The cloudy charm of Yorkshire ( OK given by Cath. Thank you, love. )

Yes, one would expect it: clouds, rain, wind and no cherry trees in this Nordic country, that belongs to the United Kingdom (just like Scotland) and still is a world of its own. What we came across, not for the first time, was a beautiful Autumn sky, with a few clouds, white or threateningly dark ones, just to highlight our visit. So, Cath and I went North again to attend a wedding, and to see Cathie's parents, brothers, family and friends, sheep, dogs and horses inclusive. At no moment, when travelling through the dales and moors of this blessed country, did we think of a holiday, instead, say, in Portugal or Hawaii. The robust beauty of this wild country with its baldheaded mountains and stunningly shaped trees made us happy again.

The Yorkshire Flag

Haworth is the little town where Cathie's, Richard's and Rob's parents live. Narrow streets, lovely pubs and restaurants and exotic shops along the main street. That is Haworth, situated near Leeds, Bradford, Keighley and Oxenhope. This year, the French Tour de France, before gloriously ending "sur les Champs Elysées", started here. It got a remarkable welcome by the Yorkshire fans who still have not removed  their yellow bicycles decorating the facades.

Where the Bronte Sisters lived

And in the Kingdom's best newspaper, the Guardian, you can read somewhere a quote by a young black poet and novelist: "I am ashamed to have won that (slam poetry) prize and I am also ashamed that I am ashamed". Is this a symbol for that special sense of humour, you can witness at any moment in this country? The more gloomy sides of life, however, - let us not mention them here - are also painfully taken into account in this paper. And paper reading, possibly of a "good" one together with a "local" one seems still to be a must for someone who wants to be up to date. Coronation Street and Eastenders do also belong to the daily information dose you may wish to absorb. Who would then ignore that George Clooney and Alamuddin tied the knot in Venice? Or that David Cameron announced (before the next elections) fantastic tax presents to his conservative voters?

Margaret, Lewis and Cath, fighting over a rolling aid

The wedding was, of course, the main reason to come to Yorkshire at a time when not one single tree is in blossom and (in September!) some restaurants already call for Christmas Dinner reservations. Johnny and Claire said "Yes we will" or so in the lovely Methodist church at Dalton, where Cathie's father, Lewis, the retired Minister, and Johnny's mother Sue, the freshly ordained Reverend carried out a loving and touching wedding ceremony, in the presence of family and friends.

Aren't they Wouw?

A wedding is not an event that can be described in a too stenographic style. Too much of it gets lost. The wonderfully worded speeches in the church for instance, both, by Lewis and Sue, who brought out the essence and nature of love. Something to remember for ever. And the lovely wedding escort girls and so much more...

It's Autunm in New York(shire)...

The weakly gifted author of these lines who got seated with Cath at a table called "Tiergarten", the place the Ullenburg wine came from, a village in the Black Forest, from where we moved to Vienna recently. Frenetic dancing in the evening was also something to remember.

Everybody got carried away in splendour!

Should I be ashamed? Or ashamed of being ashamed? What for? The weak quality of photographs? My heavy drinking? We all enjoyed it. And it was Cath who drove the car. We had a very good time and would wish to be back soon in lovely Yorkshire again.  And see, how the married couple gets on.