September2024: England-Ireland Trip
September 6, 2024 We’re at it again on another excursion to faraway places. Tom, Jim, Joel, Elaine, Barbara Daniels and Linda Dunn have begun a journey to southwestern England, Wales and Ireland for much of the month of September. Covid had slowed our travels, but we feel safe enough to resume them. 
Joel, Barbara, Linda, Jim and Elaine, van loaded and off to the Portland airport.
If you would like to be removed from this e-mail list, no worries. Just let me know [Tom].
The Oregon contingent departed on British Airways from Portland on one of their daily flights to Heathrow in London. Tom boarded another BA flight from San Francisco about five minutes later. Since the latter flight pretty much flies over Portland, it took him about an hour longer than our 8-hour 15 minutes in the air.
Most of it is at night, and Jim reported seeing the aurora borealis out of his window. However, this photos is sunset in the Bay Area!
We booked a hotel at Heathrow for the first two nights, planning a day trip into London which Jim and Linda had not seen before. Today was that day. What do you plan when there are so many things to do in this 8 million plus population setting. We were up very early due to jet lag and decided to forego the $90 per person car-service trip into central London and opted instead for public transportation.
It was just a short hop on the red double-decker bus back to Heathrow where we could get the underground subway or “tube” to take us there. We could each use our credit card to just tap on the turn styles as we entered and exited the stations. At the end of the day, it is all calculated and then you’re charged. It will be exciting to look at our bill and see how that worked! It did save us trying to buy some sort of ticket or card. You can hardly pay with cash anywhere and are unable to see a paper map of the tube system—just use your phone.
Jim, Barbara and Linda on our way to central London.
Our first stop was Green Park [on the Piccadilly Line] which is not far from Buckingham Palace. King Charles and Queen Camilla decided not to move there and have remained at Clarence House just down the street. We met up with a mildly obnoxious man trying to hustle us to be his “free” tour guide. “It’s just for the tips.” He suggested we walk away from the palace and head down the Mall toward Clarence House and St James Palace to see the beginning of the changing of the guard.
There were some people waiting on the street by those royal residences, so we waited. Soon the chains went down, the gates opened, and some motorcycle police came through to block the streets and push the spectators out of the way. Then, there were some black vehicles, and this familiar face was on our side waving out of one of them: Queen Camilla! Then the marching band started and marched on to the Buckingham Palace.
The day was overcast with hints of rain that luckily didn’t develop. We walked through St James Park back toward Westminster. The flowers are spectacular, and many people were out enjoying the birds on the water.
There is lots to see historically in a compact area. We walked along the park until we got to the Palace of Westminster (the parliament) headed by Big Ben, or more accurately the Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is the bell that strikes. We walked around that area including Westminster Abby, then headed for the bridge to take us to the London Eye.
We had timed tickets so with a little extra time, we stopped for a coffee break.
Linda, Tom, Barbara, Jim, Elaine and Joel --- and skinny lattes.
Built for the millennium celebration, this huge London Eye, Ferris wheel, with cars [glass pods] that can hold 20 or so people, was going to be torn down after one year. Due to its popularity 24 years later, it’s still here. It makes one revolution in 20-30 minutes, and you get back off after having some spectacular views of the city.
We walked on to another bridge that has built a nice pedestrian walkway along side one used by trains going in and out of Charing Cross Station. We walked up the street to Trafalgar Square with a statue of Lord Nelson atop a column commemorating that victory. We were disappointed that the square was blocked off since they are preparing for a concert tomorrow.
It got to be mid-afternoon and we decided to go by tube to Piccadilly Circus to find something to eat settling on a Japanese restaurant specializing in ramen noodles.
Eating ramen at Shoryu, a Japanese restaurant near Piccadilli Square.
I notice I keep saying “walked.” We had walked about four miles and were getting pretty slow toward the end. We got on the tube and were back out to our hotel in a crammed-full train that took about 45 minutes. We’re ready for downtime tonight. Good night everybody.
Thanks so much for the trip report. I love reading about your adventures, and this is especially helpful because I’m leaving for London, Edinburgh and Dublin in a couple of weeks. I’m looking forward to getting recommendations from your adventures! Please tell Joel I said hello and that I miss our chats. Have a great trip! David S
What fun to read of your latest adventure! It brings back lots of great memories from the trip we took there with some of you. Remember how we were turned with our backs to the London Eye camera when they took our picture for purchase? I always felt they thought we did that on purpose.
It is overcast right now, but will clear and should be in the mid 80’s before cooler temps tomorrow and next week. I walked this morning and visited with a man I often see moving along the sidewalk with his walker. He is 94 and in good health and very proud of living alone and keeping active.
Enjoy your time together. Hold on to your hat, Tom, and I will look forward to your messages. Hello to all. Nancy
Tom, Thank you for a visit to one of my favorite cities in the world, which I have visited numerous times. Having a first cousin with a huge house living in London meant I never stayed in a hotel. I look forward to your Cornwall portion of the trip. I went there with my husband, who was stationed in Newquay during WWII.
Love, Sylvia S. [Fromm]
Hi Tom and everyone,
Wow! Glad you all made it safe and sound. It sounds like you are having a wonderful trip already! And you got to see Camilla - that’s cool!
I am heading to Nashville for a health care public policy conference for the next three days, but that sure won’t be as exciting as your trip.
Please say hi to everyone, and have fun!
Warmly, Deb P
Dear Elaine, Joel and Tom,
I was delighted to receive your update and read about your journey to Great Britain. It’s such a pleasure to hear from you after so long, and I must admit, I was a bit concerned when I hadn’t heard from you in a while. Knowing you’re back on the road again brings me great joy!
I’m eagerly looking forward to more updates as your adventure continues. Safe travels, and all the best!
Please give my warm regards to Jim, Barbara, and Linda as well.
Love, Hans Engelmayer and family
It looks fantastic! We always enjoy your commentary and pics of you all smiling 😊 Mary N.
Great pictures sounds like you already did a lot on day one! Randy H.
Great pictures! Brings back memories of our 2005 trip with Mark. We're keeping an eye on Joel and Elaine's and Barb's car. I saw that you flew on a Boeing 787. Great airplane. That's what we flew on to Buenos Aires and back from Santiago. We also flew the Dreamliner to Paris and back on our trip to Normandy. Safe travels! Rick If you pass through Merthyr Tydfil, Wales be sure to try a Welsch Cake from the griddle. My Welsch mother still makes them every holiday season. Her family is from there and when I passed through there decades ago, I was surprised to see the exact Welsch Cakes that traveled from there our table generations on. Jeff
How fun for all of you. Love reading your trip escapades. Terry S
Glad I’m not having (can’t any longer) to walk those miles. Your description does bring memories of my trip to London. Are you getting a tattoo in Soho like I did? I can recommend a good place. Ruth K.
Always interesting photos and commentary Tom! - Mark C
Well, thank you for getting back in touch. Looks like you guys are doing wonderfully! Once again, a great trip - Carol S
Good to hear from you, both and all! No complaints here. Glad you’re all having a good time ”on travel.” Staying in NYC to attend the “celebration of life” tomorrow for a good friend and medical colleague. Saw a rather creepy movie and lunch at a Mexican restaurant while the housekeeper tends to the apartment.
Have a safe and wonderful trip! As ever, Mick M.
Nice Dear Tom Daniels,hugs from Holland. Rene T. (Holland)
Thanks, Tom! I love reading about the trip and seeing photos of you all! Details of using public transportation is always interesting to me! And you saw Queen Camilla! Wow! Ann C.
Can this sighting of Queen Camilla be verified with a snap shot? Too bad you didn’t give cousin Chuck a heads up that you would be in the hood. Terry D
Love it! I am envious. Sounds like a great time. Cheryl C.
Hello, ALL !! Back on the road, again. I am extremely impressed with your first day ability to walk 6.4 km. All of that with only one "Sit down beer." (Coffee Break.) I hope you don't "Peak early." Good on you all. Greg G.
Hi Tom and All,
I absolutely love getting these emails and seeing the pictures of you all! What a great trip for you all together. I know my Dad would have loved every bit of it! So sad he could not have joined, but know he is with you in spirit.
Safe and happy travels, Love to you all! KateWhat a great day! Thanks for sharing. It brought wonderful memories. Say Hi to everyone for me. Eric S.
Great to be included on your trip tic😊
For all of you concerned about going forward, “not going back”…Today, Bill and I volunteered at the Washington County Democratic office, downtown Hillsboro. Busy selling yard signs and other swag. This is our “Freedom ride.” We were in London last year, June 2023. We were on our way to Oxford with Jennifer and her girls. Jennifer is enrolled for special PhD coursework related to her business, part time. We also went to Paris 🇫🇷 and stayed with friends in the Netherlands 🇳🇱 Quite a trip!
Sounds like you’re taking quite a trip! We love getting your play by play.
Julia and Bill P.
Have a good trip! ... Ten
Hey Tom,
Thank you for sharing your travel impressions again – great to see that you guys are up for another trip!
We (Josef, Maria, Sarah) will be travelling to Southern France / the French Riviera in October. Our annual family trip…
Have a great time in England and Ireland! So good to see you all happy and healthy!
Please say hi to everybody!
Love and hugs from the Gottwalds!
Sarah G.
September2024: England-Ireland Trip
Trip Report No. 2
After a more relaxed morning in London (Heathrow), three of us Ubered over to the car rental to pick up the van we will have for the rest of our trip. We have chosen the Renault Trafic, which is a 9 passenger van. The Hertz place was about five minutes away, but without adequate walkways (pavement they would say here) we decided not to try to walk. In short time we were in our vehicle and driving back on a very crowded, narrow, difficult streets to remind ourselves about driving on the wrong side of the road on narrow streets. Jim has been our principal driver, and we appreciate all his experience.
Packing up.
The fog and limited visibility had caused some flight delays and cancellations, but we weren’t deterred. Our destination was Salisbury which is about 80 miles SW from London. We first thought it would be nice to go to Windsor since we aborted our plans to visit the afternoon of our arrival due to a rainstorm. Once there, we realized that the streets are narrow and there is no parking readily available. So we ended up with just a drive-by of the Windsor Castle.
Plenty of room for luggage!
A planned stop along our way, was the village of Farnham which we chose for its small-town charm that appeared on a Goggle search. This time we found a place to park and walked around the town center enjoying a place like we remembered in our youth. Lots of shops with lots of people out enjoying a Saturday afternoon. Lots of kids as well. We found "Bill's", a pub type restaurant for a coffee/tea break that served interesting items such as halloumi fries (type of non-melting cheese) for our vegetarian and cream tea for the Princess royal, aka our only sister.
In front of Farnham Town Hall
Scones and clotted cream
After Farnham, we drove on and arrived at our hotel near Salisbury late in the day. It felt good to have a day mostly driving, not walking. We needed to be up early since we had tickets for Stonehenge early when it opened on Sunday morning.
We awoke to light rain that followed us as we began our tour of Stonehenge. The visit begins at the modern visitor center. From there one can walk to the site through pastures and woods or take a shuttle bus. We elected for the bus this time. Our last visit was on a scorching hot day in June, so this was quite different.
It is thought the stones were pulled along on round timbers.
A guide told us that a rainy day was the best time to come since the stone takes on more of a brooding appearance. They were certainly greyer than the last time. We were told that our palmprints from touching the stones nearly 60 years ago on our first visit are still there. Touching the stones has affected the lichens and algae that grow there.
This represented the huts where workers would have lived.
The guides who are stationed around the circle are extremely knowledgeable and are very enjoyable to listen to. The upright stones were placed with about 1/3 of their length underground. Some of them had fallen over through the years and if they had their full length remaining, they were put back up and straightened in different restoration periods. Those that have some of their mass hacked off and carried away for other building projects, are left lying as they fell.
At the gift shop
More souvenirs.
Our touring ended today with the Salisbury Cathedral. Here we find the one of the original copies of the Magna Carta from 1215 when King John signed it. There were about 13 copies made at that time which were sent tot he arch bishops of England. Only 4 of these original copies remain today.
Beautiful modern fountain.
Near the altar.
Outside of the big cathedral was a little wooden replica for the bugs!
It was built by the youth of the church.
We are happy to have Jim doing the driving since he is the only one of us with professional experience, although not with righthand drive and countless roundabouts to which he has adapted quickly. In Molalla Oregon, we have a new roundabout on a busy highway.
British drivers are quite determined, and they’ll tip their hat as they give you a good horning for being hesitant. We are reminded again of how narrow the roads are. And for the parking in the driving lane so there is about no room for two lanes of traffic. One learns patience in a hurry. When we picked up the van, we were asked if we wanted to buy insurance for tyres and rims, which is not an unreasonable concern. But for $15/day? We'll know at the end of the trip!
Great trip! Randy H.
Hi Tom: Beautiful pictures! I don't think I'd be up to driving on the left especially when making turns. Have a great trip and ....keep to the left. Danny & Don
All sound fabulous. I am green with envy! Pam
Thank you, Tom! These are wonderful photos. You all must be having a great time. Carol & Joe E
Dear Tom,
What a marvelous family trip you must be having! I love seeing all the photos of my cousins, and hearing about your adventures.
Never having been there, I love the photos and descriptions of Stonehenge and Salisbury. The cathedral is magnificent! My respects to the Princess Royal, and I agree with her preference for a cream tea! Love, Nancy D.
September2024: England-Ireland Trip
Trip Report No. 3
We began the day with the city of Exeter in Devon as our destination. But before we left the Salisbury area, we drove to a very large enclosure with a long history called Old Sarum. It has been a sacred space for 5000 years with varied purposes.
Ancient ground ouside of the Sarum Castle ruins
Soon after William the Conqueror arrived in 1066, a fort/castle was built which now lies in ruins. From it there are nice views of the 2 old cathedrals now long gone and showing only as a silhouettes in the grass, and the city of Salisbury. This site is maintained by the English Trust which maintains many such places.
Salisbury Cathedral as seen from Old Sarum
Inside the Old Sarum Castle walls ... now in ruins
We stopped at a small town called Meme just off the motorway and at the town square found a lovely little shop that sells produce, flowers, pastries and various bits and bobs. We could have our tea/coffee break while visiting with one of the proprietors.
Getting to really like "flat white" coffee
and English Breakfast Tea
Soon we were back on the road and set our GPS for the hotel where we were staying. Joel walked in first and was being checked in and as the others came in, they soon realized they didn’t have reservations there, but at a sister hotel downtown. The clerk was very accommodating and backed out Joel’s reservation, called the downtown hotel, and got it transferred. They were all so nice about it and even waived a parking fee.
Potato/Tomato
For dinner, we walked to a homey restaurant called The Mill on Exe. The river looked very swift like a mill raceway. Because of the river, Exe is in lots of the place names and establishments.
The Mill on the Exe Restaurant 5 minutes from our hotel
The next day we decided to make a trek of over 80 miles to the village of Port Isaac, more familiar as Portwenn from the long-running show “Doc Martin.” We knew that it would be a busy place although we were there on a Tuesday.
There is a parking lot at the top and then a hike down, down and more down to the village center at the water/harbor. The streets are narrow and by noon full everyone and his dog(s). One couple was walking along with 5 dogs. All were well-mannered and interesting to look at, or in Linda’s case, interact with.
These chains are the way they tie up boats.
We could look up the hillside and see Doc’s house, but we didn’t need another climb.
Doc Martin's home and office
We stopped at a café and had coffee/tea and a few snacks. Then it was climbing up, up, and up, huffing and puffing as the rain began to fall!
Then back to Exeter and dinner at a very nice, small Japanese restaurant with a server who was from Japan going to school here.
We are at another Japanese "Ramen" restaurant. However in addition to ramen dishes they served sushi and sashimi. An excellent place to eat!
We’re awaiting the Great Debate, but it doesn’t start until 2 a.m. here. No thanks.
Minor incident with the van today resulting in a scrape along the passenger side, low on the door and back fender. Lots of paperwork ahead.
The was a high tech washing machine. As you held your hands under the spigot, soap was dispenses followed by warm water. That stopped and a hand dryer blew hot air.
By the way, the restroom in Port Isaac cost 20 pence and had a credit card reader on the door. It work! 20 pence = $0.26.
What great news! I hope you have a great time together. Give Andreas my best greetings. I will happily help host if they ever decide to make the long trip to Oregon.
Having given up airline travel I thoroughly enjoy these virtual trips. This one reminds me of one about 43 years ago (we were living in Germany) when Dieter and I picked up a wonderful wood cookstove in England with the Orange Mercedes bus that we drove for years. I refused to drive so he did but then expected me to give him directions, tell him when and where to turn, etc. I remember it being a bit stressy. We needed Jim's skills.
Happy trails, Sarah
You guys seem to be eating a lot of Japanese food for not being in Japan. What happened to steak and kidney pie? ... Terry S.
Thanks for sharing your travel adventures. We're enjoying them very much. Larry, Bob and Hope
Very interesting and exciting! Carol E.
I love all the historic and other information in addition to the photos! Thank you! Carol S.
Great trip! Cheryl S.
Dear Tom; Here a short message from Rene from the Netherlands,i recorded the big debate between Harris and Trump it was in the night here and i watched it very early next morning at 6.30.I can tell you that Kamala did an extreme big job,what a beautiful warm woman she is and how stupid he is.He said that imigrants eat pets of americans,what a weirdo she laughed.I hope and tell you she will be your next new president she desrves it she is very positive for the people.She has good ideas for the people pure positivity.He is a negative weirdo.
I go to walk now with my walking group an hour.It,s very nice.
Have a good holiday,when i was young i was in Ireland,it,s beautiful,they make good pure woolen pullovers over there. Bye for now.Big hug from Rene T.
Dear Tom,
Thank you very much for your daily travel report - I like it very much. Greetings to Joel, Elaine and everyone with you.
Next week we are going on a short trip to Leipzig with my father Helmut. This is the city where he spent several months in 1990 for professional reasons. It was a very intense phase of his life, working on the reunification of the two parts of Germany in the East. We are looking forward to hearing what he has to say about the city today. Regine and I like Leipzig very much, it is an inspiring and creative place and a good opportunity for us to spend a few days with my father and my brother Hans and Anette.
Best wishes to all, Urs E.
Love your travel reports! Can you add Beryl Fisher to your list? Florence P.
Looks fun! We watched all the Doc Martin shows!!! Glad Linda found some dogs to give some love to.
Mary N.
Looks like a wonderful time! The debate was great from my point of view. She owned him!! Ruth K.
September2024: England-Ireland Trip
Trip Report No. 4
What a couple of days we’ve had! We had it in our minds that we would stay in Exeter for a few days going out on jaunts in Devon and Cornwall. To our surprise we found that there is much to do here.
Yesterday, we drove about 6 miles down the Exe River to visit Powderham Castle, the seat of the 19th Earl of Devon, Charles Courtenay. We were drawn to this vast estate because according to our Daniels genealogy, The Earl and us share our 14th great grandfather, Philip Courtenay.
In front of Powderdam Castle
The current earl had lived in California prior to the death of his father, moving here a few years ago with his then American wife and 2 children. We lucked out since this week is English Heritage Week, and admission is free. We arrived late morning to this rambling ancient home. The name Powderham makes reference to it being surrounded by nearly impenetrable marshes on 3 sides, the 4th being the river.
Charles Courtenay, 19th Earl of Devon
Parts of the house are 600 years old, but the majority has been greatly enhanced during subsequent centuries. At one point to accentuate their prominence and cultural refinement, they installed a grand staircase with rococo bas relief on a plastered stone wall. 50 years ago, it was repainted a teal color and it took an entire year to complete. There are no plans to do it again soon.
Old kitchen stove and oven
When the Earl and his family are in residence, they stay in more modern quarters we weren’t permitted to see. Surrounding the outer perimeter of the lawns is a vast deer park and there were lots of them. They keep the grass looking freshly mowed and fertilized. We’re told that the farm store on the property sells venison.
The "lawn mowers" of Deer Park at Powderham.
Formal dining room in Powderham Castle
We had an excellent tour that lasted about 1 1/2 hours with a guide who was very knowledgeable and entertaining. We asked if the current Earl went to King Charles III’s coronation dressed in the robes of his office. He said no, that they had to apply for an invitation and list all their service to the crown. The Earl said that although his family had been very involved in an earlier time, they hadn’t in some years, so he didn’t apply.
For the royal cats?
Leaving the castle at about 4, we took what we thought was a shortcut to the motorway. It turned out to be a single, and I mean single lane road where the brush on both sides has been kept at bay by both sides of vehicles. If you meet another car (God forbid on a curve), one has to back up to the nearest layby. There are few of them. Fortunately, there was little traffic. Driver Jim was quietly whimpering, “I just ask them to find a bigger road.” It appears that England has taken standard American road specifications and reduced them by about a third. Driving on the wrong side is the easy part. It’s the narrow lanes full of parked cars.
We drove into a very small village and found a country inn/pub that proved to be a nice place for dinner.
Dinner at the Ley Arms Pub on our way back to the hotel.
Today we decided to walk into the historic center of the city, about a half a mile. We had several places to visit, but our day proved that there are surprises around every corner. As we walked along, a man on a balcony called down and said we should come in and see the Tucker’s Guild Museum and Guild Hall.
A prize goes to the first one who can tell us was a tucker’s trade is. Yes, you right there, it’s a worker in the wool industry. It was a beautiful building going back to the 1400’s. There was much descriptive material about the process. Originally to clean the wool, a boy would put it in a container with pig manure and urine and stomp on it. Then it would be washed in the river and the process repeated many times. Finally it was washed with soap and water.
Later a large wooden machine built that ran by river power. It was very loud which resulted in most of men in Exeter going deaf by an early age. Only the women who ran spinning wheels all day, every day and small children could hear. What a sacrifice.
two people were demonstrating weaving. This woman had woven the yarn for her sweater (jumper?). It is part alpacca wool.
Ultimately, the wool was woven and send in bales all around the world.
Exeter Cathedral: Tickets £8.00 per senior citizen
From there, we walked on to Exeter Cathedral. It is very beautiful and since it has two towers in the north and south transepts they were able to built the longest set of ceiling arches in the world.
Longest ceiling of stone arches in the world.
Stained glass figures of four of the first Earls of Devon
As we walked along, we ran into a docent and got to asking questions. We mentioned that our ancestors were Courtenay’s and he took us to see the stained glass window that depicts the family. He could read out of his notebook about all the earls depicted. Then he could show us the tomb of the first earl and his wife.
Tomb of the 2nd Earl of Devon and his wife
Then this docent offered to take us up the street to where the Courtenay’s had a townhouse.
The former Courtenay Townhouse in Exeter.
The Exeter townhouse of the Courtenay family of Powderham Castle is now the Devon and Exeter Institution (subscription library), founded in 1813. It is situated facing the north side of Exeter Cathedral.
Nowadays, it is a library and is being renovated. He took us inside to the Courtenay Room, and then into the library
We ended up going for a tea/coffee break at Mark and Spencer’s an upscale department store. Then we walked to the Exeter Quay on the Exe River and found a place for dinner.
Along the Exeter Quay.
Which is on the River Exe
Unbelievable number of marathon runners came by. We shared the footpath with them.
More runners along the river
Supper at the Samuel Jones Pub on the Quay
Crab cakes.
Then back to the hotel. Many of the dogs are carried often, but tonight our dogs are barking after walking about 3 miles today.
You all are the best tourists ever! taking the sights as they come to you and adventuring. I LOVE these emails. Fantastic. I’d have the Welsh rarebit but they put mustard in the cheese sauce. Barbara F (ww)
Dear Tom, I am loving reading all this! And the pictures are marvelous [especially the one of the cathedral with all the stone arches]. It sounds like you could have scheduled a week in Exeter alone! Love, Nancy D.
So glad you are on another trip. Great pictures. Brings back memories. Norma S.
Wonderful! Ann C.
Thank you so much for sharing your adventures…We stay at homes very much enjoy going with you. Kae and Gary W
Doc Martin and Port Wenn are on my TV screen as often as possible, I don't mind if it's a rerun. Thanks for the nice reports on your travels. Everyone is looking very strong and healthy in the pictures. Carry On. Donna H.
September2024: England-Ireland Trip
Trip Report No. 5
We just got through 2 days of travelling to arrive in Ireland. This meant a different hotel each of the last 2 nights plus a ferry ride. All went smoothly and we awoke this morning in another country to check off our bucket list.
We left Exeter midmorning and began driving in a northwesterly direction to Wales.
Most of the driving was on the Motorway, the equivalent of our Interstate freeways. The motorways will have a roundabout when they connect with another major highway. Roundabouts are not frequent unlike the secondary roads that may have one every 600 feet.
The speed limit is 70 mph on the freeways, and 60 on secondary roads. The speed is never posted, as one man put it, “Everyone knows what it is. In SW England, most of the roadways are lined with brush fencerows that block the views of the farmland. So far, there are few stonewall fences—maybe no stones in this area. Everything is very green and looks manicured. We see some familiar weeds like nettles, Himalayas, and yes, even Tansey. 
We took the 3 mile long Prince of Wales Bridge crossing the wide Severn River not far from the ocean. There was construction on the approach and we thought they had a good system of merging lanes. The signs said use both lanes and the merge was in the middle rather than the right or left land. When we got close there were signs to queue up and take your turn. It worked very smoothly.
Neath Great Fair - going on next to our Castle Hotel.
Soon we were in Wales headed toward Cardiff and Swansea on the southern coast. We headed to the town of Neath for the night. The Castle Hotel was right in the center of the oldtown, and we hit it on festival weekend. It was like driving in the midst of Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel. We walked through the crowds as we went to find dinner. Everyone and their children, and dogs were out to the food booths and trinket stands. Lots of interesting food like a spiraled potato on a stick, or footlong sausages on a bun with various exotic toppings. We ate at nearby Welsh House Restaurant and had typical food like leg of lamb and shepherd’s pie.
From Swansea/Neath, we still had 70 miles to go to catch the ferry at Fishguard, Wales, and our sailing was for 1400 hrs. We originally had booked it for 1:30 not realizing it was 24 hr. time, and we would have been in a fix if we had not caught it. We needed to be there an hour early to queue up for boarding.
Waiting to drive onto the ferry at Fishguard.
We will be switching from miles to kilometers and pounds to euros.
Coffee and pasties.
Onion/cheese, beef and sausage (foreground)
It was a huge 240 cars and 1200 passenger ship with a double car deck with lorries, busses, containers, etc. The crossing was about 3 hrs 30 minutes. We disembarked at Rosslare, Ireland, and although we were about the 5th car in line boarding the ferry, we ended up being the very last car off.
No matter, we had had a very restful ride. We had booked tickets to a special lounge (reclining seats) since it seemed like there might not be seats otherwise. There were about 50 people admitted with a key code where complementary coffee was available. We wouldn’t have wanted to be on the deck since it was quite rocky and windy.
We drove 60 km to Waterford to spend the night. We learned that Waterford crystal is no more in Ireland. It went into receivership a few years ago and very little is produced here. Therefore, we didn’t find much else to do there on a rainy morning but to head on to our next stop in Limerick about 75 km to the west.
We stopped along the way in Tipperary where we saw a very large old church, St. Michaels Church. Services were just beginning and there were 100’s of people attending. We stood in the back a short time before continuing our journey.
Mass at St. Michaels
The pearly gates to St. Michaels are silver!
As we got to Limerick, the clouds began to part and it turned into a nice day. We were too early to check into our hotel so after a tea/coffee break, we headed for a laundromat not far away, The Speed Queen combined with a self-service gas station. Laundromats can be problematic, but this one was the nicest we’ve ever been to. It was clean, operates only by credit card, and was fast.
Separate washer and dryer for pet things.
In a short time we had bags of clean clothes and were headed to a restaurant recommended by some of our new laundry friends. It was at Merchants Quay the old part of the city and had all we could asked for, great food, Celtic live music and efficient service.
As we were driving along, I began thinking about what was missing alongside the road. Litter! I watched for about 25 miles and saw 1 paper cup and 1 plastic bag. How nice it would be to live in a country where people take pride in their surroundings.
Checking to make sure I still have my souviner
hat from Stonehenge!
Excellent pub food at Locke Bar on/near the River Shannon. Steak and Ale pie for Linda. Recommended by our new friends at the laundromat!
Home near the Locke Bar.
So interesting, all of this!!! Sandra B.
What a great time you are all having! One of my dearest friends lives near Cardiff. Looks like you didn't go that direction. Did anyone remember that Frank McCourt, who wrote "Angela's Ashes" and won a Pulitzer Prize, was from Limerick. His home would not exactly be a historic place, as it was in the poorest part of town and was next to the communal latrine. I re-read the book a few months ago, so the misery of Limerick weather, the Catholic Church, and the father who spent his wages at the pub are all fresh. Enjoy the rest of Ireland!! I'm with you in spirit. Pam L.
So glad to know the Irish are not throwing their pets into the washer and dryer. They would probably do that in Springfield, Ohio according to Republicans. Niece hat Tom. Thanks for updates. Jon S.
You guys travel so well and seem so congenial. I love your emails
I’m sitting in the waiting room at Kaiser waiting for my PT appt (I’m always early). Hopefully today we’ll agree the PT isn’t helping and I can move on to a referral
To ortho. Amusingly, then I’ll be heading to pick up my brother and older sister and taking them to a different Kaiser near my sisters house for our vaccines (flu and Covid). My younger sister will be meeting us there. So all four of us will get our jabs together. The family that gets stuck together, stays alive? Barbara F.
Dear Tom and all the Daniels in England, So great to see the photos and read the commentary about your trip to England. Had I known you were headed to Exeter, I could have put you in touch with Nathalie's (birth) mom, Michelle Bolduc, who lives and teaches in Exeter (at the University of Exeter). I especially enjoyed your photos of Port Issac. "Doc Martin" was one of your brother's favorite shows, and he introduced me to the pleasures of the Doc. Autumn has arrived in Oregon. We've been having cool and showery weather, but it is a nice break (for now) from the 100+ degree weather we had this Summer. Have a most marvelous time! Kim S.
Hi Tom, I'm thoroughly enjoying reading your travelog of England and Ireland. And, as usual, you're doing it the right way, low and steady enjoying the countryside with your family. The last time I was in Ireland, I was 22. Things have changed but your pictures say the countryside and villages are still timeless. Looking forward to your next travel update. Tom O
That is wonderful. It has to help a lot to be so active and with other people too. The trip sounds fantastic. Randy H.
Hi Tom, I've just recovered your email from my spam folder. How exciting that you're are near to me! What are your plans for the rest of your trip? Are you coming anywhere near Hexham? I'm around and it would be wonderful seeing you all. My life has changed a lot in the last four years and I'm back in the little cottage where I started off 20 years ago. Busy building an off grid cottage and full of plans.... I hope you are all well and it would be great catching up! Lots of love, Doris E.
September2024: England-Ireland Trip
Trip Report No. 6 - Two days of touring from Limerick, Ireland.
Our breakfasts in Limerick: A cafe called "Let's Do Coffee", next to our hotel.
This is an English (Irish) Breakfast: beans, sausages, black pudding, mushrooms, baked tomato, egg and hash browns.
This day, from Limerick, we took off with beautiful blue skies for Cork, the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland about a 2 hour drive. We ended up staying in the center city beginning with a visit to the cathedral where we parked.
St Mary's Cathedral in Cork
They had a small café where we had our usual coffee/tea break about noon. The man who ran it had some suggestions to where we should visit. Next, we went to the historic St Anne’s Episcopal church and Shandon Bell Tower next door to the cathedral. We decided not to climb up the tower but could listen to bells ringing. There appeared to be some practice going on. We’re not sure if they do change ringing, but they had multiple bells. We were near the Butter Museum and Linda and Barbara decided to enter.
Linda at the Butter Museum in Cork - Kelly Gold is big here!
The rest of us decided to stay on some benches outside and enjoy the best weather of our trip so far. We visited with our friend Doris Engelmayer who lives in England on a farm near the Scottish border. She had asked if we could visit her this time. Alas, we are not going to get up there. Her mother, Ingrid, was Molalla’s first exchange student in Joel & Elaine’s class and we have kept in touch with her family all these years.
Hearing about the English Market, visited by the Queen a few years ago on a historic trip to the Irish Republic, we decided we needed to go. We walked down a lot of steps to a lower level part of town, crossed the bridge across the Shannon River, and found ourselves in a bustling shopping area. We got to the market and strolled through. It reminded us of the Pike Street Market in Seattle.
Many, many food stalls: meat, cheese, vegetables, pasteries, chocolate, etc.
On our way to the English Market, across the River Shannon
We managed to climb back up to where our car was parked and drove back to Limerick. On the way back, we planned the picnic we were going to have with the baguette, Irish soda bread, cheese, etc. Barbara and Linda could not resist at the market. It turned out that the hotels had some tables outside we could use, and a visit to Aldi, a market, completed the menu. It’s easy to tire of going to a restaurant every night although we’ve had some very good food. This was a treat!
The next day, we decided to drive more SW to Killarney, also about a 2 hour drive. We had blue sky again, and it got even warmer. The countryside is spectacular with the first real mountains we have seen. No sheep, but lots of cattle, more Holstein than any other. Most all the fields are grass used for hay and pasture. They are still vibrant green although Ireland has had a drier summer than usual. Only occasionally, we saw corn, still very green. As we got up in elevation, there were evergreen (fir, I guess) trees planted close together in rows.
We again went into the center of Killarney and headed toward the spire of the huge church. Between GPS and attempts to find a parking space, we went down a one way street that just kept getting smaller. There was nothing to do but turn down a very narrow alley with LITERALY only a couple inches to spare. A lady stepped out of her door and snatched up a metal canister she had set out which we would have hit. At the end was an arched exit, the narrowest of all. Fortunately, the mirrors on the vehicle can be folded in.
The van felt overly-wide as we found ourselves on this narrow alley. Inches from the walls!!! Ouch.
We turned out on the street and luckily just ahead—a parking spot. It was about noon and a nice gentleman helped us with the parking meter. He was parking just behind us. We headed across the street for our coffee/tea break at a French Patisserie. Just behind us was the man who helped us and his wife. They sat down and were immediately were served their lunch. “How did you do that?” we asked. Oh we eat lunch here everyday and they have it ready. He could give us some suggestions about what to see.
Coffee at the French bakery. The tables and chairs are made out of pallet wood!
Killarney is typical of the towns and cities we’ve seen in Ireland so far. They remind us of those we grew up with. We don’t know what the secret is, but the main shopping area is full of every kind of store, even a J. C. Penney’s. And, the key ingredient, there are lots of people.
We drove a short way to Lough Leane (lake of learning), one of three in the area. The parking lot and boat landing is aside Castle Ross. We walked down and a sightseeing boat was just leaving for an hour cruise. The temperature had gotten up to about 75 degrees. The boat captain tour guide said it was only about the 5th time this summer that the roof of his boat was open.
The boat drive and guide
Boading our sightseeing boat.
In front on Ross Castle
on the lake "Lough Leane"
We had beautiful views of the islands in this spectacular Killarney National Park. All off the thousands of acres comprising the park were donated, most by American families. We went by the largest island that for 900 years was a monastery (Innisfallen Abbey) until the monks were driven out by the armies of Queen Elizabeth I. There are still ruins there.
Innis Abbey ruins on Ross Island in Lough Leane Lake
As we went along the shore, we could see the oak trees native to Ireland and went past the tree where Queen Victoria had had a picnic in 1861. In the underbrush the guide pointed our the dreaded scourge, rhododendron. It came from Asia and found a perfect climate in Ireland. Reseeds itself and when the branches touch the ground, they re-root. They have an eradication program but progress is slow. We have wild rhododendron and azalea in Oregon forests, and we’re curious why ours do not seem to be a menace. "
Many horse drawn carriages for the tourists in Killarney.
Some Flora and Fauna:
Stinging nettles (don't touch!!)
The beautiful Tansy flower (not)
Native deer species
Rowboats at a bridge we crossed over
Time to head back to Limerick. We came to the town of Adare and since it was time to eat, we were able to park in front of Aunt Lena’s Pub, the 2023 national winner of the best pub. That in the midst of the Cleanest Town in the county. The dinner lived up to it’s award.
This cute little Austin car was at Aunt Lena's Irish Pub in Adare on our way back to Limerick.
September2024: England-Ireland Trip
Trip Report No. 7 - Good-bye Limerick, Hello Galway:
We said goodbye to Limerick and began driving to our next stop at Loughrae near Galway.
We had several choices of routes and decided to take the one heading directly to the coast through a very hilly, rocky area unlike anything we have seen in Ireland thus far. As soon as we saw rocks, the fences changed to stone often on end at the top in interesting patterns. There are no trees, just shrubs and barren outcroppings of stone as far as you could see. It is called The Burren. When we began to see the emerald green farmers fields again, the stone fences continued.
Stopped in Ballyvaughan on the coastal route to Galway
Coffee/Tea break at Ballyvaughan!
One thing we’ve noticed is that in the towns and villages where there are some grassy places, where many times there will be a horse tied up to keep it mowed. We passed several horse racing venues, so maybe these are older ones put out to pasture as it were.
Elaine in front of the many, many stone walls that keep the animals in the fields.
The native tongue in Ireland is Irish Gaelic, and we see it on every sign posted along with English. Forty percent of the Irish speak Gaelic, but only five percent use it daily. The police here are called garda from Gaelic. The parliament is the Oireachtas and the lower house is the Dáil Éireann. The population is just over 5 million and adding Northern Ireland which is part of Great Britain, it’s about 7 million. The land area of the island is about 1/3 the size of Oregon.
Beautiful, green, green countryside vistas.
We decided that after driving for three days, it was time for a down day in Galway. We drove from our hotel about 24 miles to the center of Galway, with about 85,000 people. Galway is one of the fastest growing urban areas in Europe. It is also called the city of festivals hosting 122 every year.
On the way from the parking building to the shoppng buildings in Galway
The waiter in our hotel suggested going to the Eyre Square, a large plaza in the heart of downtown. We found it and walked a little further and explored a street named Shop that has no cars and is loaded with stores and restaurants. We have lucked out and are having the most beautiful weather of the year. Everyone is out enjoying the sun.
Tom and Jim checking the maps. Where is the dock located for our river tour.
The next day we booked a boat tour of the Corrib River and Lough (Lake) Corrib, the largest lake in Ireland. The river flows from the lake, through Galway and into the sea. As we began our journey, we learned that much of either side was reclaimed and incorporated into the city. There are gates that regulate the flow of the river. This maintains the depth of the river/lake throughout the year. Much of the riverbank area used to be grazed (mowed) by cows. Now invasive reeds grow here. The reeds are harvested each year and are used for thatched roofs.
Could you say we were going on a Princess Cruise???
On the top deck. Ireland is experiencing a rare heat wave and the sun felt great.
Fire-destroyed mansion on the banks of the Corrib River.
Our guide/captain told of diving in an area of artifacts and found an axe that proved to be the oldest stone age tool found dating back eight thousand years. It was dated by a museum in Dublin and now is in the Galway Museum. Again another sunny and warm day and a great time to be out on the water.
Along the street. Walking to the car park.
Dinner last night where we were staying: Lough Rea Hotel, a fair distance east of Galway.
Dear Tom, How beautiful to read your story about Ireland,it is a very beautiful green country. Iremember I was there when i was under 20 years. I visited a small island Valentia Island at most west part in the world i ever was. They sell very good woolen pullovers in Ireland. Have a great time over there. Big hug from Rene T (Holland)
Thanks for letting me ride along on your pocket. Mike was interested so I’m sharing your trip with him. Hope that’s okay with you. Ruth K.
Amazing. I’m sitting here reading this and looking at my boring breakfast compared to what you were getting there wow what a breakfast. Carol S.
Dear Tom & all, Such fun reading about your adventures and seeing the photos! Tell Jim he’s supposed to SMILE when his picture is taken! Love, Nancy D.
Love your commentary!!!! You guys look great! Anne C.
September2024: England-Ireland Trip
Trip Report No. 8 - Leaving Galway— on to Dublin [capital of the Irish Republic].
Galway is on the west coast; we had to drive across the country to the Irish Sea on the east. It’s about 130 miles. As with most of the motorways, there is a thick brush hedge on the sides so you don’t see too much.
We were anxious to get to Dublin since we planned to meet up with Joel and Elaine’s former exchange student who lived with them for a year 36 years ago. He learned of our trip and decided to fly with his family of 5 from Dusseldorf to Dublin. They came by Ryan Air, an Irish airline and the fare was about $16/person one way. Andreas, his wife Mariya, sons Linus (13) and Jonas (9) and daughter Emily (4) had arrived the day before.
We got settled in our hotel, a very modern building near the waterfront. We went to a grocery store across the street and bought items for breakfast. Andreas came later with the two younger children, and we had a great reunion; the first time we had met Emily. It was getting about dinner time, and we headed across the street to a 50’s style hamburger joint. Mariya joined us while we were there.
In our hotel room.
After dinner Mariya took the kids back to where they were staying, and we continued to talk with Andreas to catch up. We have visited him and his family numerous times over the years, so we have great memories.
We have a small kitchen in each room, and we decided to go to Jim and Tom’s room to make breakfast. Those in the other rooms had to take their plate and fork as each kitchen has exactly 2 of everything. This worked very well.
Our rooms have kitchens
Making breakfast
Where our hotel is located is a newly redeveloped area along the harbor. There is a lot of construction going, and Joel counted 12 cranes outside his window. It’s on the end of a tram line making it easy to get downtown.
After breakfast, Andreas and Linus came and we set out for a day in the Dublin city center. Our first destination was Trinity College. We walked around its imposing campus and contemplated taking a tour. It is Sunday and a lot of them were booked up until late in the day. Trinity has a huge and very old library, and a main attraction is the Book of Kells.
Courtyard at Trinity College
Trinity College Campanile
The Campanile was undergoing restoration. Andreas told us that the superstition is that if a student walks by it and it rings, they will fail their exam the next day.
We can only do so much walking, and we soon spied a coffee shop for our regular break. After our rest, we were faced with two possibilities: The Whisky Museum and the special exhibit on the Potato Famine of the 1840’s. Barbara, Linda and Jim decided on the former, and the rest went to the latter. The famine exhibit was at the top floor of the Stephens Green Shopping Center. This is a magnificent Victorian mall of many shops. These venues are in the Abbey Street area where there was minimal or no vehicular traffic. And there were 1,000’s of people and hundreds of shops. It is truly impressive.
Stephens Green Shopping Center
"Victorian" shopping mall
Along the busy pedestrial friendly shopping streets
We have all read about the Irish potato famine, but without details of how the people of this country were treated by the foreign (English) land owners. It is heart breaking to see how this event in history played out. Americans can share some of this shame although it was more indirect.
The "Umbrella" Street
Dublin is a little smaller than Portland, but much more compact with a density of over 13,000 people per square mile whereas Portland has 1,500 per square mile. Dublin has 1.5 million in its metro area and Portland 2.4.
The Abbey Street shopping area was on the south side of the River Liffey. We crossed on a foot bridge to get our tram on the way back to our hotel.
Maria, Jonas and Emily joined us as it was time to meet up with the whiskey tour group at the Lego Store. Jonas had drawn an elaborate figure, and the store was able to use 3D printing to create it for him.
At Johnny Rocket hamburger restaurant
By this time, it was time for early dinner. We decided on a Mexican Restaurant named Boojum. It was not far away and unique. There were 4 items (burritos and tacos) on the menu. First you chose that, then you decided what to put on it as it was being made in front of you. Dinner was quick and very good.
Dublin's Last Supper is a public art, photographic mural by Irish artist John Byrne that was installed in Dublin's Italian Quarter in 2004. The work features contemporary Dubliners as Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, reenacting The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci.
We parted company and headed back to the tram to get to our hotel. We will have more time with the Andreas' family tomorrow. The children have to get back to school Wednesday. It is the law in European Union countries that parents must have their children in school and they had to get permission to take them out for a few days. Otherwise, they can be fined.
We are so impressed with how well the boys are coming along with their English. Linus has studied it for 5 years now and his English is very, very good. Jonas is also learning English and is a fast learner. They enjoy English and can practice it with YouTube, movies, and songs. We asked Andreas about the kids and cell phones, an issue at home in schools. He said the teacher encourages them to use phone in a positive way as part of their learning. They are taught to be skeptical about what they see or read and learn how to do fact checking. They are discouraged from using them to play games, etc.
September2024: England-Ireland Trip
Trip Report No. 9 - "So long, good-bye, auf wiedersehen", etc. Last trip report.
Monday was our last day with our German friends, and we began the day by visiting the Castle, the seat of the Irish government for hundreds of years. It is a museum but used for the inauguration of the Presidents of Ireland which is mostly a ceremonial position. Before independence, it was used by the Viceroy from England.
Coffee break at Dublin Castle on our last day.
Afternoon was filled with shopping and visiting. Some of us went to a Mongolian Grill for dinner. We bid our friends goodbye since we both had very early departures the next morning.
Linus and chefs at the Mongolian Hot Pot restaurant in Dublin
Jim, Barbara and Linda stopped off here, The Temple Bar, for a drink before heading back to our hotel.
Bleary-eyed, we made our way to the ferry that was only a short way from where we were staying. We loaded and this time the sailing was very light. We had our comfortable seats in the lounge and ate some breakfast from the café.
Breakfast on the Dublin-Holyhead ferry: pineapple, strawberries, granola and yogurt
Breakfast on the ferry to Holyhead, UK
L-R: Copilot Tom and Pilot Jim, in our van.
After 3½ hours we landed at the port city of Holyhead. Our hotel was in the small city of Stafford about 2 hours away. We reached Stafford and the GPS led us to about a street away and stopped. The area was a controlled pedestrian area, and although we could see the hotel, we had no idea how to get there. Tom and Jim asked a young woman (Jenny), and together they spent some time on their mobiles trying to figure out the map. She started giving them very detailed information going on numerous streets through roundabouts, etc. Finally, she said she would be happy to get in our car and direct us, “if we wouldn’t kidnap her.” We heard her on her phone telling her grandma what she was doing and would meet her at Starbucks. She got in and a few minutes later we were turning into the parking lot. We left with a big “Thank You”, and began taking out luggage into the hotel. She popped up inside to introduce us to her grandma.
Wherever you are, it seems there are always wonderful people who want to help. The beginnings of hands around the world.
This was a halloumi kabab on a very long skewer. Halloumi is a non-melting cheese that we saw on many menus and is a vegetarian substitute for meat or fish.
Dinner at The Swan, our hotel in Stafford, UK
(With respect), this is Jenny our human GPS. She guided us about 1.5 miles to go 1.1 block in this old part of Stafford, UK. (too many pedestrian streets and one-way streets for AI to handle.)
Our last full day in Europe, we had another reconnection reaffirming how important it is to build bridges. Linda requested that we make a stop to visit a pen pal of her sister Almeta. She and her friend Christine have written to each other regularly for over 75 years. Almeta traveled to England several tim to see her, and Christine and her husband visited the US. Christing lives in a care center near Derby and Linda and Barbara arranged for a brief visit this morning. The center is in a lovely rural area.
Linda and Christine
Christine, Almeta's pen pal of many decades.
We drove on toward London and stopped to visit Christine’s daughter Sarah. Almeta and her mother Rosa had attended her wedding over 35 years ago. She and her husband live in a very rural area out in the middle of farm fields and very small villages. She had invited us for tea and a tour of their impressive garden. We were so happy we could make this all work.
Linda with Sarah's black lab.
In Sarah's beautiful back year, deep in the Luton area countryside
Sarah's collection of eye-wash cups!
Sarah in her beautiful kitchen
Sarah treated us to delicious apple cake with walnuts and saltanas
Sarah and her husband's wedding 37 years ago: A= Almeta, Linda's Sister; B=Rosa, Linda's mother and our mother's first cousin.
We are now tucked into a Sofitel Hotel at Heathrow Terminal 5, and tomorrow we only have to drag our bags across a skybridge and into the terminal.
Tom and Jim returned our car this afternoon. Gasoline and diesel are about the same price, a little over $6/gal. It takes a bit of figuring to get from liters to gallons. Something that is different travelling this time is how little cash we needed: None. Joel got several hundred pounds when we arrived 3 weeks ago, and just used the last portion of them yesterday. No one else got any pounds or euros (Ireland). Even the restroom that required coins used credit cards. The only place it was a problem a few times was for tips. We were in some places that required credit cards only. We leave having made loads of new friends who helped us to enjoy many new places on a wonderful trip. The weather cooperated. The last couple days London area had drenching rains, but we missed it.
P.S. We have driven 1,656 miles. The tank holds about 20 gallons and we filled the tank twice. The MPG we got was about 31 miles per gallon.
What a wonderful trip. You always have the best meals, too. Thank you for including me. Carol S.
So happy to read all about your travel adventures. Loved the food pics. You all had a very fun memorable family trip. Terry S.
Safe travels home! What a wonderful trip! Thank you for sharing it with us! Blessings, Deb and Steve P.
Welcome home!! Loved the travelogue. Ruth K.
Hi Tom, Thanks for the trip updates. I enjoyed seeing what choices you had made for your visits. I would favor those coffee stops! My 2 week+ visit to Eric, Laura and Henry in West Branch, Michigan is almost over. Sunday they will drive me Traverse City where I will overnight in order to catch a very early small jet to Chicago where I will transfer to a large jet for my flight to PDX. After another airport hotel overnight I will have an early direct to Anchorage via a small Horizon jet which I enjoy before my final flight on the evening jet into Kodiak which should allow (weather gods permitting) me to vote for our local borough assembly members and school board candidates. Meanwhile I am having a lazy day out in a rocker on the front porch with relaxing jazz on the blue tooth speaker while I respond to some emails. The temperature is in the mid 70s and leaves are more colorful each day. At 87 I think it is the good life�� I miss international travel but enjoyed it vicariously via your updates! Marcia O.
Travel agrees with all of you. You are all looking healthy and happy. Have a safe and comfortable trip home. Donna H (Randy's mother)
I, too, am "bleary-eyed" to have your trip end!!! How wonderful to see you all together and with such memorable times. Your travel logs have been truly "mint," as the Brits say..or used to. Sandra Safe travels home to you all. Sandra H.
Wonderful sounding trip. Thanks again for the travelogue. Cheryl S.
What a grand finale to a wonderful trip! So many sights to see and friends to be made. Thank you for sharing your travel photos and notes. We love them all. See you this evening. Jimmy will bet waiting for your call, Joel. Glenda and Jimmy F.
Thank you Tom for including us in your traveling adventures. It was very enjoyable for us. God Bless you in all that you do. Thanks, Kae and Gary W.
I absolutely enjoyed the trip…. From my recliner. I always had my cup of tea with me too so I could enjoy your narratives and the pictures. Glad you all had such a memorable trip ❤❤ Mary N.
Dear Tom, I meant to write this last week, but then life happened! :) I hope this finds you well and over jet-lag. Thank you so much for sharing this special trip with me. I feel like I went on vacation! I have so enjoyed reading about your travels, experiences, and time shared with friends and family. I love that part of the world...most of my dad's relatives still live there and England is very dear to my heart. I have to applaud you for all places you visited...on my trip last August we just went to Stoke-on-Trent (Staffordshire) to spend time with an uncle who is in a Care Home, and then we spent 3 days in London. I feel I had a more complete vacation through your emails. :)) Take care, Tom. Good to have you back. Thanks again for sharing such a fun part of your life. Made me so happy to see all the places and smiling faces! Love, Alma U. (WW group)