London via Coach Bus

FIE arranged a coach bus tour of London for us on Saturday (5-Spet) afternoon.  Driven by Paul and narrated by Pamela, I was lucky enough to snag my choice seat in the front so I had front and side window view!  (Being in the front not only served well for soaking it all in, but also for listening to P & P bicker in British, and get my inquiries answered!)

It was a great way to see all of the sights…for a brief, fleeting, glass window/tree obstructed second.  I tried to take the best pictures possible, but a lot of the moments passed and many of the identifications and information went over my head.  Above all, it was overwhelming…but in a good way — I saw how much there is to see and explore, and there is a ton of it!

The route:

The tour’s absolute aim was to see as many of the quintessential landmarks as possible while hitting the least amount of traffic.  The Thames served as our guide as we zig-zagged across it and followed its banks, weaving through the West End and the City of London.

The photos below are being documented as my first glances at the city.  I can guarantee improved images and captions in the future when I return to the areas!

Although the coach bus medium wasn’t ideal for taking pictures of the city, it was for mapping it.  I definitely feel like my conception of London has improved.  It was a prime pace and flow to see how the city is planned.  Many striking similarities emerged with New York, from infrastructure to attractions to tourists, and it definitely got my brain working in the Urban Studies grove.  A native New Yorker and isolated traveler, my only previous first-hand comparisons to draw were between the Big Apple and Walt Disney World; I am thrilled to be able to add London to my repertoire and look forward to exploring it more–for pleasure and for analyzing–throughout the semester.  This grand-scheme approach has been serving me well; I am finding that I like to survey areas at large before diving into their intricacies.

Published in: on September 7, 2009 at 11:05 pm  Comments (2)  
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The (Royal) Neighbo(u)rhood

I can’t even begin to express how lucky I am to be living where I’m living.  Manson Place is in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, one of only two in London (the other being Kingston).  The royal is definitely evident.  All of the international consulates are here and subsequently the ambassadors live in the area.  Princess Diana’s local pizzeria is around the corner, as is the club where her two (handsome) sons frequent!  The French School is also located here, and the French influence is definitely present.  To keep the proper peace, 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. are designated quiet hours.  We are also right next to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens and the area is full of historical sites!

FIE has been doing a fantastic job of setting us up with tours of the area, and every single guide I’ve had so far always mentions how lucky we are with our location — most aspire to live here but very few can (extremely expensive-thank god for being a subsidized student-but unique in how residential it is for central London).  Think the Upper East Side…but on European steroids.

How I’ve explored it:

1) Excursions with my fellow Vassar students (Mike, Sarah, Lauren and Avey)

2) Thursday – local amenities tour guided by my FIE Residential Life Supervisor (RLS)

3) Friday – walking tour guided by a registered London tour guide, Margaret

Here are a bunch of pictures for you to get a feel, gathered from our independent outings and the Saturday morning walking tour:

Needless to reiterate, I am extremely lucky to live here.  It may not be the edgiest or happening part of town, but it sure is beautiful and one of the safest.  I don’t mind traveling to find a bustling nightlife if I get to come home to this!

Published in: on September 6, 2009 at 8:12 pm  Leave a Comment  
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