This weekend was great. Steve and I are getting the walking and bus riding down to an exact science. I think we will both be in great shape when we get home.

 

On Saturday we went to explore the ancient ruins of Kirkstall Abbey. It actually is the most complete examples of a medieval Cistercian abbey in Britain. While there, we could imagine how the 12^th century monk lived. As you look at the ruins it was the late great King Henry VIII who tore it down. More about him later.

  

The other part of this exploration we enjoyed was the grounds. We took pictures of the flower gardens and the natural wild flowers growing alongside the river. There were the tiniest daisies popping up everywhere under foot. We saw obviously ancient cherry, holly, and willow trees. I can only imagine what sort of tails they could tell. Hope you enjoy those pictures.

The next place visited was the Abbey House Museum where you can experience the sights and sounds of life in Victorian Leeds in the year 1880! We visited a street called Stephen Harding Gate, the 19th century equivalent of the Plaza in downtown KC. Where one would go for some old fashioned retail therapy. You can even take a break in the Hark to Rover Inn, a recreated model of a Victorian drinking house! In their exhibit they also include the poorer residential district which examines life and death in Victorian times. Here you will view the warm comfortable home of the successful pawnbroker with the chilly premises of the undertakers.  In addition, on another floor of the museum they have fantastic displays showing rare and interesting 19th Century toys, games and dolls. Humpty Dumpty and the old woman’s shoe were there too and that excited me to see.

Wooden Sculpture at the end of the staircase from 900AD

Yes they are toilets

English gardens

We were worn out when we got home and looking for a good night’s sleep, however, this is not possible in England on Saturday. Our hotel sits right beside a Pub. On Saturday the boys are out for a couple of drinks, you see, and a couple of fights. Sooo, speaking for myself, I was up twenty times due to the noise. I now know all the profanities used in the Queens English. They use the “F” word the same as we do. Another lesson learned.

Sunday was a venture to Leeds Royal Armoury. The Royal Armouries is Britain’s national museum of arms and armour. At the Leeds Museum there are over 8,500 objects on display in five galleries: War; Tournament; Oriental; Self Defense and Hunting.   Forgive me for having a little tone while describing this tour. This is truly a guy thing. To me it was five stories of instruments mankind had used over 5000 years to kill each other. In addition, it was 5000 years worth of different kinds of armour they used to protect themselves from being killed. There was one thing that got my interest though, and that was Henry VIII’s armour. Now, I do not have a good opinion of this guy anyway but looking at this armour took the cake. We have a picture of this but the most intriguing part of it Steve would not photograph, which is; His steel plated, extremely large, outrageously protruding, nicely decorated, nut guard. I laughed till I was in tears. Now take in consideration while imagining this vulgar display of ego, none of the other displays of armour had one. Enjoy the pictures.

Henry VIII's Armour

5 stories of armour