Simply Rachel: Runnymeade/Windsor/Eaton College/Stokes Poges

Today's day trip began with a lovely morning. Usually our day trips take us a few hours out of London but we stayed pretty close to the city and I was loving it. The sunrise was gorgeous because there wasn't a complete blanket of clouds over the entire country and we stopped first at Runnymeade where the Magna Carta was signed. It was pretty much just a big empty field with a few monuments erected by American associations. I guess Americans view the Magna Carta as a bigger deal because it was an inspiration to our Founding Fathers when they were attempting to declare independence. It was a beautiful morning but besides that Runnymeade was rather uneventful.

Our next destination was Windsor, Windsor castle and Eaton college. So far I think this has been my favorite day trip stop. The town is pretty cool and has some wonderful shops (a HUGE Cath Kidston store that I went in and gazed at the bag I want for a while but resisted purchasing it just yet). The caslte is pretty spectacular and I am loving that I have some background knowledge before we visit palces such as these. Last week in classes we learned all about the Knights of the Garter and also we read Shakespeare's "Merry Wives of Windsor"so when we went and saw the church at Windsor castle I understood what all the coats of arms were. Also in that same church King Henry VIII is buried. It is crazy to think that so much history is all packed into the small areas of and around London! So we walked through the state rooms in the castle and got to see some wonderful artwork, old weaponry, and they have the finest collection of China there. Queen Victoria's coronation China is spectacular. I wanted to buy a replica tea cup in the gift shop but I wasn't willing to pay 25 pounds for one cup. In the castle you aren't allowed to take photos which is a shame. I had mine ready in my pocket though in case a prince was spotted but alas, Windsor is only their home on the weekends. I think my favorite part of the castle was the view from the banqueting room. They have this HUGE window that looks out on a garden and over the town of Windsor. It's pretty spectacular since Windsor castle is built up on a hill. Since the sky was half clear today it made it all that much more beautiful.

So after going through the castle I knew where my next destination was going to be: straight over to Eaton College across the river. I HAD to see where the princes went to school. So me and a few other girls walked down out of Windsor and passed some of the cutest antique stores to get to Eaton College. Since they are in the middle of their term now it isn't open to the public but we walked around the buildings and saw some of the grounds. It was pretty beautiful. I can see why only the elite British boys go there because the cost of running a place like that must be astronomical. The grounds were like straight out of the movie the secret garden and we saw boys in coats with tails running around like it was no thang that they were dressed up on some random Tuesday. They even had a gift shop across the street from the campus. Ithough, "hey I really want a t-shirt or something!" and so I set my heart upon getting one. Well apparently Eaton college is too refined for T-shirts because the only shirts they had were some nice rugby polos with a small Eaton college emblem for the modest price of 45 pounds! Yea right. I bought a small iron on Eaton college patch instead. On our way back up to Windsor Laura Marostica and I stopped in a couple antique stores. I bought two charms, one of the Queen Victoria and also another one that is supposed to be a pub and it open up. I am pretty stoked on these two purchases because they are something one of a kind that I can only get here that remind me of England. After that we just sort of walked around and then headed back to the coach.

Next Stop: Stoke Poges. This is where Thomas Gray is buried and in the very Churchyard he set his famous poem, "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" This was actually one of the most picturesque places we have been this whole trip. The churchyard itself is really neat with all these old graves and a small parish church that has some Anglo-Saxon and Norman architecture. Then there are these amazing gardens that look over the river. Everywhere I go here I just think how this would be a dream for photographers. Too bad I am just not artsy enough to capture the true beauty of it but I hope to keep it all in my head as long as I can. I have a few photos that I will post that just wont do this site justice. Seriously this whole day I just kept marvelling at the beauty of England when the sun is out! It's really quite amazing.

So we headed back as the sun was going down in the British skies and it was another wonderful site to see out the huge coach windows. It was nice to get back to the centre early and have some leftover gumbo from last night. I ca,e back, studied religion and took my test so that I can be ready to leave for Spain tomorrow. I am so excited and I think we have everything planned out as best as we can but we are going to be playing a lot of it by ear and I am the only one who speaks Spanish in our group. Say a little prayer for me people. I bet it will be an awesome trip. My first time in a hostel though and I have never lived out of a backpack for this long. I just know we are all going to reek by the time we get back on Saturday evening. But nonetheless I am super excited for this adventure. Wish me luck!