Submitted by Elizabeth Dennis on the 2017 winter session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of Music…
When I think of England, I think of the Union Jack, the Royal Family, the Underground, the red double-decker buses, the red telephone booths, as well as the arts. When I stepped onto the British Airways plane from Dulles International Airport to Heathrow London Airport, symphonic music filled the air. This classical music that flowed through my ears was just the beginning of my musical adventure abroad.
After a long flight over the Atlantic Ocean, I arrived at Heathrow Airport. I quickly grabbed my luggage and went to see what form of public transportation I could use to get to the hotel. Since London is a very large city, I had plenty of options from which to choose. I settled on the Underground and made my way to the platform.
A powerful breeze filled the station as the train arrived. I got onto the train with all of my luggage and took a seat. There were many stops before mine since Heathrow is located out in the suburbs of London. Because my plane landed at the early hour of 7:00 AM, I was traveling in the mist of rush hour. As people got on and off of the train, I was surprised at how much I felt like I was in the United States. Passengers were reading the paper to catch up on the local and international news. Others were reading a book or going over paperwork for the day. It was nice to see how people were using their commute to keep up with daily things.
Soon enough, I made it to the hotel stop, Tottenham Station. As I stepped out of the rail car, the overhead speaker said, “Mind the gap!” Instead of using the word “watch,” the Brits use “mind” because the word has a connotation that encompasses watch, pay attention, etc. I walked out up through the station, pass mosaic art tile amid the bright white subway tile and, after a few flights of stairs, I made it to the ground level. At street level, it was quite a sight to see! The bright red double-decker buses where driving down the street with the black taxis darting in and out of the traffic. I walked one block and made it to the hotel.
I cannot wait to explore this city and to learn about the history of symphonies and music scores. With very convenient and user-friendly public transportation as well as walking, it will be easy to discover the places within London, both touristy and otherwise. Until next time, cheerio!
