Sunday 29th May----At home!

I know, I know, we have been very remiss in posting to the blog! We were gently reprimanded on Tuesday night about our lack of posting! There is a reason you should post daily (especially at our age!) Now I have to remember what the heck we did!!

On Monday we headed out to London on the 9:01 train. If you want a reduced rate fare you have to arrive after 10:00AM. We headed for the Big Bus to tour and get off and on where we wanted. It was a beautiful day and we sat on top of the bus and enjoyed the ride. London is still gorgeous to me. I had forgotten how beautiful the buildings are on Regent Street and Oxford Street and the Strand. Traffic was quite heavy as we has forgotten about the President's visit. We were diverted away from Whitehall, which is where I really wanted to go! However we continued on and got off at the Tower.

A short cruise down the Thames was included in the tour so we boarded the boat and set off. It really was terrific. The Boatman gave a good commentary and we got off at the London Eye, across from the Houses of Parliament . Paul and I stood in line and Dave and Joyce sat and waited for us. The Eye was built for the Millennium and was supposed be a short term prospect, but it has become a huge attraction. Price has gone up a bit,  from 5 Pounds to 18 Pounds! It really was a wonderful view. It was very clear and after I got my bearings I could pick out all sorts of places. Considering Paul really doesn't like heights I was impressed with how he handled it! The Eye doesn't stop to let you on, it moves so slowly that you step on to your "pod" as it goes by. It only stops for wheelchair access.

After the Eye we walked across Westminster Bridge past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and headed up Whitehall. Now, this is my stomping ground! I worked at the Ministry of Defense(Navy) in several buildings, I love this place and the history that oozes from the stone! We walked past Downing Street and the Cenotaph and the newish Memorial to the Women who served in the wars. Most impressive. They were inspecting the Guardsmen at Horseguards! (David wishes to draw a veil over this as it was here a few weeks ago that he was pick pocketed!)

Paul carried his wallet in the inside zipped pocket of his jacket. It was most successful as most of the time he could not get the damn thing out again without a lot of cussing! Most effective anti-theft tool! We walked across to the Clarence a pub I used to frequent and work in. (Civil Service salaries were meagre!). It used to be a lovely pub but they have done it a disservice. They tried to modernize it and just screwed it up. Anyway onward.......

Joyce and I walked through Horseguards and the lovely St James Park. We came out on the Mall and saw that it was festooned with the Union Jack and Stars and Stripes! Quite lovely. We met the guys in Trafalgar Square and then caught a bus up to Covent Garden to meet Nekane and Nerea.( friends from Spain who are studying/teaching in London)
We had a snack (read pizza, because all this walking made us ravenous!) and a drink. Had a lovely visit with the girls who had just returned from a trip to Ireland and lousy weather. As we headed for the bus to take us back to Paddington there was a little spit spot of rain. How was that for good timing! We caught the train after galloping across the station and picking Joyce up after she tripped over a mat (it was not the drink, besides I think she had tea) and reaching our platform just in time. Not our fault by the way, they didn't post the platform until about 2 minutes before departure, hence the aging gallop through Paddington!
I do know this, one day was not enough for me. I have to go back to London. I was asked a few weeks ago what was my favorite city and I kind of hemmed and hawed and  mentioned several. Ask me now! Definitely LONDON. It is magical! I lived there for 5 1/2 years and it still draws me in.

Tuesday 24th May 2011
We decided to return the car on Tuesday to save us some time on Wednesday morning. Dave and Joyce picked us up when we were finished and we headed out to explore again. We visited Hambledon and Turville both beautiful English villages, very old and full of character. Each village you may have seen on TV or in shows such as The Vicar of Dibley, Nanny McFee and others that we do not have here yet. The churches there were open for exploring. These were small but exquisitely built churches and so old!!
We had a lovely lunch in a pub (where else?), and sat outside. More lovely weather. Then we headed back to Henley. It is a lovely little town, they are preparing for Regatta week and all the pavilions are being set up. We walked by the river, across a bridge and watched a boat going through on of the locks. All in all a lovely day.( a lot of lovely in this!! Do I need a thesaurus I ask myself!)
We went home and got ready for our final evening in England. Joyce put out some chicken scraps  to see if the red kites would come down to feed.....and come down they did! What a spectacle! It looked like a squadron of fighters on a strafing run. Ten kites, one following the other flashed down into the garden and cleared the land of all scraps! David said he has tried to get a good picture but they are just moving too fast to get an non blurry picture. Good job the Blue Tits had cleared the area! The kites would have given them a fright!
A taxi picked us up at 7:15 and off we went for our final outing. Imagine our surprise when Sandy and Maureen met us there! It was so great to get everyone together. Our friends in Malaga are sending one of their sons, Alberto, to Dave and Joyce for a few weeks and Sandy and Maureen have a grandson who is the same age. All sorts of possibilies there! We had a great meal and a few drinkies and enjoyed our very dear friends.

L to R: Dave Murray, Sandy Stewart, Maureen Stewart, Joyce Murray. Jane Beskow

What a great vacation! Good weather (except for gale force winds at Culloden!) fabulous drives in beautiful countryside, amazing buildings and architecture and old friends. Who could ask for more?
We left the UK Wednesday with sunny skies and still warm 70 degree weather at Heathrow. The entry through Boston was not crowded on a Wednesday, midweek. The chap at Immigration took time to chat about his condo up the coast in Flagler Beach. The others in bag claim were just as polite and helpful too. Quite a change from our re-entries in New York and Atlanta. Dave says Miami is horrifying too!
So here we are ....home. Since we got back, I have done a lot of laundry, paid a lot of bills, spent a little time with Zoey, Ian and Cathie and not slept much. Sunday today but I am feeling pretty chipper. Paul has been back at work. An RFP came out while we were in the UK so he got right on it, earning, so that we can do some more traveling!! Gotta love that guy XXOO honey.
That's it! By the way, this Google Blogger is very easy to work with. Of course, I have not been posting the photos as I am not that up on it, but Paul assures me it is very easy!!!

Sunday Night Henley On Thames

Sunday Night in Henley on Thames, England 22May:

Well a couple of us heard the noise overnight when rain showers rumbled through. With the morning’s constant breeze the few standing puddles were soon gone. Of course the tiny little box of Blue Tits picked Sunday to have the fledglings fly from the wall box and what surely has been home for them over the past month since hatching. All this excitement in the backyard before the 4 of us got loaded into Dave’s car for our short trip to

• ·         Basildon Park/Basildon Manor House (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-basildonpark.htm)

• ·         Pub Lunch at the Red Lion
• ·         Greys Court (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-greyscourt)

Upon our return we had to rescue a fledgling that had flown from the nest box and landed down inside a water downspout retaining hole.  Dave lifted the poor wee chap to safety using a kitchen slotted spoon no less. Now we await the parents return to help sort out the wee chap to get along on his way.

Friday Night In Nottingham

Thursday included our latest and longest drive of this trip. 1015 Departure from Inverness in Scotland and 1915 hours arrival in the midlands of England at our friends house: Rosie Rogers who we have not seen since about 1984 or so here in the UK.

We gased up in the town of Lockabie in Scotland....remember Pan Am flight 793 way back when?
 We are now running 48.8 mpg running a v-6 diesel with automatic trans. 72.50 Pounds for the fill up.

Friday included a historical trip to Mr. Straw's house in Worksop, a National Trust property where the donated house contents owned by William and Walter Straw were donated to the National Trust.

The brothers who never married and who never discarded anything from their home kept the house contents as they were since 1929 when their Dad died and 1939 when their mom died. Pack racks, compulsive excessive are terms that come to mind but the house contents reflect how things looked in mid England 1920s and so on. Quite fascinating and beautifully preserved.

We stopped at a pub for lunch, and I had my first bangers and mash! The sausages in Inverness were better, but it was quite good.Palatable.

Next stop was Hardwick Hall the Tudor home of Elizabeth Shrewsbury. She was a very influential lady during the reign of Elizabeth 1 . She outlived four husbands and each time she married up.She had 8 children by one husband, 6 of whom lived to adulthood. Any way you slice it, this Lady was a survivor and must have been one tough cookie to survive the intrigues and treachery of the Elizabethan era! I  have great admiration for her!! The stately home is amazing, especially since she designed and directed the building of it . It contains many of the original furnishings and tapestries. It is like walking back in time. If you are a reader or student of the Tudor/Elizabethan era you will know what I mean when I say I could feel the people who walked these fabulous halls! Lady Bess had a complete inventory of all in the house, that is how they know that the present furnishings are genuine. Imagine, over 500 years of history encapsulated in this beautiful house (The Straw Brother had nothing on Bess) right next door to the manor house in which Bess was born.. Now I know some of you are going to go and Google this and find out more about Lady Bess! It will be worth the journey. She and her husband were also the custodians/jailers of Mary Queen of Scots for 15 years. That in itself would have been a very difficult undertaking! However they survived and Bess lived until 80 years old, an amazing age for that era! As you can tell, this woman fascinated me. What a fabulous, fabulous house. Once again Thanks to David for the heads up on the Royal Oak Society!

On the way home we stopped at a Victorian Water pumping station which has been converted into health club and fabulous restaurant. The Victorians really knew how the build a pumping station!
Now we are getting ready to eat so, more action tomorrow. Saturday will be our short and last journey down the heart of England to Henley on Thames (Dave & Joyce Murray).

Wednesday 18 May Inverness Capital of the Highlands

Wednesday Night in Inverness, Scotland 18 May: Hump day for those at work for those in the Highlands on vacation it entails trips to:

·         Tomatin Distillery

·         Cullodin Moore Battleground

·         Loch Ness (complete with wind-driven whitecaps)

·         Last minute Scottish trinket shopping before pack up night.

We had to send the blog web address to the British Columbia / Canadian folkies who merely tossed the address to the winds before even looking at the page as such they have not been logging in to see what Jane has been up to. Oh well their loss. Paul has asked Goggle for the statistics on the Blog page and found:

·         UK the most views

·         USA second most

·         Spain one each

·         Germany 7

·         Singapore 3

Jane saw a different view, I am sure. So……….here she is:

The day was a bit brisk when we started out. We headed out to Tomatin distillery. Now, Tomatin is 1200 feet above sea level, sooo, the brisk day turned out to be bloody freezing! The wind was howling and the temperature was to say the least, chilly! Lorna at the reception desk was just lovely and gave a terrific tour. There was a German couple with us and I kept thinking how perfectly clear and precise her accent was for them. Perfect diction.  Just lovely. By now you may have guessed that my Inverness accent is back with a vengeance! I think it happened when we crossed the border!!

Next stop was Culloden. Coming down 1000 feet really made a big difference in temperature, but I swear the wind picked up to gale force! However the sun was shining, so mustn’t grumble, unless your hat takes off and then all bets are off! We had joined the Royal Oak Foundation which is the American version of the National Trust, so that has saved us quite a lot in entrance fees and parking. Thank you David for the heads –up! The exhibit is really very good and then we headed out to the battlefield. I swear the wind was going to pick us up and carry us away. They have these really neat GPS audio guides, so even though we gallop over a lot, it caught up with us at the Cairn and then the wee cottage. That was about all we could take of the wind. The sun was still shining!! We had lunch there (out of the wind!) I finally had a scone with raspberry jam and real cream! Be still my heart! It was delicious.

Then we headed off down towards Loch Ness. 

We went down the west side and let me tell you the wind was coming straight up the loch. I am really glad we did not take a cruise I think we would have been loch-sick the waves were so high! And still the sun shone on. Just lovely! Headed back to town and bumped in to Joan Green. How nice, so we shared a pot of tea and chatted a while.

Paul headed upstairs for wee nap and I went to the museum. I think that’s it for now. We are going out for bite to eat. Last night we went to La Tortilla Asesina ,a tapas restaurant!! We do find them don’t we?  Actually Simon saw it when he was here a couple of years ago and we just had to try it. It is run and owned by Duncan Chisholm whose family owns tartan outfitters in town. A very nice young man, and the food was excellent. Duncan has done an exchange with a group of Basques and enjoyed it. His chef is from Barcelona so the food was outstanding.

Tonight will be Indian food I think, as Paul is quite taken with quality of food and we cannot get it back home!

We head out for Nottingham and Rosie’s tomorrow. It will be a long drive and I do believe the weather will be quite pleasant. We won’t care because we will be in the car!