So yesterday we watched Jane Eyre in preparation for our trip to Haworth to see the Bronte museum today. I wasn't too thrilled about the movie; throughout most of the film, I found the tone a bit too depressive.

The town was great though. It really did seem to be preserved and isolated. I see the allure for the tourists, especially all of the information that has been kept about the Brontes, but I also understand how lonely it could be back in the days the Brontes lived there. After seeing where they lived and learning more about their time there, I can really understand where their dark, gothic writing tones came from.

Of all of them, I think I like the father, Patrick best. Our guide today was telling us how he came from a large, partly Catholic, partly Protestant, illiterate family. And yet he was able to teach himself and rise up to be one of the school masters at age sixteen... or something like that. And it's really quite remarkable everything he was able to do for his family--especially the education of his son--with minimal outside help. I definitely respect that about him. I can also understand why Branwell, the son, was met with such a sticky end. I can't imagine losing a mother and two sisters early on in life. I am quite surprised at how all four Brontes (Branwell and his better known sisters, Catherine, Emily, and Ann) were so creative. When we were walking around the Bronte parsonage (which is still fairly well kept with some of their old furniture), we were able to see some of their work first hand. Obviously, their writing is legendary. But their drawing skills were something else entirely! I can't believe that one family could be so gifted with creative genius! I would be jealous if their lives hadn't otherwise been so dreary.

Mimi, Ashley, and I ate at the local bakery. Which was amazing. We actually had our first traditional English meal today--aside from fish and chips. I tried Yorkshire pudding with gravy. I was really surprised with the result as apparently, the pudding is a type of baked batter; definitely not something we would qualify as 'pudding' in the United States. It was really good though, I would definitely have it again. And since it was still kind of cold, the rich gravy really warmed me up.

After we toured the museum and walked around the town a bit with the guide, we were let on our own. Mimi, Ashley and I went exploring around the moors. It was breathtaking. Even though the land seemed desolate, it was really quite serene. There were also a lot of locals walking dogs and hiking. The whole thing was so surreal.

Overall I enjoyed myself. I would definitely be interested in visiting Yorkshire again.