[P] London. August 2nd - August 13th.

During my last two weeks in London I: climbed to the very top of St. Paul's Cathedral,

saw the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London,

visited and attended a service at Westminister Abbey,

took a daytrip to Oxford,

explored Kew Gardens,

had tea at Kensington Palace,

and visited Abbey Road.

Thanks for everything London! I miss you already.

[P] Edinburgh. July 31st - August 1st.

We took an early morning train from King’s Cross to Edinburgh, Scotland for a jam packed two days. 

Our first day we walked the Royal Mile, visited St. Gile’s Cathedral, climbed Arthur’s Seat, and climbed Calton Hill to visit the National and Nelson’s monuments. 

We divided the next day between visiting Edinburgh Castle, which houses the Scottish Crown Jewels or the Honours of Scotland, and Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the monarch of Scotland. Unfortunately, we never saw any Highland cows but we had a great view of sheep and the sea from our train windows.

[P] London. July 23rd - July 30th.

The first session of class has ended bringing much celebration. The night after our final we made reservations at the the Absolut Ice Bar. A bar that is kept below freezing where the bar, cups, and other items are all made of ice. You're also given poncho with a furry hood and gloves to keep warm. A free drink is included in the price and I got the one that glows in the dark - it tasted like gummy worms.

The next day I went to the Tate, a museum of contemporary art, by way of the Millennium Bridge over the River Thames. It is definitely my favorite so far. That night we went to the much talked about Ministry of Sound, famous for being the first club in London dedicated to house music and ranked in the top 10 in the world. I was pleasantly surprised to find Bob Sinclair in one of the rooms, who I recognized from a song a friend put on a mixtape for me (see video below).

Bob Sinclar - World Hold On video clip

The second session then began and I started my Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development class. It is much easier and enjoyable. During the first week I slipped away after and between classes to the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.

[A] July 23: Porquerolles/Goodbyes

Porquerolles was the perfect cap to my Vanderbilt-in-France program. An island near the French Riviera accessible only by boat with long, sandy (the first so far) beaches that underline a crystal clear ocean, Porquerolles might as well not be real.

After a two hour bus ride and 20 minute ferry, we arrived at the island, where it was sprinkling a bit. Maite did not take kindly to this, and suggested that we all get a coffee while the weather cleared. the plan worked well, and after about 40 minutes we were headed first to get sandwiches, and then to the Plage de Notre Dame, the largest and most popular beach on the island. Nonetheless, probably due to the weather, there was plenty of open space at the beach, which extended for about a half of a mile.

The water was a perfect warm, as the temperature had not yet risen after the rain. There was also a consistent wind that made staying underwater all the more appealing. The water remained shallow over the sandy beach for about 50 yards- perfect for playing in the water. Jeff had brought a frisbee, which became a focal point for the rest of beach time. The waves were not large as we were facing the mainland, but were not negibile by way of the headwind. The scenery was blissful. I stayed in the calm sun for about 3 hours before going in search of food with Kate, Julie, and Essie. What I found were fresh shrimp cooked à la Provençal, one of my favorite regional dishes. After lunch we had a gelato and foudn the ferry. The ferry ride home was tumultuous, to say the least. At one point the boat of four hundred people was fully airborne on account of the rough surf. Some embraced it, some were duly terrified.

Back at home it began to sink in that the program in France was coming to an end. I had taken my two finals on Thursday, for 201W and 214 (or so stipulates my operating theory- my course names have never truly been concrete). I had packed. But I had not admitted that it was over. Now I know, as I sit in the apartment alone, Brian having left early this morning, that closing time is upon me. My mother, sister Hannah, and her boo Jarrett are en route from Paris to join me in Aix, from where we will enjoy a week in the southwest, after which I head home for a few days to procure a visa for my Italy program. My travels are far from over, but this chapter is. It was everything I had hoped for- a relaxing way to gain proficiency in a third romance language. And, of course, much more. It is firmly okay with me to think that I could one day return to live in Provence. Until then, I will try to appeciate the rest of the world.

On to the next,
Alex

[A] July 15-18: London

My trip to London was the first time I had ever traveled internationally alone, but more notably, the first time I had seen Pomai in over six weeks. A thursday night flight from Marseilles, repeatedly delayed, got me in very late to Stansted Airport, about an hour by train to the city. I had booked a hotel room, luckily, in Stansted but did not arrive there until 1:30 am. The next morning my request for a wake up call was casually denied, and I arrived in London at 10:15 instead of 8:45 as planned. Nonetheless, Pomai and I made good use of the day, heading to the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square, Picadilly, Covent Gardens, and exploring her campus area. As she went to class I checked into my room. Friday night we went out with a few of her friends to Indian food and two school-subsidized pubs. I have a newfound appreciation for Pimms.

Saturday Pomai and I went to My Old Dutch for pancakes and waffles before heading to Hyde Park, Kensington, and Notting Hill, where I showed her sights from my March trip to visit my Uncle Josh and Aunt Jacki. That night we went to dinner in Bloomsbury and a few more pubs with a few more friends. We both left London early Sunday morning, and I made it home with little fuss but much remorse for having spent only a weekend among many in London with Pomai. It is safe to say that I miss her. And, as is expected, she took the good pictures, so reference her post below for visuals.

From France,
Alex

[A] July 14- Avignon and Pont du Gard

Our last Wednesday excursion was to Avignon, home to the popes during the Babylonian captivity of the papacy in the greater part of the 14th century, and to Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct turned footbridge turned riverbank beach site.

Our first activity after the hour bus ride was to get on the Pont d'Avignon, a bridge made famous by a song that I assume was thought to be common knowledge. It speaks of dancing on the bridge. No explanation is given as to why one must dance on this stunted, half effective bridge between Papal and French territory. Nonetheless, there was had a short dance. More of a circular movement, really.
We then moved into the walled old town and toured the Papal Palace, more like a fort in its design. As it turns out, French monarchs do not take kindly to papal wealth on their Provençal borders. The primary issue in the construction of a new holiest pace on earth was the placement of yeomen turrets. And the money. The palace having been destroyed in every major and minor conflict in the last 600 years and rebuilt all the same, the original artwork of the Siennese masters was for the most part to be imagined. Indeed the palace is now presented as a series of concrete walls and a few elevated ceilings. There was, however, a modern art exhibit that was strangely and creatively placed throughout the castle. The elephant in the above picture is of the same artist. After our 1.5 hour tour, we found lunch at a guide-recommended restaurant. I had an omelette. Julie found two (2) sno-globes in Avignon! Victory.

We took the bus to the Pont du Gard, just outside of Nimes and, naturally, Gard. It was an impressive structure. The original aqueduct stretched fifty kilometers and maintained a slope of a perfect 1 centimeter in 500. That, to me, was an unfathomable feat. Out tour of the aqueduct, turned footbridge out of disrepair, took us to the original top level. We had great views of the small river valley and of the tempting beach area below. We were eager to cool off, and thus raced into the river as soon as given the opportunity. The area was very beautiful, and we were lucky to have another nice day in Provence. We took the bus home later than usual.
A

[P] London. July 16th - July 18th.

This past weekend was wonderful for several reasons. First and foremost, Alex came to visit me!  We went to the National Gallery, ate Indian food, walked through Hyde Park, and experienced some of the local nightlife. I was just happy to be around my favorite person.

Early Sunday morning I said goodbye to Alex and hello to a bus trip outside of London. Our first stop was Windsor Castle, the Queen's favorite weekend home, where we walked through the grounds and the State Rooms. Next was the city of Bath where we visited the Roman Baths, tried some of the famous water, and walked through the city to find lunch. Finally we stopped at Stonehenge. Luckily, the weather was gorgeous and we sat outside enjoying the view.