Drenched In History
Our district meeting was put off until tomorrow morning, so we found ourselves with some free time in the morning. We did what any Gilbert Arizonan would do. We put on our heaviest coats, stepped outside, walked to the bus station and purchased two tickets for the "Hop on Hop Off" buses you see everywhere in the world.
We've been meaning to do that since we got here, but haven't seemed to have the stretch of time. We read that they quit running after October 31, and we kind of thought that must be the official end of tourist season. The tour guide told us otherwise. There are tourists here year round.
I haven't been able to get clear in my mind the lay of the land...north from south....where one street lies in relation to another. I think it is because the GPS on my phone shows me such a very small section of where I am at any given time, unlike a real paper-in-the-hand map. There is a road atlas from 2013 in the flat and I have put it in the car now, so that I can use it while we drive. I also study this little map that is hanging on the wall of our flat. I hope to master this little town soon.
We rode the circle of the city listening to the very British tour guide tell about the history of this place and point out extraordinary buildings and settings (everything is extraordinary). We "hopped off" and the second go-around to do a short half hour walking tour through some very historic sites. The dates of 1200, 1300 and forward in time all tripped off his tongue as naturally as talking about two weeks ago.
Afterwards we asked him if he is so used to living with all of this history that he doesn't see it anymore. He somewhat sheepishly said yes. It seems to happen wherever you are. People who live in Sedona Arizona with large picture windows of the surrounding red rock mountains reach a point where they don't really look.
It was an amazing few hours. On the walk home, we stepped inside what looked like a little alley of shops, and discovered an entire indoor/outdoor shopping mall that looked like it had been there for centuries. There was everything from picture framing to fresh produce to a Thai restaurant!
We stopped and had a bite of lunch, something we have been wanting to try since we got here...a very British dish. A meat pie. We both got chicken. We could have had mashed peas on top, but opted simply for the potatoes and gravy as a bed for the pie. It was quite good, but so heavy. The filling was mostly an excellent cream with chicken and seasonings. I've now tried that and won't try it again for awhile.
I'm going to post a bunch of pictures from our little tour today. I don't know the names of most of the places, but I'll just tell you that they are OLD!
Our institute class just ended, and everyone has left. Such a great lesson, such a wonderful group. We are studying the same lesson as on Sundays in "Come Follow Me." Paul's letters are full of gems about our day. I so enjoy the thoughtful comments made by the people who were here tonight. The teacher reads a scripture, we talk about it, the teacher asks for personal application, then waits. And wonderful personal insights come forth.
It's been a day of looking back to ancient times. It makes me want to be still and listen and ponder. Great things to be learned.
We've been meaning to do that since we got here, but haven't seemed to have the stretch of time. We read that they quit running after October 31, and we kind of thought that must be the official end of tourist season. The tour guide told us otherwise. There are tourists here year round.
I haven't been able to get clear in my mind the lay of the land...north from south....where one street lies in relation to another. I think it is because the GPS on my phone shows me such a very small section of where I am at any given time, unlike a real paper-in-the-hand map. There is a road atlas from 2013 in the flat and I have put it in the car now, so that I can use it while we drive. I also study this little map that is hanging on the wall of our flat. I hope to master this little town soon.
We rode the circle of the city listening to the very British tour guide tell about the history of this place and point out extraordinary buildings and settings (everything is extraordinary). We "hopped off" and the second go-around to do a short half hour walking tour through some very historic sites. The dates of 1200, 1300 and forward in time all tripped off his tongue as naturally as talking about two weeks ago.
Afterwards we asked him if he is so used to living with all of this history that he doesn't see it anymore. He somewhat sheepishly said yes. It seems to happen wherever you are. People who live in Sedona Arizona with large picture windows of the surrounding red rock mountains reach a point where they don't really look.
It was an amazing few hours. On the walk home, we stepped inside what looked like a little alley of shops, and discovered an entire indoor/outdoor shopping mall that looked like it had been there for centuries. There was everything from picture framing to fresh produce to a Thai restaurant!
We stopped and had a bite of lunch, something we have been wanting to try since we got here...a very British dish. A meat pie. We both got chicken. We could have had mashed peas on top, but opted simply for the potatoes and gravy as a bed for the pie. It was quite good, but so heavy. The filling was mostly an excellent cream with chicken and seasonings. I've now tried that and won't try it again for awhile.
I'm going to post a bunch of pictures from our little tour today. I don't know the names of most of the places, but I'll just tell you that they are OLD!
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| If I heard the tour guide correctly, this is the oldest building of Oxford University, built in the 1200's! Thus building's upper stories were scenes where Harry Potter was filmed. |
Our institute class just ended, and everyone has left. Such a great lesson, such a wonderful group. We are studying the same lesson as on Sundays in "Come Follow Me." Paul's letters are full of gems about our day. I so enjoy the thoughtful comments made by the people who were here tonight. The teacher reads a scripture, we talk about it, the teacher asks for personal application, then waits. And wonderful personal insights come forth.
It's been a day of looking back to ancient times. It makes me want to be still and listen and ponder. Great things to be learned.
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