Londoner

Back in the USA

2008-11-06T21:59:00.000-08:00

Have been home now for just over a month, and feeling like I am adjusting to life here in California once again. I have been in constant motion, it seems, and have had little time to just sit and reflect on the year in London -- all I can say is that it was an amazing experience in so many respects that it is difficult to know where to begin...

For now, though I am simply thankful for everything -- the opportunity to study in the UK, the opportunities that presented themselves once I got involved in the program, all the folks at the London RC, all the KCL Classics Department people who helped to make it an unforgettable year. I am not sure where I am heading now, but I know that whether it involves academics, athletics, or the arts I will be better prepared and more experienced than ever before.

Thanks so much, or maybe I should say Cheers!

Bryan

Dissertation submitted

2008-09-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I submitted my completed dissertation (two bound copies) along with an envelope for their return to the KCL Classics Department, at 330pm. In its final form, it is nearly 70 pages (including the two extensive appendices), and easily forms the most complete piece of scholarly work I have yet completed -- as it should be.
It's amazing to think how much has happened over the past year, and truly gratifying to feel the weight of the dissertation, all printed and bound, in your hand. I have had an amazing time in London, and now have one more week before flying home to California. There hasn't been time yet to do much reflecting, but I will have to write more about all the many wonderful experiences, and wonderful people, that have made this year unforgettable, eye-opening, and life-changing.

Saturday, September 13th

2008-09-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

Had an amazing, fun-filled Saturday last weekend, which began at the London RC at 8am. The first session of the morning was a run from the club to Barnes Bridge and back (about 4.71 miles), and the whole squad galloped off together along the Thames path overlooking the river. I managed to finish pretty comfortably in 29:56. Most of the other lightweights finished in a time close to that, and, of course, there followed the standard banter about who had found the real shortcuts, etc. (officially, it wasn't a race, but you know how that goes). Second session was on thewater, and I have been subbing into the LRC VIII that is coming over to Boston in October for the Head of the Charles. The workout was roughly 90 minutes long, with 12 x 3 mins in the middle, rating relatively low (mostly 24).
Following that, I ran back up the hill to the flat, and got ready to go to the Fulham FC game (3pm kickoff), at Craven Cottage (thanks to Matt Bell for the tickets!). The game was great -- my first actual British football game -- as Fulham won 2-1, and the crowd was loving it. The stadium is quite small (as you can see from the pictures), and Matt's seats are fantastic, just about 15 rows up from the field. Easy to feel involved in the action.From there, it was back up the hill to the flat for a costume change (needed a coat), and then out the door again to catch the BBC's Last Night of the Proms in Hyde Park, along with Goof and Tommy K. It was a great end to a great day, with a fireworks show finale following the singing of "God Save the Queen," -- this was belted out by all 40,000 people in the park for the evening. One for the record books, I would say.

Visit to the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth

2008-09-16T08:07:00.001-07:00

Went to the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth Gardens last week, and found it to be a very hard-hitting experience, as it should be I suppose. Most particularly, there is a huge exhibit dedicated to the Holocaust, which leaves you feeling a bit like you've just seen Schindler's List (or, I might imagine it does, as I have never been able to bring myself to see the film). Suffice it to say that it is an extremely difficult, emotionally trying experience.
On a brighter note, the museum has a number of WWII planes and armored vehicles, including Field Marshall Montgomery's tank (the very one which he used at El Alamein in North Africa). There is also a large exhibit dedicated to the Victoria Cross and the Goerge Cross. Needless to say, it is a place where one could easily spend several days.

Never Forget

2008-09-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

London RC news

2008-09-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

We are back at it in on the Embankment, this being the second week of circuit training on Thursday, and learning some great new, punishing workouts to bring home and share with everyone. This week was 6 x 10 minute workouts (including a sweet one where you jump up a flight of steps, three at a time, carrying a 20 lb. weight -- your rest is the walk back down) with 1 minute off, followed by dumbbell cleans -- but if that sounds like a workout, remember, this is only September...

Dissertation -- draft 3 complete

2008-09-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

Have now updated the dissertation two times, bringing the word count down with cuts as appropriate (mostly from the background -- although cutting is always difficult, as so much work goes into each part of an undertaking like this, like most things I suppose). The current edition has images to aid the text, and will probably go through an additional edit tomorrow afternoon, following a final meeting with my adviser prior to the Monday deadline.
I've been getting excited about it, and about that feeling of holding it in my hands after I get it printed and bound. I've always wanted to write a book -- this essay will be more than 65 pages of A4 (slightly larger than normal US paper), so I feel almost like I have done it for the first time.
Hopefully it will be of use to other scholars asking the same questions about the garrison settlements in Britain, if not in its current form then perhaps in a slightly longer, more developed one.

Dissertation -- draft complete

2008-09-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

Finished a draft of the dissertation, which is now ~13,500 words (roughly 1500 words too long), and in need of editing. This is a good thing, though, as I would much rather have too much and need to determine places to cut down than be struggling for material -- definitely not an issue, as there are elements that I would like to include which I have not found space for yet. Right now I am waiting on feedback from my adviser on the essay, and I hope to have a second draft by the end of the weekend or possibly Monday. It's a very exciting time in my academic career, as I feel I have really progressed to the next level in both my scholarship and my writing skills. It has also been a freeing experience, as for the first time I have been allowed to really interpret archaeological data for myself, and make an argument in the same fashion as the scholars who publish on the subject. More to come soon...

The Lady in Black

2008-09-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

Went to the Lady in Black in honor of Pete's Birthday last week, and found it both frightening and enjoyable, as audiences have done for nearly a decade. The play, I thought, was excellently conceived at the outset, and evolved very nicely throughout the first act, with the relationship between the two actors gradually fading into the narrative of the play. This successfully drew the audience into the play without the use of any special effects or even scenery, which was very refreshing in this age of over-produced, I-might-as-well-have-gone-to-a-movie/rock concert theatrical productions. The second half, however, did not quite live up to the first, as effects (mostly sound effects) started to dominate the narrative rather than the actors themselves. Still, though, it was quite good overall and greatly appreciated by the full house.

Some more photos of Faversham

2008-09-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Faversham Hop Festival

2008-09-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, thanks to the Boyd family, Pete and I headed out of London to Faversham, and the Shepherd Neame Brewery, for the annual Hop Festival. It was a spectacularly pleasant day, starting with a train ride on one of the few steam trains still operating on British rail, followed by lunch of bangers and mash at the brewery, with some of their Spitfire ale (nice British bitter -- actually the most popular around, I believe) to wash it down. Took a nap down by the river, in the shade of the trees along the bank, and woke up in time to take the brewery tour. The brewery was wonderfully small -- reminiscent of the Anchor Steam brewery in San Francisco -- and, of course, the best part of any brewery tour is the sample selection at the end.
The way home, again on the train, took us past Dover and along the English coast, which was beautiful. Also, train time allowed for continued work on the dissertation, which is coming together more and more these days -- and just in time!

Dissertation status

2008-08-27T03:28:00.000-07:00

Slowly, but surely, heading toward the completion of a first draft (the goal is Friday), and from there it will be time to revise -- just under three weeks until the due date at this point. It is both exciting and terrifying, but I do think that I have managed my time and output fairly well this year, and I hope to produce my best piece of scholarship to date for September 15th. In the meantime, the only way to stay sane is to run, row, and paint. Pretty sweet deal, actually.
(Picture is from a Roman re-enactment group, and I have to say I am very keen to get involved...)

Reflecting on the Olympics

2008-08-27T02:35:00.000-07:00

From a television viewing standpoint, this was certainly a memorable Olympiad, as the iconic structures that were created for the games had a powerful visual impact, and the athletes performing in them were breaking records left and right -- from Phelps to Bolt, something in the range of 35 world records fell in the 16 days in Beijing. Indeed, the last two Olympiads have been visually stunning, albeit for different reasons. Athens for its natural and historical beauty, with some of the field events taking place inside the ancient stadium at Olympia, and Beijing for its drive toward 'modernity,' based on its choice of extremely unusual venues constructed for the games. This view of Beijing, however, was a highly calculated and deftly manipulated one, showcasing the architectural wonders (created at what cost?) of the games, and little else. The air quality, which did not end up being a factor during the Olympics, was the result of the factories and foundries being closed during the whole affair (from July 20th, in fact), and the banning of roughly half of the city's 3.3 million vehicles during the games (for reference, see here). This is only one of the ways in which the city seems to have had a temporary face lift -- what is to happen after the games? On the other hand, London organizers will have their work cut out for them. Tough to compete with a totalitarian dictatorship when it comes to putting on a highly organized, extremely expensive, state-funded international showcase of 'modernism.' But then the games were never truly independent of world politics, ancient or modern...
(Image: the 'Bamboo Bird's Nest')

Cooler than sliced bread (and predates it by about 2000 years)

2008-08-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

Found this at the British Museum -- a functioning replica of a Roman lamp, ca. 40-70AD, decorated with a four-horse chariot (a tethrippon in Greek, or a quadriga in Latin). The only fuel necessary is olive oil, which you pour into the hole at the center. The wick emerges from the side, and a little oil goes a long way -- just an ounce or two lasts for hours. Plus, you get to use the same light source as Seneca, Virgil, Catullus, Livy, Cato, Horace, Cicero, and the whole gang. Pretty sweet, in my opinion. I would recommend Archaeology magazine as well (as you can see on the left -- a source for more interesting stuff), and a link to their website is on the left-hand side of this page under academic links.

Whew, I am a nerd.

day's journey

2008-08-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

Finished the collection of data today and now set to set writing the main body of the text -- that is the key to it all, my own interpretation of the findings. Exciting threshold to be crossing, and really a step on in my scholarship.
After finishing at the library, I walked through Bedford Square and took the shot of the gardens with the dappled light of the evening sun coming through the trees. From there I went past St. Giles in the Fields (you can see what time it was...), and then to Covent Garden once again, to take advantage of the Night Market a second time. This time I had a quality bratwurst with mustard and kraut, and then (after letting that settle), topped it off with some delicious almond baklava. The video is a walk through th farmers' market.

The BBC's Olympic Monkey

2008-08-22T02:36:00.000-07:00

This is so weird that it is kind of neat -- it's the BBC's intro to their Olympics coverage, and I am not sure how they thought of it, but the artwork and animation is very cool. Probably a little different from the NBC equivalent, and definitely worth checking out... Here is a link to the video:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/monkey/7521287.stm

day's journey

2008-08-21T17:52:00.001-07:00

Had a successful meeting about the dissertation today, and now set to finish off the data accumulation part of the essay tomorrow (bringing it up to 2005). I have given myself until next Friday to come up with a complete first draft of the paper, due in just under one month's time now. I then stumbled upon the "Night Market," which is a farmer's market in Covent Garden, where they've set up a series of stalls cooking fresh food -- anything from roasted hog, Moroccan lamb, seafood paella, sweets of all kinds, artisan breads, and more, a la Borough Market. I sampled a bunch of it (maybe a little too much), and took in the pleasant (but busy!) atmosphere. The buskers were, of course, out in droves to take advantage of the larger crowds.

After stuffing myself to the gills with good food, I walked up to Bloomsbury to meet one of my friends from the KCL course at the British Museum, where they are currently running an exhibition on the emperor Hadrian. While it did contain some very interesting elements -- including two of the Vindolanda tablets (one of which is pictured above), one of the letters in Aramaic from the Cave of Letters (from the Jewish Revolt AD 132-135/6), and a particularly interesting Roman brick, stamped with the legion that created it, but also with a Roman footprint in it (evidently one of the soldiers in the typical hobnailed military sandals, or caligae, stepped on it before it was fully dry) -- it was on the small side, and contained very little from Roman Britain. The picture above shows reconstructions of caligae, based on examples discovered along Hadrian's Wall (from this site, which specializes in Roman military reconstructions). Still, fun to see.
Here is a link to the British Museum website with information on the exhibition:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/hadrian.aspx

Dissertation status

2008-08-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

I am now closing in on being done with the data accumulation aspect of the essay, which involves the compilation of all the significant excavations and other archaeological fieldwork from Roman Britain involving the vici. The data spans the gap between the last major publication dedicated to the subject and the present (from 1984-2008), and it will then be up to me to interpret how the views can be changed/questions can be answered -- or not, of course.
Still many hours to log in the library though, now in the Institute of Archaeology just across from the UCL campus. The image is a beautiful shot of the curtain wall, borrowed from this site:
http://www.hadrians-wall-bed-and-breakfast.co.uk/images/index/hadrians_wall_cawfields.jpg

In the midst of all this I am trying to keep fit and trim (I'd like to be training between 160-165 lbs all year this year), doing body weight circuits as well as rowing on the "ergo," as they call it this side of things. The "Italian bodyweight circuit" (as it is called around the LRC) is actually pretty sweet, and requires almost no space and zero equipment, as you might guess from the name. Here's how it looks:

10 bodyweight squats
10 push ups
10 jumping squats (same but jump off the floor as you come up)
10 sit ups

Do that x 10, x 4 and you have a pretty tough workout, and it can be done in about 6 square feet of floor space regardless where you are (good if it happens to be raining and there is slightly less impetus to leave the apartment...). Each set takes roughly 10 minutes, and you get a pretty good sweat going by the end of the first one.

Mens sana in corpore sano.

More Olympic rowing...

2008-08-17T15:07:00.001-07:00

The rowing finished up today in Shunyi, and the results were much more in line with expectation than the previous day. In the Women's VIII, the US took the gold by nearly a length over the Netherlands and Belarus. The Men's VIII race was dominated by Canada, winners of the last two World Championships, but the race for second place was hotly contested. The GB VIII, which had won the heat over the US by a length, just barely managed to pull off a silver medal, crossing the line just three feet in front of the US crew. Also, both the US and GB finished almost halfway up the Canadian boat, which crossed in a time of 5:23 -- just four seconds off the world record set by the US last Olympics.
In other racing the Danes claimed their place atop the Men's LWT 4- podium once again, after winning in Atlanta, placing third in Sydney, and winning in Athens. Just amazing -- the stroke, Eskild Ebbesen, has been a part of each one of those Danish crews. The GB LWT Men's 2x won the gold -- they feature in the video I was touting in the last post -- and behind them were the Greeks (stroked by Vasileios Polymeros -- whom I met at the 2005 Crash B Sprints in Boston, following his bronze medal in Athens, and who signed my ancient Greek textbook after we chatted a bit about how beautiful his home country is) taking silver, followed by the Danes in bronze medal position.

Congratulations to Josh and Amy!

2008-08-16T05:09:00.000-07:00

Wanted to add my congratulations to Joshy and Amy, who have just welcomed little Iron Girl Fiona into the world, healthy and beautiful (how could she not be with parents like those?).
Blessings on the family.

And good luck to Josh in the Iron Man -- Kona -- coming up soon! Kick the tires and light the fires baby!

Olympic rowing in full swing...

2008-08-16T04:31:00.001-07:00

The Olympic rowing scene has been full of surprises so far, not the least of which was Olaf Tufte's (Norway) second consecutive gold medal in the Men's 1x after Mahe Drysdale's (NZ) domination of the event over the last three years. It was a very impressive race from Drysdale, who looked to be in a very strong position entering the last 500m, but Tufte did it the same way he won the last Olympic final in Athens -- he absolutely took off in the last 250, and rowed through both Drysdale and Ondrej Synek (Czech Rep.) to take the gold.
The GB Men's 4- took home the gold, as was expected. Drew Ginn (who keeps the blog I have linked on the right) and Duncan Free won the Men's 2- by about 1 length over the Canadians. That makes Ginn's third Olympic gold medal. An excellent race to watch as it pits two totally different styles of rowing against one another -- the long, loping strokes and beautifully relaxed technique of the Australians (rowing at a 34/35 through the middle) matched against the punchy, short, but very quick style of the much smaller Canadians (rating no lower than 37/38, and mostly 40 throughout). The results and videos of the races can be found here.

In other rowing news, the GB lightweight 2x races tomorrow with a good shot at a first place finish. Here is a great video of the two of them training and racing last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi3SJt_TqS0&NR=1

All my indo-rowers -- this video is an excellent example of technical rowing. Between watching the Australian M2- and these lighties from GB, you can learn a great deal about how to move a boat (and see why the sport is so appealing).
Tomorrow the US M4x will race for a chance at the gold, a boat that has Jamie Schroeder in it in the three seat -- a Stanford alumnus. Also, the M 8+ will see if it can track down GB and Canada.

Royal Canadian Henley race report

2008-08-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

Just returned today from New York and St. Catherine's, CAN after training and racing with the boys from the NYAC. The racing was at a high level, but the results were frustrating, though I did learn some important things from the experience.
Racing in the Senior LWT 2- along with Rob Milam, we attacked the race well, but the race itself was in fact the first time we had rowed a full pressure piece in the lineup (myself at stroke, Rob in bow with the foot). We got out of the gates well, but we didn't anticipate the speed of the field in the second 500m, and dropped back to fifth. At the 1000m mark, we took the stroke rate up to a 37 and came charging back into the pack. In an unusually close and quick heat, the first four boats finished within 3 seconds of one another. It was three to qualify for the final, and, unfortunately, despite our charge from the 1000, we missed the third qualifying position by 0.10 of a second (Calgary placed 3rd in a 6:57.27, while we crossed the line in 6:57.37). Boucheville won the heat, edging out the Guatemalan National Team LWT 2- (just two seconds in front of us). 6:57 was the winning time in the other heat, and on Saturday we watched as Calgary placed 4th in the final. So, a rough outcome that time, but a clear indication that we can move the pair well together, and given some practice we could make a strong case for rowing the LWT 2- at US Trials next year.
The LWT VIII Dash (500m race) was another rough outcome, as we came across in second place behind St. Catherine's despite racing the piece in a 1:18.7 (St. Catherine's was 1.2 seconds quicker). The 2000m race in the LWT VIII was again frustrating, but not so close. Riverside BC of Boston dominated the competition, and we managed just 3rd, behind both Riverside and St. Catherine's. Not a bad race, but we were a scratch crew competing against teams with a lot of time spent in the boat together, and given the constraints of our training I was not wholly disappointed with our results.
Also, it was great getting to spend some time with all the folks again, and reconnect with the boat club. Perhaps the best and most important aspect of the trip, too, was getting to hang out with Dad and catch some of the Shaw festival together. We saw three productions, Lilian Hellman's The Little Foxes, Bernstein's Wonderful Town, and Shaw's Getting Married, all of which we really enjoyed. Looking forward to getting back home to have some more time together in the near future.

Dissertation Topic

2008-07-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

Just to clarify what it is that I am writing about, I am studying the small-scale settlements (the ancient term for them is vici, but perhaps the most appropriate modern name for them is "garrison settlements") outside the auxiliary forts located along Hadrian's Wall, in northern England. These forts lining the wall housed the garrisons that served as both an offensive force against the tribes to the North, as well as a deterrent against incursions into the Roman province. The images I include are of Vindolanda, from the air and in schematic format. The fort itself is the playing-card shaped enclosure on the right hand side, with the vicus extending along the road out to the left. As you can see from the images, these settlements appear to have cropped up in somewhat organic fashion along the main roads leading out of the forts, though the level of integration and interaction among the soldiers and civilians may indicate that the military was involved in planning and building some of the structures. This is already known to be the case for the bath complexes and the so-called mansiones (or official inns, as they are believed to be), which seem to have played a role in the life of the vicani (or vicus-dwellers) and may have even had a localized political nature. These are some of the issues that I will address in the forthcoming final product.

Nat Champs Report

2008-07-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

Raced at the British Nat Champs regatta over the weekend, in Nottingham (where the Sheriffs come from), and had a blast despite extremely windy conditions. The racing was of good quality, and the crew of Hayes, Kitch, Griffin and Vaizey performed very well in the Men's Open Heavyweight 4- category, especially given the fact that we had only four practices together prior to racing the heat on Saturday.
In the heat, we qualified easily, leading for most of the way and allowing the British Student Games 4- to come through at the end rather than making a sprint out of it (the top two from each heat went through, and we were 18 seconds up on the rest of the field).
In the final on Sunday, however, a strong cross-headwind created an advantage for the lanes closest to the bank, and due to our second place finish we were placed in lane 3 -- right in the middle of the course. Still, we raced hard and through some adversity, and despite nearly clashing with a Leander crew who steered into our lane, we were in the medal hunt. We cranked up the rate and the pressure in the last 250m and did manage to come back, but it wasn't quite enough, as we missed out on a bronze medal by 0.09 of a second.
Though it is tough when it turns out that way, it was still a hell of a race and I think we all enjoyed ourselves. Not a bad way to begin what we'll consider the 08-09 season...

More racing on the horizon...

2008-07-15T15:19:00.001-07:00

Have just jumped into a 4- that will race at the English National Championships next weekend in Nottingham, along with Ciaran Hayes, Herbie Griffin, and George Vaizey. Should be fun to get into a no-pressure race and just let it rip, getting back into the lightweight approach to rowing (we are all lightweights -- or nearly so).
Also planning to do some racing in Canada in August, for the 126th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, along with the NYAC boys, in the lightweight VIII. Now all I have to do is figure out when I am going to write my dissertation...

That is what the next 10 days will be all about.

King Lear, The Globe Theatre

2008-07-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Went to an excellent production of King Lear this afternoon at the Globe, along with Zoe and her parents. The 2pm performance was true to the feel of the Elizabethan theater, with sun and warm temperatures coupled with close confines making for an up-close-and-personal experience of the seating (i.e. sweaty, smelly people), while the groundlings shaded their eyes at the foot of the stage. I was wishing for some orange sellers to make it all the more authentic...

Lear played his part convincingly, and the cast was strong overall, though in general I felt that there was a tendency to rush through the speeches at a such a speed that, although realistic, rendered some of the language unintelligible to all those except those closest to the performers. The language is some of Shakespeare's best, and my critique did not hold true for the entire performance. The other decision I wasn't wholly at ease with was the inclusion of the removal of Gloucester's eyes on stage. While the effect was gruesome and helped to steel the hearts of the audience against the villains, it was on the gratuitous side -- however, this is also in keeping with the times I suppose. The final scene was as heart-wrenching, awful and true to Shakespeare's intention as could be, and had an obvious effect on the audience, as it should. It is impossible to say that a good tragedy done well is wholly enjoyable, but the performance was powerful -- awfully so.

Pygmalion at the Old Vic

2008-07-09T03:34:00.000-07:00

I went to a production of Shaw's Pygmalion last night, along with my father and two of his long-time friends. The play formed a nice goal at the end of an afternoon's wandering about town, stopping off at various cafes and pubs along the way. After a light supper, we joined the rest of the crowds making their way into the theater for the 730pm performance. It was especially of interest to me as I hadn't been to the Old Vic before, and any time I go to the theater with dad I feel I learn a great deal.

The cast was very strong, in my opinion, and the large house appreciated their efforts -- it was nearly a packed house, which was a little surprising on a Tuesday night, but then it has been a highly touted production. The dialogue was quick but witty and sharp, and the longer speeches were rattled off with an ease that made them all the more real -- though the dustman's manner of speaking was a challenge at times to a non-British citizen. Still, he stole the show from Pigott-Smith (who played Higgins) and was honored at the end of the performance accordingly. Michelle Dockery (in the role of Eliza Doolittle) was also strong.

Interesting discovery

2008-07-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

Most folks in rowing seem to have already known about this for quite some time, but I only recently discovered that Drew Ginn -- an Australian oarsman who has already won two Olympic gold medals and who is now in the hunt for a third in the men's pair -- keeps a regular blog of his experiences training as he prepares for Beijing. He seems a very well-rounded cat, and despite the level at which he competes, he never forgets to keep things in perspective. The videos of rowing that he has posted are also some of the finest examples of rowing a 2- that you will find, and his candor in explaining the training and experience makes it accessible to everyone.

I've added the link to my rowing links section, but here it is again: http://drewginn.blogspot.com/

HRR 2008

2008-07-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

To my mind, the results of the Henley Royal Regatta both can and can't speak for themselves. So, there are a few points about the racing and the experience that I'd like to further discuss here.

First, this was a very successful season, overall, and I am very glad to have been a part of it. One race certainly does not change that, and looking back on the record that we have amassed this year, I don't think anyone would deny that we have done some good things. As mentioned before, we took 3rd in the S1 at Wallingford, but put together a better race to manage 2nd in the Elite at that regatta. We followed that up with two silver medal performances at Ghent, and then won the S1 at the Metropolitan Regatta, finishing 2nd in the Elite once again. Training was interrupted slightly through Marlow due to illness, but all in all we were progressing well into Henley. Ultimately, we just weren't progressing quite as quickly as a very handy Tyne crew, who managed to win the event in convincing fashion.

That we were knocked out on the Thursday was not ideal by any stretch, but we were indeed knocked out by the best team in the event. It is only one race in a whole season, and I have to say that I've learned very much along the way and wouldn't have changed anything I did in preparation for the event. In the end, it only motivates me further to progress in my training and in the sport, and it serves as an important reminder to make the most of every race along the way, rather than focusing solely on Henley as a defining moment.

Though this doesn't exactly jibe with the LRC's stated goal, it is my approach -- one that has served me well in the past and one that I hope will continue to serve me well into the future. I would also like to congratulate London B on a great performance, and though I can't deny some bitterness at my own fate in the regatta, I was very glad to see a London boat in the Final. They also rowed a hell of a race, coming back from 2 lengths down at Fawley (half way) to make it a verdict of one length as Tyne crossed the finish line.

I think next year's HRR will prove more fruitful for London, and I look forward to that and everything else along the way.

As regards the experience, I did end up enjoying a great deal of time with family and friends, and a much needed couple of days to relax (with a Pimm's Cup or two) before delving more deeply into the book stacks in pursuit of resources for what will, I hope, be an extremely useful academic paper in my disseration.

Henley Royal Regatta, 2008

2008-06-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

The Draw is now out, and the racing is set to start on Wednesday, July 2nd. We are set to race Star Club at 3:45pm, so we are gearing up for the regatta and getting experience on the course. Today was our second day of training at the course and we are becoming more and more familiar with the surroundings and the landmarks in order to feel right at home come the start of the racing.
All the information surrounding the regatta can be found at www.hrr.co.uk, the official site of the regatta, as well as on www.row2k.com. The racing is all done in dual format -- with two crews racing down the track at one time, in a single elimination contest that works like the NCAA tournament.
Fortis Cadere, Cedere Non Potest.

Henley banter

2008-06-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

Naturally, there is all kinds of banter surrounding Henley as it is the premier event of the summer season. This year is no exception, and I include here the description of our entry in the Wyfold Challenge Cup, as printed in the London RC Newsletter:

London RC 'A'
Ciaran Hayes, Richard Gilfillan, Matt Bell, Bryan Kitch
Matt Bell and Vice-Captain Ciaran Hayes return to the Wyfold Cup aiming to go one better following a very narrow defeat in the 2007 final. This year they are joined by Richard Gilfillan, a South African Universities national team crew mate of Matt Bell, and Bryan Kitch. Californian Kitch, who competed in 2007 for the New York AC is also interested in the classics and a keen thespian -- he left audiences breathless with his performance as Oedipus earlier this year. The crew has had a successful season to date, winning the Metropolitan Regatta, and earning podium finishes at Wallingford & Ghent. (Thank you Dave Finn.)

Also, I just learned from Pete that he qualified his 4- for the Wyfold this afternoon at the Henley Qualifiers taking place today. They will race as London RC 'C' and form another quality London entry in the event.

LRC news: Marlow and Henley Prep

2008-06-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Three days before Marlow Regatta I contracted some kind of cold/cough, and that took me out of the racing (for the most part) on Saturday at Marlow. Not fully recovered, I raced the heat, and afterward was replaced for the rep and final due to coughing and exhaustion. While this was not the most desirable sequence of events, it was certainly preferable to deal with health issues earlier in order to be able to attack Henley at 100%.
Also encouraging was the fact that the 4- took fifth overall, even with a same-day replacement (something that is difficult no matter how talented the substitution is), in a field that included two boats racing in the Visitors at the HRR coming up next week. Naturally I was disappointed not to be racing last weekend, but I did manage to turn it into positive energy and put it toward a fast recovery.
Today marks the day of the qualifying races at Henley, and London is looking to qualify no fewer than 60 athletes for the international regatta. This is an outstanding number and best of luck to all the London athletes at Henley this afternoon! "Bang the drum!"

MA courses

2008-06-27T07:44:00.001-07:00

I found out yesterday that I have successfully passed all my MA courses this year, and can now being working diligently on my dissertation. The dissertation will concern the military "vicus," or small-scale settlement, that occurs outside auxiliary forts in Roman Britain. These settlements were of an unknown nature -- potentially planned by the military or perhaps organic outgrowths of civilian interest in the army's economic capability. For reasons of brevity I will be confining my examination to those forts that line the Northern frontier in Britain as laid out by Hadrian. Many of the forts along Hadrian's Wall are still very well preserved and new finds appear with each summer's excavation. There is a good summary of the information on Hadrian's Wall on wikipedia.

So in the midst of training for Henley and for Canada this summer, I will be spending all available time in the library in order to make my contribution to the scholarship on military vici.

LRC news: The Met

2008-06-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

The Metropolitan Regatta took place from May 31-June 1, and the racing went quite well for members of the London Rowing Club. In the 4- I have been racing with, we managed to win the S1 4- on Saturday in a barn burner of a race against the Lea RC and Grosvenor RC, edging our nose across the line first in a final push in the last 150 meters. On Sunday, we raced in the Elite 4- category, and managed a 2nd place finish, behind a boat which included Olympic Champion Kieran West in the 3 seat, as well as other GB Olympians from the 2004 squad. We crossed the line in a time of 6:16 seconds in essentially flat conditions, roughly 3.5 seconds behind the winners.
There is a video online of the final 400 meters of the Saturday S1 race -- to see it just follow the link below:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oeeThmL9Mnw
There are also some great photos of the event up on www.dodsworld.com, a site featuring the photography of the LRC's own Iain 'Dods' Weir. Just select the Met Saturday Men's 4- album.

KCL coursework and dissertation

2008-06-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have now completed all the coursework for the year, and handed it in as of last Monday (2nd June). The process of submitting the essays itself was not without some stressful moments, trying to fix a couple of minor errors at the last second, while searching for an appropriate place to print out the roughly 360 pages of research as well as filling out the cover sheets for each one...
But now it is all in the hands of the department, and I have had a couple of meetings with my dissertation adviser about the nature of my upcoming work. It will be a study of the process of urbanization as it relates to the Roman fort complex in Britain. First, however, I have given my brain a bit of a break and relaxed for a couple of days. Planning to begin my studies at the end of the week by reassuming my traditional place in the library pictured above.

KCL courses update -- essays complete

2008-05-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

After another full day in the library, I have managed to finish the last of the essays and am now ready to being editing the drafts and prepping them for submission on Monday of next week.
Many of the essays need accompanying figures and illustrations, so that is my job for the next three days, as well as printing and binding them for submission to the KCL Classics Dept. Two copies of each are to be turned in, and given that it costs about 10p per page that is going to be a costly affair. But hey -- it's not often you're submitting your coursework for a master's program in London...

KCL courses update

2008-05-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

Coming up on the due date (June 2) for all my short essays (4,000 words each), and have beung the last one earlier today. The essay is a case study on the Arch of Constantine in Rome (pictured in an earlier post -- from the trip to Rome in November of last year) Want to try to finish, or come as close to finishing as possible by tomorrow evening, so that I can have all of next week to revise, add figures and pictures, and properly bind them all. Have also begun to talk more and more with my dissertation adviser (John Pearce), and think that I am going to focus my studies on Roman forts in Britain come summer. The dissertation will be approximately 20,000 words, and the submission date is September 15.
Have been commuting into town on the tube each day with Zoe as she goes to work, spending the day in the library and then picking her up on the way home. The picture shows Senate House, University of London, which houses the ICS (Institute of Classical Studies) Library.

LRC news

2008-05-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

The last two weeks have been all about putting in the mileage at low rates to build up more of a physiological base for the summer racing, culminating in the Henley Royal Regatta in the first week of July. Have done multiple 3 x 6k workouts, rate 18-20, recording splits in the 1:51-1:52 range, as well as sessions on the Tideway of greater length at lower cadences (I think we put in about 60-70k over the weekend in four practices, rowing from Putney all the way to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament). Nice when you get to be a tourist while rowing.
The picture included here is another one from the Ghent regatta, taken by out assistant coach James "Kranky" Waite.

Ghent 2008

2008-05-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

Traveled to Ghent, Belgium this week along with members of the London RC to compete in the annual international regatta there held on both Saturday and Sunday. Raced along with the same crew as the Wallingford Regatta, with better results all the way around. The crew (Kitch, Bell, Gilfillan and Hayes) were entered in the Men's Open Coxless Four on both days, and took home two silver medals when all was said and done. The weather was fantastic, though the narrow lanes and strong headwind provided a real challenge for the steersman Hayes, who did an excellent job getting the boat down the course. The lightweight contingent from London did quite well, as did the single scullers, bringing home two golds and multiple silvers among them. The heavy 8, which looks to be a very promising group and has showed itself to be all year, struggled a little bit in finding their speed together -- something that takes time and patience. They showed excellent speed at Wallingford, and will be looking to build on that in the next few weeks of training.
Again, I've had to borrow two images of the racing from a local website, http://www.nlroei.nl/Fotoboek-album-518.html

KCL/LRC Update

2008-05-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

Have been spending most days at Senate House lately, in Bloomsbury, cooped up in the ICS (Institute of Classical Studies) Library hunched over a big pile of books and a laptop. Have three more essays to write and three weeks to do them, along with racing with the LRC at the upcoming Ghent regatta in Belgium this weekend. We raced in the Wallingford regatta this past weekend, held at Dorney Lake and marking the first race of the regatta season. There were a large number of London entries, and I raced in the Senior 1 4- and Elite 4- categories, along with the three guys I have been training with for a few weeks now, Ciaran, Matt and Goof (Richard). We won the heat for the S1 race, but underachieved a bit in the final, placing third behind a Molesey crew and our own LRC top lightweight 4- (who are going quite well lately). The Elite race was a different story, however, and we managed a close second, behind a boat containing two Olympic gold medalists and two of the GB U23 rowing team. So now we have our first three 2,000 meter races under our belts, and are looking to build on lessons learned this Saturday and Sunday in Ghent.
Unfortunately, I don't have any of my own pictures of the Wallingford races, but the picture above is from a British rowing and sports photography website.

Seville training camp, April 18-27

2008-05-07T12:11:00.001-07:00

Training camp was a challenge, with two and three rowing sessions on the water each day for eight days (much like a collegiate training camp), but it was also a fantastic time, getting to know the guys (and gals) on the team better, and starting to gel well as crews. The weather was rough for the first couple of days, with rain squalls moving over the course and some high winds. However, by day three the weather was clearing and the rest of camp was spent in what felt like glorious southern California sunshine. I spent most of camp rowing in the 4-, along with Matt, Goof, and Ciaran. Matt had to take off after five days of training, though, so Ciaran and I rowed a 2- for the remainder. On Wednesday, we enjoyed the afternoon off (after just two sessions) and gathered together in a small square just north of la Giralda, for a pitcher or two of Sangria. Some of the pictures here are from that afternoon/evening. On Saturday (the final day of camp), Pete and I managed to make it out to Italica (see below), and spend some time out "on the lash" with the team later on that night. Let's just say things might have gotten a little out of hand...
More later (will post a more complete review of training camp after composing something for the London website).
Some of these photos are courtesy of Tom Killick.

Italica

2008-05-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

After training camp, Pete and I sneaked off (with the Captain's permission) to the nearby ancient city of Italica, now a dead city but a fantastic archaeological site with some great mosaics. Especially nice since I have been studying ancient mosaics throughout the course at King's. Here are a couple of shots, showing the interior of some of the more aristocratic houses and the stunning amphitheater. More to come...

LRC news

2008-04-07T04:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend marked the first weekend of seat racing at the LRC. The racing is to help determine lineups based on relative speed in order to put together crews for the Henley Royal Regatta (for more info on the HRR, see http://www.hrr.co.uk/) coming up in the first week of July. Four-man boats compete in 1500m pieces, making lineup switches. For example, two boats will race, to determine a margin. Then the two-seat of one boat will switch with the two seat of the other, and the boats will race again. If there is a difference in the margin, it is recorded as a difference in speed between the two oarsmen. The racing is difficult, and on this weekend we did a total of 8 races (5 Saturday and 3 Sunday). As of yet I am not sure what the boats for the HRR are going to be, and I think it is best not to think about it. Right now it is just about doing the best you can through all the races, and then seeing where you end up come training camp in Seville (in just under two weeks time).
One funny note on the weekend was the inch of snow that coated the ground yesterday morning. Dorney Lake was a veritable winter wonderland. It was pretty sweet getting into a snowball fight in April, though -- not many places where that kind of thing is possible.

Covent Garden and buskers

2008-04-02T05:14:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of shots from my favorite place in the city -- I know it might be kind of touristy at times but, as usual, there is a reason lots of people want to see it. Fantastic place to sit, write, think, read, and have a cuppa tea in the afternoon. And plenty of music to listen to and shows going on in front of St. Paul's to keep a guy entertained.

dramatic skies and blossoms

2008-04-01T15:01:00.001-07:00

Some shots from around the area, with all the flowering trees that have just now found it warm enough to come out -- there are a surprising number of magnolia trees about, in what I thought might be too cold a climate for them. But then, I'm not exactly a botanist. Or arborist. Whatever. You don't have to be a meteorologist to appreciated those clouds though...

crazy weather of late...

2008-04-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

Well, today was a fantastic day, as I'll be sure to post later, but Easter weekend featured the first snow we have had here all year, and though it didn't get quite cold enough to stick, it was snowing consistently -- something different to wake up and see out the window! Fortunately, we had the weekend away from rowing, so we weren't out there in it the way I hear they are at places like Cornell (recently read that they had a 1 hour delay before a dual race due to "ice").

LRC VIIIs Head Report

2008-03-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

The HORR this year was marked by unusually nice conditions on the Thames, and a record number of LRC VIIIs competing in the regatta. Two Spanish crews from the race in Galicia (Astillero and Vigo) came across for the event, and finished very well. London 1, staring 5th, had what everyone felt was a mediocre race, and the result reflected the feeling. Tough to say what exactly went wrong, but the timing was an issue that made the boat heavier than was manageable at the front end over a 4.25 mile course. We ended up finishing 20th overall (of 420), but had hopes of being in the top 10. I think given our best race, we could have done. The effort was there, but unfortunately we did not quite achieve to our potential as a crew (now I sound like John Wooden).
Pete's VIII finished up quite well, starting 78th and coming across at 37th overall. For full results follow this link: http://www.kingston.ac.uk/~kx21229/finish.htm

In other news, we had a 2k test on the erg once again this evening. Haven't been feeling well the last two days, but it is partly just the let down from the winter peak for the HORR. Also, haven't been on the erg much at all of late, since I have been spending all my time rowing on the water. Still, managed a quicker score than in January, and again feel that I could have gone faster. Next time I will need to be more aggressive out of the gates.
Broke down like this:
1:36.9
1:37.1
1:37.0
1:35.8
For a total of a 1:36.7 and a 6:26.8 overall time.
We have this weekend off for Easter, and then we are back at it with seat racing at Dorney Lake coming up the following week.

Also, here is a link to a story from local news in Galicia (agalega television) on our race. The video is on the left hand side. It should begin automatically, but if it doesn't just hit play to see us rowing, including an interview (in Spanish) with our coxswain Jas (while I sit sheepishly in the background): http://www.agalega.info/videos/?emi=1946&corte=2008-03-09&hora=15:18:24&canle=tvg1

LRC news

2008-03-10T17:21:00.000-07:00

This video courtesy of the Rowing Marseille head coach. It shows the final 250 meters of the 6.5 k race, with us coming up alongside a Portuguese VIII that had started roughly 60 seconds before us. You can hear the announcer mention us by name as "London Rowing Club de Londres" over the loud speaker. Look for the little guy in 6 seat.

This coming weekend (March 15) the HORR (VIIIs Head of the River Regatta) is coming up, marking the major race of the winter season. There are more than 400 crews lined up to compete this weekend, with 10 VIIIs racing under the London RC aegis alone. The lineup for the race will be much the same as that from Galicia, with two switches. I've been fortunate enough to make the crew, and am looking forward to maximizing our potential on Saturday morning. More details to follow.

trip to the V&A museum, and cookin'

2008-03-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

Zoe and I had a nice trip out to the V&A last Saturday, and thencame back with some supplies for cooking that evening. She came up with a fantastic ginger and garlic salmon wrapped in parchment paper with mashed potatoes and an herb salad. The pictures don't do it, or her, justice. Followed all that up with a delicious apple crumble. Good stuff.
Also, notice the new LRC kit that she has already adopted. Well, at least I got to enjoy it myself for about 24 hours. Okay...more like 18 hours.

Fishbourne Roman Archaeological Site

2008-03-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

Went on an official KCL Classics field trip the other day, to the Roman site at Fishbourne (on the coast to the south, near to Portsmouth). The Roman site is not well preserved from a superstructure standpoint, but the stratigraphic evidence is outstanding, allowing for accurate dating and differentiation between periods. The site was first used as a military post, perhaps by Vespasian, during the invasion of Britain in 43 AD under Claudius. It was subsequently built up into a palatial residence, and occupied over the next 200 years until it was destroyed by fire. The mosaics preserved there are some of the best in Britain, and I include some shots of them here. The image at the bottom is of Roman nails, found at the site. Notice the layering of mosaic pavement on top of mosaic pavement as well, in the second photo from the top -- much like laying new tile over an old bathroom floor (perhaps more beautiful here though!).

Open de las Naciones, 2008

2008-03-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

The following is what I've written and submitted for the LRC website (with a few additions)-- not sure if this is exactly how they'll want to publish it but it has all the information on the results! The picture at the top is from a local website -- I will reference it more properly when I have the information.

London RC Race Report: Open de las Naciones, Galicia, Spain, March 1-2, 2008

Last weekend the London RC 1st VIII traveled to Northwest Spain to race in the second annual Open de las Naciones, in order to race 22 other clubs including members of the Romanian and Spanish national teams. The London crew contained most of the oarsmen who made up the London VIII that recently defeated Thames RC in the Boustead Cup, with Stellos O’Connor and Alex Hagger making up the bow pair, a middle four composed of Al Cordey, Iain Edmondson, Andrew Wiklund and Bryan Kitch, and Rees Ward backing up Ciaran Hayes’ rhythm at stroke. Jasmine Kwan doubled as both coxswain and interpreter for the regatta officials, even translating from Spanish to French at times, and earned quite a reputation for her troubles.
Upon arrival in Ourense, Galicia, the crew, along with Head Coach Paul Reedy, were asked to attend a press conference with the other competitors in the town hall, where they were introduced to both the mayor and the local cuisine (which turned out to be boiled octopus -- see picture). The following day, the racing began with a 1000 meter piece, divided into heats of 4-5 boats. The finish times determined the starting position for the 6.5 k race the following day. The course and the conditions were beautiful, with glassy water and little to no wind. Based on what the crew felt was a lack-luster performance, London earned the 8th starting position out of 23 crews.
Rather than allowing the previous day to dampen their spirits, London took the opportunity to learn from the 1 k time trial and put that knowledge to good use in the distance race. Each boat set off from a standing start, with 30 second intervals between the crews. From the first stroke of the piece, the muscle of the London VIII backed up Ciaran Hayes’ excellent rhythm, establishing a quality base and setting up a powerful sprint. As they crossed the finish line, London were passing two of the crews that had started before, while putting lengths into the those following. Everyone was pleased with the effort, and the turn around from the day before, but Coach Reedy perhaps summed it up best, saying, “ehh, that was all right.”
When the results were posted, London finished 4th overall in a time of 20 minutes and 4 seconds, behind Astillero (successfully defending their title from last year), the Romanian squad members, and Vigo respectively. This result earned London RC third place among club teams, and the crew was presented with medals and a plaque made of autochthonous materials to bring home to the clubhouse. Everyone greatly enjoyed the experience, and expressed that they hoped to return for next year’s regatta.
The London 1st VIII will get a rematch against both Vigo and Astillero next week, in the HORR.

LRC news

2008-02-26T14:02:00.000-08:00

This coming weekend I will be heading out to Galicia (Northwest Spain) to a small town for a regatta along with an VIII from the club. Coach Reedy will be going with us, and the regatta begins with some kind of press conference on Friday when we arrive. Thanks to London RC's biography embellisher Pedro Muller, I supposedly speak seven languages, one of which is Swahili. I can't wait for someone to ask me about that in Spanish.
We leave via cab at 4am on Friday morning, have a day of training and then race over a 6.5 km course against a field that will include the Romanian national team, as well as the Polish. The rest of the competition will be made up of a series of Iberian clubs that include Spanish national team members.
Not totally sure what to expect, but it should be a good time. The rough part is that I can't take Zoe with me as it is an all-expenses-paid trip and the hosts are providing lodging for the crews. The crew set to race is:

cox: Jasmine Kwan
stroke: Bryan Kitch
7: Rees Ward (Wardy)
6: Ciaran Hayes
5: Al Cordey
4: Iain Edmondson (Sheepie)
3: Andrew Wiklund (Wiko)
2: Alex Hagger
bow: Steve O'Connor (Steve O)

Pete will be racing this weekend as well, in the Hammersmith Head, in what should be a quick VIII. The race goes from Chiswick Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge (roughly 3.2 miles). The lineup looks like this:

cox: Jess
stroke: Ben Green
7: Iain Weir (Dods)
6: Sam Ford
5: Alex Fothergill (Fothers)
4: Simon French (Frenchy)
3: Pipe
2: Ollie Loveday
bow: Pete Frings (Fringes)

LRC Annual Dinner

2008-02-18T04:14:00.000-08:00

Friday night marked the annual dinner at the LRC, which was host to some of the most important figures in rowing in the UK and the Commonwealth. The British LWT4- combination that won the World Championships last year in Munich was in attendance, as well as the head coach of the British Lightweight Rowing program (both men's and women's). At the center of the main table stood the Boustead Cup, perhaps by design immediately in front of the head coach of the Thames Rowing Club. The dinner was quite good, and Zoe and I shared a table with Pete, Suze, Wiko, Tori, Peter (another one), Pring and his girlfriend. There were several speeches following the meal, accompanied in most British fashion by "a selection of cheeses."
Afterward, the event moved to the Fairbairn room, where coaches and rowers alike enjoyed a pint or two, in support of the club, of course.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day, from London. Here is Zoe in front of the Fortnum's window display.

Greatly relieved that Scott is fine despite his proximity to the awful happenings at NIU. Prayers go out to the families who lost loved ones, and truly grateful that Scott and Christine are both fine.

LRC news

2008-02-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

Workouts have been tough this week, including a wicked circuit of 40 different 1:20 exercises with 10 seconds of rest, and a 10x500m/1 min rest session. Managed a 1:37.2 avg on the 10x500m, which was where it was supposed to be, 0.5 above the last 2k test. have been out on the water Wednesday evening, Thursday morning and this morning, with another session tomorrow. Tonight marks the Annual Dinner, so Zoe will come and see the club for the first time in all its finery.

our first official review of the play!

2008-02-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

Our first review, from Cathy Mercer:
Review of Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus (King Oedipus)

6-8 February 2008

Oedipus Tyrannus is perhaps the best known and greatest of the Greek
tragedies. It has a lot to live up to but this excellent production did
Sophocles proud.

Everything in Gina Syers' production was spot-on, from the acting and chorus
to the set and music. Even the Greek was of a very high standard and the
succinct surtitles kept pace perfectly with the action.

It is very hard to pick out outstanding features in an outstanding
production. Bryan Kitch's Oedipus tackled his large part very well: sincere
yet understated, until we saw him writhing in pain in the final moving
scene. He even coped well with the audience's horrified gasps and sniggers
when he emerged bloody and blinded.

The singing of Jocasta and Oedipus was of a very high standard and
emphasised the dramatic highpoints. Benjamin Newton's musical underscore was
extremely effective in building up dramatic tension.

The chorus moved and spoke beautifully and as a team, even cleverly moulding
themselves into the shape of a temple pediment. Asher Levin's work on the
acting and interpretation should be congratulated.

The simple set was very effective: two huge columns which dwarfed the
characters yet dramatically crumbled to nothing in the final tragic scene.
The simple silky costumes in primary colours were very well set off by the
set's clinical white and the great black eyes of the chorus indicated their
sickness. Even the messengers were cleverly paired up in rustic brown.

Even the programme deserves a few words of congratulation, with its helpful
summary and programme notes. Instead of biographies, the cast list gave the
players' status within the classics department and this underlined the fact
that the 2008 KCL Greek Play was first and foremost a team effort, as are
all successful productions. The posters of past and present productions on
the back cover drew attention to the long standing tradition of the Greek
play at King's College. They also celebrated the work of the KCL Greek Play
Archive. My only small quibble is that the list of past plays was missing
for once this year from the programme.

55 years of Greek plays in the original Greek is a tradition to be proud of
and the 2008 production lived up to its predecessors.

Cathy Mercer
Open University

Oedipus production shots

2008-02-12T12:29:00.001-08:00

Here are of couple of shots from the actual production, thanks to Ella for the photos. You can get a sense for the beautiful choreography of the chorus, who moved to the sound of live music from our string trio pictured at bottom. The picture at the top is of myself (Oedipus) facing up to Kreon (Miles) in a verbal fight that nearly becomes more than that. Lot of fun that one, ha.
I will try and post some more as soon as I ca, but this certainly gives you the sense for the look of the stage and the production as a whole. It was entirely made up of students with connections to the classics department, everything from the musicians to the people stitching the costumes and applying the make-up. Again, I was really impressed with everyone's hard work, and had such a great time doing it that I might have to consider taking on more acting in the future. I would certainly have an excellent teacher in my father, as well as friends like Victoria and Peter to guide me and a great critic in Zoe, who greatly enjoyed the performances (well, so she says).

For Hilary

2008-02-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

Oedipus Tyrannus

2008-02-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

(Thanks to Cailtin, Jenny and Mary for the photos)
The play, highly anticipated and certainly well rehearsed, went extremely well, and proved to be one of the most fun and exciting things I have yet done over here. Everyone really drew together and committed themselves to the production, and the result was a play that the head of the King's College Classics Department praised as "the best production in a number of years." The reviews from alumni and audience members were much the same, which was extremely gratifying. Zoe, who is settling in well, came to two of the performances, as did my father, and both together on the final evening. It was a lot of fun playing Oedipus, and just to top off a great week of friends and family, a whole boatload of people came from the London RC to see the final performance, coordinated by Pete and Rees. Had a fantastic party afterward at the Rose across from the theater. Thankfully, Rees is about 6'6", so he was capable of basically carrying me home, ha.
Didn't quite make it to training this morning...

More photos to come from the actual production. The play was recorded in its entirety on Thursday evening.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings were sell outs (350 person theater), while the matinees were roughly half full. So great crowds!

Boustead Cup Results

2008-02-05T23:49:00.000-08:00

(Thanks to Mark and Sam for the photos)
The following is from the London RC website:

Saturday 3rd of February saw the annual London versus Thames side by side showdown on the river Thames. This year's race was shortened due to adverse weather conditions with the crews racing from Chiswick to Hammersmith. Ironically despite the very poor conditions from Hammersmith down to Putney, the actual course on the day was pretty good and a strong tail looked likely to produce some fast times.

This year’s event consisted of two races and London was able to boat two strong crews drawing primarily on there Thames Cup group. In London I American stroke man Bryan Kitch was joined in the stern by recently lapsed vegetarian and Henley Winner Rees Ward. In bows Irish international Ciaran Hayes was joined by this fellow countryman Stellos O'Connor. With LRC I on Middlesex station a good start was going to be essential to take advantage of the first bend. As ever Great Britain cox Phelan Hill’s attention to detail was spot on and he got his crew off to an explosive start. Thames I responded well, however within 2 minutes LRC’s powerful middle began to motor and by Barnes Bridge London had a length of clear water, moving away in a strong rhythm. By the finish the gap had widened to an 'easily' margin (14secs). Afterwards 6ft 8" London 3 man Al Cordy was full of praise for the way both crews conducted the race "it was great to part of, full credit to Thames they made a great race of it, but I always felt we would come out on top once we established our rhythm."

Oedipus Tyrannus Rehearsals

2008-01-29T12:48:00.000-08:00

Rehearsals are going very well lately, and the weekend proved to be very fruitful indeed, from an acting / blocking standpoint. The lines are 99% there, and the play is shaping up to reach its potential. These are a couple shots of the workshop from this weekend -- the girl closing her eyes is Caitlin (she will play Teiresias and will therefore be blind for the play).
Also, note the sweet t-shirt.

The play opens on Wednesday of next week (Feb. 6), so it is time to fine tune and bring the final product to the table!
Another full run-through tomorrow night.

Thanks to James Selby-Mascherpa for the photos.

Congratulations to the whole IR family!

2008-01-28T09:53:00.000-08:00

(Thanks to Gaia for the photo)

I heard from the horse's mouth (that horse being Josh, of course) how well everyone did and how great the turn out was for the Long Beach Erg Sprints, and let me just say I am "quite proud." I was expecting great things, but I must say my own expectations were surpassed by your performance. Great to see, even from a distance.

I'll be thinking about you guys for the Boustead Cup coming up this weekend!

More on Oedipus to follow.

January 2k Test

2008-01-21T11:17:00.000-08:00

Had another 2k test today, and it broke down like this:

1:37.1
1:37.2
1:37.2
1:35.9

For a total of a 6:27.3, and a 1:36.8 avg/500m. So not too bad, getting back toward the college scores, which is good. And that following a weekend of non-stop racing/practices/rehearsals. Reedy seemed fine with it, which is the most important part, ha. Henley was definitely on my mind coming into the last 250 meters...
So all my Indo-Rowers -- no excuses now! ha

Kind of a funny story from practice the other morning -- As we rounded the bend going underneath Hammersmith Bridge, it occurred to me that though I was out on the Thames, I had a South African behind me in the 3 seat, an Irishman in 2, an Australian in bow, with an Australian coach, a Portuguese assistant coach, in a German boat (empacher) with American oars (Concept 2). Not an single English person/thing involved.

Rehearsals

2008-01-21T11:01:00.000-08:00

Rehearsals are beginning to pick up, and we are making significant improvements here in the last 2 and 1/2 weeks before the production opens. I am hoping that it realizes the potential it has -- people have been doing an excellent job learning lines and the acting will be solid I believe.
The weekends are dedicated largely to rehearsals at this point, though I have managed to get practices with London RC in as well prior meeting to work on the play.
Just to give an idea --
Saturday was London RC practice 0700 -- technical work (roughly 10 miles)
1000 -- timed piece from Barnes Bridge to the Club (roughly 3.5 mile course, but another 4 miles of warm up)
1330 -- Meet at King's to work on the play. First scriptless run through of the play, with much to work on, but parts ready.
1830 -- Conclude rehearsal, get ready to do it all over again the next day.

Back across the pond...

2008-01-11T01:57:00.000-08:00

Having been here for less than a week, I have already had lectures, discussions about paper topics for the upcoming months, plenty of time spent learning lines for the Greek play (which is going to be a monster to pull off -- so far I have much still to learn, and less than a month to do so, perhaps explaining my reluctance to spend time on the computer lately...).
Have also had a 30 minute test at rate 20 once again at the LRC, this time ending up with a 1:48.1 (.5 better than last time on the avg/500m), and last night did an 80 minute weight circuit at the club. One thing popped into my head as I was walking across Putney Bridge the other night -- here I am in London, and I am going to do a punishing workout in a corrugated metal shed with a leaky roof along with a bunch of guys from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland -- we must really love this sport! ha. It is definitely a much needed release after hours of time spent trying to memorize Sophocles.
One of those days that lets you know you're doing it right.

Happy Holidays!

2008-01-11T01:49:00.000-08:00

Hope that everyone had a great Holiday and wishing everyone a Happy 2008! I had an amazingly busy trip home, and had the opportunity to see many of those I have been missing for the past three months!
Thanks to all my IR friends for coming out and supporting your long lost coach after such a break. It was great seeing all of you -- and remember, I will be keeping my eye out on the Long Beach Sprints!

III Gran Abierto de Andalusia, part 1

2008-01-11T01:12:00.000-08:00

The Third Grand Open of Andalusia was a great time, and a great break from the frigid temperatures we were enduring in London. The course follows a beautiful, calm, straight patch of the Guadalquivir, and there are three bridges along the way (certainly good as place markers). Pete and I raced together in two events -- the 4- and the 8+ -- and Pete raced a third in the 2- (along with Ollie Loveday). The results were quite good for the crews, placing 11th of 38 in the 2-, 7th of 40 (in a field including the Irish LWT National Team, as well as the Spanish Nat'l Team), and 6th of 22 in the 8+ (though, as we later discovered, only 3 seconds from 3rd). There are definitely things we can work on, but a solid performance overall, especially given the somewhat strange rigging of the Spanish boats we were using, and the lack of any wiring or mic for the coxswain in the 8 (apparently they just steer in Spain).

III Gran Abierto de Andalusia, part 2

2008-01-11T00:51:00.000-08:00

Had plenty of time to wander around the beautiful city -- especially the area surrounding the Cathedral and La Giralda. As we went about town we were certainly noticeable in our distinctive Henley blazers, and I had to try and explain (in Spanish) several times to the good folks around town. In keeping with the stereotype, there are orange trees everywhere in the heart of town, and we all had a glass or two of orange wine (much like a port in terms of sweetness and consistency) beneath those trees in the street with a view of the bell tower. Not too shabby. Why aren't all regattas like this?
The good news is, London RC holds in training camp here in April -- should be a great time...

Jack Frost nipping at your oars

2007-12-13T00:50:00.001-08:00

Got out OTW (on the water) this morning for a spin in the 4- that we are going to be racing on Sunday, from stern to bow Kitch, Wiklund, Baldwin, Frings. The first shot is of Pete, Wikko and Balders trying to keep warm -- note the ice on the ground. It was 26 degrees F when we pushed off this morning.
So, as I said, we were out in a 4- (the shot of the 8 isn't us -- and if it were, we would have better bladework, ha), but managed to get done with all that training rubbish in time to get some pictures!
Another thing to note -- Pete's refusal to purchase Wellingtons for a mere 10 pounds. Unbelievable.
We take off for Seville this afternoon. Just finished the third and final paper due this term last night, after a full run through of the Greek Play, which went quite well I thought (run time 90 minutes).
Can't wait for that Spanish weather!

A day in the life...

2007-12-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

630am -- wake up briefly to speak with Zoe before she goes to sleep.
925am -- wake up for the second time only to realize that I have overslept and need to dash to the train. Hop on the bike and ride down to Putney Station, and take the 1010am train to Windsor and Eton Riverside.
1015am -- train actually arrives. Study some lines from Oedipus as I head out to Egham.
1045am -- train arrives at Staines, switch trains and get on the 1050 (delayed) to Weybridge. First stop is Egham.
1100am -- meet Alice at the train station (she was also late this morning), and she shows me the quicker way up the hill -- a route she knows since she did her undergraduate work at RHUL.
1115am-1200pm -- Lecture on the Roman military in the city, the Praetorian guard and other urban military units
1200-200pm -- seminar on the same subjects, looking at ancient sources (mostly in translation). Turn in first paper on the Arch of Titus from historical and archaeological perspectives.
215pm -- lunch at the Royal Holloway dorms with Alice and Dan. Last week played a couple of games of pool with Dan in the RHUL student union, but no time this week as everyone is working on papers.
323pm -- train from Egham to London Waterloo. Attempt to study but wind up sleeping. Wake up at Waterloo station at 405pm.
410pm -- Hop on the Northern line from Waterloo to Leicester Square, change to the Picadilly Line, Eastbound to Holdborn.
430pm -- walk past the British Museum on the way to Senate House, where the ICS (Institute of Classical Studies) Library is located. Bring computer to work on paper due this week (ancient mosaics -- the subject is the use of common visual vocabulary and widely known images in a variety of media, as evidenced by a particular Athenian sculptural group known as the Tyrannicides of Kritios and Nesiotes). Work until library closes.
600pm -- ICS closes, back on the tube at Russel Square (Picadilly Line). Take the tube to Earl's Court, and change to the District Line (Wimbledon train).
645pm -- arrive at the Putney Bridge tube stop, get off and walk south across Putney Bridge, down the embankment to the London Rowing Club.
700pm -- change into rowing kit, and talk to Coach Reedy about the match races we did with Cambridge yesterday (stroked one of the LRC VIII's, matched up against a Cambridge crew that featured one of my friends from the NYAC), as part of their prep for the trial VIII's tomorrow. Pete arrives at the club and goes out to practice in his 2- which he will race, along with our VIII, in Seville this weekend.
715pm -- begin 3 x 6k workout, at rate 18. Manage a 1:52.3, 1:52.6 and 1:52.5 -- not as strong as the last time, but feeling a little exhausted after the racing yesterday.
845pm -- Leave the LRC, and walk up through Putney with Pete, stop and grab a sandwich for dinner.
930pm -- arrive at the flat, and write this entry.

Conclusion -- things are busy, and I sure spend a lot of time on the train these days. Quite a switch from Los Angeles, where it is warm and public transportation is a thing people talk about in cafes, like "equality" in salon culture, ha.

Somerset House

2007-12-08T15:41:00.000-08:00

Advent

2007-12-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

Things have really begun to feel like Christmas here (not to mention look like it), and I have been soaking it up as much as possible, being that usually Christmas weather in LA is warmer than an English summer. Some things to enjoy around Covent Garden -- a hot cup of cider, a warm pasty filled with something like "steak and guiness" or "turkey and cranberries", and buskers galore. There is nearly always some kind of performance going on these in the covered market these days, and most of what I have seen has been of excellent quality (anything from acrobatics, like the short video here, to string quartets and operatic signing).
Also, Pete and I went to the Advent service at the King's College Chapel on Friday evening, where they performed by candlelight. It was truly beautiful, and heart-wrenchingly so, because I wanted so badly for Mom to see it. Perhaps she did. I often feel her with me, these days.

traipsin' about the town

2007-12-02T12:06:00.000-08:00

So yesterday, following a fantastically long and arduous set of rowing practices, as best suit a Saturday morning, I managed to get myself up and out of the flat, and head into town in time to make it to the ICS library prior to closing time (430pm). Of course, by then it was already dark, and had been for about 45 minutes. Perhaps I exaggerate, a little.
I was pretty pleased with myself for actually accomplishing my self-imposed task, so I thought it fit to celebrate with a bit of a night out, as best I could manage anyway, being by myself. First, I headed down to Covent Garden, in time to catch a huge crowd of people watching a circus-act in one of the covered markets, and soon I was gawking along with the rest of them as I munched away on a chicken and vegetable pasty. After the grand finale, I then walked over to the open square in front of St. Paul's Church, and listened to a chap sing some very folksy songs (thankfully, though, he was quite good, and so added greatly to the "xmas atmos," rather than crooning away like one of the other million or so Eric Clapton wanabees who normally subject onlookers, afraid to make eye-contact, to their renditions of the "classics"). Apparently a song of his was recently in a movie featuring Kevin Costner...
Just as I was going up to apologize to him, I dropped a two-pound coin on the ground. Considering that is about 5 bucks these days (going on 10), I thought it better worth my time to hunt around for it on my hands and knees, amid the general hustle and bustle. I've included a short video here to give a sense for the situation.
When I did manage to find the coin, naturally, I immediately devised a way of spending it. I was off to the local cookie place, Ben's, to fork over some cash for one of their over-size bakes. After stuffing my face with chocolate and dough, I went down to the Coal Hole, fast becoming my favorite place to hang out on the Strand, and ordered myself a half pint of cider, just the way every burly, manly man would when he approached the bar. Swigged the cider, enjoyed the warmth for a minute or two, and then I was back on the streets, thinking of an appropriately Christmas-y way to idle away another hour or so. I stopped and bought a bag of roasted chesnuts -- yes roasted on one of those coverless fires, you know the sort -- and, being a man perhaps best characterized as prideful to a fault, I was loathe to ask how they might properly be consumed. After chomping through two shells worth of chestnut debris, I figured out that you could just pop them out of the casing. Being on my own, however, I wasn't in danger of becoming the butt of jokes -- just in danger of smiling at someone with chestnut detritus adorning my teeth. Not that I was in danger of anyone smiling at me, since the English as a race don't seem to believe in that sort of thing (insert dental hygiene joke here). But in all seriousness, smiling at strangers is simply not done here. Instead, the practice is to regard others with that truly British countenance that is somewhere between smelling something off, and disdain. In fact, if one were to walk into a room, where there were two English chaps getting, lets say, the elements of a continental breakfast together, one would be struck by the deep, awkward silence that seems to be the chosen refuge of the Brit in unfamiliar circumstances. No one would talk. That kind of thing drives the American in me crazy, so I end up striking up conversation with the sour-faced chap in the tweed and the ill-fitting button-down shirt just to avoid it. And the thing is, once they start talking, they are very nice people. As Pete might suggest -- the trick is to get the ball rolling. Try on the tea cozy, for example.

Oedipus update

2007-11-29T13:37:00.000-08:00

Now have an official flyer and poster is on the way. The flyer is based on the poster, which I designed/drew last weekend. The text was then added by the director and producer. Apparently they are being printed up over the weekend for distribution beginning on Monday.
Both front and back of the flyer are pictured here.
Rehearsals are going well, but I am feeling pretty overwhelmed by it all at the moment. It is certainly going to be a challenge to learn all 600 lines, but I am going to give it the old college try.

LRC news

2007-11-27T15:02:00.000-08:00

workout for Tuesday 27 November:
3x6k, rate 18

1:50.4, 1:50.6, 1:50.2

Then went back to the flat and ate as much as I could, while watching an episode or two of Entourage -- just California dreamin' I guess. Amazing how fogged up the boathouse gets when all the guys are on the erg at the same time -- and since the gym at the LRC is basically made out of corrugated metal, it gets pretty cold. You can see the steam rising off your arms as you come forward on the slide.

Field Trip to Verulamium (St. Alban's)

2007-11-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

Today marked the AR09 field trip to the Roman site at St. Alban's (named for the chap who was martyred in the Roman town some time around the beginning of the 3rd century AD), and I was very impressed with what it had to offer. The museum itself is very well put together, and contains some of the best-preserved romano-british mosaics yet known (there are also several left in situ on the sites of the former aristocratic houses which they once decorated). The medieval and modern town lie to the east of the Roman one, occupying what used to be the Roman cemetery. The church is made of a composite of Roman building materials from different public structures throughout the town (this is most obvious in the tower above the crossing). Here are a couple of shots of the grounds, as well as one of the mosaics.
Where the mosaic is damaged you can see part of the hypocaust substructure that heated the room -- though this was not confined to the flooring, as there are terra cotta pipes running up into the walls as well. Truly a luxurious home.
Two other things to note: first, the shot across the green to the church shows the current state of the Roman town -- essentially it is an archaeological park. It remains a field for preservation, as often the best way to preserve archaeological remains is to re-bury them after documenting the evidence from the dig. Second, the shot with the full moon rising was taken at just after 430pm.

LRC news -- 2k test 20 November

2007-11-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

The 2k test on Tuesday went well, and managed a 6:27.9 (1:36.9 avg/500m), with a last 500m of 1:35.3. Coaches were happy so I was pleased as well. Chuffed even. Pete also did well, beating his previous record, and the whole team performed strongly, giving us a good outlook going into winter training.

Happy Thanksgiving from London!

2007-11-23T13:16:00.001-08:00

Hoping that everyone had a great Thanksgiving over in the US, and want to reassure everyone back home that we ate a frightening amount once again, in keeping with the double Thanksgiving-Day challenge.

winter arrives at Somerset House

2007-11-16T14:14:00.000-08:00

The ice-skating has just opened at Somerset House, just as the temperatures begun to flirt with freezing(so far it has been relatively mild). This morning the thermometer read 32 degrees F as I left the flat, and it didn't improve much during the day. So tomorrow morning I get to see what it feels like to row through it, ha.
The second shot shows Covent Garden in its current "Disney-on-ice" garb.

Kingston Small Boats Head, 24 November -- change of plan

2007-11-16T14:06:00.000-08:00

Coach Paul Reedy decided to forgo racing in the larger sweep boats for the Kingston Head, though there will be a team of scullers representing the club tomorrow morning. Instead we have begun to focus on work in 8's already, in preparation for some practices with Cambridge in the upcoming weeks, as well as racing in Seville in mid-December.
Workouts have been going well, but tough. Circuit training on Thursday nights has been increasingly difficult, and the "pain train" (weight circuit) which finishes it off each time has proved a longer and longer trip. Had another 30 minute test at a rate 20 on Monday, and managed a 1:48.7 this time around.
A second 2k test is coming up next week.

KCL courses

2007-11-16T13:57:00.000-08:00

Have been getting a bit overwhelmed of late, what with the amount of papers and rehearsals upcoming, not to mention rowing practice 6 days a week (with double days on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays). But I have started everything, so now it is a manner of making sure I carry it all through to the finish. Thinking about it, I am actually in better shape, most likely, than I ever was at UCLA, when I made a point of leaving everything until the last minute. It would be difficult to convince anyone that I have truly changed, however (myself included, ha). Wish me luck!

St. Peter's

2007-11-16T13:50:00.000-08:00

After we finished on our archaeological tour of the city, I ran off to try and see some of the most famous places in Rome before I needed to jump on the plane back to London. I didn't make it into the basilica, since the line predicted a 2 hour wait, but I did pause in front long enough to do a sketch, and try to take it all in. Then I was off to the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Piazza Cavour (which was, unfortunately for me anyway, under construction), and then back to the Piazza Navona (formerly the Circus of Domitian).

The Tiber

2007-11-16T13:48:00.000-08:00

The Pantheon

2007-11-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

One of the very last stops on our tour, the Pantheon was well worth the wait. It is a striking structure, not only for its shape, but also for its state of preservation (the bronze doors are originals, daring to the 2nd century AD), as well as the numerous exotic marbles which make up its interior decoration. There is no better way to get a sense for the feel of an antique, Roman building. This is one.
It is Hadrian's rebuild of a structure built by Agrippa (hence the inscription), but Hadrian, in a great show of modesty and piety, decided to leave out any mention of himself, instead preferring to preserve Agrippa's inscription.
I came back to the Pantheon two more times that afternoon before having to climb into a taxi for the return to London. There really is just no place like it.

the Column of Marcus Aurelius

2007-11-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

This beautiful and well-preserved monument stands in the aptly named Piazza Colonna in the Campus Martius, not far from the Pantheon in Rome. The column clearly emulates that of Trajan, with its continuous frieze running the length of the column -- this time portraying Germanic rather than Dacian opponents.
In the second shot you can see a pontoon bridge running along the bottom register.

the Ara Pacis

2007-11-13T17:13:00.000-08:00

This beautiful Augustan monument, now heavily restored, was moved from its original position to one designed for it very close to the Mausoleum of Augustus. The museum which houses it is also very striking, and just as I was remarking that it reminded me of the Getty in Los Angeles, I read that it was designed by the same architect who recently remodeled the UCLA Broad Art Center.

via appia, columbarium

2007-11-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

Along the Appian Way, which runs to the southeast out from the Circus Maximus and into the hinterland some 200+ miles, there were the most notable ancient cemeteries in Rome. This example is a columbarium, which, though it is carved out into the ground and makes use of niches like a catacombe, is distinct in that it is made for cremation-style burials only, and is usually a single contained unit, built at one point in time. The one we visited is actually in the backyard of a rich modern villa (one of many which now line the Via Appia), and it is extremely well preserved. We were even to read many of the funerary inscriptions above the niches.

Ostia, part 3

2007-11-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

Another of those unbelievable streets, with the beautifully preserved apartment block, and in the above picture, me sitting on the steps to the republican temple of Hercules.

Ostia, part 2

2007-11-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

These images Ostia show the Caupona of Alexander (on the left side of the road -- the dip marks where the Porta Marina was located), in which the boxer mosaic is located (showing a contest between Alexander and Helix -- the caupona, or inn, is named for it). Below those is a shot of the Capitolium, which still rises up impressively from the Decumanus and the forum in front of it, and a glimpse of a taberna, at which someone wandering down this street like me could have leaned up against a counter and had a drink of spiced wine, or something to eat.

Ostia, part 1

2007-11-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

The ancient city of Ostia was once the key Roman port for all imports coming up the Tiber. It was abondoned in the 6th century AD, suffering much the same fate as Ephesus, since the maritime economy foundered as the harbor silted up, and malaria became a problem in the area. The result is an incredibly well-preserved Roman town, with two ormore stories of apartment blocks still standing in some areas. In my mind it is an even better place than Pompeii to get a sense for the feel of Roman streets, and it is only 30km from the heart of Rome.
Pictured here are a couple of the aforementioned apartment blocks, tesselated mosaics from the interior of a taberna and a bath complex, and the theater, which lies along the Decumanus Maximus (main road).

Museo della Civita Romana

2007-11-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

The eerily fascinating Museo della Civita Romana, outside the center of the city and built for a world's fair during the fascist period, is filled with excellent copies of antiquites, like this example of part of the frieze adorning Trajan's column. There are casts like this one for all the panels of the continuous frieze, which runs the length of the column, and seeing the casts allows you to get a much better feeling for the artwork than craning your neck at the monument or looking at photos ever could. There are also many scale models of ancient monuments in the museum, including the enormous model of the entire city of Rome as it appeared during the age of Constantine. The model is difficult to photograph effectively, but I gave it the old college try. This shot looks north, from the Aventine hill across the Circus Maximus to the Palatine and Capitol.

urban colors

2007-11-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

The Roman fondness for graffiti survives through to the present day, and no where is it more evident than in the subway (metro), where they have clearly not adopted New York's policy on cleanliness. Some of it, however, is striking, and I really enjoyed the stencils you can see here, which adorn a corner along the narrow Via de Chiavari near to our hotel.

some of the famous ones...

2007-11-12T15:56:00.000-08:00

It just wouldn't be a Roman holiday without the Spanish Steps (sorry), so I had to make sure and put in an appearance. The Piazza was well attended -- more so than I had expected in November, but it seems that, much like 40 is the new 30, November is the new August as far as large tour groups moving about Rome. Oh, and yes I did remember to throw a coin into the Trevi fountain. The second photo is my best attempt at getting me, Dan, Alice and Myrto into the same frame (managed okay, so ape-like arms do have their advantages I suppose -- just not when you are buying dress shirts).

view from the top

2007-11-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

After a long day of trudging around the fora of Rome, several of use decided to head up to the top of the Vittorio Emmanuel monument, which dominates the skyline atop the Capitoline Hill. At first I balked at the 7 euro fee (simply to ride the elevator up to the roof), as I have always been one who prefers to mover under his own power -- a clear example of this being my decision to hike up the stone road at Santorini rather than hire a donkey (a decision that put be at odds with all the donkey drivers bringing patrons down the road at frightening speed), but seeing as in this case there was no dangerous yet free option, I caved. And boy was I glad I did.

the imperial fora

2007-11-11T06:14:00.000-08:00

The imperial fora (yes, that is a fancy latin plural) extend to the east from the Republican forum, and were all linked together to form a massive ceremonial center and marketplace for the center of the empire. The pictures descend in chronological order, beginning with the Forum of Caesar, then the Augustan Forum, the Forum of Nerva (here the shot shows the road entering the space with its deep wheel ruts), and the Forum of Trajan, shown in the last two photos, with his column in one, and his arc-shaped markets that backed up against his forum in the other. There was likely another forum, built by Vespasian but dedicated to Pax (though it is referred to as the "Temple of Peace" due to a likely misidentification when it was unearthed).

the Republican forum

2007-11-09T13:48:00.000-08:00

The original forum of Rome, the Republican forum continued to be one of the central focal points of government throughout the history of the Roman Empire. The easiest way to orient yourself in the modern context is by looking at the arches which frame it -- to the south the arch of Titus, with its single span, and to the north the arch of Septimius Severus, with its tripartite gateway. Facing south, you can see the semi-complete colonnade porch of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina. The Senate House was located here, and Diocletian's rebuild of the structure still commands the eastern side of the square. In the photo with my ugly mug in it, I am sitting almost directly in front of where the emperor Galba was killed (just this side of the solitary column), during the year of the four emperors in 69 AD. In the next picture, you can see the Severan Arch in the middle, with the side of the Senate House (brick structure) on the right, and the Temples of Vespasian and Titus, and Saturn on the left (where the treasury was located). Also pictured in the last shot is the steps and column bases of the Basilica Iulia, on the right side.

the Arch of Constantine

2007-11-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

Huge monumental arch celebrating Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the battle at the Milvian Bridge (where Constantine famously saw a sign from Christ, saying "In Hoc Signo Vinces" with the image of the cross). He was outnumbered, but Maxentius decided to meet him outside the city despite the recently completed and magnificent Aurelian walls encircling Rome -- for fear of treachery it seems. Constatine triumphed.
An interesting discovery was made recently between the Arch of Titus and that of Constantine -- the imperial signa and vexilla, symbols of the power of the emperor, appear to have been buried there hastily, possibly immediately before, during or after the battle. The theory is that loyal followers of Maxentius buried the artifacts in order to prevent their being captured by the enemy. There was an article no too long ago in Archaeology magazine regarding the find, but here is an article from the Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/27/wroman27.xml

I had the good fortune to be able to see the scepter as pictured in the article in the national museum in Rome, along with several other imperial objects. They are truly impressive in person.

the Arch of Titus

2007-11-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

The Arch of Titus, in commanding position on a slight rise scholars believe may be part of the vela, commemorates Titus' triumph over the Jews during the revolt in c. 70 AD. In crushing the revolt, Titus levelled and looted the Temple, leaving only one wall standing (now known as the Wailing Wall). The inscription on the south side is the ancient one, and dedicates the arch to the deified Titus, son of the deified Vespasian. The relief sculpture on the inside of the arch shows the triumphal procession of Titus, when he brought the spoils of the Judean War to the Roman Forum. Most notably, it depicts the Menorah, taken from the Temple and carried among other holy objects in the triumph. The base of the Menorah is much debated, but the recent consensus is that is actually of Roman origin, and covers the original base. The Israeli coat of arms depicts the Menorah with its Roman base.
In the second photo, you can see the Menorah being carried on the relief (just look above where the man is pointing). For a little more on the Arch of Titus (fairly accurate I believe), see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_of_Titus

the palatine

2007-11-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

The Palatine Hill, site of the rich homes of aristocrats during the late republic, and subsequently the site of the Imperial Palaces of Rome (the word "palace" is derived from "Palatine"), is truly a magnificent setting. The amount of legend, lore and ceremony surrounding the place is far to great to get into here, but suffice it to say that the material remains reflect its political and religious importance in spades. Here I've shown the exercise court from the palace of Domitian, a view of the Flavian Amphitheater from the hill, and one of the several dining halls which would have had an aquatic setting (perhaps with rare fish in the pools surrounding the islands with dining couches).

the circus maximus

2007-11-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

The Circus Maximus is located in a natural valley between the Palatine and Aventine hills. In antiquity it could hold a capacity crowd of between 150-200,000 spectators. Chariot races took place here (actually pretty accurately portrayed in Ben Hur), as well as wild animal hunts (venationes), and public executions. Ancient chariot racing, much like modern games, was divided into teams, or "factions" -- the Greens, the Blues, the Whites and the Reds. Different social classes often backed different factions.
The first shot shows the view of the circus from the Palatine, looking toward the Aventine hill. The second shows the view from the west end of the circus, near the starting gates.
The yellow tape in the second photo is not there to prevent people going onto the site -- it marks the course for a youth marathon that took place earlier that morning. As far as running on the circus goes, I went on an amazing run around the forum, around the Colosseum, and five and 1/2 times around the Circus, in the early light of the morning on Thursday. Though the ancient ground level is close to 8 meters below the surface, it still gives you the feeling of the shape, and surroundings, with the two commanding hills on either side.