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Here is the Exeter Cathedral or the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter with Its high gothic ceiling bright and light from a recent cleaning as it turned 1000 years old. A really beautiful Cathedral. I particularly liked the strange tombs and effigies.
Alabaster effigy and tomb of Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter 1395-1419, complete with modern graffiti.
Memorial alabaster effigy of Lady Doddridge.
Beautiful countryside in Wales with sheep, green hills, then rain and waterfalls. Exceeding expectations!
Welshpool and the Medieval Powis Castle and Gardens. Country house built in the 13th century.
We stayed at a wonderful hotel in Welshpool named the Royal Oak. We started with afternoon tea then good conversations at dinner in their cozy dining room. In the morning we were treated with an amazing story of inspiration and hope from the owners, Chris and Lucy Birdsell-Jones. During the COVID shutdown they came up with a creative idea for raising money for the local fire department (he too had been a fireman). Through random phone calls, persistence, and luck, he and his wife coordinated the production of a Christmas song that made it to No. 4 on the UK music charts. They coordinated over 40 singers from various fire departments into a band they called the Fire Tones raising over 80,000 pounds for fire departments in the UK. They managed to get approval to sing the hit song by Band Aid “Do they know it’s Christmas” (a charity song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 for the famine in Ethiopia). Truly inspirational. Here Janice and I are with him after he gave us a signed copy of the CD. Also below is the link to the song.
North Wales, Plas Dinas Country House home of Lord Snowdon (husband to Princess Maragret, sister to Queen Elizabeth). Decided to skip the castle and enjoy this beautiful country house instead.
Walked the gardens, took a bath, and then was treated to a an excellent dinner with a famous chef. I personally liked the smoked butter – love a ceremony. I have to now try that at home when entertaining guests.
See the smoked butter:
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