Bletchley Park

Bletchley Park is in Bletchley (no surprise), which is near Milton Keynes. It was purchased by the government in 1939 to house the top-secret Code and Cipher unit. Near a train station which runs to London (Euston) and what amounted to main roads at the time, it was deemed an ideal location. The first group of mathematicians and top code breakers came up here ostensibly on a "shooting party" complete with a cook from the Savoy Hotel!

During the war, over 8,000 people worked here in one capacity or another. The big challenge was to break the codes sent by the Germans using "Enigma" machines. These were commercially available before the war, so the Allies knew how they worked but cracking the code was a challenge. The machines worked on the simple process of substitution e.g., the letter A changes to the letter D in the cipher. The Enigma basically complicates this process by

continuing the substitutions by means of a 3 rotors each with 26 settings. In the end there are 15 billion billion possible settings. So, these ciphers are not the sort that a person can work by hand!

Two things helped the English (aided by the Polish, who had been busily working on the project before the war, not liking how things looked in Germany). 1. the Engima can never use the actual letter as a cipher for itself (A can never be represented as A) and 2. The Germans tended to use certain stock phrases.

At Bletchley Park, mathematicians and other scientists worked out how to test what possible combination of rotors and substitutions would lead to solving particular messages using this machine (not a computer), called a Bombe (after the Polish prototype, the Bomba).

By the end of the war, there was a whole room full of these machines running 24 hours a day operated by Wrens (Women's Royal Navel Service). One of the great minds behind the Bombe was Cambridge mathematician Alan Turing. It is reckoned that the war was shortened by about 2 years thanks to the work of the code-breakers.

The Germans used a different system, the Lorenz cipher, for their top-level communications and longer term planning. This uses a radio teleprinter system, which sounds like (but is different from) morse code only sped up considerably. The Allies had never seen a Lorenz cipher, so they had no idea how it worked yet they had to find a way to decode the messages. They were aided in this by a mistake made by the Germans. When a message was not received properly, the operator sent the same message again using the same settings on his Lorenz machine (a no-no), except that he shortened the 4000 character message by about 500 characters (using short forms of words); these transmissions helped the mathematicians work out the code.

They developed this machine:

the first semi-programmable electronic computer to help decode the messages.

The versions of the Bombe and the Colossus seen in these photos from Bletchley Park are rebuilt versions according to plans and photos only released in recent decades. The war-time versions of these machines have (supposedly) been destroyed.

English Christmas traditions

Mulled wine and mince tarts are the staples of the season. I miss eggnog, which is not sold here. I haven't seen any signs of shortbread or gingerbread cookies just the traditional fruit Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mulled wine.

Last Sunday we had a 9 lessons and carols service in the evening at the parish. It was so cold!! With outside temperatures hovering just below the 0 degrees Celsius and a church with a vast high ceiling, it was pretty chilly. Let's just say almost everyone was wearing coats and that's with the heat on. Although I'm not a fan of mulled wine, a warm drink hit the spot afterwards and I do love a mince tart.

Christmas seems just the little bit less commercial and tacky here in the UK. Yes, the mall is crazy busy but not quite as over-the-top as in North America. But as our English friends tell us, everything American eventually comes across the pond.

This is our gingerbread house: smaller than the ones in kits at home, like everything else in England!

Happy Christmas! (They don't say "Merry" over here).

Our English Christmas Tree

Advent in the UK

I've noticed a few differences between Canada and the UK in the run-up to Christmas. In the neighbourhoods fewer people put Christmas lights on their homes. And they call the strings of mini lights, "fairy lights," which I think sounds rather nice.

On the High Street, the shops have live Christmas trees (with fairy lights) attached to the walls above the shop windows, i.e., at the level of the second story. (The blue shape above is an alarm system.)

There are live Christmas trees for sale but not nearly as many as back home. Wreaths are popular: of evergreens, holly and some times ivy. Interestingly, there are also wreaths in the shape of crosses!

The Advent candles at church are red, with a white one for Christmas, set in a wreath of holly and ivy. The four candles represent: 1. God's people watching, believing, obeying 2. the prophets foretelling Christ's birth 3. John the Baptist preaching 4. Mary the Mother of Jesus. These themes appear in Emily Chisholm's "The holly and the ivy/Are dancing in a ring" sung to the familiar tune of the classic version. Here is the first verse:

The holly and the ivy

Are dancing in a ring,

Round the berry-bright red candles,

And the white and shining king.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Northampton

Church of the Holy Sepulchre ("St Seps") in Northampton is one of 9 churches built "in the round" in England, of which only 4 remain; St Seps is the largest and best preserved. This Round church is modelled after Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The building here dates from 1098, on the site of a previous church It is the oldest standing building in Northampton. The walls are fantastically thick, as are the pillars. It seems less like a church and more like a defense post. The acoustics are wonderful, however. We attended a concert (to aid the on-going restoration) by the award-winning Northampton Concert Band. The setting was intimate and sound-quality lovely. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

Gayton Village

Some friends of ours live in Gayton Village, which is just outside Northampton. The village boasts an historic church-St Mary the Virgin-dating from the 14th Century. Maintaining such old buildings is a challenge and the on-going maintenance is expensive. (The historical society made them jump through many hoops when the congregation wished to add a washroom to the church building.)

Like many other churches, St. Mary's boasts some unique artifacts, such as this effigy of Philip de Gayton (d. 1316) carved in oak, under which lies his tomb. The de Gayton family came from France and was rewarded for his service with this land. Hence, the village is called 'Gayton'.

Stoke Bruerne

Stoke Bruerne is a picturesque village along a canal (near Northampton). It was rather quiet when we went on a grey damp afternoon in December but the pubs alongside the canal with their generous patios suggested this would be a lovely place to visit on a warm sunny day. The canals were originally built to move goods around. Horses walked along the canal banks pulling the boats up the waterway! A system of locks, which are hand-cracked deal with the changes in elevation. Now the canals are used for pleasure boats and nearby there are marinas filled with these long flat canal boats.

Christ Church College Oxford

I was highly disappointed on my last visit to Oxford to find out that the Cathedral at Christ Church College was closed to the public that day! You can just see the Cathedral behind other college buildings. It costs 6 GBP to see the College (including the Cathedral) but my friends here tell me that members of the parish of St Peter and St Paul in Buckingham can be admitted to the Cathedral without charge as we are members of the Diocese of Oxford.

Ashmolean Museum Oxford

On our first trip to Oxford, the Ashmolean Museum was closed for extensive renovations. As I really wanted to see it, I went by myself for the day to Oxford. The Ashmolean is Britain's first public museum founded in 1683. It is very large: 67 rooms on 5 levels. It has a great collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings as well as some famous paintings such as Turner's Venice: The Grand Canal. There are also collections of stringed instruments, silver, delftware, and coins, among others. Displays are all well-marked and the museum is free!

Tour Eiffel

Of course we did the good tourist thing and went up the Eiffel Tower. As soon as we got any where near the tower these West African guys would approach us trying to sell us a tower trinket on a key chain for 1 Euro. They were very persistent even when we said "No!" and kept walking. The whole time we were lined up to get tickets (yes, even in November there was a queue), we saw at least a dozen of these guys approaching people walking by or people in the line up. Interestingly, after we came down from the tower, they were nowhere in sight but I rather think that had something to do with the soldier with the automatic rifle. (These guys are vendors without licenses and/or illegal immigrants, so vanish when the authorities come. They are also pesky and bothersome!)

In addition to the hawkers of trinkets, there were women who were dressed in gypsy skirts moving through the crowds asking "English? Do you speak in English?" They were easier to ignore but apparently they claim they are Bosnian refugees and need money. Also working the fringe of the crowd were other African men who approach you with some coloured string which they weave together into a bracelet and tie around your wrist (all the while spinning a tale about happiness)--then ask for 5 Euros! They are pretty pushy too.

The view from the tower was magnificent (when we at long last got through the queue for security checks, the queue to buy tickets, the queue for admission and the queue for the elevator--I'd hate to be here in July!). It was a clear day and we had a 360 degree view of Paris. In this photo you can see the shadow of the tour itself. It was well worth the wait just to see the views.

The Louvre

The Louvre gallery is large and was surprisingly busy given that late November isn't exactly tourist season. The collection of Italian paintings is amazing but the Mona Lisa was a little disappointing. Apparently the canvas is much smaller than it once was because of all the times it has been cut out of the frame and stolen. Now the Mona Lisa is encased in bullet proof glass and you have to stay behind a railing about 10 feet away. The postcards in the gift shop give a better view.

On the wall directly opposite the Mona Lisa is a fantastic huge painting of The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Caliari, painted in the mid 16th century.

The painting is over 22 feet in height and almost 33 feet in width. It is incredibly detailed and full of action. I had not heard of the artist or the painting but I enjoyed looking at it very much. You can just see Madeleine in a pink scarf beside the bottom right hand corner of the picture. This gives you the idea of how massive it is.

Adventure on the Metro

Our first morning in Paris we decided to go to the Louvre. We walked to the Metro station, negotiated the process of buying tickets from the attendant (complete with Gallic shrug!) and headed up the escalator to the track. There was a train waiting, so we hopped aboard. Graham then announced "My shoe! I lost my shoe!" We looked around us (we were still in the doorway), then got off the train and looked on the platform. No shoe anywhere. Uncertain of what to do next, we got back on the train. An English-speaking woman told us if we dropped something on the platform we should tell the attendant, who would get it for us. We travelled for two stops, while discussing what to do. We decided to go back to our original station and look over the edge to see if the shoe was on the track. No shoe anywhere!

What do you do in Paris with a child who has only one shoe? How do you find a shoe store in a foreign city (with a child in tow who has only a sock on one foot)? We remembered seeing a pharmacy next to the Metro which had a sign in the window "English spoken." So, we went in there and asked the pharmacy assistant where we could find a shoe store nearby. She directed us to an area about 10 minutes away on foot. So we took off down the street, with Graham walking in one sock and one shoe. I thought about crying. After all, you could walk for quite some time in Guelph without coming across a store selling children's shoes. And also, it is one thing to look for shoes when you are already wearing some, quite another when someone is wearing only a sock on one foot!

After several blocks, the first store we came upon which sold shoes happened to be a children's shoe store. So in we went, and Graham was fitted with a lovely 70 Euro ($112) pair of new shoes. (For the rest of our trip, some of us felt we also ought to have nice new shoes for 70 Euros too!)

Then, we returned to our starting point, got on the Metro (Graham with both shoes this time) and negotiated the transfer to the Louvre.

Paris

Paris is very beautiful, as I expected, but also full of surprises.

From previous travels in Europe, I know one has to be very attentive in train stations, as pickpockets and their ilk like to relieve you of your wallet and/or suitcases. Evidently this is such a big problem in Gare du Nord that soldiers with automatic rifles patrol the place. We must have seen a couple dozen on the short walk from train to taxi queue. It was a bit unnerving!

The weather was glorious: sunny and warm (low teens) the two days we were there. The buildings are beautiful, the traffic is horrendous, the drivers (especially those on the many motorbikes) are crazy and you can feel the energy of the city.

We stayed in a very modern suite in an apartment-hotel about 15 minutes on foot west of the Eiffel Tower. From one window, we could see the Eiffel Tower. This photo shows the view.

Just a few blocks further southwest of the apartment was a shopping area catering to the many residents in the apartments of the neighbourhood. (We actually saw parents and children who were not tourists!)

People were surprisingly friendly. On the couple of occasions when we stopped to consult our map, each time a friendly Parisian approached us and asked if he could help us find something. The first time this happened, the man was terribly excited to discover we are Canadians as his son (living in Paris) married a Canadian girl. He spoke only a smattering of English, matching our smattering of French but we managed some basic communication.

Brussels

I was a little apprehensive about travelling to Brussels through the Chunnel. (I never liked the Deas Tunnel in Richmond BC either.) However, to go by train (Eurostar) is fast. The trip from London to Brussels was only about 2 1/2 hours. The actual tunnel part is rather uneventful; it just gets dark for a while and then you come up and see the French countryside. You can tell it's France because the cars are on the right side of the road, although one of the first large signs I saw on a building was in English.

Before leaving London, we went through customs, which was low-key. We merely presented our passports, which the bored attendant scanned then stamped (no questions). On the return trip, the UK customs required us to fill in landing cards (one each), just as we had done when we first arrived from Canada. The attendant asked us a few questions (the exact date we are leaving the UK in January; what we were doing there etc.) before scanning and stamping our passports.

We went to Brussels only because Ross was presenting at a conference for EU types. We were put up in a lovely 2 bedroom apartment in the EU quarter (outside the main downtown core). Belgium is officially bilingual: French and Dutch. All signs are in both language and occasionally in English. However, everyone greeted us in French.

Brussels appears to be very expensive! A tour of some shopping areas was quite interesting. 500 Euros (about $795) for men's shoes in one store. Needless to say, we didn't buy anything. We spent 11 Euros ($17) on 2 cappuccinos and 2 pastries instead!

Pews or Chairs?

Here's an interesting tidbit: pews were added to churches only during the Reformation. Before that the nave was wide open and folks stood for worship. Most of the churches and Cathedrals we have visited have chairs rather than pews. Likewise, our parish church, St. Peter and St. Paul, has chairs. At first I found it distracting as I am used to churches with pews. But I have begun to think there are advantages. In our parish, the chairs are in nice straight rows (like on bus) for the morning service, but in a semi-circle for the informal evening service. For the parish fete in September, tables were set up all around the outside of the nave with things for sale and in the middle were small tables for chatting over a cup of tea. For the Harvest thanksgiving supper, the chairs were moved around big tables, turning the nave into a banquet hall. How lovely it was to have a supper in that gorgeous space rather than in a dingy church hall! Chairs make it possible to use the nave in many ways. It's cheaper too, as a separate hall is not needed.

Dome of St. Paul's Cathedral

http://www.copyright-free-pictures.org.uk/london-england/34-st-pauls-cathedral.htm

St. Paul's Cathedral (London)

I expected St Paul's Cathedral in London to be beautiful but even so I was awed by the magnificent interior. Unlike many other Cathedrals and churches in the UK, the current building is post-reformation in design; it was begun in 1675 and completed in 1710. (The previous building was destroyed in the Great Fire of London.) There has been a Cathedral on this site since 604 AD. The architect of the current building is none other than the famous Christopher Wren, who was a scientist (interested in astronomy) as well as a Christian. (He is buried in the crypt along with lots of other famous people.)

Inside the great west doors (9 metres high) is the font. It is huge: the size of a toddler's wading pool! The font is on a dias with two steps up. I can't imagine just how many flagons of water it would take to fill the thing!

The Cathedral is filled with light; the colour scheme is mostly white/grey and gold. The ceiling is very high. Over the transept is Wren's famous dome, standing at 385.5 feet above the Cathedral floor. When inside the building, you are actually looking at a second dome inside the outer dome. The dome is decorated with paintings of scenes of the life of St Paul, made by Sir James Thornhill. These are designed to look as if they were in fact stone work.

It is possible to get a closer look at the dome by climbing 257 steps up to the Whispering Gallery, which is 99 feet above the Cathedral floor. This gallery circles the base of the dome. From the gallery, you can look down into the middle of the transept to see the altar and the pulpit as well as a little way down each of arms of the transept and into the nave and quire. It is called the Whispering Gallery because it is such a perfect circle that what is whispered near one wall can be heard perfectly across the dome 32 meters away! The day I visited, an orchestral was rehearsing immediately below in the transept and the sound up in the gallery was amazing.

The Cathedral is amazing and well-worth a long visit exploring everything. Sadly, the admission charge is rather steep at 11 Pounds. And if you want to know anything about what you are looking at, you need to rent the audio guide for another 4 Pounds. After all that they don't even let you take photos! Nevertheless, there is the ubiquitous gift shop (in the crypt). There is also a cafe and restaurant in the crypt too!

Remembrance Day in Buckingham

On Sunday we celebrated Remembrance Day at church. There was a 45 minute service in the church attended by parishioners. Then we all trooped outside to the Cenotaph (adjacent to the church), where the Legion members, Mayor and other dignitaries, members of the Scout troops and reserve units and other such folks were gathered. The Remembrance observances were lead by our priest and included the reading of Scripture, the singing of hymns, prayers, the reading of the roll, the laying of wreathes and of course, God Save the Queen. I was pleasantly surprised that this was a Christian service, respectfully done of course (with a special intercession for those who grieve without our hope in the resurrection).
On November 11th, there was another smaller gathering at the Cenotaph with what looked like veterans and spouses; this was also presided over by the priest in the parish. In the town things were much as usual--as the stores open. However, the 2 minutes of silence were observed in the local Tesco Express (a mini grocery store on the High Street).

Torre Abbey

Torre Abbey is close to the seaside in Torquay. The monastery founded in 1196 is mostly in ruins. The Premonstratensian order was dissolved during the Reformation and the Cary family took over the main building in 1662 and turned it into a family home, where they lived for 300 years. It is now a museum with period furniture and art.

There is a huge painting by Holman Hunt, called The Children's Holiday, which is absolutely fabulous. The detail of light and texture in the clothes, silver tea service and faces is amazing.

Torquay, Devon or Victoria BC?

We were walking through a park in Torquay and we passed by some lawn bowling greens. On the club house hung this sign: Victoria, BC. Curiously, nowhere did it say Torquay, Devon. We were mystified to say the least!

Torquay, Devon

Torquay is this rather quaint Victorian seaside resort town in Devon on the bay of Torbay. The beach is sandy and beautiful.

As you drive down to the seaside, the streets are lined with guest houses and hotels. I can imagine this place is packed in the summer with tourists swarming everywhere. While once this was a glamorous spot for upper class Victorians, it now has a very tacky-tourist feel. The hotel used for Faulty Towers is found in Torquay.

You can just make out the palm trees in this photo. The Torbay area is known as the "English Riviera." We visited on a grey November day, with threatening clouds in the sky, so the place was rather deserted. It didn't feel much like I imagine the Riviera does, but the beach and bay were certainly beautiful.

Exeter Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral is very grand and beautiful. It costs 5 Pounds for an adult to enter but children are free. Wonderfully, they allow you to take as many photos as you like. I only wish my photos did justice to the the Cathedral Church of St. Peter. Construction began on this site in 1112 and parts of the original survive. The rest of the building dates from the 13th and 14th centuries.

It has the longest continuous medieval vaulted ceiling in the world. There are round stones called 'bosses', which lock the vaults in place. They are carved with flowers, plants, animals and even coats of arms. The ceiling is very impressive!

The Bishop's Throne is massive: 59 ft tall! It was made in 1312 & 1316 without any metal nails or screws; instead it is held together with wooden pegs. The Bishop's Throne and other Cathedral treasures were removed during WWII and stored elsewhere. The Cathedral was bombed in 1942 and one chapel destroyed. It was subsequently rebuilt as a memorial to fallen soldiers.

A very friendly guide, on learning that we are from Canada, pointed out the memorial to Simcoe, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada in 1790s. His memorial plaque is maintained by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, a little-known fact, I'm sure.

Language

Other than the obvious British-Canadian English differences such as biscuits instead of cookies, I've noticed a few more:

• When we were on the train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, the conductor announced the next stop saying, "This train shall stop at ______." Shall is not used very often in Canada.
• An expression that is common when travelliing by train or the tube is: "Alight here for ______." In Canada, we get off or exit but we don't tend to alight. At home I only see the word used in crossword puzzles.
• The train had a sign pointing to the WC, which stands for Water Closet i.e., restroom.
• I see adverts for bespoke kitchens, suits etc. It means custom-made and I think sounds very lovely and old-fashioned.

Familiarity

I realized the other day that I no longer notice how old the buildings are in Buckingham; everything just looks normal. I'm no longer surprised by what I see. And, I no longer think a lot about the accents (yes, I meant the plural, because there are a variety). I can sometimes even count out change, although it does take me a bit extra time. I know where to find things in the grocery store and what kinds to buy. Everything is becoming familiar.

I expect I will be surprised by everything when we return to Guelph: how new the buildings are, how wide the roads and sidewalks, how large the packages are in the grocery store. I don't think I will be surprised by the Canadian accent, however! We're keeping up on Canadian by watching episodes of Corner Gas on DVD.

Highlands area

I loved visiting Huntly including the drive there and back. Some day I will return and do a thorough tour of castles in the area and perhaps include some distilleries on the side. Although I am not much of a fan of single malt, I'm told the process is quite interesting and the locations picturesque. We were blessed with a beautifully sunny day; I think the temperature reached 10C.

I've heard that the Scots are avid golfers. I think they must be for I saw a golf course south of Aberdeen, which was perched on a cliff between the train track on one side and the North Sea on the other. There would definitely be no finding lost balls! I should think it would require additional skill to compensate for the strong winds. This picture was taken from the train of the golf course.

Huntly Castle

We rented a car in Aberdeen and braved driving on the wrong side of the road (i.e., the left) and negotiating the many roundabouts. We drove inland further up into the Highlands. After an hour we arrived in the town of Huntly (where George Macdonald author of The Princess and Curdie, among other novels, was born). Huntly is a charming little town. A friendly local, seeing me struggle with coins for the parking, interrupted my efforts to point out where we could park free of charge. (Thank-you!)

We visited Huntly chiefly to see the Castle, which dates from the 12th century, although little of the original remains. The standing castle dates from the early 1600s. According to the information, this castle has the "finest heraldic doorway in the UK and several find chimneypieces." All that is left of the castle is the stonework and we could walk through most of it. The basement contains storerooms and a dungeon-style prison. The main floor houses the kitchens and the accommodations for the staff. The second floor had a large parlour/dining room, a smaller anteroom for the Earl and then his bedroom and privy. The third floor had a set of 3 rooms for the Lady. The castle site also once held a bakery and brewery as well as stables for horses. The site is beautiful, with a river on one side and a tremendous view from the main windows.

Aberdeen

The train trip from Edinburgh to Aberdeen took about 2 1/2 hours and at many points we were travelling close to the North Sea. Aberdeen is a thriving sea port thanks to the booming oil industry. We toured a very informative (and free) Maritime Museum, at which we learned a lot about off-shore oil rigs, ships and the like. We could also see very close by ships at the busy docks.

We walked to the beach, which is long and sandy, with a boardwalk. The wind was whipping up some impressive surf not far from shore and we could see lots of freighters waiting for their turns in port. The North Sea is cold and the wind was cold too. But I loved being at the seashore once again.

Bannockburn

As some in our family were desirous of seeing Bannockburn, we took a trip by train to Stirling. Bannockburn, the site where Robert the Bruce repelled the English in 1314, is south of the city. Some dour Scots who seemed mystified as to what we would want to see in Bannockburn, eventually directed us there. Apart from an uninspiring monument and an impressive statue of Robert the Bruce on horseback, there isn't much there. However, it is a picturesque spot and I can see why the Scots thought it worth defending! Ironically, I am told that the site of the Battle of Culloden (where the English thoroughly beat up on Bonnie Prince Charlie and about 1200 Highlanders) is a well-appointed site with lots of interesting tourist information. You'd think the Scots would be proud of Bannockburn but wish to downplay their loss at Culloden, would you not?

Edinburgh Apartment

Our friends in Edinburgh arranged for us to stay in a rental apartment in New Town. New Town is an 18th century development: block after block (with nice wide sidewalks) of lovely stone row houses of 3 or 4 stories, many of which have been subdivided into flats. Ours was up a long flight of stairs. The living room boasted a 20 ft ceiling with floor to ceiling windows. The inside had been recently remodelled with quite elegant fixtures, new floors etc. We were thoroughly spoiled. We were told that a well-appointed 3 bedroom apartment in New Town would sell for 600,000 Pounds!

Edinburgh Castle

This is the entrance to the Castle complex. There has been some sort of fortress here since the late 900's. The approach is up the Royal Mile. It is on a steep hill and can be seen from practically all of the city. It would be nearly impossible to access from the steep cliffs on 3 of the 4 sides. The views from the walls are incredible. We could see clearly right to the sea.

Most of the existing buildings are from the 17th and 18th centuries. The crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny (Scottish monarchs were crowned upon this stone from the mid 800's) are housed there. Stolen by the English, the Stone of Destiny was used in their coronations from 1296 onwards and indeed the coronation chair that we saw in Westminster Abbey has a spot beneath the seat for the stone. The castle complex also houses offices for the Royal Scots regiments. There is a Scottish war museum and a memorial building to fallen soldiers from various wars including WWI & II.

The oldest existing building on the site is from 1130 built by David I in memory of his mother. It's a beautiful little chapel called St Margaret's.

Edinburgh-home of Knox

This old house (originally built in 1470) on the Royal Mile is now a museum. Apparently, John Knox lived on the second floor for a few years. They have displayed the first Scottish printing (1576) of an English language Bible. John Knox was a friend of John Calvin (a nod to our CRC friends).

There is a beautiful church up the street, St. Giles' Cathedral, where John Knox was the pastor. They have the very pulpit from which he preached his fiery sermons lambasting Mary Queen of Scots' determined faithfulness to the Roman Catholic Church. (Mary was at that time installed in Edinburgh Castle another couple blocks away.) Knox felt the RC Church was too focused on the wealthy and ignored the poor. He advocated for every parish church to have at least a primary school (for everyone).

St Giles is very grand and beautiful. Admission is free, although they do charge 2 Pounds for the privilege of taking photos. There is a lovely little chapel (Thistle Chapel), in which the Queen invests people into the Order of the Thistle. It is filled with beautiful carvings of angels: one of whom plays the bagpipes!

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a wonderful city to explore. This is one of the streets in the Old Town, which leads up to the Royal Mile. There are lots of shops--many selling kilts and other Scottish items to the tourists. The real stores (e.g., Gap, Swatch etc) are on Princes Street, which is across the Gardens in New Town. Although on Princes Street there were homeless (presumably) people sitting on blankets, accompanied by their dogs, most people looked pretty comfortable. Edinburgh seemed quite cosmopolitan; our Canadian ex-pat friends told us there are 30, 000 Polish people in Scotland! We certainly saw people of various skin tones and heard several languages spoken. It felt quite safe on the streets walking between the Royal Mile and our apartment in New Town (25 minutes away). In fact, it felt considerably safer than downtown Toronto. I quite enjoyed exploring the city and wished we had more time there. But it is expensive. The "inexpensive" restaurants featured simple main courses (pasta or a burger) at 8-10 Pounds (13-16 dollars).

While food is definitely expensive, admission is free to the National Gallery of Scotland. They have a wonderful collection of paintings (Reubens, Van Dyke, early Italian, Impressionist etc.) I thoroughly enjoyed the hour spent admiring paintings, sculptures, furniture and even a few first century artifacts! (I bought several postcards of the paintings I most admired.) What an amazing treasure: a free art gallery. This gallery alone makes Edinburgh an attractive city to visit. Some of other museums are also free admission e.g., the Museum of Childhood (toys from the past).

Scooters

I've seen quite a few "pensioners" (aka seniors) zooming around on those 4 wheel motorized scooters. They are quite common in Sidney BC also. But, these ones are uniquely adapted for English weather: rain. They come with full 'soft' covers with clear plastic windows in the front, back and side. The side windows/door zip open and can be tied back.

Better yet, I saw a lovely hard-top model with complete roof and side windows! Needless to say, these machines are operated on the sidewalks. I wonder if you need a license?

Walk to Radclive

We bought a map (for 80 pence) that promised good trails to walk near Buckingham. We read about a very old church in nearby Radclive, which we decided to visit. At first the trail followed the old Railway footpath to Tingewick Road. Then we picked up the footpath again across the road. We got a little confused when this path seemed to become

rather rough. We saw a family heading across the field, so we guessed that was the right direction. But, the map didn't show that one entered a farmer's field! So we back-tracked to a gate and crossed into the field. We followed a worn path for a bit but stayed close to the fence. This lead to a stile, which we crossed to get into the next field. Again we stayed close to fence, especially as there was a herd of cows across the way! But, it turned out that we needed to cut across the field diagonally to get out into the path which led to the village. So much for the map!

The Church of St. John

the Evangelist in Radclive is impressively old. Parts of the Church (north and east walls of the chancel) were built in 1200, with additions in the 13th and 14th centuries. The tower is probably 14th century. Unfortunately, we were not able to go inside but peaked through the windows. In the tiny chancel, there is only one pew on either side of the aisle!

We saw beautifully kept houses in the village, as well as sheep in a

field and a very friendly kitty. We returned via the farmer's fields and the footpath. Back in Buckingham, we saw some friendly ducks in the Ouse River, who clearly were expecting us to have handouts.

Bells!

Last Wednesday in the evening, the bell ringers of St Peter & St Paul's were practicing and we could hear them, with the windows closed. What a beautiful sound it is to hear church bells for an hour or so floating in!

Transit

Buckingham is within commuting distance from London. I suspect many people drive to the train station in Milton Keynes, but we need to take the bus (about 25 minutes). There are two different trains: London-Midland and Virgin. The London-Midland tickets are cheaper and the train makes a couple of stops between Milton Keynes and London (Euston Station). The journey lasts about 50 minutes. The Virgin trains are nicer, even in economy class, and are direct, taking only 40 minutes but tickets cost more. From Euston station to the Tower of London, it was about 25 minutes on the Underground (including walking down long corridors). So, it takes us about 2 hours door-to-door or a little longer, as the bus between Buckingham-Milton Keynes only goes once an hour.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is very impressive both in terms of sheer size and ornate detail. I was surprised to find out that it was first established around 960 by Benedictine monks. It seems to have been built onto over time, gradually becoming larger.

Although the audio guide (narrated by Jeremy Irons) reminded us frequently that this is working church, used regularly and daily in worship, I felt a little as if I was in a museum. (There were quite a lot of tourists, here as elsewhere, but nowhere near the crowds one finds in the height of the tourist season.) At various points in the audio guide options were offered to hear more about certain topics, such as the meaning of the Holy Eucharist, or how baptism signifies the entrance into the Christian faith. I also observed someone in a cassock marking the lectern Bible, presumably for Evening Prayer.

The Chapel of Henry VII was the most beautiful aspect. The most interesting piece I saw is the Coronation Chair made in 1301 and used at every coronation since 1308. Apparently in between coronations it was shuffled here and there about the Abbey and even sustained graffiti damage. Also, in previous centuries, they used to cover it in fabric, hammering nails into it wherever necessary! It is treated with a good deal more respect now. There was also a beautiful mosaic floor in an Italian design, which is currently being restored, in front of the high altar.

Tower of London

The Tower of London is actually not one tower but a whole lot of buildings forming a complex and surrounded by a now dry moat. We had a humourous tour from a Yeoman of the Guard, littered with gory tales of who was murdered where and how. Execution is certainly a very effective way of getting rid of enemies but perhaps a bit harsh! The buildings were very old and impressive.

Naturally, we took in the display of the Crown Jewels. Sadly they do not allow photography! Stunningly beautiful, I think describes well the crowns, ring, etc. Did you know that there is also a special set of gold Communion hardware (chalices, patens, and other vessels), used only at Coronations? The first act of the new king or queen is to receive Holy Communion.

This year marks the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII becoming King of England. The White Tower held a display of arms and armour worn by Henry VIII, as well as other period pieces. It looked pretty heavy and unwieldy. The exhibition is titled "Dressed to Kill," which is very apt.

There was certainly lots of see and we spent a couple of hours there without seeing everything. It was a bit 'touristy' compared to some of the other sites we have visited.

Definitely not locals

It's obvious to everyone as soon as we open our mouths that we're not from around here. People usually think we must be American. I determined not to be offended! One woman stopped us in the grocery store when she heard us speaking to one another. "Excuse me, where are you from?" "Canada," I replied. "I thought so!" she said with enthusiasm. "I just got back from visiting my brother in Montreal." I was rather surprised that with all the French Canadian accents in Montreal, our Ontario accents would sound familiar.

Aside from our accents, other things give us away: such as the inability to recognize the values of the coins.

• 2 pound coin helpfully looks like a Twoonie: gold ring around a silver centre
• 1 pound coin is about the size of quarter but a dull gold colour and thicker. It says on the edge: DECUS ET TUTAMEN meaning 'an ornament and a safeguard'.
• 50p (pence) coin is the size of a loonie but silver and 7 sided.

These 3 are fairly easy to identify quickly at a checkout counter. But I find the following coins a bit more confusing at a glance:

• 20p looks like a nickel (but with 7-sides)
• 10p looks like a quarter
• 5p looks remarkably like a dime
• 2p is the size of a loonie but brown like a penny
• 1p is almost the same as a penny

Sometimes it is just plain difficult to locate things in the grocery store. Eggs, for example, are not kept in a cooler but just on a regular shelf, which explains why I couldn't find them in one store. The frozen vegetables were not in the freezer section but in a special section adjacent to the fresh veg--some place I never thought to look.

These things are probably all blatantly obvious to the locals but not to us!

Oxford

We fell in love with Oxford as soon as the bus rolled into town! It's like stepping into another century--with the exception of the ubiquitous McDonalds, KFC and Gap, among others. Practically every corner has a massive building built several centuries ago.

Oxford is famous for its gargoyles. The one to the right is a medieval bagpiper--one of a dozen

carved into an organ screen in the

anteroom of the Chapel at Magdalen (say 'Maudlin') College. These are

reputed to have inspired C.S. Lewis' stone statues in the Narnia Chronicles. More gargoyles are to be found on walls in the quadrangles. About 20 feet above the ground in a wall looking into one of the quads is a 15th pulpit--still used annually on the Feast of St. John the Baptist (June 24).

Being a good Anglican, I was thrilled to see the Martyrs' Memorial, commemorating the burning at the stake of Ridley, Lattimer and Cranmer, for their adherence to the Church of England, during the reign of Roman Catholic Mary Tudor in 1555-6. Cranmer is the one with the Bible in his hand.

We also visited Oxford's oldest building, a Saxon Tower built in 1040, which was once connected to the Bocardo prison, where the 3 bishops were held. We even saw the door to Cranmer's cell.

The Church of St. Michael at the North Gate attached to the Tower houses a 15th century window, a 14th century font and a 15th century pulpit (still in use), from which John Wesley preached in 1726.

Being Lord of the Rings and Narnia fans, we couldn't resist lunching at the Eagle and Child,

where the Inklings met to discuss their writings over pints. The corner in which they sat has their framed pictures on the wall above. A very cosy pub!

Cabinet War Rooms

Churchill's cabinet war rooms below the Treasury Building have been turned into a museum. Some of the rooms are exactly as they were the last day they were used. It is amazing to see where people worked, slept and ate in this hidden compound. Apparently Churchill was quite a character: wearing these odd zip-up jump suits, smoking cigars, working very long hours and expecting his staff to do the same. From my perspective, it seems as if it would have been rather thrilling to work there but I think it was perhaps rather stressful with all the bombs falling above.

Buckingham Palace

We went to London to see the Queen! She wasn't there but we saw the grand state rooms of Buckingham Palace instead. (Presumably the Queen is still at Windsor Castle). It is impossible to describe the grandeur and beauty of the place. The rooms are elegant with much gilt, crystal chandeliers, elegant freizes, statues, magnificant paintings, lofty ceilings. I was surprised at the collection of art: paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyke. It was just like being at an art gallery.

They had a special exhibit of artifacts associated with the Queen's visits to Commonwealth countries. I enjoyed seeing the various elegant gowns the Queen wore to different state events. Naturally, the most beautiful dresses were worn to visits of Canada e.g., Confederation celebrations in 1967.

Apparently the Queen finds a place to display gifts from heads of state. We duly noted the soap stone carving of a polar bear and hunter--a gift from Canada!

Souveniers were very expensive in the gift shop but we bought a few small things anyway.

We lunched at a pub nearby on "beef and ale" pie. The waitress pronounced ale rather like "owl" so it took a few seconds for us to figure out what was in the pie!

Safety in the UK

Our kitchen utensils were not quite sufficient, so we decided to purchase a chef's knife. Did you know that in the UK, it is illegal to sell a knife to someone under the age of 18? Likewise, people under 18 cannot purchase toy guns, even the colourful, obviously toy, nerf guns. However, children can play with them.

Also, on the subject of knives: it is illegal--a serious offense, we were informed by a bobby--to carry a pocket knife. The security at Buckingham palace is similiar to that of an airport: empty your pockets, put purses on the conveyor belt to go through the scanner, walk through the metal detector. It was at that point, the pocket knife was seized. Interestingly, in Canada you can buy one at any hardware store--and they are legal to carry!

British vs. Canadian English

While both Brits and Canadians speak English, a trip to the grocery store makes it clear that we use different words for the same items. What Canadians call a shopping cart, the British call a trolley. An interesting feature of the trolley is that all four wheels pivot, whereas on the Canadian cart only the front wheels pivot. This makes pushing the trolley quite a challenging exercise; it tends to take off on a diagonal when you go around a corner. Canadian carts are much easier to steer!

Orange juice in Britain comes either "with bits" (pulp) or "smooth" (without pulp). Milk can be purchased as skim or semi skim (just under 2%). Cookies are biscuits. Dish washing soap is called washing up liquid. Garbage bags are called refuse sacks, which when filled go in the dustbin, rather than the garbage bin.

Many brands are of course different. Surprisingly, one can buy Cheerios and Shreddies. Laundry detergent and household cleaners, however, are all unfamiliar brands. Nevertheless, we thought the packaging of "Cif" surprisingly similar to the Canadian product, "Vim."

Country of origin of products is important here. Meat products are clearly marked on the package as to origin: British chicken, Irish Beef, Welsh Lamb etc. We were surprised to see an ample supply of Canadian cheddar in amongst the cheeses!

St. Peter and St. Paul

On Sunday we went for the first time to the Church of England! St. Peter & St. Paul's is a handsome building, "only" 200 years old. Apparently, when the church spire collapsed, only 5 minutes after the bell-ringers left, the damage was so huge, it was decided to build a whole new building.

From the parish website:

In 1776 the spire on the old church, for the second time, fell down and caused so much damage that it was decided to build a new church on the vacant site of Castle Hill. This new church, in the 'Debased Gothic' style, was consecrated by the Bishop of Lincoln on 6th December 1780 and dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul.

In 1866 extensive restoration was carried out, a new chancel added and a decoration scheme in the Gothic style completed by the local architect Sir George Gilbert Scott. The tower and spire remain unchanged since 1780, and the windows slightly altered. The buttresses and porch are the work of Scott. www.buckinghamparishchurch.org.uk

The liturgy was very similar to our Canadian Book of Alternative Services, with only a few small differences. Due to concerns about Swine Flu, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have mandated that the laity will receive bread only; the clergy will consecrate and consume wine. I was happy nonetheless to receive the Eucharist, having attended other Protestant churches for several Sundays previous.

The parish seems very active, with groups for various ages of young people. We look forward to attending the informal non traditional service called "ignite" that attracts families with older teens and also young adults.