Sometime last year, we made plans to take a Princess Cruise with our good friends from back home, the Yuki's. Well, amazingly, what seemed like a trip in the far off future was suddenly here!
Since the cruise would be departing out of Southampton (on the southern coast of England), we took the opportunity to leave a few days earlier to explore that part of the UK before we met our friends on board the cruise ship.
Jo booked us a reservation on the Calais to Dover ferry again, much like our trip to the UK back in May, 2008. It really is a simple and relaxing way to "cross the channel" to England. And its always a nice sight to be welcomed by the "White Cliffs" of Dover once you arrive...
Once in the UK, we headed west to the Marriott Meon Valley Hotel and Country Club in Southampton, where we spent two evenings. It's a very nice resort (probably even better if we played golf!)
Our first order of business was to check in, get situated and go find someplace to eat! We usually ask the hotel staff for their recommendations and were told to head over to The Cricketers Inn for a proper English dinner. And it most certainly was...
Everyone's happy after a fine English meal!
We retired early to our hotel and put the girls down for the evening. The following morning, we had a nice breakfast at the hotel and headed out for some sightseeing.
Winchester Cathedral, one of the largest and famous cathedrals in England is nearby and has its origins in the 7th century.
It is the burial site for English novelist Jane Austen and for also a couple of notables named "Washington", who are ancestors of a guy named George...
The cathedral also has a children's education center and hosts many educational events througout the year. DS and PS partipated in a "create a bug" competition and submitted their entries for judging...
Afterwards, we walked through town and over to Winchester Castle and the Great Hall.
The Great Hall
There, hanging on the wall is the Winchester Round Table, commissioned by King Henry VIII to celebrate the various knights of Arthur's court. Its 18 feet in diameter and weighs about 2,400 pounds (about the same as a small car!)
This shot gives you an idea how big this hanging table top is.
The Great Hall had children's activities, such as a scanvenger hunt where clues are given and you had to find the answers hidden in various parts of the castle. It was a great way to get the kids involved and interested in the castle...
PS showing off her completed quiz sheet!
That evening, we headed into nearby Portsmouth to check out the waterfront area known as Gunwharf Quays and to find a place for dinner.
The Spinnaker Tower is an observation deck that provides a birdseye view of the surrounding area.
The evening was clear and breezy, but a bit cold. However, that didn't deter us from finding a nice outdoor restaurant to enjoy the waterfront and live music.
After dinner, we happened upon this Fish and Chips stand. What better way to cap off a nice dinner than with MORE food??
We were glad we stopped, because it was probably the most delicious fish and chips we have ever eaten! Crispy and piping hot, with just the right amount of seasoning! Jolly good!
These last two days have been a perfect start for a week of lots more food and sightseeing on our Princess Cruise...
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