The commanding officer on the Britannia was always a flag officer, generally a Rear Admiral.   He sailed Britannia with a crew of 20 officers and 200 sailors.  The commander has his own mess, occasionally shared with senior officers or members of the royal family.  To be invited to the commander’s dinning table to share a meal was a huge honor.   The rest of the crew, in descending rank had their own private dining and relaxation sections, although the ranks below petty officers could only draw beer in their off hours while the higher ranks enjoyed a dram of hard liquor. The daily rum ration for all sailors was stopped in 1970 over concerns of drinking and operating machinery.  http://www.royalyatchbritannia.co.uk/eclusive-use/private-dinning/the-officers-wardroom-dinners

Not every country claims two flags.  The satire against a clear blue sky is the official flag of Scotland.  The Lion Rampant is the Royal Standard of the King or Queen of the Scots.  The raging lion is depicted on the Scottish royal coat of arms and is part of the Great Seal of Scotland.  The Lion Rampant dates back to King Richard I of England in the 12th century and shows a lion, the king of beasts, poised and ready for battle with legs and claws extended, ready for battle.   https://www.historic-uk.com/assets/Images/ScottishRoyalStandardLionRampant.jpg?1390900212

There are two things that should be on a Yellowstone picture bucket list.  The first is Old Faithful.  The geyser is not one of the more spectacular in the park, but it is reliable, erupting between 21 and 23 times per day.  The data says the intervals between eruptions are 35 to 120 minutes, but the announcement in the Visitor Center said 1:18 pm plus or minus 10 minutes, and it started reliably at 1:22 pm. 

We could see them from the parking lot but as we walked across the parking lot we and found ourselves looking down the entrance, columns lining the way with state flags shifting in the gentle breeze.   Walking down the aisle toward the mountain with it’s gleaming white sculptures of four of our most impressive presidents was a humbling and inspiring experience.

The Fighting Stallions, a bronze sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski, are locked in battle in front of the museum, education center and gift shop at the Crazy Horse Memorial.  Standing in front of the sculpture you can see the tension and sense the fury as the two stallions engage in battle.  We do not know why they fight but we can feel the teeth as they rip into flesh and feel the sharp pain as their kicks land.  They appear so alive, I would not have been surprised to see them fall to the ground and roll away.

Carlo Sanna riding to victory for the Onda (Wave) Contrade in the Siena, Tuscany, Italy Palio alla Tonda horse race on August 16.  This year the Onda (Wave) and Giraffa (Giraffe) Contrade will share the honors as the champion Contrade in Siena.

This photo was taken from the Dotemirates website.   Additional pictures of the August 16 race are available at Pictures are available at:  https://www.dotemirates.com/en/details/3801373?from=dot

Sienese and tourists, up to 40,000 (although the crowd size was controlled for the July 2, 2017 race) gather in the Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy for the start of the Siena horse race.  The photo is from Siena’s Palio: Everything You Need to Know about il Palio di Siena by Silvia Donati June 20, 2016  https://selectitaly.com/blog/tuscany/sienas-palio-il-palio-di-siena/   https://i1.wp.com/selectitaly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/palio-711295_1280.jpg?ssl=1

The weather varied from misty to outright rain the afternoon we visited Glastonbury.   Not the most pleasant weather.  With a main street like this, filled with eclectic and eccentric shops offering a multitude of mystical and spiritual items how can you not have a fantastic day?  With it’s long history and present occupants the village itself has it’s own personality.

During the German Blitz, St Paul’s Cathedral was a target.  Through the dedication of the English fire fighters who worked through the bombings every night, St. Paul’s came by relatively unscathed.  The only damage was a direct strike on the east end of the Cathedral behind the alter which destroyed the Apse.  This area was rebuilt as a dedication to the 28,000 Americans stationed in the United Kingdom in appreciation for their war efforts.  This stained glass window includes the American Eagle with North American flora and fauna, salutes to all 48 states, and portraits of famous Americans (George Washington).

The tomb of King Arbinas built between 390 and 370 BCE was moved to England in the mid 1800s.  It is called the Nereid Monument because of the life size female figures in wind blown togas dancing on sea creatures including dolphins, cuttlefish, and possibly a seagull, giving the archeologists enough evidence to call them sea-nymphs, though that is a Greek term and they probably should be called Eleyana for their Lycian heritage.   

Hadrian’s Wall was built about 40 years after the founding of Vindolanda. And is located about a mile north. Vindolanda became one of the primary garrisons providing support to the Wall’s outposts. Although most of the wall has been repurposed as building materials throughout northern England there are still impressive sections left.

England has about 130,000 miles of public footpaths.  The paths pass through public and private lands.  Just be sure to close the gates because often the the path passes through a sheep pasture. 

Apparently everyone (well at least the Italian residents) hate the Victor Emmanuel Monument.  It is too big, too gaudy, too imposing and called everything from the wedding cake to ….. Actually the Monument Victor Emanuel II is not that bad.  It is big.  And kind of sprawling but it has a lot of steps for people to enjoy. You have to back up until almost falling down the steps to get the guards, the tomb and flames for the unknown soldier in a picture.

According to legend, touching the statue of Juliet has the power to significantly enhance a person’s love life.  You can tell which spots are supposed to be touched by which areas of Juliet’s statue have been polished.

The Chiesa di Saint Antonio Abate di Vezio church is very plain as you walk past it toward the castle.  Take a moment to step inside.  While the church is not very big, the quality and scope of interior is impressive. The different styles of frescos on the right hand wall and the stained glass over the entrance is worth your visit.

We celebrated dinner tonight after the 24 hours it took to arrive in Milan.  Here I am with the one kilo Chianina T-Bone steak for which northern Italy is so famous – grilled to perfection!

This is what the finished packing looks like.  About half the carry on is electronics, toiletries, and laundry support.  The medications and testing kits go in the backpack. The back pack also includes the day bag, cell phone and iPad.

Full moon over home