We had breakfast at our hotelthe Angel Hotel in Leamington Spa. It was a full English breakfast. The big difference was they would scramble eggs for Shealyn. The other thing is the breakfast included black pudding. It is made from pork or beef blood with pork fat or beef suet and a cereal, usually oats or barley and seasoning. It was not high on my list of things to try!!
We walked around town and found a bus to Coventry, which is one of the places I wanted to go. Fifty years ago, Fairmont State Choir took a trip here and I wanted to revisit some places. Coventry was one of them. Because we were limited in transportation, we could only pick one area.
Coventry Cathedral has a long history of destruction and rebuild starting in the 700s (it started out as a nunnery). The most devastating blow came during a bombing in WW2. Over 500 people lost their lives and thousands of homes were destroyed. It was at that a point the townspeople decided not to rebuild. However two Timbers,from the destruction, fell in the shape of a cross. That cross is still on display there today. You
In the 60s the townspeople did rebuild A modern Coventry Cathedral, but adjacent to the original site. While we were there a priest was performing a service and recording g it on his phone. We didnt get in the new cathedral because a large group was doing something there and the gates were closed.
In looking for Coventry Cathedral, we came upon another church, Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity has ties to Lady Godiva and Her husband Earl Leofric. It was destroyed by fire in the 12th century and rebuilt in the early 1400s. During the 1430s, a painting of the Last Judgement was created above the tower arch to demonstrate the eternal consequences of both charitable and uncharitable acts. It was covered up but restored in 2004. It is an incredible painting!!!
Next up we headed around the corner to the statue of Lady Godiva. The story goes that Lady Godiva was upset with her husband The Earl and vowed to ride through the streets of Coventry stark naked, with only her long locks of hair covering her body.
Arks unfair taxes on the people. He ordered that all citizens stay sequestered in their homes and close or avert their eyes. Only one subject did not obey, the tailor. He looked out his window. Legend has it that he was either put to death or his eyes were gouged out.
There is a statue of Lady Godiva on her horse and just down from that is a window above the streets that had a Peeping Tom. Check out the pictures.
We wanted to go to Stratford on Avon but it was a 90 minute bus ride so We decided against it. Good thing because our bus ride back to our hotel was twice as long as the ride to Coventry. We must have had the express going over there!!!
We packed up and headed to the train station for our return to London. This time there were only 3 train cars and it was packed.
Once we arrived in London, we headed to the Balmoral House to retrieve our luggage they so graciously stored for our overnight trip to see Michael Buble. We love our family there and we hated
to say goodbye to Flavio. We surely hope to see him again but for now Facebook and email will have to do.
Our home for this last night in London is The Hilton Garden Inn At the airport. We fly out tomorrow to Dublin to join our tour group for our trip through Ireland and Scotland!!
