UK Graduation Trip in Photos - Part II

We moved on from London to the picturesque Cotswolds. We rented a cottage in the lovely village of Blockley, right outside of Chipping Camden. It was about 5 km from the village of Snowshill where I stayed with my parents and sister when my sister and I graduated from Clemson all those years ago.

 Our little cottage in Blockley.  It was wonderful with pheasants and huge fat pigeons visiting every day.

These are the ruins at Kenilworth - one of my favorite of all tourist destinations.  This is the great hall.The floor would have been at the bottom of the windows and then the servants would have made preparations down below . 

Kenilworth

Very old grafitti.  I normally detest grafitti but I do like seeing where people from ages past have "left their mark" - I just don't want people to continue to deface buildings.  What a grouch - I know.

The River Avon behind Warwick Castle

My favorite guys on a bridge on the Avon.  So peaceful.

Ruins at Warwick.

                                  Warwick is a medieval castle built  by William the Conquerer.  During its  950 years it has been owned by 36 different families plus four different crown periods under six different monarchs. It has been involved in countless battles and wars including the War of the Roses and Hundred Years War and it eventually came to be a country home before being a National Historic Property.  Winston Churchill came to visit here as a young man and the castle has a dungeon where torture was carried out in the middle ages.  It is a fascinating place to visit.

Many pheasants wander freely at Kenilworth. Pheasantries are common in England.

UK Redux

 We took our two sons to England as a graduation celebration for our eldest son Keegan.  A photo journey will follow broken into several parts: 

We started in London and this photo is out of order but I put it first because we used it as our Christmas Card!  It was taken in Castle Coombe, which is sometimes called "the prettiest village in England." It almost looks like a dollhouse. "Eagle-eyed" people might recognize the bridge from the movie "War Horse."

This is the Tower of London. Many famous people were kept prisoner here including: William Hastings, Anne Boelyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey, Jane Rochford - all beheaded; the two little Princes Edward V and the Duke of York who were mysteriously murdered; Thomas Cromwell, Sir Thomas Moore and Anne Askew who was tortured for her Protestant beliefs as well as hundreds more who suffered unmentionable horror in this building.  This tour is one of the most incredible tours back in time in all of England and will make you want to re-study your English history.

Traflagar Square - a model of Trafalgar's ship. The square has many wonderful fountains and statues as well as a countdown to the London Olympics for this summer!

The lovely river Thames at Warwick - more Warwick photos later

Keegan and Sean particularly liked the World War II museum. It is hard to believe this war was only less than 70 years ago.

We stayed the the Bentley Waldorf Astoria.  This little gem of a hotel is hidden in the Knightsbridge  Kensington section of London near Harrods and Chelsea.  For us Princess Di fans, it is the heart of her famed "Sloan Ranger" territory. 

It was the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and her Cavalry were riding in her honor. It was really spectacular.

More Tower of London.

A Londoner commuting to work.  Love it!

No explanation needed.

Overlooking Tower Bridge and London Town. 

Day one in London. Great day....