Theatre Walk

The Theatre Walk really helped to orient me to many of the traditional main attractions of London and the layout of the city as a whole.  Before I started the walk I had no idea how close together so many things are in London.  Prior to this experience I had mostly seen the city in small snippets, going from one Tube stop to another.  But going from the Thames, past Charing Cross, up the Strand, by Drury Lane, through Covent Gardens, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, along Pall Mall and up through Piccadilly Circus and Chinatown helped me to put together a clearer picture of London.

At the beginning of the walk I particularly enjoyed walking along the Victoria Embankment, and as I watched runner after runner pass by, I realized that is one of the few places in London, beside parks, where one could run without running into crossroads or traffic all while having a lovely view of the Thames.  It was surprising as we were leaving the Victoria Embankment Gardens to see where the Thames used to come to—quite far from its present day edge.  It struck me how quickly things, especially things that seem so permanent, can change.

As we continued along the walk, it was so cool to come to Drury Lane, that famed road from many a nursery rhyme and cultural reference.  It seems to crazy to me that this area used to be one of the biggest slums in London, since now there seems to be no sign of its rough past.  I loved Covent Gardens, there were so many interesting shops and kiosks but without the major touristy feel.  That is an area that I definitely would like to return to.  I loved seeing the London’s “other St. Paul’s,” or, as I like to think of it, the My Fair Lady church.  I thought it was so fun to see a Punch and Judy show going on in front of it and knowing that was where the first was performed.

It was great to explore Leicester Square more extensively.  I had no idea that it was kind of like London’s version of Hollywood’s Chinese Theatre.  It was interesting to walk around the square and look at all of the handprints of different actors—I was so excited to see Charlton Heston’s.  I was also glad to walk around Trafalgar Square and to learn about the small details that make it even more special—like the end of it that is raised to mimic the poop deck of a ship, relating back to the Battle of Trafalgar after which the square is named. 

One of my favorite things about the walk was learning about the origins of the names of certain places, like Charing Cross and Piccadilly Circus.  Knowing that Piccadilly comes from Elizabethan times when a tailor made “piccadilles”, or a ruff worn by men at the time, helped me to see the places in a more historically and culturally rich light.

Westminster Abbey: England's Treasure Chest

As I sauntered through Westminster Abbey on Friday morning, it felt almost as if I was in a dream, or rather, in a time machine, propelling me into England's past. The church is chock-full with history, containing hundreds of relics from England’s rich cultural traditions. Going through Westminster Abbey and seeing the tombs of kings, queens, important historical figures, and everyday people helped me comprehend the reasons why England values preserving the past so much. When I saw the Coronation Chair that has been used for every monarch’s coronation for a thousand years, I realized just how much the English strive for continuity while accepting change. It was cool to see how the Coronation Chair embodied this national principle.

Another highlight from Westminster Abbey was Poet’s Corner. Looking at the memorials for all of the poets and authors from years past, this quote from George Eliot’s memorial caught my eye: “The first condition of human goodness is something to love: the second something to reverence.” I thought this summed up one of the purposes of Westminster Abbey: as well as being a place of worship, it also serves as a symbol and final resting place for many of the things that England holds dear.

As I left the Abbey, I briefly stopped at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. I thought this was a poignantly simple tribute to all of the young men who sacrificed their lives on the battlefields of Europe in WWI and II. On the simple black marble was inscribed, “They buried him among kings because he had done good toward God and toward his house.” This memorial showed me how scarring the World Wars were for England, and how that scar hasn’t fully healed today.

Up North

This last week was one of the most amazing weeks of my life.  I feel like I've found another home in the northern English countryside.  There are so many things I have seen and done that have ignited my love for this region of the country.  The North feels different than the South.  There is a beauty in it that seems to spare nothing.  You can stand on a narrow road and stare across the hills, fold after fold, wind-scoured, to the horizon.

On the first day we visited the country parsonage where the Bronte sisters lived and wrote.  It was very easy to see how growing up around the wild moors filled with wind and heather inspired them to write some of the masterpieces of English literature.  Later that day, we went to York Minster, a very beautiful and significant cathedral.  Its crossing tower has the best views of the surrounding city.

The next morning we wandered around the romantic ruins of Fountains Abbey, an old abandoned monastery founded in the 12th century.  The landscape surrounding the abbey was so picturesque-the rough yet graceful pillars of stone covered in a layer of soft green moss, a babbling stream scarcely audible over the whispering winds rustling the quietly changing leaves, placid ponds only disturbed by a stray raindrop or swan diving through the glassy surface-it was so beautiful and possessed such a peaceful feeling. 

Wednesday consisted of a heavenly day in the Lake District, starting with a tour of William Wordsworth's home, Dove Cottage.  It was good to learn more of his life and see where his poetry was inspired.  He really is a wonderful poet with a very suiting last name.  We then went on a lovely drive around other parts of the Lake District, complete with our own road barricade made of a herd of sheep.  We ended the day by walking around the gardens of Beatrix Potter's Hilltop Farm, where the characters Peter Rabbit were born.  It was exactly how I had always imagined the garden to be.

Thursday we left the wild country landscapes for Preston, where we learned more about the missionaries and the history of the early church in England, which deepened my love and respect for the people who sacrificed so much for the gospel.  We ended the spiritually loaded day perfectly by going to the beautiful Preston Temple (or, as the locals would have you remember, the Chorley Temple).

The final day of our trip led us to Liverpool, where we saw the docks that so many immigrants sailed out of.  As we sang the first verse of Come, Come Ye Saints around the statue of an immigrant family that the church erected there, I was so grateful to those who had sacrificed so much for the truth.  While at the Liverpool docks many of us also went to the Beatles museum which was so awesome!  However, the culmination of my trip was the last event: our tour of Chatsworth, or more commonly recognized as Pemberley in the Pride & Prejudice movie.  Call me a hopeless romantic, but I was giddy while walking through the rooms and grounds of this exquisite country estate.  Does the Duke of Devonshire have any eligible grandsons?

Tower of London: A Step Back in Time

Today’s adventuring led us to the Tower of London, which might possibly be my favorite thing we’ve done so far.  This powerful fortress that has come to symbolize the authority and fearsomeness of monarchs was everything thing I thought it would be and more--tales of gruesome executions, mysterious disappearances, formidable kings, and heinous murders.  It was like submerging myself in Tudor England, which, due to my obsession with learning about King Henry VIII that developed at an early age, made this morning’s adventures even more rewarding.  I have now seen with my own eyes the places that have been for so long alive only in my imagination: Traitor’s Gate, Tower Green, the Crown Jewels (which were absolutely EXQUISITE), The Great White Tower, Bloody Tower, Yeoman Warders and Beefeaters, the famous ravens.  It was almost overwhelming to think about the staggering amount of history and legend that has taken place there.  It helped me realize how rich England’s heritage is, and visiting the Tower of London is another reminder of their many efforts to preserve that heritage in a world that is constantly changing.  I love being able to visit these historical sites, take a break from the world, and step back in time.

As I Liked It

This Monday we all went to a performance of Shakespeare's As You Like It at the Globe Theatre, which fulfilled another dream of mine.  The walk to the Globe was almost as enjoyable as the play.  In order to get to the theatre, we had to walk past a quintessential London icon: St. Paul's Cathedral.  I couldn't help singing "Feed the Birds" as we walked past.  :) We crossed the Thames using Millennium Bridge, better known as the bridge the Death Eaters "destroyed" in the latest Harry Potter movie.  The gorgeous sunset illuminating the river and gilding the cityscape made for an almost perfect moment.

Seeing a production of As You Like It at the Globe Theatre was almost like being transplanted back into Elizabethan England.  Even from the introduction of the play made without dramatic ceremony and the abrupt commencement of the action stripped away the layers of formality that have been added to the theatre, reminding the audience of the way the theatre would have been at the time of Shakespeare.  Unlike so many productions of Shakespeare today that experiment with the setting and costuming by placing it in exotic locations or time periods inconsistent with Shakespeare’s world, this particular production, directed by Thea Sharrock and acted by the Royal Shakespeare Company, stayed true to Elizabethan costuming and the setting in which Shakespeare originally wrote the play.  With minimal lighting, music (provided solely by live instrumentalists), set design, and props, the production effectively swept the audience back through centuries and allowed the ingeniously crafted lines of Shakespeare’s As You Like It to shine through.  The full effect of the theatre and production aided me in seeing the relationships between characters, the hilarity of the lines and situations, and the complexity of the conflict with more clarity.

Finding Neverland in Kensington Gardens

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, I decided to wander around Kensington Gardens.  It was so gorgeous, and just what I expected it would be--joggers with iPods, dogs scampering, moms pushing strollers with toddlers tagging along, ducks and pigeons surrounding the pond--I could easily imagine the way it would have looked a hundred years ago: nursemaids pushing perambulators, gentlemen tipping hats to elegant ladies in pale-colored gowns wielding parasols against the soft summer sun.  There are certain places in London that seem timeless, and Kensington Gardens is definitely one of them.  It is easy to see why J.M. Barrie found his inspiration for Peter Pan in this small part of the city, London's own Neverland.

A Work of Art (Well, two of them actually)

In Bernardo Daddi’s The Coronation of the Virgin (ca. 1340) and Raphael’s Pope Julius II (ca. 1511), there are compositional elements that emphasize the distinct properties of each era.  Both works contain subject matter related to Christianity, but they greatly differ in what is being depicted.  In his painting, Bernardo depicts Christ crowning his mother Mary as the Queen of Heaven.  Although Raphael’s painting also contains a subject connected with religion, Pope Julius II, his work is a simple portrait rather than a majestic religious scene.  Bernado’s work captures a rather touching and momentous event between Christ and Mary while Raphael’s portrayal of the pope evokes a sense of sadness and discouragement.

The aesthetics of the paintings also differ, stressing the distinction of eras in which they were composed.  The colors in The Coronation of the Virgin are subdued, mostly soft pinks, grays and whites, which contrast with the brightness of gold and blue.  The lines all draw the viewer’s attention toward the top of the work.  The geometrical, simplistic forms of the bodies also lead the eye upward to the apex of the triangle almost directly above Christ’s outstretched hand, thus indicating the focus of the painting.  The gilded frame and gold paint lend to the feeling of majesty and sanctity.  Raphael also utilizes similar aesthetic elements in his composition.  In contrast with the muted colors in The Coronation of the Virgin, Pope Julius II contains more intense, low value reds and greens and bright whites, creating a striking color scheme that immediately commands the viewer’s attention.  Although Bernardo does use contour lines to give the figures a sense of depth, Raphael utilizes this technique more extensively, making the figure of Pope Julius almost lifelike and giving the painting a greater humanistic and emotional quality.  Where Bernardo’s painting is decorative, Raphael’s is less ornamented and allows the viewer to focus upon the emotional content of the painting.  These differences highlight the medieval concentration upon piety and holiness as well as the Renaissance’s emphasis upon realism and emotion.