The Rasmusens in Oxford

Our visit to the Lake District went very well. With or without kids. our style of vacationing never leads to predictable results.

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Faith in the Car

After a long drive (3 hours?) we arrived.

The Hostel

Kids at the Hostel

At the hostel in Hawkshead, an old mansion, we discovered the Hawkshead-brewed Brodie beer. We also tried the famous Kendal Mint Cake.

Brodie Beer

Kendal Mint Cake

To get there, we crossed Lake Windermere on a ferry.

The Ferry

A Dead Pike

More interesting was our excursion on Coniston Water on a steamboat from circa 1860.

Coniston Steamboat

We had a good lunch at Ambleside.

Lunch at Ambleside

Sheeps

We walked up a “fell”, the local word for a hill, with Faith in a backpack.

Faith in the Backpack

Resting

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A Pretty Scene

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Eggs

Mom and Faith didn’t go all the way to the top. Dad went almost all the way, but not up the last rockpile.

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At the Top

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Lake Windermere

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Near the Top

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Mom Down Below

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We met Grace’s family for dinner in Windermere town.

Justice and Cards at the Children’s Table

The children practiced May Day dancing at school. Dad went to see it, and saw Ben’s Year 1 dancing, as you can see below.

Miss Weetch Too

Benjamin danced with gusto.

Unfortunately, it started raining, and Years 3 and 4 didn’t get a chance to dance.

Dancing in Pairs

Close-Up with Alice

Grace and Helen

Grace from St. Ebbe’s had a goodbye party last Sunday, since she may be leaving for Hong Kong soon. The party was at the Cherwell Boathouse, where we rented a punt last fall.

Justice under the Heat Lamp

Joanna, Daren, and Helen

One day we stopped for chips at the kebab wagon next to St. Aldate’s Church. These are usually run by South Asians and serve chips and hamburgers and giros meat that they call “kebabs”.

Chips at St. Aldate’s

M and Elizabeth went to a concert series in Oxford, while the rest went to Portsmouth for the fourth time, stopping in Winchester for lunch.

Shared Milk

A Picnic in the Cathedral Close

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12th Century Paintings in the Cathedral

From the Armoury

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Also from the Armoury

The Sea Wall Next To the Castle

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The Moat and Keep

The Castle Church from the Tower

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Eggs

The Inner Court from the Tower

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Pink Flower on Wall

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The Armoury from Portchester Castle

15-Inch Battleship Guns

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In the Fort

Into the Breech

Flint and Chalk Tunnel

The Princess on Her Throne

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On the Cannon

The Parade Ground

Spooky Shells

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Fort Tunnel