Exciting British Adventure: Exploring the UK's Rich Culture and Scenic Beauty（Part 1）

If we trace back the history of the United Kingdom, it can be dated to roughly over a thousand years ago, and there are various academic opinions on this matter. Some say it goes back to the 13th century BC, while others argue it dates as far back as 3,000 BC when Iberians settled in the southeastern part of the British Isles.

However, the vast majority of British scholars tend to focus on the history after the Norman Conquest and consider that period as the true beginning of British history.

Let's go with that perspective for now, then.

William the Conqueror, who reigned from around 1028 to September 9, 1087, marks a historical figure from nearly a millennium ago.

On the evening of August 25th, Cindy (our company's managing director) embarked on a journey to visit the United Kingdom, which is expected to last about ten days. It's been a whopping four years since her last visit to the UK, and the pandemic-induced lockdowns have truly made it feel like a different world.

When I asked Cindy what's worth seeing in the UK, she mentioned castles, churches, and natural landscapes. As I perused the materials and photos she sent from the distant continent, I couldn't help but feel like I'd been transported back to the Middle Ages. The architecture, manors, and the sense of time standing still, preserved to this day, indeed seem like a marvel.

Let's start with Windsor Castle then.

Windsor Castle is situated about thirty kilometers to the west of London.

Today, it is the largest inhabited castle in the world, with a history nearly as long as the existence of William the Conqueror's name, truly a testament to a thousand years of history. Now, it peacefully stands under the golden sunlight amid a crowd of people.

This was the residence where the late Queen Elizabeth often stayed during her lifetime. While modernity races forward, the ancient Windsor Castle still retains its appearance that has stood for a thousand years. It is surrounded by Home Park to the northeast and Windsor Great Park to the south.

Usually, Windsor Castle is open to the public in its entirety. When the Queen is in residence, she is allocated the largest palace on the hill, while the rest of the castle remains open for visitors.

Not far from Windsor Castle is the renowned Eton College.

The British tradition of venerating nobility has almost provided the perfect summary for Eton College's over 500 years of history. In a rather understated manner, Eton College has its own introduction, famously said by General Wellington, who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo: "The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton."

This statement may surprise those who interpret "nobility" literally. In fact, many outstanding military commanders in British history were indeed nurtured at Eton College. Fundamentally, the European nobility emerged from the crucible of hard-fought battles, with its earliest members being military leaders and valiant warriors. As a result, they upheld qualities such as valor, integrity, responsibility, and a thirst for knowledge. These qualities, packaged with power, wealth, and honor, evolved into the image that the nobility group proudly embodies through generations.

Let's take a look at the world-famous Oxford and Cambridge, two of the top universities in the world. A visit to the UK would be incomplete without them.

"Sailing up the River Cam with a long pole can be quite exhausting, but it's also quite fascinating," Cindy remarked in this way.

This has piqued my curiosity greatly. She also included a video of a British guy explaining how to punt, which I've placed here to test everyone's English.

Oxford and Cambridge have another connection.

There's a historical anecdote about this, but first, let's clarify one thing: Oxford University is located in Oxfordshire, with its various colleges situated within the town of Oxford. It is a true example of a university without walls, in the sense that there are no physical boundaries separating its colleges.

The historical anecdote goes like this: in its early days, and even for a considerable period afterward, the university often clashed with the local residents. These conflicts typically began with heated arguments in the local pubs, which would escalate into physical altercations. Soon, both sides would gather supporters, resulting in large-scale brawls.

University students fighting with townspeople, beyond the control of both the university's chancellor and the town's mayor, resulted in repeated appeals to the king for arbitration. Originally, many British students went abroad to study in Paris. However, by the mid-12th century, England and France had become adversaries, leading the king to recall his country's students and establish education in Oxford.

That enduring conflict also had a positive outcome. Some scholars and students from Oxford, looking to escape the volatile environment, traveled eastward for about 80 kilometers and continued their educational pursuits. This marked the foundation of what would become Cambridge University.

Many years later, a Cambridge alumna founded Harvard University in the United States.

History often appears as a series of coincidences, but in reality, it is the result of a deep-seated inevitability.

York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in the United Kingdom, and also the largest north of the Alps in all of Europe.

"Minster" is a very old term referring to a community established for the propagation of Christianity and Christian knowledge. Besides York Minster, only Westminster Abbey still retains this title.

Indeed, while one may not physically be present, the ability to read about historical accounts and view images of such impressive architectural achievements can still be awe-inspiring.

To truly grasp the level of intricacy and opulence, let me provide you with a practical example that can give readers a somewhat concrete impression.

York Minster's collection of medieval stained glass windows is among the most exquisite and rarest in the world, with some dating back to as early as 1270.

Maintaining the medieval windows of the cathedral is a full-time job. There are 128 stained glass windows here, with approximately 2 million individual pieces of medieval glass. When cleaning, each window must be taken apart so that each individual piece of stained glass can be cleaned separately and then reassembled. Each window is cleaned approximately every 125 years.

Perhaps readers still cannot get a real sense, and I have another example, but unfortunately, I don't have corresponding pictures.

On the south side of York Minster is the famous Rose Window, which was completed by stonemasons in the mid-13th century. However, in the late 15th century, colored glass was added to commemorate the end of the Wars of the Roses and the Tudor dynasty.

In 1984, a fire destroyed the roof of the south transept of York Minster, and as a result, the colored glass in the Rose Window suffered severe cracking. About 4,000 pieces of colored glass on 73 panels, totaling around 7,000 individual pieces, were shattered.

But miraculously, all the shattered pieces remained held together and did not break apart. It took about four years and $4 million to restore it.

Let's change our focus for a moment and take a look at the Lake District in Windermere.

Windermere, the largest lake in the Scottish region, with Windermere being the gateway to the Lake District, is also the most famous and bustling area in the region.

The Lake District, known for its "most beautiful scenery in the English Midlands," is also the homeland of the famous fairy tale character, Peter Rabbit.

This classic fairy tale is the creation of Ms. Beatrix Potter, a renowned 20th-century British artist, author, and naturalist.

In 2006, a biographical film titled "Miss Potter" was released. The film portrays Ms. Potter, who came from an upper-class background, had a passion for painting and studying flora and fauna from a young age, which led her to illustrate and write books about them. In her thirties and unmarried, she fell in love with her publisher while publishing her own books. Unfortunately, they didn't marry, and her lover passed away due to illness.

She left London and used the royalties from her book sales to purchase estates to heal herself. With a deep love for nature, she saw many estates being bought by businessmen for other purposes. So, she exerted her full efforts to buy one estate after another, allowing farmers to cultivate them. She protected vast areas of land, which she later donated to the British authorities. These lands are still preserved in their original state to this day.

In her later years, Beatrix Potter donated her Lake District estates and extensive lands to the National Trust, a private organization dedicated to preserving historic properties and landscapes in the UK. This donation ensured the preservation of the authentic pastoral landscapes of the Lake District.

Today, the estates of this remarkable lady remain as they were, and the tales of Peter Rabbit continue to be beloved by children of today.

Time passes quietly, yet some things linger in its flow. Whether it's ancient castles, centuries-old universities like Oxford and Cambridge, or the homeland of a little rabbit, they all find their place in the stream of time.

A thousand years have passed, but we can still recognize that England is still England.