**Warning** Sarcasm is intended. So as promised I'm writing another blog about my ridiculous life. This weekend I went back up North to Redditch to visit Jessica and Ian, I went up a day earlier than I normally do after, let's say, an eventful previous weekend and week. This past Saturday we visited my future home; Blenheim Palace. This massive English Baroque styled palace is the seat to the Dukedom of Marlborough and is still used as a home by the family today. The Dukedom of Marlborough is currently in the Spencer-Chruchill family, as in, Princess Diana Spencer's and Winston Churchill's family. The palace was a gift to the 1st Duke of Marlborough from the British nation for defeating King Louis XIV's army. The gardens and statues and landscaping in general were breathtaking but most of all the Palace's interior
was magnificent the great hall is 63 feet from floor to ceiling, with windows that illuminate everything, so long as there is sun, which in this country is RARE. The palace's library is the second largest room in an English residence. We also saw the room and bed in which Winston Churchill was born in. The weather was gorgeous that day and from the palace you could see views of sheep grazed fields with small churches in the distant it was an idyllic day and the complete and total opposite of what today was like. Today got off normally, nothing exciting. Then we decided to take a Sunday stroll along a lake in Redditch and this began the downfall of my day. Now I adore children I want loads of kids, the thing with that is I only like children that are related to me or well behaved other than that, children can and do annoy me and British children are no different. In England the new fad for kids are these ridiculous scooters, now I'm all for children getting outside and exercising but when every other British brat cuts me off, runs over my foot and what have you, I would just as well tie them
to a tree and throw the scooters in the middle of the lake. Once finally escaped of the scooter ridden lake I made my way to the train station to go back to Portsmouth. Now, Europe is legendary for their trains and the efficiency of their trains well in my total of 4 train trips since being here, half have been ridden with problems and delays, and why should today be any different? It could only add to my already chipper mood (remember people sarcasm). The first bit started lovely, it was sunny, gorgeous, a nice breeze from the window, and I was for once facing the right direction! My first connection is Birmingham, now the train station there although massive is very easy to maneuver, so long as you have the correct times. Well the genius that I and my sister are, we had written the wrong train itinerary down...Whoops! after calling and getting that fiasco worked out I made my way to the platform to wait for my train to Bristol. Well with my luck my train would be 10 minutes late and my next connection would only give me 10 minutes, terrific! Once boarded I found my seat and thankfully no one sat next to me, which could be because I kept my bag on it, but who knows! Once the train started to go I realized that I was facing the wrong direction, terrific! about 30 minutes into the trip the train comes to a breaching halt, it didn't help that I had watched The Peacemaker last night and all I could think about was the train crash scene. The conductor soon came on apologizing for the delay and that there were signal problems and we should be moving shortly, 15 minutes later! we started moving again, at this point I have no idea where and if there are anymore connections to Portsmouth. So right before I arrived in Bristol the conductor came on and said that anyone going to Portsmouth, their next train was at 8:15, keep in mind its 6:55. So I made my way to a coffee shop and sat down, decompressed and a 10 minutes later get up to see what platform I would be departing from. Well hold on kids wouldn't you know there's a train leaving at 7:10 for Portsmouth, it's now 7:05 and I'm at platform 12 and my train leaves from platform 7. Well after a mad dash to the platform with my version of luggage for a weekend trip and in my head cursing out the useless train conductor, I made it to my train. Once the train started moving I realized, I'm facing the wrong way, again! This past weekend has made me aware of a few things. First I miss REAL maple syrup, I get random cravings for it at all hours of the day. Secondly there isn't proper deodorant here and the kind they have here is not as effective as American deodorant. Before you think it, no I do not exert myself, the deodorant here does not work as well and you can ask any American here and they will back me up. Thirdly clothes come out of the wash differently here, I don't know what it is about it, but it is completely different, and not for the better. These are all the ramblings I have for you for now, Until next time!
**Warning** Sarcasm is intended. So as promised I'm writing another blog about my ridiculous life. This weekend I went back up North to Redditch to visit Jessica and Ian, I went up a day earlier than I normally do after, let's say, an eventful previous weekend and week. This past Saturday we visited my future home; Blenheim Palace. This massive English Baroque styled palace is the seat to the Dukedom of Marlborough and is still used as a home by the family today. The Dukedom of Marlborough is currently in the Spencer-Chruchill family, as in, Princess Diana Spencer's and Winston Churchill's family. The palace was a gift to the 1st Duke of Marlborough from the British nation for defeating King Louis XIV's army. The gardens and statues and landscaping in general were breathtaking but most of all the Palace's interior
was magnificent the great hall is 63 feet from floor to ceiling, with windows that illuminate everything, so long as there is sun, which in this country is RARE. The palace's library is the second largest room in an English residence. We also saw the room and bed in which Winston Churchill was born in. The weather was gorgeous that day and from the palace you could see views of sheep grazed fields with small churches in the distant it was an idyllic day and the complete and total opposite of what today was like. Today got off normally, nothing exciting. Then we decided to take a Sunday stroll along a lake in Redditch and this began the downfall of my day. Now I adore children I want loads of kids, the thing with that is I only like children that are related to me or well behaved other than that, children can and do annoy me and British children are no different. In England the new fad for kids are these ridiculous scooters, now I'm all for children getting outside and exercising but when every other British brat cuts me off, runs over my foot and what have you, I would just as well tie them
to a tree and throw the scooters in the middle of the lake. Once finally escaped of the scooter ridden lake I made my way to the train station to go back to Portsmouth. Now, Europe is legendary for their trains and the efficiency of their trains well in my total of 4 train trips since being here, half have been ridden with problems and delays, and why should today be any different? It could only add to my already chipper mood (remember people sarcasm). The first bit started lovely, it was sunny, gorgeous, a nice breeze from the window, and I was for once facing the right direction! My first connection is Birmingham, now the train station there although massive is very easy to maneuver, so long as you have the correct times. Well the genius that I and my sister are, we had written the wrong train itinerary down...Whoops! after calling and getting that fiasco worked out I made my way to the platform to wait for my train to Bristol. Well with my luck my train would be 10 minutes late and my next connection would only give me 10 minutes, terrific! Once boarded I found my seat and thankfully no one sat next to me, which could be because I kept my bag on it, but who knows! Once the train started to go I realized that I was facing the wrong direction, terrific! about 30 minutes into the trip the train comes to a breaching halt, it didn't help that I had watched The Peacemaker last night and all I could think about was the train crash scene. The conductor soon came on apologizing for the delay and that there were signal problems and we should be moving shortly, 15 minutes later! we started moving again, at this point I have no idea where and if there are anymore connections to Portsmouth. So right before I arrived in Bristol the conductor came on and said that anyone going to Portsmouth, their next train was at 8:15, keep in mind its 6:55. So I made my way to a coffee shop and sat down, decompressed and a 10 minutes later get up to see what platform I would be departing from. Well hold on kids wouldn't you know there's a train leaving at 7:10 for Portsmouth, it's now 7:05 and I'm at platform 12 and my train leaves from platform 7. Well after a mad dash to the platform with my version of luggage for a weekend trip and in my head cursing out the useless train conductor, I made it to my train. Once the train started moving I realized, I'm facing the wrong way, again! This past weekend has made me aware of a few things. First I miss REAL maple syrup, I get random cravings for it at all hours of the day. Secondly there isn't proper deodorant here and the kind they have here is not as effective as American deodorant. Before you think it, no I do not exert myself, the deodorant here does not work as well and you can ask any American here and they will back me up. Thirdly clothes come out of the wash differently here, I don't know what it is about it, but it is completely different, and not for the better. These are all the ramblings I have for you for now, Until next time!
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