Dickinson College Humanities Program in Norwich

Walthamstow Market

This morning Megan, Mara, and Campbell set off for the Walthamstow Market in the center of Walthamstow Central. Walthamstow Market is the longest consecutive market in the city while by no means the largest. After exiting the train, we were immediately confronted by a large open grass field and a jumbo sized television screen in the center of the square. While this would mostly likely reflect a wealthy upscale neighborhood, the market itself targeted a more middle class to lower class clientele.  The majority of people within the market were locals who knew to carry cloth bags or small carts to carry their purchases. This particular market did not cater to tourists, and many of customers were also regulars at produce stalls and small markets. Most items were priced no higher than 8 pounds. The merchants ranged from Cockney to Afro-Caribbean to Middle Eastern. The customers were mainly older women accompanied by young children or older husbands. The market itself is one wide street with stores along both sides and then a center aisle lined with stalls.

Market Stands

The stalls housed “fruit and veg” stands, leather goods, key cutters, clothing, toys, house wares, and fabric. Several of the stalls carried the exact same goods.  There was a noticeable difference between the beginning of the street and the end of the market. Towards the front, closest to the bus and train stations, the quality of produce was better and the people running the stalls were mostly white British and then as we walked to the end of the market it became more ethnic. As we progressed, we began to notice the store fronts lining the market were not very well maintained. In the market itself there were a few cafes and food stands, including a rotisserie chicken stand, but the real food was found at the International Food Festival held at the forefront of the market.

Megan rides the kiddie rocket

The food ranged from Asian to German to Latin American, and after sampling goods from several stalls, we found that all the food offered there was exceptional. There were homemade breads and nice cheeses, as well as authentic sausage and even paella. The festival also had several children’s rides, including carousels, rocket ships, and a moon bounce. Megan found the rocket ships to be particularly exciting. The food festival attracted a number of families and couples, and for the first time since arriving in Walthamstow we discovered tourists among the locals.

If you would like to view more photos of the Walthamstow Market or the International Food Festival, please view our slide show:  http://s644.photobucket.com/albums/uu163/mliberty2011/Walthamstow%20Market%20Place/?albumview=slideshow

We left the Arran House bright and early at 8am. Together, we boarded the tube and set off for East Aldgate in search of the Whitechapel Market. This proved to be much more of a hassle than we had imagined. As we left the station and entered the streets of Whitechapel, our first perception of the area was the large, pristine East London Mosque, featured below.

From that moment on, we observed many bilingual street signs (in Arabic and English) and small family owned businesses including flower shops, restauraunts, and news agents.

Though there were a plethora of shops, there was a distinct lack of people. We were perplexed by the quiet streets and closed stores and were still unable to locate the elusive Whitechapel Market. Thankfully, a mailman was able to calm our fears…by telling us that it did not exist. He instructed us to walk a few blocks to Commercial Street where we could visit Spitalfields, a predominantly Islamic market. This also proved to be a disaster: it was closed, as we later found out from Professor Qualls, due to the beginning of Ramadan. Below are a few pictures of the deserted market which we imagined, under different circumstances, would otherwise be a vibrant and exciting community.

This is the exterior of the Spitalfield Market!

Here is the interior of the deserted market.

After another panicked call to Professor Qualls, he then directed us to Leadenhall Market which we located on the outskirts of London Proper. Originally a market for fish and cheese mongers, it was established in 1321 as a meeting place for vendors. However in 1666, parts of the original building were destroyed by the Great Fire and then later rebuilt in both 1881 and refurbished in 1990.

This is the entrance into the Leadenhall Markets.

Below is an image that captures the amazing architecture of the market place which is clearly incredibly ornate and a far cry from what we saw in Whitechapel. Not only were there high-end retail stores, but also high-rises and the buildings and streets were noticeably cleaner.

Here is an example of Leadenhall Market's interior!

Despite the fact that the markets were closed, it was still a very enlightening experience, for we saw two different Londons. The first being a predominantly immigrant community that combined the traditional culture of their homelands with the western ideals of Britain. The second was a more commercialized section of the city and felt more like a mainstream city center. It lacked, however, the intimate nature of Whitechapel. All in all, this experience helped us realize the economic and cultural diversity of London!

Outisde the Apple Market

Although it has only been two days, we were beginning to become a little skeptical of A.N. Wilson’s portrayal of a London overrun by American corporations and solely meant for tourism. All of the places that were not already tourist attractions were certainly un-American, and the cuisine was not only worldly but also a surprising amount of fusion food available (Indian/Japanese anyone?). However, after visiting the Covent Garden Market, we caught a glimpse of the England that was made for the tourist. The market is best described as a market for those who want to buy foreign things, but not too foreign. In the Jubilee Market, the shops almost entirely consisted of souvenir and novelty stalls.

A Keychain Shop

People visiting were welcomed to buy everything from London t-shirts, to calendars of David Beckham, and even London-themed condoms (“Want to see Big Ben?”). For those who didn’t have the local currency, there were numerous exchange agents and even stores that accepted American dollars and Euros.

The Apple Market was located in a 12th century abbey where the local monks would grow and sell their vegetables. Keeping in the tradition, there were a variety of chain stores, t-shirt vendors and cafes (The one fruit stand was not even located in the market, but outside one of the entrances).

Of the two markets, Apple seemed to consist more of permanent establishments, however Apple Market’s aim was no different from Jubilee in its desire to attract foreigners, with a welcome sign in several different languages, albeit slightly higher quality.

The surrounding neighborhood also played towards the same theme of tourism, with only the most popular chain retailers lining the streets such as Gap, The Disney Store, Starbucks, H&M, and others. The local theaters were mostly playing shows that had previously or were still on Broadway. Across from the market was the St. Paul’s Church but it was unfortunately closed at the time we were there.

St. Paul's Church

Slightly disillusioned by the cookie-cutter appeal of the Covent Garden area, we decided to walk back to the hotel. It took fifteen minutes of walking until the number of major chain retailers began to decrease and we began to see independent businesses (and pubs!).

The market clearly recognized that this was the type of London that tourists both expected and wanted to see. The shops were easily recognizable, the streets were clean, the vendor made sure that you knew that what you were buying was foreign, and everyone was white.

American Fare

Today the Humanities study abroad program ventured out on our first London adventure as a group. The day began with a lovely breakfasts provided by the Arran Hotel. At 8:30 sharp we headed towards Greenwich pier on a boat.

The instant the boat docked and we boarded. I was filled with excitement being  that we were within walking distance of what I believed to be the key symbol of London, Big Ben. The boat ride reminded me of the Circle Line Cruise of Manhattan, being that the tour of London was on a boat and went under a numerous amount of bridges.  I couldn’t help but feel blessed that I was fortunate to be in London, a place I have only seen in visual media and in my dreams of course. The architecture of each building was unique in its own right, and with modern designed being mixed with the older Georgian  monuments only added to the beauty and diversity that is, London.

As we arrived in Greenwich we ventured passed numerous food places, and other historical landmarks. Being separated from the big city, Greenwich proved that its royal history was something to be admired just based off of its architecture. Once we arrived at the Prime Meridian we stopped for a quick photo and proceeded to the two local museums. The first was filled with ancient clock’s and explained the importance of time and how these inventions gave rise to the industrial revolution. We next ventured off into the astronomy museum where we saw an Astronomy show. I was enthusiastic to go into the astronomy show, one because I love stars and the concept of and endless universe, and two because I am in London so I plan to exhaust this experience for all I can get.

The host of the Astronomy show made the entire experience for me,  his enthusiasm, vigor, and knowledge in his field made him and excellent pilot for our journey through our solar system and beyond. His humor and tone to his voice kept, and almost complete jetlagged audience, awake and alert. It was a blast.

After the show we headed towards the local pub for food and drinks J.  Being that this would be my first legal alcoholic beverage I thought I would go with something very special to me, a Smirnoff ice.  After a well put together lunch we proceeded to a nearby flea market and then home on the 188 bus which is one of the few 24hour buses in London. I then purchased a camera for a much needed reason, and then headed out to Camden town, a funky little town just a hop skip and a jump from our hotel. We ate at a local Panini Shop, and then shopped around some rather familiar shops. We then headed back to our hotel, and this American boy, rather pleased with his adventures for the day, headed to be, with the song American Boy played in my ipod as I proceeded to dream and see what tomorrow will have in store. I love London.

   Traveling through the Thames River to Greenwich was a magnificent experience which allowed me to view a city that is not always known to visitors or even individuals living in London. Upon walking to the boarding point I realized that Big Ben was visible from where we were standing and has made me realize that I am actually exploring London. Yesterday’s travels were exciting and new; but I was left feeling that I was just in another big city like New York or Los Angeles. Seeing the landmark of London brought upon me this new recognition. The actual boat ride allowed us to view many parts of the city and get me excited for the rest of the trips that we will make throughout London; however, I have also recognized a new interest for architecture.  I have noticed the mixture of structures the first day in London when I traveled to Liverpool Street but it seems that such juxtaposition is all throughout the city and while traveling on the water one can distinguish the historical places that were build centuries ago from modern buildings used by corporations and residential buildings which exuded creativity. Walking in Greenwich has allowed me to set my foot back in time. The structures whether it be the Queen’s House or the metal planks left from the industrial period once again shows a diversity that exists in London where the history  has integrated with Victorian and Industrial periods.

   Upon leaving the Market that was taking place next to the pub, Anthony, Flow and I decided to take the 188 bus through Elephant and Castle and other neighborhoods back home. I was interested in viewing the class and race differences that exist in Gower Street area and those which exist in Elephant and Castle. The difference was definitely present, not only in skin color but also the stores that occupied the streets and the types of housing that we have discussed previously. Upon getting back to Gower Street, we made a visit to a local technology store where an unexpected conversation took place with local salesmen in which the topic of President Obama and how we feel about him rose up as well as our traveling plans and our feelings about London. Overall, I found them friendly and I loved the British humor that they possessed. I am looking forward to interacting more with the British in London and once we get to Norwich. Later that evening, we once again decided to randomly take a bus and head wherever it would take us. We ended up in Camden Town which is probably my favorite part of the city. Filled with rockers of our age and a mix of Columbian music and small boutiques, Camden Town is a place for leisure.

After little sleep, I awoke this morning at 7:30 to begin my journey down the Thames rive; the first event of this trip to really make me feel like I was in London. Coming from New York City, I am used to city life, trains, buses, and lots of people. So exploring the city on our first day and learning the tube was a little less exciting for me. As I walked the streets and rode the train I felt almost like I was still back home, that the plane had circled JFK for 6hrs and 55mins and then just put me back where I started.

Big Ben

But that feeling disappeared as soon as I stepped onto the Ferry boarding dock and spotted Big Ben in the distance. Instantly I realized that there was nothing like this back home. After snapping way too many photos of the distance clock tower, we boarded the Ferry which would take us down the river.

I found the Ferry ride itself to be mostly relaxing, especially considering the low amount of sleep I was running on. We docked near a dirt beach and headed on our long walking tour around Greenwich. Although I found the history and fun facts that we learned along the way interesting, what really got me excited was the details of the architecture. Not only was every single building ornaments with ionic or corinthian columns, but also faces, family crests, and shields. As an art minor, I find the time spent on the monuments and decorative elements of London to be the most beautiful thing about it.

Royal Observatory

For example, when I visited the Royal Observatory today, it was not the clock museum, the view from the telescope tower, or even the amazing planetarium show that I loved most about that part of our day tour, but rather the gorgeous and detailed buildings that housed these things.

"Astronomia" Mermaid Relief

Just as I left the planetarium show (which I encouraged everyone to attend, and turned out to be a huge success!) I spotted a mermaid relief low on the wall across from the exit. On a closer look I found the word “Astronomia” engraved on it. I found that these small details and reliefs awakened my passion for visual arts that the historical facts and information never could.

That is another element of this city that really differs from my home city. Although the architecture of New York will always have a special place in my heart, it lacks the ancient and authentic hand crafted beauty that the old buildings of London have. There is always something very striking to me about the juxtaposition of the modern buildings against the classical structures that founded this city.  It is almost like there is a continuing battle between history and modernization. Unfortunately for my passion, it looks like modernization is winning.

If you would like to continue following my adventures, feel free to visit my photo page for a slide show tour of some of the sites I have seen over the past two days: http://s644.photobucket.com/albums/uu163/mliberty2011/London%20the%20first%20two%20days/?albumview=slideshow

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…..

Today started out bright and early with a trip down the Thames toward Greenwich. The ferry ride offered spectacular views of the Tower Bridge, the London Eye, and many other popular attractions everyone expects of London. The Royal Park was beautiful and made me wish I could just picnic and read there all day. I’m glad we got to the top of the hill and the Prime Meridian before all of the crowds. I took the stereotypical picture with one foot on either side of the the Meridian as this is probably the closest to time travel I’ll ever experience. Afterwards, I explored the museum and really enjoyed it. Working in exhibition development this summer helped me to appreciate all of the effort that goes into desiging a museum. There are two things from the museum that particularly stick out in my mind:

1. In the exhibit about time in society where they displayed the evolution of clocks and wristwatches, I noticed that they included a cell phone. I thought this was great social commentary that might not occur to someone right away because recently many people have stopped using wristwatches even and rely only on cellphones for the time (especially younger people, myself included).

2. I appreciated how the museum displayed the comment cards that asked people to share their experiences of “When stopped for me…” I thought this added a more philosophical tone to the exhibit and made the point that the way people notice, remember, and live time in different ways.

After lunch, Alli, Mara, Kim, and I ventured into the Greenwich Market and explored the variety of shops and vendors. We all got henna tattoos and I had a short, but nice conversation with the artist about the significance of henna in South Asian culture. Henna is used to stain the skin in intricate and beautiful designs and it is very popoular for woman to get hennaed for special occassions, especially weddings. In the artist’s words: “An Asian bride is not complete without henna.” She explained to me that hennaing is meant to be a very calming process; therefore, the bride, her sisters, and cousins will have hennaing parties before the event in order to calm the bride’s nerves.

We then ventured beneath the Thames and wandered into the neighborhood on the opposite side of the river. We found Millard Park and stumbled onto a farm just beyond it. There were horses, sheep, goats, chickens, llamas, and one pig. At this point, one of my favorite things about London is the fact that many of the attractions are free to the public. It seems that the city tries to keep culture and recreation much more accessible than do many American cities (or at least the ones I’ve visited).

We journeyed home on the Docklands Light Rail. It was nice to travel above ground on the train. It was faster than the bus would have been, but we also were able to see a bunch of different neighborhoods that seemed to vary in class.

I woke up this morning feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of activities and travel planned for the day, but immediately felt at ease as we made our way to the Thames River embankment.  I enjoyed watching the scenery and different types of architecture pass by as we made our way to Greenwich, and definitely felt like a tourist while taking what seemed like hundreds of pictures of Big Ben.  Since I spend much of my summers in parks in New Jersey, I felt comforted by being in what seemed to be a familiar place to me.  The walk helped to wake me up as well 🙂

I was most interested by the museum dealing with the creation and use of early clocks on ships.  It truly amazes me that people were able to construct such intricate and elaborate instruments by hand, without the aid of computers or modern technology.  I also laughed when I read that early ships planned to calculate their position in relation to other ships by firing a rocket exactly 6440 feet in the air at exactly 12am..it seems silly, but I suppose without clocks or ways to calculate latitude/longitude, it seemed logical.  I feel rather inadequate when I realize that I would have absolutely no idea how to even begin to create something like these clocks from scratch, from the plans to making the parts to the actual collaboration and execution of the instrument.  I’m also impressed that sailors trusted the instruments enough to actually use them while in the middle of the ocean.  I know I would be nervous about being the first one to use something so important to my travels and, in essence, vitality.

I also enjoyed the planetarium and was quite amused by the man running it.  Despite the presentation’s humorous aspect, I left feeling like an insignificant part of an infinitely larger being.  Although I had learned about the solar system and galaxies in elementary school, I don’t find much use revisiting that information with my English and psychology majors.  I liked connecting the passage of time with the movement of planets, stars, and the expansion of space in general.  While some of the information was jarring, it was certainly useful and thought provoking.

Visiting the market was also a lovely experience.  Navigating the crowds was a bit difficult at times, but I enjoyed being in the midst of so many native Brits and seeing all the items for sale.  The food looked amazing, and since I was full from lunch, I plan on going back to taste a few of the dishes.  All in all, the day proved to be a success and I feel like I learned a lot about the places to which we traveled.