I'll be Home for Christmas

Actually I AM home for Christmas! Back in the good ol' US of A.
I've only been here 2 days really. But it's nice to have my friends so close and be able to talk to them at normal hours. I miss you guys!
So a bit of an update on what has been going on in life. Like I mentioned in my last post end of term was kicking my butt. However, I did survive and get my papers in on time. Go me!
What adventures have I not talked about... Oh! I went to the National Railway museum in York. They have a real working turn table that I took a video of for my dad. The trains were really cool, it wasn't anything super exciting for me since my dad is a train nut but Brittani was excited, she apparently has never been near a train.

Old Train

Newer Train

I found it!

There was not much going on in life at York for awhile because I was focused on my school work but York was getting all fancy for the Holidays. They even put up an adorable carousel in the square. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the store displays and lights but I promise they were festive and cute.

Anyway, now I have a month off and a break from school. Except not really because I have to start thinking about my dissertation topic. I have an idea I think but that will be it's own post in itself once I have it figured out. 

It's great to be home for the holidays and to see friends and family. and eat all the food's I miss like Taco Bell! and goldfish! 

Happy Christmas and New Year!

End of Term

It's the end of term and classes are ending. Holiday Cheer is in the air and .... who am I kidding. I'm so stressed out right now I could cry. End of term is the worst. We have 2 papers due the same day which are pretty much our grade and everyone is trying to have fun things happen like Christmas parties.
I need a time turner to get everything done!
Anyway I will be back to giving you all good things to read about once this nonsense is over. Aka after the 6th. There is a post about A visit to The National Rail Museum. and I want to do a post about how cute York is at Christmas but I clearly haven't had time to go out and about to see the lights. That WILL happen though I promise!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I will be in class for 4 hours that day but not to fret us Americans are teaching our house a thing of two about Thanksgiving and having a feast on Saturday. and when I say feast I mean FEAST!

Wish me Luck!

 

Leaving the Nest

Last weekend I finally left the nest, and by the nest I mean I left York. The Graduate Student Assosiation offered a trip to Warwick and Stratford Upon-Avon for a great price which was going to include my room for the night and transportation. It turned out to be a great adventure! I went with three of my friends who live on my side of the house and we had a blast!

We had to get up at the crack of dawn to catch a bus to campus to catch the bus out for the trip but that wasn't too bad and seeing the pink sunrise as I ate breakfast kind of made up for it. So we drove all morning (3ish hours) stopping for food along the way. We were extremely excited to discover the rest stop we stopped at had KFC... guess where we ate? After a food and bathroom break the bus headed out again and we went to Warwick. It was a little bit of a gloomy day and really cold out.

Wind Turbines for my Sister 

We spent the whole day at Warwick Castle. I'm a bit confused about the History of the castle I didn't learn much while there I just explored it. Which was totally acceptable. I do know that the castle is meant to be used those were the wishes of the Earl and therefore it is used. You can have receptions and stuff in the great hall. The Queen went an dined in the State Room in 2006. It was a party place and still is today. They do Christmas at Warwick Castle which I think would be AMAZING! I would probably actually die of happiness if I were at a castle for Christmas. Here is their web site if you want to check it out. http://www.warwick-castle.com/

Warwick Castle

Well darn already in trouble.

This is the TINY hole they put prisoners in.

Everything in this place was beautiful

The library was completely lined in books!

There were wax figures everywhere and they kept freaking me out.

The moat 

Beautiful stained glass everywhere

the serving table in the Great Hall

The State Room where the Queen dined. 

Warwick Castle from the inside

The view from the castle was breath taking. 

Look out!

Maria and I

Maria was bad...

Like I said. An amazing view.

So after our day at Warwick Castle we went to Stratford Upon-Avon to check into our Hostel. Youth Hostels here are pretty legit. It was like a hotel for teenagers or young people. The rooms were 4-6 people. Lucky for us we were a group of 4 from my house so we got our own room. Being a Hostel we had to make our own beds and stuff and Maria, having never slept on the top of a bunk bed was having a little trouble with the logistics of putting the bed together. The whole night was like a big sleep over and full of giggles and silliness. So it was great!

Maria On TOP of the wardrobe trying to put her sheets on.

Maria and Brittani being weird.

We did go into town that night to eat and explore. We were trying to get into a show at the theater but  they were all sold out. We ate at the Old Thatch Tavern which has amazing food and a super cozy environment. It was perfect. We then explored the town a bit but since it was after 5 everything was already closed (as they do in England). 

The next morning we returned to Stratford Upon-Avon for a fun filled day of culture! ... ... well... shopping. We discovered that Shakespeare's birth place (which isn't even a fact. They just think it's his birth place) is WAY over priced. So we opted out of that and just walked around town shopping and having a fun day. We did go to Shakespeare Final Resting Place however. 

Brittani and Shakespeare's maybe house 

This is a shelf of Records... This is also a Door!

Teddy Bear shop! 

The Old Thatch Tavern Where we ate the night before.

Church was in service so we had to chill by the river for awhile

I'm not complaining it was beautiful!

The grave of William Shakespeare 

Oh and for lunch that day (lunch being at like 2:00) I had my first official English Afternoon Tea. But actually that's what I ordered at the Tea House. Afternoon Tea is a LOT of food! probably because that food that you get is so filling. I got a Pot of tea. 6 "delicate" sandwiches. A scone with clotted cream and jam. and a dessert pastry cake amazing thing. I ate it all....I'm a fatty. 

Afternoon Tea

Regrettably we then had to return home from our adventure and buckle down and get back to work. Story of my life here in York. There is so much I want to do and no time to do it. Especially if I want to pass and actually get my Masters. 

This was the Tale of our first adventure out of York. We are planing a Grand Epic Adventure for Spring term break so watch out!

Goodbye

Walk the Line

As you have probably figured out York is a beautiful city. There is no better way to see the city than by walking the City Walls. York, long ago was defended by a wall that surrounded the city. Fun Face: York has the most complete medieval wall in all of England. So walking these walls gives you an amazing view. After a stressful and unexpected turn of events in my weeks I really needed this outing. So when we saw the sun was out Brittani and I grabbed our jackets and scarves and set off for the first section of wall. We started at Bootham Bar (Bar means Gate... Don't ask I don't know the English are weird) which is just down the street. I actually go past it everyday.

Our walk started out a bit damp but the sun was out so we were happy. Unfortunately there were some parts of the wall we couldn't see over because we were too short... Go figure. 

York Minster in the Backgorund

I liked the bridge... 

I took a lot of creepy pictures of peoples back yards...

But the landscaping was beautiful!

So after the first section came Monk Bar. Then to Red Tower, this is when it started to rain. It wasn't too bad just a light mist. But then it actually started to rain and we took refuge in Walmgate Bar at Gatehouse Coffee. Which was a really cute coffee place right in the walls tower. Here we got some coffee and food and just hangout for awhile is an adorable atmosphere. 

Inside Gatehouse Coffee

After we re-energized we went along our marry way in the rain. We knew it wouldn't stop raining here once it started. We stopped at Fishergate, Baile Hill and Barker Tower.

"I'm gunna artsy hold on"

This is Brittani she is silly. 

We didn't quite finish the wall because we couldn't figure out where the next section was and it started raining again. So once we made it back into the city we ran some errands on the way home. 

I definitely plan on doing this walk every season and switching up the direction I go so that I see different things every time.