Asperatus

Let me take this time to tell you about my good friend Asperatus. 

I met him when I arrived to Kilburn, London and as soon as we started talking, I knew that the friendship was going to be a lifelong one. I don't meet very many unicorns so as soon as I found out that Amelia's friend, Kristine, had a unicorn I was sooo excited! 

Anyway, I wish we could travel more together, but he seems to be frighteningly scared of the outside world. I think he's a little bit sick right now, so I really hope he could travel with me in the future... Well, I get to see him when I go to Kilburn, at least. 

Much love, 

Ouchii

The City of Dreaming Spires

I adventured the city of Oxford last Friday. On the trip, there was a tour guide by the name of Victoria who showed us around some of the important places around Oxford and gave us tidbits of history every so often. 

We discovered that the University of Oxford was, in fact, a collegiate university consisting of 38 independent colleges. There is, obviously, a central administration that governs the whole university, but each college is separate and independent of each other. If you were to ask a student of Oxford what school they go to, they would immediately answer with their college first and then if you were unaware of its affiliation with Oxford, only then do they reveal the name of their university. When one graduates however, they are granted a diploma from Oxford University, not their college. Yeah, I know. It's a little confusing. 

Anyway, our group visited the most famous of the colleges called Christ Church. The school is known for harboring the English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), the author of Alice in Wonderland; it's hall is known for being the model for the Harry Potter films; and various other famous/well-known people including Bill Clinton. 

Christ Church also has one of the largest cathedrals in Oxford. It was fun hanging out there, to be completely honest. After the tour, I just wandered the city and found that much of the buildings and the way things were set up are ancient! They were soooo very old. Blackened and worn down over hundreds of years. It truly was amazing.

Love, 

Ouchii

Guy Fawkes Day

"Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot..."

Most people (that are not from the UK) know about Guy Fawkes through the movie V for Vendetta, however the English hold a much larger significance for this day. 

Brief history:

During the reign of King James I, the Catholics at the time thought that he would secure them religious tolerance because his wife, Anne of Denmark, was Catholic herself. Hopes had faded and many Catholics were left disappointed when they realized that they weren't going to get religious freedom. Well, Guy Fawkes belonged to a group of extremist English Catholics who detested the government and thought that by blowing up the houses of Parliament he could bring England back to a being Catholic country. At midnight, on 4 November 1605, they found Guy Fawkes with 36 barrels of gunpowder under the House of Lords where he was planning on setting it off during the State Opening of Parliament the next day. He was convicted of treason and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. 

Ever since the Gunpowder Plot was thwarted, every year afterwards on this day, it has been commemorated with special special sermons and ringing of the church bells which eventually evolved into what's now called bonfire night. On this day, most people go to public events that hold firework shows and bonfires. I went to one tonight at my host sister's school in Muswell Hill. 

Today really is a big deal for most of the English because, well, much of the hatred for Catholics back then still kind of exists to this day. They celebrate this event because many of the British can't stand the idea of the UK being a Catholic country one bit. Well anyway, there's a bit of history for you all today. I hope you enjoyed!

Cheers, 

Ouchii