Jousting at Blenheim Palace - May 7, 2012

Bank holiday Monday May 7

This was the day that I'd be moving across the courtyard at the B&B to the larger room with ensuite bathroom. I thought I'd buy some postcards and have a relaxing afternoon in but first decided to drive back to Summertown to email from Starbucks. That was one of the easier drives. At a fair-sized, well-marked roundabout, the turnoff onto Woodstock Road takes you straight down to the Summertown shopping area in no time.

I had heard about a jousting match at Blenheim Palace but it was cold and pouring rain. I considered driving up to Chipping Norton, just to stay in the warm car.

But after emailing from Starbucks in Summertown I drove north toward Woodstock and though I hadn't really decided on whether or not to go to Blenheim Palace, there it was. You can't miss it.

I drove through the gates into the huge grounds, parked the car and walked across the muddy field. Perhaps I could have taken the train.

There were pheasants - tamer than ours, not that I've seen one for several years.

My purple umbrella that I would later leave in the gift shop and never see again. There was some uncertainly about the jousting taking take place because the ground might have been too slippery for the horses. But someone in the gift shop - white building on the right - did some checking and reported that it was going ahead.

I did one tour of the palace and saved the other for later because the jousting was about to begin. It involved another long walk down a wet, sometimes muddy path to get to a field with a roped off ring area.

Let the jousting begin

A photo shoot.

The four horses and riders gathered...

Then went charging into the ring one by one. It was hilarious good fun with lots of banter between riders and announcer. Horses were fast and very agile, like polo ponies.

Some 'casualties' happened at ground level.

Some final laps... 

... then the crowd herded back to the palace. I enjoyed that immensely even in the rain. It was probably the first time I laughed since Winslow.

On a nice day one could spend hours exploring the 2000+ acre property.

I should have written more about Blenheim Palace, home of the Churchill family. Apparently photography wasn't allowed because I have no photos of the interior. 

At the front steps, if you look up, you see a bunch of eyeballs looking at you.

It doesn't appear to have stopped raining but it must have if I left without my umbrella.

Back in Burford I had fish and chips for supper.

A walk through London April 25, 2012 - Part 3

I found out I could take the train back to London, except it went to Waterloo Station which is a fair distance from my hotel. Maybe there was a closer stop I didn't know about. Used handy Oyster card again. 

I was on the wrong side of the river and had to cross. The Hungerford Footbridge perhaps?  

I didn't have my bearings, so on the other side I stopped in at a store to ask directions. The clerk advised against walking all the way to Bayswater as it was quite far. Once I got semi-oriented, I walked by the London Eye and with so many interesting sights around, I just kept going.  

A sign said 'Welcome to Whitehall Gardens', 'City of Westminster'. A lovely spot.

'Per ardua ad astra'. (Through adversity to the stars). This was a little 'Glenn moment' because it was something he sometimes said. 

It was fun to be in this classic-looking part of London. 

Eventually I got to ... St. James's Park, I'm guessing. 

There was a lot of birdlife, including nesting swans and coots.

And then, all of a sudden, there was Buckingham Palace! Also - The Mall where you see all the processions, and English people waving their flags on TV. (On that note, I've noticed very few flags around. Very different from the States in that way.)

Over 250,000 daffodils bloom here. (These aren't daffodils though - they must have bloomed earlier.)

Canada Gate, installed in 1908 at Green Park, right next door.

Interesting pink pavement.

I got going in the wrong direction because there was no way to cross the road due to construction. I was annoyed for a moment but then figured I was probably going this way for a reason. And there it was - I was right at the place where the Bomber Command memorial was being built. Most of it wasn't visible since it was not to be unveiled until June. I just wanted to see where it was. A neighbour had wanted me to leave flowers for her brother but of course that wasn't possible. 

I hoofed it through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. This sculpture is called 'Physical Energy'.

I'd done a lot of walking in one day and my feet were very sore. Back in my room, the sun was setting and I was thinking about Glenn. I looked out the window to see a big rainbow.

Hampton Court Palace April 25, 2012 - Part 2

I bought my ticket for Hampton Court Palace online at home. £14.40. 

There were two reasons I wanted to visit this place, outside and inside.

1. There is a maze.
2. Out of curiosity, because of an obscure, not-blood-related family connection to someone who lived there.

In the 18th century King George III abandoned this palace as a royal residence. A little background from the net:  Eventually the palace was sub-divided into apartments of varying sizes. Initially 53 homes were created that were known as 'Grace and Favour' residences. The apartments and houses were allocated by the Lord Chamberlain to individuals who had served the monarchy or their country in recognition of their dedicated service.

Living in one was a Lady Torrens. Who was she? I don't really know but for some reason the sister of my grandmother's uncle's wife was visiting/staying with her, not here but elsewhere. How they knew one another is something I will probably never know. (I just learned that Lady Torrens had a monument for her husband erected in St. Paul's Cathedral.)

On a better day and with more time, it would have been nice to have taken a Thames riverboat. I arrived by bus though, which stops very close to the palace entrance. Across the street (above right) is a hotel.

There is the palace but I will go in later.

The grounds are vast with wild and manicured garden areas. Finally I spied a sign that pointed to the right for the maze.

The path within the maze is apparently half a mile long. Umbrellas don't work well in the narrow space.

Two women from Chicago were lost in there so they followed me. Ha! As if I knew where to go. But I knew there was a 'trick' to the maze so whatever I did worked.

I did the audio tour inside the palace but kept wandering off course when I saw something interesting. I liked it there better than I thought I would.

King Henry VIII lived here too.

Henry VIII trivia from the net:
When he died in 1547 Henry VIII had more than 60 houses, but - in the second half of his reign - none were more important to him, nor more sumptuously decorated, than Hampton Court Palace. In just ten years Henry VIII spent more than £62,000 rebuilding and extending Hampton Court. This vast sum would be worth approximately £18 million today. (Or over $28 million Canadian.) 

It's still raining outside.

Interesting that the Tudor brick chimneys are all in different styles.

According to a website, this is a portrait of Queen Maria, the second wife of
James II.

Astrological clock at Anne Boleyn's Gate.

All of King Henry VIII's wives were in this castle.

Looking toward the Great Gatehouse.

A firepit in the middle of the floor? You can just imagine the chicken bones being tossed around in this room.

Paper torture devices.

Still raining.

Now I had to figure out how to get back to London. At the train station was an outdoor kiosk selling coffee and a grand assortment of baked goods. Food is never far away in England. Their plumbing may not be as good as ours, but I think the English excel with refreshments. Even in the most out-of-the way places, there is often a tea room or cafe.