Friday, July 12, 2013
Getting Cultured: London's East End
The walk around London's East End was one of the most interesting assignments I've done through CCA so far. Perhaps because of my inclination toward the arts, street art, and counter culture-esque atmospheres, I found that the East End was right up my alley. When I was in high school, I used to go to Chinatown with my best friend and her mother, who was a curator for several museums, and see museum exhibits on a regular basis. Also located near Chinatown was the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art, which had for a very long time one of the world's largest exhibits on street art. Additionally, being from a city and going to school in a city, I'm very familiar with street art scenes. This is the background I had going into the walk through the East End, and a little bit of an explanation for why I enjoyed it so much.
It was clear that the East End was populated by a different sort of people than we see around Russell Square and Woburn Place on a daily basis, and even where I work in Southwark. The area was a bit more run down, the shops geared toward certain ethnic minorities, and the art was pervasive. I saw more street art on the buildings and landscapes in the East End than anywhere else so far in London. The "young person culture" was all too prevalent via the alternative coffee shops, bars, clothing stores, etc. I can only imagine what some of the interiors of the apartment complexes look like.
But the whole area wasn't all like this. As the walk prescribed, I saw some of the restored architecture and history of the area that is described in the British Experience Programme handbook. The amount of galleries around made me yearn for days past, and I wished I had more time to go into the galleries than I had allotted for the excursion. The architecture though was wonderful. It was refreshing to see and read about the buildings that are so much older than most of the areas I've spent an exorbitant amount of time in, like LA and DC.
As I made my way through the walk, I was particularly interested in spying the Foundry, since the information in the BEP handbook said the clocks for major buildings were molded there. Additionally, the Jack the Ripper territory was really cool (and...scary?) to go through, since I've read a couple books on the murderer. As the walk came to its conclusion, I was pleased and thankful that this was one of our assignments because so much of the culture resonated with me.
Until next time,
Danny
It was clear that the East End was populated by a different sort of people than we see around Russell Square and Woburn Place on a daily basis, and even where I work in Southwark. The area was a bit more run down, the shops geared toward certain ethnic minorities, and the art was pervasive. I saw more street art on the buildings and landscapes in the East End than anywhere else so far in London. The "young person culture" was all too prevalent via the alternative coffee shops, bars, clothing stores, etc. I can only imagine what some of the interiors of the apartment complexes look like.
But the whole area wasn't all like this. As the walk prescribed, I saw some of the restored architecture and history of the area that is described in the British Experience Programme handbook. The amount of galleries around made me yearn for days past, and I wished I had more time to go into the galleries than I had allotted for the excursion. The architecture though was wonderful. It was refreshing to see and read about the buildings that are so much older than most of the areas I've spent an exorbitant amount of time in, like LA and DC.
As I made my way through the walk, I was particularly interested in spying the Foundry, since the information in the BEP handbook said the clocks for major buildings were molded there. Additionally, the Jack the Ripper territory was really cool (and...scary?) to go through, since I've read a couple books on the murderer. As the walk came to its conclusion, I was pleased and thankful that this was one of our assignments because so much of the culture resonated with me.
Until next time,
Danny
Week Seven: Budgets and Books
Well, I'd say that at this point I'm pretty accustomed to life in London. I know my way around Russell Square, the Tube, Southwark, and plenty of other neighborhoods around London. I've become particularly fond of the West End, where I've spent plenty of time seeing wonderful productions, and of the South Bank, where I worked, but I would get to work early every day and read beside the Thames. And yet, I've still learned and mastered some new skills this week, which will be able to carry over into my life after London.
One thing I've mastered over the time I've spent here is budgeting! A beautiful concept that I was not unfamiliar with before now, but which I've truly mastered while I've been here. Since British Pounds are worth more than the US Dollar, I've been keenly aware of the amount of money I've spent here, and making sure that every allocation is worth it. For example, I've noticed that my weekly shopping doesn't usually cost more than 40 pounds, so I know that I shouldn't spend more than that on the food I buy for the week. I've also made sure that I only spend a certain amount of money over the weekends on drinks and going out. And then there's travel and leisure expenses, like seeing shows and going to other countries. I have full confidence that after I leave London and college in general, I will be able to budget my life like a real live adult!
Something I've also had the pleasure and leisure time to do here, which I don't get during the school year, is time to sit down and read. There's something to be said for the good old imagination (my favorite books are in the fantasy/science fiction genre), and reading is one way to use your imagination that is more stimulating than watching television. As I mentioned, I've made it a habit to go to the South Bank and enjoy my book before going into work--this way, I get out of the house, I get to see London, I'm always on time for work, and I get to enjoy a leisurely activity that I don't always get the time to do. In celebration of my time in London, I've spent most of my reading time here with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books, which I've never read but always admired. It's been a wonderful addition to my time in London.
Though I don't have much time left in the UK, I have plenty of activities ahead of me before I go. I'm seeing four more shows in the West End area before I leave, hanging out with a friend from home who is in London, and I have one more week of work. I'd say that my last week here in London will be a successful one, not unlike the rest of the time I've spent in London so far.
Until next time,
Danny
One thing I've mastered over the time I've spent here is budgeting! A beautiful concept that I was not unfamiliar with before now, but which I've truly mastered while I've been here. Since British Pounds are worth more than the US Dollar, I've been keenly aware of the amount of money I've spent here, and making sure that every allocation is worth it. For example, I've noticed that my weekly shopping doesn't usually cost more than 40 pounds, so I know that I shouldn't spend more than that on the food I buy for the week. I've also made sure that I only spend a certain amount of money over the weekends on drinks and going out. And then there's travel and leisure expenses, like seeing shows and going to other countries. I have full confidence that after I leave London and college in general, I will be able to budget my life like a real live adult!
Something I've also had the pleasure and leisure time to do here, which I don't get during the school year, is time to sit down and read. There's something to be said for the good old imagination (my favorite books are in the fantasy/science fiction genre), and reading is one way to use your imagination that is more stimulating than watching television. As I mentioned, I've made it a habit to go to the South Bank and enjoy my book before going into work--this way, I get out of the house, I get to see London, I'm always on time for work, and I get to enjoy a leisurely activity that I don't always get the time to do. In celebration of my time in London, I've spent most of my reading time here with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books, which I've never read but always admired. It's been a wonderful addition to my time in London.
Though I don't have much time left in the UK, I have plenty of activities ahead of me before I go. I'm seeing four more shows in the West End area before I leave, hanging out with a friend from home who is in London, and I have one more week of work. I'd say that my last week here in London will be a successful one, not unlike the rest of the time I've spent in London so far.
Until next time,
Danny
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Week Six: Dan Dun in the Dam
Holy travels, Batman! When I thought my 10 hour flight from LA to London was an ordeal, I certainly had no idea what was in store for me while I travel abroad. This past weekend, seven other CCAers and myself met at the Victoria Coach Station on a clear July Fourth evening (yay 'murica!) to hop on a 12 hour bus ride to Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Now the bus ride on the way to the Dam was not too bad--we got to take a ferry across the channel, which was beautiful, and I slept for the 6 hour bus ride after the ferry (despite the fighting drunken blokes sitting behind me). And we arrived, at 7:30 in the morning, in a wonderful city that I had never been to, and even more wonderful than that, it was a city I had no idea I was going to be visiting when I came to London!
For the first hours in Amsterdam, we walked around killing time until we could check in to our hostel, and getting a feel for the city. The thing I noticed immediately, was that for the first time in my whole life, I was in a place where the primary language was not English. The signs were in Dutch, the announcements on the tram were in Dutch, and even though we found that most people spoke English, it was with a heavy Dutch accent. This was the first bit of culture shock I experienced.
We spent our first day roaming around the city, viewing the architecture and the canals. Culture Shock #2: I have never before seen so many people on bicycles. There were probably 20 bicycles for every one car. It was astounding. This definitely seems to be the primary mode of transportation for Amsterdamers, aside from casual canal transport too.
Amsterdam was probably the most visually distinct Western European city I've been too. The combination of the Dutch architecture, canals, and cobblestones, mixed with the rich, city feel was really refreshing, and it made me realize how different cities have evolved over the centuries. It was quite interesting to think about while I was walking around. This was complemented by our visit to the Anne Frank house, which was a standing testament to the city's history, and especially important for me, as a Jew, to stand in front of a house that (for a long time, anyway) withstood the Nazis and the oppression of WWII.
While in Amsterdam we took a canal tour and visited the Heineken factory, and enjoyed the gorgeous weather in the park outside of the I Amsterdam sign. Both nights in the Dam we spent bar hopping and having a good time, and I would say that Amsterdam was the most successful short trip I've ever taken as a traveler, and truly an experience I'll treasure.
Until next time,
Danny
Now the bus ride on the way to the Dam was not too bad--we got to take a ferry across the channel, which was beautiful, and I slept for the 6 hour bus ride after the ferry (despite the fighting drunken blokes sitting behind me). And we arrived, at 7:30 in the morning, in a wonderful city that I had never been to, and even more wonderful than that, it was a city I had no idea I was going to be visiting when I came to London!
For the first hours in Amsterdam, we walked around killing time until we could check in to our hostel, and getting a feel for the city. The thing I noticed immediately, was that for the first time in my whole life, I was in a place where the primary language was not English. The signs were in Dutch, the announcements on the tram were in Dutch, and even though we found that most people spoke English, it was with a heavy Dutch accent. This was the first bit of culture shock I experienced.
We spent our first day roaming around the city, viewing the architecture and the canals. Culture Shock #2: I have never before seen so many people on bicycles. There were probably 20 bicycles for every one car. It was astounding. This definitely seems to be the primary mode of transportation for Amsterdamers, aside from casual canal transport too.
Amsterdam was probably the most visually distinct Western European city I've been too. The combination of the Dutch architecture, canals, and cobblestones, mixed with the rich, city feel was really refreshing, and it made me realize how different cities have evolved over the centuries. It was quite interesting to think about while I was walking around. This was complemented by our visit to the Anne Frank house, which was a standing testament to the city's history, and especially important for me, as a Jew, to stand in front of a house that (for a long time, anyway) withstood the Nazis and the oppression of WWII.
While in Amsterdam we took a canal tour and visited the Heineken factory, and enjoyed the gorgeous weather in the park outside of the I Amsterdam sign. Both nights in the Dam we spent bar hopping and having a good time, and I would say that Amsterdam was the most successful short trip I've ever taken as a traveler, and truly an experience I'll treasure.
Until next time,
Danny
Monday, July 1, 2013
How to be a Millionaire: Hampstead Village
This past Friday, I took a trip with some others from Central College Abroad to Hampstead Village, not too far north from where we're staying here at Unite on Woburn Place. Following the direction of Alli, who works at the Hampstead Age UK recreational facility, we walked around the village a bit before following the directions set out in the British Experience Program Handbook.
Alli took us along her route to work, walking by many well known brands and shops, as well as some charming restaurants and clothing stores. While we didn't stop in any of them, save Pizza Express (delicious.), the village definitely felt different from the other parts of London that I have experienced. For one thing, the streets criss cross, and are much narrower than the main streets in central London. But walking along the roads I found I felt something that was quite different, and nicer, than the rest of London. The area felt extremely homey and quaint. It was small and green and did not bear over the pedestrians in quite the same city-way that other parts of London can do.
After Alli's tour, we walked down Church Row, as prescribed by the BEP Handbook. The church at the end of the street was quite lovely, but not more so than the surrounding graveyard. We spent at least half an hour, if not more, wandering through the tombs, and it was so very peaceful. I loved reading over the different headstones, looking for names to recognize, though none I did. The most interesting one, however, was the tomb of John Harrison, which said that he invented the mechanism for keeping time in wristwatches and clocks. How fascinating that he's buried in Hampstead! I would love to spend more time in the graveyards, and hang out with the lovely dead people, but I don't have my work near there, so I'm not as fortunate as Alli, who was overjoyed and I'm sure will be returning.
As we walked up Holly Way (or Road...) we saw more (multi-million dollar) houses and gravestones. We stood outside Fenton House, and at the top of the hill we glimpsed a good view of Hampstead. Hampstead itself was a great little village. Filled with wealth and culture, and tons of small alleys with tiny shops and little apartments. If I had enough money, I'd think I'd like to live there one day. But for now, it's nice to know that I can visit.
Until next time,
Danny
Alli took us along her route to work, walking by many well known brands and shops, as well as some charming restaurants and clothing stores. While we didn't stop in any of them, save Pizza Express (delicious.), the village definitely felt different from the other parts of London that I have experienced. For one thing, the streets criss cross, and are much narrower than the main streets in central London. But walking along the roads I found I felt something that was quite different, and nicer, than the rest of London. The area felt extremely homey and quaint. It was small and green and did not bear over the pedestrians in quite the same city-way that other parts of London can do.
After Alli's tour, we walked down Church Row, as prescribed by the BEP Handbook. The church at the end of the street was quite lovely, but not more so than the surrounding graveyard. We spent at least half an hour, if not more, wandering through the tombs, and it was so very peaceful. I loved reading over the different headstones, looking for names to recognize, though none I did. The most interesting one, however, was the tomb of John Harrison, which said that he invented the mechanism for keeping time in wristwatches and clocks. How fascinating that he's buried in Hampstead! I would love to spend more time in the graveyards, and hang out with the lovely dead people, but I don't have my work near there, so I'm not as fortunate as Alli, who was overjoyed and I'm sure will be returning.
As we walked up Holly Way (or Road...) we saw more (multi-million dollar) houses and gravestones. We stood outside Fenton House, and at the top of the hill we glimpsed a good view of Hampstead. Hampstead itself was a great little village. Filled with wealth and culture, and tons of small alleys with tiny shops and little apartments. If I had enough money, I'd think I'd like to live there one day. But for now, it's nice to know that I can visit.
Until next time,
Danny
Week Five: The Pride Pack
At the conclusion of my fifth week here in London, I got to keep up with a tradition that has been near and dear to my heart for many years. Pride! As a gay man, out and proud, going to Pride is one of my favorite events of the year--I get to celebrate the wonderful life I get to lead, living in a time of never-before-seen freedom for LGBT people, as well as be surrounded by scores of others who aim to celebrate alongside me! This Pride was the eighth I've gotten the pleasure of celebrating.
Pride in London was (for lack of a better term) fabulous! It wasn't the rowdiest Pride I've ever been to, but that's nothing to complain about. The parade was cheerful, the people were in great spirits, and the sun was shining down all day, which was a brilliant change of pace from the week preceding. The best part for me, personally, was being surrounded by so many waving rainbow flags. Something that has been a little bit of a struggle for me while I've been in London is being the only gay person among a group of my peers. While I'm home in Los Angeles or at school in DC, this is not the case, so I've had to do some adapting while I've been here. But this weekend, while at Pride, I felt so at home and comfortable being around other gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and other people like myself. It reminded me just how fortunate I am to live the whole year long with other gay and lesbian people like me by my side. And I'm sure that if I were living in London permanently or for a longer period of time than this summer, I'd be able to establish a network of other gay friends, but this short program length hasn't given me the time do so.
In any case, I was overjoyed to celebrate Pride this weekend. I watched the parade, drank, danced in Trafalgar Square, and saw a man propose to his boyfriend on the stage in front of thousands. It was a lovely cap to a wonderful day. Another lovely aspect of the day was that I was alongside five other friends who wanted to celebrate the LGBT community with me. It was the next closest thing to being around my gay and lesbian friends from home, and I was so thankful that my new friends from CCA wanted to join me at Pride.
Until next time,
Danny
Pride in London was (for lack of a better term) fabulous! It wasn't the rowdiest Pride I've ever been to, but that's nothing to complain about. The parade was cheerful, the people were in great spirits, and the sun was shining down all day, which was a brilliant change of pace from the week preceding. The best part for me, personally, was being surrounded by so many waving rainbow flags. Something that has been a little bit of a struggle for me while I've been in London is being the only gay person among a group of my peers. While I'm home in Los Angeles or at school in DC, this is not the case, so I've had to do some adapting while I've been here. But this weekend, while at Pride, I felt so at home and comfortable being around other gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and other people like myself. It reminded me just how fortunate I am to live the whole year long with other gay and lesbian people like me by my side. And I'm sure that if I were living in London permanently or for a longer period of time than this summer, I'd be able to establish a network of other gay friends, but this short program length hasn't given me the time do so.
In any case, I was overjoyed to celebrate Pride this weekend. I watched the parade, drank, danced in Trafalgar Square, and saw a man propose to his boyfriend on the stage in front of thousands. It was a lovely cap to a wonderful day. Another lovely aspect of the day was that I was alongside five other friends who wanted to celebrate the LGBT community with me. It was the next closest thing to being around my gay and lesbian friends from home, and I was so thankful that my new friends from CCA wanted to join me at Pride.
Until next time,
Danny
Monday, June 24, 2013
Week Four: Little Britain and Leaving the United Kingdom
This past weekend, ten CCAers and myself took a short holiday (look at me using British terminology) to Great Britain's little brother, and the capital city of Ireland--Dublin. Though it is no longer apart of the United Kingdom, I figured traveling to the neighboring island would continue to educate me on the differences between US and Western European cultures.
Despite the haphazardly organized Luton airport and RyanAir, arrival into Dublin was quite easy. We got into the city very easily, and settled in without trouble. This was the first time I've ever stayed in a hostel, and my experience was mixed. Though I didn't feel unsafe, as the building was well-secured and in the middle of Dublin--right across the street from Trinity College--there was some lingering feeling of unease that pervade the hostel. The extraneous charges for simple necessities aside (charge to use the computer in the lobby, charge to rent a lock for the storage cages in the rooms), I felt uncomfortable not knowing who I was sharing a room with. With 8 beds in one room, and only one other person in my room who I came with, I not only felt that my stuff would be vulnerable to sticky fingers, but just that it was not safe to be sleeping in a room of people who I've never spoken to (and literally never seen--not at night before I went to sleep, and not in the morning when I left). Luckily, we were only there for one night, and by the looks of the other people coming and going throughout the hostel it was populated by youngsters around my age, which (perhaps irrationally) made me feel more comfortable. I didn't hate staying in the hostel, and it certainly was more affordable than the Westin around the corner, but I'm sure that the next time I lodge in such accommodations, my hesitance will persist.
Dublin itself was quite nice. Much smaller than I had envisioned, we walked most of the city within only a couple hours. Like London, it has plenty of beautiful, old architecture, and many small churches spotted throughout the city. And similar to London, the spirit of Dublin was quite high, and the nationalism was palpable. It was wonderful to be surrounded by authentic Irishfolk and get a taste of the culture. Literally--we went to the Guinness factory and tasted the beer straight from its source. As someone who doesn't really like Guinness, I found that the unpreserved, freshly made beer was much better than from the can, or even from a tap in a bar. It was as Irish as Irish gets. We also visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and prayed to the patron saint of alcohol (that's what he is, right?). That night we went on a pub crawl, and the next day a walking tour of Dublin. All in all, I'd say that I had a good time. There was plenty of culture in Dublin, different from London in many ways, and that was the best part of the experience. Seeing first hand just how different the two cities (and nations) are, even if those differences are subtle. From a learning and cultural perspective, the trip was successful. From a tourist perspective...not so much. I spent about 100 euro more than I had anticipated, and the Guinness factory aside, there was not much in Dublin that I can't find in London. I'm very glad I went, but I'm not racing back to Dublin anytime soon.
Until next time,
world traveler
Danny
Despite the haphazardly organized Luton airport and RyanAir, arrival into Dublin was quite easy. We got into the city very easily, and settled in without trouble. This was the first time I've ever stayed in a hostel, and my experience was mixed. Though I didn't feel unsafe, as the building was well-secured and in the middle of Dublin--right across the street from Trinity College--there was some lingering feeling of unease that pervade the hostel. The extraneous charges for simple necessities aside (charge to use the computer in the lobby, charge to rent a lock for the storage cages in the rooms), I felt uncomfortable not knowing who I was sharing a room with. With 8 beds in one room, and only one other person in my room who I came with, I not only felt that my stuff would be vulnerable to sticky fingers, but just that it was not safe to be sleeping in a room of people who I've never spoken to (and literally never seen--not at night before I went to sleep, and not in the morning when I left). Luckily, we were only there for one night, and by the looks of the other people coming and going throughout the hostel it was populated by youngsters around my age, which (perhaps irrationally) made me feel more comfortable. I didn't hate staying in the hostel, and it certainly was more affordable than the Westin around the corner, but I'm sure that the next time I lodge in such accommodations, my hesitance will persist.
Dublin itself was quite nice. Much smaller than I had envisioned, we walked most of the city within only a couple hours. Like London, it has plenty of beautiful, old architecture, and many small churches spotted throughout the city. And similar to London, the spirit of Dublin was quite high, and the nationalism was palpable. It was wonderful to be surrounded by authentic Irishfolk and get a taste of the culture. Literally--we went to the Guinness factory and tasted the beer straight from its source. As someone who doesn't really like Guinness, I found that the unpreserved, freshly made beer was much better than from the can, or even from a tap in a bar. It was as Irish as Irish gets. We also visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and prayed to the patron saint of alcohol (that's what he is, right?). That night we went on a pub crawl, and the next day a walking tour of Dublin. All in all, I'd say that I had a good time. There was plenty of culture in Dublin, different from London in many ways, and that was the best part of the experience. Seeing first hand just how different the two cities (and nations) are, even if those differences are subtle. From a learning and cultural perspective, the trip was successful. From a tourist perspective...not so much. I spent about 100 euro more than I had anticipated, and the Guinness factory aside, there was not much in Dublin that I can't find in London. I'm very glad I went, but I'm not racing back to Dublin anytime soon.
Until next time,
Danny
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