London: days nine and ten

Hey guys,
Sorry about skipping out on yesterday's blog post. I got a late start to the day due to having a later class - and really needing to sleep in for a day - so not much really happened until the evening. After class I just worked on some things I needed to get sorted out, until later when I met up with some friends and we went to a movie together. If anyone hasn't yet seen "12 Years a Slave" I highly recommend it; wonderfully done movie, and completely heart-wrenching. So that was pretty much yesterday, we didn't get back until late, and even though I did write up a brief post, something went wrong with the blog program I use and it wouldn't let me post it - and at 1:30 in the morning, I just really didn't want to fight with it.

Today however was a different story.


I had the last of my IES classes today, so I now know what all my professors are like and what each class will be demanding of me. The only class I have yet to know anything about is my City University course, but that doesn't start until the 27th, so I still have some time. The one I had today is called Modern British Novel and I think I will very much enjoy it - the professor comes across as enthusiastic and approachable. We did not do much today, however, as she wanted to spend a good amount of the time getting to know us all. Her method was to create a "web" of sorts, to have us list off our name, age, favorite books, favorite movies, hometown, and personal identifiers - she started with one person and then after the person spouted off their list, anyone was able to say "hey me too" then they that would mark the beginning of their turn to introduce themselves in the same way, and thus a chain of sorts was created by similarities. This would have been all and well, but through the course of it, I really discovered that I do not share very many of my peer's commonalities - pretty much the whole operation went off without a hitch until it was just me left at the end, still unable to contribute other than on grounds of my age. Even though it felt dimly isolating, I am more interested to see how this can set my approach to the class apart a bit - I think I will succeed in all my IES classes and am eager to get underway with the material.


After class, Hannah, I and one of her other friends went over to the area near Birkbeck College where apparently on Thursdays, a free lunch for everyone is passed out. Attracted by the idea of getting anything for free in this expensive city we went and waited in line for what was being served. Whilst in line a conversation was struck up with the guy in front of us who was also an international student at the nearby college. He was from Austria, and had an charismatic personality; we ended up talking to him for quite some time while waiting in line - talking about what it's like to be an international student here, language differences, and he told us quite a bit about his home country. Once we got our food, he came and ate with us and we continued to talk, even though by this time it was only he and I talking. He was excited when I told him that I had learned quite a bit of German, his native language, and I also told him where I went to school, to which his reply was, "Oh Washington, that's where Kurt Cobain was from right?"  We also just simply talked more about London and what brought us here. It's kind of funny, being single for the first time in four years, I by no means was going to bother spending time on this trip looking at guys - despite joking about it, it just didn't feel right. But something like that hits you kind of out of the blue, and I got pretty distracted by the dark brunette, almost black tousled hair, the piercingly blue eyes and the Austrian accent..... First time in a long time I've felt attracted to someone else, and have been free to be. However, as this trip is temporary and it is likely I will never see him again, both whilst here, and definitely not when I return, I do still stand in my decision not to become distracted while I am here. But it was a welcome reminder for me that there are others out there, even if it means I need to go to Austria to find one... haha *shrugs shoulders and looks innocent* ;) But in seriousness, that is one of the major downsides to being abroad and in a city like this, is that people are friendly enough that it is easy to strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere; and in doing so, you meet some of the most amazing people. However, even though you scarcely know each other and thus have no grounds to ever see each other again, there is almost a little moment of grief at that moment of parting - knowing that the likelihood of ever meeting them again is slim at best and impossible upon returning to one's home country.


After that, Hannah and I returned to NIDO where we met up with her friend Aaron and we all hopped the Tube to Trafalgar Square for an evening of exploring. Trafalgar Square is quite close to the very heart of London city, and is a large concrete area, decorated with statues and fountains and its characteristic statue of Admiral Lord Nelson (who won the battle of Trafalgar, for which the square is named) perched atop a column which towers over the entire square. To the side of the square is the National Portrait Gallery to which we paid a visit. Unfortunately we were not able to take pictures inside, but we spent a great deal of time looking at paintings by many of the great artists; Caravaggio, Van Dyck, Monet, and so many others (unfortunately the room with the Picassos was closed off, but we will be making a return, so it'll be alright). We walked through the rooms until our feet hurt, and then we went back outside and walked some more...


From the steps of the National Gallery one could see in the distance the face of Big Ben peering over the rooftops, so because the city center was not far from Trafalgar, we made the trek there (passing Downing Street on the way too). Once in the main area next to Parliament and at the feet of Big Ben, we slowly made our way along the Parliament building, taking pictures as we went, and also of Westminster Abbey which was directly across the street. We walked until we reached Lombard Bridge, passed over that to the other side of the Thames, walked along the riverside - still taking pictures - until we reached Westminster Bridge which we then crossed back over on, coming directly at Big Ben from across the Thames. We literally walked all the way around Parliament, getting pictures from 360 degrees. I cannot say enough how strange it is to actually be here, today I got to see so many of the photographs I have been admiring on the internet and the descriptions in books I have read, brought to life. I can actually round a corner, and see the clock-face of Big Ben, and on the hour hear the loud, deep chime of the bell. So many people passed by on the sidewalk, rather oblivious to the presence of the beautiful architecture and the landmark above them, and yet I couldn't help feeling a little excited jump of the heart any time I rounded a corner and there it was again - actually real; not a photograph, not a dream.

After the long walk, we were footsore, hungry and cold so we passed Westminster Abbey and kept going down some road that we hoped would take us to a place to eat. Eventually we settled on a pub that was cozy, warm and crowded; and spent a good amount of time in there just enjoying the atmosphere, munching on some (actually really good) pub food, and sipping on some Wild Berry Ciders that we decided to try (so little alcohol in them that they tasted like soda - but they were good). When we were sufficiently rested, we hopped the Tube back to NIDO and turned in for an early night.
So that's the past two days, all caught up now.


Tomorrow's adventure: the Tower of London!