London baby
Hey everybody!
I'm currently in London so please excuse my lack of updates. There simply isn't much time to write anything.
On my first night it was raining but nonetheless I went to the south riverside and enjoyed just being in London. When cooking that night I met some guys and it was quite a good start at the hostel.
Day I
I first went to Bricklane market. Not because I had planned it but because the girl at reception told me to and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It is just an endless street with stalls on the street, in backyards, whole blocks are turned into markets with food from all over the world, clothes, art prints and jewellery. Again like in Manchester a lot of vintage and hipster stuff. But there were so many things to see I had a hard time not buying too much. I ended up with a necklace, earrings and a top.
Afterwards I went to postman's park and read all the sad stories of people trying to save others. As the museum of London was close by I had a quick look at that as well.
Then I went to Notting Hill. Unfortunately I was actually looking forward to see the calm nice neighborhood from the movie but as it was carnival the streets were full of drunken people. It definitely looked more like a festival. Anyhow it was a bit too much for me so I went to Regent's Park and did some sketches.
Day II
Ever since I read Her Fearful Symmetry I wanted to see Highgate and around. So I went to Belsize Park by underground, walked all the way up to Hampstead Heath and had a look at the Pergola. It was a really hot day so I sat in the sun and did some more sketches. Then I got lost a few times in the wastness that is Hampstead Heath while searching for Kenwood house. So after walking up and down the hilly park quite a lot I made it there and had lunch. Monday was a bank holiday and there were tons of families with dogs around and it really was a perfect day. From atop the Heath you can basically see all of London, all the big skyscrapers just glittering in the sun, and being so close but still having the feeling of living in a nice neighborhood. I completely understand why the rich live there in their big villas on this beautiful hill. I never want to live in London for more than a year or maybe two because although it's a great place for holidays it can get too much pretty quickly and I couldn't afford a nice place. But if I had tons of money I think this would definitely be the place where I would want to live.
Day III
Yesterday I went to the Harry Potter Studio Tours and it was simply amazing. Sadly the Dr Who Experience looks kind of lame now in comparison but I don't care. The studios consist of two sound stages which are huge halls containing all the sets and were most of the movies were actually shot. Ironically the sets are named stage J and stage K. You got all the interior sets like class rooms, common rooms, the burrow, the ministry of magic back to back and they show how props were made, how they used less CGI than I would have expected and how green boxes and the like work. I flew on a broomstick in the green box, took tons of videos, had a really close look at the props (especially wands), spent a long time looking at sketches from the set design department and then drew a sketch of the amazing Hogwarts model they used for exterior shoots. Of course I had a butterbeer in the backyard between the two stages sitting in front of Voldemort's grave, facing Privet Drive and the Knight Bus. I walked over the crooked Hogwarts bridge, through Diagon Alley and of course the Great Hall.
But what I thought was most impressive about the whole thing was how much they tried to explain the whole process of filmmaking. They really focus on the work behind the magic. Instead of keeping up the illusion, they explain how simple it sometimes can be to create magic with props, prosthetics and a bit of green screen. As I got my flight on USB and made some great videos of the sets like the paintings in Hogwarts (that actually had two green screen frames in between so I can easily put me in there) I'm really looking forward to editing my holiday video.
As it was the most awesome day of my trip I had just about 1 hour after spending probably 4 hours at the studios to take a break at the hostel and then rush into the city again for Macbeth at the Globe. I went to Borough Market on the way and got me a stilton burger at my beloved posh banger boys. Macbeth was just great and I always love the Globe's atmosphere. Billy Boyd played Banquo (and he was great) but all the other actors were amazing as well. After my long day standing for more than 2 hours was quite exhausting but being already at the Thames I didn't feel like going home yet. So I walked from London Bridge to Leicester Square and took some nice night shots.
Day IV
Today I had planned a trip to Greenwich. But as yesterday was so utterly full of adventure and a bit rushed I'm just going to stay in the city, go to the National Gallery and maybe some more art galleries. Then I'll try to get an affordable ticket to Les Miserables tonight because I can't miss the opportunity to see this. Maybe I'll have time for a quick stop at Primark and I need to get some postcards as well. But I'll try to have a more or less lazy day because too much running around isn't good either and I will be back in London soon anyway.
Sorry for the long entry. I tried to sum everything up. Tomorrow I'm off to Dover and then on Sunday I'm already returning home.
So long
Anja
I'm currently in London so please excuse my lack of updates. There simply isn't much time to write anything.
On my first night it was raining but nonetheless I went to the south riverside and enjoyed just being in London. When cooking that night I met some guys and it was quite a good start at the hostel.
Day I
I first went to Bricklane market. Not because I had planned it but because the girl at reception told me to and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It is just an endless street with stalls on the street, in backyards, whole blocks are turned into markets with food from all over the world, clothes, art prints and jewellery. Again like in Manchester a lot of vintage and hipster stuff. But there were so many things to see I had a hard time not buying too much. I ended up with a necklace, earrings and a top.
Afterwards I went to postman's park and read all the sad stories of people trying to save others. As the museum of London was close by I had a quick look at that as well.
Then I went to Notting Hill. Unfortunately I was actually looking forward to see the calm nice neighborhood from the movie but as it was carnival the streets were full of drunken people. It definitely looked more like a festival. Anyhow it was a bit too much for me so I went to Regent's Park and did some sketches.
Day II
Ever since I read Her Fearful Symmetry I wanted to see Highgate and around. So I went to Belsize Park by underground, walked all the way up to Hampstead Heath and had a look at the Pergola. It was a really hot day so I sat in the sun and did some more sketches. Then I got lost a few times in the wastness that is Hampstead Heath while searching for Kenwood house. So after walking up and down the hilly park quite a lot I made it there and had lunch. Monday was a bank holiday and there were tons of families with dogs around and it really was a perfect day. From atop the Heath you can basically see all of London, all the big skyscrapers just glittering in the sun, and being so close but still having the feeling of living in a nice neighborhood. I completely understand why the rich live there in their big villas on this beautiful hill. I never want to live in London for more than a year or maybe two because although it's a great place for holidays it can get too much pretty quickly and I couldn't afford a nice place. But if I had tons of money I think this would definitely be the place where I would want to live.
Day III
Yesterday I went to the Harry Potter Studio Tours and it was simply amazing. Sadly the Dr Who Experience looks kind of lame now in comparison but I don't care. The studios consist of two sound stages which are huge halls containing all the sets and were most of the movies were actually shot. Ironically the sets are named stage J and stage K. You got all the interior sets like class rooms, common rooms, the burrow, the ministry of magic back to back and they show how props were made, how they used less CGI than I would have expected and how green boxes and the like work. I flew on a broomstick in the green box, took tons of videos, had a really close look at the props (especially wands), spent a long time looking at sketches from the set design department and then drew a sketch of the amazing Hogwarts model they used for exterior shoots. Of course I had a butterbeer in the backyard between the two stages sitting in front of Voldemort's grave, facing Privet Drive and the Knight Bus. I walked over the crooked Hogwarts bridge, through Diagon Alley and of course the Great Hall.
But what I thought was most impressive about the whole thing was how much they tried to explain the whole process of filmmaking. They really focus on the work behind the magic. Instead of keeping up the illusion, they explain how simple it sometimes can be to create magic with props, prosthetics and a bit of green screen. As I got my flight on USB and made some great videos of the sets like the paintings in Hogwarts (that actually had two green screen frames in between so I can easily put me in there) I'm really looking forward to editing my holiday video.
As it was the most awesome day of my trip I had just about 1 hour after spending probably 4 hours at the studios to take a break at the hostel and then rush into the city again for Macbeth at the Globe. I went to Borough Market on the way and got me a stilton burger at my beloved posh banger boys. Macbeth was just great and I always love the Globe's atmosphere. Billy Boyd played Banquo (and he was great) but all the other actors were amazing as well. After my long day standing for more than 2 hours was quite exhausting but being already at the Thames I didn't feel like going home yet. So I walked from London Bridge to Leicester Square and took some nice night shots.
Day IV
Today I had planned a trip to Greenwich. But as yesterday was so utterly full of adventure and a bit rushed I'm just going to stay in the city, go to the National Gallery and maybe some more art galleries. Then I'll try to get an affordable ticket to Les Miserables tonight because I can't miss the opportunity to see this. Maybe I'll have time for a quick stop at Primark and I need to get some postcards as well. But I'll try to have a more or less lazy day because too much running around isn't good either and I will be back in London soon anyway.
Sorry for the long entry. I tried to sum everything up. Tomorrow I'm off to Dover and then on Sunday I'm already returning home.
So long
Anja