Onto the Beaches of Normandy

Ahoy from the high seas of the English Channel!*

Since the last time I checked in, I have completed a significant number of items on my touristy bucket list. For the sake of organization, I will try to keep the recaps as chronological as possible.

 

On Wednesday, May 10^th, we had a free day to explore London on our own terms. Sarah, Natalie and I made the hour-long journey out to the suburb of Colindale to see the Royal Air Force Museum. The rail service was surprisingly easy to figure out and we were pleasantly surprised to discover that admission to the airport was free. Being an avid aviation nerd, I made it a priority to search out the closest aviation attraction in London, and I was not disappointed with what I found. Upon entering, we were immediately greeted by a multitude of vintage aircraft. The hangars mainly included aircraft from WWI and WWII, as well as several aircraft from pre-WWI era and Vietnam era. The highlight of the afternoon was when we happened to meet a WWII veteran who was a pilot for the Halifax aircraft. It was amazing to see how accurately he recalled all of

the information about the aircraft, which had fallen into disrepair since its glory days, so many years ago. The museum caught me off guard at first because I was expecting to see American WWII aircraft, but then realized that it was a British museum, and I would be seeing mainly British-built aircraft. It was hard for me to get into the frame of mind that everything would be British focused rather than American focused, just because most of the historical museums I have seen have been based on American history. This museum did an exceptional job of displaying the progressions in British aeronautical engineering throughout the past 100 years as well as the significance that aviation plays in British warfare throughout the ages. Airpower has been and will remain a key component in both British warfare and industry for ages to come.

Afterward, we concluded our day with a trip down to The Swan, the local pub that quickly became the favored watering hole for us thirsty and famished Buckeyes abroad. After a classic meal of fish and chips and a pint of beer, it was time to get ready for the next day.

 

Thursday, May 11^th was our class trip out to the English countryside to visit the famed Bletchley Park. This beautiful and historic location was home to the British ULTRA operation, which was in charge of codebreaking during WWII. This is where the infamous German Enigma machine was finally decoded, allowing the Allies to translate intercepted Axis communications. Additionally, mathematician Alan Turing’s famous decoding invention, called the Bombe, was demonstrated to show how the rate of decryption was increased. Although the mansion and the landscape were beautiful, the “museum” itself did not have much to offer in the way of sights to see. The “huts” were largely reconstructed and only had a few interactive stations set up by projectors. This was slightly disappointing to me, because it felt like there wasn’t really much to see despite all the time we had allotted to tour the grounds that day. The museum certainly interpreted the war as an extremely pressing issue on the people of Great Britain, and they also did an exceptional job of tying in the activities that were occurring at Bletchley Park to the other current events during the wartime era. It was obvious that they took great pride in the fact that the British ULTRA system played a major role in the success of the Allies during WWII, and this is demonstrated through the restoration and preservation efforts that have gone into turning Bletchley Park into a museum for the public and a learning place for curious minds.

Later that day, we found ourselves back at The Swan for another bite to eat. This time, it was the chicken tikka masala that was calling my name, and I was not disappointed. Although the food was wonderful, it was the company of those around me who made the dining experiences at The Swan truly memorable.

 

Friday, May 12^th brought about our most extensive tour yet: The Imperial War Museum in South London. This museum was BY FAR my favorite museum in all of London. I spent two and a half hours in the WWI exhibit, along with a handful of other hardcore history nerds. By that point, most of our group had already been through the entire museum, but the few of us who stuck around continued through the museum and viewed the WWII and Holocaust exhibits afterwards. All in all, we spent about 5 hours in the IWM, but it was completely worth it. The amount of time and effort that went into the WWI exhibit alone was astonishing, it was clear that the curators of that museum and exhibit wanted to convey to the public just how much WWI meant to the Brits and just how much they sacrificed to the war effort in order to emerge victorious. There were hundreds of WWI artifacts, all labeled with detailed descriptions of the item, as well as an occasional personal story behind the item, making it seem more human than just an object. The posters and personal artifacts documented just how involved the British people were with the war effort, from rationing food to buying war bonds to support their troops. The WWII exhibit was interesting as well, but definitely not nearly as in depth as the WWI exhibit, which was surprising to me considering the Brits had been involved in WWII since the start.

The objects on display were bigger and more extreme in the sense that they were harder to acquire, but the WWII exhibit seemed sparse in comparison to the WWI exhibit, which made it seem that the Brits were more actively involved and emotionally invested in WWI than they were in WWII, which we all know is not the case. All together, the IWM did a splendid job of showcasing British involvement in foreign conflicts throughout the years, but the intensity of certain exhibits contrasted dramatically with the somewhat weaker effort of others. All in all, this museum has been my favorite stop yet, and having spent 5 hours inside reading almost every single information bubble, I can say that I left feeling satisfied and full of newfound knowledge.
Our adventure through the museum was followed by lunch at an Italian restaurant in South London, which had one of the most energetic Abba playlists that I have ever experienced. Many laughs were shared, and I think it goes without saying that the meals shared with my friends are quickly becoming my favorite part of this adventure across Europe.

We concluded the day by traveling to the East End of London to go on a Jack the Ripper tour, starting at approximately 7:30pm. However, we first had to make a very important stop – a local chocolate café called the Urban Chocolatier. Here, in a dark, seedy alleyway, lay a hidden gem that many would not give a second thought once viewing its unassuming exterior. Upon entering, we were met with a much different atmosphere – funky lighting fixtures, purple leather booths, and a splatter painted accent wall that dredged up memories of the ever-popular 90’s Dixie Cup pattern. Cautiously optimistic, we placed our orders – one crepe (my order), one waffle, and one donut milkshake. Once our selections were placed on our table, any shred of existing doubt we had harbored against the place vanished almost as quickly as the food on our plates. My only lament about this establishment is the lack of a franchise in the States – if I am ever to have a severe chocoholic craving for a fresh, fluffy crepe drenched in gooey melted Cadbury chocolate, it seems that I will be sorely disappointed and will have to settle for the pathetic excuse for chocolate that we Americans refer to as Hershey’s chocolate.

This out-of-body foodie experience was then followed up by our previously mentioned Jack the Ripper tour, which, despite the 12.50 price tag (in pounds, mind you) was worth every penny. Our guide Jamie was a local and full to the brim of personality, wit, and historical knowledge.

The tour lasted approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, and showed us all of the murder sites of Jack’s 5 victims, as well as some other local historical landmarks, such as the Ten Bells pub and “Diagon Alley”, made popular by the one and only Harry Potter franchise. For a tour that I was initially concerned would be a tourist trap, I was extremely impressed with the information presented to us as well as the quality of the tour itself.

 

All in all, London was an incredible experience that I will never forget. To be in a country that speaks the same language but having the culture be so different was a dynamic that I never expected, but quite enjoyed once I was in London. It was also interesting to see historical buildings and locations that far exceed the age of any historical location in America. My first stop on my European adventure was certainly one to remember, and I can not wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store for me.

Blue Skies and Tailwinds,

Katie

 

*DISCLAIMER: This post was written a few days ago, but just recently published due to editing limitations.