There be Wales here

Wales, in addition to having their own traditional language (Welsh) that is interesting even if they use entirely too many consonants to get their point across, has some spectacular scenery. As we left Cardiff, we headed north through Brecon Beacons National Park.

It started out raining...hard.  I usually bring good weather with me (my superpower) but I was a bit concerned that maybe it didn't work in Wales. Soon the rain slowed, then a spot of blue came and while a little late, good weather found us. Once the sun came out, the mountain views were spectacular. Lush green forests giving way to barren grassy mountain slopes. There is another thing that Wales is known for...sheep. They were spotted all over the valleys and grassy mountain sides. Coming from a place where beef is king, it is unique to see so many of the white fluffy things...everywhere. It further established the perfect pastoral ideal in my mind. This is the Britain I am falling in love with.

~ Sara

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Cardiff

Lunch in a Lighthouse

After leaving the Doctor Who Experience, we were hungry and looking for a place to eat.  We happened to walk by an old lightship that was docked nearby and noticed a little sign that said Cafe and Tearoom.  We walked onboard and discovered that this former lightship Helwick had indeed been converted to a restaurant.  We were lucky enough to snag the last inside table, and were treated to an excellent meal of savory pancakes.

Lightship Helwick in Cardiff Harbor

~Shawn

Soaking up some Rift Energy

Growing up, my grandfather and I had a Saturday night ritual.  We would usually have either pizza or tacos for dinner and then we would tune to PBS to watch the adventures of Doctor Who, his companions, and especially his tin dog K-9.  The image and sounds of that big blue police box, the TARDIS, dematerializing were ingrained in my psyche.  When I heard a few years ago that the BBC had started making Doctor Who again, Sara and I immediately became devoted fans (aka Whovians).

Wales Millenium Center

When we started planning this trip to the UK, we couldn’t resist planning a side trip to Cardiff, Wales (where the show is made) to see our favorite sites from the show and to make our pilgrimage to the Doctor Who Experience (a museum of sorts).  To pull off our plan we had to make sure Mom wouldn’t be totally bored during our “Who” junket, so we assigned her homework on “British Culture” (to watch the show on Netflix). Luckily she also became hooked! :-)

 

Torchwood Shrine on the Cardiff Docks

Today we arrived in Cardiff (or Caerdydd as the Welsh spell it) and decided to head down to the Wales Millennium Center.  This was the home base for a Doctor Who spinoff series called Torchwood, and the location of a rift in time and space that recurs across all the Doctor Who Universe.  After seeing the iconic front of the Millennium Center, we started to walk around the waterfront looking for a place to eat.  By chance I happened to glance over the rail down toward a lower boardwalk and caught a glimpse of the word torchwood on a banner down below.  I ran down to investigate and discovered an impromptu shrine immortalizing Ianto Jones, a member of the Torchwood cast who’s character was died a couple of years ago.  There were literally hundreds of pictures, poems, handwritten and typed notes about the character.  While looking at this we realized that this shrine was posted in the location of the secret entrance to the Torchwood Institute in the show.

Daleks

Wednesday morning we finally went to the Doctor Who Experience. For those of you who understand such things, we got to: walk through the door of the TARDIS and walk around the control room, snag photos with Daleks and Captain Jack, look at props and clothing from all eleven doctors and companions, and even meet K-9 Mark I.  We had a great time! 

Sara in the TARDIS!

~Shawn

Bath

Today we spent in Bath.  All I can say is that it was amazingly beautiful.  So instead of words today you get pictures.

Parade Gardens

 

Bath Abbey

 

The Roman Baths

 ~ Sara

Stonehenge

On our way out of town heading towards Bath, we tried to not be terrified of the fact that everything including our perceptions were backwards.  I think the not being terrified bit was harder than remembering to stay on the left side of the road.  But we managed to still soak in some idyllic pastoral landscapes.  Of course we could not pass by this way without visiting Stonehenge.

I know I use the word amazing a lot and maybe I should expand my vocabulary but Stonehenge is truly awe inspiring.  From various things that I had heard, in my head I pictured this impossibly massive stone structure, that was set just off the road but far enough away as to fit comfortably within your zoomed in camera frame, and that you couldn't get very close to it.

So when I first glimpsed Stonehenge, my thoughts were that I was much closer to it than I imagined I would be, and that the stones were not as big as I saw them in my head.  They were still impressively massive, but no longer seemed impossible.

We were able to walk around the entire structure, and take pictures at every possible angle.  Every few feet the view was different, new stones visible, and the light changing so we could be amazed anew.  There are many theories, but no one knows why the stones were put there or what would motivate such an epic undertaking.  It is one of the earliest forms of creative expression that I have ever seen and maybe humanity's compelling need for expression, for memory and legacy were motivation enough.  

Tonight we stay over a pub outside bath in a little town called Warminster.

~ Sara

Tiny Tunnel of Death

Today we set out on the road trip phase of our journey, so it was necessary to as the British say 'hire a car'. We returned to the airport and picked up our car for the next 2 weeks. Although we had booked a VW station wagon, we ended up with a Ford S-Max wagon. I didn't even know Ford made Diesel vehicles, much less 6-speed manual transmissions. I've never been much of a Ford fan,but I do like this car, even if they did put the drivers seat on the wrong side.

While this is not my first time driving on the left side of the road, I had no illusions that my time spent driving American made trucks along the desolate roads of the Bahamas truly prepared me for driving in the UK. I also should mention that our Ford S-Max may well be the largest vehicle on the British roads that doesn't qualify as a lorry. I knew there would be some harrowing moments on the legendarily narrow British lanes, but what I didn't suspect was that those moments would start before we left the Airport.

As we left the rental lot we had to circle around to the departure terminal, so that Sara could run a quick errand inside. As we approached the terminal there were two lanes marked for departures . . . I chose the left lane. A few seconds later we rounded a corner and a low wall arose on either side of the car. Then as we completed the turn a one lane wide tunnel appeared a few feet ahead of us. The tunnel entrance appeared to be slightly smaller than a smart car and the interior was forbiddingly dark. I slammed on brakes theming I had somehow ended up in a bike lane, but quickly realized I was not as I noticed the line of cars barreling up behind me, so I did the only thing I could and steamed ahead.

While we fit through the entrance, once inside I realized that there was no shoulder and the sheer walls were only about 6 inches from either side mirror. The tunnel ran for at least a quarter mile of the most stressful driving I have ever done. As we finally escaped into the light, I felt an incredible sense of relief. We had survived with only a slightly scuffed passenger side mirror to show for our ordeal.

~ Shawn

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:LHR - Heathrow international Airport

Outbound

This morning while Candy rested and caught up on her Kindle, Shawn and I took the tube to Camden Market. We could have spent all day (and many Pounds) there in all the shops and street vendors.

Today is a bank holiday, so many locals were out and about. We soon packed up and got a ride to Heathrow, not to catch a flight, but to rent a car. The next leg of our journey was about to begin!

~ Sara


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:On the road again