Em and I flew out on Friday the 26th. We spent the morning packing and such, and then took off for the airport. Max was able to get out of work early enough that we had plenty of time to get there on time. Since things were going smoothly, we decided to drive through Oxford. It's one of the places I had wanted to visit, but didn't get around to going. We were going to drive through after Hatfield on Wednesday, but after Tuesday's adventures, there was no way I was driving around in another big city.
But anyway, we set Bruce and took off. We didn't have time to get out at all, but I took lots of pictures of the University. I used to want to go there so badly, so it was nice to see. It was really beautiful.
We got to the airport like 3.5 hours before the plane left. We got there at 2:30, and they wouldn't even tell us our gate until 4:45. I guess they do that a lot, though, because they have big seating areas before the passages to the gates. So, Em & I sat around for a couple of hours and read.
The ride back was much nicer than the one out. There were free magazines & newspapers at the gate, and a good gossip rag is a nice way to start any trip, even if you don't know who half the celebrities are. It had stuff about the royal family, so I was happy.
We were on the side this time, instead of in the middle. The sides have a row less than the middle, so there is that much more room for your legs. We were also in the very last row in the plane, and our seats laid further back than any airplane seats I have ever experienced. I was as comfy in those seats as I am on JetBlue, and I do love JetBlue. It was early enough that we could watch a movie before we went to sleep, and we got another little amenities kit. The only real problem was that we had two very noisy children in the row in front of us, and they wanted to chat. Ah, well. Better than many things that can be wrong on the plane. We had lovely dinners, and super yummy raspberry & dark chocolate ganache for dessert.
So, Virgin Atlantic is super strict. During takeoff and landing, you not only still aren't allowed to listen to headphones, but you also have to have absolutely everything stowed. Blankets, pillows, eye masks, everything. Poor Em just wanted to sleep, but they made her take everything off.
When we landed, the flight attendant came on the intercom and told us that it was 9:15 pm local time, and that it was "dead warm." That's my new favorite phrase. She also told us thank you from the pilot, all of the crew, and the Oompa Loompa. I think she was a little punch drunk.
It was indeed dead warm. 93, according to the thermometer in the car. It was quite a punch in the gut after such lovely cool weather.
We got through immigration & customs in pretty good time. We were the only plane at that time. I did have to answer yes on the question about whether we had been on a farm. I was kind of afraid they would confiscate my shoes, but when I said it was more of a petting zoo than an actual farm, they let us go. I just knew that if I had said no, Em would have told the agent that her favorite part of the trip was visiting the farm, or something like that. But, we escaped with our shoes, and we did it legally. :)
We got our rental car, and the first thing we did as we drove through Leesburg was to go through Taco Bell. I had the worst burrito of my life, but I didn't care. It was 11 at night, it was a drive through, and they had Dew with ice. What more could you want?
We got home around midnight, and the kitties were very, very glad to see us. :) We went and got Max on Saturday afternoon. His flight sucked. Now, it's Monday, and I'm still friggin' exhausted.
Worth it, though, a million times over.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
6/25- Stratford part 2
When we went to Stratford on Saturday, we had limited time, since we needed to get to Stonehenge on time. So, out of the 5 Shakespeare properties, we only got to see 3. Since the ticket to see all 5 properties was cheaper than individual tickets to even see 2, we went with the 5 properties tickets. The really cool thing is that the tickets are all good for a year, so Em & I went back today to see the other two properties. It worked out perfectly, since Stratford isn't very far away, and I am still terrified of driving since the Great Hever/London Incident of Tuesday.
I was prepared to pay for the double-decker sightseeing bus this time, but Em decided to do a treasure hunt that we found instead. I'm glad she did. not only was it cheaper, but it was a lot of fun. It was a walking treasure hunt, and we really had a lovely time. We took a break for some detours to some more Shakespeare parts, and we actually finished both the treasure hunt and the houses in just the right amount of time. The treasure hunt didn't actually win anything, it was just going around the town answering questions for which you had to look pretty hard, sometimes. There were even a couple for which we couldn't find the answers.
We had lunch at the Baguette Barge - a canal boat that has been transformed into a sandwich shop. There's no seating on the barge, but there's a huge park in which to sit and eat. I got a beef & cheese sanwich, and I thought a little mustard would be nice. I thought it would be a little spicy, but I was OK with that. Holy crap, that was the spiciest mustard I have ever had in my life. It was the kind of spice that went up through my palate into my nose, and I'm pretty sure it was trying to crawl through my skull to eat my brain. Oh. My. God. I couldn't even finish the sandwich. I picked off the meat and tried to wipe off the mustard. I ate what I could of the meat, and a few shreds of the cheese. Then, I picked away the parts of the baguette that had no mustard. just thinking about it makes my throat burn.
Anyway, we went to Hall's Croft and Anne Hathaway's house. Both were quite nice. At Hall's Croft, we got to join a school group in the introduction in the parlor. It was a nice group of quiet Indian schoolgirls, so Em got to answer all of the questions. ;)
We came back to the hotel, and then we all walked downtown for dinner, and to buy all of the treats we need to bring back home. Now, we're sitting in the hotel room reading/playing on the computer. The ice cream man has now driven past 8 times, and it's driving Em nuts.
Tomorrow is Em's & my flight home, and then Max will come back Saturday. We get in very, very late.
I was prepared to pay for the double-decker sightseeing bus this time, but Em decided to do a treasure hunt that we found instead. I'm glad she did. not only was it cheaper, but it was a lot of fun. It was a walking treasure hunt, and we really had a lovely time. We took a break for some detours to some more Shakespeare parts, and we actually finished both the treasure hunt and the houses in just the right amount of time. The treasure hunt didn't actually win anything, it was just going around the town answering questions for which you had to look pretty hard, sometimes. There were even a couple for which we couldn't find the answers.
We had lunch at the Baguette Barge - a canal boat that has been transformed into a sandwich shop. There's no seating on the barge, but there's a huge park in which to sit and eat. I got a beef & cheese sanwich, and I thought a little mustard would be nice. I thought it would be a little spicy, but I was OK with that. Holy crap, that was the spiciest mustard I have ever had in my life. It was the kind of spice that went up through my palate into my nose, and I'm pretty sure it was trying to crawl through my skull to eat my brain. Oh. My. God. I couldn't even finish the sandwich. I picked off the meat and tried to wipe off the mustard. I ate what I could of the meat, and a few shreds of the cheese. Then, I picked away the parts of the baguette that had no mustard. just thinking about it makes my throat burn.
Anyway, we went to Hall's Croft and Anne Hathaway's house. Both were quite nice. At Hall's Croft, we got to join a school group in the introduction in the parlor. It was a nice group of quiet Indian schoolgirls, so Em got to answer all of the questions. ;)
We came back to the hotel, and then we all walked downtown for dinner, and to buy all of the treats we need to bring back home. Now, we're sitting in the hotel room reading/playing on the computer. The ice cream man has now driven past 8 times, and it's driving Em nuts.
Tomorrow is Em's & my flight home, and then Max will come back Saturday. We get in very, very late.
Another lesson I learned....
Another lesson yesterday. Don't assume that what is on the label means what you think it does.
What would you think if you saw a "cheddar and pickle" sandwich. (as an American) You'd think it was cheddar cheese and slices of pickle, right? Nope. It is cheddar and pickled who-knows-what. Something with chunks, in a sauce that tastes a lot like terriyaki. It wasn't too horrible - I ate the whole thing. Not something I would ever order again, though.
What would you think if you saw a "cheddar and pickle" sandwich. (as an American) You'd think it was cheddar cheese and slices of pickle, right? Nope. It is cheddar and pickled who-knows-what. Something with chunks, in a sauce that tastes a lot like terriyaki. It wasn't too horrible - I ate the whole thing. Not something I would ever order again, though.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
6/24 - Hatfield
We slept a long time at the hotel. Hatfield was only 30 minutes away, and it didn't even open until 10:30. A no alarm morning was nice.
Hatfield was where Elizabeth I and Edward VI spent much of their childhoods. Mary I was also there for a while, and later it became one of Anne of Cleave's estates. I was really excited about so many Tudors!
A lesson we learned today - make sure that the address the GPS has for your point of interest is the same one on the website. Bruce took us to what may have been an entrance to Hatfield once upon a time, but is now a tiny little street with no easy way to turn around. Luckily, I remembered that the train station is right across the street from the entrance, so I had him get us to the train station. Of course, I had driven right past it on the way in. Ah, well.
Hatfield was lovely. I was rather disappointed to find out that the big palace-looking thing is not, in fact, where Elizabeth lived. It was built later, during the reign of her successor, James I. It was built by her chief advisor, though, so that was cool. Only 1/4 of the old palace remains, and we didn't get to see much of that. It was being prepared for a private function, so we could only see the main room from the doorway.
The house and gardens were very nice, though.
The story goes that Elizabeth was sitting under an oak tree in the park when she got word that Mary had died, and she was now queen. According to the guide, we could go see where that oak tree was. Well, it was vaguely enough written in the guide, apparently. What we got to see was an oak tree that had been planted on the spot of the oak tree where Elizabeth was sitting. Not worth the walk all the way out there, but still cool.
The drive back was blessedly uneventful. :)
It has taken me about 3 hours to catch up with email, facebook, and blogging. I'm going to bed now. :)
Hatfield was where Elizabeth I and Edward VI spent much of their childhoods. Mary I was also there for a while, and later it became one of Anne of Cleave's estates. I was really excited about so many Tudors!
A lesson we learned today - make sure that the address the GPS has for your point of interest is the same one on the website. Bruce took us to what may have been an entrance to Hatfield once upon a time, but is now a tiny little street with no easy way to turn around. Luckily, I remembered that the train station is right across the street from the entrance, so I had him get us to the train station. Of course, I had driven right past it on the way in. Ah, well.
Hatfield was lovely. I was rather disappointed to find out that the big palace-looking thing is not, in fact, where Elizabeth lived. It was built later, during the reign of her successor, James I. It was built by her chief advisor, though, so that was cool. Only 1/4 of the old palace remains, and we didn't get to see much of that. It was being prepared for a private function, so we could only see the main room from the doorway.
The house and gardens were very nice, though.
The story goes that Elizabeth was sitting under an oak tree in the park when she got word that Mary had died, and she was now queen. According to the guide, we could go see where that oak tree was. Well, it was vaguely enough written in the guide, apparently. What we got to see was an oak tree that had been planted on the spot of the oak tree where Elizabeth was sitting. Not worth the walk all the way out there, but still cool.
The drive back was blessedly uneventful. :)
It has taken me about 3 hours to catch up with email, facebook, and blogging. I'm going to bed now. :)
English hotels suck
We stayed at the Hilton, which should be nice, right? Well, it did have very nice pillows and more than 4 channels. But, the shower didn't even work. The tub faucet did, though, so we had to do a makeshift washing thing. Lovely. There was one bottle of water in the room (for a measly 5 pounds or so) and you had to call room service if you wanted ice. There was one soda machine in the whole place, and it didn't have a single thing not sweetened with aspartame. It was 15 pounds to access the internet. The restaurant was staffed with people I couldn't understand, and the food was both mediocre and outrageously expensive. 16 ponds for a dry, flavorless chicken breast? It came with some sort of sauce, and I wasn't sure if it was for the chicken or the french fries. I think it was mayonnaise with lime & cilantro. Ugh. But, we were stuck there. Luckily, Em got to eat free.
But, like I said, lovely pillows. Oh, and blackout curtains, which is a definite plus when the sun rises at 4:30.
The biggest advantage was that it saved us like 4 hours of driving. So, it was worth it.
But, like I said, lovely pillows. Oh, and blackout curtains, which is a definite plus when the sun rises at 4:30.
The biggest advantage was that it saved us like 4 hours of driving. So, it was worth it.
More hitting stuff
So, since Hever & Hatfield are both about 2.5 hours away from our hotel, but only about 1.5 hours away from each other (Hever below London & Hatfield above), we decided to stay the night on the other side of London, between the two.
For some reason, after sending me through the hedges again, Bruce decided I needed to go through London, instead of around it. I think he was trying to get me away from the traffic. Well, he freaked me out, is what he did. I had no desire to drive in London. But, that's what I did. So, there was a bus lane on my left. Then, the bus lane ended, and there was a strange sidewalky bit in the middle of the lanes. It was shaped rather like a P, where I had to drive up from the bottom of the P and around the round part. Then, I had to get back over to the left quite suddenly, so the oncoming traffic didn't smash me. Well, somehow I managed to completely cut the lump off the P, and just go up over it, instead. That wouldn't have been too big a deal, had not there been a pole there. Luckily, my side mirror took the brunt of the pole instead of the body of the car. So, I drove on. But there I was, completely freaked out, with the mirror folded against the car (thank God for the person who invented the folding car mirrors), and the actual mirror was hanging out of its casing by the wires.
There are no places to pull over in England.
So, we continued to our hotel, me crying, and Em telling me that everything was OK. We finally got to the hotel, after a billion roundabouts. The hotel was at an airport, so it was roundabout after roundabout. Plus, I was confused, because we actually had to drive through the entrance to the airport to get to the hotel. The signs were marked with "short stay" and "long stay," so I thought they were talking about parking! But no, it was hotels. We found it eventually.
Luckily, the mirror popped back into place. I am soooooo lucky the whole thing wasn't smashed to bits. Most of the scratches even rubbed out of the side of the car.
I don't want to drive anymore.
For some reason, after sending me through the hedges again, Bruce decided I needed to go through London, instead of around it. I think he was trying to get me away from the traffic. Well, he freaked me out, is what he did. I had no desire to drive in London. But, that's what I did. So, there was a bus lane on my left. Then, the bus lane ended, and there was a strange sidewalky bit in the middle of the lanes. It was shaped rather like a P, where I had to drive up from the bottom of the P and around the round part. Then, I had to get back over to the left quite suddenly, so the oncoming traffic didn't smash me. Well, somehow I managed to completely cut the lump off the P, and just go up over it, instead. That wouldn't have been too big a deal, had not there been a pole there. Luckily, my side mirror took the brunt of the pole instead of the body of the car. So, I drove on. But there I was, completely freaked out, with the mirror folded against the car (thank God for the person who invented the folding car mirrors), and the actual mirror was hanging out of its casing by the wires.
There are no places to pull over in England.
So, we continued to our hotel, me crying, and Em telling me that everything was OK. We finally got to the hotel, after a billion roundabouts. The hotel was at an airport, so it was roundabout after roundabout. Plus, I was confused, because we actually had to drive through the entrance to the airport to get to the hotel. The signs were marked with "short stay" and "long stay," so I thought they were talking about parking! But no, it was hotels. We found it eventually.
Luckily, the mirror popped back into place. I am soooooo lucky the whole thing wasn't smashed to bits. Most of the scratches even rubbed out of the side of the car.
I don't want to drive anymore.
6/23 - Hever
Hever was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, second wife to Henry VIII and mother to Elizabeth I. It was quite lovely. Em & I got there not too long after it opened. The castle wasn't open yet, but the grounds were. So, we went around the grounds first. A lot of the gardens were from a later period. The Astors lived there, and much of it was redone then. There were beautiful formal gardens, as well as a couple of mazes. Em loved the water maze, which was made for kids. The maze was raised panels above a pond, and if you stepped on some of them in a certain way, you would get sprayed with water. Em actually made it through pretty well, so she had to go back through so she could get wet. Then, she just stood in a water jet until she was thoroughly soaked.
We couldn't go in the castle right away, since she was soaked. So, we decided to take the lake walk. There's a big lake on the property. The walk around it took about an hour, and led through some very pretty areas. One area that wasn't so pretty was a sheep pasture. It was rather fun to walk through and watch all of the sheep run away from us, but stepping through all of the poo was pretty gross. It was a tiptoe dance to get through it.
We were starving after our walk, so we went for lunch. It seems that every place Tudor has a kids' "pick 5" meal, so Em had a ham sandwich. I had a pork & stuffing sandwich. It was OK. The fun part was when a couple of ducklings decided to visit the lunch area. The mama duck came waddling up afterthem, yelling at them to come away, but they wouldn't listen. They came really close to our table. Em really got a kick out of it.
The castle had been redone in Victorian times, but much of the upstairs was put back into Tudor looks. We got to see the bed that was there for Henry VIII, so that was neat. Of course, we weren't allowed to take pictures in the house.
We then got some ice cream, and went to the play area for a while.
It was a lovely day, until.....
We couldn't go in the castle right away, since she was soaked. So, we decided to take the lake walk. There's a big lake on the property. The walk around it took about an hour, and led through some very pretty areas. One area that wasn't so pretty was a sheep pasture. It was rather fun to walk through and watch all of the sheep run away from us, but stepping through all of the poo was pretty gross. It was a tiptoe dance to get through it.
We were starving after our walk, so we went for lunch. It seems that every place Tudor has a kids' "pick 5" meal, so Em had a ham sandwich. I had a pork & stuffing sandwich. It was OK. The fun part was when a couple of ducklings decided to visit the lunch area. The mama duck came waddling up afterthem, yelling at them to come away, but they wouldn't listen. They came really close to our table. Em really got a kick out of it.
The castle had been redone in Victorian times, but much of the upstairs was put back into Tudor looks. We got to see the bed that was there for Henry VIII, so that was neat. Of course, we weren't allowed to take pictures in the house.
We then got some ice cream, and went to the play area for a while.
It was a lovely day, until.....
Tiny roads + huge buses + cranky people behind + unforgiving wrong turns = Karen running into stuff
So, the day started off lovely. We got going just the right time, and were making great time. I even felt confident enough to put on some music. It was going beautifully until we got off the motorway and onto the little streets. Really little streets. Like, barely big enough for one car, and two are supposed to fit on there. Not only that, but both sides were lined with hedges sticking straight up from the curbs. And then there were the buses. Huge tour buses that needed to go the other way. And trucks. Then, Bruce tells me to turn left. So, I turn left. Unfortunately, it was the wrong street. I end up way out who knows where, in a teeny village. So, I hit a curb. Oops. By now, I'm quite frustrated. I end up back on the tiny hedge lined roads, with angry people behind me. So, I have to actually drive faster than 20. Damn. I have to pull off into so many hedges, it's not even funny. I could hear the branches scratching the car. SCREECH!!! Damn. Well, at least I didn't hit any cars.
Monday, June 22, 2009
6/22
After a whirlwind weekend, Em & I were exhausted. We're not used to having stuff every day. So, after breakfast with Max (we get up at 6:30), we came back, read a bit together, and took a nap. We woke up and were playing on the computers, thinking about possibly going to get some lunch, when Max came home. He had a short day today. So, we went out.
On our way out, we discovered that BP actually has yummy lunch pies. I had a Cornish Pasty, Em had a bacon & cheddar wrap, and Max had a potato & onion pie. It was actually one of our better meals. We've had some pretty good food, so that's saying a lot.
We went to a neato museum about WWII. It was also the place where Alan Turing (the father of modern computer science) worked, so that was why Max really wanted to go. It was pretty fun. Em's & my favorite part was about the use of homing pigeons. They had pigeon cages, lots of pictures of war pigeons, and even a diagram on how to properly wrap your pigeon for being dropped out of an airplane.
On the way back, Bruce (the GPS) took us on a seriously roundabout route. Instead of taking the A40 pretty much straight into Cheltenham from the London area, he took us on a lovely ramble through many, many teeny tiny villages. When we first left the museum, we had turned off his voice, because we were tired of hearing him say "roundabout." So, we're not sure if we missed a turn somewhere without realizing it, or if he was taking us away from the traffic. It was beautiful, though. Unfortunately, the camera had run out of batteries, so we didn't get any pictures. :(
We had another gas station dinner, because everything closes really early here. It was fine, though. :)
Tomorrow, Em & I are going to Hever, where Anne Boleyn grew up, then the next day is Hatfield, where Elizabeth I spent most of her childhood. Those are two of the places that I have wanted to see forever and ever. I'm so excited!
On our way out, we discovered that BP actually has yummy lunch pies. I had a Cornish Pasty, Em had a bacon & cheddar wrap, and Max had a potato & onion pie. It was actually one of our better meals. We've had some pretty good food, so that's saying a lot.
We went to a neato museum about WWII. It was also the place where Alan Turing (the father of modern computer science) worked, so that was why Max really wanted to go. It was pretty fun. Em's & my favorite part was about the use of homing pigeons. They had pigeon cages, lots of pictures of war pigeons, and even a diagram on how to properly wrap your pigeon for being dropped out of an airplane.
On the way back, Bruce (the GPS) took us on a seriously roundabout route. Instead of taking the A40 pretty much straight into Cheltenham from the London area, he took us on a lovely ramble through many, many teeny tiny villages. When we first left the museum, we had turned off his voice, because we were tired of hearing him say "roundabout." So, we're not sure if we missed a turn somewhere without realizing it, or if he was taking us away from the traffic. It was beautiful, though. Unfortunately, the camera had run out of batteries, so we didn't get any pictures. :(
We had another gas station dinner, because everything closes really early here. It was fine, though. :)
Tomorrow, Em & I are going to Hever, where Anne Boleyn grew up, then the next day is Hatfield, where Elizabeth I spent most of her childhood. Those are two of the places that I have wanted to see forever and ever. I'm so excited!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Stupid Aspartame
So, I'm used to headaches. I get them a lot. For the first week we were here, I was dealing with lack of sleep headaches & my monthly migraine, combined with caffeine withdrawal, because they have no non-brown caffeinated sodas here. (I don't like brown sodas).
But, the last couple of days, my head was still killing me, and I couldn't figure out why. My migraine should have been over, I was sleeping relatively well, and my caffeine withdrawal shouldn't have lasted so long. Then, I realized that all of the sodas I had been drinking had aspartame in them. I don't usually drink aspartame-containing beverages, because I prefer my high-fructose corn syrup. (I do really like that new Dew Throwback, with real sugar, but that's limited edition). So, I thought maybe that's what was causing it. I hadn't been drinking much water, because I abhor water that isn't cold. It reminds me of Basic, and it makes me nauseous.
I stopped drinking the aspartame sodas last night, and drank a bunch of water. Nausea be damned. My head today is soooo much better. It's amazing. I'll have a much more pleasant week next week, I think. :)
But, the last couple of days, my head was still killing me, and I couldn't figure out why. My migraine should have been over, I was sleeping relatively well, and my caffeine withdrawal shouldn't have lasted so long. Then, I realized that all of the sodas I had been drinking had aspartame in them. I don't usually drink aspartame-containing beverages, because I prefer my high-fructose corn syrup. (I do really like that new Dew Throwback, with real sugar, but that's limited edition). So, I thought maybe that's what was causing it. I hadn't been drinking much water, because I abhor water that isn't cold. It reminds me of Basic, and it makes me nauseous.
I stopped drinking the aspartame sodas last night, and drank a bunch of water. Nausea be damned. My head today is soooo much better. It's amazing. I'll have a much more pleasant week next week, I think. :)
6/21
Today was Hampton Court Palace. Since it's 500 years since Henry became king, there are lots of celebrations in the Tudor palaces. At Hampton, they were having a coronation weekend. So, Henry and Katherine Parr (his final wife, the one who outlived him) were there for the celebration. It was the whole weekend. Yesterday, they came up the river from the Tower, and today they went back. Before that, though, there were activities. We got to gather in the courtyard and greet them as they came down from their rooms, and later in the afternoon, we got to gather on the banks of the Thames to see them off.
There was some spectacular architecture in the palace. It's another one that was built about 500 years ago, and has been lived in and modified many, many times since then. But, there is still a wonderful amount of Tudor stuff here. This is a Palace where Henry brought many of his wives. Jane Seymour gave birth to Prince Edward here and died here 12 days later. Katherine Howard was imprisoned here before she was executed. Here is also where he married Katherine Parr.
We got to borrow cloaks to wear while we were in the palace, which was fun. They also had a kids' audio tour and an activity book - always big hits for Em.
We had a spectacular lunch at the cafe. A beef and ale pie that was just to die for. Em had chicken pie.
It was a long day, but a very satisfying one.
There was some spectacular architecture in the palace. It's another one that was built about 500 years ago, and has been lived in and modified many, many times since then. But, there is still a wonderful amount of Tudor stuff here. This is a Palace where Henry brought many of his wives. Jane Seymour gave birth to Prince Edward here and died here 12 days later. Katherine Howard was imprisoned here before she was executed. Here is also where he married Katherine Parr.
We got to borrow cloaks to wear while we were in the palace, which was fun. They also had a kids' audio tour and an activity book - always big hits for Em.
We had a spectacular lunch at the cafe. A beef and ale pie that was just to die for. Em had chicken pie.
It was a long day, but a very satisfying one.
6/20 - Stonehenge
Back when we were first planning this trip, Max mentioned Stonehenge, and how when he visited as a kid, you could still go up to the rocks. He was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to do that this time. So, I was looking at the Stonehenge website, and saw a thing for the solstice. Hooray! On the solstice, you can go right up to the rocks! I was so excited about it.
Stonehenge closed early yesterday, so they could get everything set up for last night. The website said that there was limited parking in the special solstice carpark, or there was a bus that was going to run every 20 minutes or so from Salisbury. We decided to try and park, because we weren't sure if we were going to stay all night. The weather forecast didn't look good, and you aren't allowed to sleep there. So, we would have just been sitting for 10 hours. The big thing was the weather, though. Why stay for a cloudy morning when you couldn't see the sunrise anyway?
So, we decided to get to the carpark as soon as it opened at 7, so we could get by the stones and take some pictures. After all, the main goal of the day was to get close to the stones. We were nervous then, because we saw people walking from quite a ways away. We got most of the way there, and then ran into traffic. Like, we were stopped with the car turned off sort of traffic. But, we were really close to the carpark. We could see it - a huge field. It was 6:45. At 6:58, all of the sudden, we started moving again. I guess they were serious when they said it would open at 7. We were so close to the front of the carpark, it was unbelievable. We were really afraid that we would be stuck, but there were parking attendents, and they made sure that there were orderly rows with escape routes. There were also about a million police in attendence.
We were so close to the front that we got to the porta-potties before they were too gross.
We walked 1km, or so the map said, and got to the stones. Max had been convinced that, no matter how early we got there, the stones would already be mobbed. But, we walked right up to them and took our pictures. On all sides, we could see the roads were completely clogged. There were piles of people walking up to the entrance - along the roads, from the bus, in the fields, everywhere. But, we were among the first. We sat in the middle of the circle for a while, but there was too much smoking. So, we walked around the outside and took more pictures. It was filling up fast, and more and more *interesting* people were showing up. Lots of dress up.
After a couple of hours, as more weirdos showed up, and even the non-weirdos were getting drunker, we decided to go. We saw several people being escorted out. Since there were no glass bottles and limited alcohol allowed, there were bunches of groups sitting just outside the entrance drinking up what they needed to drink to be allowed in. I have never seen so many men peeing in the tall grass. As we were walking out, there was a guy who had to pull his staggering girlfriend out of the grass where she had either falled or decided to lay down. As many of you know, I abhore drunk people, so I was glad we chose to leave when we did.
As we were driving away at about 10, all of the roads leading to Stonehenge were still packed full of cars. There was an accident just a few cars ahead of us on the road out of the area, which then stopped up the traffic even more. We kept track - the cars were stopped for 3.5 miles behind the accident. The didn't include the other couple of miles that were stopped between the accident and the entrance to the carpark.
All in all, it was perfect for us. We got in before too many people were there for us to get close to the rocks, and out before the crazies got too crazy. :)
Stonehenge closed early yesterday, so they could get everything set up for last night. The website said that there was limited parking in the special solstice carpark, or there was a bus that was going to run every 20 minutes or so from Salisbury. We decided to try and park, because we weren't sure if we were going to stay all night. The weather forecast didn't look good, and you aren't allowed to sleep there. So, we would have just been sitting for 10 hours. The big thing was the weather, though. Why stay for a cloudy morning when you couldn't see the sunrise anyway?
So, we decided to get to the carpark as soon as it opened at 7, so we could get by the stones and take some pictures. After all, the main goal of the day was to get close to the stones. We were nervous then, because we saw people walking from quite a ways away. We got most of the way there, and then ran into traffic. Like, we were stopped with the car turned off sort of traffic. But, we were really close to the carpark. We could see it - a huge field. It was 6:45. At 6:58, all of the sudden, we started moving again. I guess they were serious when they said it would open at 7. We were so close to the front of the carpark, it was unbelievable. We were really afraid that we would be stuck, but there were parking attendents, and they made sure that there were orderly rows with escape routes. There were also about a million police in attendence.
We were so close to the front that we got to the porta-potties before they were too gross.
We walked 1km, or so the map said, and got to the stones. Max had been convinced that, no matter how early we got there, the stones would already be mobbed. But, we walked right up to them and took our pictures. On all sides, we could see the roads were completely clogged. There were piles of people walking up to the entrance - along the roads, from the bus, in the fields, everywhere. But, we were among the first. We sat in the middle of the circle for a while, but there was too much smoking. So, we walked around the outside and took more pictures. It was filling up fast, and more and more *interesting* people were showing up. Lots of dress up.
After a couple of hours, as more weirdos showed up, and even the non-weirdos were getting drunker, we decided to go. We saw several people being escorted out. Since there were no glass bottles and limited alcohol allowed, there were bunches of groups sitting just outside the entrance drinking up what they needed to drink to be allowed in. I have never seen so many men peeing in the tall grass. As we were walking out, there was a guy who had to pull his staggering girlfriend out of the grass where she had either falled or decided to lay down. As many of you know, I abhore drunk people, so I was glad we chose to leave when we did.
As we were driving away at about 10, all of the roads leading to Stonehenge were still packed full of cars. There was an accident just a few cars ahead of us on the road out of the area, which then stopped up the traffic even more. We kept track - the cars were stopped for 3.5 miles behind the accident. The didn't include the other couple of miles that were stopped between the accident and the entrance to the carpark.
All in all, it was perfect for us. We got in before too many people were there for us to get close to the rocks, and out before the crazies got too crazy. :)
6/20 - Stratford-Upon-Avon
We were originally going to do Stratford on Sunday, as a just in case plan for if it was rainy for Stonehenge. But, we looked at the forecast, and it looked nasty. So, we decided to do Stratford on Saturday, so we could have more time at Hampton Court Palace on Sunday. The car park for the solstice at Stonehenge opened at 7pm, and we knew that if we wanted to get next to the rocks, we'd have to get there early.
So, Stratford. Stratford is a truely charming town. At least the downtown, touristy parts are. Not really sure about the rest, if there even is a rest. We went to a museum called the "Falstaff Experience" first. It's located in one of the oldest buildings in Stratford that still has people living in it. It's basically a bunch of rooms of wax figures in Tudor settings. It had a room about the plague, one about doctors, one about schools, etc. It was pretty fun.
We then alked over to Shakespeare's birthplace. There was a pretty cool Shakespeare Centre next door, with an introductory walk-through sort of video museum thing. Then, we got to go into the actual house. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but we're kind of used to that by now. It was neat to get to see the room where he was born.
We went to the Nash House, and then on to the Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare both attended church and was buried. That was neato. They even have the bible that was used in the church when he attended, and the baptismal font that most likely would have been used to baptise him.
We still had a bit before we needed to leave for Stonehenge, so we drove out to Mary Arden's far,. Mary Arden was Shakespeare's mom, and this was her farm before she got married. It's actually two farms. One was bought by the trust, or whomever, because it was his mom's farm. The other was bought because it was next door to his mom's farm, and it was going to be sold to a developer. It turns out that the second farm was actually his mom's farm, and not the one that they originally thought. But, they run it as one place. Em really enjoyed seeing the animals and such. One of the old houses they actually have set up as a real Tudor home, with people going about their business as if they actually lived and farmed there.
Then, it was time to leave for Stonehenge.
So, Stratford. Stratford is a truely charming town. At least the downtown, touristy parts are. Not really sure about the rest, if there even is a rest. We went to a museum called the "Falstaff Experience" first. It's located in one of the oldest buildings in Stratford that still has people living in it. It's basically a bunch of rooms of wax figures in Tudor settings. It had a room about the plague, one about doctors, one about schools, etc. It was pretty fun.
We then alked over to Shakespeare's birthplace. There was a pretty cool Shakespeare Centre next door, with an introductory walk-through sort of video museum thing. Then, we got to go into the actual house. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but we're kind of used to that by now. It was neat to get to see the room where he was born.
We went to the Nash House, and then on to the Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare both attended church and was buried. That was neato. They even have the bible that was used in the church when he attended, and the baptismal font that most likely would have been used to baptise him.
We still had a bit before we needed to leave for Stonehenge, so we drove out to Mary Arden's far,. Mary Arden was Shakespeare's mom, and this was her farm before she got married. It's actually two farms. One was bought by the trust, or whomever, because it was his mom's farm. The other was bought because it was next door to his mom's farm, and it was going to be sold to a developer. It turns out that the second farm was actually his mom's farm, and not the one that they originally thought. But, they run it as one place. Em really enjoyed seeing the animals and such. One of the old houses they actually have set up as a real Tudor home, with people going about their business as if they actually lived and farmed there.
Then, it was time to leave for Stonehenge.
Friday, June 19, 2009
6/19
Today was a resting day. Em & I came back after breakfast (we get up at 6:30 with Max for breakfast each morning) and I took a nap. She played on the computer. I got up at like 9:30, and we decided to go to a model village in Bourton-on-the-Water, a village about 30 minutes away. It was cute, but not really worth the admission fee. We walked along the water for a bit, and watched the ducks. Lots of ducks. Attack ducks. We got some lunch at a little cafe. We had bacon & "mature cheddar" sandwiches. They were sooooo good. The bacon here isn't like the bacon at home. It seems rather like ham that has been cured to taste like bacon. Delicious, whatever it is. I also had some of the lovely soda-like lemonade that I adore here.
We saved the crusts to take out and feed the ducks. It started with just a couple of ducks. Then, through duck telepathy, all of the ducks on the water knew we were there with food. Soon, we were surrounded by ducks. And I mean surrounded. They hopped out of the water, and were quacking around our legs. A man who had been eating an ice cream cone gave us the last bits of his cone to feed them, too. Then, a poor lady with a brand new bag of fish & chips lost the bottom of her bag, and they all fell on the ground. So, she said we could feed them to the ducks. We fed the ducks for a good 20 minutes.
Amazingly, we found our car and made it out of the village unscathed (the little roads are stressful). We came back to the hotel and napped. Em (who claimed she wasn't tired) had to be awakened a couple of hours later, so we could get downtown before all of the restaurants closed. Things close really early here. Like, 5:30 - 6 kind of early. So, we walked downtown, had some dinner, and walked back. I had a lovely bath in our super-deep bathtub, and now we're getting ready for bed.
Big weekend coming up, so I might not be able to update until Sunday or Monday.
We saved the crusts to take out and feed the ducks. It started with just a couple of ducks. Then, through duck telepathy, all of the ducks on the water knew we were there with food. Soon, we were surrounded by ducks. And I mean surrounded. They hopped out of the water, and were quacking around our legs. A man who had been eating an ice cream cone gave us the last bits of his cone to feed them, too. Then, a poor lady with a brand new bag of fish & chips lost the bottom of her bag, and they all fell on the ground. So, she said we could feed them to the ducks. We fed the ducks for a good 20 minutes.
Amazingly, we found our car and made it out of the village unscathed (the little roads are stressful). We came back to the hotel and napped. Em (who claimed she wasn't tired) had to be awakened a couple of hours later, so we could get downtown before all of the restaurants closed. Things close really early here. Like, 5:30 - 6 kind of early. So, we walked downtown, had some dinner, and walked back. I had a lovely bath in our super-deep bathtub, and now we're getting ready for bed.
Big weekend coming up, so I might not be able to update until Sunday or Monday.
Thoughts on British Driving
These people are crazy drivers. Polite crazy drivers, but crazy nonetheless. I am truly amazed at how they will pass with little to no visibility, or in crowded areas. They'll pull out in front of you and look like they're going to crash into everything. But, I haven't actually seen any accidents yet, just a whole lot of near-misses. Of course, the fact that they're crazy means they're on the lookout for other crazy drivers. So, what is really just me making a mistake looks to them like I am one of them. They're willing to work around me and not hit me. It works for us.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
6/18
We were going to go to Stratford today, but decided on Warwick Castle instead. Depending on the weather Saturday night, we may or may not stay overnight at Stonehenge, so we wanted to make sure we had something that Max would like to do for Sunday. So, if we don't make it to Stratford Sunday, Em & I will go next week.
So, the castle doesn't open until 10, and it's supposed to take about 45 minutes from here, so we took of at like 9:15. All was going well until this huge roundabout. Now, normally, I can look at Bruce (the GPS. We have it set on Australian.), then look at the roundabout, and visualize where I need to go. Bruce doesn't always know the road numbers, and all of the signs are in numbers. Luckily, there are signs, though. That's good. So, this roundabout. Friggin' huge. It's not your normal little roundabout. It goes over a freeway, and has like 6 exits. Plus, there's roadwork. Bruce tells me to take the 5th exit to Stratford Rd. The signs say nothing about Stratford Rd. They all have numbers. A this or M that. The only sign I see for Stratford goes back behind me. Of course, I don't see that until Bruce says, "Recalculating." "Recalculating" used to be Bruce's favorite thing to say. Now, it's "roundabout." Anyway, so, I get off on the wrong exit. Crap. OK, no problem, I have Bruce. He tells me how to get back on the road. I figure out that I want to take the A429, or something like that. Easier said than done. I swear, the sign says that exit is A429. Nope, Bruce says. Recalculating. Bastard. OK, merge onto the M40 and go 10 miles. OK, I can just take an exit off the M40. Nope. Merge onto the M something else. OK, will do. Take this exit. Now, enter roundabout, and go back. No friggin' way. My U-turn added 45 minutes to our ETA. Back to the roundabout. Only a few wrong turns left to make, but I make the right one this time. Our original ETA was 10:18. We got there a little before 11.
So, Warwick Castle is one of the oldest castles that is still in good repair. That's because it's owned by Tussauds. So, it's more of a historically accurate Ren Faire. Actually, it shows how the castle went from a medieval fortress to a Victorian mansion. So, there are lots of wax figures, and different parts of the castle are done up in different eras. It was pretty fun. In one part, there was a picture opportunity. Normally, the attendant will give you a hat and let you stand in the wax scene. Since there weren't many people at the time when Em & I got there, she also pulled out a tunic, and let us take pictures with the figures. Then, we had a yummy, yummy lunch. Em had ham, cauliflower, carrots, new potatoes, roasted potatoes, Yorkshirepudding & stuffing. I had about the same thing, but I had roast beef, and mine was smothered in gravy. It was really good.
We got to see a trebuchet demo, which was neat. It was huge.
We made it home in the scheduled 45 minutes. This time, I knew which exit I needed to take on that roundabout from hell, and we were OK. Now, I am extraordinarily tired. Max has been asleep for hours, but I know that if I go to sleep now, I'll never sleep all night. I'm about to get Em out of the tub, though, and we'll start reading time. Tomorrow is an easy day. I think we're just going to go to a local model village.
Night!
So, the castle doesn't open until 10, and it's supposed to take about 45 minutes from here, so we took of at like 9:15. All was going well until this huge roundabout. Now, normally, I can look at Bruce (the GPS. We have it set on Australian.), then look at the roundabout, and visualize where I need to go. Bruce doesn't always know the road numbers, and all of the signs are in numbers. Luckily, there are signs, though. That's good. So, this roundabout. Friggin' huge. It's not your normal little roundabout. It goes over a freeway, and has like 6 exits. Plus, there's roadwork. Bruce tells me to take the 5th exit to Stratford Rd. The signs say nothing about Stratford Rd. They all have numbers. A this or M that. The only sign I see for Stratford goes back behind me. Of course, I don't see that until Bruce says, "Recalculating." "Recalculating" used to be Bruce's favorite thing to say. Now, it's "roundabout." Anyway, so, I get off on the wrong exit. Crap. OK, no problem, I have Bruce. He tells me how to get back on the road. I figure out that I want to take the A429, or something like that. Easier said than done. I swear, the sign says that exit is A429. Nope, Bruce says. Recalculating. Bastard. OK, merge onto the M40 and go 10 miles. OK, I can just take an exit off the M40. Nope. Merge onto the M something else. OK, will do. Take this exit. Now, enter roundabout, and go back. No friggin' way. My U-turn added 45 minutes to our ETA. Back to the roundabout. Only a few wrong turns left to make, but I make the right one this time. Our original ETA was 10:18. We got there a little before 11.
So, Warwick Castle is one of the oldest castles that is still in good repair. That's because it's owned by Tussauds. So, it's more of a historically accurate Ren Faire. Actually, it shows how the castle went from a medieval fortress to a Victorian mansion. So, there are lots of wax figures, and different parts of the castle are done up in different eras. It was pretty fun. In one part, there was a picture opportunity. Normally, the attendant will give you a hat and let you stand in the wax scene. Since there weren't many people at the time when Em & I got there, she also pulled out a tunic, and let us take pictures with the figures. Then, we had a yummy, yummy lunch. Em had ham, cauliflower, carrots, new potatoes, roasted potatoes, Yorkshirepudding & stuffing. I had about the same thing, but I had roast beef, and mine was smothered in gravy. It was really good.
We got to see a trebuchet demo, which was neat. It was huge.
We made it home in the scheduled 45 minutes. This time, I knew which exit I needed to take on that roundabout from hell, and we were OK. Now, I am extraordinarily tired. Max has been asleep for hours, but I know that if I go to sleep now, I'll never sleep all night. I'm about to get Em out of the tub, though, and we'll start reading time. Tomorrow is an easy day. I think we're just going to go to a local model village.
Night!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
6/17
Today was our biggest adventure yet. Em & I went to Bath. I love Jane Austen, and Bath is in a lot of her books. I was quite unsure about driving in such a tourist town, so I looked online and saw that the train took the same amount of time as driving, and it would probably be about the same price. So, we decided to take the train. I was nervous about it, because I was terrified we'd get on the wrong train, either in the beginning, or when we had to change at Bristol. But, all of the people we ran into were really nice, and they helped us with our questions. However, there are still no street signs in Cheltenham, so we did get mixed up on the way to the train station.
So, we safely arrived in Bath, and started walking. We had Bruce, our GPS, but he's hard to follow in pedestrian mode. We ended up finding a double-decker bus tour place, so we just hopped on there. Luckily, they went to the Jane Austen Centre, the Roman Baths, and the Assembly Rooms - all of the places we wanted to see. We even got to drive past the Royal Crescent, which was another thing I wanted to see, but didn't want to walk that far.
So, we went to the Jane Austen Centre first. Poor Em was bored to death, but I really enjoyed it. We did find a set of J.A. books that have been simplified for kids, so she got that. Then, we went to the Roman Baths. It was really neat. It just looks like a beautiful building, but then there's a whole bath system underground. There were all sorts of artifacts to see. It also had a kids' tour, which Em enjoyed immensely.
We walked up to the Assembly Rooms, where Jane used to go to balls. Unfortunately, there was some function in the actual ballrooms, so we didn't get to go in. :( But, we went to the Fashion Museum in the basement, and that was a lot of fun.
We went back to the Roman Baths, and went to the Pump Room. The Pump Room was a very fashionable place to gather in Jane's time. Em & I had the Jane Austen High Tea. It had rarebit, scones, and a cupcake for each of us. We discovered that Stilton tastes like the petting zoo.
By then, it was pouring rain. Em desperately wanted to get back on the bus, but she didn't want to ride inside. I told her there was no way I was sitting in the open top of the bus when it was pouring. She found a bus that had a glas-enclosed top area, so we went on that one. It took us on the lovely skyline tour of Bath. It dropped us back at the train station in perfect time to catch the train back to Cheltenham.
I discovered that if I can drive while lost in Cheltenham, I can do anything. So, tomorrow, we're driving to Stratford-Upon-Avon. :)
So, we safely arrived in Bath, and started walking. We had Bruce, our GPS, but he's hard to follow in pedestrian mode. We ended up finding a double-decker bus tour place, so we just hopped on there. Luckily, they went to the Jane Austen Centre, the Roman Baths, and the Assembly Rooms - all of the places we wanted to see. We even got to drive past the Royal Crescent, which was another thing I wanted to see, but didn't want to walk that far.
So, we went to the Jane Austen Centre first. Poor Em was bored to death, but I really enjoyed it. We did find a set of J.A. books that have been simplified for kids, so she got that. Then, we went to the Roman Baths. It was really neat. It just looks like a beautiful building, but then there's a whole bath system underground. There were all sorts of artifacts to see. It also had a kids' tour, which Em enjoyed immensely.
We walked up to the Assembly Rooms, where Jane used to go to balls. Unfortunately, there was some function in the actual ballrooms, so we didn't get to go in. :( But, we went to the Fashion Museum in the basement, and that was a lot of fun.
We went back to the Roman Baths, and went to the Pump Room. The Pump Room was a very fashionable place to gather in Jane's time. Em & I had the Jane Austen High Tea. It had rarebit, scones, and a cupcake for each of us. We discovered that Stilton tastes like the petting zoo.
By then, it was pouring rain. Em desperately wanted to get back on the bus, but she didn't want to ride inside. I told her there was no way I was sitting in the open top of the bus when it was pouring. She found a bus that had a glas-enclosed top area, so we went on that one. It took us on the lovely skyline tour of Bath. It dropped us back at the train station in perfect time to catch the train back to Cheltenham.
I discovered that if I can drive while lost in Cheltenham, I can do anything. So, tomorrow, we're driving to Stratford-Upon-Avon. :)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
6/16
Today we went to Sudeley Castle. It's less than 10 miles away from where we're staying, so we decided it would be a good first outing with me driving. Without Miss Max there to make me nervous, I actually did pretty darn well.
Sudeley was really cool. It's been around since before Henry VIII, but that's when it became a royal residence. He spent some time there with a few of his queens, but it was given to Katherine Parr (his 6th wife). When he died, she moved there with her new husband, Thomas Seymour. Both Elizabeth I and Jane Grey lived there with her for periods of time. Elizabeth was actually banished from Sudeley for inappropriate behavior with Thomas. Katherine died there shortly after the birth of thier daughter.
The grounds were beautiful, but my favorite part was Katherine's grave. We got to get so close. There was also a nice display of various Tudor things. Elizabeth's christining gown was there, which was super cool to see. They also had a rockin' play area for Em. She played in there for quite a while. We had lunch in the coffee shop, which is located in the old Banquet Hall. Then, we came home and napped. Max came home, and we walked downtown for dinner. I finally got to have a friggin' meat pie! It was yummy. We came back to the hotel, and Max went to sleep pretty much right away. He hasn't had time to nap like Em & I have.
So, two observations about English food so far. They love paninis & prawns. Em had her 4th ham & cheese panini since we've been here for dinner tonight, and every single menu we've seen has prawns prominently featured. Is that everywhere in Britain, or is that just a Cheltenham thing?
Sudeley was really cool. It's been around since before Henry VIII, but that's when it became a royal residence. He spent some time there with a few of his queens, but it was given to Katherine Parr (his 6th wife). When he died, she moved there with her new husband, Thomas Seymour. Both Elizabeth I and Jane Grey lived there with her for periods of time. Elizabeth was actually banished from Sudeley for inappropriate behavior with Thomas. Katherine died there shortly after the birth of thier daughter.
The grounds were beautiful, but my favorite part was Katherine's grave. We got to get so close. There was also a nice display of various Tudor things. Elizabeth's christining gown was there, which was super cool to see. They also had a rockin' play area for Em. She played in there for quite a while. We had lunch in the coffee shop, which is located in the old Banquet Hall. Then, we came home and napped. Max came home, and we walked downtown for dinner. I finally got to have a friggin' meat pie! It was yummy. We came back to the hotel, and Max went to sleep pretty much right away. He hasn't had time to nap like Em & I have.
So, two observations about English food so far. They love paninis & prawns. Em had her 4th ham & cheese panini since we've been here for dinner tonight, and every single menu we've seen has prawns prominently featured. Is that everywhere in Britain, or is that just a Cheltenham thing?
Monday, June 15, 2009
So, yesterday was mostly a resting day. Max had to go to work. So we all got up at 7, showered, dressed, and trooped downstairs to breakfast. Then Max left, and I went back to bed. I set the alarm for 10. I woke up, saw that Em was happy on the computer, and mumbled something about whether it was OK with her if I slept some more. She said OK. (Keep in mind that I had only slept a teeny bit on the plane, and then had a huge day at the Tower the day before. I was jet-lagged and just plain exhausted) So, I set the alarm for 11. I semi woke up. I finally dragged myself out of bed and went online to see where we could have lunch. I found one, and we set off walking for downtown.
There are no street signs in Cheltenham.
I knew to go down Whitcombe and turn on High Street. There, I could find a Barclay's to get money at the ATM without BoA charging me an arm & a leg for it. Then, there was a cafe at which we could get sandwiches. I couldn't find High Street. But, in a roundabout manner, we found the Barclay's, and a different place to eat.
Milkshakes here are merely milk which has been shaken, apparently.
So, we came back to the hotel, and went down for a nap. Max came home early, so he napped a bit, too. We decided I needed to learn how to drive, so Max took me outside of town, and I took over. Shifting with my left hand isn't as difficult as I thought, but keeping in the lane is harder. I hit one traffic cone and skimmed a curb, but other than that, I was fine. Max was acting like a skittish old lady, though, so I made him drive again. Then he ran over a curb. I laughed a bit on the inside. Sort of an evil laugh. I'm sure I must have narrowed my eyes.
We went to Stow-on-the-Wold. It's a beautiful little town, with horribly expensive homes. There was a teeny little place for almost half a million pounds.
We came back to the hotel, and them walked downtown for dinner. We're both afraid to try and drive down there. We had Italian, it was yummy. :)
Today, Em & I are going to Sudeley, Catherine Parr's castle. It's close, but I'm still terrified to drive there.
Wish me luck!
There are no street signs in Cheltenham.
I knew to go down Whitcombe and turn on High Street. There, I could find a Barclay's to get money at the ATM without BoA charging me an arm & a leg for it. Then, there was a cafe at which we could get sandwiches. I couldn't find High Street. But, in a roundabout manner, we found the Barclay's, and a different place to eat.
Milkshakes here are merely milk which has been shaken, apparently.
So, we came back to the hotel, and went down for a nap. Max came home early, so he napped a bit, too. We decided I needed to learn how to drive, so Max took me outside of town, and I took over. Shifting with my left hand isn't as difficult as I thought, but keeping in the lane is harder. I hit one traffic cone and skimmed a curb, but other than that, I was fine. Max was acting like a skittish old lady, though, so I made him drive again. Then he ran over a curb. I laughed a bit on the inside. Sort of an evil laugh. I'm sure I must have narrowed my eyes.
We went to Stow-on-the-Wold. It's a beautiful little town, with horribly expensive homes. There was a teeny little place for almost half a million pounds.
We came back to the hotel, and them walked downtown for dinner. We're both afraid to try and drive down there. We had Italian, it was yummy. :)
Today, Em & I are going to Sudeley, Catherine Parr's castle. It's close, but I'm still terrified to drive there.
Wish me luck!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Tower of London
So, Max's work paid for his plane tickets, since it's a business trip for him. His flights were too expensive for us, though, so Em & I went on our own. Max landed about 6:30 this morning in Birmingham, and we landed at 11 in London. So, he got the rental car and drove down to get us. Since we were already in London, we decided to go to the Tower. Now, you must understand that I am a total Tudors freak. Not just the TV show (though I love that, too), but the real Tudors. You must also know that this is the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII becoming king. It is the perfect time for me to be here, because there are all sorts of extra things available right now in celebration. So, to the tower we went.
Pictures are restricted for most of the coolest things, but we still got some good ones. We got to see graffiti from prisoners of the Tudors, which was really cool. We got to see where Anne Boleyn, Jane Grey, and Catherine Howard are buried, along with all sorts of other cool Turor-era folks. We got to see some of Henry's actual armor, and the Crown Jewels. It was so awesome.
Pictures are restricted for most of the coolest things, but we still got some good ones. We got to see graffiti from prisoners of the Tudors, which was really cool. We got to see where Anne Boleyn, Jane Grey, and Catherine Howard are buried, along with all sorts of other cool Turor-era folks. We got to see some of Henry's actual armor, and the Crown Jewels. It was so awesome.
So, ever since then, I have desperately wished to fly Virgin Atlantic. I decided today to refine my wish. I would like to fly first class on Virgin Atlantic, because economy isn't all that great. True, the flight attendants were as polite as could be. We also got a cool little travel kit with red socks, a red sleep mask, a red toothbrush, and a red tube of toothpaste. But, seriously, I'd rather continue with Jet Blue. Jet Blue has room for feet and luggage. They can coexist nicely under the seat in front of you. Not so with VA. I couldn't even get my bag under the seat, so I had to go without a bunch of my stuff during the flight. They did have many movies from which to choose, but the TV shows sucked, and the games were ones that I probably could have played on my TI-82. Perhaps we just had an old plane, we'll see if it's any better on the way home. Plus, we were in the middle row. On the way home, we have a window and an aisle.
So, I was sitting next to a charmingly naive girl of probably about 15 or so. She was very nice, but quite unaccustomed to air travel and/or words over 2 syllables. I had to explain many words to her, including "ascent," "descent," and "turbulence." She also wanted to know what would happen if we flew into a tornado. She was nice, though. The woman behind me needed a punch in the mouth, though. I was settling in to go to sleep, when I noticed an obstruction where I was trying to place my arm on the arm rest. There is a set of red sock - covered toes staring me in the face. The toes disappeared sometime during the night (probably when I put the arm rest up most of the way, so it was either move the toes or have them squished), and were replaced by knees in my back. Apparently, if she couldn't use my armrest, she would just use my seat to support herself.
Anyway, it's done.
So, I was sitting next to a charmingly naive girl of probably about 15 or so. She was very nice, but quite unaccustomed to air travel and/or words over 2 syllables. I had to explain many words to her, including "ascent," "descent," and "turbulence." She also wanted to know what would happen if we flew into a tornado. She was nice, though. The woman behind me needed a punch in the mouth, though. I was settling in to go to sleep, when I noticed an obstruction where I was trying to place my arm on the arm rest. There is a set of red sock - covered toes staring me in the face. The toes disappeared sometime during the night (probably when I put the arm rest up most of the way, so it was either move the toes or have them squished), and were replaced by knees in my back. Apparently, if she couldn't use my armrest, she would just use my seat to support herself.
Anyway, it's done.
You get on plane now!
Once upon a time, a young girl was in the airport, waiting on her plane to take her back to Hawaii. She hated Hawaii, but had to go back, because the army said so. She and her mom were in the airport waiting for her flight. She was on Hawaiian. The gate for Virgin Atlantic was right next to hers.
Virgin Atlantic lady (with lovely, refined British accent) on PA: "Virgin Atlantic would like to welcome guests in rows 50 through 55 to board the aircraft at this time."
Angry Filipino woman (with screechy Hawaiian accent) for Hawaiian: "Rows 50 through 55, you get on plane now!"
The girl cried.
Virgin Atlantic lady (with lovely, refined British accent) on PA: "Virgin Atlantic would like to welcome guests in rows 50 through 55 to board the aircraft at this time."
Angry Filipino woman (with screechy Hawaiian accent) for Hawaiian: "Rows 50 through 55, you get on plane now!"
The girl cried.
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