Looks like Syracuse follows me wherever I go! Today I woke up to a thick layer of white outside my doorstep, only to find out that this is the worst day of snow London has seen in 20 years. Mind you, this is a mild snow day in Syracuse, but for London, this is huge! So huge, that train lines are suspended, flights are cancelled, taxis are running sparingly, and the tube lines are in slow motion. I was a victim of this disaster this morning, when I arrived to the tube station, only to discover we weren't even being let inside! Finally, we all made our way in, and I had to let 5 trains go by that were absolutely jam packed. By the fifth train, I realized it was 9am, and had to force myself into one of the train cars. Made it in to work finally at 9:30, with only 1 or 2 colleagues that were also "heroes of snow", as one neighbor of mine called me as I passed him on his doorstep this morning.
It just amazes me how everything has shut down like this. If Syracuse or even NYC modes of transportation shut down everytime it snowed like it's snowing here, we'd never get anything done!
Check out this story. We're even on U.S. CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/02/02/europe.snow/index.html
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
All settled into British life
Hello everyone,
Well, it's been quite a while since my last post, which I attribute to the fact that only now am I settled in at home with internet! It feels so great to be in touch again!
So much has happened since I last wrote. The most important thing is that I finally moved into my flat in Clapham, just about 2 blocks from the Clapham North station, which is on the Northern (black) tube line (for those London connoiseurs). I live on one of those streets you would definitely see in a typical British show or movie, narrow, lined with town-house styled homes that share a wall...one after another, after another, after another, with no end in sight. I'd have quite a tough time recognizing my own if it wasn't for the number, I tell you! They're all identical.
Anyway, inside, the flat is quite stylish, very contrasting to its old European charm on the outside. It's modern, with hard-wood floors, clean, sharp edges, even a black leather couch in my tiny living room. Minimalist, contemporary, yet cozy and homey. I suppose its coziness can't be avoided since it is quite small. But I do have two bedrooms, so visitors welcome!!
Work has been good. Much better than I had expected, to be honest. However, the hours are long and tiring, but staying busy makes time fly. I do feel like I have a lot more ownership and say in certain projects, which is a new experience for me. I'm used to always consulting with someone before doing something. Now, I'm calling the shots in several projects which is intimidating, yet empowering. This can only mean one thing...I'm getting old. Incredible.
On to more exciting London topics! Yesterday, I finally visited the Tower of London for a full day of touristing. It was an incredible experience. The sun was shining, the Thames river glistening on one side, the gruesome history of executions inside the Tower on the other. Quite a contrast. The "tower" is really a large fort with several small palaces inside of it. They're certainly not like the palaces you would imagine on the English countryside, rather, smaller versions that used to host magnificent rooms where important decisions were made about who would be executed, as well as provide space to store King Henry VIII's armor and ammunition, or of course, provide space for high profiled prisoners that commited treason (among other things) against the Kingdom. Execution is the common topic throughout the Tower, whether having happened in the middle of a courtyard or at the famous Traitors Gate. The history that took place here is bloody, gruesome, and simply riveting. You're transported in time when you visit the Chapel where Anne Boleyn is buried, or when you visit the Medieval Palace, where reenacters show you how to spin wool, or make candles. Fast-forward 800ish years, and you can also see the Crown Jewels that were and are used for Royal Coronations. The most magnificent is the crown that Queen Elizabeth II wore during her coronation, which has the largest diamond in the world at 525 carats. Blimey!
Well folks, this has truly been the extent of what I have been up to since I last wrote. No fancy trips around Europe yet, though Jeremy and I are already planning our European adventure for when he comes visit in April, which I can already tell is going to be jam-packed with sight-seeing, cheap flights and lots of romance, of course. Especially in Paris and Tuscany.
Much love to everyone, I miss you all!
P.S. It's snowing outside tonight with the same intensity as it would snow in Syracuse. I thought I was escaping the cold by coming here...
Well, it's been quite a while since my last post, which I attribute to the fact that only now am I settled in at home with internet! It feels so great to be in touch again!
So much has happened since I last wrote. The most important thing is that I finally moved into my flat in Clapham, just about 2 blocks from the Clapham North station, which is on the Northern (black) tube line (for those London connoiseurs). I live on one of those streets you would definitely see in a typical British show or movie, narrow, lined with town-house styled homes that share a wall...one after another, after another, after another, with no end in sight. I'd have quite a tough time recognizing my own if it wasn't for the number, I tell you! They're all identical.
Anyway, inside, the flat is quite stylish, very contrasting to its old European charm on the outside. It's modern, with hard-wood floors, clean, sharp edges, even a black leather couch in my tiny living room. Minimalist, contemporary, yet cozy and homey. I suppose its coziness can't be avoided since it is quite small. But I do have two bedrooms, so visitors welcome!!
Work has been good. Much better than I had expected, to be honest. However, the hours are long and tiring, but staying busy makes time fly. I do feel like I have a lot more ownership and say in certain projects, which is a new experience for me. I'm used to always consulting with someone before doing something. Now, I'm calling the shots in several projects which is intimidating, yet empowering. This can only mean one thing...I'm getting old. Incredible.
On to more exciting London topics! Yesterday, I finally visited the Tower of London for a full day of touristing. It was an incredible experience. The sun was shining, the Thames river glistening on one side, the gruesome history of executions inside the Tower on the other. Quite a contrast. The "tower" is really a large fort with several small palaces inside of it. They're certainly not like the palaces you would imagine on the English countryside, rather, smaller versions that used to host magnificent rooms where important decisions were made about who would be executed, as well as provide space to store King Henry VIII's armor and ammunition, or of course, provide space for high profiled prisoners that commited treason (among other things) against the Kingdom. Execution is the common topic throughout the Tower, whether having happened in the middle of a courtyard or at the famous Traitors Gate. The history that took place here is bloody, gruesome, and simply riveting. You're transported in time when you visit the Chapel where Anne Boleyn is buried, or when you visit the Medieval Palace, where reenacters show you how to spin wool, or make candles. Fast-forward 800ish years, and you can also see the Crown Jewels that were and are used for Royal Coronations. The most magnificent is the crown that Queen Elizabeth II wore during her coronation, which has the largest diamond in the world at 525 carats. Blimey!
Well folks, this has truly been the extent of what I have been up to since I last wrote. No fancy trips around Europe yet, though Jeremy and I are already planning our European adventure for when he comes visit in April, which I can already tell is going to be jam-packed with sight-seeing, cheap flights and lots of romance, of course. Especially in Paris and Tuscany.
Much love to everyone, I miss you all!
P.S. It's snowing outside tonight with the same intensity as it would snow in Syracuse. I thought I was escaping the cold by coming here...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
