Happy (part III)

This is a quickie...just to post something and keep my streak going, and a little something for my friends Elizabeth and Kris.

SHEEP!

The short story is, we were very obsessed with the sheep of the English countryside, always shouting out, "SHEEP" on the bus each time we saw one.

The group would tell you that they thought it was funny...at first.  Holly admitted to putting her iPod earphones in as an attempt to ignore us after a few days of the tomfoolery.

That kid needs to learn the fine art of comedy!

Home Sweet Home

It is good to be home again, but wouldn't be right if I didn't do one last entry to capture the final bit of the pilgrimage. Everyone packed up the last of their luggage (there were quite a few extra duffel and carry-on bags to support the numerous souvenirs that were brought back!), had our last breakfast together and then set out for Oxford University, where we spent the majority of our time at Lincoln College. Wesley was a tutor (instructor) and fellow of the college (that roughly means he was a member of what we would call the Board of Directors). John and his brother Charles both attended Christ College for their undergraduate studies, however we were unable to view the chapel or any components of that school since commencement ceremonies were going on. Oxford University is a beautiful and historic university and while we did look around and take plenty of pictures (password england), it is not going to stay on the list of 'potential' schools for Holly...that is too far away to send my little Schnoogs!

It was a pleasant surprise upon my return to learn that two new events had occurred with the family...
1) Shadow (who has a particularly heavy coat) was shaved down in my absence, leaving her looking a lot like a dog wearing a sheep suit (in my humble opinion). I am starting to warm up to it and it is actually kind of cute but most importantly helps her to stay cooler on these warm/HOT Southern California days
2) We have a new addition - Daphne! She is an 8-year old yellow lab/golden retriever mix who has morphed right in as one of the family. We aren't really sure of her story as she appears to have been abandoned, but other than being a big fan of having someone continuously petting her, she is pretty low-maintenance. We enjoyed an outing to the beach today, so you can check the dog-frolicking out when viewing the pix.

Now that the big trip is over, it is back to the regular routine, but that doesn't mean that things go quiet here on the blog. Check back every week or so to see the latest and greatest on what the Newton's are doing, you will not be disappointed!

Reconciliation

The Cathedral in Coventry has a long (1000 years or so) history starting as a former house for nuns and a Benedictine community. This cathedral became a symbol for forgiveness and reconciliation on November 15, 1940...the morning after it was bombed and destroyed. The cathedral took 22 years to build and in 1962 was opened - keeping the destroyed ruins in place next to the modern cathedral...a juxtaposition of old and new, faith and defiance when most would give up.

Coventry is a beautiful and very calming setting, which might seem surprising given its history. Check out the photos and see for yourself (password england). This is the last entry before returning home, so it is also your chance to catch up on all of the photos and entries before I return and start to quiz you all on the journeys!!

The Queen told us that she was in town for the wedding of her grandson on Saturday, so we were invited over to Windsor Castle for a spot of tea. We had a bit of driving to do to get over to Windsor, so we skipped out on tea with the queen but made a quick tour of the castle. There are a lot of rooms for a lot of stuff, but you have to love the pomp and circumstance of the British Monarchs!

We shared our final English dinner, communion, slide show (we have taken over 7000 pictures as a combined group - I'll bet you can't wait for that album to be shared!!) and thoughts on the trip together this evening. The common theme for all is that this has been an incredibly powerful, meaningful and impactful trip for each of us for different reasons, but ultimately the purpose of our pilgrimage has been met and will continue to live on even as we return to our 'regular' lives.

Thanks to all of you who have shared this journey and taken the time to read the entries, I hope that you have enjoyed reading through this blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it! Tomorrow it is off to Oxford college for a brief tour of some of John Wesley's haunts and history as he began sharing his beliefs and practices with fellow students. It will be back to Heathrow airport by lunchtime and then a thrilling 11 hour flight home...see you all in a couple of days!

The 'Spirits' of York

As the weather continues to hold in brilliant fashion, we were pilgrims on a journey...today it was humorously enough to secure a specific kind of 'spirit', although it might not be what you would first expect. It would seem that for the dedicated gin drinkers, there is a brand of Plymouth gin known as 'Naval Strength' that is revered as the best EVER and is impossible to get in the USA and it would appear also somewhat difficult to get in the UK. After a coach ride, 2 hours of walking through the city and lots of inquiries, clues, hints and false hopes, we landed upon the fabled gin in the cellar of a store connected to a pub squeezed down an alley... but we got it!

We celebrated our conquest with an excellent Indian meal, topped off (naturally) by some ice cream and then spent some quiet time milling about the city. York is fascinating for many reasons, including the Roman roads that run through the center of the city (and look an awful lot like the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter) plus is surrounded by the original wall that was built to protect it from invaders. We are staying at the Fishers gate (this is a city built around water) and the York Minster is down at the Monk gate - the reason seems pretty obvious.

Succumbing to the pressures of being a tourist in England, we attended a high tea that was admittedly better than I gave it credit for potentially being. We had a group of 17 invade Betty's Tea and the place will never be the same again. We even managed to drag a couple of the guys along for the experience and they too confessed that it was pretty good. After tea it was more cruising of the town and another visit back to the York Minster and its amazing architectural features.

The day is wrapping up with a great sunset and promise of some pear cider at the local pub later. Tomorrow we head for Coventry Cathedral and Windsor Castle - a bit of driving will be involved but naturally we will document the entire trip for you to view. (password england)

Plucked from the Flames

Our journey today took us back to where it all began – Epworth and the home of John Wesley. The Wesley family lived in the church rectory with their 10 children. Father Samuel was not the most popular parish priest and some to this day believe that it was arson, but for whatever reason and however it was started, the family home burned to the ground in 1709 when John was 5 years old. This story is particularly significant because John was nearly killed in the fire when he was stranded on the 2nd floor and was (as all of the literature states), 'plucked from the flames just before the roof caved in.' John's mother Susanna beleived that John had been saved for a special purpose.

Our tour of the rebuilt rectory and home allowed many different insights and examples of what life was like for the Wesley family growing up in Epworth and how Susanna impacted not only John in his spiritual life but also how she helped to pave the path for women in church and society...insisting that her daughters and all girls should learn to read and write before being put to work.

The gardens on this property are beautiful and the herbs in the back are planted specifically for the different healing remedies that John wrote about in a book on homespun cures that John wrote in 1747 after many years of working and helping the poor. John himself lived to be 89 which is good by today's standards but was basically unheard of in his time, so there was clearly something to his approach on health and wellness.

Once we returned to York, it was all about exploring the city and attending Evensong services at the York Minster- the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. Nearly 1000 years old and completely awe-inspiring in terms of size, scale and stained glass, it was hard to sit through the service without our mouths gaping open. In the Anglican Church Evensong - or evening prayer service - is about 80% singing (by the far more talented choir), including the prayers, so hearing it in a cathedral with ceilings that reach 150 feet is unbelievable. It is also cool to see the choir with the young kids learning to be a part of the tradition and watching them proceed so seriously down the aisle, then see them push each other as they file into their row.

Tomorrow is a free day in York, so expect more action shots and lots of scenery from the walls that surround this ancient city!

No Bull at Durham

Today's journey began with a beautiful walk around the Lake district to take in and appreciate the tranquility of the still waters before the tourists and Brits on holiday venture out in boats en masse. We boarded our coach and made the 2 hour journey northeast back up to Durham where we connected to the 'missing pieces' of history discovered at Lindensfarne on Sunday. The Durham Cathedral was built over 200 years beginning in 1081 until it was completed in 1280 with many additions, towers and enhancements. Notable at the cathedral are the remains of St. Cuthburt, King Oswald and the Venerable Bede.

While we were touring the cathedral, we had the opportunity to climb the 325 steps up to the center tower. An athletic feat in it's own right for the stairs alone, the twists, turns and narrow column made navigating the passage somewhat entertaining as we passed a few tourists in the last third of the tower. The trip was worth it – a stunning view of Durham and the ground way, way, way below 218 feet to be exact. Check out the view and know that it feels much more stable when viewed with your body planted firmly in your seat! (password england)

We wandered Durham for another hour or so, taking in lunch and of course – the official treat of the pilgrimage – ice cream (12 days in England and not one day missed!) A few more hours on the coach south as we enjoy the scenes of the countryside until we arrived in York. Faithful Blog followers should know that Craig and I have spent almost 2 hours attempting to secure Internet connectivity…once this finally makes the pages, you will know that we have success, but it hasn’t been easy!
Tomorrow brings another day of adventure and exploration in Epworth – hometown to John Wesley.

Frontiers of the Roman Empire

The morning started off chilly and foggy as we rode up and into the city of Kelso in Scotland where we entertained the locals out early with our quest for shortbread and scotch pies (not being a fan of either, I walked along for fun!) The countryside leading in and out of the area was stunning between the fields, farm animals, streams and homes that dot the landscape.

Hadrian’s Wall was our primary target and for good reason – an 80 mile wall constructed of stones 12 feet high, six feet across with 30 forts and 160 turrets (this is of course all during it’s 300 years of supremacy…2000 years of wear and tear have eliminated some of the construction). The wall took six years to construct by order of Emperor Hadrian who felt it necessary to separate the Romans from the rest of the world (he referred to them as barbarians) upon his ascension to power in the 2nd century.

We enjoyed a bit of exploring and climbing on the wall, including some feigned supremacy and dominance - it’s easy to be filled with thoughts of power and grandeur when standing on top of what was such a magnificent wall and fortress – then hopped back onto the coach for a quick trip to Haltwhistle. Geographically and historically speaking, Haltwhistle is the official mid-point or center of Britain and contains a nice balance of locals and visitors to keep it quaint and busy all at the same time.

The remainder of our day was spent tootling through the Cheviot Hills and along the countryside as we wound our way back down into the Lake District, popular for its beautiful scenery, Beatrix Potter and William Woodsworth fame.

We have only one evening in Windemere, for tomorrow takes us to York where we will plant ourselves for several days to explore, and you can come along of course!

The Holy Isle

We had a leisurely start to our day as we waited for the causeway to open, allowing us passage onto Lindesfarne, known as ‘The Holy Island’. This island is often referred to as the cradle of Christianity since its monastery was founded by St. Aidan in the 7th century (635 AD to be exact). Saint Cuthbert is Northumberland’s patron saint, served as a monk and later Abbot and eventually Bishop at Lindesfarne. The Venerable Bede recorded a large number of miracles around St. Cuthbert and the monastery, which has drawn pilgrims to this site for over 1,300 years. View some pictures to see why it is such a draw (password england).

We attended church services at the local parish which sits right next to the ruins. The population of Lindesfarne itself is about 100 total; the 3 different services each day tend to bring in a majority of tourists and pilgrims. The ruins contain so much history and many unspoken stories of the different struggles and battles that went on to maintain the tradition of Christianity during different times. Depending heavily upon the passage through local waters and tides as well as being pretty far north in England, this island was at one time a major hub for any travelers coming through – including those hostile invaders looking to conquer and invade the territory.

There are 3 ways to get back to the mainland (all at low tide of course). Drive across, walk across on the causeway or walk across on what was described to us as the sand, following along the poles that are placed out in the North Sea to mark the route from the island to the shores of the mainland. Being adventurous travelers, a few of us decided to set across on the true pilgrims’ path and walk along the sea floor that was just a couple of hours away from being covered by the North Sea.

It was an amazing, albeit very muddy trek. I will spare you my waxing poetically about the experience, but if you are interested and want a 30-minute or so dissertation on what the entire process was like, ask me for the details. Suffice it to say that it was very meaningful and I not sure that my Nike’s will ever be rid of the stink of the North Sea!

We made a quick stop at Bamburgh castle where we viewed a 6th century castle in the fog and squished our way through the halls (muddy shoes/pants and all) to view artifacts and history of the first castle to be destroyed by canon-fire; they had been impenetrable up until that point! The castle itself has served as an archaeological haven for artifacts and information dating all the way back to before the Roman conquest…it is sometimes overwhelming to think of just how much has happened in this region over the centuries.
The day ended with a much needed change of shoes and socks and a nice bowl of soup as a starter for dinner. Tomorrow promises an earlier start as we actually leave the English border and head for a brief stint in Scotland…just to say that we have been there!

Fields of Gold

This was the day that we had to say goodbye to four of our favorite pilgrims – Bettina, Rachel, David & Holly. We enjoyed an early morning walk around Rutland Waters, visiting with the local sheep, dogs and dog walkers. Breakfast was excellent according to Holly, who enjoyed a rather sizeable chocolate muffin with a ‘delicious fudge center’. We put our home-bound travelers into a taxi bound for the Oakham train station where they took a train, another cab and another train before making it to the airport and their flight.

Meanwhile, back on the coach, we took the majority of the day to drive the 225 miles or so north to our destination of Wooler, which is in Northumberland (a name that I find very entertaining to hear the locals pronounce). While we watched the countryside zip along by, we saw a LOT of the yellow fields that I am now certain inspired the Sting song ‘Fields of Gold’. I even got out and got into the middle of one of these fields (it is called rape and is used to make rapeseed oil) to check it out up close. The flowers put off a kind of damp and earthy smell and a ton of pollen, so I was spreading a bit of golden sunshine for a while after the field romp.

Lunchtime was a nice break in the day with the required pub lunch experience complete with the local soccer (ahem, football in this part of the world) on the telly. No lunch is complete without at least 1 scoop of Thorton’s ice cream, and then back onto the coach for a couple more hours.

We arrived in Wooler early enough to get a great view of the Cheviot Hills which are the natural boundary between England and Scotland and also to take a long run (I’ve got to work that ice cream habit off somehow!) I was directed to take a spin up a trail that is great for runners and hikers according to a local English couple. As the cute little man said to me, “It’s a bit of an uphill at first.” Try 1 ½ miles of sheer incline to the point that I thought I might need oxygen! When I came back down about 30 minutes later, the woman asked me, “How did you like it dearie?” Five bucks (or ten pounds) says that they were splitting their sides laughing after I left!

It is a bit quiet without Schnoogs, the kids and Bettina, so we are all adjusting to the new dynamic in our group. Tomorrow is the much anticipated trip to Lindesfarne and Bamburgh; you will have to check in them to find out why all the hype and excitement!

Shakespeare in England

The day started early enough with a tour of the Tor in Glastonbury. Holly and many others opted to sleep in, but the 9 of us willing to brave the 6 am wake up call to squeeze in the 2 ½ mile round trip hike did it. Although a bit foggy, the morning was spectacular and the payoff was waiting for us at the top of the ‘mountain’. Once we huffed, puffed and sweated our way to the top, we were rewarded with the satisfaction of having made the trek and knowing that we possibly were standing on the site that the Holy Grail was originally stashed…legend has it, anyway! Although the view on the horizon was shrouded in fog, we still snapped pictures (password england) with the authority of hikers and pilgrims who trudged up the steep hillside.

A quick and tasty bite from a local bakery and then we were off in our coach once again…first to pick up our laundry in Bristol and then off to Stratford-on –Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare! We did a quickie tour of William Shakespeare’s family home, as well as the home and garden of his wife, Anne Hathway. For those of you who aren’t up on your Elizabethan playwright gossip; 18-year old William married Anne when she was 26 and 3-months pregnant…quite a scandal in those times, no doubt! We enjoyed a great late lunch in Stratford-on-Avon, a city rich in history is dating all the way back to medieval times – their Farmer’s Market has been held on Fridays continuously since the 1100’s.

The remainder of our day was primarily spent on the coach as we made our way out to Oakham, located near Rutland Waters, the largest man made lake in Britain. The hotel and view are spectacular, making our evening prayer time together outside especially breathtaking. We had a few tears from a person or two (who could that possibly be??) as we acknowledged that we will be sending Holly, Bettina, David and Rachel home tomorrow, but we continue to celebrate the time that we have had together. No wireless capacity in this hotel means that the blog is assembled off line and is waiting for some internet access to get back up to speed. Here’s hoping that in addition to a beautiful sunset across the lake, tomorrow’s travels will also bring us to an internet café or T-mobile hot spot!

The English Countryside is Lovely!

Today we set out beyond the city limits of London to continue our pilgrimage. We visited first at Avebury Stone Circles, the lesser-known and much wider in circumference stone monuments. This location was discovered back in the 1930’s and the stones re-erected by the archaeologist who discovered them. We followed that visit with a trip over to Stonehenge, where we walked around and marveled at this prehistoric monument…it is estimated that it was completed about 3500 years ago. Next up was Salisbury, a very quaint town that is home to the 750 year old Salisbury Cathedral which lays claim to having the tallest spire in all of Britain, Europe’s oldest working clock and the best preserved Magna Carta (there are 4 total). Lots of great history to take in all at once AND on such a gorgeous day too – the weather is unseasonably warm and hasn’t dipped below 72 for us yet. We wrapped the day up in Glastonbury by visiting the Abbey. Also very rich with history and legend, it is said to be the 1st Christian church in Europe and also to have housed the remains of King Arthur and Lady Guinevere before being destroyed in 1539 by King Henry VIII. We have much more to see in Glastonbury and surrounding areas and will continue to take some great photos to share with you (password england). Holly has turned into quite the world traveler and declared her experiences thus far ‘very enriching’, so it would appear that it is all the rage here!

Not a Moment Wasted in London

It may have been our last full day in London, but not a moment of it has gone to waste! Holly and I started early so that we could get to everything we still had on our list. We are proud to report that we did that – and then some! Our pictures will prove our diverse activities from the day (password england) and as usual demonstrate the fun we continue to have. We started with a ride on the Underground to King’s Cross during rush hour, which was an adventure in itself. Harry Potter fans will naturally recognize the significance of the station – it is where platform 9 ¾ transports Harry and his friends off to another school year at Hogwarts. The consummate tourists, we not only sought out Platform 9 ¾, we took pictures – A LOT of them and then we asked a stranger to take one of all of us together too. Next stop was St. Paul’s Cathedral. Very beautiful and very historical; we opted out of the paid tour and took some photos from outside instead. We trekked across the Thames River on the Millennium Bridge (it cost $25 million to build and then promptly closed for another $7 million in ‘reinforcing’ because it shook when you walked across it). We stopped by the re-constructed Old Globe Theater and had to settle for a photo outside because technical rehearsals were being held for ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’. The gem of the day was Southwark Cathedral – the oldest gothic church building in London (it started out as a convent in 606 AD). We stopped for lunch at the same pub that a scene from ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ was filmed and then set out walking the 3-miles or so along the river to ride on the London Eye – a tourist trap for certain, but one can’t deny the amazing views that it offers in the 30-minute rotation. It was then back over the Thames to get one more set of photos of the Parliament Building and an ice cream, then one stop on the Underground to Green Park, where we walked straight through to Buckingham Palace. The Queen was in and while we appreciated her offer for tea, we decided to hurry back to the hotel so that we could post our blog entry before dinner. Whew, what a full day! Tomorrow we pack up and load onto the coach…we are going north through the English Countryside. Here’s hoping that we will be able to maintain great internet access!

Culture time in London Town

We took to another day on the streets of London, this time taking more the form of tourists rather than pilgrims, although we are always in search of significant historical monuments. We got an early start to make it over to the British Museum, taking in the splendor of the atrium-style Great Court which opens an hour before the museum itself. We were among the first to view the Rosetta Stone, and then meandered through the halls of the museum for several hours. We saw mummies, statues, artifacts and just about anything that you can imagine. Holly found the entire experience rather exciting and managed to get herself into quite a few photos (england is your password). We grabbed what was supposed to be a quick pub lunch...let's just say that it was neither quick OR very good; I should know better than to try to order nachos (it is Cinco de Mayo after all!) over here. After making the most out of lunch it was off to the Tower of London to see the home of some of the most infamous executions in British History (Anne Boleyn would concur) and has more steps and windy staircases than you can imagine! We topped the day off with a bit of ice cream and a ride back home on the underground...tomorrow is free day and wait until you see what we have planned - anyone for Platform 9 3/4????

All London, All Day!

It is Sunday, we are on a pilgrimage, and we are in London - the birthplace of Methodism! After I had the opportunity to enjoy a quick run in Hyde Park, it was time to eat a full English breakfast and hit the road! We went to church and church related things today more than once; the end result was an excellent day full of history and great times. We started the morning with a full English breakfast, took quite a trip on the 'Tube' to worship at Wesley's chapel. We then walked through Bunhills cemetery to see the grave site of John Wesley's mother - Susannah Wesley, stopped by the Museum of London to view the spot at Aldersgate where Wesley's heart was 'strangely warmed'. A quick bite at the cafe, then onto the tube again to Trafalgar square for a nice walk all the way down to Westminster Abbey where we took in an organ concert at 5:45 and then evening service at the Abbey at 6:30. Back on the tube to Victoria station, stop by a pub for a quick pint (we ARE in England) and then dinner as a group. A full and fast day...tomorrow promises to be much of the same! Holly had a WOW moment while standing in front of the House of Parliament today...she's really in England!!! We continue to take plenty of photos - the top 19 are available for you now...don't forget to use your very fancy password: england.

We have arrived!

Well, the 2 hour delay and 10 hour flight have been completed and we have at last arrived here in England! Wasting no time at all, we hit the streets of London (and the waters of the River Thames) to take in the sights and sounds of one of the most famous British cities. It has been a long 27 or 28 hours since we left the house but we have certainly made the most of it. Holly is already snoozing her way onto London time and I will soon hit the pillow myself; but not before we share with you some of our favorite photos of the day (between the 2 of us there are about 140). Don't be frightened! Only 22 of them have been posted onto our collection. Click here and enter england (all lower case) as your password when prompted. It's as if you are here with us, except without all of the travel time invested! Tomorrow I am up early for a run in Hyde Park, Holly is up a little later to get ready and then we are off to church at Wesley's chapel - a very significant and historic landmark in the Methodist world. Check back tomorrow for more news and pix!

We are packed!!

The day has arrived! We are packed - crammed is more like it in my case - and all travel documents are accounted for! We have started to take photos already, but have packed the laptop so you will have to wait to see the antics, but you can imagine. We enjoyed a fine meal of tacos for dinner last night because it is going to be a while until authentic Mexican food will be readily available. England meals could be daunting for the non-meat eater, but we are adventurous and have packed an ample supply of clif bars and trail mix to make sure that no starving occurs (and with all of that great cheese available...would that really happen?) We look forward to sharing the adventures with you on our next post! The queen has already called me three times, wondering when we will arrive. Tally ho!

Getting ready for England!!

The England countdown is almost over! Holly and I will be leaving for England on May 2nd and will be traversing about the UK for a while - Holly until the 10th and Jan until the 17th. (David has opted to stay home and watch the dogs) This will be the site to watch for all of the latest news as well as link to the different photos that we are taking. It is going to be good times for all and we look forward to having you as virtual travel partners! In case you were wondering, this photo has absolutely no connection to our England trip, except that it is a gorgeous shot of Avila Beach in Pismo that a friend of mine shot and it is always a very soothing photo to me. Next up...the last minute preparations and the 'day before' the big adventure begins!