Thursday, November 19, 2015

I Stand With Paris

The terror and images of Friday, November 13, 2015 are etched in my mind. It has taken days for me to come to grips with it enough to be able to write a few words. I am so grateful that Desmond is safe. I am thankful that the many friends and acquaintances I know in France are also safe and accounted for. My heart hurts over the horrible loss of life in Paris, and indeed in other parts of the world. Though I am filled with sadness, my heart swells with love and admiration for the French. Their resilience and spirit is astonishing. They will not allow acts of barbarism and terror to destroy their love of life. I will be returning to France in the spring, where I will join in the everyday celebration of life in one of the most magnificent places on earth. I could write a long post detailing my feelings and thoughts on the world situation, but instead, I choose to fill this page with some of my favorite photos of Paris. Vive la France!




















Monday, October 19, 2015

My Favorite Season

Today finds us back in the present. It's a lovely October day, sunny with a cool breeze. This morning, as is my habit, I went for a walk through the park near my home. The leaves are beginning to change. Squirrels are everywhere, gathering nuts for the winter.

Craig and I have recently been informed of an upcoming company trip we will be making in January. We will be spending over a week in the Caribbean, which will include two days in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a week on the island of St. Martin. We will certainly have something to look forward to this winter! And then, of course, in April we will will once again be setting off for France.

At long last, we have finished the home renovations! It's such a relief! We have a small project left which will barely take a weekend to complete. We will be removing carpet from the stairway and replacing it with something else. It sure feels good to be able to relax a bit! We have been up to Kansas City to see family, and had a delightful time. It seems that as soon as school begins, there are many festivals, school events, and other activities. Before we have a chance to turn around twice, Desmond will be here for Christmas! 

Craig and I with grandson Max at a scarecrow festival.


Last weekend was our local Fall Festival. It was a fun time for all of us as we indulged in fair food and carnival rides. We enjoyed a bit of browsing and shopping in the many craft booths there. The weather was lovely throughout the festival, which is unusual. Now, it's time to visit the pumpkin patch!

This is how granddaughter Janey kept her pumpkin safe
on the ride home last year.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Two Tired Travelers

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: May 2, 2015

I hadn't slept well, knowing that we had to be up early to say goodbye to our son. Before long, both Craig and I were dressed and ready to zip up our suitcases. There was a light tap at the door, which Craig opened to reveal a sleepy and smiling Desmond carrying cups of steaming coffee. That was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture! We sipped the hot brew gratefully and chatted a bit before heading out toward the elevator. The morning weather was very cool and still a bit damp, so we waited in the hotel lobby for our cab. 

When the taxi pulled up, we trundled our cases out and tried to hold back the tears as we exchanged hugs and kisses. We knew it would be almost nine months before we would again see Des. The Christmas holiday seemed a long way off. As usual, I was very quiet on the way to the airport. I was still trying not to cry while staring out the window at the receding sights of Paris.

The airport was, as always, teeming with tourists and taxis. There is often a bit of confusion about which line to stand in, but we soon had everything sorted out and made our way upstairs to await our flight. We were fortunate to find a small table and chairs near a little coffee kiosk. We nibbled one last pastry with our espresso as we talked about all the wonderful experiences we had enjoyed on our trip.

The flight was long and uneventful, except for the inconsiderate seatmate to my left. She intruded constantly into my space, allowing her personal items to migrate toward my feet. She took up the entire armrest, often covering it with a pillow, which made it very difficult for me to use the buttons on the armrest. She repeatedly jabbed me with her elbow, and not once did she apologize or even acknowledge it. At lunchtime, the woman knocked her salad off onto my foot. I was very glad the lid remained in place! 

Our layover in Chicago was extremely long - six hours! Craig and Des had split the cost of a day pass to the Admiral's club, or whatever it was called. It was a treat to relax in quiet, comfortable surroundings. I felt as if I could have taken a nap! There was plenty of complimentary food and drink, in addition to a bar area. We read our books, watched the Kentucky Derby, and played a couple of games. At last, our flight was called and we knew we would soon be home.

We arrived in Wichita, exhausted, at around 8 PM. Craig took a photo of me in the airport. Our new terminal would be due to open very soon, and we knew we would never be in this one again. We said a fond farewell to the old terminal. It had served us well.


A very tired traveler.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Paris When it Rains

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: May 1, 2015

A light drizzle was falling when I awoke.  As I gazed out onto the square, the dreary greyness seemed to reflect my emotions. I was sad to be leaving Orléans once again. I shook the feeling off with a reminder that I had just experienced a fantastic vacation in Europe with some of my favorite people. Each day had been filled with smiles, laughter, and adventure. Even the smallest things had given me pleasure, happiness, and memories to last a lifetime. I stuffed a few remaining items into my suitcase and then joined Desmond and Craig for coffee. 

May 1 is labor day in France, which meant that many businesses and services were closed, including the tram. We had ordered a taxi to take us across town to the train station. Des was going to accompany us to Paris so that we could all enjoy one more day together. As we prepared to leave, I paused to give Azur a treat. I shook the bag of cat goodies and he ran up to me. As I watched him devour the treat, I heard meowing and chuckled while saying, "You really love those things don't you? I will bring you some more next time.". I then realized that the meowing was not coming from Azur, but from a cat on the other side of the heavy wooden door! We opened the door to discover her on the landing. The little stub-tailed feline was loudly demanding a share of Azur's tasty "foreign" food. We could not resist. After all, she had come all the way up the stairs. How she had heard the sound of those treats shaking inside the bag, I will never know. 

The friendly neighborhood kitty.

Before long, the taxi arrived. As we rolled through the streets of Orléans, I savored every glimpse of the old avenues and beautiful stone buildings. At the station, we bought more coffee and a few pastries to eat while waiting for the train. I reached into my bag for my camera, wanting to take a picture of Des as he huddled on the stone bench near the platform. It wasn't there. I searched every pocket of my purse but was unable to find my camera. OR MY PHONE!! I suddenly recalled that I had left those items on chargers back at the house. Desmond offered to run home for them, or to rent a bike to zip across Orléans. He was certain he could make it there and back before our train was due. But no, I was too afraid that he might slip on wet cobblestones. I would just have to live without them for a while until they could be shipped back to America. 

After an uneventful train ride, we were greeted in Paris by light rain and a chill breeze. We checked into the hotel and relaxed for a while in our rooms before going out for lunch. We had all agreed that pizza sounded good, but were soon dismayed to learn that many of the restaurants were closed on this national holiday. After sloshing up and down the streets surrounding our hotel, we came almost full circle to a warm, inviting brasserie just steps from the hotel. No pizza was served there, but by then we had ceased to care. 

I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant so that I could share it. It was a nice place, with attractive decor and attentive, polite, wait staff. (And one of the cleanest bathrooms I had ever seen in France!) The food was plentiful and tasty. The bread was some of the most delicious any of us had ever eaten. Our waiter refilled the bread basket several times, as we just couldn't seem to get enough! I enjoyed my shepherd's pie. It was the perfect comfort food on this cold, rainy day. 


The view from our hotel room in Paris.
We were at the Ibis Tour Eiffel Cambronne.

And then - what to do on a rainy day in Paris when museums and shops are closed? The three of us gathered in our hotel room and began scrolling through our ipads and phones in search of an indoor activity. At last, one of us found that the museum of chocolate was indeed open! It took some effort to get there - twelve stops on the Metro, a transfer, and another five stops - but it was worth it. The Musée Gourmand du Chocolat is a little gem. We learned many fascinating facts about the discovery and uses of chocolate over the centuries. There were wonderful displays of ancient artifacts for making chocolate, and delicate china cups from which royalty sipped their frothy cocoa.  And at the very end, we watched a presentation which demonstrated how chocolate is tempered, molded, etc. As we filed out toward their unique gift shop, we were invited to help ourselves to samples of several different candies, including a rare and exquisite chocolate that had an earthy, delicious flavor. The museum is worth a visit for adults and children, if you can tear yourselves away from the more well-known sights of Paris.

The Paris Metro.


Lots of stairs at the Metro stop.

On our previous trips to France, we had always ended our vacation with a visit to the Eiffel Tower. It's our way of bidding adieu to France, to our son, and to all the people and places that have made our time there so very pleasant and memorable. That night was an exception. The weather had become even more damp and blustery until the idea of a trek in the cold and wet was just too much, even for a last view of the Iron Lady. Instead, the three of us found ourselves in a cozy Italian restaurant where we had a delightful meal. That was followed by a lively game of Scattergories in the warmth and comfort of the hotel. It was a perfectly wonderful way to end the evening.

Desmond enjoyed veal picatta on our last night in Paris.

Ah, we finally found some pizza!


TRAVEL TIP: It is a good idea to make yourself aware of any holidays which occur in the country you are planning to visit. You can then make your plans based upon the availability of public transportation, services, restaurants, museums, and other attractions. Bon voyage!
  

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Our Last Day in Orléans. For Now.

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 30, 2015

It was a cool, grey morning, just perfect for sleeping late. We listened to the soft sounds of jazz as we woke up over coffee and eclairs and began to plan our day. The three of us decided to walk over to CarreFour together. We had many items to purchase for the barbecue we were planning that evening. I also picked out a few little things to take home. As we left the market a light, chilly rain began to fall.


Mmm, coffee eclairs!

We cleaned house a bit, and also prepared some of the food for the evening meal. At lunchtime, Des decided to make something special. It was a fabulous cheese fondue. Desmond had brought out his rectangular slates and placed attractive little heaps of bread, apples, ham, and vegetables upon them. It was a delicious meal. The piping hot cheese dish was perfect on that rainy day.


Ready for dipping into the cheese fondue.

The fondue was a special treat.

We had planned to meet some of Desmond's students, who were joining us for coffee to practice their English. We gathered at the cathedral, and then walked across to Lutece, where we sat inside, out of the rain, and ordered coffee and hot chocolate. Only two students had showed up, but we all had a very nice time chatting. The minutes flew by, and before we knew it, two hours had passed!

It was time to prepare for the barbecue. Craig and I were looking forward to seeing Matt, Muriel and Thierry again. I sliced and lightly sugared a big bowl of fresh strawberries. Desmond prepared a broccoli-raisin salad, which is always a surprising dish to French people. They simply don't eat raw cauliflower or broccoli. Then, my son and I prepared the beef patties by adding crushed, fried onions and a couple of tablespoons of catsup to the meat. Because it was still raining, we knew we would have to cook the hamburgers inside. It was hard to complain about the weather. Every day had been nearly perfect until then. Into each life a little rain must fall, right? We arranged little dishes of munchies on the table for apero. We had several flavors of tiny, soft cheeses, along with dry sausage, a hard cheese flavored with toasted cumin seeds, and some chips and dip. The dip was made from a mix that Des had brought from America. Chip dip is another thing the French aren't really familiar with.

After Mathieu and his parents arrived, Des took orders for cocktails. Muriel, Thierry, and I had amaretto sours, Craig tried a gin fizz, Mathieu a kir, and Desmond enjoyed a bramble. Des is a great bartender - the drinks were wonderful. The meal was a hit, too. The juicy burgers topped with a slice of cumin cheese, served on brioche buns were delicious, as were the Toulose sausages and the salad. Muriel and Thierry had brought a couple of bottles of Vouvray to accompany the meal, and we also enjoyed the bottle of wine I had purchased in Sancerre. For dessert, we split open some golden madeleine cakes and topped them with the sliced strawberries and whipped cream. They were wonderful! 

That was such a fun evening with which to end our visit to Orléans. The next day, we would be heading back to Paris. 


A neighborhood cat on the rooftop in Orléans.

Monday, August 17, 2015

More Time in Tours

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 29, 2015

We were having such a fun day in Tours, France! The Segway tour (the machines are called gyropodes in France) was certainly a highlight. When we had finished the tour, Desmond contacted his friend and colleague, Erica, who lives in Tours, to ask if she could join us at Place Plumereau. It was good to see Erica again, and it was so nice that Craig could at last make her acquaintance. We met at an ice cream shop and all enjoyed a dish or cone of some creamy gelato as we talked. The afternoon began to grow chilly, so we followed our gelato with coffee at the French Coffee Shop just off Place Plume. The shop was cozy and comfortable.

Remnants of the ancient St. Martin's Basilica
 in Tours, dating from the 400s.


Specialty drinks at the French Coffee Shop
 in Tours, France.

We all wandered around town together. Craig wanted to see the interior of Saint Gatien's Cathedral, so we went inside the beautiful structure. We toured it slowly and talked in whispers, not wanting to disturb the reverent silence. Soon, that silence was broken by a few tones from the beautiful pipe organ. The great instrument was being tuned! We could see a massive scaffold alongside it and rightly assumed it was there for maintenance and tuning. As we drew closer, we were treated to a lovely impromptu concert. It was an unexpected gift we all enjoyed.


St. Gatien's Cathedral in Tours, France,
built between 1170 and 1547.

The beautiful pipe organ at St. Gatien's.

Erica and I, gazing up at the cathedral in Tours.

We later made our way over to Les Halles, the large, covered market in Tours. It was fun to browse there and I purchased a jar of pork rillettes to take home. We stopped at a little cheese market, where Craig bought some "pocket cheese". That had become a family joke after one of our previous vacations in France during which Craig had startled one of Desmond's friends by pulling a hunk of cheese out of his jacket pocket and munching on it as we walked around Orléans.


A cheese shop in Tours, France.

After a while, we went into a very uniquely decorated bar for drinks. Simon, who is Erica's significant other, was able to join us there. We sat in a cute little circular room and had a nice visit along with our drinks. We had hoped that Erica and Simon could join us for dinner, but it didn't work out. 

Dinner that evening was at the restaurant, Leonard da Vinci, where I had dined with Desmond in 2014. Des was very happy to be sharing one of his favorite restaurants with his dad. It turned out to be quite an experience, and not exactly what we had expected. We were seated on the upper level again, which is made up of two or three very cozy and nicely decorated rooms. There was a group of American tourists in the adjacent room. A tour group. The were obviously well into their cups and were talking loudly and boisterously. And then, they began to sing! Their tour guide and song-leader was apparently a well-known songwriter in France. They sang the hokiest of old American tunes, one after another. Desmond was mortified. He had wanted the evening to be perfect. We did the only thing we could do; we just laughed it off. In fact, at times we were laughing uncontrollably. Des even apologized to the waitress for the rowdy Americans. She responded in a somewhat resigned tone, saying that it occurs regularly in that restaurant. The food was good, though, as always. Craig, and Des ordered the pasta prepared with truffle cream, seared foie gras, and Italian ham, while I tried a new dish of pasta shells stuffed with seasoned veal. It was a delightful meal and I enjoyed being there with my family, making memories. 

Delicious veal-stuffed shells.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

A Tour of Tours on Segway

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 29, 2015

Poor Craig was on vacation but didn't get to sleep in! He was a very good sport about it, though. That day, we awoke at 7:00, drank our coffee, and then popped into our neighborhood bakery for eclairs and chouquettes to munch on the way to Tours. The scenery consisted mostly of field after field of the bright yellow colza. At one point, it looked like a brilliant yellow river as it curved along between stands of trees. 

Walking toward the center of Tours, we came upon the huge outdoor market which was in full swing. We walked through, enjoying each enormous section. The colorful flower market booths were very busy with shoppers buying flowers, herbs, and bedding plants. The scent was wonderful! We came upon the clothing market, where I could have browsed for an hour or two. There were scarves, shoes, belts, and purses, in addition to just about any article of attire you could want. We continued on through the food market, the book stalls, and at the end discovered a flea market. We stopped to look at some bookends that Desmond was interested in and he got a good price on them when we also purchased a wooden cat figurine. Craig and I had somehow fallen into the tradition of purchasing some sort of cat themed item on each trip to France. 

Lots of beautiful flowers!

As we continued on toward the heart of Tours, Craig was enjoying his first look at the town he had heard so much about after I had visited last year. Place Plumereau was becoming crowded with tourists as lunchtime approached. It was a lovely, sunny day, though cool, and many tables were already surrounded by people drinking coffee and chatting. We realized that we were going to have to grab a quick lunch if we were going to be on time for our upcoming Segway tour. We found a tiny kebab shop on a side street and ordered sandwiches and fries. The sandwiches were huge! Des and I could have shared one, for neither of us was able to finish. 


A lovely street in Tours, France.

City hall in Tours, France.

Soon, we were on our way to meet our Segway tour guide, David. Craig and I were pleased to discover that he spoke English quite well. He was easygoing and fun. It didn't take David long to realize that we had been truthful when we told him that we were experienced Segway riders. In no time, we were on our way! David led us on a tour of Tours which lasted an hour and a half and was absolutely amazing. I never stopped smiling! We traveled first along the Loire, past the university, and came to a point of the pathway where the walkway was very "steepy", as David would say. He told us that this would be a good place to see how fast we could go on the Segway and to experience how the machine will push back at you if you have maxed out. It is a self-limiting feature. David told me to go first, so I took off, enjoying the speed and grinning from ear to ear. I was expecting everyone else to follow and when I reached the bottom of the long incline, I turned and discovered that I was alone. I waited a few moments, as the trail was curved and I couldn't see the whole length of it. Soon, along came two people on bicycles, but no one else. I became concerned that there had been an accident, so I headed back the way I had come. Before long, there were my companions. It seemed that I had misunderstood David and was only supposed to have gone a short way. David had told the others else to wait, saying that I would soon notice I was all alone. 


Our Segway tour guide, David,
helps Craig adjust his helmet.
A Segway tour along the Loire in France.

David then guided us through the city streets, along shopfronts and then on to a bike/pedestrian bridge which took us to a lovely tree-shaded park on an island in the Loire. All along the way, we were treated to beautiful views of the river and the town. At one point, David curved suddenly into a u-turn behind a hedge and said, "let's hide!"  I was a bit slow to hide completely, but David popped out and yelled "boo!" at Desmond and Craig and then burst out laughing. He was just so adorable and fun that we had to laugh, too. We went on through the park, which was very pretty, and then David led us down a narrow alley. The old houses there seemed a bit run down, but the wisteria blooming everywhere gave the area a charming look.


 le Château de Tours

We crossed another bridge, which took us back toward the center of town. David led us through the busy market, where we received many stares, comments, and questions. Segway tours are new to the area, so we created quite a sensation. It was fun weaving in and out of the market and through the crowds to Place Plumereau. We felt like celebrities as everyone stared, pointed, and photographed us. We also went to the train station, which was very busy outside. A train had just arrived and there were passengers towing their luggage along the walks. At a crosswalk one man, whom I was trying carefully to avoid, looked me straight in the eye with an angry glare and then purposely moved over just enough to clip one of my wheels with his suitcase. It could have tipped my Segway, but Des, who was directly behind me, said he got the worst of it when my wheel flipped his suitcase over!

Our tour was nearly over, but David guided us past the the beautiful St. Gatien's cathedral, where we paused to take some photos. We then stopped to view the 200-year-old cedar of Lebanon (the cat was still there!) and stretch our legs for a bit. We then headed back to our starting point. We had such fun on that tour! We gave David a large tip, which he tried to refuse, but he really deserved it.  He was a great guide and aside from being fun, he was knowledgeable and gave us interesting information along the way. 

A 200-year-old Cedar of Lebanon
 in Tours, France.
  
If you visit France, you must try a Segway tour, if at all possible. It is tremendous fun and very easy to learn! The company we used was Freemove, which offers tours in Amboise, Tours, and Blois.



Tuesday, August 11, 2015

A Long Travel Day

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 28, 2015

We had a very long travel day, making our way back to France. That morning we all grabbed a hot drink in the hotel breakfast room before trundling our luggage along to the bus station. We had decided to take this alternate form of transportation for a couple of reasons. One, it would give us different views and perspective to be on the highway, and two, riding the bus would save the three of us a total of £75. It would mean adding one additional hour of travel time, which seemed a fair exchange.

Near the bus station in Bath, Desmond discovered a Krispy Kreme donut shop! He walked over and picked up a box of assorted donuts while Craig and I waited at the bus terminal. That was a tasty treat for all of us, but especially for Des, who had not had Krispy Kreme for a couple of years, at least. My favorite was the speculoos-filled donut. 


A shopping arcade in Bath.
Farewell, Bath! It's been fun.

The bus turned out to be very nice, more like a charter bus would be in America. It had tinted windows and plush, high-backed seats. I enjoyed looking out at the lovely English countryside, though it wasn't long before we were driving through the outskirts of London. After we arrived at the terminal, we walked through Paddington Station and hopped on the Tube to St. Pancras Station where we soon boarded the Eurostar. Craig was quite impressed with the high-speed train and the idea that we were just a short ride away from Paris. On the train, we had seats that faced each other, with a table between which made it much more comfortable to read, snack, or play a game.


At Paddington Station in London.

The London Underground, aka The Tube.

Before we knew it, we had arrived at Gare du Nord, where we piled into a taxi for the ride across Paris to Gare d'Austerlitz. The train to Orleans wasn't crowded, which made for a quiet, pleasant journey. At the station, we transferred to a tram for the ride across town to Desmond's home. At that point, we had been travelling for 15 hours and were more than ready for something to eat. We deposited our luggage inside the door and walked across the bridge to Oh, Terroir where we had a delightful meal. We had all somehow decided on the same dish, which was the delicious ham in Dijon sauce served over spelt. Oh, Terroir is one of only a few restaurants in Orleans which allows free refills on drinks. We enjoyed the sparkling lemonade and a tasty blend of strawberry and blackberry juices.  



We're back!

When we returned to the house, Craig got the full tour of the new digs. He was impressed with the layout and with the way Desmond had decorated his home. We chatted for a while, and then went to bed exhausted. But it had certainly been a fun trip!

Monday, August 10, 2015

Stonehenge!

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 27, 2015

How nice it was to sleep late and wake refreshed and ready for adventure! We had breakfast in the hotel, which was a decent hot buffet with lots of items from which to choose. After walking into town, we had more coffee at Starbuck's and then did a bit of browsing in the shops. It was fun to wander around in such a lovely town as Bath. There was so much to see and do. Even simply viewing the amazing architecture was a thrill.

After a few hours of wandering the lovely old streets, we had a wonderful lunch at Sally Lunn's. The historic tea house was in a quaint, old building which is in fact the oldest house in Bath. We all ordered the House Blend tea, which was incredibly good. The shop is famous for their Sally Lunn bun which is a light, slightly sweet yeast bread made with cream. Bath is quite proud of their original "bun". 

Sally Lunn's, Bath UK
Craig and I at Sally Lunn's Eating House in Bath.

I ordered a bowl of pureed vegetable soup, which was very good. Served alongside the soup was a quarter of the famous bun which had been toasted and slathered with butter. I also had a half bun that was spread with lemon curd and served with clotted cream. It was amazingly delicious! Des chose the bun served with dilled cream cheese, smoked Scottish salmon, and lemon. It was superb. He had a dessert of apple cake with clotted cream. Craig ordered the vegetable soup and Welsh rarebit, which was served on a Sally Lunn bun. It was a fun and delectable meal. If you dine there, don't miss the little museum in the basement. 


Lunch was a treat at Sally Lunn's.

A Sally Lunn bun with lemon curd
 and clotted cream. Heavenly!

Craig in Bath UK.

After that fantastic lunch, it was time to board a tour bus to Stonehenge! I could hardly believe that another dream was about to come true. I had wanted to visit Stonehenge for as long as I could remember. We were all looking forward to it. Desmond had visited the ancient monument on an earlier trip to England but was still eager to view it again. We had a great bus driver, John, who entertained us with his wonderful sense of humour. As we approached the visitor's center where we would board larger buses that would take us to the stones, I began to feel rather emotional. This experience had been on my bucket list forever. I felt as if this were some sort of pilgrimage.

The visitors center is situated about a mile from the prehistoric monument. The ancient stones can't be viewed from that location, which is good. It's much more dramatic to come upon Stonehenge as you crest a low hill and see the stone circle in the distance. It is possible to disembark the bus at the halfway point and walk a trail which will take you to the stones, passing at least one of the ancient burial mounds which are scattered across the gentle, green hills.

We left the bus with our audio guides in hand and began to follow the path that encircles the stones. The information on the audio guides is very thorough and if I wanted even more information, I was able to push another button to learn more about a particular subject. I learned more from that little device than I had ever discovered via any other source.


My first glimpse of Stonehenge.

The area was not as crowded as I had thought it would be. That may have been due to the exceptionally chilly weather.  It was quite breezy and very cold, even though the sun was shining much of the time. However, in spite of some discomfort we were awed by the mysterious Neolithic stones. "Awed" is putting it mildly. It is truly a breathtaking experience. 


Stonehenge was absolutely amazing!

I am certain it was no accident that the standing stones were placed upon the slope in such a manner that they appear to tower over you when you are standing at the "front" and seem smaller when you are looking at them from the other side. We found it very sad that there had been some vandalism to the stones in recent years which had necessitated restricting access to them. It's impossible to walk among the stones. One can only stand in wonder and gaze at them. But that was enough, though I did wish we could have been there at a time when there were fewer visitors, perhaps very early or later in the day. I felt as if I needed some time alone with those ancient, mysterious rocks which have aroused curiosity for ages.


What an incredible visit to Stonehenge!

We would have remained out there much longer, but wanted to visit the exhibition at the visitors center before heading back to the bus. We looked at an outdoor display which explained how the heavy stones may had been transported and put into position. We also saw replicas of the huts that would have provided shelter for the workers all those centuries ago. They were circular, thatched huts which contained unique beds and shelves made from interwoven branches. They were very impressive. There was more to see, but we all wanted a hot drink before returning to the bus. I will never forget my visit to Stonehenge. It was everything I had dreamed it would be.

That evening, we shopped a bit at Sainsbury's, which is a very popular grocery chain in the U.K. There, we were able to purchase items that are hard to find in France and the U.S. It was fun to wander through that store. I was pleased to find out that they all have honeybee hotels within them. 

Later, we had supper at a pub. Craig tried the fish and chips, I had a steak and ale pie, and Des chose the salmon. He and Craig tried more local brews while I sipped my ginger beer. It was a pleasant meal and we finished our evening with a game of Racko in our hotel room.


Steak and Ale pie at a pub in Bath.