Incredible Amounts of Updating...All of March

So as it is actually one month after my last blog post...I guess I should update. Don't say I didn't warn you when I said I would start off blogging a lot before I would start becoming terrible and lazy about it. 

Weekend 1: Dublin/Powerscourt (Wicklow Mountains)

It was so wonderful to be back in Ireland, I went for the first time with my Mom freshman year when we drove the entire country. I still look back on that trip as one of the best times of my life, when I got to spend the week with the person who is practically an older double of me. But anyway enough with the remincising on that as every person whose actually read this blog knows...that could go on until your eyes bleed out (not to be blunt or anything) (1...2...3...shout out to Carola) 

So Dublin was incredible as it always is, getting into the city was easy by the AirLink city bus system, found our awesome hostel right on the River Liffey. And then just walked around and grabbed the Hop On/Hop Off Tour around the city. We visited Christ Church, attempted to visit Dublin Castle but it wasn't that great. And then of course headed off to the Guinness Storehouse. I have to say 2nd time through still a worthwhile experience for a free pint. Day 2, we went off to Powerscourt, a little Irish village in the Wicklow Mountains which was beautiful. We walked around this mansion house area which had some really pretty gardens. Had some tea overlooking the gardens and mountains. Went back to Dublin, went to the last tour of the Jameson Factory. All in all a very successful two-day trip. I'm probably forgetting tons of stuff but I'm trying so hard to catch up on my failures in blogging.

Weekend 2: Stonehenge/Bath

Back in January, we all acquired GroupOn tickets for like £30 or something to do this tour to Stonehenge and Bath, so the day finally came and it was great, spent 45 minutes at Stonehenge...anymore would have been too much. How many times can you really stare at a field of rocks and go woo...been there. 

However this sums it up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DewEKz9TzmM

Bath was also a fantastic little city, we spent like 3 hours there going through the roman baths, and wondering the streets of Bath. Its very Romanesque different to the rest of English towns. Going back with my parents and sister, overall fantastic place. We got back into London, and the bus dropped us at Hyde Park Corner, Katie David and myself walked home from there which was awesome. Caught the sunset over Hyde Park. So beautiful. Then continued the trek back to Russell Square.

March 13-14-Return to Uckfield to see Spencer

After 5 years, I finally got the opportunity to see my exchange student Spencer who came to Boston in 2006 with his High school band. So he stayed my family and I for the week. So I finally got to see him again, he took me around Uckfield, showed me the pub where he works. It was a great time. Wednesday we went down to Brighton, walked along the pier and boardwalk before heading back to Uckfield, grabbed a pint over a nice view of the countryside. Then it was time to split and I grabbed the train back to London. Overall awesome time, and it was so great to see him again. 

Weekend 3: St. Patty’s Day Weekend and JOEY!

So Thursday my friend Joey Maciangioli came to London to see the sights. It was interesting trying to meet up with young Joesph as I wasn’t sure exactly where his bus would come in around the Marble Arch area. But luckily I was standing in the wrong spot and through the traffic saw easyBus moving in the distance and ran down to it.

Thursday Night I cooked Joey dinner and we went to Camden for some nightlife.

Friday I sent Joey off by himself and gave him my key, he also didn’t have a working cell phone, so I said meet me at Picadilly Cirus at 315 so we can go back as I had work til 3. And sure enough that worked as a good rendezvous spot. Friday night we went out to dinner at Ponti’s. Thanks to David, such amazing food.

Saturday was kind of a crappy day weather wise, it got better about halfway through but we went to Kings Cross so Joey could fulfil his Harry Potter dreams of Platform 9¾. The train platform for Hogwarts (Hi Mom whose probably confused). Then we went off to Kensington to see Harrods, have Wagamamma for lunch and attempted to go to Kensington Palace. Sure enough it was closed and wasn’t reopening for like another week or so. But Nika met up with us there and we went back to Holborn. Grabbed a St. Patty’s Stout at Princess Louise…is it bad luck to be an Irish citizen drinking English stout on St. Pattys? Probably, my ancestors will beat me up later probably. After that Joey and I went for Indian food, which was delicious.

Sunday was a gorgeous sunny day and we fit just about everything into that day. We started off by going to Westminster. Saw Big Ben/Parliament, Whitehall area. Walked the Thames all the way down to St. Pauls Cathedral. Then we continued along to Tower Hill where the Tower of London is and the Tower Bridge. We then walked across Tower Bridge to try and go to Borough Market…it was closed, but this Kofte place was open so we had these awesome sandwiches for like £4.50. I have to say if there is one thing I have learned about surviving on a budget in London…eat at markets. Everyone is trying to make a buck, and markets will always have low prices on food. So save your £ on food for the markets…not Subway. After that amazing sandwich, we went off to The George Inn for a pint. Its been mentioned in Charles Dickens novels before in the novel Little Dorrit. Chaucer also began writing the Canterbury Tales there. So it’s alright place I guess.

Finally we hopped the tube back to Trafalger Square to witness the St. Patrick’s Day festival (a day late for London) and watched all of the drunks stumbling around. Nonetheless a very full great day. I then showed Joey how to catch the bus at 3:30AM for Luton airport, he really knows how to find those 6:50am flights.

Weekend 4-I caught up! Solo Trip to Dover

As we begin to approach the end of the program, the weather has begun to change a lot. Not nearly dramatic as New England where it goes from 80 to 40’s in like 3 days. But it has been getting nicer here with not too much rain. In fact the last time it did rain was when Joey was here. HIS FAULT.

But all week I had been on the fence about one more day trip to get out of London and finally Friday I decided. I am going to Dover with people or without them I have to train my mind for my solo journeys around Europe so I did it. I booked the 9:30 National Express coach direct to Dover, and as I was waiting in Victoria when all of a sudden this man from Sicilly started talking to me. And I do kind of feel bad cause perhaps he really had no one else to talk to but he went off on his whole life story when I couldn’t have cared less at that point. All I wanted to do was go explore Dover on my own without anyone else. So we get on the coach and there were PLENTY of open seats, but he sat right next to me…I wanted to Slap Hal so hard in the FACE (I promised her I would incorporate slapping her somewhere). So he continues to ask me questions. Lied and said I was from New York and all this other stuff.

I finally was able to put my headphones on and think and I came up with my escape plan cause I KNEW as soon as I got off the coach he would make me go with him wherever he wanted to go. So I just told him look man I am going to visit the cliffs you go to the castle, have a good day. He said Oh wait we’re not going. And I said NO you’re going I am not going with you. He was not getting the hint finally I just walked the other direction and he went his own way.

White Cliffs of Dover: These were absolutely stunning; they are situated right next to the very busy ferry running to Calais, France. But if you continue walking away from that, the national park is incredibly peaceful and I felt so free and happy that I had got out of London by myself and explored. I found a narrow path down to this pebble beach and took a rest down there. Above me built into the cliffs were these little caverns with metal frame on the front. You’d have to see my facebook photos to understand them. But I bet they were involved in naval command or had anti-Aircraft guns in them from the First and Second World Wars. There was no signs to clarify that and they were very run down but they had to be. After sitting on the beach for a bit. I climbed back up and walked all the way down to the lighthouse at the end and Vodafone my UK phone provider texts me saying “WELCOME TO FRANCE! Calls cost 36p a minute texts are £1” I was like Sir I am not in France. So when I finally reached the lighthouse and began the journey back my phone read 4:10pm and I was like SHIT where did the hour go, so I hustled back for the 5pm bus to London and guess what, it was only 3:30. Why because my phone also decided to change time zones. Nonetheless I had a laugh over it and then just hung around Dover until 5. As I walked down to the London coach who do I see in the front seat but Claudio my Sicilian stalker, I got on the bus and said hey I’m going to rest and put my headphones on and never took them off.  My day in Dover was fantastic though, I was completely on my own without anyone to tell me what to do or where to go and I really was able to have so much fun doing it. The cliffs should be on anyone’s bucket list for England too. Absolutely gorgeous and really worth the time to see the incredible scenery. Maybe wear a watch though so when your phone switches time zones you can call it a liar.

So there’s one week left in the program. I will probably write next after my journey to Edinburgh April 8-10 but for now thanks again for reading!

Cardiff, Wales

So I have just woken up after sleeping for so long after having a nice Saturday Day trip over to Cardiff. Myself David and our other friend Maia met up at around 6:15am to head off to Paddington Train Station to board our 7am to Bristol, England where we changed trains for Cardiff. The train rides themselves were pleasant, making a few stops along the way. I fell asleep at one point and woke up to massive amounts of fog in Swindon. Fell back to sleep and woke up to the sun breaking the fog over some other town along the way.

Cardiff Castle: Such a cool place, someone in the 19th century built one of their 15 homes in the UK on the castle grounds which was really cool to see, reminded me of the mansions in Newport, RI with all of the artwork, gold plated ceilings, it was just so neat. They even had a room for their kids that was painted with different fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Afterwards we took a walk through the remaining bits of the 12th century castle next door. David fought against his fear of heights and we got some beautiful views of the far off hills of Wales. Oh and did I mention we got a BEAUTIFUL DAY, had to be in the low 60s in the sun. It was awesome.

Cardiff Bay: 25-30 minute walk away from the castle is Cardiff Bay, a beautiful seaside area where we grabbed some fish and chips (TOURISTS) and relaxed before starting the 6.1 mile trail around the bay area. There is a barrage across the bay so you can walk across the bay into neighboring towns of Penearth, and Grangetown before walking back into Cardiff. We didn't realize it was 6 miles, but I mean still we had about 5.5 hours to kill as our train home wasn't til 9:00pm back to London. We pretty much just wandered for a while but it was very relaxing so I have to say one of the nicest places I have been so far, and I think great weather was to thank for it.

Rugby: This weekend was also a big weekend for Rugby, England played Wales yesterday and the Welsh ended up winning. As David, Maia and I wandered the High street for dinner it was challenging getting in anywhere because people packed into pubs to watch the game. But when Wales officially won, drunk and crazy people spilled out into the streets, making it ever more challenging to get through the city. Nonetheless, it was still an interesting site.

Train ride Home: Finally after dinner we hopped the train back to Bristol and then onto our train to London. The first stop the London train made was in Bath, where about 25 club goers around the ages of 25-30 boarded the train with us who were going back to Swindon. Some of them were literally out of control and we at first were like WHY NOW, as we were so tired. But after some time, a couple of them starting talking to us and it all just became funny. I mean at that point what else could we do but laugh. Finally after a long journey we arrived back at our flat by 1:30 AM, having almost been up about 20 or so hours. It was time for bed.

Overall Cardiff is a city we could wrap up in a day, but if I ever go back I would love to see the coast line outside of Cardiff. Something to consider if anyone reading this decides to go to Wales

Copenhagen! Finally!

Hello friends my apologies for a lack of blogging, but here is my Copenhagen Post..

Copenhagen (København) Denmark: So the weekend of February 3-5, I hopped easyjet to fly over to see Tara Cantwell, a fellow peer mentor and friend who has been studying in Denmark since September. What an incredibly interesting country. When I really think about the best way to describe Danish society I think about the amount of trust that Danes place on other people around them. For example, upon my arrival Tara, her friend Rita, and I grabbed the Metro toward her apartment, so I bought my 34,00 DKK Metro ticket...like $5 one way. So I asked Tara do I get this validated when I get off? And she said no, random attendants jump on at different stops to check your ticket otherwise, you could ride the Metro for free. But if they catch you its the equivalent of a $200 fine. So needless to say I bought a ticket every time and thank god I did, cause I didn't see an attendant until I was alone on the way back to Lufthavne (Copenhagen's airport).


So on the easyjet Flight I made a list of different things about my weekend in Denmark:


1.) Freezing Cold: I really showed up at the right time, that Siberian wind was in full force over Europe, as I took photos my hands literally went numb. So I bought a pair of cheap gloves and thermal socks. I have to say the socks were a great choice. 


2.) Danish Pastries: Both mornings Tara took me for pastries, so GOOD. I got these cinnamon rolls with chocolate and vanilla frosting on them. Unreal.


3.) Francis Pony Bar: Both nights we went to this bar called Francis Pony, which was awesome because it was a really cool atmosphere, like very cozy and comfortable. Just a really nice place to have a drink and relax. The funniest part...the bar tender looked like JonLars Carlson...I really wanted to yell LARS in his face...but at the same time I was not really up to be thrown out in the cold night air. Although it was probably his cousin. 


4.) Tara's AWESOME apartment: This place was so cool, it looks like something out of IKEA (I mean Sweden is like 30 mins away by train) all the furniture was really comfortable. The floor in the bathroom is heated so when you walk in, your feet immediately feel warm. Taking a shower was a thrill. Little did I know that because the Danes are so eco-friendly, they have a button you need to press to activate hot water. Didn't see that, and was already naked, so I took shower in polar temperatures. Best/Worst experience ever. The next morning I was taught how to push a button and all was well. 


5.) Danish People: The nicest people ever, just so kind and outgoing. A lot of people thought we were Swedish, which was nice cause its better than being called "oh another American."


5a.) Babies: I figured this connected back to the people. People wheel their babies everywhere, but when they go into a shop, Junior is left sitting out in his stroller in the cold. Remember what I said about trust, they must have a  TON OF IT. Anyway Danes apparently believe fresh air is good for a baby so they wrap it up really tightly in blankets and yep, leave it outside with a cover over the carriage. I passed by a larger buggy that had 2 kids in it, one who must have been 5 or 6 and then her baby brother who must have been like 2, the older girl was holding an iPhone and they were just outside watching TV on the iPhone. 


6.) Where did $20 go?: to postcards and stamps. Not until after I did the math that I blew $20 on 5 postcards and 5 international stamps. You're welcome to everyone who got them. I'm cutting back on what I can eat over here now to make up for that deficit. 


7.) Christiania: This was a very interesting section of Copenhagen, but as much as its a part of Copenhagen to the Christianians its their own separate province with no association to the city of Copenhagen, nation of Denmark, or the EU. They think of themselves as their own private colony with their own rules. And they sold weed openly for like an entire block. Just kiosk after kiosk. Wikipedia them for more information, its...interesting.


8.) Snowy Denmark: Sometime after Tara and I went to bed, it snowed...A LOT in Denmark. They got like 4 inches...people weren't kidding that Europe has no idea what to do. There was a man sprinkling table salt outside a restaurant, and the roads were a mess. But I did not see a single car slide into an intersection. (Learn that lesson America). But the snow was beautiful.


9.) Bikes: Copenhagen has more bike and walking paths than any place I have seen before. The insurance tax on cars is like 200%, so if you own a car its like a major financial burden, but the lack of cars was nice, less intersections to cross, less noise. Not too shabby


But anyway thats one of my overdue blogpost for Denmark. More to come maybe later today (Laura), and to everyone else who feels let down by my lack of blogging. SORRY. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with it. 

Felix Fables Concert!

So back when I was in High School, my high school had an exchange with a British "College" (high school) same thing from Uckfield, England. Basically our choir went to England my freshman year and then Sophomore year we hosted their band...it was a little weird but anyway it was fun to meet British people our age at the time. So when they came to my high school, I remember one kid played guitar and sang 9 lies by Damien Rice and I remember somehow hearing that he was going back to England and wanted to keep singing and playing guitar. Well I stalkishly followed him on myspace music for quite sometime until he eventually created a band "Felix Fables." From then on I promised myself I would make an effort to see them live. So tonight David and I went on an adventure to Zone 3 on the Northern line to see them play at the Bedford Pub. It was amazing to see this kid and just see how much the band has grown and changed. Attached is two of my favorite songs by them. Hope you enjoy!

Wonderful World: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm0vM6slnL4

Winter's Bone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE8TCcPuW8g

SO MANY UPDATES...

So I have been meaning to blog for a VERY long time, cause a lot has happened.

Saturday January 21: 5 Hour Walk!


David and I took a 5 hour walk from Bloomsbury down through Piccadilly Circus and down towards Harrods. We took a walk through Harrods, so overwhelming, and I really wonder who can have the patience to shop there with the mix of hundreds upon hundreds of people walking through it at once taking pictures and wandering around (like we did). After making our way through Harrods we thought we'd try some Lebanese food, wasn't bad and the portions were so small a baby probably wouldn't have felt satisfied, oh well I guess thats £6.50 gets you. But I guess it reiterated the importance of cooking here, as you eat a lot more for a lot less £. After that experience we walked back through Hyde Park, so gorgeous, and up to Marble Arch. Then from there we continued to walk back down to Bloomsbury. A successful day I'd say.

Sunday January 22: Cambridge
We arose early to board a bus to Cambridge, where we saw several different sites, including a cemetery dedicated to the American Soldiers lost during the Battle for Britain in World War II as well as many other Americans who lost their lives over Europe. Walking through the cemetery was so beautiful, the American Flag soared high above us, and there was a beautiful reflecting pool as well. After the cemetery we hopped the bus back into Cambridge. Such a beautiful city, we walked around and got some crepes, and got the opportunity to go "punting." A form of boating similar to the gondolas in Venice. A man stands at the end of a boat on a platform and guides the boat along with a pole in the water. It was quite a beautiful afternoon, quite chilly with the wind whipping up, but otherwise it was fun.

Monday January 23: Going to Lambeth County Court!
Off to work for another day, I feel as though I have been given some more hands-on tasks rather than just photocopying case bundles. I got the opportunity to go down to Lambeth County Court to file for an urgent hearing for a person that was to be evicted by Thursday unless the hearing was moved to Wednesday.  Because of my effort of rushing down to the court before they shutdown for the day I was able to get the hearing for the solicitor and hopefully save that person's home.

Tuesday January 24: Royal Courts of Justice!
Today was even cooler than the last. One of the solicitors needed me to get a case "issued" for Judicial Review so she sent me to the Queen's Court, of the Royal Courts of Justice up on the Strand. It was quite the amazing building, almost as old as the American Civil War (off by like 12 years or so, whatever) but it looked like a church (that's State religion for you a guess). As I meandered my way through the court, I had to stand in a nice 1.5 hr-2hr queue and I hadn't eaten lunch. But hey I still got to see an amazing building and felt like a real English Solicitor. It was worth being as hungry as I was for that experience.

Wednesday January 25: Trafalgar and £5 tickets to Matilda!
David and I left the flat early if you consider 8:35AM early to head off the Box Office for Matilda! We got there and stood in line for about 2 hours for £5 seats for a show that night. It was the best student deal ever. After waiting and getting our tickets, we went off to Trafalgar Square and then took a nice walk back through Soho before returning to our flat. So let me fast forward to the show. Our seats may have been way in the back but definitely the best £5 I have EVER spent. The show was incredible, the acting, the choreography, the effects were all just top notch. I'd recommend the show to anyone!

Class tour,Hari Krishna!, ULU Market, , Princess Louise

Class Tour:
Today for my "London: The Growth of the Modern World City" class we met at Faringdon Station and began a walk through the area known as "Clerkenwell" pronounced by the English as "Clarkenwell" which was an exploration through several different monastery grounds and churches. One of which, St. Bartholomew's Parish Church which has been used in several different films like the 1st Sherlock Holmes movie (filmed in 2008), you know the sacrifice scene in the beginning...in that church. Also scenes from Shakespeare in love were also filmed in there. So that was cool and overall the tour saw a very "non-touristy" side of London. I liked it.

"Hari Krishna Hari Krishna!!:"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_IlTI-dODU

Unlike the scene from Seinfeld this was actually very interesting. On the University of London's campus which is where I take classes is a branch of the Hari Krishna movement that serves a curry and rice dish for free every single day. I was a little skeptical about it, thinking this may not settle well with my stomach. However my Professor persuaded me otherwise claiming that the food is high in "good karma." And was all vegetables (HI B!). So after that bit of persuasion, I gave it a go. I have to say, not too bad probably the best free and only free meal I have had thus far in London. It almost tasted like rice and beans that Carola has made me. However Carola's is definitely WAY better.  And as I write right now I feel no side effects from it, so hey it can't be that bad.

ULU Market:


After eating my hearty Hari Krishna meal my friend Noam and I walked on to the farmers market where all these different vendors mainly from East Sussex had different cheeses, meats including venison (ew), along with paella and other different random foods. Anyway it was delicious I got this curry thing wrapped in an egg roll kind of shell. It was perfect.

Princess Louise: So I think we have found our hang out spot. Princess Louise on High Holborn, its a great pub and if you go right at 5pm during the week there is barely anyone is there so its a great place to hang out and for everyone to meet up after work or class until the regular British crowds pile in from 7pm onward.

But otherwise today was a pretty great day, got another day of work tomorrow before the weekend which is going to be awesome. Saturday we'll be hitting up some museums (its suppose to rain so that will be perfect) then Sunday we're going to Cambridge with our group to do some exploring and touring there. So pumped!

Classes, First Day of Work, Club life, and a walk along the Thames

So I've been up to a lot over the last few days, but I gotta take it all for its worth!

Classes:
Those have started off well, I am taking Twentieth Century British Literature which I was forced into because they couldn't accommodate the course I had originally picked. But I actually really enjoy it. Reading James Joyce "A Portrait of a Young Man" for next week and the Professor is really cool. She gave us a 15 minute break to go get coffee as the class runs for 3 hrs. But she and I were the only ones who actually wanted Starbucks, so we chatted about life together as we walked over. The other two courses I have on Thursday "London: The Growth of the Modern World City" and "Modern Britain Since 1945" both of which are pretty good. The "London: The Growth of the Modern World City"course takes us on little field trips every other week to see how London has developed which is far better than sitting in a classroom for 3 hours.

First Day of Work:
Started off pretty well, got my suit on and then headed off to the 168 Bus toward West Norwood which was so easy. I grab the bus from South Hampton Row and take it to Elephant and Castle, which is awesome every morning I get to see Big Ben, Parliament and the London Eye at sunrise from the top of a double decker bus. Lets just say that bus ride would make Hal say "I LOVE LIFE" continuously. Pictures to follow on this. So I got to work and my initial tasks were some photo copying of a MASSIVE case bundle that someone needed for an Adoption case that someone had just finished. I kid you not this was like 350 pages.

Next was more photo copying but this one had a TWIST, I had to go through evidence on different cases Jacqui WHERE ARE YOU!  Finally, I began organizing yet another MASSIVE case bundle.  But otherwise it was a good day, I then hopped my bus at about 5pm after the sun went down and got to see Big Ben, Parliament, and the eye all lit up again. I could again hear Hal in my ear telling me how much she loved life. So I slapped her. ;) 



Walking along the Thames at Dusk:
This evening we walked down to Mansion Hill Tube Station which was fun, it was about a 35 minute walk through the deserted streets of the Financial District, of course come Monday that place will be filled to the brim with at least 350,000 people in suits off to work. But we met our guide and the tour began, we walked down to the Millennium Bridge, saw the Tower Bridge, of course the eye and everything again. The guide then took us to a pub where he told us to get a pint of some good ale. David and I saw Bombardier and HAD to get it for Bomba, it was without question. Afterward we carried on down through the Tate Modern and into the Borough Market where we saw tons of people selling food from cheeses, to fruits to sausages. All kinds of stuff that people could buy. I guess some scenes from harry potter were filmed there too. Afterward we hopped the Tube and went back to our flat to make some delicious frozen pizza which cost me maybe £1.50. Sweet life. Off to wander the streets of  London tonight and relax in some pubs across the city. Ta for now!