Now is the winter of our discontent

It’s very rainy and cold and the day has been challenging. This is my birthday weekend (50!) and it’s rather lonely to be on my own far from home. I headed off to York for the weekend, deciding to catch the train as I understand parking is difficult. My hotel, the Grand York, is right across from the train station and is gorgeous, a large heritage building that used to be the headquarters for the railway. It’s one of those hotels with a fancy top-hatted doorman and exceptional service. 

I booked a walking tour to start the day off. I was the only person on it, so had a personalised two hours with quite a good guide, walking all the way around the city walls. York is gorgeous, with history just smacking you in the face at every turn. So many races and periods have contributed to York - the Romans, the  Saxons, the Vikings, and then the Georgians and the Victorians. The downside was the rain - LOTS of it, and the wind, which turned my umbrella inside out repeatedly. Despite the weather, I’ve fallen a bit in love with York, which has Harry Potter streets surrounded by castle walls which you can walk on around the whole city perimeter.

I queued for an hour in the pouring rain to have morning tea/lunch at Betty’s, which was a “must go” recommendation from a number of people. I was very damp and steaming slightly in the heat once I made it to a table. I ended up chatting to a delightful mother and daughter next to me which was very fun. During this whole trip people in Yorkshire have been so incredibly friendly and helpful. I must digress as this stage to share a bit of gold conversation from our cleaners at work:

“Since your lot took over there are some right good looking fellas visiting . We haven’t had that sort here before” Lol.

Everything I wanted to do in York was booked out on Saturday afternoon but I’d had a busy morning so spent an hour on the hop on hop off bus (no hopping, just riding) till it was time to check in to my hotel. Due to the rain I had planned to eat dinner at the hotel restaurant which has excellent reviews but it was booked out. Happily the concierge found me a booking at an Italian restaurant nearby where I had excellent ravioli, some pretty ordinary SanGenovese and a free Limoncello (Concierge had told them it was my birthday). I’m having an early night, looking forward to more exploration in this gorgeous town tomorrow.

Edinburrrrrr

 This morning kicked off with one of the most exceptional walking tours I’ve done in my travels. Our guide John was wonderful- clever, funny and well informed.  If anyone makes it to Edinburgh I highly recommend little fish tours. He brought the Old Town to life and things I walked by the day before without a glance were now interesting and added colour to the picture. I’ve included photos of the gorgeous skyline looking up at the old town from the bottom of the hill and Victoria St, a winding street full of independent shops.  I’ve also put in a photo of Adam Smith, the father of modern economics, wearing a fetching bonnet (it’s a traffic cone)

The tour ended in Greyfriars graveyard, where there are headstones with the names of a number of Harry Potter characters including McGonnigal, Moody and Tom Riddle. The cafe where JK Rowling sat to write the book was across the road, although closed right now due to a fire last week that gutted the inside along with the Australian pub next door. 

After a hasty lunch I joined the Scotch Whiskey experience which included an extremely lame ride in a plastic half barrel through a fake distillery, a scratch and sniff card identifying the different regions (OMG really?) and then a tasting of one whiskey chosen from your favourite one on the card (!), a souvenir glass and a walk though the “Museum” of the largest collection of unopened scotch whiskey in the world. We were then disgorged into the gift shop in the hope that we bought scotch. I would have been better spending my time on the hop on hop off bus, but the nip of scotch warmed me up  enough for the cold walk back to the hotel. 

A very early dinner (Edinburgh completely booked out after 5) delivered some amazing little fried chat potatoes tossed in Indian spices with yoghurt and pomegranate from Dishoom, my favourite Indian restaurant in the UK. As it turned out, my plans for an early night and a good sleep were upset by a fire alarm (again!) requiring going down stairs from the 7th floor, hanging about outside for half an hour in the freezing cold, and then climbing back up all the stairs again. I don’t want to complain too much, as the people next to me were in the hotel bathrobes with bare feet! 

Although it was freezing cold and rainy, I paid a king’s ransom for luggage storage at the train station on Sunday morning to fit in Edinburgh castle, which was good, but would have been better with a guide to bring it to life. I did see the Scottish Crown Jewels and the stone of Scone. There was a rainbow as I walked up the hill to the entrance. 

Finally, I’ve included a photo of the hat I broke down and purchased to keep my head warm. NOT a beanie, as those who know me well would guess I would reject, but a roomy wool beret that fits over my ears. When I arrived back at Leeds this afternoon, the temperature felt positively balmy after Edinburgh. I loved the train trip with the tea trolley and am looking for other destinations next weekend. 

Great Scot

I took a morning train to Edinburgh today for a long weekend. I had a moment of panic when I arrived at the station and asked the ticket guy about the platform for the 8.15 to Edinburgh. Deadly seriously, he told me there was no 8.15 to Edinburgh . I asked when the next one was. He said “8.14”. Anyway I found the platform and the correct train. Booking at the last minute means that the exorbitantly priced tickets are about the same in standard and first class, so I booked the nice one and enjoyed the wifi and the breakfast. My nose was pressed to the window for most of the trip - very picturesque, with rolling green countryside and oceanfront farms. We stopped briefly in Newcastle but the photo op with the station sign was spoilt by a train going in the other direction. 

I had grand plans to stay in a fancy hotel, but Edinburgh seems to be the destination of choice this weekend and everything was booked out, leaving me to slum it at the Mercure near the train station (albeit with a great view)

This is a gorgeous city with winding streets and picturesque buildings in the Old town, and wide avenues with Georgian edifices in the New town (although not so New anymore since it was built in the 17 hundreds). The highlight of the first day was a fascinating tour “underground” through the original houses and streets from the 17th century. The area was partially demolished and buried when they built the Royal exchange on top of it. Sadly no photos allowed, but I have plenty from the rest of my wanderings on the Royal mile. As you can imagine, it’s bagpipe busking central, creating a constant awareness that it’s Scotland, not England. Other than that, it feels very similar to Northern England although it’s a lot colder, and there are more masks, and less smokers.

There is nothing Royal on the street itself (it’s largely tourist shops) and it’s more than a mile (1.1 miles), but down all the tiny streets surrounding it are treasures- very old architecture, tiny pubs, tea shops  and gardens. I stopped for a scone with strawberries and a pot of tea.

It was 4 degrees and a bit too cold to wander about so I opted for an early night and watched the nightlife from my balcony . I had great plans to try haggis so I could call this post “Scotland the Brave” but just couldn’t bring myself to do it. 

 

Every breath you take

An update on my work week. We were pounced on by security as we arrived on Thursday to get a Covid test before we entered the building. One of the people in the office has tested positive so anyone that had contact needed a test. The rapid lateral flow tests are plentiful here and it seems to be the norm for people to test themselves if they are not feeling well. Other work highlights included problem solving for our cleaners, who were in a flap due to the ”sights they see” when the gents use the urinal while they are cleaning “there’s a great big mirror luv and they just whip it out right in front of you” They now have a safety tape barrier they can use to block the door.

It’s been really interesting to talk to the team here about the change in owners. The previous owners were Hard with a capital H. They had 20 security cameras installed in the workshop and used to berate people over the PA if they saw them slacking, logging in on a phone App even when on holiday. They famously fired someone over the PA. The staff however were loyal (and tough) and there are many with over 15 years of service. The new CEO is somewhat of a visionary, implementing sweeping change at a pace that scares me. The crew here have accepted his changes with interest and a banked excitement about what their business could become, although I understand there were rumours early on that the removal of the spy cameras was a trick and they were still there. The phrase I’ve heard many times now is “a breath of fresh air”. 

On the theme of breathing and clean air, I wanted to post a photo of the Veolia recycling centre that we drive by on the way home sometimes. The navigation is still providing tours of the country by suggesting a different route home almost every day. Despite having now driven to and from work to Leeds for almost two weeks, we are none the wiser as to the best “normal” way to get there. Anyway, the building has a huge green living wall. 

On Thursday night the CEO and COO were up from London and organised dinner at a Brazilian restaurant for my birthday. We had cocktails beforehand at a rooftop bar. I lost any credibility I may have had by ordering a “Pink Ballet Fizz” but it had Moet and Rhubarb syrup in it and sounded good (it was!). I contributed a bottle of wine to the celebrations that caused great excitement as it was a special one from our CEO’s hometown - a Penfolds RWT Shiraz. He explained the provenance to the rest of the group and asked the barman to decant it first so it could breathe. It was a short walk back to the apartments after dinner but it was quite late and so very cold - I think the temperature is about to get low very quickly from here on. 

Sorry no photos from these few days. I promise the Edinburgh post next is photo heavy. 

Fire and Rain

Where there’s smoke there’s… actually no. We had a fire alarm in the middle of the night Saturday night. It was a bit of a blur - jolted awake by the alarm, throwing on clothes and a jacket and going down many flights of stairs with the other residents. There were lots dressing gowns and pjs. We hung about till they told us it was a false alarm (someone smoking). 

It was cold and rainy in Leeds so I stayed close to home and explored the Corn exchange (Indi shops), the Museum and  the Art Gallery. I brought a little umbrella with me but I was the only person I could see with one. Maybe there is so much rain here that anything other than a downpour is too light for an umbrella for the locals. I enjoyed downtime in the afternoon at the apartment- a bit of cooking and some Netflix.

It’s been an odd experience living in the apartment so far. For the last twenty one years have been first and foremost a parent and I’ve never lived on my own. Shopping and cooking just for me, laundry for one - all a learning curve. I don’t know how to use up the groceries while they are still fresh (loaf of bread anyone?) and after only four days I have a fridge full of odds and ends of veggies, leftovers and open containers. I’m really enjoying the stillness and the complete quiet after a busy day, and I like the lack of responsibility/consideration for anyone but myself, but it’s an adjustment. 

Here, There and Everywere

 It was such a treat to wake up in my own little apartment instead of a hotel. Here’s the front steps. 

After unpacking completely I reassessed my food plans for the month, which are complicated by the lack of a freezer or a microwave. Hmmm. I shelved the problem for later. On reflection, I think the stress yesterday was a result of the continuous problem solving that is part and parcel of a trip - how do I get from A to B, where can I do laundry,  how does the washer/dryer combo work, where can I buy food etc etc. Every single thing needs a decision. In any event, I’m feeling much better today although we did get a parking ticket for our transgression last night.

I headed out to spend the morning at Harwood House, a gorgeous manor house that was the home of Princess Mary after her marriage. It turns out it was also used as a film site for Victoria (one of my absolute favourite shows), and the Downton Abby movie. It’s hard to describe how peaceful it was walking around the grounds in the cold. The gravel crunched underfoot and the birds were out but there was nothing else - no car noises, no people talking, just peace. The self guided house tour was interesting, and there was a guide in every room keen to chat and tell stories.

I stopped for cake (Passionfruit & Prosecco sponge) and a pot of tea on the terrace and then explored the little church on the estate before heading back to Leeds. 

I wandered the streets around the apartment in the afternoon. There are lots of shops and restaurants, some gorgeous heritage malls and a lot of buskers and food stalls. It was very busy and vibrant - such a contrast to all the lockdown at home. I tried the corn kernels in a cup with butter and flavoured salt. Pretty good but not up to the standard of the corn on a stick at the Rocks market. Im not sure why it is “Hollywood” sweet corn. The stall next to this guy, with the exact same setup said “Asian” sweet corn. I was tempted to get one of those to compare.

Under Pressure

Today we moved from the hotel to the apartments, with a big day at work in the middle. The PLAN was to head off from work a bit early. The reality was arrival at the apartments at 8pm, but I’m getting ahead of myself. 

We “decided” not to go the scenic route from Leeds to South Kirby this morning, having finally managed to get navigation going in the car, but after that the day went south (not SOUTH).

My task for the day was to finish a model and a presentation for the Australian business start up. It was substantially complete, but I wrote it before I arrived here, so it was theoretical, and I spent the day talking to people to compare reality to the theory. My stress levels were high - that underlying tension that comes with having to produce a result that everyone is going to look at and critique.  Luckily it was “Chippie Friday” and the day was broken up with a nice but greasy chip buttie for lunch.

 

By the time the model was done it was after five and the traffic back to Leeds was ridiculous. We decided to stop at a supermarket to get supplies for the apartments on the way. This was the single most difficult task I have undertaken on the trip so far. Unfamiliar products, unfamiliar layout, no idea as to whether the apartment has a freezer (no) or supplies like salt and pepper (yes) and no shopping list. Ugh. The checkout lady was horrified that I didn’t have shopping bags and needed to buy them (“these are 20p each love - you don’t want to spend money on those). The traffic was worse not better for the second half of the trip and it was 8pm before we reached the hotel. Something was on in the city so there was literally NO parking, we ended up parking illegally and lugging three loads of suitcases and groceries down the street and up a lot of stairs. The apartment is cute and it’s nice to have my own space. Tea, toast and bed. Looking forward to a rest tomorrow.

A few apartment photos. 

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You say potato, I say patahto

We have two hundred or so people here and clearly at least half of them are up to speed on my Yorkshire dialect skills - no one said “hi” - it was Eh up Anna all the way. They were ready at lunchtime to teach me more (today’s lesson “si’thi”) and there was a lot of interest in similar and different food (have I ever had a pie sandwich and do I want to join in on “chippie Friday”).

Here’s a photo of the Yorkshire pudding wrap from the other day. It was pretty good! I was keen for a snooze afterwards due to the sheer  size of the thing, but it was delicious.

There are so many parallels with Newcastle and many of the guys in the lunchroom had stories and opinions about the cessation of steel making, the change in mining operations and the different employment options nowadays. They are a lot chattier than the workshop crew at home, but I’ve spent a lot of time on the shop floor so perhaps that makes it different to my finance role at home. 

They have been so very friendly and welcoming here. The cleaner paid for my coffee when the eftpos card reader didn’t work (“you can’t go without a hot drink luv”) and I have a real name tag on the clock in wall (although the first version said Anna “Starlett” which I would have been quite ok with).  They are completely comfortable giving me a hard time about the pink laces in my shoes and it feels like I’m an accepted part of the business already. 

I’m very tired though, probably due to the mix of jet lag and sheer fatigue from the pace. I’m learning SO much all the time and my brain is a little overwhelmed. That being said, snoozers are losers so I explored Leeds a bit and found a great little restaurant which I have now eaten at twice. 

Culture club

 I’ve caved in to the clamour for proof I’m working… 

This will probably be my only “work” blog post, but since I put a photo up, I guess I had better provide some commentary. My task is to set up a branch of this business in Australia, and I have six weeks or so to learn the business, build relationships, and figure out what will be done here, what will be done in Aus and what will be done in both places. They are completely into Lean six sigma and there is a daily meeting in the Obeya room, which has been purposely fitted out for this function

I’m having to do a bit of night time research to get up to speed with all the terminology. I’m also brushing up on the local dialect. I tried out my “ey up” greeting on a number of unsuspecting colleagues today to great hilarity. Apparently my accent was too posh. 

The Tim Tams I brought with me, were a big hit and there was universal agreement that they were better than “penguins”. I was closely questioned by one of the ladies as to whether I liked Kylie Minogue, it it was very well received when I said that I had been to one of her concerts. I’m being inducted tomorrow into a local delicacy from the takeaway- Yorkshire pudding wrap. It’s chicken and gravy wrapped up in a flat Yorkshire pudding… watch this space for reviews. 

“The NORTH”

The morning was a bit hazy as I had a few too many red wines at dinner Sunday night. I went to a Moroccan restaurant with my manager, who I had never met in person- when he arrived to pick me up I made a square with my fingers and looked at him through it to make sure it was the same guy I’ve been talking to online for the past year. It was fun to have proper time to chat in person, but it was a 7am pickup today to drive up to Leeds so I’m regretting the wine that went along with the conversation. 

I learnt today that there is a big line across England and it’s divided into “the NORTH” and (not surprisingly) “The SOUTH”. Capitals required. This was written on all the road signs as we drove up to Leeds this morning. Each half seems to think pityingly about the other half. So far the only difference I can ascertain is that some of the NORTH people have an accent that is a little hard to understand.

The drive up was uneventful but it was interesting to see how many wind turbines there were on the “farmland” that we passed. I use inverted commas there because I’m not quite sure what all the land is used for. I saw no crops and very little livestock. Maybe it’s just pretty green grassland? Everything here is so green. I’m loving the buildings with plants all over them.

The blog will take a brief breather till the weekend when I do something interesting again. The workdays, while full of new things to learn and new people to meet, are a little dull to blog about. I spent the day walking around looking at people folding sheet metal and welding. Still, the car they gave me is a newish c-class Mercedes, which looks pretty flashy, in direct contrast to me in a hi vis best and safety glasses (no photo!)

 

Pottering about

This morning the cafe employee at the hotel failed to show, so I ventured out to the only breakfast venue open, McDonald’s, and tried a “cheesy bacon flatbread”. It was OK but not something I’ll be racing back to. Interestingly, there is only a limited menu available due to transport related food shortages. I’m not sure if they are related to Brexit or Covid or both, but there are quite a number of signs in shops and restaurants about unavailable menu items. 

After breakfast I packed up my things and headed to St Albans where I am staying for one night - it’s a convenient pick up point for my lift up to Leeds tomorrow. St Albans is about 40 minutes north of London. It’s a small quintessentially English little town with winding streets, rock walls, lots of green hedges and cute rows of shops and houses. On my walk to look at the Roman hypocaust (really interesting), I saw expensive cars, pure-bred dogs and a lot of poorly maintained houses, which seemed odd given the first two observations. 

I spent the middle of the day at the Harry Potter Studios. It’s only ten minutes from my hotel so it seemed like a good opportunity to see it. For the first time on this trip, face masks were essential to enter, but there were a lot of people without them because they have “exemptions”. The exhibition was pretty impressive and the audio guide had some really interesting “behind the scenes” stories. The great hall, the forbidden Forrest and the Gringotts sets were particularly amazing. 

After checking into my hotel (an “Inn” but actually very nice) I indulged in  a little afternoon pick me up (Rhubarb gin and tonic) before exploring the St Albans Cathedral. It was gorgeous and the organ player was learning some new pieces, creating mood music to add to the experience. There were a number of helpful guides and a charming elderly fellow explained the history to me. The church dates back to 1700 and is the oldest Christian site in England. Walking back through the cobbled streets, I wished I had more time to explore. The weather is glorious and people are sitting outside drinking and dining- after our months of lockdown I was envious.