Monday, July 13, 2009

Cks’ Final Comment From England

A number of you have said on- and offline how much you’ve enjoyed cks’ comments from London where she’s been studying as part of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant which also includes study in the Netherlands.

Here’s her final comment before leaving England after which I add a few comments below the star line.

Cks said - - -


I just want to say that my time in London ends early tomorrow and I am off to the Netherlands. Thank you again for directing me to the Churchill War Rooms Museum as well as to choral evensong at Westminster Abbey.

While I never made it to the Grenadier Pub, I did find several (some near where I stayed and others where I happened to be at mealtimes) that served delicious food. The English, I believe, get a bum rap for their cuisine.

Today I just walked in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. A lovely day to reflect on how much the United States and Great Britain owe to each other and to be thankful that their enduring alliance has so far managed to keep the world a better place to live.

******************************************

Cks,

We owe you thanks for sharing your experiences.

You're right about America and Great Britain (by which I’m sure you mean the Commonwealth countries as well) managing “to keep the world a better place to live.”

Have we and they ever; and at what great sacrifice.

John







1 comments:

Anonymous said...

JinC - Thank you again for the kind words. I cannot also thank the US taxpayers enough for funding such a program that allows teachers the opportunity to study a particular period of history in depth as well as the ability to visit many of the museums which hold items to which they refer in their classrooms and to visit those places that have played such an important role in the development of our own civilization.
Going from London to a small leafy suburb in the Netherlands has been in some ways a culture shock. Riders on horses clip clop outside my apartment window during the day. I bicycle into the small town nearby or can walk (though I have not yet) to the North Sea beach that is about three miles away. We have been on walking tours of both Amsterdam and Den Hag. Tomorrow I am off to Doorn to visit the castle and resting place of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Mostly, at this phase of the seminar program, I am expected to (and am working on) writing a paper that relates to what we have read and observed. This coming week we are off to northern netherlands to see the polders and dikes as well as the industries of that region. Our last site visit is the following week to Leiden and Haarlem. While in the Netherlands, one is in a position to take side trips to visit many places - however, for me, until I am finished with my writing and reading, such meanderings will be put on hold.
Thank you again for your suggestions (and those of others) of places to see while In London. If you have any suggestions of places in the Netherlands or Belgium to visit I am open to them as well.

cks