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Tay’s UK AdventureTay’s UK Adventure
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Tay’s UK Adventure

May - June 2019
Time for some fun before BEAST! Read more
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  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    Day 4

    Burghley House, another little gem

    May 25, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    So, another gem found in the English countryside! The home of the Marquise of Exeter was definitely worth the visit. We got there right as it opened, no sleeping in today (except it opened at 11 am which was perfect for this group!). It took us a little bit to get our bearings and to make sure we were going the right way. You’d think everything was in a different language as often as we all look at each other with - “do you know what to do” look! The grounds around the house were slowly filling up but for the most part, it was a perfect visit. The house itself was built by Elizabeth the first’s finance minister. He never really lived at the house, but the rooms in how they went from Elizabethan to Victorian era decorations was very cool. Taylor really liked the bell room, she felt that she could get through all her Netflix shows if she could get the boys to listen and fulfill their supposed duties! Like Blenheim, the current Marquise still lives here in the lower private rooms, but all the main floor estate rooms are open to view. There were so many cool stories, like the fact that it has one of the best maintained Japanese/Chinese porcelain collection in the western world - the funny thing is that most of the pieces were hidden behind sealed up walls or being used as doorstops. There is also a massive collection of 1600 and 1700’s paintings - why? Well, first, they had the money to buy them, duh! But even better is that when the Marquise got into massive debt in the 1800’s, he had to sell a lot of his assets. Funny thing is that most of the older paintings were out of style and no one would buy them so he sold all the 1800’s paintings. A simple thing like that has left the estate with a crazy collection by today’s standards! Another funny story is that it was the 9th Marquise I think, that was won gold at the 1928 Olympics and was featured in Chariots of Fire (A whole new reason to go back and watch now Doc! Saw his medal and his shoes!). Finally, hearing stories from the guides about how one of the daughters during Queen Victoria joked about how her and Albert never came to breakfast and very rarely made it out of bed!!! Good ole Victoria! It’s good to be the Queen!

    This is another great place to stop, and mom, you’d be so proud, after paying for 4 entrances to Blenheim, I found a coupon that allowed for us to get a buy 1 get 1 at Burghley and Castle Howard, our destination tomorrow. Woohoo, it’s the small victories!    Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    Day 4

    Taking time to enjoy the gardens

    May 25, 2019 in England ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    After our house tour, we weren’t really in a rush to get to York (a 2 hour drive), so we decided to tour the grounds. Our time at Blenheim touring the grounds was only because Denise and I got lost, so this time, map in hand, we headed to the gardens. It was another beautiful day and the whole community was out enjoying the gardens and the surrounding park. You can see from the pictures the surprise garden where the Marquise hid pipes to surprise his guests with spouting water. Great fun! We ended our visit with some really good ice cream (Tay’s vanilla, yes, the vanilla, won the day! Brandon, I’m sorry you didn’t get to taste it, YUM!) a coke and a lazy walk back to the car. Not a bad way to start the day, waking up at 9, having a great breakfast, visiting a manor house for 3 hours and ending with some ice cream. Hard to go wrong from here!Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    Day 4

    Hotel at York

    May 25, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Took the scenic route to York and it took a little over two hours. A very cool drive with some beautiful views and cute towns. Of course, we chose this route as Taylor loves to take the scenic routes. Well, three of the four of us enjoyed the drive - one of us snored the whole way up, well after she started the Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack. Once to York, we found our hotel, about a mile and half from the city center, just outside the walls (thank goodness, really don’t want to drive through there!). We were somewhat surprised how busy it seemed and after pointing out a very full Horse racing stand, to which KK told me I was lying, our hotel turned out to be right behind it. Needless to say, after parking the car and walking out the back of the hotel, I was able to get my photographic proof to take up to the room! 😝 As I was headed back up, Denise came down as she was worried something had happened (this won’t be the first time she comes looking for me today!). After showing her the racecourse, we tried to take a short cut back up to the hotel - where we preceded to photobomb a wedding in process, walking up through the trees and right into the vows! Ooops! Pretty sure we heard a couple of “Bloody Americans” as we ran away giggling like Brandon after telling a Yo Momma Joke! I think it’s time to get a move on and get into York proper (we’ve all been waiting to use the word proper, not sure why, but it seems like the English thing to say!).Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    Day 4

    York!

    May 25, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    What a great day in York. As we headed on our mile and a half walk into the city, it started to mist a little bit, but it was all manageable. Hopefully it will stay that way tomorrow. It took us about 20 to 30 minutes to get into town - there is always a historical marker waiting to be read and one of us continues to slow down the group when they stop to read every one - UGH! Then there is KK, whose audio tours must work on 1.5 times speed or maybe mine works on 0.5 speed, but I can’t ever keep up with that girl! We wandered the shambles and checked out the pub looking for the perfect meal and pint. Oh, forgot, our first stop was actually at a Boots, I needed to pick up a curling iron and hair dryer that works on 240 volt electricity. I just haven’t been able to get my hair to sit right and just can’t take another day without drying and curling my hair!!! Once that was done, we stopped at a new hopping pizza and beer hall just off the Shambles market. The place just didn’t sit right with Denise, we really needed a pub, a real pub, one that serves spotted dick and faggot peas. KK and Tay were determined to sit down and enjoy a real pub meal! Well, we stayed away from the menu the girls wanted but found a traditional pub, the Olde White Swan. Famous for the meat pies - which I don’t think I have ever had - it was well worth the wait. We found a table outside under a canopy and waited and waited and waited.... Once again, we were all staring at each other, wondering if anyone knew what to do, and once again, Denise took the matter in hand. Apparently, you sit at your table with a number, Order at the bar and then wait for your food, so thankfully, we all were finally served! Thanks Denise! Once again, keeping me alive! We had a great time at dinner, daring Taylor to do stupid things - hint, don’t dare a future West Point Cadet to do something, they will!. KK decided to break the seal and have a cider while Denise and I enjoyed our Guinness. It was nice having a drink with your daughter Kathy! You’d be surprised what we found out!!! JK, she couldn’t get a word in edge wise while Taylor and I bantered back and forth. 😁. We had a lot of fun and kept all the other American’s in line since they couldn’t figure out how to order either. Once again, thanks Denise! Looking forward to tomorrow, but not the walk back. KK says we’ve got about 6 miles under our belt already. Taylor’s boots are definitely going to be broken in!Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    1
    Day 4

    York night life for old people!

    May 25, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    What a great ending to a fun day in York. We didn’t get to do any tours in York as we didn’t get into town today in time. Almost all the tours of the historical buildings close by 5 or 6 at the latest. We will have to hit those early tomorrow before we head out to Castle Howard and then over to Keswick in the Lake District. So, we decided to end the day on a ghost bus tour of York. It was a little campy, but a lot of fun and somewhat informative. Of course the most exciting part of the tour was probably when it tried to leave without me! Channeling my “little” Black bladder, I took off for the nearby train station Wash Closet. Denise and Taylor headed for the ladies as we only had 5 minutes before the bus left. Well, wouldn’t you know that the men’s room was closed, like boarded up closed! As I squirmed my way back to the bus, I realized my water proof pants were going to fill up like a balloon if I got on that bus without hitting the head. So, figuring the train station had to have an open men’s room, I went on a search. As I finally found one across all the tracks on the other side of the station, I turned on my phone figuring I’d be sending the girls on without me and I’d just see them back at the hotel. I should have known better! My lovely wife, threatening the guide, had secured me an extra 5 minutes and as I passed by the old closed bathrooms, there was my wife running and yelling, run, run! I almost became my own ghost tonight, but was saved as I so often am by my loving lady! The other time she saved me on this trip was when she paid the dinner bill - glad I don’t have to see those things! Thank you sweetie!Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    Day 5

    Castle Howard (Ghost Writer)

    May 26, 2019 in England ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Before we hit the Lake District and the beautiful scenery it was time for one more castle, Castle Howard. Since everyone is basically related over here, well at least the royals, it’s not a surprise that the 4th Duke of Norfolk’s blood line from Arundel runs into Castle Howard. This location was a little different, they didn’t have the audio guides that we’ve become accustomed to that gives you so much detail and history, but that doesn’t mean the castle and grounds were any less impressive. Built in the early 1700’s, Castle Howard was thought of as a country house- eye roll- a big country house and was known for the unique central dome above the grand hall. The house has been in the same family for over 300 years, but has been a boys boarding school, a girls boarding school, a war hospital as well as a family residence. In 1940, while a boarding school, a huge fire gutted more than half of the castle. The dome in the main hall crashed to the floor and was almost not replaced. Some 20 yrs later, the dome was rebuilt and the inside rooms devastated by the fire were partially furnished and used in a TV show and a movie, called Brideshead and Brideshead Revisted. We didn’t have a chance to peruse the gardens or grounds as much as Burghley House, but having a chance to tour another magnificent home was well worth the detour from York to fit it in. Check off 6 castles, palaces, or country manors in 4 days! On to the Scottish castles next!Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    2
    Day 5

    Monk Bar and York Minster

    May 26, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Well, I had hoped my ghost writer would carry through more than a single post but beggars can’t be choosers! (you’ll have to guess who if you can by the writing - except I haven’t read it yet, so maybe she tells you, maybe she doesn’t). Anyway, driving back into York was a bit busy, but my driving skills are steadily improving (and will be put to the test later in the day!!!). We had to make a couple of detours and even pulled a “look kids, Big Ben, Parliament moment” but unlike Chevy, I managed to get out the other side and on to our chosen parking lot. Surprisingly, spots were available and after paying for an hour - dumb machine wouldn’t let us add time - we hiked off into the city through Monk Bar and to the Minster. Very cool place, where outside, I was asked to take a picture for a British family. Being the cheeky American I am, of course I obliged! After taking the picture, the gent noticed my hat that said soccer and asked if I played. I responded I did a “long long time ago in a galaxy far far away” and his family told me their daughter was on a full scholarship in the states playing for a small school in Missouri! It’s such a small world. I mentioned that Taylor was also going to play in school and we had a nice conversation even though they had trouble with our funny “accent”. Unfortunately, while we went in the Minster and were able to look down the length, due to having to run back and add time to the car, we skipped doing the tour as we didn’t think we’d have time. In the end, we decided to head out and find the Jorvik Viking center, so while I left the girls in KK’s capable hands, I ran back to the car to add time and get us through the rest of the day. Yay Marty!Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    Day 5

    Jorvick Viking Experience

    May 26, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We enjoyed the town again as we walked through from the minster to the Jorvick Viking experience... surprising enough their were three different Viking characters named Rodney!!! Ok, just kidding, but the staff was great in period pieces. It was Avery neat exhibit with Tay finally getting her ride and getting to see part of the excavated city under a plexiglass floor. We also saw a ton of Viking paraphernalia including swords, jewelry, skeletons (with a breakdown of what their bones said about them) and even some petrified human poop! KK wast entirely convinced that it was human as she was pretty sure it would split a person in half, but the scientists were pretty sure! We came out after the tour to some beautiful sunshine and a cool breeze. From there Denise was itching for something to chew on as we started a trek to Keswick in the Lake District. She was determined we wouldn’t do the “skip lunch as we’ll get to the next place shortly” routine I had pulled after Windsor. We stopped at a Tesco Express, a NCR customer I might add, and got some sandwiches, chips and soda for the road. Fifteen minutes later, we were off, Keswick here we come!Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    Day 5

    From York to Keswick; rain, sun and fear

    May 26, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    So, trying to get these blogs in before it’s to late, and already a little behind. Fortunately Sleeping Beauty or GI Snooze as I like to call her wont be banging on our door in the morning! For this section though, the pictures tell you all you need to know, and the video is kind of the cherry on top! We are all a little scared to drive out of here tomorrow!Read more

  • TravelerTay’s UK Adventure
    Day 5

    Almost forgot this bit of fun!

    May 26, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Yeah, apparently Taylor is somewhat like her cats that she loves. There is something in her biological clock telling her that napping for 2/3rds of the day is what her body needs! She did get a page or two written in her journal, though KK told me it was just the word Hemsworth written over and over again, explains the drool on her shirt. The good news is that I don’t think she’ll have this problem in a month! I will give the girl credit, she said she can sleep anywhere and I’m starting to believe her!Read more

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