hereford: where the weather's as moody as a drummer between gigs
so i’m sitting here in this hotel room, trying to figure out how to even begin describing the past few days. hereford is... a vibe, that’s for sure. the kind of place that makes you slow down and actually look around. not that i had a choice with the weather, but more on that later. someone told me that hereford has more sheep than people, and after driving through the countryside, i’m starting to believe it. not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it does make for some interesting conversations when you’re the only one in the bar who didn’t grow up milking cows.
i just checked the temp and it’s basically arctic out there, so pack like you’re going to the moon. the humidity is off the charts too, so everything feels a bit... damp. hope you like that kind of thing. as a drummer, i’ve dealt with worse, but my suitcase is now a swamp of socks and t-shirts. if you're tired of hereford, worcester and bristol are just a short drive away. not that i’d recommend leaving, but sometimes you need a change of scenery. especially when the local pub’s idea of a cocktail is just warm beer with a lemon wedge.
i heard that the cathedral here has a library that’s older than some countries. which is pretty insane when you think about it. also, someone told me that the cider in these parts is so strong it could strip paint, so maybe stick to one pint. or two, if you’re brave. and the food? okay, the local gastropub is decent, but i’m pretty sure i saw a cow staring at me while i was eating my steak. at least it was local, i guess. you can check out more eats on TripAdvisor. there’s also this local food board if you want to get fancy.
the cathedral was actually pretty cool, despite the weather trying to kill me. the stained glass was something else. i’ve played in some old churches before, but none with this much history. it makes you wonder what kind of acoustics they had back in the day. probably amazing for a drum solo, if they’d had drums.
and then there’s the countryside. driving through, you see these herds of cattle just roaming around like they own the place. which, i guess, they kind of do. it’s a bit surreal when you’re used to city life. i tried to get a good shot, but my phone is not exactly a professional camera. maybe the pros on this local photography group would have better luck.
anyway, i’m out of here tomorrow. can’t say i’m sad about leaving the cold behind, but hereford is definitely a place i’ll remember. mostly for the cows and the cider. and the fact that the weather made me question my life choices. which is probably a good thing sometimes.
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