He said:
The transcontinental travel day is always a chore; all night long flight, early arrival in London, planning which train to take, then having spend some hours in Reading Berkshire loaded down with suitcases waiting to travel to Sonning on Thames. We walked to the nearby 16th century church, then a longer outing along the river Thames on the path we walk on 17 years ago (yikes). It's night now, and we are trying to update the blog before we both fade for the day.
Friday, May 6, 2016
She Said:
And, we're off (almost)...
Once again we enjoyed the excellent museum exhibit in the International Terminal at SFO. It changes every year. Last year, Hollywood Costume Jewelry from famous movies. This year, the Allure of Art Nouveau.
Wonderful examples of the wacky years, 1890-1914. Jewelry, lamps, ceramics, silver, etc. - many adorned with the elongated, perfect (if unattainable) female figure. So, it turns out, some things never change. Barbie-esque figures then and 100 years later Mattel is still churning out the stylized, idealized, objectified version of a woman.
Sigh.
Anyway, the craftsmanship is pretty remarkable (see photos) but I could only appreciate it as a look at the past. It does somewhat offend my minimalist sensibilities (said she as she sat in Biz1stClass. Hmmmm...Beef Tenderloin or Seafood Newburg? Ha!)
Looking forward to our 10th (!) long distance walk through the English countryside. This year, we are walking the Kennet and Avon Canal walk (approx. 80 miles), goofing around in Wells for a couple of days, then off to Exmoor for another 40 miles of walking.
And, now - we really are taking off!
Saturday, May 7, 2016
She Said:
Landed. Arrivals Lounge for freshening up and drinking cappuccinos. Heathrow Express to Paddington. Great Western Rail to Reading.
The battery on my watch stopped on the plane. Kudos to the Information guy at the Reading train station - he directed me to the shoe repair shop (!) around the corner where the proprietor (just back from Las Vegas) and his son (dreaming of traveling to California) happily changed my watch battery. Lively conversation.
Then, I hit the wall.
Loooooong day/night/day. Slept some on the plane but not comfortably or soundly enough. Another full day/night looms; I feel cranky and so tired.
R is his usual "jump on the new time zone" self and that, of course, annoys me even more.
Sigh.
Reading is kind of a dump and our B+B is only 3 miles from here but check-in isn't until 3. Hmmm. What to do, what to do.
The Pitcher and Piano is a fine new pub in a fine old building a block from the train station. A club sandwich and a couple of swift halfs later and, hey, things are looking up.
On to Sonning-on-Thames and The Bull Inn.
The Bull Inn
Traditionally owned by the Bishop of Salisbury (his palace once stood nearby), now owned by St. Andrew's Church and rented to The Bull Inn.
16th Century timber-framed building.
Everything off kilter.
Provided hospitality to pilgrims visiting the relics of the "mysterious" Saint Sarik, in Saint Andrew's Church. (A quick Google finds that Sarik is believed to have been a sort of patron saint of lunatics in the 980/990's. He later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. Go figure.)
The name - Bull Inn - stems from bulls that supported the coat of arms of Sir Henry Neville who was steward at the palace after it was sold to Queen Elizabeth I.
Apparently, our walking package company feels that "old" = "luxury" (which was my request.) Not so. "Old" means old. Nice linens on the bed are appreciated, but they don't raise the room standard to luxury.
Sigh.
(We're not at The Peninsula Tokyo anymore.)
Really, though, it is quite charming. A pleasant buzz from the pub guests out in the courtyard - the weather is fine today - mostly sunny and 70! Wisteria vines just outside our window on the very verge of blooming (maybe tomorrow). Kind of a cross-breeze from our two windows - one with a sweet view of trees and history and those wisteria vines; one with a pretty lousy view of the employees break hangout and the drying kitchen dish rags. Yin and yang. Ha!
On to Saint Andrew's Church (next door)
Our first country church and cemetery of this trip - always good for a stroll and photos.
I was taken by three standing crosses in a row at the very back of the old section of the cemetery. Ivy-covered. And graduated in size - a husband, his wife, their child. So quiet back there. All alone back there. Maybe forgotten. I like to think that at least I thought of them today.
As country churches go, Saint Andrew's is pretty posh:
Vibrant, hand-painted organ pipes
Lots of big plaques and monuments honoring the wealthy land owners of the parish
Very well restored tile floors
Intricate brass engraved floor tomb markers - depicting women and children and knights - dating to 1618
Stenciled ceilings
15 ornate brass chandeliers
Immaculate, glowing stained glass windows
And, 20 individual wall tiles honoring the men (boys) from Sonning Parish who died in The Great War. Can you imagine? The population of Sonning is 1,445. 20 young men gone would have been huge.
14 tiles for those who died in WWII
1 tile from 1974 - Londonderry - The Troubles in Northern Ireland
We snapped a quick pic of Saint Sarik's mortuary chapel, then headed out.
Sonning-on-Thames is, well, on the River Thames. So R and I took a short walk over to the river where it all began in 1999. Our first long distance walk was the Thames Path - 180 miles. As beautiful today as it was then - swans, small barge river houseboats, gorgeous rolling hills and fields on either side and a picturesque as hell narrow stone bridge.
(Shout out here to Chuck and Ruth - R took a picture of the "Entering Berkshire" sign for you.)
In our continuing effort to keep ourselves awake, we decided to walk for an hour or two along the Thames Path.
Sonning Lock was quite busy this early evening - we watched two long barge houseboats make their (slow) way through the lock - lots of hard work hand cranking for the lock keeper(s).
At one point, one barge and three power cabin cruisers were all in the lock together. Physics and hydraulics and geometry and human strength and know-how got it done. Pretty interesting to watch.
We saw two swans doing either some kind of weird elaborate mating dance or some kind of get-out-of-my-territory dance. Whichever it was - it was intentional and earnest.
Back to The Bull for an excellent pub supper of shrimp skewers and Greek pita and spreads. A good bottle of French Chardonnay and a hot brownie w/choc sauce and van. ice cream. Pretty heavenly.
We're almost there... 8:50 pm. A stretched hour to go.
All in all, a fantastic start to another fantastic journey.
Cheerio -
EB
at SFO, Art Noveau
Reading
In Berkshire
On the Thames Path and Sonning on Thames
For more photos from May 6 and 7, click here
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