Rachel's Summer Abroad

July 3, 2015  London, England

PKP Day Trip to London

Cambridge took us on a day trip to London on the first Friday of the program for a field trip. In years past, the program has traveled to Edinburgh, but for reasons unknown, we visited to London. 

We left Cambridge at around 8:30 in the morning and arrived in London close to 11. My friends and I sped walked from the London Eye (where we were dropped off) to Buckingham Palace and made it just in time to watch the guards walking past during the Changing of the Guards. The Changing of the Guards is a ceremony when the new guards enter and “change” places with the old guards. It takes place everyday during the summer and every other day during the winter. I would recommend getting here early! I came with my mom a week before PKP and even though we came at 10:45, we couldn’t get a place to stand in front of the palace. My mom was talking to security and an officer said that it’s best to come earlier during the week. That said, I was still got close enough to selfie with the guards!

After we headed to a microbrewery/ pub called The Phoenix. I had a chicken panini, which was a tad disappointing. The bacon in England and most of Europe is similar to Canadian bacon. It’s more like strips of thinly cut ham than crispy American bacon. 

Next we walked to the Portrait Gallery on Trafalgar Square. Again, I love impressionist/ post-impressionist art, so I headed straight for the Van Gogh and Monets. A couple of my friends and I went on an architecture/ art tour and it was fantastic. It was free and I would highly recommend it. Our docent was knowledgeable and thoroughly explained the history of the museum and the painting techniques used. Did you know that blue was the most expensive color to make during the dark ages/ Renaissance? So when you see Jesus, Mary, and other important figures dressed in blue, note a lotttttt of money went into that painting. Also! You can tell when a painting is the real version or a copy if you can notice the painting errors where the painter may have painted over to fix his/ her mistakes or wanted to start over. 

We spent about two hours at the Portrait Gallery before we left. We walked through London’s West End to the British Museum. This museum holds a variety of artifacts, including the Rosetta Stone and an extensive collection of Roman and Greek artifacts. We took a break to enjoy tea and cake (and it was sooooooo good!). 

Our day ended with a trip around the London Eye. Even though it was around 7:30 pm, the sun was out and shining! I visited the London Eye with my brother a week before and even though we came at opening time (10:30), it was just as bright.  

This week marks the third week of the program...meaning I’m halfway through the first “module” or semester. In actual school year terms, this would be October-ish. I had my Bloomsbury course midterm today, and even though it was more of a quick evaluation than anything else, it was a clear reminder that time is flying by. The course itself is picking up too! I’m actually doing school work after two weeks of playing. According to the great economist Sam Levering, “work hard, play hard,” right? 

I had a three day weekend this past weekend so I traveled up to Edinburgh, Scotland, with a few friends. I’ll post a more in-depth photoset later, but Scotland is so beautiful! It was never at the top of my “must see places” list, but I’m so happy I went. Sure, Scotland is synonymous with bag pipes, kilts, and Scottish terriers, but DID YOU KNOW that you also owe these pretty cool things to Scotland, specifically Edinburgh?

your TV

penicillin 

Dolly the sheep 

CAPITALISM (yes, capitalism, shout out to Adam Smith)

Harry Potter, specifically Voldemort, Moody, McGonagall, Diagon Alley, and Hogwarts 

July 4, 2015 (my favorite holiday!!!) London, UK 

This first weekend (of the program), I took the train into London to see Carsten Holler’s Decision at the Southbank Centre. My friends and I barely made the 9:14 express train from Cambridge to King’s Cross, then ran into some drama while trying to get to the Southbank Centre. Important lessons learned: 1. You need an Oyster card for everything transportation-related in London. Even the cute red double-decker buses do not accept change. 2. Give yourself plenty of time. 

Our tickets were for 11:00 am, and we made it to the Southbank Centre (just in between Waterloo Bridge and the London Eye) by 11:20. Once we entered the building, we were prompted with our first decision--whether to enter the exhibit through tunnels A or B. We chose A, mainly because there was no line. The tunnel itself was pitch dark and we could only use our sense of touch and hearing to make our way through. Once we made our way through (and at last I see the light...), we were confronted with the rotating mushrooms (featured above). We chose to push it...and then we climbed stairs to find the Pill Clock. Every three seconds that the exhibit is live, a pill drops from the ceiling. We were allowed to take one as a souvenir. 

We experienced other interactive pieces. Decision is a showcase of Holler’s various works that play with the senses. On one of the outside balconies, we tried on glasses that flipped our whole world upside-down. There was a sign attached to the Southbank Centre that we could read only wearing those glasses. There was another balcony where you could “fly” for four minutes. 

The last and in my opinion, best, part of the exhibit was the slide. For our final decision, we chose to exit through one of the two slides. The exhibit itself was especially interesting because it was interactive. You, as the viewer, became the subject and enabled the magic to take place. Sure, it was difficult to extract some higher meaning from some parts, but overall, I would recommend it. Just don’t think too hard about it and enjoy it. 

After the exhibit, my friends and I grabbed lunch at Bleecker Bistro....It’s extremely overhyped. When you come from the land of In-n-out, it’s hard to appreciate any other hamburger, but alas, it was the Fourth of July and I needed my BBQ fix. We then explored the rest of the Southbank Centre. There was an awesome exhibit on people migrating to the UK. Again, viewers were able to interact with this exhibit. There was a display board where you could add your (or your family’s, your spouse, etc.) reasons for migrating to the UK. Another section featured groups of people that were forced into exile from the UK, and there you could write the five things you would take with you if you had to leave your home. It was a fascinating cultural piece that spoke to the increasing social awareness of this country and its ever-changing racial makeup. One thing I noticed about England that I hadn’t noticed anywhere else in Europe was a sense of racial heterogeneity. I have felt more at “home” here than anywhere else I have traveled to these past few weeks. Sure, there have been studies to prove that socially and nationally homogenous countries tend to prosper economically and even socially (for instance, the East Asian Tigers), but it’s hard to argue against the fact that diversity makes everyone richer. Anyway, I really liked the exhibit because it was balanced, celebrating diversity while acknowledging the darker past and the uncertain future. 

The final exhibit we saw was on Love, in general--both romantic and platonic. Couples’ love stories were showcased beautifully. There was another interactive wall (I know! London is too cool!) where people could add their favorite love song, and the exhibit managers add those songs to the playlist that plays in the background. We also made buttons, and there were booths to design t-shirts and miscellaneous items. 

July 6, 2015 Cambridge, UK (!!!)

1. I haven’t posted in a really long time. I know when I was leaving Italy I said I would update, but London happened so quickly and then what feels like seconds later, I was at Cambridge. I’ll start (slowly) uploading my photos from Paris and Italy, but I probably won’t write complete posts like I have been doing. I’ll still post itineraries for reference. 

2. Speaking of Cambridge, guess where I am right this very second! I’m in my dorm at King’s College at the University of Cambridge. It’s ah-MAZING here. I didn’t believe in love at first sight until I stepped onto campus last Sunday. I’ve been here for a week and day and everything has been great. I genuinely mean that too. My (single!!!) room is huge, my friends are lovely, my first module (semester) class is interesting, and I have almost every weekend planned. 

3. Weekend trips: I have trips to Edinburgh, Scotland, Amsterdam/ Bruges, and the Harry Potter studio tour booked. I’m also planning shorter day trips to Oxford, Brighton, and Sussex. I’m possibly going to Dublin, but we shall we how things pan out. 

Now let me talk about Cambridge itself and my experience here...

1. I’m attending the Pembroke-King’s College Programme, which is a summer program held at the University of Cambridge through Pembroke and King’s Colleges. Most of my classes are held at the Cambridge Union Society (the Union, or “CUS,” pronounced “CUSH” as certain trendy people are trying to push) or at King’s College. Classes are divided into three “modules,” which are essentially semesters. During the first module, I’m taking a course on the Bloomsbury group and its effect on English culture. The Bloomsbury group is a group (yeah, I know, shut up Rachel) of writers, artists, intellectuals, and an economist (JM Keynes!!!) that significantly (at least in my opinion) shaped early twentieth century British culture. Members include Virginia and Leonard Woolf, Vanessa and Clive Bell, JM Keynes, and Duncan Grant. I really like that this class explores the history of the group and that we aren’t just analyzing the works of the members. 

2. Last week, along with the program, I traveled to London. My friends and I visited the National Portrait Gallery and the British Museum. This day trip ended with a ride around the London Eye.

3. Cambridge is so wonderful. There’s a certain magic about this city. The colors are brighter, the sky is more beautiful, and the city feels so alive. Cambridge is more than just the colleges, although these colleges dominate the area. There are a handful of museums and gardens I hope to visit by the end of summer. There’s also a market in the center of town. I’m going tomorrow with a friend and will share my purchases. Also, there’s a river! People go punting, which is almost like Italian gondola-riding, except you steer your boat with a pole that I think pushes off the ground ? I’ll let you know after I go punting. My dorm is right by the river so I have the best place to people watch...

4. The most exciting part about Cambridge, the school and being here, is how different the culture is. Although I would say that English culture is very similar to American culture (there are malls!!!), there are certain aspects that make it very special and unique. For instance, last week, we had a welcome formal hall. We got to dress up and walk on the grass (no one at Cambridge is allowed to walk on the grass. That said, the grass here is beautiful and the most vibrant shade of green), while sipping wine. After, we were led to the dining hall (if you’re picturing a cafeteria--don’t. Picture the dining hall at Hogwarts.), where we were treated to a three-course meal. I feel so spoiled here, and I really hope the magic of being in Cambridge doesn’t wear off anytime soon. I had that same sentiment in a previous post, but now I feel it more than ever. I don’t know why I was so nervous to come because truly the past three weeks have been so rewarding and so enchanting. 

June 14, 2015 Paris, France

I’m behind on my posts because I had limited wifi in Italy, but I’m back! I’m currently sitting on the floor at the airport in Rome charging my phone and waiting for my flight. Our flight to Heathrow was originally scheduled for 11:55 AM today, but it was cancelled and three shouting matches later, we’ll be in London by tonight. 

Last Sunday was our second whole day in France and we spent it appreciating architecture and places below the Seine. 

1. Arc du Ponte 2. Saint-Chapelle 3. Notre Dame 4. Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore 5. Latin Quarter 6. Pantheon 7. Amorino 8. Luxembourg Palace and Gardens  9. Saint-Sulpice

Here we are crossing the Arc du Ponte, which is the original bridge where people would hang their locks. However, the city of Paris cut all the locks off a few weeks ago because the bridge had sunk due to the weight of the locks. Now they’re encouraging artists to paint their expressions of love on the bridge. 

There are still locks on the sides of the bridge. 

First up is Saint-Chapelle. This church is a few streets down from Notre Dame and it is beautiful. It’s two stories tall, with a simpler chapel on the ground floor and an elaborate chapel on the second.  Go early in the morning! We were third in line and got to appreciate it without the crowds. 

The beautiful stained glass panels feature scenes from the Old and New Testaments. 

We then crossed the street and walked a block to one of the most famous churches--Notre Dame Cathedral. It’s the grandest, most beautiful church I’ve seen, the apex of French Gothic Architecture. This gem took nearly a century to finish and it’s still standing strong almost a thousand years later. 

Many of the buildings in Paris have a smaller model of the building itself. 

We came on a Sunday so we got to witness a part of mass! I didn’t take any photos of that but I would recommend coming then, even if you’re not Catholic. 

We waited in line for a few hours and climbed all the way to the top. There are 400-ish stairs, all worn down from heavy use. The staircase is winding so I was dizzy by the time we reached the top, but the view was worth it. 

Look at this! Look at it! You can see all of Paris from here... 

“I can see Paris from my bell tower!” --Quasimodo, probably 

And here’s the view from the back. The church is situated on the Ile de la Cite, which is in the center of Paris. The island is one of two natural islands song the Seine. 

Selfie to celebrate reaching the top...my mom didn’t want to climb up, but I made her and she was #grateful and #blessed and said it was #worthit. 

Gargoyles!! Oooooh, the consequences of Hell... 

We climbed up to see the bells. Can you picture Quasimodo here ringing the church bells? 

We climbed down and crossed yet another bridge to Shakespeare and Company. The original Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore was home to the greats--Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein, and Joyce. It closed during WWII and never reopened. This bookstore was opened as a tribute to the first. 

We found a bistro in the Latin Quarter and I had steak e frites. Note: it’s okay to ask for tap water! If you don’t, the restaurant will charge you for still water. We did buy water at a few restaurants, but we asked for tap at this bistro. 

Forrest had a strawberry nutella crepe from the creperie next door for dessert. 

We walked ten minutes down to the Pantheon. It serves as a mausoleum to famous French citizens, including Louis Braille, Marie Curie, Voltaire, Victor Hugo, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. It’s modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, which I visited the day before yesterday and will be featured in a future post! 

Another model...

Took this photo for my dad who’s a big fan of Hugo. 

This is Rousseau...I was fangirling hard. I told my mom that being in Rousseau’s great presence was almost as cool as meeting Taylor Swift (not that I have before). 

We stopped at Amorino’s for gelato. This was the best gelato I’ve had on this trip. I had fake chocolate (lol, I know, but the man literally called it ‘imitation chocolate’), pistachio, and strawberry. 

We took our gelato over to Luxembourg Palace and Garden, no more than two blocks down. Here’s Forrest modeling our tote bags and my jean jacket.

Our last stop was at Saint-Sulpice. To be honest, after seeing Saint-Chapelle and Notre Dame, this church was a little underwhelming, but no less beautiful. 

We walked through the sixth district afterward. This scene felt so Les-Mis/ French, with the flags strung overhead. 

I also stumbled across this...coincidence? I think not... 

We were all exhausted by the end of the day and crashed once we got back to where we were staying. It was a nice coincidence that we happened to explore the churches on a Sunday. French Gothic architecture is to die for and after seeing these churches I’m more excited for England (if that was even possible)! I haven’t figured out how to end each entry, so I guess I’ll try an “up next” as if this were a TV show...

June 13, 2015 Paris, France

Due to the time change, our first full day in Paris was Saturday. Today’s agenda included

1. Musée de l’Orangerie 2. Musée d’Orsay 3. Musée Rodin 4. Musée du Louvre 5. Galeries Lafayette 

(“We” for the next few days is my mom, my little brother, and me.)

For our visit, we purchased the Paris Museum Pass, which lets you into over 45 museums and monuments over a 4-day period for 54 euros. You also get to skip to the front of the lines at most museums, which came in handy when we visited Musée d’Orsay. Let me repeat: it’s one ticket for every destination in Paris you could want to visit...I would highly recommend purchasing it. 

Anyway, we started off the day by going to the Musée de l’Orangerie, which is located north of the Seine on the far west end of the Tuiieries Gardens. This museum is home to impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, namely the works of Monet (featured below), Picasso, Cezanne, Renior, and more. 

There are two rooms on the first floor that display eight of Monet’s Water Lillies murals. The rooms are shaped in an oval so it feels like you’re in the scenery. The lighting in the rooms is diffused as Monet had intended it. 

Next we crossed the Seine river to head to the Musée d’Orsay. Spoiler alert: this is my favorite of all the museums I visited. Full disclosure: impressionist art is my favorite and this museum houses art from all of my favorite artists--Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, and Manet. A few weeks ago I visited the Norton Simon in Pasadena (shout out to my home) with delgadobravado and it had three paintings on lease from the d’Orsay, so I got a quick preview. 

Here it is in all its glory south of the Seine. 

The bridge we crossed had “love locks.” However, this is NOT the Pont des Arts, aka the bridge most famous for these locks that the municipal government of Paris recently cut all the locks off of. 

Wow! Much amore! Such romance! 

Now, this sight had me head over heels and **heart eyes**. This is the inside of the d’Orsay. It used to be a train station that the government converted. Paris really outdid herself with this gem. The architecture itself is amazing, not to forget the art inside. 

Toward the back of the museum is an exhibit featuring the history of the museum and a little on the history of Paris. You can stand over an aerial model of the city. 

On the second floor is the clock window that overlooks the city. 

The Little Dancer of Fourteen Years by Degas is my favorite sculpture. There’s one here, one at the Norton Simon, and another at the Met in New York City. It has a cotton tutu and a wig with actual hair with a satin ribbon. I’m 1000000% going to go see the version at the Tate when I get to London. There’s something about her youthful hope and elegance that makes me love this sculpture so much. Plus, Degas’s use of mixed media is executed well.  

Monet’s Water Lillies. Yes, this man was in a serious relationship with his garden, but this is the version that I studied when I was in first grade, learning about impressionists for the first time. It’s truly magical seeing iconic pieces face to face. 

Van Gogh’s Rest From Work 

Pieces of Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte

After the d’Orsay, we walked to the Musée Rodin. Unfortunately the main building was closed for renovation (fun fact: according to the museum, it is the only museum that is privately funded), but we got to walk around the grounds and see the sculptures. 

No visit to Paris would be complete without seeing The Thinker... 

Forrest suggested we take a squad pic so here we are...

I’m imagining that he’s thinking “bruh” 

Saw this while walking: gas stations in Paris are in the middle of the street? Cool 

On our walk, we caught our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower outside of the Musée de l’Armée! 

We then caught the Metro to the Louvre...

Selfie with the pyramid 

My favorite French orange soda...

The Louvre was crazy...thousands of tourists outside lining up, people selling selfie sticks and those little Eiffel Tower keychains, pickpocketers (probably)...it was a zoo. The line going into the Pyramid entrance was extremely long, but fear not, we went through the alliterative entrance and didn’t wait at all. If you’re visiting the Louvre, finish taking your photos then walk across the street, past the traffic circle, and enter through the Lion wing on the right facing the pyramid. 

The Louvre itself is huge...it used to be the main palace, after all. I would honestly consider coming back to Paris for a week just to look at all the art, from the French neoclassical art to the Greek and Roman statues. We only had a few hours so we hit the highlights. 

Whoever designed this room apparently did not think? Why would you put BOTH the Mona Lisa and the Marriage at Cana in the SAME ROOM?

Well, me being Rachel, I pushed my way to the front to snap this shot. The Mona Lisa is not my favorite painting.......I don’t understand everyone’s fascination with it. It’s overhyped....let’s move on to the paintings that wow-ed me. 

David’s The Coronation of Napoleon. Holy cow....I love everything about this painting. First, it covers the entire wall. Second, the details are mesmerizing. Third, the subject, oh ho ho ho, brief history lesson time! Napoleon is crowning himself in this painting with the Pope looking on. Emperor Napoleon wanted everyone to know that he was ruler of all--the state, the church, and his new modern empire. 

The ceilings the pyramid of the Louvre. I took tons of photos of ceilings, doors, and buildings while in Paris because the architecture is to die for. 

After our museum crawl, we headed to the Galeries Lafayette, a shopping center located near the Opera and our Air B n B. Here is the ceiling...

And we went to Pierre Herme to pick up macarons. I had the passionfruit chocolate, and no other macaron outside of Paris can compare. 

We had a quick lunch upstairs in the dining area and had this great view of the Eiffel Tower. 

June 11, 2015 Los Angeles --> London --> Paris

Crossing the Pond (and the English Channel) 

note: I’m still figuring out the best way to organize photos and text, so bear with me as I try different layouts. 

1. Last family selfie

2. On the flight to London! 

3. Airplane dinner: salad, cheese tortellini, and various snacks

4. On the plane to Paris!

5. Paris sunset at....9:45 PM. The sun sets really late here and it’s bizarre, but also makes me happy that the days are long. 

Also, if this is too long to read, just skip to the “story time” at the end. Those are the most amusing highlights from 

My mom, little brother (Forrest), and I departed from LAX on Thursday night. Here’s our last family selfie until August when I come home. We flew out from Los Angeles to London since I booked my roundtrip ticket to London before my family finalized vacation plans. We decided to visit Paris first so we booked another flight for Paris about three hours after our scheduled arrival and it worked out pretty smoothly. The 10 hour flight from California “across the pond” was actually not too bad. We had dinner on the plane, then I watched Still Alice, fell asleep, then woke up again and had breakfast. Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE CHILDREN; that said, the little girl who sat behind me kicked my seat pretty much the entire time she was awake and I thought I was going to go crazy. Needless to say I was happy to land in London. 

I think I had my first “aha! I’m in a foreign country!” moment when I was walking through the airport and everyone had a British accent. You would think that after nearly five years of loving all things British from One Direction to Sherlock, I wouldn’t be phased when hearing a British accent, but no, no, no, I was so excited. The only thought going through my head was “!!!!!!” 

After going through the border and customs, picking up and re-checking in our luggage, and making our way through Heathrow security, we only had about half an hour at the terminal before we boarded another one hour flight to Paris. We took an Uber to our Air B n B, which is situated near the Opera house and Galeries Lafayette, one of Paris’s premium department stores. The flight schedule worked out great because I was exhausted after what seemed like two straight days of being awake. 

STORY TIME:

story 1: My dad and I were 100% confident that our terminal was the Tom Bradley Airport terminal at LAX (for the non-Angelenos, the majority of international flights leave from this location), but alas!!! our terminal was actually two terminals over so we had to scramble over there. 

story 2: SO before I tell this story, I have to explain one quick fact about me: I have invisalign to prevent crowding on my bottom teeth. My Eurotrip forced my orthodontist to speed up the process, so he gave me my permanent retainer the day before I left. Okay now the story will continue: When I went in to pick up my retainer, my orthodontist was supposed to remove the attachments on my teeth, but he didn’t! He handed me my retainer and sent me home. The drive to his office took longer than the entire visit, which I think took 1-2 minutes. Me, being an uninformed (I’ve only had invisalign for 5 months so my knowledge is limited to “switch trays every two weeks”) and trusting patient, went home. Before I left the house the next day (you know, to go to the airport), I checked my retainer and there were no attachment holes (I don’t know the correct term). Naturally, I panicked and my mom called my orthodontist so we rushed out of the house to stop by before my flight. 

I walked into the office and sat in the seat and my orthodontist walks over and says, “Oh we forgot to remove one attachment, huh?”

And I said, “Or you forgot to remove ALL of them...”

I could see the shock paralyze his face as he had his “Oh crap” moment.

Half an hour later, I was attachment-free and on my way to the airport. Three days later, my teeth still hurt, but it’s cool, I guess...I still enjoyed my gelato today...and my baguette this morning. 

June 9, 2015

Hi friends!

I leave for Paris in two days. Unbelievable isn’t it? After over a decade of longing for these unknown places, I’ll be realizing my dreams. Just twelve years ago I attended a camp at the Huntington Gardens and first learned about the Elizabethan era and Shakespeare’s legacy. I spent that week fashioning feather quills and daydreaming of the 1500s, forgetting the lack of running water and public sanitation. I moved onto American history, falling in love with the Wild West and the adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder, but I never forgot Europe. Come sophomore year, I reluctantly enrolled in AP European History. Despite all my fears, I did fine, not because I put in the extra hours to memorize numbers and facts, but because I looked forward to every lecture. I laughed when reading about the Defenestration of Prague and admired Louis XIV’s sheer genius when creating and implementing the noble system at Versailles. I enrolled in European History once more during my freshman year of college, and that settled it: I would study abroad in England. 

This summer I’ll be attending the Pembroke-King’s College Programme at the University of Cambridge. I’ll be there from the end of June through August. Prior to that I’ll be traveling to Paris, Italy, and London. During the program, I hope to travel to other places and really immerse myself in the local culture of Cambridge. I’ll be posting photos along with brief (ha, ha, brief for Rachel) posts. If you have any suggestions, please message me, and if you need to, contact my US phone number! 

XOXO,