Thanksgiving

Bob had off Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving, so naturally we took a trip.

Thursday morning we got up at 5 in an effort to beat the traffic on the M25, and we almost made it. We stopped at Tesco for bread (for lunches) and doughnuts for breakfast, and were on our way. Drove down toward London, then around the M25 toward Heathrow, and headed west after that. Yes, we could have gone straight south-west, but it would have added an hour or more to the trip.

First stop, Bath. They have a "park and ride" system, but the "park" part of it wasn't working properly - the lot was overfull when we arrived - so we drove on into town and eventually found a parking lot there. Then we walked. Past the Royal Crescent, past the Jane Austin center, to the baths. The pedestrian signs didn't quite point the right way, but between them and the map I'd printed before we left home, we managed to find our way. The Roman baths cost a LOT to go see, so we contended ourselves with shopping at their craft fair and using their toilets. Bob bought a hand carved (from local limestone) nativity set for me.
We ate some lunch at Burger King, but no one got full. We walked through the Christmas Market and down to the river. There was a green there and the children ran around while Bob took pictures and I rested (I need new shoes). Then back to the car where we had some peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and chex mix.

From there we drove to Plymouth, where we had a hotel booked. Once we got parked and found our way to the front door, checked in, and put our stuff in the room, we asked where to eat. They pointed us down the road (nearly a mile) to a local pub that was good and cheap. It was also small and crowded. We tried to order so the food could cook while we waited for a table, but they wouldn't let us order without a table number. Maybe they should charge a little more and hire people with brains. So we walked all the way back, hoping to get a phone book and order some pizza or Chinese, but the staff was gone to bed. (It's a 'small' hotel.) So we went up to the room and had another peanut butter sandwich and went to bed hungry.

Friday we took full advantage of our included-with-the-room-rate breakfast. Everybody had a glass of juice, a bowl of cereal, and then a "full English." There was nothing left on the table except a few beans. Then we went to the quayside and saw the Mayflower Memorial. We also got to see a lock in motion.
After that we drove out to Tintagel and visited with King Arthur a little while. The tide was coming in as we got there, so Bob quickly climbed down to the caves while the rest of us stayed above. It was sunny when we arrived, but raining by the time we started up the stairs. The children ran around in the rain and *didn't* climb on the walls while Bob and I sat it out in a little bus-shelter looking thing. It stopped raining and we walked around on the hill and watched the waves, the rainbow, and the birds. Then back down the stairs (about 100 of them) to our waiting stroller, which was now wet, of course. We put William in anyway, on a blanket, and let Ella walk.
I can't remember where we ate lunch or dinner Friday. hmm. Must be the stomach bug.
Then we drove to Bristol to a Days Inn hotel for the night.

Saturday we went through Avesbury to Stonehenge, eating lunch at a pub on the way. At Avesbury I felt a lot of confusion at the stones. At Stonehenge I mostly felt cold. :-) And then we came home.

So that's the short version, I guess. You lucked out this time.