So, Em was feeling much better today, but we still had to stay pretty local, because we have no car anymore. We saw the owner again last night and told him how much we had enjoyed Ripley, and he told us the both Mother Shipton's Cave and Harlow Carr, the Harrogate botanical gardens, are nice things to visit locally. After breakfast this morning, we looked at their websites, and Em decided that Harlow Carr looked the best. Plus, they have a Betty's there. Betty's is a very famous tea house in Yorkshire, and I had wanted to go the whole time we had been here, but we hadn't yet had a chance. So, we looked at the bus schedule and walked to the bus stop. The one across the roundabout from our hotel was for the bus that went right to Harlow Carr, so it worked out perfectly. The bus driver had a very thick Yorkshire accent. It was the first time I really had a hard time understanding somebody on the trip (besides the Trevor boards mix-up, that is). Here's our conversation.
Me - Is this the bus to the botanical gardens?
Him - *nod* Air ya goon inta gartens?
Me - Yes.
Him - Ooa booa looa gooa gartens?
Me - Uhhhh, no.
Him - *nod* That'llbe fiv farty.
Me - *counting money* Which stop is it?
Him - Ayll tellya.
When we got to the gardens, he yelled something back. I think it may have been Harlow Carr. Another couple was on the bus, too, and they had said something about gardens and got up, so we got up, too. It was the right place, thank goodness.
I realized we had forgotten our camera, but luckily I had the phone, so I still got some pictures. It was a bit soggy out, but it was no longer raining, so that was nice. The gardens are not huge, so it wasn't overwhelming. I really enjoyed the part about gardens through the centuries. Did you know that rich people used to hire hermits to live in the parks on their estates during the summer, just to be interesting?
We found the Log Ness Monster, and Em jumped on her head.
Our next stop was the bird hide, where you hide from birds. It's a little building with windows that look out on a clearing that's filled with different kinds of bird feeders. We saw some great tits (tee hee) some coal tits, a couple of nuthatches, and some other ones I don't know. I only know those because there was another couple in there who actually knew these things. We stayed there for a good 15 minutes, until Em started getting hungry.
By then, we had gone most of the way around the gardens. We had a few more things to see, and then we would head back to the entrance, where Betty's awaited. There's a fun little tree house that was amazingly spider-free.
There were some massive plants next to the creek. I felt like I had gone back to the Cretaceous.
In the Alpine Garden, we saw gentians. I had no idea gentians were a plant. I had heard of gentian violet, a stain that's used to prepare slides in biology, but I didn't know it was named after a kind of flower. There were several different kinds of gentians, and I liked them all. I'm going to see if I can get them to grow in MD, maybe.
I really like this rock garden in the alpine section. I wonder if we could do something like this
We saw what looked like Nightlock berries
Then it was time for a late lunch. For everybody. The line for Betty's was pretty long, but it only took about 15 minutes. The hostess gave us a menu to look at in line, so we were able to order right away when we were seated. That's good, because it took ages to actually get the food. It was worth it, though. I had the best Eggs Benedict that I have ever had. I love EB, but it's usually pretty mediocre at restaurants, because the Hollandaise separates. But, this was spectacular. Em got the French Toast with Yorkshire bacon, and she loved that, too. She said it was the best bacon she had ever had, but I disagreed. I think the best bacon was on my cheddar and bacon sandwich in Bourton-on-the-Water when we were in England in 2009.
Max called us when we were about halfway through lunch and asked where we were. He had thought he'd be home late, since it was his last day of work there, but they actually got done early.So, we finished up and headed back to the hotel.
When we got back, we grabbed Max & went back downtown. Em hadn't been able to decide what she wanted to buy yesterday, so she made up her mind last night, and we went to go get it. We also wanted to look for a bigger bag to check for the airplane. We didn't need an extra checked bag for our flight from Frankfurt to Dublin, so we just brought a duffel to put souvenirs in for the second and third flights. But, we just couldn't get enough in the duffel. Since we need another bag for the flight back to the US, we thought we'd just buy it here. We bought Em's headband, and luckily found a sports store that also sells luggage. We found a great bag for only £16. It was 70% off! (A note from later - I'm really glad we got the bag, because there's no way we could have gotten everything home in the bags we had. We were right at the weight limits even with the big new bag)
Tonight was dinner at Derek & Carolyn's house, so we stopped by the Betty's in town to buy a treat to take. Em was tired, and took our new merchandise back to the hotel so she could have a quick rest before dinner. Max & I picked out an almond cake thing that looked delicious.
At about 5:30, Carolyn came by the hotel to take us to her house. They live out in the Dales. The drive was lovely, with sheep and stone walls everywhere. Their house is great, too. It's huge, for one. It has a gorgeous view, and it has a name! Ashville. I've always wanted a house with a name.
We got the grand tour, and I must say, I'm pretty darn jealous. They have some wonderful old furniture that they've gotten at local auctions.
We ordered Indian take out and the walked down to the village to get it. I want to live in a village! Actually, I think I would soon get sick of living in a village, but maybe I would want to live there on weekends. We brought dinner back and ate. It was delicious. Some of the dishes were very different from what we're used to. The Tikka Masala was very sweet. The almond cake we got at Betty's was indeed quite yummy.
We bid goodbye to Derek & Carolyn at about 8:30. I still had to pack, and tomorrow is an early start. It was lovely to see friends. I've been a bit lonely here.
Emma says - The botanical gardens were really pretty, and they had a lot of fun stuff there. I loved watching the birds, because there were a million different kinds. There was also a squirrel that was stealing the food from under the feeders. Betty's was SO DELICIOUS! We got to go out with our friends, and that was really fun. They have the most adorable dog, and I got my headband.
Me - Is this the bus to the botanical gardens?
Him - *nod* Air ya goon inta gartens?
Me - Yes.
Him - Ooa booa looa gooa gartens?
Me - Uhhhh, no.
Him - *nod* That'llbe fiv farty.
Me - *counting money* Which stop is it?
Him - Ayll tellya.
When we got to the gardens, he yelled something back. I think it may have been Harlow Carr. Another couple was on the bus, too, and they had said something about gardens and got up, so we got up, too. It was the right place, thank goodness.
I realized we had forgotten our camera, but luckily I had the phone, so I still got some pictures. It was a bit soggy out, but it was no longer raining, so that was nice. The gardens are not huge, so it wasn't overwhelming. I really enjoyed the part about gardens through the centuries. Did you know that rich people used to hire hermits to live in the parks on their estates during the summer, just to be interesting?
We found the Log Ness Monster, and Em jumped on her head.
Our next stop was the bird hide, where you hide from birds. It's a little building with windows that look out on a clearing that's filled with different kinds of bird feeders. We saw some great tits (tee hee) some coal tits, a couple of nuthatches, and some other ones I don't know. I only know those because there was another couple in there who actually knew these things. We stayed there for a good 15 minutes, until Em started getting hungry.
 |
| You can't tell, but the feeders are covered in birds in this photo |
By then, we had gone most of the way around the gardens. We had a few more things to see, and then we would head back to the entrance, where Betty's awaited. There's a fun little tree house that was amazingly spider-free.
There were some massive plants next to the creek. I felt like I had gone back to the Cretaceous.
In the Alpine Garden, we saw gentians. I had no idea gentians were a plant. I had heard of gentian violet, a stain that's used to prepare slides in biology, but I didn't know it was named after a kind of flower. There were several different kinds of gentians, and I liked them all. I'm going to see if I can get them to grow in MD, maybe.
I really like this rock garden in the alpine section. I wonder if we could do something like this
We saw what looked like Nightlock berries
Max called us when we were about halfway through lunch and asked where we were. He had thought he'd be home late, since it was his last day of work there, but they actually got done early.So, we finished up and headed back to the hotel.
When we got back, we grabbed Max & went back downtown. Em hadn't been able to decide what she wanted to buy yesterday, so she made up her mind last night, and we went to go get it. We also wanted to look for a bigger bag to check for the airplane. We didn't need an extra checked bag for our flight from Frankfurt to Dublin, so we just brought a duffel to put souvenirs in for the second and third flights. But, we just couldn't get enough in the duffel. Since we need another bag for the flight back to the US, we thought we'd just buy it here. We bought Em's headband, and luckily found a sports store that also sells luggage. We found a great bag for only £16. It was 70% off! (A note from later - I'm really glad we got the bag, because there's no way we could have gotten everything home in the bags we had. We were right at the weight limits even with the big new bag)
Tonight was dinner at Derek & Carolyn's house, so we stopped by the Betty's in town to buy a treat to take. Em was tired, and took our new merchandise back to the hotel so she could have a quick rest before dinner. Max & I picked out an almond cake thing that looked delicious.
At about 5:30, Carolyn came by the hotel to take us to her house. They live out in the Dales. The drive was lovely, with sheep and stone walls everywhere. Their house is great, too. It's huge, for one. It has a gorgeous view, and it has a name! Ashville. I've always wanted a house with a name.
We got the grand tour, and I must say, I'm pretty darn jealous. They have some wonderful old furniture that they've gotten at local auctions.
 |
| From the front, out over the village |
 |
| Out the back. She the old church from the 1200s through the trees? |
We ordered Indian take out and the walked down to the village to get it. I want to live in a village! Actually, I think I would soon get sick of living in a village, but maybe I would want to live there on weekends. We brought dinner back and ate. It was delicious. Some of the dishes were very different from what we're used to. The Tikka Masala was very sweet. The almond cake we got at Betty's was indeed quite yummy.
We bid goodbye to Derek & Carolyn at about 8:30. I still had to pack, and tomorrow is an early start. It was lovely to see friends. I've been a bit lonely here.
Emma says - The botanical gardens were really pretty, and they had a lot of fun stuff there. I loved watching the birds, because there were a million different kinds. There was also a squirrel that was stealing the food from under the feeders. Betty's was SO DELICIOUS! We got to go out with our friends, and that was really fun. They have the most adorable dog, and I got my headband.
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