March Madness: Traveling
This month I get to enjoy the two best things in my life: my man and London. It really cannot get better than that at all. Yes, I shall be in London and will be leaving next week. I shall be back in April. However, I will have access to the internet and will be on to post pictures. No matter how long or how many times I go to London, there is always something new (yet fantastically old) there to explore and write about. It is the grandest city in the world, this, old Babylon of mine. As fate would have it, next week on Monday I also have a job interview. It is an interview that is quite important to me, which means that the job is significant. I have to keep telling myself that the competition is fierce and that I have to do my best but not expect anything. We shall see how it turns out. We shall see.
When the opportunity strikes, I find that I am an avid walker, enjoying the sights and sounds of places. Therefore, I purchased some fine books outlining some walking tours that I can take myself and the boy on. One book highlights 30 tours, another a Victorian walking tour of London and the last 30 odd walking tours. Also on the the 'to bring' list is my Victorian Dictionary of London, which is much less a dictionary then excerpts about places and things that were written by people during the Victorian era. In similar guise, I am bringing a book simply called "A Dictionary of London" written by Charles Dickens. I am so delighted to be able to spend this time in my favourite city with the boyfriend. I desperately want to take him to the Mandir.
Of course no trip of mine to London would be complete without visiting one of the magnificent seven. I have been to both Highgate and Kensal Green, both deserve a return trip, but perhaps Abney Park is next on the list. There are so many things that I know now about London that I did not know before because London is so rich with human history that it is always a learning experience. For instance, I now know that the Imperial War Museum (which I lived two blocks from) used to house the third incarnation of Bedlam. That makes it so much more interesting and worth another look. I can't wait to post more on it individually. Also, this time around I seriously hope to visit the first medical operating theater. I have an odd fascination with medicine and medical oddities as they pertain to the Victorian era, so this will be quite a treat. And, of course, for pure and utter fun, I must, must, buy a meat pie and eat it in front of either St. Dunstan's church or while walking up Bellyard while listening to my Sweeney Todd mp3's.
Hopefully, my love of the city will somehow, if only modestly, translate into my writing. I have no aspiration to become one, but only wish to write well enough to convey the very sights, sounds and chaotic splendor that this city displays. To say that I absolutely love this city does not convey the emotional depth of what London evokes in my heart.
We are also taking a trip back to good ol' Kosovo for a short while since it has been granted its independence. That will be a very odd trip for me. I look forward to it with a mixed set of feelings. Most I am unable to place, but it will surely be interesting to return there, if not twilight zone-ish. I'll have to brush up on my Albanian greetings. We are also going to Bosnia (Sarajevo) which will be a very interesting experience for someone with my educational background. I think that it will be interesting to see snipers ally and understand the utter terror that people lived through during the hostilities and war. I can only imagine that it might make me think about what soldiers in Afghanistan face every day in their conveys while riding along one of the main roads leaving from Kandahar. I believe that they too call that snipers alley or something similar. Of course, the tactics have gotten more deadly with IED's and such.
We are looking to go somewhere over the Easter holidays and were thinking about Dublin. I guess it depends on if there is anything to see in Dublin during the pinnacle of their Catholic celebrations. I'd really like to see some more of England and perhaps Wales or Scotland. Of course, there will not be time for everything. If anyone has any suggestions, do let me know.
I guess this puts the french bodice that I wanted to make on hold until I get back. I shall not complain however, it is more than a decent fair trade. ;)
Talk to you all soon from jolly ol' London with a cup of tea in my hand, the wonderful boyfriend at the side and the most glorious city before me. Perhaps I shall drop by before I leave to give word on how the interview went. Positive thoughts please.
When the opportunity strikes, I find that I am an avid walker, enjoying the sights and sounds of places. Therefore, I purchased some fine books outlining some walking tours that I can take myself and the boy on. One book highlights 30 tours, another a Victorian walking tour of London and the last 30 odd walking tours. Also on the the 'to bring' list is my Victorian Dictionary of London, which is much less a dictionary then excerpts about places and things that were written by people during the Victorian era. In similar guise, I am bringing a book simply called "A Dictionary of London" written by Charles Dickens. I am so delighted to be able to spend this time in my favourite city with the boyfriend. I desperately want to take him to the Mandir.
Of course no trip of mine to London would be complete without visiting one of the magnificent seven. I have been to both Highgate and Kensal Green, both deserve a return trip, but perhaps Abney Park is next on the list. There are so many things that I know now about London that I did not know before because London is so rich with human history that it is always a learning experience. For instance, I now know that the Imperial War Museum (which I lived two blocks from) used to house the third incarnation of Bedlam. That makes it so much more interesting and worth another look. I can't wait to post more on it individually. Also, this time around I seriously hope to visit the first medical operating theater. I have an odd fascination with medicine and medical oddities as they pertain to the Victorian era, so this will be quite a treat. And, of course, for pure and utter fun, I must, must, buy a meat pie and eat it in front of either St. Dunstan's church or while walking up Bellyard while listening to my Sweeney Todd mp3's.
Hopefully, my love of the city will somehow, if only modestly, translate into my writing. I have no aspiration to become one, but only wish to write well enough to convey the very sights, sounds and chaotic splendor that this city displays. To say that I absolutely love this city does not convey the emotional depth of what London evokes in my heart.
We are also taking a trip back to good ol' Kosovo for a short while since it has been granted its independence. That will be a very odd trip for me. I look forward to it with a mixed set of feelings. Most I am unable to place, but it will surely be interesting to return there, if not twilight zone-ish. I'll have to brush up on my Albanian greetings. We are also going to Bosnia (Sarajevo) which will be a very interesting experience for someone with my educational background. I think that it will be interesting to see snipers ally and understand the utter terror that people lived through during the hostilities and war. I can only imagine that it might make me think about what soldiers in Afghanistan face every day in their conveys while riding along one of the main roads leaving from Kandahar. I believe that they too call that snipers alley or something similar. Of course, the tactics have gotten more deadly with IED's and such.
We are looking to go somewhere over the Easter holidays and were thinking about Dublin. I guess it depends on if there is anything to see in Dublin during the pinnacle of their Catholic celebrations. I'd really like to see some more of England and perhaps Wales or Scotland. Of course, there will not be time for everything. If anyone has any suggestions, do let me know.
I guess this puts the french bodice that I wanted to make on hold until I get back. I shall not complain however, it is more than a decent fair trade. ;)
Talk to you all soon from jolly ol' London with a cup of tea in my hand, the wonderful boyfriend at the side and the most glorious city before me. Perhaps I shall drop by before I leave to give word on how the interview went. Positive thoughts please.