Back in the mid-80s, when I was this cool 15 year old (note: pegged jeans, asymetrical hair and white socks with loafers), Dad & Mom thought it would be fun to move the whole family to England for a year.Well, if there's anything an insecure teenager loves--it's moving to a different country, skipping her first year of high school to attend an all-girls' English school (complete with uniform!), leaving all friends and living in a cold, damp climate for 12 months. Woohoo!
It turned out to be a very amazing experience, of course, and truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And ever since we returned to the States...I have been dying to return.
Brad at the Tower of London
A year ago this week, my dream finally came true. Brad and I ditched the kids with Nana, boarded a flight to Gatwick and had a fantastic British getaway!
Since the gab blog was not even a twinkle in my eye back then, I decided to post my favorite photos and relive a wonderful vacation.We spent the first days in London and loved the energy of the city. Did all the touristy things, saw Wicked in the West End, ate fish & chips, rode the Tube everywhere.
Then we traveled 2 hours north to York, the beautiful walled city where our family lived all those years ago.
Mom, Dad, me & Pete at the University of York Here we met up with my parents, my brother, Pete, & sister, Amy, and their spouses for a few days. It was fun to see our old house, schools and shops. We loved eating Cornish pasties and all the delicious English sweets, visiting old friends and meeting at Betty's Tea Shop every evening for dinner!
Dad's 60th birthday inspired the trip and he was great at showing us all the historical sites. We went to an evening service at the York Minster (below)...very beautiful. Then birthday cake at Betty's!
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The remainder of our trip was spent in the Cotswolds at an old, very, very out-of-the-way inn called The Falkland Arms in Oxfordshire. It was really the middle of nowhere. But, when you're with the love of your life (and no kids...), who really cares where you are?!
Great memories...wish I was there right now!
11 comments:
What a fabulous memory! I wish I was there right now, too. I wish I was going to Evensong at the Minster...I mean...(whose idea was THAT? Oh, soz.) I wish I was having scones and clotted cream at Betty's.
Oh, what a great vacation. How fun to have that experience as a teenager even though at the time it didn't seem so great. I have never been to England but it is on my life's to do list. Someday.
AAAAHH!! I wish I was, too!!! I went for my first time this last spring with my girlfriends and had the time of my life. What a dream come true. I think that is SOOO cool that your family lived there a year. What a wonderful experience!
Some of your posts lately have just made my heart ACHE (but in a good way!) at the beauty.
I wish I was defecting to the Church of England... oh wait. I already did that.
I do wish I was going on a ghost walk tonight, though.
I love york! I really do wish we were all there right now...
beautiful! Hey, I learned English not far from York (in Bradford, near Leeds). We might have been there about the same time, even. York is beautiful. I haven't been back to Northern England in decades now. Your pics and memories make me want to remedy that
:)
(this is Nadja, BTW--for some reason, I can't change my username on blogger anymore)
Sco and I were just talking about that trip. As we are vacationing in San Diego with our kids I can't really wish to be on another vaca right now. However, something Sco and I always chat about on vacation is where we are going to go next vacation. England is still on the top of the "to see" list for us. Bath and York were our two favorite spots. We can't wait to go back. Cambridge will be the new place to see.
One of my favorite memories of that trip was to be in the Atlanta airport waiting for our flight. I was saying to Sco, "wouldn't it be funny if we're on the same flight as Gabi and Brad?" He said, "They live so far east that they probably will have a straight flight to England." As he was saying it we saw the two of you headed to our gate! It was such a special treat to cross paths before we met at Betty's. It heightened my anticipation for the trip.
Oh no, it's too cold there right now!
awesome awesome awesome! i was always so jealous of my cousins across the pond!
I've been lurking for a while, (your family lived in my house for a year while my family (the Buntings) was in Arizona). Your entry made me long to be in England as well. I went on a study abroad a few years ago and visited all the places you mention. If only I could talk my husband into a trip back!
that sounds like so much fun...well, i'm game...
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