Jon In England: On the road again..

The life I love is makin' music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again.

¬Willie Nelson

6/24/10

Today I woke up very early. Partially because I wanted to pack and get ready for Wales, but even more so because of how close to the North Pole England is. As if getting used to GMT wasn’t enough of a hassle, now I have to deal with a sun that sets at 9:30 PM and begins to rise at 4:30 AM (seriously). I can only imagine what its like in Scandinavia right now.

After breakfast in my International Comparative Entertainment Law Class, we had an entertainment lawyer from London come in as a guest speaker. Topics included forum shopping, the Max Mosely case (which we discussed in class earlier and his firm defended the plaintiff), alternative billing, and ethics in entertainment law among others. This is an absolutely incredible course, I’m really enjoying learning about rights of privacy and publicity and how some countries (unlike USA) guarantee a right of reputation.

My course in International Comparative Media law has turned out to be quite interesting as well. The professor at times can be a little difficult to understand over his Korean accent but he is extremely knowledgeable and has inspired an interest in a subject I cared little about before coming to London. All topics have stemmed from the First Amendment’s right of freedom of the press as compared to various international human rights charters and treaties that guarantee a similar right or privilege. When I began this course I thought I would be learning about FCC regulations but the focus has been on constitutional law subjects which when it comes to media are particularly interesting in the Internet era.

After class I made my way to the Victoria Coach Station and grabbed a steak Cornish pasty for the journey to Cardiff. The bus ride is 3 hours and costs only 9 pounds which is especially nice here is 1.19 pounds a liter or $6.03 a gallon. The bus is pretty nice, not crowded and there is a bathroom on board. Cant complain. The ride through the streets of London was the first time I was driven around the city and was lovely little tour of Westminster and Chelsea. The Chelsea embankment along the Thames is particularly scenic.

I’m now an hour out of London and I’m still not used to people driving in what in the US would be the passenger seat. Though I’ve gotten used to people driving on the other side of the road, I was still caught off guard by a sleeping passenger that for an instant looked as if he was driving the car. At least to me he did. I wonder what cars look like for student drivers?

I take this free time to finish reading “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.” The ending was inspirational but the afterword but a somber mood on the trip to Cardiff because in it we learn about how the author’s son was stabbed to death. It put me on edge for this new city I was about to visit. I read a few poems by Dylan Thomas and before I know it I have arrived in Cardiff. First impression is that of a preserved historic city with industrial aspects sprinkled in. The city is nestled in a valley between several hills and no road is completely flat. Cant wait to see the hostel.

Nos Da (the hostel) is utterly incredible! It has beautiful views of Cardiff, a great location, and unbelievable amenities and vibes. The pictures will have to speak for themselves. I drop off my things and walk to Cardiff bay on the Taff Trail along the river Taff trying a Brains (the Welsh equivalent of a Guinness) along the way at the Mischief cafe while watching a little bit of the Denmark-Japan match.

I explored Cardiff bay saw the Millennium Centre (the premier Welsh Opera/Classical Music hall), a famous Norwegian Church, the Piernhead building (some government building) the Roald Dahl (who apparently is from Cardiff) plaza and stop at Eli Jenkins (a pub) to try the bitter variety of Brains instead of the smooth which I had last time. I then grab a meal at Wagamama (a ramen place) at the Mermaid Quay (a shopping/restaurant area in Cardiff bay that reminded me of Baltimore harbor) before heading back to Nos Da, which means good night in Welsh. When I return I try the Brains stout at the hostel bar (my favorite one so far), look up some maps of the Breccon Beacons, and have a shot of Toffac (northern Wales toffee vodka, and a fine spirit) before going to bed.