Thursday 29 May 2014

Bath May 26 and 27

We took the train to Bath and found that we were not alone in traveling to Bath on the holiday Monday. We were forced to share the chames of Bath with a nice crowd of day trippers from London and tour bus loads folks from everywhere else. I may not need to attend the stampede this year as I received a full dosage of crowds stampeding and will probably be good for the whole summer. The following day, Tuesday, every one was back to work and school and the streets were quite a bit less crowded. Bath is a very nice town and there is good reason for so many people to visit this lovely town.


There was a music festival in progress when we arrived. This clever chap plays tunes on his violin while doing tricks on a rope. I didn't find his tricks or playing of the violin to be exceptional but I guess the combination of the two sets him apart from everyone else. Yoly want to point out that he can play the violin  better than I and can balance on a rope better than I therefore I have no right to criticize.


This is a cleverly designed wier that looks to be less dangerous than others.


Yoly using a newly discovered setting on the camera to release her inner artist.


This guy did very well with his statue imitation. Every one liked the water feature.


This is a real statue with water feature, not doing as well collecting coins from the passers by but she doesn't need the money, does she?


This river is called Avon as are several other rivers in this part of the world.


This might be a witch hazel tree flowering.



We never did get to try the famous local buns. I am sure they are delicious.
Sally Lune is famous café for these buns. 


In just a few short hours the crowds in front of the Abbey were gone and we had the town to ourselves.


We like the old travel trailer teapot the best.


I found this fountain to be nicer from farther away, one can see the fountain from down a couple diferent streets.


You could ride a bike to Bristol from here, I think Hugh did it on a long board for a Autism fundraising.


The Royal Crescent
Houses built in a cresent are common here and sought after by rich folks, Nicolas Cage just sold his place for a couple million pounds. 


Ther are a few hills here.


This is a detail of some stone work on the front of the houses making up the cresent.


This is called the circus, the diameter of the circle the houses make is the same as the diameter of stonehenge, which is not far from here.


The Roman baths are the reason this town is here.


Inside the Abbey. We are going to take the tour and walk upon the other side of this arch.


Yoly likes this light.


There is a Walking Comedy tour every evening and it travels around the town, lead by a comedian who gives a tour and explains history of Bath in a comic way.



A couple views from atop the Abbey.





The bishop had a dream of angels climbing and decending the ladder to heaven and was inspired to build an abbey here.
We climbed the 202 steps to the top.

Tuesday 27 May 2014

May 25 The rest of London

St Paul's Cathedral is one of the most expensive places to visit in London, we saved £24.5 per person by praying outside for all of us and took a picture as a souvenir. We enjoyed sightseeing and eating our lunches at Prêt à Manger, good and inexpensive, well, cheaper than restaurants. We spent a few hours in Greenwich village on the outskirts of London. We visited the Cutty Sark, a big sailboat that used to import tea from China and wool from Australia. It was the fastest sailboat in that time. It set a record of 73 days from London to Sydney Australia. We also walked by one of the Queen's house's and through the gardens. 


St Paul's Cathedral


The invisible man.


The Harry Potter bridge, the bridge closed two days after it opened because it wobbled. It reopened two years later after a series of vibration dapners were installed for 5 million pounds. Yoly wouldn't let me take pictures of the dampers but they are great, totally worth the trip.


The Shakspeare theatre.


Me backing the Cutty Sark into the dry dock.


The hull hanging from a new structure attached to original steel frame of the boat. The boat caught fire in 2007. After the fire lots of money was donated and they did a fabulous job of fixing the whole setup. That is a glass roof from the boat to the dry dock.


We went for a ride on the London Eye.


This is the London Eye.


The gardens at Kensington Palace.


Queen Victoria was sad for the rest of her life after Prince Albert died at the age of 42.


The newly discovered feature of the camera only shoots red stuff in color, this thing is a Ferrari.


This thing is a telephone booth.


This guy knew both of the bagpipe songs and played them one after the other.


Sully wants to sell Yoly some tea!


Impossibly twisted tree branches at Battersea Park near our apartment.


Ugly ducklings. No, wait, Beautiful cygnets and their mama swan. She is teaching them what to eat.

Sunday 25 May 2014

London May 22

We went to London and almost straight to 221b Baker street. The museum was a lot more fun than you might think. We had a grand time visiting the Sherlock Holmes Museum.




The underground station at Baker Street.


Sherlock's flat





Yoly settled for Dr Watson


Old wooden toilet


Fans leave notes at the museum.


The HOUND!


The shop


The toilet for visitors.




The library


On Baker Street




Art in the park. A glass tree.


Yep, it was busy at London Square.


At the Horse Guards Parade


The cygnets are too cute. 


A memorable walk in Hyde Park.


Buckingham Palace


Uncontracted braille





Not much action during his shift. 


The Tower Bridge




Big Ben at Parlament building.


We rented a well equipped apartment in Battersea Park just one stop south of Victoria station and half a block from the train station.