Good Friday morning, flying with the sun would create an elongated day
Brekkie at townhouse with Hertz's
Goodbye to Emily, sad, but we knew she would be home soon.
Very warm and sunny and humid for April in England
To Heathrow by A40 and Oxford
Cheltenham to Oxford no rural development along road, odd.
Topped of the diesel at a petrol stop, and off the Heathrow for the long flight home.
Rental car drop off went fine
Sunday, June 26, 2011
EuroTrip :: Thurs 4/21
Full English breakfast at Cheltenham Townhouse
Shopping in town
Bought Ordinance Survey map of Cotswolds
Quick stop at bike shop about rentals, but to no avail. so we decided on a hike of the Cotswold Way and hatched a plan to hike from Cleve's Hill to Winchcombe and then take a bus back to the car.
Drove to Cleve's Hill and parked car
Walked along road to golf course
Sign about adders coming out of hibernation
Started wrong direction, set straight by family on trail
Up over golf course
Got a little confused about multiple paths by farm and nice estate and signage, assisted by family and elderly couple
We finally were able to see a highly anticipated adder on trail in pasture, it was small and harmless, but we were ready.
Up top top of plateau along dry wash,hard climb
Along top of hill with view of Winchcombe
Through the abandonded farm
Belas Knap
Through the fields with newly born lambs, numbers painted on each to match with the ewes.
Walked the streets of Wynchcomb, water, ice cream and a last minute bathroom stop. Waited at the bus stop with the locals.
Bus to car park
Dinner with Hertz' at Nandos restaurant
Shopping in town
Bought Ordinance Survey map of Cotswolds
Quick stop at bike shop about rentals, but to no avail. so we decided on a hike of the Cotswold Way and hatched a plan to hike from Cleve's Hill to Winchcombe and then take a bus back to the car.
Drove to Cleve's Hill and parked car
Walked along road to golf course
Sign about adders coming out of hibernation
Started wrong direction, set straight by family on trail
Up over golf course
Got a little confused about multiple paths by farm and nice estate and signage, assisted by family and elderly couple
We finally were able to see a highly anticipated adder on trail in pasture, it was small and harmless, but we were ready.
Up top top of plateau along dry wash,hard climb
Along top of hill with view of Winchcombe
Through the abandonded farm
Belas Knap
Through the fields with newly born lambs, numbers painted on each to match with the ewes.
Walked the streets of Wynchcomb, water, ice cream and a last minute bathroom stop. Waited at the bus stop with the locals.
Bus to car park
Dinner with Hertz' at Nandos restaurant
EuroTrip :: Weds 4/20
Stow on Wold
Highest town on wold
Lunch at car park
Bourton on Water
Nice town on channelized stream
Walk on public field adder sign
Walk on public path a long stream
Stop at Bourton cycle hire
On to Cheltenham on A436
Diner at Hogs Head
Fish and chips and shepherds pie
Walk around town with Emily
Highest town on wold
Lunch at car park
Bourton on Water
Nice town on channelized stream
Walk on public field adder sign
Walk on public path a long stream
Stop at Bourton cycle hire
On to Cheltenham on A436
Diner at Hogs Head
Fish and chips and shepherds pie
Walk around town with Emily
EuroTrip :: Tues 4/19
Nice brekkie with the Beightons
Tour of Chatsworth home of Lord and Lady Cavendish Duke and Duchess of Derbyshire
Hike to the top of the hill just east of mansion and gardens, and then through the heather. Beautiful setting, nestled in the hills, on the banks of a small stream. Sheep and livestock grazing on the hills intermingled with somewhat tame deer. Managed forest with a lot of landscaping.
Back to the estate for a walk through the gardens. Did not tour the mansion house, but got a real feel for wealth of the family from the outside and the large gardens open to the public.
Went to the town of Bakewell nearby and walked around. Had some pie.
On way back saw the church with the leaning tower in the town of Chesterfield.
Tour of allotment/public garden with Gisella. Autumn Bliss fall bearing raspberries
Tour of Chatsworth home of Lord and Lady Cavendish Duke and Duchess of Derbyshire
Hike to the top of the hill just east of mansion and gardens, and then through the heather. Beautiful setting, nestled in the hills, on the banks of a small stream. Sheep and livestock grazing on the hills intermingled with somewhat tame deer. Managed forest with a lot of landscaping.
Back to the estate for a walk through the gardens. Did not tour the mansion house, but got a real feel for wealth of the family from the outside and the large gardens open to the public.
Went to the town of Bakewell nearby and walked around. Had some pie.
On way back saw the church with the leaning tower in the town of Chesterfield.
Tour of allotment/public garden with Gisella. Autumn Bliss fall bearing raspberries
EuroTrip :: Mon. 4/18
Breakfast with Husis
Bus to Thun train, train to Basel, bus to Basel airport
Flew British Airways from Basel to Heathrow, very excited to finally meet up with our seasoned european-traveling daughter Emily. She was waiting at exit, very nice to see her.
Caught the shuttle Avis rental sweet red Alfa Romeo Giulietta It was a 6 speed diesel. Learning left handed shifting and right drive with roundabouts and poor maps Got on way to Huthwaite
Costa coffee stop along the auto route. More yellow fields, what are they? Rapeseed.
Arrived to a warm welcome from the Beightons.
Bus to Thun train, train to Basel, bus to Basel airport
Flew British Airways from Basel to Heathrow, very excited to finally meet up with our seasoned european-traveling daughter Emily. She was waiting at exit, very nice to see her.
Caught the shuttle Avis rental sweet red Alfa Romeo Giulietta It was a 6 speed diesel. Learning left handed shifting and right drive with roundabouts and poor maps Got on way to Huthwaite
Costa coffee stop along the auto route. More yellow fields, what are they? Rapeseed.
Arrived to a warm welcome from the Beightons.
EuroTrip :: Sun 4/17
Church with the Husi-Studers, meets in a curling hall in Thun
Translated to english by woman in congregation
Nice lunch with the family
Discussion with Markus about mennonite history, swiss military service and republicans in the american church
Afternoon drive through the Emmental with Markus and Esther
Very dramatic relative relief
Trub
We stopped at the Schloss Trachselwald Castle near
Sumiswald
Susanna Stoltzfus
Nelson Mast
Langnau
Bern for a tour of the old city
Platform by the Muenster
Long search for dinner found a german restaurant
Train Bern to Thun and bus to hunibach
Translated to english by woman in congregation
Nice lunch with the family
Discussion with Markus about mennonite history, swiss military service and republicans in the american church
Afternoon drive through the Emmental with Markus and Esther
Very dramatic relative relief
Trub
We stopped at the Schloss Trachselwald Castle near
Sumiswald
Susanna Stoltzfus
Nelson Mast
Langnau
Bern for a tour of the old city
Platform by the Muenster
Long search for dinner found a german restaurant
Train Bern to Thun and bus to hunibach
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Euro Trip :: Sat 4/16
Bus to Interlaken west - 1 hour wait
Walk through Interlaken to Ost (East) station, we could have staid on the bus.
Took the train to Grindelwald beautiful winding alond the Schwarze Lutschine stream, and locked into the rack/cog assistance on steep slopes in to Grindlewald.
Lunch at restaurant I G
Town was almost empty due to Easter Holiday, most of the shops were either closed or opened late, around mid-day
Saw some skiers on the way to the snow at higher elevations, up near Jungfrau Joch.
We got a map from tourist office, and decided to hike on the small mountain named Auf der Allefluh north of town. to restaurant near the top of Auf der Allefluh
View from pasture, steep trails, graded roads
Southfacing with views of the Eiger and the ------horn
Walked the shops
Train back to interlaken
Bus to Thun
Ate at pizza rest along the Aare
Bus to honeybees
Walk through Interlaken to Ost (East) station, we could have staid on the bus.
Took the train to Grindelwald beautiful winding alond the Schwarze Lutschine stream, and locked into the rack/cog assistance on steep slopes in to Grindlewald.
Lunch at restaurant I G
Town was almost empty due to Easter Holiday, most of the shops were either closed or opened late, around mid-day
Saw some skiers on the way to the snow at higher elevations, up near Jungfrau Joch.
We got a map from tourist office, and decided to hike on the small mountain named Auf der Allefluh north of town. to restaurant near the top of Auf der Allefluh
View from pasture, steep trails, graded roads
Southfacing with views of the Eiger and the ------horn
Walked the shops
Train back to interlaken
Bus to Thun
Ate at pizza rest along the Aare
Bus to honeybees
Euro-Trip :: Fri 4/15
Leave from gare du l est complete with pigeons in the restaurant. We had tangle withthe station lockers when we tried to stash our luggage for another quick side trip to the sacre Couer. Foiled by g putting the credit card in the ticket slot 15 min later the the remaining time was too short for the 9.50 euro fee. Ate at the restaurant in the station, baguette sandwiches again. When you're In france, eat like the french.
Tgv train less smoothe and quiet but still very comfortable. Rolling hills with lots of crop farming transitions to flat plains with even more ag. Villages have different arcitecture more swiss german. Cathedrals also look more swisscattle white charlais(?) Short spires and red tile roofs. wind farms
Switzerland has lots of tunnels on the train line
Traveled along the operating Canal de la Marne au Rhin which connects the Marne river with the Rhine in Strasbourg...with locks and boats cued for the draw bridge
Vosges Mountains to the west, Rhine to the east.
Kids speed skating in a pack on the school playground
Changed trains at Basel lots of bikes parked at the station, racks filled with bikes.
Quest to find food on the swiss passenger car
Tgv train less smoothe and quiet but still very comfortable. Rolling hills with lots of crop farming transitions to flat plains with even more ag. Villages have different arcitecture more swiss german. Cathedrals also look more swisscattle white charlais(?) Short spires and red tile roofs. wind farms
Switzerland has lots of tunnels on the train line
Traveled along the operating Canal de la Marne au Rhin which connects the Marne river with the Rhine in Strasbourg...with locks and boats cued for the draw bridge
Vosges Mountains to the west, Rhine to the east.
Kids speed skating in a pack on the school playground
Changed trains at Basel lots of bikes parked at the station, racks filled with bikes.
Quest to find food on the swiss passenger car
Euro-Trip :: Thurs 4/14
Brekke At mdonalds and a futile attempt to connect the blackberry to the wifi
Green Bus tour to the larc de tiuimphread CDG's explanation of the french position the nazi occupation in french. Not sure I got all the nuances but it seemed pretty apologetic
Lunch from the patisserie baguette sandwhiches ate lunch by the les echols militaire in the champ du mars
Climbed the eiffel tour to the second deck 669 steps.
End of the bus tour
930 River tour on the seine
Green Bus tour to the larc de tiuimphread CDG's explanation of the french position the nazi occupation in french. Not sure I got all the nuances but it seemed pretty apologetic
Lunch from the patisserie baguette sandwhiches ate lunch by the les echols militaire in the champ du mars
Climbed the eiffel tour to the second deck 669 steps.
End of the bus tour
930 River tour on the seine
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Euro-Trip :: Weds 4/13
We had our first English Breakfast at the hotel. Hmm, baked beans on a plate with eggs and sausage, tomato and toast.
English phrases
Way-out - Exit
Circus - Traffic Circle
The Eurostar train arrives at the Gare du Nord train station, flat
The train is so smooth and quiet, there is no feel of
Pressure difference at tunnel ends caused our ears pop whenever we entered or exited a tunnel.
There was a lot of farmland in northern France,the soil looked sandy, and the plains were flat.
We found the Metro and took it to the Odean station in the Latin Quarter. After taking our bags to the hotel we hopped on the Metro and found our way to the Eiffel tower, got there just before dark.
Dinner at the crepery sat beside a family from Grand Junction CO daughter had just run(3:40) in the Paris marathon and were staying to tour the city
Potatoes cheese and gallette
English phrases
Way-out - Exit
Circus - Traffic Circle
The Eurostar train arrives at the Gare du Nord train station, flat
The train is so smooth and quiet, there is no feel of
Pressure difference at tunnel ends caused our ears pop whenever we entered or exited a tunnel.
There was a lot of farmland in northern France,the soil looked sandy, and the plains were flat.
We found the Metro and took it to the Odean station in the Latin Quarter. After taking our bags to the hotel we hopped on the Metro and found our way to the Eiffel tower, got there just before dark.
Dinner at the crepery sat beside a family from Grand Junction CO daughter had just run(3:40) in the Paris marathon and were staying to tour the city
Potatoes cheese and gallette
Euro-Trip :: Tues 4/12
The overnight flight went well, and the movies entertained us. The British Airways food was pretty good for plane food, much better than the pretzels and soda you get on most budget flights these days.
Not much quality sleep was had on the flight, so we arrived in Heathrow feeling a bit sleep deprived. Somehow we figured out the airport maze and found the Tube to London, and made all the proper transfers during Tues AM rush to get to our Hotel near the Marble Arch station. We arrived a few hours before check-in and stashed our luggage in the lobby/living room area. We wandered around in a tired stupor till we could get our room key. Once we did, we took a nap straight away, so we would have the energy to start our adventure.
Horse guards, bus trip, dinner at Pub, boat trip on the Thames.
Not much quality sleep was had on the flight, so we arrived in Heathrow feeling a bit sleep deprived. Somehow we figured out the airport maze and found the Tube to London, and made all the proper transfers during Tues AM rush to get to our Hotel near the Marble Arch station. We arrived a few hours before check-in and stashed our luggage in the lobby/living room area. We wandered around in a tired stupor till we could get our room key. Once we did, we took a nap straight away, so we would have the energy to start our adventure.
Horse guards, bus trip, dinner at Pub, boat trip on the Thames.
Euro-Trip :: Mon 4/11
Since we had an evening flight from JFK, we had plenty of time to complete the packing and prep for travel, but there was still the last minute scramble to tie up things at home and at work. The trip to the airport went as well as can be expected, but find the parking lot was another story.
Anne had found a special deal through one of the travel sights for long term parking with convenient shuttle service to the airport. However, we only had an address, no reliable directions. So while I tried my typical male "drive around till you find it" thing, Anne called for directions. From the phone call, it sounded like we were trying to find "Allen" Avenue, but we actually looking for "Island" Ave. We did a couple laps around the airport parking loops, and surrounding streets along with a couple calls for direction. Meanwhile all the extra time padding we had started with was disappearing. With a lot of effort we did find it in an out-of-the-way location, caught the shuttle and made our plane with time to spare. It turns out that this was probably the hardest part of the trip, and ironically one of the few language barrier moments...in south Philly no less.
Our first tourist photo was a Leggo Liberty Bell creation near our boarding gate.
Plane Movies Glenn watched a Peter Wier film titled "The Way Back" about prisoners escaping a Siberian concentration camp and making an improbable 4,000 mile walk to freedom by heading south. We hoped for a less adventurous flight and trip.
Anne had found a special deal through one of the travel sights for long term parking with convenient shuttle service to the airport. However, we only had an address, no reliable directions. So while I tried my typical male "drive around till you find it" thing, Anne called for directions. From the phone call, it sounded like we were trying to find "Allen" Avenue, but we actually looking for "Island" Ave. We did a couple laps around the airport parking loops, and surrounding streets along with a couple calls for direction. Meanwhile all the extra time padding we had started with was disappearing. With a lot of effort we did find it in an out-of-the-way location, caught the shuttle and made our plane with time to spare. It turns out that this was probably the hardest part of the trip, and ironically one of the few language barrier moments...in south Philly no less.
Our first tourist photo was a Leggo Liberty Bell creation near our boarding gate.
Plane Movies Glenn watched a Peter Wier film titled "The Way Back" about prisoners escaping a Siberian concentration camp and making an improbable 4,000 mile walk to freedom by heading south. We hoped for a less adventurous flight and trip.
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