Trying to catch up

The last bit of the last post was written on the next day (ie today) so if you're reading this you should read the other one first. . .

OK, so now I've left Liverpool and made it to the Derwentwater YHA just outside of Keswick (When the locals pronounce that there are no Ws and there are two Zs-- Kez-zick.) I actually wanted to stay in Keswick but it was full so I went to the closest one-Derwentwater. It's on Lake Derwent. Actually, Keswick is on the same lake. There are a LOT of hostels on that lake! When I heard the area was called The Lake District, I thought of Minnesota. You know, lots of lakes. Nope, just the one big one only it's not that big. The hike around the lake is a nice long but easy hike so that was one of my days spent in the area. The other day was exploring the town-it happened to be Saturday and the market was in full swing. I did good-no impulse purchases though I did indulge in some street fair food for lunch- A massive pork sandwich. they looked very disappointed when I asked for it with no onions! Then it was on to the Pencil Museum. I kid you not! It's very famous. Next time you are in an art supply store look for their watercolor pencils and see if they are either Cumberland, Cambrian or Derwent. They all came from Keswick.

I'm not sure if I'm going to go to the theatre when I'm in London so just in case I can say I did go to live theatre in England, I went to the Theatre by the Lake. The play was sold out for Saturday but I did manage to get tickets to Sunday evening's performance of the Reg Vardy Brass Band. Harold Hill watch out! What a kick. They did a nice arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody that had the headbangers going! (Insert Dave Barry Quote "I'm not making this up!" here)

After that, it was time to move on. I left Derwentwater earlier today. I hiked into Keswick from the Hostel as I did everyday cuz it goes right along the lakeshore-it's so cool! Oh-did I mention that there was a waterfall almost right outside my window at the Derwentwater Hostel? Yeah, the waterfall is a naturally occuring one and way back when the building was the home of the Barrow's (It's still called The Barrow House), Mr. Barrow changed the water flow a bit to create and different fall and now the hostel has adapted that change into a mini hydroelectic plant that supplies about 40% of the power needs of the hostel (I think it was 40%).

OK, so now I'm two trains and a mile hike later and I'm at the New Lanark Scottish Youth Hostel. It's right on the River Clyde which I can see out my window and I'll be hiking to the falls of that river the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'm doing the town. It might not take the whole day as the entire thing is contained within about 1/4 mile stretch along the river and is only one street wide! As near as I can tell, that includes the mill (they made cotten thread here until the 1960s), the school, the store and all the housing. So maybe I'll get to the falls sooner thanI thought!

Whew!-I think that about does it. I've been making random notes about traveling in general and when it seems like a good time, I'll devote a session to that but I'm running out of minutes and I wanted to check my email, too.

Hasta la bye-bye for now.