it's a wrap

Laying my head on my pillow last night reminded me that no bed is as comfortable as my bed at home. I was thinking literally, but, of course, this is figurative as well.
As part of the process of wrapping up, I have been asking the students where they would return to in England if the opportunity ever presented itself again. What places and experiences made an impression and made you want more? Plus, if you could come back with a loved one what would you especially want to show them? As I reflect on my time here and these questions, I would have to conclude that Edinburgh and Scotland need more time and exploration. There's a magic there. I would want to find that magic with my loved ones. But this is not an easy choice, for each place and type of experience has been interesting and worthy of more focus. All the reasons for traveling and getting out of yourself have occurred and now the process goes full circle. Home is sweeter and seeing my family tomorrow brings me to tears. Farewell.

london

There has not been a day when I haven't been grateful at some point to sit down and rest. Each day has been physically trying, especially on my legs and feet. There has been much walking on hard (and often uneven) pavement. It's all been worth it, but with the trip at the end, most of us are relieved to have things slow down. Some of the grand plans for further explorations have been curtailed, but with our last day, a couple of students headed off to Oxford while others went to London museums. It has also been mentally taxing, as the students seem to have historical monument fatigue and have little response for the standard tour guide self deprecating humor. I share these sentiments. So, while we wind down, there have only been a few highlights. For all of us the best moment was Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe, maybe the best play most of us ever seen performed. The acting and directing were stellar, full of passion and slapstick. This despite the rain which began the play (then a period of sunshine) and returned after intermission. As groundlings we got soaked, but to little matter. On the same day we visited St. Paul's Cathedral, another example of England's contribution to the world's great buildings. We climbed to the top and saw the immensity of London. Another nice moment for us all was high tea at the Orangery in Kensington Gardens. Students have been busy, however, finishing up all their work. Lingering illnesses have made this hard. (I spent the day in a hospital yesterday with a student with an eye infection. All fine now.) Plus one student's computer crashed and has been using mine (that's one reason for no blog report lately). In these moments it's been a challenge to find the mindspace to capture and summarize the whole experience. I will try that in my next, and probably last, post.

whitby

Whitby must be the fish and chips capital of the world. They do it well, but I must say I don't need to eat fish and chips again for a long time. Three meals in three days in enough. But I found being by the ocean very comfortable for me. Boats, water, marinas are familiar, and I enjoyed the relatively small scale of Whitby. We were there for a weekend, so there was some vacationing crowds. In fact, one special event was the 60's weekend where there were bands playing songs from Herman Hermits, Union Gap and others. I didn't hear the music but our B and B was filled with 60's people who happened to be in their 60's. The weather also brought people out. We experience a dramatic shift from 25c on Friday to 15c on Saturday. They say that Friday, the day we arrived, was the warmest day of the year and certainly it was summer-like. People, kids mostly, were on the beach and in the water (wearing wet suits). The wind was steady and not warm, but it was comfortable in the sun. It showed one side of being on the coast. The next day, Sunday, showed the other side, as the temperature suddenly dropped and the fog rolled in. It has blowing hard and raw all day long. It was a cold front from the North and, given Whitby's location, nothing to block it's path. I walked along the beach at low tide, and the surf was roaring. Still there were sailboats plying their way.

Whitby is known for it's connection to Dracula. The author, Bram Stoker, used incidents and locales from Whitby to craft the original story. We learned all about this on an evening tour that was quite entertaining. I want to read the book now.

Also part of our visit was an optional walk to Robin Hoods Bay. This cliff walk is about 7 miles long and is known in the guide books as one of the top hikes in England. It didn't disappoint. Many operatic views of cliffs on one side and grazing sheep on the other. One student and I stuck together while two students ran the whole way. One student even ran back - quite a feat. This was out last day in Whitby and the weather returned to what we have mostly experienced: cool, mixed sun and clouds, no rain. (They say it has been unusually dry this spring. I have used my umbrella only once this trip.) I had thought to try to walk back, but found one way tiring enough so we took the bus back.


We have now arrived in London, and I feel disoriented. It's so large and busy, but only the first day. We arrived without incident and after unpacking had a group meal at an Indian restaurant. We have had a group meal at each stop, and these have been one of the highlights of this trip. These are nice times for all of us to be together. It's informal, and I have gotten to know each of the students better in these settings.

day off

The challenge with traveling, especially in Britain being that it is so compact and layered with history, is that there always seems to be something new to experience around the corner. You can go on and on. And it starts to blur. Today is our day off from any scheduled activities. A few choose to head off to Glasgow, an hour and half by train. Lucy has headed for the coast for the day while I sit tight. I want to get to know Edinburgh better as in focusing on quality rather than quantity. I visit the Art Museum with its spectacular collection of Dutch (and some Italian) paintings from 16 hundreds. It features, but is not overshadowed by, a poignant self portrait by Rembrandt. Then a stroll along the Scott Memorial, a short stop at the Writers Museum (featuring RLStevenson, Walter Scott, and Robert Burns), with a half hour bench sitting in Grassmarket Square. We have had a small change in the weather with longer periods of sunshine and for the most part being outside is pleasant. Yesterday, a student and I hiked up Arthur's Seat, a notable Highland formation of craggy rock and scrub, with great views of Edinburgh. I've never experienced stronger winds than that at the top. It was hard to stand upright while at the top. I feared being blown off. We didn't last, but were proud that we had weather it.
We head to Whitby tomorrow, so I will have little access to the Internet until arriving in London on Monday. Here are a few pictures that illustrate some aspects of Edinburgh. First, the hike up Arthur's Seat.

Most of the students are tired. If you compare the workload of this 3 week course to a regular semester than each day of this term is equal to a week of the full semester. Each night they has some reading and writing to do, and we have tried to pace things to allow for some downtime. Occasionally our plans break down as they did yesterday. Our intention to visit Holyrood Palace was superseded by the Queen and then our next couple of arrangements also did not work out. We had a good day together, but it tied us up longer than anticipated. The students have had a few encounters with individuals who are negative about Americans. It's eye-opening to see how others see us. Lucy believes that the US needs better public relations. We are seen by others as a land of excess, but sometimes the cost of all that isn't seen by others.
Students have been in a backpackers hostel which has been noisy. A number have come by to visit us in the flat which is a block away. We are in a really nice area called Grassmarket. Here are some pics.

queen

The Queen is here and has impact our trip. She is staying at the Palace of Holyrood which we had planned to visit today. Since she, technically, owns it, we are not invited. There is plenty to do in Edinburgh so we'll be fine, but there are lots of police down the Royal Mile. This is a mile between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace covered with cobblestones and lined with many old buildings and cute shops selling sweaters and tartans. Much to see and do. We will visit the Parliament building and climb Arthur's Seat.
Yesterday's trip to the Highlands was a strong dose of Scottish history. Some of this is covered in films such as Braveheart and Rob Roy. Our guide had definite opinions about the accuracy of these films (Braveheart about 30% accurate, while Rob Roy nearly all right). We also heard a story of Liam Neeson (Rob Roy) running over a cat with his car. We visited the castle that was used in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. We met Hamish, a photogenic Highland long haired bull, and ate lunch by a loch. We finished the day with a distillery tour (a few students stocked up), and a cathedral. All very touristy except the guide was passionate about his country and its history. He brought a storytelling quality to his history, and we learned a great deal. All these stories - the movies, the tourist attractions, the guide - are all lenses for us to understand what we are experiencing.

He told us about the many narrow streets in the Old Town of Edinburgh. They all lead steeply downhill from the Royal Mile (also called High Street), and in the old days emptied into a loch, which is now the botanical gardens. We visited one of these narrow streets today, an exhibit on how people used to live in these tenements, each street was called a "close." These crowded, poorly lit and ventilated structures used the "close" to dump their sewage which then flowed down to the loch. Women who were accused as witches (apparently it didn't take much to justify this accusation) were tossed into this loch with their hands and feet bound together. If they sank then it determined she was not a witch (a comfort for the family, I guess), if she floated then she was a witch. I have heard this story twice now.

A nicer event during this trip happened to me at Edinburgh Castle. I wandered into the chapel which is at the absolute peak of the Castle and is said to be the oldest building in Edinburgh (we're talking hundreds of years). It's small, the size of a dorm room, and for some reason there were not many people around just at this moment. Except for one couple completely intent upon each other. As I stood there, the man got on his knee and proposed to the woman. He opened the ring box and she cried. I felt like I was intruding so I left. But it was such a sweet moment. They were clearly happy.
I have since learned that it is Prince Charles, not the Queen, who is visiting here, taking on a few obligations. It's funny how Lucy sees the British Royalty. As a American, I see them as a quaint anachronism. It's much more for Lucy. She finds comfort in them as if they can be counted to keep the world stable and reasonable. All things in its place.

Edinburgh

I thought I would like Scotland, and I haven't been disappointed. We took a long train, eight hours, from Wales and passed through the Lake District which was as nice as I had imagine, maybe nicer. Eight hours by train is much less tiring than eight hours by car, despite the one stressful scramble when we had to switch trains. I can't post much now, but to quickly summarize we have visited Edinburgh Castle which dominates the skyline of the city, and then spent a day on a bus tour through the Highlands. Both were special. Our touring company was Haggis Adventures, with a bright yellow bus with large words "wild" and "sexy" on the side. Our guide was a young, brash Scot who sprinkled his many comments with swears, saying it was the Scottish way, his good given right to say things as he sees them. More on these trips later.
Several students have had colds, and now it grips me. It's impacts my energy, but I plug along. Fortunately, I am in place were it's easy to do a lot of tea drinking. And tonight I took a bath in our flat. I took one student to the hospital because he feared he had a sinus infection. He was seeking antibiotics in time to go on the Highland tour. It turns out he did not have an infection, just bad lingering cold, but we were both impressed by the service and the non-payment of services. Like others who have traveled abroad, I found that universal health care is a wondrous thing.

wales part two

I didn't expect to see lacrosse in Wales. But here it is. I see a team practicing as I run along the river. However, mostly this week has been the big England vs. Sri Lanka cricket match. A number of guests at the hostel are here for the match. One elderly man, apparently of Indian descent but from Durham EN and passionate about cricket, has been quite friendly in a slightly inappropriate way. He tends repeat his stories such as returning to his bunk here at the hostel and finding a woman asleep in it. It appears that a guest had overstayed, and he made do on the couch downstairs. However, it was so comfortable, he asked the proprietor to stay there again tonight. The cricket fans stream past our hostel on their way to the stadium, mostly packs of males in costume. One group in matching sweats of team colors and each with a different garish, frightening clown wig. Many are in superhero garb, padded suits, shiny and colorful, but not of any established superhero, just someone with some sort, I guess, of superpower. One group is all in doctor's scrubs with stethoscopes. Not sure what to make of this. A few older fans, couples in sensible clothes, navy blue windbreakers and thick soled boots also pass by. The weather this morning, however, is between a mist and drizzle blowing sideways. They won't play on a wet field, so we will see what happens.

A day off is welcome because you can make your own schedule and take a break from traveling companions. I wander over to the National Museum which has both natural history types of displays and art collections. I heard their Impressionism collection is worth checking out, and I find it small but quite nice. Most is okay, but two Cezanne's and three Monet's along the same wall blow me away. I sit and let them keep washing over me. It's incomprehensible how this works.
Using sensory detail in travel writing is one thing that Lucy has emphasized. I thought of this while standing in the ancient cottages at the Museum of Welsh Folklore. The rooms held fireplaces that heated the food and the space. These were shallow fireplaces with wide flanges, and smoke hovered in these low ceiling cottages. Being a rainy, cool day some cottages had fires going. Not a bad smell, but it's not hard to imagine it becoming tiresome (and unhealthy) over time.
Despite the interest in the cricket match, Wales is suppose to be rugby mad. I had hope to see some, but it's not to be. Across from our hostel is the famous Millennium Stadium where big time rugby games are held. Despite the glowing comments in the guidebooks, I find this structure a monstrosity. Here a few pics as well as some from the pedestrian main thoroughfare in Cardiff.

country

The strains of travel remind you of what you like and dislike. That's the point - to expose yourself to new things while keeping the old comforts within sight. Certainly I prefer the countryside to the city scenes, and am claustrophobic in crowds. I hate to wait in crowded situations and museums/historical sites have clots of tourists standing in front of the view I am trying to get to. Bath has this with the Roman Baths and Stonehenge. But yesterday's tour of the Welsh coast was more relaxing to me, my favorite day of the trip so far. We went to Tenby, a small resort town, about two and half hours by train. The train passed through classic pastoral scenery, sheep dotting patchwork hillsides. Tenby is on the ocean with pastel houses in rows. (No homeless or beggers to be seen.) We took an open boat out to Caldey Island where there was a monastery and ocean views. Walking along the cliffs reminded me of Ireland with the hardy plants, the craggy rocks, the crashing surf and stoic cattle all mixed together. The seagulls floated and wheeled. It was windy and cool, but with periods of strong sun. A number of times I peel layers on and off to keep up. (No rain although the day before, and now, the day after are wet.)

It was a long day. We left at 9 and returned at 9. This group of students has been fantastic - adventurous, adaptable, agreeable. Some are best of friends (and chose this trip together), while some are not, but they are sensitive to each other and are inclusive and friendly. A situation like this can be difficult with the wrong mix of people, but with this group there is no whining, no drama. A level of familiarity grows as we are thrown together and need to coordinate ourselves. I find each likable, and appreciate getting to know them individually. It's been a week, and today is a day off, something the students have been looking forward to (Lucy and me, too). Earlier there were some grand plans anticipating this day, but now most of us what to stay close, relax, catch our breath and do laundry.

location, location, location

A deservedly slow day. We visited the Museum of Welsh Folklore which reminded me of Sturbridge Village in Mass. There were many rustic cottages from different eras and of different lifestyles from the old days. Also some craft people practicing the old ways of show making, weaving, etc. It was all well done and much of it interesting. It was blustery with spitting showers so that slowed us down a bit. We retired back to the Backpackers Hotel by early afternoon to dry off and rest. Tonight a group meal within the large pedestrian downtown area of Cardiff. Our hotel is centrally located. Here is a photo of where we are staying and a view looking out the front door. We are next to the River Taff and across from the Millennium Stadium. More on that later.

Wales part one

I love that daylight lingers until 10pm. You know how you wish for an extra hour per day; it suddenly feels like that. My evening meal is often later than from back home, sometimes seven, but more often eight or nine. (Last night, a jacket potato with beans. Don't ask, it's what it sounds like.) And the light of these long days seems special, a sunset that softens and even with the sun gone the sky remains gently lit. In fact, I can't remember now if I have seen a dark night with stars and moon while in England. Not like home at least. I assume there are moon sightings in UK. I'll keep looking.

There is a bit of fiction in travel writing, an ostensibly non-fiction account . The authors we study make generalizations (Jan Morris on the Welsh character) or employ personification (Peter Sagar on the enveloping arms of Bath). Paul Theroux simply invents names for people he observes. He's convinced these are their correct names and uses this device to assign personal qualities. I guess that what we do. We are story makers.

Yesterday, I went for a run along the river here in Cardiff. I pass by fields of football (soccer) and cricket playing. Coming toward me at a brisk trot are four soldiers in pairs carrying packs. In the lead corner appears a grizzled veteran, lean, fit and focused, and the youngsters that follow have this nervous look on their faces. After crossing the river and heading back along the other side, I pass a large field with a stream of people, mostly women in pink, marching toward a finish line. The PA announcer and hordes of supporters are exhorting them on. It appears over a thousand people are there, and the energy is palpable. As someone who has done benefit events, I find this moving and appreciate what this is about. I run faster and things feel, somehow, more like home.

Bath (Abbey): Where Heaven and Earth Meet

Travel writing, like all writing, is as much about the writer as the subject. Visiting a country such as England is deceptive because overlaps exist and values align. There are the obvious differences - centuries of preserved history - and the less overt, but still physical manifestations - narrow streets with bicyclists in high tech gear but nary a helmet. Bath's traffic intersections are as haphazard and confusing as Brattleboro's. Except to locals who zip through. We share that.
To find about attitudes, I have been looking through a sampling of English newspapers. Of course, Barak's visit is big news. It's suggested, with all the more pressing issues, that England has little to offer him except the opportunity for statesmanship and photo ops. Certainly, the shots with the royal family are getting more press than the apparently casual conversations about Libya and Afghanistan. I did note comments about how Obama's father's Kenyan colonial past would have potential influenced his perspective upon England, and the "kerfuffle" about removing the bust of Churchill from the Oval Office. I wouldn't have thought of these items except from a English perspective they make sense. The biggest headlines today appear to be on how Kate outshone Michelle. It's funny how the cost of the different dresses seems important. So, not only did Kate outfashion Michelle, but she did it in a 175 pound "frock." Meanwhile Sam Cameron shows up with designer dress of over 2000 pounds, and shoes of 4oo. I'm amused.
Today, I am repacking for our next stop - Wales. In my original packing, there was a lot of pressure to be economical but thorough. Living out of a backpack and visiting an area of variable weather required some thought. I wondered at the time which items I brought might prove more worthy than others. Now this is shaking down. I wish now that I had a better long sleeve shirt and a novel to escape to. And it appears now that two pairs of shorts are extraneous. Whatever. Part of traveling is making do. I'm sure Barak feels the same.
Goodbye Bath. I love the curved architecture.

Bath Wrap

We are wrapping up our two day stay in Bath. This area is a jumble of history - Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, Stonehenge. As our bus tour guide said at one point today, "Now let's go from prehistory to history" as we visit Lacock Village with all the houses built between 1300-1600. Despite the many types of people, one theme that seems to bind this area together is spiritualism. The things people do for religion - Bath Abbey with it's vaulted ceilings and stained glass, Roman Baths with temples and carvings, Stonehenge with stones of many tons hauled many miles and then precisely aligned. People need to find meaning, discover meaning, or simply have meaning in their lives. Perhaps this final way is the best way to describe it. There was no compartmentalizing of life and belief. And belief fueled these powerful and physical testaments. I was impressed by their efforts, but felt some absence of belief. The guides would all say "imagine what it was like 1000/2000/4000/6000 years ago." I tried imagining but mostly just pondered what strange beasts we humans are. Anyway, as Lucy has tried to impress upon the students, we need to activate our lens. Focus and discover something of these cultures and bring it back to your experience. What then do you learn from your culture? I'm not sure I have found my lens.



One thing Sara did was describe foods, so I can take a food detour for a moment. Not that this feels like a lens, but I have been disappointed with my last two pub lunches. Based on my experiences in Ireland, I had high hopes of our lunch stops. However, I guess I haven't chosen well. Fish and Chips was mushy and tasteless, and Pork Pie has stone cold and fatty. In both cases the chips were okay, but it's hard to make a meal with french fries. I had better success with dinner in a Tapas restaurant, but that's not English food exactly. These dining out experiences do allow me to reflect on my culture, however. First, in my early morning search for coffee I kept looking for people to be carrying paper coffee cups (to clue me in to where to go). But this wasn't to be. People like coffee - and tea - but not on the run. So, why do we like to have our hot beverages on the go like that? Second, was the absence of giving tips to waiters. They are paid through the bill, and service has a different approach. It's slower. You will sit forever unless you ask for the check. They don't seem to want to get you fed and out to be able to seat more customer. Again, a reflection about our expectations about service and the commercialism of the restaurant biz.