Thread: Toymaker at large.....

You're a good man Crowie

A good woman can be hard to find so when you find one treat her well which is what you are doing. Like your photo,s of Bath we visited there and managed a complete day between there and Bristol as we were staying at Longleat not to far away in our caravan.

Then onto the stones in a paddock..... Stonehenge...

Our tour guide said we had to be onsite at a specific time or they'd turn us away BUT that didn't allow for the bad traffic accidents on the motorway from London which made about 10 other tourist buses late....
It was awfully crowded with long ques of people for everything, especially the toilets....
Thankful though, didn't have to pay to spend my penny this time....

While the stones or should I say boulders are very large and seeming placed in a precise position, I was somewhat underwhelmed by all the fuss that was attached to Stonehenge.
It does however provide good tourist revenue as there were heaps of tourist buses and general site-seers.

Finally we return to West London and all to quick....

WOW, it was quite a trip, we did see a lot as doing this thread has reminded me,
though next time it'll be slower with more time to look around....

One nice thing about the bus tour was that we met some good folk from USA & Australia who we did a number of the site-seeing with as they were good company...
So much so that 10 of us got into our hotel rooms quick smart and then met up back in the lobby to make the most of the rest of the day [especially as one of the older ladies just seemed to be so well organized].
It was an underground train ride into London with a visit to Westminster Abby, it was magnificent inside but alas no photography allowed.
Then past Big Ben across the bridge towards the London Eye for a ride, what great views from the top, it such a clear afternoon or should I say evening.
After the ride on the London Eye it was to a London Pub for tea and when we came out about 9:30pm we saw a beautiful sunset across the Thames before getting back on the underground [way down] back to our hotel in West London.

Thanks for taking us on your trip, Crowie.
On one occasion in London, they were doing renovations on Westminster Abbey and for a small charge, visitors were allowed up on the scaffolding to see the work. It was great to be up close to all the carvings etc on the building.

Originally Posted by Chesand

Thanks for taking us on your trip, Crowie.
On one occasion in London, they were doing renovations on Westminster Abbey and for a small charge, visitors were allowed up on the scaffolding to see the work. It was great to be up close to all the carvings etc on the building.

Thank you for the feed back and I'm very glad you've enjoyed the trip as I too have enjoyed sharing it thus far, even without enough toymaking..

BUT WOW, That would have been a great privilege to work in the Westminster Abbey, I'd been in the que for the climb up the scaffolding.....

Also the trip hasn't finished, we did a further 2 days in London walking around after moving to a hotel near the London Eye, then it was across to Helsinki for the World Gymnaestrada for 13 days of nonstop go!!

Fun was had by all and for such a short stay you managed to get a lot in even though you said that not enough time was given at all the places.

We leave West London transferring to a hotel in behind the London Eye, then hit the town on foot...

Firstly we walked under the Westminster bridge to view the Big Ben from the other side then across the bridge to walking up past the World War 2 memorials and on up to Trafalgar Square with all its sights.....

We then strolled through a few parks and mall areas to find "M & M World", oh my goodness me; four levels of M & M merchandise and most priced for the tourist or pestered parents.

I was quite a walk back to the hotel....

I was somewhat foot weary after all that walking, but soon had a smile on my face while I was taking on the phone with Derek, our Canterbury Gentleman Woodworker and Toymaker.
It was first good to hear a real English accent but general talk to a friend form the forum for nearly an hour; it was the next best thing to traveling the hour & a half south of London to meet him [time constraints again].
To my surprize and delight Derek asked for me to send him my home address as he had a little something for Tracey & me and low & behold a parcel arrived in the post this week with a beautiful set of hand made pens.
The lovely writing pen in swirly red for Tracey and a beautiful fountain pen for me, BUT if that wasn't good enough the fountain pen had been made in the Springwood Boys & Girls Club logo colours.....WOW....
How special and what a top friend; you just got to love this forum with the quality of the folk you met.
THANK YOU DEREK.........

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f69/fountain-pen-stream-line-pen-197730

I told Crowie the other day he was a good man - You're a GOOD MAN too Derek

Originally Posted by Keith_1

I told Crowie the other day he was a good man - You're a GOOD MAN too Derek

Not just a GOOD MAN Keith, "THE BEST"......

Thank you for the kind words Peter and you are most welcome hope you enjoy the pens and that the colours are OK, I still have two more blanks of that colour one has a little more of the yellow in it as I did not have any gold. I did have three left but I gave one to another pen turner here in the Uk who helped me out with a small problem, even though there were originally four blanks all from the same block no two are identical.
I have to agree that are many great people on here that are willing to help others.

You will soon be on the photo's from Helsinki soon. Good job we are still not using the old film type camera's as it would cost a fortune, luckily for me I use to develop all of my own which did help with cost. I remember going to Germany on a holiday and used 18, 36 exposer films which works out as 648 pictures



The block before cutting up

DSCF5261.jpg

Another day of London Sightseeing.....

The Tower of London with the Crown Jewels BUT a slow moving queue of 300mtrs so with we opted out of that,; the rest of the grounds were enough especially with the crowds..

Then across the London Bridge.....

Past the HMS Belfast...

Some lunch near the famous Nautilus.....

And back to the tourist attractions near the London Eye of Shrek & London Dungeon....

YES, another very big day BUT with only limited time we have to try to see as much as we can!!!!

Yet more memories Peter some good like HMS Belfast.
HMS Belfast was a attraction we went onto one morning before we took a trip on the Orient Express for afternoon tea, the type where they cut the crusts off the sandwiches.

There is so much to see in London as long as you have deep pockets.

Lovin the tour Crowie.
London is impressive although the photos you took from out in the country side were just right for my pace!.
By the by that's Tower Bridge in the photos, if you remember the song London Bridge fell down.

Cheers Mate
Trev.