August 6/13

Some random thoughts about England as we wait for our flight.....

• Toilets don't flush properly.
• Towel warmers are great but I don't want to live in a place where you need one.
• People are very helpful, even stopping to ask if you need help when you look lost on the street corner.
• You get honked at if in the wrong lane of a multi-lane round-a-bout, but the latter system is better than all the traffic lights at home. Michael did a great job of managing the driving here, especially on the tricky single track roads. Our back lane at home is wider than some roads intended for two-way traffic.
• The scenery in England overall isn't as pretty as in Scotland and Ireland, but there's lots of neat things to see and do here.
• A full English breakfast will keep me going for the rest of the day.
• The accents change as you travel further north. Like in Scotland, some are easy to understand - others not so much.
• England CAN have nice weather. It hardly rained on us for the whole month.
• Much of the cool stuff to see is up a steep hill.
• England has many sheep and lots were outside our B&B or alongside the road.
• It costs £3 to park at the Park and Display lots. Sometimes it felt like they would ask you to pay at a red light if you were there long enough.
• I CAN manage to live a whole month without weighing myself daily and eating a flavoured dark chocolate bar and chocolate muffin daily.
• Even if the trip is good, it's still nice to go home.

August 5/13

Drove to Warwick to see the castle, parts of which date from 1100. It has four towers, some of which have displays on the lower level. Unfortunately many of the rooms on the lower level were poorly lit, making it hard to see how elaborate and colourful they are. Upstairs was better lit, and decorated in the style of the early 1900's. Besides the castle itself, there were a lot of other activities, such as jousting and falconry, which attracted large crowds. They also had Glamping - upscale camping off site. There was a princess tour and a dungeon tour, and the courtyard was full of food tents and things to buy. The castle was bought by Madame Tussauds, and there were some wax figures inside. The whole place had somewhat of a Disney feel to it - very entertaining for families, but a bit over the top for adults in our opinion. The extra activities distracted a bit from the castle too, which should have been the focal point, but I'm sure that these extra things are big money makers.

Because we were heading south and past Oxford, we decided to give that place another try. You may recall that our first visit a couple of weeks ago didn't work out very well. This time we knew to park outside the city and take the Park 'n Ride in, rather than try to drive, which they actually don't want people to do. We went directly to Radcliffe Square. This is where the Bodleian Library (containing 118 miles of books), Radcliffe Camera, the Sheldonian Theatre, the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, and a few other colleges are. The Bodleian is one of three copyright libraries in Britain. Unfortunately we could only see in the Divinity part, as you can only do the rest of it with a tour, and they were all full for today. The same applied for the Radcliffe Camera. We climbed up the church tower and had great views of the city. And at least we saw some of the colleges this time!

Stayed in a small hotel for a change, as it is close to the car rental place. They serve dinners too - Indian food - and it was very good!

Tomorrow morning it's off to the airport and then home. I have one more blog entry that I'd like to post - perhaps while waiting for 3 hours at the airport!

August 4/13

Forgot to mention yesterday that we went to the place where Wensleydale cheese is made. We read the history, viewed the place where the employees were making it, and had a chance to try various samples and purchase the finished product. It looked like hard back-breaking work, as the people had to work while leaning over large tubs. I had no idea that there were so many different kinds - some aged, some with fruit, blue cheese, and one very spicy kind that I couldn't resist.

Today was a longer driving day, as we went to Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace), stopping first at Ironbridge Gorge. This place is noteworthy because it's the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and also has the first bridge made of cast iron, dating from the 1700's. It was discovered that it was cheaper to use coke to smelt iron rather than charcoal. This was a coal mining area, and even children were used to cut the coal, because there were only 2 foot seams. They worked a full day by candlelight, and then had to turn their wages over to their parents. Here we visited Blists Mill Victorian Town, which simulates what life would have been like during this time period. At the town bank you could exchange pounds for shillings to by items for sale in the stores. It was neat to see a harmonium in the church that was made in Woodstock Ontario. The original blast furnace that was used to smelt the pig iron was on site, as was the original candle-making shop. There was a sing-a-long on the pub, led by Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, and in one of the homes there were parlour musicians playing violin, flute and parlour guitar.

In Stratford we had Michael's favorite meal of the trip, in a restaurant called the Church Street Townhouse, which came highly recommended. Mine was very good too. I purposely ordered a light meal, so I'd have room for a dessert called "Eton Mess" - berries, meringue and whipped cream. It was so good, and probably my last chance to have it.

After dinner we took a short walk to see Shakespeare's birthplace, as well as the festival building. I have to say that the one in Stratford Ontario has a much prettier setting.

August 3/13

Left the Lakes District for Yorkshiredales National Park. The drive was beautiful - softer and greener mountains than we saw in the lakes area, but very pretty also. We saw 2 sets of Falls - Hardraw and Ayesgarth. Bolton Castle was considered, but it was being used for a wedding. Next we took an amazing drive through a gorge northwest of Skipton. It was on narrow single track road but with hardly a person, vehicle or dwelling in site. It felt like being in no man's land. Part of the way was a steep incline, and then the most beautiful gorge appeared before our eyes! The drive took a long time, and the Visitor's Centre was closed when we arrived. Still, we were puzzled at how full the lot was, when we hadn't seen hardly anyone on the way. We had hoped to hike to a cove with gorgeous views, and walk along a gorge, but it was too late, and we still had to drive to the B&B, partly on road that we thought wouldn't be better than what we had just been on. Turns out that the road out only took about 40 minutes, and was wider and easier to navigate. This explains how everyone else got to the visitor's centre!

In Skipton we had to stop briefly at a railway crossing. A young fellow in the vehicle in front of us got out of his car, took clothes out of the back seat on the opposite side, pulled off his trousers, changed into shorts and sandals, and then went back to the driver's side and drove off! That was a rather unexpected view to say the least!

August 2/13

Started our drive in the Lakes District by doing the Borrowdale loop - alongside Derwentwater (lake), then up a steep bit to the lakes by Buttermere, and then cross country through the Whinlatter Forest. This was undoubtedly the best scenery of the trip! The roads were narrow but not very busy, and the mountains were spectacular with the sun shining on part and the rest in shadow. We ended up back at our home base in Keswick, where we took another southerly highway past Thirlmere Lake and down as far as Coniston. Although pretty country, this area was not quite as stunning as the earlier section, and the driving was busier and more stressful for Michael. In Coniston we took a National Trust steamboat ride on a boat resembling a gondola. It was a pleasant trip, and a way to see the mountains from a different perspective. The drive back was pretty and less busy, which meant that Michael could enjoy the scenery this time. We were so lucky to have good weather, as it often rains here, and we wouldn't have had those great views of the mountains if the weather hadn't been nice.

August 1/13

Happy Birthday Meredith! Hope you're having a good one!

Left Gateshead (by Newcastle) and drove to Hadrian's Wall. The drive was gorgeous - reminded us of Scotland, but not surprising I guess, as we're very close. The first stop we made was the Roman fort at Housesteads. It's up high with good views of the mountains surrounding it. Emperor Hadrian ordered the building of the wall, which is 73 miles long, with forts built at regular intervals. At this fort there were over 1,000 Romans living on site, ready to go to battle when needed. The wall isn't as high as it used to be, because over time stones have been removed for other buildings. In fact, fences around the adjacent farmlands have been built in similar fashion, but not as wide across the top as the wall is. People can walk alongside the wall, but they ask you not to walk on it, as the stones may crumble.

The next step we made along the wall is Birdoswald. At this fort is found the longest remaining stretch of the wall. The wall and the forts were built in the first hundred years A.D. By about 500 A.D. the Roman Empire had collapsed.

On our way to the B&B in Keswick we made a couple of stops. We drove to see Long Meg and her Daughter, a stone circle with one tall stone outside the circle and a number of stones forming a circle in front. After that we saw Castlerigg Stone Circle, which has an amazing location with its view of the mountains. After dinner (where Michael was served his potatoes cut and standing in a ring to resemble a stone circle!) we took a stroll down to Derwentwater, a lake just a short distance from our B&B - very pretty indeed (thanks for the tip Chris!) Looking forward to spending more time in the Lakes District tomorrow! I know that people rave about Devon and Cornwall in the south, but in our minds this northern part of the country is far prettier.

July 31/13

Headed for Newcastle, but on the way stopped in at Durham to see the Cathedral. It's not as grand as some on the outside, but is vey grand indeed on the inside. Some of it dates back to the 1100's but part was damaged in a fire and was rebuilt in the 1400's. The most unusual thing about this cathedral is the piers, which are carved with geometric designs. The stained glass is amazing too! There was even a modern window which depicts the last supper, but with just bread on the table, and it was donated by Marks and Spencer. It has an inlaid floor, and even the organ pipes are decorated. Unfortunately no photos could be taken inside, which is hard to understand, as other cathedrals from the same time period allow it.

On the way to Newcastle we stopped briefly to photograph the Angel of the North. It's the largest sculpture in England and the largest angel in the world. It's wing span is almost as large as that of a jumbo jet, and it's about 60 meters tall.

In Newcastle we walked along the Quayside, which is along the Tyne River, to see all the different bridges that span it. These bridges serve different purposes, some of which are for cars and trains, and others open to let ships pass through. The Millennium Bridge is the most unusual, as it opens like an eyelid. It was designed by the same person that designed a similar structure in Australia, and it has won many awards. The Swing Bridge turns sideways to let the boats pass. It was neat to be able to look down the river and to photograph most of the bridges together.

Because Michael is celiac we pretty much skip out on lunches while travelling, as lunch menus are typically wheat-based. But rarely do we have trouble with dinner. Tonight was an exception. We walked past many restaurants because we were looking for a recommended one which apparently no longer exists. Then we tried the other one mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide, but even though it said it had gluten-free meals, the restaurant mostly catered to vegans and vegetarians, and Michael didn't care for the few GF options listed. By this time we had past the area where all the restaurants were, and instead could only find things like Subway. Too tired to walk back down hill to where we had originally been, we drove to the B&B, hoping to see something on the way. We didn't, but amazingly the place serves dinners if they have been pre-ordered, and since they were cooking for one other family, they didn't mind cooking for us as well.

July 30/13

First stop today was Old Mother Shipton's Cave. This is the oldest tourist attraction in England, dating from the 1500's. The story behind it is quite interesting. A woman gave birth to a girl she named Ursula. Since she refused to reveal the father's identity, she was banned from the town. She lived in a cave for two years that had a natural spring. It had a very high mineral content, and is therefore called a petrifying spring. Everything that the spring drips onto becomes petrified, or hard and white. Many items such as hats, shoes, socks and purses that belonged to famous people were purposely left behind to be petrified and then were put on display in the museum. Back to the story of Ursula, she was witch-like in appearance but had a remarkable ability to predict the future, so many people came from great distances to have their fortune told. Even king Henry VIII sent some of his men to test her powers out. She accurately predicted many things, including the great fire of London, the Spanish Armada, travel by car and plane, and even accurately predicted the date of her death!

Next we went to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Gardens. The latter is a series of large ponds, temples and statues beside the Abbey, with a great view of the abbey and the water from Ann Boleyn's chair above. The abbey itself is the largest and most impressive abbey ruins that we've ever seen! It's set down low, and as you approach it from above, the first sight of it is magnificent! And as we walked around it, Michael took pictures at every turn.

We then drove through the moors to Robin Hood Bay, known as being the prettiest fishing village on the coast. The drive to it was rolling and pretty, but when you arrive, it's suggested that you park at the top of the hill and walk down to the shore, as the roads are extremely narrow. We did just that, but were sorry that we did, as the beach area wasn't especially attractive, and we got better pictures of the coastline and the town from the top of the hill.

Back in York, I had Sticky Toffee pudding for my entire dinner. I normally have a very small appetite, so unless I just order an appetizer, there's no way I'll have room for dessert. But last night I did that, and still didn't have room for the pudding, so I decided that if I was ever going to get some, then I'd have to order it as my dinner. It was delicious, and not something that I can get at home.

Went to a pub that we heard would have session music tonight. It was much more like our Irish sessions at home than the last session we attended. In fact, we recognized or can play most of the tunes that they did, even more than the sessions we went to in Ireland! While there, a couple from Portland that we met in our B&B this morning stopped by. We had told them about the session, but didn't think they'd come. We chatted over drinks and then walked back to the B&B with them.Turns out that they are both cell biologists, so they had that in common with Michael. Strangely enough, we'll see them in a couple of nights from now in Keswick, because they're staying in the same place as we are there as well!

July 29/13

Started the day at York Minster, the largest cathedral in the North of England. Some time ago they realized that they were going to need to repair the structure because it had extensive cracks, and people were afraid that it might collapse. They discovered that the problem was in the foundation, and when the repairs to that were underway, they found Roman ruins underneath the church! Just as an aside, while there Michael had the opportunity to try on a cope and mitre (clerical robes). Check out his Facebook page!

Next we did a tour of Jorvik. The name 'York' is derived from this Viking name. On the museum site is where they found many items from Viking days, so they set up an exhibition below ground level to show what life may have been like during that time. Moving cars on a cable took us around to see a mock settlement. After that ride there were many things on display, including skeletons of young men who had died in fighting.

On the way back to the B&B we found a cafe that was advertising gluten free food, so Michael was able to have lunch today for the first time! We also discovered a restaurant at dinner time that had a GF menu - such luck!

Had a bit of trouble doing laundry, as the load was split between 2 machines, and the handle broke on one of them, which meant that it wouldn't wash and we couldn't get the clothes out of it either! Finally the owner came by and was able to fix it, and we got everything washed and dried just in timed for closing.

July 28/13

Left Oxford for our longish drive to York, where we will be staying for 3 nights. On the way we stopped in at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, the oldest pub in England. It's below a castle, and dates back to the 1100's. Amazingly it's still in use, so we went in and shared a drink (we didn't want to have much, as it was only noon and we still had more driving to do.) The pub is divided into several small alcoves on a few levels. The steps are uneven and the walls curved, giving it a cave-like appearance. The pub is in Nottingham, which reminded me of the Nottingham Ale song, but they didn't seem to serve that as far as I could tell.

After arriving in York it was too soon to check into our B&B, so we decided to stretch our legs by doing the wall walk around the city. It follows the line of the original Roman walls. The gate at Monk Bar is the best preserved medieval gate. At a few points the wall has a gap, and you have to go down to street level and walk a bit before getting back on it at another spot. Near the end we got lost trying to find the spot to join up with it again. We ended up in a pedestrian mall area, and missed the last bit of the wall, but with help from a local we were able to get back to our car park.

Our B&B is on a quiet street, within walking distance to the sights we were wanting to see right in town. So tomorrow we will do just that!

July27/13

On our way to Oxford we drove by Uffington to see The White Horse. This is a chalk figure of a horse carved into a hill back in the Bronze Age. This part of England has lots of chalk figures, but the horse is the oldest.

Next stop was Oxford. Unfortunately our attempts at walking around the city didn't go very well. Initially we were lucky enough to find street parking near the Museum that Michael wanted to see, but the parts of the extinct dodo bird he was seeking had been moved to the British museum in London! After a brief look at some instruments dating from 1500 - 1800 we attempted to walk past some of Oxford's better known sites, such as Radcliffe Camera, Christ Church College and the Bodleian library. However, we walked in the wrong direction, and when we tried to drive to the area it was a madhouse of buses, people and NO parking. We found out later that it's much better to do the park and ride, but by this time it was too late. If we have time on our way back to Heathrow Airport perhaps we'll get brave and give it another shot.

July 26/13

Hiked up one side of the Cheddar Gorge today. At the point where it gradually starts its descent we turned back. After that there would have been a steep climb up the other side. Not only did we not feel up to that, apparently most people don't do it. The views from the gorge and the surrounding area were very nice, but it was a bit of a slog in the heat.

Next we drove to Bath to see the Roman Baths. The museum displaying many of the artifacts is directly over top of the original site. The first baths date back to a few hundred years AD. There are 3 natural springs near the abbey, and the Romans constructed a complex of bath houses to take advantage of their natural temperature - 46 degrees celcuis! After the Romans left, the buildings decayed until the baths were revived again in the 17th century. Besides the hot baths, there was a cooling off pool. The King had his own bath dating from the 12th century. They believe that some of the baths were co-ed, but others separated the men from the women. The baths were considered to be spiritual as well as relaxing. Sometimes the bathers would offer gifts to the goddess Minerva there, and even wrote curses on stone tablets for people that they didn't like. Many excavated objects such as the tablets were on display.

Bath has so many listed buildings that the entire city has been named a World Heritage site by Unesco. One thing considered to be a crowning glory is the Royal Crescent, a semi-circular terrace of majestic houses joined together and overlooking Royal Victoria Park. Apparently the houses hardly ever come up for sale.

On the way to our B&B we had to travel on VERY narrow roads. When we needed to pass a parked vehicle on the final stretch, we had to fold both mirrors in and I had to guide Michael past it from the front of the car! He barely made it through. Then we had to repeat the process when going for dinner! Had we known, we would have looked for a restaurant near the Roman baths, but we've usually had luck getting a place to eat near the B&B.

July 25/13

Drove to Glastonbury to see the ruined abbey. It's made up of a chapel and a church that had been once joined together. The grounds were spacious and it would have been an enormous church at that time. Also wandered a bit around the town. The shops were 'New Age' - crystals, angels, King Arthur, Druids, etc - right up Michael's alley ;-) Luckily the rain held off until we finished taking photos!

Next stop was Wells Cathedral. Construction started in the 1100's and continued on through the 1500's. It's not as grand as the other cathedrals we've seen, but still impressive. We were lucky enough to hear the choir rehearsing while we were there, as it sounded splendid!

Our B&B is a cabin on a farmhouse property - very unique! We're just outside Cheddar, ready to hike on the gorge tomorrow.

July 24/13

Mentioned that we were going to try out a pub session in Penzence. Well we did, and had a wonderful surprise, as there was a musician there that we knew from 30 years ago - Alistair Brown, from the group The Friends of Fiddlers Green! Turns out that he's going to Ontario next week for a brief tour with the group. If you know of them, you probably also know about Ian Robb. The music was somewhat different from pub sessions that we're used to, because it was mostly English dance music, with some American influence, and a bit of Irish and other ethnic stuff thrown in for good measure. We knew a few of the tunes, but if we'd had our instruments we couldn't have played much. The most prominent instrument was concertina, followed by accordion. There were a few fiddles, but only one played regularly. Also a guitar, bouzouki, flute/whistle and drums. It was an open session, with people just starting tunes when they wished. If you didn't know the tune you either listened, or more likely chatted with your neighbour. A couple of people (including Alistair) did songs, and one lady step danced. The session wasn't as lively as ours in Calgary, but it was neat to hear what an English pub session is like!

Started out the day yesterday driving to Port Isaac where the British series Doc Martin is filmed. Had a tour of the town, and saw many sites where the filming takes place. It was interesting to learn that although the front of these buildings are used, they shoot the inside scenes in a nearby town. The actors have been living there for the past 3 months and are leaving today, but we didn't see any of them. We also saw (and walked through) the alley called Temple Bar, the world's narrowest alley - AKA Squeeze-ee-Belly Alley, the advice given to a rather plump lady who tried to walk through it! We also saw the road that they used to take the lifeboat up. It had groves in the stone at corners, to accommodate the ropes as the whole village hauled the boat to its shed. It was a very tight squeeze, and the lifeboat had been custom-built to fit the narrow streets!

Next we drove to Tintagel - a ruined castle often associated with King Arthur. There are some findings to indicate that he may have been born there, but many remains are thought to be from the 12th century. There wasn't much to see of the castle, but great views of the water, rocks and cliffs below.

Our B&B is just outside the town of Clovelly. It's a World Heritage site, and is privately owned. This means that no one living there can own their property. Also, almost no vehicles are allowed to drive on it's cobblestone lanes. You must park your car in a lot and walk down the very steep hill to the water where the town ends. That's also where the restaurant where we ate is. The town slope is about 400 feet in less than half a mile, which is a 16% grade. Believe it or not, I actually found it easier coming back up in some ways, because the cobblestones didn't seem as slippery, even though it rained while we were eating and the stones were wet climbing back up. (This was our first rain, and we've been here just over two weeks. Some locals say it's the best summer in 25 years!) The restaurant had good food, but was a bit fancy inside, catering to the hotel guests I suppose. When I mentioned to the hostess upon going inside that we were casually dressed (with our runners and rain jackets) she said "yes, you are!"

July 23/13

Did a bit of laundry this morning, since the laundromat opens early and is just down the street, and St. Michael's Mount doesn't open until 10:30.

St. Michael's Mount is a castle perched up high on a mountain, and aside from a series of other buildings that form what would have been the town below, it's the only thing on the island. It started as a Benedictine Abbey made to resemble Mont-St-Michel in France, and was later turned into a defensive castle. To reach it you either have to walk across a cobblestone causeway (low tide) or cross by boat when the tide is in. Next you must walk up a fairly steep and uneven cobblestone path. A man our age was holding an ice pack on his wrist because he had fallen on this path. I'm surprised that I didn't do likewise. The rooms in the castle were decorated from around the mid 1600's. After seeing the castle we had cream tea in the restaurant. This is tea served with a scone topped with clotted cream and jam. The cream is also known as Devonshire cream, and it's very thick and fatty and delicious! It's a tradition here, and normally Michael wouldn't be able to eat such a thing because of the scone. However, in researching this place, Michael discovered that they can offer gluten free scones and diabetic jam, so we were both in luck! And judging by my current blood sugar levels, I made a good guess on the insulin I needed to cover the scones, so all is well.

This evening we are heading into Penzance because there's a pub that has music sessions on Tuesday nights. If it turns out to be good I'll write about it later. Apparently they have a session band and invite others to join in. We didn't bring our instruments on this trip, but hopefully they'll be good to listen to.

July 22/13

This was largely a driving day, so that we could see the southern and SW coastlines. We first drove along the Lizzard peninsula, stopping briefly at Coverton. Next was Lizzard Point, the most southerly part of the country. From there we went to Lands End, the furthest point in the SW, and walked a bit along the coastline, which was quite pretty. We then drove north as far as St. Ives, a bustling town right on the water at the northern part of the peninsula. This was listed as being one of the top ten scenic routes in the country. It was nice, but as much of the drive was on single track or very narrow roads, the driving was stressful for Michael, so he didn't see much of the scenery.

Today was the first cool and somewhat overcast day we've had, but still no rain. We'll have been gone two weeks as of tomorrow, which means that our trip is half over.

July 21/13

Left our lovely farmhouse B&B to do a two hour hike along the Lydford Gorge. This is maintained by the National Trust and is a gorgeous trail. Luckily it was mostly in shade and often along a flowing stream which has a high waterfall and a cauldron at the end. It had a couple of tricky bits, but was still manageable for us, especially since I purchased a fold-up walking stick from the shop before the hike. My balance is getting worse, and I'm afraid of another fall, especially since my hand that got hurt nearly a week ago from a fall is still badly bruised, swollen and not able to be fully used yet.

About one hour from the gorge is the Eden Project. Built on an expired clay pit in 1999, it now contains the largest greenhouses in the world, referred to as Biomes. One has plants from the Rainforest, and the other from hot, dry climates. It grows a large number of edible plants, and seeks to educate by showing the relationship between plants and humans, and how we can make the best use of our resources. In the shops they sold many things, including food from plants grown on site, and items made from recycled material, such as sundials made from recycled coffee cups. This is a very forward-thinking place. Many plants were growing outside the Biomes as well, and were grouped according to themes, such as plants for medicinal purposes, and even plants for making beer!

Our B&B has been built from what used to be a chapel. You can tell just by looking at the shape of the windows. It's very spacious inside - wish we were staying a second night here! Luckily though, we'll be in the Cornwall area for a few more nights.

July 20/13

Saw the Exeter Cathedral, an Anglican Church dating back to the 1100's. Like the Salisbury one, it's carvings and stained glass windows are very impressive. There are lots of people buried in the church, some of whom even have a room set aside to pray for them, as well as a shrine with a figure lying on top of a stone casket.

Later we saw the Kent Caves. With a guide we were able to go inside. Early man once lived in there, and lots of animal skulls, teeth and horns have been found there too, including a wooly mammoth that is 350,000 years old. All the rock is original, and some have taken on the shape of things such as a scary face, a dragon, and one area resembles a wedding feast, including the cake and a roast! Apparently real weddings have actually been held in the caves, including one with a Flintstones theme!

Our B&B near Okehampton is a large farmhouse, complete with sheep and beautiful grounds to walk in. Luckily we arrived early and we could do just that.

July 19/13

Left our lovely B&B outside Dorchester and drove to see the Cerne Abbas Giant. It's a figure carved into the earth and shows up as a chalk drawing in the grass. This figure shows a man with an erect penis and holding a club. They aren't sure from when it dates, but some people attribute it to being Oliver Cromwell!

Next we saw Maiden Castle. This is not a castle, but instead an Iron Age hill fort which once housed several hundred people. It was well-protected because intruders would have to navigate a maze of hills and troughs to get to the top. From there we had a good view of the picturesque landscape which is largely farmland.

Later we drove along part of the Jurassic coast to the town of Beer (no joke!) We had thought we might walk out to Beer Head, but it would have been a long hot walk on a stoney beach, so we settled for walking a short distance instead. We couldn't even get a breeze off the water, and it was as calm as can be. Along the beach was a long row of painted shacks, just large enough to put in some lawn chairs, drinks and snacks and perhaps a floatation device. People would sit outside the shacks on pavement which overlooked the water. Not my idea of a nice place to enjoy the English Channel!

July 18/13

Saw the ruins at Corfe Castle. There's a village below it which looked quite old as well. Apparently the castle and the village housed commoners rather than royalty. It existed 1,000 years ago but was partly demolished in 1646 by the Parliamentarians. Situated on a cliff, the castle ruins gave us a great view of the countryside.

From there we drove to Lulworth Cove to walk out to Durdle Door, a picturesque stone doorway in the ocean. There are also chalky cliffs and a beautiful cove and beach area that was very popular despite the long walk down to access it. Some people were kayaking and sailing, and large motorboats would take you along the shore too. It was neat watching the kayakers go through the split in the rocks.We envisioned a cliff walk to be fairly flat once having climbed the cliff, but sadly it was not. It was a very hot day for such a walk, and we didn't see many people our age attempting it - mostly young people heading down to the beach area.Still, the view out overlooking the sea and Durdle Door was worth it.

July 17/13

Headed off on a hike that was to take us to Stonehenge from behind, as well as seeing other things on the way past. The idea was to see it from up high and without a lot of people. But ironically, in the distance we could see lots of people, and when we drove up to it later in the day, the walk around it was arranged in such a way that you could pretty much always get a shot from all angles without people in it. And it was so hot during the earlier walk that we really did not enjoy it. The visit later was much better, and Michael got some great shots! As you walk slowly around, it was neat to see how different it looked. A long time ago they think there was processions around it, but no one knows why, nor do they even know why it was built. But it is possible to tell what time of year it is, based on where the sun sets on it. In the distance one can see barrows, or burial grounds. These are mounds of earth, one beside another, with people and some of their possessions buried with them. It was weird to be standing where others stood so very long ago!

We also drove into nearby Salisbury to see the famous Cathedral - very impressive. And a bit further away was the ruins of the original cathedral and a castle.

July 16/13

Had an unfortunate fall as we were packing to leave London. Tripped on the edge of the fireplace mantle, lost my balance and landed on the side of my left hand. Don't think any real damage was done but the hand is sore and bruised from mid hand to the left side, from the ends of my fingers to my wrist, and on the palm as well, I could hardly get my watch off, and have to be so careful not to bang into anything, but I'm managing. Luckily I'm right-handed!

Took the train to Slough where we got our rental car and drove to Windsor Castle. The castle and yards are quite large and the rooms are amazing! The queen was there - wonder why she didn't come out and greet us?! She thinks of Windsor as her home and Buckingham as her office. Her horses are at Windsor and she rides every day, although Phillip had to give it up. Outside the castle it's built up with a mall and shops, which surprised me, as I had thought that Windsor would be more secluded.

Our B&B is near Salisbury in a town of 314 people. Lovely thatched roof cottages line the quiet streets. It's a restful place to be after the hustle of London.

July 15/13

Spent our last day in London at the Tower. Had an entertaining tour guide who actually lives on the grounds as a condition of employment, and has done so for ten years. Saw the Crown Jewels of course, royal coins, armour worn by the kings, a chapel, the Bloody Tower containing 3 different methods of torture, and the spot where some kings and queens had their heads cut off. It was funny to see these old buildings next to the modern buildings outside the Tower.

Saw Phantom of the Opera in the evening and really enjoyed it. I was always sorry that we hadn't seen it when it played in Calgary, but in those days we didn't think we could afford it. Both the acting/singing and the special effects were very good.

After the show we realized that we were close to Buckingham Palace and tried to see it, but couldn't find the entrance in the dark. I saw it many years ago with my parents, and although it would have been nice to take the tour, it's closed for the month of July. This is why we didn't make a special effort to see it earlier.

My last memory of London I guess was to hear a young lad singing the Beatles song "Help" in the underground on our way back to the B&B, but unfortunately he didn't get the words right! This somehow seems especially wrong in London!

Leaving London tomorrow and picking up our rental car to head west.

July 14/13

Yesterday started out with the London Eye - a huge Ferris wheel that gives you some great views of the city. Next was a short train trip to Kew Gardens. Although we only saw about half of the gardens, most of the neat plants were in glass conservatories. We were in the building that the picture on our downstairs wall was drawn from, so that was very exciting. Ever since I first saw that picture I said to Michael that I hoped someday we could go there. We left for an early dinner as we were tired and hot, but more importantly we had to be back there for the Bellowhead concert. This was an outdoor venue, so we were very lucky that it didn't rain. The group consists of eleven members - mostly fiddles and wind instruments, and their music was very lively and fun! It was neat to see all ages there, dancing and jumping up and down to the music. Too bad that they don't come to Canada, but given the size of the group it would be prohibitive.