Day 287 - Dining with friends

When you've been away for a few months, it's not surprising that at the top of the list of priorities is a visit with friends. Of course, if we can throw a walk in with that, all the better!

We rose a bit later than normal, and after a bit of breakfast at the hotel and some work that needed doing by Phil, we set out on a walk from Maida Vale to near the Bond Street station to meet up with Lady Jane Tanqueray for lunch.

The walk took us over the Regent Canal and we skirted Regent's Park before turning toward Bond Street. As usual for a walk in London, we came across something new and intersesting we hadn't seen before. Today, it was a blue plaque highlighting the home of Lionel Logue. Do you recognize that name? Does it have a familiar ring to it? If you've seen the movie, The King's Speech, the you may remember that Lionel Logue was the speech therapist who helped King George VI overcome his stutter when speaking in public. The movie does take some liberties. In reality, he wasn't yet King when he started seeing Logue, nor did he come as a result of his wife's efforts. As the Duke of York, he began seeing Logue in 1926 after being introduced to Logue by Lord Stamfordham. He became King in 1936, 10 years later and by that point his stammer was long-since noticeable to the public. It is true that the two remained good friends until the King's death.

We met up with Lady Jane at the Côte Brasserie in an area known as St Christopher’s Place. It wasn't long before we were laughing and losing track of the time ... and the prosecco was not wholly to blame.

Phil and I then took another route for the hour-long walk back to the hotel, heading down along Oxford Street for a bit, darting in and out amongst the many Christmas shoppers.

A quick change, and we set off again for our evening out. This time, we took the Tube to Waterloo in time to catch a train to Camberley, the home of Phil's colleague Les and his wife. A lovely meal, more laughter and, yes, wine.

What a lovely start to our week in the U.K.

Day 286 - Home again!

And we're back! Miss us?

Phil has had to come to London to present some Brexit-related research, so of course I have taken the opportunity to tag along. It will feel like a whirlwind trip compared to the last one, but we will pack in as much as possible ... as usual.

Today was all about the flight. Up before 5:00 a.m. to catch the UP Express to the airport at 6:00. Our day flight on Air Canada (which we highly recommend over an overnight flight), left on schedule at 8:50, and landed at Heathrow at 8:10 p.m. local time. An uneventful flight (just how I like them) with Phil and I chosing the same two movies to watch: Blackkkklansman and Crazy Rich Asians. Before we knew it, we were landing.

We took the regular train line into Paddington. Travel hint here: If you want to save a few quid, avoid the Heathrow Express. From the same platform, you can get regular train service into London that makes two stops. In our case, the regular train was due in as we made it to the platform, with the Heathrow Express due in another 12 minutes. So, in fact, we arrived at about the same time as the Express, for less than half the cost.

It was about 9:30 when we arrived at Paddington, and as it was a Sunday evening, we chose to grab a bite at the pub at the station known as The Mad Bishop and Bear. Unfortunately, the kitchen was closed, but I didn't have any difficulty convincing Phil to stay put, order an ale (Tribute) and wait for me to go to the Marks and Spencer store downstairs and bring back a couple of sandwiches.

As for the name of the pub, in case you were wondering, I'll let them explain: "The land around here used to belong to the Abbey of Westminster - but was sold to the railways rather cheaply by a somewhat ‘mad’ Bishop! As for the Bear, well, this is Paddington station after all…"

We then took the Bakerloo line two stops to Maida Vale station. This is a gorgeous Grade II-listed building, which opened in 1915. It has the distinction of being the first station entirely staffed by women -- well, at least until the end of  WWI and the return of servicemen. 

From here we walked to the nearby Marriott, our home for the next three nights. The evening was a wonderfully balmy 9 degrees and we had to stop ourselves from extending the walk. 

Of course, the young man at the front desk had a Canadian connection having spent 6 months training in Montreal...and yes, he did get to experience our winters! We could see the expression of pain on his face.

Day 285 - It's about the journey, not the destination

We fly back to Canada later today. We're beyond excited to see Alex and Becca. We've always been close as a family and do a lot together, but this trip has reinforced just how important a part that will always be in our lives. And I have greatly missed my weekends with my Mom, and my laughs with my sister, although I am grateful for Skype in bridging the distance.

We've been asked what have been the highlights and low points of the trip. Highlights are tough, as there have been so many. Low points were when I was electrocuted on a farm fence and was accused by a Customs Officer as permanently living in the country since Phil is a British citizen. All great stories to tell now, so in the end, worth it. The lowest point was when Phil's cousin Marga in Germany passed away. It was fortuitous that as a result of this trip we got the chance to see her with Becca in October and then were here for her funeral earlier this year. It has led us to be even closer with Phil's two remaining cousins, Sascha and Thorsten, and Sascha's two young boys ... which brings us to a highlight: attending the confirmation of Sascha's son in April in the most beautiful part of Germany. Out of the bad can always come good.

We've been grateful for the time family and friends took to visit us while we've been here. We would have liked to have hosted more of you, but understand that it's not always possible for you. Know that we consider such times the true highlights of our travels, and you are always welcome to join us on any of our future adventures. It really is the people we meet in life's journey that inspire us.

We added to our base of friends while here: Alan and Caroline in the Cotswolds, Nick and Krissy in Kingsand, Cornwall, and Claire and Dave in Skye. Add to that list the many people we met in shops, pubs, and on walks who stopped to chat with us. The friendliness of strangers is truly one of life's great joys. We all love it when we are on the receiving end of a smile and a few kind words, and we were constantly reminded of the benefit of practising it ourselves whenever possible -- as the blog title says, just keep saying hello.

Of course a special shout out goes to our wonderful friend Lady Jane who starred in many of our stories, and who even provided a few posts herself. Her friendship, humour and joie de vivre are a big reason we love the UK so much and hate to leave.

Phil and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary recently and it was wonderful that it occurred during our year away. We couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate. We've spent almost every hour together over the last year and can honestly say we have never tired of that or run out of things to talk about. We love doing similar things and have a common thirst for discovering what is over that next hill and around that next bend. We have enjoyed keeping this blog (shout out to Ann Luu for continuing to insist we start one), and are grateful for the way it will help us to remember all we have done. It is often the tiniest of moments that we discover to be the most important and memorable, and we have captured so many of them here.

I have the greatest travelling companion through life in my darling Phil, and can't wait to see where we go next.

And over to Phil....

I couldn't have written it any more beautifully than my partner in life, Angela. Her love and laughter inspires me and has made this time away a magical one. It is hard not to hold back the tears, but I would like to finish with two quotes, one very old and one very recent. They sum up this experience and what future adventures Angela and I will share together:

“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” – Matsuo Basho

“The main thing that you have to remember on this journey is, just be nice to everyone and always smile.” – Ed Sheeran

So just keep saying "Hello"...with a smile.

Angela and Phil

Day 284 - Dowager Day

Lady Jane Tanquery, drink in hand, smiles as she reads the text message from her friend Angela. Lady Jane's calls to her source at British Airways have worked. Ange and Phil will not be leaving for Jersey, but instead will have to stay on the mainland and therefore be free to celebrate the birthday of the Dowager Duchess of Staines-Upon-Thames and Patron of the Surrey Constabulary (Lady Jane's mother).

When you are summoned to attend the birthday of the Dowager, you make haste. We should have known that when we were initially invited. You face the consequences otherwise.

The Dowager lives on a rather modest estate at the end of a close in the town of Staines-Upon-Thames. Staines was first settled when the Roman emperor Claudius invaded Britain in the year 43 AD. In 1215, the barons assembled at Staines before meeting King John at Runnymede, and Sir Thomas More was tried in 1535.

The Dowager Duchess has lived here since the mid-1970s, and despite the many tales about her that we were made privy to during our lunch, has not been chased out by the local townfolk. In fact, given the quality of the people in attendance at today's lunch, it is quite evident she is held in high esteem. However, one may wonder if that has at least a small bit to do with her closeness with the local police force, where she regularly volunteers her time as well as her rather remarkably keen understanding of the underbelly of society and its undertakings.

We also got the opportunity to finally meet Lord Robert of Putney. Lord Robert is currently a coach living in residence at the esteemed Putney Rowing Club and was the coach of the British team at the Rio Olympics. Lord Robert told us of the wonderful time he had in Toronto on a visit there, where he was a guest of The Royal Canadian Military Institute on University Avenue. He regaled us with his many stories, and told us how well he had been treated in Canada. (To my fellow Canadians: Do not worry; I did advise him that as Canadians, we treat all our guests equally well. I think I heard him mutter something like "bloody colonialists"after this, but I can't be certain.)

I am afraid I had to sign a non-disclosure waiver on entry to the soiree, so cannot share any details of what I discovered this day. Suffice it to say, no matter what end of the "class" spectrum we may find ourselves, we're all capable of getting up to fairly similar shenanigans.

On what I have been asked to assure you is a completely unrelated note, watch for future episodes of the much-anticipated BBC sitcom, "Up Yours, Chief Inspector," which is not at all related to the Dowager despite any obvious similarities.

It was an uproarious day, the kind where you almost are sore from laughing so much, and a fitting send-off for our trip. We started this adventure with Lady Jane waiting for us with drinks in hand at Heathrow airport way back in September, and we end it with her dropping us back off there ... and of course, more tears (the jet fumes).

Day 283 - From Dorking to Reigate

What do you do when your flight gets cancelled? You get up, you shake yourself off and you get back out there. Oh, and you google "countryside walks around Gatwick airport."

You are never far from a good country walk in England, even when you're close to an airport. Today's Google-suggested walk would be between Dorking and Reigate. These two towns are located between Gatwick and London, but you'd never know you were so close to all that activity.

Another country path beckons.

We took a short train trip to Dorking, and once out of the station were almost immediately in the calm and quiet countryside. Perfect!

For most of its route, the walk criss-crosses the River Mole, a tributary to the Thames which it enters near Hampton Court Palace (one of Henry VIII's favoured out-of-London escapes). It's name is thought to have come from the many mills along its route at one time, and not the odd-looking ground-digger of these parts. Despite that, a pub we passed is called The Grumpy Mole with the mammal as its symbol.

The village green at Brockham with its memorial pump.

The first village we came to is called Brockham, and a more idyllic village green would be difficult to find. The green was once used for cricket matches (thus its size) and is still noted for the huge bonfires and fireworks displays held on it each year on Guy Fawkes Night.

In the centre of the green is a pump, which is thought to never have pumped water. It is in fact a memorial to a local man named Henry Thomas Hope. Henry was a bank Director and later MP for Gloucester (where we were staying earlier in our trip in the Cotswolds), and was a close friend of the Prime Minister Disraeli, who dedicated a novel to Hope. What is perhaps most fascinating about his story is that he came to own the Hope Diamond. His father purchased it, but his uncle ended up with it. When the uncle died, Henry and his two siblings fought in court for 10 years over its ownership. Ultimately, as the eldest nephew, Henry received it and seven other of the most valuable gems from his uncle's collection.

Through fields of grain.

The lychgate at St. Michael's
Church in Betchworth, a film
location in the movie 'Four
Weddings and a Funeral.'

If you look closely, you can just spot the bride. Phil joked
that they would be wondering who those people were in
the background of all their wedding photos.

The next village on our walk was Betchworth. Another pretty English village it is on the commuter run into London and thus is monied as well as filled with retirees (a combination that seems essential for maintaining the historic beauty of many of these ancient villages). Our walk took us right through the grounds of 13th-century St. Michael's Church. Despite it's rich history, it is probably most famous as being the site of the first wedding in the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral. Particularly famous is its beautiful lychgate. As if on cue, there was a wedding on as we entered (of course), so we had to politely sneak around the back of the church.

Inside The Dolphin Inn. Looks like a good
place to stop for a pint, don't you think?

The excellent walking guide we were following strongly suggested we take a lunch break in Betchworth at The Dolphin Inn. So, being the obedient walkers we are, we did as we were told. Seriously, this was the quintessentially idyllic pub: a maze of small rooms with a fireplace and a central bar, wing-backed chairs, fresh flowers ... and of course a variety of ales on tap for Phil.

Dolphin may seem an odd name for an inland pub, but it is thought that the name comes from the French word, Dauphin, which does mean Dolphin, but was used to refer to the Crown Princes of France. In 1216,, King John reneged on the Magna Carta, and his barons invited France's crown prince, Louis, to be King of England. After being welcomed in London, Louis went to Reigate to take a castle there for his own. He rallied support for his cause as he passed through Dorking and Betchworth. Louis never did get the crown. Henry unexpectedly died, and all the barons changed their loyalties over to John's son, Henry III. But all ended well, as Louis become King Louis VIII of France, although his reign was short.

Well fed and our thirst quenched, we set out again ... albeit admittedly a tad slower.

Just outside of Betchworth are the ruins of Betchworth Castle (which we didn't see), and we walked through the centre of the grounds which are now a rather lovely golf course.

We passed through Rice Bridge with its Grade II-listed farm with Jacobite features, then on to Skimmington, where we had to use all of our willpower to not go into the inviting Skimmington Castle Pub overlooking Reigate Heath.

The view from Reigate Hill.

We climbed a rather steep path to find ourselves on the top of Reigate Hill and the most beautiful views down from what appears to be hogsback-type hill.

This area is now a park, with all the lands being donated for public use. We followed a long straight path with berry bushes on both sides...many ripe and sweet enough to eat...which we did.

Our descent brought us through woods and out into a broad expanse of open playing fields belonging to Reigate Priory. A food festival was on, and we were drawn through the woods by the soulful music being performed by the live band.

The grounds and manor (to the right) of Reigate Priory.

It is believed the priory was founded in the 13th century, and was used as a hospital. After the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII gave it to William Howard, the uncle of Catharine Howard, Henry's fifth wife (the second wife to be beheaded for supposed treason and adultery).

We bypassed the food festival (seriously), and walked into Reigate, stopping in at The Tea House for a cuppa before taking the train back to our hotel.

A truly soul-restorative walk through the country. Something to consider if you find yourself in London and want to escape the crowds and summer heat.

Day 282 - No Jersey

Some of the beaches on Jersey

(With apologies to the great and late Charles Schultz for using this intro)

It was a dark and stormy night, suddenly a door slammed, a maid screamed, an airplane is struck by lightning.......meanwhile at Gatwick Airport two Canadian travellers, having spent the last 11 months travelling around the UK and Europe await the announcement of their departure gate for their flight to Jersey, one of the Channel Islands off the coast of France. But...that airplane from the story? Well, it turns out it is the incoming flight that will refuel at Gatwick and then take us to Jersey. So...we are advised that the plane is not going to continue flying that day and our flight is cancelled. And...the only available space to Jersey is now on Sunday evening, the same evening we were scheduled to return back to London. Weekend away cancelled. Thus, the title of today's episode: "No Jersey."

Mont Orgueil on the east coast of Jersey

Now let's pretend we did get to go. What would we have found out about this U.K. protectorate with it's own financial and legal systems and a Lieutenant Governor who reports to the Queen? Well, it's the largest of the Channel Islands and is located just off the coast of Normandy, France. It's known for it's wonderful beaches, the capital St. Helier, and fine food.

The history as you can imagine is very interesting. There have been inhabitants on the island for thousands of years, and the usual suspects have arrived there and settled and left: the Romans, the Vikings and the Normans. When the Normans conquered England, the island was part of the overall Kingdom of William the Conqueror. Subsequent Kings of England held onto the Norman territory until the French king, Philip II, defeated England's King John in the early 13th century to regain it -- all, that is, except the Channel Islands. So, the English fortified Jersey and it has remained under English rule until today. Oh wait a minute, there was the Second World War during which the Germans occupied Jersey. Ironically, although the islands are so close to the D-Day landing sites, they were not liberated for another 11 months, May 9th, 1945.

That's it folks and sticking with today's "fantasy" of having travelled to Jersey I will pretend that I enjoyed the following ...

Ale of the Day: Liberation Ale, Liberation Brewery, Jersey

 

Day 281 - What's the Deal with Walmer?

The gardens of Walmer Castle

Our time is winding down here in Hythe, and tomorrow we leave for Jersey, one of the Channel Islands between England and France.  So today Angela and I decided to check out some more historical sights here in Kent. It was hot again, but that did not stop us and we decided to use our English Heritage membership to take in two castles, both on the coast and up-channel from Dover. It would require a bus trip back into Folkestone, but at least we could take an air-conditioned train from there to Walmer where our adventure would begin. It's also an interesting train ride because it travels through tunnels to Dover and includes a coastal portion that runs along some of the famous white cliffs that surround it. After Dover, the train travels inland across fields of barley until arriving closer to the coastline at Walmer.

The residence at Walmer

Walmer is a town that lies to north of Dover and just south of Deal. Our plan was to walk the mile from the station to Walmer Castle, which lies right on the coast, and then along the coast to Deal. Walmer Castle was built as part of a plan by Henry VIII to protect a portion of the Kent coast that is not dominated by high chalk cliffs. He felt that this is where the French and the Holy Roman Empire would invade England in response to his creation of the Church of England and rejection of the Papal power of the Catholic Church. Not only was the landscape flat and the beach easily accessible, the offshore portion was protected from major currents and was a popular anchorage (known as the Downs Anchorage) for ships seeking shelter from the storms. So Henry built Walmer and Deal castles.

Big Julie landed hereabouts

Walmer Castle was built over 18 months beginning in the spring of 1539. It has one central round keep in the middle and four semi-circular abutments that allowed for guns to be pointed in all directions over a series of levels. The entire castle was surrounded by a dry moat. Of course, the invasion never happened and it didn't see any action until the English Civil War in the mid-1600s when the Royalists and the Parliamentarians fought over it. That was about the extent of its military use, and it then became the home of the Warden of the Cinque Ports (as referred to in our earlier posts in this blog), which was mostly a ceremonial position. 

Some impressive residents included the Duke of Wellington and William Pitt, the former Prime Minister. The fortification was expanded and renovated to make it more of a residence and today one can take a tour of the place and see the rooms made up in different vintages of its history. Some parts remain closed to the public as the Warden still has a residence in the castle. There is also extensive grounds with gardens, including a vegetable garden used by the castle kitchen and a garden that belonged to the Queen Mother when she was the Warden right up until she died in 2002.

I thought it rained in England all the time?

The heat made the castle's restaurant too warm for lunch inside and the outside tables were not in the shade so we began our walk along a paved coastal path towards Deal. You couldn't tell where the waterline stopped and the horizon began. It was so still, not a breeze or a visible cloud. 

Along this section was where Julius Caesar first landed to invade England in 54 B.C. About 2 kilometres later we arrived at Deal Castle (and an ice cream!). It too is comprised of a central keep, but has a surrounding circular fortification connected by tunnels. Canons could be placed upon it so that it could cover 360 degrees of area. It was built the year after, and like Walmer, the castle was part of the English Civil War struggle, but eventually became a residence, in this case that of the Captain reporting to the Warden. The Captain position was also a ceremonial appointment and remained so until the Captain's residential extension was demolished by a Luftwaffe raid during the Second World War. After the war the location became a tourist attraction and has remained that way to this day.

After our visits to these two locations it became clear as to why Henry demolished the nearby abbeys.  He needed the stone to build these battlements.  In fact, you can still see carved stone from the abbeys in the outer walls of Deal Castle.

Deal Castle

Ale of the Day:  Master Brew, Kentish Ale, Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham, Kent

Day 280 - Prosecco picnic

Viennese Whirls...
mmmmm.

Last day to just chill in the cottage -- it was really too hot to do much else. We started the day by grabbing a couple of lattes and then some breakfast bake goods at a small shop called The Independent Baker. If you've been following the blog, you know that we have been trying to support local shops whenever possible, so even the name of this place is perfect. It was started by a young woman in her early 20s who one day just decided to go for what she was passionate about ... baking. Self taught and self motivated ... how fabulous.

We took our breakfast and sat on a bench next to the canal and just absorbed our surroundings.

The rest of the day we spent writing in the relative cool of the cottage. When dinnertime approached we put together a small picnic of food still remaining in the cottage cupboards and fridge, and with an added chilled bottle of prosecco, we made our way to the beach. The haze from the heat was making a view of France an impossibility, but it was a gorgeous evening.

We drank a toast (or two) to about our extraordinary year and the wonderful things that still lie ahead ... and just soaked in every moment together.

Day 279 - Canterbury Tales

"It's that you each, to shorten the long journey,

Shall tell two tales en route to Canterbury,

And, coming homeward, another two,

Stories of things that happened long ago.

Whoever best acquits himself, and tells

The most amusing and instructive tale,

Shall have a dinner, paid by us all,

Here in this roof, and under this roof-tree,

When we come back again from Canterbury."

As said by the Inkeeper and Host to the pilgrims traveling 

to Canterbury in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

I mentioned in a post a few days ago that when we started our adventure last September in Alton, one of the first things we did was walk part of the Pilgram's Way that runs from Winchester to Canterbury. It was originally used by those going to see the shrine of St Thomas Becket. As we near the end of this particular adventure, we find ourselves in Canterbury. Although admittedly this was not a consciously planned route, it does seem fitting. Like the tales told by the travellers in Chaucer's tales, we've enjoyed sharing our own stories along the way.

We have a few days remaining and a few tales left to tell, and we are continuing to make the most of each one.

From Hythe, the number 18 bus takes you through tiny villages of Kent to the bustling City of Canterbury. At its heart lies the mostly walled old town in which lies the famous Canterbury Cathedral.

Costumes for King Ethelbert and
Queen Bertha in the museum of
St. Augustine's Abbey.

But Canterbury as we know it and perhaps even English Christianity would not have existed at all if not for a Benedictine monk from Rome named Augustine. in the year 595, Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine to Britain to convert King Ethelbert and his Kingdom of Kent from Anglo-Saxon paganism to Christianity. Ethelbert had married Bertha who was the Christian daughter of the King of Paris, so the conversion wasn't too difficult. Augustine set off with 40 monks, but returned to Rome after two months. The Pope basically told him he would be derelict in his duties if he didn't complete the mission and sent Augustine back on his way.

The first parts of 
St. Augustine's made 
use  of red brick from
Roman buildings on 
the site.

Ethelbert's castle was in the walled town of Canterbuy, and in 598 he granted Augustine land just outside of the walls to use to build a monastery and gave him free reign to try to convert his citizens. In 597, Augustine effectively became the first Archbishop of Canterbury, the senior bishop and principle leader of what is today the Church of England.

Several kings and archbishops were buried at St. Augustine's.

The abbey was not only a home for the monks, it was to be the burial place for Kings of Kent, archbishops and other high-ranking members of royalty and the clergy.

The remains of one wall of the former abbey.

Despite its historical significance, most of the abbey was demolished by Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and stone from it was used in a variety of buildings and forts near and far.

Which brings me to Canterbury Cathedral, a stone's throw away from St. Augustine's, but built on the inside of the town walls. (Before exploring the Cathedral, we stopped for a cup of tea and a sandwich at The Moat tearoom, a Tudor-era building inside the old town. Lovely!)

You can see in this photo the
variety of eras that make up
Canterbury Cathedral.

While the Abbey housed the monks, the cathedral was the church over which Augustine was archbishop. He started work on Canterbury Cathedral at the same time as the monastery, re-using a former Roman Church to begin with. The cathedral was badly damaged in 1011 during raids by the Danes. The Archbishop at the time, Elfheah, was taken hostage and killed at Greenwich, becoming the first of five Canterbury archbishops to be murdered.

After being destroyed by fire in 1067, the Cathedral was completely rebuilt and vastly expanded.

To honour Queen Elizabeth II's
Diamond Julilee, statues of her
and Prince Philip were added to
the western front of the Cathedral
in 2015. 

Thomas Beckett became the second martyred archbishop. Pilgrims began to flock here and the Cathedral grew again to accommodate their numbers. With the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Henry VIII had Beckett's tomb destroyed and all relics associated with him vanished. Canterbury surrendered in March 1539 and was spared destruction, although another abbey that had been built into it was abolished.

We took two tours while visiting the Cathedral. The first explained the life of the monks who had lived there, and the second discussed the murders of the archbishops.

Our heads almost filled to the brim with history, we walked along the River Stour and watch the punters steer their boats down the river amid the gardens. We resisted the urge to jump in despite the heat that has been hitting the UK, and returned to our cottage in Hythe for a well-earned rest.

Day 278 - Lancaster Bomber

Quiet day on the travel front today. Just catching up on articles (Phil) and the blog (Ange).

So, I'll take the time to tell you about yet another interesting "Matrix" moment ... two days ago, while working on my ancestry research on the Walsh side of the family, I discovered that Phil's Dad had worked for A.V. Roe (Avro) while in England during WWII (we knew he had worked for the company while in Canada). I learned that he had been assigned to the drafting department. Here as a young man in his late teens and early 20s he worked on the Avro Lancaster, and in particular on a life raft that could be deployed from the plane if needed. Only 17 Lancasters exist today, and of those only two are still airworthy: one which is located at Mount Hope airport near where we lived in Canada, and the other here in the UK at Coningsby.

While out walking with Lady Jane in Hythe yesterday, the UK-based Lancaster flew over as part of the airshow going on in nearby Folkestone today. We have now seen both airworthy Lancasters in flight.

Coincidence? I think not.