Ely

Natalie and I went to Ely Cathedral solo on Saturday.  It was breathtaking.  Again, the architecture and general age of the buildings is so hard for me to wrap my head around.  Something so massive, so old... how on Earth did they know how to construct something like that with the resources they had (construction on the present cathedral began in the 11th century!)!?!
Anyway, I felt like this almost everywhere we went, so I'll stop rambling about it.
We took the octagon tour the following day since it was booked up on Saturday.  This was a guided tour that led you through back stairways and over narrow passages on the roof.  It also went up into the highest tower in the cathedral - where they opened panels for us to look down!  Amazing!

There were some English dancers right outside

These types of stairs became very familiar on the trip!

My new friend

Huge and Amazing

I lit a candle for my Mama <3

Up there?  In the octagon?  that's where the panels are that we looked down out of.  Each side has four panels, so you can kind of get an idea of how high up we were.  You can see the octagon in some of the previous pictures.

The Hall for Women to Worship (Lady Chapel).  They couldn't possibly pray to God along side the men.

The organ~

View from the roof - during the tour

This is what was supporting us as we stood suspended in the octagon.  In a 1000 yr-old building.

View down, from the octagon

Whassup!!

The panels that make up the sides of the octagon

As we were leaving, there was a service starting for animals.  There were all kinds of dogs, cats, llamas, a donkey, and other livestock.  Interesting!

We went to the Peacock Room for tea after the tour.  It was a quaint little place that had delicious food and a million different teas to choose from.  Also, my first taste of Wisteria - I want this growing on the side of my house!!

More soon.  My battery is dying (computer and my own...)