As I write this, I am sitting in my very own dorm room at Oxford! Alex and I are on our own little floor and my room is directly above the office of John Wesley (the founder of the Methodists and most famous Lincoln College alumnus). I can sit in my window and look out over the dreaming spires at last. 

       Today we got up and said goodbye to St John's College and I had to leave my cute little Durham room. Since I never posted a picture of it before, here is my room as it was when I left it for the last time this morning. 

        After a quick breakfast, the "wheels were rolling" at 8 am...except it was really 8:20--but nobody got left behind! Yay! We drove south for about 2 hours before stopping at Hardwick Hall, the 16th century manor home of Elizabeth of Shrewesbury (nicknamed Bess of Hardwick) who was a contemporary and friend of Queen Elizabeth I. 

          There were two houses there, the "Old Hall" which is a gutted ruin--the family sold the stone in the 19th century during a period of booming industry--and the "New Hall" which is the home built by Elizabeth. 

From the Top of Old Hall

Front of New Hall--See the ES initials? :)

Malfoy Manor in the Film

        I would have enjoyed a guided tour or simply having more knowledge beforehand, but it was a splendid house and ENORMOUS. Its main feature were the huge tapestries that seemed to cover every wall. The problem with tapestries is that they deteriorate pretty badly over time, so these masterpieces of weaving--one awe-inspiring--looked only a shine better than gray, dirty rags. The National Trust is trying to have them restored by the cost is terrible. 

Detail from one of the Gideon Tapestries (look at the holes and the color!) 

 Bess' receiving area in the Grand Hall

 The Long Hall full of portraits 

Portrait of Elizabeth I in Hardwick (Bess gave her the dress)

        I was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the house and by the sheer will of such an independent 16th century woman! After a nice long break at the estate, we reboarded the bus for about another 2 hours of travel. I was able to sleep most of the way and the trip went very fast! Before I knew it we were on the Ring Road about Oxford, and not long after that we were pulling up in front of Lincoln College! Pretty quickly we were reunited with Sally, who gave us our room keys, which leads me to my tour video: 

      The Point: I love my room!! 

       Anyways I heckled the Eastern track from my seat in my window, and then we all took a tour of campus, which was mostly just standing in one of the three quads while Sally explained important things. It was so nice to see the Easterners again after a week apart! After that we made our way to our first dinner in the dining hall. A quick game of musical chairs which I lost left me at the table with only four students and faculty, but that turned out to be really fun! It was a three course meal, which is to be the norm while we are here! There is a butler and a chef, with a wait staff to take care of us, kind of like Downton Abbey actually... For dinner there was a bisque with crutons and sunflower seeds, followed by chicken topped with a red sauce and mushrooms, ending in a very dense piece of chocolate cake! I really enjoyed the food, though I found it a little fast-paced and had trouble finishing what I had before it was whisked away and something else brought out! 

        Then we were left with several chores: we put our passports in the safe in the ES office, then went across the street to buy our textbooks from Stevens, who teased me by ignoring me and cackling while he helped the people behind me--don't worry, I finally got what I needed! I am now all unpacked and ready for 6 weeks here!! Feeling very blessed indeed!