Day 24 Back to the States

My final adventure was getting back home.  I got up early so I could say goodbye to the boys.  They seemed a bit tired that morning because they probably had too much fun over the weekend.  Plus going to bed immediately after eating dinner so late and going immediately after has gotta be a little strange on the system.  The three of us sat at the table eating breakfast before they left for school with their dad.  I got some kisses and hugs goodbye from the three of them and off they went to start their day.  

We said goodbye and off I went out of the apartment, said goodbye to the Seine and headed up to the T2 line.  I hopped off at La Defense, bought my ticket from the same girl who couldn't help me before (she was the only truly curt French person I encountered) and off I went to the center of Paris via the RER A line.  Once in the middle of downtown, not that I would know it because I never left the station I transferred over to the B line to the airport.  For the second time I needed to go to the end of the line.  All and all it took me a little over an hour to get to the end of the line.  The nice thing was I didn't have anyone else touching me while traveling in the middle of the day.  It was a nice way to conclude my metro experience. 

When I finally got into the airport it took a bit of time to get checked in.  They have 3 large terminals with the number 2 terminal having probably 8 arms on it.  I found 2G and walked almost the entire length of the check in desks.  I checked in in one area and was sent to another location further down to check my bag.  That might have been a mistake because I have to pick it up in New York after customs.  Finally I made it through the passport check and into the terminal.  They were very efficient getting everyone though bag checks and through the metal detectors and I didn't even have to take my shoes off!

Once I got in there were all the fancy shops and a couple Paris souvenir shops.  I stopped in the souvenir shop and bought a small travel wallet with the money that Alice would not take.  After I found the macroon shop that I was hoping was there.  I bought some of them to take home with me to share with the family since I knew they were good from the day before, in fact too good.  I swore to the money gods for buying the wallet and not finding the macroons first.  So I had a bit left to spent in Euros buying a soda and some Kinder bars.  

Finally it was time to board the biggest plane to date, the A380.  Two complete floors full of passengers.   The plane is huge!  We got off late due to baggage getting on board and then sat on the runway for a while.  Finally almost an hour late we were off for the States. Since I was an Air France flight it came with an aperitif of champagne before the meal.  The meal was actually pretty good and of course had a bit of cheese on the side.  I watched a couple movies and never got up from my seat for the entire 8 hour flight.  Wow!
I got into New York city around 2 in the afternoon.  I went through customs again very quickly.  The US residents line was practically nothing while the visiting passports and visas had at least an hour.  Good thing because I only had about an hour between my flights.
Per security requirements I had to claim my bag, only immediately to recheck it about 30 steps away so it could be checked by American security.  Right...
The next step was finding my terminal.  I had come into the international terminal and needed to find the domestic.  I looked on the map and it looked like it was next door.  So a wandering I went.  No there, not there.  Oh the terminals are not connected.  Go outside and walk to the terminal.  Ok...  We I finally made it there with about 30 minutes to spare.  I got on my flight to Kansas City which was a little commuter jet.  3 seats across with about half of the plane open.  My last flight had 11 across with no open seats.  A bit of a difference. 
I made it home by 7pm which was 3am in Paris.  I stayed up for a couple hours to try to get back to central time.  I had such a fantastic time on my entire trip.
London, Oxford, Stratford-Upon-Avon, York, Hardrian's Wall

Scottish Border, Edinburgh

Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh

Glasgow, Loch Lommond, Belfast, Giant's Causeway, Aran Islands, Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Killarney, Blarney Castle, Rock at Cashel

Dublin, Llangollen, Cardiff, Bath

Bath, Stonehenge, London

London

London

Versailles

Disneyland Paris

Paris

Paris

I hope that I get to have an experience like this again in my lifetime.

Day 15 The Last Day of the Tour

I can't believe that the first two weeks are already over.  In some ways it seemed to go by really fast and it other ways things seem like a really long time ago.  Our last day took us from Wales back into England and stopping in Bath and Stonehenge on the way back to London.  Compared to other days there was a bit less driving and more time for wondering.

Our first stop of the day was in Bath.  The home of Jane Austin and, more famously, the Roman Baths.  

I decided that £12.25 was worth the investment to head inside to take a step back in history.  The museum was really well done.  They had many artifacts that have been found over the years of excavation.  They have found 12,500 coins, worship alters, and my favorite, curses.

People threw in metal plates that had curses written on them and where throw into the baths to the goddess who would carry them out.  Some of them were so trivial like stolen gloves, but they still cursed them to suffer for it.  Another cool thing was the audio guide had an option to listen to commentary by Bill Bryson.  His commentary was just as informative and far more entertaining than the traditional one. 

I happened to be around when they were starting a free guided tour so I stuck around the spot until the guide showed up.  Well it ended up that no one wanted a free tour so I got my own personal tour.  He explained the floor heating system, the temperatures of the various pools and who and when the various areas were built by.  Plus every photo spot he would offer to take my picture for me.  Having personalized service and photographer wasn't to shabby.  About 20 minutes into the tour one of my bus mates joined up.  Our guide took us to the pool that water comes directly up from the well beneath.  The springs are still active today almost 2000 years after it was first used by the Romans.

You can still see the water heat rising and bubbling at the top.  Our guide gave us pennies to throw into the pool so that maybe they would be found again or perhaps lost to the depths of the earth.  And of course we made a wish.  The final stop of the tour was at a drinking fountain.  If you dare you can drink the water from the springs in Bath.  Sold!  Hopefully it cures all my ailments.  Some writers said that if the water from Bath can't cure you than nothing can. 

I could have spent about another hour inside the Roman baths and a day or two inside the town.  There is Jane Austin museum (even though she supposedly hated Bath), a bridge that has shops along both sides (only one of three in Europe), old churches and much more.

On the way out of Bath we had to find lunch to go to get to the bus on time.  Our regular tour guide Tim spoke about Sally Lunn buns and offered to take any by the check them out.  No one did but Laura and I found it on accident.  They are a simple bread bun except for the size.They are huge.  I think about 8 inches across by 5 inches tall.  I got a black currant jam, kind of between black berry and raspberry in taste and used frequently in teas, and dipped the bread in it.  Not to shabby but defiantly not for just one.

Our next stop was at Stonehenge.  You can see it driving in but it is worth the money to get closer to it and listen to the audio guide.  There are barriers around the stones so you are not able to walk through them but you are able to walk completely around them.

 We have been told that they still don't truly know why they are there which is still the case.  But the various stories still prevail   The stories were either a deal with the devil, witchcraft or the aid of Merlin.  What I didn't know was the stones were rebuilt three times.  The first time was before the common myth of pagan witches.  They believe that it was primarily used as a time piece for the summer and winter solstices and the months of the year.

Another interesting fact is about the slaughter stone.  It is named that because when it rains, which it does often in England, it turns red, not because it was used as a sacrificial alter.  The difficult thing about visiting Stonehenge is getting a picture without anyone else in it.  There were tons of people there so I would wait until they disappeared behind a stone and hope that no one else would come out behind another. 

After exploring ancient history it was time to board the bus for he last time to London.  This was the most noticeably chatty everyone was on the bus.  Usually most everyone kept to themselves reading, listening to music or sleeping but at that moment everyone was saying the last goodbyes.  And one final time listening to the wake up song of Galway girl.  Every time we reached a location where we would depart the bus one came on loudly over the bus speakers to tell everyone it was time to get themselves together to get off the bus.  By the end of the trip everyone would sing it whenever it came on. Very catchy Galway Girl is and it was one of the cities that we visited.

We arrived at the hotel where we got picked up from around 4:30.  I found out that two other girls from the tour had booked the same hotel so after saying a final goodbye to almost everyone off we went.  I was going to look up directions the night before but the hotel charged for Internet so I didn't get a chance.  One of the girls phone was just about out of battery so we looked at it quickly and went off.  To the wrong hotel.  They had put in the location from the hotel that they started the London trip from.  Oops.  Well we eventually found the place after I popped into a shop for directions.

Once we got our hotel I was told that they were having some problems in some of the single rooms.  They had rebooked me at another hotel.  Good thing it was only 5 minutes away, closer to a Underground station and they included breakfast for me to make up for the move.  I checked in and headed down into the basement where my room was.

Most of the girls from the tour had agreed upon meeting around an underground station for a final supper of sorts.  Since I had gotten turned wound getting to the hotel I once again got a little lost on my way to the station.  But I knew approximately where I was since I was around an area I had been in before.  I walked by he restaurant that we ended up eating at.  Once we got back to the pub we all ordered at the bar.  I had my first burger of the trip with their fake bacon and cheddar cheese.  I also enjoyed a pint of cider in side the British pub, I cant do beer so close enough.  We had a great time visiting with our fellow travelers took some final pictures and the final goodbyes.  

I took the underground back to my "home " station and walked back with two other girls that were staying at a hostel a couple blocks down from me.  Another goodbye and off to my room to figure out the plans for my first solo day in London.

Day 14 Adventures through Wales

Our next days adventure and the second to last on the tour took us from Llangollen to Cardiff, both in Wales.  Wales is truly one of the most beautiful areas I have ever visited.  It reminds me of if Oregon and Colorado were combined with sheep.  

Green hillsides, steep climbs, rivers and streams and quaint little towns everywhere.  On our way to Cardiff we stopped at the tallest and longest Aqueduct in the UK.  The water way was only about 5 feet across with a 3 foot walkway on one side.  These days you can hire a little boat for a day though the transportation waterway is Wales. 

Our morning and early afternoon was a lot of driving.  We again drove thought beautiful scenery. We drove along side or through a Welsh national park.  If I were driving I would probably stop every 10 minutes or so to take a better look at what was around me.  A very nice thing about the bus tour is that you don't have to worry about how you get there, where you stay and your daily timelines.  If I ever get the chance to come back in he future I will know better where to stop again, what to skip and where to base a trip around the area that I would like to see.

We arrived at Cardiff at 2 pm after another long day of driving.  Our hotel happened to be in the center of town next to all attraction.  Around town was a beautiful university, bell tower, large shopping area and a castle.  Another country and state capital down.

I met in the lobby 3 other people who wanted to go to the castle.  Yes another castle.  We walked along a park wall with stone animal sentries.  They were really cool but they had crazy eyes!

We started by grabbing the included audio guide and watched the most horrible introduction video of all time It was pretty much laugh put loud bad.  Past the video we were free to explore.  This castle had a fantastic keep in the center of a large green surrounded by a barrier wall.  Within the barrier wall there were tunnels that where used more recently as shelters during the air raids of WWII.  Those tunnels went along he emitted barrier wall.  Lots of distance to walk all of them but not a lot of space as they were very narrow.  

Most of the castle is a reconstruction from the late 1800s.  Along the wall there were red bricks that divided the original remains of the Roman castle and wall from the reconstruction done.  The Grand Marquis Butte and the following Marquis took it upon themselves to build it again but not without making themselves a very posh living space.  The living spaces were redone in an over the top Victorian living spaces.  They must have spend hundreds of thousand pound in the 1880 to create these spaces.  Ornate details from bible passages, specifically themed rooms, a library with busts of authors and an out of this world staircase. 

The keep at in the center of the green on an earthen mound.  To get to the top of the keep it took about 90 steps of very narrow staircases.  Castles in the UK and Ireland seemed to have been very keen on very narrow circular staircases with tiny steps.  I suppose when you think about it the people who built them 700+ years ago may have been a bit smaller than we are today.  Well needless to say I climes to the top to he rewarded with a pretty good view of the city.  My calves are in really awesome shape after all the climbing around that I have done.

After exploring the castle ground for almost 2 hours I headed out into Cardiff.  There is a huge shopping area right across from the castle so I went in for a bit to explore.  I found an Americana candy shop that had Tab soda, which I haven't seen in forever and tons of candy I'd never seen before.  I guess I don't know what candy is in America I guess. I also found a teacup that I really liked with the classic Alice in Wonderland style of art but the handle looked a little flimsy for traveling so I didn't purchase it.  That's what Amazon is for.

Shopping was not really what I wanted to do at that moment so I wondered to the Cardiff University area.  They have a large clock tower on a main building so it was easy to get to.  I ended up finding the national museum there but only had about 15 minutes to explore as they were going to close soon.  I found some weaponry from Welsh past, took an illegal picture and off I went to the shop.  I was hoping to find a reusable bag from Wales with the flag or a dragon on it but no such luck.

From the museum I walked around the campus to find a small rose and statue garden.  Again lots of tributes to those who were lost during WWI along with the other more recent conflicts.  I still cant get over the amount of statues and memorials in the cities and even the small towns.  I guess I need to enjoy KCs statues a bit more.

I then found a park that went along the outside of the castle, enjoyed a quick walk, took pictures from the outside of the castle and found my way back to our hotel.  But I wad determined to fin some little trinket to take back with me so I abet back to a little tourist shop.  I met the girls that I explored the castle with and one pointed out my name on a magnet.  That was he first time I have ever seen my name on anything that we did not have to get specially made.  Score! and purchased.

We had our final group dinner not to far from our hotel at a gastro pub.  I had fried calamari, which was ok, and a Mediterranean pizza which wasn't as good as other ones I've had in the States.

After the who group went to a bar nearby.  It was a Vodka bar so I only got one drink which was very weak and not that good.  Well I didn't feel like sticking around for too long so back to the hotel I went to get a good nights sleep for a very busy last day of the tour.

Day 13 A Ferry to find my name

We left Dublin early to catch the ferry back across the sea to Whales.  The ferry ride was not the smoothest due to the winds.  Whenever I got up to walk around it probably looked like I was drunk.

I assure you that my Irish Coffees had worn off by this morning.  The ferry was not as fancy as the last one when we went over to Belfast.  It also seemed like there were far fewer passengers on board as well.  Put the pretty boats on the more traveled routes.  Makes sense.  Three hours later we arrived in my 5th country of the trip.  And still only one stamp in my passport!

Our drive to Llangollen was truly gesticulate.  I never knew that it was so stunning.  I had heard it was pretty but it was even more than that.  Since we were in Wales, the land of my name I kept trying to get a picture of one of the signs.  I saw 5 different places with Bryn in their title.  Super awesome.

We took a little break in the town with the longest name ever.  I would attempt to spell it right but its crazy long, 56 characters long. It totally an old people on tour tourist trap with one big store and nothing much else.  We had a quick lunch at a pub and back on the bus we went.

 We arrived at Llangollen around 4pm.  We were supposed to get in earlier but because of the ferry being a bit slower due to the winds.  Most of the local attractions were already shut down for the day.  There are horse drawn boats, boats for hire and again more horse drawn carriages.  

 I decided to go for another hike. It seems like when i war my dress slacks it means hiking.  I climbed up towards another castle ruin at the top of Dee Valley.  That's right, Dee Valley.  I walked from the bottom of town all the way up.  I used surface streets on the way up until that base of the hill area.  

I talked to a very nice woman from the Canada.  She had lived in the England for 11 years and never been to Wales.  That's like never visiting St Louis from KC. 

  I caught my breath while I talked to her for the super steep hike.  It took me about 25 minutes to reach the summit.  The castle at the top was in ruins.  Only a few walls and archways are still remaining.  Otherwise it was an open green space.  

 I ended up talking to another very nice person from Ireland and playing ball with his dog while I caught my breath again after the hike.  I had a very nice time talking with him and enjoy the views.  I ended up staying at the summit for about an hour.  The views were spectacular.  I could see the city below, the aquaduct from afar, and valleys full of sheep.  I hope some of my pictures turn out from the top.  Much nicer than shopping around town and taking a nap.

 Our whole group of 21 plus our guide and driver went to the Corn Mill restaurant.  The restaurant used to actually be mill.   The water wheel was still there with the water flowing. We ended up coming in two big groups.  I got a hard cider which is very popular in the UK. Our food took over an hour to get.  Mine came 15 minutes after everyone else's in the group.  I order an starter of 3 scallops.  1 hour 15 minutes for 3 scallops.  They should have at least given me a free drink for that wait. At least it was a cool looking restaurant right along the riverside.

The pictures I took in Llangollen were some of my favorites from the entire trip.