London Trip

While staying in Liverpool, England, is wonderful I wanted to be able to see what a big city in the England was like, so I traveled with my friend Ana and met up with some other friends, Tiffany and Melissa to see the sights of London. We were all staying at different hostels and none of us had good experiences there. So I would definitely recommend paying a little extra and staying in a hotel when visiting London.

A typical picture of the city of London.



Traveling There

We first took the bus from our campus into the City Centre in Liverpool. Then we took the train from Lime Street Station for about an hour and then transferred trains to Euston Train station in London. From there we needed to take the underground and transfer lines before finally getting to our destination where our hostel was located near the Kilburn station. Navigating the Underground takes a lot of time to figure out and it can be quite nerve racking especially during high travel time which seemed to be between the hours of 4pm and 8pm. We got an Oyster card which allows us to put money on it and then all we have to do is swipe it at the gate whenever we go on the underground. Allow yourself enough time to figure out the maps and where you go and have a plan in place in case you get separated from your group. When we were traveling during the high travel time, it is very easy to just get carried into the crowd. I am glad I had the experience of traveling on the Underground.....however, I don't think I would by choice travel on it again. Too many crowds and way too easy to get lost.

Things To Do And See

Big Ben and Parliament. I promised a little boy I baby-sit back home that I would take a picture of Big Ben just for him. I didn't realize that Big Ben was actually connected to the Houses of Parliament. But it was so beautiful to see as we were crossing over the Thames River. While I was not able to go inside the Houses of Parliament (though there are tours you can take, but you must pay for a ticket) it was very beautiful to look at from the outside. Big Ben is just as magnificent as the books show and is a must see.

Here is Big Ben!



Westminster Abbey. We were able to get a guided audio tour through the Abbey with our ticket. Though we could not take pictures inside the Abbey, but it is very beautiful and so is the area surrounding it. We were traveling a few days after Veterans' Day, so there were still very big memorials set up in the yards of Westminster Abbey with poppies. It was a very touching memorial. Inside the Abbey, we were able to see where Kings and Queens were buried and we were also able to see how different monarchs decided to restore and add onto Westminster Abbey. We also saw where Charles Darwin is buried and Sir Isaac Newton. We saw where the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Katherine took place and we got to see the coronation chair that every king and queen has sat in. What was really nice was that my friend Ana and I were able to go to a church service there. If that is something that is of interest to you then when you go there you should check to see what times they offer service.

The outside of Westminster Abbey.



London Eye. This was the only thing we bought our tickets in advance for. There are several different options for the London Eye and the option we chose was to go on it twice. See the view in the daytime and then come back the same day and see the view at night. Again, I am not fond of heights, so it took some convincing to get me on. The London Eye does not stop moving for when you get on and get off, so that can be a little tricky although if someone has a disability they will stop it to allow time for that person to get on. There is a bench in the middle of the pod that you ride in (which I sat very comfortably for the entire time) but you can walk around and see the city from different views. It looks out over the Thames River so you can see the boats that go by as well. I don't know if I can actually admit it out loud, but even though I was very stressed with the height I am glad I was able to have that experience and go out of my comfort zone. At least now I can say I have been on the world's biggest Ferris wheel and I will never have to go on another one in my life.

Here is the London Eye.



Globe Theater. I love that there is a theater that has been built to replicate the type of theater that would have been around during Shakespeare's time. Though it is not exact it is quite fun to go inside and tour it. This theater does however do exact replicas of costumes from Shakespeare's time and we were able to some of those in the museum. We learned a lot of history about how plays were performed back then on the tour and we were able to see what the inside of the Globe Theater looked like.

The Globe Theater.

Broadway Show in London's West End. Turns out pretty much everyone goes to London to see a show while they are there; including the tourists. So my friend Tiffany and I were able to get really good seats (for a reasonable price I might add) to see Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theater. We did not know it at the time but it was the 3000th performance of Wicked at that theater, so there was a lot of celebration and confetti and balloons at the end of the performance. It was a spectacular show and a great performance!

London's West End Theater District.



Harrods Department Store. Quite famous and old....(little like Macy's in New York.) though it is very expensive, it is a lot of fun to just walk around and look at everything. There were models on the make up floor and the clothing floors. There was an Egyptian themed floor and there was an opera singer in a balcony on the way up one of the escalators. Plus, they had their Christmas lights up and decorations, so that was a lot of fun to see and walk about.

Harrods all lit up for night time.



Hyde Park. This is one of the biggest parks in London. Even though we were there in the middle of November, it was still very peaceful and pretty. While we were there we stopped in a little café that is in the middle of the park overlooking the water. It was beautiful and the food was very good with exceptional tasting tea! There is a rose garden dedicated to the late Princess Diana and when we were there, people were beginning to set up a big Christmas Market which is not something that is as popular back in the States.

The Rose Garden pictured above; a path in Hyde Park.

Tower Bridge. My friend Ana and I were able to see the Tower Bridge (not to be confused with the London Bridge a few kilometers away) during the day and at night. We had to cross it to get to the Tower of London. The bridge is really amazing and to get tot he bridge we had to walk through a little Christmas market which was fun to see. At night the bridge is all lit up, so it is worth seeing it at least twice, once in the daytime and once at night. You can also go up inside the Tower Bridge, but that requires getting a ticket in advance.

The Tower Bridge.



Tower of London. I do believe this was my favorite part of the trip. I love history and museums and this was all that in one. Ana and I got there about a half hour after it opened and we stayed until we were kicked out and still were not able to see everything! We were given a guided tour by a Yeoman, who is a retired military personal. The Tower of London is still active and we saw several soldiers who are there to guard the Crown Jewels and such. Though they were not in their red jackets (they had changed over into their winter uniforms which are long blue-gray coat. We walked through the White Tower and saw the Bloody Tower where prisoners were kept before they were beheaded. We also saw the Crown Jewels which were absolutely breathtaking. Definitely make time to explore this wonderful historical landmark of England if you ever visit London.

 

The Tower of London with the Tower Bridge in the background.



 

The Tower where the Crown Jewels are kept.

 

 



Things I Ran Out Of Time To Do

Buckingham Palace. I know, I know.....who goes to London and doesn't see Buckingham Palace? Well, I do apparently, but all the more reason to come back to London, right? Pretty much because of the timing of the trip, we were not able to tour the Palace. It was a bit out of our way and we were not able to make it in time to see the Changing of the Guards, which is worth seeing if you can get there early enough to get a good place to see and take pictures. I will just have to say "hi" to the Queen next time.

Winston Churchill's War Rooms. Being the history lover that I am, this looked like a really fun place to visit. You can actually see what the rooms looked like and the maps and a lot more.

British Museum of History. My friend Ana was able to visit here, while I was at Wicked, and she absolutely loved it. She didn't['t have enough time to go through all the floors because there was so much history. I guess we will just have to come back. There is so much in London worth seeing and never enough time to see it all!

Travel: Taking the train and Underground to London

 

Adventure: Learning how to take the Underground

 

Discover: I discovered I really wanted more time to explore the city of London. I don't feel like I was even able to uncover half of what London had to offer. And no matter what.....I will stay in a hotel the next time I visit London.

Dublin, Ireland

I was able to spend a long weekend traveling around Dublin, Ireland and the Irish countryside. The views were breathtaking and the experiences and places I was able to visit with my friends were incredible! I have to Irish friends who were able to recommend places to visit in Dublin and that was really helpful in planning this trip. Also, one of my other friends had just visited Dublin, so she was able to recommend things to do as well. All of that was a lot of help when it came time to decided what we wanted to do in Ireland.

A Place to Stay

Being a Uni (university) student, looking for a good deal is a must so staying in hostels is the cheapest place to stay while traveling. But it is also important that you find a quality hostel, one with good reviews, and includes some amenities without huge fees. A hostel provides a bed for you (usually in bunk bed form) in rooms of 4 up to 15 people in mixed or single sex rooms. Some hostels have an ensuite while others have a bathroom/shower room at the end of the hall per floor. A good source to find reviews of hostels is HostelWorld.com. The hostel I stayed at with my friends was called Jacob's Inn. It was in good proximity to the City Centre (about a 15 minute walk and on the other side of the River Liffey.) It was very clean; there was an ensuite in the room (my friends and I were in a mixed 10 person room.) We had access to a luggage room where we could rent a locker for the day to put our bags in. One thing I wished I had known was to bring a towel. While you can rent towels, they are a little small and sometimes it is just nice to have your own towel. Also, when hostels say that they provide a free breakfast, it is not at all like the free continental breakfasts that hotels provide back in the states. You can get toast or cereal, juice, coffee, or tea. So you might want to pack granola bars or plan on stopping for a mid-morning snack during your exploring of the city. When traveling around the city, most of the time you will be walking or using the bus system. You can find information about that when you get off your plane in the airport and it will be good to hold onto that while you are traveling.

Things To Do And See

Museums. It doesn't matter where you are traveling to, find at least one museum to visit while you are there. Museums provide an insight to the culture of the country you are visiting and to events in time that are important to them. It can also give you a comparison on how your country's history is viewed compared to the visiting country you are at. I was able to go to the National Museum of Ireland, The Natural History Museum of Ireland and the National Library. Both were beautiful old buildings, with astonishing architecture.

The outside of the Natural History Museum.



Butler's Chocolate Factory. This is a chocolate factory and the only working Butler's chocolate factory in the world. We took the Ultimate Chocolate Experience tour all decked out in hair nets and lab coats, which allowed us entry into the museum, free chocolate samples, a tour of the factory (we went on a Sunday so we couldn't actually see anyone working there. Had we known that we probably would have switched our schedule around so that we could have gone during the work week.) more free samples of chocolate, and then we were able to decorate our own Butler's Chocolate Bear. It was a lot of fun...and a lot of chocolate!



 

Here we are outside Butler's Chocolate Factory!

Here we are with our chocolate bears.





Tour of Cliffs of Moher. Devote a full day to see these beautiful cliffs. My friends and I took a tour (that included stopping at a family owned working farm that was located at the foot of some beautiful hills. The family opens up their home and takes you on a hike up the hill (more like a small mountain.) They provided rain gear, which was very helpful since it rains off and on all day. It was really cold, windy, and rainy when I went, but the view was worth every moment. I am not fond of heights and getting back down was a little tricky, but with all that rain we saw several rainbows and the view really was spectacular. The family also provides you with a warm fire inside and treats and coffee and tea after the hike. If you don't want to do the hike you can also just sit by the fire. The actual Cliffs of Moher are beautiful. we happened to go on a very, very windy day. There were actual warnings going out about the wind levels (up to 50 mph) and people were actually falling down the steps because the wind was so strong. But the view was really lovely and there was part of a castle at the top that we were able to see called O'Brian's Tower. The road getting to the Cliffs of Moher was very narrow and twisty and had very sharp turns which is information that would be nice to have before going on the trip. There are lots of tour buses that go to the Cliffs of Moher and other extra stops along the way for sightseeing, just look around and pick the best one for you.

Here we are in our rain gear after climbing to the top of the Barren on our Tour.

 

The Cliffs of Moher.

 

The O'Brian's Tower at the top of the Cliffs of Moher.

 



Guinness Factory. There is a fee to get in but your ticket allows you to have a free pint of Guinness at the end of the tour. There really is not much here for families with young children, but the museum is very well done. There are multiple floors and the exhibits range from how the beer is made to how Guinness was advertised over the years. We were also able to do a little demonstration where we learned the proper way to drink and taste test Guinness Beer. There is a gift shop as well as two restaurants and then on the top floor is a bar with a 360 degree view of Dublin.



The most iconic tourist picture taken at Guinness Factory!

Celtic Dance Show. A must see when you are in Ireland. I love Celtic dancing and luckily my friends and I were able to buy  tickets the night of, for a dinner and show deal. It was held in The Temple Bar at the Arlington Hotel. (and if you have seen pictures of Ireland where there is a bright red tavern building, that is what The Temple Bars look like and they are all over Ireland.) We were given a 3 course dinner, a live Celtic band and live Celtic dancing. There are a lot of options to see Celtic dancing, some include dinner and a show while others are just the show. So check with the front desk where you are staying. There will be plenty of brochures and they will be able to recommend something to you.



At the Celtic dinner and show at The Temple Bar.

 



Travel: Going to Ireland for the first time!

 

Adventure: Staying in a hostel and navigating through the city on our own. It was bit nerve racking at times, but that's part of the adventure.

 

Discover: I don't really like staying in hostels very much, but it is much nicer to stay in them when traveling with a group of friends.

Peter Rabbit and the Lake District Part 2

The Lake District is a well know area throughout England, known for its' beautiful landscapes, lakes, forests, and villages. My school sponsored a daylong trip to go and visit two towns in the Lake District; Grasmere and Bowness-on-the-Windsor. Both of these places have inspired many people with beauty of nature such as William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter.

Bowness-on-the-Windsor

We were able to stop here and some friends took a riverboat cruise around one of the lakes. There were lots of little shops here to explore and of course this is also where the Beatrix Potter Museum is located. Though I visited Bowness-on-the-Windsor in the late fall, this would also be a beautiful place to visit in the summer time. The Beatrix Potter Museum is exceptional. Though it has many areas that are clearly dedicated towards the younger fans of Peter Rabbit; adults who grew up with Peter rabbit and his friends will get a lot of enjoyment out if the museum as well. There is a small fee to get in, but once you do you go into a theater to watch a short film about Beatrix Potter. Then you go into the exhibits. You can see Mrs. Tiddlywink in her house doing the wash, you can see Peter Rabbit's coat and shoes hanging in Mr. McGregor's garden and you can also see Benjamin Bunny and all of the other characters form Beatrix Potter's stories. There is an outdoor area of the museum which is a garden and potting shed that you can explore that is part of the museum. The gift shop is quiet nice and the café downstairs in the museum has lots to offer if you are looking for a light lunch or an afternoon tea. The town of Bowness-on-the-Windsor is very quaint and charming. There are lots of ice cream shops and outdoor cafes where you can enjoy your food while you watch the boats on the lake. It is no wonder authors and artists look to settle here and gather inspirations from the beautiful landscape.

Travel: To the Lake District, specifically Bowness-on-the-Windsor

 

Adventure: Wandering through the town and trying to decide what activities to do (there were too many choices and not enough time!)

 

Discover: Rediscovering my inner kid and exploring the World of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit.

 

Peter Rabbit Exhibit in the Beatrix Potter Museum

 

 

 

 

 

Outside Exhibit in the Beatrix Potter Museum

 

 

 

 

Me and Peter!

 

 

 

 

 

Shops in Bowness-on-the-Windsor

 

 

 

 

One of the streets with little shops

 

 

One of the many lakes in Bowness-on-the-Windsor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Peter Rabbit and the Lake District Part 1

The Lake District is a well know area throughout England, known for its' beautiful landscapes, lakes, forests, and villages. My school sponsored a daylong trip to go and visit two towns in the Lake District; Grasmere and Bowness-on-the-Windsor. Both of these places have inspired many people with beauty of nature such as William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter.

Grasmere, England

If you are traveling from Liverpool, (which is where my university is located) the Lake District is about 2 hours away by car (or in this case coach bus.) Our first stop was Grasmere, known as the home of English poet William Wordsworth and the famous Grasmere Gingerbread. We took a guided walking tour throughout the lake area of Grasmere, which took us through meadows of sheep, up hills, to William Wordsworth's home, and ending in the little village where the smell of gingerbread wafted from a tiny little store.

 

Travel: To the Lake District, specifically  Grasmere

 

Adventure: Hiking all over the village, through sheep meadows, and up steep hills

 

Discover: This is probably one of the most breathtaking areas in England that I have seen. I can understand why authors and artists come here for inspiration.

Walking through the meadow of sheep



William Wordsworth home

Swing outside William Wordsworth's home

View of one of the many streams running through Grasmere

Grasmere

We climbed all the way to the top of this hill.

View from the top of the hill.

 

 

Sign outside Grasmere Gingerbread shop



 

 

 

Links: The Grasmere Gingerbread shop http://www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk/

Beatles, Beatles, Beatles......and More Beatles

Beatle Mania is still going strong here in Liverpool, at least among the tourists. Fans from all over the world can come and experience where John, Paul, George, and Ringo grew up and got their start playing as The Beatles. A group of friends and I decided to take the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour, which takes visitors around the city of Liverpool. As you would expect, the tour bus plays lots of Beatles music and the bus itself looks like one that may have actually been around in 1970's.


The tour starts off by the Tourist Information Center at Albert Dock. There are two little shops selling everything you can possibly imagine in Beatles which you can look around at while you are waiting for your tour to start. Once you are on the bus, you can purchase a program that lists all of the places you visit on the trip. You start off with where Ringo grew up, and end at the Cavern which is where the Beatles first started performing. In between you make stops at places such as Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane. John Lennon's childhood home and Penny Lane are right by my university, Liverpool Hope University, and when I take the bus into the city, we always go by Penny Lane and I just can't help but think of the song every time we go by it.

 

While the tour was nice and we learned a lot of interesting facts about each Beatle member, in some aspects it was a little disappointing. Had we known we were traveling around where our university is located we would probably have chosen a different Beatle tour. Still on my to-do list is to check out the Beatle Museum. While the Museum of Liverpool there is an exhibit on the Beatles, going to a museum that is dedicated to everything Beatles is a must see and if you are planning on taking any of the Beatles Tours, depending on when you schedule your tour, you could see the museum as well. Just be sure to check where your tour lets off at and make transportation arrangements to get back to Albert Dock where the museum is located. 

 

Travel: The Beatles Magical Mystery Bus Tour

 

Adventure: Traveling to some familiar and not so familiar parts of Liverpool

 

Discover: I don't know as much about the Beatles as I should, given how such big fans my mom and grandmother are. But after taking the tour I have learned a lot more Beatles facts. I also probably would have taken a different Beatles Tour.

 

And just to leave you with one more Beatle song:

 



 



Strawberry Fields: "There is always a field for imagination, John we know you should be glad."


Links: Beatles The Magical Mystery Bus Tour (there are also links to other Beatles tours on this site.)
http://www.cavernclub.org/beatles-tours

Songs: The Beatles, "Penny Lane," and "Let It Be" from YouTube.

Liverpool F.C. vs Everton F.C.

Football is a way of life here in England. Especially, living here in Liverpool, where many people ask, "Who's your favourite team?" Football (soccer to all of us Americans) is a HUGE part of the culture here in England but especially to those in Liverpool, since two of the football clubs (F.C.) are based here in Liverpool. Since I had been hearing about how great Liverpool F.C. is and how great Everton F.C. is, going all way back to sitting in the airport in Chicago waiting for the plane (I overheard two gentleman heading back to Manchester going back and forth about the rivalry between the two clubs.) So I decided that I would go along with some friends from school and tour both stadiums to see for myself if one football team was better than the other.

The history of football really starts off with the Everton Football Club. According to our tour guide many "firsts" (as in first standard rules for football, first use of goalie markings) was started with the Everton F. C. They haven't won many trophies so in comparison to the Liverpool F.C. they are not as good. But they are known as being one of the most hospitable teams. That has to count for something.


The Liverpool F.C. is the team with all the wins and trophies here. their home field is Anfield Stadium and their motto is, "You'll Never Walk Alone." Which first appeared as their motto and tribute to the fans who died watching a semi-final game on special stadium roof seats that collapsed. While touring Anfield Stadium, it definitely felt majestic in comparison to Everton F.C. everything just felt bigger. Both football clubs share a rich history in Liverpool and there is a park that sits exactly between both stadiums, which on game day is filled with fans for both teams. You can just imagine what a few game day beers, tailgating, and one or two snide comments will create in that park. Just be sure that if you ever go there during game day, you know which side to walk on (Everton fans are on one side and Liverpool fans are on the other.) I am really glad that I was able to experience and go on these tours, because I feel like I am now able to understand at least the football culture a little better here. Now, if only I can figure out how rugby is played!

Travel: Tours of Goodison Football Stadium (Everton F.C.) and Anfield Stadium Liverpool F.C.)

 

Adventure: To learn more about Liverpool's rival football teams

 

Discover: England takes their football here very seriously. The field is called a "pitch;" a game is called a "match;" and a team is called a "club." Also, I should really watch an actual football/soccer game/match from start to finish.

 

Goodinson Football Stadium

Me with friends McKenzie, Katy, and Stephen at Goodinson

Anfield Stadium

Me with friends Katy, McKenzie, and Stephen at Anfield Stadium

 

Traveling Around the City

Coming from a rather large city but leaving in a very residential area, I have never taken public transportation. Except for the few times I have traveled to Chicago for the day on the train. My city has public transportation and the bus hum is quite close to where I live, but there was never a reason to use the transportation. Here in Liverpool, public bus transportation is how you get anywhere in the city (or you use your two feet.) Now Chicago, IL, and Milwaukee, WI,  are both cities with good transportation systems. They have nothing on the European transit. The buses are on time, clean, and the bus drivers are very nice and run a tight ship....or rather bus.

Today, a group of us international students decided that we wanted to go exploring into the city...except none of us knew where we were going or what to do. Our very nice RA (residential assistant of our dorm floor) offered to take us into the city and show us around. We started off at 8:30am (this is very early for British students, who are accustomed to staying out at clubs until the early morning and sleeping until the midmorning.) Bus fare was quite cheap, and the buses don't seem to get busy until around 4pm. From Liverpool Hope University it takes about 20 minutes to get to the City Centre. The City Centre has all sorts of shops and restaurants. It is also where Albert Dock is, many boats and ships still sail from here. Matthew Street is just off of City Centre where the most famous band ever got their start. For as large as the city is (think Chicago, IL,) and for as many people who are coming and going, for how old the city itself is, what kept running through my mind was, "It's so clean. Everything...the streets, buses, buildings, everything is so clean." The city gives huge fines if people so much as leave a cigarette butt on the sidewalk, so Liverpool takes it's littering very seriously. Because it's such a clean city, it makes touring, shopping, and hanging about much more enjoyable!

Travel: to Liverpool City Center 

Adventure: Navigating through the City and Bus System

Discover: Taking public transportation does not have to be stressful and I am more confident in finding my way around.

The Beatles Shop on Matthew Street

 

(2nd picture: Fish N' Chips plate from Browns; Lovely ladies whom I went traveling with)

 

 

Places to Visit: Albert Docks, Matthew Street, The Cavern, St. John shopping area, Liverpool One

 

Place to Eat: Brown's Bar & Brasserie http://www.browns-restaurants.co.uk/locations/liverpool/

Travel. Adventure. Discover.

 

 

 Welcome to Travel. Adventure. Discover! My name is Hannah and this is the blog that I started to document my studies and travel around the U.K. for the next 3 months. Fun stories, tips for traveling, pictures, and culture will be filling these pages. So check back often and see where I have been traveling to, what adventures I have been up to, and what I have discovered about myself, humanity and the beautiful culture I get to experience everyday!