On Saturday we took the train for our first time and traveled to Henley, a small town about 30 miles from Reading. Henley is most known for its summer festivals, the Royal Regatta (country's most famous rowing races), and its scenic views of the river Thames. Though the town is most lively in the spring and summer, there were plenty of people crowding the streets, stores, and restaurants. We were interested in the town for its small town feel and adventures along the river. As you can see in many of our pictures, the river has flooded over the past couple of weeks due to the extreme amount of rain that the country was not prepared for. Actually, approximately 25% of the rainfall that occurs in Reading each year has already fallen throughout the past three weeks. It just feels like early spring to us, so we still love it (sorry to all back in the frozen tundra).

After strolling along the river and through several shops, we stopped at The Bull on Bell Street for lunch. The Bull is a newer restaurant with amazing character. Its lounging type atmosphere allowed us to sit in a quaint sunroom that felt like we were staying at grandma's house. The waiter introduced us to our first Brakspear Brew and it was fantastic! Though many people think that the beer here is served warm, that is false. It is just not refrigerated; it is stored in the cellars of the building, so it is plenty chilled. We also tasted our first sausage roll with piccadilli sauce. The sausage roll is a warmed up sausage (also served cold) wrapped in flakey dough. Piccadilli sauce is a mix of mustard and pickles. As I write this, it sounds very disgusting… but it was actually delicious! We also had a pint at the oldest building in Henley, which was built in 1325. Our plan for the day was to hike to a park that had a mansion that is frequently toured by visitors. Unfortunately, both the park and mansion were closed to the public until March. Looks like we'll have to go back when spring arrives! Enjoy the pictures!

Cheers!

John & Erin