Laura In London

Where Did the Spring Term Go?

2009-04-13T02:58:00.015+01:00

Where Did the Spring Term Go? Truth be told, I haven't a clue. Rationally speaking it was the same 10 weeks as Autumn term, but I swear physics bent its rules, the Fourth Dimension inverted itself, because term absolutely flew by. To help recap, here are some photos of Spring Term. Enjoy!

It snowed in London this winter, and I do mean it SNOWED. To the extent that school was canceled, all public transport (including the underground!) was shut down, as were all airports with nary a cab in sight. It was the first true snow fall in London in 20 years. Least to say, snowballs wizzed through the air as everyone indulged their inner child and let loose for a day. And yes, that is an igloo in central London.

After dragging my flatmates to see the Superbowl at the student bar, we were privledged to walk home at three in the morning through a city with fresh fallen snow. One of the prettiest - and coldest! - walks I've had over here. Here is me with Francesca in front of their house for next year. Ok, maybe in their dreams.

Borough High Street, covered in Snow!

Another shot from our post-Superbowl walk home. Mathew, Laura and I stood on the Millenium bridge staring at St. Paul's in wonder. I feel like we're in an oil painting in this picture, or in Francesca's words, "Something out of Narnia".

Kensington Palace - Gorgeous!!

Here are some of the Gardens attached to Hollond park, which I visited when fellow HC-er Sarah Langan came up to London for a visit.

I snuck this picture from the Tate Britain (and was told off by the guard who caught me doing so) of a giant, floor-to-ceiling art instillation. It's built out of highly polished silver plates, platters, bowls, mugs, etc. Or, as I like to think of it, a huge shiny pimp glass.

Here is a shot of the Steps in front of St. Paul's Cathedral. That tiny blob of a person there? Yep, that's me. I love night walks.

The sand art at Gabriel's Wharf never fails to amaze me, but this particular artist cracked me up with this slightly sadistic sand sculpture. It is, without fail, one of my favorites. I suggest clicking on the picture to study all the details.

On a very rare, beautifully sunny day, we made a trip to visit Buckingham Palace.

That same day we journey through St. James's Park. Admittedly, the river was drained for spring cleaning (like you don't all do that at home), but the sun was out and the trees were in bloom.

And finally, me sitting in a tree in St. James's Park.

More pictures to be posted as they come in!

Chinatown

2009-01-27T19:23:00.006Z

This past weekend we paid a visit to Chinatown to have Dim Sum at a little place called Gerrard's Corner. The visit was in honor of my flat mate Laura, who turned 20 on the Saturday. What better way to leave behind the teen years than to eat random friend dumplings filled with "I'm not quite sure but I'll give it a go"? My thoughts exactly. It was the first time I've visited London's Chinatown properly. The hanging red lanterns were very pretty, and managed to give nineteenth century western architecture an oriental twinge. Below is the Birthday Girl - all grown up, isn't she?

We rounded out the day by visiting Piccadilly Circus and exploiting the massive Going Out Of Buisness sale currently plaguing entertainment mega-chain Zavvis. How I cursed that British DVDs are a different regional code than the US's... All in all, a very nice day out and about in the city. Note the blue skies! Below is a very pretty fountain right in the middle of Piccadilly Circus.

Start of the New Term

2009-01-22T01:19:00.003Z

Hello Again!

Well, it's been a while, no denying that. I'm afraid the end of term rush in December got the better of me. However, I've just gotten back from a very restful and enjoyable Christmas vacation and I'm ready to blog again. The start of term was officially the 12th of January, but Week 1 tends to be a dead week while classes get started up again, new supervisions begin and the like. I have finished the supervision for my Early Modern Britain class and am taking Empire & Commonwealth this term. We've begun with our first topic, Britain in the 18th century. Oh I know your jealous.

London this winter has turned out to be fun in the sun compared to the poor United States. Those freezing temperatures are the price you pay for having Canada as a neighbor. It's generally in the High 30's, mid 40s here (F), a bit colder when the wind picks up. Definitely NOT Columbia Jacket weather, which is fine by me!

Besides settling into the new academic term, not much has happened over here. Twilight is beginning to make its splash in the UK, as I have two flatmates starting on the series, one who is finished with all four books already, and all three major fans of the movie. I attempted to explain that the Twilight phenomenon has reached Harry Potter-esque mania in the States, but they just don't believe me. What can I say? You just don't mess with the Boy Who Lived...

As a send off note, I will say that the UK followed President Obama's inauguration as diligently as any American. Every pub I passed on Tuesday had it on the television, and the BBC did a whole series of programs on the new president. Looks to be a promising year so far!

Norwich for the Weekend

2008-11-16T01:32:00.007Z

Last weekend my flatmate Francesca invited me to visit her house in Norwich. Norwich is located in the northeastern part of England, in East Anglia. The trip was a great weekend away from the hustle & bustle of London, and her family is absolutely lovely. I think I ended up spending more time with her parents and younger brother than Ces did! We spent Saturday touring Nowich Cathedral, Norwich Castle, the market downtown, and of course doing a little bit of shopping. I don't think I've spent a Saturday with Francesca and not done a bit of shopping come to think about it...
Added Bonus: Someone else cooked our meals for four days. Score. Francesca's mom introduced me to the concept of a "cheesy egg", to which I will be forever grateful as I've already re-created twice. Yum.

A view of Norwich from a window in the Castle's Keep.

This past week has been somewhat productive. I turned in my first paper for Early Modern Cultural History, and I've no idea whether its complete rubbish or not. It has a thesis. And points. As to whether those points actually argue the thesis is still, in my mind, debatable. I suppose I'll find out in two weeks time when my professor returns it! My Early Modern Britain seminar was quite enjoyable this week. Supposedly the topic was Witchcraft, but that could be contested, seeing as we covered the US Election, tidiness & organization methods, and our professor's medical problems (his doctor said that with the new medicine he was going to begin taking, our prof would have to severely limit his alcohol intake; the good professor is now researching alternative medicines).

Wednesday was Light Up Night on Oxford Street, where they officially turn on all the Christmas decorations. The whole street looked bright and cheerful and just down-right Christmas-y. Francesca squealed and began to hum Christmas tunes whilst Laura pondered how utterly un-green it must be for all the extra lights to be running. Oh our little socialist; what would life be like without her?

Bonfire Night!!

2008-11-06T23:51:00.004Z

Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Night, is one of the British holidays that I've been looking forward to the most. With Fireworks, Bonfires, and Burning Effigies (and lots and lots of pints - this is Britain after all), how can you go wrong?? The best bit of this evening though, was the journey to the fireworks. We decided to go to the Clapham Common firework display, just a few stops further south on the Northern Line. Easy & Simple, right? Ha. We got two stops down the tube line and the train halted for ten minutes, which when one is jammed cheek to jowl in true rush hour fashion, is FOREVER. Then, the Station Manager told everyone to exit the train, exit the station, everything was shutting down due to an emergency. (My thoughts at this point were "Well Crap, if some idiot threw himself infront of a train and I miss the fireworks, I'm going to be so pissed.) So we all got off the train, but were stuck on the platform because the crowds were blocking the emergency exit. Mind you, the British Reserve was still in place, and no one had really said anything or broken the common silence yet. 5 minutes goes by, anther 5, and we're still stuck. Then the Station Manager got on the overhead system again:

"I will tell you one more time, Ladies & Gentlemen the Station is shutting down, I've requested more Southbound trains and they aren't giving me any. Please move along the platform to the emergency exit staircases."
"Platform FOUR, I can see you, you still aren't moving!! PLEASE exit the station, the station is shutting down!"
"PLATFORM FOUR, I Can SEE YOU, You need to move along the platform NOW--"
Random Bloke: "You FUCK-WIT!!!! ARE YOU BLIND, WE CAN'T GO ANYWHERE!!!!"
Now, the British Reserve had broken and all hell broke loose. The next five minutes were a screaming match of insults between the fairly pissed-off crowd and the dis-embodied voice of the Station Manager.
It was GREAT.
Finally the Station Manager got the go-ahead to let our train continue on its journey. I've never seen people move that quickly to get back on a train. I think even the air molecules felt squished. The best part was that we got to Clapham Common only a few minutes into the firework display! The pyrotechnics were quite spectacular, and the theater show Transport for London put on for us beforehand just made the evening all the better. Below is a video of the Firework Finale. Enjoy!

Mai Visits London!

2008-11-03T01:11:00.006Z

One of the girls from the internship program I was in this summer, Mai, was recently in London. She is currently spending this semester in Madrid, and trekked back up north for her fall break. It was very nice to get together and catch-up, trade stories about being American students in European universities. This all took place on big walking tour of the city so Mai could view some of London's attractions one last time. Below are some pictures I took - London at night is so pretty!

The Victoria Tower in Westminster

The London Eye, lit up bright green, alongside the Museum of London

This is a view of the waterfront from Bankside. Behind these buildings runs Fleet Street, with Blackfriars Bridge at the far right. St. Paul's Cathedral is off to the right, though a bit in the dark.

Of Halloween and Power-Outs

2008-11-03T00:44:00.005Z

As today commences reading week here at the King's History Department, I have officially survived half a term of study at UK university. Impressive, right? And how will I celebrate a week of no lectures or seminars?? That's right, you guessed it - by spending time at the library!! I know, I know, it's a radical and crazy wacky plan, but you can expect nothing less from this kid. Honestly though, I have two major essays due next week - one on Cromwell, one on female autobiography in the early modern period - and this chica has no time to spare.
Though I may sound deceptively devoted to my academics, rest assured that I have been enjoying myself as well. This past Tuesday was the Hell-O-Ween ball at Ministry of Sound. Yours truly went as Medusa, while flatmates Matthew and Tessa went as a vampire and witch respectively. Below is a picture of Matt, Me, and Francesca . Francesca lacked a costume because the costume shop was closed on Saturday. This may not sound devastating, but when you trek across town, fighting weekend crowds and uncooperative rainy weather, only to have the store be unexpectedly closed, well, it sucks. She managed to look stunning anyways. Having partied ourselves out on Tuesday, Halloween itself was a much quieter affair, consisting of a movie-night in watching Van Helsing. The outside activities that night may have been more tempting if it wasn't pouring down sleet outside. The weather has gotten so cold over here!! I am even wearing winter gloves.
Not much else has happened. My classes were all canceled last Tuesday due to a power failure at the Strand Campus (the campus which houses all of my classes, incidentally). No one really knew what to do for the hour we were suppose to hang around waiting to see if they could fix the electricity, so the massive crowd of uni students headed over to the library en masse. The poor building probably doesn't see that many students inside its walls outside of spring exams. The cafe in the basement even ran out of food. (Come now, you don't think everyone headed to the library to read, now do you??)

In Which I Find Gainful Employment

2008-10-23T00:12:00.003+01:00

Hello All! Yes, it's been forever since I've posted. Consider me approbriately shamed faced. In my defense, London has decided to lead a biological and viral attack on my immune system in the past few weeks, culminating in a nasty 24 hour bug at the beginning of this week. I tell you not to earn your pity (though I'll take that), but so that you don't think I'm just being lazy. I've been at war people!

Enough about my health issues. So, it has been a busy busy time in the past few weeks. On the academic front, I got back my first essay with a pretty decent mark on it. Considering I hadn't written a real essay in four months, not too shabby. Hopefully the next one will be better. In my Early Modern Britain class, we have moved on past the Tudors and on to the Stuarts. And here we thought H8 was self-indulgent: his Scottish kin had the poor treasury working overtime. And, because I do believe my professor has a flair for timing, we are studying WITCHCRAFT this week, right in time for Halloween!! I am very very excited. At the library, which has become my new favorite haunt (couldn't resist), I found a book called The Bewitching of Anne Gunter: A Horrible and True Story of Deception, Witchcraft, Murder, and the King of England by James Sharpe. I'm only 15 pages in and its addicting stuff. Now if I could only be so motivated to read the absolute sea of packets on 'self-fashioning: civility' that I have for my Early Modern Cultural History class. *sigh* As for my Empire and Commonwealth class, we've spent the past two weeks learning about the American Colonies. It's interesting to note that when I was lectured about the American Revolution in my state-side University class, it was given a very negative view. Essentially we were taught that the colonists were being whiny, and we should have just paid our taxes and shut up. Instead a few greedy and wealthy men were able to manipulate an entire country into revoulting against a mother country they held near and dear to their heart. Meanwhile, our lecturer in jolly old England was much more kind about the whole Revolution thing, and presented a more even handled interpretation, citing reasons on both sides of the Atlantic as to why Revolution happened. Wouldn't one think it would be the opposite?

On the social front, the good times keep on rolling. Last Tuesday an attempt was made to go to Ministry of Sound again, but the club was so crowded we didn't get in! We were even on the guest list, but to no avail. Nevertheless, we picked ourselves up, brushed off our knees, and headed over to the Dover Castle for a few pints. Determination, I do believe, overcomes almost any obstacle. This past weekend our flat threw a Karaoke Party, which seemed to be well received by everyone who attended (a nice selection of our friends from neighboring flats). I wouldn't say we were the most in tune band of singers, but we definitly had enthusiasm. And just so you don't think that my social life MUST involve partying, on Saturday we took a nice trip to the National Portrait Gallery. It was a girls day out, our flatmate Matthew having selected to stay in and do some work. I think he took a nap. The trip was fairly successful: Laura was able to see some mad Romantic poets and the like, Francesca got to see the early Tudor Kings & Queens, I got to view some Stuarts, and Tessa took in a sampling of the contemporary pictures along with a few dead white guys. This weekend we're thinking about branching out to some other museums, if only because I have the floor plan of the NPG memorized...

And finally, to get to the topic of this post: I got a Job!! I will be a waiter for an event staffing company. Not exactly earth-shattering, I know, but my first gig is at the Science Museum, so that should be interesting. And the main objective of the part-time job, the paycheck, will be nice too.

And to wrap things up, I must say I have THE BEST flatmates in the world. When my germ-ridden body and home-sick heart had me feeling rather low, they threw me a USA-themed dinner to cheer me up. It was complete with pictures of Bush, McCain, and Obama on the wall, a view of Pittsburgh, American slang on the white board, and a revised version of the preamble of the constitution on the kitchen door. I love my flatmates!!!

The Not Forgotten Project

2008-10-09T20:07:00.008+01:00

Yesterday was a throwback to summer as I spent the entire day volunteering for Westminster Archives. The Not Forgotten project that I helped to work on during my internship is finally taking on life. Different primary schools from around the area participate through day long workshops, learning about World War I and the four soldiers featured in the project. Each school focuses on one particular soldier, and yesterday's class happened to learn about the soldier I spent the most time researching, Pvt. Thomas Highgate. It was an exhausting day, having to be at the train station at 7:20 am, but definitely well worth it. Below is the view from the train window as it sped away from Charing Cross.

I spent so much time digging up the facts of Highgate's life that it was quite validating to share the story with other people. The day ended with a short walk to a park in Sidcup, the town the school was located , to see the war memorial that bears Highgate's name. The class gathered around while (on the left) Peter, my former boss and the Education Officer from Westminster Archives, and (on the right) Simon, the head of the Bexley Archives, led the talk.

Again, we couldn't have asked for a nicer day. Which was quite fortunate, considering as soon as I posted last time about the beautiful sunny weather the skys opened up for about a week straight. Since the sun was actually OUT I couldn't resist taking a few shots to prove that sunshine does indeed exist in England. This scene is right behind the War Memorial at the Sidcup park.

Otherwise, life has been rather straight forward here. Loads and loads of reading, which I will continue on with Popular Religion in Sixteenth Century England once I finish this post. Try not to be jealous. Francesca and I did go to Portebello Market on Saturday, which was a fun way to spend the afternoon. We also hit Oxford street so that Ces could get a few items to complete her outfit for cheerleading initiations. (The theme was 'American' so I helped dress her up as a sorority girl.) It threatened to rain the entire time (did I mention I'm in London?), but we lucked out and it held off until right before we got home. I was slightly naughty and got another scarf (fun circles this time!) and some cheap pearl costume jewelry at Portabello. I threw my CV into a few different places at the job fair on Tuesday, so hopefully I will be able to afford to continue to buy scarves in the future.

Now, I must needs get to my reading. My seminar class today has me slightly intimidated, so I want to prepare prepare prepare for next week. Ah, the life of a student.

The Zoo!

2008-09-28T16:46:00.006+01:00

Taking advantage of the unseasonably nice weather, we decided to take a trip to the London Zoo and spend the day with the animals. We couldn't have asked for a sunnier, nicer day - especially this late in September. The leaves are changing over here already, which makes me a little sad. It seems too soon! The leaves, though, do put on a good show.

On an academic note, I will finally start classes this Tuesday, over a month later than I normally begin my Fall semester. I have to admit, I'm quite anxious to begin. It's been lovely being over here, but my poor little structured soul needs some direction and schedule applied to my daily life. I've already started my reading lists, concentrating on the Reformation since that will be the topic of my first paper. Also, as it happens, BBC is airing the second season of The Tudors, so my mind has been completely entrenched in the early 16th century. (Wycliffe, Erasmus, and More, Oh My!) Not much else has happened - perhaps next week will be more interesting!

In Which I Succumb to Freshers Flu

2008-09-25T15:37:00.002+01:00

Ok, more of a cold than the full-out flu, but my throat feels scratchy enough. Everyone here has warned us newbies about "Freshers Flu", a diabolical virus that strikes down 1st year university students during their first month or so of school. Even speaking to my dear British friend Beth back at IUP, she remarked "*Shudder* I hate freshers - they bring the flu". It really isn't fair, considering I'm in my third year and I haven't even taken place in the marathon clubbing and drinking that makes up Freshers Week. *Sigh*

Although I am now dependent on my Kleenex box and mug of tea, this past week has been fairly enjoyable. Last Friday my flatmates Ces, Laura, and I went to see The Lion King, as our student discount got as 53 pound tickets for 20. The show was really great, especially the costumes that the musical won so many awards for. It was also nice go out and experience a bit of the theater culture of London. I think our next target will be to see Wicked, and (if I have my way) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

On Saturday my flatmate Ces and I spent the early afternoon at the British Museum, exploring the Egyptians, Assyrians, and various other cultures that liked to morph animals with humans. After expanding our cultural horizons we spent three hours on Oxford street expanding our fashion horizons. Shopping on Oxford street is akin to going to battle: one must be outfitted in the proper armor (fashionable, but comfortable - this is serious shopping here folks), portray an aggressive stance (it's either run people over or be run over yourself), and display an impressive amount of stamina and endurance (of the silent and stoic variety especially - lines for dressing rooms can be soooo long). In the end, our purpose for shopping (find me an outfit for the Ministry of Sound party), was satisfied after 5 minutes in Ces's closet back at the apartment. After we discovered we're the same size in both cloths and shoes I believe she exclaimed "Oh good, now I have a doll to dress up!" As her wardrobe is much more fashionable than mine, I won't complain :D

Monday night was the Ministry of Sound (a club in London famous for its DJs and music) Freshers Party. A good time was had by all, even if it was a little on the crowded side. Nightlife here in London is considered by some to be the best in the world, but you have to be willing to pay for it as well. For those of us on a stricter budget, I think we'll just head to the pub this weekend...

As for this week, well, I've been holed up with this cold. London has decided to turn rainy on us, so motivation to go out and explore has been very little. This weekend the sun is due out again, with a high of 70! Until then, I will continue on conquering my reading lists (or at least finish one book).

In Which a Junior attends Freshers Week

2008-09-15T16:52:00.000+01:00

Here at King’s College London the first week of orientation for freshmen is called Freshers Week. A term, I have discovered, which is generally the acceptable method of describing freshmen, however awkward it sounds rolling off my tongue. So far, they’ve thrown parties, had a comedy night, and thrown more parties. Not bad work if you can get it. Enrollment and registration for the entire university is about a weeklong process. I don’t register until Friday, so I am left to my own devices until then. That said, the activites of Freshers Week take on a new appeal. It is slightly intimidating to go through the whole process of being a freshman again – meeting new people, making friends, the whole bit. I am lucky enough to have a very solid group of friends back at IUP who are all very familiar with my little quirks and oddities, and love me in spite of (or perhaps because of) them.

My flatmates all seem very nice so far. Francesca, Laura, and Mathew are all freshmen, while Mae, a Parisian, is an exchange student like me. She is in her fourth year of college, which for her is her first year of graduate school. She is studying theater and English literature, and has an 80 page dissertation due by the end of the year. (eek!) Perhaps I can get her to help me with my French…

In Which I Wear the Worst Shoes for Cross-Atlantic Travel

2008-09-15T16:43:00.003+01:00

My first bit of wisdom garnered from my year abroad experience – wear well worn, broken-in shoes for travel. I oh so foolishly decided to wear a new pair of ballet flats that, although comfortable when I tried them on at the store, were a nightmare on my feet. The blisters on my heels are currently doused in Neosporin and band-aids, but still twinge. I am glad to say, though, that my shoe choice was the worst bit of the trip. Everything else went very well, from the lovely 7 hour flight to navigating my way from the airport to the university housing. I believe that part of this is due to my size and 12-year-old-esque face. People are so much more willing to be helpful and kind to children, and I received my fair share of “huns” & “loves”.

The Great Dover Street Apartments is where I will call home for the next 9 months. My room is tiny tiny tiny, and the walls are the most interesting shade of yellow-green, but I’m making do. Least to say, I need to come up with something that will cover the walls. I can only stand mental hospital décor for so long.

My Bathroom

My Room, as viewd from the bed

My Room, as viewed from the doorway

And so, after a little over five weeks of being home, I am officially back in London. It is a weird mixture of comfort and nerves – comfort because the city that I called home for two months this summer still feels like a place I belong, and nerves because this time around everything is different. New people to meet, new areas of London to become acquainted with, and oh yeah, the whole reason I’m over here, a new university to attend!

In Which I Discover I am Not a Hostel Girl

2008-07-14T23:28:00.008+01:00

This past weekend I traveled up north to Edinburgh, Scotland. After a lovely 8.5 hour bus ride there it was a welcome relief to stretch and go explore the city. Our hostel, however, had much to be desired. I suppose half of it was the smell, which was the most awful combination of unmentionables. That, and the fact that my friend and I were so very out of place. Everyone else there had blond dread locks and didn't believe in the principle of bathing. Oh well, we only used it to sleep in. Now I know that I was designed to stay in hotels, not hostels.

We started off day one by trying to get to the Castle. There weren't any signs (which we should have considered), so we figured the path would take us up the hill towards the Royal Mile and the Castle. Well, it took us up the hill but blocked all access above and beyond. Besides getting a nice work out at 8:30 in the morning, we did get a gorgeous view of Edinburgh.

The Castle, once we finally reached it, was a very cool place to explore. I couldn't imagine being a prisoner of war there, or actually using it to defend against an invading army. Today it does nothing more than earn revenue for the city as a tourist spot, which is a much more pleasant role all around I should think. The Scottish Crown Jewels are kept there, as well as some very nice paintings of the Stewart Monarchs in the Royal Hall. After spending a few hours touring the Castle we decided to taste a few whiskeys, which then prompted a need for lunch to get some food in our bellies...

Saturday we spent exploring the Highlands, which was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen before. The day was cold - 9 degrees C! - but the sites were gorgeous. Below are some of my favorite pictures from the day.

Here is me on the banks of Loch Ness. No monster I'm afraid but worth the trip nonetheless!

4th of July and PRIDE

2008-07-14T22:43:00.002+01:00

I apologize for the delay in updates. A summer cold came through and completely knocked me out. After far too many doses of this nasty licorice tasting syrup intended to treat 'Chesty Coughs', I am feeling slightly more human again. I have never longed for the good old days of Nyquil and Dayquil before. I figured I could load up before I come back in the fall, but then the customs agents might think I'm making meth. Huh...

Anyway, Fourth of July weekend was a busy one here in London. Events kicked off around the third when CAPA through a BBQ for us at our flats in south London. The food was tasty and was a nice taste of home. The actual Fourth was a lot of fun - we basically used it as an excuse to be unapologetically American. My co-workers weren't very responsive to my very enthusiastically wished "Have a Happy Fourth tomorrow!", but I'm sure it was just British reserve. The Brits did get into the Holiday a bit, with some selling beers that day in dollars instead of pounds (where the exchange rate actually worked in our favor for once!), while others gave out free Budweisers to anyone who could prove they were American. We decided to spend the night at the Sports Cafe, because what is more American than a sports bar? And yes, American football was on the television. A few of the girls there had bought American flags and were wearing them as mini-dresses. I preferred to stick to my blue jeans, white tank and red shirt.

The next day was PRIDE in London, and it couldn't have been a more beautiful day. The sun was out and it felt like Summer. Finally. The parade was entertaining - my favorites are pictured below. It's actually ok to be out and in the military here in Britain, so all of the different forces had banners and floats and everyone cheered as they went by. After an exhaustive night celebrating Independence though, I needed sleep. It's tough being an upstanding citizen...

The National Archives

2008-06-26T22:40:00.004+01:00

Today I went to the National Archives as part of my job for the Westminster Archives. The World War I project I have helped to research is coming together, and we spent today taking digital photos of the original documents. These will appear in the education packet that is distributed to the local Westminster school districts. Fun and exciting, no?
Spending the day at the National Archives was pretty cool, even if we were only taking digital pictures the entire time. To begin with, I officially have an ID for the Archives that is good for three years. Somehow I managed to look like a 40 year old librarian in my photo - hott. After acquiring a Reader's Ticket (the ID), came the surprisingly difficult process of locating which documents needed to be ordered so that the other interns and I could look at the originals. I swear I felt like such a dolt. I think my face was a giant question mark the entire time. By the end of the day I did get to see some of the documents that I needed to see, though I am by no means done. Least to say, a few more trips to the National Archives will be in my future very soon. Not that I'm complaining mind you - this place is Sweet. It's HUGE and houses more documents than ever be read in a lifetime, including one of the original signed copies of the Declaration of Independence and one of only 3 surviving original Magna Cartas. And it has a coffee shop. Beat that.

One of the documents concerning Private Thomas Highgate, the first British soldier to be shot at dawn for desertion during WWI. He is currently my pet project for the Westminster Archives. Very interesting story, very sad. Below is his will.

The Naked Bike Race and Terry Jones

2008-06-22T22:24:00.007+01:00

Having experienced living in London for a few weeks, I have to say that this city will offer up entertainment for every sort. Two weeks ago my friends and I attended the Annual International Naked Bike Race, who consists of, you guessed it, naked people riding bikes. And they were. Naked that is. See video below for confirmation.

Supposedly it's a protest against dependence on oil and what not, but I think people get more of kick out of the hedonistic thrill of being legally naked in public. Another great thing about London is that a place such as Hyde Park can go from being exclusively available to the aristocracy to hosting a protest in the buff.

This past Thursday I was also able to attend a lecture given by Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) on 'Was Richard II Mad?' The lecture was not only entertaining but quite educational too. I had no clue that he was a serious historian, and it was nice to attend an event that was focused on history and not politics or economics. (Us, with Terry Jones)

And, to appease my little history dork soul, there was the past year's worth of Historian magazines, so I grabed half a dozen of those up pretty quickly. Nice tube reading material. I just finished an article entitled 'Daddy, What Did You Do in the Hundred Years War?' Oh yeah, I am that cool. It mentioned that one of the researchers on this project (about the military during the 100 years war) specialized some of his graduate work studying the military under Richard II from 1388-1389. With a job description like that how can you not love academics?

How working at the Archives lands me at the Chelsea Football Club

2008-06-15T23:18:00.004+01:00

The Westminster Archives runs a program for year 5 and year 6 students that gets students to study World War II via football (soccer). One of the big thrills for the kids is a visit to the Chelsea Football Club, where they get to tour the stadium, meet a real Chelsea Pensioner, and meet the co-Author and illustrator of the book Billy the Kid, of which the program is based around. As one of the head co-ordinators intern, it's a pretty decent way to spend the day. I help usher the kids from one part of the program to the next, get a free lunch, and as much coffee as I can drink. My professor was quite jealous when he heard where I get to spend part of my week; if only I was into football. This experience has made me realize though that if I'm going to survive a year in England, I'm going to have to pick a team and start watching football. I think my judging criteria will consist of who has the hottest players. This method has worked well in the past...

The CFC Stadium

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2008-06-08T20:27:00.006+01:00

(Hyde Park)

Today we went to Hyde Park for a picnic, and couldn't have asked for a better day. For perhaps the first time since we've been here there wasn't a cloud in the sky. At home an 80 degree day wouldn't have been that bad, but for some reason 80 degrees feels like the high 90s in London. I personally think it has to do with conditioning and the lack of AC; the Brits just don't know what to do with warm weather when they are quite comfortable in the 60s! I was assured during orientation that a gross examination of the weather was one sure sign of becoming British. I think I just proved their point...

(Casey is whining that he doesn't want his picture taken, but Pam's all smiles)

Honestly though Hyde Park is gorgeous, and had I remembered to bring a book with me I could have layed in the sun all day. One of the best parts was the angry arabic that we could hear coming through a loudspeaker across the field. Through the two hours or so that we were there the crowd in that corner intensified to practically a mob. I would have like to have understood what was being said - the crowd seemed quite enthralled.

Next we headed off to the National Portrait Gallery, which was very cool. There were a lot of dead white kings up on the walls wearing more impressive high heels than I'll ever likely get the chance to wear. One of my favorites was George III, because he pulled off looking oh so sheak in endagered fur. Oh to be a Hanoverian King.

(George III)

The National Portrait Gallery is slightly different than the American version in DC. For one, George Washington gets a wall to himself in the states, whereas in London he gets a 1 foot x 1 foot headshot and a description which gives equal recognition to his role in the French & Indian war as it does to his role as 1st President of the United States. There is something to be said for wandering from room to room where the history on the walls stretches out over centuries.

Outside the National Gallery there was a Korean festival being held called Dana. We stopped to watch one of the performances, which involved these huge xylophone-esque intstruments that were played via ping pong paddles. The music though different was very good, and the performers were excellent. There were two women playing the xylophone-esque instruements who had more defined arm muscles than Madonna. All in all not a bad way to spend the day.

Working at the Archives

2008-06-04T22:41:00.003+01:00

This summer I will be interning at the City of Westminster Archives, and already I am discovering that this is a hip place to be. Well, for a dorky history major, it's a hip place to be. My first day there I was shown a document issued in 1592 by Elizabeth I, containing an intact royal seal much like the one above. Besides being beyond cool and extremely rare, the detail in the seal was really very good for being made of beeswax and having survived 516 years. The document was written in Latin or else I would also be waxing poetically as to the information the document contained - something to do with land I believe. It is a somewhat surreal experience to have contact with the same documents countless people throughout history have been in contact with. It lends a little intimacy to the study of history that textbooks are very much lacking.

The Archives themselves house three plus floors of documents, records, maps, seals, images and much more, and staffed by a wonderfully nice group of people. My first day we had a conversation that began with Queen Ann, dived into the Stuarts for a bit, touched upon the Mad Hanoverian king and ended with an animated discussion of Queen Elizabeth II, British politics, and the likelihood of Camilla becoming Queen. Tomorrow I begin an inventory in the very cold storage rooms - so much for summer clothing!

Living in London

2008-06-04T22:06:00.009+01:00

Living in London is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I had assumed London would be a European version of New York City, but it's really more like a free for all of neighborhoods and boroughs jammed together in any which way. Here I was expecting sky scrapers at every turn and instead I get this lovely view out my kitchen window. I say kitchen window, but it's also the dinning room window, the library window, and the hallway window. Another great tidbit about living in a major city - space is at a premium. My flat this summer makes my freshman dorm room look rather luxurious.

Living in a place where I can cook my meals, take a shower, and write this blog all within a five foot area is worth it when my daily commute is almost like a site seeing tour. They just do not have fun old school buildings like this one back in my college town. Speaking of cool sites: The London Bridge, Parliament, and the Victoria & Albert Museum .

Unfortunatly our three hour panoramic tour of London was on a very overcast day - at least it didn't rain. Besides not speaking the language (there are enough differences, trust me), dealing with different currency, crossing the street so that you're alive at the other side, and attempting not to stick out as too much of a foreigner, settling into London has gone smoother than expected. We were even stopped and asked directions the other day! Now we just need to gain enough experience to back up our answers, although I'm sure the bloke figured out where he was going eventually.