Into Spain

June 17 Santander, Spain

No rain today, but still overcast, with a cool wind.  Temperature about 17 to 19.  Not great, but ok.  Went and bought train ticket to Madrid for tomorrow and then off to find the Prehistoric museum.  Well I think it is (or was) the 2 holes in the ground!  Stopped to have lunch at small little cafe.  Ordered a 'tortilla', not really know what I was going to end up with!  Well turns out that Spanish tortillas are really omelet like!  Was good thought, except everything seems to come with fries!

So off to walk to the other restaurant areas.  Could not find them either so kept walking!

Ended up at the Bull fight arena!  And open, but with an Octoberfest going on!  And I thought it was still June!  German ompa music and German food everywhere!  Walked back to hotel.

Not much done tonite except went out for something to eat, kabob, from an East Indian run restaurant, and he spoke English!

June 16 Santander, Spain

Well the morning started off with some monsoon type rain!  And lots of wind!  But by time I had breakfast, and I now have the Spanish coffee figured out, I think, the rain had reduced to just a drizzle!

 I had decided I was going to the beaches today, and that I did!  In the wind and the rain!  They were very nice and it only took about an hour to walk there!  Walked around the Palace of Magdelaina, a peninsula which is very rocky, and then to the neighbouring beaches.  Quite a few of them.  All very nice, I am sure, when the weather is good!  Saw what looked like a search and rescue exercise out on the lighthouse island.

Also walked by replicas of what I think are the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, the boats that followed Columbus' crossing to NA.

Caught the bus back to hotel.  Thought I was doing great, and thought I would get off on the next stop, but the bus went underground!  Not sure where it was going to end up!  But it continued straight and the next stop was not that much beyond the hotel.  Actually had a nap, the first is ages!

June 15 Santander, Spain

Up and on the go by 10!  Headed to the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao.  Caught the tram which stops there and then continues on to the bus station.

The museum is great, another must see!  There is not a straight line in the place!  Even the stair ways have a curve of some sort!  Very impressive.

And that is both the inside and the outside!  Not sure which I enjoyed more the building or some of the exhibits!  Decided I had to see as the building was designed by Frank Gehry, a Canadian.  With the metal and glass structure with titanium panels covering the building and the white walls.  Outside other artists work, the big spider, the fire fountain (only on at night), the dancing fountain, with the fog.  Lots to experience.

Interesting as well is that he tied the building into the river and a bridge that run very near.  Near the bridge there is a stair case to no where!

Inside  some impressive displays.  The best were the one that played with the visual and mental comprehension.  A LED display in several columns, the advertising type ones, but were at least 30 feet high.  Red on one side and blue on the other.  Visually looked like they were up against a wall but you could walk behind the display as well!  Weird!  Then the large, very large steel plates laid out in several maze type things.  And the various mirrors which play with your perception of the reflection of the space around you!  Really great stuff.  Did not get much out of the machine made piles of cement!  Looked more like dog do than anything!   I know, I am so descriptive!  hahahahha

Then caught the Bus to Santander, this one comfortable and only 2 hours.  They do not announce the stops so asked the guy next to me.  Not much English, but again he made sure I got off on the right stop.  People are very helpful.  

I walked to hotel, and the map I drew should have been better.  I wandered around the area of the hotel (I know that now!) but could not find it.  I was still looking when a lady stopped and asked me if I needed directions, and of course I did, so she told me where I need to go.  She was going to show me but it was so close did not think necessary!  I was on the right block and it was just around the corner!  Again, thanks to the Spanish for their friendliness.

Checked in and off wandering the streets.  Many, many squares, with townhouses, bars, and restaurants everywhere.  Few churches mixed in.  A very nice city.

What I have noticed though, is that Spain seems to have more graffiti than France.  Not sure if I just did not notice or was not it the areas where it would be.  Maybe it is the fact that I have been on local trains, rather than intercity ones!

June 14 Bordeaux, France to Bilbao, Spain

Tough day!

Spent 3 hours on comfortable train to Hendaye, France, which is on the border with Spain.  The time passed very quickly just watching out the window.  Everything is extremely green, which is not surprising considering all the monsoon like rains that seem to happen each day!

Arrived in Hendaye, walked out the door of train station, made a few steps into another train station, very small!  I am now in Spain.  Amazing!  No passport checks, nothing.  Just a young guy in the station selling train tickets!

This train is a local train, so for 30 minutes on it from Hendaye, the Spanish side, to San Sebastian, Spain.

I then wait maybe 30 minutes for the next train to Bilbao. 

While waiting I meet a young Ethiopian guy that is living in Bilbao and training for the Olympics 2012 in London.  He runs the 5000 and 10000 meter races!  He has some English, enough that I figure out that he is off training for the moment as he has hurt is achilles heel.

I get pictures of family and he tells me of his dream to race in US and Canada.

He makes sure I know where to get off the train as he gets off earlier than me.

After about 2 1/2 hours on hard plastic seat, I made it to Bilbao train station.  Lucky, well sort of, finding most people have some English, which is great as I have zero Spanish, shows me where the nearest hotel is.  60 euros, not good for budget, but for 1 night.......

Guy speaks very good English and shows me on the map where NOT to go!  and also where to go.  He also tells me that I should have taken the bus as it would have taken me only 1 1/2 hours!  Oh well the trip only cost 4.80!  Finding most things cheaper in Spain.

I am very close to the older part of the city so spend a couple of hours wandering around.  Get dinner and wander some more!  The city is very hilly and amazingly and thank goodness, they actually have escalators for sidewalks!  I did climb a big hill the long way around and then took escalator down!  

France 2010

June 13 Bordeaux, France

Out of hotel by about 8.30 this morning.  Have to catch the tour bus.  Signed up for a walking tour of 2 wineries in the area!  As if I need to walk more, but was 40 euros cheaper that they only other choice!

About a 40 minute, 30 km drive out of the city, we were dropped off.  And the walk began.  Turns out that the walk is 12 km long!  A bit of a shock!  Details as the tourist office were a bit light!  Some actually showed up with sandals!

The walk was great. A few hills, to the highest point around, 100 meters!  But it is a limestone cliff.  This is were much of the limestone was mined for the buildings in the area.

Stopped first at a fortress that work began in the last couple of years to restore!  

The first winery was the smallest in the area.  2.5 hectares.  

( http://chateaugrandbranetuk.free.fr )  And for sale, but owner would not say how much!  Very interesting and they produce some very good wine!  Tried a Clariet, which is similar to a rose, but very much better.  Also a couple of their reds!  None were more than 5 euros each.  Wish I could have stocked up at that price!  Lunch was here as well.  Smoked duck breast, which was pretty good, but was not struck with the duck pate!

Few drops of rain but nothing serious.  The serious part was that on the trail it rained fairly hard, and it was clay, so there were a few that wiped out!  Not me!

I expected that we would really follow some trails, but it actually just wound along the edges of vineyards or grass fields!  There were some roads walked on as well.

The tour finished at the largest winery in the area.  Huge in comparison.  This one had about 800 hectares of vines!  Wines here good as well and prices close to the same, but this winery did have some that were 10 and 30 euros!

June 12 Bordeaux, France

Off an running again this morning.  Bought ticket to Spain, I think!  Have to check the city.  I guess I will have to buy the ongoing ticket at the next stop!

Then wandered down the main street along the river.  

Got my hair cut!  Good thing I have an easy cut to explain, with what little French I have and sign language!  Bit worried when he brought out the straight edge!  But he did a great job, the best I have ever had.  He seemed to take great care in trimming along the back and sides!

Walked by a parking lot with a car sticking out.  This is part of an art exhibit.  Seems to be I have seen this on TV, not sure whether here or somewhere else, but still crazy!

Went into the Beaux art Museum.  Interesting, but nothing really caught my eye.  There was works spanning about 500 years, right to current.

Then off to Wine History Museum.  This was great!  Actually the museum is in an old wine cellar, with the history from about 300 AD on.  Mostly from 1100 on.

Interesting that it was the Dutch that introduced the French to using sulfur to clean the wine barrels which allowed the wine to age, more than a year.

This became known as the "the new french way'!  And it was the British that introduced glass bottles.

The best was some tasting at the end.  A white and 2 reds.

June 11 Bordeaux, France

Arrived without incident!  That is a good thing!  

And found the hotel, after a 30 minute walk, straight to it as well, no scenic routes!

Then off to tourist office.  Found it and actually went on a tour bus trip around the city.  Tour lasted about an hour, but took about 30 minutes just to get out of the city centre!  Very busy!  

But did see a lot of neat places that I can go back to and have a closer look tomorrow!

Also made it to the last remaining Roman ruins.  Palais Gallien.  Currently under some restoration work!  Got a great look from both sides.

France

June 10 La Rochelle, France

Pouring rain, coming down in sheets!  And the wind was howling, and loud cracks of thunder!  Remember I am out in an industrial area and I either walk or catch the bus!

Well by time I got to bus stop the rain had stopped, and by the time I got to the city, the sky was blue and it had got hot!  Great!

The bus driver told me that he went to the train station, which was great, but when I arrived, it took me close to an hour to figure out that this was a different train station.  Lost?  Depends on how you define lost!

Well headed off to the Towers of La Rochelle, 3 towers that guard the harbour.  Only 2 were open.  Built in 1100s, the Lanterne tower has about 8 floors, with 2 separate towers at the top.  I walked all the floors using the very steep spiral staircases! 

This tower also was a prison for some time, and many of prisoners carved drawings in the stone walls!  Some of them very intricate.

The Chaine Tower was closed, it is the one in the middle of the 3.  And then there is the St Nicolas tower (on the left), when housed royalty at one point.  The views of city and harbour were great!

Far out the harbour I spotted a beach, so headed towards that!  About 2 hours later found out that it was all rocks, and what looked like cliffs, were, but danger signs all over warning that they may collapse.

Kept walking and ended up on a small beach called The Chef de Baie.  Very nice.  Actually went in the water.  A bit on cool side but, not as cold as that first Okanagan Lake swim!  Still it felt good as was hot!  Caught the bus back and wandered around the Place du Verdun for a bit.  Was going to have something to eat, but the bus schedule said that there were on 2 buses left, so headed back towards hotel.  Stopped at a restaurant and had a French hamburger!  Very good, and huge!

 

June 9 La Rochelle, France

The adventure continues!  Caught the train from Pontorson to Rennes.  No problem.  Had a 2 hour wait for the next train.  Sat outside the train station, just watching people!  Got hit up for money 2 times in 5 minutes!  The funny part is they knew enough English to ask!

Well thought I was catching another train!  Turns out it was a bus!  1 hour on a bus, where the leg room was about 2 inches too short for me!  Good thing not much longer! That was to Nantes, where I did catch a train, and yes I am sure it was a train!  A very nice one at that, reserved seating!

Arrived in La Rochelle, and ended up catching a taxi!  I had booked a hotel out of the city centre, which I thought was fairly close the the beach!  Well, the hotel is kind of neat!  Self check-in!  You get a code for the front door and for your room on this print out!  The location of the hotel is actually in the middle of a light industrial area!  ahhahhah  Will not do that the next time!  Walked to the beach!  Took about 30 minutes. 

On way back stopped for something to eat at La Paillote, a small bar/restaurant on the street.  He was advertising his specialty, Moules Frites!  They were excellent!  Huge!  and I am sure I heard him peeling the potatoes for the fries!

Still here!

June 8 Pontorson, France

Spent an easy day waiting for my 4 o'clock train.  Breakfast and then a walk around this fairly small city.  

Ended up in the country!  Did not take long!  And in order to save a few steps, too a short cut!  This meant climbing up an embankment to the road that was passing over the highway I was on!  Steep but not a problem!  Worked out great as the new road went by a large store, Superstore like, with everything you could imagine!  

Walked back to hotel to have coffee before the train.  Well the train never came.  Turns out that there never was a train!  Not sure what happened, but the lady in the station tried very hard to get me out, taxi, to bus, to train!  But there was not enough time to make the bus.  Oh well.  She put me on the train for 9 am tomorrow, which is weird as I was told that I could not have gone on that one today as I would need a return ticket!  So back to hotel and back in same room!  It is a very nice hotel!  

See what happens tomorrow!

Rather enjoying the small cities.  Very relaxed, not a lot of traffic and people are super, even if they do not speak a lot of English!  And I am not sure whether my French is improving or not!  Must be, got a 'real' cup of coffee today!

And besides, looked at some menus today,  2.80 for a bottle of coke (or should I say Coca Cola) and 3.00 for 250 ml of red wine!  Figure out which one I had!

France 2010

June 7 Mont St Michel, France

I thought I was on a holiday!  Not sure this morning as the alarm went off at 5 am so that I could catch a 7.13 train to Mont St Michael, not far from Pontorson.

Train ride was not too bad!  Arrived at station and had time to check into hotel, it is only a 5 minute walk, book train ticket for next day and then catch the bus the Mont St Michel.  All in 45 minutes!

The bus ride did not take 15 minutes.  

Very close, and damn is it impressive on the drive up to it over the causeway.

This is an Abbey that started construction in about 700 AD and has been added to ever since.  An amazing place.   The Abbey is at the very top, built on a mountain!  Strange as it appears to be 1 of maybe 3 rocks in the area.  And since then a town has built up around the base of the Abbey.  

Very touristy now but the buildings are great!  I was told that it would take me 20 minutes to get to the top!  Again, I amaze myself, took 10 and that is only because of all the people, younger I may add, were stopping on the steps on the way up!  It is a mixture of 11th to 19 century architecture.

This has been added to my list of places everyone must see!

Took way too many pictures!  If you want to see them you will have to ask!

Very busy place, at one point I counted 20 tour buses in the parking lot!  Which is hilarious as in Pontorson, there is hardly any one around!

Could not resist this picture!  Notice the warning!  This has the 2nd highest tides in the world, next to the Bay of Fundy and the car parks do flood, cars have been carried away!

June 6 Caen, France

Caught the bus!  And was #3!  A few people on the  bus off and on over the next 1 hour 10 minutes.  A couple of guys from the US on bus.  Alabama and Texas.  Great to talk to them.  Now I thought I was playing alot by ear but these 2 were more so.  At least I knew where to to to get to Juno Beach.  These 2 were headed to Omaha  beach (the US landing site) but had no idea where it was!  They got of the bus with me and after some wandering around ended up getting a cab the next 20 km that the people at the Juno centre arranged.  Turns out all the staff at the centre are Canadian!  What a great summer job!

While they were waiting for the cab, we headed down to look at the beach where the Canadians landed on June 6, 1944!  Not sure how to explain the feeling other than very overwhelming!  The thought on landing on this beach, fully exposed, and heavy protected - I  can not imagine!

I attended the ceremony honouring the landing.  Was very good.  Last year the PM was here, but this year the Minister of Foreign affairs. 

A Calgary regiment had installed a large gun, so this was dedicated, and this is where the wreaths were laid!

The ceremony lasted about 1 1/2 hours, after which I wandered around the site more.  During the ceremony a few old planes flew over, not sure what kind but one did look like it could have been a bomber of some sort.  

Some remaining bunkers.  Would have been great to have taken a tour, but that was at 11 am and i could not get there in time!

Over all was a great day and I am glad that I went!

Got back to the city about 8.30 and found something to eat.

Got back to the hotel and Skyped Donna and Jim.  

I have to laugh at the technology now compared to that when travelled with Lola 20 years ago!  Phone calls home then cost a fortune and did not happen very often, now can Skype with video for free!  One of the US guys, got on his cell phone to get directions, we would have just kept asking people!  I am travelling with a laptop, uploading digital pictures to a website, and maintaining a blog!  hahhah  The last time I would have had a pen and paper!  Prebooking hotels on line instead of walking in!

But some things do not change!  Still need to have maps, still go to Tourist information, still get lost (maybe I should have got a GPS as well) and still make notes with pen and paper, 

and still travel with the Lonely Planet travel guides!

June 5 Caen, France

The Hotel Pariesen is old and run down, but clean.  And the desk clerk did speak very good English.

Had breakfast 6 euros of bread, butter and jam, bit expensive but very good coffee.

Bought bus ticket, still bus # 20, and headed off for a bit of a walk.  Lots of people heading in one direction, so followed them, does this make me a stalker?

Well ended up in the local market!  Everything you could imagine!  Clothes, shoes, jewelry, and fresh and frozen meat.  Apricots seems very popular!

Most shops seemed to be run by Middle Easterners.  The market was right next to the University of Le Havre, very new looking, and in brick!

Walked a few of the back streets looking for something to eat.  Ended up in a Middle Eastern restaurant.  Lots of really good looking food but nothing small.  Had Couscous Poulet!  Was excellent but sure it could have fed 3 people there was so much!  Large bowl of couscous, then another of vegetables (potatoes, onion, carrots and celery in tomato broth) and then both thighs and legs of a chicken!   Learned that you do not ask for Coke!  You need to ask for Coca Cola!

Was told that it is a very hot day, 25 or 26.

Back to bus depot, and tried to get on the #20 - wrong bus!  I need the next one!  It was #39!  Oh well, a 90 minute ride, for 75 km, and I arrived.

Traveling with the computer made so much easier as I had got smart! and got directions last night!  Only had about a 20 minute walk, and no scenic tours either!

Got to hotel and had a shower and off to find out how to get to Juno Beach tomorrow for the D Day ceremony.  Got 2 sources, both said Bus #3!

This is a pleasant city!  The city centre has a lot of walking streets just for shopping, and plenty of people out and buying!  I think that maybe they only close to cars on Saturdays!

Visited the Ducal (Caen) Castle, which was started in 1066 by William the Conqueror and then added to over the centuries!

Also saw St Pierre Church.  Undergoing restoration.  Originally build in 12 & 13th century.  Roman Gothic.

Wandered plenty up and down the Streets.  Amazing that many of the streets were closed to cars!  All pedestrian traffic and all the shops open until about 0 pm.  There were many streets this way and appears that much is going on to improve the road by laying cobble stones!  Looks great.

Saw the Abbaye aux Hommes. another built in 1066.

I am tired again!  Lots of exercise, so should be ready for the Inca Trail when I get there!

June 4 Le Havre, France

Arrived in Le Havre, Normandy coast of France at 8 am and very tired!

And also very confused.  I thought I was just getting the hang of which way cars would be coming at me as I crossed the street, and now that has changed again!  Confused more....... or is it still?

Walked into the city, about 30 minutes, to the Tourist information.  Got directions and took the 30 minute walk to Hotel which turns out should have taken may 20 minutes!   But when I looked at the walk tour map of the city, turns out I had seen most of it!  This is a quiet city, not really that big.  Interesting though,  Many of the buildings were built in the 1950s as part of a planned architectural design by Perret!  In his favourite medium - concrete.  Does not look that bad.  Rebuilt as it was destroyed during WWII.

Not really much left of the old buildings.  The area is now a World Heritage site.

I had been told that finding someone with English would not be a problem!  Well I need to find out how to get to Caen, by train.  No one at train station could asnwer me but one very nice lady had enough English to know where I wanted to go and that I had to go to the bus station.  oh oh  Well she showed me where it was, just around the corner.  And then the lady there had very little English as well, but able to work out the time for the bus.  Bus #20 (remember this number)

Walked around and saw a few of the sights, the new apartments, the bridge over the canal.  Decided to have lunch.  So went to the local grocery store bought a fresh baguette, cheese, and a small bottle of wine and had a picnic on the beach!  Very nice!  This it the first day I have been out without bringing a jacket, although have been in shorts for a while!.  Was great.

Then headed off to check to see if i knew anyone at Normandy Week.  A sailing regatta for the next 3 days.  Only J80, FAR and J83 (I think).  They were way out of the harbour sailing in some very nice looking wind!

Then continued down the beach.  Great place, although mostly rocks.  Interesting as 100s of little wood shacks on the beach.  Look like people keep their beach stuff there!  Those and of course the various and many bars, restaurants and pubs!

Walked along for about 30 minutes, and turns out that Monet based some of his paintings on this area!

I maybe got a bit too much sun, but the cold beer helped that!

London and Portsmouth

London Top 10

1.  Pub walks

2.  Tower of London

3.  Pub Walks

4.  Tower of London

5.  Henry VIII personal equipment protecter

6.  Pubs

7.  Tower of London

8.  Side streets - with pubs

9.  Beer

10.  Fish and chips

June 3 London

Caught the train to Portsmouth, about a 2 hour ride.  Uneventful, except did see a castle on a hill just outside of Barnham.

Also went through the grape growing area of Docking, the same (?) that saw from one of the Pub Walks (see they are a good thing!)

Took a half hour walk from the harbour area to the ferry terminal to drop off bags.  Then headed back to harbour and toured around the Historical Navy base.

Here they have the HMS Victory and HMS Warrior on display.  Spent a far bit of time in the Victory.  This is Admiral Nelson's ship for the Battle of Trafalgar!  Amazing place, and there is now way I could sail in a boat like that!  I think I was able to stand up once!  Victory was launched 1765.

The Warrior was launched in 1860, as the first iron/wood boat, powered with both steam and sail!  14 knots under steam, 13 under sail and topped out at 17 for both!

The propeller can even be retracted into a well to reduce the drag.

While on the Warrior, 3 guys ran up the exit ramp and jumped into the water from the boat.  Water must have been cold!  But it did cause several police to show up.  I don't think they caught them!

Interesting as there were a few still hanging around the harbour area, now maybe they were just drunk, but I will swear they were speaking some foreign language as I had no idea what they were saying!

Wandered around and ended up in a huge shopping plaze.  Very flashy!  Several warehouse outlets as well.  Best part, got 2 pasties for 2 pounds!  They were closing shop for the night!  Very good as well!

Ferry was scheduled for 11 departure, but did not leave the dock until almost 12!  Maybe I am getting a bit old for overnight trips just to save a nights accomadation!!!  50 pounds for ferry!  Got a bit of sleep.  Was a bit worried as there were at least 3 bus loads of middle school kids terrorizing the station, but they were on another ferrry.  Saved.  I ended up with a different group!  Almost 2!  Surprising as all the service shut down during the night!

June 2 London

Last day in London!!!

Off to Vietnam Embassy to pick up my visa!

Walked to Buckingham Palace and around Victoria Fountain in front of Palace.  Lots of people around.  Not able to get a tour as they do not start until July.

While there, the police stopped all traffic.  A black car went by, not sure who was in there but they waved, will just pretend it was the Queen, waving to me, of course.

Walked through St James Park, on way to the Churchill Museum and the Cabinet War rooms. This is actually the place where they met!  It is a huge underground set of rooms!  Reinforced to protect against the air raids.  The displays are great and some of the formats are excellent.  They have a moving time line, where you can get the details of events, right down to the day, with some copies of documents.  Very well done.  One particular Churchill quote caught my eye - "I never get indigestion from eating my own words"

I then headed to Westminster Abbey, as I was not able to get inside the last time I went by.  Only had an hour though.  There are a lot of famous people buried - kings, queens, PM, and event Sir Issac (Newton) that is!  And he is right up beside the altar, with Charles Darwin on the other side of altar.

June 1 London

To Oxford Square and Oxford St, the main shopping area.  Wandered through Caenaby Road, SOHO and Bloomsbury areas heading towards the British Museum.

British Museum has a lot of ancient history - Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, British, North American, actually the world.

Great displays 

then through Russel Square and Bloomsbury Square.  Down Chaning Road toward Leicester Square area, through China town

Walked by many theatres - tribute to Queen and Mouse Trap (the Agatha Christie, 58 years in the showing)

Caught a couple of underground trains to the Victoria station

May 31 London

Bank holiday, which is a stat holiday.  Lazy morning after the BBQ  last night.  Very thirsting this morning, I guess I did not have enough wine last night!

Today off to do another pub walk!  You can not get any more civilized than that!  Stopped at a pub in country for fish and chips!  They were great!  Went very well with the beer!  Then off on a walk.  Part of North Downs way.  Followed a river (really a stream) for a bit, which has had a gun powder factory along it!  The factory did blow up we were told.

Lots of "reminders" - grinding stones, pipes, tracks, tubes, and old walls and dams.

Then continued around fields of grain, along some roads.  Great walk.  Ended up at a church on the top of the hill!  Great views.  The hard part was done, a gradual up hill.  All down hill of here.  Walking back saw a few llamas in a pasture including some young ones!  They had been sheared.

London

May 30 London

BBQ today.  Had a great time, although the Pimms and wine tasted way too good!  

May 29 London

Up early and off to watch Dad and daughter run in a Park Run.  Happens every Saturday morning at 9 am.  No charge, and completely run by volunteers!  About 120 to 150 runners!  Dogs, and people of all ages, sizes and abilities!  Was a great event!

Lazy rest of morning!  It is Saturday, so had breakfast then later headed out on the way to do a walking trail in the 'country'.  But raining fairly hard so stopped at a pub.  Very nice, not just the beer, the pub too!  Maybe too much so!  Pillows on couches, and potporri in the toilets!

Then decided to do the walk no matter.  The rain basically stopped.  The walk is the Box Hill walk, which overlooks the town of Docking.  On the hillside there is also a winery!  The walk started off very easy, slowly walking down a grassy slope!  Perfect for a beginner ski run and tobogganing.  The tobogganing does happen.  

Grass was very wet, but oh well.

Then along a creek with a bridge and then the Stepping stones across the creek.  Very nice.  Maggie the dog went for a bit of a swim and then off we went.  Well this was the tough part!  Well that gentle easy slope was now many steps to get back up the hill!  Wow!  Got the heart going, but maybe more importantly, it did not stop it!!!!

Was great exercise!  And the scenery is great, so green at the moment!

Did make it to top, with out incident and the view was worth it!

Then off to another pub, very near a horse race track.  Have to try the beers!  Big derby (pronounced Darby) next weekend, so the set up was already on the go.  They actually have 'horse and rider' crossings, not pedestrian.  And they are set so a ride on horseback can easily push, very high!

May have to stay a long time here, there are just too many beers left to taste test!

Curry from local take away and movies, very nice relaxing night!

May 28 London

Up and off to the Vietnam embassy, and the best part was that I did not have to stand in line!

Headed off to Tower of London.  Got a bargain here.  Different places have 2 for 1, but as single you pay the full price.  I was about to buy my ticket and a woman asked if I wanted to buy the other half of hers!  Perfect.  Worked great!

Tower of London is amazing!  Arrived just in time to get a tour, guided by a Beefeater!  He was very good.  Interesting as the only way to become a Beefeater is to have service in the forces at a certain level.  Beefeaters also must live in the Tower compound!

This is also where many of the Crown jewels are kept.  You are able to walk around and see the various crowns, staffs, sabers, and lots of other gold pieces!

Other places of interest - the chopping block for beheadings, the rack for quartering, and armoury for the cannons, and of course Henry VIII's armour for jousting, and foot battle.  Lots of little places to explore, a lot of steps and low door frames, stone of course, but I some how did not bang my head once!!!!!

Over to the Tower Bridge!  This was great at you actually get to walk across the Thames on the (blue) walk ways, looking both upstream and down.

They also let you into the engine room and have a display of the old steam engine that raised and lowered the bridge!  Very interesting.  Thanks Tom, as I had some idea as to how it worked!

Then wandered around the area.  Neat little streets.  Walk by the city hall which looks like a ball that the slices have slipped!

Then walked across Millennium bridge which is for foot traffic.  This is the bridge that had to be redone as it bounced too much when used!

The bridge leads to St Paul's Cathedral, which was closed by the time I arrived.

Then headed back to house!