Reel Adventures

I'm Caroline Reel, a 21 year old college student who will be spending the fall of 2013 abroad. Here I'll chronicle my experiences. Stay tuned for adventures.

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On the beginnings of the continental tour: Crete, Santorini, and Mykonos

Saturday morning (September 21st) we left Oxford and flew from London to Athens to start the beginning of our month of travels through Greece and Italy. From Athens we boarded an overnight ferry to Crete.

The ferry was fairly crowded and warm, but it was well worth it to get to Crete. When we arrived on Sunday morning we had a lovely breakfast near the site of Knossos Palace sitting on a patio in the warm sun (which I had definitely missed being in Oxford). After touring the site of Knossos Palace we headed towards our hotel and stopped at a cafe on the beach for lunch, where I had my first Greek Salad of the trip. After lunch several of us spent about an hour swimming in the Mediterranean and catching some waves. We then headed to our hotel for the night, Elounda Aqua Sol Resort, where I journaled by the pool, had a group dinner and then got a Doctor Fish foot massage which was rather strange, but a cool experience.

The next morning we took a Flying Cat to Santorini where we checked into the Kavalari Hotel, a gorgeous hotel cut into the cliffs overlooking the sea. A few of us went down to the beach which was all black pebbles and ash because of the volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. I am definitely enjoying getting some sun and having a semi summer since my real summer was cut short by the start of classes, and this couldn’t have been a better place. For both lunch and dinner some of us went to this amazing food stand that sold gyros for really cheap. Our only “academic” aspect of Monday was a discussion about the possible existence of Atlantis and if it could have been at Santorini while sitting on the balcony of our hotel as the sun set over the water.

This morning, Tuesday the 24th, we had a delicious breakfast on the patio of the hotel and then headed to the site on an ancient city, Akrotiri, which was buried in ash during the volcanic eruption. It was very reminiscent of Pompeii in some ways, but very different in others, since very few human casualties have been found there, unlike Pompeii. After our brief stop we boarded another Flying Cat to Mykonos. We spent the afternoon at the pool of our hotel, the Rhenia Bungalows, and then went to a really nice restaurant for a traditional greek dinner which was absolutely amazing.

I can’t believe that we have only been traveling for 5 days, it seems like we’ve done so much already. We have one month left with the group now and I can’t wait to see what it brings. Hopefully pictures will be coming soon, but my wifi connection has been rather spotty, so don’t count on it. (There are a couple on my instagram if you want to see some of my views).

yia sas (goodbye in greek)

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On leaving Oxford.

It's been a while since I've posted. The last couple of weeks have been absolutely insane and busy. Finishing up final papers and exams and enjoying the last little dose of the magic of Oxford. I have had such an amazing time in this city and have really started to feel at home here. So as I am writing this, I am putting off packing, because I just don't want to leave. Lincoln College with its beautiful ivy covered walls and perfect lawns and gorgeous buildings and amazing food will always have a special place in my heart, and I am so glad that I have had the chance to study here. 

So after finishing my second set of classes, I have now completed all of my tests and papers for the semester. I have one more class to go which will be art history on the continent, but it consists mainly of keeping up with an academic journal on our travels so shouldn't be too much work.

Now about traveling, the initial plan for this program was to spend time in Greece, Turkey, and Italy. Unfortunately, due to the situation in Syria, they decided that it would be best if we didn't travel to Turkey, since having 30 college kids in a possibly dangerous area could be quite tricky and challenging situation. While I am personally rather upset about the change in schedule, I understand why it had to be done, and I truly believe that our new destinations of Northern Greece and Venice will be just as amazing. And hey, maybe someday down the line I'll have the opportunity to finally mark Turkey off of my bucket list! 

My time at Oxford has flown by in the blink of an eye and I can't believe that by this time tomorrow I will be cruising in the Greek Isles. From this point on my internet might not be as reliable, and you know, I am not very consistent, so who knows when my next post will be. 

Bon voyage! 

p.s. if you are curious and want my new schedule feel free to send me a message here or elsewhere and I'll send you the updated schedule 

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On Dublin, the Globe theater, and more!

So, wow. It's been a few weeks since I last posted. I finished off my first three weeks of classes last Thursday the 29th. The way our program is designed, we had the first three weeks of classes with a set of three tutors and a new set of tutors came in for the second three weeks at Oxford, so last weekend was basically a mid term break for my 6 weeks here. A very large group of us took a weekend trip to Dublin and it was an amazing experience! 

As soon as our plane landed we headed to the Guinness factory where I learned how the beer was brewed, how to properly taste test beer, and how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness (I even got a certificate)! I'm not the biggest Guinness fan, but it was a really cool experience. We then explored the Temple Bar area a bit and had a light lunch and settled into our rooms at the beautiful Trinity College. We then went to a really nice restaurant called Dobbins  and had an amazing three course dinner. The next day we visited the National Gallery of Ireland, which had some really cool exhibits. I then walked around a bit by myself just to see the sights and to people watch. I ended Saturday with a night out for my friend Molly's 20th birthday, we ended up at a club that was having a latin music night so it was hilarious and a whole lot of fun. Sunday we spent the morning in the gorgeous Irish countryside and then ended our time in Ireland with a trip to the Powerscout gardens. It was a very short trip but so amazing! I really hope I have the chance to go back to Ireland soon! 

Monday morning we started our new classes with new tutors. Our class schedule is a lot more hectic this three weeks, but it seems like the workload is going to be a bit lighter, which is good! After a week of classes, we all spent the day in London and saw Henry VI Part 3 at the Globe. It was such a cool experience to see a Shakespeare play like it would have been experienced back in Shakespeare's time. The theater nerd in me was very very happy and I think it's a definite must if you're ever in London. 

I'm spending the rest of the weekend in Oxford and hopefully exploring the city a bit and enjoying it a little more than I have in the last few weeks because of busy school schedule. I'll post pictures soon! 

Slán go fóill!!*

*Gaelic- Goodbye for now

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Stonehenge and Bath: Roman baths, Bennet(t) Street, Bath Abbey

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Oxford: New College, Divinity School, Eagle and Child, and cream tea. 

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Lincoln College: The quad, library ceiling, view from my room, and first high table dinner

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On Being an Oxford (Wo)man

So, it's been an absolutely crazy two weeks and I obviously have not been keeping up to date with this little blog very well. So, here it goes: the first two weeks in Oxford. 

We got here two Sundays ago on the 11th of August after our week in Yorkshire. We drove up to Lincoln College, a college which happens to be older than my country, unloaded our bags and got settled into our dorm rooms, which all happen to be singles with separate bathrooms (I mean, get it together America). On Monday we broke into groups and learned a little about Oxford's history and looked at some of the notable sites of the city (including places where Harry Potter was filmed and CS Lewis wrote and studied, so I may have geeked out a little bit). Monday night we had our first high table formal dinner where we enjoyed a lovely three course meal by candlelight, had our meal blessed by a latin prayer, and sipped wine that had been selected from the schools wine cellar.

Tuesday morning brought the start of classes which we attended Tuesday-Friday on week one and Monday-Thursday for the weeks after that. After a traditional English Breakfast, I head off to my first lesson of the day, Warfare and Society in Ancient Greece. After history, we have our daily Tea and Coffee break where I enjoy hot tea and a biscuit (cookie) or two before heading off to our Literature in Classical Greece lesson. We have a two hour break before our philosophy lecture in which we eat lunch, work on homework or nap. Since our classes are shorter than normal semesters, it has been a little busy, last week we had two papers due and this coming week we have three more. So it's a bit busy, but will be so worth it when we get on the continent. The more we study about Greece and Rome, the more excited I get about next month when I'll be seeing these places first hand. 

Despite school starting, I've had a little bit of fun the last couple of weeks. One night, a group of us went and had drinks at the Eagle and Child where CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien used to meet to work and talk about their writing. I attended cream tea (tea, with scones, clotted cream and jam) with a small group and our dean, Sally. I've explored the city's covered market, which is less than a block from the college, and wandered the streets a bit to get to know this lovely University town. 

Yesterday, Friday the 23rd, we spent the day in Bath and visited Stonehenge. Bath is home to one of the most well-preserved Roman baths where we walked through old corridors that the Roman Britains would have walked through nearly 2000 years ago. Despite signs advising against it, I (and many of my friends) couldn't resist the urge and had to dip a finger into the water in the old public bath. When we exited the baths, we stepped across a courtyard and entered Bath Abbey. The 16th century abbey was breathtaking and the detail put into the architecture and sculpture is amazing. My last stop in Bath was the Jane Austen Centre, while I didn't get to spend much time there, it was still awesome to visit a part of Bath where Austen wrote several of her works. After leaving Bath, we made one more stop at Stonehenge. Looking at this impressive monument that was built some 5000 years ago was absolutely breathtaking. 

History is a crazy thing and being in a place like this makes you realize just how impressive humans are. 5000 years ago some humans were dragging massive stones across miles of land to honor someone or something. 2000 years ago, they built a great bath on a hot spring that still stands today. 500 years ago they were building gorgeous churches with intricate and impressive ceilings that had to be built in just the perfect way so they wouldn't collapse. A mere 200 years ago, Jane Austen was writing some of the greatest literature of all time. And now there is me. Here I am, having come across the ocean in a giant flying metal bird, sitting in a building with wireless internet that floats through the air to reach my computer where I'm able to write about my adventures and share them with you, wherever you may be. 

So yeah, it's been a crazy two weeks. I feel so blessed that I am able to have this opportunity to see these places and do something a little different for a semester. I can't wait to see what the next two months bring, but I am ready for the adventure. 

Cheers! 

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York: City Wall, York Minster Choral Evensong, Dinner with dad, Betty's Tea Room

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Hadrian’s Wall hike, Vindolanda, Scarborough, and other site visits

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Quarryside Bed and Breakfast

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On York and Surrounding Areas

After our weekend in Oxford, we went south to York, where we stayed for the next 5 nights. While staying at York we studied the history of Roman Britain through a series of lectures and site visits led by Patrick Ottaway, a leading archeologist in the study of Roman Britain. Apart from site visits, we spent some time in the city of York, I attended evensong at York Minster, had afternoon tea at Betty's, and spent time exploring the city. I also had dinner with my dad one evening at a little pub in York, he was working in Liverpool (just a few hours away from York) for the week and decided to come over. Overall I had a wonderful time in York, but my favorite part of the week by far was my weekend along Hadrian's Wall. We were split into small groups and stayed at little Bed & Breakfasts in small towns along the wall. I stayed at the Quarryside B&B which was absolutely adorable and had great food and an adorable host. On our final day in Northern England, we went for a hike along Hadrian's wall. It was an amazing experience with some breathtaking views! Finally, on Sunday the 11th we headed south to Oxford, where I'll be spending the next six weeks. 

More to come soon.

Bye for now 

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The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

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The National Gallery and Greyfriars Kirkyard

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Lunch at The Elephant House.

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On Edinburgh: Day 2

Our second day in Edinburgh, I decided to go wander the city a bit by myself. Since I visited last year, I had seen most of the big sites in the city, so I wanted to see the things that weren’t on the typical tourist route. I started off in the general direction of the National Gallery where I was planning on meeting a small group from our program at two. I love seeing a city this way, with no major plans or expectations. Edinburgh was bustling with locals and lots of people that were in town for the Fringe theater festival. I passed lots of old churches and coffee shops and around lunch found The Elephant House, where JK Rowling wrote bits of the first Harry Potter book. I stopped there and had a great little pizza and salad and then headed back to explore some more. I stopped by Greyfriars Kirkyard (graveyard) next and looked around at the old tombstones, most of which were older than my town. At two I met up with a group of people from our program and our dean, Sally, at the National Gallery. After looking around at their gorgeous collection, we headed back to the hotel where we all got ready to go to the Military Tattoo that night. A small group of us found our way to a little restaurant to grab a quick bite to eat off of the Royal Mile before the performance. Once we were in the tattoo, I realized that my seat was one of the few single seats away from the group block. I headed up to my seat and was sitting next to a little German family visiting for the week. It was a great show, and I’m pretty glad that I was away from the group, because it felt like I got a more authentic feel sitting next to people from different countries who were all super invested in the show. My favorite performances of the night were the New Zealand band that preformed Gangnam style and other contemporary songs and just looked like they were having a great time and the large group performance at the end with the children’s choir singing What a Beautiful World. After the tattoo a small group of us went to a small Irish Pub where an Irish Folk singer was performing with his banjo. It was a lot of fun and I felt like I had walked into the PS I Love You soundtrack. Overall Edinburgh was a fantastic experience and I would love to get back there someday!

See you soon

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On Edinburgh: Day 1

I arrived in Edinburgh Thursday evening and the group arrived Friday morning. Once everyone had grabbed lunch and settled in, a large group of us went for a walk up Arthur's Seat, or one of the tallest (maybe the tallest) hills in Edinburgh. From there we had amazing panoramic views of the city.

 After our walk we went for dinner at a restaurant in the center of the city called The Dome. It was such a beautiful restaurant and a really lovely opening meal. We had 4 courses that included several Scottish specialties (some not quite my cup of tea), but the Scottish salmon was absolutely amazing! 

  All in all it was an amazing first day! I'll post about the rest of our weekend in Edinburgh tomorrow!

Farewell for now

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On Travel

Good Morning! It's my first day in Edinburgh and I'm getting ready to go see the city! It's been a long couple of days of travel and very little sleep. I woke up Wednesday morning and headed to Nashville to catch my flight to Philadelphia. From there, I flew to Frankfurt, Germany, where I arrived at 7AM local time. I finally left at 5PM local time and arrived in Scotland shortly after. I probably slept for 10 hours last night, which never happens, but I was glad to catch up on some sleep. 

The group should be arriving any minute now! It's been a week since we all left Sewanee, so I'm super excited to see everyone! I'm in Edinburgh until Sunday morning, so unfortunately my time in Scotland is very limited. 

au revoir