A much-delayed update...
So after much deliberating I decided to quit a lucrative but boring job and move to Leeds, England to return to my musical roots and attend a Postgraduate Diploma programme at the University of Leeds. I’ve now been in Jolly Ol’ England since September 8. Really I should’ve been updating this blog more often, but true-to-form I’ve been too busy embarking on various adventures and misadventures, as well as practising (yay British spelling!) marimba, timpani, and snare for 2-4 hours a day. To avoid further blog delay, below is a brief photo journal of my British escapades to date:
Scarborough: A northeastern seaside resort town, originally renowned for its healing waters. It reminded me a little of Ocean City, with its tacky boardwalk. The differences: Vikings, Romans, Normans, all underneath the ruins of a castle destroyed during the English Civil War. Add to that Anne Brönte’s grave (she came for the waters. They didn’t help.) and an ancient church (St. Mary’s) and you get the OC on steroids.
York: A medieval walled city, just 30 minutes from Leeds by train (the trains are AWESOME!!) York is absolutely breathtaking. As you walk through the wall from the train station you are confronted with the tower bridge (Barker Tower) with a spectacular view of York Minster in the distance. York Minster is a massive, grandiose, cathedral that is truly amazing, both outside and inside. I spent a good 3 hours wandering around the interior and then climbed the 500 million stairs on the spiral stair case (not for those of weak constitutions or afflicted by claustrophobia) to one of the towers. WOW what a view!) York Minster has a solid 1500 years of history, beginning with a small Roman church. After the Minster, I wandered through the walking streets of York over to Clifford’s Tower. Originally a wooden tower and part of the castle, in 1190 Jews of York sought refuge there from an anti-Semitic uprising and ended up taking their own lives. York also was once a Viking settlement and has numerous archaeological digs and exhibits that I would like to go back and visit.
Haworth: A small village about 20 minutes by train from Leeds on the edge of the Yorkshire moors. Very quaint and built on a VERY steep hill, the town of Haworth is home of the Brönte Parsonage, where the three Brönte sisters lived and wrote (until Anne went to Scarborough to die). The moors featured in Wurthering Heights were, for all practical purposes, behind the house and VERY cold and windy.
Haworth: A small village about 20 minutes by train from Leeds on the edge of the Yorkshire moors. Very quaint and built on a VERY steep hill, the town of Haworth is home of the Brönte Parsonage, where the three Brönte sisters lived and wrote (until Anne went to Scarborough to die). The moors featured in Wurthering Heights were, for all practical purposes, behind the house and VERY cold and windy.
Life in Leeds:
Beyond the obvious awesomeness of my travels, I am quite enjoying life in Leeds. Its a lovely city with decent weather and FANTASTIC people. I LOVE being back at school again and spend 3-4 hours a day practising various instruments. The school has a beautiful 5-octave marimba that is my new best friend. I've also joined a Gamelan Ensemble. To keep me sane, I have my UK Life Guru- the incomparably awesome Dellsie :-), who forces me to do things like drink beer and eat pizza when I start practising and studying TOO much.
Dellsie also introduced me to Helen Bell- an eventer and horse consigner from Thirsk. As a result, I have now been on my first British Foxhunt! Fabulous! I sense an update to the senior thesis (ethnography of foxhunting in Southern Maryland) sometime soon!!
More to come soon on my adventures in the Lake District!!!
