We are off!!! After meeting me outside of the baggage pickup, we went for the car. It was wonderful to be together, laughing and hugging and falling back into our silliness from my last visit a few weeks ago!! I had missed them so much, even though Alix and I spent so many hours on line, it isn't the same as being able to reach over and hug in person.
I was on a magical mystery tour... these amazing women had planned the way home to include a sightseeing tour of places that they thought I would love... and they were so right!
Our first stop was Hebden Bridge. It is a lovely little town about 45 minutes from Manchester Airport. It reminded me of New Hope, Pennsylvania USA. Alix drove us through a few neighborhoods that she knew from the past, and then parked the car so that we could enjoy strolling around in the lovely air. The town is very hilly and had quaint, (to me), brick and stone walkways. ... and lots of beautiful homes tucked away among the steep alleyways. Stone is used for homes and walkways so very much more here than it is at home in the States. I love the feeling it generates in me... somehow deeply rooted, like an old and proud tree among the saplings that surround it.
We ate lunch outside of a sweet little coffee shop at the edge of a stream that runs through this section of town. It was so lovely catching up with each other, feeling the breeze, and sharing different foods. The parade of people going by was eclectically varied, and great fun to watch. It is a town I could easily see myself living in.
After we explored a few more streets, we went back to the car and on to my next surprise... we were heading for Blackpool, UK. It's a well known seaside resort in Britain and a must-see destination for this American!! I love my friends. The care and thought that had been put into planning the day's events was so touching. I always know I am blessed with amazing people in my life and days like this fill me with gratitude and appreciation.
When we arrived, I had to laugh again at how similarly places have evolved on both sides of the Atlantic. Blackpool reminded me so much of Ocean City, NJ USA!!! There were definitely more signs advertising fish and chips, for sure, but if I transposed them with the Pizza signs in Ocean City, I could feel as though I was back at 'the shore' as we call it, in New Jersey!
We walked and prowled along the boardwalk, with Alix, Julia and Pam telling me stories from their past visits to Blackpool. As we rambled, Alix saw the Louis Tussaud wax museum, and bought us all tickets. I haven't ever been in a wax museum...and was amazed at how lifelike a lot of the figures were.... I had to run back to get a disposable camera so that we could have a photo of Pam with "Harry Potter"! Goodness knows I missed my digital camera where I could have just downloaded the photos into my trusty MacBook and printed a copy off for her. Now we have to wait to develop film, which I haven't done in such a long time!
My next cultural experience was after seeing a figure of an older woman outside of what looked like a bar entrance. I was about to enter the world of Coronation Street...a soap opera that has been running in the UK for a very long time! The figure was one of the characters, and the bar a main set where a good deal of the show takes place. I loved the very lifelike wax figure of the bartender and a few other characters. The museum had cleverly set it up so that their snack bar was part of the set, and we had tea in what was set up as one of the booths in the TV show.
Okay, I'm about to make the mouths of a LOT of people water...I had my very first authentic fish and chips!!! We ate it walking along the street, smelling the sea air and laughing and chatting.
I was and still am feeling quite delighted to have this uniquely British experience. Sharing friends, life, caring...and of course, telling you all about it on this blog.
More later...we are off to Scotland again!