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We were in Geneva this past weekend, initially because Peggy had to go there for a business trip. But as luck would have it, the Tour de France was passing nearby on Sunday, so we added that to our agenda. (It was tough for me to do, but I suffered through it.)
Saturday
We arrived this afternoon, and little did we know that there was some kind of Lake Geneva Festival going on this weekend. From what we could tell as we walked around, it was some kind of Mardi Gras/Carnival kind of event, which you can take to mean a lot of people walking around drinking, smoking, wearing all manner of questionable fashion, all with a twist of blaring euro-trash music. Now, I like to think that Peggy and I can co-exist with fringe elements pretty well -- hell, you got to if you want to live in Boulder -- but this... this we found to be just down right annoying. After strolling around (and away from the festivities), we found a grocery store and picked up some provisions for our Sunday morning and afternoon along the Stage 8 route of the Tour, and then made our way back to our hotel to drop them off and get some dinner.
Sunday
Recalling our experience from 6 years ago, we knew that if we wanted to get a good spot on the mountain climbs for the race, we had to get there early to get a spot as a) they fill up fast and b) it's not uncommon for roads to be shut down 5+ hours before the riders come through. With that in mind, we got an early jump on the day with breakfast at the hotel, and then off to get the rental car. It is only about a 30 mile drive to where we wanted to be -- on the Col de la Ramaz -- but about an hours drive. But that last metric assumes the cue sheet you get online doesn't completely suck. We weren't even out of Geneva and we were already calling audibles on how to get to a motorway that we needed to get on. We eventually found it, and had smooth sailing for a whopping 8 km. But almost as soon as we got off, the cue sheet ventured from reality again and we were once again driving blind. Luckily, when we pulled in a parking lot to get our bearings, we noticed a small bike tour getting their things together for their ride (along the Tour route, we safely presumed.) So I got out of the car, asked the one cyclist (who happened to be from NJ) if I could see his cycling cue sheet, and was able to piece together our next steps.
Back on track, we eventually started driving up the Col. Our plan going into this was to get as high up on it as we could -- the whole schadenfreude sensation of seeing them suffer is one that is hard to ignore. On and up we drove, passing by spots that would easily give us a place to park and set up our blanket and food/drink, but they weren't high enough. Must. Keep. Going.
A couple of miles later, a variation of the law of diminishing returns began to kick in, because the further we went, the fewer parking spots we found. We gave a good look-see to a couple but didn't think we'd be able to pull the car completely off the road (a condition the gendarmerie insist on.) Nervously trudging onward, we eventually spotted an opening between a car and a post that we could fit through, and pulled the car in to park. It was on a grassy hillside, so I tried to position the car off the steeper sloped portion and onto an area where I could feel comfortable in actually being able to get back on to the road. After some minor tire spinning and sliding (and hence, marginal damage to the farmer's field) we got the car in a good position and set up camp, happy to be roadside once again at the Tour. Only after an exploratory walk along the road did I realize where we were... about 75m from the summit! Yes!!!!
Several hours, a chance meeting with some other Yanks setup directly across the road from us, and some wine, grapes, bread and cheese later, the festivities began. First, the "caravan" came through, which is a parade of sorts, whereby sponsors use floats and various forms of funny vehicles to drive along the Tour and from which they throw their swag. (I'm not sure what Peggy was doing to get it, but she definitely got her fair share!) There was a slight lull in the action for a little while. But then more and more official vehicles came through, and then some announcement that had to do with "Rabobank" (a team in the race) and next thing we know, a rider (from Rabobank) who was out on a breakaway came through to thunderous cheering and applause. We thought for sure this was the kick-off to stage 2 of the festivities -- the arrival of the peloton -- but apparently this rider was having a strong day thus far as it was 20 minutes until we saw the next riders. And once that happened, it was about another 20 minutes for the rest of the riders to make their way past.
Once they did, we gathered our belongings, said farewell to our fellow Americans, joined the long line of cars making their way down the mountain, and made our way back to Geneva. Getting mildly lost along the way, of course.
Monday
Peg set off to her business meeting, leaving Chloe and I to explore on our own. We've had little problems finding outlets for this while in London, but surprisingly, there isn't a whole heckuva lot that is kid-engaging in Geneva. I was able to find a cable car ride that went up to the top of a nearby mountain, so after a leisurely morning and late breakfast, we made our way to the bus that would take us there.
I should point out that ever since we've been in Geneva, it's been hot and humid... low- to mid-90s, so not the best out-and-about conditions. Even though we broke a mild sweat going to and waiting for the bus, we thought the ride to the cable car stop would provide relief. Wrong! Apparently, air conditioning isn't a widely used technology on the buses there (nor is it in restaurants.) But if that wasn't bad enough, only very small portions of the windows could be opened to provide ventilation, so we essentially had a 20 minute ride in a mobile easy bake oven.
We got off the bus, walked to the cable car station (crossing into France along the way) and got our tickets. I had hoped to pickup a map atop the mountain about trails and whatnot, but none were available. So, Chloe and I found a trail and started walking. Unlucky for us, it was uphill, but it was shaded (and much better than aimlessly wandering the streets of Geneva.) The trail eventually terminated at a paraglider launch site; had it not been so hazy, the views would have been tremendous. We didn't bring our paragliders with us, so we headed back down the trail to a snack shop to get a drink and a snack. After a little bit more exploring, we both had had enough of the heat, and decided to make our way back to our hotel (via the cable car and oven/bus) to collect our luggage and head to the airport (via oven/bus) where we were pretty sure cooler climes awaited us.
Misc. Tidbits
- while at the Tour stage, I saw a man wearing a "Triple Bypass" jersey (it's a popular bike ride in CO.) We got to talking, and I found out he's from Aspen, but spends a fair amount of time in Boulder... enough to know Dakota Ridge, Lee Hill and Olde Stage.
- I can't say we came away from the weekend as big fans of Geneva. I guess it's OK if you like to shop (especially for the wares of Gucci, Rolex, etc.), like uninspiring architecture and overpriced dining, and don't mind being amongst a fair number of people who, at least based on our experience, tend to be unwelcoming and boorish.
For pictures from our visit, visit here.
7.13.2010
7.05.2010
Haggis, Bagpipes and Kilts, and Aye!
Wow... what a weekend!
Our planned trip to DisneyLand this summer was scrubbed due to this London thing, so we instead treated ourselves to a long weekend away in Edinburgh, Scotland. We picked up our rental car (a Chevy Matiz, 4 cylinders of internal-combustion-fury... NOT!) around 12:30p and headed north. Our hope was that by leaving before rush hour, we'd have a relatively easy drive up. Apparently, half of metro London had the same plans as us, as it was hellish for a good portion of the trip. (We were told by Peg's coworkers that it usually about a 7-hour ride - it took us 10, including a stop for a sit-down dinner.) After we cleared the Liverpool-Manchester corridor, we were treated to both lighter traffic and some great vistas of expansive sheep pastures and stone fences on rolling hillsides near the Lake District. We eventually crossed into Scotland, got off the Motorway and headed east towards Edinburgh along a 2-lane highway that took us through some small and quaint villages. As alluded to above, we reached our hotel around 10:30p, tired, but glad to be there.
We got up on Saturday relatively rested and, after taking in some breakfast, walked up to Edinburgh Castle to take a tour. And on our approach, we can see why this was a formidable castle to attack by the enemies of old – there is a pretty shear rock cliff around 270 degrees of it, and a well-fortified wall on the remaining 90. I won't bore you with all we saw and heard, but we were able to see the "The Honours of Scotland" (aka the Crown Jewels of Scotland), tour the Royal Palace within the castle (there's another Royal Palace we visited, so read on), the Scottish National War Memorial (boy, they have had a few scrapes in their past!), St. Margaret's Chapel (the oldest building in Edinburgh), and the firing of the one o'clock gun. As to this last item, it's a near-daily-ritual started in 1861 that was done in concert with a ball drop on a nearby tower to provide both a visual and audible time signal to ships in nearby waters.
After the tour and some lunch, at which we all gave haggis a try, we strolled the Royal Mile - a stretch of road that connects the Castle with the (other) Royal Palace - for a bit, and then took a bus tour ride of the city to rest our feet. We got to see some more of the Old Town (the area of the Castle and palaces) and what they call New Town, the part of the city built in the 1700s as overcrowding took over the original old section. Post-bus-tour, Chloe and Peg headed back to the hotel to swim and rest (respectively), and I stayed at a nearby square to watch a bike ride that happened to be taking place.
Sunday's plans were to visit the other royal palace in Edinburgh, the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Having some indoor plans worked out well, as the morning's weather was windy and rainy. This palace acts as the official Scotland residence of the Queen, or whoever happens to be England's monarch. As it turns out, the Queen was coming to the Palace in two days' time to begin her official visit to Scotland, so we were glad we visited when we did as public tours are halted during her stay. We were able to see several rooms, including the Dining Room, the Great Gallery which contains portraits of Scottish kings, and the bedroom of Mary, Queen of Scots. Thankfully, the weather improved as we ended the interior portion of the tour, and we were able to visit the remnants of the nave of the monastery that once stood on the grounds, and the gardens.
It was then back to the other end of the Royal Mile (near the castle) to check out a camera obscura stationed there. A simple technology, it provided a great 360 degree view of the area, and allowed Chloe to play around with the image a bit. The organization that runs the obscura show also houses a couple galleries of other optical oddities, like funhouse mirrors, many optical illusions, holograms, etc. which kept us entertained for a while. After lunch, a visit to the Museum on Childhood (pretty boring actually!) and some obligatory ice cream, it was back to the hotel to relax (for Peggy and me) and swim (Chloe.) And after a nap for some (a-hem), it was off for a nice dinner to celebrate a wonderful mini-vacation in a great city (and of course, ponder our next trip back!)
We left this Edinburgh this morning to make our way back to London, this time using the eastern route, the upper stretches of which took us along the coastline of the North Sea. It was an uneventful ride back (thankfully so) and we rolled into Hammersmith right around 4:30p.
Next stop: Geneva (next weekend).
Quirks and Tidbits
- There's a skiing hill near Edinburgh, and it's pretty unique in that it is on an artificial surface. Ironically, though, when it snows, one must still ski on or above the artificial mat due to ski area policy.
- Why is the gun from Edinburgh castle fired at 1 o'clock and not the expected 12 noon? We were told during our tour of the castle that the Scottish, being a practical and frugal people, felt it was too expensive and wasteful to fire 12 salvos, so opted for the more economic one salvo instead.
- There are some great pub names in the city. The one we ate haggis at was called The Last Drop. One may think this refers to the last drop of beer or scotch in the place, but actually it is in reference to the last hanging that took place at the gallows that stood outside its doors many years ago. (Apparently like Salem, MA, witch hysteria was pretty big here.) Another pub with a great name is The World's End. This one is located at the site of a former gate that used to separate the medieval city of Edinburgh with the rest of the world. At that time, one would have to pay a toll to not only enter the city, but to leave the city as well. These tolls were too much for the poorer residents, and they could never leave the city's walls. So that part of the city was essentially the end of their world.
- At breakfast on Sunday morning, there was a guy sitting next to us with a Colorado State University shirt on.
- Haggis review: not bad at all. It's easy to be turned off by reading what's in it and how it's made, but if you can get over that, you'll find that it tastes like a meatloaf/sausage amalgam. Chloe and I also happened to try - and like - black pudding.
- MAN, does it stay light late up there! Because of its latitude, the sun wasn't setting in Edinburgh until around 10:00p.
- Visually, both the Old City and New City are just stunning. It doesn't appear that either were harmed to any great extend during World War II, so there is plenty of old architecture to soak in.
For pictures visit here and/or here (artsy fartsy.)
Our planned trip to DisneyLand this summer was scrubbed due to this London thing, so we instead treated ourselves to a long weekend away in Edinburgh, Scotland. We picked up our rental car (a Chevy Matiz, 4 cylinders of internal-combustion-fury... NOT!) around 12:30p and headed north. Our hope was that by leaving before rush hour, we'd have a relatively easy drive up. Apparently, half of metro London had the same plans as us, as it was hellish for a good portion of the trip. (We were told by Peg's coworkers that it usually about a 7-hour ride - it took us 10, including a stop for a sit-down dinner.) After we cleared the Liverpool-Manchester corridor, we were treated to both lighter traffic and some great vistas of expansive sheep pastures and stone fences on rolling hillsides near the Lake District. We eventually crossed into Scotland, got off the Motorway and headed east towards Edinburgh along a 2-lane highway that took us through some small and quaint villages. As alluded to above, we reached our hotel around 10:30p, tired, but glad to be there.
We got up on Saturday relatively rested and, after taking in some breakfast, walked up to Edinburgh Castle to take a tour. And on our approach, we can see why this was a formidable castle to attack by the enemies of old – there is a pretty shear rock cliff around 270 degrees of it, and a well-fortified wall on the remaining 90. I won't bore you with all we saw and heard, but we were able to see the "The Honours of Scotland" (aka the Crown Jewels of Scotland), tour the Royal Palace within the castle (there's another Royal Palace we visited, so read on), the Scottish National War Memorial (boy, they have had a few scrapes in their past!), St. Margaret's Chapel (the oldest building in Edinburgh), and the firing of the one o'clock gun. As to this last item, it's a near-daily-ritual started in 1861 that was done in concert with a ball drop on a nearby tower to provide both a visual and audible time signal to ships in nearby waters.
After the tour and some lunch, at which we all gave haggis a try, we strolled the Royal Mile - a stretch of road that connects the Castle with the (other) Royal Palace - for a bit, and then took a bus tour ride of the city to rest our feet. We got to see some more of the Old Town (the area of the Castle and palaces) and what they call New Town, the part of the city built in the 1700s as overcrowding took over the original old section. Post-bus-tour, Chloe and Peg headed back to the hotel to swim and rest (respectively), and I stayed at a nearby square to watch a bike ride that happened to be taking place.
Sunday's plans were to visit the other royal palace in Edinburgh, the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Having some indoor plans worked out well, as the morning's weather was windy and rainy. This palace acts as the official Scotland residence of the Queen, or whoever happens to be England's monarch. As it turns out, the Queen was coming to the Palace in two days' time to begin her official visit to Scotland, so we were glad we visited when we did as public tours are halted during her stay. We were able to see several rooms, including the Dining Room, the Great Gallery which contains portraits of Scottish kings, and the bedroom of Mary, Queen of Scots. Thankfully, the weather improved as we ended the interior portion of the tour, and we were able to visit the remnants of the nave of the monastery that once stood on the grounds, and the gardens.
It was then back to the other end of the Royal Mile (near the castle) to check out a camera obscura stationed there. A simple technology, it provided a great 360 degree view of the area, and allowed Chloe to play around with the image a bit. The organization that runs the obscura show also houses a couple galleries of other optical oddities, like funhouse mirrors, many optical illusions, holograms, etc. which kept us entertained for a while. After lunch, a visit to the Museum on Childhood (pretty boring actually!) and some obligatory ice cream, it was back to the hotel to relax (for Peggy and me) and swim (Chloe.) And after a nap for some (a-hem), it was off for a nice dinner to celebrate a wonderful mini-vacation in a great city (and of course, ponder our next trip back!)
We left this Edinburgh this morning to make our way back to London, this time using the eastern route, the upper stretches of which took us along the coastline of the North Sea. It was an uneventful ride back (thankfully so) and we rolled into Hammersmith right around 4:30p.
Next stop: Geneva (next weekend).
Quirks and Tidbits
- There's a skiing hill near Edinburgh, and it's pretty unique in that it is on an artificial surface. Ironically, though, when it snows, one must still ski on or above the artificial mat due to ski area policy.
- Why is the gun from Edinburgh castle fired at 1 o'clock and not the expected 12 noon? We were told during our tour of the castle that the Scottish, being a practical and frugal people, felt it was too expensive and wasteful to fire 12 salvos, so opted for the more economic one salvo instead.
- There are some great pub names in the city. The one we ate haggis at was called The Last Drop. One may think this refers to the last drop of beer or scotch in the place, but actually it is in reference to the last hanging that took place at the gallows that stood outside its doors many years ago. (Apparently like Salem, MA, witch hysteria was pretty big here.) Another pub with a great name is The World's End. This one is located at the site of a former gate that used to separate the medieval city of Edinburgh with the rest of the world. At that time, one would have to pay a toll to not only enter the city, but to leave the city as well. These tolls were too much for the poorer residents, and they could never leave the city's walls. So that part of the city was essentially the end of their world.
- At breakfast on Sunday morning, there was a guy sitting next to us with a Colorado State University shirt on.
- Haggis review: not bad at all. It's easy to be turned off by reading what's in it and how it's made, but if you can get over that, you'll find that it tastes like a meatloaf/sausage amalgam. Chloe and I also happened to try - and like - black pudding.
- MAN, does it stay light late up there! Because of its latitude, the sun wasn't setting in Edinburgh until around 10:00p.
- Visually, both the Old City and New City are just stunning. It doesn't appear that either were harmed to any great extend during World War II, so there is plenty of old architecture to soak in.
For pictures visit here and/or here (artsy fartsy.)
6.30.2010
Getting Some of That "Culture" Stuff
After easing into the day, Chloe and I
made our way to the tube to head East to Leicester Square. In this square is a discount ticket booth for many of the theatres in that area (and there are plenty!) to see if we could get some tickets to a matinee. The queue was pretty short to my surprise, so we had no problem getting 2 tickets to see "Oliver!" (I was hoping for "The Lion King" but they weren't selling tickets for that today.) The show was at 2:30p, so we had some time to explore some popular nearby neighborhoods. The first stop was Chinatown.
It must have been delivery day, for the main drag was full of delivery trucks parked in front of the markets and restaurants... it provided an eyeful of interesting foods. The main section of Chinatown, marked by the ubiquitous arches, was smaller than I had expected and we exited it not too long after we entered. With plenty of time yet before lunch, let alone the show, he headed north to see what Soho was about. I knew about its past, so I treaded carefully, making sure to keep little eyes away from anything curious. Thankfully, the route I took us on didn't require me to
do things like "Hey Chloe, look at the neat lamppost!" or "They say it's good luck to close your eyes on this block."
We exited Soho in the vicinity of Chinatown in time for lunch, so I thought it would be a good experience for both Chloe and I to try some fare there. We settled on the Crispy Duck, because, well, it was the first one we came to that was open. I ordered us 6 Dim Sum dishes, being careful not to explain to Chloe in too great of detail what I was ordering... one wrong "trigger word" and we'd be in another gastro-pub. I can't recall precisely what I did
order, but it wasn't too "exotic." (Though I do remember the mango-grapefruit tapioca dessert being splendid!) She tried all 6, and liked 3 so I was very pleased with the .500 average.
We ventured over to Covent Garden Market (think Boston's Quincy Market, but larger) after lunch to check out the shops and street performers. We sat down to watch one chap do the usual street performer stuff... juggle, tell corny jokes, escape from a straight jacket whilst riding a unicycle, swallow a sword, etc. After some more strolling, window shopping, and cookie noshing, we made our way to the Th
eatre Royal to get our seats for "Oliver!"
Long-show, short: It was great! The presence of kids on the stage (as well as a dog at times) made it a "relate-able" show for her to experience. Chloe wasn't alone in not understanding all of the works spoken or sung, but she was able to piece together what was going on. Personally, it was fun for me to glance over once in a while to watch her face as the singing/dancing was going on, or when the staging was changing... "wide-eyed" would be the best description!
After the show, we made our way to the nearby tube station, whistling "Consider Yourself" as we went along.
(Pictures, clockwise from top: Chloe under one of the Chinatown arches; and playing around with some sculptures; outside "Crispy Duck" with some of the "guest
s of honor" in the window; trying some Dim Sum for the first time; Tom, the Covent Garden Market busker, downing a sword; and Chloe enjoying some ice cream during intermission of "Oliver!")
made our way to the tube to head East to Leicester Square. In this square is a discount ticket booth for many of the theatres in that area (and there are plenty!) to see if we could get some tickets to a matinee. The queue was pretty short to my surprise, so we had no problem getting 2 tickets to see "Oliver!" (I was hoping for "The Lion King" but they weren't selling tickets for that today.) The show was at 2:30p, so we had some time to explore some popular nearby neighborhoods. The first stop was Chinatown.It must have been delivery day, for the main drag was full of delivery trucks parked in front of the markets and restaurants... it provided an eyeful of interesting foods. The main section of Chinatown, marked by the ubiquitous arches, was smaller than I had expected and we exited it not too long after we entered. With plenty of time yet before lunch, let alone the show, he headed north to see what Soho was about. I knew about its past, so I treaded carefully, making sure to keep little eyes away from anything curious. Thankfully, the route I took us on didn't require me to
do things like "Hey Chloe, look at the neat lamppost!" or "They say it's good luck to close your eyes on this block."We exited Soho in the vicinity of Chinatown in time for lunch, so I thought it would be a good experience for both Chloe and I to try some fare there. We settled on the Crispy Duck, because, well, it was the first one we came to that was open. I ordered us 6 Dim Sum dishes, being careful not to explain to Chloe in too great of detail what I was ordering... one wrong "trigger word" and we'd be in another gastro-pub. I can't recall precisely what I did
order, but it wasn't too "exotic." (Though I do remember the mango-grapefruit tapioca dessert being splendid!) She tried all 6, and liked 3 so I was very pleased with the .500 average.We ventured over to Covent Garden Market (think Boston's Quincy Market, but larger) after lunch to check out the shops and street performers. We sat down to watch one chap do the usual street performer stuff... juggle, tell corny jokes, escape from a straight jacket whilst riding a unicycle, swallow a sword, etc. After some more strolling, window shopping, and cookie noshing, we made our way to the Th
eatre Royal to get our seats for "Oliver!"Long-show, short: It was great! The presence of kids on the stage (as well as a dog at times) made it a "relate-able" show for her to experience. Chloe wasn't alone in not understanding all of the works spoken or sung, but she was able to piece together what was going on. Personally, it was fun for me to glance over once in a while to watch her face as the singing/dancing was going on, or when the staging was changing... "wide-eyed" would be the best description!
After the show, we made our way to the nearby tube station, whistling "Consider Yourself" as we went along.
(Pictures, clockwise from top: Chloe under one of the Chinatown arches; and playing around with some sculptures; outside "Crispy Duck" with some of the "guest
s of honor" in the window; trying some Dim Sum for the first time; Tom, the Covent Garden Market busker, downing a sword; and Chloe enjoying some ice cream during intermission of "Oliver!")
6.29.2010
Blinded Us With Science
Chloe I spent a good portion of the afternoon checking out the displays, exhibits, movies and whatnot at London's Science Museum.
We arrived right before the IMAX movie "Deep Sea 3D" was about to begin, so bought tickets and rushed to the queue. And were so glad we did. It was amazing in many respects... the filming, the little stories told, the 3D effect, etc. There are no plot twists to report here, of course, but if you have the opportunity to see it, we'd recommend you do so.
After the movie, we explored the Space exhibit, the Flight exhibit, the chronology of technological invention, and the "Who Am I?" interactive exhibit which touched on genetics, psychology, nature/nurture, health, etc. We probably spent a good hour doing many of the available interactive exhibits in this section of the museum.
And tomorrow, maybe a trip to a theatre of a different kind...
We arrived right before the IMAX movie "Deep Sea 3D" was about to begin, so bought tickets and rushed to the queue. And were so glad we did. It was amazing in many respects... the filming, the little stories told, the 3D effect, etc. There are no plot twists to report here, of course, but if you have the opportunity to see it, we'd recommend you do so.
After the movie, we explored the Space exhibit, the Flight exhibit, the chronology of technological invention, and the "Who Am I?" interactive exhibit which touched on genetics, psychology, nature/nurture, health, etc. We probably spent a good hour doing many of the available interactive exhibits in this section of the museum.
And tomorrow, maybe a trip to a theatre of a different kind...
6.27.2010
A Day in the Country...
... or as Peggy put it, "It's like Busch Gardens!"
We visited an area known as the Cotswolds today, an area about 80 miles west-northwest of London. To get there required a car rental, which meant yours truly had to give it a go with the whole left-sided driving. I had some indoctrination of the concept through a couple of bike rides, and am able to drive a car with a manual transmission. But put the steering wheel on the right side of the car and require the shifting to be done left-handed, and well, it turns into quite a little challenge. (But one, I'm glad to report, we survived with no scratches or dents to cars or us!)
Anywho, the Cotswolds is a collection of idyllic villages filled with stone homes and stores, sheep pastures, hedgerows, narrow lanes and the occasional thatch roof. To Peggy's comment above, it is almost like stepping back in time a bit (sans the roller coasters, of course) as there is little new or modern about it. The geography reminded both of us of the part of eastern Pennsylvania where I grew up – rollings hills, patches of woods, etc. – but has yet to be set upon by developers.
We strolled around Moreton-in-Marsh and Bourton-on-the-Water, both great villages to while away some time. Chloe was still a bit tired from yesterday's excitement, so we visited by car the villages of Broadway and Chipping Camden. We were intrigued by some of the side roads that were characterized as "single track roads" (i.e. wide enough for one car.) So on our way back to London, we decided to take one and ended up a) going through a small village called Heythrop, and b) getting slightly lost, but allowed us to visit other villages like Bloxham and Barford St. Michael. Getting into these "out of the way" places was great as it got us away from the tour buses and crowds.
For pictures, visit this link.
For artsy fartsy pictures, visit this link.
We visited an area known as the Cotswolds today, an area about 80 miles west-northwest of London. To get there required a car rental, which meant yours truly had to give it a go with the whole left-sided driving. I had some indoctrination of the concept through a couple of bike rides, and am able to drive a car with a manual transmission. But put the steering wheel on the right side of the car and require the shifting to be done left-handed, and well, it turns into quite a little challenge. (But one, I'm glad to report, we survived with no scratches or dents to cars or us!)
Anywho, the Cotswolds is a collection of idyllic villages filled with stone homes and stores, sheep pastures, hedgerows, narrow lanes and the occasional thatch roof. To Peggy's comment above, it is almost like stepping back in time a bit (sans the roller coasters, of course) as there is little new or modern about it. The geography reminded both of us of the part of eastern Pennsylvania where I grew up – rollings hills, patches of woods, etc. – but has yet to be set upon by developers.
We strolled around Moreton-in-Marsh and Bourton-on-the-Water, both great villages to while away some time. Chloe was still a bit tired from yesterday's excitement, so we visited by car the villages of Broadway and Chipping Camden. We were intrigued by some of the side roads that were characterized as "single track roads" (i.e. wide enough for one car.) So on our way back to London, we decided to take one and ended up a) going through a small village called Heythrop, and b) getting slightly lost, but allowed us to visit other villages like Bloxham and Barford St. Michael. Getting into these "out of the way" places was great as it got us away from the tour buses and crowds.
For pictures, visit this link.
For artsy fartsy pictures, visit this link.
6.26.2010
Kensington Gardens / Hyde Park Pictures
As always, click on the picture to enlarge it.
Paddle-boating around the Serpentine in
Hyde Park
Kensington Palace and gardens
Paddle-boating around the Serpentine in
Hyde Park
Chloe enjoying the Princess Diana playground
in Kensington Gardens
Kensington Palace and gardens
Chloe on her way up to the Crow's Nest
The First Couple of Days
I'm glad to report that, after 5 days, Chloe and I are time-zone adjusted. To be sure, it did take a couple of days, especially for Chloe who for the 1st couple of mornings found herself waking up at 10a or later. I was on schedule by Wednesday, in large part to waking up when Peggy was getting up and out for work.In the days intervening our arrival and now, we've had some pretty busy times both sightseeing and getting the flat in order. On Tuesday, after getting myself a pass for the Tube, I took Chloe to Westminster just so she could see some of attractions in person which up until now she had only seen in pictures on the web. Withing minutes of exiting the Tube station, Chloe was able to see Big Ben/Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and The London Eye. After another short Tube ride, I took her to see Buckingham Palace (you can see some pix of these in earlier posts.) She got a kick out of the guys with the big, black bushy hats!
The hustle and bustle of city life was a little bit of a shock to Chloe -- being accustomed to the more laid-back style of Boulder -- and the whole looking Right-Left-Right thing when crossing a street is not an easy adjustment, but she is catching on.Wednesday's highlight was enjoying a true English experience -- watching the England v Slovenia World Cup match in a pub. Peg's office, like apparently many others, shut down just before 3:00p so people could catch the game. It was an exciting affair, and the passion for football was on full display. (Of course, it was all capped off by the USA winning their match, and thus winning their group!)
On Thursday, Chloe and I played full-blown tourist by taking a double-decker sightseeing bus around the city, viewing the key sites like St. Paul's, Hyde Park, Tower of London and London Bridge, Bond Street, etc. We tweaked the plan a little bit by using one of the sightseeing river boats on the Thames to make our way back to the Westminster area, where we boarded the bus again to finish the tour.Today (Saturday) was/is a pretty full day... I took a 35 mile bike ride with a local cycling club (THAT was an experience with the urban setting, and roundabouts and such), and came home to make hotel reservations in Edinburgh for a long weekend next weekend. Peggy and Chloe went over to the huge playground in Kensington Gardens and possibly a paddle boat ride in Hyde Park (pictures to come in a later post.) And after I post this, I'll be joining them up in Lyric Square (Hammersmith) for an outdoor movie, promptly followed by a visit to a local pub to catch the USA v. Ghana match.
Some blog potpourri:
- Saw someone with a Franklin & Marshall shirt and another with a Philadelphia Phillies hat, and whilst on the bus tour, there was a small group of people from Fort Collins, CO.
(Pictures, top to bottom: Peggy & Chloe on our patio shortly after our arrival, with the Thames in the background; Chloe and I coping with the 7-hour time change; Chloe and Tower Bridge.)
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