York

Hello All!
It has been a crazy week here as I have tried to get all registered for school over here! Still in the middle of trying to figure out class schedules which can take a while when no one understands what a Gen. Ed. is or why as a computer science major I would need to take a class from the Geography school.  But it will all work out and there is nothing I can do until Monday so I might as well catch up and tell you all about how amazing York was and is!

We started our York adventure by train and although it took three trains and only one dead sprint through the station I definitely enjoyed it more than the bus and English traffic.

Once we arrived we were off to see the York Minster which was an incredible introduction to the city.  I didn't take many pictures of the inside of the Minster because they just didn't do it justice.

After touring through the Minster our professor (of Music) insisted we stay for evening song.  I think that was the moment I fell most in love with the Minster. During Evening song you are allowed to sit in with the choir near the high altar which allows your eyes to explore the most beautiful part of the church while your ears are filled with the songs of the choir and preachings of the pastors.  It put in perspective the true purpose of the Minster.

Heading into the Choir

The Five Sisters Window

The Choir and Organ

The next day we had to ourselves to explore York, however we did start the day all taking a walk on the City Wall which gave some lovely views of the city and of the Minster

After our walk we were free to wander the city and explore its many sights.  We started in the museum gardens which are the site of an old abbey's ruins and are filled with beautiful flowers and sculptures. 

The Abbeys Ruins

Another big part of york that we spent lots of time wandering was the shambles a neighborhood that used to be a meat market the roads are narrow and some believe it to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter.

We also spent time learning about York's history as a Roman fort and a Viking town. Which was really interesting as we built on Britain's History and ancestry. We ended our trip with visiting Fountains Abbey about an hour outside of York and possible one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

Not only are the Abbey's ruins stunning they are surrounded by world renowned gardens which stretch for miles!

If York and Fountains Abbey aren't on your traveling Bucket list I would definitely suggest adding them! 

Cheers!

Meghan 

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert

Stonehenge, Avebury, Exmoor and Bath!

Hello all!
We just got back from a four day trip to Stonehenge, Avebury, Exmoor National Park and Bath. We left tuesday morning (9/12) and stopped at Stonehenge before heading on to our Bed and Breakfast near Exmoor.  Stonehenge was cool and it was fun to start our focus on English History at the very Beginning.

Look at that ancient technology!!

We also went to the Avebury Henge on our trip too.  I found the Avebury Henge to be more interesting than Stonehenge because it is much Larger it was also built before Stonehenge and you can walk amongst the stones at Avebury in fact the town was built into the middle of the henge.

We spent Wednesday Hiking in Exmoor which was absolutely beautiful! We started at a place called Watersmeet were to rivers met and there was a little tea house in the bottom of the valley.

Exmoor National Park

We spent Wednesday Hiking in Exmoor which was absolutely beautiful! We started at a place called Watersmeet were two rivers met and there was a little tea house in the bottom of the valley.

From Watersmeet we hiked up out of the valley and out along the coast. The views were stunning in all directions and with typical english weather as we neared the top of the bluff we were hiking on it started to rain which with the wind of the ocean felt like hail when hitting us. But despite the weather we made it to the top and took cover behind a little house that was on top of the bluff. After about two minutes the rain stopped and we began our descent back down to Watersmeet for Lunch.

Made it out of the valley!

The trail we were walking on.

Can you see the tea house? This is the valley
we hiked out of.

Do you see were the two hills meet
that's where we're headed.

First views of the coast and
we aren't even to the top yet!

At the top of the Bluff! the poll and
house are what we hid behind to avoid the rain.

Made it!!!!

After the rain!
The hill you see is the one we hiked.

The Path and Valley!

After our hike out to the coast we went back down and had lunch at the tea house. Lunch was a delicious Cream Tea or earl grey tea, two huge scones or biscuits in american (here a biscuit is a cookie), Clotted Cream (think butter's thickness and whipped cream's sweet yumminess), and jam, we had two different kinds strawberry and whortleberry.

After Lunch we went on a second hike along the river and up to a little pub where we had a cider and then headed back to our bus which took us back to our B&B.

The City of Bath

Thursday we got up early and headed for the city of Bath.  However our travels came to an abrupt halt when our bus was flown into by a pheasant.

Dang Pheasant 

As you can see it shattered the left half of the windshield, lucky they drive on the right side, but the vehicle was no longer driveable. After a brief two hours a new bus came to pick us up and we continued on our way to bath.

Once in Bath we had the rest of the afternoon to explore the city. We Walked along the Royal Crescent,  Checked out Bath Abbey, and explored Downtown and the South Gate shopping district.

The Royal Crescent  

Bath Abbey

South Gate

Friday Morning we started our day by heading off to see the famous Roman Baths.  They were incredible.

Overlooking the Great Bath. At the times of
the Romans the Baths would have been
closed in with an incredibly tall ceiling.

The Roman Baths with the Bath Abbey
in the Background.

The Head of Sulis Minerva's statue. What
makes these Baths so incredible is that they
were also a temple to Sulis Minerva. Which
is a combination of both a Celtic Goddess, Sulis,
 and a Roman Godess, Minerva. Sulis is the Celtic
goddess of healing and sacred waters and Minerva
the Roman goddess of wisdom. The creation of the
hybrid Sulis Minerva demonstrates the Roman's
adaptation of Britain's Celtic traditions to establish
their own dominance.

This was the last stop on our trip and we headed back to the flat for a quick turn around before heading off to york!

Cheers!

Meghan

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes