So many funny stories.... where to start. First, I will start with the Cathedral we visited. It is a true Roman Catholic Cathedral, very rich, beautiful stone and woodwork. It has been modernized with AV equipment, but still has the ornate woodwork and stone. St. Cuthbert was buried there in 1104. How is that for old?? It was also known as a sanctuary for local criminals. Our bass trombone player, Larry, noticed a monk standing in one of the hallways, hands folded in front of him, looking down slightly. One would assume that the monk was in prayer...... as Larry approached the monk, he noticed the Blackberry in his hands - enough said.
In the US and around the world, this cathedral has been seen many times. It was used for scenes in the 1st Harry Potter Movie. So, I got to go to Hogwarts! Because this is an active place of worship, with services going on daily, no merchandise is sold and it is not brought up. If a tourist asks about it, the are simply answered, and then the volunteers move on. Really, the only reference to the movie in the entire cathedral are the purple cloaks that the staff wears.
We then traveled on to the North Sea, and the St. Mary lighthouse. It was impressive, tall, with winding staircases. The lighthouse was used until 1984, when modern technology took over. It is now open for tours as the tide allows. You can view the website here.
Here are some pics of our day:
The causeway that leads to the St. Mary's Lighthouse. You can see that it is partly under water. When the tide is completely in, the causeway is totally submerged. The tide dictates when the lighthouse is open for tours, and when it has to close.
Tomorrow - LONDON!
Good night to all -
LL
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