The Bad (let's get it over with)
The trip's beginning is a real rough one for the following reasons: 1. We flew into Stansted, not Heathrow (thanks to cheap flights from RyanAir) so it was a 45 minute cab ride to our hostel. 2. The cab ride cost 130 pounds, equivalent to 207 US dollars, so about $41.40 a person. 3. Our hostel.
Please continue reading for an in depth explanation of number 3.
When we booked our hostel, we made sure to look at pictures online. It looked super sweet....graphic paintings on the walls, modern, clean, blah blah. And it was located right where we wanted to be....center of London, Piccadilly Circus. It was cheap to boot so we booked. We got there around 1030 pm and went up to our room on third floor. The stairwells were painted with random scenes in super bright colors. Our whole floor was orange. I felt honestly felt like I was walking through a child's psych ward. We entered our room and were greeted by the sketchiest lodging accommodation I've ever seen in my life. Three bunks, one dim light, and wall paintings that looked like they'd been done by some hippie wacked out on acid....no joke. Dingy white walls with hot pink, black, and beige random amoeba shapes with one particularly creepy jester. And then I found a vile on my bed. After what we had just seen I suspected it to have held drugs at one point, but upon further inspection by Megan we came to the conclusion that it was for perfume. Nevertheless, I refused to sleep on that bed. It worked out well since Maggie didn't want to sleep alone. We were all super freaked out by that place so we just got the heck out of there and saw some nighttime London. I mean really my reaction wouldn't have been so dramatic but I was just expecting to see what we had seen on the internet...guess you can't believe everything you see.
The Brilliant
The rest of the time was considerably less shocking and quite a bit more pleasant. I sincerely enjoyed seeing all the different cultures...and especially listening to the British accents =] We had a tour of the big places: Buckingham Palace, St. James Palace, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, and my favorite, Westminster Abbey. We took our tea at a cute cafe, shopped down Oxford Street, ate fish and chips and went to a few pubs. We also took in the performers and vendors at the Covent Garden Market, strolled through Green Park and Hyde Park, and thoroughly explored Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. We really wanted to see a show but unfortunately they were sold out.
The Good
It was really weird being in London - it was like being home yet not. People spoke English, the driving was organized, there was sufficient signage, and public restrooms had toilet seats. (Main differences between there/home and Rome.) But when we first got there I felt like I was in a movie set...like if I would touch a building it would just fall over like a piece of cardboard. London was quite charming...it's hard to explain...kind of a crafty/magical/quaint vibe. Ok this is sad but it's very Harry Potter and I enjoyed it. At one point I almost had to laugh...we were walking back from Hyde Park and I saw this building that stuck out from the rest and I realized it was because it had columns and was romanesque and I almost threw up...ok not literally but I guess it was really nice to see something other than stones, columns, and arches all weekend. The temperature was also lovely, or brilliant as the English would say, and very much like fall back home.
It was really weird being in London - it was like being home yet not. People spoke English, the driving was organized, there was sufficient signage, and public restrooms had toilet seats. (Main differences between there/home and Rome.) But when we first got there I felt like I was in a movie set...like if I would touch a building it would just fall over like a piece of cardboard. London was quite charming...it's hard to explain...kind of a crafty/magical/quaint vibe. Ok this is sad but it's very Harry Potter and I enjoyed it. At one point I almost had to laugh...we were walking back from Hyde Park and I saw this building that stuck out from the rest and I realized it was because it had columns and was romanesque and I almost threw up...ok not literally but I guess it was really nice to see something other than stones, columns, and arches all weekend. The temperature was also lovely, or brilliant as the English would say, and very much like fall back home.
Reflections
Here is where I will segway into admitting defeat. I never thought I would say I missed something about being home while I was here but I'm going to do it. I officially state that I miss things about home: the changing leaves, my Mom's applesauce or just her cooking for me in general, cuddling up in a blanket and watching NFL, and being able to split a bill. There. Thinking about those things makes me look forward to Christmas break, but not for too long because I want to soak up every minute here! Enough of my moment of weakness, not good for the pride.
