A daytrip to Bawth: the Home of Baths, Buns, and Mr. Darcy

After many weeks of life on the road, we have finally arrived in the ultimate destination...London.  The city is incredibly diverse, and as we drove in we were bombarded by shops, restaurants, flashing signs for musicals and the occasional green of a park.  It seems unreal to think that we will be here for two months after moving from place to place every other day.  As we have just arrived, I don't have much to write about London (yet!) but I want to share about our final stop in Bath (pronounced Bawth according to Nick Radel).

Though most of us were ready for the gypsy life of peanut butter to end, this stop ended up being one of my favorite places filled with so much history.  The day began with a trip to the Roman Baths, making me want to jump into the steaming water, but alas there were signs warning not to even touch the water.  Unfortunately, I saw that sign after I had already dipped my finger into the steaming water.  Don't fret I'm still alive to compose this post.  Then after that scare we tasted the refreshing spa water, which actually tasted quite disgusting...not too rejuvenating.  The Baths were interesting, for I didn't realize the extent to which they were used, as a bathing, exercising, and even worship center!

Anna Laura and I at the Roman Baths...this is the one I mistakingly touched :)

Supposedly Bath is famous at this restaurant for these Bath Buns.  Yes, we took this picture with the entire group looking on at us.

 If the baths weren't incredible enough with all the stonework they had preserved, the day just continued to get better with a visit to the Costume Museum.  Perhaps you will be interested in the fact that we saw Jlo's dress?  I think the more interesting exhibit was the 10 dress exhibit of Princess Diana, which emphasized the power she yeilded through her wardrobe.  What a unqiue and amazing woman to watch her progress from a teen wearing a flowing child's party dress to a young princess in a pink frilly costume with an off-kilter hat to an older woman confidently embracing life in a black jumper.  It was intriguing to see the impact that clothing can have on the surrounding society, and also the way that it reflects the changing times and values.

And as the cherry on top of the day, THE JANE AUSTEN CENTER.  To those of you who may not know...Jane and I would have been kindred spirits.   Other than being filled with Mr. Darcy Memorobilia, the Center gave a full overview of Jane's family life, her time in Bath, and the stories she based here.  Also, did you know that Jane was shy?  She published her first novel as "A Lady."  I just have so much respect for this woman and love her perceptions of the world.  I feel like she may have been quieter but she didn't miss a thing.  If only I could write down all the stories of this trip; how many characters I would have to share with you all!

Come hither.  At the Austen Center I learned the art of speaking with a fan.

Well, cheerio from London, more to come.

Current movies I'm living in:
1) Mary Poppins: Chim Chiminy...
2) Peter Pan: Oh Peter, I can see all the houses that the family would have lived in
3) My Fair Lady: we actually saw the columns were the opening scenes take place

Just a few more glimpses of the final times of gypsy tour:

At the Bath Abbey, there was a 35 part embroidery exhibit representing the life of Jesus.  Mom, you would have loved it; it reminded me so much of Homeless Bird.  It was just beautiful to see all the intricate stitches and how each color and shape was representative of a piece of the story.  I think that this may have been Jesus filling the disciples' nets with fish.

Bath Abbey: 56 different panes represented different moments in the life of Christ

StoneHenge! Need I say more?

Snapshots of Gypsy Life

Woke up at 5 to climb Arthur's Seat to watch the sunrise.  It was quite a hike; thank goodness for flashlights.  But it was completely worth it!

Goodbye Ireland...Leaving Ireland on the Ferry, which they would always announce as the Irish Ferries, which would automatically make me think of Fairies.  It was magical enough there for fairies to exist.

Hadrians wall- Caroline and I guarding a fort at Hadrian's Wall, which is an enormous wall that spans the border of Scotland and England.

Berry Picking in the Lake District

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Welcome to Edinburgh! This was the afternoon we arrived and the afternoon before I went Scottish Dancing.  Only a quick bus trip across town landed us among the Scottish Dancing Club for an evening of free dancing!
 

The Heather on the Hills

Imagine waking up on a moving bus.  You look out the window and are greeted by pastures filled with sheep, hills blanketed with heather, and in the middle of all this majesty, sits a stone cottage in the grove of trees.  And as the bus moves farther onward the hills soon are lined with a running stone wall that borders a forest of pine trees (I guess that may be called a glen, but I really just made that up).  That is my life.  And I honestly can't believe it..movie mood is beautifully enjoyable and lifegiving.  My senses are being continually fed and as I look out the window over Edinburgh (from I'm sad to say a starbucks...I know flog me for my american addiction and the free wifi) I can imagine this being life.  I can imagine walking to work each morning amid the many windowed stone buildings, the quaint cafes, and the many woolen shops.  As we drove into the city the sides of the street gave perfect views of the castles sitting on either side of the city, crumbling, yet enchanting.  They literally are perched there.

The next few days are left up to our desires, so now the search of the city begins.  But here is a overview of the last few days that were spend in Carlisle, England.  One day was spend visiting the Lake Districts and after seeing the scenery that surrounded Wordsworth's home and the land of Beatrix Potter I can understand how they produced such beautiful literature.  I loved visiting Dove Cottage, which was Wordsworth's home, and learning about his life. He had such a tender friendship with his sister Dorothy and yes Tyler made me think of you and how thankful I am for you as a brother.  After touring his home, Stephanie and Rachel and I ventured up a country lane, bordered by hydrangeas and stone walls interspersed with iron gates.  And then we stumbled upon magical berries (actually wild raspberries).  Now, I know that the rule is never to eat anything you find but oops we broke the rule.  And they were delicious!  Pure magic.  It was like tasting the beauty of the countryside.

will post pics very soon!

Goodbye to Molly Malone

In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty, I first set me eyes on sweet Molly Malone. And she wheeled the wheelbarrow through the streets wide and narrow, crying

 'Cockles and Mussels a-live a-live o!'

Alas, we have left that fair city of Molly Malone and now we are once again on the move to Scotland, where I hope to find and purchase some family tartan, ensnare the Loch Ness Monster and attend an evening of Irish dancing!  We are currently staying in the cutest hotel with a huge wardrobe in our room (anyone thinking Narnia?)  I'm now rooming with the wonderful Caroline and we have already broken out the crosswords!  I love it!

Ireland has been so good to us.  Today we stood on the docks of the ferry as it ushered us away from the green coast and waved goodbye to the most beautiful land that I have ever seen...and I can't help but ponder all of the amazing things I have seen, moments I have had, and things I have experienced.  Here are just a few snapshot moments.

1) One day we visited these cliffs and lava rocks called the Giants Causeway.  The walk begins by going along these huge cliffs that overlook the crashing waves below and the Causeway itself (the causeway is hard to describe but it is technically a bunch of hexagonal rocks that are all pushed together at different heights).  After walking these cliff paths we headed down MANY stairs to the causeway.  I'm once again feeling like one of the goats in the Three Billie Goats Gruff... But once we reached the Causeway it was all worth it!  Each stone combined to form a series of steps all at different levels.  One of the girls described it as an enormous stone playground.  It was indescribable...

2) Getting lost in the morning in Belfast as we search for the Marketplace.  Finally finding the marketplace and getting to smell fresh fish in the morning...no one believes me that I really love that smell. 

3) Final night in  Ireland we crossed the street to a pub called Robinsons and meandered into the back room where there was live Irish fiddling.  The place was filled with people but we still found room for dancing to Irish music and the night finished up with the classic Galway Girl.  It was wonderful to dance all around with friends as we celebrated the wonderful times we have had in Ireland.

Ireland was a land of magic...and it wasn't just all the rainbows that I got to see.   I wish that all of my pictures could capture this world, but I feel like all I can do is just absorb everything.  I will probably post more very soon so stay tuned for more info and pics

You know you are in Ireland when...

1) You stop at a rest stop on the bus tour and the rest stop is a castle and you are all served tea and scones instead of grabbing potato chips from a vending machine

Eating our scones and tea at the castle rest area

2) Peanut butter becomes a much coveted item...and you wonder how you could ever eat through an entire jar by yourself...oops

3) One of your days is spent biking throughout the Aran Islands: looking at cows, horses, and donkeys; meeting friendly dogs, climbing to the towering cliffs. Little did we know that taking the inner road meant that there would be alot of uphill.  But I think that we broke the speed record as we coasted down the hills of Aran.  I felt like an Aran Island hooligan as I sped past another biker.

Katelyn, Rachel, and I about to bike through the Aran Island

4) Everything you see is green and beautiful!

5) Your homework for class is to recite your Yeats poem outside of his Tower as the sun shines down and the wind blows through the trees

In front of the lake at Coole's Park, where homework poems were recited

We are now traveling gypsies all over Ireland and so I'm trying to stay awake as much as I can on the bus.  Closing your eyes for a minute means missing beautiful countryside passing by your window.  And you all know how hard it is for me to stay awake in a car! haha 

Procrastination...study abroad style

Though it may seem that I'm simply on vacation in a beautiful country (which honestly is about half true), I actually have homework.  I'm surrounded by some other students on the trip in a coffee shop and we are frantically attempting to finish the journals that are due tomorrow about our time in Stratford.  When there is so much to explore, who really wants to do journals? :)

So I'm going to share one of my favorite parts of Dublin with yall...Howth Harbour.  I have this little problem of sometimes feeling like I'm living in a movie, and I compare this treasure to the oceanside where David Copperfield meets Little Emily.  After spending many days in the city of Dublin sight seeing at the museums and historical sites, I decided that I wanted to go on an adventure.  Enter Howth Harbour.  After class, Catie, Katlyn, Stephanie, Kirby-Annah and I boarded the DART (Dublin public transportation) and made our way toward the Harbour.  Now all we knew was that this was a popular place to visit around Dublin, so imagine our joy when we began to catch glimpses of the  beautiful countryside from the train windows.

We stepped out of the train and were among a quaint assortment of houses, seafood restaurants, and boats.  The air tasted deliciously of salt and smelled strongly of fish, which I LOVED!  A seal splashed up at us from the water and graciously posed for a few pictures.  We walked along the pier, constantly taking pictures of the cliffs behind us.  Perhaps the best moment of the afternoon occurred after we had trekked up the hill and stopped to sit on a stone wall.  We could see out across the bright blue ocean to another island not far off.  The waves crashed against the rocks.  The sun actually shone (this place can never make up its mind about what whether it wants so being wet really isn't that big of a deal anymore)!   It was a perfect day, complete with bright blue sky!  We sat on the stone wall simply gazing at the beauty of the earth, and my heart just worshipped in the quietness...

View between the bars of the gate at my future house

sitting on the wall and basking in the sunshine

Me standing on the pier at Howth Harbour

Perfect day...

Dublin, The NYC of Ireland

Bet you thought that I had disappeared into a hobbit hole in the Irish countryside never to return again... but have no fear I am safe and sound in Ireland.  From Stratford we took a bus and a ferry and have now arrived in a bustling city of new accents.  I can't even express how large this city is, filled with one cathedral after another and a plethora of coffee shops that beckon you in with fresh baked goods.  Museums abound everywhere and yes this is the city of the world-reknowned Guinness factory.  The days are quite busy as we see as much of the city as possible in the few days that we are here...A few highlights from the eyes of a tourist:

1) When we arrived we had a food emergency (aka it was pretty late so most places were no longer serving food) and in a moment of weakness, we all ran to the only thing in site, McDonalds.  I am ashamed to admit it, but really there was not much choice.  You should get a laugh that the first thing we did in Dublin was highly American, though theirs are quite swankier than ours, complete with cafe.

2) Have seen shows at both the Abbey Theatre and the Gate Theatre.  The Abbey is the home of the Irish National Theatre, and last evening we went to see the Plough and The Stars.  I have never seen so many traumatic stage moments, but the production was beautifully done.  It was like watching the history of the Irish people who fought for their freedom unfold before my eyes.  For each scene the set was transformed before our very eyes, with curtains dropping, doors being hung on hinges.  And the acting was incredible, though it took me a bit to adjust to the accents.  The voices here lilt, rising and falling like music.  There is something to say for being able to see a production in the natural accent of the people here.  In contrast, earlier this week we saw Death of a Salesman, where the actors actually put on American accents!  But this set was incredible! Picture a stage sloping upward with a celing sloping downward...everything almost appeared to collapse and suffocate the actors.  It was beautifully simple, all with a trees creaky branches woven through the set.

3) I fell in a store in Dublin; like I mean wiped out.  Just picture me getting excited about a sale in a cute store, bounding up the stairs only to fall flat on my face.  I give you free reign to laugh because I'm not hurt and it was just a hilarious experience.

4) Ate at the Bad Ass Cafe...just a humorous place that we enjoyed.  It was a nice break from PB and J and let's be honest the name is just funny... :)

5) Wandered through the beautiful St. Stephen's Green.  This is a park filled with trees and statues, a sort of green oasis in the middle of a bustling city.

Yesterday we walked to the Museam of Modern Art to find that the new exhibit is surprise...Modern American Art! But it actually was really interesting.  Also, bordering the building was a rolling Irish field and a garden akin to Alice and Wonderland.  It makes me excited for the countryside, but for now I'll continue to be a country girl living in the big city.  Dublin offers so much; now to just find it all...

Setting a Stake in Stratford

If you quite interested in reading about how many cups of tea I have had in the last week or the many productions that we have seen, well you should probably tune in for a later post :) This is more of an update of my life, and what I would absolutely love prayer for as I continue on this journey across the UK.

Can I say what a blessing this trip has already been?  The Lord has been so faithful to bring me here, and every day I am astounded by the beauty around me.  The downtown area is full of quaint shops in beautiful buildings made of dark beams and stone walls.  The chapels here have plaster pealing off their walls, revealing hidden paintings covered over centuries ago.  Sunflowers and thistles blossom in gardens.  The Avon runs through the town, filled with barges, swimming with swans, and surrounded by families with two year old speaking in British accents (is there any way that my future family can all speak that way?).  The productions that we have seen explode with creativity and stunning imagery.  Imagine watching two four story bookcases tilt to dump their entire contents on stage, creating a winter scene!  Imagine a stage filled with trees where the leaves are sheaves of pages from books, and a two story bear puppet that emerges from a doorway of smoke (that just doesn't even do justice to one of the single stage effects that we saw last night in The Winter's Tale-- READ IT!).  I have seen the halls of Oxford, the palace walls of Blenheim.  And all of this that seems to be great about humanity should be pointing me back to God.

So here is the stake that I'm setting...and you all will be witnesses (well at least you, my 14 followers :) This trip is not about me and everything I want; it is about Christ, about knowing Him more and sharing Him more.  I have been quite caught up in a whirlwind of excitement, overwhelmingness, and entrancement and I'm  finally now slowing to catch a breath before the motor tour begins.  i want to embrace EVERY moment of life and live it to the fullest.  How I wish there was a step by step guide to doing that...How exciting that the Lord set me in this very place.  Please pray that I would not exchange God's path, the ultimate adventure, the ultimate life abroad for my meager substitute.  Pray that my time with the Lord would feed me where ever I go, whatever the schedule, whatever the situation.

Just like a stake in the many fence posts that line Stratford, or perhaps like a stake in one of the lovely english gardens pointing out that sunflowers are planted there, I'm placing a stake to seek to value Christ above all.