United Kingdom 1967, 2002

WE-67 - WESTERN EUROPE - West Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom, Netherlands 1967 - My first trip to Western Countries Date of travel: Aug 4 - Sep 1, 1967 ITINERARY: This trip was done mostly by train starting on Aug 4 in Czechoslovakia (Prague) and going to WEST GERMANY (Frankfurt on Main), continuing to BELGIUM for Aug 5 and 6 (Brussels, Ostend) and on ferry over the English Channel to UNITED KINGDOM from Aug 6 to Aug 15, beginning in England (Canterbury, London, Windsor Castle, Bournemouth, Stonehenge, Stratford, Coventry, Liverpool, Blackpool, Lake District, Carlisle). Between Aug 16 and 17 Northern Ireland (with Giant’s Causeway, Belfast) and Aug 18 to Aug 25 Scotland (Glasgow, climbing Ben Nevis, Loch Ness, Inverness, Perth and Edinburgh) and for Aug 26 through Aug 28 back to England (Cambridge, London). Then a ferry to NETHERLANDS where from Aug 29 through 31 (Rotterdam, wind mills, den Haag and Amsterdam). Back to WEST GERMANY on Sep 1 (Nurnberg) and Czechoslovakia (Prague). Travel company: No travel company used, but an invitation from England needed to get a Czechoslovakian government permit for travel to Western countries. We traveled mostly by train and slept in youth hostels. Who took part: I traveled with a childhood friend Frank Z. (Aramis). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BI-02 - A very comprehensive bus trip of Great Britain (England, Cornwall, Wales, N.Ireland, Scotland) and Republic of Ireland Date of travel: June 17 - July 16, 2002 ITINERARY: On June 17 early morning flight from Prague, Czech Republic to London, UNITED KINGDOM. An individual visit of Kew Gardens. From June 18 sightseeing of London followed by a bus tour of southern England (Canterbury, Hastings, Battle, Brighton, Winchester, Stonehenge, Exeter, Dartmoor Nat. Park and Plymouth), then 2 days in Cornwall (with the St. Michel Mount, Land’s End and St.Ives). Back to England (Glastonbury, Bath with the Roman spa) to Cardiff in Wales. A ferry crossing to REPUBLIC of IRELAND, where from June 24 until June 29 (visiting Waterford with the Crystal Co., Cork, Blarney Castle and its kissing stone, the Western Coast with Tralee, Ennis, Cliffs of Moher and Galway where many people speak Gaelic). On June 29 entering Northern Ireland (a porcelain co., Londonderry, Giant’s Causeway and a capital Belfast). On June 30 crossing back to Ireland and its capital Dublin (2 days sightseeing visiting also the Trinity College with the Book of Kell and the Dublin Castle). From here a ferry back to Wales taking pictures of the 58 letter long name of the railway station. Then getting over the Snowdonia Mountains to England (with the city of Chester and Lake District). On July 3 to Scotland with Gretna Green (here the anvil marriages in the past) and Glasgow. From Glasgow past Loch Lomond, Fort Williams, by ferry to Isle of Skye, followed by Loch Ness, Inverness, a Highland excursion with the Inverewe Gardens and Glen Ord Whisky distillery. Then the Battlefield of Culloden Moor, Balmoral Castle, St. Andrews (a famous golf course), Forth Train Bridge to capital of Scotland, Edinburgh. After day and a half there back to England visiting the Hadrian Wall, the City of York, Coventry (destroyed in WWII) and Stratford-upon-Avon (a birth place of Shakespeare), Blenheim Palace with the tomb of Churchill in Blendon. We still visited the university city of Oxford before returning to London, where on July 10. Here I spent another 4 days doing the city mostly on foot followed by 2 day visit of a friend from my last African trip, Ken, outside London. With him I went to a castle Ightham Mote. Then I returned by air to Prague, Czech Republic. Travel office: Globus (through Paulus Travel & Cruise, Inc.) Who took part: 22 mostly American and British tourists, an English tour leader Peter, some local guides and a bus driver