Sicilian Snapshots...

Hey Guys,

Sorry for not blogging last week but I was in Sicily on a school trip, which was amazing, seeing all the different temples and sites.

I took a few photos although only with my phone as I didn't want to bring the heavy, fancy-smancy camera., so sorry about the lack of quality!

Day One:

 

 This is the first temple we saw, for those who are interested it is a Doric temple, I think the god it's dedicated to is unknown. It was really fanstinating to look at especially as it mostly together so the we could see how the peristyle worked.

 

 We also saw a quary where random bits of temples were just left there, uncompleted for what ever reason. Amazing to think what the would have become or how they are still there after 2000 years. This is me next to a column drum. Just for comprassion, to show how massive they would have been.

Day Two:

 This is an alomost complete temple, presevereved because it was turned into a Christian church. The massive statue in fornt is a bronze Ichurous- the one who flew to close to the sun- ( yeah I know, that bit is a little bit out of proportion...)

 Some of the temples were not as well preserved, this colonnade is the only thing left of the temple of Zeus. Still interesting though.

Day Three:

 These mosaics are all from a Roman Emperor's house, wonderfully and amazingly preserved at every step there were beautiful mosaics.

 This is a man made cave gives amaing effects with noise, one person sang in here and it was an incredible experience...

Day Four:

 These are a couple of pictures for a cathedral that was made around a Doric temple. Which was mesmerizing, if you ever go to Sicily, go to the Cathedral of St. Lucy. - Also does anyone know the story of this statue, she's standing on a man's head, any ideas?

Then... this is a door covered in cat pictures... I was impressed.


I hope you enjoyed these little glimpses into my holiday...now back to revision... joys...


Love,

LadyoftheRivers x

A day in the Museum

Hey Guys,

Today I darted off (with my class) to the British Museum in London to view some of the Parthenon sculpture, I took a few crappy photos on my phone, just to give you an idea of what's in there.

The sculpture of the Parthenon was so interesting especially after studying it for a term, and I gave me an idea of what it really looked like on the temple... rather than just a small, crappy image from Google.

 

We then got a chance to look around the whole museum and there were loads from different places... like Sudan and Iraq but I might have drifted towards the Europe section in the hope of finding some Tudor stuff, we got close as we found Ward of the Roses and Edward IV's sword.

Interesting areas include the money section where I saw fake pound coins and loads of old coins ( me and my fried had a little discussion about how talented Romans must have been to create these intricate designs on coin where they didn't have the machinery we have.)

Anyway, I love museums so I hope you enjoyed this little short blog, and have a good week,

Love,
LadyoftheRivers x

The Tudors

Hey Guys,


This post was sort of inevitable. It is about a historical, royal,  English family called the Tudors.
This period of history has shaped my life so dramatically without it I would just be lost.
It all started when I was nine. Discovering the Tudors in my local primary school one brilliant history lesson. After studying for the term I stated to fall slowly in love with it. Then after engulfing all of the lady grace mystery novels ( a young children`s fiction about a girl at Elizabeth the 1st`s court who solves mysteries for her.), I started reading My Story and anything about the Tudors I could lay my hands on....
However, it had all been plain sailing so far but then something happened that caused massive waves... and a very rocky sail indeed. It was time for big school after changes to my education and family I ended up in a completely different form of education and school called a private school where I had no friends or people I knew and to top it off no Tudors were taught just 1066 and Normans. I still kept it up though, reading and visiting museums, castles and houses. It started to become my place to escape. The only thing that my new school hasn't touched and couldn't ruin. I hated my new school so much and the Tudors and Elizabethans gave me a respite. it became this weird sort of secret I had that I could focus on like how some use YouTube or books or TV shows. I used the Tudors. However because my school was a bit weird in year nine I moved to a separate building with new teachers and loads of new people arrived because it was the "senior" part of the school. We ended up doing the Tudors for a whole term. My teacher discovered I knew more and encouraged me to participate more in class and gave me books and DVDs to watch. (I was crushed the year after when he left, At GCSE level we didn`t study them at all it was all modern). It was then I started finding out about historians such as Lucy Worsley and Suzannah Lipscomb. I feel in love all over again with this period as I discovered I could make a job out of my love for it and life started to get better I had better friends and the school was  a little bit nicer. Tudors were now my second family and still are. ( I know I know cheesy and disgusting) I am now bolder at telling people about it and has given me a goal in my life. I now go to various talks about it and taking the subject at A-Levels and planning to do it in the future.

Do you guys have anything like this in your life and if so let me know 

Enjoy life, work hard and read a book

Love, 

Lady of the Rivers

Hampton Court Palace

Hey Guys,
A history post for you today as today was the day in summer I get to choose wherever I want to go so I chose a place called " Hampton Court Palace"
Hampton Court Palace is a English palace on the outskirts of London, it was commissioned by a Tudor high up in the king`s favour called Thomas Worsley ( Cardinal for those who want to be specific). He created a grand palace which unfortunately was a bit too grand and tongues started to wag that his palace was so much better than any the king created. in the end the king, Henry VIII, took over.

This is my one favourite places to go, when there's no crowds and it is just you and the history, it really is special. The reason I love Hampton court so much is the deep Tudor connection I feel very connected to the palace and because Henry ( the 8th you know had six wives remembered for being fat...), Edward (his son, ruled for a short time, very stanchly protestant), Mary (might know her as Bloody Mary had a short reign that was mainly consisted of burning those against her e.g. protestants.) and Elizabeth ( Virgin Queen, Armada...) all stayed here I feel like it is everyone I respect in one place. However when we went there was a Georgian thing on because it was anniversary of George the 1st coming to throne. First of many Georges but the Georgian period directly relates to George 1, George 2, George 3 and you`ve guessed it George 4. It took place in the gardens which was filled with cool and interesting little stands all relating to a different part of the Georgian life at Hampton Court, I listened to a man who did a 4 minute speech on the WHOLE history of parliament from 1066 to 1700. it was amazing. After a quick gander into the shop where I started wanting to buy EVERYTHING in there. I ended up getting the coolest mug ever! It is black and has pictures of Henry and his six wives across it. but when you pour a hot drink in the disappear one by one. it is one of those little things that just make me chuckle.

Work hard, go outside and read a book,

Love,

Lady of the Rivers x

Review of VIII

Hey Guys,

Now that exams are over. ( I know I keep bringing it up but come on they are over)
 I have had a bit more time to read ,cue excited cheering. I love to read I find it so amazing that just with a few words a good author can take you to new worlds and make you feel a multitude of emotions. I especially love reading historical or more to the point Tudor books.( whoa.Shocker there...).

One book I have been dying to read was VIII by H.M.Castor.
It was really good and well written.
 The plot was about Henry VIII`s mental illness which I never considered.  Castor said he has keep avoiding Henry and skirting round the web rather than focus on the spider in the middle and I realised I have too. It changed my perspective on his reign. The book went through his whole life, from when he was a little boy to when he dies. The main bit was about this boy Henry keep seeing a various points in his life with straw-coloured hair. This lead me to think of various things it could be, like his innocence slowly disappearing as he got older represented by a frail boy or one of the princes in the tower haunting him to remind him to the uneasy throne he sat on. I really enjoyed the book  and would suggest it to anyone who wants a good read to understand Henry vIII  more. I will be reading this again and again.
Work hard, go outside and read a book,
Love,
Lady of the Rivers x