Week 3 (Jan 19th-25th)

Monday: I watched an Indian film, somewhat in a Bollywood style, called Queen (2014). It had a Westernized theme of someone escaping their personal troubles by going on a European vacation. This film did however convince me that I have to stay in Amsterdam at least a week during one of my trips. I've also wanted to visit there but now I'm convinced I may want to move there.

Tuesday: It was quite boring considering that all I did was do laundry and homework. Also got to sneak in some episodes of Legend of Korra :) Hard not to binge watch everything on British Netflix.

Wednesday: I viewed several interesting films regarding experimental Audio-Visual Criticism. My favorite was by far Fast Film (2003). It was an animation and editing spectacle embodying the essence of cinematic language as well as themes. I would highly recommend watching it via this following link:
Fast Film (2003)

I also had the pleasure to see the musical, The Phantom of the Opera, at Her Majesty's Theatre that night. My seats were great and I hate myself for not seeing this musical until now. For having only seen the silent film from 1925, I thought this show was magnificent! Although I was surprised that the Phantom did not die in the end unlike the original tale haha. I'm quite sure that I will have the songs stuck in my head until next week.

Stage right before the show began

Intermission after the Phantom drops the Chandelier

Minji, Paula, Madelyn, Meghan, Abby, and I

Thursday: I read John Polidori's The Vampire (1819), which is the first romantic vampire novel influenced by the gothic style of The Castle of Otranto. I also enjoyed reading Carmilla, written by J. Sheridan LeFanu in 1872. In class I viewed Byzantium (2012), a British-Irish film regarding a female vampire. I enjoyed this film because, unlike most movies, it gave substance to the female vampire. Most female vampires are strictly displayed as fatal women who have a predatory sexual appetite. Byzantium, however, provided a sufficient back story that explains how Clara, the first female vampire created in this narrative, was driven to vampirism through the demeaning patriarchal society. Her daughter, Eleanor, sees her vampirism as a burden and only kills the elderly whom consent to death. I would say Polidori's The Vampire was a great influence for this movie.

Friday: Had a bit of a lazy day. Some flatmates and I planned a community homemade dinner night with some friends so we all enjoyed some salad, pasta, and 3 tasty chocolates desserts. Of course a great meal cannot be completed without some booze. We played Kings and joined the locals upstairs before they headed off to BOP. They were very nice and good fun. We later started a game of Blackjack with Truth or Dare thrown into the mix and to my misfortune I drank my first dirty pint. I still feel sick to the stomach every time I think about it since it consisted of chocolate pudding, caesar dressing, milk, soy sauce, and crumbled goldfish…. XP Cannot say I will ever take on a dirty pint ever again. Let's just say the next morning was not the least bit pleasant haha

Saturday: After a traumatic awakening and much needed rest, I went into central London for the Jack the Ripper Tour in which some friends and I got tickets for the night. We attempted to eat at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and, not to my surprise, it was extremely busy (I should know better than to go around 5:30 on a Saturday). However, it was still great to see the pub! It felt like I traveled back in time by being in there. I will go back Wednesday for their steak and ale pie and without a doubt a couple pints :) Since time was cutting short we had to grab a quick bit a McDonald's…

The Jack the Ripper tour was phenomenal! Our guide, Lindsey, is a Ripperologist and has written several notable works and has conducted interesting research on the case, particularly regarding the suspect Sir William Gull (a royal physician and surgeon). We walked around the Whitechapel area and visited the murder sites for each of the Ripper's victims as well as the 10 Bells and Christ Church Spitalfields. Lindsey concluded our tour at Catherine Eddowes' murder site at Mitre Square and spoke of the recent DNA research done on a shawl she wore as she was murdered. Her friend and fellow Ripperologist purchased the shawl and tested it in hopes of proving it was the butcher, Aaron Kosminski. At first it was concluded that the DNA matched using living relatives to both Eddowes and Kosminski. Now it is proven that there was a substantial error in the DNA test and the identity of Jack the Ripper is again a mystery.

Horrible photo of the 10 Bells where Jack the Ripper's victims regularly drank. I need to have a drink there myself soon, especially since Johnny Depp has been there for From Hell (2001)  :)

Christ Church Spitalfields across from the 10 Bells

Now the takeaway area for the Happy Days Fish and Chips Shop, this area was the archway the held one of the most vital clues in the Jack the Ripper case. It was here where the famous chalk sentence "The Juwes Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing" was written along with a bloody piece of apron in which the Ripper cleaned his knife after murdering Elizabeth Stride. 

Catherine Eddowes' murder site at Mitre Square

Sunday: Yet again another lazy day but I will begin to research for my World Cinemas and Modern Vampire essays today. Hate that these assignments are already due in three weeks :/ but this whole trip was to study abroad, not a vacation.