Through the Eyes of a Child

September 18th, 2008 by A World Vacationer

From our Win a Trip Contest
A travel story by - Mary Ann S.

Although I’d been to the UK many times, it was like seeing it for the first time when I took my 9-year-old grandson on his initial visit. We were based in Oxford for a special Harry Potter program but had plenty of time for side trips.

For two weeks it was punting on the Isis, riding a steam train, banqueting in a college dining hall, and roaming the countryside. In London, he was thrilled with the top of a double-decker bus and cruising down the Thames to the Tower. There he loved the cannons, the Royal Jewels, and the ravens, but refused to have his picture taken with the Beefeaters. That was too tourist-like.

So what if he ignored Big Ben and Parliament in favor of chasing pigeons, he thought riding the London Eye was superb.

At Warwick, he dragged poor old Granny up the ramparts, down into the dungeon, and into the “haunted” tower. The armor and the rack got a lot of attention as did the jousting and the catapult.

Stratford was a success, more for the river front and an ice cream shop than for the Birth Place, Trinity, or Anne’s Cottage. Although, he was mesmerized by a modern version of “As You Like It”.

Climbing ruined castle walls took precedence over Winchester Cathedral and scaling a statue was more exciting than King Arthur’s Round Table. Maybe I liked peering into the “secret garden” but he liked the big, old plain tree with wonderful limbs to hang from. He made me notice things and try things I’d rushed past on earlier visits.

Oh, yes, the Harry Potter program with 15 youngsters from all over the US was wonderful. They were busy with a myriad of activities, culminating in an original playlet for the benefit of the grandparents.

It was amazing how quickly he picked up the pounds and pence routine and dropping by the hotel bar for a coke and crisps became commonplace. At times I thought the only thing that he truly enjoyed was chasing the ubiquitous pigeons, but he often mentions things I thought he’d ignored and can do a pretty accurate English accent. Outgrowing his Oxford tee shirt was hard to take.

Maybe some things went wrong: getting locked out of our room or messing up a game of croquet, but it was a wonderful experience to visit England with someone who wasn’t too blase to enjoy everything.