October 17 — Before coming to London our class visited Scotland,
and after touring Edinburgh I wondered If London would hold up to the
architectural beauty of its castles and steeples. The gothic
architecture of Edinburgh was stunning and rather eerie, and it seemed
unlikely to me that London would have an atmosphere as interesting or
distinctive as Edinburgh’s. This feeling was also proved wrong upon
walking through the city. Unlike Edinburgh, London’s architecture is
most interesting for its range of styles and materials used. The effect
of the transitions between white-stone, brick, and metal is usually
beautiful, and most buildings downtown are in harmony with one another.
Especially within the city center, this balance is achieved, and I found
that the triangle formed between Bank station, the Globe Theatre, and
Saint Paul's Cathedral was a particularly gorgeous section of the city.
Coming out of the tube at night into these busy areas is thrilling.
Living
in dorm housing has not always been easy, and the sounds, smells, and
sights of the city are not always at their best on the campus of Queen
Mary. Living in freshman housing, or as they call it freshers housing,
there seems to always be something going on, as large crews of rather
drunken lads wander and talk loudly most week and weekend nights. This,
however, is not always a bad thing as it can encourage one to get out,
to meet new people, and to get off campus. Queen Mary is situated
alongside a canal that runs North and South through Mile End Park, a
pleasant park that can be walked along to reach Victoria Park, an even
finer area that winds around a large pond full of swans and ducks.
Basketball, Football, and tennis are played in these parks, and there is
a pavilion and cafe near the pond that is worth visiting for its
freshly baked bread and English style breakfasts.
Money
goes quickly here, and after breaking my budget during my first week in
London I seem to have decided to make a habit of it. The buck, however,
will have to stop somewhere, so it is likely my lifestyle will decline
sharply in November and December. The food varieties are never ending,
and it hardly needs to be repeated that one can find produce, meat,
seafood, and groceries from anywhere on earth. Street markets range from
cheap to expensive, but I seem to always find myself in the expensive
end. So it goes. The pace of life here is fast, and the city offers up
endless opportunities to eat, buy, watch and wander about. It may sound
quaint or precious to say that the city has a rhythm, or that it moves
me along, but that has been my impression throughout my time here.
—Lucas Heilbroner