London Week 3

Lexie Palasciano checks in weekly from her study abroad semester in London; catch up with her every Friday on Trazee Travel.

One of the greatest parts about London is the art and history making up the city. Growing up in a country less than 250 years old, it’s incredible to now walk past buildings and churches standing longer than the place I call home.

Even more amazing than the simple architecture and history behind every building are the surreal experiences I have had in the short time I’ve been in London. Having read Shakespeare all through high school, one of the first things on my study abroad bucket list was to see a play at the Globe Theatre. While the thought of standing in such a renowned place (even a reconstruction) gave me goose bumps, it wasn’t until I walked through the double wooden doors to the theater it all became real. Watching an original Shakespeare play in the Globe Theatre at the midnight performance is an experience not many people can say they’ve had.

© Lexie Palasciano

My love for art soon found me at the National Gallery in central London. After two hours, I had only made it through the Impressionist section of the gallery, stopping a while at Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” and Monet’s “The Water-Lilly Pond.” Weeks earlier, having stood in Monet’s water-lily garden in Giverny, it was amazing to see so much history link together in my experiences abroad.

With the incredible art and theater in London, it may be hard to get this art-loving dance major home again.