June 16, 2010 - Windsor Castle and Area

Greetings All,  


Today we headed off to Windsor to visit the Castle and check out the surrounding countryside. Windsor is only a 45 minute drive from John's flat by the motorway but we take a longer route through the city and around Heathrow Airport.

Our last visit Windsor was by train in 1977 and did not go into the castle itself but walked around the town and had a great pub lunch as I recall. Of course the town has gone through numerous changes and upgrades in the last thirty three years. The old railway station has been upgraded with numerous eateries and boutique type shops. The riverside has also been cleaned up and offers cruises along the Thames on some old stream ships.

This time we spent most of our time in the castle itself.  While the entrance fee is a bit pricey sixteen pounds a person the tickets are good for a year so we can return again.  As we will be in London in September we plan to visit Windsor again as we were somewhat rushed this visit.


Windsor is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen.  Its rich history spans almost 1000 years.  The Castle covers an area of about 5 hectares (13 acres) and contains magnificent State Apartments furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection, St George's Chapel (one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 monarchs), and Queen Mary's Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature.

The tour is self conducted with a audio guide to give you information and guide you on your way.  Unfortunately, the taking of pictures is not allowed inside State Apartments or Chapel.  The Doll house is unbelievable  and was a gift to Queen Mary.  It is not a toy but a collection of miniatures that all work. Right down to a mini vacuum cleaner in the maids chambers. The State Apartments are extremely opulent and I comment to Fred I wonder if the queen has a place in her residence where she can be just a normal person, run around in her dressing gown and fuzzy slippers if she should so choose.  I somehow doubt it given the British sense of what is proper.

The round tower which fly's the Queens Standard when she is in residence, which is most weekends we are told, is over 800 years old and was the last refuge of defense during times of siege. The moat at the castle is a dry moat and has in modern times been converted to a lovely garden.   The tower itself was made larger by King James increasing the height of it during his reign.

Our last stop on our tour is St. George's Chapel.  The inside of the Chapel is beautiful and worship services are held daily.  Henry the VIII is buried here but we did not see his tomb this time. It was now later in the afternoon and a few bus loads of tourists has arrived making it crowded and very busy.  The craftsmanship of the carvings in the stonework continue to amaze us considering the tools available when these structures where built. A major point of interest in the Chapel is the Order of the Garter.

The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry, or knighthood, originating in medieval England. The Order is dedicated to the image and arms of St. George as England's Patron Saint, and is presently bestowed on recipients from British and other realms; it is the pinnacle of the honours system in the United Kingdom. Membership in the order is limited to the sovereign, the Prince of Wales, and no more than twenty-four members, or Companions; the order also comprises Supernumerary knights and ladies (e.g., members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs). Bestowing the honour has been described as one of the Monarch's few remaining truly personal, executive prerogatives.
Once knighted the coat of arms is displayed on wooden heads in the Quyre in the Chapel. These remain on display until the knight passes away. The heads remain empty until a replacement is made to the order. Toady there are three empty heads and one had notes underneath as the person had recently deceased. 

We finish our rather quick tour in just over 2 1/2 hours and do a quick walk around the town and riverbank and pick up pamphlets on the river cruises so we can partake when we come back in September .

Before heading back to London we take a drive around the surrounding countryside looking for a pub which John had mentioned to us for a late lunch/early supper.  Alas we do not find it and so head back to the flat the motorway, which is a little quicker although it is late in the afternoon and it is very busy.  After a bathroom break for Portia, we headed out for a supper of fish and chips at the local chippy.

Pictures will be posted to our Flickr site later once Fred has sorted them out.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred

June 15, 2010 - Marathon Walk Day 2 Embankment

Greetings all,

Today was a very cool windy day but a good one for walking.  After lunch we took a walk along the Thames Embankment.  This is a walk I always enjoys as there always seems to be something going on or unusual to see. We walked along the south bank of the Thames until we reached Blackfriars Bridge where the walkway was closed off due to construction of the new Blackfriars tube station.  We then walked across the bridge and headed along the north side of the river.  I stopped for a number of photo ops, some of shots I had taken previously but this time without people messing up my pictures. The dragons that mark the west edge of the City of London (It's approximately one square mile in Metropolitan London) once adorned the London Coal Exchange. The Royal Air Force War Memorial is nearby,  so I got a couple of good shots of it as well.

We continued our walk along the north bank to the Parliament Buildings.  Across from the Parliament Buildings is Parliament Square, a grassy area that is now home to a tent city of  squatter/protesters that really looks disgusting. Unfortunately they cannot remove them as they are peaceful but they really detract from the sites in the area.  Of course no walk would be complete without a stop for refreshment and a short rest for my weary legs. Today's stop is at the Morpeth Arms.  A 1/2 pint of cider for me and a pint of Bombardier for Fred enjoyed on the outside patio.

It was then a short walk back to the flat. Today we covered 5.2 miles in just over 2 1/2 hours.  Hopefully a few ounces lighter and the legs a little stronger.

Cheerio for now,

Sandy & Fred 

June 14, 2010 - Marathon Walk in London

Greetings All

Today we headed off to Hyde Park as I wanted to get some photos of sculptures I spotted when we drove in from Liverpool on Friday.  So we headed off walking to Hyde Park walking on a somewhat overcast and gray day.  When we arrived at Hyde Park we were unsure of where the sculptures were, I think that they were near Marble Arch.  We are at the wrong end of the park so we headed off in the direction of Marble Arch walking through the park.  A note to self here, when driving by try to take note of streets or landmarks so you know where you are going.  After taking my photos we continued our walk through the park with me continuing to take photos.  The horse head sculpture to the left is not named but was one of the sculptures that stood out as we drove by.

Once out of the park we walked through Knightsbridge an area we have previously visited.  We stopped for a bit of refreshment and a short rest at The Nags Head before heading off again back to the flat. In all we walked for for almost four hours and have covered 5.1 miles today.  I am exhausted but have enjoyed our day and hopefully lost a few ounces with the walk.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred

June 13 - 14, 2010 - London

Greetings All,

After a crazy drive to London (I think we jinxed ourselves) we arrived at John and Adrienne's Friday night to dog sit. They headed off to France on Saturday, while we spent the day relaxing and doing some food shopping.

Sunday June 13th. We headed off to the Marylebone Summer Fayre. This festival is a fund raiser for teenage cancer. Marylebone is a village within the city of London located just off Oxford Street. From the flat we took the tube to Oxford Circus and then walked around the Fayre taking in the sites and sounds. We stopped for lunch at a pub just off Oxford Street called the Lamb and Flag. A pub that has been in place since the 1850's. I had a great ploughmans sandwich,(ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato and branston pickle) on multi-grain bread and Fred has a rump steak sandwich. Of course with a 1/2 pint of cider for me and a pint of London Pride for Fred. Once fortified we continued our walk back to the flat.

Our walk took us by Berkeley Square which was originally laid out in the mid 18th century by the architect William Kent. The square is also home to London Plane Trees, some of the oldest in London, planted in 1789. The square features a statue by Alexander Munro, a Pre-Raphaelite sculptor, made in 1858 (see picture).  The square was also sang about in the song "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" made famous by Glenn Miller and Vera Lynn in WWII, then later by Rod Stewart and Harry Connick Jr just to name a few that have recorded the song. As well there are a number of elephant sculptures that are for a Save the Elephant Campaign. Corporations purchase the sculptures with the funds going towards saving the elephant. Unfortunately, so far, this has not been very successful. Our walk today was 4 miles and I am totally exhausted when we returned to the flat.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred

June 5 - 7, 2010 - Last Days in Canada

Greetings All,

June 5th. The weather finally turned nice. Jonathan and I headed off to the boat, while Amy stayed behind as the repairman was coming to fix the dryer. The drive out to the boat was kinda hairy and Jonathan tells me, as if I had not already guessed, he is an aggressive driver and hates driving in Vancouver. We arrived at the marina and he shows me the boat telling me what plans he has for it. Unfortunately we did not get to sail as the engine was not up to par and it was not worth the risk of going out without it. So I must wait until the next visit to go sailing, but I did enjoy the sun and time spent alone with Jonathan. After tidying up the inside of the boat we drove back to the apartment through Stanley Park. The sun has brought everyone out to enjoy the park and the hot sunny weather. Once back at the apartment, Jonathan prepared supper of homemade pasta (with his new pasta maker) and steak. We then relaxed for he balance of the night.

June 6th. Amy and I walked to get wine and dog food then dropped Jonathan off for a soccer game. Amy headed off to her friends Suzanne and Carmen, as Amy is getting help updating her resume due to the fact she will become jobless July 7th as the company she works for is relocating back to Ontario. Jonathan and I met up with them later for supper. Suzanne and Carmen made me most welcome and we had a great evening together. Before we knew it was 10:00 pm and we headed back to the kids place as I am leaving for Ontario in the morning.

June 7th. The flight back to Ontario was uneventful with a stopover in Calgary. Another civilized airport like Vancouver that offers free wifi. So the stopover flew by and before I knew it I was on the final leg to Ontario. Our friend Derek picked me up at the airport and I spent the night with Liz. After a couple of appletinis I had a great nights sleep.

June 8th. I spent the day catching up with Carol and Liz. Derek joined us for a lovely lunch together. Derek dropped me off at the airport. The drive usually takes about 20 minutes, but today it took an hour as there is a major accident, so a major slowdown. You have to love Toronto for that, something I truly don't miss. The check-in process for the flight to the UK was easy as I had my purse separate to go through security. The flight was uneventful and I had a great seat near the exit with no one beside me and a nice old gentleman in the window seat. Immigration in the UK was a breeze. I was fingerprinted (electronicly), my visa stamped and now my visa has been activated.

Back home and after a two day rest we headed off to London.

I survived my travels on my own and am glad to be home back with my sweetie.

Bye for now.

Sandy

June 3, 2010 - Vancouver

Greetings All,

I guess it is about time I updated you on my solo travels. Mike kindly drove me out to the airport on May 30th and checking in was a breeze as I did the paper work on-line the night before. Security decided that my backpack needed to have a complete check. I waited until the guy swabbed the bag then went to touch it to open it all up for him. Big mistake apparently you are not allowed to touch it at all while it is being checked. Being me, I tell the guy that he should inform people of that then, as how are we supposed to know. We then have a decent conversation and he asks why I have so many glasses. As I explained to him, I don't think two pairs is a lot. One pair is my sun-glasses and the other my prescription glasses. He then proceeds to explain why my bag was targeted. My epipen and camera gave off a shape that needed to be investigated.

My other big concern was my luggage as I was changing planes in Edmonton. Well all my worry was for nothing as I was the one to get off the plane not my luggage. I got back on the same plane I just left LOL to continue on to Vancouver. I was greeted at the airport by Amy, Christopher and Meaghan. Chris and Meg where somewhat disappointed that I was not surprised. I knew they were in Vancouver as I had read Jonathan's blog. So he was now in trouble for spoiling their surprise. While we only got to spend the night together it was nice to see all the kids and share a meal. Jonathan made an amazing hot crab dip with crab he caught on Saturday and ribs and mashed potatoes.

We took Chris and Meaghan to the bus depot on Monday and then did a bit of shopping as both Jonathan and Amy booked off work. It had been rainy most of the day and in the evening the kids walked me to Granville Island so I could get the lay of the land in the area that they now live. Tuesday it rained and I relaxed as we were heading off to the Museum of Anthropology in the evening. On my last visit to Vancouver the Museum was closed as they were renovating it.


The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia is world-renowned for its collections, research, teaching, public programs, and community connections. It is also acclaimed for its spectacular architecture and unique setting on the cliffs of Point Grey. We only spent a couple of hours here and mostly in the North American section as I am most interested in the history of the Coastal Indians. The Haida and Salish Indians have a very rich culture and the artifacts are amazing. One can easily spend a full day and then some exploring all the history and art of the cultures from around the world. When Fred and I visit again we must take the time to explore the Museum.

Wednesday I spent indoors and as it was a very miserable day and did the laundry for the kids so that our weekend will be free. Unfortunately the dryer broke. Thank God there was only one load left to dry.

Thursday turned out to be a lovely day after so much rain and I headed off to Granville Island. The walk was nice as I cut through a park outside the kids place. The walk was about 15 minutes at my pace. I shopped at the market for some things for our supper tonight, then headed back with my purchases. Now those of you who know me well, know that my sense of direction really sucks. Some Indian I am LOL. I thought I had paid attention where I accessed the sea wall but alas I had not. I walked along the wall with my parcels and was so busy watching the birds and boats that I missed my turn. I could see where I needed to be from the park and finally did get back to the apartment but added a good 30 minutes on to my walk as I had to back track. Plus I feel that my arms are a little longer as I was carrying the parcels. Tired and hot I enjoy a glass of water (that is right Water) and posted the blog. Tomorrow I am out with Amy doing girlie things and hopefully will get to see Jonathan's boat on the weekend and do some sailing.

Look for more posting of my adventures as I try not to get lost ;-)!

Ta Ra,

Sandy

April 27 - May 28, 2010 - Our Time in Ontario

Greetings All,

You may or not know that we returned to Ontario so that I could apply for a Visa so I do not get asked a lot of questions when I return to the UK from our travels. The Visa is good for two years, then after passing a test "Life In The UK" I can apply for a Visa for "Indefinite Leave To Remain" in the UK. Our flight was uneventful and we arrived almost a hour early due to some good tail winds. The drive across the city was pure hell as we were in the evening rush hour. We finally arrived at the Hosier/Pagazani household after a drive that was almost two hours, even the limo driver found it exasperating. Our friends have graciously opened their home to us during our stay in Canada as they headed off to Florida for ten days and we minded my buddy O'Malley, Gracie the budgie and Snowflake a Siamese fighting fish.

On April 28th we left bright and early to head downtown to have Biometrics (finger prints and mug shot) taken as well as provide the paper submission of the application. They want to know everything possible about you except when you had your kids. Fred had to give over his drivers license and get a special visitors pass in order to come into the next room with me for the fingerprinting etc. While waiting we are somewhat entertained by the stupidity of the people who attend to get visa's for the UK. One lady is applying for her kids and gets quite upset when they ask questions about the father. Either they are estranged, divorced, dead or she doesn't know who he is. The poor clerk was trying to be diplomatic and I am trying not to start laughing as Fred and I nudge each other on the QT but avoid looking at each other. We also watch a film about Britain and sit there and say been there, know that and so on. The film also mentions a fee you can pay to fast track your visa. We ask about it, but for settlement which is what my Visa is for they do not allow it. So we were told it can take up to ten weeks for approval. I of course expected it to take the full ten weeks, so now we planned time to visit with friends and family. While downtown we drop into our old work places for a quick hello and I am asked would I work while I am back to help out with summer relief. Are they F#$%$%#$# crazy!!!

Our first visit was with Derek, Carol and Liz in Mississauga for a BBQ and we had a great time catching up with them over a steak dinner. Sadly Dyna, Liz's dog is on her last legs and after a ripe old age had to go to doggy heaven later in the week. Every day for the balance of the week is busy with short visits to friends and family as well as attending to business with our ScotiaMcLeod Financial Advisor and of course some shopping.

Lo and behold, the visa was approved on May 12th and my passport and all of the documentation was couriered back to the house on May 13th.

The Hosier/Pagazni family returned from Florida and we headed off to North Bay on May 14th for the weekend to see Geoff and Tracey and her family. We had a great time and unfortunately the boys are the big Euchre winners this time. But then again you have to let them win sometimes so they will keep playing LOL. Our next stop is Collingwood for a visit with Eve-Lyn and Jim both Scotiabankers. Eve-Lyn being the smart individual she is has retired and Jim may soon join her. Our last stop on this circuit is to visit my Mom who lives between London and Chatham. The drive is wonderful as we traveled there on the back roads and it was very scenic. I had forgotten how nice Ontario can be when you are not on the 400 series highway.

On May 20th we headed back to Oshawa and again chose a back road route from Kitchener to Oshawa. What a eye opener that was. A five hour drive but now all we see is development. Housing popping up everywhere and farmland disappearing plus the prices are unbelievable. Urban sprawl at its worst.

May 21st saw us have a great day out with Tom and Doreen. We visited St Jacobs and Elora. I am rather disappointed because St. Jacobs which, used to be a quaint Mennonite community has become very commercialized. Sad but as they say the times they are a changing. Our last visit is with Steve and Karen Hickey and Steve Hummel our friend for over 35 years. We have a great time reminiscing about Glenda who sadly lost her battle with cancer in March.

May 22nd, Party Time!! Michelle planned a party for Fred as he was returning home on the 25th plus it was the May 24 long weekend. A feast as always. We were spoilt and I must say I will miss the great food especially as I did not have to cook.

May 25th was sad day as Fred was on his way back to the UK. His trip was uneventful except for some old farts on the plane who he says should not have been allowed out (several were sitting in the wrong seats). The trip also raised a question of security as one old dear got on the wrong plane????

For the last few days I have just chilled out with the family, relaxed in the pool and caught some rays. My next report will be from Vancouver and I'll let you know how my travels went. Hard to believe but this will be the first time I am traveling on my own since I have been married. Let's hope I am not one of those Old Farts Fred so admires LOL.

I would also be remiss if I did not Thank the Hosier /Pagazani family for their generosity and hospitality while we stayed in Ontario when we were not off traveling and visiting family and friends. Truly Our Home away from Home.

Till then Ta Ra for now.

Sandy