Travels with Malcolm

The Trip Blog - Sometimes I'm a moving target...

2011

UK & Ireland 2011

Pictures!

14 06 11 23:19

We’ve been asked: Where are the pictures?? Between the two of us, Suzanne and I took close to 2000 pictures on this trip. It probably would have been more if my camera hadn’t developed issues along the way. We’ve selected some to share that will give you a flavor for what we experienced on this trip. You can find about 300 of the photos, most of them taken by Suzanne, in four Picasa albums, each one representing a few days of the trip. Clicking on the links below should open the album in a new window. So for you who have been asking - enjoy them; we sure enjoyed taking them!

Album 1 - Bath, Cotswolds, Stonehenge, Avebury

Album 2 - Ireland

Album 3 - Wales, the Lake District, Scotland

Album 4 - C.S. Lewis’ Oxford, London, Salisbury

Home Sweet Home

19 05 11 09:15

Coming home is an indisputable joy. The process may be tiresome, but the destination is worth it. I guess one of the reasons that transitions are harder than they used to be is that home is more precious than it used to be. Our trip home went about as smoothly as it could, given the realities of air travel these days. We cashed in enough frequent (well, not all that frequent) flyer miles for business class seats, and that choice included the privileges of a fast track security line and American Airlines’ Ambassador Lounges in London and Chicago, amenities that eased the inevitable discomfort of modern airports. We took off from Heathrow at 10:15 a.m. and arrived in Seattle a bit early fifteen and a half hours later at 5:45 p.m. We were - are - jetlagged and tired, but it is good to be home. Very good.

I know there are promised pictures that have not yet been shared. Trust me; they will be, but not today. Today is a day for savoring home, reengaging with the responsibilities that were temporarily set aside, and reflecting on the joy of the journey. I am reminded of my brother’s comment in Ireland: You can’t unsee something. We have seen much, and the images remain, and we will not unsee what we have seen.

I think of the original primary purpose of our trip to leave Mom’s ashes on a peaceful, grassy hillside in Scotland, and I realize that she - and Joan, Matt, and too many others - have experienced in an ultimate sense the truth that coming home is an indisputable joy. Seattle may not be heaven, but the destination is worth it.

Leaving London

17 05 11 00:46

We’re at Heathrow Airport this morning waiting for leg one of our flight home. Monday was our last day in London, and we decided to see it from a different angle, taking a cruise on the Thames. Our hope that the London crowds would be easier to negotiate proved vain - less people than at the weekend, but still a crowded international zoo of humanity. London is full of historically significant sites and awesome structures like St Paul’s and the Tower Bridge, but we’ve decided that its real beauty lies in its people, away from the maddening crowds of central London. Monday’s dinner, appropriately enough, was a delicious pub meal of fish and chips. Who would have guessed that I will miss these pubs!

This morning we took a taxi to Paddington station - London taxi drivers really ARE the best in the world - and hopped on the Heathrow Express train for the 15 minute ride to the airport. (A taxi all the way would likely have taken an hour and cost more.) Perhaps because it is a small country, perhaps because of different social values, the rail system here is efficient, reliable, and usually comfortable - though not necessarily cheap.

It’s been good to be here, but I’m not sorry we’re leaving. Home is looking mighty attractive!

Salisbury

16 05 11 01:39

Sunday’s dilemma was what to do with the last available day of our rail passes. We were pretty sure we didn’t want to tackle the weekend crowds of central London again, and the cathedrals we wanted to see either had restricted hours or were closed to tourists on Sunday. After considering several options, we decided to head out to the often overlooked market town of Salisbury and its stunning cathedral.

The last time I was in Salisbury, it turned out to be a summer market day, and the crowds were awful. This Sunday afternoon was much different. With many shops closed on Sunday and virtually no market activity, the town was a bit quieter, though still with a lot of visitors. Salisbury is home to one of England’s most beautiful cathedrals with the country’s tallest spire. Dating from the 1200s, the cathedral is an impressive sight. It also houses one of four original copies of the Magna Carta (no photos permitted).

I marvel at the effort and intricate detail evident in the cathedral. What must it have cost in time and effort to construct such a magnificent place 800 years ago? And why did they bother? The only answer that makes sense is that it was built to the glory of God. Visiting such places convicts me of the readiness with which we modern Americans can settle for mediocrity. Salisbury was a good choice for this Sunday afternoon.

People and Places

15 05 11 00:58

In planning a trip like this one, much of my focus was on places we wanted to visit (Big Ben, Buckingham Palace....) But as I think back over where we have been and what we have done, the memories most deeply etched in my mind are of people. Saturday was a good example of that.

We spent some time in the center of the city with what seemed to be most of the population of Europe. Some cities are less congested on weekends, but not London; tourists were everywhere, but mostly right in front of us. The sights of Westminster are indeed something to see. The likes of Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, are impressive, and we will remember them. But the highlights of the day came a bit later.

Suzanne wanted to see the house I lived in for the first seven years of my life, so we took the underground to Colindale, and without much trouble made our way to 75 Booth Road. Standing outside someone else’s home taking pictures is a good way to be noticed, and we were. When Suzanne told the current owners that I had lived there six decades ago, we were welcomed like old friends and graciously invited in for orange juice and conversation. The house has changed little over the years. The almond tree in front is gone, but my adopted sister Pat’s name is still etched in the brick above the house number, and the heritage of hospitality begun there by my parents in the 1940s continues.

From there we took the train out to Hemel Hempstead for dinner with Pat’s daughter Carol and her husband Grant. Carol met us at the station and took us the few minutes drive to her home where she served us a huge and delicious beef wellington dinner. Time melted as we talked about everything and nothing. What mattered was that we were together. It was a treat to spend a bit of time with family that we rarely get to see, and a chance for Suzanne to connect names she has known to real live, loving people. The rest of the Hemel clan were otherwise committed for that Saturday, but we were delighted to be able to spend some quality time with Carol and Grant.

Places, it turns out, are not the only things with interesting histories. We are blessed with people memories from this weekend.

Kew Gardens

13 05 11 14:35

London is a big, busy, densely populated city. It is the kind of place that needs some dedicated open spaces where one can get away from the ever-present big city. I remember three such places from my childhood days that became getaways for a day, sometimes as a family outing, sometimes just Dad and the boys. I don’t expect to revisit Hampstead Heath or Stanmore Common on this trip, but we did head out to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. At over 300 acres, this World Heritage site is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive botanical gardens. Some of the places I revisit on this trip seem to have shrunk with time; there is no such illusion with Kew Gardens.

The place is huge. I used to think I had a good sense of direction, but it was easy to become disoriented walking around the place. I don’t remember planes flying overhead from my childhood visits, but the jets on approach to London’s Heathrow airport did help me to figure out what direction we were going - though there was one time that I commented that Heathrow seemed to have moved their runway.

Though there was less in bloom than we expected for May, the gardens were gorgeous. I did discover that I had brought away one unfortunate souvenir: a poison oak-type rash on my ankles. The possible culprit is a critter called the Oak Processionary Moth; the hairs of its caterpillar commonly cause an allergic reaction. I guess we were a bit early; they will be spraying for the thing next week.

Notting Hill and Narnia

13 05 11 02:46

Our train arrived at London’s Euston station late Tuesday afternoon. We made our way by taxi from there to our holiday rental apartment in Notting Hill. The taxi ride reminded me of two things I already knew: London taxi drivers are the best in the world (not the cheapest, but the best), and I never want to drive in London. I knew Suzanne would like the location as we are just a block away from Portobello Road and its famous street market. We’ve spent some time exploring the shops (Suzanne) and restaurants (both of us) that are so conveniently located.

Wednesday reminded us of God’s wisdom in establishing the Sabbath; after a couple of non-stop weeks, we were both ready for a bit of down time. The wife of one of my mentors once described him as an optimistic planner, a term that I have learned applies to me as well. I think I can cram more into a given block of time than is reasonable, practical, and possible, and so it is not unusual for me to find myself editing the agenda. I’m coming to terms with the fact that we don’t have to do everything in this one trip, and it was good to give ourselves a chance to catch our breath.

One of the things that was on our must-do list was accomplished on Thursday. A few months ago, I came across the name Ron Brind. Ron was a childhood friend of Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis’ step-son, and he conducts C. S. Lewis tours of Oxford. We contacted Ron a few months ago and booked the tour for this week. We took the train to Oxford and walked the short distance to the starting point in front of the Randolph Hotel, arriving just as Ron pulled up. It turned out we were the only two signed up for the tour that day, and so we had Ron to ourselves for the next three and a half wonderful hours. If you are a fan of C. S. Lewis (and both of us are), this tour is a must!

Among the places we saw were Magdalen College where Lewis taught, the Eagle and Child pub where the Inklings gathered, The Kilns where Lewis lived, his grave in the graveyard of Holy Trinity Church, and what is now the C. S. Lewis Nature Reserve located behind the Kilns that inspired the settings of Narnia. We didn’t see a wardrobe or a lampost in Narnia, but we might have seen Mr. Tumnus, and I’m pretty sure that Aslan was nearby.

What a day! There is something special in connecting with the world of C. S. Lewis, in seeing Tolkien’s home where he wrote much of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, in sitting in the back of the Eagle and Child where Lewis and his Inklings friends exchanged literary ideas. There are some days that don’t quite measure up to expectations, usually because the expectations were unrealistic. This day surpassed my expectations. Thank you, Ron.

Scotland

10 05 11 03:49

It’s noon on Tuesday, and we are on a train that left Glasgow 20 minutes ago heading for London and the last leg of our journey. The last three days are difficult for me to summarize. Perhaps it is the time spent with Scottish cousins; perhaps it is bidding Jon and Nancy farewell (their journey ends a week before ours); perhaps it is visiting places that were shared with Joan. Or perhaps it is simply that Celtic blood flows through my veins. The simple truth is that Scotland feels like home.

Our Glasgow apartment served us well in spite of being a bedroom and a bed shy of what we would really have liked. Saturday was an Edinburgh day for Suzanne and me. We walked the mile and a half to Glasgow’s Queen Street station soaking up some of the atmosphere of Glasgow on the way. The 50 minute train ride brought us into the center of Edinburgh a short distance from Edinburgh Castle, which was our first stop. Since this impressive castle overlooking the city was once occupied by King Malcolm, I made myself at home. From the castle we walked down the Royal Mile, which is really a mile of Edinburgh’s history, checking out churches, John Knox’s house, shops, and hidden gardens along the way. We stopped for a bite of lunch, and Suzanne had her first taste of haggis. At the bottom of the Royal Mile is the Palace of Holyrood House, which is the queen’s residence when she is in Edinburgh, and the Scottish Parliament.

Sunday was mostly devoted to a family get-together in Linlithgow preceded by a stop in Duntocher to see the house where my mother was born and raised. The ground level businesses have changed (no more butcher shop or post office there), but the upstairs living areas are still in use, and we wondered how Mom’s large family fit into such quarters. (No more complaining about our Glasgow flat!) The family get-together was a delight, capped by some Scottish singing and my brother wearing a kilt. (It was not a pretty sight; picture to follow....) Whoever is meeting him in Los Angeles needs to be warned!

Monday morning we returned to Clydebank Crematorium where I had officiated at my father’s funeral service 23 years ago. This stop was the primary reason for our trip as we had brought Mom’s ashes back to the place of her birth to scatter where Dad’s were scattered 23 years ago. If you are wondering why Scotland, and why now, five years after Mom’s passing, I’ll post a fuller explanation on the Malcolm’s blog page. It was a poignant time there in the Garden of Remembrance, a beautiful spot just a mile from where Mom was born. After the scattering, we stopped by the hall of remembrance to see Dad’s entry in the Books of Remembrance on display there.

Suzanne and I spent the rest of the day with cousin Ted and his wife Betty (Ted is Christine’s brother) who took us to Loch Lomond and to the delightful village of Luss by Loch Lomond. Jon and Nancy left us at lunch to return to the apartment, pack, and start their trek south. Though there was rain off and on through the afternoon, it was almost always off when we were outside. The scenery was beautiful and Ted and Betty’s company and conversation was a delight as well.

The Literary Route to Scotland

06 05 11 16:21

Today has been a long and scenic driving day through England’s beautiful lake district to Glasgow, Scotland. The Lake District is one of my favorite areas of England for several reasons. First, it is a marvelously scenic place with green fields separated by stone walls. Sheep grazing by the water is not an uncommon sight. With sunshine, blue skies, and white clouds as we had today, smiling is easy. Second, the area is rich in literary significance. The Lake District was home to the likes of Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth. The writer in me knows that such beauty helps the creative juices. Visiting this area also triggers fond memories of previous visits with Joan and the memory of how much she enjoyed this area. Bridget (the name we have given to the French GPS in Jon’s leased Peugot) blessed us today by sending us on a couple of unplanned detours with the result that we saw more of the Lake District than we had planned, but I’m not complaining.

We arrived in Glasgow this evening where we will be staying in a seventh-floor Glasgow apartment, a holiday rental, overlooking the River Clyde for the next four nights.

And on to Wales

06 05 11 03:53

Thursday afternoon we sailed back across the Irish Sea to Holyhead, Wales, on Irish Ferries’ Jonathan Swift fast boat, a car-carrying catamaran that made the comfortable crossing in just under two hours instead of over three. Once we arrived in Wales, I discovered that I did not have the phone number or directions for the B&B where we were booked in Northern Wales. Between my fading memory and my brother’s creative conversations with a couple of locals (including the postmaster), we found our way to Tan-yr-Onnen (which we are told is Welsh for under the ash tree). Patrick and Sara, with a bit of help from their two teenage daughters, operate the top-rated b&b in Wales, and if anyone asks us, we would whole-heartedly agree with that evaluation. It was our delight to experience why they have been so honored. Their hospitality was superb, and the rack of lamb dinner (with a view of frolicking lambs that had not yet given their all) was great as well.

Who could have guessed that the best smoked salmon scramble I have ever tasted would be in Wales? It was one of many things that went right. What a contrast to the previous night’s stay when so much had gone wrong. And when we left this morning to head on our way towards Scotland, we felt we had made new friends.

Dingle & Dublin

05 05 11 00:40

Ireland is a beautiful country. Tuesday we spent the day driving to and around the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. The Dingle Peninsula is adjacent to the Ring of Kerry, a shorter drive, less congested, and in the opinion of most of the people we consulted, more beautiful. We’d have to agree. The unspoiled majestic beauty of this westernmost part of Europe simply has to be experienced - and I’m glad we did! The weather, while threatening rain, cooperated, and it was 9 pm before we made it back to Adare and our luxurious retreat.

It’s a good thing we enjoyed the luxury, because our Wednesday night stop at the Clontarf Castle hotel came close to a “Fawlty Towers” experience. The concept was great: a castle that had been largely gutted in its interior to house a modern hotel. Great concept; simply terrible execution. The problems were many and affected virtually every area of the operation; it was a sobering reminder that good intentions are not enough. Dublin however, was interesting. We stopped to see the Book the Kells, which is an illuminated manuscript of the gospels that is over 1000 years old, and later Suzanne was able to experience a bit of the Irish musical culture.

Thursday included a quick stop at Trim Castle, the impressive ruins of the largest Norman castle in Ireland, before heading to the ferry for our crossing to Wales. Though our time in Ireland was limited, the memories we have are etched deeply. Pictures to follow.... eventually.

Whoops, the Castle, and 61

02 05 11 15:11

It’s been a beautiful day in Ireland, but even beautiful days have their whoops! moments. Today I’ve had a couple of them. Before leaing Wexford this morning, we stopped by a shop hoping to pick up crutches to aid my brother’s mobility. Today, however, is a bank holiday all over Europe, and the store didn’t open until noon. So off we headed towards Waterford on our way to Adare. About a half hour later, I discovered whoops #1. The hearing aid that I wear most of time wasn’t in my ear. A couple of phone calls confirmed that I had left it next to my bed in the Riverbank House Hotel. And so it was back to Wexford to recover the little treasure. On the positive side, by the time we got the hearing aid, the store was open, and Jon was able to get his Tiny Tim look-alike crutches.

I didn’t think Waterford crystal would be particularly interesting to me, but wow! I was particularly impressed by the grizzly bear and the osprey. I’ll hopefully post a picture, but more about that later.... And yes, Suzanne CAN drive on the left and go around roundabouts clockwise.

The drive across Ireland was as beautiful as we expected it to be. It is no mystery that Ireland should be called the emerald isle. We arrived in Adare at the luxurious high point of the trip and checked into the world-class Adare Manor Hotel - a castle and golf resort that is truly impressive. As part of the special deal we booked here, we were served a superb afternoon tea, which was not only a delight but also eliminated the need for dinner. This is a picture of the place. We’ll be staying in this castle for the next two nights.

Which brings me to whoops #2. While loading pictures I had taken onto the computer, the software shut down, but not before deleting said pictures, which have now disappeared from both iphoto and the camera’s memory card. If anyone has a solution to this problem that doesn’t involve a brain transplant, I’d love to hear it. The good news is that Suzanne is the official photographer; I brought along my battery-eating coolpix primarily as a back-up, and the back-ups are the ones I lost.

Jon, whom we have taken to calling Tiny Tim, is staying with his wife on the ground level since he doesn’t do stairs with those crutches. Suzanne and I, on the other hand, are in a huge room in the old part of the hotel where there is no elevator. Just stairs. And that would be where the number 61 comes in. I have walked up all of those 61 stairs four times so far. My dear daughter is obviously seeing to it that I’m still getting my cardio exercise. And it’s worth it; check out the view from our room.

Connected - and a prayer request

01 05 11 15:36

We’re happily in Ireland tonight. The final connection in today’s ship, train, and automobile journey went very well. My brother and I connected by phone as the ferry docked in Rosslare, Ireland, and when we exited the ferry building, his car couldn’t have been closer unless it had been a bus (which he might have wished when he saw our luggage). Jon is hobbling a bit with a pulled something-or-other (hamstring maybe) in his leg. As you think of our journey, pray for Jon’s leg. I have a vested interest in his continuing ability to drive comfortably! (Though I will admit that Suzanne is entirely too eager to try her hand at driving on the left and navigating the roundabouts clockwise!)

Bath & Sailing to Ireland

01 05 11 06:59

Writing about Bath and sailing in the same paragraph brings back childhood memories of toys in the tub, but there have been no toys and no tub, just the beautiful city of Bath and a mini-cruise across the Irish Sea to Ireland. We enjoyed three days staying in Bath, and I think I have walked more in the last three days than in the previous two weeks. It’s been good walking weather, and Bath is sufficiently compact that walking makes good sense, though it seems that since kicking the Romans out 1500 years ago, the British have avoided anything resembling a straight street. We spent Friday exploring Bath, including a short break in one of the many pubs that was showing the royal wedding on large screen tv. There is no good US equivalent to a British pub. We have enjoyed everything from steak pie to a latte to congenial conversation. Friday also included the obligatory stop by the Jane Austen Center in Bath. Though she lived in Bath and it shaped her later writing, it was not her favorite place.

Bath, of course, is known for its Georgian architecture and much older Roman baths, natural mineral springs that some some claim to be restorative. Personally, I don’t think the water in the Roman baths looks inviting (though I hear it’s a different story in the recently opened, privately operated, and exorbitantly priced thermal spa).

Saturday we were on an all-day mini-bus tour to the Cotswold village of Castle Combe, the stone circle at Avebury (much larger than Stonehenge and with no restricted access), Lacock, which exists much as it has for 150 years and has been the site of a number of movies (Pride and Prejudice or Harry Potter anyone?), and Stonhenge. I’ve been to Stonehenge three times, and it always leaves me wondering.... That evening we took in a concert in Bath featuring a local choir and jazz pianist Jamie Cullum (whose mother sings in the choir). It was a good evening, but a strange mix of musical styles -- very strange.

This morning we bid farewell to Bath and took a taxi into Bristol. It being Sunday, the first train out of Bath would have been too late to connect to the train taking us to the ferry to Ireland. The train connections worked well, and I am writing this as we are crossing the Irish Sea on a Stena Lines ferry. However, when we planned this trip, I didn’t know that today would be part of a long holiday weekend. The trains were on time, for which we are thankful, but they were as crowded as cattle cars, for which we were considerably less thankful (I know, I know - in everything give thanks...) The ship, however, is comfortable, and we opted for a quiet, private cabin for the 3+ hour crossing. We prayed for good connections, and so far, they have gone well. We have one more connection to make today when the ferry gets in to Rosslare Harbour and we meet up with my brother and his wife who arrive on an earlier ferry from France. Arriving from different countries at different times and meeting up in Ireland will hopefully work out as simply and smoothly as we expected when we planned it.

Pictures will be posted eventually -- when I get a decent high-speed connection. Stay tuned....

Planes Trains & Automobiles - and some walking

28 04 11 12:21

We have arrived in Bath, the first stop on our adventure. The trip here was as smooth and trouble-free as we had hoped with the only minor glitch occurring before we got the airport in Seattle. Because of last week’s accident, we were driving an insurance-provided Enterprise rental car which we dropped at the airport. On the shuttle, we discovered we’d left a bag in the car, which Enterprise kindly sent after us on the next shuttle.

This is where we are staying in Bath. The connections have been smooth so far - getting to the airport, plane change in Chicago, train change in London, and taxi to our B&B. We’re praying the connections go equally well on Sunday: taxi to Bristol, train with connection in Wales to Fishguard Harbour, and ferry to Rosslare, Ireland.

In spite of jet lag, we got out for a walk around Bath on a beautiful Thursday afternoon, and we plan to see more Friday, though probably with more Seattle-like weather. Bath is an interesting town with a literary history and lots of tourists and tourist-jaded locals who plan to celebrate today’s royal wedding and the accompanying national holiday with street parties and some kind of festivities in Victoria Park adjacent to where we are staying. We wandered into the Bath Abbey yesterday, a beautiful building which may have more stained glass than any other building I’ve seen, and were able to enjoy the organist practicing. We enjoyed a bit of dinner and conversation with locals at a nearby pub, and then headed to bed.

Next Week....

20 04 11 23:52

Next week Suzanne and I are embarking on an adventure. We’ll be heading to Britain and Ireland. If you want to travel with us (sort of) without any of the expense or jet lag, this is your chance. As we are able, we’ll be sharing bits and pieces of our journey right here. So come join us; it ought to be a great trip!