"If you can't say anything nice, you shouldn't say anything at all."
--Fontina (a.k.a. Mom)
This weekend I had to cancel my plans in order to spend Saturday in the hospital covering for one of the Registrars who called in sick. This concludes my blog entry.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
London
"No person can be said to know London. The most that anyone can claim is that he knows something of it."
--Oliver Wendell Holmes
This past weekend Sam and I decided to absorb as much of London as we could in a 48 hour period. We hopped on a double decker tour bus in the city that invented such vehicles and made our rounds. The two-hour ride was a fresh reminder of what a remarkable city this is. There is literally something for everyone here. If you like history, you can visit the Tower of London, now over a millennium old, where Henry VIII offed a couple of wives and Richard III disposed of several heirs to the throne. If you like theatre, Shakespeare's globe has daily performances of some of the world's greatest works. If you like fashion, there's Saville Row. If you like military monuments, there's the Wellington arch to commemorate a fairly significant victory over the French. If you like music, you can listen for the song of a nightingale in Barkley Square. If you like literature, you can walk along the same paths traveled by Oliver Twist. If you're interested in medicine, you can visit the hospital where the profession of nursing was born. If you like adventure, you can look for James Bond at MI6. If you like politics, you can stand in the speakers' corner in Hyde park and listen to the latest ideas. If law enforcement is your interest, there's nothing like Scotland Yard. If you enjoy being terrified, I recommend the Jack the Ripper tour. If you like chick movies, they've all been filmed here (so I'm told). And if you like to worship, there's really nowhere like Westminster Abbey. Truly an international city, I managed to have dinner this weekend with people from Australia, Japan, Singapore, Holland, England, Boston, Kansas City, and Michigan. I have to confess, the more time I spend here the more I feel the need to retract my long-held belief that New York is the city by which all others are measured. In fact, I'm pretty sure they even have more Broadway shows here than on Broadway itself.
--Oliver Wendell Holmes
This past weekend Sam and I decided to absorb as much of London as we could in a 48 hour period. We hopped on a double decker tour bus in the city that invented such vehicles and made our rounds. The two-hour ride was a fresh reminder of what a remarkable city this is. There is literally something for everyone here. If you like history, you can visit the Tower of London, now over a millennium old, where Henry VIII offed a couple of wives and Richard III disposed of several heirs to the throne. If you like theatre, Shakespeare's globe has daily performances of some of the world's greatest works. If you like fashion, there's Saville Row. If you like military monuments, there's the Wellington arch to commemorate a fairly significant victory over the French. If you like music, you can listen for the song of a nightingale in Barkley Square. If you like literature, you can walk along the same paths traveled by Oliver Twist. If you're interested in medicine, you can visit the hospital where the profession of nursing was born. If you like adventure, you can look for James Bond at MI6. If you like politics, you can stand in the speakers' corner in Hyde park and listen to the latest ideas. If law enforcement is your interest, there's nothing like Scotland Yard. If you enjoy being terrified, I recommend the Jack the Ripper tour. If you like chick movies, they've all been filmed here (so I'm told). And if you like to worship, there's really nowhere like Westminster Abbey. Truly an international city, I managed to have dinner this weekend with people from Australia, Japan, Singapore, Holland, England, Boston, Kansas City, and Michigan. I have to confess, the more time I spend here the more I feel the need to retract my long-held belief that New York is the city by which all others are measured. In fact, I'm pretty sure they even have more Broadway shows here than on Broadway itself.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Bath
"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment."
--Jane Austen
Bath has been described as Britain's version of Hollywood 200 years ago. Walking around the well preserved neoclassical architecture, it's easy to imagine what life would have been like here during the Georgian era. This week the city was celebrating the life of one of its most famous citizens, serving as host to the Jane Austen Festival. Austen is wildly popular amongst the women of England. In a recent survey, Fitzwilliam Darcy topped the list of fictional characters the women of the UK would most like to date, beating out Superman and James Bond. This week's venue is essentially the world's largest Est-Fest. Example. This Saturday's Schedule...
10am-1130am: A Very Private Public Breakfast. Sample the delights of an eighteenth century public breakfast just as Jane Austen did...There will be a talk on the recipes of the time and tableware used.
11am-1230pm: Jane Austen's Bath Walking Tour
1230pm-1pm: Costume photography. Turn yourself into Lizzie Bennet or Mr. Darcy! Take a photo in Georgian costume in an elegant Regency setting.
2pm-3pm: Powder and Prejudice. An illustrated talk on Regency beauty, in preparation for tonight's ball.
7:30pm-9:30pm: Grand Regency Ball and Supper. We request the pleasure of your company for an evening of music, dancing, cards, and a traditional Regency Supper at the magnificent Georgian Guildhall in Bath.
After walking into the Jane Austen center I started having flashbacks to my first day in senior French class back in high school. I was the only dude in sight. Just like Jay Cutler studying the videotape on New England's defence in preparation for Sunday's game, I regarded this as an opportunity to educate myself on the female psyche. After about an hour, I started to get a pretty good read on the situation--all I have to do is stare at their mouths and wrinkle my nose, and I turn out to be a big sweetheart. Lock it up!
--Jane Austen
Bath has been described as Britain's version of Hollywood 200 years ago. Walking around the well preserved neoclassical architecture, it's easy to imagine what life would have been like here during the Georgian era. This week the city was celebrating the life of one of its most famous citizens, serving as host to the Jane Austen Festival. Austen is wildly popular amongst the women of England. In a recent survey, Fitzwilliam Darcy topped the list of fictional characters the women of the UK would most like to date, beating out Superman and James Bond. This week's venue is essentially the world's largest Est-Fest. Example. This Saturday's Schedule...
10am-1130am: A Very Private Public Breakfast. Sample the delights of an eighteenth century public breakfast just as Jane Austen did...There will be a talk on the recipes of the time and tableware used.
11am-1230pm: Jane Austen's Bath Walking Tour
1230pm-1pm: Costume photography. Turn yourself into Lizzie Bennet or Mr. Darcy! Take a photo in Georgian costume in an elegant Regency setting.
2pm-3pm: Powder and Prejudice. An illustrated talk on Regency beauty, in preparation for tonight's ball.
7:30pm-9:30pm: Grand Regency Ball and Supper. We request the pleasure of your company for an evening of music, dancing, cards, and a traditional Regency Supper at the magnificent Georgian Guildhall in Bath.
After walking into the Jane Austen center I started having flashbacks to my first day in senior French class back in high school. I was the only dude in sight. Just like Jay Cutler studying the videotape on New England's defence in preparation for Sunday's game, I regarded this as an opportunity to educate myself on the female psyche. After about an hour, I started to get a pretty good read on the situation--all I have to do is stare at their mouths and wrinkle my nose, and I turn out to be a big sweetheart. Lock it up!
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Blenheim Palace
"Although present on that occasion, I have no clear recollection of the events leading up to it."
--Sir Winston Churchill on his birth at Blenheim Palace
Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet up with my second cousins' family in Oxfordshire. They were visiting from Colorado, and it was no accident that they happened to be at Blenheim Palace for the afternoon. You see, there are certain things that just go along with being a guy in my family--like enjoying German Chocolate Cake for your Birthday. I can honestly say that I independently arrived at an obsession with the British politician and Nobel Prize Laureate. It was only later that I realized that my grandpa shared my view that FDR got way too much credit for the way WWII turned out and that one of my English relatives actually drives a Rolls that once belonged to the former Prime Minister.
Ever since I was a child, I remember being fascinated with politics. I can still vividly remember the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, even though I was only five when it happened. And there is no question that the last 25 years have seen some of the world's most talented political leaders. If you have any doubt about this fact, just turn on the television next time Tony Blair is giving a speech on Terrorism. But I have to say that in order to find anyone who was born and raised(as I now realize after visiting Blenheim) with the kind of mastery and skill of Winston Churchill, you have to go back to the book of 2 Samuel.
His sense of humor and ability to weild the English language with perfection are simply astounding. It is unlikely that the world will ever produce another like him. I don't think the guy ever said anything that wasn't quotable, but here are a few of my favorites:
"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it."
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
"Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains."
"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
Blenheim Palace remained an important part of Churchill's life throughout its duration. In addition to being born at Blenheim, it was there that he proposed to Miss Clementine Hozier in the summer of 1908 in the gardens at the Temple of Diana overlooking the lake. I'm not sure what he said to her on that occasion, but standing in the place on a beautiful September afternoon, it's hard to imagine any girl telling him "no."
--Sir Winston Churchill on his birth at Blenheim Palace
Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet up with my second cousins' family in Oxfordshire. They were visiting from Colorado, and it was no accident that they happened to be at Blenheim Palace for the afternoon. You see, there are certain things that just go along with being a guy in my family--like enjoying German Chocolate Cake for your Birthday. I can honestly say that I independently arrived at an obsession with the British politician and Nobel Prize Laureate. It was only later that I realized that my grandpa shared my view that FDR got way too much credit for the way WWII turned out and that one of my English relatives actually drives a Rolls that once belonged to the former Prime Minister.
Ever since I was a child, I remember being fascinated with politics. I can still vividly remember the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, even though I was only five when it happened. And there is no question that the last 25 years have seen some of the world's most talented political leaders. If you have any doubt about this fact, just turn on the television next time Tony Blair is giving a speech on Terrorism. But I have to say that in order to find anyone who was born and raised(as I now realize after visiting Blenheim) with the kind of mastery and skill of Winston Churchill, you have to go back to the book of 2 Samuel.
His sense of humor and ability to weild the English language with perfection are simply astounding. It is unlikely that the world will ever produce another like him. I don't think the guy ever said anything that wasn't quotable, but here are a few of my favorites:
"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it."
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
"Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains."
"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
Blenheim Palace remained an important part of Churchill's life throughout its duration. In addition to being born at Blenheim, it was there that he proposed to Miss Clementine Hozier in the summer of 1908 in the gardens at the Temple of Diana overlooking the lake. I'm not sure what he said to her on that occasion, but standing in the place on a beautiful September afternoon, it's hard to imagine any girl telling him "no."
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Switzerland
"Ooh--all the men in the midst of a table d'hote heard: Sit ze zuu bah zo zee oh. Men drinking jacks with the foam afloat heard: Zee be be bo see se aye."
--The Lonely Goatherd (as performed by Harry Connick Jr.)
For those of you who have already been to Gimmelwald, there's not much I can tell you that will add to what you already know. As far as I can tell, the place hasn't changed at all since it was discovered by America. For those of you that have never been, it's probably impossible for me to describe in words what this place is like. The best I can do is tell you that it is Europe's version of the XZ.
For instance, any great hidden gem (XZ being no exception) has to be all but inaccessible. Otherwise it would quickly be overrun with tourists. If you thought the 16 hour car ride from Minneapolis was brutal, get a load of what you have to do to make it up to Gimmelwald. My starting point was Oxford, England. So right off the bat I had the advantage of being across the ocean when I got in my car to drive to the park and ride. After fighting traffic and waiting about an hour for a bus, I finally made it to Gatwick within about 2.5 hours. After waiting for another 2 hours in the security line, I boarded my flight and arrived in Geneva within another hour and a half. By this time, it was so late on Friday that I met up with Sam at the hostel in Geneva in order to get a night's sleep before venturing out early the next morning. From Geneva we caught a train up to Interlaken. This took about four hours of switching multiple different trains. Finally, we switched on to the Interlaken Ost-Lauterbrunnen train and enjoyed the breath-taking views of the Swiss alps. From Lauterbrunnen, there's a bus that you have to take up to Stechelberg. After you arrive in that small village, there's only two ways to reach Gimmelwald: a four hour hike or a gondola. We opted for the latter and arrived in time to enjoy a beautiful hike up towards the Schilthorn (site of the 007 film "In Her Majesty's Secret Service).
Upon returning to the Mountain Hostel after our hike, we were greeted by about 30-40 people between the ages of 18 and 30, predominantly from the Pacific Northwest. After establishing how many people we could fit in the hot tub, we sat down for some cards and I enjoyed getting my butt kicked in a game of hearts. The following morning we were disappointed to wake up to a torrential downpour. Fortunately, the hostel was equipped with an upright piano and a handful of the girls staying there knew the words to Edelweiss and the music of Les Mis, so we managed to keep ourselves entertained until the weather cleared. We then ventured out through the misty mountains to Trummelbach Falls, where we climbed through several caves which contained the 5,200 gallons of water that pours out from the falls every second.
--The Lonely Goatherd (as performed by Harry Connick Jr.)
For those of you who have already been to Gimmelwald, there's not much I can tell you that will add to what you already know. As far as I can tell, the place hasn't changed at all since it was discovered by America. For those of you that have never been, it's probably impossible for me to describe in words what this place is like. The best I can do is tell you that it is Europe's version of the XZ.
For instance, any great hidden gem (XZ being no exception) has to be all but inaccessible. Otherwise it would quickly be overrun with tourists. If you thought the 16 hour car ride from Minneapolis was brutal, get a load of what you have to do to make it up to Gimmelwald. My starting point was Oxford, England. So right off the bat I had the advantage of being across the ocean when I got in my car to drive to the park and ride. After fighting traffic and waiting about an hour for a bus, I finally made it to Gatwick within about 2.5 hours. After waiting for another 2 hours in the security line, I boarded my flight and arrived in Geneva within another hour and a half. By this time, it was so late on Friday that I met up with Sam at the hostel in Geneva in order to get a night's sleep before venturing out early the next morning. From Geneva we caught a train up to Interlaken. This took about four hours of switching multiple different trains. Finally, we switched on to the Interlaken Ost-Lauterbrunnen train and enjoyed the breath-taking views of the Swiss alps. From Lauterbrunnen, there's a bus that you have to take up to Stechelberg. After you arrive in that small village, there's only two ways to reach Gimmelwald: a four hour hike or a gondola. We opted for the latter and arrived in time to enjoy a beautiful hike up towards the Schilthorn (site of the 007 film "In Her Majesty's Secret Service).
Upon returning to the Mountain Hostel after our hike, we were greeted by about 30-40 people between the ages of 18 and 30, predominantly from the Pacific Northwest. After establishing how many people we could fit in the hot tub, we sat down for some cards and I enjoyed getting my butt kicked in a game of hearts. The following morning we were disappointed to wake up to a torrential downpour. Fortunately, the hostel was equipped with an upright piano and a handful of the girls staying there knew the words to Edelweiss and the music of Les Mis, so we managed to keep ourselves entertained until the weather cleared. We then ventured out through the misty mountains to Trummelbach Falls, where we climbed through several caves which contained the 5,200 gallons of water that pours out from the falls every second.
Monday, September 04, 2006
The Family
"Why land is the only thing in the world worth workin' for, worth fightin' for, worth dyin' for, because it's the only thing that lasts."
--Gerald O'Hara
Gone With the Wind
In what has now become a Joyce familiy tradition, this past weekend I made my pilgrimage to the town of Renhold, England. Mapquest doesn't exist in Europe, so during the last 10 or 15 miles I was guided almost entirely from my own memory. It was my third trip to the Joyce estate, but somehow I can still remember the details of what it looked like even from my first visit in the fourth grade. Although the farmland that makes up the property is very similar to what you might find in Atlantic, Iowa (home of my great great grandfather) or Plainview Nebraska (where the past three generations lived), the unmistakable feature of Renhold is the chapel which has stood at its center since the 13th century. It was at the top of this building that I remember being told as a child to look out as far as I could see, and when I couldn't see any further, that's where the family's property ended. After meeting up with my relatives, I went with Sarah (distant cousin) over to the church tower where they were getting ready to ring the chapel bells for a wedding. In England, it is a tradition that church bells are always rung by hand (something that has been automated in the rest of the world). From the bell tower, I was able to peer through the dirty glass of a window that overlooked the chapel. As I watched the bride and groom taking their vows, I realized that for the past several hundred years the Joyce men had been giving away their daughters in this very spot. In fact, Sarah was the most recent woman to be married in just this way. Of course the thought crossed my mind that with destination weddings becoming so popular there is a pretty good chance she won't be the last. For this reason, I have started praying that my first child will be a masculine child. After the ceremony we climbed down and walked around the grounds that surround the church. After passing by a dozen gravestones with the name "Joyce" on them, we finally came upon the place where my great great great grandparents are buried. Explaining to you how it came about that four of their five boys ended up finding their way to America is a story that will have to wait for another blog.
In the meantime, I spent Sunday morning on a punting tour of Cambridge University (very close to Bedford where my relatives live). My tour guide was an Itallian named Calo whose English was as bad as his driving, but we had a good time anyway and only managed to take out one other vessel filled with elderly tourists at ramming speed. The weather was absolutely magnificent, so I decided it would be a good opportunity to head into London in order to experience "The Globe." Antony and Cleopatra was playing, and I have to say it lived up to all my expectations (even if the live snake was a little disappointing). Standing with my arms resting on the stage, I came within one inch of getting a face full of Ceasar's wine as he fell over in a drunken stupor. The RSC has truly mastered the art of show business in this venue, and I don't think I'll ever see anything quite like it again for the rest of my life.
--Gerald O'Hara
Gone With the Wind
In what has now become a Joyce familiy tradition, this past weekend I made my pilgrimage to the town of Renhold, England. Mapquest doesn't exist in Europe, so during the last 10 or 15 miles I was guided almost entirely from my own memory. It was my third trip to the Joyce estate, but somehow I can still remember the details of what it looked like even from my first visit in the fourth grade. Although the farmland that makes up the property is very similar to what you might find in Atlantic, Iowa (home of my great great grandfather) or Plainview Nebraska (where the past three generations lived), the unmistakable feature of Renhold is the chapel which has stood at its center since the 13th century. It was at the top of this building that I remember being told as a child to look out as far as I could see, and when I couldn't see any further, that's where the family's property ended. After meeting up with my relatives, I went with Sarah (distant cousin) over to the church tower where they were getting ready to ring the chapel bells for a wedding. In England, it is a tradition that church bells are always rung by hand (something that has been automated in the rest of the world). From the bell tower, I was able to peer through the dirty glass of a window that overlooked the chapel. As I watched the bride and groom taking their vows, I realized that for the past several hundred years the Joyce men had been giving away their daughters in this very spot. In fact, Sarah was the most recent woman to be married in just this way. Of course the thought crossed my mind that with destination weddings becoming so popular there is a pretty good chance she won't be the last. For this reason, I have started praying that my first child will be a masculine child. After the ceremony we climbed down and walked around the grounds that surround the church. After passing by a dozen gravestones with the name "Joyce" on them, we finally came upon the place where my great great great grandparents are buried. Explaining to you how it came about that four of their five boys ended up finding their way to America is a story that will have to wait for another blog.
In the meantime, I spent Sunday morning on a punting tour of Cambridge University (very close to Bedford where my relatives live). My tour guide was an Itallian named Calo whose English was as bad as his driving, but we had a good time anyway and only managed to take out one other vessel filled with elderly tourists at ramming speed. The weather was absolutely magnificent, so I decided it would be a good opportunity to head into London in order to experience "The Globe." Antony and Cleopatra was playing, and I have to say it lived up to all my expectations (even if the live snake was a little disappointing). Standing with my arms resting on the stage, I came within one inch of getting a face full of Ceasar's wine as he fell over in a drunken stupor. The RSC has truly mastered the art of show business in this venue, and I don't think I'll ever see anything quite like it again for the rest of my life.
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