03-07-05  Loving London!

	The Dom Cathedral in Cologne, Germany.

This past month has flown by. It seems like it was just yesterday that we landed in Heathrow Airport.  It has been a busy month.  I started classes the first week in February at the London Metropolitan University.  Our one-week orientation ended with a cruise down the Thames River. 

University here is very different from Canisius, a lot of the work is independent, there is no homework, and your grade basically depends on two tests or two papers.  Being here has really made me appreciate everything Canisius offers students, from the up to date technology to the interaction between students, professors and faculty.  I am taking 4 classes, one of which is Art in London.  I definitely recommend taking this class because the class actually meets at different art galleries in London and we get in for free.  We have been to the National Gallery and the Tate Britain this week to see a Monet exhibition.  My classes meet once a week for about 2 to 3 hours and are Monday through Wednesday, which is nice for taking weekend trips.

A view from the tower in Cologne.

I did a lot of traveling these past two weeks. First, I went to Amsterdam with my one roommate, Chrissy.  Then last Wednesday, after finding a cheap flight, I left for Cologne, Germany with two friends.  Cologne was beautiful and is known for this gorgeous gothic cathedral (The Dom). The sculls of the three kings are encased in a solid gold engraved tomb in the east wing of the Dom and every year on January 6th the tomb is open to the public.  Three King’s Day is a huge celebration in Cologne.  In addition, in one of the Dom’s towers lies the oldest working bell in the world, St Peter’s Bell.  We climbed 509 steps up a spiral staircase in the tower to see the bell.  We were so out of breath but the view of the city and the Rhine River was worth it. After our great work out we decided to treat ourselves by going to the Chocolate Museum along the Rhine River.  It reminded me of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. We got to see how chocolate was made and best of all, we got free samples.

My cousin comes to visit this next week, so I get to be a tour guide and show her around London.  I think back about a month ago to when I felt so lost in terms of knowing my way around and now it is almost second nature to me.  If we do not travel on the weekends, we usually go to open markets around London.  We have been to Camden Market (a huge market where you can find anything from clothes to antiques) and Portobello Market in Nottinghill, just like the movie.  There are so many bars, pubs and clubs around London.  We find a new place every time we go out.  This one sports bar, which is near Trafalgar Square, is great for going to watch Football

	Chrissy and I at our Tube stop!

(Soccer) games and later on at night it turns into a club.  Just a couple of weeks ago we went to watch the rival game: Arsenal and Manchester.  Sunday we ended up at the Garden Club in Covent Garden where it was 80’s night.  It is nice going out and not having to worry about driving, we take the Tube and then catch bus number seven home after stopping at the best sausage stand in London.  Another cool place to go to is the Walkabout, it is an Australian bar/pub in what looks like a medieval church where all the bartenders are Australian.  They have the best French fries in London, among other things.  It is getting warmer in London and we can not wait to go play football and picnic in Green Park.

Cheers for now!

Kelly

Kelly's February 2005 Journal