Posted by Maggie
Exams are looming and terrified pupils roam the school grounds. One can’t help but feel the tension and stress students are experiencing now, especially if you’re one of the students.
Life tends to go like this: a meal followed by a succession of revision periods then back to square one. And the hedonist in me is protesting wildly. So I compensate by gorging large amount of gourmet food while I flip through my Psychology notes. This is to my disadvantage hence the graduation ball is coming up soon! The dress I plan to wear on the night is already a bit too fitting on me and with the rate of my compulsive snacking, I’m not sure I’ll be able to wear that dress.
Thank God for the invention of gym. I am currently obsessed with the yoga hatha classes my gym offers on Sunday afternoons. I am perfecting my tree pose as we speak. Anyhow, I cannot wait for the graduation ball! It is organised by our very own graduation ball committee – a group of highly talented and efficient Bellerbys London students.
I sometime, just for the sake of it, hang out by the stall where the tickets are being sold and where my insane friends and I try to convince people to vote Khoa* for Queen (Khoa is an awesome guy, yes, guy, and so far, there are about 10 votes for him in circulation in the Queen box). There will be a coronation of a King and Queen (vote for Khoa!) by the end of the night. The ball itself will be held on a boat and there will be a casino running throughout the night (which is also where I’ll be pretty much all night when I need to take a break from the dance floor). Of course, we’ll be using “fake” money but hey, it’s still good fun right?
People can get off the boat once we reach Westminster (which is on the other side of the River Thames) but unfortunately, the under 18s are not permitted. The authorities believe that the fact that the grad ball ends at midnight is already pushing the limits since we normally have to be in our rooms by 11pm. I’m not complaining though. Hitherto, I rebelled against any restrictions placed upon me but I seem to understand why we have curfews now. It is, believe it or not, really for our own good. Plus, it’s not like we could go anywhere (let’s not get into the whole fake id dealio – they’re so phony).
On the other hand, I’ll enlighten you lot with my trip to Paris and Barcelona over Easter break but only briefly because I could go on for days if you want every single detail. I hope all of you too had a good time, good rest or whatever endeavours you engaged in over the break. My mom came to London to visit me and I took her around London like I was a Londoner myself.
It’s funny how time seems to creep up on you and bam! It has already been 8 months since I first set foot on the great British soil. So after a couple of days spent in London, my mom and I flew to Barcelona where beautiful people and Iberico jamon coexist harmoniously. My beginner Spanish came in quite handy and it seemed that the locals derived much amusement from my evident effort and struggle in trying to get my point across. In Barcelona, architecture is its soul. We witnessed Gaudi’s ingenuity. Projects like the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo and Park Guell were flooded with waves of tourists ranging from China to Canada. Gaudi became our friend during our time spent in Barca.
Here’s one tip from me to you when you travel to Spain in the future: Have tea in the afternoon because the Spaniards expect you to reserve tables after 9pm. You must be wondering how I’d know this. Well, when I tried to make a booking(s) at a restaurant(s), I asked for 8pm and all I got was a prolonged “uh” and “earliest is 9.30pm, Miss”. It’s quite an interesting custom in my opinion. I actually grew to enjoy having dinners late at night with a glass of cava in hand.
We found an amazing diner on a street called Escudellers. Its name is Los Caracoles, which literally translates to The Snails. Naturally, we ordered a plate of steamed snails and ate the snail-shaped bread they had baked. We also ordered Osso Bucco and Paella on the second night (yes, we were there for two consecutive nights). The food was great, the atmosphere was pleasant and the waiters were delightful (which consists of mostly middle-aged, bald men). You have to walk past the kitchen where the chefs greet you passionately before you get seated. We loved it there! It felt like home.
We stayed at Le Meridian on Las Ramblas - a famous street (think Oxford street) that has abundant tourists and avid shoppers. It belongs in the Barri Gothic district where old buildings that date back to many centuries ago remain. Narrow streets are filled with shops and diners with an occasional cathedral and plaza appearing out of nowhere.
I found out that the Spaniards have a penchant for fresh orange juice. There were orange juicers everywhere! The oranges were peeled and squeezed freshly right before your eyes in all the diners that I’ve been in. Meanwhile, La Boqueria is a market where chefs buy their daily fresh produce from and where housewives gossip about the latest happenings. Luckily for us, there were bars where fresh seafood were cooked and served promptly. My mom also appreciated the fact that smoking is allowed.
Afterwards, we went to Picasso’s museum to satisfy our aesthetic cravings. I fell in love with him after seeing his early works. Picasso’s early works were intricately beautiful and he could really paint! He’s not just anybody who took a stroll into the art world and decides to paint weird looking figures and call that art. He was merely experimenting because one could only go so far with conventional paintings. He also made sculptures, which were quite cute to be honest!
Now, we shall proceed to Paris. We took an overnight train where we slept on bunk beds in a super crammed cabin. I listened to the repeated and consistent rhythms of the grinding between the train and the train tracks. It accompanied us for the night. I thought that it was hypnotic and soothing. My mom disagreed. She swore she’d never take an overnight train again for the rest of her life.
Once we got off the train (to my mother’s relief), we took a taxi and settled down in our hotel. I absolutely love the cafes in Paris. Their bread is… flawless. The texture, smell and taste of the bread are the best in the world. Of course, I’ve only been to a few places in the world so I can’t quite confidently admit it’s the best but as far as I’m concerned, it is the best.
We did all the touristy shebang - Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Louvre, Musee d’Orsay and whatnot. My favourite part of the trip was when we went on a cruise ride on the River Seine on a sunny afternoon. We saw the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Latin Quarters, the old yet stunning bridges (some of them had gargoyles), a couple of Parliamentary buildings and lovers lounging by the steps beside the river.
That is when I truly found Paris a romantic city. Has anybody seen the film called “Paris, Je T’aime”? When I got back from the trip, I borrowed it from our school’s library (it boasts many wonderful films! I am so thankful as I’m a huge movie buff) and saw the film again. I duly enjoyed it and kept pointing out all the places that I’ve been to that were shown in the film. There was this one part where the short film was shot in Porte de Choisy which is supposedly the Chinatown of Paris but there were more Vietnamese there than Chinese. Anyway, I vividly remember this Vietnamese shop and it was in the film and I jumped up jubilantly when I saw it! It’s quite an exhilarating experience to see the places you’ve been to on the silver screen.
Another favourite area of mine in Paris is Montmatre. It is a tiny hill located slightly out of the central and it is lined with colourful stores and cobblestone roads. It is such a photogenic area. If I were the editor of Vogue, I’d definitely shoot a fashion spread in Montmatre. Mind you, I applaud Carine Roitfeld’s work (editor in chief of French Vogue). French Vogue is probably the best Vogue in the world now. Russian Vogue is not bad either. My mom and I rode on the funiclement, which means Merry-Go-Round in French and laughed a lot. Did you know that Merry-Go-Round first appeared in Montmatre?
The next day, we went to Les Deux Magots, which means The Two Old Men in French, located in St. Germain du Pres (another area that I admire). Apparently, Ernest Hemingway (or was it Oscar Wilde) used to go there. We ordered blood-orange juice and salmon salad for lunch and chilled out for a while, with our new books in our hands.
Earlier, we went to a cool bookstore called Shakespeare and Co where they sell books in no order whatsoever. You just venture into the bookstore and pick up any book that you’d like. The floorboards were creaky and it was super dusty inside but it was such an interesting experience! Don’t forget to stamp your books with the signature Shakespeare and Co stamp! Later on, we went to the ultimate fashion store for the chic youths called Colette in Tuileries on Rue St. Honore. I lost myself in there. Lastly, one has to go to Laduree before leaving Paris. It is possibly the best tea parlour in the whole wide world. Their macaroons are delicious. I just couldn’t get enough of their rose macaroons!
So you see, the good thing about studying in England is the fact that you could fly off to anywhere in Europe on a whim and quite cheaply too. Paris in May, Barcelona in September and who knows where else! Personally, the next few destinations on my list are Amsterdam and Prague. Gather your friends and all you have to bring is an adventurous spirit! Okay, maybe not but with a little more planning, you’d be screaming how fortunate you are to be able to live in a great city like London and the fact that it is so accessible to visit other European cities while you’re here. I’m off now, until the next time, peace.
*We’re just kidding about the whole Khoa business. It is for entertainment purposes only. No offense intended. We love you Khoa, if you’re reading this. J
