18 September 2007:
Here are Kaity and I in Dublin about 20 minutes after having gotten off the plane into Ireland. Don't we look happy?! Don't we look gross....
I've already told you about the first day. Skipping to the next.
19 September2007: Dublin Walking tour.
As the title suggests, we went on a walking tour of Dublin. It took about an hour and we passed the Hard Rock, which had just recently opened. We also went to Dublin Castle and looked around a bit. It was not as exciting...But we did get to eat dinner and hang out in Temple Bar which was the area of town we were situated in and happens to be a very important and historic part of town, but I never really got the run-down as to why, but that was ok with me. I was in DUBLIN! Who cared?! That night several friends and I went to a pub just to hang out. We watched Rugby and Football (and for all you uneducated Americans, that's Soccer - and it was Manchester United!) and that was fun! We also listed to an Irish man play a his guitar. He also taught us a song, but don't ask me to sing it because I honestly don't remember how it goes....
Taking a walking tour of Dublin!!
20 September 2007: Waterford and Glendalough
This was the day we (as a group) went to the Waterford Crystal factory in Waterford, Ireland (which is about three hours drive south from Dublin, but NOT as the crow flies...). This was a great experience. I was able to actually SEE Waterford Crystal being made. For those of you who do not know, Waterford Crystal is one of the most prestigious crystal factories in the world - this is the factory that makes all the beautiful trophies for Tennis, Racing, Sailing, Golf, and several other sports. Tiger Woods has been awarded one of these crystal trophies. It was very interesting and well worth the trip. I was very impressed. And just an interesting piece of information: I know all of you have probably seen the crystal ball in NYC that drops on New Years Eve. That ball was made at the Waterford Factory in Ireland. Cool!
Nascar Racing Trophey from the Waterford Factory in Ireland
After that and lunch, we departed for Glendalough (pronounced Glen-da-lock). Glendalough is a place in Ireland that is home to a very old tower, cathedral and church. All remains of the presence of Christianity in Ireland. The tower, which was 103 feet high is the 4th tallest in all of Ireland and housed many a precious materials. With the door being 12 feet off the ground, valuables were safe from robbers, small animals such as mice and rats, and moisture from the ground. Towers also served as homing beacons so the monks would know when they were close to home. The Cathedral is old, but still one of the newer ones since it contains some evidence of Roman architecture. The little church there is barely larger than a small bedroom. Worship faces the east - which is Jerusalem. Those buried in the surrounding graveyard are also buried pointing towards the east owning to the belief that when Christ returns, all the dead will already be facing Jerusalem. This place was very peaceful and I would have spent hours just sitting by the lake and exporing the scenery but we did not have much time. I had time enough to run to the lake, take pictures and hasten to the bus for our departue back to Dublin. In all, that day was very fun, tiring, but very interesting at the same time - not to mention gorgeous. Some of my best pictures were taken at Glendalough. I fell in love with it.
This is Glendalough. Beautiful isn't it?
This is the oldest gravestone that as been found in the Glendalough graveyard. It is thought to be the grave of a monk - can you see the cross crudely etched on the stone? It is thought that this grave is from about 1600.
21 September 2007: Depart for Wales, Caernarfon Castle, and Snowdonia
This was the day we left Ireland for Wales via ferry across the Irish Sea. Needless to say, that was a lot of fun. It was also very relaxing. No bus, just water. It was a little cloudy but the water was calm and cold. From the ferry, I was able to see my first glimpse of Wales (which wasn't much at first, but it got MUCH better the longer we were in Wales, which was only a day...). After exiting the ferry, we got on a bus (with Tony, our awesome driver who REALLY knew his stuff) and left for Caernarfon Castle. On the way, I took many pictures of the landscape, but they do Wales no justice. It is just too beautiful to be seen in pictures - it HAS to be done in person. The castle is one of several in the Snowdonia area around Wales. We were able to explore the castle almost to our hearts desire. The views from the towers were incredible - endless beauty and really nice people. After trapsing around for a while, I decided that being a princess in an old stone castle was NOT something I wanted to be anymore. Castles were dark, dank, narrow, steep, and just plain scary. There was no light except for the natural light coming in from the very tiny windows, which didn't make much difference and probably didn't have to be there in the first place. But it was beautiful. Because of this castle, and what we did immediately afterwards, made me fall totally and completely in love with Wales. But first, a few pictures cause I know you're dying to see these places :-)
This is us leaving Ireland on the Irish Sea in the ferry and heading to Wales. Fun stuff!!
Look! Wales!
Caernarfon Caslte, Gwynedd, Wales - isn't it beautiful?
After the castle, we drove through Snowdonia. This was a part of the trip that was spur of the moment just becasue we had time. Our trip leader had never been there before, and he's been to Europe several times. It was great! We drove through the Snowdonia Mountain range which was breath-takingly gorgeous! That's all we had to do to get me to fall in love with Wales. Besides the wonderful people, the scenery is the best I have ever seen! Following are some pictures of Snowdonia - and trust me, they DO NOT do Snowdonia any justice. Take a look for yourself...
Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia
That was pretty much the extent of that day. Oh yeah, that same night we arrived in England and none of us knew it.
22 September 2007: Dove Cottage and Hilltop Farm
This was the day we visited Beaxtrix Potter's house and William Wordsworth's house. For those of you who are not familiar with the name Beatrix Potter, she's the author of the Peter Rabbit books and made children's books in line of Peter Rabbit very affordable for families with children. She also bought much of the land around her house in order to preserve it. And preserve it she did. Several of the pictures in her books are of places in her house or what she saw right outside her windows. Hilltop Farm (the Potter house) was so cute! Following are some pictures of where she lived - I was no allowed to take any of the inside, but it's worth visiting if you get the chance.
Beatrix Potter's garden path
Hilltop Farm (The Beatrix Potter House)
See this picture? See the road? Yeah, it's in one of her books. Pretty isn't it?
So after that, we went to Dove Cottage - the home of the poet William Wordsworth. That too was interesting. Apparantly, before it was a house, Dove Cottage was a pub at the edge of town on the main street. Then it became a home and that of Willam Wordsworth for 8 years before it became too small to accomodate his growing family and frequent visitors. Following are some pictures from the village, the garden, and the surrounding areas of Dove Cottage.
This is near Grasmere Village where Dove Cottage is located. With the exception of my friend's head, isn't it pretty? We were actually looking for a mountain to climb at the time.
Another just outside of Grasmere Village
Dove Cottage - cute isn't it?
This is a group of some of the girls that were there. We are at a lake in Grasmere Village just across the street from Dove Cottage. It looks out onto a beautiful mountain and we just had to take this. Good times :-)
From Dove Cottage garden looking down onto the cottage
That was pretty much the extent of the day, besides winding roads and a whole lot of countryside (which was all gorgeous). Better keep moving forward because there is still so much to learn about!
23 September 2007: Housestead Fort and Hadrian's Wall
This was "Roman" day. The hostel we stayed at was just across the road from Hadrian's Wall, which was really cool. But this day, we saw the wall and a fort that had been built on the wall - both by the Romans of course who had control over England in about the 100's AD. Yeah, the things we saw were a good almost 2000 years old and still standing, or in ruins as is the case for the fort. We didn't spend a lot of time at the wall (which made me really upset) because it was so windy as you will see soon enough. But we did spend a lot of time at the fort. There was so much to see and take pictures of. My roomie Kaity and I went picture crazy and did just about everything we could to get good pics. It was pretty stinkin' fun! So...the pictures...I know that's all you're here for :-) jk. I hope by now you're getting a good glimpse into my life for about a week - hectic but unforgettable. Just check these out!
While we were relaxing and exploring, I snapped several pictures near Hadrian's Wall. This is just one of the many.
This is me and roomie Kaity at Hadrian's Wall. See? It was very windy and foggy which was just a gross combination but nevertheless a great experiance.
Climbed a steep hill and got this for you. Isn't Hadrian's Wall country pretty in the fog?
Strutting some stuff on Housestead's Fort
This is Kaity on Housestead's Fort overlooking the valley
Me at Housestead's Fort - it was very windy as you can tell
Conquering Housestead's Fort!
Hehee...I like this picture
Doing push-ups in the Graneries of Housestead
Whoah!! I can jump really high!!
After that, made our way to Scotland, specifically Edinburgh and that was another great highlight of my "before London" expedition.
Me and Kaity with Scotland in the background
24 September 2007: Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, and Holyroodhouse
So, after our awesome "Roman day", we did a cool "Scotland day". We went to Edinburgh castle and saw the biggest cannon in the world - Mons Meg. There will be pictures showing how big this thing actually is...cause it's a monster. After that, we walked down the Royal Mile which is a whole bunch of tourist shops, eateries, coffee shops, and the like - not forgetting the best kilt makers in the world. After walking down, we went to Holyroodhouse. For those of you who do not know what Holyroodhouse is, this is the house that the Queen stays in when she visits Edinburgh, as well as any other member of the royal family. I walked where she walked, saw where she sat, and walked through her gardens. To be completely honest, I don't think I would like staying in Holyroodhouse because it is not a homey place. It's too stiff and cold feeling - not temperature-wise, but just the decorations and furniture. It didn't feel like home, which is what I would have thought it would have looked like, at least a little bit. But it was pretty. I will say that the Queen's chambers were MUCH more comfortable-feeling. Her bed was behind a glass wall, but I didn't really get a good explanation as to why - it could have been because her bed spread was worth 400,000 pounds (quid - however you want to say it) or her bed itself is like 200 years old. I'm not really sure. But that was a great experience. Afterwards, we were allowed to wander wherever we wanted to until midnight. I did go by Harry Potter's birthplace - The Elephant House - for those who are interested in that. It was cute, and you could see Edinburgh Castle from the window. That made me happy. For those of you who also know anything about Greyfriar's Bobby, we saw his grave as well. It is directly behind The Elephant House and is gorgeous in the evening cause I went...twice. So enough words, right? Where are the pictures? Have at it:
*So my pictures aren't loading at the moment. So I will have to come back and put them up later. I'm sorry for the disappointment!*
25 September 2007: Edinburgh (Free day)
So just like it says, we had a free day in Edinburgh. Went shopping ALL day long. We also climbed Arthur's Seat at the edge of Edinburgh. There is a legend that says that King Arthur once sat on the hill, but that is pure speculation. But the view was spectacular and I took lots of pictures. I think all of those are on Facebook - I'd have to check and make sure. Going down the Seat we saw a rainbow and that just made me happy. After that, a couple of friends and I went back up the Royal Mile and visited Greyfriar Bobby's grave and the graveyard - J.K. Rowling walked in that graveyard and several of her characters are named from the people there (Tom Riddle, Hermione, McGonngall, and several more I can't remember). I think we spent about an hour and a half just walking around, taking pictures and having a great time just being with ourselves. I really needed it. Chris and I had a good heart to heart talk because I was being girly and emotional at the time. Boys are nice to talk to when you're feeling a bit down. In all honesty, I was very upset that we were leaving Edinburgh the next day. I had completely fallen in love with it. The other part was that, growing up, I honestly never ever thought that I would ever get the chance to go to Europe. I guess Edinburgh was when it really hit me that I was actually there, living a dream I had never thought possible - so it made me cry and Chris made it better. Yay boys!!
*So my pictures still are not loading. I will put them on later when they will load. Still so sorry for the inconvenience*
26 September 2007: Jedburgh and York
This was another long trip on the bus day. We traveled from Edinburgh to Jedburgh about 2 or 3 hours away. Here we stopped at the wool mill and bought lunch/cheap wool stuff like kilts (yep, I bought I kilt, but it's not for me so don't ask me to wear it). Then we were back on the way to York, where we spent less than a day. But honestly, most of the day was spent riding a bus. We got to York in the late afternoon/early evening. We took a tour around it - which didn't take long because it's so incredibly small. After hanging out in our awesome hotel rooms, we were getting ready for our night on the town - specifically Evensong at York Minster Abbey - when one of the girls in my room gets a text message from back home (home meaning Searcy). The text plainly said "Jan Jones died this morning". To inform you if you don't know, Jan Jones was the accompanist for the musicals at Harding. She was a wonderful lady (and a GREAT cook) with such a wonderful heart. She had been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer earlier in the year, so the diagnosis was not good from the start. She had been getting progressively worse and Courtney had actually earlier in the day told me that the Jones family had hospice come and had given her two weeks - but she died early that morning. Since several theatre people are on the trip (and I suppose I can count myself one of them), this hit pretty hard. After Evensong at York Minster, Kaity, Jordan and I all lit a candle for Mrs. Jan in her honor and memory and said a prayer for her family. The next day, in commemoration of her, I wore my Fiddler shirt, because that was the last musical she had been able to really take part in. But a night on the town was just what was needed for our sad eyes. York Minster is gorgeous and all the stain-glass is from the Middle Ages. It is the largest collection of Middle Age stained-glass in the world. I found it breath-taking! Afterwards was dinner and then bed time.
*Pictures still are not loading. Still will try another time to put them up. Sorry again, for the disappointment*
27 September 2007: York and London
This was the day that I had been waiting for for a long time. I was actually going to get to see London!! Yay!! But before that, we had to leave York. We spent a couple hours perusing the York shops but mostly enjoying the cool air and the small-town life. It was very cute. London was still quite a ways off, so we got back on the bus with awesome bus driver Tony (who really knows his stuff) and went off to London! Quite an uneventful ride to say the least, but exciting at the same time. All of us were SOO glad we were going to be in a place for more than a night, that we could do laundry, and BUY FOOD to keep in a fridge! Yay!! So we arrive in London after a long days travels. I don't see much that I recognize from pictures - why? Because all that stuff is only a 10 minute walk from my flat right down Tottendam Court Road, past Trafalgar Square, and right smack-dab into Westminster Palace - commonly known as the Parliament Building. Oh yeah, and I saw Big Ben!! Yay!! But not until the next day, which I will get to in a minute. That Thursday went by that evening with most of us unpacking since none of us had our Tube passes yet so we couldnt go very far. Some went shopping for groceries, some went to bed, but we were all happy that we had a home now - at least for two months. yay!!
Ok so honestly, I'm going to stop right there and continue at a decent hour. Since then, not too much has happened. I went on a tour of Parliament, saw Big Ben and Trafalgar Square, rode on the Tube, and went to Harrod's. Oh and I started classes. So there you go. My life until right now at 1 in the morning. I have class tomorrow (and we're going to the British Museum. yay!!) so I have to get up early - .....joy joy joy....yuck! I honestly will TRY my hardest to keep this up to date on what's been going on. Things have been quite busy and I finally had some time to sit and write. Granted, I've been working on this since abuot 8 and it's 1....slow internet + lots of pictures = long time coming.
Please keep in touch! I would love to hear suggestions for things. Please also keep me updated on things going on at home. I don't want to be too out of the loop when I get back. I love you all! If I didn't, this wouldn't be here. I hope you have enjoyed this little trip as much as I have. There is so much that I left out and I will talk about it when I get home. but now is time to sleep.
Love to you all!!
In Him,
Aimee
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