For all the romantic or adventurous travelers...
Time to head home...Many of us protesting that it couldn't possibly be the end of the trip...SO SOON!...tempered by missing family and friends and having so much to share. One really lovely bonus was flying home on Virgin Atlantic. They did a superb job of making us feel snug, well fed, and comfortable...not to mention an endless choice of videos, music, games, etc.
Well, the weather was not our best friend in London...with strong, icy winds dogging our every step. We did manage to survive a great walking tour along the Thames and even crossed the Millennium Bridge to view St. Paul's Cathedral. Later, we gratefully boarded a bus to give us a terrific overview of the best historic or scenic sites of London, including the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. We all took tons of pictures since it was also a brilliant, sunny day...just COLD. Saturday, we had a free day to see new things (we all had lists of things we wanted to be sure and do while in London) or re-visit some of the places we only stopped at for a moment on Friday. I've been to London many times but never had seen the Albert & Victoria Museum and it was well worth the effort. It was built by Queen Victoria to honor her late husband and to celebrate the inventiveness of British design.
Up early and took the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead, Wales. A very pleasant ride on a very comfortable ferry boat, let the sleep deprived catch up a bit over the three and half hours it took to cross. Lots of places to eat, relax and shop made the trip zip by. We boarded a coach that took us to Beaumaris Castle, an adventurous romp, exploring through dungeons and ramparts, and open courtyards. After dinner at our Wales hotel, the hail and hearty climbed to a castle ruin in moonlight. The rest of us sought rest. Next day continuing by coach to mainland England, we had time to explore stunning Warwick Castle. This is a beautiful structure, meticulously maintained and restored and is among the favorite visitors sites in all England. It is easy to imagine medieval times in this castle and amazing grounds. For many it was a fantasy come to life. We might have been disappointed leaving Warwick behind, but the trip to Stratford-upon-Avon was worth it. Visiting the home of Shakespeare's birthplace and the beautiful city was an incredible experience. For more information on all these experiences, please visit the student blogs. They do a wonderful job of sharing their personal experience along with great photos.
Tuesday....long day going to Wicklow mountains where Braveheart and many other films were made with Ardmore Film Studios. We picked up a great book on the Irish Film Industry. It was a clear sunny day so it was a beautiful trip. Some of us went to the Chester Beatty Museum to view rare manuscripts. It was voted best museum in Europe in 2000 and it was really worth seeing. Leaving at 6am to take ferry to Wales and we may not have internet access for a day or two since we will be in country area. We will be back in touch soon though.
Today is St. Patrick's day and we spent the morning at Trinity College, St. Patrick's cathedral and viewing the Book of Kells. This afternoon, we watched the St. Patrick's Day parade which was amazing here in Dublin! Enjoy our new pictures and check out the other blogs through the links
All thirty of us made it through security with lots of media equipment as carry on. Our flight to Dublin was uneventful and on time. We checked in early and then went on a walking tour in cold and windy weather but it was worth it to get our first look at the city of Dublin. Early rain gave way to brilliant sunshine and after a short afternoon break, we met up again to see some sites and had dinner (traditional Irish beef stew) at a great pub in a wonderful shopping and nite life area. Despite being here only a few hours, the students are already quite competent in getting around and selecting their cultural subjects for their class assignments.
There are so many photo opportunities and we haven't even gotten to St. Patrick's day yet. So, we're all well, tired and ready for new experiences tomorrow. We have scheduled tours from early morning right past dinner. Check out the student blogs; they have been taking amazing photos and video footage!
We will be going to Warwick Castle on our way to London after seeing Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon. From the Londino family album...photos taken in August 2005
