Spitalfields and Brick Lane

On July 5, 2015, I explored two of London’s quirky markets with my family friend Maya and her husband, Karan. I rode two tubes to get to Liverpool Station and had to pay no fee to get into both markets. I wanted to visit the markets to get a unique food and shopping experience, something different from what I saw in Kensington. As a traveling student, I also wanted to see more of London’s diverse cultures; what better way to do so than have two local friends guide me through the markets? Exposure to several types of people, foods, and their lifestyles helps me gain a wider perspective on how people live in Europe and brings global awareness to the way I approach new ideas.

The markets were close to Liverpool Station, so we did not have to walk too much to hit the first market, Spitalfields. Spitalfields has an interesting mix of vendors and stalls. There are more commercial shops on the outer borders, but within the interior there is an eclectic mix of goods to buy. I felt overwhelmed with all the new sights and options for shopping. However, we snaked through and finally found a cart filled with headbands, flowers and leaves banded around them. The headbands were only a pound each, so I ended up getting two as souvenirs for a friend back in the US.

Spitalfields also had such a variety of options for lunch. From Vietnamese, Japanese, Peruvian, French, American, Korean, Indian, and Caribbean, I had pickings from around the world in just one small, market in London. I found a Jamaican stall that had food that I had never tried before. I ended up ordering a lunch sampler of all their salads and a lentil cake. For only 6.50 pounds, I received five different vegan salads that spanned from savory to sweet and a little spicy.


Brick Lane was only a few blocks and turns away. I enjoyed walking down Brick Lane, and was especially intrigued by the enormity and vastness of graffiti that filled the walls of the street with colorful murals and inspirational sayings. My friends have done the Alternative Tour of London, so they were able to explain the meaning behind all the street art we saw. I found the small figurines that peaked through corners and crannies of the walls. We bought an enormous bowl of fruit for just a pound from a fruit trader and chowed on them while riding bikes along the road toward the end of the day.

Walking through Spitalfields and Brick Lane, only cost me about 9.50 pounds of expenses. Since we finished our bike ride in under thirty minutes, we were not charged! At such low expense, I was stimulated by multiple cultures in one day; London’s markets offered such great value to my time and money. -Anjali

Malahide Castle Ireland

On my first free weekend, a group of 5 of us went to Ireland for the 4th of July weekend. On the fourth, we took a Coast and Castle Hop on-Hop off tour to Malahide Castle. The Talbot family inhabited the Malahide castle for 800 years until 1975 when the sister of Lord Milo sold it due to a high inheritance tax. The second room we visited was drawing room and made to displayed wealth: bright colored walls that required a large amount of pigment, ornate details, and a chair from King George's coronation. In the large drawing room, Lady Isabel Talbot held parties as she was very prone to the high life. Also in the room, there was a strange looking couch with extra seats for chaperones. (seen in the image)

This was when the young gentlemen would court young ladies during parties and could only discuss light politics, the lady’s day and the weather. The chaperone was to ensure that these rules were followed. There were four bedrooms, with the Master and Missus of the house inhabiting different rooms: hence our common term "Master's bedroom".

 

While my trip to Malahide does not relate well to my major, it does relate to why I wanted to study abroad. My trip to the castle allowed me to have a bit more insight into Irish history and culture. The high inheritance tax was during a period of anti-britishism; the IRA were highly active in the 1970s. Due to previous British rule, any native Irish person was lower class and therefore had little to pass down as inheritance. Those who did were set in place by the British during the conquering of Ireland, and therefore had their prestige due to Britain. The high inheritance tax punished them for this association. I greatly enjoyed my time at the Malahide castle, even with the cost of the coast and castle tour being as high as it was at £22.50. I was able to get several interesting pictures, which is a hobby of mine. Without this excursion, I would not have had the exposure to the Troubles of Ireland during the 1970s. -Kelsey

Portobello Road

Two friends and I spent Sunday afternoon on an adventure in Portobello Market. We took the tube there and walked through a beautiful part of town I had not yet discovered. When we hit Portobello Road, the street filled up with vendors and shoppers. Pocket watches, scarves, antiques, and souvenirs all lined the street.

We stopped in a scarf store and ended up chatting with the storekeeper, Peter from Malta, for almost ten minutes. Turns out he is a women’s fashion designer and was only watching the store for a friend. It took a little while to explain that we were from North Carolina and not New York, but we seemed excited to have met some Americans. He sold us some beautiful scarves and we continues on our way.

Farther down the lane we found a food stand market with stalls from all over the world. We passed arepas, kabobs, tacos, crepes, hamburgers, and more. Each stand was more enticing than the one before, and each cook spoke with a different accent than the one before. Finally, I settled on the arepa stand and soon went to foodie heaven when I took my first bite. The arepa (a corn-based bun like an English Muffin) was filled with spiced chicken, tomatoes, cheese, avocado sauce, and chili sauce.

This whole section of town seemed to be more artsy and worldly than the Kensington area we are staying in. I heard a multitude of language and accents while wandering through the market. Perhaps the most diverse and fun area in the city that I have discovered yet, it was definitely a great place to visit! The District line to Noting Hill Gate, plus a short walk through town, will take you there. ~Juliet

V&A Glass Exhibit

After spending the entire morning in Harrods, my roommate and I decided to stop by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A Museum). Admittedly in the beginning, I had no idea what the museum’s focus was, but it soon became apparent as we walked through halls that took us back in time. My visit on July 5, 2015 to the V&A Museum was a memorable experience, the glass and architecture exhibit being my favorite areas. I never knew of glass making’s rich history prior to my visit and was informed more about the design aspects of architecture through the architecture exhibit. Exploration of artifacts from the UK and various parts of the world opened my eyes to how design and art has changed over time, giving me perspective on how modern marvels are made.

The glass exhibit on Level 4 in Room 131 educated me about glass-making and techniques used for several types of glass from the past to current day for European and Islamic cultures. The most pivotal piece in the room was a glimmering glass staircase that reflected sunlight in just the right angle, encasing the staircase in a beautiful green glow. A recurring method of presenting information in the V&A was via short stories from people who lived during the era a particular artifact was created. It was a personal touch that I appreciated because it made me see connections between multiple cultures, making it easy to appreciate how much of an impact the artifact made in a person’s life.

The architecture gallery was especially interesting since it presented an overview of architecture to a novice such as myself. It focuses on architecture within the UK but still highlights specific international buildings that brings understanding to a concept they emphasized. There were five primary themes: Structure, Buildings in Context, Function of Buildings, Art of Architecture, and Architects. Shown in the below picture on the upper left corner was the most fascinating piece I found, a model of Great Britain’s first purpose-built middle school. The school itself had four separate teaching areas shown in the model, but we are not shared areas such as the cafeteria or library. Overall, I enjoyed looking at the patterns and layers of design principles apparent in the creation of several architectural wonders in the UK.

London’s museums are a wonderful learning opportunity that came at no monetary cost. We were able to wander through the V&A in 2-1/2 hours, gaining insight of the differing considerations of types of cultures in our world. I would suggest a visit to the V&A Museum, where even the most history or art averse people will still find exciting.

Figure 1: This is a small montage of pictures that shows the middle school model in the upper left corner, the glass exhibit in the lower left corner, and a snap of my roommate and I in front of an arch in the museum. ~Anjali

Borough Market

Upon entering (the Borough Market), I was initially shocked by the massive amount of venders inside.  The counters were filled with bright red meats, enormous cheese wheels, and a beautiful assortment of fruits and vegetables.  Borough Market is the closest thing to Heaven for a foodie like me.  

We wandered to the opposite side of the market where vendors were preparing all sorts of dishes.  We made a full sweep around that entire area to explore all of our lunch options.  However, my decision was made easier by my cousin, who recommended that I get the grilled cheese sandwich.  I decided to split the sandwich with a friend, so I only spent £3 on my lunch.  We all chose our lunch and gathered in an area, that resembled a greenhouse, to enjoy it.  Finally, I bought a chocolate chip cookie to satisfy my everlasting sweet tooth.  Because the cookie was literally the size of my head, I split that with a friend as well, costing me only £1. 

All together, my roughly 3-hour food excursion cost me £7.50.  Although I could have stayed much longer and spent much more money, my first experience to Borough Market was an absolute success.  The large array of options offered a new experience by exposing me to food I had never seen before.  Being someone that loves to cook, the market sparked my imagination for recipes I want to try when I get back to the US.  Borough Market not only filled my belly with delicious food, but also satisfied my desire to experience local London food while here for the summer. ~Lindsay

Camden Market

While researching all of the London markets, the Camden Market caught my eye because of its emphasis on arts and crafts and handmade goods.  On Friday, July 3^rd, I went to explore all that the market had to offer. 

Upon arriving at the Camden Town tube station, I immediately noticed how different it was from the Kensington area I am used to.  The walk to the market from the tube was filled with edgy shops, several tattoo and piercing studios, and a few very interesting street performers.  Of the performers, my favorite was a group of tweens, all with brightly colored Mohawks holding a sign saying, “Picture with punks, £2”.  Sadly, I opted out of the opportunity. 

After an exciting walk, I arrived at the market to find a two-story building filled with more vendors than I could count.  The vendors were arranged to create alleys that I walked up and down for nearly two hours.  The market had everything from hand carved stone necklaces, to clocks made from old records.  I stopped at most every table to gaze at the crafts and (of course) make conversation with the vendors. 

I spoke with two vendors that particularly intrigued me.  The first was a man who was selling jewelry made out of polymer clay.  He and his wife created each piece and he was able to explain how they did it.  I was particularly amazed by the jewelry because I used to play with polymer clay as a child, so I could fully recognize their talent.  I purchased an adorable bracelet with orange flowers on it for £11.  The other vendor shared a similar story in that the man’s wife made all of the jewelry he was selling at the market.  Her jewelry was unlike anything I had ever seen before.  I am not exactly sure how she made it, but it looked as if she crocheted very thin yarn to create flowers.  I was so interested in her work because of my interest in textiles.  I loved seeing ordinary supplies, like yarn, being used in a more innovative way.

The Camden Market was such a fun experience for me because I got to see how textiles are used in London.  In addition to a new bracelet, I was introduced to a new way of turning simple yarn into unbelievable jewelry.  The market will inspire me to think outside of the box when working with textiles in the upcoming semester.  I will definitely be visiting the market again before my time in London is over. ~Lindsay

Heat Wave and The London Eye

So, it is HOT in London today. Much hotter than it is in Raleigh. We hit 95 this afternoon and since very few places have A/C, that is pretty warm.  It was actually not too bad outside with the breeze and in the shade. But the insides of buildings (including our apartments) and the tube are quite stuffy.

Despite the unseasonably warm weather, we had a great day. Today was our day to ride on the London Eye. A familiar landmark that provides an amazing view of all of London's famous landmarks. Our group got separated into two pods, but it was a fun ride!

While waiting in the long queues for the London Eye may seem to drag on forever, the views during the ride are very much worth it. You can see nearly every iconic landmark in London, including Big Ben, River Thames, Wembley Stadium, the Shard, and many more. I was truly amazed at the extent of the view once the pod reached its highest point. You could not only see tens of miles in every direction, but you felt right at the heart of a bustling city which is an experience I will never forget.

I was also able to notice a lot of engineering related facets of the London Eye, which I found particularly fascinating as a mechanical engineering major. While I was waiting in line, I was captivated by some of the massive supports that were holding up the entire apparatus. The mechanisms that propelled the little pods were also pretty intriguing and looked a lot more basic than I had anticipated, although they are probably very complex on the inside. Even the pods themselves were a feat of engineering. Their odd shape, technological capabilities, and how they were attached to and interacted with the main wheel were some features that people often take for granted but likely required a lot of attention during design and construction. ~Tyler