14 October. Warm and sunny

Returned the car and we are now on foot and train; arrived here on the high speed train from ST. Pancreas, excellent.

A true ball of string here but first the pictures.

We are staying in the oldest inn here, established 1403, a real coaching inn. Sharon immediately called it a dump. My view is different except for the usual small double bed. Last night we stayed in a very inexpensive chain hotel, Premier hotels. Probably the best hotel of the trip in terms of comfort and layout. Here, we have old stuff, but more interesting.

Pilgrims hospital is open for visits, will do that on Sunday. Notice the 12th century date.

The ball of string: we passed the cathedral and noticed Evensong at 17:30. We joined. Service ran almost an hour and was significantly different than Conques France Evensong. Maybe Anglican versus Catholic.

Excellent young boys and adult men choir, organist, two readings, one from the old and one from the new testament. Naturally the sound reverberated and slowly faded away into the massive columns.

After the service I asked a priest about the concert tomorrow night. Sold out? Let me check. He pulls out a walkie talkie and connects immediately to another. Better service, by far, than we have received from Amex, but that is a different story.

Tomorrow, Rochester, Pickwick papers route walk. Maybe a Soweto concert.

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