Today was our off day, one of David’s more brilliant ideas. We ordered breakfast for 9 and made no plans for the day. I was up around 7;45 so had time to get up and talk to the eccentric woman from Florida who was walking the whole wall. If I can wear short shorts in my 50′s, maybe I will too.
After a great breakfast, the kind innkeeper drove David, Rava, Jim and I to Vindolanda. Pat & Holly decide they’d had enough Roman antiquities and took the bus back to Chester’s Walled Garden, which they enjoyed very much.
We enjoyed Vindolanda, especially the museum and the reconstructions. The narration in the reconstructed buildings was a little cheesy (Rava and I had some chuckle’s over the inanely cheery Roman housewife) but they gave us a nice sense of scale. It was fun to climb up the replica turret and peer over the replica wall – and realize how hard it would be to see a Pict who’d made it as far as the wall. Better get em while they’re still several feet away.
The museum has a fascinating collection of found objects that the anaerobic conditions had preserve, including a loaded die, textiles, shoes, tools, and jewelry. Interesting to think that this was all stuff people lost. We noted that only one sword has been found – apparently that was something you didn’t lose!
After our explorations we took the bus to twice brewed where we stopped for a beer and cheese. (This is a fabulous country for cheese.) Jim checked his email there and we learned that Cat and John had picked up Ginger, complete with broken arm but fine!
Again our fabulous innkeeper gave us a lift back AND GAVE US TEA AND CAKE. A few lazy hours lounging then another great dinner and so to bed. A British guest from the Isle of Wight asked us about the Trees of Mystery.
We also found that our tour arrangers do underestimate the leg from Wall to Sough Rigg. It is 14 miles.
This post was written by
Nadya – who has written 117 posts on UniBrain Trust.
Nadya is the resident food giver and trip planner. She likes to make things, and occasionally finishes them. Look! Shiny thing! You can often find her fixing JIm's spelling errors.