Up and at 'em early again this morning!
We headed out on the tube again (I'm actually getting pretty good at it!) and went to the British Library. I am a huge book nerd, and a huge history nerd, so the fact that they house a giant collection of old books had me totally nerding out. I saw the Magna Carta, which was pretty much fabulous, and looked at some Shakespeare folios and such. Just so much booky awesomeness. YAY!
After that we walked to the British Museum, which also fed my inner history nerd. Speaking of food, I had lunch at the cafe there that made Jayme a bit happy: I got fruit and salad! Yay vitamins! I did have bread too (which was AWESOME) but I also had yummy salad greens with balsamic vinegar and fresh pineapple and pure orange juice - so many more organic options and such over here!!
So from there I had to pick and choose because we only had a couple of hours to go through this enormous museum. I had to see the Elgian Marbles and the Rosetta Stone and mummies and other ancient Egypt stuff and the Bog Man, so I power-walked through most of the place and I did see the Rosetta Stone and mummies and the Bog Man, but I'm not sure if I saw the Elgian marbles. I saw a bunch of things that I thought were the marbles, but I never actually saw a sign so I'm going to have to look it up and see if I actually saw them or not. I hope I did because the FSEM I was the writing assistant for talked extensively about Greek history.
And after that, it was time for the Tower of London!! We didn't have a lot of time there either, but I got to see the crown jewels and do my Moriarty imitation and do some more shopping. Fun times!
After that, we went to Asa Briggs Hall at Richmond University to meet with Maria and some other students at her university. It was cool to hear about what they've experienced being students studying abroad, and afterwards Cara and Maria and I went back to her dorm to hang out, where she is graciously letting us bum off of her internet.
And oh my goodness, the three of us hanging out is EPIC. So. Much. Amazing. You wouldn't even believe it. These videos are going to be wonderful.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Day 9 - LONDON!, Tate Britain, Piccadilly Circus
LONDON!!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!
I knew I would like this city when I got off the tube at Earl's Court and there was a TARDIS right freaking there!!! AHH!!! And our hotel is absolutely fabulous: small but nice and cozy with separate beds and a bathroom per room and a BATHTUB with JACUZZI JETS and a TV and a refrigerator in the room and just....wow. I feel like I've fallen into the lap of luxury. The only thing is that the internet is super expensive here, hence this being up a day late.
So after a quick lunch and a TARDIS picture taking session, we jumped on the tube (surprisingly not as intimidating as I'd feared) and went to the Tate Britain to view some landscape-y type paintings by Turner, as well as the pre-Raphaelite exhibit. (Which was interesting considering we viewed that famous portrait of Ophelia drowning and the lady who posed for it in a bathtub for months got really sick from that and later that night I took a bath instead of a shower and thought of Ophelia) I was the nerd who took too many notes when they told us to take notes, but it's fine.
From there, we took a boat up the Thames and went to Piccadilly Circus and holy cow is that place insane. Sooooo many people. Little intimidating. But it was okay, because I MET MARIA IN REAL LIFE!! And she is just as amazing in person as online and we had fantastic conversations and just hung out and it was WONDERFUL. And apparently we're like the same person, because when she walked me back to the hotel to meet some of the rest of the group, Erica and Sarah B immediately started commenting on how we had the same voice and mannerisms and facial expressions and such, so that was also kind of fantastic.
Basically everything thus far has been brilliant.
I LOVE LONDON!!!!!
I knew I would like this city when I got off the tube at Earl's Court and there was a TARDIS right freaking there!!! AHH!!! And our hotel is absolutely fabulous: small but nice and cozy with separate beds and a bathroom per room and a BATHTUB with JACUZZI JETS and a TV and a refrigerator in the room and just....wow. I feel like I've fallen into the lap of luxury. The only thing is that the internet is super expensive here, hence this being up a day late.
So after a quick lunch and a TARDIS picture taking session, we jumped on the tube (surprisingly not as intimidating as I'd feared) and went to the Tate Britain to view some landscape-y type paintings by Turner, as well as the pre-Raphaelite exhibit. (Which was interesting considering we viewed that famous portrait of Ophelia drowning and the lady who posed for it in a bathtub for months got really sick from that and later that night I took a bath instead of a shower and thought of Ophelia) I was the nerd who took too many notes when they told us to take notes, but it's fine.
From there, we took a boat up the Thames and went to Piccadilly Circus and holy cow is that place insane. Sooooo many people. Little intimidating. But it was okay, because I MET MARIA IN REAL LIFE!! And she is just as amazing in person as online and we had fantastic conversations and just hung out and it was WONDERFUL. And apparently we're like the same person, because when she walked me back to the hotel to meet some of the rest of the group, Erica and Sarah B immediately started commenting on how we had the same voice and mannerisms and facial expressions and such, so that was also kind of fantastic.
Basically everything thus far has been brilliant.
I LOVE LONDON!!!!!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Day 8 - Stowe Garden
So this garden was HUGE. I mean, Stourhead was big, but this one was crazy. The day started off really cold and rainy and windy, so I couldn't use my umbrella and thus my coat proved itself more than worthy! I love my new rain coat, and it was worth every pence! It makes me feel all official too, like a tour guide or something. Also my new jeans kept me surprisingly warm so yay for that!
We spent about an hour and a half going around on the paths looking at all the temples and bridges and statues and cool lines of sight and sheep and big rolling hills and ponds and gorgeousness that defied the rain and wind. And after a while, the rain and wind sort of died out. It was still chilly, but not so bad. After that, we went to the cafe to eat lunch and warm up. I had packed chicken lunch meat, two croissants, a bag of red grapes, and a juice box with orange juice in it. Yes, something besides bread and cheese. Mostly because Jayme is afraid I'm going to die of rickets or something. Hence fruit.
After lunch, we had a class meeting and two of my classmates gave their presentations. We discussed the various architecture styles and influences we had seen, and then we were allowed to go to the gift shop or return to the gardens until we met back at the bus to leave at 4. Cara and I went and did some shopping in the gift shop (including stuff for my mother who is my most faithful reader of this blog, I do believe), and then we went out to the far edge of the garden to go to a place called the Circle of the Dancing Faun. Because you don't see a place like that on a map and not visit it. Because we were under a time crunch, we took a lot of shortcuts off the path and through the grass, but it's a garden meant for picnicking and playing so I doubt anyone really minded. We also cut through part of the sheep pasture, which was funny because earlier when we were headed back to lunch we were baa-ing back at the sheep and Ally wondered aloud if we were using sheep curse words and then we started wondering what sheep insults would be. I came up with "Your mother has a thin coat of wool!" and Cara came up with "Whatcha growin' over there, polyester?"
When we finally got to the Circle of the Dancing Faun, it was less epic than we'd hoped. The actual statue of the dancing faun was gone, but we stood in the middle of the area and recorded ourselves doing a bit of dancing so it was okay. In our haste to get back to the bus, we decided to cut across the Grecian Valley, and we frolicked through it. Yes, frolicked. And we called the professors on our way back to give them a heads up that we were in fact on our way. We were only a few minutes late, and when we met up with the one professor who'd hung back to meet us at the reception place so we wouldn't think everyone had left without us, the other professor who was already on the bus stopped me as I got on and told me he'd gotten something for me - it was a greeting card with cartoon Daleks on it!! It's fantastic and I adore it and he is so nice! Cara and I had gotten something called "stick of rock" candy that was essentially like a fat, fruity, straight candy cane. They were delicious, and we ate them on the bus ride back to the hostel. So despite the weather, quite a fantastic day!!
Now I'm sitting here on my top bunk (yes Kayla - I have begun braving the top bunk!) and working on catching up on some journaling assignments. A lot of people are going out to clubs or pubs to celebrate the dual birthdays of two of our classmates, and I may or may not join them. I don't drink so I would just stand there and talk, but it's going to depend on how social I'm feeling. I may just stay in and read Frankenstein. Also the clubs around here are more intimidating than the ones in Bath, so there's that. Eh, we'll see.
But guess what everybody?!
LONDON TOMORROW MORNING!!!! I get to meet my friend Maria in person and see police boxes and Baker Street!!! EXCITEMENT!!!
We spent about an hour and a half going around on the paths looking at all the temples and bridges and statues and cool lines of sight and sheep and big rolling hills and ponds and gorgeousness that defied the rain and wind. And after a while, the rain and wind sort of died out. It was still chilly, but not so bad. After that, we went to the cafe to eat lunch and warm up. I had packed chicken lunch meat, two croissants, a bag of red grapes, and a juice box with orange juice in it. Yes, something besides bread and cheese. Mostly because Jayme is afraid I'm going to die of rickets or something. Hence fruit.
After lunch, we had a class meeting and two of my classmates gave their presentations. We discussed the various architecture styles and influences we had seen, and then we were allowed to go to the gift shop or return to the gardens until we met back at the bus to leave at 4. Cara and I went and did some shopping in the gift shop (including stuff for my mother who is my most faithful reader of this blog, I do believe), and then we went out to the far edge of the garden to go to a place called the Circle of the Dancing Faun. Because you don't see a place like that on a map and not visit it. Because we were under a time crunch, we took a lot of shortcuts off the path and through the grass, but it's a garden meant for picnicking and playing so I doubt anyone really minded. We also cut through part of the sheep pasture, which was funny because earlier when we were headed back to lunch we were baa-ing back at the sheep and Ally wondered aloud if we were using sheep curse words and then we started wondering what sheep insults would be. I came up with "Your mother has a thin coat of wool!" and Cara came up with "Whatcha growin' over there, polyester?"
When we finally got to the Circle of the Dancing Faun, it was less epic than we'd hoped. The actual statue of the dancing faun was gone, but we stood in the middle of the area and recorded ourselves doing a bit of dancing so it was okay. In our haste to get back to the bus, we decided to cut across the Grecian Valley, and we frolicked through it. Yes, frolicked. And we called the professors on our way back to give them a heads up that we were in fact on our way. We were only a few minutes late, and when we met up with the one professor who'd hung back to meet us at the reception place so we wouldn't think everyone had left without us, the other professor who was already on the bus stopped me as I got on and told me he'd gotten something for me - it was a greeting card with cartoon Daleks on it!! It's fantastic and I adore it and he is so nice! Cara and I had gotten something called "stick of rock" candy that was essentially like a fat, fruity, straight candy cane. They were delicious, and we ate them on the bus ride back to the hostel. So despite the weather, quite a fantastic day!!
Now I'm sitting here on my top bunk (yes Kayla - I have begun braving the top bunk!) and working on catching up on some journaling assignments. A lot of people are going out to clubs or pubs to celebrate the dual birthdays of two of our classmates, and I may or may not join them. I don't drink so I would just stand there and talk, but it's going to depend on how social I'm feeling. I may just stay in and read Frankenstein. Also the clubs around here are more intimidating than the ones in Bath, so there's that. Eh, we'll see.
But guess what everybody?!
LONDON TOMORROW MORNING!!!! I get to meet my friend Maria in person and see police boxes and Baker Street!!! EXCITEMENT!!!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Day 7 - Oxford
Today we went on a walking tour of Oxford and learned more about William Morris and his many many works. We got to look at a lot of really cool architecture and learn about how the colleges within the University of Oxford work. We also went into an old library where Morris and some friends did some kind of awful fresco paintings - they had no idea what they were doing and they did them super fast. It's amazing that they've survived at all. The walking tour was nice, and our pub lunch was pretty cool. We went to a place called the Eagle and Child, which apparently is where Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to meet up and eat and talk about big awesome important things. Also the booth we sat in had a plaque on the wall about what I assume is the meeting place of some sort of Doctor Who fan club. I will have to upload pictures and do a little research to figure out what was going on, but it looked awesome and contained the phrase "time streams permitting."
After a class meeting, we had a free afternoon. Cara and I went shopping at a mall in Oxford and I FINALLY got some jeans and a jacket! It was a heck of process due to the different sizing system and a couple of less than pleasant interactions (everybody seemed to be having an icky day - the weather started out nice but then got really rainy and cold and miserable and even hailed at one point), but I finally got some jeans that fit niiiiiiice and a jacket that should repel water. We will see. The jeans were pretty cheap, but the jacket was way more than I wanted to pay once I converted it into my head into American money. Ouch. But with the amount of rain and wind here, it will probably be worth it. Also it should last, so there's that. And I have my super attractive affordable jeans, so that too. So yay!
Tomorrow, Stowe.
After a class meeting, we had a free afternoon. Cara and I went shopping at a mall in Oxford and I FINALLY got some jeans and a jacket! It was a heck of process due to the different sizing system and a couple of less than pleasant interactions (everybody seemed to be having an icky day - the weather started out nice but then got really rainy and cold and miserable and even hailed at one point), but I finally got some jeans that fit niiiiiiice and a jacket that should repel water. We will see. The jeans were pretty cheap, but the jacket was way more than I wanted to pay once I converted it into my head into American money. Ouch. But with the amount of rain and wind here, it will probably be worth it. Also it should last, so there's that. And I have my super attractive affordable jeans, so that too. So yay!
Tomorrow, Stowe.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Day 6 - Kelmscott Manor, Uffington White Horse, Waylland Smithy
This will have to be another quick post, since I'm still getting over yesterday's fever and I'm on a professor's iPad again. Yes, mother, I had a fever but I'm fine and both professors have been looking after me. It's all good!
This morning was a bit later of a start, but the breakfast milk was warm and skim so I stuck with toast which was weird because I ALWAYS have milk and cereal for breakfast. But it's cool, I lived. Our first stop then was William Morris' country hem at Kelmscott Manor. It's a gorgeous place with beautiful architecture out in the middle of the country and I adore it. I kinda want to move to Kelmscott now. We toured the house with all its amazing textiles and did some sketching. I chose to draw a stairwell, and it actually turned out pretty nicely. We also had lunch there, which consisted of cheese hunks, bread and butter, and salad. Yay for Sarah food! It was fancy and simple at the same time and looked lovely. I did take a picture. Before we left, I also got my first up close picture of a horse in England which made me ridiculously excited!
After Kelmscott, we drove to the Uffington White Horse. Well, we drove to the car park. Then we hiked up the hill. It was insanely windy up there and TONS of fun - we all posed on the hill and held out our jackets like flying squirrels and we actually got some lift going on! The horse looked really cool, and then the walk and conversation to the smithy was fantastic. The smithy itself was really cool too - something like 5500 years old and just this really interesting Neolithic burial ground. It's incredible that it's still standing. Dinner was at a pub tonight, and consisted of me and Cara and Erica and Paul and Jayme. Absolutely great, hilarious conversation, and I had a cheese toasty and chips and pancakes with ice cream for dessert - I don't normally like pancakes, but it sounded really good and it WAS! Yum!! Great day! More tomorrow!
This morning was a bit later of a start, but the breakfast milk was warm and skim so I stuck with toast which was weird because I ALWAYS have milk and cereal for breakfast. But it's cool, I lived. Our first stop then was William Morris' country hem at Kelmscott Manor. It's a gorgeous place with beautiful architecture out in the middle of the country and I adore it. I kinda want to move to Kelmscott now. We toured the house with all its amazing textiles and did some sketching. I chose to draw a stairwell, and it actually turned out pretty nicely. We also had lunch there, which consisted of cheese hunks, bread and butter, and salad. Yay for Sarah food! It was fancy and simple at the same time and looked lovely. I did take a picture. Before we left, I also got my first up close picture of a horse in England which made me ridiculously excited!
After Kelmscott, we drove to the Uffington White Horse. Well, we drove to the car park. Then we hiked up the hill. It was insanely windy up there and TONS of fun - we all posed on the hill and held out our jackets like flying squirrels and we actually got some lift going on! The horse looked really cool, and then the walk and conversation to the smithy was fantastic. The smithy itself was really cool too - something like 5500 years old and just this really interesting Neolithic burial ground. It's incredible that it's still standing. Dinner was at a pub tonight, and consisted of me and Cara and Erica and Paul and Jayme. Absolutely great, hilarious conversation, and I had a cheese toasty and chips and pancakes with ice cream for dessert - I don't normally like pancakes, but it sounded really good and it WAS! Yum!! Great day! More tomorrow!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Day 5 - Oxford: Bodleian Library, Ashmolean Museum
Quick post today since I'm on a professor's computer and other people want to borrow it!
Took a train to Oxford this morning (100 mph - I want to bring one of these back with me), and grabbed a quick lunch before we went to the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. We got to see the room where they filmed the infirmary in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and a bunch of books that haven't moved from their shelves in 400 years. Nerd heaven!
Afterwards we walked to the Ashmolean Museum which had tons of early history artifacts from places like Greece, Egypt, Iran, etc. Nerd heaven! I got to see Priam's Treasure from the excavation of Troy, which is something David Anderson talked about in the FSEM class that he taught and I was the WA for, so that was extra cool. No sketching assignment today, just journaling and reading, which is great because I am soaked and cold and overtired again. Early to bed, I think. Tomorrow I'm hopefully off to do some shopping and get a second pair of jeans and some kind of waterproof coat!
Took a train to Oxford this morning (100 mph - I want to bring one of these back with me), and grabbed a quick lunch before we went to the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. We got to see the room where they filmed the infirmary in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and a bunch of books that haven't moved from their shelves in 400 years. Nerd heaven!
Afterwards we walked to the Ashmolean Museum which had tons of early history artifacts from places like Greece, Egypt, Iran, etc. Nerd heaven! I got to see Priam's Treasure from the excavation of Troy, which is something David Anderson talked about in the FSEM class that he taught and I was the WA for, so that was extra cool. No sketching assignment today, just journaling and reading, which is great because I am soaked and cold and overtired again. Early to bed, I think. Tomorrow I'm hopefully off to do some shopping and get a second pair of jeans and some kind of waterproof coat!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Day 4 - Stourhead Garden, Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury Tor
New definition of cold and wet and tired has been achieved, but it's been a good day all in all.
Another early morning, with our butts in the bus seats at 8 am. Our first stop was the Stourhead Garden, which is this super epic English garden from the late 1700s with a bridge and a lake and two temples and a couple of grottos and a waterfall and four story high rhododendrons. It's just enormous and calming and gorgeous. I learned that they actually used to hire a hermit to live there to make it more picturesque. Where do I apply?! Dream job, I think so!!!!
We had lunch there, and I had planned on buying something from the cafeteria, but it was all fancy food and there was no Sarah food to be found. I had two apples, an orange juice, and a bag of salt and vinegar crisps in my bag, so I figured I would just eat that. But one of the professors came over looking concerned and told me that I could probably just get some bread and cheese and that the staff there was very accomodating. He said he didn't want me fainting of hunger. He's so nice. As was the staff: the very easily got me a piece of the bread that normally just wen with the soup, as well as a piece of cheese. Well, I asked for a piece of cheese. What they gave me was a hunk. No joke. The English do not mess about with their cheese. It was like the size of half a paperback book and like a half inch thick. Craziness. But also deliciousness!!
After lunch we got back on the bus and went out to Glastonbury, where we toured the remains of the abbey there, and saw where King Arthur's remains were supposedly buried. If we had had more time, there was a bird of prey sanctuary that had a tent set up on the grounds (random, I know) and for £2 you could hold an owl or a falcon or something. Much warmer on these grounds than it had been at Tintern, so sketching was far more pleasant this time around. It was another gorgeous haunting site that I managed to get many pictures of, despite fighting a dying camera battery.
After we finished touring the ruins, we made an epic and grueling hike up the Glastonbury Tor, which is this unbelievably enormous hill with the ruins of a church on top. It's hard to do it justice without pictures, so you'll just have to wait til I can upload some. Let's just say that you can see for absolutely miles and it takes your breath away. And not just because of the hike. We also got to see a double rainbow and a herd of sheep that grazed alongside us as we walked back down.
We got lucky and it only started pouring when we got off the Tor and headed back to the bus. Of course, that was small comfort when, even with an umbrella, I got soaked to the skin. At least my feet were dry. Yay hiking boots!!
Tonight is our last night in Bath and tomorrow morning we head to Oxford, so I'll have to figure out the internet situation there and it might be a day or two before I can post again. Just a heads up!
Until then....
I LOVE ENGLAND! :)
Another early morning, with our butts in the bus seats at 8 am. Our first stop was the Stourhead Garden, which is this super epic English garden from the late 1700s with a bridge and a lake and two temples and a couple of grottos and a waterfall and four story high rhododendrons. It's just enormous and calming and gorgeous. I learned that they actually used to hire a hermit to live there to make it more picturesque. Where do I apply?! Dream job, I think so!!!!
We had lunch there, and I had planned on buying something from the cafeteria, but it was all fancy food and there was no Sarah food to be found. I had two apples, an orange juice, and a bag of salt and vinegar crisps in my bag, so I figured I would just eat that. But one of the professors came over looking concerned and told me that I could probably just get some bread and cheese and that the staff there was very accomodating. He said he didn't want me fainting of hunger. He's so nice. As was the staff: the very easily got me a piece of the bread that normally just wen with the soup, as well as a piece of cheese. Well, I asked for a piece of cheese. What they gave me was a hunk. No joke. The English do not mess about with their cheese. It was like the size of half a paperback book and like a half inch thick. Craziness. But also deliciousness!!
After lunch we got back on the bus and went out to Glastonbury, where we toured the remains of the abbey there, and saw where King Arthur's remains were supposedly buried. If we had had more time, there was a bird of prey sanctuary that had a tent set up on the grounds (random, I know) and for £2 you could hold an owl or a falcon or something. Much warmer on these grounds than it had been at Tintern, so sketching was far more pleasant this time around. It was another gorgeous haunting site that I managed to get many pictures of, despite fighting a dying camera battery.
After we finished touring the ruins, we made an epic and grueling hike up the Glastonbury Tor, which is this unbelievably enormous hill with the ruins of a church on top. It's hard to do it justice without pictures, so you'll just have to wait til I can upload some. Let's just say that you can see for absolutely miles and it takes your breath away. And not just because of the hike. We also got to see a double rainbow and a herd of sheep that grazed alongside us as we walked back down.
We got lucky and it only started pouring when we got off the Tor and headed back to the bus. Of course, that was small comfort when, even with an umbrella, I got soaked to the skin. At least my feet were dry. Yay hiking boots!!
Tonight is our last night in Bath and tomorrow morning we head to Oxford, so I'll have to figure out the internet situation there and it might be a day or two before I can post again. Just a heads up!
Until then....
I LOVE ENGLAND! :)
Monday, April 23, 2012
Day 3 - Big Pit Mine, Tintern Abbey, Chepstow Castle
Wow am I tired. And cold. But today was another great day with lots of awesome.
The morning started early with everybody getting on a coach bus at 8 am (3 am Ohio/PA time - think about that!) and we headed out to Wales. Second day in Wales for me, which I found extra cool. Once at the Big Pit Mine, we got outfitted with hard hats and emergency equipment and actually descended into the mine in the kind of cage they use in working mines. A bit disconcerting at first, but it was really interesting to have to duck and crouch through the tunnels and really get a sense of what it was like. There were stables in the mines for the ponies they used to pull the carts, and I was shocked to learn that due to their cost-saving nature, they used ponies underground until 1972. Our guide was really cool and liked joking with us about things in the US like colloquialisms and the names of our states. Actually, everyone working there was really cool!
Afterwards we piled back onto the bus and ate the lunches we had packed the night before while the driver drove us to Tintern Abbey. I've always had this weird thing for abandoned, tumbledown houses, so I found the abbey especially gorgeous and haunting and fascinating. We were able to wander around by ourselves and look at everything, and then we had to do a sketch of something that illustrated Gilpin's idea of the picturesque as well as write something small along the same vein. It was just wet and chilly at first, but by the time I started sketching it had started to drizzle in earnest so I had to get creative and sit on a plastic bag I happened to have, while perched on the edge of a stone wall and huddled over my sketchbook on top of my backpack and holding my umbrella between my cheek and my shoulder. I think it turned out decently though, and I felt pretty smart with my little setup.
We were able to warm up a little on the short bus ride from the abbey to Chepstow Castle. The rain didn't ease off much, but I was able to give my presentation on the English suppression of the Welsh culture in the safety and shelter of one of the castle rooms. The presentation went well (as a Whovian I have a definite soft spot for Wales!) and then we were turned loose to explore and sketch and write like we'd done at Tintern Abbey. I did a umbrella balancing like I'd done before and found the castle sketch especially fun. Also I was sort of nerding out because I WAS IN A REAL ACTUAL CASTLE!! I mean, every kid's dream, right?! I just loved being able to explore.
So, cold, wet, and tired, we got back on the bus and made it back safely to the YMCA. Cara and I got fish and chips for dinner (yay - my first properly English food!!) and now I'm doing some laundry and writing this before I do a bit more journaling in my sketchbook and maybe read some more Frankenstein before I go to bed. Tomorrow is the Glastonbury Tor and some other things I can't remember, so you'll get those updates tomorrow!
The morning started early with everybody getting on a coach bus at 8 am (3 am Ohio/PA time - think about that!) and we headed out to Wales. Second day in Wales for me, which I found extra cool. Once at the Big Pit Mine, we got outfitted with hard hats and emergency equipment and actually descended into the mine in the kind of cage they use in working mines. A bit disconcerting at first, but it was really interesting to have to duck and crouch through the tunnels and really get a sense of what it was like. There were stables in the mines for the ponies they used to pull the carts, and I was shocked to learn that due to their cost-saving nature, they used ponies underground until 1972. Our guide was really cool and liked joking with us about things in the US like colloquialisms and the names of our states. Actually, everyone working there was really cool!
Afterwards we piled back onto the bus and ate the lunches we had packed the night before while the driver drove us to Tintern Abbey. I've always had this weird thing for abandoned, tumbledown houses, so I found the abbey especially gorgeous and haunting and fascinating. We were able to wander around by ourselves and look at everything, and then we had to do a sketch of something that illustrated Gilpin's idea of the picturesque as well as write something small along the same vein. It was just wet and chilly at first, but by the time I started sketching it had started to drizzle in earnest so I had to get creative and sit on a plastic bag I happened to have, while perched on the edge of a stone wall and huddled over my sketchbook on top of my backpack and holding my umbrella between my cheek and my shoulder. I think it turned out decently though, and I felt pretty smart with my little setup.
We were able to warm up a little on the short bus ride from the abbey to Chepstow Castle. The rain didn't ease off much, but I was able to give my presentation on the English suppression of the Welsh culture in the safety and shelter of one of the castle rooms. The presentation went well (as a Whovian I have a definite soft spot for Wales!) and then we were turned loose to explore and sketch and write like we'd done at Tintern Abbey. I did a umbrella balancing like I'd done before and found the castle sketch especially fun. Also I was sort of nerding out because I WAS IN A REAL ACTUAL CASTLE!! I mean, every kid's dream, right?! I just loved being able to explore.
So, cold, wet, and tired, we got back on the bus and made it back safely to the YMCA. Cara and I got fish and chips for dinner (yay - my first properly English food!!) and now I'm doing some laundry and writing this before I do a bit more journaling in my sketchbook and maybe read some more Frankenstein before I go to bed. Tomorrow is the Glastonbury Tor and some other things I can't remember, so you'll get those updates tomorrow!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Day 2 - Cardiff!!
Woohoo, free day!!
So last night I stayed up later than I meant to, but I was catching up with a friend I hadn't talked to in a long time so I regret nothing. Besides, the rest of our group went out to a pub the night before and a lot of people were out super late so I was already ahead of the curve.
I got up a bit later than I'd meant to as a consequence, but it was all right - I still had plenty of time for everything. I had breakfast with the professors and one of my classmates and we chatted about all kinds of stuff and it was nice. Most of the group headed off to go bike riding around 10:00, other people stayed in to sleep, and a few other people just went exploring around Bath. Cara, Ally, and I tried to go to Bath Abbey to look around some more and go to the gift shop, but it was closed since it was Sunday. The fact of most places being closed on a Sunday was something we kept forgetting and thus had to keep working around as the day went on. We did go into a souvenir shop and I got an awesome little Union Jack pillow like they have on Sherlock(!), and a pack of sparkly Union Jack stickers to decorate my temporary phone because a lot of people got the exact same phone. After that, we walked to the Waitrose grocery and picked up stuff for our bag lunches for tomorrow when we go into Wales to tour Chepstow Castle, a coal mine, and Tintern Abbey.
After picking up our groceries, the three of us walked to the train station to get tickets to Cardiff. We had some time to kill before the train arrived, so we grabbed lunch at a NON CHAIN SANDWICH SHOP! Yes, I have officially eaten at something non-American. I got a baguette with cheddar cheese and some cheese and onion crisps and an orange juice. I've been eating a lot of cheddar and orange juice since we got here. I could live here quite comfortably.
The train ride to Cardiff was super smooth (and we met an older woman who was surprised to find out that us American girls were into Doctor Who and talked about how the monsters used to scare her as a kid and how the Weeping Angels still scare her), and it was cool to suddenly realize we were in Wales because the station signs all of a sudden had both Welsh and English. We got off at Cardiff Central and then spent about an hour and a half trying to walk to Cardiff Bay. We weren't lost per se, but it was a lovely walk all around Cardiff. We found an awesome comic shop we really wanted to go into, but it was closed. So much heartbreak! Also: Millenium Centre and Millenium Stadium? Not the same thing. Just FYI. When we finally found it, Ally and I totally nerded out (Cara has only seen a few episodes of Doctor Who so she doesn't know about the rift and Torchwood) and we spent probably about half an hour taking pictures and video. The light rain and high winds did not deter us!! We actually ended up going into Millenium Centre because I reeeeeeally had to go to the bathroom and then afterwards we discovered a gift shop and did a little shopping: got my first Doctor Who stuff of the trip! I now own socks with Daleks on them!! Also they were selling Cluedo and I thought of Sherlock and I laughed and took a picture. Also I got some souvenirs for my friends! Fun times!!
Once we had finished there, we walked to a Starbucks (I know, I know!) and got a snack, and then walked to Cardiff Castle. We were too late to go inside, but it was lovely to look at and photograph. After that we decided to get a train back to Bath, but since we had missed the one we were aiming for and had to wait an hour for the next one, we popped into a shop there (WH Smith maybe?) and I got an issue of Doctor Who magazine and it made me inordinately happy. We managed to figure out the correct train and correct platform to be on (thank you Ally!) so we felt like super cool world traveler adults and it was awesome. (Jamie later told us that the world is our oyster now. I tend to agree. I more or less feel like I know what I'm doing when it comes to transportation now - yay trains!!)
We got back later in the evening, so then Cara and I had another adventure trying to get dinner. I had wanted to try fish and chips from this little shop tucked into the original medieval wall, but they were closed because of Sunday - see earlier note. So we ended up going to this other takeaway place that was open til 3 am (don't worry, it was only a little after nine when we got there) and got chicken nuggets and they actually had tomato ketchup and it was great.
So, to recap: Cardiff = brilliant. Today was a blast. Now I need to go finish my homework, brush up on my presentation for tomorrow, and maybe read a bit more of Frankenstein for fun. Tomorrow we head back to Wales for Chepstow Castle, a coal mine, and Tintern Abbey!
So last night I stayed up later than I meant to, but I was catching up with a friend I hadn't talked to in a long time so I regret nothing. Besides, the rest of our group went out to a pub the night before and a lot of people were out super late so I was already ahead of the curve.
I got up a bit later than I'd meant to as a consequence, but it was all right - I still had plenty of time for everything. I had breakfast with the professors and one of my classmates and we chatted about all kinds of stuff and it was nice. Most of the group headed off to go bike riding around 10:00, other people stayed in to sleep, and a few other people just went exploring around Bath. Cara, Ally, and I tried to go to Bath Abbey to look around some more and go to the gift shop, but it was closed since it was Sunday. The fact of most places being closed on a Sunday was something we kept forgetting and thus had to keep working around as the day went on. We did go into a souvenir shop and I got an awesome little Union Jack pillow like they have on Sherlock(!), and a pack of sparkly Union Jack stickers to decorate my temporary phone because a lot of people got the exact same phone. After that, we walked to the Waitrose grocery and picked up stuff for our bag lunches for tomorrow when we go into Wales to tour Chepstow Castle, a coal mine, and Tintern Abbey.
After picking up our groceries, the three of us walked to the train station to get tickets to Cardiff. We had some time to kill before the train arrived, so we grabbed lunch at a NON CHAIN SANDWICH SHOP! Yes, I have officially eaten at something non-American. I got a baguette with cheddar cheese and some cheese and onion crisps and an orange juice. I've been eating a lot of cheddar and orange juice since we got here. I could live here quite comfortably.
The train ride to Cardiff was super smooth (and we met an older woman who was surprised to find out that us American girls were into Doctor Who and talked about how the monsters used to scare her as a kid and how the Weeping Angels still scare her), and it was cool to suddenly realize we were in Wales because the station signs all of a sudden had both Welsh and English. We got off at Cardiff Central and then spent about an hour and a half trying to walk to Cardiff Bay. We weren't lost per se, but it was a lovely walk all around Cardiff. We found an awesome comic shop we really wanted to go into, but it was closed. So much heartbreak! Also: Millenium Centre and Millenium Stadium? Not the same thing. Just FYI. When we finally found it, Ally and I totally nerded out (Cara has only seen a few episodes of Doctor Who so she doesn't know about the rift and Torchwood) and we spent probably about half an hour taking pictures and video. The light rain and high winds did not deter us!! We actually ended up going into Millenium Centre because I reeeeeeally had to go to the bathroom and then afterwards we discovered a gift shop and did a little shopping: got my first Doctor Who stuff of the trip! I now own socks with Daleks on them!! Also they were selling Cluedo and I thought of Sherlock and I laughed and took a picture. Also I got some souvenirs for my friends! Fun times!!
Once we had finished there, we walked to a Starbucks (I know, I know!) and got a snack, and then walked to Cardiff Castle. We were too late to go inside, but it was lovely to look at and photograph. After that we decided to get a train back to Bath, but since we had missed the one we were aiming for and had to wait an hour for the next one, we popped into a shop there (WH Smith maybe?) and I got an issue of Doctor Who magazine and it made me inordinately happy. We managed to figure out the correct train and correct platform to be on (thank you Ally!) so we felt like super cool world traveler adults and it was awesome. (Jamie later told us that the world is our oyster now. I tend to agree. I more or less feel like I know what I'm doing when it comes to transportation now - yay trains!!)
We got back later in the evening, so then Cara and I had another adventure trying to get dinner. I had wanted to try fish and chips from this little shop tucked into the original medieval wall, but they were closed because of Sunday - see earlier note. So we ended up going to this other takeaway place that was open til 3 am (don't worry, it was only a little after nine when we got there) and got chicken nuggets and they actually had tomato ketchup and it was great.
So, to recap: Cardiff = brilliant. Today was a blast. Now I need to go finish my homework, brush up on my presentation for tomorrow, and maybe read a bit more of Frankenstein for fun. Tomorrow we head back to Wales for Chepstow Castle, a coal mine, and Tintern Abbey!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Day 1 - Bath
Today was our first real day of doing things, plus also I wasn't jetlagged anymore so I remember more.
So we started off the morning by going to the Roman baths, which was phenomenal. All the old stone and the water systems that still work and the hot spring that still flows - it was almost like stepping back in time. We had a sketching assignment to fulfill, so I did a corner section of the old main bath area. I think it turned out all right, and one of the professors gave me some tips on how to improve next time.
Lunch was up to us, and my friend Cara and I ended up getting bread things - I got a meatball sub from Subway (ahhh, I know I know! American chain restaurants! But we didn't have a lot of time and I knew I would like something from there) and Cara got a pizza baguette from a small shop around the corner from the Abbey courtyard.
After lunch we met up again as a group and went on a guided walking tour of Jane Austen sites. We went all over Bath and and our guide, Richard, was very friendly and knowledgeable and funny. We got to see where Jane and her family stayed at various times, and where scenes from her novels took place. I need to read more than one Jane Austen novel. The tour ended back at the Jane Austen center, which had a gift shop which was perfect because my friend Kelsey is a huge Jane Austen fan and I was able to get her a little something.
When the tour was over, we did even more walking (not complaining - I love to walk!) and two of my classmates gave their presentations (we're all required to make a presentation at some point), one on the Circus and one on Bath in general. I like my class more and more the more that we interact - soooo many inside jokes and general tomfoolery.
Afterwards we walked back to the YMCA we're staying at and had a class meeting. We had a quiz on Orlando by Virgina Woolf and talked about some of our expectations and perceptions of Bath, as well as some of the other articles we've read on landscaping and architecture and such.
When the meeting was over, we were free for the day. There was an optional free organ concert at Bath Abbey that Cara and I decided to go to - so totally worth it. It's an absolutely gorgeous old cathedral, and the sounds of an organ echoing throughout it were eerily beautiful. We got to wander around afterwards and marvel at everything.
Once they kicked us out of the cathedral (Cara and I were literally the last people there), we went in search of dinner. Yes, another chain. I was hungry for Pizza Hut pizza with no sauce just the way I like it, okay? I'll try to do better next time - I do like the looks of all these little local restaurants, I've just been in too much of a hurry to get brave. Also our waitress was fantastically nice and she looked and sounded exactly like Martha Jones. It was awesome.
So now I'm back at the YMCA updating this and checking my email and getting ready to do a little homework (just reading and a journal entry - nothing bad), and then TOMORROW IS CARDIFF!!!! AHHHH!!! Can't wait - first small group trip using the train by ourselves and this nice Canadian guy told us how to get to the rift and such!!!! It should be great!!
Talk to you all soon!!
So we started off the morning by going to the Roman baths, which was phenomenal. All the old stone and the water systems that still work and the hot spring that still flows - it was almost like stepping back in time. We had a sketching assignment to fulfill, so I did a corner section of the old main bath area. I think it turned out all right, and one of the professors gave me some tips on how to improve next time.
Lunch was up to us, and my friend Cara and I ended up getting bread things - I got a meatball sub from Subway (ahhh, I know I know! American chain restaurants! But we didn't have a lot of time and I knew I would like something from there) and Cara got a pizza baguette from a small shop around the corner from the Abbey courtyard.
After lunch we met up again as a group and went on a guided walking tour of Jane Austen sites. We went all over Bath and and our guide, Richard, was very friendly and knowledgeable and funny. We got to see where Jane and her family stayed at various times, and where scenes from her novels took place. I need to read more than one Jane Austen novel. The tour ended back at the Jane Austen center, which had a gift shop which was perfect because my friend Kelsey is a huge Jane Austen fan and I was able to get her a little something.
When the tour was over, we did even more walking (not complaining - I love to walk!) and two of my classmates gave their presentations (we're all required to make a presentation at some point), one on the Circus and one on Bath in general. I like my class more and more the more that we interact - soooo many inside jokes and general tomfoolery.
Afterwards we walked back to the YMCA we're staying at and had a class meeting. We had a quiz on Orlando by Virgina Woolf and talked about some of our expectations and perceptions of Bath, as well as some of the other articles we've read on landscaping and architecture and such.
When the meeting was over, we were free for the day. There was an optional free organ concert at Bath Abbey that Cara and I decided to go to - so totally worth it. It's an absolutely gorgeous old cathedral, and the sounds of an organ echoing throughout it were eerily beautiful. We got to wander around afterwards and marvel at everything.
Once they kicked us out of the cathedral (Cara and I were literally the last people there), we went in search of dinner. Yes, another chain. I was hungry for Pizza Hut pizza with no sauce just the way I like it, okay? I'll try to do better next time - I do like the looks of all these little local restaurants, I've just been in too much of a hurry to get brave. Also our waitress was fantastically nice and she looked and sounded exactly like Martha Jones. It was awesome.
So now I'm back at the YMCA updating this and checking my email and getting ready to do a little homework (just reading and a journal entry - nothing bad), and then TOMORROW IS CARDIFF!!!! AHHHH!!! Can't wait - first small group trip using the train by ourselves and this nice Canadian guy told us how to get to the rift and such!!!! It should be great!!
Talk to you all soon!!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Surprise!
As it turns out, I was able to borrow one of the professors' tablets for a minute, so here's an earlier than expected update!
Flights were absolutely fine. I didn't freak out and there were no problems. Pleasantly surprised! We go into Heathrow VERY early this morning and then we went to Paddington and took a train to Bath. Loved it - first train ride that actually went to a destination, instead of the round and round trains at zoos and such. Bath is absolutely gorgeous and we got to spend some time walking around just looking at everything. I got a temporary mobile phone to use and I bought a bag of little cheddar cheeses at a grocery store. Everything is just so awesome here!
More when we get going on classwork and go out and see more stuff!
Flights were absolutely fine. I didn't freak out and there were no problems. Pleasantly surprised! We go into Heathrow VERY early this morning and then we went to Paddington and took a train to Bath. Loved it - first train ride that actually went to a destination, instead of the round and round trains at zoos and such. Bath is absolutely gorgeous and we got to spend some time walking around just looking at everything. I got a temporary mobile phone to use and I bought a bag of little cheddar cheeses at a grocery store. Everything is just so awesome here!
More when we get going on classwork and go out and see more stuff!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Judgment Day
Okay, so that's a bit dramatic, but I couldn't think of a cool epic title for this. Nerves still going haywire.
Kayla, I am working on getting my excitement back. I know I will be fine, and I will stop panicking and have an amazing time.
So I leave for the airport in about half an hour. Craziness. I probably won't be able to update this for a few days, but I will let you know as soon as I can how things are going.
See you soon!!
Kayla, I am working on getting my excitement back. I know I will be fine, and I will stop panicking and have an amazing time.
So I leave for the airport in about half an hour. Craziness. I probably won't be able to update this for a few days, but I will let you know as soon as I can how things are going.
See you soon!!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
One Day Left
I still haven't packed and I am freaking out. Not about the packing (I'm used to living out of a suitcase) but about leaving my awesome friends for three weeks and also planes. Merf.
Tomorrow's going to be interesting. And weepy, very definitely weepy. Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited to go and also to meet one of my Youtube friends in person, but it's going to be a big adjustment.
Again, I will hopefully eventually have something more exciting and readable posted here...
Tomorrow's going to be interesting. And weepy, very definitely weepy. Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited to go and also to meet one of my Youtube friends in person, but it's going to be a big adjustment.
Again, I will hopefully eventually have something more exciting and readable posted here...
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Four Days
There are four days until I leave for England.
Four.
I have never been out of the country before. I have never been on a plane before. And I have not started packing yet.
The trip will be three weeks, as it is a study abroad trip through my college. The class is also titled Visions of England and it focuses on how the landscape and architecture and literature link together, and how they evolved.
I may post a better explanation when I'm less tired and more inspired.
But yeah. Four days.
Four.
I have never been out of the country before. I have never been on a plane before. And I have not started packing yet.
The trip will be three weeks, as it is a study abroad trip through my college. The class is also titled Visions of England and it focuses on how the landscape and architecture and literature link together, and how they evolved.
I may post a better explanation when I'm less tired and more inspired.
But yeah. Four days.
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