7:30 am - It is a beautiful sunshiny day. We went down for the hotel's great breakfast before John walked to work at 8:30.
10:30 am - I went over to the St Albans Cathedral and took several pictures from the outside. I found a 5p on the ground(!) The entrance was closed to the public because of a conference. I went to the store and walked around on my own. They said it was no problem to take pictures of things. A lady told me that the eagle lecturn was a good picture to get (see today's pictures). She (Jean) explained that she was a tour guide and even though she didn't have the eight people needed for a tour, she would give me a personal one-on-one tour! She explained the history, architecture, the tombs, the shrine for St Albans. (Umar told us that the bricks used in the foundation had been scavenged in the middle ages from early Roman buildings.) Jean told me when I need to be quiet for prayer, etc. At one point she left me for a few moments and I lit a candle and prayed for the restoration of faith to this beautiful country. She helped me find a guidebook so I could remember details, dates, and purposes of different areas. For example, the Watching Chamber was for monks to watch over to see that people were respectful and not stealing in the shrine. There was a decorated wooden ceiling from the 13th century (my picture is a little blurry). There is also a frieze from about 1400 with wood carvings that depict everyday life -- things like suckling pigs, men wrestling, cow and calf and much more. They are a little hard to see in the pictures. There is a large stone carving depicting the resurrection from 1492, a beautiful rose window, and beautiful stained glass windows. I told Jean "thank you" for the special treatment.
12:40 pm - John met me at the Cross Keys pub for lunch. There is a history of the Cross Keys on the wall, but I forget it all. Lunch was good as it was yesterday.
1:30 pm - I walked to a couple of shops, then visited Abigail's Tea Room. I had Cream Tea which is a raisin scone, tea and cream. I ate about 3/4 of the scone (counting sodium -- you know). This would be a nice place to eat with someone (with ladies, not by myself). They serve soup, sandwiches, and sweets. It is a beautiful little cafe with lace tablecloths and curtains, but tea was served in regular stoneware coffe cups -- I guess they are more durable. After leaving the tea room, I went to a couple of shops to look for rememberances.
6:00 pm - John got back and we ate supper her a the hotel again -- we have to pack and prepare to leave in the morning for Wales.
Click here for pictures
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