A brisk 2.9 mile walk (yes, 2.9 miles) in mildly drizzly weather from The Swan Hotel door back to the breakfast room set up a perfect day.
Drove to Blenheim Palace and arrived at the 10:00 am opening time. Gorgeous grounds and gated entrance.
Famed Italian Artist Mauricio Cattelan was featured throughout the Palace and grounds which added to the spectacle.
We entered the palace at 10:30 and were swept up in an amazing tour of the Duke of Marlborough’s residence.
The audio tour was very informative and kept your interest in every room.
Cattelan’s very humorous exhibits were meant to convey the very accidental and interactive nature life and art, with the aim of softening the imposing feel of the castle. Amazing.
The Winston Churchill exhibits at the end were spectacular in breadth and scope.
We left at 1:00 and drove to Broadway and a walk of the very polished town, full of art galleries, custom shops and elite hotels. 
A great sandwich and salad at a deli on the Main Street was followed by a drive to the Broadway Tower.
We headed back to Bibury and a glass of Rose in the small park in front of The Swan Hotel.
Our first stop was the Ashmolean Museum, which was remarkably uncrowded at 9:30 am this Wednesday morning. We paid to see the special exhibit “Last Supper In Pompeii” and it was outstanding.
The camper is a light, mobile dome made of FUTURELIGHT™ material and heavy-duty geometry. As the fabric stretches over a geodesic dome, it creates a natural, weather-proof space. Somewhere to sleep after a day of hiking, or a place to take cover when nature is being, well, nature.
Left The Painswick after a fine British breakfast (highlighted by fabulous, freshly made crumpets and a berry compote), we drove into a heavy rain toward Cirencester and the on to Bibury for a 3-night stay at The Swan Hotel.
The finest brownie in the world (layered peanut butter, chocolate fudge) was waiting for us at Huffkins Bakery. That and an iced coffee is worth a flight to London and the drive to Stow.
America’s most storied urban underdog, Brooklyn has become an internationally recognized brand in recent decades—celebrated and scorned as one of the hippest destinations in the world. In Brooklyn: The Once and Future City, Thomas J. Campanella unearths long-lost threads of the urban past, telling the rich history of the rise, fall, and reinvention of one of the world’s most resurgent cities.
Picked up a very nice BMW 520 Diesel at Victoria Station at 9:30 am. GPS is a must as there is always a learning curve driving on the left side of the road.
Drove to Windsor Castle and arrived at about 11. Very light crowds as it was threatening rain, but the tour did not disappoint. Beautiful collections of gold and silver work, paintings by Hans Holbein the Younger (who painted Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell in the 16th Century), and amazing tapestries.
After a quick pint of a Wadworth Swordfish Rum Infused Ale, we finished the drive at our Hotel, The Bird, in Bath.
After a great British breakfast, hopped on the Tube at Tower Hill and headed for the South Kensington station. Arrived at the Victoria & Albert Museum as it opened at 10.
Set out at 9 am across Tower Bridge and experienced South Bank.
Borough Market is a must visit and it delivered delicious stall after stall of every cheese, meat, vegetable and savory or sweet foods.
We then continued along the Thames for a quick view of Shakespeare’s Globe, followed by a tour of the Tate Modern.
Headed north to Buckingham Palace before walking through St. James Park to the National Gallery.
Boomers Daily 