英语播客 A Cup of English Creetown gem rock museum.

During the summer vacation, I took my children to visit the Creetown gem rock museum, in Scotland. It is highly recommended, as it is the leading independent gem rock museum in the whole of the UK. We travelled about fourty five minutes to get there, and, believe me, it was worth it. Though the entrance is small, the first room you come to opens up into a world of colorful gems and rocks of all kinds. There are many tall display cases, showing huge crystals, with their names and information on where they come from. There is a wall where children, or indeed anyone, can touch and feel the rocks and gems. My children spent the whole time saying, "Wow!" and "Look at this!" It's the sort of place you go to where you don't want to rush; there is so much to see and examine. Moving on from the first room, you come to the Crystal Cave. It is a man made cave that is set up deliberately to show rocks and crystals in an underground setting. Every nook and cranny has a different crystal, and one area even shows stones that are naturally fluorescent. In daylight or under artificial light, you wouldn't know that they are fluorescent, but in the cave, their amazing variety of colors glows. There is also a large study, full of squashy sofas, where visitors can sit and watch a video on basic geology. It's just the right length to give the information everyone needs to know about the fundamentals of rock and crystal formation. Then, after having your eyes occupied and your brain informed, you can visit the Prospector's Pantry Cafe, and fill up on hot soup, sandwiches, quiche, and locally baked goods. It's a perfect spot to visit when you are in Galloway, rain or shine, with or without children, to enjoy the beauty of what is found in the earth, and to come away with more understanding of this fascinating subject.

Grammar notes.

Everyday expressions: rain or shine, the whole...., nook and cranny, believe me.

1. He works every day restoring old buildings, rain or shine.

2. Throughout the whole film they chatted. And then, the whole way home they sang loudly.

3. If you are going to clean the house, I expect every nook and cranny to be spotless!

4. It's a good job that I took my heavy coat and gloves to the soccer match because, believe me, it was freezing!