WAY back in time!!!

It's been another long (over 300 miles travelled) but fascinating day! We started our tour at Salisbury Cathedral (800 years old). As we walked up to the cathedral, we could hear singing! Lovely! The choir was practicing and somehow the music sounded even better inside such a magnificent structure!! We were given 30 minutes to "do" the cathedral (this is why I don't like tours!!!). I could have spent 30 minutes on one exterior wall alone!! It felt so wrong to rush through but there just wasn't time to see it all and I really wanted to get to the Chapter House to see an original of the Magna Carta (and to the shop to buy a copy for school!!!). I have enjoyed Edward Rutherford's book "Sarum" so this brought the book to life for me. We drove past Old Sarum on our way to Stonehenge and saw several burial mounds.

Stonehenge is also unfortunately for the tourists. PEOPLE everywhere along with cars, buses and traffic up and down the neighbouring roads. I was glad to hear that this will change in the future. I managed to get "a few" shots without people and found spots where I could let the enormity of this feat truly sink in. I hope I don't offend anyone but I just don't get this tremendous need people seem to have to get their photos taken in front of these monuments?! I like the purity!

The drive from Stonehenge to Bath was gorgeous! Winding roads up and down through green or golden hills and fields and through quaint little villages with stone houses with thatched roofs! Truly British countryside, in my mind!!

I had initially booked the tour for the first two stops and Bath was a bonus. I was surprised by Bath and captivated. When I was a teenager, my grandmother (and Aunt Kate?) introduced me to an author who set many of her stories in Georgian bath. It is a wonderful city. So much interesting architecture and history!! We toured the Roman Baths and drank....Roman bath water?!!! I actually thought it tasted better than my own tap water at home!!! We'll see what effects it has on me!! My feet don't hurt tonight so maybe that is one!

Photos!

Thanks to Bev (my sister) for getting some photos online for me! Dad took them on their phone (my international phone will take photos but won't send them anywhere?! Go figure!!! The first photo SHOULD be a view of "the street where we live" but I see we got the shot of my niece's favourite store instead!! Windsor Castle is the next one and the final shot of the library is from Leeds Castle - and how I plan to redecorate a room in my house when I get back!!! Over 3000 books there!!

On and On and On!!!

Today was Leeds Castle in Kent, the White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Cathedral. Those of you who know me can make your own predictions as to how many photos I took!!! Hint: It's more than yesterday...but I haven't done the math yet!!!
Walking up to Leeds Castle was like stepping straight into the picture I have had as part of my medieval unit for the past few years!!! It is even more beautiful "in person"!! There had been some clouds when we left London in the morning but it had cleared by the time we arrived and the castle was reflected in the "moat" at many angles and shining through the windows inside. It was a home up until 1974 so isn't decorated in a true medieval fashion so I spent most of my time outside or shooting the architecture inside. (Still the teacher!! I even picked up a few more books for my unit next year!!)
The fan belt on the bus broke so, rather than heading away and eating in Canterbury, we ate at Leeds while the bus got fixed. We had a lovely lunch under a HUGE catalpa tree in a courtyard.
The White Cliffs of Dover had more civilization around the spot where we stopped but they are impressive none the less! Mom sang the song while I took umpteen shots!! The Dover castle is also a sight to see!
Lovely countryside on the way to Canterbury. Even saw some oastler houses (hope that's the name - my notes are upstairs!!). I was not prepared for the enormity and elegance of Canterbury Cathedral. I'm sure I could have spent all day there and still not seen or photographed all the geometry or intricate designs that make up the cathedral. And to think it was built without cranes, power drills and the like! Truly a wonder!!
I am not a huge fan of tours - don't like to be told what to do and when - but I have enjoyed these past two days. It is a treat not to have to keep one's eyes on the road and be able to sit back and enjoy the countryside. And our guides have been very knowledgeable. A lot of history!
AND just driving through London....everyone is insane!! Motorcyclists come racing up BETWEEN lanes or move to the curb if it's going to slow. People race around corners and traffic circles and pedestrians walk wherever and whenever they want! We learned very quickly NOT to follow the crowds here!!
Tomorrow is Stonehenge, Bath and Salisbury! Any predictions as to the number of photos I take?!! I may need to buy another card for my camera!
Enjoy your weekends - I'll enjoy mine!!

Harrod's!

From pure opulence to pure decadence!! We had the bus drop us off at Harrod's. It was on the day 1 itinerary but "someone" (i.e. ME) planned WAY more than was possible!! This worked well. We entered the store past security guards who asked us to hold our daypacks by the strap rather than wear them over the shoulders. I wasn't about to say no - or question it!!! We'd had to go through security at Windsor Castle - bags through the xray and us through the scanner - so it's a big deal here. We've seen police carrying machine guns, there aren't garbage pails in Victoria Station (or others I imagine) because of the threat of bombs and a woman from Texas we met yesterday said she was reprimanded for taking a picture of the tracks at Vic Station?!
We entered the store to displays of Dolce and Gabbano, Dior, Louis Vitton, Guicci - I suddenly felt like a peasant!! It really is an experience to wander through the store - even if you can't afford anything! The food court itself has everything you could think of - and more!!! Scottish Marinated Beef fillet for 44 pounds - or, if you are a bit more "flush", you can get a kg. of smoked wild salmon for 105 pounds or Wagyn sirloin for 126 pounds!!!! Double that and add a wee bit more and you have Cdn dollars!!! Even getting fish and chips at a counter diner would cost 18 pounds?!!
I'm not sure who can afford to shop here but people obviously do. The place was packed even at 7 p.m. - mostly tourists like us although I did see some people who looked like they "belonged"!!! Went to look at the kids' clothes - 495 pounds for a jacket for a 6 month old, 295 pounds for a dress and a "mere" 30 pounds for a tiny pair of infant shoes?!!!
I did find some things - an AMAZING CHILDREN'S BOOK STORE!!!! I can't go completely cold turkey and found two books for school...plus some other things for gifts and souvenirs.
On the ground floor was a very simple and refined memorial to Diana and Dodi - book of remembrance and a statue.
Took a black cab home! COOL!! I sat on the jumper seat and felt truly British!! Time's up and must get some breakfast! BIG day today!! Stay tuned!

Somewhere In Time!

I was so exhausted when I finally fell asleep last night that my last thought was "Will I be able to do 5 weeks of this?!!" Amazing what a good night's sleep and adrenaline do!! I was expecting Runneymede to be the highlight of today's excursion but was VERY wrong. Windsor Castle is not just another of the Queen's homes - it is saturated with history. British history has always fascinated me and I will admit to some tears of awe as I stood in rooms that Charles II had had decorated or where Henry VIII had dined. The armour and original paintings from centuries ago took my breath away! And, I was pleased to know that Teacher Kim still lives inside me - I kept thinking how much my class would enjoy the castle...then quickly imagined TAKING a class on a field trip there!!!
I had asked our guide if we would be stopping at Runnymede and she looked at me as if I were a bit insane. "It's just a field!" she said. Perhaps, but I still saw the tents and King John and all the various lords and their pages gathered around the parchment!!
On to Hampton Court Palace Gardens and a "tea" that included a scone, clotted tea and jam - how refined! Even the sandwiches were classy - egg and watercress etc.! The gardens were glorious - even this late in the season. We wandered and were amazed to see GOLDEN ROD displayed proudly in one of the beds?!
Our "takeaway" dinner is waiting and my time is up for today. Leeds Castle, Dover and Canterbury are tomorrow so there will be more!!! I took 130 photos today - and fortunately they weren't allowed inside the castle!! Tomorrow should be even better! Who's coming to my slide show!!

LONDON ENGLAND!!

Hi all! I have 10 minutes online to capture an incredibly overwhelming and often emotional day!! Arrived at Gatwick at 7:30 a.m. (London time) after a 2 hour delay in Toronto, turbulence over the Atlantic (nothing like West Jet though!) and not being able to sleep!! BUT, I saw the sunrise over Ireland - can't beat that!! Checked into the hotel by 10:30 - a lovely place with a little balcony that overlooks a street straight out of My Fair Lady (Georgian townhouses)..."On the Street Where You Live"! Window boxes overflowing with pansies and geraniums etc.! The whole city is street after street of amazing architecture and history! Walked up to Buckingham Palace - THAT was an real awe inspiring moment - all these years I'd seen it on TV?! Arrived just in time to see the Changing of the Guard! I've loved A.A. Milne's poem since I was a child and so this was a moment! Great music and pageantry - didn't see much of the actual changing...all those tourists?!!!
Got some souvenir and Christmas shopping crossed off the list and started to figure out London transit - told that buses are the way to go. After many false starts, ended up on Oxford Street and in Topshop!! So many familiar, high end shops to brouse!! Rode a double decker home past other familiar sights and streets. Almost too much for my sleep deprived brain to handle!! Tried to nap but it just isn't happening! 27 hours and counting!! Birthday dinner tonight at The Rubens - just down from Buckingham Palace - check out The Old Masters Carvery menu!!!
"Sleep in" in the morning then off to Windsor Castle. My whole body aches from all the walking today (and dragging WAY too much luggage with me!!) so it will be nice to sit on a bus for awhile!! I'll keep you posted and work on getting some photos out?

Experimenting!

While everyone is labouring at work, I am trying to figure out how to get pictures onto my blog! I'm going to try using Picasa Photo Albums and have added a link. Once you get to the site, you'll have to click on "My Photos". Hope it works!!

I'm packed and ready to go!! Hopefully I'll have a new post by this time next week!!