GOOD TIME IN ENGLAND
As many of you know we are now at our winter residence in Bucerias. Sunshine and warm - hot according to R. We have been here three weeks and life is back to normal. We can effectively switch residences in less than a week. We both are much happier here rather than gloomy Ohio. Puzzles have already been worked on, even a castle in Germany.
Rebecca thought she would write another story about our recent travels in England. (Please visit our blog space www.casa-de-terrible.blogspot.com if you did not see our first story, Mind the Gap! -dt) The people there were really quite nice to us. They routinely yielded seats to us on the tube. They were helpful with directions. Things ran on time. We received good recommendations from P&J to take smaller vans for tours rather than large busses. That worked out quite well as for example our trip to Stonehenge and environs that R rhapsodizes about.
England was great fun. London was full of skinny people from every nation in the world. They rushed around like crazy but they almost never bumped into one another. They reminded me of schools of fish. How do they do that?
We went to the Tate Modern Museum. It was full of some very strange art. Some of it I liked. A lot of it was social commentary and while I found it interesting, insightful, and clever, it was also rather depressing. I can be depressed without any help. This art was in dark and dull colors. One thing I found fascinating was the artists' use of non-traditional materials. Some of these included barbed wire, egg shells, dirt, cement blocks, unfinished wood and yarn to name a few. (The ferrymen did not care much for the Tate Modern -dt)
To get to the Tate we rode a ferry. I loved riding the ferries up and down the Thames. We rode past many famous sights. We recognized some: Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the Tower. Others the ferrymen pointed out to us: the school that Winston Churchill got thrown out of for fighting, a private school where they filmed Harry Potter movies, etc. (Harry Potter and Downton Abbey tours are very popular. -dt) I also saw a store where Kate buys her frocks; Dan showed no interest. Looking over the boat rail I could also pick out other famous sites from our map. As an avid reader of historical novels, it seemed so familiar as we glided past the reconstruction of the Globe Theater and under some of the famous bridges.
We did not visit just London but went further afield. Salisbury Plain is a series of lush pastures that reach from horizon to horizon to the southeast of London. Dark spots mark cows or small groups of cattle grazing slowly up and down the low hills. But one dark spot on a far hilltop does not seem to move. As we slowly approach the stones separate and there it is - Stonehenge. It was a long walk from the parking to Stonehenge. (It was a long walk to the gift shop and ticket concession. And another long walk from the drop off point to the stones. -dt) Dan rested on a bench, talking to strangers. But I went on. It seemed right to approach it on foot. There was a little pamphlet and a few small signs. But mostly it was only these massive stones reaching to the sky, and me. There were quite a few extraneous people wandering around, littering the landscape but I ignored them. Alas, vandals being what they are, you cannot approach too closely. Dan and I support capital punishment for defacing cultural landmarks. (I probably would shoot them on the spot. -dt) There was a low rope barrier. I did not mind it too much, it was not intrusive, but still the Stones drew me. What did it mean? I cannot say. But it meant something.
We spent a day and a night in Amberley Castle. (Mrs.T insisted we stay at least one night in a castle; this was our own adventure. -dt) I was in bliss!! It had walls, turrets, towers, and a great hall. We read the history of who owned the castle, who burned it down, who rebuilt it. At one point it was given to a queen - it might have been Charlotte = as a wedding present. It was all very satisfactory. The moat was now a croquet court. The rooms were decorated in different historical styles. It even had an oubliette - a hole where you dump prisoners and throw them a loaf every now and then. We could amble around the grounds admiring the flowers, great tea roses, and statues or sit in a nook in the wall and have a drink or a cup of tea. White doves nested in the eaves. I floated around imagining that I was Royal, or upper class, or at least English. I told another guest - English - that I thought the castle was wonderful. "Yes, it is quite nice," she replied. (Typical understatement. -dt)
In the evening we ascended the grand staircase to the Great Hall. Passing suits of armour and battle standards we threaded our way under portraits of someone's ancestors to our supper table. The narrow window was open and I wondered if the white doves ever got in. (We later learned that the portraits were of no one in particular but just plucked from a gallery on the continent. -dt) I wished I had brought a full skirted, low cut, floor length, satin gown and a chestful of jewels. I asked Dan if he felt grand. He didn't. Sigh! (I did like the pictures. -dt)
Supper consisted of seven courses. Each one more ornate that the next. Our waiter proudly announced in French what we were eating. Mostly I had no idea what we were eating although every now and then I caught a familiar word. The food was all beautifully presented it had a combination different flavours and textures. All of it was good and some of it was fabulous. My favorite was a glistening white ball with a semi-sweet liqueur with a pomegranate flavour in the center. The main course was braised pork. Dan felt the portion was quite small for a main course. I suppose it was, but after eating all seven courses I was quite full.
At night I climbed under our feather coverlet and dreamed of King Arthur.
Here are a few photos:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/9151458@N07/cFKW14
Amberley Castle Hotel is one in a chain throughout the UK. This chain in turn is a member of a larger consortium that has castle hotels throughout Europe. If one has the money you can stay in luxury wherever you travel. One night was more than sufficient for our limited budget.
Stay warm and dry.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Dan and Rebecca
