Sunday 19 June 2011

Late post...


June 11
Today my roommates took me to Portobello Market, this huge street market not too far from my flat. It's about a mile of antiques, clothes (ooh), jewelry (ahh), and food (yumm), all cheap and awesome. For lunch I bought a brie-and-tomato-and-basil crepe, a tub of delicious blackberries, and apple strudel (AMAZING), then a dress, necklace, and ring to top it all off. Good times.


June 12
Last night, after Port0bello market (and a nap), I visited the Tate Modern - London's version of the MOMA. It was free, which was neat, but I'm not such a fan of modern art. This ballet company was rehearsing on the bottom floor though, made for a good break.


June 13
I travel through Paddington Station every day. I love it - it's busy but not unmanageable. The other day I was feeling homesick so I stopped in McDonald's and got a chicken sandwich - I shouldn't have been surprised, but it wasn't the same! Haha, I shouldn't try to get American food in England, it's not gonna happen.


June 14
I have to feed myself for the first time here. I'm not doing so bad - I don't cook every night, but I do a lot of pasta-and-veggie dishes. Actually I eat a lot of fresh vegetables. This is an invention of mine - grilled cheddar and grape sandwich. Actually, delicious.


June 15
There was an airshow while I was at Portobello Market. Random but neat.

Oops!

June 7
Well they are very clear, at least.

June 8
This is from the "observation wheel" (ferris wheel) in Windsor with Claire. Everything in England is so quaint. Even in the city, there's an old cottage or church on every street.

June 9
I really like how the guards march. Like toys soldiers.

June 10
The key for my first apartment - who has keys like this anymore?

Monday 6 June 2011

London at last

June 4
Here I am on the steps of my new flat! It's beautiful and I love it. I'm in Paddington (like Paddington Bear stories), which is a beautiful neighborhood, living with two grad students. They're really nice girls, and they've offered to show me around a little this weekend.
(Sorry the picture is sideways)
June 5
I was on my own today so I went to Covent Garden to wander around. I love this area - really great shopping, really great food, pretty much everything that matters. The street performers have to audition and are assigned a time and place to perform, so they're all really good. This group of musicians was my favorite; they danced around and were very silly. I am going to be spending a lot of time in this part of the city.

June 6
Back to the workweek. Here is the beautiful window in my living room - it opens up onto a small flower-covered balcony overlooking the park. GORGEOUS!

Friday 3 June 2011

June 1
Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough
It is not fit for humans now
There isn't grass to graze a cow
Swarm over, Death!
--famous poem by John Betjeman about the city of Slough, where I am staying for the week (and working for the summer). It is pretty dreary, but I'm only here for a week so no worries!



June 2
They have escalators for grocery carts!



June 3
TGIF! I had a good first week and I'm looking forward to moving into my new London flat tomorrow.

The adventure begins!

May 27
My first European toilet! I've arrived!


May 28
Claire and I spent the day in London. We walked sooo far, but we got to see Hyde Park, Westminster Hall (including Big Ben), Buckingham Palace, Waterloo Bridge, and more. We had dinner at this tiny underground pub from the 1600s - delicious and very English!


May 29
Claire left early and I was on my own. I'm staying in Slough for the time being, on a sort of ugly road with a really adorable name.


May 30
At home it was Memorial Day, here it was a bank holiday. I didn't have work, so I familiarized myself with the company apartment in which I'm staying for the week. Not a lot to familiarize myself with.


May 31
My first day of work! I'm working at UCB Celltech, a midsized pharmaceutical with a big office in Slough, UK (about 40 minutes outside London). I'm doing a market research project for a new drug, as well as shadowing someone in the lab. Good stuff!