Doug Dwyer led devotions with us in the bus as we started our day. He used 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people…..” And illustrated it with England’s “God-thing” when the call went out for prayer and God spared them as Germany “mysteriously” ordered that their army not advance – it has been called the “Miracle of Dunkirk.” Doug closed with the thought, “Never be afraid to trust my unknown future to my great known God.”
Leaving Stratford, we traveled north through the midlands of England toward Edinburgh, Scotland, where we will stay for the last three nights of our tour. We rode the bus most of the morning through Nottingham, where Robin Hood and his Merry Men “robbed the rich to help the poor.” The clouds were heavy, and it was a bit chilly – AND we had a few drops of rain – the first of our entire trip. As through the entire tour, Patrick arranged for regular stops for bathroom and a bit of shopping and snacking for some. Also the bus driver has a government limit on how long the bus driver may drive without taking a break – they are usually about a half hour long.
As we drive along, Patrick shares all sorts of related and miscellaneous information. Today he talked about cricket and rugby among other things.
Around noon we came to the town of York, about a third of the way to Edinburgh. Before visiting the Edinburgh Cathedral, we took a walking tour through York, a true representation of Medieval England. We enjoyed the shops which all temp us to buy fudge or whatever. We stopped in an Ecco shoe store and came to an entertainer. He called himself “the man with the big balls. As the title sounds, part of his show was suggestive or off-color, which were disappointing, but he was excellent at working the crowd, and stood on the big ball above a row of steps and juggles, even on one foot balanced on the ball. We had seen him at the Shakespeare presentation yesterday, but he didn’t perform while we were watching.
After our stroll through the medieval town, we met at the York Minster Cathedral, England’s largest and tallest cathedral and the center of Christianity in the north part of England. It has a huge stained glass window dating back to 1338. We didn’t have much time and joined a tour with a leader there, but he was very hard to hear and not very interesting. He did say that the great size and light of the temple were seen as a sign of God’s presence there. Needing to leave at 2:45, we could only do the first half of his tour because we have a long drive yet to Edinburgh.
As we continued through north England and into Scotland, we saw larger farms, more extensive farmsteads, rolling hills, crops, sheep and goats, and a lot of grain fields. This is definitely an important farming area of these two countries.
Notes:
Community gardens an the edges of towns
“Crooked Hat” – title of a shop
Two nuclear plants – Patrick says France is 75% nuclear and builds the plants in England. Germany is reducing its nuclear facilities.
Many Scotch farmers emigrated to New Zealand. They see to be big guys.
Shop: “Old Gray Mare”
Bakeries in England also sell baked goods containing sausage or meat
In every country on this trip, we’ve seen many terraced houses – groups of identical homes in a row – each family has a section from ground floor to second or third floor for their home.
The Three-Legged Mare pub
Bruce: www.castironbath.com.UK
Biker’s shirt: Cycology
“Wain” is Scotch for child
Edinburg Holiday Inn (011) 44 871 942 9206, www.ihg.com