(no subject)
today we went to some places that were a little less tourist-y than usual, places that were a little more out of the way. it's amazing how much quieter and less busy london can be when you're not right in the middle of everything.
we started by visiting the tate gallery, which has apparently always been my mommy's favorite art gallery. this is mainly because they have a whole ton of turner paintings there, and turner is her favorite artist. i've never been a huge fan of turner, but i think his paintings really have to be seen in real life. the drama in his work just can't be shown on a tiny little print or postcard, but when you see these often quite large paintings done in absolutely beautiful colors it just blows you away.
we also spent a long time looking at the pre-raphaelite paintings, including millais' ophelia (which was my favorite painting for a very long time)... i couldn't believe that i actually had the chance to see it for real. i also couldn't believe just how bright their colors were - all of these paintings that look quite dull on the postcards and prints are really painted with the most vibrant colors imaginable. i was quite impressed with all of the paintings, though, they really meant something to me in a way that most paintings don't. i have already picked out two books on the pre-raphaelites that i found in my grandpa's enormous book collection and intend to learn as much as possible before my vacation is over. *nodnod*
we then went on over to the original twinings tea shop, which was lovely. it had the most gorgeous smell of tea... i swear, they need to make tea-scented perfume, that would be the best stuff ever.
then we went past the old curiosity shop, supposedly the oldest shop in london, and then to sir john soane's museum, which can only be described as odd. this famous architect called sir john soane collected a ton of strange artifacts and artwork and designed his house in a strange way to accomodate them, and now it's a museum. the real interesting thing about it was not the artwork but the crazy way the house was built and laid out. he used all these weird tricks with light and mirrors and had things hidden away in little crevices everywhere and really made it so that everywhere you looked, you would see something new. it was more a sight to be seen than an actual museum, and a lot of it was thoroughly creepy, but i definitely enjoyed it.
then we visited the university of london's school of oriental and african studies, which is right in central london and which i have completely fallen in love with. i now hope to go there for my master's degree in japanese literature... *crosses fingers* wouldn't that just be amazing?
trafalgar square from the bus...
the old curiosity shop
king's cross station (the non-platform 9 3/4 part)
russel square, which is right across from what will hopefully become my grad school...
the loughton tube station in the rain.. *sighs wistfully*
we started by visiting the tate gallery, which has apparently always been my mommy's favorite art gallery. this is mainly because they have a whole ton of turner paintings there, and turner is her favorite artist. i've never been a huge fan of turner, but i think his paintings really have to be seen in real life. the drama in his work just can't be shown on a tiny little print or postcard, but when you see these often quite large paintings done in absolutely beautiful colors it just blows you away.
we also spent a long time looking at the pre-raphaelite paintings, including millais' ophelia (which was my favorite painting for a very long time)... i couldn't believe that i actually had the chance to see it for real. i also couldn't believe just how bright their colors were - all of these paintings that look quite dull on the postcards and prints are really painted with the most vibrant colors imaginable. i was quite impressed with all of the paintings, though, they really meant something to me in a way that most paintings don't. i have already picked out two books on the pre-raphaelites that i found in my grandpa's enormous book collection and intend to learn as much as possible before my vacation is over. *nodnod*
we then went on over to the original twinings tea shop, which was lovely. it had the most gorgeous smell of tea... i swear, they need to make tea-scented perfume, that would be the best stuff ever.
then we went past the old curiosity shop, supposedly the oldest shop in london, and then to sir john soane's museum, which can only be described as odd. this famous architect called sir john soane collected a ton of strange artifacts and artwork and designed his house in a strange way to accomodate them, and now it's a museum. the real interesting thing about it was not the artwork but the crazy way the house was built and laid out. he used all these weird tricks with light and mirrors and had things hidden away in little crevices everywhere and really made it so that everywhere you looked, you would see something new. it was more a sight to be seen than an actual museum, and a lot of it was thoroughly creepy, but i definitely enjoyed it.
then we visited the university of london's school of oriental and african studies, which is right in central london and which i have completely fallen in love with. i now hope to go there for my master's degree in japanese literature... *crosses fingers* wouldn't that just be amazing?
trafalgar square from the bus...
the old curiosity shop
king's cross station (the non-platform 9 3/4 part)
russel square, which is right across from what will hopefully become my grad school...
the loughton tube station in the rain.. *sighs wistfully*