The Emerald Isle

     They say you can see the green of Ireland from the air. I don't know as our flight was at night and we didn't have window seats. Our ferry from Wales was also at night so our entry into the country was lit by moon and starlight, with the occasional street lights along the dock.

    Our one A.M. entry into Dublin was met not with emerald green alone but with every other color sparkling and flashing from the very active nightlife. It had Saturday night energy but it was only Thursday.  Welcome to Dublin.

    After some driving confusion,( one way streets becoming two way, driving streets turning into pedestrian only, all without warning) we found our flat was in a perfect location. We were walking distance to almost everything we wanted to see. This allowed us to put the car in a covered lot and put more miles on the pedometer. Sorry, I meant kilometers. In the Republic of Ireland we were back in the metric system and monetary system of the European Union. We had to put away our pounds and pence and get Euros right away.

   After a few hours sleep we began our morning at St Patrick's cathedral. Although it is a Church of Ireland, they allow all denominations to hold events and even services there.

Among the many treasures there is the stone from the well of St Patrick, where he is said to have baptised the Irish chieftains. They have areas to honor military service  and sacrifice as well as those who have been civilian victims of war. The door of reconciliation and it's story have a lesson that is very relevant in today's world.https://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/the-door-of-reconciliation/

Dublin Castle is now the seat of government. Most of the buildings are for use as offices for officials although there are some parts restored  for people to visit. We passed on this one and instead went to the Chester Beatty library to see an amazing collection of books and writings from around the world including some ancient Egyptian papyrus.

http://www.cbl.ie/mobile.aspx

Lunchtime took us to the Temple Bar section of town and a traditional lunch of Irish stew and cottage pie at the Quay.http://www.quaysrestaurant.com/

We continued our exploration of the city with a walk to ha penny bridge http://www.bridgesofdublin.ie/bridges/hapenny-bridge/history before heading back home for the night.

Men of Harlech

“Men of Harlech, stop your dreaming
Can't you see their spear points gleaming
See their warrior pennants streaming
To this battle field”

    On to Harlech. Our Welsh adventure continued with a drive up to the Northern lands along the Irish Sea. Our reasons for visiting this rugged, remote, region were; to see Harlech castle, visit Snowdonia and take the Ferry to Ireland.

    Harlech castle is one of a series of castles built on the order of Edward I in the 13th century. I had asked specifically to see this one as it was the model for the book and film Castle which I used when I taught world history. It was a seven year siege on this castle that inspired the song Men of Harlech. This song is widely used as a regimental march, especially by British Army and Commonwealth regiments historically associated with Wales. Notably, it is the slow march of the Welsh Guards, and the quick march of the Royal Welsh. There is also an amazing story of the song as a symbol of inspiration during 9/11 tower evacuations.

 The castle did not disappoint. High on a cliff overlooking the sea the walls seemed impenetrable. A strong wind blowing in made walking on the ramparts a bit intimidating while the on again /off again rain created slippery stone steps.s. Like Chepstow, the semi ruined state of the castle allowed my imagination to fill in the picture of the men and women who lived and fought and died here. Truly inspiring.

    We stayed at a bed and breakfast with a room that overlooked the sea. https://www.dolaur.com/  Watching the sunset from our room was the perfect way to end the day.

  After a full Welsh breakfast (don't forget the baked beans) we drove the winding mountain roads to Snowdonia, the Welsh National Park. We intended to hike some of the trails but cold weather,lack of proper gear and our inability to find the trailhead kept us closer to the town. We did find to our delight and no one's surprise another castle! It was only about a mile in the woods from the parking lot but felt millions of miles away. This smaller castle was an outpost overlooking a river in case of an invasion by water.  
We spent our last hours in Wales on the coast at Hollyhead. As we waited for our evening ferry to take us to our next destination we already began to miss the beauty and spirit of this country.

  

Best Years of Our Life

     No trip to Wales could be complete without spending time visiting coal and iron mining.  While I thought this would be the story from a bygone day I was mistaken. While many of the mines and Ironworks are now closed, for the people who worked them and their families it is still their identity.

  We drove out on a drizzling Monday morning to Blaenavon to visit the heritage center, iron works and Big Pit coal mine.

http://www.visitblaenavon.co.uk/en/Education/BlaenavonIronworks/BlaenavonIronworks.aspx.

Unfortunately the heritage center is closed on Monday so we went to the Cordell Museum. What a delightful place! It is currently located in the former Workingmen's Institute, staffed by volunteers and filled with memorabilia of the town's people. The staff that was there that morning we're constantly stopping their tasks to be sure our guide had shown us this or that. I especially enjoyed the flirtatious attention of a very elderly gentleman whose name I don't know but whose smile I will never forget.  Among the local treasure is a flag from a British WWII ship. The ship had been captured by the Japanese and a sailor from Blaenavon managed to get the ship flag before he was taken. He kept the flag hidden while he was a POW and brought it home after the war.

  Just up the road are the Ironworks. The development of the Gilchrist-Thomas process here made the cheap, low quality iron ore usable. The rights to this process were later sold to Andrew Carnegie. Although production ended in the early 1900’s the forges at the site were still being used and helped with the production of steel shells during both world wars. In addition to the furnace ruins you can visit restored homes of the workers ranging from the 1700’s to the 1940’s.

    Signs at the site, recorded voices and documents at the Cordell Museum all told the same story. Although it was hard work, it was honest, useful and important work. The name Blaenavon was stamped on all of the products that left the works. This was the same as if every man had his own name on it.  There was a true sense of community among those who spent their days together amid the heat of the blast furnaces.

  Our last stop was at Big Pit. This is where the coal was mined to provide the fire for the blast furnaces at the Ironworks​. Equipped with helmet, headlight and oxygen tank ( just in case) we headed down the shafts into the mine. But not until all cell phones, watches, keys, belts and anything​ else metal were taken to a safe. They are serious about the possibility of gas and sparks!  

We spent a good deal of time ducking our heads, bending over and moving carefully in a dark, tight space. Our guide, a former miner, warned us of dangers, showed us places where he and others had worked, and described the physical toll mining had taken on him and his friends. Yet with every tale of risk and repercussions was the statement “I wouldn't have traded this job for anything”. It was the camaraderie he spoke of, the way the miners trusted and supported each other; a brotherhood based on hard work and danger.  These sentiments were echoed by other former  miners as we visited the above ground exhibits. For them their youth spent underground were the best years of their lives

Willing, Wanting,Waiting to Tell You

Perhaps like Alfred P. Doolittle there is a Welsh strain in my heritage. Perhaps not. As we crossed the border into this country of

musicians and miners, writers and working men we quickly realized this is NOT England.

    The differences​ were subtle and hard to identify in many cases. In other ways it was very clear: all the road signs were written in both English and Welsh.

  Our first stop was in Chepstow.Here we visited our first of four Welsh castles. Dramatic in location and size,majestic in its ruin, this remains my favorite castle so far.

After a morning navigating steep stone steps, it was lunchtime. We decided to stay in the village to eat and were soon settled in at the Three Tuns, a delightful pub/pie shop in the shadow of the castle.

http://threetunschepstow.co.uk/

Not only did we have a wonderful meal but we discovered that this was the pub that inspired  j.k.Rowling when she wrote about the three broomsticks pub in the Harry Potter series.

The author herself grew up and went to school here and, according to the pub owner, based her character Snape on a science teacher she had.

  On to Cardiff and our flat. We were about a mile from the city center so it was an easy walk to the major sites.  Although this is the Capital City of Wales there was not a feel of importance. Rather it was one of practicality and functionality. Cardiff castle centered the downtown area. From the top of the keep you could see the harbor, Millennium stadium and the Edwardian era Civic offices. The area under the castle had been used as air raid shelters during the WWII Blitz. The castle itself had been built on top of Roman ruins, some of those original walls can still be seen.

 As we went through the city it became apparent that “Made in Wales” was a proud distinction which would see again later in the week. At the local market, the butcher assured us that the lamb he sold would be the best we ever tasted. Why? “Because it's Welsh”, he replied with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. And he was right!  

    After only a few days of surprises I looked forward to what was waiting for us as we continued to explore Wales.

Colleges, Birds, A Castle and The Bard

     The Cotswolds? Where is that? What is there? These are some of the questions I was asked as we prepared for our British invasion.

The Cotswolds covers a huge area – almost 800 square miles – and runs through five counties (Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire). One of the delights of visiting the Cotswolds is exploring the different areas, each with its own identity, yet all with those defining Cotswold features: golden stone and rolling hills, the ‘wolds’. The beauty of the area alone is almost indescribable especially if you stay as we did on a farm in a tiny village. Our place was a refurbished barn in Nauton, blink twice and you will miss it. The roads throughout the area are edged with golden stone walls from local quarries. This characteristic stone is used for many buildings also as an subtle indication that you are in the wolds.

Our week here took us to many of the villages as well as four local highlights about an hour's drive from our cottage. Our first excursion was to school. But this time it was Oxford.  Of the 38 colleges that make up the University, Christ Church college is probably the most famous with such notable alumni as John Locke and Lewis Carroll. They even do an Alice in Wonderland tea to honor the author. Today many will know the college from it's great Hall dining room used in the Harry Potter movies.

    Classes were on spring break when we were there but many students had come back early to study for end of term exams. As always, prospective students were visiting, providing a youthful energy to very old buildings.

    Our next outing was closer. Just a few villages away to the Cotswolds Falconry Center. http://www.cotswold-falconry.co.uk/. This was an adventure I had been looking forward to. We had scheduled an appointment to fly a bird of prey. Unfortunately their was a problem with the reservation and they had no record of us.  Thankfully, we were able to hold some of the birds which was really cool then watch the show. If you get a chance this is a not to be missed visit.

    The show may have ended but we are still fans of Downton Abbey. So of course a visit to Highclere castle was a must.  Be sure to reserve a ticket in advance and check the calendar. The castle is closed when the current Lord and Lady are in residence.

https://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/

    It's not hard to be the Bard when an entire town is about you. I'm talking about Stratford upon Avon of course and the man himself, William Shakespeare. The drive out was longer than we expected but completely worth it. We visited Shakespeare's birthplace as well as his grave before attending a performance of Anthony and Cleopatra by the Royal Shakespeare Company https://www.rsc.org.uk/. We were treated to more of Will’s words in a garden outside his birthplace by two talented performers. A truly great day.

The Cotswolds. A week was not enough to explore and words are not enough to explain all there is to enjoy here.

Who Can Be Ever Tired of Bath?

     I know, I am quoting dear Jane again, this time from Northanger Abbey. But what can I say, the novel was set in this city and was written, at least partially, while Austen lived here. Although in a later book she wrote of Bath with far less affection, both John and I fell in love with the city.

     Was it our flat, dripping with charm of a bygone era? Or our location on Abbey Green with a courtyard of tea houses and pubs on one side and the Abbey itself on the other? Maybe it was just that Bath has so many stories to tell, from the Romans to the Georgians to the present.

    Our search for these stories took us into the Abbey where Edgar was crowned King of England in 973.

  



 Other stories took us to the Sally Lunn museum and restaurant for a tale and a taste of delicious and famous buns and bread

http://www.sallylunns.co.uk/.   

    You would assume that we would naturally have visited the Jane Austen Center here in her city. However locals told us it is more of a store to sell books and themed souvenirs. We took their advice and instead went to the Fashion museum and Assembly Rooms https://www.fashionmuseum.co.uk/.  The assembly rooms were where the elite came to meet and greet, dance and gamble five nights a week. These chandeliers, which cost thousands of dollars each had their own story. During the Blitz of WWII, Bath experienced bombing from Germany. The chandeliers were taken down and hidden (just in case) then re installed after the war.

Naturally, no trip to Bath could be complete without a visit to the Baths. Believing in both the physical and spiritual benefits of the mineral water the Romans built a series of rooms here, including a temple to Sulis Minerva.Among the many ancient artifacts here are a collection of curses. These are requests to the gods that someone be punished for a believed crime or insult. These were written on pieces of lead and thrown into the pools.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2669296/May-thief-mad-blind-Roman-curse-tablets-etched-messages-revenge-added-heritage-register.html

Although you can't do more than touch the water now there is a fountain for you to enjoy the benefits of the water.

     From the very old Romans to the very current street performers,(including the walking comedy tour) the stories of Bath are everywhere. There is so much to love, we can never be tired of Bath.

Rocks and Docs

     Upon leaving London we found ourselves quickly in the countryside.  Our first stop this Palm Sunday morning was church, Winchester Cathedral to be exact. This impressive building was the site of the coronation of many English kings including William the Conqueror.  As with all of the cathedrals we have visited, this one housed the graves of prominent local citizens. With due respect to the church leaders and nobles buried there I was anxious to find the resting place of a favorite author. In an unassuming location in the floor was the grave of Jane Austen.

Later her brother had a plaque placed in the wall to acknowledge her literary contributions

    Visiting this enormous Gothic church really works up an appetite so after we saw all  we could from chapel to crypt we went into the town in search of lunch.  As we walked through the cathedral grounds we noticed two things:  gravestones were scattered on the land around the church and people were hanging out next to them. They were picnicking, playing with their kids or just sitting in the sun. It seemed disrespectful at first be we realized that it was more of an acceptance of death as a part of life.

    We continued into town and found a place to sit outside  for lunch. The Slug and Lettuce https://www.slugandlettuce.co.uk/  provided the perfect place to eat and people watch before we continued to explore the town.       

     There was as usual too much to see and not enough time so after only a few hours we moved on to Salisbury and our first actual bed and breakfast accommodation, Avonlea House.​ http://www.avonleahouse.co.uk/.  I can't say enough how friendly John and Jackie were, the room was beautiful and the breakfast was delicious. This is a must stay place for anyone in the area.  Dinner that night was at the Haunch of Venison a very old traditional pub that served….. Venison.  We had a room to ourselves upstairs to enjoy venison stew for me and a venison combo plate for John.

 The next morning we were off to one of England's most famous sites, Stonehenge. The giant stone circle was impressive. But since we prefer our history to be more based on fact than speculation, we didn't spend all day there

    We were anxious to go to the Salisbury Cathedral. Not only is this another impressive church, but it also has one of the 5 surviving copies of the Magna Carta. It is handwritten on lambskin parchment and displayed in a covered area in a special room. We weren't allowed to take pictures but we did get to see it up close. Another special thing about this cathedral; it has the oldest working clock in the world.

Two days was not enough time in this area of England, but the next morning we were off to our next destination.

Left is Right

     Leaving London and public transportation behind brought us to our next challenge,( and by us I mean John). It was time to get our car for the next three months. We took our last ride on the tube early Sunday morning back to Heathrow and the car rental lot.

    Originally, we had booked a manual transmission but caution and wisdom prevailed. We decided driving on the wrong side of the road would be challenging enough so we changed to an automatic. At first the price was 4 times that of the manual, but John persuaded the manager to let us have the car for considerably less than that. We went from a small two doors Fiat to a four door, Vauxhall Astra turbo .

    This was a good decision. Driving in a foreign country is always a challenge, even when you speak the language. We have had the car for over a week now and still have to remember which side of the road to be on. Like the continent, rotaries are commonly used at intersections and like the continent they are often confusing. Sometimes the roads are two lanes but often, especially in the country there is only one. Traffic goes both ways on these. The rule is first car to a wide spot pulls over and lets the other car pass.  The lanes are narrow even in the best areas, so watch those side mirrors!

    Parking is allowed in any direction on either side of the road, even those with barely room for one car to get through. The sidewalk is an option if there is one.  Sometimes you get lucky and find a real parking lot or a field.

    So far we have found very few roads that we would consider to be a highway. When we have the slow lane is to the left, another thing to remember It is getting easier but of course, I'm not the one driving.

London- And All of its Diversions

Miss Lucy Steele, Jane Austen's conniving character in Sense and Sensibility was right. There are so many sides of London that after one week we barely scratched the  surface. Our time was spent as both tourist and resident in an attempt to get the true flavor of this great city.

  Our flat was in a great location; near an underground station, next to Harrods, and a short walk to Hyde Park. Unfortunately, it had no TV or radio, no wifi and promptly a 9 pm construction on the street began and lasted until 4am. But we didn't come to London to sit inside and thankfully the bedroom was away from the street facing window.

   We saw most of the expected things: Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Kensington palace and gardens,the tower of London. But we also did the unexpected. We sat in on the supreme Court as they heard a case and talked to a cabbie during a demonstration against Uber. Shopped in the Borough market and popped on and off the tube during rush hour.

    And we walked. Averaging about 7 miles a day, we walked not only through London but also through history. From the Victoria and Albert museum to Churchill's war bunker, Covent Garden to the Bloody tower. Each day was filled with places and experiences.  So much to see but so much still to be seen. This is a place we will return to.

Crossing the Pond

   And we are off.Our next adventure takes us to Britain for the next three and a half months.  This one begins as all must; at the beginning. Which translates to the airport. LAX to be specific, or rather the shuttle to LAX. Leaving from the Anaheim Hills area meant two things: we were the first ones picked up and we were sitting in the front. Since the shuttle driver apparently had an aversion to soap and water this proximity was less than desirable

  Although our flight was not until five pm  we arrived at eleven am. This was intentional since we wanted to see the final four games and we had a credit card that promised us access to the first class lounges. The first complication arose right away, air New Zealand did not begin bag check-in until 1 and we could not go through security until our bags were checked. Thankfully there was a place to sit and watch games on TV until check in time.

  With only small backpacks we entered the TSA gauntlet. It went fairly smooth,most people were able to follow the simple instructions. I even managed to get a badge sticker from the agent checking passports.

  Misinformation is worse than no information. I don't know who said that but I have almost always found that to be true. We had been told that once our credit card was registered it would get us into the first class lounges. It seems that in reality we need a special card so no free food and comfortable chairs for us. Happily we found a place to split a sandwich and watch some golf and the first half of the Gonzaga/ South Carolina game.

  Boarding the plane was easy, they had two doors available to move people along. We settled into our seats and found a pillow, blanket and headphones. Each seat had a screen and access to current and classic movies for free. I watched LaLa Land, Fantastic Beasts and Casablanca. John saw Lion and Manchester by the Sea. Dinner was acceptable but not exceptional. We tried to sleep but without much success. Sometime around 2am L.A time the cabin lights came on so we could have breakfast. Landing was delayed due to traffic but we were on the ground around 11:30 London time.

   The last obstacles were still to be met; British immigration check which meant an hour standing in line, then baggage claim, walk to the underground station and find our flat. This was accomplished within a few hours but our bodies still on PST had been up for almost 24 hours,(minus catnaps on the plane) We found the entrance to our flat tucked away between a Rolex shop and an L.K.Bennet store about a block up the street from Harrods. Our relief at arriving fizzled away when we realized our place was on the fourth floor, a mere 86 steps up- no elevator.

But it doesn't matter. We are here, in the land of The Bard and the Beatles, Jane Austen and Austin Powers. I am excited to start exploring the land of my ancestors. Well, maybe after a nap.