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Holiday Tour
Apr. 10th, 2012 11:10 pmHello, friends!
I say, it's been a frightful age since I wrote properly, what? I suppose that's the trouble with these bally old things: One forms one or two attachments and it becomes ever so simple to send nothing but private messages to one's mates.
But our trips this last week have been well worth the chronicling.
Let's see:
We went on a tour of the Tower and a boat ride on the Thames. For most of us, we've never been to New London and this gave us a wonderful introduction to the city, what? I think the river is an excellent way to get one's bearings.
We were meant to go to the botanical gardens but the weather was against us. Instead, we were treated to a special preview of a new museum in New London. The Protector's Collection. It's a well thoughtful mix, what, of unique items that the Lord Protector has assembled all in on place and has graciously allowed to be displayed to the public. There's to be another wing, we're told, with all sorts of activities for young witches and wizards, which I think is a brilliant way to introduce them to the Protectorate's history and its values.
We went to Glastonbury Tor and saw Stonehenge. I say, outside the Protectorate, Stonehenge is still one of the most famous images of England, so I was well pleased to see it in person. It's incredible, what! And of course, we learned about the importance of Ancient Runes to the old tribes and how some of those runes are still used today.
We saw Tintagel castle in Cornwall. That was also well impressive. And most of the Beauxbatons students know quite a bit about Arthurian Lore but apparently the Durmstrang lot are not so well-versed. It rather makes sense, of course, I simply never gave it much thought before then. But standing atop that turret was quite breathtaking. And the ghosts, what! They had amazing stories to tell about their lives.
We went to Bath.
We were taken to Camelot amusement park in Liverpool. That was a jolly good time, indeed! And Luna, I'm delighted you were able to come along in Patil's party. I say, it was smashingly good of her and Parvati to coincide their party with our visit.
We were shown a typical camp for muggleborn labourers outside of Newcastle. I know this was a particular request of many of my schoolmates, and Durmstrang's besides, and I think we were all quite suitably inspired by the obvious work that goes into maintaining such a facility, what? And the denizens were obviously fortunate to have been given so much bounty. It truly made us think about how possible it would be for our own countries to follow the Protectorate's example.
We explored Yorkshire Dales and saw all manner of wildlife and talked about the efforts to restore the Protectorate to its natural beauty. We picnicked on the open moor and then took a weed walk and enjoyed the simplicity of an unspoiled, uninhabited place.
We went to Lincoln and Nottingham. We saw a Robin Hood panto in Nottingham and toured the home of Waltheof the Elder (who is said to be the very same wizard mentioned in the ballad, Robin Hood and the Wizard). We were shown where Lincoln Castle is, but of course, one couldn't go inside.
Today we went on a tour of the historic battleground at Leicester. I say, I think perhaps even more than Newcastle, today's has been the most serious of our trips. It's well affecting the way the site has been commemorated, what, and how it stands as a testament to the Protectorate's achievements. I kept thinking of people I now know who fought there or whose loved ones did, and how meaningful that made the experience.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the trips. Tomorrow we're to Cambridge and its wonderful architecture and I expect some bowling on the greens and a stroll through the many libraries and galleries. Then we've a day to ourselves back in New London, a professional Quidditch match (I think it might be the Lethifolds everyone's talking about, what?) and Professor Froissart said we might be able to go to the botanical gardens, after all, which we missed owing to the weather on our second day in New London.
I say, it'll be hard to go back to school after all this sightseeing!
-Justin
I say, it's been a frightful age since I wrote properly, what? I suppose that's the trouble with these bally old things: One forms one or two attachments and it becomes ever so simple to send nothing but private messages to one's mates.
But our trips this last week have been well worth the chronicling.
Let's see:
We went on a tour of the Tower and a boat ride on the Thames. For most of us, we've never been to New London and this gave us a wonderful introduction to the city, what? I think the river is an excellent way to get one's bearings.
We were meant to go to the botanical gardens but the weather was against us. Instead, we were treated to a special preview of a new museum in New London. The Protector's Collection. It's a well thoughtful mix, what, of unique items that the Lord Protector has assembled all in on place and has graciously allowed to be displayed to the public. There's to be another wing, we're told, with all sorts of activities for young witches and wizards, which I think is a brilliant way to introduce them to the Protectorate's history and its values.
We went to Glastonbury Tor and saw Stonehenge. I say, outside the Protectorate, Stonehenge is still one of the most famous images of England, so I was well pleased to see it in person. It's incredible, what! And of course, we learned about the importance of Ancient Runes to the old tribes and how some of those runes are still used today.
We saw Tintagel castle in Cornwall. That was also well impressive. And most of the Beauxbatons students know quite a bit about Arthurian Lore but apparently the Durmstrang lot are not so well-versed. It rather makes sense, of course, I simply never gave it much thought before then. But standing atop that turret was quite breathtaking. And the ghosts, what! They had amazing stories to tell about their lives.
We went to Bath.
We were taken to Camelot amusement park in Liverpool. That was a jolly good time, indeed! And Luna, I'm delighted you were able to come along in Patil's party. I say, it was smashingly good of her and Parvati to coincide their party with our visit.
We were shown a typical camp for muggleborn labourers outside of Newcastle. I know this was a particular request of many of my schoolmates, and Durmstrang's besides, and I think we were all quite suitably inspired by the obvious work that goes into maintaining such a facility, what? And the denizens were obviously fortunate to have been given so much bounty. It truly made us think about how possible it would be for our own countries to follow the Protectorate's example.
We explored Yorkshire Dales and saw all manner of wildlife and talked about the efforts to restore the Protectorate to its natural beauty. We picnicked on the open moor and then took a weed walk and enjoyed the simplicity of an unspoiled, uninhabited place.
We went to Lincoln and Nottingham. We saw a Robin Hood panto in Nottingham and toured the home of Waltheof the Elder (who is said to be the very same wizard mentioned in the ballad, Robin Hood and the Wizard). We were shown where Lincoln Castle is, but of course, one couldn't go inside.
Today we went on a tour of the historic battleground at Leicester. I say, I think perhaps even more than Newcastle, today's has been the most serious of our trips. It's well affecting the way the site has been commemorated, what, and how it stands as a testament to the Protectorate's achievements. I kept thinking of people I now know who fought there or whose loved ones did, and how meaningful that made the experience.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the trips. Tomorrow we're to Cambridge and its wonderful architecture and I expect some bowling on the greens and a stroll through the many libraries and galleries. Then we've a day to ourselves back in New London, a professional Quidditch match (I think it might be the Lethifolds everyone's talking about, what?) and Professor Froissart said we might be able to go to the botanical gardens, after all, which we missed owing to the weather on our second day in New London.
I say, it'll be hard to go back to school after all this sightseeing!
-Justin
