Author: Montel Wells

Adventures Across the Pond

Buckingham Palace

Looking back at our trip to London, all I can think about is the fun I had even with all of the unexpected hiccups along the way, the weather, threats of the trip being cut short from the coronavirus outbreak; its amazing how we managed to get everything done and more. There was so much to see there. I loved the constant juxtaposition of the old and contemporary around every corner. The city felt like a big mix of different people and places all in one place. With our hotel being as close as it was to major city centers, having the ability to travel by public transit everywhere was fun. I even enjoyed walking at least 5 extra miles every evening with Eric to see more parts of the city than the group had scheduled. I think the coolest activity was our day trip out to the countryside and Salisbury. Seeing the cathedral there was breathtaking. Gothic works are so detailed and intricate, and it is amazing to be there and think about what it would have been like to build it. Overall, I enjoyed making new friends and experiencing a new culture, food, and place. Even though England is an English speaking place, i enjoyed how when you get comfortable for a second, you find something that is different and reminds you that you’re in a new place. I really enjoyed the opportunity to go, I would definitely come back in the future!

Westminster Abbey at Night

Salisbury Cathedral

Contemporary Buildings and the Shard

Sunset at Kew Gardens

A Rocky Situation

Sketch of 3 sarsen stones.

On our visit outside of the city, Stonehenge popped up almost at random out of the rolling green hills as a ruin made of a pile of rocks. Before coming here it seemed so much a mystical site that tv and historians tell an impossible tale, however upon viewing It for myself, I realize that though the stones are huge, it seems possible with enough man power. The organization seems reasonable for a time when people wanted to congregate around something as powerful at the stars and the sun. Being able to understand formations like this as a man made form begins to dissolve the improbability of some of these structures we aren’t used to seeing outside of a history book. The complex is quite big, but at a small enough scale that it is plausible. Surely not as big as the pyramids, so I can more clearly confirm that aliens did not create Stonehenge.

Montel’s Blog Post 1

We’ve made it to London! There is so much new to offer culturally and societally. Many of the museums offer a deeper look into history than some of the same in the states, even though we share some of the same history. Visiting the British Museum on day two was a strand and overwhelming experience. The building offers such a majestic canvas to house artifacts, however the content dissolves from British history drastically. Many objects and artifacts weren’t originally in British possession, a double edged sword; many unanswered questions about how they were obtained but the preservation is impeccable for how old they are.

Statue of King from a tomb in Egypt.

Some of the displays did bother me because they showed pictures of how the artifact would be originally displayed in its original location. As I walked around I wondered if that were from my culture how would I feel seeing bits and pieces in a glass box. Regardless, the collection was extensive, and I’d say one of the most complete I’ve seen from a museum about world history. I might check it back out later on the trip. It would be well worth the time to see some of the exhibits.

Caryatid from the Erechtheum.

Sarcophagi from Egypt

Montel’s Departure Thoughts

I am very excited to go to London! Today is the day of the flight out, it’s super early but necessary to make it out there by the end of the day. I can’t wait to get into the city and experience a new culture and be in a different country for the first time! I have flow many places domestically but the long flight out will be something new.

I’m looking forward to all of the buildings and sights were scheduled to see and even some of the free time to get a more organic feel for how the city operates. I want to explore how much style is different from the states with both places being tied in history, but England have a much deeper past than I am used to.

Overall, I think this will be a very constructive and inspiring trip educationally and personally. I Can’t wait!

Montel’s Bio

Hello all,

I’m Montel, currently a G2 in Architecture. I am from Indianapolis, IN, so its great to be in a city that reminds me of home with its similar size and scale. I did my undergrad at Southern Illinois, also in architecture, and if you know that area its in the middle of nowhere, but I have been fortunate enough to travel across a good bit of the states, about half so far, but I have never been abroad. The closest I’ve come was a highway sign that said Canada, not very spectacular. I’m really excited to go to the country that predated America to see how culturally similar or different it actually is.

I cant wait to see the juxtaposition of the really old architecture, preferably gothic, next to the cutting edge designs that a big city like London offers. I am curious to see how the neighborhoods mix and interact with their surroundings and unique histories. I am ready to see the locals, eat the food, and take in the rich history of the town and the museums that hold artifacts from places in the world I’ve only read in books. It should be a great experience!

Me at the Indy 500!