I must tell everyone all about the amazing time I had on my long break to London and Glasgow. It was hard to leave Sansepolcro last Tuesday, because the weather was perfect and all the trees looked beautiful. The week ahead would make up for the beautiful city I had to leave, because I would be seeing two countries I had never been to and two friends I hadn’t seen since leaving the states. After a fabulous week with MK and Rachel in London and Glasgow, I arrived back in Sansepolcro completely worn out and happier than ever to see my bed. For me, both of those were a sign of an amazing week and a good break, since now I must recover and refocus for the last month in Sansepolcro. The title of this blog is meant to express the many means of transportation I took to run around and see all of the amazing places that I did.
The long break started in Ferrara, because Nicole and I decided to go visit people studying with the program that brought her over to Italy her first time abroad. She reconnected with her directors, and we also got to see our friend Giacomo. The dinner that we shared with the company of this study abroad group was also incredibly good. I had to have one last three-course Italian meal before heading to London. Because we were in Ferrara, we only had a short train ride to get to Bologna the next morning, where both of us would leave from. As much as we wanted to see Bologna, my anxiety was getting the best of me because I wouldn’t let us venture off to far from the train station. If we had I would have surely panicked if I missed my bus to the airport or my flight. We did get to grab one last Italian calzone, cone of gelato, and take a walk through the park before separating ways at the station. We were indeed both in for two very different experiences on our break because Nicole was going to Moracco where she spent less money than she has since being here, and I was off to the big city of London where I would spend well over the budget I have had in Italy.
I was completely content when I boarded my plane to London, because I had a window seat that allowed me to look back on beautiful Italy and at beautiful mountains ahead. It was one of those simple unplanned moments of joy that Frederick Buechner talks about in his devotional book (a favorite author of mine). I was reminded you must check twice to make sure you have your things, because when I arrived at Stansted airport in London I realized I left one of my books for class on the plane! After making it through customs and London on the “easy bus” it was time to have my first experience on the underground tube. Apparently my first experience was unlike anyone else’s that went to London. As I was waiting for the next circle line train to arrive, a district line train pulled into Victoria station where I was waiting. About eight to ten young men proceeded to exit the train, strip off all of their clothes, and then get back on the train right before it left the station. I believe my face froze in complete shock, as well as everyone else. All I could think was “well welcome to London Hannah!” After this surprising welcome to the underground my less exciting train arrived and I finally got to MK’s neighborhood, Notting Hill. Having arrived in MK’s neighborhood, the next step was to find her and this ended up being a little more painful than I planned. After trying two different payphones and an Italian cell phone (which would have been ridiculously expensive had it worked), I finally found a small internet café where I bought thirty minutes and called her cell phone from Skype. Skype is an amazing invention for any young women studying abroad, and I was reminded of this in a different way that night. We finally connected and realized how awesome it was to be in one another’s company. We began to catch up over dinner which included chicken, “chips”, and some amazing corn (on the cob!). When we returned to her flat, I laughed at how incredibly close I had been to her earlier when I was looking for her, and after a bit more catching up we slept.
Thursday we felt it was necessary to be completely touristy for the day since I had never been to London. MK even took her new beautiful camera along for the adventure. We made it to the center of the city where we saw Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, and many tourists. We enjoyed our chi tea lattes and after getting all the pictures we could and choosing against the Eye’s 20 pound charge we were off to Trafalgar’s Square to have some lunch. We enjoyed this area and sat on the steps for lunch, at times uncomfortably close to the pigeons. It’s interesting to observe all of the different people you see in a big city. They come from so many different places. When MK and I were heading to the Queens Palace to see the guards two women in front of us and one said she wished one of the horses the guards were on would really bite a tourist (which signs warn tourists of outside of the palace). This woman must have been one of the more bitter residents of the area but what can she expect living in London? The day was getting late and MK’s flat mate was celebrating her birthday that night. We decided to go out with them to a club called Whiskey Mist, which normally has a cover of 20 pounds but because her friend Kathryn knew people there we all got in for free. I enjoyed that because since I was staying with MK I could be a tourist and have her show me around, but I also got to see other parts of the city and meet her friends.
Friday morning MK and I were off to Glasgow, where we would stay with my friend from home Rachel. She is currently studying at the University of Glasgow and lives in a flat near the university with 3 Scots and one German girl. Getting to Glasgow wasn’t too painful, only a slightly delayed flight. When we arrived it was pouring rain as the wind blew, so of course an umbrella did nothing to help since it was windy. I knew I was finally in Scotland when a man turned to me in the rain and said “welcome to bloody Scotland” in a deep Scottish accent. Although I was getting rained on, his welcome brought me so much joy! We took a local train and met Rachel in Glasgow’s central station, since I learned planning a meeting time and location was better than having to make phone calls. We ventured through the rain, took a small subway (this time less exciting than the experiences in the London tube), and then walked a few more minutes before arriving to her flat. Once we arrived we made fajitas in Rachel’s kitchen, which I really appreciated because I have only reheated food in our kitchen here at the palazzo. We turned on music and allowed ourselves to enjoy each other’s company. The girls she is living with are so sweet and after we finished eating Rachel, two of her flat mates, and I went to one of Glasgow University’s student unions for “cheesy pop Fridays.” The name confused me at first, but upon arrival it clicked that it literally meant Fridays were dedicated to dancing to old “cheesy” pop songs. I enjoyed myself completely because I got to hear all sorts of old songs from when I was younger, including the Spice Girls and Hanson. Because Rachel and I were already tired we made it back to her flat for the evening.
Saturday morning we gave ourselves a little more sleep than we had been getting, then got up to see Glasgow. This day the weather was nice and the rain held out so we wouldn’t get soaked while walking around. Rachel took us to Glasgow University where she studies and showed us the older part of the school. The original buildings of the University are mainly used for professors’ offices and the classrooms are housed in newer buildings. This was a beautiful school and after walking under the multiple barreled archways we reached the other side of the school which presents a great view of the city. Another feeling of joy during my excursion happened at this beautiful place. It was so nice, and I was so happy to be in Scotland with MK and Rachel. After touring the school I had to get fish and chips at one of the local pubs before the football match. The fish and chips was everything I hoped for and although I only had a coca-cola with my meal that day, while in Scotland I did try the cider and it was very good. This is one thing you can’t find much of in Italy. Once we had eaten, we met Iona (Rachel’s roommate) and her father at a football match. One of Glasgow’s local team was playing a team that was said to be a favorite of famous politicians in Scotland. Once the second half rolled around I had purchased a scarf, I was yelling at Thistledown (the team we were rooting for) to stop making stupid mistakes and getting mad when they did. It’s interesting to see how quickly one gets into a game after being there for only a short while. In front of us there were three generations of a family. The father, son, and grandfather were all yelling at the team. It was quite entertaining to watch them all and hear what they had to say. Once we left the game the sun had left Glasgow and it was time to find some dinner. We cooked again, and this night it was grilled cheese and tomato soup. I had forgotten what pre-sliced orange cheddar cheese tasted like and very much enjoyed it in my grilled cheese! Rachel and her friends were all heading out for Halloween festivities after supper, and even though I didn’t have a costume I couldn’t let it stop me from going out dancing. We returned to the student union, whose interior was a little more festive, and line was about ten times as long as the previous night. I reconnected with some Scots who were part of an exchange program my high school had with a high school in Oban, Scotland. It was good to see them after having met them in the states. We all had so much fun that we stayed out until about 3 in the morning, and by the time I returned to Rachel’s flat MK and I had to pack up and catch a taxi to the bus station. We rushed off after a short but sweet trip to Glasgow very early Sunday morning.
Since the only bus we could catch arrived at the airport over an hour before our flight I was able to get one hour of sleep on some chairs before boarding. I believe that MK and I both slept from the moment we took off from Glasgow to the moment we landed London. Upon arriving the rain was coming down, and when you add rain to sleep deprivation the only thing that your body wants to do is sleep. After searching the internet, I had found out there wouldn’t be any shows in London that night and all my body wanted was a little sleep. After a long nap, MK and I had one final dinner together at a restaurant in Kensington (a neighborhood near hers’). The break had all gone by too fast, and I can honestly say it was the first time I wasn’t aching to come back to Sansepolcro because I didn’t want to leave good friends and new places so quickly. Now I’ve returned and we have only a month left here! It’s hard to believe how long I have been in Italy now, but then sad to think about leaving in another month. All of these beautiful experiences allow the days to fly by! Only a little more than two weeks and my sister will arrive for Thanksgiving week.
“This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!! :) ”
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