In the Hamptons

Hey-hi-hello! Let's all just pretend that I am really, really great at keeping up my blog! Here are some photos from a field trip I took two weeks ago to Hampton Court Palace, former residence of Henry VIII (that wife-lovin' son-of-a-gun, immortalized by Eric Bana in the recent "The Other Boleyn Girl"). The palace itself was pretty fly (for a white guy), since it was architecturally half-Tudor, half-Baroque. Tudor for Henry, Baroque for William and Mary (the III and II, respectively). The trellis in the photo on the left was very picturesque, so, naturally, I took a picture of it. On the right, we see an imposing Tudor facade. Just like Henry liked it - imposing.

Before we went to Hampton Court Palace, I asked my Junior Dean, Jonathan Kirkpatrick, if it would be anything like the hotel chain in the United States of the same name. He said no.

You may recognize the next photo of this rotund Gothic-looking structure from my pilfered Google photo in the upper right-hand corner of my blog. This is the Radcliffe Camera, part of the Bodleian library, and where I spend a good deal of my time these days. Right now I am finishing up a paper on the role of religion in shaping British national identity in the 18th century, and starting a paper on film adaptations of Jane Austen's novels (focusing specifically on Pride and Prejudice). Needless to say, I have been doing as much research as possible. My life is a fairy tale.

I have many more adventures to tell, and many more blessings to relate, but right now - homework calls (and it is a sweet, sweet sound). More from the City of Boots and Brollies asap!