As some of you may have noticed, our Director of Development Steven Mangione was abroad for the month of July. Just where did he go? The answer is England! Here he is to tell you all about it:

I caught a direct flight from Philadelphia to Manchester, leaving on July 2nd and arriving on July 3rd. I was going to stay with an old friend from the USA who now lives in Chester, England. Upon arrival, my first order of business was to learn my way around town and make preparations to celebrate the 4th of July like a true Yankee. On the 4th, we met up with a group of friends and drank American Whiskey while discussing at great lengths the cultural differences that I would be experiencing for the next 3 weeks. Everyone I met was very welcoming to this American, but it probably helped that I was respectful and didn’t set off any fireworks.

Yours Truly in front of Chester Cathedral

Back to Chester, what a beautiful city to visit! Originally founded as a Roman fort named “Deva” in 79 AD, Chester boasts the most complete set of Roman walls still standing around the center of town. They’ve undergone many structural improvements over the centuries, and now the tops of the walls serve as a pedestrian walkway around downtown. As I walked the walls and took in the sights, it was amazing to think I was standing on a structure originally patrolled by Roman sentries. There’s no shortage of history to be seen all about town, from the black-and-white Tudor Revival architecture all around town, to the Roman ampitheatre and the historic River Dee.

The hustle and bustle of downtown Chester

Chester sits right on the border between England and Wales, so Wales was my next stop. Being an avid bicyclist back home, I was excited to borrow a “push bike” and ride along a bike path following the canal into Wales. Rolling green fields and sheep surrounded me as I cruised through the Welsh countryside. A few days later we made our way up to Moel Famau, a beautiful hillside with a commanding view of the surrounding counties and on a clear day as far as the coast. We hiked up to Jubilee Tower at the peak and enjoyed the view before a storm rolled in to chase us away.

The view from Moel Famau

After Chester and Wales, my next stop was Liverpool. Only an hour away by train, I was able to go up and spend a day walking along the historic waterfront of the Mersey River. Being the big nerd that I am, I made sure to visit the Maritime Museum and learn about everything from the history of the docks to Liverpool’s role in the American Civil War. I also stopped by Matthew Street, where the Beatles got their start, and had a pint in the Cavern Pub.

Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool

Another great British rock’n’roll moment was seeing Judas Priest live in Manchester. Even though these guys are all pushing 60, they rock as hard as ever. Here at I-SITE we have a Friday tradition playing “Breaking the Law” at the end of the week while enjoying some beers, and it was great to see it done live!

Next I traveled south to see some more of the country. After visiting some friends down in Chichester I made my way back up to London and spent a day walking around. Even though I only saw a tiny portion of what the great city of London has to offer, I did make it to the Tate Gallery, the British Museum, the House of Parliament, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace. I finished my day in London with a relaxing stroll through several of the gorgeous parks located in the middle of the city.

Big Ben is really BIG

Before I knew it, it was time to head back home! It’s amazing how quickly time can fly when you’re exploring another country. I met lots of great people, drank lots of delicious ale (bitters). My head was still spinning the flight home with all the amazing things I saw, and I can’t wait to make my way back there again someday!

Cheers,
Steve