On Holiday

Hello everyone,

Well, I’m back at it. I had a lovely, whirlwind Christmas Break that took me from Sheffield to Virginia to Lake Tahoe, the back to Virginia back to London back to Sheffield, then up to York; all in 14 days.

First of all, I had a very nice but brief time at home. There is nothing quite like the feeling of finally going home. Spending time with everyone was worth the whole trip – but that goes without saying. I was able to see some good friends from VMI, chop some firewood with dad and Patrick, and even go shooting a couple times with Caitlin and Erin.

After Christmas, our whole family got to go out to my uncle’s wedding at Lake Tahoe, Nevada/California. The wedding was very nice and I got a chance to see a lot of relatives that I would not have otherwise. It was a great little vacation-within-a-vacation. Lake Tahoe in the winter just about knocks you over with grandeur, and it quickly made it onto my ever-growing list of ‘coolest places ever.’ What I found most striking was how every colour was vivid and bold. Anyone who tried to paint a wintery Lake Tahoe with pastels would be wasting their time. The trees are too deep a green, their trunks too dark a brown, the rocks are a rugged grey, and the water is an almost unbelievable blue – reflecting the colour of the sky; everything else is blanketed by crystal-white snow. So basically, it was pretty cool.

After Lake Tahoe, I had one more day at home before heading back to the UK, but my vacation wasn’t really over since Dad, Caitlin, Erin were able to fly over to England as well (dad piloted their airplane). Dad had to fly the plane back the next morning, so together the four of us set out on a full night of adventures.

First we went to see Madame Tussaud’s wax house, which was crazy. The figures looked incredibly real. At one point Erin and I were waiting for someone in the crowd to finish taking a picture so we could pass by. They were really taking a long time to get the shot, so Erin and I ducked underneath the camera and sprinted by; only then did we realise that the person was fake.

That jerk gave me the 'cold shoulder' treatment.

Caitlin’s competitive spirit hides just under the surface…

Some men just don't size up... like Napoleon.

Henry the VIII I am, I am

Next we made our way over to Leicester Square, the heart of London’s theatre district. After securing tickets for the evening, we went to a ‘lovely’ little hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant. After that we saw the play Carousel, which was great (especially since I’m told that mom was once in a high school production of the play).

Well, the next day, Caitlin and I were able to get out for a nice run around Hyde Park, including a victory sprint through the marble arch (I latter read that passing beneath the arch is technically reserved for the royal family. Oops). Dad had to head off to the airport that morning, but Caitlin and Erin stayed behind with me to visit Sheffield. Before heading up north, we did some more touring in London. First we took the tube to Westminster Abbey.

The first Benedictine monks settled on the site of what is now Westminster Abbey in 960 ad with the aid of King Edgar (King Edgar the Peaceful helped establish many monasteries over his reign, but legend has it that he also abducted a nun to be his wife. His was supposedly disciplined for the act by not being allowed to wear his crown for seven years).

Ever since William the Conqueror’s coronation ceremony on Christmas day in 1066, virtually every British monarch has been crowned in the Abbey. And since the 1300’s these coronations have all taken place on an old oak chair called King Edward’s Chair. One of the reasons the chair has survived almost 700 years was that it was built very sturdy; it was designed to hold a 330 pound rock… plus the king…literally.

Now, this chair’s rock was no ordinary stone, it was Scotland’s mysterious Stone of Scone (try saying ‘Scotland’s Stone of Scone’ ten times, fast). Legend varies whether the Stone of Scone is the stone pillow Jacob used in the Old Testament account, or if it was an ancient pagan coronation stone used by the early Celts. No one knows for sure either way. In Genesis 28:11, “Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep,” I had never really pictured a 330 pound stone… but, then again, I suppose that if Jacob was man enough to wrestle with the angel all night, then picking a 330 pound pillow isn’t that unreasonable…

At any rate, the red slab of sandstone was an icon to the Scots, and starting in the 800’s their kings were all crowned while sitting on the stone. In his quest to conquer Scotland, Edward I captured the stone and the English held it hostage for almost 700 years (By the way, Edward I was also called ‘Longshanks’ and he was the king who executed William Wallace. Aka: the bad guy in Braveheart). The insult finally got the best of some Scottish university students, who stole the stone from the Abbey in 1950. As you might expect with a college-student heist, they accidentally broke the stone… Oops. Well, police eventually brought it back, but England kindly gave the stone back to Scotland, on condition that it is returned for the next coronation.

It’s crazy to think about all the events that took place here over the years – events that would change the world. William the Conquer, Henry the VIII, Queen Elizabeth, Crazy ol’ King George... they all took the throne on this very spot and forever changed the course of history, for better or worse. I wonder what they were thinking. Were they really as confident and composed as the paintings show? Or were they overwhelmed by the responsibilities of monarchy? Were they afraid of treachery, assassinations, or civil war? Did they have an itch that they really wanted to scratch but couldn’t? Did they record in their memories every millisecond of the night or was the whole event just a blur of pageantry? If any of you ever become a monarch (or president), you’ll have to let me know what it’s like.

Well, you probably already know that loads of famous people are buried in the Abbey: kings, queens, princesses, Chaucer, Milton, Dickens, Handel, Kipling, Wilberforce, Tennyson, Newton… It really is incredible, and the Abbey rightly deserves its reputation as one of England's top tourist attractions.

Bonhoeffer's statue

Well, after that we walked around Whitehall, saw the parliament building, 10 Downing St., the changing of the guards Horse Guards, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly St., etc; basically: the London ‘experience.’

The Horse Guards

The Horse Girls

Buckingham Palace, of course.

We also got to visit 221b Baker St. where there is an entire museum dedicated to Sherlock Holmes. The house was set up to exactly match the descriptions in the books. It was very cool.

Caitlin's always got her eye on you.

Please, no comments from the fashion police. I realise I was being reckless.

So, after that, the three of us took the train back home to Sheffield, where more adventures awaited.

The very next morning we took the train into the Peaks District to visit the village of Hathersage and to hike around a bit. I’ve written about Hathersage before, so I’ll spare you this time. The village was nice, but the hike was extraordinary. As usual, we just found a footpath that headed out of town and started walking. Before we knew it, we were in front of a long row of vertical cliffs. They were only about 30 or 40 feet tall, but they stretched along for half a mile or so. It looked like some sort of ancient fortification built by warring giants. We scrambled up an icy breach in the old wall and got a good view of Hope Valley spread out below. The only problem with such a good view is how far away the town and train station appear...

Caitlin and I as specks at the top.

Erin as a speck at the bottom.

Shortly after this picture was taken, I stepped on her fingers...not really.

Arm-length portraits are the best.

The next day, Sunday, we went to church, had lunch with some of my friends (ask Caitlin and Erin, they do exist), and then we window-shopped in downtown Sheffield for a while.

On Monday we decided to strike up north for the old city of York. This marks the farthest north I’ve ever set foot, roughly equivalent to Labrador, Canada. Anyhow, York was an extremely influential city in medieval England, but it’s significance stretches back almost 2000 years to Roman times. About the same time the Romans were pulling down the Temple in Jerusalem, they also established a 50 acre fortress in what is now York as the headquarters of Britannia Inferior.

All was pretty chill for about 250 years until the Emperor at the time, Constantius I, kicked the bucket. His son, Constantine, was visiting York when the news arrived, and it was from York that he was proclaimed Emperor (although he had to wrestle some of it from rivals). It was Constantine who finally put an end to the long tradition persecuting Christians, which had been taken to new extremes by his peer, Diocletian. It was Constantine who issued the Edict of Milan, effectively granting religious freedom to the Roman Empire. But I digress… back to York.

Caitlin chilling with Constantine.

Well, the girls and I got to hear a bit about York’s Viking history at the Jorvic museum. After the Roman Empire crumbled, a series of local kings ruled the area, but were eventually kicked out by Viking raiders. The Vikings liked the place so much they decided to settle down, and York became an important trading town for them. The last Viking ruler, Eric Bloodaxe, had a really manly last name, but was still defeated by the considerably more wimpy-sounding King Edred of England.

A ruined York Abbey.

Like I said, York was very important back in medieval days, and the city was rightly fortified with a stone wall, protected with a strong castle, and crowned with a massive Gothic Cathedral, the York Minster. Ever heard of the War of the Roses? Well, it was a series of bloody civil wars between the House of York and the House of Lancaster. The name War of the Roses came from the two badges used: the House of Lancaster used a red rose as its emblem, while the Royal House of York used a white rose (symbolic of the Virgin Mary). The story is pretty twisted, but eventually the House of Lancaster won. It’s easy for me to remember which house used what colour: Sheffield is in South Yorkshire, so it was on the side of the Yorkists, and everywhere you look abound Sheffield, there are white roses: in the University Arms, painted on the side of buildings, hidden in the artwork of pub signs.

The York city walls.

The keep.

The nave of the York Minster.

Kings.

Well, we spent the better part of the day in York before heading back to Sheffield. The girls left the next morning and I headed off to work.

I interviewed Caitlin and Erin when they got home, and I am posting their responses for your viewing pleasure:

Of all the towns and cities we saw, which one was your favourite and why?

E. “Although London was great fun because of its posh style and rich history, Hathersage came straight out of book and brought to life so many wonderful dreams. Betwixt the rolling green hills sprinkled with sheep and the mighty cliffs with their commanding views, Hathersage had the ability to take any curious traveller deep into the pages of a book or into the realms of any wild imagination.”

C. “York. I liked the medieval setting.”

Of all the activities, museums, etc that we did, which ones were your favourite and why?

E. “All of the Cathedrals we visited were truly wonderful. Their history, their majestic presence, etc, made them all once in a lifetime views and their doors were open for any weary traveller. The Sherlock Holmes Museum brought to life one of my favorite characters and gave people insight to the inner-workings of the greatest detective. Also, the Viking Museum in York was an interesting way to learn more about a forgotten people.”

C. “Hiking was my favorite activity. The countryside is beautiful”

What do you think about fish ‘n chips?

E. “If you ever get the chance to go across the pond, please note that there are more options on the menu besides "fish". Try the lamb with chips...”

C. “They're okay - not something I could eat every day. The same goes for mushy peas.”

What about mushy peas?

E. “If you pretend you didn't hear the "mushy" part of "mushy peas", they're actually quite enjoyable.”

Any comments about my lovely house?

E. “Cold. I'm sure in the summer, it's a very livable place...however, as far as interior decor goes, it's not bad for a bachelor pad.”

C. “You're house is freezing.”

What would you want to do on a future trip that you didn't get to do this time?

E. “I realize that these were a little out of reach on this trip, but when I go back, I would like to see Stonehenge and visit Bath. Otherwise, I might visit a castle or two and see where "Pemberly" is in the new Pride & Prejudice.”

C. “I would like to go to Stonehenge.”

Was there anything that struck you as particularly different in a good, bad, or funny way?

E. “The sheep. I think we should let our sheep here in America run free and wild like their cousins do in England. But besides the sheep, not much was different. Well, they also drive on the other side of the road...”

C. “The really thick accents were hard to understand. I found trying to listen/understand them to be very entertaining.“

Anything else you would like to tell everyone?

E. “Will is my favourite older brother – like, by a long shot!”

C.”I totally agree with Erin. He's my only older brother but also my favourite.”

Ok…I actually wrote those last responses… But technically...

"Go away, or we shall taunt you another time!"

After Caitlin and Erin left I spent most of the week just trying to get back into the swing of things here. I’m trying to re-forget the word ‘pants’ and remember that it’s OK for guys to wear ‘jumpers’ and ‘pumps’ (sweaters/sweatshirts and slip-on shoes, like Crocs).

I fell off the treadmill Saturday in a rather loud and spectacular way. It was a good way to cheer up everyone else in the gym and get their minds off the fact that they, like me, ate way too much home-cooked food over the holidays. So with that, I’d have to say that overall things are back to normal for me...

Well, I hope you had a good Christmas and New Years. Keep in touch.

Cheers,

Will