Great Britain (1976)

[Key: Memoir in Times New Roman, Travel Journal in Arial]

Aug. 9, 1976 Edinburgh, Scotland/Sunny
After a lengthy delay at JFK, British Airways managed to land us at Prestwick where we were met by our tour guide, Gil.  We had a scenic drive to the Californian Hotel + checked into a lovely high ceilinged room with an Olympic size bath.  After a relaxing 2-3 hour nap, we had a great time meeting the rest of our tour group at a cocktail party downstairs.  Later we had dinner – haggis complete with ceremony – at the North British Hotel. Bagpipes + dancers were very entertaining.

Aug. 10, 1976 Edinburgh/Misty
The morning was spent visiting Edinburgh Castle and the sights we saw were the Palace of Holyrood House, the home of Mary Queen of Scots, + visiting home of Queen of England.  Shopped in the afternoon at Jenners, Dunns, + Tartan Shop.  In the p.m. we gathered together at the hotel + drove out to Dalhousie Court for a Jacobean Banquet, accompanied with traditional entertainment.  We had a five course dinner + we ate in the 1600 style with no utensils.  What fun!

Aug. 11, 1976 Edinburgh – Aviermore/Misty a.m. Warm + Sunny p.m.
We left this morning and drove through the beautiful Trossachs region.  The heather was beginning to bloom - a hillside of dark lavender.  We saw Stirling Castle enroute to Pitlochry for lunch, then more castles to visit.  Stirling castle is a fortress mounted on Castle Rock.  The afternoon was spent driving north to Aviermore in the Cairngorm Mountains with a stop at Blair Castle where we saw most of the 32 rooms + furnishings of the Dukes of Athall since the 13th C.
Nethybridge Hotel – a quaint country inn.

Aug. 12, 1976 Aviemore – Erskine/Beautiful
Drove through Culloden Moor to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.  We had lunch at a lovely spot with a view of Loch Ness + viewed the area where supposedly the monster is.  Ben Nevis, the highest mtn in Gr. Britain is a sight to behold.  People race up it, but I don’t know why or how!  The banks of Loch Lomond and the River Clyde are just as beautiful as we’d imagined.  We had a delicious dinner at the motel on the River Clyde across from Glascow.  P.S. A bomb scare rustled us out of our beds, but it was just a hoax fortunately.

Aug. 13, 1976 Erskine - Chester/Sunny after the mist burned off
The drive today was lengthy but very interesting for it included the Southern Uplands, the beautiful Lake District of Eng., and lunch at Windermere a resort area.  Saw a 14th C. church + proceded on the journey to Chester.  Our hotel, the Grosvenor, was quite elegant, food delicious + the walk along the ancient wall, fun.  The Chester Cathedral is an example of Gothic architecture + we heard the organist practicing + the apostles' creed carved in marble.  Later, a visit to a pub – quaint.

Aug. 14, 1976 Chester – Stratford-on-Avon/Warm + sunny
I loved the rolling hills of Northern Wales + the stop for gathering some heather + feeding the sheep.

Hammy feeding sheep

The sheep love Hammy

Stopped for a snack at Llangollen, the home of the International Music Festival, + found some beautiful tweeds in a mill which I had made into skirts when we got home.
The evening was exciting at the theater where we saw a dramatic play Troillus and Cressida.  Prior to that we stopped to take pictures of the Coventry Cathedral.  More bombing took place in this city in a single day than any other place in England, so much of the cathedral had to be restored.  It’s the pink sandstone, the same as the Chester Cathedral.

Aug. 15, 1976 Stratford/beautiful
Started the day with a friend for church but there wasn’t a 9:30 service at Holy Trinity so we returned to the Hilton + took pictures along the way.  Bert + I did some window shopping before going on a tour.  The tour today included Shakespeare's birthplace and Anne Hathaway Cottage (farm house), Holy Trinity Church + then a stroll through town followed by a lovely meal of prime rib + Yorkshire pudding in the Warwick Lounge at the Hilton.  The pewter ware looked as authentic as that at the Warwick Castle - dungeon, Great Hall - 13th-15th Century.

Aug. 16, 1976 Stratford – Bristol/Hot
*The Winter’s Tale (rest stop) at Burford near Oxford charming. Lt. Col. Ret. Owner.
Our first stop was at Oxford where we viewed the various colleges.  A stop at Cheltenham for lunch in the park was relaxing before going on to South Wales to view Tinter Abbey.  Saw the Roman baths today, - were excavated nearly 100 years ago + were certainly an example of great engineering + plumbing.  Driving through the city we saw many examples of the Regency type architecture of the late 1700’s + early 1800’s but the most interesting of all was a circle of fine homes – Dickens’ for instance.  Bristol for overnight at the Draganair + Kiln restaurant – large indus. city.

Aug. 17, 1976 Bristol – Plymouth/Comfortably hot but dry
Our first stop was at the medieval cathedral city of Wells where we visited the 13th C. moated cathedral.  We listened to and watched the clock.  Next to Glastonbury to see the 12th C. Abbey + went to the legendary burial place of King Arthur + Queen Guinevere.  I bought a cross which I still wear.

Bert admiring terraced houses on Vicars Close
in Wells, Somerset, England

Lunch was at a quaint tea + sandwich shop at Exeter.  We could see several forest fires in the distance as we traveled across Dartmoor toward Plymouth.  So much of this city was bombed in WWII that it’s hard to distinguish its new section from any other modern city.  A boat ride around the city was pleasant and the Navy Monument + site of Mayflower viewed.

Aug. 18, 1976 Plymouth/Hot and dry
A quick morning dip in the penthouse pool was a refreshing way to start the day.  Afternoon was spent sightseeing at Tintagel which dates back to King Arthur’s days.  Not much remaining of the castle, but the scenery was beautiful.  The castle is quite high + overlooks the English Channel.  The creamed tea with scones, cream + fresh strawberry jam were marvelous.  Dinner at the penthouse of the Holiday Inn again was quite pleasant.  The flower show at the City Hall down the street had every variety of flower and cacti imaginable.

Aug. 19, 1976 Plymouth – Bournemouth/Hot and dry
After a typically slow service breakfast at Holiday Inn, we had a pleasant drive along the coast to Torbay for picture taking at the Riviera type resort.  The Salisbury Cathedral was enroute to the plains of Salisbury where we visited the Neolithic Stonehenge area.  The Palace Court Hotel at Bournemouth was a welcome site.  It reminded us of Atlantic City; the evening was spent at a Pier Show.  In bed early.

Aug. 20, 1976 Bournemouth – London/Delightful
This is probably the highlight of the tour for today we visited Winchester Cathedral, had lunch at Frimley in a beautiful hotel.  The first ice tea on the trip!  Nearing London, we viewed the magnificent Windsor Castle overlooking the Thames River – what a royal sight.  Passed Eton College, founded in 1480 [1440] + then on to our hotel - the Portman in London.  Mail from Leslie + Mike awaited us + also our Edinburgh Crystal from Jenners.  To the Palladium in the P.M. for a wonderful evening of entertainment – phone tag, Ink Spots, Billy Daniels.

Aug. 21, 1976 London/Beautiful
Today we spent the day shopping: Oxford St., Piccadilly Circus, and Regent St.  Bought crystal for the Is + goodies for Ms + Ss.  Took a bus to Victoria Station where we had a long walk past Embassy homes, high tea at a shop near Harrods (a fancy department store), then on to view the crowds of sightseers in this fabulous store of diamonds – silver – crystal – marble, etc.  Walked back to the hotel via Hyde Park + speaker's forum.  Had a delicious dinner in p.m. at Duke's, a nearby restaurant off Oxford St., recommended by a lovely lady walking her dog.  I had white fish (plaice) and Bert – kidney creole (lamb).  To bed early.

Aug. 22, 1976 London Beautiful
At 9:30 we boarded our bus for a tour of London which included St. Paul's Cathedral, the business district, London Bridge + the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.  Lunch was at the Sherlock Holmes Pub – fun – then on to see London Bridge + the Tower of London.

Hammy (in green dress) and Bert at the River Thames
across from Parliament and Big Ben

Hammy (in green dress) and Bert on the River Thames with the group

The Captain's Cabin was fine - delicious food + wine + folk singing (with a Cockney accent).  We said “Good-bye” to Gil, our guide at the bar in our lovely Portman Hotel.

Aug. 23, 1976 London – N.Y./Great - Muggy
Left our hotel promptly at 8:30 + arrived at 9:20 at Heathrow for our 747 flight to N.Y.  It was on time + all went well.  Just a few minor annoyances like dripping overhead from the air conditioning. (British Airways does have its problems.)  Also we thought we had a bird along + never did solve that mystery.  At 1:00 we landed in N.Y., + 6:58 pm in Cleve.  Nice trip but happy to be home.

Rocky River II (1973)

Mike graduated from Colo. State with a degree in geology and stayed on for a Masters Degree and certification in education.

Father Ray H with Suki (1973 in Rocky River, OH)

Bert with Suki (1973 in Rocky River, OH)

Bert, Hammy, and Mike, plus friends (1974 in Rocky River, OH)

Hammy and Bert (1976 in Colorado)

Mike and Leslie were married in 1976.  Kent and Mary Jane were in Providence, R.I.  She was the breadwinner teaching at the R.I. School for the Deaf.  He began courses for an MBA at Providence College.

Meanwhile I was still working at Harrison School, and looking after "G’pa" H.  It was too difficult seeing him in Wellsville, so we moved him to a small apartment in Lakewood just a few miles from Harrison School.  My teacher friends and I spent every Fri. with him for lunch.  He never knew what to serve us, but it was usually the "green bean casserole, corn bread, and jello."  They loved it, and it was a break in his dull routine.  Sundays were spent with us, and the routine was beneficial for all of us.

In Rocky River we had a great social life, first with the Erie Rd neighbors the Ss, the Ls, + the s.  We took turns entertaining with potlucks, playing charades, + just having fun.  Then the Ls bought a house with a pool + our parties ended up around the pool.

Another group of friends were the Ls - Cornelia + Tom, Peg + Ray T and Phyllis + Roger W – pot luck + talking.  We added another couple + played bridge.  The Ts - Sue + Jay were smokers + it just got so dense with smoke, we dropped out but remained good friends.

Then we had church friends from R. R. Presby. Church.  Jean + Milt L had a pool, and more pot lucks and pool parties with (later on with the grandchildren.  (Incidentally, Bert sold them the house when he was working for Freeland Realty!)

When Bert retired from the Air Force, we accepted civilian life pretty well.  I missed the travel with so many change of stations, but we became interested in many activities - and it was good to have permanent roots in such a comfortable home + lovely neighborhood.

While teaching at Harrison, Anne + I became friends with our school librarian, Helen S, and she and husband, Fred, had a beautiful home at Put-in-Bay on Lake Erie.  It was located about 70 miles from Cleveland, and we spent many fun weekends there with the Ss - Helen + Fred, Tom + Anne, + Bert + I.  Happy Hour got earlier and earlier.  Helen sometimes had her "health" drink at noon!  She recently passed away at the age of 102 in a nursing home in Westlake, Ohio.

In Aug. of ’76 it was time for Bert + me to plan another trip – this time to England, Scotland, and Wales.  Mike had already had a wonderful semester at Edinburgh, and we thought we’d check it out.

[See the post for Great Britain (1976).]