Le Tour de France

I can't say I'm a huge cycling fan, but I am a huge fan of major international sport competition.  I've always been an Olympics fan, and being a part of the London 2012 Olympics fanned the spectators flame in me.  I absolutely love going to major sporting events.  There is such a charge from being right there in the heart of the action.  So when the Tour de France whipped through London no way was I going to miss that!  

 Obligatory snaps in front of the London monuments.  Been surrounded by this stuff for nearly 6 years and it just never gets old!

 Race route all prepped for racers several hours before.  It's quite an eerie thing seeing some of London's busiest roads completely vacant.

 Tour de France live in Trafalgar Square, a big TDF party!

 The kids were super jazzed to spot themselves on TV!

 Witnessing a live proposal on screen and also several yards away from us!

 Along the Mall and Buckingham Palace at the finish line!

One of a bazillion cycling shots I got.  And in 30 seconds it was over!

Wales

I have a wonderful friend in the states who I see fairly regularly here.  She doesn't live here, but comes over often and we are often able to get together when she is here.  We met a few years ago on a study trip for one of my literature classes.  Despite a 20-year age gap we totally hit it off and have been great long distance friends ever since.  She graciously invited me to join her on a architecture tour of Wales and western England for 5 days in late June.  It was a wonderful opportunity to get away and see a smattering of beautiful places in this country I would likely have never encountered.  The tour group was a funny mix, four Americans total and the rest were all elderly British folks.  I'd put the average age among this lot at 75-80 years old (I was like the group grandchild!).  It was something of a stuffy group of rather stiff academic types, and Lynne and I had a difficult time breaking them socially.  But we gave it our best shot and by the end of the week found a few friends and made some funny memories along the way.  I was very glad to have Lynne as a travel companion.  We had so much fun together, as we always do.  

 Hellens, Much Marcle

Kilpeck Church

Kentchurch Court (Scudamore House)

Abergavenny Church

Tretower Castle

Brecon Cathedral

Stokesay Castle

Cute French bistro for lunch . . .

Ludlow

Ludlow Church (Misericords)

Berrington Hall

Llanvihangel Court

 Tredegar House

Hereford Cathedral

Hereford

Hampton Court Castle