Another Week in Paradise

Last week, though less busy, was still full of amazing things. 

On Monday, a couple friends and I went to the National Gallery again for our final assignment there (sad!). This time, we were charged with seeing the Impressionists, who are probably my favorite group of artists. This one, called Wheat Field With Cypresses, is another treasured Van Gogh painting of mine. Thing is, I'd never actually seen or heard of it before! Its bright and cheerful colors called to me, and I could see what Van Gogh did when he painted it. Even now, this painting cheers me up. 

I saw this building as we walked back from the Tate Britain museum. It just screamed for me to take its picture. 

The next day, Tuesday, we hopped over to Oxford University. This is the Church of St. Mary, the first building we stopped into after buying some university sweaters. Fun fact: this church has stood for more than a thousand years. Incredible, isn't it?

Hi there, Bodleian Library! It was the second library on my list of must-see libraries around the world. (The first was the Library of Alexandria, but seeing as how that hasn't existed for roughly two thousand years, I had to skip it.) Our tour only took us to the oldest part--but oh, what a treat it was! I didn't take it, but the middle picture shows the interior. During our tour inside, all I wanted to do was curl up with one of the ancient tomes on the shelves and read for the rest of the day. Dark, near silent, and smelling of paper and ink, the library reminded me what a treasure knowledge and books are. 

Here are a few miscellaneous pictures from around Oxford. The dignified intelligence was palpable. 

These are several pictures from Magdalen College, which housed a certain C. S. Lewis during his university days. I walked where he walked! On aesthetics alone, it isn't difficult to see why he chose it. As we walked around, I was seized by this burning desire to attend Oxford. What would it be like, to traverse these grounds as a brilliant, young student from England? I could see myself living a different life there, and it made me sad. I had to remind myself that my life, the one I have right now, is full and lovely, too. 

Last Friday, we toured St. Paul's Cathedral as a program. I loved it. No photography was allowed inside, so my apologies for not sharing the love. I will tell you, though, the inside blew me away. St. Paul's is immense, boasting gorgeous murals, mosaics, statues, and gold detailing. Of course, the dome's interior take the cake. The detail on it was stunning. One of my favorite parts was standing above the dome and overlooking London--my beautiful, beautiful city. If you look closely at the middle picture, you can see the London Eye. Afterwards, my friends and I grabbed some lunch from Paul's right next door. My sandwich and chocolate tart were a perfect finish to the day.

All these pictures came from Camden Market last Saturday. I never knew a street market could have such breadth and depth! It seemed to go on forever. Markets like this remind me just how vast a city like London is--as huge as the market was, there were people enough to fill it. Also, can we take a second to appreciate the hilarity of that sweater? Home Alone, anyone? How strange to think that Christmas is so nearby...

That Time I Met Martin Freeman

(This event took place back in September--I've just taken forever to get it up! It's straight from my journal that night, so it's accurate.)

My friend and I saw the play Richard III off Trafalgar Square—it was amazing. Set in the ‘60s, it boasted incredible set and atmosphere. The play itself was immersive, twisted, morbidly captivating, and suspenseful! Martin Freeman himself was phenomenal; there was nothing redeemable about his character. You could just feel the emptiness of his soul—as though it were a bottomless pit with nothing but vice and the darkest of ambitions. The whole thing was a sucker-punch of sorts.

Before the show started, we got down to the bar to wait for the doors to open. I needed to use the restroom, so Amber and I headed there. This lady in line ahead of us was conversing with some other women, telling them how she knew all the guards really well, how she came there nearly every night, and how she'd met Martin before. I instantly thought, “I need to talk to this lady!” So, I waited for her to use the loo, and when she came out, I asked her about it: “Hey, I overheard you talking about a special place in line. You've met Martin Freeman?” She was the sweetest, most emphatic lady. She asked if I was a fan, (I said yes, obviously. Sherlock is my favorite show!) and asked if I liked Benedict or Martin better. I said I love Martin, but Benedict’s my favorite—she agreed with a laugh. Then she invited me to come with her! Her name was Theresa, and we decided to meet at the bar afterwards.

So we did. She was a sweetheart; we talked about her encounter with Benedict on our way there. Also, she told us that Martin hadn't signed all week, and that he wasn't likely to that night, especially with the “grumpy, bald driver who always leaves quickly.” Still, the guard ushered us to the front of the line when he saw Theresa. Very graciously, she said, “Oh, I've already met him, you go on ahead,” and shoved me to the very front of the line.

There I was, standing at the front with my planner and the only writing utensil I had—a purple highlighter. “What do I say to him?” I squeaked to Theresa. She replied, “Tell him you loved the show, that he did a great job, and that the whole thing was really phenomenal.” I nodded, and we waited. 

Soon enough, he came out. He came right up to me with a sharpie! I asked him if he’d sign my planner, to which he replied “Yes, of course. How are you?” “Hello, Mr. Freeman, it was an honor to see you perform tonight. I really enjoyed it, and you were phenomenal, thank you!” 

“Thank you very much, that really means a lot.”

“Oh, and I’m very well, thanks for asking!” (Aah, how clumsy of me!)

“I’m so glad to hear it. Thank you for coming tonight.” 

Oh, he was lovely. All smiles and quiet kindness. Though I didn't get a picture (too dark, and I didn't want to flash a camera in his face after such a precious act of courtesy) or a hug (I wish I’d thought to ask!), it was a glorious experience. Soon afterwards, as he went on to greet other fans, I started crying. I’d just met Martin Freeman, one of my very favorite actors and a man with stellar talent, and my heart just couldn't take it. The sheer kindness! It was unreal. I sobbed nearly all the way home. I didn't think I’d be one of those people, but I am. It was amazing, and I’ll always cherish it. I got such a good feeling from him. 

Do As the English Do

Well, not really. That would be stereotyping. Nevertheless, I did do some wonderfully fun 'English' things about two weeks ago (still attempting to catch up, here).

First things first: HARRY POTTER. The day after we got back from Paris, some friends and I rode the overground train to The Making of Harry Potter at Warner Bros Studios in outer London. You can't quite see it in this pic, but I dressed for the occasion--white button-up shirt, maroon sweater (Gryffindor and proud), black skirt, knee-high socks, and black flats. Essentially, I was going for the Hogwarts student look. Here, I'm standing in front of the Gryffindor section of the Great Hall. My favorite parts of this were Harry's first set of robes on the left and the sweater Neville wore at the Battle of Hogwarts. 

My friend Olivia and I at Number 4 Privet Drive. Thankfully, the Dursleys weren't present. 

Between the two major sections of the tour, there's an outdoor courtyard with many of the huge props, including the famous purple Knight Bus. This sign on the side of it made me giggle. While there, I tried "butterbeer." I use quotations here because it really wasn't special. Basically, it was cream soda with this butterscotch foam on top. Starbucks has a butterbeer flavor on their secret menu, and I personally think that's how it's supposed to taste. Plus, I always imagined it was a warm drink, so more kudos to Starbucks. Still, the experience was worth it. 

Welcome to Diagon Alley! My first though upon walking in here was some unintelligible expression of excitement, but my second thought was, "Man. I wish this was actually Diagon Alley." Realizing it wasn't real saddened me! Despite that, I still enjoyed walking down the cobbled "street" and looking in all the shop windows. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and the Quidditch shop were probably my favorites. If only I could have gone in them...

I forgot to mention--this tour was immense. There were so many cool props, costumes, recreated sets, and other filming paraphernalia. If I had time, I would lay it all out for you; since I don't, I'm showing some of my favorite parts. Like this painting, for example. One of the last things on the tour was a hallway decorated with dozens of Harry Potter-inspired artwork. This one depicts Harry's Quidditch match during his third year when the Dementors came on the field. I think the artist captured the moment rather well.

This one portrays Hogsmeade in wintertime. Oh, what it would have been like to go!

They really did save the best for last in the tour. From the paintings and models room, you turn a corner and come nearly face-to-face with Hogwarts itself. What a powerful moment. It was such a touching surprise that I had to pause a moment and just stare. 

Here's another shot. Have you noticed the change in lighting? That's because the lights alternate between "night" and "day" so you can see what Hogwarts looks like during either. At this point, I was at the bottom of the huge model and very nearly emotionally overwrought. Hidden speakers played songs from the films' soundtracks, and for the past few minutes they'd been playing one of my favorites--Hogwart's Hymn. The experience truly was bittersweet--it was amazing to be there and see all the workings of the films, but it was sad to remember I'm not a witch studying at Hogwarts. 

I'm not sure I've ever seen such a vast gift shop. They had everything! In the end, though, I bought a chocolate frog and a Gryffindor keychain. My frog came in the exact style of packaging as the movies, and would you look at how huge it is? Get this--it was SOLID and the chocolate was actually high-quality. Mmm. 

Say hello to the adorable town of Ely! One of my dearest friends excitedly recommended I visit this place while I'm in England. Happily, we took a trip as a program there last Tuesday! I like this shot of it best. Although we only saw a small portion of it, I appreciated its sleepy charm.

Our next stop on Tuesday was Cambridge University. Wow. Walking around this close-knit university town, I could understand why my friend loved it so much. 

Cambridge had an abundance of natural beauty, attractive people, good food, and stunning old architecture. Oh, and let's not overlook the fact that it is one of the greatest universities in the world. A lovely place indeed. 

(On a side note with dubious relevance, my friends and I spent part of our time in Cambridge at the local Waterstones bookstore. I'd forgotten how much I love and miss being surrounded by books!)

Last Wednesday night, a bunch of us from the program went to Handel's Messiah in Westminster Cathedral. Unfortunately, we were so far back it was difficult to grasp the magnificence normally associated with this oratorio. Still, listening to the triumphant music, appreciating the unique interior of the cathedral (black-bricked ceiling and marble walls!), and simply enjoying the company of my thoughts made it a worthwhile experience. This picture was my view upon leaving the cathedral. Of course, pictures never do their realities justice, but I just had to capture how cool the nightlife looked.

That Friday night was a celebration. After an intense week of homework--some days I didn't even venture outside the Centre--my friends and I decided to spend the evening on the town. We attended the Christmas lights festival at Leadenhall Market. Tons of people milled about, many of them straight from work in business suits. Carolers superbly sang Christmas songs and hymns while smells of mulled wine and cologne filled the air. To make the night even better, we took a trip to Laduree for macaroons; lemon is a new favorite for sure. 

These three pictures are from last Saturday when my program toured the Houses of Parliament. It was fascinating! They prohibited pictures past Saint Stephen's Hall, so that's as far as I can show you, but the rest of the building housed insanely decorated rooms. Two things in particular I liked/noted: 1) most of the stories and explanations I already knew; my history class here has taught me a great deal about the history of England's political workings. 2) There's a lot of pomp and circumstance in the proceedings! When I told my friend about it, she said it's to be expected--they're English! She has a point.

It's my goal to have a goofy photo of me in every post. I took this one while getting ready to go to afternoon tea at Kensington Gardens last Saturday, and I happen to like it a lot. 

What a treat! I had the blackberry herbal tea along with all the other goodies they served--tiny sandwiches (yes, the famous cucumber-mint one included!), scones with clotted cream and jam, Victoria sponge cake, a mini chocolate tart, a lemon tart, a tiny cherry-almond cake, and an orange meringue tart. All of it was divine.

Here, you have a better idea of how classy this place is. 

The china was gorgeous.

The actual building is called The Orangery, though it is in Kensington Gardens. Lovely, isn't it? I felt so posh to be able to walk in one of the nicest places in London--all dolled up--and order the whole tea shebang. What am I, some filthy rich kid? Some days, it really feels like it. Haha, how lucky I am. 

The Paris Post

Hi there! The past couple of weeks have been rather involved, to say the least. Here's what's went on about two weeks ago.

Paris! The Musee Du Louvre, to be exact. This was the first day of our trip to France (Nov. 3rd), and since I'd gotten a grand total of three hours of sleep the night before, I was somewhat in a daze. (Oh, and if it's difficult to tell, that's me in the middle.)

A seriously cool-looking hallway/stairwell in the Louvre--I loved the way it looked from this angle. 

Liberty Leading the People! Sorry about the crookedness of this one, but I was thrilled to see this painting. Having "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay stuck in my head made it even better. 

This guy (or girl, we couldn't quite tell) resides inside the Arc de Triomphe and has the best facial expression ever. "You ATE my FRIES? Come on!" Yeah, we're dorks even in Paris. 

On our first night, we stood on top of the Arc de Triomphe. I will be frank--this day, despite all the incredible things I'd seen, had been a miserable one. Paris was dirty and smelly, and it didn't help that I had a bad cold, next to no sleep, a serious case of homesickness for England, and a desperate desire to be alone. But, when I stood up there in the rain and saw this, my frustrations didn't matter so much anymore. 

Versailles--what a ludicrously lavish place. It's no wonder the French Revolution occurred. Still, I couldn't help but respect what a work of architecture it was. Also, these are my friends. They're pretty neat people. 

To give you a taste of the interior of Versailles, I present to you the Hall of Mirrors. It looks a lot smaller because of the throng of people, but it is actually quite spacious. 

I don't remember the name of this hallway, but it was between the Hall of Mirrors and Queen Marie Antoinette's rooms. If I ever become disgustingly wealthy, I want windows like those in my house; they're gorgeous. 

Here's a glimpse of Versailles' grounds. Do you see where that rectangle of water is in the distance? That's still within the property. This place was vast, not to mention beautiful.

Hello again, Eiffel Tower. It looks so much more industrial and modern in person. In all the pictures of it I'd seen, it always looked metallic grey, so I was surprised to find it's brown!

Obligatory Eiffel Tower pic!

This was on our way back from lunch (I had the best salmon I'll probably ever have in my life); we crossed a bridge over the River Seine, and I had to save the moment. Isn't it lovely? I might actually frame this.

The next morning (Wednesday), we got up early to visit Sacre-Coeur basilica. It is a Roman Catholic church, and you can really tell. On the inside, everyone was respectful and quiet, which I greatly appreciated.

Ah, Notre Dame. This was such a fun place to visit. Ever since I was little, if I'd known anything about France, it was that Notre Dame was there. I've been wanting to see it for a long time, and it was not disappointing in the least. 

These two were taken on top of Notre Dame. Stunning, isn't it? 

On the upper floor of the Musee D'Orsay, we were greeted by this clock. I instantly thought of Harry Potter (wrong country!), but I also loved how magnificent it was. 

This is the main hallway of the Orsay; unfortunately, since pictures were prohibited in any of the exhibits, this is the only one I have. Let it be known, the Orsay was essentially my favorite part of Paris. It housed all sorts of beautiful paintings and sculptures, my favorites being the Impressionists. The funny thing is, I didn't know Van Gogh's works would be there until I saw an advert about it in the Metro. Though there were so many wonderful works, I loved his best. I even bought a print of "Starry Night," as many of you saw on Facebook. In the unlikely event I ever return to Paris, it will be to visit the Musee D'Orsay again. 

Meet Laduree, the most luxurious patisserie I've ever been in. It offered all sorts of tempting delicacies, but I only had eyes for the macaroons. Seventeen different flavors! In the end, I bought only eight (yes, I say only--all of them looked wonderful!): gingerbread, salted caramel, coffee, chestnut, pistachio, "pure" chocolate, praline, and chocolate coconut creme, all in a pretty box. Wow. They were exactly how my dad and brother described them--and more! Worth every cent. 

Before I left for Paris, my dad recommended certain paintings and sculptures I should see. I'd missed them the first time through since we had an assignment, so I came back on Thursday. The size of this museum is astounding.

Yep, this is indeed the famed Mona Lisa. No, my dad didn't recommend it. I'm glad people warned me it wasn't that spectacular; since I didn't have high expectations, I actually really enjoyed it. What my dad did recommend was the other paintings done by Da Vinci. I liked those ones a lot, too.

This is Femme Voilee (Veiled Woman). My parents praised this sculpture to high heaven. I remember when I finally found her--I was expecting a large, prominent piece, but she was small and hidden in plain view. At first I was disappointed. She didn't seem as vividly real as my parents described. However, the longer I looked, the more I grew to love her. She is beauty, strength, and reverence. If I hadn't had a time limit, I would have stood there for hours. 

The lock bridge! So many BFFs and lovers leaving their marks--it's quite a spectacle. 

We also went to the Musee Rodin--the famous sculptor. Yes, I did see The Thinker (and it was awesome), but this one... This one is special. It's called Cathedral.

Lastly, we visited Les Invalides, where Napoleon is buried. All around his tomb are these sculptures of angels; all of them are women, and each one is distinct--different faces, hairstyles, robes, objects in hand, etc. I loved that. I also loved how strong they looked. Beautiful, yes, but strong--forces to be reckoned with. What a fine note to end my jaunt to Paris on.