London

WINDY! The dust was blowing and it was cool as we spent the day touring and shopping in London. Along with thousands of other people we saw the changing of the guard. It all happens pretty quickly.

We have driven a lot of miles and seen a lot of the U.K. in 8 days. Lots of stories to tell. Could be a chapter in another book!

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Cardiff and London

We are back in London after visting the Cardiff Castle and Stonhenge. The tour is now over except for a city tour of London. The Cardiff Castle was a palatial casual home for a Marquis and is a combination of contemporary and ancient architecture from a Roman wall to a bomb shelter. Stonehenge is an architural wonder dating back some 3000 years.
There will be more about the tour later. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I need some sleep.

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Waterford, Ireland

Not so lucky today as we had to drive for miles to avoid the Queen's motorcade. When we got out of Dublin, we went to a silver factory and then to Kilkenny Castle. This afternoon we went to the Waterford Crystal factory where you can buy this nice little sculpture for around $20,000. It is still sitting there.
Tonight, it will be traditional Irish entertainment, but not for long as we have to be up early to catch the ferry to Wales.

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Dublin

We had a wee bit of Irish luck yesterday as we left the hotel early enough to avoid the gridlock that would be created by the Queen's visit. Police everywhere! The British Prime Miniter's cavalcade blasted by us at one point.

We had a great tour of Dublin. Lots if history here. Then we went to a seventh century monastery. It is difficult to imagine our buildings lasting for that long.

Last nigh, Dublin was home to the European football finals. Lots of revellers about.

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10th Century Church in Ireland

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Belfast

Cheers!

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Belfast and Dublin

As we were about to board the ferry to Ireland, the Customs officer asked to search the hand luggage of six volunteers. Those who didn't have guns or contraband volunteered. When we crossed into Ireland, we drove past beutiful yellow gorse intermingled with white hollyhocks on one side and the coast of the Irish Sea on the other.

We toured Belfast and learned about the history of violence that plagued the city.

Now we are in Dublin and so is the Queen She will see the things today that we were supposed to see and we will see what she doesn't want to. I hope she will send postcards.

Now...to see if we can understand the Dubliners.

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