The Last Few Days in Oxford by John Thomas

July 25, 2011

So the last few days of the trip have dawned upon us, the students.  Thanks to the lack of forethought amongst us, no one did any work on the three major assignments on the weekend before the Monday everything was due.  So most people on the trip spent all three days of this weekend writing two essays and a 5 min presentation. 

Other than that, Oxford has been great.  It’s one of the oldest towns in England.  Apparently it was founded somewhere between the years 1000-1100.  It was originally called oxen-fjord because it’s where the oxen would cross the fjord… it’s what our tour guide told us.  Other than all that, the trip is over in a few days and I have to say bye to everyone.  It’s a sad reality that none one wants to admit.  Final exam tomorrow!

Warwick and Stratford by Adrienne Van Aaken

July 23, 2011

Hello to everyone back in Canada! Our trip is coming to an end. :( Today we embarked on our last optional excursion of our trip. After breakfast we departed for our journey to Warwick Castle and Stratford – Upon – Avon. Our first stop was at Warwick Castle, where we got to experience Britain’s Ultimate Castle.  Throughout our trip, we have been privileged to see many sites that are rich in history and the castle was no disappointment in its history. At the castle we were able to experience the wonderful design of the castle, as well as its beautiful landscape views. Some students even experienced the castle’s dungeon. Warwick castle made for a great morning for the start of a great day and many students wanted to stay longer! After the castle, we headed back onto the bus to head to Stratford – Upon – Avon. This town was truly beautiful. It was filled with beautiful sites, shops, and of course things about Shakespeare! After studying Shakespeare throughout our high school careers, it was interesting to visit his town at the end of our Shakespeare studies. In Stratford, we were able to enjoy a nice lunch and some shopping. Of course being in Stratford and on an English trip visiting Shakespeare sites were a must. Some students visited his birthplace, while others visited his grave. In the end, everyone enjoyed this fun filled day before we had to crack down on our school work!

Harry Potter!!

July 22, 2011

Our stay in England would have been incomplete without Harry Potter of course!  We absolutely had to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.

very excited on the bus

waiting in line to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

trying to look cool with our 3D glasses

We all loved the movie!! :)

Blenheim Palace by Kylie Hendricks

July 22, 2011

Today we went to Blenheim Palace for an optional excursion, after a full morning of classes. The palace was only about fifteen minutes away from St. Edward’s, and was definitely well worth the visit. We began by walking around the courtyard and briefly looking at the gardens, and of course a visit to the gift shop. Then, we went on our scheduled tour through the interior of the palace. The guide told us all about the luxurious palace’s history, including the fact that it is the birthplace of Winston Churchill and the ancestral home of the Spencer- Churchill family. We also discovered that the palace remains a private home for the current Duke of Marlborough and his wife. After we finished the tour of the magnificent palace, we went outside to enjoy some afternoon tea while looking at Blenheim’s beautiful grounds. It would have been nice to perhaps see the Pleasure Gardens; however, we were limited on time, as many of us had essays to write, and the only way of getting there was by a short train ride. All in all, the trip was a great experience, and I believe that it was one of the most beautiful buildings that I have seen while we have been in England.

Wicked by Dani Zimmer

July 19, 2011

Today we had the pleasure of being exposed to more of the theatre scene here in England by seeing a performance of “Wicked”. As a huge supporter of the theatre myself, I was absolutely thrilled for this experience!  We all got dressed up to see the performance :). This was my second time of having the opportunity to see this play and I enjoyed it just as much my second time seeing it as i did the first time. Our seats were great! We were on the floor in the aisle before the break between the seats extremely close to the stage with the second half of orchestra seats behind us with no one in front of us. (Yay leg space!) The actress who played Elphaba had a stunning voice and made different choices than the actress I had seen in Toronto which I enjoyed. The costumes and sets were fabulous.  This is a brilliant play which is meant to be seen on stage in a big production.

Wicked by Erin Finkelstein

July 19, 2011

Today we went to see Wicked live at the Apollo Victoria theatre in London.  This play was positively reputed by friends that have seen it before, so I was very excited to see what I thought. Contrastingly, I was apprehensive about the story line considering I had already seen "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Wiz". So, I was unsure how much more of a plot could be twisted out of this yellow bricked story line; my qualms were quickly set to peace.

This play would not be done justice anywhere else but on a big league stage. The play did not only have incredible singing, dancing, and acting, but also interestingly incorporated media. They used shadow play, atmospheric smoke and lighting, and sound effects of the highest caliber. I was very impressed with the writing of the play as well; the musical numbers were not only beautifully written but they also evoked emotion as well as forwarded the plot. My favourite number had to be "Because I knew You". This, along with many other numbers, brought me to the brink of tears (ok....maybe a little past the brink).

Out of all the musical theatre I've seen, this performance will have a lasting impression in my mind. The actors made innovative character choices, the choreography and animal work (seen in the flying monkeys) was formidable and the chorus was not just background noise, but additional talent that beefed up the overall performance; and if you think this is all talk invented for a blog, you should check out the two t-shirts and poster I purchased after the performance.

An Afternoon in London by Erin Christie

July 19, 2011

After splitting up for lunch, a small group of us went for a tour of Westminster Abby. The Abby was gorgeous! It was filled with amazing architecture and beautiful stained glass. We saw the burial sites of many famous English men including Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens and Neville Chamberlain.

Once we regrouped, we walked down to the River Thames where we took a boat tour down the river. Unfortunately, as soon as we got on the rain started and the captain had to close the roof. From the boat we could see the London Eye, Millenium Bridge and the Tower Bridge. When we docked at the Tower of London, we all got off and continued on the Big bus tour which took us all the way to Buckingham Palace! Sadly, her Majesty was not available for tea and all we could get was a photo of her stunning Palace. 

Buckingham has been the official residence for Britain’s sovereign since 1837. It has a total of 775 rooms, including 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 19 state rooms and 78 bathrooms. Several photos later, we said farewell to the Queen and headed home to get all dressed up for “Wicked” later that evening.

A Day in London by Shonagh Clark

July 19, 2011

After the Plough quiz today, we went down to London to tour the city. It was an amazing day! It began with a hop-on, hop-off Bus Tour, which took us to see Trafalgar square. The square is dedicated to a famous battle which took place in the early nineteenth century.  In the middle of the plaza, there is a large pillar, surrounded by four lions. The lions point towards the four major compass points, illustrating Britain’s world conquests. The man at the top of the pillar is Nelson, a major military figure at the time. At the edge of the plaza, one can see a replica of Nelson’s boat (the Victory) in a large glass bottle.

On our way to the Westminster Abbey, we spotted a herd of wild paparazzi, and decided to give chase. They swarmed around a black car, which had stopped at a light.  They viciously shoved their cameras into the tinted windows in an attempt to get their perfect shot. (Later in the day, we noticed the pictures of their victims on the front page of a newspaper. The story contained rumours about Murdock and his alleged girlfriend). After the car left, the mob reverted back into everyday smokers.

After the swarms dissipated, we continued our trek towards the Abbey. While a few of us went inside, the majority of us took the time to eat lunch and explore the area.

The Globe Theater by Caitlin Levinsky

July 17, 2011

Let me just start off by saying the trip to the Globe theatre was the highlight of my trip. Having learnt Shakespeare since the ninth grade, being able to go and see the theatre that he built for his plays, where so many brilliant works were performed was incredible. It is beautiful and old fashioned looking; it stands out because it looks like it is right out of the 17th century. If the history alone wasn’t enough to make the trip stand out, the performance most definitely did. We saw Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus. It was one of the most well done productions I have ever been part of the audience for. The staging was incredible, especially when it came to the seven deadly sins. From an acting point of the view the performance from Dr. Faustus and Mephistopheles blew me away. Never once did they break character despite the thunder and hail storm. The trip to the Globe Theatre could not have been more perfect!

Doctor Faustus at the Globe Theatre by

Megan Macgregor and Victoria Poulton

July 17, 2011

  

Today was the second full day in London, England and we were able to sleep in for an extra hour, yay!  After, we all enjoyed a wonderful hot breakfast of eggs, hash browns, bacon and other yummy food (which included new foods too!).  At 11:00 a.m. we all gathered in the lobby to head down to the Globe Theatre to attend the performance of Doctor Faustus.

The Globe Theatre

In the early part of 1599 the Globe Theatre was up and running and it was known for presenting Shakespeare’s greatest plays.  Sadly, in 1613, the theatre burnt down but it was quickly rebuilt.  Years later it was closed down and demolished to make room for tenements in 1644. The current Globe theatre was made to replicate the original but nobody knows for sure what it looked like so it was designed from printed panoramas, written accounts or descriptions in the plays.

Doctor Faustus

Doctor Faustus is a play about a German academic who trades his soul with the Devil in exchange for unlimited power and a servant spirit, Mephistopheles, for 24 years.

Our group was lucky enough to be able to stand right at the stage which was raised so everyone could see no matter how far back.  It did rain, however, and like good little Elizabethans, we got soaked, but it made the whole experience more entertaining.  The play had many humorous parts and the actors even made jokes about the rain during the performance, for they did not hesitate to brave the elements on stage.

After the play we crossed the Millennium Bridge and returned to the residence to change and have dinner.  In the evening, we had the option of touring around London or enjoying a quiet night in.  London is a beautiful city with many activities that interest all; there are plenty of shops, museums, parks, and look-out spots.

So far the trip has been amazing and I’m sad to say it is over half way done.  Greetings to everyone at home and to worried parents … don’t worry, we are having a great time.

The Globe Theater by Caitlin Cook

July 17, 2011

Today we went to the Globe Theatre in London! Being hugely into theatre myself, this was definitely the highlight of London for me. To be immersed in the atmosphere where Shakespeare’s plays were originally performed was unbelievably incredible and something I will never forget. We got the unique opportunity to see Dr. Faustus a play written by Christopher Marlowe. He was interestingly enough one of Shakespeare’s competitors! This play had some of the best acting I have ever seen, which a big thing is coming from a theatre buff! The costumes were absolutely beautiful, and delicately planned out. Being at the Globe gave us a completely different theatre experience than anywhere else in the world. We were standing for the duration of the performance and definitely experience some vast changes in the weather! It was amazing that my hands and chin were on the foot of the stage, right in the middle of the action! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience on this trip! I enjoyed visiting the Globe Theatre more than anything!

Stonehenge by Emmaline Swena

July 16, 2011

Today we went to one of the oldest and most mysterious places in the world, but also one of the best known. I am talking, of course, about Stonehenge, the Neolithic stone circle.

Dating from prehistoric times (3000 BCE – 1000 BCE), Stonehenge is renowned for how little we know about it. We do not know who built it, though theories range from the Druids, to the Greeks, to the Atlantians; and we do not know how the stones, some of them from 250 miles away, were brought to Salisbury Plain.

For all that we do not know about Stonehenge, there is much that we do know. For example, the flat stone in the foreground of the picture is known as the Slaughter Stone, so named because it was initially believed that the Druids used the stone as a sacrificial altar. However, archaeological evidence has disproven this, as the stone was initially standing and the Druids would have had to stand on a ladder to sacrifice their victims!

After Stonehenge, we went to the city of Bath. It was just beautiful. The city managed to have the feel of a tiny little town with its twisty streets cute cottages, but also had a very busy downtown with everything you’d need. And, of course, there was the Roman baths.

Stonehenge by Emily Onizuka

July 16, 2011

Today we journeyed to Stonehenge and Bath. The long bus ride gave us plenty of time to catch up on sleep so in a way we got to sleep in, and that's always a good thing. While we weren't sleeping we got to enjoy some beautiful scenery. I couldn't help but wonder what faeries were hiding in the rolling hills and endless fields.

Stonehenge really was amazing to see. We got all sorts of pictures from all sorts of angles and hey, maybe when we look back at them we'll make some kind of genius observation that will lead to a breakthrough archeological discovery, or maybe we'll just rememeber seeing some old rocks with some new friends. Who knows?

Then we travelled to Bath. Apparently it was named for the water that was used as a public bath by the ancient Romans though its history goes way back to the Celtic era. There was also a delicious Fish & Chips place with some interesting people with awesome accents.

Overall, it was a pretty good day. I wonder what wonderous things we'll be seeing next.

Arrival in England by Marijke Jurriaans

July 15, 2011

Hello family and friends back home!  We are officially in England!!!!

Today we packed up our bags and headed to the ferry around 11:00 and we are all proud to say we were 12 minutes early! Yay for us!  After arriving at the ferry terminal we spent all our change at the vending machines on chocolate and chips so we wouldn’t come home with Euros.  How considerate are we? Very. 

Next we boarded the ferry, which was more like a mini cruise with all its shops, lounges, restaurants –and yes that is plural.  Not to mention the arcade and casino.  After our wonderful boat trip which was around 2 and a half hours long we arrived in England. We breezed through security and all our strong boys quickly loaded up the bus for our 6 hours ride to London.

We stopped for a quick dinner along the way and arrived at College Hall in London very late.  We are all very excited to be in London and ready to see all the amazing sights! We miss you!

A Trip to Howth 

by Lindsay Patrick and Nicole Stukas

July 14, 2011

 

On our last day in Dublin, to wrap up our stay in Ireland, we went to Howth, which is located on the northern tip of Dublin Bay.  The weather was warm and sunny; just the kind of weather we needed for the day we had ahead of us.  After taking the DART to Howth, we hiked through the town to the summit overlooking the bay.  Once we arrived to the top we ate lunch together while enjoying the beautiful view.  We had class up there all afternoon with the sea as our backdrop, which everyone found to be a great environment for learning.  In groups, we performed sections of Act 4 in Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars.  These dramatizations were presented at the top of the cliffs, which was very enjoyable for the class.

 

We all got to see the different takes on the act and let our creativity shine. Acting out The Plough and the Stars really gave students a better understanding of character development and the themes within the play. We also had the pleasure of seeing the voices presentations of the day from Matt, who told us all about King Henry VIII and his six wives, Chloe who taught us everything we needed to know about Shakespeare, and lastly Victoria who showed us how the druids lived through a game of broken telephone.  After class was over we all went on a breathtaking hike down the cliffs right off the Irish coast. Everyone enjoyed spending quality time with each other and Howth was a fantastic way to spend our last day in Ireland together. After we took the train back to Dublin where it was time for us to get packed and ready for London!

Guinness by Robert Cole and Aidan Williams

July 13, 2011

This afternoon, we visited the Guinness brewery and learned the secrets behind the world famous taste of Guinness.

Upon our arrival we saw the original lease to the first Guinness factory signed by Arthur Guinness himself. We learned about the 3 ingredients that contribute to making the beer. We also learned the interesting facts behind the top secret strain of yeast that is kept in a vault in case of emergency to continue the distinct taste of Guinness.

At the factory, they were giving the opportunity to learn the trick behind pouring the perfect pint. They had a fascinating exhibit on the ways to build a traditional wooden keg.  We made our way up to the Guinness Sky Bar, which was very interesting, as it was the first skyscraper in Dublin. They gave out free sodas while we were there and had the perfect view of Dublin.

Also, we all learned the background of how this Guinness started from nothing and turned into the famous and popular beer that it is today. The trip was like going through the Wonka Factory of beer. Now when we are of drinking age we can think about all the hard work that goes into to making the Guinness and enjoy it.

Overall, we all had a great time and enjoyed the experience, and in the end all purchased a bit of merchandise in ‘The Store House’.

Dublin Castle and Guinness Brewery

by Alyson Schwitchtenberg and Lauren Boyd

July 13, 2011

We began the day by taking the bus to the beautiful and historic Dublin Castle, where we split up into three groups for a forty-five minute tour. The interior has been completely restored and is even more breathtaking than the exterior.

In addition to the spectacular rooms, we learned a lot about the history of Ireland during our tour. For example, apparently the city’s name, Dublin, translates into black pool.  One fact that many of the girls were especially happy to hear was that Ireland is coming up on 21 consecutive years of having a woman as president, the longest run in world history. We also learned about the colours on the Irish flag and what they stand for. According to our tour guide the green represents nationalism (those for a free Ireland), the orange is for unionism (those loyal to Britain) and the white in the middle is for peace between the two parties. Our morning was very historical and great fun!

After the castle we went for lunch to a place famous for making the best fish and chips in Dublin. In the restaurant was a list of all the famous people who have eaten there, including Sandra Bullock, U2, and the cast of PS I Love You. Though neither of us ate the fish and chips, everyone who did said it was delicious and there was definitely no shortage of food, as the portions were huge.

Following a short reading break, we arrived at the Guinness brewery. Once we entered the seven story building, we were taken into a huge area where they described the brewing process. Each floor demonstrated a different step in the manufacturing of Guinness. Once the tour was over, we were taken to the Gravity Bar, where we were treated to free soft drinks. We got some amazing pictures from the seventh story bar, because the walls were floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking onto Dublin.

Finally, we went to the gift shop, where everyone spent all their cash buying souvenirs! Though it was a long day, there were no complaints and we all cannot wait to come back when we are eighteen.