October 3, 2008
Durham trip
This Saturday I decided to brave the Northeast England wind and rain to journey to Durham. I took an enclosed double-decker bus one hour north to the city of Durham and spent most of the morning and early afternoon touring Durham Cathedral. The history of this castle dates back to 1081-1096 and is built in the Norman/Romanesque style. Unfortunately no cameras are allowed because this is place of frequent pilgrimage and prayer. The cathedral is not as spectacular as York Minster
but there is a more solemn and humble feeling to the architecture. As a cathedral, a large portion of the grounds were the housing for the monks who lived and worked there. One of the reasons that it is a place of pilgrimage is due to the individual buried here; St. Cuthbert who died in 687 but whose body was later moved to the site of the cathedral during the Viking raids. In 1542, the Reformation brought destruction to the bejeweled shrine and now only a simple marble marker exists to indicate St. Cuthbert’s grave. St. Cuthbert is known for his gift of healing as well as his communal with nature; being dried by the breath of otters, fed by birds. In his time, many converted persons were reverting back to pagan traditions and superstition so he travelled throughout Northeast England teaching people and praying.
The remaining of the day I planned to visit Durham Castle but lost motivation and decided to wander through the cobbled streets and quaint stores. The weather became more severe and not being able to stop in at the coffee shop due to the queues, I decided to return to Middlesbrough mid afternoon. 
Durham trip
This Saturday I decided to brave the Northeast England wind and rain to journey to Durham. I took an enclosed double-decker bus one hour north to the city of Durham and spent most of the morning and early afternoon touring Durham Cathedral. The history of this castle dates back to 1081-1096 and is built in the Norman/Romanesque style. Unfortunately no cameras are allowed because this is place of frequent pilgrimage and prayer. The cathedral is not as spectacular as York Minster
but there is a more solemn and humble feeling to the architecture. As a cathedral, a large portion of the grounds were the housing for the monks who lived and worked there. One of the reasons that it is a place of pilgrimage is due to the individual buried here; St. Cuthbert who died in 687 but whose body was later moved to the site of the cathedral during the Viking raids. In 1542, the Reformation brought destruction to the bejeweled shrine and now only a simple marble marker exists to indicate St. Cuthbert’s grave. St. Cuthbert is known for his gift of healing as well as his communal with nature; being dried by the breath of otters, fed by birds. In his time, many converted persons were reverting back to pagan traditions and superstition so he travelled throughout Northeast England teaching people and praying.
The remaining of the day I planned to visit Durham Castle but lost motivation and decided to wander through the cobbled streets and quaint stores. The weather became more severe and not being able to stop in at the coffee shop due to the queues, I decided to return to Middlesbrough mid afternoon. 
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