It’s now a week after returning from Europe. London is AMAZING, I so desperately want to live there at some point in my life, at least have a second home there. Luckily this year, my mum did not make us go to all the famous land marks that typically make up the city. This trip was spent mainly at contemporary locations around the city and historical place just outside. We did a tour at Oxford University day 2. OMG I want to go to school there, it’s just so… prestigious. We saw a few of the colleges and libraries, so must history, and all interesting, I liked it. Now they just need to update their traditions to accept a modern study of the arts and I will apply. This has also stirred an interest of mine in grad school, but more on that in a future post. New college, the main filming location of Harry Potter in Oxford was lovely, and is pictured above. Unfortunately it is not my picture, the day we went it was POURING and I didn’t want to bring out a camera and my phone got too wet when I tried. Later in the week we went to Hampton Court, that experience varied. The older the structure the more appeal it had, but some stuff was just too recent, about 400 years old, to have anything interesting going on. But boy did the old structures really give you a feel for life at the time, the kitchens we’re, spectacular, I now need a kitchen of that size, and enough servants to staff it.
Later we were in Paris. This is a city that was really not worth it in my opinion. At least not for me. don’t get me wrong, the French know how to cook, but their city is over rated. traffic-y, smoke-y, egotistical. maybe I got that treatment because I’m so very obviously American, but meh. The worse part of France was the historic landmarks. If it’s not a church, the French don’t take care of it as well as the English. Versailles was THE WORST. that day started off great, we went on a biking tour of the grounds which was perfect, no crowds and really cool history, including seeing Marie Antoinette’s mini play city. The palace itself was so crowded and poorly restored it wasn’t worth it, except the hall of mirrors, that was really unique. Additionally we spent time at the Lourve, same crowding problem and the D’Orse, which while not my style, it was great to see Van Gogh’s collection.
Over all I rate London a 100⁄10 and Paris a measly 6⁄10, a 4⁄10 if not for the good food.