This past weekend my good friend from school and field hockey visited me here in London. Christine (AKA Chris) is a senior at Haverford and for an early graduation gift; her parents are enabling her to visit London and Paris over her spring break. Chris and I lived together last year and since she is graduating, this visit is really special since this may be the last time I see her for a while now. Along with Chris, a handful of other Haverford people are visiting London, making it a nice mini reunion. Our adventures started on Friday when Chris landed in England, but let me start with my Thursday night.
Thursday, March 1st
For dinner, my flat went out to a restaurant called Nandos. I love this place. I went to it originally with Erica when she was still here with me, but basically this place just sells chicken. You buy a chicken, ½ of a chicken, or a 1/3. It also offers bottomless soda, which makes me the HAPPIEST. I loved going with my flat. I have really become fond of all of them and I now just feel a part of them. I keep on having to remind myself that at one point I will need to go back home to the US and that they won’t be at school with me next year. I am truly blessed that I have been able live with a bunch of Brits and get so close to them.
Friday, March 2nd
On Friday, Chris landed in Heathrow around 10:30 AM. I was in class then, so I could not actually confirm her landing and just had to hope that my directions to my tube stop were sufficient. When 1 PM rolled around, I started getting a little nervous since it really should take no more than 1.5-2 hours to get from the airport to South London.
Slightly freaking out, I finally got a call from Chris. She informed me that she was in Elephant and Castle and was alive. I gave her directions from the station to my dorm and wished her well on her mini-walking journey through south London. When arrived at my dorm, I was super excited to see her. I also got the scoop on what took her so long to get to Borough. Basically, the line that runs from Heathrow Airport to London proper is the Piccadilly Line. Well, that line was officially down due to a “body in the tracks,” which Chris told me they repeated multiple times over the speakers. Welcome to London! She got a free ticket on another line and by luck, she ended up under the Thames.
With the time change from the US, she was properly starving so Zach and I took her to the 5 pound Indian buffet we have become fond of. From there we walked down the Thames, over the Millennium Bridge (AKA the Harry Potter bridge), and onto St. Paul’s Cathedral.
[Side Note: Chris is a history major and more specifically, she studies MEDIVAL history. With that being said, when she arrived in London she came with a list of attractions she wanted to see, with half of them being Cathedrals. Just as my mother loves cemeteries, Chris loves churches.]
I finally paid to go into St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was beautiful inside as expected. The biggest attraction of this cathedral is the dome, which you can walk up and get a great view of the city. Sadly, this part was closed. We could partially walk up the dome to the “Whispering Gallery” where we got a nice overall view of the church. While we were not supposed to take pictures, I had the benefit of the iPhone and snapped a few. I LOVE the iPhone- people cannot tell when you are taking pictures or texting, so you can literally get away with murder. Also, I finally got to see the remains of Occupy London, which is now the clean pavement where the smelly tents used to be.
 |
| Inside St. Paul's |
 |
| Inside St. Paul's |
 |
| The Whispering Gallery |
 |
| The Dome |
 |
| Inside St. Paul's |
 |
| Where Occupy London once stood. |
From there, we took a bus to Trafalgar Square, where we went to the National Gallery. We did a walk through and while we were there (once again) walked into someone we knew. This is the third week in a row I have run into people I know in the middle of London. This time we ran into a sister of a girl on the Haverford field hockey team. What are the chances?
We ran back to the dorm after the museum and got ready to go to our first ever RUGBY MATCH!! I bought Chris and I a ticket earlier in the week knowing this game would be awesome. The match was between the varsity rugby teams of Kings College versus University College of London (KCL versus UCL). This is a huge rivalry…almost like Haverford versus Swarthmore…or Duke versus UNC…or the Yankees versus the Red Sox. The match was in an officially stadium outside of London that sits 16,000 people. We had to take an overground train there, which proved to be a huge headache. Not thinking fully about it, we went to the station at rush hour. Poor idea. I also realized my monthly pass would not pay for the ticket since it was out of Zone 1 and 2, so we were all forced to buy a ticket. Well, the lines for the ticket booths were at least 20 minutes long. We were hoping to take a train at 6:20 and we got in line at 6:05 for the tickets. Awesome.
We finally got our tickets at 6:18, sprinted to the station, but the train was so full that we literally could not get on. The doors closed and the train left us. We were so upset, partly because we thought half of our group was on that train and left without us. I then got a call telling us that our friends were on another train and that we should run over and sit with them. Once I finally got on that train and was able to sit down, I finally felt somewhat relaxed.
When we arrived at the stadium we were greeted with British athletics at its finest. We were super excited to see what this game had to offer, as we were ready to compare it to American college games. We sat on the KCL side and ended up sitting with the men’s field hockey team and alums. It was CRAZY. They had chants, they had songs, and they had a LOT of curse words. My favorite was the song that they sang throughout the whole game. Every KCL student knew it and would yell it along:
“When I was just a little boy I asked my mother,
What shall I be?
Shall I be UCL? Shall I be KCL?
And here's what she said to me
Go wash your mouth out son
And go fetch your father’s gun
Shoot all the UCL Scum
You will be KCL my son.
KCL-C-L-C-L”
There were other chants, but are too dirty to write on this blog.
Long story short: UCL CREAMED KCL in rugby. We lost BADLY. But that does not mean there still wasn’t action to watch. When I walked into this game, I was hoping there would be fights. That’s what any fan wants, right? Well, I got my fill of fights. Basically, all the action happened on the cement right in front of the stands. The KCL mascot, a lion, kept on getting kicked out of the game for giving the finger to the UCL team, for harassing the UCL cheerleaders, and for cursing. Note how I said “kept on getting kicked out” because it happened multiple times. SOMEHOW the mascot kept on reappearing and getting in trouble. He was awesome. I should also note that the mascot was drinking heavily on the job, which could explain his actions.
 |
| The KCL team warming up |
 |
| The KCL team warming up |
 |
| KCL versus UCL rugby |
 |
| KCL versus UCL Rugby |
In between the stands and the pitch, KCL and UCL fans were standing and mingling. Mingling probably isn’t the right word…maybe harassing each other constantly would be better fitted. For the hour or so that the game lasted, they basically got into continuous fights. The most monumental one was the fistfight that broke out. When a UCL student tried to break it up, the KCL student picked him up and THREW him down on the concrete - Like it was straight out of WWE. It took about 2 minutes for the crowd to realize the kid who went down wasn’t moving. Literally, he was motionless on the ground. I had a heart attack- either this kid died or is paralyzed. I mean- he was THROWN onto concrete. The crappy ‘security’ guards WALKED over to the kid and just looked at him for a second or two. Then they decided maybe it was a good idea to maybe take his pulse. THEY DIDN’T IMMEDIATELY CALL AN AMBULENCE EVEN THOUGH THE BOY HADN’T MOVED FOR ALMOST 4 MINUTES. The boy must have blacked out because after a minute or two of SHAKING him, he finally moved. WHY DIDN’T THEY BACKBOARD HIM?! WHY DID THEY SHAKE HIM?! THINGS THAT WILL NEVER BE ANSWERED. Anyway, even though this boy was CLEARELY concussed and hurt, they did not call an ambulance….they TOLD HIM TO WALK IT OFF. Maybe I am a pansy or sensitive to these things, but I swear to G-d, in America that boy would’ve been shipped off to the ER in a heartbeat. In the end, the cops did show up and arrest the kids who were fighting. Who knows if they even got booked, since no one really seemed to care that fights were happening.
 |
| "The boy who [almost didn't] lived" |
Oh, and there was a catfight in the stands. I saw two girls started pulling each other’s hair. It was a once in a lifetime thing. Amazing.
Don’t let me forget to mention the CHEERLEADERS. Well, since British people do not understand what cheering is, the squad was a mix of cheering a dance squad. At one point I remember yelling, “LEAVE CHEERING TO THE AMERICANS!” The Brits around me loved that. But really- they were AWFUL. They dropped all the girls they were lifting and they had no rhythm. They didn’t even cheer! This is one of the moments in which I missed America and the real intense cheering. I never thought I would say that, but if you are gonna cheer, you better cheer your ass off!
 |
| KCL cheerleaders getting ready to go on. |
 |
| KCL Cheerleaders in action. |
 |
| Yellow Smoke Bomb |
 |
| Yellow Smoke Bomb |
 |
| Red Smoke Bomb |
The Brits kept on asking us if this was anything like American games and we responded that there are just as many fights, but the security would probably be much more strict in evicting people. Moreover, with smoke bombs- those people would be found and GONE as soon as possible. Lastly, at most college games there are police and an ambulance WAITING at the game for the fights. This delay of discipline I saw at the UCL versus KCL match is dangerous and weird.
After the game, my group of friends and I got stuck on a car on the train that was ALL UCL kids. They sang their stupid songs and cheers, chugged some beers, and were rowdy. We got to pull the American card, as they could not heckle us since we were not “fully KCL students.”
All in all, I really enjoyed the game. Even though we lost, I enjoyed the actual sport. I didn’t fully understand the game, but I cheered when others cheered and started learning it as I watched. It is not as complicated as football, but a lot of the same rules apply. The best move was when a player would do a side throw in and the teams would LIFT the tallest player to catch the ball midair. I was not expecting it at all when it first happened and it really took me surprise.
I have also concluded that rugby is truly a team sport. In a sport like hockey or basketball, you can be a ‘ball-hog.’ In rugby, there is not such thing as ‘ball-hog’ since you have to be willing to pass and catch it at any moment in the game. Literally, even if you are a step away from the goal zone, you will most likely have to hand it off to a teammate who is in a better position. It isn’t ‘who’ scored. It is a ‘team’ score.
Saturday, March 3rd
On Saturday, Chris and I woke up early to tour. The first stop on our walk was the Southwark Cathedral. I actually pass this cathedral everyday since it is right next to Borough Market, but I never thought to actually go inside of it. It was nice inside and for being such a small cathedral, it had a lot to offer.
 |
| Southwark Cathedral |
 |
| Southwark Cathedral |
 |
| Southwark Cathedral |
 |
| The terrifying Jesus in Southwark Cathedral |
 |
| Chris and I at Parliament. |
From there, we waked down the Thames to Parliament onto the Westminster Abbey. I finally paid to go inside and it was totally worth every penny. With your ticket, you get a free audio tour, which is about 2 hours long. Once again, I wasn’t supposed to take pictures, but with the beauty of an iPhone I got to cheat the system.
 |
| The London Eye |
The Abbey is GORGEOUS inside. It is where most of the monarchs are buried, where almost all of them have been crowned, and a handful have been married in it (such as Kate Middleton!). The audio guide was really informative and clear, which made the tour go quickly. My favorite part was the Ladies Chapel, which is where Mary of Scots, Mary Tudor, and Queen Elizabeth I are buried. Also, the chapel is covered in the arms of various Knights, making it colorful and full of history. The funniest arms I saw was this purple shield, with a maple leaf on it, and polar bears surrounding it. I was going to assume that it had to do something with Canada….but there are no polar bears in Canada (?). I would probably recommend the Abbey to any tourist in London. Even though it seems pricy, it was 100% worth my time. It is literally a building of history. When I walked by Edward the Confessor’s tomb, I got the chills. You guys may not know who he is, but he is one of the original kings and began the construction of the Abbey. Also, the Abbey has the tombs to musicians and authors, such as Charles Dickens and Handel.
 |
| Where Kate said her vows! |
 |
| Westminster Abbey |
 |
| Quire |
 |
| Ladies Chapel |
 |
| Ladies Chapel |
 |
| Cloisters |
 |
| Cloisters |
 |
| Cloisters |
 |
| Cloisters |
 |
| Abbey |
 |
| Nave |
 |
| Abbey |
 |
| Note the priest yelling at me for taking pictures. |
From the Abbey, we tubed it over the Baker Street and made our way to 221b Baker Street. Does that address sound familiar? Well, it should since it is where Sherlock Holmes lives! Chris is a huge Holmes fan and had to go to the museum. We have both been when we were little, but decided to go again. The house is awesome and perfect, with each object perfectly placed. The cutest things were the notes that children write to 221b Baker Street, thinking that they are actually writing to Sherlock Holmes. The notes range from little kids saying that Holmes is their hero to kids who contact him in hopes of his help in solving a case! We even saw a note from a child in Japan. The museum is super cheesy, but for any Sherlock fan it is totally worth it.
 |
| Sherlock Holmes Museum |
 |
| Sherlock's Room |
 |
| Sherlock's Room |
 |
| Holmes and Watson |
 |
| Sherlock Holmes Museum From there, we tubed it over to the Barbican Station and walked to The Priory Church of Saint Bartholomew the Great. This was truly a medieval church since the architecture was blunt and heavy. It even smelled like an old church. |
 |
| The Priory Church of Saint Bartholomew the Great |
 |
| The Priory Church of Saint Bartholomew the Great |
 |
| The Priory Church of Saint Bartholomew the Great |
 |
| Quire- The Priory Church of Saint Bartholomew the Great |
To conclude our tour we ran to the British Library where Chris got to geek out over the historical documents. She was ecstatic when she saw the Magna Carta and all the illuminated texts. I guess the British Library is ever history geek’s dream. (No offense Chris…).
Before we tubed it home, we made a pit stop at Station 9 3/4, where Chris got to be the Harry Potter nerd she is and take a picture with the shrine.
When we got home, we went out to an Indian food dinner nearby with Zach, a study abroad friend, and a Haverford guy visiting. From there we split up and the girls went back to the dorms to get ready for the night. We ended up heading out a bar called “G-A-Y Bar Late.” This is the bar version of the gay club I went to named Heaven. When we got there with Emma (my study abroad friend) and her gay British flatmate, the flatmate told Chris and I we should act like a couple to get in. The bar is not too keen on straight people entering (since it is a gay bar). Well, Chris and I had this whole back story to help us get in. We started dating August 21 and since I am abroad, my girlfriend (Chris) is visiting me over her spring break. Well, we got in and were told that we were a cute couple. Awwww. The bar was not as crazy as Heaven, but it was still pretty gay. The best part was the music, in which we danced the night away.
Chris and I headed home around 2 AM and caught the N21. Well, like ALWAYS the London Transportation decided it would be okay to make the bus go on diversion without telling anyone. I should’ve been alarmed when everyone on the bus was polish, but for some reason we ended up lost in South London. A man saw us freaking out and told us to get off at this station and walk home since we would be somewhat close. Since I had zero idea where the bus was eventually heading, we got off and attempted to find a map. After multiple fails on attempting to find street signs (LONDON IS AWFUL AT LABELING STREETS) we flagged down a taxi. The taxi driver told us that our dorm was just a 5-minute walk away, but after talking to him he offered us a ride home for free. I guess his conscious was saying, “I cannot let two white American girls walk alone in South London.” Basically, he dropped us off in front of our dorm and refused to let us pay him. Thank the lord there are still good people out there.
Sunday, March 4th
Today, Chris woke up before me and went to the Tower of London and British Museum. While she was touring, I finished the first draft of my 2,000-word essay (see…I told you I do work!). I finally met up with her and attempted to get tea, but since it was rainy and cold out, every tea place was crowded and crazy. I attempted to walk us to a tea place, but got us lost. We hopped on a bus that was supposed to take us to Oxford Street, but halfway through it WENT ON A DIVERSION. EVERYTHING IN LONDON IS ON DIVERSION! Well…we ended up BACK at the British Museum. From there, we just hoped on the tube to Oxford Street where I did some quick shopping. Then we came back to my dorm where Chris napped and I went to the gym. We had breakfast for dinner (AKA eggs and toast). Then we watched a movie and got ready for bed. Chris is currently sleeping as I write this. Her train to Paris leaves somewhat early tomorrow, so she should get her rest.
I must say that I am finally getting somewhat comfortable with just hoping on a bus and going places. At first, I thought I would just take the tube everywhere, but I have been learning the benefits of the buses. Other than the fact that they go on diversions at the MOST inconvenient times, when you ride on them you can see the sites around you, you can get off at more stops, and they are much more accessible. I know the monthly pass for transportation is somewhat expensive, but I take the buses so much now, it has totally paid off.
This weekend was full of fights, Churches, and diversions. I am going to really miss Chris when she leaves me for Paris, but I wish her well with the rest of her senior year and the job search. I know I will make sure I visit her and find her when I get back from London.
Hope this upcoming week goes well and enjoy some more eggs!
Hope this upcoming week goes well and enjoy some more eggs!
No comments:
Post a Comment