First of ESO: Trip to York

 Monday already -how the days have gone by! Today, it's first class and then the swordfighting workshop. We start very early indeed, at nine o'clock. Over night, it has snowed -the town is powdered over, and the cold is intense. 

 Getting to the schoolroom turns out to be rather more challenging than we thought, at least for some: four boys simply can't seem to remember their bus stop and end up riding up and down the line. Between the four of them, the driver, Eduardo and Joscha, the problem is solved in the end: no harm done. Mobile phones really can be useful, after all. 

 After class -we have lunch in the warm schoolroom- we are off tohave a go at swordfighting drill. At first, the kids are a bit taken aback by the fact that the other participants are much, much younger.  Plus, the instructor speaks rather quickly, and there are so many new words. Once we get moving, though, the wooden swords and shields turn out to be very nice toys indeed, and we end up having fun. Also, the real replicas of Viking weapons are cool,   and the instructor is both patient and understanding. 

 Upon finishing, we swarm out across the city centre, some of us making surprise acquaintances on the way, others going shopping, and almost everyone meeting up in a warm café before heading back. Let's see what tomorrow brings.