Living It Up: London-Style

Day 2 of my big London adventure consisted of a safety orientation and a "practical" walking tour of the Bloomsbury area. Blake, our graduate counselor pointed out the pharmacy, grocery store, post office, ATMs, and other essential need-to-know type places as well as shops and good places to eat. After the tour I went to a sandwich shop called Pret and had a very tasty Italian Pizza Wrap and lemonade. Prets are more plentiful in this area than Starbucks--and there lots of Starbucks so that's saying something! After lunch, some of our group went out for gelato at a place called Scoop. I had a combination of the chocolatiest chocolate ever and mint. Good stuff. After that, we walked to the River Thames where I caught a glimpse of Big Ben and the London Eye.

While we were walking around Covent Garden, I picked up a magazine called In and Around Covent Garden and read an anecdote about Benjamin Caunt, possibly the namesake of "the world's most famous bell." Caunt, a Covent Gardens publican and boxer who was the English Heavyweight Champion from 1841 until 1845. Large in stature, Caunt was known as "a proud fighter, who'd never shirk a fight." While reading the story, interestingly enough, I learned that the name "Big Ben" refers only to the bell, not the bell tower.

On the walk back there was a little confusion as to how to get back to the Study Centre but thanks to a sidewalk map we were able to find our way back. We met our professor and the rest of the group and walked to a nearby pub called Marlborough Arms. Not feeling particularly daring I ordered a burger and chips. I did take a chance on a drink called Pimm's. It was a mix of gin, strawberries, orange slices, mint leaves, a splash of cranberry, and a slice of cucumber. Since I don't usually drink gin, it was "just ok" to me.

Both the practical tour and walking to the River Thames gave me the opportunity to take in the beautiful architecture and some sights like the National Gallery. Seeing things like the red phone boxes and double decker buses, and the black taxis make the experience more real to me. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever travel to Europe. I actually remember telling my high school Spanish teacher that I would never travel abroad because I was afraid to fly. Well, I still haven't gotten over my fear, but I am so happy that I faced it so that I am able to enjoy this experience.