London Calling

Finishing Strong!

2009-12-11T13:29:00.001-08:00

I think about many areas of my life using running analogies. So today I would say that I finished my internship strong like I hope to finish my races. Last night, Nadeem, my supervisor asked me to ghost a computer and edit the website, http://international.fsu.edu/london/ to add the group photo that the program had just taken. This required working with Adobe Go Live CS2 to edit the PHP files, Adobe Photoshop to edit the .jpg images and folder management tools to make sure I had everything in the right place. I was able to get this done and ghost the machine. I also downloaded and installed the proper printer driver for the assistant director's new computer.

Then today, coming in on my last day when everyone from FSU had already left, I created new DVD covers using an old trick that I learned at Rollins for DVDs that are missing their information jackets. Then I re-imaged three Dell computers for use with the SmartBoards. At the end of the day Nadeem gave me his personal contact info, I shook his hand, thanked him and walked out onto a crowded Great Russell Street. In the beginning I was so nervous that I couldn't make it as the I.T. intern but after six months I can say that I feel like I had a great internship, learned things, gained confidence and to be sure Finished Strong!

The Eagle & Child

2009-11-23T09:41:00.001-08:00

Legend has it that Lady Margaret Beaufort had a dream of an eagle carrying a child after years of not being able to conceive and bring an heir to the throne. After this dream she conceived and gave birth to Henry VII the man who united the Houses of York and Lancaster and made England strong under the Tudor Line. Many public houses and eateries in England are named The Eagle & Child but none so well known as the pub on St. Giles in Oxford where the Inklings would spend time. The Inklings consisted of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis both beloved writers of fiction, fantasy and theology. I couldn't leave England without having a pint at this pub. I enjoyed a great hoppy, nutty ale from the pumps and had a good conversation with my colleague. What a way to end library school!

Liverpool

2009-11-22T13:33:00.000-08:00

The above footage is early Beatles at The Cavern Club which is where I was this past Saturday night dancing and having a good time to Beatles covers. Liverpool was an amazing experience because it is just like any other midsized city in the UK except for the fact that the spirit of the place has been forever changed by a four piece band that played together only ten years. I am not sure that it can be said that any other musical group has meant more to a city than the Beatles mean to Liverpool. I was able to visit the childhood homes of John, Paul and Ringo. Even the Cathedral in Liverpool, despite being the largest Anglican church in the world, is forever known as the place Paul McCartney was rejected as choir boy. It was also the place where the memorial service for the slain John Lennon was held. All of the bars and clubs in Liverpool's city centre are named after something to do with The Beatles. Grapes was the pub where the band members would go to escape adoring fans. There is also a pub there called The Quarrymen which was the name of Lennon's first band that eventually became The Beatles. At the Beatles Story museum I was able to learn a great deal about the evolution of the band. I find their lyrics to be straight forward, catchy and heartfelt especially in the early days. As time went on The Beatles drifted apart artistically and in spirit but for ten years they created something very special and certainly put Liverpool on the map. You can't be in Liverpool and not think about them and after this weekend I have a much better understanding of what is meant by "Beatlemania".

Smart Board Video on Vimeo

2009-11-12T13:40:00.001-08:00

Smart Boards at the FSU STudy Centre from Thomas Parker on Vimeo.

This is a preliminary version of a video that I have created for work. See I don't just travel, eat and run while I am here in London!

British Sea Power

2009-11-02T04:31:00.000-08:00

The Spinnaker Tower

Admiral Lord Nelson's ship The HMS Victory

This weekend a took a trip to the coast again. Portsmouth is a little, somewhat sad, old sea town that is the home to the Royal Navy. There are some modern gray battleships in the harbor but also some antique ships there to attract tourists like the Her Majesty's Ship The Victory. Portsmouth also has some very modern attractions like an outlet shopping mall and The Spinnaker Tower. Both my roommate and I agreed that the tower looks like a swordfish. It was nice to get away from London for the weekend and to breathe the sea air.

We also took a Hover Boat across the bay to The Isle of Wight. Which is where Queen Victoria's summer home is. We never made it there because we got a bit lost but we did see some gorgeous homes, trails, ponies and then we happened upon an old Benedictine Monastery. There were the ruins of the abbey but also a new Abbey that was fully functional and so quiet. We took a late bus back to London and now here we are November.

English Breakfast

2009-10-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

This morning I had a full English Breakfast. Before anyone gets worried about my health this was only after a ten mile run and I had vegetarian sausage(which might actually disqualify my breakfast from being an English Breakfast). Nevertheless the toast, egg, potatoes, mushrooms, beans,roasted tomato and sausage(I mean tofu) were great and I washed it down with a strong cup of black coffee! Then I was ready for a good day at work or maybe a nap.

Bath

2009-10-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

The Roman Baths with the Abby in the background

Bath is one of the most beautiful places in England. It's charm is well in tact since it was the summer home of the Hanoverians and has been well preserved since the 18th century. It is also well known as a residence of Jane Austen and the scene for a few of her novels including Northanger Abbey. The Circus in bath is magnificent as the building for a large circle around a grassy, tree shaded park.

Stonehenge

2009-10-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

My theory is that this was some sort of ancient Druid temple. These massive rocks were here before England was even on the map as far as civilization goes. The Romans were not here yet and there were no horses. Whoever these early Angles were they could move some big rocks and impressively stacked them on top of each other so that they would stay there for over 5,000 years! This was also the scene for the ending of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'urbervilles. Poor Tess

Birmingham Half Marathon

2009-10-11T13:56:00.001-07:00

This was my second race in England and my second PR. No I don't think that it is the Fish & Chips or all of the ales. In all honesty it might be a combination of the cooler temperatures, with all of the walking and the fact that my body has finally recovered from and absorbed all of those hard 70 mile weeks before Boston.

I apologize if this post is too much about running or too much about my faith in God. Both things are very dear to me and so this post may be a bit more personal than the rest.

I will start by saying that today I ran a New York Marathon qualifying time. Still this post is not to aggrandize myself and my meager running ability. I was never a good athlete in school and will never get payed to run. For so many years I have run to deal with my insecurity, life's disappointments, failed relationships and on and on. The only reason I can run is that God has blessed me with my health and strength but that fades and will fade. I learned that lesson all too harshly this fall. A very dear friend, a British man whom I thought I would have a pint with this fall in London died of Cancer. This friend and former pastor made a huge impact on my life and I think he finished his race strong. Today I knew that I had put myself in good position to run a New York qualifier but about mile 11 or 12 was beginning to get tired. I was running behind a man whose singlet read, canceresearch.co.uk, I immediately thought of Nick. Nick finished his race strong because he never lost his faith. Even though he was in so much pain at the end of his life he still praised God. As a result I am not angry at God or disenchanted by Nick's death but encouraged by his faith and his perseverance. In my little way I knew that I had to push through the pain strong to the end today so that I could say that, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race". I want to be careful with this analogy because I know that this was hard for everyone and nothing like an unimportant road race. What I want to say is that God used Nick in so many powerful ways and I admire him for being strong until the end.

Birmingham put on a beautiful race. The fans were out, the elite runners were there and I had a blast. Around mile 7 or 8 when I was really just hitting my stride I thought about Chariots of Fire and the quote, "when I run I feel his pleasure". I am thankful to God for the gift of running. In Boston I saw the crowds as hostile aggressors closing in around me. I built a wall against them so as to not let them in but I took a completely different approach with the fans in England. I high fived the kids and the old ladies as I ran by. I embraced the English city of Birmingham and had fun with them. It seems that they had fun with me as well.

La dame et la Licorne

2009-10-06T00:35:00.000-07:00

So far one of the coolest things that I have been able to do here in London is see the Austin, Texas based band Shearwater live in a little pub. On one of their albums the opening track is entitle la dame et la licorne and I didn't realize the significance of this until I visited Musee de Cluny or the national Middle Ages Museum in Paris. There they have many medieval tapestries but the most famous and striking are La Dame a la Licorne. The exhibit is set up in an almost glow in the dark way. The room is dark and the tapestries are lit up so that they almost glow. On one wall the five tapestries that display the five senses are arranged starting with taste and ending in touch. On the wall behind is the grand tapestry that has a vague meaning. I was inspired by the meanings and the beauty of these tapestries. I kept thinking about the Boston Marathon logo being the unicorn. The unicorn represents allusiveness or something that cant quite be caught. I think this appropriate in so many ways for art, running and Paris.

There is never any ending to Paris

2009-10-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

"There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who who has lived in it differs from any other. We always returned to it no matter who we were or how it was changed or with what difficulties, or ease it could be reached. Paris was always worth it and you received return for whatever you brought to it." Hemingway in the closing paragraph of A Moveable Feast.

For me this trip to Paris was very much about going back after nine years. I went back to the old neighborhood where I lived and went for a run in the Bois de Boulogne, where I would run in the mornings before class. I walked down Avenue de General Sarrail and past the building where I lived. I went back to Reid Hall and walked through the gardens and the glass corridor. I spent an afternoon having dinner with an old friend in The St. Michelle and walked along the Seine. The metro still smelled the same and I thought back on my time in Paris as a university student.

But Paris wasn't just about going back but also about new experiences. L'orangerie museum with all of the Monet along the walls, it was the first time that I have ever shopped at Gallerie de Layfayette, visited Pere LaChaise cemetery and climbed to the top of La Tour Eiffel. I went to the the Institut Catholique de Paris and said hello to a professional contact. I was surprised to find this school crawling with students of all ages. The art in Paris was unsurpassed and I saw many things that I had not seen before. La Dame a la Licorne was impressive in Cluny, and the Monets in L'oragnerie as were many of the works in the D'orsay.

Paris was not as busy as London. I found life there to be a bit slower and less chaotic. Still I am glad to be back in London and don't when I will be back in Paris. Even so I will always have fond memories of Paris.

Benjamin Franklin's lodging while in London

2009-09-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

The Benjamin Franklin House is located at 36 Craven Street near the Thames in a very central part of London also close to Charing Cross Tube station. Benjamin Franklin lived there for 16 years up until 1775 when he left abruptly for America. During his time he lodged in this house and promoted good relations between the colonies and England but could not prevent the impending split. Franklin also pursued his scientific and musical interests in this house. It was here that he worked on his inventions, bifocals and the lightning rod.

Later in this house bones were found buried underneath. After Franklin left this house was apparently used as a place for surgeons to practice on dead bodies. Many times these bodies were stolen from graves as bodies to be used for medical practice were at a premium during the 18th century.

The house to this day maintains most of its original features including wood floors, staircases and marble fireplaces.

BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall and Yo-Yo Ma

2009-09-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday night was the last night of the BBC Proms. It was something that I was told was one of the things to do while in London but to be honest I was resigned that to not make it. I have just been doing so many things and the Proms are expensive. Even so I ended up getting tickets for Friday Night to see Yo-Yo Ma with The Silk Road Ensemble. It was late Friday night but it was a treat to be able to see such a famous composer in the lush Victorian style surroundings of Royal Albert Hall.

The music was experimental and meant to represent the meeting of Eastern and Western culture, thus the name Silk Road Ensemble. The show opened quietly with musicians on either side of the stage playing bamboo flutes. Then some eastern style music was played on western instruments. Yo-Yo Ma performing on his cello which has made him world famous.

The composers talked about each selection played. Many of the songs were old and told stories of war or heartbreak. Sometimes the music was interrupted by the beating of drums. At one point there was even a long solo of a man slapping his chest, cheeks and legs to create rhythm and beats.

Yo-Yo Ma was upbeat and friendly with the audience who were very appreciative of his performance. It was an exciting show and definitely one of the highlights of stay in London so far.

Fireworks on the Thames

2009-09-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

It felt like the 4th of July or New Year's Eve. Although it was just a normal Sunday night and I was tired. Standing on The Waterloo Bridge overlooking the Thames with the first bit of Autumn cool setting in and fireworks in the air against the backdrop of St. Paul's and the Gerkin made for a special moment in London.

Dover

2009-09-13T11:14:00.001-07:00

♫Here on these cliffs of Dover
so high you can't see over♫

The above lyrics are taken from a Decemberists song. I couldn't get the song out of my head as I traveled to Dover on the English channel.

The castle on the white chalk cliffs of Dover is strategically located to protect England from invasion and just 17 miles from France. As a matter of fact when one climbs to the top of the keep you can see France off in the distance on a clear day. The castle dates back to the earliest Roman settlements in Britain, it was stormed by William the Conquerer and his men in 1066 and late played a key role in defending England from German attack during World War II. The cliffs are steep and white like chalk. Against the frigid blue waters of the English Channel they are breathtaking.

Canterbury Cathedral

2009-09-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

The see of the Anglican Church. Even before the protestant reformation and the split with Rome that took place under Henry VIII Canterbury was the center of English Christianity. It is also a bit of a symbol of the struggle between the Church and Crown as martyrs like Thomas Beckett and Thomas Cranmer held the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. Today Rowan Williams holds the post and Canterbury is the center of attention in the Christian world as the Anglican Communion around the world struggles to define itself. The destination of the pilgrimage made in The Canterbury Tails it was an honor to visit Canterbury.

A Walk through the English Countryside and a Castle

2009-09-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday my roommate and I set out on a great adventure to see the Bodiam Castle. It is a well preserved English Castle built by a Lord in the 1300s and located near the site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. This Castle is not located near a train station and therefore requires either a car or a long walk...

We got off the train as near as possible to the Castle in Robertsbridge

Robertsbridge is a charming little English town...

We walked past a field and breathed in the fresh air...

An old church where a wedding took place...

Over a babbling brook...

More open fields and farms...

we were actually a bit lost in the woods...

Out into a clearing and around the bend...

Finally the castle http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-bodiamcastle

On the way back we walked past The Castle Inn.

Then we walked over a bridge...

past an old graveyard...

We were soooo hungry so we stopped at one of the fifty best Pubs in England and ate a wonderful handmade pizza...

we washed down the Pizza with a Pint of Harvey's Bitter.

Then we were back in Robertsbridge and we walked past a cricket match...

then back to the train station!

Borough Market

2009-09-04T13:01:00.001-07:00

Sensory overload today at The Borough Market. Large pots of Thai food,fresh fruits and vegetables, wines, cheeses, baked breads and pastries, olives from Greece and Italy, Fresh cut flowers, juices, oils, oysters, chocolate and fresh berries. I don't think I can write any more I am making myself too hungry.

Smart Boards at The Study Centre

2009-09-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

One of my tasks at work is to make a video on how to use The Smart Board technologies in the classroom. SmartBoards are fun and easy to use. Essentially it is like having a large computer on the wall that you can use with your finger as the mouse. You can also draw with your finger on a web page, erase things with your palm and watch videos. You can import images, save maps etc. It can be a very valuable teaching tool and just extremely fun to use. I have already made some video footage demonstrating how to use the SmartBoard but I was tired on that day and the lighting was poor so I think that I am going to redo it. One of the tricky thing was converting the footage from the mini DVD in the camera to the MPEG4 format but I was able to get it done. I am using Windows Movie Maker which is not as fun to use as Imovie but both products are free and I think it is important for me to learn to use both Windows and Apple programs.

Also notice the beautiful chandelier and molding on the roof of this classroom. The FSU Study Centre truly has a fabulous building in a very central location. I am fortunate to be working here.

Camden Market

2009-09-01T00:57:00.001-07:00

"Punk's not Dead" in Camden

West African Food at the Camden Market

Yesterday was Bank Holiday in England and I had a very good day. While most people were at The Notting Hill Carinval, I avoided the crowds and had coffee with a wonderful person that I met at the ATLA conference and who is the director of a Theological Library in Chicago. She is the editor of a journal to do with Theology and Librarianship and I am going to try my hand at writing a book review. What I enjoyed most was the coffee and conversation, however.

Later I headed up to The Camden Market for some street food. Camden is sort of a bohemian, multicultural, goth, punk, slightly dirty, slightly seedy, artsy part of London. The market is located right next to the Canal and occupies a large building that looks like horse stables. The food is hot, ready, ethnic and not too expensive. You can get everything from Thai, Brazilian, Lebonese, African and on and on. I got some food to go and then sat by the water to read a book and enjoy it. Oh yeah and I saw a few Punks as you can see in the photo at the top but this is not an unusual sight in Camden and North London.

Cambridge

2009-08-29T14:55:00.001-07:00

King's College Cambridge

The other side of King's College from afield

Today my colleague and I, the other intern Ginger, went to visit someone who is actually in the FSU library program and currently lives and works in Cambridge. She is employed at one of the faculty libraries. It was nice to hang out with two other library school students in Cambridge. We visited most of the major colleges and King's College Chapel. It seems that the history of King's College is deeply rooted in the end of the war of roses and the unification of the House of York and the House of Lancaster. The magnificent chapel seen in the pictures above was largely built during the reigns of Henry VII and VIII to celebrate the Tudor dynasty.

The first college that we visited was Emmanuel. It was small but picturesque and outside was the Cam with Ducks resting by the water. We also saw many punts, or small boats going down the river. Punting is a tradition in both Oxford and Cambridge where boats are guided along the shallow river by large sticks. As I hear it is quite hard and the water is very cold. We saw a drunken student enjoying the holiday weekend, but drinking and punting don't mix as he fell in the water.

Punting on the Cam

Later we visited Trinity Collge, the wealthiest of the colleges.

At St.John's College there was a wedding party. They were taking pictures and the men were dressed in full military dress with swords drawn as you can see in the picture below.

The trip to Cambridge was overall one of my favorite days in England so far. The weather was nice, I was with good company and I ate good food all while seeing one of the world's most historic and prestigious university towns.

Monmouth

2009-08-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

A perfect Flat White

This morning on my way to Cambridge we stopped at Monmouth Coffee for a "flat white". A flat white is an espresso drink like a Cappuccino but with less milk. It is a great way to start the day and in my opinion Monmouth is the best coffee in London. The company first began roasting select coffee beans on Monmouth street and now has a few shops in London but provides coffee to other choosy coffee shops and food lovers around the city. Later today, in Cambridge, I came across the name of Geoffrey of Monmouth who was a British clergyman and historian. I am assuming that Monmouth Street was named after him and in return Monmouth coffee was named after the street.

http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/

Dylan Photos from '66

2009-08-22T09:49:00.001-07:00

So apparently Barry Feinstein became the official photographer for the Dylan tour that made it's way through England in 1966. I read that Dylan actually became comfortable with Feinstein and allowed him to capture the entire tour. The photo on this poster outside of The National Portrait Gallery was among the photos taken by Feinstein and it was also used as the cover for Martin Scorsese's documentary entitled No Direction Home. If you saw No Direction Home then you know that Bob could be snarky with fans, the media and the press but supposedly he was not that way with his photographer. Dylan is captured on photo in Birmingham, Sheffield, Liverpool, London and other places in the UK.

On that tour, Dylan would open with an acoustic set and then his band would come on stage and they would break out the electric guitars and play songs like, Just like Tom Thumbs Blues and Like a Rollin' Stone. Supposedly in London someone shouted, "Judas" and Dylan replied, "You're lyin', I don't believe you" and just kept playing. There may not have been a more epic and remembered Rock n' Roll tour. Upon Dylan's return to the U.S. he was in a motorcycle crash and didn't play another show for 8 years. It was great to see the photograph prints up close.

Premiership Tropy

2009-08-21T04:54:00.001-07:00

Today I was at work and on my lunch break I walked just down the street to a newly remodeled Barclay's Bank. They were giving away free cupcakes, ice Cream, balloons and pictures with the English Premier Football League Trophy. This is the equivalent of having your picture taken with the Super Bowl Trophy.

Brighton and the Royal Pavillion

2009-08-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Brighton Ocean Front Properties next to a gorgeous park on a bright sunny day!

The Royal Pavilion

Brighton is located directly south of London on the English coast. The town is about an hours journey by train. It has a vital culture and many of the English travel to Brighton during the summer months for rocky beaches, good night life and good eating and dining. The name of the town literally means Bright Town.

Brighton also happened to be the Summer home of The Prince Regent who later became George IV in the late 18th century. The Prince fell in love with Brighton after visiting for the sea air that he was told might help with his Gout. He also used Brighton as a place to get away with his Catholic mistress whom he might have married in secret. The Prince Regent was fascinated by eastern architecture, particularly that of India. That is why his summer home, known as the Royal Pavilion, somewhat resembles the Taj Mahal. The entire city has this style of architecture running through it. Blended with a theme park, boardwalk and a spectacular Victorian flats it makes for a fascinating place to visit.

The Imperial War Museum

2009-08-16T22:51:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday afternoon I visited the Imperial War Museum on The South Bank. In general War Museums and cultural museums can be odd because of all of the strange attempts to recreate reality using mannequins, multimedia and other props. The British Museum has artifacts and the National Gallery has art hanging on the wall but The Imperial War museum, for example, has a recreation of "The Trench Experience". It was so bizarre, in a dark room one could walk through a world war I trench with English soldiers reading letters from home, a man being operated on, and a soldier advancing out of the line. An attempt was made even to recreate the smell of a World War I trench. It smelled something like a combination of Urine and Gunpowder. It really was fascinating and I really believe that Museums in London are among the best in the world and what is so amazing is that they are all free to visitors.

Hyde Park on a Lazy Saturday Afternoon

2009-08-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

I have joined the ALA and ACRL it looks as if I have passed my summer term courses, although there is still one assignment to be graded, and I have accomplished a few things at work. That being said, I am knocking on the door of getting my library degree, learning some valuable technical skills and gaining international experience. So why not read a book for pleasure and take a nap in Hyde Park on a late summer Saturday afternoon.

The Eye

2009-08-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

So one of the great things about the Internship that I am doing besides living in Central London, learning a lot and a tuition waver is that I get to go on all of the group excursions for free. The eye is like a big Ferris wheel that takes you high over London and allows you to observe the city from the sky. I didn't quite get the sense of satisfaction from the eye that I get from running up Primrose Hill but the view might be better and I may not have been able to afford the London Eye on my own. Above is London's famous Big Ben from the eye.

IT Intern making Videos!

2009-08-06T11:26:00.001-07:00

A Month in London

2009-08-03T11:09:00.001-07:00

I arrived on the morning of the 29th of June into Gatwick and obviously now one month has passed since that time. Summer courses are almost over and initially I felt like that completing the summer term was going to be one of the biggest challenges while I was here. During the summer I still have to attend class meeting and because of the time difference they meet at 1am until 3am and 11pm until 1am. This has not made life any easier as I adjusted to life in London but so far I think we are looking at a sucess. The assignments are finishing up nicely and I just need to attend class this last week.

On a career note, I finally joined the American Library Association as a student so that people will think that I am real librarian when I get my degree. I also joined the Association of College and Research Libraries as a student and I hope that this will prove to be money well spent.

This saturday I ran a 10K in gorgeous Regents Park and actually set a personal best time of 37:57. I have felt rested recently so that may have had something to do with but I have been eating lots of pastries and drinking plenty of full bodied english beer so I'm not sure where that came from but it was a blast. By the way I am not in the picture above but it was taken on the same course.

So I am finding my way around London, have found my favorite restaurants and musuems and will hopefully settle in for a sucessful time here.

The Cherry Orchard

2009-07-29T00:21:00.000-07:00

Last Night I went to see Anton Checkhov's The Cherry Orchard at the Old Vic Theatre. Ethan Hawke starred in this new version of the play by Tom Stoppard as part of The Bridge Project which is a cooperative effort between North American and U.K. Theatres. I have always had a lot of respect for Ethan Hawke as an actor and so it was fun to get to see him up close. I was impressed at the fluidity by which he said his lines and the rest of cast was strong as well. The play is a sort of social commentary on the decline of the Russian aristocracy at the end of the 19th century. At one point bright lights appeared on stage and armed guards in the distance to underscore that a passing beggar was actually an escapee of a labor prison.

The Old Vic was a great. It had three levels and balconies with a large glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The stage and lighting were not glamorous or spectacular. It was just good acting and play writing. And of course Ethan Hawke.

Here is a link to The Old Vic

http://www.oldvictheatre.com/whatson.php?id=47

Oxford

2009-07-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

Oxford (Christ's Church)

Window in Christ's Church in Honour of St. Catherine

Tea in Burton-on-the-Water

Today I visited one of Europe's oldest university towns, Oxford. The town where Thomas Becket was murdered and where Radiohead played their first show. I actually listened to In Rainbows on the way back and remembered just how good of an album it is. We stopped off in a small town called Burton-on-the-water to have tea with scones and cream. It was my first time away from London in almost a month and it was nice to get away.

My New Euro Kicks!

2009-07-20T01:47:00.000-07:00

We live in a global society and in a consumer culture everything is available everywhere all of the time. One can get Campers in Orlando by buying them online. Still, buying online is not the same as going in the store, trying them on and making the decision.On my way to Harrods Department store, which is absolutely amazing, I came across a Camper store. They are Spanish made shoes with funky designs supposedly made from sustainable materials. I just think that they have a cool look so I bought a pair. They are my sweet new Euro kickers!

Westminster Abbey

2009-07-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

This past Friday I went to evensong at Westminster Abbey. It really was awe inspiring to be in a magnificent cathedral hearing a service in a church that his been so important to history and to the history of the church. I think it was when I looked up to see the height of the ceiling was when I was most taken. Oh yeah, I got into trouble taking this picture, which I felt really bad about.

Neal's Yard Dairy

2009-07-16T23:23:00.000-07:00

As I was walking through Covent Garden yesterday I stumbled into this cheese shop and realized that it was the one that David, the library director, had recommended. Immediately this young woman behind the counter started handing me pieces of Goat's Cheese to try. Before I could even accept I was given two or three sample of marvelous cheese. Triple Creams, Hard Cheeses, Soft Cheeses, Aged Cheeses, Sheep's Milk Cheese, Real Cheddar from just south of here in Cornwall. Needless to say if you like cheese and you are in London then visit Neal's Yard.

A Good Cup of Coffee

2009-07-14T01:10:00.000-07:00

This mornings Americana at a nice little one owner place called Wild & Wood. They have a great looking Goat Cheese Quiche that I want to try as well.

Princi is this amazing Italina Bakery with great coffee.

A Cappucino from a chain called Cafe Costa (notice the cocoa is in the shape of coffee beans)

I know, I know the British are famous for drinking tea but I have found that there is some really great coffee in London. There is something about a great Latte or Cappucino that just sooths, takes the edge off and starts my day right. Today I went to this local place called Wild & Wood and had a great Americana. I think as the weather turns cool and then cold, cups of coffee and good books are going to be the things that I turn to.

My Favourite Pub in London

2009-07-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

The Princess Louise was featured on a tour and in the Time Out that I read on Pubs in the Bloomsbury neighborhood. This particular pub was an ornate interior of partitions made of intricately carved wood and colourful glass. It might not make the best use of space but it gives the pub an intimate feel. It is very close to The British Museum and London University and so is frequented by locals, professors and graduate students. It is a tied house meaning that it can only serve the product of one brewery. In this case the lack of variety is not a bad thing since they serve Samuel Smiths from Tadcaster, York. I have always loved their Oatmeal Stout and Nut Brown Ale. At the Pub they have Organic Cider and a great Bitter that is under two pounds per pint.

St-Martin-in-the-Fields

2009-07-11T23:39:00.000-07:00

The Church of St. Martin in the Fields once actually stood in a Field between the citizens of London and the citizens of Westminster but now it is in the heart of the city. It sits adjacent to The National Portrait Gallery on Trafalgar Square. It is world famous for great music. On Friday at 1pm they have free concerts and this past friday I went to hear an Opera concert. For me there is something so relaxing to step in from the busy city to hear music in a church. There were many classical works sung by a young Irish opera singer who was accompanied by a Spanish pianist. I would like to go back to St. Martin in the Fields for more great classical music.

Vespa

2009-07-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's that we are having such nice July weather here in London but I have seen so many Vespa's around. Traffic is so busy here in the city that I would think it dangerous. I mean everyone was worried about safety when I got my Vespa in Orlando and London seems far busier and the streets are far more confusing. Even so it makes me want a Vespa to wip around London on.

Somerset House

2009-07-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

The Spiral Staircase at Somerset House

Manet

Woman arranging flowers at the Somerset House

The Courtyard at the Somerset House

Today I visited The Somerset House on the Embankment of The Thames. I entered from the Thames side, passed through a cafe' area into a magnificent courtyard. On the other side of the courtyard was the building that houses the collection of paintings. There are several galleries and four floors with a winding staircase leading to each floor. I saw originals by Peter Paul Rubens, Modigliani, Botticelli, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Seurat to name a few. One of the most notable is A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Manet.It really is a charming place and the collection doesn't take all day to see. It is free on Mondays and so I plan to return.

British Library

2009-07-04T03:49:00.000-07:00

People studying in the British Library

The Stacks of Rare Books behind glass

The entrance to the British Library

As I understand it the Library of Congress gets a copy of most things published in the U.S. and so while it is one of the most important libraries in American it does not have a copy of everything. By law anything published in the UK must submit at least one copy to the British Library and so they have everything published in the UK. In addition it is a really incredibly, clean airy modern building with tons of rare books and a museum. The British Library is currently one of the most important libraries in the world. I was stunned to see things like an early copy of the Magna Carta and the original pages on which John Lennon composed the song yesterday. Even though it is one of the Beatles most popular songs it has always been one of my favourite.

Iconic Red Phone Booths

2009-07-03T05:09:00.000-07:00

There are a ton of little cliche' things that make London unique. Red double decker buses, the Tower, Big Ben and of course those red phone booths that are on the street everywhere catching your eye. This morning alone I saw a key chain with red phone booths, postcards with red phone booths and other various souvenirs of red phone booths. Ironically the phone booths are a thing of the past because I have yet to see anyone using one of them in a day and age when everyone has a wireless device. So the question is then, should the city of London leaves these things on the street? In all likeliness the red phone booths will stay but will be unused icons of a great city with a wealth of tradition.

The British Museum

2009-07-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

I visited the British Museum for a few hours this morning. I didn't get to the late European artifacts and things but I did see some really interesting Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Roman and Early British items. The museum is huge and crowded like the rest of the city. Even so there is a large open atrium in the middle that is well designed and gave me a feeling of peace. I just stood there in the center on the 3rd floor and looked down below and the people eating lunch or walking across the marble floor. There is a nice restaurant in The British Museum and maybe I'll get a chance to eat there while in London.

IT Intern

2009-07-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

This is the computer lab in the FSU London Study Centre Library. There are two other labs like this one.

This is David, The Library Directory and Ginger the Library Intern

It's my second day on the job. I am working from 12-9 in the tiny little library. I can tell that I am going to learn a great deal from working on the IT side of things. I am working on updating the web page using dream weaver to create and maintain PHP files. I am also trouble shooting laptop wireless connectivity issues. I am excited about getting this opportunity and If I can get a grasp of the job and find a way to make an impact here I think my time in London will be a success.

Wicked

2009-06-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

The stage where Wicked was performed

So I arrived safely in London at 8 am British Summer Time after a long overnight flight. Ginger, the other intern, and I hopped on the Victoria express for 16 pounds and then split a cab from Victoria to the Study Centre at 99 Great Russell Street. After a day of walking around, getting an Oyster card, an 02 cell phone plan, acquainted with the library and eating at a great inexpensive hummus place we went to see Wicked. The theatre was completely packed with roaring fans. It felt hot and stuffy inside and I was so tired that I kept nodding off. The play moved quickly, the story was interesting and the stage magnificent. The four hour event was over before I knew it and I went straight back and fell into a good peaceful sleep. Today I'm up and ready for my first day of work in the library.

Trips

2009-06-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

So I just visited the Ryan Air website and I was shocked to find out that my flight from London to Dublin would cost nothing. Of course by the time I payed for my flight back and taxes, fees etc. it came to a total of 38 pounds or something like that but I think I can swing it. So if it works out for me to train in London and to take off from work I really am going to try and pull this Dublin Marathon thing off.

Then I was thinking about my other trips. I really want to go to Paris and will make that a priority. Then yesterday a friend of mine wrote on my Facebook wall inviting me to visit him in St. Petersburg. This doesn't surprise me because he was a fellow seminarian and wanted to go to Russia to work in missions.

St. Petersburg Square at Night

So my three trips during this time could potentially be Dublin, Paris and St. Petersburg?

Dublin Marathon

2009-06-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

So I have been really thinking about running the Dublin Marathon while I am in the UK. For a while I was resolved that I would not run and instead focus on school and work and my time in Europe. Marathon training takes so much out of you. It changes all of your life patterns, your diet, sleep and social life. Since London is not until April I won't be able to do it but then I found out that Dublin is on October 26th three days after my birthday and I will have 4 months to train in London.

The Dublin Marathon shares some very important qualities with Boston. Both Marthons are run on a Monday. Both Marathons have late morning starts. Both Marathons are sponsored by Adidas. And finally, both Marathons take place in historically Irish Catholic cities. There is a big difference however, Dublin will be a flat loop (none of this heartbreak stuff) and on a cool 50 degree day I might just run well. Besides, Dublin is close to London and I have never been to Ireland.

This Blog's Title

2009-06-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

So London Calling is the third album by the British punk rock band The Clash. The album and the title track have been a huge hit and were both released the same year that I was born. Many of you have probably seen this poster around college dorm halls.

However, according to Jonathan Miller, the director of the Olin Library, a sort of English ex-patriot, and a great Librarian, the name also comes from the BBC calls made to continental Europe during the second world war. They would sign on with London Calling. When I was selected as the IT Intern at the FSU Study Centre in London I updated my status on Facebook with the phrase, London Calling, but never explained it. When I decided to start a blog to document and reflect on the next 6 months I thought it was appropriate to entitle the blog, London Calling. As it is now, I am still stateside and anxiously waiting on my Visa and wondering how everything will get done before now and my departure date of June 28. Still, London is Calling!