Dear Readers,
I am not really sure where to start there are so many stories from my trip to the UK. I went to England recently for a summer study abroad course through North Carolina State University and University of Surrey in Guildford, England. I was selected from a competitive pool of applicants as a Borchardt fellow. You can read more about the Borchardt fellowship and my academic studies here at this link (GoFundMe website) and this link (online portfolio).
The Original Journal (UK Journal) was very busy getting signatures on this trip.
The UK Journal (Original Journal Series)
I am working on a post for The Original Journal website about meeting a group of lovely young Chinese ladies at the Shard Building in London and they all signed the journal.
UK Journal Signers at the Shard Building in the Shangrai-la Hotel lobby
My friend, Deb and I snuck into the 35th floor of the Shard Building. Well, we didn’t sneak in as much as charmed our way in via Paul, the head security guard. My dad was a night security guard at the Northern Trust Bank in Chicago (worked 2nd shift) so perhaps that is why we had such luck. Paul was a darling and sent us up to the 35th floor to sneak a peek from the Shangrai-La Hotel lobby. He told us from the get-g0, in that charming English way — that is both polite and direct without being offensive — that we were indeed not dressed for the occasion to either have dinner at the Shard or have cocktails at the Sky Bar on the 51st floor. Nonetheless, he sent us up with directions to tell the hostess that Paul sent us. He even radioed up on his walkie-talkie to let them know we were coming. The locals of London say the Shard is where you go to get the best view of London, as it goes higher than the London Eye.
London Eye at night
So there we were, all dressed down as London tourists with t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers.
This is what I was wearing. We had stopped in Camden to watch the World Cup finals. We watched the first half at the “End of the World” Pub. I love Camden as it was home to many artists, musicians, eccentrics, and creatives.
We were going to shell out the 21 pounds to ride up to the top floor of the Shard, but the viewing gallery was closed. My Meg energy was in full force in England. For those of you who do not know, I was traveling in the UK with a group of American teachers from the Research Triangle Area of North Carolina. You can read about what I was doing there as a student here. I was able to study abroad for three glorious weeks (and my awesome husband took care of our four year old by himself, along with the help of my awesome in-laws who live nearby).
So, I think for all sense and purposes, I will focus on one vignette per post as to not get carried away. There are so many slices to the delicious whole of my England experience!
Well, there we were on top of the world it seemed — or at least at the 35th floor of the Shard Building.
View from 35th floor of the Shard Building in London (from the Shangrai-la Hotel lobby).
My friend, Deb carried the burden of trying to get us into the fancy restaurant (that you need to make reservations for, first of all). They were booked solid and we certainly didn’t meet the dress code. Then we went to the Sky Bar on the 51st floor and I didn’t even want to talk because I was suddenly shy and embarrassed. I felt naked because I was dressed so obviously like someone that didn’t belong there. I can honestly say that it costs at least 500 pounds per night to stay at the hotel as a guest.
View of the Shard from across the Thames River with Tower Bridge in view. The Shard is the tall triangular building. This photo is from hotel website.
Even though we were turned down by a beautiful French speaking young lady (who even bothered to consult with the manager about our attire), we still enjoyed that tiny slice of luxury and hung out in the lobby of the hotel. I am of the camp that you must go into a place like you own it. My mom told me a story once about a guy that came into a Jaguar dealership in jeans and a t-shirt and paid cash for his car (although that seems kind of shady buying a car of that amount with cash…wish I could consult with her and get the facts of the story.) I guess my point is that if you feel like you don’t belong somewhere, then you won’t. If you do feel like you belong, then you will.
I feel most confident talking to blue collar workers. I am a people’s person. I can do fancy and all that, but I am most comfortable speaking to everyday people like Paul and the bell boys at Shangrai-la Hotel.
Bell boys at the Shangrai-la Hotel
I think I talked to Larry David, American director and creator of Seinfeld at Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey). I didn’t know it was him nor do get caught up in all that. I suppose that is part of my charm. Watch the video below and see if you recognize him in the video. He is wearing a white shirt. It’s hard to tell if it is him. And honestly, I am not sure it was even him. I do know the man I talked to was from Southern California. He was stand-offish like he was waiting for me to figure out who he was. Come to think of it, he really did seem like he didn’t want to found out — as if he was truly on vacation…or as they say in the UK — on holiday.
On our walk around that area, after we left the Shard giddy and proud, (we were looking for a view of the Thames at night) Deb and me passed The Miller Pub. We both realized our maiden names were Miller. There was much rejoicing. (I should tell you that Deb is a huge Monty Python fan.)
Deb and I in front of a castle from the 14th century in England.
Anyway, there is so much to tell you I am afraid I have to end this post here or otherwise fear be lost in an endless abyss of words and stories. I will have to post one story at a time. I also have to write some essays because this trip was so meaningful. You can view my videos from my trip on my YouTube channel. They are unedited so please be gentle in your judging — authenticity has a price (and I am not that tech savvy).
Coming soon — post about Highclere Castle and meeting Peter and Evelyn. You can see them on this video:
MemoMuse 