Adventures out of Reading

I'm sorry for not posting anything for a bit; it's been busy with all the reading. Anyway, here's where I've been able to go outside of Reading thus far. Don't worry, there will be many more.

Our seminar field trips so far have been to Portsmouth and Windsor Castle. I'll just tell y'all a little bit about them since I'm really eager to talk about today's adventure.

Portsmouth was very pretty, the salty smell of the sea hitting me as soon as I got off the bus. I didn't think the harbor water would be as pretty a green blue as it was since the parts of the Atlantic I've seen have been gray. We went to a museum about Henry VIII's ship the Mary Rose first, but we didn't get to see the part of the ship they had raised since it's still undergoing preservation efforts. From there we continued on to Lord Nelson's ship of the Battle of Trafalgar fame, the Victory. It was kind of surreal going through this historic ship, standing where men fought and died (there's even a plaque on the deck to show where Nelson fell). It was kind of funny though because below deck, the ceiling was really low, so much that Dr.Franke had to walk around bent over. I, on the other hand, could walk around just fine, my head a few centimeters away from the ceiling. The next ship we visited, the HMS Warrior, was nicer, but not as interesting if I'm being honest. With the free time we had left over, Rachel and I went to see the last surviving sail of the Victory from the Battle of Trafalgar. Kept in a 250 year old building, the sail is so enormous that 1/3 of it was kept rolled up. Keep in mind, the room it was laid out in enormous. They hadn't fixed any of the tears or holes in it caused by the battle, making it an impressive sight in its own right.

Windsor Castle was another incredible sight. We raced to see the changing of the guard, but arrived too late to get good spots, as demonstrated by my pictures which featuring the tops of other visitors' heads. It was loud, and slightly amusing as one of the songs the guard's band sang was the Beatles's 'Yesterday' (didn't see that coming). The castle, however, definitely lived up to my expectations. The architecture and attention to detail was unbelievable. Monarchs through the years have added to the original simple bailey and keep, with each addition being visible through the change of materials and architectural style. Unfortunately, I couldn't take any pictures inside the castle itself or in St.George's Chapel which is also inside the castle walls. Inside was breathtaking. I was able to be a breathe away from works by master painters like Reubens and Van Dyck and see treasures taken from colonies during the height of the British Empire. In the chapel, there's amazing tombs and Gothic architecture. Henry VIII and Charles I are buried there in a rather unassuming tomb, but the meeting place of the Knights of the Garter was beautiful.

And now...today's trip to...LONDON!!

Originally, the plan was to hang out and figure out how I'd get to the arena for the CN Blue concert I'm going to next week. Rachel came with me, as did Lauren and Laney as they'd decided to go earlier in the week. From Paddington Station, we walked to Piccadilly Circus to Trafalgar Square. Situated in front of the National Gallery, the square is incredible, featuring two fountains and a huge monument to Nelson which is guarding by four huge lions. We explored the National Gallery for a bit, allowing me to come face to face with some other masterpieces I never dreamed I'd see. We were only able to explore a few rooms before hunger got the better of us, but I could easily spend several days there.

Moving away from the Square, we found a small Italian restaurant, which has delicious pizza (made in the true Italian style and taste). After that, we tried to figure out my route, but had to change plans when the Underground (subway) line I needed was closed. In a spur of the moment decision, we decided to go to 221b Baker Street. The subway station was decorated with tiles of Sherlocke Holmes' silhouette and signs pointed the way to his famous abode. (No, it is not the location that the BBC 'Sherlocke' is filmed, but I'll find that too.) We didn't get into the museum, which is the actual 221b residence, but the gift shop was full of equally fascinating things, from a Holmes hat to character chess pieces. I relegated myself to a button even though the hat looked cool. Returning to Trafalgar Square to pick up Laney, who'd met a friend, we got free hugs (part of Free Hugs campaign, so don't freak out) from a very cute Italian guy.

From there we went to Big Ben and West Minster Abbey. The sculptures on Westminster were...beautiful and so detailed. It's mind blowing thinking how much time and work went into the building. I wasn't able to see the inside, but I'll get there eventually. From the abbey we walked down to the Thames, where we found...the Transmitter! For those of you who don't watch Dr.Who, I am referring to what non-Dr.Who fans know simply as the London Eye. I just revealed how dorky I am, didn't I? Oh well, dorks have more fun. If you cross the bridge, then go under it and head to the Eye, you'll also encounter a ton of street performers and a small carnival area. The performers are very funny, talented, and well worth a visit.

As it was getting dark, the four of us headed home, serenaded by drunk British men singing drinking songs on the way home on the train. I won't lie, we found it hilarious. Today was an absolutely amazing day; I'm so glad I decided to go and the people who went with me were there. However, I am glad to be back home at 141 where I can rest my sore feet.