Student or Tourist? I guess I'm still figuring it out.

This week I got to be a full on tourist… and it was great! I was also able to really get into the groove of my class schedule and is finally starting to feel routine. I am starting to adjust to the several miles I am walking a day and have made a handful of real meals for myself (and don’t worry, I finally figured out how to work the stove).

On Wednesday, we had a program excursion to see the London Tower in central London. This was the first fortress ever built in London in the early 1000s. We took a guided tour and learned about its bloody history and all the famous people and Kings and Queens who were beheaded here. This is also where the Crown Jewels are kept, guarded in a secure vault when not in use by the Royal Family. We got to tour the vault and I have never seen so many diamonds in my life. It was crazy insane. I did get yelled at for trying to take a picture so sorry, no proof. The London Tower is also located right next to London’s iconic Tower Bridge, so you can check out some photos down below.

Then this weekend we had our big weekend excursion to Bath, England. We left early Friday morning with a few stops on the way. First, we stopped to tour Salisbury Cathedral. It was built in the early 1200s, has the tallest spire in England (and most of Europe), and is the home of the Magna Carta. We toured the church and had lunch at a local pub. Our next stop was some pretty impressive gardens at Stourhead. This estate has a pub, rooms to stay, and about 3 miles of trails around the park (featuring statues and impressive buildings from the 1700s).

After our brisk hike and another ride on our coach bus, we arrived in Bath. We had the night to ourselves so a group of us went out to dinner and explored the town’s nightlife. Bath's population is around 85,000 people, which felt pretty small compared to London. On Saturday, we had a guided tour of the city and the Roman Baths. At the end of the tour, we even got to sample the water. It tasted super gross but these waters were rumored to have healing powers so I’m pretty sure I’m never going to be sick again. The springs were originally found because the water cured a man’s leprosy and have been popular ever since 75AD. Today, there are several Roman Bath spas that you can enjoy to get the full Bath experience. And on Sunday, we visited Stonehenge on our way back to London. It truly was an action packed weekend for me!

So now that I am back at my flat, I got some homework to do. That is one thing I am still getting used to… balancing my homework with all the different activities we do and places we visit. There is always so much to do here and so much to see so I have set some goals for this week.

1. Do my reading/notes before class (you know, like a good student).

2. Write some pretty awesome papers (and submit them with ample time before deadline).

3. Do laundry. Do it soon.

4. See some cool stuff around the city.

Until next week, cheers!

Olivia

Pictures: Tower Bridge, Salisbury Cathedral, Stourhead gardens (plus my attempt to be a Greek goddess), Bath and the Roman Baths, and Stonehenge.