London Day Fifteen- Haddon Hall and Hardwick Hall

Today was a really early morning. It started off with a 5:45am wake up call. We were supposed to meet at 6:45, but that didn't exactly happen. A few people were five to ten minutes late. I can't really blame them, it was way too early. Then we headed for the tube and arrived at the train station. I was happy when Darrin and Susie gave us ten minutes before we had to board. I rushed to Starbucks. I needed some good coffee. I've learned over the past two weeks that I don't like the mochas here. The chocolate they use is like baking chocolate so it isn't sweet at all. So I was determined to get something good. Plus I needed the caffeine! After getting a very large cup of a white chocolate mocha I boarded the train. We were on our way to Chesterfield yet again. Everything was going great. I was reading my book, enjoying some Sara Bareilles, and then things turned not so great. We were slowing down to stop at Chesterfield so all of us were getting ready to get up and go. We get to the doors see three of our classmates on the platform with Darrin and then our train starts to move again. Susie tried while we were stopped to open the door, but it wouldn't open and suddenly we were pulling away. We didn't get off. We were stunned at how short a time the train was there. Two days ago we had had plenty of time to get off. So we found our seats again and waited until the train came to the last stop. There we got off and tried to figure out what train to take to get back to where we needed to be. We were all frustrated by this inconvenience. We all were worried about the time too. We were worried about the tour and the bus that were waiting for us. About twenty minutes later we got on the same train and this time we were poised at the door to get off as fast as possible. We finally got there and headed onto the coach. We were off to see Haddon Hall. Of course I got bus sick. I absolutely hate that I am so prone to motion sickness. It certainly is not my favorite thing. It also makes it so I can't enjoy the scenery. Though before I got sick I noticed how green it was. It looked just like Michigan. Maybe it is because I can't wait to see my family and be in Michigan, but I swear England country side looks like Michigan! I love it.
    After a 20 minute to 30 minute bus ride we arrived at Haddon Hall. I was really excited to experience this place, it has been part of many films. We parked across the street from the house. We then had to cross a rather scary busy street. Shift once that was done we started down the driveway to the house. At the end of the driveway we met our tour guide, Jackie. She looked just like Charlotte from "Pride and Prejudice." No joke. She had the same face, same posture, and the same mannerisms. She was also really smiley and full of happiness. I really enjoyed her attitude and pleasantness. She really made the tour even more special. She was just so kind and over joyed to have us! She told us breifly about this pigeon building, and how they would catch pigeon there to eat and for their dung. Apparently that same building was used in the latest movie of Jane Eyre. It is the church in it. We were all impressed and felt like we have to go see this movie, just so we can point and be like, I saw that in real life. Many other films were shot at this place. Some of them are Pride and Prejudice, Princess Bride, and Jane Eyre! The entry way of the house is one of the main shots used in Princess Bride, and so we all took pictures and we all got really excited! There is another part we didn't see as well that the giant is seen a lot. We just saw a peak of it, but still way cool. The part where Pride and Prejudice was filmed you totally recognized. You know that scene where Keira comes down the stairs and sees Mr. Darcy talking to her aunt and uncle and she ducks into a doorway with a curtain? That is the room I was in, and you could totally see how it played out. Now in the movie the room looks bigger, but it really isn't that large. Also some of the people on staff at the house got to be extras in the movie, how cool would that be? The next room that was in the movie wasn't that obvious. We walked in after taking Pride and Prejudice photos. We all had to be in the doorway that Elizabeth hides in. So the next room was the same time in the story. It is when Elizabeth gets the letter about Lydia running away. But it looked totally different, because in the movie they put a screen up and a bed. The room now has a dinning table in it. All the rooms were really dark, just like in the movie. The bench that Mr. Darcy sits on was there and so everyone wanted to sit on it. I couldn't help but chuckle. There were other rooms though that were quite impressive. It was massive with low ceilings. After many years of use it eventually became just another unused room. They decided to have the kitchen down in what used to be the stables and is now a restaurant. There was a train, underground, that would run from this stable with the food all the way to the old kitchen. From where we stood you could see the little passageway. There was also baking ovens and a place to ground things up. A few years back they did a Renaissance meal there. The people who put it on used the actual ovens that hadn't been used in hundreds of years. That would have been a crazy sight. I guess back then they would make a pie out of the meat of a bird and then use the carcass as a thermos. They would put the pie back in and then pull it out when they served it. To me that sounds really gross. The space was so impressive. I really enjoyed learning about it. It was ten times better because our guide was super enthusiastic. We also got to go in this really old chapel. It was so cool. It had amazing paintings on the walls, that had been covered and then uncovered. While they weren't as vibrant as they once were it gave you a picture of what it used to be. There were skeletons and vines. The wood carvings on some items were truly impressive. There was also a great stain glass window that some robbers tried to take but the person who watched over the vacant house stopped them, so people now get to see them! There was also this amazing tomb. It was of a young boy who was to inherit the house if he had not died. His mother designed the tomb. It was so detailed and looked like a boy had just turned to stone. The faces of his mother and father were also there and seemed very real. It was something your eye was drawn to. I also learned that people of the time would pop their heads in pray quickly to the traveling saint, who was painted or sculpted by the wall, and then get back on their horse and head off to their destination. I love those little facts you learn on these tours! After the house tour was over we went and looked out at the gardens. They were truly beautiful. They were small and charming, very different from the large gardens we are used to seeing. After seeing this amazing house we had ten minutes till we had to meet up and get on the coach. Elyse and I hurried off to the gift shop that was located in a truly unique place. It was in an arch that you passed through on you way up to the house. It was small but smelled wonderful. It's decor was pretty charming and reminded me of a cute old lady. It also reminded me of my grandma's cottage. I bought a book so I could remember this wonderful place. Then we hurried to the bus.
      After a bus ride, that left me motion sick, we arrived at Hardwick Hall. This place is made up of two homes, and shows the Tudor times really well. One of them is in ruins, but the other is still very much standing. So basically the way these homes came to be is because of Bess. She was married to 4 men. The first one died, the second one she married and gave him 8 kids with 6 of them living to adult hood. He also died so she married again. They were together for five years and he too died. Then her final marriage to George Talbot, an Earl. They were later divorced after Bess decided she didn't like that her husband was keeping Mary, Queen of Scots, prisoner on order of Queen Elizabeth. She felt it was draining their funds. He generously let her keep the money she came into the marriage with. With that money she bought the Old Hardwick Hall and remodeled it. But she wanted to show off her wealth a little more and so she built the second house. So really the only reason these homes exist is because Bess was the type to brag about what she had. I think I liked the old house better than the new one. I feel the old one has a lot of character. There isn't much left but from the audio guide it sounded like it was a sight to be seen. It was massive and it wasn't even all together! The fireplaces were so impressive. The place above the fire was so detailed with different scenes. It held interest and a story. I loved being on the ground and looking straight up and seeing the spot for three different fireplaces with different plaster stories above them. It showed you the layout of the house really well. I climbed the stairs that were scary old. It was impressive that those were still standing. At the top you had an amazing view. You could see all the hills and the greenery and the trees. I could have stood there forever just looking. The sense of calm flooded into you. Also from the top of the steps you could look down to the bottom floor of the house. It was amazing that it had like four stories. It was definitely an innovation for the time. After looking through the old house Andrea and I headed to the new house. Wow did Bess want to show off her wealth. The house was really over the top. She had tapestries everywhere and the fireplaces were the height of a normal ceiling! There was even a throne room, even though she wasn't royal. The chairs were ornately carved and the beds were heavily draped. There was gold detailing on a lot of the fabric. It was a little crazy. The nicest pieces were the marquetry was very impressive though. The flowers and the different colors of woods really were inspiring. Many people will look at the grand effect of items, but to look at one piece you can see that that is the real treasure. Andrea and I then decided to sketch. She decided on a chair, while I wanted to sketch a flower detail on the chair. I sketched for about 20 minutes, and I would finish it later. I really wanted to go to the gift shop before we all had to meet up. We then met up and after a brief talk we all got back on the bus. We then got on the train and headed back to London.
      Once in London it was time for some dinner. Leslie and I decided to go to Billy's. She and some of the other girls had gone previously and said the fish and chips were amazing. I am constantly looking to see if anything can top Sir Cedric's fish and chips in Canada so I had to try them. The atmosphere was really interesting. The place was trying to be American Western, but it was in need of some help. They had some nice pieces they just needed some help pulling it altogether. Because while they were trying to be American Western, they were also trying to pull off a Scottish or Irish pub. The mix didn't really work. Plus to try and find the bathroom was terrifying. It was in the basement in this really creepy area. I thought something would jump out at me any time I turned around. But the actual bathroom was nice. So after washing my hands I ordered the fish and chips. It was better then the last place I went to but not as good as Sir Cedric's. It was Cod for one, and I think Halibut is better. But it was pretty good. Probably second or third best I've ever tried. Leslie got a hamburger that looked wonderful. She said it was good. She could hardly bite into it, it was so huge! But after a nice meal in a rather cramped place we headed back to the flat. I soon crashed as the next day we had another really early morning. Day 16, Cambridge!