Week 69 20-27 July CRD57 W3 Europe

Sunday 20

Started the day with a visit to Kelpies on the North East of Falkirk. These huge art installation of two houses heads represent images of the Scottish mythical beast the Kelpie a water creature that looks like a horse. Very impressive. More driving in the beautiful Scottish countryside to our breakfast spot Tinto Hills Tearooms near Thankerton. Here I met a motorcyclist enjoying a ride and a Sunday morning coffee. Really think I need to come back and ride here. Next we visited Hadrain's wall or the ruins of part of it. It was the Romans Defence line across English to keep the Scots out. Originally 4 metres high what we saw was part of the foundations. The view of the English countryside was picturebook idyllic. Next we went to Lockerbie to see and reflect on the event of the Lockerbie bombing where a bombed PanAm jet literally fell out of the sky in 1988. The site were three houses were destroyed and 11 people on the ground killed is now a reflective garden. The momentum at the local cementry was quite moving. From here we headed into the lakes district. I had not heard of this area but again it was amazing picturesque with some fun bike roads. Tonight we are in Windermere on Lake Windemere. Beatrix Potter farmhouse retreat is not far away.  Maybe tomorrow. 

Monday 21

Day started with a walk to the laundromat to find it in full swing doing hotel laundry. Beatrix Potter house was not open til 10 so we drove past and got a photo and then headed to our breakfast stop in Atherstone. Next we stopped at a service centre to do our washing. Used the time to charge the car as well. This place was amazing. There were servos both sides of the road and a covered bridge over to connect them. On the bridge was an eating area with a KFC and a Burger King. The laundromat was a hole in the wall style on the other side to where we had pulled up. Car charge cost $13.65. It seem to just work with the car to extend the fuel range. No sure how much. It would require a lot more investigation. We called into Stoke in Trent and went to the place they record The Great British Throw down. A pottery show Anna and Kate watch. From here we went to Stratford on Avon Shakespeare's home town. We had dinner in very old pub the Garrick where reportedly Garrickba contemporary playwrit arranged Shakespeare's birthday parties. Our accomdation tonight is at Hook Norton in a little pub. Our room is up some very steep stairs and has very low ceiling. But very comfortable. 

Tuesday 22

Kate's birthday. She opened the suitcase we have had in the car to open her presents and the things she had asked for from home. From here we headed to Clarkson's Farm to the farm shop. Around the back they did simple breakfast. Bacon eggs or sausages on a bun or toasted meusli yoghurt honey and raspberry jam cups. From here we went to Clarkson's pub The Farmer's Dog. Queue to get on and take a photo of the tractor hanging from the roof. We brought some tee shirts for Ben and Nay and me. From here we headed into London and dropped the car off. Painless. Then trained into our hotel in Kensington. We settled in a bit then headed into London City again on the train this time to see A Comedy About Spies at a theatre. It was very good. Happy Birthday Kate. 

Wednesday 23

We had breakfast at the hotel. It was good and included. Then packed up and headed the other way on the train back to the airport. To fly to Brussels. The rest of the day was travelling. Picked up another hire car and then stated practicing driving on the other side of the road. We arrived at our accomdation which is a unit. We went for a walk into town for dinner and then up the the Menim Gate for the Last Post ceremony. They have been doing g this everyday since 1919 with a brief disruption for WW2. The was about 500 people there. It was as special as I expected. 

Thursday 23

Today we headed out to visit Great Uncle Joe's grave. It is a moving experience to see how well cared for the grave yard is and the see the stories in the names and dates. We came home for lunch and then went to the Flanders Field museum. A 3hr experience from here we went to dinner at a Burger place on the side of the road troops would have marched along on there way to the battlefield. We finished the day with a visit to Menin Gate and got a good spot from the Last Post Ceremony. Another good day. 

Friday 24

Went for a drive to Passchdale today. It is close by and the Yorkshire trenches. Trenches preserved since the war. Things that struck me was the level of the water table about 3 metres below the ground requiring the need for pumps. Second they're still digging up bodies when ever they do a development. Passchdale had a great memorial garden. We applied and got to lay a wreath as part of the Menin Gate Last Post service. Very special. Had a daytime sleep today. The long day's are starting to beat us not getting up until 8-9am Not going to bed til 11.

Saw a poster on a shop that summed up war. 

War is a place where young people who don’t know each other, and don’t hate each other, kill each other, by the decision of older rulers who know each other and hate each other, but don't kill each other. Brandt Legg

Saturday 25

Today we when back to Uncle Joe's grave and took Dad in with us on a video call. Which was ready good thing to do.  We signed the book and said our goodbye to Iepers. We then made our way to Bruges for lunch and then to tonight's stop at Evergem just north of Ghent which we will visit tomorrow. Belguim is flat farm land. We are close to Netherlands which is flat too so I guess that is what to expect. Lot of corn and potatoes and cabbages seem to be main crops. The WW1 destruction of Belguim is clear. When building have been rebuilt it is in clay brick. Often on remaining stone foundation. Building have been rebuilt in the original style but the building materials are more modern. Tonight is a classic BnB but they want to charge extra fir breakfast. We will skip that but they have a hot tub so I spent an hour in that.