Enigma Machine

We also were able to see the buildings of Parliment with the “Big Ben” clock tower:

The Clock Tower of Parliament

Parliamentary Buildings

A panoramic view of Parliament on the left with the towers of Westminster Abbey on the right

The press of so many people although impressive made great pictures very difficult. I was much for pushing to the front for a picture today.

After we returned to the hotel we ate at a very authentic Lebanese restaurant just 60-70 yards from our room. Very good food.

May 02 2024

Today we visited the British Museum, Piccadilly Circus, bought a very nice herringbone jacket and cap, made a short visit to Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens and ate Fillets at an Angus Steakhouse. A very good day.

We walked over 4 miles today our dogs and ponies are tired.

The Entrance to Paddington Station. A large hub of several subway lines and National Rail Lines. A video of the mad scene at 17:28 hours is typical and is attached for the end of the day.

the return rush hour at Paddington Station

Circuitous little alleys to the British Museum.

The location of the World’s first YMCA. We just happened by it on our way to the British Museum.

Waiting entry outside the British Museum

Stone tablet

Stone tablets

Babylonian stone tablet

Babylonian stone tablet from above

A wall of cuneiform tablets

Cuneiform tablet

Stringed musical instruments from Ancient Mesopotamia.

Another Stringed instrument of a Mesopotamian Queen.

The Standard of Ur.

An interesting Ram of Gold

Another of the Ram

The Shabaka Stone. Read about the stone here: \240

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabaka_Stone

Pharaonic sarcophagus

A priestly libation bowl. Easily would \240hold 5 gallons of “libation” for the Egyptian priests.

Ramses II who ruled Egypt at the time of the Hebrew Exodus.

Imhotep….Ramses II is visible to the left in the background. Egypt was never governed by a single race. The Greeks, the Caucasian Egyptians and the African Egyptians. Each in turn and turn again. Different dynasties because of different conquests. Apparently there have always been war, resulting in winners and losers.

The Rosetta Stone

What is the Rosetta Stone?

The Key to Understand the Rosetta Stone

The great Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (r. 883–859 B.C.

An Assyrian who spent several minutes with us explaining these 2 stela that are exquisitely perfect copies.

The Royal Wife and the Royal Mail at Bedford Square

The first level of escalators leading to the subway. This picture was taken after we had already descended 40 feet. The engineering blows my mind. The amount of earth removed via. Very narrow congested streets. Unbelievable conceptual fulfillment.

The second level deep into the earth of stairs leading to the subway

A Panorama view of Piccadilly Circus

The Hyde Park Map

Another tree of great size

A sweet chestnut tree

Another tree of great size

The Kensington Gardens Map

A hazy view of Kensington Palace from afar in Kensington Gardens. We chose not to visit the Palace.

America has Motel 6. England has Hotel 6. Actually there are many very small hotels created out of the 3 and 4 story “brownstones”. This just happens to be one at 6 London Street. Just 2 blocks from our room.

The Paddington Station & 17:28 hours. This is a very busy hub.

Caught the subway back to the hotel to freshen up then off to Baroque Music @ St. Martins-in-the-Fields.

As we arrive at St. Martin’s we walked around TRafalgar Square and took pictures before going into the concert.

I have listened for years to recordings made in this very famous church in London. \240The conductor, Sir Neville Marriner, whom I greatly admired was the musical director there for 53 years from 1958 - 2011. \240The music tonight was by a small chamber groups: 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, harpsichord. \240For on number: \240Alto recorder. \240Handel, Bach, Pachelbel, Telemann, Scarlatti

May 04, 2024

Trip via train to Peterborough

Taxi to Enterprise

Drive to Stephen & Annie Gill Home

Checkin at Premier Hotel

Back to Gills for Dinner - lasagna

Visited till nearly midnight!!

May 05, 2024

Breakfast at the Paul Pry restaurant. \240Attended church at the Peterborough Ward. \240Sister Brogan grabbed Allie and I and invited us to sing the prelude number “The Spirit of God”. \240Testimony meeting

After Sunday School change at hotel

Gills for dinner Yorkshire puds. \240Took a walk around at Fotherinhay, the place of Mary Queen of Scots execution. \240A desolated hill and castle remains with little remaining. Went back to their place and visited till 8:30 pm

May 06, 2024

After breakfast at Paul Pry we went to the Gills. \240Stephen drove us to the US Military Cemetery in Cambridge. \240Quite a beautiful and sobering cemetery. \240Many pictures

We drove on to the town of Cambridge walked and wandered through the tiny streets. \240Witnessed a protest of Israel and advocacy of Palestinians at Cambridge University, a tent village, of students protesting. \240They were not shouting. \240They were behind a wall and the building. \240Just milling around talking to each other. \240They have encamped and refuse to leave.

Drove to a sweet village and had dinner at a pub.

May 07, 2024

Garden Maze with many very interesting water features

The Ice House for Burghley House

Burghley Lake

Then there were these very interesting sculptures throughout the gardens:

So….that was interesting. \240What the house was like? \240Amazing! \240The exterior is wonderfully intricate and well maintained. \240The interior had many highly decorated rooms. \240Painting from ceiling to the floors. \240Extravagant furnishings from Italy. \240The family would travel annually to Italy and purchase furniture, art, and collectibles. \240The house is ornate and ostentatious:

The Burghley House. \240The long two story apartments to the left is the private residence of the current heirs of Burghley House.

….pardon the finger…..

The inner court

The Chapel

The Snooker Room

…one of the more gracious docents….

….marble inlay intracacy unparalleled….

….Lord Exeter….and his Gold medal….

After Burghley House we traveled to Stamford….

Dinner and visiting at Fitzwilliams Arms

Thursday May 9, 2024

Had to change our Peugeot SUV because of unstable & noisy front end. \240Stopped at Gills to say good bye to Step-Hen. \240Annie was at the school.

We headed off to Durham and Lanchester. \240Christine was waiting for us outside with the 2 dogs. \240It was wonderful to see her again. \240Aging and doing so much of the work herself.

Met with Paul & Judy Beaumont in Billingham and dined and with them till 6:45 pm. Judy & Allie went to a RS \240gathering and Paul & I had a good discussion about what is and what isn’t. We returned the 40 minutes back to Burnhopeside Hall at 10pm

The Trolley

A dental office

A children’s play room

An old porcelain louvered toilet, laver, and tub

An early 1900s double decker bus

Dry goods store

a Sweet’s shop….

Then 1950s revisited….

We arrived back at BH about 4:30 pm. Did some laundry. \240Played one game of snooker badly.

Allie making one of her famous snooker killer shots. \240She won every game we played.

I played the piano for another 1 and 15 minutes then we ate at Kings Head Pub in Lanchester.

Our apartment for 3 nights and days

Sea Salt dresses and sweater for Allie

Rohan hiking shoes for George and a packing ball cap for Allie

Derwent Water Walk

Castlerigg Stone Circle

Drive to Huddersfield

May 25, 2024

Visit with Kathy, Frank, Janey, Alec, and Keara

Diesel Detergent

Briar Court Hotel in background across the street

I went inside the station and asked an attendant what Ad Blue is and would it harm the engine if I started the car. \240He had an alarmed look on his face, and said, “Don’t start it.”

Allie was in line to pay for her water. \240As I told her what I had done I turned to the man behind me and said, “I bet this man knows what to do?” \240He did.

He took me out to his van and started calling mechanic friends. \240After 30 minutes I called Enterprise and they sent an AA truck to retrieve the car.

I called the Sengewitz’s and told them we were detained. \240We should have been at Shibden Park at 12 noon. \240It was now 12. \240Frank was very kind and said he would come and get us.

The AA mechanic arrived at 12:30 and towed us to the Enterprise location. He waited till he found out we would have to go to Leeds tomorrow to get a replacement automatic transmission rental. \240He, Stephen Fletcher drove us back to the hotel, \240which was very kind of him.

The happy Stephen Fletcher

Weird contraption that really did the job….

A sample of good ol’ Yorkshire Yammer. \240The AA mechanic Stephen Fletcher driving us to our Hotel after dropping off the “damaged” car.

Frank & Kathy picked us up at 2:30 and drove us to Shibden Park where we met with Janey & Keara &

We ate a little of this and that that they had brought and then we traveled to Keara’s home where we spent the evening regaling and telling stories. Keara sat at the piano and played hymns and we sang quite a number one after the other. \240Here is one:

At Halifax Ward we met so many from before:

Karen Kagii Davis & Me

Andrew & Jane Baldwin; Linda Owens; Brother Sweeney; Martyn Baldwin

Martyn Baldwin & Me

Martyn Baldwin took a picture of Frank Sengewitz & me with Robert Jackson. \240Robert is 90 and has been expected to die so many times that Martyn now calls him “Lazarus”. \240Robert and his wife Janet were the first persons I met among the members of the church in England.

We were driven by Frank & Kathy to Leeds Airport Enterprise to retrieve a replacement car. Kathy kept passing Cadbury Favourite Misshapens to the front for our consideration. Too many considerations….

We picked up a Toyota hybrid for the rest of the trip. \240We returned the 45 minutes to the hotel. \240Freshen up then headed to Hebden Bridge for dinner at IL Mulino Italian Restaurant to meet all:

Kathy, Janey, ?, ?, Allie, Keara, Richard, Alec

Richard & the adoring Keara Watson

Janey Berry Branson & Alec Berry

Back at hotel Allie had a Bavender Zoom and I worked on a weekly report.

Ian & LindaS

Still Fetching ‘eck

Linda’s sitting room

Though small, their home is neat, homey, well maintained and warmed with their generous personalities. \240Linda & Ian have done some wonderful work maintaining their home. \240The odd thing is that across the street and down the avenue most homes are in disrepair, unkempt and in some cases in need of demolition.

We went to La Luna for dinner. Our server was the very gracious Flo from Romania.

That’s it for today.

Impossible to walk amongst the vines and undergrowth

Ivy everywhere

It is a jungle

Somewhat beautiful, however, in the middle of the city

St. Philip the Apostle Parish Church, slowly dying and in want of repair

Many of the churches have gone to ruin because the exterior was not cared for. \240Once the roof goes….

Lock and not admitted

Graves overgrown…generally this is the case in most small parishes. \240The large cathedrals are funded and have better maintenance.

St. Philip the Apostle Parish Church partial lawn care

\240 \240 \240 \240 \240 \240Huddersfield England Stake Center

This is not the stake center I attended in 1972-74. \240The former building was destroyed in an arson fire in 1989.

Some fencing is around every church nowadays. \240This fence wouldn’t keep anyone out.

.

Went to 16 Carr Green Drive to see the Millers. \240Was concerned that they were not too eager to see us. \240We were warmly welcomed. \240Jane and Andrew Baldwin were there as well. \240So good to see them. \240Shortly after we arrived Philip and Adele arrived. \240They stayed about 20-30 minutes and left to take care of their responsibilities.

We stayed for 3 hours and really had a good visit. We will stop in again Thursday after noon for another visit before going home.

David Miller and George

David, George, Jackie, & Allie

Jane Miller Baldwin, Andrew Baldwin, Jackie & David

David was 80 on May 8th

We went to Da Sandro’s for dinner. \240Really filled up. \240Very good food. However, I am ready for realistic and reality food again. \240Happy to be going home Friday…

Entry to area near the Haworth Parsonage and the intimate village.

The Old Tyne sweet shop

A sample of the existing old

The Cabinet of Curiosties

Inside the Curiosities, an old Apothecary

Lou giving us directions to a waterfall nearby….the directions were insufficient, however, we got to this place for beautiful pictures….

We didn’t make it to Liverpool….so here’s Penny Lane, a craft shop in Haworth. \240;)

Pictures down hill in Haworth

A view from the road in Haworth….

The Haworth Village park….(7)

On the way to the “Waterfalls….” Looking toward Newsholme, Goose Eye, Oakworth and Laycock….

Lumbfoot Road

House at end of Lumbfoot Road

Looking toward Oldfield about 6 miles from Haworth

Lower Laithe Reservoir

Looking south to Drop Farm from Penistone Hill Country Park

Looking toward Oldfield

Field Head Lane

South to Oxenhope

Returned to Halifax and stopped by my old digs on Clover Hill Lane where I lived for 7 months from September 1972 through April 1973.

11 Clover Lea, Clover Hill Lane, Halifax, West Yorks., UK.

….our car parked in front of the old digs….

The Victoria Tower -1897

The Victoria Tower is 106’ in height. There are 138 steps to the top where an amazing 360 degree view of the surrounding country is unobstructed. \240It sits atop Castle Hill. \240The hill rises above the city of Huddersfield over 700’.

At the dedication of the Tower in July 1899 there 20,000 people in attendance. \240All attendees were dressed in their best clothes and walked or rode in wagons to the hillltop. \240Quite amazing for the time.

Steeped in history, human activity on Castle Hill goes back 4,000 years. Originally an Iron Age hillfort surrounded by defensive ditches and ramparts, it was later a medieval castle and the site of a medieval village.

Afterwards we headed to Halifax for an organ recital at the Halifax Minister: \240 \240 \240https://halifaxminster.org.uk/

Leaving the recital we visited with Linda Owens again. \240We spent an hour and a half with her. \240She is vibrant and has a wonderful exuberance for life. She fed us strawberry scones and chocolate cupcakes. \240Delicious.

Leaving Linda we went to the Millers. \240David & Jackie were there as well as Jane & Andrew Baldwin. \240We visited for right at 4 hours. \240Jackie demanded we stay for tea with them and provided excellent Fish & Chips with mushy peas and curry sauce. Excellent.

Spent the evening just remembering and reminiscing. \240Was an emotional goodby.

Tomorrow is prepared and we will go hoping all is well at home.