Author: Jack Bradley

Can We Just Go Back?

This London trip was a trip I’ll never forget and now that I am home I just cannot wait to go back. One thing I noticed since being back was how much more calm the UK was about the virus and now being home I see just how crazy it is here. Anyways, my favorite moments from the trip were St. Paul’s, Greenwich, Westminster, and the shard. St. Paul’s and Westminster were stunning with there amazing amounts of history and detail that were just mind-blowing. Greenwich was amazing with its combination of stunning architecture and amazing greenery. The views from the observatory were well worth the steep hike up to the top even though it meant giving up some time in the Queen’s House. Finally, I felt that the shard was an amazing way to end the trip as we got to look back over everything we had seen throughout our trip and really made me reflect and appreciate our time in London. The entire trip in general made me love city of London and I hope to one day go back and who knows, I would now after this trip consider even living and working there as well which would create even more amazing memories in that city.

St. Paul’s Choir

View from the observatory at Greenwich

View from the shard

Rescued or Taken Hostage?

I think that the question of whether Britain should return the Elgin marbles definitely can not be answered with a simple yes or no, otherwise I wouldn’t be writhing this blog. I feel that back when Britain “rescued” the marbles and put them on display in 1817, they were a much more civilized and developed country than Athens, Greece was. Therefore this raises the question of was Athen’s capable of properly housing, caring for, and protecting the Elgin Marbles. Who knows, if Britain never moved the marbles, they might not even exist today. However, since we cannot change the past, we must look at the fact that they do exist today, and are a focal point of Athenian and Greek culture. It would be similar to taking the Declaration of Independence from The United States. Therefore, I do feel that now Britain should return the stones or at least have some way of Athens buying or trading back for them.

View from the center of the exhibit

Statues from the frieze

War horse carved depiction

Jack’s Day 1 Blog Post

Ever since I applied for this class and was accepted I couldn’t wait to see Saint Paul’s because of it being such an iconic landmark of London for its beautiful architecture and astronomical scale. Therefore, not having to wait the whole trip to see it was definitely a bonus as well. When we first arrived I was immediately blown away by the scale of things but also by just how ornate and detailed every inch of the cathedral was. There wasn’t a missing detail and nothing looked anything less than perfect. We ventured up to the golden gallery first which definitely wasn’t made with the thought of taller people. However by the time you got up there the views were breathtaking. It was also somewhat scary thinking you were that high up and just a railing was there to stop you if you tripped however I became more and more comfortable and got the take in the amazing panoramic views. Overall, Saint Paul’s was everything I thought it would be and more. Now I am excited to see Westminster Abbey and how it compares to Saint Paul’s. I am sure it will be equally fantastic and cannot wait to see Henry VII’s chapel with its one of a kind ceiling.

Northern End of the Transepts

St. Paul’s Dome

Gates leading into the choir

Jack’s Pre-Departure Blog

I am excited for London first off because it is my first time in Europe. I have traveled out of the country before but never to a place like London. Therefore, I am excited to see a major European city as well as experience the culture as well. Furthermore, I am excited to visit sites such as Tower of London, Stourhead, and the British Museum. However, I am the most excited for Saint Paul’s Cathedral, due to the ornate details inside as well as the idea that it has stood the test of time and even survived the London bombings in World War 2. I am excited to take the stairs all the way to the top of the dome to get to see the amazing view out over London as well as seeing the infamous chapels located throughout the cathedral.  I would say out of the three other sites I listed above, I am most excited for Stourhead, since not only does it have amazing pieces of architecture, but the landscape seems amazing to immerse yourself into. Finally, I am excited to experience things such as riding the tube for the first time, riding a double-decker bus, and many other firsts that I will be able to experience for the first time.

Jack Bradley’s Bio

Hello, my name is Jack Bradley and I am from Chardon, Ohio which is in Northeast Ohio near Cleveland. I am a freshman Architecture major. What I am excited to see in London is St. Paul’s Cathedral and climb to the top of the dome to have the vast and amazing view out over London. What I am most excited to see however, is the British Museum. Not only is the building itself an amazing feat of architecture, but what it contains as well. I have always wanted to see the Elgin Marbles which are the pieces of marble from the acropolis in Greece that have been so well preserved over time. It has always fascinated me that a culture so long ago could lift these thousand pound pieces of marble and also create such ornate creations on them. This is the main thing that I am excited to see in London during our various visits. I am also excited to see other sites such as Stourhead and Tate Modern. Overall, I am very excited for this trip, because it is my first time traveling to Europe. I have been places such as Mexico, Dominican Republic, and so-on, so it will be a very cool experience to be in Europe for the first time.

Hello, my name is Jack Bradley