"Local Adventures" - Soho

Since my stay here in London, I have walked through Soho a few times mostly just to get to another part of the city. I've never had the time or the need to stop and take pictures of this area. Last week, I decided to take a few shots of the area while I was running an errand. These are just snip-its of one little section.

Soho is very unique and different. It is the theatre district, but it is also home to a lot of cheap costume shops and weird pubs. At the time that these photos were taken, there was a food market set up on the streets. Vendors were selling everything from "exotic" fruit (like oranges and avocados) to curry dishes.

^^If you look closely, you can see the Union Jack streamers above the streets.^^

^^Hey, look! Exotic fruit!^^

^^One of the many productions that I want to see while I'm here.^^

Hampton Court Palace Vol. II

Check here for more info about my trip and the historical background here!

 

^^All of the tapestries in the palace are washed in a giant, special washing machine on the grounds. Apparently, tapestries are sent all around the world to Hampton Court for restoration and to be cleaned.^^

^^"Um, hi! King Henry? Can we... um... take a picture? Please?"^^

^^My flatmate found the ghost of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's 5th wife.^^

When it snows at the museum...

...the school children play in the forecourt,

artists create snow sculptures to promote the new Ice Age exhibition,

tourists slip on the heavily iced pavement (unfortunately),

and the museum looks absolutely magical!

^^Since it gets dark here at like 4:00, I get to see this everyday after work. The picture doesn't do it justice. This place is absolutely beautiful at night.^^

Hampton Court Palace Vol. I

One of our trips through the study abroad program was to Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle (which I will eventually get to...). Of course that was on the same day that it snowed like four inches and the entire city went crazy. Like I said before, London was not meant to handle even a light dusting of snow. But, I absolutely loved the snow at Hampton Court. There was something about the snow that made the palace come to life. The only downside with the snow was that parts of the palace and gardens were closed to the public. This just means that I will have to make a second trip just to see what I've missed. I'm totally okay with that!

Hampton Court was a place of residence for King Henry VIII and his infamous brides. The Great Hall inside the palace is the Uk's last surviving medieval hall. It was used by William Shakespeare's company in their performances for James I. The kitchens were designed to feed Henry's court (about 600 people) twice a day.

 

^^There were some really creepy wooden figures in the courtyards. They just looked sad and pathetic in the snow.^^

"Local Adventures" - Chinatown

One of the perks of living in the Study Centre is that Chinatown is only a few blocks away. All of my flatmates wanted to get some really good Chinese food for dinner. Mission: accomplished! I had some of the best sweet and sour chicken I've ever had. After dinner, we walked around and found a small Chinese market that sold all types of Chinese candy and a lot strange things. A few of us bought some things and tried new foods. It was all part of the experience, so we thought "why not?"

^^And on our back, we found Liam Gallagher from Oasis. My flatmate really wanted a picture, so this is what she got. I think she is very happy with it!!^^

"Local Adventures" - Notting Hill

This past Wednesday, I went to the BUNAC (my Visa sponsor) offices in Notting Hill for an intern orientation. Since I do not live close to Notting Hill, I decided to make a little adventure out of this errand. I gave myself plenty of time to walk around and snap a few pictures here and there. Unfortunately the meeting was at 6:00pm, so it was already dark by the time I stepped out of the tube (it starts getting dark around here at like 4:30!!). I made a mental note to come back during the daytime because it was such a quaint and beautiful area. Now when I think of Notting Hill, the movie with Hugh Grant comes into mind. I was kinda hoping to come across the blue door from the movie, but that never happened. Instead, I saw a lot of antique stores and small shops selling all types of art. Like most parts of the city, there is a mixture of old and new. You could be walking alongside a row of townhouses that look a few hundred years old, and then come across a giant, modern fashion store with huge t.v. screens flashing advertisements at you. Anyway, here are a few shots from the small section of Notting Hill that I got to see.

 ^^This little pub with all of the greenery on it happens to be a very famous and historic (built 1750s!) pub here in London. Apparently, Churchill's grandparents came to this place often. So after WWII, the pub was renamed Churchill Arms.^^

^^My first encounter with the poppy wreaths.^^

^^This is an entrance to St. Mary Abbots Church.^^

^^I have seen so many of these flower stands on the streets of London. I just can't imagine all of the flowers there will be when springtime hits the city.^^

When it snows in London...

...all of the locals freak out,

public transportation nearly comes to a stop,

schools, shops, and tourist attractions close,

and everybody has a sour look on their face.

All for a little snow flurry.

But not us! 

We enjoyed the snow even though we had to walk through it all day on our excursions and were informed with the news of Windsor Castle's sudden closure because of the weather. 

Oh, yes. It was cold. 

But we kept calm and carried on. 

^^Two of my flatmates and I outside of Hampton Court.^^