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This (or That) England

Apr 4th 2007Suzanne Enoch
Suzanne EnochOn Writing!

My first book, The Black Duke’s Prize, came out in 1995, and is a Regency Romance set in England. My next book, Sins of a Duke, comes out this June and is a Regency Historical set in…England. Hm. A trend, I think.

cimg0732.JPGFor years while I wrote about life in historical Britain, I harbored a horrible secret, which I’m now revealing. Well, I’ve never been to the year 1812, or to any of the other years between 1811 and 1820 – the years which comprise the Regency. Yes, it’s true. My only knowledge came from books and a few history videos. And oh, yeah, I’d never been to England, either. My only knowledge came from books and a few travel videos.

Finally my guilt over not actually visiting the place I’d been writing about for a decade overcame my fear that seeing it in person would somehow ruin the place of my imagination, and I went. This was in the summer of 2005, four weeks after the London Tube bombings, which didn’t make my mom very happy, but I’d already made plans, and somehow it seemed wrong not to go.

I loved England. I loved it before I’d gone, but I still love it now. More, even. In fact, I’ve begun wondering if it’s cimg0661.JPGpossible to be homesick for a place you’ve only visited for fourteen days. Anyway, I decided to make my tour across traditional Jane Austenish England, going from Stonehenge and Salisbury to Chepstow and Raglan Castles in Wales, then on to Bath and Oxford and finally to Hampton Court, Windsor and then London. My younger sister came with me, and I hired a driver/guide for the first week, before we arrived in London. Frankly, I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to return, and I wanted to squeeze everything out of the trip that I could. Hey, I even took all of the pictures in this blog.

Though I loved everything about it except for the lack of ice cold diet sodas (my obsession for which Karen Hawkins can attest), I have to say that my favorite place to see was Blenheim Palace. cimg0854.JPGcimg0893.JPGWe first saw it coming up over a low rise, and I realized that this was where the family I’d spent the last year writing about (the past three years, now) had their country seat. Yes, this was Melbourne Park, home of Sebastian Griffin, the Duke of Melbourne. Of course it actually belonged to relations of Winston Churchill (who was in fact born there), but that wasn’t the point. I KNEW this place. It was one of those rare, magical moments when imagination became reality. It still gives me goosebumps.cimg0928.JPG

Is there a place that you love to visit, or one you long to see? What makes it special? What’s your ideal trip or vacation?

58 Comments »

58 Responses to “This (or That) England”

  1. Stacy ~ on 04 Apr 2007 at 6:03 am #

    I long to see Ireland and Scotland. I want to visit Loch Ness LOL. I’ve been to Finland, where my relatives are from, and loved it. It’s so clean, and there’s less clutter than there here in the states.

    Other than that, Aruba. It’s going to be a high of 40 degrees today (right now it’s 33!) so somewhere warm sounds beyond heavenly….

  2. MizMacgyver on 04 Apr 2007 at 6:18 am #

    I would like to see England, Scotland, and Ireland. Places I have been in my mind and imagination. Check out some kilts and pubs :-)

  3. Karen Hawkins on 04 Apr 2007 at 7:48 am #

    Suzanne, what a great topic!

    I’ve been to England several times and always feel like I’m coming home, which makes me love it. But the one place I’ve been where I looked around and thought, “I BELONG here” is Scotland. Everything about it appeals to me — the hills and mountains, the greenery, the deep craigs and blue lochs and oh, the people are fabulous. My heart just sings when I’m there! Which is probably why my new series is about a Scottish family. Give me a Scotsman!!!

    I need to go back. I’m jonesin’!

  4. ladydawgfan on 04 Apr 2007 at 7:58 am #

    I also want to see England and Scotland, but at my own pace, not as part of a tour group. I want to see the great houses, the castles, and the ruins at my own pace, exploring to my heart’s content. Most tours give you about 20 minutes to see everything, rush you back to the bus, and then off you go to the next site. NOT ME, thank you!!!

  5. Susan K on 04 Apr 2007 at 8:03 am #

    I would love to see Scotland & England. It would be wonderful to see all the places I read about.

    Susan

  6. ladydawgfan on 04 Apr 2007 at 8:04 am #

    I have also always wanted to see Australia and New Zealand. My niece is going to be spending the summer in NZ as part of a scholarship program with her grad school, and I admit to being jealous (as well as being extremely proud of her).

    Someday it will happen. Gotta have hope (and money for plane tickets!)!!

  7. Karen Hawkins on 04 Apr 2007 at 9:44 am #

    OH, OH, OH! I thought of another. I have a huge wish to see Vienna before it sinks.

    Uhm, that is the city with the canals, right?

    Or is that Venice?

    I think it’s Venice. Well, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at seeing Vienne, but I’d looooove to see Venice and go riding on a gondola through the canals … *happy sigh!*

  8. Karen Rose on 04 Apr 2007 at 9:45 am #

    I was fortunate to be able to travel internationally when I was an engineer. I went to Germany, UK, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Finland, Japan, Venezuela … It was FUN. My favorite of all international cities is London, followed closely by Rome. I love the feel of those places, just walking around in antiquity. There’s nothing quite like it. My favorite part of London is one you can’t see anymore as a regular person, I don’t think. THat’s the Confessor’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey where the early kings and queens are buried. The first time I went through they let you get close enough to see every detail. I was in heaven!

    Where I’ve always wanted to go - Prague, just ’cause it sounds cool and Brazil - to see the famous waterfalls. Someday!

  9. Julia London on 04 Apr 2007 at 9:53 am #

    Suzanne, I am right there with you. I end up in the UK pretty frequently due to a family that loves to travel, and I have always believed my past lives were all there. As I tell my sister, I was a lady of the manor, and she was my washerwoman — I just feel it in my bones. I am a huge Anglophile — I even have, and have read, all the Diana books, LOL. Lucky me — am going to Ireland this summer. Karen H — Venice is fabulous, particularly if you are into sitting around drinking wine, which I so am!

  10. Suzanne Enoch on 04 Apr 2007 at 9:54 am #

    I’d love to be able to go to Rome, and to see Athens. There’s supposedly this…ailment, I guess it is, that some Americans succumb to in Europe. They freak out when they see really old buildings — apparently it’s because the oldest things in the US are maybe 300 years old, and elsewhere they’re 3000 years old. The brain short-circuits or something.

    Of course that was probably before visual travel was so prominent. Nowadays we can get a good, in-depth look at something before we actually set foot there.

    I have to admit, though, I got all goose-bumpy when I saw Stonehenge in person, & I expected that to be all touristy. It wasn’t.

  11. Julia London on 04 Apr 2007 at 10:14 am #

    And the coliseum was another one that gave me goosebumps. Definitely touristy, but still, so truly amazing to me — I can’t wrap my head around how they knew how to engineer it and build a structure like that, which is still standing, thousands of years ago.

  12. gannon on 04 Apr 2007 at 10:42 am #

    I love to travel and have been lucky to see many beautiful places. Being married to a naval officer helps with the travel and we’ve been lucky to have lived overseas, most recently in Italy for 2 years. There are so many amazing cities there, and Rome is a definite favorite. Venice, too. But my two favorite areas are Tuscany and the Amalfi coast. The scenery, the food….! LOVE IT!

    England and Scotland are at the top of my list of fave places I’ve been, especially Scotland. My heart just sings when I’m there! I’m hoping to go to Ireland soon, because I’m certain I’ll feel the same way about that charming country. I’m fascinated by all things Celtic.

    Prague, Paris, Corfu, Barcelona, Germany and Egypt round out my list of favorite travel spots. I realize the Middle East is not the place to be now, but Egypt is amazing and I would love to go back. That the Pyramids and the Sphinx still stand is mind boggling!

  13. TheNightPoet on 04 Apr 2007 at 10:59 am #

    I would love to visit Australia, England, Spain, France, Italy and the list goes on. One of my friends was fortunate enough to get to go to England, it was for study abroad, but I remember wishing I could have gone. Oh well, maybe sometime in the future.

    Somewhere I love to go is my grandparents farm. We call it the farm, but actually it’s a weekend getaway spot. There are no farm animals on it at all, but it’s a great place to go to getaway from everything. There is no phone and although there is a tv, it only gets a few channels and we hardly ever watch it, except at night while we’re talking before we go to bed. I love it there. My grandparents own a lot of pasture land and we take rides in the pasture and have weenie roasts and fish in the pond on their land. I have always loved it there.

    Somewhere else I really love is Beaver Lake, Arkansas. I went there a few years ago with one of my friends and it was beautiful! I was amazed at how clear the water was.

    Andrea

  14. Sabrina Jeffries on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:17 am #

    I am (horror of horrors) another one of those people who writes about England but has barely been there (went once when I was 12, for two days). I would kill to visit Scotland, Wales, England, and Ireland. I am a complete Anglophile, but with my autistic son, a long trip is hard to arrange. It could be done, but I’d have to go alone, without my husband, and he’d have to take off work for the whole time. So I just haven’t done it. But THAT would be my ideal vacation.

    Second, however, is a mountain vacation. I’m not a beach person–I love, love, LOVE the mountains. A cabin in the woods on a mountain is ideal. Mt. Olympus would be perfect, but Zeus just won’t let us vacation there, so I’ll have to settle for the Appalachians or something. :-)

  15. Kasey on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:23 am #

    I just got back from Italy about two weeks ago. I was in Florence and Venice. Yes, Karen Hawkins, Venice is the one with all the canals. It was beautiful and we took a gondola ride and it was amazing. I loved it and I would definitely go back in a heartbeat.

    The one place I have always wanted to see was England. I have been telling people that I want to go to England for years. I just haven’t got there yet with college and grad school, but I will and then I might not come home. I also want to visit Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany and Australia. I love to travel.

  16. Suzanne Enoch on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:29 am #

    I’m not a beach person, either, Sabrina — which I guess is weird, because I live in Southern California. I’d never been to Hawaii until four years ago. Mountains, I love.

    I’ve always thought it would be cool to visit New Zealand, which I’ve seen mostly through episodes of “Xena” & “Hercules” — and of course “The Lord of the Rings” movies.

  17. gannon on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:30 am #

    Sabrina, we are moving to the mountains of western NC in June. We love the mountains and are so excited to be moving to such a beautiful place. In fact, the town where we are moving is listed on the National Register of Historic Places–it’s like moving back in time. We feel blessed to be able to live in such a place–like our own vacation. If you have the chance to get to the mountains, go for it! The Appalachians may not be Mt. Olympus, but with a goddess there, it’s close enough. :)

  18. Ronlyn on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:50 am #

    oooo, so many places. When I was 19-20 I backpacked through Europe for 6 months. (Yeah, mom was thrilled with that decision.) I had a grand time and would like to go back and see everywhere again. The places that I’m really really pining for are: Greece, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, Southern England specifically…my list could go on and on. LOL.

  19. ladydawgfan on 04 Apr 2007 at 12:16 pm #

    Well, GOSH, Suzanne, Vermont has mountains!!! We also have some REALLY nice bookstores where you can even hold a signing to justify the trip!!! (yeah, I know it’s not subtle, but I’m desperate for someone important to come up here and sign books!)

  20. susang on 04 Apr 2007 at 12:32 pm #

    My husband and I spent two weeks in England and France, celebrating our 25th anniversary this past summer. It was a magical trip, our first abroad together since I was pregnant with the our oldest child and we spent two weeks in Greece. Since we both love to travel, we decided that we wanted to take the kids and go to Italy this summer, to celebrate D’s graduation from HS and to finally see some Roman ruins in Rome (versus all those other places we’ve been together).

    D had different ideas. He asked for a cross country trip this summer. The dh has been traveling all over the country with the kids during summer vacation since D was 3 yrs old. In fact, D has been to every continental state already. I am so pleased that even at 18, D wants to get in a car with Dad and the little brother and spend a month driving around. I will, as usual, fly someplace and meet them for a week or two, since my vacation time is limited. I can’t wait to be in Montana!

  21. DebMarlowe on 04 Apr 2007 at 12:33 pm #

    London and Bath are my faves! I told my dh I could happily live in Bath.

    I’ve always wanted to go to Australia, ever since my Thorn Birds phase in high school. And Austria, sigh. Talk about mountains. And Rome, and Athens, and on and on!

    The dh loves Japan. I’ve not been yet, but I wouldn’t say no!

    Deb

  22. KMB25 on 04 Apr 2007 at 12:47 pm #

    I love to travel! When I was a little younger, my parents thought these trips were important, so I went to Europe a few times (mostly to Ireland, England, and France) and I’ve had a blast.

    BTW Julia–depending on what time of the summer you’re going to be in Ireland, there are some pretty cool music festivals going on throughout the country that you should check out. The biggest one is Willie Clancy week in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare…I think it’s set for the 2nd week of July and it’s not far from the Cliffs of Moher…thousands of people descend upon this little town for a week of good food, fun, and awesome music!

    Now, my budget can’t really support the travel, so I’m relegated to travelling with a band. (although we’ve gone some pretty cool places!) I think that the US has some awesome places to offer…and for the record, some of the prettiest vacation spots are in mountains of NC –and they can rival the French alps any day…..

  23. KMB25 on 04 Apr 2007 at 12:49 pm #

    Gannon—I absolutely love being in Western NC! It was awesome being in Linville Falls for Grandfather Mountain Highland Games…we went to Boone and another beautiful little town that is called the ‘Aspen of the East’…was it Blowing Rock?? I can’t remember the name, but man, I wish I could’ve stayed longer!

    ~Kim

  24. Nicole Jordan on 04 Apr 2007 at 1:08 pm #

    I adore everything about England and Scotland. I’m an Army brat, so I was fortunate enough to live in Europe and travel a lot when I was younger — we were close enough to drive to Paris for long weekends, for example.

    The Greek Isles, however, are just astounding. Everywhere we turned, there was more jaw-dropping stuff to see.

    NicoleJ

  25. foreverdelayed on 04 Apr 2007 at 1:32 pm #

    I have been to the UK a few times and have always enjoyed myself. I especially loved the time I spent in Manchester and Cardiff. Wales is a beautiful country and I would love to retire there someday. I don’t think that will ever happen but it is good to have dreams.
    I would love to go to Israel some day, but I am to nervous to visit that part of the world. I would also love to go to Spain someday because I have a really good friend there and she could be my tour guide. :)

  26. Claudia Dain on 04 Apr 2007 at 2:33 pm #

    I am with you 100%, on every point. I’ve loved the whole of the British Isles for as long as I can remember and have written books about it more often than not…and yet had never been! Until November 2005–we just missed each other!

    Just like you, Suzanne, I was afraid the real England couldn’t possibly measure up to the England of my imagination. Wrong! London, Bath, the Cotswolds…all amazing. I was in a state of bliss for the entire trip.

    And I’m going back in 3 weeks! I can’t wait!

  27. FilmPhan on 04 Apr 2007 at 2:43 pm #

    I really want to go to Scotland. I have this shirt that says, “Official Kilt Inspector.” I would wear that…..the whole time I was over there.

  28. SuzyQ on 04 Apr 2007 at 2:57 pm #

    There are so many places on my list to see: England, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Greece . . .

    The only time I have been to Europe was in high school where we stayed in Paris with the French club. It was just a beautiful city and we did get to travel to some of the wine country. Boy I had a blast!

    And Karen, I got to ride on a gondola, only it was at the Venetian in Vegas - does that count????

  29. Kay on 04 Apr 2007 at 3:20 pm #

    Just back from sun and sand on Maui. Dh had a business trip, and we blew all of the frequent flyer miles to swing the rest. Whales and dolphins and flying fish–OH MY! We were NOT in MN any more. I can’t believe how beautiful the sunsets are. On the other hand, there is so much building taking place on Maui that I’m afraid it won’t be paradise much longer– all of the locals tell poeple NOT to move there. (It was a shock to come home to MN and find snow on the ground!)

    We went to England, BC (before children) and I can’t wait to go back. My DH spent a semester in Scotland (Sterling) and I am dying to visit there sometime. I want to get to Wales, too.

    My favorite vacation ever was for my DH’s 40th, we went down the Colorado and through the Grand Canyon. That is one trip I am looking forward to repeating with the kids when they are in high school.

    So many destinations, so little time (and money), sigh…..

  30. Suzanne Enoch on 04 Apr 2007 at 3:28 pm #

    If I ever get to go to England again, I’m definitely heading for Wales. There’s a town in the eastern part (I can’t remember the name - something like Hay-on-Wye) that bills itself as the largest bookstore in the world. They have a huge book fest there every year.

    So many great vacation ideas! I spent a week in Charleston, SC in April a couple of years ago. Except that every place offered iced tea (blech), it was fabulous. Those old houses along the battery are amazing. And looking out over the harbor to see Fort Sumpter - talk about goosebumps.

  31. DebMarlowe on 04 Apr 2007 at 3:42 pm #

    Suzanne! Don’t be hatin’ on the iced tea! Even us relocated Yankees in the South will defend our iced tea!

    Hee hee.

  32. Cail on 04 Apr 2007 at 3:46 pm #

    I’ve been lucky to travel a great deal so far in my life, and I have to say that one of the most magical places i’ve ever been was in Southern Iceland near the most recently errupted volcano. The colors resemble something you’d picture on Mars. It’s like no place I’ve ever been to before. The rest of Europe and the Americas are great, but nothing as impressive as Iceland.

    http://www.dotphoto.com/SAN1/11/8D/BA/i118DBA08-E40F-43E5-AD56-9A20D2E0E199.jpg

  33. Erica Ridley on 04 Apr 2007 at 4:36 pm #

    My favorite place in the world is Madrid. Love, love, love it! Oh, and did I mention I love it? =) I so want to live there! (Just can’t seem to talk the other half into moving across the globe.)

    Runner up is Costa Rica. Guanacaste is one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been, and I travel pretty much every chance I get.

    Prior to leaving the country for the first time, my all-time favorite place to visit was New Mexico. I still think it’s gorgeous there. Gotta love mountains.

  34. Brandy on 04 Apr 2007 at 4:42 pm #

    Internationally I would love to see Scotland and Ireland. Something about them call to me. (Not to mention my Mom could speak gaelic.) All the ruins, green hills and Lochs are mysterious enough to intigue me.

  35. Ronlyn on 04 Apr 2007 at 5:09 pm #

    Yes, how could I have forgotten Spain?? I LOVED Spain.

  36. Julia London on 04 Apr 2007 at 5:10 pm #

    For all of you Wales lovers, my next book, THE PERILS OF PURSUING A PRINCE is set there. I fell in love with it, too — I had to have a brooding prince from there. So, voila, I wrote one :-).

    Its on sale April 17. But don’t worry. I will be mentioning that again, LOL

  37. dbrown3400 on 04 Apr 2007 at 8:08 pm #

    Apart from visiting all of Great Britain, I would like to go to Russia and find anything left over from the tsars. I was a history major in college with a focus on tsarist Russia. In 1992, I saw an exhibition of items from the court of Catherine the Great at the Dallas State Fair that was fascinating. I understand that such exhibits still exist and buildings stand that were not destroyed, either by the revolution or the Soviets.

    Donna

  38. Suzanne Enoch on 04 Apr 2007 at 8:33 pm #

    Ooo, Donna, I went to see the traveling Catherine the Great exhibit when it hit Los Angeles. I wonder if it was the same one!

  39. foreverdelayed on 04 Apr 2007 at 8:57 pm #

    Julia, that sounds like a fabulous book! :) I will cuddle my stuffed Welsh dragon while reading it! :)

  40. Adrienne on 04 Apr 2007 at 9:22 pm #

    I remember during the train ride into Venice I was shaking because I was so worried that this magical place that I fantasized about my whole life wouldn’t live up to my dreams. I shouldn’t have worried. It was beyond my expectations. I cried when I saw it for the first time and I cried when I left - I’m a crier.
    The Coliseum was another jaw dropping moment, but then again so was my first taste of gelato, so maybe I’m just easy to please.
    I would love to see more of Spain, that was a country that stole my heart. Also Ireland, Scotland and the north of England.

  41. Kasey on 04 Apr 2007 at 9:30 pm #

    Adrienne - Venice and the gelatto are amazing. I didn’t get to Rome to see the colisseum this time but I want to go back to Italy and I see Rome and Naples next time. The Duomo in Florence is anothe jaw dropping moment. All the sudden you turn the corner and it boom, it is right there. It was awesome.

  42. Kelly Ann on 04 Apr 2007 at 9:34 pm #

    I could spend all evening tell you the places I want to go, but my top destinations are England, The Isle of Man, Prince Edward Island, Scotland & Russia. In that order. I’m afraid that if I ever get the chance to go to England I would never come back. My mothers family was from the Isle of Man and my fathers was from England. There was also a sea captain from Scotland in the bunch somewhere (I like to think he may have been a romantic pirate that fell in love and moved to America). I’d love to go to Russia and visit Leo Tolstoy’s home, which is only one of the things I want to see there.

    I have never been out of the US, but my favorite place I ever vacationed was San Francisco & Monterey (sp) in Calf. I flew over the Grand Canyon on our way there and have always wanted to see that up close. I adore the mountains, but I love the beach too (I’ve been a scuba diver since I was 11, I grew up in Fl.). So any chance I get, I’m underwater swimming with the fishes.

  43. dbrown3400 on 04 Apr 2007 at 10:25 pm #

    Suzanne, I think so because the tour has only been outside Russia twice, in 1992 and 1996. I Googled it and there was a picture of the coach that was made out of gold and jewels — unbelievable. I might be exaggerating about the materials but not by much. The Faberge eggs were magnificent although there were cautions that not all were from the State Hermitage Museum of Catherine the Great. While the originals were made with real jewels, etc., and I guess are still sold at auction, knock-offs can be ordered from the Hermitage catalog. And clothing and stuff. Wow. Now, aren’t you glad you asked?

  44. dbrown3400 on 04 Apr 2007 at 10:29 pm #

    Oh, and Julia, I’ve 1-Clicked your book, so never fear! I’ve had a hard time waiting for this one after the duke so I’ll be “forced” to reread that one about the 15th just to get ready. db

  45. KMB25 on 04 Apr 2007 at 10:46 pm #

    Filmphan–I have the same kilt inspector tank top!! I’ve been to Scotland though….and unfortunately…the guys don’t walk around in kilts. I wish they did! (although, there would be some pretty gross looking men in skirts…so maybe they shouldn’t!)

    I think my two favorite places to visit were Wales and Ireland. When I was in High School, I did a welsh exchange trip and have kept in touch with my exchange student. She’s from the Island of Anglesey in North Wales, near Bangor and it is sooooo beautiful there! There are some wonderful beaches and the people are so friendly and welcoming.

    In Ireland, I bummed around a few summers ago for about 6 weeks learning the music and the people were so great! I remember how fresh the air seemed and how green everything was in the country. The one thing to stay away from?…the blood pudding with the full Irish breakfast…trust me…not so yummy.

    ~Kim

  46. gannon on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:02 pm #

    KMB25, we go to the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games often–aren’t they great?!! McRae Meadows resembles the Highlands when the mist rolls in. We’ll be living right down the road in a little town called Valle Crucis–home of the historic Mast General Store. The other town you mentioned is indeed called Blowing Rock–very charming! That whole area is beautiful.

  47. KMB25 on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:12 pm #

    Gannon,

    I went to the Mast General Store—it was awesome!! I believe that the band I play with (the Blair Band) will be at the games again this year…and I can’t wait to get back to the area! It does indeed remind me of being in the Highlands–especially with the mists :)

    ~Kim

  48. Suzanne Enoch on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:48 pm #

    I remember that carriage. It looked like something right out of “Cinderella”.

    When I was a kid, every summer the family would drive somewhere “educational” for vacation. Mesa Verde, Yellowstone, the Oregon coast, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite — if it was west of the Mississippi, we probably went there. *g*

  49. gannon on 04 Apr 2007 at 11:53 pm #

    Kim,

    Wow–we saw The Blair Band last year. Y’all were great! I hope you’ll be there again this year. I’ll be sure to say hello–I doubt there will be any other women named Gannon there. :) The Celtic Jam is so much fun. My sister and several of her friends and other friends of ours will be there with us–can’t wait for them to experience the Games.

  50. KMB25 on 05 Apr 2007 at 12:06 am #

    Gannon,
    That’s awesome!–you probably did see me last year…I’m the fiddle player (though I think we had an extra fiddle player with us so she could get some experience..she was kinda young!) I’m really looking forward to getting back there again this year–definitely come and say hello!

  51. Karen Hawkins on 05 Apr 2007 at 9:06 am #

    Gotta make to the Highland Games. I grew up right over the border in TN and always wanted to go but didn’t. Now I have No Excuses!

    Suzanne, I was supposed to go to Hay-On-Wye when I went to England once, but the day before, my brother walked backwards off a wall (taking a pic) at Fountains Abbey and broke his foot, so instead I spent three days twiddling my thumbs in Harrowgate, which was nice but … (pout!)

  52. gannon on 05 Apr 2007 at 11:36 am #

    Karen, you definitely need to come to the Games. Just think how fab they would be with several goddesses in attendance! :)

    Gannon

  53. Karen Hawkins on 05 Apr 2007 at 12:14 pm #

    Hey, we’d all have a blast. Ya know, I may need to put this on my calendar now.

    I’m off to find the website. Isn’t the internet the best thing since buttered bread? :)

  54. KMB25 on 05 Apr 2007 at 12:55 pm #

    hehe…yes it is! I believe the dates for this year’s games are July 14th-16th. I’m looking forward to seeing all the fun people again–Donovan who runs the games and Albannach….I might need one of you goddesses to help shield me from that outrageous flirt, Jamesie!!! (he really is yummy to look at though!)

    (fyi…he’s the long-haired hottie from Albannach…now Karen, there’s a scotsman for you that would inspire many fantasies and stories for the future!)

  55. gannon on 05 Apr 2007 at 4:29 pm #

    Albannach rocks, Kim!! My DH thought they were okay, but our 3 kids and I absolutely love them!! Must be those drums that speak to something primal in us. You’re right about Jamesie–an inspiration for Karen’s future novels. ;)
    I hope they’ll be there again this year.

    The website, Karen, for the Games is http://www.gmhg.org. Hope to see you there.

    Gannon

  56. TheNightPoet on 05 Apr 2007 at 4:31 pm #

    Okay after reading all your comments, I’m going to say that the next goddess who takes a trip overbroad, I’m going to stow away in your luggage! lol A lot of you have been to a ton of places I would like to go! I’m so envious. ;)

    Andrea

  57. Stephanie on 07 Apr 2007 at 5:22 pm #

    I would love to see England and Scotland. But I don’t have a clue where to begin. I want to see it all. My next destination would be the Carribean. I have been there and I love there white sandy beaches and clear blue water.

  58. miesa on 09 Apr 2007 at 5:09 pm #

    I was lucky enough to spend a semester in London and also do some archaeology in the Lake District when I was in college. And York and Canterbury are two of my fav places.

    I also traveled while studying in the UK. No reservations, no real destinations in mind. Just me, a backpack, and a handy Eurail pass. My parents weren’t too excited about it. I was 20 and traveling alone, but I don’t have a single regret - even if I am still paying for it 6 years later.

    My sister and I try to head to Ireland every couple of years. We rent a car when we visit and let ourselves get lost - literally. It’s an interesting way to travel. You never know where you’re going to end up or who you’ll meet!

    I’m less enamored with Scotland. But that has a lot to do with buses that don’t stop when pedestrians are crossing the street. Ouch! Wales is gorgeous. See the coast on horseback if you can.

    Places I want to see: Turkey, Russia, Thailand, Australia, 24 US states I haven’t seen (goal is all 50)