England

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June 16-20, England
We had a wonderful time with the Smith's for 4 days, seeing the English countryside and a day in London. We all enjoyed the cool and crisp weather and the green countryside, which reminded us of the Pacific Northwest. On Saturday, we visited a couple of National Trust homes. At Knole House, which is a 1000 acre property that was originally created for Archbishops of Canterbury to use of hunting and recreation, the kids fed the wild deer that wandered on the grounds. We saw squirrels! After an afternoon soccer game in the Smith's backyard, we went out to dinner at an English Pub called the Little Brown Jug. On Sunday we visited Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn (she was one of Henry VIII wifes, who he beheaded!) The castle dates from 1270. The kids especially enjoyed the costumed figures of King Henry VIII's six wifes, the cardinals and royal entourage of the period. We all enjoyed the Gardens. We happened to be there during Rose Week. The roses were spectacular, the biggest we have ever seen! The kids had great fun in the Yew Maze and the Water Maze.

On Monday, we ventured out to Beachy Head to see the white cliffs and the English Channel. It was rainy all the way to the coast, but just as we got there it cleared up and we were able to see it all! A beautiful sight! Then we drove to the town of Battle to visit the 1066 Battle of Hastings Abbey and Battlefield. We took an audio tour and learned all about the Battle of Hastings and the abbey built by William the Conqueror. The abbey was built as a monument to the thousands who died here on October 14, 1066. It was all very interesting and kept the kids attention. But we had to keep moving, so onto our last stop of the day which was Bodiam Castle. This castle was begun in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a soldier of fortune and reflected his power and wealth. At least his wife was not beheaded!

Our last day in England we spent in London. We took the Tube into the city center and jumped on a sightseeing tour bus, as our time was limited and we needed to see it all! We got off at Hyde Park and walked towards Kensington Castle, but never made it since everyone was hungry. After we found food, we visited Princess Diana's Memorial Fountain. It was not really a fountain, but more a large circular flowing river. It was a very peaceful place to sit and relax. Of course, we did not do that! Just the opposite....back to the bus and on to the Tower of London! It took us about an hour on our tour bus to get to the Tower, weaving through the London traffic and learning about all the different landmarks. We crossed the London Bridge and the Tower Bridge before arriving the Tower of London. Wow, what a sight, it was huge! We visited William the Conqueror's mighty White Tower, completed in 1100, which marked the start of the Tower of London's history as both a palace and a fortress. The White Tower now houses displays from the Royal Armouries' collection. We also visited the Crown Jewels, the astonishing collection of priceless Coronation Regalia. We didn't have enough time to see all of the Tower of London, but we couldn't leave before seeing the Tower Green and the location of where Anne Boleyn was beheaded (and many others, including another wife of Henry VIII).

With our time over in London, we said goodbye to the Smiths, thanked them for their wonderful hospitality and flew on to Washington D.C. We're getting closer to home!

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