London

Rented a two bedroom apartment, in Marylebone, just 5 minutes from the Baker St Tube.  Excellent location, really central and had every modern convenience including a bidet.  Cheaper and more spacious than staying in a hotel and we could cook if we wanted to. Weather was good, only had rain on one morning which we spent in the British Museum seeing the rest of the ancient antiquities that the British had managed to ‘obtain’ from Greece, Rome and Egypt.  London is looking stunning in the wake of the Jubilee celebrations and the Olympic.  All the buildings have been cleaned and everything gold has been repainted.  Very sparkly.  Quite a lot of Jubilee exhibitions on at various venues too.

Highlights  

Tower of London – hilarious ‘Beefeater’ guide who took us on an introductory tour, gave us a rundown of the history and ‘dished us all the dirt’.  We then spent several hours exploring the tower environs including the various towers, the ravens and of course the crown jewels in all their splendour.

The Globe Theatre – reconstructed using 16^th century techniques to resemble the 1599 open air theatre where Shakespeare wrote many of his great plays, thanks to the drive of the American actor San Wanamaker.  Even has wall hanging from NZ quilt makers.

Royal Albert Hall – once again a ‘live wire’ guide.  Did you know it was funded by selling seats or that the artists hire the venue or that the queen has a royal retiring room?  Got to see the ‘Royal Box’ too.

Stunning new ‘Bomber Command Remembrance Monument’ that dad flew to the UK for the opening.

Buckingham Palace State Rooms – only open for a few months of the year (timing is everything).  Lavishly furnished.  Also had a special exhibition of royal jewellery worn over the past 200 years. The ball room is was something to be seen.

The Royal Mews – Supposedly one of the finest working stables and home to the royal collection of historic coaches and carriages.  We saw the royal coach used in wedding processions and the dazzling gold state coach used in every coronation since 1821 and needs 8 horses to pull it as it is so heavy.

Westminster Abbey – where most British monarchs have been crowned since 1066 and the ‘great and good’ have been interred. Expensive to see a church - 16 pounds but the up side was that we got to listen to the silky voice of Jeremy Irons as he did the audio guide commentary.

Winston Churchill’s War Rooms – the original underground headquarters that sheltered Churchill and his wartime government.  Quite a rabbit warren.  They just walked out and left it.  Gave one another perspective of what life during the blitz was like. Also has a huge interactive museum attached.

Houses of Parliament – these too are only open to visitors when parliament is not in session.  Officially called ‘the Palace of Westminster’ and when you see inside you can understand why.  They truly are quite palatial, especially the House of Lords.  They have renamed the tower where ‘Big Ben’ is the ‘Elizabeth Tower’ to honour the Queen in her Diamond Jubilee year. Bet you didn’t know that!

Harrods – well of course one has to go.  Just as expensive as I remember.  I was even asked if I had a ‘Harrods card’ when I was making a purchase.  I obviously look like the sort of client who shops there regularly.  Of course I am not surprised by that!

Great Museums – London has them all.  The Tate, the Natural History, the Albert and Victoria.

Changing of the Guard – beautiful fine day and very crowded.  Once again something you have to do.  Great to see the pageantry.  The mounted police do a wonderful job controlling the masses.

Finally the shows!!!!!!!!!!  What a choice.  We saw ‘Let it Be’, ‘Wicked’, ‘Lion King’.  Probably ‘Wicked’ was by favourite.  Would have loved to have seen more.  Billy Elliot, Top Hat not to mention all the plays.

Back in England

Stayed in Guisborough with Helen (Andy’s mother-in-law) who thoroughly spoilt us all – not that we were complaining!  Spent a day exploring the nearby west coast. Whitby - where Captain Cook was born.  Very picturesque and has the ruins of a beautiful Abbey and yummy fish and chips.  The abbey became the renowned backdrop for Bram Stokers Dracula making Whitby the Goth capital of Britain.  Bet you didn’t know that!  Visited several other quaint villages.  One called Staithes had an Arts Festival on, where people hosted artists in their homes.  Saltburn had a display of knitted figures depicting various Olympic sports attached to the railing of the pier done by the ‘mysterious secret knitters’.  Very clever.

Bid a sad farewell to Helen and headed south across the edge of the Yorkshire Moors stopping at Rievaulx Terrace and Castle Howard, where Brideshead Revisited was filmed.  What we loved about this place, apart from being quite spectacular, is that it is lived in by the family who have their own private apartments.  The rooms that we saw had family photos scattered about and are used either by the family for entertaining or for functions to help raise the 2 million it takes to keep Castle Howard going.  Mind you they do own five villages and huge amounts of farmland which is tenanted which also bring in income.

York: Rain again but you get that.  The UK has had the worst summer for 100 years so we have been pretty lucky with the weather so far.  Once again Nick and I have seen York at its best weather wise so not to worry.  Lots to do at York where you can dodge the rain anyway.  York Minster, Northern Europe’s largest Gothic Cathedral with its stunning stained glass windows was our first stop.  Followed by a walk around part of the wall and then a visit to ‘The Shambles’.  Jorvick – the interactive, multimedia museum that has recreated the original Viking settlement that gave York its name was next.  My personal favourite was the York castle Museum that has the last 400 years of York’s past from the civil war to the 60s.  Lots of rooms dressed as they would have been in various time periods, a Victorian Street complete with sound effects, a section on the swinging sixties and the York castle Prison.  A great day out despite the weather!

 Hay/Straw Bales

These huge cylinder shaped bales lie like statues on the golden grass everywhere in the paddocks of Europe and the UK.  Are they never to be collected and find a home in a snug warm barn?

Oxfordshire

Staying with friends (Gail and Darryl) at their motor camp near Banbury.  Having a great time catching up with Peter and Anne who are friends of dad’s and whom we stayed with last time.

Wednesday/Thursday  I visited two schools in Birmingham, both of which specialise in children with autism.  Very interesting.  Nick patiently waited in the car reading and doing puzzle books.  Also visited ‘Packwood House’ (Well we had to for Tina and Nigel) , which has been lovingly restored to its former Tudor splendour.  Beautiful garden and a famous collection of yews.  Off to London next. 

  

                                                              Canal boating North Wales

                                                                      Edinburgh Castle

                                                                               Britania

                                                                  Stirling Castle

Back in England

Stayed in Guisborough with Helen (Andy’s mother-in-law) who thoroughly spoilt us all – not that we were complaining!  Spent a day exploring the nearby west coast. Whitby - where Captain Cook was born.  Very picturesque and has the ruins of a beautiful Abbey and yummy fish and chips.  The abbey became the renowned backdrop for Bram Stokers Dracula making Whitby the Goth capital of Britain.  Bet you didn’t know that!  Visited several other quaint villages.  One called Staithes had an Arts Festival on, where people hosted artists in their homes.  Saltburn had a display of knitted figures depicting various Olympic sports attached to the railing of the pier done by the ‘mysterious secret knitters’.  Very clever.

Bid a sad farewell to Helen and headed south across the edge of the Yorkshire Moors stopping at Rievaulx Terrace and Castle Howard, where Brideshead Revisited was filmed.  What we loved about this place, apart from being quite spectacular, is that it is lived in by the family who have their own private apartments.  The rooms that we saw had family photos scattered about and are used either by the family for entertaining or for functions to help raise the 2 million it takes to keep Castle Howard going.  Mind you they do own five villages and huge amounts of farmland which is tenanted which also bring in income.

York: Rain again but you get that.  The UK has had the worst summer for 100 years so we have been pretty lucky with the weather so far.  Once again Nick and I have seen York at its best weather wise so not to worry.  Lots to do at York where you can dodge the rain anyway.  York Minster, Northern Europe’s largest Gothic Cathedral with its stunning stained glass windows was our first stop.  Followed by a walk around part of the wall and then a visit to ‘The Shambles’.  Jorvick – the interactive, multimedia museum that has recreated the original Viking settlement that gave York its name was next.  My personal favourite was the York castle Museum that has the last 400 years of York’s past from the civil war to the 60s.  Lots of rooms dressed as they would have been in various time periods, a Victorian Street complete with sound effects, a section on the swinging sixties and the York castle Prison.  A great day out despite the weather!

Hay/Straw Bales

These huge cylinder shaped bales lie like statues on the golden grass everywhere in the paddocks of Europe and the UK.  Are they never to be collected and find a home in a snug warm barn?

Rest of Scotland

Stirling Castle – Just had a 12 million pound renovation of the Renaissance palace built by James V.  This was the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots.  Once again an introductory tour by a guide – another Frank!

The Whiskey Trail - From Pitlochry we took the scenic route across the Cairngorm National Park - the majestic Highlands with their steep heather and bracken clad hills.  Very cold (6 degrees though it did warm up slightly).  We hooked on to ‘The Malt Whiskey Trail’ and visited the Glenfiddich distillery whose tour ended with 3 tastings and it was free!  Not often you get a Scotsman giving you something for free.

Speyside Cooperage.  Just down the road from Glenfiddich.  One of those little gems you sometimes find when travelling.  The only working cooperage in the UK.  Exhibition boards, a movie and then we watched the coopers at work and had an ex cooper explaining what we could see on the shop floor.  Very interesting – the history and the coopering process.

Culloden - Quite an emotive site.  Over 1,200 dead in less than an hour as the Jacobean army supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie was crushed.  360 immersion movie, detailed exhibition boards recounting the sequence of events and then a battlefield tour with a guide

Heading south – From Inverness we travelled down Loch Ness where we visited the ruins of Urquhart Castle which overlooks the dark waters of the Loch.  Scottish weather finally caught up with us as it rained steadily all Thursday as we drove past Ben Nevis (shrouded in low cloud), through Glencoe (where the famous MacDonald massacre took place), down Loch Lomand then around the coast at the Firth of Clyde to Dumfries.  However, like Southland, Scotland is still beautiful in the rain.

Friday dawned cool but sunny.  First stop Gretna Green – obligatory photos. Went to a great museum while the others had coffee. It gave the background to formal marriages in Scotland and England and the role of Gretna Green in elopement.  Hand fasting was still legal in Scotland until 1940!  Next we worked our way down Hadrian’s Wall stopping at Lanercost Priory, Birdoswald Roman Fort and Housestead Roman Fort.

Since Canal Boating we have:

Lake District – made a flying visit – Windermere cold, raining and really the first miserable weather we’ve encountered since April.  Both the Beatrix Potter and Wordsworth museums closed.  Well of course they would be – it was Friday and no one visits the Lake District on a Friday! So we headed north travelling through the pretty villages of Ambleside and Grasmere.  Fortunately Nick and I have seen the Lake District at its best – in fine weather.

Carlisle Castle – a frontier fortress with a colourful history including the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots and the Highland soldiers from the Battle of Culloden.   A brilliant military museum.

Scotland So Far:

Edinburgh

·         Edinburgh Castle.  Another mighty fortress and past residence of the Scottish kings and queens.  Today it is the home of the Scottish crown jewels and three military museums.  Introductory tour by our witty guide Frank then we spent all morning exploring.  A very impressive castle

·         Royal Yacht Britannia.  The royal families floating residence.  Something really different.  We had access to all areas of the ship, from the queen and prince Phillips simply decorated rooms, various crew quarters to the stunningly dressed dining area that had entertained politicians, other royalty and captains of industry.  I was amazed at the huge number of staff required when the queen was on a royal visit.  They even took a band.

·         The Real Mary Close – the hidden warren of streets buried beneath Endinbugh’s Royal Mile that have remained ‘frozen in time’ since the 17^th century.  Our guide did the best with the material she had to work with but the rooms would have benefited from being dressed and not leaving so much to the imagination.

·         Rosslyn Chapel – made even more famous by ‘The Da Vinci Code’. Very ornate stonework and like all these building has a fascinating history attached.

Canal Boating

Couldn’t get our boat till mid-afternoon so we visited Chirk Castle just over the welsh border.  Once again different from other castles we have visited previously.  Built to defend the Welsh border in 1310 it was later converted into a home in the 17^th century.  They had to hollow out 15 feet of stone from the internal walls by hand. (Labour was cheap in those days). Loads of staff who were happy to chat and provide inside details and quirky facts about the various rooms and their contents.

Canal boating:  After receiving operational instructions followed by a quick lesson we were off.  I know they’re called long boats but I was surprised how narrow they are. (Ours was just over 2 metres wide and 60 foot long).  All the mod cons – microwave, TV, two toilets shower and radiator heating (just like school).   We successfully navigated two locks (fortunately we had several boats ahead of us that we could watch and look and learn from).  We then cruised a bit then moored for the night.

Day 2 – We continued our journey crossing back into Wales and over our first aqueduct (the Chirk) completed in 1801 the through the 420 metre Chirk Tunnel.  The countryside was very scenic – green and mostly farmland.  Our second aqueduct was The Pontcysyllte, the highest and longest aqueduct in Britain.  One side of the trough has no protection and you feel as though you are suspended in mid-air.  It took 10 years to build and opened in 1805 so you can see that they’ve been around for some time and is a testament to the engineering skills of the day.  As we continued on towards Llangollen the canal became narrower – just wide enough for one boat so one had to be patient queue and wait your to turn to proceed.  We moored that night at Llangollen and treated ourselves to a pub meal of pie and chips.  Michelle had a curry which you can get with ½ and ½ (1/2 rice and ½ chips – why? Beats me!).

Day 3 -  Ater a substantial feed of mushrooms on toast, thanks to Nick, we headed into town and visited Plas Newydd – a home owned by two aristocratic ladies who formed a ‘deep attachment’ and after two attempts to elope together started a new life at Llangollen in1778 with their maid.  Quite radical for the times.  They turned the it into a gothic styled house with ornate wood carvings and stained glass windows (much of it recycled).  The ladies eccentricity captured the imagination of Regency society and they were visited by many famous personalities from the era including Wordsworth, Duke of Wellington and Sir Walter Scott.  We then started retracing our journey stopping mid-afternoon for a bevy and a wander through Tretynant to stretch our legs before again crossing the Pontcysyllte aqueduct.  

Day 4 – The following morning we continued retracing our journey.  Back through the Chirk Tunnel then we moored and went into Chirk for supplies.  We sampled the local savouries, checked out the church wandered around the graveyard.  Next we recrossed the Chirk aqueduct, navigated the two lock and continued on into new territory travelling as far as Ellesmere.  Once again we sampled the local brew and had an excellent pub meal.

Day 5 – Up early as sadly our canal boat adventure was nearly over.  We turned around and boated back to our starting point.  We had a great time and met lots of interesting people along the way.  Though in no way are we experts, our canal boating skill did improve and we only put a few extra scratches on the boat.