Ever walk into a coffee shop and it is
silent? Londoners, although they are very busy on the streets, appreciate their
quietness while eating. It is not unusual for a coffee shop to be hushed; it is
a place to escape, a place to read, sip on some coffee or tea, or study. I find
myself walking to a small coffee shop all the time, carrying my books with me,
an iPod with headphones, and claiming my own little corner table. The only catch is it costs more to stay than ordering to go. Another issue: it is hard to decide what to order.
Caffe Nero (yes café is spelled with two
fs) has the best hot chocolate. Rich, but not too chocolaty, this delicious treat
is made perfect with the added whipped cream on top and little chocolate
pieces.
A pot of tea is a very nice choice as well. My personal favorite is
mint tea. What is very convenient is that you can walk in and take a seat
without being disturbed. You can just sit down and relax with a nice, warm
drink.
Another place to consider is Pret. I have
discovered that the people who work at Pret are always very friendly and
cheerful. I have never left that place without someone asking me how I am doing
or wishing me well. My personal favorite delight is their chocolate croissants.
London
has coffee shops everywhere. All of them have been great, and I spend a great
deal of time in them just reading or studying. While London is very crowded,
busy, and constantly moving at a fast pace, coffee shops are warm, friendly,
and sweet.
If you have ever studied about England, you know it is
famous for its cathedrals. If you have
ever seen one, then you know why! These cathedrals
are grand, aiming for the sky. They were
built to bring honour and glory to God, so no expense was spared.
Perhaps my favourite of all the cathedrals we have seen is
Salisbury Cathedral. It is in the town
of Salisbury, just a short drive from Stonehenge. The cathedral is in the middle of a picturesque
town centre, surrounded by cafes and cute shops. The steeple is 423 feet high, and you can see
it from all around the town. As you get
closer to the church, you see that it stands alone in the middle of a huge
field, so the whole building is visible from a distance. As you can see, it is quite impressive!
The inside, too, is breath-taking. If you’re planning on going to any church in
England, let me give you some advice.
LOOK UP. The ceiling may very
well be the best part! Salisbury
cathedral is no exception –
There is a fountain in the middle of the first room with
water so still that you can see the reflection of the ceiling in it. As you continue forward towards the front of
the church, you see huge stained glass windows, all depicting different Bible
stories.
When you are finished exploring upstairs, you can head down
to the crypt. Walk around and see all
the chapels, but be respectful! It is a
place for quite prayer, and there is generally no talking allowed. While you’re there, light a candle, say a
prayer, and check out the treasury before you leave! They have decorative plates, cups, jewels,
and more stored downstairs.
When you are back up on ground level, you can see one of the
four original Magna Cartas and stop by the café. This place really has the whole package!
This place truly reflects God’s beauty. As I stared and marvelled at this building
created by men, I couldn't help but praise the creator of everything. When you stand in a grand building that is
centuries old, you are soon humbled into remembering how small you are, and how
powerful God is. Folks, there is nothing
like it! Rachel Stone
If your program is like Harding's, you'll know that we are constantly on the watch for industry leaders who have a passion for teaching. We never take lightly the people who lead our classes
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If you have students enrolled in your study abroad program that are concentrated in the field of business, but lack the right people to lead them- contact Tyler Knight for help. With experience with leading US universities based in London and a prestigious network of contacts, he can help your program get the best qualified teachers possible for your students.
Don't wait until the last minute- email him today!
High tea at Fortnum and Mason was such a fun experience. It was possibly one of the classiest meals that I have had in my life.
The lobster omelette that they served was amazing, and so were all the scones and cookies. The tea was definitely the best tea that I've had in England. I would highly suggest going to high tea while in London!
Here's a video with some information on how to have proper etiquette at Tea.
This story has to do with the day Rachel and I went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour, but seeing as it took us 2 full hours to get there, taking all modes of public transportation (save for the ferry) to get there, I feel it deserves it's own post.
As earlier stated the studio is in Leavesden, which is ideally about an hour out of central london. We began our journey immediately after Speech class by hopping on the Central line to Oxford circus, then switching to the Bakerloo to Baker street, and then getting on the Metropolitan line all the way to Moor Park- which we were so sure was the right station to alight at for the studio.
Wrong.
After asking for help at the local post office (the station had been basically deserted) and coming to no conclusion, we went into a cafe next door to ask if they knew how to get there. Turns out, one of them lived in Leavesden and was thankfully able to give us directions. We then got back on the Metropolitan line to Watford where we had to call a cab to take us to the studio.
Insert HP studio blog entry.
Coming back from the studio, we took the free bus back to Watford Junction and got on a non-stop above ground train to Euston, where we connected with the Northern line back to Tottenham Court Road.
here is a map of the tube system:
and here is a video of the tube:
and here is a photo of Rachel and me:
Ten points from Gryffindor if you can figure out which station this is at.
Wicked! I never thought I would enjoy a silly musical as much as I did Wicked.
Wicked is based on the Wizard of Oz, but from a different perspective all together. In the musical version, the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba) is actually the protagonist, and the Good Witch (Glinda) is her school time friend.
The production was beautifully done, a huge dragon hovering over the stage, and tall spiral staircases on both sides of the stage added an interesting dept to the set.
The actors were amazing, and I found myself giggling almost the entire performance. I'm so glad I got to experience this iconic musical for the first time in London!
Tonight, I went to see Wicked with Rachel, Megan, Chloe, and Tori. I'd already seen it once in New York, but I really love the show and every production is different. I enjoyed the play thoroughly, and I have to admit, everything does sound better in a British accent.
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