Day 15 - Warwick

I got up in Leeds, packed, and walked out the back of the hotel to catch my train.  I didn't have to put on a coat.

I got off the train in Warwick. Google directions said to walk through the park to get to the hotel.

After I left my bag at the hotel, I went out. This is St. Mary's Collegiate College. They were getting ready for an organ recital. I took a quick look around, then, stayed for the recital. When you go to services in European churches, they always play the organ as an accompaniment to the choir/singing. No one was singing, so the organist really opened it up. It was kind of metal.

If you put your trash in the bin it's garbage. Litter is what is strewn about.

St, Mary's looking back.

I had read about this before going, but, I went anyway. This is Warwick Castle.  The problem is the Disneyfication of history.  It's expensive to get in. There are all sorts of mannequins and drama throughout the castle. I tried to stick to the castle bits.

There has been a castle on these grounds since 940 AD. This version of the castle has been around since 1350, or so. It was last restored around 1895.

There is a lovely pond/canal alongside some gardens behind the castle.

When you get up on walls and towers, there are nice views of the countryside.

This is the courtyard. It doesn't come close to showing the number of people who were there.

For some reason, as you go through the rooms of the main part of the castle, the have created scenes depicting a society party around the late 1890s. The only reason I can think they would do that was to include a young Winston Churchill in the story. When you went to the second floor, the story was all about the help gossiping???????



The best part was a birds of prey show where the photos didn't capture the action. They had five kites circling while the trainer would throw food in the air. The kites would adjust their flight and grab it midair. It was very cool.

Bottom line, am I glad I went? Yes, now I know. Am I glad my family wasn't with me? Yes, because it would have been expensive and no one would want to listen to me talk about how stupid it was.