DAY 5 - Air Hair Lair

Wow, what an eventful day we had during our final moments in London.  The groups were split into those who wished to stay in the city and those who went to a trip to Stonehenge, a Roman bath and Windsor Castle.  I will split this entry into two sections.  I'll actually let some of the students write their experiences in London while I take the reigns of the Stonehenge part.

The Stonehenge group consisted of: Mal, Tracy Metyard, Katelyn, Kada, Maddy, Julian, Kirsty and Kellie.  We broke into 3 small groups and hailed our own taxi.  The start of the trip was off and running with an eccentric tour guide named Tony.  His accent was a staunch and posh British one.  At one point I was under the impression that I was hearing a Carl Barron act.  One thing he told us was how to speak to Royalty correctly.  You give them three simple words in succession.  Air, hair and lair.  Now say it quickly with me... Air Hair Lair.  Haha, gotcha!

Our first stop was a Roman bath house in a place called Bath.  Way to be original, England.  It's very surreal to see antiquities and structures that withstood bombing from the Germans; especially since it dates back to Roman occupation of Britain in its tribal times.  The water was just as warm as they said as it comes from the crust of the Earth.  Mr. Schneider dared me to swim in it for 50 pounds but a quick hand dip was enough for the staff to become a tad irate.  We settled for some more pictures of the cathedrals.

The architecture of those buildings is quite extraordinary.  The very detail of Roman and Gothic styles catches your eye with the shadow's ability to peer around the crevices of each corner.  The sun dances along the gargoyles and sculptures of religious figures in order to showcase the hard work and dedication of a common people.  We only stayed in Bath for a bit and then it was off to Stonehenge.

I'm sure many people would say that world landmarks are not as obversely magnificent as some build it up to be, but the ancient structure really is something I was glad to see and appreciate.  I grabbed a pistol squat picture from the help of Julian and took as many pictures from different angles.  Did I attempt the depth perception photo of picking up a stone from the monument?  No.  Did I want to?  No.  But I will look at accomplishing the ability to push the Eiffel Tower or maybe give it a high kick.

I think the highlight of our trip must have been the Windsor Castle.  We waited at the gates considering the fact that we were almost not allowed in due to time.  The tour guide hustled us in as we made our way to the main set of rooms.  The State Rooms were open as well as Queen Mary's Dollhouse.  We took the slow walk through all of the rooms, which included: The King and Queen's drawing room, the Queen's dining area, the King's wardrobe, the Royal Hall and St. George Hall.  Julian and I took a deep appreciation for the paintings.  I have always instructed my students to write in a way that describes their senses.  Some moments in life cannot be described through a picture, partly because photos may not be allowed in the most beautiful of rooms.  Can you sit and smell the Sistine Chapel?  Have you been able to pick out the plethora of colours of that beautiful ceiling?  Julian possesses a good understanding of historical sources.  We stood and noticed subtle differences that pointed out which Greek god was where and what country the painting seemed to show.  The Italian-born Antonio Verro (c1636 – 15 June 1707) was responsible for introducing Baroque mural painting into England and served the Crown over a thirty year period.  We noticed works that depicted the trial of Jesus Christ and the frivolous activities of Zeus and Aphrodite.

This castle is truly one that promotes superiority and grace.  The reds, gold and diamonds in the chandelier all portray the subtle need to give you the impression that they are above the social level of anyone in their path.  The marble of Queen Victoria and her dog lingers with a rustic scent that is only overpowered by the multitude of its detail.  The look in her eyes and the poise of her face and body language speak to you beyond the grave.  If you take a closer look at any ancient design you can see the engravings of the artist or a message unseen to the ignorant eye.  

"Victoria Regis et Imperialix"

Queen Victoria of the Empire

Other notable sights were the orders and artifacts which hung below the engravings of "Honi soit quy mal y pense" (Shamed be he who thinks evil of it). 

We broke up again and went to Buckingham Palace before heading to tea at 7:30pm.  Enjoy the photos and enjoy the student's recollection of their final moments with Madame Tussaud.  That post comes later tomorrow.



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St. George Cathedral in Windsor Castle