MUST SEE PLACES IN THE UK

C.I. bars, you're right. that is/was very remiss of me, age and senility must be catching up with me.

Margo. I agree, Oxford is a more interesting town to have adventures in. The architecture is more imposing and the social immenities are better. Cambridge is about a 45 minute drive from me. It has it's olde worlde bit, narrow alleys, old buildings but lacks the charm of Oxford.

Dorset is full of good places and it's home of Thomas Hardy the novellist as well.

I'd like to point out that if you have the time while visiting the UK, I recommend the National Trust "self-catering" rentals. The are generally for a week at a time, but even if you only stay for five of the seven days, they may be an inexpensive alternative to a hotel, especially if there are more than two in your party. We were very pleased with ours in Scotland. The were reasonably priced and situated at the most amazing historical sites which were ours to enjoy after hours as well. The rental price paid helps the cause which can make you feel good if you're needing that! Just looking through their websites or catalogs is great.

I'd better join in this topic...

I second most of what's been said so far, especially oak's initial introduction piece.

It's also very true that London is not representative of the UK. I feel like it's almost a different country, like the old "city states" of Italy. I feel more Londoner than Brit, really!

I won't have Cambridge placed below Oxford - you must have missed the best parts! OK, I'm biased, having spent 3 years studying there . It's much more a University with a town, whereas Oxford is a real town with a University running through it.

Punting to Grantchester from Cambridge (by "The Mill") on a summer afternoon and having a cream tea in the same orchard of which Rupert Brooke wrote:

http://www.web-books.com/Classics/Poetry/Anthology/Brooke/OldVic.htm

is SIMPLY SUBLIME!!!

Ideally you'll have consumed a couple of pints of Pimms on your way there and will just drift through the rest of the day!

Other highlights of Cambridge are the views of King's College from the Backs (the river side). Clare College gardens are delightful. Either St. John's or King's College Choirs are world famous and sing at chapel services.

The Fitzwilliam Museum has a strange variety of pieces, including a large number of original William Blake illustrations.

There are also enough decent pubs: from memory of 10 years ago, The Mill and the Baron of Beef are worth a visit for the beers and atmosphere.

I'll have a think about non-obvious London and post at items occur to me. KP

oak, Don't feel too bad. I've already reached that threshhold many years ago, but I keep plugging along..... c.i.

C.I. ===== Yep, go with the flow I think. And if you can't keep up, then pop into a pub or cafe and watch the world go by.

How glad I am to have followed KP's link. A very nice poem which I didn't know. Especially nice since I am very fond of two dogs which I named Pansy and Poppy (see line 6), so I am copying it to the poetry forum. It is also good to hear there might be interesting things to do in Cambridge. (I was reminded of the Beachboys' song "Be True to Your School.")

I think that it is hard to get a sense of place unless you are somewhere at the right moment on the calendar. In Washington, for example, if you are not here when you can go to the mountains, then you are missing out on a large part of our lives. (Well, my life anyway.)

For various parts of England and the rest of the UK, when are the best times to go? I've been in the Spring, the Summer and the Fall. I would prefer to go in May, but as it happens, we're tentatively planning to go next fall. Early next fall, I hope. A lot of things were closed, or closed during the week, which was disappointing.

A few years ago, when I took my d. to England... we ended up spending more than a week in Spain, since we figured that's what the Brits would be doing. (And they were -- a pile of them in Andalucia!)

Well, KP - if only you'd told me of Cambridge! I did like it, but reacted differently to Oxford. A far cry from the universities in Oz.

oak, That's the reason why I do enjoy the world go by in different hotel pub/bar and cafes around this grand world of ours. c.i.

BTW, what makes it grander is when strangers are willing to talk with you. c.i.

C.I. === Well I've certainly found in the USA, that people of all ages are open and friendly. Cab drivers the world over are notoriously talkative. But I spent a 3 hour trip on a Greyhound one time having a long conversation with a young G.I. who was heading home on his 1st spell of leave. Another time I was in an Irish bar, near Union Sq. in SanFrancisco watching the last match of the World Series and the guy sitting on the stool next to me asked who I supported. When I told him I was English and didn't have a favorite team he explained about the game , what was happening and so on. All very relaxed and it 's things like that, that make traveling such a joy.

oak, That is the "essense" of travel. To meet people around the world, and maybe, become friends. I have many of those. c.i.

Well that's the first time I've seen anyone recommend my hometown as a tourist attraction. Cheers Garath-you weren't taking the p**s were you?

Sheffield is seriously nice-very friendly people, new architecture and good museums, very close to excellent countryside(and more importantly excellent country pubs). It's just that to ask anyone in England about us they think we make knives and forks and thats about it.

I also find London expensive and artificial-I know a swede who lives there and knows no english people at all. It's nice to visit, I suppose.

Can you guess what my favourite county is? Yorkshire is the place to be. Off the top of my head I recommend: Leeds, Sheffield(big cities with all cultural amenities and good transport links) Whitby, Robin Hoods Bay, Staithes-seaside resorts with history and not too tacky. Whitby is where Dracula was set. The Yorkshire Dales and Derbyshire Peak District-beautidul countryside.

OK - Yorkshire - are you leading the tour?

Will there be a translation or subtitles??? - some of those Yorkshire accents are near impenetrable to an Aussie!

Hi KP

Didn't know you were a light blue!

We took Walter to Cambridge on the Sunday after our meeting. He seemed to enjoy it...beautiful weather and spring flowers and all that stuff if your into that. (Can't say I am really).

No punting though!

We had lunch in the Eagle where Crick and Watson dreamed up the structure for DNA. Surprisingly the plaque on the wall didn't say what they were drinking.

Yorkshire, My serious other and I both went to Sheffield University. We couldn't believe the changes when we visited last year. That pub outside Kellam Island museum was THE BEST for me. What was its name?

Margo

No need for you to bring subtitles to Yorkshire. Most people will understand you.

The Fat Cat perhaps, Steve?

(The pub's name, I mean, nothing else! )

re: "he seemed to enjoy it":

Regarding all that money, I had to pay for the drama lessons ... :wink:

Sorry Walter I knew you enjoyed your visit...and so did we..But I don't recommend the Eagle for fish and chips!! Molecular biology maybe, but frying fish well as you say the Fat Cat?!

Okay, that's cleared now. :wink:

The Fat Cat

The Fat Cat!!

Aaah, I know it well. Unfortunately located in the valley bottom, but that makes for 'interesting' drunken walks home up the hill. They've opened a franchise in town as well now-the Devonshire Cat, near Devonshire Green, surprisingly enough.

The changes are amazing-every time I go home something is different. This being Sheffield though, there is always the thought(expectation?) that it will mess up somehow and we'll still have 10% unemployment in 20 years. Still, there'll be lots of nice buildings and very cheap loft conversions if it does.

Margo-if you promise not to talk about any sport whatsoever, I'd be happy to guide/translate for you!! :wink:

MArgo just cant help talking abt Cricket - especially now that Aussies have won the world cup