People Watching

Just watching people - at DIA.  It is a good place to people watch.

Today's people watching was about "love".

First - on the moving sidewalk - a mother and a father holding the hand of a toddler.  He was excited and a little nervous.  They just showed love - mother and father each holding one hand.  It was a picture of family love.

Second - also on the moving sidewalk - well sort of.  He was on the walk.  She was walking besides.  They were holding hands above the railing.  They were laughing.

Really cute.  Makes you see there is still joy and goodness and - love in the world.

2012 - Lists

Here are a few lists that briefly describe 2012 for Larry:
Travel List

Book List

Movie List

Book on Tape/CD List

Temple List

United Kingdom - Monday

Tower of London   1077-1097

The tower of London is a stone fortress on the river Thames which gave view to hostile forces.  The tower has housed the Royal Mint, The Crown Jewels and served as a feared prison.  It has been an armory for warlike provisions and a general conserver of the records of the king’s courts of justice.

 

This is the building where the crown jewels are on display today.

It is inside the busy modern city of London and is surrounded today by much taller buildings. We wouldn’t think of it today as an imposing fortress and tower, however it’s tallest building is on a small hill and would have been an impressive site to an invader and the local residence in olden days. Successors  recognized its value and extended it until it occupies 18 acres.

The oldest part of the original walls.

 

The chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, is the burial place of dukes and two of Henry VIII’s queens, beheaded in the Tower.  Two young princesses were murdered there to keep them from the throne. The edifice is cared for by Yeoman Warders that act as guards and caretakers of this old stone palace that has some parts that are 1000 years old.  These warders were called Beefeaters because one of their jobs was to taste the food of the King to make sure it was not poisoned.

Traitors Gate was a main entrance and was later used for secret access.  The fortress has a grim reputation of torture, death and imprisonment and also a royal palace, powerful fortress and a menagerie of animals that have been gifted to kings.
 

Traitors gate - where criminals were brought in from the river side - for their own protection so that the local population didn't attack them. 

 

There is a double wall - The outer wall and the citadel wall - between was the mote.  The mote has drained and grass remains.  It was drained because it was foul, filthy and feted - not a nice atmosphere for royalty.

United Kingdon - Wednesday - Day Ten

Just a catch up day - Larry worked - Mar relaxed - and after work we just relaxed.

Sorry - nothing great - and no pictures.

United Kingdom - Thursday - Day Eleven

Donnington Castle

There is a lesson to be learned from Donnington Castle.  Don't ever be on the losing side.

Donnington Castle is a castle that stood just to the north of Newbury.  During the English Civil War, Donnington started as a Parliamentary castle, but was soon taken over by the Royalist.  The Royalists built battlements around the castle and then the Parliamentarians laid siege to it for 18 - 20 months, after which it was surrendered.  When the king was beheaded - meaning that Cromwell and the Parliamentarians won the war - Donnington was "pulled down".  All that is left is the gate house sitting on a high hill.

We drove up to Donnington Castle just to have a look around on a beautiful September evening.  We could see the remains of the foundation and the pattern of the battlements - but only the gate house still stands.

Newbury

 Just some pictures from old town Newbury.

Canterbury Church

We thought this is a Jacob Marley Door.

United Kingdon - Saturday - Day Six

Canterbury

St. Augustine arrived in England in 597AD to convert the pagan population to Christianity.  He chose the center of his work as Canterbury in South Central Kent.  It has since been the center of worship in all of England.  His original cathedral was destroyed in 1067, when construction of the present cathedral was started.  Like almost all of the historic cathedrals in England, the cathedral was built onto and renovated over the years.  Fires and additions, including damage during World War II, changed the cathedral over many years.

In 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket, was murdered in the cathedral.  Then King Henry II is said to have exclaimed, "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest."  Four of his knights took him very serious and rode to Canterbury and assassinated Becket.  It is said to be the most notorious murder in English history.  Becket was canonized as a saint 3 years later, an unprecedented short time.  His burial site in the cathedral made Canterbury a point of pilgrimage for the English.  (Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by pilgrims on the road to Canterbury.)

This is the modern shrine at the site of the Becket Martyrdom - notice the four swords representing the four murderous knights - notice also the reverence of people for this site.

This is a large and beautiful cathedral in a beautiful city.  The cathedral grounds were cared for by monks who had a granary, bakery, brewery, infirmaries, dormitories and a water tower.  They had gardens where plants were grown for medicine, dye and ink making and to freshen the air.

These are scenes in Canterbury around the cathedral grounds.

We loved wandering around this classic cathedral, and seeing the beauty of the area. (Margaret was upset that parts of the cathedral were dirty and mouldery - she said she'd love to take a power washer to it.)

United Kingdon - Saturday - Day Six

Leeds Castle

This is a castle in North Kent, between London and Dover.  It was known as the Queen's Castle because as the Kings would go from London to France, the Queens would go half way and stay at Leeds.  Also, one of the Kings gave the castle to his wife, and after that it became tradition for the queen to own the castle.

It is built on two islands in a lake, which means it has the widest and deepest mote of any castle in England.  It is fairly small and has been called "the loveliest castle in the world" being one of the most picturesque in Great Britain.  It has had 900 years of alterations.  The oldest part, on the smallest island was only one floor.  Then the second floor was added and finally a major renovation was done by Henry VIII adding the other building that was connected by a closed and covered arch bridge.  There is also a couple of other buildings on the larger island, one of them called the "Maidens Tower" which in the 1800s had a swimming pool with the first ever wave generator (the pool is now filled in and planted in grass.)

At the end of the 19th century the castle had gone to ruin.  It was then bought by Lady Bailee, an American heiress who married some duke or earl (hence the "lady" in her name.)  She restored and refurbished the castle and its grounds .  She filled it with art and antique furniture and had glamorous parties.  When she died, she set up a foundation to manage the castle for the people of England - forever.

It truly is a great place to visit.  The tour goes through the wine cellars and the chapel that has ebony floors.  There are 24 bedroom, and the tour goes to the best ones that were actually used by Lady Bailee. 

The location is stunning with beautiful gardens and a hedge maze.

The symbol of Lady Bailee was the black swan, and there are still black swans who live on the lake.