London has won in my head on several occasions. The city itself (at least the part we're staying in) is much cleaner. I've hardly seen any garbage, and during my summer in the city there were heaps and heaps on every corner, outside every restaurant, and even in the entryway of my apartment. But here, the streets are virtually empty of black plastic bags. Sorry to go so deep into a conversation about garbage but it's something that really shocked me. There's also one homeless man in the whole area that I have walked in. In New York, on my very last day there, I had to shoo a homeless man from my step that served as a porch. Even up in the nice area of the Upper East Side, which is what Kensington has been compared to, I was heckled by the occasional homeless man.
But after those two comparisons, I have to compare my time spent in London's version of Times Square, a set of blocks known as Piccadilly Circus. Last night the whole group of us went to see The 39 Steps, a play based off of Alfred Hitchcock's movie of the same title. We were running behind, the tube was stopped because of a fight at King's Cross Station (where platform 9 and 3/4 is located... a picture of that will come at some point, I'm not passing that up!) so our train was delayed for twenty minutes and we were almost late to the show. Because of that, I did not get to look at the supposed great view of Piccadilly Circus at night.
Well after the show we had all the time in the world, so I decided to take some pictures! Maybe it's because I've been to New York so many times and seen so many Broadway shows in the Times Square area that I am a little biased towards it, but I was not as impressed as I thought I would be.
Here is Piccadilly Square.
Here is Time Square.
(Do know I did not take this photo. I couldn't find one I had taken.
I don't think any I took ever looked that cool.)
I don't think any I took ever looked that cool.)
Sure I know this probably is a comment on America's consumerism with the monster amount of advertisements in Times Square, but I don't care. I did not get the same feeling of excitement walking out of The 39 Steps that I did when I walked out of Legally Blonde at the Palace Theater, or 9 to 5 at the Marriott Theater. But the show itself, that is definitely something I would recommend.
The 39 Steps is a play based on Alfred Hitchcock's movie of the same title, and oh my gosh was it hilarious! It's a cast of four people (three men one woman) playing over a hundred different roles between them. While that sounds like it would be way too much to handle, it was not. It was surprisingly very easy to follow.
Everything else is going well. I've started class (such a rough schedule... ;)) and the three that I've had so far I think are going to be very interesting. British professors are much more laid back than American ones, yet not afraid to speak their mind. They also treat students like human beings, and are willing to discuss their opinions with us. Not that all American professors are soulless and closed-off, but I've definitely had a few where I've wondered if they are robots.
My favorite class so far is Introduction to London Theater. It's taught by a professor (who I can't remember his name) who is very enthusiastic, and quite funny. He's taking us to some interesting shows to say the least (we're going to one inside of disused tubelines... um what? Definitely more to come on that.) Monday we're walking the river Thames and taking a glance at the Globe Theater (!!!) - okay so I know that it isn't the original one but still! We aren't doing an indoor tour of that until the weather gets a little nicer. We're also visiting some of the surrounding area, including an old prostitute's graveyard (the area where the theater was used to be pretty shady). I'm excited because one of my ancestors possibly used to be a an actor in Shakespeare so I'm wondering if I'll have some sort of connection with the area. Just kidding. But I do think that's kind of cool!
Tomorrow I have the morning off, and after going on a run to Buckingham Palace (did I really just say that??! I still can't believe I'm here!) I'm going to see what I can find to do. Maybe a trip to a museum? Trip to the park? Who knows!
I also figured out some *tentative* travel plans. I do know I am going to Edinburgh on January 26th. For spring break I am doing a loop from Prague, Switzerland, the South of France, then Paris. We're also taking a trip to Ireland. It's going to be a busy semester.
I can't believe I'm going to get to see that. Switzerland. Wow.
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