This and That – Good Morning on the Train to Edinburgh, Goodbye to Merry ole England.

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As the train whizzes through the countryside, I’ve noticed one thing that both sides of the pond have in common: graffiti. Although most of it’s gang-related, I can look past the gangs and enjoy the talent involved.

Yesterday, we toured the city of Durham and its ponderously magnificent cathedral. Of all the cathedrals we’ve visited, this was my favorite. This was due to its soaring, thick interior columns that are well over six feet around.

In other cathedrals, the columns were alike, not so in this one. Some columns were carved with a zigzag design. Others sported hexagonal motifs. Some were deeply fluted. The arches were different as well. Some were traditionally gothic, others rounded. The entire cathedral, though, was an excellent example of Romanesque architecture. The afternoon sunlight streaming through the stained glass tracery cast a myriad of dancing hues on the ancient cathedral walls. Soft organ music drifted through the air; the ancient smell of carved stone and marble, coupled with sweet incense, made one pause and reflect on God’s majesty and power.

Sam booked us into a delightful Victorian B&B – the Frarnley Towers…not to be confused with Faulty Towers. (LOL) The house was built in a high Victorian style around 1873. It has retained much of its period interiors with a few fun additions. (See snaps.)

We’re pulling into the train station. We’ll visit Edinburgh Castle and other historical sites. My favorite? The last British Royal yacht, Britannia, of course. Signing off for now. Peace, blessings to you all.

Big hug.

(Originally posted September 22, 2022)

There’s that tacky American tourist hanging out of his bedroom window.
A room with a view…ours. You can see the Cathedral off in the distance.
The Cathedral’s nave showing the different columns.
The baptism font. A carved creation that was magnificent.
The small, black columns were made from marble infused with seashells.
The massive, intricately carved presbytery’s pulpit from which the priest would preach.
One of the column designs cut deep into the marble.
A fluted column.
A soaring wall of color and light.
The knocker on the Cathedral’s northern door, known as the Sanctuary Knocker, played an important part in the Cathedral’s history.  Those who ‘had committed a great offence,’ such as murder in self-defence or breaking out of prison, could rap the knocker, and would be given 37 days of sanctuary within which they could try to reconcile with their enemies or plan their escape. I knocked twice just in case I needed it. LOL!