tHe voYage hOme

25 July Permalink

Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn

Today Hever Castle

History

There have been three main periods in the construction of this historic castle. The oldest part of the castle dates to 1270 and consisted of the gatehouse and a walled bailey. The second period was when the castle, then in need of repair, was converted into a manor in 1462 by Geoffrey Boleyn. He added a Tudor dwelling within the walls. The third period of repair and renovation was in the 20th century when it was acquired by William Waldorf Astor.

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22 July 1 Permalink

My new tattoo

21 July 1 Permalink

If the Russian couldn’t win in Afghanistan what make you think we will “?”

These two came flying over on their way to a base somewhere nearby (they were descending). A RAF transprort (Hercules I think) escorted by a fighter. This must be the plane that brought back dead soldiers from Afghanistan.

The day before I spoke to a World War Two veteran. He told me how he landed at Juno Normandy, the night after the landing, so he saw noting of the fight that took place. The bocage was a disaster.. He didn’t like the French at Normandy. They often directed them the wrong way. (A lot where farmers and had good buisiness with the germans).After France, Belgium and Holland, Market Garden. He went as far as Nijmegen (Most of them did, ‘cause Arnhem was a bridge to far).

I told him that I was teaching my kids that freedom isn’t something that you can take for granted. That I tell them what they had done for us. He told me that he thinks that this important. In England parents don’t tell their children what had happend.

He then went on about Afghanistan and that he thinks that we’re there for the wrong resons. If the Russians coudn’t win, neither can we. We shortly spoke of the soldier that recentley where killed in Afghanistan.

I shook his hand personally  thanked him for what he had done for us. He was clearly moved by this.

21 July Permalink

The misses drinking tea of course

21 July Permalink

Enjoying a Guinness Draught (Widget beer)

There are Widgets on phones and computers. But there are also widgets in beer:

A widget is a device placed in a container of beer to manage the characteristics of the beer’s head. The original widget was patented in Ireland by Guinness.The ‘widget’ is actually a plastic moulded device that sits at the bottom of a can until it’s opened and then releases a little beer and nitrogen, forcing a surge of bubbles that settle to form the tight white head - in short, the perfect pint at home.  

21 July Permalink

Goodnight

20 July Permalink

Bodiam Castle

Today the road, or I’d better say the steam train, led us to Bodiam Castle.The train departed from Tenterden Town and went with a few stops to Bodiam Station near Bodiam Castle.

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated 1castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years’ War. Of quadrangular plan, Bodiam Castle has no keep, having its various chambers built around the outer defensive walls and inner courts. Its corners and entrance are marked by towers, and topped by crenellations. Its structure, details and situation in an artificial watery landscape indicate that display was an important aspect of the castle’s design as well as defence. It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the centre of the manor of Bodiam.

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20 July 1 Permalink

The Seven Sisters

Been to the Seven Sisters today. Beautiful coastal landscap

The Seven sisters are a series of chalk cliffs by the English Channel. They form part of the South Downs in East Sussex, between the towns of Seaford and Eastbourne in southern England. They are within the Seven Sisters Country Park. They are the remnants of dry valleys in the chalk South Downs, which are gradually being eroded by the sea. The Seven Sisters cliffs are occasionally used in film and television as a stand-in for the more famous white cliffs of Dover, since they are relatively free of anachronistic modern development. They are also featured at the beginning of the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and at the end of the film Atonement where Robbie and Cecilia always wanted to live. From west to east, the sequence starts just east of Cuckmere Haven. The cliff peaks and the dips between them are individually named. Listed below, the peaks are in italics. Note that there are eight hills, not seven as one might expect. Haven Brow Short Bottom Short Brow Limekiln Bottom …

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Google maps

19 July Permalink

Fat

The thing that strikes me is that the ppl in England are obese and dress like shit. The ederly look especially poor. When looking at this chart I see that I’m on holliday in a red part of the country. You can still see the hand of Thatcher.

18 July Permalink

Penshurst place aNd Gardens

Today’s visit: Penshurst place.

Set in the rural Weald of Kent surrounded by picturesque countryside and ancient parkland, Penshurst Place and Gardens has changed little over the centuries. This mediaeval masterpiece has been the seat of the Sidney family since 1552 and retains the warmth and character of a much-loved family home. Today, Philip Sidney, Viscount De L’Isle, continues the family guardianship of this wonderful old house and garden with his wife Isobel and their two children, Philip and Sophia. The first recorded owner of the original 13th century house and estate was Sir Stephen de Penchester, a distinguished royal servant whose tomb can be found in Penshurst church. He was followed a half century later by Sir John de Pulteney, a wealthy London merchant and financier and four times elected Lord Mayor of London, who wanted to build a country establishment within a days ride of the city, where he could hunt and entertain on a grand scale.

Google maps

16 July Permalink