This past weekend I was fortunate enough to spend a day purely in the seeking of enlightenment. It was a journey of rather in-epic proportions, but my questing buddy and I made every effort to imagine ourselves heroic knights seeking all knowledge, beauty, and truth--it lent a certain gravity to mundane events such as crossing bridges (wild rivers into unknown lands), going to Cracker Barrel (a great bountiful feast set out by the gods for their true followers), etc.
The reason for this trip was that after the horrors of spring break, there seems to be a lingering sense of ill around those of us who went, as if the universe did not give us quite enough bad luck then, so they had to make up for it now. My questing buddy (QB) and I are attending a summer program at Oxford this summer, and were terrified that another experience would be tainted (or let's be honest, devoured) by our bad fortune.
So we sat down and mapped out a plan--there are only so many spiritual places in Alabama. We set off for The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament--a beautiful monastery which is home, not only to some odd monks, but to the Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration, and the Knights of the Holy Eucharist (who keep emus). We attended one of the sessions of adoration, and it was one of the most transcendental experiences I've had--right up there with dancing naked under full moons, and skinny dipping under waterfalls. (It's funny that nudity has played such a large role in the defining moments of my life.) But seriously, we could not see the nuns, they were singing from behind the Shrine, but their voices, harmonized and unaccompanied repetitive in Hail Mary and The Lord's Prayer, wafted over, ghostly for us. We sat transfixed for the longest time, just listening and taking in the opulence.
After exploring for a while, we left offerings in the garden at the feet of the Virgin, and hit up the gift shop for some Saint Medallions. (For me, Michael: for travelers and in general--he's the archangel, guys. And Joan of Arc: for courage and passion.)
Then it was off to lunch at Cracker Barrel and the Ave Maria Grotto, or "little Jerusalem." Brother Joseph spent the better part of his life crafting all the important sites in the world in miniature with such odd materials as bottle caps, marbles, and scrap metal. It is a sight to behold--expansive and intricate. I loved the hanging gardens (of Babylon), as well as the Tower of Babel.
Later we attended the school play of a friend of ours, and made a late night Denny's run--sort of a conclusive way to make peace with the Chicago layover and the resultant hours spent in Denny's, trying to eat as cheaply as possible.
All in all, I felt like it was a highly successful quest--all week I have been buoyed by the things I've seen and I've tried to hold on to that transcendence I felt at the Shrine. I don't know if it was the nature of what we did, or just the very act of going and seeking for something immaterial--but I feel that we found it.
Molly
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
The Travel Journal (part 4)
The big finale to our spring break debacle.
7:45pm 3.22.07
We are sitting in the Noel Coward theater about to see Avenue Q. We bought tickets for the balcony, but when we got here, they upgraded us to stalls! (Good luck? What?) However, the person in front of me is very tall, and I'm contemplating suicide. Boo.
Midnight 3.23.07
Well, I'll begin at the end and say that Avenue Q was incredible. The woman only partially obstructed my view, and the show was hysterical, creative, and a little bit bittersweet. It was one of the most satisfying theater experiences I've had.
Today started off with an interesting bus tour of London, including some great pictures, some rain, and a stop at the gorgeous St. Paul's Cathedral. Then there was the madness of Leicester Square and buying tickets. Lunch in a cute sandwich shop (pricy but good) and over three hours in the National Gallery. I saw half of the paintings/artists we studied in Art History, it was wonderful.
New favorite Monet: The Houses of Parliament at sunset. Favorite thing altogether? The eight small Seurat studies that showed his experimentation, which lead to the development of pointilism. Also the Bather's painting. Biggest disappointment? Finding out that La Grande Jatte was in Chicago and I missed it. Still I had an incredible, awe-inspiring time.
After this we met up with the group (The Alex City kids spent the entire day at the Hard Rock Cafe and looking for clubs) and had really good Indian food. Then there was the Q. As I've already said, it was wonderful. We took the Tube home, really excellent. That has to be one of the most efficient ways to travel. Tomorrow is a completely free day, and though I know that we can't do everything, I plan to have a fantastic time.
Oh, also today someone from EF came to talk to our teacher. I really hope we get partial reimbursement. We deserve it. On that note, I'm a little bit worried about the money situation, I haven't really kept track. As much fun as I'm (finally) having, by and large, I really just want to go home.
12:30am 3.24.07
Today at 5:45am) we get to go home. I just talked to mom and cried, I couldn't help it--I'm so happy to leave.
This past morning we woke up to find out that two girls on a completely separate tour in the same hotel claimed they were raped by two of the Alex City boys. They revealed this to a member of our group, meaning several of us had to give statements and be questioned (not me, thank God). This morning we went to the Tower of London, but I was so numb to it--all I remember was right before we saw the crown jewels this video of Elizabeth's coronation. She looked so beautiful and also scared and sad. But we had to stay in the gift shop for two hours while they questioned one of us. It was sickeningly stressful for all.
We saw those boys as being stupid and inconsiderate but not as monsters who (allegedly) raped 14 and 15 year old girls. I don't even want to think about it. Once all that mess was dealt with, we went to see the Globe (getting fairly lost along the way) and took a lot of pictures (not enough time or money to take a tour). Then to Leicester square for tickets to the Woman in Black and on to dinner. We had quite good fish and chips (I'm so glad we're past the peas and carrots stage). However, one of our group members had a total breakdown during dinner. It made me really see what this trip has done to us, both physically and mentally. We went and saw the play which was excellently acted, and then came back to the hotel to get packed up. I'm going to try to get some sleep before we're forced on a plane.
9:32am 3.24.07
We sit in Heathrow airport again, but at least this time we have seats to sit in. The rapists from Alex City posted bail and are going home, though police investigation will continue. Our flight is at eleven, but we've been here since seven in the morning and they've yet to post our gate. We're sitting (some people miraculously can sleep) in the holding area surrounded by bustling crowds of people. But again, at least we have seats.
9am 3.25.07
I am home.
As you can imagine, it was quite the trip of a lifetime, in many many mixed ways. It took several weeks before any of us started to act or feel normally, and telling the story was little help. Mostly we wanted sympathy, but no matter how we expressed the events, the emotion was unclear. Then we reached the point where we never wanted to talk about it again. Now, I think, I have made it into a dinner party story in my head, one that I will tell for years--the worst spring break ever. In that way, I think, I am taking the power out of the story and making it my own--my power to wield as I choose.
I will not be beaten down by circumstance--my trip to Oxford this summer remains bright, and it will be. Just the act of putting down the words of everything that happened over spring break was a way I managed to cope--if anything the trip was a testament to the power of the written word.
Not that I needed any more evidence of that.
Molly
7:45pm 3.22.07
We are sitting in the Noel Coward theater about to see Avenue Q. We bought tickets for the balcony, but when we got here, they upgraded us to stalls! (Good luck? What?) However, the person in front of me is very tall, and I'm contemplating suicide. Boo.
Midnight 3.23.07
Well, I'll begin at the end and say that Avenue Q was incredible. The woman only partially obstructed my view, and the show was hysterical, creative, and a little bit bittersweet. It was one of the most satisfying theater experiences I've had.
Today started off with an interesting bus tour of London, including some great pictures, some rain, and a stop at the gorgeous St. Paul's Cathedral. Then there was the madness of Leicester Square and buying tickets. Lunch in a cute sandwich shop (pricy but good) and over three hours in the National Gallery. I saw half of the paintings/artists we studied in Art History, it was wonderful.
New favorite Monet: The Houses of Parliament at sunset. Favorite thing altogether? The eight small Seurat studies that showed his experimentation, which lead to the development of pointilism. Also the Bather's painting. Biggest disappointment? Finding out that La Grande Jatte was in Chicago and I missed it. Still I had an incredible, awe-inspiring time.
After this we met up with the group (The Alex City kids spent the entire day at the Hard Rock Cafe and looking for clubs) and had really good Indian food. Then there was the Q. As I've already said, it was wonderful. We took the Tube home, really excellent. That has to be one of the most efficient ways to travel. Tomorrow is a completely free day, and though I know that we can't do everything, I plan to have a fantastic time.
Oh, also today someone from EF came to talk to our teacher. I really hope we get partial reimbursement. We deserve it. On that note, I'm a little bit worried about the money situation, I haven't really kept track. As much fun as I'm (finally) having, by and large, I really just want to go home.
12:30am 3.24.07
Today at 5:45am) we get to go home. I just talked to mom and cried, I couldn't help it--I'm so happy to leave.
This past morning we woke up to find out that two girls on a completely separate tour in the same hotel claimed they were raped by two of the Alex City boys. They revealed this to a member of our group, meaning several of us had to give statements and be questioned (not me, thank God). This morning we went to the Tower of London, but I was so numb to it--all I remember was right before we saw the crown jewels this video of Elizabeth's coronation. She looked so beautiful and also scared and sad. But we had to stay in the gift shop for two hours while they questioned one of us. It was sickeningly stressful for all.
We saw those boys as being stupid and inconsiderate but not as monsters who (allegedly) raped 14 and 15 year old girls. I don't even want to think about it. Once all that mess was dealt with, we went to see the Globe (getting fairly lost along the way) and took a lot of pictures (not enough time or money to take a tour). Then to Leicester square for tickets to the Woman in Black and on to dinner. We had quite good fish and chips (I'm so glad we're past the peas and carrots stage). However, one of our group members had a total breakdown during dinner. It made me really see what this trip has done to us, both physically and mentally. We went and saw the play which was excellently acted, and then came back to the hotel to get packed up. I'm going to try to get some sleep before we're forced on a plane.
9:32am 3.24.07
We sit in Heathrow airport again, but at least this time we have seats to sit in. The rapists from Alex City posted bail and are going home, though police investigation will continue. Our flight is at eleven, but we've been here since seven in the morning and they've yet to post our gate. We're sitting (some people miraculously can sleep) in the holding area surrounded by bustling crowds of people. But again, at least we have seats.
9am 3.25.07
I am home.
As you can imagine, it was quite the trip of a lifetime, in many many mixed ways. It took several weeks before any of us started to act or feel normally, and telling the story was little help. Mostly we wanted sympathy, but no matter how we expressed the events, the emotion was unclear. Then we reached the point where we never wanted to talk about it again. Now, I think, I have made it into a dinner party story in my head, one that I will tell for years--the worst spring break ever. In that way, I think, I am taking the power out of the story and making it my own--my power to wield as I choose.
I will not be beaten down by circumstance--my trip to Oxford this summer remains bright, and it will be. Just the act of putting down the words of everything that happened over spring break was a way I managed to cope--if anything the trip was a testament to the power of the written word.
Not that I needed any more evidence of that.
Molly
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Travel Journal (part three)
8am 3.20.07
We are now on the Ulysses, the largest ferry in the world. It's like a cruise ship that runs between Ireland and Wales. We're taking the route which takes a slow four hours, leaving Ireland behind and heading for Wales.
6:42 pm 3.20.07
What a lovely day. After a long (slightly nauseating) ferry ride during which we befriended art student and Irishman Ross, we got aboard a bus and headed into Angelsey, an island off the coast. The landscape was rolling and green with more sheep than people (to quote tour guide Matt) much like Ireland but craggier, more wild in its beauty. Compare the Bronte sisters, Charlotte and Emily--that is Ireland and Wales. I love Wales--it is shockingly beautiful. We ate lunch at an authentic countryside fish and chips place (greasy and delicious) and talked to the owners; an old husband and wife duo who gave us advice about hiding our money and called our group "Ala-bah-ma."
Then we asked to take our picture with the man. His wife spent forever looking through the camera only to say that she needed her glasses. His response? "Christ on a bike!" A wonderful phrase I fully intend to use. Words can't describe what comes next: Beaumaris Castle. In ruins and utterly picturesque. I fell in love with it, and the Snowdonia mountains in one incredible hour. Now I'm about to eat dinner in our adorable hotel restaurant, and although I've yet to see them, our entire group should be present.
9:11pm 3.20.07
Well, they're back. Yesterday they spent fifteen hours sitting on the floor of Heathrow Airport (ie. hell). Two girls were ill, spending the morning vomiting, the rest utterly broke down. They were finally rescued by a guy from EF, but he told them not to come to Dublin that night, that if they spent the night in London they'd get to tour Wales with us today. Obviously he lied. But the girls did not find out until they arrived in Wales that they'd completely missed all the touring. They went to the pub. It makes me sick to think of all that has happened to us, but especially to them. What have any of us done?
Tomorrow, day 6, the tour will begin for half of our group. But as much as I hate it, and if I'd known what was going to happen I would have stayed with them, I still had a lovely day, and I'm still really happy about it. Sort of.
Quotes from our fellow tour group from Alex City, AL:
1. In Wales do they speak Wale-ese?...No dude, I don't think that's a language.
2. Does roasted lamb taste like chicken?
3. Is salmon like sushi?
4. We went to the gas station and got some Budweiser and Corona--we didn't like that Guinness stuff.
5. We have music appreciation at my school--we listen to the AFI and talk about it.
6. I'm a loser...(us: Oh no!)...No, I'm a cool loser. With an -eur. (ie. loseur) It's an English spelling.
7. (about some Welsh word) I swear that says Robin Williams!
Some people should never be allowed to leave the country. I hate that they got to have our whole tour. Also, I'm scared because I have no English currency whatsoever and no viable way of getting any. Plus my "roommate" left me alone in the hotel room. Oh well. Shower and bed await, I guess.
7:45am 3.22.07
Yesterday made me so happy. Anne Hathaway's cottage was lovely and intriguing. The town of Stratford was picturesque and friendly, stuck in the past in the same gentle way as the "modern" parts of Williamsburg. Warrick Castle was disappointing, only an hour of rushed touring, and it felt much more like an amusement park than an authentic place. But on the bus I read my book and had interesting discussions with various people, and for dinner (in London) we all ate "pub grub" at the Wheatsheaf across the street from our hotel (a Comfort Inn). Afterwards Matt took us on a night walking tour down the Thames. It was incredibly beautiful in a completely different way than the nature of Wales. Today will be the first of our two days in London (mostly free time). This trip is finally working out.
So I thought. Next week: Our London (mis)adventures.
We are now on the Ulysses, the largest ferry in the world. It's like a cruise ship that runs between Ireland and Wales. We're taking the route which takes a slow four hours, leaving Ireland behind and heading for Wales.
6:42 pm 3.20.07
What a lovely day. After a long (slightly nauseating) ferry ride during which we befriended art student and Irishman Ross, we got aboard a bus and headed into Angelsey, an island off the coast. The landscape was rolling and green with more sheep than people (to quote tour guide Matt) much like Ireland but craggier, more wild in its beauty. Compare the Bronte sisters, Charlotte and Emily--that is Ireland and Wales. I love Wales--it is shockingly beautiful. We ate lunch at an authentic countryside fish and chips place (greasy and delicious) and talked to the owners; an old husband and wife duo who gave us advice about hiding our money and called our group "Ala-bah-ma."
Then we asked to take our picture with the man. His wife spent forever looking through the camera only to say that she needed her glasses. His response? "Christ on a bike!" A wonderful phrase I fully intend to use. Words can't describe what comes next: Beaumaris Castle. In ruins and utterly picturesque. I fell in love with it, and the Snowdonia mountains in one incredible hour. Now I'm about to eat dinner in our adorable hotel restaurant, and although I've yet to see them, our entire group should be present.
9:11pm 3.20.07
Well, they're back. Yesterday they spent fifteen hours sitting on the floor of Heathrow Airport (ie. hell). Two girls were ill, spending the morning vomiting, the rest utterly broke down. They were finally rescued by a guy from EF, but he told them not to come to Dublin that night, that if they spent the night in London they'd get to tour Wales with us today. Obviously he lied. But the girls did not find out until they arrived in Wales that they'd completely missed all the touring. They went to the pub. It makes me sick to think of all that has happened to us, but especially to them. What have any of us done?
Tomorrow, day 6, the tour will begin for half of our group. But as much as I hate it, and if I'd known what was going to happen I would have stayed with them, I still had a lovely day, and I'm still really happy about it. Sort of.
Quotes from our fellow tour group from Alex City, AL:
1. In Wales do they speak Wale-ese?...No dude, I don't think that's a language.
2. Does roasted lamb taste like chicken?
3. Is salmon like sushi?
4. We went to the gas station and got some Budweiser and Corona--we didn't like that Guinness stuff.
5. We have music appreciation at my school--we listen to the AFI and talk about it.
6. I'm a loser...(us: Oh no!)...No, I'm a cool loser. With an -eur. (ie. loseur) It's an English spelling.
7. (about some Welsh word) I swear that says Robin Williams!
Some people should never be allowed to leave the country. I hate that they got to have our whole tour. Also, I'm scared because I have no English currency whatsoever and no viable way of getting any. Plus my "roommate" left me alone in the hotel room. Oh well. Shower and bed await, I guess.
7:45am 3.22.07
Yesterday made me so happy. Anne Hathaway's cottage was lovely and intriguing. The town of Stratford was picturesque and friendly, stuck in the past in the same gentle way as the "modern" parts of Williamsburg. Warrick Castle was disappointing, only an hour of rushed touring, and it felt much more like an amusement park than an authentic place. But on the bus I read my book and had interesting discussions with various people, and for dinner (in London) we all ate "pub grub" at the Wheatsheaf across the street from our hotel (a Comfort Inn). Afterwards Matt took us on a night walking tour down the Thames. It was incredibly beautiful in a completely different way than the nature of Wales. Today will be the first of our two days in London (mostly free time). This trip is finally working out.
So I thought. Next week: Our London (mis)adventures.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The Travel Journal (part two)
12:30pm, 3.18.07
We are about to leave our "home" at the Motel 6 and head back to the O'Hare International Airport. We do have to be there for about five hours, but supposedly there are lots of cute shops (spending money, just what I need) and that's good. Hopefully I will be able to find out the balance on my card--I definitely did not expect a two day unfunded layover when I planned my budget, Still, we're happy, rested(ish), clean, and about to fly overseas to take the train to Wales. (Mold, Wales, to be exact).
4:10pm, 3.18.07
Sitting at the airport. We board at 5:40--at least, we are supposed to. We are warm, fed, and comfortable, though I look forward to being all those things whilst flying over the Atlantic. Also free food and drink will be an excellent amenity, as everything here is overpriced to the extreme. I still have plenty of money, so I don't have to worry, and it definitely won't go as quickly when we aren't "paying to survive" as one girl put it. The enormous unfairness of it all has yet to really hit me. I just hope we can be practically reimbursed.
6:15am, 3.19.07
Landing in the UK! At last we are over London (Heathrow) after a seven hour (sleepless) flight. But after breakfast and coffee, I am excited and ready to be in a new country. This morning we saw the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean--except all we could see was a pink horizon line and a sea of billowing grey clouds. Down we go!
1:00 3.19.07
Dublin! Heathrow was an appalling mess. We were so so excruciatingly tired and there were hundreds of people yelling in all different languages. Then only six of us got on one flight--the rest are coming in a couple of hours. Now we are riding the bus to our hotel with Matt--out tour guide! Ireland is beautiful, and we now know where our luggage is. I have mine--I nearly cried when it came around the conveyor belt. Surely this trip will finally be good.
10:09, 3.19.07
This has been a day of intense ups and downs. D, B, E, and I were set loose in Dublin on our own, We went to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, then the Long Room (most unbelievable library, high vaulted ceilings and floor to ceiling ancient leather bound books. The long hall was lined with marble busts of literary figures, and the room smelt of knowledge. It was heaven.) We then shopped for souvenirs and all was glorious (if painfully cold). But then we were picked up by our bus only to find that the group left in London had split again.
Only five of them got to Dublin, the rest would be stranded for the night. It is disgusting. This journal has been positive for the most part, glossing over the reality that this trip has been terrible in so many ways. We put so much money and so many dreams into it, and it gave us heartache in return, as melodramatic as that sounds. I have now been awake for over two days, isn't that strange to think about? We ate a "traditional" (meat and potatoes) dinner and went to the famous Temple Bar for some lovely cider and not-quite-so-lovely Guinness. I need to crash, but we have a 5:45 wake up call, and we're taking an early ferry to Wales tomorrow where everyone else will meet us. We hope.
I think I will divide this into two more posts, Wales/Stratford and London. Think lots has happened already? Are you in for a roller coaster or what? Seriously, I don't know what we did in former lives, but the universe has had her vengeance in triplicate.
We are about to leave our "home" at the Motel 6 and head back to the O'Hare International Airport. We do have to be there for about five hours, but supposedly there are lots of cute shops (spending money, just what I need) and that's good. Hopefully I will be able to find out the balance on my card--I definitely did not expect a two day unfunded layover when I planned my budget, Still, we're happy, rested(ish), clean, and about to fly overseas to take the train to Wales. (Mold, Wales, to be exact).
4:10pm, 3.18.07
Sitting at the airport. We board at 5:40--at least, we are supposed to. We are warm, fed, and comfortable, though I look forward to being all those things whilst flying over the Atlantic. Also free food and drink will be an excellent amenity, as everything here is overpriced to the extreme. I still have plenty of money, so I don't have to worry, and it definitely won't go as quickly when we aren't "paying to survive" as one girl put it. The enormous unfairness of it all has yet to really hit me. I just hope we can be practically reimbursed.
6:15am, 3.19.07
Landing in the UK! At last we are over London (Heathrow) after a seven hour (sleepless) flight. But after breakfast and coffee, I am excited and ready to be in a new country. This morning we saw the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean--except all we could see was a pink horizon line and a sea of billowing grey clouds. Down we go!
1:00 3.19.07
Dublin! Heathrow was an appalling mess. We were so so excruciatingly tired and there were hundreds of people yelling in all different languages. Then only six of us got on one flight--the rest are coming in a couple of hours. Now we are riding the bus to our hotel with Matt--out tour guide! Ireland is beautiful, and we now know where our luggage is. I have mine--I nearly cried when it came around the conveyor belt. Surely this trip will finally be good.
10:09, 3.19.07
This has been a day of intense ups and downs. D, B, E, and I were set loose in Dublin on our own, We went to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, then the Long Room (most unbelievable library, high vaulted ceilings and floor to ceiling ancient leather bound books. The long hall was lined with marble busts of literary figures, and the room smelt of knowledge. It was heaven.) We then shopped for souvenirs and all was glorious (if painfully cold). But then we were picked up by our bus only to find that the group left in London had split again.
Only five of them got to Dublin, the rest would be stranded for the night. It is disgusting. This journal has been positive for the most part, glossing over the reality that this trip has been terrible in so many ways. We put so much money and so many dreams into it, and it gave us heartache in return, as melodramatic as that sounds. I have now been awake for over two days, isn't that strange to think about? We ate a "traditional" (meat and potatoes) dinner and went to the famous Temple Bar for some lovely cider and not-quite-so-lovely Guinness. I need to crash, but we have a 5:45 wake up call, and we're taking an early ferry to Wales tomorrow where everyone else will meet us. We hope.
I think I will divide this into two more posts, Wales/Stratford and London. Think lots has happened already? Are you in for a roller coaster or what? Seriously, I don't know what we did in former lives, but the universe has had her vengeance in triplicate.
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