We spent all of Wednesday (22 July) in Ripon, starting after a leisurely breakfast of fresh fruit and muesli with a visit to the cathedral. Again, no matter how often we‘ve already been in there, we never tire of wandering around, looking at architectural and other details and generally just soaking up the relaxing, peaceful, calm, warm and welcoming atmosphere of this ancient building.
If you want to know dates and historical and current facts, the wikipedia entry about the cathedral is very useful.
We had lunch at Realitea, a small Indian restaurant we discovered only last year (or was it in 2024?); the owner is a young Indian woman who cooks based on traditional and family recipes, and she usually comes out to the tables and asks people how they liked their food. Service is always friendly, and the food has an authentic home-cooked feel about it; very nice and highly recommended, should you ever find yourself in Ripon and looking for a place to have lunch, or a selection of premium teas and lovely cakes.
We went through a few shops, had a brief rest at home and then set off for a walk around the neighbourhood for about an hour.  |
| Nature reserve down Springfield Banks, Ripon |
At 7:00 pm, we were at our former landlady‘s who has become a friend over the years. She offered champagne for starters, and that was before I told her that I was married - of course then we clinked glasses again. It was a most pleasurable evening with delicious food and drink, catching up and conversation freely flowing.
It wasn‘t yet fully dark by the time we walked back to the cottage; that‘s the advantage of British summertime and being further North than where we live.
Wednesday in Ripon ! I like the title. Short story or a movie ?
ReplyDeleteLike a Hugh Grant comedy ; he's stuck there with a sulky spoilt granddaughter.
12 miles from Harrogate, 22 miles from York. With a homey Indian restaurant.
What's not to love as the kids say ? I hear the curlew over Springfield Banks.
Yorkshire's one of the breeding spots for the Eurasian curlew.
Ripon Cathedral's on my Must See List. Lichfield, Ely & Peterborough too.
So you're further north than Ludwigsburg ? Long, lightsome evenings.
My late brother would come from Los Angeles and marvel at our summer evenings.
He'd quote Degas the painter : * Let us praise the light ; it is a consolation. *
Pretty picture of our Librarian, wholly absorbed in a text on her device.
The age of reading isn't over, though a cover story in The Atlantic said it was.
Curlew Action works to protect the curlew's habitat.
I quite like the title myself. More short story than movie, though.
DeleteSo far, I have not heard the curlew here, not at Springfield Banks or elsewhere close to the town.
Yes, Ludwigsburg is in South Germany and Ripon in North Yorkshire, plus there is the different time zone.
Do visit Ripon Cathedral if you have the opportunity. It is well worth it.
It's so nice that you and your sister do this traditional trip each year. So much beauty to explore and such nice memories you can celebrate and create. Do you think you will ever bring O.K. on this journey? I'm glad you are having such a great time.
ReplyDeleteI‘d love to come here with my husband! The idea has been around for years. We‘ll see!
DeleteIt‘s easy to have a great time here - we know where to go and what to do, and have family and friends to see.
Perhaps you could all three of you come as it would seem that you and your sister belong together in Yorkshire and would do a fine job in showing O.K. the sights. Rachel
DeleteSounds, and looks from your photograph, like you are having a perfect relaxed holiday and can forget work completely while you are in England. What a lovely position to be in, the two of you getting away from it all. I never had a sister and I am quite envious of your situation of having each other to holiday with. Rachel
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachel. I know I am fortunate with my family, and although Indon‘t mind doing things on my own (I‘ve been here on my own before, and have once been on a holiday in Prague alone), it is nice to share with someone like my husband or my sister.
DeleteI always enjoy seeing the photos of your holidays in Ripon, so near to where my parents lived. Like you, they loved to visit the cathedral. Realitea sounds excellent, I shall tell my daughter about it as she will be holidaying in the area in a couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteRealitea looks tiny from the outside, and it isn‘t big inside but has a nice back garden if the weather is good enough to eat outside.
DeleteIt's lovely to have places that one never really tires of re-visiting! :)
ReplyDeleteIt is, Monica 😊
Delete