hi all, long time no chat... that is what happens when you are a college student i guess.
anyway, i am heading over to the UK in a month for my Environmental Chemistry class and we are going to be doing school stuff as well and tourist stuff. i want to know, what should i check out??? where is the best food in town, that type of stuff... here's my schedule:
London 5/31 to 6/2
Edinburgh 6/3 to 6/6
Dublin 6/7 to 6/13
we will be doing studies in the morning but get the afternoons and evenings off to wander about. plus, the program only gives breakfast so we have to find lunch and dinner. i'm on a tight budget but i want to have the full UK experience. any pointers on the do's and do-not's of life in the UK would be greatly appreciated!!! i don't want to get bored! thanks, ~sarah
p.s. i already plan on stocking up on travis cds and fan stuff over there because in the US you can barely find anything! too bad the guys won't be performing while i'm over there!
I suppose it depends on what you wanna do or are interested in. My husband and I just spent 8 mos living in England and we visited each of those cities on weekends. Since we had such a tight schedule, we pretty much did all the basic stuff in a very hurried fashion. I'm sure that is probably what you're trip is going to be like.
My husband and I are super nerds and LOVE LOVE LOVE museums, and the BEST part about the UK is that museums are FREE! Personally, I think museums are a good way of learning the history of a country, and therefore understanding it better (esp if it doesn't cost you money).
The museums that we checked out are: London:
~British Museum, don't go on the weekend cuz it is CRAZY crowded and my husband and I didn't enjoy ourselves as much as we could have.
~Victoria and Albert Museum, one of the least crowded, yet all-encompassing we've been to.
~Museum of London (although this was under renovation when we went and I don't recall if it would be done by the time you go)
~Imperial War Museum, if you're into war stuff.
~There are LOADS more, but these are just the ones we made it to. Get a book or go online and read up ahead of time what interests you, and to see what exhibitions they may have cuz those cost extra. Edinburgh
~Museum of Scotland, this one is really good because they have creative ways of displaying artifacts. Dublin
~National Museum of Ireland, this one's got lotsa viking stuff and early gold artifacts, and bog bodies(!) if you're into that stuff...
Now that is JUST museum stuff. I will tell you things that I liked best and got me the most out of my trip, but first and foremost I want to recommend getting any Rick Steve's books on the cities you are visiting. He does an EXCELLENT job on giving honest answers on what is essential and what is really not worth it. He also gives restaurant suggestions for all budgets, and he gives his own self-guided walking tours with commentary so you don't miss anything. Now, the things that we did: London There are WAY too many things to do here, so you'll wanna figure it out ahead of time. The following are some suggestions on how to deal w/ certain super-touristy things.
~Double-decker bus tours. It is SOOOOO touristy, but it's an all day pass and they are hop-on hop-off so you get off to see the sights you want, then get back on and continue the tour, at your own pace. It really is just an overview of the city, which is good on a tight schedule. OH and I don't care if it is raining or not, sit on top! The guide sits on top so you see what he sees. Ppl below luck out. (The purchase of this also come w/ a free boat tour if you're interested)
~For a little walking, it's nice to start in Trafalgar Square and walk down Whitehall to Parliament (Big Ben) and Westminster Abbey. You have to pay to get into the Abbey (we personally skipped this, it's pretty expensive and I don't think you get to see much)
~Across the Thames is the British Airways London Eye. If you're gonna do this, get tickets ahead of time online cuz you don't wanna spend all your time in line.
~Tower of London, I feel, is a must! Get group tickets ahead of time, less waiting that way. Also, they say those are the real crown jewels on display, but I have my doubts. It's up to you to make your own decision. hehe!
~Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms was a lil pricey and I wasn't all the impressed. However, if you're a huge Churchill or WWII fan, it would be good.
I could go on forever. Obviously, my husband and I did a few weekends in London, so we saw a lot more than you will probably be able to. Edinburgh
~Edinburgh Castle is a must. Make sure you use your castle map cuz it is easy to miss things inside. Some stuff is not labeled well, but you don't wanna miss out. There are also some stunning views from the castle.
~Climb atop Calton Hill. There isn't all that much to see up there, but you get an even better view of the city from up there. (Arthur's Seat would be cool to do too, but we didn't cuz it looks like it would take awhile).
~The best thing I can suggest for Edinburgh is to just walk around. Get a map of the city and walk around. The city itself has a fascinating history (w/ regards to the "new" and "old" sides of town) so I would also suggest reading up on it before you go so you can get the best out of your short visit. Dublin We spent the least amount of time here, so I don't have much to say about it.
~The Book of Kells at Trinity College seems to be a must-do. The only problem is that if you aren't some of the first ppl in, there isn't much to see cuz there are too many ppl. This is a judgment call depending on time. We went RIGHT when it opened, so we enjoyed ourselves cuz there wasn't many ppl. BUT the book itself has limited viewing space so ppl crowd around it. Personally, I thought the Long Room was the coolest thing (I'm a book nerd).
~There are a lot of cathedrals (like St. Patrick's) that you can go into, but you have to pay. We didn't do this cuz why should I pay to get into a church? Seems wrong to me...
~Don't miss the Temple Bar area. Again, just get a map and walk around.
~Then of course there is the Guinness Storehouse.
There are probably tons of other things you can do and that other ppl can suggest; I'm just giving you what worked best for us. And absolutely get a Rick Steve's book, he knows his stuff!
Hi, Thanks, good question! My sister and I are going to the UK may 10th (London, Edinburgh, Loch Ness, Fort William and Loch Lomond) so, mostly Scotland. We were planning museums in London, and Walking tours (a Beatles and a Ghost tour...as we are all about the ghosts- www.walks.com). We are also doing a ghost tour in Edinburgh which I predict will be awesome. Aswell as the Castle, up the Hills and as you said, just wandering...
I’m writing these lines considerably late at night, some of the bordies may pay witness. Nobody should be allowed to write at this time but I think it’s when all logical reasoning and analysis ends. I can be completely honest. People, today’s the most perfect day for dancing and for singing!!
Well, do me a favor and try to answer these questions truthfully: who hasn’t found relief in three or four words sang by Fran in moments of heartache or loneliness? Who hasn’t found peace or a source to release tensions in three or four chords played by Andy and Dougie in moments of fear or impotence? Who hasn’t felt the blood pumping through the body at the beats of Neil’s drums?
I’m a 22 year-old girl with a dream…don’t worry, this is not a terminal patient asking for her last wish (and yeah, that was my go for an opening joke)…this is just an Uruguayan girl who was lucky enough to find an incredible group of people willing to read her stories of unfulfilled desires. They come from all over Latin America and have been kind enough to give me words of encouragement. Even when they weren’t meant directly at me, I felt the support of a community of loyal fans who share the memories of their Travis experience with such happiness and never doubted to wish me all the best in the pursuit of my first encounter, in front of a stage, with all of you five amazing musicians rocking your hearts out.
Here is my Travis story; I think you should hear it in order to comprehend the reasons behind our enterprise. Exactly ten years ago, my sister brought home The Man Who, I was 12, almost 13 and probably got a different meaning from the lyrics, but I felt the music as anyone who appreciates good music would do. Most didn’t go into much trouble and called it depressing. Dead wrong. I was discovering my new found interest in the English language, an interest that drove me to translate your lyrics, because I knew I wasn’t getting the full message and I had to find it out. Digging for answers, as a struggling teenager (in a little town, where little dreams are broken and words are seldom spoken) finally paid off. I kept coming across the right words; tons of mind-blowing phrases which would best describe or fit and help me deal with all of the thoughts that went through my mind at the time. That’s the thing about Travis, no matter who you are, where you are from or what’s your experience of the world, you can always count that you may turn to their music for answers or comfort, to feel good when the sun is shinning or to accept hard times as they come, because then, there’s always a tunnel at the end of the light and they’ve helped me to figure that much out.
I consider myself lucky to have been introduced to this band at that specific time in my life, they’ve come a long way and so have I.
I’ve been along for the ride almost silently. Until a month ago nobody knew how much they meant to me. Fortunately, I decided to register and posting here and there I ended up believing that nothing is impossible as long as you put up a fight against all odds.
I met Leticia and she told me the most unbelievable story, for crying out loud! Any fan from down here would love to make it his/her own. She got to attend a Travis gig in Newcastle having travelled all the way from Argentina and after hours and hours of waiting outside in the freezing cold, she got her reward, she met the lads. A precious moment she narrates with a big smile on her face (I can only imagine). It was her first time chatting with them, a moment she will never forget, nobody will ever take that experience away from her. It should be enough to say that firsts don’t come around for a second time.
This was the starting point of an idea which began to take shape after reading about the US tour. Wouldn’t it be astonishingly cool to have all Latin American fans together under one flag, that is to say, in one thread? Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could all share the anxiety of waiting for another Travis tour through South America? We should try and save money to travel somewhere near us to whatever shows Travis get in the future. Whether we are from Mexico, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay or Brazil, it doesn’t matter; we’d try to hold a gathering, reality check hasn’t got a saying as we make way into fulfilling our dreams and get loose our wildest fantasies.
I don’t want to save myself from living the full experience, don’t save yourselves either! Let’s keep these wheels turning, who know where the road may take us…If I’ve learnt anything from the Uruguayan poet, that’s it:
“Don’t save yourself; don’t be immobile on the edge of the road.
Don’t freeze the joy, don’t love with reluctance.
Don’t save yourself now or ever.
Don’t save yourself, don’t fill with calm,
And don’t reserve of the world just a calm place.
Don’t let fall your lids heavy as trials, don’t speak without lips.
Don’t fall asleep without sleepiness; don’t think of you without blood.
Don’t judge yourself without time.
But if in spite of everything you cannot avoid it
And you freeze the joy, and you love with reluctance,
And you save yourself now, and you are full with calm,
And you reserve of the world just a calm place,
And you let fall your lids heavy as trials, and you speak without lips,
And you fall asleep without sleepiness, and you think of yourself without blood,
And you judge yourself without time.
And you are immobile on the edge of the road,
And you save yourself,
Then,
don’t stay with me.”
The Latin American Convention of Travis Fans (Convención Latinoamericana de Traviseros - CLAT according to the acronym in Spanish) is hereby officially made public to all of you who wish to support us to join the cause. Because the world would be a much better place if we were lucky enough to have them here playing Ode to J Smith songs and all the classics.
Here is my first post in the American Boardies Convention thread. I don’t know why I’m using the vocabulary worthy of a politician’s mouth but it feels appropriate as I believe we have to join forces to make things happen and to hang in there when things don’t look so good…We’re taken over by the spirit of music. Travis brought us together so together we shall see Travis:
“Thanks a lot for the inspiration; this could have never been taken into serious consideration if it wasn't for your fantastic stories. I, personally, have high expectations, what can I lose by dreaming, right?
I wish we can live up to the standards of amazingness you've set up for us.
Here I translate more or less what I tried to convey in my "inaugural post":
‘I call upon the Travis community of fans, from the center itself of America to the coldest tip of the south, to unite!
In the “If you’re an Argentinian” thread an idea started to come to life, especially in the last few days, reading how the American Bordies were all enjoying the US tour. Yes, we’re feeling jealous. Yes, we refuse to sit around and do nothing about it.
Because there are many of us and apparently we have a long wait ahead before they come back to play live for us.
So, I can’t think of a better idea than to, herein, begin the organization of our very own Convention!
What do you think? Will it prove to be successful? Will the final goal be attained? That is to say, will the pages and pages of future planning see a factual outcome in the end? I certainly hope so, because I think that it can turn out to be the best concert of our lives.
Because in such little time I’ve exchanged a couple of words with really cool people and I don’t want this to die only in words, words are blown by the wind.
Time will tell but, in the meantime, what do you say if we let our wildest fantasies loose?
Is it possible for us, all the members of this community, from Mexico to the Strait of Magellan, to follow our beloved Scots if their next tour should come anywhere near us?’
Wish us luck, we need Travis to come back to South America!! (Our mental health is at stake, to say the least...).”
In the end, I’d like to quote Mario Benedetti once again, since he explains our mixed feelings, much better than I could ever do:
“I’m afraid of seeing you, I’ve got the need to see you, I’m hoping to see you, and I feel uneasy about seeing you.
I have willingness to find you, I’m worried about finding you, and I’ve got the certainty about finding you, poor reservations about finding you; I have the urgency to hear you; I feel happiness when hearing you, I’m lucky to hear you. And I’m afraid of hearing you.
So to speak, to summarize, I’m fucked and joyful, perhaps more the former than the last and also vice versa.”
Thanks for being on the other side, but let us never forget that we're all part of the same circle!!
Love and peace :)
Ana.
And now it's my turn (Leti) ; ) I want to thank Ana for her wonderful words and also to my patient and wonderful boyfriend who designed this great poster (with a little help from me). I love u!
Oh, yes! Guided walking tours are the best! Sadly, my husband and I didn't discover them until our last trip to Berlin.
If you can, find some FREE walking tours! The guides work on tips only, so you KNOW you're gonna get the best out of them. And then you can judge how much you want to pay based on how good they are.
Ooops...
Oh, my! So sorry about the off-off topic reply, apparently the "Subject" got mixed-up.
For the time being, I'll copy and paste Leti's message in the right thread. She'll probably correct it tonight ;)
BTW, good luck with your trip and have fun in the UK!! (One day I hope I can go there as well...)
Thanks a mil!!! I think I am going to hit some museums and stuff so I make the most of it. Probably once school is over I am going to make a binder full of ideas with prices and times so when they tell us "ok you're free for the rest of the day" I can just whip it out and say "I feel like hitting this spot!"
thanks again!
~sarah
If you are interested in finding out why not, when you get here I'd recommend a 1916 Walking Tour, Kilmainhaim Gaol, The Brazen Head, The GPO (General Post Office), Arbour Hill, The Croppy Acre.
Breaking away from the political stuff, Dublin is a great city for just walking around, Stephen's Green, Merrion Square, The Grand Canal, Phoenix Park, Christchurch. as previously state the museums/art galleries are fantastic and a lot of city centre pubs will do "Trad" music, (tho' if you are serious about this let me know as a few of them are very touristy and as such....Shite).
Gimme a shout on here closer to the time, let me know where in Dublin you'll be staying/studying and I'll try to come up with stuff for you.
If you are interested in finding out why not, when you get here I'd recommend a 1916 Walking Tour, Kilmainhaim Gaol, The Brazen Head, The GPO (General Post Office), Arbour Hill, The Croppy Acre.
Breaking away from the political stuff, Dublin is a great city for just walking around, Stephen's Green, Merrion Square, The Grand Canal, Phoenix Park, Christchurch. as previously state the museums/art galleries are fantastic and a lot of city centre pubs will do "Trad" music, (tho' if you are serious about this let me know as a few of them are very touristy and as such....Shite).
Gimme a shout on here closer to the time, let me know where in Dublin you'll be staying/studying and I'll try to come up with stuff for you.
Dubz
I KNEW you would respond to this and that is why I didn't bother giving advice for Dublin. Obviously there are people (you) who can give a highly informed opinion and advice. It's just too bad I didn't know you before I went...
Don't - bother trying to work out the endless different names different regions have for barmcakes/rolls/buns/muffins/cob/bap/whatever else. 'Bread' will probably suffice. :p
If you are going to stay in London for just 3 days, I recommend you to take one of those double-decker buses (as lizzieb said) 'cause they take you to the most important sites. I would highly recommend getting to know London walking but it takes a lot of time.
Other ideas:
- If you have little time, I would suggest you to choose 1 or 2 museums or indoor places 'cause they can take quite a lot of time to visit and you will miss a lot of things that the city has to offer (parks, streets, people, etc).
- If you are a Shakespeare fan, I would recommend you to go to Shakespeare's Globeand see a play (not just visit the museum). For 5 pounds you can enjoy a play standing : )
- Go to the Parliament. I enjoyed it even more than the Tower of London.
Edinburgh
I LOVED Edi! It's such a beatiful and amazing city, full of stories, history and legends...
Some tips:
- You should definitely walk around the city during the day and at night.
- Drink a pint in a local pub (mmm... yum!). "The Scotsman" (live folk music is played and has a really mixed crowd and usually a good vibe). "Sandy Bells" it's another option or Whistle Binkies (amazing, I loved this pub).
- If you are staying at a hostel, I would recommend this one: www.budgetbackpackers.com/ : )
Don't - bother trying to work out the endless different names different regions have for barmcakes/rolls/buns/muffins/cob/bap/whatever else. 'Bread' will probably suffice. :p
I thoroughly enjoyed a bike tour I did in London. Could cover a bit more ground than a walking tour but still much more up close and personal than a bus tour. The guide was informative and funny.
I can't remember the name of the company off hand but if you're interested I'll dig it out for you.
oh, the Globe Theatre in London is pretty spectacular if you like theatre. I think most of the other touristy stuff I did is listed.
Umm, Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh is a nice little hike and you get a really awesome view of the city. And I know someone already mentioned the Museum of Scotland, but the kids part is particularily fun, even if you arent a kid. Maybe particularily if you arent a kid. And eat a deep fried Mars bar. You will die, but it will be a very happy death.
