So we left Edinburgh a few days ago, and have essentially spent this in-between time commuting down to LONDON!!! Before I delve into Her Majesty’s home turf, I want to cover some of the cities/towns we visited through the English countryside on the way!

DURHAM:

Just a quick stop here for lunch and a quick moment to stretch our legs!

• We walked up to Durham Cathedral, saw the beautiful Rose Window (an intricate stained glass window at the back of the church). They wouldn’t let us take any photos inside the church & the tour for the Durham Castle/Durham University (conveniently located right next to the Cathedral) was only open to pre-booked tours, but this UNESCO World Heritage site is a must see if you’re in town.
• I had my first meat pie! Apparently, the restaurant we went to had won awards for its pies and the steak & ale pie I had was certainly deserving of an award! I can’t wait to get back to Seattle & learn how to make savory pies this fall/winter!

YORK:

Here we crashed for the night, but not before walking the town for a few hours!

• The Shambles – one of the best preserved medieval streets in the world. Jam-packed with shops on every corner, the roads are steeped in history, full of some original architecture, and looks a lot like Diagon Alley.

• The beautiful York Minster was waiting for us at the back of the city!
• Sadly, this is the only town I haven’t been able to buy a book in. Sadly since we got here so late most of the shops had closed for the evening.

CAMBRIDGE:

• As a self-proclaimed Oxford girl, the thought of going to Cambridge first didn’t sit well with me haha. However, the minute my feet hit the cobblestone, my eyes opened wide as I took every bit of this beautiful city in.
• Punting – I went punting on the Sighs! We had an awesome boat guide who walked us through the history of the university. Sidebar: another boat temporarily got stranded when their guide managed to drop his pole in the water. Of course in my excitement, when our boat passed I happily pulled it out and practically “javelined” it back to him. Now I can say I grabbed an Englishman’s pole 😜

• CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY IS HUGE!!! They have a billion different colleges attached to the university & navigating the maze of them all is a brilliant struggle. It’s beyond overwhelming to even think of the amazing people who walked the same streets I was standing on.

We are in London now, the dream I’ve had since I was 7 has finally become a reality! Stay tuned for my write-up about this amazingly vibrant & multicultural city!