Well, looks like the semester is sadly coming to a close soon. Lately I have been trying to pack in as much as possible in the waning weeks of my London study abroad program. I apologize for lack of a post in a while. I am sure everyone has been sitting at their computer hitting refresh on their browser until now, anxiously awaiting another update on my adventures.
A few weeks ago my friend Ibrahim from Duke came to visit from his study abroad in Morocco. Being his first visit to London, I thought it appropriate to do some typical touristy things. You know, see London Bridge, the obligatory red phone booth picture, Tower Bridge, fish and chips, pints at a pub, seeing the Queen and Prince Charles…oh, yeah. Heading out of the flat with no particular plans, per usual Moe style, we ambled down to Trafalgar Square to see a famous British landmark. On the way over to Big Ben and Parliament from Trafalgar, we were distracted by a parade blocking off the entire road. Geez, how inconsiderate of them to just close down the street like this! After edging into the crowd to get a better view, we realized why there were police barriers around the perimeter of the parade. They were not there to protect the noble bagpipers, but rather the Queen and Prince Charles. Apparently Ibrahim and I had stumbled upon a WWI remembrance ceremony. In London, there is never a dull moment.
After Ibrahim departed I really buckled down and did my work. That is not to say that I had not been working while he was here…but I had to knock out some papers in order to maximize my time with my parents! Seeing as my sister and I are both in England, mom and dad really had no choice but to come to the UK for Thanksgiving. This year Thanksgiving dinner turned out to be an enlightening experience for us all. I guess Brits are under the impression that Americans eat only meat. The dish we received for our meal was overflowing with ham, turkey breast, turkey drumsticks, and a slight garnish of mashed potatoes and stuffing. Even with me eating, we had two large takeout boxes to bring back. My flatmates took on the challenge of finishing up the food admirably. Further on in the evening, our waitress apologized for running out of pumpkin pie AND apple turnovers, two of the three promised desserts. This was just unacceptable. For those of you who have never pissed off a Lebanese woman, don’t. My mom and sister did not take the news well. The waitress hurried off, and about a minute later came back explaining that the manager had sent over complimentary apple Schanpps shots and that we could pick out whatever dessert we wanted from the menu. I guess another stereotype of Americans is that we require alcohol to be satiated.
We had a very enjoyable few days together which included a number of activities around London and Cambridge. The highlights included riding on the London Eye, which you should avoid if you don’t like heights or being over water like my mom, punting in sub-freezing temperatures, the British Museum, the Courtauld Art Gallery, and the Tower of London. Although I had been to the British Museum multiple times already, I discovered two of my favorite items in the extensive collection. The first was a crystal skull. Although I have seen my share of documentaries on crystal craniums, I had never before seen one in person and thus felt as if I were on a pilgrimage. The second was an arghile (hookah) shaped like a duck. Whoever designed that was truly a genius. To those contemplating a trip to London and planning on visiting art museums, if you have a chance to visit only two go to the Tate Modern and the Courtauld. The Courtauld is tucked away, and often overshadowed by its larger peers. However, it was a more intimate experience than one of the massive, overcrowded galleries which get the most publicity. The collection is quite impressive, boasting works by Degas, Van Goh, Matisse, Cezannes, Monet, Reubens, and Seruat. Definitely one of the best art museums I have been to this semester, and I have seen a lot. The Tower of London was also one of the most interesting tours I have done this semester, which is really saying something. Make sure to bring tonic water for all the Beefeaters around. Oh wait…wrong kind of Beefeater. The tour guide was very personable and well-informed, and the complex itself so extensive that the suggested 2 hour tour time became about 5. The only thing that could have been improved was the temperature. It was a bit nippy even by London standards. All in all, it was a wonderful few days with the family, and will hopefully tide Moon Pie over until my sister and I get back home in just less than 3 weeks. Hope all my dear readers are doing well and looking forward to the holiday season!