Y'all Come Back Now, Ya Here?

       Today was our last day in Durham! I am currently nearly packed and ready for the 8:00 bus tomorrow morning (Dr Street threatens that the wheels will be rolling then and if we're not there... well then that's just too bad for us isn't it?) I must say I have mixed feelings about this departure. I have loved my little room here, with its sunny windows and big bed, and I will definitely miss dear old Professor Lomas, and yet I feel "quite ready for another adventure!"
       This morning Alex and I walked around the streets of the city, popping into shops and taking in the sights a final time. We were supposed to get Indian with some of the other girls, but for some reason Shareem's was closed! Luckily, Alex and I had already had a little snack, not knowing our lunch wasn't going to happen....

Yup, we were caught in the act, but it was soooo delicious and I felt no guilt. Actually, since we split the fish and chips and each had a 5 pound stipend for lunch, we made a small profit :O

        The afternoon was spent very leisurely, preparing for our big, fancy farewell dinner that night as well as just goofing off. We had to turn in our week's worth of academic journal which will in the end be worth 10% of our final grade. Alex straightened my hair with my WORKING CHI that was totally undamaged by the European plug! Just use an adapter and a regular straightener is just fine! Everyone tried to scare me but I took a chance and it paid off with straight hair and a working chi in the end. Alex and I also walked back over to the cathedral, just to sit in awe for a while. Sarah and Whitney both climbed the tower which I'm sure was amazing, but for some reason just gazing around at the church was enough for me :)
      Put in my contacts for the first time today (I know, pretty late in the game). They both got dried out in the case a few days ago and I hoped they would rehydrate... one of them mostly did and i wore it but I had to replace the other one. The one that's left irritated my eye some so it's only a matter of time...
       Dinner was very fun! After a pretty long walk over to this place, which by the way no one knew how to get to except Professor Lomas who had originally said he would walk with us but then just met us there ("But Gandalf... why didn't you meet us?") we arrived at a highly chic restaurant called Finbarr's. I didn't make the best menu choices though there were definitely delicious things available. I had the Welsh cheese thingy appetizer, then the crab risotto for dinner and finally the "Eton Mess" which was delicious!  It was a sort of raspberries with cream which was definitely my favorite part of the meal. If I could go back I would have had the smoked haddock followed by the braised beef but all is clear in hindsight, is it not?

        Everyone looked very nice and the conversation/company was wonderful! Professor Lomas ended the evening with a token farewell: "Well Pilgrims, I shall end our time together with two qutotations. The first is from Jane Austen in Emma: 'It was a delightful visit; perfect, in being much too short.' and a second, in the words of someone from your side of the water, the dearly departed Jeb from the Beverly Hillbillies: "Y'all come back now, ya here??" 
          And I certainly hope to one day!