The Infamous

This is Big Ben and the Parliment building. It is right on the waters edge. I was amazed at how small it was really. It is absolutely beautiful though and so ornately decorated. The clock is actually just called the big clock and Big Ben refers to the name of the bell housed inside. It was designed by a man neamed Ben that was only 5 foot, and therefore nicknamed Big Ben. When the clock first went into action, it took two men 32 hours to wind it up. The parliment building is lovely and shows when parliment is in session by a flag hanging outside. There was obviously no session that day...

London Town

London was less than I expected...
That's not very nice...
Actually, I found the city very nice and fairly simple to navigate. Dad and I had a short visit there, but were able to see most of the things I wanted to.
These are some views of Trafalgar square. The statue is to the military leader Nelson, and the four lions represent his four major battles. This is a large place for people viewing their political opinions and protests. It is also near Saint James Cathedral which is where Princess Diana was wed, much to the dismay of the normal tradition of Westminster abbey.
Also included is the square of (I have messed this one) Aergos? This seems to me to be a bit like times square. It is a major meeting place for people.
The park picture with the far away person is Speakers corner in Hyde Park. This is noted for people coming to speak their views, especially on a sunday.

Loch Lomond

Dad came for a visit. We rented a car, which was an experience in itself. We traveled west to Loch Lomond, which is the biggest loch in Great Britian. It was absolutely gorgeous. On the way back we were lucky enough to see Highland cow!!! It a lovely drive and it was surrounded by gorgeous mountains.

The Joy of the Hunt

Alice and Tara are way into hunting. This is quite a tradition. They ride their horses around in a large group looking for fox. this can take hours. Only the huntsman and his hounds are really after it, the rest just follow. They go twice a week for all the winter weeks. So far though, they have only got one fox. Lucky Tara got to keep the fox foot after they cut it off. There's nothing like her smiling face with a bit of blood on her cheek. What an important thing for her!!! There will be no vegetarian Inquisition here, mind you. i went out to the meet, which is before they leave. This is basically a time for the adult followers to get blitzed on this insanely strong drink. It will put hair on your chest for sure, or perhaps turn you into an ape. At least you'll keep warm...

Halloween

Well, I wanted to see the holiday in right, so we hosted a Halloween party. the kids each invited a few friends. They had a blast. They did all the planning, buying and decorating. I had fun too, but forgot how tough a room full of small children could be. They need to be entertained. I am a bag of jellybeans... give me some credit. My favorite was when a kid asked, "If you're supposed to be a bag, why are you not wrapped up in plastic?"
Good one, eh???

Glasgow

I was lucky enough to go to Glasgow a few weekends ago. I stayed with a previous nanny of the family. She was lovely and we really had a grand time. Glasgow is very laid back and I had my first experience with sick in the streets. This means people drink until they are sick in the streets, and the next morning you must walk over it. Pretty self explanatory... There was a gorgeous park there with a botanical garden to die for. It is clear that this city is much more laid back than Edinburgh. I just loved it!!!!

Windsor and the River Thames

Right, that's said like "Tims." I made that silly mistake, so I'll save you the trouble. In addition to Silchester, I had the priviledge of visiting the town of Windsor. Apparently, the castle was built in the early 1100's and is one of the oldest and most widely used castles in the world. The city is charming for sure and, like Edinburgh, is centered around a castle on the hill. There is a lovely park with a giant farris wheel in it. People were everywhere taking photo shots and all of the leaders of the tour groups had different colored umbrellas that they held up. I thought about joining one, but didn't think I would get away with it for too long...
These swans are honestly the biggest things I have ever seen. They aren't afraid at all. One was right in front of me and spread its wings. It would haave wrapped around me and was taller (although that isn't very hard...).

Silchester

So, while in the South of England, I was lucky enough to visit the site of Roman ruins. Near to Reading is an ancient Roman road, dating well before BCE. This wall was built as protection and the large circular area was an arena ring. On the outside entrance of these walls, skulls were unearthed of people who entered uninvited. This site dates back to the Iron age. It is pretty amazing to think of the things these stones have seen. It's about 3 miles of walls. The morning was crisp, sunny, and beautiful. I loved imagining all the people who have been there before.

Reading, England

A few weeks ago, we went to Reading, in the south of England, for the school holidays. It was a grueling journey with three children, two adults, a teenager, the dog, various luggage and me, but we all arrived intact. We stayed at Granny's, which is a beautiful house built in the 1600's and set on a horse farm. It is on land granted by the Duke of Wellington. It was a nice change of pace and offered the opportunity for a couple of walks in the woods. The drive was magnificent and showed off some of the best sides of Southern Scotland and England.