What a day! After leaving our hotel we made our way to our next B&B which was right in London. The trip should have taken us about 30 minutes but took 90. Traffic and driving here continues to be challenging. Dave is looking forward to driving in Holland where he says it'll be a breeze. A couple of "car facts". 98% of the cars are dull colors: black, grey, dark blue, white. We've seen a few red cars and a couple of yellow. Our copper colored car stands out. The 18 wheelers all have canvas sides.
We were allowed to park our car at our B&B (a gift in the city). At 10 am we headed out for the day. (We got back at 10 pm.) We had to take the tube (subway) to the spot where we could get on the hop on hop off bus - the best way to see a city. Several kind people helped us and the trip was quite easy - not so on the way back. It turns out we were in Piccadilly Circus when we boarded the bus. That would have been handy to know. The entire bus tour took 2 1/2 hours - if you didn't get off. We got off twice. Our second guide was MUCH better than the first. He spoke none stop for the entire ride giving us incredible history and detail about everything around us.
We got off the bus at Buckingham Palace where the changing of the guards was taking place. There were people about 5 deep at the fence. Slowly I was able to make my way to the front to get a picture. Once the cermony was over, the crowds instantly dispersed. The palace looks just like it does on tv - as is should. We saw the balcany were the royals do their waving from. Off to the gift shop where I found some lovely things to bring home. We boarded the bus and headed to Westminster Abby, Big Ben (which is the name of the bell in the tower, not the tower itself), and the Parliament Buildings. The Parliament Buildings are the most glorious. awesome, unbelieveable buildings I've ever seen. I couldn't stop looking at them! Westminster (960) is lovely - all the royal weddings take place there. We didn't go inside as you can only do so much in a day. Besides, the lines were long. There are police everywhere. Two at every entrance of the PB - and the Palace as well.
After walking around this area for a bit I realized that the bag of things I'd bought at the Palace wasn't with us. This began a 3 hour side trip. After waiting for 30 minutes for the bus to come (suppose to be every 10 minutes) we walked from the PB back to the Palace. It was just a mile away. Back into the gift shop and bought the same items again. We then jumped back on the bus and got off at the PB again. We wanted to see the Churchill War Rooms and the Imperial War Museum. It was suppose to be right near the PB. The sun was out at this point and it was quite humid (we're wearing pants). Turns out the museum was farther than we thought/were told. We arrived to find out that it was closed for renovations. You'd think the people we talked to/the webiste would have mentioned this. And the War Rooms? Why they're only about a mile away. After a brief rest, we started walking again. After about a mile we asked for directions again. Oh, it's very close. Just about a mile that way. The War Rooms were just on the other side of Westerminster Abby - where we started out from about two hours earlier. Sigh....
The exhibit closed at 5 so we only had one hour to see it - not enough. The rooms are where Churchill ran the war from. It was great! Dad, you would have loved it. The rooms were exactly as they were in the war. Maps on the walls full of pin pricks to mark the movement of the troops. Boards noting the number of planes shot down. Apparently, Churchill was a very difficult person to work for but everyone loved him.
Above ground again we planned to jump on the bus to see the Tower of London. I've read about the Tower many times and was really looking forward to seeing it. We had tickets in hand - just had to get there. "Oh I'm sorry. The Tower closed at 5." Very disappointed. We did drive by it and it's way bigger than I thought it would be. I so wanted to see it. :(
Also included in our bus ticket was a boat ride down the Thames. Okay we'll do that now. "Oh I'm sorry. The last boat left at 6 pm." More sighing.... The bus driver wanted to know what we'd been doing all day that we missed this. "Walking about 5 miles looking for things". Hot and tired we boarded the bus again and took the rest of the tour - which was excellent. We got off the bus and walked back to where we boarded it. Turns out we should have stayed on for one more section because we boarded at Piccadilly Circle which as I mentioned earlier, we weren't told when we boarded. You may think that we didn't pay attention (that would be true about the Tower closing at 4. I made a note about this in my little note book I carry around, but with so much going on I forgot it was there. The senses and mind really get over stimulated. You hear so many facts on the bus, read so many plaques, listen to conversations etc that your brain can't take any more - even though you don't want to miss anything.). But we were paying close attention and asked for directions and help often. However, not all information you're given is correct.
It was now 8 pm and other than a fruit tart we shared in a little cafe beside the Thames with the PB in background (so wonderful), we hadn't eaten in 9 hours. We had supper at a steak place in Piccadilly Circus. There's so much going on there. Lots of street performers, people everywhere. My food was excellent. Dave's, not so much. I went into a couple of shops and found something for sweet Addie. It was now 9 pm and we were tired.
Entering the subway we asked a policeman about how to get back to the Tower the next morning - which was our hope. We then studied the subway map carefully, refered to the instructions someone had given to us (noted in my little book) and boarded the northern train going north with confidence. Weariness was hitting hard as the stops rolled by. Dave then said, "I think we're on the wrong train." And we were. We got off, asked for help, checked the map again, and boarded the northern train going north. Sounds the same as the last train right? Thus the confusion. There are 2 northern trains going north. About 9:45 we got to our station and walked for about 15 minutes. Fireworks were going off. We figured these were Americans as it was the 4th of July.
We dropped into bed very tired. It was a great day full of adventure, walking, frustration, smiles, and memories. We loved it!
One thing I learned today: The Thames River was used as a dumping place for 100s of years. The smell was unbearable. The curtains in the PB were soaked in bleach everyday to help filter the smell. It was then, that someting was done about it.
One new thing I experienced today: We went into a McDonalds to use the bathroom. When I went to wash my hands, Dave was standing beside me washing his hands. Separate tiolets. One sink area.
Most powerful moment of the day: Being in War Rooms, looking at the maps and knowing what the pin pricks represented.
One pleasureable experience: Watching Egyptian folks, in Piccadilly Square, celebrating the ousting of the president.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Bradford on Avon to London
Last night was the best night's sleep I've had since we arrived. I slept just over 10 hours and woke up without a headache for the first time in over two weeks. How wonderful! I tried to write the blog for yesterday but had internet problems.
We left our hotel about 11 am and walked to the information place. Armed with a map of the town we headed out to explore. We saw one of the oldest churches in the area - The Church of St. Lawrence. It looked quite large on the outside but only had three rather small rooms. We then climbed MANY steps to get to the wool workers' cottages (the town was famous for cloth and wool). The stairs, pathways, and alleys behind and between the cottages were lovely. Flowers cascading down ancient stone walls, growing in the cracks of the steps. The day started out cool but as we were doing all this rigorous climbing, we were getting quite warm. (This is day 4 in England/Wales and still good weather!) We headed back down to the town center and had some lunch at a cafe called The Tea Room. I tried the scones thinking the English should be able to make a good scone. I ran out of tea before I was done. It was work getting it down. I've yet to find a better scone than the ones our girls make. Dave talked to a couple of guys who were orginally from Poland. They said it was too cold in Poland and so moved to England - where they rarely get snow. They also told us that they can work 30 hours a week (one was a restruant manager and one a waiter) and they could make a good living working that many hours. The Americans could learn something from this!
After lunch we rented bikes and rode along the Avon canal. There were interesting boats there - haven't seen anything like them before - sort of houseboats. After the bike ride I was going to do some shopping but the stores weren't the kind I was looking for. By now it was about 4 pm. We headed off to Stonehenge - about 30 minutes away. It's in the middle of farmland - which is beautiful. It really was great to see this henge that was made of stone. :) I took out the camera to take a picture only to learn the battery was dead. Arghhh !!!!!!I I kept trying and was able to get one picture - I think. I guess I'll see when the battery is charged.
We'll be in London tomorrow and so we started to head in that direction. Near Heathrow airport we decided to get off and find a hotel. Flo wasn't cooperating and was leading us on a wild goose chase. Dave was getting frustrated so he pulled off and went into the first hotel we saw. It was full and crazy expensive. Off to the next one, where we are now. It's now 10 pm and I've just spent 2 hours blogging. Today's entry is short. It is what it is.
One thing Iearned today: British police cars have lots of neon orange and yellow on them.
One new thing I experienced today: Having to pay for parking in the hotel parking lot.
Most powerful moment of the day: Being at Stonehenge that is believed to have been first erected in 5,000 BC. What stands today was put up in 3,000 BC. Or so they say.
One pleasureable experience: Seeing a large John Deere tractor come barreling down a narrow street in the village of Bradford on Avon with buildings from the 1500s all around it.
We left our hotel about 11 am and walked to the information place. Armed with a map of the town we headed out to explore. We saw one of the oldest churches in the area - The Church of St. Lawrence. It looked quite large on the outside but only had three rather small rooms. We then climbed MANY steps to get to the wool workers' cottages (the town was famous for cloth and wool). The stairs, pathways, and alleys behind and between the cottages were lovely. Flowers cascading down ancient stone walls, growing in the cracks of the steps. The day started out cool but as we were doing all this rigorous climbing, we were getting quite warm. (This is day 4 in England/Wales and still good weather!) We headed back down to the town center and had some lunch at a cafe called The Tea Room. I tried the scones thinking the English should be able to make a good scone. I ran out of tea before I was done. It was work getting it down. I've yet to find a better scone than the ones our girls make. Dave talked to a couple of guys who were orginally from Poland. They said it was too cold in Poland and so moved to England - where they rarely get snow. They also told us that they can work 30 hours a week (one was a restruant manager and one a waiter) and they could make a good living working that many hours. The Americans could learn something from this!
After lunch we rented bikes and rode along the Avon canal. There were interesting boats there - haven't seen anything like them before - sort of houseboats. After the bike ride I was going to do some shopping but the stores weren't the kind I was looking for. By now it was about 4 pm. We headed off to Stonehenge - about 30 minutes away. It's in the middle of farmland - which is beautiful. It really was great to see this henge that was made of stone. :) I took out the camera to take a picture only to learn the battery was dead. Arghhh !!!!!!I I kept trying and was able to get one picture - I think. I guess I'll see when the battery is charged.
We'll be in London tomorrow and so we started to head in that direction. Near Heathrow airport we decided to get off and find a hotel. Flo wasn't cooperating and was leading us on a wild goose chase. Dave was getting frustrated so he pulled off and went into the first hotel we saw. It was full and crazy expensive. Off to the next one, where we are now. It's now 10 pm and I've just spent 2 hours blogging. Today's entry is short. It is what it is.
One thing Iearned today: British police cars have lots of neon orange and yellow on them.
One new thing I experienced today: Having to pay for parking in the hotel parking lot.
Most powerful moment of the day: Being at Stonehenge that is believed to have been first erected in 5,000 BC. What stands today was put up in 3,000 BC. Or so they say.
One pleasureable experience: Seeing a large John Deere tractor come barreling down a narrow street in the village of Bradford on Avon with buildings from the 1500s all around it.
Pyle, Wales to Bradford-on-Avon, England
As you all know by now, I wasn't able to blog yesterday. Internet problems. So today you'll read about yesterday, Tuesday July 2 and hopefully today as well.
The day started with a breakfast that was a bit different. Dave had scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast and I had porridge. I don't know how to describe the porridge because I've never had anything like it before. It had a gluey texture. I don't think it had oatmeal in it but it was made with milk - which is what I prefer. It tasted just fine.
After getting my shoes on - Dave was in the car and had my shoes so I stood in the doorway trying to get his attention - headed out. The road right in front of the B&B was an old Roman road. I'm so loving all the history!! We had a list of 5 things we wanted to see today. We made it to 4 of them. They were all within 60 miles so it was doable. The first stop was the Castell Coch - a castle. I was all excited to go there. The outside looked great but it just didn't feel right inside. The orginal castle was built in 1250 but was allowed to become a ruin. Some guy, with a lot of money and a passion for projects, decided to try to get the castle back to it's orginal state. He began this in the 1880s. Apparently the actual structure is authentic, he incorporated what he could of the orginal castle (very little) into the restoration, but he decided to decorate the interior and the furniture in his own style - which I found a bit werid (the style that is). One interesting point about this castle is that many movies are made there.
Our next stop was the Caerphilly Castle (1250). It's incredible! It's right in the center of town and is really a fortess with a castle in the center. It covers 35 acres and has two moats. This castle was mostly destroyed in 1326. There aren't any complete rooms left. Some have walls but no ceiling, and vis-versa. It must have been an amazing place in its day. Every bedroom we could find had an ensuite bathroom - really. It was a board with a hole in it - with an incredibly long "drop". One of the towers (it was the kitchen) is leaning more than the Tower of Piza. During the 1930s, the government put unemployed men to work restoring as much of the castle as they could. It must have been in really bad shape when they started. What's there today is still considered "ruins" but I guess it's much better than it was 100 years ago.
When we came out of this castle, it started to drizzle and it was quite chilly. We thought this weather was quite fitting considering where we were. It was definitely a pants and coat day. Postcards were needed so we stopped in a shop to get those, and stamps. While we were in the store, someone told us they loved the American accent. I'm sure we have an accent to others since we hear an accent when they speak.
Sidebar: For those who followed our blog on our last trip, you know that I was interested in the many ways that toilets flushed. It's what caught my fancy, what can I say? Well this time it's signs. I'm taking pictures of really great signs. Some of them are in places that don't "allow me" to take a picture - like on the roads. Two lane highways have no shoulders. None. It's literally 6 inches between the car and the grass, trees, cement barrier etc. Stopping is impossible. I don't know how folks who get flat tires, or need to pull over for any reason do it. You just can't. One great sign was for a cow crossing. :)
We headed off to our next stop - the Balenavon Iron Works. It opened in 1789 and just shut down in 1971. We saw the very small "houses" were the workers lived. The beds always had someone in them. When someone got up, the person coming off his shift would get in. When kids turned 5, they started the 12 hour work days. Horrible.
The last stop for the day was Raglan Castle (early 1300s). I think it was my favorite. Someone decided it was a good idea to blow up castles in 1649 and this was one on the list. No one lived in the castle after that - they couldn't as there's not enough left to live in. We climbed to the top of the highest tower via circular stairs. It was very high and I was very dizzy. In the banquet hall was an immense fireplace. Dave could stand up in it. After this castle, it was time to do some driving.
The countryside in Wales is spectacular! Massive "hills" covered in trees, fields, sheep, and cows. Again, words can't describe this - and the pictures won't be great due to the drizzling rain. We were way up there with sheep on both sides of the road (no fences). I wonder how many get hit by cars?
We didn't have a hotel booked for the night. The plan was to spend some time in the Cotswold area and see Stonehenge on Wednesday, so we headed in that direction. The drive was beautiful, terrifying, and tiring. Regular two lane highways, no shoulders, very windy roads, and speed limits that are way too fast. Dave, who doesn't get rattled very easily, was stressed and very tired. We came upon a "historic working town" - Bradford-on-Avon. Wow and wow! This is a must see. The downtown is as it was in the early 1500s. Words can't describe it so you'll have to wait for the pictures. It had been 8 hours since we'd eaten anything so we headed into The Three Gables. We were seated in a cozy waiting area - nothing like in the US - and had a drink and some interesting starters. We sat there for about 30 minutes and then were taken upstairs to eat. I thought we were waiting for a table but the waiting is all part of the experience. We were the only ones in the small room were we sat. A long and lovely meal followed. Just now, 24 hours later, I realized that the tip wasn't included in the bill. Sorry to the staff! We finished eating about 9:30 and one of the restruant staff had called and arranged a room for us at the Swan Hotel (1500). We had to wait about 30 minutes while they got the room ready. By 10:30 we were in the room, a beauty!, and fell into bed. A long but good day.
One thing I learned today: Farmers don't dock the tails of sheep. Makes things pretty messy for the sheep.
One new thing I experienced today: Having sweetbreads (not sweet breads) on my plate at supper. I gave these lamb glands to Dave so he could enjoy them with his pig's cheeks.
Most powerful moment of the day: Sorry. Nothing today.
One pleasurable experience: Sleeping in a hotel that's been in business for over 500 years.
Note to the family: If you need to get a hold of us, you'll need to send us a message on this blog. I changed the password on our email account and didn't bring it with me. I hope all is well. That everyone is healthy. Missing all of you!
The day started with a breakfast that was a bit different. Dave had scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast and I had porridge. I don't know how to describe the porridge because I've never had anything like it before. It had a gluey texture. I don't think it had oatmeal in it but it was made with milk - which is what I prefer. It tasted just fine.
After getting my shoes on - Dave was in the car and had my shoes so I stood in the doorway trying to get his attention - headed out. The road right in front of the B&B was an old Roman road. I'm so loving all the history!! We had a list of 5 things we wanted to see today. We made it to 4 of them. They were all within 60 miles so it was doable. The first stop was the Castell Coch - a castle. I was all excited to go there. The outside looked great but it just didn't feel right inside. The orginal castle was built in 1250 but was allowed to become a ruin. Some guy, with a lot of money and a passion for projects, decided to try to get the castle back to it's orginal state. He began this in the 1880s. Apparently the actual structure is authentic, he incorporated what he could of the orginal castle (very little) into the restoration, but he decided to decorate the interior and the furniture in his own style - which I found a bit werid (the style that is). One interesting point about this castle is that many movies are made there.
Our next stop was the Caerphilly Castle (1250). It's incredible! It's right in the center of town and is really a fortess with a castle in the center. It covers 35 acres and has two moats. This castle was mostly destroyed in 1326. There aren't any complete rooms left. Some have walls but no ceiling, and vis-versa. It must have been an amazing place in its day. Every bedroom we could find had an ensuite bathroom - really. It was a board with a hole in it - with an incredibly long "drop". One of the towers (it was the kitchen) is leaning more than the Tower of Piza. During the 1930s, the government put unemployed men to work restoring as much of the castle as they could. It must have been in really bad shape when they started. What's there today is still considered "ruins" but I guess it's much better than it was 100 years ago.
When we came out of this castle, it started to drizzle and it was quite chilly. We thought this weather was quite fitting considering where we were. It was definitely a pants and coat day. Postcards were needed so we stopped in a shop to get those, and stamps. While we were in the store, someone told us they loved the American accent. I'm sure we have an accent to others since we hear an accent when they speak.
Sidebar: For those who followed our blog on our last trip, you know that I was interested in the many ways that toilets flushed. It's what caught my fancy, what can I say? Well this time it's signs. I'm taking pictures of really great signs. Some of them are in places that don't "allow me" to take a picture - like on the roads. Two lane highways have no shoulders. None. It's literally 6 inches between the car and the grass, trees, cement barrier etc. Stopping is impossible. I don't know how folks who get flat tires, or need to pull over for any reason do it. You just can't. One great sign was for a cow crossing. :)
We headed off to our next stop - the Balenavon Iron Works. It opened in 1789 and just shut down in 1971. We saw the very small "houses" were the workers lived. The beds always had someone in them. When someone got up, the person coming off his shift would get in. When kids turned 5, they started the 12 hour work days. Horrible.
The last stop for the day was Raglan Castle (early 1300s). I think it was my favorite. Someone decided it was a good idea to blow up castles in 1649 and this was one on the list. No one lived in the castle after that - they couldn't as there's not enough left to live in. We climbed to the top of the highest tower via circular stairs. It was very high and I was very dizzy. In the banquet hall was an immense fireplace. Dave could stand up in it. After this castle, it was time to do some driving.
The countryside in Wales is spectacular! Massive "hills" covered in trees, fields, sheep, and cows. Again, words can't describe this - and the pictures won't be great due to the drizzling rain. We were way up there with sheep on both sides of the road (no fences). I wonder how many get hit by cars?
We didn't have a hotel booked for the night. The plan was to spend some time in the Cotswold area and see Stonehenge on Wednesday, so we headed in that direction. The drive was beautiful, terrifying, and tiring. Regular two lane highways, no shoulders, very windy roads, and speed limits that are way too fast. Dave, who doesn't get rattled very easily, was stressed and very tired. We came upon a "historic working town" - Bradford-on-Avon. Wow and wow! This is a must see. The downtown is as it was in the early 1500s. Words can't describe it so you'll have to wait for the pictures. It had been 8 hours since we'd eaten anything so we headed into The Three Gables. We were seated in a cozy waiting area - nothing like in the US - and had a drink and some interesting starters. We sat there for about 30 minutes and then were taken upstairs to eat. I thought we were waiting for a table but the waiting is all part of the experience. We were the only ones in the small room were we sat. A long and lovely meal followed. Just now, 24 hours later, I realized that the tip wasn't included in the bill. Sorry to the staff! We finished eating about 9:30 and one of the restruant staff had called and arranged a room for us at the Swan Hotel (1500). We had to wait about 30 minutes while they got the room ready. By 10:30 we were in the room, a beauty!, and fell into bed. A long but good day.
One thing I learned today: Farmers don't dock the tails of sheep. Makes things pretty messy for the sheep.
One new thing I experienced today: Having sweetbreads (not sweet breads) on my plate at supper. I gave these lamb glands to Dave so he could enjoy them with his pig's cheeks.
Most powerful moment of the day: Sorry. Nothing today.
One pleasurable experience: Sleeping in a hotel that's been in business for over 500 years.
Note to the family: If you need to get a hold of us, you'll need to send us a message on this blog. I changed the password on our email account and didn't bring it with me. I hope all is well. That everyone is healthy. Missing all of you!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Cambridge, England to Pyle, Wales
Today was a day full of travel and adventures. We had breakfast at our B&B and were on our way by 9 am. We entered the address of our next B&B, in Wales, and were informed that it'd take about 3 hours to get there. It's now 7:30 pm and we've just arrrived. Traveling today was a challenge and had some tense moments. Much of the trip was driving for less than 2 miles, entering a "round-about", driving for less than 2 miles, entering a round-about.... You get the picture.The speed limit is often 70 miles/hour but you rarely can get going that fast before you slow down for a round-about. The driving in Wales is even more exciting. They're VERY concerned with speeding. Every 1/2 mile or so there's a speed limit sign which is soon followed by a picture of a camera - which indicates photos are being taken of speeders. When driving in town, they throw in the digital signs which report exactly how fast you're going. Now add Flo constantly telling us to "stay left and take the third exit in the round about". Add many drivers, the fact we're still not totally comfortable drving on the left hand side AND watching for signs to things we want to see. There were moments of tension that would dissolve to fits of loud laughter. I suppose I should mention that we'd only been on the road for 30 minutes when we pulled over (there aren't any shoulders on the roads in England - just the odd "way by"). A quick nap was in order. Still adjusting to the time change and the intense schedule. :)
About 1ish we decided to pull off the road because there were so many wonderful little roads heading off into the country and we just couldn't drive by one more. We found ourselves in Northleach - a cute village where we had hot chocolate in a pub built in the 1700s. A friendly fellow in the pub said we just had to go see the church. On our way there, we passed the smallest door. It used to be the jail many years ago. (You have to see the picture to appreciate it.) The church is called The Cathedral of the Cotswolds and was built in 1350. One section was built, then the tower across the way and then they were joined to create a "complete" church by a very wealthy man that wanted to be sure he'd get to heaven. He thought building this great cathedral would do it. Wonder how that worked out for him.
Back in the car, which I'm starting to refer to as the "18 wheeler" or "the tank". It's about the size of Laura's car - Pontiac Vibe - which isn't big at home but here it's huge. It's a struggle to fit it into parking spots, take tight corners etc. Anywho...... 90 minutes later we saw a sign for Roman ruins near Newport, Wales. Couldn't miss that! We saw the amphitheatre (built in 90 AD) which seated 6,000. We saw the bathhouse and the dormitories. This was a massive settlement in its day. Only small parts have been excavated. I wondered about a lot of things while wandering around but one was "how did the soldiers keep warm wearing those mini skirts in the winter?
By this time it's 5 pm and since we didn't have anything to eat since breaky, we went into a very old pub and had fish and chips. They were amazingly good - and cheap! Two orders and a beer for 10 pounds - $13.00. As we're heading back to the car, there are a bunch of guys practising for rugby. Dave wanted to join them - which I discouraged. It just happened that one of the balls went over a hedge very near us and so Dave got a chance to kick the ball. It looked good, the ball went over the hedge and he smiled broadly at the rugby guy and then....turned to me with this intense look of pain on face. I, of course, found this most amusing. I guess the ball is very hard. One kick was all he needed. :)
Another 30 minutes driving, stopping to get directions from a couple of local guys (some folks are difficult to understand) and we're off to our B&B. We're way out in the country on an old farm with stone buildings - barn and all. It's very pleasant. The only guests are us so as we sit in the family room, we have the place to ourselves. The next two nights we don't have any lodging in place. We're off to see castles tomorrow. Someone told us today that today was going to be the last nice day for awhile. Let's hope he's wrong! Today was cloudy, sunny, warm, and cool.
Tonight the plan is to get to bed early and wake up refreshed and be done with the jet lag. Update on debit card situation. It dawned on me last night that I only talked to the lady at the bank about my card and not Dave's. Therefore, his still isn't doing what it should but mine is! Woo hoo!
One thing I learned today: In Roman days (in Wales) sponges were kept in pails of vinegar in the bathrooms and were the toilet paper of the day.
One new thing I experienced today: I stood on the bench in the pub to get a good photo of the fish and chips. For somene who's very concious about "being proper", this was huge for me. Of course there wasn't anyone who could see me, but still......
Most powerful moment of the day: Standing in the amphitheatre where so many were forced to die in one way or another.
One pleasurable moment: Watching the stoplights go from green to yellow to red and from red to yellow to green. We need to get that in place!
About 1ish we decided to pull off the road because there were so many wonderful little roads heading off into the country and we just couldn't drive by one more. We found ourselves in Northleach - a cute village where we had hot chocolate in a pub built in the 1700s. A friendly fellow in the pub said we just had to go see the church. On our way there, we passed the smallest door. It used to be the jail many years ago. (You have to see the picture to appreciate it.) The church is called The Cathedral of the Cotswolds and was built in 1350. One section was built, then the tower across the way and then they were joined to create a "complete" church by a very wealthy man that wanted to be sure he'd get to heaven. He thought building this great cathedral would do it. Wonder how that worked out for him.
Back in the car, which I'm starting to refer to as the "18 wheeler" or "the tank". It's about the size of Laura's car - Pontiac Vibe - which isn't big at home but here it's huge. It's a struggle to fit it into parking spots, take tight corners etc. Anywho...... 90 minutes later we saw a sign for Roman ruins near Newport, Wales. Couldn't miss that! We saw the amphitheatre (built in 90 AD) which seated 6,000. We saw the bathhouse and the dormitories. This was a massive settlement in its day. Only small parts have been excavated. I wondered about a lot of things while wandering around but one was "how did the soldiers keep warm wearing those mini skirts in the winter?
By this time it's 5 pm and since we didn't have anything to eat since breaky, we went into a very old pub and had fish and chips. They were amazingly good - and cheap! Two orders and a beer for 10 pounds - $13.00. As we're heading back to the car, there are a bunch of guys practising for rugby. Dave wanted to join them - which I discouraged. It just happened that one of the balls went over a hedge very near us and so Dave got a chance to kick the ball. It looked good, the ball went over the hedge and he smiled broadly at the rugby guy and then....turned to me with this intense look of pain on face. I, of course, found this most amusing. I guess the ball is very hard. One kick was all he needed. :)
Another 30 minutes driving, stopping to get directions from a couple of local guys (some folks are difficult to understand) and we're off to our B&B. We're way out in the country on an old farm with stone buildings - barn and all. It's very pleasant. The only guests are us so as we sit in the family room, we have the place to ourselves. The next two nights we don't have any lodging in place. We're off to see castles tomorrow. Someone told us today that today was going to be the last nice day for awhile. Let's hope he's wrong! Today was cloudy, sunny, warm, and cool.
Tonight the plan is to get to bed early and wake up refreshed and be done with the jet lag. Update on debit card situation. It dawned on me last night that I only talked to the lady at the bank about my card and not Dave's. Therefore, his still isn't doing what it should but mine is! Woo hoo!
One thing I learned today: In Roman days (in Wales) sponges were kept in pails of vinegar in the bathrooms and were the toilet paper of the day.
One new thing I experienced today: I stood on the bench in the pub to get a good photo of the fish and chips. For somene who's very concious about "being proper", this was huge for me. Of course there wasn't anyone who could see me, but still......
Most powerful moment of the day: Standing in the amphitheatre where so many were forced to die in one way or another.
One pleasurable moment: Watching the stoplights go from green to yellow to red and from red to yellow to green. We need to get that in place!
Cambridge
I woke up this morning at 4 am and it was light outside already. After falling alseep again, I was awoken by "don't worry, be happy" playing loudly in our cabin. It was the wake up call. Everyone had to be in their cars and ready to go by 6:30 - which was no small feat for me but I did it! We had to descend 16 flights of stairs to get to our car - which made me really dizzy. Little did I know that later in the day I'd encounter circular stairs that were much worse.
Once off the ferry we instantly had to drive on the left hand side of the road. Dave did very well and was quite comfortable with it after about 30 minutes. The scary part for me is coming around a corner and seeing a car "coming right at us" - at least at home it would appear that way. Here they're safely on the other side of the road but our brains think we're going to hit the car head on.
So many of the towns here have the same names as towns in Ontario - Peterborough, Milton, Newmarket, Simcoe, Sunderland. There are cameras everywhere to catch people drving too fast. I don't understand their system. There's a sign to indicate that the camera is coming up - which gives you time to slow down. Our goal is to get home without any speeding tickets.
We arrived in Cambridge about 8:30 and were instantly taken back to the 1200 - 1400's. Narrow streets, wonderful buildings and colleges everywhere. Cambridge University is obviously in Cambridge. It consists of 11 separate colleges. The oldest was built in 1284 and the newest in 1596. Apparently, the fellow that invented the "early computer" attended the oldest one - probably in the last 50 years or so. :)
One of our main goals in going to Cambridge was to go to church at King's College (1441) and hear the boys' choir. It, the church service, was an interesting experience. If there weren't any visitors, the congregation wouldn't even have had 15 people. The church was very high Anglican. We celebrated communion - quite differently than we're used to. The choir was exceptional - escpecially if you like "Handel" type music - which Dave really does. All the singing was in Latin. After church we went back to our car to change our clothes. A tricky endevour on a busy street but we did it.
There was an open air market that we wandered around, bought a raisin bun for lunch, and got Laura's phone booth for her library. It was a very hot day - the first one of the summer. Apparently it's either cloudly and cool or raining here. They don't get much warm/hot weather. We wandered around the town for awhile. Fatigue was setting in and the heat was making it worse. Trying to find a place to sit on the grass is challenging. There are signs everywhere saying you can't go on the grass, or you can if you're with a member of one of the colleges. Being new to town we had to keep looking for a spot to sit. We came upon a patch of grass I've named Cow Patty Park. There were both fresh-ish and old cow patties all over the "park". People were picnicing, playing soccer, sitting etc on the grass. Honest! We found a tree and I was able to sit beside a dried out patty. Dave thought he was in the clear until he stood up and had gum stuck to his pants. I'm sure we entertained the folks nearby as we tried to get it off.
Ever heard of a punt? (Nothing to do with baseball.) Well we took a 45 minute ride in a punt (kind of like a gondola) on the Cam River. It went all along the collegues. Our punt driver was a Cambridge University student who told us all about the English education system. It was most interesting. He was really suppose to talk to us about the colleges but we (Dave) kept him busy with all sorts of questions. We did see the first bridge built across the Cam River - so that trade could take place. This happened before 1200 (don't have exact date - too many facts to remember). Thus, the town was named Cambridge.
Ice cream - which had zero flavor - and then off to check out some churches. St. Bene't's Church was the oldest in town - 1020. Great St. Mary's (1200ish) was being restored inside. They still hold services in it with the scaffolding all around. We went up to the tower and had wonderful views of all the colleges. The spiral staircase was very spirally (new word). I had to keep stoppimg because I was getting so dizzy. They certainly didn't make the staircase for any one of any size! Dave got talking to the verger (the caretaker and in years gone by, the "bodyguard"for the vickar. Poor people used to constantly bother the vickar because he was wealthy - compared to most people.) This fellow had great stories ranging from the gang/drug problems in Cambridge (he's also a constable) to the visits Prince Philip has made and the personal conversation this fellow has had with the Prince. (We saw photos as proof.)
At about 5 pm we headed back to our car and went to find our bed and breadfasst. It was just a couple of miles down the road. A lovely place. The driveway is treelined. It looks like a country manor complete with sheep in the front pasture, flowers climbing the stone house, and a horse out front. There was a bit of a cufful when Dave went to take the suitcase out of the car. It wasn't zipped shut (after our clothes changing ealier in the day) and so our clothes were all over the driveway.
Our host, Ralph, is very British. Our room is lovely. It over looks a wonderful back yard and gardens. Ralph told us that there was a great place, The Plough, to eat near by. Here are the directions: go round the garage, to the meadow where you'll see a wooden post marking the path. Take the path through the meadow, some woods, and then into a small village. So off we went. It was a great walk. We arrived at the resturant to find out that they were out of food. Due to the wonderful weather, they were extremely busy. We expressed our disappointment and were told they could make a pizza for us. Wehad our hearts set on fish and chips but settled for pizza - the most unquie pizza I've every had. On the way back to the B&B, we cut through the meadow and paid for tht by having a number of fat slugs stuck to our feet (wearing sandels).
We're now tucked snuggly in our room. I had a cup of tea. It's so wonderful to be able to have tea in our room. Such a treat for a non coffee drinker. Tomorrow we head for Wales. I learned today that England uses miles and not klms. This was news to us as we had planned our travel assuming everything was in klms. Tomorrow's drive may well be much longer than we thought.
Oh, and the debit card issue - not solved.
One thing I learned today: A two lane highway is called an "A road". A "dual carriage way" means that there are 2 lanes of traffic going in the same direction. A motorway is a three lane highway - each side.
One new thing I experinced today: Waiting in line for 15 minutes to get into church.
Most powerful moment of the day: Worshipping in a church that has been used for over 600 years.
One pleasurable experience: Having a pleasant shopkeeper explain British currency to me. The smaller coins are worth more than the larger ones.
Once off the ferry we instantly had to drive on the left hand side of the road. Dave did very well and was quite comfortable with it after about 30 minutes. The scary part for me is coming around a corner and seeing a car "coming right at us" - at least at home it would appear that way. Here they're safely on the other side of the road but our brains think we're going to hit the car head on.
So many of the towns here have the same names as towns in Ontario - Peterborough, Milton, Newmarket, Simcoe, Sunderland. There are cameras everywhere to catch people drving too fast. I don't understand their system. There's a sign to indicate that the camera is coming up - which gives you time to slow down. Our goal is to get home without any speeding tickets.
We arrived in Cambridge about 8:30 and were instantly taken back to the 1200 - 1400's. Narrow streets, wonderful buildings and colleges everywhere. Cambridge University is obviously in Cambridge. It consists of 11 separate colleges. The oldest was built in 1284 and the newest in 1596. Apparently, the fellow that invented the "early computer" attended the oldest one - probably in the last 50 years or so. :)
One of our main goals in going to Cambridge was to go to church at King's College (1441) and hear the boys' choir. It, the church service, was an interesting experience. If there weren't any visitors, the congregation wouldn't even have had 15 people. The church was very high Anglican. We celebrated communion - quite differently than we're used to. The choir was exceptional - escpecially if you like "Handel" type music - which Dave really does. All the singing was in Latin. After church we went back to our car to change our clothes. A tricky endevour on a busy street but we did it.
There was an open air market that we wandered around, bought a raisin bun for lunch, and got Laura's phone booth for her library. It was a very hot day - the first one of the summer. Apparently it's either cloudly and cool or raining here. They don't get much warm/hot weather. We wandered around the town for awhile. Fatigue was setting in and the heat was making it worse. Trying to find a place to sit on the grass is challenging. There are signs everywhere saying you can't go on the grass, or you can if you're with a member of one of the colleges. Being new to town we had to keep looking for a spot to sit. We came upon a patch of grass I've named Cow Patty Park. There were both fresh-ish and old cow patties all over the "park". People were picnicing, playing soccer, sitting etc on the grass. Honest! We found a tree and I was able to sit beside a dried out patty. Dave thought he was in the clear until he stood up and had gum stuck to his pants. I'm sure we entertained the folks nearby as we tried to get it off.
Ever heard of a punt? (Nothing to do with baseball.) Well we took a 45 minute ride in a punt (kind of like a gondola) on the Cam River. It went all along the collegues. Our punt driver was a Cambridge University student who told us all about the English education system. It was most interesting. He was really suppose to talk to us about the colleges but we (Dave) kept him busy with all sorts of questions. We did see the first bridge built across the Cam River - so that trade could take place. This happened before 1200 (don't have exact date - too many facts to remember). Thus, the town was named Cambridge.
Ice cream - which had zero flavor - and then off to check out some churches. St. Bene't's Church was the oldest in town - 1020. Great St. Mary's (1200ish) was being restored inside. They still hold services in it with the scaffolding all around. We went up to the tower and had wonderful views of all the colleges. The spiral staircase was very spirally (new word). I had to keep stoppimg because I was getting so dizzy. They certainly didn't make the staircase for any one of any size! Dave got talking to the verger (the caretaker and in years gone by, the "bodyguard"for the vickar. Poor people used to constantly bother the vickar because he was wealthy - compared to most people.) This fellow had great stories ranging from the gang/drug problems in Cambridge (he's also a constable) to the visits Prince Philip has made and the personal conversation this fellow has had with the Prince. (We saw photos as proof.)
At about 5 pm we headed back to our car and went to find our bed and breadfasst. It was just a couple of miles down the road. A lovely place. The driveway is treelined. It looks like a country manor complete with sheep in the front pasture, flowers climbing the stone house, and a horse out front. There was a bit of a cufful when Dave went to take the suitcase out of the car. It wasn't zipped shut (after our clothes changing ealier in the day) and so our clothes were all over the driveway.
Our host, Ralph, is very British. Our room is lovely. It over looks a wonderful back yard and gardens. Ralph told us that there was a great place, The Plough, to eat near by. Here are the directions: go round the garage, to the meadow where you'll see a wooden post marking the path. Take the path through the meadow, some woods, and then into a small village. So off we went. It was a great walk. We arrived at the resturant to find out that they were out of food. Due to the wonderful weather, they were extremely busy. We expressed our disappointment and were told they could make a pizza for us. Wehad our hearts set on fish and chips but settled for pizza - the most unquie pizza I've every had. On the way back to the B&B, we cut through the meadow and paid for tht by having a number of fat slugs stuck to our feet (wearing sandels).
We're now tucked snuggly in our room. I had a cup of tea. It's so wonderful to be able to have tea in our room. Such a treat for a non coffee drinker. Tomorrow we head for Wales. I learned today that England uses miles and not klms. This was news to us as we had planned our travel assuming everything was in klms. Tomorrow's drive may well be much longer than we thought.
Oh, and the debit card issue - not solved.
One thing I learned today: A two lane highway is called an "A road". A "dual carriage way" means that there are 2 lanes of traffic going in the same direction. A motorway is a three lane highway - each side.
One new thing I experinced today: Waiting in line for 15 minutes to get into church.
Most powerful moment of the day: Worshipping in a church that has been used for over 600 years.
One pleasurable experience: Having a pleasant shopkeeper explain British currency to me. The smaller coins are worth more than the larger ones.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Amsterdam to Hook of Holland
To say that today was a full day would be an understatement. We left home at 4:30 pm yesterday and drove to Detroit. All went very smoothly, which was wonderful! We left the car at the car park and made it to the airport with a comfortable cushion of time before the flight - which ended up being delayed about 30 minutes. We got snuggled in our seats, took some pills to help us sleep (left at 10:30) and off we went. We both slept fairly well. We landed just before noon. After getting our luggage, we went to pick up the rental car. We were told that we could have a Ford Focus - which was disappointing. We can drive that at home. So we asked for something else. It sounded like we were getting something European but it turned out to be a Hyundai. Sigh........ It's much bigger than the car we had last time - which is great for luggage. After we figured out how to turn the car on and get the trunk open, we were on our way. Flo (our GPS lady) came along again and she kicked into gear right away. I think we frustrated her for the first 15 minutes but we got to see some lovely countryside. Lots of dykes, bikes, Dutch houses, and an incredible number of greeenhouses.
We headed to the Hook of Holland which was only a 45 minute drive. We didn't have an address so Dave put in the name of the town and Wilhelmena St. into Flo. Most towns (in Holland) have a street with a name close to this and so we at least get into town. We were both very tired at this point. We got to the town about 2 - just in time to see the 2:30 ferry head off to England. Ours was the 9:30 ferry. We parked the car downtown - which was bustling with people doing their shopping. Loaves of bread and bunches of flowers in bike baskets - so Dutch! We wanted to get something to eat and after a couple of tries found a place that had pannekokken (dutch pancakes). They were amazing! We then had to solve a rather significant dilemma. At the airport we tried to get some cash out of the ATM. It told us that we had insufficient funds - which wasn't true. So we needed to call our bank and get that straightened out right away! Did you know that they aren't any pay phones in Holland any more? Me neither. Awonderful women, who worked at the ferry station, let me use her cell phone. Turns out that the new debit cards, we received for our account, were the problem but all was fixed during the phone call. Or so we've been told. We won't know until we try to use the card again.
We got in line for the ferry, which was to start loading at 6:45. Perfect time for a nap. We slept for about an hour - which we both really needed! There was still about an hour before the ferry left so we wandered back into town to find almost all the shops closed. A wonderful find was a store much like Aldis. Great prices and full of dutch food. (Of course it would be but this was exciting to us!) We bought some chocolate and almond cakes, plopped ourselves on a bench on the street and had a snack. We've eaten often since we left home. We had supper at 6 pm on Friday, a second supper on the plane at midnight (these are all Eastern times), breakfast on the plane at 4:30 am, our pancakes at 10 am, and our snack at noon (still ET time). It's now 3 pm (8 pm for us) and we plan to have supper before we head to bed. That's five meals and one snack in just over 24 hours. Is it any wonder people gain weight when they're on holidays?
Right noe we're sitting on the ferry that will take us to Harwick, England. It should be setting sail in about 30 minutes. The ship is very much like the cruise ship we were on at New Year's. Our room is on the 11th floor and has a window. When walking in the halls, on the deck, in the restrauants etc, it's very much like the cruise ship. There's lots to do here but I think we'll be sleeping. The boat will land at 6:30 tomorrow (Sunday morning). Our wake-up call comes at 5:30 am which should allow us to get a good night's sleep.
We did a bit of a walkabout on the ship and went through a door with a lock on it but Dave was sure it was fine. It was open after all. Wrong! A very pleasant English ship employee said we weren't allowed up there but not to worry. "Let me take your picture before you head down." :)
Right now we're sitting in a lounge . As I blog, Dave's watching the boats go by. He's pretty mellow at this point. I think a supper we don't really need may be next and then it's time to slip under the sheets. Hopefully tomorrow we're much more rested and can really get into the holiday spirit.
One thing I learned today: When people need to catch a train, they can leave their bike in a cage - complete with a roof and lock.
One new thing I experienced today: Calling the US from Europe.
Most powerful moment of the day: It will be when I hit the pillow tonight.
One pleasureable experience: Enjoying the incredibly clean windows on people's homes.
We headed to the Hook of Holland which was only a 45 minute drive. We didn't have an address so Dave put in the name of the town and Wilhelmena St. into Flo. Most towns (in Holland) have a street with a name close to this and so we at least get into town. We were both very tired at this point. We got to the town about 2 - just in time to see the 2:30 ferry head off to England. Ours was the 9:30 ferry. We parked the car downtown - which was bustling with people doing their shopping. Loaves of bread and bunches of flowers in bike baskets - so Dutch! We wanted to get something to eat and after a couple of tries found a place that had pannekokken (dutch pancakes). They were amazing! We then had to solve a rather significant dilemma. At the airport we tried to get some cash out of the ATM. It told us that we had insufficient funds - which wasn't true. So we needed to call our bank and get that straightened out right away! Did you know that they aren't any pay phones in Holland any more? Me neither. Awonderful women, who worked at the ferry station, let me use her cell phone. Turns out that the new debit cards, we received for our account, were the problem but all was fixed during the phone call. Or so we've been told. We won't know until we try to use the card again.
We got in line for the ferry, which was to start loading at 6:45. Perfect time for a nap. We slept for about an hour - which we both really needed! There was still about an hour before the ferry left so we wandered back into town to find almost all the shops closed. A wonderful find was a store much like Aldis. Great prices and full of dutch food. (Of course it would be but this was exciting to us!) We bought some chocolate and almond cakes, plopped ourselves on a bench on the street and had a snack. We've eaten often since we left home. We had supper at 6 pm on Friday, a second supper on the plane at midnight (these are all Eastern times), breakfast on the plane at 4:30 am, our pancakes at 10 am, and our snack at noon (still ET time). It's now 3 pm (8 pm for us) and we plan to have supper before we head to bed. That's five meals and one snack in just over 24 hours. Is it any wonder people gain weight when they're on holidays?
Right noe we're sitting on the ferry that will take us to Harwick, England. It should be setting sail in about 30 minutes. The ship is very much like the cruise ship we were on at New Year's. Our room is on the 11th floor and has a window. When walking in the halls, on the deck, in the restrauants etc, it's very much like the cruise ship. There's lots to do here but I think we'll be sleeping. The boat will land at 6:30 tomorrow (Sunday morning). Our wake-up call comes at 5:30 am which should allow us to get a good night's sleep.
We did a bit of a walkabout on the ship and went through a door with a lock on it but Dave was sure it was fine. It was open after all. Wrong! A very pleasant English ship employee said we weren't allowed up there but not to worry. "Let me take your picture before you head down." :)
Right now we're sitting in a lounge . As I blog, Dave's watching the boats go by. He's pretty mellow at this point. I think a supper we don't really need may be next and then it's time to slip under the sheets. Hopefully tomorrow we're much more rested and can really get into the holiday spirit.
One thing I learned today: When people need to catch a train, they can leave their bike in a cage - complete with a roof and lock.
One new thing I experienced today: Calling the US from Europe.
Most powerful moment of the day: It will be when I hit the pillow tonight.
One pleasureable experience: Enjoying the incredibly clean windows on people's homes.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Oosterend to Amsterdam
Thursday was the last Dutch breakfast we'll have. We both really enjoy these. Cheese, sliced meats, breads, boiled eggs, and the traditional sweet things - hackislaw, mousshas, hail etc. We had an early start to the day. We were to be at Dave's aunt's house at 10 am. We needed to pack (something we do almost everyday. Living out of a suitcase is really quite easy.), have breakfast, get the daily post written, and take a drive to the coast before 10.
The coast was only a few minutes away. It's a whole different world there. A real tourist town with lots of stores you'd expect to see in an oceanside town. It was very windy. Apparently it's generally windy all over the island. There were many small (6x9 yards) beach huts lined up along the beach. People rent the space to put them on and use them as a tent/cottage. One of Dave's cousins has one. They go to the beach as much as possible. The hut has a bed, a small stove, and a toilet.
We got to Dave's aunt's house by 10. She doesn't speak English but we made out alright for about 15 minutes and then her son, who speaks Enlgish, came. Another cousin and her husband also came. We visited, and had coffee, for almost 2 hours. Again we showed the pictures of our family. After the visit Dave and I wandered through the village getting some great photos. Then it was off to the ferry.
We arrived back on the mainland by 1:30 and headed toward Amsterdam. We stopped in Voledan which was supposed to have a fish market (we still had to get some sour herring, which we love!). Unfortunately there wasn't a fish market. It was another town that had a lot of shops for tourists. We wandered around for awhile, picking up a few things. Dave was able to find a stall that sold fish and bought a sour herring. He took one bite and that was it. He said it was terrible - really terrible. I took his word for it. So into the garbage he fish went.
Next we headed to the town of Edam. We wanted to see the cheese market and all the excitement of that but that didn't occur until Friday. We found a couple of nice cheese shops and did some sampling. Needeless to say, some cheese will be coming home with us.
Amsterdam was only about 15 minutes away. Dave is a real pro at driving here now. Traffic circles (which are everywhere - and make traveling much quicker as there are no stop signs to deal with) are no problem. When we came into the centre of Amsterdam, what was intimidating 2 weeks ago, was a breeze. Our final hotel was on the edge of the canal in old Amsterdam. The whole building is leaning. You can't really see it from the outside but you feel it on the inside. When I come up the stairs and step to the left, I stumble for several steps as the floor slopes. It's quite funny to watch. The reason the buildings are leaning is because they're all built on poles - which need to be replaced. Dave found out this project will take place by digging out the earth beneath the buildings, creating a subway of sorts, and putting in new foundations. A museum nearby has just had this done. It took 20 years to do this one building!
We lugged all our luggage and shopping bags to our room as it's time to pack everything up for the trip home. The stairs in the hotel are very steep. Getting the heavy bags back down will be a challenge.
After a rest (it was a very short night the night before), we headed out for our last dinner in Europe. Since we're in the heart of the city, there were many cafes to choose from. The day had been fairly warm but by 7 pm it was once again cold. We didn't dress properly so it was a chilly meal. The main actor from the Harry Potter movies was making an appearance right across the street from the cafe. There were a lot of sceaming girls. I caught a quick glimpse of him.
By 8ish we were back in the room. We did really well with our lodging. We didn't know quite what to except since we weren't paying top dollar for the rooms. Only once (in Eindhoven) did we have to share a bathroom. We'd read online that some rooms didn't have towels and some not even toilet paper. I brought these things along, as well as a number of other things (mini fans, extension cords, iron). For the most part we packed really well. We bought new suitcases before we left. As I was zipping the large one up on our bed (before we left) the zipper split open. The zipper has continued to be a problem on a daily basis. It made it to Europe just fine but I'm concerned about the trip home. We need to buy some straps to be sure it stays shut. I'll need to see if the store will replace it when we return.
It's now Friday morning and I'm sitting by the open window in our room. The sun is shining but it's quite cool outside. The suitcases need to be carefully packed. We're off to tour the Heineken factory this morning. Our flight leaves at 5:30 (11:30 am for all of you). We land at 7:30 pm and Elaine will pick us up. I don't know when I'll be able to enter the final chapter of the blog. It may well be on Monday when we're at home. You kids will be leaving for Cananda and the wedding about the time we're getting on the plane. Drive carefully and we'll see you tomorrow.
A few more things more tidbits for you:
- both Dave and I have been told we look Dutch and could blend in very easily.
- cars and parking. All of the parking on the streets is parallel. When entering these very narrow streets we'd look to the parked cars to determine if the street was a one way street or not. (the signs here aren't always the best) This didn't work as cars park facing both
directions.
- one more way to flush a toilet - push a button on top of the tank. Stepping on a button on the floor is my favorite. :)
- stickers by the mailslots. Most homes have a sticker by the mailslot which has two words on it. They can be either "nee" (no) or "ja" (yes). The word on the left indicates if the home wants flyers or not. The word on the right indicates if they want the paper or not. Nifty
system!
The coast was only a few minutes away. It's a whole different world there. A real tourist town with lots of stores you'd expect to see in an oceanside town. It was very windy. Apparently it's generally windy all over the island. There were many small (6x9 yards) beach huts lined up along the beach. People rent the space to put them on and use them as a tent/cottage. One of Dave's cousins has one. They go to the beach as much as possible. The hut has a bed, a small stove, and a toilet.
We got to Dave's aunt's house by 10. She doesn't speak English but we made out alright for about 15 minutes and then her son, who speaks Enlgish, came. Another cousin and her husband also came. We visited, and had coffee, for almost 2 hours. Again we showed the pictures of our family. After the visit Dave and I wandered through the village getting some great photos. Then it was off to the ferry.
We arrived back on the mainland by 1:30 and headed toward Amsterdam. We stopped in Voledan which was supposed to have a fish market (we still had to get some sour herring, which we love!). Unfortunately there wasn't a fish market. It was another town that had a lot of shops for tourists. We wandered around for awhile, picking up a few things. Dave was able to find a stall that sold fish and bought a sour herring. He took one bite and that was it. He said it was terrible - really terrible. I took his word for it. So into the garbage he fish went.
Next we headed to the town of Edam. We wanted to see the cheese market and all the excitement of that but that didn't occur until Friday. We found a couple of nice cheese shops and did some sampling. Needeless to say, some cheese will be coming home with us.
Amsterdam was only about 15 minutes away. Dave is a real pro at driving here now. Traffic circles (which are everywhere - and make traveling much quicker as there are no stop signs to deal with) are no problem. When we came into the centre of Amsterdam, what was intimidating 2 weeks ago, was a breeze. Our final hotel was on the edge of the canal in old Amsterdam. The whole building is leaning. You can't really see it from the outside but you feel it on the inside. When I come up the stairs and step to the left, I stumble for several steps as the floor slopes. It's quite funny to watch. The reason the buildings are leaning is because they're all built on poles - which need to be replaced. Dave found out this project will take place by digging out the earth beneath the buildings, creating a subway of sorts, and putting in new foundations. A museum nearby has just had this done. It took 20 years to do this one building!
We lugged all our luggage and shopping bags to our room as it's time to pack everything up for the trip home. The stairs in the hotel are very steep. Getting the heavy bags back down will be a challenge.
After a rest (it was a very short night the night before), we headed out for our last dinner in Europe. Since we're in the heart of the city, there were many cafes to choose from. The day had been fairly warm but by 7 pm it was once again cold. We didn't dress properly so it was a chilly meal. The main actor from the Harry Potter movies was making an appearance right across the street from the cafe. There were a lot of sceaming girls. I caught a quick glimpse of him.
By 8ish we were back in the room. We did really well with our lodging. We didn't know quite what to except since we weren't paying top dollar for the rooms. Only once (in Eindhoven) did we have to share a bathroom. We'd read online that some rooms didn't have towels and some not even toilet paper. I brought these things along, as well as a number of other things (mini fans, extension cords, iron). For the most part we packed really well. We bought new suitcases before we left. As I was zipping the large one up on our bed (before we left) the zipper split open. The zipper has continued to be a problem on a daily basis. It made it to Europe just fine but I'm concerned about the trip home. We need to buy some straps to be sure it stays shut. I'll need to see if the store will replace it when we return.
It's now Friday morning and I'm sitting by the open window in our room. The sun is shining but it's quite cool outside. The suitcases need to be carefully packed. We're off to tour the Heineken factory this morning. Our flight leaves at 5:30 (11:30 am for all of you). We land at 7:30 pm and Elaine will pick us up. I don't know when I'll be able to enter the final chapter of the blog. It may well be on Monday when we're at home. You kids will be leaving for Cananda and the wedding about the time we're getting on the plane. Drive carefully and we'll see you tomorrow.
A few more things more tidbits for you:
- both Dave and I have been told we look Dutch and could blend in very easily.
- cars and parking. All of the parking on the streets is parallel. When entering these very narrow streets we'd look to the parked cars to determine if the street was a one way street or not. (the signs here aren't always the best) This didn't work as cars park facing both
directions.
- one more way to flush a toilet - push a button on top of the tank. Stepping on a button on the floor is my favorite. :)
- stickers by the mailslots. Most homes have a sticker by the mailslot which has two words on it. They can be either "nee" (no) or "ja" (yes). The word on the left indicates if the home wants flyers or not. The word on the right indicates if they want the paper or not. Nifty
system!
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