Nottingham (Not Nothing-ham)!

Last weekend, I made a long overdue trip to Nottingham to visit Huien! She's been telling me about her life in Nottingham for the past 2+ years and it's just so surreal to finally be there and see the things she's been telling me about and the people she hangs out with (:

Day 1

Arrived in Nottingham at 1150am at Broad Marsh Station where Huien picked me up! We went for lunch at Pitcher & Piano which was located inside a beautifully converted cathedral -a fantastic place to have a lunch because it was so quiet and peaceful, with high ceilings and stained glass on the sides of the walls -niice!


After lunch we made our way to her place which is along Lenton Boulevard -street of Nottingham's students! Apparently the whole street of houses are all lived in by students, which I found really really amazing -to me that was just a mind-boggling thought, whereas to Huien it seemed perfectly normal. Haha. And she lives in a really nice house (with nice housemates)! I've almost forgotten what it's like to live in a real house (okay not that I live in one in Singapore) because everyone I visit in London lives in an apartment. Haha. After dropping my stuff off in her gorgeous room which houses the most comfortable bed in the world, we head off to Nottingham University!

As we went around the university Huien tells me about and shows me all the different places on the campus where she has lessons, where the library is, where people people-watch, the halls, the different places they have to hang out and the different buildings -and what can I say, I'd love to lead a campus life like that (motivation to do further studies in the UK wahaha -if only someone would sponsor me)! I really miss having a campus life where there are loads of spaces to sit down and hang out in -something that's really missing in London campuses (but all the same everyday I'm learning to appreciate UCL's campus because there are more places to hang out now that it's warmer hee). And they have a LAKE!!! Omg EVERY campus should have a lake (reminds me of Chiang Rai Rajabaht Uni's grounds too) -it's gorgeous! :)


As part of Huien's Introduction to Student Life in Nottingham (NL1101E) course she had exciting plans lined up for the night too! So far I've passed 1. Living on Lenton Boulevard, 2. Visiting the campus -but 3. is the tough one -Night out at Ocean, where Nottingham Uni students partay hard especially on Friday nights (those without tickets can queue from 10pm to 1am and not even get in). Huien and friends, in their younger days (year 1), used to visit Ocean every Friday night. Of course now that they are older and wiser they'd rather curl up in the comforts of their house, but it was her friend's Stephanie's birthday so we all headed down to the club.

So within 5 minutes of getting into the club I decided not to speak for the rest of the night because I was trying to say something to Huien's friend but she could not at all hear what I was trying to yell. The place was crazy crowded (refer to picture below -where boys take off their shirts -some never putting them back on throughout the night - at the song I'll be ready) omgg. It is normal to be stepped on/pushed/whacked on the head by people pushing through (or sometimes, people too engrossed in making out) but all the same it was good fun (with good company) with many interesting sights haha. Even though my stamina for these places last only about 2 hours. Whoops. I'm going to try not to step into these places for a long, long, time because I think I'm a little hearing impaired now (I'm listening to my mp3 player at the same volume I always do but it sounds softer somehow)! Haha.


Day 2

Omg I'm getting too lazy to blog so this will be short. Haha. Day 2- Huien brings me into the city centre! We do a bit of shopping but don't last very long due to being slightly exhausted from the night before (my legs were aching like crazy) -goodness me signs of age. Haha. In the Market Square, there is a structure that looks exactly like a miniature version of the London Eye -which apparently Huien and friends think is quite a joke (it is kinda haha) hehh. There is also a building (the Council House) that resembles UCL's Portico!

Skip to highlight of the day - Lee Rosy's Tea Shop! Huien and friends hangout here because it's such a nice place :) And I can understand why they love the place -it's super cosy, with nice lighting, comfortable seats and art-displays on the walls which change every once in a while! There's a rack housing rows and rows of bottles containing tea-leaves which you can open and get a whiff off before you decide on the tea of your choice -and the smells were wonderful! We decided on Jasmine and Flowers which was extremely fragrant and soothing -swooons-. I love tea! Also the apple cake here is very good and I was shocked when Huien bought a slice EACH for us -it is that good! Haha.


Day 3

Touristy day in Notts! Mostly recuperated from the day before so was all fresh to meet the day! And it was such a nice day, with blue skies and the warm sun -I had to take off my coat because it was getting too warm! We took a walk through The Park -which is an extremely nice residential estate where Huien and friends go to spot nice houses -and there really were nice houses there! I'd love to live there. Heh. Imagine -it's a perfect Sunday morning and you wake up in a nice house there and make your way to one of the terraces in your house, sit down on your nice chairs and have a good cup of tea. Ahh. Bliss.


As we walked downhill, we approached Nottingham Castle and... GEOGRAPHERS DELIGHT!! SANDSTONE! ROCKS! WEATHERING! -tries not to hyperventilate- How gorgeous is this? :)


We then head to a pub Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem -established in 1189AD. What's so special about this pub? Well, firstly, it's OLD. Quoting the sign on the wall, "This was the year of ascension to the throne of King Richard the first, known as Richard the Lionheart. Legend has it that the brave knights and men at arms, who rallied to his call to fight in the Third Crusade, gathered at Nottingham Castle before journeying on to Jerusalem". This place is full of legends -some really lame but interesting. Haha. Oh and what else is special about this pub? It is built into a cave in the rocks! So cool can.
We journey on a little further and hit more of medieval England -Robin Hood's statue (in the post below below)! First, I must tell you about my dad. Upon learning I was in Nottingham, the first question he posed to me was, "Did you see Robin Hood??" I swear my dad knows more about England/London than I do. Anyways , my only impression of Robin Hood was from that ridiculous movie Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Hahaha. I really wonder what medieval England is like, it is fascinating but at some point it just doesn't seem real because... I don't know, probably because of what popular culture has done to it :P

Okay anyways sadly, I had to leave in the evening and go back to London to a not-as-comfortable room but oh wells. On the bus back, I saw the most gorgeous sunset -no pictures, but it was a soft glowing red sun which illuminated the whole sky and slowly sank beneath the horizon to give way to the night. :) Nice!

Thank you Huien for hosting me and for providing me with such a wonderful weekend, I really am glad to finally see and experience your life in Nottingham :)


Okay next update will be about... my hot lecturers. haha! Stay tuned.