A number of our followers have expressed concern that we've not posted to the blog in a week. We have returned to Massachusetts to have our annual check-ups with doctors and dentist, as well as to catch up with friends we left behind. We are now ready to resume blogging.

Our trip started more than two years ago. It was in August of 2014 that we sold our Brockton, Massachusetts house. Finding a new house in Georgia or South Carolina,seemed to be fruitless. We just couldn't find a place that appealed to the two of us. One of our children suggested that we travel for awhile, perhaps for a few months, just to give ourselves some processing time. Since we were homeless and jobless (retired), this seemed like a great idea! That travel time has turned into 26 months and still counting. Who wouldn't enjoy what we are doing? We have no responsibilities, a steady income (our pensions), and all the time in the world to persue our interests. We go when and where we want, with no worries nor constraints. It is a great way to live. Many times we have to do a reality check to remind ourselves of the day, month, or even the hour ( as there are no clocks nor calendars in our apartments.

When he asked me to marry him, Carl said " Marry me and I'll give you the world." Well, 47 years later, he did just that. We have traveled to 16 countries and 38 cities all over the globe. Meeting many people along the way has opened our eyes to how much alike the different cultures are, as well as our glorious differences.
We keep a blog. On it, our memories are recorded, both in text and photos. Weebly tells us that we have many thousands of readers following our adventures and it could produce an income if we wanted it to. We don't want it to. Our pensions provide a steady income of funds, without the responsibility of time lines and rewrites, nor the need to please editors. Things are just fine the way they are. Why upset the apple cart?

There are many languages on our Facebook page now - Croatian, Spanish, French, Portugese, Mandarin, German, Icelandic, Italian, etc - which represents the varied nationalities we've met along the way. I can tell you the people with whom we've interacted are very interested and concerned about the upcoming U.S. Election. These citizens are convinced the outcome (whatever it is) will affect their lives financially, as well as on a security level. Many times we're asked for our our opinions on the debates or on the latest statement and/or accusation from either side. We never realized how much the U.S. influenced the people of other countries and the impact we have on their daily lives.

As mentioned before, we live on our pensions. They aren't extravagant, but rather adequate. And for us, just perfect. All of our bills are on automatic pay; but there are very few of them - Carl's cellphone, my Social Security, both credit cards, and our internet account. Our mail goes to one of our children's house. Just the important mail is kept for us, as we see it only once per year.

Federal taxes are paid, but since we have no residence, there is no state tax. Should there be any issues that require legal documents, one of our children has our power of attorney, and of course wills, and a living trust are in place. We come into the U.S. for annual doctor and dentist appointments, as well as having our federal taxes prepared. We visit our children and their families at this time ( we also stay in touch with them by phone or the Internet as we travel).

The sequence utilized to choose a new country and city depends upon the season of year, availability of one bed-room apartments and, of course, expenses. We have no winter clothes, as a result, we always try to follow the sun. The winter of 2014 was spent in Rome, Istanbul, Bangkok, Zagreb (two weeks) and Dubrovnik (two weeks). Last winter (2015) we spent in the sun belt of the U.S., visiting San Francisco, San Diego, San Antonio, New Orleans, Savannah, Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville, and Miami - two weeks in each city. This winter (2016), we will be in Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia (for a month each), and one month in New Zealand. Carl spends a few nights co-ordinating the arrangements. non-citizens of the Shengen area (30 European countries) are allowed to spend only 90 days out of any 180 days in these countries. Thus, we only enter Shengen Europe for the warm Spring or Summer months. Those 90 days seem to go by too quickly. This is a big consideration in deciding "where to next?."

Carl makes all of our arrangements at least two months in advance. This way, there are no surprises. We try very hard to avoid checking our bags, as it wastes time, and the luggage could possibly be lost.

There you have it - the "why and what" of our adventures. In a later posting, we'll discuss all of the "how's" - how to pack a suitcase, save money, choose apartments, and solve problems, etc.).

Taking its origins from Ancient Greek (Mouseion) as a place or temple dedicated to the Muses, today's museums have become institutions dedicated to the conservation and study of cultural, artistic, and/or scientific items of significance. We have had the good fortune to have visited some of the most famous museums that the world has to offer; the Smithsonians Washington DC); Uffizi (Florence); Louvre (Paris); British Museum (London); Prada (Madrid). We can now add to that list, one of the largest museums in North America, The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Established in 1912, the ROM presents exhibits on world culture, art, and natural history. It's over six million specimens, within 40 galleries, includes the world's largest collection of fossils from Burgess Shale (over 150,000 items). We've never grown tired of visiting these great museums. Each is unique in its perspective on the world. The ROM's uniqueness starts with its public persona - the Michael Lee-Chin crystal-like facade catches your eye from a long distance. One day's visit may not do justice to this wonderful institution.

Michael Lee-Chin's crystal exterior of the Royal Ontario Museum.

The mosaic ceiling of the museum's rotunda is spectacular. The center square carries the message "That All Men May Know His Work."

One of four Nisga and Haida totem poles off of the main lobby of the ROM. These are so tall that they came within ten inches of the ceiling (tight fit).

1500 year old Chinese sculptures in the Mathews Family Court gallery.

Of course, no museum would be complete without a collection of dinosaurs.

Relief sculpture of a 5th century Persian Imperial guardsman.

This altar and tabernacle (circa 1780) is attributed to Phillippe Liebert, one of Canada's leading craftsman.

Dating back to 1491 (Ming Dynasty), these cast iron sculptures, known as "Hell's Judges", were originally part of a set of ten (The two judges and several attendants).

Dominating the entrance to the Asian gallery is this tomb mound (1656) of General Zu Dashou from Yongtai Village.

This tomb relief for a high Egyptian official, known as Metjetji, dates from around 2400 BC.

This 100 kilogram, million dollar gold coin is made of 99.9% pure gold. In 2007, the Guinness Book of World Records certified this as the world's largest gold coin.

In the "First Peoples" exhibit is this native freight canoe. Designed to be paddled by 8-10 individuals, this canoe could carry up to four tons of material.

One of the stars of the minerals exhibit is this beautiful quartz Amethyst from Brazil.

Every city we've visited has had at least one grand palace or mansion worth visiting, if for no other reason than to "...marvel at how the other half lived." Toronto has "Casa Loma" ( Spanish for "House on the hill"). Built between 1911 and 1914 for financier Sir Henry Pellett, it includes 98 rooms, massive stables, a potting shed, and a coach house. It is the largest private residence in Canada. The complex also includes five acres of gardens, an 800 foot underground tunnel connecting the main house with the coach house, and two secret passages ( although rumor has it there is a third, but it has not yet been found). The Pellatts only lived in Casa Loma for ten years, as they lost it because of financial problems (they eventually moved in with their chauffeur). For a short time in the mid-1920's, the house was operated as a luxury hotel. Toronto subsequently seized the property for back taxes in 1933 and leased it to the Kiwanis Club of West Toronto. During World War Two, part of the complex was used as a secret research center for the development of sonar. Casa Loma has been a popular backdrop location for the filming of movies, such as "X-Men", "Chicago", and "The Tuxedo." We could easily see why. This place is gorgeous!

"The House on the Hill" - Casa Loma....

...and looking at it from the back, across part of the gardens.

Right off the main entrance is this grand foyer with its two-storey high ceiling.

Originally known as the Napoleon Drawing Room, the Oak Room is the most decorated room in the house. It was used for formal occasions.

Archive photo of the Library...

...during our visit, the Library was being used as a banquet hall for the Canadian Thanksgiving. The food looked great, and so did the price ; eighty dollars per person.

Part of Lady Pellatt's suite...

...and part of Sir Henry's suite.

The Pellatts hoped to,entertain royalty so their guest rooms were lavishly decorated.

This Round Room was specifically designed to fit underneath the tower.

There were two "secret" passages hidden in Casa Loma, and Lori found one of them.

Their "Breakfast Nook" is more elaborate than most formal dining rooms we've known.

This swimming pool was never finished during the Pellatt's time living here. Currently, it is used as a theater.

As in most grand houses, there was always one room set aside as "The Smoking Lounge."

Part of the 800 foot underground tunnel connecting the main house with the Coach House.

Separated from the main house were the stables and the Couach House ( which at one time was called the Hunting Lodge).

The five acres of gardens out behind Casa Loma were beautiful. We would have loved to have gardens like these, but it looks like a lot of work to maintain.

Located at the base of the CN Tower is Toronto's newest attraction; Ripley's Aquarium (opened in October of 2013). As one of three aquariums owned and operated by Ripley Entertainment, "Ripley's Aquarium of Canada" hosts over 13,000 specimens of aquatic life from around the world.. Its "Canadian Waters" gallery features marine and freshwater species from all of the waters surrounding Canada. By far, the largest exhibit, and the most impressive, is its "Dangerous Lagoon" tank - an underwater tunnel that gives you the impression you are in the water with the fish. Even though it is only three years old, the nine galleries in this museum provide a good view of life in the waters of the world. Typical of the several aquariums that we've visited during the past two years of our travels, Ripley's offers large tanks for larger species, small tanks for smaller specimens, and interactive exhibits that allow for up close and personal experiences with selected marine life. Is this aquarium any better than others? That is a personal point of view. It certainly is newer than most. Given time to evolve, this could be a great experience. What makes this aquarium an attractive visits its part in Toronto's City Pass - five attraction admissions package at a greater than 40% reduced rates from individual admissions. We did enjoy ourselves.

This attraction is literally at the base of the CN Tower in the heart of Toronto.

The "Dangerous Lagoon" exhibit includes a movable walkway that carries you effortlessly through the tank.

One of the more impressive specimens is this sawfish, also known as the carpenter shark.

Using colored lights makes it easier to discern the beauty of these jellyfish.

Native to the Indo-Pacific is the venomous lion fish.

The "Ray Bay" gallery features several species of stingrays.

Staff interacting with stingrays while instructing visitors about them.

Some of the most beautiful marine life are these anemones.

90-65 million years ago, the Mosasaurs were the top predators in North America. All that is left of them now are fossils like this.

As we explored the streets of Toronto, we happened upon a beautiful Georgian Style home, whose sign read "Campbell House Museum." With our interest piqued, we went in and found that this had been built in 1822 for Upper Canada Chief Justice, Sir William Campbell and his wife, Hannah. Since, at the time of its construction, the Campbell's children had grown and moved away, their home was built just for the Campbell's comfort and entertainment. The house was originally located almost a mile southeast of its current location. Following William's (1834) and Hannah's (1844) deaths, the estate was auctioned off and remained a private residence until 1890. After that, it became home to several businesses. Its last owner, the Coutts-Hallmark Greeting Card Company, wished to build a parking lot on the site of the home and offered the house to anyone for one dollar if they moved it. A professional association of trial lawyers, known as the Advocates Society came up with the funds to relocate the building to its present site. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, formally reopened the restored building on April 1st, 1972. The house remains a club for the Advocates Society, as well as a museum. This was a fortuitous find for us, as the house is not only beautiful, but its provenance was intriguing. We love these happenstance discoveries.

Street view of the Campbell House Museum at its current location next to the Canada Life building.

First impressions mean a lot. The entrance hallway to the home, with its beautiful wallpaper and amazing spiral staircase certainly provides a fine first impression.

The Advocates' Society, a professional association of trial lawyers, saved the house from demolition, and still use the facility as their private club.

A 2010 photo of members of the Advocates' Society. The lady sitting at the game table is Marie Hennein, President of the society in 2010. The gentleman opposite her is Robert Montgomery (President 1966-67) , the only retiree at the time.

The basement kitchen is still used today for special cooking classes for school groups...

...at the time the Campbell's lived here, kitchen staff would sleep in the kitchen. The Campbell's had ten servants in all, including a butler, gardener, kitchen, and house staff.

Archival photo of the house move. At the time, this was a big event and many folks came out to watch.

The first floor dinning room with the butler's pantry behind. Dinners were served family style

Opposite the dining room was the women's drawing room. Following the meal, women would come here to play games or the piano, while the men remained in the dining room to smoke. During restorations, it was discovered that this was the original paint scheme for the drawing room.

Portrait of Sir William Campbell...

...and his wife Hannah.

The Campbell's bedroom with the weekly bath tub on the floor. Unlike other homes of the time, this was the only bedroom in the house.

Opposite the bedroom on the second floor was this large ballroom. The Campbell's loved to entertain and used this room often. It remained devoid of furniture in order to have space for guests to dance. The large windows faced the street so that passers by could marvel at the goings on

Model of Sir William's courtroom, depicting a significant case concerning freedom of the press.

Undoubtedly, THE most outstanding attraction in Toronto is the 1815 foot tall CN Tower. Constructed in 1976 by the Canadian National Railway company (thus, the name) as a communications and observation tower, it was considered to be the world's tallest free-standing structure ( at least until 2010 when it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa Hotel in Dubai and the Canton Tower in China). Today, it holds the record for being the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere. In 1995, the American Society of Civil Engineers named the CN Tower as one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World. So, of course, we had to visit this attraction and see Toronto from its observation deck (at a height of 1136 feet above ground). Now, I have never equivocated about my dislike for heights, but I must say the views from the observation deck were spectacular! We were told that on a really clear day, you can see across Lake Onterio all the way to Niagra Falls. While the weather was great on the day of our visit, it was not clear enough to see the falls.
In 2011, the tower opened the "Edgewalk" for daredevils who sought to look death in the face and defy gravity. At 1168 feet above ground, thrill seekers could walk the perimeter of the observation deck roof tethered to on overhead rail system. This is the world's highest full circle, hands-free walk. And you know who wanted to do this? My wife; Wonder Woman!! Thank God, she did not try to persuade me to do this also! This is not a cheap experience, i.e. $200 per person. But most who have done it say that it was well worth it. Safety is of extreme importance. Daredevils are limited to groups of no more than six at a time, with an experienced guide. Everyone wears a safety harness over a specifically designed jump suit which is tethered to an overhead rail system. All jewelry is left behind in a locker and all eyeglasses are attached by lanyards to the jumpsuits. Everyone goes through a half-hour safety orientation and their harnesses are checked at least five times by different people before the start of the walk. ["Is it over yet?"]. I was able to watch Lori's walk on a monitor system in the observation deck. I could tell that she was having a great time. When back on good ole terra firma , Lori said "It was no big deal!" Heh, easy for her to say!

Publicity photo of the CN Tower against the Toronto skyline.

Looking up at the tower from its base.

Like all facilities that are open to the public these days, the main entrance takes you through a security check.

The views from the observation deck are truly spectacular. Here we are looking at Lake Onterio across Billy Bishop airport...

...and here across the city itself.

Looking down at Toronto from the Skypod level (i.e. 1465 feet above ground).

On the observation deck level there is a glass floor platform that can really cause some vertigo.

Lori and her fellow daredevils getting ready for their walk.

Lori having her picture taken defying gravity (while I am safe inside watching on a monitor. What a brave guy!).

"Wonder Woman's" official souvenir photo....

...along with her fellow daredevils....

...and her certificate showing her accomplishment. They also provided her with a DVD of her walk.

As we start our third year of this glorious adventure, our current stop is Toronto, Canada. This most populous city of our northern neighbors serves as the provincial capital of Ontario and is recognized as "...one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world." The Wyandot people (also known as the Huron Nation) had occupied this area for centuries prior to the 1500's. By the time of the arrival of the first European settlers in the 1700's, the Mississauga people were the dominant tribe in the area. In 1787, the British negotiated the purchase of land from this tribe; land that would become the town of York (1793), and eventually, the city of Toronto (1834). Today, Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with approximately fifty percent of its population having been born outside of Canada. Located in the heart of downtown, and dominating the landscape is the tallest free-standing structure (at 1815.4 feet) in the Western Hemisphere; the CN Tower. While public transportation is abundant, we are finding that Toronto is a fun city to walk around.

Toronto's city hall is sort of futuristic looking.....

...but, then, there is the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

At the other end of the spectrum is the Casa Loma, a 1911 era mansion built for financier, Sir Henry Mill Pellatt...

...and this slightly over-the-top Grecian style home in one of the mid-town neighborhoods.

Dominating Toronto's skyline is the 1815 foot tall CN Tower...

...the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere...

...with some breath-taking views from its observation tower.

It is said that on a perfectly clear day, you can see Niagra Falls from the CN Tower.

Located next to the CN tower is Ripley's Aquarium.

And ever on the look out for something familiar, I found this Canadian Amateur Radio station (VE3OSC) at the Ontario Science Center.

Just an easy 15 minute walk from Manchester's city center, the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) is situated on the site of the world's first railway station -the Manchester Liverpool Road Station (1830). It was originally called "The North Western Museum of Science and Industry" and is dedicated to tracing the development of science, industry, and technology within Manchester. This is a huge museum, within the confines of at least five buildings. There are exhibits of aircraft, locomotives, computers, stationary steam engines, diesel and hydrolic pumps, as well as electric generators, all in operating condition. While we've been to many museums during our travels, this one was certainly fun to visit.

Entrance to the main building of the Museum of Science and Industry.

I found this exhibit fascinating. This is "The Baby" , the first stored program computer (1948).

Within the main building are exhibits of locomotives that were in use throughout the UK.

In the power building are several operating steam engines, electric generators, and pumps...

...as well as a working weaving machine.

Another building in the complex is devoted to aircraft...

...with displays of past and present aircraft...

...and at least one future model.

There is even a section devoted to Dr. Who.

Side trips from our base cities have always proved interesting and exciting. So, our visit to Liverpool was with great anticipation. We took an an easy 35 mile train riders this city west of Manchester. Formed as a borough in 1207 and as a city in 1880, it celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2007. However, now-a-days, it is more noted as being the the hometown of the 1960's rock group, The Beatles. A 15 minute walk from the train station is "The Beatles Story" museum, along Albert Dock. This world's largest exhibition dedicated to the lives and times of "The Fab Four" was opened in 1990 and sees approximately 300,000 visitors per year. Lorraine and I were in our mid-to-late teens when this group revolutionized the music industry. Thus, we were looking forward to re-hashing some of those memories. Spread between two buildings, this museum follows the Beatles from their beginnings as a Skiffle band ( having roots in jazz, blues, and folk music and usually using homemade or improvised instruments) known as the "The Black Jacks" and formed by John Lennon, to their phenomenal rise as a rock band, and until their final break-up in 1970. There is a lot more to see in Liverpool besides this wonderful museum, so we're planning another trip back here during future travels.

Situated on the west coast of the U.K., Liverpool is at the confluence of the Mersey River and the Irish Sea.

Albert Dock's complex of warehouses and buildings was the "...first non-combustible warehouse system in the world" as it was completely built of cast iron, brick and stone...

There are swan boats here similar to the ones we know in the Public Gardens of Boston.

Alber Dock also serves as the backdrop for "The Beatles Story" museum.

"The Fab Four" began their career here as a skiffle band known as the "Black Jacks". It was formed by John Lennon.

The cover photo of the "Abbey Road" album, showing the band outside of Abbey Road Studios, became "...one of the most famous images in the history of recorded music." Notice that Paul McCartney is barefoot.

The museum re-created the stage of the Cavern Club where the band frequently played during their early years.

Brian Epstein, the Beatles' manager, owned his own recording studio; The North End Music Stores.

Various portions of the museum focus on the different albums the group made. This one is devoted to "The Yellow Submarine" album

The Beatles, plus two.

We've had the good fortune to have visited some of the great museums and art galleries of the world; the Louvre, the Prada, National Gallery in London, etc. while Manchester's Art Gallery may not rank up there with these others, it still is worthwhile visiting (especially since it has free admission). Formed in 1823 under the auspices of a scholarly society known as the Royal Manchester Institute, it is a publicly owned museum. James Northgate's "A Moor" was its first acquisition in 1827. Among its nearly 20,000 pieces are oil paintings, water colors/drawings, sculptures, prints, and other art objects. An Egyptian Canopic Jar dating circa 1100 BC is its oldest piece. We had a wonderfully enjoyable day visiting this gallery, including its special exhibit on 100 years of Vogue magazine.

The Manchester Art Gallery consists of three interconnected buildings.

As you enter the building, this splendid staircase greets you. The special exhibit areas are to the left on the ground floor, while the permanent collections are upstairs.

James Northgate's "A Moor" was the gallery's first acquisition in 1827.

William Holman Hunt's "The Hireling Shepherd " (1851) still maintains its vibrant colors.

"The Picnic" by Wynford Dewhurst (1908) is done in the Impressionist style which we love.

"100 Years of Vogue" is the current special exhibit in the gallery...

...tracing the magazine's evolution from the 1920's...

...through to the 2010's.

On the upper floors are the permanent collection rooms

Among the many art objects in the gallery is this bust of Plato by Wedgewood (ca. 1790)...

...and this Parade Chair (ca. 1680) believed to have belonged to Cosmo IIÎ de Medici.

Libraries are more than just a collection of informational sources. They are the soul of a city. In that regard, Manchester has a lot of soul, as it has several very interesting libraries. And we had the good fortune to visit some of them.

"John Rylands Library" - Opened in 1900 by Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her husband, it now is part of the University of Manchester library. Mrs. Rylands had bought the property for the library in 1889 and had originally intended it to be for a collection of theological works. In fact, she had the building designed to resemble a church. Today, it's collection includes many medieval illuminated manuscripts, examples of early European printings, and an original copy of the Gutenberg Bible. This is a wonderful place to visit.

The John Rylands Library on Deansgate Road, Manchester, UK. It's special collection of medieval illuminated manuscripts is believed to be the largest in the UK.

The main reading room makes you feel like you are in a church.

Viewing the reading room from the balcony level is even more impressive.

A first edition of "Ulysses" by James Joyce is part of the library's collection.

"Papyrus 52" is a fragment of the Gospel of John.

One of the library's highlights is a copy of the Gutenberg Bible.

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"Portico Library" - This independent subscription library was built between 1802 and 1806 and was once described as "... the most refined little building in Manchester." A group of Manchester's businessmen had created the idea for this library as an "... Institute uniting the advantages of a newspaper and a library." The focus was to be on 19th century literature. Its architecture is in the Greek Revival style and is considered to be the first of its type in the city. The ground floor of the building houses "The Bank" , a restaurant that resembles the Bank of Athens. The Portico library is on the second floor and its reading rooms are open to members only. When we first visited this little library, we were amazed by its grandeur and elegance. It is definitely worth seeing.
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The Portico Library building was built in the Greek Revival style. While the ground floor now houses the Bank restaurant, the library is on the second floor. You gain access to the library through the door on the right side of the building in this photo.

The main room of the library is illuminated by this beautiful ceiling skylight.

One of several private reading rooms open to members only.

While browsing through any of the library's 25,000 volumes, members can also enjoy a spot of tea and a light snack.

Writer/poet William Gashell was a pioneer of education for the working class and a patron of the library.

Even the librarians' desks are surrounded by 19th century literature.

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"Chetham Library" - Located on the grounds of the Chethem School of Music, the Chetham library is the oldest free public reference library in the UK. Humphrey Chetham founded this library in 1653 and it has been in continuous use since then. It contains over 100, 000 volumes of works published before 1851. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles met here in 1845 to discuss social politics. Of all the libraries we've visited, this probably is our favorite.

The 15th century Baronal Hall houses the Chetham Library.

Just one corridor of the library's stacks. We felt like we were walking through a private library in a huge mansion or palace.

This main reading room was so elaborately decorated that it took our breath away.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels sat around this alcove table just off of the reading room, and discussed their philosophies of society.

One of the delightful features of Chetham's library was this old secretary's desk with its many chained manuscripts. We hadn't seen anything like this before.

Baronal Hall was once used for grand banquets during medieval times.

Part of an old printing press on exhibit in the library.

Known locally as "The Hidden Gem", St. Mary's Catholic Church is truly that. Tucked away on a little side street (Mulberry St.), a block away from Town Hall, it would be easy to miss. Officially dedicated in 1794 by Rev. Rowland Broomhead, it is the oldest Catholic Church in Manchester. At the time of its dedication, this was the poorest quarter of the city. Documents indicate that there previously was a collegiate church on this site , in 1422 under Henry V. However, it was desolved in the mid-1500's by Edward VI. Shortly after Edward's death, his half-sister, Mary I refounded the church. During the reformation, the church fell out of Papal control and its parish was moved to Manchester Cathedral. Then , in 1794, the rector of St. Chad's purchased a piece of land on Mulberry street and had the current church built. Following some sloppy renovations in 1832, the roof of the church collapsed. It took 16 years to fully rebuild the church . While the exterior of the church is rather plain, with its red brick facade, the interior is adorned with elaborate Victorian carvings, marble altars, and exceptional paintings. This is a beautiful church and well worth hunting for it.

"The Hidden Gem", St. Mary's Catholic Church on Mulberry Street.

The exquisitely carved marble high altar.

Workmenship of the main altar's statues is unbelievable.

Dedicated to St. Mary, the Lady Chapel sits next to the main altar. Again, the marble carvings are exquisite.

Everything in this church is dedicated to St. Mary, even the stained glass windows.

Because the church is located in a somewhat dark side street, this beautiful ceiling window was created to bring light into the church.

The administrative heart of any city rests within its town hall. And the city of Manchester's town hall is one of the finest examples of neo-gothic architecture in the UK. The current building is not the first town hall in Manchester, however. The original administrative offices were built in 1822, within the police building on King Street. Forty years later, the city had grown so much that larger quarters were needed to run it. The cornerstone for the current town hall was laid in October of 1868 and construction was completed by 1877. The new structure included offices for the various administrative departments, city council chambers, a large hall, a suite of reception rooms, and living quarters for the Lord Mayor. We were immediatly impressed by the 280 foot clock tower. Holding twenty four bells, it is the sixth tallest structure in the city. Within the glass mosaic roof of the entrance hall is a trap door, through which the tower bells can be lowered to street level. Today, Town Hall is the ceremonial headquarters of the city council (with regular meetings being held in Town Hall Extension next door). While much of the work of the city's administrative departments are still done here, the Town Hall is often hired out for weddings and special functions (especially by the city's major corporations). Because it is so busy, you have to check with reception to see when a tour of the building will happen. If you have the time to wait for a tour, this is definitely worth it.

Looking across Albert Square towards Manchester's Town Hall.

Old painting of the original Town Hall within the Police Building on King Street. This building now is home to Lloyds Bank.

Even the entrance hall, with its "Bee Themed" floor, is elegant. Symbol of efficient industry, the bee is part of Manchester's Coat of Arms.

One of the spiral staircases in the building. These are absolutely beautiful.

Many of the. Ity's major corporations hire out this Grand Hall for special functions....

...and the Banquet Hall is used for wedding receptions.

The inner courtyard was a surprise. It reminded us of the layout of several palaces we've visited throughout our journey.

Sculptured busts of folks important to Manchester's history adorn the corridors.

Statue of Henry of Grosmont, First Duke of Lancaster (the county that includes Manchester).

Coats of Arms adorn the entrance hall walls.

The Great Abel bell in the clock tower was named after Abel Heywood, Lord Mayor of Manchester in 1862-1863 and again in 1876-1877

We love museums! They can be fun places in which to learn interesting historical facts about a particular place. One of the more interesting museums we've visited was the Greater Manchester Police Museum. Located in the former Newton Street Police Station, this had been home for the Manchester City Police ( and its successors, the Manchester and Salford Police, and finally the Greater Manchester Police) from 1879 until 19179. It had been one of the city's earliest police stations. This hidden gem, with its free admission, was turned into a museum in 1981 and is manned by a volunteer cadre of former police officers. In addition to containing the original Victorian era cells, with its wooden beds and pillows, as well as the original "Charge Office", this museum has exhibits tracing the changes in policing from the late 19th century to the present day. It even includes an 1895 Magistrates Court on the second floor. This was a different, but fun, experience for us.

Exterior view of the Newton Street Police Station, now the Greater Manchester Police Museum.

The original "Charge Office" where prisoners were booked.

Located within the Charge Office was this large rack of "key boxes." Local business owners could hire these boxes and leave the keys to their offices and/or warehouses in case the police needed to gain access during the night.

Next to the Charge Office were the prisoners cells...

With their wooden beds and wooden pillows. Prisoners were allocated one blanket each. There were no windows in the cells. On busy nights, it was not unusual to have up to a dozen prisoners in each cell.

One constable was designated as the "Reserve Man." His duties included fingerprinting the prisoners, cleaning the area, and distributing food to those in the cells.

For younger prisoners (read children), sentences for crimes would be in the form of corporal punishment with these birch switches.

While patrolling the streets, officers would work out of these street corner boxes. Citizens knew that they could report crimes here.

Old photo of the police box on the street.

On display in the museum are the many hats used by police officers over the years.

The 1895 Magistrates Court room on the second floor of the museum. The prisoner's dock is on the left side of the picture.

Historically, the heart of every Medieval (and earlier) European city was its cathedral. Manchester, UK is no exception. Formally known as "The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St. Mary, St. Denys, and St. George", Manchester Cathedral serves as the seat of the City's Bishop. While the official origins of the church remains somewhat of a mystery, an "Angel Stone" (small carving of an angel holding a scroll) found embedded in the wall of the south porch provides some evidence of a possible earlier Saxon church, ca. 700 AD. Other documents suggest that well before this, the Celtic tribe known as the Brigantes had established a stronghold in northern England on the sandstone outcropping where the Cathedral now stands. In 1086, William the Conqueror had recorded the existence of a parish church on this site. While visiting this magnificent cathedral , we learned that a predecessor church was constructed as part of Manchester Castle - a fortified medieval manor house under the auspices of the Greslet family (they were the Lord of the Manor), where Chetham library now stands. In 1311, the ownership of the property then passed, by marriage, to the de la Warres. By 1421, King Henry V and Pope Martin V "...granted a license to establish a collegiate church to Thomas de la Warre." (the Lord of the Manor at that time). These are the historical details that we love to learn. The cathedral has gone through several renovations, expansions, and restorations over the years. All of the Victorian era stained glass windows were destroyed during the Manchester Blitz of 1940. They have been painstakingly replaced slowly since then. One outstanding feature of the Cathedral are the 36 exquisitely carved hinged seats within the Quire, known as "Misericords" or "Mercy Seats". Church protocol during the long medieval religious ceremonies, required parishioners to stand for extensive periods of time. These seats were designed with elaborate shelves on the underside so that those who had difficulty remaining standing could rest while appearing to still be on their feet. The Manchester Cathedral's Misericords are considered to be some of the best in Europe. This was a wonderful learning experience for us, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Manchester Cathedral is located on Victoria Street.

The Angel Stone (ca. 700 AD) found embedded in the wall of the south porch, indicates the possible existence of an earlier Saxon church on this same site.

The exquisite pipe organ adds a lot of penanche to the cathedral's appearance.

All of the Victorian era stained glass windows were destroyed during the Manchester Blitz of 1940. Most have been painstakingly restored.

This ornately carved ceiling was breathtaking.

The 36 Misericords (Mercy Seats) are some of the best in Europe.

Close up look at one of the exquisitely carved Mercy Seats...

...and another one.