carolyn

First, I want to thank those of you who responded when I asked some time ago, as an innocent newbie, if a British-based tour would be better than a U.S. one to get a more thorough experience of Great Britain. Of course, almost everyone advised me not to use a tour and volunteered to help plan, but since my husband really didn?t want to drive and I really wanted an overview type of trip to see what I would like best, we didn?t listen to you. <BR><BR>We booked a 26-day Globus Tour and went to London two days before it began, since DH hadn?t been before, arriving early on September 8. Took the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station and a black cab to the Adelphi Hotel in South Kensington for the two-night stay before joining the tour group at the Novotel in Hammersmith, which was a surprise since I had thought it would be the hotel in Southwark. Ben Haines had graciously sent me a terrific sounding walking tour centered around that one, which I have saved for the future.<BR><BR>Our daughter had gone with us for a week in London, so we had a triple room for two nights and then she moved into a single. We enjoyed the Adelphi. It was reasonably priced, had a good breakfast included, and they were very nice to her when she had to spend an additional five days to get home. <BR><BR>We spent the two days on our own doing regular tourist stuff?the Tower, boat ride to Kew Gardens (got on the Silver Link suburban train by mistake instead of the tube on the return which made for a very long and pretty hilarious trip), went to church at St. Paul?s on Sunday morning and heard the boys? choir sing. It was beautiful; some of the children were as young as seven. We also spent quite a bit of time in Harrod?s since my company had given me a gift certificate as a retirement present. You would be surprised how hard it was to spend it. Things were either way too expensive or something I could get at home, but I did manage to use all of it but L25. So sad to think I?ll have to return to spend it.<BR><BR>We took the verger?s tour of Westminster on Tuesday afternoon, at the end of which our guide asked everyone who was American to come into a small chapel, told us of the attacks, and left us to pray and console each other. What a place to get such news.<BR>

carolyn

The tour itself began with a fairly thorough London city tour. We were set down at the park along the Mall so that we had a perfect view of the Scottish pipers and the guards marching directly toward us before turning for the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. It was much better than fighting the crowd for a view at the Palace itself.<BR><BR>Our tour guide was Irish and a former teacher of history and geography so he was very good, as was the coach driver who could put that bus anywhere. We had an extremely congenial group and made some friends during our four weeks together. It was a case of ?up pretty early, bags out, on the bus, off of the bus,? but it did accomplish what I wanted to do. Now, I just to need to plot out how many return trips we need to make on our own for some in-depth visits.<BR><BR>On leaving London, we visited Canterbury, Battle, Brighton, Winchester, Stonehenge, Plymouth, Buckfastleigh, Widcombe-on-the-Moor, Princetown that grew up around Dartmoor Prison, St. Michael?s Mount, Land?s End, St. Ives, Glastonbury, and Bath in England. Are you tired yet?<BR><BR>We spent a night in Cardiff, Wales, and went to dinner at a manor house built in 1068 with the ?new? section added in 1562. We were entertained with harp music and lovely singing during the meal and afterward. The host told the story of one song that was about a prince who saw a pretty sheepherder?s daughter and tried to entice her to his castle with various ruses, finally offering marriage. He asked if anyone in the audience was a sheepherder?s daughter, or a sheep farmer?s daughter, or finally just a farmer?s daughter. Being the only one who would admit to growing up on a farm, I was elected to be serenaded, shaking my head no until the final offer and then going off arm in arm with him and waving goodbye to DH. Alas, it was only a joke, and I am not lady of the manor. It was a really delightful evening, and he did give me a CD of the evening?s music.<BR>

carolyn

We then went by ferry to Ireland where we spent a week. We went to Waterford, Tralee, drove the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, saw the Blasket Island Center, went to Adare, Limerick, a ceili at Bunratty Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, drove across the Burren, went to Galway, stopped in Cong to DH?s delight since this is where The Quiet Man was filmed starring his hero John Wayne, saw Yeats? grave near Drumcliff, and then to Bundoran. We then went to Belfast, stopping at the Belleek factory where I managed to spend some more money and at the Giant?s Causeway. Had a city tour of Belfast, seeing government buildings and the ?peace fence.? <BR><BR>From Belfast, we stopped in Down Patrick to see St. Patrick?s grave and a Celtic cross, very worn and green with moss and thought to be 1,000 years old in the church yard. Then along the Mountains of Mourne to Dublin where the big football play off was being held and the crowds were worse than Louisville at Derby time. Saw St. Patrick?s Cathedral and the Book of Kells in Trinity College and walked through the Long Room filled with two-story high shelves of ancient books. My kind of place.<BR><BR>Went by a faster ferry to Holyhead, stopped at that Welsh town with the impossibly long name, and drove through Snowdonia Park (reminiscent of the Colorado Rockies), stopping at Llangollen, which was charming. Then back into England, to Chester where we walked on the walls built over the original Roman construction and enjoyed the beautiful buildings. <BR>

carolyn

Then we were on our way to Scotland; stopped at Grasmere and saw Wordsworth?s grave and ate delicious gingerbread sold in a tiny shop that was a school house from 1620 to the mid-1800?s. Made a pit stop at Gretna Green and arrived in Glasgow. From there, drove beside Loch Lomond and Ben Nevis through Rannoch Moor, Glen Coe, and Fort William to Maillaig where we took the ferry to the Isle of Skye, visiting the Clan Donald Center, saw beautiful scenery, and learned a lot about Bonnie Prince Charlie. Back to the mainland across the new bridge, along Loch Ness (no monster in sight), and to Inverness. <BR><BR>Went into the northern Highlands with stony mountaintops, many lakes, and scattered sheep. Saw Inverewe Gardens and Corrieshalloch Gorge and visited a distillery that uses whisky barrels from Kentucky. Saw the Clava cairns and standing stones, Culloden Field (more about BP Charlie), and heather, gorse, more fat sheep, pheasants, grouse, and Highland cows. The royal family was at Windsor, so we saw Crathie Church where they worship while there instead. Stopped in Braemar and St. Andrews on the way to Edinburgh.<BR><BR>Edinburgh was great. We drove around Arthur?s Seat and had dinner at the George Hotel in the ?new? town. It was dark when we came out to go back to our hotel. The castle was lighted, sitting up high on dark volcanic rock, and appeared to be floating in the air with an almost full moon beside it. Magical. Next day we toured the castle and Holyrood Palace and then walked along the Royal Mile past St. Giles Church, and back across to Princes Street, stopping, shopping, (found Jenner?s, the oldest department store in Britain and very nice), eating. Have I mentioned all the scones, clotted cream, heavy cream poured over all the desserts, treacle tart, banoffi pie, et al? I gained ten pounds on the trip. Really. It?s not funny. <BR>

carolyn

Leaving Scotland, we stopped at Jedburgh (lovely ruins), drove through Northumberland National Park, and stopped at Heddon-on-the-Wall where we lunched at The Swan, a pub put together from an old blacksmith shop and the house next door and quite charming. Across the road we saw a church begun in 641 and containing a Celtic cross found in excavating underneath it that is c. 400. And we saw the some of the remains of Hadrian?s Wall.<BR><BR>Then on to York, the beautiful Minster, the old city walls, the Shambles, and Betty?s tea shop with more luscious food. Skirted Sherwood Forest as we went to Coventry of Lady Godiva fame. Saw her statue and the ruins of the old cathedral destroyed in WWII bombing and the new one built beside it. From there to Stratford-on-Avon. Although I am an English major, I am not a William Shakespeare hardliner; but I have to say that one of the highlights of the trip for me came after we had been through his birthplace. We had lunch in a teashop almost directly across the street, and there I was, sitting, looking out the window, at a very attractive 500-year-old house where HE was born. Incredible for that farmer?s daughter from central Kentucky where our family house is considered very old at 150 years. <BR><BR>We saw some of the Cotswold villages?Broadway, Chipping Camden, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Winston Churchill?s grave in Bladon. Had a walking tour of Oxford, where we saw Chelsea Clinton with a group of young people, but I was only allowed in the gift shop of the Bodleian Library unless taking a tour so didn?t get to see a single book. <BR><BR>And so past Windsor and Runnymede, back to London. Our last afternoon, we walked in Kensington Park and had tea at the Orangery, which served as our supper. It had rained a little while we were eating, and when we came out to go back to the hotel, there was a perfect rainbow, ground-to-ground, across the park with even a shadow of a second one above it--a perfect ending.<BR><BR>I know this is much too long, but it represents a long-awaited dream that I?ve enjoyed sharing with you. You all know how the folks at home mostly are?they just want to tell you what you ?missed? while you were gone. If anyone is a glutton for more punishment, feel free to send me an e-mail.<BR>

Art

Carolyn, I enjoyed your report. It sounds like you had a very enjoyable time. England/Ireland/Scotland are my next planned destinations. Like you, I was also in Europe on 9/11. I was driving between Torun and Gdansk when we heard the news (in Polish). We went to find an internet cafe after we got settled to find out what was going on. We saw flowers and Candles in every major city/country that we visited. What sort of support did you encounter?<BR><BR>

carolyn

Art, people everywhere were very sympathetic. Many places, when they heard our accent, they would speak to us and then very quietly say how sorry they were. The major cathedrals had chapels set aside for prayer, most with candles both lit and available to be lit. Somehow the most touching to me was a great mass of flowers and messages left at the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth.

Tammy

<BR>Carolyn, welcome home, I'm glad you had a wonderful trip! <BR>Tammy

Holly

Lovely report, Carolyn! Now ... if I could just get Italy out of my system...