In the closing scene of the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, the main character is adamant about his ability to be able to do anything he dreams of. After only a week in London, I feel the same way as Christopher did in the play. Growing up in a suburban town, my choices of, “Oh let’s go explore/learn/discover/see this today” were pretty limited, however London is the complete opposite. Today is my first real day that I’ve decided NOT to do anything, primarily to catch up on school work and reflect on this past week. SO, here is my first week in review!
Day 1: The First Full Day
The Rosetta Stone at the British Museum
Today our class visited the British Museum which happens to only be a block from our flats. The museum was expansive and the exhibits all had a lot to offer, like seeing the Rosetta Stone, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and how money has developed throughout time, to briefly name a few. This is definitely a place I’ll have to return to and explore more throughout the month. We also visited Trafalgar Square (any Doctor Who fans?), went on the London Eye, and got a first glimpse of Big Ben.
Day 2: Wait, We Have Classes Here?
A more low-key day, we had our classes for a few hours in the morning (a reality check that this is not just a very long vacation) and then had free time for the rest of the day. A bunch of us decided to go to the Camden Markets, a massive flea market with endless stalls and food to eat.
Me, eating my crepe at the Camden Markets (picture taken before the crepe leaked and stained my pants)
Day 3: From Students to Spies
At first, our class visited the Tate Britain (an art museum) to learn about modernism in art, as per the theme of one of our classes on this trip. Then, we all stopped at a pub that has an upstairs room decorated like an old style saloon with binoculars to spy on London’s secret service building which was right across the Thames and in perfect view of the pub. Though we didn’t see much, the atmosphere was awesome and we all loved it.
The MI6 building (London’s Secret Intelligence Service building)
Day 4: Insanity and Imagination
As another class trip (this time for our Insanity and Imagination class), we visited the Bethlem Museum to see not only how people with mental illnesses were treated in the past, but also current treatments and approaches. Before our trip, our class learned about the history of Bedlam and the terrible treatment of people with mental illnesses in the past, but also how this “insanity” has been closely related to creativity. The museum also displayed how mental illness and imagination still have a very close relationship, but of course without the same stigmas and in a different manner than in the time of Bedlam. For example, the museum displayed a lot of art that people with mental illnesses have created in order to express themselves and use their imagination as an outlet for their diseases.
Day 5: Piccadilly Circus
Our free time today led us to wandering around Piccadilly Circus and finding Hatchard’s, a beautiful, four-floor book store in which I found (and bought) Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (to the excitement of our whole group of HP lovers). We also stopped in Fortnum and Mason, a department store that’s been around since 1707! Then, a few of us bought tickets to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, which was PHENOMENAL. Though I knew it was nominated for a lot of Tony Awards in the States, I had no idea what to expect, yet I left the play ready to turn around and walk back in to see it again. The others from my class who went had very similar reactions as I did, and the best part was we only spent 15 pounds for our seats (about $25). The play, cast, and set was innovative, simple but sophisticated, unique, unexpected, and amazing all around.
Me, outside the theatre for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.
Day 6: Defying Gravity
Today may have been my favorite day of this week. First, we went to see Big Ben/the House of Parliament and then went inside Westminster Abbey. Though I expected a beautiful church, I never expected such a gorgeous church with a rich and interesting history. People like Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, kings/queens, and famous poets were all buried underneath the floor we walked on. My childhood dreams of wanting to become a princess suddenly reemerged as I could only imagine how Kate Middleton felt gliding down the grand aisle at Westminster Abbey on her wedding day. Sadly, they don’t let you take pictures of the inside, so you’ll have to take my word (or visit yourself) to fully grasp the detail and grace of this building. Later in the day, we also went to see Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Again, tickets were relatively cheap, and entirely worth it because our London cast was just as wicked as the Broadway cast. This was at the top of my list of things to see in London, and it did not disappoint.
Me, in front of Westminster Abbey, dreaming of marrying a prince.
The House of Parliament a.k.a. Big Ben and a typical double decker bus
Day 7: Leeds, and Dover, and Greenwich, oh my!
This day was our busiest by far, as we took a planned bus trip with a bunch of other tourists. We started off by visiting Leeds Castle, a castle primarily owned by queens. The castle was set on a beautiful piece of land (500 acres) that had ponds with black swans imported from Australia. Next, we went to the white cliffs of Dover with a “beach” made up of stones (no sand). The coolest part about this beach was that you can see France from shore and Dover Castle on top of the white cliffs that is used for the military. Next, we travelled to Canterbury (the scene of Canterbury Tales) and visited the historic cathedral. Lastly, we walked through Greenwich Park where I was in two places at once. Well, sort of. Greenwich Park marks the division line between the eastern and western hemispheres, so I was technically standing on two separate parts of the world at one time! We ended our trip with a boat ride where we got quick glimpses of the Millennium Bridge (as seen in Harry Potter), the London Bridge, and the Tower Bridge. After this long day’s journey, and a week of adventures it’s no wonder why most of us are taking a personal day to recuperate before our next week begins!
Me, standing in two places at once in Greenwich.
The Tower Bridge as seen from our boat ride
A glimpse of the beautiful property at Leeds Castle
Once again, thanks for reading, and stay tuned as I continue to ‘do anything’ I dream of and discover in London! Cheers, love!
Location: Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom