This past weekend (with an extra two days off for Thanksgiving), I visited London and Dublin which I had never experienced before. I stayed for three nights in London and one night in Dublin. The main reason I wanted to hit London was for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour for Harry Potter, as I have been a massive fan for as long as I could walk. If you go: get Butterbeer! Lots and lots of Butterbeer. It’s nonalcoholic and a huge crowd pleaser.
While on the tour it took me a while to process that the actors in the films actually worked here and that I was standing where they once stood. Obviously with such a successful franchise you know that there is so much work that goes on to make those films as great as they are, but there are so many details and jobs that are not easy to notice in the final project. Even if you have never seen the movies, going here would be a great way to pique your interest over to this world.
Following a whole day dedicated to the Wizarding World, I went to explore various parts of London. I spent quite a lot of time around SoHo, hitting Junk burger, passing by the theatre avenue of the town, and basking in its glory. I then hit Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the London Eye (which was closed). I went into a sort of dive bar that was themed around curling (like the winter sport), which was super cool to see and talk to people in. I was recommended by a friend who had been to London a few months ago to try a place called Bengal Village, which is by far the best Indian food I have ever had!
Finally, I traveled to Dublin for a day. My number one mission in Dublin was to have an authentic Guinness and it somehow blew away my expectations. I have had Guinness in the past, but all Guinness are not created equal. The whole vibe of Dublin and the friendliness of the people was really appealing to me and easily makes it one of my favorite places I have seen on this trip. Also, the pub culture is super neat and fun, with a focus on local artists who play guitar to their favorite tunes. I loved it a lot because I play guitar and aspire to be as cool as those players who perform for hundreds of people a night.
Last weekend I was in Rome to see my cousin who also doubles as one of my best friends. She was an au ’pare for four months in Milan, Italy and is a great planner, knowing exactly what sights to see and foods/drinks to order. While I was there, I saw the Trevi fountain, Pantheon, and many more sights. I also had the second to best pizza (second to only my own pizza I made back in October) I have had at Dar Poeta, which I highly recommend going to. Rome was ironically the last Italian city I visited, but it definitely did not have the least to do!
Next, I have finals and head home after the semester - ciao for now!