My time at Cambridge is over. :( I'm really quite sad, as I won't be back next year, even if the worst happens come exam time. It has truly been an amazing experience being able to come and study here, being part of the atmosphere of such an historic place. Oh it's been fantastic.
This week has flown by. My 3 classes have each been quite helpful, atlhough I must admit the best was EU law - the teacher was phenomenal and the class notes will really help set things straight re Treaty of Lisbon. It's been fun to reconnect with my friends from previous years, and make some new ones. I've spent time wandering the city, going into colleges, looking at the Cam, and even had a little R&R at some of the local night time watering holes.
Tomorrow I head down to Maidenhead to see my Aunt and Uncle, and then I fly home Sunday afternoon. This trip has just flown by and I come home to the chaos of exams. I won't really exist for the next few months, but that's pretty normal for March, April and May it seems.
Thank you, Cambridge, you've been fantastic. I will miss you.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Glastonbury on the Solstice!!
Yesterday I hit up Buckfast Abbey (working monestary, cool church), Dartmouth Castle (everything about that place was awesome, the town is so pretty!), Cockington (wicked crafts village with mideval buildings all over the place) and Kents Caverns (oldest caves with human habitation going waaaay back). It was a grim day again, weather wise, but a nice slower pace day to end the trip.
Today, March 21, was the spring solstice, and I got to be at Glastonbury, climbing the Tor!! How cool is that?! I went to the Abbey first which was very lovely and peaceful, and said hi to King Arthurs burrial sites (funny how within a 3 days span I visited his birth place and burrial site...). I saw the chalice well, where the holy grail is supposedly burried, and then climbed way up the Tor (ie Island of Avalon). It was all pretty awesome, and it was heightened by all the pagan/druid/alternative people around!
I also visited Wells Cathderal and Cheddar Gorge today, both were very cool as well.
I'm now settled in my room at Cambridge. Over the past week I drove over 2000KM's and saw so much!! I still want to see more, so Devon and Cornwall will have to put up with me again in the future. Now that I'm here with more sturdy internet, I'll try upload photos to flickr, classes permitting.
Today, March 21, was the spring solstice, and I got to be at Glastonbury, climbing the Tor!! How cool is that?! I went to the Abbey first which was very lovely and peaceful, and said hi to King Arthurs burrial sites (funny how within a 3 days span I visited his birth place and burrial site...). I saw the chalice well, where the holy grail is supposedly burried, and then climbed way up the Tor (ie Island of Avalon). It was all pretty awesome, and it was heightened by all the pagan/druid/alternative people around!
I also visited Wells Cathderal and Cheddar Gorge today, both were very cool as well.
I'm now settled in my room at Cambridge. Over the past week I drove over 2000KM's and saw so much!! I still want to see more, so Devon and Cornwall will have to put up with me again in the future. Now that I'm here with more sturdy internet, I'll try upload photos to flickr, classes permitting.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tintagel!
Yesterday I spent time in Exeter (awesome cathedral), Honiton (didn't find lace, but did find pottery), the Blackdown Hills (complete with Canadian memorial), Beer (picturesque) and Ottery St. Mary (a mini replica church of Exeter's cathedral). It was a slower paced day, but still really cool.
Today was the huge highlight - Tintagel Castle!!! I've wanted to go there since I was really small, and it's a true dream come true that I've finally been. It lived up, and surpassed my expectations, I was really pleased. Plus I was all alone at the site, so I really got to get into the magic of the place. Photos will be posted later. I also visited the port town of Bude, and a really cool Victorian mansion called Lanhydrock - I would totally recomend it to anyone in the area - even though it was expensive, it was worth it!
So that's the super quick update for now! :)
Today was the huge highlight - Tintagel Castle!!! I've wanted to go there since I was really small, and it's a true dream come true that I've finally been. It lived up, and surpassed my expectations, I was really pleased. Plus I was all alone at the site, so I really got to get into the magic of the place. Photos will be posted later. I also visited the port town of Bude, and a really cool Victorian mansion called Lanhydrock - I would totally recomend it to anyone in the area - even though it was expensive, it was worth it!
So that's the super quick update for now! :)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Dartmoor and West Cornwall
Dartmoor
Saw: Holne, Hound Tor, Castle Drogo, Fingle Bridge, Okehampton Castle, Lydford Castle & Church, the road to Merrivale, Buckland Abby. Favourites = Hound Tor and Buckland Abby. The moor is just beautiful, peaceful, remote and impossible to drive with any sense of direction. One way streets, but they're actually two way streets, so having an SUV is great, sometimes, but terrible other times.
West Cornwall
Saw: Penzance (arr), Lands End, Ballowall Burrow, Levant Mine, scenic drive to St. Ives, St. Ives, St. Michaels Mount (from distance), LONG drives (2.5 hours each way to get to West Cornwall). Best was being at Lands End (ignoring the junk in the area), and then the lovely drive to St. Ives - so beautiful! I waved to Canada - the closest I'll ever be to it, while in England.
I'll try post some photos next week when I have better internet access. I'll also try describe things better, but I'm tired and lazy and sleeping.
Saw: Holne, Hound Tor, Castle Drogo, Fingle Bridge, Okehampton Castle, Lydford Castle & Church, the road to Merrivale, Buckland Abby. Favourites = Hound Tor and Buckland Abby. The moor is just beautiful, peaceful, remote and impossible to drive with any sense of direction. One way streets, but they're actually two way streets, so having an SUV is great, sometimes, but terrible other times.
West Cornwall
Saw: Penzance (arr), Lands End, Ballowall Burrow, Levant Mine, scenic drive to St. Ives, St. Ives, St. Michaels Mount (from distance), LONG drives (2.5 hours each way to get to West Cornwall). Best was being at Lands End (ignoring the junk in the area), and then the lovely drive to St. Ives - so beautiful! I waved to Canada - the closest I'll ever be to it, while in England.
I'll try post some photos next week when I have better internet access. I'll also try describe things better, but I'm tired and lazy and sleeping.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Dorset Day
Today my adventure involved picking up my rental car (now an SUV ack!) from Heathrow and making my way down to Torquay, in Devon, with some tourism in between.
As I drove through Wiltshire I stumbled upon an old friend - Stonehenge! I didn't realize I was in the area until I was driving past it. I gave it a big wave!
Then came Sherborne, where I saw an old Castle, which was built on top of an Iron Age fort, as well as the 'new' castle, build by Sir Walter Raleigh back in Lizzy 1's day.
On the way to Dorchester I saw the Cerne Abbas giant - google him, he's a little xxx... Then I climbed up Maiden Castle, a HUGE Iron Age fort, I can't describe how big, but you could easily land a plane on it.
The disapointment of the day was Nine Stones, which, remarkably, was 9 stones in a circle, next to the road, with a chopped down tree in the middle. Most exciting part was the wickan praying to/at the tree and giving me 'frustrated tranquility' looks while I snapped photos.
Had a look at the Abby ruins and St. Catherines Chapel at Abbotsbury, and then drove along the Jurassic Coast for while - the south coast is beautiful!!! Then hit the motorway through Exeter and eventually arrived in Torquay. My hotel is fantastic, very welcoming and homelike, I'd really reccomend it (the Aveland Hotel, Torquay).
I walked around town for a late dinner, and now I'm researching tomorrow adventure in Dartmoor. Hope all is well at home!
As I drove through Wiltshire I stumbled upon an old friend - Stonehenge! I didn't realize I was in the area until I was driving past it. I gave it a big wave!
Then came Sherborne, where I saw an old Castle, which was built on top of an Iron Age fort, as well as the 'new' castle, build by Sir Walter Raleigh back in Lizzy 1's day.
On the way to Dorchester I saw the Cerne Abbas giant - google him, he's a little xxx... Then I climbed up Maiden Castle, a HUGE Iron Age fort, I can't describe how big, but you could easily land a plane on it.
The disapointment of the day was Nine Stones, which, remarkably, was 9 stones in a circle, next to the road, with a chopped down tree in the middle. Most exciting part was the wickan praying to/at the tree and giving me 'frustrated tranquility' looks while I snapped photos.
Had a look at the Abby ruins and St. Catherines Chapel at Abbotsbury, and then drove along the Jurassic Coast for while - the south coast is beautiful!!! Then hit the motorway through Exeter and eventually arrived in Torquay. My hotel is fantastic, very welcoming and homelike, I'd really reccomend it (the Aveland Hotel, Torquay).
I walked around town for a late dinner, and now I'm researching tomorrow adventure in Dartmoor. Hope all is well at home!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
I came, I studied, I eventually slept...
Day 1 - it was a 32 hour day, involving 2 flights, 8 hours of school and 3 cups of caffiene tea. But, I'm here, I've been mildly educated and after a long day, I eventually pulled a 10 hour sleep!
Arriving in London has felt, in many ways, like arriving at home. This is my second city, I know it really well, and as I was living here just last July and August, it doesn't really feel like I've been gone that long.
School was interesting and made me wish I had more in person instruction in general, as one of the professors was absolutely fantastic. I hope my class today is as exciting.
Tomorrow I pick up my rental car at Heathrow and start my journey to Devon/Cornwall. I'm very excited about the trip, it's been a dream of mine for ages. I'll try keep this updated with my impressions, and depending on the internet there, will also post photos. Worst case, I'll update these posts with photos when I'm settled at Cambridge next week.
For now, London awaits.
Arriving in London has felt, in many ways, like arriving at home. This is my second city, I know it really well, and as I was living here just last July and August, it doesn't really feel like I've been gone that long.
School was interesting and made me wish I had more in person instruction in general, as one of the professors was absolutely fantastic. I hope my class today is as exciting.
Tomorrow I pick up my rental car at Heathrow and start my journey to Devon/Cornwall. I'm very excited about the trip, it's been a dream of mine for ages. I'll try keep this updated with my impressions, and depending on the internet there, will also post photos. Worst case, I'll update these posts with photos when I'm settled at Cambridge next week.
For now, London awaits.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
time's run out
sigh.
Well, not quite sigh. There's still hope.
I leave in just over a week. I have more than a weeks worth of work to do, but I've got a plan to get the bare bones of it done before I get on the plane. Hopefully that is enough.
I wouldn't trade my Olympic experience for anything, so I shall accept the consequences of all this in May.
For one more time "GO CANADA GO!!!"
Well, not quite sigh. There's still hope.
I leave in just over a week. I have more than a weeks worth of work to do, but I've got a plan to get the bare bones of it done before I get on the plane. Hopefully that is enough.
I wouldn't trade my Olympic experience for anything, so I shall accept the consequences of all this in May.
For one more time "GO CANADA GO!!!"
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