Ferry 'cross the Mersey

So, last Wednesday about 15 of us headed out on a day trip up to one of England's other cities. Liverpool. Liverpool boasts many beauties, not least of all which is the Beatles, as well as several other British Invasion bands (including Gerry and the Pacemakers). They also have the river Mersey, which makes Liverpool a rather large port. In fact, because of Liverpool being a port city this is where the first missionaries landed on opening the British Isles in 1837.

We started our day early, and made the 4 hour drive up to Liverpool, and upon arrival the first thing we did was head to the Beatle's Story. This was a pretty neat museum, and I learned quite a bit about the lives of the Paul, John, Ringo and George. After checking out the museum thoroughly a couple of us went and bought tickets for a mersey ferry ride. They were crazy cheap too, only £3.70! After buying tickets for the next ride we took a few minutes and explored around the Titanic exhibit at the Maritime Museum there. It was a nice exhibit but we didn't have enough time to really see it. The ferry ride was really cool, and it was fun to say I've taken a "ferry 'cross the mersey." After the ferry ride we wandered around the town a little. we found the "hard day's night hotel" and this great little stand that had the BEST donuts. It was a short trip, only 6 hours in Liverpool for a 4 hour coach ride each way, but it was worth every minute of the ride to see this city in the north of the country!

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

-John Newton (1725-1807)

Is Beauty Dangerous?

I believe it begins to become a problem when in order to describe the beauty of something one must resort to using negatively connoted words. Such as "painfully beautiful," "devastatingly beautiful," "terrifyingly pretty," etc. What is it about our language that prevents us from being able to actually express our emotions and feelings? I feel that times like these it's not only a matter of our own personal ability to express, but more a lack of the right words in our unruly language.

This picture is a view taken from the Parish Church in Widecombe in the Moor. It is a National trust village in the Dartmoor National Park. Isn't it just the lovliest, most beautiful sight you have ever seen? Could anything look any more classically English? I only wish that cameras did even half justice to the beauty of the surroundings.

If you thought that was as beautiful as it gets (and you really would be nearly right in thinking it) here is another picture to give you a run for your money. This is a picture taken from within Stourhead Gardens. For those of you who don't know one seen from the recent Pride and Prejudice was filmed here, when Mr. Darcy proposes in the rain to Elizabeth. It even rained a bit today setting the mood just perfectly. I think however, that for as beautiful as all this is, and while it does hurt to see it, describing it as "painfully beautiful" seems inadequate and yet I cannot think of a single word in our language with which to describe it in the least.

Wicked!!!

Wicked was amazing!!! we went Saturday morning and got tickets for that night. it was amazing. Elphaba and Glinda were both fantastic. They sing SO well. It was a fantastic show. I am so glad that I went, it was totally worth it. Tonight we watched Pirates of Penzance. It was hilarious. I am the very model of a modern major general. And it's been raining all day and a bit windy since we're on the edge of a hurricane. I'm definetly getting to see it all here. what with the earthquake we had a couple weeks ago and all... Certainly exciting times!! for our trip last week we headed to the tower of London and to Greenwich. The home of the time for the WHOLE world, as well as the prime meridian. Greenwich is one of my favorite places. It is simply amazing and quite lovely, yeh? Living here in London is so wonderful, I never want to leave.

National Gallery

Last night we decided to take advantage of the couple nights a week that the National Gallery is open late and visit it. When we got to Trafalgar Square we realized that it wasn't open. whoops. so we ended up voting to do our Literature homework and pay a visit to Dr. Johnson's house. So after walking down The Strand and visiting his house and the memorial to his cat Hodge, we walked down to the Temple. (may I just say, that Samuel Johnson must be pretty cool if his cat gets a statue...) I hadn't been inside the Temple complex before its pretty neat, especially at 8 at night. I could totally live and work there, except I don't think I could be a lawyer. oh well. The temple abuts the Thames on one side, so we decided to stroll along the Thames down to Westminster. It was so nice. It was a beautiful night and to see the lights playing off the water was a gorgeous sight to behold. We went out on the bridge and read the plaque partway down that has Wordsworth's poem Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802. It's quite a lovely poem. After that we wandered around parliament for a bit, and the abbey and headed home. Even though we didn't go to the National Gallery, it really was a wonderful evening. It felt so good to get out of the house on a friday night and just wander around London. And to wander along the Thames? What could be better?

a few things have happened...

Pues. Lo siento. So much has happened lately that I don't even know how to begin to describe it all. but for starters the bulbous flowers have started blooming. Everywhere you look there are Daffodils to be seen, it is SO beautiful. These Daffodils are from Hampton Court. The Royal Residence of Henry VIII. It is a very interesting specimen of Tudor History. Quite lovely.
Windsor was also lovely. The Queen was going to come that weekend, so everywhere things were being prepared for her arrival. The moat of Windsor has never had water in it. But it makes a beautiful garden. We finally got our hot water fixed after nearly two weeks of cold showers. And let me tell you, the water in England is like ice that they had to melt to put through the pipes. NOT KIDDING!!! you literally were freezing. you went numb almost instantly and before you had a chance to even get some of the shampoo out of your hair your head was SO cold that your brain hurt, it was awful. Luckily the professors had hot water and let us shower there some. Well I suppose that this catches us up some. Perhaps I'll tell you more later...