Now that my trip abroad has come to an end, allow me to make a short observation about each country.
ITALY
Italy was a magical place. Although extremely hectic in Rome (less so in Florence and Venice), there is still an easy-going feel as you walk the streets. People traveling on foot (although I cannot say the same for the motorists!) seem to meander down the streets, totally absorbing the environment around them. And of course, they have much to admire! I was blown away by my inability to absorb all the eye candy around me--even the lamp posts are such works of art that it seemed physically impossible to take it all in. I am certain I could live a lifetime there and still see something new to admire every day. Ancient Rome was big on the luxuries of life and being innovative in architecture. Present-day Italy still maintains the love of preserving its ancient structures. Although they might not place such an emphasis on a luxurious lifestyle as their ancestors did, they do place great appreciation on food, perhaps a luxury in and of itself.
FRANCE
France--oh, what can I say! Words are not adequate to describe the sheer delight I experienced in Paris and the surrounding countryside! As much as I loved Italy, I felt very foreign while there. This all changed in France. The minute we stepped onto the Parisian soil, I felt at home. If I were to give one word to sum up France, it would be "civilized". Everything about France was so civilized! The drivers weren't as crazy and impatient, the people were delightfully friendly (don't let anyone tell you otherwise!), and the culture was divine. Paris was a feast for the eyes, and once again I wished I could absorb and imprint every shred of beauty in my mind forever. In addition to the heavenly food, architecture and art, a sense of magical mystery lingers in the air, whisking you away to explore the city. I was devastated when it came time to leave France, because there was an endless array of things I would have loved to have seen. I loved the pride that the French have for their country and for their language, a tradition that has lasted for centuries and will never die. And of course, I loved their exquisite cuisine and culture more than words can adequately convey. Au revoir, Paris!
ENGLAND
Conversely, to Italy and France, I felt no sense of magic in England. I would say that the one word to describe England was "practical". Where Italy and France bask in masquerades and mystery, England prides itself in being matter-of-fact and down-to-earth. It was difficult for me to float off my cloud and land back in England, where life felt more mundane. However, there is something to be said of routine. In England, I became so well acquainted with the South Kensington area, that I could stroll to my one of my favorite places (the Tesco) all by myself without fear of the unknown. The tube also became second-nature to me, and I found myself traveling to Knotting Hill alone without any qualms. We spent much time on the tube and on trains, and I came to love the shake of the trains and the sight of people absorbed in their newspapers as they rode to and from work. What I did adore about England was the beautiful countryside and the stately homes we were able to visit. That is when the magic and mystery of the trip would come seeping back in and I felt like a little girl playing princesses again. England still maintains a love affair with its Royal Family, and visiting those incredible estates made me feel almost royal myself (well, that and my delicious Pasties!).
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Thank you!
This post is to all of you who have so faithfully followed my blog, or to those of you who have cared enough to read any of it at all. This trip has made me realize, amongst SO many other things, just how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends and family. To quote from my new favorite musical, Wicked, "I do believe I have been changed for the better, because I knew you." I love you all!
I also owe a big thank you to my professors who have tirelessly worked to plan and execute all the incredible things we've done and seen. I cannot imagine a more daunting task than ensuring that 24 college students stayed safe, happy, and got to the right places at the right times. Thank you!
I also owe a big thank you to my professors who have tirelessly worked to plan and execute all the incredible things we've done and seen. I cannot imagine a more daunting task than ensuring that 24 college students stayed safe, happy, and got to the right places at the right times. Thank you!
London--Day 17: August 4
Buckingham Palace--this isn't a great picture, but unfortunately, the back is really the only place you can get a picture at all of it!
I saw these machines in the bathroom of Leicester Square--the thought of a pre-pasted, disposable toothbrush made me want to ralph a little...
The BEAUTIFUL box my Harrod's cheesecake was nicely packed up in.
My cheesecake
My cheesecake again--that little chocolate piece has "Harrod's" painted on it in GOLD!!! I really loved my cheesecake, as you can see!
Daily Details: August 4
In the morning, we were off to Buckingham Palace to tour the inside of the building. I have now seen my share of grand palaces and homes and didn’t think anything could top the grandeur of Chatsworth. I was wrong! Although the gardens don’t appear to be nearly as extensive, and certainly aren’t nearly as beautiful, the palace itself is the most lavish thing I have seen to date—even more so than Versailles. Many of the rooms were completed by an architect with the last name Nash—he is so incredibly talented, words do not adequately convey the quality of his work. Perhaps my favorite part of our tour though was the exhibit of the Queen and the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is a bunch of countries that have formed a friendship with the Queen. Throughout her reign, she has visited the countries that are a part of it and the costumes and ball gowns she has worn were displayed. They were SO exquisite! They had also displayed various works of art the people from those countries have presented her in her visits. It was all very fascinating and beautiful. Although the grandeur DID top that of Chatsworth, Chatsworth is still number one in my book.
The remainder of the day was spent shopping and packing. Laura and I popped into
Harrod’s to get a piece of cheesecake from their fabulous patisserie. It was worth every cent because it was SOOOO gorgeous and divine tasting! The way they boxed it up for you was worth it in and of itself too! As I write this, I can’t believe we leave tomorrow morning—this trip has flown by. Farewell, Europe! Thank you for showing me the time of my life!
The remainder of the day was spent shopping and packing. Laura and I popped into
Harrod’s to get a piece of cheesecake from their fabulous patisserie. It was worth every cent because it was SOOOO gorgeous and divine tasting! The way they boxed it up for you was worth it in and of itself too! As I write this, I can’t believe we leave tomorrow morning—this trip has flown by. Farewell, Europe! Thank you for showing me the time of my life!
London—Day 16: August 3
Another cheesy tourist photo, but then again, you really didn't expect me to go to London and NOT get a picture in the telephone booths, did you?
Big Ben--you've seen it already on my blog, but I like this photo even more and I was there again today, so it seemed appropriate to post it.
London Bridge--is NOT falling down, but is certainly beautiful!
Westminster Abbey
Inside the Apollo Victoria Theatre before Wicked began--isn't the set INCREDIBLE?!
Daily Details: August 3
Monday morning, Laura and I headed over to meet my best childhood friend, Ali Monjar who was coming to visit me for a day in London (she’s been doing a study abroad in Paris the same time I’ve been gone). It was SOOO joyful to see Ali! Laura and I served as tour guides, although not the greatest ones, I might add! We took Ali and her adorable roommate Brittany all around the London Bridge, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and the Globe Theatre. Since we were right by the Tate, we decided to pop in there. Of course, Laura and I had already seen it, but even we saw things that we had missed the first time around. It was cool to see some of my favorite artwork again too.
Our next stop was to the Crown and Sceptre Pub, where they filmed the pub scene in the adorable movie, “Penelope”. I was glad Ali thought about going to the “Penelope pub” because it just took about 30 seconds of research and we were able to find the most amazing darn little place ever! In addition to being charming on the outside, the inside was absolutely magical! It was EXTREMELY eclectic, with all of the sofas, armchairs, tables, and chairs being different. Each chandelier that sat above the different groupings was drastically different as well. Quirky little objects were hanging on the walls here and there and an overall feeling of coziness was present. We all loved it the second we walked in but loved it even more after we saw the prices—it was SO affordable! After standing around for a bit looking like fools (we didn’t know if we should seat ourselves or order at the counter, etc…) we were waited on. I ordered the fish and chips since I loved what I had at the Eagle so much, although there were many other things on the menu that tantalized my appetite. Our food came quickly to our delight since all of us were starving. Laura had ordered the chicken club and when it arrived, it was one of the most beautiful sandwiches I have ever seen. It was served on this beautiful, whole-grain and nutty looking bread that had been lightly grilled and the chicken inside of it, instead of being sliced, was whole pieces of marinated chicken breast. It looked to DIE for! My food was good—the chips were out of this world, but the fish was not as great as the Eagles. Nonetheless, I walked out of there VERY happy. The pub was located just out of the Soho district and in addition to the area being out of the way and absolutely charming, the people there were SO helpful and friendly. They offered to take pictures for us, and on the way there, were eager to help us find the streets we were looking for and gave great directions. I loved my experience in Fitzrovia.
We all parted from each other for a few hours before we once again reunited at the Apollo Victoria theatre to see Wicked. Everyone has always been obsessed with that musical, and frankly, I didn’t get it. I decided to go after some of my roommates who have seen lots of Broadway shows said that Wicked was still their favorite. I also wanted to see it because my dear friend Megan made me a little card with the lyrics from one of the songs on it and the lyrics were absolutely beautiful. It worked out well because that is what Ali, Brittany and Laura all wanted to see the most too. As soon as I entered the theatre, I was pleasantly surprised at how great our seats were! We had gotten half-priced seats because they are considered restricted view. The only thing restricted about them was that we had to sit up straight to see over a low balcony wall. We were close to center and our seats were comfortable. Already I was loving my second Broadway experience more than the first. I looked at the set and was COMPLETELY blown away—heck, the show hadn’t even started yet! When the song “For Good” was sung, I started tearing up thinking of my two best friends. Seeing how this song fits into the musical brought a whole new perspective to the lyrics. I don’t want to babble for too long, but just know that the musical was the most fascinating and wonderful thing I’ve just about ever seen. The writing in it was ingenious, the music fantastic, and the costumes brilliant. It had a wonderfully happy ending and I walked away floating on air! What a great thing to do at the end of my trip!
We said goodbye to Ali and Brittany at the tube station--I was so overjoyed to have been able to see Ali and make a new friend in Brittany. I came home to my flat and found that my sweet roommate, Whitney, had made all of our beds in preparation for our other two roommates coming home from Scotland. Whitney and I chatted for a bit and I had a great time talking to her. That night when Beccah and Malory came home, I listened to their Scottish adventures as I fell asleep.
Our next stop was to the Crown and Sceptre Pub, where they filmed the pub scene in the adorable movie, “Penelope”. I was glad Ali thought about going to the “Penelope pub” because it just took about 30 seconds of research and we were able to find the most amazing darn little place ever! In addition to being charming on the outside, the inside was absolutely magical! It was EXTREMELY eclectic, with all of the sofas, armchairs, tables, and chairs being different. Each chandelier that sat above the different groupings was drastically different as well. Quirky little objects were hanging on the walls here and there and an overall feeling of coziness was present. We all loved it the second we walked in but loved it even more after we saw the prices—it was SO affordable! After standing around for a bit looking like fools (we didn’t know if we should seat ourselves or order at the counter, etc…) we were waited on. I ordered the fish and chips since I loved what I had at the Eagle so much, although there were many other things on the menu that tantalized my appetite. Our food came quickly to our delight since all of us were starving. Laura had ordered the chicken club and when it arrived, it was one of the most beautiful sandwiches I have ever seen. It was served on this beautiful, whole-grain and nutty looking bread that had been lightly grilled and the chicken inside of it, instead of being sliced, was whole pieces of marinated chicken breast. It looked to DIE for! My food was good—the chips were out of this world, but the fish was not as great as the Eagles. Nonetheless, I walked out of there VERY happy. The pub was located just out of the Soho district and in addition to the area being out of the way and absolutely charming, the people there were SO helpful and friendly. They offered to take pictures for us, and on the way there, were eager to help us find the streets we were looking for and gave great directions. I loved my experience in Fitzrovia.
We all parted from each other for a few hours before we once again reunited at the Apollo Victoria theatre to see Wicked. Everyone has always been obsessed with that musical, and frankly, I didn’t get it. I decided to go after some of my roommates who have seen lots of Broadway shows said that Wicked was still their favorite. I also wanted to see it because my dear friend Megan made me a little card with the lyrics from one of the songs on it and the lyrics were absolutely beautiful. It worked out well because that is what Ali, Brittany and Laura all wanted to see the most too. As soon as I entered the theatre, I was pleasantly surprised at how great our seats were! We had gotten half-priced seats because they are considered restricted view. The only thing restricted about them was that we had to sit up straight to see over a low balcony wall. We were close to center and our seats were comfortable. Already I was loving my second Broadway experience more than the first. I looked at the set and was COMPLETELY blown away—heck, the show hadn’t even started yet! When the song “For Good” was sung, I started tearing up thinking of my two best friends. Seeing how this song fits into the musical brought a whole new perspective to the lyrics. I don’t want to babble for too long, but just know that the musical was the most fascinating and wonderful thing I’ve just about ever seen. The writing in it was ingenious, the music fantastic, and the costumes brilliant. It had a wonderfully happy ending and I walked away floating on air! What a great thing to do at the end of my trip!
We said goodbye to Ali and Brittany at the tube station--I was so overjoyed to have been able to see Ali and make a new friend in Brittany. I came home to my flat and found that my sweet roommate, Whitney, had made all of our beds in preparation for our other two roommates coming home from Scotland. Whitney and I chatted for a bit and I had a great time talking to her. That night when Beccah and Malory came home, I listened to their Scottish adventures as I fell asleep.
London—Day 15: August 2
The next few photos are taken in Hyde Park
This is the INCREDIBLE tree whose branches grow downward, creating a canopy you can walk under. This guy shimmied up the trunk of the tree and you can see him perched on the top. Crazy!
Me, wading in the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. People are big in Europe about creating fountains you can wade in--I LOVE it!
Daily Details: August 2
Early in the morning, Laura, Whitney, and I headed to back to the V&A Museum to see what we had not had time to see on our first visit there. As I grabbed a map of the museum, this old gentleman that worked there started asking all of these questions about what we had seen. Every exhibit that he asked if we had seen, we hadn’t and he explained them in great detail and told us the ones we should not miss out on. I appreciated how friendly and helpful he was, because many of the exhibits he pointed out were ones I didn’t know were there or hadn’t planned on seeing. The theatre and arts section was my favorite. In it, they had some FABULOUS costumes from anything from ballets to rock concerts. I got to see some GORGEOUS tutus from Swan Lake that famous ballerinas have danced in, and then on the opposite spectrum, costumes Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) and Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones) have worn in their concerts. I also saw antique marionettes, set models, etc…I LOVED that exhibit!
From the V&A, we headed across the street to attend church at the Single’s Ward in Hyde Park. Once inside, we were welcomed by the sweetest British guy ever—his name was Andrew. He started asking us where we were from and when we said Utah, he said, “Oh, do you guys go to BYU?” I think it’s hilarious that all LDS people outside of Utah think you must automatically go there. Thank heavens I don’t! Anyway, then he introduced us to some of his friends. I felt so welcomed. It was fast and testimony meeting that day, so it was very nice to be able to hear everyone’s testimonies. Again, I was amazed that so many people had American accents. The bishop had everyone stand up at the end of the meeting who has been there 1 year or less (even if it was your first time coming). The large majority of the ward has been there under a year or are visitors like I did. His point in doing this was to encourage us to talk to each other and not feel like we’re the only “new kids on the block”. We just stayed for Sacrament Meeting, and on our way out, we saw some missionaries that my friend Laura had met a few days previous on the tube. We stopped to say hi and chatted for a bit. They were so sweet!
After going home and eating some lunch, we were headed to Hyde Park to just take a leisurely stroll through it. Hyde Park is the Central Park of London. It was absolutely beautiful! In addition to all of the beautiful flowers, they have this man-made canal that runs through it and you can rent paddle boats and go out on the water if you wish. They had these INCREDIBLE trees whose branches grow downward in such a way that if you walk in between the branches you’re in this covered canopy of leaves. It was AWESOME! We saw the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and a Peter Pan sculpture. Londoners are BIG on Peter Pan stuff. I don’t really know much about Peter Pan so I’ll have to check that out and see what all the hype is about.
Our last stop of the day was to Covent Garden. The area is known for its shopping mostly, but we went there to see the street performers that it is also well-known for. The first street performer we saw was similar to one we saw in Rome, except this guy kept taking of his clothes until he was down to a Speedo and making rather crude innuendos. Oddly enough, my friend Laura predicted exactly what he was going to do—she went to London 5 years ago and it was the same guy performing the same act! Suffice it to say, we left pretty quickly once we saw the direction the show was headed in. We strolled through the shopping mall and found ourselves on the opposite end of the square where this cute guy was singing GREAT songs like “Apologize”, “When A Man Loves A Woman”, and music from artists like U2 and Coldplay. The three of us started listening to him and found ourselves glued to the cobblestone street—his voice was that incredible! Laura had done her research on Covent Garden and learned that the street performers that perform in Covent Garden have to actually audition and be accepted to perform there. Crazy, eh?
We were all so content as we left Covent Garden and headed home. The rest of the night (and really, into the wee hours of the morning), Laura, Whitney, and I sat and chatted as we snacked, blogged and sketched. It was a great low-key day and I enjoyed every bit of time that I spent with my friends.
From the V&A, we headed across the street to attend church at the Single’s Ward in Hyde Park. Once inside, we were welcomed by the sweetest British guy ever—his name was Andrew. He started asking us where we were from and when we said Utah, he said, “Oh, do you guys go to BYU?” I think it’s hilarious that all LDS people outside of Utah think you must automatically go there. Thank heavens I don’t! Anyway, then he introduced us to some of his friends. I felt so welcomed. It was fast and testimony meeting that day, so it was very nice to be able to hear everyone’s testimonies. Again, I was amazed that so many people had American accents. The bishop had everyone stand up at the end of the meeting who has been there 1 year or less (even if it was your first time coming). The large majority of the ward has been there under a year or are visitors like I did. His point in doing this was to encourage us to talk to each other and not feel like we’re the only “new kids on the block”. We just stayed for Sacrament Meeting, and on our way out, we saw some missionaries that my friend Laura had met a few days previous on the tube. We stopped to say hi and chatted for a bit. They were so sweet!
After going home and eating some lunch, we were headed to Hyde Park to just take a leisurely stroll through it. Hyde Park is the Central Park of London. It was absolutely beautiful! In addition to all of the beautiful flowers, they have this man-made canal that runs through it and you can rent paddle boats and go out on the water if you wish. They had these INCREDIBLE trees whose branches grow downward in such a way that if you walk in between the branches you’re in this covered canopy of leaves. It was AWESOME! We saw the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and a Peter Pan sculpture. Londoners are BIG on Peter Pan stuff. I don’t really know much about Peter Pan so I’ll have to check that out and see what all the hype is about.
Our last stop of the day was to Covent Garden. The area is known for its shopping mostly, but we went there to see the street performers that it is also well-known for. The first street performer we saw was similar to one we saw in Rome, except this guy kept taking of his clothes until he was down to a Speedo and making rather crude innuendos. Oddly enough, my friend Laura predicted exactly what he was going to do—she went to London 5 years ago and it was the same guy performing the same act! Suffice it to say, we left pretty quickly once we saw the direction the show was headed in. We strolled through the shopping mall and found ourselves on the opposite end of the square where this cute guy was singing GREAT songs like “Apologize”, “When A Man Loves A Woman”, and music from artists like U2 and Coldplay. The three of us started listening to him and found ourselves glued to the cobblestone street—his voice was that incredible! Laura had done her research on Covent Garden and learned that the street performers that perform in Covent Garden have to actually audition and be accepted to perform there. Crazy, eh?
We were all so content as we left Covent Garden and headed home. The rest of the night (and really, into the wee hours of the morning), Laura, Whitney, and I sat and chatted as we snacked, blogged and sketched. It was a great low-key day and I enjoyed every bit of time that I spent with my friends.
Daily Details: August 1
After sleeping in a bit, I got ready for the day and headed by myself to Knotting Hill where the flea markets are held each Saturday on Portobello Road. Mom was not too happy at my decision but I really wanted to make it down there and felt comfortable and safe enough here to venture on my own. I had a delightful time, too! I was told by some friends that the markets are overwhelming and stretch endlessly down the road, and they weren’t kidding! What they failed to mention was the copious amounts of useless crap that some of the street vendors sell as antiques. All the same, it was an enjoyable experience to be there with all of the other hundreds of people in that atmosphere.
After Knotting Hill, I met up with my friend Whitney and we made a pilgrimage to what is called the official Beatles Gift shop. It was fun, but I loved the store across the street more—it featured ALL of the great rock bands from England.
Our last stop of the day was the Apollo Victoria theatre to pick up Wicked tickets. I was able to get FANTASTIC seats for me and my two friends that are coming on Monday to spend the day with me in London at a great price. I got home and my friend Laura and I went back to get her a ticket.
That evening, Laura came and chilled with Whitney and me in our apartment because all of our roommates were gone on weekend excursions. We had a great time chatting with each other and all in all, enjoyed having a laid back evening together. I had a very nice day!
After Knotting Hill, I met up with my friend Whitney and we made a pilgrimage to what is called the official Beatles Gift shop. It was fun, but I loved the store across the street more—it featured ALL of the great rock bands from England.
Our last stop of the day was the Apollo Victoria theatre to pick up Wicked tickets. I was able to get FANTASTIC seats for me and my two friends that are coming on Monday to spend the day with me in London at a great price. I got home and my friend Laura and I went back to get her a ticket.
That evening, Laura came and chilled with Whitney and me in our apartment because all of our roommates were gone on weekend excursions. We had a great time chatting with each other and all in all, enjoyed having a laid back evening together. I had a very nice day!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
London—Day 13: July 31
Me, leaving my mark on Abbey Road
The steeple on this chapel, near Chatsworth, has twisted and the top is bending downward more and more over time due to a poor infastructure in the building. It sure makes for an interesting looking chapel though!
My delicious pasty--my mouth just waters thinking about it!
Awesome lion sculpture in the sculpture gallery at Chatsworth. His eyes are so intense!
One of the famous sculptures from Pride and Prejudice
This is not the greatest picture because I had to take it from far away, but do you see the violin hanging on the door? Get this: it's not a real violin--that has been PAINTED on the door! Isn't that incredible?!
The vieled woman. What an INCREDIBLE sculpture!
Mr. Darcy's bust. My favorite quote from the scene in the movie: "Does the young lady know Mr. Darcy?" Mom should appreciate this! ;)
These awesome twig benches dot the gardens. Behind me, you can see the side of the cascade.
Scenic view of Chatsworth
CHATSWORTH!!! Home to Mr. Darcy!
Me, in front of Haddon Hall
Another view of Haddon Hall.
You can see how the windows are wavy in this picture--how cool is that?!
A beautiful harpsichord in the grand gallery of Haddon Hall
Daily Details: July 31
Get ready for a great blog post. Well, my writing might not be great, but I’ll try to convey how awesome today was. Our first stop today was Haddon Hall. The scenes from Pride and Prejudice where they are in the Rose and Crown Hotel were filmed there. The home was VERY different from anything I have yet seen in Europe, and I loved every bit of it! The home is a medieval home, built in the 1300s, so it has a very castle-like feel, rather than a palace-like one. The home is quite unique, because ALL of the building materials, including the stone and the wood, are local materials—nothing was brought in to complete the home so the home just perfectly blends in with its surroundings. Once again, I learned how one of our common expressions was derived. The term, “upper crust” was derived from the days when servants would bake bread. The lower half of the loaf was always covered in ash by the time it was done baking, so the loaf was sawed in half and the wealthy got the upper crust, the servants, the lower half. I thought that was fascinating! One of my favorite things was how the home had fresh floral arrangements in each room—they were BEAUTIFUL! The home has been so well-used that in some parts, the stone floors have big wells worn in them. The grand gallery--a VERY long room that had a variety of uses, including balls, reading, and exercise for women--was AMAZING! The most charming feature of it was the massive expanses of mullioned windows. The windows were all wavy—they’re hard to describe but I’ll include a picture so you can see it for yourselves. Anyway, I remembered learning about those windows in school and it was suggested that it was just because the technology for windows was not that great so they ended up wavy. At Haddon, we learned that this was an intentional design because it allowed more light into the room. I thought that was a fascinating concept! The gardens were equally charming and at the end of the trip, I enjoyed eating a scone with clotted cream and jam at the café there.
As we hopped back on the bus, our friendly little bus driver gave us some information about things we should look for at our next stop. He was adorable. I enjoyed every moment of our ride to Chatsworth. The countryside we were travelling through that day was the quintessential English countryside you see in all of the movies. Lone horses, sheep, and cows would be grazing in beautiful green pastures along the road, grassy green hills sprung up everywhere, and wildflowers were abundant. Since is was looking like it was about to rain and with me being in the beautiful countryside, I fully expected to see Marianne Dashwood coming up over the hill, just before she stumbles and meets Willoughby for the first time. Words cannot describe how much I loved looking at all of the beautiful scenery around me.
Seeing Chatsworth, aka, Mr. Darcy’s house as we turned the corner was an absolutely THRILLING sight! This was something that I have been looking forward to seeing the entire year, and I was not in the least bit disappointed. Because the weather is always so questionable here in England, it was suggested that we go through the gardens first which are extensive—the estate is comprised of 102,000 acres of land. There was a fabulous waterfall called the cascade that was like a giant staircase coming down with water flowing over it. There was also a real life maze you could go through that was cut out of hedges. There was an awesome lookout on the estate that was made out of gargantuan, irregular stones. Anyway, there were too many incredible things to be able to list them all, but suffice it to say, I was in love with the gardens. Finally, it was time to enter the house itself. The grandeur inside was absolutely DIVINE!!! What was even cooler was that we were able to take pictures inside—even pictures with flash! There were a couple of special exhibits in there about movies that have been filmed there. Of course, Pride and Prejudice was featured, but also The Duchess. They had a few of Kiera Knightly and Ralph Fiennes’ costumes on display and they were exquisite. A large portion of the house was devoted to the real Georgiana’s belongings though. It was so cool to see her real journals, letters, and the beautiful penmanship that she had. She was an avid collector and they had some of her rocks/minerals on display. There was the most gargantuan piece of quartz I’ve ever seen in my life and the biggest geode as well. Of course, I was eager to see Pride and Prejudice stuff, and my hopes were rewarded when I got to see Mr. Darcy’s bust and the awesome sculpture of the veiled woman. Walking throughout the house, I was able to see some amazing furnishings as usual, as well as a fantastic room that was completely frescoed 300 years ago! My favorite part came when we finally reached the sculpture gallery. It looks absolutely the same as it does in the movie and features all of the same sculptures and many more fantastic ones that are not featured in the film. The room is lit naturally by several skylights and the way the natural light filters in and makes the marble glow is absolutely ethereal. The floors are a black and white marble, so the whole package was one of the coolest things I have seen here. Upon reaching the end of the tour, I visited the quaint little gift shop and then picked up a pasty (pronounced pass-dee) from the little café here. I am in LOVE with pasties. They are considered a Cornish pastry, but if you get the traditional one it’s like a roast beef dinner that’s been nicely tucked into a delicious roll/puff pastry shell. They are filled with roast beef, potatoes, swede (I’m not sure what that is but it tastes like carrots), onions, and this delicious peppery gravy. Oh, how I will miss my pasties!!!
After our 2 hour train ride home, we hopped onto the tube to head over to Abbey Road. We saw the famous recording studio and took pictures of it. There are all these white columns outside of it that people write their names on to commemorate their visit here, so we left our marks too. Then of course, we took the traditional walking-across-the-crosswalk shots. I was lucky enough to catch it at a good time when there weren’t a lot of cars, but many in our group got honked at like crazy. I bet the locals here are so sick of all the tourists that are constantly holding up traffic to get their shots. Oh well. It was a fun little experience and now I can say that I’ve been there and done that. As I took the tube home, I couldn’t help singing some Beatles tunes in my head and thinking of my good friend who is a big Beatles buff.
As we hopped back on the bus, our friendly little bus driver gave us some information about things we should look for at our next stop. He was adorable. I enjoyed every moment of our ride to Chatsworth. The countryside we were travelling through that day was the quintessential English countryside you see in all of the movies. Lone horses, sheep, and cows would be grazing in beautiful green pastures along the road, grassy green hills sprung up everywhere, and wildflowers were abundant. Since is was looking like it was about to rain and with me being in the beautiful countryside, I fully expected to see Marianne Dashwood coming up over the hill, just before she stumbles and meets Willoughby for the first time. Words cannot describe how much I loved looking at all of the beautiful scenery around me.
Seeing Chatsworth, aka, Mr. Darcy’s house as we turned the corner was an absolutely THRILLING sight! This was something that I have been looking forward to seeing the entire year, and I was not in the least bit disappointed. Because the weather is always so questionable here in England, it was suggested that we go through the gardens first which are extensive—the estate is comprised of 102,000 acres of land. There was a fabulous waterfall called the cascade that was like a giant staircase coming down with water flowing over it. There was also a real life maze you could go through that was cut out of hedges. There was an awesome lookout on the estate that was made out of gargantuan, irregular stones. Anyway, there were too many incredible things to be able to list them all, but suffice it to say, I was in love with the gardens. Finally, it was time to enter the house itself. The grandeur inside was absolutely DIVINE!!! What was even cooler was that we were able to take pictures inside—even pictures with flash! There were a couple of special exhibits in there about movies that have been filmed there. Of course, Pride and Prejudice was featured, but also The Duchess. They had a few of Kiera Knightly and Ralph Fiennes’ costumes on display and they were exquisite. A large portion of the house was devoted to the real Georgiana’s belongings though. It was so cool to see her real journals, letters, and the beautiful penmanship that she had. She was an avid collector and they had some of her rocks/minerals on display. There was the most gargantuan piece of quartz I’ve ever seen in my life and the biggest geode as well. Of course, I was eager to see Pride and Prejudice stuff, and my hopes were rewarded when I got to see Mr. Darcy’s bust and the awesome sculpture of the veiled woman. Walking throughout the house, I was able to see some amazing furnishings as usual, as well as a fantastic room that was completely frescoed 300 years ago! My favorite part came when we finally reached the sculpture gallery. It looks absolutely the same as it does in the movie and features all of the same sculptures and many more fantastic ones that are not featured in the film. The room is lit naturally by several skylights and the way the natural light filters in and makes the marble glow is absolutely ethereal. The floors are a black and white marble, so the whole package was one of the coolest things I have seen here. Upon reaching the end of the tour, I visited the quaint little gift shop and then picked up a pasty (pronounced pass-dee) from the little café here. I am in LOVE with pasties. They are considered a Cornish pastry, but if you get the traditional one it’s like a roast beef dinner that’s been nicely tucked into a delicious roll/puff pastry shell. They are filled with roast beef, potatoes, swede (I’m not sure what that is but it tastes like carrots), onions, and this delicious peppery gravy. Oh, how I will miss my pasties!!!
After our 2 hour train ride home, we hopped onto the tube to head over to Abbey Road. We saw the famous recording studio and took pictures of it. There are all these white columns outside of it that people write their names on to commemorate their visit here, so we left our marks too. Then of course, we took the traditional walking-across-the-crosswalk shots. I was lucky enough to catch it at a good time when there weren’t a lot of cars, but many in our group got honked at like crazy. I bet the locals here are so sick of all the tourists that are constantly holding up traffic to get their shots. Oh well. It was a fun little experience and now I can say that I’ve been there and done that. As I took the tube home, I couldn’t help singing some Beatles tunes in my head and thinking of my good friend who is a big Beatles buff.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Daily Details: July 30
Today was another free day. Napping and homework were the order of the day. Other than that, I have nothing to report. I’m just resting up so I can have incredible energy for tomorrow when we go to Haddon Hall and Chatsworth—I’m so excited!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
London—Day 11: July 29
Burhley House--home of Lady Catherine in the new Pride and Prejudice.
There are over 400 deer like these wandering the grounds of Burghley House.
More Burghley House
Charming little window shot of Burghley
This is my raisin scone from the Orangery at Burghley, complete with clotted cream and raspberry jam. Yum!
The London Inn in Stamford--isn't it adorable?
Street shot of Stamford
I don't know why, but I absolutely LOVE this picture! I just loved how the telephone booth is tucked into that corner by the clock.
Daily Details: July 29
Once again, we headed deep into the English countryside this morning to visit Burghley House, which is heralded as, “the largest and grandest house of the Elizabethan Age”. They weren’t kidding. You’d think I could stop using the expression “blown away” when I’ve seen so many grand palaces, estates, etc…already, but I can’t stop using it. Each has its own unique flavor, and this one was absolutely exquisite. In fact, in the Kiera Knightly Pride and Prejudice, Burghley House serves as the home of Lady Katherine. We were fortunate enough to be let into the house before it is open to the rest of the public, so we virtually had it all to ourselves for most of the time there. Before being let in, we wandered the grounds in front of the home where over 400 deer live. They love people and you can just go up to them and pet them. They were all so beautiful!
Inside the home, we were given a fascinating tour by a lovely English lady. She had so much enthusiasm for the home and knew her stuff incredibly well. When I write about these homes, I feel I can never do them justice. I guess part of that is because photos are seldom allowed so it’s hard to remember all of the incredible things you see in there. Among two of the things I was able to see that particularly interested me were the carvings done by the renowned carver, Grinling Gibbons, and all of the furniture that had boulle work on them. Both things were spectacular, but the wood carvings in particular were absolutely breathtaking. I walked away from the home with some great design insights.
Before leaving at the estate, our professor told us we must try the scones with clotted cream at the Orangery, the little restaurant on the estate. I got a raisin scone (the scones here are much more like biscuits than scones) with clotted cream (something much like butter) and raspberry jam. It was divine, and so filling that I could not finish the whole thing. It was nice to sit and relax in that beautiful café as we looked out into the gardens.
After leaving Burghley House, we headed into Stamford, a quaint town we had passed through on our way to Burghley. This town was where the city shots for Pride and Prejudice were filmed and it is easy to see why. Everything was so delightful there! I guess one of the things that makes it so charming is how the streets just wind gently up and down little hills and churches dot the entire town, here and there. Having worked up quite the appetite, a few friends and I stopped into a little coffee house/café called Gooch’s. It was completely adorable and the prices there were some of the most affordable that I’ve yet seen in England. We all ordered the soup of the day—cauliflower cheese—and were amazed when a gigantic bowl of soup and a large baguette with butter came to each of us. We ate every bit of it and were completely satisfied. What could be more perfect than eating a delicious, homemade soup at a delightful little café on a rainy day in England? Honestly, I don’t know. The day ended shortly thereafter, once again with a train ride back to London and a night at our flat.
Inside the home, we were given a fascinating tour by a lovely English lady. She had so much enthusiasm for the home and knew her stuff incredibly well. When I write about these homes, I feel I can never do them justice. I guess part of that is because photos are seldom allowed so it’s hard to remember all of the incredible things you see in there. Among two of the things I was able to see that particularly interested me were the carvings done by the renowned carver, Grinling Gibbons, and all of the furniture that had boulle work on them. Both things were spectacular, but the wood carvings in particular were absolutely breathtaking. I walked away from the home with some great design insights.
Before leaving at the estate, our professor told us we must try the scones with clotted cream at the Orangery, the little restaurant on the estate. I got a raisin scone (the scones here are much more like biscuits than scones) with clotted cream (something much like butter) and raspberry jam. It was divine, and so filling that I could not finish the whole thing. It was nice to sit and relax in that beautiful café as we looked out into the gardens.
After leaving Burghley House, we headed into Stamford, a quaint town we had passed through on our way to Burghley. This town was where the city shots for Pride and Prejudice were filmed and it is easy to see why. Everything was so delightful there! I guess one of the things that makes it so charming is how the streets just wind gently up and down little hills and churches dot the entire town, here and there. Having worked up quite the appetite, a few friends and I stopped into a little coffee house/café called Gooch’s. It was completely adorable and the prices there were some of the most affordable that I’ve yet seen in England. We all ordered the soup of the day—cauliflower cheese—and were amazed when a gigantic bowl of soup and a large baguette with butter came to each of us. We ate every bit of it and were completely satisfied. What could be more perfect than eating a delicious, homemade soup at a delightful little café on a rainy day in England? Honestly, I don’t know. The day ended shortly thereafter, once again with a train ride back to London and a night at our flat.
London—Day 10: July 28
These grand, wrought iron doors lead the way into the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
Me, in front of Blenheim.
This is the lawn I was talking about in my blog post--best grass EVER!
Me, in a tree in the Secret Garden
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