Kay

Thanks, Elvira for using up all the rain before we arrived in England. I’d prepared for the worst, but in this, my eighth time to land at a London airport, it was the first time I’d ever seen blue skies. Our luck held. It only began to rain the day we left. <BR> <BR>The basics. Two weeks in southern England, Oct. 7-21: Two nights in Oxford (58 miles NW of London), two nights in Woodstock (on the edge of the Cotswolds and more famously where Blenheim Palace is located), four nights in Trowbridge (right outside of Bath), one in Salisbury (nearer to London), and four in London. <BR> <BR>I booked all five hotels through Infotel and was pleased with four. The fifth in London was my fault. It was OK but dreary and I’d tried to go too cheap. Wouldn’t do it again. The average for our 13 nights of hotels plus included (full English) breakfasts was 70 pounds, or $117. Pretty good, but the high cost of the pound killed us on food and site tickets. <BR> <BR>We took a train from Gatwick to Oxford, then had a car for eight days, and dropped it off at Heathrow on Sunday. Most car rental places seem to close at noon on Saturday and only the airport locations are open on Sunday so that dictated some itinerary changes. Eurocar was fine but I doubt if we saved money using them. Perhaps we did, but I just simply couldn’t tell. <BR> <BR>Oxford. I know many say to skip it and go to Cambridge, but I plan to do both and Oxford fit into our itinerary. I swooned over the ancient architecture and famous associations with the various colleges. I admired the first building ever designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the Sheldonian Theatre planned when he was only 25, but did not enjoy its horrid seating for a wonderful concert (Verdi’s Requiem) we were fortunate to acquire tickets for. Coming up in later months was Handel’s Messiah, and I simply couldn’t believe all four hours of it could be endured in the balcony seats with no backs and no leg room whatsoever. Went up an old Norman tower, built right after 1066, and surveyed the spires of Oxford. Shakespeare stood as godfather to a friend’s child in the attached church and John Wesley had preached there. I am a serious history maven so all this transfixed me. <BR> <BR>Blenheim Palace. My husband managed to drive the eight miles north to Woodstock, site of the palace, without mishap. I’d given him the recommended book on driving in England (written by a Canadian) so he was prepared for the traffic circles. He enjoyed them and I was terrified. I was the official navigator. <BR> <BR>We stayed at the Blenheim Guest House, recommended in the Fodor guidebook, and got the very room (of only six) they recommend since there is a view of the palace from the “loo” window. The whole town of Woodstock is precious, even though it is not officially in the Cotswolds. We loved it and ate great food in the old inns there. We strolled over to the palace and enjoyed the magnificence of the palace itself as well as the enormous and lovely grounds. The Duke of Marlbourough and his family still live there (at least sometimes) and they are astute business people, as they need to be to keep up this large enterprise. I say that because of their fabulous gift shops, sales of Blenheim bottled water, and corporate parties going on there. Winston Churchill was born there, by accident, as his mother was attending a ball and went into early labor. As he was “only” the second son of a second son, it was not his palace but he always felt attached to it. There are rooms devoted to him with interesting memorabilia, and his and his wife’s graves are a mile away. <BR> <BR>The Cotswolds. If any of you ever get to the famed Slaughters, as you are driving from Lower to Upper Slaughter and go over a tiny bridge, do look for where my husband rammed the lefthand rear view mirror into the bridge—our only mishap in driving on the so-called wrong side of the road. The mirror was knocked out of commission and it only knocked us back about $100. We got the full CDW but the loss was so small that it was under the deductible. <BR> <BR>The Cotswolds are everything everyone has written about them. And more. Such charm. The golden stones glow. So many sheep! We drove from town to town, and each one had its own distinctive magic. Burford was our first town, and we found a small church from the 12th century that I was very taken with. We also saw Burton-on-the-Water without too many tourists, thank goodness, but I think it’s too commercial even that way; the Slaughters which had posh places to stay (and that was a shock), Chipping Campden; and—my favorite—Bibury. It was so exquisite it was like being in Brigadoon. (that allusion may be too obscure for you younger folk) <BR> <BR>Stratford-upon-Avon. I’d prepared myself for a less lovely place and heavy commercialization, and was that wise. We hit on the yearly Mop Day, an ancient tradition that if they don’t keep it up, the town loses its ability to hold it yearly. In days of yore Mop Day was when workers could come into town and carry the tools of their trade, signaling their working abilities. They could change jobs that way. Only Stratford was allowed to have this job fair. Now it’s just a chance to put carnival rides into the main streets. Pigs were being roasted on spits and a jolly time was being had. Still, Shakespeare’s birthplace was wonderful and I shed a tear at the bard’s resting place (with his somewhat maligned wife) at the alter of the beautiful town church. The famous swans were swimming on the Avon and it was all in all far better than I expected. <BR> <BR>Bath. We stayed outside of Bath (not in it) so we could enjoy some more countryside. We stayed ten miles out at the Old Manor House Hotel, which Wes Fowler recommended and it was lovely. Strangely enough, though, it felt/looked more country French than English. It was our base for two trips in to Bath and then touring the surrounding area for country houses and gardens and henges (both Stonehenge and Avenbury). There was TONS more to do in the immediate vicinity and we could have stayed right there a whole month and still not done justice to the many places. <BR> <BR>I’d wanted to go to Bath forever. It did not disappoint. The Roman baths are wonderfully preserved and so extensive. With your admission price you get a taped guide (as many places had), and while it slows you down, you really do learn a lot about the site you are visiting. Why were the ancient Romans so good at building? They were extraordinary and it’s a mystery to me quite why. I’d never wondered about that quite so much, not even when I saw Rome itself. Right outside the baths was Bath Abbey, a church I liked very much. Most of the churches we visited not only had excellent pamphlets about their histories but also were able to talk about their faith in a very nice, non-intrusive way. Other churches in other Europeans cities hadn’t even bothered much. As a result, the experiences in the English churches were not only historic and artistic but also spiritual. Very lovely. <BR> <BR>We took time to see the costume museum in Bath and it was well done and extensive. If you like that kind of thing, do go. We ambled around the city, admiring the architecture. I am particularly partial to English neo-classicism so I was in seventh heaven. (I am the granddaugher and mother of architects, so I dabble.) <BR> <BR>Now, stay tuned for part 2, in which I describe country estates (Lacock, Stourhead, Bowood, Wilton), Salisbury Cathedral and Close, London, plus my thoughts on England at the Millennium. <BR> <BR>

anecstaticreader

Thanks Kay! Can't wait for the next installment. (What's the recommended book for driving in England?)

Kay

Ooops, can't put my hands on the book info but will have it posted in about four hours.

Lori

Hi Kay, <BR>Thanks for the wonderful report - I wish more people would tell us all how the trip went - it's so nice to know. Having done the places you went to made it more fun to read -- we (OK,I was driving) nearly took a mailbox out on one of our trips so I can sure relate to the rear view mirror incident, but it does make for good story telling later on. I'm looking forward to your next installment.

Kay

Driving in Britain by Robert A.C. Lockhard. See his web site at <BR>http://www.roundabout.net for lots of basic information about driving on the left and conquering roundabouts, also instructions for ordering the book. Very useful. About $15, US. He sends you the book from Toronto and then you send him a check. Very trusting. <BR>My husband, the designated driver, swears by it.

Zoe

Kay <BR> <BR>I have so enjoyed reading this enthusiastic post and part 2 (which I actually read first!) I hail from the south west of England (now live in London) and am so glad you had such a wonderful time. I was born in Bath, christened in the Lady Chapel in Bath Abbey and my mother now lives in Calne, near Bowood. About 10 years ago I was walking with a friend near Mum's and we accidentally wandered onto Bowood land. We were caught by the Earl and given a severe reprimand. He was a governor of our school and asked for our names, so we of course gave false ones! <BR>

Kay

Oh, Zoe, how wonderful of you to write your Bath and Bowood connections! It adds so much to my memories. When we were in Bath Abbey, at two p.m. some cleric got on the public address system and asked everyone (tourists, mainly) to stop what they were doing for a moment of prayer. So we all froze in that beauteous spot and listened to his thoughts. Very special among such history and memorials to the historic departed. I can't imagine being christened in such a spot! Also, at Bowood I was so disappointed. Since the Earl is involved in film making wouldn't you think he would provide a video of his estate and grounds, as I was able to purchase for Stourhead and (oh, dear, I forget the other one). Also, there is a large statue of an angel that sits atop the house and looks out over the river (the Avon? it seems to meander everywhere we went). I couldn't get close enough to the statue to get a good photo of it, there were no pictures of it in the gift shop, and even no post cards. I was devastated. It was a wonderful angel, so expressive...featured in the introductory film to Bowood, which features Anna Massey as the spirit of the house. Loved every minute but miss that statue. You live in a wonderful place, and we drove through Calne, by the way.

Stan

Neato keen trip reportage. Been to some of those places myself. Now on to your part 2.

Maira

Kay----your trip report rocks!!! <BR> <BR>I love history as well and the historical notes you incorporated on your account made it even more interesting! <BR> <BR>What was the name of the hotel in London?

kay

The Astor Court Hotel on Hallam Street, about two blocks north of Oxford Circus. The Hallam Hotel looked great, and it was two doors away...at 97 pounds for a double. I would encourage anyone going to the UK to look through the listings of Infotel and use them to book your hotels and get better rates for you. They are a delight to deal with. http://www.infotel.co.uk/home.htm <BR>

marysue

I stayed at the Hallam Hotel recently and recommend it. When my taxi driver dropped me at the door, he said he'd taken several people there that week and hadn't even heard of it before. I figure they may be having a big marketing push on or something. It was pleasant, good location, good value.