A Weekend of Celebration

I am one of the lucky few who is able to celebrate their birthday abroad. Since my birthday was on Saturday, the entire weekend ended up being a celebration! It started Friday Evening. After attending a pre departure meeting for my Istanbul trip (which I CANNOT wait for!!), Janey, Mackenzie, Alex, Max and I all went to the Thames River and took a trip on the London Eye. We had tickets for 7:30 - a perfect time, since the sun had just set and the entire city was lit up. 

The London Eye is very similar to a ferris wheel. The entire ride is about 30 minutes spent of the entire group taking photographs and looking at spectacular views of the city! 

Once we got back from the London Eye, the entire flat celebrated my 12:01! I popped my first champagne bottle (which I found out is a lot harder than it looks), while party poppers of confetti exploded all over me. It was a great way to start my birthday off right.  Mackenzie and Janey knew I was a little sad that I wasn't going to see my parents on my birthday, so they made every effort to make my birthday even more special.  That morning, I woke up to balloons and decorations all around our flat.  In the afternoon, Janey and I went shopping and saw the musical Legally Blonde. The production was incredible, definitely one of my favorites! 

A group of girls in our flat all went out for dinner to an Italian restaurant around the corner from our flat on Gloucester St. Not only did we feel like we were in Italy inside the restaurant, but our meals tasted phenomenal. I know I speak for everyone when I say we would all go back there in a heartbeat! After dinner we all got very dressed up for a night on the town - as you can see in the pictures above. I am so glad that I was able to spend my twentieth birthday in London and could not have asked for a better day with my friends!

Pure Royalty

On our day off from class a few of my flat mates and I decided to step into the life of royalty and tour Buckingham Palace. We reserved tickets in advance to see the Royal Wedding dress, which is only on display until the first week in October. Upon entering the Palace, every guest receives an audio headset that gives information about all the rooms that are visited. At first, the tour reminded me of the White House tour that I went on with my family in second grade; however, even the White House could not compare when it came to decorations and architecture. Each room had at least one chandelier with hundreds of crystals sparkling in the light. There were jewels throughout the entire palace and the Mosaic Egg, Royal Faberge Exhibition was phenomenal. Throughout the tour I couldn't stop thinking that I know a Princess, who would fit in here, right Pooj?  Additionally, each stateroom was adorned with beautiful pieces of artwork along walls. As I listened to the audio, I became more interested in all the Paintings and really wished that I had taken an Art History class at some point in my life. When I reached the stateroom that displayed the Duchess of Cambridge's Wedding Dress, I stood in awe. Every girl dreams of her Wedding Day, from the location, to the flowers, and the man waiting down the aisle, but I cannot picture ever getting married into the Royal Family at Westminster Abbey!

The dress was even more magnificent in person. The intricate details of the dress were so breath taking that it took everyone about 20 minutes to walk around the display. Seeing the dress has already been one of the my top highlights here in London! By the end of the tour, once we reached the Gardens we were finally allowed to take pictures!

 

Spending the morning at Buckingham Palace was such an amazing opportunity that only made me fall more in love with London.  The final highlight of the trip was while exiting the property we were able to do something that I have always wanted... take a picture with a Bobby!!

That night I had a field trip for my British Life & Cultures Class. My Professor told us to meet him at the Chalk Tube Station, where most of us thought he would bring us to a Pub. Instead we got a nice workout walking up Primrose Hill to the most amazing view of the entire City! 

 

I am excited to spend my last weekend before a long stretch of traveling by sightseeing around London as well as celebrating my twentieth birthday!

Student then Tourist.

I have not updated my blog in a few days since I only have a few adventures to share! Going abroad, it is easy to get caught up in the city and forget the main reason why I am here. Of course I want to be immersed in the culture and become more globally aware, but school has to be my number one priority. Monday and Tuesday I did not venture outside of my apartment except for the 15 minutes walk to and from class and to go to the gym. This was due to homework, mainly the preparation for my first presentation, which I had today in religion class. Two of my friends and I presented about Islamic Art and Architecture for thirty minutes; describing everything from the three visual characteristics of Islamic Art including calligraphy, geometric patterns, and arabesque to the dome architecture of mosques. Our presentation was created to enrich our classmates about the foundation of Islamic artwork before we visited the V & A (Victoria & Albert museum) during the second half of our class.

Upon walking into the museum I was surprised and excited to be greeted by a Chihluly chandelier in the hallway! Immediately, I asked our guide if that was a Chihluly piece, which it was, and she was quite impressed with my observation. I learned about this artist when I visited the MFA this summer to see Sarah, while she was interning there! (Thanks Sarah!!!)

During the rest of the tour we visited pottery, textiles, and metalworks that were all Islamic, but from different geographical regions. I took a few photos for you, Dad, because I thought some of the pottery looked similar to all the ones that you collect in China Town!!

Since our tour was only about an hour and a half we did not get to explore nearly half of the museum so I am planning on returning later in the month to check more of the exhibits out. One of the best things about London Museums such as the British Museum, V & A, Tate, Natural History, and National Gallery, is they all have free admission. There is no better way to explore a museum than to get lost in one full of magnificent and ancient creations that tell stories of our history. 

After having class from 9 -12, 1-4, and then a trip to the museum I was quite exhausted, yet found energy to continue exploring. Janey and I decided to head to China Town, near Piccadilly Circus for dinner! Although San Francisco Chinatown is still my favorite, walking through the streets we both agreed that we did not feel like we were in London at all! We wandered up the streets peaking through restaurant windows looking for a busy place with the most authentic food. It did not take us long to make a decision and we settled our growling stomachs in no time!

While leaving Chinatown we decided to continue exploring the area, since it was early in the night. The first treasure we found was the M & M Store. Yes it is just as big, if not larger than the one in Time Square. Janey and I ran around the store taking pictures and remembering our childhood halloween outfits. (We learned that we both were blue M & M's for Halloween when we were in 2nd Grade)! 

Not only did we get to take our picture with the yellow M & M (who decided to smush our faces together), but they also have a set up of M & M's on Abbey Road, known for the picture on the cover of a Beatle's Album.  Upon leaving the M & M store we saw the set up for the premiere of a new Hugh Jackman movie! Unfortunately, we weren't able to catch a glimpse of him! 

The best part of the night was finding our way home. Even though we knew what bus to take we decided to venture in another direction toward cute shops. It was then we stumbled on many hidden treasures! First we came across Carnaby Street, which is hidden behind the main roads of Oxford Circus with local Pubs, quaint boutiques and preppy shops such as Jack Wills!  Our luck continued as we found a back alley of about ten restaurants and an Ice Bar!  By the end of the night Janey and I were so excited by our findings that we couldn't wait to get home and tell the rest of the crew so we can go back and explore more tomorrow, during our day off from classes. 

Today I realized the satisfaction of spontaneity. We randomly decided to head to Chinatown for dinner (since we had run out of groceries) and wandered into hidden treasures. For the rest of my time in London, I am excited to wander off the map and find the local spots that most of the tourists don't know about!

A Day of Remembrance

I cannot believe today is already the ten year anniversary of September 11th. That day will always be remembered by ever American during the exact moment the planes hit from how they felt to what they lost. Instead of attending a Polo match, I thought I could better spend my day remembering all the heroes who lost their life ten years ago. This afternoon, my entire flat watched President Obama speak at the Ground Zero Memorial, which moved many of us to attend mass. We went to Westminster Abbey, where the royal family's wedding ceremonies take place, to sit in on a special memorial service for 9/11. I can say that I have never been in a more beautiful church in my life. Westminster Abbey was overwhelmingly magnificent, with all the detailed architecture and stained glass. The ceremony was not only beautiful, but I have never heard a choir sound so brilliant before! When mass ended we were able to walk down the aisle, like Kate Middleton when she married Prince William! Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures from inside the church because photography is not allowed. This will not be my last time in Westminster Abbey. I hope to go to mass another Sunday as well as attend mass at St. Paul's Cathedral, known for where Princess Diana got married.

Being 9/11, we all decided not to take the Tube for safety reasons. Now we truly know how much faster it is to take the subway than the bus in London. We were stuck in traffic for about an hour, which should have only been a twenty minute ride. Before going to Westminster Abbey we took the bus to the London Eye, where there was the Thames Festival along the River. The Annual Festival is a weekend event that includes booths of food, jewelry, clothing, and performers. After walking along the entire river we decided to splurge on some fudge that was to die for!

When we left our flat this afternoon it was gorgeous outside. About 70 degrees, bright and sunny, with what looked to be no chance of precipitation. Boy were we wrong! While at the festival, the sun slowly vanished behind clouds, only to be rained on ten minutes later without an umbrella or rain jacket. Lucky for us, we were on our way to Westminster and did not have to be outside in the terrible weather for long.

Yesterday we experienced a very similar encounter with the weather. We spent most the day in Notting Hill (right where the movie was filmed) at the Portobello Market. This market was by far the best market I've ever encountered. It continued for two miles of shops, stands, restaurants, and antique tables. (Yes I took some pictures for you Dad...they even has some really cool old watches)!

The market was beautiful, closer to high 70s, until the rain decided to downpour on us without any warning. None of us had umbrellas or even jackets and all of the girls were wearing sundresses, not the best clothing for a rain storm.

To all of my Kappa Sisters.. It did not take long for Mackenzie and me to find fleur de lis!
We hope you girls have an amazing time with recruitment and we look forward to meeting the our new epsilon class!

If this weekend has taught me anything, it would be never go anywhere in London without an umbrella because you never know when the rain will come pouring down!

Best Store Ever.

Harrods hands down is the best department store in the world. It is the adult version of Disneyland. Even though this was not my first trip to Harrods, I did not remember how amazing the store is! Janey and I started walking through looking at all the designers such as Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton, until we decided we should probably move to a more affordable area. After seeing Princess Diana's shrine on the lower ground, we decided to have the best panini that I've ever had in my entire life. Before leaving we stopped in the Christmas room and then split this mouthwatering ice cream sundae at the ice cream parlour.

I cannot wait to go right before the holidays when the whole store will be lit up! Needless to say, I will be making many trips to Harrods during the next three months.

First Classes

This past Monday I started my classes for the semester. It did not feel like the beginning of school and more importantly that I am a junior in college. First, I attended my religion class Islam and the West, where we will actually be traveling to Istanbul in three weeks for a weekend trip! Today, I woke up early for my second class, British Life and Cultures. It did not take me long to realize that this will definitely be my favorite class, not only because my teacher is engaging and hilarious, but also because we will be traveling throughout London including a private tour of Parliament. Next week my teacher is taking us to a Pub outside of class to experience the British Culture of Food and Nightlife. We spent our first discussing British Stereotypes and first impressions. As we learned today, Fish & Chips is "considered" the most popular British Food, yet Curry is the most common food that the Brits eat. Once I have all my classes this week, I think I'll finally be able to settle into a routine; however, I think it might take a little time to get used to the three hour class time. By the time I come back to Santa Clara class will feel incredibly short. The past few days, I haven't explored much due to the lack of weather. It has been quite disgusting outside raining not stop in long spurts. Tonight we decided to relax and go to a pub close by on Gloucester to watch the Football Game and have some cider. I have found a new drink! I tried cider a few nights ago and quite enjoyed it, especially in comparison to beer!

* This was the best picture because as we learned the other night, I always blink during the flash. This was the fifth picture we took before we quit!

The rest of the week I will be busy, attending the kick off of Fashion Week and hopefully going to a Polo Match!

If my first weekend in London is any preview of how my time here will be spent, then it will be very hard for me to come home in December. Don't worry MOM & DAD you can visit me here :)! Friday was a little slow sitting through our orientation sessions; however, it did not take long for us to find something fun to do. That night we checked out the Pub at Imperial College, which is the University F.I.E. is affiliated with. We soon realized how expensive drinks are abroad! After leaving the Pub at 11 (because that's what time all pubs close at - so early!), we took the tube to Piccadilly. Most of the nightlife takes place around Piccadilly and Lester Square, since that's where all of the clubs are located.

Saturday morning we rose early, to go on a Bus Tour of the city that the school set up for all Santa Clara students. Our guide showed us the main tourist attractions, while keeping us well entertained. We started in South Kensington at 10 and did not return until 13, even though we were supposed to be back by noon. This was our first experience of unexpected London Traffic.

During the tour we traveled through Kensington passing Harrods, stopping at Buckingham Palace, followed by seeing Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral and finally, the Tower of London. I am already planning a time to come back to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards!

By the time we returned from our morning adventure we were exhausted, yet excited to explore more by ourselves. My two roommates, Janey and Mackenzie, and two of our flat mates Alex and Justin, and I decided to head back towards the Tower of London to check out the Borough Market for lunch.

New Beginnings

After much packing and anticipation, I left to study abroad for a semester in London. It's been almost a week since I arrived and I cannot believe it has flown by so quickly. Dad and I arrived during the annual Carnival in Notting Hill. The Carnival is a festival that takes place over two days and draws over 1 million tourists! Never have I seen so many people crowd the streets, nor did I know there was such a market for grilled corn! Later on our first day, after venturing away from the crowds we looked for bath towels in store called, Primark. This store was an ant farm; you couldn't move because people were swarming everywhere. Although Monday was a banking holiday it seemed like the hundreds of customers was a common occurrence in Primark.

Before the sunset we walked through Hyde Park, tried to rent bicycle to ride, although that mission failed, and got the lay of the land in South Kensington, where I'll be living, before having the best Italian Dinner I've ever had!


The next day, Dad brought me to Regent Park, around where he studied during his time in London. Our plan was to visit the zoo; however, the line was a long wait so we decided to venture somewhere else. Instead, we ended up having lunch in St. John's area, which was very upscale with nice shopping.
By the end of the trip we had eaten British, Chinese, Italian, and Lebanese food all within a mile radius of each other. Even though the British food might not have tasted the best, I am certain I will be well fed on this excursion!

I spent me last day with Dad in Piccadilly by Lester Square, where all of the theatres are located. We were able to get tickets to the Musical, We Will Rock You based off of Queen's hit songs. This musical was incredible. Not only were we able to sit second row, but the cast engaged the crowd, until the encore of Bohemian Rhapsody.

It was hard to say goodbye to my Dad today, but it was easier knowing that I would be living with my two close friends Janey and Mackenzie. Today, we went out to explore, which turned into a three hour adventure searching for one store! Today was only a short preview of my time in abroad and I cannot wait see what else London has to offer.