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Closure

For those of you who have read my blog, I feel it's only right to provide some type of closure to this European experience. (Sorry this is about a month late!)

Living in London for 4 months and being able to travel around Europe has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I would recommend everyone to do a semester of Study Abroad anywhere in the world. It is the best way to enjoy a new culture and make new friends.

Here are some more pictures from my travellings. I hope you enjoy them!

The Roman Colosseum. The greatest part of Rome, besides the gelato of course!


















The Sangrada Familia in Barcelona. The coolest church I've seen in all of Europe. It was designed by the great Gaudi but he died before its completion and the construction recently started again.

The beach in Mykonos is absolutely gorgeous! The water is crystal clear and the sand is so white. You can actually see the ocean floor and the fish swimming with you. ~sigh~ The east coastline will never be able to compete with the Mediterranean Sea.

Verona: City of Tragic Love

Verona is best known for the story of Romeo and Juliet and their tragic love story. It's a cute little town near Venice and is full of tourists looking for luck in their love lives.

Juliet's balcony and home are located in Verona, a site identified using clues from Shakespeare's play. People have left their love notes and wishes all over the walls and come here to ask Juliet for luck, a little ironic considering how the story ends. Legend has it that if you rub the breast of Juliet's statue outside the balcony, she will bring luck to your love life! Her house has been made into a museum, complete with a balcony so any girl can feel as loved as Juliet if even for a moment. It's a little disappointed that you're no longer allowed to write on the walls (you could be fined up to 1069 euros!) because the whole point is for people to leave signs of their love or ask for it. People aren't even allowed to leave letters anymore, but can buy locks that say "together forever" and hang them on a tree.

Romeo's house is a little less exciting. The only way to tell it's his house, is a sign on the wall. The property is most likely owned by someone who does not want people intruding and "defacing" the building.

Verona is also home to Juliet's grave. Along the water, there is a grave site that has a statue and a sculpture of Shakespeare, which represents her grave. This place is not as well known and a bit difficult to find but worth checking it for fans of the play.

Verona itself is a very small but cute city that only requires a few hours to do all the sightseeing activities. Most people don't add this city to their list of places to see but they should, it's the birthplace of one of the greatest love stories of our time.

Ciao Venezia

Venice is the one of the coolest cities in Italy. It's comprised of a series of islands sort of shaped like a spiral and there are canals everywhere. And the city is so small that it only takes about 30 minutes to walk from one end to the other. The city is a little scary when you first see it at night because all of the streets look like little alleyways but in the day you can see how pretty it actually is. The alleys and the small bridges that cross the canals give the city it's small-town like feel.

I had the best in Venice out of all of the cities I visited in Italy. There was something about the sauce that set it apart from all the others I've tried. Having dinner by the canal is definitely one of my favorite experiences. The food is just so fresh, you almost don't feel bad about eating all those carbs....But you have to top it off with some delicious gelato!

One of the main attractions is Ponte Rialto, a bridge crossing the Grand Canal that has a street market. Venice is known for its colorful masquearade masks that are worn during Carneval and you can find them at every souvenir shop in the city.

Its other main attraction is Basilica San Marco, a beautiful church located by the ocean. The churches in Venice seemed a little odd to me because they had an unusual amount of open space in the middle, it almost feels as if something is missing.

There's also another church on the island of San Giorgio. You have to take a water taxi there but the church is very pretty in its simple way, and the island gives a great view of the Venice city skyline.

There doesn't seem to be much to do in Venice, but the way the city is laid out, its houses, shops and markets made it the prettiest city I've seen in Italy.

Quest to Find the Wizarding World

How can I come to London and not try to find the places that inspired JK Rowling to write the Harry Potter books? 

I have tried searching for the Diagon Alley look alike since I first got here but there never seems to be a definite place that inspired this wizarding street. I went to Cecil Court by Covent Garden but the street didn't remind me of the movies at all. It is full of bookshops and art stores but none of the building seems to resemble anything you'd see in Diagon Alley. I also went to Goodwin's Court. This street is quite narrow but the building and the windows definitely have a Harry Potter feel to them. I definitely have to check out Leaden Hall Market, where the Diagon Alley scenes were filmed!

The place of the Leaky Cauldron has been changed over the course of the movies. One of its locations is a flower shop called Chez Michele in Borough Market. At first glance, you can't really tell that it's the same place but after a while you realize that with a makeover and the same paint job, the flower shop could be the Leaky Cauldron.

And of course I have seen the places over which Harry Potter and his guard fly on their broomsticks. They fly over the river near Westminster, showcasing Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The opening scene in the 6th movie shows the Death Eaters destroying a bridge, the Millenium Bridge which is also in the same area.

The best monument London has to Harry Potter is Platform 9 and 3/4. It's located at King's Cross Station just like the books but is a little tricky to find. But once you do find it, you can take pictures as if you are on your way to the Hogwarts Express!

Harrods: The Biggest Department Store Ever

I finally went to Harrods to see what all the fuss was about and now I understand. The building is a grogeous red-orange color with great architecture. From the outside, the store reminds me of the Macy's in Manhattan, with its green awning and decorated windows lining each wall of the building. But inside, Harrods is a world of its own.

It has a bakery section, where you can buy breads, muffins, cakes, cookies and so many different kinds of pastries. The candy section is full of Easter candy and has a delicious looking ice cream station. There's a section for wine and cheese and all sorts of different condiments. My favorite section is of course the chocolate and dessert section. In preparation for Easter, Harrods has many chocolate ducks and eggs. One of the eggs is big enough to fit inside a mini fridge! There are gift packagings that have Easter scenes all created with chocolate. Even if you're not one for sweets, this section is worth checking out just for its creativity.

Harrods also has the usual clothing and handbags sections, but another favorite of mine is the women's shoe section. You will find any type of heels here that you can think of. There are shoes with sparkling heels and shoes that look like mice. There's so many colors and brands, this section is definitely a girl's dream come true!

Another section worth checking out is the home decor section. Harrods has some of the most interesting lamps and chandeliers I've seen. Most are pure crystal and bring a warm atmosphere to the room.

I would say Harrods is more of a tourist attraction than an actual department store and it's so big that you can spend a whole day in there and still not see all of it. But it has some of the most interesting objects I've ever seen!

Portobello Market Street Food

This past Saturday I went to Portobello Market and I realized I should have been going there every weekend since I first came to London.

The market is located on Portobello Road, off of the Nottingham Hill Gate tube stop. I thought it was funny yet helpful that there are signs on every block giving directions to the market, but all you really have to do is follow the crowd.

The market is sort of like a flea market, with vendors in the middle of the street and cafes and antique stores lining the whole road. The vendors in the beginning are selling souvenirs and old looking signs, some of which are old advertisements or bumper stickers from back in the day. You can find wooden jewelry boxes, rhinestone decorated mirrors, and colorful feather earrings. I found very cute little souvenirs to bring back home for friends and family.

My favorite part about the market is the food. Portobello Market has some of the most delicious food I've had in London. There are vendors selling gelato, falafels and churros with chocolate. Seafood lovers can buy platters of seafood in a delicious sauce or try a seafood wrap with salad. There's also many vendors selling sweet and savoury crepes, but banana nutella crepes will always be my favorite! I also tried a cup of strawberries with some sweet cream ice cream on top, which is absolutely delicious and so refreshing on a sunny day. I'd definitely recommend going to the market with lots of people so you can try a little bit of everything, or you'll be full after your first treat and miss out on all that the market has to offer!

Spring in Hyde Park

Hyde Park is absolutely stunning in the Spring. There's finally green grass everywhere and the Rose Garden is full of colorful flowers. Even the fountains look more pretty simply because of the sunlight.

I took a walk around the eastern part of the park today, because I had only seen the western side, and was amazed to see the amount of people tanning there on a Friday afternoon. It's a great place to soak in the sun while reading a book or enjoying a cone of ice cream :)

One Day by David Nicholls

I've done a lot of reading since I've been in London and I thought it was only right to mention some of the books I've really enjoyed reading.

My favorite so far has been One Day by David Nicholls. It's about two friends who meet on graduation day in college and how their relationship develops over the year. The story takes snapshots of their lives on the same day every year, hence the title, and by the end of the book you realize the significance of that day.

I had read the book over winter break but realized I should probably read it again while I was here because the story takes place in the UK. I understood some of the slangs better and knew the places that are mentioned in London. It was just easier to relate to the second time I read it.

It's a really really good book; it had been on Barnes & Noble best seller list for a while and whether or not you know about London, it is definitely worth reading!

Harry Potter in Edinburgh

When I heard that JK Rowling used to write the Harry Potter books in a cafe in Edinburgh, I knew I couldn't leave Scotland without visiting it. The two cities are so close, travelling between them is like taking a train from Queens to upper Manhattan.

Edinburgh is bigger than Glasgow but still small enough so that everything is within walking distance. The city sort of looks like a valley, with a river in the middle and the city situated on the hills surrounding the river. It has some of the most amazing architecture I've seen. It's really strange seeing stores such as Top Shop and KFC in these ancient looking buildings. You have constantly have to look up so you can see the statues and sculptures decorating the city.

Back to Harry Potter. The cafe is called The Elephant House. It's a cozy little cafe known for its coffees and teas that also serves food and dessert. They have pictures up of JK Rowling writing the books. But the coolest part is the bathroom. One of the toilet seats has actually been changed to a Harry Potter themed seat. And people have left quotes and messages all over the bathroom walls. Some of my personal favorites are "Mischief Managed," "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death," and "I am not scared Harry, I am with you." Many people wrote to Rowling, thanking her for her story and changing people's lives. It almost reminded me of Oliver Wilde's tombstone in Paris, where people had written quotes and thanks all over it. It's amazing to see how many fans have come to the cafe simply because she used to write there. I wonder if she's ever been back and read all the messages?




One of the doors also has directions on how to find Thomas Riddell's grave in the cemetery nearby. His name is supposed to be the inspiration for Tom Riddle but I wonder if the name Lord Voldemort came to her mind first or if she used Thomas Riddell to come up with Tom Marvolo Riddle and then rearranged the letters to form I am Lord Voldemort? So many questions!