Mary's Blogs

We had the least amount of time in Dublin. We took a plane from London into Dublin. I liked how tiny the city was making it very walkable. My favorite site was the Book of Kells. I loved the long hall but I wish it was full. They are removing books for their large restoration project. Our hotel was very nice. My friends and I ended up with the James Joyce Suite which was fitting for our trip. We also went to the Guinness Storehouse. I wish we received more of a brewery tour instead of a free for all. I did enjoy getting to pour my own perfect pint and get a certificate. By the time we made it to Dublin I was ready to go home. I did enjoy the comedy club we went to for our last night but I think I would visit a different part of Ireland if I returned. 

We took the train to london. I enjoyed seeing the countryside and sea on the way there. I was surprised when we arrived because it did not look like we were entering a major city. I am a Harry Potter fan so I was excited to see the Platform 9 3/4. I was upset we didn’t get a photo with it because the line was too long but I got a photo of it. We enjoyed some shopping and dining Trafalgar Square. I didn’t enjoy this area as much as other areas of London. There were too many people and tourists.  The next day I really enjoyed our guided bus tour with Stuart. He kept the information interesting and engaging. I loved Buckingham Palace and seeing all the locations we see on the television. I was most excited to go to the Tower of London because I did my presentation on it. My favorite part was the torture chambers because it was interesting to see how the prisoners were treated. I also enjoyed the White Tower.  For our free day we visited the iconic Abbey Road. I got my picture wal

We got to explore Glasgow for bit after we got off the plane. I enjoyed my first coffee in Scotland at a cute little coffee shop in Glasgow. When we got to Edinburgh I was surprised by how our hotel looked. I loved the architecture inside and out. My room was massive with tall ceilings and windows. It was an old building converted into a hotel. We enjoyed a nice dinner before calling it a night.   Next, we toured the Royal Mile. I was interested to hear about all the history about the Royal Mile. I loved the Edinburgh Castle, my favorite part being the prisons. I was surprised to see they slept in hammocks and used to create their own replica currency to bribe guards and use once they got out! The Holyrood Palace at the bottom was also very pretty. I hiked up Calton hill and got a perfect view of old and new town. I was very windy up there but we got some great pictures.  On our last day, I traveled by train to Dunbar. Dunbar is a coastal down outside of Edinburgh. This town

Today is the day! I am so excited to travel internationally again! I can’t decide which country I am most excited for the most. I am not looking forward to the long travel days but know it will be worth it in the end. I’m excited to see the different cultures and architecture of the places. I am excited but scared to try the different foods. I can’t wait for the Harry Potter vibes and all the movie memorabilia.  I’m hoping everything goes smoothly travel wise and we don’t run into any issues. 

     Mrs. Dalloway is a very interesting novel. I find it interesting how it takes place throughout a singular day. Also, I was interested in the foiling of characters and how Clarissa and Septimus could be tied souls living different lives. The imagery of the thread tying people or feelings together is very reminiscent of modern love. People believe that they meet people for a reason even if they are not meant to remain in their lives for long. However, when people part there is always a lasting impact of that relationship, or a remaining thread. Whether it be through memories, stories, or interactions the thread remains constant and only dissipates with time.       Additionally, this book reminded me of Little Women a little bit with the love interests and people reuniting after many years to rekindle their friendships. In each novel, there are two people who met when they were young and there was a proposed marriage. In both instances, this did not work out and they became committed

So far, I would say the most interesting place we talked about was Edinburgh Castle and the most interesting author is Virginia Woolf. The Edinburgh Castle sounded to fascinating to me for many reasons but the main one being that it is a castle. I am interested in the architecture that the castle showcases as well as the history of the castle. It appears to be very picturesque atop a hill. It also is what I think of when someone mentions Scotland. Additionally, with my research for my location, I found many similarities between the Edinburgh Castle and the Tower of London. Firstly, they both guard the Crown Jewels and serve as a palace for royalty when needed. Both are also open to the public for a majority of the year. The other thing that interested me was the concerts that are put on here. Moving to authors, Virginia Woolf is fascinating. I think there is a beauty to her suffering and her determination. I think it is interesting how much her mental illness affected her life decision