Maybe it's the presence of that giant clock looming over everything, but one thing is certain: London time is quicker than anywhere else! Perhaps it's the collective energy of all the people and vehicles constantly in transit, or it could be just the adrenaline of the people fearing getting hit BY the transit as these bus drivers seem to be trained by NYC cab drivers. Regardless, it's certainly difficult not having a handle on where you're going and how to get there in the midst of such perpetual motion.
We began our day meeting as a class (just the library graduate students) to go over our schedule for the month and have an opportunity to ask some questions. There are 17 of us from 9 different states so it makes for a diverse bunch. There are so many exciting things to look forward to, but you'll have to come back to read about these adventures! Unfortunately, we then had to attend a program-wide orientation which was definitely designed for undergraduates and stressed points such as 'don't drink too much,' 'be respectful,' and 'you're here to learn.' The theme of the program director's lecture (delivered televangelist sermon style) was: "Running the gauntlet of feeling your wanderlust" - actual quote. I'll let you work out your own feelings on the meaning and accuracy of this phrase.
Following a jaunt to a local bakery for "lunch" (I use the term loosely... but my brownie had cranberries in it, so... fruit) we joined up for our first of two London Alive walking tours. I signed up for a historic pubs walk that happened to be with our library professor, Dr. Welsh. We set out riverside in Gabriel's Wharf on our journey to cross the Thames. We then traversed Blackfriars Bridge en route to Fleet Street which historically was British press headquarters, but they've moved off to Canary Wharf now.
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| The Old Cock Tavern, Fleet Street |
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| Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street |
There are numerous notable pubs on Fleet Street, and many have a literary tie-in, such as The Old Cock Tavern and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese which were both frequented by Charles Dickens (also Tennyson at The Old Cock and Voltaire at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese). Some have plain facades while others are quite charming, and then some of the carvings are downright bizarre...
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| The George, Strand |
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| Temple Bar |
Fleet Street becomes the Strand at Temple Bar. While the London metropolitan area is quite large, the City of London is only about a square mile, the boundaries of which are marked by statues.
Somerset House is on the Strand where there once was a Tudor palace, but now the site is home to many things such as art exhibits, government uses up until recently, and one wing is utilized by King's College.
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| Somerset House |
A walk over the Waterloo Bridge delivered us back to our residence on Stamford Street. From there it was time to independently discover some shops around the neighborhood and procure some dinner.
London Alive tour number two is tomorrow, and it's a wild one!
Slowly but surely I'm becoming a bit more acclimated to the time, the pace and the surroundings, but there's a long way to go yet.
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