Cambridge and Edinburgh

After my two week seminar and one week "backpacking" trip, coming to Cambridge was actually really exhausting and overwhelming! It didn't help that I came down pretty hard with a good cold. However, I was super excited to see my room! It's actually two rooms in Bodley's Court. I have a living room and a bedroom with three windows looking directly over the river Cam. I'm on the first floor so if I leave my windows open I can hear the punting tours float by. I hear the guides say "those three windows there are all one room!" and the tourists gasp and take pictures. It's wonderful because I know that they're talking about my room! It smells like a really old musty castle and the floor is sunk in in the middle of the living room. It has spiders and old crummy furniture. I wouldn't trade it for the world though! It's definitely the authentic experience. 

Notice that I have two fireplaces? Unfortunately I don't think I can use either of them. 

Dr. Kerry took all of us BYU students on a tour around Cambridge.  We started at Pembroke College, walked past Corpus Christi where Dr. Kerry is a fellow, and then walked through Kings and ended up in the King's gardens. At a bridge, Dr. Kerry mentioned all the famous people who have lived in Bodley's court including E.M. Forster and Virginia Woolf. I jokingly said that Virginia Woolf lived in my room. Someone over heard me and took me seriously and asked me about it a couple days later! haha. Who knows. Maybe it's true.

I can't remember which college this is... Do'h!

A nice modernist Bridge. The architect thought he didn't get paid well enough so he defaced it by cutting a wedge out of one of the spheres. 

The view across the River

After the walking tour, We all sat in the garden and had a bit of an initiation where we all introduced ourselves. The big program-wide introduction day was the next day nice and early. Like I said, I was a bit overwhelmed! I was a bit too tired to make much of an effort to make new friends (it takes a lot of energy to be outgoing!) but fortunately I'm already really close with the BYU kids due to the Oxford program and the prep class all last winter semester. I came down with a cold pretty hard the first couple days, and that mixed with sleep deprivation made my first three days of classes pretty tough!

My Spooks and Spies class, a history on secret intelligence in the United Kingdom and the United States, is huge. We have so much material we need to get through in only four weeks! I got two giant readers and a giant book to read through and I'm really having a hard time keeping up. Lectures are also difficult because the sheer amount of information we truck through. 

My travel writing class is less intimidating but I am self conscious about my lack of writing skills so that is a bit stressful. I have to post all my essays for the whole class to read... AAA! I made a friend in that class named Erin (she's a Yale student) and she and I commiserate over the pretentious pompous students in that class. We're also equally overwhelmed by Spooks and Spies so it's good to have a friend in the same boat. She always conveys important bits of class information that I miss and laughs at me as I fall asleep.

On that Thursday, we had a formal dinner with all the kids in Kings College. First there was a coctail hour outside and we got to stand on the grass for it! I met one PA named Joshua and we discussed the importance of my name in the Bible so that was fun. At the dinner, I sat by another BYU student, Alessandra Bijou Beaumont (Who's parents live in Cody, WY it turns out) and a Canadian student named Peter. I had a hard time talking because my voice is so messed up but we had a good time talking anyways. It looked like we were in the Harry Potter hall! It was pretty amazing. The food on the other hand... wasn't that great. England isn't known for its food I suppose.

Early the next morning the whole PKP program packed up into multiple buses and made our way to Edinburgh! I was assigned the bus that all the Bodley's Court kids had to stay in. It was ok because I sat by my new friend, Joe who let me sleep on his shoulder. I was exhausted! The funny thing about Joe is that he is actually my old roommate Briana's ex boyfriend, haha. On the way up, we stopped at Richmond. The English men that were there told us not to bother going to the castle. I know the English well enough not to take their advice about which sights to see and not to see, so I went to check it out for myself with Craig and Jennifer. It ended up being an amazing castle! It's just the type of castle that I like. It's in ruins with doors and stairs leading to nowhere. I climbed up on the walls. After a little while, the other PKP kids started climbing too and then the people there got mad at them. Its allowed until you get caught I guess! But I never did.

I look like i'm up to no good in this picture. 

Peter went climbing with me

"Burn the witch! Burn her!"

I unfortunately got vertigo and didn't get to the top. I'm a sucker, haha.

A few hours later we finally made it to Edinburgh! After we all ate dinner, a group of us decided to hike Arthur's Peak. 

Clearly I didn't know what we were climbing. This is not the peak but cliffs next to it.

Joe

Holy smokes it's beautiful!

I had to write two essays for Travel writing while in Edinburgh, so I took my journal up the peak to write down some ideas and to be inspired. After a while my hands got so numb that I couldn't hold on to my pencil! I'll put my essays in here but Dr. Kant informed us that she considers them all rough drafts so don't expect anything genius!

My Essay:

Arthur's Seat

Wind. Wind is comforting. It is familiar. It reminds me of home. But I am not home. I am overlooking Edinburgh in Scotland- far from my native Wyoming. But I don't feel far. If I close my eyes, I am on a peak overlooking the Shoshone River. Perhaps that's what I like about Scotland. It's familiar. But that brings a question to mind: why do I travel when the wind always brings me back home?

Arthur's Seat is beautiful. I've always enjoyed the rough aestheticism of craggy exposed rocks. It's contrasted by soft seas of grass. It seems like the grass is trying to tame the mountain to make it less imposing. Also trying to tame the peak is the surrounding city below. Edinburgh circumnavigates the peak completely but still fails to touch the mountain itself. Even though it seems unconquered and free, with close inspection, I notice that the once jagged rocks are now worn smooth and slick from years of being trod over. Rocks are stolen, paths are carved into the side, and concrete boxes shows that this peak has indeed been conquered innumerable times before.

But ever present is the unconquerable wind. 

I love the feeling of my hair being whipped by gusts of wind. Sometimes reality is so harsh it is tempting to escape, to be somewhere else and to be someone else. I think I was hoping that while I am abroad, I could build a new more likable me; and that I could build a new reality where I am not afraid.

But my troubles are blown here from Wyoming in the ever present breeze. I am reminded that even though I'm in Scotland, I'm still me and I am still living in my harsh reality. I am never far from it. The wind carries my reality with me everywhere. Being on this peak does not change the fact that my trials are still before me.

The last rays of sunshine are forcing their way through the clouds onto the bay, and I am reminded that my reality has changed. I am free. All I wanted last year was freedom and now there are no bars in sight. The wind threatens to blow me away but I am free to go with it. I can let it take me anywhere in the world. I have let it take me to Scotland. 

Perhaps that I why I travel: because I have the freedom to do so. It's not very poetic when I put it like that, but freedom is so refreshing after being denied it for two years. Like the wind, my trials are ever present, but I can and will work through them. My time in the United Kingdom will be spent in personal development and growth as I try to move on from my rough past

Someone loves Willy on this peak... Oh dear. 

After the hike, Joe, Richard, Sydnie and I decided to walk into town. It's about a forty minute walk but it ended up being worth it. Here's my second essay on the adventure we ended up having:

Pub Fun

While in Edinburgh, I am reminded how my own legs and feet are such effective modes of transportation. We are all staying in dormitories that are miles away from the city center, and yet I have made the walk there every day, often twice or three times. I have traversed through the whole of the city by walking, and I have enjoyed the Royal Mile by foot tens of times. If I were not to travel by foot here, I would miss out on many opportunities, one of which I'll relate now.

Three friends and I were walking up the Royal Mile at 11 pm when I noticed that live music was being played in a pub. Though my companions and I do not drink, I insisted on stopping in for some good old stereotypical Scottish fun, and I'm really glad I talked them into it.

In the pub, there was a man with a guitar and a microphone playing various songs while a group of drunk Scottish men were waving their beers and singing along. I was so delighted that I started dancing and singing along as well even though I did not know any of the lyrics. While the musician played "Jammin'" by Bob Marley, I went to the bar to ask for a lemonade and I started singing with one of the Scotsmen. 

"Do you dance?" He asked me. 

"Not really. Not well" I replied. 

"Nonsense!" was his response as he grabbed my hand and pulled me to a bit of unoccupied floor. I giggled breathlessly and clumsily threw my purse and coat to my friends as he swung me around on the dance floor. My silly two left feet really did get in the way, but he didn't care. He twirled me and dipped me while everyone in the bar watched. We danced for three songs and I laughed like a twitterpated preteen the whole time. Meanwhile, one especially drunk Scot tried to dance with Joe and mumbled some incomprehensible drunk words of wisdom to my friends.

After our dancing, my dance partner introduced himself as Dan. He found out that my friends and I are all from the States and he declared that he would sing "American Pie" for us. He requested the song of the musician and took the mic for his solo. We all sang along with the chorus as best as we could. 

Unfortunately, the pub closed soon after and we were all on our separate ways. Excitedly, my friends and I walked arm-in-arm the rest of the way to the castle. We giggled and stumbled the whole walk home, feeling very exited and proud of our very Scottish night. We probably looked very drunk. Perhaps we were drunk off of life and our incredible luck of stumbling onto such a good time. 

If we hadn't decided to make the long arduous journey by foot into town, we would have missed out on one of the best nights yet. I think that while in the States, I am all too willing to take a car everywhere I go near and far, but I am afraid that I have been missing out on these wonderful random opportunities to enjoy life to the fullest. I think I will slow down and walk so that I will not miss out on anymore opportunities. 

The next morning I was eating breakfast when Craig told me a group of people were going to Edinburgh castle. I hurried up and got ready but we were too late. Everyone had already left. Craig and I went ahead and went through it on our own. The castle was alright but I think I could have missed it and been fine. It's the kind of castle I don't like going to: overly touristy and well preserved. Ick. We had a fun time reading the guide book and taking cannon pictures :) We tried getting a picture with a guard and Craig and I did piece signs like Asian tourists and the Asian girl that took our picture was trying not to laugh. She either didn't take it or it is actually on Craig's camera. I'm not sure. 

Cannon picture! Craig thought the sky was more important than the cannon though... Haha that kid.

This poor guard was trying really hard not to laugh.

They saw me creeping... 

Oh my lands!!! This picture makes me laugh so hard. Tons of Asians swarmed this little blond cute family and were taking pictures with them. The mom was quite bemused and the children were really confused. It was hilarious. Asian tourists are wonderful. Katie, watch out for Asian tourists! They would love your girls! You watch out too, Kirsten :)

After the castle, Craig and I went to find lunch somewhere before our assigned national gallery tour. We met up with Richard there and we were ready. My art teacher and his wife were the ones giving the tour. The art teacher is hilarious but I ended up doing the rest of the tour with his wife who is quite dry and quiet. Also, part way through I had a bad cough that wouldn't go away and then I got really fatigued and sat down. A Scottish Guard noticed me and took me back to their sink and gave me water. It was so nice of him! Richard Craig and I left towards the end to meet up with Joe, Jennifer, and Anna. 

Hugo Van Der Goes "The Trinity Panels"

The title is on the frame. I just thought this was a cool and creepy painting.

Joos Van Cleve "The Descent from the Cross- Triptych"
I found this part of the painting interesting. I asked who the girl holding the dragon was. They seemed to think it was the girl that Saint George saved from the dragon. What is the significance of the dragon being on a chain? Why is her hair exposed? I wonder what you would think.

Leonardo Da Vinci "The Madonna of the Yarnwinder"

Raphael "The Madonna del Passeggio"
Notice the no picture icon on the sign? I sure didn't. Oops. Well now I have a picture of this piece! It's pretty amazing.

Francisco Botticini "The Virgin and Child Enthroned with Snt. Francis, the Donatrix, Agnoletta, Benvenuti, the Archangel Raphael, and Tobias" 

Sandro Botticelli "The Virgin Adoring the Sleeping Christ Child"

Raphael "The Bridewater Madonna"
Yet another no photo sign... haha.

A Titian piece! Titian is famous for painting his women with red hair and now red hair is often known as titian.
this is called "Venus Rising from the Sea"

And of course Rodin's "The Kiss"

I love Rodin. His pieces are so tender. I had to get it from every angle of course.

My favorite by him is "The Eternal Idol"

The MOA at BYU wouldn't display this piece so it was kept in a box. BYU is so silly...

Rembrandt Van Rijn "A Woman in Bed"
Sarah waiting in bed for her bridegroom Tobias but Tobias is trying to chase away the devil. 

After the museum, we all wondered down to the end of the Royal Mile to check out congress and the Holyrood Palace. We came across a street performer who Joe hated because he told too many lame jokes and didn't do enough cool stuff. 

Joe hated this act. 

Holyrood Palace. The Queen was residing there at the time so we couldn't go in. Notice her flag? It wasn't very windy so probably not.

Nice picture, Richard.

With Joe and Sydnie (Who happened to invent the Sydnie font)

After that, we wondered back up the royal mile to find a place for some food. We found a good pub and went in for a sit. After a while, these three old men started playing music so I had to get a video. It' hilarious because Jen is making a face and Richard sneezed right when I panned across him. haha. We ended up staying there for a couple of hours discussing feminism. I sympathize with Feminism and I think there should be an open safe dialogue about it. I think that would maybe help prevent people from going crazy too far either way on the scale.

Next we wondered to the place where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book. We wondered over to the grave yard where she got many of the Harry Potter names including Tom Riddle, Moody, and McGonagall.

Richard Photobombing me

And again

A statue of the dog that never left his masters grave until he died.

Creepy

We were just wondering around when we ran into two drunk Spaniards. At first we got freaked out because we thought they were going to scare us! It turns out they were scared at first too. The Spanish guy ended up telling us ghost stories about the grave yard and it was fun to have such a random encounter like that.

A haunted tour went by and when the tour guide was done, we asked him where Tom Riddle's grave was. He was dressed in a long black robe and his name just so happened to be Tom. We joked that Voldemort himself was taking us to his grave. He told us how Dumbledore was probably a druggie and other little references that most kids wouldn't have caught while reading the books. 

Ron Paul revolution in Edinburgh

That night, Joe Richard and I went to hang out in my room. Joe joked that we now couldn't make out because Richard was there and Richard said "It's ok. "Don't stop on my account! I'll just observe." We laughed about that for a good ten minutes. 

The next morning, I ran across Stephanie who wasn't feeling really well. I wanted to meet up later with Kylie and Kailey because they were going back to the castle and I didn't want to go back. We decided on 1:30 at the national gallery and Stephanie and I went to take a nap. We got to the Gallery on time but there was no Kylie and Kailey. It turns out that the line to get into the castle was epic and Kylie really wanted to go because Mary Queen of Scots happens to be her ancestor.  Stephanie and I decided to check out the impressionist art at the museum that I had missed the day before. It's beautiful! 

After we had lunch, we wondered down the royal mile and happened upon this gem of a Silver store. The owner told us about an Island in Scotland that we should go see: the island of Iona.  He described how to go there and it sounded like he was describing to us how to go on a quest: "First you travel to a coastal town where they have the best sea food. Then you go through the mountains of ___ where you can see eagles swooping down for their prey. Then you take a tiny boat across the waters..." He sounded much more epic than I could ever sound. He apparently has been dealing antique silver since he was a little boy as this was his father's shop. After a while we left but I decided that I wanted a picture of him so we went back. He was so pleased to see us again that he gave Steph and me a sixpence to wear in our left shoe on our wedding day :) He was amazing.

the store, my sixpence, and my left shoe.

Stephanie and me!

Steph and I walked home. It was so hot that day! And the poor girl wasn't feeling well at all. We also happened to see like 5 wedding parties and tons of men in kilts. It was pretty cool. That night, Richard, Joe, Sydnie and I decided to go back to the Grave Yard with some Yale girls including Erin. Joe turned all tour guidey on us. I was drinking a fanta, and Sydnie and I wondered off ahead of everyone to Tom Riddle's grave. I poured some out "for my dead homie" and then we hid and scared the others as they came. Sydnie is awesome. I really like her. Richard was all "I have two hands open!" and one girl went to hold it. Smooth move Richard. ;).

That night I skyped with Josh for the first time. It was super nice to talk to him and see him again! I miss that kid. 

On Sunday morning we departed to head back to Cambridge. I honestly didn't want to leave. I love the Scottish!They're so nice and funny and it made me almost hate the English (not really but Scottish people are boss). We stopped at Fountain's Abbey on the way back. I wanted to poke around every nook and cranny so I struck out on my own to explore everything. After a while I found Jen and Craig and we sat and talked in the grass until it was time to leave. 

Back at Cambridge and back to work! I had my painting class and it was awesome. My teacher says that I have a wacky style and he always calls my work beautiful. It's just because I can't do depth perception correctly, but I'll take it :) He said perfection is boring which I totally agree with. He says good art comes when you stop thinking about it and just do it. That's how I feel about art and life in general so I was ecstatic that that was his point of view. I can definitely turn off my brain and just do. I love that class so far. I'm practicing shading and trying out different things. It turns out I suck at drawing tables which is kind of hilarious. 

Joe, Craig, Richard and I always hang out and we're all quite close now. We like to chill in my room. Jen and Anna aften join us. Joe was planning a trip to Amsterdam and it was the four of us that was going to go. It turned out I had a field trip and thus couldn't go. Craig jokingly said "Well jen, I guess you can come now!" and it was funny/awkward. I feel honored that I'm a part of their group! :)

Out my window. There's a base in that boat and a microphone and guitar, etc. They were just playing music drifting down the river! It was pretty awesome.

A pretty sunset!