Day 30-32: AMSTERDAM WAS AMAZING

Brad Winkelman / Amsterdam manages to be both super busy and super shiny.

(Let's never go there again.)

How do I describe Amsterdam without making it sound like it was some type of 72-hour drug-addled circus-like nightmare? Well, I don't know if I can because the city is seriously out of some kind of trippy dream. Yes, even without drugs. Amsterdam is just a place everyone needs to experience.* It's not easy to describe, nor to even display through pictures (though I'm gonna try.) Tourists must immerse themselves into this culture.* Do as much as you can.* See everything, explore every crevice because this place is...out there. From the Red Light District* to Rembrandtplein, every area of this colorful place will leave you awed. And by the time you're done you'll be thinking:

"Wow, that was really amazing. Uh, I think I want to go home now."

And then, you'll enjoy a 12-hour bus ride home that includes a ferry trip from Calais, France to the Cliffs of Dover. Oh wait, you won't enjoy that part.

Anyway, before I bombard you with photos I stole from three roommates I went with (Will, Brad and AJ), I'll list three things in Amsterdam you won't find anywhere else. But don't take my word for it. Just gooooo.

Three things super unique to Amsterdam:
1. McDonald's next door to a porno shop.
2. Coffee shops everywhere but no Starbucks. (Apparently, coffee shop patrons are looking for something other than a 13 shot venti soy hazelnut vanilla cinnamon white mocha with extra white mocha and caramel.)
3. Sex museum, vodka museum, hash museum, anyone? At this point, it appears the Dutch are just mocking us.
4. Trees that can uproot themselves, walk around and even talk. Nahhh just kidding. I didn't see that. But I did see this:

Courtesy of (read: Stolen from) Brad Winkelmann. His blog called "A Winkel in Time" rules. Also I stole some pics from Will's facebook photo album. Here's his blog.



Will photographs the canal during the day.


Brad photographs the Red Light District canal at night. Go teamwork!


Oh you wild and crazy Nederlanders. Peace, man!


Prude? Or do I just really advocate Fanta?


This photo was my idea. I just think Dank U would be a funny name for a university in Amsterdam. It makes too much sense.

Click this box. It's a glorious panorama by Brad. Plus you get to see male crossdressers!


--
Foot notes

*You can totally experience Amsterdam without doing drugs. It's a beautiful, crazy-ass city.

*Once again not advocating drugs here.

*OK, I actually am advocating drugs with this asterisk. Just kidding! Be cool. Stay in school. But visit Amsterdam during summer break.

*It's a common misconception that the Red Light District is just a city running amok with harlots, strumpets and ho-bags. But even while ignoring the ho-bags, the Red Light District is actually a stunning area that's filled with many profitable businesses outside of the world's oldest. In other words, it's not just an area for perverts but even just regular tourists. (though much of the businesses there do straddle a fine line between vulgar and...uh, I don't know I just wanted to say "straddle." hehe

Let's play: THE WOMAN IN BLACK

(Who knew theatre could be so scary...I mean, besides "Cats" of course)



For our my theatre class's third play, I got the best seats yet. Front and center for the terrifying "The Woman in Black." There's only way British actress I could use to rate this play, and that's simply the scariest woman alive - Dame Judi Dench.*

FOUR DENCH'S out of five.
Adapted by Stephen Mallatrait
Now playing at Fortune Theatre
Run time: 1 hr. 50 min.

"The Woman in Black"
By Matt Levin

Out of nowhere, the woman in black steps on stage. Her wretched, pale face and wasted body stands silent, unnoticed by the two main characters.

It's a chilling moment. Even though, little happens. No gore. No torture. No death. But her presence sets up a terrifying premise that delivers with haunting scenes that will have audience members jumping out of their seats at the sound of every noise, every bump in the darkness.

"The Woman in Black" is a traditional horror film, except its a play. Who knew theatre could be so scary?

The story centers on an aging lawyer (Andrew Jarvis as Arthur Kipps) who asks an actor (Tim Watson) to help him excise his demons by having Watson retell a true ghost story that's haunted Kipps his entire life. The play achieves its scares through spooky lighting, creepy sound effects and an unnerving the script. It's a sparse set, with the only special effects being a thick smoke that occassionally blankets the stage. "The Woman in Black" has been running for more than two decades in the constricted Fortune Theatre.

It's all on the actors to sell their terror andJarvis and Watson do so brilliantly. Jarvis shows unbelievable range as he embodies multiple characters from his past. The play starts off perhaps a little too slow, though some funny scenes never leave the audience bored.

Not every scare works either, but it's a guarantee that each theatergoer will jump from his or her seat at some point during the production. As the actor and Kipps start to reenact Kipps' story the audience realizes nothing can be more unsettling than a little suspense - especially as the play progresses, and the woman in black appears, we're led to question whether the story being re-told on stage is truly a "retelling" or something a bit more frightening.

None of the garbage seen in today's "horror" films can be found in the play adapted by Stephen Mallatrait from a Susan Hill novel. Most modern horror seems to want to shock and schlock the viewer with over-the-top violence. "The Woman in Black" takes a more minimalist approach when it comes to horror, but that just leaves more for the imagination. And what's scarier than that...*

---
Foot notes

*Who would in a fight between Judi Dench and Chuck Norris? Trick question: Dench is Chuck Norris.
*Besides ellipses of course. Nothing's scarier than ellipses. Nothing...

Day 23: CSI: LONDON

(A post about...duh duh duh...murder)

My International Law class took an old-fashioned field trip down to the Old Bailey, arguably the most famous criminal court in the world.*

(Top) Lady Justice atop the Old Bailey (Bottom) Dudes in wigs.

The Old Bailey is an imposing building, and a statue of Lady Justice sits atop the roof. But any sense of awe or uneasiness is immediately lost as soon as you walk into the courtroom and notice the judges and barristers wear wigs.

Also, there’s like 80 barristers in the courtroom.* The number of lawyers on-hand and those fancy hairpieces adorning both the men and woman judges and barristers were the two features that stood out the most when comparing these courts to America.* Other than that it was just traditional roasting of a witness. By one of the most well-known lawyers in England—Jonathan Sumption.* Yes—the Jonathan Sumption.

Oh and the case itself was pretty exciting. It was about—dare I say—murder. Well, alleged murder. To be honest, it’s a pretty weak case too. A mother (and her boyfriend and his brother) are all accused of contributing to the death of the mother’s 17-month old boy. But the way the evidence goes, it sounds like at the worst the mother was negligent, not a killer. The rest of the details can be found here.

These free public viewing galleries are open every day of the work week. If you have a thing for law or fake hair I recommend checking it out.

THE OLD BAILEY

Price: Free (Must be older than 14)

Hours: 10 am – 1pm / 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Location: St. Paul tube stop

Stupid fact: No cell phones allowed. I only bring this up because I had to pay a pound to have my cell phone stored at a deli across the street.

Foot notes

*Any criminal court experts out there want to argue with that?

*I might be off by about 70.

*Also instead of “Your Honor,” judges are referred to as “My Lord” or “My Lady” or “My Dawg.” Actually one of those is false.

*He even has his own Wikipedia page! The first step in determining if somebody is famous: Can you wiki them?

Let's play: "WAR HORSE"

(Wooden puppets: Good, Wooden acting: bad)

This week's play review is on "War Horse," the most elaborate puppets how you'll ever see.

I'm rating Week 2's play on a scale of 1-5 Sir Sean Connery's.*

2.5 Connery's out of five.
"War Horse"
Based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo
Adapted by Nick Stafford
Now playing at the Royal National Theater prices: £10.00 and £40.00
Run time: 2 hrs. 25 min.


Puppet horses are cool.

--
"War Horse" review
By Matt Levin

It’s the simple story of a boy and his horse. And war. And machine guns. And teargas. And tanks. And death.

And through it all there’s that boy and his horse—and that’s the problem of “War Horse.” Through all this mayhem, destruction and murder, why should we care about one horse?

That’s not to say there’s nothing to care for in "War Horse," a drama by Nick Stafford adapted ffrom the Michael Morpurgo book of the same name. The play, which runs at the Royal National Theatre, is a beautiful fusion of puppets and people. The theatrics occurring on stage are stirring enough to take a superficial main plot and make it a breathtaking production.

The Handspring Puppet Company and their props, most notably two gallant war horses Joey and Topthorn, are the stars of the show. The puppeteers gallop with enough graceful that it’s easy to forget there are human legs trotting beneath the wooden beasts. That combined with a morph-able stage, tremendous uses of smoke and light, excellent sound effects, some entertaining music numbers and one notorious puppet-powered goose—make “War Horse” a marvel for audience members.

If only the plot felt as grand. The play begins with Albert Narracott (Kit Harrington) being forced to raise a horse named Joey that his father bought in a drunken stupor. Albert and Joey overcome some obstacles, and it looks like they’re destined to be together forever—until World War I abruptly comes into the picture.

Albert’s father, seeing a way to make back the money he made when he bought the horse, sells the animal for 100 pounds to the army—to become a part of the cavalry.

When Albert learns the officer who promised to protect his horse was killed(in one of the most glorious death scenes you’ll ever see on stage—as some of the puppeteers help Major Nicholls “flip” through the air as he’s blasted out of Joey’s saddle), Albert sneaks into the army and begins a search for his beloved horse.

You expect this to be a coming-of-age story. But Albert never seems to notice all the terror occurring around him. He kills a man, watches his best friend almost die and observes explosions in every direction— none of it seems to change Albert in anyway. Only once Albert realizes his horse could be dead does Albert change—into a deep depression.

One German soldier named Friedrich (Patrick O'Kane), who adores another horse in Joey’s cavalry called Topthorn, does a brilliant job of showing the horrors of war while using the horse as a theme of returning to normal life and his wife.

But in the end mainly what you get is—Joey whinnying and Albert whining.

Sure many theatregoers could be heard sniffling during some of the climatic scenes featuring Albert and/or his horse. But me—well, I’m more of a dog person.

--

Foot notes
*"I am the last one!" This link was inspired by one Taylor Weidman. He has a humorous London photo blog over here. Also it's prettier.

Snatch'd: BACK IN THE DAY TOWERS WERE WAY COOLER

(Because of the executions, of course)

Another edition of Snatch'd: Rating the London tourist traps (I apologize for the font being all effed up, but I can't fix it right now)

More free field trips from Syracuse. This time: Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. Let's rate'em.

Snatch'd No. 4: Tower of London / (4 out of 10)

"If you look in that direction, you won't see a castle."


Brad's got some devious plans for that catapult.


What's everyone so excited for? Why it's a public execution!

Price: Adult (16+) tickets cost £16.50
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Oct. 31 (Tues-Sat.);10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Sun.)
Location: Take the London Underground to Tower Hill.
Stupid fact: Tower of London is supposed to be super haunted. Famed hauntees include just about everyone executed there including a headless Anne Boleyn and all the dead folks in the aptly named Blood Tower. But my favorite apparition to brave the Tower — a bear.* In the 1800s a ghost bear(!) attacked guard at the tower. He tried to stab it with a bayonet. It went through the bear, but cause the bear to disappear. The soldier died of fright a couple days later.

The Tower of London is a castle. So it's got that going for it. But I feel once you've seen one castle you've seen them all. There was nothing particular thrilling about walking through the castle either. It was chilly, so that didn't help.

Still, the castle was intriguing because of all the crazy **** that went down there. Prisoners of all shapes and sizes, cannons and archers guarded them and public executions were always going down. Here's the facts you need to know. After reading them. They're pretty interesting. But since nobody is currently being decapitated at the castle, it makes a visit to the castle slightly less exciting.

-King Hery VIII imprisoned just about everyone here. And executed most of them too. Also, in the tower is King Henry's armor...the armor he wore after he let himself go.*

-The Tower of London was a big fan of torture back in the day. King Henry VIII was a huge fan of the rack. He was less of an advocate for the comfy chair.

-Only important people were executed inside the tower. Non-royals got the axe just outside the tower walls. That way everyone could enjoy it.

-King Charles II loved ravens. He said if they ever left England, the whole country would fall. So ravens still live there. I never realized ravens were so damn huge. These are awesome, majestic-looking birds. With cool names like Gwylum and Thor

-The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom can be seen here. They're worth a lot of dolla dolla bills.

Snatch'd No. 4: Westminster Abbey / (6 out of 10)

On Westminster Abbey there's figures of people who died for their faith. In the middle, the one American: Martin Luther King Jr.

A rare look at a tour group inside Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey is also a school. Betcha didn't know that.

Price: Adult (16+) tickets cost £12.00
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. Mon-Sat.

Location: Take the London Underground to either St. James Park or Westminster
Stupid fact: Westminster Abbey features both gothic and decorated gothic styles of architecture. Don't I sound smart? No idea what it means.

Usually I don't care about beautiful architecture. Usually I don't care about famous dead people's graves. Yet somehow Westminster Abbey won me over. The church's fascinating history is complimented so well by all the awesome designs that it's hard not get bored (although not impossible...). It's still a fairly run-of-the-mill tourist-y tour, but my favorite so far.

I mean, check out this sweet architecture. And check out these famous dead people buried here!

The top five people you're probably aware of:
-Charles Darwin
-Isaac Newton
-Charles Dickens*
-Laurence Olivier (found in the pretty cool Poets' Corner with nerds like Geoffrey Chaucer and Rudyard Kipling.)
-Mary Queen of Scots

-- Foot notes
*Are you listening to Stephen Colbert? Ghost bears!!! This is untapped comedy cold.
*How fat was King Henry VIII during his latter days? Well, when he died dogs found his coffin before it was buried and ate his delicious flesh. I can't really remember how this story goes, but that's the gist of it.
*Wow old, geniuses back in the day had awesome facial hair. I'm gonna grow a Darwin.

Day 15: MY LAPTOP AND I HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON

(VIRUSES!)

So I caught a virus that I'm slowly working on destroying. If you've ever seen the absolutely amazing Final Destination trilogy*, it's kind of similar to what happened to the nine of us in our apartment...except with the common cold. One by one we're being struck down. I was fourth. But the situation worsened when my computer also caught a disease. So while me and my computer both heal, I'm going to take a short break from blogging.

Cheerio,
Matt

---
Foot notes
*I've actually only seen the third one. But since it had the greatest plot of all-time. I felt no obligation to see the rest. Watch this trailer and watch this movie jump to the top of your Netflix queue.

Let's play: "BRIEF ENCOUNTER"

(Of the first kind with London theatre)

I decided to write short reviews on all the plays I'm seeing in my London contemporary theatre class. So yeah, super fun times for all. Well, unless you don't care about theater. Then I'd just skip this.

I'm rating Week 1's play, "Brief Encounter" on a scale of 1-5 Dame Helen Mirren's.*

Four Mirren's out of five. Noel Coward’s “Brief Encounter”
Adapted for the stage by Emma Rice
Now playing at The Haymarket Ticket prices: £39.50 and £35.00
Run time: TBA


A scene from the film. Not the play.

"Brief Encounter" review
By Matt Levin

It was just a coincidence. Simply put, a brief encounter. If not for the opening scene that showed everything now happening on stage is a flashback — it would appear meaningless.

Instead, the by chance meeting between two strangers at a train station — Alec (Tristian Sturrock) and Laura (Naomi Frederick —explodes into a surreal and passionate affair. There’s no heroes or villains here in “Brief Encounter.” No judgment is passed on anybody in the Kneehigh Theater adaptation of Noel Coward’s classic film of the same name. Neither the adulterers or their dull spouses are presented as good or bad people.

Instead the Haymarket Theater presents, in a screenplay by Emma Rice (also the director), a character study on what happens when two people fall in love, but know their future is an impossible dream. The play, which moves between film scenes and what’s happening on stage, takes liberties with the original movie. And while not all work, many of the artistic choices add to the whimsical nature of Laura and Alec's relationship.

Puppets play the part of children, hysterical fake commercials parody life in the 1940s and the actors even hand out food to the audience. The play also places emphasis on two other couples—one older and one younger—who’s passion seem to be what Alec and Laura long for but no they will never achieve.

Fantastic musical interludes help establish mood. The acting in the play won’t blow you away. Laura in particular never seems to show any emotion outside worrying. But prepare to be floored by the versatility of the leads and the rest of the ensemble. Each one can sing and play an instrument—and they all do.

At times it gets too silly, especially in regards to the ultra-serious source material. And it actually felt a little too melodramatic and overwrought near the end. So the balance between serious and silly isn't perfect. But it's fun, it's wacky, it's intense, it's solemn. It's just a brief encounter. But it's also life.

---
Foot notes
*In case you're unsure. Five Helen Mirren's is most definitely the best possible thing.

Day 12: STONEHENGE: RELOADED

(Where the dew drops cry and the cats meow)

Well, after seeing the real Stonehenge, I determined the most exciting thing about the monument remains This (is Spinal Tap).*

But since I live with a bunch of photo majors, they did their best to add a bit more spice to Stonehenge. All these photos were taken on one rainy day. Whaddya think?


Credit: A. J. Chavar


Credit: Brad Winckelmann


Credit: Sarah Minor


Credit: Stef Campolo


Credit: Will Halsey


Credit: Me...mine gots birds.
--
Foot notes
*Also exciting: coincidences. Here's some breaking news on Stonehenge from two weeks in the future

Maintenance: SCHEMIN'

(A message from the future)

I'm sure you've all noticed there's been changes taking place on Levin in London as of 21/09/08. Mainly the colors suck less. Well, I just wanted to give former South Florida Sun-Sentinel design intern and The Daily Orange presentation director Lesley Conroy some mad props for bringing on the new design.

She harassed me for two weeks about how the color scheme of white and black was headache inducing. Since I care about the health of my readers, it only took me a mere two weeks to change it. Thanks for the help Conroy (or Conrizzle), and now you've finally accomplished your own lifelong dream of receiving mad props in the Levin London blog. It's all downhill from here.

For the record, Conroy did offer some positive comments about the blog via gchat.

Lesley: it's a good blog. you can tell a fair amount of time has been put into it

and by time i mean coloured asterisks.*

---
Foot Notes

*It's true. Few blogs manage to put as many coloured asterisks into their posts. It's exhausting, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you have a strong stomach and an obsessive knowledge of stupid pop culture facts.

Snatch'd: STONEHENGE ROCKS

(And other puns that should ONLY be taken literally)


Credit: Stef Campolo / Hey, look it's me!

For blog readers who don't know me. I look that disgruntled all the time.

...or could it just be a result of the monsoon about to devastate Stonehenge?

On Friday, Syracuse U. arranged a free trip to the city of Salisbury and the nearby Stonehenge. I get to be the nine billionth person to pass judgment on these rocks from 3100 BCE.

Snatch'd No. 2: Stonehenge / (3 out of 10)
Price: Adult (16+) tickets cost £6.50
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct. 15
Location: About 2 hours southwest from Central London
Stupid fact: Each year during the summer solstice, druids, hippies and sun-worshippers go nuts at Stonehenge. Last year 30,000 came. And there was human sacrifice! (just kidding.)

Who likes rocks?*

Ok...well what about really big rocks? Like perhaps...oh I don't know, a stone?

No, that old thing still doesn’t do it for you.

Then Stonehenge probably isn’t worth the trip for you. Sure it’s big-ass rocks stacked in pretty awesome formations. But in the end it’s just rocks. Also, it’s raining. There also might or might not be monsoon-force winds.*




Another beautiful day in England.

To be honest, Stonehenge might have been a thousand times more enjoyable if it wasn’t raining. However, don’t expect to get lucky when you attend. Although Stonehenge was rumored to be built to honor the sun, our professor/tour guide noted he’s never visited Stonehenge on a day when it wasn’t pouring.

I guess, the only fun thing about Stonehenge is using your imagination. It’s kinda cool to think how those stones ended up the way they did. It must’ve taken generations for the formation to be carved put together. There’s tons of theories on how it went down — and what it was used for (everything from human sacrifice to telling time). Still, while standing there, soaking wet, in front of those oversized pebbles all I could imagine is how I’d rather be anywhere else.

SALISBURY CATHERDAL: MADE TO IN-SPIRE
Snatch'd No. 3: Salisbury Cathedral + city of Salisbury / (8 out of 10)
Price: Just a suggested donation for the church.
Hours: Salisbury the city is hoppin’ til the late evening. The church has similar hours for tours as long as no sermons/weddings are happening.
Location: Just follow the Stonehenge directions. You can’t miss it.
Stupid fact: The 404 foot spire on the Salisbury Cathedral is the tallest spire in England. Inside is the oldest working clock in Europe (1386).

Credit: Brad Winckelmann / Salisbury Cathedral

Is that England's tallest spire in your pants or are you just happy to see me?

...does that even make sense?

OK the 750-year-old church isn’t too exciting — except the architecture is super amazing. Oh and there's a cathedral restaurant, which I stole some bread from. That's not cool.* In the Chapter House of the cathedral is one of four original copies of the Magna Carta — which was kind of a big deal back in the day.

More importantly, the city itself is amazing. It’s a quaint little town with everything you’ll ever need all in one awesome plaza. There’s places like a Burger King, a McDonald's and Dominos. (Yes, there’s a pattern here). Actually, there’s just a bunch of cool things in general. You gotta see it for yourself (and if you bother to make the trip, eh I guess you might as well hit up Stonehenge too. Rock on...)

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Foot Notes
*Except geologists, of course. And people that bought these back in the day.

*Might not.

*It was an accident. While scoping out the cathedral buffet, one of the restaurateurs said "help yourself to some bread." Later I found out, she was only referring to paying customers at the buffet. Hmm, it probably looked a bit dodgy since I stuffed three bread rolls in my sweater before making my exit. Anyway, there — I confessed.

Day 10: 2-4-6-0-1

(Who am I? And what classes am I taking in London?)

Unfortunately, the whole reason I’m in London is to learn. This is opposed to eating, which is what I’d much rather do for four months in London. However, as demonstrated by this classic Monty Python skit eating for four consecutive months has its risks. So I guess I’ll learn (and possibly eat, time permitting).

I made sure to sign up for some fairly awesome “only in London” classes. Check’em out:



These above images all represent the four classes I'm taking this semester.

Can you guess what courses I'm taking?

No? You're not even going to take a guess?

Why not?

Fine. Be an ass. It's all listed below anyway.

America: A Foreign Perspective:
This class is a little embarrassing since I think my British teacher knows more about United States than I do.* The class will mainly focus on how Britain looks at America. And the “special relationship” (Yeah, I never heard of it neither) between the two countries). It’s not all politics though. There’s cultural stuff too. Like why are certain bands that are huge in England like Oasis unable to make it in the U.S.* (I thought it was just cause Noel Gallagher sucked)* And vice versa. (I thought it was just cause Dave Matthews sucked.)

Oooh. Sorry about the venomous statements toward popular musical acts. It won’t happen again.

Contemporary British Theatre:
This happens to be the course where I get to see Les Miserable—the greatest musical ever!—on stage in London. The class consists of watching 12 plays, one a week, over the course of a semester. We have to write a couple reviews. But we also get to attend Les Miz, in the city where it all started. Oh and we get to see Avenue Q, too. Puppet nudity, anyone?

International Law:
Maybe some of you guys don’t get turned on learning about the UN, participating in a moot court and understanding the Law of Outer Space*, but I do. Every now and then I have to take a cold shower just thinking about it.

Visual Issues in the Media:
A class on how the British media use images to brainwash us. Pretty fun. Especially when the class includes a field trip to the BBC Studios, a discussion on what was the deal with Princess Di, and a viewing of Four Weddings and a Funeral. Helloooo Hugh Grant.

---
Foot Notes
*But can he name all 150 original pokemon? I thought not.

*Cool story I learned from Prof. Boys. There's a theory that the reason The Beatles came so popular in America was because they timed it perfectly. If they crossed the pond any earlier, it would've been too soon after JFK's death. Any later and another band might've replaced them as the United States was looking for a pick-me-up after Kennedy's assassination. But The Beatles cashed in. Take that, The Dave Clark Five.

*Yeah, I went there. However, I didn't go here. Ouch...not cool.

*This is NOT the Law of Outer Space. But, it should be.

WELCOME TO EARF!

Day 8: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT

(Or how I learned to stop worrying and love London)

I went to sleep angry.

Angry it was always overcast or raining in London. Angry about the dim prospects of the newspaper industry — and my future. Angry about how expensive London was. Angry about how un-enjoyable my insanely-busy spring (and final) semester in Syracuse would be.

So I couldn’t really sleep. And I read. That’s when it hit me. That moment where it finally clicks — that I’m in London. And I should tell the voice in my head to shut it.

The book, which you might’ve heard of — and possibly read*, was called “The Curious Incident of the Dark in the Nighttime.” I borrowed it from a dude named Randy (or Randizzle, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing) before leaving for England. And little did I know….the book took place in England (Coincidence? Totally.) It’s about an autistic kid trying to solve the murder of his neighbor’s dog. And at one point, near the end, he makes his first ever journey to London.* That’s when I became giddy.*

Because when he arrived in London he saw signs like this:



I saw signs like that!

He went on the tube, and took the Bakerloo Line, where there was a sign like this:



I live on the Bakerloo Line. I know that sign!

Then there was a sign that looked like this in the book:

1 HARROW & WEALDSTONE 1 MIN
2 WILLESDEN JUNCTION 4 MIN

Yeah, I recognized that too.

And then it changed again and said:

1 HARROW & WEALDSTONE 1 MIN
**STAND BACK TRAIN APPROACHING**

And then he was almost hit by a train.

I was almost hit by a train!


Credit: Brad Winckelmann / Edgware Station at the Bakerloo Line.

I think you get the point. I am seeing things here that few of my friends back in the States have come across. When Randy or anyone else read this book, they had not recently experienced the bustling city of London streets hours earlier. It clicked.*

It’s a whole new world. I am privileged to be here—and to have this opportunity to see a completely new culture.

And that’s why I decided to shut up about complaining about the things I’d normally complain about it in America. Will I stop fretting about them altogether? No that's impossible! It's in my nature.

I guess I’ll just have to learn how to be less neurotic.* Because London is gonna be amazing.

---
*But who has the time?

*Like meeeee!

*In the book, immediately after the main character described himself as giddy he vomited all over the place. I didn't do this. I think I am using a different definition of giddy here.

*One of most annoying things—and one of the reasons that I took so long for it to “click”—is sometimes I still feel I’m in America (Is that the opposite of homesick?). Maybe it’s all the English. Oh and the five Starbucks we passed on the bus ride from the airport to the SU campus. There’s still a little regret for not going to Madrid. Pero...sobrevivare.

*Oh that reminds me. I'm going to Amsterdam in four weeks.

Survey says: CHOOSE MY OWN ADVENTURE

(A truly interactive poll)

It's a bit risky, I know. But since traveling among the British Isles is relatively cheap (about £25 round trip), I'm going to let you the loyal reader decide a destination of mine outside London.

Take a look at that poll on the right of the blog. The voting has already begun. The poll will last through next Wednesday (the 24th) at midnight EST.*

Below I've listed my stereotyped pros and cons of each place listed in the poll. I have limited knowledge about each place*, so perhaps it's a smart decision to open this up to outsiders. Comments explaining your vote are much appreciated.

(Oh and also I totally snubbed Wales. If you feel Wales should be in poll, give me a shout out explaining why)
----------------------

THE DESTINATIONS

Belfast, Northern Ireland
Smashing: City where the Titanic was built
Bollocks: Why Northern Ireland when you can go to ALL of Ireland?

Cork, Ireland
Smashing: I know nothing about Cork (ooh mysterious)
Bollocks: I know nothing about Cork (ooh scary)

Dublin, Ireland
Smashing: Home of leprechauns*
Bollocks: Home of U2

Glasgow, Scotland
Smashing: Kilts
Bollocks: Bagpipes

Edinburgh, Scotland
Smashing: Second most popular tourist destination in the U.K. behind London
Bollocks: Since NFL Europe folded, I will never have the chance to watch the Scottish Claymores in action

Liverpool, England
Smashing: The Beatles
Bollocks: Uh, so like, does anyone know anything else about Liverpudlians and their city besides Paul, John, Ringo and George?

Isle of Man
Smashing: The name invokes a feeling of manliness.
Bollocks: Am I, perhaps, already too manly for the Isle of Man?


Bono: Spoiling your good times since 1976

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Foot notes
*Currently, I believe I have very few non-American viewers. So until I start getting some Brits on this blog, I'll respect your American time zones. YOU'RE WELCOME!

*For example, I only included Isle of Man among my possible options because I think the name is funny.

*While Ireland might be home to the leprechauns, many supposedly vacation to warmer climates in the fall and winter. Of course, I'm speaking of Mobile, Alabama.*

*It's probably been at least a year since you done seen the leprechaun video ("Yeah!"). You gotta admit, it doesn't get old.