Spring Break Part 2: Paris!

After a fantastic (and far too short) trip to Switzerland, the five of us reluctantly (or at least I was quite sad to leave) got on the first of two trains to Paris, France. I think it's funny, because before going on spring break if someone had asked me where I was more excited to go I would have answered Paris in a second. It's probably because I've really known about Paris for most of my life - from the Madeline series to Midnight in Paris, in some way it has always been there. I've always been a city girl (I mean hey, I've been to New York seven times... That's saying something!) But then when we were in Switzerland I realized just how amazing and beautiful natural landscape truly can be. Looking back I wish we could have spent an extra day hiking in Switzerland, but this just gives me all the more reason to travel either back to the Alps, or to make use of the Rockies in the US.

Expressing my excitement.

But anyway, it's not that I didn't like Paris! I definitely liked Paris. After our six hour train ride (I love Europe, and trains! You can see so much!), we met one of the hostel people at a nearby train station and got our keys. He took us to the hostel, which was actually an apartment being leased as a room for the hostel company. I was a little weirded out because the five of us were sleeping in the living room on triple bunks, and there were more people we didn't know in the actual bedroom. And the eight people total had to share one bathroom. I had read on the internet that the hostel supposedly had pretty good views, and when we looked out our window in the living room if you really pressed yourself up against it, you could just see the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It was pretty awesome because even though it was far away it is lit up at night, and it sparkles! So once we saw that, we decided to actually go down to it! That made me more excited to be in Paris again. I think I was just overwhelmed from going from such a quiet village to a loud city again.

So luckily one of the girls I was traveling with spent a month in Paris last summer, so she was our go-to directions girl. She got us to the Eiffel Tower in one piece and it was just as cool as I expected! Especially all lit up like that. And it also sparkles every hour for ten minutes, which is even cooler. Our last full day in Paris I went up in the tower, but it was pretty foggy so I never really did get to see it clearly in the daylight.

The next day we went to a patisserie for breakfast, and I got quiche. It was delicious! After that we went over to Notre Dame. That was so. awesome. And I have to say, Disney did a fantastic job animating the cathedral. It looked just the same in person as it did in Hunchback. We went up to the top, and I saw gargoyles, random graffiti on the top of the tower, and one of the bells!

One of the gargoyles looking over the city

After our climb to the top of Notre Dame, we went over to Shakespeare and Company Bookstore. This place now rivals The Strand on my list of favorite bookstores. It wasn't huge, but crammed to the brim with books of all styles. They had a floor-to-ceiling shelf of Shakespeare plays, of course, and of course a large fiction selection. But there were also large poetry, cooking, history, play, mystery, science fiction, and childrens sections - you name it, the bookstore probably had it. Pictures weren't allowed, but has that ever stopped me?

I mean LOOK at this place! I could have spent all day here.

In the second floor of the bookstore they had a room which had a bed and a piano in it. I'm guessing people can sleep up there, though I'm not really sure why? There was also another room with a typewriter in it, which was known as the 'library room'. There was a large collection of books donated by a patron which could be read in the store but not taken out. I didn't look too closely at them but there seemed to be a nice selection.

I went back to Shakespeare and Company the last full day we were in Paris, and bought a couple of more books. (Sorry parents, I told myself I'd stop after this. I really will! I swear!) So I now have a little mini collection of my own. I bought a copy of Shakespeare's sonnets, so now I have Shakespeare from Shakespeare and Company! Hehe! I think the bookstore was probably my favorite part of Paris.

My other favorite part (because I love this movie) was when I went on a self-guided Midnight in Paris tour. But before my little tour I first went to the Musée d'Orsay. I don't consider myself an art aficionado by any means, but I do really love impressionism. Monet, Renoir, Manet, Pissaro, Sisley, Degas - they were all at this museum. Of course Van Gogh as well and Seurat as well. It was so fun to walk around and find paintings that I recognized.

Voilá!

I then hopped on a random metro train (I know, probably a bad idea in hindsight) and kind of felt like Gil in Midnight in Paris. I was on the hunt for the church steps where he first was taken back in time, and after closely following the map (who needs the maps app?) I found them!

I didn't end up going back in time - much to my dismay - but walked down the street and just took it all in. It was just as cool as I expected. There were a lot of little alleys and side streets, so I could easily see why this location was picked. It could have been so easy to get lost!

I went and walked around by Notre Dame again, and went to a few stands near there. I got a water-color painting of the Eiffel Tower, and looked at some old antique books. Most were in French, but it was still fun to look at.

After writing about Paris, I think I actually liked it more than I realized. It was a fun city, big, but not overly so. I think I would go back again someday! Au revoir!

Spring Break 2012 Part 1: MOUNTAINS!!

I have to ask, how has this much time already passed? It seems like yesterday that I was coming off the plane in Heathrow, not really sure as to what time/day it was. Now I'm sitting on my bed in my flat that first felt like a weird hotel-camp hybrid, and now feels like home. Spring break has come and gone, and what a trip it was.

After a lovely 4:15AM wakeup call on the first day of our trip, the five of us Spring Break travelers were off to Gatwick Airport. Transportation to Switzerland included a cab to the train station, a train to the airport, and then finally the plane to Zurich. After that was another train to Interlaken, so needless to say by the end of that first day I think all of us were asleep by 10PM. Never in my life did I honestly think I would set foot in the Swiss Alps. Basically after ten minutes of hiking, I was hooked. The mountains were beautiful, the best of the best. They were pointy, snow covered, and monstrous. I could not hide my excitement, as noted in this picture:

How was this real life?!

The hike we took the first day was only supposed to be a small hike around a surrounding village, but it turned into a hike half way up one of the mountains. It was worth every almost (and actual) slip and mud stains that coated the bottoms of my pant-legs and tennis shoes. The weather could not have been better. Blue skies, and mild temperatures. We spent both days outside, which was wonderful. The first afternoon we went down to one of the lakes near Interlaken, and just sat and enjoyed.

 

The next day we went hiking higher up in the mountains. We took a tram up, which kind of felt like a roller coaster. The view from up in the mountains was different, but just as amazing. We went on an hour long hike from the tram stop to a small touristy village where we ate lunch at a place called the Edelweiss Cafe. We sat outside (loved the nice weather!) and had an awesome view of the mountains:

It was pretty much a straight drop down right after this safety bar! It was a little unnerving, especially because I had the seat closest to the railing. The rest of the day was spent hiking around the area, and taking in the sights. There were lots of little cabins around, which I think would be a fun place to go back and stay.

Overall I would say Switzerland was my favorite place we went over break. It was relaxing, beautiful, and just what I needed in a spring break. Basically, the one thing I have to say for this whole trip is, "I love mountains!!!"

The Day of Acceptable Celebrity Stalking (aka the BAFTA Awards)

Today I went to the BAFTA red carpet (The British Academy of Film and Television Awards). I am still a little in shock, because today will be an experience I don't think I will ever forget.

The whole idea of even going to the BAFTA red carpet started a couple of weeks ago, when two girls from my program and I went to a movie and saw a preview for the BAFTAs. My friend and I kind of joked about going to the actual ceremony, because we thought maybe we could get tickets. I looked it up, and saw that tickets were not available to the public, but the red carpet was open for all. So we and another friend decided to go.

As we did more research, we realized that you needed a wristband to get into the red carpet area, and those were handed out at 8am on the morning of the ceremony. I knew that if this was anything like the SNL line, people would be waiting at least a night in advance. Turns out, we were right. We at first were planning on going down there after our trip to Cambridge at 10pm last night, but decided against that once the idea of sitting in the freezing cold became more real. So we compromised, and decided to get there at 5.

Us and our early morning line buddies!

After a 4:30 wake-up this morning, we taxied out there and found a decent sized, but not massive line. We were numbers 197, 98, and 99, and after seeing the amount of people smashed into the pens today, I'm glad we were so low in the cue. We managed to get right up next to the barrier!! It was a little smooshed, and there was a group of guys next to us who I'm pretty sure were just paparazzi in disguise, because they had a giant binder of posters of all the different nominees that they kept shoving over my head. They also booed Michelle Williams when her handler person ushered her away and wouldn't let her sign any more autographs. That was kind of mean.

So we waited from about 1:00 to 4:45, when the first guests started to arrive. At first it was a lot of normal looking people, but then the big names started to arrive. First up was the cast of The Help, including Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Jessica Chastain. Viola Davis signed a few autographs, Octavia Spencer signed quite a lot (sadly didn't get all the way over to us) but Jessica Chastain was the sweetest! She went up and down the line, taking pictures with anyone who asked. Including me! I look horrendous (getting up at 4:30 am and being outside for half the day doesn't do wonders for the appearance) but here it is anyway:

 

So cool!! 

After that, things really picked up. It was a big change from the early afternoon when the area looked like this:

Then changed to this:

It was really cool to see all the work that goes into creating the magic. The carpet itself is pretty basic, not too plush looking and just sprayed onto the concrete. One of the workers cut out a piece for us and we split it into three pieces, so now I have my own piece of red carpet! I also was surprised as to how unglamorous the walk the stars took was. They all looked amazing (although pretty cold) but the area around was a lot of scaffolding and people walking around with walkie-talkies and orange lanyards. 

I think my favorite part of the night was getting to meet the infamous George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Both men are a little older now, but still incredibly sexy. I already had a thing for Clooney, but Brad Pitt has grown on me after tonight. His voice is very nice to listen to, during the little we talked. I said "Hi" to both of them and then just laughed. Sounds about right.

I also (only from far, far away) got to see Jon Hamm. Call me weird, but I am pretty much obsessed with him. It's probably good that he was on the other side of the carpet, other wise I think I would have jumped over the gates and into his arms. Probably wouldn't have been looked very highly upon. I saw another Mad Men star, Christina Hendricks. She is seriously so awesome. And of course Meryl Streep, the classiest lady around. So with that and about fifty other celebrities, I'd say my night was pretty successful.

Portobello Road: The Market of Nostalgia, Crepes, and Cute Puppies.

Over the course of my semester here, I have been to several markets. Covent Garden, Camden, Greenwich, and now Portobello Market. Covent Garden was probably the most ritzy, Camden the most eclectic, and Greenwich the most like State Street if it were a collection of different booths all under one roof. Out of all of these, I think my favorite has been Camden. But Portobello Market was an experience all its own.

February's temperatures seem to be colder than January's, and last Saturday was no exception. A group of us girls decided to take a trip to Portobello Market, which is located in the area known as Notting Hill.

Here is the neighborhood in the movie titled Notting Hill. Isn't Hugh Grant just the cutest?

My experience on Portobello Road was fun even with the chilly temperatures, and I enjoyed perusing through the little shops and stands all along the road. I didn't reach the end, but know I will definitely be going back again.

The thing I like most about Portobello Market is that it is mostly an antique market. From silver spoons to Parisian fashion ads from the 1930s, this market seems to have it all. I spent a long time rifling through a basket of coins from around the world, and found a coin from 1871! It was also weird seeing American coins being considered somewhat of a marvel. There were several record booths, and I had a hard time not buying every Beatles album. They have tons here! I also spent sometime in the little sideshops and arcades. In one arcade, I got to meet an adorable yellow lab named Ollie who became my best friend for about five minutes. There are seriously so many cute dogs here. I saw several more at the market, and wished I could take one home with me! Someday.

Portobello Market

Cool side note: George Orwell (the author of 1984) lived in a flat just a few steps behind where I took this picture. Did I mention I love this city?

No trip to a market is complete without trying a dish from one of the food stands! I tried a cheese crepe, which I know sounds basic, and it really was, but it was delicious! It was fun to watch the lady spread the dough out on the frier (it's the simple things in life) and the end result was a yummy, warm treat that I will likely try and make myself sometime.

Tomorrow is our trip to Tower of London. It's a little different than any of the markets (I don't think there will be crepes and cute puppies amongst the crown jewels) but should be an experience nonetheless.

The (So-called) Snowpocalypse of 2012

I must say, I am by no means a huge fan of snow. I've lived in Wisconsin for almost twelve years, have developed a high tolerance for it, but to me the icy roads and frozen toes outweigh the pretty scenery and skiing trips. (I've only been skiing once in my life. Pretty sure I should not have passed the bunny hill.) With the lack of snow this winter, and what I though was a zero percent chance of snow in London, I have kind of missed it. Well, the wish to have just a little bit of snow here was answered last Saturday, when I looked out the window and saw flurries of snow falling. I couldn't believe it! We were told at orientation that it does not snow in London. Last year they had their first snow in several years (five whole inches... Batten down the hatches!) and the city just shut down. This year I learned, was no different. Heathrow canceled half their flights, the tubes were delayed, and the morning after I could see snowmen dotting the grounds Kensington Gardens.

I had made plans to meet some family friends for lunch at their home in the outskirts of London, but wasn't too worried. It had stopped snowing in the night, so I figured the city would have gone into snow-safety mode, like Madison. Oh I was so wrong. It took me an extra twenty minutes to walk to the tube station, not because of the heaps and heaps of snow (that did not exist, I might add.) but the sidewalks had absolutely NO salt on them. I managed to make it to the tube stop unscathed, and luckily by the time I was back from lunch, the snow had melted and there were no more obstacles in my path. It's funny, because the amount of snow they got was basically just your average dusting for Wisconsin.

It wasn't that cold outside, but people were completely bundled up. I have to say, Londoners are kind of wimps when it comes to cold weather. It hasn't gotten down below 30* in the month I've been here (A month already... Time is flying!) and I've heard so many people complaining about the freezing temps. It's interesting to see how different regions react to weather. I'm even finding that after the few weeks I've been here I feel like I'm more sensitive to the temperatures, just because I hear people talking about them! A few people from my program were in Rome last weekend, and it snowed there too. They had their military out shoveling the streets and sidewalks, because most citizens didn't own shovels. Crazy stuff.

Here's hoping that it doesn't snow again, and only gets warmer. I'm ready for spring, and I've hardly had a winter.

Adventures in Traveling

First off, apologies for not updating this blog over the past several days! I have no excuses really, just being lazy.

Anyway, This weekend marked the first of a few journeys outside of London that I will be taking over the semester. I went with a few other girls in my program to Edinburgh, Scotland. Kind of a random destination, and not somewhere I was completely set on going but I am so glad I did. Scotland (at least all of the parts I saw, and I did see a lot) is beautiful. We took a tour through the Highlands our first full day there, and it was definitely worth it. Our tour went from Edinburgh all the way up to Loch Ness (home to Nessie, of course!) and then down the other side. I saw plenty of lochs, mountains, and fields. The pictures do not do any of it justice, it was absolutely breathtaking.
Here is an example of some of the scenery I saw:

Pretty cool! Although I was told these mountains are only half the size of the Rockies, so I'm thinking that's first on my list of places I want to go in the US.

Edinburgh itself was such a cool city! It was full of beautiful buildings, and much quieter than London. Probably because it is only double the size of Madison, at just over half a million people. My favorite part was The Elephant House, where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book.

It's kind of small, but straight out the window is the Edinburgh Castle. I have a feeling this had to have given her inspiration for Hogwarts. Amazing!

This weekend also marked my first time staying in a hostel. I was a little apprehensive going in to it (I enjoy comfortable beds, only sharing a room with the people I'm traveling with etc.) but it was not bad at all. We ended up rooming with girls from the US, who were studying abroad in London as well. They were from the University of Minnesota, so that made it even better! It was nice to talk to some fellow midwesterners who weren't from our program. Made it feel a little more like home. The hostel itself was clean, the showers had good pressure, and the staff was very friendly. They recommended that we eat at a restaurant called Biddy Mulligans, which was delicious! We ended up going back there for dinner yesterday.

Deciding to be adventurous, I tried haggis, a popular Scottish dish. I won't say what it's made of, it's kind of gross! But it tasted suprisingly good.

Next up on the list is Windsor Castle, and then Switzerland. I've almost been here a month and it still seems surreal to me!

Has it really (only) been a week and a half?

Well it has now been a week and four days since I touched down in London. It feels like it has been a week and four days, a month and a minute all at the same time. I've done so much in the short amount of time that I've been here, I hardly can believe I still have another three months to go!

Yetserday I went with a couple other people in my program to a Sung Eucharist (I didn't know what it meant really, but it was just a regular church service) at Westminster Abbey. Words cannot describe how beautiful that church is. We couldn't take any pictures, but thanks to the trusty search engine known as google, I'm sure you could easily find some on your own.

Here is William and Kate's wedding. 

We sat in a row on the left that is just cut out of the picture. 

 

Today we went to The Houses of Parliament - sadly no pictures were allowed anywhere besides the area known as Westminster Hall. This is the oldest part of Parliament, where people used to be charged for all types of different crimes. Our guide today said if you were found guilty in Westminster Hall, you were pretty much screwed. It also was used as a banquet hall, and would get pretty rowdy because they would set up temporary balconies where friends of the Lords would be invited to eat, although usually they wouldn't actually get to eat the food, so people would toss food up to them. Really great friends.

 

 Here I am in the Hall! It was very cold, and is even bigger in person. 

Also look at my fancy badge. Basically, I'm super important.

Well in my week and a half I have played tourist and seen quite a lot, but I also have had a couple of "I'm turning into a Londoner!" moments too. These types of moments are nice, because as fun as it is to be a tourist it is fun to pretend you actually belong too. Or at least I think so. Yesterday I spent my afternoon after the service walking up Charing Cross Road, near Trafalgar's Square. Charing Cross Road is full of bookstores, and I know I will need to go back and spend more time in each of them. (Me and books, cannot get enough!) It was cool because I took the tube there and back by myself, and managed not to get lost. I guess I did have to ask a police officer where Charing Cross Road was after I got there and walked around aimlessly (turns out I was on it... Maybe I should have put two and two together that Charing Cross Station would likely be on Charing Cross Road?) But other than that I was fine. I do think part of it is because of NYC, I have an added two and a half months of city life under my belt, so I am managing much better this time around (like with the tubes, big crowds, dodging pidgeons etc.)

This is a picture I snapped to remember my day. It's just a bargain book bin outside of one of the stores. It's not a very good picture because I didn't want a lot of people to notice the weird girl taking pictures of books all by herself.

The next week will (and already) has been so busy! We are going to The Museum of London on Wednesday, and Oxford on Thursday. Then Friday is a lunch at a place called Maggie Jones (I don't know too much about it, but the food sounds delicious) and a classical music concert that night. I'm also going to get coffee with my Mom's friend from high school that afternoon. Such a rough life I'm leading in London. I know I still have three months of this, but it will be so difficult to come back to the real world come April. I can only imagine how I am going to feel then. Tonight was the walking tour with my theatre professor/class around the Globe Theatre area, which was super interesting. The area is kind of creepy at night, and I can see why it was so slummy during Shakespeare's days.

Travel plans have changed again. Prague is out (traveling in Europe isn't quite as easy as everyone says it is) but I think my roommate Hannah and I are going to try and see some cool stuff around the UK before heading to Interlaken, Switzerland with two other girls from our program. Then we are going straight to Paris, because who couldn't use an extra day there? Oh and next weekend is Edinburgh already! Crazy. I'm excited to see the cafe where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book. which speaking of JK Rowling - I'm 99% sure this couldn't have been her, especially because whenever I see anyone in a big city who looks remotely like a celebrity I always think it's them (Hey! Kanye!). I'm like the boy who cried wolf, except the girl who cried celebrity. But anyway I was running and heading back to the flat and this woman walked up next to me at a crosswalk who looked just like her. And she does live so close to me, so it is entirely plausible. Who knows. I'm going to go with yes. :)