Bit of sightseeing
Prior to my arrival in London, I had read about an International Student Orientation offered at my University. At first I hadn’t been sure if I wanted to arrive an entire week early for this since (a) I’ve already had the undergrad experience (not really looking for the same on-boarding I had wanted, and needed, right out of high school) , (b) I’ve been to London before and so already am familiar with the city, and (c) doing so would require living in an Airbnb for an extra week before my flat became available. In the end, the pros of the International Orientation (free airport pickup, trips and tours around London, Oxford, and Brighton, sessions specifically geared towards postgrads and international students…) seemed to outweigh the cons and so I signed up. Rather glad that I did too! Met some really lovely people, fellow students and those who ran the orientation, from Germany, Italy, Portugal, India, Finland, Spain, and Czech Republic. One of the first nights of orientation there was a pub trivia game and my team even won first place! Very unexpected considering how many we assumed to have gotten wrong. Our reward was a box of Celebrations, aka chocolates, and they did not go to waste. Although we came from all over and were studying a variety of subjects, we got along quite well as a group. Amazing how people can fall into friendships when adventures are to be had!
Our first trip was a tour around London. We hit all the classic sights, Big Ben (which is almost completely covered in scaffolding at the moment), Parliament, Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, London Bridge, Trafalgar Square… for some reason being a “tourist” when you don’t have a plane or train to catch the next day makes seeing all these sights so much more enjoyable. Knowing that tomorrow I could sit along the River Thames watching people and little canal boats pass by without the need to rush off to a meeting is a luxury we don’t always realize or appreciate when living is such a lively, vibrant city such as London. Maybe I didn’t do that enough in New York. Funny how you travel so far to discover something so simple you probably knew all along.
Our next trip was to Oxford, a very exciting one for me as there is a tv show I watch which takes place in Oxford. The architecture (stone and brick with stunning old glass windows), the cobblestone streets, and the playful flower boxes affixed here and there along the buildings create such a wonderful scene. There something scholarly about the way it all comes together. Of course, this city being home to Oxford University, Christ Church, the Bodleian Library, and the Oxford University Press might very well contribute to the “scholarly” atmosphere.
Oxford is also a big destination for Harry Potter lovers as parts of Christ Church and the Bodleian Library were filming locations. Even I upon entering the Christ Church dining hall felt as though the ceiling might suddenly change to floating candles or a night sky at any moment. In Christ Church there is also a famous bit of vandalism from the 1800’s. “No Peel” was hammered into a door and still remains there today. It’s an interesting story, actually, which you can read more about here.
The next trip with the International brigade was to Brighton. (“I want to go to Brighton!” to quote the always wonderful Pride and Prejudice). Reminded me a bit like Coney Island but with a more summer-home feel. Little shops for clothes or coffee, all brightly colored, line the narrow streets. There’s a breezy sense about the town (and I don’t just mean that because it was insanely windy the day we were there!). The Pier is one of the main attractions and for good reason. The wooden pier extends quite far out into the sea and looking out over the side makes it seem as though you were in the middle of the English Channel. On the pier are games, rides, cotton candy and chips (french fries) vendors, blue and white striped lounge chairs, and an arcade that’s much larger inside than you realize! It’s like a carnival at sea, and even if you don’t partake in one of the various games or food stands, it’s entertaining to merely wander through the crowd and take in the revelry.
One of the most popular sites in Brighton, which is dramatically different from the pier, is the Royal Pavilion. Built for King George IV, it’s stately, Asian-inspired elaborate domes and twisting spires make a very stately appearance alongside the road. The gardens are perfect for picnicking and although part of it runs right along the road, the whole appearance of the palace makes the sound of the cars fade away. Queen Victoria was known to not particularly like the Pavilion as she found it lacked privacy, and to be honest I can understand why she would say that. But despite her opinion, it’s definitely worth exploring (although with its size you can hardly miss it!)
On the whole, so glad that I joined in on the early orientation! Now just to decide what English spot to visit next. Maybe Liverpool or Birmingham, or perhaps Bath or Hastings or even Stonehenge. For now, maybe I’ll just enjoy London.