Wednesday, August 12, 2009 - Sadly, it is time to leave the north of England. Our friends Julie and Stewart provided for some unforgettable days in Liverpool and Chester, and we hate to depart. But we catch a break! They are driving south to Dover and the Channel coast, and crossing to France for a vacation (or “holiday” as it’s called here). They offer to drive us directly to Writtle! British trains are nice, but they are also expensive. Julie and Stewart have saved us quite a sum. What’s more, we get some wonderful conversation, and lots of commentary on the culture and history of the locales through which we pass. No railroad provides that!
Julie rustles up a nifty breakfast to get us off to a good start. Next to our plates we find an envelope that obviously contains a greeting card. Surprise! We had been enjoying our stay so much we had forgotten our fourteenth anniversary! Shortly, we pile into their vehicle and commence our journey south. Just outside of Liverpool, the cell phone rings. A call from America. One immediately thinks an emergency. Not this time. First comes the obligatory anniversary wishes. Seconds later, Ed learns that his daughter is going to make him a grandfather for the first time! A wonderful day. But wasn’t my daughter still in elementary school? Where did the time go? How could this be? Incredible news, and a memorable day.
We merge onto an “M” road, the first ever in Britain, the equivalent of an interstate highway in America (by the way, why are there interstate highways in Alaska and Hawaii?). We sail through the rolling English countryside, filled with charming hedgerows and sheep. We pass the famed battlefield at Naseby, from the 1640’s and the English Civil War. Unlike many American battlefields: no traffic, tourists, souvenir hawkers, or modern businesses. It remains as Cromwell would have seen it. Apparently the same for another battlefield nearby. This one is Bosworth, even older, where Henry Tudor defeated Richard at the end of the War of the Roses (which name is a Shakespearean invention), and became Harry VII. Englishmen far away didn’t have to wait days or weeks to learn of this famous victory. The eccentric English version of Nostrodomus, the peasant Robert Nixon, re-enacted this battle then in real time during a sudden fit while hoeing a field, and declared Henry the winner before even Henry knew!
We arrive in Writtle after a long drive. Loyal “Scotsmen” like Julie and Stewart seem surprised and feign chagrin when they are told that they are now in the birthplace of Robert the Bruce. We all pay homage to the great Scottish patriot. The home of heather and the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century is added to our list of future attractions. What’s more, Stewart has given us some incredible tutoring on and sampling of Scotch whiskey, and greatly expands our appreciation of that wonderful potion. The peat and water of Old Caledonia, we find, plays a big role in the production of this venerable drink. We will never be able to repay Stewart adequately for this fascinating session.
Later that evening, we walk a half-mile to the center of Writtle to the “Rose and Crown,” a wonderful pub. Its ham, eggs, and “chips” (French fries) are locally famous, and “nuff said” about its special collection of English beers. There we meet our longtime friend Jenny Gratze, whose Fulbright exchange with Donna in 1992 prompted all that has come after. It was great to see her, talk over old times, and bring each other up-to-date on events. Jenny will be leaving in a few days for a one-to-two year teaching post in Qatar, in the Persian Gulf. They will love Jenny as America did! Back to the home of our good friends Steve and Lyn for a couple of drinks, and a night of sleep. It is good to see them again. And it has been a wonderful day.
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