Tag Archives: rain

Thursday, June 11

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Sleep was much better … whew! I’m still coughing a bit (and seem to have pulled something from that wonderful hacking), but at least I slept lots more. I’m grateful!

I woke up before Dan, so I did things I do each morning (I haven’t mentioned that I do check Quicken every day just to see how horribly high our credit card bill will be. Thankfully I did plan for that, but it still makes me gasp a bit. The UK isn’t at all like Spain or Portugal — it’s quite a bit more costly.). Once Dan woke I could make myself a cup of coffee.

This is our last full day here and then we move on. As the trip winds down I think our energy is winding down as well. This seems to happen on any trip, no matter the length, although usually it’s about three or four days before our flight home. Maybe my cold isn’t helping, but honestly I think it’s more of a psychological thing.

A little side note about our room: this is the first place we’ve been where the thermostat seems to actually work. Up until now we’ve always had to open windows at night because, despite the cold and rain, our rooms were too warm for sleep. It’s a very new hotel (which is also probably why it was much more affordable). This is news you can use. Well … if you ever come to Liverpool, that is. We are staying at The Resident Liverpool.

Since we were in no hurry to go out in the pouring rain I took a laundry shower. We then prepared to head out.

Except.

I had forgotten to turn the switch on to charge my phone. Oops. Each outlet has a switch so the outlet is only on if you flip the switch. Before we headed out yesterday I switched them all off, attempting to be a good citizen and all. Heh. Kind of backfired on me. So never mind getting out quite yet. (But really, the rain … it’s not all that encouraging for an excursion in any case.)

Okay … a 70% charge will do, so off we went. At around 11:30 we went to the main drag where restaurants can be found since brunch seemed like a good idea (hooray … a two meal day!). We went into a spot that looked nice and we both ordered our coffees and the “croissant royale” plate (like eggs royale but using a croissant and I believe there was added smashed avocado. It was yummy. No, I couldn’t finish. Yes, I forgot to take a photo, but at least I took one of the restaurant.

Then it was time to go to see St. Luke’s Church. In 1941, due to incendiary bombs, it was pretty much destroyed, but the stone walls remained. They’ve fixed some things up (for safety) and it is now, believe it or not, used for music festivals and weddings sometimes. Certainly not today, though: the rain was coming down. It is moving to see things like this since we in America are usually so removed from the effects of war.

The last photo might remind some of the opera “Silent Night”, when the killing was halted and the men played a game on, I believe, Christmas Eve. I still scratch my head over all that was going on and then a game, only to be followed by more killing.

Then we walked to the Liverpool Cathedral. The cornerstone was laid in 1904 and finished in 1978. Obviously a much newer structure. It’s huge — the largest cathedral in Britain. We wandered for a good amount of time, and there were moments when a volunteer came up to chat. And chat. They seem to be drawn to Dan! I believe the last person to talk to us was actually an Anglican priest (are they called priests?). Everyone there clearly is quite friendly. And yes, one of the photos below shows the floor having been lifted — similar to our pit going up and down), so they could pull some folding tables out. Prior to them doing that I had no idea that that section of the floor would rise.

At that point we thought we’d head back to the hotel: Dan could transfer some photos from camera to iPad, and I could do some of this blog. The weather just seemed to encourage us to take it easy — but of course photos were taken on the way.

Reaching our hotel we went to our room. My eyes were tired so I figured maybe a rest was in order. It helped that Dan encouraged me. As he said, I had been dealing with this bug. So yes, I took a little nap.

The rain had stopped, so we thought to head out on a bit of a walk before the hotel drinks hour and dinner, so off we went. First we went toward the train station to see if the walk was doable. (Better to walk that have a grumpy taxi driver, after all!) The train station was, in fact, quite easy to reach (.4 miles with no stairs) and I realized we actually should have walked to our hotel when we arrived. I think I was mixing this place up with somewhere else when I thought we needed a taxi. After getting to the station we walked through a park that was full of memorials from various wars.

So much killing. Sigh. When will we ever learn …?

Back to our hotel we went, to enjoy our little happy hour bit. Again prosecco for me and white wine for Dan, and crisps for both of us. Hard to turn down the free stuff, after all!

We had decided to eat at St. Peter’s Tavern. It was formerly a church (St. Peter’s … duh!) but had been a variety of things since that closed down. Now it’s most recently a tavern and I must admit it’s rather odd to see a church turned into a tavern. As we sat there having our chicken pot pies (nice and small … perfect for me!) and beers we also could watch the tv. On it were commentators who were talking about FIFA. Not that the sound was on, but you could tell they were in New York and it was obvious that’s what they were talking about. It was funny to think that we were sitting in a place in Liverpool, watching men in New York talking about the games, and then the opening ceremonies in Mexico began. Our world is so small in some ways.

We went back to the hotel, but before getting into the elevator I took a video of something that is continually playing right across from the elevator doors. I hope to get another with someone swimming tomorrow if possible. It must be a very long video (an art project, I’m sure).

Back in our room I made myself some lemon ginger tea. I think it’s helpful for my cough. I also pulled out the remainder of my cookie stash that I’d taken from other hotels we’ve stayed in and I shared with Dan. Because I’m such a giver that way. He very graciously accepted some. He’s such a taker that way. HAH!

We don’t have to pack tonight, as we have a later checkout time tomorrow: I had become a member of this hotel chain and that allows for 1 more hour here. I highly recommend readers to always check to see if the free membership gives you that perk.

I’ve enjoyed Liverpool, but I’m not sure I’d feel a need to return. I suspect if I were a true Beatles fan I’d have visited all the places the die-hard fans visit, but while I enjoy the Beatles they aren’t the end-all for me, and we didn’t even attempt to visit the first place they played or do the Beatles tour. Just not our cuppa, I guess.

So far, in fact, Dan and I both agreed that the Scottish highlands would call to us more than any other place. We’ve loved visiting all the villages and cities, but the highlands are awfully special. The other highlight of the trip was being with Greg and Jan. I would happily do another walk with them if they were ever up for it!

Now I’d better post this entry before I ramble on and on.

And on.

G’night!

11,200 steps, 4.37 miles, 2 flights climbed

Saturday, June 6

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After a bit of a restless night (my watch’s sleep report was disappointed in me although it was being gentle) I woke and told Dan I would do a pj laundry shower. Laundry showers are such fun. Or maybe not. But hey, pjs and I are now clean machines.

Side Note: Ah bathrooms! Ours have run the gamut. Large and small. Old and fairly new. And, on this trip, toilets that are rather persnickety. Seems like we have to baby them. I have several suggestions for places we’ve stayed: fix those toilets! Install a motion detector nightlight in the bathroom. And please please nix those silly little trashcans that you have to open with your foot. They are annoying. That, that is all. I’m sure things will all be fixed on our next trip.

But Side Note #2: Dan and I both travel with motion detector nightlights so we place them in spots to light our way and light the bathroom when necessary.

After starting this blog entry, annoying you with my Side Notes, showering, and dressing, it was time for breakfast so downstairs we went. For once we went lighter — poached eggs on toast. Done.

Looking at the weather it appeared we’d get rain. And then no rain. And rain again. We’ve learned, though, not to trust our apps. It would be what it would be and perhaps the rain jacket was a wise choice for the day. Or umbrella. Or both. Plus a rain hat. Or would I wing it and just deal? (I really dislike having to wear the rain jacket if it doesn’t rain.)

Final decision: rain jacket, rain hat, umbrella, plus daypack so I could protect my camera should it rain hard.

Down the hill we went. Again. The middle photo below is of a monkey puzzle tree. I’m not a huge fan of them except that they are just so crazy looking. Not great for shade, though. (Not that we needed any shade today.)

We made it to the meeting spot for the Bath tour just in time. I turned around to take a photo of what I call “Tortilla Jones” because sometimes my sense of humor is just goofy like that.

A large group had congregated, and one of the eight tour guides divided us up. We then went with our guide to the front of the Abbey Cathedral.

He explained that the doors were closed and there would be no entry until the afternoon because of a procession. That procession usually included the mayor, but he had had to resign because of something he reposted (when will people learn to check to see if something is true — and if it’s wise to post even if it is?). We had expected it to begin a bit later than it did, so we were right in front when they started. I took a video but please do excuse the bad filming: my hat blew off at one point! You might not want to watch the whole thing as it is over two minutes. (I hope it will even load due to the length!)

From there we did a good amount of walking and I did take photos while I’ll post below, but much of the time we were being rained upon. My hat was on, but then the umbrella came out as well. It never really did stop. Some of what we saw with the guide were at spots Dan and I saw earlier, but the information our guides (there was on in training who led part of the tour) was fun to hear. Not that I’ll remember much, but I will try.

We ended in front of an indoor market. I was thrilled to think we’d get out of the rain and maybe Dan and I would catch a bite inside. Well, it wasn’t quite the kind of market we’d expected. There was one place where small appliances were sold. Inside that area it looked like a hardware store. Some places sold Knick knacks or clothes. There were a few food booths, but nothing appealing and all the seats were full.

We walked a bit more and found a place to get some very healthy looking salads. Unusual for us, I know.

(Doesn’t Dan look serious about his salad?) Funny thing: the food there could be take away or sit down. We said we wanted sit down. They brought us our salads in the cardboard box but set inside a bowl. It didn’t occur to either of us to empty the salad into the bowl, where it would have been easier to eat! I only realized that’s what we should have done when I looked at the tables on either side of us. Sometimes we are just slow!

Outside again, and the rain kept coming. Our tour guide had told us about a free museum so we opted to go in there for a bit. It was nothing thrilling, but it was out of the rain.

Oh … but it also had bathrooms (really “toilets” as they are called here), and inside the women’s was some more art! I looked at the two pipes in a corner and then looked down. Cracked me up!

We left the museum and thought maybe we needed coffee. Not because we needed coffee, really, but because it was still raining.

As we walked there was a huge crowd of mostly men going the opposite direction, some of whom were quite noisy and, I’m guessing, a wee bit intoxicated. All we could think, considering how many there were, was that some sort of game had ended. Who knows, though. In any case, we walked until we finally ended up at the same place we had coffee yesterday. The biggest requirements were indoors and empty seats we could fill. As my sister-in-law Ruth Ann wrote, Dan looks rather dapper … don’t you agree? (He took this selfie. All credit to him.)

While we had our coffee and contemplated walking more in the rain I thought to check the map, plugging in our B&B. We are in a more residential area, so I had assumed there would be no eating establishments nearby, but I was happy to see I was wrong. About ten minutes away is a place called The Moorfield, and they had a reservation opening for 5:45. I grabbed it. The thought of eating down the hill and then, after said eating, walking up with a full stomach in, most likely, rain and wind, didn’t seem appealing to either of us. Besides, with all the rain we had so far enjoyed (hah!) we were just a bit weary.

So we agreed we’d head back to our room. When we arrived and started up the stairs a man greeted us and said something about us having had it with the weather as well. I guess he and his wife gave up and also returned.

In our room Dan did whatever Dan does on his iPad and I did more of this blog. Suddenly the wind got super crazy. How glad I was to be in our room!

Oh … and I’ve not reported on our colds. So far mine is so minor I don’t know that I can call it a cold. I’m hoping it stays that way.

We both ended up snoozing a little bit, but then it was time to head to the restaurant I had found. Of course it was raining again!

It was also a bit longer of a walk than I expected, but we finally arrived at The Moorfields and in we went. It’s not in a busy section of town, and I think it’s more of a neighborhood place, which I enjoy. Next to us were people with a tiny baby, I saw another young one as well, and in another room there was a family.

We ordered poblano peppers to share, and then Dan had a burger and I had chicken. Prices were quite reasonable, and my dinner was tasty. Obviously no desert was necessary!

Now about Dan and napkins. For some reason they fly off his lap nearly every time! I think I need to document this from now on.

After Dan paid the check we walked back a slightly different way. It seemed faster, but that might be because, miracle of miracles, the rain had stopped!

Now we are back in our room, and I’m having chamomile tea. I won’t tell you we had Kit Kat bars (which the B&B provide) because I know you would think less of us if you knew we indulged.

Tomorrow is moving day. Again. As always I’m pretty much packed, as long as the weather doesn’t cause me to change my mind. I’ll just have to add pjs and the toothbrushes to my suitcase, and put my iPad in my daypack and I’m ready to hit the road. Will we hike down the hill with our roller bags? We hope to. That, too, will depend upon the weather.

About our trains: for the first time it’s a three train day, each from a different company. First it’s Great Western Railroad (GWR), then Transport for Wales Rail (TFW — and no, we aren’t landing in Wales), and finally Cross Country (XC). All are fairly short rides, but it was how I had to put it all together to get to our next destination.

It’s too early to hit the hay, but still I will say goodnight.

13,382 steps, 5.31 miles, 12 flights climbed

Friday, June 5

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When we woke both Dan and I mentioned we might be coming down with a cold. Nothing horrible (so far), but I could feel an itch in my throat. We’ll see what we end up with. Since Greg has had something we weren’t at all surprised.

Once again we enjoyed a nice breakfast at our B&B. (When we get back home I am going to have to retrain myself and skip breakfasts, aside from my cappucinno!)

It began to rain, so we sat in our room for a time, waiting for it to die down. It also meant I could charge everything all the way.

Side note:

I’d been waiting for my iPhone to go down below 80% battery capacity. I had hoped it would get there before the trip because I can get the battery replaced for free since I have AppleCare (okay, okay, I pay for that so it’s really not free). Alas, it went to 79% during the trip. I can’t do anything here, as the replacement has to be in the states. Because of this my battery runs out quicker than I’d like, so I have to use my little battery pack to charge it. I mean, this is like a major world disaster. Or maybe not. Funny how we lived without these devices for the majority of our lives (those of us of a certain age, that is). When I came to the UK with a youth orchestra in 1974 I didn’t communicate with anyone other than those I was traveling with. My parents? Well, they got a postcard or two I think (maybe). And if I did send them I’m not even sure those arrived before I got back home!

Side note over ‘n out.

When the rain lightened up we left our B&B, although I did get distracted by the flowers right down the stairs.

Down the hill we went, and into the center of Bath (or at least I think it’s the center), where just a few stands were set up so I took a photo of the fruit and veg one. Then we headed toward the Cathedral.

Before entering the Cathedral we saw the free Bath tours that are given Sunday to Friday at 10:30 and 2:00 (Saturdays are only 10:30.) Unfortunately we had other things that conflicted today, but we are hoping to get back there tomorrow as we’ve been told the tour is quite good. Interestingly, the tour guides are not allowed to accept tips. That’s pretty rare!

Then into the Abbey Cathedral we went. I think I’ll just let the photos speak for themselves.

The organist was practicing while we were there.

And I also did a walk-around video.

We left there and went to find a not-lunch bite, passing by a bookstore and park on our way. Coffee and croissants were enjoyed. (Not needed, mind you, but still ….)

We were meeting Jan and Greg at the Roman Baths, so we headed that way. I have to say that I was skeptical about the place, but it really is rather astounding to hear about it and see what they did so very long ago. Again, I’ll just post photos and not go into the whole thing, primarily because I’m not only lazy but also forgetful so my facts would be off, I’m sure.

Oh … and one video:

My understanding was that somewhere during their baths I he Romans would enjoy a glass of wine. In order to be at least a little close to that we headed to the smallest pub in Bath for a pint. It was only right to do so.

Greg and Jan then took their leave for a time, and Dan and I walked a bit, mostly looking for a dinner spot for the four of us. Dan and I did laugh a bit at the lingerie store called “Bravissimo”. (Get it?)

Dinner was at an Italian restaurant and I didn’t take even one shot but you can see it on the far right in the photo right above this. I mean … it was pasta. Pasta is pasta. Use your imaginations if you wish.

After that we had to say our goodbyes. Jan and Greg leave tomorrow morning. Despite their colds (SO sorry for you both) it was wonderful to see them. I know they must be disappointed as they had to change plans and all, but I’m still so very glad we got together. (Get well, you two!) I will miss them greatly.

From there we went back to our B&B where I enjoyed some chamomile tea and Dan did shower laundry.

Tomorrow is our final full day in this area. We’ll see what we opt to do. Stay tuned!

Nighty-night!

11,079 steps, 4.33 miles, 7 flights climbed

Thursday, June 4

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We woke up (very slowly!) to the sound of wind. Dan had mentioned yesterday that he’d read it would be windy today — I think he said even windier than yesterday, and it was windy as we walked. Windy enough I had to take off my hat so it wouldn’t blow off.

We lazed around in the room since we had the later breakfast time. Eventually we headed down to the breakfast room and had a lovely breakfast. But first, Dan demonstrated how my iPhone could make me look absolutely stunning. I mean … really!!

Well, okay, maybe not stunning, but it makes me look a bit like a camel, I think.

Seriously, though, the reason he demonstrated this is because the other day I took a photo at our table of Jan, Greg, and Dan, and couldn’t post it because things were distorted. I think the three might frown upon me if I did put it up. So now I know what I did. (Which means everyone better be very nice to me or I’ll share a photo of THEM like the one above!) Oh … and yes, I have no pride at this point.

But back to breakfast …

As we ate it poured outside. Really poured. We would have to figure out what to do with our day if the weather remained that way. Meanwhile, though, I could start this blog and then have a “laundry shower”. Dan was journaling and then he, too, did a laundry shower. Clothes and bodies cleaned. Hooray!

This time I opted to wash a pair of my Woolx pants (Emerson pants which are quite fitting). Yesterday when I put them on I noticed that they were just plain dusty. I didn’t wear them on our walk, but we must have been in dusty areas at some point because if I pulled at the fabric and let it snap back there was a good amount of dust. Not good. (I guess I could have used a vacuum cleaner on them!) I’ll be curious to see how fast they dry. (For those who wonder how I do this on trips: I wash them in the shower using the liquid soap provided, ring them out — a bit of a no-no but whatever. Then I set out a large towel, stretch the pants out on it, wrap the sides over, and roll. I put them on the floor and “knee” them for a bit. Then out of the towel they go, and I lay them over my closed suitcase to dry. Please have number 2 pencils ready as there will be a pop quiz sometime later on our trip.)

I puzzled over what to bring when we finally were to go out. There’s always the question of rain jackets or umbrellas? If it’s too windy the rain jacket wins. Yesterday when we headed out we opted for the umbrellas and, indeed, it was too windy for those. For today I was waiting on Dan to see what option he’d choose and then I’d do the opposite.

No. I’m lying: I usually follow his advice. Emphasis on usually. While waiting for Dan I keep looking longingly at my wool shacket: I love that thing and it was so wonderful for Scotland and Ireland. The only problem is the rain. If I wear that and get wet I sort of smell like the sheep. That’s a baaaaad thing.

Enough. Comedy routine over ‘n out.

Believe it or not, we didn’t get out of our room until after noon. Some days, though, are best spent that relaxed, I think, when out on a slightly over six week trip.

Down the hill we went. Well, first we went down the B&B stairs outside, as you can see from the photo below.

The first destination I’d plugged in was Green Street. Don’t ask me why because I’ve forgotten! I put together a list from various sites I’d found, and Green Street was on that list. Unfortunately I didn’t think to say why I’d written things down. (Some, thankfully, were obvious.) While walking down the short street I saw a store with shoes I liked (men’s shoes, that is) and while looking the shopkeeper came out. He said if I liked those shoes I should go across the way and up some stairs and a woman there made shoes for women I might like. I knew I shouldn’t bother: no way could I afford them!

We continued our walk and, lo and behold, we saw Jan and Greg’s hotel. We weren’t planning on meeting up yet, so we walked by, but I did take a photo. Just because. Then we continued on to our next stop, the Jane Austen Centre. There were costumed people at the door and inside and, honestly, it just didn’t look like our cuppa. Perhaps I’ll regret not going in, but how will I know …?

More walking, and to another destination I’d plugged in: The Landrace Bakery. Well, bakery + us means we had to go in. Tasty little non-lunch!

For some reason Google Maps was losing my plan and I’d have to keep adding things back in so Dan took over. We were looking for the Georgian houses that were curved. We walked via HIS map and I shot photos along the way. There’s so much to see here!

Finally we hit what I thought we were looking for.

But Dan said that wasn’t it. He remembered it was not a full circle, as this place was (with breaks for streets), but just a crescent. So on we went.

And then we (he) found it! Funny thing is that now, as I write this, I’m looking back at my Google Maps entries and, sure enough, No. 1 Royal Crescent was on it. Until it disappeared.

From there we walked to the Royal Victoria Park. We sent a quick pic to Jan and Greg, saying Dan was still looking for a Beech tree as he stood beneath one, since we’d teased him about missing the huge one we passed on our Cotswold walk.

We walked through the botanical garden and I enjoyed the flora both there and on our walk toward Greg and Jan’s.

As we walked we saw a small entryway, behind one of the Georgian houses, for a Georgian garden so we entered that. There wasn’t a lot to see, but I loved seeing the Nigella damascena. Underneath was an identification for an aster and I wonder how many people will now see Nigella and call it an aster!

From there we went on a search for a dinner spot. We did walk a bit and came up with a few choices that we would pass by Jan and Greg. While walking I happened upon this store and thought of a particular son of mine!

We went to meet up with our dinner pals at their hotel, and then we walked to “The Oldest Pub In Bath.” Greg and I were duck buddies, Jan had a falafel burger, and Dan had fish and chips (which he said were the best he’s had on the trip).

We said our goodnights and Dan and I started our walk back. I had to take a photo at what I think was a studio for a show we watch that took place in Bath. Then over the river and up the hill we went, where I took just a few shots of homes.

Tomorrow we see more of Bath. Tonight we sleep.

‘night!

17,219 steps, 6.81 miles, 10 flights climbed

Tuesday, June 2 — Walk, Day Seven

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I woke several times last night and heard rain. Rain at night is allowed, although not appreciated greatly since we might end up walking through mud. Perhaps, though, we’ll avoid a lot of rain today which is not what the forecast had suggested earlier on.

Looking out one window I could see sheep in the distance, but that wasn’t any surprise since I could hear them.


Speaking of hearing, I forgot to mention a funny one from yesterday. As we were nearing the village we were going down a gentle slope. To my right was a bit of meadow and what looked like a forest. To my left was a wall of shrubs. I heard loud baa-ing. On my left. I looked and looked. No sheep! Jan must have figured out what was going on and I heard her (she was behind me) say, “They’re to your left.” DUH. I have to hearing in my left ear and hearing them in my right ear didn’t mean they had to be my right! But the most interesting bit is a bit later, as we were still on the path but there was a road to our left I heard motorcycles. Now where do you think I looked? To my left, of course! I even thought I heard them on my left. Because motorcycles couldn’t possibly be to my right. The brain knows!

Now back to today.

You might be shocked and amazed that we packed and lugged our bags down two flights of stairs. Great fun was had. Then it was time for breakfast.

We all enjoyed nice breakfasts, getting more food than we of course needed. But isn’t that what happens on vacations? Seems so. The photo below shows Dan. Most likely he’s meditating over a cup of coffee. You also see my slice of toast and I’ll just pretend that’s all I ate.

Then it was a quick trip back up to our rooms, with a quick shot up a lovely staircase (that we didn’t take), and we met up again to start our walk.

The walk began easily, as we said goodbye to Chipping Campden and got on to our route..

We soon left the road and marched on. Or ambled. You choose. Some of the sheep yesterday and today look rather naked, as they’d been shorn.

Above Chipping Campden is Broad Campden. The Quaker meeting house you can see in one photo has been used in the Father Brown series.

We were told to turn left at the Bakers Arms pub. At that point Jan and I were walking together. We saw one path but it was before the pub so we walked past to the next left and went there. Well, my phone was NOT at all happy with me and let me know. Oops. We were supposed to take the other left. So back we went.

We saw we were again on The Monarch’s Way. When I first saw a sign for The Monarch’s Way I thought they were talking about butterflies. Yes. Really. But never mind.

We continued our walk through lovely areas, through sheep areas (we have to do some “poop dodging” in those) and more. The clouds did look ominous at times. (But I think the gifts the sheep leave are more ominous!)

I sort of got off track one other time: we are the red line. We are supposed to follow the blue. I really just think we are more creative is all. (I suspect you have to click on this image to really understand what I’m writing about!)

More walking, more beautiful views, more fun with Jan! Oh, and more grain.’

Then we reached the village of Blockley.

Don’t know the place? Well, you might know it as Kembleford. As in Father Brown. We arrived there, not remembering the Father Brown bit. We went to a little store to buy some lunch and as we exited the store the rain came down. Right next door was a cafe and Jan and I went in to order cappuccinos and I asked if we could eat our sandwiches there. The young woman said normally no, but their oven wasn’t working (or something like that) and if we were discreet they’d allow it. So we very discreetly ate the sandwich (we shared because we are learning that we often could just share things rather than eat too much) and drank our coffee. Later Dan arrived and had an espresso and cake, so I wasn’t feeling quite so bad about our eating our sandwich. When we left the cafe we had a look at the church used in Father Brown. Because Jan and I put on our rain jackets the rain stopped.

Then on we went, past Blockley, through meadows, past cows, down paths and trees, through some rather narrow spots, and we did have another climb. (We had one earlier in the day but nothing like yesterday.) It’s nearly impossible to really show you how high we’d climbed, but if you can see a village below us in some of these photos, that’s Blockley again and we are high above it!

Now I must say there were many moments we had to concentrate very hard on where we stepped, in order to dodge things that must be dodged. We also had to be cautious about sting weed and the thorns on various plants. But we soldiered on bravely. (At one point, though, I did have Jan grab the poles from my pack and we each took one … it was so helpful to have both to help us climb and to assist in pushing back prickly plants.)

I can’t remember exactly when the rain began, but it rained. And it was somewhat significant. We stood under some trees for a time. Earlier we had heard thunder and wondered if we’d get dumped on. After a while someone who is impatient (me) decided to go on while Mr. Patience (Dan) waited a bit more. Jan was with me and, really, I think we were right to go on. But Dan later mentioned perhaps with the possibility of lightning we might have been smart to wait. But hey, I’m here, right?

The sheep here are much bolder than the shy Scotland sheep we saw. We even seemed to have welcoming committees sometimes.

The walk continues. The dodging continued as well.

And THEN … the worst of all. Mud. Mucky mud. By the time we got through the field of mud my shoes were caked and so much heavier. I’m hoping that means I get extra points: it’s like weight lifting, really. Jan took a photo of my lovely shoes. (I attempted to pull my pants legs up a bit so we could really see the damage. Honestly, though, it was worse than these photos show, I think!)

From there we were very close to our final (can you hear me sighing and even crying a bit?) destination of the walk.

Hello again, Moreton-in-Marsh!

We are back in the hotel we stayed in when we arrived here, but no deluxe room this time.

Shortly after getting in our room we met up with Greg and Jan for a celebratory drink. I took photos as we went down the stairs. The many, many stairs. But that really doesn’t do them justice! (I think I counted 28 steps up, and then, for Dan and me, 4 down to get to our room.)


But your SHOES, you ask? Did you really walk into the hotel and then go to the bar with those SHOES? No. I didn’t. I’ve been taught by the master here (hi Dan) that a puddle, especially a puddle with rocks below, is a great way to clean off filthy shoes. I had also used my poles to knock off a lot of the mud. By the time we got to the hotel the shoes were nearly presentable. After drinks, when I got to our room I used some wipes to clean them off nearly completely. I was happy to have them clean, and even happier to have shower time to get me clean!

We had dinner at the hotel and the meal was lovely. Greg and Jan had some risotto, Dan had chicken, and I had trout. All tasty!

We had a little after dinner drink and called it a night.

While we went back upstairs I took a video: this hotel has a lot of twists and turns. I’m guessing I could easily get lost. I’m not sure the video will really show that, though.

Tomorrow we move on. Time is passing by far too quickly and I just want it all to slow down, but I guess I’m not in control of time. I should be, but I’m not. Ah well.

Goodnight and stay tuned for the next adventure!

21,457 steps, 8.32 miles, 17 flights climbed

Final Full Day in Boston (9/24/25)

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So here we are — our last full day. What to do …?? Well, first of all, COFFEE!

We went to the same place as yesterday, The Thinking Cup. Heh … oh, now I get it! Took me a while. This time we both opted for lox and bagels with out typical coffees, espresso macchiato for Dan and cappuccino for me. All was quite yummy. Because it had started to sprinkle nearly everyone was eating inside, so the noise was a bit much for my ears — especially one woman sitting very nearby. She had the type of voice that just penetrates, if you know what I mean. (If you don’t maybe you should call me and I’ll demonstrate. Or not.)

We decided we’d head toward two museums, so we walked that direction. We didn’t realize we would be walking by Berklee College of Music until we were at the corner and I spotted it. (And yes, I definitely didn’t do a lot of research before heading to Boston!)

The walk was pleasant. I had no idea what direction we were talking (it was cloudy so I couldn’t see where the sun was), but our map guided us. Mostly.

First up was the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, at a sort of okay price of $20 per senior. What a hodgepodge of things she collected. It truly ran the gamut. And her “palace” also ran the gamut, as a combo of Moorish and sort of what looked like craftsman perhaps, among other things. It rather fit her crazy collection, to be honest.

Partway through we had our lunches at museum prices. So it goes! We are supporting the arts, I suppose.

Then upstairs we went. Floors two and three with a lot more hodge-podge.

And it’s always good to get advice when in the bathroom, yes?

When we got out of the museum we had to use our umbrellas for the first time. But hooray … I could then say I’d used everything I’d brought aside from one pair of socks and a pair of tights. Not bad!

We made our way (a less than five minute walk) to the MFABoston (Museum of Fine Arts Boston in case you don’t want to puzzle over what I typed first). By the time we arrived it was already 3:30 and it closed at 5:00. I have a suggestion for museums: lower your price if someone can only be there for an hour and a half! Not only is that not a thing, but they don’t have senior prices. So $27 per person it was. (And they are going up to $30 soon).

I did enjoy the museum. First up was a search for the photography exhibit. Hmm. Where was it?! Oh. It’s just a small, five photo or so, thing in a room one might pass through to get elsewhere. And it wasn’t all that exciting.

Then off to their special exhibit to check that out. Rachel Ruysch painted incredible works of flowers and bugs. (A sign outside the room warned people that there may be disturbing things due to the small animal specimens — various insects pinned in collection boxes and various small critters in jars. Those don’t bother me, but they also don’t really matter to me.) I’d seen some of her work before — I believe it was in Berlin. The exhibit of paintings (by not only the star of the show but her teacher and her younger sister) were great, but after seeing a number of them I’d seen enough and didn’t think I needed to see even more. It’s very difficult to get decent photographs due to the lighting. Oh well.

So we headed upstairs to see a variety works. We wandered and enjoyed a lot of wonderful work (Monet, Van Gogh, Millet, and many more but I’m lazy and don’t want to keep typing names!) until someone came by to tell us it was time to be leaving.

It was still sprinkling outside (thankfully it hadn’t been sprinkling inside … that would be a problem!) and Dan decided to grab a Lyft. But we didn’t grab it quickly enough: it appeared that most people had opted for the same thing and we were the last to get a car, which took 25 minutes to arrive. (Actually, he was assigned one car and shortly after that one must have canceled, he was assigned another and ditto there, so we were getting car #3.) All for a one mile drive to our hotel, except in a car it’s more than a mile of course.

Traffic in Boston isn’t great. I don’t think I’d ever want to drive here. Our driver said it’s always this way. So no thanks!

We went back to our hotel and first went to the “kitchen” to see if they had utensils since we have some chocolate cake in the fridge. And yes, they did! Then I got myself a cup of coffee because, well, it’s free at the hotel and I have a difficult time resisting free things. It was decent for hotel coffee, so I brought it up to our room where I typed much of this blog entry and we relaxed for a while.

Dinner. Ahhhh, dinner! We puzzle over this nearly every day. We say we are going to do simpler things so frequently. We’ll keep it cheaper. But, well, it was our last night, and we wanted seafood but we didn’t want to go very far. The place the hotel had recommended was more than we wanted to spend and didn’t have any openings until 8:30. I found a place (Banks Seafood and Steak) that looked less expensive and had a 7:00 opening. Plus it was only a six minute walk. Sort of. We took the Apple Maps directions and they were a bit silly and six turned in to about twelve. But we arrived, eventually got seated, and looked at the menus. Truth is, it was about as expensive as the hotel recommended spot. But I justified it all by saying it was our last night and very likely our last visit (first and last, really) to Boston. So there you go. The meal was absolutely delicious and the service was excellent. (I’m always happy when the servers don’t say, “take your fork and knife” if they are removing the appetizer plate, but instead clear it all and bring clean utensils. Call me crazy, but I prefer good service like that. (Hm. I guess I should do that at home, eh?!)

We spent a good long time at the restaurant, and then walked back to our hotel, umbrellas opened due to the sprinkles we felt. The walk back was shorter — our route was much smarter than Apple’s!

And here we are. The final night. We checked in for our flight earlier today, and tomorrow will most likely be a “get coffee, get back to the hotel and pack” sort of day.

I really like Boston. It’s was impressed by the friendly people, the cleanliness of the city, and the history is just so amazing. It makes history more real when one is in the places where things actually happened! I could write more — especially about the mess our country is in now do to the person who is ruling over us, but I’ll try to keep my mouth shut (and my typing fingers still). For now.

I Like The Isle Of Manhattan

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Needless to say, I’m sure, we woke very early. It’s to be expected as we adjust to the time change, but at least the difference isn’t as great as it would have been had we flown straight home.

We could spend the morning in a leisurely fashion: nothing was on the agenda and we assume the rest of the family will want the morning to themselves. After showers we went to the top floor for coffee. It’s a huge area (I had been there before, when I did my solo trip) and I’m surprised they don’t try to get us to purchase breakfasts there, but I guess that must be too much trouble. But free coffee or tea? Sure, we’ll take that! The views from the 27th floor are not bad either.



We’ve been to New York enough to not worry much about missing something. I suspect we will do our typical wandering about. And eating.

Side Note: Foolish me made my annual medical appointment shortly after we return. I highly suspect I’ll be told my cholesterol level is too high. Oops!

When we were ready to go out, we first went a short distance to get a bite. No photos. Just a croissant for Dan and a cream cheese pastry for me. Then it was time to get catch a train.

We landed close to the Met and we made our way there. There were some sprinkles so the umbrellas came out. There was a line to get into the Met so we were trying to buy tickets online as we stood in said line, but didn’t manage to get things to work properly. After going through security (where I was stopped and had to open my daypack and camera bag while Dan walked straight through) we purchased our tickets. (The Met isn’t cheap.) Then inside we went.

Dan was interested in a American photography exhibit showing at the moment, and I always enjoy seeing some art there. This time we wound up in an area with Chinese art which isn’t something we have spent a lot of time viewing. I do find it amazing to read how old some of the objects are. And hey, they make me feel pretty darn young! (So I guess I don’t qualify for the museum. Yet.)

Eventually Jameson arrived, and we went to grab lunch there (gotta love those museum prices). Hey … I ate too much. Such a familiar tune, right? We saw a few things both on the way into the cafeteria and out of it.

Then we viewed the photography. It was all very early American photography and I confess it wasn’t of great interest to me. I could see that others were fascinated, though.

Brandon had written to say he was nearing the museum so we agreed to meet. He suggested we meet outside.

And then it started to pour. I mean really pour. The kind of downpour that means a ton of people started flowing into the museum. But Brandon had found a spot with scaffolding right across the street so we finally decided to meet up there. The rain had started to dwindle enough that we opted to walk to Orsay for drinks and a snack.

Lia arrived a bit later, and Meghan shortly after that.

While it was rather early for dinner, we decided that we’d go find dinner nearby rather than do anything that was too far away: we are, after all, still adjusting to the time change. So off we went, and a nearby place, JG Melon, could take us all so in we went. Again, no photos of food, or even of people. Somehow when I’m with family I forget to take photos I guess.

Then we said goodbye to Meghan and Jameson, and Lia and Brandon walked with us down to our hotel. As we walked we looked to the right and Brandon said something about rain coming. Sure enough, shortly after, it again began to rain. We had gotten our umbrellas ready, so our heads stayed dry, but this rain was coming at an angle that mean the back of our pants did get wet. No harm done. Just damp pants.

Finally we got back to our room. It was (and is) on the early side, but it’s fairly clear that we are winding down both in terms of time on the road and energy. I’m hopeful we will be adjusted to New York time by tomorrow. I know it will help us adjust to California time when we leave for home.

I can’t go to sleep yet — it’s only 19:47 or 7:47 PM. You choose! — so I have to work hard on staying up later. We’ll see what I can manage.

Goodnight!

Final Full Day in Brussels

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Yes, it was our final full day here. Not only in Brussels. Not only in Belgium. But all of Europe. Am I sad? A bit. Could I have spent more time in Europe? Absolutely! I could easily become a full time traveler. But that can’t be, and so it goes.

I haven’t yet reported on any mishaps, primarily because nothing of note has really happened. Yes, there was a train strike, but that was easily taken care of. Yes, we had to switch from train to bus partway through a ride, but that, too, was easy to do (even though I think they should refund some money due to the train being late and paying for better seats. But our electric toothbrush did stop working. That was annoying. And — horrors! — I ran out of dental floss. But gee, guess what you can buy in Europe if necessary? We bought our little travel toothbrushes which will get us through the remainder of the trip, and Dan says I can use some of his floss, generous man that he is.

Anyway (note, NO “anyways” from yours truly) we woke, readied ourselves, checked the weather ahead of time, donned our rain jackets, and went out. First on our agenda was breakfast, but we just figured we’d get that as we walked out of this area. We were headed to a park. Parc du Cinquantenaire to be precise. It was a decent walk away (the man at the hotel desk had said we could take the Metro, but we much prefer walking when possible). Out we went, and into one place that, as it turned out, only had larger breakfasts than we wanted. So onward! We did find a place on the outskirts of the center, touristy area, and had our rolls and coffee.

Then more walking. We went past a ton of construction, and also past familiar spots like the park from two days ago and some important looking buildings.

And then the rain came. First it was just sprinkles and I wasn’t concerned. (My Woolx pants dry quickly, and with my hood up I was fine: Dan wasn’t as certain for his clothing.) However we did agree the park was probably a bad idea (who likes a soggy park?), and figured we’d go elsewhere. And then the rain came down more. We huddled under a protected space and checked out where another destination of the day was, because it was something indoors. Ah, how convenient! The Metro was right in front of us and it would take us nearby that spot. So down we went and, using our watches, the gate opened, unlike the other day when we tried.

We got out at the Midi station (which is where we’ll need to be tomorrow to catch our train) and at that point the rain had subsided so we could easily walk. The area was clearly not as nice: lots of garbage around, so much run down, and I wondered if we should have checked about the safety of the area, but things I’d read said our next stop was not to be missed.

And then we arrived: it was the Cantillon Brewery & Museum. For a mere 8€ each we could take the self-guided tour. What fun it was! Now, for those of you not at all interested in beer, you might want to skip the next (very numerous) photos. But some may find it interesting.

First we did the tour:

Then we got a tasting of three beers. Very small pours, which was fine by us. And very tasty! The beers (“Lambic” beers) were quite interesting — the first seemed like a cider to me, the second a beer but different than anything I’ve had before, and the third, a raspberry flavor but not overwhelming and awful like the things we’ve had in the states. All were enjoyed, but sadly we couldn’t purchase anything as we have no room in our checked bags for such things.

On the way out I took photos of the bottled beers that I saw.

Then it was time to leave.

When we exited the building the weather was nice so we opted to walk back to lunch, figuring we’d eat somewhere near to the hotel.

We did fairly well, not spending too much or eating too much. That’s two days in a row. Award time.

We walked a bit more after lunch (and by that time the rain was back, but not a ton of it), saw another church as well as other things.

A bit more of a walk.

Then the “award” for our good behavior.

Back at the hotel we enjoyed our treats, and did blogging and reading. Research for dinner was also done by one of us because she likes to plan. We thought a Belgian meal might be the way to go for our final night here: I am not sure we will be able to return in our lifetime, so it just seemed right.

First, though, I packed up as much as I was able to pack. I want to have a very easy time of it when we wake far too early tomorrow morning. We have a 7:17 train to catch, which means a ride to the train station prior to that. Our train ride isn’t long, but it takes us to an airport where we catch our flight.

Then it was time for our whopping one minute walk to dinner. Our reservation was for 19:00, and we walked in the door at 19:00. For me that is just perfection! I had already decided I wanted moules-frites for dinner, but that didn’t stop me from thinking maybe I wanted chicken or fish instead. Thankfully Dan reminded me of what I said only an hour prior and yes, I had the mussels. First was the appetizer and pictured below is Dan’s meal as well. The mussels were quite yummy and now I have had my fill.

After dinner we went to a little shop for a short visit, and then back to the hotel. Dan has suggested a 5;15 wake up call. Works for me, the worrier that we will be late, so 5:15 it is!

Tomorrow night we will be in a different country. Tonight we will attempt sleep.

Goodnight!

Day Four of Walking

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The morning began with computer stuff (still on my Wordle streak), and then off to breakfast we went. We also picked up our lunch bags. It’s always interesting to see what a place will give you … some things are a surprise until we unwrap them at lunchtime! Today was a chicken sandwich. By that I mean chicken between two pieces of bread without any condiments. This happened with our last two days as well, although then it was ham and cheese with no condiments. We also had a salad, with packets of olive oil and wine vinegar today, so I took some of the dressed salad, including cucumber, and put those in to the sandwich. Then there was a nice piece of cake which maybe was spice cake. And, finally, an apple. Which is sitting in my hotel room as I type.

Then it was time to do our circular walk. We went out and quickly decided that we should put on our rain jackets. It was just misty enough …

From there we left the village and (don’t be shocked!) went past a lot of vineyards. Looking back you could see Alijo.

And of course not just vineyards, but olive trees, a house with lovely flowers, and then we saw some beautiful lupine.

Then it was time to do downhill, knowing full well what that meant. (I didn’t think walking and taking this video would be wise, so I told Dan I’d catch up after filming.)

We could hear workers, and although I didn’t take a photo, saw bags hanging on poles which I assume held their lunches. I looked back again to see Alijo still in view.

Some vineyards had clover growing between each row. The sky continued to look ominous, but so far we were staying dry.

We reached a cobblestone road continuing upwards, and I was glad for no rain since those can be more slippery when wet.

And then … poppies. I do believe they were California poppies, in fact.

At one point we heard someone call out … it was our Swiss friends, Patrizia (sp?) and Rudy! They would, of course, pass us as we are slower between being slow hikers and taking photos. It was fun to see them on the trail, though.

We entered the village of São Mamede de Ribatua after 4.97 miles. First was the statue garden …

and then more poppies … of the papaver sort this time. (More common to see these here.)

We continued our walk in the village until we reached an overlook where you could see a reservoir.

Close to the overview we sat and ate our lunch while a sad dog gazed at us, hoping, I’m sure, for a treat. Poor doggie … we were hungry!

Sometimes you see one place in near ruins right next to a home that has been fixed up. It’s not as easy to see in this picture, but the left part of this is what appears to be an abandoned place.

Continuing through the town …

and then it was time for the big climb. Up, up, up … for .99 miles. Gotta love that it’s .99 and not 1 mile, eh? One fun thing about a climb is seeing how far above a village you get. So of course I had to take some photos to prove I was making progress on the climb.

We reached the top and then it was smooth sailing for a good amount of the walk.

That being said (okay, written) it looked like maybe rain was falling elsewhere, and the sky still had that ominous look.

Sometimes we come across the sign for the Camino (I’m not sure which one), but when we’d see a sign like the one in this photo it means “don’t go this way!”

Now we aren’t actually on the Camino, but we often share the same paths. So far I think the only people we’ve seen on our walks have been people doing the same walk.

Shortly after the last shot you see above the rain began. We quickly packed up our cameras and pulled out our rain jackets (we had removed them partway through the walk). And that was the end of even iPhone photos. It was more rain than we’d had before, and by the time we got back to our hotel our pants were even quite wet. (We just didn’t put on rain pants because we were so close to the hotel.)

After getting things hung up in the shower to dry, we went downstairs for a little drink and snack. First we wanted to get dinner reservations, and ended up talking to two couples from Arizona who are a day behind us on the walk. They had stopped in about the middle of their walk today to do wine tasting. I’m not sure I’d be able to do that! But then they have vineyards so I suspect they are used to doing tastings. When we tried to get a reservation for 7:30 (the first time available for dinner here) we were told it would have to be 8:00. Ah well … I don’t sleep at all well even with a 7:30 dinner, but so be it!

We ordered our drinks and some chips. Alas, no chips, but she brought out something else for us. Guess that’ll do. Then we spent a lot of time discussing how we were going to get to our destination once this walk ends completely because — ta-da! — the train very well might not be running still. The strike continues through our move day, and at the train site I could see which trains were definitely running (very few) which didn’t include ours. However there was also a note that said there might be more that are running on the fourteenth, which is when we travel. To be on the safe side we bought bus tickets again. It’s somewhat inexpensive insurance and I think it’s better safe than sorry.

Now I’ll be brief: we had dinner, I ate too much, and I’m tired!

Boa noite!

Day Two in Lisbon

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It was another late start day. I woke at around 7, but Dan was asleep so I set my watch alarm for 8. When it woke me I thought Dan was still sleeping so I snoozed some more, only to wake up far too late (after 9:00!) to see Dan awake and reading. Ah well … we are on vacation so I suppose I can sleep in. (But I really hate losing time out and about.)

When we finally got moving we went first through Rossio Square with its crazy tile work that makes me want to step up when there is really no step.

Then on to the Rossio train station to see what we will do for an excursion we have planned for tomorrow.

It took us a bit of time to figure out the train ticket situation, but we did finally get that done, and then we went up to see “our” old place from 2023 and the restaurant we’ll return to after two years that was mere steps from our VRBO. First, though, there was this changing of the guard for who knows what reason: I think they are just in front of a museum, but who knows?

It was an easy walk from the station to “our place” and the restaurant and then we just rambled a bit. We went inside a church, and managed to get a glimpse of “pink street”, among other things.

With such a late start we soon decided we wanted to get lunch. We walked a while, and saw nothing inviting (but we did see a group of French guys who were already quite inebriated … go figure). Finallly I (foolishly?) suggested the Time Out Market. It’s really a tourist trap, and not a culinary delight as they might imply, but at least we knew we would find food.


Trouble is, we might not find a place to sit! And so it goes. People who do find a spot stay for eons, and no one thinks to look at two senior citizens who are on their last legs and offer to give up their chairs. Okay … maybe we look rather healthy. But still, I have gray hair and I’m old, doggone it! In any case, we ordered or chicken piri piri and stood at a table until, about when we were done, a woman next to us found a chair and brought it to me. (Dan never did get to sit.) The food was okay, but I think we could have done better a few streets down. We just didn’t know just where to go.

After lunch we went outside to check and see what was on my to-do list. There were two things I mentioned: the “LX Factory” and the Capela de Santo Amaro. Both were over two miles away, and Dan and I weren’t really sure we were up for that, so we were looking at other things, but finally decided (as it was raining, but only lightly) that we’d give the Capela a try. Thankfully the rain stopped and the shower was so light I wondered if I really needed to bring my umbrella at all.

So off we went. On not lovely roads. As I mentioned to Dan, he hadn’t gotten his camera out once! But on we plodded, until I noticed, to my left, the LX Factory. Go figure! So we walked in. It’s a bunch of places to eat and shops, and very cool looking. But we weren’t hungry and we aren’t into shopping, so we decided we might return for a snack later and continued on to the Capela.

And the Capela (yes, I’m bilingual, if not more … hah! Capela=Chapel) was really rather cool. I’ll just let it speak for itself in photos.

When we left raindrops began to fall. And fall. And fall. Plus there was wind. We walked back down to the LX spot, but decided, since we weren’t into drinking alcohol, that there really was nothing there for us, so we opted to walk back to the hotel.

That rain was really annoying by this point, and the wind wanted to mess with my umbrella. But we plodded on and eventually we got back to the hotel for a very brief rest.

Soon it was time to head to dinner. I had been looking forward to our return so it was such fun to arrive and tell a server how we had enjoyed it so much two years ago. Back then both our meals were served outside, but since — can you guess? — it had started to rain again on our walk that certainly wasn’t going to happen today. We went inside, were seated, and proceeded to enjoy an absolutely delicious meal, with excellent service. If you ever go to Portugal, be sure and try and find Oficina do Duque. It is well worth it!

On our way home we stopped by a Ginginha spot we knew from 2023, and we enjoyed our little “medicinal” (!) treat.

It’s a cherry liqueur and surely it must be good for us. They can be served in a chocolate cup if ordered that way, and that’s what we did. Unfortunately this place doesn’t serve it with a cherry if requested, and I missed that. I guess that means we have to visit another one before we head out of Lisbon … right?

Then back to the hotel. I enjoyed a shower after spending far too much time trying to figure out how to get hot water. I think we need a universal law regarding showers. Yes?

Tomorrow we have another adventure. I suppose I should sleep now.

Oh … a bit of an aside: adjusting to the time change has been surprisingly easy this time. I have no clue why, but I’m not complaining!