paris.

so, the internet last night at the hotel went in and out, so unfortunately i was unable to post. but here is how the travels of yesterday occured.

we left oxford at five to take taxis to london for six, six-thirty at the latest. we got to the international train terminal around six-thirty, and luckily for us, right after we checked in with eurostar, our train was boarding. i slept the entire ride, so unfortunately i have no idea what it was like riding under the channel or anything, but it was definitely a nice surprise to wake up and be in another country. as soon as we stepped off the train i expected to have culture shock, but i didn't. the signs were in french and the people were speaking the language, but thanks to eight years of spanish, i could decipher most everything. and then it happened. beggars. in the form of gypsy women. my experiences with beggars haven't been good since my travel to china three years ago, but luckily these people were less beggars than they were scammers. a lady approached carly, steven, and i with a note saying her father was sick, and they needed money to survive. luckily, i had been warned about gypsies and told her i had no money. however, they wouldn't leave us alone. within the next twenty minutes when we were trying to catch a taxi, i was approached by three other women. one i pretended to speak only japanese too, and the others i just ignored. we finally stood in line beside the station to catch taxis, and it was then the adventure started.

we were dropped off at our hotel, the pullman paris tour eiffel, only to find out our rooms were not ready. we left our stuff with the concierge and started our day of exploration of the city. thankfully i happened to remember that the louvre was closed on tuesday, not monday, so dr. collins changed our itinerary and we decided to go there first. walking was our mode of transportation. we passed so many vendors selling ridiculous toys, however one was hilarious and i would have bought it if we had slowed down. a gypsy man was selling disney characters that had string arms and legs with magnets attached, but somehow the characters danced. this particular day, the music being played was bollywood music, which solely added to the hilarity. we stopped at the eiffel tower, and i was quite surprised for many reasons. first, i never realized what color it was. i had always known it was metal, however it's been painted a light brown color which doesn't show up in photographs. i also had no idea that the city of paris owned the rights to any pictures of the tower taken at night. apparently people were recording the light show, so the city intervened and gained rights to night images. after barry gave his report and got harassed by a gypsy, this time in a gorilla suit, we decided to trek onwards. it was about this time we realized how hungry we really were.

brasserie de la tour eiffel. twelve american dollars for three fried eggs and some lettuce. not to mention we had to buy bottles of water for the table. it was ridiculous, but it was an experience i needed. i have learned that i am capable of eating runny yokes. in fact, i enjoy them more than i enjoy hard yokes. thank you paris for teaching me this. especially for the twelve dollars i paid.

and finally, after a forty-five minute walk from the restaurant. we get there. the louvre. i always underestimated the size of both the building and its surrounding property, but i now appreciate the museum for everything it is. i was completely overwhelmed in the museum, both by the works of art and the heat which did not combine well with my level of dehydration. the major pieces that will forever change the way i view art are the only ones i have the ability to begin to describe. i saw so many great things, works by david, ingres, da vinci, sculpture from the parthenon, egyptian art, but a few pieces will forever stand out in my mind.

nike of samonthrace. yet again, i had poorly judged the size of this sculpture for years. i had imagined it to be monumental in size, but it was barely bigger than life size. its presentation was enough to floor anyone looking at it. the drapery on athena is so detailed and carefully placed it is hard to believe that each fold was carved individually. the power and movement she contains can be felt when looking at her from all angles. the most impressive thing about the statue was how close it actually was. it stood at the top of a staircase leading up the section of teh museum containing both sculpture and european painting. there are no ropes around it nor blockades stopping you from getting close, the only thing stopping one is free will. she is breathtaking, and i doubt any other sculpture will create that impact on my perception.

venus de milo . there's not much to say about this venus besides the fact it was surreal to see one of the most publicly recognized sculptures in person. unlike the nike, she was blockaded off so that no one would harm her. she is more fragile than the nike, but her impact is equally as incredible.

mona lisa. i waited five minutes to break through the crowd and to stand in front of her. she is the piece i've recognized since i was little, and being a fan of the movie ever after, i love leonardo da vinci. she was worth the wait, no matter what any other person may say. yes, she is behind glass. yes, you're like twenty feet away from her. yes, she is protected by glass. and yes, it's one hundred percent as much of a masterpiece as i had always hoped it to be.

hippopotamus. i spent thirty minutes looking for this tiny turquoise piece from middle kingdom egypt. for some reason, i have always been drawn to the work, and to see it in person was an opportunity i refused to pass up. after being told it was on the first floor or one of the others instead of the floor it was really on, i went on a wild goose chase, only to be relieved when i found it. though it is small, barely bigger than my fist, the intricate lotus patterns were something i had hoped to admire in person for some time now, and it has finally happened.

of course other aspects of the louvre were equally as amazing. the i. m. pei pyramid. the apple store. the castle built beneath the museum. but those four pieces were the highlight of my excursion. one i will never forget. after leaving the louvre we went to the hotel and got our rooms. carly and i shared a room, complete with two spectacular views. one of the eiffel tower which was so close it seemed as if you could touch it, and another of a soccer field. complete with shirtless men practicing. it was definitely a nice view either way you looked at it. and the bed. the luxury bed was more than i expected. after a relaxing bath i fell asleep only to wake up at 9:15 to find it completely bright outside. we got ready for dinner at les ombres, and throughout the entire dress, hair, make-up process, the sun never set. finally, around 10:30 we truly got to see paris at night.

les ombres. oh it was quite the experience. it is a five star restaurant atop the bramley museum with a glass ceiling which is directly under the eiffel tower. though my back was turned the opposite way, i could see the lights from the light show dancing across the glass and reflecting on the panes in front of me. then dinner started. they brought us green bean and cream puree with diced dried olives as the garnish. it was a flavor unlike any i've encountered before, but i really enjoyed it. it was creamy, yet light, and the flavor had hints of green beans, but it wasn't overbearing. after this, they brought us bread. though it was cold, it was quite soft inside and was a great contrast to the hard, flaky outside. and then the moment we all had looked forward to. the main course. dr. collins had ordered a bottle of smooth red wine, so i had saved most of my glass until my dinner came. it was incredible. i got paella, a risotto with chorizo, saddle of rabbit, mussels and prawns. though the rice was not as tender as i would have prepared it, the flavors were incredible. i had never had rabbit before, and i was so thrilled by the texture and taste it had. i'm normally not a huge fan of chorizo, but these sausages resembled something more along the lines of pepperonis and had a very sharp flavor about them. i was extremely pleased with my dish, and also with josh's. he asked to try a little bit of rabbit, so he gave me some of his sweetbreads. yet again, i had never had a sweetbread, but it was so tender it completely melted in my mouth. the flavor was, again, to die for, and i was extremely happy to have tried it. after dinner they brought us a small sampler of bite size pound cakes, strawberry jellies which barry and josh said were virtually passover candies, and strawberry macarones. after the long meal and exhausting day, i got back to the room and fell right to sleep.

paris so far.

eiffel tower.


view from the louvre courtyard.


arch outside the louvre.


i. m. pei's glass pyramid.


the nike of samonthrace.

eat, drink, enjoy.

all i did today was eat. i know that seems far fetched or untrue, but i can promise you, that's virtually all i did. we went to a restaurant called the trout inn, a quaint stone building in north oxford. it was backed by a small river and damn, so the patio seating was quite enjoyable. across the river from us was a small garden which one could cross by bridge, however the bridge was not open this morning. we arrived there at around 11:30 and stayed until 3:00. i will break down this meal course by course hoping you too will become as insanely full as i did.

before lunch drinks. a water, the staple of my diet, and a screwdriver. the screwdriver was originally supposed to be a mimosa, but i didn't want to buy an entire bottle of champagne. luckily for me, the screwdriver was still a good way to go. the orange juice was fresh squeezed and thick, masking the taste of the vodka. it contained pulp which was a very exciting and welcome surprised. i should have guessed by the velvety smooth feeling the juice created running down my throat that this would be an extravagant meal.

starter. a quiche. the trout inn describes it as "red onion tart, jersey blue cheese, watercress and roasted vine tomatoes." when the tart came out, it was hidden underneath a thick bed of watercress, and drizzled lines of balsamic dressing connecting the tart with the tomatoes whilst decorating the plate. the crust of the tart watered in my mouth, while the blue cheese gave the interior of the tart a creamer filling and more noticeable flavor than any quiche i had before. the red onions were thinly sliced and very sweet in taste. when taking a bite of quiche with the watercress, it provides the mouth with a taste of bitter mixed with sweet and tart and creamy. it was definitely an enjoyable experience. i also had the privilege of trying two other starters since we are a very sharing group. the scallops cleo and dr. collins got were almost more tender than can be found back home. they were hardly seasoned allowing the scallops to do most of the work for providing flavor. i also tried carly's pita bread and assorted dressing sampler. there were creamed cheeses, hummus, and blocks of feta for topping the pita slices with. out of the three, i enjoyed mine the most, and it proved to be a nice segue into my meal.

main course. spit ham. again, the trout inn had a much more elegant name for it. their menu says it is "spit honey gammon ham, creamed potato, parsley and truffle sauce." the portion was so large i brought the other half home and ate it for dinner. the flavors were again incredible. the ham sat upon the creamed, rather, mashed potatoes, and both were then topped with a generous amount of the truffle sauce. the truffle sauce was very salty in taste and complicated the roasted ham and the potatoes. it was the first time i have eaten meat on the trip, and it was quite the welcome change.

dessert. sticky toffee pudding and vanilla ice cream. i had no idea what to expect, but carly told me it was the one thing that her friend grace misses most from her stay in england, so i figured i had to try it if it was that unforgettable. it wasn't what i had expected it to be though. when one says pudding i think of anything from jello pudding to traditional bread putting, but what was placed in front of me appeared to be a brownie with a small scoop of ice cream on the side. this was all sitting in a pool of caramel, my favorite topping known to man. it was a very heavy dessert, but i soon saw why grace couldn't forget it. the combination of the cold ice cream, warm caramel, and room temperature brownie like object melted in my mouth. the flavor had hints of vanilla, but caramel was the overpowering element. the caramel even oozed out of the porous areas of the pudding. i couldn't eat all of it, so i gave the rest to carly. she too laughed and said she understood grace's obsession completely now.

after lunch drinks. a chocolate martini. topped with graham cracker crumbs. fantastic. all of the explanation required.

after this, we all caught cabs back to the flat, and we relaxed for the rest of the evening. we did make one excursion into town though, and i made my last two purchases on my list for oxford. i bought the classical music recommended to me that first day by the tutor from oxford university, and i made it to the alice store and bought my ornament for oxford. allow me to clarify. the oxford alice store is literally the alice in wonderland official store. it was the store used in lewis carroll's book because the college where he studied and taught at, christ church, is across the street from it. he wrote the story for the dean of students' daughter, alice, placing her as the main character, and also putting landmarks around oxford into the book. the store was once a grocery where alice and her family shopped, but after the publication of the books, it then became a tribute to the oxford fantasy. my entire day consisted of eating, drinking, and enjoying life. now, i am able to relax and prepare for the big excursion that awaits us tomorrow. the city of paris.

the quaint trout inn.


our view from the table.


our friend the duck. she enjoyed walking up and down the stone wall to visit our table and others in hopes of food.


the peacock. one of four who reside at the trout inn.

day trip to london.

after sleeping in until around 9:30 today, my body feels quite well rested from yesterday's excursion. here is the story.

8:30. we met outside of venneit close to walk as a group to the train station to catch a train from oxford to london.

10:30. we got to london via train, which i slept on the entire ride, and left paddington station to explore the city on our free day.

11:00. we went through hyde park, an amazing park decorated with various types of sculpture. two of the most interesting pieces, and most contradictory, were across the square from one another, providing the viewer with a contradictory emotion. to one's left side if approaching the park from paddington station, there is what appears to be an iron head of a horse, balanced on its nose. the features are done accurately and carefully, and from viewing the piece from the front, one has no doubt it is a horse. it is when you move to the side of the sculpture that you have a "eureka" moment. the horse has been balanced on its nose for a very specific reason. from the side, it appears to be two different things. the head of a horse and a point shoe which a dancer is balancing upon. the curve of the head is the same as the curve of the pointed foot in the shoe. the sculpture is definitely an optical illusion of the three-dimensional kind, and it was a great first thing to experience in london. the piece directly across from the horse is a beautiful arch. i'm not sure as to the dating or name of the work, but it definitely bears roman influence and is similar to the arch of constantine. it is exquisitely carved with images that may be deities or may be god and angels, however since i do not know the time period, i'm not sure which is a better candidate.

12:30. we finally get to where we needed to be, tower hill, and stop to get lunch before we go down to the actual tower complex. and i finally experienced it, fish and chips! i got them at a local pub, and they were well worth the £5.10 i paid for it. it was unlike anything i expected it to be. it was, of course, a good sized portion of fries, or chips as brits and outback calls them, a fillet of cod which was lightly fried, a serving of peas, and a side of tartar sauce. i'm not a big tartar sauce portion, so i didn't use it, but i did put malt vinegar on the fish to give it an extra kick. i had expected it to be more along the lines of fish sticks, not a whole filet, but it was so good that i didn't think any different. i ate more than half of the whole fillet, but towards the end i picked the fish out of the breading so that i didn't get too full. it was the classic experience i needed to have, and was a perfect way to start my london day.

2:30. we finally arrive at what i am most intrigued by in history, the tower of london. though it was once a palace and now serves as a treasury, i like it for the prison it once was. it was used most during the tudor reign, most famously by king henry the eighth and his children, and the tudor family fascinates me so the tower is something on my list of things to see before i leave. however, yesterday was not the day for that visit. instead, we took a riverboat tour of the thames river. the guides were not really guides, but sarcastic british watermen who provided us with quite the informational, and amusing, trip we needed on our free day. we saw everything from parliament, big ben, the reconstruction of shakespeare's globe theater, the gerken, and the oxo building. the history surrounding each thing is fascinating, but the buildings are not the only things that make you appreciate the river. the exquistie bridges also have much history surrounding them. one was built by women during world war ii, and the stone used cleans itself in the rain. no marketing nor ads of any sort are allowed along the river because it is considered to be royal territory. all in all, it was a great day to relax and learn about what was around us in a distant, yet detailed way.

4:45. carly and i got to paddington station to catch the train to oxford. i also used this opportunity to buy my love, paddington bear.

5:25: carly and i start our return to oxford.

7:15. i now decide that the weather, though chilly, is still nice enough for me to take a run, and the guilt from eating the fish and chips basically forces me out of the door.

7:45. mid-run, i begin to realize how dehydrated i am. my ears start to burn.

8:00. i get back to venneit close, drink lots of water, shower, do laundry, and eat dinner.

by around 10 i have fallen fast asleep.

here's what i saw in london first time around.

cleopatra's needle, a gift from egypt.


london bridge. the original was built by the romans and sold to america. this is its replacement.


london eye.


big ben's clock tower.


paddington bear's statue at paddington station.

stay tuned.

tired.

sore.

exhausted in general.

that's how i'm feeling at the moment.

so instead of writing about tonight right now, i'll write when i first wake up.

sleep is necessary.

but here is my highlight from today.


my love, paddington bear.

the ancient things.

so today has been a day of traveling. we met at 9:45 at the oxford playhouse to meet our bus driver for our visits of salisbury, stonehenge, and avebury. the driver immediately introduced himself as phil, and he was a great british man full of spectacular british humor. the bus ride to salisbury was about two hours long, so i managed to catch up on a little sleep on the ride. when i woke up, i was extremely happy to have worn both my new rain boots and rain jacket, for the dreary british weather we had always heard about was now manifesting itself in front of us. we were let out of the bus in front of the cathedral, and phil told us we had an hour and a half to get lunch or do whatever we pleased to before we had to be back for our tour. we went as a group to a local cafe called caffe nero where i had a mozzarella, basil, and vine tomato panini, fresh fruit salad, and a hot chocolate milanese. the hot chocolate was the one thing i really wanted, and it was unlike anything i've ever had in the hot beverage world. it was extremely thick and creamy, topped with a heaping mound of whipped cream, and had bits of belgian chocolate topping it and mixed inside as the primary ingredient. it was the perfect thing to counteract what i was experiencing outside, and it provided me with the necessary bravery to attempt to venture into the cold and look in a shop or two before i had to meet phil. it was a good thing it happened because i finally found josh's gift. there are a few because they are small and perfect, and when i saw them, i knew that is what i needed to get. after making an extremely exciting purchase, i walked back to the cathedral to start the tour.

allow me to preface by saying the cathedral is absolutely breathtaking. though years of acid rain and weather conditions have continued to wear away the limestone, they are constantly restoring it to the way it was originally. in fact, phil said they had just replaced the rolled lead roof the year before, and they did it in the original, dangerous technique. statues of saints embellish the exterior, and the holy family awaits you over the main entrance. when we stepped inside the cathedral complex, the cloister was directly to our right. the lawns are something they maintain constantly here and also take much pride in, so the greenery was carefully tended to and accented the limestone arches beautifully. we then entered the heart of the cathedral, and at once it was evident of how magnificent of a catholic church this once was. king henry the eighth destroyed most of the relics the church contained during his creation of the anglican church, but many of the characteristics i have known since a young age can still be observed. most of the church's stain glass is from the victorian era because they were broken out by the king, but some pieces are contemporary. the church houses many interesting relics including one of the oldest working clocks in the world, the bodies of many dignitaries, and a beautiful new baptismal font. though the font is crafted in the shape of a cross, contains words of hope and faith carved into its sides, and bears similarities to a fountain in the constantly overflowing water, it was the bodies of those interred that interested me more than anything else. the cathedral houses the bodies of the illegitimate son of king henry the second, lady catherine grey and her husband edward seymour who are both of the tudor lineage and fame, and the bishop of the first salisbury cathedral built in the thirteenth century. the architecture of the cathedral is equally as spectacular. in addition to the classical elements of gothic barrel vaults, there are also scissor vaults and flying buttresses which are present to support the weight of the spire. the added strain which these additions were needed to correct actually caused the four main support columns to begin to bend causing a great support issue for the church. the marble columns are actually not marble but are petrified seashells thus enhancing their beauty and rarity. none of these amazing things compare to what is held in the porch to the side of the cathedral. through the doors, into the cloister, and into a receiving chamber is held an original copy of the magna carta. one of the most influential documents in history. two inches below my hand under a pane of glass. it was indescribable.

after viewing the magna carta we got back on the bus for the drive to stonehenge. on this route we passed the house of sting which phil described as being "very modest with fourteen bedrooms" and we also saw one of the chalk horses carved onto the english hillside. phil said is is maintained, basically just weeded, by the people in the area to preserve its detail and beauty. there is no certain answer as to why the horse was carved, but it was not as mysterious as the next two places we were to visit. the great stone structures of the old.

stonehenge. it is literally in the middle of the salisbury plain surrounded by land. after walking under the street and up to the parcel of fenced land which contains the circle, i was awestruck by its being in front of me. i have studied stonehenge countless times in art history, and to finally be standing in front of it was something i had only dreamed of. we didn't get to stay for long, but in the time we did have i learned two theories as to the reason of its existence that i had never heard, and i finally heard a name associated to the people who are attributed with its erection. the people were called the beaker people for they were found buried with cups shaped like beakers. the english heritage allowed archeologists to once again dig in the circle's center, and upon doing this, they discovered ash from a human cremation. this supports latest theory of the megaliths purpose. it was erected, possibly, as a place of ancestor worship, and acted almost as a ceremonial cite for preparing, interring, and appreciating those who had died before them. i think that this theory is the most plausible one that has been preposed yet, and that over time, more evidence will come to light supporting it. the other theory i had never heard, possibly because it has already been disproven, was that the cite existed because the romans had erected it as a temple. that theory does not even begin to work due to the age of the stone, and the documented evidence supporting the building of the structure ending before the first century ce.

avebury. the largest stone circle in england. it is actually more than one circle, but the main one dwarfs stonehenge ten times over. the bank once stood twenty to twenty-five feet above the thirty foot ditch, but now neither are present. many of the stones are now missing, but some are actually still buried from their fourteenth century ce burial. kieler re-erected many of the stones, and where some were missing me placed concrete markers signifying where some once stood. these sarsen stones were chosen because of their shape, and they were never altered to fit their purpose. the circles are most likely signifying fertility and/or the circle of life, and it was also created by the beaker people. in fact, it is theorized that some of stonehenge's sarsen stones were donations from one tribe to the other for stonehenge comes much later and contains stones also from the quarry in marlborough. what i loved most about avebury was that i was able to touch the stones. because the city has been built with some portions actually residing inside of the circle, people are able to become closer with their environment, and touching the stones is a daily thing for some. i also enjoyed avebury more than stonehenge due to the fact we were surrounded by sheep. they were inches away from us, grazing freely, and it made me thing of the children's movie babe, one of my favorites.

after we got back to oxford, steven, carley, zach, and i went to yo! sushi for their first conveyor belt experience. the sushi was so good, but the edmame was my favorite plate that i pulled. after going back to the dorm and showering, steven and i finally got to know each other. he was the one person from the trip i hadn't gotten to see much of, so the two of us went out tonight, exploring oxford, and the unthinkable happened. we popped into a pub to see what specials they were running, and we ended up at a concert. it turns out the band the ataris were playing in the pub tonight, so we stayed for some of the set, then we left to get a drink, blue lagoon, and talk about what we've thought of the trip, oglethorpe, and what tomorrow may hold.

again, i have pictures.

here's the salisbury cathedral hidden behind gorgeous maple trees. just like the ones that grow at the granby house.


the tomb of the first bishop of the old salisbury cathedral.


the eastern portion of stonehenge.


and lastly, a view of the wonder that is avebury.

does your conscience bother you, now tell the truth.

when one experiences a class that changes the way they think, it is a rarity, and something that needs not to be taken lightly. today's class has been one of those very instances. today, we talked mainly about the culture of ancient greece and artifacts from that time, and each thing we talked about opened a new door for me. when we talked about the cycladic figures, i came to realize that they might not have been idols promoting the body. in fact, because they are brightly painted, it is more likely that they served one of two other purposes. they were either used similarly to the sumerian votive figures to display reverence to their gods always, or they were perhaps even used as toys. we also talked about the something i was completely unfamiliar with. apparently, the island of santorini is the opening of a huge volcano that once stood three-quarters of a mile in height. a small part of the volcano remains active today, but after its major explosion in 1268 BCE, the majority of the volcano sunk into the sea. the ash cloud was documented as being seen all the way into china, and it was that ash cloud that caused for the many living levels at the palace of knossos to occur. and it is our talk today on the palace of knossos that provided the core for the class experience i had today. apparently, the gentleman who discovered knossos, arthur evans, was even more dishonest than i had ever known. although their was strong evidence supporting the fact that the palace was in fact, not a palace, and that the king's chambers were really a dressing area, he wanted so badly to create the british castle idea and find a king and queen that he ignored the facts. he also added the snakes to the popular piece snake goddess, therefore giving it the goddess image and destroying its true purpose. however, it was the discussion about homer and his writings on atlantis that proved to be most interesting to me. although we always have heard that atlantis sunk to the bottom of the sea, homer merely wrote that it was lost. he said that it was extremely advanced for its time and was a cultural center like no other. in fact, it is most likely the palace of knossos, constantly covered by volcanic ash which ultimately engulfed the city, that the poet was referring to. moments like this reaffirm my major and let me know i made the right choice for my academic career.

today we also visited the ashmolean museum. though i did not care for it much due to the fact it was mostly a pottery and porcelain based collection. it still provided some great examples of art. i saw my first real mummy, an amazing replica of both the head of laocoon and the bronze zeus, a skull from jericho, and countless buddhas from around asia. however, it were the elephants that i fell in love with this time. i focused the majority of my attention in the far eastern exhibits because that is where my interest mainly lies, but i never noticed how exquisite the drawings of elephants from that region are until this visit. the form varies from image to image, but they are always presented in a respectable light. it differs greatly from many other images of animals presented in that time, and the emotion the ashmolean put into presenting them was definitely felt. however, i became frustrated in the fact the identification cards were either wrong, or simply horrible in that they would say the work "probably" is attributed to a certain person or region. the redeeming factor for the museum came in their modern art exhibit. i'm normally not a huge fan of modern art, i appreciate it, but it doesn't keep my attention well, but i was extremely impressed with their piece by kandinsky and the picasso they displayed. the kandinsky work was extremely linear with his signature bright blues occurring in aesthetically pleasing areas. the chose a picasso work which, surprisingly enough, was not from his cubism movement. it was a refreshing change, and i commend them on their selection.

today would not be complete without some amazing things. first, i finally own a pair of rainboots. i promised myself i would by a pair while i was here because it's england, it rains all of the time, and they would know which ones are the best. they are fantastic. bright yellow and pink in color. i am thrilled because this is the first pair of rainboots i have owned since my winnie the pooh ones i had in massachusetts. i also found the perfect souvenir for nicole! nicole is definitely the hardest person to shop for because she is very selective, has too many clothes as it is, and i wanted it to be something she'd love. i think it's absolutely perfect and i can't wait to give it to her! in addition to these things, today's food and drink choices have definitely been great ones. for dinner this evening, duckie, zach, carley, cleo, and i went to fire and stone because we were craving pizza. it's four pounds, for what i thought was just a slice or two, on thursdays, so we couldn't pass it up. it turns out it is an small pizza for a pound! i got what was called quattro formaggi, simply a four cheese pizza, but it wasn't what i expected at all. this is the description given on the menu: fire & stone’s tomato sauce, torn buffalo mozzarella, roquefort blue cheese, grated mozzarella & parmesan. i expected everything to be mixed together or layered, but the cheese was divided into quarters, each one getting to stand alone. it was phenomenal, and i have half, exactly one slice of each kind, to look forward to whenever i want it since i took it home. and when i thought it couldn't get anymore sensational, i had the most incredible cider ale in existence. it was strawberry and bear, and i can't compare it anything i've ever had before. it was good enough that i took a picture, and i am determined to find somewhere in the united states that carries it. after dinner, i came back and took a nap before heading out for the evening, and it was possibly the most appreciated nap i've taken yet this trip. later, barry, josh, and i went out for drinks and karaoke, but it was really them doing the karaoke because sweet home alabama isn't really a song i can karaoke to the best of my abilities. tonight was the night of pitchers for us. it wasn't much alcohol because we each got one good sized drink per pitcher, but the drinks were something i want to learn to make back home. the first was a pimm's cocktail, the second a drink called purple rain, and the last was named frilly tutu. after savoring every flavor they provided, we headed to the castle tavern for their song debut before we turned in for the night. and when i got home i had the best surprise of all, hot water.

but of course, i couldn't deprive you of images of my day, so here some are.

the ashmolean's elephant and buddha which i love endlessly.




the incredible strawberry pear cider ale.


and of course, my favorite thing of the day. a video of barry and josh's rendition of sweet home alabama. however, it won't upload at the moment, so you have something to look forward to in the coming days.

the naked chef.

today has seemed to go by the fastest out of all of our oxford days thus far. i finally figured out how to make the television work so that i can watch the news with my breakfast, yet i still don't know channels so i don't know where to actually watch the news. hopefully i can figure it out soon. today's class was interesting. we covered neolithic and some egyptian art and architecture, but there really wasn't much that i hadn't already learned in classes thus far. however, i did learn something that makes me want to go into cultural preservation even more. when i was in high school, i had learned the great pyramids were covered in a layer of polished limestone, however i was never told that the limestone was covered with inscriptions. apparently during the muslim invasion of egypt sometime around the first or second century ce, a leader of the invasion recorded the fact there were the carvings on the pyramids' exteriors, however he felt that what was said was not important for "if it was truth, it was already in the koran, and if it wasn't true to the koran's teachings, it needed be to be destroyed". they then used the limestone they ripped from the pyramids to construct a mosque, destroying the precious subject matter before it was ever documented. no one will ever know what the pyramids once said, and they might have held information as to how the pyramids were constructed or if they ever held any invaluable information. this, combined with learning that the new museum in berlin refuses to return the bust of nefertiti back to the egyptian government outrages me. this is solely due to the fact the museum claimed the piece was too fragile to be moved, yet they put in in a traveling exhibition just months later. the small things like this make me want to ensure that the legacy of our international culture continues on and is preserved for years to come. dr. collins and i were talking a few mornings ago about a cave discovered in tibet housing many never before studied treasures of the buddhist faith, primarily books and wall paintings, but they are kept from being extracted by a militant group of people. the world deserves to know the beauties which enhance it, and one day i hope to make a difference in the future of preserving our culture.

after class today i went back to the flat for lunch and to clean, only to have stumbled upon another great bbc show. it is like steve irwin's old show, except it's exclusively about fishing. before i nodded off to sleep, the host, a man with a strong british accent and a personality to match, was in vietnam catching the largest freshwater fish he has yet. a five hundred pound stingray. it has made me appreciate the beaches back home and it's tiny stingrays. it looks like i'll no longer get to use that as an excuse for not wanting to swim at the beach. as i said before, i dosed off, but i had every intention of running when i woke up. however, it is a very good thing i was not able to due to time. in came part one of our excursion for today. punting.

now one may be confused as to what punting is, i know i was when it was first told we would be going. punting is like riding on a gondola, except it's bigger. and harder. and much funnier. we split up into four boats, barry and carley, me and josh, duckie and cleo, and steven and zach. we had not even made it under the bridge before we all turned ourselves sideways, and i being the passenger laughed uncontrollably while josh, the pole wielder, attempted to get our boat turned the right way and going straight. unfortunately, we never really mastered it until we were finished, and we never made it to the thames river. we did however have quite an adventure resulting in me having sore arms and abs from paddling the tiny oar trying to help us stay straight and an idea for the next ast/chi phi mixer. it is so hard to begin to convey josh and i's journey down the tributary, but i can try. we crashed into many boats, row boats, crew boats, crew boats for st. hilda's college, other punting boats, and we even collided with the shore, duck nests, and the side of bridges. luckily, we laughed through everything, and the ducklings and swanlings would swim right up to the boat urging us to continue forward. we'd stop, sometimes intentionally, sometimes trying to turn the boat the right way, and watch the cricket games and practices on the field beside the river, talking to the kids, helping retrieve cricket balls that had fallen into the river, and laughing with them as their friends intentionally hit the balls back into the water. it was after all these things though that i met my new best friend. she was three years old and named anna. she was with two older couples whom i'm assuming were her grandparents, but all she wanted to do was talk to me, giggle, and wave. even when their boat passed ours and she disappeared under the bridge, she turned around smiled and waved until all i could see was her little hand. out of everything that happened punting, her contagious personality will probably be my favorite part of today.

punting ended and we began the journey to find dinner. dr, collins really wanted italian food, and we ended up stopping at the one restaurant i promised i'd make it to before i left oxford. jamie's italian. as in the naked chef jamie oliver. not naked as in no clothing, but naked as in all natural and healthy foods. we had a short wait before we were brought to our tables, but the food definitely proved to be well worth it. before my meal came i ordered a glass of organic chardonnay, di puglia, that was a great first organic wine experience. dr, collins ordered two bottles of montepulciano d'abruzzo, an amazing red wine from italy, for the table to have with dinner. i started my meal with a "my favourite humble green salad" which had a yogurt and fresh parmesan dressing with a few chopped mint leaves accenting its flavor. i also had a bite of carley's "smokey mozzarella arancini", a fried rice ball stuffed with cheese and mushrooms. by these first two tastes of food alone, i knew i was in for a treat when my dinner came. then it was in front of me, a beauty unlike any food before, "scallop and squid ink linguine". i only got the small portion, and it was almost too much to eat. the linguine noodles were very thin and black in color due to the ink, but the thinnest sliced, most tender scallops were layered into the pasta creating a perfect pairing. and only when i thought it could not get any better, out it came. dr. collins had let us order desserts, and i had the perfect slice of tiramisu. it was so rich i gave most of it to barry, but it was unlike the traditional tiramisu i've always known. this one was drizzled with honey and had grated orange zest on it giving it a special hint of flavor. not only did i get the privilege of trying all of these amazing dishes, our group is big on sharing, so i was able to try a special cinnamon pasta, a cheese and asparagus risotto, amazing baked cod, and buffalo ricotta ravioli. i also got to sample the ricotta and honeycomb cheese desert and the raspberry and chocolate brownie. i haven't eaten food this rich and filling in a long, long time, and it completely hit the spot. the naked chef restaurant also brightened our day by providing us with toilets in the restrooms made by the crapper, yes crapper, company. it was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

on a last note, here are the beautiful flowers i stopped to pick after my run yesterday. the pink orchids are called sweet pea's, there's queen anne's lace, and i'm not sure of what the small yellow flowers are. i added a morning glory to the collection now. but i took this picture in the daylight without it, but these wildflowers still speak beautifully without it.

the oopsie day.

so today has been one of complete highs and low. so let me break it down.

breakfast, high. special k with red berries is always a win. especially when they have strawberries AND raspberries. win win u.k.

class, high. although i've taken ancient art history and art and culture, i still learned a lot today. we covered paleolithic cave paintings and venus figurines. here are a few things i didn't know until today. the majority of the horses painted on the walls were pregnant. they did not eat horses, so they must have revered them. in front of some of the horse paintings there are fossilized footprints of both men and women. they were in the pattern of dance steps and were possibly ritualistic in purpose. they had flutes and possibly became inspired by the falling water droplets to create rhythm. the bird headed man with bison was possibly an image of a shaman's trance state. the bird might have been his animal spirit which is why it appears on both his staff and as his face. the shaman wore masks during their spiritual journeys so it would fit that he wore the head of one over is face. the buffalo also has entrails coming out of his side thus speaking to the fact he is dead. both figures have blank interiors which australian hunter and gatherer tribes of today have told us to be representative of something in its spirit state. therefore, the shaman would be connecting with the spirit of the bison, possibly talking of ways to honor him or apologize for killing him. it was the next subject that i found even more enlightening though. the venus figurines have been hypothesized to have acted as a way of exposing a girl to what initial male penetration would be like for them thus enlightening them to sex. also, the figures were more than likely carved by women, not as an ideal body weight, but rather as their desired state of body. pregnancy. the round breasts, hips and thighs, and appearance of love handles in contrast to slender calves and arms are normal body changes that a woman undergoes while carrying a child. they would not be something that they strived to look like year round for it would be dangerous. not only would they face the issues associated with obesity such as diabetes and cardiovascular strain, but they would be unable to be nomadic and protect their children from harm. they may have been used as a means of peace when crossing paths with women from other tribes, or they could have been given to the men as a stimulus to mate when he returned from the hunt. the most interesting venus to me was the venus of laussel for in addition to the incised lines carved into a crescent shape horn which directly correlate with the lunar cycles, she also has a distinctive child figure cared into her womb showing others in the tribe, such as young females, what pregnancy looked like and what to expect.

lunch, high leading to low. i made myself an incredible peanut butter and jelly sandwich paired with strawberries and corn tortilla chips. i then was able to take a hot shower in barry, cleo, and josh's room since duckie and i still don't have any. then the low occurred. i wasn't aware that i needed two convertors for my hairdryer, and upon plugging it into the wall, i blew the fuse for our entire room after a nasty explosion. no lasting damage was done, but it was enough to make me concerned i'd started an electrical fire for the rest of the day.

library visit, high. we visited the bodleian library where we had a demonstration on how printers made books from gutenberg onwards to the twenty century. dr, nash, the man demonstrating everything, broke everything down step by step from the carving of the character to use in the mold to the creation of the letter used in the press to setting a page to making ink to, finally, printing. it was absolutely breathtaking to actually see everything the printmakers went through just to create one book, and they normally printed hundreds. after the demonstration we were then taken upstairs to biew four of the rarest and most unique books the bodleian holds in its collection. they were all books of shakespeare's work, including the original folio printed containing his work, and other books associated with him. the most impressive of the four to me was the folio. i never knew that it contained fourteen plays that would be lost without their documentation in the folio. some of the ones that would not exist today if not for the folio are the tempest, julius caesar, hamlet, and the twelfth night. it is unfathomable to think of a world today without them. it has also inspired me to sit down within the next few years and really read each of his works and learn to appreciate them for the cultural jems they are.

dinner, high. after a quick excursion to the open market for browsing, barry, josh, dr. collins, and myself went to a cafe named puccino's where we had amazing paninis. i chose one with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and chives, and it was so filling i was only able to eat half of it. it also came with a salad with a white honey mustard dressing that only contributed to the meal. after this, barry, dr. collins, and i went to starbucks where i had my first lemon frappacino. it was definitely enjoyable.

back at the dorm, low. i went to get onto this very blog and begin to write about the day wen my worst fear came true. the fire alarm went off. after grabbing my purse and laptop and waking duckie up, i went outside, my mind racing the entire time. i kept thinking "but the hairdryer thing happened at one, it's seven now." luckily for me, the fire alarm went off because someone exposed the heat sensors to high heat at sometime, so the alarm wasn't my fault. i decided to make the best of the situation and go for a relaxing run outside.

run, high, low, high. i was beyond thrilled that carley's roommate was able to tell me where the entrance to the beautiful country path i'd been seeing everyday was, so after running to its entrance of high street, i ha the most relaxing run i've been able to take in a long time. the temperature was perfect, and it was still light outside because the sun doesn't set here until nine-thirty. after a while, i passed the back of venneit close, where we are staying, and noticed there was still a good stretch ahead of me. i ran for another five minutes before slowing to a walk only to pick it up around two or three minutes later. after a while i saw it, my bridge back to the street leading me back to venneit close, or so i thought. i ran for awhile longer, then i was surrounded by things i did not know. somehow i ended up about a mile away from the flat in an area of oxford called jericho. it was a twenty-five minute walk from jericho to the area where we have classes and a ten minute run from there back to the flat. i stopped along the way to pick a few stems of wildflowers for the room, and luckily for me, i bumped into duckie, carley, josh, and barry heading to town to get away from our rooms. apparently the fire alarms were still going off an hour later. no one could turn them off. they said they'd wait for me to get changed and head back their way, so i decided to go out for the evening.

the semi-pub crawl, high. it turns out it was a good thing i made the decision to go out with them. i met up with dr. collins in the hallway, and he told me that the alarm would not be off for another forty minutes. i hastily changed and made my way back to the group, and our small journey started. after seeing that duckie's bookstore was closed, we decided to go to the honey pot, a local pub with a relaxed atmosphere and grab pints of cider ale. unfortunately for me, the card machine was down, and i don't have any paper money, so i was unable to get anything. after we left the honey pot and carley headed to the flats, the remaining four of us went to a gay bar we had walked past a few nights ago which seemed fun to get another round of drinks before we went to sleep. the atmosphere was so fun, and my vodka redbull completely calmed me down from the fiascoes of the day. we found out they are doing karaoke on the first, and we've agreed to go back and grace them with our rendition of don't stop believing. after we finished our drinks, it was time to head back and turn in for the night.

other random highs for the day. skyping with josh and i could actually see him for the first time. i needed that face. i also found the missing blue flower i needed for my bouquet. the cornflower. and here the beauty is.

here is mr. paul nash from the bodleian giving his demonstration.



and the printers from across the centuries. the one closest in the frame is from before the seventeenth century.



and just so i can make your day higher and give you a little of my joy, here is my amazing ring. and me. and how happy i am with where my life is going.

the sandstone city.

so today was my first true day of experiencing oxford, yet it still hasn't hit me that i'm in a different country. but i shall start from the beginning for all of you who wanted the step by step details of my day. so it all began with the planes.

amsterdam. the first european city i was able to see from the small window on the plane. i was awestruck upon first glance for what i first saw of the netherlands was their progress of wind farms in the north sea. i look out to see what resembles fields of wheat or another crop in the united states, but they are ten by about twelve rows of enormous white windmills, the contemporary style of course, miles from shore providing wind power for the nation. beyond words explaining their magnificence, these monstrous sources of power made a cargo ship or barge beside seem to be two inches long. when we finally flew over land, the windmills continued every quarter mile or so, yet their appearance did anything but mar the landscape. the most amazing thing to me was seeing the countryside overtake the land. i knew that the netherlands would be expansive and undeveloped in most areas, but before the airport i was able to see seven cow pastures. the cows appeared tiny from my window, but because i could see the brown and white patterns on each cow, i felt like i was there on the ground with them. the pastures came up and bordered the runway in amsterdam and immediately felt at home. in fact, it still hasn't hit me that i'm not simply in a part of the united states i've never ventured to before. the actual amsterdam airport was so foreign to me though. they had a casino, attractive looking security checkpoints, and it was furnished by ikea. from here we flew to heathrow on a small plane. the flight is the same length as the one from jacksonville to atlanta, but the experience was completely different to anything i would have expected. they gave us small european cookies, produced by kraft, but they put american food to shame. it gave me so much hope for trying new things while i am here. when we taxing to our gate in heathrow, the pilot, in a very sad voice, announced the score for the england/germany world cup match, and upon his declaration of germany being up a goal, the entire plane except for our group let out a unanimous moan of disdain. from here, the next adventure was customs which was a breeze. then came leg three. the train.

we took a free train from heathrow to paddington station on a luxurious train that marta look as if it was made one hundred years ago and never maintained. we had wifi, luggage holders, and tinted windows for the fifteen minute ride. when we arrived at paddington station and bought our tickets for oxford, we had around a half hour to kill before our train boarded. i was extremely tempted to by a real paddington bear, however i think i'll save that for my next trip to the station when we arrive in london for the last bit of the trip. the train to oxford was less modern and up kept, but it was still first class compared to anything american. one has to push a button to both open and close the doors saving both power and letting the conductor know when the train has filled. the ride was an hour in length, and this is where carly and i met sophie. she was fourteen, looked eighteen, and resembled keira knightley in a staggering manner. she, a very well educated individual, told us what we needed to experience with a great emphasis on shopping, and what she loved about london. she made me question if i was that approachable when i was her age, and if i, now, sound that intelligent and formal when i speak. when the redding stop came, she and her parents left, but not without a friendly goodbye. soon thereafter, we arrived at the oxford train station, met dr, collins' colleague, and walked to our accommodations at venneit close. they are flats with fully stocked kitchens, a washer and dryer combo, and, most importantly, absolutely no hot water. apparently it is just the room duckie and i are in, but it was reported to the head of oxford university's housing, so it is supposed to be back on here shortly. we have two foreign roommates, a young man from asia that does not talk and stays in his room, and a really friendly young woman from the netherlands named ester. after getting settled in our rooms, we went as a group to this amazing restaurant near the heart of oxford called giraffe. the food was amazing, all natural, homegrown, and tasted incredible. i had a salmon filet on wasabi rice and steamed bok choy paired, very nicely of course, with the most beautiful mango and lime daiquiri i have ever seen. we then split as a group where a few of us stayed out later and got the feel of the town, and it was here i discovered it. the crunchie bar. the most amazing thing i have ever tasted. it is a candy that tastes like a heath bar without the sticky feeling that leaves in your mouth. it is a chocolate bar with a wafer center, in fact it may be the same wafer used in a twix, but this wafer comprises the entire bar and is the same thickness as a three muskateers in depth. the middle of the wafer has been injected with some sort of honey mixture thus giving it the sweet factor, quite simply put, it's amazing. oxford does have other amazing aspects however.

one, most everyone here walks or ride bikes. i love this. if i could, i would live like this forever. i love actually being productive and leaving little environmental impact simultaneously. thankfully, dr. collins has gotten us all gym memberships which will be nice the next few weeks.

two, there is actually green space. everywhere. everyone appreciates the landscape.

three, the people are extremely helpful and accommodating. you do get the occasional person who is rude to you because they expect you to be the same, but most are very nice.

lastly, the vehicles are so practical! most are hatchback, two doors, and only seat four people. they all look alike, but they are not ridiculously big like vehicles in the united states. i have seen one suv while being here, a two door burgundy land rover that was probably one foot longer than our old ford festiva growing up. however, i have become somewhat homesick because of them though. especially when i see the hatchback honda civics. why is this? it makes me miss josh and his stupid little black car. and most of the cars are loud just like his. and to think i never thought a hatchback civic was still manufactured.

today has been incredible though. i woke up, got ready for the day, and happened to meet dr. collins in the hall in between our flats on my way to finding breakfast. we ended up going to a cafe called "coffee republic" and got incredibly egg and cheese bagels, but tomorrow i may stop for a croissant. we had a short class period, and when it ended and the lunch break started, i didn't eat but came back to my room to nap. after feeling refreshed, i made the twenty-five minute walk back to the school building where we had two oxford professors come and lecture to us. the first, an elderly gentleman and a ppe major (philosophy/politics/economics) talked to us about the oxford school system and the make up of england's politics. apparently, students going to one of the thirty-six, i believe that's the correct number, campuses which make up oxford university are not required to attend lectures, instead they meet their tutors, what they call their teachers, for a one on one or two students-one tutor meeting once a week. it is a fascinating system, but i think i would miss the dynamics of a classroom. the second gentleman, also an oxford tutor, spoke to us on what makes up the spirit of oxford. i was intrigued by his lecture for he talked mostly on his specialty, music. he then introduced me to a composer named ralph vaughn williams and led me to a particular piece which has completely blown me away upon listening to. i will most likely dedicate an entire post to it, so i won't indulge in its beautiful acoustics or complementary soft, flowing movements quite yet. after the lectures we started our formal tour of the town. we visited jesus college, a welsh college founded with the help of queen elizabeth the first, exeter college with its remarkable chapel, and corpus christi, the inspiration for oglethorpe university. it was a completely oglethorpe experience including the petrel, which they believe is a pelican. each school only has three hundred to six hundred students, and each receive their own room on the campus. we then walked past christopher wren's first building, the bodleian library where we will be visiting tomorrow, and a remarkable school called all souls college. one is able to attend upon invitation only, and you must be a fellow, a graduate, from another school comprising oxford university. one is not able to apply, so it is considered the greatest honor an alumni can have. we then went to christ church, a beautiful anglican cathedral, however it will be tomorrow i'm most excited for. not only do we visit the bodleian library, the library with the most rare and extensive collection of books in addition to being a filming spot for harry potter, but i will also get to attend evensong in the cathedral chapel.

after we had finished our busy tour schedule, it was then time for dinner. and what did i crave? a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. the most impossibly thing to find in oxford. so instead of going out for food, i went grocery shopping. my entire purchase was only £12.83, and that is for a weeks worth of breakfast and lunch. and it was only upon checkout that i realized my obsession with berries. i bought strawberry special k, wheat bread, chunky peanut butter, raspberry jam, tortilla chips, milk, strawberries, and chocolate clusters for my sweet tooth. needless to say, i had the dinner my body wanted back at the flat. ester ate with duckie and i, however she had made an amazing looking and smelling pasta and sausage dish. we then proceeded to watch a show called "jimmy's food factory: second helpings" that was similar to dirty jobs, but instead of working at a variety of labor jobs, he works at food factories and then makes food, such as processed cheese, back at his flat. after an enjoyable half hour of watching this, thinking of josh every second, i was able to skype with him and then sleep until now. two am here, and it is now three so i believe i should turn in about now. but i will leave with an image of jesus college, the only one i was able to take before my camera died. more will come tomorrow, but enjoy this little glimpse of my current heaven.

days, weeks, months, all leading to a year.

time has passed since i have last written. feelings, seasons, relationships have changed. i have changed. i am now engaged to the person i would have never dreamt to be. i am still the same inside though. sometimes at the least. i have come to realize that not everything in life is planned nor is it set in stone. skin cancer, the one thing i thought i would never have to hear about again, has reared it's ugly head. thankfully, i have been spared, but one i love greatly has become its new target. the reemergence of forgotten pain and blocked memories has been staggering. morphine. one word. two memories. both equally powerful. one a yearn, a thirst needing a quench which would never come, and one a release, a literal flushing of small pills with a doctor standing over my shoulder. blinds. a recliner like the one which sits in my living room now, a recliner i despise. and then it gets fuzzy. i remember jeans, but were there slippers or white tennis shoes? was there the white t-shirt whose feeling and smell i can still sense? it has to have been, but five short years have caused me to forget. five years of school, boyfriends, failures, achievements, all causing me to force the only person who gets me through everyday further to the back of my mind. instead i remember simple numbers. no faces. counting. a maple tree, big green leaves. green the color of a crayola green-yellow crayon. his voice. my voice. but no more. but other things change also. it has gotten to the point where i almost feel no permanence in my life. is it cold feet already? not only for the upcoming marriage, but for my future in general. jonah and leah. are they real, will they happen, will they be mine? i fear not having them, never saying the names, but i fear saying them. i feel as if i will lose myself. and i know i will lose josh if they do not become part of our world in our future. my one security in life is failing me. my one lose cannon is what i cannot shake. i do not want the future that comes with it, but it is a future i dwell on, one i wonder if it would spare me some of the emotional roller coaster i ride daily and will continue to ride. images in my mind change. my photography does not for some odd reason. my music remains everywhere, but the passion holds true. my recent frequent attendance at symphonies has only strengthened my connection to the long forgotten past, and it is also what keeps me sane. i close my eyes and imagine i am once again five years old sitting in the front seat of the station wagon in the driveway while my dad is packing the car for the day. i hear the music the same way i did then. it filters into my consciousness as it did all of those times before. it is sectioned and colored, almost similar to the way dumbo sees the elephants when he is drunk. i see pastel colors representing what i am hearing. all because it is what he taught me to do. to listen and appreciate every level and tone the way it needed to be done. so i implore you, listen with your eyes closed to one that i have always loved. let the different movements dance before your eyes and across your mind. take what he shared with me, and share it with others.