London Diaries #1

Today is Saturday morning and two days ago my first week in London officially ended. I came here thanks to my university to conduct thesis research abroad in various libraries in the city, and I am staying here for a total of nine weeks. I want to try and make the most out of this experience, explore everywhere I can in the city and cherish all the time I'm spending here. This is why this morning I thought I might start this series of London Diaries, to document every week what I have visited, enjoyed the most and keep track of my experience here.

This first week was a very busy one, as I had to keep up with administrative documents, organize the house and my academic life. Nevertheless, it was a week full of new experiences and, even though my academic work is often pressuring and tiring, I managed to make the most out of this week, and I am very excited to be here and for the places and activities I am discovering. 

I moved here on Wednesday, so, naturally, on Thursday I had to buy groceries, clean and organize the house, but while doing this I managed to have a very lovely walk around my neighborhood. The weather was unusually sunny, so, going around different stores, I got the chance to visit this area and enjoy all the small corners: the little parks, the typical red brick houses and the street market. I decided to conclude the day by visiting Primrose Hill, which is not far away from where I live. I went there by foot to explore the neighborhood a little more, and I got the chance to see some squirrels and cats around Regent's Canal. When I arrived at Primrose Hill it was sunset time and the view was amazing. I entered into the park and walked until the top of the hill, from where I got a beautiful view of the London skyline while the sky was morphing into pink and purple shades. As it was starting to get dark, I decided to go back home, still by foot, and I managed to see my first red telephone booth. It was a busy day and starting to adapt to a new city is not always easy, but I came back home with a hopeful feeling for this new experience.

For what concerns Friday and Saturday, that's when my academic responsibilities started. These two days were dedicated to studying and discovering new libraries. I went to get my reader pass from the British Library, and it was a dream to enter such a relevant institution and to be able to conduct my research there. Before studying, I visited the room where the exhibition of manuscripts is located, and I managed to see the Magna Carta, as well as other important documents and manuscripts from my favorite authors, including Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf. The reading room was very comfortable (although a bit chilly), so I will definitely be coming back. The next day, I visited the Wellcome Collection, where I accessed the reading room and stayed for the whole afternoon. I didn't enter the library, but the hours I spent in the reading room were so comfortable (it is a bit chilly over there too actually) and the way the room is decorated makes it so cozy and inspiring. It has big pillows and armchairs and plenty of paintings and artifacts on display. I think it's a little bit less known as a library, so I really advise you to go there if you happen to be studying in London.

On Sunday, I decided it was time to rest a little bit and start exploring the city and what it has to offer. It was a sunny day, so I thought it would be a good occasion to visit one of the most important parks in London: Richmond Park. To get there, I took the metro and then a bus so that, during my journey, I could see from the window all of the streets and typical houses of the suburban area and I enjoyed so much this little trip surrounded by nature and red brick houses. When I got to Richmond Park, I decided to go to King Henry's Mound, a viewpoint from where you can see Saint Paul's Cathedral in the distance with a telescope. The park is famous for being the home of numerous deers that you can encounter if you take a walk in its prairies and woods. I managed to spot a lot of them, and they were so beautiful to see and made the park even more enchanted. I walked around the park the whole afternoon and managed to also see the two ponds in the middle of it. It takes some time to get to the park from the city center, but it's definitely worthy, and it gives you the chance to unwind in a magical setting.

On Monday and Tuesday I went back to doing research and studying at the library: I had a booking to consult some documents from the archives of the Women's Library about Women's Environmental Network. It was so interesting to read the documents and find relevant information for my thesis and, for me, this was such an enriching experience. The Women's Library is a reading room included in the LSE library, so when I was done with consulting the documents, I stayed for a few more hours at the library to arrange the information and write a few pages of my dissertation. This is such a comfortable library with many places to sit, and I will definitely be coming back there as I managed to focus very well the whole afternoon. In addition to this, to get there I have to take a bus that crosses the city center, so, during my trip to the library and back home in the evening, I managed to see Oxford Street, Picadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and the area around Covent Garden. I love taking the bus and I find it amazing that commuting to the library gives me the chance to also explore some corners of London.

On Wednesday it finally started raining: I had enjoyed the sunny and hot weather the past few days, but I was really looking forward to experiencing real autumn in the UK. It was definitely colder, but I was so happy and excited to start my day when I woke up and I saw little droplets on my window and the atmosphere of my neighborhood completely changed by the fog. I decided to go for a walk to experience the area around my house with this newfound vibe, and then I also went to Regent's Park to visit a part of it that I hadn't seen on the first day. I was walking with my umbrella and listening to the audiobook of Frankenstein in the rainy and windy weather while surrounded by orange and yellow trees and fallen leaves: it was such a magical walk and I discovered once again my love for autumn. I still had to study, so I walked directly to the library of my neighborhood, where I was welcomed at the entrance by a grey cat, a lovely encounter that made my day even better. I stayed at the library for a few hours to write my thesis and I also looked around to see if I could find some interesting books to borrow in the future. Then, in the evening, I walked back home and I cooked a hearty soup with legumes and kale to inaugurate the season: it was the perfect way to end my day.

As I had moved in on Wednesday night, this is where my first week ended. It was obviously busy and full of work to do for my dissertation, but I'm glad I still found the time to enjoy the city and discover new corners of it every day. I hope I can continue exploring new libraries and balance my time there with new experiences and I can't wait to be here next week to tell you all about it.

- Ambra