York.
So I'm on day two of York now. Tomorrow morning we leave for Cambridge.
Blogger isn't letting me upload pictures right now, but lots are coming.
Sept. 14th - We saw Chester Cathedral. This beautiful gothic cathedral has many lovely stained glass windows (see pictures to come), but unfortunately none of them date from the construction of the Cathedral, having been destroyed by Henry the 8th's anti-monastic rampage around 1540. The modern stain glass windows remain impressive, however. The Cathedral itself was built around 1250, having been built as an addition to the abbey first constructed in 1092 for Benedictine monks.
Sept. 15th - This day was a murderously long drive to Edinburgh. However, we were fortunate to be able to stop at the Housteads fort of Hadrian's Wall. This wall, which stretched roughly 80 miles across the northern border of Roman Britain, was meant to keep the vicious barbarian hordes that frequently attacked. Amongst these hordes were the canny Scots. The Wall is built on a natural rise in the landscape that provides a commanding view of the countryside.
Sept. 16th - Our first stop this day was John Knox's sad little grave, an unmarked cement square in a parking lot, outside St. Giles Cathedral. After this stop, we went to Edinburgh Castle.This was the first castle we had seen that was still almost entirely whole (no bombing in the world wars!). It of course had been refitted as many little shops and seperate mini-museums. The museum displays (particularly the war memorial, and the Scottish Regimental museum) were impressive and conveyed the tremendous national pride of the Scottish people. The display with the Scottish crown jewels, and the "honours" (a ceremonial scepter and sword, given to Scottish kings by the Vatican), and the "Stone of Scone" or "Stone of Destiny" was particularly interesting.
Sept. 17th - We saw a surprising dichotomy between two Scottish Identities; Scotland as part of the United Kingdom in Holyrood House, and a re-emerging Scottish Nationalism in the new 400 million Pound Scottish Parliament. Holyrood House, while interesting, was predictably similar to many other displays of British royalty and authority we have seen before (and will see again). They also were not inclined to let us take pictures. Scottish Parliament, on the other hand, was a striking example of what beauty can be achieved when a people is totally committed to the modern paridigm of Architecture. The beauty however, ended up costing the taxpayers 430 million pounds, nearly eleven times what was originally projected. Not sure how I would feel about that if I was paying the taxes.
Sept. 18th - Another arduous drive, this time to York. The English countryside is so different from the Irish. At one point, I fell asleep on the bus and looked out the window, and thought I was looking at Pickens, SC farmland. Terrifying experience. I miss Irish countryside. Our primary stop on this trip was Durham Cathedral, the first really good example of Norman Church architecture we have yet seen, and the finest in the world. We arrived at a charming bed and breakfast called "The Lady Ann Middelton's Hotel," which has lovely rooms, amazing food, and full exercise facilities.
Sept. 19th - Today was the York Minster, or the York Cathedral. "Minster" is a corruption of the Latin monasterium. It is the largest Gothic Cathedral north of the Alps, and one of the most impressive I've ever seen. One of the really special things about the Cathedral is that it's stained glass is all original. No glass mashing in this Cathedral's past. It also has one of the widest naves in the world. We also saw, Cliffords Tower a tower seated high about York on a mot, or mount, that has a interesting quadraloop structure (similar to a four leafed clover). We visited the Jorvic Center this afternoon, a musuem/ride that seeks to recreate early viking settlements sights, smells and feel with bad animatronics and creaky theatricality. Avoid it all costs. Please. Seriously.
Having a grand time. Miss all of you. Lots of great pictures to come.
Blogger isn't letting me upload pictures right now, but lots are coming.
Sept. 14th - We saw Chester Cathedral. This beautiful gothic cathedral has many lovely stained glass windows (see pictures to come), but unfortunately none of them date from the construction of the Cathedral, having been destroyed by Henry the 8th's anti-monastic rampage around 1540. The modern stain glass windows remain impressive, however. The Cathedral itself was built around 1250, having been built as an addition to the abbey first constructed in 1092 for Benedictine monks.
Sept. 15th - This day was a murderously long drive to Edinburgh. However, we were fortunate to be able to stop at the Housteads fort of Hadrian's Wall. This wall, which stretched roughly 80 miles across the northern border of Roman Britain, was meant to keep the vicious barbarian hordes that frequently attacked. Amongst these hordes were the canny Scots. The Wall is built on a natural rise in the landscape that provides a commanding view of the countryside.
Sept. 16th - Our first stop this day was John Knox's sad little grave, an unmarked cement square in a parking lot, outside St. Giles Cathedral. After this stop, we went to Edinburgh Castle.This was the first castle we had seen that was still almost entirely whole (no bombing in the world wars!). It of course had been refitted as many little shops and seperate mini-museums. The museum displays (particularly the war memorial, and the Scottish Regimental museum) were impressive and conveyed the tremendous national pride of the Scottish people. The display with the Scottish crown jewels, and the "honours" (a ceremonial scepter and sword, given to Scottish kings by the Vatican), and the "Stone of Scone" or "Stone of Destiny" was particularly interesting.
Sept. 17th - We saw a surprising dichotomy between two Scottish Identities; Scotland as part of the United Kingdom in Holyrood House, and a re-emerging Scottish Nationalism in the new 400 million Pound Scottish Parliament. Holyrood House, while interesting, was predictably similar to many other displays of British royalty and authority we have seen before (and will see again). They also were not inclined to let us take pictures. Scottish Parliament, on the other hand, was a striking example of what beauty can be achieved when a people is totally committed to the modern paridigm of Architecture. The beauty however, ended up costing the taxpayers 430 million pounds, nearly eleven times what was originally projected. Not sure how I would feel about that if I was paying the taxes.
Sept. 18th - Another arduous drive, this time to York. The English countryside is so different from the Irish. At one point, I fell asleep on the bus and looked out the window, and thought I was looking at Pickens, SC farmland. Terrifying experience. I miss Irish countryside. Our primary stop on this trip was Durham Cathedral, the first really good example of Norman Church architecture we have yet seen, and the finest in the world. We arrived at a charming bed and breakfast called "The Lady Ann Middelton's Hotel," which has lovely rooms, amazing food, and full exercise facilities.
Sept. 19th - Today was the York Minster, or the York Cathedral. "Minster" is a corruption of the Latin monasterium. It is the largest Gothic Cathedral north of the Alps, and one of the most impressive I've ever seen. One of the really special things about the Cathedral is that it's stained glass is all original. No glass mashing in this Cathedral's past. It also has one of the widest naves in the world. We also saw, Cliffords Tower a tower seated high about York on a mot, or mount, that has a interesting quadraloop structure (similar to a four leafed clover). We visited the Jorvic Center this afternoon, a musuem/ride that seeks to recreate early viking settlements sights, smells and feel with bad animatronics and creaky theatricality. Avoid it all costs. Please. Seriously.
Having a grand time. Miss all of you. Lots of great pictures to come.
3 Comments:
You didn't like the Jorvic Center? Aw, I sent my parents a scratch and sniff postcard from there. I think they were amused; the postcard is still on their fridge. :)
oh, and i read on kevin's blog that he's been getting drunk. What's up with that?
Pickens countryside...hard to think of anything more terrifying. Oh wait, there are the actual denizens of Pickens. The York Minister sounds a lot like Chartres, with the original glass. Please post photos soon!
there's a furman student named "Ian Murdock", that's all i've got.
Post a Comment
<< Home