London Highlights

It's been awhile since our last post - sorry! We were in London 5 days, and three days ago we left London for Berlin to meet up with our family! So we're a bit "traveled" out and have really relaxed since arriving in Berlin. But we won't leave our story unfinished! We'll relate the last bits of our trip in sections. This post will focus on some of the things we did in the city of London.

On our first day, we went to the Tower of London. It's a large complex of towers, residents, dungeons and torture chambers. We took a tour with a member of the guard. His dry humor and drill sergeant persona resulted in a very interesting tour of the Tower: what famous people were sent to the tower and how they were tortured and/or killed etc. We also waited 30 minutes in queue to see the Crown Jewels; no pictures allowed but trust me, they were very big and sparkly.

The next day we went to Westminster Abbey - a most impressive structure with an equally impressive history. All coronations take place here, the Royal Wedding was held here, and many well-known people are buried here: Queen Elizabeth I, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Mary Queen of Scots, Edward the Confessor and more.

Then we walked to the Churchill War Rooms. This bunker was were where Winston Churchill met with his government to make decisions about the WW2. We walked back in time through the War Cabinet Room, Map Room (with the original giant map with thousands of pin holes in it), Transatlantic Telephone Room (where Churchill had top-secret conversations with Roosevelt), Churchill's Room (where he made 4 of his wartime speeches) and a museum section covering the life of Winston Churchill.

Then we made our way over to Her Majesty's residence, Buckingham Palace. 

Here are some self-explanatory pictures of the city.

Skip ahead three days (on our last day). We took the Underground to King's Cross Station - ring a bell to anyone? This is where Harry Potter and his wizarding friends got to the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 3/4.  Yep, it's actually there!

After that magical excursion, we went to the British Library. Yawn, right? Well, there were actually many interesting things to see in the Treasures of the British Library exhibition. There were writings of Jane Austen, John Lennon, Michelangelo, De Vinci, Bach, Darwin and more. Jane Austen's writing desk was on display and so was Johann Gutenberg's first printed Bible.

To end our day we made our way to Baker Street - any more bells ringing? 221B Baker Street was the fictional home of Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved Sherlock Holmes! After waiting an hour to get into the tiny flat, we were able to imagine ourselves in the life of John Watson, Mrs. Hudson and Holmes himself.

What's to look forward to: Oxford and the Cliff's of Dover.

Bath Highlights

The City of Bath

Fun fact time with Carrie: did you know that Jane Austen lived in Bath for 5 years? I didn't either until after we visited the Jane Austen Centre. So naturally the city and it's typical inhabitants found their way into her books. I will relate our time in Bath using a commentary between the main characters in Austen's novel Northanger Abbey, Mr. Tilney and Catherine Morland. 

"Have you been long in Bath?"

"About a week, sir."

Well, we only stayed three days; much shorter than the suggested 6 weeks in those times. On our first day, we took a free walking tour. On the tour, we learned why Bath was such an important town. Like its name implies, Bath exists because of its collection of hot springs and pools. These pools are filled with loads of minerals, which provides a great environment for healing. The Romans used it mostly for bathing but people from all across Europe traveled here as well to be cured from rheumatism and other illnesses. After the Saxons and Normans took over Britain, Bath fell out of the popular eye. Then, when Queen Mary was "cured" of infertility in 1687, the town regained its popularity. With the help of a young architect John Wood, who designed the Circus and the Royal Crescent, and engaging Master of Ceremonies Beau Nash, Bath became a place for the rich and fashionable.

"Were you never here before?"

"Never, sir."

"Have you yet honoured the Upper Rooms?"

"Yes, sir, I was there last Monday."

We visited the Upper Rooms twice actually - on Monday during our free walking tour, and again on Tuesday for good measure. The "Upper Rooms," or Assembly Rooms, were where the Victorians spent their evenings; the men drank and played cards, the women sat around and gossiped, and the young people danced and flirted. It was thrilling to stand in the very Rooms where real life Austen-like characters danced and chatted 200 years ago. 

"Have you been to the theatre?"

"Yes, sir, I was at the play on Tuesday."

We didn't make it to a play, per se... We did find some time to play though! At the end of our first day, we took a walk through Victoria Park. And what do you think we found? A super-playground!

We spent quite a bit of time here, and became quite jealous of the awesome play area these kids have.

"To the concert?"

"Yes, sir, on Wednesday."

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we walked by a busker of some sort - opera singers, indie rock bands and solo guitarists. The type of busker really impacted how long we stayed or how fast we fled from the many shopping areas.

"And are you altogether pleased with Bath?"

"Yes - I like it very well."

We liked Bath even better when we saw Bessie on the River Avon, which flows next to the town. Since she avoided James Herriot's assisstance back in Thirsk, she thought a dip in the Roman Baths would help her recover more quickly.

Day Trip to Salisbury

On our last day in Bath, we decided to leave the city behind and jump back into history...thousands of years of history. We took the Stonehenge Tours to Stonehenge (go figure, right?), Old Sarum, and Salisbury Cathedral.

From the time spanning 3,000-1,500 BC, Stonehenge was constructed. It was used as a burial ground and still is an accurate calendar. In fact, during the summer solstice, the sun rays will line with cast a direct shawdow from the heel stone to the altar stone in the middle of the circle. Also, literally thousands of people in tents and caravans will be there to witness it.

We traveled a little further forward in time to 500 BC to the settlement of Old Sarum. This was the original location of the present town of Salisbury. It has seen Bronze Age people, Romans, Saxons, and Normans. In 1220 AD, conflict between the church and the castle over water rights (the town was on top of a hill) opened the opportunity for the start of a new town, now Salisbury.

The monks from Old Sarum moved to this new location (right next to the Avon River) and began building their new cathedral. Thirty-eight years later, construction was finished. Remember the York Minster from a previous post? It took 250 years to complete that and most every other big cathedral in Europe. What was so special about the Salisbury Cathedral? 

Three things actually. Firstly, the foundation is only four feet deep. WHAT?! Yep, the cathedral was built on sediment that was contracted and compressed by water, which created a natural foundation. Secondly, the monks also leased out lodgings and shop spaces in the newly forming town. The rents from these leases provided a steady flow of income, ensuring that construction could continue quickly. Thirdly, the cathedral did not have to be rebuilt. Its structure has remained intact, with some support arches here and there, even through the bombings of World War II. The cathedral's spire, the tallest in England, was actually used by the Nazi pilots as a point of reference and were therefore expressly banned from bombing the cathedral or the city.

Cardiff Highlights

We have left behind the fortunate and unfortunate events in Fishguard and have moved on to our last city in our tour of Wales: Cardiff.

Day 1

We arrived early in Cardiff, which gave us time to actually explore the city. We decided to take a bicycle tour with Cardiff Cycle Tours. Pedaling on retro-style bikes, we wandered around Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, the Exchange building where the coal industry once boomed, Bute Park, Cardiff Castle, Millennium Stadium, and the Assemblies building. We thoroughly enjoyed this unique tour as our introduction to the capital city of Wales.

Day 2

I (KK) will let Carrie talk to you about this day.

Being a bit of a Dictor Who fan, I didn't want to pass up checking out the Doctor Who Experience which opened just last year.

Unfortunately it turned out to be waste of £15. It would have been far more enjoyable if it were more like £5-7, but it really was overpriced for what it was. Basically you walked through a guided "adventure" with the Doctor - sliding doors, strobe lights, a 3D film section etc. And then you wandered through the exhibit of the 11 different Doctor's props: outfits, electronic screwdrivers and other stuff.

But afterwards I came across a much cheaper and rewarding opportunity! Throwing pottery!

Day 3

We visited an open air museum in St. Fagan's, a small town about 20 minutes outside of Cardiff. The museum is called the Museum of Welsh Life and basically leads you through a typical town setting. We saw farms, houses, churches, and workplaces, such as a tannery, woolen mill, and grain mill. It was a wonderful way to experience history. And of course we couldn't pass up the opportunity for a treat at the bakery! Feel free to drool over the picture below of our cheesie buns.

The museum even had a castle and gardens, which were very lovely to walk through despite the rain.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

The next stop in our visit to Wales was Fishguard, which is a tiny town on the southwest coast. The only practical way there was by bus. Several buses actually. Now, being the main planner of this trip, I (KK) was responsible for checking bus timetables, stops, and everything in between. And this was where the first unfortunate event occurred.

We successfully completed the first and longest leg of our trip. The next bus stop was clearly marked, and we did get on the right bus. However, I had the wrong stop. Instead of looking at the stop online, I had looked at the end destination of the bus. As we were stopped at the intended bus stop, every gut feeling I ever had was telling me to get off, but I didn't. So, we ended up in Carmarthen, about an hour and a half away from Fishguard by train.

Why do I mention the train? We looked at all the bus timetables in Carmarthen, which were all in Welsh, naturally. And we had at least two buses to catch to get to Fishguard. Then, I remembered that there was a train station in Carmarthen. And we had Brit Rail passes. Hurray! We hurried over to the train station.

We encountered our second unfortunate event. The next train to Fishguard wasn't scheduled to arrive for another two hours. So we holed up in the waiting room and waited...and waited...and waited. Finally, two hours had passed, and we were on our way to Fishguard!

However, the third unfortunate event occurred when we got off the train. Fishguard is about a mile away from the station. Easy distance right? Wrong. It's flat for about 1/10 of the mile and the other 9/10 are uphill. Not gentle uphill either. Straight up. And this after traveling all day, the frustration of the bus fiasco, and the fact that we were going to have to drag our weary bodies plus luggage up that cliff. And don't forget that we had hiked up Mt. Snowdon the day before.

Needless to say, we made it to the hostel in one piece (barely).

The next day was much better. We slept in, went on a coast walk, and barricaded ourselves in our room to plan and watch movies. Perfect.

The morale of this story, though, is that for every unfortunate event there is a fortunate one. God was looking out for us, even in our mistakes. He knew that we wouldn't get off at the right bus stop but arranged for us to get to a city with a train station where we could use our passes. He also knew that we were going to have to wait at the train station for a long time but allowed us much needed time to write more posts for you guys. Finally, He knew that we were going to have to walk up the cliff to get to Fishguard but gave us the strength and endurance that we have been developing over this trip to get us up it. And supplied us with a room to ourselves for our stay, a nice sunny walk, and a day of watching movies. So, remember that when you are in a series of unfortunate events. there are some fortunate ones waiting for you just around the corner.

Father's Day

This trip has kept us away from both our Mom on Mother's Day and from our Dad on Father's Day today. So Dad, even though we have to save our hugs for Berlin (just a week and a half away!!), I won't let this day pass without sharing some of the things I love about you.

The first thing I want to mention is that my Dad knows everything. I'm prone to think up random questions about random things. EX: If you're driving down a hill and your breaks stop working, should you yank the emergency break up or pull it up steadily? Why is diesel so much more expensive than gas if it's better for your car and the environment? Why is the sky blue? etc. etc. etc. Google is therefore my best friend. But when it's not available (even when it is) I much prefer to ask Dad. He always has an answer, and I've learned that when he doesn't know the answer he still gives such a detailed "I don't know" that I walk away satisfied. Sometimes I'll even keep a note with me with a list of questions to ask Dad. On this trip, I've sometimes turned to KK and asked my silly questions... To which I've had to get used to a consistent "I dunno" or "Who really cares about that, Carrie." I should probably start following the news and reading non-fiction books on my own... but I'll hold off until it's absolutely necessary. 

One of the traits I most admire, and one that I try to imitate in my own life, is your willingness to try new things. This usually is in the form of the latest gadget or smart technology. I love that you are usually one of the first to have the latest cool thing NOT just because it's new and everyone wants it, but because innovation excites you. You like to try out new stuff. If you like it, great! If you don't, just send it back or sell it. No matter how silly (think glasses :P) or crazy (getting your motorcycle license for your friend's week long motorcycle trip), you're willing to try it.

But this leads me to another favorite trait. Your wisdom. Technology, motorcycles, and maybe skydiving (please??) you will try. You are full of courage but you are also very wise. You know when to draw the line. You have built your life on Christ and everything you do reflects Him. I can trust my Dad's actions and often observe how you treat situations that I myself have to deal with.

As a daughter, it is the best thing to have a Dad who raises his children just like Jesus commands fathers to. You love us well - we're disciplined when we need to be, we're left to learn from our mistakes when it's appropriate, we're helped get back on our feet when we don't deserve it. We grew up without cable TV, we pay for our cell phones, we didn't get new cars for graduation etc. And I want to tell you thank you. I am so thankful to have grown up with healthy habits. I've learned the importance of financial discipline and Christ-centered decision making. I have a lot of room to grow in these areas, but I am so blessed to have an excellent example and encourager in you. You always take every opportunity to say, "I'm proud of you."

So thanks, Dad. I'm proud of you too. Men like you are rare so KK, myself and the boys are so blessed to have you as our Dad. 

Love,

-C&C

A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

-Proverbs 17:27

Caernarfon Highlights

Day 1

We arrived at Caernarfon in good time on Monday. It was only 2 o'clock and wasn't raining so we dumped our stuff at the hostel and checked out the Caernarfon Castle just up the road. The castle is a large oval structure built around a large courtyard which has been used for the investiture of the title Prince of Wales to Prince Charles in the summer of '69. (I hope you sang that a little in your head... 'Summer of '69'... Bruce Springstein... Anyway, back to the castle)

The stone castle structure is full of endless passages and winding staircases.

We got lost several times, but often accidentally found ourselves on a wall with good views of the castle and the surrounding Welsh countryside. 

We definitely had a marvelous time storming this castle. 

Day 2

We only had 2 nights in Caernarfon and therefore only one full day. So KK's plan for day 2 was to hike Mount Snowdon. This is the highest point in both England and Wales - needless to say, this fact intimidated me a bit. However, up we went.

The first 30 minutes was a steep, steady incline which rewarded us with immediate good views. 

Our hostel didn't have wi-fi so we couldn't check the weather for our hike... We could tell it wouldn't be clear, blue skies like the last two weeks, but we hoped for decent hiking weather. And it was decent for those first 30 minutes. But from then on, we were venturing further and further into the cloud that was parked on Snowdon. The higher and higher we got, the more the cloud thickened and the wind raged. This is the beginning a video demonstrating the power of the wind... It literally shoved me over a few moments later:

And with the wind came the rain. And with the rain often comes the Green Monster.

Up, up we went for 2 1/2 more hours. The fog blinding our path, the wind tossing us to and fro, the rocks tripping us, the sheep running out in front of us... it was a rough climb. But at last we made it!

And just look at those views!!

If those weren't awe inspiring enough for you, here is the one we think best represents the beauty of Wales. 

The hike was a rough battle with no visual rewards. But at least we can say we've been at the very top of this part of the world.