Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Hooliganting: Tenerife: Teide and Wine Tour
Hooliganting: Tenerife: Teide and Wine Tour: The sunrise broke over the hillside and rooftops as a sleepy gang trooped down the hill to catch the shuttle van. The destination courtesy o...
Tenerife: Teide and Wine Tour
The sunrise broke over the hillside and rooftops as a sleepy gang trooped down the hill to catch the shuttle van. The destination courtesy of Digo Sports and Christian and Franc was the volcanoes. I am still not sure what the children thought as we twisted and turned our way to the mountaintops but I was fascinated watching the clouds ripple through the valleys.
First, we had the tourist information to Las Playas de Americas. We had other folk to pick up and then we were en route. The first stop was a look out point. It was clear enough to be able to see across to Las Palmas and La Gomera. I watched the ferry and started to plot. I would love to wangle my way over there for a day. After admiring the view and the dog under the parked van, we plodded on. We stopped at a charming Bar Restaurant where we had delicious coffee. Donuts and pastries were enjoyed and then we were warned to use the facilities as there would not be others for 2.5 hours. Well, off we went only to discover that the vehicle was out of fuel. A wiggle of a turn on a twisty road was done and we coasted back down to the village. Really, it was the funniest thing as the driver had totally forgotten that fuel might be important to climbing volcanoes in a National Park.
The next stop had us pulling over to the side of the road on slick ash rock. Off we trekked, following a yellow and white striped pathway. We learned about the volcanic activity in the region and learned the names of the volcanoes, not that I remember any of them at the moment. I guess I will have to acquire a map. The walk was gorgeous with clear views and we could see the clouds wending their way into the crevasses. It was not warm and I was glad to have my black hoodie with me. The girls were heard to say that they were glad that I had insisted on capris and runners, not their beloved flip flops. It was up and down terrain and the most interesting fact for me was that walking on the lava off the trail would shred your shoes and body parts if you came into contact with it. It is that sharp. The girls opted to play with the pine drifts of needles and tree boughs instead so there was nothing to worry about with them. I was surprised to see the hikers smoking along the way though. When you know how damaging fire is to a National Forest, I was sure that it would not be allowed. If undertaking the hike, I would totally recommend sensible shoes, water and snacks for the kidlets. They were not going to make it to lunch.
The crew piled back into the vans and we pulled out to twist and turn our way back barbecue areas, sheer cliff drops, terraces and all the while climbing until we could see a see of cloud. Then, the volcano Teide appeared into view. Eventually, we were dropped at the visitor center where we had to pay to use the facilities and visited the gift shop. Black ceramics are my favorite and this shop had some great examples. Then, we hiked a bit in the rocks nearby before trekking on in the vans. We could see the cable car but did not have the option on this tour to undertake it.
Vilaflor had the winery. It was a small tucked in the hillside place where they served us a fabulous lunch. The salads, cheese, local meats and desserts meant that I still haven´t decided to eat supper yet. I am still full. But then, we toured the winery and the children were taken to visit all the farm animals. From the sheep with lambs to the chickens that followed you to Pedro the Donkey, this was a happy community of animals that loved their owner. We came away with wine and having tasted most of it, I don´t know how you are supposed to choose only two bottles.
Back to the hotel now, and the kids have enjoyed the pool. I am enjoying being warm again as it was cool up in the hills, but then, it is much colder at home. I think I understand why people come here all the time, I would if I lived closer. Let´s see what the next adventure will be.
First, we had the tourist information to Las Playas de Americas. We had other folk to pick up and then we were en route. The first stop was a look out point. It was clear enough to be able to see across to Las Palmas and La Gomera. I watched the ferry and started to plot. I would love to wangle my way over there for a day. After admiring the view and the dog under the parked van, we plodded on. We stopped at a charming Bar Restaurant where we had delicious coffee. Donuts and pastries were enjoyed and then we were warned to use the facilities as there would not be others for 2.5 hours. Well, off we went only to discover that the vehicle was out of fuel. A wiggle of a turn on a twisty road was done and we coasted back down to the village. Really, it was the funniest thing as the driver had totally forgotten that fuel might be important to climbing volcanoes in a National Park.
The next stop had us pulling over to the side of the road on slick ash rock. Off we trekked, following a yellow and white striped pathway. We learned about the volcanic activity in the region and learned the names of the volcanoes, not that I remember any of them at the moment. I guess I will have to acquire a map. The walk was gorgeous with clear views and we could see the clouds wending their way into the crevasses. It was not warm and I was glad to have my black hoodie with me. The girls were heard to say that they were glad that I had insisted on capris and runners, not their beloved flip flops. It was up and down terrain and the most interesting fact for me was that walking on the lava off the trail would shred your shoes and body parts if you came into contact with it. It is that sharp. The girls opted to play with the pine drifts of needles and tree boughs instead so there was nothing to worry about with them. I was surprised to see the hikers smoking along the way though. When you know how damaging fire is to a National Forest, I was sure that it would not be allowed. If undertaking the hike, I would totally recommend sensible shoes, water and snacks for the kidlets. They were not going to make it to lunch.
The crew piled back into the vans and we pulled out to twist and turn our way back barbecue areas, sheer cliff drops, terraces and all the while climbing until we could see a see of cloud. Then, the volcano Teide appeared into view. Eventually, we were dropped at the visitor center where we had to pay to use the facilities and visited the gift shop. Black ceramics are my favorite and this shop had some great examples. Then, we hiked a bit in the rocks nearby before trekking on in the vans. We could see the cable car but did not have the option on this tour to undertake it.
Vilaflor had the winery. It was a small tucked in the hillside place where they served us a fabulous lunch. The salads, cheese, local meats and desserts meant that I still haven´t decided to eat supper yet. I am still full. But then, we toured the winery and the children were taken to visit all the farm animals. From the sheep with lambs to the chickens that followed you to Pedro the Donkey, this was a happy community of animals that loved their owner. We came away with wine and having tasted most of it, I don´t know how you are supposed to choose only two bottles.
Back to the hotel now, and the kids have enjoyed the pool. I am enjoying being warm again as it was cool up in the hills, but then, it is much colder at home. I think I understand why people come here all the time, I would if I lived closer. Let´s see what the next adventure will be.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Hooliganting: Tenerife: Siam Park
Hooliganting: Tenerife: Siam Park: What does one do in Tenerife after a full day of exploring? Why, you throw caution to the winds and put the children in charge of your adven...
Tenerife: Siam Park
What does one do in Tenerife after a full day of exploring? Why, you throw caution to the winds and put the children in charge of your adventures. After they had perused all of the brochures, it really didn´t surprise me that we sidled up to the desk to book a day trip to Siam Park. At the same time, we booked Loro Park as that makes things cheaper down the road, but that will be for a later day.
So, Siam Park is a water park. It has oodles of waterslides, water parks and a huge wave pool and beach. There is a lazy river that goes through a shark aquarium and the Tower ride that goes through the tank. I opted not to do that one. This was an amazing family adventure. The children chose their adults for the tube rides and the adults paired off with whomever was available to take advantage of the rides that required more than one body on them. I understand that I made peculiar faces on some of the more terrifying rides but nothing can be worse than having to hold the snake yesterday. (I took the girls to the mini disco and encountered an albino python up close and too personal).
Impressions of Siam Park:
We also went out to eat tonight as it is Christmas Eve. We wound up at the Belvedere Steak House. They were very busy and obviously can´t quite keep up. Our meal was wonderful but the service was sooooo slow. It took an hour to get the desserts. I was ready to go but luckily for the waiting staff, they must have sensed I was about to leave and decided to get me icecream after all. I would have paid the bill but 4 hours for a meal is a tad excessive.
Now, the children are tucked up abed. The magic key is on the door knob and the milk and cookies is on the table. I have no idea how Santa is going to manage this but I am off to see how it plays out.
Ps. My brother eats a lot. I wonder where he puts it? Piggy back rides for the girls home?
So, Siam Park is a water park. It has oodles of waterslides, water parks and a huge wave pool and beach. There is a lazy river that goes through a shark aquarium and the Tower ride that goes through the tank. I opted not to do that one. This was an amazing family adventure. The children chose their adults for the tube rides and the adults paired off with whomever was available to take advantage of the rides that required more than one body on them. I understand that I made peculiar faces on some of the more terrifying rides but nothing can be worse than having to hold the snake yesterday. (I took the girls to the mini disco and encountered an albino python up close and too personal).
Impressions of Siam Park:
- Very large and clean
- Great organization and friendly staff
- Fabulous for children over 1.25 m
- As the youngest child could only do the 1.10m - we encountered some issues.
- The water was very chilly.
- The foliage was lush.
- The best water park that I think that we have been to.
- Even if the concierge at your hotel says you can take a picnic, you shouldn´t as there are signs saying no picnic everywhere.
- When you are at a water park surrounded by children that are not yours, please don´t smoke as it makes our experience ugly.
- If you are staff and on your break, please don´t take your red and black snake out to play with it.
- Lots of the rides were in the shade. We totally overdid the sunscreen.
- Take the free bus from Los Christianos. Totally saves money on the ticket.
We also went out to eat tonight as it is Christmas Eve. We wound up at the Belvedere Steak House. They were very busy and obviously can´t quite keep up. Our meal was wonderful but the service was sooooo slow. It took an hour to get the desserts. I was ready to go but luckily for the waiting staff, they must have sensed I was about to leave and decided to get me icecream after all. I would have paid the bill but 4 hours for a meal is a tad excessive.
Now, the children are tucked up abed. The magic key is on the door knob and the milk and cookies is on the table. I have no idea how Santa is going to manage this but I am off to see how it plays out.
Ps. My brother eats a lot. I wonder where he puts it? Piggy back rides for the girls home?
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Hooliganting: England to the Canary Island of Tenerife
Hooliganting: England to the Canary Island of Tenerife: Ahhhh, now this is a lovely change from the damp and endless misty rain that the UK has been experiencing. To quote the English gentleman on...
England to the Canary Island of Tenerife
Ahhhh, now this is a lovely change from the damp and endless misty rain that the UK has been experiencing. To quote the English gentleman on the beach front at Los Christianos beach, ¨"I have no idea why people go skiing for Christmas." Other than it is really fun too. Today, dawned bright and clear. Sunshine is everywhere and I am revelling in it. But, I am ahead of myself.
Yesterday was a taxing and stressful journey, thanks to the devil of google maps. It said two hours from Bournemouth to Luton. It lied. Try four! I was good and stuck to the motorway routes. I didn´t go off road as the manpower in the group found that it was stressful enough already. The more the red dotted lines delayed traffic, the more wound up things got. Add to that feverish children, and you have a nasty day shaping up. However, once close to Luton, I decided to get off the motorway and take the back roads and it was lucky that I did. My brother caught his Ryanair flight with minutes to spare at the desk. We also made it, even though we were cutting it fine with the fuel stop, bus shuttle and so on.
Hurry up, I´m late I´m late not quite at the gate but you should hurry, yes indeed. That queue is important. However, we were delayed, and so was Ryanair. Monarch offered us priority boarding if we checked some luggage. Gleefully, I agreed and was able to get the girls settled with medicine blankets and some snacks. The plane pushed back and then it happened. The plane shuddered and rocked violently. The Captain came on and after half an hour, we taxied back to the gate. The landing gear shunt truck did not detach itself properly and instead, punctured the front tire. The landing gear was repaired and the tire changed. We left two hours later, all the while sitting on a plane. We arrived in Tenerife three hours late, just as my brother was decided to leave the airport thinking we had abandoned him. Not the case.
However, we got a taxi to the hotel and it is glorious. We are staying at the Beverly Hills Heights and it is fabulous. We have views to the sea and a pool a floor down. The village is walkable and next door had the most delicious food, very reasonably priced. The adults indulged in paella while the children had amazing pizza.
This morning, we rose and then spent some time by the poolside. Then, we tripped down the cliffside to the market and wandered the beachfront at Los Christianos. This was a grand idea until we couldn´t determine where the shuttle went from and had to clamber up the cliffs to the hotel. However, we are all in love with the cuisine and the service of the people. This is truly a lovely place and I am so happy that we decided to come here on the whim that was mine.
The rooms have a lovely balcony, a trundle bed sofa for the kids, a large master bedroom, two baths and a full kitchen and dining room. I would highly recommend this. Now, to plan excursions...water park tomorrow and volcanos later in the week.
See you soon...as I listen to Christmas carols play over the computer desk.
Yesterday was a taxing and stressful journey, thanks to the devil of google maps. It said two hours from Bournemouth to Luton. It lied. Try four! I was good and stuck to the motorway routes. I didn´t go off road as the manpower in the group found that it was stressful enough already. The more the red dotted lines delayed traffic, the more wound up things got. Add to that feverish children, and you have a nasty day shaping up. However, once close to Luton, I decided to get off the motorway and take the back roads and it was lucky that I did. My brother caught his Ryanair flight with minutes to spare at the desk. We also made it, even though we were cutting it fine with the fuel stop, bus shuttle and so on.
Hurry up, I´m late I´m late not quite at the gate but you should hurry, yes indeed. That queue is important. However, we were delayed, and so was Ryanair. Monarch offered us priority boarding if we checked some luggage. Gleefully, I agreed and was able to get the girls settled with medicine blankets and some snacks. The plane pushed back and then it happened. The plane shuddered and rocked violently. The Captain came on and after half an hour, we taxied back to the gate. The landing gear shunt truck did not detach itself properly and instead, punctured the front tire. The landing gear was repaired and the tire changed. We left two hours later, all the while sitting on a plane. We arrived in Tenerife three hours late, just as my brother was decided to leave the airport thinking we had abandoned him. Not the case.
However, we got a taxi to the hotel and it is glorious. We are staying at the Beverly Hills Heights and it is fabulous. We have views to the sea and a pool a floor down. The village is walkable and next door had the most delicious food, very reasonably priced. The adults indulged in paella while the children had amazing pizza.
This morning, we rose and then spent some time by the poolside. Then, we tripped down the cliffside to the market and wandered the beachfront at Los Christianos. This was a grand idea until we couldn´t determine where the shuttle went from and had to clamber up the cliffs to the hotel. However, we are all in love with the cuisine and the service of the people. This is truly a lovely place and I am so happy that we decided to come here on the whim that was mine.
The rooms have a lovely balcony, a trundle bed sofa for the kids, a large master bedroom, two baths and a full kitchen and dining room. I would highly recommend this. Now, to plan excursions...water park tomorrow and volcanos later in the week.
See you soon...as I listen to Christmas carols play over the computer desk.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Hooliganting: England: Exeter, Killerton, and the A35
Hooliganting: England: Exeter, Killerton, and the A35: When I was a child, I was always encouraged to take the road less travelled, or at least to consider the possibilities. Due to the excessiv...
England: Exeter, Killerton, and the A35
When I was a child, I was always encouraged to take the road less travelled, or at least to consider the possibilities. Due to the excessive amount of rain, there have been warnings all across the southwest. Fog and rain leads to flooding. These are things that on google maps, you can attempt to plan around. We rose early and headed out. Bournemouth to Poole took an unbelievable hour. Already sensing the way things were going, I face booked my friend in an attempt to let her know that once again, the roads swerve conspiring against the travelers.
The other thing that you cannot plan for is traffic. We had the luck to have a lovely view of hay floss flaying at the windscreen from behind a tractor. There were lots of opportunities to admire the sunshine and view over the moors as we watched the back end of a lorry go 30 below the speed limit. This is English driving at its finest. This was all along the A35. In an effort to avoid some of the traffic, I found some little side roads along the way and directed the car through them. Theoretically, two cars were supposed to fit. You could see where the road had been flooded and there was a delightful stone bridge somewhere near Whimple.
Eventually, Exeter loomed on the horizon. We stopped at Killerton House for the twelve days of Christmas. We spent a delightful 45 minutes on the grounds, trying to solve the clues provided. It was a lovely decorated event. The also do the same things in the grounds but we didn't have time. For the family, this was a favorite for me. There were activities everywhere, you could run the grounds and they allowed dogs. However, I was supposed to be meeting a friend so we had a car boot lunch, and drove off.
Except the traffic in Exeter decided to have its own way again. 8 miles took a ridiculous amount of time. We crisscrossed over the motorway twice, trying to find her way down. There were traffic snarls that just didn't move. One way streets that diverted you away from your destination and car park signed tat suggested there were spaces when there were none. Yes, being on time was a none event. Add to that getting turned around while on foot and you have a recipe for disaster. Finally, we found the museum.
The Exeter museum is a wonderful place. Free admission was unbelievable as it is state of the art. Lovely coherent displays with plenty of interactively, toys and play areas, open storage and lots to ad and see. It was amazing. Two hours did not seem long enough. However, we also wanted a skim of the cathedral. It is a lovely church, but does have the proverbial scaffolding along the front.
After much discussion, we decided on pub fare for our last meal. We stopped at the hunters lodge on the A35 and cruised infor the best soup ever. Tomato and roasted peppers. Yummy. It was great for children too. The girls were in the play area for most of our stop.
We finished off the day with a ride on a double decker bus from Poole to Bournemouth. The girls lit up and it was a great way to end the day. Canary Islands tomorrow.
The other thing that you cannot plan for is traffic. We had the luck to have a lovely view of hay floss flaying at the windscreen from behind a tractor. There were lots of opportunities to admire the sunshine and view over the moors as we watched the back end of a lorry go 30 below the speed limit. This is English driving at its finest. This was all along the A35. In an effort to avoid some of the traffic, I found some little side roads along the way and directed the car through them. Theoretically, two cars were supposed to fit. You could see where the road had been flooded and there was a delightful stone bridge somewhere near Whimple.
Eventually, Exeter loomed on the horizon. We stopped at Killerton House for the twelve days of Christmas. We spent a delightful 45 minutes on the grounds, trying to solve the clues provided. It was a lovely decorated event. The also do the same things in the grounds but we didn't have time. For the family, this was a favorite for me. There were activities everywhere, you could run the grounds and they allowed dogs. However, I was supposed to be meeting a friend so we had a car boot lunch, and drove off.
Except the traffic in Exeter decided to have its own way again. 8 miles took a ridiculous amount of time. We crisscrossed over the motorway twice, trying to find her way down. There were traffic snarls that just didn't move. One way streets that diverted you away from your destination and car park signed tat suggested there were spaces when there were none. Yes, being on time was a none event. Add to that getting turned around while on foot and you have a recipe for disaster. Finally, we found the museum.
The Exeter museum is a wonderful place. Free admission was unbelievable as it is state of the art. Lovely coherent displays with plenty of interactively, toys and play areas, open storage and lots to ad and see. It was amazing. Two hours did not seem long enough. However, we also wanted a skim of the cathedral. It is a lovely church, but does have the proverbial scaffolding along the front.
After much discussion, we decided on pub fare for our last meal. We stopped at the hunters lodge on the A35 and cruised infor the best soup ever. Tomato and roasted peppers. Yummy. It was great for children too. The girls were in the play area for most of our stop.
We finished off the day with a ride on a double decker bus from Poole to Bournemouth. The girls lit up and it was a great way to end the day. Canary Islands tomorrow.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Hooliganting: England: Family Matters and Chichester
Hooliganting: England: Family Matters and Chichester: As you might have noticed, I have a lot of wonderful family in the UK. Wednesday was a day of visiting my cousins and the Bournemouth connec...
England: Family Matters and Chichester
As you might have noticed, I have a lot of wonderful family in the UK. Wednesday was a day of visiting my cousins and the Bournemouth connections of aunts and uncles. It wasn't really a touristy day, other than bowling, but it was well spent catching up with the news and seeing all the homes. Today, was more of the same.
We drove up through thick misting rain and headed back for another day with great granny. We drew pictures, and visited and reintroduced her to my brother. As she had a lunch to be at, we went to visit the Chichester cathedral. This church has the uniqueness of having a detached bell tower, roman mosaic remains under the floor and mice carved into some of the furniture. I was hoping for pipe organ playing, but got mouse hunting instead. It was far too wet to be outside anyway.
After the church option was completed, we opted to go to the new Chichester museum called the Novium. For the whopping 23.00 it cost for us to enter, we spent five minutes looking at the first floor excavation of roman foundations. We climbed the stairs to the second floor to discover a small room of books, and an open concept cube display of life in Chichester. A busy, blurred view of basic artifacts chosen to tell the story of city life, I think. It was difficult to read as the artifacts all blended together. School children raced through the space and were much more interesting to listen to so that took 10 minutes. Most of our time, and additional 30 minutes, was spent exploring the drawers on the subjects of bravery, joy, beauty, sorrow and something else. The children were engaged by the costumes and pull out drawers, but the collection felt so sparse. For the amount of money spent on this new facility, I would suggest that you have a nice window. Sorry, that it leaks. But, really, for the price, we would have been better off somewhere else. Like a restaurant or shopping...or fishbourne. Wait, they were closed. Never mind, why would we want to see that on a weekday. Oh right, people only visit museums on the weekend in this country. This has been an ongoing issue with this trip. So much is closed. I guess schools don't visit them much, which is a shame with such good resources.
So, it was onto another cousins for a lovely dinner after a last visit with granny. Then home to plot the adventures for tomorrow. Now, to find double decker bus in Exeter....here's hoping. And maybe a castle that is open?
We drove up through thick misting rain and headed back for another day with great granny. We drew pictures, and visited and reintroduced her to my brother. As she had a lunch to be at, we went to visit the Chichester cathedral. This church has the uniqueness of having a detached bell tower, roman mosaic remains under the floor and mice carved into some of the furniture. I was hoping for pipe organ playing, but got mouse hunting instead. It was far too wet to be outside anyway.
After the church option was completed, we opted to go to the new Chichester museum called the Novium. For the whopping 23.00 it cost for us to enter, we spent five minutes looking at the first floor excavation of roman foundations. We climbed the stairs to the second floor to discover a small room of books, and an open concept cube display of life in Chichester. A busy, blurred view of basic artifacts chosen to tell the story of city life, I think. It was difficult to read as the artifacts all blended together. School children raced through the space and were much more interesting to listen to so that took 10 minutes. Most of our time, and additional 30 minutes, was spent exploring the drawers on the subjects of bravery, joy, beauty, sorrow and something else. The children were engaged by the costumes and pull out drawers, but the collection felt so sparse. For the amount of money spent on this new facility, I would suggest that you have a nice window. Sorry, that it leaks. But, really, for the price, we would have been better off somewhere else. Like a restaurant or shopping...or fishbourne. Wait, they were closed. Never mind, why would we want to see that on a weekday. Oh right, people only visit museums on the weekend in this country. This has been an ongoing issue with this trip. So much is closed. I guess schools don't visit them much, which is a shame with such good resources.
So, it was onto another cousins for a lovely dinner after a last visit with granny. Then home to plot the adventures for tomorrow. Now, to find double decker bus in Exeter....here's hoping. And maybe a castle that is open?
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
England: Salisbury, Stonehenge and family
'twas early this morning when the alarm sounded. We got up and hit the road for Salisbury cathedral. From Bournemouth, this was an hour and a half of twisting roads, and beautiful scenery. The River Avon was bursting at the banks, but the sun shone brilliantly over thatched roofs, brick stonework and copper fields. I was impressed by the drive. I was less impressed with the traffic snarls that seemed to pop up in the middle of nowhere.
On arrival in Salisbury it was relatively easy to get a parking space. Finding change for the meter was actually more of a hassle. Fortunately, a kind lady offered to help so back to the meter I trudged and plugged some coins in. Salisbury is a lovely cathedral that features gothic architechure, a simple cloister garden for quiet and beautiful choral singing. There were stained glass window, and the children freaked out over stepping on dead people. I was fascinated by the Magna Carta document. It had been folded and creased with water damage, but still survives in a legible format. Of course, the restoration is still ongoing. Scaffolding still exists and it has been there since I was a child. It moves, but is still there. We explored for n hour, and also found time to visit with a cocker spaniel and a chocolate shop. Handmade chocolate? How can you resist?
From there, we drove to Stonehenge. We did the tour with the headsets, which was interesting. The headset gave the history of the site and allowed the children to access the stories in a format that they would actually listen to. On my own, I would not have paid the admission though as you get a lovely view from outside the fence. I already knew the history. However, I would have missed the shaman cleansing the site and she was worth paying attention to. Delightfully colorful and full of spiritual optimism, she made the visit for me.
The rest of the day was spent attempting to negotiate traffic, being stuck behind slow drivers and ultimately arriving an hour late for lunch. Very sorry, but lost, we arrived to spend the rest of the day with family. Food, fun, laughter and stories made for a wonderful visit. The children romped and the adults relaxed over conversation. I wish we made it across more often. Tomorrow, my brother arrives...let the chaos begin. After all, my jet lag still isn't fixed. I wonder if his will be any better?
On arrival in Salisbury it was relatively easy to get a parking space. Finding change for the meter was actually more of a hassle. Fortunately, a kind lady offered to help so back to the meter I trudged and plugged some coins in. Salisbury is a lovely cathedral that features gothic architechure, a simple cloister garden for quiet and beautiful choral singing. There were stained glass window, and the children freaked out over stepping on dead people. I was fascinated by the Magna Carta document. It had been folded and creased with water damage, but still survives in a legible format. Of course, the restoration is still ongoing. Scaffolding still exists and it has been there since I was a child. It moves, but is still there. We explored for n hour, and also found time to visit with a cocker spaniel and a chocolate shop. Handmade chocolate? How can you resist?
From there, we drove to Stonehenge. We did the tour with the headsets, which was interesting. The headset gave the history of the site and allowed the children to access the stories in a format that they would actually listen to. On my own, I would not have paid the admission though as you get a lovely view from outside the fence. I already knew the history. However, I would have missed the shaman cleansing the site and she was worth paying attention to. Delightfully colorful and full of spiritual optimism, she made the visit for me.
The rest of the day was spent attempting to negotiate traffic, being stuck behind slow drivers and ultimately arriving an hour late for lunch. Very sorry, but lost, we arrived to spend the rest of the day with family. Food, fun, laughter and stories made for a wonderful visit. The children romped and the adults relaxed over conversation. I wish we made it across more often. Tomorrow, my brother arrives...let the chaos begin. After all, my jet lag still isn't fixed. I wonder if his will be any better?
Hooliganting: England: Poole Park and Pantomime
Hooliganting: England: Poole Park and Pantomime: I love England, especially when the rain decides to go elsewhere and allows the sun to shine. Today was a minimal driving day for us, which ...
Monday, December 17, 2012
England: Poole Park and Pantomime
I love England, especially when the rain decides to go elsewhere and allows the sun to shine. Today was a minimal driving day for us, which was a welcome relief. I think our body clocks finally got a bit more sorted as I slept happily until 10. My morning child then informed me that she was hungry, meaning get up now or I will make a mess.
After breakfast, we trundled to my cousins house for a quick cuppa. She suggested that we head for Poole Park to visit with Santa. Rounding out the girls was a bit challenging as they very quickly holed up in the bedroom with the movies and the toys. However, they were persuaded and off we went.
Poole park is lovely, nestled into waterfront and lakes and ponds. There were swans floating in amongst ducks and seagulls. The sun was out and there was a great park. The children played and the adults made sure that no one got wet. Tickets were purchased for the train, which is a miniature park chuffer. It does a slow and methodical loop to Santa's house. There, you get off and snag a carrot to feed to the reindeer. They actually have two. In the end,they were fed to the pigs that were a lot more interested in them. Then, the children posed in front of crazy mirrors. If you we're good, you we crazy shaped and if you we're bad,you looked normal. From there, you waited to see Santa who was quite nice and gave out more presents.
We then headed off to Poole Quay. It was cold so the boats did not get as much attention as usual. We looked across at Brownsea island to pay our respects to lord Baden-Powell. then, it was inside to Poole pottery to paint on ceramics. That occupied us for an hour or so.
In the evening, we bought last minute tickets to the Bournemouth Pavillion's production of Sleeping Beauty. The pavilion is a lovely theatre with the old style seating, opera glasses for rent and ornate detailing. The production itself was full of cheesy humourous audience interaction, a bit of dancing and sing a long music. My girls loved it! We got our tickets with exactly one minute to show time, found our seats and had some fun. The girls were spoiled by the gentleman in the front who gave them a lollipop each. I would recommend the experience to anyone traveling here over Christmas. The only issue now seems to be feeding the natives and getting them to sleep. It will be an early start in the morning.
After breakfast, we trundled to my cousins house for a quick cuppa. She suggested that we head for Poole Park to visit with Santa. Rounding out the girls was a bit challenging as they very quickly holed up in the bedroom with the movies and the toys. However, they were persuaded and off we went.
Poole park is lovely, nestled into waterfront and lakes and ponds. There were swans floating in amongst ducks and seagulls. The sun was out and there was a great park. The children played and the adults made sure that no one got wet. Tickets were purchased for the train, which is a miniature park chuffer. It does a slow and methodical loop to Santa's house. There, you get off and snag a carrot to feed to the reindeer. They actually have two. In the end,they were fed to the pigs that were a lot more interested in them. Then, the children posed in front of crazy mirrors. If you we're good, you we crazy shaped and if you we're bad,you looked normal. From there, you waited to see Santa who was quite nice and gave out more presents.
We then headed off to Poole Quay. It was cold so the boats did not get as much attention as usual. We looked across at Brownsea island to pay our respects to lord Baden-Powell. then, it was inside to Poole pottery to paint on ceramics. That occupied us for an hour or so.
In the evening, we bought last minute tickets to the Bournemouth Pavillion's production of Sleeping Beauty. The pavilion is a lovely theatre with the old style seating, opera glasses for rent and ornate detailing. The production itself was full of cheesy humourous audience interaction, a bit of dancing and sing a long music. My girls loved it! We got our tickets with exactly one minute to show time, found our seats and had some fun. The girls were spoiled by the gentleman in the front who gave them a lollipop each. I would recommend the experience to anyone traveling here over Christmas. The only issue now seems to be feeding the natives and getting them to sleep. It will be an early start in the morning.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Hooliganting: England: Santa and the Bluebell Railway
Hooliganting: England: Santa and the Bluebell Railway: Today, it was Cheerios to our cozy B and B in Bognor Regis and back onto the open road. At least as open a road as England has. I had really...
England: Santa and the Bluebell Railway
Today, it was Cheerios to our cozy B and B in Bognor Regis and back onto the open road. At least as open a road as England has. I had really awesome memories of the Bluebell Railway from my English childhood and thought it would be a fabulous idea to introduce my own girls to it. Off the wheels on the car went, and while I think about it, I may as well confess that I seem to have lost the keys to the B and B's front door. We drove through the twisty roads of west Sussex and got lost once along the way. I think the most fascinating thing about the drive was the pheasants that traipsed happily across the way. Home girls played their ds games, the drive was wasted on them.
So, after arrival at the railway, you had to follow the waving arms of the traffic police to find the car park.Then, a bus takes you to the depot where they had an amazing merry go round. The girls hopped on the suspended swing and followed the ride with a lucky dip gift. It was a great start. We found the station and met the engines. Bluebell is still a favorite. The whistles blew and the trains shunted. Steam whispered across the bridge and around the thrilled faces of the kids. Carolers sang Victorian tunes, while parents ran herd on their wild broods. At last it was our turn.
We boarded the train and rolled out. It was a short trip from Sheffield station to Horsted Keynes. The best part was when Father Christmas stopped by to treat the children with gift. On arrival, we found sausage rolls and hot chocolate, with Victorian games and a visit with Santa. We had 45 minutes, which was not nearly long enough, before heading back. It started raining then, so we hit the gift shop and then the road.
The experience was great for younger children. I am not sure how much older ones get from it. I would hesitate to do it again just for the sheer price of a short stay but, the trains are worth it. Train spotting anyone?
Next stop, Bournemouth. So, we drove and found the Carleton Hotel. This place is lovely. We have a full bathroom, full kitchen so I can finally feed the family on healthy food, and a separate bedroom. It is huge. The staff were very friendly and it is really close to downtown. This was worth the points. My favorite thing is the heated towel rack. Yes, it should be a good couple of days. Now, if only my cousins were about...lol. They are in hiding.
.
So, after arrival at the railway, you had to follow the waving arms of the traffic police to find the car park.Then, a bus takes you to the depot where they had an amazing merry go round. The girls hopped on the suspended swing and followed the ride with a lucky dip gift. It was a great start. We found the station and met the engines. Bluebell is still a favorite. The whistles blew and the trains shunted. Steam whispered across the bridge and around the thrilled faces of the kids. Carolers sang Victorian tunes, while parents ran herd on their wild broods. At last it was our turn.
We boarded the train and rolled out. It was a short trip from Sheffield station to Horsted Keynes. The best part was when Father Christmas stopped by to treat the children with gift. On arrival, we found sausage rolls and hot chocolate, with Victorian games and a visit with Santa. We had 45 minutes, which was not nearly long enough, before heading back. It started raining then, so we hit the gift shop and then the road.
The experience was great for younger children. I am not sure how much older ones get from it. I would hesitate to do it again just for the sheer price of a short stay but, the trains are worth it. Train spotting anyone?
Next stop, Bournemouth. So, we drove and found the Carleton Hotel. This place is lovely. We have a full bathroom, full kitchen so I can finally feed the family on healthy food, and a separate bedroom. It is huge. The staff were very friendly and it is really close to downtown. This was worth the points. My favorite thing is the heated towel rack. Yes, it should be a good couple of days. Now, if only my cousins were about...lol. They are in hiding.
.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Hooliganting: England: technology blips
Hooliganting: England: technology blips: In the land of modern technology, there are certain comforts that I have grown used to having when I travel. At the last minute, I elected n...
England: technology blips
In the land of modern technology, there are certain comforts that I have grown used to having when I travel. At the last minute, I elected not to bring my laptop computer. This means that I don't have the usual means of blogging, journaling, or entertaining myself with photo editing, scrap booking and the like. I am already reliant on other people's technology, even to write this blog. Internet cafes are going to be my friend, I can tell.
The lack of technology has already caused a few glitches, so for my North American friends, here are some critical things I wish I had known. First, print off a copy of anything that you think you might need from you emails. Sleep on the plane. I couldn't and I am still messed up time wise. On landing, go to that kiosk thing in the airport and spend the money on a SIM card for your devise, unless you are with blackberry and then that won't work. My phone is still dead to me so I now have a perfectly good spy phone, aka a burn phone. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the number is. That will be a tomorrow project.
Why was this an issue? Well, the car rental place gives you a very basic map that doesn't list all the places. It is very easy to get lost. Also, we were very badly delayed on landing etc and therefore were running very late. We had no means of letting anyone know. The phone boxes seem to be largely out of service here too. Add to this, we were driving through rivers running down roadsides, especially in Midhurst. That village had folks in thick wellingtons poking at drains, desperately trying to get rid of some water. The car got lost as well. Twice. I had nothing to do with it.
Finally, we reached Bognor. It officially has the hardest to find tourist information booth. We were all so tired, hungry and desperately needing to sleep. We found the bank, and finally found tourist info on foot. Got directions and discovered that the B and B had been passed by twice. However, they were flummoxed as they didn't remember our booking and I was stunned as the proprietress looked just like my dads cousin. They were great and gave all sorts of advice on how to solve our technical difficulties. Back into town we trekked to the car phone shop and acquired the SIM card and my burn phone. Now, if I had the number, you could find me. Hahaha.
Our first day was spent with family. There has been lunch at the manor nursery and playtime at the playing fields in North Mundham. There were horses that were persuaded to have a chat and weather that decided to let some sunshine peek through. The little cousins ran amok while the adults chatted and caught up on all the news. English tea followed at my aunts, while dinner followed in Bognor. We had better be more active tomorrow. I feel like all we have done is eat. The children think it is brilliant. However, we will have to see what the weather holds.
And if the body clock would switch around....I have bright eyes staring at me and it is 4 am. Back to bed for me I suppose, I should set a good example. Night.
The lack of technology has already caused a few glitches, so for my North American friends, here are some critical things I wish I had known. First, print off a copy of anything that you think you might need from you emails. Sleep on the plane. I couldn't and I am still messed up time wise. On landing, go to that kiosk thing in the airport and spend the money on a SIM card for your devise, unless you are with blackberry and then that won't work. My phone is still dead to me so I now have a perfectly good spy phone, aka a burn phone. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the number is. That will be a tomorrow project.
Why was this an issue? Well, the car rental place gives you a very basic map that doesn't list all the places. It is very easy to get lost. Also, we were very badly delayed on landing etc and therefore were running very late. We had no means of letting anyone know. The phone boxes seem to be largely out of service here too. Add to this, we were driving through rivers running down roadsides, especially in Midhurst. That village had folks in thick wellingtons poking at drains, desperately trying to get rid of some water. The car got lost as well. Twice. I had nothing to do with it.
Finally, we reached Bognor. It officially has the hardest to find tourist information booth. We were all so tired, hungry and desperately needing to sleep. We found the bank, and finally found tourist info on foot. Got directions and discovered that the B and B had been passed by twice. However, they were flummoxed as they didn't remember our booking and I was stunned as the proprietress looked just like my dads cousin. They were great and gave all sorts of advice on how to solve our technical difficulties. Back into town we trekked to the car phone shop and acquired the SIM card and my burn phone. Now, if I had the number, you could find me. Hahaha.
Our first day was spent with family. There has been lunch at the manor nursery and playtime at the playing fields in North Mundham. There were horses that were persuaded to have a chat and weather that decided to let some sunshine peek through. The little cousins ran amok while the adults chatted and caught up on all the news. English tea followed at my aunts, while dinner followed in Bognor. We had better be more active tomorrow. I feel like all we have done is eat. The children think it is brilliant. However, we will have to see what the weather holds.
And if the body clock would switch around....I have bright eyes staring at me and it is 4 am. Back to bed for me I suppose, I should set a good example. Night.
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