Winding Down

JoDee and Paul were the first ones up at 6:30, so they started up the boat and we got going by 7:00. We were supposed to be back at the base by 9:00, and we still had the two long tunnels to go through. The tunnels went beautifully: Bob drove through the first one, and Paul the second. We discovered long after we’d been through them the first time how long they were: 424 and 572 yards. The photo above is as we were coming out of the second tunnel.

We ran out of water this morning—should have at least put SOME water in yesterday, but chose not to. I was the only one to get a shower this morning, and it started sputtering on me. The thing we were most panicked about as a group was not having enough water for coffee. Never mind the showers, coffee is the most important thing! We did OK, though we had to wait until we got back to the base and had a little water added in order to wash our dishes.

Arrived back at Acton Bridge at 8:50am, unloaded our stuff, and left for home. On the way home, we stopped at a nice little village called Bakewell, famous for the Bakewell tart. Had a nice light lunch that included sandwiches, scones, tarts and tea, and loaded up to finish the drive home.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to post again, as we are going to the horse races this evening. Should be fun, but I expect we’ll be home late enough that I need to get packed up in order to leave pretty early in the morning for the train to London. It’s time to come home….

A Very Peaceful Day

Not much to write about for today. An idyllic, peaceful day on the water (despite the fact that JoDee actually steered the boat for awhile--that's her steering in the picture). JoDee and I ran again, along the tow path. The weather has cooled off and clouded over again, so the dogs are much more comfortable than in the hot weather we had been having. We stopped at a pub for lunch, and made another trip into town (Middlewich) for groceries, and then just toodled our way slowly down the canal, back the way we had come. Found another pub for dinner, and tied up for the night about 20 minutes before the big tunnels. Mom and JoDee and I played a game of 500 rummy, but didn’t make it to 500 before being too tired to read our cards very well. The guys had already gone to bed.

Our Boat Problems Revisit Us

You knew it was going to happen. Bob and I have an exciting (and occasionally expensive) story every time we go out in our own boat. It was inevitable that some of that should rub off on this trip, wasn’t it?

Today started out well enough. We got underway, and then JoDee and I ran from the boat: 30 minutes ahead of the boat, and then we turned back, expecting to meet the boat in another 10 minutes. It worked out almost perfectly that way. What a great way to run—it was scenic and interesting, but mostly, it was FLAT! Afterwards, Paul fixed mackerel and toast for breakfast. We forged ahead, following our map, which is marked with bridges, locks, shops, water stops, fuel stops, turnaround points, and the most important stop of all, pubs. Stopped at a pub after lunch, and walked past an alpaca farm on the way. We needed to find a turnaround spot (not easy when the boat is 70 feet long). When we found one, JoDee and Bob were discussing the 3-point turn that they had been instructed to do during the “training session” (15 minutes, max.). During the turn, the throttle broke, at a very awkward time in the turn. Boats started to stack up behind us as we took up the entire width of the canal struggling with a boat that wouldn’t respond, trying to turn it around. They finally managed to get it working a little, and we limped on a bit while Paul called the boat place and reported the problem. We pulled over and tied up for about a half hour while we waited for the repair guy to come rescue us. Once he showed up, it was about a 10-minute repair job, and we were on our way again.

I did a fair amount of driving today. Only straight stretches and gentle turns for me, though—I didn’t want anything to do with locks and 90-degree (or 360!) turns. The most difficult thing I did was steer the boat through a few very narrow sections of the canal.

We started looking for a pub for dinner around 7pm, but we didn’t find one until about 9pm. It just happens to be the same pub that Bob and I walked to last night, to see how late they served dinner (9:30, so we were in luck). We had to cross over a bridge and then walk through 3 cow pastures in order to get to the pub. Not bad in the daylight, but we came home at 11pm, and had to walk very carefully to miss the cowpies. At the pub, we had a nice dinner and joined in the ‘Quiz Night’, tying for 3rd place, with 39 out of a possible 55 points.

Three Men, and Nary a Captain Have We

Well, that is to say that none of them wants to wear the captain’s hat—all are willing to steer the boat, and a fine job of it they are doing, now that they have figured out how to steer a 70-foot boat down a canal. As I write this, we just came up to a small section that is barely wider than the boat, and we’ve smacked the cement bulkhead just in front of it. I must say, this is somewhat reminiscent of our own boat stories…

This boat is gorgeous, inside and out. Very long, and about 6 feet wide, the dining table and galley are at the front. Three double beds are staggered behind the galley, with two heads conveniently sprinkled in between. There is so much storage that I just unpacked our suitcase completely into drawers and closets. The boat is furnished with cookware and dishware, and has a small refrigerator.

Our initiation into incredibly long boats included a number of tunnels. The first one was really long, dark, and windy. Dad was steering at the time, and we couldn’t see daylight at the end. It was so dark I couldn’t find the headlight. Bob and Paul were on the roof of the boat (you can walk from the back to the front on the roof). The tunnel got more and more narrow (and those of us with claustrophobic tendencies got more and more nervous), and then finally it widened, we turned yet another corner, and came out of the tunnel.

The boat moves pretty slowly (max. 6mph, and we NEVER go near that speed). JoDee and I got out of the boat to walk with the dogs. Suddenly, the canal went through a tunnel. No problem—we’d meet them on the other side of the tunnel. Unfortunately, the tow path did something else, and we got a little lost. In an attempt to veer off the path towards where the canal must surely be, we ended up traipsing through a bunch of think, high blackberry bushes and stinging nettles. I was wearing shorts, and the nettles stung my legs clear up to the thigh. VERY uncomfortable for both of us. We kept pushing on, and eventually came back to the canal, and there was our boat.

We’ve been through a number of locks today, but they aren’t much like the Ballard Locks we’re used to. They are a few inches wider than the boat, and almost exactly the same length of the boat. So far, the ones we’ve been through have been all self-operated. When you reach a lock, a few people get off the boat and lower gates, open gates, crank walls up and down, and then leave it ready for the next boat. It’s a little bit of work, and sometimes there are 4 or 5 locks in a row—as soon as you get out of one set, there is another waiting for you.

We assumed that we would find a pub in time for dinner, but it didn’t happen. There is a pub, but it’s a quarter-mile away. Bob and I walked to it, just to make sure we knew where it was, but Mama wasn’t up to a walk that far, so we barbequed at the boat, and settled in for the night, just tied up along the canal.

Bob Discovers He is NOT Lord of the Manor

Bob and I went into Leeds to visit the historic shopping district. Walked around for an hour and did a bit of shopping, then stopped in at a pub for lunch, and rode the bus back to Ken and Linda's house. While we were in Leeds, Linda was on the internet on her geneology site, doing research on where the Hope ancestors would have lived in Leigh, using census records. She was able to go all the way back to 1841! We left for Leigh mid-afternoon, armed with addresses from the census records. We were able to find neighborhoods where the houses would have been, had they still been standing, but had no luck with actual houses until the last one, in 1901. Bob's great-grandmother had died, and that split the family up a bit. His grandfather, who was 9 years old at the time, moved in with his older sister and her husband. The older sister was Ken's grandmother. We found the house, which was one of a bunch of attached row houses, and took photos. We visited the cemetery where Bob's great-grandfather is buried in an unmarked grave, and we visited the war memorial where a handful of relatives are listed. Then we drove to Ken's older brother's house to meet the rest of the family. They had prepared a barbeque for us, and we had a lovely time meeting Ken's brothers and their wives. The picture above is the entire group: from left to right, Ken, Linda, Allen, Norma, Bob, Jenny , and Eddie.

Bob's been hoping to find a title somewhere in his past: Earl, Duke, Marquis, something along those lines. We've discovered that his ancestors were coal miners and silk weavers, however, so I guess we'll keep working. ;)

After the BBQ, Ken and Linda drove us 2 hours home to Nottingham, before driving back to Leeds themselves. I hope they come to visit us sometime, so we can have the opportunity to show them HALF the hospitality they showed us!

We Check Into Bob's Roots

Spent an hour or so checking out shops in Whitby this morning, before heading off to Leeds to meet Bob's second cousin (Ken and Linda Robbins, the parents of Pete, who gave us the Parliament tour). Ken's accent reminds us of Wallace of Wallace and Gromit fame, but I'm getting used to it, and thoroughly enjoying their company. They live in a house that is 130 years old, and there's a lovely English garden that is Linda's pride and joy. JoDee and Paul visited for awhile before heading home to the dogs. Ken and Linda will make sure we get back to Nottingham sometime tomorrow.

We took a quick field trip to see the Kirkstall Abbey, which was built starting in 1152. It was a monastery for 400 years, before King Henry VIII took all the churches and abbeys away in the dissolution. Not only do we not have anything this old in the States, what we have doesn't last that long, because we don't build it the way they did--it's utterly amazing.

Had a very nice dinner at home with Ken and Linda, and a nice long visit before bed. Tomorrow, we'll go to Leigh, which is where the rest of the family is, and where Bob's grandfather was born. Apparently a 'quick barbeque' has been put together.

Ken is pictured with Bob above.

I Am Haunted

I hardly slept at all last night. Bob and I took the "left bedroom", and I took the twin bed closest to the door. I didn't know until this morning that lately, lots of "paranormal activity" had been recorded not just in that room, but to whomever chose that particular bed. I was a bit nervous when I went to bed. Closed my eyes tightly, and just kept them that way--I didn't want to see any blue orbs in the corner of the room, or any ghosts for that matter. Bob dropped off to sleep right away, but I had a hard time relaxing enough to go to sleep. Finally managed, only to be awoken almost immediately (it felt like) by a racket from upstairs. There were people staying up there, but this noise was not the noise you make when you get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom--this was running and stomping. Then the windows of our room started to rattle. I just kept my eyes shut, and rode it out. That happened two more times during the night. After I'd dropped off to sleep again (after the first incident), I woke suddenly, drenched in sweat. The room was an oven, suddenly. Then I felt a pressure on my bed, like somone was sitting on the bed. Again, I just kept my eyes shut, and waited for daylight. I finally dropped off to sleep again, and woke to full daylight at around 7:30. JoDee and Paul were already up. I told them about my night, but they had slept soundly through the night, as had Bob. Paul was a bit disappointed that nothing had happened in their room.

The apartment came with a little kitchen, but we had come unprepared for that, and breakfast was not included. Paul made a run to a little shop in the village, and came back with bread, butter, and marmalade, and we had tea and toast for breakfast. After breakfast, we packed up and then explored the grounds and the gardens before heading out to Whitby, the little seaside town that was our next stop.

We arrived in Whitby around 2:30, after stopping for Sunday Lunch at a little village on the way. Sunday Lunch includes either roast beef or roast pork, cabbage, potatoes, gravy, carrots, turnip, and Yorkshire pudding. Checked into our B&B, and JoDee and I headed for town in search of internet access, leaving Paul and Bob at the B&B to rest. JoDee needed an internet cafe, and I needed wireless. We found both, did what we needed to do, and made it back in about 1 1/2 hours. Then we all walked to the Whitby Abbey, which was amazing. An abbey was first built there in the 7th century. It was rebuilt in the 13th century, and then again in 1500. It's a huge ruin, now, but beautiful, and the audio tour was informative. We stopped at St. Mary's church and the cemetary (the oldest headstone we could read was 1743, but there were a lot that looked older and were illegible). We walked back down the hill to the old part of town, and stopped for a drink. Wandered through the new part of town, mixing with all the British people on their summer holiday, and had fish and chips from a takeaway place, which we ate on the pier. A slow walk back to the B&B, and a rest before tackling anything else tonight.

Played Scrabble in JoDee and Paul's room (I won!), and then went back out for a quick drink before bed (the term for people who are out late drinking is apparently "dirty stop-outs", and we now qualify :) ).

In Which We Revisit Our Childhood

What an emotional rollercoaster today has been!
We started our day in Dunoon by going to visit important places from when we were here as kids. First stop: the Tourist Info office, where we were supposed to ask for a Mrs. Martin, to find out where the old B&B that we stayed in is located. Mrs. Martin wasn't there, but the woman who WAS there called her husband, who had lived in Dunoon all his life, and he knew exactly where it was. With our directions in hand, we headed off to find the school we went to. It was just as I remembered it! Took pictures, and then JoDee and I walked the route to the house, while Paul and Bob followed us in the car. We had a bit of trouble finding the house (walked past it to begin with), but found it eventually. Houses are named here, rather than numbered, and our house was named Kirkhill. It's right next to a church, which matched some photos I had with me that I had taken with what must have been the first camera I ever owned. I made JoDee pose in the same position as the photo I had, and took her picture. We did a little trespassing down the side of the house lot so we could peer into the back garden, again, pretty much as we remembered it. We wandered around the neighborhood a little bit, while the guys waited patiently for us, and then took off to find the B&B. It's now a private residence, somewhat under construction. Again, we trespassed so we could take a few photos, and then headed out of Dunoon, very happy with our little pilgrimage.

We drove around Loch Lomond, which was beautiful. Stopped in Balloch for lunch, because JoDee had read on the internet that this particular pub had wi-fi, and we thought we could upload blog stuff and check email. Alas, that was not to be. Our waitress thought wi-fi meant radio, and even her inquiries to the management yielded no joy. That's OK--I'm still writing as it happens, the stuff will just be posted later....

Onward, ever onward, we trekked. We had a firm date at 4pm to watch the England/Portugal World Cup match. Since we were pretty sure we couldn't make it to our final destination by then, we agreed we would stop at a pub wherever we were in time to watch the match. Of course, we thought we'd be back in England by then. Instead, we ended up in Edinburgh, and struggled to find a pub with a decent TV, decent reception, and room for us. We found one, but it appears that most Scottish people have the same motto: "Anybody but England". They hate England so much that they'd rather have ANYone else win than England. The pub full of Scots took pleasure in giving Paul a hard time, including many attempts to sing the Portugal national anthem. When the game went into overtime, and ended tied at zero, it was time for penalty kicks. Portugal won with penalty kicks, and it was rather unpleasant in the pub. Paul was despondent, JoDee was equally depressed, and we made as quick a getaway as possible. It should be noted, however, that a few of the guys in the pub came up to Paul, shook his hand and said nice things to him.

We drove on, our destination Chillingham Castle, the haunted castle in which we were staying the night. Arrived about 8:30pm, and were shown to our suite, the Grey Apartment. This castle was built in 1298, and looks very medieval. It's furnished with antiques, and has tons of atmosphere. JoDee and I looked through this book in which guests are to record their "supernatural experiences", and managed to spook ourselves a little, so we put it away. Too many stories about cold spots, feeling watched, "orbs" of light in the rooms, etc. In tomorrow's blog, I will report on our night...

Mini-Stonehenge

Started our day with breakfast at the B&B. We asked our host how far away the stone circle at Castlerigg was, and he said maybe a 15-20 minute walk. After checking out and loading up the car, we started out with our directions (and no map). Bob asked another guy for directions after we had been walking for about 10 minutes. He didn't like the directions, and we all marveled that he doesn't hesitate to ask directions, but doesn't like to follow the directions he's been given. He says he likes to get several sets, and corroborate the different stories. Anyway, the second guy we asked seemed amazed to think we would walk that distance (he said it was about 5 miles: "It's quite fah.") It took us about 45 minutes to get there, but it was a gorgeous walk, full of old houses, rolling hills, and sheep. The circle was at the top of a hill. It's amazing to think that this stone cicle has been here for about 4,000 years.

Finally got back in the car and headed out about 11:30 for Scotland. First stop: Hadrian's wall, per Bob's request, so he could get a rock from the wall to take home. Hadrian's wall was built by Roman soldiers to defend the northern border of their territory, and divided England from Scotland. It was built in 130 B.C., and ran all the way across the country, about 78 miles. There are huge gaps of it completely missing now, but several small sections still exist. We found a section of it, and Bob got a couple of small rocks.

Stopped for lunch in Longtown, and pressed onward--we had a ferry to catch to Dunoon. We made it to the ferry dock in Gourock just before the end of the World Series match between Germany and Argentina, and Paul found a TV in the waiting room. We had a bit of time to wait for the ferry, but he still didn't get to see the end (overtime).

Dunoon is the town that my family lived in when I was 8 and 9, and Dad was stationed at Holy Loch, Scotland. I've always wanted to go back, and this was the perfect opportunity. JoDee and I had done a bit of research beforehand, trying to find the B&B that we lived in until housing was available, finding a map to locate the house we lived in and the school we attended, etc. As soon as we got off the ferry, I recognized Castle House Museum as a landmark. We drove to our B&B, and I had this ridiculous hope that it would turn out to be the same B&B we had stayed at (it wasn't). Our hostess, however, gave us the name of someone to talk to at the Tourist Center, who would be able to help us find the B&B, even if it had probably been turned into a private residence. Enough of the trip down memory lane for today: we'll finish that up tomorrow. We have a round of golf to play!

We drove out to Innellan Golf Course (it's been around since 1891) to play a quick 9 holes. It was 7:30pm, and the midgies were out in full force, but the sun was shining, and the scenery was incredilbe--the golf course overlooks the Firth of Clyde. I'm sure my dad played here. We had a pretty good round--I had one of the better rounds I've ever had, and we had a really great time. JoDee kept saying, "We're playing golf in SCOTLAND!"

Finished off with a late-night dinner at a great little Indian restaurant before heading back to the B&B.

Bob Invents A Drink

Started our road trip today. The goal was to make it to Keswick (pronounced 'Kezzick'), driving through the Peak District to get to the Lakes District (Keswick is in the Lakes District). We got stuck in traffic on the M6 Motorway, taking about an hour or so to go just a few miles. We managed to turn off on a little side road in order to avoid more of the traffic jam, which turned out to be most fortuitous. The side road was a little one-lane affair, with hedges and very old rock walls on the sides, through beautiful farmland. We stopped at a little pub called The Wheatsheaf in a little village called Bowness (pronounced 'Bonus'), and had one of the best meals we've had since we got to England. Bob had an incredible sandwich of crisp bacon and Brie, on homemade bread. I had fish and chips, with my new favorite side dish, mushy peas. JoDee and Paul shared an order of chips and a plate of cheese, fruit, and salad. For the first time since we've arrived, the weather was gorgeous, and I actually had bare arms today! We sat outside the pub, in the sunshine.

After lunch, we climbed back into the car, and headed off to Keswick, driving through more incredibly beautiful countryside, with small lakes and pastures full of sheep everywhere. Arrived in Keswick at teatime, so we checked into our B&B (fabulous), and headed into town for tea. Afterwards, we walked down to the lake, where Paul and Bob played with the geese and the sheep that were running around unfenced (see the photo album for more details), then had a nice game of pitch and putt golf. Following the golf, the loser (that would be me) bought a round of drinks, and we walked back to the B&B to change for dinner. Shopped around the various pubs for just the right dinner, and settled on one that was serving a giant Yorkshire pudding with Cumberland sausage.

The first time I came to England, I had trouble finding something to drink in a pub. I don't like beer, and it's often hard to find decent wine in a pub, so we experimented a lot with different beers, hard ciders, etc. Bob and I both had the same problem this time, because, although he will occasionally drink beer, he's not a huge fan. We discovered something called Pimm's and lemonade, which we've decided is not much more than fortified wine, is very refreshing, and doesn't really hit one very hard. They sell it by the pitcher, but a lot of pubs don't have it, so it's not something we can always count on. At this tavern, Bob was struggling to find something he would like. He's tried Guinness, but he's not sure about it. He wanted to try a Black and Tan, but he likes his drinks VERY cold, and was afraid it wouldn't be cold enough. So, he talked the bartender into making a Black and Tan with lager instead of ale. He liked it a lot, to the astonishment of the bartender, and promptly named it "The Bob". The bartender tried and it, and liked it. Paul tried it, liked it, but said he'd be too embarrassed to order it.

We walked home to our B&B, played a couple of rounds of a word game Bob made up, and went to bed. What a fabulous day!

Mission Accomplished

JoDee and I went for a long run (I think about 7 miles) first thing this morning. It was a gorgeous run, taking us past the Newstead Abbey again, and through a couple of villages.

Because of the earlier professor/tutor strike, JoDee has been up against a deadline, not to finish her thesis (that's been done since April), but to defend it, do any necessary corrections, get it bound, and submit the thesis officially to the college. She's already missed the deadline for graduation, but under the circumstances, they told her that if she got her final bound thesis submitted to the University by today, she could go through with graduation. So, on Monday she submitted the approved copy to the printers, and they delivered 3 bound copies to her today via courier (see the above picture). JoDee and I drove into Nottingham to the University to deliver it. I met her supervisor, and a handful of other people she's been working with, and we officially submitted the thesis. Whew! Now all she has to do is go through graduation ceremonies, and she's finished being a student.

With that done, we went home, where Bob and Paul had shown the house to a prospective buyer (and did all the clean-up required to show the house in 30 minutes). Went out to a pub for dinner, then home for dessert and card games. Tomorrow we leave on our 4-day trip, so we've got some packing and other preparations to do.

We discover that we were born in the wrong family

Today's big field trip was to Chatsworth, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The house was started in 1552, and has gone through a number of remodelings and restorations since then. However, lots of the original wall paintings and furnishings have survived. It's an amazing place: we spent about an hour inside the house (if you can call it a house--more like a palace, really), and then a few hours outside in the gardens, which are extensive. JoDee kept saying, "Paul, can I have this house?" I invite you all to check out the photo album (except for Mom and Dad: JoDee says she's going to bring you here, so you are expressly forbidden to view the photos). The gardens include a maze (I won the race to the middle, if anyone cares), a rock garden, waterworks, etc. Acres and acres of stuff to look at. On the way in, you drive through unfenced pastures of cows and sheep. We had to stop to allow a cow to cross in front of us (there's a picture in the album, of course).

We had lunch in between the house and the gardens, and did the required gift shopping, before heading home, to the considerably smaller yet comfortable home of JoDee and Paul.

Revisiting Men in Tights

JoDee and I started our day out early today, with a run through the forest, before she took Paul to work. Then we spent the next few hours working out some logistics for JoDee's graduation and our little upcoming trip.

After the chores were all done, we drove to Sherwood Forest, and a little town called Edwinstowe, full of little pubs and shops named for Robin Hood, Maid Marian, and all the gang. There's also a very old church there, where legend has it that Robin and Marian were married. We checked out the churchyard cemetary, took the obligatory pictures, and we were off to see the Major Oak, which is approximately 800 years old. As you can see from the picture, it needs a bit of propping up, it's so old.

Went to pick Paul up from work, stopped at a pub (of course), the grocery store, and home to watch football and a movie.

In the Steps of Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou

Today's big adventure involved a 45-minute bus trip to a small village called Roslin. Roslin is the home of a beautiful chapel with a fascinating history, and most recently the locale of the final scenes of "The Da Vinci Code". We'll have to watch the end of the movie again to place it completely, but it was definitely familiar. The chapel was built in the 1400's, and has ties to the Freemasons. There is also some compelling evidence in the architectural sculpture that the Knights of the Templar actually visited North America long before Columbus, as there are carvings of Indian corn in the arches,a plant unknown to Europe before the discovery of the New World. What a gorgeous chapel! Incredibly intricate sculptures absolutely everywhere--seemed like NOTHING was unadorned.

The chapel went through several periods of abuse, as did most of the religious structures (and castles/palaces). It lay pretty much unused for 200 years before one of the Earls of Roslin took it upon himself to begin restoration, in the 1800s. In the 1950s, they tried to "whitewash" the chapel as part of the restoration process. Unfortunately, the stuff they used did more damage than good, causing the chapel to mold over. In 1993, they erected this "temporary" roof structure to dry out the chapel, and good progress has been made. There is a stairway up to the roof level on the outside, so you can get a good look at all the elaborate flying buttresses, etc.

We took the bus back, had time for a bit of shopping and a traditional tea, and then went to catch our train to Newark, and then on to Nottingham (on and off without incident, thank you very much), where JoDee and Paul picked us up. Stoopped off at a pub for a quick drink before heading home to bed.

Who Else Goes to Edinburgh to See Penguins?

This morning, I got up and went running. The plan was to run Holyrood Park, which is a gorgeous park attached to Holyrood Palace, one of the Queen's Royal Palaces. It was a bit adventurous, in that I ended up going there a different route than I intended, but at least I made it there (and back). Great way to start the day!

Bob and I had a full Scottish breakfast today, although, once he found out what's in Black Pudding, he lost interest in THAT part (ever heard of blood pudding?) After breakfast, he stayed put at the hotel (recuperating from yesterday), while I went to see the Georgian House, a house that was built in the early 1800s, and is furnished for the period. On my way back, I stopped at St. Cuthbert's, a church billed as the oldest religious site in Edinburgh. The church was beautiful, and the cemetary fascinating.

I met Bob back at the hotel, and we took a taxi to the Edinburgh Zoo. We wouldn't normally have done the zoo, but they have the largest collection of penguins in Europe, AND a "Parade of Penguins" every day at 2:15. They make it VERY clear that this is a "voluntary walk" for the penguins, and they let them out of their pen and sort of lead them around a circular path. Stand by for WAY too many penguin pictures. They were really cute (except for the smell), and I spent about an hour altogether at the Penguin exhibit. That's it. That's all we did at the zoo.

Next, we took the bus back to town, and walked to Holyrood Palace. Spent an hour or so with an audio tour of the palace, which is still used by the royal family today--actually, they are preparing for her annual summer visit, around July 1, during which the palace will be closed to the public. It's a beautiful place, but I liked the Abbey ruins (attached to the palace, the Abbey was built before the Palace, by a few hundred years) even better.

They kicked us out at closing time, and we walked back up the Royal Mile and stopped at a pub for dinner. Wandered around town for another hour or so, and then headed back to the hotel.

Sorry! No Poltergeists Tonight.

We met our tour guide outside of St. Giles Cathedral. She was a young woman with a pretty thick brogue, and clearly a penchant for drama. She led us on a tour that lasted over 1 1/2 hours, focusing on the grim and grisly, and ending up in the Greyfriars Kirkyard (cemetary). It's not a really big cemetary, but she says over 250,000 bodies are buried there, and that they just stacked up the dead bodies, and kept bringing in more dirt to cover them up (hence the ever-increasing elevation). The big claim to fame for this particular tour group is a poltergeist that visits "attacks" on the tours. Our young guide said that she has had a total
of seven attacks on her tours alone. The attacks manifest themselves as scratch marks, burns, bruises and other markings, and occasionally a victim passes out (no wonder: she gets everyone all het up about the attacks, and someone passes out from fright, I'm sure). She saved the best stories for the end, when she ushered us all into a crypt that was completely dark. It didn't take long for one of the women on the tour to request to be let out of the crypt--she had heard enough! Just before the end, one of the guide's cohorts showed up complete with robes and scary mask, and scared the hell out of most of us. Poor Bob was disappointed that there was no attack, that the poltergeist had not been interested in him, and he wanted
to hang around that crypt for awhile. I, on the other hand, was ready to head back--I wasn't really scared, but I was creeped out enough for both of us. It was a fun way to see a slightly different side of an incredibly old city.

We get doused in history - Welcome to Edinburgh

We were up early this morning for a 7am flight to Edinburgh, and arrived at 8am. Drove straight to the hotel, where we discovered that we'd been booked to a twin room. We've decided to pretend that we are Rob and Laura Petrie (well, *I've* decided to pretend that--I'm not sure what Bob's plan is....)

Edinburgh is gorgeous, and rather beyond description. Bob said it's more like what he pictured we would see here--seems like everything here is very, very old, with intricately decorated buildings that have been here for hundreds of years. After a quick breakfast, we started walking through Old Town, full of tortuous alleys and 'closes' (little dead-end alleys that you can't even fit a car through), up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle (as pictured). We took our time getting up there, stopping in a few shops and checking out an old church that had first been established in 1024 (St. Giles). Because of the occasionally violent history of Scotland (Britain, for that matter), most buildings of that age have been added to/restored/rebuilt, retaining at least part of their original construction. The same can be said of the Castle. We spent several hours at the Castle, renting the audio-tour sets that were available, which can be stopped and started as you like. Had lunch in their little cafeteria, with a front-row seat at the daily 1pm firing of the cannon. After lunch, we finished up at the Castle, and worked our way back down the hill to claim our hotel room.

Tonight we are looking forward to the 'City of the Dead' Haunted Graveyard Tour, which comes complete with its own poltergeist! Apparently they disclaim responsibility if the poltergeist 'attacks' the tour, and over 180 people have been knocked unconscious! (I'm sure Bob wants to be the next...). I'll give you a full report tomorrow....

We Are Abused as Tourists

After our day in Nottingham, we were to meet up with JoDee at the train station, so we could all ride back together. We pushed it a bit getting back on time, and then couldn't find the proper platform. JoDee could actually see us racing around (on the WRONG platform) from the train, and she got off (with her bike) because she thought we weren't going to make it. When we screamed on at the last second, she caught hell from the conductor for getting off/getting on, but we were all on safely. However, because she had the bike, she was on the last car, and worked her way up to where we were standing (SRO commuter train) to keep us company. With one stop to go, she worked her way back to her bike, and we were to meet on the platform at Newstead Village. When the train stopped at Newstead, we waited for the doors to open, but they did not, and apparently no one else was getting off. There were people standing right at the doors, and some sort of beeping going on, but we couldn't get off the train, and stood there rather helplessly as the train pulled out the station with us still on it. I could see JoDee standing there, looking for us, and realizing what had happened. We didn't know HOW to get off the train, and several people stood there and purposely let us struggle (Bob maintains that one person purposely blocked the button we were to have pushed to open the doors). I take back what I said about people being friendly here--for whatever reason, about 1/2 dozen people stood by while we missed our stop. We got off at the next stop, and JoDee and Paul had to drive over to pick us up. How embarrassing! I couldn't help but think how badly that would have looked on the Amazing Race ;)

Dr. JoDee passes her viva

In case you are wondering what that means, exactly, JoDee successfully defended her thesis before a panel, and will be awarded a PhD at graduation (next month). Of course, she is insisting that we call her "Dr." from today. ;)

JoDee and I started our day with a run through Newstead Village, to a place called Newstead Abbey, which is a beautiful abbey that includes a "stable block" that looks like a castle, itself. This was the home of Lord Byron, and it's set on beautiful property that includes a lake (and peacocks!). I'll have to post photos of this later, since I wasn't running with the camera.

Bob and I rode into Nottingham on the train with JoDee. While she had her viva, we knocked around Nottingham, taking the "cave tour" at Nottingham Castle. Fascinating history and a tour that included the caves that served as a prison block, guard cells, etc. I've posted a picture of Bob in the caves.

In Case You Are Feeling Complacent....

Who Knew You Could Get a Drink on the Olde Trip to Jerusalem

JoDee and Paul live in a small village called Newstead Village, about 40 minutes from Nottingham. Today's big field trip was to Nottingham. JoDee had a meeting with one of her advisors, in preparation for her viva (defense of her thesis) tomorrow. After hanging out at the University campus for a while, we went to town, in search of a solution to my computer power problem. We also stopped for lunch (and a drink), at a place that claims to be the oldest inn in England, Olde Trip to Jerusalem. The inn was actually built into the wall of the Nottingham Castle, in 1189 (although you can tell it's had a few additions built onto it since). It's an odd combination of cave-like rock walls, wood, and stone. The picture above shows how it's built into the wall.

Walked around Nottingham a bit after lunch--it's surprisingly big, with some very modern buildings thrown into the old architecture, on cobblestone roads.

JoDee and I walked the dogs when we got home, in the forest across the street from their house. Dinner was 'take-away' fish and chips (the real thing, of course!)

It Pays to Have Family in High Places

The highlight of our day today was a tour of the Houses of Parliament. As it turns out, Bob has family over here, including a second cousin twice removed (or so) who works at the Parliament buildings. Today we found out he's actually an elected official, although that's not how he came to work at Parliament (he's a staff member for a Member of Parliament). He met us at the Sovereign's entrance, which is the entrance used by the Queen when she comes to give her annual speech to Parliament. What an incredible opportunity. Apparently not anyone can get in, and we felt like we got all kinds of interesting (occasionally irreverent) information. Pete is a natural tour guide, and was very entertaining. We got great stories, including the one about how curtains were installed in the upper galleries of the House of Lords after it was discovered that the Lords could see right up the skirts of the wives and daughters seated in those galleries. We weren't allowed to take photographs, but we thoroughly enjoyed the complete immersion in British history--Pete really knows his stuff, and it was fascinating.

Before meeting Pete, we went to St. Paul's Cathedral, which was spectacularly beautiful. (I'll be posting some photos tomorrow, including editing some prior posts--I've not had proper internet access on my laptop for downloading my photos.) We all climbed the 239 steps to the Whispering Gallery, where you can whisper against the wall, and someone can hear you clear across the dome. JoDee and I kept going to the top: another 200+ steps, where we could see some great views from the balcony outside.

We went to Westminster Abbey, but the line was incredibly long, and it was £20 each to get in. However, if you go 'round the back, and tell the guy at the gate that you want to see the Tomb of the Unknown (British) Soldier, he'd let you in. So, we did so, and got a quick look at part of the Abbey. The picture above is the Abbey.

We were to have gone to the British Museum after lunch, but decided to do the Tower of London instead. We're all agreed that it didn't get the attention it deserved, because we were tired, but it was pretty cool, if rather Disney-like and commercialized. Ask me later about how we nearly embarrassed ourselves right out of London with a small misunderstanding regarding our Heritage Passes (passes we bought that allow us into landmarks and museums).

After the Tower, we took the Tube (really! Bob let us!) back to our hotel, and then caught the train to Nottingham, just in time to watch the England/Sweden World Cup game (too bad--a draw). We will undoubtedly spend tomorrow lying around recovering from our hectic tourist schedule--JoDee is a harsh taskmaster of a tour guide! :)

Wherein Bob says "Ix-nay on the ube-Tay"

We walked everywhere today, except for a taxi ride home from Harrod's in one of those cool black taxis they have here.

Started out our very full day with a full English breakfast (egg, beans, bacon, sausage, tomato and toast). On our way to the National Gallery, we stopped to buy half-price show tickets for We Will Rock You, the show about Queen. We spent a full half-day at the National Gallery, which was fabulous. Afterwards, we went to a violin/piano concert at St. Martins-in-the-Field Church (pictured here), and then ate lunch downstairs at the Cafe in the Crypt. The tables are actually set up on gravestone markers that are part of the original crypt. Sounds creepy, but it's not, really.

Next up, Picadilly Circus and then a walk to Buckingham Palace, where we watched the "shifting of the guard", as JoDee called it (they didn't change as much as they shifted). A visit to Harrod's, and we were pretty much wiped out for the afternoon. After a rest at the B&B, we went to the show, which was really cool.

Tomorrow, Bob wants to take a taxi everywhere we go.

Transportation Stress Leads to the Inevitable

I inherited this from my dad, I think. Transporation Stress, that is. The occasionally irrational fear of missing the bus, the ferry, or the plane. It is possible that it's a natural result of years of commuting by ferry, however. At any rate, the day before any trip involving an airplane, the negotiation dance begins between Bob and I. In this particular case, I won, and we were at the airport a full 2 hours early. Security was a breeze, and we still had 1 1/2 hours to wait. So, of course the plane was delayed by an hour. But I was completely calm. :)

We got in pretty much on time (if you discount the time we spent circling over London due to heavy traffic, and the time spent sitting on the tarmac waiting for another plane to leave OUR gate). JoDee met us after customs, Bob traded in a bunch of rubles for significantly fewer pounds, and we were off to the tube, hauling our heavy luggage. All was well until there was a problem further down the line on the tube, and all service stopped. All of a sudden, several hundred people were stumbling around this small suburban area, trying to find a way to wherever they needed to go. We called a taxi several times (all no-shows), and finally ended up with in a taxi we hadn't called. All in all, we spent 3 hours getting from the airport to our hotel in London. Quite the adventure!

After a quick shower and change of clothes, we were off to get a bite to eat, then we went to see the London Eye, a big ferris-wheel contraption built for the Millenium. Walked around Westminster area, ate dinner and watched World Cup games, then headed back to the hotel for an early night.

The picture above is the Parliament Buildings from the London Eye.

I have PLENTY of time to pack!

My dad called today, and asked me if I was almost done packing. When I told him I hadn't started, he said I had more of my mother in me than he had initially suspected. Here it is, Departure Eve, and I've just started to gather stuff together. The mostly-full suitcase you see in the picture belongs to Bob, who's been packing for two weeks. For two weeks I've been bombarded with questions like "How many pairs of socks are you taking?" He has packed 10 pair, despite my assurances that they have laundry facilities in England.

The flight leaves at 6:40 p.m. tomorrow, and I just won't be rushed....