Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Shrines, Romans, and Walls
Today is the big drive day. I probably won't have much to write. We are going to Durham, so I'm taking a nap! We walked through the cathedral and saw St. Cuthbert, Oswald's head, and the Venerable Bede. It was all in the same 'ol Norman style. The sun made the stained glass shine beautiful colors inside. Kim, Es, Angela, and I went down the cobblestone to a jewelry shop. It was beautiful, but too expensive for my liking. Back on the bus, we ate our lunches. Later, we took a pit stop. Inside the building was a Marks & Spencer. I got 2 4-packs of hot cross buns (they were buy 1 get 1 50% off so I got 1 regular & 1 apple & cinnamon) and a wee chocolate duck. As the sun got lower in the sky, we explored Vindolanda. The ruins were great to climb on and my bare feet on the grass felt wonderful! We were all giggly doing cartwheels, videos, and singing. I loved the ancient Roman fuzzy red hat topper they had found.We had dinner at Once Brewed hostel and all the GBC people walked up the hilly grass and through sheep pens along Hadrian's wall. Gorgeous view & sunset! After the meeting, Kate and I wrote the online Grace Academy journal (usually supplied by Mr. Lugg) as a sonnet.
~~~
The Fourth of April
written in ye olde style of the Shakespearean Sonnet
by the Kate and Nat
Upon leaving the hostel in Stratford we took a long drive.
The sun shining brightly was warming the faces of all.
On grassy green hills behind stones, the sheep bleet and thrive.
In Durham cathedral we ambled the corridor and hall.
After viewing tombs of Oswald and Bede, we entered some shops.
A few found the bridge with beautiful views of the town,
And back on the bus, we eagerly awaited next stop.*
Eating sack lunches and scarfing the goodies all down,
Exploring Vindolanda, we climbed the old forts and walls.
Mr. Lugg running and jumping o’er crum-bling steps,
And girls doing cartwheels while filming with giggles and falls.
Then in the temple for nymphs Ian sang from his depths.
Artifacts next, and then we wandered the store.
Climbing Hadrian’s wall, the sunset brought darkness once more.
*in later editions, or Kaitlynn Revised Version, some scholars have found a varying line: “Climbing back on the bus, we asked of our next stop.”
A group of students hiked up to walk along Hadrian's Wall after dinner making a nice sunset scene; Andrea and Kim; Ian, the one who has been behind the camera for all the blog pictures so far.
~~~
Well driven = How's my driving?
Running to timetable = on time
Random things I've noticed:
-alot of people smoke, especially teen-40s
-daffodils are everywhere along the road (wild? randomly planted?)
-stores have websites on their signs
-cash registers have pop-up lids for $
Levi: "Hey, Ian, you could be a sheep dog!"
Kim: "I got wounded by a Sss-WORd!" (her attempt at a British accent to which I said:)
Me: "You ARE terrible!"
Labels: England, Hadrian's Wall, Vindolanda
NatNannyNad at 11:48 AM