Author: Sue Barnard

If Santa Fe was considered fake, then Hollywood may be considered fickle. We took a trip to the Walk of Fame where more than 2,400 stars are sited along the pavements (or sidewalks as they are known in the US) of 18 blocks along Hollywood Boulevard. Most of the stars are inlaid with the names of ‘celebrities’ from the entertainment industry, many of whom we had not heard of and some were fictitious, including Minnie Mouse and Snow White. Rather ironic was that along this celebratory walk of perceived ‘stars’ were several tents put up by the homeless, of which there were many in this town of obvious wealth.

Our hotel was positioned for easier access to Santa Monica (the end of Route 66), Hollywood and the airport and was on the outskirts of Beverly Hills where $10 million won’t buy you much of a pad – we were told people needed tens of millions. Even for that, many of the houses were squeezed aside each other.

We didn’t last the course of the complete Walk of Fame. Once you had seen one star you had seen the lot, especially in the high heat of the day. We stumbled upon another Big Bus Tour and thought a ride would give us a potted history and a view of parts of Hollywood we would not reach by foot.

Something rather concerned me at the start of the tour – the playing of a lot of ‘musak’ through the bus headphones, repeated over and over again and continuing throughout the two hour trip, valuable time which could be filled with information. Still, I was looking forward to some of the sights and some history.

We saw very nice parts of Beverly Hills, many of the roads having different species of trees, such as palms along one road and Jacaranda along another. Beverly Hills dissuades onlookers; likes to keep itself tidy; and insists that all residents place their trash bins down a back alley and out of site.

We passed many movie, TV and recording studios, such as Paramount where visitors could take a tour, and the Troubadour Club where Elton John, James Taylor and Neil Young made their US debuts, Guns ’n’ Roses were signed up on the spot having been kicked off the stage by the owners, and Janis Joplin partied before being found dead the next day of a heroin overdose. The Eagles song ‘Sad Cafe’ is said to be written about the club.

Bonhams, the auction house, was pointed out where many items from Michael Jackson’s estate were sold after his death, but evidently not the sequinned glove. O J Simpson also sold items to pay towards his multi-million court judgement, we were told.

We also passed the attractive Petersen Automotive Museum building (photo below). We would have liked to visit but our time in Los Angeles was short. The museum contains more than 250 iconic, rare and historic cars, hot rods, trucks and motorcycles going back 120 years.

Then lots of restaurants and shops were pointed out for onlookers to visit who just cannot get enough of the celebs. Mixed within all this were more tents of the homeless along the pavements – paved with gold for some, but not for others.

Popular food outlets were highlighted, such as the Sprinkles cake brand where those desperate for sweet things can satisfy their desire 24 hours a day. For something more savoury there is Pink’s Hot Dog Store, a family company set up by Paul and Betty Pink in 1939 to sell chilli dogs from a push cart. Today, it sells more than 2,000 hot dogs and 200 hamburgers a day.

Then we passed the cemetery for the celebs, named Hollywood Forever, where those unlucky not to see a celeb or two on their journey can go hunting for the tombstones of others! Everything is covered in this trip.

Or is it? Where is that history I was expecting? Yes it was included in the recorded commentary… all 2 minutes of it. So with a bit of further research I will fill in this void. Hollywood’s origins date back to 1853 when the first adobe building was erected. Over the next 20 years a thriving agricultural community developed. By 1883, prohibitionist, politician and real-estate developer Harvey Henry Wilcox moved in and purchased 150 acres of land with the intention of ranching.

Things didn’t quite go to plan and he made arrangements to sell off plots for housing, perceiving a community based on his sober religious principles. I wonder if he is turning in his grave at Hollywood Forever. But it was H J Whitley, referred to as the ‘Father of Hollywood’, who changed the prospects of the area. He was responsible for bringing electricity, gas and the telephone to Hollywood at the beginning of the 20th century, and also opened the Hollywood Hotel, today called the Dolby Theatre which hosts the yearly Oscars ceremony.

By 1908, film companies started to show interest in the location attracted by its varied terrain, mild climate, and a big labour market. By 1913, 20 film businesses had established themselves in Hollywood. Two years later it had become the centre of the American film industry. Big names included Paramount, Columbia, Warner Brothers, Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Twentieth Century Fox.

After WWII many of the film producers moved out, and these valuable large sites were taken over later by the TV industry. But it wasn’t always a win-win situation for these companies. There have been numerous strikes including in 1941 the Disney Animators’ strike; in 1945 the Set Decorators’ strike lasting six months; the Actors’ strikes in the 1960s; Directors’ strike in 1987 lasting just 3 hours and 5 minutes (they know how to be effective); and more recently (2007-8) the hundred days strike of the Writers Guild of America which wanted a bigger share of the profits made by the larger studios. Unfortunately, such shutdowns had a knock on effect for supporting industries, such as florists, prop houses and transportation firms, who could not ride the storm.

All of this is indicative of just how much Hollywood depends on the movie and TV producers and how much the movie and TV producers depend on Hollywood. But it is not just America that depends on it – the need stretches internationally. Just a chance short discussion in the lift with a gentleman when we got back to our hotel reflected that. Recognising our UK accents he told us he was from Bromley. “I’m here on business,” he said. “I work in film production.” It seems many parts of the world need Hollywood as much as Hollywood needs them.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

We decided to extend our 200 mile route from Winslow to Kingman by another 82 miles to incorporate the longest section of Route 66 and it proved to be well worth it.

This meant that we would not be able to visit the Meteor Crater which was quite close to our Winslow hotel as our time would be too limited to give this site the justice it deserved.

However, in an attempt not to miss out completely we undertook a little research which revealed that the three-quarters of a mile wide, and 600 feet deep, crater was recognised as such in 1891. In 1906 a mining engineer named Daniel Barringer considered this was caused by a meteorite, and for the next 27 years argued the case, nearly bankrupting himself in the process. His theory was disputed until scientific researchers came to the conclusion that a meteorite did cause the crater and that it could have happened up to 50,000 years ago.

While the estimated 130-150 feet wide meteorite has never been found, what is considered a fragment – the 1,406lb Holsinger Meteorite – can be viewed at the site.

Today, family members still own the site and also provide guided tours around the rim. Clarification about the differences between asteroids, comets, meteors, meteoroids and meteorites can also be discovered. If we had visited, we might just have found out how big a 1,406lb meteorite really is.

But Route 66 beckoned and with The Eagles playing through our hired Mustang’s speakers we really felt part of that historic adventure.

The main town we were heading for was Williams, where Route 66 ran through the centre. The town was delightful and full of memorabilia along both sides of the street much to the pleasure of the many reminiscing visitors.

We had intended to dine at Cruiser’s Cafe which was once a well-known stopping point along Route 66 but today it is more of a packed tourist trap.

We decided instead to eat opposite where a policewoman was initially in attendance and then two sheriffs. This got us puzzled. What different roles do they play? A discussion with the sheriffs revealed that the police cover town incidents, whereas the sheriffs cover county matters. They assured us that there is very little crime in Williams (despite their congregating at our cafe).

We then headed over to the railway station just at the time a freight train was passing. As with so many we have seen, it was hauling hundreds of containers and took almost five minutes to pass us by.

Then, back on the road for several miles more, we pulled up at a cafe making the most of the Route 66 connection. This had been taken over in recent years and the owner had built his own piece of memorabilia, a very large green head he called Giganticus Headicus… well if others can do a similar thing with Cadillac graveyards and huge rocking chairs, why not this owner? Having some quick refreshments and a few photos we continued our trip into Kingman, where we were hot, hungry and tired.

As is usually the case in US motels there were not any meals provided apart from breakfast, and Downtown restaurants were a fair distance away. However, the motel recommended a local hostelry: The Fireside Cocktail Lounge.

This sounded interesting and as we were gasping for refreshment we took the two block walk to what we thought would be an enticing establishment. Upon arrival, it turned out to be a working mens bar, and pretty busy for a 6pm Saturday night.

Cool beers were welcome, although we refrained from the menu serving only deep fried chicken wings. Pool table, electronic darts board, and a snazzy jukebox (all hi-tech and playing country and western) captured our attention. That was until the ‘cabaret’ started. Clearly the clientele had been in attendance on this Saturday evening far longer than we had. Women were somewhat erotically making up to men, and men were making up to women, in front of our very eyes. Not a lot was left to the imagination. This went on for some time while we supped away. Then drinkers started to make an abrupt exit… the live musician had started to set up his equipment. The ‘cabaret’ left and it was time for us to go too. Social life in these sprawling towns it seems is limited, and the old tradition of working mens clubs must be welcomed, but quite where The Fireside Cocktail Lounge came into it we do not know. There wasn’t a fireside, no cocktails in sight, and presumably a bar stood in for the lounge.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Monument Valley is dry. Not just because the area only receives an average seven inches of rain a year, but being part of the Navajo Tribal Nation, the consumption of alcohol is prohibited, along with weapons and drones. In fact, if one wants a tipple in this dry region one needs to drive 70 miles to obtain it, rather a stretch too far, even in the heat of the evening.

We had made a detour off Route 66 from Albuquerque to take the opportunity to see this sacred site 335 miles away. Monument Valley comprises towering rock formations up to 1,000 feet scattered amongst a sandstone floor. The area was once part of the sea floor where sediment and sandstone formed together in layers over millions of years. Tectonic forces then raised the area above the waterline, creating a plateau of flat land and peaks.

The peaks we see today are referred to as mesas (rock formations that look like table tops), buttes (smaller rock formations) and spires (narrow and free standing rock formations in their final stage of erosion from wind and water, having once been buttes).

Many of these have been given names, largely based on their shape, such as Totem Pole, Three Sisters, and John Ford’s Point named after the Hollywood director who instigated many of the movies filmed in the area, including those starring John Wayne such as Stage Coach. The 92,000 acre park stretches across northern Arizona and Southern Utah and lies within the Navajo Nation Reserve.

To view the park visitors have to either take a guided tour by vehicle; engage in a self-guided tour if driving a 4×4; trek (consider the heat and the highly-poisonous snakes); or take a horse ride. We opted for the guided vehicle tour. Over three hours we travelled the 17 mile trip around the park, visiting the major peaks.

At one site we viewed rock carvings (or petroglyphs) depicting animals. These were made by chipping the rock surface with stone to reveal a lighter shade than the rock surface. We saw just a few petroglyphs, but archaeologists believe there may be up to 25,000 in the area. It is considered most were created by Pueblo people who lived in the Rio Grande Valley, likely between 1300 and 1680 AD.

We stumbled across some interesting footprints and a closer look gave the impression that this may have been a lizard, a delicacy of the local rattlesnake.

We also viewed some traditional houses of the Navajo people called hogan homes. These are constructed of logs, covered in sand and straw which is then wetted. Once dried in the sun this becomes a hard outer structure. There are two styles: the larger ‘female hogan’ which is used as family homes, and the smaller ‘male hogan’ which is a more temporary structure which can be dismantled and moved to another area. Inside the hogan is a metal fire with chimney. Today, those who still live in a hogan home tend to be the older generations who have chosen not to move to more contemporary housing.

In one of the hogans we met a lady who demonstrated spinning sheep wool which is dyed using various local plants and woven into many textiles as a means of income. Children start to learn the crafts from a young age. It was emphasised that each stage of the process is developed extremely slowly to encourage a patient approach to life starting with the younger generations.

If in the location, Monument Valley is worth a trip as the landscape is unique. However, we found there is very little else to do at the site once a tour has taken place. A small visitors’ centre at the (only) hotel could provide much more information on the history and the lives of the Navajo people. There were lots of photo opportunities, however, and we just couldn’t miss the opportunity of an early start to capture some sunrise shots.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Ooh, I think we have arrived in Heaven. Today’s 300 mile journey has led us to Santa Fe and The Inn of the Five Graces. The majority of this rather small town (compared to the sprawling metropolises we have so far seen in the US) comprises largely red-coloured adobe buildings.

The Five Graces is no exception, but its point of difference must surely be the exquisite interiors – the work of owners Ira and Sylvia Seret, whose paths crossed when both were in Afghanistan in the 1970s when times there were less troubled. In common for both of them was their creativity and interests in, amongst other things, weaving, embroidery, beadwork and clothing. Today the couple runs two businesses: The Inn of the Five Graces hotel, and Seret and Sons – which they say is ‘an emporium of museum quality textiles, rugs, furnishings and architectural elements’.

Some photos of our room (or should I say suite) interior follows, which remind us of a chance visit to a building in Colombia a few years ago, called the Casa Terracota built by architect Octavio Mendoza and worth checking out online if you have a chance.

But our trip today was not just about our surprising hotel on arrival. John had highlighted several Route 66 points along the way from Amarillo to Santa Fe. First up was the Amarillo border line shown by a large sign stating ‘You are arriving (or leaving) Amarillo, depending on which side of the fence (actually, the sign) one is standing.

Then on to Cadillac Ranch, west of Amarillo, which proved much fun for children and adults alike who could purchase a spray can and add their artistic prowess to the tilting Cadillacs. The ‘artwork’ comprises 10 Cadillacs half-buried nose-down in a field. The cars dated from the 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville.

Then it was on to some deserted buildings and towns, all as a result of interstate roads replacing the old Highway 66. This included the 1947 Vega Motel which had burgeoning trade until 1976; and yet another ghost area, being the town of Glenrio.

Today saw the halfway point of our journey, both in duration and distance. What better way to celebrate than visiting the ‘Midway Point’ at the town of Adrian. This was very popular with Route 66 travellers when we arrived and we got to meet a French couple travelling the same route as us on a motorbike. That is not easy considering the amount of driving rain we have had, and now the blistering heat and strong winds.

Also up for the journey, travelling the opposite way to us from Santa Monica to Chicago, were two women, one of 90 years young and the other 82. The latter said this was the time she wished she was 20 years old and on the back of a motorbike with a handsome chap in front. I reminded her that it was never too late!

Then onward, onward, we travelled (a further 230 miles) until we reached Santa Fe. Tomorrow we get ready to discover what this area has to reveal.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Is this the way to Amarillo? Well, you would never know if you didn’t have a SatNav – it has proved to be an absolute essential for this trip. Today we left the state of Oklahoma and headed for Texas.

John fixed up several eye-catching destinations along our route. First up was Lucille Hamons’ Route 66 filling station at Hydro. It was built in 1929 and extended in 1934 to include overnight tourist accommodation. In 1941 it was taken over by Lucille Hamons, who for the next 59 years served fuel to passing motorists. The site is now an historic monument.

Then we travelled on to our first ghost town, Texola, and yes it was rather ghostly. The town is sited on Route 66 and dates back to the early 1900s, originally being named Texokla or Texoma. By 1909 the town had successful corn and grist mills and several businesses. The population grew up to the 1930s, but gradually dwindled when the town was bypassed by the speedier Interstate highway I-40. Business declined and the population reduced from a peak of 581 in 1930 to 31 in 2010. Today it is listed in the National register of Historic Places.

We then headed to Shamrock to see its water tower. Many of the businesses had an Irish theme, but the personnel in the cafe we visited had no idea why. A bit of research enlightened us to the fact that ‘Shamrock’ was suggested for good luck and courage by Irish immigrant sheep rancher George Nickel in 1890 when he applied to open a post office in the area. The name was accepted, and good fortune followed when in 1902 the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway came to town and with it an influx of people and prosperity. This led to a need for a reliable source of water.

Until this time residents got their water from two wells or hauled it to town in barrels on wagons. In 1911 residents of the growing town realised that a more permanent water source was needed and agreed to a water tower and reservoir to be installed, achieved by 1915. Today it remains one of the tallest water towers in Texas.

We moved onwards and now John, getting an obsession for water towers, took us on to view another, in Groom. This was a tilting water tower and was not the result of some later subsidence, but a deliberate attempt to attract sightseers to the area. It obviously worked… hence our visit.

Our destination, some 300 miles from Oklahoma City, was Amarillo, and a rather plain town it appears to be especially considering the attraction of the Neil Sedaka lyrics about the town and his sweet Marie, famously sung by Tony Christie. Perhaps we too will see her, but unlike Sedaka and Christie we will not be staying long for tomorrow we head to Santa Fe in New Mexico.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Oklahoma City, it’s oh so pretty, as Bobby Troup’s 1946 Route 66 song lyrics told us. So the town had a lot to live up to for our arrival at this leg of the journey.

Well, according to our discussions with local folk, Oklahoma City was far from pretty at the time of the song and for many decades later, prior to much investment and redevelopment. But what we have found from our stay at the 21C Museum Hotel in the Arts District is that many of the personnel are ‘oh so pretty’ and delightful. This establishment clearly goes out of its way to employ a diverse range of people: well presented wine waiters with trouser hems finishing 6 inches above bare ankles, waiters with short hair one side and long curly hair the other, nose bones, lip jewellery, extra long false nails, see-through tops for the men and Dr Martens boots for the women. The creativity has been a joy to view, as has our hotel.

The hotel building was once the most successful assembly plant for the Model T Ford car from 1916, designed by industrial architect Albert Kahn. By 1924 the Oklahoma City site was producing 200 automobiles a day, and employing several hundred workers. The Great Depression that followed from the 1930s hit the automobile industry hard and the decision was made to change production to small car components. This continued under the Ford Motor Company until 1967 when employee Fred Jones took over the building, running it as a wholesale parts distributor for Ford. By 2013 the Fred Jones Manufacturing Company vacated the premises and it became abandoned.

But all has not been lost. The 21c (21st century) Museum Hotel chain took over the building, retaining much of its original design, including its huge metal windows, brutalist interiors, industrial lifts that once transported completed vehicles, concrete columns, exposed painted brick walls and concrete ceilings. These features have been successfully combined with luxurious, light, bright, boutique guest rooms. It is now on the US National Register of Historic Places.

To complement this, the hotel has continually changing modern art displays, most of which are designed to make viewers think and, on occasions, move out of their comfort zones, such as the taxidermied chicken wearing an angora rabbit fur, by artist Sarah Garzoni. But this all sits well with the ethos that lets the staff express their artistic nature too.

When not touring around the inside of the hotel, we took ourself off to explore some areas of this vast Oklahoma City, some 621 square miles. Many of the visitor locations were spaced wide apart and we chose to view the nearby Botanical Garden. The indoor plant area was closed for renovation but the gardens were nicely planted with ‘right plant, right place’ advice helpfully placed around the walkways. The flowing waters made this a restful place to be around.

So taken were we with the water that we moved on to the nearby manmade canal, for a boat ride. This had been dug to 4 feet deep purely as a visitor attraction and we found out it was just a small, but attractive, part of a multi-million dollar investment in the town to turn the city’s fortunes around. From 1993, residents agreed to invest in the city via a MAPS project (Metropolitan Area Projects) which comprised a ‘penny sales tax’ which would be used to fund transformational projects, all debt free. More than $3 billion was raised by 2018, and the scheme continues today.

During the 45-minute canal ride we passed some of the most impressive sculptures we have ever seen, and later went for a closer look. The sculptures represented the first Land Run and comprised 45 larger than life bronze sculptures by artist Paul Moore.

The notorious and chaotic Land Run of 22 April 1889, saw 50,000 people rushing across unassigned lands of Oklahoma territory to stake their claim, via small hand-held flags, for free land. At the sound of a cannon blast at noon the prospective settlers surged forward on horses and in wagons to make their claim. For some it was not a good result, people were crushed in the melee, horses toppled and wagons turned over. This was the first of several Land Runs in the area over the years. The excitement and chaos has been so well represented in Paul Moore’s huge display.

Tomorrow we head for to Amarillo, some 300 miles from Oklahoma City.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

We are now in Springfield, Missouri, and it has to be said – that’s 24 hours from Tulsa. We have never been to Tulsa, but we have been 24 hours from Tulse Hill (that’s in South London for our overseas readers). But we are not alone. According to British DJ Tony Blackburn who interviewed the singer of that memorable song, Gene Pitney had never been to Tulsa either!

Our journey today was 250 miles, taking some six hours. We took the main I-44 interstate highway for much of the journey, but thanks to SatNav we were able to head over to Route 66 to view the Big Rocker in Fanning. Many things along Route 66 are big, and this did not fail to impress.

The Big Rocker (rocking chair) was created by a guy named Danny Sanazaro to attract people to his archery and feed store. He had heard of a 34-foot-tall rocker in Franklin, Indiana, called Big John and he thought it would be a fun idea to beat this.

A friend, John Bland, designed the chair and the owner of a local welding company, Joe Medwick, created it. The end result was a 27,500 pound rocker, 42 feet high and painted red. It was erected on April Fool’s Day 2008. Some say it cost $78,000 to produce.

Once a year Sanazaro would hire a hoist to lift visitors to sit on the chair’s 20-foot wide seat. To be granted a Guinness World Record the rocking chair had to rock, but it soon became clear that this rocking could have disastrous results and hence it was welded in place so it did not tip over with visitors’ exuberance.

By 2015, a 56-foot rocker was established in Illinois, and since then the Fanning rocker has fallen into second place.

Sanazaro subsequently sold the site, and today (now painted black) it sits alongside a pleasant snacks and souvenirs store with most welcoming staff, some attractive artistry, the largest selection of popcorn flavours we have ever seen, and rather tasty fudge.

So tomorrow it is on to Oklahoma City via Tulsa, more than 300 miles. We are hoping the torrential rain which made driving so difficult in the latter part of our journey today may have lifted.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

I’m moving! Yes it’s official. When I have been asked over the years which countries in which we had travelled I would wish to live, I would always answer “the UK”.

That view changed when we travelled to Australia as the pandemic struck and our positive experiences led me to decide upon Oz. As of today I am widening that choice to… Arthur in Illinois, USA. I think life amongst the Amish could be a rather good choice. I am not saying I would request to become part of the Amish community, but to live within Arthur could be idillic.

We spent our fourth day 70 miles from Springfield, Illinois, at the spacious town of Arthur housing 5,000 Amish and 2,300 non-Amish. We had booked a trip with local guide, and previous head teacher, Danny – a youthful 75-year-old, non-Amish who had lived in Arthur all his life. Our journey was to take us by schools, into farmsteads, lunch at an Amish-run restaurant (and subsequent mint, I might add), and on to a horse-drawn buggy ride.

We found out that each Amish community is headed by bishops and deacons who make the rules, which could be different according to different communities. Amish life is not based on religion as such (although they are religious) but on a way of life.

Amish families are usually large, with up to 10 children. The father is the rule setter within the home (although I am sure mum plays a major part in that). The children can be educated in Amish schools, or ‘public’ schools where the rest of the community attends. Both get along without any animosity, as do the adults. Amish children are educated to eighth grade (13 years old) and at that stage either leave to work within the community or can opt to continue their education at a ‘public’ school and later go on to university if desired. Teenagers from around 16 years are also able to take time out to experience the wider world (called the Rumspringa) and then opt to be baptised into the Amish church or leave, although not necessarily the area. About 30% choose not to return to Amish life.

Some might choose to leave later in life, not as a direct disconnection with the traditions but for business reasons. One lady, for example, who went on to run a burgeoning restaurant and store found that the Amish traditions put too many restrictions on ways to trade and so, whilst continuing to live and work within the community, needed to withdraw from Amish life.

Our brilliant guide, Danny, showed us one of the local schools which, rather than having car parks instead of playing fields as in the UK these days, housed sheds to stable the children’s ponies during school hours.

The Amish mode of transport is the horse, and we were delighted during our visit to take a ride in a horse-drawn buggy. In this area they do not have cycle lanes but buggy lanes (honestly)!

We also called in at a family’s homestead – a house with extensive sheds housing ponies, hand-raised deer (to ensure they become domesticated – they are pets not lunch), ducks with their numerous hatching broods, endless cats and tiny kittens, dogs, and large numbers of goats. To top it all, Verne the owner had 7 daughters and 2 sons aged 21 to 6. One child every two years is quite common in these parts.

Lunch was at Yoder’s Kitchen, a success story for a young lady who started working as a waitress at the restaurant after her eighth grade education, and later went on to become the owner of what now is an extensive restaurant, catering and gift shop business.

A lot of eighth graders start out in a similar way. When visiting Verne’s homestead we met her 14 year-old daughter who was just experiencing working life in a furniture-making company, doing the sanding. Youngsters often start at just 3 days a week and take on extra responsibilities and days as they progress. Sanding, she told us, was not her ideal job. But it would lead her on to more advanced things in time and likely give her a job for life as she progresses. Furniture making is big business amongst the Amish.

Many Amish are practical people and some have gone on to produce very successful businesses. One company started to produce up-and-over garage door systems and eventually sold this for millions of dollars. Some others are involved in farming their lands which can stretch as far as the eye can see. The Amish do not have electricity but rely on propane gas and solar power. This limits some aspects of what they can do, so they hire the ‘English’ (a term for anybody, regardless of place of birth, who are not Amish) to come in with their sophisticated gps-system combine-harvesters to carry out some of the work.

As part of the visit I had asked if it was possible to visit a fabric shop. I understood there were fabric shops in the location and I was curious as to what would be stocked for this conservatively-dressed community. Arrangements were made for me to do this.

The Amish make their own clothes. The colours are mainly subdued, but all outfits are conservative. There was very little patterned fabric, apart from a few children’s nightwear materials. The full range of fabric was, unusually, of just one fibre – polyester. I was told this prevented the need to iron the intended garments. Well, with all those children it is no wonder they wanted to make life a little easier. I was also told that buttons and clasps were only allowed on men’s garments. Women’s garments had pins to fix where buttons would be used. It seems this was the tradition rather than any practical reason.

It was refreshing to see young children so respectful, with girls in their little bonnets and long dresses, and boys with bobbed haircuts and braces holding up their trousers. We were allowed to take photographs, as long as they did not include faces, which we respected. We noted how many men had beards, and were told that once married men grew beards, but not moustaches which were considered somewhat aggressive. Ladies too wore black or white bonnets and long dresses.

Our trip was completed with an unscheduled trip back to our guide’s home – a beautiful house with extensive land for stabling and exercising his five horses and huge trailer. The trailer was used for holiday trips with his wife and housed a shower, kitchen, queen-sized bed and three horses!

Life in Arthur, Illinois, is different to what we know in the UK and, it seems, very safe. Nobody has need to lock their cars. A trip in a buggy (the Amish’s only means of transport apart from bicycles) shows life at a much slower and more comfortable pace. Those who are not Amish, the ‘English’, can enjoy their technologies, computers and streaming services. Both Amish and non-Amish live together in harmony, from cradle to grave. From our visit I think they might have just found the answer for a near perfect life.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022

Lacock, in Wiltshire, is an interesting village. While the National Trust is well known for its historic houses, gardens and landscapes, it is less known as custodians for whole villages. Lacock is an exception, and we combined a visit here with our trip back home from Bath.

The Lacock name comes from Saxon times when settlers lived alongside the Bide Brook which runs through the village. At the time, it is said the brook was called ‘little stream’ or ‘lacuc’.

Lacock has a long history dating back around 800 years. Its foundations (pun intended) lay in its abbey, which was founded in the 1200s by a lady called Ela, who was the Countess of Salisbury. She became Lacock’s first abbess.

Ela was the only child of William FitzPatrick, earl of Salisbury. His father had been an ally of William the Conqueror and had been rewarded for his support with great estates which eventually were inherited by Ela. Her father died when she was young and she became a ward of King Richard I.

In time, she was a lady of significance. Apart from being the holy abbess (for 17 years until her death) and Countess of Salisbury, in 1227 she became the Sheriff of Wiltshire and was responsible for the rule of law as stated in the Magna Carta. Ela secured many rights for the abbey and its surrounding village. She founded two Augustine religious houses: that in Lacock housed nuns, while 16 miles away in Hinton was an abbey for monks.

Ela died in 1261 and the nunnery continued until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. In 1540 the site was purchased and transformed into a country house. Over the centuries various parts of the abbey were demolished and other parts built, resulting in several styles of architecture including early Renaissance and Gothic Revival.

The property was to changed hands over the years and one resident we all have much to thank. This was William Henry Fox Talbot, who developed the photographic negative process on this very site.

An extensive museum lies next door to the National Trust visitor centre and a whole day could be spent in here alone finding out about photography’s history, its processes and early pioneers, as well as viewing early images. One wonders what he would have thought about the developments of mobile phone technology today.

Visitors can walk all around the abbey – its very survival after 800 years and the Dissolution is extraordinary – and on the upper floor can see the residential areas including the bay window in the South Gallery where Fox Talbot created his first photographic negative. That was in August 1835.

People can also visit the remainder of the estate, which comprises four streets and represents a step back in time. So much so that the site is often used for filming, which has included Cranford, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Robin Hood, Pride and Prejudice, Moll Flanders, and Harry Potter’s The Philosopher’s Stone.

There are a considerable number of rustic houses, three pubs, several shops including the quaint Lacock bakery, and a tithe barn. The latter is pertinent. The nuns reared sheep as a means of income, as did the village’s tenants who paid rent ‘in kind’. This would include the sheep fleeces, which the abbey needed to store before being made into cloth. Cloth manufacturer was an important industry up to the mid-18th century. A tithe barn was built for this storage and still stands today having had several renovations.

The tithe barn is worth visiting to admire its cruck-framed roof and to dwell upon its history. One of the houses in Lacock is available as a holiday rent.

The last owner of the abbey and estate was Matilda Talbot who inherited in 1916. It is said she took her role as landlord seriously and when times were hard sold off some of the abbey contents for the benefit of the tenants. In 1944 she decided to gift the estate to the National Trust and thereby sharing it with the nation for us all to enjoy.

That’s it from our Bath trip, and if all goes to plan we shall be posting again soon.

Copyright: Words and photos, Sue Barnard 2022.

Berkeley Castle is a gem. As with other HHA (Historic Houses Association) member properties, it is privately owned and in this case the ancestral lineage dates back almost 900 years.

The castle, originally a motte and bailey wooden construction, is located in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, near the Severn estuary, 30 miles from Bath. This location provides its occupants and visitors fine views towards south Wales – little wonder a castle was built here. But it was to face many turbulent times throughout its history, especially for the family who gained, lost and regained the site on more than one occasion. Paying allegiance to kings and queens over the centuries helped and hindered its ownership.

Within its walls are contained many tales of intrigue and wonderment. It is claimed that in 1327 the deposed Edward II was a prisoner in the castle and later murdered within it. The year 1417 saw the start of a dispute between members of the family as to who owned the castle and estates. This was followed in the 1450s with James Lord Berkeley being imprisoned with his sons in the castle and forced to sign land over to other family members. As if family feuds were not enough, in 1572 in steps Queen Elizabeth I who claims the castle and some of the land, and then handed her ‘rights’ over to Robert, Earl of Leicester.

The original Norman motte and bailey castle saw an upgrade from the 1150s when a stone keep with five towers was built around the existing mound upon which the castle was sited. This has provided some intriguing features for today’s visitors. Within the keep is a garden, mainly laid to lawn, some 22 feet above ground. This is puzzling until one discovers the garden is sited on top of that original mound.

Also intriguing is the substantial gap in the keep, consequently breaking its vital security. During the Civil War (1642-1646) the castle changed ownership five times. By 1646, one George Lord Berkeley managed to regain the castle, but according to family sources (its archive is extensive) this was on the condition that he breached the keep wall to ensure the castle could never be used again as a fortress. Some sources say there was a Parliamentary bombardment in 1645, which breached the keep. Others are more specific saying it was Cromwell’s troops that were to blame. Whatever the actual reason, it makes for a good story.

The first question, certainly on my lips, was could it be rebuilt today? Our most informative guide told us this is still forbidden by law. “Parliament could take the castle back if the wall was rebuilt,” he warned.

Another interesting claim to fame is that the last court jester Dicky Pearce entertained here. He passed away in 1725 and is entombed at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Berkeley.

The gardens too are of note and have a relaxing feel about them. Much work appears to have been carried out in the 1700s and has continued with family involvement to this day. During the 17th and 18th centuries the moat was gradually filled in, which extended the gardens, and in later years plantswoman and garden designer Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) worked on the planting of the terraces, which continues to influence the scene.

The whole site is beautiful and awe inspiring, and takes on a different ambience according to the light. It is certainly worth a visit and if you do so, look out for the Jacob Knyff painting of the castle. He was the brother of Leonard Knyff, mentioned in a previous posting, and son of landscape painter Wouter Knyff. Clearly a talented artistic family.

Copyright: Words and photos, Sue Barnard 2022