Post for 7/30/12
Today we started our grand adventure to the north part of
Britain. This meant that we all got to
wake up early to pack lunches, have a quick breakfast and hop onto the bus that
would take us very far away. Contrary to
what I thought before, our trip won’t be entirely in Scotland. That’s why it is called the North Trip and
not the Scotland trip I suppose. We rode
the bus for a little while and stopped first in Cambridge, which was very
quietly beautiful! Compared to Oxford where is was pretty busy and full of
people, Cambridge was smaller and beautiful in it’s own way. We broke up into groups and were given tours
by BYU students that are studying at Cambridge through the BYU Cambridge
program. I went with Drew who took us to
the Magdalene College where C.S. Lewis taught and wrote many of his works. We visited the school chapel, walked through
the back garden and visited the pet cemetery (no, really). It was quite an interesting experience
because they had some interesting rules to follow, my favorite that only the
professors are allowed to walk on the grass.
We also stopped by the Graduate Student lounge, which felt like
something from a movie. Green painted walls, leather seats, dark wood
furniture, trophies in cases and oars hanging on the wall. It was all very picturesque.
We hopped
back on the bus after exploring the campus for about two hours and then began
our four-hour bus ride to The Lake District.
Fortunately the bus ride went pretty quickly as I managed to sleep for a
lot of it and we watched the movie adaption of Remains of the Day, which was very good and very sad. I think that it portrayed the book very well,
plus I really just love Emma Thompson.
Mike was our bus driver. His eyes
are two different colors, one blue and one a light green. He is nice.
In the Lake
District we split into two different groups that we will be staying in for the
next two or three days. My group (Group
A) went with Wade to Dove Cottage where William Wordsworth lived for eight
years with his sister while he wrote his poetry. It was a cute little cottage and there were a
few workers there that were adorable. They provided a delicious dinner for us
and taught us a little bit about Wordsworth.
When we told them that some of us had been memorizing some of his poetry
for class they got very excited and asked us to recite for them. We went out into the garden that Wordsworth
and his sister Dorothy made and recited poetry.
I had memorized one of his poems as well and started us off with my
recitation of “The Tables Turned.” It
was so cool to think that I was reciting the poem where it was written. That particular poem is about leaving books
and going out into nature to learn about life.
As I looked out to the lake and at the beautiful sunset I got the
biggest Goosebumps. It was such an
amazing feeling. I swear I felt some
sort of spirit there. It really showed
me that we can stand in holy places that aren’t churches or temples. I definitely felt like I was a little closer
to God where I was standing.
The groups
were brought back together at our hostel that sits right next to the lake,
which is very nice! We unloaded the bus
and were given the rest of the evening to do whatever we wanted! I went out with Paul, Valerie, Kristina and
Kaitlin to explore the city a little bit.
We discovered some fun stores, a park or two and found a Cathedral with
a cemetery next to it. We are
interesting children to find so much fun from walking through a cemetery. I accidently touched a slug… It was pretty
gross.
I was a
little bummed to be leaving London because I have grown to love it so much, but
so far this north trip has been a great experience as well. It is so beautiful
here, and tomorrow we will be going on hikes through the countryside. We will also go back to Dove cottage and
touch actual manuscripts from Wordsworth.
But I am spoiling too much; you can read about it later. That is, if I actually get these posts up. The hostel we are at charges for Wi-Fi. So unless I find a kind donor, I guess you
won’t be reading this post until later anyways.
Cambridge!
Enjoying dinner in Dove Cottage
Dove Cottage!
Reciting some poetry in the garden.
Abbie and I enjoying the view.
Loving the Lake District!
The swan is my friend!
A view of our Hostel from across the way.
What an awesome day!
ReplyDeleteWhen you describe your feelings while reading Wordsworth at Dove Cottage, I am transported back to similar feelings I had at Walden Pond. No wonder the Romantic poets felt an interconnectedness with nature--we are all a part of the same spirit which we can feel through the Spirit and often best in the quiet nature provides.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Wordsworth poem (for the record):
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers,
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. --Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.