and here's an attractive landscape for your viewing pleasure. We took this photo at the Hastings battlesite near Battle, East Sussex, England and we're looking at the scene roughly from the Saxon position. William the Conqueror and his Normans fought toward this spot from their position down the hill. Much of the world as the inhabitants of Britain knew it changed at this place in 1066.
When you visit the battlesite, you first go through an orientation center at the top of the hill that gives you the background information to understand what you're going to see. Then, you can do a self-guided walk around the perimeter of the field, using a handheld audio device that allows you to listen to a narrative of three different perspectives of the event. Today, the battlefield is a sheep pasture, and the Abbey built by William the Conqueror to thank God for his conquest is now a school. Most of the town of Battle (aptly named, don't you think?) is west and south of the abbey and fields. The Emperor and I really enjoyed walking around the town, and looking back it was one of the best days of a truly great trip.
It's green like this, even deep in November when we were there. The landscape was visual solace to us, we travelers from the Arid Wild West. It was green, green, green, and when we got on the train to go back to our digs in London our shoes were wet and covered with grass bits.
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