It's kind of hard to think that I only have 22 more days in London. Sure, I say I'm ready to leave and want to get back home as soon as possible, but in reality, I'm really going to miss London. While school has been a bit stressful at times and I'm definitely ready for a break from tests and papers, I have had the time of my life studying in London. I've gotten to go to so many places and experience so many things that most people will not be able to do in a lifetime. I talk to my grandparents on the phone and tell them about what I've been up to and every time they tell me how lucky I am to be doing something like this. I would always giggle and say, "yeah, you're right, I am lucky," but I never really appreciated their words until now. With less than a month to go, I've finally been realizing what a blessing this has been.
In a matter of months, I've been able to go to Bath, Stonehenge, York, Scotland, many fascinating museums and several other important places. I've learned a great deal on the economy of Europe as well as information on science and technology that shaped the world in which I live. While I most likely will not employ this information in my professional life, I'm still grateful that I got the opportunity to be exposed to this world of information as it has molded me into a more knowledgeable and sophisticated young adult. I'll be able to engage in conversations concerning this material and will be able to give first hand accounts as examples. Not a lot of people have been given an opportunity like this, and because of that I'm eternally grateful.
Outside of school trips I've been to Wales, Dublin, Paris, Geneva, Interlacken, Milan, Venice, Vienna and Amsterdam. I've become quite the experienced traveler and I'm only 20 years old. I know I've already said this but people go their entire lives and don't get the chance to visit a quarter as many countries as I already have. The fact that I'm only 20 and still have a (hopefully) long life ahead of me to travel, I can't express my sheer amazement that I actually got the magnificent opportunity to study abroad in a foreign country.
I have so many people to thank for this milestone in my life. First I have to thank my parents so incredibly much for supplying much of the finances. Without their help and support I would not have gotten to do this. I must also thank my family and friends for supporting my decision and helping me through the rough times while I've been away from home. I must also, of course, thank you, professors, for taking us to the many places you have and opening us all up to a new world of information. You have broaden my horizons on life and society and helped me become the person I am today. Thank you so much.
I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my college career back at Bucknell, but nothing can replace my time here in London; I will never forget my study abroad experience. I've become a different and better person as a result of this experience, and have also created strong-bonds to the people who embarked on this expedition with me. These next three weeks are going to fly by, but I know I will always remember the memories made, the information learned, and the places visited.
Sunday, 18 November 2007
Thursday, 15 November 2007
Imperial War Museum
On Thursday November 8, the Bucknell in London group toured the Imperial War Museum. Even before I walked into the building I knew it was going to be an interesting place; this was signaled by the huge gun/cannon and bomb shells situated directly in front of the entrance.
While walking through this enormous building and viewing the many exhibitions and artifacts concerning WWI and WWII, I found myself particularly interested in The Children's War exhibit. This fascinating area of the museum described in detail the second World War through the eyes of the children in Britain. It was absolutely amazing and extremely moving at the same time to listen to people's (now in old age) first-hand accounts of what it was like to live through WWII, and to also learn fascinating information on every aspect of life during this time.
Two things moved me deeply within The Children's War. The first was the sight of mannequins, resembling small children and infants, in gas masks. Every person in Britain owned a gas mask and was required to wear it during WWII; what touched me was seeing the little babies and small children with this huge apparatus on their head. I can't even imagine what it must have been like to be required to wear gas masks everywhere I went for fear of an air raid preventing my ability to breath. This must have been incredibly frightening for small children, especially since they lacked the capacity and maturity to fully understand the situation surrounding them. It was just so incredibly sad to walk through the exhibit, see the mannequins and experience what they had to endure.
The second was reading an original letter a couple sent to their daughter whom they sent to Canada to live with her aunt during the war and the accompanying newspaper article which described a fatal train wreck in which the daughter died while on her way to Canada. What upset me the most was reading the letter and realizing that the daughter would never get the chance to read it. The letter included details about how the couple missed her and couldn't wait to see her and also stated that they were sending care-packages soon full of her favorite things. To read the letter and then the article moved me to tears; imagine the shock and extreme sadness the couple had to endure when they received a letter that said there had been a fatal train wreck which was on its way to Canada and their child could not be accounted for. How horrible. What's even sadder is that these parents were not the only ones to receive such a letter by any stretch of the imagination; thousands of small, innocent children lost their lives during WWII and just as many depressing letters were sent to anxious parents.
Besides the aforementioned artifacts, I was also very interested in learning about the work the children did during WWII. This subject was not only fascinating but also ties in with the economics theme of our common course, as what the children did during this time greatly affected the British Economy. During the war, nearly 80% of boys and 70% of girls between the ages of 14 and 17 were in full-time employment. They worked in agriculture, in offices and the major industries such as engineering, aircraft production, shipbuilding and vehicle manufacture. From 1941 all those aged between 16 and 18 were required to register for some form of national service, even if they had a full-time job. At 18, boys received their call-up papers for the armed forces. By 1944, one in ten of them was required to work in coal mines as 'Bevin Boys.' Girls were also conscripted when they turned 18, and either joined one of the women's auxiliary services or undertook other essential war work. Younger children were expected to do their bit by salvaging scrap metal, paper, glass and waste food for recycling. They also raised money for munitions, knitted 'comforts' for the troops, and were encouraged to 'Dig for Victory' in gardens and allotments. As dangerous as it was, children of Britain were greatly involved in the war and offered their services wherever needed. Their work not only supported their troops but also helped to maintain the already severly damaged economy.
Another piece of sad information I must share was the youngest victim of the air raids, who happened to be only 11 hours old. Thousands upon thousands of children were killed or injured during these attacks; its such a shame that their young and promising lives had to be ended in such a cruel and unncessary way.
All of the other exhibitions within the Imperial War Museum were fascinating and/or moving in their own respects, but I was especially drawn to The Children's War exhibit. Overall I must say that I learned a great amount of valuable information about the twentieth century's wars. I can't wait to share this information with my grandfather who served in the American Army and was on duty in England and France (Storming of Normandy) during WWII.
While walking through this enormous building and viewing the many exhibitions and artifacts concerning WWI and WWII, I found myself particularly interested in The Children's War exhibit. This fascinating area of the museum described in detail the second World War through the eyes of the children in Britain. It was absolutely amazing and extremely moving at the same time to listen to people's (now in old age) first-hand accounts of what it was like to live through WWII, and to also learn fascinating information on every aspect of life during this time.
Two things moved me deeply within The Children's War. The first was the sight of mannequins, resembling small children and infants, in gas masks. Every person in Britain owned a gas mask and was required to wear it during WWII; what touched me was seeing the little babies and small children with this huge apparatus on their head. I can't even imagine what it must have been like to be required to wear gas masks everywhere I went for fear of an air raid preventing my ability to breath. This must have been incredibly frightening for small children, especially since they lacked the capacity and maturity to fully understand the situation surrounding them. It was just so incredibly sad to walk through the exhibit, see the mannequins and experience what they had to endure.
The second was reading an original letter a couple sent to their daughter whom they sent to Canada to live with her aunt during the war and the accompanying newspaper article which described a fatal train wreck in which the daughter died while on her way to Canada. What upset me the most was reading the letter and realizing that the daughter would never get the chance to read it. The letter included details about how the couple missed her and couldn't wait to see her and also stated that they were sending care-packages soon full of her favorite things. To read the letter and then the article moved me to tears; imagine the shock and extreme sadness the couple had to endure when they received a letter that said there had been a fatal train wreck which was on its way to Canada and their child could not be accounted for. How horrible. What's even sadder is that these parents were not the only ones to receive such a letter by any stretch of the imagination; thousands of small, innocent children lost their lives during WWII and just as many depressing letters were sent to anxious parents.
Besides the aforementioned artifacts, I was also very interested in learning about the work the children did during WWII. This subject was not only fascinating but also ties in with the economics theme of our common course, as what the children did during this time greatly affected the British Economy. During the war, nearly 80% of boys and 70% of girls between the ages of 14 and 17 were in full-time employment. They worked in agriculture, in offices and the major industries such as engineering, aircraft production, shipbuilding and vehicle manufacture. From 1941 all those aged between 16 and 18 were required to register for some form of national service, even if they had a full-time job. At 18, boys received their call-up papers for the armed forces. By 1944, one in ten of them was required to work in coal mines as 'Bevin Boys.' Girls were also conscripted when they turned 18, and either joined one of the women's auxiliary services or undertook other essential war work. Younger children were expected to do their bit by salvaging scrap metal, paper, glass and waste food for recycling. They also raised money for munitions, knitted 'comforts' for the troops, and were encouraged to 'Dig for Victory' in gardens and allotments. As dangerous as it was, children of Britain were greatly involved in the war and offered their services wherever needed. Their work not only supported their troops but also helped to maintain the already severly damaged economy.
Another piece of sad information I must share was the youngest victim of the air raids, who happened to be only 11 hours old. Thousands upon thousands of children were killed or injured during these attacks; its such a shame that their young and promising lives had to be ended in such a cruel and unncessary way.
All of the other exhibitions within the Imperial War Museum were fascinating and/or moving in their own respects, but I was especially drawn to The Children's War exhibit. Overall I must say that I learned a great amount of valuable information about the twentieth century's wars. I can't wait to share this information with my grandfather who served in the American Army and was on duty in England and France (Storming of Normandy) during WWII.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Bank of England
The Bank of England was established by an Act of Parliament in 1694. Since its beginning, the Bank (as it is known in British financial circles) has been extremely important in supporting Britain's economic growth. There are many ways in which it does this; below is a list of five major roles the Bank plays:
1. One of its major priorities is to maintain monetary stability. The first objective of any central bank is to safeguard the value of the currency in terms of what it will purchase at home and in terms of other currencies. To achieve this, the Bank sets a monetary policy to provide a framework for non-inflationary economic growth. The monetary policy in the UK operates mainly through influencing the price of money, in other words the interest rate. It is the Bank's responsibility to decide on the level of short-term interest rates necessary to meet the Government's inflation target, which is currently around 2%.
2. Another way the Bank supports Britain's economic growth is by maintaining its financial stability. To do this, the overall system must be safe and secure and all threats to financial stability must be detected and reduced; the Bank must make sure that these two objectives are met. It does so by monitoring and analyzing the behavior of participants in the financial system and the wider financial and economic environment. Also, by overseeing the payment and settlement systems, the Bank makes sure that the banking system as a whole flows smoothly.
3. The Bank also acts as a "lender of last resort" to financial institutions in difficulty by lending them tax payers' money in order to prevent a loss of confidence spreading through the financial system as a whole. This supports economic growth by ensuring against crisis and making sure the system remains stable.
4. Reliance by government on the Bank for economic growth and stability has developed from the 18th century. As such, the Bank acts as banker to the government and keeps the main government accounts, receives tax revenues, and facilitates payments in respect of government expenditure.
5. The last role (for this list) that the Bank plays in supporting Britain's economic growth is acting as the care-taker of the nation's gold supply. Although Britain's gold and foreign exchange reserves were transferred to the Treasury, their day-to-day management was and still is handled by the Bank.
1. One of its major priorities is to maintain monetary stability. The first objective of any central bank is to safeguard the value of the currency in terms of what it will purchase at home and in terms of other currencies. To achieve this, the Bank sets a monetary policy to provide a framework for non-inflationary economic growth. The monetary policy in the UK operates mainly through influencing the price of money, in other words the interest rate. It is the Bank's responsibility to decide on the level of short-term interest rates necessary to meet the Government's inflation target, which is currently around 2%.
2. Another way the Bank supports Britain's economic growth is by maintaining its financial stability. To do this, the overall system must be safe and secure and all threats to financial stability must be detected and reduced; the Bank must make sure that these two objectives are met. It does so by monitoring and analyzing the behavior of participants in the financial system and the wider financial and economic environment. Also, by overseeing the payment and settlement systems, the Bank makes sure that the banking system as a whole flows smoothly.
3. The Bank also acts as a "lender of last resort" to financial institutions in difficulty by lending them tax payers' money in order to prevent a loss of confidence spreading through the financial system as a whole. This supports economic growth by ensuring against crisis and making sure the system remains stable.
4. Reliance by government on the Bank for economic growth and stability has developed from the 18th century. As such, the Bank acts as banker to the government and keeps the main government accounts, receives tax revenues, and facilitates payments in respect of government expenditure.
5. The last role (for this list) that the Bank plays in supporting Britain's economic growth is acting as the care-taker of the nation's gold supply. Although Britain's gold and foreign exchange reserves were transferred to the Treasury, their day-to-day management was and still is handled by the Bank.
Monday, 29 October 2007
Natural History Museum
On Thursday, the 25th of October, the Bucknell in London group had the special privledge of visiting the Natural History Museum. Seemingly unrelated to economics and physics, this fieldtrip was still very worthwhile in my opinion. I am fascinated by everything science, so needless to say I was like a kid in a candy shop going around and exploring all that the Natural History Museum had to offer.
While we were required to visit Darwin's statue near the cafe and the Lasting Impressions, Marine Invertebrates and Primates exhibitions, I explored many more such as the Dinosaur, the Mammal and the Evolution exhibitions. While most of them were very interesting and stimulating, I must say that the Dinosaur exhibition was by far my favorite. I'm not a dinosaur expert nor am I very passionate about these creatures, but the design and the plethora of information within this exhibit enraptured and delighted me. It was amazing to see actual fossils and bones of these prehistoric animals; they don't seem that big on paper but when there is a 10 foot tall by 5 foot wide femur bone next to you, one can realize their actual enormous size. I also found the dinosaur to human comparisons helpful to gauge their size. The lifesize model of the "teenage" T-Rex was amazing; it was so lifelike that I actually saw little children being comforted by their parents with the soothing words, "it's not real sweetheart don't worry." The Dinosaur exhibiton must be a lot of people's favorites or in the least be one of the most popular exhibitions as a huge line had been formed (with ropes and everything) by the time I was done touring it.
Among the other exhibitions I toured, I found the one on Evolution to be fascinating. I have long been a student of the theory of evolution so the exhibition on the topic was a welcome refresher and greatly appreciated. I enjoyed viewing the comparisons of the skulls of the ancestors to the Homo sapiens species and also was intrigued by their history and location.
Being an Animal Behavior major and mainly dealing with and interested in mammals, I was particularly taken by the Mammal Exhibition. It was amazing to look up to the ceiling and see the model of the blue whale span the entire length of it. I also enjoyed the design of this exhibition as it grouped mammals according to similarity and placed them in such a way that depicted their natural habitats and tendencies.
The Lasting Impressions exhibition was fabulous as well in its own respects. I am very intrigued by fossils and love to learn about the creation of and vast history of the formation of the Earth, so this exhibition fit the bill just perfectly. I also find it fascinating to learn how to calculate the age of something, such as the age of a whale by its teeth and the age of a Bezoar goat by its horns. This exhibition had really neat contents and was very intellectually stimulating.
I must say that I found the Marine Invertebrates exhibition to be rather boring and non-stimulating. It was basically just a hollow room with two glass cases containing replicas of or preserved invertebrates. It may be my general dislike of marine invertebrates that made me enjoy this exhibition the least, but I just found it to be not to par with the other exhibitions within the museum.
With all of the exhibitons I toured, I still would greatly enjoy going back to the Natural History Museum to tour new exhibitions as well as revisit the ones I went to on Thursday. I learned an incredible amount of information and had a great time doing so.
While we were required to visit Darwin's statue near the cafe and the Lasting Impressions, Marine Invertebrates and Primates exhibitions, I explored many more such as the Dinosaur, the Mammal and the Evolution exhibitions. While most of them were very interesting and stimulating, I must say that the Dinosaur exhibition was by far my favorite. I'm not a dinosaur expert nor am I very passionate about these creatures, but the design and the plethora of information within this exhibit enraptured and delighted me. It was amazing to see actual fossils and bones of these prehistoric animals; they don't seem that big on paper but when there is a 10 foot tall by 5 foot wide femur bone next to you, one can realize their actual enormous size. I also found the dinosaur to human comparisons helpful to gauge their size. The lifesize model of the "teenage" T-Rex was amazing; it was so lifelike that I actually saw little children being comforted by their parents with the soothing words, "it's not real sweetheart don't worry." The Dinosaur exhibiton must be a lot of people's favorites or in the least be one of the most popular exhibitions as a huge line had been formed (with ropes and everything) by the time I was done touring it.
Among the other exhibitions I toured, I found the one on Evolution to be fascinating. I have long been a student of the theory of evolution so the exhibition on the topic was a welcome refresher and greatly appreciated. I enjoyed viewing the comparisons of the skulls of the ancestors to the Homo sapiens species and also was intrigued by their history and location.
Being an Animal Behavior major and mainly dealing with and interested in mammals, I was particularly taken by the Mammal Exhibition. It was amazing to look up to the ceiling and see the model of the blue whale span the entire length of it. I also enjoyed the design of this exhibition as it grouped mammals according to similarity and placed them in such a way that depicted their natural habitats and tendencies.
The Lasting Impressions exhibition was fabulous as well in its own respects. I am very intrigued by fossils and love to learn about the creation of and vast history of the formation of the Earth, so this exhibition fit the bill just perfectly. I also find it fascinating to learn how to calculate the age of something, such as the age of a whale by its teeth and the age of a Bezoar goat by its horns. This exhibition had really neat contents and was very intellectually stimulating.
I must say that I found the Marine Invertebrates exhibition to be rather boring and non-stimulating. It was basically just a hollow room with two glass cases containing replicas of or preserved invertebrates. It may be my general dislike of marine invertebrates that made me enjoy this exhibition the least, but I just found it to be not to par with the other exhibitions within the museum.
With all of the exhibitons I toured, I still would greatly enjoy going back to the Natural History Museum to tour new exhibitions as well as revisit the ones I went to on Thursday. I learned an incredible amount of information and had a great time doing so.
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Reflection on Fall Break
After visiting four countries in nine days, I've composed a little list about the things I've learned while being away. This list is a reflection about my wonderful fall break and serves as a nostalgic remembrance about my time in Paris (France), Geneva, Interlaken (Switzerland), Milan, Venice (Italy), and Vienna (Austria).
23 Things I've Learned From Fall Break:
1. Wine, bread and cheese taste a trillion times better when sitting next to the Eiffel Tower.
2. Speaking of the Eiffel Tower, it can actually serve as a clock. Every hour on the hour it lights up and seems as if it is sparkling. I have a video of it if you want proof for yourself.
3. The view from the top of the Eiffel Tower is probably one of the most amazing views in the world.
4. An Eiffel Tower shaped lolly-pop tastes like a candy apple and is absolutely delicious but rather hard to eat.
5. Although fascinating in its own respects, the Mona Lisa is actually quite small and next to impossible to get a good picture of due to the massive crowd of people gathered around it.
6. It's probably not the best idea to run your hand along a priceless mosaic inside the Louvre. Fortunately for me I didn't get kicked out but I did get a "Don't do that!!" from one of the thousands of guards and a "What were you thinking??" from Steph.
7. Crepes filled with nutella and any flavor of gelato are two of the most delectable desserts on this planet. I would advise eating 2 or 3 of each a day.
8. Versailles has probably the biggest palace I've ever seen or will see in my life.
9. Geneva has a 140 meter tall water fountain (Jet d'eau). That's really freaking tall.
10. Although it doesn't sparkle like the Eiffel Tower, the Flower Clock of Geneva is beautiful in its own respect and, along with the Jet d'eau, serves as a symbol of Geneva.
11. The Swiss speak French in Geneva and German in Interlaken. One country, two languages. Something doesn't match up here to me. Shouldn't there be a national Swiss language? It would make sense to me. But hey, who am I to tell the Swiss what to do?
12. If you ever get the chance to visit Interlaken, you'll most likely end up wanting to buy a little cottage and retire there. You'll understand what I'm talking about if you go there and/or see my pictures.
13. It's a dangerous combination when nine people have a room to themselves in a hostel. Hilarious things are bound to happen, especially when you have five crazy guys along with you. You most likely won't get any sleep either, by the way.
14. Milan really wasn't all that great. I don't know if we were way outside of the inner city or what but it was quite boring and unattractive. I would have preferred to stay in Interlaken for another day and bask in its beauty and take advantage of its wide selection of outdoor activities.
15. Despite its beauty, Venice is a rather smelly city.
16. Venice is probably one of the most confusing cities to navigate around in the entire world.
17. When booking a hostel room online, be prepared to stay in a totally different room than what was displayed on their website.
18. Never wear a skirt if you're planning to visit a Catholic Church. Old ladies will scorn you and the priest will give you his most disapproving face and shake his finger at you. Once filled with shame and humiliation, it's best to just get out of the church as fast as you can.
19. No matter what country you're in, pigeons are still the most vile and annoying creatures in the world. They are particularly obnoxious in Venice, especially when people decide to gather a huge group of them by feeding them bread and then jump right into the middle of the pigeon crowd, sending the pigeons every which direction and most likely centimeters away from your head.
20. Even though a night train seems like a good, efficient idea, I definitely would recommend spending a few extra Euros to reserve a bed. I had to learn the hard way that a second class seat just doesn't cut it for seven hours, especially when you're seated in a tiny room crammed with five other people.
21. Vienna is actually a beautiful city with lots to do. I must say I was pleasantly surprised.
22. Language can be the biggest barrier between people. Therefore, it's not a good idea to try to find your way back to your hostel by yourself relying on German roadsigns, and it's also not the best idea to have a taxi driver who can only speak Arabic and German take you to the Vienna International Airport.
23. If you ever get the chance to see four different countries in less than two weeks, let alone live in one for four months, you are a truly blessed person.
I hope that you've enjoyed this list, and I also hope that it sparked a little list of your own about your time away from London.
23 Things I've Learned From Fall Break:
1. Wine, bread and cheese taste a trillion times better when sitting next to the Eiffel Tower.
2. Speaking of the Eiffel Tower, it can actually serve as a clock. Every hour on the hour it lights up and seems as if it is sparkling. I have a video of it if you want proof for yourself.
3. The view from the top of the Eiffel Tower is probably one of the most amazing views in the world.
4. An Eiffel Tower shaped lolly-pop tastes like a candy apple and is absolutely delicious but rather hard to eat.
5. Although fascinating in its own respects, the Mona Lisa is actually quite small and next to impossible to get a good picture of due to the massive crowd of people gathered around it.
6. It's probably not the best idea to run your hand along a priceless mosaic inside the Louvre. Fortunately for me I didn't get kicked out but I did get a "Don't do that!!" from one of the thousands of guards and a "What were you thinking??" from Steph.
7. Crepes filled with nutella and any flavor of gelato are two of the most delectable desserts on this planet. I would advise eating 2 or 3 of each a day.
8. Versailles has probably the biggest palace I've ever seen or will see in my life.
9. Geneva has a 140 meter tall water fountain (Jet d'eau). That's really freaking tall.
10. Although it doesn't sparkle like the Eiffel Tower, the Flower Clock of Geneva is beautiful in its own respect and, along with the Jet d'eau, serves as a symbol of Geneva.
11. The Swiss speak French in Geneva and German in Interlaken. One country, two languages. Something doesn't match up here to me. Shouldn't there be a national Swiss language? It would make sense to me. But hey, who am I to tell the Swiss what to do?
12. If you ever get the chance to visit Interlaken, you'll most likely end up wanting to buy a little cottage and retire there. You'll understand what I'm talking about if you go there and/or see my pictures.
13. It's a dangerous combination when nine people have a room to themselves in a hostel. Hilarious things are bound to happen, especially when you have five crazy guys along with you. You most likely won't get any sleep either, by the way.
14. Milan really wasn't all that great. I don't know if we were way outside of the inner city or what but it was quite boring and unattractive. I would have preferred to stay in Interlaken for another day and bask in its beauty and take advantage of its wide selection of outdoor activities.
15. Despite its beauty, Venice is a rather smelly city.
16. Venice is probably one of the most confusing cities to navigate around in the entire world.
17. When booking a hostel room online, be prepared to stay in a totally different room than what was displayed on their website.
18. Never wear a skirt if you're planning to visit a Catholic Church. Old ladies will scorn you and the priest will give you his most disapproving face and shake his finger at you. Once filled with shame and humiliation, it's best to just get out of the church as fast as you can.
19. No matter what country you're in, pigeons are still the most vile and annoying creatures in the world. They are particularly obnoxious in Venice, especially when people decide to gather a huge group of them by feeding them bread and then jump right into the middle of the pigeon crowd, sending the pigeons every which direction and most likely centimeters away from your head.
20. Even though a night train seems like a good, efficient idea, I definitely would recommend spending a few extra Euros to reserve a bed. I had to learn the hard way that a second class seat just doesn't cut it for seven hours, especially when you're seated in a tiny room crammed with five other people.
21. Vienna is actually a beautiful city with lots to do. I must say I was pleasantly surprised.
22. Language can be the biggest barrier between people. Therefore, it's not a good idea to try to find your way back to your hostel by yourself relying on German roadsigns, and it's also not the best idea to have a taxi driver who can only speak Arabic and German take you to the Vienna International Airport.
23. If you ever get the chance to see four different countries in less than two weeks, let alone live in one for four months, you are a truly blessed person.
I hope that you've enjoyed this list, and I also hope that it sparked a little list of your own about your time away from London.
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Gearing Up!
After our two days from hell (two midterms on Monday and a paper draft due Tuesday), I finally have something to look forward to.
Tomorrow begins our 10 day fall break and I absolutely cannot wait.
We will begin in Paris, spend two days there, and then head to Geneva, Interlaken, Milan, Venice and then Vienna. The rest of the group I'm traveling with will then go to Prague, but I must head back to London after Vienna to meet my sister who will be visiting me until the 16th! Life couldn't get much better right now.
The coldest place we will be (or at least I will be) is Vienna, where the highs are around 60. Other than that, the weather will range from 65-75! The mild weather will definitely be a welcome change from the chilly weather we've been having here in London as well as the dreadfully cold weather we experienced in Scotland. It actually wasn't all that bad in Scotland but I am definitely a baby when it comes to cold weather. With this being said, I'm quite pleased with the weather forecast for our fall break.
As I've never been to any of the places we're visiting, I'm very anxious to see how every place will be and what they will look like. I'm sure Paris will be spectacular, with the Eiffel Tower and Versailles, but I have to admit I don't really know much about any of the other places we will be visiting. I've heard Geneva isn't that special and that Interlaken, Milan and Venice are beautiful, but I've actually not heard much of anything at all about Vienna. Either way, I'm sure it will be beautiful in it's own respect.
Although it will be a lot of traveling, I couldn't have asked for a better fall break itinerary. I'll get to tour four countries and have undoubtedly one of the greatest experiences of my life. I'm sure I'll take tons of pictures and make many memories. With all of our hostel reservations confirmed and our Eurorail passes activated, all I have to do now is pack! Until next time--cheers.
Tomorrow begins our 10 day fall break and I absolutely cannot wait.
We will begin in Paris, spend two days there, and then head to Geneva, Interlaken, Milan, Venice and then Vienna. The rest of the group I'm traveling with will then go to Prague, but I must head back to London after Vienna to meet my sister who will be visiting me until the 16th! Life couldn't get much better right now.
The coldest place we will be (or at least I will be) is Vienna, where the highs are around 60. Other than that, the weather will range from 65-75! The mild weather will definitely be a welcome change from the chilly weather we've been having here in London as well as the dreadfully cold weather we experienced in Scotland. It actually wasn't all that bad in Scotland but I am definitely a baby when it comes to cold weather. With this being said, I'm quite pleased with the weather forecast for our fall break.
As I've never been to any of the places we're visiting, I'm very anxious to see how every place will be and what they will look like. I'm sure Paris will be spectacular, with the Eiffel Tower and Versailles, but I have to admit I don't really know much about any of the other places we will be visiting. I've heard Geneva isn't that special and that Interlaken, Milan and Venice are beautiful, but I've actually not heard much of anything at all about Vienna. Either way, I'm sure it will be beautiful in it's own respect.
Although it will be a lot of traveling, I couldn't have asked for a better fall break itinerary. I'll get to tour four countries and have undoubtedly one of the greatest experiences of my life. I'm sure I'll take tons of pictures and make many memories. With all of our hostel reservations confirmed and our Eurorail passes activated, all I have to do now is pack! Until next time--cheers.
Thursday, 27 September 2007
Canal Walk
On the morning of the 27th of September, the Bucknell in London group took a mile and a half walk along Regent's Canal. Here, we learned the mechanisms and workings of the canal locks as well as the function and importance of the canal itself. There were many exciting parts of the trip, including getting to open and close the canal locks ourselves as well as Jeremy, Paul, Chris, Chizz, Kyle and Wes pulling out a drowned motorbike from the depths of the water.
In conjunction with the science aspect of our common course, one of the main objectives of the tour of the canal was to learn about the operation of the locks. A lock is a device that is situated in different sections of a canal and controls the water level to enable the raising and lowering of boats that pass through the canal. All locks are composed of three basic elements. The first is the watertight chamber, a body of water which connects the upper and lower canals and is large enough to enclose one or more boats. The position of the chamber is fixed, but its water level can vary. The second is a gate, which is located at either end of the chamber. A gate is opened to allow a boat to enter or leave the chamber, and when closed, the gate is watertight. The last element is a set of lock gear to empty or fill the chamber as required by the boats. As we saw at Regent's Canal, this is usually a simple valve, traditionally a flat panel (paddle), lifted by manually winding a rack and pinion mechanism which allows water to drain into or out of the chamber.
If a boat is traveling upstream, the process is as follows: the first lock gate opens and the boat enters the chamber. The gate closes behind the boat. The valve on the opposite side of where the boat entered is then opened to allow water to flow into the chamber, which in turn causes the boat to rise as the chamber fills to the level of the water on the other side of the lock. (The water level on the other side of the lock is maintained by pumping and water flowing from the upper reaches of the canal.) The second lock gate opens when water levels between the outside of the canal and the inside of the lock are equal. (The gate opens against the flow of water which means that the gate can only be opened when the levels are equal.) The boat then leaves the lock through the second gate, and the valve and the lock gate are closed behind it.
In a fundamentally similar yet different comparison, if a boat is traveling downstream, the process is as follows: the first lock gate opens and the boat enters the chamber. The gate closes behind the boat. The valve built into the lock gate on the opposite side opens allowing the water to flow out of the chamber. The boat is lowered as the water level in the chamber falls. The second lock gate opens against the flow of water and so the gate can only be opened when the levels are equal. The boat then leaves the chamber and the valve and the lock gate are closed. As one can see, the process of the functioning of the lock is similar between upstream and downstream travel with the exception that when traveling upstream, the valve must be opened to fill the chamber with water, but when traveling downstream, the valve must be opened to allow water to escape from the chamber.
Locks within a canal are necessary for very important reasons. As canals were being constructed in more "ambitious" (unlevel) areas, locks became necessary to offset the changes in water level caused by uneven ground. Locks eliminated the need for detours, which would have been completely uneconomic in both construction costs and journey time. Essentially, locks are used to make a canal more easily navigable and also to allow canals to take a reasonably direct line across terrain that is not level.
The other main objective of our tour of Regent's Canal dealt with the other aspect of our common course, economics. This canal has served many purposes, the main of which was commercial traffic. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, cars, trucks, railways and trains were very seldom if even available. With this, canals served as the main way to import and export goods. This greatly supported London's (as well as Britain's) economy as goods were constantly being shipped out as well as shipped in, which helped to regulate commerce and employ many workers. While this activity has greatly declined, the canal still supports London's economy through water-based tourism, leisure activities, and informal recreation.
Even though it was rather chilly, I still had a great time touring Regent's Canal. Getting to open and close the locks was my absolute favorite part. It was also fun to see the old tavern sign dating back to the 1800s, and watch the boys pull the motorbike out of the canal.
In conjunction with the science aspect of our common course, one of the main objectives of the tour of the canal was to learn about the operation of the locks. A lock is a device that is situated in different sections of a canal and controls the water level to enable the raising and lowering of boats that pass through the canal. All locks are composed of three basic elements. The first is the watertight chamber, a body of water which connects the upper and lower canals and is large enough to enclose one or more boats. The position of the chamber is fixed, but its water level can vary. The second is a gate, which is located at either end of the chamber. A gate is opened to allow a boat to enter or leave the chamber, and when closed, the gate is watertight. The last element is a set of lock gear to empty or fill the chamber as required by the boats. As we saw at Regent's Canal, this is usually a simple valve, traditionally a flat panel (paddle), lifted by manually winding a rack and pinion mechanism which allows water to drain into or out of the chamber.
If a boat is traveling upstream, the process is as follows: the first lock gate opens and the boat enters the chamber. The gate closes behind the boat. The valve on the opposite side of where the boat entered is then opened to allow water to flow into the chamber, which in turn causes the boat to rise as the chamber fills to the level of the water on the other side of the lock. (The water level on the other side of the lock is maintained by pumping and water flowing from the upper reaches of the canal.) The second lock gate opens when water levels between the outside of the canal and the inside of the lock are equal. (The gate opens against the flow of water which means that the gate can only be opened when the levels are equal.) The boat then leaves the lock through the second gate, and the valve and the lock gate are closed behind it.
In a fundamentally similar yet different comparison, if a boat is traveling downstream, the process is as follows: the first lock gate opens and the boat enters the chamber. The gate closes behind the boat. The valve built into the lock gate on the opposite side opens allowing the water to flow out of the chamber. The boat is lowered as the water level in the chamber falls. The second lock gate opens against the flow of water and so the gate can only be opened when the levels are equal. The boat then leaves the chamber and the valve and the lock gate are closed. As one can see, the process of the functioning of the lock is similar between upstream and downstream travel with the exception that when traveling upstream, the valve must be opened to fill the chamber with water, but when traveling downstream, the valve must be opened to allow water to escape from the chamber.
Locks within a canal are necessary for very important reasons. As canals were being constructed in more "ambitious" (unlevel) areas, locks became necessary to offset the changes in water level caused by uneven ground. Locks eliminated the need for detours, which would have been completely uneconomic in both construction costs and journey time. Essentially, locks are used to make a canal more easily navigable and also to allow canals to take a reasonably direct line across terrain that is not level.
The other main objective of our tour of Regent's Canal dealt with the other aspect of our common course, economics. This canal has served many purposes, the main of which was commercial traffic. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, cars, trucks, railways and trains were very seldom if even available. With this, canals served as the main way to import and export goods. This greatly supported London's (as well as Britain's) economy as goods were constantly being shipped out as well as shipped in, which helped to regulate commerce and employ many workers. While this activity has greatly declined, the canal still supports London's economy through water-based tourism, leisure activities, and informal recreation.
Even though it was rather chilly, I still had a great time touring Regent's Canal. Getting to open and close the locks was my absolute favorite part. It was also fun to see the old tavern sign dating back to the 1800s, and watch the boys pull the motorbike out of the canal.
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