Things (No Order)

Rachael: Washbasin and other photos are forthcoming...I am too lazy to remember both my camera and the usb/whatever cord when I'm in the computer lab(s). UCL terminology calls these charming nooks 'clusters' but I feel like those are what you find in breakfast cereal...you know, the grain-nuggets that aren't flakes or raisins? Clusters. Clusters are also places with public notices forbidding downloading of pornography onto the system. Also I can't make youtube work, which is agitating.

Covent Garden

So, Covent Garden was the site of an actual food-producing garden in the middle ages (this is all according to Wikipedia, so, you know) but circa 1600 beame an open-air market, and then a couple hunderd years later a massive enclosed market space was built, and centuries of history boil down to me hopping over puddles in this mess of little cobblestone streets lines with superexpensive stores and supercheap chinese food places and supercool vintagey shops.

There's usually musicians/street performers doing their thing during the day, and some urban landscaper genius has giant chandeliers on some streets which is very pretty after the sun starts to go down (at like 4 in the afternoon) and you've got crazy-old ornate storefronts on either side of you and the ground is always kind of damp so it reflects the little points of light from the chandeliers...all very fairy-tale cute.

And also, it smells nicer than NYC, so there's not even that to bring you down.

From my doorstep, it's probably a 20-25 minute walk there, but from the site of most of my classes it's like 8 minutes max. So I've just been shopping/wandering in the downtime between classes, a luxury that Ithaca, historically, does not afford. Cities are awesome.

However, there are some things that are not as awesome.

Smoking

Everyone smokes, everyone smokes everywhere. I knew this was going to be true in your paris or your rome or your south carolina, and I'd expect to see it on the street, and I always kind of laugh when doctors stand outside hospitals to take a cigarette break. I didn't expect the entire bar or club to be smoking, but I wasn't ::surprised:: that it was allowed. But the residence hall faq sheet-type thing practically begs you to smoke in the rooms. It's fine! It won't set the alarm off! Bring your friends, make it a party! That surprised me a little. Also, we've had 3 fire alarms in 8 days. J'accuse!


Exhorbitant drink prices

Holy sweet goddamn. Wine and beer at a grocery store or liquor store ( = my favorite word, 'offy') are mostly the same or cheaper. The bars/clubs make up for it, though. Any mixed drink is going to cost you £7 or more, which is $14 for those of you playing at home. A shot of jack daniels was £11. That is a twenty-two dollar drink, my friends, and that is just out of my league.

Until next time,
cjb