We took the train back from Edinburgh to London.
Paul made friends with this Irish guy on the train, after he cursed Dad out in the station. They sat together laughing for 4 hours. Paul has a gift.
THE MOST DISTINGUISHED ORDER OF ST. MICHAEL and ST. GEORGE
The next morning we had the special privilege of attending the Ceremony of "The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George" at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The tickets were available by special invitation only to families and friends of people in the Order. It is "an order of chivalry... used to honour individuals who have rendered important services in relation to Commonwealth or foreign nations. British Ambassadors to foreign nations are regularly appointed." (wikipedia) It's the sixth highest in the British honors system. We were invited by a woman in Cambridge whose grandfather was knighted into this Order.
The ceremony was amazing and so ...well...ceremonial! It was complete with British Royalty (the Queen's cousin not anyone we knew unfortunately), trumpet fanfare, a brass band, the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, and the organ. We were pleasantly surprised to find out how it was basically a Christian church service, with scripture readings and hymns. The purpose was for newly appointed members to be honored and for all other members to re-commit themselves.
It felt like being at a Royal event too with all the women wearing hats or feathers in their hair, and all the men in their regalia or position-specific attire.
The whole time I kept feeling like I was at the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles (which happened just where we sat). It was definitely an experience of a lifetime. One of the best parts, however was coming out of the cathedral afterwards and descending the grand staircase with many "important" British citizens and fancy-looking people, and seeing the crowd behind the barricades (they had it roped off for us) looking up and taking photos and wondering what was going on and why we were important. We weren't but it was fun to feel that way!
Brandon wore an academic gown (the attire of his position) but he happened to be the ONLY person in the whole place wearing one. He still looked quite smart and dapper. :)
Our whole Cambridge group.
We left all our luggage in the hotel lobby (yes this is the tiny lobby - the hotel was in a London terrace house) while we went to the ceremony at St. Paul's.
ASHDOWN PARK
After lunch at a pub we took the train out to East Grinstead and Ashdown Park, the old manor where my Mom lived and studied in college. The manor was originally home to a wealthy family, then it was a convent, then a college, and now it's a high-end resort. We had an AMAZING time, and it was certainly the fanciest place I've ever stayed (think one-use individual hand towels in every public loo). It was so fun to spend time in a large estate home and grounds just like the ones where Jane Austen stories take place. I read all of those this year and this really brought them to life. I love the life of leisure! :)
We had a very glamourous time eating a four course meal with palette cleansers between each in the elaborate dining room.
Before the meal:
The meal:
Duck con fit.
Dessert! A. MAZING.
Mom's spoon was too big!
We explored the hotel and Chapel. They also took us around trying to find Mom's old dorm room! It was really fun to stay somewhere where it took at least 15 minutes to "run to your room" as you had to walk through a maze of hallways and staircases to get there. No lifts.
Along the whole ground floor of one of the buildings were elaborate Jane-Austen-style "drawing rooms" where we relaxed and hung out. This is where they served high tea and drinks before dinner.
Ashdown Park is also situated on "Winnie-the-Pooh's Forest." This is where A.A. Milne lived and wrote the Winnie-the-Pooh stories.
GIANT TREE!
We explored the grounds and Pooh's forest.
We also played mini-golf in the lawn. And in the pitch black. Paul shot a HOLE IN ONE in COMPLETE darkness!!!
CAMBRIDGE
Lastly, we went home to Cambridge and spent some time there. The first time they came to visit it was during the dead of the English winter so this visit was much more pleasant! :)
We went punting again, and everyone took turns as the "pusher." I was hoping mom would be really funny to watch but she did so well that I couldn't make fun of her! Everyone was good at it, but we still had lots of laughs.
For the FIRST TIME EVER (though we were warned about it before every punt) we lost the pole! Well, Brandon lost the pole, but it wasn't his fault as it got wedged in some stones on the bottom. We had to paddle back and get it! So funny.
We walked a few miles along the river down to "The Orchard" in Grantchester. A world famous tea house where the likes of Rupert Brooke, Bertrand Russell, Wittgenstein, and Lord Byron have sipped their tea and whiled away the hours under the shade of the apple trees. We got the classic "cream tea" with scones and clotted cream.
Paul sniffing a giant thistle and suffering the consequence.
The cramped sleeping situation in our tiny flat. :) Yes, they are on the kitchen floor.
We hung out in C.S. Lewis' favourite Cambridge pub, the Pickerel Inn.
Mom and I went shopping at our favourite Cambridge shops!
We went to Shakespeare in the Park in St. John's College gardens, and saw The Taming of the Shrew.
They came to Summa Dinner and met our friends!
We took a day-trip to Ely and had an awesome time exploring the sister city (in our minds) to Ely, Minnesota. Ely is the head of the Ely Diocese (our diocese in Cambridge) and home to the GIANT Ely Cathedral which was begun in the late 11th century.
I had wanted to take Mom to the idyllic Peacock's Tea Room so badly! It won Britain's Best Tea Room in 2007.
We spent HOURS and HOURS antiquing. It was wonderful.
Brandon and Paul got cricket paddles at the antique shop. Now they are ready for the Zombie Apocalypse.
We had very fun and also very useful visit as Mom/Dad/Paul brought bags and bags of our stuff back to the U.S. for us! We couldn't have done it without you. :) The end.
