Monday 16 August 2010

A Universe Within a University


Among the many excursions our class has taken over the course of our London stay, I believe it's safe to say that Oxford University is the unanimous favorite. Our class is a (self-proclaimed) group of history buffs, literary nerds, Harry Potter fanatics, and medieval groupies; thus Oxford is an academic Mecca for each of us alike.

During our day, we made the typical ‘Oxford stops’; the Eagle and Child where the Inklings met, Blackwell’s bookstore, the University shops, the Natural History Museum, etc. It was chilling to imagine how many revolutionary minds have walked the same streets, eaten lunch at the same places, and studied on the same campus.

But what set our trip apart from perhaps anyone else’s who visited Oxford that day, is that in our company was our very own Oxford alum! While Dr. Hornbeck, having received his PhD from Oxford, was able to share with us the traditions and ways of Oxford from an insider’s perspective, the most memorable part of the day occurred when it came time for dinner.

We met outside Christ Church, Dr. Hornbeck’s former college, and made our way in, feeling very VIP as we passed the ‘No Visitors’ sign! We saw the famous Christ Church courtyard, and the Great Hall, as the squeals and literary references escalated dramatically (i.e. “OMG, Harry sat in here!”). We then made our way to dinner, which took place in one of the Senior Dining Rooms. The meal was beautiful, complete with china tableware, a kind butler, delicious food, table talk on education, and post dinner coffee. Thanks to our professor, we undergraduates experienced what few non-Oxford alums get to. The day was beyond memorable, and we regretfully loaded the bus to leave what felt like an imagninary world. Our brief glimpse into the way Oxford students live and study was eye-opening; one would think that an inside view of a place such as this would have had a disenchanting effect, but it did just the opposite. Oxford University is indeed a vast universe of its own, and thanks to Doctor Hornbeck, we five undergraduates, and of course our most favorite TA, had a most unforgettable day discovering it.

Helpful English Hint of the Post: If you do get to Oxford, you should try the famous 'punting' there. A 'punt' is a shallow-water boat propelled by a pole with which the 'punter' (that would be you) sort of pokes at the riverbed. An Oxford tradition and a must!

*Cheers to Greta Chapman for her contribution of this post.

Country Walks Near London


A few weeks ago, a couple of classmates and I decided we needed a break from the hustle and bustle of busy London city life and took a day trip out to Surrey, where we took a walk through beautiful British countryside. Most of us had never been on a country walk like this before, but we were all very excited, so we put on our sneakers and slathered on the sunscreen before heading out to the country. Being a group of mostly beginners, our walk was one of the easier routes we could have chosen - although it definitely didn't seem that way in the beginning.

Our walk began with a climb up a long, steep hill. We didn't think that boded well for the rest of the walk, but were pleasantly surprised when, having made it over the first (literal) hump, our walk took us through wide green fields, a wonderful little forest, and past cute a few adorable little streams - one of which we stopped in the middle of to play Pooh Sticks! Although the forest we walked through was a little more Forbidden Forest than Hundred Acre Wood, with dry grass and overcast sky. We also passed by a lovely medieval church on the Pilgrim's Way trail, St. Martha-on-the-Hill, set on the top of a hill in the middle of the forest, which afforded us stunning views of the surrounding towns and countryside. Our walk ended with a late lunch in a small pub in a quaint little Surrey town (unfortunately not Little Whinging). It was an afternoon I'll not forget any time soon, and definitely an experience I'd reccommend to anyone the next time they're in the UK.

Helpful English Hint of the Post: Sneakers are called 'trainers' in the UK, sweaters are 'jumpers', and pants are 'trousers'.

*Cheers to Patricia Kriebel for her contribution of this post.

Friday 6 August 2010

Castles and Kilts: A Weekend in Edinburgh


Last weekend, a group of us visited Edinburgh. It is definitely a must-see while in the United Kingdom. It is a city of two halves- Old Town and New Town. Old Town is like something out of a storybook with amazing, old buildings including Edinburgh Castle, which sits atop Old Town. Among other things, the Castle houses the Crown Jewels of Scotland (which are older than those housed at the Tower of London). The Castle is also home to the Edinburgh Tattoo, a military festival that runs through the month of August and is designed to show off the skills of Scotland’s troops.

Edinburgh Castle is just one of many things that you can explore while in this exciting city. The National Museum of Scotland is also a must-see! It traces Scotland’s history from the formation of the land up to the present day After visiting the museum you can head down the street to The Elephant House, the cafĂ© where J.K. Rowling began writing the Harry Potter books. As a tribute, fans have begun writing quotes from the books on the walls of the loo! A final must-see destination in Edinburgh is Arthur’s Seat. Arthur’s Seat is an inactive volcano that offers great views of Edinburgh. The hike up is beautiful as the land boasts wild flowers and tall grasses. It was definitely the highlight of our trip!


Edinburgh is a wonderful city and we barely scratched the surface during the two days we were there. It is a great weekend destination while in London especially because it is easy to get to by train or bus and there are plenty of good, inexpensive hostels in the city. In fact, the journey itself is part of the fun as it takes you through English and Scottish countryside, which is absolutely beautiful! If you haven’t been, you must put Edinburgh on your list of places to visit!


Helpful English Hint of the Post: If you do go to Edinburgh, remember: don't pronounce the 'gh' like you would in 'Pittsburgh'. In a lowlands Scottish accent, it's almost 'Edinborough'.

*Cheers to Rachel Malinowski for her contribution of this post.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Henry the Eighth I Am!


As our time in London comes to a close, the first in a long series of "lasts" for the Heretics and Mystics course came to pass on our last class outing, and we couldn't have ended with a bigger bang. Hampton Court Palace, located only a half hour train ride away from London, was one of Henry VIII's favorite homes, and later one of the homes of William and Mary as well. Even excluding the rich history the palace holds, the enormous and meticulously well-kept gardens, as well as the world's oldest hedge maze, and actors walking around in period dress make Hampton Court a must-see.

Our class was guided by an audio walking tour, presented by "Master Tom," a servant at Hampton Court preparing the palace for the marriage of King Henry to his final (sixth!) wife, Katherine Parr. Several events throughout the day pertaining to the upcoming marriage, such as choosing Katherine's wedding dress, speaking with Henry in his few remaining hours of unwedded life, and even the marriage itself were scheduled as events for attending that day, although we opted instead to have tea at Hampton Court gardens' cafe and try to find our way through the hedge maze. We couldn't ask for a better day.

Helpful English Hint of the Post: Have you had a pie yet? Most pubs serve some sort of meat pie (there are veggie options, too!). This is no dessert, folks; pie is a meal. In medieval England, the pastry crust wasn't even edible (which we learned at Hampton Court); it was just a vessel for baking the stew-like interior of the pie. Nowadays, though, the flaky stuff is indeed delicious and meant to be devoured!

*Cheers to Liz Certa for her contribution of this post.