Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK

Feeling youthful and refreshed after seeing old things, I caught the train at Kings Cross (forgot to look for the sign for Hogwarts Platform 9 3/4 which was really filmed at Platform 4) and headed to Harrogate in North Yorkshire. Traveling by myself with luggage, I had treated myself to a first class Brit Rail pass for 2 weeks. The discounted pass is only available for purchase outside the UK by foreigners and is well worth the savings in time, money, and hassle. It allowed me to take as many trains as I wanted within 2 weeks (with transfers I averaged more than 1 a day) without advanced reservations and to sit in any unreserved 1st class seat.

They have passes for different amounts of time and sequential v. cumulative days.  It was a great way to get around, supplemented by occasional public buses. The 2 p.m. train to York was especially elegant with a wooden paneled passenger car with tables, free shortbread, and Harrogate water. The short transfer to Harrogate stopped at all the little towns, returning school children, business folk, workers and university students to their homes--interesting, but not so elegant.  It is easy to check out train schedules on the internet. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

I was greeted by my nephew Dave, who took me to the swimming lessons for Enoch (3) and Hilde (5) before having dinner at their favorite noodle restaurant, Wagamama, where they serve tasty new age noodle dishes with Asian influences. England has a good variety of international eating places (though not Mexican) that are popular. Then it was home for a decadent chocolate fudge cake made by Michelle and the kids. They are living in a turn-of-the (last) century four-story, stone row house with a giant bathtub, a maid's button to announce dinner, and an updated kitchen where Dave and Michelle produced some great food. I very much enjoyed the next three days of seeing life in an English town through their enthusiastic eyes.

Harrogate is a delightful English spa town nestled between its two big sisters, Leeds and York. Its sulfur spring baths were very popular in the Victorian era, and its springs still produce still (regular) and mineral (bubbly) bottled water that is distributed throughout England. The town is filled with grand old hotels, smart new eateries, and some of the most beautiful public gardens in England (according to guide books) which lure its new industry--conferences. It was here that Agatha Christie fled incognito after her failed marriage, making it a current mystery writer's delight. I wandered through the town one afternoon, enjoying its charm while I did my inevitable getting lost and unlost until I found my way back to Dave's house after a short refreshment stop at Bette's famous cafe and bakery. That night we enjoyed rich, spicy Indian food.

Dave and Michelle's "inn" in Harrogate was a perfect location for exploring abbey ruins, York, Leeds, and local castles (like the famed Castle Howard) --again far more than I had time to do. But my greatest delight was sharing the English experience with their very fun family.

Click link for slideshow:

Harrogate

Music: Parry, An English Suite: Pastorale, Spirit of England

More information: www.harrogate.gov.uk/harrogate-266