Amsterdam and the Final Days

After Italy we only had a 24 hour layover to repack a bag and get ready for Amsterdam the next day. This time I was lucky enough to have some girl company thanks to the lovely Olivia. I also have her to thank for planning the trip (transportation, directions, activities, etc.) since I knew almost nothing about Amsterdam before going.

Embarrassing story: Our first day of getting to Amsterdam was mostly focused around flying there and then getting to our hostel. When we got to the hostel I made a very American mistake when we were greeted by a young Italian guy. He saw my last name on the reservation and asked if I was Italian. I've always been very proud of being Italian so I answered, yes of course! To which he started asking me if I spoke Italian and where I was from in Italy. After explaining that I didn't speak Italian, only knew the general region where my family was from, and that I studied in America he started to realize that I was not from Italy. It was about this point that I also realized he did not consider me to be Italian and that to him I was American (duh). So, I meekly told him that my great-grandparents had lived in Italy and I was from America as I tried to finish the paperwork as fast as possible. Luckily I didn't see him the rest of our stay.

Our trip wasn't very long but we got to see the famous Red Light District (of course) and learned the difference between a cafe and a coffee shop. We also went to see Anne Frank's house where her and her family hid from the Nazis during World War II. Unfortunately, the palace and churches were closed to prepare for the coronation of the new king which was happening later that week but we still got to explore the city and Olivia and I went to the Rijksmuseum while the boys did the Heineken experience. Overall, I found Amsterdam to be a beautiful city and it definitely exceeded my expectations so I was happy we went.

Derek and CJ in front of one of the many canals

Olivia and I in front of the Rijksmuseum 

One of my favorite things: Whipped cream with a bit of waffle

After Amsterdam we headed back to England for the start of finals. Just by luck, I didn't have any actual exams and only had to do final papers. Unfortunately, this also meant that I had weeks of nothing to do while everyone else was busy studying and taking tests. So, I decided that I wanted to surprise everyone (especially my mom) and come back early.

My last days in England were spent seeing London a few last times and soaking in my whole experience. And, of course, for my last meal I had to go to a pub and have the best steak and ale pie I'll probably ever have. Then the day arrived for me to say goodbye to the place I had called home for 4 months and return to the U.S.

I planned it with my dad that he would tell my mom he was working late and come get me from the airport then I would sneak into the house and surprise her. When we got home, she was upstairs on the phone and when my dad told her he needed her downstairs she told him to wait. I hid for about 10 minutes until she finally came down. Here's the soon to be infamous reaction- fair warning, it will be loud: 

  

The time I spent in England was an experience I will never forget and I am so grateful for every second. I got to spend 4 months abroad, visit 3 other countries, and make countless memories. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to go and supported me through the ups and downs, because there are downs even if you don't expect there to be. I still plan to write at least one or two more posts about what I learned and some advice for anyone going in the future but for now I am home and happily reminiscing about my fabulous time abroad. All I have to say is I will definitely be going back one day. Until then, cheers London! I'll miss you!

When in Rome...and Venice

Author's Note: Surprise, I'm back in the US early! Unfortunately my posts have not caught up to this yet but I'll try to post again really soon with the very funny video of me surprising my mom. In the meantime, this is about my trip to Italy. 

These past few weeks have been such a whirlwind of adventure. In two weeks we were in 3 countries, saw 3 new cities, and had a lot of fun. After CJ's parents left we had a few days to get ready and then we headed off to Italy for 6 days.

To say Italy did not disappoint would be an understatement. Our first city was Rome which I was most excited to see. I fell in love with it immediately. The mix of vibrant new city with the remnants of an old city was truly something all its own and I doubt there's anything else like it in the world. We got used to getting around the city pretty quickly since the metro only has two lines but that also meant that there was a lot more walking.

Our first day was spent getting to the hotel and exploring the area around our hotel, in search of somewhere to eat. One thing you need to know heading into Rome, and probably most of Italy, is that all the restaurants close down from about 3pm until at least 7pm. Unfortunately for us, we hadn't eaten lunch yet and it was well after 3 so almost everything was closed. Luckily we found this little pizza place open. It definitely wasn't the most luxurious first meal in Italy but we made up for it that night.

We found a little hole in the wall place that our travel guide recommended but we definitely wouldn't have found on our own. It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. The service was so friendly from the second we walked in, singing loudly and just bringing us tray after tray of food. The appetizer antipasti could have easily been my whole meal. Overall it was definitely the best way to start off our trip in Italy!

The next day was reserved for sightseeing. We got up and headed straight to the Colosseum. It’s amazing when you see the Colosseum for the first time because you take the subway and you exit onto a normal city street but then you look up and you see this giant ruin right in front of you. We headed straight in and luckily didn’t hit many lines. The view from the top was beautiful and you could see for miles around. We took tons of pictures but here are some of the best:

After the Colosseum we headed across the street to the Palatine Hills and the Roman Forum. Together they form the ruins of the ancient city. We couldn’t have picked a more perfect day since the sun was shining and the flowers were in bloom everywhere. I could have spent an entire day wandering and as it was we spent a few hours and only saw about half of it. 

Once we had had our fill of Italia beauty we headed to the Trevi Fountain. I’ve been excited to see the Trevi Fountain ever since I saw the Lizzy McGuire movie. While it was definitely a lot more crowded and I didn’t open my eyes to find an international pop star staring at me, it was still amazing! Weary as we were, we headed over to the Spanish Steps, our last tourist spot of the day and then headed back to the hotel for a little break before heading out for a delicious dinner. 

The next day we headed to the Vatican because my mother would have killed me if I went to Rome and didn’t make time for a stop at the Catholic center of the world. While we didn’t see the Pope I was still blown away by the sheer extravagance and beauty. We saw St. Peter’s Basilica first and then after getting a little lost, finally found the Vatican Museums. In order to get to the Sistine Chapel you have to walk through the whole museum which is in the shape of a horseshoe with the Sistine smack in the middle. The museum had lots of very cool art but everyone was mostly anxious to get to the Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures in the Sistine Chapel but I’ll tell you that it was definitely worth the walk and was absolutely amazing. You’re mostly struck with the idea that someone painted the entire ceiling by hand and was able to create this immense masterpiece. 

Overall, my time in Rome was amazing and I got to see so many sights that I've always dreamed of seeing and the city did not disappoint. However, the next morning we boarded a train and headed to another place I had been dying to see: Venice. 

The first thing that strikes you about Venice is that you have absolutely no idea how to get anywhere but neither does anyone. We spent at least 2 hours wandering the city and trying to find out hotel and every local we asked gave us different directions. I found out later that there are only 3 bridges that cross the Grand Canal and if you're not nearby them you have to use a boat. I also found out that it's common for street names to change and numbers to not follow a pattern...go figure. 

However, despite our travel woes, Venice was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It's lively and peaceful at the same time. We didn't spend too much time on a schedule during our few days there but that's what made it so nice. I felt like I could have taken a whole week and just explored all the twists and turns of Venice and I would have been happy. 

Of course, being in Venice, CJ and I had to take a Gondola ride despite the high price tag. It was so cute and our Gondolier was very friendly. He even explained the process of becoming a Gondolier and the history behind it. It may have been cliche but I definitely thought it was worth it. 

Another highlight was our trip to Murano, a small island off the coast of mainland Venice, where all the glass blowing is done. We got to see a master at work making sculptures from molten glass. It was incredible! And of course I couldn't leave without getting myself a little glass jewelry! 

Italy was so much more than I had ever imagined it would be. I was so sad to leave and I know I could have spent another month just exploring the country. I definitely plan to go back again one day! That's all I've got for now. Until next time, Ciao!  

Stephanie's Euro Trip, Part Two

Well, I'm back after a very long hiatus. Unfortunately, or fortunately in my case, it's been a very busy few weeks with plenty of travel and adventure. However, I am now done with my eurotrip and can post all about it. Here it goes!

The next day in Paris was also our final full day so we woke up early and headed into main Paris to see the sights. First up was the Louvre which we explored for a little bit before heading over to see one of their most famous pieces, The Mona Lisa. We had to fight our way through the huge crowd but eventually we made it to the front and got to take a good look and some pictures.

After the Louvre we made our way to Notre Dame which was maginficent. Unfortunately, the line was too long and we had a lot more to see that day so we decided to only admire it from the outside. After a quick and yummy lunch of french onion soup and pate we headed to the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triumphe where we took tons of photos. On a side note, Steph got a cotton candy half her size and here's a funny picture of her eating it (that she'll probably kill me for later).

The next morning we had just enough time for a breakfast of tons of pastries, my favorite being Pan au chocolat, and some time to buy souvenirs that I hope my family is enjoying back home. Then we boarded a train and headed back to England. Piece of advice for anyone who may be going to Paris, take the train! I know it's more money but I guarantee it's worth it! Especially when you compare it to the bus.

After a few more days of shenanigans with Stephanie she unfortuantely had to return to the US and leave me. However, I was so happy that she came and we had a great time! Jacovinos take Europe was a success!

We had a relatively low-key Easter here and a few days later CJ's parents arrived for their visit. They stayed two whole weeks and I don't think there was a minute that we weren't busy doing something. We went on two bus tours that hit 3 cities each in the UK. That's a total of 6 cities!

The first tour took us to Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, and Stonehenge. Bath was absolutely beautiful and I could have spent an entire day there exploring the Roman baths and the city. We also had a great time at Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge though by the time we got to Stonehenge it was snowing and the wind was howling so we didn't want to spend too long outside but it was still amazing to see!

We also did another bus tour which took us to Warwick Castle, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and Oxford. Even though I had already seen Stratford I enjoyed seeing it again and I got to go into Shakespeare's birthplace which I didn't do the first time. Luckily it was a nicer day than the first one so we didn't mind walking around outside as much. We had a great time and I was so happy to get to see so much more of England besides London.

Derek, CJ and his Dad

 CJ and his mom at Oxford

While they were here we also went to see The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie which is the longest running play in history. It's a murder mystery and I loved it though I've been sworn to secrecy so if you want to know who did it you'll have to go see for yourself. Trust me, it's worth it!

Derek, CJ, his mom and me in front of the Mousetrap

We had a great time with his parents and we were sad to see them go but they had to go back to work and we had to get ready for our traveling extravaganza which I'll write all about in my next post! Cheers!

Stephanie's Euro Trip, Part One

As I mentioned two weeks ago, my sister, Stephanie, came to visit for a week during her spring break last week. We had such a great time and did so much! Because it was such a big trip I had to split it into two parts so without further adieu here is part 1.

The first day Steph got here, Friday, I went to meet her at the airport nice and early (hello 6 a.m., haven't seen you in a while). We came back to Royal Holloway and relaxed for a little bit and then got ready to head out to the Warner Bros. Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour.

In case the name doesn't give it away, it's a 3-hour tour of the studio where they filmed many of the Harry Potter movies which has now been turned into an exhibition of the props, sets, costumes, etc. I've been dying to go since the second I got here but knew that I would appreciate it a thousand times more with my die-hard Potterhead sister by my side. Unfortunately getting there wasn't very easy either. All in all, I probably spent over 6 hours traveling that day but it was definitely worth it.

The tour was amazing and I easily could have spent way more than 3 hours there. There was so much to see and do. Steph got to try Butterbeer for the first time, which she loved. It's only sold in two places in the world (the studio tour and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando) and I've tried both which is pretty cool! However, my favorite part of the tour, hands down, was at the end where you turn this corner and are greeted by an exact replica of Hogwarts. It was a dream come true for any Potter fan.

The next day we went into London in the afternoon and showed Steph some of the major tourist sites like Big Ben, House of Parliament, the London Eye and Westminster Abbey and took pictures in front of each of them. Then we killed time until 9:30pm when we boarded a bus to Paris!

While the bus was extremely cheap, I can definitely see that it wasn't the most comfortable way to travel. It would have been fine if we were just driving straight all night but unfortunately we had to keep stopping and even had to get off for an hour and a half to take a ferry across the English Channel (which they definitely did not mention beforehand). Regardless, we got a little sleep and arrived in Paris at 7:30am. 

Obviously I haven't experienced this as much since I've been studying in an English speaking country but the language barrier hits you like a ton of bricks. The two years of French I took in middle school didn't come back to me as easily as I expect. However, after wandering around for well over an hour we found our hostel. 

As far as hostels go, the one we stayed at was very nice. They were so helpful and kept giving us maps and marking how to get where in the city. We had a private room for 4 with two bunk beds and a private bathroom so it was much nicer than sharing a dorm with other strangers. We couldn't check in until 3pm though so we dropped off our bags and hit the city. 

We decided to spend the day at the Palace of Versailles because, for some reason, it and a lot of other attractions were closed on Monday. Even though the wait was horrible the palace itself was incredible. After seeing how big the palaces in England are you think you'll never see anything as extravagant but this beat all the other ones by miles. We spent a few hours exploring there and only left out of sheer exhaustion. 

That night we had our first proper French dinner which was out of this world! I tried steak tartar, which as you can see in picture below, is literally raw meat. The only difficult part was trying to understand the menus and ordering the food but luckily our waiter was helpful and together we bridged the language barrier to have a very good first dinner. 

Well, that's it for this post! Don't worry, there will be more pictures of delicious food to come. Until then, au revoir!

Life of the Royals

As promised, here's my report on my trip to one of my most anticipated tourist attractions: Hampton Court. For those of you who don't know, the reason I wanted to see Hampton Court so bad is I love the Tudor history, and not just because of the Showtime show The Tudors (though that may have helped a little). I've loved reading books about Henry VIII and his many wives, as well as his daughters Mary and Elizabeth. Hampton Court is one of the main palaces where the Tudors spent most of their time so I was really excited to see it.

Thankfully I don't have class on Tuesday (to be honest I don't have class ever) so CJ and I decided to spend the day at Hampton. We got really lucky and it was easily the nicest day we've had in England since I've been here. I had almost forgotten what the sun was like.

*Side note for anyone thinking about coming here: Get a rail card!!! I know it may seem like a lot of money to spend in the beginning but I promise you that you will make your money back and more! It saves college students 1/3 of the price on any rail ticket every time. So buy it!

Anyways, back to Hampton. It was so much fun. One part of the castle takes you through the early life of Henry VIII and as you go through the rooms you see how his first wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon fell out of favor and how he chose to marry Anne Boleyn (my favorite of his queens) instead. There was also a huge banquet hall with thrones at the main table. Fun fact: the red chair is actually for the king while the blue is for the queen.

Because of the beautiful day we also spent a lot of time out in the gardens which were green and flowering. It felt like a perfect spring day. Hampton Court also has one of the most famous mazes in all the world and we made it to the center! Actually, I beat CJ to the center but he'll probably deny it.

After we had our fun at the palace we went into the town to have a late lunch. Because we were sick of sandwiches (we always seem to go to cafes) we went to a little Italian place. It was authentic Italian and the food was amazing! It was easily the best pizza I've had since I've been in England. Then again, that's not really saying much.

Other than the trip it was a pretty slow week and this week will probably be similar. It's our last week of classes so I have a lot of papers and projects to finish but then we're done with classes and we get to go on break for a month so it's definitely worth it! Also, next week my sister Stephanie comes to visit so expect that to spice things up. Until then, cheers!

Not Enough Hours in the Day

Well, it has definitely been busy this past week to say the least so I'll try to catch you all up.

Last Saturday CJ and I decided to head into London and go see Kensington Palace. This is where Queen Victoria, the longest reigning British Monarch and patron of our college, lived for most of her life. Unfortunately not a whole lot of it was open for public viewing but we did get to go through all the exhibits they had open. My favorite was the one that focused on the life of Victoria herself and her children. We had a great time but finished quickly and didn't want to head back just yet so we decided to indulge our American cravings.

Not having American food or fast food for almost 2 months we decided that it would be the perfect day since we were in London where it is all so close. So for me we had Burger King (honestly, it was the best burger I've had here which really says something about England's burgers) and for CJ we went to his beloved Chipotle. Finally we also decided to make a pit stop at King's Cross station and for any of you Harry Potter fans out there you better know what this means...Platform 9 and 3/4!!! While it wasn't exactly what I expected--they made it a bit touristy, of course--it was still a lot of fun and I got to be nerdy and wear the HP glasses and scarf and everything. And of course I chose Slytherin as my house. ;-)

The next day Olivia and I went on a school sponsored trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon, aka the birthplace of William Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway (his wife) and his family. We had read the guidebook and already determined that Shakespeare's birthplace was very touristy and not worth the money so instead Olivia and I made the mile hike out to Anne Hathaway's cottage. It was definitely worth the trip as it was very authentic to the time period. I was amazed that it was still standing to be honest but it was so adorable and we had a great time.

Then after a hike back into town and a quick lunch we went on a 2-hour walking tour through the town. While it was freezing and we were past numb by the time we were done the tour was really interesting and it was amazing to find out how old the town is and how much history is there. It made me realize how new all of the US is compared to England.

    Anne Hathaway's Cottage 

                                         

Shakespeare's Courting Chair where he courted Anne Hathaway

 

Shakespeare's Grave

This house was so old you can see how crooked it is.

Unfortunately, with the start of March that also means that I've realized I only have 2 weeks until most of my assignments are due in my classes which means I actually have to do work while abroad. However, Olivia and I did take some time off yesterday to go to the mall. Yes, believe it or not, they do have malls here. They're just very very hard to get to. We spent 2 hours traveling there but in the end it was worth it to get to the Stratford Westfield Mall. And yes, it is just like the Westfield malls that we all know and love in the States. It was so much fun because it cured a little bit of my homesickness since I felt like I was back at my home mall. Not to mention I also got a ton of new clothes for really cheap (thank you Primark!).

Today I am locking myself inside and working but tomorrow it's supposed to be around 60 and sunny so I'll be heading to Hampton Court which is something I've been dying to see since I got here so expect another post soon. Until then, Happy Monday!

Observations Part Two

Hi everyone and happy day-after Valentine's Day! Sorry I've been MIA and been a horrible blogger for the past few weeks but I unfortunately got a bit sick last week and have been playing catch up since then. However, I am back and ready to inform you all on my latest doings...

Unfortunately, since I was sick, there's not much to tell. I did have my first clubbing experience in London this Wednesday which was great! We went to a club called DSTRKT and it made me realize how great it is to be a girl. The ladies all got to go to the front of the line, got to sit on the raised couches and got free drinks all night. The club was amazing and I had a great time and it only made me more excited that when I go home I will be 21 and able to go out to bars and clubs.

Yesterday was also Valentine's Day as I'm sure anyone could figure out after looking at their Twitter feed for even a second. Since CJ and I decided to celebrate on the night I went to see Les Mis (see last blog post) but because I wanted to do something special for him I decided to make a dinner of all our favorites. We had shrimp for an appetizer, steak, potatoes and broccoli for the main course and a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream for dessert.

Valentine's Day Presents: CJ surprised me with a little care package of all my favorite treats! I also got a wonderful gift from my mom who sent me a bottle of my favorite champagne, champagne flutes and a cute little beanie baby who's my new favorite companion!

Other than that the last few weeks have been pretty uneventful. Therefore, I decided to compensate by making this my second installment of observations I've made since I've been here. Enjoy!

• Group projects in the UK just like group projects in the US are horrible! 
• The kettle is the best invention ever. I don't know why more people don't use them in the states. It heats your water so fast! 
• Even though the semester is only 10 weeks long here they still have a reading week where people don't have class. However, only one of my classes actually gave me the week off but still. 
• People are much more interested in face-to-face communication than email here. It's actually a little annoying. 
• Everything closes really early here. Like by 6 or 7pm most shops close. 
• The train is your best friend here. If you learn how to use it and get it for the cheapest price it will help you so much. 
• Guys are not allowed to sit on the couches at night clubs here. I don't know if this is the same as back home though.
• Eventually you will start to think of pounds as dollars instead of pounds. Meaning, instead of doing the conversion in your head every time you buy something you'll just think that pounds are dollars. Ex. The Chinese food is 8 pounds...that's just like 8 dollars. Wrong, wrong, wrong!!! 
• Anything American is a hundred times more expensive...Maybe this would be obvious for most but when you start craving something you get at home you'll realize just how much more expensive those things are. 
• The fast food portions here are much smaller than in the US. For example, at Subway it is common for people to get 6 inches all the time, not footlongs. Also, the McDonald's menus are completely different and their sizes of drinks and fries are smaller as well. And they're more expensive (see previous observation). 
• Everyone wears Uggs! This was something everyone I talked to told me they did not do, yet almost every girl I see has a pair of Uggs on...it makes me long for my pair which I left behind. 
• They don't have NyQuil or DayQuil here. However, luckily Amazon has everything!
• Never eat at a 24 hour food stand in London. I guess this might be a universal truth everywhere though. Excluding diners of course.

Well, those are all my observations for now. I hope you found them funny or informative or at least distractive for a few minutes. I'll be sure to post more soon once I have stuff to report. Cheers!

Les Miserables

Valentine's Day came early for me this year. On Saturday, CJ and I went into London to go see Les Mis performed at the Queen's Theatre. CJ got me the tickets as a Christmas/birthday gift and we had amazing seats. We were in the Stalls which is the bottom level only about 10 rows back. I love musicals and Broadway so I was so excited to get to see Les Mis performed on a London stage where it originated.

We also decided to celebrate Valentine's Day early by going out to a steakhouse in Piccadilly Circus nearby the theatre. While we had a great time we did, unfortunately, find out that England can't do steak as good as America does. But I also guess that we both have very high standards when it comes to our steak. However, we definitely made up for it when we had my favorite champagne at the theatre. Did I mention I love being able to order alcohol? All in all we had a great time and I loved my Christmas present!!!

That's about all for now. I'll post again soon but until then...Cheers!

Lovely London

Hi all! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've actually had to be a student (Translation: I've been watching hours upon hours of Gossip Girl). However, I have finally reached a point where I could stop for a little while to write a post about what I've been doing when I'm not pretending I'm an upper-east side socialite.

Wednesday I went on a Jack the Ripper walking tour of London which the school provided for all us study abroad students free of charge. My bank account was very happy to have a night out and a dinner without having to pay for it. It was really cool and I had a great time despite having to walk for 90 minutes in the cold.

For those of you who are not familiar, Jack the Ripper is one of the most infamous serial killers of England, not only because his identity was never revealed but also because of the vicious way he killed his victims. I was really surprised to find out he only killed 5 (confirmed) women but it was still horrible to hear about the way he killed them but also interesting to hear the history and what they know about him while trying to guess who he was. Personally I lean towards the Royal conspiracy theory but that could have to do with my love for drama.

Then on Saturday Olivia and I headed into London for a girls day of shopping and exploring the city. Luckily, it was a rare sunny and warm-ish days so we enjoyed our time outside. First we went to Harrods which is easily the biggest and more luxurious/expensive stores I've ever been in. We had so much fun spending hours scouring the many floors trying to see everything. The clothes were all gorgeous and I almost feel in love when I saw the shoes. However, I think my favorite section was the Disney room which was a princess room to put even most Disney stores to shame. I easily could have stayed in there forever. While I'm sure we didn't see the whole store we decided to take a break and head out to lunch.

The Entrance to Harrods

After lunch we decided to enjoy the sun and explore the parks as we headed to Kensington Palace in the hopes of spotting Kate Middleton. It took us forever to find the palace as we had to walk through both Hype Park and Kensington Gardens. Unfortunately we did not succeed in our mission to find her though we did find out that she had been at a lot of the places we saw the day before so we now know where to go (or stalk).

Kensington Palace where William and Kate live

That night we also celebrated Derek's 21st birthday. While he technically wasn't turning 21 until Sunday we planned a surprise party for him and then went to the on campus bar, Medicine, afterwards. It was so much fun and everyone had a great time!

Olivia and I in our mandatory party hats

Well, that's about it for this week. Oh, I also mentioned that I would be starting another blog which I officially launched last week. It's devoted solely to fashion and style that I observe while abroad and how it relates to fashion back home. Here's the link so feel free to check it out: Foreign Fashionista. Also, as always, if you have any questions or just want to tell me what you love (or hate) about my blog feel free to leave a comment below! Cheers!

The Tower of London

This weekend, despite the cold and snow, I ventured out and got to see one of the most important and anticipated things on my study abroad bucket list...The Tower of London! I have a huge fascination with the monarchy and especially the Tudor line so going to see the place where King Henry VIII had two wives beheaded and seeing the Crown jewels in the same place was both exciting and weird.

I went with a group of study abroad students and we spent the time exploring the inside of the castle since it was too cold to spend much time outside. However, the inside was just as beautiful as the outside. We saw prison cells where traitors were held, toured the medieval bedrooms and saw the Crown Jewels (more than once).

For anyone who hasn't been, there's actually a moving conveyor belt where the crowns are in cases so you can't linger. You get on and the belt moves you along past them all. You can ride it more than once though so we did it twice. They were amazing and so beautiful! I wish I could show you all but unfortunately they didn't allow pictures either. But there was a lot of purple, diamonds, and sparkles so you can imagine my excitement. Here are some pictures from the trip. 

The White Tower

Tower Bridge

A miniature of the Tower of London

King Henry VIII's Armor

Piccadilly Circus

After that we went to Piccadilly Circus (like the Times Square of London) where we had a late lunch/early dinner of Italian. Unfortunately, after warming up a bit we were all too tired to venture out into the snow to explore more again so we just headed back to the university.

Tomorrow we are going on the Jack the Ripper Walking Tour through London where they show us famous spots where he murdered people. Sounds like a nice little trip. Haha. Anyways, hopefully I'll have some pictures to share or at least a funny story or two.

Into the Swing of Things

Well today officially marks two weeks since I arrived in England. It's weird because a part of me can't believe it's already been two weeks and another part of me can't believe that it's only been two weeks since I've arrived. I'm finally getting into the swing of things (I think). I've figured out most of the buildings, I've cooked my first meal in the kitchen and I have made it to all my classes. I still have a lot of other things to learn but it's starting to feel normal.

This weekend was my first trip into London and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. It also just affirmed for me why I picked England as my country to study abroad in. We did all the touristy things like Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and things like that. Everything here is so beautiful and I LOVE the architecture. It's all so old and has so much history. Here are a few pictures but there were tons more so go check them out on Facebook.

The London Eye

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament

 Westminster Abbey

CJ and I in front of Buckingham Palace

I have much more to do and see in London while I'm here. For instance, we didn't even go see the Tower of London or Hampton Court and I plan to spend a day for each of those so fear not, there is plenty more to come. 

In other news, yesterday was my 21st birthday! While it wasn't quite as significant since I've been able to legally drink and gamble here since I was 18 it was still special to me. Me and some friends went out for dinner where I had my first legal cocktail, a strawberry daiquiri (which I love!). We then went to go see the movie Gangster Squad. All in all, it was a fun birthday though I did miss all my friends and family back home.

That's about it for this week. Hopefully I'll have some more to report after the weekend but until then...cheers!