How strange that the two of us drove thousands of miles together this summer – neither of us is likely to drive again any time soon! Since our last post we have been wending our way from Goshen, Indiana, to Belfast, Northern Ireland by plane, train, bus, ferry, and car. After saying goodbye to Laurel’s sisters in Goshen, her dad drove us toward O'Hare Airport. As we drove through downtown Chicago, we took an unplanned detour to the Willis Tower! After a trip to the top to peer through the shifting clouds over Chicago, we made our way to the airport, and got ready to take off for Iceland. With our nine-hour layover in Iceland, we took a bus into Reykjavik to see the sights. We loved the volcanic landscape and the North Atlantic coast on the way into the city, where we explored the city center, its tourist shops, and its impressive public art. The two most impressive buildings in Reykjavik are the Harpa, which is the angular glass performing arts center on the harbor, and the Hallgrimskirkja, the large Lutheran church with a gorgeous sweeping stone façade. After a trip to the top to peer through the shifting clouds over Reykjavik, we made our way to the airport, and got ready to take off for England. We were excited to spend two days in London together. Both of us had lived there in the past (Laurel in college, Ben in high school), and we showed each other where we lived and how we walked to school. We were happy to reacquaint ourselves with the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of the Tube, and to walk through Covent Garden, Westminster and Parliament, along the Thames, and past Buckingham palace. We also went to see the musical Wicked. Laurel had seen it the last time she was in London, but for Ben it was totally novel, and he was blown away*** by the spectacle. *** Laurel says, "You know who else was "blown away"?! This awesome street performer near the Millennium Bridge! Hahaha!" *** The next two days were spent in the village of Littleton Drew, in the West of England, visiting friends of the Woodward family. Jean, Mercita, Tim, Frances, and Olivia showed us great hospitality, including feeding us a traditional Sunday roast dinner, introducing us to the menagerie of animals (dogs, geese, horses, and the ugliest pigs we’ve ever seen), and taking us for an afternoon visit to Bath. Bath was a fashionable Victorian resort town, and we visited all the posh lodgings and public spaces. We took a Jane Austen walking tour – she lived there for five years and hated it – and visited the beautiful Abbey. This was Bank Holiday Monday, so the streets were crowded with tourists and back-to-school shoppers. On Tuesday we made our final journey – four trains, a bus, and a ferry to get to Belfast. The train system worked smoothly, and the ferry was huge and luxurious! We are now getting settled in Belfast, navigating the city, finding our school, work, bank, grocery store, church, and whatever else we need. Stay tuned! BONUS PICTURES!
2 Comments
mom joan
1/9/2016 22:39:35
Awesome pics! This is your delayed honeymoon, isn't it? : )
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mom joan
1/9/2016 22:41:05
... to your posts!
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