Expanding my memory card

So last time I wanted to mention my theory about time here. During The day everything goes by at a normal time. If it is a day where I was traveling sometimes thinking back to the beginning of the day it seems like: did I really do that today? Yea, I guess I did. When I look back over a couple days time seems to have gone so fast. And finally when I look back at a weekend or now even going to London, I feel that it was forever and a day ago, like I have been living here for weeks… But is has only been 3 weeks. And now is the time for partings… Hopefully by 3pm tomorrow (It is 9pm here) I will be home. I want to see everyone but I don’t want to leave….

The final weekend.

Saturday stated with an early wake-up call again to be on the bus at 8 am. Once arriving to Oxford, Kate explained whiles all the colleges are a part of Oxford, they are their own college. What this means is that The College of education financially supports itself. Also getting in is not just about having money. You have to be very intelligent to come. However you can walk around for free. We started the day by walking along the river Thames on a nice little river path that took us passed cute water houses. After going the right way towards the center of the town we walked over to the Oxford church and library.  Bodleian library is the most famous international library anywhere. If it is in print, it will be there or at least on an electric copy. (Never heard of it? Me neither… take my word or at least, Kate’s).  The church was the St. Mary’s Church, really big and really beautiful. That’s what England is like. I could spend all day looking at buildings and then come back and see something new!!! Most of the buildings in Oxford are made of what is known as Oxford Stone. Original right? After walking out of the courtyard where the library and the church were, we went to the covered market place for lunch. The market is a really cute place however the butcher and fish smells hit you in the face and is not pleasant. While in Oxford I ended up getting my sweatshirt (I had debated not getting one) and 2 shirts that were on sale! Score!

On the River Thames

Bodleian Library 

St. Mary's

Shops in the covered market

Dear Tutu- let's go study this, shall we?

After once again piling into the mini bus we headed over to Stratford-Upon-Avon to check into our Bed and breakfast. It was such a cute little place!! And the man who ran it was wonderful! We dropped off all our things, got ready for dinner and to go out to the play. We saw Shakespeare’s “As you like it”. Once I got past the verses I was able to understand it. It was about an exiled woman, Rosalind, who ran away and was living disguised as a man. She was also in love with Orlando who did not know she was a man. In the end there are 4 weddings and nobody dies. I really liked how the costumes seemed to get more modern as time went on. Everyone started in period clothes but ended up garments that can be worn today. Rosalind, while dressed as a man (who looked like a dead ringer as Orlando Bloom from Pirates) wore brown converse sneakers.  Also at the start of the second act the court fool was well making a fool out of himself as he tried to get the butcher/woodsman to look at him. However the butcher was very focused on disassembling his rabbit. The rabbit had what looked to be real guts and a real head chopped off… it was very gross however if it was a prop, it was an excellent prop…

Orlando sings for his Rosalind

All the guys would appreciate this: After spending countless hours shopping with us girls, Chris finally saw the thing he really wanted to see: an Aston Martin. He had a BIG guy moment.

BEST GUY MOMENT EVER!!!!!

This morning (see this is where the time thing comes in again, it seems like ages ago) we had a wonderful English breakfast.  An English breakfast has mushrooms, grilled (?) tomato, ham, sausage, sunny side up egg and beans. Yup beans, like Bush’s baked beans, but they tasted like they were in ketcup. We left to go meet our tour guide, Wendy, who was going to show us all the famous places around Stratford-Upon-Avon. As we walked around she was telling us that a lot of the houses were from the Elizabethan era, or were built to look the same over the centuries. We rounded a corner and there was a pretty nice old house sitting there in a street. I thought well that is a cool house, very old looking. Wendy tells us that was where Shakespeare was born. Mind Blown. She stood outside and told us some of his past and then took us around town. We saw the church where Shakespeare remains, however we did not go in since it was Sunday and they were having a mass. After leaving Wendy, we had some free time to look around and shop again. I happened to go in a small jewelry store and I finally found myself charms for my bracelet: A little tea pot and a globe. I loved them both.

The door to our B&B

The birthplace of one William Shakespeare

Finally once again piling into the van we went to the final destination: Warwick Castle. Warwick was nice; however it felt very much like Disney World. There were no rides; however there were rooms that were made up with wax figures (part of the castle is owned by Madame Tussaud’s) and role play actors walking around in period dress. Best way to describe Warwick Castle: Bristol Renaissance Faire crack. It would be a wonderful place to bring kids (which there was an abundance of), but after seeing two impressive castles, Warwick was a little too much (Bristol is better in my opinion). However the climb up and down and around the 504 stairs in the castle tower was interesting. Also flip-flops and cobblestones do not go together very well

A view from the tower

See Disney World! Whoops I mean an exhibit at Warwick Castle...

I want a sparkley  crown!!!

Finally not being able to stand my iPod and all my music on it, we made it back to Brighton once again. This time we actually had to say our goodbyes to Mary and Kate. I really wish I could take all four of them with me…

Well now I am repacked, probably over the weight limit and getting ready for a 4:30 a.m. wake up call (the funny thing is for everyone back home it is 10:30 pm and you might just be going to bed…) well good night.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.