Georgia and Natisha Come to Visit!

November 13, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

It was fun arriving home from Spain late last night to come home to two of my friends visiting London and staying with us! Georgia and Natisha joined us from their study abroad experience in Denmark. It is always such fun to get to spend time with Grinnellians outside of our natural (Grinnell) habitat and to share London with visitors.

I spent the early part of the day doing homework, going to class, and working out, but we got to spend the evening together. I made the whole group (our flat plus our two visitors) some chicken fajitas for dinner and then we all relaxed in the apartment. Of course, no visit to London is complete without a nice visit to a pub, so we popped over to my favorite pub, The Exmouth Arms, and enjoyed a round of drinks and some great conversation. It was a wonderfully relaxing way to finish off the evening. Tomorrow, Natisha, Georgia, and myself are going to enjoy the London Eye, Chinatown, and whatever else we can find to do!

Georgia and I

Pub Time! (L->R: Georgia, me, Natisha, Claire, Caitlin)

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Libraries, Indian Food, and Skyfall!

November 7, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

It was another busy day in London for yours truly!

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My day began with a trip to The Women's Library, a massive collection of books and archives focused on women's history. We spent the morning exploring our research options, touring the facility, and examining some example pieces from the archives. I am really excited to have access to such a first-rate resource, especially as I begin to do some independent research for my class on British Feminism.

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After the museum, I meandered down to Bricklane for lunch. I ate at Sweet & Spicy again, and enjoyed a lunch special with lamb curry, chana, some pilau rice, a puri, a naan, and some pickled mango. It was very delicious and an amazing treat.

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Finally, I went to go see Skyfall, the latest James Bond film. It was AMAZING. I will definitely be seeing it again when I get home. I particularly enjoyed seeing how many of the locations I recognized, as a good portion of the movie takes place in London. It was pretty fun to see the places I pass every day on the big screen!

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Pictures below…

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The Women's Library

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My lunch

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Pilau Rice

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Visiting the Sherlock Holmes Museum

November 6, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Well, dear readers, I managed to cross an item off of the London Bucket List… I visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum, conveniently located at 221b Baker Street. For a Holmes aficionado like myself, this was an absolute must!

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I rode the tube to the Baker Street station and followed the maps until I found the museum. After waiting in a short queue, I was finally let into the museum. It was a very well-done experience. Although relatively small, the museum packs in tons of memorabilia, from Sherlock's pipes and tools to Watson's medical supplies, to “trophies” from some of Holmes' famous solved cases.

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I toured the house rather extensively, seeing each of the rooms twice and drinking in the experience. It was incredible to see such an amazing literary character brought to life by the artifacts of the museum. The creators managed to craft a believable home from the time period and stock it as Sherlock and Watson would have.

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Enjoy the pictures below!

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The Station

221b Baker Street

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The Front Parlor

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The Tools of the Trade

Pipe Collection

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Sherlock!

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Moriarty!

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I am a Winner

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Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November

November 5, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

Remember, remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason, why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

Today was the fifth of November, also known as Guy Fawkes Day.

This day celebrates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot, an assassination attempt by Catholics on the Protestant monarch, James I. Guy Fawkes and his compatriots attempted to plant a bomb and blow up Parliament, specifically the House of Lords, during the State Opening, killing James I. However, a few hours before the event, an anonymous letter revealed the plot to the authorities. They found Guy Fawkes guarding 36 barrels of Gunpowder in the cellarsbeneath Parliament. (It has become tradition for the the cellars to be searched every Fifth of November since then…)

We celebrated by attending a fireworks display by Southwark. It was a massive turnout, with thousands crowding the park. We enjoyed becoming a part of yet another English patriotic event. It was slightly surreal to be in the midst of such a large crowd celebrating such a strange event in history. It is always interesting to be an outsider looking in on English culture, and this was no exception.

Speaking of surreal, outside-in experiences… I was in the locker room at the gym today when the news on the television began focusing on the American Presidential election. That was strange enough to see from a non-American perspective. Even stranger was where the reporter was based currently… Des Moines, Iowa. Nice to see my birthplace, but totally strange to see it on a Monday morning in London. I'm excited to watch the election coverage tomorrow, especially the British channels.

Pictures (and video!) below!

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The Travel Day!

November 3, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

Today was a day of planes, trains, and automobiles! (Ironically, in reverse order. Also, with some buses for added flavor!)

Our morning began at 6:45, when we left Gocce Di Capri in a van driven by our host, Marco. A short time later, we were departing the Sorrento train station for Naples. From Naples we caught another train to Casserta, where we had a quick coffee and sandwich break at the railway cafe. Then, another train took us to Bari.

We spent some time in Bari walking around, looking at the sea, and enjoying our final bites of Italian pizza and gelato. I also met an Italian pug. (Pugs always have great names, and this one, Carolina, was no exception.)

We finally boarded the shuttle to the Bari airport and made it with plenty of time to spare. We chatted with some of the flight attendants as we were being seated, and got moved to extremely spacious exit row seats! (A little extra politeness and smiles always pay off somehow!)

Finally, a few buses later brought us home to our flat.

We did it! Italy accomplished!

Also, Happy birthday, Mom! You are the best!

Bari Boats

The Last Gelato

Carolina the Pug

Comfy in my exit row!!!

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Sorrento Explorations: Day 2

November 2, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 3 Comments

We woke up to another sunny day, complete with a gorgeous view of Capri.

After admiring the view over a breakfast of eggs and croissants on our deck again, we decided to go exploring to try and find a beach. Our host, Marco, gave us some instructions, but we ended up following a different path that led to the beautiful Punta Della Companella, a cliffside lighthouse and abandoned military lookout post. The path was amazingly picturesque, with the waves crashing into the cliffs far below us, and the lush flora changing from olive trees and bamboo to cacti as we got closer to the sea. The view when we finally made it to the Punta Della Campanella was absolutely breathtaking.

The wind was rushing around us, the waves were crashing down below, and the abandoned, but preserved, lookout was stuck in time. Beautiful can only begin to describe it. Even the pictures (worth a thousand words…?) can only capture so much. It was truly amazing.

We finally made it back home after a long walk back up the cliffs. I made us a dinner of pasta and bread, and we enjoyed another sunset. All in all, another good day. Pictures below, per usual.

Good Morning, Sorrento!

Enjoying the morning air

Building in Town

Olive

Along our Hike

Enjoying the hike

Cliffside Groves

Our Path

Cliff Drainspout

Old Cliff Building

Capri and The Sea

Punta Della Companella

At the Base of Punta Della Companella

Looking out from Punta Della Companella

Inside the Companella

The Seaward View

The Eric in the Window

Looking up the Cliffs

Another View of Punta Della Companella

Capri and More Sea

Up the Stairs

Our Hike, Mapped Out!

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Sorrento Explorations: Day 1

November 1, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

Our adventure into our Sorrento Hotel last night was a bit… crazy.

After a long train ride from Naples to Sorrento, we had to make it from the Sorrento train station up to our hotel. Unfortunately for us, the bus was not running after 6 PM. And it was POURING. Fortunately though, a can driver took us up and even gave us a bit of a discount off of the labeled fare because we were students and he understood “what a student budget is like!” We were then met by our amazing host, Marco, who explained the area and even directed us to the only open local grocery and restaurant.

We made it into our apartment, set our stuff down, and walked ten minutes on a pitch black road to the small town of Termini. We picked up a few essentials from the small grocer and made our way to the restaurant.

The restaurant was a small, family-run place. How small? They didn't have a menu. Instead, the owner came to our table, gave us a basket of bread, and asked us a few questions about what we felt like eating and how much we felt like spending. (In, of course, a mixture of Italian and English, with a small touch of pantomiming involved.) We ended up getting some amazing spaghetti with a simple tomato sauce. It was incredible. The pasta was so fresh and perfectly al dente. The sauce was simple, but immeasurably perfect. It was homemade Italian food, and definitely one of our best meals here. The restaurant was a local hangout, with some regulars sharing drinks on the patio and some young men in the back room watching a ~~soccer~~ football match.

After our meal, we trudged home in the pouring rain and fell asleep after some chatting.

We woke up this morning to an amazing view.

The island off in the distance is Capri. We are literally on the top of a cliff, overlooking the coast. It's beautiful.

After spending some time admiring the extraordinary view from our balcony, we made a light breakfast of eggs and croissants. We needed to get some groceries and hit an ATM, so Marco directed us to the nearest town with an ATM… five kilometers away. Also, there were no buses, as it was All Saints Day. Luckily, it was a beautiful day, so we began hiking down the trail.

It was amazing to see the cliffs and all of the extraordinary views. Olive trees lined the road and we could see the waves crashing down on the shore. It was an amazing way to spend the day, and we loved the Italian air and sea.

After our long walk, we enjoyed watching the sunset and the coast of Capri light up.

For dinner, we returned to the same small Italian restaurant. I had ravioli, homemade and delicious!

Pictures below!

The View

Cliffside Explorations

Beautiful Rural Church

Another Amazing View

Along the Road

Looking Down

Coffee & Pastry (Sfogliatella) Break

Balcony View

As the Sun Set

Sunset over Capri

Capri Coast at Night

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Viewing the Vatican and the Train to Naples

October 31, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

As I write this post, I am sitting in an Italian train carriage. The countryside is whipping by outside as the train speeds along towards Naples. I can see the endless vineyards, dotted with little villas, a splash of golden orange against the greens and grays. We are en route to our final city of the voyage, Sorrento, just south of Naples. It promises to be quite fun, especially if the weather cooperates. We have a four person apartment with a terrace overlooking the sea.

This morning, we awoke, got ready, ate the hotel breakfast of coffee and pastries, and headed for the train station. We then deposited our bags in a holding area, caught a subway train to near Vatican City, and walked to St. Peter's Square. We had expected to not encounter much of a wait, (this being a Wednesday morning in late October…) but there was a pretty long line to get in. We waited to enter the square and upon our entry, we immediately realized why the crowd was so massive today; the Pope was giving a speech!

We explored the square, took some photos, and marveled at the massive crowds and immense structures. Though we only had a short time, it was well worth seeing and we were pleasantly surprised to get to see the Pope speak. (This did, however, mean that the Basilica was closed to us, but that just means I will have to visit again someday soon.)

Rome wasn't built in a day, nor can it be seen in just two, but we really enjoyed seeing the parts we did. We saw the Coliseum, we saw the Pope, and we managed to see countless other ancient buildings. All in all, a pretty amazing city. Onwards to relaxation! Pictures below, per usual.

St. Peter's Square

Pope on the big screen

A Mass for the masses.

Cropped and zoomed from above photo.

Amid the sea of umbrellas

Bernini's Fountain

The Maderno Obelisk

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“Rome-ing” Around Rome

October 31, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 1 Comment

Today was an sightseeing-packed day!

After a small breakfast at the hotel, we ventured into central Rome. Our first visit was the Severan Complex of Roman ruins. (These are a massive complex of ruins, gardens, paths, and more.) After a few hours of hiking around, taking pictures of the various ruins and the nearby Coliseum, and listening in on tours, we were pretty famished.

We had a nice, relaxed dinner at a small restaurant a few blocks away from the ruins. After the ravioli-recharge, I felt great and ready to see some more of Rome. We continued our adventure around the city. We saw tons of amazing sites, from the Pantheon, to the Piazza Navona, to the Piazza del Popolo.

Finally exhausted, we returned home to rest and rise again tomorrow. We plan to see the Vatican and then venture onward to our final city of the trip, Sorrento.

Stay tuned, and enjoy the pictures!

Waiting in line, ready to go.

The Coliseum

Ruined Roman Arch

Part of the Severan Complex

Caitlin and I enjoying the Severan Complex

Totally Obeying the Rules

View From the Severan Complex

Ruins

Column I

Column II

Coliseum

View within the Ruins

Climbing the Coliseum

Group Shot!

Church Bells!

Ruins

Statue

Piazza di San Marcello

Monumento a Vittorio Emmanuel II

Pantheon

Oculus Within Pantheon

Pantheon Interior

Gelato Break! (Mango, Dark Chocolate, & Strawberry)

Fountain from Piazza Navona

Statue from Piazza del Popolo

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Final Florence Day!

October 29, 2012August 31, 2013 by ericmistry ♥ 2 Comments

Today was quite an adventure-filled day! (Also, the sun came out for the first time, which felt incredibly nice after long days of rain.)

We started out enjoying the leather markets of Florence, which were vast and filled with tons of amazing items. I ended up getting a wallet and a belt, and even managed to get the belt customized to my waist. Another great find? I met an artist who did engravings of the city and picked out a beautiful print similar to the one in the picture set below. He matted and signed the print and even packaged it nicely for me.

After the market, we took a bus to the Piazza Michelangelo. It was absolutely breathtaking to see the amazing view. (Dad, you were right. It was one of the best things I've ever seen.) We took tons of photos, admired the view, and relished the sunshine.

Post-Piazza, we ventured back to the train station and caught our train to Rome. After a good amount of walking, we finally reached the hotel. We checked in, ate a small dinner at a nearby restaurant, and have crashed back at home. We will see tons of Rome tomorrow!

Enjoy the pictures below!