Alex is here!

The Cambridge Travel Co.

On February 1st, Alex in my MA option arranged for our group to have a day trip to Cambridge. Since I've spent so much time in Oxford in the past, I was eager to go to Cambridge and see how the two compare. At 11, two others in my MA and I boarded a train in King's Cross to meet the others there for an adventure. 

We had a marvelous time, visiting the chapel at King's College:

 Eating the best scotch eggs I've ever had:

 Poking around an antique bookshop:

 Going to a manuscripts handling session at Trinity College:

And finally attending a lecture featuring Paul Binksy and Mary Carruthers (so brilliant). I also saw the original Cambridge Satchel Co ... 

I didn't get home until 10:40 and I was one of the first to go! 

My thoughts on Cambridge: It was a very lovely place, but nothing so special as the dreaming spires of Oxford. And I'm not biased at all. What key difference? The college courts (not quads in Cambridge, oh no), are much, much larger than anything in Oxford, which is cramped with smaller quads. Kings and Trinity were both absolutely enormous. Getting a chance to interact with manuscripts in their library including the Trinity Apocalypse, the masterwork of their collection, was an unparalleled opportunity and the most freedom I've ever had touching these objects. Amazing!

 

Return and Lumiere London

So I'm back! Where to begin?

Well, for starters, I met an unwanted sight when I got back to Duchy House 3P on Sunday last.

Gross, right? Yeah. It wasn't that bad when I left, but when I got back there was horrible mold on the veiling and the floor was soaking wet. Duchy informed me that I would be moving. So after one awful night coughing away from poisonous mold, I moved across the hall to my new room, which I love! I have a non-functioning fireplace now. And a beautiful view. All in all very happy with it.

Classes have begun again and they've all been extraordinarily wonderful. John is in Siena this week so we're working Alixe. The second assessed essay is fast approaching and I don't have a start yet--the time constraints on this term are more arduous than last term for assignments. I've taken several beautiful walks around St James' Park since I got back. Last Thursday we had a Postgraduate back-to-school party that ended up being a little more than any of us anticipated.

The coolest thing i've done since being back was attend the light festival Lumiere London! Arranged around the city were fifteen or sixteen light installations meant to delight London residents in the midst of cold January. We had a great time tromping around trying to find them, and even got a snow flurry or two along the way. Brr was it cold. 

 Westminster Abbey

 The R in Centre Point, displayed in Trafalgar Square

 This showed all sort of different faces

Three cheers for London!

Christmas Holiday!

And then ... I got to go home!! My parents were waiting for me in Christmas hats at the airport.

What a wonderful and busy Christmas it was! I visited family in Mountain Home AND Nashville, not to mention spent a very happy new year in Memphis with Kyleigh. We got to go over to her brother's house and hear his band Agori Tribe play at midnight, which felt like exactly what you should do in Memphis at New Years. Alex visited as well for a few much-anticipated days. I loved having that time with all the important people in my life, and I admit it was in some ways difficult to return. I've never been away from home for 6 whole months before. I was relieved, however, that when I landed in Heathrow and walked in to the arrivals gate, it felt a little like coming home, too.

Here are a few pictures from a very happy time at home.

End of Term Highlights

With the term's end swiftly approaching, I have only a few more things of note to mention that I did.

1) Highgate Cemetery: Ride the Tube up the Northern to Highgate and you will find an old Victorian Cemetery with a really KILLER ambiance ... haha. The cemetery is constructed in two parts, and Karl Marx is buried there in the new part. It lay abandoned for part of the 20th century which makes it just slightly derelict adding to its charm. We took a tour of the old half including the interesting Pharoah's hall, the catacombs, the tombstone of Lizzy Sadall, wife and muse of Rosetti. It was definitely one of my favorite things I've done so far and I would recommend it to anyone coming to London.

 

 

2) Bend it Like Beckham: This was a really fun and enjoyable West End show that we got very cheap and VERY good tickets for just the night before. Loved the sets and the interpretation, all in all very entertaining night out :)

3) The Winter Ball: Held at a Surrealist club near the Tower, this was the second ball of the term. The food wasn't as good and neither was the location as the first ball, but the party really got going and we  all loved the dancing. Was it a little wild? Well, naturally. Such a fun last hurrah with friends before the time away.

4) The Courtauld Carol Service: I had the wonderful opportunity to sing at the Courtauld Carol service this year with other students as we celebrating Christmas together. There were readings and lots of hymns, and it was such a joy to be singing again. Afterwards, we convened at the Institute for mulled wine and minced pies.