8/4/2016 0 Comments Vatican CityFun fact: the Vatican (headquarters of the Catholic church) is actually its own country. Today we explored the many rooms of the Vatican museums and a bit of the city itself. I had no idea the Vatican held dozens of other beautifully painted ceilings in addition to the Sistine Chapel. It was unbearably hot, but so beautiful.
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8/4/2016 0 Comments London to RomaWe arrived in Rome yesterday afternoon. After a long travel morning and a crazy shuttle to our hotel, we decided to have a low key night. We are fortunate to be staying only a few blocks from the Spanish Steps (which are, of course, closed at the moment). So, last night we explored the neighborhood, drank red wine, and ate pasta. The streets are so picturesque. The buildings vary in pastel colors and vines fall off the roofs from the gardens. I can't wait to see more, off to the Vatican today!
8/3/2016 0 Comments The Tower of LondonOne of my top bucket list items in England was the Tower of London, a historic castle on the north bank of the Thames. The oldest structure is from the 11th century and it was used until the 19th century. It served as a prison, royal residence, and most famously the location where King Henry VIII executed his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Today, my mom and I finally went inside and explored the site on our last day in London.
8/1/2016 0 Comments Harry Potter Studio TourAs a crazy Harry Potter fan studying in London, I knew I had to buy tickets for the Warner Brother's Studio Tour. I don't have too much to say other than how AMAZING it was. I absolutely recommend it. Fantastic experience.
8/1/2016 0 Comments Momma takes on LondonMy mom arrived in London two days ago and from the moment she stepped off the tube, we've been pounding the pavement. I've taken her to all the obligatory tourist spots (Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge) while trying to show her some of my favorite smaller areas of the city. It feels good to have family here in the city I have grown to love so much.
7/30/2016 0 Comments A New ChapterClasses ended yesterday. Definitely bittersweet. We had one final breakfast together in the GEO center before heading our separate ways. My mom was supposed to get here shortly after but her flight was delayed. So, I went out one last time with a few friends, and now I am waiting for her to arrive at Russel Square. It's crazy that I've already been in London for five weeks. It's also pretty crazy to think of everything that's happened during that time. Am I a changed person? Absolutely not. What I did gain, however, is a new appreciation for home. The knowledge that traveling alone can have low points. It is lonely, confusing, and a bit terrifying at times. It is also one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had. Where there is confusion there is room for new understanding. Where there is fear there is room for courage. And where there is loneliness there is room for new friendships. Traveling to a place with nearly no connections creates an opportunity for new perspectives from all over the world. I have never thought of myself as an independent person, but now I know I can be. Please, if you have the opportunity to travel somewhere alone, do it. You won't come back a "changed person" as many travel blogs suggest, but you will come home with new confidence and a better understanding of yourself.
7/27/2016 0 Comments Grouplove at the Electric BallroomLast night, as one last thing before my final paper is due and my mom arrives, I went to see Grouplove. Tickets were only £15 and I knew it would be a fun show so, why not? It ended up being a really cool night. I met some really cool people and danced to good music. 7/25/2016 0 Comments 48 Hours in ScotlandComing in to all of this, I knew I wanted to visit Scotland over a weekend. However, the trip had been ambiguous in terms of timing and who was going. Long story short, I ended up booking everything this last Thursday. This I do NOT recommend. It took a miracle to find a hostel available and almost resulted in us standing for the entirety of the 4 hour train journey. We arrived in Edinburgh late Friday night, so I found my hostel and went straight to bed. On Saturday morning, I booked a tour of the Scottish highlands. I had to roll out of bed around 7am (while trying not to wake up the eleven sleeping people in the room) to catch the tour bus. The tour lasted 12 hours, but it was hardly boring. From Edinburgh, we went through Sterling, Glencoe, Iverness (where we took a boat tour on the Lochness), and Perth. Afterwards, I met up with a few people from class at Stramash, a live music pub. I was able to reach out to one of the bands to get an interview for my final art feature. The music scene in Edinburgh is very fun; lots of dancing, talented musicians, and even bagpipes. The next morning, I took a tour of the Edinburgh castle before heading back to London. Many rulers of Scotland once lived here, including Mary Queen of Scots. From the castle, there are wonderful views of the entire city. What amazes me most is how medieval everything still feels. In London, there is such a huge contrast between old and modern. In Edinburgh, everything still feels so ancient and beautifully preserved. Almost like I was walking through an episode of Game of Thrones, just with more tourists and Scottish heritage shops.
7/22/2016 0 Comments Conceptual Art at Tate BritainMy Art assignment this week is to write a review on the conceptual art exhibit at Tate Britain. In the 70's, young artists began to break out of the strict, technical rules which constituted "art". Instead, they thought that the mere articulation of an idea is artistic. Though a bit text heavy (and in my opinion - pretentious), this exhibit tells their story.
7/21/2016 0 Comments BBC World HeadquartersAlthough BBC does not run official tours as of last year, my international news professor was able to get us inside. Andrew was previously the editor of BBC World Service News, where he worked for 35 years. Thanks to him, we were able to tour the building, sit in on a radio broadcast, and meet some amazing faculty.
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