Wotcher world,
Well, my I've made many an excuse in my head for not putting up a post since my last, one of which is that I've had to write seven papers in the last week--not exaggerating. I'm also a bit under the weather, so I've been sleeping as much as possible (which still isn't very much). I'm also pretty convinced that I'm better at blogging about things about a week after they happen, because that way I have a better feel of how things were--you know, hindsight IS 20/20. However, excuses aside, I'm finally taking my lunch break today to get a word in with you all, relate a little tale or two.
Pt. 1: So on Tuesday of last week, I went to Oxford with my Harry Potter class. While there we visited Christ Church where they used the dining hall for the Great Hall scenes in all the movies, and we visited the Bodleian Library where they filmed the scene with Harry getting a book from the restricted section. Both were very beautiful places, very historic, especially the library which was established in the 1600s and had books dating back to much earlier time periods. All very interesting. After we were done with our tours, I stayed in the town for a while and went shopping for the first time since I'd been in the UK, and woe be unto my wallet!--this place is ex-pen-sive. But I was in desperate need of some pants/leggings and close-toed shoes, because apparently I had packed for London like I'd be spending a month in Jamaica. Clever of me, I know.
Well, my I've made many an excuse in my head for not putting up a post since my last, one of which is that I've had to write seven papers in the last week--not exaggerating. I'm also a bit under the weather, so I've been sleeping as much as possible (which still isn't very much). I'm also pretty convinced that I'm better at blogging about things about a week after they happen, because that way I have a better feel of how things were--you know, hindsight IS 20/20. However, excuses aside, I'm finally taking my lunch break today to get a word in with you all, relate a little tale or two.
Pt. 1: So on Tuesday of last week, I went to Oxford with my Harry Potter class. While there we visited Christ Church where they used the dining hall for the Great Hall scenes in all the movies, and we visited the Bodleian Library where they filmed the scene with Harry getting a book from the restricted section. Both were very beautiful places, very historic, especially the library which was established in the 1600s and had books dating back to much earlier time periods. All very interesting. After we were done with our tours, I stayed in the town for a while and went shopping for the first time since I'd been in the UK, and woe be unto my wallet!--this place is ex-pen-sive. But I was in desperate need of some pants/leggings and close-toed shoes, because apparently I had packed for London like I'd be spending a month in Jamaica. Clever of me, I know.
Hey, look! It's the Great Hall!
The ceiling and staircase leading to the "Great Hall." Also used for some of the movies.
Nervous first years
The colorful residential streets of Oxford.
Shakespeare's First Folio, on display below the Bodleian Library.
Good food, guys. Don't believe everything you hear.
A coaster portrait
----------You're half-way through the post! Take a breath. Keep it up, you're doing great---------
Pt. 2: Then, on Thursday, my Virginia Woolf class went on a tour of the National Theater here in London. Really wonderful place if you're into theater. It currently has three stages, I believe, and does onsight set and costume work. Beforehand I'd actually never been to a professional theater (unless you count Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, but I don't), so this was all very new to me. We went back stage, through the dressing rooms, and even got to handle some props (which I opted out of because they were passing around the severed head of some Shakespeare character or another...ew). But toward the end of the experiencing I realized just how entrenched in British culture the theater is--I must see a play, I said. And since Alec Baldwin tweeted recently about how wonderful Warhorse was, I got a ticket (I mean, it's not the only reason, but it was a contributing factor).
We then left the theater and went on our "Mrs. Dalloway" walk. Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway takes place in the expanse of a day and moves from consciousness to consciousness thereby throwing off linear time and space completely; however, one of the main characters, Mrs. Dalloway, goes on a walk in the earlier part of the day and the reader sees the 1920s London landscape through her eyes--Big Ben, Parliament, flower shops, an airplane in the sky. So we took the same walk to try and channel her mindset--what was post WWI London like? What were women's roles then, what was expected of them? Afterwards, we went to a book shop, one of the oldest in London, and perused the shelves. There was many a book I was tempted to buy, but in the end, I only got one. It's called Dreaming in Hindi, Life in Translation by Katherine Russell Rich. I've not gotten to start it yet, due to classwork, but I'm very excited about it. London is getting me excited about literature again. Look at that.
My professor, Jill Eichhorn, sipping coffee outside of the National Theater
Boudicca charging Paliament. You get 'em girlfriend.
The National Treasury lookin' gloomy. Hmm..
Flowers at St. James Park
Look at his feet! St. James duck.
Yay culture!
So, I hope you were able to make it through the whole post, lengthy as it is. And if not, I hope you at least enjoyed the pictures. I'm actually going to Ann Boleyn tonight at The Globe! So, very excited about that. Hopefully I'll be able to blog again before the weekend--we're going to Wales.
Sincerely missing all o' y'all,
Kelsey
P.S. WARHORSE WAS AMAZING. Alec wasn't kidding.
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