London Eye

The London Eye was a big hit with everyone--so much so that many students picked this event to write about for their Tourist With a Purpose forum submission.  Here are a few of the responses:

Luke’s Reflection

While there seems to be mixed reviews on the London Eye and how it fits in to the city’s culture, there is one thing that is undeniable; it is an engineering marvel.  Even though the figure is dynamic in nature in the fact that it is a giant ferris wheel, from a statics perspective the design of the structure is very interesting. First off, the design is compact and takes up very little space.  The two giant steel legs of the wheel are being pulled into compression by a series of tension cables stretching above the legs away from the structure.  These two dimensions of the structure almost make the wheel a giant cantilever.  The support of the structure is helped a little as the frame of the wheel rests on some huge rotating wheels that bring the feat to life. 

While taking the ride on the Eye we saw some of the best views of the city.  As I mentioned earlier this structure is considered to be an “Eye” sore by some.  I think one of the best things about London is it has a balance of its rich history and a new age contemporary feel.  I could understand if I lived in London how maybe I wouldn’t see the eye as one of the best additions to the city.  But, I do think that it adds a unique touch and gives this place a feel of somewhere that’s not just stuck in the past.

Thomas’ Reflection

It is the most iconic structure of modern London. It is featured, and oddly enough often destroyed, in most movies set in London. And it is a giant Ferris wheel. Stabbing in line waiting to get on, we were entertained by a pair of stilted men doing flips. When we actually stepped into the capsule all antics were forgotten. It rose smoothly and never even paused as we got on. The cityscape spread out around me. Within the capsule there were small tablets that had an interactive picture of the skyline in which you could find out names and pictures of what you were actually seeing. The capsule was a football shaped pod made of glass that rotated with the wheel maintaining a flat ground upon which we stood. The Eye itself was cantilevered out over the Thames so looking down gave a true uninhibited view of the height we had achieved. The whole ride lasted around half of an hour, so it gave you ample time to enjoy the view from above. The Eye is operated by London’s largest low carbon energy producer. Winner of multiple awards, it was in true style during last year’s 2012 Olympics. During this it was often lit up in commemoration of team Great Britain. It was even lit up recently to celebrate the birth of the royal son, George Alexander Louis. Though it was meant to be temporary, it has recently been renovated and the lease extended for another 10 years. It has become as integrated with London as the tower that houses Big Ben, and will continue to spin for years to come. 

Robert’s Reflection

Last week we went to the London Eye as a group. It was a clear day and we had a great view while on the ride. Something that I did not realize about the London Eye is that it rarely stops. At first I thought that the London Eye would be just like a Ferris wheel and stop periodically, so that you would be able to sit at the top for a while. However, when the capsule comes around and approaches the deck the doors simply open and people exit and then enter the capsule. The only time that the London Eye stopped was when they had to help someone who was handicapped or something into the capsule. There were a total of 32 capsules on the London Eye and when at the top you were 135 meters off of the ground. The view from the top of the structure can span about 25 miles all the way to Windsor Castle. The whole trip around the London Eye took about 30 minutes so it is pretty impressive that they are able to keep it spinning at that constant speed for it whole hours of operation. The wait was not too bad but it is noteworthy because you have to wait in the line to get a ticket, wait in the line to get into the line to board, and then wait in the line to board. Therefor I would plan out exactly when you are going to go and reserve your tickets early. We had our ride during the afternoon but I would also look into getting on a ride at night because I could see that ride being even better with all of the lights of the city. 

Adam’s Reflection

Upon arrival to London a small group of my classmates and I made a trip to Westminster. Right after we got out of the tube station the Eye was one of two very noticeable structures, the other structure I knew was Big Ben.

We eventually made it closer to this structure and the group said that a trip inside of the Eye was included in the cost of our program. Approximately one week later the day had came, we got our tickets and the wait was luckily only 30 minutes. It could have been a lot worst that is for sure. The eye is constantly moving which it’s hard to realize because it’s moving so slow the entire time. It makes one complete revolution in approximately 45 minutes. We entered our pill like shaped room and we were off. The Big Ben is one of the most noticeable structures in all of London, next to the London Bridge, which is kind of already known but it was even more evident once we started getting higher and higher. London as a whole compared to Los Angeles, California in my mind because from the top of the eye you still couldn’t see where the city ended. I think this experience overall was great because it gave me a perspective on how large London actually is. It made you feel kind of small in contrast to the entire city but that is realistic.

Alex’s Reflection

The London Eye is a cultural icon of London. Standing at 135 meters high, the Eye is one of the most popular tourist attractions in England, with 3.5 million people riding every year, according to the website for EDF. EDF Energy is the company that owns and operates the London eye, and has since it was built in 2000. The project took seven years to complete. 

Like the construction companies we visited as part of our program, this was likely an effort that required a lot of communication between architects, engineers, and contractors. It probably involved interdisciplinary engineering discussions, because the structure moves, is powered by electricity, and must stand without falling over. With each capsule weighing in at 10 tons, a lot of work would be required to make sure the structure is stable.

In my experience, the London Eye was entertaining, as I could see most of the city from up in the capsule. Seeing all the people milling about and going about their lives made me realize that London is not that different from any American city I’ve seen so far.

In the end, going on the London Eye was worth it, and enjoyable. I got to see a fantastic and beautiful view of London. The architecture here is still interesting, and I enjoy taking in the sights of the city.

Weather

After a month of sunny skies and hot days, "typical" London weather arrived this morning. Much cooler and rainy.

We walked to our lunch at The Anchor in the rain. So, no good picture moments on Millennium Bridge or in front of The Anchor.  Our lunch took much longer than expected. But, we enjoyed talking about our last weekend abroad and visiting.

Imperial College

Jose's reflections on our visit to Imperial College

We went on a campus tour of the Imperial College of London on July 23. We met with Dr. Andrew Horsfield, Director of Undergraduate Studies and senior lecturer in the Materials Department. We arrived ten minutes before our meeting time. It was rather interesting to learn that it was quite early for him, as he seemed a bit caught by surprise. 

While we waited for the official start time and the PhD students assisting with event, we had a little small talk about the particular things that strike us as different in the British culture. The way he began his presentation was different from what I had seen so far, as he focused on learning about us. He was interested in setting a background by asking where we come from and about NC State. It was a very rewarding experience because we learned about the Imperial first hand, not only from Dr. Horsfield, but the other PhD students involved. 

I met Jing Sheng, a PhD student that hopes to complete his doctorate this coming school year. He works in multiple lab environments focusing on nanotechnology and product design. He was a great person to talk to, very relaxed, knowledgeable, and humorous. We talked about British Culture, life as a student at Imperial College, and other background information. He provided very insightful and in-depth answers to questions, which made the conversation take on a natural feel instead of the common mechanical question-answer sequence. If we don’t know what is our ideal industry job, he suggested to intern at a specific organization, depending of the major.  There, you will gain working experience and potentially find your true career passion, if not you still might meet the person who might know the person that will lead you in the right direction. “No experience is a bad experience”, he said. 

The final event on the schedule was a discussion panel, in which insightful final comments were given by the PhD students and Dr. Horsfield. I confirmed what we have been learning about communicating effectively truly happens in their working environments on a daily basis. They mentioned being able to manage your time effectively and being organized about your daily objectives to keep track of your short and long term goals. Also, communication between people from different career backgrounds is very important because you don’t have specific knowledge of each other’s expertise. That ties in with paying attention to your audience. The level of detail depends on who you are exchanging ideas with about your particular duties. I really enjoyed this visit because I met very interesting people. It also reinforced what we have been practicing in a classroom setting.

White Cliffs of Dover

Johnny's experience in Dover.

My trip to Dover was on the first available weekend that we had on our program and I was really excited to be able to the coast line for the first time. I had heard of and seen some pictures of the white cliffs of Dover before but still didn’t really know what to expect. When I got off of the train and walked down to the coast to look up at the cliffs, I was at a loss of words; I was looking at a solid, perfectly white wall over three hundred feet high. Pictures can never show everything I was able to see and experience there. 

It has been by far the best and most scenic hiking experience of my life. We were able to walk right next to the cliff edge for about 5 miles along pristine coastline overlooking the clear water. On a clear day we heard that you are able to see France; unfortunately it was a bit foggy in the distance so the French were able to remain hidden from us. 

Initially we were not sure whether we were going to stay for one or two days. In the end we decided on staying two days and I am very glad we did because it was well worth the cost of a hostel room to get another day of those kinds of views. This hiking trip got me really excited for the big hiking trip that Thomas and I have planned for after our program ends. We are planning to go to Switzerland to hike in the Alps. I can only hope that our experience there is like my experience in Dover.

Museum of Instruments

Michael's experience at the Museum of Instruments

Located a short five minute walk from our apartments in South Kensington, the Royal College of Music provides a world-renowned education to students wishing to pursue lives in the musical arts. As a musician, it was a fascinating experience getting to see where so many famous composers and musicians have spent their formative years, developing their craft and creating some of the most recognized symphonic pieces from across the ages.

When I was looking up online where the College was located, I was surprised to learn that it was just two streets over form where I am staying at Ambassador House. As I approached, I was greeted by the sound of students practicing piano from the basement of the building. In fact, had it not been for the music resonating from the building itself, I may have walked right past it. I was rather surprised at how unassuming the building actually is, considering how beautiful some of the other buildings are in the South Kensington area. Needless to say, I had imagined that a College so famous would reside in a building with a bit more grandeur. With that being said, the lack of a brilliant façade is surely rectified by the College’s location within the city. As I walked up to the building, I was more focused on the massive Royal Albert Hall to my left than the college campus to my right. What a great location for the conservatory to be, just across the street from a concert venue known across the globe for its superior sound and history!

The purpose for my visit was not only to see a conservatory I have heard a great deal about in music classes over the last 10 years, the Royal College of Music houses a famous Museum of Instruments that documents the musical history of some of the worlds greatest musical artifacts. After signing in at the college’s Reception area, I was directed to the basement where the museum is housed. For a building as unassuming as the RCM, the museum was even more conservative in its style and presentation. Two plain wooden doors were accompanied by a small “Museum” sign with an arrow, directing me further into the basement towards the exhibit. However, when I opened the door, I was greeted with a 2-storey room full of antique and iconic instruments dating back as far as the 12^th century. It took me around an hour to walk through the exhibit, stopping to photograph some of the collection’s most famous pieces.

By far, the most interesting piece within the museum was an instrument called a Clavicytherium (see photo). This piece is the oldest surviving example of a stringed keyboard instrument, like a piano. 

Dating from the 14^th century, the level of detail in the craftsmanship was astounding. The piece was so important that the museum commissioned a playable replica to be made, allowing select students to experience a bit of musical history. Though much of the collection was unlabeled, it was still very interesting to see the collection of history that such a small little museum housed. In addition to the instruments themselves, the museum also had a collection of written compositions and about a dozen portraits of famous composers.

Overall, it was very fascinating to experience the history that I have learned so much about in music classes at State and in high school. The collection presents a unique opportunity for those who are willing to seek it out. After all, the museum is practically in our backyard here in South Kensington.

Beechy Head Trip