Jubilation

We are in the midst of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee here in London, commemorating her 60-year reign. Now, the queen is only the second British monarch to make it to Diamond Jubilee (the first was Victoria, of course), and so this is an all-out, full-blown, no-holds-barred par-TAY. Bigger than the royal wedding last year, even. I mean, we're talking FOUR bank holidays here, and the Brits don't close the banks for just anything, so you know this is a big deal. There are all sorts of things going on, like horse racing and boat parades and concerts and other exciting stuff.

The Queen is a big fan of horses and horse racing, so the event that kicked off the weekend on Saturday was the Epsom Derby.

Photo from this site

Please use proper British pronunciation and say it "DAR-bee." Thank you.

A couple of the girls, Megan and Becca, actually went to the event, but I was one of the ones who went out and bought snacks and then came home to watch the fun on the telly. And it was so exciting!! Maybe it's because my mom's family loves horses, but I've always loved watching horses and rodeos and things like that. Can I ride a horse very well? No. Not really. But like I said, I love watching them. It sounds cheesy, but they really are beautiful, majestic animals, and there's something mesmerizing about watching them in motion. I feel like being here I have gained more of an appreciation and a love for beauty--beauty in nature, beauty in architecture, and beauty in people.

Anyway, the DAR-bee was exciting. And there was much screaming and yelling, "Go, horse, GO!" and, "Wow, look at him! He's really doing it!" and all sorts of other silly things. This must be how some people feel when they watch football on TV. And it was so funny in between races to listen to the commentary and see drama among the jockeys and watch the moments when the camera was on the commentators and they didn't know it... British television has some interesting differences from American television. It's slightly more...idiosyncratic in a way. Funny.

After church yesterday KayCee and Jocelyn and I headed down to the Thames for the grand flotilla down the river. As expected, the crowds were huge, but perhaps not as huge as they might have been because of the weather. It drizzled/misted the entire time we were out. Not ideal weather, but I think I can endure it better now that we've had a good dose of sunshine. As we walked down the road along the Thames, I had to remind myself that no, that song is not "My Country 'Tis of Thee"--it's "God Save the Queen," and it's the national anthem here.

We found a spot near Vauxhall Bridge that had a big screen where you could watch the proceedings, and wiggled our way into the crowd to try to get as close to the bank as possible. We didn't ever make it to the front, but we weren't too far away.

There was a lot of what I call "tiptoe photography": standing on your tiptoes and holding your camera as high as you can in order to maybe get a shot over the crowd of the boats passing by on the river.

A classic example of tiptoe photography. You can't really see anything. But I got some good shots! They're coming up shortly.

Some people employed more creative solutions in order to catch a glimpse of the action. People applauded when these two women made it safely to the top of this signpost.

People got on top of the phone booths too.

I have to admit that it was rather cold and I was rather tired, and after awhile I was beginning to wonder if I should've just stayed home and watched it on the telly. But it was all worth it when the royal barge came by. And I saw it with my own eyes! And I saw the Queen! And Kate and William! Success!

This is also an example of tiptoe photography. It's impressive, I know. Thank you. Thank you.

As soon as the royal barge passed, we hightailed it for home in order to beat the majority of the crowds, but as you can see, it was still a bit crazy. I got home and didn't even make it to my bed--I crashed on the couch and was out in five minutes.

And this evening a few of the girls and I went over to Hyde Park to watch some of the concert on the big screen and take in the festive atmosphere.

All this jubilation can be quite exhausting, but it was energizing as well. I feel in a way even more patriotic about my own country by seeing the pride that the British have in theirs. It's a sentiment a lot of us on this program have felt--not that we feel anti-British (we'll leave that to the Scots--my gracious) but that we admire their patriotism and have increased our appreciation for the country that we call home. And home to the States I go this week! Hard to believe that six weeks are already almost gone. This has really been an unbelievable experience, and one I will treasure for the rest of my life, I'm sure.

Changing it Up

The guard changed. And we were there. "We" being Abby, Brittany, and I on Friday.

The guard at the barracks

With the preparations for the Queen's Jubilee, some of the places that would normally be open were closed, so it was a bit crowded. We didn't see much that happened inside the gates, but we saw them all go marching in with all their pomp and pageantry. The British are big on spectacle and ceremony, and even though I didn't actually see much, I wasn't disappointed.

The big outdoor ampitheatre for the Jubilee concert this evening.

I love marching bands. And bagpipes. I think I already mentioned this. So stirring.

While we were standing there waiting for the ceremony to start, Abby and Brittany and I were talking about what we've learned from this trip and how we will be different because of it. These were a few of the things I thought about:

• I am more likely to go to the theatre more often and see productions. I've learned a lot about what makes a quality theatre experience, and I've seen a lot of great stuff here. I know that the theatre that will be available to me back at home isn't exactly of the same caliber as what I've seen here, but I've become a better appreciator of theatre and I'm pretty sure I will continue to go throughout my life. There's a vitality about live theatre that you can't replicate with film or other art forms.
• I have gained more of a sense of place. At home, living there for so long, I didn't really have a sense or appreciation of where I was and the things that were available for me there. I want to go back to my hometown and do all the cool things there are to do there--some that I've done before, some that I haven't done for a really long time, and some that I've never tried. And since experiencing a place is better with company, I'm going to make my family do it with me. :)
• Like I've expressed before, I have a better sense of history and its value. I wish we as Americans had a better sense of our heritage sometimes. I am more determined now to learn more about my history as an American, as a member of my faith, and as an individual. Family history, here I come!

Walking through St. James's Park after the changing of the guard, I felt perfectly content. I think I've learned better on this trip to enjoy the moment, even if I'm not doing anything particularly exciting. Just being here, just walking through the park, can be something to savor.

Especially when you see quaint little Swiss chalets once used by the birdkeepers of the park.

So like I said, the guard changed. And I was there. But I think that when I was there I realized better in some ways how being here has changed me. I have been very grateful for this experience, and I hope--well, I know--that I am better because of it.

It's British...Very British.

I understand this video so much better now that I've been in the country for over a month.



I mean, I "understand" as in this is funny because there will be someone talking to me and I'll have no idea what they're talking about because I can't understand them. This has particularly happened with ordering food in pubs. The guy will have to repeat himself two or three times because it takes awhile for me to process and sort out what he's saying to me because he has such a thick accent.

To be clear, I have no idea what they're saying in this video. And that's why it's funny.

Does that make sense?

Oxford, Darling--Oxford.

On our way back to London yesterday we spent a few hours in Oxford, a quick sprint through the town with one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. Standing stately upon its immense and impressive history, the university reeks of class and the authority that comes with that history.

Well. Let me just push my glasses up on my nose here.

Again with the gardens! Love it.

I have to admit that I didn't learn a whole lot about the college/town--mostly I have impressions of beautiful architecture and a couple shots of the (outsides of) places that were used in the filming of the Harry Potter movies--see below for the outside of the library. It costs money to get into a lot of these places, and unless the price was right (free) I wasn't going in. Sorry, Harry Potter fans--I did my best here.

But in those couple of hours I realized that I've become a much more savvy traveler--I have a lot more confidence in my ability to get information about where I am, find places of interest, and be able to get around fairly easily. I have been remarkably non-stressed about being in new places, which is really great for me. I kind of expected that I would be more nervous about going new places than I have been. So I count the trip a success.

In summary, the trip to Stratford was one of the highlights of my stay here in the UK. And we've arrived back in London just in time for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, which begins tomorrow and goes until Monday. Oh, the crowds--my heavens.

Maybe I'll just go back to the country now.

The Cotswolds

I loved the Cotswolds--the rural part of the country we drove through yesterday. We got up early and bid goodbye to Stratford, wending our way home by way of the Cotswolds and Oxford. It's almost like the Industrial Revolution skipped over this place, so in some ways is much as it was 200 years ago.

Rolling hills

Quaint stone villages

Sheep grazing in the fields

Baby's breath everywhere

Broadway Tower

Pictures don't do this place justice, really. I can see why coming to these sorts of places inspires art, whether it be a painting or a poem or a song. I can see why Maria von Trapp just had to sing when she went to the hills, because I felt like I had to run and jump and sing as well. It's hard to understand if you haven't been someplace like this. These places, with all their history and their charm, resonate with something inside of me. There is nothing so majestic as God's good earth.

I think part of my soul belongs to the countryside.

Kid Stuff

Mary Arden's Farm also had a sweet playground area.

It was great for little kids...

And big kids too.

There was a lot of "get in touch with your inner child" that day. Which I am totally okay with, obviously.

Who was supervising this enterprise?

The falconry demonstration was super cool as well. Also one of the highlights of this trip.

This owl had an attitude, and she did what she wanted, no matter what the falconer tried to coax her to do. For example, for a bit there she stood several yards away on the ground and refusing to fly and land on his glove, answering with a snippy "Kaaw!" whenever he spoke to her.

Kaaw!