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=0=| We got in to Paris about 11AM but at that point we were tired of hunting for youth hostels and such and just wanted to get someplace to stay for a bit. We walked about three blocks to get to the train station for trains headed North. Then we took a train to Calais where we wanted to take a ferry to England. We got into Calais pretty late and the youth hostels we contacted were all full so we decided to just take the next ferry to England. On our BritRail passes we couldn't take the fast ferries (on air cushions) and the next ferry we could take didn't leave until 10PM. In Calais we had a long walk to the from the train station to the ferry dock (with our luggage and such) but there was plenty of time. This particular ferry had a staff of about forty and about 20 passengers who were on a round trip from England so that they could use the duty free shop and just two passengers (that woudl be us) who were actually travelling to England. |
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| We got very good service of course. We got into Dover it was quite late, perhaps midnight, but we were able to find a bed and breakfast which was nice. They even gave us a ride to the train station in the morning. It was also interesting to get a feel for the local culture. The people we stayed with were rather strong supporters of the anti-immigrant movement in England arguing that all the darkies should be sent home. They weren't very rational arguments in that they would argue that the immigrants were taking jobs from the British and also burdening the government with welfare payments and such. However, it was a reminder that racism is a truly international affliction. We took the train from Dover to London and then on to Manchester. The trains in England are quite fast, perhaps 80 MPH, but their tracks don't seem to be in such good condition so the ride is more jerky which leaves you hanging onto your seats (at least until you adjust to the ride). |
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| Our Eurail pases had been for First Class which had allowed to sit in compartments where we would often be the only occupants and could lie die along the seats. However, in England in Second Class, there were pairs of airplane style seats facing each other across a table (no compartments) and then an aisle and another set of pairs of seats. It wasn't nearly as comfortable, but we didn't spend that much time on the trains. We went to Manchester and then to Saddleworth which is a village in Uppermill, N. Lancashire, just north east of Manchester and south of Scotland. It was winter then (December) but still quite green. We really loved the country side and this and the two pictures above is of the moors. The English are just starting to develop national parks and they do that preventing further development on what were previously private lands. The top picture shows a rail line that had been put in while they built a dam and the one beneath that is a view from the same spot but further up the mountain. This picture is of the lake that was created by the dam. |
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| Most of the area is pasture land with rock walls dividing the pastures (as you can see above). They mostly graze sheep, but also some cattle and horses. Here is a sheep grazing the land that is now part of a national park. While we were on the public right of way, the owner of the land can still graze the land as before. |
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| While our tickets were with Pan Am, we flow with numerous other carriers. This is the British Airways 747 that we took from London to Boston. |
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| In Boston we stayed with Velma and Jack, Barbara's parents, at their house shown here in Needham, MA. Of course this picture was taken in February when we visited again as our little red Mustang stayed in Washington, D.C. while we were travelling and we took the train down to D.C.. |
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| This is Dennis and Judy's new house in the woods in Laurel, MD, just North of D.C.. The lab where Dennis worked and I was newly assigned had just moved out of D.C. to Adelphi, MD, prompting their move as well. |
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| This is the view of their house from the driveway with Dennis and Judy beside their Accord. The back door (and normal entrance) to their house is in front of their car at the end of the car port. Our mustang was parked at the end of the drive in the turn around area and this picture was taken from there. |
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| Here is the view of their house down the slope. Along the left and the lower level is their workshop with their den above that where Judy tutors students. To the right of the workshop (and not really visible) are glass doors to the area where Dennis keeps his computer terminal. Above that is the living room and the front door onto the driveway. |
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| This is the view of the top level of the house just to the right of the driveway and back door (making this the front door). |
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| This is the view from the back door with Barbara doing dishes. The main entrance would be to the right of this picture. |
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| From the kitchen looking back toward the main entrance and living room you can see the picture by Judy's sister. Their furniture is on wheels to make moving easy and is often rearranged. |
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| From the kitchen window there is a view of the porch which is above the workshop along with the woods behind the house. That is where we ate many of our meals. |
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| This is the view of where the Mustang lived from the carport. |
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| And this is the view of the hill and road from where the Mustang lived. While we were staying there, there was a 24 inch snow which really through the area for a loop. In Washington D.C. area they only really have plows to clear off the main roads (as they don't get that much snow). It would normally be two or three days before they get around to minor streets (and particularly a dead like this) and so we were expecting it would be a week before they cleared this road. As we didn't want to wait a week, the neighbors all got together and cleared out a section in front of their house (which really wasn't much harder than just clearing their own driveway and private contractors had cleared out the road beyond so it really was a nice group effort. |
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| We stayed in the bedroom that was opposite the workshop shown previously and above are thes view from the windows of that bedroom after the 2 foot snow. Here is a view from the sliding glass doors out to the porch. |
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| This is another view of the porch that we looked on as we ate breakfast each morning. There is a birdfeeder which also fed the squirrels as the birds were pretty sloppy eaters and dropped a fair amount of seed (or perhaps they were very careful eaters but had compassion on the hungry suirrels). |
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| As the squirrels weren't able to dig to the seed buried under the snow, we cleared away the snow and this is a picture of a squirrel eating the dropped seeds. |
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This page was last updated on December 24, 2007.
