Charlecote (Sam)

Today, my grandparents took Mhari and I to Charlecote Park, a National Trust property. National Trust is a charity to which people donate big manors.  The Trust looks after the manors and puts museums in them, they also do parks and stuff. The House was very interesting, built in Tudor times but with Victorian decorations. It was very interesting to see how people lived back then. One of the most interesting rooms was the drawing room, which was where Queen Elizabeth I slept when she stayed there. There are no photos on our computer yet, but you can Google Charlecote Park if you want.

After Charlecote Park, we went to the local organic garden store, (my grandparents are avid gardeners), which happened to be the birth place of the organic gardening movement. So we went and looked at their gardens.

Then finally we saw the house where my Dad was born in Binley Woods near Coventry.

The Cotswolds

(John) Sept 25 - After a long night of tunneling, we eventually managed to escape IKEA and spent the following day earning our room and board on the allotment.
Photos: Sam and Lesley removing a bed of sweetcorn and other allotment shots.

That evening my parents had prepared a night of slide show nostagia providing proof to my children once and for all that I am or was really cute. 

Sept 26 - Sunday was a bit cold and grey but Lesley and I still managed to run around the golf course before breakfast and we all went to Kidderminster for lunch with Mary, David, Reuben and Rachael.  The meal featured the worlds biggest Apple Charlotte that we managed to finish.

Sept 27 - It was not a lovely day when we woke up this morning.  Downright dreary to be honest.  The rain looked determined to stay all day so we considerd our alternatives and decided that a tour of Englands prettiest towns and villages might be enough to raise our spirits.  My father supplied the maps and a useful guidebook for motorists and like millions of Sunday drivers past we set off with sandwiches and fruit to tour the Cotswolds. 
We remembered the camera and have tried to capture the highlights of the day.

Photos: Roofs in Chipping Camden, the Market Hall, Blockley, Lower Slaughter and the Hook Norton Brewery

Amazingly we did not get lost, nor did we buy much.  The cold and rain had kept away the hoards, roads were unclogged and parking was easy.  For some, the daytime highlight was the cream tea in Bourton on the Water.

I was able to resist and saved my appetitie for a pasty (rhymes with nasty not tasty). 
The main event of the day was dinner with Austin, Gwen and Bilbo at their 300 year old Cotswold cottage.  Austin is an old high school friend with whom I trod the boards and played in a band.  We had a fantastic time, reminiscing, catching up, walking the dog, eating, drinking and rekindling friendships.

Coventry (Sam)

Yesterday we visited Coventry, the city where my dad was born. Coventry was bombed very badly during the Blitz because of its major role in building planes and ammunition, so therefore downtown Coventry was built in the 1960's and is impossible to navigate. Around the city centre is a treacherous ring road and in the middle is a giant car-free maze of malls and markets. We made our way through Coventry Market and various other malls before we found the main attraction of Coventry Cathedral. It was really interesting because the old cathedral was badly bombed during the war and they decided that instead of rebuilding the old one, they would leave the ruins for symbolic reasons. Then many people from around the world including Germans donated money to build a new one. They held a big design contest and asked lots of different artists to help build a new cathedral.  The result is a cathedral which has got the worlds largest tapestry and a stained glass window voted best in Britain. We didn't actually go in because it was really expensive, so we went to the free Herbert art gallery and museum, which was  good also. Although there was one exhibit that was just a giant dimly lit room full of close up shots of gorillas and other apes faces, I didn't like that one because it was really quite scary and I think I will have nightmares for weeks now. (Unfortunately, we forgot to bring the camera so you will have to make up the photos in your head).
Today we went to the allotment again, and then we went for a walk around Leamington Spa. we went to the Jephson gardens and drank the salty spa water.

Coventry

(John) We forgot to take the camera today so I will have to rely on words to describe Coventry.  It was a rainy day, we had nothing planned so after I got back from my run I suggested we take a look at the cathedral's and mooch around Coventry's shopping district.  Nobody seemed to object so, needing the practise Lesley took the car keys and off we went.  We had decided to park at IKEA because we would only have to spend 10 quid and we'd park for free.  That would be easy, that's only three plates of meatballs.  Lesley drove with confidence around the treacherous ring road and with yours truly navigating we arrived in no time.  We were accosted on the way in to the car park by a man informing us that today parking was free, we just needed to make a donation to a charity I cannot remember.  So really cheap parking and the warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you give to others.  Just what you need on a cold rainy day in Coventry.

We managed to negotiate our way out of IKEA (we were saving it for last) and in to the award winning indoor market  (follow the link it's worth it) which because it was a circle we walked around a few times before we found an exit different to our entrance.  Then we got lost a number of times in the maze of pedestrian precincts despite the fact that we had a perfectly good map.  I found a sports shop and a spotty teenager who sold me a bright shiny new pair of running shoes - 1/2 price of course.  Lesley tried to buy a shirt but needed to coerce a stranger into going in with her on the 2 for 1 deal and failed while the rest of us hovered around in W.H. Smiths pretending we didn't know her.  Eventually we found our way out of the shopping precinct and stumbled upon some churches two of which were cathedrals.  One was really old and ruined, the other adjacent was really new and in very good shape.  Choosing the ruined one first, we proceeded to the information office to buy a ticket to get up the tower, the only part of the building not destroyed in the 1940 blitz.  As we approached the lady closed it down for lunch.  So we ambled for a while shared out our meagre rations for the day and went over to the new church where after watching a very good film that showed us everything that was inside, we discovered that it would cost 13 pounds to see it for real.  So we went over the road to the free Herbert museum and art gallery.    The museum was a lot of fun, brought back a lot of my childhood memories and explained a lot about the blitz and the rebuilding of the city.  There was also a great Lady Godiva exhibition that I will definitely go back to - maybe today actually - and we got to help a woman who was trying to find people to fill out her survey.  After the museum we got lost again in the shopping precinct, discovered the wimpy bar had closed down (no knickerbocker glories for us today), got stuck in a car park that we were not parked in, got scared in an elevator that took far too long to travel one floor and found our way to the IKEA restaurant to fill up on meatballs.  Except Lesley, who is trying to eat well, so chose a soup and salad, then sabotaged her efforts by buying a chocolate cake and two chocolate bars "they were only 39p".  I helped her out and ate most of the cake.  I also had, just because I could, a beer.  The novelty of drinking beer in IKEA was too good to pass up.  Then we got trapped in IKEA.  We had been very lucky to get out the first time, the second time we discovered that like the hotel california, at IKEA, you can check out but you can never leave.  Luckily they have comfortable beds, funky bathrooms, endless meatballs and free wi fi so I have been able to post this blog entry.  If we ever get out we may book in to IKEA in London too.

Narrow Boating. (Mhari)

Last weekend, we went on a narrow boat with our cousins. The narrow boat was 69 feet long.  It was an eight berth. The first day we got there at 3:30 p.m.ish and did all the boring stuff like signing the papers. Then, at about 5:00, my cousins came from school, and off we went!

Adam, in Sam's and my room.

The route we took had a tunnel that was fairly long.  When we first came to the tunnel there was a boat coming out from the other direction, the man driving the boat told us to watch out for bats. We didn’t believe there were bats in there, but we did look up a lot, just to make sure there were not. That was a bad plan because the tunnel was wet and some of us got water drops on our faces. When one boat went by we started singing Tunak Tunak Tun... an Indian pop song. It was really funny. ( follow the link)

When the person driving the boat (Nick) called up it sounded like when someone calls out at Pan Am during a swim meet, you could only just make out what he was saying, or not at all.

A funny pic of the dog on the boat that went through some locks with us.

Us kids were constantly running around or walking along the roof.  Sam and Adam were always going from one end of the boat to the other on the lip of the boat. My dad thought I was going to be badly hurt, (me, being the one prone to falling and tripping) in fact, he was certain I would, but nobody fell in and no one was badly hurt.  I was the closest in both things, my foot slipped in the canal, just a bit, I squished my thumb in a door, and when opening a lock, the safety latch was not on so when I took the lock key out, it spun back down.  If you let go of the lock key when opening or closing the locks, it spins down and the lock key can fly off and injure you (the lock key is a big chunk of metal called a windlass). My bruised thumb 4 days later:

The weekend was very fun and I think I laughed more in that weekend than I would in two weeks! Photos: Great Lock Workers.

Narrow Boating

We spent the weekend on a narrow boat, cruising England’s canals.  We did this with John’s sister Diana, her husband, Nick, and two of their boys: Daniel and Adam.   We had a really long 68-foot boat.  We all got to drive the boat (and some of us were better drivers than others, but I won’t tell crash stories) Nick, as the captain though, did the lion’s share of the driving like a pro. 
Photos: A bit nervous but trying it out, John had a turn or two as well. 

Working the locks was very entertaining.  We had to jump off, run up and close the gates, then run back and open the paddles to let the water through.  Sometimes there were two sets of paddles, one set down below and another on the gates.  It was a very physical job, which we enjoyed, as otherwise how does one get any exercise on a narrow boat?  Well, actually you could walk alongside the boat on the towpath.
Photos: John working the locks, Dan teaches Mhari how to do it.

We had some visitors along the way: Matthew, Nick and Diana’s oldest boy, and his girlfriend, Eve, cycled to meet us.  Helen, Becky, Lizzy and Dave from Long Buckby joined us through a few sets of locks. Mhari and Adam feed the horse.

No one fell in the canal, which surprises me somewhat seeing as we were climbing all over the boat, walking on the roof, jumping on and off land etc.  Mhari did accidentally dip a toe in.  Her foot slipped, but she had a good handhold and was able to pull herself up.  We ate crisps (chips) and chocolate and healthy food too.  We played hearts every night and even Slow Play Sam got the hang of it, eventually.
Photos: Sam "on" the narrow boat,  The adults enjoy a cup of tea in the morning.

The English routes for transporting goods were clear in their development, when viewed from the canals.  First, there were the canals, then the rail lines followed alongside, and later the motorways were built just a little further out.  The M1 was far enough away though so we weren’t bothered by traffic noises. 

It was very peaceful and you felt you were in another place altogether.  Everything was quieter and calmer despite there being many narrow boats on the canal.  We were on the Grand Union Canal; it is a broad canal, so boats could pass. Each lock took two boats so we usually shared a lock with another boat and got chatting with people and shared stories as well as the work of the locks.  We saw a weekend stag party going by.  They were in fancy costumes one day, then in drag the next. And loving it I might add:  “Oh, thanks darlings, for leaving the gates open for us ladies”.

We went through a very long tunnel.  Sam posted a photo on his blog.  That was quite fun; ducking from bats and drips from the air tunnels.

Now we are back at Ann and Stanley’s for a bit.  We have been to the allotment to pick vegetables, damsons and blackberries; went to a party at the church; washed two loads of laundry, so we can once again stand nearer to each other. And the kids are going to do some schoolwork.  I’ve left them to figure out what to do.  They are getting so independent.  Sam is going to research Brunel.  We toured the SS Great Britain, his boat; saw his bridge; the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol and his railway line as well.  Clearly he was big in Britain.  Mhari might work on some writing too.  But I won’t dare speculate on what she might write about, in case I jinx her.  

Allotment (Sam)

We are at my grandparents house now, yesterday I did homework all day because I hadn't done any yet. I started a project on Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a famous British engineer. It is an interesting project, but I'd rather be outdoors sightseeing.
The previous day we were at my grandparents allotment. An allotment is a plot of land you rent, so you can grow plants on it. My grandparents grow all their fruits and vegetables on it. When we were there we picked about a sack and a half of potatoes, my dad picked two buckets of plums, and we also got some berries, some tomatoes, and some squash. It's really quite a good deal, you get tons of cheap food, you eat well, and you get exercise too.

Narrow boat (Sam)

I have just spent the last 3 days on a narrowboat on the canals of Northamptonshire, with my Aunt Diana, my Uncle Nick and my cousins Adam and Daniel. Our boat was very long and narrow.  It was named Andean Goose.

 Some of the best bits of narrowboating are, the locks, which help you go up and down hills, going through long tunnels, driving the boat, and walking along the side of the boat.

 On the last day we nearly had a disaster, we went too close to shore and grounded the boat, the boat started to tip over, but thanks to the skill of our skipper, my Uncle Nick, we managed to get her off quickly.

Bristol (Sam)

This post is really late because I had no Internet access, but here it is.
Today we spent the day in Bristol, a beautiful city. We got to see the Clifton Suspension Bridge,  the S.S. Great Britain, and take a ferry along the River Avon.

Bristol used to be England's largest slave trading port so while we were walking to the bridge we got to see all the posh slave-traders houses. My Horrible Histories book about the British Empire said that every brick in Bristol is tainted with the blood of slaves.

The S.S. Great Britain was amazing because, when it was built, it was the largest and most influential ship of its time. For example it was the first ocean liner to use a propeller instead of paddles. One of the most amazing things was how small the berths were.

My Dad is now too fat to fit the narrow bed.

Bath Project

Tuesday we went to Bath.  It rained all day but we still got a nice walk in around the city and then we toured the Roman baths.  Mhari chose this outing as something to write about so you can see her blog for info on the Roman baths.

Bath Project (Mhari)

On Tuesday we went to see the Roman baths in Bath with my Uncle Peter and Aunt Angie. In Roman times the baths were a social part of life. Rich men would work in the morning and go to the baths in the evenings. I don’t have when the women went on the top of my head but, I think they went in the afternoon as well. I don’t know when the poorer men went, maybe they went in the afternoon, it seems to be the fashion.

These particular baths were a very sacred place because the water for the baths came from a spring. The Romans had no explanation for the spring water other than that it was a gift from the Gods.
There was a temple for Minerva, the Goddess of wisdom and healing, in the bath grounds. The Romans believed that Minerva had provided the spring for them for healing. Thousands of pilgrims came from afar and slept overnight in a certain room where the steam from the spring was circulated. They would tell the priest their dreams and the priest would interpret them and tell or give them the treatment they needed.

The reason that the baths were so well preserved is because after the Romans left the baths, the roof fell in. The next people to settle there didn’t ruin the actual baths. 

Later inhabitants didn’t know that the baths were underneath. They were only found a hundred years or so ago, when the houses on top were slowly and mysteriously filling with warm water. When the British did start to unveil the baths, it only took them three years. They then built the museum around them and replaced the pieces of wall that had been on the ground to where they should have been. 

These rings on the photo are not towel racks, they were used when the water flowed and was kept higher. The water filled to the height of the rings. This bath was called a kings bath. If you didn’t hold on to the rings, you would have been swept away with the rising water! Just above the rings we the stone turns a paler color is where the Victorians built up. One of the staff said that she had led a tour for a person older than the statues, which are now only 117 years old.

The Romans built the Baths and temple in between 65 and 75 AD. They rammed oak logs into the mud to direct the water into a stone reservoir which then fed into the baths. The reservoir was a holy place in the temple courtyard that no one swam in.

Fun Facts

-This hot spring is the only one in Britain.
-The Celts said this spring was a gift from their god of the springs Sulis. When the Romans came they thought she sounded like their Goddess, Minerva so they combined the two and worshipped Sulis Minerva.
-The excavators found a hundred curses written on sheets of pewter and lead. These curses were sometimes rolled before they were thrown into the spring.

Bath and Glastonbury (Sam)

We have been staying with my Uncle Peter and my Aunt Angie for the past two days and we have been having a great time. The first day we went to Bath, which is an amazing city full of history.  First, we wandered around the city taking in all the amazing Georgian Architecture (My favourite part of the city).

 King's Cross

Then we had lunch at Marks and Spencers, and finally we went and saw the Roman baths which were pretty cool (and my sister's favourite part).

The next day, we went to Glastonbury to see the Tour of Britain (a cycling race). We got there really early so we had time to wander around Glastonbury and climb up Glastonbury Tor. Glastonbury is a very alternative town.

The high street reeked of incense and there were lots of hemp products for sale.  On top of the Tor it was so windy that if you jumped, you would move about half a foot, and a couple times I was blown off the path. 

The bike race was amazing. It was a lot of waiting around, but when the cyclists came by it was thrilling. If you want more details follow the link to my parents' blog on the left hand side.  I'm sure my dad has a lot to say about it. 

Me and my dad on T.V.

Tour of Britain pics

(Lesley) Guess who got to see the Tour of Britain, yesterday.  Here are pics.

Wiggins came past in second place.  John took the photo.

Mhari, Angie, Peter and Lesley are under the post with the Belisha beacon.

We got very close for the awards.

The peloton coming down the hill towards the finish.

It was great when they flew past.

This photo taken of the TV screen shows some cute fans (John is in the white cap, Sam is to his right) 

that made the news coverage of The Tour.

(John) While not exactly the Giro or Le Tour, the T of B was still worth showing up to watch.  From Peter and Angie's place in Bristol we all blatted down the M5 to Glastonbury to take in the incense and the race.  We parked at the Park and Ride about 3 hours before the riders were due to finish in Glastonbury.  We were virtually the first to arrive.  The volunteer parking attendant told us to "park over by Harriet".  Luckily Harriet was waving enthusiastically so we recognized her immediately.  

Getting there early meant we were able to bag lots of freebies and I bought a jersey before they sold out of them.  There wasn't a lot going on, although there was a fantastic Tai Chi demonstration, this is Glastonbury after all.  We had loads of time so we walked up the hill to the top of the Glastonbury Tor.  

While waiting for the race to arrive we found a spot 50 meters from the finish line with a long view up the finishing straight.  I was hoping for a sprint finish as the stage (5) was tailor made for it, but the peloton had let a group that included Bradley Wiggins get away so instead we watched a lone Italian rider, Marco Frapporti, from the Colnago team, come in for the win closely followed by Wiggo, who had timed his chase wrong.  There was a bit of a sprint for third place and then the bunch came through. Here is a picture of the winner wiping the snot from his nose before he raises his arms to cross the finish line.

 

Thwaite Yeate to Bristol

(John) Two days of travelling, taking in 7 different motorways, countless A roads, a few B roads and we find ourselves at my brother’s house in Bristol.  On the way we included lunch in the Tesco car park, a whistle stop tour of Bakewell, an evening visiting Terry, Colin and Sally, a morning with my Aunt Mary, fish and chips for Mhari, and I had a trip to the allotment.  

Terry’s house was a combination of two homes one built in the 1300’s and the other in the 17th century.  Over the years it has been beautifully renovated and we had the full tour.  The garden was also a treat to see.  The produce from it was a treat to eat also.  Terry has a side interest as a mountain tour guide in Turkey so we got some great information for when we get there, although that still feels a long way away.

(Lesley) I drove the long motorway bit from the north, but it was fast so it didn’t take too long.  For me the motorway is the easiest place to drive compared to the A and B roads.  John got to read the newspaper while I drove so I must have inspired confidence; he doesn’t dare do that when I drive on the A/B roads or in cities. 

We counted up our beds last night, 9 different beds. Not bad for having been away three weeks.  All of them have been comfortable and cozy and have offered us a good nights sleep.   Sleeping has been no problem at all not that is has ever been for any of us.

A stone wall. Photo taken as we drove through the Peak District on Sunday.

Last photo: morning we left the Lake District.

Congratulations to my brother Joe, who we just heard finished the Treherne  Marathon in 3:23.  It was a personal best by a good few minutes.  We think it is a Boston qualifying time too.  Way to go, Joe!  Now, I just have to work on him for triathlon.  He used to swim competitively so I’m sure he’d do well at it.  

We got some e-mails from friends back home; it was lovely to hear from everyone.  Some folks make regular comments on the kid’s blogs; those are fun to read and motivating for Sam and Mhari.  

Windermere (Sam)

Well, today was our last day in the Lake District, and we decided to go to Windermere, which is a very Touristy town on the biggest lake in England. We drove to Lakeside, at the bottom end of the lake, and took a steamer to the town. We had a good time, and I had a delicious Yorkshire Pudding filled with chips(french fries), gravy and sausage (although I decided not to inquire about its health benefits). Anyways, we have now figured out how to get pictures on our blog faster, so here are some photos from our time in England:  A Praying Sheep, Me running into the Irish Sea, My Uncle's Studio, Top Gear's Studio (British TV), Sands of Duddon Bay, The Zip Line at Broughton in Furness.