*insert suite from "Downton Abbey"*

9/11/2013

An item has been crossed off my bucket list today.

At 9:00am, we headed to the main house of Rookwood Farm House for breakfast. The owner and her assistant offered us a small, tidy menu, and I decided on cereal with a banana. I asked for the cereal options, and the assistant pointed me to a row of boxes. After selecting bran flakes, I asked her what types of milk she had available.

Pause. Blank stare. Then..."Milk."

I wanted to laugh. It's not that the English don't have some milk options, but clearly the option here was all or nothing. Classic.

After breakfast, we loaded our luggage into the taxi and began the short ride to visit what I consider to be the main character of "Downton Abbey:" Highclere Castle.

As we turned onto the drive leading to the castle, I reached into my purse for my phone, performed a quick search in my music library, pressed play, and the unmistakable, haunting suite from "Downton Abbey" filled the cab. We let out a few excited giggles and then let the tune take over as we approached the enchanting castle.

Once we arrived, Lora and I took a handful of pictures and proceeded to the entrance.

 

The 10:30am tour took us through rooms in the house that appear on the show and other rooms that are not filmed. We viewed the library, the rooms of Lady Grantham, Edith, and Sybil, and the informal dining room. The residence was filled both with pictures of the real life owner's family and of the cast. While we were not allowed to take photos in the castle, I will undoubtedly carry them in my mind's eye for years to come.

 

After the house tour, we raided the gift shop and made our way through the gardens, capturing photos of flowers and the castle along the way. 

 

 

  

Finally, satisfied with our photographs and memories, we called our cabi and began the long journey back to Perth, Scotland: a train ride to Paddington Station, eight hours of killing time over lunch and a good book, and the dreaded final leg of our mega-bust (I mean, Megabus) trip on a 9:30pm-6:00am ride.

 

Favorites: theme music, Highclere Castle, walking where Lady Mary walks, pretty flowers