Stop that train......

Today we started our day with a ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway (http://www.nymr.co.uk).  Lovely old cars and some nice conversation with our seat mates.  As we rode through the North Yorkshire Moors National Park we saw some trees, some trees and some more trees  :)   Also some brown heather, yet to be purple (it's much prettier purple).  Some sheep and cattle were also to be seen.  The views were sometimes blocked by the tall trees along the rails so often times the conversation was better than the view, as long as the lulling chugging of the train didn't make your eyes droop.  At one station we made a stop and had to wait a bit for another train to pass.  The next stop was not so long and the conductor told us if we were traveling we better hop on quickly.  Unfortunately, 3 of our group didn't hear the warning and as the train chugged off, they were left staring at the train, unable to get on.  Quite the excitement for the day!!!   Have no fear, a wonderfully kind man, drove them to the next station to meet us (it was our stop).

(I need to get better at selfies- flatten down hair, smile nice, no squinty eyes.....)

After a picnic lunch at the station, we headed to Ripon.  There we went to the Fountains Abbey  (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fountains-abbey/ ).  WOWSA!  Was it FANTASTIC!!  At first all we saw were the tops but as we continued walking down the winding path, it came into few.  So grand (especially for some monks) !!  Many of the outer wall were intact, so it let us admire the beautiful architecture.  Stunning.  Unfortunately, I could have wandered quite content for some time, but alas our time there was not long enough (for me anyway).

 (either my selfies will get better or I will stop posting them! :| 

For dinner, we went back to the Turkish restaurant from the night before.  Have NO IDEA how to pronounce or spell what I ate but it was tasty (look at me-ignoring the pizza and pasta on the menu and being daring!!) It was lamb, wrapped in pide (thin bread) and it was covered with tomato sauce and yogurt.  YUMMY!