The Gallops

It's hot here. Everyone is so excited about the weather. They keep telling me how lucky I am to be here for this weather. Usually, they say, it's quite chilly, rainy, and jacket worthy. I don't tell them I was actually hoping for a bit more chill than I'm getting, but there's still time to experience that I imagine. The mornings are quite nice, as are the evenings, but during the day, no air conditioning means the windows are open with no screens, little breeze, but plenty of bees and flies. There are times that the incessant buzzzzz drives me up the wall. I'm not complaining, just keeping it real for you.

I'm a big fan of thumbprint travel. Take a map, put your thumb down where you are, and explore the area covered by your thumb. That is pretty much what I've been doing the past week.

This morning I walked down to watch the horses do their gallop exercises. This little town is known for one thing  -- horse racing. It's the thoroughbred training center of the country, so fields, stables, and galloping paths surround the area. It's really quite beautiful and very peaceful.


After the horses finish their exercises (after 1 p.m.) the galloping trails are open to the public. I want to walk the trail one evening because I hear the view from the top is spectacular.

And if you're a tall woman looking for a tall man, this is NOT the place to be. It is very noticeable how many small men are here. And the other day at the races? All those retired jockeys? Oh my. It was another world. I felt like a giant.

 
The stables and even the stable entrances are very elaborate. Very clean and picturesque.

Tomorrow, we venture by train to an area near London (we're 65 miles north), business for my sister; exploration for me. She will be interrogated, fingerprinted, and investigated so she can trade her temporary work Visa for a permanent one. Me, I'm along for the ride and one more adventure.