"Bath Time"

I had a great day yesterday getting to know my cousin Philip, oh yeah, and we did this catch up in Bath.  I have to say that while the town was beautiful and the history was amazing I enjoyed my time with him more.  We walked for hours taking in the sights and sounds.  The Roman baths were like stepping back in time (1900 years).  The water still flows from the spring into the baths, I think it's over 170,000 litres a day and it was the perfect temperature (for me) to bathe in.  I sampled the drinking water but it was also hot and not a flavour anyone would want to bottle.
On Thursday My Uncle took me to Lyme Regis, also know as the Fossil coast due to the large amount of fossils but it is also the home of the Cobb.  The Cobb is a large break wall that you can walk out on which was featured in the movie "The French Lieutenant's Woman" with Meryl Streep.  My cousin and her two children joined us and we had a great visit before they headed home.  I think if I ever moved here the decision of where in England to live would be difficult.  I've seen three different coast lines and while the two most beautiful would be strong favourites, the third actually has employment.  Oh well not a decision I have to worry about.

Dad's brother, my Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary and myself.

The Cobb

Lymeregis coastline on a beautiful April day, the temperature was about 20 this day.

In Bath

Incomunicato

Because we are situated on a hillside, the internet and phone capabilities are very limited.  I will post more pictures when I get back to Grimsby.  I am enjoying the opportunity of getting to know my Aunt and Uncle as well as my cousins Philip and Amanda (and Amanda's wonderful family).  Yesterday we went to Montecute house.  The house along with the gardens and artwork was beautiful.  Today Amanda and her children took me to visit Wells.  The architecture, the layout of towns built hundreds of years ago and the grandure of it all was mesmerizing.

Montecute House, in Montecute, how .......cute.  That's how I remembered the name.  You might think this is silly, but I have had to learn about 300 student's names and so many new places with foreign names that tricks like this are invaluable.

In front on the Bishops Palace at Wells Cathedral in Wells.  I was willing to break the rules and jump over a barrier to get a picture of this car, but then the driver got in and pulled up to us.  Then he kindly got out to speak to someone and thus I got this amazing shot. (Thanks to Amanda's son who called us back.)

West side of Wells Cathedral.

Vicars close, this is one of the oldest roads in Europe.

Another touch of spring.  It was a beautiful day today, when the sun was out it must have been close to 18 or 20 degrees.

Windwhistle Hill

I arrived yesterday in Crewkerne to visit my Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary.  The train ride was just under 7 hours which seems extreme when the drive would have been considerably less, but I do not feel confident enough to drive by myself for that length of time in a place I am not familiar with.  Plus, the train fair was about a quarter of the cost.
Crewkerne is in the south west corner of England.  The landscape is similar to the lake district minus the lakes.  My dad visited here in the late 80's.  I remember vividly how he lit up when describing the area specifically the narrow roads and Joe's garden and I can totally relate.  He said "you could reach your arms out to the side and touch the hedges on both sides" I think he was embellishing the truth.  You would need to have extremely long arms.

While it looks like an autumn picture it is not.  It is actually a sunset picture.

Stamford

I had a fantastic day today.  The weather was sunny and warm and a friend took me to Wittering.  I found out a few days ago that during the war my father served at an RAF base called "Wittering", and my friend (who is an avid plane buff) offered to take me to see the base and a nearby town called Stamford.  The base is still operational so we could not see much but it was exciting non the less.  And Stamford while it seemed uninspiring on the internet, was exceptionally beautiful.  The drive took about two and a half hours through some breathtaking country side scenery.  I find England so incredibly gorgeous that I often think to myself "why did my father ever leave"?

A war memorial near Wittering, honouring the American and British soldiers of WWII.

Gates to the Base. Note to self - Do not let them see you taking their Picture.

Stamford is not without it's churches.  There must have been at least 8 various chapels in a six block radius.

This old house amazed me, the date on the front is 1692.

In the Garden of the George Hotel.  The sign said Henry the VIII stayed there and I think Richard the III.

One of the duelling hares in a used book store.

Looking up at the George Hotel on the right.

Looking down, hotel on the left.  What I liked in this shot was the monotone colours of the landscape and the various levels of buildings.

James, James bond.  Cars like this Aston Martin were abundant in this posh town.

St. John the Baptist church of Stamford.

Live vicariously my Canadian friends, keep warm.

Cleethorpes Camera Club

I wanted to show you a little something different.  I was at camera club this evening and we had a studio night.  These two images are glass paperweights.  I thought they were fun to take pictures of.  BTW, I came first place last week for my Niagara Falls picture. : )

Bottom view.

Side view.

A little sun, a little sand.

I spent the afternoon at the beach today.  And I don't mean like in NorthBay were it was minus 27 degrees and I was one of a few who thought it was gorgeous.  I went to Cleethorpes.  It is usually about a 10 minute bus ride from home but I guess everyone had the same idea today and the traffic caused the ride to be 40 minutes.  It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in sight and a pleasant 16 degrees above zero.  The dogs were having a great time running freely, the children were playing in the sand and water and I just soaked up the sunshine.
Before going to the beach I walked to church, through People's Park, and enjoyed all the sights and sounds of spring.  I never would have imagined that Grimsby could be so exceptionally beautiful.  It is like any other place though, sometimes you have to look for the beauty.

Crocus's all around Peoples Park.

Blossom trees everywhere.

Green Flowers?

Cleethorpes Pier

Giving the children rides on Donkeys, up the beach.

Low tide on the North Sea/Humber River.

Sitting on the retaining wall.

Strange looking shell.  I checked, nobody was home.