London Eye

Last night I went to the London Eye with Eric.  It is a 30 minute ride where you get a 360 view of London.  It was very pretty at night with everything lit up.  In the capsule there is a map that tells you what each building is but the London expert I am I already knew most of them :) .  The coolest view was of the Big Ben and houses of Parliament.

View from on the top

High Tea at The Orangery

Today me and my friends planned to go to The Orangery for high tea.  The restaurant is in the Kensington Gardens next to the Kensington Palace.  Kensington Palace is closed until March for renovation.  Rumor is it's being remodeled for Prince William and Kate to move into!  The Orangery was a very classy restaurant.  It used to be Princess Diana's favorite place.  We ordered the traditional high tea, which comes with four finger sandwiches, an orange scone, two small desserts, and a tea of your choice.  I chose a lemon and ginger tea and it was very good.  Our food came served in three layered plates.  It was like out of a movie.  Everyone around us was staring and laughing because we all took so many pictures.  First a picture of the room.  Then a picture of our tea.  Then pictures of ourselves with the tea.  Then a picture of the tea with the food.  Then a picture of our tea with each plate.  We were being very touristy but everything was so cute we couldn't help but take pictures!

Me and Brynn with our teas

Ham sandwich, cucumber sandwich, salmon lox sandwich, egg salad sandwich, scone with clotted creme and raspberry jam, brownie, and some delicious dessert with a crazy name.

The group at high tea

From left to right: Brynn, Me, Greta, Maddie, and Kate

Although the temperature is rising and it was in the 50s today, it rained and was very miserable. I can imagine the gardens are beautiful on a nice day.  The one day that it actually rains hardcore I forgot to wear my rain boots.  For those who don't know, I got new burberry rain boots that are my favorite and I even wear them when its not raining because I like them so much.  I was extremely frustrated that I didn't wear them today.  But I'm in London and I know it will rain again, probably real soon!

sunset to end our day

I don't know what's on my agenda for tomorrow.  Hopefully it is nice enough to go to a market.

Cheers!

Borough Market and Harrods

Today it was 54 degrees!! Woo its getting warm!

I didn’t have the greatest morning but thankfully my day only went uphill.  I woke at 8:30 in the morning in an attempt to get day of tickets to Matilda the Musical.  We got to the box office at 9:30 when it opens at 10 and there was already 16 people in line when they only have 8 tickets.  I can do the math and it was clear that we weren’t going to get tickets.  We now planned to go on Wednesday because the tickets for the matinee show are 50% off when bought the day of. This will be a better deal for really good seats.

This afternoon I went to Borough Market with Greta, Maddie, Brynn, and Alexa.  Borough Market is the largest food market in London.  There was meats, olive oils, cheeses, pastries, and of course sweets (they call candy sweets). 

Right before I took this picture the birds on the top right moved.  

Me and Brynn got really scared that they were still alive!

We tasted this Turkish sweet that is like a flavored gummy covered in powder sugar.  They were good but not worth purchasing.  Then we got to the nut booth.  They kept offering samples but I told him I was allergic.  He gave me a sample of white chocolate covered dried raspberries and they were so good.  I bought a bag of the raspberries and the man kept trying to sneak in a nut.  He was very funny and we all spent a lot of money at his booth.

Turkish Treats - Big squares of flavored gummy.  Another description is a solid jello square.

The nut booth where they were trying to kill me

Baklava

After the market we went to Harrods and to no surprise we were able to spend the rest of the day and night there.  This was my second time at Harrods but there were still things I hadn’t seen. 

First we walked through the expensive clothing (everything is expensive- I mean designer clothing aka extremely expensive).  I found a real missoni (not target brand) on display so had to take a picture for my mom because she loves missoni.  You’re not allowed to take pictures of the designer clothing but I still got one in before I was yelled at (yay me!) 

Next we walked through the toy store.  There was a glitter tattoo kit and the sales person was giving free tattoos to the little girls.  They supposedly stay on for 5 days.  Greta and I really wanted to get one but we didn’t think she would do that.  There was also snow for sale.  They had a pile on display and it was cold but it didn’t feel like real snow.

Then we went to the Pet Kingdom and Pet Spa.  This section was ridiculous! There was pet shampoo called pet head (looked identical to the human shampoo called bed head).  There were pet costumes, collars, and sweaters.  The craziest was the dog diapers.  They were real diapers for dogs.  I couldn’t believe that anyone would buy it.  There was also a huge display of doggy treats.  These weren’t the typical treats from petsmart.  There was popcorn, cupcakes, donuts, and cookies all for pets!!  I’m not going to let my mom on this floor when she visits because I think Scarlet will get the most gifts out of all of us!

         

To end our Harrods trip we went to the food court.  There were so many options – meats, cheeses, pastas, pizzas, fish, sandwiches, chocolates, teas, and pastries.  We were going to eat at one of the restaurants but it was too expensive for our study abroad budget.  I got a chicken shish kebab for take-away (what we call to-go) and it was absolutely delicious.  It was already cooked so I just took it home to reheat and I made my own rice.  It was very cheap so if I’m ever in the Harrods neighborhood I will definitely buy another skewer.

Some of my fans (aka my mom) were asking for more pictures of food so here you go.

My lovely dinner that I half made.

I don’t think anyone buys anything at Harrods.  Everyone I saw there was doing the same thing as us, just walking around looking (no touching - wayy to expensive).  It felt more like an amusement park.  We were looking at our store guide and picking out where we wanted to go next.

Harrods during the day

Harrods at night

Me and Harrods

I do actually go to class! - Globe Theatre, Theatreland, and Tower of London

I am enrolled in 2 classes that take you on tours of London.  The first is Performing Arts in London and the second is called History of London.  Last week we went to the Globe Theatre to learn about Shakespeare.  It is located in the south bank of London (you need to cross the Thames River).  The theatre that stands today is actually the third Globe Theatre.  The first two were burned down (it seems to me that burning down buildings was a huge problem in London- everything I learn about was once burned down!).  Since the Great Fire of 1666, London law says that buildings cannot be made of wood, Globe Theatre is an exception but they do have a lot of hidden sprinklers inside the theatre.  The theatre only puts on plays starting in April because the theatre is outside. 

For our second field trip in Performing Arts, we went to Theatre Land.  The reason all the theatres are not located in the south bank with the Globe Theatre is because Oliver Cromwell (the common wealth - time when England did not have a king) banned theatre thinking they could have messages about bringing back the monarchy.  When Charles II became King he re-opened the theatres and had women actors! We walked by some many musical theatres.  They were all lit up like Times Square.  It reminded me of all the musicals I want to see!

That night we went to see our first play for the class- A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Our teacher was so excited for us to see a shakespearian play with all the beautiful language... I think she was very disappointed.  The play was very modernized.  There was lots of audience interaction, a scene with playing a video game, and beer drinking on stage! We all found it extremely funny and actually a good play.  My teacher wasn't even clapping at the end.  It wasn't the shakespeare she had expected.

Yesterday for my history of London class we went to Tower of London.  It was a beautiful, sunny day but from my pictures you can't tell - they turned out very dark and cloudy.  The tower (White Tower) was built in 1078 under the reign of William the Conquerer.  Other king's added on more towers and today there are 22 towers.  The White Tower is the center tower and the other towers are built around it like a wall.  

White Tower - This tower contains all the armor artifacts.  

Last summer they spent 2 million pounds to clean this tower from all the coal build up.

Ravens are a very important part to the Tower of London.  Charles II was told that if the ravens left the Tower, the kingdom and fortress would fall.  Seven ravens are kept at the Tower and their wings are clipped so they can't fly away.  But they do bite so don't get too close.  

People who live at the Tower now-a-days are called Yeomen - better known as Beefeaters.  In order to become one you need to serve in the military for 22 years.  These men (and one women) wear uniforms (do not call them costumes- they don't like that).  They also give tours of the tower.  

Residential area where the Yeomen live.

It was built for Anne Boleyn but she was executed before she could live there.

The Tower of London is home to the Crown Jewels.  No photographs were allowed in this exhibit.  The crowns were amazing.  So many diamonds!  The crowns are used in the coronation ceremony and are passed down to the next reign.  These crowns have been on display since the 17th century with only one attempt to steal them.

The Tower of London has had many purposes, one being site of execution.  This monument includes the names of the people executed - Queen Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, Queen Catherine Howard, Margaret Pole .  Some are buried behind this monument at the Church in the Tower of London.

The last aspect to the Tower of London was the number of animals kept there.  Polar Bear, Elephant, lions, and more.  These animals were received as gifts to the King and were big attractions at the Tower.  In 1835 the animals were moved to the London Zoo.  

Now there are wire sculptures to remember the animals that once lived there.

Day Trip to Greenwich (GREN-ich)

This town is known for the prime meridian where time starts and it divides the eastern and western hemispheres.  From London it is about a 30 minute DLR ride.  I had never taken the DLR (Docklands Light Rail) but it’s the same thing as the tube, except you are overground for most of the trip.  We arrived in Greenwich and immediately went to check out the Greenwich market.  It was pretty small and half food stands, half shops.  The food looked good but we had already planned to have lunch at a well-known tavern so we just looked around. 

For lunch we went to Trafalgar Tavern.  It is well-known because it is where Charles Dickens used it as the setting for the wedding breakfast in Our Mutual Friend.  I’ve never heard of the book but Rick Steves says so and he’s a reliable source.  The place was bumping so we definitely chose the right place to go.  It is right on the coast of the Thames River and was a nice view. 

After lunch we went to the Royal Obervatory because we wanted to make sure we made it on time for the planetarium show, and we did.  It was cool, lots of stars and planets.  I really wanted to take a picture at the Prime Meridian line but it was part of museum and therefore we had to pay 5 pounds to simply take a picture!! With that ticket we were also able to go through the Royal Observatory.  We saw John Flamsteed’s (royal astronomer) house/observatory, a giant telescope, and a bunch of clocks.  John Harrison was the person who solved the Longitude problem and there were lots of painting of him holding his H4 (the 4^th attempt at the clock).

Me and the Prime Meridian Line

Next we adventured on to the O2, an Arena (like Target).  It will be hosting the gymnastics and basketball events at the Olympics.  Here we went to the British Music Experience Museum.  They have artifacts from each era starting at 1945.  It focuses on British musicians but it also has Americans, like Bob Dylan.  I saw Amy Winehouse’s dress, the Spice Girls 2007 reunion outfits, and John Lennon’s glasses.

The British Music Experience has a smart ticket where you can save all the information and log into the site and at later date and view it. 
1. Click to go to my British Music Experience
2. Log in on the middle right side of the page
    email: mrkaminsky@wisc.edu
    password: 32991
3. Select Showcase - that's where I saved the most information
    I pretty much saved everything - scroll do the end that's where The Spice Girls are.
4. Dance video - it's a really embarrassing clip of me attempting to do The Locomotion- I was too embarrassed to go all out.

To end the night we went to a Mexican restaurant.  There comes a point when you can’t have any more fish and chips! We split giant nachos and fajitas and it was like being back in Mexico (but 80 degrees colder L )

After 4 weeks of being abroad here are some things I really miss from America:

1. Cream Cheese puffs

2. American Chinese Fried Rice – The fried rice in Europe is not what you expect so do not order it.  It is simply white rice with egg.

3. Kiddie Cocktail or Shirley Temple – I tried ordering it and I received a blank stare.

4. Not Chipotle – I walked by one the other day and hope to eat there soon J

Singin' In The Snow

As everyone departed this morning for their weekend rendezvous, I chose to stay in London.  My morning started with a hunt for new boots.  Unfortunately, a few days ago the zipper on my brand new boots had broken and no shoe repair in town will fix zippers!!  I took a bus to Oxford Street and spent the day shopping.  I really enjoyed just walking up and down the famous shopping street.  Last time I went it was so crowded but with most people at work this morning it was easy to walk the streets.  I ended up finding a pair that will suffice.

On Oxford Street, I met up with Eric after his class.  I’m glad one of us is attending class this semester!  For lunch I had been advised to go to George’s Portobello Fish Bar.  It is supposedly famous and the best fish and chips in London.  It’s located in Notting Hill and was a short tube ride away.  We made it there just before the huge line.  It’s a tiny place.  We were able to sit on the only two stools but everyone else had to stand.  The walls are lined with magazine and newspaper clippings of write-ups of the diner (I’m not quite sure what to call it: restaurant, diner, dive, bar?)The fish and chips were very good and definitely worth going out of our way for a simple lunch. 

This evening was the most exciting part of the day! We saw Singin’ In The Rain!! This morning I went to the box office and purchased two FRONT ROW tickets.  I was advised to bring a raincoat and I’m glad I did.  The show was fantastic! I would recommend it to someone who wanted to see a musical in London. Being in the front row was fun.  During the number Singin’ In The Rain, water fell onto the stage and the character was dancing in the water and kicking it into the audience.  Everyone was laughing and we got pretty wet.

I was able to get a picture in front of the stage before the ushers told us no pictures!

As we left the theatre, it was SNOWING! We were now singing in the snow. 

The Luck of the Irish

Dublin

After waking up at 4:00 am, traveling by tube, train, plane, and bus, we arrived in Dublin at around 10:45.  We had a long day ahead if we wanted to see Dublin in a day.  As I soon found out, all I needed was a day in Dublin.  We took a supposedly 3 hour walking tour of London.  It was supposed to by 3 hours but it took 4.  It was a very cold and rainy day and not typical walking tour weather.  My toes, fingers, and bottom lip had gone numb. 

Places we saw:

*City Hall – my favorite building because we were able to go inside for 10 minutes!

*Dublin Castle – all that remains is the tower.  The top of the tower has different stone-work because it was added on later to make the tower look more castle-y

*Where U2 was discovered and the hotel and bars that they own.  Quick Anecdote: U2 used to always practice in this blue warehouse and across the street was The Clarence Hotel.  They went there one time to eat but they wouldn’t serve them because they weren’t the type that usually eats there.  Bono told them that when they become rich and famous they will buy this hotel and fire them.  And so they did!

*The Temple Bar- Dublin’s cultural corner where there are a lot of pubs and a big tourist attraction for night life

*The Spire- A big monument in the center of Dublin.  It was built for the millennium but wasn’t finished until 2003.

The Spire

Kate, Me and Danielle at the Spire

We ended the tour at O’Neils.  It is a very well known Irish restaurant in Dublin.  We got a deal on the food for being part of the tour.  I ordered the Irish Stew.  It was beef stew with Guinness sauce.  It was pretty good but not as good as my mom’s stew!!

That night we went to two pubs.  The first one near our hostel.  They played Irish music and four old couples did some Irish partner dancing.  It was fun to watch!  It was interesting that most people out at these pubs were older folks.

We also went to the Temple Bar area to a pub with live music.  This was a younger band that played Irish music and U.S. music.

Me, Kate, and Danielle at O'Sheas - pub near our hostel

Hostel Experience

To get to the point I am not a hostel kind of girl.  In Dublin we were able to get a private room for just the 3 of us.  Our room smelled like pee and I’m pretty sure there was pee on the ground of our bathroom.  Either that or the toilet was leaking.  The toilet and sink were so close together that in order to use the toilet you had bend backwards to get under the sink.  In addition, it was freezing; I slept in a ball and woke up with a hand-print on my face from sleeping on my hand.  Luckily it was only one night there. 

I feel the complete opposite about the hostel in Galway.  I absolutely loved it there.  I could have stayed there for a whole week!!  The moment we walked into the place we knew it was so much better.  It had a huge staircase, carpeted, and painted walls.  The lobby was enormous with couches, pillows, and free Internet.  The staff was very friendly.  In this hostel we weren’t able to get a private room and shared with 3 strangers.  Everyone kept to themselves and there was very little interaction with the strangers.  Our room was nice and toasty so I slept very well for the 2 nights.  I was told that not all hostels are like the Galway one and most likely they will be like the Dublin one L

Galway

Galway is a very small city and I bet very pretty and popular during the summer months.  Unfortunately for us, it rained and was freezing cold on our trip.  After our bus from Dublin to Galway we met up with our friends that had flew straight from London to Galway.  We walked along the coast of the Ocean and had taken some scenic shots. 

The girls on the Coast

That evening we went to a recommended restaurant called McDonagh’s.  It is a seafood restaurant.  Here I had my first meal of Fish and Chips and I liked it!

My fish and chips (after the first bite)

Cliffs of Moher

There are two big tourist sites in Galway: Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands.  We chose to go to the Cliffs of Moher (we didn’t think we needed to do both).  It was a full day bus tour where we went to sites on the way up to the Cliffs. 

I wanted to post this picture to show how rainy and cold it was.  

This is a picture of the rocky fields on our way to the Cliffs.

We left for the tour at 10:00 and by 4:00 we had made it to the Cliffs.  We had about 1.5 hours to explore up there.  Luckily for us, it had actually stopped rainy when we got to the Cliffs.  The view was amazing.  We were so high up.  The Cliffs were huge.  There were two different sides and we walked both ways.  I took so many pictures so I am going to post the ones I think looked the best. 

Me and my roommate Danielle

The Girls

Castle at the Cliffs

It was so windy right at the spot.  The picture isn't straight because the wind was so strong it was pushing my over!

IT WAS SOO MUDDY! My shoes got too heavy it was hard to walk!

Last Day

Sunday was our last day here but Galway being such a small city we really didn’t know what to do.  After checking out of our hostels we walked a very long way.  We were trying to get to the aquarium but took a long detour through a residential area.  We walked for over an hour and came across the coast.  It smelled like fish and it was very nice to walk by the ocean (kinda like in Mexico but imagine 70 degrees colder).  We found the aquarium but of course it was tiny and decided to ditch that idea.  We found lunch near by at a pub and I got a very delicious pasta.  We spent the rest of the night watching sports at the pub.  We saw a soccer game, a rugby game, and then the big soccer game of Chelsea vs. Manchester United.  It was an exciting game and in the last 5 minutes ended as a tie.

Journey Home

Thanks to our poor planning we had to spend the night in the airport.  Our plane back to London left Shannon airport at 6:30 am.  Shannon is about a 2 hour bus ride from Galway.  Unfortunately the last bus leaves at 8:00 pm.  We were hoping to be able to watch the Super Bowl somewhere in Shannon but there was nowhere to go.  We got to the airport at around 9:00 and started to entertain ourselves.  We bought loads of food and played a camp game called Mafia.  By 12:00 everyone got tired and we slept for about 4 hours at the airport.  After a flight, train ride, and tube ride we finally made it make to our flights at around 9:30.  I slept all day until 3:30.  Hopefully I will be able to sleep tonight.

It was a very fun trip!! I have two weekends of no trips so I am excited to be able to see some more sites in London.  At the end of February I’m off the Prague!