McLays in Europe

The following day was voted as a lay day before setting off on Saturday to drive to Liverpool to meet and stay with Alison's distant cousin Margaret, with whom she had been a pen friend in her teens. Liverpool was North West and on the other side of England. As the crow flies it was only equivalent to Alice Springs to Wycliffe Well but took longer due to the traffic and the bloody roundabouts as Ian so colorfully refers to them. We arrived at Liverpool mid afternoon and met Margaret, husband Bryn and 14 year old daughter Eleanor. After a cuppa, we were taken for a driving tour of the city centre. We visited the magnificent Liverpool Cathedral and had a couple of drinks in a local pub. Margaret had kindly invited another cousin Anne for dinner. We had a lot of fun after dinner reading the letters Alison had received from Margaret in the 1970's which included a real 'english bus ticket' that correctly predicted she was going to marry someone starting with the initial 'M'. Eleanor was particularly interested to read her mother's letters.
Next day we went for a walk around the nearby lake and park land. The areas were nicely grassed and so perfectly green. It was very wet and blustery so we were pleased to go inside the large glass palm house. That afternoon we went to the Philharmonic Hall to see a silent movie which was setup the same as the olden days with a pianist who added the dramatic sounds at the right time and gave the movies such impact. This was a real treat and was really enjoyable. Of course some of the shorts included Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy.
That night we went by London Taxi to a restaurant for dinner. Next morning we enjoyed a farewell breakfast and headed off to Coventry via Penny Lane. It was great to meet Margaret and family and they were very generous hosts. I don't think we succeeded in persuading them to visit us in Oz.
Coventry was a place Ian wanted to see mainly because he has been following the war history over here and Coventry is a sister city to Dresden in Germany; both were flattened during WW II. Coventry was the first English city to introduce the Park and Drive system and again we took advantage of it. On arrival in town, a visit to the tourist centre suggested the town highlights, which included the statue of Lady Godiva, the shell of the bombed cathedral with the new one built beside and a motor display with much history on war years. A fire alarm malfunction in the museum worried us a little, as it sounded too much like an air raid siren, and interrupted our viewing for a short while. Coventry was a motor vehicle producer, for example produced millions of mini minors over the years of their production and during the war years had altered its production to war supplies, therefore its target for the Germans. Then back to our car and headed for Cambridge.
We were within 20 miles of Cambridge and Ian had had enough of night driving, so at a place called Kettering we asked the GPS to find us a place to stay. It listed one called The Country House Hotel which Alison liked the sound of, and away we went again through little back roads. When we were ready to give up, surely there wasn't a Hotel out here!, the GPS said "arriving at destination". We looked over and there was a lovely old hotel set back against the trees. We ventured inside. At first they didn't have a room, but but then a light came on the womans face and she had one for us. It was old english style and simply beautiful. She must not have wanted to turn more business away and offered us the honeymoon suite! We ate dinner in the dining room and were then moved out to a lounge with recliners to enjoy a drink or two. They came and talked to us about their experience with running the Hotel,which was really just a bigger version of a B&B. Next morning another cooked breakfast. To this day they will remain puzzled how a couple of aussie travellers found them out there as they said they did not know how the GPS knew of them.
After leaving earlier than Ian wished on advice from the owner re avoiding traffic, it was not long until we reached the outskirts of Cambridge and again the Park and Ride option was taken. On arrival at the city centre we then took the tourist bus around the city highlights. This is a beautiful city, and the tour explained its rich academic history. We lunched again in a pub and visited the Round Church which had an interesting display on christian heritage. We visited Kings College Chapel but Alison could not talk Ian into staying until 5.30 to see the famous choir perform. The grounds and public areas were so well laid out.
Getting back to our car via bus was an experience, because this was around 5pm and hundreds were queuing, but the buses were all double decker and were able to move the people relatively easily. We could only imagine what it would be like if everyone brought their cars into the city. Students are not allowed to have cars and the place is full of bicycles. We think there must have been interviews for prospective students happening as there were a lot of young men dressed in suits accompanying their parents who were not so well dressed.
We were home in 1 1/2 hours, although Ian did not enjoy the drive. Traffic was very heavy back to Norwich and we appreciate our quick trip to work each day in Alice Springs.
Next day was a day of rest. We have had a late offer of a hospitality exchange in inner London so have decided to leave Great Yarmouth a few days early to spend a couple of days in London before heading off to stay with another of Alison's cousins. So tomorrow Thursday will be spent cleaning house and car for the next visitors to Great Yarmouth.