Author Topic: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure  (Read 57312 times)

Offline Martin Milner

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Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« on: March 25, 2008, 15:46:22 »


Sitting on a park bench on LHAAP's desk, our retired couple have a brainwave.

Grandma: Fred, here we are in our Autumn years, you may still have a full head of hair, but everything else is dropping. We need to live our dream before Winter catches us up.

Grandpa:  I've got a Panama hat that would look silly on anyone under 70, and my artificial hip is aching again so there's rain in the air. What did you have in mind?

Gran: We need to travel; travel the world and see all those places we talked about back when we were courtin'.

Grandpa: Well Maisie, that was just to get you to sleep with me.

Gran: I knew that, Fred, but let's live a little more. Let's stick a pin in the Atlas and see where it leads us...

Grandpa: OK Maisie, you lead and I'll follow. (to self in a whisper) <probably get ourselves eaten by cannibals or something...>

« Last Edit: March 27, 2008, 21:15:18 by Martin Milner »

Offline LHAAP

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Re: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2008, 18:32:52 »
Here the first close-up of Maisie und Fred, who are just about to go out and see which country they have landed in.

« Last Edit: March 29, 2008, 15:58:52 by LHAAP »

Offline LHAAP

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Re: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2008, 16:16:07 »
Today Maisie and Fred have been sightseeing in my garden. They also found out that they are in Denmark ;)


Maisie and Fred in front of my house (Garden).


Seen from another perspective.


Maisie and Fred also found time for a walk in the trees. They were especially happy to see that the spring is coming to DK (Note the shoots on the tree).


Enjoying "the view".




After having enjoyed the view they were so confused that they couldn't find the way back.

« Last Edit: March 30, 2008, 14:46:19 by LHAAP »

Offline Martin Milner

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Maisie & Fred hit Oxford UK
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2008, 20:02:28 »

First, an overview of the city of Oxford to get acquainted. The names Worcester, Nuffield, Exeter, Jesus etc. are the various colleges.


The Saxon Tower (c.1040) at the top of Cornhill Street, the area known as Northgate from the time when Oxford was a walled city. Maisie sighs and thinks of Fred in his younger days.


Fred poses briefly in Boswells. More about Boswells in the shopping forum soon.


A very old building used for a very modern purpose.


Looking south down St Aldgate, the tower of Old Tom is visible. There is a popular English Folk tune with the same name. Maisie sighs and thinks of Fred in his younger days.



The front of the town hall. Some impressive stone carving, but could do with a clean.


Old Tom is the clock and belltower that stands over the entrance to Christ Church College. Old Fred is the old codger in the foreground.


The postbox outside the post office - quaint! Fred briefly considers posting himself home, but decides against it.


Bicycles and busses. Oxford discourages the private motorist (thank goodness). Students get around on bicycles, and there are thousands around the city, often not very well secured. Maisie and Fred travelled everywhere by foot.


Malmaison. Once a prison, now a luxury hotel! M&F are staying in a cheaper hotel in George Street, the Victoria House Hotel. Not as classy, but easier on the wedge.


Here's what we came for - music and dancing at the Oxford Folk Festival.


Appalacian Clog dancing is suprisingly popular!


And the music is quite uplifting!


The impressive frontage of Trinity College bathed in the morning sunlight as Maisie and Fred take an early morning constitutional the next day.


The White Horse, a typical old English Pub, first recorded as a pub in 1760, but likely much older. Unfortunately it's closed and a disappointed Fred is dragged away by Maisie.


Hmm, Egyptology. Mummies and pyramids. This gives Fred an idea, but alas the library is closed this early in the day, and covered in scaffolding so not worth a photo today.


Oxford's Bridge of Sighs...aaaah!


"Look Maisie," calls Fred, "The trees are so old they need walking sticks! Makes me feel quite sprightly!"


Fred may be nearer to 89, but when he's with Maisie he feels like he's 16 again.


Fred & Maisie don't think this is the vehicle used for tours.


Just time for a breeze round the French Market before catching the train to their next adventure. Sausage with Hazelnuts, whatever next?


On the train home, and the rain has started. Looks like they got away just in time. I know the railwaqys rolling stock is a little old, but steamtrains? Actually this is the Railway Museum at Didcot Parkway.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2008, 20:12:38 by Martin Milner »

Offline playmofire

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Re: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2008, 13:18:54 »
Here are Maisie and Fred making a brief visit to North Yorkshire.  The last photo shows them surveying my planned walking holiday next year from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway along the line of Hadrian's Wall to mark my 65th birthday.  Maisie and Fred will be accompanying me.
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Offline playmofire

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Re: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2008, 13:22:17 »
And they meet Fluff.
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Offline Gustavo

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Re: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2008, 20:17:34 »
THE FIRST QUICK VISIT OF
MASIE & FRED TO RIO

They arrived for a quick visit ;), this time, on the Winter days of August in Rio ... Pretty hard to find a sunny day or a blue sky, when the winds from Antartida come, this time of the year. Rio State shore is "horizontal" in the map*, and it happens that cold waters from the icy continent are blocked here in this Brasilian State. If you wish to come to Brasil for warm ocean waters, go north of Rio (Espírito Santo State, Bahia State), because Rio waters are cold (even on Summer -- However, once the weather is of high temperatures on Summer, it's, sometimes, pleasant to go into very cold waters ... Anyway, back to Fred and Masie ...).

Once they visited, they wished to walk around. I thought about taking them to visit my grandparents, but it didn't seem exactly what Fred was willing to do, however Masie did get excited about it! :yup:

It occured that, by chance (completely out of plans, specially because it's Winter), a few friends of mine decided to go visit Santa Cruz fort. It's placed in Niterói, the city right in front of Rio, on the other side of the Guanabara bay. I almost forgot to tell Fred I was going, but, before leaving, I looked at them, and Fred looked at me, and he said: "you aren't even conjecturing to leave us behind, are you, lad??!! :hmm:", so, I grabbed them & the camera, and, well, there it came the two pictures below.



"Come on, Gus! ... I know you're having fun with your friends, but I have to have a picture with the Sugar Loaf!!!"


& Here, Masie, saying "Oh, what a splendid view, Gus! ... You'll take us up there, when we're back, won't you, on Summer?",
and Fred, admiring the rock, at the other side of the bay.

I'll actually have to take them at Santa Cruz fort again, on Summer, as well ::) But this is a beginning for Fred and Masie in Rio.



*I'd like to provide better maps ... Maybe in the future; for now, you'll find it clicking here & here
Gus
:blackhair:

Offline playmofire

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Re: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2008, 20:33:40 »
On Friday, Maisie and Fred came with us to a wedding.
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Offline Richard

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Re: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2008, 19:15:06 »


MAISIE AND FRED ARRIVE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS


After a long trip from Martin's London home, our world travellers wait patiently to be greeted at Crown Bay Marina.

They seem to be cooling their shoes. Apparently the pavement was a bit too warm on their feet ...  :klickywink:

After they have had an opportunity to rest up, we'll show them some of the island's highlights.

However, their journey has just really begun. Next week, we leave for Denver, Colorado. Then it's off to Houston, Texas for a few days before we drive to Fort Lauderdale.

So, Masie and Fred will get to see some of the Rocky Mountains, most of the Gulf coast and the best of south Florida before we head back to the Virgin Islands.

Thanks, Martin!

All the best from F&M and me.

see attachment

Offline playmofire

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Re: Maisie and Fred's Excellent Adventure
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2008, 14:30:56 »
Maisie and Fred visit Flamborough

Last Friday, the 15th, Diane and I went to Flamborough Head on the east coast of Yorkshire.  It was the day with the best weather forecast and the forecast was right, warm and sunny, a bit breezy (but pleasant enough as we walked some six miles), and some spectacular clouds.

We arrived about lunchtime so found a restaurant and had a good Yorkshire lunch - farm gammon steak (not the standard shaped reconstituted ones, but a real steak as it came off the pig) with fried egg on top for me and pineapple for Diane.  They came with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, boiled new potatoes, mushy peas, green peas, carrots, cauliflower, French beans, fried onion rings and onion gravy.  We didn't bother with a dessert!

After that we walked to Flamborough Head, which is where the photos start.

The first picture is of what is called The Old Lighthouse, although there is no evidence that it ever was that!  It was possibly built as a folly.

2nd photo: It was opposite Flaborough head that four American ships led by John Paul Jones fought two Royal Navy ships in 1779.  This plaque commemorates the incident but diplomatically doesn't refer to the outcome.  (On the original photo the plaque can be read easily, but unfortunately not on the reduced version.)  The battle was fought almost exactly on the Greenwich Meridian (0 degrees longitude).

Next, Fred and Maisie examine the toposcope which also was erected to mark the same incident.  This relates Flamborough Head to various places in the UK and the world.  For example, from Flamborough Head to John o' Groats (the most northerly point on the mainland) is exactly the same distance as from Flamborough Head to Land's End, the most southerly point, while London is 172 miles away and Edinburgh 176.

Lastly, a map showing the area.
“Today well-lived makes every yesterday a day of happiness to remember and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”