Harbourside in Pictures | Bristol, England

Happy Sunday!
xoxo

Thoughts From Abroad | Part 35

• New blog layout... Again. What does everyone think??
• I apologize for my brief absence from the blog this week. The stress of my dissertation and all the future visa stuff I have to do got to be a bit too much. On the bright side, my dissertation is going smoothly so far! 35% done!
• I started my part-time summer job this week! I absolutely love working in a museum, especially in the summer when everyone is so happy!
• I can't believe the weather the UK has been having lately. It's absolutely GORGEOUS! Every bit of free time is spent laying in the grass outside. However, free time comes sparingly.
• I've almost caught up on Made In Chelsea. Just a few more episodes to go!
• Today I met Miriam Margolyes, aka the woman who plays Professor Sprout! Needless to say, I was fangirling. I resisted mentioning the fact that I am a Slytherin. 

Happy Friday!
xoxo

Cabot Tower | Bristol, England

For the past 8 months I've been plucking up the courage to climb Cabot Tower.

I'm not afraid of heights, so that wasn't the problem.

The problem was I am terrified of small spaces.

I am extremely claustrophobic. 

Sometimes, I have trouble breathing when people hug me too long.

Yeah, it's bad. 

So the idea of climbing 100 steps in a stairwell that can barely fit one person terrified me.

I decided the best time to climb Cabot Tower was first thing in the morning, before anyone else was there. 

Cabot Tower was built in 1898 in celebration of the 400th anniversary of John Cabot discovering Newfoundland. 

105 feet tall, it stands at the top of Brandon Hill. 

The view from the top is breathtaking, allowing a 360 degree view over Bristol. 

Cabot Tower is open every day from dawn until dusk.

Happy Sunday!

xoxo

St. Paul's Cathedral | London, England

If you haven't noticed, I've been posting a LOT about London lately.

The reason? 

I've spent 3 out of 4 weekends this past month in London. 

Whether it's for research, a family vacation, or just visiting friends, I've spent a lot of time in London recently.

London's not far from Bristol.

Only about an hour and 45 minute train ride.

So when a friend from my old study abroad days (who now studies at the University of Kent) wanted to have lunch, London seemed like the perfect place to meet up.

I haven't seen Rachel for three years.

In fact, she's only the second study abroad friend I've been able to spend time with since 2011. 

(You can check out my visit to Oxford with Ariana here). 

We had lunch, caught up, and then wandered around the Southbank with her boyfriend.

Since Rachel and Corey are heading back to the states in a week, we decided to do something in London none of us had done before: Visit St. Paul's Cathedral.

The original church dates back to the 6th century. 

However, the building has burned down a total of four times.

FOUR TIMES!

The building that stands today was constructed in the 17th century, and is one of the biggest churches in the world.

Sadly, you are not allowed to take pictures inside.

So, instead, I decided I would show you the lovely area that surrounds St. Paul's Cathedral. 

Happy Tuesday!
xoxo

Kew | London, England

I have been doing a lot of work on my dissertation these past couple of weeks.
While I love visiting London,
it's a shame my recent visits have been to archives where I spend most of my time indoors.
I found myself at the National Archives in Kew not too long ago and found it to be one of the most peaceful places in London.

Next time I find myself in Kew I need to visit the Gardens!

Happy Sunday!
xoxo

Thoughts From Abroad | Part 33

• Conversations with kids at work:
• Kid: "How old are you?" 
• Me: "23."
• Kid: "I thought you were 16!"
• Although I just spent the weekend in London, I'm going back on tomorrow to have lunch with an old study abroad friend! I'm really excited to see Rachel as I haven't seen her in 3 years!
• I've eaten at Mission Burrito about 3 times this week. Is that bad?
• Now that the undergraduate term is over, the library is soooo quiet. I can finally do some dissertation writing in peace!
• I'm trying to plan a weekend trip to Italy sometime soon! Yay for little trips away!
• American Horror Story: Freak Show has finally started releasing little tiny hints! Gah, I seriously cannot wait!
• There's nothing more depressing than being inside an archive on a beautiful day, which is what I have on the agenda today.

Happy Friday!
xoxo

Book Love | The Husband's Secret

"Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive...." Goodreads

I'm not usually one to pick up a book like 'The Husband's Secret'.
However, when I read the summary I was instantly interested.
The story follows three women, all of whom are effected by the contents of one letter.

Liane Moriarty writing is wonderful.
She has perfected the art of inner dialogue,
making the characters so much more relatable.

An easy and enjoyable read, I finished 'The Husband's Secret' in a single day.
I would suggest this book to anyone who needs something to read on vacation.
It's interesting, funny, and sad: the three major factors that make a book unputdownable.

Happy Wednesday!
xoxo

The Shard | London, England

I had wanted to visit the top of the Shard ever since I saw it being built in 2011.
I'm not particularly bothered by heights,
and it seemed like such a fun thing to do.

My family and I booked our tickets a few weeks before.
If you plan on visiting, definitely book beforehand.
Once we arrived, we took two short elevator rides to the 68th floor.
It had been raining ALL day,
but the sun seemed to peak through and we were presented with an amazing view!
The views are breathtaking, and the staff were super friendly.
You can even buy a glass of champagne!
I would absolutely do it again.

Happy Monday!
xoxo