Week Seven: The North

Monday 11 October 2010
 
Last Friday we had to leave very early in order to get in all of our day trip activities. At that time Uncle Dave said not to worry, we wouldn't ever have to get up that early again, until Monday of course. He wasn't kidding. On the coach by seven in the morning--it was time to see the north country!! The first part of the day was mainly driving. The South and the North have a fair bit of distance between them--hence part of the interest in the movie North and South. Due to all this driving, we had some exciting stops to break up the monotony (go figure).

Our first stop was Chatsworth. This is the house used in the Kiera Knightly Pride and Prejudice as Pemberly. Actually, this estate truly is in Derbyshire and is mentioned in Pride and prejudice as being on par with Pemberly, as far as grandeur and wealth are concerned. The estate is enourmous! Whole vilagges on the grounds before we reached the actual house and it's smaller (but still enormous) private set of gardens. Quick fun fact: this is still a family home. An earl and his wife still live there, but have opened up a section of the house to the public. This is not as big of a sacrifice as you might think. As part of the tour we get to walk through the grounds and 29 rooms of the house. But, this is only the tip of the iceberg. This place has 50 bathrooms and 21 kitchens! That seems a tad excessive to me. The last room was the sculpture gallery (where Elizabeth sees the bust of Darcy--now in the gift shop) and I have to say it was really excellent. But I find it so lame that they did that instead of the miniatures...but I'm not here to talk about that movie. After the house we went out into the grounds. We even did a maze. Well, we wound our way into the very center (awesome) and then came back out the same side--we were a little time cramped.

The next stop was the Bronte parsonage. I have never read a Bronte sister, but I now have a very strong desire too. After walking through the house and learning about them and their crazy brother and walking the moor (dramatically, of course) I want to read Wuthering Heights or something. We also saw where they're buried in the church. While walking around the church I was thinking: I love cathedrals a lot, but I also really love parish churches. There is something wonderful about each of them.

Finally, we arrived in the York youth hostel. This was my first hostel and I was a little apprehensive, but it was actually somewhat better than I was expecting. Of course, I still wore flip flops in the shower and the food was rather disappointing, but it was still all fine.

Tuesday 12 October 2010

This morning the hostel fed us a genuine English breakfast. Bacon, sausage, (boston baked) beans, eggs, stewed tomatoes, and toast. But, I have sucessfully saved the best (or perhaps, worst) for last. Black pudding. Yes, indeed: BLOOD pudding. I got one our first day. And I'm proud to say, I ate the whole thing (should I really be bragging about something like this?). It tasted a bit like sausage if I didn't think about it. If I did think about it, it was obviously congealed blood. Anyway, breakfast was quite good with my favorite part being the tomato. When I get back to the states I want to have an English breakfast sometime. Perhaps with herbal tea.

After breakfast we headed into York. Our first item of business was the York Minster. This was a fabulous church with really excellent stained glass. Over 800 years of glass are represented in the building including a monkey parade (no kidding: there's even a monkey funeral) and one where the workers put the window back together incorrectly so that in the hunt the stag is chasing the dog. There are also the five largest lancet windows in the world--the 5 Sisters Windows. My favorite part, though, was in the crypt. There is a Roman tile with a chi rho on it. I just thought it was so cool to see evidence of Roman Christianity. (Chi Rho is the first two letters of Christ in Greek.)

Next we went to the Yorkshire Museum. The coolest thing here was a video that did the history of York backwards. There were also Roman, Viking, and Medieval artifacts. But, we moved quickly on the the Castle Museum, which actually has little to do with a castle... It is a museum of life in York through the ages and so has things like different bathtubs, wedding dresses, kitchens, front rooms, etc. It was really interesting. But we couldn't spend too much time there. We had things to do!

Next we arrived at the Jorvik Center (Hyrum eat your heart out). This is a ride that you go on through animatronic mannequins speaking Viking. The coolest thing was to learn about how the soil (moist and peaty--hearing an English accent say "peaty" will never get old) is of a certain quality to prevent oxygen and so everything--even wood--was preserved.

After that we had a very healthy dinner of hot chocolate. The bitter kind from Starbucks--yum yum yum! And walked over to York Minster to get a picture with Constantine (he was crowned Emperor right next to the present site of the church). We got some pretty awesome pictures. We also walked through the Shambles, which is where all the butches used to be in York, the buildings are almost on top of each other in upper stories and some even had slanted first stories (I'm sure it's not like that on the inside, but it was cool to look at). Uncle Dave was also kind enough to buy Julie and I, in addition to the Seelys, ice cream from a shop in one of the small York streets. The proprietor only has one arm, but Julie and I didn't even notice until we were out of the shop! Talk about adaptability.

But, the highlight of this day in York was the ghost walk that night. Katy, Julie, and I met back at the Jorvik Center for the "Ghost Creeper, the creepiest tour of the streets of York." It was radical. The tour guide was quite funny, knowledgeable, and a really excellent story teller. We were sufficiently creeped out for our walk back to the hostel afterward.

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Today after breakfast we left York for Durham. The cathedral here was my first Romanesque cathedral in real life. So cool. I knew that Romanesque has heavy columns--but these things were massive! I was awestruck by the power and majesty. It is so different from Gothic, but so amazing at the same time. The tour was very interesting.

Next we stopped off at Bede's World. This is by no means an amusement park. It takes you through life as a monk, because Bede lived like a monk--being one himself, and some of the history of Christianity in Britain. At Durham Cathedral they have the grave of the Venerable Bede, so it was neat to see afterward how his life was. The best part was probably the animals out back. There was a pig that is half wild boar. No joke.

Next, the highlight of the day for me was Hadrian's Wall. Can you imagine? The edge of the Roman Empire. The edge of the world as far as most people were concerned. I booked it up to that wall. Left everyone in my dust. I don't think I was the first of our group up there, but I was definitely in the first three. Climbing the wall was amazing. But, even better was jumping over into "Scotland." Technically, it's not Scotland anymore but for my purposes it will suffice.

That night we arrived at the Ambleside youth hostel. Ambleside is in the Lake District and the hostel was right on the shores of Lake Windermere. So cool. But that night we crashed. No site-seeing tonight.

Thursday 14 October 2010

This morning there was another traditional English breakfast, though the eggs were fried with a runny yolk rather than scrambled. But still good. Katy cut it up and mixed it with her beans. It looked really tasty that way. After breakfast we hiked to Dove Cottage, which is where William Wordsworth first lived in the Lake District. He wrote some of his best poetry ("I walked as lonely as a cloud...") while living here. There was also a Wordsworth museum. One of his nieces joined the Church and emigrated to the States, though she died just a few months later. Who would have thunk?

From there we went to Beatrix Potter's house: Hill Top Farm. I'll be honest, I was never into her books. Just never liked them. There's an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert museum of her watercolors that I really enjoyed though; and we saw the movie Miss Potter on the coach and I thoroughly enjoyed both. We also hiked to her farm and I loved both hikes. I miss hiking and camping and the Lake District is truly beautiful. Her house was set up just as it was when she was alive. Marvelous. Now I want to read the books. Even if they are odd.

Friday 15 October 2010

Today I mixed my breakfast. Yes. Win. I love English breakfast. We drove off to Preston. Here we had a tour of all the LDS sites. Awesome. We walked on a bridge over the River Ribble, where the first English converts were baptized. We also saw sites set up by the church, where the missionaries lived and preached. Then we drove through small villages where they had very good missionary success. In Downham we walked by the parish church and took pictures looking out over a hill that...one of them hiked up...Wilford Woodruff? The Brother who gave the tour was very knowledgeable, but I was so tired that I have to admit I didn't retain much. But, I loved it the whole time.

Finally, we ended up at the Preston Temple. It was small and wonderful and not in Preston. It's in Chorley. But I still loved it.

We drove and drove and then there was a quick stop for the whole group in Liverpool. We ran onto Albert Docks and looked at the statue erected by the church. Then they bid us a fond farewell. I could hear the worry in my aunt's and uncle's voices. I knew they trusted us but it was still nerve wracking. But, we found the hostel easily enough.

After dumping our stuff we went to Liverpool ONE, the shopping center and genuinely enjoyed ourselves. We went to a music store and the official Club store for LFC. Yes, I bought a t-shirt. Now, I will never walk alone.

Saturday 16 October 2010

WHAT A DAY! I love Liverpool. This morning we got to the docks too early for the museums and explored the docks. Then we did the Maritime Museum which was absolutely fascinating. My favorite exhibits were on Slavery and Shackleton--all the photos taken on his final Antarctic expedition. I was also able to spend a few hours in the Tate Liverpool. There was a lot of weird modern art in there. But, I loved the artists I recognized. Among them: Giacometti, Calder, Picasso, Matisse, and several others. On the whole it was an interesting museum and I enjoyed it.

Then came the main event: The Magical Mystery Tour!! A two hour tour of all the places relevant to the Beatles. I ate it up. Loved it loved it!! The guy who gave the tour has worked with Paul McCartney many many times and knows hims reasonably well. I loved it! I cannot stress this enough. They even dropped us at the Cavern Club--where the fab four would play lunch concerts every day until they finally got a good manager. The day that the could no longer return to the Cavern because they were too popular for such a small crowd was both monumental and sad.

We went into the Cavern. Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was early enough in the day that no one was drunk yet and there was live music. This fabulous guitarist who could also sing: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers, Knocking on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan, and of course--Beatles Songs. It was a blast. Standing there in a crowded underground room with the music pulsating. I love loud rock and roll. LOVE. Wow, I think I enjoyed that whole experience a little too much...but I really did!

After we finally forced ourselves to leave we picked up our bags from the hostel and on our trek through Liverpool to the train station we were able to make a quick stop at the Music Hall to take pictures. This is where John Taylor and others held meetings to preach the gospel while they were proselyting in Liverpool. That was a great last hurrah for this wonderful city. Then we took a train back to London, arriving at the Centre late at night.

Sunday 17 October 2010

Before we left on the North Trip I prepared my primary lesson, knowing I would not have time after Liverpool. I was actually prepared. Then, none of the kids in my age group showed up to primary so the primary president recommended I simply go to Gospel Doctrine, which I did. However, in Sacrament Meeting (our three-hour block is backwards) I noticed that most of them were actually there. They must have all just come late--during the second hour. I felt so bad. But, I guess it wasn't technically my fault. Plus, I can now refine my lesson and give it next week. My piano playing today was marginal. Whatever.

Our fireside tonight was given by a brother now in the bishopbric of one one the wards that some of our girls attend. However, he used to be a Benedictine Monk. I know. Crazy! He entered a Benedictine Anglican monastery at the age of 16 and stayed until the age of 20 when he got a degree in Theology and became an Anglican priest. His conversion story was absolutely fascinating because of his background. He had such a wonderful strong testimony.

Despite my primary and piano troubles today was a very good day for me. It was very spiritual. I loved Sunday School and I loved the Sacrament meeting talks and I loved our fireside. I love days like that. When you just know the church is true and you're overwhelmed with how blessed you are to be a part of it. All I can think about is how much I want to serve. Of course, I still don't have a lot of time to dedicate to my callings here, but I love the principle of being able to serve and become better in the church. It's all just so wonderful!

Should I do some reading before bed? No. That's what the early morning was invented for, right? Bed, here I come. I'll finish my reading assignment before breakfast. After all, I like living on the edge.