The Road Less Traveled By

One Door Closes...

cfleisch10 — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 10:16:00 GMT

First off, let me apologize to all for how little I have updated my blog in the past month. In all honesty, not at all. The past 5 weeks have been an absolute whirlwind, from finals to my four week internship, leaving London, arriving in Ireland, and, finally, my journey home.

I was fortunate enough to be able to intern with Carlton Publishing Group for my final month in London. A smaller publishing company, with a staff consisting of a mere 65 people, Carlton makes the most beautiful book that I have ever seen. Focusing on non-fiction, I was amazed by the works that they put out.

Being a part of such a small office meant that I had the opportunity to gain some invaluable hands-on experience. The very first week I was even able to attend the London Book Fair, which was an absolutely incredible experience. Working in Marketing and Public Relations, I was able to perform a variety of tasks and touch upon various aspects of the publishing industry. One task that I found particularly rewarding was being in charge of updating Amazon and other various online merchant websites with our stock for our upcoming year. It not only made me feel important, but was one of the few tasks undertook which resulted in tangible results.

This brief but educational foray into the publishing world was simultaneously eye-opening and educational. Carlton was nothing like what I had expected, having first been put up for an internship at Penguin. It was so small and family-like, but at the same time incredibly efficient. What really struck me was the amount of “busy work” that went into constantly putting out new books. From the marketing side, it was a lot of uploading pictures, creating spreadsheets, and sending out lists of titles and descriptions. PR involved constant e-mails and social media breakdowns. Basically, it was a lot of computer time. Although I really enjoyed my time at Carlton, I was taken aback by how much time was spent simply sitting in front of a computer.

After leaving my Carlton family, I had to say goodbye to the city that had been my home for the past 5 months. It was heartbreaking to leave both my host family and London itself, for both have had a profound impact on not only my semester, but the course of my life. I never dreamed that I could feel so at home somewhere entirely different from where I had grown up, but I found leaving near impossible.

Luckily, I did not travel straight home. Instead, I spent a week in Ireland, relaxing in the beautiful greenery of Galway and exploring the dynamic city of Dublin. I was able to cross seeing the Book of Kells, located at Trinity College, off of my list, as well as the Guinness factory. Both were great experiences that I would highly recommend if one is in Dublin, although very different. I also had the privilege of taking part in a literary pub crawl, which involved walking around the city, learning about the literary history of Dublin and stopping at some historic pubs along the way. To make it even more interesting, there was a quiz at the end, naturally bringing out my competitive side. I wear my prize T-shirt to bed every night with pride.

Nothing I can say here can truly describe my time in London. You, who have read through and seen a glimpse of my experiences, have only skimmed the surface. For I cannot truly begin to decipher and explain all that this city has taught me during my short time here. It may seem cliché to say that this experience has changed me, and it is, but it is nonetheless true. I have become a Londoner in every sense of the word, and getting on that plane to return home was much more than a complicated myriad of emotions. Yet I know that I have left a piece of my heart in London, and I hope to return there sometime in the near future, to once again frequent my old haunts and re-explore the city I once knew.

If you are a student reading this, I apologize for this long-winded final entry. I just cannot find an adequate way to properly illustrate my experience. My only advice for you would be this: go abroad. It will open your eyes in ways that you never dreamed to be possible. You will make new friends, have new experiences. You will laugh, you will cry. You will be overwhelmed and homesick and at times think that it is too much. But you will also grow. And it will be the most incredible few short months of your college career. Go. And make the most out of every minute. Because I would give anything to be able to go again.

Normandy

cfleisch10 — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 08:01:00 GMT

Our last Encountering London field trip: Normandy. While it was an entire weekend, it was worth it to be able to experience the north of France. Plus, I would have done just about anything to get to see the Bayeux Tapestry in person.

We headed out Friday morning. Luggage-laden and sleep deprived, but excited to get on the road, we set out for Portsmouth. Once there, we lunched, then headed over to the historic dock. There we explored a couple of very small museums related to British naval history. What I found most interesting was a panoramic exhibit of General Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar. It was a perfect way to educate tourists about this major event in British history. I also loved seeing the collection of old figureheads on display, which are actually huge sculptures when separated from the immensity of the ships which they decorate.

We were then able to board the HMS Victory for our guided tour. This spectacular ship, original but restored, was the ship from which Admiral Nelson directed and fought at the Battle of Trafalgar, and upon which he was killed. We were taken through all decks, including Admiral Nelson’s state cabin, the barracks for the common soldiers, the hold, and the spot commemorating the exact spot when General Nelson was shot. The worst, though, was viewing both the disciplinary and surgeons’ instruments; they were both equally as gruesome. As much as I love the ocean, I don’t know if I would have been able to deal with the lice and surgical procedures. Scurvy doesn’t sound particularly pleasant either.

St. Patty's in Trafalgar

cfleisch10 — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 07:57:00 GMT

My favorite holiday has finally arrived: St. Patrick’s Day! While the Thames was not dyed green (sad face), London did host a spectacular festival on Trafalgar Square. Apparently it has only been going on for the past couple of years, which I found surprising seeing as how many people came out for it.

The day began at noon with a parade around the square. Parades in England, as far as I’ve been able to tell, are much less over the top than in the States. Unfortunately, to my disappointment, I didn’t make it to the square in time to see the parade for myself. I was, however, able to participate in the St. Patty’s Day activities that followed.

Trafalgar was completely transformed. A concert stage was set up that featured various Irish bands and performances throughout the day. Riverdance, was, of course, a major showcased. There were so many people in the square that the only defining characteristic was the central fountain; if I had never been there before, I probably wouldn’t even have recognized it.

The adjacent street was closed off, and featured a variety of food vendors. But where a festival in the states features food from all over, the Ithaca Festival, for example, these vendors were quintessentially British. I’m taking pasty and fish and chips stands. It was definitely telling, but I did miss the ability to be able to sample food from all over the globe. But then, it was also St. Patrick’s Day – the fact that I didn’t eat corned beef and cabbage was a travesty (letting the tradition down, I know. Sorry Mom!).

While it was no rager in Dublin or Boston, and much tamer than something at SLU (weird, I know), it was a fun and unique St. Patty’s Day spent with friends. In reality, it was great to just have a day out together as a group; it’s hard for us to all get together in one place very often. Plus, who doesn’t love singing “Galway Girl” at the top of their lungs?

Ta-ta-ta Tower!

cfleisch10 — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 07:48:00 GMT

I finally made it to the Tower! I’ve been waiting for the perfect day to go with people, because it is so expensive to get into. I have my Historical Palaces pass, but tickets cost nearly £20 for everyone else. This Saturday it was sunny, gorgeous, and we got there early enough to make a full day out of it. I could not have been happier.

The Tower was amazing. Inside the outer wall the area is set up like a little city. The White Tower, built by William the Conqueror, stands central to the construction of other towers, guard houses, homes for the wardens, and the chapel. Having come so early, I was able to experience almost everything that the Tower had to offer, which, let me tell you, was an exorbitant amount!

We started off with a tour from a Yeoman Warder named Simon. He was hilarious, and took also all around the inside of what is considered “the Tower.” It served as the perfect introduction to how it was set up and where everything was, setting us up perfectly to explore at our leisure.

From there we went on a tour of the White Tower itself. This one was much drier, our tour guide being substantially less entertaining and enthusiastic than Simon. However, it did get us inside the White Tower and some insight into just how much information is housed within its walls. I did not even have enough time to go through more than one floor, the sheer number of artifacts displayed and information presented being so expansive. I will definitely be returning to the Tower again, at the very least to finish going through the White Tower.

Much of the wealth of the monarchy is held for safekeeping within the thick stone walls of the Tower. The most prized of these are, as one would expect, the Crown Jewels. To thin the crowds and keep people from idling in front of the jewels, you are put on a conveyer belt and moved past them. The nice thing about this is that you can do it as many times as you want! While only the most recent crowns, recent referring to the past couple of hundred years, are displayed, they are stunning enough. One of the rubies on the most recent crown was added during the reign of Edward the Confessor, and the diamond adorning the front of the imperial crown is one cut from the Cullinan diamond, the largest ever found. Also displayed is the gold banqueting ware. I particularly loved the punch bowl – fits 141 bottles of wine! Sounds like a party!

Unfortunately, I got confused on 24-hour time and therefore missed what I presume was historical storytelling in the Medieval Tower. Still, we were able to go in and explore the renovations and bedroom of Edward I. The room was decorated the same way that he would have had it during the Middle Ages. Seeing as I plan on living in castle one day, the decorating tips were definitely useful!

While no one knows exactly where the actual site of executions took place within the tower walls, the major ones are all condensed and commemorated at a selected scaffolding site. The new memorial, reminiscent of a strange glass coffee table, is not nearly as cool as a legitimate black. However, my girl Anne [Boleyn] was listed on the table, so that was alright. Any work paying respects to Anne Boleyn is cool in my book.

I more or less spent the rest of the day exploring the tower: walking the walls, climbing the stairs, making animal sounds in the beastiary. I love being able to interact with history, and I was completely in my element. I’m contemplating applying for a job as a Yeoman Warder. Who wouldn’t want to live in the Tower of London? Anyways, I was thrilled to be able to spend a beautiful day in London in such a manner, and I cannot wait to return.

Kensington Palace

cfleisch10 — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 07:40:00 GMT

Between classes today, I went on my own to Kensington Palace. I have been to the gardens multiple times to see the Peter Pan statue, but I have yet to go to the palace. Having purchased a Historical Palaces Membership, I can go for “free” – for a total membership fee of £45 – so I figured it would make for an informative and enjoyable afternoon.

Queen Victoria’s childhood home was far from anything I had expected. Unlike the medieval castles of old, Kensington Palace was rather modernized. It was also quite commercialized; I do not know why I expected anything less, seeing as it is such a tourist site. Still, I was shocked at not only how limited of an area you were permitted to go through in the palace, but how the rooms were set up. To be fair, I only learned upon my arrival that the Royal Family still uses the palace as a home, so I completely respected not having all of it exposed to the public.

By far, the best exhibit was the one about Victoria and Albert. This encompassed most of the second floor, and included her Red Salon and her childhood playroom among others. So much of the artifacts preserved in the palace were used directly by the queen. What struck me the most was how tiny both her and Prince Albert’s clothes were – both of them were so regal, yet so small! I have always said that I was born in the wrong era…

Present in the palace was also an exhibit focusing on the changing fashions of the royals over the decades spanning the ‘50s to the ‘80s. On display were dresses worn by Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, and Queen Elizabeth herself. It was eye-opening to see how drastically styles changed over a mere 30 year period. Elizabeth’s dresses were my favorite; classy, stylish, with beautiful embroidery or crystal beading. They were stunning. Margaret’s dresses were a little more avant-garde, to be expected from such a fashion icon. What I found hilarious was a full “Indian-style” outfit, turban included. Apparently these were popularized by The Beatles in the ‘60s, but I could not get over the pictures of Princess Margaret casually vacationing in this regalia. Lastly, Princess Diana’s dresses were displayed. It was quite poignant for me, someone who has idolized Diana since I was little but never lived when she did. All I could think of, though, was how no one else could have pulled off the fashion that she did. The whole dropped waist and rhinestones look can only be pulled off by someone as statuesque and beautiful as she was. While rather unconventional, I loved how unique this exhibit was, and how it allowed one to experience history through an entirely new lens.

Theatre Review

cfleisch10 — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 07:35:00 GMT

Due to the plethora of exciting things I have been doing – and my unending mountain of work – I have realized that I have shamefully neglected my civic duty to my faithful readers: relating to you the nuances of every amazing production that I have the good fortune of being able to see. Whew. Long, complicated sentence. Well, here we go!

The Weir, Conor McPherson. This production was staged at the …… theatre. It starred the incredible and dynamic Brian Cox, among other well known actors. I was excited to see this play, as it is an Irish drama and received outstanding reviews. The entire play consists of one act, taking place in a pub in a rural community in Ireland. The characters talk to one another, share supernatural stories, and attempt to quell the sense of despair and regret that haunts them all. While this play did not include much action, I was completely drawn in by the strength of the narrative and the emotiveness of the actors. One that I would highly recommend, particularly for lovers of Ireland and Irish accents!

1984. This play was an adaptation of the classic novel. Not being a fan of the book (my apologies to all of my high school English teachers!), I was skeptical about not only seeing the play, but how it would be presented. I could not have been more amazed with the result. The adaptation, featuring the innovative use of lights to allow the audience to simultaneously separate and conjoin the fragmented scenes constituting both Winston’s thoughts and his reality, fit the novel perfectly. The ambiguity and the confusion, of both the characters and the audience, of their role in the world of the production, leads to a breaking of the fourth wall. The telescreen images projected within full view of the audience makes one question whether they are simply audience members, or the personification of Big Brother. The show is completely sold out of the season, I 100% understand why.

Ghosts, Henrick Ibsen. A last minute booking for my Advanced Theatre course, I had absolutely no idea what to expect going into this production. The only information that I possessed about the play was that it was very dark and involved syphilis. It was undeniably the best and most powerful production I have yet seen in London. The main actress, Lesley Manville, was captivating in the “role of her career.” However, not a single actor fell flat. When one character suffers a syphilitic attack, it was so incredibly convincing that I was falling out of my chair. The set itself was unique, a clear screen separating two separate room s, allowing an audience member to see both the action taking place on the front of the stage and the action taking place in the background. Overall, an incredible production and one, despite the emotional intensity, that I would see again in a heartbeat.

So You Want to Worship...

cfleisch10 — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 19:39:00 GMT

For our mandatory Encountering London course, we take "field trips" (yes, I am a college student) to different places in London and the UK. Over the last two Fridays, we have gone to both Canterbury and Westminster Abbey. Seeing as I seem to spend all of my free time aimlessly wandering around old churches in this country, I, of course, enjoyed them both immensely.

In Canterbury, we were given a tour of the town before going in for our guided tour of the cathedral. It, like every other smaller English town I have visited, was adorable. My favorite building was a book store built entirely on a slight, resulting in the bright blue door being a parallelogram instead of a rectangle. Watching a tourist try and get in may have been the highlight of my day. Canterbury is also home to a particularly prestigious high school, so everywhere that we went there were pre-teens ambling about in their crisp school uniforms.

The cathedral was beautiful, but, unfortunately, you could not hear our guide at all. The main focus, of course, is the martyrdom of St. Thomas Beckett, but with the shrine gone (Thanks Henry VIII) there is not much to see in the way of revering the saint. One can feel the energy of all of the people there, though, hoping for a miracle. It is a very interesting dynamic.

Leaving Canterbury, we made for the white cliffs of Dover. It was amazing to be able to climb to the top of the heath, overlooking the crashing waves and the towering magnificence of the cliffs themselves. It was so enjoyable to get out of the bus and take in the fresh air for a change. Unfortunately, we were not able to visit Dover Castle. I'll just have to save that for another trip!

Not wanting to pay over $20 on my own when we were visiting for class, I had yet to be inside of Westminster Abbey. I hate how the city charges tourists through the nose to see these sites. Anywho, thanks St. Lawrence! The architecture of the Abbey itself is undeniably incredible: high Norman arches, flying buttresses, gilded bosses. All, I have realized, typical of these grand religious buildings. What really stood out to me, however, was the sheer number of relics located in Abbey. The Coronation chair, for example, has been housed there since 1066. I find it utterly mind-blowing that kings and queens of England are still crowned in that same chair sat in by William the Conquerer. It's crazy!

However, what was most exciting for me, an English major and literature nerd was (what else?) Poet's Corner. Although I know that they cheat and not everyone is buried there (don't worry, I got my pictures with Jane in Winchester!), it was still incredible to see the calibur of the names on some of these plaques: Lewis Carroll, Tennyson, Byron, Austen, Shakespeare, Keats. It was so crowded it was hard to see them all (and another place where it was not permitted to take pictures), but I just wanted to whip out a journal and start writing, in the shadow of all of these great masters of literature.

Lastly, I finally made it to Southwark Cathedral! This has been a site that has repeatedly eluded me, but I find it I did! Strangely, it was very commercialized - you had to purchase a "photo pass" in order to take pictures. What made this cathedral so unique, though, was the full length statue of Shakespeare located underneath the "Shakespeare window." This may be one my favorite pieces of stained glass, as it depicts characters or events from nearly every single one of Shakespeare's plays. Front and center, as one would expect, is a beautifully mad King Lear in the storm.

Shoreditch, Marylebone, and Abbey Road

cfleisch10 — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 02:34:00 GMT

Over the weekend we entertained a lot of visitors: SLU students from the Vienna program, Madrid, Rome, and even from Canton! In celebration of this, as well as the fact that we were all reunited, we went on the Shoreditch pub crawl. It was… interesting, to say the least we went to some clubs that I would definitely not have appeared in of my own accord. It was great to hang out with everyone again though, and, in spite of it being somewhat weird, everyone seemed to have a decent time. Getting back, on the other hand, was absolute hell. The tube stops running at 12:30, and so after that the only way to get around is via the night buses, most of which come, and the most, once every half an hour. Shoreditch, unfortunately, was upwards of an hour and a half bus ride from home, and boy did we feel every minute of it. I had spent the entire day at Portobello Market, sifting through old books and antique jewelry, so, needless to say, I was exhausted. Thank goodness that I always ride the bus with other people because the combination of the hour, the alcohol, and my penchant for sleeping in vehicles would keep me from ever getting home.

Marylebone is an area near to Gower St., and is actually where the Wallace Gallery can be found. Despite of its proximity, Monday was the first time that I had ever been in the area. As such, I decided to explore the area in preparation for my second walking tour paper. Wandering, I came across Regent’s Park. As it was one of the first warm, sunny, spring days that we have seen in London as of yet, it was mind-boggling to me how many people were outside enjoying the weather. The park was positively packed. From picnics, to fishing, to football, Londoners were out in full force, engaging in leisure activities in such a magnitude that I never imagined, even in the city. It was glorious to be out and about with the Londoners, being right there with them enjoying the feel of the sun on my skin.

One of the main attractions in the area is the Sherlock Holmes Museum, located on 221B Baker St. (although it is technically situated between numbers 237 and 241). Although I am embarrassingly unfamiliar with the stories, I was nevertheless intrigued by the museum. Also, Becca’s 21^st birthday is coming up… (I see you girl!). As the museum was expensive and was only open for another two hours or so, I decided against going in on this particular occasion. I would, nevertheless, very much like to go back and experience the museum portion.

And finally, I came to the pinnacle of the walking tour: Abbey Road. I was somewhat taken aback by how ordinary it seemed – it could have been any street in London. But then, I guess that was the point. Being a Sunday, I was also surprised by how few people were clustered around the iconic walkway and the front of the studio. Not complaining – I was able to loiter for as long as I saw fit. The wall by the studio gate was covered in graffiti, which normally I do not like or condone. This, though, was full of love: Beatles lyrics galore and initials in hearts. As I walked down the wall, humming the various songs, I could not think of a more fitting tribute for the legendary band.

Back to Reality

cfleisch10 — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 01:26:00 GMT

Unlike the title implies, the week back was not nearly as terrifying as I expected it to be. It seemed that all of our professors took pity on us, and had mandated all assignments be turned in the following week. One would expect a conscientious and diligent student to use this time to catch up on work and prepare for the inevitable panic that the next week would surely induce. Well, sorry folks, but this student is much happier to make London her classroom. Therefore, with my large gap of time on Monday, I chose to visit the Wallace Collection.

The Wallace Collection is a rather extraordinary art gallery housed in Hertford House, featuring various works and relic collected by the 4^th Marquess of Hertford. This collection in its entirety was left to his son, Sir Richard Wallace, whose widow bequeathed it and the house to the nation upon his death. The house itself is a work of art all on its own. Still upheld in the Rococo style in which it was left, it features a stunning assortment of plush couches, ridiculously over-embellished ceilings, and gaudy wallpaper. It succeeds, however, in giving off the vibe of the rich and lavish, in addition to it being beautiful.

The galleries themselves contain works by such artists as Titian, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, and Rubens, names I would not have thought to find in a lesser-known gallery. I loved looking at the paintings, decorating every wall. However, my true point of interest, in addition to being my initial reason for visiting the gallery in the first place, was the armory.

The display, spanning multiple rooms, features armor and weaponry from various countries across medieval Europe. Gilded armor from Germany, France, and England fills glass cases lined against the walls, set up as if to appear in motion. I was shocked at how well preserved it all is, particularly the plates for warhorses, as those were typically quite damaged in any sort of fray or confrontation.

The armory did not just exhibit European armor, however; there was also a display featuring the accoutrements of soldiers of the Middle East. I loved how different the two types of armor were by comparison. It really made one think about the different styles of fighting, weather conditions, and how culture impacts appearance, even down to something as functional as armor.

Monday I also had the good fortune to be able to return to the Sam Wanamaker Theatre to see The Knight of the Burning Pestle. It was uproariously funny. At one point, one of the characters – a heavy drunken man with a perpetually red nose – came up to the gallery and danced in his underwear right beside me. I laughed so hard that by the time he left I was wiping away tears. Critics were worried about how a comedy would fare in the intimate, candlelit space, but I thought that they absolutely nailed it.

On Tuesday, before my Urban Geography walk, I took it upon myself to visit Kensington Gardens. I had been dying to see the Peter Pan statue, and so wandered around the area. Somehow, I missed it, but doing so allowed me to meander through the garden in its entirety, all the way to the Royal Albert Hall. I did find it on the way back, however, and was thrilled. I could not say why I am so drawn to the statue – I just think it is one of the coolest things in London, a combination of the literary and the visual expressed in a new way.

For my theatre course, we are supposed to go and see two fringe theatre shows on our own. As I had yet to go to one and Maddy accidently bought an extra ticket, we went to see Sizwe Banzi is Dead on Wednesday afternoon. It was nothing like I expected. A show about apartheid in South Africa, they separated us by race upon entering the tiny theatre. We sat very close together on cushioned benches, mere feet from the two performers. While something I would not likely have attended on my own, I was so glad that I had – the performance was amazing. And about the last piece of “work” that I did for the week. On to the weekend!

Firenze

cfleisch10 — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 00:33:00 GMT

The decision to go to Florence was made almost on a whim. Laura and I both had friends studying there, and the others agreed that they would like to see more of Italy than simply Rome. Best decision we made of the entire trip.

Florence was incredible. Unlike Rome, which was slightly disenchanting outside of magic of the ruins and the narrow streets designed specifically to entrance tourists, Florence was very authentic. It was the picturesque little city one thinks of when daydreaming about escaping to an Italian villa amid the rolling hills of Tuscany. From the height of Michelangelo’s Plaza, hosting a cast of the statue of David (we totally thought that it was the real one… oops), one can see for miles the gorgeous city, framed by the ethereal looking countryside.

The whole day was not spent admiring the view, however. Far from it. The first stop of the day after our 11 am arrival was the Duomo. It was stunning from the outside, white and beautifully paneled. This paneling and painting is done with such intricacy, it is hard to imagine that the inside could be even more so. The distinctive Brunelleschi dome towers above all else in the city, making it not only a beautiful landmark, but a very useful compass.

Inside was comparatively simple in comparison with the outer décor. Most striking, of course, was the fresco painted on the interior of the dome. The expansive scene depicts The Last Judgment, complete with depictions of Heaven, Hell, Christ, and the patron saint of the of the cathedral, St. Mary of the Flower. Although we did not ascend into the dome, as it cost €10, even walking around the cathedral was magnificent enough.

From there we continued our tour of Florence. Strangely enough, the city is the site of many foreign university programs. Although my friend was unable, as, ironically, she had flown to England earlier that morning, we did run into quite a few American students. The bar we went out to later in the evening was very much an American bar: school names written on the walls, t-shirts on the ceiling, Greek letters everywhere. It was so cool to find such a little haven of American education in a place so far away.

Crossing the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge crossing over the Arno River in the city, we were thrust into the heart of shopping country. Florence hosts an amazing leather market, and we spent a while wandering around looking at merchant’s wares. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the type of leather journal I was hoping for, which was disappointing; my current one will soon be filled and I have yet to find a suitable replacement. I also failed to acquire a leather jacket. Probably a mistake, but my wallet thanked me for it.

After an exciting and tumultuous spring break in Italy, we embarked for London Saturday morning. Our commute back from Florence was kind of crazy: train to Rome, bus to the airport, plane to England, bus into town, Tube home. Overwhelming, but it was unimaginably good to be back in London. It is crazy how much this city has become home over the past two months, and how comfortable I feel here. Even with the pressures of classes, finals, and internships looming, I am so thrilled to be back!

Just Some Americans in Roma

cfleisch10 — Mon, 3 Mar 2014 09:30:00 GMT

It has been a wild week in the land of ruins and pasta. Always one to keep it interesting, my first challenge in Rome was getting to the airport to the apartment we had rented. With my luggage. By myself. At night. Although the map that I had ended up being less than accurate, with some application of my wiles, some deep breaths, and a friendly bartender who took pity on me and gave me the WiFi password, I made it!

The apartment was perfect for the week: 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, a washing machine. There was even a terrace! We ended up making ourselves quite a few fabulous Italian dinners, accompanied by bottles of wine of course. Saying wine is cheaper than water here is no exaggeration: a bottle can cost as little as €2. And it still tastes great! It is an understatement to say that I have been broadening my wine taste in the capital.

As hard as it is to organize 6 people to get out and do things, we got it done. It did not hurt that the weather has been absolutely beautiful the entire time that we have been here – 60s and sunny. On Monday we went to the Colosseum. While impressive from the outside, there is no way to describe the feeling of standing at the top, looking out over the entirety of the ancient amphitheatre. It is insane how so much of the Roman’s work still stands, and how they managed to create such magnificent structures.

From there we went to Trevi Fountain, to which pictures hardly do it justice. The whole marble structure is simply stunning. Although already packed with tourists, despite the season just beginning, we were able to toss in our coins. Clearly the legend is true, because we came back the very next day!

Tuesday we went to the Roman Forum, which I consider the most amazing part of the trip. Just being able to walk among the ruins of what was once the epicenter of Ancient Rome constitutes a step back in history that just cannot be experienced anywhere else. The ruins are so indomitable in their own right, the splendor of the city at its peak is almost too much to contemplate. The greatest moment for me was walking through the ruins of the temple of the famous Vestal Virgins. These women, so renowned in history, once walked these same halls, keeping the fires burning night and day, ceaselessly. The area was just so peaceful and quiet, it was almost as if their legacy had been absorbed into the very stones.

After, we were finally able to meet up with Maddie and Steph, studying in Rome. It was such a treat to see them – Maddy and I were jumping out of our skin. It is crazy how even halfway around the world SLU kids always find each other and get together. We went to the Trevi Fountain again, got our first gelato, and then made our way to the Spanish Steps. All the way at the top, we were able to sit on the wall overlooking the plaza, with a fantastic view of St. Peter’s Basilica growing dark as evening began to fall. After, the girls came back to the apartment with us, and we made a huge family-style dinner and hung out on the terrace. I could not have asked for anything more!

On Wednesdays, the Pope does his public address at the Vatican, and I was determined to go, in spite of having to wake up at the crack of dawn. Maddy and I got up early and went out and got eggs and bread to make everyone breakfast. After our scrambled eggs, we made our way to the Vatican.

In spite of us being getting there over an hour and a half in advanced, we still failed to get seats. The entire horseshoe ended up packed, from wall to wall. There must have been thousands of people there, locals and tourists alike, to listen to the Pope. He drove around in his Pope-Mobile for a while, which consists of a Mercedes with a platform replacing the back where the seats would go. He circled around, waving, saying hello, and then stopped to bless people and kiss babies. The energy in the crowd was incredible – it was like being at a huge sporting event. Countless people even held up painted bedsheets with writing on them, waved flags, and chanted “Papa Francesco.” Although the Pope himself only spoke in Italian, the proceedings took so long in part because the ministers outlined what he was about to say in every major language. It was incredible to experience first-hand just how wide-reaching the Catholic Church is around the world.

From there, we visited the Galleria Borghese. Although small, the size is more than compensated for in how stunning the space is. Every inch of it was decorated in the most ornate style, with granite columns and walls, elaborately painted and frescoed walls and ceilings, and gilded molding. The contents of the gallery were equally as impressive, with countless marble sculptures and paintings by the great Renaissance Italians, including titian and Caravaggio. The only slight downside was that I was feeling really sick already and the museum was stiflingly hot, leading to me being unable to appreciate the work as much as I usually would have.

My feelings were not unfounded, however. As soon as we got back to the apartment, I realized even more acutely just how awful I felt, and napped. During that time, the fever I had developed throughout the afternoon broke, leading to a greatly increased sense of well-being. Feeling refreshed, Maddy and I got dressed up and ready for a night on the town.

But sadly, it was not to be. After getting dressed up and successfully navigating to Tony’s, an Italian restaurant that everyone and their mother had recommended to us, we sat down to dinner. As soon as we sat down, food appeared on the table, and we gave our orders within 60 seconds. Not even looking at the menu, I ordered pesto – big mistake. When it came it was handmade and delicious. But also bright green and smothered in cheese. Needless to say, my stomach was not taking it, and the restaurant bathroom and I got real close. The worst: being unable to eat food in Italy. So depressing. Since I clearly was unable to keep the contents of my stomach where they belonged, Josh opted to take me home instead of going out. On the bright side, Italy at night is beautiful!

On our last day in Rome, we returned to the Vatican to see the Sistine Chapel. We had gotten out of the area as quickly as possible after the audience with the Pope, as it was so crowded. It was crazy to go back and be able to see across the entirety of the horseshoe, packed wall to wall with people only the previous day. Today, though, it was much clearer, and we could move across the courtyard with ease.

The Sistine Chapel was absolutely beautiful. You stand on the floor and do not know which way to look: the paintings are everywhere. I totally snapped a contraband picture of the central illustration, Adam and God reaching out to one another. But every inch of the walls and ceiling is decorated with some painted scene. Billy just kept quoting the famous Michelangelo line, and it made so much sense when seeing the intricacy and detail of the work: “I am finished when I am finished.”

The Vatican also contains a maze of museums, various popes leaving behind art and exhibits now displayed in the building. While clearly not the main attraction, it was illuminating to travel through all of the rooms with various objects from the time of historical popes. Mostly, I find it rather crazy how much stuff the papacy accumulates and how widespread the fervor is – Catholics around the world honor the Pope, and it is mindblowing how one man can bring together so many people of different cultures.

We also went to St. Peter’s Basilica. Words cannot even do it justice – it is one of the most elaborate and magnificent religious buildings I have ever seen. Huge marble statues mark the tombs of previous popes, and the whole building is made of marble, polished granite, and intricate stone work gilded with gold. To my mind, the whole thing demonstrated the wealth amassed by the Catholic Church over the ages, whether that be for good or ill. Still, the remnants of the corruption are breathtaking. For me, though, seeing La Pièta was the most amazing part. Although it was dwarfed by nearly all other statues in vast expanse of the basilica, it shone with its own light. The statue’s historical significance alone makes it utterly breathtaking, let alone how masterfully and beautifully it is sculpted.

For our last dinner in Italy, we did it big. We met up with Maddy and Steph and went to a beautiful little restaurant in an alleyway near the Pantheon. It was the quintessential Italian dinner: outdoor seating, wine, music, candlelight. It was beautiful. Maddy and I got sea bass, thinking it was the cheapest thing on the menu. Apparently, they sell those things by ounce… Regardless, it was absolutely delicious, and the most perfect way to cap off our time in Rome. Then it was on to the stunning city of Firenze…

Weekend in the Winch

cfleisch10 — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 01:15:00 GMT

As Winchester was once a great city under King Alfred, it seems fitting that Atsede’s Alfred University would send her on a program there. This summer, we were shocked to discover that we had both applied to go abroad to England. When we both got in, we swore to visit one another across the pond. With the start of Spring Break, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity. Plus, I was determined to see the Round Table.

Winchester is so quaint and welcoming. Normally I hate that word, but at the moment – 8 am on a bus back to London – it’s the best adjective I can find. Thus far, I have found all English cities beautiful in their own way, the stone architecture and lush countryside being continual contributing factors. What I got from Winchester, though, was different. The vibe is so homey, and with the University of Winchester a mere 10 minute walk from “downtown,” there is so much to cater to us crazy kids.

Due to a miscommunication in my arrival time, I spent the afternoon exploring. First, I went to the City Museum. It was “Meet the Romans” day, which entailed adults dressing up as Ancient Romans and harassing small children. Naturally, I avoided them like the plague. From there, I walked a mere stone’s throw away to the stunning Winchester Cathedral. Unlike York Minster, which I found imposing and rather cold, the cathedral was bright and welcoming. I could have stayed there all day. While I could not find Jane Austen’s grave and memorial right away, despite it being right next to the door, I came back the next day and got a lot of pictures with my girl. RIP Jane. On Saturday, when I made my second sojourn to the cathedral, there was even a singer and orchestra practicing for an evening concert. It was so heartening to walk around the beautiful stone masterpiece to the melodious sounds of string instruments and harps.

Thanks to Starbucks and its consistently free Wi-Fi, Atsede and I managed to find each other. I got a mini tour of the campus, before we buckled down to the immense task of getting ready to go out. But prevail we did, and then we traversed the maze-like dorms to find her school chums. I had forgotten what dorm life was like. At first, I was nostalgic, but by this morning, I was ready to shower without shoes. It’s the little things.

We had a great time playing “Wild Kings.” Gotta love apps that are purposely intended to get you drunk. Probably a good thing that you have to pay for the upgrade to “Saucy” though – dorm nudity was not part of my plan for the evening. After pre-gaming, we all headed into town. Winchester, being a college town, is made up of a myriad of bars. We went to a few, did some dancing, before ending up and the bar of my heart: O’Neill’s. There was a live band playing called “The Sacre Blues,” who were utterly fabulous. They definitely got me screaming my lungs out to “Hey, Jude.”

After the night’s festivities, I was determined to spend the next day seeing Winchester. It is a very historical town, boasting not only the cathedral but also the Great Hall, home of the supposed Round Table. Sadly, due to carbon-dating it is likely that the table shown, painted during the reign of King Henry VIII, is too young to have been used by the legendary King Arthur. Regardless, a girl can dream! And also take a lot of pictures for her proposed honors project…

The Great Hall itself is also a beautiful specimen of medieval architecture. Though it has been renovated and additions have been made many times, it still has a distinctly Norman feel. The windows were my favorite additive, as they are decorated with each of the kings that had a hand it its history, as well as their coat of arms displayed alongside those of their courtly favorites. Difficult to take pictures of, but magnificent to behold. There is also a recreation of a medieval garden, named for Queen Eleanor. It was incredible to picture the royals of old leisurely walking through such a place.

After, we planned to go and hike up St. Catherine’s hill, the original site of the Norman stronghold built in 1067. While no remnants remain, the hill still stands, stoic as ever. Unfortunately, due to the exorbitant amount of rain that has been hammering all of England over the past month, the path was extremely muddy. Not the best for Sperry’s or leather boots. Instead, we went to the garden at St. John’s hospital. I do not know if I have ever been in a more peaceful place. It was a garden out of a dream: a pond, hedges, a single tree leaning over the water, shading a single stone bench. The epitome of picturesque.

From there, we trekked back to the uni. Seeing as I had somehow managed to leave my plane tickets at home (yeah, didn’t tell my friends that part…), I needed to reprint them. Apparently RyanAir charges you £70 to print them at the airport. That would have been awkward. Crisis averted, Atsede and I do what we do best: got a pizza, snuggled up in her bed, and pumped out 4 episodes of Game of Thrones and the Cuse v. Duke game. Dedication: it did not start until 12 am, England time.

And now, here I sit, in Victoria coach station once more, awaiting my princess chariot to delicately deliver me to Stanstead Airport. As I attempt to find some modicum of comfort in these unforgiving stainless steel chairs, in clothes I have been wearing for almost 3 days, there is a single thought giving me the strength to go on:

I’m coming for you, Rome!

York

cfleisch10 — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 12:13:00 GMT

After a tumultuous week of an insane amount of work, we finally got to Thursday and Study Tours. This weekend, SLU paid for groups of us to go to various destinations for 2 days: Edinburgh, York, Bath, and Cardiff. The Econ class, meanwhile, got to go to Cyprus. Lucky bastards. I ended up being assigned to York, which worked out perfectly. It is the most beautiful medieval city, its history very much thriving and alive. York is very proud of its Roman, Viking, and Medieval roots, all of which contribute to its unique architecture and feel.

Sam, Lusia, Madi and I wasted no time getting down to business. Thursday afternoon when we arrived we walked part of the city wall and spent some time figuring out the city in general. We went for dinner at a historic pub named The Golden Fleece. Apparently, it is one of the most haunted buildings in York. But it was cozy and the food was great! And for anyone who is interested, try Copper Dragon when you get a chance! After that, we opted for a ghost walk. Before arriving, none of us knew just how haunted the city was supposed to be. Fortunately or unfortunately, we failed to see any ghosts. However, we did get a nice little tour of the city, along with some entertaining stories. We then returned to our amazing hostel. It was recently voted "#1 Hostel in the UK," and it was not at all hard to see why. It was like staying in a fancy hotel. The rooms were all wood, and there was TV, as well as a communal washer and dryer. Needless to say, we were impressed!

On our first full day in York, we continued to get things accomplished. We began the day at the Richard III Museaum, which is located in the Monksgate Bar. [A "bar" is one of the main gates of the city wall.] The museum was only 3 rooms, but it was set up like a modern-day trial of Richard III, epitomizing the sardonic British humor. We then went to the super touristy Jorvik Viking Centre. York takes its Viking roots very seriously, as evidenced by the ridiculousness of the centre. It even contained an automated ride through a Viking village. The whole thing is very well done, but I definitely enjoyed getting to the serious part of the museum where I could just read about the Vikings in peace. For our last outing of the day, we visiting the impressive Yorkminster. The cathedral itself is stunning, a marvel of Gothic architecture. It is much bigger than it appears, too. The four of us got split up and could not even find each other at one point. We also climbed up the tower, which offered us stunning views of York. That is, before the rain/hail started. Strange as it seems, for all its glory, I found Yorkminster rather imposing and somewhat unfriendly. I greatly prefer some of the other, smaller, more intimate churches I have visited, such as All-Hallows-by-the-Tower.

What are four single girls to do in York on Valentine's Day? Why, have a classy dinner and get drunk, of course! Pasta, bread, cheese, wine, chocolate. We covered all of our bases. The result was us going to a random club, where in true sisterly fashion we took turns buying pitchers of various mixed drinks. Somehow, we ended up at a gay bar where we got our faces painted. Needless to say, it was the ultimate girls night!

Nothing stopped us from seizing the day in the morning, however. I started off by going to the Mickelgate Bar Museum. Like the Richard III Museum, it was located in one of the standing bars along the city wall. This one was much better, however, it terms of the set-up and the historical content. It focused on the War of the Roses, followed by the uses of the bar over the past few hundred years. The whole thing was very interactive: there were games, you could try on armor, and their was even a replica of the head of Richard of York, who lost the War of the Roses and whos head was impaled on the spikes of Mickelgate and decorated with a paper crown.

Just by chance, this weekend began the Viking Festival in York. Ergo, I had to participate in the interactive Viking extravaganza. I saw a skirmish between the Vikings and the Saxons, as well as heard some Norse stories from an aged warror. I think everyone there had a good time. But then, just about every one of them was under 10 years old. Oh well. Needing to relieve myself also got me into the York Castle Museum for free. Although I felt guilty and therefore did not venture very far into the museum itself, I did get to walk along its replica Victorian road, "Kennington Street." The Yorkshire Museum, however, was much better. Telling the history of York, the museum is very interactive as well, geared towards children as well as adults. It was very easy to go through, and the plethora of artifacts from the area definitely add to the idea of those in York being very proud of their myriad history. My favorite experience of the day, however, was visiting Clifford Tower. The tower, the only remains of a Norman castle, is an English heritage site, and is therefore very well preserved. Although the original stonework is all that remains, it was incredible to be a part of history. Standing on the wall of the tower, looking out across the city of York, was a transportive experience: just the idea of those who lived in the castle, defenders of the city, once standing in the same spot and looking out over the city they loved, is incredible. I loved the medieval mystique of York, and have now been even more inspired to explore more of the UK outside of London!

Popping Bottles at the Henge!

cfleisch10 — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 10:45:00 GMT

I wish. But really, how many other people can say that they got to go to Stonehenge for their 21st birthday? The day itself was perfect: sunny. That's about all that you can ask for in the UK this time of year. Stonehenge itself was incredible. Although you cannot get as close as you could even last fall, it was still awe-inspiring to be viewing something so old. Talking to the guards, they get a lot of crazies trying to rush the henge. The best story was one in which a couple was caught copulating in the middle of the stone circles underneath the full moon. Apparently they thought that it would make the conception "mystical" and powerful. The poor guard! The new visitors centre, while still under construction, the small exhibit was very informative. The reconstruction of the henge through time was definitely eye-opening, as it used to be signifcantly bigger than what remains.

From there, we drove to the town of Lacock. Hands down, the most adorable town I have ever been in. It is very medieval, and so everything is miniaturized and made of stone - doorways, houses, etc. It was also very quiet and sleepy, and English country town. It is also Godric's Hollow in the Harry Potter movies, and we got to see Lily and James Potter's house, which someone actually lives in, the Hogwarts courtyard, and Snape's classroom. The main attraction is Lacock Abbey, which was dissolved by Henry VIII, purchased, and transformed into a manor house. However, due to this the Abbey is still very much intact. I will never get enough of old religious buildings - they are just so incredibly beautiful and stoic.

After our long day away from London, I figured everyone would be too exhausted to do anything. Wrong. Carolyn and I pulled ourselves together, heels and all, and met everyone down at O'Neill's. There was a great cover band playing called the Evil Puppies, which played The Killers, Flogging Molly, Kings of Leon. It was a birthday of epic proportions with almost our entire London crew. We won't get graphic, but revelry was had by all. It was definitely a birthday for the books!

3 Days, 3 Plays

cfleisch10 — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 10:47:00 GMT

This past week was as eventful as promised. To begin the week, I was able to see The Duchess of Malfi at the new Sam Wanamaker Theatre. The theatre is a Jacobean reconstruction, created to provide a year-round space to perform theatre in the round; the Globe, not having a ceiling, is only open for performances during the summer. Duchess is actually the inaugural play for the theatre, which opened at the end of January.

The space itself is incredible. It is an exact replica of historical Jacobean playhouses: gallery seating, made entirely of beautiful, light-colored wood, and lit solely by candles. Needless to say, being there, and seeing The Duchess of Malfi of all plays, the quintessential Jacobean tragedy, was a magical experience. The play was absolutely amazing. Gemma Arterton was exquisite as the Duchess, but David Dawson completely stole the show as Ferdinand. He was manic and tempestuous to a fault - it was perfect!

While the play was magical, so was the fact that Maddy and I even made it there in time. Due to the tube strike, we had to maneuver our way to the city from Gower St. By the time we finally made it to St. Paul's, we had about 10 minutes to make it all the way to the theatre. As this play represented the culmination of all of my life's hopes and dreams, there was absolutely not a chance in hell that I was missing it. As such, Maddy and I sprinted there, all the way from St. Pauls, across the Millenium Bridge, and to the theatre. With our school bags thumping along with us and passersby staring at us like we were possessed. Right before the Millenium Bridge, we even passed a running group - clearly, they were in awe of our superior speed. Luckiily, I had worn my trainers that day (Ha! Assimilating already!), as we had taken a city walk in Urban Geo earlier and climbed the 311 steps to the top of the Monument - we even got certificates!After this mad dash to the theatre, we were waylaid once again - they had blocked off the entrance. Not ones to be swayed, we hopped the barriers and made it just in time. Sweet victory!

On Wednesday, I went to a performance of an entirely different nature. Entitled The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable, it took place in a creepy warehouse converted to look like a 1950's movie studio. We all had to wear masks, and wandered through the various floors. The actors would go about doing their thing, and you could choose who to follow through the studio, and which of the many storylines to follow. The actors worked completely around the "audience," as if we were not even there. You could wander completely on your own, too, exploring the sets, waiting for other actors to appear. In retrospect, it was a really cool experience. Had it been any other subject matter, other than multiple chaotic murders among old movie sets, I probably would have really enjoyed it. But since Maddy and I had gone to the toilets before entering, we went in alone. The whole point is to go off on your own, so we did: in the creepy basement of an old warehouse, with blood on the walls and scary music blasting from dimly lit rooms. The floors even had picutures of actors with their eyes scratched out. Someone all in black stepped out of the shadows in front of me and I almost burst into tears I was so scared. Due to being so initially terrified and psychologically messed with, it took a while for me to get comfortable enough to engage myself with the storyline. It was very interesting, but not something I plan to do again any time soon.

Thursday, I treated myself to an early 21st birthday present. I had been dying to see Tom Hiddleston in the eponymous role of Shakespeare's Coriolanus, being put on at the Donmar Warehouse in Covent Gardent. However, it was absolutely impossible to get tickets. I am talking people camped outside of the theatre for days, like some sick Black Friday frenzy. However, the National Theatre videotaped it live, and had shown it at select theatres the previous weekend. Unable to even get tickets for that, I was able to get one for an encore performance. The downside: the theatre was all the way in Greenwich. However, I managed to get myself there in time. And it was 100% worth all of the struggles. The Donmar Warehouse is a tiny theatre, seating only 251 people, with a stage consisting of a flat area and a backdrop. However, the way the space was used was ingenious. To parallel the Roman gladiators, a red square was painted on the floor - the "arena" - and all of the action took place in that concentrated space. Not being a Shakespeare play that I am overly familiar with, it was fantastic to be on the edge of my seat watching the production!

A Weekend In Bangladesh

cfleisch10 — Mon, 3 Feb 2014 12:17:00 GMT

... Not really. But a girl can dream, right? However, this weekend I did get to experience the next best thing. As part of the St. Lawrence program, we have the opportunity to go and stay with other families in different areas of London for the weekend. These families are typically of an ethnic minority, and living in an area of London that identifies with that culture. Marissa, Leynah, Tessa, and I had the opportunity to stay with a Bangladeshi family in Upton Park. We had a fabulous time, hanging out with the family, watching movies, and, of course, eating our weight in Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine. Although we are all swamped with work, it was nice to see another area of London. We took a bus tour on Friday, and it was incredible to both see how much ground I've covered, and yet how much of London there still is to discover.

The only downside of not being around this weekend was that I missed the Chinese New Year festivities. The parade is apparently the largest outside of China itself. Unfortunately, it was at 10 am, and by the time I got back home the festivities were more or less over. I'll just have to satisfy my dumpling craving another day!

This week promises to be crazy: 3 plays, a tube strike, a visit to Stonehenge, and my 21st birthday! I'll let you know how it all turns out!

All Aboard to Amsterdam!

cfleisch10 — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 00:27:00 GMT

Making use of our long weekend, this weekend Maddy, Josh, Jim, Billy, Marissa, Son, Leynah and I all sojourned to Amsterdam. Land of Van Gogh, clogs, and, of course, the Red Light District. After a long week of classes, we boarded our bus to begin our journery. Literally - it was an 11 hour bus ride, including our fancy all-inclusive ferry ride across the English Channel. Luckily, we made friends with some British guys, played Cards Against Humanity, and got a little inebriated to pass the time. And I, in typical Caroline fashion, completely passed out. I swear, it's a gift.

Once there, Maddy and I spent the day wandering around the city. It's surprisingly easy to get around. After a mere 2 days, Maddy and I could walk ourselves just about anywere. The layout is almost like a spider web, with long streets curring across hemispherical canals. The city center is up at the top, so on a map the whole thing looks like an oyster with a pearl. Pretty neat. We made our way to the "I AMsterdam" letters and took the mandatory touristy pictures, watched some street performers, checked out the architecture, and mostly just marveled at how beautiful the city is. We later learned that the crooked buildings, which we had all wondered about, were actually built like that on purposed to accomodate getting furniture up and down the extraordinarily narrow staircases. We're talking don't fall or you'll hit the bottom. Trust me, we had our near misses.

In the spirit of a true tourist, the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum were necessary stops. Although the Holocaust and World War II are not areas of history that have ever really grabbed me or that I have felt comfortable with, the Anne Frank Museum was incredible. It was so tastefully done, and though I have read Anne's diary, it brought so much more to her words to see how she was living, to experience her life first-hand. Otto Frank stipulated that the Secret Annex be left completely devoid of furniture, but even so, reconstructions and images help to really put a viewer into the mindset of the situation. It was very powerful. As for the Van Gogh Museum, it consisted of 3 floors of work of Van Gogh's, his mentors, and his contemporaries. I find it incredible how expansive his oeuvre was, despite the fact that he was only an active artist for 10 years. He sure did paint a lot of pictures of his face in that time though...

Although his most famous works were not there, as they are located in bigger museums and galleries, it was very interesting to view not only his progression as an individual artist, but how he attempted to emulate the work of others, mainly Delacroix. His paintings of wheat fields were particularly striking, as those works are nowhere near as renowned as his other landscapes.

And now, the moment everyone has been waiting for. Enough with the intellectual exploits. Time for stories from the Pub Crawl. What would a European vacation be without one? Josh found one specifically honoring the night before Australia Day. An international holiday, it would have been rude to turn it down. From the beginning, a man ran about with a bottle, periodically whetting our thirst and contributing to our intoxication levels. Each bar/pub/club that we went to was very different. One was even Latin themed (sorry Becca, your salsa instruction made absolutely no appearance). I won’t go into the gory details, because I am sure that my mother dearest does not want to read about my alcoholic exploits in detail, but suffice to say that we all made it back to our respective hostels and onto the bus the following morning. All in all, a success!

From Plays to Debates...

cfleisch10 — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 10:05:00 GMT

St. Lawrence pays for it all! The best part about this program is that doing fun things in London are considered "classes." So instead of sitting in a classroom, this week I got to go to a play in the West End. Entitled Mojo, it was one of Jez Butterworth's earlier works, i.e. before the success of Jerusalem. The cast was incredible: Brendan Coyle, Rupert Grint, Colin Morgan, Daniel Mays, and Ben Whishaw all headlined. Keep in mind, that's Mr. Bates from Downton Abbey, Ron Weasley, Merlin, and Richard II. Some pretty heavy stuff.

We were warned that we might not get the play, but I loved it. The acting was some of the best stage work I have ever seen. And while the premised - rock and roll and gangsters in Soho in the 1950s - was rather dark, it was still very humorous. Daniel Mays, the only actor whom I had never heard of before, completely stole the show with his one-liners and expressions. I'll be sure to look up some of the countless movies he's in!

Tonight, I was also able to go to a fancy-shmancy debate. Although for the Econ and Politics classes, there were extra tickets, one of which I clearly claimed as my own. I wasn't really sure what to expect as, aside from the presidential and vice-presidential debates during elections season - essentially prestigious politicians whining, pointing fingers at one another, and calling each other names - debates are not really a social event in the United States. Clearly not the case here, however. The theatre was completely packed. The themes was whether or not living today is the best we've ever had it. Not my first choice of debate topic, especially when a pissing match is coming up between a couple academics over who was the better author, Jane Austen or Emily Bronte, but it was definitely interesting. For the most part, the orators were fantastic. One even made a point that he didn't even have any notes with him, a comment that became more impressive as he continued to speak throughout the evening. It was definitely an experience, but not one that I would have ever thought to attend without my free 30 pound ticket!

Off to Amsterdam tomorrow...

Saturday, Sunday, Southwark

cfleisch10 — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 11:05:00 GMT

I haven't been updating because, clearly, I have been spending every free minute walking aimlessly around London. Well, not aimlessly. I always start out with a plan! Take this Saturday, for instance. I took the tube to Southwark, down along the Thames River, with the intent of seeing the very old and endearing Southwark Cathedral. However, I spent nearly 6 hours taking in about every site that the one which I had intended.

Getting off of the tube, I crossed Blackfriars Bridge, not only beautifully engineered but offering a fantastic view of the many sites of Southwark. First, I came upon St. Paul's cathedral. I have no way to describe it except magnificent. It used to be the tallest building in London, as no other buildings were allowed to obscure the view of its vast dome. It took nearly 20 minutes just to walk around the entirety of the architectural wonder. I went inside, but instead of paying, I'm planning to go to a service there at some point, and therefore take a "tour" for free. Tricky, tricky. And planning on being completely broke sooner rather than later.

From there I ambled along, eventually finding myself in the banking district. It was fascinating to see banks representative of so many different countries lined up side to side along the cobwebbed streets. And I'm not talking European countries. There was a bank from India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey. You name it, and I'm sure that it was there. All surrounded by the wonderful Gothic architecture, particulary around the area of the Royal Exchange and Mansion House.

After ambling aimlessly, getting lost, getting found, I finally discovered the Millenium Bridge. This bridge connects the two banks of the Thames, and on the other side was the structure of my heart: the reconstructed Globe Theatre. It was absolutely stunning, a white beacon entrancing me as I crossed the bridge. Although I'll be there later to see 2 plays this semester, I couldn't help but walk around the building, currently closed, and wander in its courtyard. It's crazy to think that nearly all of the great plays of mankind where performed on that very site.

Right down the wharf from the Globe, past the very talented xylophone player and a man selling caramelized peanuts and almonds - the whiff of which made me drool - I encounted the Tate Modern. While modern art isn't really to my artistic taste, I of course went in and explored. I made it through 2 galleries. They were very interesting, and I got to see some incredible paintings and displays, including a few by Picasso, Dali, and Bacon. I swear though, Bacon's work, no matter how fascinating, will always terrify me.

On Sunday, I returned to Southwark, but again I failed to find my cathedral. Instead, I visited Guildhall Art Gallery. It was one of the most beautiful buildings I had ever seen. In a courtyard of white stone, the face of the gallery towered above in the intricate Gothic fashion. The inside was so plush, carpeted, with marble columns, and housed the artwork that I truly enjoy: oil portraits and scenes. The work was exquisite, and the sheer size of many of the paintings, particularly the various royal portraits, fascinated me.

Guildhall is also an extraordinary site because, when they were reconstructing the gallery, the remnants of an ancient Roman amphitheatre were discovered. These, of course, were preserved, and are visible in the lowest, underground level of the gallery. They ruins are a part of the only amphitheatre known in London, and would have been where wild animals and convicts were set upon one another. All in all, Guildhall jumped its way up to one of my favorite London sites thus far.

Let the Classes (and Drinking!) Commence

cfleisch10 — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 07:24:00 GMT

Orientation is over, let the real work begin! Wednesday was the first day of classes. Though in typical "syllabus week" fashion, Wednesday consisted mostly of going over the course. My schedule is set up so that I have Urban Geography on Monday and Tuesday, Art & Architecture on Wednesday and Thursday, Advanced Theatre Monday through Thursday, and the mandatory course, Encountering London, Monday and Friday, so some professors I won't even meet until next week. So far, though, everyone seems excellent. With Art, we even jumped right in, not even wasting a day. It's great to see how motivated and dedicated these professors are, and how knowledgeable they are regarding their respective fields.

Thursday I had my first Theatre course, which take place at the professors home. It's lovely - we sit on the couch, she makes us tea, we play with her dog, and discuss theatre. There's only five of us in the class as well, so, needless to say, I love it already. For Art, we went to the British Museum to look at the Parthenon sculptures, particularly the frieze work. That museum is absolutely incredible - I could go there every day and I still don't think that I would be able to see everything in the 4 months that I'm here!

As the final task of our orientation, we went to see a performance at the Roundhouse Theatre in Camden. The space is known for hosting big rock concerts, particularly in the '60s, and apparently used to really be hardcore, as told by Sheila. She, by the way, seems to have an endless supply of leather pants, so I would trust her to have a lot of firsthand knowledge! Fuerzabruta, the show, was nothing like I expected. It was like a cross between an acid trip, a dream, and the circus. I didn't really get it at first, but it was fantastic once you stopped trying to find a story. The cast was consistently suspended in the air, a man ran on a giant treadmill through cardboard walls, people swam in clear pools suspended about 2 inches above the audience - it was insane. I usually hate when people get intoxicated for performances, but this is one where I think it would have been a great idea, if not necessary!!

Thursday was also our friend Josh's 21st birthday. Since it doesn't hold the same meaning here as it does in the states, as the legal drinking age is 18, we made sure to do it in good old ratchet US fashion! Icing, of course, was a must - we are St. Lawrence students after all. We went out to a bunch of bars and pubs in Camden after Fuerzabruta. One was even a biker bar, where we stood out even more than usual as the obnoxious drunk American! It was an experience, to say the least! Although, I was the sober voice of reason all night (there you go, Mom!)