VACATIONS FROM HOME
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| Nantwich doorway |
At its genesis this blog
is all about traveling while at home. It began when our pockets were of meager
funds, but our hearts still brimmed with the need to explore. Back in those
early times our destinations were in our proverbial backyard. There were plenty
of day trips, camping trips and couch surfing visits to friend’s houses, and a
lot of hiking.
As we slowly recovered
from our financial nadir, our sights again were set on destinations further
afield and if you are one of our sainted readers who have followed us from the
beginning you know we have traveled to places like Belgium, Croatia, the Canary
Islands, Hawaii, Fiji, Costa Rica and Panama and quite a few Caribbean Islands.
These destinations are
just a small listing of our travels, and as long as the meter’s running, we will
continue to travel as much as possible in this vast beautiful Garden of Eden, and
we will continue to write about our adventures here at Vacations From Home.
“HOME” though is an
integral part of our thinking and a lot of our travels have included family.
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| Nantwich with St. Mary's Church in background |
My daughter has lived
in New Orleans and D.C. and Nashville, and each time she settled in her new city we
made a point of visiting her.
We both have family in
Colorado, and we have traveled to the Centennial State to see them. We have also
traveled to Florida’s Marco Island as part of a massive family adventure one
summer equinox and returned to Marco Island a few years later to tie the knot
with my trophy wife.
A couple of years ago at
the New Jersey beach town of Sea Isle City we crammed 17 family members into a
weekly rental. The house was so big that no one had to sleep in their car.
Janet has one daughter
living in Austin, Texas and that has garnered several trips to the Lone Star
State for us, both together and alone.
But it is here in
Nantwich, Chesire in England that has become our most frequently traveled
family destination.
DABBER'S PARADISE
Her other daughter
married a young man from this picturesque little town and has started a family.
We followed them to Liverpool when they lived there, then Newton and now
Nantwich, staying with them each time. We have spent time in Nantwich during the summer
and over the Christmas holidays. We’ve been here so often that we have
become friends with several other people from town. The in-laws are great
people as well, even if I can’t keep up with the father-in-law when we go out
for pints.
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| The way to the Dabber's Sweet Shop |
Over the years we’ve
used Nantwich as a jumping off point for travel to UK destinations like Edinburgh,
Scotland, Llandudno, Wales, Lancaster and Lake Windermere and the walled cities
of York and Chester. Nantwich has also been the staging point for trips to Europe.
Earlier this year we flew from Manchester, which is the nearest airport to
Nantwich, to Budapest. Next week we are traveling to Seville, Spain after our
latest two-week visit to Nantwich.
Our days are filled
with leisurely walks into the town center or to the Barony, a large park, often
with the boys on scooters or bikes to get there. Some days we time them as they race around the block on their bikes.
Trips to the sweet shop and
coffees and hot chocolates and pub crawls with the adults fill out the days.
Janet often says I
would be bored coming to Nantwich as it is really all about family, but that’s
the whole point of being here. On the oft chance I’m “bored” I go out for a
stroll. I really enjoy walking around town on my own and have been known to
disappear for the afternoon in my meandering, a latter-day Ulysses.
There’s lots to see and
plenty of pubs to visit to quench my thirst.
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| I can't keep up with the in-law |
I’ve lingered over
beers at the Crown just to watch the people and their dogs sitting patiently. I’ve
paused to listen to the campanologists practicing their craft at St. Mary’s Church
after watching them ascend one of the church towers through a weathered wooden
door to reach the bells. And, every chance I get I accompany the father-in-law
on one of his delivery trips through the countryside delivering goods as part
of the retiree’s part time work. It could be cloudy and rainy, but it will be a
glorious day for it is wonderful to see more of this world, even if it
technically is our second home.
Thanks for reading,
Love Janet and greg
© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj
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