September 26, 2009

Today we got up early to meet at the school to go on a day trip to Blenheim Palace. This palace is the home to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, offers a memorable day out. Set in 2100 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown, the exquisite Baroque Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns, formal gardens and the magnificent Lake. Blenheim Palace is a unique example of English Baroque architecture. Inside, the scale of the Palace is beautifully balanced by the intricate detail and delicacy of the carvings, the hand painted ceilings and the amazing porcelain collections, tapestries and paintings displayed in each room. On the first floor 'Blenheim Palace: The Untold Story' brings to life enticing tales from the last 300 years. Situated in Woodstock, just 8 miles from Oxford, the Palace was created a World Heritage site in 1987. This was so pretty too bad no pictures were allowed in the palace. We went on a tour and saw all the different rooms of the palace and the exact room where Winston Churchill was born!

The gardens were amazing it looked like something in a movie or in a book! It was a perfect day to relax in the garden and to have a cup of tea!! We had a really good time.

Our next stop is Oxford! We had some free time here where we ate a delicious pastry! When we walked by this little store there was a huge line so we figured they must be good! Then we joined the rest of the group for a tour of Oxford University!

When I think of Oxford University I think of a huge campus with amazing grounds with tons of buildings all together. It was not like this at all... the university was spread throughout the entire town. There are 38 colleges of the University of Oxford and 6 Permanent Private Halls, each with its own internal structure and activities. It is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back as the 11th century. We got to tour the college where Harry Potter was filmed in the dining room. The strange thing is that when the students go to dinner each night they are not allowed to get up from dinner they are served all their needs and they must wear their degree gown to the table.



The entire campus of the buildings that we saw were all just amazing. I love the way they look and the feel while walking in the buildings makes me want to go there. The students are not allowed to have a car and must walk or ride a bike. It was a good day trip!