Stonehenge

Stonehenge was our destination this weekend. Stonehenge started being structured in 3,000 B.C. That is about 300 years before the pharos of Egypt even started the first pyramid! As you drive up to Stonehenge the first thing you see are the Sarsen stones. The Sarsen stones are the biggest of the giant stones in Stonehenge. A Sarsen usually weighs about 40 tons and is 20 feet tall. As you get closer you see the Blue stones. The Blue stones weigh around two tons and are about a man’s height. You will also notice hundreds of small hills scattered everywhere. These are burial grounds. Stonehenge still holds many secrets. Just a month ago people found the place where the stones were from. They think the people of Stonehenge got its rocks from south-Wales. That is over 120 miles away! As you think that the question pops into your mind, “How did they do it?” Many scientists have ideas, but I know the idea I believe. Scientists have found hard circular rocks. Each one is the exact same size, the size of your fist. Scientists believe people back then rolled the huge rocks on these balls. People had not yet invented the wheel, but it was very close. They rolled the rocks hundreds of miles to the Stonehenge spot. Scientists believe the people did it in stages. They started with the massive Sarsen stones. It took about 500 years to do. Then they did the smaller, but still huge Blue stones. By the time they finished, it took them about a thousand years. Scientists believe that the people used the place to bury the dead. They have found almost sixty bodies. Stonehenge also does a special thing on the winter and summer solstice. As the sun comes up and as the sun goes down, the light filters through the two biggest Sarsens. It filters through the other end and is in is an exact line with the trench. The trench is where the Stonehenge people would walk to Stonehenge. The trench leads all the way to the river, Avon, beside Stonehenge. Stonehenge is amazing!

Boston, UK

I got to see Boston, UK. Boston, U.S. was named after Boston, UK. We traveled to Boston by train. We were planning to go to two things. As we came into the train station we saw our first stop. Our first stop was the St. Botolph’s Church. It is one of the biggest and oldest churches in England. They started building this church in 1309. We went inside and saw many pretty designs on the wall and ceiling. Afterward we headed to destination number two. On our way there we passed through a market. People were selling all kinds of things. We also heard some kind of auction in the distance. Destination number two was the Maud Foster Mill. The Maud Foster Mill is a windmill. As we walked into the first floor we saw lots of bags of wheat. They still use the mill to grind wheat into flour. As we started to climb up to the next floor we walked up a very narrow and steep staircase. On the second floor we passed a few guys squashing raisins by hand into a barrel. They use the raisins to make granola. When they found out we were from America, they told us California raisins are the best! As we walked to the third floor we passed by the gears grinding the wheat into flour. The main gear that was powered by the wind turned around on the ceiling. It powered to smaller gears that grinded wheat. That is what is happening in the video we took. As we walked up the steps we passed floors full of more bags of wheat waiting to be grinded. Finally we reached the top. It was a nice view but my favorite part was to look out the window and watch the sails spin around and around. We found out it grinded more wheat than any other windmill in England. It is also one of the oldest still functioning windmills in England. Boston was definitely worth seeing.

Sword Dancing

I got to experience sword dancing. I had just slipped into the Great Hall, where they do almost all the special things, when it started. The sword dancers would use sticks to smack against each other’s sticks. It was very fast and fun. They would spin and make crosses with their swords. There was one guy who would go around and liven it up a little bit. He would go around the crowd hitting people lightly with his stick. When he got to me he either liked me or thought it would be funny to throw me out in the middle of sword dancers because that is exactly what he did. I was very lucky this dance they were not using their sticks because I like my head just the way it is. I was told to hold on to the entertainer’s hand. When he said “go” we ran through the group of dancers. When we got to the other side he said something, but I could not understand him because of the loud music. All of a sudden he pushed me into the middle of the dancers. Then the dancers would come at me fast and then pull away again. It was very fun. At the end he brought me back to my seat. Then he gave me a little pin that said Foresters Morris Men. I later found out that was their name. They wear bells to scare bad spirits and handkerchiefs supposedly lend magic to the audience. The Foresters Morris Men are from Nottingham. That is why their logo has Robin Hood in it. By the way, Robin Hood was my code in the Nottingham post.

Happy Birthday!

Sunday was Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, but yesterday was the day all throughout the U.S. we celebrate him. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is always on the third Monday of January. My mom’s communication class this week was talking about great commutative speakers and one motivating speaker was Martin Luther King Jr. My mom let my sister and me come to class. But first we stopped at a store (the store was really a post office with food) and got candy bars as a treat for Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. We were pretending it was birthday cake. In class we learned more about how black people were treated harshly because of their skin color during Martin Luther King Jr.’s time. Martin Luther King Jr. was born into a house full of great communicators. His father and grandfather both were priests and he followed in their footsteps. M.L.K. Jr. had a strong belief that all people should have equal rights. M.L.K. Jr. admired Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian leader, because of his way of approaching a protest. Gandhi protested for equal rights for those in South Africa and India. Gandhi believed in the saying, “An eye for an eye leaves both people blind.” In other words if the people approached the problem with violence it would cause more violence. M.L.K. Jr. liked the idea so he started peaceful protests. These protests might just be walking up and down a street saying, “We want rights!” Still it made a difference. M.L.K. Jr. had many wonderful speeches and quotes. My favorite quote he had was something like If America is to stay a first class nation; it can’t have second class citizens. Even after peaceful protests some police came back at them with bats and guns. Thousands of blacks were arrested for sitting in a white area or going in a white bathroom. In 1964 M.L.K. Jr. was awarded the Noble Peace Prize. Only four years later he was shot at a motel he was staying at. Even after that it was a while before everywhere blacks and whites were completely thought as equal. My mom wrote four words on the board. They were Conviction, Clarity, Cadence, and Connectivity and we talked about how these things tie together to make a great communicator.

Nottingham

Rugga Chugga-Chugga Choo Choo! For the weekend we went on an
Omega cool field trip to Nottingham. It's not far from Grantham.
Based on the man in Lincoln Green who carries a bow and arrow, Nottingham is
Internationally famous. Howard Pyle wrote the book that started the story.
Nottingham also has a castle that we saw. We ate desserts in a little shop.
How we got to Nottingham was by train. It took about 30 minutes to get there.

Once there, we went to the Galleries of Justice. The Galleries of Justice used to be the

Old Nottingham courthouse and "gaol," basically a jail. In the 1600s and 1700s many

Died in the jail from hangings and beheadings.

Now the place is a museum to show people how life used to be in a jail. People convicted of a crime would go into the courtroom. We found out that many innocent people were sentenced to death because it was a public spectacle and crowds would gather around to see it. They were so popular that some people were trampled to death in the crowds. For cutting down a young tree or stealing cloth you could be hanged because it meant you broke the law called “The Bloody Code.” Speaking of codes, can you find the code in the text above the photos?

Canals and Sheep

My mom, Layla and I had heard about a canal a small walk away from Harlaxton. We had drove by it, but never really stopped to walk on it. We decided today was going to be the day we tried it out. We walked through Harlaxton Village and passed the big highway that would take us to Grantham, the biggest town close to us. We walked through a rural area with lots of farms. One of these farms was the home of a curious sheep. It came over to the fence and watched us walk by. We had to grab a picture and that is the sheep “smiling” at you. After a while we got to the canal. When we got there we were met with a sign talking about blue algae that was toxic! The canal was very pretty and the water was slow-moving and calm. The canal went about 25 miles to Nottingham. The bridge you see in the photo is called the Harlaxton Drift Bridge. When we were walking back we stopped at the post office. Inside there are lots of things including fruits and vegetables. We bought carrots and milk which is very unlike back at home where we would only buy stamps and envelopes at the post office. Nothing like a day full of sheep and canals.

Homeschooling Fun

This week was my first week of getting homeschooled or should I say castleschooled. I do almost everything my class back in the States does. I even do P.E. On a regular Monday I will usually go to the Harlaxton Sports Hall and have P.E. Then I will start the learning. I will usually do a little Math, English, Science, History, and Spelling. I will have lunch around noon, which is just like back at home. Except for the fact that at home it is about 6 in the morning! Today I had shepherd's pie. As for Music, we got to dance and sing to a Ceidilh band. The band came out to Harlaxton Manor and there was a guitarist, violinist, fiddler and a drummer. They played Irish and Scottish music. You pronounce the name like kay-lee. When we danced there was lots of laughing and clapping. It was awesome. After “school” I play with my new friends from Harlaxton. We usually will go and look for secret passages or play sports. In the Sports Hall they have almost any sport you can think of. They have hockey, cricket, baseball, soccer, football, basketball, rugby, volleyball, boxing, and capture the flag. It is pretty hard to get bored when you live by a castle and you have a sports hall right next to you!

London

Yesterday we went to London to see a play. The play tickets were one of my sister’s birthday presents. We took a subway to Charing Cross, one of the subway stops, and we hopped off. We were walking toward the theatre when we passed Trafalgar Square. I found out the square used to be called Charing Cross and that is why the subway is called Charing Cross. Trafalgar Square is also the biggest and most famous square in London. We looked out over the buildings and we saw Big Ben. Big Ben is a big clock tower in London. It is 96.3 meters tall. No wonder it is called Big Ben! After getting a few pictures we went on to the show. The show we went to was Matilda. Matilda was first a book written by Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl has also written The BFG and The Chocolate Factory. When we got there we were met with all kinds of sayings on the wall. There were chalkboards hanging on the wall that were part of the set. Some were nice like “my mommy said I am a miracle” and others were mean like “children are maggots!” After the play started we learned that all the phrases were used multiple times in songs for the musical. By the end I could not stop laughing. It was a very good show. Children aren’t maggots!

Pheasants, Pheasants Everywhere

For the past few days as I would walk around the Harlaxton grounds, I would see a wild bird called a pheasant. Pheasants are big birds the size of chickens all across the UK. The pheasants I have seen have a red neck. That is probably why that type of pheasant is called the Red Necked Pheasant. To me, pheasants seem to be a friendly, lazy bird because every time I walk toward one it doesn't fly away until I am five feet away from it. No wonder it is almost extinct! On the Harlaxton grounds there are not only pheasants but we have spotted bunnies and fox.

Harlaxton

Woohoo! We are at Harlaxton. Harlaxton was the destination of our big trip. The day we left we woke up close to Trafalgar Square, a big and famous square in London, and headed toward the airport since that was the meeting place for all the professors and their families. We were taken to a big bus that would drive us to Harlaxton. When you are close to Harlaxton the bus driver points you to the left and you see a massive structure that looms over everything. Harlaxton! Our guide took us to our carriage house. Later that day we got a tour of Harlaxton Manor. I have found one or two secret passageways. I cannot wait for tomorrow to look for more! The picture is of the State Dining Room. That is where we had dinner last night.

Newburgh, The Beatles and Les Mis

I spent part of the day in Newburgh. Not the Newburgh, Indiana, but the Newburgh, UK. Liverpool sits right between Manchester (the city I was at) and Newburgh so I stopped there. My mom had kept a newspaper clipping she’d read about months ago about our sister city Newburgh, UK and she contacted the chairman of the Newburgh Parish Council to say we would be visiting. But first I want to talk about Liverpool. Liverpool was home to the famous band, The Beatles. The Beatles were first famous in the middle 1960s. Their music is still played today. My favorite song is The Yellow Submarine. We spent a little time in Liverpool by the water. Then I was on my way again toward Newburgh. When we got there we were greeted by a local man who was glad to show us around. He was the chairman I told you about earlier. He would joke around and say things like, “This building is fairly new, only made in the 1700s.” I was thinking, the oldest things in the U.S. are usually only 200 years old. After walking the streets, our guide took us to a local tavern called The Lion and Lamb. A scoop of ice cream and a slice of apple pie later, we said our goodbyes and drove back to Manchester. The following day we drove to London. It took four hours. Then that night there was a highlight, Les Mis. Les Mis was first a book by Victor Hugo and was then made into musicals and there is also a movie. My mom read the book with us and then took us to the musical. When I walked in to the Queen’s Theatre (that is the name) you could feel the air of excitement. I sat down and enjoyed the music. After words I could not stop talking about how awesome it was. My favorite character is Jean Valjean. He was a criminal but became good. The antagonist is named Javert and he chases Jean Valjean throughout his life. Jean Valjean is also known as 24601 and I got a shirt that says “I am 24602, Jean Valjean’s cellmate.”  

Glory, Glory, Man United

We walked out into the tunnel. The tunnel is where each team walks out and shakes hands. Then the players would walk out onto the field. That picture is of me getting a little excited. Our guide told us to start walking toward the benches. He walked to the wall and pushed a button. All of a sudden I heard clapping and I looked back. The button he had pushed made it look like I was walking out to a real match! It was awesome!!! We walked to the area where the players sit while they’re waiting to get back on the field to play. Then we got to see the MEGA-store with all kinds of Man U accessories. It was mega! Old Trafford is something to see.     

Man U Locker Rooms

Our guide immediately took us out to the stands. He told us a brief history of the stadium. Then we went into the walls of the stadium and learned more history. Then we went to one of my highlights, the locker rooms! Each of the players jerseys were hung up neat waiting to be used. There is a picture of me by Rooney’s jersey. Rooney is one of the most famous players on the Man U team. There was a huge whiteboard soccer (football) field on the wall that is used to make plays. Sir Alex Ferguson helps decide the plays.

Manchester United

It’s a goal!!! Today was a big day. One of my best Christmas presents was a tour of the Man U stadium, called Old Trafford. Man U, or Manchester United, is an amazing professional soccer team. Man U has possibly the biggest sport franchise in the whole world. The team started in 1910, over 100 years ago. Man U is in the English Premier League. When I got to the stadium with my family, the stadium hid part of the sun because it was so tall. I was lost for words and all I could say was “Thank You!” and “Oh My Gosh.” It was a sight to behold. We walked up the stairs toward the Man U museum where the tour would start.We learned a few cool facts like what Manchester Shield means. The red stands for the devil because Manchester United is sometimes called the red devils. The figure in the middle is a devil. The two dots on the sides of the shield are soccer balls (footballs).

Salisbury Crags

I got to go to the Salisbury Crags on January 1, 2012. I mentioned this place a few posts ago and after seeing the Crags I thought I needed to write more. The Salisbury Crags are an area in the bigger volcano Arthur’s Seat. The Crags are so cragie (not a real word) because about 340 million years ago there used to be a sea there. It later froze into a glacier and the glacier made it rough. Some of the Crags tallest peaks are over 150 feet tall. Most of the rocks that form the rugged cliffs are igneous. From the view we could see almost every view of Edinburgh. Across Edinburgh we could see the Scotland National Monument, a building based after the Parthenon. The Parthenon if you did not already know is a temple in Greece. The photo attached to this is from where we were standing on the Crags. The Greek-like structure is the Parthenon replica. Behind it is the North Sea. These looked farther away when we were standing on the Crags but we zoomed in with the camera. I felt like I was going to be blown off the Crags it was so windy. I had already found out Scotland was a windy place, but after standing on the Crags it was nothing in comparison. When I looked down the slope, I could see bushes growing out of the sides of the cliff. It amazed me that they could grow out of the rocks. After the Crags, we walked up and down the Royal Mile. That night we went to The Witchery to eat dinner. When I found out we got to eat there I jumped with excitement because I remember eating there in 2008 and loved it. The Witchery is a famous restaurant in Edinburgh. It sits in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle. You go down steps to get to the restaurant. I had sundried tomato bread, butternut squash soup, salmon and chocolate mousse. It was sooo good. After dinner we packed up our things and drove 4+ hours to get to Manchester, England. It was 1 a.m. when we got there so I had to say good morning and not good night!

Hogmanay Torches and Happy New Year

It’s Hogmanay, the name for Scotland’s huge New Year celebration. People kick it off by going out on the street and buying torches. The torches start with no flame. People start on the Royal Mile, a huge street in Scotland, and they walk all the way up to Calton Hill. Calton Hill has an Athens like temple at the top. At the very front of the line of people one torch is lit. Then that person lets other people put their torches up to the person with flamed torch and slowly but surely the flame spreads. The news said there were almost 30,000 people at the event and 6,500 people holding torches. We were right in the middle of the party! It was so amazing that I will never forget it. Here is a little video. Hope your new year goes great!