Adding a little more to Day 3, upon getting off the train in Manchester I could feel I was in a grittier part of England. When I got off the train, I saw a group of maybe twenty loud, obnoxious, drunk, football fans. They're cheering and chanting loudly through the station, all holding large plastic cups of beer. Amazingly, they were singing in unison and in key. A passerby said something to them about their team or such, and one throws a cup of beer on him. I'm standing right there, trying to get to my platform. An argument ensues and four police men are instantly around them. This is the incredible part. No one was arrested or handcuffed. The police pulled out their small notebooks and pens, threatened to give them a ticket- and they had a talk it out. It was incredibly, they talked it out and everyone went on their way.
Day 4- I met the Friends for breakfast. I tried white coffee and apple yogurt. We took a coach to the Lake District, two hours away. Gorgeous countryside with lots of sheep blocked off in sections surrounded by ancient stone walls. The Lake District is a hiker's dream.
One town away from Grasmere is Keswick. As the coach drove by I saw Dodd's Restaurant. Nearby, there is also Dodd Woods, and Dodd Mountain. I don't think I will have time or means to reach either, but it's nice to know it's here. While I was looking up Dodd's restaurant online, I found Little Dodd Garden Center and Cafe. I would love to find a Little Dodd t-shirt for Harper.
We also passed an ice cream shop with a flag out front that said "Fancy an Ice Cream?"
The Quakers met for tea and orientation. We had an introductory talk by our pilgrimage guide, Roy. Roy an Englishman will also be our tour guide. He asked all of us to say three things we are most proud of ourselves. Several of us had similar answers like our family and being a Quaker, while others spoke more openly and freely. It's a wonderful exercise in getting to know each other and seeing what the others find to be important. It was also a lesson in pride. It's alright to talk about things that you like about yourself and find great meaning in- it's not boastful. I said I was proud of my family (my husband and children), I feel pride in going to Meeting and in telling others I'm a Quaker, and that I feel I'm a kind and good-hearted person. There is pride in thinking that about yourself. We spoke of T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Journey of The Magi."http://allpoetry.com/poem/8453741-The_Journey_Of_The_Magi-by-T_S__Eliot
The focus of the week is on equality, we all have equal value in God's light. We're going to visit Pendle Hill and Swarthmore House where equality was tested. We hope to learn from the values and lessons learned there. One of our leaders was given a scallop necklace by a friend before the trip. The scallop shell is a traditional symbol for a pilgrimage. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James
Also, pilgrims were supposed to travel with a staff. Their money was put in a bag and tied to the staff. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we're going to climb Pendle Hill. I wish I had a staff.
We had a fabulous three course dinner. I chose goat cheese mousse with tomato salad, leg of lamb, and raspberry creme brûlée. My new best friend is Connie from Oslo, Norway. She is eighty two years old still travels all over the world and takes cycling trips. She lived in Chapel Hill and was an Upper School councilor at Carolina Friends School for twenty years. She is so much fun, and I love our conversations. I feel so blessed to be here.
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| This is all I saw of Manchester. |
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| Black Coffee or White Coffee? It's basically coffee with lots of milk, called "coffee light" in NYC. |
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| My room, no Bible in the drawer- try Quaker Faith and Practice by the bed. |
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| The Glenthorne, Quaker Retreat in Grasmere |
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| ferns growing through stones |
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| Path to the village of Grasmere, a five minute walk. |
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| My room is called "Butter Crags" named after a steep climb in the Lake District. |
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| skylight in my room |
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