Eyam Plague Village, Chatsworth, and Ireland!

Hello Everyone!

I realize that it may seem early evening to you, but I am still awake here at Harlaxton trying to finish laundry and study for my British Studies test.  So I guess now is an appropriate time to update my life a little bit since I won't be back until Sunday after tomorrow night!!!  I will fill you in about the trips I took today with the nursing students and about my itinerary for Ireland :)

Today I went to Eyam, which is a village that was hit hard by the Plague.  It was a cold and rainy day- very dreary, but we made the best of it with small chocolates in hand!  We went into the museum and were able to learn a lot about the history of the Plague.  I guess I should let you know, we read a book called "Year of Wonders", which was about the village of Eyam and how they overcame the Plague.  After the museum, we went to the church and graveyard to see that piece of history, which was really neat.  The building was so old, and it listed the priests back to the 1200s.  

After Eyam, we took a trip over to Chatsworth House, where a present day Duke and Duchess live.  I completely forgot their names (I know, I know!), but it was really really cool to see the inside of their home.  Unbelievable flower arrangements were, well, everywhere.  They almost accented all of the artifacts in each room.  We were caught up there for at least 2 hours walking from room to room. (I don't know why this is underlined!!! SORRY!)

Once we got back to the Manor, it was time to get warm, study, and get ready for Ireland!  I have been working on homework and group discussions for almost half the night.  I then realized I should probably do some laundry so I have some warmer clothes to wear for Ireland (layers layers layers!)  So here I am now, almost midnight, writing this blog while the dryer attempts to dry my clothes (sometimes you get them soaking wet!).  

I leave for Ireland tomorrow evening from Harlaxton Manor at approximately 8pm by coach.  We travel up towards the west coast of England, where we will board a ferry that will take us to Dublin.  When you think ferry, you think of benches outside huddling in the wind.  No. This ferry is like a cruise ship, complete with a cinema, bar, and restaurant, as well as gift shops.  We arrive in Dublin on Thursday morning at approximately 6am, where we will travel to a hotel for a continental breakfast.  Then we will depart for our journey to Kilarney, stopping on the way to kiss the Blarney Stone (to find true love!).  We arrive in Kilarney  around 1:30pm.  We have the day to ourselves, and I honestly just want to explore the small village and see the rural shops.  Friday we depart at 8am for the Ring of Kerry, which is a coastal route bus tour that takes us to the most beautiful scenic places in Ireland.  We get back in the afternoon about 5pm, which gives us enough time to enjoy Kilarney night life.  On Saturday morning, we depart for Dublin again, where we will spend the night.  In Dublin, I have already booked tours of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Kihlmain's Gaol, and...the Guinness Storehouse :)  I am really excited about Dublin!!!  We depart early Sunday morning, again by ferry, to travel back to the UK.  We stop for lunch at a Welsh town that has the LONGEST name known to man kind, which is Llanfairpwllgwyndgyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, which translates to "The Church of Mary in the Hollow of the White Hazel Near the Fierce Whirlpool and the Church of the Tysilio by the Red Cave".  Bet you can't say either of those five times fast ;)  We arrive back to the Manor on Sunday evening at approximately 5:30pm, welcomed by a roast meat and potatoes dinner, complete with fake ice cream :)

That's all I have for now...keep me in your prayers as I travel this weekend and for my test!

Taylor <3