Objects of Travel Assignment 2: The Elgin Marbles

Neil MacGregor, the director of the British Museum in London, is also the author of A History of the World in 100 Objects, a text used for our Objects of Travel class. One specific chapter focuses on the hotly debated topic of the Elgin Marbles. For those who have never heard of this debate, the Elgin marbles are structures that Lord Elgin, the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, took around 1800 from the Parthenon. He then proceeded to put these marbles on display in London, and they now find their home in the British Museum. 

Other structures from the Parthenon are not only present in the British Museum, but in others such as the Musee de Louvre in Paris. Here is actually a picture of these structures that I saw in the Louvre this past weekend, the exact ones these articles refer to!

 First, a bit about the marbles themselves: MacGregor and his staff seem to think that the images depicted on these structures are those of myths that represent the struggle between that of the Greeks and Persians when the Persions invaded the Greek mainland. Since the Ottomans used the Parthenon as a means of gunpowder storage in 1637, these structures were significantly damaged when an unexpected explosion occurred. It is suggested that one of Lord Elgin’s motives in removing the structures was to help restore and preserve the structures from the previous damage.

There are two sides to the story. The Greeks claim that Lord Elgin actually stole the marbles because they claim the Sultan did not officially approve Elgin’s removal of  the marbles, and that this unofficial agreement from a Turkish officer did not contain an agreement to take them out of the country. (3) There is still much discord on this argument in particular. On the other hand, The British Museum uses the marbles as an argument for their stance that they play a leading role in allowing cultural identities to develop from the interconnection of sculptures and artifacts from all over the world, allowing the public (free of charge) to get a taste of the Greek culture.  An article from the British Museum website states the importance of the arrival of these marbles in London because they “regenerat[ed] interest in ancient Greek culture and influence[ed] contemporary artistic trends.” (2)

In 2007, the Greeks finished construction on a much needed new museum, the New Acropolis Museum, in an effort to prove they can care for their structures and no longer need babysitting from the British Museum. Their websites states “the new Museum offers all the amenities expected in an international museum of the 21^st century.” Thanks Greece, ‘bout time you decided to catch up. (4)

I find myself agreeing with the British Museum’s side of the debate, mainly because of the aftermath that would follow if the museum were to return the marbles. Wouldn’t that then suggest that all artifacts should go back to their original homes? This would obviously leave no need for museums any longer and would lead to “a global loss of appreciation and understanding” in the words of Tristram Hunt (1).

Even if Lord Elgin did in fact steal the marbles, I think that at this point it would be more beneficial for the good of the museum industry for the marbles to stay where they’re put, so long as they’re properly preserved and given the rightful exhibition that they deserve.

An argument such as this holds such moral implications on both sides that it seems like the two countries will never quite see eye to eye. Give up the marbles and potentially give up the global connection of cultural identification that is the very foundation of museums themselves? Or live with the fact that the very artifacts the museum presents to the public eye were acquired through deception and manipulation? 

The man behind the drama. Just look at that smirk!

References:

(1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18373312

(2)http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/news_and_press/statements/parthenon_sculptures.aspx

(3) http://gogreece.about.com/od/museumsingreec1/i/marblereturn_2.htm

(4) http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en/content/museum-history

Objects of Travel, Assignment 1: A Take on Woolf's "Street Haunting"

As part of my faculty led program with MSU, my “Objects of Travel” class requires 5 assignments focusing on the theme of “collecting”. Just wanted to throw that out there to any readers questioning why this post is a tad different than the others. 

A couple of weeks ago our class studied one of Virginia Woolf’s essays entitled “Street Haunting”. Basically, Woolf tells the story of an outing she embarks on one night in London in search of a pencil. What the reader comes to find is that it isn’t really the pencil that she is searching for, but rather the observations and encounters she has along the way. When she returns from her walk, she sets the pencil on her mantel as a reminder of not only all of her memories, but also how the walk changed her perspective on life in different ways. Thus, the pencil represents a collection of her memories and herself from that walk.

Unlike Woolf, I wasn’t set out on a journey to find an object that would remind me of my day in London. I assumed that I would simply buy a touristy Union Jack flag or miniature Big Ben figurine (to add to my collection of course!). Little did I know, my object would make its appearance later on in the day.

When we went to London last Thursday it was a whirlwind of a day. The streets were packed full of tourists and civilians alike, all buzzing about to the sounds of streetcars whizzing around corners (which we quickly learned were not easy to dodge). As soon as we stepped out of the bus we turned the corner to find ourselves standing in front of the domineering, magnificent Westminster Abbey. 

Our tour guide, Bryan, walked towards the House of Parliament and there he was, Big Ben himself, rising above the River Thames as if he seemed to be watching over the city. Across from that was the London Eye, moving so slowly you had to look very carefully to see the minute movements.

Next we headed to one of the most anticipated sites, Buckingham Palace! Sadly we weren’t able to get up close enough to a picture with the infamous iron, gold-tipped gate, but we were able to line up along the road for the changing of the guard! I had never seen anything like it, the soldiers all marched down the streets in different directions to the penny whistle tune. I couldn't help but be reminded of the loyalty of the guard as they marched, undeterred by the mass of eyes watching their every movements. Their love for their country and queen is evident in the strong mechanical strides of the moving pack.

After we had lunch we were privileged to tour the Churchill War Rooms, where Winston Churchill and his war cabinet met underground when London was being bombed nightly. We learned that these war rooms were chosen for their location not only because it was close to 10 Downing Street (home of the prime minister), Westminster, Buckingham Palace, and Parliament, but also because Churchill refused to leave London and back down from a fight. I think it is so respectable for him to stick it out with the fearful people of London when he had the option of safety. That just reflects the loyal nature that the people of Britain seem to be especially blessed with.

Lastly, we decided to go back to Westminster because I was NOT about to miss the opportunity to see this incredible place. Immediately upon walking in my breath was taken away by the high ceiling adorned with ornate designs, stained glass windows with beautiful scenes all along and shrines upon shrines upon SHRINES! So many famous people are buried there, not just kings and queens of years past! Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Michael Farraday, Lewis Carroll, just to name a few. Even though photography isn’t allowed I snagged this little shot of the knave. This is actually right in front of where Isaac Newton was buried! Another fascinating tidbit about the Abbey is that every hour on the hour a priest comes over the speaker and asks everyone to bow their heads in prayer, as a reminder of the true purpose of the church. So many different religions and people go in and out of that church, and I know it was a blessing for me to be able to experience that time of silence and prayer with people literally from all around the world. 

Being the American tourist that I am, I couldn’t help but ask one of the workers to point out the exact path Kate took for the incredible wedding I woke up at 4 in the morning to watch. Naturally, we proceeded to walk the same path (with Jenni as my Pippa) until we came to the center of the abbey where coronations, funerals, and weddings have taken place for hundreds of years. Just two days before, the Queen had stood in the very spot I was in for her 60^th coronation anniversary for the Diamond Jubilee.

 Next we moved on to one of my favorite parts of the abbey, the Lady Chapel. I’m going to put a picture I found on the internet but just know that it will never do it justice. I literally stood in awe just taking it all in for about five minutes. Here's a little link to some interesting facts about Henry VII's Lady Chapel.http://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/highlights/the-lady-chapel

I left Westminster feeling completely content and struck with awe in what I had just experienced. We then had about 2 hours to wander around that area of London, with no plans in mind. It was really freeing, just wandering around not knowing what might come around the next corner. We happened upon one of the bridges over the River Thames where we took in the beautiful horizon of London, with Big Ben on our right and the London Eye on our left. Just standing there taking it all in was more than I could have asked for.

Next we went down to Trafalgar square where my object makes its first appearance. A street entertainer approached me and said, “Miss, I have something for you.” He promptly grabbed my finger and attached a piece of string to it which he quickly began flinging in all different directions. The swift movements became more organized and a shape began to take form, full of vivid colors of red yellow white and blue. Before I knew it, he had constructed a beautifully woven bracelet around my wrist, a sweet reminder of the spontaneity of that day and the memories of my first visit to London. Of course I paid him, but he made sure to say, "You choose what you owe, it is not for me to decide my worth." He literally would have been fine with either one pence or 5 pounds. I had to decide the worth of this man in that moment, as well as the worth of the bracelet itself. I scrounged around in my wallet for change and ended up with a pound. The bracelet itself probably wasn't worth 5 pence, but the meaning was worth so much more. 

(Sorry for the awkward picture, I couldn't untie it because as you see, it would all fall apart and I would never be able to get it back on it I did.)

I’ll never forget that experience or the experiences of that day that led up to it. You see, the vivid colors of the string remind me of the beautiful reflections of the stained glass windows of Westminster Abbey. And when I think of Westminster I think of Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye all standing in their glory nearby. And when I think of these things I am reminded of the incredible opportunity this entire trip has placed before me, as well as the relationships that I have formed along the way. And it all is triggered in a simple string bracelet. This isn’t simply a stuffed bear or flag that I’ll look at every now and then, but is actually something I can look down at my wrist and remember my first London trip every single day. And in my opinion, my object is much prettier than a simple pencil. 

Snobby Dogs

It's been a while since the last post and a lot has happened so I'll do my best to keep it as short and sweet as possible! Last weekend we had the incredible opportunity to go to the infamous Windsor Castle. Bryan, our tour guide, mentioned that Windsor is the Queen's favorite weekend destination, and that we would know immediately if she was there if the Queen's flag, the Royal Standard, was perched atop the castle. If she wasn't there then we would see the classic Union Jack flag whipping in the wind. There was a slim chance she would be there because a huge horserace was going on that weekend and the Queen is an avid fan. In fact, she's 87 and still loves to ride! But lo and behold....

There she blows! The Queen was there! Clearly we were a little excited that we were within a one mile radius of Her Majesty the Queen. And so the stalking began...

Now while we were at Windsor, of course we didn't just stalk the Queen. We went into the cathedral where we saw beautiful shrines to Kings and Queens past like Henry VIII. Sadly, we weren't allowed to take pictures inside any of the buildings including the castle itself. We did manage to get several pictures along the outside of the buildings, including this little gem, possibly one of my favorites from the trip thus far. 

Let's do a litte zooming here...

So the Brits are very snobby about their grass over here which means basically its untouchable. Literally. Clayton and Jenni were trying to be sneaky and photobomb mine and Mary Lowry's lovely picture in front of the cathedral. As you can see, they remembered the grass rule about halfway through jumping onto the grass. Clayton's expression pretty much says it all. 

As we quickly ran away from the crime scene, we came upon this little fella. 

I know, I know, cheesy awkward pic beside the soldier. But hey, even though I'm living here for six weeks I can still act like a tourist sometimes!

Finally we ventured into the castle where we first came upon Queen Mary's dollhouse. This is one of the largest dollhouses in the world, complete with three stories, each room exquisitely furnished and intricately designed. Instantly, it was like I had become a giddy little six year old girl again. After the dollhouse tour we made our way into the monstrous castle of all castles. A magnificent staircase led us up to the first floor where we were greeted by shining knights in glistening glass cases. The first room was filled with war time treasures of swords and guns displayed in interesting shapes all around the walls. The next room led us into a vast dining hall with portraits of wartime heroes of centuries past surrounding the entire room, almost as if they were inquisitively eyeing each visitor enter into their sacred place. We wound round and round the maze of the castle, in and out of rooms each with their own history and personality. One feature that particularly stuck out to me was the ornate wallpaper that each room is gloriously adorned in. 

Finally we made it into the biggest room of the castle, a vast hallway with knights' shields covering the ceilings and walls and a royal red carpet rolled out that seemed to span a mile long. The room in itself was amazing, but we then realized that we could see the Queen's private apartment across the courtyard, just about 150 yards away. Naturally, we gazed out the windows for about 20 minutes, looking for any sign of movement that might indicate the Queen. Finally, we saw someone coming out the grand doors into the courtyard. As the light began to hit the slowly emerging shadow we all held our breath and saw!.... a dog. And another. And another. Until we counted 7. Now, I should mention that what we realized was that these weren't just any dogs, they were the Queen's royal corgies! Turns out we had just missed seeing the Queen drive off about an hour before. Just our luck. It was still neat to say that we saw the royal corgies, the really fat royal corgies I might add.

 Which brings me to the title of this post, "Snobby Dogs". We've discovered that there are two classes of dogs here: the cocker spaniel and the pitbull. I'm a dog lover so naturally whenever I see a dog I say "Hey puppyyyyy, aren't you so cuuuuutteee???" The normal dog reaction is to wag its tail and stick out its tongue, as if you are the most important human being on the planet at that moment. I've come to find that these dogs are SNOBS. They walk on by, acting as if I don't even exist and then I end up looking like an idiot. The snobbiest are the cocker spaniels for sure and we've realized this makes sense considering all of the people that own cocker spaniels seem to be the wealthiest. Then there's the common dog, the pit bull. Which I still don't understand. Obviously, I don't even bother trying to pet them, I'd rather come back to America in one piece. 

But back to Windsor....here are a few more pics from our fun day.

I had to include the last one because apparently there's a difference in J and K over here?? Same store, just a different letter. After we reluctantly left Windsor, probably our closest chance of being part of the royal family, we ate some yummy Nutella ice cream and made our way back to Oxford. 

Well I think this one has been long enough, but it's only from one day from last week! Ahhh I need to catch up. I've got so much to talk about, especially our London trip from this past Thursday! Maybe I'll be able to post another later on tonight. Until then...

I Miss Funfetti

It's Thursday morning about 10:00, about that time for another update! This week has been very different from the previous simply because we've actually fallen into a bit of a routine what with going to our MSU led class as well as acclimating to the study habits of Oxford students! On Monday we had our first "Objects of Travel" class led by Dr. Ben Harvey. This class is very different from others I've taken at State, mainly due to the fact that I am in the UK, but also because it's a very interactive, discussion and activity oriented class. I mean, one of our first assignments was to go visit the Museum of the History of Science where I found some pretty amazing things.

This is how people carry their backpacks here. Not really. But upon entering the museum we were forced to carry our backpacks as so...

Oh you know, just a blackboard from one of Einstein's lectures here on the expansion of the universe.

And some surgical instruments used for amputations in days past. Makes me realize how thankful I am not to have lived in that time!

Later that afternoon we made our first attempt at acting like real Oxford students by studying in the Radcliffe camera. Definitely a big change from our typical "Club Mitch" experience. 

Tuesday was pretty consistent with Monday except for the fact that we attended a C.S. Lewis Society club meeting that night. Johnathan Kirkpatrick, current curator of the Kilns, was the main speaker who talked about the appearance of "Bacchus" in some of Lewis's literature. One thing hasn't changed in that I still get an awkward lump in my throat whenever I see one of my teachers outside of a classroom setting. How could I not expect to see my C.S. Lewis tutor at the C.S. Lewis Society meeting?? It's like that time I saw Dr. Carskadon in Wal Mart and didn't know what to say except "I like your jacket". Still just as awkward.

Yesterday I had my first experience with Indian cuisine at a place called Chutney's! Dr. Snyder is off to London today so he wanted to treat us for one last meal. I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty hesitant to try out the curry due to some less than ideal experiences with Thai food I've encountered in the past. To my surprise I liked it a lot. Like a whole lot. Like maybe went back for a second plate a lot...Probably because everything actually had some flavor to it unlike the typical British meal which I'm pretty sure has about 3 salt crystals in an entire meal. 

Afterwards we all split up into small groups and Mary Lowry had a great time exploring where we found a quaint little shop with old timey postcards and trinkets. Later on we went off to explore Christ Church Cathedral which is a truly magnificent place. Like Steven always says, the pictures here really don't do it justice. It's hard to capture the beauty of one place in a simple 4 x 6 photo. 

Forgot to mention, we went to Evensong Monday night! This is where the college choir sings and tourists and students are allowed to worship in the cathedral for about an hour. I had actually thought about joining the choir for the remainder of Trinity term, but after about two minutes into their first song I quickly decided that probably wasn't the best idea. I think I could catch on if I had enough time, but one of the hardest parts would be trying to produce the same vowel sounds as them. They can twist their mouths into some funny shapes that I'm just not quite sure my little Mississippi mouth can do!

Outside of Christ Church Cathedral. 

Last night was a fun night in the flat just relaxing and enjoying each others company. I bought my first baguette yesterday (delicious by the way) but the other girls cooked pasta for themselves. We watched Pride and Prejudice, typical I know, and Jade and Jenni attempted to make cookies. Here's the thing, cookie dough doesn't really exist over here. I know, I know, crazy right?? They managed to find some in the crevices of Tesco but let's just say it was no Nestle's. Once again, no sugar! At least now we know. If I ever find funfetti cake mix over here I might die. 

Well I'll leave you with a little pic from one of our first days outside of Christ Church! 

Ta ta for now!

Summer Eights

Saturday

After our long haul to Stratford, Saturday came with the promise of late mornings and relaxing afternoons. We slept until 11:30 so I guess we were still getting over the effects of jet lag. Jenni and I have been having a bit of trouble waking up on time because we never hear our alarms! Hopefully that will straighten out in the next few days. Once we finally rose from our slumber we decided to go eat lunch. We stopped to eat at a little restaurant called Ask Italian. Little did we know, what good fortune was about to befall Jade. The manager seated us at our table and we simply thought that he was being friendly. Well, when the waitress brought the check she brought another little surprise along. The note was for Jade and went something along the lines of "Jared, blonde manager, would like to take you out sometime if you are single :)." Literally five minutes before, Jade had mentioned how she wished that she could marry a British man and have blond hair blue-eyed babies. Jared had blonde hair. And blue eyes. Serendipitous.

After our eventful lunch we went to do what us girls do best....shopping!! On this shopping trip we found the godfather of all department stores. MARK AND SPENCER'S. I'm talking this place had a three story clothes department, cosmetic area, coffee shop, bank, and grocery store! I think I might be cheating on Target. Afterward I had my awkward experience where a young guy followed us into the store, proceeded to have a one-sided conversation with me about shoes and his mom's birthday, got tongue-tied, and turned around. Poor thing, he was trying so hard to start a conversation but it just didn't work. Anyway, it made for a great story and is even better to tell in person, so ask me when I'm back in the states. 

Later on that day we went to the Summer Eights, which is a rowing competition between the 38 colleges of Oxford. Steven tried to explain the process of "bumping" to me but I still don't really understand it that well. Basically, the boats are lined up in a row and as they paddle down the river they try to literally bump the other boats in front of them. The boat that comes out in front is the winner and thus advances to the next day. At least that's how I think it works. 

This is a picture of Mary Lowry and I in front of one of the college boathouses. The students stand up on top of the boathouses and cheer on their respective colleges. It can be compared to a high class tailgating event and everyone looks as if they are dressed for a summer in the Hamptons. We tried to fit in as best we could. One of the highlights of the Eights was the drink of choice, "Pimm's". It's a summer drink, and the British REALLY like it here. And so did we! It tastes like lemonade and sweet tea and a bit of alcohol. Oh, and remember how I said that the Brits are more reserved than we are? WRONG. After the last race we heard shouts of joy and laughter coming from behind us. We went to see what all the fuss was about and people were stripping down to their knickers and swinging into the ice cold river. Not only that, but I'm pretty sure the PDA here is even worse than in the states. 

After the Eights we went to a famous little pub near the Bod called The Turf Tavern. It was absolutely swamped with people, but the food was worth the wait. 

This picture was too good not to post. Wonder if Bill knows it's here?

Sunday

We woke up for church Sunday morning and attempted to go to New Road Baptist Church and found that it was having a combined service with Wesley Memorial Church. Surprisingly, it wasn't that different from church back home. I was expecting angelic voices and long sermons, but it was short and to the point. The priest pointed us to a restaurant down the road called "The Nosebag." This should have been our first inclination to STAY AWAY. It's cheap prices and small crowd drew us in, but little did we know what we were in for. Jenni, Steven, and I ordered the quiche with three side salads. And everything was ice cold. One of my salads was raw potatoes mixed with mayonnaise. Straight up mayo. Don't get me wrong, I'm a mayo fan, but using it for a sauce to mix my potatoes in?? Our only saving grace was our tiny cup of fruit. 

Later on that afternoon I tagged along with Jenni and Jade and sat by the river to read Surprised by Joy while they went for a run. And what did we wear? Nike shorts and a t-shirt! It was one of our first really beautiful days, and at that point we didn't care that we were screaming "Look at us we're Americans!" from head to toe.  

That night will go down in history as one of the coolest experiences I've ever had: eating in the Great Hall at Christ Church! Aka the dining hall in the Harry Potter movies! We even had to wear black robes to signify that we were students. It looked very much like the one in the movie except much smaller, and the portraits sadly didn't move. The ceilings were extremely high, the tables long with dimly lit lamps, and the walls were covered with massive paintings of chancellors and deans from hundreds of years past.We were served a seated three course meal consisting of tomato soup, roast, cabbage, and potatoes and a pear/summer berry crumble. Needless to say, we were spoiled rotten!

Afterwards our international liaison named Georgia took us to a nice little pub called Chequers where we exchanged stories and enjoyed one anothers company. She was just as eager to learn about American life as we were to learn all about the ways of a true Oxford student. 

Here are a few pics from our first night in the Great Hall

I know I know, cheesy Chi O pic but it isn't every day that you get to eat in the Great Hall!

A Day in Stratford

"All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players..."
              -William Shakespeare, As You Like It

I realize the picture does not fit the quote above, but I couldn't leave out my main man Hamlet! On Thursday, we were once again not allowed a single minute to rest as we headed off at 10:00 for Stratford, aka Shakespeare's home. One of my favorite parts about the trip was not actually Stratford itself, but the amazing English countryside we drove through on the bus ride over. We passed through several small country villages that had such a quaint and simplistic spirit, complete with grazing sheep and rolling meadows. I'm hopeful and excited to be able to visit some of these villages, because apparently that's where the real heart of England lies. 

As for Stratford, we found out that it is a HUGE tourist hub, what with it being the home of Shakespeare's birthplace and resting grounds, as well as my personal favorite part of the excursion, the Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre. First, we went on a walking tour of the city. The first main attraction we visited was probably the most significant, the Holy Trinity Church where, you guessed it, Shakespeare himself is buried alongside his wife, Anne Hathaway. A couple of interesting facts about Shakespeare:  he is thought to have been born on April 23,  1564 and died on April 23, 1616. Bummer. I would hate to die on my birthday. Our guide told us about the courting method that was used during 16th century times in which all of the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes would meet in a designated area and mingle amongst each other. The fathers of the women would give all of the interested men a block of wood and knife to wittle on and would take it back at the end of the night. This was to ensure that the men had been wittling on their block of wood and that their hands weren't in any spot they shoudn't have been. Not a bad tip for dads today! Shakespeare and Anne were married on November 27th, 1852 and their daughter Susannah was born in May 1583. You do the math, doesn't sound like that wittling block worked after all. 

We had alot of free time just to wander around that afternoon, so we found a neat little pub called "The Old Thatch Tavern". It was completely authentic with small cozy rooms, wooden beams, and a thatch  (straw) roof. We hung out there for about two hours just taking in the laid back lifestyle of an Englishman with no cares in the world but sitting and enjoying each others' company. 

My favorite part of the night hands down was having the opportunity to see the amazing Royal Shakespeare Company perform "As You Like It." I had never read the play and was a little hesitant about seeing it for the first time because I simply didn't know if I would able to follow along with all of Shakespeare's flowery language. To my surprise, I actually found it easier to follow than analyzing every aspect of every letter like we used to in Mrs. Downey's class. The wonderful thing about this specific play is that there was a modern day spin to it. The music ranged all the way from dubstep to Mumford-esque styles. With all of the flowery shirts, leather vests, suspenders and bare feet, it was basically a hipster's paradise. After the play, we loaded up on the double decker buses and headed for Oxford. I'm so grateful that I was able to visit such a prominent figure's birthplace and learn a little bit more about the man behind the classics. 

Tune in soon for an update on my weekend, including the Summer Eights, awkward encounters, and sunshine!