Submitted by Alison McIntyre on the 2012 fall semester program in Paris, France…
This past weekend, I went to London! It was great! I’m fortunate enough to not have class on Fridays. Friday morning, my friend and I left on the métro for the Charles de Gaulle airport. We flew into the Luton airport, took a bus to downtown London, and spent the day exploring. We were extremely hungry when we arrived, so food was our first mission. We thought we’d go for fish & chips, since that’s a specialty in London. We asked a man at an outdoor market where the best place to get fish & chips would be. He was so kind and helpful. Not only did he give us specific instructions on how to get to this famous/delicious restaurant, but he also drew it out for us on a piece of paper…and even started to walk us to the restaurant. Therefore, I had a very positive first experience talking with a true British person in London. My friend and I found the restaurant…SO GOOD!!! Later in the day, we visited Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, markets, and Westminster Abbey. London is a beautiful city…even in the rain. The thing that marked me the most about this city was the people. Like the man we talked to about the fish & chips, everyone was so friendly and helpful that we spoke with. I will forever have a positive vision of British people because of this trip.