"Parting is such sweet sorrow", I believe Shakespeare wrote this quote. Yesterday we departed from England. Our day started very early, we departed from the Royal National Hotel at around 3:45 a.m. The sun was beginning to peak its head up from the clouds that hung in the gloomy sky. Traffic was non existence, apparently the time to travel across London is in the wee hours of the morning. We arrived at Heathrow Airport a little after 4 and began our long journey back to the States. A little piece of advice, always carry your boarding pass with you if you decide to buy something in the airport, because without it, you can not obtain your goods, no matter what it is, even if it is a 99 pence bottle of water.
So after two flights, two movies, three t.v shows, an hour nap, five chapters in my book, twice through customs, being frisked and searched, two airline meals( egg and cheese omlets and a cheese calzone, cheese was popular that day apparently), a tram ride, and the long waits on luggage we arrived back in Indiana. Upon our arrive we were greeted by signs and the eager expressions of our loved ones, who apparently missed us for whatever reason. We all waved and said goodbye, as we headed home to shower and sleep off the jetlag that would hit us later that night. It was a fun trip and hopefully everyone had a great time. Hoorray to everyone, we all made it back, and in one piece and still sane.
As they say in England, "Cheerio", till we all meet again.
P.S Sorry I have not included pictures, my camera died and no really wants to see thirteen very tired travlers in a airports. Besides that who hasn't seen an airplane and the port that it belongs to.
Friday, June 20, 2008
(Wednesday, June 18th)
After our amazing experience of the theatre from the night before, I was still feeling very energized when I awoke to my first morning in London. We were scheduled for a guided tour of Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath in just about an hour. We boarded our tour bus at 7:30am after a very filling English breakfast courtesy of the Royal National Hotel. We met our driver, Martin, and our tour guide, Priscilla. The best way I can describe Priscilla is very energetic, with many strong opinions. She was definitely a lively part of the day.
On the way to Windsor Castle we were given some more history of
the city. It’s amazing how much history one city can hold. We arrived at Windsor and although we had a short time table before getting back on the bus, we were able to see many areas of the castle. The tour covered the Queen’s doll house, several sitting and dining areas and what I’ll call the Heraldry room. The room was covered in hundreds of family crests, from many generations. We were also very fortunate to see a parade of the guards coming up the street to the castle for the changing of the guards. Although we didn’t get to see the changing, the parade was very lovely.
After a few minutes to collect ourselves we were back on the bus for Stonehenge. Once again our
guide didn’t fail to give us quite a bit of history on our way, but she did get off on a few tangents. Finally we arrived at Stonehenge. Now, you’ve all seen pictures of it online, in a documentary or wherever, but nothing compares to seeing it in person. What this structure must have meant to those who built it. It is amazingly large and would have taken great effort to put together. It’s was definitely not done on a whim, it had a great purpose. Once again, a few moments to collect and we were off to lunch!
Our schedule for lunch was to stop at a very old pub called The George, located in Lacock. The town and pub may have been small and tucked out of the way, b
ut that was why it was so popular. The look and feel of the town made it the perfect setting for filming and it had several famous movies to boast of. For example, The Other Boleyn Girl, Pride and Prejudice and the 1st, 2nd and 6th Harry Potter movies were filmed in the streets or at the beautiful Abbey. We didn’t have time to visit those areas of the city, but there was a picture frame hanging in The George that described all the excitement. The lunch itself was very good, very filling and was just what most of us needed to recharge for the remainder of the day.
Off once again, this time to Bath. The city itself is breathtaking and very picturesque. It’s built on
the side of a mountain and features some very interesting structures. Not only does it contain the Roman Baths and the Bath Abbey, but there is a bridge built there that, while you are on it, looks nothing like a bridge. You would think you were just driving down a street, but if you looked through the windows on one side of the shops you would see the river that flows through the town. The 
shops on that side are not very deep so you can just see right through their windows. The Baths were amazing, beautiful artwork and structures and the fact that after so many hundreds of years the water flowing from the springs is still warm! Yes, I stuck my hand in it just to make sure.
On the road again (isn’t that a song?) and this time back home to London, but only after our driver gave us one last beautiful view of Bath. It was about a 2 ½ hour ride back so most of us caught a little nap. When we arrived in London, five of
our group (including myself) caught a cab for a very hurried ride to the London Eye, before it closed. This ride, which looks like a really large Ferris wheel, took us up 135 meters above London. We were able to see some spectacular views and get some amazing pictures. It was well worth the time we took at the end of our busy day. We took a small stroll down some of London’s streets at night before we caught a cab back to our hotel.
That last evening consisted of packing since we were leaving the hotel around 3:45am to check in for our flight home. It was exciting, but sad just the same. We’d all been looking forward to this trip and we’d all had an amazing time, but all good things must come to an end. As I was packing I noticed the Harlaxton crest on a fleece blanket I purchased. There were thirteen crosses on it and I thought it fitting that there just so happened to be thirteen of our inaugural group. What an amazing trip and wonderful memories I’ll treasure for a lifetime.
After our amazing experience of the theatre from the night before, I was still feeling very energized when I awoke to my first morning in London. We were scheduled for a guided tour of Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath in just about an hour. We boarded our tour bus at 7:30am after a very filling English breakfast courtesy of the Royal National Hotel. We met our driver, Martin, and our tour guide, Priscilla. The best way I can describe Priscilla is very energetic, with many strong opinions. She was definitely a lively part of the day.
On the way to Windsor Castle we were given some more history of
the city. It’s amazing how much history one city can hold. We arrived at Windsor and although we had a short time table before getting back on the bus, we were able to see many areas of the castle. The tour covered the Queen’s doll house, several sitting and dining areas and what I’ll call the Heraldry room. The room was covered in hundreds of family crests, from many generations. We were also very fortunate to see a parade of the guards coming up the street to the castle for the changing of the guards. Although we didn’t get to see the changing, the parade was very lovely.After a few minutes to collect ourselves we were back on the bus for Stonehenge. Once again our
guide didn’t fail to give us quite a bit of history on our way, but she did get off on a few tangents. Finally we arrived at Stonehenge. Now, you’ve all seen pictures of it online, in a documentary or wherever, but nothing compares to seeing it in person. What this structure must have meant to those who built it. It is amazingly large and would have taken great effort to put together. It’s was definitely not done on a whim, it had a great purpose. Once again, a few moments to collect and we were off to lunch!Our schedule for lunch was to stop at a very old pub called The George, located in Lacock. The town and pub may have been small and tucked out of the way, b
ut that was why it was so popular. The look and feel of the town made it the perfect setting for filming and it had several famous movies to boast of. For example, The Other Boleyn Girl, Pride and Prejudice and the 1st, 2nd and 6th Harry Potter movies were filmed in the streets or at the beautiful Abbey. We didn’t have time to visit those areas of the city, but there was a picture frame hanging in The George that described all the excitement. The lunch itself was very good, very filling and was just what most of us needed to recharge for the remainder of the day.Off once again, this time to Bath. The city itself is breathtaking and very picturesque. It’s built on
the side of a mountain and features some very interesting structures. Not only does it contain the Roman Baths and the Bath Abbey, but there is a bridge built there that, while you are on it, looks nothing like a bridge. You would think you were just driving down a street, but if you looked through the windows on one side of the shops you would see the river that flows through the town. The 
shops on that side are not very deep so you can just see right through their windows. The Baths were amazing, beautiful artwork and structures and the fact that after so many hundreds of years the water flowing from the springs is still warm! Yes, I stuck my hand in it just to make sure.On the road again (isn’t that a song?) and this time back home to London, but only after our driver gave us one last beautiful view of Bath. It was about a 2 ½ hour ride back so most of us caught a little nap. When we arrived in London, five of
our group (including myself) caught a cab for a very hurried ride to the London Eye, before it closed. This ride, which looks like a really large Ferris wheel, took us up 135 meters above London. We were able to see some spectacular views and get some amazing pictures. It was well worth the time we took at the end of our busy day. We took a small stroll down some of London’s streets at night before we caught a cab back to our hotel.That last evening consisted of packing since we were leaving the hotel around 3:45am to check in for our flight home. It was exciting, but sad just the same. We’d all been looking forward to this trip and we’d all had an amazing time, but all good things must come to an end. As I was packing I noticed the Harlaxton crest on a fleece blanket I purchased. There were thirteen crosses on it and I thought it fitting that there just so happened to be thirteen of our inaugural group. What an amazing trip and wonderful memories I’ll treasure for a lifetime.
Goodbye Harlaxton, Hello London!
The morning of our departure, I used the lift to lug my baggae downstairs. As it made its descent, the glorious sounds of Italian opera filled the air. The lovely gentleman at the reception desk told me that there is no better way to start the workday than with the sounds of Le Divo. What a perfect way to remember Harlaxton! We all had such a wonderful experience at the Manor. The staff went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable and to make sure all the library and computer resources were available for our use. As the coach pulled away from the front oval, we all turned for one last glance. Dave, being such a sensitive driver, took us for an additional go around so all on the coach could get one last glimpse at our unforgetable stay at the charming country manor! Parting is such sweet sorrow! A moment of sad silence fell over the coach as Harlaxton disappeared in the distance. I'm sure all of us will always cherish our visit. Fellow student, Alexis , shared a passage she wrote on the ride:
A plane ride so long and over 3000 miles away
Is a place named Harlaxton where many students do stay
When you pull to the manor all sleepy and tore
You can't help but be awakened by its beauty and allure
The staff comes to greet you, as if you were kin
With a warm British welcome, the castle begged us to come in
So many stairs to climb and windows to look out
We ran quick to our rooms so we could wander about
Big ballrooms and galleries in which you explore
Many stairwells and passages some that have hidden a door
Such a warm building for being so cold
What an amazing new experience for a structure so old
When our time here was over we packed up for home
My heart did ache to leave dear Harlaxton alone
Not sure when I will make it to see you again
Remember me Harlaxton, you are always a friend!
A few hours later, the country charm was replaced with the bustle of the big city traffic. For such a big city, London is clean, friendly, and relatively safe! We all checked into our European style hotel rooms and headed our separate ways to fulfill our "bucket list" of events!
For the majority of us, that trail lead us directly to the world famous British Museum! Right before our eyes, we experienced the awe of the Glgin Marbles, The Rosetta Stone and many ancient artifacts that have influenced the world!
Afterwards, our groups dwindled to even fewer amounts as some of us had particular preferences of sights to see - for either research or enjoyment purposes. I ventured onto the Underground and used the "tube" as my main sourse of transport. The subway system is used by the majority of Londoners to reduce the amount of traffic congestion in the city. It was very easy to use and was much like the Metro in Washington, DC. As a part of my research, I had the priviledge of interviewing native British Sign Language users!
When I rode the Tube back, I found some of my cohorts and we shared details from our mini-adventures. Most of us completed our check lists of sights, but were a bit let down to find some of the tours too lengthy of a wait to partake of. However, the opportunity to experience the people and culture of London was not disappointing at all!
Later in the evening, we all met for our trip to the theatre. Everyone looked absolutely dashing and felt a bit "posh" as we walked to the Donmar to see The Chalk Garden! Strolling through the westend Theatre districh was a must see sight! The night was filled with a fun atmosphere as we saw signage of famous plays throughout the district. We all agreed with the words of UE professor, Joe Flauto, and knew that we were "not in Kansas anymore!" Most of the theatre-goers were on foot, but aligning the streets, we did see our fair share of Mercedes, Bentleys, and Porsches that belonged to the real "posh" people.
The Chalk Garden by Enid Bagnold was a delight!
"The child's a flower. She grows in liberty."
An excerpt from the program reads:
Raised in a manor house beside the sea, where the flowers struggle to grow, sixteen-year-old Laurel runs wild. As her eccentric grandmother tends to the garden, Laurel's need for love forces her into a world of fantasy. But things begin to change iwth the sudden appointment of a governess who brings a mysterious new presence to an already dysfunctional household.
Upon leaving the play, we all excitedly discussed our opinions of the outstanding performance. Overall, reviews were in consensus - we loved it! A short walk lead us back to our hotels, where most of us retired for the evening with exhilarated exhaustion!
What a day - What an adventure!
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