A Morning at St Albans Cathedral

A day without public transportation. Hurray! A break from hiking boots was nice, too.

I chose St Albans (named for Britain's first Christian martyr) as a destination for several reasons. We needed to be close to London without staying in London proper during Olympic madness. It is also home to St Albans Cathedral and the Virulamium Museum, where I had booked my second visit with a museum educator. The bonus was that it is not far from the Village of Radlett, the home of some dear family friends!

We began our exploration of St Albans with a guided tour of the Cathedral, the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. A lovely older parishioner guided us around the bustling church -- services were taking place, the organist was rehearsing, flowers were being arranged, and art projects were being tended to.

Our tour guide whisked us into the Lady Chapel, out of the tour's usual sequence, before a noontime Catholic Mass was to be celebrated there. Hard to believe it was used as a school for 300 years.

The Cathedral, dating to the 11th century, is part of the Church of England (Anglican), but is quite ecumenical and hosts a variety of other services from time to time. The visiting Catholic priest found a quiet corner in one of several side chapels to put on his vestments.

Needlepoint, created by the nimble fingers of parishioners, covers the chapel's kneelers.

The High Altar and screen. As we stood admiring it, the carillon began to play "Chariots of Fire," in honor of it being the opening day of the Olympics. The tour guide rushed us into the tower area, so we could here it better. Here is the YouTube link to a recording of it made that morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3GMpJ33o5Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player

For over 1700 years, pilgrims have visited the shrine of St Alban.

Monks would hide in the Watching Loft and monitor the comings and goings of the pilgrims. They wanted to make sure that offerings came in and didn't go out. Apparently this was an issue.

The Nave Altar

The Rose Window, incorporated into the building in the Victorian era. It didn't actually have stained glass in it until 1989, when it was dedicated by the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

 

The ceiling of the Crossing Tower.

The architecture is part Saxon, part Norman,...

... and even Victorian.

Materials from the original Roman town, Virulamium, we're used, too. Nothing gets wasted.

The choir, which we would return to at the end of the day for choral evensong.

This angle of the Cathedral showcases the many architectural periods perfectly. The tower on the right is made almost entirely of Roman materials.

Off to my appointment at The Virulamium Museum and to explore the Roman ruins.

Stay tuned!

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The Amazing Race Part III: Dover to St Albans

Day Three, the final day of the harrowing 3-day Amazing Race. Slightly more complicated than the day before, with two train journeys and the possibility of a London underground journey the day before the opening ceremony. But there are several rewards at the end: London during the Olympics (not sure if this will be a reward or a punishment!) and five nights at the same hotel. We are going for the gold! Here's what happened.

Route Info: Travel from Dover to London via train. Depending on which of three stations the train arrives in, a ride on the underground to change trains for local service to St Albans may be required. There is also the possibility of an express train, which will eliminate the need for the underground, as it arrives at the same station (St Pancras) trains to St Albans depart from.

After a night in a less then sanitary room, we couldn't get to Dover Priory Station fast enough. Normally on travel days, Jennie and I don't mind relaxing in our room until the official check out time when our train isn't leaving for a while. In this case we couldn't wait to sit on a bench in the sun and read for an hour or so.

Fast Forward: Train is an express to London, stopping at St Pancras!

Speed Bump: Jennie gets motion sick, so must have window seat facing in direction train is traveling. Unable to reserve seats.

Goodbye, White Cliffs of Dover. Sure glad Jennie got a window seat facing in the right direction!

Fast Forward: With train arriving at St Pancras, an easy transfer, clearing heavy Olympics security, is made to train bound for St Albans.

Detour: Attempted cab ride from station to hotel. Cab driver insists its a quick walk to hotel. He lied, and we are once again pulling very heavy suitcases and carrying heavy backpacks. Disgruntled upon arrival!

Surprise bonus reward for being such intrepid travelers: Ardmore House Hotel and it's helpful and charming staff, Joe and Morris. (When inquiring about the password to access the internet, Morris said to me, with a deadpan look, "It's 9 zeroes, but you have to make sure you get them in the right order.")

When we arrived at the Ardmore House Hotel, we thought we'd died and gone to hotel heaven. A pleasant treat after our creepy night in Dover and three scary nights in our hotel in Bath, where we were pretty sure we weren't alone in the room! (I focused on the positives in my Bath posts.)

The sunroom where we had breakfast every morning, and the garden, where we enjoyed several meals al fresco.

The grounds were peaceful and there was a wedding there on the Saturday evening of our stay.

Jennie and I are both avid gardeners, and with the trip winding down, the beautiful gardens made us yearn for our own flowers back home.

I always have the desire to nest and fully move into a room when I travel, unlike Jennie, who prefers to keep everything in suitcases and bags for fear of leaving anything behind. Everywhere we had stayed thus far had been for 1-3 nights, and didn't allow me to do that. We were now in one place for five night and I claimed nearly every drawer, shelf and hanger!

Speed Bump: After lunch in the garden and unpacking and resting most of the afternoon, we realized we had no clean clothes and the world would be a better place if we did some laundry.

Fast Forward: Through an internet search of the neighborhood, we discovered the Posh Wash Laundrette not far around the corner. It was 5:00 PM, and with a closing time of 7:00 PM, that would leave us plenty of time for several concurrent loads and chance to grab some dinner somewhere. Right?

We arrived at Posh Wash and immediately noticed a sign that read, "We close at 7:00 PM. No exceptions. Last wash at 5:30 PM."

Road Block: It was 5:32 PM, and the owner, who was folding laundry and chatting with two girlfriends, spoke right up and firmly said, "Sorry. You are TOO late!" Now, you know as well as I do, that it doesn't take 90 minutes to wash and dry a load of laundry. Even heavy wet things will be mostly dry, if not fully. We told her we'd been travelling for a while, had no clean clothes to speak of, and assured her our loads would be done at the same time and that we'd pull them out before 7:00 PM. Nope. Not budging. With tails between our legs, and pouts as dramatic as any self-respecting 3-year olds could muster, we walked out. On the sidewalk, Jennie and I had the depressed "What are we going to do now?" conversation. We decided we should calmly go back in and plead our case one last time. We are both teachers. WE ARE NOT QUITTERS! When we did, her friends both looked at her, we thought sympathetically towards us, and she reluctantly gave in. We thanked her, gratefully, and assured her all of greater London would be thankful, too! The three of them were chatty with us from that point on and we were done by 6:50 PM!

Pitt Stop: The delicious smells of lamb and beef kabobs from the Mediterranean Grill up the street wafted towards us as we waited for our clothes to be ready. We ended our outing there and returned to Joe, Morris, a man snoring in a chair in the quiet hotel bar, and our lovely accommodations for one of the best sleeps of the trip.

Next up: A day that involved no public transportation (yippee!), exploring St Albans, and my second museum visit with education staff.

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The Amazing Race Part II: Hastings to Dover

Day Two of The Amazing Race. On the face of it, it didn't seem nearly as complicated as Day One. Just moving up the east coast slighly. Only one train transfer. No London Underground days before the Olympics open. Here's how it played out.

Route Info: Travel from Hastings via train inland to Ashford International Station. Transfer to express train to Dover. Must arrive in time to check in at guest house, leave luggage, and find way to Dover Castle and tour Secret Wartime Tunnels before they close at 5:00 PM.

Speed Bump: Guest house confirmation documentation notes check-in time begins at 4:00 PM.

Road Block: Although we arrived at guest house by noon, no one was there!

Fast Forward: Guest house manager arrived by 12:45 PM, and not only checked us in, but, due to a cancellation, gave us a much larger room!

Speed Bump: Condition and cleanliness of guest house are questionable.

Fast Forward: We drop bags and leave guest house immediately in search of Dover Castle and don't return until it's getting dark and no longer safe for two woman alone on the streets of a very questionable section of Dover!

The castle is in sight, but it's all uphill! Plenty of time, though.

Nearly there.

Stunning views from this high up. The water's green/blue tint took me by surprise. Almost Mediterranean.

A commanding view of Dover Harbor and across to France from Admiralty Look-out,

a World War I command post.

Somehow, Dover Castle still feels ready to defend itself.

We made it!

On a hilltop where an Iron Age hill fort once stood, King Henry II built Dover Castle in the 1180s. It's a remarkable complex of buildings and tunnels that was continuously militarily reinvented and repurposed for over 800 years, always protecting the English coast.

A Roman pharos (lighthouse), dating to 46 AD, is on the castle grounds, too!

This is one of three believed to remain in the world.

Quick! Enter before they pull up the drawbridge!

Henry II's Great Tower

Deciding if they will let us enter!

The recently restored Banqueting Hall.

A grand bed chamber fit for a king. Henry, that is.

Such bright colors. Didn't I see this in the IKEA catalog?

The Tower's Chapel Royal.

Our timing was perfect, as this lovely illumination shows.

The medieval tunnels under the castle were built to improve its defences after a siege in 1216-17. In 1939 they were converted to an air raid shelter and then a military command center and hospital. "Operation Dynamo," or the Dunkirk evacuation, was devised here in 1940. The Secret Wartime Tunnels have only been open to the public for a few years.

A bit more space than one might imagine, but still fairly close quarters.

Pit Stop: As luck would have it, we took a different route back down the hill and discovered The White Horse Inn. The building itself dates to 1365, when it was built as a residence for the Churchwarden of St James' Church next door, which was sadly bombed out during WWII. It remained in the church's possession until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539. In 1574 it became home to Dover's ale taster and for the next 55 years was the home of the lucky folk to hold this post, with duties including "checking on the quality of ale and on unlawful measures." The ale taster also had the responsibility of "reporting anyone who kept a disorderly house." (He could have had his own show on HGTV!) In 1652, it received its first license to sell ale and cider, and the rest is history. A delicious meal and cold beverage (When in Rome!) beckoned from the back garden patio.

Road Block: Scary guest house!

Next up...The Amazing Race Part III: Dover to St Albans.

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The Amazing Race Part I: Bath to Hastings

The next three days of our journey played out like episodes of "The Amazing Race." For the uninitiated, "The Amazing Race" is a TV series which features pairs of travellers racing around the world against one another, while following clues given to them in envelopes marked

"Route Info," (general clue that may include a task to be completed before moving on)

"Road Block," (a task that must be completed by one team member before the team can move on)

or "Detour." (a choice of two tasks)

Along the way there are also "Fast Forwards," "Yields," U-turns," and "Speed Bumps," all of which are self-explanatory. At the end of each leg of the race, teams rest and recover at a Pit Stop.

Here is how our journey became "The Amazing Race."

 

Route Info: Travel from Bath, on the West coast, to Hastings, on the Southeast coast, in time so Christie can make it to 1066 Battle of Hastings Battlefield Abbey and Battlefield before it shuts for the day.

Speed Bump: No direct train service. Travellers must take train from Bath to London Paddington and then switch to the London underground, riding the Bakerloo Line to Oxford Circus and then switch to the Victoria Line to London Victoria.

Road Block: Travellers must do this while pulling large, heavy suitcases and carrying backpacks filled with various technological equipment.

Fast forward: Short wait for train at Victoria!

Fast forward: Christie spots Battle train station several stops before Hastings station. Sees it's a quick ride back to goal destination from Pitt Stop location (Hastings).

Route info: It's 2:00 pm and the Battlefield closes at 6:00 pm. Travellers must get from the Hastings train station to their hotel, check in, leave luggage, and get back to train station in time to catch train back to Battle.

Detour: Travellers arrive at lovely hotel overlooking the ocean. The beach is calling loudly! Travelers must choose whether to relax by ocean or push on towards goal. Christie decides to push on. Jennie gives in to call from the ocean.

Speed Bump: Travelers haven't had lunch and it's nearly 3:00 pm. Christie stops to buy sandwich and drink at supermarket using £20 note (all ATM would dispense). Cashier insists it was a £10 and tells Manager. Manager reviews CCTV footage (unbeknownst to Christie) and deems it inconclusive. Expensive sandwich and 20 minutes wasted.

Road Block: Trains to Battle delayed 20 minutes due to track issues.

Route Info: Christie must walk 20 minutes uphill to battlefield from station. It's nearly 4:00 pm and site closes at 6:00 pm.

Pitt Stop: Christie arrives at the Abbey's gatehouse and Battlefield visitor center and staff assure her she has plenty of time. Phew!

Several years after the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror founded Battle Abbey out of gratitude for his victory and as a monument to those who died here in 1066. The former Abbot's great hall and library are now a private school.

The remains of the Abbey's latrine block, novice dormitory, and cloister can still be seen from the path.

A lovely woodland path surrounds the 100 acre battlefield's perimeter and allows for observing from several vantage points.

William, Duke of Normandy's view up the hill to where King Harold's army awaited them.

King Harold's view of the Norman advance from the ridge top. It's hard to believe, but no relics from the battle have ever been found on the battlefield.

What remains of the the Abbey church.

 

The Abbey thrived for 400 years until 1538. It was a victim of Henry VIII's suppression of monasteries.

 

A stone marks the spot believed to be where King Harold eventually died. The Bayeux Tapestry depicts him being struck in the eye by an arrow on the battlefield.

The precinct wall surrounding the Abbey.

 

Route Info: It's 6:00 pm and Christie must now walk back to the Battle train station, catch a train back to Hastings in time to meet Jennie between for dinner between 6:30 and 7:00 pm.

Speed Bump: It's 6:20 pm and a train to Hastings has just arrived. Despite her best efforts, Christie misses the train because it was loaded with commuters arriving home from work in London and they don't seem to notice/care as she pushes through them saying, "Can I please get through? I need to make this train!"

Road Block: The train she just missed was actually 30 minutes late arriving and she'll wait another 30 minutes until the next one arrives.

Pitt Stop: It's 7:20pm and Jennie is sound asleep. Never knew Christie was late.

I was exhausted (as you can see), but gorgeous, fresh Dover Sole at the most popular seafood restaurant in Hastings, White's, was my reward at the end of the day.

On the otherhand, a well-rested Jennie enjoyed her bowl of local shellfish.

 

Time to rest up for The Amazing Race Part II: Hastings to Dover.

 

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