cathedrals

One of my favorite things I did on my trip to Europe was go to six of the most famous churches in the world. We don't have anything similar to them out west in America so this was a new thing for me. It was fascinating to enter each church, feel the special spirit there, learn about the culture, history and people that brought about these beautiful structures. I was so much in awe of the dedication worshipers had to build these buildings without modern technology, sometimes they took several hundred years to get to the size and state they are today. It made me think that the people starting the construction probably wouldn't see anything close to a finished project but did it because of their faith and because they wanted to worship God and build tributes to other great church figures. I was in awe of the history and events that happened in these places. I learned a lot about the different religious sects and how they compared to my own religion. The architecture was also something to behold. You may not expect to get all of that from going to a church, art, history, culture, religion (obviously), technology, architecture, etc, but these places were and are integral in the shaping of these countries and the world.

Westminister Abbey-London, England
This was my first church and for some reason my more favorite of the two in London. Jillian will say her's is St. Paul's. This place is actually an abbey, not a cathedral, I learned that there is only one "official" cathedral in each area/city, and in London that would be St. Paul's Cathedral. I really enjoyed this place. It's where all the British coronations happen and tons of monarchs are buried there. Including plaques or memorials for famous poets, artists, scientists, etc. I learned a lot about the British Monarchy and straightened things out in my head a bit. It is jam packed with tombs/sarcoghogi? of tons of people. It also has the coronation chair that every British monarch (except 2 I think) has sat upon during their coronation. Will and Kate got married there. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is there. Lots of important government/monarchy/Britishy things go down there. I also saw the replicas of the crown jewels-they use them in the run-throughs of the ceremonies. Queen Elizabeth certainly has some nice jewelry. I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside so I only have outside pics. To learn more read the wikipedia link.

St. Paul's Cathedral-London, England
Cathedral for the Church of England. We reenacted the "feed the birds" from Mary Poppins on the front steps. This place was really sweet as well. It has a very large dome with sweet acoustics. The altarpiece was large and ornate. We climbed up to the dome and had a great view of the city skyline. This is where Chuck and Diana got married. Important British Stuff happens here too. Towards the end of while we were there a church service was starting and they basically shut down except for worshipers. I remember it had a very large baptism font. I couldn't take pictures here either, but got some good ones of the outside. To learn more read this wikipedia link.

Basilique du Sacre Cour-Paris, France
Roman Catholic-Means "sacred heart." Basilica to the "sacred heart" of Jesus. Didn't learn too much about the history of this place, but caught a bit of Mass which was my first experience with that. The structure is interesting because it looks a bit like a middle eastern palace because of the minarets. A lot of people go here because it's on a hilltop called Montmartre and you get a great view of the city. We got harassed a bit by souvenir hawkers and there wasn't an official tour so we didn't stay long. Wiki

Notre Dame-Paris, France
Roman Catholic Cathedral. I loved, loved, loved this place. The Gothic architecture was so cool. I saw the two original stained glass windows. It's older than the London churches. I loved seeing the statue they had of Sainte Jeanne de'Arc, (Joan of Arc) and of the Virgin Mary. Jillian and I listened to "God Help the Outcasts" from the Hunchback of Notre Dame movie and I pretty much cried. They had one of the old chandeliers, not currently in use. I noticed they had a lot of statues surrounding the altarpiece, and the main piece was of the Virgin Mary, obvs. We also climbed the bell tower and got lots of views of the city again. I got to see the famous gargoyles up close and I learned that the gargoyles were just for water drainage, the other animals, called chimera, were for warding off evil spirits. I saw Emmanuel the big bell and other structural elements of the top of the church. Jillian was pretty stoked to see the flying buttresses. There were pretty gardens behind the church and it's actually on an island in the middle of the Seine. Wiki

The Duomo-Florence, Italy
Roman Catholic Cathedral. Full title is the Basilica del Santa Maria del Fiore-Saint Mary of the Flower. It's the official cathedral of Florence. The dome is very large and what inspired Michelangelo to put a dome on St. Peter's. The outside is covered in white, pink (red) and green marble and it's very unique and beautiful. I thought it was interesting that they built the bell tower and baptistry as separate buildings from the church. It didn't have much in the way of treasures or cool stuff on the inside, but it's a very beautiful church that is situated in a very important Renaissance city. Wiki

Saint Peter's Basilica-Vatican City
Roman Catholic, obs. Not a cathedral because some other church in the city of Rome has that title. If you didn't know, Vatican City is it's own country within Rome. They don't have an army so the Swiss Guards protect the place. I was overwhelmed to be at such an important spot to so many people of the world, being the center of the Catholic church. In the square I tried to imagine how they pack thousands and thousands of people in the square during Mass or even the funeral of the Pope. It's really not all that big. I really had respect for the churches in Italy because they made people cover up and look more modest out of respect for the church. Basically you had to have your shoulders covered and no super short shorts or skirts. I respected them for enforcing that. Before the basilica, we went to the Vatican Museum which was pretty sweet. Then we had to go back outside the walls and walk all the way around to the main entrance to St. Peter's Square. Side story-I had seen beggars other places during my trip but these ones broke my heart because they had physical deformities that you could see. I remember one that had a club foot that looked so painful and grotesque. It made me cry. It also reminded me of the story in the NT where the lame are sitting outside the temple in Jerusalem and the Pharisees (? IDK, some grouchy people) wanted them to leave because they were in the way. But Peter and his peeps taught them a lesson by healing the lame and the sick because they were to be blessed and not turned away. That was what these people were seeking and obviously hoping that people visiting such a religious place would take pity on them. Like I said, I saw other beggars before during this trip but they were panhandlers who were trying to take advantage of people. These people were different and it made me ponder and think. The first thng we did was climb to the top of the dome. It was a good climb in a narrow windy stairway but the view of the city was worth it. We first saw the inside of the dome, designed by Michelangelo, so beautiful with windows to let the gorgeous light in. All the words that Christ said to Peter in the NT are written around the church in huge gold letters in Latin. Some of these words were in the dome. It also allowed us a great view of the inside of the church, to see the huge brass canopy and other adornments of the church. Outside-Buildings are kept pretty short so nothing disrupts the skyline. It was also cool to peek into the Vatican gardens, which has all the other Vatican City buildings and where the Pope lives. The gardens were a lot more tropical than I thought they might be, But I guess it is the Mediterranean. I also enjoyed finding the wall that surrounds the perimeter designating the border. After climbing back down to the main roof we went into the little gift shop that was full of rosarys, pins, postcards etc. of famous popes and saints. They love Pope John Paul II and they love Mother Teresa. I bought a prayer card of St. Christopher from a little nun working in the shop. I don't know if it was just me or what, but all the nuns we saw were so little and short. I'm talking my height or shorter. They were so cute but it made me feel like I should become a nun. After that we went back down to the ground floor, and I do have to say that they had the widest stairwell of anything we climbed in Europe. Once we got back down we went inside the church.  The first thing my eyes were drawn to was the huge brass canopy that is all the way down at the far end of the nave. It is so large, but then again, the entire basilica is huge. We took a moment just to take it all in. Being the late afternoon the light was coming in through the windows in the dome at an angle and made the place look even more holy. Jillian and I had Rick Steve's audio tour on our iPods and were able to listen to him narrate our tour as we learned things. The brass canopy was constructed to fill up space essentially and make the church seem less huge. I also learned that the sculptures that line the nave were built with funky proportions so as to look correct when viewed from below-the statues were above our heads. The brass canopy is over the altar which is over the crypt which is where they believe they have the remains of Peter the apostle. I think most of the other popes are buried there as well. They have a beautiful apse with lots of gold. We didn't get too much time to look around because after a little bit they were kicking people out of that part of the church because they were getting ready for mass. So we weren't able to go down into the crypt. We looked at the other things they had there, I saw the Holy Door, which is cemented up and not used except for in holy years which I guess is every 25, so the next time they use it will be in 2025. I saw the resting place of Pope John Paul II. He was initially buried in the crypt but when Benedict XVI made John Paul II beatified, they brought him back upstairs and placed him in a side chapel so people could visit it. I remembered watching the funeral on tv very late at night and all the retrospectives they did on him when he died, so I thought it was cool to see that. Probably the best part is seeing the Pieta, which is a statue by Michelangelo of Mary holding Christ after he died on the cross. I had seen pictures before, but to see the actual thing is very spiritually moving and artistically marveling. It is behind glass now because a while ago a madman came in and started hacking at the statue and actually damaged some of it. They were able to repair it. Michelangelo signed his work (I think because people didn't think it was his) but later felt so ashamed at his pride and ego for needing to sign his work and to defile a sacred thing that he didn't sign anything else he painted or sculpted. Michelangelo may be known for his Sistine Chapel painting, but he was primarily a sculptor. I enjoyed seeing this piece which becomes even more impressive when you think about how one goes about sculpting something. I was very impressed with St. Peter's. Wiki.

I don't know if I could pick a favorite if asked. They are all unique, built in different times for different reasons. I learned so much by visiting these places and they were definately one of the highlights of my trip.

Pictures to come when I get a photoshop project done, then you can see what I'm talking about.

the light of summer nights

Last night was the first of those great summer nights. Where it's warm enough to run around in the grass barefoot but not so hot that it's unbearable. 9 days away from the summer solstice and the sun doesn't go down till late. The latitude I live at makes the light so magical on these kinds of nights. It gives everything a soft yellowy glow that softens visual perception, making things look relaxed and inviting rather than the suffering swelter the world looks through the blindingly bright noonday sun. It's nights like these that I could spend hours outside, near the river watching that precious light play on the water, or on a hilltop looking west towards an explosion of pink, yellow, purple, orange and blue as the sun goes down, the whole sky visible because no mountains block the path the light makes to the earth. And in the summer it's almost a guarantee that this kind of sunset will greet you every night. I live in a basin, a desert basin brought to life by a mighty river. Some scoff at our idea of natural beauty because it isn't green and lush. But it's nights like these in the summer, when, seen in the best light, nothing looks more beautiful to me.

 

F.I.N.E.

"How are you?"
"Fine."
"You know what 'fine' means? Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional."
-Stella and Marky Mark in The Italian Job

Woof.

Betsy and the Great World

One of my favorite series of books is the Betsy-Tacy series. The series is set in the first decade in the 1900's and follows Betsy as she grows up in a small town in Minnesota. Its charm is comparable to that of Anne of Green Gables and I enjoy the books a lot. When Betsy is in college she takes a year off to go see the world because she wants to be a writer. And to be a good writer, she believes, one must see the Great World.   

So, I wanted to announce something that I think is pretty awesome. Instead of Betsy, it will soon be Meagan and the Great World. In 11ish days I will be taking a cross-country/trans-atlantic flight for a two week trip to EUROPE. Yep. I am going. One of my biggest regrets (though I didn't know it would be) is not doing a study abroad in college. It's (relatively) cheap and you get to live in a foreign country. How amazing is that? I told myself that this would be the year, I turned 25 and dang it, I'M AN ADULT! I've saved pretty well and now this goal is coming true. My sis, Jillian, is coming with me and I believe she will be the ultimate vacation companion because we are 75% the same person and love the same things.

We are going to London, Paris, Florence and Rome. (I may not make it back for awhile so I'm kinda trying to do it all). Also, I got tickets to go the Warner Brothers Studios in London where they filmed Harry Potter and now the sets are turned into a tour-I splurged and got the digital audio tour with souvenir guide. So it'll make up for not getting to Harry Potter World yet.

I've had immense amounts of fun planning, reading guidebooks, looking up routes, booking places to stay, and even an overnight train ride. I'm a big planner. My goal is to go experience these new places, learn a lot, eat things, have interesting experiences, make memories with my sister and broaden my view of the world. Plus, the promise of lots of crepes and gelato doesn't hurt too much either. ;)

this totally happens to me

The "Megan!" part, I mean. It's gotten so that I don't respond to people yelling my name because it's never me. I've noticed though, it's a trendy name. So only people who were born in the mid to late 80's have it. You don't get many new "Megans" nowadays. But I've also noticed that we've grown old enough to have our name crop up in movies, tv shows and celebrities. It was weird when I first saw my name used on a tv show character. I didn't like it. I'm the only Meagan amongst my friends right now and I'm enjoying the solitude.

riddle me this

Answer to the riddle in previous post: Turn one light switch on, leave on for awhile, then turn off. Turn second switch on and leave third switch off. Then go into the room-light bulb that's on goes with on switch, light bulb that's off goes with off switch, light bulb that's off but feels hot to the touch is the one that's been on. So there you go.

The weather is getting better and it makes me so, so happy. The flower trees have been in bloom for a little while now and I all I want to do is go ride my bike. Seriously.

General Conference is this weekend and I'm sure it's going to be baller.

Am I the only American that did not see "Hunger Games" last weekend?

The London 2012 Olympics are coming in 120 days. Get. Ready.-Also did you know they renamed all the Tube stops in London after famous Olympians and they names will stay until after the Olympics? The ones right near the Olympic stadium are named for Cassius Clay and Michael Phelps. Similar sports are grouped on the same line. So cool. (although I think since Phelps still competes he should not have a stop named for him quite yet.) See the whole map.

I love easters candy.

Things turning 100 this year:

Oreo Cookies

The Girl Scouts

The Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic

Boom. Knowledge. You're welcome.

la de dah

sorry for the dearth of posts lately. I haven't felt too bloggy. Monicky took me to task for that so here are a few random thoughts.

-I don't like it when light switches are off pattern. For example, our kitchen has two entries with a switch by each entry. When one switch is used to turn the lights on and the other off, then the switches are not in a correct flip up for "on" and down for "off." So that means I am flipping down for "on" and it feels so weird.

-speaking of light switches, here's a riddle: You are outside a room with three light switches. They each correspond to one of three light bulbs in the room. Your job is to figure out which switch goes with which light bulb. You can only go in the room once, and you can't peek out the door or anything to see what you left turned on or whatever. How do you find out which switch goes with which light bulb? I'll post the answer in a few days.

-I just got done with a two week streak of having something every night to go to or be at. Most of it was parties, fun things and the like. So it was good, but I am glad to have a break. Things included were Dessert Night, Pi Day, Crank It Slow, a bachelorette party, a bridal shower, a wedding reception, cooking food for the RS b-day party, eating the food at the RS b-day party, hiking Badger Mtn, having an impromptu BBQ, having peeps over for games and just chatting, having a girl's night, FHE, and probably something else all the while trying to fit in the gym and take care of other life things. I guess I party hard.

-I've been reading David McCullough's book about John Adams. It's not a fast read, but it's very good. Some observations: John Adams was very devoted to doing his "duty" even at the expense of leaving his entire family; he loved his wife, Abagail, very much, they were devoted to each other, and were very much equals in their marriage, tons of their letters have survived and it is impressive to me to read how they treated, spoke to, and supported each other. One thing I thought was funny was how Adams made a statement about Franklin and Jefferson. Basically he said that history would remember Franklin as the creator of America or something like that and that Jefferson would be idolized for stuff he did. Men would one day honor them and build huge statues or memorials to their name. When really Franklin was lazy and a dirty old man that never lifted a finger if it put him out. Which is pretty much what happened. One thing I remember from my junior year english class was that Franklin was a dirty old man. He got all the ladies, somehow. Adams was pretty cool, but earned a poor reputation. I enjoy reading about the "founding fathers."

-I had a sweet idea for a party. Get a bunch of the Now cds together (Now, That's What I Call Music!) but just the early ones, like 1-7. It will be super nostalgic and full of songs you forgot about (or maybe songs you still listen to every day). Remember back when Backstreet Boys, Britney, and Chumbawumba were big? Yeah, and how did Aaron Carter ever get famous? Well, you'll listen to these cds and basically sit on a cloud of late 90's early 00's nostalgia.

-I've decided that I want to use more big words in everyday life. I feel like there is a lack of good words being used. Words like "pithy" or "inveigle"are fun to use and throw around. I think it's a combination of reading the book about Adams and reading his letters, this new blog I found called Letters of Note, and another blog I found recently of someone who was a very good argumentative and persuasive writer. People used to write a lot differently back in the day. I think more thought went into it since you couldn't erase what you put down. Not like this here blog where I can word vomit all day long. There was also a lot more use of big words and more imagery. Good writing is enjoyable to read.

-the other night at FHE we were supposed to bring something that we really enjoyed. I took my 2002 Olympics highlights DVD. It shocked me that someone said they didn't like watching the Olympics. Another girl said she didn't know equestrian was an event. WHAT?! Ok, maybe I should explain that I am very passionate about the Olympics. (I've blogged the Olympics a few times now). I love everything about the games. The nations of the world uniting in a way that can't be done very many other ways. The pagentry (Beijing opening ceremonies anyone?). The schmultzy stories about the athletes that had to overcome incredible odds even to be there-even though they have no chance of winning a medal. I love Bob Costas, he is an integral part of the Olympics for me. I listen to the Olympic songs sometimes, especially good when working out (think Celine Dion's "Power of the Dream" not the John Williams fanfare). Even the commercials during the Olympics are some of the best ever. I love the athletes competing. I love when the favorites win. I love when the underdogs win. I know that I hate the NBC commentator lady who does the swim events. (She is annoying). I also can't stand Dick Button (we know you won a gold medal in figure skating in like 1954 but the sport has advanced way beyond you and can you please be positive about people instead of picking their performance apart? Let's see you do a quadruple salchow!) I know athletes and recognize them from games to games. So, you see, I'm very passionate about the Olympics. I can understand not being as passionate as I am...but to not like them at all? That's like saying you don't like ice cream, or babies. The London 2012 games are coming soon-July 27th!!

-Biography titles: I've thought of two really good ones. The first is for Neil Diamond-"Touching Me, Touching You: The Biography of Neil Diamond." Get it?! Sweet Caroline...The second is for my dad-"I'd Rather Be Right Than President, But I'm Often Neither: The Biography of Baby Darrell." The title is a phrase that he says a lot. Totally describes him.

-I know Gotye is pretty hot right now, but I like this other song of his-I Feel Better. It's got lots of Steve Winwood/Stevie Wonder overtones to it. I love the 60's motown feel. Also, a little Kelly Clarkson in one's life is a good thing.

-I finally saw that movie, Contagion. I felt I needed to as a former public health major. I ate it all up-and let me tell you, even though that movie was a little extreme, all that stuff could totally happen. Easily. All it would take is the right strain of something. It would spread and we wouldn't know how to contain or treat it. I learned a lot about the scenarios portrayed in the movie at school. Closing state borders, choosing who would get a vaccination, containing a disease, the run it would make on drugstores, grocery stores, and banks, how the trash could pile up and then just cause more problems itself, propaganda, lawlessness, people using their power corruptly (ie when the guy tells his girlfriend to escape the state before they announce the border closure), not having enough body bags, etc. This is all very possible. Again, I felt like the movie was extreme, it would have to be a very rare, strong disease that we know nothing about. But I did feel like they showed a lot of things that would be affected by something such as this.

-I had a choice of action or inaction today. I chose inaction because I got scared. I hope I get the guts to act or I could miss something good.

Here's to future blogging!