Seeing as everyone always assumes I’m from Canada when I say I’m from Vancouver, it seemed only fitting to visit (the other) Vancouver up North in British Columbia. I only spent two days there, but had beautiful weather so I really couldn’t complain!
After driving up (and getting delayed at the border crossing), I went straight to the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition), the summer fair that lasts five weeks up in Vancouver. There’s plenty to see in the fair, and ample opportunity to spend a full day exploring (although not ample parking spaces). I got to see the animals in the barn, and roam around the several food options (my personal favorite being the butterbeer ice cream)!
Happy as can be with some butterbeer ice cream
Additionally, there’s a giant Playland, which contains rides of all kinds: roller coasters, intense drops, a log flume, and rides for children as well! I rode some of the rides but unfortunately, the queues were fairly lengthy so I decided to spend my time elsewhere to take full advantage of my entrance ticket to the PNE itself. They have a place where you can “stomp with the dinosaurs” and see full size semi animatronic Dino’s outside (the enthusiast inside of me was THRILLED). There was also a fun little exhibit called “SNAP HAPPY” that had multiple photo opportunities with cool backdrops or settings, and it was a good way to get out of the heat as well!
Since Sunday was spent at the PNE, Monday was spent seeing more of the city itself. I walked along the Harbor, and down to Canada Place, where you can see all the cruise ships as they dock and load. You can also watch the seaplanes take off and land (and maybe even book a trip yourself if you feel so inclined). Walking down to Canada Place, you can walk along Canada Trail and see all the different territories and cities within the country, to see just how far it stretches.
I also tried out FlyOver Canada, which is very similar to Soarin’ over California in DisneyLand. It’s an eight minute “flying” journey that takes you all over Canada, complete with wind, mist, and smells that make you feel like you’ve seen more of the country without moving from your seat! The photography is stunning, and without a long wait (the entry times are ticketed), it goes so smoothly.
Seaplanes out in the harbor
From the Harbor, I took a quick 15 minute walk down into Gastown to see the Steam Clock. I’m not entirely sure how it works, but it’s fun to look at, and watch the steam come out the top – plus, it blows its horn on the quarter hour (I assume)!
Steam clock in Gastown
There’s a lot to do in BC, and with limited time, I obviously wasn’t going to see it all, so the next thing on the list was Stanley Park. A massive stretch of park, where you could also spend a whole day. There are totem poles, the nine o’clock gun, a lighthouse, Siwash Rock, and an aquarium, amongst other things. There’s a walking trail all around the park, but I think it would be difficult to walk into the park: your best bet is to either drive in (and pay for parking) or take the bus. From there, you can go where you please!
Lions gate Bridge from Stanley ParkSiwash Rock along the walking trail
My last half day was short since the drive from one Vancouver to another takes a decent amount of time. I walked up to Robson Street, the high street of Vancouver, and soaked up some sun. The only thing I had to ensure I did was have something from Tim Horton’s (part of that may or may not have stemmed from its mention in Come From Away)! I got myself a hot chocolate, and was thoroughly pleased (not to mention the cute maple leaf on top of the lid)! I also made sure to grab some Timbits as well for the road, and can now saw I’ve tried the famous Canadian institution that is Tim Horton’s!
Vancouver skyline from Stanley Park
Canada, a place where it’s too cool to leaf (get it? Because of the maple leaf of the flag 🇨🇦?)
This summer I decided to try something new, and to work for a language school abroad. I spent six weeks of my summer in London, and the only way I can describe my time working is non-stop. If you’ve ever worked a residential summer camp, you know where I’m coming from, but it really feels like the work never stops (since the days are so much longer than in traditional summer work). I was remarkably unstressed about the constant chaos, which is shocking for me personally, but even with all that chaos, every day was a new day, which is definitely exciting for me. There’s really no way to become complacent while working as an activity leader, especially when in London. I was happy to just be in the city, regardless of all the stress that came along with the job itself.
Showing off the city the best way I know how: with a pose (and some sun)
In my six weeks, I led excursions to Regent’s Park, St. Paul’s, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Camden, Oxford Street, Islington, Leicester Square, The Natural History Museum (just to name a few), as well as weekend trips to Brighton, Oxford, and Cambridge. I’m not going to lie, taking 200+ kids out and about, or on the tube, is a challenge (and I can only imagine everyone else’s horror as they saw us descending onto the platform in our red shirts with a plethora of children). I can 100% say that I was grateful for my previous knowledge of the tube, and of London, in those situations. It’s a different kind of worry to imagine leaving someone on a busy platform in Bank station, than it was to my concern of children playing nice with each other on the playground in France.
The most exciting excursion for me in the six weeks though, was my trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour (work perks, am I right??). I was lucky enough to go two years ago when I studied abroad in London, but I haven’t been since, and they’ve made a decent number of changes. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, and you have enough time to dedicate for this adventure, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a little far out as you have to go to Watford Junction (zone 9), but you can get there with an Oyster card, and it’s definitely worth it. You have to buy tickets in advance, but getting there is pretty simple. Check out my blog post here if you want to read more about it!
Through my six weeks, I was able to see both things with which I was very familiar in London, as well as some new things I’d never seen before. Seeing London again with the eyes of an Activity Leader puts the city in a different light, but it’s hard for me not to enjoy an excuse to explore my favorite place. Working at a summer camp is by no means an easy task, and it certainly isn’t a working holiday. There was more time on than off, and most of the time when I left accommodation, was for an excursion or activity, not necessarily for my own pleasure (unless we count trips to Poundland or Sainsbury’s for some Haribos). That being said, the six weeks absolutely flew by, and most of the time, I didn’t feel any more pressure or stress than I would’ve done at home (although part of that could just be my being in a city I love, and getting to go out into it as part of my job). I didn’t have to reserve time on my days off to go explore certain areas, because I got to do that during the day with my students, and even better, show them what parts of the city I enjoy most.
View from Primrose Hill during Golden Hour (gotta get those good instagram shots obviously)
THE THEATRE
As anyone who knows me knows, the theatre is one of my favorite things to do when I’m in London, and even though I didn’t have the most free time during my six weeks, I was still able to see at least one show a week. I had a brilliant time, and I’m so grateful for all the theatre I was able to see, especially considering that I was able to manage it along with my busy working schedule (always have to make time for theatre though, don’t I? My priorities are clearly in order). I feel it is my duty to the theatre community to talk about the shows I was able to see, especially since, my weekly show(s) definitely helped me cope with the stress of my job. I love spending time down in SoHo, and the theatre district, and my only wish would have been that I had been able to see more in my six weeks! There’s no point addressing every show I saw, so I’ll give you the highlight reel:
Waitress: Absolutely beautiful musical, and I’ve wanted to see it for a while, so I jumped at the chance to get myself some rush tickets. I’ve definitely been listening to the soundtrack since I saw the show on my third day in London, so it’s had a lasting impression. It’s a musical about pie, so it’s only fitting that I say that it was even *sweeter* than I thought it was going to be. (p)I(e) liked it BERRY much, and would happily see it again and again and again!
Present Laughter: A Noel Coward play at the Old Vic, I went in knowing very little about the storyline (which is an ongoing theme this particular time around with the shows I saw). It’s a brilliant show, hilarious, and the acting was superb. I wasn’t prepared to laugh as much as I did, but this was entirely a show that I wouldn’t have minded seeing again. A particular highlight was getting to see Andrew Scott act again, and see his comedic prowess on the stage.
Small Island: One of the two plays I saw at the National Theatre, and the first play I’ve ever seen in their Olivier Stage. I was lucky enough to snag a ticket last minute (and entry pass no less), and I’m so glad I did. The play is about the Windrush Generation, and four stories that intersect both in Jamaica, and in England. It’s just the right blend of humor, and sadness to make a touching play, and one that didn’t even feel as long as it was (which is always a good thing).
Midsummer Night’s Dream: I saw this particular production at the Bridge Theatre, where I had “pit seats,” meaning I stood for the entire production. However, unlike at the Globe where standing is stationary, this arrangement meant that standing audience members were told when and where to move at certain points in the show. The only negative with this is that being a short person, sometimes my view was obstructed by less height deficient humans. It was a lively production, and was seamlessly accentuated by a jamming soundtrack, which livens every Shakespeare production (personal highlights were also the inserted one liners, including “unlock your calendar, I beseech you”)
*Ticket tips*: In case you’re wanting to see some theatre in London without spending a lot of money, there are a couple of ways you can go about it (which are the ways I did to see all the shows I did while I was there). Firstly, you can download TodayTix. Using the app, you can see a ton of shows available on the West End, their prices for any given day, and if they have rush or lottery available. I can’t recommend rush enough, it’s actually how I saw all but the two shows at the National, and one other show in my six weeks. With rush, you can see shows for anything between £15 and £25, and generally, pretty good seats as well! You just have to be on your phone and ready to go for 10am, and keep trying even if the app says all the tickets are in someone else’s basket. For the National Theatre, if you’re under 26, be sure to be a part of Entry Pass, where you can get tickets for £7.50 for any show (there are a select number of tickets at this price of course). However, if you’re a student, you can also get discount tickets around an hour before the show starts, and you can get good seats and an even better price! Day seating is also available for many shows, which can get you discount tickets, however, I did not do that for any of the shows this time around (although believe me, I have in the past).
Curtain Call at Waitress (don’t worry, photos were allowed)!
Going back to London is a two fold “blessing” because it means that I already feel comfortable there, and know what I want to see (and what I’ve already seen too many times, or my personal favorite, some of the best places to nip in to use the restroom), but it also means that I get to explore new things as well, since it’s a city of ever-growing things to see and do. I, of course, got to eat my favorite scones at the V&A, and return to Primrose Hill to see the sunset over the skyline. I wouldn’t say that I was able to see many new parts of London, but I allowed myself to try Prawn Cocktail crisps (which I was firmly against when I lived here but now, I’m all for them… what can I say, don’t knock ’em until you try ’em!), and I enjoyed Pimm’s in a tin from Sainsbury’s whenever I could find the time. I got to spend the summer in London, which in my couple of visits, have not been the months where I have ever found myself in the city. I experienced the central line in peak heat (have to love living through a 100 degree plus heat wave – 38 for those of you Celsius speakers), and sweated out my entire existence on the Southbank in the heat, but more importantly, I got to see London in the sun, which is always a beautiful sight to see.
The ever recurring question, is would I do the six weeks again next year? I would, of course, take any opportunity to return to London (seriously, I’m open for those jobs, friends), and it is definitely a possibility that I would take up similar work in the future. Working in a residential summer camp is an experience like no other, but I can with certainty say that the pros outweighed the cons – for me at least – , and I came away having had a good time. After all, how could I really complain when I got to spend the bulk of my summer in London?
Another weekend trip (and a short blurb about it)! This time I got to spend half a day in Oxford. Having already spent some time in Oxford when I was studying abroad, it was nice to return to the city already knowing some of the area. I love walking around the streets and stumbling upon different colleges, and being a lover of British crime shows, stumbling upon areas that were used as filming locations in those very shows (as well as Harry Potter of course).
Christchurch college, famous for many things including the sorting hat scene from Harry Potter
The day started with a quick walkabout to see the main sights, including Oxford Castle, Christchurch, and the Radcliffe Camera. I still haven’t been in Oxford Castle, but it looks like it could be interesting inside having once been a prison, and castles are always fun to explore. Christchurch is the oldest college in Oxford and was the shooting location for the Great Hall scene as well as the Sorting Hat scene from the first Harry Potter film. It is surrounded by lovely greenery, which makes for a pleasant view. Much as in Cambridge, you can enter the college for a fee (which I have done in the past), but it’s quite nice just to see the architecture from the exterior.
There’s a covered market worth exploring full of food and cute things to purchase, as well as the old feeling streets which are perfect for wandering. The Radcliffe Camera, is a nice square, where many scenes from the iconic crime shows Endeavour, Morse, and Lewis are shot. The Camera is surrounded by colleges, and feels far away from the bustling high street that lies nearby.
Radcliffe camera
Walking along from the Camera, you’ll find the Bodleian Library, with a square that dates from who knows when (sorry, latin numbers are not my strong point). There’s also the Bridge of Sighs, modeled after the iconic one in Venice, and right around the corner is the Weston Library, which contains free exhibits. When I was there, it was an exhibit on 3D figures (again with the math), and one on mapping Oxford and the surrounding areas. The free exhibitions change every so often, so it’s worth a visit for a cool place on a hot day, or just as a way to learn something new while you’re in this highly academic city!
References to Endeavor spotted in the streetsBridge of Sighs
One of the perks of working for a language school in the summer in London, is the weekend excursions. Where I work, every Sunday takes us to either Brighton, Oxford, or Cambridge. I’d never been to Cambridge before, so I jumped on the opportunity to visit a new city, and to give myself the chance to explore a little. I went there by coach, but luckily, Cambridge isn’t too far away from London so we were quickly there (I much prefer train travel to coach, but alas, with several – and I mean several – kids, we can’t exactly commute by train easily).
Upon arrival in Cambridge, I was struck by how quaint everything feels, but also how different it feels to its “competitor” of Oxford. There isn’t the feeling that you’re surrounded by colleges, but rather, that there are colleges within the city, and that they happen to make up the majority of the buildings that populate the environs. There was a large market in the square leading to King’s College, which is definitely impressive solely from the exterior. You can visit inside for a fee, but I opted just to admire the architecture of its exterior, and the contrast between it and the bustling shops in front of it.
The exterior of King’s College
Cambridge is a perfect walking city, and in just my few hours there, I feel like I was able to see most of the big sights, and appreciate the city! There are several parks within the city, and many lie along the canal, so you can watch people as they go punting down the canal, or just enjoy the pretty scenery. One famous thing to see is the mathematical bridge, which is a wooden footbridge. There’s some mathematical reason behind its design (which goes over my head in many different ways), but it’s fun to take pictures of it, and wonder what it would be like to walk over it.
Mathematical Bridge
Even though I barely scratched the surface of Cambridge, it’s a perfect day trip from London where you can breathe some fresh air and see some lovely old architecture. There’s a market worth visiting, and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, be sure to check out The Fudge Kitchen across from King’s College. You can get a sample of some fudge, and if you’ve not been satisfied enough with that nibble, you can go home with way more than that if you please.
Walking through the park and over the canal for some beautiful views of scenery (and of the many punters along the way)
Not Your Average Giraffe 