Where in the World Have I been?-Literally

I need to apologize for my lack of posts during the last two months. This semester has been rather chaotic between traveling every weekend and trying to fit in exams and papers. Finding time to blog about all of my activities has been a bit of a challenge. I am going to attempt to recap everything that has gone on during the last few months. There is a lot of things to cover so I will do my best not to forget anything.
AM

Doolin and Dublin, Ireland

After completing my first major British Studies exam on September 29th, I ventured to Ireland for a long and adventurous weekend. I left Harlaxton on a coach around 8 p.m. and journeyed about 5 or so hours to Wales. Once in Wales, our coach drove on to a ferry that would take us across the Irish Sea. The ferry was quite nice and was dotted with couches all over that allowed passengers to have a snooze during the trip. Because everyone was so exhausted from the big exam and the fact that it was 2 a.m. when the ferry left, we all crashed shortly after boarding. After about 3 hours we had finally arrived in Dublin shortly before 6 a.m. The group was a bit of a mess from the improper sleeping conditions, but excited to explore Ireland nonetheless. The first stop on our journey was breakfast before making the long trek from the east coast all the way the the beautiful west coast of Ireland. Halfway through the long drive we stopped at the historic monastery site of Clonmacnoise. This is no longer a working monastery, but is adorned with the remains of buildings and countless graves. It was such a clear day and the perfect morning to visit this historic site. We walked around for a while looking at all of the remains and then made our way to visit some very sweet looking cows. I have never seen any other cows that looked the way the Irish cows did. They were so cute and reminded me of dogs. I wanted to pet one of them but was afraid that it may bite me. After this stop halfway through Ireland, we continued on to the tiny west coast town of Doolin. This town is situated right on the Atlantic ocean and in a valley of some very large cliffs. Once we had dropped off our stuff at our very small hostel we headed to the unbelievable Cliffs of Moher. These cliffs are very large and lined up in a row of four. Looking out at the ocean from the cliffs seems as though you can see forever. It wad very windy and cold on top of the cliffs, but the views were definitely worth the weather. Day two in Doolin very adventurous to say the least. We had all planned to take a boat out to the Aran Islands to explore for the day. Unfortunately, this day was very windy and the seas were too rough to visit the islands. We all had to scramble to change our plans and find something else to do. We went to the beach while we decided on a plan. After enjoying the fresh air from the sea we decided that we would all go horseback riding. Once the hostel owner had called and arranged for the horse owner to pick us up, he mentioned to us that this guy was the town matchmaker and quite famous around the area. It was a bit of a journey to the horse farm. Lots of us were stuffed into this little tiny car while the Irish man sang Irish songs to us. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into or if what we were doing was even safe, but we continued on to see where this journey would lead us. Once we arrived at this man's house and farm we all suited up and picked horses. All of the horses had silly American actor names, mine being George Clooney, or so they said. The horse adventure turned to be a wonderful one and was one of the best parts of the trip. The rest of my time in Doolin was spent by the ocean exploring the Burren, a large rock formation left by the glacier. The large cliffs and ocean in Doolin were so much fun and the perfect way to relax after such a big exam. It really felt like I was standing on the edge of the world sometimes because the giant rock cliffs would end and all you could see beyond that was water. I hope to be able to go back to Doolin one day because it was so awesome. My third day in Ireland was spent in the capital city of Dublin. I spend the entire day in Dublin at the Guinness Storehouse taking a tour of the brewery. There was so much to see and explore that it took about four hours for the tour. At the end of my Guinness trip I learned how to "pull the perfect pint". I had no idea that there was a special technique for the perfect pint of Guinness, but it really is a very particular method. I was so proud of my accomplishment and realized that Guinness isn't all that bad. The next morning I got back on the ferry and journeyed back across the sea to Wales, where I began the long trip back to Harlaxton. I really enjoyed Ireland and wish that I had more time to spend there.
More to come!
AM

21st Birthday and a Day in Lincoln

Hello Everyone! Thank you all for the overwhelming amount of birthday cards! It was so great to have an overflowing mailbox each day when I checked it. The workers at the front desk came to know me quite well and were always curious as to how I managed to have so many friends. Thank you for making my birthday away so special! :) Unfortunately, I had class off and on from 8:30 to 5 on my birthday. In between classes I found time to open cards and indulge in a few birthday treats. I was even lucky enough to receive two 21st birthday tiaras to where during the day. (I hope this doesn't make me 42!) As my day progressed it continued to get better and better. I received some beautiful flowers from my parents which made me feel like I was very close to home. I could not believe that they were able to figure out a way to have flowers delivered in Grantham. Way to go Mom and Dad! :) I think the best part is that they have lasted all week and are still sitting so prettily on my desk as I write this. Just because I was away from home, I was not about to forgo the cake and ice cream. I bought a big chocolate cake and ice cream to share with my friends. Much to my surprise, when I finished my 5pm class my roommates told me there was something waiting for me at the front desk. Once again I returned to the reception desk to find the workers amused to see me yet again. I was so excited to find that my best friend had managed to send the prettiest cupcakes I had ever seen! Thanks Katie! :) I was so excited and could not wait to enjoy a cupcake. Later in the evening my friends and I celebrated by having cupcakes and noisemakers and wearing party hats and noise makers (thanks, Mom). The next day I had a field trip to Lincoln for my British Studies course. This town is home to some Roman ruins, Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle. I was excited for the day because I was getting to spend the day in a place that I had never been before. Unfortunately, the weather that day was freezing cold, windy and a bit misty. I had dressed warmly, or so I thought, but I still froze. Luckily, my first stop on the trip was the magnificent Lincoln Cathedral. This cathedral sports an array of medieval architecture, but my personal favorite are the flying buttresses. The cathedral is so large that it requires massive stone structures to support the building from the outside. I don't know if my fascination comes from the name or the structures themselves, but they are pretty neat. The inside of the cathedral was cool as well. The design of the inside reminded me a lot of Westminster Abbey in its cross-like shape and large screen in the center. There were a variety of small chapels within the cathedral and some were dedicated to those who have lost their lives in war. Like many other sites that I have visited, this cathedral was most interesting because of its age and ornateness. After the cathedral I went on a tour to see some of the Roman ruins. There really aren't a whole lot of ruins unfortunately, but it was interesting to see things like a well and parts of various walls. I didn't enjoy this portion of my day as much as the rest, but I attribute that to the bitter weather conditions. After enjoying a quality Harlaxton packed lunch, I explored chocolate and coffee shops on my own before heading to the castle. The castle was pretty unbelievable. One of the original four copies of Magna Carta is housed in the old prison ward of the castle. It was really awesome to see a document that is so old and means so much to the history of the United Kingdom and what it had developed into today. While the castle was an interesting tour, it was a bit creepy and somber. The Lincoln Castle was home to a prison and numerous executions. I took a brief tour of the prison and saw the chapel where church was held. The inmates were required to wear masks with only small holes to see. That chapel contained several small stalls in which each inmate would be locked. The walls of each stall were wooden and too tall to see over. The only area that each inmate could see was the elevated pulpit that hung above the stalls. I was to scared and claustrophobic to even dream of going into one of the stalls so I went up to the pulpit instead. It was a bit scary because there were some manikins with masks on placed in a few of the stalls. It was odd to look out and see what it would have looked like during the years the prison was functioning. During the remainder of the castle tour the guide took us to the various execution sites and told different stories about the individuals. After talking about the people she took us to the graveyard that is home to most, if not all, of the individuals executed at the castle. I did think that this was a rather morbid tour but it was fascinating to learn what happened to people in the olden days when they committed a small crime such as stealing a cup.

Ta Ta,
AM

To Scotland I Went!

Hello Everyone!

Sorry for the delay in posts, but my weekly routine is rather uneventful to say the least. Monday-Thursday is spent in class and doing homework. Because my campus is tucked away in a tiny town, I do not have an opportunity to explore during the week. Luckily, last weekend I had the opportunity to take a trip. I left Friday morning and headed to Edinburgh for the weekend. Knowing next to nothing about the city, I headed to the capitol with an open mind. I had received a pamphlet from Harlaxton about a few things to do in Edinburgh and some maps to help get around. I figured that with these items in hand I would be set to go for the weekend. After an eventful six hour journey by coach, I finally arrived in Scotland. It took a while longer to actually make it to the hotel, however. The coach driver seemed rather amateur and we ended up at the end of a one-way street going the wrong way. In some instances it would be fine to apologize and continue on going the wrong way, but in this case we were met with cement buttresses at the bottom of a steep hill. Again this would not have been a big deal had we been in a car, but backing up a coach uphill is a bit of a challenge. Thanks to the brilliant driver, our coach drew lots of attention. People on the sidewalks stopped to stare as if a celebrity was driving by. A police officer wearing leather pants, as only a European could, stopped traffic but not before giving the coach a dirty scowl. Needless to say, we were all a bit embarrassed and antsy to exit the coach. Once we finally arrived at the Royal British Hotel, I was so thankful to get out. With very little information about the city, I set out with some friends to do some exploring. During the day we managed to walk the perimeter of the city and gather a sense of what the culture was like. That evening, per recommendation, my friends and I went to Viva Mexico, a delicious Mexican restaurant. I know you are all thinking, "Mexican food in Scotland?!" but trust me it was wonderful. To finally have some food with flavor, contrary to the school food, was amazing! Chicken enchiladas and a strawberry margarita never tasted so good! On Saturday I woke up early for a full day of Edinburgh activities. I began the day with a rather adventurous hike. Not being a fan of the outdoors, I was a bit nervous to tackle the hill-mountain-like monster. Luckily, I had two serious hiker-friends with me to pull me along. The journey to the top was awesome! I could see for miles and that was quite astonishing. Once I finally reached the top, after scaling some vertical rocks, I felt like I had conquered the world. It was so windy and I feared falling over the edge, but I couldn't help but to sit on the edge of the cliff and snap a few photos. After this intense morning hike, I knew that this was going to be the highlight of my trip to Scotland. The rest of the day I spent journeying through the shops on The Royal Mile and taking a bus tour of the city. While the shops were fun, I quickly grew sick of everything labeled "I Love Edinburgh". After a long day of hiking and exploring, it was time for dinner yet again! In the mood for Italian, my friend and I headed to Bella Italia, a popular UK Italian chain, for some pasta. Craving the tastes of home, I decided to order lasagna. The baked pasta was good, but it definitely did not come close to something homemade. Feel free to send me some Mom! :) I woke up early Sunday to begin the long journey back to Harlaxton. Along the way we made two stops. Our first stop was to Hadrian's Wall, which was built in 122 AD. Not being much into history, this was not on my top ten list of things to see, but I must admit seeing something that old was quite impressive. This wall was initially built to separate Scotland from the barbaric people of England. What is left today would not do much to protect the Scots, but at one time this wall was quite substantial. It was interesting to see the layout of what the fort looked like and to think about the people that were there so many years ago. The second stop on the way back to school was Durham, England. This cute little town is home to an extravagant castle and cathedral. I was rather looking forward to checking out the cathedral, but much to my dismay the coach driver had a few issues again. After circling the town several times and losing thirty minutes of out two hour Durham allotment, there was only enough time to grab some lunch. After a disappointing pub lunch, I snagged some delicious ice cream and headed for the coach. The journey back to Harlaxton was another three hours, but it was a nice time to nap and reflect on the weekend. I really did enjoy the natural beauty of Scotland, but Edinburgh will not be on my list of places to visit again. While I did enjoy my time there, the city was overpopulated with tourists and tourist shops. I will try to post again soon, hopefully sooner than the last time! AM

A Brief Return to London

I had been looking forward to Thursday for a long time because I knew I was going to visit my second home. Boarding the coach to London, I was so excited for the weekend and hoped that London would be everything I remembered it to be. The city really did become like a second home to me this summer and I could not wait to go back. I was really looking forward to having a bit of familiarity in my life after a week of nothing but new surroundings and people. When I woke up Friday morning in my London hotel, I could not wait to get out into the city. As I made my way to the Tube station I had a skip in my step. I knew that I was about to be reunited with my favorite method of transportation andI had been looking forward to Thursday for quite a my treasured Oyster card. I could recite the Tube map in my sleep and I was so excited to put those skills to work and show my friends how it's done. After I scanned my Oyster card and received the approval of the beep, I knew that my journey had just begun. Keeping in mind that I was leading ten people through rush hour that had never used the Tube before, I tried to give them as much advice as possible before darting from one line to the next. The confusion and overwhelming nature of the Tube was inevitable. When we finally arrived at the Tower of London, my poor friends looked as though they had all seen a ghost. I remember all too well what my first day in London was like and I felt for them, but had to giggle at the same time. While I was excited to tour the Tower again, I was even more excited to visit one of the best kept secrets in London, my darling little monument Starbucks. I had been telling my friends all week that we HAD to go to Starbucks before the Tower, but they didn't quite understand the eagerness until they saw the little shop with their own eyes. After indulging in some Starbucks goodness, seeing the glistening Crown Jewels and another Tube journey, we headed to the famous Oxford Street to catch up on a bit of shopping, shoe shopping that is. After making a few (much needed) purchases, it was time for my friends to experience their first double-decker red bus. We jumped on the bus to head back to the Tube for another exciting journey yet again. The bus ride was quite typical, lots of honking and crazy driving, but fun nonetheless. Once the bus ride and Tube journey was over, we went to explore the London Eye, Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. It was so wonderful to be back and see all of my favorite sights. We took a nice afternoon break and sat on the wall next to the River Thames. It was awesome to enjoy the scenery of the river and all the aforementioned landmarks. London is the city of my dreams and I loved sitting there for an hour taking it all in. After a brief rest by the Thames, we headed to Westminster Abbey to attend a free Even Song service. This service is done mainly by the choir and is a great way to see the abbey free of charge. Saturday was another day filled with London fun! We tried to see the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace, but being a Saturday it was impossible to see anything with all the people there. We decided to head to Leicester Square next to buy theater tickets. We chose to see Chicago that evening and I could not wait! After getting tickets, we hopped on the Tube to head to Portobello Market. Being Saturday, there were scheduled closures on the Tube that really through our plans for a loop. Unfortunately, we were forced to backtrack and go way out of our way to get there. I was so happy that I was familiar with the system and eventually able to get to the market. Once at Portobello, I went straight to my favorite jewelry man to pay him a visit and make a few purchases. The vendor is a cute little man, probably in his seventies, from Spain and always is selling the best stuff. I can't help it but to buy something from him because he is quite funny. From the jewelry stand I leaped down the street to another favorite, the Hummingbird Bakery. I had not eaten lunch that day and I was therefore in desperate need of a Black Bottom cupcake. My eyes lit up at the sight of the pink and brown bakery sign. Both of my roommates partook in the indulgence and they are now hooked as well! After the market, it was time to get ready for dinner and the musical. We headed to the Tate Modern to enjoy a meal with a view. I enjoyed a very delicious bowl of pasta and gooseberry crumble for dessert. Aside from the yummy food, the view of St. Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge were breathtaking. After dinner, we darted to the Tube and flew through Covent Garden to the Cambridge theater. I was really excited to see Chicago because I had never seen it before. The music and acting in the show was outstanding and I enjoyed every minute of it! When I left London today I was a bit sad. I love Harlaxton and everything that comes with it, but London feels like my home when I'm in England. I know that I will be heading back shortly and I cannot wait! On the way back to the manor today, we stopped by Hampton Court Palace. This palace was the home to the infamous Henry VIII. The palace was interesting, but what I enjoyed most were the beautiful gardens. I loved looking at the flowers and walking around. Now that I am back at the manor, it is nice to be unpacked and have everything in its place. I am so happy to have Internet once again and am now looking forward to spending next weekend in Edinburgh. It is definitely time for me to hit the hay! I will try to post more later!

AM