Arundel - the perfect day trip!

Home to the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk and their five children, Arundel Castle is the perfect example of "living history". Within its 11th century fairytale walls with towers and turrets lives a modern family...and that is one of things that makes this castle special. I learned that The Duke of Norfolk is the Earl Marshal of England. This means he is responsible for presiding over major state occasions such as the Opening of Parliament, coronation of the monarch in Westminster Abbey, or maybe an upcoming wedding.







The Collector Earl's Garden is a new attraction opened by HRH the Prince of Wales, "It stands alone, to be pleasing timeless and memorable"







This picture is for Haley...remind you of any place you have been lately?

Seen not herd!

They are adorable! About 250 life-size model elephants have taken up residence in central London. The models have been decorated by artists or celebrities including Sir Paul Smith and Diane von Furstenberg. They will be auctioned at Sotheby's in July with the target of raising £2 million to help conserve Asian elephants, whose numbers have fallen by 90 % in the last 100 years. The elephant parade can be seen in locations from Hyde Park to Harrods, from Trafalgar Square to Soho, everywhere you look! Proceeds will go to the Elephant Family charity, which was set up by Mark Shand, brother of Camilla Parker Bowels.


Which one is your favorite? You can click on the picture and enlarge it to see the detail.

1066

1066 Battle of Hastings - the most important battle in English history.....King Harold was killed, his weakened forces were routed and William the Conqueror became King of England - the Saxon England disintegrated .
Lynne and our blue badge guide, Wilt, put so much enthusiasm and effort into planning our trip to follow the path taken by Harold and William leading up to the famous battle. We visited Pevensey Bay and imagined ships arriving from the French shoreline prepared for the invasion. We climbed to Hastings Castle to get a feel for the cliff side advantage the location provided. We toured the grounds of the Battle of Hastings Battlefield and the Abbey. Our last stop included "creamed tea" at Pevensey Castle Tea Room and then a walk around the ancient ruins.










The weather was beautiful and the sky was clear. Everyone seemed to enjoy another great trip out of the city!

The Isle of Wight

Our holiday was delayed a bit when the transmission locked up on our cute rental convertible sports car, but after 2 hours at a rest stop and a (long, silent) ride in the front cab of a RAC (Royal Automobile Club) emergency vehicle to the nearest airport to secure another car, we were on our way to the ferry to spend a long Bank Holiday on the Isle of Wight.










In two days, and between rain storms, we managed to see quite a few of the popular sights on the island......
Carisbrooke Castle where King Charles I's was imprisoned, Osbourne House - once the grand seaside retreat of Queen Victoria, and The Needles - dramatic rock formations in Alum Bay. Our plan was to walk along the seawall in the pretty village of Seaview to find Seagrove Bay and have a peek at the Priory Inn Hotel but the weather just would not cooperate.








Yarmouth was our "port of call". We stayed just a few steps from the harbor in a warm and cozy historic, but nicely renovated Inn, The George Hotel. The food was delicious, especially the fish soup that could have passed as a cajun gumbo. Also on the square in Yarmouth is The Bugle Coaching Inn with lively entertainment, pub grub and local ales and lots of cute dogs!










Beaches, charming coves, castle ruins, famous yacht clubs, great restaurants, thatched cottages and biking or hiking through unspoilt countryside...take the ferry to the Isle of Wight for a long weekend! And pack your Nautical wear!