A Dream Come True

Well, this is my las post for this trip. It was hard to pick something to talk about because there's just so much, but I figured this would be the perfect thing to close out on. This is the definitive symbol of London, so I had to include it in this blog. And to be the last post is only appropriate. I finally did the Parliament tour on Saturday. It is something everyone must do in London. the architecture, decorations, and attention to detail in every nook and cranny was simply awe-inspiring. I can't even begin to describe what it was like, you just have to see it yourself. It was also quite humbling to actually be in the chambers where the most important decisions from one of the most influential governments in history were made. To think how many acts were brought up in the houses, how many people they affected, and how they changed history really made me stop and think for a second about that. This also my first real chance to be in Westminster area just to be there. The only other times I was there was in passing to go to other places, so it was nice to walk around and see the sights. For an hour or so, the sun was also out and I was able to get some really good pictures, such as this one, which is rather rare in London and a nice change this weekend since it was raining literally the entire weekend. So overall, I think this picture sums up everything about this trip really. It's fucking London... A dream come true.

View From Above

This past weekend I chose to check out The Shard, just across from the City of London. This modern high rise offers spectacular panoramic views of London anywhere from 30-50 stories up for free at it's up-market bars and restaurants, and for a price, you can go up to the Viewing Gallery which offers the highest viewing point in London, up to 70 stories high. I decided to go to one of the bars so I wouldn't spend too much paying for the viewing gallery, which in hindsight made no difference since I spent the equivalent amount on drinks... But I digress. It was still a worthwhile experience to see the city from high above and to watch the sunset on another day as our trip starts to come to an end. The sunset was absolutely beautiful, the skyline lit up at night was awe-inspiring, and seeing Tower Bridge in it's bright glory from high up was really cool. This is a must-visit all visitors to London should add to their list of things to do as much as all the classic London landmarks are.

Pig on a Platter

For my signing post, I chose this advert poster located in Gloucester Road Underground Station. As you can see, it's a rather unusual advert. Instead of simple, powerful text designed to grab your attention immediately and get the point across just as quickly, this advert has quite a lot of text. It is meant to be read rather than glanced at. In addition, the text is also not formatted in the usual manner. It is placed sideways, tilted at both 90 and 270 degrees. The font is also a script-like, decorative font, not the usual sans serif, easy to read typeface. There is also a large image of a pig in the middle of all the text. All of these things caught my attention when I saw it. I stood there and started at the poster, trying to understand what it was about. It's just an advert for some cider. So I thought, why would they do this? I started to realize this is actually a good idea. We're use to all the modern advertising techniques, that a lot of it goes unnoticed. The purpose of this advert was to grab attention using unconventional means of advertising. It's unique and different, and that's why people will point their attention towards it. And then I thought, well it's in a tube station, where people are constantly waiting for the next train, not just running through. These people will actually have time to read this ad, and they probably will to pass the time. the placement of this ad is actually perfect for this reason. This a good example of effective signage because this advert truly grabs attention by standing out and being a unique ad that will grab people's attention and who will take the time to understand what it is about.

A Map That Leads To You

For my way finding post, I chose to use and discuss this, a map of Amsterdam. This past weekend I made a quick trip to visit Amsterdam. I don't think I have ever been to a better place before in my life. The city is absolutely astonishing. The cityscape with its old buildings and famous canals is stunningly beautiful. The people are absolutely amazing there. Everyone speaks English since they have to learn it as a second language in school growing up. This made it really easy to go around town and enjoy everything. I also chose this map because the 2 days and 3 nights we stayed there, I used this map religiously to find our way. It was a good map, with pictorial references of major landmarks and major street names. This coupled with the canal layout made it actually really easy to find our way in the city. And, of course, maps always point north, so using the landmarks from the map, I always knew which direction I was facing in town. If I had one criticism, it's that I wish the map had all of the street names instead of just major ones because we got a little lost only once due to me not being 100% sure where exactly to turn since the map didn't have the street name. However, this map did an excellent job in helping us navigate, which helped us have a truly wonderful experience in this great city.

The City Never Sleeps at Night

This past Tuesday, we had our first evening class excursion. We went to the Design Museum which was located just outside Tower Bridge, which we had to cross in order to get there. The bridge is absolutely amazing. Very intricate detailing, beautiful Victorian architecture, and the color scheme from the Queen's Silver Jubilee all meld into one grand historical landmark. It was quite the experience crossing the edge and getting to look at the city from above the River Thames. Absolutely beautiful. And you know what? It gets even better at night. After our excursion, we went to the pub to grab some food and some drinks and wait for the sun to go down. If you're near Tower Bridge in the evening, it's a must to wait for it to get dark so you can see it, and the whole city, lit up in beautiful colors. After our stop at the pub, we walked along the river's edge, gazing upon the city and its reflection shimmering in the choppy water of the Thames. It was so pretty. Then we finally get back to the bridge, and it was stunning. The towers are lit up in a light lavender with the rest containing white lighting accents. Couple that with the soaring office buildings of downtown London, with everything reflecting off the River thames, it makes for an astonishing sight that you have to see. It's always good to see London and it's landmarks during the day, but if you really want a visceral experience, you got to see it at night.

All Pomp, No Circumstance

This past Friday I had the privilege of experiencing one of Britain's finest events: Ascot. This event is a popular horse race, which ends up being more like a garden party than a spectator event. And I absolutely love it. To begin, everyone in attendance dresses up very nicely and sometimes quite posh. There is no specific dress code, but culture mandates semi-formal attire. Everyone shows up long before the first race begins. It's a chance to socialize over brunch and a drink before placing your bets on a horse. Finally, after a couple hours of drinking and socializing, the first race draws near. The grandstands fill with spectators, and everyone lines up long the perimeter fence to get really up close to the race. And you do get close. There's nothing but a fence separating the spectating area and the race track. It is exhilarating. The commentator is bantering away, and you wait along the fence, watching the screen to see when the horses will fly by. And when they do, it's a rush of speed as the crowd cheers, hoots, and hollers their horse to victory. It only lasts for just over a minute. Hours of working up to this moment, and it's gone in the blink of an eye. Well, guess it's time to go back to drinking. And that's exactly what everyone does. It goes: Drink, drink. Race. Drink. Race. Drink. Race. Drink. Go home. It was a wonderful time, genuinely. The race track was stunningly beautiful, the excitement was palpable, and sitting down on a beautiful lawn looking spiffy having a couple drinks is exactly my kind shindig. So, was it all pomp and no circumstance? Yes. And it couldn't be bette any other way.

 

Down the Rabbit Hole

This past Friday, we had a class excursion to the wonderful city of Oxford, which of course, houses the University of Oxford. I learned, to my surprise, there's actually no one University of Oxford. It is in fact composed of 38 separate colleges that have their own governing bodies. Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, tracing evidence of teachings there back to 1096 and grew rapidly in the early 12th century. That old history sets the tone for the whole town. Unlike London, which is overwhelmingly Victorian, the city of Oxford is very medieval. Most of the structures are made from stone rather than brick and set in that medieval architecture. There are plenty of notable medieval landmarks to be seen there. The following picture is of Christ Church, the main college of Oxford University. I feel it epitomizes the feel of Oxford. the medieval architecture to the beautiful flower gardens, it is certainly a sight to see.

I have chosen this picture to discuss design because I feel it is an interesting story and I really liked what they did with the design and typography on the boards. This picture of this little pub literally tucked away in this open area surrounded by buildings. The only way you can get to it is by walking into a small alley and following it until you end up in this small courtyard the pub occupies. I like how both boards use big bold letters and bright colors that catch the eye as you walk by. I like the mix of typography as well. The brands are in bold sans serif, while the accompanying type utilizes script font as well as what looks like a type of old style. This really makes everything on the board clear and really pops out at the viewer. This is is very key to advertising and I say they nailed it on the head with this one.

Look Up

This week I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Banqueting House just down the street from Parliament Square in Central London. I had no idea what this was when I first heard about it. I thought it was just another museum, but boy was I wrong. Banqueting House is, in fact, just as it sounds. Originally built as a part of the Palace of Whitehall, which housed the monarchy until it was destroyed by a fire in 1698. It is the only surviving part of the palace. It was meant to hold the best banquets for the British monarchs and their esteemed guess, so you can imagine that the main hall was built to the highest of luxury. The design of the banqueting hall is spectacular. It is built in a large rectangle with a balcony surrounding the entire rim of the room with a high ceiling with stunning paintings and chandeliers to boot. It was hard to get a good picture because of the lighting, but I've included the best of what I got. It should give a good idea of the architecture, paintings, and decorations. However, no picture can truly capture the awe and wonder of first entering the hall. It's a definite must see if you're ever in London. It is free and open to the public. It is actually a really nice place to just go relax and be quiet. They provide chairs and bean bags to sit on, or you can just sit on the floor. Banqueting House is an astonishing, must see, destination in London.

Paradise

This weekend, some friends and I went to beautiful Brighton for a quick trip away from London. Let me tell you, Brighton is one of the most fantastic places I've ever been to. It was gorgeous, quirky, and very laid back. It was definitely a welcome change from the madness of the hustle and bustle of Central London. From the beaches, to the cute shops, the abundant night life, and the food, Brighton has it all and is the perfect place for a quick holiday in the UK. Now, I could have shown you all an abundance of pictures that detail the things I have mentioned. The one I chose to show, however, is not one of those. I think it is just as important if not more so, though. Walking along the seaside, we came across this gentleman making chalk drawing on the sidewalk. He had scribed this along his creations. I care not to speak much about it and let his words speak for themselves. See below for examples of his drawings.

City Near Piccadilly

I am currently studying abroad in London. It's only been a week and a half and it's already been an amazing experience. One of my first trips outside of where we're staying, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, was to Piccadilly Circus in London's glittering West End. It's a bit like Times Square, as this picture shows. They had big screens put up on the sides of buildings, which his especially brilliant at night. Piccadilly is the center for night life in London, so these boards are very fitting. Big, clear letters convey their message and brand image immediately and concisely to those strangers passing by out on the street. I have now been there 4 or 5 times already. It's nice to be there during both the day and night times. Day time provides you nice views of the beautiful architecture and some nice shopping and exploration of areas like Chinatown. the night life brings out all the glimmering lights and the craziness of having a good time out. I love it, so dynamic. A definite must see if you ever visit London.

Excuse the blurriness