Connecticut USA

Aug 13

This part of New England is so peaceful, just as I (David has been here before) expected it to be. It is strange to find so many place names that we see every day at home. We've been through New London and are staying in Glastonbury.

On Monday we went into Hartford and visited the Mark Twain house. It really should be on your visit list if you come by this way. It was built in 1871 and he moved in with his family in 1874. Cost? $45k. Imagine what that would be today? It's weird to see the actual desk where he wrote some of his most famous works but it's great to hear some of his wit. He had a balcony built outside the billiard room (where he did most of his writing) so that when callers came his butler could truthfully say that Mr Clements had 'stepped out' when in fact he was still in the building! I love that, must have one! From there we went to Bristol to a carousel horse museum. It's not publicised that much in the travel books from home but it you love carousels as much as I do you simply have to visit. There is a guided tour (our guide was Elaine) and they are so informative about the horses and their histories. Did you know that the front (outside) of the horse is the romantic side and the back (inside) is the apprentice? Neither did we. Makes sense really because the front is what draws you to the horse and you never see the back. Fabulous. Some real old ones there too.

Tuesday we went to Mystic Seaport. Great place to see. I have it on good authority from Laurie, our friend, that the pizzas aren't that great so we gave it a miss! Kathy, Laurie's wife, booked a great sunset cruise on a 3 masted schooner that took us down the river into the estuary that leads directly down to New York, wonderful. It is so serene to be sailing with no smelly engines and to be taken by the breeze. You can wander on and off the old ships and there is a museum that tells the history of the sea and whaling in this area, great for kids and adults alike. You can even try your hand at sail folding and knot tying!

Today we went to Gillettes Castle, East Haddam. It was built by William Gillette in the early 20th century and is so eccentric it could have been built by an Englishman. William Gillette was an actor who made Sherlock Holmes in the image we all know and love today. He loved the novels by Arthur Conan Doyle so much that he wrote to Conan Doyle to request permission to turn the novels into plays. The author who was so fed up with people asking for more gratefully gave the permission and the rest, as they say, is history. He became so rich from this undertaking that he built the castle. It's a folly in the greatest British tradition even down to the fact that he kept cats and there were 15 of them at any one time in his home. On one of the tables there are toys inbuilt for the cats to play with! Also, there are 47 individually carved doors. I could go on but you'll have to look it up if you want to know more.

Tomorrow we are off to New York. David has never been to the Empire State Building and I have never been to the city outside of winter. So, watch this space.