After arriving in Coventry and returning the rental car after three days, we were at the mercy of the bus,
train, and intra-campus shuttle van services.
Conclusion no.1: When it comes to
public transportation, the English do not hold a candle to the efficiencies of
the Swiss and Germans. Conclusion no.
2: I will be staying pretty close to
Coventry on my day-trips, while Henry is working. Although Birmingham, Warwick and
Stratford-on-Avon are within relatively easy reach, getting to the small towns
and hamlets where castle ruins, restored palaces, and many National Trust and
English Heritage treasures are located requires copious time and patience on a
combination of buses and trains. Because the buses are especially unreliable
(they pass their stops early or late or not at all), one cannot reasonably rely
on making connections to other buses that stop as seldom as once an hour. Last week, we decided to bus into Leamington
Spa (normally just a 15-minute bus ride on a single bus) for dinner. Getting there was no problem, and our meal
was quite good (Wilde's Wine Bar & Restaurant). However, at the time we planned to return
(before 9PM, so not outrageously late), the bus was scheduled to come by just once
an hour. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to us, the bus sat "disabled" just a few blocks before our stop and
never arrived. We ended up sharing a
taxi with two others who were also returning to the University. So much for the benefits of having purchased
a monthly bus pass! The campus shuttle
van, which one would expect to be reliable as its route is limited to the
University campus, appears to run on a secret schedule which has no resemblance
to the published schedule. This could be
because the school term does not begin until the end of September, but it would
be nice to know! That's not as
frustrating as the bus not showing up, because at least one can walk from one
end of campus to the other in about a half-hour. Also, for tennis, which is located at the
opposite end of campus from our flat, I have managed to find a fellow tennis
player who can give me a "lift" ("ride" for those of you
who don't speak British). Conclusion no.
3: We will be renting a car for
additional traveling, and did so for three days last week.
In
truth, we are managing without having a car for every day, but the bus
definitely requires familiarity which one must acquire by repeatedly taking the
bus. While (or whilst) some of the main
bus stops in the cities have electronic signs indicating how long it will be
until a specific bus will arrive, that did not help us in Leamington Spa. The electronic sign continued to read 8:50PM forty
minutes later, with no indication when the scheduled 9:50PM bus would be
arriving! Looking up bus schedules on
the internet is marginally helpful, as the website does not list the schedule
for all stops. Indeed, although one can
determine the route a given bus will take, the only way to determine where most
of the stops are is by getting on the bus and keeping one's eyes peeled for
signs that are sometimes covered by hanging
tree boughs or other obstructions.
Since the interior of the bus has no electronic signage to indicate the
location of the next stop or any printed sign listing the stops, no less any
sign indicating the route, one can only hope that one's desired alighting point
will be obvious BEFORE the bus passes it without stopping. After all, the bus will stop ONLY if one of the
bus' stop buttons is pressed ahead of the stop or a potential rider waves to the bus driver to stop!
Opening
a bank account in the UK proved to be quite a trial of perseverance! It took us ten days, four trips to Barclays
Bank, and the fortunate intervention of a friend's sister who is a muckity-muck
in Barclays Corporate Banking (thank you ever so much, CW and KB!) before we
finally succeeded. On each of the first
three visits, the Barclays reps offered up bits of information on how to
achieve our goal. Each time we returned
to the bank, we were told that the additional documentation we provided was
insufficient. It wasn't until the third
visit that two bank reps offered a sample letter which gave us a better idea of
what documentation the bank requires.
Even with the sample, however, it was only through my continued requests
for clarification that we left the bank with a fair estimation of the
requirements. Actually, we did not leave
the bank together. Henry had given up
and stormed out not long after we were told our then latest submission was insufficient. Not wanting to put something together, have
it signed by a University of Warwick representative, obtain the imperative
"university stamp" (we were told at the bank that anyone at the university would
know the "stamp"), and then returning to the bank only to be rejected
once again, I took advantage of the pre-sabbatical "feel free to contact
me if you need any help when you get to England" offer (sometimes similar
to a "let's do lunch sometime" offer) from my friend's sister. I asked if she or one of her colleagues could review
the documentation letter I drafted. After
a series of emails and phone calls through the Barclays network, and then only
with the friend's sister agreeing to vouch for our bona fides, we were advised
to return to the bank with the precious letter, at which time we could open the
account. Getting the letter signed by a
university representative was simple, but no one here had any idea what the
"stamp" was. We finally found
someone in the university administration office who had her own ink stamp saying
"University of Warwick Coventry".
The stamp could easily have been created at a create-your-own stamp
shop. In any event, Barclays wanted a
stamp, so they got their stamp! The
problem we had with opening a British bank account is that the bank requires a
"permanent" residence address (established by utility bills and the
like) and "employment" in the UK.
Although special rules are established to assist students and visiting
employees, we have no mail service to our university residence (mail goes to
the Mathematics Research Centre), the university is covering the accommodation
cost so we do not receive utility bills, and Henry is "employed" by
the University of California, not the University of Warwick. It's nice to know that at least one person
figured out we are decent, trustworthy folks!
Even
the folks who know both Henry and me might wonder how much the two of us have
in common. Henry is the science/computer
geek, while I'm the plodding, more practical, let's talk things out a while and
come to a reasonable, mutually beneficial solution person (which helped my
writing and negotiating skills as a lawyer, and certainly made a difference at Barclays).
Henry's idea of a wonderful day on vacation in Europe (or almost
anywhere) is to find an outdoor cafe, sip a double espresso with a twist of
lemon peel, and either watch the people walk by, think nifty mathematical
physics thoughts (and writing them down on a placemat, paper napkin, or other
available writing paper), or perhaps doze off sitting up. I leave Henry to his desired activities, and
go to a museum, stroll around town, check out the local castle, or take a hike
through the surrounding area. We give
each other our respective space, but come together to relish each other's
company over a delicious meal. To this
end, Henry purchases a Michelin Red Guide (lists lodgings, but more
importantly, lists restaurants) for just about every country we have visited. With the English countryside in Shropshire
and the Cotswolds (the areas we have visited since arriving here) replete with
small towns and villages, Henry chooses our destinations by determining the places that have yummy sounding
restaurants. As long as I can find an
English Heritage or National Trust property (these non-profits own/manage many
of the old castles, manor houses, ruins scattered around the country, and prior
to our departure, I bought joint annual memberships to both) to visit along the
way, I'm quite content.
We
are finding a number of restaurants/pubs serving tasty food: King's Head in
Aston Cantlow (known for its duck dishes); Bell & Cross in Clent (nicely
set up with just a few tables in several separate rooms; I enjoyed a British
version of chicken in lettuce wraps); Clive in Ludlow (dandy monkfish and
risotto); The Lion Inn in Winchcombe (typical Sunday lunch of roast beef and
Yorkshire pudding); and Loch Fyne in Kenilworth (a British chain of seafood
restaurants/fish markets, but the food is fresh), to name a few. Many of these pubs/restaurants are in
buildings where food and drink have been served for 100's of years!
Although we generally understand most of the items on the menus, we could create an entire menu of either foods we have never eaten before or foods known in the UK by other names. Feeling "peckish" (a little hungry)? Care for a "sarnie" (sandwich)? "Fancy" a drink of what I call "luke cold" local brew from the tap (tapped through a very long spigot, it comes out rather frothy and is served warmer than other nations' beers)? If you are interested in "popping a cold one", you can try Carling, which is one of the largest selling beers in Britain and can be found in many pubs. That brings me to the term "free house", which is prominently noted on a number of pubs. Pubs owned by breweries (and apparently most are) sell the respective brewer's brand, while a free house can sell whatever it wishes.
Although we generally understand most of the items on the menus, we could create an entire menu of either foods we have never eaten before or foods known in the UK by other names. Feeling "peckish" (a little hungry)? Care for a "sarnie" (sandwich)? "Fancy" a drink of what I call "luke cold" local brew from the tap (tapped through a very long spigot, it comes out rather frothy and is served warmer than other nations' beers)? If you are interested in "popping a cold one", you can try Carling, which is one of the largest selling beers in Britain and can be found in many pubs. That brings me to the term "free house", which is prominently noted on a number of pubs. Pubs owned by breweries (and apparently most are) sell the respective brewer's brand, while a free house can sell whatever it wishes.
What's to
eat? I tried "cullen skink",
which turned out to be a delicious soup with haddock, potatoes, and leeks. I also
enjoyed a terrine of pigeon breast. Not
bad. I suppose that's one way to limit
the pigeon population. How about
"faggots" (meatballs made with pig products, including innards) on a
"bap" (burger roll) (see hog roast photo below) with "mushy peas" (often serves as a
gravy)? Not for me, thank you! However, perhaps I'll try the kangaroo,
springbok, or ostrich burgers on offer in Birmingham.
When I returned to Birmingham this week, I happened upon their International Food Fair and found both more exotic and less exotic options. Take your pick!
I have figured out that "gammon steak" is ham, "courgettes" resemble zucchini, and "gem" looks like butter lettuce, but I don't know how "crispy chicken goujons" are prepared--in a fryer on a "hop" (stovetop) perhaps? Speaking of fryers, the most popular side dish this side of the "pond" are "chips" (fries), which come as either "thin" or "thick". "Chips" must not be confused with "crisps", in response to which one will receive potato or corn chips. I had an interesting experience in the supermarket the other day, when I was searching for crackers to have with some of the wonderful cheeses here (Shropshire Blue is one of my favorites). In American markets, one usually finds crackers in the same aisle as cookies. Not so in Sainsbury's in England! I located crackers several aisles away in a separate section for biscuits! Except for those biscuits which to me were crackers, most of the biscuits looked strikingly similar to our cookies! Well, maybe, maybe biscuits dip better in tea or coffee, not that I've tried it yet!
Wonder
what the words "brilliant" and "cheers" mean in this neck
of the woods? I was disconcerted the
first time I heard a restaurant server say "brilliant" after we
answered "yes" to her query whether everything was okay. We ordinarily save "brilliant" for
something spectacular. The British
consider "brilliant" to be "good". If that's the case, I'll have to find out
what word describes "wonderful" around here! I've also heard servers saying
"cheers" in response to giving them a food or drink order. Around these parts, it means thank you or
okay.
Whether
by bus or car, and either by myself or with Henry, I have started getting some
good use out of the National Trust and English Heritage passes. As many museums in the UK have free entry, I
did not bother buying a National Art Pass.
The Herbert Museum in Coventry currently has two delightful exhibits--a
selection of illustrations by Sir John Tenniel for the original publications of
Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass
and a series of paintings by Quentin Blake, who is probably best known for his
illustrations of Roald Dahl's books. I
combined a visit there with a cruise through Coventry's Indoor Market. The market has its share of fruit, vegetable,
meat, and fish stalls, but they are interspersed with an assortment of the
usual flea market fare.
The indoor market across the way from the Bull Ring Market was the St. Martin's Rag Market. Not everything was a rag, but you could easily make one with some of the stuff on sale:
Watch out for what you are buying. It might have been sitting out on the counter for a while:
Fancy a pie? One stall had a large assortment, e.g., Shepherds, Cottage, Chicken & Mushroom, Steak & Kidney. The proprietor also advertised "pukka pies".
Although my first thoughts when I hear Birmingham, UK are iron, coal and the Industrial Revolution, the city has done a wonderful job of sprucing up its extensive canal system (dating back to the late 18th century), which now attracts restaurants, shops, and a healthy flow of tourists (including Henry and me).
On my own, I returned to Birmingham for a visit to Back-to-Backs, a National Trust site where Birmingham's last complete set of "back-to-back" apartments around a courtyard has been preserved. These units were built in the first half of the 19th century to house the great influx of industrial and textile workers to Birmingham. One set of apartments faced the street, while a second set faced an inner courtyard.
Each apartment was three floors, with a small single room on each of the floors. The winding staircases between floors were precariously narrow. Water came from a well blocks away; all 60+ inhabitants around the courtyard shared washing facilities and the outhouses.
Our
first venture using our English Heritage pass took us to the ruins of Kenilworth Castle, a short
bus ride and walk from our flat.
I don't recall ever reading the book, but Kenilworth Castle is the setting for Walter Scott's romantic novel, Kenilworth. With the "slighting" (deliberate destruction, partial or complete) of Kenilworth Castle by the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War in the mid-1600's, the only building that escaped destruction was the gatehouse, which became the residence of Joseph Hawkesworth, the person responsible for implementation of the slighting.
Lovely views of the countryside from the castle walls:
Kenilworth today:
Check out the 14-feet thick walls:
Construction
of the castle began in the early 12th century, with enlargements and
embellishments over the following 500 years.
Though various King Henrys and a King John inhabited the castle, it's greatest
period of fame was after Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, took possession in
the 1560's. In his effort to woo Queen
Elizabeth I, he remodeled much of the castle and installed a lovely garden,
which has been re-created by the English Heritage folks.
I don't recall ever reading the book, but Kenilworth Castle is the setting for Walter Scott's romantic novel, Kenilworth. With the "slighting" (deliberate destruction, partial or complete) of Kenilworth Castle by the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War in the mid-1600's, the only building that escaped destruction was the gatehouse, which became the residence of Joseph Hawkesworth, the person responsible for implementation of the slighting.
Kenilworth today:
With the benefit of a rental car a weekend ago, Henry and I wandered narrow roads and small towns in Warwickshire, Shropshire, Gloucestershire, and the Cotswolds, and visited a number of other castles, manors, and country homes.
Packwood House, in Lapworth, Warwickshire--Tudor manor house, originally constructed by a successful farmer in the 16th century, with 16th and 17th century furnishings (but obviously updated somewhat (see photo of bathtub), a beautiful collection of Flemish tapestries, and a lovely garden:
Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire--Moated manor house originally built in the 13th century, and extensively refurbished in the 19th century when the house was inhabited by a "Victorian Quartet" of writers and authors:
And, of course, beautiful gardens as well!
Ludlow Castle in (surprise) Ludlow, Shropshire--A Norman castle, abandoned to gradual decay and ruin in 1689, with glorious views of the countryside. No gardens to admire, but it was fun to romp around the old castle walls and enjoy the countryside views, even in the rain:
More towns, meadows, and countrysides:
Ludlow--
A walk along the River Teme below Ludlow castle--
At the same time, I assiduously surveyed how many different colors of "gaffer" (duct) tape are available in this small Shropshire town:
Yesterday, I ventured off on an 8-mile walk to and from Stoneleigh Abbey, in Kenilworth. I daresay, the campus and footpath walks are far safer than walking on these sidewalkless country roads. While I have heard complaints from some San Diegans about the lack of sidewalks at home in Del Mar, it's quite another matter to stay clear of Brits speeding at you! In any event, it was well worth the effort, as I had a delightful afternoon enjoying a place that provided inspiration to Jane Austen for characters, manners, physical descriptions, and places developed in several of her books. Although the abbey dates back to the 12th century, it became an estate in the mid-1500's (thanks again to King Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries), when it was taken over by the Leigh family. As "poor" Leigh relatives, Jane Austen, her mother, and sister were invited to the estate in 1806, when a cousin of her mother's staked a claim to his inheritance of the estate. As we moved through the grounds and a number of rooms, the tour guide read passages from Austen's books, which closely matched the sights around us.
