Today has been another long day, but I'm still really enjoying wandering with only a general sense of location and the knowledge that there are pizza places everywhere.
This morning we went out to a bakery and bought a huge loaf of bread to nom upon, bought a big ball of fresh mozzarella cheese and ate at the Piazzo de San Marco. It was kind of foggy all day and we got hassled by pigeons while we were eating, but we managed to keep them at bay. They have an incredible sense of knowing when a crumb is accidentally dropped. It will draw at least 8 per crumb.
We then explored the Basilica de San Marco, which was huge and detailed and wonderfully enormous. I could just imagine the priests walking through with candles, their vestments billowing behind them as they walked.
Then we went to an art museum, which was the collection of Peggy Guggenheim. Saw some works by Dali, Picasso and Jackson Pollock, among others. Going to the museum was a nice break from walking out in the cold and I did see a couple of pieces of art I really liked, such as Paduan Landscape by Umberto Boccioni and Solidity of Fog by Luigi Russolo.
Then we travelled to a another church, Santa Maria Della Salute, which was built in honor of the Virgin Mary because it was believed she saved Venice from the plague in 1630. We just saw the huge domes of it in the distance and decided we wanted to go there. I really like that about this city; that you can see something, say 'I want to see that,' and then just go. It's wonderfully easy to walk and explore here.
For dinner we went to a nice, cheap italian restauant, with checkered red tablecloths, dark wooden bar, candles on the table and wine lining the walls. We got two pizzas. Went to the grocery store for some snacks for tomorrow and came back to the hostel.
We have plans again to go out and walk around again, but some people have fallen asleep again. Last night we didn't end up going out, but instead watched an episode and a half of Rome, which was on HBO a couple years ago.
No solid plans yet for tomorrow and we just met a couple German guys staying in the hostel.
25 February 2010
24 February 2010
Venice: The Beginning
Today, we arrived in Venice! It's been a pretty busy day so far and Ally and Tess are napping right now, but I think we will go out a little later after Napfest to see Venice at night.
We woke up at 3AM, caught the bus at 4 and got to the airport around 5:30 and our flight left at 8:30. A very busy morning. I did get a little sleep last night and on the plane. On the plane I woke up close to the end of the flight to see us flying over the Alps and then over the Mediterranean. The Alps were so expansive and the whole range looked like a giant piece of paper that someone tried to reflatten, but didn't do a very good job.
We caught a bus from the airport and it brought us into Venice on what I think is the only road in the city. It's very strange to be a city without any traditional roads, just canals, which by the way are beautiful. I really like the idea of waterways instead of asphalt.
Our hostel is a little sparse but comfortable and the host seems very nice. We get breakfast every morning and we have our own set of keys to open the 4 different doors in order to get into the hostel. Not too many worries about security. The place, Sweet Dreams, seems pretty quiet. It's off the main street, about 3 stories up a building that has a very intriguing inner courtyard full of hanging plants and narrow stone stairwells.
After we dropped off our bags, we walked about without any real destination and walked though the Piazzo de San Marco and along the Mediterranean. We stopped at a little "snack shop" for lunch/ dinner and got pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach and a pizza.
I think Venice is and will be a very easy city to mosey about in and explore. There are nooks and crannies and back allies everywhere. Very easy to get lost in. I think we are going to try to limit our destinations so it doesn't turn out like London did; rushing from one place to the next without every really enjoying anything fully.
Some words I have learned from using them today.
Uscuti - exit
Prego - you're welcome
Aspetta - wait!
Vattene, bestia immonda! - Begone, foul beast!
I will keep you all updated on any new Italian words I learn and my continuing adventures in this ever sinking city.
We woke up at 3AM, caught the bus at 4 and got to the airport around 5:30 and our flight left at 8:30. A very busy morning. I did get a little sleep last night and on the plane. On the plane I woke up close to the end of the flight to see us flying over the Alps and then over the Mediterranean. The Alps were so expansive and the whole range looked like a giant piece of paper that someone tried to reflatten, but didn't do a very good job.
We caught a bus from the airport and it brought us into Venice on what I think is the only road in the city. It's very strange to be a city without any traditional roads, just canals, which by the way are beautiful. I really like the idea of waterways instead of asphalt.
Our hostel is a little sparse but comfortable and the host seems very nice. We get breakfast every morning and we have our own set of keys to open the 4 different doors in order to get into the hostel. Not too many worries about security. The place, Sweet Dreams, seems pretty quiet. It's off the main street, about 3 stories up a building that has a very intriguing inner courtyard full of hanging plants and narrow stone stairwells.
After we dropped off our bags, we walked about without any real destination and walked though the Piazzo de San Marco and along the Mediterranean. We stopped at a little "snack shop" for lunch/ dinner and got pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach and a pizza.
I think Venice is and will be a very easy city to mosey about in and explore. There are nooks and crannies and back allies everywhere. Very easy to get lost in. I think we are going to try to limit our destinations so it doesn't turn out like London did; rushing from one place to the next without every really enjoying anything fully.
Some words I have learned from using them today.
Uscuti - exit
Prego - you're welcome
Aspetta - wait!
Vattene, bestia immonda! - Begone, foul beast!
I will keep you all updated on any new Italian words I learn and my continuing adventures in this ever sinking city.
London Long Review Part 3
Ally went off on her own while the rest of us went to British Museum. A thoroughly impressive building with a mindboggling amount of stolen stuff. I was reminded of my day in the Egyptian Museum and just the sheer number of items in that building. By the end of the day there I was barely even taking in what I was seeing simply because I had seen so much. That didn't happen in the British Museum, but it easily could have. Instead we spent about 30 minutes looking at mainly the Elgin Marbles (which used to be on the Parthenon) and seeing a couple other items from Greece and the Rosetta Stone.
It was really cool to see the Rosetta Stone. I think that was my favorite part because I had seen a copy in Egypt and read about it and just to see the very thing that helped us understand hieroglyphics and because it was just so old was very awe-inspiring. Thinking of what would have been if it had not been discovered or understood: for example, my trip to Egypt would have meant a lot less to me if I didn't understand the history and significance of the ancient Egyptian artifacts and locations.
After this, Tess and I rushed off to meet Ally at the London Eye to ride it. When we got there, Ally wasn't, so we decided not to go on. Instead I took a picture of it.
Then (quite tired by now) we met Ally at Covent Gardens, which was nice collection of outdoor shops and restaurants with street performers (your standard robots and jugglers and musicians, etc). We ate dinner at little Italian restaurant where we were tucked into a table in the basement. Felt a little like the Cask of Amontialldo.
Finally, at the end of the day we caught the Subway back to Paddington, took the train home and fell promptly asleep.
London was...a lot. I really enjoyed my trip, but we did a lot of walking and, in retrospect, not enough resting. We were a little too ambitious in the number of things we wanted to see which meant we didn't get to see any of them in really good detail. But I do think I got a good feel for London as bustling, busy city that the visitor needs to adjust to; it doesn't work the other way around. And depite the problems I sometimes have with big cities: anxiety about crowds, feeling lost, stressed, etc., I think I did okay with London because I knew where we were going, and how we were getting there.
It illuminates, I think, the type and amount of control I feel that I need to be comfortable and fully functional. I really would like to go back and see the Globe and more of the British museum. Maybe soon. But it'll have to be after Venice!
It was really cool to see the Rosetta Stone. I think that was my favorite part because I had seen a copy in Egypt and read about it and just to see the very thing that helped us understand hieroglyphics and because it was just so old was very awe-inspiring. Thinking of what would have been if it had not been discovered or understood: for example, my trip to Egypt would have meant a lot less to me if I didn't understand the history and significance of the ancient Egyptian artifacts and locations.
After this, Tess and I rushed off to meet Ally at the London Eye to ride it. When we got there, Ally wasn't, so we decided not to go on. Instead I took a picture of it.
Then (quite tired by now) we met Ally at Covent Gardens, which was nice collection of outdoor shops and restaurants with street performers (your standard robots and jugglers and musicians, etc). We ate dinner at little Italian restaurant where we were tucked into a table in the basement. Felt a little like the Cask of Amontialldo.
Finally, at the end of the day we caught the Subway back to Paddington, took the train home and fell promptly asleep.
London was...a lot. I really enjoyed my trip, but we did a lot of walking and, in retrospect, not enough resting. We were a little too ambitious in the number of things we wanted to see which meant we didn't get to see any of them in really good detail. But I do think I got a good feel for London as bustling, busy city that the visitor needs to adjust to; it doesn't work the other way around. And depite the problems I sometimes have with big cities: anxiety about crowds, feeling lost, stressed, etc., I think I did okay with London because I knew where we were going, and how we were getting there.
It illuminates, I think, the type and amount of control I feel that I need to be comfortable and fully functional. I really would like to go back and see the Globe and more of the British museum. Maybe soon. But it'll have to be after Venice!
London Long Review Part 2
Next we decided we wanted to go see Harrods andBuckingham Palace. On the way to Harrods, which was first, we walked through Hyde Park, which was a nice break from cars, but still full of people (probably because it was a nice day). Especially prevalent were the runners. Crowds of them just going down the path. We were just going to go straight to the famed luxury store, but realized Kensington Palace was right next to Hyde Park/ in it, so we stopped there.
But in actuality, we couldn't really see much. The gardens were laid out nicely but nothing much was growing and we couldn't see much of the "palace" or what I expected to see, so we moved on instead turning to watching small children get almost attacked by geese.
Which is what happened/ will happen if you give a baby bread near a pond full of giant swans. Seriously, they were probably 4 feet tall and not scared of people at all.
Moving on so as not to killed Birds-style, we found a memorial and concert hall dedicated to Prince Albert, which were a gilded golden statue and a giant collesium-esque building.
We found Harrads and then found Harrods completely overwheleming. We didn't get past the second floor. There was just too many rooms, and I felt the whole place was very contrived. Not fancy, just tacky; like the store was trying too hard to be high class and just putting in too many costumes, too much gold, too much polish. So we left, and it was relief to get back out onto the street, where we took the subway close to Buckingham palace.
Buckingham Palace was super crowed and though we missed the changing of the guard I still really enjoyed seeing it, even though once again, it wasn't quite what I was expecting from a palace. I guess I was envisioning more of a castle rather than just a really big stone house...
We walked more. We walked a lot and by this point I was getting kind of tired and hungry. But we saw Big Ben and Parliament and Westminster Abbey (all from the outside) before we went to get sandwiches and rest at a Costa near Trafalgar Square. Big Ben, etc. were all very impressive in their size and how they imposed their presence over the city, as well as the incredible amount of detail in all the stonework. I wish I had been a little less tired, so that I could appreciate them a little more, but I do plan on going back to London.
Next, the end of the day at the British Museum, London Eye and Covent Gardens.
But in actuality, we couldn't really see much. The gardens were laid out nicely but nothing much was growing and we couldn't see much of the "palace" or what I expected to see, so we moved on instead turning to watching small children get almost attacked by geese.
Which is what happened/ will happen if you give a baby bread near a pond full of giant swans. Seriously, they were probably 4 feet tall and not scared of people at all.
Moving on so as not to killed Birds-style, we found a memorial and concert hall dedicated to Prince Albert, which were a gilded golden statue and a giant collesium-esque building.
We found Harrads and then found Harrods completely overwheleming. We didn't get past the second floor. There was just too many rooms, and I felt the whole place was very contrived. Not fancy, just tacky; like the store was trying too hard to be high class and just putting in too many costumes, too much gold, too much polish. So we left, and it was relief to get back out onto the street, where we took the subway close to Buckingham palace.
Buckingham Palace was super crowed and though we missed the changing of the guard I still really enjoyed seeing it, even though once again, it wasn't quite what I was expecting from a palace. I guess I was envisioning more of a castle rather than just a really big stone house...
We walked more. We walked a lot and by this point I was getting kind of tired and hungry. But we saw Big Ben and Parliament and Westminster Abbey (all from the outside) before we went to get sandwiches and rest at a Costa near Trafalgar Square. Big Ben, etc. were all very impressive in their size and how they imposed their presence over the city, as well as the incredible amount of detail in all the stonework. I wish I had been a little less tired, so that I could appreciate them a little more, but I do plan on going back to London.
Next, the end of the day at the British Museum, London Eye and Covent Gardens.
London Long Review Part 1
Now for the long overview.
We woke up at 6, showered and were out by 6:30 to catch the train by 7. The train ride was only about an hour long. There were some beautiful, open countrysides that were covered in frost. The whole trip (there and back) no one ever checked to see if we had tickets...and so we arrived in Paddington Station, already hungry and cold and tired, but ready to start our day.
We had considered buying an Oyster Card (like a SmarTrip card) but instead just bought day passes for the tube, only 5.60. They were definitely worth the price we paid and riding the Tube was really, really easy. Other cities take note. Also, we were at first panicked for a minute because the lines to where we wanted to go were closed all day (as well as a couple other lines), but we were easily able to get on another line and transfer.
We rode the subway to Notting Hill, where the Portobello Market. On the way, walking through the streets, several members of our party doubted my ability to read a map despite my impeccable track record with directions and maps (no sarcasm, here), but once we found our destination I was unspokingly deemed the Map Master and Direction Dictator.
Portobello Market did have mushrooms, yes, along with hundreds of others of fruits and vegetables, clothes, knick-knacks, paintings, junk, antiques. Two strange things: the convenience store-esque carts with toothpaste and the egregious number of antique cameras.
Overall, I really liked the Market; it was busy and diverse and full of lots of different people and really cool stuff. We didn't buy much but it was a good first experience in London getting used to the large crowds and reading the map and keeping everyone together.
We woke up at 6, showered and were out by 6:30 to catch the train by 7. The train ride was only about an hour long. There were some beautiful, open countrysides that were covered in frost. The whole trip (there and back) no one ever checked to see if we had tickets...and so we arrived in Paddington Station, already hungry and cold and tired, but ready to start our day.
We had considered buying an Oyster Card (like a SmarTrip card) but instead just bought day passes for the tube, only 5.60. They were definitely worth the price we paid and riding the Tube was really, really easy. Other cities take note. Also, we were at first panicked for a minute because the lines to where we wanted to go were closed all day (as well as a couple other lines), but we were easily able to get on another line and transfer.
We rode the subway to Notting Hill, where the Portobello Market. On the way, walking through the streets, several members of our party doubted my ability to read a map despite my impeccable track record with directions and maps (no sarcasm, here), but once we found our destination I was unspokingly deemed the Map Master and Direction Dictator.
Portobello Market did have mushrooms, yes, along with hundreds of others of fruits and vegetables, clothes, knick-knacks, paintings, junk, antiques. Two strange things: the convenience store-esque carts with toothpaste and the egregious number of antique cameras.
Overall, I really liked the Market; it was busy and diverse and full of lots of different people and really cool stuff. We didn't buy much but it was a good first experience in London getting used to the large crowds and reading the map and keeping everyone together.
Whirlwind Tour: London, Short Review
Got my paper on alchemy finished Friday. Want to get started on Necromancy before Wednesday, because Venice!
But yesterday, we (me, Tess, Ally, Julia, and Julia's boyfriend who was visiting: Gerard) went to London for the day.
Brief overview: the weather was fine (clear all day, a little chilly), we saw a lot of famous stuff (Portobello Market, Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, British Museum), we were there for 12 hours (8-8), we rode the Tube a lot, and were very tired by the end of the day. Pictures are up, just click the ones to the right and find the London album for February 20th.
But yesterday, we (me, Tess, Ally, Julia, and Julia's boyfriend who was visiting: Gerard) went to London for the day.
Brief overview: the weather was fine (clear all day, a little chilly), we saw a lot of famous stuff (Portobello Market, Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, British Museum), we were there for 12 hours (8-8), we rode the Tube a lot, and were very tired by the end of the day. Pictures are up, just click the ones to the right and find the London album for February 20th.
16 February 2010
Bees
Busy, busy, busy.
No more papers "due" this week. But I do want to finish my Elixir of Life by Thursday (maybe Friday). And then get started on my summoning of spirits, get most of that done by Monday.
Lots of time in the library. Maybe going to Port Meadow tomorrow morning. Feeling a little worn out.
More music by Okkervil River, though!
No more papers "due" this week. But I do want to finish my Elixir of Life by Thursday (maybe Friday). And then get started on my summoning of spirits, get most of that done by Monday.
Lots of time in the library. Maybe going to Port Meadow tomorrow morning. Feeling a little worn out.
More music by Okkervil River, though!
15 February 2010
Thoughts and Music
I've been thinking about what I'm going to be doing: this semester, this summer, next year, after college?
I'm feeling a little lost also. I found a couple programs related to woodworking internships, but they are all long programs or you have to pay to participate. Or do I want to apply to be a Ranger again to the Park service. Or VYCC? How about something like this group? I don't know.
I feel somewhat confused and stressed out about it. This statement however, does not adequately describe the turmoilishness I'm feeling, but I'm not sure how to say it better.
On a separate note, I found a new song I like.
I'm feeling a little lost also. I found a couple programs related to woodworking internships, but they are all long programs or you have to pay to participate. Or do I want to apply to be a Ranger again to the Park service. Or VYCC? How about something like this group? I don't know.
I feel somewhat confused and stressed out about it. This statement however, does not adequately describe the turmoilishness I'm feeling, but I'm not sure how to say it better.
On a separate note, I found a new song I like.
Bristol+Banksy
This past Saturday Tess, Ally and I went to Bristol to go see some of Banksy's work and to check out what Bristol had to offer.
We were almost late for the bus, waking up 20 minutes before it was supposed to leave, but got there on time and dozed on and off for the 2.5 hour bus ride.
Bristol was a pretty urban city, I mean that it was much more urban than Oxford, a little gritter, more modern, much larger buildings. We went and got some pasties for lunch and found a map online of where some of Banksy's pieces were and went off to find them.
Oh, by the way, if you would like to read a little more on Banksy, HERE is a link to some more information about him. If you don't feel like reading it, he is basically a graffiti artist who travels all over the world making political statements through graffiti and different types of art installations. Here are the Banksy pieces we saw in Bristol (supposedly where he is from).
While these were really awesome, they were only a small part of all the awesome street art we saw. There were people actively painting, we added our names to a public art building that anyone could add to.
Then we saw a parade coming down the street with protesters from the community gathered together against the creation of a new Tesco (a wal-mart-esque corporation) because there were already two very close and they took away from small businesses. There was music and dancing and pictures being taken. It was really awesome to see people of all ages gathered together for this common cause.
Following this great hullabaloo we hurried off to see the Clifton Suspension Bridge (hurrying because we only had about an hour left of our three hours there). After swiftly walking, following signs, asking at least 5 different people for directions we turned a corner and found it.
It was pretty incredible. It spanned over this beautiful gorge, into which there was a path which we unfortunately did not have time to traverse.
After the bridge we had to hustle on back to the bus station. We made it with 15 minutes to spare and got on the bus to nurse our sore feet and doze on and off again back to Oxford.
Getting back, we decided we needed to rest, upload pictures and watch the Olympics. Which we did.
We were almost late for the bus, waking up 20 minutes before it was supposed to leave, but got there on time and dozed on and off for the 2.5 hour bus ride.
Bristol was a pretty urban city, I mean that it was much more urban than Oxford, a little gritter, more modern, much larger buildings. We went and got some pasties for lunch and found a map online of where some of Banksy's pieces were and went off to find them.
Oh, by the way, if you would like to read a little more on Banksy, HERE is a link to some more information about him. If you don't feel like reading it, he is basically a graffiti artist who travels all over the world making political statements through graffiti and different types of art installations. Here are the Banksy pieces we saw in Bristol (supposedly where he is from).
Then we saw a parade coming down the street with protesters from the community gathered together against the creation of a new Tesco (a wal-mart-esque corporation) because there were already two very close and they took away from small businesses. There was music and dancing and pictures being taken. It was really awesome to see people of all ages gathered together for this common cause.
It was pretty incredible. It spanned over this beautiful gorge, into which there was a path which we unfortunately did not have time to traverse.
Getting back, we decided we needed to rest, upload pictures and watch the Olympics. Which we did.
Since the 9th, Pt. 2
On Friday evening, Tess and I went to a lecture at Wadham college, which was a really big school. It's very easy see how one could get secluded in these colleges with their high stone walls and and pretty much everything you might conceivably need within.
14 February 2010
Since the 9th, Pt. 1 (I saw David Bowie)
In order to make this a little more manageable for me and you am going to break up the past week-ish (still not updating more regularly) into a couple sections.
Because of our upcoming trip to Venice, I have needed to get my papers, for Magic especially, done earlier so that I'm not rushing after we get back. So I read a lot. I was in the library and doing research for much of the time. I got to read in Duke Humphrey's library again and discovered a courtyard next to the library (but only through a window). It was very meta-Duke Humphrey, because I was reading about him and his relation to astrology inside his library. Pretty cool.
We (Tess, Ally, and I) watched Labyrinth, which is where I saw David Bowie, ha ha. I really enjoyed watching it; it was delightfully cheesy and pretty funny. I really liked all the different creatures and the characters were over-the-top enough for them all to fit together.
I finished that paper on Astrology today, which is good. Next post will be about mine and Tess' walk in University parks (of which there are pictures) and the lecture on sex blogging we attended on Friday evening.
Because of our upcoming trip to Venice, I have needed to get my papers, for Magic especially, done earlier so that I'm not rushing after we get back. So I read a lot. I was in the library and doing research for much of the time. I got to read in Duke Humphrey's library again and discovered a courtyard next to the library (but only through a window). It was very meta-Duke Humphrey, because I was reading about him and his relation to astrology inside his library. Pretty cool.
I finished that paper on Astrology today, which is good. Next post will be about mine and Tess' walk in University parks (of which there are pictures) and the lecture on sex blogging we attended on Friday evening.
09 February 2010
Turf, Homework
Since my last post I have gone out to the Turf Tavern, traipsed with ponies and gotten stressed out about getting homework done.
On Thursday night, we went out to O'Neill's to hear the band (because they have live music every Thursday and Saturday). I'm pretty sure they only have cover bands come to play which is okay, but I would still like to go out and see some original music by local bands. The band had a bass (think cello-esque) which was a pretty cool addition to the music, especially during their Led Zeppelin covers.
Friday night, I had made plans to go out to meet Tom Dugan at the Turf Tavern. For those of you who don't know, I went to high school with Tom, we were in some of the same classes, but I was never really close friends with him. At home he goes to Notre Dame, but here he is attending New College. We met up at the Turf; to find the pub we had to travel through this narrow alley and a tiny archway which opened up into an area between a bunch of buildings that was basically several seating areas around a small, squat central building where the bar was. Tom and I sat and talked for about an hour and a half. It was weirdly coincidental that we went to schools so close to each other, but it wasn't too weird hanging out with him. He also gave me a tour of New College, which was anything but new because it was built in the 1300s-ish. It was really impressive, much more so than St. Peters. Old dark medieval corridors, high stone walls which were connected to the medieval city walls. It was kind of what I was imagining all the schools in Oxford would look like, so I'm glad I got to go. After that I met up with some friends from CMRS, we hung out at the Turf, explored more of the alleys that were kind of like secret entrances to the pub, and then went and played some Jenga.
Then, Saturday, I went with Ally, Tess, and Julia to Port Meadow and the Perch (pictures are up from that). Another beautiful day on Port Meadow and going to the Perch (a B&B/ restaurant) we walked through some countryside-ish landscape, with large hills and gray, empty fields along the path and in the distance. It was a long walk, but quite beautiful.
That night, I stayed in and watch West Side story with a bunch of people and worked on some homework.
Sunday rolled around, felt pretty lethargic all day, found out the books I needed to read for my next magic paper weren't going to be coming in, did a little reading, worked a little on my paper. In the evening, for our friend Anna's birthday we went to a little Thai restaurant called Angrid Thai (which we affectionately renamed Angry Thai), had some delicious pad thai for dinner (also got it again last night as a post-dinner take out snack) and then came back and worked on homework late into the night, missing the Superbowl.
Yesterday (I'm really sorry this is so long. I need to either post more often or cut out some detail) went to the library in the basement of the Radcliffe Camera. Medieval dungeony kind of library with huge stone pillars and arches.
I've also been thinking a little more about what I want to do this summer. I've been looking at internships/ jobs related to woodworking and I am still interested in the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. But this post is long enough already, so more on that later.
And if you've sent me a message recently, I will respond soon, I promise.
On Thursday night, we went out to O'Neill's to hear the band (because they have live music every Thursday and Saturday). I'm pretty sure they only have cover bands come to play which is okay, but I would still like to go out and see some original music by local bands. The band had a bass (think cello-esque) which was a pretty cool addition to the music, especially during their Led Zeppelin covers.
Friday night, I had made plans to go out to meet Tom Dugan at the Turf Tavern. For those of you who don't know, I went to high school with Tom, we were in some of the same classes, but I was never really close friends with him. At home he goes to Notre Dame, but here he is attending New College. We met up at the Turf; to find the pub we had to travel through this narrow alley and a tiny archway which opened up into an area between a bunch of buildings that was basically several seating areas around a small, squat central building where the bar was. Tom and I sat and talked for about an hour and a half. It was weirdly coincidental that we went to schools so close to each other, but it wasn't too weird hanging out with him. He also gave me a tour of New College, which was anything but new because it was built in the 1300s-ish. It was really impressive, much more so than St. Peters. Old dark medieval corridors, high stone walls which were connected to the medieval city walls. It was kind of what I was imagining all the schools in Oxford would look like, so I'm glad I got to go. After that I met up with some friends from CMRS, we hung out at the Turf, explored more of the alleys that were kind of like secret entrances to the pub, and then went and played some Jenga.
Then, Saturday, I went with Ally, Tess, and Julia to Port Meadow and the Perch (pictures are up from that). Another beautiful day on Port Meadow and going to the Perch (a B&B/ restaurant) we walked through some countryside-ish landscape, with large hills and gray, empty fields along the path and in the distance. It was a long walk, but quite beautiful.
That night, I stayed in and watch West Side story with a bunch of people and worked on some homework.
Sunday rolled around, felt pretty lethargic all day, found out the books I needed to read for my next magic paper weren't going to be coming in, did a little reading, worked a little on my paper. In the evening, for our friend Anna's birthday we went to a little Thai restaurant called Angrid Thai (which we affectionately renamed Angry Thai), had some delicious pad thai for dinner (also got it again last night as a post-dinner take out snack) and then came back and worked on homework late into the night, missing the Superbowl.
Yesterday (I'm really sorry this is so long. I need to either post more often or cut out some detail) went to the library in the basement of the Radcliffe Camera. Medieval dungeony kind of library with huge stone pillars and arches.
I've also been thinking a little more about what I want to do this summer. I've been looking at internships/ jobs related to woodworking and I am still interested in the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. But this post is long enough already, so more on that later.
And if you've sent me a message recently, I will respond soon, I promise.
05 February 2010
Dancing, Ponies
I been busy the past couple days. Not so busy that I was literally unable to keep you all updated, but busy (I do have some more pictures up, by the way).
I've been steadily working on homework, which is generally what I spend a lot of time Thursdays through Sundays doing, while Mondays through Wednesdays are classes. My general schedule is:
On, Tuesday, however, I tried a new thing and went out Scottish dancing with Tess and another girl in the program, Anna. It was right down the street in a church gym, there was about 25 people there and we danced for about 2 hours, but we had to leave to get work done and we tired, but it would have gone on until for another hour after we left. I had never been dancing like this, but it was lot of fun (but not at all like the picture on the right).
It was more like what I assume square dancing is kind of like; everyone has a partner, dancing in lines spinning around, following different steps. No jumping or kilts. Most of the people there were all pretty young friendly, though there were some serious dancers who I could see were getting frustrated with me tripping over myself and not knowing what to do in the more complicated dances.
But I'm pretty sure I'd go back.
Also, went to jujitsu again and there were a bunch of new people, so I wasn't the least experienced one in the group and I got picked to do demonstrations and I actually felt a little like I had been learning something. We practiced more strangle defense, punch and kick defense and breaking free from wrist grabs.
And then, yesterday, Tess and I went out after lunch to the Farmer's Market (Tess got some vegetables), we bought tickets to go see Medea tomorrow and I delivered some postcards. Then we decided to go on a short walk along the canal, which turned into a long walk, but it was totally worth it. We managed to stumble upon Port Meadow!
It was kind of an overcast, rainy-ish day, but it didn't even matter. In fact, it probably helped make Port Meadow even more beautiful. And there were ponies! Not tiny ones, but lots of big ponies. And of course, I didn't have my camera, but I think we might be going back tomorrow.
It was really unexpected to find it and the conversation leading up to the discovery went something like this:
"Do you want to go up these stairs?"
"Sure."
"Let's go right."
"No, I want to go see what's over here."
"Ok."
"Hey, look over there."
"PONIES!!!!!"
Port Meadow is this vast open field, with very gentle rolls in it and water that I think comes from the Thames, which run nearby and spills into the meadow. There were geese and ponies running around and the wind was blowing off the water and it was quiet (except for the geese and occasional train whistle). If you didn't look too far left or right, the place felt very anachronistic; just an empty wind-swept meadow in the English countryside.
Homework now, pictures soon, and updates less regularly than I always plan.
I've been steadily working on homework, which is generally what I spend a lot of time Thursdays through Sundays doing, while Mondays through Wednesdays are classes. My general schedule is:
- Monday: Integral (Renaissance to Enlightenment) Lecture/ Colloquium (alternates every week)
- Tuesday: Russian Tutorial at 1, Shakespeare Seminar at 3
- Wednesday: Magic at 2
- Thursday: Homework
- Friday: Homework
- Saturday: Homework
- Sunday: Homework (usually writing my paper for Magic)
It was more like what I assume square dancing is kind of like; everyone has a partner, dancing in lines spinning around, following different steps. No jumping or kilts. Most of the people there were all pretty young friendly, though there were some serious dancers who I could see were getting frustrated with me tripping over myself and not knowing what to do in the more complicated dances.
But I'm pretty sure I'd go back.
Also, went to jujitsu again and there were a bunch of new people, so I wasn't the least experienced one in the group and I got picked to do demonstrations and I actually felt a little like I had been learning something. We practiced more strangle defense, punch and kick defense and breaking free from wrist grabs.
And then, yesterday, Tess and I went out after lunch to the Farmer's Market (Tess got some vegetables), we bought tickets to go see Medea tomorrow and I delivered some postcards. Then we decided to go on a short walk along the canal, which turned into a long walk, but it was totally worth it. We managed to stumble upon Port Meadow!
It was kind of an overcast, rainy-ish day, but it didn't even matter. In fact, it probably helped make Port Meadow even more beautiful. And there were ponies! Not tiny ones, but lots of big ponies. And of course, I didn't have my camera, but I think we might be going back tomorrow.
It was really unexpected to find it and the conversation leading up to the discovery went something like this:
"Do you want to go up these stairs?"
"Sure."
"Let's go right."
"No, I want to go see what's over here."
"Ok."
"Hey, look over there."
"PONIES!!!!!"
Port Meadow is this vast open field, with very gentle rolls in it and water that I think comes from the Thames, which run nearby and spills into the meadow. There were geese and ponies running around and the wind was blowing off the water and it was quiet (except for the geese and occasional train whistle). If you didn't look too far left or right, the place felt very anachronistic; just an empty wind-swept meadow in the English countryside.
Homework now, pictures soon, and updates less regularly than I always plan.
01 February 2010
Tower and Plan
I have plans to climb the tower of the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin and to become and carpenter (or at least do some woodworking).
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