We’re HOME!

Hello!

Lovely dinner at Rolleston Manor on Thursday night – I had the fillet steak with béarnaise sauce, and it arrived perfectly cooked (rare!) with veggies.  Robert had seared and roasted lamb cutlets that he said were really good.  Unfortunately, no room left over for dessert, but that’s how it goes!  The wind from Storm Doris continued to howl into the wee hours of the night, but at some point eventually subsided and moved out to sea.

Up on Friday morning for breakfast at 8, and then checked out and loaded up the car for our last night in England, which was to be spent at Heathrow, convenient for an early flight on Saturday morning.  We first headed to Oxford, though, to take a quick look at the Ashmolean Museum.  Not too much trouble getting into Oxford and surprisingly there were a few parking spaces in the underground garage nearest the Randolph Hotel (really lovely place to stay!) and the museum.

We had a good look around and had drinks and cake/scone in their café, and then out to Heathrow.  Well … that place is well and truly a rabbit warren and it was very difficult, with all the construction zones and temporary one-way streets, to even figure out where the hotel (a fairly new Hilton Garden Inn) was located, but we eventually found it stuck out near the Hatton Cross Underground and Bus Station.  Checked in and got a nice room on the 7^th floor.  As it had been rather painful finding the place anyway, we decided to go ahead and fill up the car with diesel and turn it in early, rather than trying to mess with it in the morning when we had a plane to catch.

So … gas was fairly simple to find, and then it was back out and around and up and down, etc. until we finally got to the Europcar drop-off.  Can’t say the directional signage was all that great, but we turned in the car without problem and then hopped on the rental car shuttle back to Terminal 2.  From there, we thought about taking the underground back to Hatton Cross, but neither of us had our Oyster cards (for use on London transport) and it would have cost us £4.90 EACH – the equivalent of more than $12 for the two of us to go less than a mile!  However, a nice man at the underground explained that if we went upstairs to the Heathrow Bus Station, we could catch the 285 bus to Hatton Cross for FREE!  Definitely sounded like a good idea!  So, upstairs and voila, there was a 285 – and what was even better, we didn’t even have to go as far as Hatton Cross, as the bus let us off directly in front of our hotel – for free!  So, definitely a deal!

Had some okay sandwiches at the hotel’s bar, as we had had no lunch, and came down about 6 pm for dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.  Okay food, but not great – we both had their chicken and noodles stir fry.  Then back up for Robert, the master packer, to do one last magical trick – making everything disappear inside two suitcases!  He made it with no problem and I was in bed about 8:30 am – we wanted to catch the 6 am Hopper bus.  With alarms set for 4:30 am though, we were ready to go about 5:05 am, so took a cab the short distance and we were in Terminal 2!  Really, there were no other people checking in at that time, so we literally walked right through bag check and security and were inside the gated area by 5:20 am!  As we had passes to the Red Carpet Club, we decided to spend the time there until our plane was called.  However, Terminal 2 is a brand-new terminal (called The Queen’s Terminal) and unbeknownst to us, the walk to the Red Carpet Club took about 15-20 minutes – so there was no going back to look around in the shops for me!  Oh well!  The Red Carpet Club is really, truly lovely!  Huge space with lots of comfy chairs and sofas and lots and lots of power outlets!  They were serving a full buffet breakfast – scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, tomatoes and mushrooms, which was great!  I doubt if we would have done as well at the hotel!  So, settled in for a couple of hours and then out the door to our plane. 

There were definitely more people aboard the flight than when we had traveled over in January but still lots of room.  We were lucky enough to get three seats across for me and two seats for Robert (because he can sleep sitting up, which I cannot!)  Flight left on time and was very uneventful, albeit long – about 11 hours 15 minutes.  Whew!!  Arrived at LAX and were through immigration and out the door in minutes.  Caught the A Shuttle Bus over to Southwest at Terminal 1 and, again, no real lines for check-in or security.  And with TSA Pre-Check, we didn’t even have to take off our shoes – which I loved, as I am still wearing my SAS Little Boot shoes, which are a REAL pain to get off and on, especially quickly! 

Ordered incredibly expensive hot dogs (Foot-long hot dog on 6-inch bun; not very easy to eat) at the restaurant in Terminal 1 – something like $12+ EACH, but of course they came with lots of “fixings” … none of which I wanted.  However, it was good under the circumstances.  Then, to our flight, and everything spot on-time.  Excellent flight across to home, and I do have to admit – arriving home in Tucson is a much more pleasant experience than arriving into Phoenix and having to drive for several hours!  Bob and Stew met us as we came down the stairs, and it was SO great to see them!  Home about 6:15-ish, and SO happy to be here!

So, that’s it!  I won’t be clogging up any more email inboxes for quite a while!  Thanks to everybody who came along with us and we really enjoyed getting all your thoughts and comments along the way!  Now … to do laundry and recover from jet-lag!

[Added note: Notwithstanding the glitches along the way – closed hotels, a trip to the hospital in Istanbul, cold weather in Cappadocia – this was a fantastic trip.  Stonehenge was a very special experience, as was Turkey where we had a good mix of visits to old and new (to us) sites.  Margaret says that now we need not return to Turkey but that could change if they excavate new sites at Gobekli Tepe – who knows?  And now, she is ready to get into serious planning for our next adventure(s)! Stay tuned! – R]

Much love,

m

xxx

In a word: WOW!

Hello!

It’s just about 10 am here in England, and we were lucky enough to have done our special-access tour of Stonehenge AND make it back to lovely Rollestone Manor and have their lovely breakfast!  We’re two for two! 

Actually, we really and truly hit a home run today, as far as Stonehenge and the weather!  Storm or Hurricane Doris was predicted to hit the UK today, and move through and clear off by this evening; it is a fast moving storm.  We have had mostly rainy and gray weather the past couple of days, and we were wondering if, with the wind as predicted, we would still be able to get to Stonehenge. 

"Slaughter" stone, so named by the Victorians

Henge surrounding the Stones

Those are really tall stones!

So nice to have some blue sky!

Taken by the security guard!

Photo of what Stonehenge probably looked like!

Neolithic pot from nearby village

Recreation of what housing might have looked like

Inside a hut

Stone on a sledge; probably how they were transported

Well, we were and we did, and it was FABULOUS!  As I say, for the first time in days, there was blue sky and even actual sunshine!  Now we did have gale force winds, of course, which is why my hood is up on all the photos (and I had my ear muffs on as well) and it did spritz some rain for a time.  But we were able to spend our allotted hour – 8 – 9 am – and it was truly, seriously and completely awesome – and I don’t use that word very often at all!

Up about 6:30 am to get ready for the day.  The wind was absolutely howling around the Manor, and somewhere outside there is a loose board or something, because every so often, we would hear it “clunk.”  We chose Rollestone for its proximity to Stonehenge, and our GPS said it would take us 4 minutes to get there … which it did.  Our names were on the list, and we were admitted, told where to park, and where to find the shuttle bus to the monument.  In all, I think there were 20 people on the bus, which took us the 2 km or so to the monument itself, and dropped us off.  To say the wind was howling is really an understatement – and out on the plain of Salisbury, there really isn’t any protection except for the stones themselves – which, I’m sure, have seen poorer weather than this morning.  I was just glad for silk long underwear and my cashmere sweater, along with turtleneck, two scarves, jeans, heavy shoes, jacket and gloves.  I wasn’t cold exactly; I was just trying to get a bit of shelter from the wind. 

They drop the security cord around the monument, and we were able to walk anywhere we wanted, except for a small roped off area right in the middle, where they’re trying to get the grass to grow back.  Also, no touching!  But the security staff (probably three in all on hand) were very knowledgeable about the monument, and could point out things such as where the solstices line up with the circle. 

Robert was hoping for a rainbow at one point, but the Sun didn’t exactly cooperate.  We did see a rainbow as we were driving back to the Visitor’s Center, and he did think of photo shop … however.  We got to spend over an hour at the monument and, with the weather, I think we were all ready to get back on the bus for a little warmth.  At any rate, the shop was open then (surprise!) as well as the café, but nothing in the café looked like coming anywhere near to our wonderful breakfasts here, so we drove quickly back and were able to get our wonderful cooked breakfast!  Robert felt, and he’s probably right, that I needed to write NOW, so I wouldn’t forget anything!  The thing is, this was such a totally overwhelming experience, I still don’t know how to write about it!  But we do have one recommendation:  If ever you find yourself anywhere near Stonehenge in future, do try to reserve a place on a special-access tour.  It’s so incredible, and something you will remember forever!

[Added Notes: As Margaret said, it is hard to describe the feeling to have such close access to a monument built 5,000 years ago.  And the questions that come into one’s mind about the people who did this!  Will we ever get the answers?  Almost certainly not but it is fun to speculate.

Also, my special thanks to Margaret for all the work she puts into our expeditions (the word trip does not do justice) that gets us to places like Stonehenge. – R]

Lots of love,

m

xxx

After breakfast, we headed back outside into the wind and drove back to Stonehenge to see their Exhibition/Museum and look through the shop.  (There is always room for shopping!)  The special exhibition was interesting, especially as they had done some recreations of what Stonehenge must have looked like over the years.  For some reason, after the initial bluestones were set in place, they were moved about 500 years later, into the position that they are mostly in today.  Why?  Even those smaller stones would be no joke to move around on somebody’s whim!  Why not just leave them alone?  So many questions.  It was funny, because just after we walked into the Exhibition, the guide was saying something to the effect of: “Is anybody here from Arizona?”  So of course I volunteered that there were, in fact, two of us!  I believe he was trying to say that people from Arizona may think that there is some sort of “receiving channel” here at Stonehenge that naturally communicates with Arizona – I told him I thought he was talking about Roswell, New Mexico, but hopefully that will teach him to ask for Arizonans!  We did a bit of shopping, and then headed to the café, where we split a vegetable Cornish pasty (veggie pie) and drinks, to tide us over for lunch.  I want to order R’s fillet steak tonight, as well as dessert!

Finally back to Rollestone Manor, and I had a lovely two hour nap while Robert read his book – Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None!”

m

xxx

A Wild and Stormy Day!

Hello!

Up this morning about 7 and down to breakfast on the dot of 8 am.  Rollestone Manor does do great breakfasts.  I’m afraid that we’ll have to miss breakfast tomorrow though, as we need to be at Stonehenge by 7:45 am.

Lovely place on the way to Avebury

Avebury, stones and henge

More stones

The weather has become very interesting, mostly because of Storm Doris which is heading this way and is supposed to hit tomorrow.  Storm Doris is bringing in strong winds, and there may be snow and disruptions through the midlands and up to the highlands tomorrow.  It is a fast moving storm, though, and is supposed to blow itself out into the North Sea by tomorrow night. 

Windy, cold and muddy!

Large stone on the right

More of the Avenue with thatched barn and house

Back to the Red Lion!

Those are some seriously big stones!

Yet another henge!

The difficulty, as I probably mentioned before, is that tomorrow is our early access to Stonehenge.  Of course!

Out to the car around 8:30 am and it was a very brisk and windy day.  Our plan was to head back to Avebury and hopefully get some good walking in before any rain started falling.  However, before we were half-way there, the rain and mist, and certainly the wind, really started.  With construction traffic around Devizes, it took us probably almost an hour to get to Avebury; with the smaller A and B roads, which tangle themselves all around and up and down, it really isn’t possible to go too terribly fast.  And then when added with the rain and wet roads … it just takes longer than one would think to get anywhere!

We were probably the third tourist car in the Avebury parking lot, and R paid the 4£ for parking and out we went.  Wow … blowing wind and lots of water and mud wherever we looked.  We headed first to the Avebury Museum, which was interesting.  Hard to believe that for all the times we’ve been in Avebury (probably 10 or 12?) this is the first time we’ve been to the museum.  It included some interesting exhibits and tried to put together a very interesting time line of what was happening here in England vis a vis what was happening and being built elsewhere in the world around the same time.  From there, we headed down one “Avenue” – these are long lines of huge stones, and finally crossed the road to get to the second Avenue.

Weir on Avon River going through Bath

Pultenay Bridge, Bath

Pump Room

Truly lovely!

My soup and Welsh rarebit

R's chicken and cress salad

And dessert ...

We had planned on going up on the hillside to get a good photograph of the stones and the henges, but Robert and I both slipped and slid in the mud, and were lucky to hold on and not end up totally covered in thick black mud.  That decided both of us that with the mud and the wind, we were fine staying on the ground and off any hill tops – which itself was a challenge.  (And another challenge was taking my shoes off when we got back to the Manor … seriously, they needed a really good scrubbing, as they (plus our jeans) are nicely encrusted.)  Lastly, we paid a visit to the Henge Shop, which has been there for years.  In fact, as I recall, I believe I got my wonderfully warm and lined wool mittens there, last time we visited.  Finally decided that we had slid enough, and got back in the car to head to Bath.

White Horses.  Yesterday’s blog included a photo of a White Horse but I had forgotten to explain what that was all about.  Contrary to popular belief, most White Horses – figures created by scraping off the top soil to expose the white chalk layer beneath - are not of great antiquity. Of the eight White Horses currently extant, only the Uffington White Horse is of certain prehistoric origin, being some three thousand years old. Most of the others date from the last three hundred years or so, though the hillside White Horse can be a slippery creature and the origins of some are impossible to establish with any certainty.  It turns out that there is a layer of chalk only a few feet below the surface, making it relatively easy (certainly easier than trying to move some of the Avebury and Stonehenge stones into position!) to draw out some of the figures. 

Bath is truly a lovely small city and we have visited and stayed there numerous times in past years.  No problem getting into the city, although the parking garage where we usually park has some VERY tight parking spaces.  Up to the ground floor and out through the Waitrose (grocery store) and into the center part of town.

We first visited the Pulteney Bridge, which has really a lovely view.  From there, we headed towards the Bath baths, and thought we would try the Pump Room for lunch.  The Pump Room has been a highlight in Bath for decades, as it is an historic building in the Abbey Church Yard.  It has been designated as a Grade I listed building since 1950.  Along with the Lower Assembly Rooms, it formed a complex where social activity was centered, and where visitors to the city gathered.  The present building replaced an earlier one on the same site, designed by John Harvey at the request of Beau Nash, Bath's master of ceremonies, in 1706, before the discovery of Roman remains nearby.

Even though it was about 12:30 pm when we got there, we had no problem getting a lovely table for two.  A pianist was playing standards and contemporary music on a stunning grand piano, providing a wonderful backdrop to our great meal.  I had their “light lunch” special, of a bowl of fabulous tomato soup and Welsh rarebit.  Robert also had their soup but he had his with a ballotine of chicken with watercress and dressing.  He said it was great!  I also had a “chocolate cake” with cream and chocolate ribbons for dessert … that was yummy!

From the Pump Room, we took ourselves next door to the ticket area for the Baths.  Seriously, we have been traveling for the better part of six weeks now and I think this is the first place we have really run into people and crowds, or at least it’s the first time I can remember! 

Great Roman bath

Bath Abbey taken from roof top terrace of the Baths

Great Bath

Gorgon sculpture from pediment of temple

Love those Roman mosaics!

Head of Minerva

Old Roman plumbing!

Roman sacred spring

Potato and leek soup

R's wonderful steak!

As I say, we have been visiting Bath for years, and really enjoyed the Roman Bath Museum – but they have totally redone it – it was done in 2014 – and if it was great before, it is phenomenal now!  They are using many different devices – movies depicting the various inhabitants of the Roman town, and given them names and occupations. Computer graphics that complete a pediment so that you can see what the entire thing probably looked like.  All sorts of clever and innovative devices and they all worked extremely well!  They also provide free easy-to-use audioguides, which really can make a big difference.  In this case, they had one basic adult commentary.  They had a second for children, and they had a third featuring Bill Bryson, the writer we have very much enjoyed reading.  (His In a Sunburnt Country is compulsory reading before each and every trip to Australia!) Very, very enjoyable experience and one we would definitely recommend to others.

Finally, about 3:30 pm we finished at the museum and decided to head back to Shrewton.  It took about 45 minutes to get there – still rainy and windy but the traffic moved well and we had no problems.  Resting up now for dinner and possibly naps!  Last night I found myself really tired by the end of dinner, so may try to get a bit of a nap before we go downstairs!

More later!

m

xxx

Just back from another excellent dinner, but honestly, I’ve decided that I can’t have both a regular sized lunch and a regular sized dinner; that’s way too much food!  So!  For starters, we both had wonderful potato and leek soup with croutons.  Robert followed that by a fillet steak – perfectly cooked (rare) with mushrooms, tomatoes and onions, with a side of chips (French fries).  I had the goat cheese with chutney in puffed pastry … yes, again, but it was a starter portion, and just perfect!  We are now back upstairs, and I’m preparing to post … yet again!

m

xxx