and Lost when I get home in December.
The week got off to an amazing start on Tuesday, when Devon surprised me with an invitation to a performance of "As You Like It" at the Globe Theater. For those who aren’t theater nerds like myself, it is THE theater to visit. I was absolutely ecstatic. We took the tube being the experienced travelers that we are, and walked along the Thames, passing by the Tate Modern and Parliament. We have had nothing but sunny skies and breathtaking sunsets the past several days, and I hope this amazing weather lasts for a while.
The view of the stage from our incredible seats Posing in front of the Globe model
I got chills walking into the Globe-even though the original building was burned down by a fire, Sam Wanamaker reconstructed the theater in 1970, and it is almost identical. We had the best seats in the house, high up above the groundlings, where people can stand and watch for five pounds. Devon and I sat in awe for the entirety of the three hour show, completely enraptured by the beautiful setting and inspiring performances. I miss being in the theater so much every time I see a show, but I am so glad Devon invited me for such a special night out! After the performance, we walked over to Piccadilly Square and met up with our college friends at The Sports Cafe, a glorified American bar that every abroad student goes on College Night Thursdays. It is always nice to see familiar faces and hear "Walking on Broken Glass" with football on the tv screens in the background.
Thursday morning I woke up early at seven to get to the tube by 9:30 for my field trip. My PR class went to....guess....Cadbury World!? We are currently discussing issues and crisis management, and Cadbury is an example of a UK company that has struggled with crisis management following the salmonella crisis. Elizabeth and I took the tube to Marylebone station, where we met our class and took the 2 hour train ride to Birmingham. From there, we took another train to the Cadbury stop-it was a very long day! Cadbury World was the most random and fun place I have been to...we got to taste new products, travel through time in an interactive ride, and watch them make chocolate shoes. I obviously left with a pound of Cadbury Daily Milk. I couldn't possibly pass up the discounted price! Yum.
Alison, Elizabeth and I at our incredible PR field trip
Racing back to London, I barely had time to make a light dinner and get dressed before running out to meet some new British friends at the Imperial College pub, right around the corner from the Crofton. The pub is part of the UK college, and we've enjoyed going there not only because they have a great outdoor seating area, but because there are a lot of friendly British students! Although a pint of Guinness or Fosters is always a good choice at the pubs, I particularly like Bulmer's pear cider. :) It is so interesting to experience the drinking culture here-it is so much more relaxed, as people tend to go out for a pint or a cider after work and stroll home around five.
Around 10:30, Afton called to say she was at the tube station!! She is a close Wake friend who is absolutely brilliant and is studying in Rome before her trek to Tanzania...yes, she is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. She's amazing. We both teared up seeing each other in the tube station. It is such a great feeling to be re-united again, but instead of at Wake, in this wonderful city. I can’t believe how lucky I am that she came to stay.
We woke up bright and early and set out to see the sights, which I could do because I don't have class on Fridays. I felt like a real Londoner, showing her Big Ben, Parliament, and the river before we strolled over to Trafalgar Square and toured the National Gallery. The day flew by, and before we knew it, we were meeting Mike and Zach (two Sigma Pi buddies from Wake Forest) in Piccadilly Square. It felt so nice to be with Wake friends, even if just for the day. The four of us had a blast visiting the Notting Hill market and stopping in for cupcakes at Hummingbird. This is now my second visit, but I couldn't let Afton leave without a red velvet cupcake. I think Mike and Zach loved them just as much.
Afton and I in front of Parliament
My favorite part was the end of the day, when we wandered into Hyde Park with Bulmer's cider and sat out on the lawn next to the Albert Memorial. Laying out and laughing with the three of them, I realized how incredibly happy I am, and how lucky we are to get to experience the freedom and beauty of a foreign country. I think I am developing a love affair with this city....
After a quick nap for me and a run for Afton, we headed out to Brick Lane to meet Javin (another Wake alum) for an authentic Indian meal. Brick Lane is known for having the best Indian food in the city, and we were not disappointed. I tried so many different dishes, including Tikka Masala, Tandoori Butter Chicken (my favorite), naan, and a sweet lassi drink. I now have a mild obsession with Indian...we'll be going back soon.
Devon, as usual, summed up the past week: "we have it pretty good at the moment." I couldn't agree more. I am so glad that I am spending time here in London on the weekends before I start traveling…it is such a diverse, thrilling place and I could not be more shocked that it has been a MONTH. Time is going way to fast and I don't want to miss a thing, so more soon!
Classes end on Thursday and then we have exams next week...two papers due and Billy Elliott on Wednesday, so it looks like another jam packed week for me. Missing you all.
