September 28, 2009 - Cotswolds Bound

Greetings all,

After an appointment at the clinic for a prescription renewal we headed off for a three night stay at the Lambs Inn at Shipton-under-Wychwood. This is a quaint village in the Cotswolds that is near Burford. The village itself while very small does have three pubs, the one we are staying at, the others being a small hotel The Shaved Crown and The Red Horse Inn.

Once off the highway our drive takes us along some single track roads. While you must pull over onto the grass in order for cars to pass each other I like the roads as you must drive slower than on the two lane back roads or A or B class roads as they are called. The leaves have started to change but because we do not get the frost and sudden drops in temperature that Ontario does we do not get the brilliant colours of Ontario. Golds, some red and dull green. As well a lot of leaves just dry up and fall off. We see pheasant along the road side and at one round about there is a huge male strutting around, of course I missed the photo op.

After we settled in our room, we went for a walk around the village and then headed back to the Inn to have a pint on the patio as the weather is warm. Supper tonight is at the pub and the food is excellent. All local produce. Fred has a caprese salad to start,followed by braised lamb shank and rum bama for dessert. I have duck spring rolls with the most amazing fresh plum sauce followed by a steak. The meal is complemented with a bottle of Fighting Flat Shiraz,an Australian red and a very good full bodied wine. We then head up to our room to relax. We find out tha the WiFi is not working so its reading time and games on the PC.

Since this is a relatively short blog and somewhat boring I thought I would give you a bit of trivia on How Britain likes their Tipple!! (Wine) 1.6 billion bottles are imported to the UK every year, 2.6 billion pounds is spent on wine drunk in licensed premises, 5 billion pounds is spent on wine drunk at home and 27.9 litres of wine are drunk per head in the UK every year. Note that last bit of trivia was based on information before we arrived in the UK. A figure sure to go up:)! Chardonnay is the most popular white wine drunk in Britain followed by Pinot Grigio and last but not least alcohol production and retailing employs 650,000 people in the UK.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred

September 22, 2009 - Sitting Bull in Liverpool

Greetings All,

I just have to do this blog of our experience today. It is too funny not to share with you. It is a great day to walk, sunny but with a good wind off the River Mersey.
Our walk covers 4 1/4 miles in total. There is a sign that indicates x number of Kilometers to Sitting Bull Sculpture. Well as you all know my Native Heritage I am very curious as to why Liverpool would have a statue to a American Indian Chief. We are trying to walk every day or at least every other day when the weather co-operates and on each walk we go a little further. So today is the walk to check out Sitting Bull and his relationship to Liverpool. So another lesson is learned today The British are very literal. When they say a statue of sitting bull they mean just that!! The statue was of a Red Bull Sitting, not Sitting Bull the Indian Chief. LOL Fred and I sure had a good laugh over this one.

I thought now that you have recovered from you laughter I would give you a bit of info on the River Mersey. The river was a ancient divide between what is now Lancashire and Cheshire. The river is 70 miles long starting at Stockport/Manchester and ending in Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. It has the second highest tidal range in Britain. It was made famous by the song "Ferry Cross the Mersey " by Gerry and the Pacemakers, as well it is known for the Mersey-beat by the Beatles and Stone Rose. The first dock on Liverpool was built in 1715. The Industrial revolution that followed was very responsible for the pollution of the river. With today's cleanup of the river it once again is home to several specie of fish. Salmon, trout, lamprey and dace. The estuary is now home to grey seals, porpoises and octopus. The river is even considered sacred by British Hindus as sacred as the River Ganges. Go figure that one.

Well that is all for now.

Cheers all,

Sandy & Fred

September 20,2009 - A bit of This and That

Greetings All,

Well a bit of time has passed since our last post so I thought I would update up you on what's been happening. Not Much (kidding)!!! The weather in Liverpool has improved immensely and Autumn has arrived. In the UK they call it the Golden days I am guessing because most of the trees turn yellow. None of the amazing colours we get in Ontario. Sadly, it is getting darker earlier and we need lights in by 7:30 PM.

The place is now home for me as I am now rearranging cupboards and making a few small purchases for our daily living. The only thing I really hate is laundry days. It takes forever to do our bit of laundry a full day for clothes and another full day for bedding. The machine is an all-in-one unit, washes for over a hour for a short wash and drying takes 120 minutes or more and it still comes out damp so you hang things around everywhere. None of the nice 3 hours tops to get it all done like in Canada:(.

I am really enjoying our view of the river as it seems to change daily from sail boats, skidoos, to tugs, freighters and ferries all dependent on the tides of the day. Fred is enjoying going to the Footie Matches but still has not learned that shouting at the TV when a match is on accomplishes nothing. A Guy thing I know but really it is only a game, you girls understand what I am talking about:).

We have visited some local areas and gone driving to get a better feel for the area.
Last weekend we went to Southport and walked along the pier by the beach. No water was to be seen for miles. According to Fred's Uncle Jim you never see water at Southport we must check the tide tables to find when the tide is in. The beach was used as a parking lot and there were donkey rides for the kids. We also had our first flake ice-cream cone since our arrival in England. The pier had an arcade that housed all the old penny arcade machines and were rather interesting (pic attached). The old pennys could be purchased and for a family with kids a very cheap source of entertainment. We then went into the town proper for a bit of a walk around. We ended up at the start of the pier where there are water rides, boats for hire and a amusement type atmosphere. Southport has the second longest pier in England at 3,650 ft first opening in 1860. In 1868 it's length was 4,380 ft so it has been shortened somewhat. Southport is a typical seaside town. We leave Southport to travel some lovely country lanes as we headed back to Liverpool.

Today we checked out the Hope Street Festival. Its all about the NOSH (Food and Snacks). There is a farmers market and crafters. We purchased bread, scallops and prawns (Shrimp) all reasonably priced. We went into town early and are glad as the street became packed just past noon. Buskers came out and the place became crazy. This area of town has some beautiful old buildings and worth a visit to take some pictures when it is less crowded.

We headed back to the flat with our goodies and to action on the River. As the tide is in the sail boats are out in their all their glory and a freighter is being helped by 3 tugs as it heads upstream.

Well that's all for now, we are heading to London again end of the month for a long weekend to dog sit and will be visiting the Cotswolds again on our way home making it a full week away.

Ta Ra,

Sandy & Fred

September 4, 2009 - Blenheim Palace and Black Burton

Greetings All,

Today we headed off to Woodstock in Oxfordshire where Blenheim Palace the home of Winston Churchill is located. The Palace is still lived in by the 11th Duke of Marlborough, John George Vanderbilt Spencer- Churchill (now that's a mouth full) and his family. The Palace was created a World Heritage Site in 1987. The family uses the funds received from visits to restore and conserve the Palace and grounds. Current restoration work is being done on the dam created in 1760. We are in luck today as parts of the private family apartments have been opened for tours so we sign up. The whole Palace is full of history of the family and its course of history. Construction on the Palace was started in 1705 and completed in 1722, the year the 1st Duke of Marlborough died. We spent over 5 hours in the Palace and the grounds and did not see everything. We only do half of the Palace that is open to the public as we opt to explore the grounds as the weather was sunny and dry. Unfortunately the taking of pictures is not allowed inside the Palace and they are well patrolled staff and security. The grounds are over 2,000 acres consisting of parkland outside of what is around the palace itself. We signed up for a years pass to the Palace that is being offered for free. We just hand in our ticket that we paid for today in exchange for an access card which gives us unlimited access for the next year. We plan to come back early in October to finish exploring the other half of the Palace on our way back from London.

We now headed to our final destination Black Burton and The Vines. This place is rather disappointing given the Inns we have just stayed at. It is clean though and the food is very good which really surprised us. Supper again is included I have fried Camembert cheese with a raspberry sauce and Fred has duck spring rolls with plum sauce each has a small salad with a light orange dressing. We both have crispy duck with new potatoes and vegetables. Very tasty and filling. Fred has room for dessert and has apple crumble with custard. He sure made short work of it.

After breakfast we headed back to Liverpool using the secondary roads.

I have enjoyed our stay in the Cotswolds where we have traveled narrow one lane "Tracey" roads, beautiful country side of farmland (both animals and food products), quaint villages and historic sites (both ancient and somewhat newer). We will be returning in the future.

We hope you have enjoyed this segment of our latest travels.

Ta Ra for now,

Sandy & Fred

September 3, 2009 - Moreton-In-Marsh

Greetings All,

After a full day of exploration we arrived at Moreton-In-Marsh a 13th century market town. The town has been a travelers rest spot for at least 1700 years, first coaches and then trains. A traditional market is still held every Tuesday and the 16th Century bell tower still stands. The bells were rung nightly until 1860 to warn people of the dangers of fire.

The Manor House our home for the night was originally granted by King Henry VIII to Dean and Chapter of Westminster in 1539. Ownership then changed to the Creswyke Family. One of the hotels most notable guests was King George VI who stayed in the hotel during the Second World War. The grounds are beautiful and there is a huge Mulberry Tree that dates back to the 17th Century. The hotel harvests the fruit using it for cakes, cocktails, jams and syrups.

Our room is posh to say the least. A canopy bed, and antique furniture. Our stay here included supper and breakfast. Supper is decadent to say the least this was our dinner.
My starter was foie gras parfait, kumquat marmalade, cinnamon brioche and orange jelly. The main dish was chicken breast, mushroom duxelle, butternut squash puree spring onion and garlic pomme puree. Fred's starter was Breast of Woodpigeon, tarragon risotto and poached quail egg. The main dish was Scotch beef, port red wine shallots, wilted bok choy and tyme roasted carrots. We both had Chocolate fondant,iced orange and rosemary ice cream for dessert. Wow all included our only expense was a bottle of Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Italian wine. Are you hungry yet??

This has been the best yet. Tomorrow another day of exploring.

Cheerio for now,

Sandy & Fred

September 3, 2009 - Exploring Villages towards Moreton-In-Marsh

Greetings all,

Fall has arrived in the UK and it is rather dull in comparison to what we are used to in Ontario. The leaves are less colourful, some yellow, a bit of red but mostly the leaves just turn a dull green gray and drop off the trees. Autumn in Canada is something I definitely miss.

We have packed up and are heading to Moreton-in-Marsh, exploring towns and villages along the way. We headed to Cirencester in search of the Roman Amphitheatre. Signage is very poor and we never did find the site. Fred comments that maybe the ruins are such they are not worth seeing if the signs lead to no where. We head on and stop in Chedworth where there is a Roman Villa. The villa was discovered quite by accident by a games-keeper in 1864 while he was digging for a ferret. The then owner of the land Lord Eldon undertook the excavation of the site and built a house as a museum to house the artifacts that were found. The site is now administered by The National Trust since 1924. Given that the site was excavated by Lord Eldon and the workers on his estate and they did not have any archaeological background, they did a remarkable job in unearthing the remains of the villa. The villa dates back to the second century and was completed in the fourth century. The villa houses a heated sauna, bathhouse, kitchen, temple and water cistern that still feeds fresh water today. The mosaics that remain are incredible and the detail amazing.

Our next stop is Bourton-On-The-Water. This village is very picturesque with the river Windrush running through it. It is known as the 'Venice of the Cotswolds'. Numerous footbridges span the water throughout the village. We have lunch at the Kingsbridge Pub as once again the heavens open. Thankfully the rain stops and we enjoy an hour or so strolling around the town taking photos.

Or last stop before reaching our final destination for the day is Lower Slaughter. This is a lovely little village. The name of the village of Lower Slaughter stems from the Old English name for a wet land 'slough' or 'slothre' (Old English for muddy place) upon which it lies. This quaint village sits beside the Little Eye stream and is known for it's unspoilt limestone cottages in the traditional Cotswold style. The stream running through the village is crossed by two small bridges and the local attraction is a converted mill with original water wheel selling craft type products.

We now head off to our final destination for the day and for that I must do a new blog.

Cheers,

Sandy & Fred

September 1 & 2, 2009 - Cotswolds

Greetings all,

We left Liverpool in the morning under bright sunny skies, although it is windy. We took a route that avoided the highway or motorway as they say in the UK. We traveled through some lovely countryside and many small towns and villages. In addition, there were a number of amazing looking pubs that all looked very inviting. No stops though I think you need to take a trip just doing a pub crawl but then there would be issues around drinking and driving. Mother nature being true to form since our arrival in the UK sheds her tears once again.

It rains rather hard at times and although Fred said he is doing the speed limit I think we are driving too fast around these curving single lane roads. We arrived in Broadway around 4:00 p.m. and checked into a very quaint inn. Once settled in, we then head out to explore the village.

The village of Broadway in the English county of Worcestershire and is often referred to as the 'Jewel of the Cotswolds' and the 'Show Village of England'. The 'broad way' leads from the foot of the western cotswolds escarpment with a wide grass-fringed street lined with ancient honey coloured limestone buildings dating back to the 16th century. The village has one of the longest High Streets in England.

We decided on a pub supper in the inn and then relax in our room planning our next days exploration.

September 2 - After breakfast all which is included in the cost of the room, we headed off to Sudeley Castle. The castle was established back in the 10th century and has had numerous owners. The most notable figures being Henry the Eighth and his 6th wife Queen Catherine Parr. Henry visited the castle with his second wife, Anne Boleyn in 1535 and it is said that the rose bush they planted a red/white rose was to be the uniting of the two Houses, the Red of Lancashire (Henry) and the White of York (Anne). The bush is still in the garden today. Queen Catherine who survived Henry is buried in a tomb in St. Mary's Church which is on the grounds and is still used as a Parish church today. Part of the castle and Church were either destroyed or desecrated during the English civil war by the Parliamentarians (Cromwell). The castle then went through a number of owners and restoration. The current owners are Elizabeth, Lady Ashcombe, (wife of Henry Edward Cubitt, 4th Baron Ashcombe), who owns 50 percent of the equity, and her two children — film-producer Henry (married to a Hawaiian model Lili Maltese at the castle in 1998) and Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst — who each own 25 percent. This situation arose when the children's father, Elizabeth's first husband, Mark Dent-Brocklehurst died intestate in 1972. The castle is lived in today and while on tour we were greeted by the son Henry.

After our visit to the castle we set off to Stratford-upon-Avon. We had lunch at The Pen and Parchment Pub then walked about the town. Stratford is very much like the Stratford in Ontario. High end stores, quaint tea rooms, and of course the theatres. We saw the home of Shakespeare and have our photo moment. As well we saw the oldest pub in Stratford, The Garrick Inn. A gentlemen stops and chats with us as we are looking at a map to get our bearings and he advises against eating at the Garrick. Poor food for a big price and directs us to where we ended up eating. Turns out he has friends that live in Ajax, small world. After a walk along the River Avon for more photo ops we headed back to Broadway for our second night stay.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred