Stratford-Upon-Avon

Yesterday I spent approximately half a day in the city of Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Since we arrived late, many of the shops were about to close and there wasn't as much that we could do, but one place that I did get to see was the house in which Shakespeare was born in and grew up. The town itself was quite lovely and had a certain wonderful feel about it. The weather was also quite odd and it began to pour randomly which caused us to seek shelter in a restaurant called The Food of Love. We also did a lot of touristy souvenir shopping because a lot of us happened to be Shakespeare fans.

That night, we saw a performance of Shakespeares' The Winter Tale by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) at the Courtyard Theatre. It was a brilliant performance, however long it was, and though I didn't understand a lot of it, the theatrics and many elements of the show were quite nice. After the show, it was a two hour bus ride back to Pembroke so we didn't get back until one in the morning. And then I had class at nine this morning. Oh did I mention I just got sick? Perfect. So typical!

Anyways, tomorrow we are leaving for a two day trip to Stonehedge and Bath, which should be quite interesting. I will try to come back with a lot of beautiful pictures to show!

A Treasure In Cambridge.

Though I didn't do all that much yesterday, I did manage to visit the Fitzwilliam Museum which is literally right down the street from Pembroke College. It's a beautiful building on the outside but even lovelier on the inside. Sadly, there was no photography allowed inside so I can only post pictures of what I saw outside. Woe is me.

The museum had artifacts from ancient Egypt, Rome, The Far East, and much more. There was also this beautiful red room with portraits of all the famous past leaders and nobles. One of which was the Archbishop of Charles the I, who was beheaded after being given up to Parliament. There was also some other paintings by Monet, Sisley, and one by Degas. Since it is free, I definitely recommend taking a trip to the Fitzwilliam Museum.

I also did a little bit of walking around afterwards which was interesting because I realized I haven't quite seen much of Cambridge. I'll have to find the time to explore the area! Oh and today I am off with the program to go to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespheare!

Back to Reality.

No big adventures today. Had my two classes today and they were interesting as always but I was not feeling so well after a long five days in Scotland. Our PA Luke took a group of students to the Panton Arms which is a well known pub but being the good student that I am, I decided to stay in my room and read. What I great student I am. Did I mention that I have a huge stack of reading? And that midterms are in a week? Didn't I JUST get here?!

Anyways, to tide you over, here are some more brilliant Scotland pictures. Just looking at them makes me miss Scotland...oh and not having to read pages and pages....

Tomorrow is a trip to the Museum with our PA Calum and Thursday is a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon so there will be more pictures and stories to post then!

How to describe Edinburgh? UNDESCRIBABLE.

Just got back from Scotland a little while ago and was very sad to go. It's been a crazy last five days and I feel like I just crammed so much into such a short amount of time. On Thursday, we left for Edinburgh and stopped at Richmond's castle, which was a very fun experience. We also ate Fish & Chips which was so good but so greasy...ah...such is life. When we arrived in Scotland, we ate at an Asian all you can eat buffet called Jimmy Chang's where I gorged myself (I genuinely miss Asian food) but unfortunately for me, we had to run to catch a show by a Cambridge band known as "Truly Medley Deeply" which is a fantastic acoustic band that does mash ups of popular pop, rock, hip hop, and rap songs. Afterward, we went to a free comedy show about "Shagging" but unfortunately the comedic stylings were not so great. There was also some random nudity that freaked me out.

Friday was such a wonderful day as well! We started the day off with a tour of the Royal Mile called "Saints and Sinners" and saw so much of the city. The beautiful thing about Edinburgh is that it is the perfect combination of historical buildings but also modern ones as well. After a quick lunch of falafel wraps, we saw a play called "Bunny", which was a one-woman show that I greatly enjoyed. The actress was brilliant and I believe that it is very difficult to do one person shows but she pulled it off wonderfully. Afterward, we walked back to the Royal Mile to look at the art collection in the National Gallery of Scotland. I was unable to take pictures due to copyright issues, but I can tell you some of my favorite paintings there.

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/4986?initial=G&artistId=4971&artistName=Jean-Baptiste%20Greuze&submit=1

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/22819?initial=F&artistId=4755&artistName=Fran%C3%A7ois-Xavier%20Fabre&submit=1

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/5658?initial=M&artistId=3390&artistName=Claude%20Monet&submit=1

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/4758?initial=C&artistId=1947&artistName=Frederic%20Edwin%20Church&submit=1

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/5396?initial=S&artistId=4829&artistName=John%20Singer%20Sargent&submit=1

Sorry about that mass influx of links. Anyways, that night we also saw Dr. Faustus the play, which was quite interesting as well but I believe that I enjoyed Bunny more. That night we also went to Mother India, a delicious Indian restaurant that served food in the 'tapas' style. So yummy! A group of girls and I also went to a couple of clubs (Siglo and Espionage) to sample the nightlife.

SATURDAY! The day started off a trip to the Elephant House, which is a cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books when she was a poor single mother. Needless to say, I was freaking out. I normally don't even drink coffee but for Harry Potter, I will do anything. Then we went on what was supposed to be an easy hike but ended up in a lot of pain for us unfit Americans. Not so easy. After the hike up Arthur's Seat we were too tired for the tour of Scottish Parliament so we went out for lunch and then to the Edinburgh Castle at the end of the Royal Mile. So we got a brief history lesson from our program assistant (PA) about the place and got to see some very interesting things. Because we were staying at a youth hostel, there was a little kitchenette included and in order to save some money, we cooked ourselves a dinner of garlic ciabatta bread, salad, spaghetti pasta with meatballs and wine. Afterwards, a couple of the girls and I went out but I retired early because it had been such a long day.

On Sunday, we left for the Troussachs but I opted for a trip on Loch Katrine via ferry (I was under the belief that we were going to Loch Ness and got excited but was sorely disappointed) which was also very lovely. Unfortunately, my friend and I were left behind by the bus and after some frantic phone calls they came back to get us. I think we might notoriously be known as the "girls who got left behind" from now on. That night, we went to a play called Beautiful Burnout, which was absolutely fantastic. It was physical theatre and was about boxing which almost made me cry. Then we went to a vegetarian restaurant called David Bann which was also wonderful. We finished our last night in Scotland with a game called Mao, which was so fun yet very frustrating at first.

So today, we left early but unfortunately one of the buses broke down and about 20 or so of the people had to stay behind. I was also extremely carsick and it was not the best day for me. We also stopped by Fountains Abbey. At first, it seemed very mediocre but when we walked in we were so amazed by everything. It was a beautiful place and also extremely tranquil. I believe it is definitely a sight that people should visit if they happen to be in England.

Okay so that wraps up Edinburgh! PHEW! That was a whole lot. I hope you enjoyed the post.

Rain rain, don't go away, I know you'll be back another day...

For a SoCal girl I am actually really loving this weather. I've always loved the rain because of how beautiful it makes everything look and that clean fresh smell afterwards. Thankfully, the rain is so abundant here and not a rarity! Unfortunately it means that I don't own much weather appropriate clothing. Today was another eventful day for a few reasons.

First off, we had a "seminar" for our Criminology class, which is the equivalent of a college field trip. Here in England, there is something called CCTV. CCTV has public cameras that monitor all major areas for major and minor crime in a way that is very George Orwell's 1984 but the difference is that no, our televisions are not reverse cameras and there are many safety regulations in place to protect us from them. For example, CCTV controllers are not allowed to rewind and "troll" through old footage. Another example is that controllers cannot look into bedrooms of people's houses and if the camera turns in the direction a big black box blocks the screen. The man in charge informed us that CCTV saves money on investigations (since the crime is already caught on tape) and has lead to many positive outcomes. The controllers also showed us examples of crime caught on camera, which was actually quite disturbing. In one, a man was reported for acting suspicious so the controllers followed him and saw him simply walking around the marketplace with a canvas bag. However, they pointed out that he had a MIRROR in his bag and was specifically walking around women in skirts so he could see up it! Another example was when a man simply punched a woman in the face for no apparent reason. There was also quite a bit of drunk debauchery and lots of other clips. I enjoyed the seminar very much but I'm still not very sure how I feel about having something like this for the United States. I asked the controller what was the most interesting thing he had ever seen on camera (or the juiciest) and he said, "The obvious" which made me think for a bit and then I replied "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh".

Tonight we went to the local pub The Green King/The Bath House and I enjoyed a Pimm's cup for the first time. It was probably one of the most delicious things I have ever drank and tasted like fruity apple juice. The bartender informed us that it is fortified wine, but unfortunately it is not popular in the States.

The other part that I am very much excited for is the trip to Edinburgh, Scotland! It is a five day trip and it coincides with the famous Edinburgh arts festival, which I am absolutely excited to attend. We are all going to stay in a hostel, and that should be an interesting experience because I have never been in one. However, since I am unsure about whether there is internet access in a hostel, I will not be bringing my computer and will not be able to update for the next five days. Much apologies and have a great week!

P.S. I wish I knew how to photograph better and also that I had a better camera. I loved that picture of the baby and her father because she was simply walking around Pembroke barefoot in the rain. Enjoy!

Americans in Cambridge.

Today was another very eventful day. Too bad the jet lag still has its iron clad grip on me! I've only been here for a couple of days but I feel like I've already been here for awhile. Not to say that I'm bored of it, but rather that I'm getting accustomed to living here and the city. Also, today was the first Psychology and the Law class which I am very much excited for. After, a friend and I did a little bit of grocery shopping (and by that we mean we looked at everything and would say OOO LOOK AT THIS!) and bought some Cambridge University paraphernalia. I've noticed that Britain is very much into recycling, reusing, and buying organic products that have been grown/made in Britain. We also tried to play croquet which was fun but would have been better if we won. They are very strict about walking on the grass here so I felt so rebellious by simply standing on the grass! After the Documentary class, we had dinner and then went on the River Cam for Punting. That's right. Punting. It was slightly terrifying at first because we almost all fell in but after our punter got the hang of it the trip was enjoyable. It was beautiful to see the backs of the Colleges from the river and for only 1.50 pounds for an hour (per person in a group of six). I would recommend it to anyone going to Cambridge because it was definitely a deal.


Did you know that the Pembroke kitchens have their own blog of what they make every day? The food here is absolutey delicious, it is high quality and healthy, very much unlike American cafeteria food (sorry Pippin).

http://thepembrokekitchen.blogspot.com/

I almost forgot to mention that last night the whole program went out clubbing at a place called Fat Poppadaddy's. Interesting name. However, while the music was upbeat, it was very much outdated. I believe I heard a lot of 80's one hit wonders, including that song "She's a brick....HOUSE!" Yeah. Not so hip. But it was part of the experience and I had fun still! Life is what you make of it so go out and embark on an adventure!

A Foggy Day (In London Town).

Yes that is the title of a Michael Buble song and no I am not in London. But that doesn't mean that Cambridge is any different. Today was one of those "four season" weather days. It was alright, then rained, and by the afternoon it had cleared up to be a beautiful sunny day.

Toto, I don't think we're in California anymore.

Not to mention, we took a small tour of Cambridge at 9 in the morning, even though I woke up promptly at 6 because of jetlag. Fun. There are lots of shops around and a Farmer's Market sort of deal going on and there was with one stand with amazing looking bread. I love bread. I'm so glad the English do as well. And so I did some grocery shopping and the usual and let me just say, they are obsessed with the "3 for 2" deal here. It's been in every shop I've seen! There are so many bakeries and pastry shops around that I wonder how the British aren't heavy but then I remember that they bike and walk everywhere as compared to the autocentric America. Maybe I'll start adapting some of their good habits. So while walking around, I took what felt like a million pictures and I fell even more in love with the buildings. Let me share some Cambridge facts with you:

-Did you know that The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English speaking world? It was formed in 1209, which makes the university over 800 years old.
-The university has produced some of the world's most famous scientists and mathematicians which include: Isacc Newton, Charles Darwin, William Harvey, Francis Watson, James Crick and Stephen Hawking.
-The college is home to approximately 600 students and Pembroke's performance ranks among the highest of all the Cambridge colleges.

Tonight was also the first formal dinner and it was a fancy four course meal that had us Americans confused over which fork to use and what we were supposed to eat. I suggest we bring this type of eating style over to America so it can be a more common practice in the colleges. The dinner also came with red wine and white wine, which were both absolutely delicious. I love the tradition of simply drinking with dinner but some other American students don't quite understand that you don't drink to get incoherent and one student was getting up quite a bit and talking very loudly. I hope very much that other Britains don't judge the rest of us by a few people's bad behavior. In general, I am beginning to love the culture and the people. To add minutes to a calling card they say "Top Off" and also say phrases like "Are you keen to...". It's so interesting just to talk to someone and hear how they say things differently.

I had my first class in British Documentary Filmmaking and it was quite fun! I didn't quite know what to expect but we watched a short education film called "London Can Take It!" which is a propoganda film about London during World War II. Quite interesting. Tomorrow morning I have The Science of Crime and Criminal Justice at 9 nine in the morning. WOO! Thursday, I leave for Edinburgh, Scotland which I am very excited for. A few students here are thinking about going to Ireland for one of the weekends, which I would love to do. So many possibilities but so little time!