Demonstrations

Chris & Sue demonstrate how to use a kissing gate

Chris how to take your trousers off half way through the walk

Roger how to climb the wall and how to have a Roman bath

Sue how to use a Roman latrine!

Off on Hadrian's Wall Walk

Whoo Hoo.. Sun is shining and we are off! Spent a long time looking for the wall, which is actually mostly now in the local houses and churches or underground! The countryside was just beautiful though. Gorgeous sheep, cattle and rivers.

Newcastle in the rain

Dropped the car back to Newcastle where the guy had SUCH a thick geordie accent that we looked at him in absolute puzzlement. He grinned, and said "I'll speak real slow for yer!" It reminded me of when we did our teacher training ... I couldn't understand the class for the first three months!

As we got on the train the heavens opened and the rain poured down...Oh no we have 4 days of walking! By the time we got to Corbridge the sun was out and we headed off for dinner with Chris and Sue

Newcastle in the rain

Dropped the car back to Newcastle where the guy had SUCH a thick geordie accent that we looked at him in absolute puzzlement. He grinned, and said "I'll speak real slow for yer!" It reminded me of when we did our teacher training ... I couldn't understand the class for the first three months!

As we got on the train the heavens opened and the rain poured down...Oh no we have 4 days of walking! By the time we got to Corbridge the sun was out and we headed off for dinner with Chris and Sue

Aydon Castle

Incredible, built in 13 Century and lived in until 1966 when the owners had the great idea that life might be more comfortable in a centrally heated cottage. Now owned by English heritage.

The Roman's invade

Hard to imagine what it must have been like to live here. On the one hand the commanders lived a comfortable life, with central heating, beautiful glassware etc. All in 2 century.... then they went out and fought the Scots... won...advanced...lost..retreated...won/lost... over and over again through the centuries. Only one woman lived on site, the commander's wife. The men could not marry until they had been in army 25 years! Strange life

Poppies and forts

Wonderful walk through Corbridge.........hard to imagine there are Roman forts underneath those wonderful poppies

Roman Town Corbridge

Stayed in a gorgeous B & B in lovely Corbridge... Roman town in Northumberland, where we will begin our walk along Hadrian's Wall with Chris and Sue. So peaceful.

Manley Close... York

On our way up to Corbridge dropped in to see Roger's dad. Still has his collection of Eddie Stobbart trucks!

Its all in the family

Thanks Sue... we had a great day on Ancestry.Com and found out some really interesting things....mum really enjoyed tracing back her family.

End of a great 3rd day inUk

Ashford in the Water

Wondered how this place got its name... especially "in the water" Apparantely they would drive sheep over the bridge and herd them into the water. The lambs were downstream and so the lambs would swim down to them, cleaning their coats as they went.

Lovely cottages... and the Peter Pan welldressing fun!

Flower festival time

Its that time of year, flower festivals and well dressings. Ashford in the Water isa small pretty village which had a the theme of gemstones in the bible for its flower festival ... fab!

The Beatles well dressing (click to see more clearly) caught my imagination as did the view of Monseldale. The memorials were poignant, especially the one to the village schoolteacher who died during the year.

Ilam

First stop was a small village with Swiss type houses! Very unusual for Derbyshire. In fact in 1800 a rich industrialist, rebuilt the whole village in this style... out of sight of the hall! Luscious green and gorgeous sheep

Dovedale walking

Decided we needed to get fit before Hadrian's Wall walk. There was a lazy wind that took off our hats and swept straight through our clothing!

What a taste experience... Nonsolovino... Italian... great meal with Chris, Sue & Katie.

St Nicholas Church

Had to walk off that lunch to headed to the church. What a view! Met some amazingly friendly people and soon found common friends and experiences. Guess England is just like that. With a friendly wave from all we headed to Low Bradfield

What a pub lunch!

Had such a beautiful drive to High Bradfield. We did the triangular walk from Low to High Bradfield last year. Absolutely stunning scenery. The lunch was as huge as the view! Love the topiary (Click top left) dogs, man on horse etc.

Farewell Copenhagen

I'm up to date with my blog... Whoo hoo must be a first. Arrived to a green, slightly damp UK... beautiful trip over from Manchester to Chesterfield~

Oh my goodness, so glad that we will be walking Hadrian's Wall next week. Love the little cafes but the meals are HUGE!

The Goose Boy of Malmo

Loved this statue, especially as the Geese joined in!

Have you seen one like this?

What an incredible typewriter.... have never seen one like it. You move the front button around to a letter and then press the handle at the front.

Malmo, Sweden

Decided to hop on Train to Sweden... just like that! 35 minutes later we emerged into a city where old and new existed side by side. Huge corkscrewing apartment blocks next to 15 Century wattle and daub. Modern wind farms next to old windmills.... and the obligatory man on a horse overshadowing the main square.

Loved the wonderful cheese, bread and delis... I'm sure that I'm twice the size I was when I left Oz!

Now what do they sell?

LIVING: FRONTIERS OF ARCHITECTURE III-IV

This exhibition was really confronting issues of what is home to people and where might people live in the future. So sad to see how people in China are living in cages, stacked one on top of another... no personal space, but still feeling part of a community. While (top left) other people are enjoying a mobile, luxurious hotel room which can be "parked" anywhere... overlooking the eiffel tower or the pyramids! The white box structure - where people lift the roof for light and air!!! Check out this link. http://www.louisiana.dk/uk/Menu/Exhibitions/LIVINGhttp:/

We headed back to the Tivoli for more fun, but exhaustion set in and we simply relaxed looking at the spires of Copenhagen before heading out for dinner.