Welcome Home!

After a long day of flying everyone was no doubt tired & ready to get home last night?
I want to take this opportunity to say a big Thank You to everyone for making my job so easy this week - everyone was punctal, flexible, & above all cheerful!
Most especially though I would like to thank Ms. Blanchard.  Without her original vision this tour would not have happened at all.
So, thank you all & Welcome Home!

Bath & the Cotwolds

There was no alarm call this morning, our only morning with a "lie-in" as the British say. I stead the group were free to relax & rise at their leisure before enjoying the morning in Bath. It seems most people were industrious though, visiting museums etc before we met at Noon for our departure from Bath.
This afternoon's destination was the Cotswolds, one of the most famous & scenic regions of England.
The weather was perfect, sunny & warm, as we enjoyed time for lunch & exploring in Bourton-on-the-Water, known as 'the Venice of The Cotswolds due to the number of small bridges crossing the River Windrush as it gently trickles through the village.
From Bourton we took a scenic drive through a series of charming villages - Moreton-on-Marsh, churchill, Chipping Norton - en-route to Stow-on-the-Wold.
The finale of our tour of England was tonight's recital in St. Edward's Church in Stow. We were welcomed with a wonderful spread of sandwiches, cakes & tea (hot of course! & later had a very pleasing turnout for the students' performance, including the Mayor of Stow!
Later we made the final drive to our hotel at Heathrow Airport, ready for tomorrow morning's check-in & flight home... :(

Beautiful Bath

Today was spent in the beautiful city of Bath, named for the only thermal springs in the UK. A short walk this morning took us from our hotel to Queen' Square where we met our local guide Cheryl. Our 2 hour our of the city took us to e Gravel Path that features in Jane Austen's writiings, Royal Crescent, the Circus, the Assembly Rooms where the grandest balls of the 18 th Century took place, Poultney Bridge, & finally the Roman Baths. Along the way Cheryl entertained & educated us with colorful stories of Bath's history. Next we toured the Roman Baths, using audioguides to go at our own pace as we learned how Bath was important for both recreational & religious reasons. The afternoon was free for everyone to explore the city at leisure, whether visiting museums, walking by the canal, relaxing, or shopping for the latest British fashions, Later we all met up for another wonderful 3 course dinner, this time at Tilley's Tearooms.

Salisbury & Stonehenge

After a great couple of days & nights we bade farewell to Bournemouth & hit the road north.
Our first destination as Salisbury, an historic market town that is home to the cathdral with the tallest spire in England. We visited the cathedral & took a tour, learning how extra braces had to be added to support the weight of the spire after the columns inside began to bow! We also learned how changing tastes meant that priceless medieval murals had been whitewashed over in the eighteenth century! There was plenty of free time afterwards for lunch & browsing the shops of the town center.
Just 30 minutes from Salisbury we arrived at one of the world's most famous scenes - Stonehenge. Although the site often seems smaller than visitors expect, once they learn the history of the mysterious rocks, & hear the theories of why & how they may have been brought here, it's impossible not to e impressed. The reat weather we enjoyed this afternoon certainly helped us tp enjoy the visit too!
Atfer checking-in to our Bath hotel for 2 nights we had the second of the students' concerts tonight, in the interesting & historic setting of 'The Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel which is now home to the Building of Bath Museum. We had a nice little audience who clarly appeciated the students' performance.
We ended the day with a delicious dinner at Sally Lunn's Restaurant before walking back to our hotel.

The Isle of Purbeck

Today we spent our day exploring the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula on England's Sputh Coast. After a short drive from our cliff-top hotel in Bournemouth we crossed the mouth of Poole Harbour on the chain ferry - pulled across the water by a pair of huge chains. Continuing on we enjoyed beautiful views of the coastline, backed by rolling green hills covered with patchworks of fields & hedgerows. Arriving early in Swanage there was a chance to walk on the beach before boarding our restored steam train for the 20 minute ride to Corfe Castle village. Named after the destroyed castle that dominates its skyline, Corfe Castle village is a picture postcard English village, with quaint cottages, pubs & a few small stores. After exploring inside the castle there as lots of time to explore the village before we met-up for a typical Dorset cream tea - scones served with strawberry jam, thick 'clotted' cream, & a pot of English tea. Another short drive took us to Durdle Door, a popular scenic spot on the coast with a natural rock arch jutting out to sea. Some of the group took the chance to stretch their legs & walk 1.25 miles along the coastal path, & we all rendezvoused at Lulworth Cove, a tiny fishing village set on a perfectly horseshoe-shaped cove. The drive back to our hotel took us through more pretty villages. Dinner this evening was at a renowned Indian restaurant. Indian cuisine is to England what Mexican food is to the USA - the most popular type of restaurants, found in just about every city & town. We enjoyed a variety of dishes, served 'family-style', & seemingly enjoyed by all.

South to the Coast

Departing London this morning, we began our journey to England's South Coast. Our first stop was Winchester, a small historic city that was once the capital of King Alfred the Great. Walking through the medieval streets, we first visited an original city ate, then the last remaining part of the city's castle. This is now home to a large wooden disk that is allegedly the original King Arthur's Round Table! Next we visited Winchester Cathedral, which is home to many interesting features, including a flooded basement & Jane Austin's grave. There was free time afterwards for lunch & to explore a little. During the afternoon we took a scenic drive through the "New Forest", a former Royal hunting preserve that was new when it was founded in in the 11th Century! We saw some of the famous wild ponies & free-grazing cattle before we stopped in the little village of Burley. Our final stop of the day was on the coast itself. At Hengistbury Head we alighted the bus to board a "Noddy Train", a miniature land train that connects the end of the road with an isolated snadbank lined with tiny beach huts. Unfortunately the wind was blowing a minor gale, but many of our group braved the conditions to dip their toes in the Englsh Channel! Then we all took shelter in the local Beach House Cafe where we enjoyed a great dinner of Glazed Goats Cheese, Fish & Chips, & a selection of delicious desserts! To return to our bus we rode a ferry across the narrow gap to the mainland, a memorable ride & thankfully a lot smoother than we expected considering the force of the wind!

London in Depth