I'm sure you've seen this ad for Reebok's EasyTone shoes somewhere - at the mall, in a magazine, or on TV. Reebok claims that these shoes will help tone key muscles in your legs and butt using their "unique balance pods". All you need to do is walk in them. I don't own any EasyTones, but I feel like my legs should end up looking like this once this trip to London is over (just in time for shorts wielding weather in Vegas). I've been making good use of my favorite mode of transportation: the footmobile. I discovered new and interesting people, places, and unexpected treasures on the footmobile today - first on our tour of Bloomsbury (the area the Study Centre is located in), and then on a random walk around town.
People
The people in our area of London are so interesting - particularly the way they dress. I saw many characters today. Prior to the trip, I'm not sure what sort of people I expected to see. Now I know that London is home to people from many walks of life. Must have been just another Saturday in London.
This guy was dressed in all white ... on a moped. Nice.
Must have been heading to that 1930s/1940s fair in the park. Snazzy!
Masks and ears? It's not Halloween yet, is it?
Married in style!
Places
Bloomsbury
Hugh, our awesome tour guide gave us so much excellent information on Bloomsbury - the area in which the Study Centre is located. I wish I had brought along a little notepad to jot down what I wanted to remember (something to keep in mind for days to come). I appreciate that Hugh explained to us about the buildings - particularly because I think they are beautiful. I recall telling my mom that it is kind of difficult to navigate by landmark here because the buildings all look the same, in a very different way. I was photographing the buildings the last two days because I thought that they looked nice - but it felt like such a surface reason. Now I have an even deeper appreciation because of Hugh's London Architecture 101 crash course and the stories he told to connect the buildings and history.
Here we are with Hugh as he explained that Bloomsbury was developed by the Russell family, beginning in the 17th century. These squares were developed to look like palaces whose architecture was influenced by Rome. The buildings were relatively simple looking, with a facade of a Roman palace on the middle building of the complex. These were lavish units for the upper class of intellectuals, with room for servants in the basement. In the middle of these squares were private parks for use by residents only. I guess they were sort of like the first gated communities. They were beautiful, but it got me thinking about how the other half lived in London.
Here is an example of changing times. Notice the fancy detail on this building. Charles Victor Doll became famous for installing his decor on buildings that needed an update. Hence the term "dolled up".
For a modern tidbit, I introduce the mews. These refurbished horse stables, turned fancy apartments start at a whopping million pounds and go up from there. Yikes!
There were so many other sights in Bloomsbury that I loved, but I'm afraid that if I continue, I'll end up writing a novel. So, I move on.
Random Walk
So, today all of my flatmates had their own things planned. Eric and I decided to roam around Piccadilly Circus. We bumped into some really wonderful places along the way - here's some of my absolute favorites:
The Royal Academy of Arts Burlington House had it's gates wide open today. This is definitely my favorite shot from the Burlington House. Although these gates are beautiful, the intricacies did not stop there. The building was covered in gorgeous detail.
The Queen's College (college = high school here), founded in 1848 was the first day school for girls which provided girls with qualifications and access to higher education. The real picture of "girl power".
We attempted to stick to small side streets today, however, we accidentally bumped into Oxford Circus. It's amazing how the streets will go from deserted to overcrowded in a matter of 1/2 a block!
Unexpected Treasures
Two unexpected treasures that I really want to mention are the squares (parks/gardens) that we stumbled upon, and possibly the highlight of the day. Thanks to Eric's expert navigational skills, we found Number 3 Savile Row - the old recording studio of the Beatles (Apple Corps - pronounced Apple Core - haha). What a find! Mom will be stoked to see this.
We must've been to about 5 squares today - each one with its own personality. They kept getting better and better. I will eat a picnic lunch in one of these squares before I leave.
Check out the number of people who hang out at the parks - seems like mostly locals.
Gorgeous flowers in Hanover Square.
I wonder if John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr or George Harrison's germs are still on that doorknob? I'll never wash my hands again!
Dedicated fans have left their mark on the doorway. Unfortunately, the building seems to be abandoned.
I had a magnificent day today. As not to overwhelm readers, I did not post all pictures or comment on everything that we did. To see more pictures from my adventures, check out my facebook site.
The footmobile is currently resting, but I'm sure it'll be ready to run again in the morning (you don't get killer legs in just three days!) We will be taking a red bus ride around town - I'm sure it'll be exciting!
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