August 10, 2008
Today I visited the quaint seaside town of Whitby. Whitby is one of those towns that can make one feel nostalgic while letting the romantic mind wander. It is the quaint essential Victorian town with streets that narrow, shops with doors no higher than 5’5, and ornate architecture. Whitby is a tourist attraction which does not feel like a tourist town and contains at least three predominant types of shops; sweets or sweeties shops (all kinds of candy and chocolate), fish and chip shops, or shops which sell jet jewelry which is plentiful around the town. It also contains Whitby abbey; or shall I say it contains the ruins of the abbey which was destroyed by the Romans. In order to get to the abbey, one must climb ~190 steps (the count varied among us). Once at the top of the cliff overlooking the harbor and North Sea, one can walk around St. Mary’s church and the old grave yard with graves as far back as the early 1700’s. The facing on the graves is destroyed due to exposure to wind and sea water. The ruins of the abbey stand in the background and create a haunting sense as one traverse through the graveyard. The one other claim to fame this abbey, graveyard, and stretch of beach below claims is that it is the location of which the idea of Dracula originated and Bram Stoker wrote about him.
I visited Whitby with several other audiologists from my hospital and from a nearby hospital. They enjoyed watching me try my first meal of fish and chips with mushy peas! Yum!! (Everyone says not to eat fish and chips until you are at a seaside town because it s
upposedly tastes better there). It didn’t feel or taste as good as I climbed the 190 steps right afterwards L. By the time we left, we were all exhausted but Kim (my supervisor and audiologist from America) and I have the notion that we are going to move to Whitby and carpool into Middlesbrough together. No, I will not be getting a car and I don’t want to drive over here so I would have to trust Kim to get me there safely. We decided that until then, we would enjoy traveling out on weekends to Whitby via bus. If anyone comes to visit me, I will definitely take you to Whitby to enjoy some fish and chips and the beautiful area!
The day couldn’t have been better; therefore, it could only get worse. As we were walking to the car and past people lined along the water front eating fish and chips, I caught the movement of something large and white incoming. A seagull flew into a man eating his fish and chips, fell down on top of his fish and chips, bounced off him and ricocheted off me which resulted in the scream heard around Whitby (or at least in a 25 yard radius). Everyone got a good laugh including me after I stopped crying and shaking. Another end to another day in England.
Today I visited the quaint seaside town of Whitby. Whitby is one of those towns that can make one feel nostalgic while letting the romantic mind wander. It is the quaint essential Victorian town with streets that narrow, shops with doors no higher than 5’5, and ornate architecture. Whitby is a tourist attraction which does not feel like a tourist town and contains at least three predominant types of shops; sweets or sweeties shops (all kinds of candy and chocolate), fish and chip shops, or shops which sell jet jewelry which is plentiful around the town. It also contains Whitby abbey; or shall I say it contains the ruins of the abbey which was destroyed by the Romans. In order to get to the abbey, one must climb ~190 steps (the count varied among us). Once at the top of the cliff overlooking the harbor and North Sea, one can walk around St. Mary’s church and the old grave yard with graves as far back as the early 1700’s. The facing on the graves is destroyed due to exposure to wind and sea water. The ruins of the abbey stand in the background and create a haunting sense as one traverse through the graveyard. The one other claim to fame this abbey, graveyard, and stretch of beach below claims is that it is the location of which the idea of Dracula originated and Bram Stoker wrote about him.
I visited Whitby with several other audiologists from my hospital and from a nearby hospital. They enjoyed watching me try my first meal of fish and chips with mushy peas! Yum!! (Everyone says not to eat fish and chips until you are at a seaside town because it s
upposedly tastes better there). It didn’t feel or taste as good as I climbed the 190 steps right afterwards L. By the time we left, we were all exhausted but Kim (my supervisor and audiologist from America) and I have the notion that we are going to move to Whitby and carpool into Middlesbrough together. No, I will not be getting a car and I don’t want to drive over here so I would have to trust Kim to get me there safely. We decided that until then, we would enjoy traveling out on weekends to Whitby via bus. If anyone comes to visit me, I will definitely take you to Whitby to enjoy some fish and chips and the beautiful area!The day couldn’t have been better; therefore, it could only get worse. As we were walking to the car and past people lined along the water front eating fish and chips, I caught the movement of something large and white incoming. A seagull flew into a man eating his fish and chips, fell down on top of his fish and chips, bounced off him and ricocheted off me which resulted in the scream heard around Whitby (or at least in a 25 yard radius). Everyone got a good laugh including me after I stopped crying and shaking. Another end to another day in England.
~Nancy
1 comment:
So good to read about your adventures and read between the lines of all the memories you are making. What fun to have new friends who enjoy traveling, history and being open to the unknown of a country that is a part of our history.
Now you and I have something in common with birds of flying and dropping capacities! I'm sure the bird you experienced was just as terrified as you. My bird was just "relieved".
Sorry to have missed you on Skype. Melissa invited me to come along while she purchased her equipment for her Nursing needs. She was in an all day orientation yesterday and then off to work for the evening right after. Exciting and nervous times for her right now.
I hope to be able to visit with you again soon! Thank you for all the updates and pictures! Pastor F. is enjoying them as well.
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