Roger's Web Site | SUMMER 2018

This Summer we will be really excited to welcome Barb's sister Anita and hubby John to England. In all the years we lived there together (1974-1981. We were there singly long before) and all the summers we have visited since, none of her siblings have ever visited us there. Barb's parents came twice and Rick, her nephew has been twice, but this is a stellar occasion for all of us.

We are renting lodges in Mercia Marina for the duration, near our boat Basil the King. Plans include London for almost a week, Liverpool for 3 days and St. Ives, Cornwall for a week. In June we plan to cat-sit for my bro Michael and sis-in-law Ange in my Ancestral Village of Woodchurch, Kent. Gotta get our cat fix! Planned visitors to Mercia will include our nearly-drowned friend Liza (see July 7th 2016) who is bravely coming back, and my boyhood friend and uncle (he's actually younger than I am) Richard and his new bride, Viv. We hope to see my high school mate Peter when we visit the West Country (he and his wife live in Devon). At the end of August we will join Mick and Ange and her family for a week's cruise around Slartibartfast's masterpiece, the Norwegian Fjords, before flying home.

As usual, I am hoping to do some boating, Barb not so much. Basil boat has been badly beaten up by a bad winter. His deck board sags (left), another boater crashed into him and who knows what else I will find when we get there. Fingers crossed. Stay tuned for regular updates starting in June.

Earlier in the day we said goodbye to Barbara's old friend Liza, who came by train to see us and stayed one night. We toured the marina on foot with her and she was able to thank Mike for saving her life when she fell in the water when she last visited in July 2016. We ate in the Boardwalk which has gone downhill a little but still cooks acceptable nosh.

June 28th
Nearing the end of a ten day visit to Michael and Angela's house in Kent. After two days, they flew off to Slovenia and left us in charge of their two most excellent cats, Tigger and Patch. (Tigger is named after the tiger in "Winnie the Pooh"). The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, so we have been on excursions to Hythe and Folkestone on the coast. My brother Nigel, his wife Sandra and my sister Angela, nephew Jon, his wife Katie and their daughter Esme have all been over to see us in Woodchurch. Here are some photos:

Cultural Note: The British Government, concerned about childhood obesity, is considering legislation banning advertising of junk food and drink on TV before 9 p.m. Prescription drug ads are already banned here and there is a tax on sugary drinks. None of this is acceptable in the USA because it would be a breach of the Constitutional right of free speech.

July 7th
At the end of our time in Kent we went to visit my bro Nigel and his wife Sandra in Canterbury. My sis Angela drove over from Walmer with her grandson Thomas and we had tea in Nigel's garden on yet another sunny afternoon. The weather has been superb - continuous blue skies and temps up to 30C (88F) every day. In the evening we celebrated nephew Josh's 25th birthday at Dems, a local Bistro which served excellent French-ish cuisine.

Next day we visited Rye, a medieval port on the River Rother. The sea has receded since the town was built but small boats can still access the harbour via the Rother estuary. Rye is one of the Cinque Ports - five ancient ports which were active after the Norman conquest of southern England. It is a quaint old town with tiny shops on cobbled streets and is built atop a hill with sweeping views of the coastline and the Romney Marsh. We wished we could take Anita and John there later when they visit but, alas, there is nowhere quite like it in the Midlands.

Mick and Ange returned from Ljubljana, pleased to find their cats and house mostly intact, and we all went together to watch the finals of the Eastbourne Lawn Tennis Championship. This is a precursor to Wimbledon and lots of players warm up there for the Big One, as it were. It used to be a ladies-only (WTA) tournament but now it is also a men's gig on the ATP world tour.

We duly met Anita and John (Barb's sis and brother-in-law) at Heathrow for their first ever visit to the UK and shepherded them back via the TFL Connector train to Paddington and a taxi to the hotel. Once again, I will clam up and let the pictures talk:

Thames Panorama from the Tate Modern

With Anita and John at Heathrow Rail Station Outside the County Hall Theatre where we later saw Agatha Christie's *Witness for the Prosecution*	Premier Inn, County Hall (left) and the London Eye at Night Parliament is shrouded in scaffolding due to major renovations. Only Big Ben's face is visible CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE (except panorama, top)	The Thames by Night Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (Rebuilt on the South Bank by Sam Wanamaker) St. Paul's Cathedral from the Tate Modern	The Shard - Tallest Building in the EU
Borough Market	Seafood Stall in Borough Market	Birthday Girl	A Highlight was Anita's Birthday at Da Mario Restaurant in Covent Garden with most of my family in attendance. Small Italian place with great food

My arthritic ankles were acting up so I took a boat to Greenwich and explored the Cutty Sark (an old Tea Clipper) and the Royal Naval College while Barb, Anita and John went to Portobello Road Market and also saw where Barb used to live in the early 1970's.

The Cutty Sark
After an illustrious career transporting tea from
India and wool from Australia (when it set the
sailing ship record of 70 days from Sydney)
the Cutty Sark is now high and dry as a
museum in Greenwich.

Captain Carter at the Helm (he wishes).

Fine Collection of Figureheads at the Cutty Sark

CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE

We also visited my old BBC mate Colin.
Here he is with Barb outside the Adelaide
Pub in Teddington where we lunched

On August 4th we traveled by train with Anita and John back to Mercia Marina to show them the REAL England (or at least one version of it). London is a giant seething cosmopolitan mix of cultures from all over the world and no more representative of Britain than New York is of the USA. The Midlands is proudly blue-collar working class and predominantly Anglo but with many immigrants from Pakistan, India and the Caribbean. Anita and John were impressed with the peace and quiet of the marina. While they were here we went boating for a day and visited Chatsworth House, the stately home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. What the Duke of Devonshire is doing in Derbyshire I was unable to adequately explain. We also went to Matlock Bath, a pretty little town in a gorge of the River Derwent.

Aboard Basil

John did most of the steering and was very
good at it - a natural narrowboater.

Anita Tries the Helm

Barbara at Chatsworth.
We hung out in the Capability Brown Garden
while Anita and John toured the 270-room
house and grounds

Pastoral Perfection - the Derwent runs
through the grounds at Chatsworth

CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE

The Derwent Again at Matlock Bath

While they were here we ate out every night. None of us were very impressed with the Boardwalk, it has really gone downhill. A & J finally had fish and chips at the Dragon in Willington and were so impressed we had to go back and repeat the experience. The Dragon has been the butt of my sarcasm in the past. They once served me a pulled pork sandwich which consisted of a smear of pork on a huge bun. I sent them a photo of a real one upon my return to the States. I have to revise my opinion now, though, the food there is excellent. We also ate twice at Nadee and it did not disappoint.

It was really sad to see Anita and John leave. I was so terrified of making another navigational error on the way to East Midlands station that I dumped them there 45 minutes early. They managed to return to Bellingham without too much aggro except for weather delays of about 1.5 hours at Heathrow.

Could this be a Texas Longhorn?
(Seen by the canal in a field full of assorted cows)

Now we are lonely and stranded in our lodge, decompressing before our cruise to the Norwegian Fjords at the end of August. The heat wave is definitely over and the weather has reverted to British summer - cloudy and gray with intermittent rain but quite warm.
Aug 20th
We did manage one short last cruise before winterizing Basil and packing up to leave the Midlands. This may well be our last canal cruise together as Barb doesn't like the Midlands and doesn't care for boating much anymore. My arthritic ankles, particularly the left one, have deteriorated markedly and we may have to sell the boat next year if I can't get some relief from the docs over the winter and if I cannot get cruising help. To that end, I am getting a valuation done tomorrow *. Very depressing, but all good things must come to an end.

In spite of the clouds hanging over us, real and emotional, we had a pleasant 4-night cruise to Alrewas and back. It is one of the most attractive villages on the canal system and sparkled in the dappled sunshine. We stayed two nights and ate both nights at the Crown Inn because The George, our usual haven, is closed for restoration. I have high hopes for the Crown but it is a work in progress. The new managers, Claire and Andrew, are really trying hard and the food is imaginative and excellent but the service needs improvement. The staff are too busy laughing behind the bar or striding through the restaurant avoiding eye contact with the customers. Menus sit on tables alongside empty glasses for too long before anyone notices. Andrew is a former cruise line chef and produces dishes which are a cut above the usual pub fare, though those staples are listed too. We both had trio of pork the first night, excellent. Next night, I had Mediterranean flatbread which was loaded with grilled veggies and really good, while Barb had a steak. Her steak was grossly overdone even after a long friendly discussion with Andrew about how she liked it (pink, no blood). We were presented with dessert menus and ignored by the vacuous young staff for ten minutes before we managed to flag one of them down. Another ten minutes produced no dessert so we deserted, paid up and left.

Moored Alone below Branston Lock in Sight of the Needwood Forest	Dusk at Branston CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE	Awaiting Release from Tatenhill Lock	The Trent Flows Across the Canal at Alrewas
Alrewas Lock Old Working Narrowboat Crewed by Self- Described Nutcases	Alrewas Lock Bypass Weir Moorhen and (Day Old?) Chick	Crowded 48-Hour Moorings at Alrewas CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE	Barbara's Tormentor Waits to Woo-Hoo Her Tonight

Delilah

Aug 23
* FOOTNOTE:
Ian from the New and Used Boat Company came to value Basil and basically shot himself in the foot by persuading me not to sell. I told him the reasons - my arthritis and Barb's increasing dislike of boating - and he said "I would get a new one". For an instant I thought he meant a new smaller boat, easier to operate single-handed. Then I realized he meant wife. He said he has been boating for 50 years and would "never give it up". He was 10 when he started with his Dad. He has a prenuptial agreement with his wife that he will never have to sell his boat.

He also told me the story of a customer who came to sell recently. Ian asked "Why do you want to sell? I just sold you this boat 4 years ago." The man said he never liked to traverse the same stretch of waterway twice. We agreed that we both like to revisit places we love: Tixall Wide, Alrewas, Trent Lock and many others. A man after my own heart. Food for thought. He enthused about Basil's layout and condition and valued him at mid £70,000s.

On the left is our new visitor, Delilah. She sought us out last year when we were in Oak, again this year in Laurel and now she has found us here in Bay Tree. She comes in at least twice a day for a cuddle, struts around the house and finds different places to curl up. She is completely unafraid of anything it seems, sure of her superior position in the world. I went to see her 'owner', Tracey, who lives on a wide-beam barge fairly close. She says Delilah is a former Lithuanian beauty queen. She had two litters for a breeder. The second litter 'did not turn out well', so she was spayed and adopted by Tracey and her husband. She is a "Highland Straight" because her ears are not folded like a Highland Fold. One parent had folded ears, the other straight. We are honoured to serve.

Mon, Aug 27th
On Wednesday we are off on a Norwegian Fjords Cruise with my brother Mike, his wife Angela and four of her family. We have been busy packing up and winterizing Basil.

Heard this morning that Arizona Senator John McCain died. The BBC aired a far from fawning tribute, pointing out his numerous policy shifts on subjects from campaign finance reform to immigration. But he was an implacable foe of Donald Trump and basically a decent human being. There should be an interesting election in Arizona.

This will be my last regurgitation from England. There won't be time to write from the North Sea, so I will post some pictures after we get back to the USA on Sept 9th.

There's a Nip in the Air as we Prepare to
Leave

CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE

This is the Ridiculous New Canal and River
Trust Logo. Looks like any other amorphous
corporate generic logo. The previous one,
featuring a swan under a bridge, at least bore
some relevance to the waterways. This was
designed by some company that knows
nothing about waterways.

Sept 15th
Back now in the searing heat of Phoenix (41C when we landed, same as when we left). Here is an account of our Norweigan Fjords Cruise:

We were intending to unwind in Woodchurch for a day before we shipped out, but a cataclysmic event occurred. As we were approaching the Thames Crossing at Dartford on the M25 (London Orbital Freeway) at about 2 p.m. we suddenly ground to a halt and became a speck in a huge traffic jam. After a couple of hours we discovered, via local radio, that two trucks had collided and were blocking the entire motorway. Almost simultaneously another accident in the anticlockwise direction caused a diesel spill which closed the road in that direction. We were stuck for hours before help arrived to clear the freeway and then we had to drive east because all roads into London were blocked. I found a pub/restaurant where we had dinner and I was able to book online the last room in a nearby Premier Inn. It was 3 miles from the pub to the hotel and it took over an hour to drive there including some hair-raising and illegal driving on the wrong side of the road. Every road within a ten-mile radius of Dartford was locked solid. The crossing was closed for 16 hours and 200 motorists had to sleep in an Ikea warehouse overnight. We were lucky to actually have a comfy bed in a hotel at about 9:30 p.m.

Next day we got away early and everything was moving again, so we easily made the cruise departure from Dover in the afternoon. There were eight of us in the family group (see near end of page) and we left our car in Wye and boarded a bus to get to the docks.

The cruise ship, Fred Olsen Lines' Boudicca, was much nicer than we expected. Several people we know had rubbished Fred Olsen. One said "If you've been on Oceania and rated it five stars, Fred Olsen is minus one star". Boudicca is an older ship but beautifully designed and well maintained. It actually looks like a ship and not a floating apartment block. The cabins are larger than the equivalent Oceania cabin (260 sq ft vs 175). The staff were unfailing friendly and professional, the food was fine, sometimes excellent, and a good time was had by all. F.O. does charge for things that are inclusive on most cruise lines, but then the initial cost was much cheaper and the drinks are reasonably priced. Most of the passengers were British with a smattering of other nationalities. Barb was the only American! One of our party of eight, Eleanor, suffers from cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. The staff were great with her. There were 660 of us (880 is the max) and 372 crew aboard as we set sail from a steely grey and dismal Dover. However, the weather soon cleared and we saw no more rain until we approached Dover again a week later. The Fjords were mostly basking in sunshine or speckled with fluffy clouds.

After a day crossing the North Sea we explored some fjords on the way to Eidfjord (above, right and below)			*
Light and Shade	Next day (Sept 1st) we moored at Eidfjord..	..and walked up a salmon river	..to a pretty lake. CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE
Toadstool encountered at Eidfjord	Early Cruise Passengers (Actually "The Goblin Tastes the Brew" by Nils Bergslien in the Eidfjord Art Museum)	This diary is uncensored except that Barb has to approve any photo of her before I publish it. She did not like this one but I like it, because it tells a story. The story may be in your (fevered?) imagination, but it's a story nonetheless.	This is the posed and sanitized version that she prefers. I am hoping to hold my own on this. As you can see, I did.
*	*	Riding the Bus from Flam	A Waterfall at Every Hairpin Bend

We cruised overnight to Flam where we moored on the dock close to the town centre. We boarded a bus for a ride up to the town of Voss, high in the mountains. The trip was exhilarating - through tunnels, up mountain roads, over bridges and with breathtaking views in every direction. Our guide told a joke about a Flam bus driver and a Priest who both died and reached the pearly gates together. St. Peter said to the driver "You may enter the Kingdom of Heaven immediately, but the Priest must wait awhile." The Priest protested "But I have always served God. I have encouraged people to go to church and to pray and I have given long sermons in praise of God!" St. Peter replied "Yes, but many people slept through your services and did not pray, but when the driver drove people round the mountains near Flam, everybody stayed awake and prayed fervently to God."

Rest Stop at Tvinde Waterfall

The bus ride ended at Voss (above), where we boarded a train to Myrdal. There we changed to the famous Flamsbana Railway, a candidate for the world's most scenic train ride. The track descends 867 metres over 20 km to Flam. An incredible feat of engineering involving massive tunnels, bridges and grades of over 1:18.

*
The Flamsbana Wends its Way from Myrdal
to Flam

CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE

* Photos by Michael Carter

*
The Train Stops at Kjosfossen Falls

At Kjosfossen Falls (left) the train ground to a halt and we dismounted to view the falls. Suddenly, the air is rent by eerie, thunderous music and a sprite appears from behind the rocks, dancing to the music. This is the Huldra, a mythical woman who is beautiful (except for a cow's tail), and who lures men into the forest and pleads them to marry her.
If they do, she loses her tail, becomes ugly, and gains the strength of ten men. The hokey Huldra (in red, just visible in the photo), we later learned, was played by a man in drag!

*
Pigarina and Pigletta Enjoyed the Ride

CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE

Early Flamsbana Locomotive in the Museum
Adjacent to Flam Station

We could have used more time in Flam, there is so much to see and do there, but we cruised on through more beautiful fjords to Bergen, arriving next morning, Sept 3rd. Bergen is a big, busy city with an attractive port rivaling Sydney or San Francisco.

Colourful Bergen Architecture (above and right) CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE (except panorama above)			We rode the modern funicular (left) to the top of Mount Fløyen where there are spectacular views of the city, restaurants, trails and goats.
View of Bergen from Mount Fløyen Two Old Goats (and Barbara)	Good Thing Pigs Can Fly (Photo by Angela Carter)	The Bramleys, Finns and Carters at The Grill aboard Boudicca (bathed in infrared light). From left: Eleanor (Jackie and Peter's daughter) Peter Bramley, Me, Barb, Jack Finn (Angela & Jackie's Dad), Angela & Michael (my Bro) and Jackie Bramley.	Our fellow family cruisers presented us with this professional photo of us in fancy dress. THANK YOU!! CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE

After one more day crossing a calm North Sea, we docked in Dover on a damp and dreary morning, finding it much as we had left it. Sadly, our cruise had come to an end, as all good things must.

A real sadness is that Eleanor had contracted a throat infection during the last few days aboard and was running a fever. The day after she got home she had to be rushed to A&E (ER) with pneumonia and a collapsed lung. She is in hospital fighting for her life as I write. We are all hoping for the best and I will add a postscript when I know more.

White Cliffs Welcome

After the cruise we visited Richard (my friend and 'Uncle' who by a quirk is actually younger than I) and his new wife Viv at home in Goudhurst, then spent a day with Michael, visiting my sister in Deal. After that, a final day in London before flying home to Phoenix on Sept 9th. Our summer was over.

Cristo Art in Hyde Park, London
made from 7,500 oil barrels

With my Sister Angela in Deal

Barb in Ye Grapes, Mayfair

Fly Bye (the Summer Did) (Photo by Barb)

BACK to Summers Menu

Laurel Lodge (spot the Resident) CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE	Basil in Dock. New Piazza Building behind.	Basil Looks Pretty Smart in Spite of a Hard Winter
The Marina Gets Lusher Every Year	I can only imagine what the guy (yes, it must be a guy) who drives this eccentricity looks like.	With Robert in the Boot Inn, Repton

Tigger	Patch, in Formal Attire CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE	The Street Where I (used to) Live The Village is Blooming	Henden House, Reputedly the Oldest in Woodchurch Cricket Match on Woodchurch Village Green
Michael, Sandra and Nigel	Preparing the Feast	A Feast at Angela & Mick's House CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE	Angela and Barbara
My Brothers, Michael (left) and Nigel	Esme (21 months) in Movie Star Mode	Esme Eating Lunch in the Six Bells Pub. Pigarina and Pigletta Prepare to Leave for Slovenia >>
Barbara at The Leas, Folkestone Barb's New NHS Hearing Aid	Sign on the Leas CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE (except sign above)	The Ship Inn, Folkestone Harbour Inside the Ship Inn	Expert Kiteboarder in Action Typical Tabloid Fare in the Daily Mirror CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE

Nigel and Thomas	Nigel, Amber, Roger, Barbara, Josh and Sandra in Dems, Canterbury CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE	Rye Town Crier
Old Town Gate		Old Houses in Rye (above and left)

Sandra, Barb and Nigel Shop at the Marina	Sandra and Nigel in the Boardwalk Restaurant	We Met Up with Old Friends Cathy and Mick on their boat "*The Crafty Foxes*"	Out on the Canal At Last!
Picnic on the Bank of the Trent & Mersey	At Dusk, We Moored at Nadee for Dinner	Sunset at Mercia Marina	CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE The weather continues in sublime summer mode as we prepare to leave tomorrow for six days in Cornwall on the far southwest tip of England. We'll be back on July 14th.

The Pedn Olva Hotel We have stayed here before and love it. CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE	The View from our Balcony	Another view of Porthminster Beach	England was Gripped by World Cup Fever. The beach graffiti reads: "ENGLAND, IT'S COMING HOME!". Sadly, they lost to Croatia in the semi-final but they did well and were fun to watch.
Porthminster Beach Cafe - Whole Lemon Sole	The Ancient Sloop Inn, St. Ives Harbour More popular now than in the 16th Century	A Flower Among Flowers	Low Tide at Dusk, St. Ives Harbour CLICK on any IMAGE to ENLARGE

ROGER'S WEB SITE | EUROPE | SUMMER 2018