I'll be heading home tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing family and friends again as well as sleeping in my own bed!
I've had a wonderful time, as always, and am sad to go.
I'm sure some of you have heard about the riots in London, all of these are taking place in areas that are not close to me. And most of the areas I travel through are also safe. A lot of the riots and looting have been happening at night as well, and I'm usually not out that late myself.
Been have a good last few days here in England. On Friday I went up to Chartwell, the home of Winston Churchill with Janice. Saturday we toured an area called the Cotswolds, had tea and just enjoyed the scenery. Sunday we all took it easy and then went to Church late that afternoon. Monday was shopping in Covent Garden in London and the Doctor Who Experience. Today Janice and I went up to Eton and Windsor and enjoyed wandering around the little shops.
Will have more details and pictures when I get home!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Belfast - Giant's Causeway and Londonderry/Derry
I've already talked about my first day in Belfast, seeing 'Captain America' so I'll skip ahead to Monday and Tuesday.
Monday August 1
Belfast is very different from Dublin. From what I saw while I was there, it seems there are a lot more tourists and things are a lot more compact in Dublin. Belfast was a bit more spread out and did not have the same feel to Dublin at all. In fact when I got up Monday morning I really wasn't sure what I was going to do all day since my options were a bit more limited.
However, there was also a city sightseeing tour bus for Belfast as there had been in Dublin, so I bought a bus ticket and took a tour around the city. This tour was a lot different from Belfast as there were not many stops along the way. So both times I went around I had to sit on the bottom of the double decker bus since no one ever left the top.
It was a fascinating tour as we had a live tour guide and there is a lot of history in Belfast. Specifically, what they refer to as, The Troubles. A period from about the late 1960s to 1998 when there was a lot of turmoil and violence in Belfast. Though this was mainly a political debate, it also was split between two main religious denominations, Catholic and Protestant. Most of the Catholics wanted to be free from British Rule (Nationalist) and Protestants wanted to continue under British rule (Unionist). Because of the violence a wall was built between the two sections of Catholic and Protestants to keep the peace. Today the Peach Wall is still up though much of the violence has stopped since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.
The bus tour takes you past the Peace Wall and through these areas. What is interesting is that a lot of the buildings (on both sides of the wall) have large murals painted on them. Often depicting what happened during The Troubles and some of them are still very political.
I highly recommed taking a look at this Wikipedia article and taking some time to understand what happened - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Troubles
Ca
Also during the tour we passed the docks where the Titanic was bulit and where the new museum (not open till 2012) is being built, as well as one of Europes largest sound stage. Where they have most recently been filming Game of Thrones which I am currently reading.
After the tour I spent some time wandering around Belfast and the shops. This was also about the time my camera started acting up so I was trying to get some help with it. However the camera shop didn't know what was wrong either.
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Tuesday August 2
Tuesday was my trip to the Giants Causeway. I was most excited about this as I had heard it was a really lovely trip. I got up about 8am and made my way down to the pick up area. While I was waiting for the bus I met a girl named Jenna from Australia, and we hit it off pretty well. So when the bus arrived and we loaded up, we sat together. It was really nice having a day with someone else around my age to talk to! Especially since I had been a lone on a lot of the tours.
From Belfast we went to the Carrick-a-Reed rope bridge. It is along the coast of Nothern Ireland and is an absolutely beautiful area. I did not cross the bridge due to my fear of heights, but it was still an amazing sight to walk along the coast.
Then we drove from there to the Giants Causeway. ~The Giant's Cause way is formed from basalt colomns from a volcanic explosion thousands of years ago. It got it's name because legend says it was built by giants to cross from Ireland to Scotland. Of course today we really know how it was formed, but the legend is still fun. The columns were actually smaller than I expected, but it is still quite a sight to see.
We had a quick lunch at the Causeway Hotel and the drove to Derry/Londonderry. Derry is home to some of the worst fighting during The Troubles, including what is known as Bloody Sunday. On January 30, 1972, 13 civil rights protesters where gunned down by the British Army. Many consider this to be the start of the worst of the troubles. Even though there had been some tension beforehand, this brought a lot more attention to what was happening and the numbers of those in the IRA grew very quickly.
Derry is a walled city and has two names. Those that call it Derry want it to be apart of Ireland and have independant rule, and those that call it Londonderry what it to stay apart of Britian. In fact the area of Derry where most of the nationalist live still has a large wall with the words "You are now entering Free Derry" painted upon it. Though there has been peace for so long, there is still tension between the two sides. Derry also has several of the more intense murals depicting The Troubles. One is a 12 year old boy wearing a gas mask and holding a moltov cocktail.
Being in Derry/Londonderry was very sobering because what happened there set of so many things that happened in Northern Ireland. And even though there has been peace, The Troubles lasted nearly 30 years. I wish I had known more about what had happened before I went to have better appreciated the history of where I was.
Got back to Belfast about 6:30pm and made my way back to my hostel. It was time to eat some dinner and pack up before leaving in the morning!
Monday August 1
Belfast is very different from Dublin. From what I saw while I was there, it seems there are a lot more tourists and things are a lot more compact in Dublin. Belfast was a bit more spread out and did not have the same feel to Dublin at all. In fact when I got up Monday morning I really wasn't sure what I was going to do all day since my options were a bit more limited.
However, there was also a city sightseeing tour bus for Belfast as there had been in Dublin, so I bought a bus ticket and took a tour around the city. This tour was a lot different from Belfast as there were not many stops along the way. So both times I went around I had to sit on the bottom of the double decker bus since no one ever left the top.
It was a fascinating tour as we had a live tour guide and there is a lot of history in Belfast. Specifically, what they refer to as, The Troubles. A period from about the late 1960s to 1998 when there was a lot of turmoil and violence in Belfast. Though this was mainly a political debate, it also was split between two main religious denominations, Catholic and Protestant. Most of the Catholics wanted to be free from British Rule (Nationalist) and Protestants wanted to continue under British rule (Unionist). Because of the violence a wall was built between the two sections of Catholic and Protestants to keep the peace. Today the Peach Wall is still up though much of the violence has stopped since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.
The bus tour takes you past the Peace Wall and through these areas. What is interesting is that a lot of the buildings (on both sides of the wall) have large murals painted on them. Often depicting what happened during The Troubles and some of them are still very political.
I highly recommed taking a look at this Wikipedia article and taking some time to understand what happened - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Troubles
Ca
Also during the tour we passed the docks where the Titanic was bulit and where the new museum (not open till 2012) is being built, as well as one of Europes largest sound stage. Where they have most recently been filming Game of Thrones which I am currently reading.
After the tour I spent some time wandering around Belfast and the shops. This was also about the time my camera started acting up so I was trying to get some help with it. However the camera shop didn't know what was wrong either.
------------
Tuesday August 2
Tuesday was my trip to the Giants Causeway. I was most excited about this as I had heard it was a really lovely trip. I got up about 8am and made my way down to the pick up area. While I was waiting for the bus I met a girl named Jenna from Australia, and we hit it off pretty well. So when the bus arrived and we loaded up, we sat together. It was really nice having a day with someone else around my age to talk to! Especially since I had been a lone on a lot of the tours.
From Belfast we went to the Carrick-a-Reed rope bridge. It is along the coast of Nothern Ireland and is an absolutely beautiful area. I did not cross the bridge due to my fear of heights, but it was still an amazing sight to walk along the coast.
Then we drove from there to the Giants Causeway. ~The Giant's Cause way is formed from basalt colomns from a volcanic explosion thousands of years ago. It got it's name because legend says it was built by giants to cross from Ireland to Scotland. Of course today we really know how it was formed, but the legend is still fun. The columns were actually smaller than I expected, but it is still quite a sight to see.
We had a quick lunch at the Causeway Hotel and the drove to Derry/Londonderry. Derry is home to some of the worst fighting during The Troubles, including what is known as Bloody Sunday. On January 30, 1972, 13 civil rights protesters where gunned down by the British Army. Many consider this to be the start of the worst of the troubles. Even though there had been some tension beforehand, this brought a lot more attention to what was happening and the numbers of those in the IRA grew very quickly.
Derry is a walled city and has two names. Those that call it Derry want it to be apart of Ireland and have independant rule, and those that call it Londonderry what it to stay apart of Britian. In fact the area of Derry where most of the nationalist live still has a large wall with the words "You are now entering Free Derry" painted upon it. Though there has been peace for so long, there is still tension between the two sides. Derry also has several of the more intense murals depicting The Troubles. One is a 12 year old boy wearing a gas mask and holding a moltov cocktail.
Being in Derry/Londonderry was very sobering because what happened there set of so many things that happened in Northern Ireland. And even though there has been peace, The Troubles lasted nearly 30 years. I wish I had known more about what had happened before I went to have better appreciated the history of where I was.
Got back to Belfast about 6:30pm and made my way back to my hostel. It was time to eat some dinner and pack up before leaving in the morning!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Trinity and the Mountains
Arrived back in Epping, and now trying to catch up again with what I did in Ireland!
On Friday July 29 I woke up to a wet and rainy Dublin. I had not yet had the chance to visit Trinity Collge, so I decided to do that first thing in the morning. Trinity is an old University similar to Oxford and Caimbridge, although a lot smaller. I was able to join a fantastic walking tour and get some good history of the university and it's bulidings. Afterwards I went to see the Book of Kells and the old library. The Book of Kells is the oldest and most illuminated manuscript of the four gospels that they believe was done around 800AD. There is nothing else like it and it is an absolute treasure.
I wish I could have gotten a better look, but there were a lot of people of course all crowding around to see it. From the Book of Kells viewing room you can go upstairs to view the Old Library. A massive library with some really old books that are all arranged according to size, not subject or author!
After that, they day was really to wet to enjoy much of. So I bought a few postcards and some stamps and went back and wrote out a bunch of cards to send out. I believe some of you should already have recived them! After I wrote those out and had some lunch, it was starting to clear up outside and I went for a walk around the city. I also walked up to Christ Church Cathedral and a museum called Dublina about Dublin during the Viking Age. I wanted to go to Dublin Castle as well, but all the tours were sold out by the time I got there.
After that I dropped some things off at hostel and then walked along the river bank. The sun was out and it was absolutely beautiful!!
That night I met up with my friend again to go have a couple of pints at some Irish pubs. It was fun walking around the city at night because it becomes so different. I was thankful however to be with some one who knew the city rather than being bymyself!!
After that, back to the hostel to get some sleep before I went to the Wicklow mountains.
---
Saturday was a bus tour up to the Wicklow Mountains. The bus picked people up from different parts of the city and drove us up into the hills of Ireland!
It was a wonderful day trip. The hills are just what you see when you t hink about Ireland. Rolling green hills dotted with sheep! Didn't really meet anyone on this bus trip. Though I talked with a nice couple form Westpoint at lunch. It was a quiet trip for me, but still really beautiful. We stopped in places where "P.S. I Love You" and "Braveheart" where filmed. Saw the Guinness Valley where Paul McCartney walked around the lake, Lough Tay and wrote "Yesterday".
We had lunch in a little town called Avoca. A popular British TV series was filmed there in the 90's called Ballykissangel. I had never seen it though I'd heard of it here and there. Apparently very little of the town has changed from when they were filming the show!
Got back into the city around 6:00ish. I had some supper and got ready to leave for Belfast in the morning!
On Friday July 29 I woke up to a wet and rainy Dublin. I had not yet had the chance to visit Trinity Collge, so I decided to do that first thing in the morning. Trinity is an old University similar to Oxford and Caimbridge, although a lot smaller. I was able to join a fantastic walking tour and get some good history of the university and it's bulidings. Afterwards I went to see the Book of Kells and the old library. The Book of Kells is the oldest and most illuminated manuscript of the four gospels that they believe was done around 800AD. There is nothing else like it and it is an absolute treasure.
I wish I could have gotten a better look, but there were a lot of people of course all crowding around to see it. From the Book of Kells viewing room you can go upstairs to view the Old Library. A massive library with some really old books that are all arranged according to size, not subject or author!
After that, they day was really to wet to enjoy much of. So I bought a few postcards and some stamps and went back and wrote out a bunch of cards to send out. I believe some of you should already have recived them! After I wrote those out and had some lunch, it was starting to clear up outside and I went for a walk around the city. I also walked up to Christ Church Cathedral and a museum called Dublina about Dublin during the Viking Age. I wanted to go to Dublin Castle as well, but all the tours were sold out by the time I got there.
After that I dropped some things off at hostel and then walked along the river bank. The sun was out and it was absolutely beautiful!!
That night I met up with my friend again to go have a couple of pints at some Irish pubs. It was fun walking around the city at night because it becomes so different. I was thankful however to be with some one who knew the city rather than being bymyself!!
After that, back to the hostel to get some sleep before I went to the Wicklow mountains.
---
Saturday was a bus tour up to the Wicklow Mountains. The bus picked people up from different parts of the city and drove us up into the hills of Ireland!
It was a wonderful day trip. The hills are just what you see when you t hink about Ireland. Rolling green hills dotted with sheep! Didn't really meet anyone on this bus trip. Though I talked with a nice couple form Westpoint at lunch. It was a quiet trip for me, but still really beautiful. We stopped in places where "P.S. I Love You" and "Braveheart" where filmed. Saw the Guinness Valley where Paul McCartney walked around the lake, Lough Tay and wrote "Yesterday".
We had lunch in a little town called Avoca. A popular British TV series was filmed there in the 90's called Ballykissangel. I had never seen it though I'd heard of it here and there. Apparently very little of the town has changed from when they were filming the show!
Got back into the city around 6:00ish. I had some supper and got ready to leave for Belfast in the morning!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Tired
Very tired tonight, so just a short update.
Saw the Giant's Causeway today. Beautiful Irish coastline and rock formations. Sadly, my camera has decided to start acting up and I'm not sure how good my photos are going to be. This makes me really sad as one of the things I love doing is taking pictures! Hoping I can get it fixed when I get back to Epping, but not sure. At least I'll always have the memories and some relatively decent pictures.
Tomorrow I'm heading back to Dublin where I'll stay one more night at Abigail's Hostel, and then fly out to London on Thursday.
So looking forward to being back in Epping. I love Ireland, but I'm ready for home cooked meals, a room of my own, and a people I know!
I met a girl from Australia on the bus today, and we became friends for the day. It was nice having someone to share the day with. My room mates from yesterday and this morning were also very conversational. I think it helps that I'm sharing a much smaller room, so we are all individual travellers.
Also want to take a moment to apologize for mistakes in grammar, punctuation etc in this blog. I'm usually in a hurry when typing and don't proof-read as much as I should! So sorry!! Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Saw the Giant's Causeway today. Beautiful Irish coastline and rock formations. Sadly, my camera has decided to start acting up and I'm not sure how good my photos are going to be. This makes me really sad as one of the things I love doing is taking pictures! Hoping I can get it fixed when I get back to Epping, but not sure. At least I'll always have the memories and some relatively decent pictures.
Tomorrow I'm heading back to Dublin where I'll stay one more night at Abigail's Hostel, and then fly out to London on Thursday.
So looking forward to being back in Epping. I love Ireland, but I'm ready for home cooked meals, a room of my own, and a people I know!
I met a girl from Australia on the bus today, and we became friends for the day. It was nice having someone to share the day with. My room mates from yesterday and this morning were also very conversational. I think it helps that I'm sharing a much smaller room, so we are all individual travellers.
Also want to take a moment to apologize for mistakes in grammar, punctuation etc in this blog. I'm usually in a hurry when typing and don't proof-read as much as I should! So sorry!! Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Dublin Day 2
Day two was overcast and I was thankful I had done the city tour the day before. Although I awoke with a slight burn on my right arm!! A sunburn in Irleland... never would have thought about that!
I had plans that afternoon to meet up with a friend of mine for lunch, so I didn't want to take any tours or go to far from the city. So I spent some time walking around Dublin and Grafton Street which is the main shopping and tourist area of Dublin. About 11:30 I made my way to the Arch along St. Stephen's Green where I met up with my friend David.
We went first to Butler's Chocolate Cafe and had a fantastic Americano.
Let me just take a moment to talk about coffee in Europe. One of the reasons I love coming here is how easy it is to find amazing coffee. Sure there are Starbucks here and there, but they are easy to avoid and it is easy to find even chain coffee shops that have amazing, amazing coffee. People who know how to pull shots correctly, everything done by hand. No automatic espresso makers, each pitcher of milk carefully steamed. Espresso roasted correctly, not burned. I could go on. But I won't. Let's just say that being here has made me remember how much I love being around good coffee. Several times I've missed my old coffee shop and wanted to jump behind the counter and start steaming milk!!
After coffee, crepes! I was beyond delighted to be shown where to find crepes. Again, something the states does not have which I find so odd. Crepes are for more than just dessert! I had a delicious ham and cheese crepe. After that we walked around the city a bit and David gave me a few suggestions about what to see and do while in Dublin. Then it was off to work for him and off to the Guinness Storehouse for me!
The sightseeing bus tour ticket is good for two hours and so I picked it up from the city center and made my way to the Storehouse. If you have ever been to the Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta, you have been to something very similar to the Guinness Storehouse. It has lots of Guinness memoriblia, advertisments and information about how Guinness is made. But the main point is to reach the top of the museum and have your free pint of Guinness.
I admit, I'm not a fan of Guinness, but once you get to the Sky Bar, you have to try a pint. And I did! It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. After a few sips I'd had enough. Although they say it's much better straight from the source.
It was a fun tour and I enjoyed the seeing the city from the very top of the storehouse.
From there I did a lot of walking, visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and did other various not as exciting things.
I had plans that afternoon to meet up with a friend of mine for lunch, so I didn't want to take any tours or go to far from the city. So I spent some time walking around Dublin and Grafton Street which is the main shopping and tourist area of Dublin. About 11:30 I made my way to the Arch along St. Stephen's Green where I met up with my friend David.
We went first to Butler's Chocolate Cafe and had a fantastic Americano.
Let me just take a moment to talk about coffee in Europe. One of the reasons I love coming here is how easy it is to find amazing coffee. Sure there are Starbucks here and there, but they are easy to avoid and it is easy to find even chain coffee shops that have amazing, amazing coffee. People who know how to pull shots correctly, everything done by hand. No automatic espresso makers, each pitcher of milk carefully steamed. Espresso roasted correctly, not burned. I could go on. But I won't. Let's just say that being here has made me remember how much I love being around good coffee. Several times I've missed my old coffee shop and wanted to jump behind the counter and start steaming milk!!
After coffee, crepes! I was beyond delighted to be shown where to find crepes. Again, something the states does not have which I find so odd. Crepes are for more than just dessert! I had a delicious ham and cheese crepe. After that we walked around the city a bit and David gave me a few suggestions about what to see and do while in Dublin. Then it was off to work for him and off to the Guinness Storehouse for me!
The sightseeing bus tour ticket is good for two hours and so I picked it up from the city center and made my way to the Storehouse. If you have ever been to the Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta, you have been to something very similar to the Guinness Storehouse. It has lots of Guinness memoriblia, advertisments and information about how Guinness is made. But the main point is to reach the top of the museum and have your free pint of Guinness.
I admit, I'm not a fan of Guinness, but once you get to the Sky Bar, you have to try a pint. And I did! It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. After a few sips I'd had enough. Although they say it's much better straight from the source.
It was a fun tour and I enjoyed the seeing the city from the very top of the storehouse.
From there I did a lot of walking, visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and did other various not as exciting things.
Rewind... Dublin Day 1
So as it is getting dark and overcast in Belfast and I do not need to be out spending money... I think I'll try and catch up on some blogging.
So, what have I been doing since arriving in Dublin? Let's rewind a couple of days.
I left London bright and early Wednesday morning for an 8am flight. It was a short flight from London to Dublin and I arrived about 9:30am. Though it hardly felt like we had been in the air that long!
It wasn't too hard to figure out how to catch a bus from the airport in the city, but I took one of the regular city buses, not the airport transfer buses, so it took longer to reach the city center.
Once I arrived in O'Connell St I thought my directions would lead me to my hostel, however they were not as clear as I thought and I walked in the wrong direction for a bit. But it didn't take me too long to realize I was going to wrong way, and I turned around. I almost missed the hostel as it was on the opposite side of the road I was on and is rather unremakrable.
But I did finally find it and was so thankful. I had to get up at 4:30am to get to the airport on time, so I was exhausted. I checked in and made my way up to the 5th floor room I would be sharing with 9 other girls. I had never stayed in a hostel before, so this was a very new experience. However I was pleasently surprised by how clean and overall nice it was. It's not a hotel, but for the price and location it was great. The only complaint I have is the pillow. It was rather flat and had to be folded in half to worth anything and even then, it wasn't great. Oh well. I guess with all the other things it had, something had to be lacking...
After I checked in, I realized I wanted to get out and enjoy the city. I was tired, but it was a beautiful sunny day, the first truly sunny day since I'd arrived in the UK. So I made my way up to a park called St. Stephen's Green. It's a lovely park located about a 10 minute walk from my hostel and in a very busy part of Dublin. It is enjoyed by not only tourist, but locals as well. Especially with how wonderful the weather was. Every spare bit of green grass was covered by a person enjoying the sun. I found a patch of grass and sat down for awhile to rest and read.
When I finally got up, I decided I'd take one of the sightseeing bus tours around Dublin. Knowing how quickly weather can change, I wanted to take a tour of the city when it was sunny. This ended up being a very good idea as the rest of my time there it was over-cast and rainy now and then. It was a nice guided tour and I got to see all the main sights and get a good over-view of the city.
After that I went back to the hostel, settled in a bit more in my room and then went back out in search of dinner. Abigail's Hostel is located right on the edge of the very popular and pub filled area of Temple Bar. Lots of people, lots of noise! I had a pint of Bulmer's Cider at Temple Bar (a pub with same name as the district) but decided not to have dinner there. Finally had dinner and headed off to bed.
One thing I discovered I was thankful for was how respectful the other girls in my room were. I usually went to bed sooner than the others (being alone means not wanting to stay out late alone) and they were always quiet as possible when coming in after 1 and 2am.
Day Two Continued Next...
So, what have I been doing since arriving in Dublin? Let's rewind a couple of days.
I left London bright and early Wednesday morning for an 8am flight. It was a short flight from London to Dublin and I arrived about 9:30am. Though it hardly felt like we had been in the air that long!
It wasn't too hard to figure out how to catch a bus from the airport in the city, but I took one of the regular city buses, not the airport transfer buses, so it took longer to reach the city center.
Once I arrived in O'Connell St I thought my directions would lead me to my hostel, however they were not as clear as I thought and I walked in the wrong direction for a bit. But it didn't take me too long to realize I was going to wrong way, and I turned around. I almost missed the hostel as it was on the opposite side of the road I was on and is rather unremakrable.
But I did finally find it and was so thankful. I had to get up at 4:30am to get to the airport on time, so I was exhausted. I checked in and made my way up to the 5th floor room I would be sharing with 9 other girls. I had never stayed in a hostel before, so this was a very new experience. However I was pleasently surprised by how clean and overall nice it was. It's not a hotel, but for the price and location it was great. The only complaint I have is the pillow. It was rather flat and had to be folded in half to worth anything and even then, it wasn't great. Oh well. I guess with all the other things it had, something had to be lacking...
After I checked in, I realized I wanted to get out and enjoy the city. I was tired, but it was a beautiful sunny day, the first truly sunny day since I'd arrived in the UK. So I made my way up to a park called St. Stephen's Green. It's a lovely park located about a 10 minute walk from my hostel and in a very busy part of Dublin. It is enjoyed by not only tourist, but locals as well. Especially with how wonderful the weather was. Every spare bit of green grass was covered by a person enjoying the sun. I found a patch of grass and sat down for awhile to rest and read.
When I finally got up, I decided I'd take one of the sightseeing bus tours around Dublin. Knowing how quickly weather can change, I wanted to take a tour of the city when it was sunny. This ended up being a very good idea as the rest of my time there it was over-cast and rainy now and then. It was a nice guided tour and I got to see all the main sights and get a good over-view of the city.
After that I went back to the hostel, settled in a bit more in my room and then went back out in search of dinner. Abigail's Hostel is located right on the edge of the very popular and pub filled area of Temple Bar. Lots of people, lots of noise! I had a pint of Bulmer's Cider at Temple Bar (a pub with same name as the district) but decided not to have dinner there. Finally had dinner and headed off to bed.
One thing I discovered I was thankful for was how respectful the other girls in my room were. I usually went to bed sooner than the others (being alone means not wanting to stay out late alone) and they were always quiet as possible when coming in after 1 and 2am.
Day Two Continued Next...
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Captain America in Belfast
Since I arrived in Dublin on July 27, I have done a lot of walking. Dublin is a small city and everything is rather easily accessible by walking. This is convinet for those of us who don't want to take the time to figure out the bus system, and provides a way for one to see the city.
Yesterday I had the chance to see the Wicklow mountains, walked 3 km around a lovely lake and then walked about another 4 km around Dublin city. So after a lot of walking yesterday, I was a bit tired of it all.
This morning I took the 10am bus to Belfast and arrived about 12:30 in the afternoon. After more walking to my hostel... suffice to say I was tired of walking.
I know it's good for you, but when you don't know where you're going, nothing looks familiar, it's cold and threatening rain, sometimes you just need something to make you feel better.
As I went in search of lunch after settling into my hostel, I stumbled across a movie theater. I had no idea how happy such a thing could make me. So after eating lunch, I went back and purchased a ticket to see Captain America.
It was actually cheaper than a ticket in the states (by about $3) and I settled comfortable into the seats with my drink and pop corn.
Maybe some people will wonder why on earth I would go see a movie I could see at home when I'm in Belfast. But here's the thing, I've been travelling 4 days in a country where I don't know where I'm going, I have no travelling companions, food is expensive, and there is always the threat of a cold rain. So the thought of sitting comfortably in a movie theater to escape all that for a couple of hours was a welcome distraction.
I have all day tomorrow to tour the city and will be going to the Giants Causeway on Tuesday. So today I think it was okay to take a moment away and enjoy a little taste of home.
Thank you Captain America for liftinig my spirits and being one really awesome super-hero movie...
Yesterday I had the chance to see the Wicklow mountains, walked 3 km around a lovely lake and then walked about another 4 km around Dublin city. So after a lot of walking yesterday, I was a bit tired of it all.
This morning I took the 10am bus to Belfast and arrived about 12:30 in the afternoon. After more walking to my hostel... suffice to say I was tired of walking.
I know it's good for you, but when you don't know where you're going, nothing looks familiar, it's cold and threatening rain, sometimes you just need something to make you feel better.
As I went in search of lunch after settling into my hostel, I stumbled across a movie theater. I had no idea how happy such a thing could make me. So after eating lunch, I went back and purchased a ticket to see Captain America.
It was actually cheaper than a ticket in the states (by about $3) and I settled comfortable into the seats with my drink and pop corn.
Maybe some people will wonder why on earth I would go see a movie I could see at home when I'm in Belfast. But here's the thing, I've been travelling 4 days in a country where I don't know where I'm going, I have no travelling companions, food is expensive, and there is always the threat of a cold rain. So the thought of sitting comfortably in a movie theater to escape all that for a couple of hours was a welcome distraction.
I have all day tomorrow to tour the city and will be going to the Giants Causeway on Tuesday. So today I think it was okay to take a moment away and enjoy a little taste of home.
Thank you Captain America for liftinig my spirits and being one really awesome super-hero movie...
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Dublin
Using a computer at the hostel it's almost out of time... just wanted to post a quick update!
Went to the Guinness Brewery today as well as St. Patrick's Cathedral. Enjoyed walking around Dublin and seeing more sights.
The weather today has been more overcast and I was thankful for my rain jacket. But it never poured down rain so I was able to enjoy my day out.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to see the Book of Kells and Trinity University. Saturday I've booked a day bus trip up to the Wicklow Mountains.
Time is almost up! Must run. Will post more details later!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Dublin!
Have arrived safely in Ireland! Using wifi on my phone from the host to update so this will be short!
Spent the afternoon walking a bit and taking a city bus tour. Beautiful weather today. Apparently rather un characteristic. I ended up getting a bit of a sun burn!!
Hopefully can post more details from a real computer soon!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Taking it easy
Since Sunday I've mainly been enjoying my time in Epping.
Wanted especially to take it easy so that I wouldn't still be sick by the time I headed for Ireland. Feeling much better today, though still a little congested, not nearly as bad as I was.
Sunday night, Steph and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. It was so good getting to see it again. Even better the second time. Monday, Steph and I drove up to Loughborough, England to visit a mutual friend, Cheryl. I hadn't seen her since she visited me in American in 2007, and it was nice to see her again and meet her fiancee, Luke. I also enjoyed getting to see another part of England. (it's about two hours north of England) It was a nice day, not to stressful, but still enjoyable. Although we did run into traffic and it ended up taking us 4 hours to get there. Thankfully it took us less than 2 hours to get home.
Today I've been getting ready for my trip to Ireland. I'll be there from tomorrow till August 4. Needed to print of travel documents (the English need to know that I'll be going back home when I say I will) and make sure I know where I'm going when and have confirmations for everything etc. Also I want to try and take everything I need in my backpack and do carry-on only for the trip. So I need to purchase a couple of travel size shower products. I really wanted to take my jar of peanut butter as well... but now I'm realize I may not be able to!
The weather here has been colder and cloudier than the past couple of times I've visited England. I suppose it is more traditional English weather, but I miss the nice sunny weather I've known the past couple of times. Hoping it won't be too cold in Ireland! Definitely thankful for my jacket.
Not sure what my internet access will be like in Ireland. I have wifi access at the hostel in Dublin and can use my phone to access the internet, but not sure that I'll be able to do long posts on my phone. :-) It's actually been really nice having my phone with me. I can't make calls from it, but as long as I have connection to a wireless network, I can get email, Facebook, Twitter etc... Helps me feel more connected to home. :-)
Hope you all are enjoying reading a long! Sorry there haven't been any pictures yet. I have to upload them to Steph's computer and may just wait to do that till I get back from Ireland.
Wanted especially to take it easy so that I wouldn't still be sick by the time I headed for Ireland. Feeling much better today, though still a little congested, not nearly as bad as I was.
Sunday night, Steph and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. It was so good getting to see it again. Even better the second time. Monday, Steph and I drove up to Loughborough, England to visit a mutual friend, Cheryl. I hadn't seen her since she visited me in American in 2007, and it was nice to see her again and meet her fiancee, Luke. I also enjoyed getting to see another part of England. (it's about two hours north of England) It was a nice day, not to stressful, but still enjoyable. Although we did run into traffic and it ended up taking us 4 hours to get there. Thankfully it took us less than 2 hours to get home.
Today I've been getting ready for my trip to Ireland. I'll be there from tomorrow till August 4. Needed to print of travel documents (the English need to know that I'll be going back home when I say I will) and make sure I know where I'm going when and have confirmations for everything etc. Also I want to try and take everything I need in my backpack and do carry-on only for the trip. So I need to purchase a couple of travel size shower products. I really wanted to take my jar of peanut butter as well... but now I'm realize I may not be able to!
The weather here has been colder and cloudier than the past couple of times I've visited England. I suppose it is more traditional English weather, but I miss the nice sunny weather I've known the past couple of times. Hoping it won't be too cold in Ireland! Definitely thankful for my jacket.
Not sure what my internet access will be like in Ireland. I have wifi access at the hostel in Dublin and can use my phone to access the internet, but not sure that I'll be able to do long posts on my phone. :-) It's actually been really nice having my phone with me. I can't make calls from it, but as long as I have connection to a wireless network, I can get email, Facebook, Twitter etc... Helps me feel more connected to home. :-)
Hope you all are enjoying reading a long! Sorry there haven't been any pictures yet. I have to upload them to Steph's computer and may just wait to do that till I get back from Ireland.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Much Ado Abouth Nothing
I was thirteen the first time I saw a Shakespeare play. A university near our house is home to the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and wonderful company of talented Shakespeare actors. I'm not sure how we found out about them, I'm sure it was through something to do with homeschooling, but for whatever reason, I'm glad we did.
From that year on, I saw a Shakespeare play almost every year. The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream (three times over the years), Macbeth, and A Comedy of Errors at The Shakespeare Tavern. There is nothing quite like seeing Shakespeare performed. Sure you can read Shakespere and even watch a few movies trying to capture the essance of the Bard, but nothing quite lives up to a live performance. Shakespeare was meant to be performed.
I learned over the years that whether set in the eighties, modern day, or Renissance England, or if Prospero was instead Prospera, Shakespeare was timeless. As is clearly evident by the many places you can see his plays todays and the many films that have been done over the years. I say all this because I want the reader to understand that seeing this play wasn't just about who was in it, but who wrote it as well.
And so, as I made my preperations for my trip to England, I couldn't be more thrilled to know that I would be able to see not only two of my favorite actors perform, but that they would be performing Shakespeare.
I'm sure that had they been in some play that no one had ever heard of before I probably still would have gone. But I love Shakespeare. No I don't like sitting down and reading his plays or sonnets, but invite out to an evening at the theater, and I'm there. So Saturday night was not just about who was performing, it was what they were performing.
I was first introduced to David Tennant and Catherine Tate together through a small sketch they did together for a charity in England called Red Nose Day. Catherine Tate is a well known sketch artist in England and Tennant was rising to popularity playing Doctor Who, a long running British scifi show. It was a sketch that I could watch over and over again and always laugh at. You can see it here: http://youtu.be/WxB1gB6K-2A
Then it was announced that David and Catherine would be together on Doctor Who. I was skeptical at first as Catherine Tate is known more for her comedy and I wasn't sure she would work well in the Doctor Who environment. I had no idea how wrong I was. Season four of Doctor Who remains my favorite season because of her. She was brilliant. She brought humor and seriousness to the show. When her character left, it was like loosing a friend. A year later, Tennant also left Doctor Who.
After that, I never thought I'd get to seem them together again, much less live. So when it was announced that they would be starring together in 'Much Ado About Nothing', I was thrilled. David had performed a year or so earlier in 'Hamelt', proving once again his true talent for Shakespearen acting, and the most I thought I could hope for was the BBC would record the performance and air it like they had done with 'Hamlet'.
So when I realized that I'd be able to come to England at the same time that 'Much Ado' would be playing, I knew that there was no way I could miss it.
Last night, as I settled into my seat at the Wyndam Theater, I had no doubt that they would both live up to the expectations I had for their performances. And sure enough, they did.
'Much Ado About Nothing' is a comedy. Something both David Tennant and Catherine Tate are brilliant at. They, along with the rest of the cast, shone brilliantly. The blocking, the acting, every single moment, was well timed and perfect. Even if I had not known who David and Catherine were, I would have loved it. Because the play wasn't just David and Catherine, there was still the rest of the cast. And they should not be forgotten because without them, there would have been no play.
If there is one thing that is always fun about a good Shakespeare comedy, it's how the director interprets the scene. Often in his comedys, a character will over hear a conversation they weren't supposed to. And for 'Much Ado About Nothing', it's Beatrice (Tate) and Benedict (Tennant) who at different times over hear their friends talking about them. But instead of staying off to the side to listen, they both perform a great amount of physical reactions as they try and avoid being seen by those talking about them. The director made the best use of the entire stage as well as the great skills of his performers. David also kept his Scottish accent which I loved!!
The play ended to a standing ovation and the cast returned three times to bow to the crowd.
Though I was sneezing and sniffiling through the whole performance, I am so thankful for the opportunity to see such an amazing, wonderful and brilliant performance. It's not often one gets to see such talented and amazing actors in Shakespeare and it is a night that I'll remember for years to come.
I did not go to the stage door to meet them as I had found out earlier that day they would not be signing that night. Though we had arrived at the theater earlier when the afternoon show had been let out and I was able to snap a couple of pictures of the two. I am determined to go back later and be there for their arrival at the stage door. I'm still a fangirl at heart and really want the chance to meet them. :-)
From that year on, I saw a Shakespeare play almost every year. The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream (three times over the years), Macbeth, and A Comedy of Errors at The Shakespeare Tavern. There is nothing quite like seeing Shakespeare performed. Sure you can read Shakespere and even watch a few movies trying to capture the essance of the Bard, but nothing quite lives up to a live performance. Shakespeare was meant to be performed.
I learned over the years that whether set in the eighties, modern day, or Renissance England, or if Prospero was instead Prospera, Shakespeare was timeless. As is clearly evident by the many places you can see his plays todays and the many films that have been done over the years. I say all this because I want the reader to understand that seeing this play wasn't just about who was in it, but who wrote it as well.
And so, as I made my preperations for my trip to England, I couldn't be more thrilled to know that I would be able to see not only two of my favorite actors perform, but that they would be performing Shakespeare.
I'm sure that had they been in some play that no one had ever heard of before I probably still would have gone. But I love Shakespeare. No I don't like sitting down and reading his plays or sonnets, but invite out to an evening at the theater, and I'm there. So Saturday night was not just about who was performing, it was what they were performing.
I was first introduced to David Tennant and Catherine Tate together through a small sketch they did together for a charity in England called Red Nose Day. Catherine Tate is a well known sketch artist in England and Tennant was rising to popularity playing Doctor Who, a long running British scifi show. It was a sketch that I could watch over and over again and always laugh at. You can see it here: http://youtu.be/WxB1gB6K-2A
Then it was announced that David and Catherine would be together on Doctor Who. I was skeptical at first as Catherine Tate is known more for her comedy and I wasn't sure she would work well in the Doctor Who environment. I had no idea how wrong I was. Season four of Doctor Who remains my favorite season because of her. She was brilliant. She brought humor and seriousness to the show. When her character left, it was like loosing a friend. A year later, Tennant also left Doctor Who.
After that, I never thought I'd get to seem them together again, much less live. So when it was announced that they would be starring together in 'Much Ado About Nothing', I was thrilled. David had performed a year or so earlier in 'Hamelt', proving once again his true talent for Shakespearen acting, and the most I thought I could hope for was the BBC would record the performance and air it like they had done with 'Hamlet'.
So when I realized that I'd be able to come to England at the same time that 'Much Ado' would be playing, I knew that there was no way I could miss it.
Last night, as I settled into my seat at the Wyndam Theater, I had no doubt that they would both live up to the expectations I had for their performances. And sure enough, they did.
'Much Ado About Nothing' is a comedy. Something both David Tennant and Catherine Tate are brilliant at. They, along with the rest of the cast, shone brilliantly. The blocking, the acting, every single moment, was well timed and perfect. Even if I had not known who David and Catherine were, I would have loved it. Because the play wasn't just David and Catherine, there was still the rest of the cast. And they should not be forgotten because without them, there would have been no play.
If there is one thing that is always fun about a good Shakespeare comedy, it's how the director interprets the scene. Often in his comedys, a character will over hear a conversation they weren't supposed to. And for 'Much Ado About Nothing', it's Beatrice (Tate) and Benedict (Tennant) who at different times over hear their friends talking about them. But instead of staying off to the side to listen, they both perform a great amount of physical reactions as they try and avoid being seen by those talking about them. The director made the best use of the entire stage as well as the great skills of his performers. David also kept his Scottish accent which I loved!!
The play ended to a standing ovation and the cast returned three times to bow to the crowd.
Though I was sneezing and sniffiling through the whole performance, I am so thankful for the opportunity to see such an amazing, wonderful and brilliant performance. It's not often one gets to see such talented and amazing actors in Shakespeare and it is a night that I'll remember for years to come.
I did not go to the stage door to meet them as I had found out earlier that day they would not be signing that night. Though we had arrived at the theater earlier when the afternoon show had been let out and I was able to snap a couple of pictures of the two. I am determined to go back later and be there for their arrival at the stage door. I'm still a fangirl at heart and really want the chance to meet them. :-)
A day of shopping...
On Friday night I began to feel what I thought (hoped) was simply allergies. It was possible that there was something in the air causing me to sneeze and sniffle, because there was no way I was getting sick.
And then I woke up on Saturday morning. And I was sick. Yes, only two days in England and I have a head cold!! Not really the way you want to spend vacation. The Westwoods kindly went out to the drug store and picked up some ibuprofen and decongestant which I quickly accepted and then prayed that I would feel better. Steph and I had planned to spend the day out in London with her friend Emma and then see 'Much Ado About Nothing' that evening. I was feeling a bit better after I had a shower so we decided to head out.
I wish, looking back, that maybe I had stayed in and slept till later in the afternoon. But I think I had really been looking forward to going out, and didn't want to stay in.
We took the Tube to the Portobello Street Market. A huge open air market where you can buy anything and everything. I found it far to crowded for my sick self to enjoy. It was neat too look at though. I took a few pictures which I'll try and get up soon.
From there we went to Westefields which is a HUGE mall. And when I say huge it is bigger even than Lennox. And it was packed with people. It was as busy as an American mall can be on Black Friday. One end of the mall was normal types of shops you might could find any any mall, and the other end was full of designer shops like Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. So it was quite a mix of shops.
We ate lunch there which was an adventure because the food court had no recognizable restaurants. However the were serving all kinds of food, from English pies, to Vietnamese, to Mexican. We finally settled on Chinese and I had some delicious chicken fried rice. (it seems I can't get away from it even when I'm not at work!)
Then we wandered around the mall, Steph and her friend Emma looking in various shops and making a couple purchases. I didn't buy anything as most of it was too expensive or I didn't need it. I did end up however buying a couple of books. I still needed books 1 and 3 from the Harry Potter series in the hardback British Editions and I figured I might as well go ahead and pick those up. So glad I can finally finish out my collection!
We relaxed for awhile and then took the train to Leicester Square where all the theaters are to make sure we had plenty of time before the play.
And that really needs a blog post of it's own...
And then I woke up on Saturday morning. And I was sick. Yes, only two days in England and I have a head cold!! Not really the way you want to spend vacation. The Westwoods kindly went out to the drug store and picked up some ibuprofen and decongestant which I quickly accepted and then prayed that I would feel better. Steph and I had planned to spend the day out in London with her friend Emma and then see 'Much Ado About Nothing' that evening. I was feeling a bit better after I had a shower so we decided to head out.
I wish, looking back, that maybe I had stayed in and slept till later in the afternoon. But I think I had really been looking forward to going out, and didn't want to stay in.
We took the Tube to the Portobello Street Market. A huge open air market where you can buy anything and everything. I found it far to crowded for my sick self to enjoy. It was neat too look at though. I took a few pictures which I'll try and get up soon.
From there we went to Westefields which is a HUGE mall. And when I say huge it is bigger even than Lennox. And it was packed with people. It was as busy as an American mall can be on Black Friday. One end of the mall was normal types of shops you might could find any any mall, and the other end was full of designer shops like Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. So it was quite a mix of shops.
We ate lunch there which was an adventure because the food court had no recognizable restaurants. However the were serving all kinds of food, from English pies, to Vietnamese, to Mexican. We finally settled on Chinese and I had some delicious chicken fried rice. (it seems I can't get away from it even when I'm not at work!)
Then we wandered around the mall, Steph and her friend Emma looking in various shops and making a couple purchases. I didn't buy anything as most of it was too expensive or I didn't need it. I did end up however buying a couple of books. I still needed books 1 and 3 from the Harry Potter series in the hardback British Editions and I figured I might as well go ahead and pick those up. So glad I can finally finish out my collection!
We relaxed for awhile and then took the train to Leicester Square where all the theaters are to make sure we had plenty of time before the play.
And that really needs a blog post of it's own...
Friday, July 22, 2011
Shopping, Dectives and Musicians
You know you're tired when you sleep 12 hours.
After spending most of the day yesterday with Stephanie and just enjoying having arrived in Epping, it was all I could do to not to fall asleep after dinner. I didn't want to go to bed too early as I didn't want to wake up too early either. I finally closed my eyes at 9pm, and stayed asleep most of the night and didn't get up till 9:30. Felt much better in the morning.
After breakfast and what ended up being a cold shower, Stephanie and I head out to London town.
We went first to Harrods which is always an adventure. Harrods being very large and full of many expensive things. I was looking for something specific for a friend, but did not find it there. However I enjoyed wandering around with Steph. It is always amazing to see how expensive some of the things in Harrods can be. It's clothing, books, toys, kitchenware, sliverware, bags, cosmetics, it goes on and on...
There are also several small restraunts and places to eat within Harrods. Steph treated herself and I to some amazing gelato from the Harrods Ice Cream shop. She had lemon and I had strawberry. Walking through the food halls is also amazing. The hall with all the chocolate is probably best. Pastry case after pastry case of the most amazing looking chocolates and desserts.
After we were done wandering around Harrods we went to a couple of tourist shops across the street where I picked up a couple of post cards and a tea towel for a friend of mine.
After that, it was time to decide where to go. Taking a look at the Tube map and considering wehre I had and had not been... I decided we should try to find 221b Baker St since there was a Baker Street Tube stop, I was hoping that it wouldn't be too hard to find. And thankfully, it wasn't.
A few short Tube stops from Knightsbridge was Baker Street. Thanks to a map at the station, it wasn't hard to find the Sherlock Holmes House and Museum. I decided not to do the tour, but it was fun to walk around the little shop and I bought a little magnet. Of course I'm sure later I'll here that there was something fascinating at the museum I would have loved to see... but at least I can say I've been and if I decide to go back, I know how to get there.
Next door is the London Beatles Shop. Full of, whate else, Beatles merchandise. It was quite amazing. T-shirts, posters, magnets, postcards, bags... on and on. It was quite amazing.
The people in the shop told us how to get from there to Abbey Road, so after making a small purchase there, we went back to the Tube, one stop up and off to Abbey Road. It took a couple of tries to find the right way to go, but it wasn't long before we found it.
I did not get my picture crossing the road as it was very busy and the cars were impatient. The recording studio was also being remodled so I wasn't able to get a picture of it, but I did get pictures of the grafitti on the walls around it and the Abbey Road street sights.
It's funny how such a little spot in the middle of nowhere has become such a major sightseeing location. And even then it isn't much. You can't get a tour of the recording studio, there are no shops, no signs, only the grafitti along the walls outside the studio. The main Beatles shop being the one on Baker Street. A much more commercial section.
By this time Stephanie and I were both hungry, but there were not any places that we could see to eat around Abbey Road. So we went back to the Tube and went up to Bond Street to find a bite to eat. Enjoyed a delicious Italian meal at Spagetti House. However they were rather busy and it took some time to get our food and bill. Which apparently you are supposed to ask for since they won't automatically bring it to you.
From there we went into a Disney Store that was located on a Bond Street which is apparently a big shopping area. There were people everywhere!! The Disney Store was one of the largest I had ever been in, and had a collection of Mickey and London related items. I picked up a cute little magnet with Mickey and some London images in the background.
Then it was finally time to come home!
It was a fun day out and I got to see some things I had not seen before in my travels to England. Tomorrow Steph, her friends and I are heading out to a market in London, possibly a scavenger hunt taking place in London and ending the day with 'Much Ado About Nothing'. Which I am very very exccited about.
After spending most of the day yesterday with Stephanie and just enjoying having arrived in Epping, it was all I could do to not to fall asleep after dinner. I didn't want to go to bed too early as I didn't want to wake up too early either. I finally closed my eyes at 9pm, and stayed asleep most of the night and didn't get up till 9:30. Felt much better in the morning.
After breakfast and what ended up being a cold shower, Stephanie and I head out to London town.
We went first to Harrods which is always an adventure. Harrods being very large and full of many expensive things. I was looking for something specific for a friend, but did not find it there. However I enjoyed wandering around with Steph. It is always amazing to see how expensive some of the things in Harrods can be. It's clothing, books, toys, kitchenware, sliverware, bags, cosmetics, it goes on and on...
There are also several small restraunts and places to eat within Harrods. Steph treated herself and I to some amazing gelato from the Harrods Ice Cream shop. She had lemon and I had strawberry. Walking through the food halls is also amazing. The hall with all the chocolate is probably best. Pastry case after pastry case of the most amazing looking chocolates and desserts.
After we were done wandering around Harrods we went to a couple of tourist shops across the street where I picked up a couple of post cards and a tea towel for a friend of mine.
After that, it was time to decide where to go. Taking a look at the Tube map and considering wehre I had and had not been... I decided we should try to find 221b Baker St since there was a Baker Street Tube stop, I was hoping that it wouldn't be too hard to find. And thankfully, it wasn't.
A few short Tube stops from Knightsbridge was Baker Street. Thanks to a map at the station, it wasn't hard to find the Sherlock Holmes House and Museum. I decided not to do the tour, but it was fun to walk around the little shop and I bought a little magnet. Of course I'm sure later I'll here that there was something fascinating at the museum I would have loved to see... but at least I can say I've been and if I decide to go back, I know how to get there.
Next door is the London Beatles Shop. Full of, whate else, Beatles merchandise. It was quite amazing. T-shirts, posters, magnets, postcards, bags... on and on. It was quite amazing.
The people in the shop told us how to get from there to Abbey Road, so after making a small purchase there, we went back to the Tube, one stop up and off to Abbey Road. It took a couple of tries to find the right way to go, but it wasn't long before we found it.
I did not get my picture crossing the road as it was very busy and the cars were impatient. The recording studio was also being remodled so I wasn't able to get a picture of it, but I did get pictures of the grafitti on the walls around it and the Abbey Road street sights.
It's funny how such a little spot in the middle of nowhere has become such a major sightseeing location. And even then it isn't much. You can't get a tour of the recording studio, there are no shops, no signs, only the grafitti along the walls outside the studio. The main Beatles shop being the one on Baker Street. A much more commercial section.
By this time Stephanie and I were both hungry, but there were not any places that we could see to eat around Abbey Road. So we went back to the Tube and went up to Bond Street to find a bite to eat. Enjoyed a delicious Italian meal at Spagetti House. However they were rather busy and it took some time to get our food and bill. Which apparently you are supposed to ask for since they won't automatically bring it to you.
From there we went into a Disney Store that was located on a Bond Street which is apparently a big shopping area. There were people everywhere!! The Disney Store was one of the largest I had ever been in, and had a collection of Mickey and London related items. I picked up a cute little magnet with Mickey and some London images in the background.
Then it was finally time to come home!
It was a fun day out and I got to see some things I had not seen before in my travels to England. Tomorrow Steph, her friends and I are heading out to a market in London, possibly a scavenger hunt taking place in London and ending the day with 'Much Ado About Nothing'. Which I am very very exccited about.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Arrived!!
You know you're a seasoned traveller when someone stops and asks you for directions...
But I'm getting ahead of myself!
Arrived safely at the Westwood's home about 12pm London time. I had a good flight from Atlanta to Miami arrvied in plenty of time to make my gate and and board.
The plane for my flight from Miami to London seemed not to be as full as I was used to, but I didn't think much about it till it got closer and closer for the plane to take off and no one had taken the seat next to me yet. I tried really hard not to get too excited about the possiblity that I might actually have space during the almost nine hour flight, but as the plane began to taxi down the runway with still no one sitting next to me, I was thrilled! It was a blessing in disguise as I was able to stretch out as much as I wanted and actually even sleep a bit!
I watched a movie as the served before dinner drinks, dinner, dinner drinks, and after dinner drinks and then settled in to try and sleep for the next 6 hours. Though it wasn't the best sleep I have ever had, it was definitely the best I've had on a plane. Having that open seat really spoiled me!
We landed about 8:45am London time. It was an easy walk from our gate to the border check in and I didn't have to wait too long in line to get my passport checked. For some reason, every time I'm at border control I always get nervous that somehow I've missed something or that I'll give the wrong answer. When really there is nothing to be nervous about. The border agent was very friendly and I've got another London Heathrow stamp in my passport.
It was in the baggage claim area that someone came up to me and asked how to get out (despite the large exit signs). I guess I looked very confident in where I was going. Which, I guess I was.
From baggage claim (it arrived safely!!) I exited and went straight to get a cup of coffee. Thank goodness for the good tastes of Europeans and good coffee. Had a medium latte from Costa and a blueberry muffing. Just what I needed to wake me up for the train ride to Epping!
This is the first time I have taken the Tube from the airport to my destination. It was actually rather fun. Being very familiar with the train system it was a bit of an adventure to take the Tube so far. I figured it out with no problems at all. Thankfully I only had to switch trains once, from the Picadilly line to the Central line.
While I was on the train I listened to 'Still Got Legs' the newest album from Chameleon Circut, a band whose music is all about Doctor Who. Just felt right listening to music about Doctor Who in England... Check them out - http://dftba.com/artist/9/Chameleon-Circuit
Once I arrived in Epping it was just a short walk from the train station to the Westwoods. Thankfully!
The weather is currently cool and overcast, but thankfully not rainly. I wasn't sure how easy it would be to dig my raincoat out of my suitcase if it started raining!
Once I arrived at the Westwoods, I realized the key I had would not open the front door. My only other option was to sit and wait for somone to come home. Thankfully, the neighbors saw me sitting there and invited me in for a cup of tea while I waited in true English fashion.
Thankfully it wasn't long before Robert came home to check and see if I arrived and he let me in a set me up with the proper house key and internet.
So now I'm just waiting for Steph to arrive home from work and checking up on all the news I've missed since leaving. Currently no big plans except relax!
Thanks again for all the prayers for safe travel!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
About to Go!
Looking forward to a very exciting trip this year!!
And will hopefully keep up the blog again as I travel. Leaving tomorrow and arriving in London early in Thursday morning. Staying with my friends again and looking forward to another visit to Epping and my very first trip to Ireland.
And will hopefully keep up the blog again as I travel. Leaving tomorrow and arriving in London early in Thursday morning. Staying with my friends again and looking forward to another visit to Epping and my very first trip to Ireland.
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