Howdy!
We started our day off with a hot breakfast (we aren’t allowed to get seconds and half of us refuse to believe that the eggs are real) followed by a classroom session with Dr. Crick and our student leaders. In class, we discussed ethics, logic, and professionalism and how to apply these skills to everyday life.
Afterwards, we hopped on a coach to Castle Howard, 15 miles north of York City.
Castle Howard (click to watch a short video)
From here, we split up into two groups and went on a self guided tours of The House where we learned about architecture and the designs of each of the rooms.
Throughout The House we found art that represents various aspects of European culture. Like seen in the hallway above, there were busts of notable figures from Greco-Roman mythology and history. Each room was ornately decorated with portraits and paintings of scenes from various eras. The Howards still live in this house, and can even be occasionally seen walking through the halls among the visitors.
This is the dome that tops off the Great Hall of the castle. The painting above, found on the peak of the dome, is known as the Fall of Phaëthon. It is a 1962 recreation of the original design by Antonio Pellegrini painted between 1709 and 1712. The original was destroyed in a fire in 1940 along with much of the rest of the painted interior.
Right around the corner from Castle Howard we visited the Temple of the Four Winds. It was originally used by the family as a place to relax while enjoying the views of the fields. Just behind the temple we were able to see some cattle!
Further along the grounds, we found a trail that led through the woods back towards the castle. We met a group of pigs and took videos with a couple of peacocks. The animals seemed quite familiar with humans and did not shy away from us at all.
Following the trail, we found a quaint beach with a playground to the side. While some of our friends went to play on th castle’s playground, others hung around and watched the geese fly by.
We had a great time vlogging our little experiences on our excursion today. To check out some of the clips (filmed on an old digital camera), click on the link below.
At 4 p.m. we headed back to York and ate our dinner. While the food in the photo below may look delicious, opinions varied as to actual quality of the food.
To end the night, a group of students attended an organ recital at York Minster. The performer for the night was Robert Sharpe, director of music at the Minster and a decorated organist. Consensus was that the recital was spectacular.
We’re prepared and excited to head to London tomorrow.
Gig’em, and have a great night.
Blog authors for today: Sri Achanta, Jacob Daniels