Wanderlust
Hi Everyone!!! My name is Laura Jasso and i am 25 years old. I love to travel and look for adventure. I love to see new places and explore them.
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London 2014
Hi Everyone I am doing this blog to help share my adventures and new expirences that I am creating this summer. I have never done a blog before so this is quite new to me. But its going to be fun learning, growing, and sharing everything.
Monday July 15, 2014 St. Paul's Cathedral
Today we went to see St. Paul's Cathedral and I was absoulutely amazed at how big and beautiful the church was. This church has been around for a very long time and is visited by many people daily and from all over the world. The churches of present day dont do any justice to the churches of the past. St. Paul's is very big, detailed and extravegant. Is the highest point in the City of London. It is dedicated to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. The present church is dating from the late 17th century, was designed in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren.
When it comes to class, monarchy, and empire it is obvious that it is a working church till this day. But only those of high class and belonging to the monarchy. For example:
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the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher;
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Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria
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Peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars
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The wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer
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the launch of the Festival of Britain and the thanksgiving services for the Golden Jubilee
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80th Birthday and the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
Tuesday July 16, 2014 Westminster Abby
Westminster Abbey is a gigantic, beautiful, gothic looking church that has been around for many years. One look at it and it can remind you of the Norte Dame Cathedral that is in France. It is in the city of London an in close proximity to several other popular landmarks. Which are the House of Parliament, The London Eye, The Aquarium, and the London Dungeon. Many people from all walks of life come and visit the Abbey on a daily basis. The Abbey is closed on Sunday due to having church services.
According to a tradition first reported by Sulcard in about 1080, a church was founded at the site (then known as Thorn Ey (Thorn Island)) in the 7th century. Construction of the present church began in 1245, on the orders of Henry III. Since 1066, when Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror were crowned, the coronations of English and British monarchs have been held here. Since 1100, there have been at least 16 royal weddings at the abbey. Two were of reigning monarchs (Henry I and Richard II), although before 1919 there had been none for some 500 years.
King Edward's Chair the throne on which English and British sovereigns have been seated at the moment of coronation, is housed inside the Abbey and has been used at every coronation since 1308. From 1301 to 1996 (except for a short time in 1950 when it was temporarily stolen by Scottish nationalists), the chair also housed the Stone of Scone upon which the kings of Scots are crowned. Although the Stone is now kept in Scotland, in Edinburgh Castle, at future coronations it is intended that the Stone will be returned to St Edward's Chair for use during the coronation ceremony.
Everyone around the world knows about and has seen the Abbey on tv. Most recently within the last 3 years with the Marriage of Prince William and Kate. Which was broadcasted all over the world for many to see. But one thing I did not know about the Abbey was that it is also a burial ground for many important people. Royalty, Knights, Clergy, Author’s, Poets and the list can go on. The burials are all over the walls with plaques describing who is buried there. Also, buried here is the tomb of The Unknown Warrior who is an unidentified British soldier killed on a European battlefield during the First World War. He was buried in the abbey on 11 November 1920. There are many graves on the floors of the abbey, but this is the only grave upon which it is forbidden to step. The soldier also received the Medal of Honor.
Westminster Abbey shows a lot of class, monarchy, and empire status because only those who are buried inside are mainly Royalty and those that have been appointed by royalty. Basically the best of the best can be found inside the abbey.
Thursday July 17, 2014 London Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name, and has become an iconic symbol of London.
The bridge consists of two towers tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers The bridge's present color scheme dates from 1977, when it was painted red, white and blue for Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee. Originally it was painted a mid-greenish-blue color.
I believe that the only class, status, and monarchy related to the bridge is the colors and who officially opens the bridge which would be the royals.
Monday July 21, 2014 The Roman Bath
.The Roman Baths is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The house is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing.
The Baths themselves are below the modern street level. There are four main features: the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman Bath House and the Museum holding finds from Roman Bath. The buildings above street level date from the 19th century.
The first shrine at the site of the hot springs was built by Celts, and was dedicated to the goddess Sulis, whom the Romans identified with Minerva. Geoffrey of Monmouth in his largely fictional Historia Regum Britanniae describes how in 836 BC the spring was discovered by the British king Bladud who built the first baths. Early in the 18th century Geoffrey's obscure legend was given great prominence as a royal endorsement of the waters' qualities, with the embellishment that the spring had cured Bladud and his herd of pigs of leprosy through wallowing in the warm mud.
During the Victorian and Georgian time periods Bath was the place to be. Many women talked about the latest gossip going on and the men would come to talk about business and politics. Jane Austen lived in bath for a short time and this is where she started writing her novel The Watsons but she never finished writing it. It is also rumored that even though she lived there she did not like living there. At some point in time the royals also went to bath to enjoy their time there as well.
Many people would come to bath to enjoy the hot springs but today we can only see them. Because the water is not sanitary to actually go in and use. So you can see from the first floor and then go to the ground floor to get a better view. There is also a water spring that hot water comes out and you are able to drink some. It has 42 different mineral an supposedly very good for you but the water is very warm an not to enjoyable to drink.
The Roman Baths shows a lot of class, monarchy, and empire status because everyone who was anyone. So if you were important you were there and you associated with a lot of people who were high in status and in class.
Tuesday July 22, 2014 London Aquarium
Is located on the South Bank of the River Thames in central London, near the London Eye. The aquarium is involved in several breeding programs including the Cuban crocodile, seahorses, butterfly goodeids, and jellyfish, and works with many conservation organizations including Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Save Our Seas, Shark Trust, Rainforest Concern, Earth Sea Sky, and South Pacific Projects.
I am a big fan of aquariums every time I am in a new place that has one I like to go check them out. I am glad we went because I was so impressed with how all the animals had information about them. The design of the aquariums was very impressive it gave a lot of room to the fish and they created an ideal habitat. They just didn’t stick them in a plane tank and show them off so I thought that that was very creative and impressive. It does get very packed inside because of the amount of people that go visit. I suggest trying to go during off peak hours if you want to be able to take your time. But you will be amazed they have many different types of animals inside. From turtles, penguins, sharks, fish and even frogs. I highly recommend visiting and learning about the different types of animals that are living in the oceans around us.
Wednesday July 23, 2014 Stonehenge
whose name means "suspended rocks", is a monument megalithic composed of a set of concentric circular structures erected between -2800 and -1100, the Neolithic to the Bronze Age . It is located eight miles north of Salisbury, and four kilometers west 'of Amesbury (county of Wiltshire , England ). The entire site of Stonehenge and the stone circle of Avebury, about forty miles north, are inscribed on the World Heritage List of Unesco in a series entitled " Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites.
For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to visit this amazing site. It’s been on my bucket list for a very long time now. When explaining to someone how I was excited to go their response was “you are excited to go see a pile of rocks?” I laughed but with excitement replied yes. I think to me it’s about the mystery. Why did they do this? Couldn’t they have left some message for those who were coming after with an explanation? I was glad that I had the chance to go see it because I don’t know when I will be able to go again. I was disappointed because we didn’t have a lot of time to explore and be able to soak in everything. This could have been because we went as a tour group but if we had more time we probably would have enjoyed it a bit more.
Thursday July 24, 2014 The British Museum
Is a museum of history and human culture, located in London, the United Kingdom. The collections consist of more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest in the world and originate from all continents. They illustrate the human history from its beginnings to today.
The museum was founded in 1753 but was opened to the public in 1759. Its status as non-public body departmental allows it to be funded by the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The British Museum has six million visitors per year. The different rooms that are displayed are Asia, Ancient Egypt, Middle East, Ancient Greece and Rome, Greece, World Etruscan.
I had always wanted to go see the British Museum because of the many cool things it has. But I think want made my trip so memorable was the fact that I have taken classes in which we have spent several weeks discussing several of these objects found in the museum. So being able to see something that we have talked and learned about is very fun, and educating. There is so much to see inside and you could spend about 3 days and probably not see everything inside. As an anthropology major seeing this museum was very awesome. We wanted to see the anthropology library but we weren’t able to see it so that was a bummer. But I would highly recommend that everyone should come check it out regardless if you are into history or culture. They have some amazing pieces that are hundreds of years old and have played a huge part in the past and shaped how the world is today.
Friday July 25, 2014 The London Dungeon
which recreates various gory and macabre historical events in a gallows humour and includes Jack the Ripper, Sweeny Todd, and Miss Lovett. The Dungeon’s shows are staged on theatrical sets with special effects. The show incorporates events such as the Black Death and the Gunpowder Plot, and includes characters such as "The Torturer", "The Plague Doctor", and "The Judge". Guests are encouraged to participate in the shows. The experience also includes a "drop ride to doom", a free-fall ride staged as a public hanging.
This attraction is located next to the London Aquarium, London eye, and off Westminster Bridge. You really can’t miss it because they have a sign that will catch your eye and characters hanging outside talking to people. Just walking by you already want to know more about the attraction. The wait wasn’t to long until we found ourselves in a log canoe floating down to the first destination. Me and my friends had a on of fun being apart of this interactive show. I myself was given a letter that I had to turn in to one of the other characters. I at first was scared to take the letter because I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I didn’t want any attention on me because I don’t get scared easily but I do at times. This attraction lasted about 2 hours so we thought we it was definitely worth the money we paid. This is another attraction that i highly recomment people should go check out.