Here Comes The Sun

Here Comes The Sun
Here Comes The Sun… Rising above Terminal 2 (ie the International Terminal) of Heathrow!

After pulling an all-nighter on Friday night, I was already up bright – or rather, dark, since it was 4:30 and the sun doesn’t rise in London until about 6 – and early yesterday morning to catch a cab with a friend to Heathrow Airport. We weren’t on the same flight, but since he left at around the same time, we got to share a ride, which was a lot of fun! We also got to see the sun rise on the way there; the sky was streaked with gorgeous pink and golden hues, a phenomenon of which, thanks to my Isaac Newton class, I now understand the physics.

The odd thing about traveling home when compared with the flight to London is the nature of the time change. Despite traveling for over

I actually enjoyed the lengthy plane ride; it was full of interesting people!
I actually enjoyed the lengthy plane ride; it was full of interesting people!

12 hours, I arrived in Portland only four hours (local time) after departing from Heathrow… I effectively chased the sun for most of Saturday. The plane I was on had a fascinating feature built into their TV screens that essentially served as a digital map of the route we took across the globe, including live measurements of things like altitude, speed, distance traveled, sun position, etc. It was very interesting to follow our progress live! Also unlike the way to London, I

Descending
On our way down into Portland…

wasn’t able to get any sleep because it was daytime for the entirety of my flight. Instead, I used the time to write down more memories from the past weeks, and go through all of the pictures I took (over 1,000!). After a brief layover in Vancouver, BC, where I cleared US customs, I flew the short distance to PDX (it felt very odd to be surrounded by American accents again!) and was greeted by my parents with big hugs and smiles. Actual face-to-face time with them is far superior to the Facetiming we’d been doing! By the time we were home, after swapping many stories, I was pretty tired, and as I got ready for bed, I realized I had been awake for 45 consecutive hours… Needless to say, I was out like a light a bit before 8 o’clock!

I slept for 17 hours and was woken up after 1 pm. This afternoon, I did several loads of laundry and unpacked, slightly delirious from the time change. I kept noticing little details that reminded me of where I was, or

Sleepy Jane
Taken during the 17th hour of sleep, just before I woke up.

rather, where I wasn’t. For example: the air. The wind blowing off the ocean still smells like the ocean, but the air in my house doesn’t smell like home. It’s like visiting a stranger’s house and being very aware that the scent is different. Even though I slept in the same bed last night as I have for years, it didn’t feel like my bed. At present, ‘home’ is still the fourth floor of Scape, with its unique smell and bed framed with windows on two sides. I was talking with a friend who flew back a few hours after I did, and we marveled at how quickly our definition of home adjusted to fit where we were. He thinks it will be similar when we move into our dorms next week, particularly since all but three first-years who went to London will be living in the same dorm!

The extensive gratitude that I feel for this program continues to reach me in waves. I’ve talked with a bunch of the others these past few days about what the last three weeks would’ve been like with a different group of people and social dynamic, if so-and-so hadn’t been able to come, etc. I feel (as most of my classmates do) so lucky to have shared this experience with so many outstanding people, all of whom I’m looking forward to seeing again next week at OSU! I’d like to send out a big thank-you to everyone involved in the organization of this study-abroad, as well as the other students; this was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m so glad to have been involved with such a great group of friends!

I’d also like to thank everyone who has been reading these entries – I loved sitting down at the end of each day to think about what to write and pick out pictures to share with you all. Merely creating this blog was a great learning experience, and I’m happy that other people enjoyed checking it out as much as I enjoyed updating it!

Jumbled Joyful Jamboree

Today was unusual in that it was the first day wrought with finality. Prior to waking up this morning, I think a lot of us took our time and the possibilities available to us here for granted, myself included. It wasn’t until my alarm went off this morning and the first rocking chords of “Rory And The Hurricanes” by Ringo Starr reverberated through my flat that the realization hit me: in a matter of hours, I wouldn’t be in the city that I’ve grown to love. I also realized that my To See/Do List of places around London was not nearly completed, so that just means I’ll have to come back! My Oyster card (ie tube pass) can always be reloaded, after all…

One of the works we read in preparation for this course epitomizes this odd awareness of time, or lack thereof: “Thus, though we cannot make our sun / Stand still, yet we will make him run for it.” (Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress). Even though we can’t stop time, we can sure make it fly with fun! We spent our last English literature class discussing the last few poems we read, delivered our Capstone (in essence, a final project) presentations to the class and took several surveys for Scape, INTO London City University (our hosting campus) and the OSU Honors College.

 

We had our tea and scones with clotted cream, just this once...
We had our tea and scones with clotted cream, just this once…

From the classroom, we proceeded on foot to the Perkin Reveller (the name is also conveniently a reference to Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales), a very nice restaurant almost directly under the Tower Bridge and next to the Tower of London along the Thames. We all got afternoon tea, which was a  lot of fun! I tried Earl Grey for the first time, and despite my orthodox avoidance of tea, I was thoroughly impressed with this one. The tea was accompanied by a variety of little sandwiches and cakes on elegant miniature trays. I truly felt right proper! Plus, most of us dressed up for the occasion, and that really made it special.

 

After tea, we headed briefly to the

Our last time 'pubbing' together.
Our last time ‘pubbing’ together.

Victoria and Albert Museum. I would’ve loved to have spent more time there, but unfortunately I felt fairly museumed-out after the past few days. Also, I needed to finish packing between our officially planned excursions and our own, late-night adventures.

 

For dinner, we found a new pub not far from the one we visited a few nights ago, except this one featured an amazing live blues/jazz/swing

The entrance to Jamboree, tucked away in a small courtyard.
The entrance to Jamboree, tucked away in a small courtyard.

musician and singer. He even serenaded one of my friends! After that, we returned very quickly to Scape to pick up some more people to go to a fantastic club called Jamboree. Tonight’s featured music act was called Des Was A Bowie Fan, and it was yet another outstanding music venue. It was nestled into a courtyard, and the interior looked like a cross between the quirkiness of décor of Central Perk (from the T.V. show, Friends) and the grungy din of a typical sports bar. The focal point of the

This was the advert that Jamboree used for tonight's ensemble... Spectacular dancing music!
This was the advert that Jamboree used for tonight’s ensemble… Spectacular dancing music!

room was a short wooden stage, upon which stood a piano off to one side. Below the stage, a large dance floor connected the musician’s quarters to the bar and seating area. We danced on the stage, elevated above the crowd, for several hours to tunes by everyone from the Beatles to the Smiths to the Beach Boys, and even the B52’s and the Temptations, until the heat inside was overwhelming and we were forced into the cool air amidst a crowd of only locals. It was easily one of my favorite parts of the trip!

 

 

A Midterms and Finals Burrito

 

Catch us at Hogwarts for the winter term... Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff!
Catch us at Hogwarts for the winter term… Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff!

This evening’s entry is going to be on the short side; since this study abroad is essentially a condensed, three-week version of the orthodox 11-week courses offered at OSU, the past few days have essentially been wave after wave of coursework. It’s midterms and finals rolled like a burrito into a series of intense days, but I don’t mind the work, since the assignments are all interesting and allow for some creative freedom. It just means that I’ve been spending more time studying and less time going on adventures outside of the group activities.

 

On Wednesday, we went to the Millennium Bridge to investigate the retrofitting they did after some instability issues that began on opening day (when people walked in step, the bridge wavered from side to side, despite being designed as a very solid structure). As part of the excursion activity, I got to dust off Ye Olde Calculus skills from math last year, and it felt very good to get back into the swing of math!

Yesterday, we visited Westminster Abbey. It’s a gorgeous building, and is

The architecture here never ceases to amaze me...
The architecture here never ceases to amaze me…

the final resting place of many influential people. Everyone from Queen Elizabeth I to Charles Darwin is buried there! I really hoped to get a picture of me with Elizabeth’s grave and post it here, captioned with “Queen Elizabeth and Jane Elizabeth”, but alas, photography isn’t allowed inside out of respect, which I completely understand.

 

This morning was my morning off, so I went with several friends to an adorable café for breakfast, which was surrounded by lots of very cool graffiti. Another thing I’ve noticed about London: graffiti is rare, and when it is present, it’s typically only constructive and

We went to Cafe 338 for breakfast; it was adorable and cozy, plus the food was very good!
We went to Cafe 338 for breakfast; it was adorable and cozy, plus the food was very good!

artistic. Then I went back to Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross to get a picture with the Harry Potter trolley, since the queue was too long the last time we were there. I

Mind-blowing mind exhibit at the Science Museum!
Mind-blowing mind exhibit at the Science Museum!

also went shopping on Oxford Street, a very trendy area of town, which was a lot of fun! In the afternoon, I had my last physics class here. It’s odd to type those words! We essentially wrapped up and went over our departure schedule and the plan for tomorrow’s activities after English lit class in the morning. Before returning to Scape, I stopped at the Science Museum and went through a bunch of fascinating interactive exhibits about psychology, engineering and data farming – yet another place to add to my list of recommended spots in London!

 

As the program winds down, I keep feeling so glad to have this experience. Not only is the opportunity great (who wouldn’t want to study abroad in London?), but so are the professors and my fellow participants. We’ve all become such good friends in a very short time, and I’m so happy to share all of these memories with awesome people. More tomorrow!

Burn, Baby, Burn

I began my Sunday with a morning trip to Costa’s (the UK equivalent of

View from the charging station at Costa's. Best. Cappuccinos. Ever.
View from the charging station at Costa’s. Best. Cappuccinos. Ever.

Starbucks, except less commercial) to work on several assignments for my English lit class – including one highly entertaining essay justifying my use of a completely random photo of one of my friends as the cover for Spencer’s The Fairy Queene – while

This is the picture I defended as the perfect cover image for The Fairy Queene; it was a very fun assignment!
This is the picture I defended as the perfect cover image for The Fairy Queene; it was a very fun assignment!

enjoying some smooth jazz. There’s a Costa’s just up the road from Scape, across the street from Mile End (the nearest tube station). It was a lot of fun getting to appreciate the local atmosphere and people-watch while being productive!

In the afternoon, I met up with a group of friends to go wander through Chinatown and Soho before an event in the evening… More on that later. Chinatown is very ornately decorated, and polycultural despite it’s specific faction-oriented name. It is because of this synthesis of cultures that we happened upon a delicious (and inexpensive) lasagna restaurant sandwiched between bubble tea shops and Asian markets. From Soho, we wandered south toward the Thames.

The model of London calmly bobbing on a barge in the Thames.
The model of London calmly bobbing on a barge in the Thames.

Yesterday marked the 350th anniversary of the end (roughly) of the Great Fire, and in celebration, a giant fire was started. Except, unlike the original, last night’s fire was on a barge in the middle of the Thames, and instead of acres of land or logs, a scale model of the affected portion of the city in 1666 was consumed by the flames. The riverfront was absolutely packed; an estimated 200,000 people lined the streets to watch, and from where we were standing, that

The fire begins... The actual fire began in a bakery, after someone accidently left a pie in the oven too long.
The fire begins… The actual fire began in a bakery, after someone accidently left a pie in the oven too long.
seemed very accurate! The crackling of the flames engulfing the model resonated over the water, and the heat could be felt even from several hundred feet away. It really made me understand the scale of the Great Fire; while I felt surprised at the effects of a relatively small inferno, it
The ending blaze!
The last of the blaze!

was nearly impossible to imagine two-thirds of the city awash in fire. The constant glow alone would be enough to set people on edge, not to mention the added stress of protecting one’s livelihood and family.

Today was slightly more structured, with the addition of a pseudo English lit class in the morning. Rather than hosting class in our usual classroom at Into London City University, we met in front of the Globe theatre to take a tour and learn about Shakespearean-era history. This was made a more interesting experience due to some delays on the tube, which rendered it necessary for my friend and me to sprint from Blackfriars Station, down through the financial district and across Millennium Bridge toward the Globe in order to make our appointed meeting time. Even though it was a bit stressful, it was a gorgeous route!

After touring the Globe, several of us headed over to a large covered

Yum! Great lunch!
Yum! It was called a saab pie-neer.

pavilion that houses the Borough Market to find lunch. It was packed with people, and the stalls ranged in types of wares from French cheeses to local flora. I tried an English vegetarian pot pie with spinach, paneer cheese, potato, mango and peas… Yum!

This mural graced the window of a very cute card shop in Soho.
This mural graced the window of a very cute card shop in Soho.

 

We then went back to Soho to do a bit of shopping (mostly of the window variety), stopping in any places that suited our fancy. We also happened upon the Bag O’ Nails club, which is where Paul McCartney first met Linda Eastman in 1967, in addition to where The Jimi Hendrix Experience first played in 1966! Very cool!

The world-renowned club!
The world-renowned club

 

I’m currently hanging out in the common lounge area at Scape with a bunch of friends watching Casino Royale; hence… 007, out.

C.H.A.M.P.S

Crepes, Hemispheres, Art, a Marketplace, a Palace and Schoolwork. These are what have dominated the past few days, primarily the latter.

One of the most astounding facets of this study abroad experience is that I can earn six credits in only three weeks (for those of you readers who are

Late-night, post-study session crepe run!
Late-night, post-study session crepe run on Thursday! I also tried Nutella for the first time…

unfamiliar with how OSU’s credit system works, a full-time student takes between 12 and 15 credits in 11 weeks during the fall, winter and spring terms), however, this also means that there is a significant amount of schoolwork that takes up my time outside of class. I’m really enjoying all that we’re studying, though, so it doesn’t feel like a chore. Thanks to everyone who checks this blog frequently, even when I don’t post for a few days!

 

 

Straddling the two hemispheres at Greenwich!
Straddling the two hemispheres at Greenwich!

Thursday morning was spent doing miscellaneous chores around my flat followed by a coffee date with several of my friends, and then in the afternoon, my Isaac Newton class traveled to Greenwich to visit the Greenwich observatory. While there, I saw a series of clocks that revolutionized navigation at sea and calculated my longitude using calculus, a sextant, and Greenwich Hour Angle charts. I also stood in both hemispheres of the globe, straddling the Prime Meridian! Now I can check that off my list! It was also very interesting to watch the clock that dictates what time it is across the globe, which is accurate to fractions of a second.

 

Yesterday morning, my English lit class met, and we talked about

Horsing around at the National Gallery.
Horsing around at the National Gallery.

Edmund Spencer’s The Faerie Queene, the Tudor dynasty – more specifically, Henry VIII’s terrible treatment of his wives and country, the rise of Bloody Mary (not the alcoholic beverage), and how utterly awesome Elizabeth I was as a monarch – and scansion (analysis of syllables) of poetry. We spent the afternoon perusing the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, both outstanding collections! I was most excited to see the Vermeer, Van Gogh, Monet, Michelangelo and Turner pieces, and they certainly exceeded my expectations!

This is now one of my new favorite of Van Gogh's!
This is now one of my new favorite of Van Gogh’s!

I adore the atmosphere of museums, particularly art galleries; there’s something about the hushed appreciation for subtle techniques and the unthinkable amount of hours spent hunched over a canvas perfecting a piece that permeates the crisp moldings, the calm and collected attendants, even the demeanors of easily upset infants are affected by the awe-inspiring masterpieces.

Today we took a train to Hampton Court Palace, one of Henry VIII’s places

King Arthur (Steven) and his Knights of the Round Table (Hexagonal Fountain).
King Arthur (Steven) and his Knights of the Round Table (Hexagonal Fountain).

of residence and spent nearly five hours exploring the grounds. Most of the rooms remain in their original condition, complete with massive tapestries and stained glass, and the gardens were immaculately cared for, including the maze that we navigated. We were also given cloaks to wear while walking around the grounds, and they really contributed

May I present, their Royal Highnesses, Queen Amira and Queen Jane!
May I present, their Royal Highnesses, Queen Amira and Queen Jane!

to the ambiance… I was able to appreciate the palace more, since I felt tied to it via the period article of clothing. This was another place where I could have easily spent several days, yet I am so glad to have experienced it for the time that I did! Later this afternoon, I went with some friends to Portobello Market, which was an adorable one-way road that was chock full of vendors in stands and shops, showing their wares and socializing with the neighbors.

Bedtime! Good night from London!

Found my sister in Portobello Market!
Found my sister in Portobello Market!

 

Global Greatness

In the past 24 hours, we’ve visited two sites of global (or ‘global’) relevance: firstly, the Globe Theatre, and secondly, the grounds of the 2012 London Olympiad.

The outside of the Theatre; it's as true to historic accounts as possible, including the thatched roof, which they obtained a special permit to include.
The outside of the Theatre; it’s as true to historic accounts as possible, including the thatched roof, which they obtained a special permit to include.

Last night we attended an absolutely phenomenal performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream! The Globe was built using the plans for the original theatre, with a few adjustments to adapt to modern fire codes, so when you enter the pit, it feels as though you’ve been transported back to the days of Shakespeare. I really wish that I had been able to take pictures, but the ushers were very strict about the no-phone/video camera/camera policy. We were Groundlings (people who stand closest to the stage in the pit), though, so I had a great view! It was a fabulous modern interpretation, and the updates only enhanced what was already an exceptional atmosphere! The four Young Lovers (Hermia, Lysander, etc.), Theseus and Hippolyta were brought into the 21st century; Theseus became a svelte business man and Hippolyta was his Cruella DeVille-esque Russian bride, while Helena was portrayed in male form as Helenus. Hermia, Lysander, Helenus and Demetrius were all garbed in modern, trendy clothing and described as hipsters, and Hermia and Helenus did a hilarious dance to Beyoncé’s “Put A Ring On It” after Lysander proposed to her! They used

Our merry crew just before seeing the play!
Our merry crew just before seeing the play!

modern songs multiple times during the show, including a particularly well-done performance of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” by Bottom. Puck was a lithe woman who portrayed the whimsical and slightly eerie elf brilliantly – she even crept through the crowd on several occasions, and petted my shoulder as she passed. The casting was outstanding, the music (primarily sitar with quiet accompaniment) was perfect, the set was gorgeous, everything about it was fabulous! I gladly would go again, and would highly recommend it to anyone, regardless of knowledge or appreciation of Shakespeare! It was definitely a highlight of my London experience.

In English Lit class today, we discussed the play at length (it received exemplary reviews from everyone), followed by taking some notes about Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich, two early female authors who had very interesting ideas about the Holy Trinity, morality, etc. We also started our preparations for our travels to Hampton Court Palace this weekend, for which I am extremely excited!

This is the trial model of the Olympic Cauldron.
This is the trial model of the Olympic Cauldron.

After class, we walked to the Museum of London and learned about the fascinating history of the city. It had exhibits on everything from Neolithic populations to the Blitz of World War II to the 2012 Olympic Games; I spent a great deal of time in all three of these, and especially enjoyed seeing the life-size prototype for the Olympic Cauldron (see the image on the left). We were inspired by this profound sculpture, and decided to hop on the tube East to

Anna-Liisa, Cory and Amira on the podium!
Anna-Liisa, Cory and Amira on the podium!

the Olympic Village. Our first stop in the village was the sleek Aquatic Center. While there, we tried to get into the pool for a picture, since both Amira (one of my friends) and I were involved in swimming, but unfortunately, no spectators were allowed due to the UK Paralympics team being in the midst of their high-intensity training time. After that, we explored the stadium and the rest of the grounds; there was even a small carnival going on!

Tomorrow, we’re going to the Royal Greenwich Observatory to see first-hand some of the things and places we’ve learned about in my physics class. Good night, everyone!

 

 

Care For A Cuppa? Or A Pint?

Ready to meet the Queen... just kidding! This is the Queen Victoria memorial in front of Buckingham; the building in the bottom corners is the palace.
Ready to meet the Queen… just kidding! This is the Queen Victoria memorial in front of Buckingham; the building in the bottom corners is the palace.

Buckingham Palace was phenomenal! I feel very lucky to have been able to visit it during my free day this past Sunday. They only open it for tours during the summer when the Queen is on holiday in Scotland, and in celebration of her 90th birthday, there was an exhibition called ‘Fashioning A Reign’, which was all about the Queen’s style over the years and included the largest collection of her clothes ever to be displayed to the public under one roof. Each piece had a fascinating backstory, ranging from the symbolism of the flora on her wedding dress to the innovative purple dress she wore to China designed to keep her cool. There were hundreds of pieces, including the baptismal gown originally made for the daughter of Queen Victoria in the 1800s that has since been used by a plethora of royal children.

We loved the adorable china at Café Bella Maria!
We loved the adorable china at Café Bella Maria!

On Sunday afternoon, I met my friends at the Churchill War Rooms (side note: while walking through St. James’s Park on the way from the palace, it started pouring, and it felt wonderful!). We spent several hours there; in addition to the museum portion dedicated to Sir Winston Churchill, we could walk through the Map Room and occupants’ quarters, most of which remained intact, just as they had been left after the celebrations of VE Day in 1945, for over 30 years! They were finally declassified in the late 1970s, and the British government authorized the conversion of the space into a museum. While cataloging the contents of

Novelty condoms!
Novelty condoms!

the rooms, they even found three sugar cubes left in the desk of one of the officers! Wouldn’t want to put those in my cuppa… Speaking of tea, after we explored the War Rooms, we walked through Westminster and stopped at Café Bella Maria, an adorable café and tea room, where we paused to rest our feet. We also looked through some nearby tourist shops – we figured we had to at least scope them out once! And look at what we found!

The Canterbury Cathedral is truly a peaceful place! We were there during the midday prayers, and everyone stood still and quietly, even if they had different personal beliefs. It was beautiful.
The Canterbury Cathedral. We were there during the midday prayers, and everyone stood still and quietly and respectfully, even if they had different personal beliefs. It was beautiful.

We followed in the footsteps of thousands of pilgrims yesterday as we sought to find Canterbury. We’ve been reading and writing analytical essays about Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales for the past few days in English Lit, so this day trip was especially fun, since it was far faster (and involved fewer horses and less long-distance trekking) than Chaucer’s pilgrims! The grounds of both the cathedral and the abbey were stunning, and it was very peaceful in both places. We had a discussion

Canterbury Abbey
The Abbey, which has clearly fallen into significant disrepair, but retains an aura of how it used to be.

about one of our recent reading assignments in the abbey (but still outside since it’s mostly in ruin), which we later found out was once the royal quarters of King Henry VIII’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. In my opinion, she had the best fate of any Tudor, with the possible exception of Queen Elizabeth I!

 

Cheers
Cheers!

Last night, a group of us went out to a pub called The Nags Head (a nag is apparently a rather archaic name for a horse), which had a very cozy and inviting atmosphere; knick-knacks and photos literally covered the walls, peppy jazz seeped from late 90s/early 2000s faux-wooden speakers and the woman working at the bar wore her hair in voluminous curls secured by a small clip. The drinking age is 18 here, so tonight was the first time I’ve ordered a drink from a bar! It was quite fun. On our way there, we found Wiz Khalifa’s Bugatti! For the uninitiated, Wiz Khalifa is a really popular rap artist. Great end to a great weekend!

 

Wiz Khalifa Bugatti
Now that’s a sweet ride!

Tonight, I’m off to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Globe Theater with everyone. More pictures to come!

On Seeing the Elgin Marbles

These past few days have been packed with travel! This is somewhat fitting, seeing as it’s (roughly) my one week anniversary with London!

After my first writing assessment in English Lit on Friday, I journeyed across the ancient world, through Mesopotamia, Greece, Italy, Japan, Egypt and China. How? At the world renowned British Museum! Between adoring the frequent trips to the Newport Public Library as a kid and acquiring a love of museums as a teen (thanks Aunt Priscilla and Uncle Tom!), I grew up with a close relationship to many fields, particularly history and art. And the British Museum certainly satisfied both! It’s an expansive building, with an intricate maze of rooms to meander through and absorb knowledge of the past. Although I could have spent days there, I only had about five hours, so I focused on the Egyptian, Japanese, Grecian, Roman and Mesopotamian sections. Perhaps the most

The Rosetta Stone in one word: incredible!
The Rosetta Stone in one word: incredible!

famous artifact in the museum’s collection is the Rosetta Stone, a slab of rock that allowed archaeologists to decipher the meaning of Egyptian hieroglyphs, because it bore the same inscription in three different languages: Greek (known), Demotic (somewhat understood) and Hieroglyphics (previously incomprehensible). In short, this is one very important slab of rock. In addition to the Rosetta Stone, I also saw many statues, limestone reliefs, sarcophagi, mummies and jewelry in the Egyptian gallery, some of which – as I discovered when I realized how familiar they looked – I had seen

 

This poster was designed to reflect traditional Japanese art while also incorporating the psychedelic color scheme of the 1970s.
This poster was designed to reflect traditional Japanese art while also incorporating the psychedelic color scheme of the 1970s.

previously when they were on loan to the King Tut exhibit that was in Seattle a few years ago. Cool! Another highlight of the museum was the Japanese gallery, on the uppermost floor, wherein I saw everything from ancient wooden Buddha statues to the kimonos of geisha to modern pop art. Then, on the ground floor, I admired the Elgin marbles that so moved the poet John Keats. The Elgin marbles are the collection of marble statues and sculptures ‘legally

Shout-out to Ms. Murphy: I saw Keat's inspiration!
Shout-out to Ms. Murphy: I saw Keats’ inspiration!

acquired’ (or, if you agree with Lord Byron and modern Greeks, ‘looted’ or ‘vandalized’) by Thomas Bruce, Earl of Elgin, from the Parthenon in Greece. They are absolutely awe-inspiring in their intricacies, size and resilience. I didn’t fully comprehend the history imbued in those pieces until long after I’d left the museum; they had lasted thousands of years atop the acropolis, maintaining their beauty despite the degradation of the sands of time and even Venetian cannon fire.

 

I did a different kind of traveling yesterday, and it was yet another first for me! Prior to this study abroad, I had never been on a train before, and

The entrance to Trinity College. If you look closely at the statue of Henry VIII, you'll notice that he's holding a chair leg in his right hand, the remnants of a prank put on by the student group called The Night Climbers.
The entrance to Trinity College. If you look closely at the statue of Henry VIII, you’ll notice that he’s holding a chair leg in his right hand, the remnants of a prank put on by the student group called The Night Climbers.

yesterday, everyone boarded the one to Cambridge. Once in the famous town, we took a tour of Trinity College, Isaac Newton’s alma mater, guided by a very engaging and entertaining woman named Jackie. She told us that Cambridge is actually composed of over 30 colleges, and when you apply to Cambridge, you only apply to a specific college. That college then is your home base, which supplies students with, in the case of Trinity College, what King Henry VIII, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth I believed to be the four essentials: a dining hall, living quarters, a library and a chapel (the latter being heavily emphasized by Mary). The colleges are dispersed throughout the town of Cambridge, and hence, the lecture halls and classrooms are fully integrated into the town, so no formal university campus exists. While on the tour, we saw Isaac Newton’s rooms (or at least the window into what used to be his room), an apple tree cut from the one that so famously catalyzed Newton’s revelations about gravity, the Royal Chair Leg and many locations around town used in the movie “The Theory of Everything” starring Eddie Redmayne, who, like his character Stephen Hawking, attended Cambridge.

 

A brief interlude for lunch followed the tour, and while we ate, we watched the punters go by on the river Cam. Punting is a type of boating similar in technique to that of the canals in Venice, with the driver standing and using a long pole to propel the boat forward by digging into the riverbed. Punters at Cambridge stand at the back of the wide, shallow

The punter guys wearing white shirts (left and middle) are members of the Cambridge Crew Team and act as docents along the river.
The punter guys wearing white shirts (left and middle) are members of the Cambridge Crew Team and act as docents along the river.

boat, while at their rival institution, Oxford, punters work from the front of the boat. After we finished our food, we headed to the Fitzwilliam Museum to see their exhibit on illuminated (similar to illustrated) manuscripts and color, which tied the curriculum of my two classes together seamlessly; we studied medieval manuscript making in English Lit, and the science behind color perception and light in my physics class. Unfortunately, there were no pictures allowed due to the fragile nature of the texts, so I don’t get to share that experience with you, however, it was very interesting and the illuminations were gorgeous! Most of them included some sort of gold or silver leaf on their pages, thus reflecting the light incredibly beautifully (hence the term ‘illumination’). The Fitzwilliam also has an extensive art gallery, which I spent several hours looking through. They even had a few by Monet! The Fitzwilliam is easily my fourth favorite museum, behind the British Museum back in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.

 

Now I’m off to see the Queen! Well, to visit Buckingham Palace, anyway.

Spectrometers, the Sex Pistols and Harry Potter

What do these three very different things have in common? The answer: they all fit into my day today! This is going to be a shorter entry than usual, as I need to do some laundry, dishes and general housekeeping tasks in the morning-a time I normally reserve for blogging.

Linear Diffraction Grating
I’ll see you on The Dark Side of the Moon… with a linear diffraction grating!

My day began with blogging, and then continued with my Isaac Newton class, in which we built our own spectrometers. For those of you who (like me) had never heard of these before, spectrometers are instruments used to observe, measure and/or record spectra like light. It sounds high-tech, but our professor showed us how to make one using our phone cameras, black paper, duct tape and a linear diffraction grating (a special transparent sheet similar to a prism).

In the afternoon, we took the tube to King’s Cross station-I suspect Harry

Over 170 million volumes from countries across the world!
Over 170 million volumes from countries across the world!

Potter fans are now on high alert-and walked from there to the British Library, one of the most extensive on Earth. You can’t check out books unless you are a registered member of the library, so we headed straight to ‘Treasures of the British Library’, an admission and camera-free exhibit available year-round. Some of Leonardo Da Vinci’s notes, the

 

Shakespeare Titania Posing
Me pretending to be Vivien Leigh as Shakespeare’s Titania!

Gutenberg Bible, the Magna Carta, original Beatles lyrics handwritten by various members and the only existing manuscript of Beowulf. They also had an exhibit about the rise of punk rock, with particular emphasis on the Sex Pistols and the Ramones, which I loved!

 

After spending several hours in the library, we returned to King’s Cross and then took the tube back to Scape… Just kidding! We couldn’t pass up

Hogwarts Express, anyone?
Hogwarts Express, anyone?

the opportunity to visit Platform 9 3/4! Unfortunately, we arrived during rush hour and there were dozens of people in line to take pictures underneath the sign, so we opted to wait and come back another day/time when there are fewer people.

 

 

The (Royal) Family Jewels

No photography inside the exhibit, but what an experience to see them!
No photography inside the exhibit, but what an experience to see them!

My English Lit class reconvened yesterday morning to finish up our examination of Beowulf; I really enjoyed the tale, and it was fun to read something that I might not normally pick for myself, though I would be lost without the translation into Modern English! After our discussion and lecture, we debated whether or not the tongue of Shakespeare’s era is considered ‘Early Modern English’, early ‘Modern English’, or just ‘Modern English’, an exchange made more energetic because my two professors (who are team-teaching in a very unorthodox yet effective way, with both of them actively teaching simultaneously, as opposed to the  more traditional method of switching off on various days) are experts in different time periods: Medieval Literature and Early Modern Literature. The two sort of blend together during Shakespeare’s time, which led to the debate.

 

Walking around the perimeter of the Tower; the green lawn is where the WWI memorial poppies were located.
Walking around the perimeter of the Tower; the green lawn is where the WWI memorial poppies were located.

After class, we walked to and through the Tower of London. It felt odd following in centuries of footsteps from prisoners to princesses alike…or both, in the case of Elizabeth I! Much of the grounds haven’t changed in hundreds of years; it was as though we traveled through time. I saw things like Traitor’s Gate, where Queen Anne Boleyn, mother of Elizabeth I and second of King Henry VIII’s six wives, arrived by barge for her execution, the famous ravens that, according to legend, can’t leave the Tower or else England will fall, and the Crown Jewels, which have been used by the royal family since the 17th century! I had read about these things since elementary school in books like Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor in the Royal Diaries series, Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter and The Other Boleyn Girl by

Looking out toward Tower Bridge!
Looking out toward Tower Bridge!

Philippa Gregory. I also really enjoyed an exhibit about the recent 100 year anniversary of WWI in 2014, in which all 16 acres of Tower lawn were filled with hand-made ceramic poppies, each one commemorating an English soldier who died on the front lines. It was all so spectacular!

Last night, I went grocery shopping to re-stock my little kitchenette, and, after nightfall, when the glow of the city lights lit up the sky, I explored new areas around Scape with friends. We even got to walk in warm, refreshing rain! It’s been pretty warm here, so that was a welcome change. A Level 3 heatwave alert was put out by Public Health England for the London area a few days ago, which essentially means that it’s a lot like typical Corvallis summer weather, with daily highs in the mid to upper 80s. People here aren’t used to that kind of heat, though, so in addition to our various excursion sites being far less crowded (yay!) they’ve been doing things like passing out free bottled water in the tube stations during rush hour! When it started sprinkling tonight, throngs of people emerged from their air-conditioned flats to cool off, and it was fun to be a part of that celebration. For dinner, we found a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant that played Sing! China in Chinese on a TV, with subtitles (interestingly) also in Chinese.

There’s no class for me this morning-there is for the other HC 407 class, Natural Hazards Engineering, which I’m not taking-so instead, I finished reading the General Prologue and Retraction of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales in preparation for tomorrow’s English Lit class/Monday’s day trip to Canterbury. This afternoon, we’ll be visiting the British Library!