Nice Weather in England - Time to Go Out!

The exhilaration of living in London has yet to subside and this past week certainly reflects how much I've been driven to travel and explore. I woken up every day full of expectation, my head whirling with ideas of what to do and see. Plus the weather has been SO nice - the residents of England have been shocked by the little heat-wave and we all just want to enjoy these last days of warmth and blue skies.


On Friday, 30 September, I took a lovely bus tour to Bath, Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge. Seeing the English countryside was wonderful. London really is very different from the rest of the country: its huge buildings, lack of green, and crowds are quite opposite to the landscape of the typical English village. 

A country house.

Bath was a delight - truly, it was - and I got to see it on a rare, Indian-summer day in England. The Bath-stone, Georgian architecture gives the city a character all its own. The history of Bath causes one to think of it as a three-tiered cake: the first layer being Roman, the second Medieval, and the third Georgian. Remains of each layer are clearly visible to the city's visitors today. For example, our little tour group saw the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, and the Parade Gardens of Jane Austen's time.

The Colosseum-like Residences

Bath Abbey

The arcade outside of the Roman Baths

The Roman Baths

 The Baths themselves are something to see. The museum is built around the ruins of the baths, temples, and other Roman buildings. The springs of healing mineral water still fill the ancient tubs, though those hoping to have access to the water's powers must go to a hospital in Bath instead of the public baths. Having tasted a sample of the water, I can attest to the water's warmth and cleanliness (though of its healing properties I remain ignorant). I enjoyed the little time we had to explore the baths and the surrounding area. Bath Abbey, next door to the baths, is stunning - it was, however, unimpressive compared to the church we headed to next.

Last view of Bath - Poultney Bridge.

The ride from Bath across Salisbury plain, across hilly English countryside, passed too quickly. Suddenly, from afar, a tall spire (the tallest in England) became visible. We entered the quaint little town of Salisbury and were dropped off near Salisbury Cathedral.

Christa, Emma, and I

Salisbury Cathedral is one of the world's most famous Gothic Cathedrals. It is an imposing structure, dominating the small village of Salisbury. The cathedral houses the country's oldest working clock, gorgeous stained glass (original and post-WWII), gorgeous chapels, and - in the chapter house - one of the last surviving original copies of the Magna Carta (which, for as old as it is, is in much better shape than our Founding documents).

We then headed to Stonehenge. It is a bunch of rocks, truth be told, and isn't as epic to see a second time. It was, however, a nice way to end our day of travel by coach across the countryside.

Happy tourists!

After Friday's adventures, I was quite tired. Saturday left me exhausted. I volunteered for the Fulbright Commission at College Day USA, an event where UK students can come learn about studying in the US. I had to leave campus at 6:30am on a Saturday morning, be at Kensington Town Hall at 7:30am, and worked until 6:00pm. It was a long day of showing exhibitors around, passing out information packets to over 4,000 students, collecting tickets, and cleaning up. Meeting other Gilman scholars, Fulbright scholars, and Fulbright staff was pleasant, but I was completely wiped out by the end of the event.

On Sunday, I attended the increasingly-beloved Tower Hamlets Community Church, caught up on "The Office," and then went to an afternoon service at Christ Church London. Christ Church is quite hopping - many young people attend and the church sponsors many projects in the city - but THCC still feels more like home and I think I'll stick with it as my church while I'm here.

After a day of class, reading, and yogalates (taught by the most enthusiastic Scottish lady) on Monday, I again ventured out into London on Tuesday afternoon after my seminar. I made a trip to the Poetry Cafe to have a cup of coffee and read for a bit. I was surprised to find myself the only customer in the place, but was told that it can get quite crowded in the evenings when the venue hosts readings and workshops. The Cafe - which is pretty much a little hole-in-the-wall off of Drury Lane - is a home base for the National Poetry Society in the UK, which sponsors events and competitions throughout the year.

Next stop was Covent Garden. I popped into the Royal Opera House to purchase a ticket for the Royal Ballet's production of "Manon" on November 3 (the kind guy at the Box Office found me a super good price for a great seat!) then just meandered around the area. I caught the end of a street performance by a Charlie Chaplin impersonator. He was terrorizing a poor kid from the audience who was forced to don a Chaplin mustache, coat, and derby.

"A day without laughter is a day wasted." How true. I certainly laughed that day though. :)

To top off this London excursion, I met some friends at St. Paul's Cathedral for Evensong. The service was beautiful - the cathedral, the choir, and message were moving and the experience is one I'll remember. After Evensong, we stuck around for a debate between two theologians about Eve and how interpretations of the Genesis story have influenced the historical treatment of women. It was interesting and thought-provoking, though nothing mind-blowing.

St. Paul's Cathedral

Wednesday was Laundry Day - aka Wash-only-necessary-items-in-your-bathroom-sink-and-hang-them-on-a-line-to-dry Day. Laundry is a ridiculously expensive and complicated process at QMUL so I'm being creative and frugal by hand-washing my things.

That brings us to today. After class, I headed to the Royal Academy of Arts to see a special exhibition on Degas and the Dance. Degas is one of my favorites, so it was very cool to see a vast collection of his paintings, sketches, sculptures, and photographs. I then meandered down Piccadilly Road, stopping at Hatchard's booksellers and Waterstone's (where I had a delicious cup of coffee and triple-chocolate muffin - it was time for a little treat). Tonight, a meeting for Christian Union and a chat with Christa about co-leading a bible study for fresher girls this year. All in all, just another good day in London. :)

Tomorrow morning I take a train to Dorchester for the Thomas Hardy Harvest Weekend.

Other events coming up:

Oct. 21 - HOST visit to Leighton Buzzard?

Oct. 27 - Swansea, Wales for the Dylan Thomas Festival

Nov. 3 - "Manon" at the Royal Opera House

Nov. 4-13 - No classes, so possibly a trip to Oxford or Manchester and then on to Edinburgh

Nov. 25-26 - Stratford-upon-Avon to see the Royal Shakespeare Company in a new production called "The Heart of Robin Hood"