Dickinson College Humanities Program in Norwich

Again I have the problem of figuring out what I want to write about. Because there has been so much going on I think this entry will be a more broad entry about what I have enjoyed seeing and doing these past few days.

On the day we went to Westminster Abbey, I forgot my camera. This type of incident leads me to believe that I am aging? Anyways I was very excited to know that we were going to have a guided tour through the Abbey. It was more than I could have imagined. I never knew it was a tomb to so many heroic and talented people. It took me a few minutes to get over the fact that every step I took my foot landed strategically on top of someones eroding body, but I finally got used to it. It was almost a dream to me to see the tomb of Queen Elizabeth I. I have developed somewhat of an obsession with her over the past year and now that I am here, and have the opportunity to see where she ruled i am even more interested.

After Westminster, Amanda and I went to the British museum. The blog concerning that, and a few other museums will be posted in due time.

I also wanted to blog about Stonehenge and Bath. Our trip to Stonehenge was quite quick however, it was truly fabulous to see it in person.  I have to admit, the structure does amount to the size seen in pictures. It really is a magnificent mystery.

On this trip I believe a fell in love with the city of Bath. The architecture and the history is fascinating, and the people are so interesting. Walking through the Roman Baths really allowed for me to imagine Londonium and the early Romans who lived within the country.

We ate lunch in a cute cafe, and I had the yummiest jacket potato! I am obsessed, I will be cooing them in Norwich for sure.

Myself, Chelsea, Sarah and Allie went to the Jane Austin Center. It was so much fun. My mom has been obsessed withe BBC version of Pride and Prejudice forever, and my siblings and I have all had our turns watching alongside her. This center made those characters and the Jane Austin come to life. Her history and her writing was very well depicted through the small but quaint little town house.

I am so glad we have the opportunity to explore outside of the city. I am also thankful that we have readings and other information that prepare us, or rather inform us about what we will see. I love the history in this country, and the more and more we explore, the more I appreciate everything this country has come to be.

As I sit and write this blog post, I am listening to Claire De Lune by Debussy.

How beautiful it is, that music has the ability to bring people together, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. During the concert today, I became very fascinated with the ability to believe something to be universal. How can such a large group of people enter a Christian church, in no means looking for religion, to attend a performance by an unknown group, that solely relies on ones ability to hear. Can such an art form unite human beings? Do we have the knowledge to accept the fact that people of this world have more in common than we think, or are we too busy promoting our differences? Is peace a possibility in our future? I’m not sure, however I do believe that music is a beautiful representation of how people of the world can connect no matter the differences.

I feel like I say this every time I write a blog, but how could my day start any better. I absolutely loved watching E.L.F perform. Their first piece, which was an abridged version of the Broadway Musical “Phantom of the Opera”, was one of the most moving experiences I have had here in London. To be in such a historical building, and to watch these passionate individuals perform, was truly a beautiful site.

After the performance I headed towards the National Gallery Museum. Not only did I about wet my pants at the size of the museum, but as I walked further towards the entrance the view from its steps became more and more beautiful. Many of London’s great land marks were right in front of my eyes. “Unbelievable” is the only word i can use to describe what I saw. The Museum was what I expected and more. I have a particular interest in Rembrandt and other Dutch artists, and i think it is because of my obsession with early modern Europe. Rembrandt painted during the 16th century when Holland was a very important economic country. It is a wonderful example of how Europe was evolving over the 15th-18th centuries but still remained a central area for the arts. I really enjoyed this museum. I made it through many of the galleries but I would love to go back and spend more time in each section.

It was a wonderful day. I wake up every morning in shock that I’m lucky enough to be here. I hope every step I take reflects how grateful I am to be here. I LOVE IT!

It has taken quite a while for me to choose a topic for this blog entry. In no way have I not enjoyed every second of this trip, it is just that I do not want to pick something specific. I just want to write about everything! I really loved the Docklands museum, I thought the interior design of each room, and the way each time period was organized truly helped in understanding. Each room produced an equal amount of fact and fun, both of which made the museum so memorable.

Regardless of my inability to make up my mind, today I became extremely interested with the the numerous parks or squares located throughout Bloomsburry. In particular I developed quite a fascination with the Peace Park. After 9/11 Americas devastation radiated through out the country. We frequently remember how tragic this event was and we continue to annually commemorate its date. However, many of us have forgotten, or rather never understood, the 7/7 events that took place in the heart of London. On July 7, 2005 a series of Muslim men took their own lives on public transportation units in response to the UK’s involvement in the Iraq war. Almost 60 people were killed, and about 700 were injured.

I decided to research this incident simply because of my own ignorance. When we entered the Peace Park today, I was overcome with its beauty. The park is rectangular shaped and in the center, surrounded by flowers, is a statue of  Mohanda Karamchand Ghandi. I am unable to think of a better person to represent what this park stands for. In a way, the beauty itself symbolizes our world, and the statue is what our world needs, together they create serenity.

Nothing could have made my day any better. I felt as though the walking tour aided in helping me fully understand the path we take every day, and to appreciate those that have walked them before us.

We left the Arran House hotel at 8:30 AM to catch the Northern line on Goodge Street up towards the Central line. We eventually arrived at Shepherd’s Bush Station, and walked a few blocks to the market. Even though the market was technically open, many of the

stalls were closed and the walking path was deserted.

Hiding our frustrations we chose to explore the surrounding community. As we walked further on the main road, we observed the privately owned shops (most of which were closed), as well as the local pedestrians on the move. Despite the “not so upper class feel” of the main street, the residential side streets appeared cozy and well cared for. We were unable to conclude how the neighborhood would fit in the British class system.

Circling back to the market, we decided to take our first walk through, despite its emptiness. The market appeared to cater to those who needed essential items including produce, meat, clothing: Middle Eastern apparel and accessories, and household items. Half way through we met a nice policeman who inquired about our visit to the market. He told us the market would get busy around eleven after the local shopping mall opened.

We explored the parallel main street which was also lined with shops. As we walked by we realized the majority of stores catered to the Middle Eastern Community. There were many different textile stores (with Arabic store signs) in addition to a news stand full of Arabic newspapers.

After killing time in a local park (and patsy sitting on bird poop) we returned to the market at eleven to find it still. Regardless of its permanent state of death we decided to weave through the isles again. This time we noticed more established shops behind the vendors, including BEDAZZLED sneakers!

After numerous passes through, we agreed that the market would not pick up and so we left. Although this market did not live up to our expectations, each of us became more interested in exploring the other markets of London.

Happy Ramadan.

From the moment I woke up this morning, the song “London Calling” has been swirling between my earlobes. Appropriate?

We began the day with such an uplifting activity. Our quick boat ride down the Thames was a perfect introduction to each aspect London offers. I feel as though traveling down such a central location allowed each of us to fully understand the development of such an industrial city over an enormous amount of time. Each and every structure, from tower bridge to the egg shaped business building, contains a story and all of which contribute to London’s evolution over time.

This day really initiated continual thought about time. After visiting the Royal observatory, and listening to Qualls explain how his son could not completely comprehend how an 800 YEAR OLD CASTLE was really really old i became interested with how each park, castle, and home, was once home to those who died hundreds of years ago. I view these structures while I recreate a story in my head . I enjoy exploring the endless possibilities of what type of people the Tudors were or how the seamen behaved while staying in the area for just a night. Its fascinating to look beyond the building and search for what lived, dined, and slept within the walls.

After lunch in the pub (Goat cheese Heaven), we explored the market. I believe i have developed a new found obsession with these markets. Coming from phoenix I’m not used to many cultural or funky shopping areas, however, I was completely blown away. I want to see, smell, and observe every single one! After walking around a bit more and visiting the Queens home, we ventured through the walking tunnel, where people DID NOT follow biking rules and which almost killed Amanda.  After the walk, we go on the railway. We made our way back to the Arran house, and began to work on our projects.

As 7 pm rolled around our stomachs began to rumble. Megan, Amanda and I wanted to walk around and compare our options. What we did not know, was that many eating establishments decide to clothes at 8!!! So as we continued to look around, the shops we previously viewed were closed as we returned. We finally found a restaurant called The Spaghetti bar, which was fabulous!

Everything I expected of London has for the majority been incorrect. I have really enjoyed the food, I love the walking, everything is clean, and I really like the people. I almost feel empowered each time I have to find my own way on the tube. I have never had such an immense amount of independence, and I’m learning so much more then I ever thought i would.

London is an incredible place, i think I’m already falling in love…..

After purchasing mobiles, we ventured to Goodge Street tube station at 14:55. After swiping our new oyster cards, we became intimidated by two massive elevators that seemed to lead nowhere. We were confused, so we asked an elderly British bloke which route we should take. Under the heavy accent we were able to discern the word “one”. After going down the elevator, and fiercely searching for our stop, we realized “one” actually meant “Warren”. We got off of the Northern line at Warren (which we later learned, was only a few blocks away from the Arran House). We wandered aimlessly through Warren Station, only to arrive at the southbound Victoria line just as train was pulling away. We studied our A-Z map, as we waited for the next train, to familiarize ourselves with the Victoria area.  After two stops on the Victoria Line, we followed the “way out” signs toward what looked like a central area. The entire trip on the tube took a mere twenty minutes. We soon realized our destination would include a stop at Buckingham Palace. We used our A-Z map to navigate ourselves towards the Palace, only to realize after about fifteen minutes that we had been walking in the opposite direction. By turning the map we suddenly oriented ourselves and made our way back up past the tube station and continued on to the Palace.

Naturally, we chose to use Buckingham Palace as our monument. The building was constructed in 1703 as a local home. After many additions and renovations, Queen Victoria became the first monarch to reside within its walls. We also came to the conclusion that this is why the Tube stop is named Victoria. We were excited at the possibility of viewing “the changing of the guards” however, we were angry to have found a sign that said the next change would occur the next morning at 11:30. after crying for about a minute we pulled it together and took a few pictures……

We sat on the steps of Victoria Memorial and gathered our thoughts and studied our map. We took a walk over to St. James Park and found a bus route back to Tottenham Court. Our trip back was approximately thirty minutes and we arrived back at the Arran House at 17:00.

Observations: The city of Westminster, where the Palace is located, seemed like a high end area. There were many business men and women walking swiftly through the streets. We also realized the differences in architecture between the old shop buildings, and the new modern high rise hotels. Upon arriving at Buckingham Palace we noticed a stark difference in the type of people surrounding the monument. The monument attracted tourists of all nationalities and classes. After observing St. James Park and Green Park, which was nearby, we came to the conclusion that there was a lot more green space than we were used to for major cities. It was also much cleaner than many of the most popular attractions in the U.S.

It was an easy and fun adventure and a great way to learn the ins and outs of London.