Dad and Dorothy's Visit

Meeting at Heathrow Airport. From the airport we took the subway across London to King's Cross Station, then rode the train north for 1 hour to get to Grantham and Harlaxton Manor.

Wednesday we took the train to Boston. We shopped at the town's outdoor market and visited the church of St. Botolph. Boston was named for this 7th century monk who built a monastery in this area (Botolph's stone.) In the 1600s, the minister from this church, along with many of his parishoners, sailed to America and settled in the area that became Boston, MA.


You still enter and leave the church through its original 13th century door.


Stopping for a snack in the market area.

In line for the Thanksgiving dinner buffet at the Manor. Thanksgiving was a regular day here with school for the boys and Rodd taught classes. About 4:00 I made a batch of Thanksgiving punch and we each had a glass before we went to the Manor for a short Thanksgiving service and then dinner.

A rare time on the train when Dorothy is asleep rather than Dad! Friday we took the train to Birmingham to visit the Frankfurt Christmas Market, the largest German Christmas market outside Germany and Austria.

We enjoyed delicious potato pancakes, sausages, beer and gluhwein (hot, spiced wine.)

In London!!! The first thing we did was ride the London Eye, one of the world's highest ferris wheels. We even persuaded Dorothy into going up and she loved it.
Afterwards we had lunch at McDonald's. Despite its 250 seats, it was so crowded at 2:00 pm that we were lucky to get a table outdoors. We walked across Westminster Bridge to see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, then to Westminster Abbey where we attended an evening organ recital.

Day 2: We rode the Ducks for a 45 minute land tour of the city followed by 30 minutes on the Thames River. Then we toured the medieval Guild Hall and clock museum, before returning home by train that evening.

Getting around London: metro (subway), taxi and buses! Plus a fair amount of walking.