London Itself

While struggling to find something to write about, other than the ecclectic and random things I usually write about, I realized that the one thing I haven't said much about is the very city that I'm living in: London.

London is actually from the Latin "Londinium," taken from its days as a part of the Roman Empire, which is exactly how the city got its start. It's an expansive city and has a certain air of sophistication that you don't really get in many other cities, save Vienna and Prague...neither of which I have been to, but fingers crossed, it might happen before May. Most of the students here are saddened that they haven't seen as much of the city as they want to, myself included. This will inevitably lead to a rush of weekend activities in an attempt to see all the major landmarks and experience the city like we want to.

Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street and Regent Street are the places to do both shopping and window shopping, unless you count the markets. They're filled with every major designer from Armani to Zara and have a myriad of things to offer beyond food and clothing, like people watching. Covent Garden is another place that's good for that, as well as the Spitalfield and Camden markets. Lately it's become a partial habit of mine to go to Waterstone's or Costa Coffee, grab a cup of mocha, sit down and read/write for a couple of hours. It's not the need to escape from people that drives me to do this, it's just a calming, peaceful thing that allows me to relax and forget the bad moments of the day and experience some sort of awesome catharsis through a pen and paper. Great what that can do for you.

The view from our flat is pretty amazing, by the way. Sunset is around 5:30 or 6, which is just when most of us get home from work. It's a minor thrill to come home to see the skyline begin to shine with false lights as the true source of illumination dips below the horizon. The sun's been rising earlier lately, which has been great for running. Sara, a girl who lives nearby, runs with me on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and sometimes Saturdays), which has been great for motivation in the morning. We run and talk about summer jobs, writing, music and a good range other topics before realizing that we've covered a good four to five miles of pure wandering of the walkways and roads to meander around and through Hyde Park.

Hyde Park has been one of the greatest discoveries thus far in my time in London. Between the fountains, statues and wide-open spaces, not to mention the blooming daffodils and tulips. However, the greater Park discovery has been Regent's Park. It's a good 10 minute run to get there, but within the confines of those walls lies a historically glorious garden filled with an aura that has yet to be described. A gentle rain of peace trickles down your limbs as you enter the gates and the pathways open up to perfectly kept lawns and weathered benches in scattered directions. Walkways that lead away from the path well-traveled seem to beckon you, whether made of cobblestone or asphalt; either way, moss has no respect for these surfaces, yet commands a respect of its own. Small waterfalls trickle down into rippleless pools filled with ducks and shaded by shrubbery and trees. As the rain falls and ruins this mirror to the sky, I can't help but think how beautifully it has been ruined.

It's impossible for me to describe a city without going into poetics, much like it's impossible for me to close a post without a witty conclusion. I'll fill you in later on the happenings of this weekend, but don't expect anything too awesome. My tendency to discover excitement is like Britney's chances of winning a Nobel Prize...although maybe not that astronomically small.