September 27, 2008
Brotton
This week I spent one afternoon counseling patients about hearing aids in the small rural town of Brotton. This is nearly a seaside town; the sea can be seen from the windows of the hospital but there are no homes on the waterfront. The windows of the hospital rooms that we were in also looked down on allotments; this is a very old British tradition in which each family is allotted a small amount of land in an enclosed area. This land is to grow vegetables or keep small animals such as geese, goats, and chickens. The adult males in the family take care of the plot of land and it is also a social time in which the men of the town can come together and work their allotment and then spend time having a few drinks, smoking, and talking about “men” things. Brotton was once very secluded from the surrounding villages and because of this many of the people look very similar…I’ll let you figure out why. I would see one patient and then call the next one back and it was as if I was speaking to the last patient’s brother or cousin the resemblance was that strong. Predominant characteristics seem to be large noses and ears and long oval faces. This is one of the first “rural” places I have visited and greatly enjoyed; it is very similar to being in a rural American town.
~Nancy
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Silly American
September 26, 2008
Silly American
“Silly American” This is the name one of my flat mates gives me when I do something very “American” as I often do when I get tired. By the end of the week, I find myself happily tired and my brain seems to revert back to habits I have spent 25 years developing:
o Getting into the car as the passenger on the right side resulting in my flat mate saying “do you want to drive?”
o Using terminology that they don’t understand or means something different: pants (underwear over here), bathroom (toilet over here), quoting amounts in dollars rather than pounds, and using American slang.
o Waiting for the pedestrian walk sign while everyone is yelling at me from the other side of the street to cross the street.
I think I bring lots of amusement to my co-workers and my flat mates.
Silly American
“Silly American” This is the name one of my flat mates gives me when I do something very “American” as I often do when I get tired. By the end of the week, I find myself happily tired and my brain seems to revert back to habits I have spent 25 years developing:
o Getting into the car as the passenger on the right side resulting in my flat mate saying “do you want to drive?”
o Using terminology that they don’t understand or means something different: pants (underwear over here), bathroom (toilet over here), quoting amounts in dollars rather than pounds, and using American slang.
o Waiting for the pedestrian walk sign while everyone is yelling at me from the other side of the street to cross the street.
I think I bring lots of amusement to my co-workers and my flat mates.
Here is the vocabulary of the week:
Togs/costume: swim suit
Faff/faffer: someone who is taking a long time to get ready ex: she is just faffing about and we need to leave soon.
Chinless nob: someone from the upper class, royalty, usually someone from a "lower" class will use this term when referring to someone from the "upper" class.
Bless him/her: an expression ex: she is just so confused and doesn’t understand it, bless her.
Keen: interested, ex: she’s not too keen on going for a bike ride.
So, where are you from?
September 25, 2008
So, where are you from?
One of the most amusing parts of my day is when patients get that confused and slightly embarrassed look on their face when I start talking and I know that they don’t know where I am from because of my accent. I've even returned to the hearing aid room and had a husband and wife taking bets against each other as one thought I was Irish and the other thought I was American!! As approximately as I could, I’ve compiled a list of the places that people think I am from:
Canadian: 100+ people think I am from Canada
American: 70+ people think I am American
Irish: 2 people have thought I was Irish
Scottish: 1 person thought I was Scottish
Scandinavian: 1 person though I was from a Scandinavian country
Native American: 1 person thought I was a Native American
So, where are you from?
One of the most amusing parts of my day is when patients get that confused and slightly embarrassed look on their face when I start talking and I know that they don’t know where I am from because of my accent. I've even returned to the hearing aid room and had a husband and wife taking bets against each other as one thought I was Irish and the other thought I was American!! As approximately as I could, I’ve compiled a list of the places that people think I am from:
Canadian: 100+ people think I am from Canada
American: 70+ people think I am American
Irish: 2 people have thought I was Irish
Scottish: 1 person thought I was Scottish
Scandinavian: 1 person though I was from a Scandinavian country
Native American: 1 person thought I was a Native American
Saturday, September 20, 2008
St. Mary's Musings
September 20, 2008
St. Mary Musings
I promised I would write about what I was thinking while visiting St. Mary’s Parish Church today so here are my musings.
What first got my analytical mind working was the thought of climbing those steps every Sunday for church. But wait, there was also mid week prayer and the Vicar did not live near the church, in fact he lived in town at the bottom of the steps which means that the townsfolk climbed those steps several times a week, the vicar every day, and the other church caretakers were in charge of maintaining those steps. Not only that, but a river divides the town in half requiring the majority of townsfolk to have to cross the river to get to the stairs. You might be thinking that these were hard working people who were in shape enough to climb these steps without a problem and you might be right but consider that there was also elderly, those with chronic health problems, and children who may have struggled up those steps just to go worship God. By the time I had climbed to the top I was out of breath and my heart was in my throat; and I’m not that out of shape! I’ve been complaining recently about having to take the bus which costs 3.95 pounds and takes over an hour to get to church. I want something that is convenient, within walking distance, and that doesn’t take up the majority of my Sunday so that I still have time to spend rest of my day doing other activities. How lazy have we become when try to make our Christian life “convenient” so that it fits somewhere between our job, our family, our other responsibilities. I’m not just writing about Sunday service only, I’m also thinking about our prayer life. Does this sound familiar “Ok, if I wake up an extra half hour earlier then I would have time to read my Bible and pray, but I have that meeting today and I might be tired for it so maybe I should use that half hour to get some more sleep. I can read my Bible some other time.” This is a struggle for me on a daily basis, not just in going to church on Sunday. I was reminded today of these dedicated Christians who gave up the easy and convenient (staying home) to climb those steps to worship, to receive counsel, to pray, to fellowship. This week I’m going to be more aware of the times I push aside what should be priority for the things that are more convenient or when I justify my way out of doing I should be doing for what I want to be doing. Just some thoughts.
~Nancy
St. Mary Musings
I promised I would write about what I was thinking while visiting St. Mary’s Parish Church today so here are my musings.
What first got my analytical mind working was the thought of climbing those steps every Sunday for church. But wait, there was also mid week prayer and the Vicar did not live near the church, in fact he lived in town at the bottom of the steps which means that the townsfolk climbed those steps several times a week, the vicar every day, and the other church caretakers were in charge of maintaining those steps. Not only that, but a river divides the town in half requiring the majority of townsfolk to have to cross the river to get to the stairs. You might be thinking that these were hard working people who were in shape enough to climb these steps without a problem and you might be right but consider that there was also elderly, those with chronic health problems, and children who may have struggled up those steps just to go worship God. By the time I had climbed to the top I was out of breath and my heart was in my throat; and I’m not that out of shape! I’ve been complaining recently about having to take the bus which costs 3.95 pounds and takes over an hour to get to church. I want something that is convenient, within walking distance, and that doesn’t take up the majority of my Sunday so that I still have time to spend rest of my day doing other activities. How lazy have we become when try to make our Christian life “convenient” so that it fits somewhere between our job, our family, our other responsibilities. I’m not just writing about Sunday service only, I’m also thinking about our prayer life. Does this sound familiar “Ok, if I wake up an extra half hour earlier then I would have time to read my Bible and pray, but I have that meeting today and I might be tired for it so maybe I should use that half hour to get some more sleep. I can read my Bible some other time.” This is a struggle for me on a daily basis, not just in going to church on Sunday. I was reminded today of these dedicated Christians who gave up the easy and convenient (staying home) to climb those steps to worship, to receive counsel, to pray, to fellowship. This week I’m going to be more aware of the times I push aside what should be priority for the things that are more convenient or when I justify my way out of doing I should be doing for what I want to be doing. Just some thoughts.
~Nancy
Return to Whitby
September 20, 2008
Return to Whitby
Today I woke up early, caught the bus, and spent the day in Whitby. If you’ve already guessed it then you are right, Whitby is my favorite place in England. Why is that? I’m not sure but I think it is because of all the North Sea and the boats which remind me of my favorite place in the US; Poulsbo. This trip I went alone. I wasn’t sure if it would be very fun to go alone but I actually found that I had more freedom to see the things I wanted to and spend as much time at different places that I wanted. I decided to be a tourist and take the one hour tour bus trip around town. I am glad I did because I learned to much more about Whitby:
1. There are 199 steps up to the abbey and parish church which is still in use today. That means that every Sunday church goers climb 199 steep steps to go to church sometimes in gale force conditions.
2. Whitby was actually named something else but renamed by the Vikings. Any name ending in “by” is of Viking origin.
3. In a field near Whitby, the first German plane of WWII was shot down over England. The field is now known as Daniel’s Field.
4. Cleveland means Cliffland
5. The term daylight robbery is taken from the window tax: there used to be a tax for every window in a house so to get around that builders would build one continuous long window from the first floor to the top floor.
6. Whitby jet is just fossilized Monkey Puzzle tree
7. Whitby was the third largest ship building port behind London and Newcastle.
8. A Spittle is a hospital.
9. All the crab and lobster pots used today are made by individuals in the Whitby area.
10. When looking at the North Sea, one is actually looking North and not East as one would think being located on the east coast. There are only two locations in England where one can be on the East coast and actually looking North.
I also visited the Royal National Life Boat Museum which is free (I like free) which was very interesting because one of the first life preservers made out of corkscrew was tested here resulting in saving the life of the one man who was wearing it when the boat capsized while all the other crew was lost.
Last time I was at Whitby, I was with 7 other people so didn’t get to visit St. Mary’s Parish Church. My curiosity had been raised after finding out that the pulpit is decorated with ear trumpets because the wife of a past vicar had a hearing loss. This was one of the most moving churches I have been in thus far. It was built in the 1100-1200’s and took over 150 years to complete. Inside the church, the balcony contains the pews that have more leg room, are ornately carved, and varnished; these pews were paid for by the wealthiest families who sat in the balcony so that they were “above” the common folk. The pews below are plain and narrow. Some of these were sold and the names of the family painted on the end of the pew with the date. Other pews say “free” so that people who could not afford to buy a pew would sit there. Then, a grouping of pews nearest the pulpit says “For strangers only”. A section of the church is put aside for visitors to spend in prayer which I did for several moments.
I also ate fish and chips with mushy peas, and tea at a café and then had a Cadbury icecream cone to finish off my meal. I convinced myself that the 199 steps would help me work off the fried and fattening meal I had just eaten.
Well, that was my day’s adventure. I’m writing a separate entry about some thoughts I had while visiting St. Mary’s parish church.
Return to Whitby
Today I woke up early, caught the bus, and spent the day in Whitby. If you’ve already guessed it then you are right, Whitby is my favorite place in England. Why is that? I’m not sure but I think it is because of all the North Sea and the boats which remind me of my favorite place in the US; Poulsbo. This trip I went alone. I wasn’t sure if it would be very fun to go alone but I actually found that I had more freedom to see the things I wanted to and spend as much time at different places that I wanted. I decided to be a tourist and take the one hour tour bus trip around town. I am glad I did because I learned to much more about Whitby:
1. There are 199 steps up to the abbey and parish church which is still in use today. That means that every Sunday church goers climb 199 steep steps to go to church sometimes in gale force conditions.
2. Whitby was actually named something else but renamed by the Vikings. Any name ending in “by” is of Viking origin.
3. In a field near Whitby, the first German plane of WWII was shot down over England. The field is now known as Daniel’s Field.
4. Cleveland means Cliffland
5. The term daylight robbery is taken from the window tax: there used to be a tax for every window in a house so to get around that builders would build one continuous long window from the first floor to the top floor.
6. Whitby jet is just fossilized Monkey Puzzle tree
7. Whitby was the third largest ship building port behind London and Newcastle.
8. A Spittle is a hospital.
9. All the crab and lobster pots used today are made by individuals in the Whitby area.
10. When looking at the North Sea, one is actually looking North and not East as one would think being located on the east coast. There are only two locations in England where one can be on the East coast and actually looking North.
I also visited the Royal National Life Boat Museum which is free (I like free) which was very interesting because one of the first life preservers made out of corkscrew was tested here resulting in saving the life of the one man who was wearing it when the boat capsized while all the other crew was lost.
Last time I was at Whitby, I was with 7 other people so didn’t get to visit St. Mary’s Parish Church. My curiosity had been raised after finding out that the pulpit is decorated with ear trumpets because the wife of a past vicar had a hearing loss. This was one of the most moving churches I have been in thus far. It was built in the 1100-1200’s and took over 150 years to complete. Inside the church, the balcony contains the pews that have more leg room, are ornately carved, and varnished; these pews were paid for by the wealthiest families who sat in the balcony so that they were “above” the common folk. The pews below are plain and narrow. Some of these were sold and the names of the family painted on the end of the pew with the date. Other pews say “free” so that people who could not afford to buy a pew would sit there. Then, a grouping of pews nearest the pulpit says “For strangers only”. A section of the church is put aside for visitors to spend in prayer which I did for several moments.
I also ate fish and chips with mushy peas, and tea at a café and then had a Cadbury icecream cone to finish off my meal. I convinced myself that the 199 steps would help me work off the fried and fattening meal I had just eaten.
Well, that was my day’s adventure. I’m writing a separate entry about some thoughts I had while visiting St. Mary’s parish church.
~Nancy
Routine
September 18, 2008
Routine
In the past couple weeks my life has become very routine: Monday morning wake up, go to work, come home, go for a walk, make dinner, go to bed, wake up, etc through the week. Not that routine is bad, after all, we all seek stability in our lives and routine often provides that stability. But, in my case this routine has lulled me into a sense of security that all will be fine as long as I keep on doing what I have been doing, my routine. Instead, I need to always be alert and in prayer, thankful for these times of calm but praying that I would be prepared for times of turmoil. I’ve also become complacent and almost robotic in work. It is so routine that I’m not even present anymore. I’m not living in the moment, not seeing the needs of those around me and trying to meet those needs, not recognizing my needs and making an effort to stay spiritually healthy. Mark 13:33 says “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” Jesus is speaking about his return. I’ve been meditating on this verse, being made aware that in my routine I have put down my guard and am more susceptible for the devil’s persuasion. I have accepted complacency in my life and not been filled with the urgency that I “do not know when that time will come” when Jesus returns and therefore minister to those who are lost in sin around me. My desire is to be completely aware in every area of my life, with whomever I interact with, and even when I’m by myself so that I am alert to the voice of God.
~Nancy
Routine
In the past couple weeks my life has become very routine: Monday morning wake up, go to work, come home, go for a walk, make dinner, go to bed, wake up, etc through the week. Not that routine is bad, after all, we all seek stability in our lives and routine often provides that stability. But, in my case this routine has lulled me into a sense of security that all will be fine as long as I keep on doing what I have been doing, my routine. Instead, I need to always be alert and in prayer, thankful for these times of calm but praying that I would be prepared for times of turmoil. I’ve also become complacent and almost robotic in work. It is so routine that I’m not even present anymore. I’m not living in the moment, not seeing the needs of those around me and trying to meet those needs, not recognizing my needs and making an effort to stay spiritually healthy. Mark 13:33 says “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” Jesus is speaking about his return. I’ve been meditating on this verse, being made aware that in my routine I have put down my guard and am more susceptible for the devil’s persuasion. I have accepted complacency in my life and not been filled with the urgency that I “do not know when that time will come” when Jesus returns and therefore minister to those who are lost in sin around me. My desire is to be completely aware in every area of my life, with whomever I interact with, and even when I’m by myself so that I am alert to the voice of God.
~Nancy
Saturday, September 13, 2008
correction
Oops, for those that receive my newsletter and read my blog there is a correction: it was Constantine who was made emperor at York and NOT Augustine. Sorry about that. My Roman History was getting mixed up.
Pub quiz
September 11, 2008
Last night I experienced pub quizzing. Pub quizzing involves getting some friends together to form a team and then going to a pub (which is more of a restaurant than what we think of as a pub in America) and playing the equivalent to team Trivial Pursuit. The quiz announcer asks a trivia question and then the team must write down an answer. Once 15 questions have been asked, the team turns in their answer sheets and the team with the most questions right wins coupons to use at the pub. If there is a tie, there is a tie breaker question. The first round we didn’t do so well, then there was the picture round where you are given a sheet of faces and partial faces of famous people and have to identify them; we tied with two other teams and the tie breaker question was “when was the first mail order catalogue published?” My team voted for me to answer and I was the closest so my team won! The next round we again tied and the tie breaker question was “when was the first crossword puzzle published in a newspaper?” Again, my team voted for me to answer and, I won again! Many teams cheat in this game ie: texting friends or using their phone internet to look up answers but my team didn’t cheat at all and we won the most times! It is a really fun activity and hopefully I will be participating again in the future.
Vocab of the day:Last night I experienced pub quizzing. Pub quizzing involves getting some friends together to form a team and then going to a pub (which is more of a restaurant than what we think of as a pub in America) and playing the equivalent to team Trivial Pursuit. The quiz announcer asks a trivia question and then the team must write down an answer. Once 15 questions have been asked, the team turns in their answer sheets and the team with the most questions right wins coupons to use at the pub. If there is a tie, there is a tie breaker question. The first round we didn’t do so well, then there was the picture round where you are given a sheet of faces and partial faces of famous people and have to identify them; we tied with two other teams and the tie breaker question was “when was the first mail order catalogue published?” My team voted for me to answer and I was the closest so my team won! The next round we again tied and the tie breaker question was “when was the first crossword puzzle published in a newspaper?” Again, my team voted for me to answer and, I won again! Many teams cheat in this game ie: texting friends or using their phone internet to look up answers but my team didn’t cheat at all and we won the most times! It is a really fun activity and hopefully I will be participating again in the future.
Pips: seeds in oranges
Lugs: slang for ears
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Accent
August 29, 2008
Beautiful accent
Here is a quick and amusing post for your entertainment. Today a patient asked “where is that beautiful accent from?” At first I couldn’t believe that he was speaking to me. To me, my “accent” butchers the English language and sounds plain. After that comment, I asked some of my co-workers what they thought about my accent and they said that it is very interesting and unique and that the way in which I pronounce some words is very “appealing to the ears”. Wow, I’m actually living in a place where people want to hear me speak!
Beautiful accent
Here is a quick and amusing post for your entertainment. Today a patient asked “where is that beautiful accent from?” At first I couldn’t believe that he was speaking to me. To me, my “accent” butchers the English language and sounds plain. After that comment, I asked some of my co-workers what they thought about my accent and they said that it is very interesting and unique and that the way in which I pronounce some words is very “appealing to the ears”. Wow, I’m actually living in a place where people want to hear me speak!
Alnwick Castle
August 24, 2008
Alnwick Castle trip
*********Warning!! Must read York trip first!!!!***********
After enduring a night of cramped and cramping leg muscles, we awoke early to make the 8:00 metro into Newcastle. Having followed what we felt were round about direction to the hotel the night before, we decided to ask a hotel employee for a shortcut back to the metro station. Now, people in England don’t identify directions by street names but instead use landmarks and left and right turns. After thinking we understood her directions, we set out to the metro station. 50 minutes later and completely lost on an early Sunday morning, I managed to find two people out for a walk. When I asked them to point us to the W. Jesmond metro they replied with “W. Jesmond? Are you sure that is where you want to go? You are only half a block from the Jesmond station”. Well, by the time we made it into Newcastle we missed the early bus to Alnwick. Finally on the bus, we rode for an hour through pastoral countryside until finally arriving at the small town of Alnwick and Alnwick castle. History time!
Alnwick castle (pronounced An-ick) is still a working castle meaning that the Duke of Northumbria (Percy family) and his family live there 6 months in the winter and then live somewhere else in the summer so the castle is only open for tourists when the family is gone. It was built in the 1300’s as a medieval fortress and is one out of two of the largest castles in England.
While there, we toured the grounds, state rooms, viewed the Roman artifacts recovered in the surrounding areas, and the large china collection, and enjoyed some fun time dressing up and
playing some of the children’s games. We also enjoyed a birds or prey show and I got to pet a small owl! When we first entered the main gate, I spotted something soft and black in the grass. 
It was Bunyip, the Duke’s large and overweight black and white cat sitting there greeting visitors and enjoying being petted. I would later see him walking the grounds perhaps making his way to the catnip patch in the gardens.
The gardens themselves were another completely amazing experience. They are a rather recent creation being part of the vision of the Duchess of Northumberland to create a beautiful garden experience out of the derelict and forgotten original Alnwick gardens. The gardens contain a water display area including a Grand Cascade down the center, a rose garden, bamboo labyrinth, ornamental
garden, the world’s largest tree house, and my favorite, the poison garden. This required a guide to take one through the garden and explain the various type of deadly plants. The garden contains such plants as belladonna, mandrake, cannabis, rosemary, and catnip.
Our legs gave out more quickly today so we decided to catch the bus back to Newcastle mid afternoon. Since today was my 25th birthday, I really wanted some icecream to celebrate (I had been good and not had any icecream or cake since I’ve been in England as I was waiting until my birthday). When we got back to the castle café, it had already closed. Back in Newcastle, we passed many icecream shops but my travel companions were anxious to get to the train station and insisted that I could get icecream at the station. Once at the station, we discovered that we had an hour to wait so I went to one store only to discover that the icecream machine was broken, next, I went to a coffee stand to get a frappacino-like drink but the ice machine was broken. As it
ended up, I never did get to have icecream or anything to celebrate my birthday. Well, that was the end of 24 years and now the start of 25 years…let’s see what this next year has in store.
Alnwick Castle trip
*********Warning!! Must read York trip first!!!!***********
After enduring a night of cramped and cramping leg muscles, we awoke early to make the 8:00 metro into Newcastle. Having followed what we felt were round about direction to the hotel the night before, we decided to ask a hotel employee for a shortcut back to the metro station. Now, people in England don’t identify directions by street names but instead use landmarks and left and right turns. After thinking we understood her directions, we set out to the metro station. 50 minutes later and completely lost on an early Sunday morning, I managed to find two people out for a walk. When I asked them to point us to the W. Jesmond metro they replied with “W. Jesmond? Are you sure that is where you want to go? You are only half a block from the Jesmond station”. Well, by the time we made it into Newcastle we missed the early bus to Alnwick. Finally on the bus, we rode for an hour through pastoral countryside until finally arriving at the small town of Alnwick and Alnwick castle. History time!
Alnwick castle (pronounced An-ick) is still a working castle meaning that the Duke of Northumbria (Percy family) and his family live there 6 months in the winter and then live somewhere else in the summer so the castle is only open for tourists when the family is gone. It was built in the 1300’s as a medieval fortress and is one out of two of the largest castles in England.
While there, we toured the grounds, state rooms, viewed the Roman artifacts recovered in the surrounding areas, and the large china collection, and enjoyed some fun time dressing up and
playing some of the children’s games. We also enjoyed a birds or prey show and I got to pet a small owl! When we first entered the main gate, I spotted something soft and black in the grass. 
It was Bunyip, the Duke’s large and overweight black and white cat sitting there greeting visitors and enjoying being petted. I would later see him walking the grounds perhaps making his way to the catnip patch in the gardens.The gardens themselves were another completely amazing experience. They are a rather recent creation being part of the vision of the Duchess of Northumberland to create a beautiful garden experience out of the derelict and forgotten original Alnwick gardens. The gardens contain a water display area including a Grand Cascade down the center, a rose garden, bamboo labyrinth, ornamental
garden, the world’s largest tree house, and my favorite, the poison garden. This required a guide to take one through the garden and explain the various type of deadly plants. The garden contains such plants as belladonna, mandrake, cannabis, rosemary, and catnip.Our legs gave out more quickly today so we decided to catch the bus back to Newcastle mid afternoon. Since today was my 25th birthday, I really wanted some icecream to celebrate (I had been good and not had any icecream or cake since I’ve been in England as I was waiting until my birthday). When we got back to the castle café, it had already closed. Back in Newcastle, we passed many icecream shops but my travel companions were anxious to get to the train station and insisted that I could get icecream at the station. Once at the station, we discovered that we had an hour to wait so I went to one store only to discover that the icecream machine was broken, next, I went to a coffee stand to get a frappacino-like drink but the ice machine was broken. As it
ended up, I never did get to have icecream or anything to celebrate my birthday. Well, that was the end of 24 years and now the start of 25 years…let’s see what this next year has in store. York day trip
August 23, 2008
York day trip
This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the historical city of York. York was the most northern city controlled by the Roman Empire until the fifth century; therefore, many Roman ruins and influences still remain. The most notable place to visit is York Minster. Just a quick history lesson:
o A minster (mynster) is the Anglo-Saxon name for a missionary church which was built as a new center for Christian worship.
o A cathedral is the mother church of a diocese. It is where the bishop has his cathedra or seat which is only found in cathedrals.
York Minster is both a cathedral and a minster as it is the cathedral church for the Diocese of York. York Minster was first begun by Romans and the original foundation can still be found in the caverns below. It is also the location at which Constantine was made Emperor. Next, the North and South transepts were built in 1220-1260 and is of Norman Gothic era and architecture. The Nave and the Chapter House were built from 1280-1350 and the Quire from 1361-1472 and are a mixture of Medieval and Gothic stained glass and architecture. I’ve included some of the pictures with historical explanations.
1. Rose window: c. 1500. Commemorates the union of the houses of York and Lancaster wi
th the white roses representing the house of York and the red roses the house of Lancaster.
4. Chapter house: c. 13th century. Where the dean and chapter met to discuss administration issues. It has carvings which contain hidden messages; a cat chasing a mouse imbedded in the foliage, and the
Green Man which is a carving of Celtic origin and popular in Celtic architecture.
After completing the tour of the main level and crypts, we decided to wander into the nearby shops.
We had our dinner (lunch) at Betty’s tea room which is well known in England and then made our way to The Shambles. This is an area in which the homes are built at odd angles almost cartoon-like so that they appear to be falling or have crooked floors.
There was still one more activity to complete at the Minster; to climb 275 steps only 25in wide to the highest point in the Minster. Somehow I was at the front of the line and had to lead 20+ people to the top. For someone not completely comfortable with high places, this was quite a
feat. I passed signs along the way that essentially said “You aren’t going to make it…turn back NOW!” I knew I couldn’t stop because there was no place to turn around and go back down until I reached the top. So, with my heart in my throat, and trying not to look up or down, I crawled the last 100 steps to the top and collapsed in anxiety on a bench on the roof. Coming down was another feat as I had to tell my trembling legs to place themselves on each step as a gripped the thin metal rail for dear life. After that, we decided to walk the city wall back to the train station and catch the train to Newcastle. At Newcastle, we enjoyed a mezze at a Greek restaurant. Basically, this is a sample of 12 dishes split between three people…we were completely stuffed with some of the best Greek food I have ever tasted. We then took the metro up to West Jesmond, walked a mile to our hotel, and then collapsed in exhaustion awaiting our next day’s adventures….
York day trip
This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the historical city of York. York was the most northern city controlled by the Roman Empire until the fifth century; therefore, many Roman ruins and influences still remain. The most notable place to visit is York Minster. Just a quick history lesson:
o A minster (mynster) is the Anglo-Saxon name for a missionary church which was built as a new center for Christian worship.
o A cathedral is the mother church of a diocese. It is where the bishop has his cathedra or seat which is only found in cathedrals.
York Minster is both a cathedral and a minster as it is the cathedral church for the Diocese of York. York Minster was first begun by Romans and the original foundation can still be found in the caverns below. It is also the location at which Constantine was made Emperor. Next, the North and South transepts were built in 1220-1260 and is of Norman Gothic era and architecture. The Nave and the Chapter House were built from 1280-1350 and the Quire from 1361-1472 and are a mixture of Medieval and Gothic stained glass and architecture. I’ve included some of the pictures with historical explanations.
1. Rose window: c. 1500. Commemorates the union of the houses of York and Lancaster wi
th the white roses representing the house of York and the red roses the house of Lancaster.2. Five sisters window: c. 1260 contains gray and green “grisaille” glass in geometric patterns which is consistent with a Gothic design. 
3. Tree of Jesse: c. 1310. The tree shows Jesse at the bottom and then 
Jesus’ ancestors all the way up to Jesus at the top.
Jesus’ ancestors all the way up to Jesus at the top. 4. Chapter house: c. 13th century. Where the dean and chapter met to discuss administration issues. It has carvings which contain hidden messages; a cat chasing a mouse imbedded in the foliage, and the
Green Man which is a carving of Celtic origin and popular in Celtic architecture.After completing the tour of the main level and crypts, we decided to wander into the nearby shops.
We had our dinner (lunch) at Betty’s tea room which is well known in England and then made our way to The Shambles. This is an area in which the homes are built at odd angles almost cartoon-like so that they appear to be falling or have crooked floors.
There was still one more activity to complete at the Minster; to climb 275 steps only 25in wide to the highest point in the Minster. Somehow I was at the front of the line and had to lead 20+ people to the top. For someone not completely comfortable with high places, this was quite a
feat. I passed signs along the way that essentially said “You aren’t going to make it…turn back NOW!” I knew I couldn’t stop because there was no place to turn around and go back down until I reached the top. So, with my heart in my throat, and trying not to look up or down, I crawled the last 100 steps to the top and collapsed in anxiety on a bench on the roof. Coming down was another feat as I had to tell my trembling legs to place themselves on each step as a gripped the thin metal rail for dear life. After that, we decided to walk the city wall back to the train station and catch the train to Newcastle. At Newcastle, we enjoyed a mezze at a Greek restaurant. Basically, this is a sample of 12 dishes split between three people…we were completely stuffed with some of the best Greek food I have ever tasted. We then took the metro up to West Jesmond, walked a mile to our hotel, and then collapsed in exhaustion awaiting our next day’s adventures….
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