This morning, I had the pleasure of going to the lovely outskirts of London with Stephanie to visit Hampton Court. Dorothy, who has worked with the British Council on this side of the Fulbright swap for years, and her adorable husband treated us to this day out. Dorothy has been in touch with Stephanie during her stay here in England, just as we've all had mentors checking in on his, and I was thankful that I got to tag along on this day.
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| Herman at Hampton Court |
Dorothy and Dennis, who will be celebrating their diamond anniversary this summer, were wonderful tour guides for this Tudor Palace and grounds. Henry VIII used this as his get away residence after taking it from the hands of the conniving Cardinal Wolsey. He, his children and his six wives, all spent time there. Kings and queens after Henry's death also spent a great deal of time there, but frankly, I get them all confused! I've learned a great deal this year about the Tudors as they are fascinating and made significant changes throughout England that can still be felt and seen today. But past them, I get sort of lost.
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| Stephanie, Dorothy and Dennis finding their way through the maze! 90 years old and he still remembered the right way! |
Hampton Court is absolutely massive. We went in one entrance and after touring the Great Hall, bed chambers and the private apartments, we emerged into a courtyard that I hadn't even seen when we entered. The kitchen was closer in comparison to the size of a high school gym than to a normal kitchen, and the courtyards, dotted with fountains filled the air with a sense of royalty. There is also a full sized chapel within the palace where people still worship on a daily basis. People even get married in the chapel, although, with Henry's marriage rate, I'm not sure I would risk getting married in that chapel.
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Stephanie, cooking some soup in a larger than life kitchen.
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The grounds, as with many royal accommodations, were absolutely stunning. The trees were trimmed to perfection, the flowers beautifully coordinated, and the blue sky behind them all made them even more stunning. One garden, so full of color that I'd be challenged to name them all, had an overpowering fragrance: the smell of spring. Wisteria, tulips, forget-me-nots and more dotted the grounds, filling the area with color and sweet smells galore!
After our tour, we were treated to a lovely Sunday roast and a cuppa at our hosts' home. They had even prepared for our arrival by raising the American flag in their front yard! The sights and smells of Hampton Court were absolutely lovely, but our generous hosts for the day were even lovelier!
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