Ercassesanwi - November 18th, 2003
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01:03 am
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Leylan Iverindesse ata Eresseasse; I travel in Ireland and Britain
On Tuesday Liz and I set out from St. Andrews by bus to Edinburh. I had everything for a week trip packed in my backpack and purse. I was proud of me. We dropped off our stuff in a locker at the Edinburh train station and set out around the town. We ran into our friend Lindsey in the station, and she suggested we go to one of the two museums. (I don't remember which.)
We went and climbed the Sir Walter Scott monument -- Minas Hithui. We couldn't go up all the way because there was construction on it. But we had a nice view of Edinburh and the castle.
Then we went to the museum. It was huge. We spent a lot of time in the Scottish history part. First we looked at the medieval and early Renaissance displays. I got to see Pictish and early Scottish stuff. It was great. Then we found they had displays on Scottish history from before history -- from before the ice age. We walked through that part. Then Liz and I walked around for a long time looking at other displays like the one on ancient Egypt and the one of insects (there were some beautiful butterflies).
By then our feet hurt. We went to the train station to wait for Stephanie's train to come. We met her and ate at McDonald's. Then we went to the airport and caught our plane to Dublin. Ryanair flights are wonderful -- quick and cheap.
At the airport in Dublin I saw a Western Union and picked up the money my mom had sent me so I wouldn't be destitute for my trip.
Stephanie's house is awesome! It still has the original Art Nouveau stained glass. Their kitchen is what would have been the housekeeper's room. Liz and I stayed in Steph's old room, now the guest room. It has a high, high ceiling. The room was cold at night, too large to heat, but we had lots of warm covers.
Stephanie's sister Cynthia goes to Trinity University in Dublin, and she can get in to see the book of Kells for free and take guests. So on Wednesday she gave Stephanie (who resembles her so much) her card, and she got Liz and me in to see the book of Kells. There were three other illuminated gospels on display too. We got to see a lot of the university.
Then Steph left us, and Liz and I wandered the city. We went to Christ Church, a beautiful cathedral that houses the reliquary of the heart of Archbishop Saint Laurence O'Toole. We went into the crypt, the oldest building in Dublin. Then, because we felt silly going back to the Taylors' house so soon, we visited shops.
After dinner with the Taylors, we went out with Stephanie to meet her boyfriend John. He was nice and cute and Irish. We went to three pubs that night. The first too were too loud and crowded to be enjoyable. I ordered a drink at the first one, and it cost six Euros! Steph and John tried to convince Liz and I that we should be drunk in Ireland, but we really didn't care to be. We took a cab home.
Thursday morning I woke to discover my wallet was not in my purse. I don't know what happened to it. I know I had it at the second pub on Wednesday night because I was nervous and kept my purse between my feet where I could see my wallet inside it. I don't know if it was stolen or if it fell out in the cab or somewhere. But I feel like a complete idiot because I was carrying all the money my mom had sent me, about $400. Everyone says not to carry lots of money all in one place. I hadn't before. I have never lost my wallet before. I was so frustrated. I thought my debit card's expiring was bad. Now all that money is gone and all my ID (except my passport, thank God) is gone. We filed reports with the cab company and with the police, leaving the Taylor's contact information should my wallet turn up. The police said wallets usually turn up with the money gone. In the meantime, I need to pay to get a new St. Andrews matriculation card.
After that fiasco, Stephanie met up with John, and Liz and I wandered some more. We went into Dublin castle, but we couldn't find where tourists were supposed to go. We walked around the main courtyards, glanced into the chapel, and wandered in the gardens. Maybe it's good that we didn't end up spending money there. We also searched and searched for St. Patrick's cathedral because I, upset about my wallet, had left my Dublin map at the Taylors' house. We found it at last, after finding a map in a tourist information building. By this time it was dark. We couldn't see the stained glass well. But we walked into the chapel as the choir was rehearsing. Wow. It was a men and boys choir. I can't express how awesome it was to hear them in there.
We went back to the Taylors' for dinner and then went to hear a world famous violinist! It was such luck for Liz and me. Dr. and Mrs. Taylor had purchased tickets and then had a conflict. So we got to use their tickets. We had front row seats. This man, Maxim Vengerov, made that violin sing. He had three encores, each better than the last. His final encore was a hauntingly beautiful song from an opera. I got chills. We queued up to get his autograph afterward, and Liz got someone to take a picture of all of us with him.
Dr. Taylor, having heard about my wallet, insisted that I borrow 200 Euros. Stephanie's parents were so, so nice. I can't say it enough. Mrs. Taylor packed Liz and me lunches of cheese and tomato sandwiches and banana muffins for our Friday trip to London.
Friday morning we woke early, gulped down some food, and had Dr. Taylor drive us to the airport. Liz and I caught our plane to London. We arrived just before 10:00. We went to the hotel, though we couldn't get into our rooms, and checked in. I glanced at the sheet that had my room number and my roommates' names. We stored our luggage in the luggage room and went to wander London.
First thing we went to King's Cross station for me to purchase a train ticket back to St. Andrews. I did get the train on which I knew Anna would be traveling. (She had called me and told me, finally.) We met up with two of Liz's friends. The four of us walked to the Eye of London, a huge ferris-wheel type thing that takes you up high to view the city. But it cost 11 pounds, so we didn't ride. Nearby was a Salvador Dali museum they wanted to visit. I'm not a big Dali fan, but it was interesting.
We saw the parliament building and Big Ben. We weren't allowed in there. We saw Westminster Abbey -- the desire of my heart -- and walked around the grounds. It was closed for the day. Then we walked up the Mall to Buckingham Palace. By now it was getting dark, and we couldn't see it well. There were American flags up and down the Mall and all around the palace. I had no idea that Bush was coming to visit the Queen, so I didn't know what in the world was going on.
We almost couldn't find the restaurant where Butler had paid for our dinner. Butler had given us directions that said "from the [whatever] tube station exit the restaurant is halfway down on the right." How in the world is one to find anything in London with those directions? But we did, and I got my travel reimbursement of 57 pounds (my train ticket was 56 pounds 10 pence). I also got a T-shirt.
After dinner I went out with Anna, Steve, Anthony, and Clare -- all Butler students. First we went to the hotel so I could put my luggage in my room. Since there were three people per room and only one key, the keys were left at the desk where we could just ask for them. I asked for the key to room 304, brought up my luggage, wrapped up warm, and went out. We met Sarah, and she joined us. We saw Big Ben and the parliament building all lit up in the dark. We crossed the Thames on a couple of bridges. We just wandered because none of us had maps or a good plan as to what to do. When we got back to the hotel we planned how best to spend Saturday. I insisted we be at Westminster Abbey as it opened at 9:30 AM. The sign had said it would close at 1 PM, and I wanted to make sure to get it in.
The desk said the others were in room 304 with the key. I went up and knocked on the door. Then a scary man's voice told me "Go away!" I had put my luggage in the wrong room. Could anything else go wrong on this trip???
It ended up that my luggage had been removed when the occupants of 304 discovered it. It was at the desk. I got the key to my own room 107, went in, and crashed.
I was up at 7:30 Saturday morning. Anna, Clare, Steve, Anthony and I went to Kensington Park and walked around. We saw Kensington Palace from a distance. Then we caught the tube to Westminster Abbey.
We spent two hours there. It was incredible. I refused to be rushed. I saw the tombs of kings including Henry II and Richard III. I saw where Queens Elizabeth I and Mary I are buried together to symbolize the end of the violence of the Reformation. I saw the tomb of Mary Queen of Scots. I touched Chaucer's tomb. I saw the throne where the kings of England are crowned. It had a space for where the Stone of Destiny (or whatever it was) used to be under the seat. We also saw some beautiful 12th century tile in a part that was a monastery.
After the abbey, Anna, Anthony and I went to the Tower of London. We had a guide take us part of the way around. We saw where many famous figures in history were executed. We sat in the chapel where Ann Bolyn is buried. We climbed the White Tower.
Then we went to see the Globe. By now it was darkening. There was a tour, but the sign said the suggested time for a visit was an hour and a half. We were pressed for time because we had a cruise on the Thames that evening. So I looked longingly at the outside.
We went to the Tate museum, right next door. Anthony really wanted to go in. We looked for a bit at the unimpressive modern art exhibit. Then it was time to take the tube back to the hotel and prepare for the costume cruise. We were all to dress in costumes inspired by stops on the London Underground. I wore a black velvet dress and a silky scarf with my hair down to be a queen for the Queensway stop. Sarah dressed as Queen Victoria for the Victoria stop. Others were dressed as Bond girls for Bond street and other interesting costumes.
We were afraid we would be late and that the boat would leave without us, but we made it. We had a lovely dinner. There were some fantastic views of Tower Bridge, Big Ben, etc. There was also a lot of loud music and "dancing."
I crashed again that night, or I tried to. My roommates and another girl stayed up talking with the television on while I was trying to sleep. I couldn't drop off until they quieted down.
I got up early again to go with Anna and Steve to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. It was supposed to be at 10 AM, but it had been rescheduled for 11:30. We missed the brunch Butler had arranged. When it was time, we were smashed in a crown near the gates. We were close to the new guard. We saw them march in, heard the band play, and saw the changing.
Then Anna and I headed to the hotel, got our luggage, bought a Pizza Inn pizza, and headed to King's Cross to catch our train back. It was a six hour ride. Laura had let me borrow another Georgette Heyer book _April_Lady_ for the train. I didn't have a reserved seat since I purchased the ticket so late, but I did get to sit with three nice Butler girls, though a bit talkative. We got back late and split a cab between four of us to get back into St. Andrews. I managed to retain 90 pounds to pay back the Taylors. I think I owe them about 130 pounds.
That was my Reading Week.
Yesterday at Ballads the teachers couldn't make it. We just practiced some of the moves we'd learned earlier. This time we did some partner switching, nice because more girls got to dance with guys and I got to meet more people. I did the rock 'n' roll number with a guy who could lift me, so I got to do the straddle move. It was fun. One of the members demonstrating moves for the jive used me as his partner to model for the class. I did pretty well.
Today I went again to ceilidh lessons with the Celtic society, which I have now joined. It was a blast today. We did a lot of complicated weaving in and out dances and messed up a lot. Then we went to our pub Drouthy Neebors where members get 10% off. I got an Irn Bru. One male member offered to be academic father to Laura and me.
Have I mentioned academic parents before? I don't think so. I'd better do so.
Third and fourth year students can "adopt" first or second year students as academic children. They may or may not help out their children during most of the school year. Their primary function is to help out at the St. Andrews traditional Raisin Sunday. Probably like Cornhuskin', it is to be experienced and not explained. There are several traditions:
On Raisin Sunday the academic mother invites her children to an afternoon "tea" party where they give her a bottle of wine each and she gives them a raisin string, a string of twisted threads (3 colors for 3rd years, 4 for 4ths) with attached objects that are supposed to remind her of the specific child. Then there are "party games galore and plenty of refreshments."
After the tea party, the academic father takes his children "to parties/pubs about the town." He also is to receive a bottle of wine from them. His job according to some if to get his children drunk. For non-drinkers, it is essential to find a father who will not see this as his duty.
One or both parents are to give the child a Raisin Receipt, something "found" -- usually stolen. It can be "anything from a disused filing cabinet to a bust of Lenin." It is to be inscribed in Latin
"Ego (parent's name), Tertianus/a (for 3rd year) or Magistrandus/a (4th year) or Alumnus/a (graduate) huius celeberrimae Universitatis Sancti Andreae, Qui (subject studying) studeo, a te, meo/a bejanto/ina carrissimo/a, qui (subject studying) studet, unam libram uvarum siccarum accepisse affirmo pro qua multas gratias tibi ago."
On Monday the parents are to awaken the child from his probably deep sleep, dress him in a costume, and take him to the quad where he is to participate in a shaving cream fight.
And we thought Cornhuskin' was weird.
Liz was adopted very soon by a girl on her ultimate frisbee team. Fima and I were orphans until about four weeks ago when we were adopted by Helen, a girl in Ballads with us. She is very nice. Then, just tonight, a fellow from the Celtic Society offered to adopt Laura and me as our father. Laura isn't sure she wants to participate.
OK, I need to go to bed. I have to get up tomorrow and get a new matriculation card so I can get into the library and write... more essays!
AM "get straightened out" = BR "get sorted"
AM "good/real/acceptable" = BR "proper"
AM "boy toy" = BR "toy boy"
Current Mood:  frustrated
Current Music: Chicago -- "Look Away"
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