Lincoln, lincoln

This Saturday was the last of the International Office trips for the year. We went to Lincoln. And if you think that's random, you're right! But, like many random small towns in England (I am learning) it is full of charm and history.
I think my book will now be called “The giant cathedrals of England and their surrounding areas” as now that I think of it, the last three weeks I've been to three different towns and the first thing I've done is explore their ancient and huge cathedrals. With good reason. They are all beautiful and fascinating and Lincoln Cathedral is no exception.
The original church was built in 1092, dating it back to the Normans. Parts of the skeleton of the original church are still visible today, and things can be said like "That doorway is older than your...well everything." Like most old British buildings it has been through a lot; fire, earthquake, spires blowing off, and a complete collapse of the central tower, have shaped the cathedral into what it is today, an amazing building.
We climbed the dizzying staircase to the bell ringing chamber on our 'roof tour'. We couldn't see the 12 bells in the tower, but in the ringing chamber 12 ropes come through the ceiling allowing the bells to be rung without deafening the ringers. On the day we were there, the bells were rung for three hours in celebration of the Christmas market in town. Three hours of bouncing up and down pulling ropes tied to heavy bells, coupled with the ensuing sounds, I fear would drive most people insane. The effect it has on the town is far more enjoyable. They started ringing while our tour was going and it was surprisingly quiet even though we were standing in the room just underneath the ringers.
Anyway, enough about bells. We also were able to see what is basically the attic of the nave. Here, huge English oak crossbeams and original wood joints hold up the 800 ton lead roof of the church. It is amazing to think that it was built so long ago, before cranes and I beams, and most importantly before safety regulations.
In its far more recent history, some of the church was made to look like Westminster Abbey for the filming of “The Da Vinci Code.” Though if memory serves, I’m not sure the townspeople were too happy about that.
After an excellent morning, we headed to the medieval part of town and the cacophony of 12 church bells gave way to seasonal music as we entered the Christmas market. The concept of a Christmas market is something new to me, and it seems that every English town attempts to out-do its neighbors and the German originators of said markets. I don't know if they're anything like actual German Christmas markets, but they are pretty great. And popular. The crowd was so thick on Saturday that I probably could have stopped walking and let the crowd carry me. The visiting buses were strictly coordinated as well as the pedestrian traffic. People in their hi-vis coats annoyingly used bull horns to direct the crowds. Their all important messages were usually "please stay left" and "keep moving" oh, how helpful!
But despite the mad crowds, we were able to enjoy some Lincolnshire sausage, and visit the museum of Lincolnshire life, where they had Victorian "persons of the past" giving out mince pies and using annoyingly accurate vocabulary of the day.
All in all, it was a very nice day, and though I am again influenced by the lack of rain and mild temperatures, I am convinced that it would be great to visit Lincoln again when the market is not going on, when one could slowly wander down the cobblestoned streets, give the castle a proper visit, and see their copy of the Magna Carta.