England! A short travel update.
Note: This blog entry was imported from my old squarespace site. Originally posted July 25rd, 2023.
Hi blog. Welcome to my first real post on here.
This was my first time ever visiting England, which happens to be very different from North America in a lot of ways (who would have guessed?). Going to another country that speaks English feels like traveling on easy mode, but itās been a good way to exercise my solo travel skills that have been dusty throughout the pandemic.
While here, Iāve been thinking a lot about colonialism (as is natural, when you visit the original colonizers). Ideas about indigenous reconciliation are nearly non-existent in England. After all, the colonizing didnāt happen here, so why think about uncomfortable history at all? This ignorance is well demonstrated by the existence of the British Museum in its current form. In hindsight, this was maybe something I should have visited a few days into my trip and not immediately upon arrival while extremely sleep-deprived, but oh well. The vibes in this Museum were very much uncomfortable. Obviously most museums, especially history-based ones, are filled with things that were questionably acquired. In some ways at the British Museum, it feels wrong to even look at some of these items. It is interesting to me that one of the most famous museums in the world, a must-visit stop in London, is such a stark reminder of the ways that colonialism harms culture, and that there is still a long way to go in reconciling with the past. In the entire museum, I found ONE item that had a happy aura to it. Please give warm applause to Calcite onyx offering vessel in the form of an ocelot from Teotihuacan (dated 150 BC - 750 AD).
At the very least the museum is free entry. Take note museums of the world - all knowledge should be free forever!! And if youāre going to loot and pillage, at least make your treasures publicly available. And you know, return them.
London really has been mostly filled with museums. I spent an entire day at the Tate Modern and also at the Design Museum, which had considerably nicer energies than the British Museum. Lots of creative inspiration, lots more writing ideas for this blog that will be posted in time. So - while my experience has certainly got the wheels spinning in my head, itās also been very fun to connect with friends from Canada essentially my entire time here. I got very very lucky to end up in London at the same time as some of my dearest friends.
Both Tessa and Leon are friends of mine all the way back from before first year of university (2019). Tessa has been in my life nearly every day of these last four wild and bonkers years (thanks T, love u). So you can imagine my excitement at being able to see both of these lovely people in a city very far from home. Lots of laughs and good times, lots of sitting in Hyde Park. We even went to Harrods (it was very poorly organized). Tessa also pulled me into seeing a good play at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond - highly recommended venue if you ever find yourself in London. Both Tessa and Leon have now returned to Canada following their own solo trips so I send them the biggest of hugs and the biggest of thanks for making time to hang out with me!
Itās really big huge thank yous all around here. I also met up with with my buddy Nick, for a fab day in London and two days at Oxford. Oxford was actually maybe a bigger hit for me than London. I spent most of my time away from the tourists and school groups - choosing instead to nap, read and write in the meadows and along the Thames. Oxford in the summer has a bit of a magical quality - the light passes through the trees nicely, the college bells chime beautifully, and there is a lazy hazy quality to life in the city as the school term isnāt in session. Iād like to go back - weāll see how soon itāll be until I get there. Spending time with Nick is also always a treat, Itās easy to sit and talk with him and genuinely believe not only in yourself but also in the goodness of the world and the future. Thanks for everything pal :)
After dipping down from Oxford I spent some time with the lovely Aly! Aly and I have only met each other twice ever, so I was pleasantly surprised when they offered to host me for a few days in their apartment south of London. They are from Prince Edward Island, one of my personal favourite places in the world, and happen to be best friends with Paige and Hannah, two of my friends from uni (hi guys xoxo). I have always wanted to spend more time getting to know Aly and I am pleased to report they are just as amazing as I thought they would be and they deserve all the best in the world. Thanks, Aly!!!!!!! <3
I also have to give thanks to the legendary Hope, who gave me a wonderful list of London-based recommendations. The pubs, restaurants and places on the list really made my entire trip. A few honourable mentions were The Grapes pub near Canary Wharf, Siam Central restaurant, DISHOOM and Barbican. May we grab a pint together in London one day, Hope!!!
So thatās all for now. Still got 24 hrs left in England - my next update will be from somewhere in continental Europe! The adventure continuesā¦
love n hugs,
sam
comments and things from last time:
I used the phrase āWebsite Blogā in my last post. I am thankful to journalist David Shuman for pointing out that this phrase is redundant as Blog is already a portmanteau of the words Website and Log. Thanks David, you will not catch me slipping again.
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