Postcard from...The British Museum, London.

The British Museum

 Hi Jim sensei,

We had a chance to visit The British Museum. It was so interesting to see objects from the ancient period. We were lucky to have sunshine earlier today! (Beautiful picture isn't it?) The temperature is much lower than that in Berlin. It was like late autumn.

Tomoko & Reiko

Hinata's country guide to - The UK

 

Hinata's UK travel plan

Canterbury cathedral

First, I will fly to London. Then, I will take a train east to Canterbury, because I want to see the cathedral.Thomas Becket was murdered in the cathedral in 1170 after quarrelling with his former friend, King Henry II.

Cambridge

Next day, I will take a train north to Cambridge, because I want to visit this university. I took the Cambridge English exam in Matsumoto. Then, I will take a train north to Sheffield, because I want to visit this city hall. Sheffield is famous for steel and engineering. My English teacher comes from there.

Snowdon Mountain Railway

After that, I will take a train west to Llanberis in Wales, because I want to take a steam train, up the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Edinburgh

The day after, I will take a train to Scotland and visit the capital, Edinburgh. There is a Festival every year and also the Military Tattoo. Finally I will visit Aberdeen, because I want to have a look around the university, and then fly back to London from Dyce Airport.

by Hinata

Sayuri's trip to London - Notting Hill inspired!

Platform  93⁄4 , St. Pancras

When I arrived at St. Pancras station by Eurostar with my husband, it was almost 8pm. We were deadly tired as the Eurostar was delayed and we had to stand in a long queue over 4 hours at Gare du Nord in Paris.

Right next to St. Pancras station there was Kings Cross station where we could see the famous 93⁄4 plat form. We enjoyed watching many people paid and took photos there. We bought some chocolate frogs(didn’t move!) and the Bertie Bott`s Every Flavour Beans. By the time we were quite happy and forgot about our stressful journey from Paris.

We stayed at a nice hotel near Waterloo station and had comfortable 3 nights.

double-decker bus on Westminster Bridge, in front of Big Ben

Their elevators spoke to us"Doors closing" but it sounded like "George Clooney" to my husband. So everytime we were on the elevator, we said "George Clooney" to the closing doors.

Every morning we got up early and had very good almost full English breakfast and started walking along River Thames. There were lots to see. One of the interesting things was the nursery rhyme under the London Bridge. When we walked through under the London Bridge in dark, we heard the famous melody in girl's spooky voice. That made our blood run cold.

We also went to Notting Hill and saw the travel book shop where the film was shot. It was not a book shop anymore and they sold lots of things for tourists like us, though we didn't buy anything there.

Now the art exhibition of the British National Gallery was to have been on in Tokyo but the art museum is closed because of the nasty virus corona. We really hope this world crisis comes to the end somehow and sometime soon. We still looking forward to seeing many fine arts which we enjoyed very much in London. Those will be good reminders of our lovely days in London.

a lion in dawn we started walking that early in the morning

the travel book shop in Notting Hill

Posted for Sayuri

More thoughts on my trip to England

The City of London skyline 

I found many things about England through this trip.

England is a racial melting pot. The air of London is stale. Many people in London use bikes for commuting.

There aren't any high mountains in England. The underground in London is smaller than Tokyo's. There are so many Chinese tourists in London & the Cotswolds.

When we were driving on the motorway, we can see many Japanese cars, but German cars are large.

In England people drive on the left. In the morning & evening, London has traffic jams. London is a very busy city.

Post offices in London sell sweets & stationery.

There are old & new buildings in London, and new buildings are now under construction.

Keep Left

In London they are parking on one side of the road, in high-class residential areas too.

Prices in London are higher than Tokyo.

Takeyo

Postcard from...London, England.

Dear Mr. George-sensei,

I am here in London. Very exciting city.

Yesterday I rode British Pullman. There, I met British Gentleman and his smart wife.

An today visited Cotswolds, I saw beautful old styled thatched cottage.

I have to go back to Japan two days after. I want to come back again. Bon (cat's name) is waiting for our back.

From Takeyo

After-reading - A trip to England

I visited to England in October from 10th to 17th 2014, with my friend Junko. It was JTB (travel agent) group tour. Fright was Virgin Atlantic from Narita to Heathrow. We stayed 2 days in Manchester, next 2 days were in Coventry, last 2 days were in London. The first day We went to Haworth in Yorkshire. Bronte sisters are famous. We visited their home and walked the town. felt nostalgia. Old drugstore I bought mint soups. It was nice. and moved to The Lake District. There were very beautiful area. We could take a ship in Windermere Lake. We went for walked lakeside, and went to Peter Rabbit 's shop. I bought a picture book for my doughter. Of couse the weather changed to rain.

Next day We moved Liverpool. visited Liverpool Cathedral. and went to The Cavern Club. When The Beatles were not famous they played here everynight, the stage still now and visited Chester Cathedral. We bought souvenir at the Rows. The Rows were very old a two-story building. Street was very nice!

Next day We moved Cotswolds visited three small villages. William Morris said 'Here is most beautiful village in England' to Bilberry. Still now beautiful. And moved to Stratford-upon-Avon. We could visit the Shakespeare's house.The day was raining, so we took a rest in the tea shop during freetime. After dinner we went to Tesco near the hotel, it was big supermaket. Enjoyed shopping! Next day we visited the Roman Bath, World Heritage and saw Stonehenge too! There were mysterious and miraculous stones. Before I watched some photo, people touched stones, but now we could not touch with ropes.

Last was London! we visited British Museum. There were many artistic goods from all over the world. Very exciting! And watched Bigben, Westminster Abbey. We had a plan to afternoon tea in the Orangery Kensington palace, but restrant had another reservation. It was very sorry to us, too bad! We changed another hotel's tea. Palace's museum shop was very interesting. We bought Prince George's memorial plates for sale! This afternoon we went to Liberty shop, Junko love making handcraft, a desire to go! We enjoyed shopping in Regent Street. We wanted to go Harrods but no time to went and we wanted to stay more one day in London! Almost night we went to hotel's Bar  drank local draft beer. Very very good England beer! Hotel's breakfast were very nice and we could eat Roastbeef, Fish and chips, cottage pie, afternoon tea. We enjoyed English foods. I think trip is enrich our life. England travel was good experience for me!

Posted for Yoko

After reading - a trip to England

I visited England about 20 years old with my husband. First we went to London, next day we went to lake district.

When we stayed B and B in the lake district we walked around the lake, town, and country side. There were very beautiful gardens and flowers.

Then we went to York. We went York cathedral. There is a helitage under the cathedral!

I can't forget the pizza!! We ate the pizza in York old street. It was wonderful! It was the best pizza in my life!

We walked around the Roman wall of York. So we came back to London and watched London town shopping Bond Street, and New Bond street is very exciting! Because there are many brand shops! (But I don;t have enough money)

My daughter is going to go to England 2 years later. I want to she enjoy and study many things of England.

Posted for Misuzu

Multicultural London - a personal report

I used the bus to go to the museum

I lived in London for four years about 5 years ago. There I felt that London is a very generous city. It accepts the immigrants from other counties.

The school I used to go to was called "Old Oak". There were students from more than 30 different counties, including me from Japan. We looked different, we had different colored skins, we had a variety of religions, but we had no discrimination. There was respect between each other. When I started to go to the school I couldn't speak English, but a lot of students took me to the play ground and taught me how to play football. I couldn't understand what they are saying, but I was very happy with their politeness.

 My best friends were from Afghanistan, Sudan, London and Morocco. People living in my street were from America, China, Sudan, Ghana and Iraq. I ate lots of different kinds of food, learnt about a lot of different cultures and religions.

John Perryn Primary School, East Acton (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I think it will be a difficult thing in Japan to welcome immigrants who can't speak Japanese because the Japanese are shy, skeptical and conservative. In this way, I think Japan should imitate London's multiculturalism. Japan would be a more interesting and exciting place.

By Takuro

Love or Money - Your two favourite characters

Jackie was a tall,fat woman, and she was thirty years old. She lived in Molly's house with Molly but she didn't like Molly, Because she wanted to marry to Tom Briggs but Molly said no. So she killed Molly with sleeping tablets in hot milk. And she put the empty bottle in Diane's bag.

Diane was twenty years old,and she was a good singer but could never get work. She lived in London,in one room of big house, and she wanted to go to America. So she wanted money. She always got money from her father. But she never got money from him recently because he died. She didn't like Molly because Molly killed him.

Posted for Reiko

Postcard from...Stonehenge, England

Dear Jim,

How's doing?

I hope your everything alright. I spent a couple of day in London, and I think London is one of the best city where I've ever been. People in there are very kind like you.

See you next class.

Hirofumi

After reading - My homestay life in London (Part 1)

Day one.

Not something I would want for dinner

London is the biggest city in UK. I stayed in a house there.

There were three people in the family. Mike father, 40 years old, Jane, mother, she was 35 years old, and their son Daniel, he was 10 years old. And I was a new member of their family.

They were all very friendly. Also they were my English teacher. Each of them spoke in nice English. But at first I couldn't understand their English well.

In the evening I ate bread and butter pudding for dinner. They liked that food very much. It was great and delicious. Jane phoned them to a local restaurant and they brought the food to their house.

Mike and Jane are working, and they can't cook large meals in the evenings. So take-away meals from fast food restaurants are very popular now, they said.

We talked a lot about British food in the past and now. After that I changed some presents from Japan.

I helped clear the table with them.

Posted for Mine

Rui's trip back to London

I went to London 2 Fridays ago. We flew from Haneda to London. It took 11 hours on ANA. We had Paella for dinner. I saw Captain America , Hunger Games and more. 

We stayed in Hilton near the airport for 1 night, then we went to an apartment near my old school. After that  my mum went to see her old friend and me, my dad and my brother went to shopping in Brent Cross. We bought books, a school uniform for my school. 

In my best day I went to my old school and surprised all of my class. They were very  happy to see me. At school I played and watched a movie. I was very happy to see my friends again. After that We did barbecue with are class because it was end of year. I also had sleep over with my best friends. We went to a park and played football. 

We went to Harrods for some shopping but it was so so so boring ! Nandos was better. English food is rubbish compared to Japanese. 

I want to come back to London soon because my best friend is there. I enjoyed my trip a lot !

(Written by Rui on his cool iPad mini!)

Postcard from London

Hi Jim,

I have arrived in London.
It is very hot in London.
Is Matsumoto hot?

Tomorrow I am going to my school.

from Rui

Postcard from ...London

Hi!

Jim, I'm back.

Shall we have a pint?

Susumu

Matsumoto information - history & activities

Matsumoto-jo(castle) / 松本城(まつもとじょう) (Photo credit: TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋))

Dear Hannah,

It's great that you are coming to Matsumoto. It's a more beautiful city than London, and it's less historical than London. It's in central Nagano, in central Japan, about three hours by car, train and bus from Tokyo.

There is a castle in Matsumoto. I think it's one of the most historic buildings in Japan, so a lot of people from other prefectures visit it every year. Matsumoto is surrounded by mountains, so it is famous for skiing in winter.

When you come to Matsumoto, please tell me soon.

Love, Miku xxx

Postcard from...London

Hello! All.

I enjoy petit Life in London.

The weather is ...so-so...lol.
I see the sights of the London city here and there every day! I walk so much...so...I'm tired a little...lol.

See you in class.

Miyako

Maho's London Bubblr