We rose and partook of the English Breakfast that was a part of our hotel stay and then checked out. We were amazed that the same lady that welcomed us the night before, was also waitress, checkout and most likely got the groceries and did the maid service as well. I don't know where she got the boundless energy to run such an efficient place but I admired it!
Since Dave and Linda were leaving for Ireland, they wanted to get some money exchanged at the local bank before we headed out. It took some time for Dave to get the money exchanged and then he explained that the teller was new and so he had to change dollars into pounds-sterling before he could exchange that into euros. We were confused but we laughed about the irony. We wandered through Tenby one last time and then realized we were on Upper Frog Street and we looked and found we were also at Lower Frog Street. We decided we'd better head out and get to Pembroke Castle so that we would have some time to explore it.
David and I had explored the outside of Pembroke Castle in the spring and recognized that it was large, but now that we were looking at the interior we realized we didn't anticipate how large it truly was. There has been quite a bit of restoration done to Pembroke but it has been well done. There is a Norman tower that is still in tact except for the floors. Amazing!! They have also established some well done displays inside which are well worth seeing. Although we could have stayed longer, we needed to think about lunch and getting Dave and Linda to the Ferry so we departed.
We ate at Molly's behind the castle and had some pretty good sandwiches. Then we were off to Pembroke Ferry Station. Dave and Linda caught the Innishmore Ferry from Irish Ferries for the remainder of their vacation and so we said our goodbyes.
Looking at the time, our journey home and the route we decided we could take a short jaunt to Carew Castle. On the drive we noted that St. Mary's of Carew had an additional rounded part outside their tower which we hadn't recalled seeing on the churches before but figured it must be a staircase. Carew didn't disappoint. Their restoration has got some of the rooms covered. They have 1 large hall and 2 smaller rooms and have some large open rooms. I started looking at Carew for a potential SCA event. However there isn't any nearby public transportation outside of the ferries and there is only one pub/inn nearby. The castle itself is rumored to be haunted but, in it's day, it would have made quite the manor house.
Well, will you look there, we still have time . . so off to head back to Laugharne Castle. Laugharne was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside. They are still working on restoration and so some of the areas are still delicate but they've gotten one tower done so you can go up in it and view the water from the top. They also allow you to see the inside of the writers room.
Well, we'd started a theme now as there were 3 castles that were owned by 1 gentleman at one point and time and we'd seen 2 of them in one day. The last was across the water at Llansteffan so off we headed in that direction. After some one lane roads and ending up in what I thought was the middle of nowhere we saw the castle up on the ridge and so we headed that direction . . . only to find that there was no vehicle traffic allowed near the castle and so we parked in the town and walked up a couple of switchbacks and some hills to get at the top. Luckily, the castle is open to the public without charge which I still find amazing considering what is there. The trek was worth it as the Castle has gorgeous views. The castle itself is quite large but it doesn't have too much left to see. After we spent some time wandering around and taking pictures we decided we really should head home.
We stopped for Petrol and David used the opportunity to check the map and saw that we were close to Castle Carreg Cennen. Of course as we travelled toward this castle, David didn't tell me the name, just that we would be able to see it in it's glory from the roadside. Off the main roads, we went through some cute little towns before we arrived in the small town of TRAP where they provided us some Castle signs to follow. The trip was well worth it as the castle was, in fact, impressive.
It now being around 7 pm and us still needing dinner we did get back on the road and head towards home. We stopped at a services and had Burger King along the way and made it home and all but fell into bed. It was a fun vacation with Dave and Linda and tomorrow David had to head back to work while I worked on blogging our adventures.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Venturing into Wales
We awoke earlier than the previous days in an effort to be on the road early. Afterall we had many castles to explore before settling down in our hotel in the Pembrokeshire area. Therefore, fortified with our quick breakfast of cereals and other stuff, we headed out.
Our first stop once we crossed into Wales was Raglan Castle to pick up a shirt left behind by one of the SCA crew from the recent Raglan Fair event. This gave David an opportunity to talk more with the staff of the castle and see if they had any concerns from our recent inhabitation. While he conducted that business, Dave and Linda set about shopping in the gift shop. Smiles exchanged, and tokens tucked away we all piled back into the vehicle to head to Castle Coch.
We headed up through the village to the castle to be promised on the hill. We had seen visages of the castle through the hedges before we left the motorway and so we know that the castle will be a site to behold once we find it in the dense forest surrounding it. We parked in the lower lot as designated and treked up the rest of the hill toward the castle. Our patience was rewarded with quite the view!
As we went inside we were amazed at how intimate this castle presented itself and how intact it truly was. As we explored room from room, up staircase after staircase in each tower we were amazed that although the castle seemed small and intimate there was always more to see. The castle itself once lay in ruins like so many we'd seen until a Lord took it upon himself to hire a Victorian Architect and rebuild Castle Coch as a home for himself and his wife, which is the Coch we review today. The castle even provided a Tea Room where entered for tea to take the chill out of the air, but once we smelled the lunch selection we ended up staying for an amazing lunch. In the gift shop, David found miniature figurines of the castle(s) done by Landmark and some Knight figures done by Myth and Legends for us to keep watch on for later acquisition. Next stop, Kidwelly Castle.
We approached Kidwelly through some smaller roads (some of them one lane) and were amazed by the quaint little city that still has part of the original castle wall running through it. We proceeded into the Castle through the gate house which had multiple murder holes and plenty of little rooms off to the side, one of which used to serve as a prison complete with oubliette. There was an inner and outer Bailey to this castle as well. This castle was well worth the travel off the beaten path. We were nearby Laugharne Castle and so we decided we'd head that direction next since it would give us approximately 1 hour to view it before it closed.
Back the way we came and down the road a piece toward Laugharne we saw a sign which read "Pemberton's Chocolate Farm". Okay, so I'll admit we were all curious and decided to take the detour to see what exactly constituted a Chocolate Farm. After following the road for a bit we saw a sign that said we were still 8 miles from the chocolate farm and it gave us a direction. After some more one lane roads and some farm tractors coming the opposite direction, we all agreed that this was the longest 8 miles ever. The signs kept leading us and we kept following. When the road ended we found a cute little visitor's village created around Pemberton's Chocolate Factory. You can purchase some chocolate, explore their collection of Hobo dolls, and tour the chocolate factory. David and I opted for a vanilla hedgehog which is Dreinog in Welsh (according to the gal behind the counter) and he was WAY AWESOME chocolate with a vanilla cream filling. Linda and Dave had Whiskey truffles and peach brandy -------. We just popped in for the chocolate and then headed back on the road in the hopes of still catching Laugharne.
On our way back to our road, we crossed through Whitland and saw (from afar) Whitland Abbey. As we went up another one lane road we pulled to the side to let this lady with a horse and cart get by. She was followed by her dog who looked a little tired and they pulled off to the side behind us to allow the semi by them which had been following them downhill without overtaking them.
As we neared Laugharne we saw St. Martin's Church and decided that we had already missed opening and so we stopped to take a look around this church and it's graveyard. Several of the gravestones were 1880's and older so I took the opportunity to do some research on epitaphs from the American Civil War era. After about 30 minutes we decided we should probably really finish our trip to the castle.
We passed the castle and parked down behind near the beach. Yes this castle overlooks the water and now we could see how writers and poets would want to use this place for inspiration. We noted the signs warned us the park was subject to flooding, which must be when the tide is in and high. The castle itself was closed but we enjoyed walking the waterfront and the outer walls. We noted lots of Inns and pubs nearby. Although it was beautiful we decided that we needed to get to our hotel for the evening and then we needed to get some food.
BB took us on another one lane road to reach our hotel. When we reached Tenby we noted that a portion of the city was walled and it was near the waterfront. BB kept trying to direct us down roads we weren't allowed on because of the walled portion of the city but eventually we found our way around and inside the wall itself to find our hotel. We stayed at the Blue Dolphin and it was a cute bed and breakfast type set in and amongst the city and just a minute's walk from the waterfront. Our rooms were all the way at the top of the stairs and so we knew we were going to get our exercise. It was a breathtaking view as we wandered the streets but then the need for food was overwhelming. As we wandered down the main street inside the wall, we saw St. Mary's church and it was open so we went in to take a look. Inside was a very kind young gentleman who answered our questions about the church itself and then, upon request, provided 2 suggestions for places to eat. His second suggestion, The Buccaneer, was open and we weren't disappointed as the food was both diverse and VERY good. We were pleased to note that the church bells tolled frequently and then we found out through the night that they tolled all night frequently. But the room was cute and comfortable and we enjoyed our stay. We headed off for our rest as tomorrow we needed to explore Pembroke before Dave and Linda catch the ferry.
Our first stop once we crossed into Wales was Raglan Castle to pick up a shirt left behind by one of the SCA crew from the recent Raglan Fair event. This gave David an opportunity to talk more with the staff of the castle and see if they had any concerns from our recent inhabitation. While he conducted that business, Dave and Linda set about shopping in the gift shop. Smiles exchanged, and tokens tucked away we all piled back into the vehicle to head to Castle Coch.
We headed up through the village to the castle to be promised on the hill. We had seen visages of the castle through the hedges before we left the motorway and so we know that the castle will be a site to behold once we find it in the dense forest surrounding it. We parked in the lower lot as designated and treked up the rest of the hill toward the castle. Our patience was rewarded with quite the view!
As we went inside we were amazed at how intimate this castle presented itself and how intact it truly was. As we explored room from room, up staircase after staircase in each tower we were amazed that although the castle seemed small and intimate there was always more to see. The castle itself once lay in ruins like so many we'd seen until a Lord took it upon himself to hire a Victorian Architect and rebuild Castle Coch as a home for himself and his wife, which is the Coch we review today. The castle even provided a Tea Room where entered for tea to take the chill out of the air, but once we smelled the lunch selection we ended up staying for an amazing lunch. In the gift shop, David found miniature figurines of the castle(s) done by Landmark and some Knight figures done by Myth and Legends for us to keep watch on for later acquisition. Next stop, Kidwelly Castle.
We approached Kidwelly through some smaller roads (some of them one lane) and were amazed by the quaint little city that still has part of the original castle wall running through it. We proceeded into the Castle through the gate house which had multiple murder holes and plenty of little rooms off to the side, one of which used to serve as a prison complete with oubliette. There was an inner and outer Bailey to this castle as well. This castle was well worth the travel off the beaten path. We were nearby Laugharne Castle and so we decided we'd head that direction next since it would give us approximately 1 hour to view it before it closed.
Back the way we came and down the road a piece toward Laugharne we saw a sign which read "Pemberton's Chocolate Farm". Okay, so I'll admit we were all curious and decided to take the detour to see what exactly constituted a Chocolate Farm. After following the road for a bit we saw a sign that said we were still 8 miles from the chocolate farm and it gave us a direction. After some more one lane roads and some farm tractors coming the opposite direction, we all agreed that this was the longest 8 miles ever. The signs kept leading us and we kept following. When the road ended we found a cute little visitor's village created around Pemberton's Chocolate Factory. You can purchase some chocolate, explore their collection of Hobo dolls, and tour the chocolate factory. David and I opted for a vanilla hedgehog which is Dreinog in Welsh (according to the gal behind the counter) and he was WAY AWESOME chocolate with a vanilla cream filling. Linda and Dave had Whiskey truffles and peach brandy -------. We just popped in for the chocolate and then headed back on the road in the hopes of still catching Laugharne.
On our way back to our road, we crossed through Whitland and saw (from afar) Whitland Abbey. As we went up another one lane road we pulled to the side to let this lady with a horse and cart get by. She was followed by her dog who looked a little tired and they pulled off to the side behind us to allow the semi by them which had been following them downhill without overtaking them.
As we neared Laugharne we saw St. Martin's Church and decided that we had already missed opening and so we stopped to take a look around this church and it's graveyard. Several of the gravestones were 1880's and older so I took the opportunity to do some research on epitaphs from the American Civil War era. After about 30 minutes we decided we should probably really finish our trip to the castle.
We passed the castle and parked down behind near the beach. Yes this castle overlooks the water and now we could see how writers and poets would want to use this place for inspiration. We noted the signs warned us the park was subject to flooding, which must be when the tide is in and high. The castle itself was closed but we enjoyed walking the waterfront and the outer walls. We noted lots of Inns and pubs nearby. Although it was beautiful we decided that we needed to get to our hotel for the evening and then we needed to get some food.
BB took us on another one lane road to reach our hotel. When we reached Tenby we noted that a portion of the city was walled and it was near the waterfront. BB kept trying to direct us down roads we weren't allowed on because of the walled portion of the city but eventually we found our way around and inside the wall itself to find our hotel. We stayed at the Blue Dolphin and it was a cute bed and breakfast type set in and amongst the city and just a minute's walk from the waterfront. Our rooms were all the way at the top of the stairs and so we knew we were going to get our exercise. It was a breathtaking view as we wandered the streets but then the need for food was overwhelming. As we wandered down the main street inside the wall, we saw St. Mary's church and it was open so we went in to take a look. Inside was a very kind young gentleman who answered our questions about the church itself and then, upon request, provided 2 suggestions for places to eat. His second suggestion, The Buccaneer, was open and we weren't disappointed as the food was both diverse and VERY good. We were pleased to note that the church bells tolled frequently and then we found out through the night that they tolled all night frequently. But the room was cute and comfortable and we enjoyed our stay. We headed off for our rest as tomorrow we needed to explore Pembroke before Dave and Linda catch the ferry.
Monday, September 22, 2008
A relaxing day in Avebury
Today we indulged and slept in. We had only scheduled Avebury and so no "leaving schedule" was pre-planned. Therefore, we left around 1030 which seemed late since we'd been leaving earlier on the previous days.
In the truck we headed for petrol and then on to Avebury. As it was closing on lunch time, we decided that we would eat at the Red Lion as soon as we arrived in Avebury and then see the stone circle after lunch. Before ducking in for lunch though and while David parked the truck; Dave, Linda and I wandered into the little antique store across the road and browsed briefly. Then, we were off to lunch.
Lunch was good but evidently they had extra people over the past weekend because they were out of things . . some of which they forewarned us about and some of which they didn't. David wasn't able to have bacon on his bacon cheeseburger and Dave and I were unable to get tarter sauce with our fish & chips. We all left full from the table though, so that was a good thing.
As I've noted before, Avebury is a larger circle and it is split up with the town and roads running through it so you don't get a full perspective of the circles until you see it from the air. However, you can walk among the rocks and touch them, have your photos taken by them, etc. This makes for a nice way to connecting with history.
Having walked several of the areas we decided it was time to head home and enjoy the rest of the evening. On the way home, David took the scenic route I think because it sure did seem to take us longer to get home than it did to get to the site. Although none of us minded the extra sight seeing, and it even allowed us the opportunity to see (from a distance) another White Horse (c1700's) and the monument marking a hill fort. None of us felt inspired enough to walk up the foot path and actually check it out in detail . . so we're leaving that for another trip. *smile*
Once home we set to making plans for the next day's travel (Pembroke) and then, at David's request, headed to The Fox in Yate for dinner. The dinner menu there is diverse and everything is always good and we decided this time to test that not only for dinner but also for dessert. They lived up to their good reputation and all the food was enjoyed. Dave did say that the spicy meatballs are, in fact, spicy so that is a good thing to know for next time. For dessert, because that is the most important part of the meal right, I had Irish Creme Cheesecake with chocolate ice cream that was WONDERFUL. Linda opted for the warm cake with chocolate fudge inside, Dave for the Blackberry pudding with ice cream and David for the warm apple pie with ice cream. It was all good!
Once home we swapped pictures, planned hotels, and discussed networking computers for an Internet connection before calling it a night. All in all a relaxing and very enjoyable day.
In the truck we headed for petrol and then on to Avebury. As it was closing on lunch time, we decided that we would eat at the Red Lion as soon as we arrived in Avebury and then see the stone circle after lunch. Before ducking in for lunch though and while David parked the truck; Dave, Linda and I wandered into the little antique store across the road and browsed briefly. Then, we were off to lunch.
Lunch was good but evidently they had extra people over the past weekend because they were out of things . . some of which they forewarned us about and some of which they didn't. David wasn't able to have bacon on his bacon cheeseburger and Dave and I were unable to get tarter sauce with our fish & chips. We all left full from the table though, so that was a good thing.
As I've noted before, Avebury is a larger circle and it is split up with the town and roads running through it so you don't get a full perspective of the circles until you see it from the air. However, you can walk among the rocks and touch them, have your photos taken by them, etc. This makes for a nice way to connecting with history.
Having walked several of the areas we decided it was time to head home and enjoy the rest of the evening. On the way home, David took the scenic route I think because it sure did seem to take us longer to get home than it did to get to the site. Although none of us minded the extra sight seeing, and it even allowed us the opportunity to see (from a distance) another White Horse (c1700's) and the monument marking a hill fort. None of us felt inspired enough to walk up the foot path and actually check it out in detail . . so we're leaving that for another trip. *smile*
Once home we set to making plans for the next day's travel (Pembroke) and then, at David's request, headed to The Fox in Yate for dinner. The dinner menu there is diverse and everything is always good and we decided this time to test that not only for dinner but also for dessert. They lived up to their good reputation and all the food was enjoyed. Dave did say that the spicy meatballs are, in fact, spicy so that is a good thing to know for next time. For dessert, because that is the most important part of the meal right, I had Irish Creme Cheesecake with chocolate ice cream that was WONDERFUL. Linda opted for the warm cake with chocolate fudge inside, Dave for the Blackberry pudding with ice cream and David for the warm apple pie with ice cream. It was all good!
Once home we swapped pictures, planned hotels, and discussed networking computers for an Internet connection before calling it a night. All in all a relaxing and very enjoyable day.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Slimbridge Wetlands & Tintern Abbey . . umm I mean Berkeley Castle
This morning we had a hearty breakfast and prepared ourselves for Slimbridge Wetlands Center and Tintern Abbey. When we were all piled into the car, we noticed that we were only leaving 30 minutes later than originally desired, which was perfectly planned for us. *smile*
As we headed down the highway out of Bristol, David pointed to a grassy field filled with cars and made the comment "they must be racing today" which gathered the rest of our attention to the field. Upon further look from the rest of us the cries of "BOOT SALE" throughout the car (except for David) forced David to take the next exit and weave his way back to the sale. Upon parking the car, we designated that we would only spend 30 minutes at the sale and then we would be back on the road to Slimbridge. This was to prove to be too optimistic. This sale was HUGE! Even after revising our time, we arrived at 0945 and left at 1100 which we thought was really good time . . . and what a haul that we left with!!
Satisfied with our purchases, we headed off to Slimbridge. As we neared the bottom of the visitors center before exiting into the park, we purchased a total of 2 bags of bird seed for each of us. This proved to still not be quite enough as David could be seen later in the park purchasing handfuls of seed for another 20 pence per handful. I think he was making it his personal mission to make sure each NeNe ate from his hand.
As we wove our way through the Wetlands, David and I noted that getting Tintern in on this trip was being a wee-bit optimistic and so we decided that as long as everyone was enjoying themselves we'd stay as long as needed with the birds. Everyone took the opportunity to feed some birds, some even by hand.
There were some that were a little peckish and some (like the NeNe's) that were gentle so that you hardly felt them.
About half way through we ran across the cafe and stopped to have soup and/or sandwiches as well as some ice cream . . and most importantly sit down for a bit. The soup was a beef goulash which was quite good. Refortified, we headed back out amongst the birds. As we passed through the different areas, a quiet, unassuming duck came upon me and "cheeped" at me so I fed her and then when I went to get more seed she "cheeped" again that I'd taken away my hand so I fed her another handful. She was so sweet and gentle, I was almost disappointed that we needed to move on.
Having run out of bird seed and new birds to see (this trip) we headed for the gift shop. Upon exiting the gift shop a sign was noticed that Berkeley castle was only 4 miles away and, while it may be too later to visit Tintern, there was still time to get in on the last tour at Berkeley.
Once in the car, road beverages pulled from the cooler as well as fortified with some crackers and cheese (from earlier trip to Cheddar of course), we headed off to Berkeley. As anticipated we were the last to get into the castle and so had a guided tour just to ourselves. Dave was amazed at the amount of antiques and rarities (all with a story) that was in the portions of the house that we toured (so who knows what else the family has). As the staff closed the castle up behind us, I reminded Linda that we still had to take a closer look at the garden. While Dave and Linda perused the garden, I attempted to take a photo of a butterfly who was alighting from flower to flower. As we lingered, Mrs. Berkeley came home and David noted that she probably is ready to have her castle back so we should probably start heading to the gate.
Feeling satisfied with our day, we headed home to partake of steak and mushroom packets and to start planning our next day.
As we headed down the highway out of Bristol, David pointed to a grassy field filled with cars and made the comment "they must be racing today" which gathered the rest of our attention to the field. Upon further look from the rest of us the cries of "BOOT SALE" throughout the car (except for David) forced David to take the next exit and weave his way back to the sale. Upon parking the car, we designated that we would only spend 30 minutes at the sale and then we would be back on the road to Slimbridge. This was to prove to be too optimistic. This sale was HUGE! Even after revising our time, we arrived at 0945 and left at 1100 which we thought was really good time . . . and what a haul that we left with!!
Satisfied with our purchases, we headed off to Slimbridge. As we neared the bottom of the visitors center before exiting into the park, we purchased a total of 2 bags of bird seed for each of us. This proved to still not be quite enough as David could be seen later in the park purchasing handfuls of seed for another 20 pence per handful. I think he was making it his personal mission to make sure each NeNe ate from his hand.
As we wove our way through the Wetlands, David and I noted that getting Tintern in on this trip was being a wee-bit optimistic and so we decided that as long as everyone was enjoying themselves we'd stay as long as needed with the birds. Everyone took the opportunity to feed some birds, some even by hand.
There were some that were a little peckish and some (like the NeNe's) that were gentle so that you hardly felt them.
About half way through we ran across the cafe and stopped to have soup and/or sandwiches as well as some ice cream . . and most importantly sit down for a bit. The soup was a beef goulash which was quite good. Refortified, we headed back out amongst the birds. As we passed through the different areas, a quiet, unassuming duck came upon me and "cheeped" at me so I fed her and then when I went to get more seed she "cheeped" again that I'd taken away my hand so I fed her another handful. She was so sweet and gentle, I was almost disappointed that we needed to move on.
Having run out of bird seed and new birds to see (this trip) we headed for the gift shop. Upon exiting the gift shop a sign was noticed that Berkeley castle was only 4 miles away and, while it may be too later to visit Tintern, there was still time to get in on the last tour at Berkeley.
Once in the car, road beverages pulled from the cooler as well as fortified with some crackers and cheese (from earlier trip to Cheddar of course), we headed off to Berkeley. As anticipated we were the last to get into the castle and so had a guided tour just to ourselves. Dave was amazed at the amount of antiques and rarities (all with a story) that was in the portions of the house that we toured (so who knows what else the family has). As the staff closed the castle up behind us, I reminded Linda that we still had to take a closer look at the garden. While Dave and Linda perused the garden, I attempted to take a photo of a butterfly who was alighting from flower to flower. As we lingered, Mrs. Berkeley came home and David noted that she probably is ready to have her castle back so we should probably start heading to the gate.
Feeling satisfied with our day, we headed home to partake of steak and mushroom packets and to start planning our next day.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Avebury, no wait . . . Salisbury
Today we had a hearty breakfast of pancakes and lil'smokies from home before starting out on our grand adventure. The plan: go to get gas and then visit Avebury, Lacock and Salisbury. No problem, we can handle this!
Off we head. As we passed through Highworth, the advertisements, lots of people and pretty colors drew Linda's attention to the Highworth Faire and so we stopped over for a bit.
During our short stop we got to see the Mayor of the town from afar (they still wear the chains to denote office just like they did in the medieval time period). Dave and Linda got to enjoy strawberries on a stick coated in chocolate (one stick of them white chocolate, and one milk chocolate). Linda got to enjoy "true" Baklava purchased from one of the many street vendors. Dave found candied cashews that he shared with all of us. And David was happy because he found a Krispie Kreme fundraising booth and got a little bit of doughy sugar. Our curiosity and sugar cravings satisfied we decided that if we did the current plan, we would miss out on Salisbury . .however if we altered it a little we could do everything across 2 days.
New plan in place and BB reprogrammed, we headed toward Salisbury. We found parking in a very busy public parking lot a little after 1 pm and decided to have a brief lunch with the sandwiches and chips we had packed ahead of time. So we tailgated, much to the amusement of the other cars going in and out of the lot. Hunger satisfied, we headed off in the direction of the spire for Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury is enjoying it's 750th birthday this year. The original church was founded in the 1200's and took 38 years to complete. It's gone through some changes over the years but it is still a massive and impressive structure to behold. Salisbury also boasts the tallest steeple in Britain which I can well believe because it was difficult to fit the church and the steeple in 1 photo.
While we were there, we were able to see one of the 4 remaining copies of the Magna Carta and (according to Salisbury Cathedral) the best preserved copy at that. The penmanship was so small and precise and neat and tidy. I did note however the fine pencil lines on the parchment which allowed the text to stay straight on the page. The Magna Carta is kept in the Chapter House with several other pieces of fine silver and gold from the church, of which Dave selected the tankard that he would like to have from this trip. Upon reflection, we all decided that Wells Cathedral was still a prettier cathedral but Salisbury was VERY impressive in it's own right.
That being said, and our parking permit time running out, we headed back to the car . . via the way of some shops, of course. I was lucky to find another aerial photo book, this one for Britain, so I guess I get to go through and use more post it notes. *snicker, snicker* Back at the truck now and hoping that Lacock stays open later than most, we program BB and head on out. If there were people out on a Sunday Drive, they were out a day early and they were all on that road between Salisbury and Lacock. As we closed in on the last 14 miles we all heard a whirring sound from the rear of the vehicle and looked at one another wondering what it could be and hoping it was in reality someone else's vehicle. Then I recalled that the battery operated air-bed inflater was in the back and sounded the same . . it not being the truck we continued on and decided we could put up with it for the duration of the trip. At mile 11 it became truly annoying and so we pulled over in Westbury to resolve the issue. Just as David brought the truck to a halt, Dave had managed to shut it off by using an umbrella to push the switch from the backseat. The annoying sound resolved and us being *this* close to another White Horse . . we stopped at the viewing park and took the token photos. Before anyone asks . . . . we are trusting the viewing park to have been the best viewpoint and so we didn't challenge it by walking the hill. *smile*
We arrived at Lacock Abbey (LA) and found we were the last to be allowed to enter the site and we had 30 minutes to view the cloisters and gardens; the house having already been closed. So off we trekked up to the cloisters. For those of you who have enjoyed the Harry Potter films, several scenes from several of the movies were shot at LA. They are in process of doing some fabulous restoration work on the floors, however this piece of floor was salvaged.
LA served as a school and shelter for many children evacuated from London during WWII. In the Chaplains room there till remains some of the original plaster and some of the original paintings. LA originated in 1200's as a nunnery and infirmary. Amazing history!! We pushed our luck and explored the gardens a little more in depth after we knew it was closing and it was well worth our explorations.
The sites being closed in Lacock we enjoyed some of the settings of the town itself. The town appears, with the exception of the cars on the street, as you would expect an English town to look. We enjoyed watching the horses, visiting the cats, and visiting the cemetery.
As it edged toward 6:30 pm it was decided that we would continue to enjoy this quaint town by visiting the Red Lion for dinner.
All in all, a well done day that left us all exhausted and feeling like the time was close to midnight when it was only 9 pm. Off to bed . . tomorrow we're doing a little bit of relaxing and seeing Slimbridge Wetlands and Tinturn Abbey.
Off we head. As we passed through Highworth, the advertisements, lots of people and pretty colors drew Linda's attention to the Highworth Faire and so we stopped over for a bit.
During our short stop we got to see the Mayor of the town from afar (they still wear the chains to denote office just like they did in the medieval time period). Dave and Linda got to enjoy strawberries on a stick coated in chocolate (one stick of them white chocolate, and one milk chocolate). Linda got to enjoy "true" Baklava purchased from one of the many street vendors. Dave found candied cashews that he shared with all of us. And David was happy because he found a Krispie Kreme fundraising booth and got a little bit of doughy sugar. Our curiosity and sugar cravings satisfied we decided that if we did the current plan, we would miss out on Salisbury . .however if we altered it a little we could do everything across 2 days.New plan in place and BB reprogrammed, we headed toward Salisbury. We found parking in a very busy public parking lot a little after 1 pm and decided to have a brief lunch with the sandwiches and chips we had packed ahead of time. So we tailgated, much to the amusement of the other cars going in and out of the lot. Hunger satisfied, we headed off in the direction of the spire for Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury is enjoying it's 750th birthday this year. The original church was founded in the 1200's and took 38 years to complete. It's gone through some changes over the years but it is still a massive and impressive structure to behold. Salisbury also boasts the tallest steeple in Britain which I can well believe because it was difficult to fit the church and the steeple in 1 photo.
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| From Salisbury Cathedral |
While we were there, we were able to see one of the 4 remaining copies of the Magna Carta and (according to Salisbury Cathedral) the best preserved copy at that. The penmanship was so small and precise and neat and tidy. I did note however the fine pencil lines on the parchment which allowed the text to stay straight on the page. The Magna Carta is kept in the Chapter House with several other pieces of fine silver and gold from the church, of which Dave selected the tankard that he would like to have from this trip. Upon reflection, we all decided that Wells Cathedral was still a prettier cathedral but Salisbury was VERY impressive in it's own right.
That being said, and our parking permit time running out, we headed back to the car . . via the way of some shops, of course. I was lucky to find another aerial photo book, this one for Britain, so I guess I get to go through and use more post it notes. *snicker, snicker* Back at the truck now and hoping that Lacock stays open later than most, we program BB and head on out. If there were people out on a Sunday Drive, they were out a day early and they were all on that road between Salisbury and Lacock. As we closed in on the last 14 miles we all heard a whirring sound from the rear of the vehicle and looked at one another wondering what it could be and hoping it was in reality someone else's vehicle. Then I recalled that the battery operated air-bed inflater was in the back and sounded the same . . it not being the truck we continued on and decided we could put up with it for the duration of the trip. At mile 11 it became truly annoying and so we pulled over in Westbury to resolve the issue. Just as David brought the truck to a halt, Dave had managed to shut it off by using an umbrella to push the switch from the backseat. The annoying sound resolved and us being *this* close to another White Horse . . we stopped at the viewing park and took the token photos. Before anyone asks . . . . we are trusting the viewing park to have been the best viewpoint and so we didn't challenge it by walking the hill. *smile*
We arrived at Lacock Abbey (LA) and found we were the last to be allowed to enter the site and we had 30 minutes to view the cloisters and gardens; the house having already been closed. So off we trekked up to the cloisters. For those of you who have enjoyed the Harry Potter films, several scenes from several of the movies were shot at LA. They are in process of doing some fabulous restoration work on the floors, however this piece of floor was salvaged.
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| From Lacock |
LA served as a school and shelter for many children evacuated from London during WWII. In the Chaplains room there till remains some of the original plaster and some of the original paintings. LA originated in 1200's as a nunnery and infirmary. Amazing history!! We pushed our luck and explored the gardens a little more in depth after we knew it was closing and it was well worth our explorations.
The sites being closed in Lacock we enjoyed some of the settings of the town itself. The town appears, with the exception of the cars on the street, as you would expect an English town to look. We enjoyed watching the horses, visiting the cats, and visiting the cemetery.
As it edged toward 6:30 pm it was decided that we would continue to enjoy this quaint town by visiting the Red Lion for dinner.
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| From Lacock |
All in all, a well done day that left us all exhausted and feeling like the time was close to midnight when it was only 9 pm. Off to bed . . tomorrow we're doing a little bit of relaxing and seeing Slimbridge Wetlands and Tinturn Abbey.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Lands End and Aurthurian Legend
We awoke in morning (remember we're staying at the Atlantic Hotel) and headed down to the restaurant on the 1st floor for our breakfast. They offered a Full English Breakfast with tea and coffee and OJ so we all ate well. For those of you who are wondering, yes I had tea . .I've found that I like the English Breakfast Teas with a little bit of milk or cream and some sugar.
Anyway, breakfast finished, we checked out and headed down the road towards Lands End (we had already crossed into Cornwall yesterday)
We travelled the "scenic route", according to the map, which took us along the coastline for much of our journey the rest of the way to Lands End. The roads were a lot of one-lane roads but the view of the countryside was awesome!
And then we arrived - Lands End!!
David and I took the opportunity to go through the Dr. Who Exhibition just to see . . and YEP, they're different!
We enjoyed looking at the Lighthouse and the water crashing on the rocks below
Although you have to hire a photographer now to take your picture near the Lands End sign, we took a picture of the sign itself and then had someone take a picture of us
And before we headed out we all had Cornish Ice Cream - YUMMY!!!! But the day was escaping us and we still wanted to see Tintagel today on our way back towards home so we needed to get going. As we headed back up the opposite coastline to our next destination, we took some advantageous photos of St. Michaels Island and then David pulled into the parking lot just to see if we could get better photos. The tide was in and we would have had to wait too long to get out to the island or back so we didn't have time for that, but Linda and I hopped out of the truck in the parking lot and quick took photos before we got back in and on our way.
As we navigated the rest of the way out of the Lands End area, we saw a sign for Chysauster Medieval Village. It was another one of those things on the Aerial England book (although we didn't confirm that until after we had returned home). The site itself seems to have been constructed during the Roman period and occupied for a short amount of time, although there was also discovered evidence of earlier Iron Age activity in the form of Pottery and such. The photos you'll see in the slideshow below will show you basically what consisted of the walls of the houses which are about knee height and then the roofs would have been peaked with timber and straw to form the roof of the house. You will also see in the photo slideshow a rock with a divot in it, there was one of these in each house, and it is believed to be the rock that held up the center pole which supported the peak of the roof.
Back on the Motorway and A roads we headed toward Tintagel. Arriving in Tintagel we decided to stop into the National Heritage museum to the post office to experience some of the age of the Tintagel area before going toward the castle.
Portions of Tintagel Castle have been there since the 5th or 6th Century and there are housing foundations still to be seen there. The castle is believed to have ties to King Arthur and Merlin of legend. The castle was redone some in 1233 by Earl Richard of Cornwall which are most of the remains that are left here today. The castle offers one of the most BEAUTIFUL and PICTURESQUE sites I've seen in a VERY long time. However, the castle itself is split in two parts with portions of the sea in between so the only access are some REALLY steep stairs to both locations. If I thought we had to be billy goats to navigate White Horse Hill, I had no idea what that meant. This climb was exhausting, but well worth it. Unfortunately we only had time to see half of the site so that leaves the need for a return trip to see the other half - any takers?
Linda and Dave opted to not make the trek with David and I to the castle (smart people) and instead spent some time enjoying the town of Tintagel itself. When we hooked back up with them, most of the shops were closing and all of us were getting a little hungry. We ducked into a little pub in Tintagel but found they weren't going to be serving dinner for another hour or so and so we opted to get on the road and then find someplace along the way.
The way took us to Launceston and they seemed to have a pretty concentrated downtown area so we were sure we could find someplace to eat. We parked in the public parking lot and did some walking. Huh, they have a castle! But of course it is closed and so we'll have to return another day . .
But I digress, we walked for a ways before finding a pub that offered some food - The White Hart. We enjoyed the pub atmosphere and most of us found our meals tasty, although Dave said he wouldn't recommend the bangers and mash. Tummies full, we headed off to home.
Anyway, breakfast finished, we checked out and headed down the road towards Lands End (we had already crossed into Cornwall yesterday)
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| From Lands End |
We travelled the "scenic route", according to the map, which took us along the coastline for much of our journey the rest of the way to Lands End. The roads were a lot of one-lane roads but the view of the countryside was awesome!
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| From Lands End |
And then we arrived - Lands End!!
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| From Lands End |
David and I took the opportunity to go through the Dr. Who Exhibition just to see . . and YEP, they're different!
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| From Lands End |
We enjoyed looking at the Lighthouse and the water crashing on the rocks below
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| From Lands End |
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| From Lands End |
Although you have to hire a photographer now to take your picture near the Lands End sign, we took a picture of the sign itself and then had someone take a picture of us
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| From Lands End |
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| From Lands End |
And before we headed out we all had Cornish Ice Cream - YUMMY!!!! But the day was escaping us and we still wanted to see Tintagel today on our way back towards home so we needed to get going. As we headed back up the opposite coastline to our next destination, we took some advantageous photos of St. Michaels Island and then David pulled into the parking lot just to see if we could get better photos. The tide was in and we would have had to wait too long to get out to the island or back so we didn't have time for that, but Linda and I hopped out of the truck in the parking lot and quick took photos before we got back in and on our way.
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| From Lands End |
As we navigated the rest of the way out of the Lands End area, we saw a sign for Chysauster Medieval Village. It was another one of those things on the Aerial England book (although we didn't confirm that until after we had returned home). The site itself seems to have been constructed during the Roman period and occupied for a short amount of time, although there was also discovered evidence of earlier Iron Age activity in the form of Pottery and such. The photos you'll see in the slideshow below will show you basically what consisted of the walls of the houses which are about knee height and then the roofs would have been peaked with timber and straw to form the roof of the house. You will also see in the photo slideshow a rock with a divot in it, there was one of these in each house, and it is believed to be the rock that held up the center pole which supported the peak of the roof.
Back on the Motorway and A roads we headed toward Tintagel. Arriving in Tintagel we decided to stop into the National Heritage museum to the post office to experience some of the age of the Tintagel area before going toward the castle.
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| From Tintagel |
Portions of Tintagel Castle have been there since the 5th or 6th Century and there are housing foundations still to be seen there. The castle is believed to have ties to King Arthur and Merlin of legend. The castle was redone some in 1233 by Earl Richard of Cornwall which are most of the remains that are left here today. The castle offers one of the most BEAUTIFUL and PICTURESQUE sites I've seen in a VERY long time. However, the castle itself is split in two parts with portions of the sea in between so the only access are some REALLY steep stairs to both locations. If I thought we had to be billy goats to navigate White Horse Hill, I had no idea what that meant. This climb was exhausting, but well worth it. Unfortunately we only had time to see half of the site so that leaves the need for a return trip to see the other half - any takers?
Linda and Dave opted to not make the trek with David and I to the castle (smart people) and instead spent some time enjoying the town of Tintagel itself. When we hooked back up with them, most of the shops were closing and all of us were getting a little hungry. We ducked into a little pub in Tintagel but found they weren't going to be serving dinner for another hour or so and so we opted to get on the road and then find someplace along the way.
The way took us to Launceston and they seemed to have a pretty concentrated downtown area so we were sure we could find someplace to eat. We parked in the public parking lot and did some walking. Huh, they have a castle! But of course it is closed and so we'll have to return another day . .
But I digress, we walked for a ways before finding a pub that offered some food - The White Hart. We enjoyed the pub atmosphere and most of us found our meals tasty, although Dave said he wouldn't recommend the bangers and mash. Tummies full, we headed off to home.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Cheddar and Beyond . . Okay, Lands End then
Having once again done the quick breakfast, we headed out to Cheddar in the morning rush hour. Traffic leaving Bristol was difficult and BB took us a new route only for us to discover that she ended up taking us by the Airport and we knew a quicker route with less construction so we learned something new.
We arrived in Cheddar to find the town quiet and just opening to the morning sun.
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| From 2008-0918 Cheddar |
We shopped a little and finished our cheese purchases just as the buses arrived. Considering ourselves lucky, we opted to stop for scones and cakes and tea at the Wishing Well Tea House across the street.
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| From 2008-0918 Cheddar |
About the time that we finished, we noticed that there were quite a bit of people coming in and so we opted to take our leave. Besides we had a long road ahead of us down to Cornwall and Lands End. Along the way we had also planned a few stops so we needed to get going to make the closing times.
We were close enough, we decided to side trip to Midges leather. David and I just wanted to take a look to see what they had in stock. Um, it's a warehouse .. I'm not kidding . . I've never seen so much leather in one place at one time just waiting to be used for something. To show us quality and size he took out one hide and unrolled it and then selected a second so we could compare and then told us to take a look around. As he started to pick up the hides he'd rolled out to show us I told David I thought that first one would make good leggings . . so we bought it. So much for just looking.
First stop as we got into the Cornwall area was Restormel castle. I'd seen this castle in our England Aerial views book and thought it looked interesting as well as mostly intact. I wasn't disappointed.
Next stop was Eden Project. We arrived in enough time to view the site, but we reviewed the cost and decided against it. Cost was 15 pounds per person and it just didn't seem worthwhile. So we opted to see what we could of the overview of the site. The parking lots had lots of trees and so it made it difficult seeing the site itself. To get a few photos, David got up on the railings and I attempted to steady him so he wouldn't fall.
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| From Eden Project |
Upon returning to the parking lot, however, David and I ran across a bike path and that got us a good viewpoint.
We arrived in St. Ives at our hotel, The Atlantic Hotel,
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| From Lands End |
and got settled . We had an Atlantic ocean view and that included a light house and so we were pleased with the room.
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| From Lands End |
Having gotten settled, it was time to get some dinner. We opted to go into Penzance so we could see some sites and get some food. David found a place founded in 1834 that he just had to try and so we went in.
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| From Lands End |
The interior was all decorated like a big ol ship so it was kind of fun, albeit a little dark.
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| From Lands End |
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| From Lands End |
The menu was a little limited (to just seafood, who would have thought?) and so we enjoyed fish & chips, prawns, shrimp, etc. Then it was time to return to our hotel for some rest as we had Lands End to actually see tomorrow!
One final thought, although the room itself was quite spacious
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| From Lands End |
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| From Lands End |
we all got a giggle out of the size of the bathroom which I think was once a closet that they converted into a water closet. To give you a size parameter, the room was only as wide as the shower cubicle,
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| From Lands End |
the toilet was in the opposite end, and the sink was just inside the door you walked into the room at.
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| From Lands End |
But everything was clean, well decorated, and fresh so it was just one of those funny thoughts you run across while travelling.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Worcester and Hay-on-Wye
We woke up and fortified ourselves with a breakfast of cereals, OJ and other breakfast foods and then headed on the road towards Worcester to see the Worcester Porcelain.
Worcester has several cute shops centered around the Worcester Porcelain shops and we shopped through quite a few of them. David and I had been meaning to return to the Porcelain shop to make a purchase of a platter to go with our fine china and also have a memento of our time here and so we looked through and made a purchase of 2 platters. While we were purchasing them we were noticing that one was made in England and one was made in Portugal and so we asked about the status of the factories which is when we discovered that they're no longer manufacturing china at the plant in Worcester, England and haven't for a couple of years. We were shocked and I suppose the brings the value of those pieces actually made in Worcester before the plant closed up as a collector's piece.
We headed out since we were needing to get to Hay-on-Wye and passed through several small towns. As we were driving we realized that our breakfast had worn thin and we were in need of Lunch. Just then, the Fox Inn came into view and so we stopped.
This was a cute place in which we enjoyed the food immensely. We all enjoyed a bite of Linda's appetiser of fried brie wedges which were really good. Linda explored a little and found a low header on which they'd posted a sign that said "duck or grouse". I tried broccoli and Stilton cheese soup only to find out that Stilton is a form of blue cheese and so I found the soup a little too strong for my tastes. The main courses we all selected for lunch was both filling and really tasty. As we departed we grabbed a copy of their proposed Christmas menu and Linda has already selected her 5 course meal.
Not far down the road we ran across the following sight . . it's not everyday you run across a Russian Tank sitting next to the road at a service station. But if you were to find one . . I guess we would be the ones to find it. Our guests were kind enough to indulge us as we took
Ever get one of those . .but wait, there's more moments? Well this should be one of them. Not only was the Russian Tank out front but there was also another WWII vehicle on site. Either the guy is a collector or he's a reenactor . . we're betting on reenactor since these vehicles looked like they may even run.
The older vehicles having been photographed, we headed on toward Hay-on-wye. Typical for David and I we arrived at 4 pm . . again.
This late arrival meant that Linda and I were disappointed to have missed the opening hours of the charity shops.
We did have time to duck in and out of at least 5 book shops including the Cinema Bookstore which luckily stays open until 7 pm. Somehow, Linda and Dave escaped Hay-on-Wye without books sticking to their fingers, however David and I were not so lucky . . but we did manage to not buy all that many. As we passed between bookshops we stopped into the local sweet shop and enjoyed our afternoon snack of eclairs, oatcakes, toffee, and more.
Most of the stores closed and our shopping at an end we decided we would head back toward home and perhaps stop along the way for dinner. As we got closer to Raglan, David remembered the Beaufort Inn and so he decided that it would make a nice end to the day. As we entered the inn I read that the Restaurant was a newer addition while the pub was the older part and they provided us the option of sitting in either side so we opted for the historical building, go figure. The entire place had a nice atmosphere. We enjoyed the food and then headed for home.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Arrival and Lechlade
David's parents arrived today and after they'd travelled so far, we figured they may want a relative day of rest. But of course they are here and so there must be things we can do that would be relaxing and yet still provide a leisurely pace.
First we head home to provide the tour of the house, get their bags settled in their room and then we are off to pick up groceries and such for their stay. Before groceries through we decide to stop off in Lechlade and just walk the streets and shops.
We stopped off in several of the antique shops which everyone enjoyed. And we couldn't resist a stop into the Christmas Store. Since David and I couldn't decide on a Christmas ornament for this year, we didn't purchase one . . . yet. For those who don't know, my step mom started my brother on this plan to purchase one commemorative Christmas ornament each year and it's a tradition that I've brought into David and my marriage. Last year, since it was the first year, we got more than 1 . . actually we got almost a whole tree's worth .. . but now we're really going to try to stick to the tradition. *smile*
First we head home to provide the tour of the house, get their bags settled in their room and then we are off to pick up groceries and such for their stay. Before groceries through we decide to stop off in Lechlade and just walk the streets and shops.
We stopped off in several of the antique shops which everyone enjoyed. And we couldn't resist a stop into the Christmas Store. Since David and I couldn't decide on a Christmas ornament for this year, we didn't purchase one . . . yet. For those who don't know, my step mom started my brother on this plan to purchase one commemorative Christmas ornament each year and it's a tradition that I've brought into David and my marriage. Last year, since it was the first year, we got more than 1 . . actually we got almost a whole tree's worth .. . but now we're really going to try to stick to the tradition. *smile*
Anyway, after doing some shopping in Lechlade, our travellers were feeling hungry and it was determined that we could have a late lunch or early dinner, depending on how you wanted to view it. So we stopped at the River Inn on the Thames. While we waited for our order, Linda enjoyed viewing and taking pictures of the swans on the Thames.
The food was most excellent and we all left happily full and satisfied. With that frame of mind, this was how we headed to obtain our groceries.
Tomorrow the true travel begins: Worcester Porcelain and Hay-on-Wye.
Tomorrow the true travel begins: Worcester Porcelain and Hay-on-Wye.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Renaissance Bear
The task put before me was to take a teddy bear purchased at St. Cross in Winchester and turn it into a suitable prize to win for the Bear Pit Rapier Tournament at Raglan Fair. The teddy bear, when given to me, resembled the following:
If the folk at St. Cross can get a little sweater and bandanna for him then certainly I can manage a doublet, right? Now I must keep in mind that there were two of these bears purchased, one for the rapier prize and one for the Heavy fighters prize. The other bear is being armored by one of the other folk in our shire. I can't wait to see how that one turns out and I'll be sure to post pictures of it as well.
So first things first, take scrap fabric that I can then use as a lining (yes the little doublet is fully lined) and create a pattern that would fit said bear. Having done that and having selected some of my scrap renasissance fabric for the outer piece I set to work. I ran into a little bit of difficulty since his little cuffs and arms-eyes were smaller than the sewing machine foot and so a lot of the doublet ended up being hand stitched. The finished result:
I used beads for his little buttons since I couldn't find anything small enough. And I'll admit I cheated and sewed them through both layers of the doublet because I wasn't about to make small button holes with the limited time I had. Luckily I found a small enough lace to use as his collar and cuffs. Although he was adorable in his little doublet he needed something more so it was decided that a flat cap would be needed.
And voila, my first experience sewing from scratch for a teddy bear. Not too bad I think.
UPDATE: I've acquired the armored bear from Ed and photographed him as well. Now Ed started with the same thing I did, which was that St. Cross bear pictured above. For the teddy he made metal elbows, a chest and back plate. I must say that he looks dashing in all that steel.
Check out his little elbows . . they even have detailed flare.
And so of course we had to get pictures of the two of them together!!!
For all the pictures I took of the bears (from all angles - not that I'm proud of the work or anything), take a look at the following slideshow:
Stay tuned for more news and pictures from Raglan Fair which is this weekend!!!!
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| From Renaissance Bear |
If the folk at St. Cross can get a little sweater and bandanna for him then certainly I can manage a doublet, right? Now I must keep in mind that there were two of these bears purchased, one for the rapier prize and one for the Heavy fighters prize. The other bear is being armored by one of the other folk in our shire. I can't wait to see how that one turns out and I'll be sure to post pictures of it as well.
So first things first, take scrap fabric that I can then use as a lining (yes the little doublet is fully lined) and create a pattern that would fit said bear. Having done that and having selected some of my scrap renasissance fabric for the outer piece I set to work. I ran into a little bit of difficulty since his little cuffs and arms-eyes were smaller than the sewing machine foot and so a lot of the doublet ended up being hand stitched. The finished result:
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| From Renaissance Bear |
I used beads for his little buttons since I couldn't find anything small enough. And I'll admit I cheated and sewed them through both layers of the doublet because I wasn't about to make small button holes with the limited time I had. Luckily I found a small enough lace to use as his collar and cuffs. Although he was adorable in his little doublet he needed something more so it was decided that a flat cap would be needed.
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| From Renaissance Bear |
And voila, my first experience sewing from scratch for a teddy bear. Not too bad I think.
UPDATE: I've acquired the armored bear from Ed and photographed him as well. Now Ed started with the same thing I did, which was that St. Cross bear pictured above. For the teddy he made metal elbows, a chest and back plate. I must say that he looks dashing in all that steel.
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| From Renaissance Bear |
Check out his little elbows . . they even have detailed flare.
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| From Renaissance Bear |
And so of course we had to get pictures of the two of them together!!!
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| From Renaissance Bear |
For all the pictures I took of the bears (from all angles - not that I'm proud of the work or anything), take a look at the following slideshow:
Stay tuned for more news and pictures from Raglan Fair which is this weekend!!!!
Friday, September 5, 2008
How far is too far to go to satisfy a craving?
Okay, so I'll admit that this is not a sight seeing blog. This one has more to do with the day to day life . . okay it's not even that . .it's my stubborness. So, with your indulgence, let me relate . .
About two weeks ago, David suggested we have steak in our favorite place, which is TGI Friday's. We never even have to look at the menu anymore we know exactly what we want when we go in-the filet mignon with burgundy sauce for me and peppercorn sauce for him and for sides a salad for both of us might with ranch dressing and his without dressing and cheesy mash for both of us. It tastes beyond compare and we always leave the place satisfied. Going there for the steak is our special treat. Much to our surprise this time however the filet mignon had been removed from the menu. We chose one of the other cuts of meat available, but it just wasn't the same. The waitress was spectacular and provided me with contact information so that I could register my menu concern. I have a sense written an e-mail which has been answered with a generic will look into it.
So as a preppared for dinner tonight, I looked in the freezer and saw that we had some small eye of rounds which are similar to the filet mignon. I promptly took them out of the freezer my thoughts turning towards dinner already.
Let me preface this by explaining that we have reached the fall of English weather. The weather for the past couple of days has been rainy and often on with heavy clouds in between the rain. My dinner plan meant that I would have to grill, outside. This did not concern me at first because the weather today had been only spots of rain lasting no longer than 10 minutes at any one time and really only being light showers.
The time to start dinner came and I went outside in the damp weather, no rain, to start the grill. As soon as I started the charcoal chimney, the rain started and it proved that it was going to continue for the next 45 minutes to an hour.
This is where we come to my question-how far would you go to satisfy a craving? Migrating saw me standing outside with an umbrella protecting, not myself, but the charcoal chimney so that the charcoal would actually catch fire. After babysitting the charcoal chimney in the rain for more than a half an hour I had what I considered good enough coals to start the steak. Now while I cannot simulate the cheesy mash I have provided our mozzarella sticks and a biscuit in lieu of the other sides. I write this as I wait for the steaks to finish cooking, they are taking longer than expected due to the dampness on even the hot coals.
I can only hope that my dedication to satisfy the craving will meet with success. I don't know why I felt the need to share this with you all, perhaps because I thought myself ridiculous and thought you would all enjoy the laugh.
Here's hoping that you meet with success to satisfy whatever craving you have.
FYI . .the steak turned out fabulous and the craving was satisfied. Later on this evening I heard a terrible downpour of rain for a good half hour and was glad that we had eaten earlier.
About two weeks ago, David suggested we have steak in our favorite place, which is TGI Friday's. We never even have to look at the menu anymore we know exactly what we want when we go in-the filet mignon with burgundy sauce for me and peppercorn sauce for him and for sides a salad for both of us might with ranch dressing and his without dressing and cheesy mash for both of us. It tastes beyond compare and we always leave the place satisfied. Going there for the steak is our special treat. Much to our surprise this time however the filet mignon had been removed from the menu. We chose one of the other cuts of meat available, but it just wasn't the same. The waitress was spectacular and provided me with contact information so that I could register my menu concern. I have a sense written an e-mail which has been answered with a generic will look into it.
So as a preppared for dinner tonight, I looked in the freezer and saw that we had some small eye of rounds which are similar to the filet mignon. I promptly took them out of the freezer my thoughts turning towards dinner already.
Let me preface this by explaining that we have reached the fall of English weather. The weather for the past couple of days has been rainy and often on with heavy clouds in between the rain. My dinner plan meant that I would have to grill, outside. This did not concern me at first because the weather today had been only spots of rain lasting no longer than 10 minutes at any one time and really only being light showers.
The time to start dinner came and I went outside in the damp weather, no rain, to start the grill. As soon as I started the charcoal chimney, the rain started and it proved that it was going to continue for the next 45 minutes to an hour.
This is where we come to my question-how far would you go to satisfy a craving? Migrating saw me standing outside with an umbrella protecting, not myself, but the charcoal chimney so that the charcoal would actually catch fire. After babysitting the charcoal chimney in the rain for more than a half an hour I had what I considered good enough coals to start the steak. Now while I cannot simulate the cheesy mash I have provided our mozzarella sticks and a biscuit in lieu of the other sides. I write this as I wait for the steaks to finish cooking, they are taking longer than expected due to the dampness on even the hot coals.
I can only hope that my dedication to satisfy the craving will meet with success. I don't know why I felt the need to share this with you all, perhaps because I thought myself ridiculous and thought you would all enjoy the laugh.
Here's hoping that you meet with success to satisfy whatever craving you have.
FYI . .the steak turned out fabulous and the craving was satisfied. Later on this evening I heard a terrible downpour of rain for a good half hour and was glad that we had eaten earlier.
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