April in Paris (and more!)

Pink, Handel and Home

Happy Mothers Day! The streets are filled with a huge group of women marching for Breast Cancer Awareness on this damp, drizzly London morning, some marchers visited Starbucks at 6:30!

Yesterday marked our final day of this adventure that began in Paris on April 17.

The journey has been delightful!

Yesterday’s tour of Westminster Abbey provided us with yet another reminder of the astonishing history of this great empire.

The Abbey has been the Coronation church since 1066, and the setting for many other events in the life of the nation, including sixteen royal weddings.

It is the burial place of kings and queens, and other distinguished figures in the nation’ history, from writers and musicians to politicians and scientists.

But as Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home!” We’re ready!

Thanks so very much for traveling with us. We always enjoy company! So, until our next post, we remain your friends, Robin and Chic. 😍

Last year, throughout our 180 day voyage Around the World, we managed to seek out scores of markets of all types in Africa, Asia, South America and more. London was no exception as today we visited the Camden Markets

The Camden Markets are a number of adjoining large retail markets in Camden Town near the Hampstead Road Lock of the Regent’s Canal (popularly referred to as Camden Lock), Among products sold on the stalls are crafts, clothing, bric-a-brac, and street food.

It is the fourth-most popular visitor attraction in London, attracting approximately 100,000 people each weekend.

The market has about 50 food stalls featuring a vast array of ethnicities. After wondering around for a while, we settled on Sonita’s Healthy Indian Cooking. It was great!

Nope!

Yep!

Whilst in the market, we began a serious search for a new backpack for Robin. Her old one had recently been around the world in 42 countries and really needed a permanent break. After visiting some shops, we found a winner!

We always enjoy Markets around the world, well, we also enjoy traveling around the world! Today was a hoot. This morning, security was huge at the hotel as the Kenyan President and his enterage were occupying the 27th floor and this afternoon, when we were in the lobby bar, there was a fire drill! All part of the wonder of travel.

Thanks so very much for traveling with us, we greatly appreciate your comments. So, until our next post, we remain your friends, Robin and Chic.

Dishes and more!

Many of you know that Robin loves her collection of Royal Worcester Evesham porcelain serving ware. She’s been collecting and hosting using these beautiful settings for decades both in our New Jersey home and now in our Lakewood Ranch home.

Whilst in Worcester, we had the opportunity to tour the Museum of Royal Worcester located in the original manufacturing buildings dating from 1750. Due to a number of circumstances, the kilns were last fired in Worcester in 2009

This visit was quite emotional for Robin as she toured the original home of her Evesham collection. The story of the hand painting efforts by the workers on each piece was amazing to hear.

The backpacking part of our adventure is coming to an end. Thanks for traveling with us. Until our next post, we remain your friends, Robin and Chic

Stones that are NOT rolling!

From the Salisbury train station, we boarded a bus bound for Stonehenge. Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, 8 miles north of Salisbury. Stonehenge consists of a ring of standing stones, with each standing stone around 13 ft high, 6 ft 11 in wide and weighing around 25 tons.

Stonehenge is a prehistoric temple, its great stones raised about 4,500 years ago. It is a masterpiece of engineering, with the stones carefully arranged to line up with the movements of the sun.

Archaeologists believe it was constructed from 3000 BC to 2000 BC. The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. Radiocarbon dating suggests that the first bluestones were raised between 2400 and 2200 BC, although they may have been at the site as early as 3000 BC.

Our official tour guide, Marc, was very helpful.
Here’s a little Stonehenge humor from the gift shop.

After our fascinating day visiting the old rocks, we headed back to our hotel in Tisbury.
The village really hasn’t changed much over the past 200 years!

Thanks for traveling with us. Until our next post, we remain your friends,

Robin and Chic

Evensong and more!

Leaving the Judds early in the morning, the two backpackers from Lakewood Ranch, Florida, boarded the train and rode from Knockholt to Waterloo Station in London (it’s huge!), switched trains and then on to Salisbury.

We so enjoyed walking the crowded Sunday afternoon streets, wondering through the street markets, and of course, people watching. Without question, our peak experience was centered upon the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral.

This masterpiece of Early English architecture was completed in only 38 years, from 1220 to 1258. The cathedral has the tallest church spire in the UK – 404 feet. It contains the best surviving of the four original copies of Magna Carta.

Over the years, Robin and I have sung and directed the amazingly beautiful arrangements of Carols for Choirs by David Willcocks only to find the he was the organist at Salisbury Cathedral from 1947 to 1950 before moving on to Worcester Cathedral (we’ll be there tomorrow!)

Highlight – at 5:30PM, we sat in the QUIRE with the CHOIR for an Evensong Service. Words cannot describe that experience. The Quire is the area where the Choir sits – different spelling, same pronunciation.

With our backpacks, we walked back to to the Salisbury train station for our quick trip to the South Western Hotel inTisbury. Amazing day!

Thanks for traveling with us. Until our next post, we remain your friends, Robin and Chic

The JUDDS! It’s OTFORD, not OXFORD

We began our packpacking adventure with a visit to our dear friends from Lakewood Ranch, Phyllis and Nigel Judd who are now living in a beautiful home in Otford, Seven Oaks, Kent, UK! They gave us a beautiful welcome at the Knockholt train station as we arrived from London.

We had an amazing three day whirlwind adventure with Phyllis and Nigel that included fun conversation, lots of laughs, good food and beautiful sights.

Highlights included visits to two National Trust locations, Emmitts Garden and Scotney Castle. The bluebells were in full bloom!

On Friday evening, we enjoyed a delightful meal at The Two Brewers in Shoreham, Kent.

An so, our backpacking adventure continues. Thanks for traveling with us.

Until our next post, we remain your friends, Robin and Chic.

Goofy stuff, parking spots and Cousins (also goofy!!)

Our first full day in London was filled with adventure and a few goofy things! Saint Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and more. But first – please meet my friend Woody Wilson from our river boat cruise. (He and his wife Pam are touring with us in London!)

Anyway, one night at dinner, Woody said, “You know what, Chic, you look a lot like my dad!” After looking at the photo of his dad, maybe he’s right!

Additionally, Woody and I were born a day apart, both of us are named Charles, and we are both the thirds! III!!

Life is always so exciting!

Our days in London are filled with fun and excitement. In the past few days we have toured Windsor Castle, the V & A Museum, Harrods, the Natural History Museum, seen two West End Musicals, walked miles and enjoyed various dining experiences!

Found these parking spots at a nearby church! Maybe a good idea for Harvest UMC?

Traveling through France and England with these two Loony Tunes has been a blast. The cousins, Robin and Diane, are such fun!!

Here, I was attempting to take a photo of Saint Paul’s Cathedral!

We will be leaving London tomorrow for a very special visit with dear friends from Lakewood Ranch!! Stay tuned.

In the meantime, thanks so very much for traveling with us!! Until our next post, we remain your friends, Robin and Chic

Pubs and Girls!

Flying from Paris to London on Saturday morning provided us with plenty of time for a very tasty pub lunch and a marvelous broadway show. (I guess they don’t call them BROADWAY shows here in London!)
The Girls performance was absolutely amazing! Hope it comes to Broadway!

Gary Barlow’s musical based on the 2003 Calendar Girls film is playing in London’s Phoenix Theatre. Penned by world-famous composer and musician Barlow, The Girls features lyrics and a book by the film’s original screenwriter Tim Firth.
The Girls is the real life story of a Women’s Institute group who decide to fundraise for a local hospital by posing for a raunchy-but-tasteful nude calendar. Inadvertently, the group become media sensations, and are soon hounded for their story. A heart-warming story that follows the close friendships in the group, as well as the strained personal lives, The Girls is a hit in London!

Here’s MY calendar girl!

We are really enjoying the pubs! Must admit, however, marshy peas are new for us!!

We’re touring London today, soon we’ll be putting on our back packs and getting on the train! Stay tuned!!
Thanks so very much for traveling with us. Until our next post, We remain your friends, Robin and Chic

Operation Overlord

“We got on the beach and they have all these people laying down on the beach that were killed, it was chaos.The Germans were firing down on American soldiers from trenches veiled by tall grass, and from several ‘pillbox’ bunkers made of concrete. Mines littered the ground.” Walter Ehlers – D-Day Veteran

Although the beaches are calm today, on D-Day, the Allies landed around 156,000 troops in Normandy.

“It was unknowable then, but so much of the progress that would define the 20th century, on both sides of the Atlantic, came down to the battle for a slice of beach only 6 miles long and 2 miles wide.”

“These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.”

“They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate.”

“There’s a graveyard in northern France where all the dead boys from D-Day are buried. The white crosses reach from one horizon to the other.”

The memorial in the Normandy American Cemetery features a 22 foot statue, “The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.”

Today’s Crew Member of the Day features our Captain, John Seymour from France.

Thanks for traveling with us!

Until our next post, we remain your friends, Robin and Chic.

Joan, Richard and the Cathedral!

Rouen, capital of the northern French region of Normandy, is a port city on the river Seine. Important in the Roman era and the Middle Ages, this city with its cobblestoned pedestrian center and medieval half-timbered houses is absolutely beautiful.

Rouen is known for its Notre Dame cathedral. The cathedral’s gothic façade (completed in the 16th century) was the subject of a series of paintings by Claude Monet, some of which are exhibited in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

When the English monarch, nicknamed Richard the Lionheart, died in 1199, his heart was embalmed and buried separately from the rest of his body. His entrails were buried in the Abbey at Chalus, his embalmed body in the Abbey of Fontevraud and his heart in the Cathedral of Rouen. Yikes!

In Rouen, on May 30, 1431, at the age of 19, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for her crimes against the English. In 1456, Pope Callixtux III declared that Joan was innocent of her crimes; at this time, she became a martyr. She was canonized as a Roman Catholic Saint in 1920. This cross in Rouen marks the site of her execution.

And now it’s time for CREW MEMBER OF THE DAY! Our magnificent Pastry Chef, Igor Stefanac from Croatia. Notice the bee in one of his most recent dessert creations.

Thanks very much for traveling with us,
we greatly appreciate your comments and questions.

Until our next post, we remain your friends, Robin and Chic.

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