This past Saturday, the 25th of September was my dear friend Shari’s 20th Birthday!!! As one of my closest friends, Shari & I decided we wanted to study abroad together back in our freshman year of college after she discovered that I always wanted to visit. Ironically Shari and her family are from the UK and she still has many family & friends that live here, so it only made it that more ideal to venture out on this crazy adventure together!
Since being here, neither of us had actually taken a trip into Central London yet because we have been so busy getting to know our University and adjusting to everything. So…finally yesterday Shari & I ventured into Central London taking the train in Kingston right after our classes. We arrived at Waterloo Train Station at dusk & walked through this amazingly cool tunnel authorized for graffiti artists to display their work! We then decided to eat at this delicious restaurant called The Slug & Lettuce as friends celebrating Shari’s birthday and our first trip into London. The food was very yummy especially with our complimentary wine & beer!!! We spent a couple hours just lounging in this superbly fantastic & chic restaurant eating, drinking, & laughing.
After our meal we literally walked a few steps down the street and walked straight up to the London Eye/Millennium Wheel. It was one of the most captivating moments as I gazed at this giant ferris wheel lighting up the sky. As Shari & I rounded the corner I was taken aback by the image of The House of Parliament & Big Ben standing tall. It was one of those moments where tears literally came to my eyes because I have thought about this since I was a kid. We walked closer to take some pictures along the Thames and Shari & Igot to watch as the sun set behind Westminster Bridge, The House of Parliament & Big Ben. It was one of the most astonishing things I have ever seen! In that moment, as I watched the entire city light up, I thought to myself: “this is living the dream!” Tears welting up in my eyes I felt the power of fulfilling my childhood dream! It was as if my breath was taken away, & for as corny or cliche as that may sound, it is not at all an exaggeration, because I can still see the image in my head as if it just happened!!!
“THE FUTURE IS NOT A GIFT, IT IS AN ACHIEVEMENT. EVERY GENERATION HELPS MAKE ITS OWN FUTURE. THIS IS THE ESSENTIAL CHALLENGE OF THE PRESENT.” *RFK*
THE TUNNEL: AUTHORISED GRAFFITI AREA
the restaurant we ate at!!!
“London Eye/Millennium Wheel”
i spy…BIG BEN
Shari in front of The House of Parliament & Big Ben
Tina Cherny, is a SUNY New Paltz junior studying abroad at Kingston University, London for her Fall 2010 semester. Tina is majoring in English with a double minor in Creative Writing and Black Studies.
|THE EYE OF LONDON: city lights|
|THE EYE OF LONDON|
This past Saturday, the 25th of September was my dear friend Shari’s 20th Birthday!!! As one of my closest friends, Shari & I decided we wanted to study abroad together back in our freshman year of college after she discovered that I always wanted to visit. Ironically Shari and her family are from the UK and she still has many family & friends that live here, so it only made it that more ideal to venture out on this crazy adventure together!
Since being here, neither of us had actually taken a trip into Central London yet because we have been so busy getting to know our University and adjusting to everything. So…finally yesterday Shari & I ventured into Central London taking the train in Kingston right after our classes. We arrived at Waterloo Train Station at dusk & walked through this amazingly cool tunnel authorized for graffiti artists to display their work! We then decided to eat at this delicious restaurant called The Slug & Lettuce as friends celebrating Shari’s birthday and our first trip into London. The food was very yummy especially with our complimentary wine & beer!!! We spent a couple hours just lounging in this superbly fantastic & chic restaurant eating, drinking, & laughing.
After our meal we literally walked a few steps down the street and walked straight up to the London Eye/Millennium Wheel. It was one of the most captivating moments as I gazed at this giant ferris wheel lighting up the sky. As Shari & I rounded the corner I was taken aback by the image of The House of Parliament & Big Ben standing tall. It was one of those moments where tears literally came to my eyes because I have thought about this since I was a kid. We walked closer to take some pictures along the Thames and Shari & I got to watch as the sun set behind Westminster Bridge, The House of Parliament & Big Ben. It was one of the most astonishing things I have ever seen! In that moment, as I watched the entire city light up, I thought to myself: “this is living the dream!” Tears welting up in my eyes I felt the power of fulfilling my childhood dream! It was as if my breath was taken away, & for as corny or cliche as that may sound, it is not at all an exaggeration, because I can still see the image in my head as if it just happened!!!
Tina Cherny
Tina Cherny, is a SUNY New Paltz junior studying abroad at Kingston University, London for her Fall 2010 semester. Tina is majoring in English with a double minor in Creative Writing and Black Studies.
Next ArticleVia Del Amore e La Vita Bella