Stonehenge, Bath and Finding Emmiecat

Hey everyone!

Sorry I haven't posted the last couple of days, but they have been filled with activities.

Monday, we were very touristy and took an excursion to see Salisbury, Bath and Stonehenge! I had not been to any of those places so it was awesome for me to get that opportunity.

Salisbury is a small English town that features a glorious cathedral. Some of the inside features as well as the stain glass windows are modeled after the grand Cathedral in Chartres, France. In any event, the building is spectacular and houses one of the last remaining copies of the Magna Carta, which invoked some of the first ideas of Democratic society.

I doubt I have to say much Stonehenge probably because most of you are familiar with it and because not much is known about it. It is thought to be some type of worship symbol for either the moon or the sun. In any event, the stones took a century to move to that location and are quite famous.

Bath, England was our last stop and is home to the Roman Baths. In the early days of the AD era, England was occupied by the Romans who loved to bathe and made it part of their daily social life. Bath has naturally hot springs so this place was a haven for the Romans. The baths have been conserved now and Bath brings in tons of tourists every day to view them. Bath is also quite charming on its own and I wish we could've had more time to walk around.

On Tuesday, Dad took us on a walking tour of Charles Dickens London. These included spots where Dickens wrote and lived. We were even lucky enough to get to go into an office building where he wrote and read part of A Christmas Carol thanks to lovely little English man.

After that, we made our way to the Bangladesh section of London where we had lunch. I was deprived of this meal because it was finally time for the lovely Emmie Derback to make her appearance in London! Last night, I met up with her and one of her British friends and we had a night on the town. Today, we are going to explore Camden and other hotspots of London before meeting up with Vanessa Dorismond and her sister for the New Year.

More later!

First Day in London!

Hey everyone!

I am so ridiculously happy to be back in London. The city is even more beautiful than I remembered and the Christmas lights only add to the appeal.

The city is full of Europeans and few Americans, which is the way I prefer it because it gives you some perspective and view into the lives of real Europeans.

Upon arrival, we got to our hotel yesterday and then went for a long walk around South Kensington and Knightsbridge. I love both of these areas, which feature couture shopping and elegant restaurants.  Our first meal in London wasn't super elegant though as we ended up eating pub food, which of course means fish and chips with beer...or mulled wine if you happen to be me:)

Today, we started our first full day in London with the Victoria and Albert museum, which features a ton of cool art recreations, vintage fashion and rooms filled with ironworks, architecture and so much more.

I had never been there so it was nice to check something off of my London list. The rest of the afternoon featured a walk to Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and the theatre district.

Naturally, it wouldn't be a trip to London without me venturing out on my own, so once my parents were ready to retire, I returned to Trafalgar Square and walked back to our hotel while browsing shops and theaters on Shaftsbury Avenue. The area is near Covent Garden and is absolutely divine.

Based on my time in London, here are some tips for travelers to this fair city.

1.) Utilize the Tube.
The London Tube is one of the best transportation systems in the whole world. It can take you from Heathrow Airport all the way through Central London and beyond. There are stops at every major location and stations are only a few blocks apart. It can truly be a great and easy way to see a lot of the city while fitting in with the locals!

2.) Don't be afraid to get "lost" in London.
London is incredibly hard to get lost in as the city is well directed and easy to navigate. With that being said, don't be afraid to wander without a map. There are no "bad" parts of London in my opinion and it can be super fun to be walking back to your hotel from some part of the city and stumble upon a totally new neighborhood. And if you do get truly lost, the numerous Tube stations will help you find your bearings.

3.) Dress up for museum, theatre outings and meals in London.
London is a very chic city with tremendous fashion. It makes for a better and classier experience to dress for each occasion appropriately.

4.) Do some local activities.
These might include things like riding the Tube on the afternoon commute, taking a walk in Hyde Park or mingling with locals at the neighborhood pub. One of the most fascinating things about traveling to a foreign country is seeing how locals live their daily life. Some of your best moments in London might not be touring Westminster Abbey or Buckingham Palace. It just might be a conversation with a local in a pub!

Here are some shots from today! Tomorrow, we are breaking from London for a day to visit Stonehenge and Bath. Having done neither, I am excited to see what they have to offer!

Until tomorrow!
AL

A Return Trip to London!

Hey everyone!

Celebrating the end of 2014 just would not be complete without a trip to Europe.

This year, I am blessed enough to be returning to my favorite city on Earth...London, England!

I  have been to London a few times, so the city is very familiar to me. I am actually past the point of wanting to go visit the traditional sights of London. I have done all that and know the city so I can't wait to just stroll around the city and explore areas that I haven't been to yet.

However, I will be returning to some of my favorite spots such as the National Gallery of Art, the Portobello Road Market on Saturday and Speaker's Corner on Sunday.

I also will be going to my favorite spot in the whole world, which is the Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park near Kensington Palace.

We will be staying near Russell Square and have stayed there before though I will be interested to go back to Earl's Court and wander around there to reminisce the days of studying Shakespeare with Georgetown as I did a couple years ago.

London and I have a truly special bond because of that trip so I cannot wait to get back to a truly glorious city.

We will also be there for New Year's Eve and I am super excited because two of my Georgetown teammates will be there. Emmie Derback played volleyball with me at Georgetown and is spending part of her vacation in Stockholm before joining me in London for the New Year.

Vanessa Dorismond, another Georgetown volleyball alum will also be joining us as she is visiting her sister in the United Kingdom.

This should all make for a truly lovely and exciting New Year's and vacation in general.

As always, I will update you all on our days spent being British!

That's all for now as it is close to being time to go to the airport to start the trip.

Gimme that Buckingham Palaceeeeeeee!

AL