April 15, 2013 by Emma
I stumbled across the loveliest sidewalk art the other day
Unfortunately, my last two weeks in London are being spent writing research papers and studying for exams. Honestly, I’m more annoyed than stressed, which is quite a change from my usual attitude during exams! I’ve been trying to make the most of each day though, and squeeze in a bit of fun between the work.
I went to the V&A earlier this week, just to wander around and say goodbye. I love that museum so much- I feel like I could live there. It makes me want to be like those children from that run away from home and hide out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While I don’t suppose I could pull that sort of rule-breaking off these days, it was quite the inspiration to me growing up!
On Sunday it finally felt like Spring, so I decided to soak up as much sun as possible. I finally went to the Columbia Road flower market, which I had been meaning to do for ages. It seems like most of London had the same idea, though, as it was absolutely packed. I didn’t manage to get any decent pictures, but I had a lovely time. The flowers themselves were gorgeous and the salespeople hawking their bouquets seemed straight out of the 1920s with their fast-talking quips.
I also managed to check off another place on my to-visit list: Liberty London. I’ve always liked the Liberty floral prints, but I figured that the store would just be another department store. I was wrong– everything for sale was absolutely gorgeous and I wanted to buy just about everything in their sewing and haberdashery department. And don’t get me started on the furniture and decor. I even concocted a whole story about me being an interior designer and working on a house right now so that they wouldn’t get mad at me for taking photos!
Typewriters with plants growing out of them? Yes please!
Category London, Week in Pictures | Tags: | 9 Comments
April 9, 2013 by Emma
I can’t believe all the traveling I’ve been doing lately! Sometimes it’s hard to believe that this has been my life for the past year. I’m headed back home in a week and a half and I’m torn– on the one hand, I can’t wait to see my family again, but I’m really going to miss Europe. My life is going to become far more boring, though!
I went back to Amsterdam for the weekend and had the most wonderful time. It felt like I had never left. I really enjoyed showing my friend around, it definitely made me feel like a local. On Friday we wandered the city, popping in and out of boutiques and cafes. In the evening, we saw Wild Belle at Paradiso. They’re this really fun band from Chicago– I’m kind of obsessed with the girls voice.
On Saturday, we headed outside of the city to visit Keukenhof, the tulip gardens. Unfortunately, not all of the fields were in bloom as this spring has been so cold, but I still had a lovely time looking at all the different types of tulips that were in the greenhouses. It was sunny out, so we spent ages wandering through the park and even made some friends at the petting zoo ;)
It’s funny how different both Amsterdam and London are, but I love them each so much. London is so much more fast paced and busy, while the vibe in Amsterdam is so much more relaxed. But I wouldn’t trade my time in either place for anything.
Category Amsterdam, Travel, Week in Pictures | Tags: | 11 Comments
April 3, 2013 by Emma
I hope everyone had a lovely Easter! I headed to Edinburgh for the holiday weekend and had the most amazing time. The city itself was absolutely charming. I spent a couple of days just wandering the streets, poking my head into all the cute little boutiques around Grass Market, and climbing far more stairs than I can count. The architecture was stunning and the castle that overlooked the city made for an imposing skyline. We stayed at Garfield Guest House, a lovely B&B about a 10 minute drive outside the city center. The owner was so sweet and the Scottish breakfast they prepared for us was delicious. They even offered everyone some Haggis, which I respectfully declined ;)
When a friend of mine told me that the cafe where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter was in Edinburgh, I had to check it out. While the cafe was rather touristy and not as cosy as I had expected, it was fun to visit. And I had to try my hand at reading my tea leaves, of course. I was seeing an old lady walking with a cane– a good omen? Professor Trewlaney would be proud.
My favorite part of the trip was definitely a tour of the Highlands that I took with Rabbies (my tour guide was Audrey & she was fantastic!). We headed off bright and early on Saturday for a 12 hour whirlwind tour of the countryside. I’m not normally one for bus rides, as I do get a touch motion sick, but I was so captivated by the scenery to mind. I loved getting to hear some Scottish history on the tour as well. Oh Robert the Bruce, such an interesting fellow! The landscape was so stark and awe-inspiring that I sometimes felt like I was on another planet. The vast distances we drove without seeing anybody else certainly added to this. The mountains were stunning, covered in heather that blooms purple in August and the lochs were so still and glassy that they were practically mirrors. Loch Ness was magnificent, I’m just disappointed that I didn’t get a shot of Nessie herself. Oh well, next time for sure!
Where are you Nessie?
Category Photography, Travel | Tags: | 12 Comments
