Monday September 28, 2009:
Saturday was filled with random stops on our way to Sligo. We stopped at Knowth, Newgrange, and the Hill of Tara. All of these were ancient Celtic sites. Knowth was a site of passage tombs that predate the pyramids of Giza. It was really a huge lump of grass surrounded by a bunch of smaller lumps, but there used to be tunnels. The main lump had tunnels deep inside, where ancient people would put the ashes of their dead. It was cool mainly because it was so old.
The next stop was Newgrange, but we really only stopped at the visitor centre. This one was more of a glorified lunch stop, and there was a huge hassle getting us in to see the exhibit because DR went to eat lunch and wasn’t there right away. So we were really only there for an hour or so, and half of it was waiting around for DR.
A little bit later we stopped at the Hill of Tara. This was a grassy field of lumps. This was the site of something to do with Queen Maeve, and also where St. Patrick had reputedly illustrated the concept of the trinity using a clover, causing the shamrock to be a symbol of Ireland. The history was cool and all, but it was still just a lumpy field. There wasn’t a whole lot to see, and I was tired and ready to be at Sligo.
After stopping at Tesco for food, we finally made it to Sligo just after sunset. We’re staying at a house with several self-catering cottages, and it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere about a half hour’s drive out of Sligo. On the plus side, we’re right next to the ocean, so it’s really easy to go for quiet walks on the beach. I’ve been making full use of that opportunity.
I’m actually staying in the house itself with Kaari and Melissa H, so I have to go to a cottage to actually make food. It’s not bad at all though – our room has a great view and old Victorian furniture. Plus, our shower has hot water and no bugs, which seem to be problems in some of the cottages. We also get breakfast provided in the morning when everyone else has to make their own, so it’s really nice to have an easy hot breakfast and French press coffee.
Oh! And there’s also a kitten that lives here. His name is Jacko and they got him just after Michael Jackson’s death. He is such a sweetie: playful and cuddly all at the same time. I got some fantastic pictures as he was playing with the strap on my camera yesterday. And today, he followed me. We had just gotten back from buying more food, and he was hanging around but I couldn’t pick him up because my hands were full. But when I opened the door to the house, he slunk in. I walked up the stairs. Jacko followed. I opened the door to our room. Again, Jacko followed. I put my stuff down and went to pick him up, but he hid under the bed. I opened the door to the bathroom because I really had to pee, and Jacko scampered in. So when I finished, I opened the door holding a lovely kitten, giving Kaari and Melissa (who had just walked in) quite the surprise. Then I walked back outside and had some cuddle time with a kitten until he got distracted by some other people walking around and jumped down. There are also two black labs that live here and nearly always greet whoever comes up the road, but dogs aren’t as exciting, especially when there’s a kitten. So we’ll just leave it at that.
Yesterday was pretty relaxing: I had a walk on the beach and wrote a paper. I had internet for about an hour, so I got to talk to Seth for about 10 minutes when I finished my rough draft and had a little time before dinner. I haven’t had internet since.
Today, we had class at the Yeats society in Sligo. A woman (I can’t remember her name) talked to us mostly about the history of Yeats and his family and how he was heavily influenced by Sligo when he wasn’t born here.
Then we bussed over to Knocknarae, a mountain that’s just outside of Sligo. Fortunately, it’s no Mt. Snowdon. It only took us 30-45 minutes to climb to the top, where there’s a large lump of rocks that’s supposedly the burial site of Queen Maeve. And when I say large, it really is large: you can see the lump from here at the house – I mean, at least when you walk down to the sea where you can see the mountain.
I did some reading afterward and then went over to the cottage where I’ve been having dinner with Allison, Nelly, Anna, Melissa K, and Evie. I love having dinner with them; they’re such great girls. We actually ended our dinner with a “fuzzy circle”: we took turns saying compliments and things we liked about each person there (Kaari walked in not too long after this started). To be honest, I actually enjoyed saying nice things more than I liked receiving them. Not that the girls didn’t have great things to say – because they did – but it just seemed to emphasize the fact that I don’t have a best girl friend who knows me inside out. (There were several “besties” pairs: Kaari and Evie, Nelly and Allison, Nelly and Melissa.) The only person who really knows me is Seth, and he’s way across the ocean. So it was great, but a little disheartening at the same time because I don’t have that kind of relationship on this trip.
I finished off the evening with a bonfire on the beach. It was a little chilly, but it was just us, the fire, the ocean, and the dark.
The internet here’s been rather lousy, so I don’t know when these blog posts will actually happen. I love it here, but it’s kind of hard being so out of contact. Oh well – it does make my productivity level a little higher than it would be with internet. So maybe it’s a good thing.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The rocky road to Dublin
Saturday September 26, 2009: The rocky road to Dublin
So what can I say about Ireland except that it’s even better than I hoped? I love Ireland. On Tuesday afternoon when we flew in to Dublin, I was pumped. And rightly so, because Dublin is probably one of my favorite cities so far. It’s not the cleanest, the smallest, the biggest, the nicest, or even the most easily navigated, but it’s Dublin.
On Tuesday night I went out to a pub for dinner right away – and what a great start to Dublin! I had great company, good food, and live music in a pub atmosphere. Words can’t describe how content I was.
We started Wednesday morning with a James Joyce walk. The James Joyce centre wasn’t far from our hotel, so we walked a couple blocks over to meet our guide for a walk through the streets of Dublin. We got to see Belvedere College, where Joyce went to school, as well as many of the locations he used in Dubliners. We ended the tour at Trinity College around noon or so and then had the rest of the day free.
I spent time with Erin and Evie, walking down Grafton Street and looking in a few stores. We also got over to see St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which is (I think) the biggest cathedral in Dublin and supposedly the one St. Patrick used. It was beautiful inside, as are all cathedrals.
We meandered back to our hotel (Cassidy’s Hotel on Upper O’Connell Street) around 4:00 or so, and I decided to go out and get a hair cut before dinner. The haircut prices around our hotel weren’t extremely cheap, but I didn’t feel like wandering all over creation to find somewhere cheaper. So my cut ended up at €24.00, but for the service I got, it wasn’t too bad at all.
I went to a salon called “Charmed” that was just a block or so from the hotel, and it was way up on the 3rd floor of a building. I’m pretty sure it was family owned because all the employees were Asian and there was a little boy running around. While I was sitting and waiting, I was offered a cup of tea – so really, the price entailed the haircut and a cup of tea.
Then I got my hair cut, and the girl was great. She did what I wanted and took her time making sure it was done right. I talked to her a little bit, and she said she had been here 3 weeks – she used to cut hair in Malaysia – and she was studying language. I was pretty impressed with her English skills. Then after she was done, she took a lot of time to blow dry my hair so that it curled in the right directions. I’m not kidding; it was probably a good 10-15 minutes of blow-drying. But my haircut turned out great, and now I can tell people that my last haircut was in Dublin.
Later that night I went out with Erin, Evie, and Kaari to an “Irish traditional music pub crawl.” It was a lot of fun – we had two musicians that acted as guides, taking us around to three different pubs. We started at Oliver St. John Gogerty’s, then the Ha’penny Bridge Inn, and then one more that I can’t remember (but it was near our hotel on a side street just off of O’Connell). There was a girl who played accordion and a guy who sang and played guitar. The two of them would perform several traditional Irish songs, sometimes involving the audience on the choruses, and then explain about their instruments, the history of the music, and the songs in general in between songs. So it was both entertaining and informative, a combination that guaranteed a great night. Erin and I topped it off with an Erin’s night out to the Palace Bar to see a live session. There was a huge circle of about 10 musicians just rocking out – we only stayed for a half hour or so, but it was really cool.
Thursday was the 250th anniversary of Guinness, so it was a big day in Dublin. There were banners on the street lights, posters on phone booths and buses, and advertisements in every pub window. So naturally, we took a day trip to the James Joyce tower in Sandycove and then to the monastic ruins at Glendalough.
To be honest, the James Joyce tower was not very interesting. It was a tower that he lived in for a week or so, and we climbed to the top and could see a decent view. Then we went down to the shore and played around on the rocks for a while.
Glendalough was a lot more interesting. Our tour guide was so “I hate my life because I’m doing this stupid job,” but he made it entertaining for us (and he had a fantastic Irish accent). Glendalough used to be the monastery of St. Kevin, and was apparently a huge landmark for a long time in Ireland. It has a cemetery, an Irish round tower, and the ruins of a couple cathedrals. Plus, it was out of the city and in some beautiful, green, foresty landscape. After the tour, we had a little while to walk around.
When we headed back, it was dinner time. I had really wanted to get to a pub by 5:59 for the worldwide Guinness toast, but we didn’t get back til about 5:15. And since the people I was with were more intent on getting food, I missed seeing the toast live from Dublin. Oh, well. I spent a couple hours of my evening in at the hotel, but then I went out with Joel and Evie to people watch on the streets.
Let me tell you: Dublin was 95% intoxicated that night. The Temple Bar district was packed with couples weaving around, rowdy guys yelling as they crossed streets, and some who needed help to even stand up. Breaking glass was the sound I heard most often (other than yelling or singing). The three of us nipped in and out of a few pubs to catch some music, and one pub was ten degrees warmer and my shoes skritched on the floor from all the spilt beer. Plus, at that pub (OSJ Gogerty’s), Evie got asked (pulled in) to dance by a random guy who was completely wasted. After they danced next to each other, he left to talk on his phone. But soon he came back and slurred something none of us could understand but started with, “I hafta apologize…” Then (since Evie had been temporarily holding my coat, draped over her arm) he picked up my coat and sniffed the hood. A second later: “That’s not even your hand.” I’m pretty sure he was attempting to kiss her hand goodbye. =)
It was kind of an interesting experience seeing the festivities from a completely sober point of view. The excessive drunkenness was disgusting, but fascinating in a weird sort of way. Someone (I can’t remember who at this point, so take it with a grain of salt) said that it was comparable to Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day. It was a life experience, that’s for sure.
Friday was my last full day in Dublin, so I made the most of it. Kaari and I hung out most of the day, and we started by touring the Guinness brewery. I’m pretty sure that’s practically required if you visit Dublin. Let me say that even though I know hardly anything about beer (the right combination of hops, barley, yeast, and water goes right over my head – they all seem the same to me), the museum was incredibly informative and interesting. It encompassed all learning styles: there were things to read, things to watch, lots of pictures, and there was an easy-to-follow movement throughout. It actually kept my attention throughout the whole exhibit, and I’m one of those people who gets bored after too much museum time.
Afterward we grabbed lunch and looked in a store or two before heading back across the Liffey to visit the Jameson whiskey distillery. Unfortunately, the price was €10, and after we had just paid €11 for Guinness and realized that the next tour was in 26 minutes, we decided against it and just poked around in the gift store.
Then Kaari and I shopped a few souvenir stores, and I’m proud to say that I’ve actually started Christmas shopping at this point. (Though I’m finding it hardest to shop for my own family: if any of you read this, can you give me ideas of things you might like from this part of the world? That would be great; thanks.)
But the evening was probably the most memorable. I went out with a group of people for one last dinner at a pub (I was getting tired of eating cheap: aka Subway). It took us a while to find a table, but we eventually ended up at the Purdy Kitchen again (really, they have some decent dinner prices). We thought about doing something for Culture Night (it was Culture Night in Dublin and there were things going on all over), but there was nothing we really wanted to see in our immediate vicinity and it was nearing 10:00pm. So we decided to go back to the Palace and see if there was some Irish traditional music happening.
Sure enough, there was: a smaller group this time, with only three musicians (though it was four by the time we left). The night ended with Evie, Kaari, and I talking to a few middle aged guys (probably ranging from mid 30’s to 40’s, though one guy was probably still in his late 20’s): Johnny, a curly haired guitarist from England; Chris, a younger guy who had just joined the navy from England; Ken, a lawyer from Wales; and another older guy who I can’t remember his name from Dublin. They were all from the Bath/Bristol area and in Dublin on holiday. They were all a little intoxicated (Johnny mainly: “I’ve got Guinness in my toes, Guinness in my ears, Guinness in my eyes… all I can see is Guinness! I can’t physically fit any more Guinness inside me!”), but they were all gentlemanly and not creepy in any way. They just wanted to talk, and it was a lot of fun. We didn’t stay out late though – I believe we got back to our hotel and midnight.
Then on Saturday morning we left for Sligo, and I cried a little bit inside as we left Dublin. I will certainly miss this city.
So what can I say about Ireland except that it’s even better than I hoped? I love Ireland. On Tuesday afternoon when we flew in to Dublin, I was pumped. And rightly so, because Dublin is probably one of my favorite cities so far. It’s not the cleanest, the smallest, the biggest, the nicest, or even the most easily navigated, but it’s Dublin.
On Tuesday night I went out to a pub for dinner right away – and what a great start to Dublin! I had great company, good food, and live music in a pub atmosphere. Words can’t describe how content I was.
We started Wednesday morning with a James Joyce walk. The James Joyce centre wasn’t far from our hotel, so we walked a couple blocks over to meet our guide for a walk through the streets of Dublin. We got to see Belvedere College, where Joyce went to school, as well as many of the locations he used in Dubliners. We ended the tour at Trinity College around noon or so and then had the rest of the day free.
I spent time with Erin and Evie, walking down Grafton Street and looking in a few stores. We also got over to see St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which is (I think) the biggest cathedral in Dublin and supposedly the one St. Patrick used. It was beautiful inside, as are all cathedrals.
We meandered back to our hotel (Cassidy’s Hotel on Upper O’Connell Street) around 4:00 or so, and I decided to go out and get a hair cut before dinner. The haircut prices around our hotel weren’t extremely cheap, but I didn’t feel like wandering all over creation to find somewhere cheaper. So my cut ended up at €24.00, but for the service I got, it wasn’t too bad at all.
I went to a salon called “Charmed” that was just a block or so from the hotel, and it was way up on the 3rd floor of a building. I’m pretty sure it was family owned because all the employees were Asian and there was a little boy running around. While I was sitting and waiting, I was offered a cup of tea – so really, the price entailed the haircut and a cup of tea.
Then I got my hair cut, and the girl was great. She did what I wanted and took her time making sure it was done right. I talked to her a little bit, and she said she had been here 3 weeks – she used to cut hair in Malaysia – and she was studying language. I was pretty impressed with her English skills. Then after she was done, she took a lot of time to blow dry my hair so that it curled in the right directions. I’m not kidding; it was probably a good 10-15 minutes of blow-drying. But my haircut turned out great, and now I can tell people that my last haircut was in Dublin.
Later that night I went out with Erin, Evie, and Kaari to an “Irish traditional music pub crawl.” It was a lot of fun – we had two musicians that acted as guides, taking us around to three different pubs. We started at Oliver St. John Gogerty’s, then the Ha’penny Bridge Inn, and then one more that I can’t remember (but it was near our hotel on a side street just off of O’Connell). There was a girl who played accordion and a guy who sang and played guitar. The two of them would perform several traditional Irish songs, sometimes involving the audience on the choruses, and then explain about their instruments, the history of the music, and the songs in general in between songs. So it was both entertaining and informative, a combination that guaranteed a great night. Erin and I topped it off with an Erin’s night out to the Palace Bar to see a live session. There was a huge circle of about 10 musicians just rocking out – we only stayed for a half hour or so, but it was really cool.
Thursday was the 250th anniversary of Guinness, so it was a big day in Dublin. There were banners on the street lights, posters on phone booths and buses, and advertisements in every pub window. So naturally, we took a day trip to the James Joyce tower in Sandycove and then to the monastic ruins at Glendalough.
To be honest, the James Joyce tower was not very interesting. It was a tower that he lived in for a week or so, and we climbed to the top and could see a decent view. Then we went down to the shore and played around on the rocks for a while.
Glendalough was a lot more interesting. Our tour guide was so “I hate my life because I’m doing this stupid job,” but he made it entertaining for us (and he had a fantastic Irish accent). Glendalough used to be the monastery of St. Kevin, and was apparently a huge landmark for a long time in Ireland. It has a cemetery, an Irish round tower, and the ruins of a couple cathedrals. Plus, it was out of the city and in some beautiful, green, foresty landscape. After the tour, we had a little while to walk around.
When we headed back, it was dinner time. I had really wanted to get to a pub by 5:59 for the worldwide Guinness toast, but we didn’t get back til about 5:15. And since the people I was with were more intent on getting food, I missed seeing the toast live from Dublin. Oh, well. I spent a couple hours of my evening in at the hotel, but then I went out with Joel and Evie to people watch on the streets.
Let me tell you: Dublin was 95% intoxicated that night. The Temple Bar district was packed with couples weaving around, rowdy guys yelling as they crossed streets, and some who needed help to even stand up. Breaking glass was the sound I heard most often (other than yelling or singing). The three of us nipped in and out of a few pubs to catch some music, and one pub was ten degrees warmer and my shoes skritched on the floor from all the spilt beer. Plus, at that pub (OSJ Gogerty’s), Evie got asked (pulled in) to dance by a random guy who was completely wasted. After they danced next to each other, he left to talk on his phone. But soon he came back and slurred something none of us could understand but started with, “I hafta apologize…” Then (since Evie had been temporarily holding my coat, draped over her arm) he picked up my coat and sniffed the hood. A second later: “That’s not even your hand.” I’m pretty sure he was attempting to kiss her hand goodbye. =)
It was kind of an interesting experience seeing the festivities from a completely sober point of view. The excessive drunkenness was disgusting, but fascinating in a weird sort of way. Someone (I can’t remember who at this point, so take it with a grain of salt) said that it was comparable to Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day. It was a life experience, that’s for sure.
Friday was my last full day in Dublin, so I made the most of it. Kaari and I hung out most of the day, and we started by touring the Guinness brewery. I’m pretty sure that’s practically required if you visit Dublin. Let me say that even though I know hardly anything about beer (the right combination of hops, barley, yeast, and water goes right over my head – they all seem the same to me), the museum was incredibly informative and interesting. It encompassed all learning styles: there were things to read, things to watch, lots of pictures, and there was an easy-to-follow movement throughout. It actually kept my attention throughout the whole exhibit, and I’m one of those people who gets bored after too much museum time.
Afterward we grabbed lunch and looked in a store or two before heading back across the Liffey to visit the Jameson whiskey distillery. Unfortunately, the price was €10, and after we had just paid €11 for Guinness and realized that the next tour was in 26 minutes, we decided against it and just poked around in the gift store.
Then Kaari and I shopped a few souvenir stores, and I’m proud to say that I’ve actually started Christmas shopping at this point. (Though I’m finding it hardest to shop for my own family: if any of you read this, can you give me ideas of things you might like from this part of the world? That would be great; thanks.)
But the evening was probably the most memorable. I went out with a group of people for one last dinner at a pub (I was getting tired of eating cheap: aka Subway). It took us a while to find a table, but we eventually ended up at the Purdy Kitchen again (really, they have some decent dinner prices). We thought about doing something for Culture Night (it was Culture Night in Dublin and there were things going on all over), but there was nothing we really wanted to see in our immediate vicinity and it was nearing 10:00pm. So we decided to go back to the Palace and see if there was some Irish traditional music happening.
Sure enough, there was: a smaller group this time, with only three musicians (though it was four by the time we left). The night ended with Evie, Kaari, and I talking to a few middle aged guys (probably ranging from mid 30’s to 40’s, though one guy was probably still in his late 20’s): Johnny, a curly haired guitarist from England; Chris, a younger guy who had just joined the navy from England; Ken, a lawyer from Wales; and another older guy who I can’t remember his name from Dublin. They were all from the Bath/Bristol area and in Dublin on holiday. They were all a little intoxicated (Johnny mainly: “I’ve got Guinness in my toes, Guinness in my ears, Guinness in my eyes… all I can see is Guinness! I can’t physically fit any more Guinness inside me!”), but they were all gentlemanly and not creepy in any way. They just wanted to talk, and it was a lot of fun. We didn’t stay out late though – I believe we got back to our hotel and midnight.
Then on Saturday morning we left for Sligo, and I cried a little bit inside as we left Dublin. I will certainly miss this city.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Looking back to Cambridge
It has been a long time since I've written a blog - yet again. I'm not even sure where to start! Guess I'll go back to Cambridge - that was our next stop after High Leigh.
We stayed at Corpus Christi College for two nights, Sunday and Monday night. We didn't have any internet during our stay, though, and there were hardly any internet cafes to be found. But during that time we took a tour of Cambridge University. I had no idea how the University worked, so it was actually pretty interesting. Turns out that Corpus Christi was just one of many colleges in Cambridge University - kind of like a dorm but an autonomous community of students, fellows, classes, and accommodations. We also got to go see King's College Cathedral, where there's a huge Christmas concert every year. And the college that John Cleese and Hugh Laurie went to. =) I actually don't remember which one it was, just that I was there.
Cambridge was a fun college town, even if the students weren't back yet. I went to a church service at St. Andrew the Great's and actually got to talk to a few people. One lady that Melissa H and I talked with was originally from Northern Ireland and knew some people at the church that we're doing homestays at in Belfast. So it was really interesting to talk to her.
And on Monday...? Oh yeah! We went out to Little Gidding for a daytrip to see where TS Eliot wrote one of the Four Quartets aptly titled "Little Gidding." It was a former religious community that is still really small, quiet and peaceful. We got to have a time of silence in the cathedral, which I was really excited about, but then the "time of silence" turned into "let's not talk for 10 minutes." I guess my idea of true silence entails a bit more solitude and a bit more time. Oh, well.
So that was our time in Cambridge. On Tuesday we flew into Dublin, Ireland, which is where I am now. But I'll have to blog about Dublin later because I'm about to head out for the night. Evie, Joel, and I are about to go out wandering and looking for a pub with a good Irish music session going on. Promises to be an interesting night, at least, since it's the 250th anniversary of Guinness. And it's Dublin. =)
We stayed at Corpus Christi College for two nights, Sunday and Monday night. We didn't have any internet during our stay, though, and there were hardly any internet cafes to be found. But during that time we took a tour of Cambridge University. I had no idea how the University worked, so it was actually pretty interesting. Turns out that Corpus Christi was just one of many colleges in Cambridge University - kind of like a dorm but an autonomous community of students, fellows, classes, and accommodations. We also got to go see King's College Cathedral, where there's a huge Christmas concert every year. And the college that John Cleese and Hugh Laurie went to. =) I actually don't remember which one it was, just that I was there.
Cambridge was a fun college town, even if the students weren't back yet. I went to a church service at St. Andrew the Great's and actually got to talk to a few people. One lady that Melissa H and I talked with was originally from Northern Ireland and knew some people at the church that we're doing homestays at in Belfast. So it was really interesting to talk to her.
And on Monday...? Oh yeah! We went out to Little Gidding for a daytrip to see where TS Eliot wrote one of the Four Quartets aptly titled "Little Gidding." It was a former religious community that is still really small, quiet and peaceful. We got to have a time of silence in the cathedral, which I was really excited about, but then the "time of silence" turned into "let's not talk for 10 minutes." I guess my idea of true silence entails a bit more solitude and a bit more time. Oh, well.
So that was our time in Cambridge. On Tuesday we flew into Dublin, Ireland, which is where I am now. But I'll have to blog about Dublin later because I'm about to head out for the night. Evie, Joel, and I are about to go out wandering and looking for a pub with a good Irish music session going on. Promises to be an interesting night, at least, since it's the 250th anniversary of Guinness. And it's Dublin. =)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Leaving London for High Leigh
Time for a quick update on what I've been up to since London!
I've put up a lot of pictures on Facebook, so I'm sure you can guess most of it. But on Monday morning, we went on a "Mrs. Dalloway" walk through London. (It's a novel by Virginia Woolf that takes place in London.) So we started at Westminster and followed the path of the main character, Clarissa, through St. James' Park, Green Park, and Bond Street, reading out loud from the book as we went. Nerdy and literary, but it was pretty fun.
After the walk, most of our group went to Ben's Cookies. It was round 2 for me, but they were still as gooey and fantastic as last time. Then I went to the British Museum and saw such classic wonders as the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles, etc. Plus some mummies. It was free, so that was a definite plus.
That night I went out for dinner with Kaari, Evie, and Erin. We went to a place we found in Covent Garden called Cafe Pasta and it was a great time. We dressed up for the occasion and splurged on dinner, dessert, and drinks. It was nice to have something other than a sandwich and tap water. =)
Tuesday was our day at the Globe. In the morning we had a session with a guy at the theatre who told us about how Shakespeare wrote and how the actors rehearsed (or in this case, didn't rehearse). Basically, Shakespeare wrote to get money and to please the crowd at the Globe. That means that they had a different show every day, so they had the morning to rehearse for an entire Shakespeare play. So Shakespeare wrote cue lines, so that each actor would listen intently for a specific three word phrase and then go. And instead of stage directions, the directions were written into the lines. It just amazes me how well the actors then had to listen and work together.
We had the afternoon off, so I went back to the hotel and did some journaling. I had hoped to go see the Tower of London, but it was raining and our journals were coming due, so I sat outside at a table under an awning and wrote. It was rather therapeutic and relaxing.
Then I went back to the Globe to see "As You Like It." Oh. My. Word. That was probably the best I've ever seen Shakespeare in my life! The actors and actresses were fantastic, and really, Shakespeare did write for the Globe. No roof, three levels of seats in the stands, and people on the ground like at a concert. Best part was that it was still raining, so everyone on the ground got wet (if they weren't wearing rain coats or ponchos). The actors and actresses were even out in the rain for part of the performance. I was up in the stands, so it was okay. But these actors really brought out the comedic elements of "As You Like It." Touchstone? Absolutely hilarious. And even though I had never read the play, they all acted in such a way that I got the jokes. I'm not sure I can watch normal presentations of Shakespeare ever again - it was that good. A great way to end our time in London.
On Wednesday, we left London for Hoddesdon, a tiny town an hour or so north of London. We stopped on the way at Keats' house, which was cool. But now we're staying at the High Leigh Conference Center, which is a nice change from London. I've got my own room (with two beds) and wifi in my room (if it's working). We get fed all our meals and then some. Actually, here's a typical day here:
8:30am - breakfast
9:30am - class
11:00am - tea and biscuits
11:30am - class
1:00pm - lunch
4:00pm - afternoon tea
7:00pm - dinner
9:15pm - evening refreshment
So really, I have 6 different mealtimes. And my caffeine addiction is getting worse quicker than it's getting better. Today (so far), I've had 2 cups of coffee and 2 cups of tea. And it's not even 2:00pm.
Oh well. I do have a paper to write today. I'm hoping to finish drafting by afternoon tea, so that I can edit and start handwriting later. And if I'm feeling so ambitious, I may start planning for my next travel writing paper, since it's due the day we leave Dublin. And it would be a shame to spend my last day in Dublin writing a paper.
Last night, Kaari, Evie, Anna, and I started planning for free travel (and we realized it's going to be a lot of work and money). So I'm pretty certain that I'll be going out to Italy, though the exact schedule hasn't been set in stone. We've got a tentative plan for one night in Venice, 3 days in Rome, and then a round trip down to the Amalfi Coast for a few days before coming back to Rome in order to fly back to London to rejoin the group. We'll see. It'll be expensive, no matter what we do. Good thing I haven't dipped into savings yet.
But that's later. On Tuesday next week (after a couple nights in Cambridge), we'll be heading out to Dublin and I'm PUMPED. I've already been browsing my Lonely Planet guide, which lists a bunch of pubs to go to in order to catch some live music. And that's my plan for the evenings - hanging out in pubs with some good Irish music (and Irish accents!). Or at least for one night.
So I've got a lot to look forward to. But that means I should get writing on my paper - I've got about 2/3 left to go. If I work really hard these next couple days, then I'll be a little less stressed in Ireland, which will be great. It's the land of Erin after all! ;D
I've put up a lot of pictures on Facebook, so I'm sure you can guess most of it. But on Monday morning, we went on a "Mrs. Dalloway" walk through London. (It's a novel by Virginia Woolf that takes place in London.) So we started at Westminster and followed the path of the main character, Clarissa, through St. James' Park, Green Park, and Bond Street, reading out loud from the book as we went. Nerdy and literary, but it was pretty fun.
After the walk, most of our group went to Ben's Cookies. It was round 2 for me, but they were still as gooey and fantastic as last time. Then I went to the British Museum and saw such classic wonders as the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles, etc. Plus some mummies. It was free, so that was a definite plus.
That night I went out for dinner with Kaari, Evie, and Erin. We went to a place we found in Covent Garden called Cafe Pasta and it was a great time. We dressed up for the occasion and splurged on dinner, dessert, and drinks. It was nice to have something other than a sandwich and tap water. =)
Tuesday was our day at the Globe. In the morning we had a session with a guy at the theatre who told us about how Shakespeare wrote and how the actors rehearsed (or in this case, didn't rehearse). Basically, Shakespeare wrote to get money and to please the crowd at the Globe. That means that they had a different show every day, so they had the morning to rehearse for an entire Shakespeare play. So Shakespeare wrote cue lines, so that each actor would listen intently for a specific three word phrase and then go. And instead of stage directions, the directions were written into the lines. It just amazes me how well the actors then had to listen and work together.
We had the afternoon off, so I went back to the hotel and did some journaling. I had hoped to go see the Tower of London, but it was raining and our journals were coming due, so I sat outside at a table under an awning and wrote. It was rather therapeutic and relaxing.
Then I went back to the Globe to see "As You Like It." Oh. My. Word. That was probably the best I've ever seen Shakespeare in my life! The actors and actresses were fantastic, and really, Shakespeare did write for the Globe. No roof, three levels of seats in the stands, and people on the ground like at a concert. Best part was that it was still raining, so everyone on the ground got wet (if they weren't wearing rain coats or ponchos). The actors and actresses were even out in the rain for part of the performance. I was up in the stands, so it was okay. But these actors really brought out the comedic elements of "As You Like It." Touchstone? Absolutely hilarious. And even though I had never read the play, they all acted in such a way that I got the jokes. I'm not sure I can watch normal presentations of Shakespeare ever again - it was that good. A great way to end our time in London.
On Wednesday, we left London for Hoddesdon, a tiny town an hour or so north of London. We stopped on the way at Keats' house, which was cool. But now we're staying at the High Leigh Conference Center, which is a nice change from London. I've got my own room (with two beds) and wifi in my room (if it's working). We get fed all our meals and then some. Actually, here's a typical day here:
8:30am - breakfast
9:30am - class
11:00am - tea and biscuits
11:30am - class
1:00pm - lunch
4:00pm - afternoon tea
7:00pm - dinner
9:15pm - evening refreshment
So really, I have 6 different mealtimes. And my caffeine addiction is getting worse quicker than it's getting better. Today (so far), I've had 2 cups of coffee and 2 cups of tea. And it's not even 2:00pm.
Oh well. I do have a paper to write today. I'm hoping to finish drafting by afternoon tea, so that I can edit and start handwriting later. And if I'm feeling so ambitious, I may start planning for my next travel writing paper, since it's due the day we leave Dublin. And it would be a shame to spend my last day in Dublin writing a paper.
Last night, Kaari, Evie, Anna, and I started planning for free travel (and we realized it's going to be a lot of work and money). So I'm pretty certain that I'll be going out to Italy, though the exact schedule hasn't been set in stone. We've got a tentative plan for one night in Venice, 3 days in Rome, and then a round trip down to the Amalfi Coast for a few days before coming back to Rome in order to fly back to London to rejoin the group. We'll see. It'll be expensive, no matter what we do. Good thing I haven't dipped into savings yet.
But that's later. On Tuesday next week (after a couple nights in Cambridge), we'll be heading out to Dublin and I'm PUMPED. I've already been browsing my Lonely Planet guide, which lists a bunch of pubs to go to in order to catch some live music. And that's my plan for the evenings - hanging out in pubs with some good Irish music (and Irish accents!). Or at least for one night.
So I've got a lot to look forward to. But that means I should get writing on my paper - I've got about 2/3 left to go. If I work really hard these next couple days, then I'll be a little less stressed in Ireland, which will be great. It's the land of Erin after all! ;D
Friday, September 18, 2009
Evening frustrations: A whiny rant
I’m at the end of my rope as far as coping with internet connections over here. Right now, I am just so entirely frustrated that I can’t focus on anything else. Right now, my computer claims that it’s got a great connection to the internet here at the High Leigh conference center, but neither firefox nor internet explorer is functional. And it’s not just me – no one else can connect right now either. And it just makes me so angry because this is the second night in a row that I’ve missed a Skype date with Seth. Yesterday it was a random group meeting, and today – when I would have had plenty of time to talk – the internet is out. And there’s no way that I can contact Seth, so I know he’s sitting there waiting for me to come online. It’s been an hour since I said I would be online, and I’ve been trying the entire time.
And to make my life better, I sat down on my bed – and my favorite pair of jeans on this trip split across my right knee in one foul rip of fabric. It wasn’t worn or anything – there was absolutely no warning. And now my nicer pair of jeans is ripped, so I feel like I should buy another pair once I get to Dublin. Because my other jeans are just… scruffier. That’s fine for these conference centers and for hiking and other such activities, but it’s nice to have a nicer pair of jeans for the cities, especially since Europeans in general dress up more than Americans. Think skinny jeans, boots/flats/chucks, long blouses and sweaters… there are no scruffy jeans and t-shirts to be seen.
I know I should be thankful that I’m over here at all… but I am just in a foul and cranky mood. I’ve been looking forward to talking to Seth for three days, and twice now I’ve just been disappointed. And that’s what makes me the most angry. Had I known I couldn’t talk to him for several days, fine. I can live with that. But I’ve been planning on it all day, and now I watch the clock on my computer tick closer to 4:00, when I know Seth will be gone and at work. And I still can’t get online. Actually, he’s probably giving up at this point. It’s 3:11 pm at home.
Kudos to anyone actually reading this rant. I know I sound whiny, and I almost apologize for that. But I have bad days at home, and in 3 ½ months, I’m going to have bad days here. Being in the UK does not make bad days much better.
I really should write about my last couple days in London, but I fear that being cranky will ruin it somewhat. Plus, I posted my last blog entry directly online, so I don’t remember where I left off. And the internet’s still out so I can’t check and I’m still angry. Suffice to say that seeing “As You Like It” at the Globe was utterly brilliant, and I hope to do it more justice when I’m in a better mood.
Well… it’s 3:30. Seth will have left for work, so I guess I don’t get to talk to him AGAIN today. I’m going to end this blog post, change out of my ripped jeans, and bury myself in a book until I fall asleep. Then maybe tomorrow will be better.
And to make my life better, I sat down on my bed – and my favorite pair of jeans on this trip split across my right knee in one foul rip of fabric. It wasn’t worn or anything – there was absolutely no warning. And now my nicer pair of jeans is ripped, so I feel like I should buy another pair once I get to Dublin. Because my other jeans are just… scruffier. That’s fine for these conference centers and for hiking and other such activities, but it’s nice to have a nicer pair of jeans for the cities, especially since Europeans in general dress up more than Americans. Think skinny jeans, boots/flats/chucks, long blouses and sweaters… there are no scruffy jeans and t-shirts to be seen.
I know I should be thankful that I’m over here at all… but I am just in a foul and cranky mood. I’ve been looking forward to talking to Seth for three days, and twice now I’ve just been disappointed. And that’s what makes me the most angry. Had I known I couldn’t talk to him for several days, fine. I can live with that. But I’ve been planning on it all day, and now I watch the clock on my computer tick closer to 4:00, when I know Seth will be gone and at work. And I still can’t get online. Actually, he’s probably giving up at this point. It’s 3:11 pm at home.
Kudos to anyone actually reading this rant. I know I sound whiny, and I almost apologize for that. But I have bad days at home, and in 3 ½ months, I’m going to have bad days here. Being in the UK does not make bad days much better.
I really should write about my last couple days in London, but I fear that being cranky will ruin it somewhat. Plus, I posted my last blog entry directly online, so I don’t remember where I left off. And the internet’s still out so I can’t check and I’m still angry. Suffice to say that seeing “As You Like It” at the Globe was utterly brilliant, and I hope to do it more justice when I’m in a better mood.
Well… it’s 3:30. Seth will have left for work, so I guess I don’t get to talk to him AGAIN today. I’m going to end this blog post, change out of my ripped jeans, and bury myself in a book until I fall asleep. Then maybe tomorrow will be better.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Life in London
So I'm well aware that I have not updated in forever, but between being sick and then being in London, I've been busy. So I'll do my best to give you an overview of what I've been up to in the past few days - week, actually.
First is York. We drove to York the day I was sick, stopping to tour the Bronte house in Haworth on the way. When we got to York, we had a tour of the York Minster Cathedral - which was absolutely beautiful, by the way. But standing so long for a tour was incredibly draining, so I went back to my hotel room. Since I was sick, I did have my own room, so I went to bed pretty early.
The next day I felt significantly better - I think half of it was due to getting some sleep that night. My appetite wasn't quite normal yet (I still think I'm working on getting it fully back), but I could enjoy the sights of York more. We spent the morning touring the Jorvik Viking Center, which was really cool. They had a recreation of the old Viking city of Jorvik (now York, obviously) - and we got to sit in little pods suspended from the ceiling to ride through the recreation. Plus, the pod spent an incredible amount of time at a recreation of a man sitting on a toilet - sounds and everything.
After the center, I walked around York with Melissa H to do some window shopping. We had to leave by 1:00pm, so I didn't get to see much of York. Which really sucks, because according to the Ghost Research Foundation International (and the website I looked at), York is the most haunted city in the WORLD with a total of 504 recorded hauntings. And I didn't get to go looking because we were there for only one night, and I was sick. Lame.
But at least our next stop was London. Aaaand it's amazing in London. LOVE it. Once we got to the Celtic Hotel (it's in Russel Square), we headed out to get our tube passes (Oyster cards). The London Underground is a little intimidating at first, but it's pretty self-explanatory once you use it once or twice. I'm pretty confident that I could navigate it anywhere on my own (not that I would go out on my own) - except for when there are lines closed, because there's always something closed. Usually it's the Victoria line.
Anyway, that's about all for the first night. The next day (Friday), we all took a "Hop on, hop off" bus tour of London. I didn't do a whole lot of hopping off, and stayed on the bus with Kaari and Evie to get a general picture of the city. So since it was an open air bus, I got a few pictures of the main tourist attractions: Big Ben, Parliament, Tower Bridge... all that good stuff. We ended up getting off the bus at the Tate Modern, a museum of modern art. We spent a few hours there - saw some Picasso, Monet, Andy Warhol, Joan Miro... lots of good surrealists, impressionists, and modernists. And when we left, we walked across the Millennium Bridge - that's the bridge that the dementors destroyed in the 6th Harry Potter movie. I was excited about it, at least.
After the Tate, we went to the evensong service at St. Paul's Cathedral. It was a choral evensong, so it was beautiful to hear the full choir with men and boys (I don't think there were women). Then Kaari, Evie, and I went to dinner at the Tipperary. Which, if you don't know the song, was the first Irish pub in London. And also the first pub to sell Guinness. I know Flogging Molly used the song in a live version of one of their songs that I have - "It's a long way to Tipperary..." So people would come from all over London for their Guinness. So, it was a lot of fun to be there with so much history - and even though I really wanted to order a Guinness (even though I don't even like beer), I didn't. The Tipperary was on Fleet Street as well - I made sure not to order any meat pies. =)
Yesterday I went out with Allison and Erin and aimed to go see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately, we underestimated the time it would take to find our way to Buckingham Palace, so we missed it. But since we were nearby a group of museums, we went into the science museum. It was pretty good - we paid a little extra to go see a Wallace and Gromit exhibit. It would have been £9 a person, but there was a student discount and a 2-for-1 deal, so between the three of us it was £14. There were a lot of hands on exhibits for kids, but we had fun. They did have some of the sets - like the kitchen, the living room, etc - that they used to make the Wallace and Gromit movies. Most excellent.
After that, we headed out to the Agape Arab Christian Centre - just off the Hammersmith and City line at the Royal Oak stop - and got to hear about some of the problems the Arabs (from a mainly Muslim culture) face as Christians. I was under the impression that it would be more 1-on-1 talking, so it was a little disappointing that it was mostly sitting and listening. But it was still interesting to hear about it, at least.
On the way home, though, Anna, Carrie, Emily, and I stopped at King's Cross Station. And we hunted down Platform 9 3/4, which was super nerdy and awesome. Plus, we definitely took pictures. =)
Today was a good day. I got up early and went to church at Holy Trinity Brompton, which was good. It was a lot more modern than the services I've been going to at cathedrals, so it was nice to be at a church more like home again. Then Kaari, Evie, and I went walking through Kensington Gardens - Sunday afternoon in the park. It was full of people running and walking their dogs - quite relaxing.
Then we stopped back at the Celtic Hotel. Then Kaari, Erin, and I went out to Oxford Circus to look for Ben's Cookies and go window shopping. (Ben's Cookies was recommended to our group by former England termers, and since some other girls found it and said it was great, I wanted to go try it.) It took us a while to find it - Ben's Cookies was a lot closer to the Bond Street underground station than Oxford Circus. Oh well - we did have some great window shopping, though the prices on Oxford Street were pretty high. And Ben's Cookies? Fantastic. They were poofy and gooey in the middle - just how I like them. I had a milk chocolate chunk cookie and a white chocolate chunk one. If you're ever in London, I'd recommend Ben's Cookies as well.
I think that will just about catch you all up. We've only got tomorrow and Tuesday left here, but fortunately we'll be back in London after free travel. I could definitely spend more time here - I haven't gotten close to seeing everything I'd like to.
First is York. We drove to York the day I was sick, stopping to tour the Bronte house in Haworth on the way. When we got to York, we had a tour of the York Minster Cathedral - which was absolutely beautiful, by the way. But standing so long for a tour was incredibly draining, so I went back to my hotel room. Since I was sick, I did have my own room, so I went to bed pretty early.
The next day I felt significantly better - I think half of it was due to getting some sleep that night. My appetite wasn't quite normal yet (I still think I'm working on getting it fully back), but I could enjoy the sights of York more. We spent the morning touring the Jorvik Viking Center, which was really cool. They had a recreation of the old Viking city of Jorvik (now York, obviously) - and we got to sit in little pods suspended from the ceiling to ride through the recreation. Plus, the pod spent an incredible amount of time at a recreation of a man sitting on a toilet - sounds and everything.
After the center, I walked around York with Melissa H to do some window shopping. We had to leave by 1:00pm, so I didn't get to see much of York. Which really sucks, because according to the Ghost Research Foundation International (and the website I looked at), York is the most haunted city in the WORLD with a total of 504 recorded hauntings. And I didn't get to go looking because we were there for only one night, and I was sick. Lame.
But at least our next stop was London. Aaaand it's amazing in London. LOVE it. Once we got to the Celtic Hotel (it's in Russel Square), we headed out to get our tube passes (Oyster cards). The London Underground is a little intimidating at first, but it's pretty self-explanatory once you use it once or twice. I'm pretty confident that I could navigate it anywhere on my own (not that I would go out on my own) - except for when there are lines closed, because there's always something closed. Usually it's the Victoria line.
Anyway, that's about all for the first night. The next day (Friday), we all took a "Hop on, hop off" bus tour of London. I didn't do a whole lot of hopping off, and stayed on the bus with Kaari and Evie to get a general picture of the city. So since it was an open air bus, I got a few pictures of the main tourist attractions: Big Ben, Parliament, Tower Bridge... all that good stuff. We ended up getting off the bus at the Tate Modern, a museum of modern art. We spent a few hours there - saw some Picasso, Monet, Andy Warhol, Joan Miro... lots of good surrealists, impressionists, and modernists. And when we left, we walked across the Millennium Bridge - that's the bridge that the dementors destroyed in the 6th Harry Potter movie. I was excited about it, at least.
After the Tate, we went to the evensong service at St. Paul's Cathedral. It was a choral evensong, so it was beautiful to hear the full choir with men and boys (I don't think there were women). Then Kaari, Evie, and I went to dinner at the Tipperary. Which, if you don't know the song, was the first Irish pub in London. And also the first pub to sell Guinness. I know Flogging Molly used the song in a live version of one of their songs that I have - "It's a long way to Tipperary..." So people would come from all over London for their Guinness. So, it was a lot of fun to be there with so much history - and even though I really wanted to order a Guinness (even though I don't even like beer), I didn't. The Tipperary was on Fleet Street as well - I made sure not to order any meat pies. =)
Yesterday I went out with Allison and Erin and aimed to go see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately, we underestimated the time it would take to find our way to Buckingham Palace, so we missed it. But since we were nearby a group of museums, we went into the science museum. It was pretty good - we paid a little extra to go see a Wallace and Gromit exhibit. It would have been £9 a person, but there was a student discount and a 2-for-1 deal, so between the three of us it was £14. There were a lot of hands on exhibits for kids, but we had fun. They did have some of the sets - like the kitchen, the living room, etc - that they used to make the Wallace and Gromit movies. Most excellent.
After that, we headed out to the Agape Arab Christian Centre - just off the Hammersmith and City line at the Royal Oak stop - and got to hear about some of the problems the Arabs (from a mainly Muslim culture) face as Christians. I was under the impression that it would be more 1-on-1 talking, so it was a little disappointing that it was mostly sitting and listening. But it was still interesting to hear about it, at least.
On the way home, though, Anna, Carrie, Emily, and I stopped at King's Cross Station. And we hunted down Platform 9 3/4, which was super nerdy and awesome. Plus, we definitely took pictures. =)
Today was a good day. I got up early and went to church at Holy Trinity Brompton, which was good. It was a lot more modern than the services I've been going to at cathedrals, so it was nice to be at a church more like home again. Then Kaari, Evie, and I went walking through Kensington Gardens - Sunday afternoon in the park. It was full of people running and walking their dogs - quite relaxing.
Then we stopped back at the Celtic Hotel. Then Kaari, Erin, and I went out to Oxford Circus to look for Ben's Cookies and go window shopping. (Ben's Cookies was recommended to our group by former England termers, and since some other girls found it and said it was great, I wanted to go try it.) It took us a while to find it - Ben's Cookies was a lot closer to the Bond Street underground station than Oxford Circus. Oh well - we did have some great window shopping, though the prices on Oxford Street were pretty high. And Ben's Cookies? Fantastic. They were poofy and gooey in the middle - just how I like them. I had a milk chocolate chunk cookie and a white chocolate chunk one. If you're ever in London, I'd recommend Ben's Cookies as well.
I think that will just about catch you all up. We've only got tomorrow and Tuesday left here, but fortunately we'll be back in London after free travel. I could definitely spend more time here - I haven't gotten close to seeing everything I'd like to.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The calm before the storm
Tonight's our last night at St. Deiniol's Library, and after we leave, it'll be nonstop until High Leigh (September 16th). Tomorrow we're heading up to York for one night, and then we're going down to London. As much as I love staying at a library (!!), it'll be nice to get into a city again. I've discovered that I'm more of a city girl than a small-town girl.
On the other hand, it also worries me that we're going to be busy in a city again. This week was supposed to be restful and I was going to have all this time to catch up on homework, but that didn't happen. Well, I guess it was restful. But homework catch-up? Not a chance. Just now I finished scrawling out a (crappy) draft of a Wordsworth paper we have due tomorrow morning that I've known about all week. Did I work ahead? Nope. How will I ever keep up once there's a bajillion things to do in a city again?
In any case, it's been a great week and I'm truly going to miss St. Deiniol's (even if it may or may not be haunted). I've become addicted to my tea time during the break in class - and once I have to pay for my tea again, it may become a more expensive habit. But seriously - 10:30 or 11:00 am rolls around, and I can guarantee that I'm thinking, "It's tea time!"
On Sunday afternoon we went to visit Bodnant Gardens. It was beautiful! 90 acres of organized lily gardens, rose gardens, terraces and such as well as a stream with redwoods and other "wilder" gardens.
Then yesterday, I took the bus out to Chester with Evie, Melissa H, and Dr. Ritchie. Most people elected to stay home and work on their papers, but I don't regret going. It was good to be somewhere with stores and restaurants again, even if it was a pretty small city. Actually, the prices at the stores were most excellent. I splurged and spent some of my extra food money on a casual dress (black with blue roses), footless tights, and a pair of flats - and all for only £31! I'm really excited about it too - the dress looks shapeless on the hanger, but it actually flatters me rather well. Plus, I feel like I can fit in with the fashion here a little more. No place to wear it yet, but I'm hoping for a night out in London in a few days.
Oh! I also went to a place called Funky Cow in Chester - it's a milkshake bar. It has - and I'm not exaggerating - 160 different flavors of milkshakes! You can put candy, biscuits, cake, or cereal in them - it was probably the most overwhelming decision of my life. I ended up with a Terry's Chocolate Orange shake, which was fabulous. I SO wish we had one of those back in the States! (I think it would top out DQ every time, except for cakes.)
It's a shame to leave here, though - I'd love to spend more time with the library. I haven't gotten to read any of the books here at all because I have homework to read, and that's what gets to me. (I could have read some on Wordsworth, but it's not required for the paper... and I feel like I'm going to need the time tonight to do my editing and then re-write the essay from my computer into my notebook. BOO handwriting!)
Well... time for dinner. I'm going to take the time to not think about my essay at all, so that I'll have a clear(er) mind to edit. And then I have to handwrite it. Ahh, well. Handwriting is mindless, at least.
Next time you hear from me will probably be in London - I doubt I'll want to take time away from my one night in York to write a blog. =)
On the other hand, it also worries me that we're going to be busy in a city again. This week was supposed to be restful and I was going to have all this time to catch up on homework, but that didn't happen. Well, I guess it was restful. But homework catch-up? Not a chance. Just now I finished scrawling out a (crappy) draft of a Wordsworth paper we have due tomorrow morning that I've known about all week. Did I work ahead? Nope. How will I ever keep up once there's a bajillion things to do in a city again?
In any case, it's been a great week and I'm truly going to miss St. Deiniol's (even if it may or may not be haunted). I've become addicted to my tea time during the break in class - and once I have to pay for my tea again, it may become a more expensive habit. But seriously - 10:30 or 11:00 am rolls around, and I can guarantee that I'm thinking, "It's tea time!"
On Sunday afternoon we went to visit Bodnant Gardens. It was beautiful! 90 acres of organized lily gardens, rose gardens, terraces and such as well as a stream with redwoods and other "wilder" gardens.
Then yesterday, I took the bus out to Chester with Evie, Melissa H, and Dr. Ritchie. Most people elected to stay home and work on their papers, but I don't regret going. It was good to be somewhere with stores and restaurants again, even if it was a pretty small city. Actually, the prices at the stores were most excellent. I splurged and spent some of my extra food money on a casual dress (black with blue roses), footless tights, and a pair of flats - and all for only £31! I'm really excited about it too - the dress looks shapeless on the hanger, but it actually flatters me rather well. Plus, I feel like I can fit in with the fashion here a little more. No place to wear it yet, but I'm hoping for a night out in London in a few days.
Oh! I also went to a place called Funky Cow in Chester - it's a milkshake bar. It has - and I'm not exaggerating - 160 different flavors of milkshakes! You can put candy, biscuits, cake, or cereal in them - it was probably the most overwhelming decision of my life. I ended up with a Terry's Chocolate Orange shake, which was fabulous. I SO wish we had one of those back in the States! (I think it would top out DQ every time, except for cakes.)
It's a shame to leave here, though - I'd love to spend more time with the library. I haven't gotten to read any of the books here at all because I have homework to read, and that's what gets to me. (I could have read some on Wordsworth, but it's not required for the paper... and I feel like I'm going to need the time tonight to do my editing and then re-write the essay from my computer into my notebook. BOO handwriting!)
Well... time for dinner. I'm going to take the time to not think about my essay at all, so that I'll have a clear(er) mind to edit. And then I have to handwrite it. Ahh, well. Handwriting is mindless, at least.
Next time you hear from me will probably be in London - I doubt I'll want to take time away from my one night in York to write a blog. =)
Friday, September 4, 2009
The climb up a mountain
Yesterday we climbed Mt. Snowdon. Basically, it's a really big mountain in Wales - 1,085 meters (who knows how much that is in feet). And I made it to the top.
The ascent itself was strenuous, wet, and miserable. The peak of Mt. Snowdon goes above the cloud line, and since this is the UK, it's always cloudy (except for today). At first it was really cool - "Hey, we're walking in the clouds!" But the last quarter of the climb was pretty miserable, mostly because it was really windy and cold. And since we were in a cloud, it was wet. So as I was climbing up a steep, loose rock trail, the rains came in the wind. It came straight in from the right, so one side of my body was soon entirely soaked with the painful needles of the wind-swept rain. But we made it to the top, and there was a wonderful cafe where I ordered a hot chocolate. Best idea ever.
It was the way down that was absolutely magnificent. Evie, Kaari, and I were the last ones to leave the top (there were some other girls too, but since Kaari's knee was hurting we had to go a little bit slower than usual).
Actually, wait. Let me start over. We left in a group - maybe about seven, and since we were walking in a cloud it was hard to stay close to everyone. So we ended up stringing along the path. Evie stayed back with Kaari so that she wouldn't have to walk alone. I went ahead with the rest of the group, but I started feeling like a terrible friend for walking ahead just because I didn't want to have to walk slower than I could have. I already felt bad for letting Erin B walk back down the mountain alone to look for her camera earlier, and I knew Kaari would appreciate it. So I stopped next to a pile of rocks that broke the wind a little and watched Allison fade away into the mist in front of me.
Suddenly I was entirely alone. I was surrounded by cloud, and I couldn’t see or hear anyone in front of me or behind me: all I had going for me was the faith that Evie and Kaari were still coming. It was just eerie and a little scary, especially when it took a few minutes for me to see Kaari and Evie emerging from the mist. For those few minutes, I was entirely alone on a cold, windy mountain where I couldn’t see more than a couple yards in front of me.
But they appeared, and we continued our trek downward. And then, on the steep slope where we had been the most miserable as we were pelted with rain on the way up the mountain, we stopped. “Look, you can see a mountain!” Evie said.
Sure enough, there was a vague outline of a mountain through the cloud. I took out my camera and started to take pictures. Then out of nowhere, all the clouds parted and our vision was crystal clear. We could see the entire landscape, and it was beautiful. There are just no words to describe the incredible… awesomeness of that sight. We could see the mountains, the valleys, the lakes… and all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. And since we were at the tail end of the group, we were the only ones who got to see such a sight – everyone else was already down too far to see the ocean.
And let me tell you – it was that moment that I was completely overwhelmed with the presence of God’s majesty. He literally opened the heavens, just for us.
I know God spoke to me yesterday. This is what he told me: “I just need you to trust me. It’s going to be scary and lonely, but I want you to step away from what you think is important and have faith. I will keep you company, and you won’t be alone forever. And just wait – I have something so much better in store for you! You just need to listen and obey, and then I will show you how much better life can be.”
There are no words for that experience. The three of us were struck silent for several minutes as we just stood on the slope and took in the landscape.
And once we had walked back down below the cloud line, we looked back to see that the clouds had swept back over Mt. Snowdon, hiding God’s majesty once again.
I’m going to post pictures later on Facebook, but just know that they don’t even come close to the indescribable beauty of what we saw.
The ascent itself was strenuous, wet, and miserable. The peak of Mt. Snowdon goes above the cloud line, and since this is the UK, it's always cloudy (except for today). At first it was really cool - "Hey, we're walking in the clouds!" But the last quarter of the climb was pretty miserable, mostly because it was really windy and cold. And since we were in a cloud, it was wet. So as I was climbing up a steep, loose rock trail, the rains came in the wind. It came straight in from the right, so one side of my body was soon entirely soaked with the painful needles of the wind-swept rain. But we made it to the top, and there was a wonderful cafe where I ordered a hot chocolate. Best idea ever.
It was the way down that was absolutely magnificent. Evie, Kaari, and I were the last ones to leave the top (there were some other girls too, but since Kaari's knee was hurting we had to go a little bit slower than usual).
Actually, wait. Let me start over. We left in a group - maybe about seven, and since we were walking in a cloud it was hard to stay close to everyone. So we ended up stringing along the path. Evie stayed back with Kaari so that she wouldn't have to walk alone. I went ahead with the rest of the group, but I started feeling like a terrible friend for walking ahead just because I didn't want to have to walk slower than I could have. I already felt bad for letting Erin B walk back down the mountain alone to look for her camera earlier, and I knew Kaari would appreciate it. So I stopped next to a pile of rocks that broke the wind a little and watched Allison fade away into the mist in front of me.
Suddenly I was entirely alone. I was surrounded by cloud, and I couldn’t see or hear anyone in front of me or behind me: all I had going for me was the faith that Evie and Kaari were still coming. It was just eerie and a little scary, especially when it took a few minutes for me to see Kaari and Evie emerging from the mist. For those few minutes, I was entirely alone on a cold, windy mountain where I couldn’t see more than a couple yards in front of me.
But they appeared, and we continued our trek downward. And then, on the steep slope where we had been the most miserable as we were pelted with rain on the way up the mountain, we stopped. “Look, you can see a mountain!” Evie said.
Sure enough, there was a vague outline of a mountain through the cloud. I took out my camera and started to take pictures. Then out of nowhere, all the clouds parted and our vision was crystal clear. We could see the entire landscape, and it was beautiful. There are just no words to describe the incredible… awesomeness of that sight. We could see the mountains, the valleys, the lakes… and all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. And since we were at the tail end of the group, we were the only ones who got to see such a sight – everyone else was already down too far to see the ocean.
And let me tell you – it was that moment that I was completely overwhelmed with the presence of God’s majesty. He literally opened the heavens, just for us.
I know God spoke to me yesterday. This is what he told me: “I just need you to trust me. It’s going to be scary and lonely, but I want you to step away from what you think is important and have faith. I will keep you company, and you won’t be alone forever. And just wait – I have something so much better in store for you! You just need to listen and obey, and then I will show you how much better life can be.”
There are no words for that experience. The three of us were struck silent for several minutes as we just stood on the slope and took in the landscape.
And once we had walked back down below the cloud line, we looked back to see that the clouds had swept back over Mt. Snowdon, hiding God’s majesty once again.
I’m going to post pictures later on Facebook, but just know that they don’t even come close to the indescribable beauty of what we saw.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
"Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun..."
"...if the sun don't come you get tan from standing in the English rain."
Ha. Thought I'd start out with a fitting lyric from The Beatles - I've had their songs in my head for the last day or so. Mostly because we stopped in Liverpool for a far-too-short visit - only a few hours. We did get to visit the Beatles Story museum, which was awesome. They recreated a bunch of important places from their history, like The Cavern. Plus, I got to go in a yellow submarine.
After we toured the museum, I went with Allison, Corbin, and Zach to Pizza Express. We thought that the name of the place meant that we could eat and get out and see other things in Liverpool, but apparently the "not" is silent in the name. It took us a good two hours to order, eat, and pay. It's highly likely that this was just a culture clash of American standards of service and speed against UK standards, but still. By the time we left, we had about 40 minutes to wander around Liverpool. Consequently, I feel like I barely saw the city and I wish I could go back for a day or two.
But then we got to St. Deiniol's, which is pretty much an English major's dream. It's a big ol' library in the tiny town of Hawarden in Wales. Except Hawarden is another silent 'W' - which I have yet to understand - so it's pronounced "Harden." The English (and Welsh) are weird, I guess. Anyway, back to the library. It is EPIC. I know I use that word a lot, but what else can I say? Legendary... magnificent... extraordinary... it's everything a library should be. And I'm living here! It's got an entire wing for accommodations, and nearly everyone on the trip has his or her own room. That means I have my own bedroom with wifi (even though the signal is low in here, it's still functional).
Today's been pretty low-key: class in the morning and a tour of the place at 2:00pm. I'm trying to take it easy, too, since tomorrow we're climbing Mt. Snowdon, which is the 3rd or 4th biggest mountain on the entire island. (I think.) In any case, it's supposed to take us 5-6 hours, and especially if it's raining, it's going to be difficult. And it's been raining a lot. Oh well, should be an experience either way.
Ha. Thought I'd start out with a fitting lyric from The Beatles - I've had their songs in my head for the last day or so. Mostly because we stopped in Liverpool for a far-too-short visit - only a few hours. We did get to visit the Beatles Story museum, which was awesome. They recreated a bunch of important places from their history, like The Cavern. Plus, I got to go in a yellow submarine.
After we toured the museum, I went with Allison, Corbin, and Zach to Pizza Express. We thought that the name of the place meant that we could eat and get out and see other things in Liverpool, but apparently the "not" is silent in the name. It took us a good two hours to order, eat, and pay. It's highly likely that this was just a culture clash of American standards of service and speed against UK standards, but still. By the time we left, we had about 40 minutes to wander around Liverpool. Consequently, I feel like I barely saw the city and I wish I could go back for a day or two.
But then we got to St. Deiniol's, which is pretty much an English major's dream. It's a big ol' library in the tiny town of Hawarden in Wales. Except Hawarden is another silent 'W' - which I have yet to understand - so it's pronounced "Harden." The English (and Welsh) are weird, I guess. Anyway, back to the library. It is EPIC. I know I use that word a lot, but what else can I say? Legendary... magnificent... extraordinary... it's everything a library should be. And I'm living here! It's got an entire wing for accommodations, and nearly everyone on the trip has his or her own room. That means I have my own bedroom with wifi (even though the signal is low in here, it's still functional).
Today's been pretty low-key: class in the morning and a tour of the place at 2:00pm. I'm trying to take it easy, too, since tomorrow we're climbing Mt. Snowdon, which is the 3rd or 4th biggest mountain on the entire island. (I think.) In any case, it's supposed to take us 5-6 hours, and especially if it's raining, it's going to be difficult. And it's been raining a lot. Oh well, should be an experience either way.
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