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Beamish, Northumberland, museum
Today Concetta and I had our best day in the UK yet. Not a drop of rain greeted us when we set out today and we even had blue skies and sunshine off and on. Our hostess at the Dene Guest House suggested that we motor over to the vicinity of Newcastle-on-Tyne and visit a sort of open-air museum (Concetta and I love historic things as you probably know) that comes complete with working teens-era trolleys to transport you about the grounds. If you've ever been to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan, you'll have some idea of what this museum is like. Imagine a sort of Disneyland for history-lovers without all the Disney-like crowds. Located throughout the grounds was a steam railroad operation, a wealthy landowner's hilltop mansion, a working farm, a
coal-mining operation, a railroad yard complete with station and engine house, a schoolhouse, workers cottages complete with greenhouses and gardens, and a complete 1913-vintage main street complete with workers in costume to explain the workings of each and every shop. I especially loved the working print shop as it contained many of the pieces of equipment I used in Nevada in the 1970s, equipment which the shop had inherited from the Nevada Appeal and dated back to the 1800s. Other shops included a motorcar garage, a candy store, a masons hall, a hats and linens store, a grocery and dry goods store, and a saloon.
Perhaps the most unusual part of our day was meeting a lovely Norwegian student on Holiday in England who took an interest in Concetta and me and decided to spend her day with us as we strolled around the grounds. Caroline (pictured here in the photograph with Concetta) turned out to have been born the very same year as our son Robert. We liked her right away, especially since she shared our avid interest in history. We toured all the attractions together, even stopping for tea and scones in the tea shop. Later, we dropped her at the bus station in Durham where she expected a ride from her sister that afternoon. Concetta and I certainly wish her the best on her solitary travels (her boyfriend doesn't like airplanes, she says, and won't travel with her). Still, Caroline says she intends to visit Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia this coming year, as well as a few other places that I've forgotten now.
Today Concetta and I had our best day in the UK yet. Not a drop of rain greeted us when we set out today and we even had blue skies and sunshine off and on. Our hostess at the Dene Guest House suggested that we motor over to the vicinity of Newcastle-on-Tyne and visit a sort of open-air museum (Concetta and I love historic things as you probably know) that comes complete with working teens-era trolleys to transport you about the grounds. If you've ever been to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan, you'll have some idea of what this museum is like. Imagine a sort of Disneyland for history-lovers without all the Disney-like crowds. Located throughout the grounds was a steam railroad operation, a wealthy landowner's hilltop mansion, a working farm, a 
coal-mining operation, a railroad yard complete with station and engine house, a schoolhouse, workers cottages complete with greenhouses and gardens, and a complete 1913-vintage main street complete with workers in costume to explain the workings of each and every shop. I especially loved the working print shop as it contained many of the pieces of equipment I used in Nevada in the 1970s, equipment which the shop had inherited from the Nevada Appeal and dated back to the 1800s. Other shops included a motorcar garage, a candy store, a masons hall, a hats and linens store, a grocery and dry goods store, and a saloon.
Perhaps the most unusual part of our day was meeting a lovely Norwegian student on Holiday in England who took an interest in Concetta and me and decided to spend her day with us as we strolled around the grounds. Caroline (pictured here in the photograph with Concetta) turned out to have been born the very same year as our son Robert. We liked her right away, especially since she shared our avid interest in history. We toured all the attractions together, even stopping for tea and scones in the tea shop. Later, we dropped her at the bus station in Durham where she expected a ride from her sister that afternoon. Concetta and I certainly wish her the best on her solitary travels (her boyfriend doesn't like airplanes, she says, and won't travel with her). Still, Caroline says she intends to visit Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia this coming year, as well as a few other places that I've forgotten now.
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