Southern England and the Olympic Torch

Last Wednesday Brian and I went to the southeast corner of England, spending two nights in Dover. The town of Dover didn't have a lot going for it but the natural beauty of the white cliffs was its redeeming grace. I spent probably 8 hours walking along the top of the cliffs and also had a chance to walk to the ocean shore below. On Thursday, we went to Canterbury in the morning to see the cathedral made famous by St. Augustine, the murder of Thomas Beckett, and consequently Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

Canterbury Cathedral

The white cliffs of Dover

The next three nights we stayed in a hostel on the south bank of the River Thames in London. We didn't stay exclusively in London though; one day was spent on a bus tour to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Oxford. Windsor Castle was a little too perfect of a castle - but I guess it has to be if it's a residence to the Queen. The feat of moving the stones at Stonehenge still puzzles me and putting them in line with the Summer solstice sun just makes whoever put them there look like show-offs. As for the town of Oxford, it gave a new meaning to "college town". On campus, I walked around areas that were filmed in Harry Potter and at the end of our short time there, Brian and I relaxed at The Eagle and Child pub where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis would discuss their work.

Windsor Castle

Stonehenge

Look familiar? This statue was the model for Nearly Headless Nick in Harry Potter!

London's size provides months of possibilities but we hit a good selection in our few days there. We saw all the major buildings like Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Tower Bridge as well museums... Tate Modern, British Museum, British Library, National Gallery, and National Portrait Gallery. On our last day we even took the walking trek up to Abbey Road and walked across the road just as The Beatles did (only they did it with more grace, better fashion sense, and a talented photographer).

Big Ben 

Tower Bridge

National Gallery

Me trying to be the fifth Beatle

We returned to Chester late Monday night and on Tuesday night, the Olympic torch came through Chester. I've read reports that approximately 60,000 people turned out to see the torch relay, making it one of the biggest events the city has ever seen. Not too bad for a Tuesday.

The torch bearer (in white) running through Chester

The crowd that watched the flame be put in a cauldron for the end of its journey

I'm looking forward to my parents coming to England this Saturday!

The Queen comes to town

To celebrate the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II (her 60th year on the throne), her majesty the Queen along with family members are traveling around the United Kingdom and across the world. That celebration came to Chester last Thursday! The Queen, accompanied by her husband, Prince Phillip, opened a new entrance to the zoo. I waited along her route to see her be driven up to the zoo, then ran over by the entrance to see her walk in, and was along her route again when she left the zoo. In all I probably saw her for a grand total of four minutes. But nonetheless, to have seen the Queen that has reigned through 12 U.S. presidents is an awesome experience!

The Queen about to enter the zoo (you can see her coral-colored dress through the car window)

She's waving at me!

Last Saturday I went to Birmingham with Annika for the day. The English city was definitely a city, or at least a modern American-looking city. We didn't do anything special in Birmingham besides walking around the city centre which consists of lots of shopping malls and stores, seeing a small art gallery, and hanging out in Victoria Square. In the square was a giant TV screen playing Day 1 of the Olympic torch run which got me excited for the torch coming to Chester later this month!

Chaos in the malls

Victoria Square 

The torch run for everyone to enjoy

Everything Shakespeare

I am now completely done with lectures at the University of Chester and have a few assessments remaining! To be honest, I've been somewhat lazy on them and decided to take a reading break. Last week I read The Hobbit, Shakespeare's The Tempest, and Brave New World. This week I've taken to the Bible and thought I'd read a few books before getting to work on my paper tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, the Queen will be coming to Chester! I am going to try my hardest to get to see her but from what I understand it'll will be a very busy place when she rolls in.

Brian and I went to Stratford-upon-Avon last weekend to experience the birthplace of The William Shakespeare. Now I don't claim to know much about the man and I've only read a few of his plays (sometimes just stumbling through them) but I felt much more interested in him by the end of the weekend. Stratford-upon-Avon boasts not only an awesome town-name but the home to the Royal Shakespeare Company. On Saturday, I had the pleasure of seeing two plays at the RSC, Twelfth Night and The Tempest. I've been to a few Broadway shows but this surpassed any of my theatrical experiences. The theatre was fairly large and rose up two balconies that extended in a U shape around the stage. I was very impressed with the acting during the plays and they somehow made Shakespeare easier. On Sunday we walked along the river and went inside the church that Shakespeare was baptized, married, and is now buried in. Unfortunately our way back home to Chester wasn't a pleasant as our weekend in Stratford. We were delayed over three hours at one train station and the station didn't have toilets... painful.

Stratford-upon-Avon in front of the RSC

The Royal Shakespeare Company

Me in front of Shakespeare's home

Not much else is going on this week other than hoping to get over a sinus infection that I've had for a week now. Have a good week!

School winding down

I have one last class remaining before I never go to a University of Chester class again. It's alarming to think how quickly my time in this school has gone and that in a day I will be left only to my finals. Finals over here are very different than back home. It is not one week of tests in every class, rather a span of four weeks that you may have an exam or an essay due. So my schedule consists of two, 2,000 word essays due on May 16, another 2,000 word essay due May 21 then an exam all the way at June 7. The exam will be a bit of a drag to have to wait for and I wasn't happy to find out that it's during the time my parents will be in London to visit me. I plan to make a day trip back up to Chester for the exam then catch a quick train back down to London when that time comes. As far as the subject matter in my classes, I'm doing a lot of things that I never thought I'd do. For example, I wrote a psychology lab report earlier in the semester and I'm currently working on a paper for my archaeology class - which is something I am somewhat clueless on writing and researching.

Other than school work, my time in Chester has been spent reading, watching movies, and listening to music. I felt bad that I haven't read much for leisure this year so I read The Hobbit earlier this week and now I'm working on Shakespeare's The Tempest. No contrary to what you may be thinking, I did not just willingly want to read Shakespeare out of the blue. I am going to Stratford-upon-Avon later this week to see The Tempest at the Royal Shakespeare Company so I thought it would be wise to read it and have a grasp before I saw it.

I made a trip to the Chester Zoo on April 28. I don't really have much to say about the zoo since it wasn't revolutionary by any means, but as the largest zoo in the United Kingdom, it had plenty to offer.

Marvin and me exhibiting how we haven't outgrown tunnels at the zoo

Last Friday, I decided that I needed to take a day trip somewhere because I know my availability to travel is getting more and more limited as each day passes. So I booked train tickets to go to Windermere, in the Lake District, for some really strange/long departure times (to make my tickets cheaper). That Saturday, the 5th, I set out alone and spent the day around Windermere lake. I got there before much was happening in the day and stumbled across a ferry which I took across the lake. On the other side I went for a hike which was easily the best decision of the day. The walk got me outside of the towns around the lake and into the countryside which is what the Lake District is known for. Grassy hills were specked with sheep and stone fence patterns spread across the green farther than the eye could see. I ran across the small town of Sawrey, where Beatrix Potter's cottage was situated. In this area was the inspiration for many of her books including The Tale of Peter Rabbit. I have a picture below to illustrate how the influence the cottage played in her books and art. The rest of the afternoon I spent wondering around with no plans except to take in the beautiful landscape and fresh air. On my way out of the Lake District, the train was delayed ten minutes... by sheep on the tracks.

Here is the comparison of Beatrix Potter's depiction of Tom Kitten outside of her cottage to the cottage itself...

There may be horse races going on in Chester this afternoon so I may sneak over there and see what that's all about!