London

Yesterday, I went to London with my friend Tyler, another MIT student here for the year at Cambridge. The train only took about an hour, and it deposited us right at Kings Cross station.

When we arrived at Kings Cross, I was shocked to discover that Harry Potter is real.

We first took the Underground to Piccadilly Circus and wandered around. I was a bit tired so I walked into the nearest donut shop and ordered a cup of coffee. Now, I know that the UK is expensive, and London is supposed to be especially bad, but £2.50 (that's $5) for a 12 oz. cup of weak-ass coffee from a grungy donut shop is downright ridiculous.

The main square in Piccadilly was kind of a mini-Times Square, but with much older buildings. Also, there was gambling! I won 5 quid on my first pull of a slot machine then cashed out and left. The big neon signs were cool, but I think I would've preferred to look at the fronts of the buildings behind them.

Movies are absurdly expensive in London! (These prices are in pounds, so multiply them by 2.)

From Piccadilly Circus, we walked toward Trafalgar Square, and on the way passed by the National Portrait Gallery. We noticed that admission was free and wandered in. Inside, we found portraits of (and by) a number of British icons.

Andy Warhol's portrait of the Queen:

T.S. Eliot's head:

Ian Flemming:

A really, really scary looking guy:

Dude with glasses:

After leaving the National Portrait Gallery, we continued to Trafalgar Square.

On one side is the National Gallery. Here's Tyler flashing some sort of obscure gang sign in front of it:

On the other side of Trafalgar Square were lots and lots of protesters. We watched this guy rant about Che Guevara for about 10 minutes:

We continued on toward Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. On the way, we saw Admiralty Arch.

And this Jack Daniels taxi cab.

When we arrived, we were greeted instantly by 4 world-famous landmarks: Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and Mr Rossi's ice cream truck.

More protesters outside Parliament:

Tyler gets in touch with his spiritual side at Westminster Abbey:

Unfortunately, we arrived too late to tour the Abbey, but were just in time for the Evensong services. I'm not religious, but sitting in on a service there was very cool. The choir was quite good, and the 100-food ceilings provided spectacular acoustics. It also happened to be the anniversary of Alfred Lord Tennyson's death, who is buried in the "poet's corner" section of the Abbey.

I took a quick photo while everyone was shuffling out at the end of services.

Next, we wandered through St. James Park toward Buckingham Palace.

Just a man and his birds - Danny K, if you're reading this, this is you in 50 years:

After that picture, my camera ran out of batteries! I think I might invest in a new one with better resolution and a rechargeable battery before my next excursion. Fortunately, it was already beginning to get dark. We walked to Soho and ate possibly the best Indian food I've had in my life, then caught the train back to Cambridge.

All in all, it was a great day. I'd really like to explore London more while I'm here. It's so close and easy to get to. Next time, instead of focusing the touristy stuff, I think I'll go off in search of the city's sordid underbelly. (Brixton is supposed to be a good place to start.) A few of my British friends who know the city well have already offered to show me around.

Well, it's been a nice weekend, but I have a 9am lecture tomorrow and it's time to get some sleep.

Settling In

The Caius College Matriculation ceremony on Monday morning was a somewhat bizarre spectacle, mostly because of the gowns we had to wear. They're these kind of frilly, frock-like things that you wear over your coat. Every college in Cambridge, except for Kings', requires its students to purchase gowns (for the low low price of £50).

Here's a picture of mine:

At Caius, we wear our gowns primarily during "formal" sittings in the dining hall, but also during graduation and just about any ceremonial occasion (Cambridge has loads of them) that might arise. I bought a used one for £25, not bothering to check its quality because of the bargain. When I brought it back to my room and inspected it more closely, I was dismayed to find that it was kind of grungy and frayed. But as it turns out, a few second and third-years told me that worn-out gowns are "cool".

The Matriculation ceremony itself was somewhat uneventful. It consisted of short speeches given by each fellow of the college. Then we all signed documents which made us official members of Caius. It was a bit interesting to sit in the hall with everyone dressed in gowns though. There were four tables set parallel to each other, with the fellows at a separate table on a raised platform in the front of the room. High ceilings, stained glass windows, and crests on the wall... it's really just like Harry Potter.

Anyways, I'm still busy getting things sorted out before lectures start (tomorrow). But I've had more time to wander around Cambridge in the last few days and take some photos.

First of all, this is my room:

It's a bit messy, as always. (Be sure to note the California flag/tablecloth.) I'm living in the brand-new Stephen Hawking Building. The furniture is really nice and I have my own bathroom, but the place is so sterile that it makes me a bit uncomfortable. It kind of reminds me of Simmons at MIT... but I don't think Caius College paid $400 million for this dorm.

Even Simmons dorm rooms don't open with RFID.

Unfortunately, my high-tech door doesn't stay open, and I don't like being anti-social. I didn't bring anything heavy enough to prop it open, so my only choice was to find something thin and jam it underneath.

I knew Ian McEwan would be good for something.

Here's the man himself:

He was actually at our post-Matriculation dinner on Monday! I could only see the back of his wheelchair though. I heard a story that a few years ago someone pennied him during a formal dinner and was banned from the dining hall for 200 years.

Speaking of pennies, I never realized that the Queen's face on British coins actually ages in time with her:

When Caians graduate, they walk through the Gate of Honour. Walking through it before you graduate is supposed to be very bad luck, and that's a shame because it's a very convenient passageway between the Old Courts and the Library.

Here it is:

Here are a few other pictures from around Cambridge in no particular order.

The Fellows Garden at Claire College

Punts on the River Cam

The Kings College Chapel

My First Two Days in Cambridge

I'm here. And after frying 2 £7 power converters (plugged a power strip into them....bad idea), buying a gown (among other strange and varied items), and running around a whole lot, I'm finally starting to get my bearings.

Cambridge is gorgeous. I've never seen so many 600-year-old buildings in such close proximity to one another. There are also a whole lot of ENORMOUS, yet pristine lawns that nobody is allowed to walk on under penalty of death. I'll post some pictures as soon as I can connect my laptop to the internet.

Unfortunately, I'm stuck using the computer clusters this week because Caius College requires everyone to submit their computer to a virus scan before allowing them onto its network. And they don't trust you to do it yourself! Today I had to bring my laptop to the "computer officers" at a designated time so that they could scan my system for digital herpes. To make matters worse, they're probably not actually going to "approve" my IP address until next Wednesday.

Freshman (or "freshers") orientation just began last night. There are orientation events here like any other college, but they all involve drinking because 99% of the Freshman are over the legal age! All in all it's very bizarre. If colleges in the states had similar events, people would probably end up dead.

Brits have a more relaxed attitude toward drinking. They don't really "binge" like American college students do. Sure, a few people end up stumbling home at the end of the night, but nobody ends up passed out in a pool of their own...well...you know...

Also British keyboards are weird!

DC, Boston, NYC, Boston again, the SF Bay Area, then Boston one more time

Ideally, I'll be updating this blog more often once I'm in England. I'm just trying to keep it "on topic", and not very much England-y stuff has happened in the last month. I was busy though.

Getting all my stuff from Washington, DC to Boston ended up being somewhat challenging. (Who knew that three 90 lb. bags would be difficult to manage as carry-ons on Amtrak?) Additionally, as the last one (of 4 roommates) out of my room, I inherited the arduous task of throwing away a summer's worth of accumulated trash and rotting food in order to avoid a hefty fine from George Washington University.

When I got to Boston, I did absolutely nothing for 3 days. It was wonderful. Then, I paired down the entirety of my worldly possessions to the contents of a couple suitcases by putting some things in storage and giving/throwing away everything else.

Applying for my student visa was mostly hassle free until FedEx lost the package containing both the visa and my passport on its way back from the British Consulate. Fortunately, I own a Dell laptop (it breaks down constantly), so I know how to deal with customer service people. I usually try to say, "Do you have any idea who I am?!" as many times as possible. Also, no matter who I'm talking to, I ask to speak with their manager almost immediately. Then, when I finally get what I want, I demand a discount or a voucher if they've kept me on the phone for more than 10 minutes. My time is extremely valuable . . . . . HAHAHAHA!!!

I spent a week and a half as a counselor for the Freshman Arts Program, went to New York City for a few days, then came back for the first half of MIT fraternity rush.

Right now, I'm enjoying a few relaxing weeks at home (San Francisco Bay Area) before heading back to Boston again for a one week "communications seminar". I have absolutely no clue what that will entail.

A Brief History of Gonville & Caius College

In April, I was told that I would be living at Gonville & Caius (pronounced "keys") College. According to Wikipedia, the College has a rich and cherished history.

Strangely, nobody knows quite when it was founded. In his journals, Sir Gerald Cambridge claims that it was, "just sort of there already.” Notable Gonville & Caius College alumni include John Venn, inventor of the Venn diagram; George Green, inventor of the color green; and Edward Bromhead, whose name is hilarious.

Upon graduation, students of Gonville & Caius College pass through the “Gate of Honour”. The word “Honor” is deliberately misspelled as a tribute to famed physician and college namesake John Caius (pronounced "keys"). Dr. Caius insisted that his last name, along with many other words, should be spelled with a "u".

Closer inspection of historical records reveals that John Caius was actually born John Keys. However, most likely due to severe dyslexia, he was unable to spell his own name. During a 1535 lecture, he asserted that the spelling of his name was C-A-I-U-S rather than K-E-Y-S. A lone student noisily dissented, claiming that the word Keys was, "not spelled with a u."

Instead of admitting defeat, John Keys boldly and immediately changed his name to John Caius. He then cunningly used his influence with the clergy to ensure that the pupil who had spoken out of turn was convicted for heresy. At the time, standard punishment was tongue removal.

Never again would anyone in Britain question the incorrect spelling of Dr. Caius' name, or any other word for that matter. The evidence of this is still visible in the butchered, u-heavy version of the English language used in the United Kingdom today.

The story behind the name of Gonville & Caius College is also very bizarre. In 1544, John Caius exhumed the corpse of Edmund Gonville, removed the cadaver’s right hand, and crudely sewed it onto his own left wrist. (At the time, this was a common cure for left-handedness.) “I am now Gonville AND CAIUS!!!” he famously exclaimed after his self-performed operation was declared a success.

An hour later, Dr. Caius expired from a massive blood infection, and it was agreed that his college be given the name it bears today.

Last Week in DC

I figured that this would be a good time to start this blog as I've finally begun to make preparations for my trip. This is officially my last week in Washington, DC. Next Saturday, I'll be on a train to Boston. After that it's California, then Boston again, then England.

On Wednesday I filled out the paperwork for my student visa. The only part that made me a little bit nervous was FedEx-ing my passport to the British Consulate in New York City. Recent screw-ups at the State Dept. have made the waits for getting a new passport unfathomably long, so mine had better not get lost in the mail.

Today, I picked up a copy of Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson, which catalogues the author's travels in the UK. I've really enjoyed a few of his other travel books (A Walk in the Woods, In a Sunburned Country, etc.), and I heard that this one is particularly funny. Mostly, I'm hoping to get a better idea of the cultural differences between England and the US. Bryson's book has already taught me that in the UK, a "public school" is actually a private school and "streaky bacon" has a lot of fat in it. Hopefully, more useful information is forthcoming.

I know that the page says this post was made at some ungodly hour in the morning, but I assure you that it's only about 10pm. I set this blog up on Greenwich Mean Time so that there wouldn't be any confusion later on.