Manchester Christmas Markets 2022

The second day of the reunion, Tuesday, November 15, was spent at the Manchester Christmas Markets in Manchester, about 45 minutes east of Liverpool. Most England cities have some kind of holiday market. As I mentioned in my previous posts, there is no Thanksgiving in England, so the holiday season begins in early November and continues through to the end of the year. 

I had been to the Christmas Market in 2012. I remember it being one of the most crowded places I had ever been to in my life. Edge Hill had taken us there by bus back then and let us off in Albert Square, which is the main section of the market. I remember a solid wall of people everywhere and having to carefully navigate my way through it. Fortunately, being outside meant not getting too claustraphobic.

That definitely wasn’t the case this time. Since it was a Tuesday, there weren’t as many people when we got there. We spent a couple of hours walking around exploring the different stands. I remember from 2012 there being hundreds of stands selling just about anything you can imagine, but the vibe felt different this time. COVID has obviously changed pretty much everything, and my guess is that the reduced number of stands is a result of that. Still, compared to DC’s holiday market, Manchester’s was still larger and I relished being able to experience it despite the rainy weather.

Most of the stalls sold food products, and I indulged myself with a slice of pizza, a red velvet cupcake, and hot chocolate – a nice mixture of carbs and sugar, hallmarks of the holiday season. Some of us also got mulled wine later, served in a souvenir mug. I did manage to find some more non-edible gifts for family and friends. It was a nice change to do some Christmas shopping in a new location.

Enjoy the pictures that I took that day below!

A rainy day in Manchester

Edge Hill University 2022

Edge Hill University is located in the town of Ormskirk, about half an hour north of Liverpool in the Lancashire region of England. It’s where I spent three months of my life back in 2012 studying abroad, where I got to live on campus surrounded by people from all over the United States and all over the United Kingdom. I documented my experience then on my blog “Experiencing England.” Ten years later, I got to return for a tour along with five other American classmates from the original group on Monday, November 14.

It felt intensely surreal being back on campus after an entire decade. The tour guide from Edge Hill’s alumni office took us around campus, pointing out places that were still there and several new buildings that had been constructed over the years.

The front entrance

The post box at the front of campus

West end of campus

The “beach” – one of the newer additions

The biggest change was seeing the residence halls we had lived in – or rather, what’s left of them. Just six weeks earlier, the “Back Halls,” as they were called, had been demolished by the university. So instead of being met with the site of the five low brick buildings, we were greeted with huge, fenced-in piles of rubble. We expressed our sadness at the fact that we had just missed seeing them still standing. Although they had been 1960s-era buildings with poor water pressure and questionable heat, they’d still had a lot of character and memories.

2012

Present Day

After our tour of campus, we decided to walk into Ormskirk. Most of the town square looked the same, including the clock tower that sits in the middle of the plaza. We discovered that some stores had closed or replaced, which isn’t surprising since it has been so long.

This was easily one of the highlights of my trip – getting to return to a place where I made unforgettable memories with some of the best people.

Derby

The second leg of my England trip was to Derby (pronounced Darby), a smaller city about two and a half hours north of London, to visit a friend from England that I had made during my time at Edge Hill University. It’s in the county of Derbyshire (Darby-shure),

After catching up the first night, we spent the first day walking around Derby City Centre, strolling up and down the high streets. We stopped at the Derby Cathedral, and I marveled at the architecture of the interior, very different from cathedrals and churches that I’ve seen back here in the United States. My friend pointed out the Silk Mill. According to the sign at the site, it’s considered the world’s first factory, and even had a visit from American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin at one point.

The next morning we visited the National Memorial Arboretum about half an hour away in Staffordshire. This is where they have memorials for each of the Armed Force branches of England. Having had two members of my family serve in the Air Force who were stationed in England at one point, I felt humbled at the chance to see the tributes in England. The quiet and calm nature of the Arboretum provided a nice break from the bustle of the city. Since it was Remembrance Day Weekend in the United Kingdom, the equivalence of Veterans Day in the United States, we got to see several veterans at the Arboretum commemorating the day, wearing and holding poppy flowers, a symbol of the event.

After the Arboretum, we drove to Lichfield, another nearby city. There, we went inside the Lichfield Cathedral, a structure dating back to before Medieval times. It’s easily the largest cathedral I’ve been to in Europe since going to Notre Dame in Paris back in 2012. We grabbed lunch at an adorable eatery on Lichfield’s high street, where I had delicious French Toast.

The next morning was my last day in Derby. We drove out to an old manor called Kedleston Hall that sits on several acres of land out in the countryside of Derbyshire. I felt like I was in a BBC special as we walked around the grounds. The house itself wasn’t open, but we were still able to admire the exterior. My friend explained how the National Trust of England now owns and maintains the site, and that is hosts several events throughout the year. I can only imagine what the inside must look like during the holiday season.

The back of the main house

I very much enjoyed my time in Derby because I not only got to catch up with a friend that I hadn’t seen for 10 years, but I also got to see parts of England that I wouldn’t normally get to see.

10-Year England Reunion Trip

Earlier this year, a small group of us Americans who had met at Edge Hill began talking about doing a reunion since it had been 10 years since our semester abroad. Over the summer, the plans were finalized as dates were settled on and travel plans booked. November was decided on due to the holiday markets and displays that England has this time of year.

The group of us aren’t meeting up until next week, but I decided to go over a week early to do some other traveling. My first stop will be London for a couple of days, followed by a visit to Derby, and then finally Liverpool to meet up with everyone else. I am currently writing this in the Dulles airport as I wait to board my overnight flight to London Heathrow. This will be my first time to England since my experience a decade ago, and I’m unbelievably excited to get to visit the place that changed my life and see what’s changed and what hasn’t. I plan to do at least one blog post for each destination and possibly more depending on what I do. I’m thrilled to get to write about my experiences once again in England.