Day 7 London England UK (10/26/10)

We spent the day exploring Greenwich and London today. First we checked out the Royal Observatory and the cool clocks and international dateline where each new day begins. Then we went into London and checked out the Chruchill War Rooms Museum. Pretty cool stuff. Rebecca couldn't get the guard close to 10 Downing Street to crack a smile. :-)

Day 6 Rochester UK (10/25/10)

Today we are in Rochester just outside of London. Rebecca has waited 12 years to see her friend Bronwyn!

Day 5 In the Cotswolds UK - A Diamond Day (10/24/10)

Today Dave and I drove back to our cozy Sheepscombe B & B thinking that WE WILL NEVER FORGET THIS DAY. A "diamond day" is a day that sparkles with beauty and brilliance. Here is what we viewed first when we went down the steps of our room to breakfast. I started thinking of Ps. 23...it's no wonder it says, "He makes me lie down in green pastures, He restores my soul." It was idyllic and scenic, peaceful and quiet.

We feel like we found a gem of a B & B. Here is a picture of the entrance.

After breakfast, we embarked in our car to two of the several villages in the Cotswolds, Chipping Campden, and Stow in Wold. Chipping Campden is known for their thatched roof homes. Each town has a main street named "High Street" where sheep were led to market. The Cotswolds were once a rich merchant area for wool, when wool was a huge commodity. Now, sadly, it does not get much money, so most sheep farmers here raise to breed and sell. Our village we are staying in is called Snowshill. It is sleepy with only one pub to eat at.

A huge thing Dave and I keep thinking about is the rich, and long history the nation of England has. Heritage and history mean so much. Most families hold on to their property, land, etc. The first B & B we stayed at in Bath had been in the caretakers' family for over 40 years. This one in the Cotswolds, a working sheep farm and now B & B, was the birthplace of the proprietors. Every place we go has antique furniture and furnishings....everywhere. While browsing in an antique shop in the first village, we met a woman who is American by birth, and has lived in England for 30 years. When I asked her about my obsevations about this, she said, "Americans are a throw away society". I thought about this and had to agree. Not sure all of what this means, but I think it means that we as a society, don't seem to have the depth of connection to our roots, families, and even property. Every home, shop, even shack, is made of stone...made to last and last for generations and generations. I wonder why we don't build homes this way back home? Wish we did. Here is a picture of a thatched roof house in Chipping Campden we loved.

Part of what made our day so fun was the freedom to poke our heads into shops, or discover random things like an old mailbox dating back hundreds of years, a charming window flower box, or to catch a cup of tea and a goodie. Dave told me he had the best apple turnover he's had in his life, ever! Might have to have some of those shipped back home! :)

How about this stone fence? While driving to the villages, this is what was common place. Gorgeous! Did I tell you that I, Rebecca, drove for ten minutes? It made Dave too nervous and was source of stress for both of us, so I pulled alongside the road and gave it up. It really was fun, but definetely nerve racking. I'll just have to start calling him "Jeeves." :)

After the villages, we drove to Blenheim Palace, one of England's most price royal places. Churchill was born here, but it belonged to royal people since 700 something. The grounds are massive, including gorgeous gardens and a lake, with a palledian bridge. We did not make it in time to get inside, but were blessed to walk the grounds for pictures outside.

I could just imagine taking a stroll with family or friends, or sitting in the field creating a painting...isn't this what I might have done in beginning centuries? Perhaps I've seen too many Jane Austen fields! Dave decided to take a jog across this field...what else would he do given such an open space?

Day 3 in Bath UK (10/22/10)

I had to get my wife in one of these cool looking phone booths. They are all over England and this one was take outside the Fashion Museum in Bath. She didn't have enough pounds to make the call back to the States I guess!

Day 4 at Oxford UK (10/23/10)

It's day four of our England adventure. Today I, Rebecca had a small dream realized...to visit the home of one of my favorite authors, CS Lewis. Lewis lived here at the Kilns from sometime in the fifties till his death in 1973 on the same day Kennedy was assasinated. We met a man today who grew up playing with Douglas Gresham, the stepson of Joy Gresham, the woman "Jack" married in his older years. He is a fiesty man with a passion to see the name of CS Lewis be remembered in Oxford. We saw Lewis'study, bedroom, the pond where he sat and pondered, and even visited his graveside at the local parish church where he worshipped for over 30 years. Apparently Lewis was a dirty bachelor, leaving Joy to replace the carpet where he dumped his pipe ashes. She said, "If it wasn't for the cobwebs and books in his house, it wouldn't be standing." Toiday, residents of the home are students who are studying, often writing dissertations, etc. I would love to come do a short study here someday. They have week long studies up to ten months.

Did I mention we had lunch at The Eagle and Child? This is the pub where Lewis and Tolkien met with other authors to drink beer and discuss their writing. I enjoyed a shepherd's pie, something unique in the UK.

From our Lewis tour, we made our way to the colleges. Our goal was to catch a bit of evensong, the nightly church "service" that most every cathedral has in England. We can't get enough of the ornate and gorgeous stone buildings. To think that many date back to the 16th century. Our nation has nothing in terms of age when we compare!

Day One-Are we having fun\?

We are sitting at an internet cafe, here in Heathrow airport....my oh, my what a day. We missed our bus to Bath earlier because our two connecting flights were delayed because of the strike going on in France. Instead of our b & b in Bath, we are taking a city bus to a value hotel near the airport where we'll return in the am to catch the bath bus.
We've been up for 30 plus hours, have had 18 security checks(ok, only 7), my first vegie Mcdonalds cheeseburger in Frankfurt, and waiting and waiting.

Today was one of those days we decided that what mattered first is that we get to do this, so there is no room to feel sorry for ourselves, secondly, we get to be together, and thirdly, we choose our attitude even when our plans don't work out the way we wanted.

I've been enjoying the international joy of traveling seeing people and hearing languages from all over the world. I met a man from Newfoundland who works on a ship. He too needed a hotel here in the airport.

Dave's highlight is that we are here....and we've got some livin to do in our remaining 7 days. Will write soon! Love and hugs, R & D

Seattle with my favorite people!

Seattle with my favorite people!