Day 31: Where the streets have no name... and no position on the GPS

Let's consider the GPS phenomenon, shall we? Jason has one that he uses to navigate around England. It can be very handy when one is alone in the car and maps would pose a driving hazard... but there are drawbacks to GPS as well. Reliance on the system is one major drawback (prime example: we were driving and looking for a gas station. Jason was typing "find gas station" into the system while I pointed out the BP on the corner). I will grant that there are many locations in England it would have been incredibly difficult to find if it had not been for the GPS. England does not use cardinal directions on ANY of their signs (no I-75 N or S here... it is just "M6" and you have to guess the direction... quite impossible at times). But here in Ireland, GPS just does not like the streets at all. When we were trying to find Blarney Castle, it directed us to the Blarney Business Park, which is apparently also the location of the Blarney Tourist Center, Blarney Road, and the city of Blarney (none of which are there!). When we tried to find our B&B, we were driving on a blank space on the GPS map - it didn't even register that we were on a road! Unfortunately, none of the road maps we have are very specific, so I've been navigating with very limited information (the navigator is only as good as her map!). Despite all the misadventures with navigation, we've seen some great spots, driven some pretty roads, and found some interesting locales we may not have seen otherwise.

Today we drove from our B&B near Kinsale towards Killarney and the Ring of Kerry. What a great drive! The Ring of Kerry has the Killarney National Park. We stopped several times at different locations to walk, hike, and view. We saw a beautiful historic house (Muckross House) in the middle of the woods (about a 2.5 mile hike). We stopped at the Torc Waterfall (amazing!). And then we drove along the Ring. This highway around the peninsula of Kerry is amazing. The roads are very narrow, providing for some harrowing experiences, especially when we passed tour buses. Les, you would love this trip on your motorcycle! And any of you who are avid cyclists would also love this road trip! The views are astounding.

After the Ring, we stopped back in Killarney to walk around the city. It is very touristy, but also very quaint at the same time. I had lamb stew for dinner (poor little lamb!) and now I'm typing away at an internet cafe that costs MUCH more than the one in Dublin did. Oh well!

Date: 29 July 2007
Location: Killarney, Ring of Kerry
Highlights:
- Driving through the Ring of Kerry
- the view from the road
- not getting sick (too badly) on the trip (it was very curvy!)
- lamb stew (sheeps are friends... and food)
-spying the Leprechaun Crossing, even if I didn't see any of the little fellas
Thought of the Day: Maps are friends, especially when they recognize that roads exist where you're driving.

Day 30: A Day in Ruins (Saturday)

A day in ruins... much more literally than figuratively, though! =)

Leaving the hectic pace of the city, we began our journey towards Cork. Along the way we stopped at Cashel, a small village, with a large monastic ruin atop a large hill at the center of the city. The ruins were an impressive sight as we drove in on the small road. The admission price included an informative tour from a guide named "Ashling", a very popular name here. The location dates back to waaaaay long ago, and the oldest standing buildings are from the 12th century. I still can't figure out why it took people so long to learn how to build roofs... none of these buildings have them ;+)

On the tour, I learned that this rock is connected to St. Patrick. One of the legends says that whoever hops around the rock in an anti-clockwise direction (Irish term) will be married within the year. I chose NOT to test the legend because 1) I don't like time limits, and 2) the rock is a replica of the one inside their museum and I bet it wouldn't work anyway! Nevertheless, I touched it just in case something rubs off. =)

After a nice homemade lunch in Cashel at Granny's Kitchen, we drove to Blarney. GPS doesn't like Ireland very much, so it took us a while to find Blarney Castle. (more on this later) Once we finally located it, we walked around the grounds and up to the ruins. I had to carry my umbrella the whole time; the ancient folks in Blarney apparently didn't know how to make roofs either. =) It was a well-defended castle in its time, so it seems strange how much freedom visitors have now. We could walk in all the rooms, through all the corridors, and up all the staircases. Nothing was off-limits!

So I bet you're wondering if I kissed the Blarney Stone. It was still raining and I was hesitant to lie down on the soaked stone floor. Also, I was a little put-off by the idea of putting my lips on a rock that has been touched by thousands of people's mouths every year for hundreds of years, but the company is good (Winston Churchill, royals, etc.) and the lure was too much. Though some may say I don't need any help with talking, I still decided to take advantage of the chance to get the "gift of gab" the Stone supposedly bestows. The older Irish gentleman who was assisting the "kissers" helped me assume the position to begin the smooching session. I had to lie on my back, scootch up to the wall, lean over backwards, and kiss the stone upside down! As I sat down to begin the process, he asked me if I was a good kisser. I just laughed and shrugged. When he helped me return upright, he said that for a girl who didn't brag about kissing, I was clearly skilled in the technique. What a scoundrel! =) I don't have a picture of this event, but Jason got a video of it. I'll put that online when I can figure out how to do it... or just ask me to see it later!

After Blarney, we drove into Cork on the way to our B&B, but the city looked a lot like Dublin - just a little smaller and dirtier... I wasn't impressed. Our B&B was out in the country past Cork and it was a lovely location. We ended up driving out to a smaller town on the coast: Kinsale, the "gourmet capital of Ireland". It was a pretty view and we had a good seafood meal out there. The town seemed much newer, though - no ruins there. =)

Date: 28 July 2007
Location: Cashel, Blarney, Cork, Kinsale
Highlights:
- Rock of Cashel (thanks for the recommendation, Mom! never found the lamb stew place, though... =( )
- Kissin' th' Blaaarney Stohne
- The nicest B&B yet
Thought of the day: I really like ancient stuff - especially ruins. I think I could walk around piles of old stones all day! =)

Day 29: Finding the Free in Ireland

I'm sitting in an internet cafe to write this (and the previous entry), so these will be shorter and probably not nearly as clever as I'd like them to be. Sorry! =)

This morning's "Irish" breakfast tasted uncannily like an English breakfast... hmmm.... Maybe the two countries aren't so different after all. =)

Jason had apparently had enough of trying to drive in downtown Dublin yesterday (it was a nightmare) because he suggested taking the bus this morning. We went into the City Centre and immediately went to Trinity College. We spent the extra 2 Euros and got the guided tour. The college was founded by Queen Elizabeth I to try to "civilize" those brutish Irish through education. It seems like that's what I try to do every day I'm teaching, though I won't limit it to the Irish - just teenagers. =) Anyhoo, the point of going to Trinity College was to see the Book of Kells. It was fascinating to see the literary and religious history behind those sheets of paper. The detail in the illustrations is exquisite. I see why I received so many recommendations to see it! Unfortunately, the guards frown upon attempting to take photographic evidence that the Book of Kells actually exists... so you'll just have to take my word for it - or visit yourself!

We took lunch on the walkway by the Liffey River (which is NOT the source of water for brewing Guinness, the tour yesterday was quick to point out; it's a good thing, too - that water is gross!). There were many despondent Irishmen lying on the benches near the river. It was sad to see so many people struggling. I think Swift's writing on the state of the poor in Ireland probably still applies today!

Speaking of Swift, he was the focus of much of the exhibits at St. Patrick's church (more than Patrick himself, actually). Each of the cathedrals and churches in England and Ireland seems to have adopted a resident author, and Jonathan Swift is St. Patrick's! The cathedral is very pretty inside, but slightly different architecture than the others I've seen. Not sure what the difference is though. Perhaps a different style of Gothic? (care to inform us, Norrie? ...Dad? ...Beuller?) Unlike Westminster Abbey, I was allowed to take pictures, so I think I overdid it. I am trying to include only a few (plus it takes a while for them to upload and I don't want to exceed my time limit here!)

The rain followed me here from England, so I spent much of the day trying to avoid it. Since Jason didn't bring his umbrella or rain jacket, we were trying to squeeze under my yellow umbrella (ella ella a a a) and though it is cute, it is NOT built for two! So we ducked in a few places we may not have normally tried (that, and we were trying to find free stuff to take up time!). We went into Chester Beatty Library (not a clue who Chester Beatty is, though) and saw an exhibit on Leonardo DaVinci's Codex of Leicester. Bill Gates purchased it several years back (shows you how much it is worth!) and had it restored. It's on display now at this location for a month or so. It is all about DaVinci's theories on water, the moon, etc. He was such a genius, but after reading more about him, I think he was also severely ADD! He rarely completed commissioned works, he seemed to jump around from idea to idea, and he had to write backwards in his journals to keep his mind occupied! =)

One of my favourite free exhibits was at the National Library and it featured WB Yeats. My favourite Yeats poem was on display: He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven - originally written on the back of a postcard! I wish my literary genius would come out when I send items through the post! Here's the picture of the postcard (hard to see through the glass, but at least I was allowed to take pictures!)

After a tea break, we returned to St. Patrick's for the Evensong service (also a free event - see a theme here?). It was a beautiful service and the music was provided by a choir from... Atlanta. What are the chances? I didn't recognise anyone, but I still thought it was a small world experience. =) This picture is a stone they think is from St. Patrick's era that combines the Christian cross with the Celtic circle (creating the symbol that we Presbyterians use as a cross!). This was found near the well where good ol' St. Patty would baptise people here in Ireland.

Dinner was at another funky indie restaurant (the only kinds of restaurants around here that have meals under 10 Euros). Even so, my sandwich and coke cost about $15... I am really looking forward to having a "cheap" meal be CHEAP again! (and did I mention free refills?!) ;+)

So that's it for now! Tomorrow we're off to Cork and then the Ring of Kerry and then the Dingle peninsula... not sure when I'll be able to post again, but I'll try!

Date: 27 July 2007
Location: Dublin
Highlights:
- Book of Kells
- St. Patrick's Cathedral
- Yeats exhibit
Thought of the Day: Cheap is good... when cheap is actually cheap. =)

Day 28: Welcome to the Land O' Guinness

Ireland Adventure Day 1:
Thursday began with last-minute packing and then a flight on RyanAir to Dublin. We picked up the rental car and that's where the adventure really started. Jason is used to driving on the "wrong" side of the road, but he has his left-hand drive Jeep normally. The rental car is a right-hand drive manual. It took some adjusting, but I think he's got the hang of it (I didn't get toooooo sick). =)

Our first stop was the Guinness Storehouse (not because either of us is excessively obsessed with Guinness, but because several people had said it was worth the trip). The exhibits were very informative, even if they were a little over-the-top about how great Guinness is. One of my favourite parts was the vat of barley. I like to be able to touch exhibits. =) After circling upward to learn about the process of brewing Guinness, the Guinness history, Guinness marketing, and Guinness transportation (see? a little excessive!), we finally got to the top floor with a 360 degree view of Dublin and a bar. A pint of Guinness was included with the admission price. Though I'm not normally a stout drinker, I must say I enjoyed that pint! It was much creamier in the States (or maybe I bought in to the hype that Guinness in Ireland tastes better than Guinness anywhere else). =) Just so you know, this picture was taken by a couple who put their drinks on the table with ours - I was not going to drink two pints of Guinness! Every girl has her limits. =)




Next we parked in the City Centre area, walked around Grafton Street (shopping district) and had dinner at a funky little eatery. Since we weren't ready to head back to the B&B yet and since I had a hankering for some Irish music, we found the Temple Bar (a fairly famous bar in Dublin) and sat while a trio (guitar, violin, and random-stringed-instruments) played some great music. It was mostly Irish traditional fused with rock and folk. Jason and I shared a table with a father and his sons who were visiting from England. We compared stories of our tours around the city and chatted about various topics. That's one of the things I love about Europe in general - if there isn't space for you to have your own table, you share one with strangers. And people here, as a whole, are very good conversationalists! The elder son has been teaching English in Hong Kong for about 10 years. His stories were fascinating, and now I want to go teach in Hong Kong (but I am fairly sure that idea will fade quickly). =)

Our B&B is in a nice part of town on the outskirts of the city. The decor is a strange mix of traditional British/Irish and ornate Asian. There are paintings of Dublin next to a Buddha hanging on the wall... quite eclectic, but endearing in its oddity. =)

Date: 26 July 2007
Location: Dublin
Highlights:
- My first encounter with an Irishman was being greeted at the Guinness Storehouse by a friendly guy who gave me my ticket. I could have stayed just to listen to him talk!
- Enjoying the night life in the Temple Bar area
Thought of the Day: There is something to the phrase "Irish eyes are smiling" =)

Day 27: To Stay or Not to Stay... not really a question

Today marks the end of my time in England. Tomorrow I fly to Ireland to spend six days there before returning to the States. I hope to find an internet cafe from which I can post my blog, but I am not sure of the accessibility while I'm in the Land of the Leprechauns.

Since today was a very low-key day spent packing, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share some random pictures, random facts, and my general thoughts.

This is a random picture from Chawton House (Jane Austen's brother's house). It's a portrait of Kitty Fisher, the writer. There is a nursery rhyme that goes: "Lucy Locket lost her pocket. Kitty Fisher found it." Well, apparently, Lucy Locket was a... um... "woman of the night" and the pocket she lost was one of her clients, Matthew Pocket, who left her services to court Kitty Fisher instead! Quite scandalous the things we have our kids repeat! =)

Now, let's reflect on what it is about me that encourages strangers talk to me. Yesterday, as I was at the stop waiting for my bus back to Bicester, I was approached by three different people within the span of about 10 minutes. The first was a guy in his late teens or early twenties asking for money. He gave me his sob story about trying to get enough money to stay in the backpacker's hostel ,and naive, caring Liz was thinking, "poor guy... he needs help..." while cynical Liz was constantly saying, "He's just going to go get high... look at the kid... you can tell he's on something." Naive, caring Liz won out and handed the kid a few pounds, but Cynical Liz got to say "I told you so" when I saw the kid walk up and down the streets several times talking to people and then pausing on occasion to stuff the money down into his socks to make it look like he didn't have any in his pockets. Whatever he used it for, at least I was trying to be compassionate. Next, I had three semi-drunk German guys ask me for directions. I felt like such a native... and I was able to point them towards the club they were looking for, though I had a fleeting thought that I could point them in the opposite direction and they'd never know. Then I had a random guy ask me what time it was while I was sitting under a giant clock... brilliant. I don't know why these people talked to ME while there are lots of other folks around. After that last one, I sat closer to an older woman on a bench thinking I'd be better off near her! She was the kind of person that no one would mess with! Why don't I have that kind of persona?

Let's leave that subject to think on the name "OXFORD". If you break it into syllables, it is OX FORD. We all know an ox is a large creature in the bovine family (at least I hope it's in the bovine family, otherwise I'll get lots of comments to correct me!). And we know to FORD is a verb that means to cross a river. The story goes that OX-FORD gets its name from the cows crossing the River Thames (or one of the other many rivers in this area). I've attached the Oxford crest for you to view... it's pretty literal. =)

This is a bizarre statue of a horse from the armoury of the Kings in the Tower of London. It is supposedly a replica of a horse belonging to one of the kings. If I had a horse that looked like this, I think I would try to be humane and put it out of its misery!

Now it is time for lists:

I thought I'd begin with a list of why I could easily stay in Oxford:

- For the most part, people here spell things correctly! (I rarely see mistakes like I do in America: "Its You're Lucky Day" / "CDs, DVDs, and Book's for sale" / etc.)

- I have been studying British Literature in the HOME of British Literature!

- I can say words like "smashing", "brilliant", and "daft" without getting strange looks

- I have professors who say phrases like "as it were"

- Guys are automatically better looking when they speak with British accent

- I am a nerd and Oxford is a nerd's paradise!

- Walking everywhere is good exercise and good for the environment

And here's the list of why I am looking forward to coming home:

- Free drink refills

- Chick-fil-A (I am not a big fast food person, but I miss this one)

- My family and friends! See? You all are why I'm coming home! (in addition to a #1 combo... and getting another Coke without coughing up 2 more pounds ($4!)... and a #1 combo... and did I mention free refills?)

In all seriousness, I miss you all and I look forward to seeing many of you in person over the coming weeks! I'll be back 31 July (p.m.) but I don't think I'll really be conscious until sometime in the middle of the day on 1 August. I'll do a final blog on that day to let everyone know how the end of the trip went. Thanks for taking the time to share this experience with me! My love to you all! Cheers for now...

Date: 25 July 2007

Location: Bicester

Highlights:

- pizza with Holly, Chuck, Sarah, and Ryan

- getting my luggage packed

Thought of the Day: I am about ready to come home! I look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Day 26: A Redeeming Day (Tuesday)

Tuesday was a beautiful day in London. The rain stopped, the sun was shining, and the temperature was perfect! Everything was open, too. =)

Heather and I started the day with breakfast at a café and then we walked down to Trafalgar Square. It was a great day to be outside with the crowds of people gathered in the square, even if the view was slightly marred by the giant blue and yellow inflatable domes (there was some sports festival for kids). The National Gallery makes one end of the Square, and major streets make the other sides. It was a bustling place - even in the morning when we arrived!

I don’t recall having visited the National Gallery when I was here as a child, so I was thrilled to see the inside. Heather and I decided to take our time in the Gallery (since it wasn’t going to close any time soon!), so we each rented an audio tour. The museum is set up chronologically, and the audio tour had lots of options including the highlights of the museum, the director’s tour, and the Life of Christ tour. I saw each painting on all three tours and listened to the commentary. It was fascinating and it took several hours to do, but since we weren't getting kicked out we didn't mind!

Our next stop was a picnic lunch in Parliament Square with Big Ben in the background and Westminster Abbey on the side. Per Jason’s recommendation, we paid the extra 5 pounds to have a guided tour from one of the Vergers of the Abbey (a non-clergy guide). It was the best 5 pounds I have spent during this entire trip! Our verger was Benjamin, and he was hilarious. Think of a combination of Mr. Bean and Igor from Young Frankenstein: he had a quirky smile, a wandering eye, and there were some moments that I think he was actually skipping through the Abbey, but with his long robes, it was hard to tell. He is probably the "Maria" of the vergers. =) He had a wonderful sense of humour; he made dry jokes as he explained the 900 years of history in 90 minutes, and he jauntily waved his little Union Jack flag as he lead us through the crowds in the Abbey at a rapid pace. I learned so much from him, and we got to see portions of the Abbey that no one else gets to see. Every few minutes at a different exclusive location or after a great explanation, Heather or I would turn to each other and whisper “this alone is worth the 5 pounds!” It was a wonderful way to experience the Abbey.

The Poets’ Corner was my favourite part of the tour, of course. All the great literary (and musical) geniuses recognized in the same area – it’s a library of names! Following the tour, Heather and I decided to stay around for the 5 pm Evensong service. A wise friend of mine recommended staying for the service, and it was an incredible experience (thanks, Edie!). Our verger recognized us when we arrived for the service, so he seated us in the “quire” (choir) area of the Cathedral where we had a great view of everything, including the visiting choir (from Dallas, TX of all places), the crossing of the Cathedral (where the coronations take place), the Dean (who is allowed to sit in the Queen’s chair), and the great windows. The music was beautiful (mostly a cappella), the service was moving, and I choked up at one point because it was all so poignant. What a wonderful way to worship and to wrap up my visit to London!

Heather and I found dinner (fish & chips, of course!) at a pub near Picadilly Circus on my way to the bus stop. It was a great excursion to a vast city. I am glad I got to see what I did, but I’ll need to return for a much longer period to see all that London offers! Overall, it was a very redeeming day when compared to the previous one!

Date: 24 July 2007
Location: London
Highlights:
-Yoghurt & granola with English honey for breakfast

-Ham & cheese foccacia sandwiches in the park
-A beautiful day outside!

-Worshipping God in Westminster
-Safe travel back to Bicester
-Oxford didn’t flood (and hopefully won’t!)
Thought of the Day: I copied down this quotation from Thomas Campbell’s statue in the Poets’ Corner (he was a Scottish poet). I thought it was a beautiful epitaph:
This Spirit shall return to Him
who gave its heavenly spark:
Yet think not, sun, it shall be dim
when thou thyself art dark!
No! It shall live again, and shine
in bliss unknown to beams of thine,
By Him recalled to breath,
who captive led captivity,
Who robb’d the grave of victory,
and took the sting from death!
~ Thomas Campbell

Day 25: Closing Time In London (Monday)

I’ve never been kicked out of so many places in one day! One would think a city like London would be open a little later.

My adventure to London began with a trip on the Oxford Tube (the bus system that we used for our Globe excursion). Our bus was moving through a roundabout when a small van darted in front of us to exit and almost hit us. The driver swerved and narrowly missed the moronic motorist. I had a front row seat for the excitement because I was sitting in the top floor, front seat. From that vantage point, I could see the centimetres between the vehicles, but I couldn’t hear the driver’s reaction (I’m sure it was colourful!).

I arrived in London and made my way through the underground system to Covent Gardens where my friend Heather was staying. She is a friend I made at the Oxford Programme and she’s actually from Atlanta! Since she was staying in London following the close of the programme and didn’t have anyone to tour the city with, she asked if I’d come out for a day or two. I had planned on visiting London anyway, so it worked out perfectly! Heather was a wonderful person to tour London with because we’re both literary nerds and have similar interests, so we wanted to see most of the same sights. Another plus was that we each had our own umbrella – and it rained the whole day!!

We started off by meeting Erin and her husband Travis and her son Dominic, who had both flown in to tour England with her. They were also in London, so we had a lovely reunion over lunch at a pub in Covent Gardens. After we said our final goodbyes, Heather and I made a plan of action and set out for St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was about to close, so we didn’t want to pay the high ticket price for such a short time. We examined our other options and decided on the Tower of London since it stayed open later than other attractions.

On the way to the Tower of London, I ran into the Ferrar family from FPC Marietta – small world! You never know who you'll see in another country.

The closing time posted for the Tower of London was 6 p.m. As it was 4:30, we decided we should have enough time to see what we wanted to see, so we paid the ridiculously expensive admission price and went inside. After we had seen the crown jewels, we went into the armoury to see King Henry VIII’s suits of armour. He was 6’9” so even I looked dwarfish next to this display! As we were walking around the exhibit, a guide came through and started moving people out, claiming they were getting ready to close. It was not even 5:15 at this point.

Heather and I tried to go to another exhibit, but just as we walked up, a guard shooed us away saying he had just admitted the last visitors. We walked towards the area where the scaffolds were for hangings and got a picture with a beefeater (the guard). At first I asked if he would mind posing in a picture with me and he said he didn’t pose for pictures. But he said it with a twinkle in his eye, so I asked if he would stand – not posing - and I could stand still next to him, again not posing, and my friend could just happen to take a picture. He said that was fine. =) But after the picture he said the area was closed and we couldn’t go back there!

It wasn’t even 5:30 and everything had shut down inside the Tower. After leaving the Tower of London, we tried to go into the Tower Bridge exhibit, but it had just closed. We were quite disappointed, and the rain made the situation even drearier. To escape the rain and brighten our moods, we sat in a café and got tea and a pastry. I enjoyed talking with Heather as we sat and sipped our hot drinks. It took the chill off of the day, and allowed us to dry off a bit.

We decided that the disaster of a day needed some retail therapy, so we went to the shopping district! We visited H&M, but couldn’t stay long because… you guessed it – they were closing! Then we went towards Harrods and were amazed by the place. Though we couldn’t really afford anything, just walking around the extravagantly-decorated levels was fun!

In the food halls, we bought little pieces of Turkish Delight in different flavours. It was an indulgent moment; it felt nicely luxurious to eat a little delicacy surrounded by the gilded and glamorous ambiance. We walked through the high-end departments (shoes, millinery, furs, dress boutique) and one of the guards allowed me to take a picture of the shoes. I figured taking a picture was a better option than actually touching the $1000+ footwear.

Harrods, like everything else that day, eventually closed down as well and we had to leave yet another London locale before we were ready to. For dinner, we found a sandwich shop that was still open (finally). We ended up kicking ourselves out of the shop when the man behind the counter looked like he was ready to close up. Finally, we had control over something for that day! =)

Date: 23 July 2007
Location: London
Highlights:
- The Tower of London (for a short time)
- Seeing the giant ravens at the Tower (those are some enormous birds!) Here’s the legend of the ravens: “The first Royal Observatory was housed in the north eastern turret of the White Tower. Legend has it that John Flamsteed (1646 - 1719), the 'astronomical observator' complained to King Charles II that the birds were interfering with his observations. The King therefore ordered their destruction only to be told that if the ravens left the Tower, the White Tower would fall and a great disaster befall the Kingdom. Sensibly the King changed his mind and decreed that at least six ravens should be kept at the Tower at all times to prevent disaster.” Taken from http://www.historic-uk.com/DestinationsUK/TowerRavens.htm
- A great room at The Fielding Hotel!
Thought of the Day: Don't feed the ravens (the signs claim they bite!)

In the meantime...

The past two days I've been in London on a mini-adventure. Though the flooding here has made the news even in the States, pleased rest assured that I'm fine, Jason's house is fine, and so far, Oxford is ok... pray for a break in the rain, though! It's very bad in some areas and there are thousands still without running water or electricity.

Tonight my bus back from London got in late, so tomorrow I'll post about all my experiences over the past two days!

Until then, please enjoy the following word:
DAFT - completely devoid of the senses. This word can be used to replace "crazy" or "mad" in a sentence. Example: "If you think I am walking through waist-high water without my wellies, you are completely DAFT" =)

Day 24: A Bit with the Bard

Today we drove to a neighboring shire to spend a day with the Bard himself, William Shakespeare, at Stratford-Upon-Avon. With all the heavy rains over the past two days, there has been disastrous flooding in many parts of England. Stratford is one of the locations suffering from serious flooding. One of the theatres here had to cancel performances because the building was flooded. The Avon, normally a gently coursing river that winds through the town, is a massive flow of water that has overtaken the banks. Where there was once a lovely riverside walk, there are now the tops of park benches just visible above the water. (I took this picture from the steps leading to the walking path down to the river bank, which is supposed to be at the tree line. Look closely along the tree line - you can see the tops of the benches)

The first stop on the “tour de Shakespeare” was his birthplace. I had visited these attractions when I was here almost 20 years ago, but I don’t remember that much. When I saw how much it would cost to go inside, I decided I remembered enough. Rather than pay to go in, I determined that a picture of the exterior would suffice. I don’t need all the expensive tourist moments… really, I can’t afford it! =)

I went into Holy Trinity Church to see Shakespeare’s grave. It was only 50p (the equivalent of $1) to enter, so I figured I could afford that! I didn’t realize he had been named a lay rector in 1605 and that is why he was given the privilege of burial inside the church. His wife was buried beside him on one side, and on the other is Thomas Nash, the grandson of the poet.

The Guildhall became the town’s schoolroom in 1553, years before Shakespeare was born. He was schooled there, and there is even a plaque on the side of the room where he sat. Now the rooms are still used by the local school, King Edward’s, and the young boys give the tours of the old structures. I am glad I spent the two pounds to go in – it was worth it to see the old room and sit in the area where he might have sat. When I jokingly asked our teenage tour guide if he felt inspired when he sat in that classroom, he seemed caught off-guard. He laughed and then said, “No, not really. Besides, they don’t teach us literature in this room anyway.” Why can't I teach literature in a room like that?!? That's right, we don't have any buildings from the 1500s in America. =)

One free stop on our self-created tour was this garden. It is a lovely green space with statues based on Shakespeare’s plays. Each of the structures has a quotation from the play and then the artist’s depiction of the character. The artist chose the darker plays, which worked well for the twisted way he shaped the metal of the statues.

This is a depiction of the events/ characters / issues in Hamlet. The quotation is from the famous soliloquy:
“To be, or not to be: that is the question: / Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; / No more; and by a sleep to say we end / The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation / Devoutly to be wish'd.”

Unfortunately, while we were perusing the shops, Jason got called into work again. We had to leave and drive the hour home. It was frustrating because there was more to see, but there is nothing to be done in such situations. When one is on-call, one cannot ignore the phone! At least we had hit the major places I wanted to see before he got the call!

Some of you have mentioned to me that you’re concerned because Jason never smiles in any of the pictures. Some have suggested it is because he’s miserable that he has to put up with me for a month. You may not be too far off! ;+) He has been a good sport, and he puts up with what must seem to him like incessant chatter from me in comparison to his rather reticent habits. My theory is he just doesn’t like smiling in pictures; he actually CAN smile. In fact, this photograph proves it. He didn’t MEAN to smile in the picture, but I said something to try to make him laugh. Whatever it takes! =)


Day: 22 July 2007
Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Bicester
Highlights:
- the short but lovely visit to Stratford-Upon-Avon

- noting that the boats at this little dock were all named for female Shakespearian characters (fun pop quiz: see if you can match the character name to the right play! This is for Literature nerds only... the rest of you have better things to do with your time!) The boats read: Viola, Helena, Beatrice, Virgilia, Miranda
- seeing Les’s Soft Whip Ice Cream Truck (aww, I miss you, Brother)
- tossing the Frisbee in the sports field next to Jason’s house
- making breakfast for dinner (I LOVE breakfast for dinner! That makes me think of my family because it’s one of our favourite meals!)
Phrase of the Day: “sweet as a nut” – Jason was watching the British Open while I was typing on the computer and I was mostly tuning it out (I hate watching golf on TV) but when one of the very British announcers said “sweet as a nut” to describe a shot, it caught my attention. =)

Day 23: It's Never Over (Saturday)

Jason had to go into Oxford this morning to run an errand, so I decided to go too. Since he hardly ever has the chance to venture into Oxford and since I feel like I have a good handle on the town, I thought it would be fun to show him around. Unfortunately, he got called in to work and had to leave before we even got into town. He dropped me off so I could enjoy the town one last time (and since I still had my bus pass to get home). I walked over to Exeter and ran right into Erin! Since her cab didn’t leave the college for another hour, we went to lunch. On Erin’s recommendation, I ordered a ham & pickle sandwich, which is actually ham on buttered bread with pickled relish (it’s dark red, though… not sure WHAT they pickled!). It was delicious! Erin has been a great insider here – her father is British, and she speaks with a light accent since she was raised all over the place. We got to say our goodbyes again – although it was really “see you soon!” because we’re meeting for lunch in London on Monday. Erin will be there with her family and I’m meeting Heather there for 2 days. It will be a lovely reunion. =)

After Erin left for her train, I visited the Fellow’s Garden at Exeter one last time and then began wandering around the city. There was a new set of street musicians playing on Cornmarket Street – one group played a great mixture of Irish, bluegrass, and folk. I liked them so much I bought their CD! I did a little bit of shopping around the city, walked by Oxford Castle, and then caught my bus back towards Bicester.

On the way back, I exited the bus at Wolvercote Cemetery. I had seen the sign for it every day on my commute, and someone told me it is where J. R. R. Tolkien is buried. Since I had nothing else to do other than have a little adventure, I decided to see what I could find. It was drizzling, but I walked around the cemetery until I found the grave. I passed by it once because the flowers planted on it were so overgrown that I couldn’t see the names on the gravestone. Tolkien’s wife is listed first and he is listed below it. On top of the grave, rose bushes, plants, and flowers grow. People had left letters and cards on the grave, and one person had even left a silver ring on a branch of the rose bush. I stood back at the bus stop and waited for another #27 to pass by. Since I wasn’t sure it would stop, I actually hailed the bus like I had seen so many people do. I felt so urban when the bus stopped for me, though it would have been more of an adventure if Mr. Speedy had been driving and had whizzed right by me! (See Day 12 if you’re curious about the bus stories).

Jason got back from work eventually, so we went to the Brackley Antique Market and I bought my official souvenir for the trip: a teacup. I started collecting teacups when I went to Austria a few years ago, and I’ve purchased one in each country I have visited since then. Jason and I met Sean and Janine for dinner. We ate at the Greyhound Inn, an old pub where they serve Thai food. It is the most interesting ambiance for a Thai restaurant! There is something just not quite right about eating a plate of Pad Thai at an old pub table with dark wooden beams running through the ceiling. =)


Date: 21 July 2007
Location: Oxford and Bicester
Highlights:
- one last lunch in Oxford
- saying goodbye to Tony the porter at Exeter (he was always a friendly face when I would come in the door each day)
- finding a confectionary in Bicester and trying a delightful little sponge cake with homemade icing
Cultural Lesson for the Day:
Eat In or Take Away: At all sandwich shops, coffee and tea houses, and little cafés, there is a charge if you eat your food in the restaurant. Each food and drink item is labeled with the take-away price and then the eat-in price (usually about 30-50p more). Even the Starbucks here has the same procedure. I suppose it makes sense that one would pay to take up space, but it is quite different from how things operate in the States.

Day 22: The Perfect Ending (Friday)

The perfect end – in so many ways. When I woke up Friday morning, it was pouring rain – and it did not stop all day. It was a perfect ending because it is the only day it has rained all day long! All the other rains have passed eventually, but this was ridiculous. We all joked that Oxford was crying to see us go. =)

Though it was POURING rain, I wasn’t about to let that stop me from enjoying the last official day of my programme! I went all over town! Heather and I went to the post office and got drenched. My jeans were wet for the rest of the day because I kept going out in the weather and getting soaked. My cute yellow umbrella does nothing to protect my feet or legs!

Lecture was on current topics in contemporary novels. The lecturer was my brilliant professor, Dr. Cunningham. The gist of the lecture was that the current topics are mostly dark, depressing, sordid, gruesome, and sometimes downright disgusting. He focused on the human body and read some disturbing passages from novels dealing with dismemberment, autopsies, murder, etc. At the end of the lecture, someone asked if there were any glimmers of positive topics that novelists write about or would write about in the future and my professor paused for a moment and wryly said, “…Well…No.” We all laughed and he commented that novelists have rarely found happiness to be an engaging topic for a novel. When I examine much of classic literature – and most contemporary literature as well – it is clear he made a good point. His sense of humour came through even though the lecture itself was fairly dark. I think he likes the challenging topics, though – I think he appreciates anything that might give him a challenge!

Another side trip during which we got even wetter was to University College, which houses the Shelley monument. Heather was worried about getting in because a gruff guard had turned her away a few days before. When she whispered that the porter was the same one from before, I decided to give it a try anyway. Somehow I was able to charm him into letting us in the gate. Apparently I have a way with gruff British porters: not only did he admit us to the campus, he even pointed us in the direction of the monument. Shelley’s monument is very striking. It is white marble on a dark base in the center of a semi-circled room. The walls are bare except for the tribute spelled across the top, and the dome ceiling is painted with a vivid blue sky and constellations. Other than the statue itself, the area looks very little like the scene from The Saint – there is a gate around the monument to prevent getting anywhere near it, and there are no benches for handsome men to recline on while sketching. =) But it is a moving tribute to a genius poet who died too early.

Not to be outdone by the weather, I climbed the tower at St. Mary the Virgin cathedral to get the “best view in the town.” It was a great view! Though the skies were still very cloudy and the wind was moving ferociously and the rain was constantly drizzling, I enjoyed my view from the top.

Since we did not have class, we all tried to cram in as much as possible in the hours between meals and packing (I didn’t have to pack, but Erin and Heather did). Erin and I went to the Natural History Museum to see the awesome interior architecture we had heard about in our “History of Oxford lecture.” Then Heather joined us to check out the inside of the Divinity School and we took one last visit to the Bodleian Library.

Finally, it was time for our closing dinner. Everyone dressed up and we had drinks in the Rector’s Lodge before retiring to the hall. The professors marched in wearing their robes and we clapped as they made their way to high table (the special reserved table at the front of the room). We had a delicious meal (fillet of lamb) and then there were speeches and presentations of certificates. I am an official graduate of the Summer Programme in English Literature at Oxford University!

Though I’ve been sad (verging on depressed) all week, this really was a perfect ending because I am not dwelling on the end anymore. I have loved my experiences and I know I will treasure these memories. I have met so many people who have made this programme enjoyable, and I’ve made two really good friends; more than just acquaintances, Heather and Erin are people I know I’ll stay in touch with. And I’ve been blessed to be under the tutelage of brilliant professors who are passionate about their specialties. As she handed me my certificate, my Austen professor (who is also the director of the summer programme) said she was delighted to have had me in the programme, and was very serious about hoping she saw me again in the future. She reminded me to keep in touch as well. This evening brought into perspective what I’ve been able to do over the past three weeks, and what I’ll be able to do in the future. I’m leaving the programme with a sense of satisfaction rather than sadness.

Day: 21 July. 2007
Location: Oxford
Highlights:
- fun in the rain (the constant, did-not-stop, flooded-parts-of-London rain!)
- the closing dinner and wonderful conversation across the long tables
- feeling accomplished, rather than deprived, at the close of the programme
Thought of the Day:
I am blessed to have had this experience.