UK Adventures Blog

Howdy!

This sunny Saturday was a self-guided day through London. In the morning, many went to church services, including mass at Westminster cathedral. We split up into several groups to explore the city on our own.

Later in the morning, groups went to sky garden to get the best views of London. In particular, we got a great view of the tallest building in London- and western Europe- The Shard, a 93 story building complete with offices, swimming pools, grocery stores, and a day care.

Also, we visited Paddington Station, where we went to several train stations to find Paddington. We expected to find jars of orange marmalade and Paddington plushies at the Paddington train stop, but we settled for the Paddington statue.

Afterwards, we went to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards. Since the palace was so crowded, we watched the ceremony through the phones of people who were closer to the front.

In the early afternoon, we went to the British Museum and the National Galleries, where we saw Da Vinci and Monet paintings. We also saw the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon. After touring the museum, we went to afternoon tea.

We visited Abbey Road, where the Beetles took their famous album cover, and recreated the album cover with eight Brown scholars instead of four band members. The street was located in a small quiet neighborhood that was very different from the bustling crowds we were used to.

We went to a small bookstore nearby and some of us took a nap in the store’s comfy chairs. Some of us wanted to explore the tunnel system further, so we went train hopping to the farthest stop in zone two of London.

Others went back home and had sweet crepes for dinner!

After dinner, the guys completed their usual routine. An hour or two playing soccer at a local park, food on the way home (Sainsbury’s for a delicious Meal Deal©, McDonalds and/or Saver Menu Double Cheeseburger Meal), and some card games in the common rooms.

Thanks and Gig ‘Em!

Landon Coutee and Katelyn Ta

Today was our first full day in London starting out with a lovely breakfast in the Imperial College Dining Hall. From hash browns and eggs to black pudding and pancakes there were plenty of options for everyone. 

Next, we took the underground to Westminster Abbey for a two hour long tour. On the tour there were many amazing sites like the church where the royal family gets married and the graves of important Brits. Many major scientists, royals, and writers were buried in the abbey like Issac Newton, Michael Faraday, and Charels Dickens. It was very interesting to see the key figures of British history and learn about how they impacted the country. 

After the visit to Westminster Abbey, our group moved over to the Borough Market to eat lunch. The market had tons of local food and fresh produce which made it lots of fun to find lunch (and very difficult). We split up into smaller groups and everyone found their own places to eat. It was tons of fun to dive into the local cuisine and enjoy the market.

Heading from the market, our group toured around the Tower Bridge and got to walk over the bridge towards His Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London (or you can just say Tower of London). We all had a wonderful time exploring the tower and getting to learn more about the history of London. It was also interesting to see the artifacts on display, especially the armory. There was even an exhibit on torture in the Tower of London (which apparently wasn’t even that common).

Following the Tower of London, a smaller group embarked on a quest for water. After a short walk we arrived at a Starbucks with free iced water. This was by far the biggest luxury of the day, having ice in our water! At this point in the trip everyone was split up into smaller groups exploring the city. We all went to local places for dinner and continued to learn about the city (and the linguistic abilities of early primates).

Cheerio Mates

Justin Simms and Karthik Jayakumar

Howdy! 

Today we traveled from York to London and went on a tour to get acquainted with the new city. Our day started bright and early, with a 7:15 departure from our dorms in York with all of our luggage. At 7:30, we ate breakfast at the York St. John’s dining hall. The food consisted of scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, and beans. After that filling meal, we took a bus to York train station to catch a train to London. 

However, upon arriving at the station, we learned that our train was unexpectedly canceled! Luckily, we were able to hitch a ride on a different train. The catch was that we didn’t have any seating, so we had to stand for the entire 2 hour ride.

While the train ride may not have been the most glamorous experience in the world, it got us from point A to point B. We were finally at King’s Cross Station in London! Everybody successfully got off the train with their luggage in tow. 

Our next stop was the dorms, where we would be staying for the next week. We boarded another bus and promptly arrived at the Imperial College dorms around 11:30. In the Student Social Space, we stored all our luggage while the staff readied our rooms. In the meantime, we broke into groups to get lunch before our walking tour at 2:00. Student leader Eric headed an expedition to a quaint Georgian restaurant, where we experienced several new dishes, among which were chicken livers and Georgian lemonade. 

After lunch the group reassembled at the Prince’s Gardens outside the dorm and split into three groups for a walking tour of the area around Imperial College. We walked past sights like the Natural History Museum, the Royal College of Music, and Royal Albert Hall, before finishing our tour at the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens for some group photos.

After a short break and dinner at the Imperial College, the group split up one last time to tour the area in our own time. A large group of us took advantage of the Friday night late closing at the Victoria and Albert Museum nearby, exploring its vast and dense halls.

The exhibits included huge Raphael paintings from the Sistine Chapel, beautifully ornate gold crucifixes and chalices, and an evolution of British fashion throughout the centuries. The most popular exhibit was a hall full of replicas of world famous artworks, like Michelangelo’s David and Trajan’s Column (which they had to chop in half to even fit in the building).

Despite rocky circumstances in the morning, we had a great travel day today and are looking forward to touring Westminster Abbey and the London Tower tomorrow!

Cheers,

John and Jonathan

Howdy!

Today we visited the English coastal city of Whitby after a rushed hot breakfast. Most of us woke up way too early and the breakfast didn’t open till 8 when we were supposed to arrive at 7:30. To get to Whitby, we road a steam train through the North York Moors. Because, we showed up so early many of us found time to nap while travelling on the train to Whitby.

A group of us went to get authentic fish and chips, while some went to the beach immediately. The water was extremely cold so the beach group went to get food, too (hot dogs, we were feeling patriotic). Then most of us met up at the stairs to the beautiful abbey ruins. There are 199 steps to the top (we counted) and the view at the top of the hill of the city and the beach was phenomenal.

After the hike up to the abbey, we headed down to the Whitby beach. There, we all went for a walk and dipped our feet in the very cold North Sea. A few people, however, decided to jump fully into the sea despite the freezing weather. Afterword, today’s writers (Jack and Hiya) danced two-step on the beach along with a few others to continue practicing what we had learned yesterday!

Us Dancing on the Beach (Click this link)

After walking back with sandy feet and soaked pants, we got on the bus back and were able to see bright purple heather flowers on the rolling North York Moors. After a quick dinner at the dining halls, we went out to hit the town and do some karaoke. After a few songs– including some Backstreet Boys, Taylor Swift, and Frozen– we decided to call it a night and head back to the dorms. Every night ends with some cards and conversation, and that was a wrap on day 3 of York.

-Jack and Hiya