Today we got to an early start. We had to catch the 8:13 train to Florence which was the only direct option for the day. We decided it was better to get up early then to have to lug our stuff on multiple trains. Catching the train wasn’t going to be the hard part getting a taxi was the issue. I tried to book one the night before but could not get the app or online to work. Our host gave me some numbers to try in the morning so I wanted to make sure we were early enough that if we had problems we could still make it. We got up, got ready and out the door in record time. I was able to get an English speaking dispatch so I thought all was well but sadly no. The cab driver called because it didn’t understand the location. We had walked around the corner thinking our street was pedestrian only and tried to provide the name of the square. He continued to say he didn’t understand until finally a kind woman walked by and gave him our location. He showed up within minutes and proceeded to turn and drive right by our apartment (a street name I could say) and swept us off to the train station. We arrived early enough to have coffee (Christina) and chocolate croissants before boarding our train. Getting the luggage on was not great but not as bad as I thought. Still dreading the move to Orvieto. We decided to hire a driver to go to our Rome airport hotel so that one hopefully will not be too bad.

The train ride went smoothly and we arrived in Florence at 10:30. Check in was not until 3 so we stored our luggage and headed out to town to have lunch and wander around. We soon passed a leather store with a bright pink bag just waiting for me to walk by. We started not to stop but went back to check out the prices. Three purses and a restaurant recommendation later we headed out for food. And if you are wondering I only bought one.

The suggested restaurant didn’t open until 5 so we walked on and found another place and again shared a bottle of wine pizza and a pasta dish all for less than I would normally spend for a meal and one drink at home. After lunch we wandered a bit and went by to check out our apartment location. It is in the Duomo piazza with a great view of the side of the church. We also checked out a vintage store but it was not really what I was expecting. It was full of old Levi’s and sweaters but nothing really Italian. I was hoping to find a great silk scarf or something but nothing caught my eye.

It was finally close enough to three so we headed back to the train to get our luggage and cab back to the apartment. Again we are in a pedestrian only area so we had to drag our luggage the last bit but finally made it in. Christina refused to use the elevator so I made a few trips with the luggage and we got into the place. And that is when the drama began. The smoke detector was beeping like low battery so we tried to fix it with the ladder we found but it was not enough to reach the ceiling. We contacted the host who first asked us just to take the batteries out but then said she would send someone over. So we headed out to try to find a flea market.

The flea market website said it was open until 7:30 we arrived around 5:30 but it was closed down. We had of course walked 30 minutes passed anything else to do to get to it but I guess January hours were not updated. We decided to go back to the recommended restaurant for dinner and luckily had the receipt from the purses so we could find our way. Sadly it was closed. So we went back to the square and picked the first one we came to. Not our best selection. We have had good luck with food until tonight. We decided against pizza and went with a caprese salad to start and then I got lasagna and Christina shrimp skewers and a Caesar salad.

Her salad came out with the caprese salad and it was the weirdest Caesar dressing I have ever seen or tasted. I thought it was tartar sauce pile on top of the salad or maybe a chicken salad but it was just the dressing and equally as bad as it looked. But the big issue is that I forgot to warn Christina that the shrimp might come whole. I wish I had taken a picture when they set the plate of 10 shrimp eyes looking up at her on the table. She just smiled and said it was fine then tried to cover the heads with the carrots that came on the side. She played with them a little but finally gave up. I think they were overcooked because she really couldn’t even get the tail meat out of the shell. My lasagna looked normal but it wasn’t very good. It was basically just the meat sauce and no cheese which was sad. the bottle of wine was the highlight of the dinner and it was nothing special. This was also the most expensive meal we have had by close to $50. We will have to pay more attention here in Florence to avoid a repeat of last night.

We picked up some dessert and headed back to our apartment to hear the alarm ringing as we climbed the stairs. I reached back out to the host who did not respond so I had to contact airB&B which took sometime to get someone who spoke English. He reached out to the host and I guess he took his call and told him she thought it had been fixed. I don’t think anyone came in the apartment the ladder we had tried to use was still out and surely they would have put it away. She then messaged me and said it only needed a reset so I just needed to pop the breaker which was conveniently located by the front door. This worked and the beeping stopped. I don’t know why she didn’t tell me that in the afternoon. It could have been fixed quickly and not near as frustrating. But in the end the apartment is in a great location has plenty of room so all is good. Now if only we could get the heat to work.

They say if you’ve never been lost in Venice you have never been to Venice…well I’ve been to Venice.

The day got a late start. Both Christina or I are still struggling with the time change or it might be the alcohol consumption but regardless I am still up in the middle of the night and sleeping in much later than usual. So we got a late start on our trip into Venice and did not arrive until after noon.

The walk to the train station was much better when we figured out how to get the map to do walk instead of drive and we were soon on our train. We did forget to validate the tickets so I spent the whole time worried we would get yelled at in Italian but no one checked so we had no problems.

We arrived and decided to walk down to Saint Mark’s Piazza and shop along the way. It all started so well the main path was wide and lined with shops and people headed in the same direction. We went in a few of the shops and made a few plans to return if we found nothing better along the way. As we got further in the streets got narrower and weaved and turned and easily defeated my maps app and my navigation skills. We walked in circles for a bit coming back to a narrow street with Christmas lights still up a number of times. We finally asked a local (dressed in the classic gondola striped shirt and black pants) if we were going on the right way which of course we were not. He tried to explain but then told us we could wander another 30 minutes or he could give us a ride there. We opted to splurge for the ride.

I had not taken a gondola ride on my first trip to Venice so this was a new experience. Getting in the boat was a bit awkward as it really felt like it would tip over but it did not and soon we were gliding down the canals. Venice in January was not very crowed but we completely got away from the crowds on the canals. Our guy gave us a the history of Venice pointed out the highlights as we passed and talked a lot about the tide. He confirmed that November is the worst month for flooding (which was when I was there before and the whole town was covered in water). He serenaded us a bit which I tried to record but only got a bit. At every turn he had to yell out to let others know we were coming so the singing never lasted long. We went with him to get a new oar which took us a bit off the beaten path in the more residential areas where we saw more of the small power boats parked along the canals. All in all I highly recommend a gondola ride. To see a peaceful side of Venice and hear nothing but the oar splashing through the water and perhaps your guy singing was worth the price.

But back to the theme… he drops is off and says take two lefts and you will be in the piazza. We were once again lost in Venice. We definitely took the wrong two lefts and wandered for awhile before finally seeing a sign guiding us to the Piazza. I know sooner walk into the square where my phone which has been in and out of service due to the buildings finally has service and I get a call from someone at work. I send her the picture of St Mark’s I just took and tell her who she can talk to until I am back from Italy.

I convince Christina to go into the church. It is my all time favorite and do not intend to miss it on this trip. It is still fabulous and even Christina likes all the gold shiny mosaics on the walls and ceilings. I love the floor tile work which to me doesn’t seem very churchy. I do not know what the birds symbolize but I love them and take several pictures as we wander through.

After the church we stop for lunch and split a pizza some pasta and a bottle of wine. Fortified and rested we start our way back hoping to be on the same path to hit some of the store we saw earlier. After a few wrong turns we finally get on the Main Street and our headed back in the right direction. We return to the shops where I buy several of the mosaic picture frames I like and some other souvenirs which I hope I make it home with. I did spend way too much on some fondue sticks so I will be serving fondue at all parties for the foreseeable future. The picture frames were much cheaper than I expected so I bought more than I needed but couldn’t resist. Christina even bought a new rolling suitcase to help carry everything home.

We made it back to the train station with all our goodies and headed back to Treviso. We dropped everything back at our apartment and headed out to dinner. Last night we were to early for dinner and today we were to late. Seems like 7-9 are the golden hours for eating in Treviso. We found a bar that had snack foods so we ate what they had. I had a ham and cheese toast (which is basically a white bread sandwich) and Christina had several vegetarian bites and a strange looking price of fried fish along with another bottle of wine. It is crazy to be able to get $18-25 bottle of wine with your meal. No reason to just get a glass. We finish our bottle and head back to the apartment to pack up to head to Florence early in the morning. Here’s to hoping the sleep goes better tonight.

Today started off early. We scheduled a private wine tour through Tour Leader Treviso for a full day of Prosecco tasting. We were to meet the driver at 9 at the train station. Neither of us had slept great. I blamed mine on the great sleep I had on the plane but regardless 7:30 came early and we rushed around to make it on time. I spent about twenty minutes looking through everything for the card key to the door. And I do mean everything even things still in my bag I had never opened and the five different trash cans (one for different kinds of trash) that we hadn’t used. Deciding to give up and just ask the host for another one I found it in the slot to make the lights work on the way out the door. Panicked for nothing and mad at myself for not seeing it when I turned on the light to make it easier to search for it. But we were off and met our diver just a couple of minutes late so no real harm.

As we leave Treviso we were surprised to see the snow capped Dolomites within view for most of our day. Fist stop was for coffee (Christina) and chocolate croissants at a small cafe outside of town.

The drive to the first vineyard was quick and by 10:30 we are tasting our first Prosecco of the day. The winery is Tenuto Baron. We start the tasting with a brisk walk around the villa where the owner lives. The grapevines surround the house and go down the hill. All the grapes are hand picked and processed on site in their cellar facilities. There are also olive trees which add the only color in January as the vines are primed for the winter.

The tasting begins with their Prosecco and their Prosecco Rose. Both are quite tasty and we buy a couple of bottles. I also try their red Conamore that was developed by the owner. They say it won the Milan wine Fest in 2019. Our tour guide declared it was his favorite red but he might of course be biased. Regardless he did not skimp on the pours and we are now about 5 glasses in for our tasting day.

While we were tasting the owner and his wife stopped in to say hello. As Christina said had she not been dripping on diamonds and wearing a fur coat you would not have known they owned the estate.

We buy six bottles from our tasting and then can’t pass up 2 decorative bottles and leave with 8 bottles. Not having any idea how we will get home with all this wine but we are happy with our purchases.

After our tasting we headed into Asolo, a medieval village up on the hill overlooking the Asolo valley which lends its name to the style of Prosecco produced in the valley. The village was tiny but had a castle which we climbed up to to check out the views.

Back in the car and now heading out on the official Prosecco Road between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano. Prosecco produced in this area is the DOCG of Prosecco (or as we have been calling it the Snoop Dogg of Prosecco). We are more into the hills with the vines terraced right up to the road. Before harvest I bet the views are spectacular with the vines green and full of grapes. The difference between the styles is that the Asolo Prosecco is smaller and less bubbles than the DOCG variety.

We had a brief stop at the very trendy Prosecco vending machine. Not quite the experience we were looking for. You bought your glass from the machine and then the bottle came from the fridge in the honor system cafe. There was picnic tables to sit and enjoy your wine while looking out over the valley. However the peaceful ambiance was ruined by the lady trying to split wood with an ax. She hated to put her bottle down so it took several tries for her to split the wood into pieces small enough for the stove. Not sure what the stove was used for so kind of thought she was working out her frustration. She never acknowledged us so we gave her a wide berth and headed back to our car.

We had lunch overlooking the valley as well. Equally as confusing we ordered what we thought were sandwiches but actually plates of cheese and prosciutto. Thankfully they gave us some bread as we needed something to soak up all the Prosecco. We ordered a bottle with lunch so we were well on our way to way too much to drink.

Back in the car we had out to the largest vineyard in the area. The very fancy Giusti Wine. Here we get a full tour of the facilities that look brand new. It a much more modern feel to it than the places I visited in Tuscany on an earlier trip.

Here the tasting was upstairs in a bar area and again 5 tastings which for me included some red. Giusti makes multiple wines with 3 different Prosecco’s. We tried their highest quality one and it was the best I have tasted. They also had some good whites and reds. As I said we have been drinking all day and the tastings were close to full glasses, so when they told us the shipping charge we didn’t even blink and just chose 12 bottles and headed on our way.

This was our last stop so from here we headed back to Treviso. We were to early for dinner (didn’t start serving until 7) so we had a couple Aperol Spritz and some snacks while we waited. Dinner was worth the wait. I had a great mushroom lasagna. After dinner we were back to the apartment for an early night.

Drunk on a plane

Flying out to Italy at 7 on Sunday evening is much harder than anticipating. You have all day and nothing to do so a pre trip bottle of bubbles before leaving for the airport sounds like a great idea. Only problems is that this can lead to a couple of bottles at the airport because you are way early to the airport and then…drunk on the plane.

Of course that doesn’t sound so bad if you were not in a front seat with no place to put all your stuff plus the piece of pizza which sounded like a good idea before you got on the plane. Oh and did I mention the family across the aisle with three kids under 3. Here’s to 8:30 more hours of fun.

I just got the super hot towel to wake me up for dinner. I have been on the plane 30 minutes. Not sure why they want me wide awake. Maybe they don’t want me to miss the screaming kids or maybe I need a better hold on my bottle of water and slice of pizza which have both been on the floor. Don’t worry pizza is in a sack. I still plan to eat it. Though I will say BA gave me a printed menu, so who knows maybe I won’t eat the floor pizza. But I am pretty sure I wont be carrying it off the plane. My carry on glass of wine is empty so maybe I will sober up but I doubt it. Here comes the drink cart.

After that it all got a bit fuzzy. I did eat the pizza instead of the chicken dinner but then immediately fell asleep. I didn’t even notice them pick up the food tray. Woke up later to go to the bathroom and was shocked to see that there were only 2:30 hours left. I don’t know if I have ever slept so soundly on a plane. Of course the last 2 hours were crazy long but still the best flight I have been on in a while.

London airport wasn’t too bad. The lines for customs was bit manic but processed through quickly and onto our short flight to Venice.

Arrived in Venice at 4:30 already dark and raining so it felt much later. We headed out to Treviso in a taxi. The ride went well until he couldn’t find the place. The apartment was in the historic city center and some of the steers were not open to traffic. He tried to get down a few of them but would have to back up and try a different route. I could see that we were close and kept saying we would walk from the main square but he refused to accept defeat. He did turn off the meter so we were no longer be charged for the search but I was ready to be done.

He finally admitted that he couldn’t do it and off Christina and I went in the rain with our luggage. Turns out we were less than 5 minutes away so not too bad. The apartment is super cute and we are happy with our choice so all is good (until we need to cab to the train at the end of the trip).

Our hosts gave us some recommendations for dinner so we quickly settle in and head out for pizza. The restaurant is in the main piazza which had been set for Christmas with a huge Christmas tree and carousel.

The pizza was delicious the bottle of wine cheap (Italians don’t really upcharge for wine at restaurants our bottle was only 18 euros). After dinner we looked in a few store windows before heading back to our rooms to crash.

I am not one of those travelers who likes to go but then is ready to come home or loves to come home, I could stay gone forever. However I guess I did have to come back to reality.

The flight home was uneventful. We got our premium seats on this flight which made me realize how much we were screwed on the flight going over. I don’t think $500 was enough. We made to the airport without any problems and because we had entered our test results we breezed through check in and headed right in. There is pretty good shopping at Heathrow so we were able to spend our time. Although I went back on my plan of never using anything without wheels for a carry on and learned again why I made that decision. Next trip my carryon for the return must have wheels. Val’s was even worse so it was a bit awkward wandering through the airport. but we got on our flight and 3 movies and a little blog writing later we touched down at DFW.

It was a great trip even with the Covid issues I have no regrets of traveling overseas. I hope the testing requirements are gone before my next trip but I would do it anyway (Val probably not). I am so ready to retire so that I can travel whenever I want and stay gone as long as I like. Hopefully a few years and I’ll be on permanent vacation. Until then I have a lot of books to read.

Can’t wait for the next adventure.

Today is our final day of the trip. We fly home tomorrow and first thing on the agenda is the Covid test. We tested negative on the rapid tests I brought from home and now need to go pick up the ones we do with the video at a local testing facility. The location was about a mile so we decided to walk. It was a new direction for us so we saw a more residential part of Kensington. It did open up to businesses and we found a good bakery for breakfast. Wish we had found this area earlier since there wasn’t much food around our hotel. Anyway it took longer than we thought to find the place. Google maps is not always the most accurate. But asking direction finally got is where we needed to go and we headed back to hotel to take our tests.

The video tests were both easy and difficult. Something went wrong for both of ours but eventually we got it to work and were just waiting the confirmation from whoever was “watching” the videos. We got our negative certificates in 15 minutes so all was good.

The initial plan for the day was to go out to the Portobello antique market early in the morning. By the time we finished our tests it was around 10:30 so we got a later start than I hoped. The market was already crazy busy. The weather was beautiful and it looked like anybody that was going out that day decided to go to the market. This led to a disappointing shopping experience. Things were also over priced. We found much more reasonable items in the smaller town antique shops than we did at the market. However, I had always wanted to go to the Saturday market and now I have and I can check it off my list.

We walked through fairly quickly (as quickly as you can through throngs of people) and decided it was time for lunch. We did buy a few things. Having become obsessed with tea I bought a set of tea spoons with a cute little sugar cube tong. I looked at some jewelry but all overpriced. I expected to find some of the coin love charms but I did not see any. Oh well always next trip.

We had passed the Churchill Pub in the taxi (yes we took a taxi to the market since we were running behind) so we decided to try it for lunch. Sadly the Churchill pub serves Thai food. It was very British with flags hanging and flowers decorating the outside so not what I expected. We had a beer and a coke then off to find a better lunch option. We did pass the cutest cookie and sweets place called the Biscuiter. They make the cookies that were being sold at the palaces for the Jubilee. I bought some really cute chocolates and wish I had bought the cookies as well.

We did eventually find a pub and had our last meal of fish and chips for the trip. it was delicious.

We continued our walk back and did a little shopping. I found a new clothing store and bought a few dresses. I had been looking for the store we shopped at last time but there was only one in London and no where near things we were doing. This new one I saw in Bath but it was closed so very excited to find it on our walk back to the hotel. It looked like it was going to be expensive they even had a guard at the door but the dresses were under 100 pounds so not bad.

We shopped a bit more then decided to head back to the hotel to get ready for our theater night. We had tickets to see Mary Poppins that evening.

Mary Poppins seemed like an appropriate show to see in London. (Six, about Henry’s wives was sold out) It was at one of the smaller theaters so not a big elaborate place but nice and we had great seats. Since we were dressed up and not in our comfy shoes we decided to cab there. Not our best decision because traffic was terrible. It was like 3 miles and it took us about 40 minutes. We drove through Piccadilly Circle which was the big choke point. People were everywhere. We did make it on time so all was good.

The show was fabulous. Mary Poppins and Burt were really well cast and put on great performances. It is a lot of fun to be at the theater in London and I from now on I will always plan to see a show while I am there.

After the show we decided the crowd was to crazy to get a cab or Uber so we headed to the metro. Of course we walked away from Piccadilly Circle to avoid the crowds but sadly the metro on the map was under construction and not opened so we had to walk quite a ways to the next station. But we soon arrived back at our hotel and wrapped up our last night in London. Having our negative test for the flight tomorrow alleviated our anxiety and we were able to get a good nights sleep.

Friday started early with breakfast at Sky Garden. I found the Sky Garden online looking for new things to do in London since we have done most of the big ticket places. It is was close to where our tour was starting so it made for a perfect place for breakfast.

Sky Garden is on the 35th floor of one of the modern buildings in the area of the Tower, Tower Bridge and St Paul’s. You could see them all from the windows and the outside viewing platform. Breakfast was good. Better than expected for such a touristy place but it was nice to enjoy the view of London while enjoying my morning tea.

The outside opened after breakfast so we went out for a few pictures. It was crazy windy and cold so we didn’t last long before we headed down. It was a nice stop and I would do it again for breakfast. By the time we left the line for the elevator was getting long. It would make a great place for evening drinks but the line is likely to be long. It is free to go up but they do require timed tickets to manage the crowd.

From breakfast we headed over across the Thames to meet up with Siobhan who was giving us a guided tour of the Southwark area. We walked down to cross the millennium bridge. Mother and I had crossed it back in 2002 to go to the Tate Modern Museum. It was our last night and one of my favorite memories of that trip. This trip it will stand out as well but for totally different reason.

As we crossed the bridge Val got a message from one of the women we had been traveling with informing us that she had tested positive for Covid that morning. This definitely put a damper on our day. We had another day in London before we needed to test for our return flight. But Val was really worried that we needed to test and get home before we tested positive. We did decide to continue on with our day but there was a little dark cloud on the day.

We met Siobhan through the tour. She works begins the scenes and does guest relations for Alison. She is also a historian and writer (I brought home two of her books) and works primarily at Hamptons Court but is a licensed tour guide. If going to London let me know and I can hook you up with her. She is amazing.

The first part of our day was Southwark which back in the 1500/1600 was the area for the average person and also where entertainment was available. The Globe theater was and is in that area a long with other medieval finds. We walked past the current Globe and then where the original was. One fact we learned about Shakespeare is that they did not create costumes but just wore clothes donated to the theater. So when you see a Shakespeare play in modern dress that is actually how they were originally performed. Shakespeare himself did not require authentic wardrobes.

We also saw the ruins of Winchester Palace home to the Bishop of Winchester. The Bishop pretty much ran the are and was in control just like landed gentry would control the people working on their land. In a weird twist of fate that meant the Bishop licensed “entertainers” and I am not talking about the actors at the Globe. The women were referred to as Winchester’s geese. The Palace’s was built in the 12th century and all that survives today is a few walls with a rose window. Actually it was built into other buildings and warehouses and was rediscovered in the 1980s

We also saw one of the George Inn and Bar. It is the last surviving gallery coaching inn in London. This one was rebuilt in 1677 after fire destroyed most of Southwark. It is similar to the Tabbard which is where Chaucer started the Canterbury Tales. Siobhan told us that back in the day they would put on plays down in the courtyard and patrons would stand on the gallery walkways to watch the plays. I wish we had time for a beer but will save that for another trip.

We also saw what is now the Southwark cathedral. It is where Shakespeare and Harvard (of Harvard University fame) worshipped. The church was gothic in style and dates to the 10th century. It was also where the Hershey trials were held under Queen Mary. There was some nice stained glass but we walked through very quickly. We did find on if Siobhan’s books on sale in the gift shop which we bought and she signed for us.

We also walked through a nice little food market under one of the bridges. It was worth a second trip and I will keep in mind for my next trip.

We walked by a copy of the Golden Hinde which was the ship Francis Drake circumvented the world in 1577. It was closed for some repairs so that it is ready to sail in the Jubilee festivities.

One very unexpected stop was a museum to a women’s surgery near the university of London. Apparently there was a hospital beside a church to accommodate the woman’s surgery they asked the church if they could use their attic. When the hospital moved the church just bricked up the attic access and never looked again. When someone was researching the old woman’s surgery they asked to visit the church’s attic and were surprised to find the surgery still complete intact. Nothing had been done they had just locked the access and walked away. It was a crazy little stop on our walking tour. My sisters would have loved it. I found it to be pretty creepy.

This is an often overlooked part of London and it is worth a visit.

From here we walked to the Tower of London along the river. There are great views of the Tower Bridge along the way. We stopped for lunch just outside the Tower then headed in.

We were very lucky it was not crowded at all. We were able to pretty much free flow right through. We went through the medieval areas first which compared to the other Tudor period things we saw this was very stark and seemed plain and sterile. a lot of it predates the 1500s. The white tower is the first section built soon after William came from Normandy in 1066. It is still the center of the Tower. The chapel was open when we were there and we were able to see the final resting place of Queen Jane Queen and Anne Boleyn. Along with others that met the end of their life in the Tower. There were not individual graves basically just under the floor with a later marker placed on the ground.

Other highlights include the staircase where the princes were found, the tower with the carvings from prisoners in the tower including Jane’s husband Gilfoy and personal chapel where Henry VI likely was killed. The carvings that were made by these imprisoned during the Tudor period is the highlight of the tour. (Where Jane and Anne were held are not open to the public. Anne’s spot is no longer standing and Janes is part of the current queens lodging if she were ever to stay in the Tower (which of course she never will). Also saw the pageant of kings which is thought to be the first tourist attraction. Basically they set knight armor up on horses. And lines then in a great hall area of the tower. Now the armor and horses are displayed separately. There were several sets of Henry’s armor both skinny and fat Henry. I was quite surprised at how elaborate the armor was. Most were very ornate. It did not seem like something you wore to battle.

Who am I kidding the highlight is the Crown Jewels. Generally all of the Crown Jewels were melted down by Oliver Cromwell during the Reformation. The only original price is the coronation spoon. Seems someone purchased it and then returned it when Charles retook the throne. So although amazing these are not the jewels worn by the Tudors.

We had a great day touring the Southwark neighborhood and the Tower. After a worrisome start to the day we ended up deciding to continue are original plans to fly home on Sunday so there was no rushing out to get the test. That would be tomorrow’s challenge.

The tour is over but we still have a few days in London before we head home. Seeing the sites on our own won’t be the same but we have some full days planned so we should be good.

Today we were off early to Westminster Abbey and the Queen’s Jubilee Exhibit. I haven’t been in the Abbey in a few trips so excited to see the sites now with my new understanding and appreciation of Tudor England.

We started with the headphones for the beginning of the tour but gave them up to go on and do the Jubilee exhibit before it got crazy. We would regret that later but for now happy not to have stuff hanging around my neck.

The Jubilee exhibit was up 108 stairs to the “attic” of the church. The climb was long but was on the outside of the church so great views of the outside of the church and the stained glass. Very different perspective that made the climb worth it.

The exhibit was amazing. We saw Margaret Beaufort’s (my new favorite) prayer book and also a chest she had used when she moved into the abbey one last time before she died.

They also showcased various architectural features that have been replaced or repaired through out the years. It was nice to see them up close. They had the same distortion that you find on the statue on top of our Texas capitol if you ever see that at the history museum. There were also several including Elizabeth I’s effigies. Hers had been burned in a fire but there was still portions of it left.

The Liber Regalis (Royal Book) was also on display. It was a beautiful illuminated manuscript that showed in detail how the coronation and royal funerals should proceed. It dated to the 12th century.

There was also a 1600 Westminster guidebook. The Abbey librarian made a book of all the Abbey’s monuments. This is the only known copy to survive. It provides some of the inscriptions that have since faded so that all the tombs are identified.

The exhibit was amazing and vantage point of looking both out over the abbey floor and the the spires of the church up close were added benefits. Sadly though they didn’t allow photographs. All we had was what we took climbing the stairs and one rushed clandestine picture of the gargoyles that Val took while I distracted the docent.

After the exhibit we went back and finished the Abbey (without the headset guide). We stumbled around the rooms and tried to identify who was who but most tombs were not identified and the writing was in Latin. They really only marked the big ones like Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scotts but the others were a guessing game. We found Margaret Beufort’s but not the Black Prince (who I know is there somewhere). Anyway we soon gave up and headed out to the gift shop. Just like Disney World the exit is through the gift shop. No problem for me I was going to buy stuff anyway.

From the Abbey we headed back to the hotel so Val could take care of something by way of Buckingham Palace. We were just stopping by the gift shop to pick up official jubilee stuff. The Palace was closed, which was okay because we visited last time but there was a garden party going on. We got to see all sorts of people in their Sunday best trying to find the right gate to get into the festivities.

We stopped for a quick lunch then walked back to the hotel. We passed some great shopping areas (noted for future trips) but didn’t have time to stop.

After Val made her call we headed out to the umbrella shop. I was really disappointed when we didn’t make it here last time so it was a must do on this trip. We planned to go to a book release for Alison’s new book at Hatchards and the umbrella shop was not that far away. The shop is great, exactly how you expect an old umbrella shop to look in London. It has been around since the 1800s and they hand make all their umbrellas. They were not cheap but I was not leaving without one. I struggled with my choice. I wanted the bamboo handle but a plaid or flowered umbrella. The only plaid with the bamboo handle I wanted was too dark to work year round so I decided on a solid blue. Now that I am home I am happy with my choice.

Fortnum and Mason tea shop was right next to Hatchards so we shopped there for a bit before going to the book release. it is a great store and I highly recommend a visit for gifts. I was loaded down with books so didn’t buy as much as I would have liked. Next time I’ll plan more room.

The book release was fun. Several people from the tour also showed up to see alison and Tracy discuss Alison’s new book. It was very similar to how book releases go here. Tracy asked specific questions about the book and then about Alison’s other books and writing process. I did learn that Alison’s next fiction book is going to be about Henry VIII and will be told from his point of view.

It was now time to head back to the hotel with all our purchases and new signed books and call it a night.

Today is our last morning at the Royal Crescent Hotel and of the tour. We however do have a few stops before we had back to London and say goodbye. The weather is rainy, gloomy and sad. We have been lucky so far with good weather so I guess this is not bad. Nicola said that we were finally having the full English experience.

Having packed up before the big gala dinner last night we were ready for our early start this morning. Of course our luggage is quite a bit heavier then when we started but hopefully still under weight limits. We didn’t get to spend much time in Bath so I hate to leave but hopefully I can come back someday. I really do want to do the Jane Austen museum and walk.

Today however we are off to the site of the real Wulfhall. The home/castle is long gone. It did not even survive into the next century. The Seymours got caught up in some plot and either paid with their head or spent years as guests of the Queen in the Tower so the house was soon vacant. The next generation decided to move to a new location and let this one just crumble to the ground. What is at the site is a farm house built in the early 1600s. The current owners graciously allowed us on their farm so we could see things uncovered during an archeology dig a few years ago. The dig was stopped by Covid and not sure if it will ever get going again. They found some tiles from the original house and some other artifacts but the big discovery were all the tunnels that were under the original house location.

It was cold and raining as we stood and listened to the archeologist discuss how they worked a medieval site like this and what they had found. The weather only added to the ambiance. It also shortened the stop so we were quickly on our way to Marlborough for lunch.

I had high hopes for shopping in Marlborough. It is home to a very prestigious boarding school(Kate Middleton went there) so I figured the town would be full of nice boutique shopping but sadly no. There were some stores but just not good shopping. It was more home furnishings. Since it was raining we sat down for lunch before getting back on the bus

Our last stop was the Vyne. A medieval manor home visited by Henry and Anne on the 1535 progression. It also was a family home until 1950 when it was gifted to the National Trust. The grounds were open to everybody and they were quite busy. We were the only ones that got to tour the house. The Tudor great hall was still pretty much as it was back in the day. It has wood paneling which other than tapestry was used to warm up the rooms. The paneling was full of pomegranates and Tudor rose carvings. So there was a Katherine of Aragon connection ( her family standard was pomegranates) but I can’t remember what it is. a smaller room off to the side had some nice dark colored tapestries. The dark background makes them unusual for the age. They were much more careful with these tapestry then at the place with those detailing what they thought America looked like. These the windows were covered over and the room was kept dark.

The main reason for the stop is the chapel with medieval stained glass. It is reported to be the best non religious scenes from this time period. It depicts Henry, Ann and Henry’s sister Margaret all at some type of ceremony. The chapel also had great tile floors. Henry and Ann would have entered the chapel upon arriving at the home to give thanks for a safe journey. So I know that they walked and stood exactly where I did.

Two other things to mention about the house was the print room. It was a Victorian custom to take prints from magazines or other publications and glue them around the walls in a room. This room was covered. They say very few survive today(sadly I did not take a picture in this room). This one did because they moved the front door and the small parlor that was at one time just off the main hall was now kind of secluded so never used. Although it doesn’t go with the rest of the house the Trust left it due to its rarity.

The other was the betrothal painting of a very young girl. You know when you read books on the Tudor times that girls got betrothed and married entirely too young. It is hard to see the portrait and know that this young girl who should be playing with dolls is about to get married.

We had time for one last tea and cake before heading back into the bus for the final time. The bus ride into London was a little slow going but soon we arrived at the hotel. We had a brief cocktail hour while they situated our luggage and one by one everyone headed out.

When I planned my first Alison Weir tour I thought it would be a one time splurge. I know better now and can’t wait to see where she will be going next.

I still have a few days to spend in London for retiring home but sad to see the tour portion come to an end.

Today was a relatively easy day with just one stop in Glastonbury to see the cathedral and monastery ruins. We had a choice of this or a walking tour and free afternoon in Bath. We decided Bath was easier to get back to on our own so we went to Glastonbury. I had been years ago on my trip with mom and remembered that the church was right in the middle of the town but did not remember that the town was so new age so maybe that is new. So sadly the free time shopping was not so great but otherwise a lovely day.

In its day Glastonbury monastery and cathedral and been one of the largest in England and the ruins still show the grandeur. We had a guided tour (in costume) that was quite good. He basically pointed out the sites and gave just a bit of history, but left most of that to Alison.

A church had been at this location well before the last cathedral was built. They claim the early 1st century church was established by Joseph of Arimathea. Even claiming that a thorn tree dates from that time period. Though of course unlikely. They have found preCeltic artifacts so they can date the site back to 500 AD. In 1086 the Domesday Book (medieval survey of all the land and who owned what derived from Latin Domus Dei meaning House of God) listed Glastonbury Abbey as the richest in the country.

A fire in the church in 1184 either precipitated or caused the discovery of Arthur’s tomb. They claimed to have been digging a well for the new foundation when they found the grave with two bodies and an inscription that attributed it to Arthur of Avalon. Some (most probably) think that the church which was losing pilgrims without a holy relic that the church created the story to boost the churches coffers after the fire. Regardless there were bones that were re-interred into the center of the church in a ceremony attended by Henry II. With the dissolution of the church and monastery in 1536 the tomb was lost and is no longer at the site.

There is still a lot to see of the ruins and we had a beautiful day to see them. The town not so much. The shopping was all new age and tattoos. We went in a few stores but didn’t find anything. We actually had time for a sit down lunch. We are in an old pub that dates to medieval times. I had a hamburger not the best but the fries were good.

After returning to bath we just had an hour to get ready for our last big finale, dinner at the Roman Baths. We got dressed up again and headed out to dinner.

The Baths were a great setting for our final evening. The main bath is open to sky and we watched the sun set as we sipped Prosecco and took photos. Dinner was once again delicious. There was a trip quiz at the end which our table won but sadly lost the bonus round worth 30 points. We had 28 of the first 30 points but missed out on the number of men who lead the church in Bath. We guessed 16 and the team after did the price is right trick and said 17 to win the day and the tea towels. Of course there were only 6 prizes and we had 7 at our table. Hence the bonus round which had we won there would have been another question. Still all fun and great end to the evening.