EVENTS CALENDAR

CALENDAR OF SELECTED EVENTS

MAY 2012

Festivals, Holidays, Country Fairs, Sporting Events,
Theater, Cultural Gatherings, and Special Performances
Happening Near HOME AT FIRST Lodgings throughout
BRITAIN, IRELAND,

SCANDINAVIA,

NEW ZEALAND, & BERMUDA
Information about HOME AT FIRST’s travel program to:
LONDON ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES IRELAND SCANDINAVIA NEW ZEALAND

NOTE: For many of the LONDON events listed, HOME AT FIRST guests at the
Apartments at St. Katharine’s Marina and at The Brewery Apartments
will take public transportation from the Tower Hill Underground Station,
8-10 minutes walk from St. Katharine’s Marina and 10-12 minutes
walk (or a 5-minute bus ride) from The Brewery.

– ONGOING EVENTS OF NOTE –

Ongoing daily
LONDON, ENGLAND - THE TOWER OF LONDON: “Prisoners of the Tower”
HOME AT FIRST’s London guests can’t miss visiting their famous neighbors who were incarcerated and may have met their violent and often gruesome ends at the Tower of London. This special exhibition focuses on the best-known prisoners, including explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Anne Boleyn, Queen Catherine Howard, Lady (& Queen for a few days) Jane Grey, Nazi leader Rudolph Hess, and terrorist traitor Guy Fawkes, among others.

THE TOWER OF LONDON AT THE TRAITOR'S GATE.
Photo © Home At First

LOCATION: The Tower of London is just west of the Tower Bridge between the River Thames and Tower Hill Underground Station north of the river.
ADMISSION: £20.90/adult, £17.60/seniors & students (16 & up), £10.45/child (5-15), £55/family (up to 2 adults & 3 kids).
OPEN DURING MARCH-OCTOBER: Tu-Sa: 9AM-5:30PM; Su-Mo: 10AM-5:30PM. Last admission: 5PM.

GETTING THERE: walk 10 minutes traffic-free from HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON apartments at St. Katharine’s Marina or 12 minutes (with minimal traffic) across the Tower Bridge from HOME AT FIRST’s apartments at The Brewery.
MORE INFO, see: TOWER OF LONDON

Ongoing, evenings from 9:30PM-10:05PM
LONDON, ENGLAND - THE TOWER OF LONDON
“The Ceremony of the Keys”
700-year-old ceremony of the locking of the main gate of the Tower of London carried out each evening by the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower accompanied by an escort of guards. Passes are essential and must be obtained
in advance upon written application. Tickets for this ancient ceremony are available to the public, free of charge.

Applications should be made in writing to:
Ceremony of the Keys Office
Tower of London
London EC3N 4AB Great Britain

Do so at least two months in advance (three months for June-August). List number and names of all those wishing to attend, date requested plus one alternative date, and enclose a self-addressed envelope, together with a minimum of two (prepaid) International Reply Coupons (buy these at your post office). No phone, e-mail, or fax orders will be accepted.

Yeoman of the Guard at The Tower of London's Main Western Gate. Photo © Home At First.

YEOMAN OF THE GUARD at
THE TOWER OF LONDON'S
MAIN WESTERN GATE
Photo © Home At First

Maximum Group Size: 6 persons April-October; 15 persons
November-March.
LOCATION: The Tower of London main (western) entrance.

ADMISSION: free!

NOTES: Visitors must be in possession of the original ticket issued by the Tower of London at entry. Photography not permitted. No bathrooms or refreshments available.
GETTING THERE: walk 10 minutes traffic-free from HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON apartments at St. Katharine’s Marina or 12 minutes from HOME AT FIRST’s apartments at The Brewery.
MORE INFO, see: CEREMONY OF THE KEYS

Ongoing, daily from 10AM-6PM
LONDON, ENGLAND - THE MUSEUM OF LONDON
Nine Free Galleries Cover a Half-Million Years of London
London’s best museum offers nine galleries with permanent exhibitions covering the human history of London chronologically from about 450,000BC through Roman times, the medieval period through the Tudor Dynasty, the Civil War, Great Fire and Bubonic Plague of the 17th century, the expansion of London during the growth of the Empire, the twentieth century World War years, up to the modern age when London became a world city.

SPECIAL EXHIBITION: “Charles Dickens & London”, marking the 200^th birthday of the great Victorian novelist and Londoner. Exhibition extends through June 10, 2012.
LOCATION: Museum of London, 150 London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN.
ADMISSION: Free to the museum & its galleries. Special “Dickens” Exhibition entry: £8/adult, £6/child 6+/seniors.

GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON apartments walk 5-12 minutes to the Tower Hill Underground Station. Take the Circle Line north 9 minutes to Barbican station, then walk 9 minutes to the museum.
Total transit & walking time: 23-28 minutes.
MORE INFO, see: MUSEUM OF LONDON

The Museum of London covers all aspects of London's long history including the City's rich architectural history. Shown is London's 13th century church of St. Helen's of Bishopsgate with its 21st century skyscraping neighbor, the Swiss Re "Gherkin". Photo © Home At First.

The Museum of London
covers all aspects of
London's long history
including the City's rich architectural history.
Shown is London's 13th
century church of St.
Helen's of Bishopsgate
with its 21st century skyscraping neighbor,
the Swiss Re "Gherkin".
Photo © Home At First

Ongoing daily from 10AM
NORTHERN COTSWOLDS - WARWICKSHIRE, WESTERN ENGLAND
“Events at Medieval Warwick Castle”
England’s greatest show castle offers a variety of events:

• Kingmaker’s Medieval Banquet: May 19, June 2, June 22, July 7, July 28 (call to reserve).
• Grand Castle Interiors (daily): Explore the grandly furnished public halls, state rooms, and
   private apartments of Warwick Castle.
• The Castle Grounds (daily): Explore the conservatory & peacock garden, the original Norman
   castle mound, the Victorian rose garden, the River Avon and its island menagerie.
• The Trebuchet & Ballista, the Artillery Fort, and the Towers & Ramparts (daily): Warwick’s own
   massive catapult is modelled on the medieval siege machines that once flung rocks, manure,
   and dead pigs across castle walls. Warwick’s Artillery Fort shows how cannons were used to
   protect the castle at the end of the Middle Ages. See the war machines in operation specific
   dates/times.
• Merlin - The Dragon Tower (daily): based on the popular show, the fictional adventures of
   Briton's greatest medieval magician include an encounter with a monstrous dragon.
• Warwick Dungeon (daily): Warwick’s newest attraction recreates the medieval dungeon from
   the time the Great Plague ravaged Warwick in 1345. The haunting, live-action experience is
   not for the faint hearted. An additional charge applies.
• The Princess Tower (daily): up the spiral stairs to the chambers of medieval princesses.
• Ghost Tour: spooky tales about real former inhabitants of Warwick Castle told in the Central
   Courtyard at specific dates and times.
• Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Royal Jousting: Knights with lances on horseback return to
   Warwick Castle June 2-10 to mark Queen Elizabeth’s 60th year on the throne.
See WARWICK CASTLE website for complete listing of events, times & dates.

THE ORIGINAL 11TH CENTURY NORMAN CASTLE HILL: ETHELFLEDA'S MOUND VIEWED FROM A LATER TOWER AT WARWICK CASTLE.
Zach Elwell Photo © Home At First

LOCATION: in Warwick, about 45 minutes NE of HOME AT FIRST’s Northern Cotswolds cottages in an around Chipping Campden. (Hint: you may want to combine a visit to Warwick Castle with a visit to nearby Stratford-upon-Avon,
Shakespeare’s home town.)
GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S NORTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages, drive north on the B4632 to Stratford, then follow the A439 north to the A46 and the A429 into Warwick. Watch for signs for the castle.
OPEN DAILY: 10AM-5PM January through May 4.

OPEN DAILY: 10AM-6PM May 5-7.

OPEN DAILY: 10AM-5PM May 8-June 1

OPEN DAILY: 10AM-6PM June 2-10.

OPEN DAILY: 10AM-5PM June 11-July 20

CASTLE ADMISSION: £22/adult, £17/seniors, £15.60/child 4-16, £69/family
(2 adults plus up to 2 kids).
CASTLE + DUNGEON ADMISSION: £28.20/adult, £24/seniors, £23/child,
   £97.20/family.
CASTLE + MERLIN & DRAGON TOWER ADMISSION: £24.60/adult,
   £19.80/seniors, £18.60/child, £82.20-£99.60/family.
WHOLE KINGDOM ADMISSION: £30.60/adult, £27/seniors, £25.80/child,
   £107.40/family.
PARKING: Car lot parking from £5-£8.
MORE INFO, see: WARWICK CASTLE

Ongoing Daily
YORK CITY - NORTH YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND: “Yorkwalks”
Guided walks through interesting parts of the medieval walled city of York offer exercise, culture, and entertainment. Standard walks offered at 10:30AM and 2:15PM (daily February–November; weekends only in December & January) from the menu of “Roman York”, “Secret York”, “Essential York”, and the popular

	“Snickleways” tours of York’s narrow back alleys. At evenings and other times Yorkwalks offer rare opportunities to see parts of York never open to the public, like their “Inaccessible & Hidden York: Graveyard, Coffin, & Crypt Tour”, “Historic Inns and Pubs Tour”, and “Choccy & Sweetie Tour”. Who wouldn’t want to wear sensible shoes on their next visit to Olde Yorke? LOCATION: Museum Garden Gates, Museum Street, York.
	GETTING THERE: HOME AT FIRST NORTH YORKSHIRE guests drive 30-6030-60 minutes to York. Park outside the city gates (MEDIEVAL CENTRAL YORK has very little parking) and walk or take a shuttle bus into the old city. ADMISSION: £5.50/adults, £5/students/kids 5-15. Supplement charged for any tours requiring entrance to York Minster. MORE INFO & COMPLETE SCHEDULE: YORKWALK

Daily to July 15, 2012 - 10AM-6PM
LONDON, ENGLAND – THE TATE BRITAIN
“Picasso & Modern British Art”
Special exhibition examining the influence of Pablo Picasso on British art and artists, including Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Graham Sutherland, and David Hockney. More than 150 total artworks including 60+ Picassos will document the exhibition.

LOCATION: Tate Britain Museum, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG.

OPEN DAILY thru June 3, 2012: 10AM-6PM Sa-Th; 10AM-10PM Fr.
ADMISSION: Free.
GETTING THERE: HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON guests walk 5-12 minutes to the Tower Hill Underground Station, then take the District or Circle Line west 10 stops to

Pablo Picasso- "Weeping Woman" (1937) - Tate Britain Collection.

PICASSO'S "WEEPING WOMAN" (1937)
From the Tate Britain Collection

Victoria, then change to the southbound Victoria Line and go 1 stop to Pimlico station. Walk east 8 minutes to the Tate Britain Museum on Millbank Street along the Thames River. Total transit & walking time: 30-40 minutes.

Alternatively, walk to the Tower Pier (by Tower of London) and board a westbound Thames Clipper commuter service boat (operating frequency: every 20 minutes from 6AM-1AM) for the 9-minute river sailing to Bankside Pier. Change at Bankside for the Thames Clipper Tate-to-Tate service to Millbank Pier, a 20-minute sailing (operating every 40 minutes, 10AM-5PM). The Thames Clippers, like the Underground, London Transport buses, and Docklands Light Rail, is covered by your Oyster Card London transportation pass.
MORE INFO, see: TATE BRITAIN

Ongoing, daily at different times

LONDON, ENGLAND

THEATRE: “What’s Playing?”

• “One Man, Two Guvnors”:
Looking for true British theatrical comedy that likely will start a Broadway run soon? Following its huge success in London, "One Man, Two Guvnors" may be headed for New York in late-April. The play — loaded with British slapstick and verbal humor — is based on on an 18th century Italian comedy, but transdated to 1963 Brighton, England. Expect a tour de farce from its extraordinary cast who mince reality in this remarkable mix-up. At the Haymarket Theatre Royal, on Haymarket just south of Coventry St, one block

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE IN LONDON.

east of Piccadilly Circus, Soho. Performances through September 15, 2012.
Piccadilly Circus tube. Rating: Probably not for kids. Prices from £12.

• “Phantom of the Opera”: long running Gothic musical. Performances through at least
      April 27, 2013 at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Haymarket near Piccadilly Circus tube.
      Rating: Family. Prices from £22.

• “The Mousetrap”: Agatha Christie’s record-running mystery continues through at least
      December 15, 2012 at St. Martin’s Theatre, Covent Garden. Leicester Square tube.
      Rating: Family. Prices from £20.

• “The 39 Steps”: silly, enduring thriller with Hitchcock roots. Performances through
      October 20, 2012 at Criterion Theatre, Jermyn St., near Piccadilly Circus tube.
        Rating: Family. Prices from £10.

• “Wicked”: musical prequel about the witches of “The Wizard of Oz”. Performances through
      at least April 27, 2013 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, 17 Wilton Rd.
    Victoria tube. Rating: Family. Prices from £19.

• “What the Butler Saw”: Revival of the risqué 1967 comedy about how to hide or how
      not to hide a naked lady. Crazy funny. Performances through at least August 25, 2012.
      At the Vaudeville Theatre, The Strand. Near Covent Garden.
      Temple tube (closed Sun.) or Embankment tube. Rating: Not for kids. Prices from £17.10.

• “The Lion King”: Long-running blockbuster with spectacular staging though at least
      January 6, 2013, at the Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington St. at the Strand.
        Temple tube (closed Sundays). Rating: Family. Prices from £20.50.

• “Les Miserables”: Victor Hugo’s story about the tragedies of life and indomitable human
     spirit continues its long run (since 1985) to continuous critical acclaim. Performances through
      at least April 27, 2013 at Queen’s Theatre, Shaftesbury Ave., Soho, between Piccadilly Circus
      and Charing Cross Road. Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus Tube. Musical.
        Rating: older teens & adults. Prices from £18.80.

• “Matilda”: Roald Dahl’s children’s book about a little girl with a big imagination is staged
      in London by the Royal Shakespeare Company as a musical hit appealing to adults and
      kids. Performances through February 17, 2013 at the Cambridge Theatre, Earlham St, Soho.
    Piccadilly Circus Tube. Musical. Rating: Family. Tickets from £26.

• “Billy Elliot, the Musical”: Musical adaptation of the movie about a sensitive boy from
      a British mining town who wants to be a dancer. The story is something of a parable about
      post-industrial society, only sweeter and lighter. Elton John’s music is perfect.
      Performances through at least December 15, 2012 at the Victoria Palace Theatre, Victoria
      Street opposite Victoria Station. Victoria tube, then cross Victoria St.
      Rating: tweeners and up (due to swearing). Prices from £25.

• “Hay Fever”: The latest production of Sir Noel Coward’s 1924 drawing room drama about
     four guests expecting a weekend of escape at an English country home where the unconven-
     tional hosting upends all expectations. Appropriately staged at the Noel Coward Theatre, St.
     Martin's Lane northeast of Trafalgar Square, NW of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields church, and 7
     minutes walk north of Charing Cross Station.
     Runs through June 2, 2012. Embankment Tube. Rating: Mature. Prices from £21.00.

• “The Duchess of Malfi”: John Webster’s tragedy first performed at The Globe Theatre
      in London just after Shakespeare wrote his final plays. In the fashion of the English
      Renaissance, “Malfi” portrays life in great extremes: beauty and compassion are
      overwhelmed by the basest of human behavior. Greed begets jealousy, jealousy begets
      violence, and violence begets ruin. Although these themes still recur, they exist in their
      extremes today most commonly in computer games. At the Old Vic Theatre, 103 The Cut,
      SE1 8NB. Tube to Southwark, then walk west 2 blocks along The Cut to Waterloo Road.
      Performances through June 9, 2012. Southwark or Waterloo Tube.
        Rating: 18 and older. Prices from £12.50.

ADMISSION: Full-priced tickets from £10-£100 (not cheap, but often better than Broadway).
TICKETS: Order your tickets in advance on-line via LONDON TOWN. Pick them up at the theatre on the day of performance. Discount tickets available!
GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON apartments walk 5-12 minutes to the Tower Hill or London Bridge Underground Station, then take the District, Circle, or Jubilee Line west.
• Covent Garden and South Bank Theatres: Within 10 minutes are most of the tube stops
   convenient for Covent Garden and South Bank theatres (Mansion House, Temple,
   Embankment, Southwark, Waterloo, Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus).
• For West End theatres in Soho: From Tower Hill tube take the District Line 6 stops & 10 minutes
   to Embankment station. From London Bridge tube take the Jubilee Line west to Waterloo. At
   Embankment or Waterloo, change to the Northern Line (direction Edgeware) and travel north to
   Leicester (“Lester”) Square or to Tottenham Court Road.
• For West End theatres near Piccadilly Circus or Oxford Circus: From Tower Hill tube take the
   District Line west 6 stops and 10 minutes to Embankment. From London Bridge tube take the
   Jubilee Line west to Waterloo. At Embankment or Waterloo change to the Bakerloo Line north
   to Piccadilly Circus or to Oxford Circus.
• For theatres near Waterloo station: From Tower Hill tube take the District Line 6 stops and 10
   minutes west to Embankment station, then change to the Northern Line south one stop to
   Waterloo. From London Bridge tube take the Jubilee Line west one stop to Southwark tube or
   two stops to Waterloo tube.
• Total transit & walking time from Tower Hill or London Bridge Underground Stations to almost
   any theatre in London’s six principal theatre regions (Barbican, South Bank, Covent Garden,
   Soho, Oxford Circus, Sloane Square): less than 30 minutes.

Ongoing – Weekdays only 10AM-5PM
LONDON – The Bank of England Museum
“The £ in Your Pocket”
One of the fun, free, funky museums of London. It doesn’t sound like it would be, but this museum is great fun for kids of all ages. Ongoing Monday-Friday (except holidays): special exhibition of “The Pound in Your Pocket” – the story of British money and, specifically, of monetary inflation. Doesn’t sound like a subject your kids would enjoy, right? The museum — using jigsaw puzzles, balloons, gold bars, old coins, and touch-screen computers —sees to it that they will!
LOCATION: Bank of England Museum, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8AH.
GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON apartments walk 5-12 minutes to the Tower Hill Underground Station, then take the District or

the pound in your pocket image

LEAVE IT TO THE FINANCIAL CAPITAL OF
LONDON TO MAKE BANKING FUN FOR KIDS!
Courtesy The Bank of England Museum

Circle Line west 1 stop & 2 minutes to Monument station, then walk 5 minutes through the maze of tunnels following signs for Bank station. Emerge from Bank Underground, walk across the street to the Royal Exchange, with its colonnaded portico, and walk up Threadneedle Street one-half block. Cross Threadneedle Street at Bartholomew Lane. Walk up Bartholomew Lane on the left (west) side of the street. The Bank of England Museum entrance is mid-way up the block, and poorly marked on the left side. Total transit & walking time: less than 20 minutes.
ADMISSION: Free!
OPEN: Mo-Fr 10AM-5PM. Closed weekends and bank holidays.
MORE INFO, see: BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM

Ongoing through June 5, 2012, 10AM-6PM daily

LONDON ENGLAND – The National Gallery

“Turner Inspired: In the Light of Claude”

You know you have found success as a painter (or soccer player) when you are known by just one name. Think Picasso. Or Monet. Or Michelangelo. Or, indeed, Turner. Turner, you will recall, revolutionized painting when he took the art world by storm with his Romantic paintings that took on the challenge of trying to capture modern industrialism illuminated by fleeting and often spectacular light. In this way, Turner anticipated the Impressionists, who followed him by at least 50 years. But, if, as is often asserted, all art is derivative, then Turner, too, must have had his

Turner Inspired Poster for the National Gallery exhibition. National Gallery image.
'TURNER INSPIRED' NATIONAL
GALLERY EXHIBITION POSTER
Courtesy The National Gallery

influences. This, then, is the subject of the National Gallery’s next big exhibition, about the great English Romantic painter and his self-proclaimed major influence, the 17th century Continental painter Claude Gellée. Works by both artists will be shown. And Mssr. Gellée, thanks at least in part to his associations with Turner, is now elevated to one-name status: call him Claude. Who knew?

LOCATION: At the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, central London WC2N 5DN.

EXHIBITION TIMES: Sa-Th 10AM-6PM; Fr 10AM-9PM.

ADMISSION: free to the National Gallery, but for this special exhibition the admission is: £16/adult, £14/seniors, £8/students, Children under 12: free.

GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON APARTMENTS AT ST. KATHARINE’S MARINA, walk 5-8 minutes to the Tower Hill Underground Station, then take the District or Circle Line west to Embankment Station, then walk five minutes north to Trafalgar Square. From THE BREWERY APARTMENTS south of the Tower Bridge, walk 10-12 minutes (or take a bus 2-4 minutes) to London Bridge Underground Station, then take the Jubilee Line west two stops to Waterloo Station. Change to the Northern Line. Go two stops north to Charing Cross Underground Station. Walk 3 minutes north to Trafalgar Square. Go west of the National Gallery’s main portico entrance to reach the entrance for the Sainsbury Wing.
MORE INFO, see: TURNER & CLAUDE.

Thursdays thru June 28, 2012, 12N-3PM
DUBLIN IRELAND – Christ Church Cathedral
“Lunchtime Open-Air Market”
Outdoor market on the grounds of Dublin’s historic Christ Church Cathedral – which traces its roots nearly 1,000 years – probably the most important church of the Church of Ireland. The market features more than 20 food stalls plus live jazz between noon and 3PM every Thursday thru June 28.
LOCATION: Christchurch Place, in central Dublin city.

Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral. Photo courtesy www.christchurchdublin.ie.

Dublin's Christ CHURCH CATHEDRAL.
Photo courtesy www.christchurchdublin.ie.

ADMISSION: to the market: free. To visit the cathedral: €6/adult, €4/senior, €3/students 16+, €2/Children under 15, €14/Family (2A+2C).
GETTING THERE: From Home At First’s nearest Dublin Apartments, walk two blocks east along Cook St, then one block south on Winetavern St.
MORE INFO, see CHRISTCHURCH OPEN-AIR MARKET.

Ongoing from May 17 2012 - 10AM-6PM daily

LONDON – The National Portrait Gallery

“The Queen — Art & Image”

Special exhibition marking The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee displays dozens of portraits of Queen Elizabeth II.

LOCATION: Just behind the National Gallery on St. Martin’s Place north of Trafalgar Square, central London WC2H 0HE.

ADMISSION: free to the National Portrait Gallery, but for this special exhibition the admission is: £6/adult, £5.50/seniors, £5/students 12-18.

GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON APARTMENTS AT ST. KATHARINE’S MARINA, walk 5-8 minutes to the Tower Hill Underground Station, then take the District or Circle Line west to

Queen Elizabeth II, 1952. Photo by Dorothy Wilding. Courtesy The National Portrait Gallery, London.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II BY DOROTHY WILDING
Courtesy The National Portrait Gallery, London

Embankment Station, then walk five minutes north to Trafalgar Square. From THE BREWERY APARTMENTS south of the Tower Bridge, walk 10-12 minutes (or take a bus 2-4 minutes) to London Bridge Underground Station, then take the Jubilee Line west two stops to Waterloo Station. Change to the Northern Line. Go two stops north to Charing Cross Underground Station. Walk 3 minutes north to Trafalgar Square. Go counter-clockwise around the National Gallery on St. Martin’s Place to the entrance to the National Portrait Gallery.
MORE INFO, see: THE QUEEN – ART & IMAGE.

Every Saturday starting sometime after 7PM

Terryglass, No. Co. Tipperary, Central Ireland

“Trad Music Sessions at The Derg Inn”

The weekly live music session is the only way to improve the music and atmosphere at The Derg Inn in Terryglass. Food available until 10PM. The music could last all evening.

LOCATION: The Derg Inn, on the square, Terryglass.

GETTING THERE: From Home At First’s cottages in CENTRAL IRELAND, follow the R493 to Terryglass village near the northern end of Lough Derg. Home At First guests staying at Terryglass-area cottages are just 1.5 miles from the inn.

ADMISSION: none.

MORE INFO: THE DERG INN.

Terryglass village with Paddy's Pub (left) and the Derg Inn (center). Photo © Home At First.

TERRYGLASS VILLAGE WITH PADDY'S PUB
AND THE DERG INN (ORANGE EXTERIOR)
Photo © HOME AT FIRST

Every Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday
LONDON – Meet at Tower Hill Tube
“Guided Walking Tours of our London”
Two regularly-scheduled guided walks provide Home At First London guests looking for more insight into the history –recent and distant – of their London home region. Learn about life here during medieval times and its dramatic post-war redevelopment from bombed out ruins to the revitalized Docklands.

• Guided Walk through Ancient London: if knights, damsels, and castles are your cup of tea, this walk's teaser should push your happy buttons: “A guided walk through alleyways that tourists never find, including an urban enchanted forest, a place where 13 knights performed three deeds of bravery, a centuries-old peep hole to keep nuns safe from prying eyes, a place of a Maypole and 11,000 beheaded virgins, a fountain whose waters mimic the tail feathers of an ostrich, Bedlam, a prioress, Bluebell Girls, black magic, Geoffrey Chaucer, and traitors’ heads.”

• Guided Walk through London’s Revitalized Docklands: explore east from Tower Hill looking for evidence of the Docklands' importance to commerce and how it has undergone such a dramatic, successful renaissance over the past 30 years. The walk passes through St. Katharine’s Dock, home to several Home At First apartments, and eastward through Wapping, Shadwell, and Limehouse all the way to Canary Wharf, London’s second commercial center. Return to Tower Hill Gateway by Docklands Light Railway.

LOCATION: Walk begins at Tower Hill Underground Station.

ADMISSION: Payable to the guide. Advance reservations not needed.

• Ancient London: £8/adult; £6/seniors & students.

• Docklands: £5/adult.

GETTING THERE: Walk to Tower Hill Tube in 8 minutes from Home At First’s LONDON Apartments at St. Katharine’s Marina by the Tower of London and in 10 minutes from across the Thames at its Apartments at The Brewery.

MORE INFO, phone London: +44 (0)20 7222 1234.

Medieval London can still be found -- if you know where to look. Photo © Home At First.

Medieval London can
still be found -- if you
know where to look.
Photo © HOME AT FIRST

Some tall sailing ships
may still be found
moored in the
Docklands.
Photo © HOME AT FIRST

MAY – OCTOBER - Rotating Schedule

BERMUDA

“Beating of Retreats”

Colorful historical re-enactment of military ceremony piping troops back into their forts at the World Heritage town of St. Georges on the east end of Bermuda, the central-island city of Hamilton, and the Dockyard on the western end of the island.

LOCATIONS: Various. St. George's town, Hamilton city and at the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Beating retreat at the Royal Navy Dockyard on Bermuda's west end.

Beating retreat at the Royal Navy Dockyard
on Bermuda's west end

COST: free.

GETTING THERE: Public transport.

EVENTS IN MAY 2012

Through May 6, 2012
Ribe Viking Center, Lustrupholm, Ribe, Denmark
“Ribe Viking Market”
Two to three hundred wannabe Vikings assemble in a reconstruction of Scandinavia’s oldest known market square to trade and hawk Viking crafts and show off their skills at combat, riding, dance, and archery, as well as their craftsmanship just as real Vikings did here 1300 years ago. The market at the Viking Center helps celebrate the

Not your usual shopkeepers at Ribe's Viking Market. Photo courtesy Ribe Viking Center.

YOU ARE INVITED TO MARKET WITH THESE LADS
Courtesy The Ribe Viking Center

1300th anniversary of the founding of Ribe, the most historic international market town of southwest Denmark.

LOCATION: The Viking Center is south of the town of Ribe in the satellite community of Lustrupholm.

GETTING THERE: Ribe is 77 miles west of Home At First DENMARK lodgings in ODENSE, and 172 miles west of COPENHAGEN. Take the E20 motorway west from Copenhagen past Odense. Leave the motorway west of Kolding: take Rt. 32 SW to Ribe, then Rts. 24 south around Ribe town. Exit Rt. 24 onto Strengevej. Drive south for ½ mi. Turn right (west) onto Lustrupvej ¼ mile to the Ribe Viking Center.

ADMISSION: DKK90/adult, DKK45/children 3-13.

OPEN: from 10AM daily; Sa to 5PM; Su until 4PM; Mo-Fr to 3:30PM.

MORE INFO: RIBE VIKING CENTER WEB SITE.

Thursday-Monday May 3-7 2012, 11AM-6PM daily
HARROGATE, NORTH YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND
“Harrogate Antique & Fine Art Fair”
Art and antiques on display and for sale at this prestigious major Northern England antiques & art fair.
LOCATION: Harrogate International Centre, King’s

Matched antique dueling pistols, circa 1790. Image courtesy www.harrogateantiquefair.com.

MATCHED ANTIQUE DUELING PISTOLS, c. 1790
Courtesy Harrogate Antique Fair

Road, Harrogate, Yorkshire, HG1 5LA.
ADMISSION: Free with COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCE TICKETS.
GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S NORTH YORKSHIRE cottages take the A61 south about 10 miles into Harrogate. When the A61 turns left and becomes a one-way street, stay left and then go straight onto King’s Road Street. The International Centre will appear quickly on your left.
MORE INFO, see: HARROGATE ANTIQUE FAIR.

Friday-Monday, May 4-7 2012
KINVARA, CO. GALWAY, WEST CENTRAL IRELAND
“Cuckoo Festival”
Family-oriented traditional Irish music & arts festival in a small, historic, coastal village with an iconic castle.
LOCATION: Kinvara, south of Galway city, on Galway Bay. Just outside of town is the famous DUNGUAIRE CASTLE.
ADMISSION: free

Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, West Central Ireland. Photo © Home At First.

DUNGUAIRE CASTLE, KINVARA, WEST CENTRAL IRELAND.
Photo © HOME AT FIRST

GETTING THERE: Home At First
Central Ireland guests drive the N52 north to the N65 west to the N6 at Loughrea. Take the R347 from the N6 to the N67 coast road at Kinvara.
MORE INFO, see: KINVARA CUCKOO FESTIVAL.

Saturday to Monday May 5-7 2012, 10AM-5PM daily
LEYBURN, NORTH YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND
“The Dales Festival of Food and Drink”
Festival of food and drinks produced throughout the Yorkshire Dales. Over 80 trade stands, cooking and other demonstrations, farming demonstrations, farmers

The Yorkshire Dales are among England's garden spots: producers of fine foods. Photo courtesy The Dales Festival of Food and Drink.

more than just a pretty place, THE YORKSHIRE DALES ARE among
England's garden spots, THE PRODUCERS OF FINE FOODS.
Courtesy The Dales Festival of Food and Drink

market, real ale trail, teashop trail plus bands and bunting.
LOCATION: Leyburn, Yorkshire, England.
ADMISSION: £8/adult; children under 16 free.
GETTING THERE: Leyburn is about 25 miles NW of HOME AT FIRST’S NORTH YORKSHIRE cottages. Take the A61 north to Ripon, then the A6108 NW to Leyburn, the “capital” of the lovely glen of Wensleydale. Alternatively, make the journey part of the adventure by taking the WENSLEYDALE RAILWAY or THE DALES BUS.
MORE INFO, see: YORKSHIRE DALES FOOD FESTIVAL and BY TRAIN & BUS THROUGH THE YORKSHIRE DALES.

Saturday-Monday May 5-7 2012, 11AM-5:30PM daily
COTSWOLDS, ENGLAND
“Jousting at Blenheim Palace”
The palatial home of the Dukes of Marlborough and the Churchill family — including British Prime Minister Winston Churchill — is the backdrop for a medieval jousting tournament with mounted knights clashing twice each day in the park and the South Front of the palace

Jousting at Blenheim Palace, near Woodstock in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Photo courtesy www.blenheimpalace.com.

JOUSTING AT BLENHEIM PALACE.
Courtesy www.blenheimpalace.com

during this three-day tourney. Falconry will also be exhibited.
LOCATION: Blenheim Palace is in the eastern Cotswolds just SW of Woodstock (and NW of Oxford) just about 25 miles southeast of HOME AT FIRST’S NORTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages in and near Chipping Campden and about 32 miles northeast of HOME AT FIRST’S SOUTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages in and near Tetbury.
GETTING THERE: From the Northern Cotswolds, drive SE on the A44 to Woodstock. From the Southern Cotswolds, drive northeast from Tetbury on the A433 to Cirencester. Then take the B4425 NE to Burford and the A40 east to
Witney and the A4095 NE to the A44 near Woodstock. From Woodstock follow the brown signs leading to Blenheim Palace.
ADMISSION:
• Palace, Park & Gardens—£20/adults, £15.50/seniors/students,
£11.50/children 5-16, £52/family.
• Park & Gardens Only—£11.50/adults, £8.50/seniors/students,
£6/children 5-16, £30/family.
MORE INFO, see: BLENHEIM PALACE JOUSTING.

High Street, Chipping Campden, with St. James's Church tower in the background. Concerts occur at the church, within easy walking distance of several Home At First cottages in Chipping Campden. Photo © Home At First.

High Street, Chipping Campden, with St. James's Church tower in the background. Concerts occur
at the church, within easy walking distance of several Home At First cottages in Chipping Campden.
Photo © HOME AT FIRST

Sunday to Saturday May 6-19 2012
COTSWOLDS, ENGLAND
“Chipping Campden Music Festival”
Classical music festival to occur at Chipping Campden’s landmark gothic St. James’ Church. Evening (some formal) and lunchtime concerts.
LOCATION: Chipping Campden is a classic Cotswolds wool town, and the center of HOME AT FIRST’S NORTHERN COTSWOLDS region.
TICKETS: Evening concerts starting at 7:30PM, 8PM, or 8:30PM; tickets: £6-£30. Lunchtime concerts (performed by university music students from 1:15-2:15PM); tickets: £5.
GETTING THERE: Chipping Campden is Home At First’s principal location for Northern Cotswolds cottages, several of which are within walking distance of St. James’ Church.
MORE INFO, see: CHIPPING CAMPDEN MUSIC FESTIVAL.

Wednesday-Sunday May 9-13 2010 from 7AM daily
WINDSOR CASTLE, ENGLAND
“Royal Windsor Horse Show”
Large Horse show fair with jumping, dressage, showing, and driving on the grounds of the Queen’s thousand-year-old fortress castle west of London. Three rings, 200 stalls selling all kinds of horse items, apparel, food, drink, more.
LOCATION: Windsor Castle, Windsor, SL4

Italy's Carosello de Carabiniere equestrian team to appear at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. Photo courtesy www.rwhs.co.uk.

Italy’s Carosello de Carabiniere EQUESTRIAN TEAM
TO APPEAR AT THE ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW.
Courtesy www.rwhs.co.uk

ADMISSION: We-Fr: £16/adult, £12/seniors, kids<16 free.
Sa-Su: £20/adult, £16/seniors, £9/kids 5-16, £43/family.
GETTING THERE: take the train & avoid congested roads and full parking lots at Windsor.
• From LONDON: trains twice hourly from Waterloo (to Windsor & Eton Riverside Station) and also twice hourly from Paddington (change at Slough) to Windsor & Eton Central Station. From either station it’s a 7-minute walk to the showgrounds.
• From TETBURY IN THE SOUTHERN COTSWOLDS: Take the train from Kemble Station, 7 miles NE of Tetbury on the A429 (direction Cirencester). Change at Swindon and Slough to reach Windsor & Eton Central Station. Trains are hourly. Journey time: 97min. Walk 7 minutes from Windsor station to the castle showgrounds.
• From CHIPPING CAMPDEN IN THE NORTHERN COTSWOLDS: Take the train from Moreton-in-Marsh, 10 miles SE of Chipping Campden on the A44 (direction Oxford). Change at Slough (and possibly at Swindon) to reach Windsor & Eton Central Station. Trains are hourly. Journey time: 110min. Walk 7 minutes from Windsor station to the castle showgrounds.
MORE INFO, see: ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW.

Saturday May 12 at 12:45PM 2012
COTSWOLDS, ENGLAND
“Cheese Rolling & The Randwick Wap”
Maybe you’ve seen the videos on cable news: competitors sit on the edge of a steep slope, waiting for someone to start a 7 lb. Double Gloucester cheese wheel rolling down the 45º hillside. Cheese chasers plummet downhill after the accelerating cheese. The first person down the hill wins the race and the cheese. Lots of others fall, cartwheel, dive headlong, and crash.

CARRYING RANDWICK'S MAYOR OFF TO THE DUCKING POOL.
Clive Bliss Photo

Injuries and laughter abound. Practiced by modern loonies, this comical lunacy may have roots in ancient nutcases among Phoenicians, Britons, or Romans. Cheese rolling was already an old tradition by the American Revolution. One theory links cheese rolling to fertility rites, although we don’t readily see the connection. We think too much idle time and alcohol may have been the causes. Today, it seems that lunacy continues simply for its own sake, and for the benefit of the charities that receive your admission fee.
• Saturday May 12 – The Randwick Wap and Cheese Rolling – Randwick village: Meet at the War Memorial in Randwick village at 12:45PM for the start of the colorful, musical procession of villagers in traditional costume called “The Randwick Wap” dating from the Middle Ages. The procession makes its way from the War Memorial (at the village high point about ½ mile above St. John’s Church) to the Mayor’s Pool, led by the Mop Man who swishes his wet mop to clear the crowds. Randwick’s mayor and the parade queen are carried shoulder high and escorted by flag boys, ladies in waiting, cheese bearers, princesses, a sword bearer, and a flag man. The mayor is dunked in the Mayor's Pool before being doused with spring water. The procession continues to Well Leaze hill where the two remaining blessed double Gloucester Cheeses (from the prior Sunday) are rolled down the steep slope, chased by loonies. One tradition behind the festival suggests it originated 700 years ago when the village church was built, and drunken artisans went for a dip in the town pond. Another tradition suggests the “Wap” comes from Saxon “Wappenshaw”, when local men proved their readiness for warfare. Expect no battle. Rather, expect local color, music, Morris dancing, concession stands, entertainment, refreshments, and (perhaps) something for everyone.
ADMISSION to The Randwick Wap custom is free.
GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S SOUTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages, drive west from Tetbury 3 miles on the A4135, then north 7 miles to Stroud. From HOME AT FIRST’S NORTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages in and around Chipping Campden, drive 55 minutes south on the A46 to Stroud. Once in Stroud watch for signs pointing the way to Randwick village just NW of town.
For More Info, see: RANDWICK WAP & CHEESE ROLLING.

Thursday, May 17 2012
LONDON, ENGLAND
Ancient Tradition: “Beating the Bounds”
Home At First’s London guests staying at St. Katharine’s Marina Apartments by the Tower of London have one of London’s oldest and most historic churches nearby. All Hallows by the Tower is just west of the Tower of London. The church traces its roots to the original Saxon church built in 675AD on a site formerly paved by Romans. The church has associations with Sir

Friendly Neighbors - Beating the Bounds where the Tower of London borders All Hallows by the Tower Church. Photo courtesy All Hallows by the Tower.

Friendly Neighbors - Beating the Bounds where the
Tower of London borders All Hallows by the Tower.
Courtesy All Hallows by the Tower

Thomas More (whose headless body was brought there following his execution on Tower Hill just yards away), with William Penn (baptized and educated in the church) and his father Admiral Penn (a wealthy parishioner who organized a force to save the church from the Great Fire of 1666), John Quincy Adams (who was married in the church in 1797), and The Blitz: the church was bombed by the Nazis in 1940, and rebuilt in 1948.
All Hallows maintains several ancient traditions, especially the medieval boundary marking called “Beating the Bounds” which occurs every Ascension Day. (Every third year, the church’s Resident Governor is confronted by the Yeomen Warders of the neighboring Tower of London to commemorate a riot boundary dispute that occurred in 1698. Visitors are welcome to follow the “beaters” as they whack key boundary points with cane. Here’s the schedule:
• 3:15PM – Beating the Bounds: In an ancient and obscure ceremony that occurs each Ascension Day, the parish boundaries the London’s oldest church (675AD), All Hallows by the Tower, are beaten with willow wands. One of the marks is in mid-Thames where a boy held by the ankles “whacks” the boundary over the edge of the boat.
• 5:30PM – Festal Evensong: After taking the “beating”, the procession moves into the church for a Festal Evensong at 5:30PM with the Lord Mayor of London and London’s sheriffs in attendance to keep order.
LOCATION: All Hallows by the Tower Church, just west of the Tower of London.
GETTING THERE: Walk 10 minutes from Home At First’s Apartments at St. Katharine’s Marina past Tower Hill and the Tower of London to the church.
ADMISSION: free.
MORE INFO, see: BEATING THE BOUNDS.

GWR's "Black Prince" steaming at Winchcombe. Photo courtesy GWR.

GWR's "Black Prince" steaming at Winchcombe.
Photo courtesy GWR

Saturday May 12 2012 7-9:30PM
COTSWOLDS, ENGLAND
“Fish & Chips and Steam”
Enjoy a traditional English evening meal on a traditional English steam train in the midst of traditional English countryside. Operating on a portion of an isolated 10.5 mile-long remnant of the defunct 100-year-old Birmingham-Bristol mainline route of the former Great Western Railway, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWR) special train departs Winchcombe station at 7PM and cruises through classic Cotswolds scenery for Cheltenham. The train returns to Winchcombe at about 9:30PM. The train will have a buffet car (diner) serving hot and cold drinks including local specialty brews: Rail Ale and Track Cider. Be sure to sign up early (before departing the US) for this popular event.
LOCATION: Winchcombe station is north of Winchcombe town where the B4632 crosses the railway.
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS MANDATORY: Phone the GWR during operating hours with your credit card information: +44 (0)1242 621405.
ADMISSION: £20/person, includes train fare and fish & chips dinner. Drinks available for sale in the buffet car.
GETTING THERE: Drive about 35 minutes north from Tetbury, home to HOME AT FIRST’S SOUTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages. From HOME AT FIRST’S NORTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages in and around Chipping Campden, drive 25 minutes south.
MORE INFO, see: GWR RWY FISH CHIPS AND STEAM.

Annually – May 17
THROUGHOUT NORWAY
“Constitution Day” (Norwegian National Day)
An independent nation for just over 100 years, NORWAY gained its independence from Sweden without fighting a war. Maybe that’s the reason Norway’s independence day parades are not martial, although still very patriotic, with flag-waving children and citizens dressed in traditional Norwegian folk costumes. Expect the day to be marked everywhere, but no place more royally than in front of the palace in Oslo.
TRAVEL INFO: HOME AT FIRST’S SCANDINAVIA.

CONSTITUTION DAY CELEBRATIONS
AT THE ROYAL PALACE IN OSLO.
Photo courtesy visitnorway.com

Saturday May 19 2012 - Time to be Announced

WINDSOR, ENGLAND

“Queen’s Diamond Jubilee - Armed Forces Muster”

Marking Queen Elizabeth’s 60th Jubilee, some 2,500 UK army, navy, and air force personnel will parade through the town of Windsor and Windsor Castle. The Queen and other members of the British Royal Family will be present.

QUEEN'S LIFE GUARD AT THE HORSEGUARDS PARADE, LONDON.
Photo courtesy www.army.mod.uk

LOCATION: Windsor is west of London in Berkshire.

ADMISSION: Free to Windsor town. Windsor Castle is closed May 18 & 19, 2012, for this special commemorative event.

GETTING TO WINDSOR: take the train & avoid congested roads and full parking lots at Windsor.
• From LONDON: trains twice hourly from Waterloo (to Windsor & Eton Riverside Station) and also twice hourly from Paddington (change at Slough) to Windsor & Eton Central Station. From either station it’s a 7-minute walk to the showgrounds.
• From TETBURY IN THE SOUTHERN COTSWOLDS: Take the train from Kemble Station, 7 miles NE of Tetbury on the A429 (direction Cirencester). Change at Swindon and Slough to reach Windsor & Eton Central Station. Trains are hourly. Journey time: 97min. Walk 7 minutes from Windsor station to the castle showgrounds.
• From CHIPPING CAMPDEN IN THE NORTHERN COTSWOLDS: Take the train from Moreton-in-Marsh, 10 miles SE of Chipping Campden on the A44 (direction Oxford). Change at Slough (and possibly at Swindon) to reach Windsor & Eton Central Station. Trains are hourly. Journey time: 110min. Walk 7 minutes from Windsor station to the castle showgrounds.
MORE INFO, see: ARMED FORCES MUSTER AT WINDSOR.

GWR 7903 steaming FROM CHELTENHAM TO Winchcombe.
Photo courtesy GWR

Saturday May 19 2012 7-9:30PM
COTSWOLDS, ENGLAND
“Fish & Chips and Steam”
Enjoy a traditional English evening meal on a traditional English steam train in the midst of traditional English countryside. Operating on a portion of an isolated 10.5 mile-long remnant of the defunct 100-year-old Birmingham-Bristol mainline route of the former Great Western Railway, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWR) special train departs Winchcombe station at 7PM and cruises through classic Cotswolds scenery for Cheltenham. The train returns to Winchcombe at about 9:30PM. The train will have a buffet car (diner) serving hot and cold drinks including local specialty brews: Rail Ale and Track Cider. Be sure to sign up early (before departing the US) for this popular event.
LOCATION: Winchcombe station is north of Winchcombe town where the B4632 crosses the railway.
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS MANDATORY: Phone the GWR during operating hours with your credit card information: +44 (0)1242 621405.
ADMISSION: £20/person, includes train fare and fish & chips dinner. Drinks available for sale in the buffet car.
GETTING THERE: Drive about 35 minutes north from Tetbury, home to HOME AT FIRST’S SOUTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages. From HOME AT FIRST’S NORTHERN COTSWOLDS cottages in and around Chipping Campden, drive 25 minutes south.
MORE INFO, see: GWR RWY FISH CHIPS AND STEAM.

May 22-28 2012
ENNIS, COUNTY CLARE, WEST CENTRAL IRELAND
“Fleadh Nua”
37th annual seven-day festival covering all of traditional Irish culture with concerts, céilithe, music, song and dancing workshops, street entertainment, pageants and parades, including educational workshops in music, song and dance, exhibitions, lectures, and film shows. This year’s Fleadh Nua is expected to draw 50,000 visitors to the attractive, very walkable, old city of Ennis.

PROGRAM: While events are scheduled throughout the day, many events occur in the evening. See a listing HERE.

LOCATION: Ennis, County Clare, about 60-90 minutes west of Home At First Central Ireland cottages. Easily combine with a tour through the Burren or along the coast of County Clare including the Cliffs of

Fleadh Nua parade in downtown Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland. Photo courtesy fleadhnua.com.

FLEADH NUA PARADE IN ENNIS.
Photo courtesy fleadhnua.com

Moher.
ADMISSION: some events free; others charge a fee.
MORE INFO, see: FLEADH NUA.

Thursday, May 24, 2012
BERMUDA
“Bermuda Day”
What once was a celebration of Queen Victoria’s birthday has become the Atlantic island’s national day, celebrating its heritage with parades and races on land and sea, marking the unofficial start of summer in BERMUDA when traditional Bermudians first bathe in the sea and consider it acceptable to wear Bermuda shorts to work.
LOCATION: Home At First’s lodgings are

Traditional Gombey dancers parade through the streets of Hamilton, Bermuda, celebrating Bermuda Day. Photo courtesy Bermuda Tourism.

Traditional Gombey dancers parade through
Hamilton, Bermuda, celebrating Bermuda Day.
Photo courtesy Bermuda Tourism

located throughout Bermuda, including close
to the main parade route between Pembroke and Hamilton City.
ADMISSION: free!
MORE INFO, see: BERMUDA DAY.

Thursday-Saturday May 24-26 2012
LONDON
“Chelsea Flower Show”
The BIG one. Plants, flowers of all seasons, garden furniture, tools, theme gardens and greenhouses are all on display. The grounds of the Royal Hospital are alive with the sights and smells of the finest flower in the world. Nothing compares to the show’s gardens, created by some of the world’s leading garden designers whose ideas will leave lasting memories and endless inspiration.
LOCATION: Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR.
ADMISSION: £22, £28, & £49 + £2 booking fee; advance purchase only through 3 official ON-LINE TICKET SOURCES: The TicketFactory, ATG Tickets, and Encore Tickets.
OPENING TIMES A: 8AM-8PM Th-Fr-Sa; £49 Admission.
OPENING TIMES B: 3:30-8PM Th-Fr; £28 Admission.
OPENING TIMES C: 5:30-8PM Th-Fr; £22 Admission.

London's annual Chelsea Flower Show is a treat for the senses. Photo courtesy rhs.org.uk.

London's annual Chelsea Flower
Show is a treat for the senses.
Photo courtesy rhs.org.uk.

FOOD: Pre-book a table — Tel: +44 (0)844 209 1810 — in one of the show’s four restaurants for a three-course lunch or supper in the Rock Bank Restaurant. Or, visit the Plateau Café (cakes/sandwiches/drinks), the Laurent-Perrier Champagne Bar, or the Seafood & Champagne Restaurant. A food court and outdoor catering areas offer simpler hot and cold meals, snacks, and drinks.
GETTING THERE: From HOME AT FIRST’S LONDON apartments at St. Katharine’s Marina and The Brewery, walk 5-12 minutes to the Tower Hill Underground Station, then take the District or Circle Line west 10 stops & 16 minutes to Sloane Square station. Turn left out of the station down (south on) Lower Sloane Street. After 2 minutes, at the first major crossroads turn right onto Royal Hospital Road and left onto hospital grounds, site of the flower show.
MORE INFO, see: CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW.

Danish knights are expected in force at Copenhagen's Medieval Market. Photo courtesy kmm.dk.

DANISH KNIGHTS ARE EXPECTED IN FORCE AT COPENHAGEN'S MEDIEVAL MARKET.
Photo courtesy kmm.dk

Friday-Monday May 25-28 2012
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
“Copenhagen Medieval Market”
Danish life from the year 1219 is recreated over Whitsun (or Pentecost) weekend at Copenhagen’s Valby Park. Expect all things medieval: arts and crafts, combat, archery, a parade, food, music. The flag of DENMARK dates from 1219 when legend says it fell from heaven as the Danish navy attacked and conquered Estonia.
LOCATION: Valby Park SW of central COPENHAGEN.
GETTING THERE: Take the M2 metro line from Kongens Nytorv to Norreport St. metro station, then walk 3min. to the S-train Norreport St. station. Take the A S-train (direction Hundige St.) to the Sjælør St. stop. Walk south ½ mile passing Valby sports center next to Kalvebod Beach. Entrance from Hammelstupvej. Total time: approx. 40min.
ADMISSION: DKK90/adult, DKK60/children 4-11.
OPEN: Fr: 9AM-6PM; Sa-Su:10AM-6PM; Mo: 10AM-5PM.
MORE INFO: COPENHAGEN MEDIEVAL MARKET.
TRAVEL INFO: HOME AT FIRST’S SCANDINAVIA.

Sat.-Sun. May 26-27 2012
CENTRAL SCOTLAND
“Blair Atholl Gathering
& Highland Games”
The Highland Games season in Central Scotland kicks off with a spectacle at Blair Atholl Castle near Pitlochry. The castle is still home to the Duke of Atholl and his private army (!) — the only such group permitted in Europe.
• Saturday May 26 AT 2:30PM:

Parade of Atholl Highlanders and Pipe Band with inspection by the Duke of Atholl.
• Sunday May 27 from 11AM: Highland Games with colorful marching bands, pipers in full Highland regalia, Scottish dancers, lots of concession stands selling everything from souvenirs to Scotch, and, most centrally, the track & field strongmen performing competitive feats of strength (caber tossing, tug-of-war, shot putting, many others) while trying to maintain modesty in their kilts. Sights for sore eyes? Or eyesores?
LOCATION: Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Perthshire, 45-75 minutes east northeast of HOME AT FIRST’S CENTRAL SCOTLAND lodgings. From Killin take the A827 east northeast to the A9, then the A9 north through Pitlochry 6 miles to Blair Castle on the B8079.
ADMISSION:
Saturday's Parade of Atholl Highlanders with Pipe Band:
         £5.25/adult, £2.40/children 5-16.
Sunday:
     • Highland Games: £7/adult, £5/seniors, £3/children 5-16.
     • Blair Castle & Grounds: £9.50/adult, £8.10/seniors & students,
        £5.70/child 5-16, £25.75/family (up to 3 kids).
OPEN: Castle & Grounds open 9:30AM-5PM.
MORE INFO, see: BLAIR ATHOLL CASTLE.

CHECK BACK FOR MORE EVENTS EACH MONTH