Howard Payne University Study Abroad: Overwhelmed yet?

My apologies for not writing enough! It's been about a week since my last entry and there has been so much taking place!

Twice, it has snowed here in London.

This was taken from our bus, on our latest day trip to Bath (which you will hear more about), of the snowy countryside.

This past week I visited the British Library with my Archaeology class in order to obtain a readers pass, which were all granted. This is the first time anyone in the history of this study-abroad program has done such. I'm very excited to spend more time there. There is currently a Charles Dickens exhibit up that we briefly walked through. Thankfully, I will be going back with my Dickens class to enjoy it further. Also, the library has a manuscript exhibit out, which I found absolutely astonishing! I was able to see one of the four remaining copies of the Magna Carta! The British Library posses two, Salisbury Cathedral has one (although it was traveling when we were there two weekends ago), and I'm not sure where the fourth lies. There were musical manuscripts, such as Beethoven and The Beatles, government documents, and religious documents. I also saw the Codex Sinaiticus, which is one of the first Greek manuscripts of the Bible. Needless to say, I was impressed. There were numerous, amazing documents...

Tuesday, my London Theatre class toured Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and later that night watched one of his lesser known plays, King John. The play was performed at a very small fringe theatre in the Southwark area of London underneath a working railroad for trains. It was magnificent! I wish I had pictures of the 60 seat theatre. It was nothing like anything I've seen before.

Also! Tuesday was the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. I'm sorry to inform you that one this day all I did in celebration was read Oliver Twist. But on Monday, I did visit his tomb in Westminster Abbey, which by the way, is not where he wanted to be buried.

I have also spent time in the British Museum, and I will spending many more hours there. Wednesday, I tagged along with the Islam & the West class to visit the London Central Mosque. It was my first visit to a mosque ever! Our guide was very informative. I learned so much about the religion as he spoke. The British Museum currently has an exhibition called, Hajj: Journey to the heart of Islam, and our guide was quick to let us know that the London Central Mosque was instrumental in making the happen.

Friday, our day trip was to Bath, my favorite place so far. Here you find the Roman Baths.

There are three hot springs found in Bath. The Romans came here and built a temple to the goddess Minerva and bathed here. Above is the Sacred Spring where the spirit of Minerva is said to have dwelt.

On a side note, I'd like to inform you that while our group was here enjoyed the steaming waters of the Roman Baths all the hot water and radiators decided to cease working in the hostel where we are staying. Even as I write this to you, we are still without both. Oh, we have running water...it's just FREEZING. Oh, and heat...from a small space heater placed in each of rooms. But you can bet the hallways, bathrooms, kitchen and common room are like igloos. I must thank the Thanet Hotel, which is next door, for kindly opening up a shower for us to use one at a time. Seriously, I'd be going crazy otherwise. Oh, the irony of it all.

Bath is also home to the Jane Austen Centre. I'm a HUGE fan of Pride and Prejudice. Confession: I re-read the book over Christmas break and watched the Keira Knightley version of the movie about 10 times.