17. October 2009 - Bath and Stonehenge

We took a group trip with our professor to Bath and Stonehenge.

Bath was great--one can imagine the rich society members escaping from London to take a quite respite in the small(er) town.

In terms of the greenery and sculpted gardens, Bath reminded me a little bit of Zagreb.

Here are some topiary pigs in one garden. We couldn't figure out what was written in the hedges though...

There was an open-air exhibit in Bath, all around the abbey and by the Roman Baths. Huge aerial photographs of the Earth. It was wonderful-- really, really cool.

Solar panels were featured in one photograph-- the end result kind of looked almost like a quilt.

A line of camels in the desert, complete with shadows.

A glimpse of the interior of the abbey.

There was an exhibit of a local artist, who created the story of Christ in sets of panels: illuminations and quilts. The colours and textures were amazing-- so detailed and complex. She integrated all sorts of materials into the quilts as well, from coins to feathers.

The abbey in Bath from the outside.

The Royal National Hospital.

Bath is situated on the side of a hill, and the streets continue up, seemingly forever. They are filled with street markets, museums, and residential buildings, all decorated with colourful shutters and window boxes of flowers.

A set of apartments, situated around a circular park.

Another view of the abbey.

We left Bath and headed to Stonehenge. Along the way, we passed the Westbury White Horse, a huge horse of chalkstone on the side of a hill. One of many white horses in the UK, thought to have Celtic roots.

Stonehenge. An astronomical calender at one point, a money-making scheme today. Stonehenge cycles tourists through, like it's no one's business.

The stones almost looked fake. But gorgeous nonetheless.

The weather was rather stormy, but it was nice to walk all the way around Stonehenge, to see it from all sides and angles.

Here's the Heelstone of Stonehenge (hi ASTR 3-ers!). On the summer solstice, the sun rises right behind it. I thought I'd be clever, and hold up my heel in front of it, but clearly, I overestimated my abilities. Here is a heel (mine) in front of the Heelstone, falling over.


There was a large field across from Stonehenge, filled with sheep, cows, etc. We went on a walk through the hills and dales (dales?), and tried to make friends with the sheep. We failed, but at least we didn't get kicked out of the commons for chasing the animals, like another member of our group.

14. October, 2009 - London

I walked through Holborn, towards the British Museum.

12. October, 2009 - Westminster

I went down towards Parliament in the early evening, for an event at the House of Commons.

When I arrived by Westminster Abbey, there were crowds of people–more so than usual–milling around by the guarded walls and gates of Parliament. I couldn't figure out what was going on, and then I looked up.

Apparently, there were about 30 people from Greenpeace who had climbed up onto the roof eaves and were protesting from atop Parliament. With the negotiations in Copenhagen looming ahead, they were protesting (I think) Britain's policies on climate change. I'm not sure whether Greenpeace did this deliberately to generate more notice, but the shade of the banners and the vests worn by the protesters exactly matched the shade of green vests worn by the capitol police.

11. October, 2009 - Brick Lane

Instead of taking the tube to Brick Lane, this Sunday we decided to walk.

We walked all the way to Aldgate, and passed some striking sights along the way. Here's yet another clock.

All the building in this part of town seem to be grey grey grey, with occasionally a few flashes of colour thrown in for good measure. This was one of those flashes of colour, amid the shades of stone.

Sometimes the trees or greenery provided the colour, as happened here. The Gherkin ist im Hintergrund.

We hadn't been to Brick Lane itself on a Sunday morning (um, afternoon), and so we were shocked at the difference in level of busyness. People were literally lining the street, selling EVERYTHING. For cheap cheap cheap.

All the cool people in London, it seems, come here on Sundays. Literally. I tripped over the pavement several times because I was gawking at some sculptural coat or woolen headpiece. This woman was wearing ankle boot (sorry for the blurriness) and had tied a silk scarf around one of her ankles, and layered studded cuffs around the other ankle. It was such an intriguing idea–I certainly had never thought of it.

It's great to wander down through the Lane and talk to the people selling their wares–usually they're just chilling or playing music or chatting with their neighbors. Despite the crowds of people, the scene is remarkably relaxed.

Apparently, when you no longer have a big enough closet, what do you do? Sell your stuff on Brick Lane.

I had to add this–for RG–they are everywhere.

And for M. We found Swedish cookies in an India grocery store in Bangla-Town in London.

8 October, 2009 - Westminster

I decided to explore around the LSE campus, to poke around Westminster beyond the academic buildings and student markets.

This is Somerset House, a stately building right on Victoria Embankment. During the lunch hour, the terrace is swarming with people–eating, drinking, smoking, escaping from the offices and courts which seem to run Westminster.

There is a slight hill, which runs from Fleet Street down to the Embankment. The colours and detail of the rowhouses–it reminds me of San Francisco, although the slope is not nearly as steep. Still, the texture of the buildings here is something I have not gotten used to or tired of seeing.

A view of the Royal Courts of Justice, as well as a church in Westminster, could be seen stretching above the treeline as I walked up from the Thames.

The Royal Courts of Justice always seem to have loads of paparazzi and cameramen and journalists lingering outside on the pavement (which, as I learned from a gentleman in Camden, is how the British refer to the sidewalk). Apparently, any trial involving significant persons or famous people ends up here. Clearly, any tabloid worth their salt are more than aware of this. Every time I walk by, I have to pass through a thick cloud of cigarette smoke, and on top of of this, I nearly trip over approximately three or four camera/microphone cords. My day will come soon, I am certain...

Twinings' Tea–classic, savory, delicious. And cute premises, to boot.

Walking to LSE (or back towards Chancery Lane), one passes multiple clocks.

This is good news for me, for as previously stated (http://09springberlin.blogspot.com/2009/05/3-mai-2009-dresden-germany.html), I am obsessed with them.

Also on the way home, one passes this statue. We haven't figured out exactly what it is or what it represents. But I like the way the dragon (or mythical being) on top looks amid the sky and the shop fronts and the lights of Westminster.

London has many little roads and alleys that are just for pedestrians. They remind me a little bit of the Public Alleys in Boston, but these tend to be even more interesting. This one has Ye Olde Mittre within its depths, one of the oldest pubs in London.