Our Friends (and family) in the North (and East) - includes The End of May (nearly!)

Bank Holiday Monday and Greyrocks set off Northwards - destination: Shrewsbury. We have been threatening to visit for many years as several Paleo Pals have a base there. We had cadged an overnight with newly-engaged Sam and Catherine, who after lunch took us on an extensive walking tour round this historic market town. As both hail from the area and work in tourism this was the gold-standard tour. (One could say a tour de force!)

So we managed in a few hours to experience Quarry Park and the Dingle,  the bridges and curves of the River Severn (with rowing crews), a series of ancient buildings, an eyesore where one was replaced, some of the many "shuts" or alleys, and a fine and very old pub with local ale.
We were tickled by two oddities: the "tomb" of Ebenezer Scrooge, and the carvings of Thatcher and Heseltine in the timber of a renovated building on the High Street

In the evening we met up with Eoin, Julia and John for a fine dinner at The Boathouse with more river views.With our hosts off early in the morning we too had plenty of time for a cross-country, wet and roadworks-rich drive to our next stop, including a - fortunately brief - break at what must be the nastiest motorway service  station in England - untouched by corporate gentrification!

Hull Marina. (They voted heavily for Brexit!)

"Sea of Hull"

It had stopped raining by the time we reached York, where our hosts for five nights were - once again - Chris and Penny. On our first full day we all went by car to Hull - the City of Culture for 2017 - and "did" an amazing tour - within the spirit of Art, Ale and Ant--Establishment! After a spot of navigational trouble we parked near the harbour/marina, which has been beautifully transformed, and ambled through some of the Old Town, to find the Art Gallery. The principal attraction for us was the Exhibition "Skin". Greyrocks can't do justice to this collection of brilliant works, so follow the link and do watch the film about "Sea of Hull". We spent an age in there, and when we emerged the sun was glorious and kids were frolicking in the water spouts of the square outside. We decided to find the Museum Quarter  - where we could also have spent all day - but chose Wilberforce House - following through from Bristol's complicity in the Slave Trade. Again well worth the visit and very moving! Afterwards we rounded of Hull at the unfortunately-named Black Boy pub, where the ale was excellent but speedily consumed as we were hungry and the folkies in the other room had cleared out their food supply! So we left the city and headed for the East Yorkshire coast - namely to Bridlington and Filey. A sunny day in the half-term holiday, so we were not the only tourists in either place! It was a cup of tea and a short promenade and jetty stroll in the former. and an early first-rate fish-and-chip supper followed by ale in a pop-up pub in the latter!

All four of us are OAPs and Chris and Penny are dedicated City residents, so we three of us could get greatly subsidised entry to the Jorvik Centre, which has been re-fashioned since the disastrous flooding. Penny opted out, and the rest queued for last entry of the day and took the buggy ride around the brilliantly curated animatronic tableaux, and then briefly toured the static exhibits and demonstrations. What good value!!

On Friday evening - another wet one - we walked to the city to meet old friends Brian and Sue, As we waited for them a Roman soldier (wet) walked in and engaged in conversation! He had abandoned the rest of his phalanx as they were camping and he was in a hostel! This led us to frame the next day's viewing, and we did indeed visit the Museum Gardens where there was an enactment of the settlement Eboracum and relevant military practices. This was very popular on a sunny day. We followed on by blagging entry to the Art Gallery where the School of Art was being commemorated and our host had a work on display! Thanks also to advice Greyrocks also made huge progress with essential shopping and repairs whilst in the city, enjoyed fresh seafood from the market, spotted black cats, and went briefly to the York Folk Weekend. Bob also went for a bike ride.

Now that's witty (and sad)!

Our stay included The End of May - in the calendar sense, but it also saw a slight glimmer of hope about the upcoming General Election. On the last day in York (and the last Saturday before polling) Penny and Ruth were walking through the shopping area and the Labour Party was out in number campaigning so we stopped and explained that Ruth had voted already and Penny was an active member, The person we spoke to said the reception on the doorstep was enthusiastic and anything could happen! Now York is a Greyrocks sort of place and it had voted "Remain" in the referendum, but maybe there would be a surprise! That night  "London Bridge" happened and depression resumed!
To round off the narrative on York here is a snap from the collection of "crazy golf" installations outside the Art Gallery"

Still going strong!

We left the oasis of York to experience Yorkshire as a whole in its Brexit glory, but it was worth it for a day and night of birthday treat:- Fairport Convention on Wakefield! The band likes small unusual venues and we had caught up with them this time at the Unity Works. We had a comfortable and convenient hotel but struggled to find a copy of The Observer and a quiet pub to read it in! Eventually we did and enjoyed a couple of fine pints of ale, then returned to the restaurant at the hotel for a good early supper and an interesting chat with the maitre d' and arriving just in time for the gig.  There were many of the old favourites and a couple of new numbers. There was also a birthday dedication to Ruth ("all the way from the Canary Islands!") Their gigs finish early so we crossed the road to a pub with a vibrant and very popular jamming session and prepared to head South.

A long, busy and very flat drive took us to the Norwich ring road! We were overnight guests of Chris and Jann - old chums from their numerous Paleohora hols - and as staggeringly encountered in Yarmouth last year! We loved their quirky thatched cottage, their recording studio and their new Harley trike, and their bed and breakfast provision was great!

The final social call was the traditional Oulton Broad stay seeing cousins assorted! Rick was fortunately on-shore this time so we spent time with him. The weather was awful on the first day and we got soaked several times in Lowestoft trying to gets Ruth's glasses mended and later taking Rose and Paul out for supper. By the second day the sun was shining for last minute shopping (reading glasses in a strange an inaccessible garden centre!), witnessing the Tories at play in a pub,  and a walk before eating in the bar area of the Crooked Barn. Paul has been motivated in his fitness regime by using his smartphone to monitor activity. Ruth saw the point and rushed to make a last-minute purchase of her carefully-chosen Fitbit and the rest is history!

By pure co-incidence we began our migration on the day of the General Election, and so as polls closed we were in an inn near Dover having enjoyed a remarkably good meal in the South Indian restaurant downstairs (great Masala Dosa). Bob refused to follow the news and hunkered down with YouTube and headphones. Ruth fell asleep knowing that the nightmare had been averted and we were rats leaving a ship that might not sink completely!