Here I am back in Colorado. I have been up since before five o clock because there are always so many things to do when you get back from a two-week vacation.
I wanted to share one or two more photographs with you before I call my vacation ‘officially over’. As I sit here and look at my digital photo display, I realize how green England is, and how beautiful. I am not saying I would like to move back there, we all know I love my home in Colorado, but it is nice to see all of the greenery.
Richmond Castle
This was at the beginning of our vacation, we walked around Richmond Castle. Richmond is a cobbled market town and was the closest town to Brompton-on-Swale, the village in which I was raised.
The castle ruins
The castle is mostly in ruins, although the ‘Keep’ is still there. We climbed to the top and took beautiful photos of the countryside.
Lovely views.
We took lots of photos from Richmond Castle. Joanna enjoyed it there immensely. This is where she bought a real sword for her boyfriend. It worried me how we would get it back on the plane with all the security there is now, but we checked it and told them what it was. We got a strange look, but no problems!
We visited Summerhouse, where I was raised.
My mum was a 'housekeeper' for this farm.
I have mentioned this farm-house several times in my story ‘Girl on the Beach’, it is where my mum was a housekeeper. The Hodgson’s were a nice family and treated both my mum and me very well.
The Raby Hunt Pub
The ‘Raby Hunt’ Restaurant used to be a small pub. We tried to get lunch there, but unfortunately they were getting ready for a special event and were closed.
My house
It brought memories flooding back to see the house I grew up in. I loved the garden and the surrounding fields. Not much has changed over the past forty plus years!
After a week in the North Country, we drove down to London, where we visited old friends and walked the city. It was a very exhausting vacation!
Some things never change
London Bridge has a nice new coat of paint, but other than that, it hasn’t changed much.
New buildings on the Thames
The buildings to the right took me by surprise, they certainly weren’t there when we left in 1995. They are modern, but beautiful buildings.
Waterfront
The waterfront is now a modern, bustling ‘upbeat’ area with waterfront bars and old buildings revamped and made into modern lofts.
In many ways London has improved, but I did notice that not many people who served me at restaurants and bars, spoke English. Not a bad thing, but a little different from when I left.
Travel Tales and Mishaps 