More popularly known for its renown university, Exeter is a city about 4 hours away from London. As mentioned, people from all areas come to Exeter to attend one of UK's top 10 universities, University of Exeter. Therefore it is a city mostly populated with students/young adults. Fun fact; JK Rowling is an alumni of University of Exeter and the architecture of Exeter helped inspire the Harry Potter story.
I visited a few days before Easter break so I mostly saw students with huge luggage getting all excited to head home for their 1 month break. That said, I was able to explore this urban-meets-countryside city with minimal human obstruction. Also, my "living like a local" experience officially starts here as I got to experience shopping at local brands like Primark, Boots and Waitrose. You have no idea how long I have waited for this day to come, after continuously watching those British YouTubers' vlogs for almost a year. I was in mini heaven. Obviously, the company of an old friend, whom I have not seen for almost a year, was also a huge bonus.
What I did:
University of Exeter - As the main purpose of visiting Exeter was to reunite with my dear friend, naturally, I joined her for a day of school. I assumed to be surrounded by red brick buildings and historic architecture but to my surprise, the school is quite new and modern. Moreover the Streatham Campus, where the business faculty is located at, had lush greenery surrounding the school's perimeter. It's simply gorgeous. It's no wonder this campus is described as the "best-gardened campus in Britain".
My friend sure did take advantage of this luxury to wander off into the wilderness as she managed to find a secret hangout spot on the far end of campus. This secluded area was breath-taking. A bed of fluffy white clouds filled the endless blue sky as we overlook into the horizon. It was definitely an amazing spot for us old friends to chat up and have breakfast while enjoying a surreal view of Exeter. Funny story; we were so caught up in taking pictures that my friend's sandwich was blown away by the strong wind and a dog that was passing by ate it! Tragic...
I also visited the St Luke's Campus which housed the sports and sciences faculties. This campus has a more rustic feel to it. I felt like I was walking into a castle. The campus has a huge field in the middle. I can totally imagine groups of students chilling during summer time. I just love how luxurious and spacious the campuses are.
After the hearty meal, shopping for local products was in order. If I had to choose one item to recommend, I highly highly highly recommend the Portlebay popcorn. Not only are the flavours unique; Crispy Bacon & Maple Syrup, Chilli & Lime and Cinnamon Swirl, they are only hand popped in Devon which means they can only be found in the Devon area and are hard to find in other parts of England. It was non-stop eating after the first handful of popcorn, to the point where all five fingers were licked clean when the bag was destroyed! #sorrynotsorry
Waitrose - Waitrose is one of the upmarket supermarkets in England. It offers more interesting options as compared to the others, Tesco. I went straight into grocery heaven when I was in there. European supermarkets are just so different from Asian ones. There are cut fruits and microwaveable food readily available for purchase. It's so convenient. Thankfully I do not live there or else I would spend a fortune every time I grocery shop. What I did purchase was a dessert recommendation from Alfie and Zoella, salted caramel & chocolate pot from Pots & Co. It's basically a ready-made dessert pot that has a reusable ceramic bowl. The presentation is what you would find at a restaurant but I only paid 2 pounds for one pot. The dessert was too sweet for my liking but at least I got to keep that pretty pot. I would say it is very convenient for parties as it can be bought off the shelves. Other than that, I will refrain from it to avoid diabetes.
Boots - It is equivalent to our Guardian/Watsons but bigger and better. They sell almost everything under the sun; from beauty to skincare to electronics. I love that they offer travel size toiletries which Guardian/Watsons lack. It is so much more convenient when packing for a trip. A purchase recommendation from Boots will have to be their disposable film camera. It is super affordable and developing of film can be done instantly. That purchase definitely sparked my interest for film photography.
City Centre - It is a street filled with brands like Urban Outfitters, John Lewis, Jack Wills, Whittard, Waterstone and so much more. It is definitely a shopaholic heaven and a one stop place to get gifts for love ones.
Where I ate:
Georgian TeaRoom - When in England, one can never miss the experience of a traditional afternoon tea. It is definitely a must-do-thing when in England. I was lucky enough to experience it in an original tea room that serves probably the best scones in UK. The reviews on TripAdvisor can vouch for that. Even scones in London cannot be compared to this.
This tea room can be said to be one of the oldest running bed & breakfast place in Devon. The owners are at a ripe old age of 76 and, unfortunately, are looking to retire. So if you are around the area, take time off to visit this place for their scones before they close for good. Their address is 35, High Street, Topsham, Exeter Devon, EX3 0ED, UK.
The quaint tea room is furnished with simple dark wooden furniture paired with floral table cloths. The room was filled with posed and sophisticated elders catching up with dear friends as the fireplace filled the room with warmth. It was as though I stepped back into the Georgian era.
It did not take long for the food to arrive. The golden brown scones paired with homemade jam were presented on beautiful floral hardware. Everything was pleasing to the eye. Best eaten warm, I wasted no time and had my first bite. There was fireworks in my mouth! The crisp-like shell with moist and buttery interior accompanied by the raspberry jam was a party in my mouth. I loved the consistency of the scone and the jam complemented it. Their house tea was equally good. I can assure you I've never tasted anything like that in Singapore. Scones in Singapore are always either too hard that it becomes a cookie or not too buttery to be a scone. As the saying goes, the older the better and the more experienced. You cannot miss this place!
I said it before; as long as one can satisfy my stomach, he/she/it will win my heart. Exeter managed to do that in so many ways. From not knowing what to expect to missing all the amazing food, scenery and company, I will return to Exeter in a heartbeat.
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