But on the way I get stuck in Ilkley, a nice town in the Wharfedale, just north of Leeds. South of Ilkley stretch the heights of the Rombald Moor, inaccessible by road vehicles, only by hiking. I walk a short distance up, then return into the town.
View from Rombald's Moor down towards Ilkley and the Wharfedale.
Colorful store fronts in old stone buildings. Even a "Betty's" cafe is here.
Shopping street in Ilkley.
In a side street in Ilkley.
I head further towards Skipton. On the way I visit the Embsay-Bolton railway, the remnants of the train line that once had continued from Ilkley to Skipton. Now there is just steam museum traffic on weekends. I had already taken a train back in last November, and now I do not really want to spend time on this. But it always is nice to experience a steam train: a feast for many senses: sight, sound, smell, and haptic (being in a train and experiencing the motion).
Steam train arrives in Embsay Station.
The small tank engine of the train.
In Skipton is a market day. And on one stand I find a German flag! Now I am ready to support the German soccer team with appropriate means. Of course, I also buy an English flag, so as to pay tribute to my host country.
The place is busy, many people, many cars drive through the town. Then suddenly the road traffic has stopped for some reason - and one can walk on the street. I realise that police has closed the roads, for a carnival parade. At 1:30 vehicles come moving through, trucks with bands playing music on them, classic vehicles, tractors. I have no idea what the occasion is...
The Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Skipton.
Flags are being sold at the market in Skipton.
Waiting for the Gala Parade
Bands play on trucks, and other floats pass by.
At 2:00pm, England starts its soccer game in the World Cup. The parade just ends before 2:00pm, and people stream back into their homes and into pubs. I mount my England flags on my car and start heading back to Leeds - I want to watch the rest of the game on the Leeds Millenium Square where a big screen display shows the game live.
Yellow meadow.
As I arrive in Leeds, the square is sealed off... with big barriers. Only a limited number of people had been allowed into the square. A few gather outside on the street, to peek over the barriers. Now that is really a shame - a much betters solution could have been found to accommodate the public interest in this game.
Leeds Millenium Square during the soccer game England:Paraguay.
Soccer game watchers who could not make it into the square.
