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denYesterday we drove down to St Albans and wandered through the cathedral. The current building was built by the Normans in 1080, and rebuilt and enlarged over the years. The stonework is a mix of Norman, Plantagenet and gothic styles, plastered in white and painted with religeous scenes some time in the 15th century. There is also a working copy of the Wallingford Clock.The original was built by Richard Of Wallingford, Abbot of St Albans during the reign of Edward the Third.
We wandered down the hill to Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, which is listed as the oldest pub in Britain. I had Scampi & Chips, washed down with a half-pint of Bombadier. mmmm yummy.
Well fed and watered, we wandered through the old Roman city of Verulamium to the new Museum Of Roman Life. Verulamium looks like a pleasent green park now, with soccer fields and the occasional ancient wall poking though the green. The museum is filled with coins, kitchen utensils, pots, and such things ordinary people needed to live with, and exceedingly fine glassware and floor mosaics.
On the way back to Ye Old Fighting Cocks the temperature dropped and it started to sleet. I was well soaked and my face went numb. I needed two capuccinos in front of the fire to prepare myself for the run to the car. Aaron ordered a chocolate ice cream. Strange lad.
Today was a bum-around-and-do-nothing day. Aaron had a day in, while I headed off to Stotfold to see some old friends. We talked a lot then headed off to The Checkers for lunch. It was cod, chips and mushy peas for all, which I washed down with a half of Speckled Hen (a yummy bitter) and a half of Barnetts XXXB (an even yummier bitter.) John went for the IPA, while Lena had a lager shandy. Afterwards we wandered arond an old mill which is in the process of being restored. John said the waterwheel is odd in that it is iron, 6 feet high and almost 20 feet wide. When the mill is restored the group will start grinding grain for the tourists.
As we leaned against the bridge and watched the ducks, the first flakes of snow fell. They were also the last flakes for this area. I see on the news Scotland, Wales and Cornwall are under a heavy blanket.
I think with the temperature hovering a 1*C I will be under heavy blankets tonight.
We wandered down the hill to Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, which is listed as the oldest pub in Britain. I had Scampi & Chips, washed down with a half-pint of Bombadier. mmmm yummy.
Well fed and watered, we wandered through the old Roman city of Verulamium to the new Museum Of Roman Life. Verulamium looks like a pleasent green park now, with soccer fields and the occasional ancient wall poking though the green. The museum is filled with coins, kitchen utensils, pots, and such things ordinary people needed to live with, and exceedingly fine glassware and floor mosaics.
On the way back to Ye Old Fighting Cocks the temperature dropped and it started to sleet. I was well soaked and my face went numb. I needed two capuccinos in front of the fire to prepare myself for the run to the car. Aaron ordered a chocolate ice cream. Strange lad.
Today was a bum-around-and-do-nothing day. Aaron had a day in, while I headed off to Stotfold to see some old friends. We talked a lot then headed off to The Checkers for lunch. It was cod, chips and mushy peas for all, which I washed down with a half of Speckled Hen (a yummy bitter) and a half of Barnetts XXXB (an even yummier bitter.) John went for the IPA, while Lena had a lager shandy. Afterwards we wandered arond an old mill which is in the process of being restored. John said the waterwheel is odd in that it is iron, 6 feet high and almost 20 feet wide. When the mill is restored the group will start grinding grain for the tourists.
As we leaned against the bridge and watched the ducks, the first flakes of snow fell. They were also the last flakes for this area. I see on the news Scotland, Wales and Cornwall are under a heavy blanket.
I think with the temperature hovering a 1*C I will be under heavy blankets tonight.
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Date: 25 Nov 2005 20:40 (UTC)I remember seeing a TV programme where they tried to find the oldest pub in Britain - they said (of the pubs they checked out) Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem was the oldest, but they didn't include a couple that are on that website. Interesting.
Britain doesn't have a climate, it has weather.
Date: 26 Nov 2005 15:26 (UTC)The only reason people are complaining that it is cold is that until a few days before your arrival we had had one of the warmest Novembers for a long time.