THE MANY LIVES OF ENGLAND’S WARWICK CASTLE

 Warwick Castle, looking toward the original Anglo Saxon mound.

In the summer of 2014, my friends, Kay, Tom, and their granddaughter Sutherland and I spent two weeks wandering the idyllic landscapes of the English midland countryside called the Cotswolds. The name literally means “rolling hills with sheep” and as the name implies, it is fairly dripping in charm. Our goal to soak in every thatched roof and medieval town and village we could started by chartering a canal long boat. We putted up and down the Severn River for a week, and then packed ourselves into a rental car for another week to tour the surrounding countryside. (See my blog: Yanks Canal Boating in Britain, 4/2/15.) We all had our wish list of things we wanted to see and Warwick Castle topped Kay’s list.  

 Warwick Castle is a classic example of a Medieval Norman fortification.

 From an Anglo Saxon Defensive Mound to Norman Castle

The picturesque old castle, steeped in 1,000 years of history and designed by William the Conqueror himself, stands guard over the Avon River in Warwickshire, not far from Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. Originally an Anglo Saxon stronghold, the Normans constructed a wooden fort  on the site in 1068, which was rebuilt in stone two hundred years later. Down through the ages, it passed through many hands depending on what faithful supporter of what king needed rewarding. By the 16^th century, however, it was in sad shape. King James 1 gave it to Sir Fulke Greville, along with the title of Earl of Warwick, who then spent the equivalent of 3 million dollars to convert it to a fine country home.

Warwick Castle as Country Home

During the Victorian era, Warwick became one of the places to party, and Daisy, Countess of Warwick, knew how to throw a good one. First the guest list: of course one would invite the Duke of Wales (rumored to be her paramour), his son Duke of York (later to become George V), and members of the Churchill family including the young Winston (later to become Prime Minister). Throw in some famous entertainment, fabulous food, beautiful women and rich men and voila! Let the fun begin. 

A gentleman visitor would always bring his own valet.    

Warwick Castle as Theme Park

So, given that the castle had been a playground for the rich and famous, it should have been no surprise that it is now a playground for the middling classes, or in other words, you and me. Except that I was completely taken by surprise because I hadn’t done my homework! It had been a theme park since 1978 when the Tussauds Group (Yep, as in Madame Tussauds) took it over. To their credit, they paid for extensive restoration on the castle and grounds and now it is considered one of the best of England’s castles.

However, because I wasn’t prepared for the theme park atmosphere, my first impressions were not very favorable.  At first, the Quasimodo looking Jester who greeted us, the knight on his mighty steed and the merchants taunting us with their wares were amusing, but it soon began to look suspiciously like a ”Medieval Castle World” in Disneyland. A hot, humid day anyway, the crowds of adults and children vying for a spot at the food stands and tours quickly (for me) became oppressive. (I do apologize to all of you who happen to like amusement parks; they’re just not on my list of favorite things to do!)

 These beautiful sets of armor were only meant to be worn for special occasions.

 The one on the left was made for a seven year old child.

Once inside the castle, I relaxed and enjoyed the more traditional exhibits of amour and furnishings. That is until we wandered into what was once the Greville’s Victorian drawing room. There, wax figures of Lady Randolph Churchill, Daisy, Countess of Warwick, and others sat stiffly staring into space while disembodied voices engaged in gossipy conversation. It went from sad to silly in the next room. The wax “men” (supposedly Duke of Marlborough, Duke of York, Lord Greville etc.) poised around a card table, were engaged in an equally lively discussion all while having  their wax lips sealed. One poor figure, his wig skewed and looking uncomfortably propped up in a chair, appeared in no condition to have any opinion at all. He frankly looked like someone forgot to bury him.

Just in case I’m making the whole experience sound like a disaster, it truly was not. Many rooms were tastefully furnished with realistic looking wax likenesses of the notable people who used to live and visit the castle, which I did enjoy. However, I was thankful that they didn’t include those unintelligible voice-overs they used in the drawing room. My favorite was the wax figure of King Henry VIII, who incidentally, never visited the castle. But who cares? After all, how many times do you have the opportunity to have your picture taken with a King? (Shown here with a likeness of Richard III.)

The Most Beautiful Woman in Warwick!

 Kay and I were totally blown away when we saw this painting of Isabel de Requesens, Vice-Empress of Naples, and how much she and Sutherland look alike. How nice to resemble a lady who was considered the most beautiful woman in Spain!

I attempted to catch the jousting taking place on the field outside the castle from

my place on the ramparts. Now THAT looked like fun!

(left to right) Sutherland, Kay and me with Warwickshire in the background.

View from the castle of the Avon River 

 There be dragons in the river!

The Castle really is spectacular. Compact, it is perfect in scale and a showcase of classical Norman architecture. I must give the Tussauds Group a hand for preserving such an English treasure and bringing Warwick Castle to life for future generations to enjoy. (TIP: Go off season and pick a cool day!)

Next time: Oxford Revisted

MESA VERDE AND DURANGO, COLORADO’S FINEST

Cliff Palace, Grand Daddy of Metropolitan Living, Pueblo Style!

Mesa Verde, A Pueblo Metropolis

You may think that condo living is a modern living arrangement, but in the U.S.  the Pueblo Indians had it down to a science as far back as 600 A.D. Accessibility may have been a problem for some, but as far as use of space, design and functionality, the Pueblos were master builders. Designated a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978, these architectural marvels tucked into sky-scraping cliffs are everything I thought they would be—jaw dropping!

Spruce Tree House

Spruce Tree House

On day  16 of our Western National Parks tour, we stopped at Mesa Verde in southeastern Colorado to tour one of the many cliff dwellings in the area called the Spruce Tree House. We had to climb down then up a steep trail to reach it, passing a crystal stream providing a fresh flow of water. As we entered the village it felt as if we had walked back in time. Except for a few minor repairs, it could easily be humming with bustling activity and lively chatter. Under the watchful gaze of a Park Ranger, we still had freedom to explore all the nooks and crannies of the buildings and one of the pits called kivas.

 Good examples of the construction techniques. You can see that they

included the "latest in modern built in appliances".

 These ancient pits or kivas, are modeled after the Pueblo's earlier dwellings called
 "pit houses". It is interesting that this ancient form of dwelling was incorporated into the later high rise stone complexes. (See "Pit Houses" below)

Spruce Tree House
 The Pueblo used the tops of the mesas over the dwellings to farm. 

How It All Began, Pit Houses

The Pueblo people settled in the area (later to be named Mesa Verde, Spanish for “green table”) around 550 AD. It must have been a lush place with rich farm land and game because it eventually grew into a community of thousands by 1150 AD. Their first dwellings are called “pit houses”. Dug half way into the ground, they are roundish in shape and contained a fire pit/oven and ingenious ventilation. The roof, shaped like the bottom part of a pyramid, was constructed of intertwined poles and twigs and covered with a layer of adobe.

By 750 AD, the Pueblos began to build above ground using tent poles and mud (adobe) until around 1000 AD, when they advanced to building with carved stone allowing the dwellings to rise as much as three stories. Interestingly, they retained the ancient use of pits or kivas in their cliff dwellings, probably for ceremonial and storage use.

The original dwellings in the area are called "pit houses" because they

were partially dug into the earth and covered with adobe roofs.

It surprised me to learn how many cliff dwellings there are, over 600 in all. We drove by dozens on our way in and out of Mesa Verde, all varying in size and complexity. The biggest and most spectacular one is called Cliff Palace (seen at the top of the page). Unfortunately, we could only view at it from a distance, but I could see people lined up to go down with a park ranger. It looked like just getting down to it from the mesa would be an experience in itself!

Just a few of over 600 Pueblo cave dwellings in Mesa Verde. The one on the bottom

is a double decker!

Durango to Silverton on a Genuine Choo Choo Train!

Talk about fun! I definitely regressed to my 10 year old self on the ride from Durango to Silverton in a fully restored coal-fired Narrow Gauge train. Sitting very intimately together on the cramped seats, I couldn’t help but think about the proper Victorian ladies in their voluminous crinolines mashed together with cowboys and miners for the almost three hour trip. However, I quickly forgot all propriety and went the distance with my head out of the window or hanging over the side of the open air car getting a face full of coal dust. And best of all, the entire rail line followed the raging Animas River. Thank heavens we got to see it before the government washed the polluted waters from abandoned gold mines into the river turning it a hideous orange.

Aboard a coal fired narrow gauge railroad along the Animas River in Colorado.

You can see how Elaine and her husband Robert had to snuggle up in order to fit in 

the tiny seats. However, it looks like they rather enjoyed it!

 A narrow gauge rail track can be  up to 20 inches narrower than today's tracks. 

We boarded the train in Durango (top) for the 3 hour trip to Silverton (lower left). Our fellow traveler, Gerta, is shown just leaving the general store, or did she just park her Model T? (Just kidding! Silverton just happened to have an antique car show while we were there.)

(Lower right) I had to take a picture of this wonderful gentlemen at the train

 station in Durango. I swear he looks exactly like my great-grampa Franklin who

 lived until he was 96. He provided for his family of 12 as a frontier black smith.

EPILOGUE

It was sad when our trip finally came to an end after 18 fantastic days on the road through some of America’s best scenery. I had one of the best times ever. At least nine of us were single travelers and we all bonded into a very fun loving group. Traveling solo has never been a detriment to me, in fact it has proven to me how resilient and resourceful I can be. It has opened my world to places I would never have seen if I’d waited for someone to go with me. I’ve been forced to reach out and connect with total strangers who, by the end of my trips, have become friends—some lifelong. I can’t encourage you enough to do the same if you are single.

 

 It's not goodbye, Friends! It's "See you later!"

Just say NO to single supplements!

It has been the policy of some companies to charge a single person more, up to $1,000 in some cases, to have a private room and in some cases, to travel alone period. I call it the single tax or penalty. The company we traveled with, Grand Circle Tours, does not charge for a single person to have a room to themselves. Recently, more travel companies that do charge a single supplement fee for a private room have begun to realize they are missing out on a huge market of travelers by penalizing single people with these prohibitive fees. After all, it is estimated that almost half the country is single, or will be before long! I will choose a company that does not charge extra whenever possible. If it isn’t, I call the company to see if I can negotiate a reduction in the fees. So, do your homework and find those companies who are single friendly!

Thanks so much for coming with me on this wonderful tour of the nations great Western National Parks. And, stay tuned! There are many more adventures to come!

Please become a follower! I would really appreciate it.

Next time, we’ll return to England and the great estates of Warwick Castle and Blenheim, ancestral home of Winston Churchill.

Happy Travels!

Barbara

(Thanks a million to Eric Solberg and Larry Miner for the use of some of their pictures. Thanks, guys!)

MONUMENT VALLEY, HOLLYWOOD'S BACK LOT

 Monument Valley encompasses parts of Utah, Arizona and Colorado

  Featuring plateaus (long and flat), buttes (a shorter version shown on the

right) and mesas (tall and flat shown left in front of the plateau.)

Monument Valley

Looking across the dusty plains of Monument Valley you expect to see John Wayne astride a galloping steed wearing his high Stetson hat being chased by fierce Indian braves. If that image comes to mind, it’s probably because you've probably seen several movies with him doing just that. But as beautiful as the place is, how did this remote, arid Navajo land ever become the quintessential movie set? Well, it all started with a man and a dream, Harry Goulding.

The Goulding Trading Post

Tall and lanky, his sinewy frame baked in the hot desert sun, Harry sat astride his horse and looked out over the soaring mesas and flat plateaus and knew he’d found a new home. On that fateful day in 1921, it never occurred to him he would be instrumental in also making it a famous stage for Hollywood movies.  He and his wife, “Mike”, were just looking for a place to settle down and start a new business. They purchased one square mile of this land from the State of Utah and set up a trading post, and for the next seven years traded with the local Navajo people out of  a 10’ by 12’ tent.

A millennium of sea creatures laid down their lives to be carved by the hand of nature

into limitless, fascinating shapes forever shifting, changing and forever

delighting the senses.

They managed to do all right in this ideal setting until the depression hit and hit hard. His Navajo friends were suffering and dying of starvation and Harry and Mike’s own existence on the land was in jeopardy. Out of desperation, Harry reached out to Josef Muench, a noted photographer of the area and asked him to enlarge several of his best pictures. He and Mike then packed up their “bedrolls” and set out for Hollywood looking to enlist the help of Mike’s brother, a Hollywood stunt man. Doubtfully, the brother pointed Harry toward United Artist Studios, and once there, Harry threatened to camp out on their doorstep until someone talked to him. Long story short, he quickly attracted the attention of director John Ford with the photos and the rest is history.

John Ford ended up making 25 movies in the Valley, utilizing the local Navajos as extras and using Harry and Mike’s Trading Post as headquarters. Harry had not only saved his land and business, but his friends the Navajo and literately put Monument Valley on the map. (photo is from a day of filming "Stagecoach" (1939) starring John Wayne). Courtesy of Google Images.

 The Goulding Trading Post. Lower right--John Wayne's suite!

Anybody ever hear of Kanab??

Goulding's Trading Post wasn't the only place that movie makers discovered in Monument Valley. Kanab, Utah  also attracted the talents of big name directors and actors. A total of 71 westerns, 15 non-westerns and 14 TV shows were all filmed in or around Kanab, Utah. Who would have thought?

Remember these movies?
"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949) starring John Wayne
"Mackenna's Gold" (1969) starring Gregory Peck
"Jeremiah Johnson" (1972) starring Robert Redford
"Maverick" (1994) starring Mel Gibson

Or how about these shows...?
"The Rainmaker" (1956) starring Burt Lancaster
"Planet of the Apes" (1968 and 2001) starring Charleston Heston, and Mark Walberg
"The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1969) starring Max von Sydow

And who can forget these TV shows"
"Gunsmoke" (1955-75) starring James Arness
"Have Gun Will Travel" (1957-63) starring Richard Boone
"Wagon Train " (1957-65) starring Frank McGrath
"How the West Was Won" (1972-79) starring James Arness

 Little Hollywood

We stopped for lunch in itty bitty Kanab on our way through Monument Valley. Although there wasn't any evidence of the ghosts of film greatness past that I could discern, we did spend a few minutes at a place called Little Hollywood. The front building housed a modest museum and gift shop, but the fun was in the back. Someone did a fair job of assembling a collection of  set pieces from various western movies and TV shows. I brought "Sean and Morris" (the stars of a new children's book I'm writing for my granddaughter) and with the help of Ken, our driver, as my Cecil B. DeMille, filmed our own western movie.

 Little Hollywood Museum in Kanab, Utah.

 Ken, our wonderful bus driver, is a former Forest Ranger. He deputized 

Sean "The Sheep", Morris "The Moose"

and I just before we landed in a jail cell in the saloon!

Ken deputizing Sean and Morris into the Forest Service up top.

The "boys" and I rotting in jail and later high tailing it out 'o town on the stage.

 

 Roadside jewelry stand. Our driver, Ranger Ken, demonstrates his roping skills.

Back on the bus, we settled down for the long drive into Colorado to see the next site on our list, the famous Mesa Verde Indian cliff dwellings. However, before leaving the stunning Monument Valley, we stopped by a road side stand to admire and buy these beautiful handmade jewelry pieces from the Navajo. I bought a lovely turquoise pendant for a fraction of what a store would charge. Besides, it felt good to support the Navajo community directly.

Deep Water Project--Providing wells for the Navajo

Driving through this land, one can't help but connect not only with it but with its first inhabitants, the native Indians. It becomes painfully apparent how much has been taken away and so little given in return. Many Indian families and communities lack even the basic necessities of life, like water. When the tour was over, I heard of an organization that is committed to digging wells for the Navajo in Arizona. It costs around $500,000 to dig one well. If you would like to help, the name of the program is Deep Water Project headed by George McGraw. You can find out more by logging onto DigDeep.org and see how you can be part. Thank you!

Next time: Mesa Verde, Durango and home!

Thanks go to Eric and Larry for use of some of their wonderful pictures. Thanks, Guys!!

LAKE POWELL AND SLOT CANYON

John Wesley Powell, the One Armed Indiana Jones of the West

We owe a great debt to the intrepid explorers who’ve risked their lives exploring the vast terrain of our country. Many of the natural wonders they found have become our treasured National Parks. Extreme risk takers, they are tough, fearless and possess an insatiable thirst for knowledge and adventure: like John Wesley Powell.

In 1869, Powell, a small, unassuming geology professor, arranged an exploratory expedition down the dangerous Colorado River. Even the loss of an arm in the Civil War didn’t stop Major Powell from taking on the mighty Colorado despite the fact that its raging rapids were known deathtraps. Up to this time, no “white man” had ever finished the trip alive. With ten men and four rowboats, he headed out from Green River City in Wyoming and ended in the Grand Canyon three months later. Battered and barely alive, only six men and two of the boats survived. However, they had succeeded in discovering breathtaking canyons and vistas of unsurpassed beauty. 

Powell later wrote in his diary that the Utah canyons have "...wonderful features--carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds and monuments. From which of these features shall we select a name? We decide to call it Glen Canyon."

Some of the amazing twists and turns of Glen Canyon. The white "bath tub ring" is made 

by receding water levels in the lake. (picture courtesy of Google Images)

Lake Powell and Glen Canyon

Partial map of Lake Powell and Glen Canyon

Described by Powell as the most intimately beautiful of all the canyons, much of Glen Canyon now lies under water. Finished in 1966, the Glen Canyon dam on the Colorado River created Lake Powell and 1,900 miles of shoreline. Providing not only a valuable water source for several states, but a recreational area as well, the 187 mile long lake has almost 100 side canyons to explore. Managed by the National Park Service, it was established as a National Recreation area in 1972.

Boating on the Powell

Instead of riding horses or mules through the canyons, we can now marvel at them from the comfort of a boat. After first visiting the Carl Hayden Visitor Center and taking pictures of the dam and Navajo Bridge, our tour group gathered at the dock at nearby Lake Powell Resort. Slathered in sunscreen, we clamored aboard a luxury sized yacht for an unforgettable cruise on Lake Powell. 

Pictured on the right are happy travelers, Walt and Barbara. Can you tell they

are having a good time? Look at the vistas in the background!

Every twist and turn and bend in the canyon evoked a chorus of "ooo's and ahhhh's!" Upper right, are some of our group traveling solo, buddies Eric, Dianne and me!

Video of our cruise on Lake Powell.

What is Navajo sandstone?

Much of the natural wonders we’ve seen over the last few days have been made of Navajo sandstone. Named in honor of the Navajo Nation it is, simply put, ancient windblown sand dunes solidified into rock. Formed while the giant dinosaurs roamed the earth in the early Jurassic period it is everywhere. Ranging over large parts of Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Utah, it covers three times the size of the Sahara Desert! In fact, it is the basic structure of the entire Colorado Plateau.

Antelope Slot Canyon

After the cruise, we returned to Page, Arizona and our hotel. Our day far from over also included a trek to one of the best sites on the trip. After a quick lunch, we boarded safari like vans and with our Navajo guides, headed toward the jewel of all natural sandstone sculptures, Antelope Slot Canyon.
 

Elaine threatens to shoot me with her finger for getting the front seat (upper left)

and our guide, Slow Horse, (upper right) stands in front of the entrance to Slot Canyon.

 You can see  how narrow and tall it is.

(It's my understanding that Antelope Slot Canyon being on Navajo land, can only

be seen by special permission of the Navajo Nation. They allow only small groups

at a time. For more information: Antelope Canyon Tours )

With a day of over 100 scorching degrees, the instant coolness of the canyon was a relief. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I could see why they named it Slot canyon. The opening is so narrow it only allows a few people at a time to gather, and the deeper we went, the narrower it became until only one person at a time could pass.  The passages may have been narrow, but the sides of the canyon soared impossibly high above us allowing only slivers of light to illuminate our way.

 

I’ve seen pictures of the canyon everywhere, but to see it in person took my breath away. The towering walls made of multicolored sandstone, sculpted by the whorls and eddies of water erosion are smoothed and polished until they are gem-like. The changing light transforms each plane into a living art piece and that same light streaming down from a great height gives one the feeling of being in a cathedral. It is no wonder it is a scared place to the Navajo.

 

On the way back over the hot and dusty unpaved roads, I got to ride in the air conditioned cabin on padded seats. I only felt a little sorry for my tour buddies in the back, bouncing along in the oven heat and choking dust. But, for me, I had the good fortune of spending time with Leonard, our guide. I asked him what his Navajo name is and he answered, "Slow Horse". I should have asked him why his parents named him that, but I didn't. My guess it's because he was laid back,  and good-natured. Still is!

He had been the perfect guide, changing the settings on our cameras so we could take decent pictures and playing his flute deep in the canyon. And great for us, we would see more of him that evening.

 

We had a wonderful dinner and entertainment waiting for us after we cleaned up. It featured Leonard (aka Slow Horse) giving a talk and playing another one of his flutes for us. He also played the drums while a very talented hoop dancer picked up one by one dozens of hoops that he formed into several shapes. He didn't even drop one!

Next Time: Monument Valley

(Some pictures provided by Larry Miner and Eric Solberg. Thanks, guys!)