My new vice: London

London. Oh London… you haunt my thoughts. I thought I’d be able to see you in a few days… to get a good feel for all you have to offer, and leave you behind for a few years while I discover new destinations. Turns out my sampling just thrust itself into my blood like that first hit of heroin. I need more.

I played tourist for two straight days, sometimes accompanied by my friend, Ashlee, when she wasn’t finishing the final essay for Science, Technology, and International Affairs (I felt her pain as I was also in the class). I ran amok in the city, despite a dead camera battery that limited my ability to take photographs. Palaces spread out before me and big clocks chimed away the hours as I made my way along the Thames, taking in all the sights that heretofore existed for me only in National Lampoon’s European Vacation and all the books on British Royalty that have filled my head with fantasies of another era.

I experienced Westminster Abbey through its Sunday worship service and have now stood on the grave of Darwin and Isaac Newton after my first communion using wafers and sipping from a communal chalice. Other highlights included a trip up into tower bridge to take in the view(this is when the snow actually began, we felt like we were in a snow globe!), hobnobbing at Harrod’s, pretending I can interpret art in the National Gallery, not even trying to look smart as I took in modern art at the Tate Modern, and lots and lots of real cups of coffee.

The real reason I booked the trip was to visit various sites on Monday and Tuesday with 24 fellow SAIS’ers to learn about different organizations; all the appointments were arranged by the career services center. The most grand snow storm London had seen in twenty years tried to hamper those plans but we trudged through the snow, spent hours en route on the tube lines that actually were functioning, and made our way to each appointment. Only one cancellation greeted us. We visited Human Rights Watch, an NGO founded 30 years ago by a group of NY lawyers. A laid back former journalist runs their London office and he’s more than happy to be very honest about the economy and how it’s affecting his ability to work effectively. International Institute for Strategic Studies (think-tank focusing on international security) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are both impressive institutions that have a lot of SAIS’ers who were more than generous with their time and knowledge.

Our snowy Monday as young professionals concluded in a pub where we shared good beer (Guinness for this lady, of course) and anticipation of another day to be running amok, learning about the places we’ve only read about (and for whom we’ve spent hours crafting the perfect cover letter). We visited a risk analysis firm in the morning for their monthly conference and were briefed by some staffers afterwards. We found ourselves unfortunately blown off by Economist Intelligence Unit, despite having reserved a room for our lunch appointment (the weather excuse only holds so much water when almost all the lines are running and there is free food in it for them!). We did lunch anyway on the top floor of an old Victorian style house- turned- pub that had great wood ornamentation and chandeliers in its narrow, creaky stairwells. A dumbwaiter, concealed by two doors that were serving as shelves for bottles of scotch, brought up our meals. The cancellation allowed us time to check out the British Museum just down the street and take in an Easter Island statue as well as the Rosetta Stone (turns out it’s NOT a CD rom… interesting!)

After one more appointment with a startup that provides information and consultation for businesses looking to invest in renewable energy technology, we had some more free time. Luckily, we just happened to be on Piccadilly Circus, a street with millions of great shops. I have now been to a London Eurotrash institution- Top Shop (Think H&M, but this one stays in Britain instead of spreading the cheapy fashion love all over the world). The evening concluded with a happy hour thrown by the London Alumni chapter of SAIS and we got to mingle for a few hours with those who have passed before us and get to live in this fantastic city.

On to the food. England is supposed to have notoriously bad food… we couldn’t find it. My plane meal provided by British Airways was a bit questionable and remained uneaten (grey bacon on bread w’ tomato chutney… hmmm…) but after this, it was such a treat to have choices of food besides Italian.

We made out way into a pub that had an amazing selection of BURGERS (oh, burgers!) for very cheapy prices and included a pint of whatever you fancy. Twenty minutes later, I was happily sipping a Strongbow and chowing on a lamb and mint burger- my first venture into ground lamb, but probably not my last.

That night, instead of dinner, we went straight for dessert. Another quaint pub had a cozy basement, and despite the kitchen being closed, the chef agreed to whip up two sticky toffee puddings for a couple of hopeful girls who ordered good scotches. A bowl of salty nuts (giggle) completed the flavors and we cherished the moment as we blended the french vanilla ice cream with the deluge of warm caramel that covered the soft steamed sponge cake.

The next morning, after finding the hotel breakfast rather disappointing, we ventured out in search of “English Breakfast” that is advertised everywhere. We found a place to give it to us for 3 pounds. Perfect. It usually consists of some combination of eggs, cooked mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, black pudding, sausage, bacon, toast, potatoes. Ours was ok, but I am sure there is better out there!

Sunday Roasts and Guinness were our dinner that night. I didn’t realize the "Sunday roast" was a British tradition, but it was nice to have stuffing and potatoes and vegetables with your meat without having to order it all separately :)

After our site visits on Monday, and after the pub, a friend led a group of us to Brick Lane- a place known to have some of the best inexpensive Indian food. The blizzard had all the owners desperate for business and we ate at a wonderful place for 30% off the bill and a free round of drinks, promises shouted at us by the owner as we passed by. A long relaxing dinner wrapped up the evening as we all had to get home before the tube closed early.

Ashlee and I were exhausted by the end of Tuesday, all the schmoozing takes a toll. We stayed in after picking up pasties, shortbreads, and caramel topped cookies on our way back to the hotel and enjoyed more typical English grub, washed down with Australian wine. It’s almost sad to report that living in London can be accomplished much more inexpensively than in Bologna, even eating out is incredibly reasonable with the weak pound. At its normal exchange rate, it would have been similar to my fair city of porticos.

I must admit, I found one of my favorite activities and almost squealed as I got change to play

I won enough tickets to get myself some lovely London confectionaries.

London is truly an international city with its own wonderful, unmistakable identity. There is still so much left to do… another trip that includes the theater and a high tea is the new goal…