Thursday, March 12, 2009

Mad dogs and Englishmen

I've never made a bucket list (I might still do that, since I'm only middle-aged!), but if I had, visiting Europe - especially England - would be near the top of the list.

I am an unashamed Anglophile. Okay, maybe I should be a little ashamed since I used to think Prince Charles and I would have made a nice couple; after all, we're nearly the same age. Actually, I thought he looked a little priggy, but since it would have given me access to the Crown Jewels, several palaces, and centuries of history, I was willing to overlook his looks. But I would have been unwilling to overlook his taste in Camilla. However, I digress.

I've always wanted to visit England. To see the Changing of the Guard, Big Ben, the Tower of London (and the Crown Jewels, of course), Westminster Abbey, Parliament - oh, all the usual stuff. I've yearned to see double-decker buses, London roundabouts (but not to drive in London!), to visit a pub (but not to drink warm beer); I've mentally drawn the line at boiled beef, but think I could handle fish and chips.

So, at last, I'm going! Jim & I arranged our tour this morning and we leave the end of April. We aren't going only to England, since we both want to get a "taste" of Europe. We'll have 3 days in London, travel by ferry to France for three days in Paris (I expect we'll spend at least one of those days in the Louvre), and then by train to Italy for three days in Rome! Now, how exciting is that?

I would be happy to spend longer in England and Italy, stopping in France only long enough for the Louvre, but such are the arrangements of tours. And perhaps we'll go back in the next year or so for an extended visit.

We both love historical sites so much that it's a thrill to even start planning! I mean, what's more historical than Europe? We will have plenty of free time to visit things not on the tour, so we're talking now about what we most want to see. Maybe we'll be able to fit in a trip to Pompeii, but whatever we do, it will be exciting for us.

So if you notice a theme to my posts over the coming weeks, you'll know what's causing it. Or maybe I'll surprise us all and just treat the upcoming trip as a matter of course. But I doubt it.

7 comments:

  1. I'm so excited for you and can't wait to hear all about it!

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  2. Wow! What an adventure! Hope you both enjoy it to the max.

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  3. How WONDERFUL!!! Color me green with envy and you will love every minute. Enjoy enjoy enjoy! (you are too good for Prince Charles)

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  4. Cheryl,
    So nice having dinner with you & Jim last week and hearing of your plans for travel. It's nice to hear they've been finalized. Do take the get on-get-off bus tour of London. It really gives you a nice idea of what & where to find the sights. For us, it was also an educational way to just get off our feet.(It was at the end of 3 exhausting weeks of touring. You two will have a great time, I'm sure! Alan

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  5. Enjoy your trip to England. I have English ancestors and enjoyed a trip in 1993. My maiden name is Slingsby so I wrote to all the Slingsby's in the London phone book. I met two Slingsby's. Slingsby is a famous English family, and there is a small town named Slingsby.

    Rita

    I blog at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.

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  6. Here's a tip from someone who almost got thrown out of the Tower of London. Don't try taking video of the Crown Jewels.I found out its a no-no!
    My sister Nancy (your cousin) told me to check out this site. Glad to hear about your trip. As an Anglophile myself(lets not talk about all $$$ spent on royalty books and magazines and history books)I am turned inside out with jealousy! BTW, I had plans for me and Prince Andrew. Escaped a big one there, eh?

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  7. Here is a tip from someone who almost got herself thrown out of the Tower of London. They don't like someone videotaping their Crown Jewels. Found out it was a big no-no.I guess they thought I might be casing the joint. Hope you have a wonderful time, I'm turned inside out with jealousy! My sister Nancy Fraiser Thomas told me about your blog.

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