A sort of abridged version of the entire blog with descriptions of the cities.
LONDON, UK -- is really hard to depict in any way with only two photos so of course I chose photos of the most iconic structures in the city. London certainly competes (in my opinion) as one of the world's most diverse cities. When standing on a street corner in Victoria Station, or near Parliament, or maybe by Trafalgar Square, don't be surprised if you don't hear anyone speaking English. 36% of the student population at UCL alone is international, let alone the people that come to this metropolis! It's area is so immense that even when standing atop the dome of Saint Paul's Cathedral, you can hardly make out the city limits yet it is nearly impossible to get lost here--the tube, buses, taxis, and handy maps on nearly every corner make sure of that. Surprisingly enough, curry is a popular choice here although you can't go wrong with a fish and chips dinner at a local pub. Between the music venues of Camden, the theaters by Leicester Square, the clubs and bars, and the museums and historic hot spots, you will never have a dull moment in London. For me, I'd say the parks are the best places to be on a nice day--Regent's, Hyde, all of them!
LONDON, UK -- is really hard to depict in any way with only two photos so of course I chose photos of the most iconic structures in the city. London certainly competes (in my opinion) as one of the world's most diverse cities. When standing on a street corner in Victoria Station, or near Parliament, or maybe by Trafalgar Square, don't be surprised if you don't hear anyone speaking English. 36% of the student population at UCL alone is international, let alone the people that come to this metropolis! It's area is so immense that even when standing atop the dome of Saint Paul's Cathedral, you can hardly make out the city limits yet it is nearly impossible to get lost here--the tube, buses, taxis, and handy maps on nearly every corner make sure of that. Surprisingly enough, curry is a popular choice here although you can't go wrong with a fish and chips dinner at a local pub. Between the music venues of Camden, the theaters by Leicester Square, the clubs and bars, and the museums and historic hot spots, you will never have a dull moment in London. For me, I'd say the parks are the best places to be on a nice day--Regent's, Hyde, all of them!
BARCELONA, SPAIN -- has to be one of the most beautiful cities. From the beaches to the vistas atop Montjuic and Parc Guell to the old and new cities it is hard to see it all in just one weekend. It has so many different styles of beautiful architecture, large mountainous hills, old churches, new churches, roman ruins dating back to the B.C. era, a fortress, shopping areas, siestas, dinner at 9pm, markets, delicious cuisine (fresh seafood pailla, yum), and of course, Sangria. Let's not forget the great weather (nearly 60 degrees when I left in January) and the beaches which are only a few steps away. My favorite spot was probably the Christopher Columbus monument (pictured below) at the end of La Rambla (big shopping street) with the port of sailboats and palm trees. Oh, and did I mention it's the skateboarding capital of Europe?
DUBLIN, IRELAND -- Brendan and I were surprised to find out how small Dublin is. It's a great city--perfect for walking--with a good handful of places to visit. The Guinness Storehouse was my favorite. You get to learn about the history of their brew, factory, advertising, and even the Guinness Book of World Records before enjoying a pint on the top floor which overlooks the whole city. As each city seems to have, Dublin too has a huge park that can be explored for at least an hour. In the evening it's best to wander over to the south bank in the Temple Bar area--the live music in Temple Bar itself was great! Another one of my favorite parts of the trip. The river is also beautiful at night (and in the day). If you travel to Dublin, though, I suggest you stay there for a day maybe and then venture off to the Cliffs of Mohr, Cork, or Galway. Also, the food in Dublin is the most expensive we have seen.
THE ALPS -- coming soon.
SCOTLAND -- I was pleasantly surprised to find that Scotland was a considerably different experience from England despite both being in the UK. A bus tour made it easy to explore a lot of Scotland in only a few days. There are vast green pastures of sheep and highland cattle, a lot of hills, quite a bit of tree farming, and so many lochs. You wouldn't believe how many lochs there are nor how deep they can be! Edinburgh (and perhaps Inverness or Glasgow) is also a place of it's own. Arthur's Seat is a real trek but worth it to see the whole city next to the water. There are many shops adorn with kilts and bagpipes making for some fun window shopping as well. And don't forget to stop in to a restaurant for a dish of Haggis!
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