A recap of my latest adventures: last Saturday saw the epic Varsity Boat Race regatta between the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England, otherwise known as UWE (pr. yoo-wee). Bristol is naturally better than UWE. We are taught this on our first day of living in student housing by all of our flatmates and tutors. This is an accepted fact and tenet of studying at Bristol. Anyway, "Varsity" is just the term applied to the competitions the universities have in the summer term, including rowing, football (erm, soccer), rugby, canoe polo and even ultimate frisbee. The rowing is one of the oldest and most exciting events, as it starts off with the president of the University of Bristol Boat Club slapping the UWE club president in the face with a glove, thereby challenging his club to compete in the Varsity, which takes place on the Bristol Floating Docks.
The Docks have a long history of slave-loading, a short stint at ship assembly, and then the Varsity. The course itself is a 1300m length of water that passes by Isambard Kingdom Brunel's SS Great Britain and ends in front of the Lloyd's TSB building on the Bristol Harbourside. Bristol did really well, winning the Men's 1st and 2nd Novice divisions, Women's 1st VIII and 2nd Senior boat. I will say that Bristol won the Men's 1st Senior VIII (hotly contested by UWE because they are sore losers), but we won the Varsity blade and all was well in the land again.
The highlight of my day, other than taking a picture with the whole UBBC with the Varsity blade, was taking a picture with GB Olympian, Pete Reed. He graduated from UWE, but that's alright, because the man is essentially rowing royalty, rowing in the Oxford Blue boat and then rowing his way to an Olympic gold at Beijing in the Men's coxless IV. He's huge. Oh, and I had to big up the Vassar Rowing, just because I could.
Later that night was the UBBC Varsity Ball, which was my first proper ball in the UK. I didn't have a tux, so instead I managed to get a blue bowtie that I hoped would match my suit. Luckily, it did. It was quite the "to do." It was nice to get together with the entire Boat Club for a nice dinner and a bit of dancing.
It was really cool. If they weren't so expensive, I'd go to more. In fact, I thought the Varsity Ball was so awesome I bought tickets to the History Society Ball last week. You'll hear about that, as well. But yeah. In the spirit of the moment, I made a speech, in a rare and unusually unsolicited sensitive Kyle moment, I toasted the Boat Club. Honestly, had I not rowed at Bristol, my experience would be nowhere as good as if I did. This is probably a fact. Also, this blog wouldn't be as sports-oriented or as exciting. At least, I think it's exciting.
Following the marvelous ball, a fellow exchanger, Yan Lin wanted to make a sweet tofu dish called Ma Po Tofu, with pork mince, chilies, tofu and some other wonderfulness. Here's a picture, please, feel free to drool, because I would too.
On an entirely different note, I think it was around that same week that my younger sister Christie decided on Vassar for sure, so, that means come August, I'll have my parents around to take me to dinner, buy me things and give me lifts to the Galleria, for no reason at all, other than that they'll be around. I mean, I'll also have my fridge stocked full of mad Bahamian food. Honestly, you haven't lived until you've had Bahamian food.
Since I am slightly homesick now, I'll run off some standard Bahamian food, so if you ever happen to end up in Nassautown, you'll know what to get:
Conch: Conch to Bahamians is what shrimp was to Bubba in Forrest Gump. Get where I'm goin?
Fish: Grouper, snapper, turbot, boxfish. All delicious.
Turtle
Peas n' rice
Macaroni (my grandma makes the best macaroni, as a good portion of the Vassar Rugby team can attest to)
Split pea soup
Chicken or sheep tongue souce
Ok. Yeah. Uh huh. Get it? Got it? Good.
The final chapter to this lovely post comes in the form of my friend Jeremy, who came from London for the weekend, so I had an excuse to go about and test myself on Bristol history and culture. Now that I was able to go around with my camera and capture some of Bristol's best tourist spots, you don't even have to leave the comfort of that wooden chair in the Class of 1952Reading Room, or maybe just your own office chair. It's all good.
It's starting to hit me now that I actually have to leave, and the picture of the town (with our Law library being the key feature) and the Clifton Bridge are just some of the places I'll miss the most.
Bristol (as seen from the top of the Durdham downs)
That's the Clifton Suspension brigdge over there. This blog has a funny way of not letting you put pictures on the same line, but that's alright I guess. I'm much too lazy to try harder to make it work.
Anyway, I promise there will be a dedication post for all things Bristolian later. But not now, because it's time to revise.
It's starting to hit me now that I actually have to leave, and the picture of the town (with our Law library being the key feature) and the Clifton Bridge are just some of the places I'll miss the most.
Bristol (as seen from the top of the Durdham downs)
That's the Clifton Suspension brigdge over there. This blog has a funny way of not letting you put pictures on the same line, but that's alright I guess. I'm much too lazy to try harder to make it work.Anyway, I promise there will be a dedication post for all things Bristolian later. But not now, because it's time to revise.
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