It’s World Cup Season! So naturally we walked down to the local pub, had dinner, and watched the game. We are slowing getting this British thing down!
I love the buildings here…
The sun was hitting the cathedral just right so we had to stop and take a few pictures.
Why do my kids think photobombing is so fun?!?
Yep that’s a word. Did you know there was such a thing? A royalist is someone who supports monarchy….or in the Webster's dictionary of Katie “One who follows all things regarding the English Royal Family’.
So when I heard Charles and Camelia would be visiting Salisbury you bet your bum I was going to be there…and be there EARLY to get a great spot!
Thankfully my American friends N and T are just as royal crazy as I am…so they came with me…which made this experience 10000000 times better! N even smoozed the mayor of Salisbury. Yep, I’ve got friends in high places!
We got there an hour (or two) before they were set to arrive at 10:30…so we got great spots! There was a band playing music to keep people entertained. We tried to guess the songs and sing along. Most Brits don’t do that kind of thing….so we stood out a bit.
There were cops everywhere…and we had the best one in front of us. He played name that tune with us, sung along with us, and was kind enough to give us royal updates when we asked. Thanks to him we were ready when the royals were! Thank you officer from Wilts! And he was even nice enough to photobomb our pictures…so of course I had to do a selfie with him!
The first sighting! Yes! It’s Camilla in a navy spotted dress! (Thanks to Mr. Cop we already knew what she was wearing…yes people this is a huge deal to know what the royals are wearing…)
I SHOOK BOTH THEIR HANDS! Charles spoke to us about the traffic, shopping, and if we should be in an office somewhere. Well I wouldn’t say we had a conversation…but those are the topics he chatted about as he moved across our part of the line. Camilla remarked on our beautiful flowers in Salisbury.
Charles speaking with my friend T! His security guard had T put her phone down with one flick of a finger. Yes, he was that serious looking.
And then they went inside for their meeting with all the people who helped in the recovery of Salisbury. It was only going to be an hour…so of course we stayed around…and got rewarded by being interviews by FOUR different news outlets! 2 television and 2 radio!
Of course this is the day I just put my hair in braids and call it good. ugh! But don’t worry, I got my UK pride on with my UK flag and my UK sweatshirt (I was dying it was so hot…but I’m not going to let a little heat get in my way!)
After our interviews we got back to our prized spot and waited again. The poor cop, he thought he had gotten rid of us. I shared a flag with him as a peace offering. FYI the Audi is the royals, second and third land rovers are security with a ton of fire power. wow.
Prompt as usual they are out the door and in the car. I was so mad because this one news person decided to stand right in my line of sight! UGH!! So I only got a few of them leaving.
We had such a blast and I’m so glad N and T were just as royal obsessed as I was. T wasn’t a fan of being on TV, but we made her…and thank goodness because her friends captured these awesome screen shots of us on television!!!!
And this one was in an online article! That’s T!
So far, maybe my best UK experience.
I walk by this house every time I go into town…which is a few times a week. Today I decided to stop in and check it out. It always fascinates me that these huge homes and big gardens (backyards) exist in the middle of town, behind an unassuming door. Our first Airbnb in Salisbury looked to tiny from the front, one small yellow door and one window…but inside was a 5 bedroom massive home! Don’t judge a book by the cover is right!
The last lady to live here ( Barbara Townsend) moved in when she was a baby, never married, and passed away in her 90’s…living in this home all the days of her life. The house was built in 1701 by Charles Mompesson and bequeathed to National Trust in 1975. The home is all open, minus the kitchen that was too modern to show…it was updated in the 1970’s…and really, who wants to see that? (ME!)
Barbara Townsend was an artist and her artwork is displayed all through the home. This is what her studio would have looked like.
The view from the front door. The home is located in The Close – pretty much in the parking area for the Cathedral (if the cathedral actually had a real parking lot)
Formal Dinning
Library
This is the Entrance Hall, which was my favorite part of the house. I’m standing on the stairs landing looking towards the front door. It is breathtaking and massive. I wish I could post my videos on here!
Please always want to appear more weathy then they are…now and then. The installed these fake doors to make it look like the house continues on…..it doesn’t.
View from the bedroom
The back garden
I’m standing in the same spot the artist painted this painting from.
Barbara Townsend did a painting of her large drawing room. When National Trust aquired the home they used this painting to recreate how the room would have looked in her time. Fun fact…do you see that fireplace? When the Portman family moved in they wanted a fireplace in the drawing room. Well the ceiling wasn’t high enough…so what do they do? RAISE THE CEILING! Where does this kind of money come from?!?! Oh and every ceiling in this whole house had incredible plasterwork!
In front of Mompesson House…It was really bright…I don’t normally have that many wrinkles
And of course I had to stop at my favorite spot…the cathedral. I love just hanging out on the front lawn or strolling around it. The second picture is in the cloister…check out the beam work!
