Goodbye England, Hello France

Plan for the unexpected delays. That's the advice from the Notte's when trying to return a rental car in a foreign country and trying to catch a ferry. Because if you don't follow our advice you will miss the ferry. If you are the Notte family you will miss the ferry shuttle by FIVE minutes!

Yes we went around the roundabout several times. Yes we entered customs and then tried to drive out on the one way entrance. Yes we were directed to the car park a few times (No! We don't want to park. We want to return a rental car!). The 2nd time through customs the French officer was less than helpful.  Just noting that.  In contrast the British customs officer flagged us down and began the conversation with, "You're having a bad day, aren't you?". YES!!  With another turn around the roundabout, we finally see the small 'car hire' sign where we are directed to a car park (Ah! Now we begin to understand) only to find  there are only two small levels and they are full. With a quick drop in an illegal spot and a dash to the terminal, we receive the bad news. Five minutes.

Oh well. An hour later we were actually departing sipping champagne compliments of the upgrade John purchased. No, not the kids. They were too busy plugging in.

Dover seemed very industrial and I was sad the white cliffs of Dover were marred by this. As we traveled further away though, the unspoiled portions away from the port were quite dramatic.  It was interesting to note the chalk giving them their white appearance was also present at Stonehenge and Avebury.

We arrived in Calais in good order and survived dinner out. One child was adamant that he was not hungry(?!) and did not want to eat. This feeling passed when we were understood and the food was familiar.  John and I were in for a surprise though. We chose something totally unrecognizable and received pizza! That made for good laugh!

Avebury Circle

Today we arose early and after a hearty traditional English breakfast, we  drove an hour north to Avebury. We were fortunate to be off the highways on smaller routes and even some country lanes!  Along the way we admired the lovely English countryside with its wide open fields and rolling green hills.  It is remarkable that there is so much undeveloped land here considering the long history.  The villages we drove through seemed just as one would expect with brick buildings, thatched roofs, and traditional looking inns. It would be great fun to village hop through the UK (without kids though and I can say that aloud with their agreement!). On some of the smaller roads, the hedges came right up to the roadside and we drove through one section where it was as if we were driving through a tunnel of trees with the way the canopies met overhead.

We turned off on small lane right before Avebury and drove next to the Ritual Procession Way. At one time this double line of stones standing in the fields marked the path between an ancient wood henge and the large stone circle.

The Avebury circle is one of the largest known stone circles--16 times the size of Stonehenge. It is so large that it encompasses part of the town and visitors cannot see the full circle. We walked in amongst the stones including pastures with grazing sheep right at the bases. The circle was surrounded by a 30 foot earthen bank which I had forgotten included a ditch just as deep when I encouraged the kids to run up to the top (drizzly day-wet, long grass...). This was a fascinating stop and one which have been fun to explore further if time had allowed.

For now we are off to catch a ferry in Dover. Isaac kindly agreed to ride up front as I was probably driving John to distraction with my door gripping and passenger side breaking. Mom, I shudder to think of you as a passenger on the wrong side of the road! ; )

Crow on the Heel Stone

Adelaide took this great photo and then stylized it. Wouldn't it make a great logo?

It's real and we're really here!

It seemed a bit unreal that we were at Stonehenge today. It was as just as impressive as one might expect. Even though visitors cannot gain access to the inner stones (except through a lottery for a small number but not during the 2 weeks sandwiching the solstice--boo hoo), the arrangement is such that it never felt like we were part of a mob of people. Because it really is in the middle of the countryside, there was plenty of grassy area to sit or stroll. The audio tour was very informative and guides were on hand to answer any questions. We were amazed to learn that Stonehenge was constructed as if from wood using mortise and tenon joints.  The area is chock full of barrows which were burial mounds. We walked back to the visitors center and were able to see some up close. They are in view in all directions from Stonehenge.

First view of Stonehenge

Except for that surprise view from the motorway when we came over the hill!

Borough Market and more!

When we last left you we were headed to Shakespeare's Globe Theater where we caught one of the last tours before the afternoon performance (whew, hurrah, yes!).  The actors were actually rehearsing on stage during our tour (King John commemorating the Magna Carta). The tour itself focused on the Globe and not much on Shakespeare. The recreated theater was a dream of Sam Wanamaker, an American who could not believe there  was only a plaque commemorating it. We learned of how some of Shakespeare's lines referred directly to the the Globe as well as how many terms came to be (drag queen--a young teen actor dressed for a female role whose skirts dragged behind him). It was a fun and interesting stop.

We timed our day so we could eat at the Borough Market which had been recommended by multiple people. What fun! It was a hopping place and we had delicious meals including Indian as well as venison and boar!

A cross over London Bridge and off to the Tower of London. Meh. Our time could have been better spent. Too much emphasis on the drama even with the Yeoman Warder's tour.

Our final stop was a pass by Buckingham Palace. You can't go to London without seeing that! Off to Salisbury tomorrow.

Mosaic history of London

A cool find on the way to the Globe!

Not ready to be a Time Lord

Yes we really did make a tube run out to Earl's Court to see the last remaining police call box aka "The Tardis." It was hard to tell if it was bigger on the inside because it was locked!

Today we made good use of the London Underground. Thanks Della! Adelaide did ride free.  Can't say enough about this. The oyster cards were easy to use, the waits were never long, the connections to different lines were clear, and it was relatively inexpensive for a family of five to travel.

Our first stop was at Westminster station. We came above to see Big Ben RIGHT there! Welcome to London! We walked by the Houses of Parliament admiring its beauty and workmanship. Then we went over to Westminster Abbey. It was the middle of the afternoon and our wait was, at most, 10 minutes to get in. This was incredible to us as we had multiple sources warning of the long wait unless you arrived early in the morning. We did the self-guided audio tour and all went at our own pace. Awe-inspiring. Despite the reluctance of the teen set, everyone found something of interest--especially the who's who of the famous interred there.

Isaac wanted to see the Imperial War Museum so we headed off there. What a fascinating place! We spent a couple of hours there and could easily have spent more. We all split to pursue our own interests while Isaac speed lapped the place to see it all! John spent time in the WW II section and noted the different view of DDay. Adelaide and I immersed ourselves in WW I and the secret intelligence wings. We did a quick tour of the Holocaust wing before seeking out " Gassed" by John Singer Sargent. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gassed_(painting) This museum did not glorify war at all but instead showed the reality of it and the significance from a historical perspective. Very well done and free with a suggested donation. Well worth it.

Cinderella's slipper?

Found this shoe along the street. Looks like Prince Charming has to wait. It doesn't fit yet!

London Day 1

After finding our super-conveniently located apartment (just a few blocks from Victoria Station!), we did a quick turn around--literally! We walked back to Victoria and hopped aboard the previously mentioned Hop on Nod off bus. The experience was a good entry for us to get an overview of the city but I'm not sure we would recommend it otherwise.

We stopped at the London Eye for a half hour ride and great views of the city. With soft serve ice cream that was presented to us after it had been hung upside down, we people watched for a bit.  We were in an area next to the Eye where there were several "living statues."  It was pretty interesting to watch from the sidelines--the enthrallment of visitors and the absolute stillness of the statues.  Then one by one they went off duty and packed up.  As Adelaide said, it totally ruined the mystique!  

Our bus tour included a river cruise so we hopped  aboard and saw the sights along the Thames.  Our guide mentioned that Tower Bridge would be opening in the next several minutes so we walked over. We were right up front on the bridge. This got mixed reviews with some thinking it no more exciting than the Cut at home and others thinking it pretty cool to see this renown bridge in action! A full afternoon considering our day of travel!

Hop on Nod Off

We began our vacation on the Hop on Hop off bus which all jet lagged tourists seem to take. We got in all the highlights and even stayed out until 9 pm local time! Must have been those naps between iconic sights. More soon...

Waiting for our flight....

Bocce on the Boulevard

It must almost be summer!