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London – My favorite museums pt 1 – The British Museum

holly — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:27:08 +0000

Finding a museum in London is like finding a Starbucks in downtown Vancouver – if you spit, you have a pretty good chance of hitting one. But unlike Vancouver Starbucks, the majority of these gems are free (although a donation is greatly appreciated). Thank the British lottery for that. With availability like that, if you tell me you didn’t visit some of these incredible museums, I’m going to smack you. Seriously, I will smack you. I know all that choice can seem overwhelming, but allow me to help steer you in the right direction with a spotlight on my must-sees. I’ll start with the most iconic, and spectacular of all, The British Museum.

Not only is the British Museum a national treasure with some of the most remarkable artifacts in the world within it’s walls (I’ll get to those later), but the Great Court itself is a sight to see. The classical, round (literally) reading room, sweeping staircases, outstanding sculptures of men and/or horses, a cafe, and gift shop, all done in white marble and stone that positively glows with the natural light coming in through the modern geometric glass ceiling. It reminds me of a television version of heaven, where every thing’s white and shiny and ethereal. I dare you not to take a picture here, it’s that compelling.

Once you tear yourself from the Great Court, you’re transported to another magical world just by walking through the doors of any gallery. My personal favorite place to start (because I love Egyptian history and like to work clockwise) is the Egyptian Sculpture hall, home of giant – and I mean Volkswagon Beetle big - sculptures, all so perfectly smooth and detailed that the fact that they were able to carve this well back then is astounding. Also, there’s the Rosetta Stone, the one unassuming little scribble-covered rock that proved to be the key the translation of heiroglyphics. If Egypt is your thing, there is more upstairs as well: the actual, flaky, thousand year old Mummies that the statues downstairs once guarded over, all sorts of bones, artifacts and even a mummified cat. My cat, Cairo, was actually so named because she resembled the statues here, and I’d like to take her into the afterlife with me, assuming she drops the diva act long enough to be mummified.

The Egyptian Sculpture hall leads into the Assyrian halls (I love making a good entrance, and here 2 giant winged human-headed lions are built right into the walls on either side of you, so you can’t help but feel grand), and the Greek halls. Here you can marvel at the incredibly detailed, life-sized alabaster people doing everything from throwing a discus to pouring invisible water. Or, you can play the ”find the statue who’s penis hasn’t been broken off” game. That’s endless hours of entertainment, let me tell you. And it’s hard! The game, not the penis. Well, I guess a stone one would be, too… Amidst all the phallus-less warriors are the Elgin Marbles, one of the most famous friezes in history (can you name another?) from the Parthenon. I guess due to political correctness, they’re now called the “Parthenon Sculptures”, since they were kinda stolen and Greece kinda wants them back, but that doesn’t make them any less cool. The Greek sculptors are unrivalled in their ability to create perfection, to the point that these people (if they had all the appendages that have broken off over the years reattached) look as if they could stand up and walk away at any time, they’re that realistic.

There are far too many galleries and collections here to list – from Korean to North American to an awesome display of Turkish tiles and Thai Buddhas, there’s even a money display that has some Chinese bills that were used to buy yourself out of Hell – so I’ll stop here, teasing you with the details of the others. You name it, they have a gallery for it. You can immerse yourself in the history of pretty much everywhere without having to pay for the round-the-world airfare. And, being such a prestigious institution has it’s benefits, as the limited-engagement displays in the rotating gallery attracts only the best from around the world. A few years ago they had the first display of Terra Cotta Warriors from Xian outside of China – man, what I would have given to see that, I was just a few months too early.

In short, if you’re in London and you don’t visit the British Museum, shame on you. If you think you’re not interested, I challenge you to just go in (it’s free, after all) to use the nice and clean bathrooms in the Great Court. If crossing that white expanse of fabulousness doesn’t inspire you to keep exploring, then you’re not human.

If you won the lottery…

holly — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:55:31 +0000

So, tomorrow’s Lotto Max draw is worth CAD$50 million. With a carrot like that dangling in front of me, I can’t help but start daydreaming. If I had that money, what would I do with it? I’ve been asked this question tons of times over the years, and my standard answer is “I don’t know, but I’ll send you a postcard when I get there.” I’d be on a plane so fast my clothes wouldn’t even have had time to crease in my suitcase. But that poses the bigger question, if you had unlimited funds, where would you go?

For me, someone who plans her own vacations on a daily basis (I’m not sure this is healthy anymore…) it’s a tough decision. Of course, I eventually want to go everywhere, but you have to start somewhere, so you might as well start off with the important places on your to-see list (the ones underlined and bolded with the little stars scribbled beside their names).

Tokyo. Definately Tokyo. If you’ve read my other blogs you know that I love me some Asia, and nothing looks more incredible than Tokyo. The colours, the people, the food. I want to get lost at the Shibua Scramble crossing. Plus, they have a Disneyland. With that checked off, I would only need to go to Florida and I’d have seen them all. And since I was already in Asia, might as well hop on down to Vietnam and Cambodia, two places that not only look cool, but that I’ve heard nothing but incredible reviews about from clients. Everyone says without fail that the people are just so unbelievably friendly. And Angkor Wat’s there.

And for something completely different, I’d go to Rio. Climb Sugarloaf mountain, visit with Christ the Redeemer, learn to samba and wear feathers on my head. Then down to Iguassu falls to see one of the most incredible waterfalls. Another skip and I’d be in Buenos Aires, tango-ing away and eating at the restaurant where a bar code tells you exactly what cow your steak came from (that’s right, specific cow, not just farm) so you know it’s perfect.

And Venice. Gondola-ing along the canals and wearing amazing masks as I watch Murano glass being blown.

And finally, topping my must-see list is Cairo. I love Egyptian history and archaeology, hell my cat’s even named Cairo. I want to stare in awe at the Pyramids, the Sphinx, the Karnak temple, the crazy cab drivers.

So basically, I still can’t decide where I would go first if I win that jackpot tomorrow night, but you can bet it’s going to be fantastic!

Where would you go?

London – Shopper’s paradise. New wardrobe anyone?

holly — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:54:53 +0000

I buy almost all my clothes while on vacation. Mainly this is due to the fact that when I’m home I’m saving up to pay for that vacation, but there is something really cool about going through my closet and being like, ”not that Bangkok shirt, the pink one” (and before you ask, no, all my clothes do not have the tacky ”I went to LA and bought this shirt” slogans on them, though I do love my tacky souvenirs). I have this theory about ”vacation money” : anything you spend in the local currency while on a trip is free money, more like trade really, as you’ve already spent the Canadian money by buying the foreign currency. I’ve allocated that much money for spending, and if I burn through every penny, it’s fine. As long as I don’t go over budget and dip into the credit cards (unless it’s really, really, really incredible and worth it), it’s game on. And when I go to London, I know I have to make sure I budget enough, because, while I can shop anywhere, London fashion and I just click. We’re talking pack-an-empty-suitcase good shopping here!

The biggest thing I love about London shopping is that their “high street” (mass market) stores have great styles at great prices. It’s as if the English approach to shopping in general is to make sure it’s accessible to the masses. Affordable and easy to find. Now you’re talking my language. You’ll also notice here I’m not going to talk about Harrod’s or Selfridge’s, London’s uber-famous and uber-expensive department stores. This is because, honestly, regular people do not go there to buy. They go for the spectacle of it. I always go and look at the GBP$10 000.00 dresses, entire rooms full of nothing but purses and Egyptian-themed escalators, but the only thing’s I’ve ever bought there are magazines, because they have the prices printed right on them, so they’re the same price there as they are at the corner newsagents. But I still got the cool Harrod’s bag to wave around.

Naturally, the place to start is Oxford street, otherwise known as the big awesome and freaking crowded street of all things good and wonderful. You can’t throw a stick without hitting a clothing store. But all of these stores are pretty much everywhere around the country, so if you don’t want to battle the crowds, it’s not hard to still find great fashion. The suburban shopping malls offer huge selection without having to face the weather running from store to store. Smack in the middle of Oxford St. is the English institution that is Marks and Spencer’s, where you can get pretty much anything, the focus being wardrobe basics and career wear. They’re a touch on the pricey (for this focus-on-cheap blog, not compared to DKNY) and middle-aged side, but everyone can usually find something there. Oh, and you can’t miss their awesome food hall, where you can pick up a great selection of groceries or ready meals for good prices. Love their wine gums.

If you’re angling for something on-trend while not being too “oh my God, is she wearing a duck on her head?” over the top, some of my favorites are:

Dorothy Perkins - Aside from the adorable designs, their 2-for tank top deals will be my wardrobe staples forever. Their “tall” line, aimed at those of us over 5 foot 7, keeps the fashion world open to everyone. Their shoes and accessories are hot for a steal, and they have a new organic/free trade/eco-chic line geared for the environmentally conscious amongst us.

New Look – Bright colours and wild patterns mark this store as probably the most funky on the list, but don’t let that scare you, they have everything from sexy/sweet dresses to career wear to teeny-bopper tween styles. I got one of my most professional looking dresses (that I just so happen to be wearing today) there for under GBP$30.00.

Next – More classic and stylish while not being old or boring, this is a great mix of business casual and weekend chic. Not too over the top, but far from boring. Also with an excellent denim section – lots of cuts in tons of lengths. One of my favorite pairs of jeans is their bootcut.

Topshop – More pricey than the other three, this is where you go for trends. On occasion, they do have the “oh my God, is that a duck on her head?” over the top styles, and they wear them with pride. Partnerships with top designers and exclusive lines from the likes of Kate Moss makes sure they are always on the cutting edge.

And then there’s Primark. You want cheap, shop here. Period. End of story. For what you’re paying (GBP$6 for a hoodie? Sweet.) the materials are not top of the line, but they look way more expensive than they are, and the quality is better than average. The aforementioned hoodie I’ve lived in for three years, and it still looks perfect. Be prepared to carry a big bag, because with their prices, you’re not getting out of there with just one item.

When traveling to London, make sure you have some room in your suitcase, are under your luggage allowance and have time to shop, because you’re gonna need it! Last time I had to leave some things behind in order to squeeze all my new purchases in! And it’s soooo worth it.

Paris – They put their money in the left bank.

holly — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:33:14 +0000

Last year a friend and I were able to experience Paris when it sizzles as part of a Globus week in London and Paris package. Our hotel was on the left bank of the Seine, steps from the spectacular Eiffel Tower and numerous metro lines.

While our leader (who delighted in pointing out pickpockets and the exact spot where Princess Diana died) warned that the Metro was a confusing, potentially dangerous way to travel, we found it cheap, fast and easy, as well as being a great source of entertainment. Buskers perform right on the trains, playing guitars or wheeling around Karaoke machines, complete with large amplifiers and microphones.

Within hours of arriving in Paris we had ascended the Arc de Triomphe (shorter than expected, but halfway up the stairs you begin to think it’s huge), strolled the Champs Elysses and people watched at a charming little sidewalk bistro.

A half day bus tour was included in the package the next morning and it was great, complete with a guided tour through the dirt-stained glory of Notre Dame, and a ride up to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower.

The tour dropped us off at a perfumerie near the Opera House (of Phantom of the Opera fame) for an optional shopping trip, but we chose to break away from the pack and take the RER rapid train to Disneyland Paris so we could compare it with the one in California. When the tour leader found out where we were going, he actually turned up his nose at us and refused to speak with either of us for the remainder of the trip.

Paris was in the middle of an unseasonable October heat wave and I was thankful for the pair of shorts I had packed at the last minute. It felt, though, as if I was the only person in the country wearing them, as I got lots of stares and a street vendor followed me down the Rue de Rivoli making unsettling kissing sounds. The Louvre heated up quickly, it’s only source of air-conditioning being large grates in the floor, and groups of tourists battled to stand on top to escape the oppressive heat.

Our finale in Paris was enjoying a lunch of baguettes and cheese on the banks of the Seine, followed by a nighttime boat tour of the City of Lights. The Eiffel Tower literally sparkled, a surreal sight that just makes you smile and realize “this is Paris.”

A city of history leaning up against a modern world, I still see that glittering tower when I close my eyes – awesome enough to make dealing with the snooty tour leader worth it.

Originally published in the Vancouver Province

London Baby!

holly — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:15:30 +0000

London calling. The Clash were definitely on to something when they said that, as London didn’t just call me, it left an indelible mark on my soul. Initially I was hesitant about traveling someplace so old, concerned that a twenty year old like me would not find enough to do that didn’t involve graves. Let me just state in writing that I was wrong.

As this was my innaugral time across the pond, I began my trip actively searching out all the cliches: red phone boxes, med dressed like John Steed from The Avengers (bowler hat and ever-present umbrella) and fog. The first one came before even touching down at Heathrow, with the plane breaking through the late-September clouds to reveal double-decker busses roaming the streets! I was giddy with delight. But it only got better from there. Having alighted at the Charing Cross tube station (God bless the tube, it got me effortlessly around all of London for 4.10 a day and taught me the meaning of the word ‘alighted’) just after 8am on a Sunday, I found myself standing virtually alone in the middle of Trafalgar Square, Nelson’s Column at my feet, the National Gallery over my shoulder, staring at the top of the tower housing Big Ben peeking over the rooftops. It gave me shivers and made me feel, deep down, that I was truly in London. Absolutely charming. I mean, where else in the world do they paint “look left” or “look right” directly on the road to prevent people from being hit while crossing?

In my four days in London I managed to squeeze in the famous British Museum, Natural History Museum, Speaker’s Corner at Hyde Park, the Changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, Harrod’s (heaven!), and St. Paul’s Cathedral, just to name a few. On my last full day I met up with some local friends and we explored the left bank of the Thames, taking a flight on the London Eye, having “elevensies” tea at Royal Festival Hall, seeing Shakespeare’s Globe theatre and the Tate Modern, and eating at the Anchor Pub (built more than 200 years before the British North American Act created Canada!). Then we took the ferry to Greenwich, past the spectacular Tower Bridge and David Blaine in his suspended terrarium, and up to the meridian where time begins.

London is a vibrant city, with it’s old-world charm juxtaposed against a multi-coloured modernity, that I couldn’t help but feel comfortable. I just wanted to buy a flat and stay forever. From there I moved on to Paris, one of the most exciting cities in the world, but some of it’s attraction was lost in the sadness that I was leaving London behind. But not for long. I know I’ll be back.

Originally published in the Vancouver Province newspaper.