England - 2015
My wife and I visited England in June 2015. We departed New York City on June 3, making the Crossing on Cunard's Queen Mary 2 -- a luxurious and relaxed experience in its own right.
We arrived Southampton June 10 and immediately took the train to Stratford-upon-Avon, where the photo array begins. Then another train to Bath on June 13, and a tour of Stonehenge the next day. Finally, our fourteen day Rick Steves' "Best of England" tour began in Bath June 14, and most of the photographs were taken during that tour, some of them taken during the tour, but many taken during free time.
Without attempting to identify actual roads taken, the following map shows the general path and locations visited during the tour.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire -- Taking a Survey -- These boys approached us with their questions, too, as part of a school assignment. The children were bussed in from nearby Warwickshire towns.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire -- The Fourteas -- A wonderful discovery on Sheep Street in Stratford, a tea room with wartime (WWII) decor. My mother would have loved the place, as it would bring back memories of her own intimate connection to the Brits of that war.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire -- School Assignment, Stratford -- These two young gals approached Patricia and me, asking if they might pose questions regarding our visit to Stratford. We cooperated (they asked how we had arrived, but there was not a space on their form for "ship"), and in return they consented to this photo.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire -- Anne Hathaway's Cottage -- An HDR photo.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire -- The Arden Farm -- An HDR photo.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire -- The Arden Farm -- An HDR photo.
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire -- The Arden Farm -- An HDR photo.
Shoppers -- Bath
Little Shopper -- Bath
Roman Plumbing -- The Roman Baths -- Bath -- An HDR photo. That water was hot!
The Roman Baths -- Bath
The Roman Baths -- Bath
The Roman Baths -- Bath
The Roman Baths -- Bath
Busking -- Outside the Roman Baths -- Bath
Outside the Roman Baths -- Bath
Outside the Bath Abbey
Bath Abbey
Outside the Roman Baths
Outside the Bath Abbey
Outside Roman Baths
Finger-Lickin' Good -- Outside Bath Abbey
Cruising the Avon -- Bath -- To say "cruising the river Avon" is redundant, since "Avon" is actually Celtic for "river."
Cruising the Avon
Cruising the Avon
Cruising the Avon
Glastonbury Abbey Ruins -- Glastonbury -- An HDR photo.
Glastonbury Abbey Ruins -- Glastonbury -- An HDR photo.
Typical Abbey Kitchen Table (Reconstruction) -- Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Fiddler
Glastonbury Street Fair
Outside Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey Ruins
Glastonbury Abbey Ruins
Wells Cathedral
Vicars' Close -- Wells -- We were told this closed street just north of the Cathedral was used as a set for the BBC/PBS series "Wolf Hall." Appealing for its distinctive ancient look.
Bishop's Palace Panorama -- Wells
Bishop's Palace -- Wells
Wells Cathedral Nave
Wells Cathedral Nave -- Detail
Wells Cathedral -- Effigies
Windows -- The Lady Chapel -- End of the Nave -- Wells Cathedral
The Chapter House -- Wells Cathedral -- Especially its intricate ceiling -- a composite assembled from 31 individual photos.
Street Scene -- Lacock
Avebury, Wiltshire -- Avebury is known principally for the Avebury Henge, a stone circle of much greater diameter than Stonehenge but of similar neolithic origin.
Blenheim Palace Panorama -- Woodstock, Oxfordshire -- Panorama -- Blenheim Palace was built in the early 18th Century to celebrate victory over the French in the War of the Spanish Succession. The Battle of Blenheim was won, led by John Spencer, 1st Duke of Marlborough. He was given the park and Woodstock Manor, and Ł240,000 to build the palace, as a gift from Queen Anne and a grateful nation.
The "We Love Us" Wall -- Blenheim Palace -- Photographic portraits are so much cheaper!
Portrait of the 9th Duke of Marlborough and his family, by John Singer Sargent Blenheim Palace -- I believe this rendition is truer to the actual colors than most reproductions that may be found on the Web.
Portrait of the 4th Duke of Marlborough and his family, by Sir Joshua Reynolds Blenheim Palace -- Also a true rendition.
The Formal Dining Table -- Blenheim Palace -- An HDR photo.
Rear Formal Gardens Panorama -- Blenheim Palace
Selfie -- Blenheim Palace -- Based on overheard conversation snippets, I believe the young women were French.
Fountain and Statue Detail -- The Italian Garden -- Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Windows -- Stanway House -- Cheltenham, Gloucestershire -- Two photos are presented, the first taken as a normal exposure, and the second virtually the same scene taken as an HDR photo.
Windows -- Stanway House -- Cheltenham, Gloucestershire -- Second (HDR) photo
Gears, Stanway Water Mill -- Stanway House
Stanway House Grounds
St. Michael's Church -- Stanton, Gloucestershire -- An HDR photo.
St. Michael's Church -- Stanton, Gloucestershire -- An HDR photo.
Stanton
Ubiquitous -- On a Walk Through Lower and Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire -- The use of phone booths having declined in the age of the cellphone, many of the red phone booths have been repurposed to house emergency defribrillators.
On a Walk Through Lower and Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire
On a Walk Through Lower and Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire
On a Walk Through Lower and Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire -- An HDR photo
The Door to Moria -- Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire -- This door of St. Edward's Church in Stow-on-the-Wold is believed to be the door that inspired author J.R.R. Tolkien as the entrance to the Mines of Moria in "The Fellowship of the Ring." Rendered in HDR with a bit of artistic license.
Stow-on-the-Wold -- Is it the "new England Coffee House," or the "New England Coffee House"?
Flowers Montage -- Bodnant Garden -- Tal-y-cafn, Wales
Bodnant Garden
Bodnant Garden
Conwy Castle -- Conwy, Wales
Eat In or Take Away -- Conwy, Wales
Conwy Castle -- An HDR photo.
Man's Best Friend -- Conwy -- At first glance, this might seem to be a counter-culture scene of man with his dog, near the wharves after dark, divorced from the hustle-and-bustle of our technological lives. Take another look. That's an iPad on the table.
Welsh Highlands Railway -- Boarding at Ryd Ddu, Wales -- A journey on 19th century passenger cars pulled by a vintage steam engine.
Welsh Highlands Railway
Welsh Highlands Railway
Welsh Highlands Railway
Caernarfon Castle -- Caernarfon, Wales -- Anyone can photograph a castle keep, but only luck permits one to photograph with a joyous child running across the green.
Caernarfon Castle -- In pseudo-infra-red. The platform at lower left is where was held the investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales.
Caernarfon Street Scene -- Look at the shop sign: "Y Twll Yn Y Wal" -- only one vowel! Welsh would seem to be impenetrable!
Caernarfon Street Scene -- The sign for "The Four Alls" reads: "I rule for all"; "I fight for all"; "I pray for all"; and "I pay for all." An HDR photo.
Pirate Weekend -- Conwy
Windermere -- England's Lake District
Watching the Boat Pass -- Windermere
Windermere
Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere
Grasmere, Cumbria
Wordsworth's Grave -- Grasmere
The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop -- Grasmere -- No question in my mind: gingerbread from Sarah Nelson's shop in Grasmere is the best I've ever had. And it is available by mail order! http://www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk The line to buy some was out the door!
The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop -- Grasmere
Grasmere
Grasmere
Grasmere
Grasmere
His Name Should be "Winnie" -- Keswick, Cumbria -- The town is pronounced "Kez´-ik."
Keswick
Derwentwater & the Lake District Hills -- Keswick
Vindolanda, Hexham -- We visited Vindolanda, site of an excavated Roman garrison and town dating from the first to the fifth centuries C.E. This young woman provided a spirited explanation of the excavation, their methods, and what they had found. Then we visited the excellent museum along the creek ("Chainley Burn") to the east of the excavation. We had tragically too little time, however, to do the museum justice.
Vindolanda
The Shambles -- York
York Minster Late Afternoon -- York
York Minster Sunset -- York
York Minster
The Duke of Wellington's Fallen -- York Minster -- The wall included plaques devoted to World War I, the Crimean War, the Boer War, wars in India, and others.
Richard Sterne Memorial -- York Minster -- Bishop Sterne was a royalist and served the infamous Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud. He was imprisoned during Oliver Cromwell's time, but was released from prison and restored to eclesiastical positions in 1660 following Restoration of the monarchy. That impressive role in the church notwithstanding, I cannot look at the memorial without thinking of a languid pose more befitting a Playgirl centerfold. My bad!
Children Exiting Evensong -- York Minster -- The Choir and Presbytery areas of York Minster were packed for that Evensong performance, including a contingent of well-behaved school children, origin unknown.
View of the Nave Toward the Main Entrance -- York Minster -- An HDR photo.
Sulking -- York, just outside the Minster -- A sequence that speaks for itself
Multitasking -- York, just outside the Minster
York, just outside the Minster
York, just outside the Minster
York, just outside the Minster
A Wonderful Store, But Closed -- York
Still Ubiquitous -- London, near Covent Garden
Covent Garden Free Music -- London
Commuting -- London, near Covent Garden
Tower of London
Tower of London
Thames Panorama -- London
London
London
London
Trafalgar Square
National Gallery
National Gallery
Watching the Magician I -- Covent Garden
Watching the Magician II -- Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Tate Britain Gallery -- London
Monet -- National Gallery -- Trafalgar Square
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London
Gay Pride - London