After a few days in London, we boarded a train in Paddington station and rode to
Exeter. It was a beautiful train ride--full of green pastures and grazing sheep. Once we arrived in Exeter we climbed a steep hill to the main road and quickly arrived at our Bed and Breakfast. It's owned by a young married couple. It was my first time staying in a bed and breakfast and I have to admit I fantasized about owning one someday! Isaac began his conference sessions the next day so I ventured out and took some guided walking tours. The weather was perfect. I didn't need a jacket and the air felt so clean and fresh. Everything was within walking distance so I didn't have to worry about riding a city bus or catching a subway. I loved the exercise and walked several miles those few days. I never did get on a sleep schedule which was actually a good thing because I was able to get back to normal when I started school the day after we came home. My days went like this: wake up, eat breakfast, go back to bed and sleep, shower around noon, go on an adventure, eat dinner, go to bed around 10 pm, wake up around 2:00 am, stay awake until 6:00, sleep until breakfast. I loved having a wide open schedule and dictating what I did and when I slept. I'm pretty sure it was the longest duration spent away from Will and Van and let me just say, it was heaven. I had a lot of time to ponder about things in my life and it felt rejuvenating to take care of only me for once.
I love Europe. The parts I loved about England were how polite and well mannered the English are, I love that little goes to waste in this country-- there seems to be little excessive living, and the food has a much better quality in taste. They are taking many steps to help the environment. In fact, some shops charged me pounds if I used a plastic sack and every restroom had air dryers next to the sink. Several buildings had solar panels. I've always been attracted to progressive ideas so when I see England being on the front lines about most things, I get frustrated that America maintains an attitude of not wanting to get with the times. Sheesh!
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| Our room. The owners Amy and Ben, were a very hospitable couple. I loved the women who cooked our breakfast in the mornings too. |
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| Old Clock in the middle of the city adjacent to the Cathedral. |
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| I walked along this river. |
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| Remains of a medieval bridge |
Remains of Roman walls
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| A charming street now, but back in the medieval times butcher shops lined the stone path and the blood of the butchered animals would run down the gutter there in the middle. Eeww! |
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| I knew Will and Van would like this cannon. |
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| Another view of the river |
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| St. Peter's Cathedral |
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| St. Peter's Cathedral |
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| St. Peter's cathedral has the longest gothic roof in the world. It's the same length as a football field. |
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| A courtyard next to the cathedral. |
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| I loved this corner of town. Old with the new. |
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| We found this beautiful garden next to Reed Hall. |
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| Reed Hall. We danced the last night in Exeter here with all of the conference attendees. It was a gaelic band and we learned some really fun dances. |
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| Isaac was invited by Dr. Stauffer to present with her and another colleague at the Music Education conference at the University of Exeter. I'm so grateful I could take a week off of teaching and accompany him. Most of all, thank you to my mom who stayed with William and Van. I had zero worries about the care they were receiving and knew they were enjoying getting to know Grandma better. |
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| One day we took an afternoon trip to Dawlish. It's a 20 minute train ride from Exeter. It's main attraction was the beach along the English channel. We ate a delicious fish and chips meal at a family owned restaurant. The father has only been to Florida (Disney World) in America. I realized how blessed I am to live in the western US and that I've seen Yellowstone, the Wasatch mountains, Grand Canyon, Southern California beaches, etc. I live in a beautiful place and I hope the kind people we met on our trip can have an opportunity to see it someday. |
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| We saw some more black swans. |
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| The sea was gorgeous |
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| Beautiful! I wish I had Raymond's camera! |
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| Isaac wasn't the only one to brave the cold water. A family beside us was having a great time in the waves too. |
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| Hello mate! |
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| I loved this scene |
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