vacationing.

This past week we went on holiday to Northern England. Technically we were on a field trip, but come on, riding ferries on a lake, hiking through the Lake District, and shopping down cobblestone roads... does that sound like school to you? Definitely not, just a vacation for sure.

Monday we road the coach all day to get up to York. My favorite stop was Chatsworth. It is the Duke of Chatsworth's home, but most importantly, Mr. Darcy's home in Keira Knightley's Pride and Prejudice. It is amazing. It rivals Buckingham and made me want to be a Duchess rather than a Princess. Mainly just because searching for a Duke expands my dating pool from 2 to about 40 while still allowing me to live in a fabulous house such as the one below. My chances are going up!

We checked into our hostel in York that night. Quite the experience. Let me just say one thing: starve before you eat hostel food. Unless of course they offer you banana cake, take two pieces, it's delicious. Wear sandals in the showers and do not use the linens if they are stained. Also, watch out for professors without their shirts on... they roam the halls in the mornings. 

While in York we took a tour of the huge Minster (cathedral). Our tour guide was the spunkiest woman I have ever met. She called herself the "rebel guide" and is no younger than 70. Fabulous. That day we just roamed the streets and shopped. I got the cutest polka dotted blazer for super cheap that I am very excited about, pictures to come. 

The next day we rode the coach all day up to the Lake District. I forced myself to stay awake because the ride through the countryside was breathtaking. My favorite stop was Hadrian's Wall, a wall built in the 2nd century to mark the edge of the Roman Empire. Again, the view was incredible.

Thursday we spent the entire day roaming the Lake District. First, we went to Wordsworth's home. He lived in the cutest little lakeside town called Grasmere. Anyone looking for a cozy vacation spot, check it out! Then we took a fairy across the lake and hiked to Beatrix Potter's, author of Peter Rabbit, home. The rest of the day was spent enjoying the scenery and finding a Tesco to get groceries that could save us from the awful dinner.

Friday was the last day of the trip. On the way back to London we stopped in Preston to see some Church History sites. We took a tour around the city and saw the square where all the early missionaries taught. We also saw the temple and MTC there, it made me so excited because my cousin Braeden was there only 3 months ago. We also stopped in Liverpool for 20 minutes to drop some students off for the night. We snapped a ton of pictures on the dock where the early pioneers left to sail to the U.S. and listened to The Beatles the entire drive through the city.

If I was to sum up this trip with one adjective, I would have to go with beautiful. It was so different from our trip to Paris, but I loved it just the same. It was much more relaxing and rejuvenating and gave me a greater thirst to see more of nature's beauty. I can't wait to go back and spend a few more days there!

One more thing: while in the Lake District, I started something new that I am really excited about. Since we go to so many writers' houses, I decided to buy a book at the homes of the authors I enjoy or am interested in. I now have a small Wordsworth Anthology from his home, Jane Ayre from Charlotte Bronte's home, and Peter Rabbit from Beatrix Potter's home. I am so excited to have these in my library and for the way they will be a life long memory-sparker of my stay here in London.

More to come!