Travels

On Sunday – our last day on the Isle – we hustled out along Freshwater’s West Highdown to view the Needles before the rain set in. The geology here is chalk and slippy sediments, making for lots of “landslips” and erosion. The stunning chalk fragments known as the Needles are remnants of a much longer … Read more

Saturday found us in Ryde, where Alan and Jane caught the passenger ferry back to Portsmouth. Matt & I then drove to the seaside resort of Shanklin (caught in a lovely little 1950s-era time warp), and walked the beach to Sandown. At Sandown, we caught the train back to Shanklin – the line to which old … Read more

Thursday afternoon was spent at Osborne House, Victoria & Albert’s cozy family home. (Ahem.)       After becoming Empress of India, the Queen became fascinated by all things Indian. Some scenes from Victoria and Abdul, with Judi Dench as Herself, were recently filmed here. The Durbar Room is over the top, even by Victorian … Read more

Friday we went a’castling. Carisbrooke Castle was first constructed in the 12th century (held by a powerful Lady, Isabella de Fortibus) and was repeatedly re-fortified to protect England’s coast against that perennial enemy, the evil French. The Great Hall mansion was added in Elizabeth 1’s reign; Charles 1 was imprisoned here before losing his head. … Read more

Tuesday was transfer day, driving south from Broadway to Portsmouth. The harbor fortifications date back to Henry VII (c. 1500), built as part of England’s endless wars against the French. Portsmouth’s ancient/modern  cathedral has bits from every century since its 12th century beginnings, making for some pleasing but rather odd juxtapositions. We caught the ferry … Read more