London 2010

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Kensington Maserati

I don't really think this one needs much explanation...

And some photos of a night at the Zetland Arms...

1 Logan Place, Kensington, England

Today I went for a walk. After coming out of the first class of my Ethics Seminar I felt completely bogged down with what was being expected of us for the semester, and I really needed something to lift my spirits. I went out when other people were in class or busy doing other things, and I ran to the store for a few food items and on the way I made a special trip to one of the coolest things I've seen yet... 1 Logan Place. Just a short twenty minute walk from our flat is the residence in which Freddie Mercury lived and died. It was incredible to be standing in front of and touching the door that Freddie Mercury walked through each day as he slowly died in Kensington. Although they repaint the door and wash the brickwork, fans continue to write their messages to Freddie.

Trip to V&A and Natural History Museum!

The Natural History Museum and the V&A are both right up the street from our flat so here are some pictures of the treasures inside :)

The museum's greatest treasure :) Christina in the Batman angle!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

First Three Days :)

First three days consist of lots of leg work-- getting paperwork figured out, orientation, running to Sainsbury's (the local grocery store), hitting the night life, trying out some new foods (fish and chips, traditional sausages and mash!), and meeting new friends. Also, we took a long three hour walking tour of our neighborhood in london, Kensington, and a three hour tour by double decker coach of greater London. It's exhausting, overwhelming, but simply incredible. This is truly the busiest, trendiest, richest, most exciting, and coolest city I've ever seen :)

Some pictures to keep you interested...

These two pictures are of the street we live off of... This is an incredibly wealthy district and literally every street has a Maserati, a Porsche, a Bentley, a Rolls Royce, or an Aston Martin parked by the curb. Included is a picture of one such Maserati...

The first pint in London being raised up with my roommates, Mike and John. First beer of the excursion was an Old Speckled Hen Ale on tap... at slightly colder than room temperature of course!

Delicious traditional Sausages and Mash for dinner!

Royal Albert Music Hall two blocks away from our flat!

Depiction of 'America' at the base of a memorial to Lord Albert in Kensington Gardens right up the street.

Lawn chairs for hire in the park near the pond where the swans live... Right next to the park is Kensington Palace where Lady Diana once lived with Charles.

The sign outside of T.S. Eliot's residence just down the road from our flat :)

Tomorrow is the day...

All the bags are officially packed (one bag, one backpack), and tomorrow is the day that we head out. I just finished printing walking maps from the tube station to Metrogate House-- which is the house where we need to pick up our welcome information and our apartment keys-- and a map from Metrogate to our new home at Manson Place. It looks like the disagreement with Christina about whether or not we should spring for the extra £30 to take a taxi from the airport has been resolved... it's been decided that we will take the tube :) Hooray for the public transportation system! Next post will be coming directly from the UK!