Exciting New Plans:)

After learning more about Lady Katie Percy's wedding in 2011, I was very sad that Kari and I would miss Lady Melissa Percy's wedding this June because we would be backpacking Europe. However, after a bit of research, I found a very good deal on flights from Spain which wouldn't disrupt our trip too much. So, now its official. Kari and I are going to be in town for the big day! Of course, we won't actually be going to the wedding, but we will be able to watch the grand procession to and from St. Michael's Church. There will also be festivities in town and a brilliant display of fireworks to end the evening. Technically, we only have booked our flight from Barcelona to Newcastle and there are plenty of other details which need to be arranged, but its a start and we will be getting there!! These hassles will include finding accommodation since every place in and near town is fully booked, but I am positive things will sort themselves out in time. Overall, I am very excited to be taking this once in a lifetime opportunity!:)

Alnwick Castle

Today was the first day of the castle's public season. The Percy family has left for their Scotland home and the tourists have come in crowds. After getting groceries in town, I quickly headed outside to take some photos before the people came flooding in. It was a beautiful morning with the sunshine and bright blue sky. I went on several tours and learned so much more about the Percys and the history of the castle. I walked through the state rooms. Its crazy how in one day, the castle switched from a home to a museum-like tourist attraction. 

The castle with the Union jack flying over it. 

This was sorta odd to see since I am used to the Percy flag flying instead. 

The Clock Tower, which was once used as a water tower.

Access to St. Cloud State is in that archway and to the right. 

 

The courtyard of Hunter's Block, newly stocked with cafe seating. 

Our entry door. 

The Inner Bailey

The Gun Terrace

The Inner Keep

Fun facts about the Alnwick Castle:
- Its never been conquered.
- It was built in wood in 1066.
- At least 200,000 visitors come to tour it every year.

I learned a lot more than that, but I won't bother with all the other details. But, I do have them written down so I don't forget all the new knowledge I learned today! The best part is that St. Cloud student get into everything for free because we live here. So, I can take as many tours as I want:)

Keukenhof Gardens, Holland

Of course, it wasn't the display that it ought to have been. Nevertheless, the Keukenhof Gardens were indeed still very beautiful:) Holland on the other hand was not so pretty, mainly because the areas I saw were heavily industrial.

Tuesday I spent five hours on buses getting to the sea port Hull. In the evening, the Pride of Hull left for Holland. I was very sea sick that night. I did not enjoy it very much. Then, in the morning. I had quite a bit of trouble getting past the border agency. All immigration officers are convinced I am a foreign alien trying to sneak into the county. I had to get the bus driver to vouch for me. Spent five hours exploring the grounds of Keukenhof. At least there were indoor flowers which were blooming. The next morning, I had trouble getting back into the UK despite my visa. Apparently, it was extremely odd for me to be going alone to Holland to see the tulip gardens. For heaven's sake, its spring time and they are world famous. Crossing borders is such a hassle and the persistent questioning gets a little unnerving. I am seriously getting a headache just from thinking about it. Then, I spent many hours on buses getting back to Alnwick. Its good to be home. Overall, Holland was alright. Hopefully, my trip to Bruges, Belgium next week will be better.

Last night, I met a former Alnwick student who was traveling England with her two young boys. I gave her a tour around the castle and we hung out and talked about travel. During her stay at the castle, she actually went to Tunisia on her break with some friends. She had some interesting stories about her experience there. I also learned that in their culture women have very few rights. So, all these American girls coming in on their own with no males is quite foreign to them. She said that she could see how easy it would be to get lost in their marketplaces and towns, due to the network of small alleys and dark corners. She even went on a two day Sahara tour, camping out in the middle of the dessert and visiting ancient Roman ruins. Overall, she said she enjoyed the trip to North Africa, but Italy was way better.

Right now, most of the other students are away in various parts of Europe. I am looking forward to sharing our travel experiences when everybody returns for the start of classes on April 8th.

 

 

 

The scheming didn't work.

Unfortunately, I won't be rescheduling my trip. Its too bad about the garden, but I am going to try to stay positive and think about my North Sea cruise and my stop in Holland, not the bloom-less garden. I will be getting on a bus at 7:50 from Alnwick going down to Newcastle, so that I can catch the holiday coach which takes me down to the sea port.

This morning I woke up early to try to talk with two different travel companies. I am always wasting money away while waiting on hold. This got me a little frustrated so I went to the kitchen. From scratch, I made a chai latte and attempted to make chai meringues. I did not have an electric mixer so my hand whisking wasn't enough to whip it up to the right consistency. So, I resorted to chai cookies. I must admit; they didn't turn out so good. But, overall, I was in a better mood by the end of it.

During the afternoon, I volunteered at the Salvation Army thrift store. We switched over the winter clothes to the spring clothes. I really enjoy working there, but I really have a hard time understanding what the employees are saying. Their accents are very thick, half the time I just nod and smile cause I don't have a clue what they just said. I only am required to do an hour and half more service hours to meet my ten hours for my Brit 201 class. Overall, I am trying to complete as much homework as I can while we are on break because I don't want to have to worry it when the weather is warmer and the program is near its end.

Tonight, I am going out to the town hall to inquire about stewarding for the passion play which will be performed in the town square. And I will be picking up my bottle of wine from Mary, since she will be there rehearsing for her part in the play. After that, I just will be getting ready to leave for Holland in the morning:)

A grand kickoff for Holy Week!

I went to my usual Sunday worship service to celebrate Palm Sunday. I heartily enjoy our small, close knit community. For lunch, my homestay family had me over. We had a delicious pork roast with vegetables, followed by the usual courses of wine, cheese, and crackers, fruit, dessert and coffee. Chris, Mary, and I spent the afternoon pouring over their holiday scrapbooks. I don't remember how many times they have been to Italy. ha. Soon enough, it was half past six and time to head to St. Paul's Catholic Church for a concert: Handel's Messiah. The Hallelujah chorus was my favorite piece. It was phenomenal to hear live. Mary and I worked as volunteers before and after the show. We helped with the raffle and serving of wine during intermission. It ended up being a four hour ordeal and I enjoyed every minute of it. Martin, another church volunteer, ended up giving me a bottle of red wine at the end of the night since it was left over and half gone. I wasn't sure for sure if I could bring it into the castle because we are not allowed to drink in St. Cloud State's section of the castle. Anyways, Mary offered to take it home with her for me until I ask Wade about it. Some other girls told me as long as Wade knows about it I should be fine. I plan on saving it for a picnic in Hulne Park with some cheese and crackers:) 

St. Paul's - Just look at the stained glass in the window!

Memorial for Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland. 

I loved the lion at his feet, what a nice touch. 

The inside houses many works of the Italian artisans

 who also created works for the chapel in Alnwick Castle. 

On a unfortunate note, I have some bad news for my trip to Holland. I read about the Keukenhof Gardens online and the garden is all mud with no blooms due to the cold winter and spring. It said that the indoor displays were nice, but the whole point is the outdoor areas. I might do a little bit of gambling. I am going to call the travel company tomorrow morning and ask if I could post-phone my booking for a later date. I tried to due this earlier, but the cruise ship no longer had any single cabins on the later date. So, I might move my trip by booking a twin room and paying for two tickets. Yes, risky. But, this would guarantee blooms and I would try to ask someone to come with me on the trip and have them pay me for the extra ticket. The only problem is that all the other students will have already flown home at this time. So, I am going to have to ask Mary and Carol about it or see if any of the lovely ladies from St. Michael's would like go to with me. However, if the cost of changing the trip is not worth the trouble then I guess I will be seeing the indoor gardens after all.

Berwick and Lindisfarne

Last night was our castle dance party in the dining hall. After our last class, we all got dressed up nice and went out to the pubs to celebrate Erica's birthday. Then, we came back danced into the early hours of the morning, cooked a meal of pasta, and went to bed. 

Kirstie and I

Today, I experienced wind on a whole new level. It was incredibly powerful. Our first stop was Berwick Upon Tweed which is a town on the border of England and Scotland. We got to walk along the Elizabethan ramparts which were built in defense against the Scots. It was a bit of a loss, since they were never used seeings that the crown then passed to James VI of Scotland who then became James I of England, uniting the two countries. After our walk around town, we all split up and went to various cafes to warm up. Next stop was Lindisfarne/Holy Island. This island can be accessed by a causeway when the tide is out, however, the wind was so strong the water was hardly out enough for crossing. St. Cuthbert is the most famous saint of Holy Island, both for his works in life and death (his body didn't decay for centuries, it had somehow been preserved and no one can figure out how it happened). We took a short walk through the small village and toured the priory on the island. Soon, we were set free to search the beach for St. Cuthbert beads, which are small, round fossils found in the sand. I found 16, but they are all very small. Erica found a huge one, which looked very similar to a button. She actually picked it up thinking it was a button, but upon further examination realized the great treasure she had come across. Many of us probably spent a good 30 minutes laying on the beach with our noses nearly in the sand searching despite the gusting wind. Later on, I headed up to the gift shop to sample the famous Lindisfarne Mead. It was so delicious. The monks sure knew the secrets to a good mead. I was so tempted to buy some, especially since the price was very reasonable. However, it would have been very complicated to get back home. So, I decided it wasn't worth the hassle. But, it can be ordered online! After Lindisfarne, we were off to Bell's Hill Farm. We talked to the farmers who own around 300 acres of land between the coast and the cheviot mountains. We discussed different farming methods and how to make farming more sustainable. Their efforts have quadrupled their crop yields and proven more environmentally friendly. Overall, it was an interesting day to be sure.

Train bridge

Same view as the one painted by L.S. Lowry. 

Road bridge

My caffe mocha:) Much needed due to the harsh, cold blistering wind. 

Wood sculpture of the pilgrimage by the monks from Holy Island

St. Cuthbert's Island

Lindisfarne Castle

A heavenly treat

Merry Mondays

I actually enjoy Mondays, even though most people tend to dread them. This morning we had French toast for breakfast. num. Then, a full morning of class. Lunch was taco salad. also nummy. Then, I had a very productive afternoon in which I studied history, did my cleaning duty, wrote my Durham journal, and beat Mike in ping-pong once again. Although, this time he put up a better fight than last time. As much as it is probably bugging him that he keep losing to me. I know that he is happy that he has someone to play with who is as good (and better:P) than he is. Actually, he is pretty close to me in skill level, so he wins some games...just not nearly as many as I win. haha. Okay, you have likely heard enough so I will be done relishing in my victories.
Anyways, I can hardly believe that we have yet another break in four days. Naturally, this week is a little heavier homework wise, but that is hardly much to worry about considering the amount effort that will be required. Once we get back from the break, we only have three weeks of class left before the semester ends. Its a sad thought. But, I know I will make the most of my time here.
Happy Monday:)
Oh and I forgot to mention that I saved the day for some girls who were very disgusted with a dead bat they found in the castle. They had contacted Wade about it, and he is too busy to worry about things like that. Well, when I found out about the whole ordeal, I quickly resolved the problem by simply disposing it in the nearest rubbish bin. No big deal but the girls went crazy when I picked it up, and they really squirmed when I pretended to throw it their way..haha. They seriously need to spend some time on a farm.

Cragside!

Durham!

Woodhorn Museum, which told the history of coal mining in the northeast of England. 

Dressing the Stars exhibit. This dress was worn by Keira Knightley in the Duchess. 

This is Colin Firth's costume in the King's Speech. 

Posing with the Angel of the North.

Lots of great Norman architecture!!

Cloister of Durham Cathedral. 

This should look familiar to Harry Potter fans. This is where they filmed the scene in the Chamber of Secrets when Harry discovers the spiders. Other shots were filmed in Durham as well. 

The Undercroft Cafe! I love that there are cafes under all the large churches. 

Durham University (An English Ivy League)

Sandstone suffering the effects of erosion. 

Durham Cathedral from a path along the River Wear. 

Our beautiful sunset view after evening song.