Brussels

European Commissions Building

Brussels, Belgium is the European Capital. Within the European Quarter, all the important decisions are taken that affect the lives of people through out Europe, whether they live in Romania, Denmark, or Spain. The Schuman Square (heart of the commission buildings area) is to the European Union what the National Mall is to the USA or the Red Square in Moscow to Russia- but not really. I loved walking through this area and visiting each building to see what they had found important to have common among the European countries. I couldn't help but to wonder whether the men and women that make these decisions live amongst and through out all the parts of the city, or if they seclude themselves in certain neighborhoods as a part of "an elite".

"European Parliament"

Parc Du Cinquantenaire Jubelpark

Cinquamtenaire/ Jubelpark

The Royal Museum of Art and History

Similar to the Louvre this museum specializes in history: Egyptian mummies,  14m-long medieval tapestries and works of art from all over the world. My favorite exhibit was a World Problems Photography display- each photograph submitted by people from around the world that captured the truth to the problems that they live through each day. 

The Royal Museum of Art and History

Atomium at a Far

The construction of the nine metal balls in the shape of an atom is like Belgium's Eiffel Tower.  One of those things you have to see with our own eyes, and in the case of this landmark, you can go inside of it. 

Atomium

The Atomium represents an iron crystal, magnified 165 billion times. Inside, you can move from ball to ball on moving staircases. It was built for the World Exhibition of 1958, when people still believed that atomic energy would save the world. I thought that it was really interesting to have this in the middle of northern Brussels. After we went through it and saw the models of each country building, I stepped outside and realized that still to this day the world meets there in their own uniquely designed buildings for the sharing of ideas, inventions, and technology. The Atomium simply sits in the middle as a reminder or symbol of the World Exhibiton. 

Within the Nucleus of the Atomium Overlooking the City

Thanksgiving Dinner

The closest thing we could find to an "American" Thanksgiving meal. Steak, chicken, potatoes, salad, and a roll. 

Brussels, Belgium

Thanksgiving Break was a time for pre-approved travel. The joy of a study abroad program: You ask everyone where they are traveling for Thanksgiving and this is what you hear in response, "I'm going to Prague" "We're thinking about Scotland, probably to Edinburgh" "Ireland" "Spain" "We were thinking north a little bit, Brussels and Amsterdam". I was lucky enough to tag along with a group going to Brussels and Amsterdam for the holiday. We left London on the  morning of the 24th of November and traveled by train. I had always wanted to take the Chunnel to Europe's main land and was bummed that we hadn't traveled under the English Channel when we went to France. This was my time to experience it. These travels to Brussels and Amsterdam was also a good preparation for the travels I had planned for after the study abroad ended. 

 

The first night in Brussels, Belgium we went to the Grand Place Grotte Market in the middle of the the square next to the City Town Hall. All the Christmas decor lined the square and surrounding markets. We found a pub-like restaurant to eat dinner at and the window next to our table was straight across from the glorious City Hall building. To our surprise while we were eating our Belgium soup and fries we were able to watch the light show that would be projected up onto the building during the holiday season. It was great- dinner and a show. 

City Hall from the 15th Century

Lit Up In Holiday Design  

Manneken Pis

Brussels has a sense of pride for the small statue of a peeing boy, Manneken Pis, and see it as an ideal national symbol for a country that is so very small and absurd. There were a few different stories that explained how this statue came about. One story was during the origination time of world exhibitions that would take a couple months involving all the people of Brussels to host. The City Mayor had lost his youngest son in the commotion of booths and presentations one day. All the people of the city searched for the little boy and finally after a few days someone found him with out any clothes on just watering the nearest wall with his pee. The statue could represent the Mayor's son or perhaps the artist had intended it to be a different little boy.

There was a lot of hype about the statue, so I had imagined it to be larger. It was indeed the size of a small child.

Belgium Waffles

Words can't describe the fantastic, mouth watering taste of Belgium waffles.  In the middle of the waffle dough there is a layer of crystalized sugar. The simple powdered sugar covered waffle had me wanting one every day for breakfast. 

Abbey Road

Everyone Has to Leave Their Mark

The English rock band that is considered to be the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in popular music has some great historic sites in England. The Beatles' legend lives on everywhere in this country. Everyone that visits or even walks past the recording studio that the Beatles worked in have to sign the wall. I am not a die hard fan, like some of my friends in the program, but I can appreciate a little "Let it Be" once in a while. 

Beatles 11th Studio Album Cover Picture

Abbey Road has become a famous road that constantly has tourists pausing traffic so that they can snap a picture similar to the Beatles Album Cover. Yes, we did this as well. Sorry Bus 189. 

2010 Abbey Road- Same Spot Today

London Central Mosque

My Arabic Sisters and I

As a group we went to the London Central Mosque (also known as the Islamic Cultural Center). There are about 1,500 mosques in Great Britain and this one is one of the largest. Islam is a leading religion in London, closely trailing behind if not almost equal to Christianity. 

When we entered the Great Hall we had to remove our shoes the same way that Moses did in honor and respect to God. The current London Administrator is good friends with one of the men that takes groups through the Mosque, so we were able to have a special visit and tour with him. He is a student of religion and Islam and spoke to us about the Islamic belief in the acquisition of knowledge. Both spiritual and secular knowledge and a desired balance of both. He believes that the secular education you receive doesn't teach you morals and spiritual enlightening. I agree with this to a point, but feel lucky enough to say that my schooling intermixes both (how lucky am I). 

We had a question and answer panel with our friend and guide. My professor didn't hesitate and asked a sensitive question. He asked, "We hear a lot in the media about the suppression of women in the Islamic culture; what exactly are the roles of men and women in Islam?" It was interesting to hear the answer. Our friend said that the biggest misconception of Islam is the treatment of women. He explained that the suppression of women that happens around the world is the culture that is decadent in tribal respect, not in accordance to the Islamic teachings and faith. He quoted Muhammad in saying that wives and daughters are the best of men. He also told us the story of how Muhammad was married to quite a wonderful women that A) picked him to be her husband (not only did she have the freedom to select him, she was the one who proposed) and B) she had all control of her own money and business ventures (she actually hired him and that's how they originally met). It was an interesting story and I enjoyed hearing his insights and opinions. 

While we were in the Great Hall, it was time for the 3rd prayer of the day. Normally you can't be in there, but for some reason he let us sit in and watch. My professors were really excited that we got to the opportunity to see it. The visit to the Mosque opened up my understanding to Islam in new ways, and I'm glad I was able to take that visit. 

The Golden Dome of the Mosque

The Norwegian Sites of Oslo

Nasjonalgalleriet

One of our first stops was the Nasjonalgalleriet (National Gallery). The gallery had particular emphasis on National Romanticism and Impressionism, which was convenient because those were the styles we are currently studying. Surprisingly there were quite a few recognizable pieces.  

The Scream

The most popular painting that gets the most recognition is The Scream By: Edward Munch. This painting was a breakthrough for expressionism. Supposedly it was stolen from the gallery in 2004 and then found and returned in 2006.  

By accident we came to a sculpture that was made and dedicated to the Olympics that were held in Lilehammer, Norway. It appeared to be a metal replica of the Olympic torch.  

Slottet

We walked up to Slottet, the Royal Palace of Norway. Seeing this palace and comparing it to the ones in Great Britain, I realized that Norwegian architecture is much more simple, classical, and clean. The palace was up a on a hill overlooking the city centre. Norway is similar to Great Britain; the country has a constitutional monarchy. King Harold V and the royal family live in the palace year round.  

 

We got to the palace right in time to see the changing of the guards-, which I didn’t even know, happened in Norway. The palace guard was much more friendly than all of the guards in England. He was kind enough to let us take pictures with him. 

Stortinget

I thought that Stortinget, the Norwegian Parliament building, was the most beautiful in architecture. The style is a blend of Norwegian and Italian building traditions.   

Nobel Peace Center

One of the coolest parts of our time in Norway was seeing the Nobel Peace Center. Oslo’s old railway station, Uestbanen, houses the Nobel Peace Center. The Center is not a museum, but rather a place that presents the work of past and present Nobel Peace Prize winners and to provide a forum for discussion on the topics of war, peace, and resolution of conflict. It had rich and varied exhibitions that were well designed for interaction and involvement. One of the exhibits had you try and help a young girl in an immigration colony in Congo. I also learned a great deal about Alfred Nobel and the reasons for each past and present Peace Prize awarded. I had no idea that Barrack Obama had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy between peoples and for his promotion for nuclear nonproliferation.” He was the fourth president of the United States to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.  

Aker Brygge

Aker Brygge is a long established shipyard that has been transformed to provide a major shopping and entertainment centre with residential apartments and the city’s biggest concentration of restaurants. We walked along the coastline and watched a few Fjord ships come in and large Yachts go out. We also had a lovely lunch at one of the restaurants. It was one of my favorite harbors that I have ever seen. 

Oslo Opera House

Our last stop before we left Oslo was going to see the recently (2008) built Norwegian opera house. It is the home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. It sits right on the waterfront at Bjorvika, and reminds me of the Sydney, Australia Opera House because of its slopping roof and brilliant design. 

Norwegian Chill

 

The weather in Norway was perfect for our Scandinavian experience. It was cold, but bearable during the day with a light sprinkle of snow the entire time. I thought that it was beautiful and perfect for our one-day excursion.  

 

The first night there I tried a treat called a Kokosballos. It looked like a coconut chocolate snowball with marshmallow filling. It tasted kind of like that too.We also tried some weird candy bars that London doesn’t have. To be honest they weren’t very good. They all had a weird type of gelatin in them. The best thing that I ate in Oslo was a candy bar from a local Norwegian chocolate factory called a Kvikklunsj. It was basically a Kit Kat bar, but even better.  

Oslo, Norway

 

The weekend trip that I took to Barcelona, Spain gave me the travel bug. After that I was pretty set on the idea of traveling more often. A couple of girls and I decided to take off for another weekend somewhere, so we checked for the cheapest flights available. Oslo, Norway won the contest and we booked it for another 24-hour trip.  

 

Scandinavian countries have always intrigued me, and when else am I going to be able to travel to Norway?... Why not go now! While researching the city I learned a few interesting things about the winter wonderland. Oslo is considered to be a global city and for several years it has been listed as one of the most expensive cities in the world. It is pretty cold there, granted because it is right along the Arctic Circle. The Northern Lights light up the sky if you travel to northern Norway and most people that speak the local language of Norwegian are blonde. While I was there I also observed that most women wear big fur coats and fur hats. It could be a fashion trend, but seems to logically be for the purpose of warmth.

 

After getting off the metro stop at Sinsen, it took us a while to find our hostel because it was up on the hill. While we were walking through the snow I felt the crisp bitter cold of Norway set in. Finally seeing the hostel logo on a building was the greatest feeling and we were then able to defrost, get some rest, and prepare ourselves for the packed day of adventure ahead of us. 

Churchill Cabinet War Rooms

 

Since living here in London, I have gained new insights of World War II. The British people speak of the Blitz bombing and devastation that many of them lived through. Through the horror of those awful years they still had English pride because they were one nation in Europe that was not taken or invaded by the Nazis. The visit to the Churchill War Cabinet Rooms was really neat to see the place where the government operated and where the operations of the country took place during World War II. 

 

The War Cabinets were full of women that took on different tasks and responsibilities as the "behind the scenes force of the war". Prime Minister Churchill always preferred a woman to be his assistant because he said that they were always more efficient and on top of things in comparison to men.  

Winston Churchill is also a man that I have learned to respect and admire. He and his wife lived in the cabinet war rooms that we visited for years during the war. He was constantly on the phone with his dear friend President Roosevelt in the United States and also met with the Queen each day to give her his reports and updates. The people that all worked for him in these cabinet war rooms said that he was very passionate about defeating the Nazis and winning the war, and meant well when he was at times stern and impatient. He seemed to be a man with words. One of the quotes that I really liked at the museum regarding the blitz bombings and the civilian attacks that came directly from Prime Minister Churchill was:

“This murder and terrorism, far from weakening the spirit of the British nation, has only roused it to a more intense and universal flame.” 

It was neat to see the incorporation of the United States military forces in all the war planning that took place in the war rooms. The British undoubtedly recognize that with out the Americans help they would not have been able to defeat Hitler and his armies and end the war.

Cambridge

We have already taken a trip to Oxford and felt so welcomed on campus, so this time we took a trip to Cambridge and felt the same collegiate English hospitality. We had an entire day to roam around the college town and get acquainted with the campus. The Fitzwilliam Museum was one of my favorite parts of the campus. It housed some of the major works of Turner, Cezanne, Rembrandt, and many more. We visited a few of the major colleges such as: Trinity College (Sir Isaac Newton graduated from this particular one), King’s College, Queen’s college and St. John’s College. The beautiful architecture of the old, authentic buildings displayed the tradition and history that was present at the University. 

We took a punting tour on the river that runs along the side of the major colleges. Our guide had just been accepted to King’s College for next year to study English. He told us a few fun stories as we enjoyed our boat ride. We went under a wooden bridge that Sir Isaac Newton had originally assembled with out any nuts, bolts, nails and screws. He had built it with pure mathematics and physics. Years after his death some students took the bridge a part and tried to re-assemble it the way Newton had done. They failed miserably and had to nail it all together. One year a student climbed to the top spires of King’s College Chapel and put a traffic cone on top of it. The faculty waited a few days for the cone to blow off, but it never did. Finally they built a scaffolding tower to reach the cone and remove it for good. During the night the student climbed back up and put the cone on the other tower. Pranks supposedly happen all the time on campus. 

That night ended with evensong at King’s College Chapel. The music was astounding. I loved the Cambridge campus and landscape and wouldn’t mind visiting again one day. 

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial

The American Battle Monument Commission (ABMC) that was established following the First World War has many sites here in Europe that Americans hardly know about. Through all of the travel and especially here in London, I have seen multiple war memorials and cemeteries honoring the people that sacrificed their lives for the country they fought for. It was so refreshing to go and visit an American site. The cemetery, 30.5 acres in extent, was constructed on the site of a temporary cemetery established in 1944 on land donated by the University of Cambridge. After the war, it was selected as the only World War II cemetery in the British Isles. A high portion of those buried at the site were temporarily interred in England and Northern Ireland and represent American service men and women who served as crew members of British based American aircraft. Most of the others died in the invasions of North Africa and France as well as the training areas of the United Kingdom and the waters of the Atlantic.  

On the stonewall leading to the chapel every name is carved in with their home state and ranking. Leading up to the chapel was a beautiful long pond lined with flowers. Inside the chapel the dedication read, “INTO THY HANDS O LORD”. The words FAITH and HOPE in bronze letters are set into the chancel rail. I absolutely loved what was read on the exterior chapel pediment. It said,

“TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY. 1941-1945” 

Lord Mayor's Day Parade

Lord Mayor's Day Show

The fall is the best time of year to be in London because they have so many holidays and celebrations that are unique to Great Britain. Lord Mayor’s Day was today and celebrated the city of London and their current mayor. The Lord Mayor’s Day Show (Parade) is the world’s oldest civic procession march that lasted into the 21^st century. A group of us went and camped out in front of St. Paul’s to watch the parade. People of the city were everywhere. 

 

The parade consisted of different local church organizations, international groups, educational institutions, British Army battalions, and local business advertisements. The creativity and festivity of the floats and costuming was fantastic. It reminded me of the Macey’s Day Parade in NYC.  

 

The Lord Mayor’s State coach was at the end of the processional. Coaches of other political figures preceded his. Their coaches were black and looked like they had just come out of the 19^th century. The Lord Mayor’s coach was gold lined as if he was royalty from the 19^th century. It was neat to see his enthusiasm as he waved to the people in the crowd. I sort of felt like a little kid again and had a blast being entertained by the show. 

Lord Mayor's Coach