Day 2: Cliveden

Alright, so my second day in England was much better than the first! Although I didn't get quite as much accomplished.....well, other than completing a dream I've been having since I purchased the book 1000 Things to See Before You Die!
So, from Hilton I took the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station. I was hungry (and slept through breakfast) so I just stopped at McDonald's and had a burger while waiting for my train.

Paddington Station!

I really like the trains....

Waiting for the screen to show me when my train is boarding for Taplow!

The huge directory of where you're supposed to go...

Thanks to some great explanations from the Information Center I made it onto my train and headed about 45 minutes NW of London to Taplow/Burnham. I got excited about all the snow!

The inside of the train.. I met an Indian guy who had lived in the England for 22 years. He point blank asked me, "Are you a Christian?" And went on for 20 minutes about how being a Christian is in your heart and actions.... Oh, and he asked my denomination. Lol, interesting.

Burnham is a small village, so it was quite right that their train station looked comparable to a trailer park, lol.

The good part was there was a taxi house right outside the station where I got a taxi to Cliveden, the hotel I've been dreaming of for almost a decade!

I arrived at Cliveden (pronounced Clivden with a short i). The room was way off the main house but was veryyyyyy spacious for the cheapest offered. The desk, recliner, and bathroom...

TWO amazing closets!

Another sitting area...

The nice bath :)

The view from the room! Glad I took this picture because the rest of the stay it was too foggy to see anything.

Once I got settled in I decided to take a walk around the 364-acre grounds. For the first time I saw a real "blanket of snow".

And I made a snow beast.... I was working on a snowman but my hands got WAY too cold.

One of the pathways...

Loved the snow-covered area!!

Coming around the side of the hotel...

The "gardens" in front of the hotel...

More gardens...

Cliveden, my hotel :) #1 on 1000 Things to See Before You Die....

Such a neat place...

More of the gardens...

Close up of the sculpture, not really a statue, I suppose.

Far awy shot from the sculpture.

Ahhhhhhh, my favorite picture of Cliveden, I think.

The overlook of the Thames, dedicated to those who served at Cliveden.

The view of the Thames from up by the hotel/chapel.

Another look :)
Romeo, romeo! Wherefore out though, Romeo??
Coming around the back of the hotel...
Beautiful clock tower....
The inside of the Great Hall or gathering area when you come right into the hotel.

I didn't due much on Monday. I took a nap in the room and the walk. Then I enjoyed a REALLY expensive but delicious dinner in the formal dining area called the Terrace Room. I had a crab hor'd erv (sp?), lobster bisque appetizer, and "fillet of beef" steak and potatoes. Skipped the spinach lol. But it was amazing! Day 3: Windsor!