July 20

Hi all ... sorry, it has been a while since I have updated this blog. We have been busy! We returned to Longleat and did the rest of the activities. Including the drive-thru safari, where we met this little monkey, and fed some deer. There were also lions, tigers, giraffes, zebras, etc. The weather miraculously cleared up for the day, so we had a picnic and played outside. The kids got to handle snakes, and we saw a wonderful bird show.

We have also gone out to the coast, to a place called Weston Super Mare. You will be glad to know, as Canadians, that we left our mark on that beach - we could hear folks laughing up on the pier (where I took this picture). It is a great place and the beach is a couple of miles long. They have open air plays, and the pier has a huge games arcade at the end. The tide was out while we were there, so the kids (and Steve) made a huge sand castle. Tommy thinks that it will be there whenever we get back.

And, wait for it, we finally made it to the 2 big henges - Avebury and Stonehenge. Both were magnificent. Stonehenge is protected, so there is a path around it that you must stay on (but very photogenic!). Avebury is not protected, and so we got to get up close and personal. So do the sheep, who are grazed in the fields where the stones are.

We also took a trek into Wales and stopped at a "History of Wales" museum. They had moved several historical buildings (some 600 years old) onto the grounds, and we wandered around the working mill, cottages, barnes, and even a recreation of a mud hut settlement. There was also the remains of a castle on on the ground, which looks like this.

We just want to say congratulations to the McLeans, particularly Julia McLean, who competed on the synchronized swimming team, winning GOLD at the US Open in Hawaii yesterday! Yahoo!

Talk to you soon ... The Browns

July 12

Hi there ... here are a few more pictures to show you ... Monday we went in to Bristol .... have I said before what crazy drivers these British people are? We saw 2 accidents on the way in in a roundabout ... No one seems to like to stop here.

Anyway, Bristol is a very large modern city, with very old castle remains in the centre of it. This picture was taken on the grounds of the old castle (the ditch behind the guys was part of the original moat) and a church, bombed in the war. The kids also enjoyed the wooden, medieval themed playground, where we ate lunch.

Yesterday we went to London by train. What a fantastic city. We headed to Picadilly circus and walked around Buckingham Palace (in the picture) the parliament buildings, and of course, the great ferris wheel. The city is very clean and orderly - with tons of Italian tourists around. The sculptures in the public places are really wonderful.

It was a very long day - we didn't get home until midnight, so the kids were all asleep in the train on the way home. They have asked for a "day at home" today ... it is 11 and we are all still in jammies!

I'll leave you with a view from the "Eye" (the ferris wheel) ... See you all soon! The Browns

Hi there ... Friday we went to the Cheddar Caves ... absolute gorgeous .. you can see from the picture that they are this gorgeous golden orange colour (like the cheese!). We took a bike hike up the 273 stairs to the top, then climbed the tower for this gorgeous view.

Saturday we went to Longleat Castle. The castle was completed in 1580 and a Marquess (Alexander) and his wife still there. In the entrance hall is the shirt worn by King Charles I when he was beheaded - with faint bloodstains on it to thrill the boys. Unbelievable collection of art, furniture, miniatures, sculptures, tapestries, weaponry etc. - and we only saw about 1/3 of the house. In ONE glass case were six sculptures worth over $12 million - unbelievable wealth there. The house has been handed down generation to generation to the first born male, and the people living there are still called "Thynne". We were told that the current Marquesse is very eccentric - pictures of him skydiving with Richard Branson, and with his face painted up were scattered around, beside the coronation dress of Queen Victoria. I guess when you have that much money you can do whatever you like.

Also at the Castle is a wonderful hedge maze - it was fun to wander around and try to find our way out. We didn't get a chance to finish everything there - we will have to go back to see the drive through safari, do the boat ride and simulator ride, and wander around a few gardens and labyrinths, but there is a little splash park and playground so the kids are happy to go back. (Sorry, I couldn't get a pic of the kids inside the maze ... once you are inside it is hard to find anybody!).

Yesterday we took a cruise on a tiny, electric boat up the Avon river to Bathampton, and had drinks on the deck of the old mill (now restaurant). Great weather these days - we are in our 4th day of sunlight now (yes it actually does get sunny here!) which makes all these outdoor activities a bit better!

Cheerio from the Browns!

July 6

Hi all ... we have had a great couple of days since I last posted. Yesterday we went downtown through the old city (again). We visited the Roman Baths - literally thousands of years old. They are still finding old pieces of statues and jewellery and stuff when they build in the downtown core (not that there is much room to build downtown). The water in the spa is green now because of the rusting of the iron in the rocks, and it is still hot and flowing using the old aquaducts that the Romans built. A new spa, which people are allowed to go into, has recently opened (outrageously expensive, though). The water from the ground is still clear, and we all had a glass full in the restaurant. A bit tasty, but I am sure it was wonderfully healthy, with all the mineral content. Here are a couple of pictures that I took while we were wandering around.

Afterwards we went to a beautiful art gallery downtown and spent an hour or two looking at the great art. Bath has its own artists community that takes up the first floor, and the second floor is dedicated to oil paintings - there are hundreds of paintings not on display that they move in and out, so it would be a great place to return to. The kids all did their own art works - they had kids centres in both of the gallery rooms and the kids seemed inspired to create their own.

We also found an old map shop - and Steve found a map of Ontario created in 1890, which he bought. Cool map - you will have to come and see it when we get it home and framed. We're having a great time, but miss home as well ...

Cheers, The Browns

July 03 07

Well, jolly old England has been living up to its’ reputation as a rainy place to be. It has rained on and off through the day, every day for a week now! The rain doesn’t last long, though, so we have been taking the umbrella and rain coats and going out anyway.
Sunday we spent some time downtown in the old Bath. It is a really old city, of course, and we found that the mall that we went to for supper was built in 1793!
We also visited the amazing Abbey in the middle of town, which was built in 1499, replacing a prior abbey which was active in 676AD. There is a tomb in the abbey (of James Montagu) who was bishop in 1608-1616. We read some of the hundreds of stones that people have placed there, dedicated to their loved ones. The earliest one we saw dated to the 1600s, and we also found one from someone who had lived in Quebec. The stained glass art was absolutely magnificent, and the carvings on the church were spectacular. When the kids came in, they were given a “scavenger hunt” sheet which kept them busy (thank heavens!).
Afterwards we went to the neighbourhood Sports Centre and had a great swim in their splash pool. They have 2 slides in, a little kids “hot tub”, spouts, etc., and then a lane swim pool for the adults. Very fun.
Yesterday we went to Salisbury to visit the market that has been running continuously for 750 years. It is like the Pickering Flea Market used to be – some food, some “antiques” and some stuff. We picked up a few things, and then went and saw the Salisbury Cathedral – which has the highest spire in all of England. It put the Bath one to shame (if that is possible). Salisbury was a walled city, and the cathedral had a separate wall around it (in the pictures here). There were some interesting museums there as well.
We are having a quiet day at home today, and are planning the rest of the week – so much to see!
Hope all is going well in T-O … Love, the Browns

Arriving in Bath

Greetings from Bath!

Well, we arrived in one kind of shaggy piece on Thursday. The train ride was a bit rough, with 4 large bags and 6 smaller bags to put on and off twice, but managed ok, and then took 2 taxis to the house.
Ah, the house. A beautiful old, big house right on a hill (Newbridge Hill) overlooking part of the town and green fields. It is beautifully decorated, with a multi-level deck and hot tub by the house, and a grassy garden with table, chairs, and a small trampoline at the back. Absolutely wonderful. The kitchen is brand new, very modern, and has everything I could want to cook – including a stash of cookbooks I will go through as soon as I get a minute.
The city of bath is about a 30 minute walk in – and we have walked for miles and miles! There is a huge park, Victoria Park (named for Queen Victoria when she was 11 years old), with a HUGE playground. All kinds of things to use that our council would ban as unsafe as fast as they could! There is a huge BMX/skateboard park that our guys would love. And, behind the park, there are several public tennis courts (with lawn bowling). Yesterday, after playing in the park, we rented tennis raquets and had a couple of good games of tennis. We are thinking of putting Steph, Eric and Austin into lessons for a week – the weather here is nice and cool, great for playing tennis.
Speaking of the weather, it has been quite good up until today. There are some cloudy, drizzly times throughout the day, but they don’t last long and then the sun came out. Today, though, has been cloudy with a bit of drizzle here and there, all day. Coolish weather – probably in the 60’s.
The city itself is remarkably old – most of the buildings were constructed in the 1700’s when 4 separate men worked very hard to renew the village. We haven’t had a chance to do a lot downtown, spending our time shopping and finding our way around the general area around the house. We did have dinner last night in a little restaurant, in a mall constructed in the 1770s.
Steve drove the car for the first time today – it is a manual car, seat on the opposite side, road on the opposite side, and I find it terrifying. Steve finds it exhilarating. He dropped us off at the neighbourhood market tonight.
We have met the next door neighbour and her husband, and Maryanne’s sister dropped by today with a very young baby and her 4 year old son. She has promised to come back for another visit sometime soon, and is very nice to visit with. The neighbour came back today bearing cake, so the kids like her very much.
We are hoping to get to Cheddar Caves and Gorge on Monday (no sense going on the weekend when things are bound to be quite busy) Check it out on http://www.cheddarcaves.co.uk/ to see how huge and impressive they are.
We all miss everyone at home, and the kids are constantly checking the time, “translating” it to Toronto time, and trying to figure out what folks might be doing.
We will “talk” to you all soon ….

Chris, Steve, Steph, Eric, Austin and Tommy