International Field Trip Opportunity English Gardens and Opera Festivals: Garsington & Grange , UK June 14 to June 24, 2014

“Great houses and gardens ... operas like you've never seen them before!”

Based on the initial feedback, we anticipate this trip to be a SELL-OUT. Don’t be disappointed, register soon!

Day 1- Sat. Jun 14 Depart USA Overnight flight to London Heathrow**see note for airfare (Not included. We strongly encourage participants to book airfare as a group for the greatest discount.)

Day 2 – Sun. Jun 15 – OXFORD – Waddesdon Manor Welcome to . Upon clearing customs you will take a private touring coach to Oxford, “City of Dreaming Spires,” with a stop in route for lunch (on own) at a great pub in Fyfield, THE WHITE HART, for a wonderful introduction to the traditional England you will be visiting. We will then visit Waddesdon Manor, a magnificent house and grounds in the style of a 19th-century French chateau. Explore this French Renaissance-style chateau built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1874 to entertain the fashionable world and to house his collection of fine art. Step back in time in the Victorian style gardens, gazing at flamboyant colors on the parterre amid the ornate fountains and statuary. Discover the rare and exotic birds housed in the rococo style aviary found in the heart of the gardens. You will then have free time before meeting your traveling companions for a Welcome Dinner (included) at your hotel this evening. Hotel: The Oxford Hotel, 4 nights Lunch on own

Day 3 - Mon. Jun 16 - OXFORD – Blenheim Park and Gardens – Oxford Botanic Garden - Tea at Randolph Hotel After a hearty English breakfast you will travel to the nearby town of Woodstock and visit Blenheim Park and Gardens. The Formal Gardens owe much to the 9th Duke of Marlborough who, in the 1920s, with the help of the French landscape architect Achille Duchêne, redesigned the gardens to provide the Palace with the formal majestic setting that visitors see today.

After lunch we will visit the Oxford Botanic Garden, which consists of both outside areas (The Gardens) and inside areas (The Glasshouses). In total the site covers 2 hectares. The Glasshouses cover approximately 600 square meters. There are approximately 5,000 different plant species growing at the Botanic Garden, making it one of the most bio-diverse areas of land in the world. After our garden tours today we have the pleasure to partake of Oxford's world-famous afternoon tea included at The Randolph Hotel, a neo-Gothic hotel in Oxford's historic heart directly opposite the famous Ashmolean Museum, which contains an extensive collection of artwork and artifacts. Lunch and dinner on own.

Day 4 - Tue. Jun 17- OXFORD – Hidcote Manor Gardens - Worcester College Gardens This morning after breakfast Dr. Mary Kime will introduce the opera you will see tomorrow night at Garsington - Beethoven's heroic masterpiece, Fidelio. Following our opera introduction you will enjoy the drive crossing the beautiful Cotswold hills, a chocolate box scene of golden stone villages with roses round the doors. Today’s first garden visit will be to Hidcote Manor Gardens, an Arts and Crafts garden in the northern Cotswolds. Created by the American horticulturist, Major Lawrence Johnston, its colorful and intricately designed outdoor “rooms” are always full of surprises. We will next visit the Worcester College Gardens. Worcester College may not be one of the more famous of the Oxford colleges, but it has what many of the others lack - a really progressive and dynamic gardening team, with large gardens and grounds to work in, and crucially, the support of the College for their work. Lunch and dinner on own.

Day 5 - Wed. Jun 18 – OXFORD - Garsington Opera (black tie appreciated) After breakfast you will have the morning free to explore some of the historical sites around Oxford. Christ Church, founded in 1525, is home to the city's famous cathedral and birthplace of Lewis Carroll's famous Alice books. The Ashmolean Museum, contained in a gorgeous building across from the Randolph Hotel, has paintings, antiquities, and a must see Egyptian exhibit. Oxford's Covered Market is a must for a unique shopping experience, and the High Street offers a range of unique boutiques, antique shops, bookshops, and gift shops set amongst beautiful historic buildings.

This afternoon you will depart for the Wormsley Estate, home of the Garsington Opera. We will arrive in plenty of time to wander through the Walled Garden as well as the Opera Garden. Garsington Opera produces opera of the highest professional quality in a setting of extraordinary beauty. Tonight we have the pleasure of seeing Ludwig Van Beethoven's Fidelio. The power of love to combat tyranny and political oppression has inspired freedom fighters the world over. John Cox revives his production (Garsington Opera, 2009) of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, one of the most insightful and humane dramas in the repertoire. Performances have a long interval lasting approximately 85 minutes. This allows time to enjoy a scrumptious three-course dinner (included) in the opera restaurant overlooking John Paul Getty's famous cricket ground. Lunch on own.

Day 6 - Thu. Jun 19 - OXFORD to - Windsor Castle State Apartments - Savill Garden This morning our lively after-breakfast opera critique will focus on the Garsington performance of Fidelio. Then we take a drive through the Cotswold Hills on our way to Royal Tunbridge Wells with a stop at Windsor Castle State Apartments. Windsor Castle is the largest working castle in the world that is still occupied by monarchy. For over 900 years, since William the Conqueror built a wooden fortress here, this has been a royal home and fortress. Queen Elizabeth spends a month at Easter, a week in June, and most weekends at Windsor.

After our visit to the castle we will take a short drive to The Royal Landscape’s Savill Garden, where Sir Eric Savill first created his woodland garden in the 1930s. The Rose Garden, opened by H.M. the Queen in 2010, is a magnificent new addition. Britain's finest ornamental garden, The Savill Garden is a true wonder. It's a garden for all seasons and a place of beauty and color loved by horticulturalists and enthusiasts alike. We will continue our drive through the beautiful English countryside to Royal Tunbridge Wells where we will check-in to our hotel and will meet later for a delicious English dinner (included) at our hotel. Hotel: The Spa Hotel, 5 nights Lunch on own. Day 7 - Fri. Jun 20 – ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS - Sissinghurst Castle Gardens - Scotney Castle Gardens This morning after breakfast we will visit the beautiful gardens at Sissinghurst Castle, created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, with her husband, diplomat Harold Nicolson. Sissinghurst's garden is one of the best loved in the whole of the . The garden itself is designed as a series of “rooms,” each with a different character and color and/or theme. We continue our garden tour to Scotney Castle Gardens at . Often described as the most romantic garden in England, the ruins of the small 14th-century castle are reflected in its moat, forming the backdrop to a garden of breathtaking beauty and considerable importance to the garden-historian. Rhododendrons and azaleas in season and specimen trees offer picturesque views from all angles; truly an enchanted place. Lunch and dinner on own. Day 8 - Sat. Jun 21 – ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS - Hever Castle and Gardens - Nymans Garden This morning your after-breakfast opera introduction will be presented by Mary Kime on the opera you will be seeing tomorrow night at Grange Park, Massenet's lively Don Quichotte, followed by an enjoyable visit to the 13th century Hever Castle to experience the award-winning formal gardens. Each garden has its own style and character, from the giant topiary chess set and herb collection of the Tudor Garden to the Pompeian Wall and collection of classical statuary in the Italian Garden. The celebrated Rose Garden contains over 4,000 roses within its walls. The oldest part of the castle dates to 1270 and has become well known as the childhood home of its most famous inhabitant, Anne Boleyn - wife of Henry VIII. It was later a residence of Henry’s fourth queen, Anne of Cleves. Later we will visit Nymans, where you can lose yourself in the intimate and surprising corners of the garden, discovering statues, ruins and topiaries. In the late 1800s Ludwig Messel bought the Nymans Estate in the Sussex High Weald to make a dream family home. Inspired by the wooded surroundings, he created a garden with plants collected from around the world. Today it is still a garden lovers' home. The house was partially destroyed by fire in 1947 and the romantic ruins of a fairytale gothic mansion remain. Lunch and dinner on own. Day 9 - Sun. Jun 22 – ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS - Grange Park Opera (black tie appreciated) This morning after a hearty English breakfast you will have free time to explore Royal Tunbridge Wells on your own. From the bustling town, with many buildings dating back to its glorious past as a playground of royalty in the 18th and 19th centuries, to the sublime and peaceful countryside of that surrounds it, this is a treasure trove of stately homes, formal gardens and castles, as well as local craft and history. The famous colonnaded Pantiles shopping street will fit the bill. Shoppers will be spoilt for choice with a wide selection of specialist shops and department stores. Royal Tunbridge Wells owes its existence to the discovery of the Chalybeate Spring in 1606 by Dudley, Lord North, and became a rival to Bath and nearby Brighton. Visitors can still taste the spring water today just as visitors such as Queen Anne, Queen Victoria, Samuel Pepys, and Daniel Defoe did over the last 400 years. The town's historic past is reflected very much in its architecture, from elegant Regency villas to large Victorian houses, many designed by Decimus Burton, to pretty clapboard cottages, all surrounded by lots of green space, including the unique 200-acre Common located in the town center. You may wish to visit one of the following: The Pantiles, set in the historic heartland of Royal Tunbridge Wells, is a famous colonnaded walkway now home to antique shops and specialist small boutiques; The Pantiles Shopping Arcade, found in the old Corn Exchange building; or The Old High Street and Chapel Place which have a wonderful range of small, independent shops, many still retaining their original Victorian frontages, selling anything from designer clothes and home furnishings to fine jewelry and gifts. You will depart just after noon traveling through the West Sussex countryside on our drive to the Grange Park Opera. After arriving at Grange Park we will have time to stroll through the gardens before tonight’s opera performance of Don Quichotte. For his last opera, Massenet was clearly dwelling on the big themes in life: love, death, and how to nicely turn someone down. Based on Cervantes' tale of the eponymous knight, his sidekick Sancho Panza, and much worshipped la belle Dulcinée, it's funny, uplifting and tragic all at the same time. Performances have a long interval lasting approximately 100 minutes. This allows time to enjoy the historic mansion, which is an elegant setting for our exquisite fine dining experience (included). Lunch on own. Day 10 - Mon. Jun 23 – ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS - Wakehurst Place – Sheffield Park Garden This morning after breakfast we will share our responses to the sparkling adventures of Don Quichotte. Following will be our visit to Wakehurst Place in West Sussex and exploring 465 acres of country estate. Wakehurst Place is The National Trust's most visited place and the country estate of the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew). The varied landscape is of international significance for its beautiful botanic gardens and tree collections. A feast for the senses, Wakehurst features natural woodland and lakes, formal gardens, an Elizabethan house, and the 21st century architecture of Kew's Millennium Seed Bank. After lunch we will take a short drive to Sheffield Park Garden. This magnificent informal landscape garden was laid out in the 18th century by 'Capability' Brown and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. The original four lakes form the centerpiece. There are dramatic shows of rhododendrons and azaleas that are spectacular in early summer. Return to Royal Tunbridge Wells and enjoy a delicious farewell dinner (included) at our hotel. Lunch on own. Day 11-Tue. Jun 24 – ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS – USA Say goodbye to your fellow travelers and the end of this wonderful English Gardens and Opera Festival experience. You will be transferred to Heathrow Airport for your return flight to the USA. Conditions apply. Land rates: $5352.00* - Per Person Based on Two Per Room $6098.00* - Per Person Based on One Per Room The above rates include a $500 per person donation to the Santa Fe Botanical Garden. If you wish to have a record of your contribution, please include with your final payment a separate $500 check made payable to SFBG. *Pricing is based on cash/check payments. If paying by credit card, please add 3% to process credit card. Deposit: $2,000.00 per person by Jan 8, 2014*** will hold your space. ***Anyone booking after January 8 would be on a space available basis for opera tickets and may not be seated with the group. Final payment is due March 27, 2014. **Our special group air is available at $1,575.00 per person round trip including cancellation insurance from Albuquerque to London Heathrow to meet our pre-arranged coach for Oxford. If you book your own air and your flight does not arrive in time for the transfers, you will be on your own to transfer to Oxford at your expense. US Passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your date of country exit and with one blank visa page. Call Al - 505-245-9246 Email:[email protected] 4331 Wyoming Blvd. NE (next door to the Range Café) We Make it Easy to Take it Easy!

Santa Fe Botanical Garden's English Gardens and Opera Festivals Tour Leaders:

Dr. Mary Kime Dr. Michael Barraclough Pulman

Lectures will be conducted by the tour leaders before and after each opera, as well as a brief introduction to each garden to be visited.

Our opera tour leader is the renowned lecturer Dr. Mary Kime, a member of the faculty of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver for twenty-five years. She currently maintains a voice studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dr. Kime has taught a summer seminar on the Santa Fe Opera season, first under the sponsorship of the University of Denver, later in association with Ghost Ranch, and currently with the imprimatur of the Santa Fe Opera itself.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to tour some of the National Trust gardens of England with British- born Dr. Michael Barraclough Pulman, Professor of History at University of Denver for twenty years. Dr. Pulman's in-depth knowledge of English gardens will entrance and amaze you. English gardens are renowned for their symmetry, bloom, and extreme beauty. Cultivated to delight all the senses, these gardens offer a glimpse into a highly manicured, idyllic landscape foreign to some of the arid xeriscape gardens we've come to know and love in the Southwest. Dr. Pulman has visited all of the gardens except for Waddesdon Manor, having first visited Blenheim at the age of twelve when in boarding school “just down the road.” Dr. Pulman also participates in the Santa Fe Botanical Garden's highly popular annual winter lecture series.

Drs. Kime and Pulman have led study tours to England (specializing in the Elizabethan period), Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Italy focusing on history and opera with visits to gardens en route. Now is your chance of a lifetime to travel with two seasoned professionals, who have been leading these tours for over 20 years.

Your English Gardens and Opera Festivals Tour Includes:

• 9 nights accommodation - 4 nights in Oxford - 5 nights in Royal Tunbridge Wells • Breakfast daily in hotels (except arrival day) • 5 dinners (2 at the Opera locations) • 1 Oxford world-famous afternoon tea at The Randolph Hotel • 2 Operas (mid-level seating) - Fidelio at Garsington Opera and Don Quichotte at Grange Park Opera • 12 truly amazing English Gardens • Tour escort from start to finish of program • Transportation and admission tickets as listed in your itinerary • Trip Cancellation and Travel Insurance

Not Included: • Tips for drivers, guides, hotel, restaurant, and other services • Supplements or optional tours not listed

Cancellations guidelines: • Deposit is non-refundable • Cancellation received on or after March 27, 2014 a 100% penalty will apply

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RGT acts only as agent for supplier's services and accepts reservations or bookings for services which RGT does not directly supply. RGT therefore, shall not be responsible for breach of contract or any intentional or careless actions or omissions on part of such suppliers, which result in any loss, damage, delay or injury to you or your travel companions or group members or any personal property. Unless the term “guaranteed” is specifically stated in writing on your ticket, invoice or reservation itinerary RGT does not guarantee any of such supplier rates, bookings or reservations. RGT shall not be responsible for any injuries, damages, or losses caused to any traveler in connection with terrorist activities, social or labor unrest, mechanical or construction difficulties, diseases, local laws, climatic conditions, abnormal conditions or developments or any other actions, omissions or conditions outside RGT control. The traveler(s) voluntarily assumes all risks involved with such travel, whether expected or unexpected. Traveler is hereby warned of such risks and is advised to obtain appropriate insurance coverage against such risks. RGT reserves the right to make changes in the itinerary whenever it deems necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of the participants.

The traveler agrees to hold RGT blameless in making the arrangements on your behalf, and further agree that restitution or damages, if claimed shall be sought directly from the suppliers. You also agree to the terms and conditions including the Cancellation Refund Policy of the tour or cruise operator services as set forth in the brochure and/or circulars of the suppliers. Any action against RGT relating to travel arrangements made in connection with this document shall be brought in the state or federal courts located within the County of Bernalillo, State of New Mexico, and the parties hereby consenting to personal jurisdiction and venue therein. RESERVATION FORM Santa Fe Botanical Garden's English Gardens and Opera Festivals Garsington & Grange Park June 14 to June 24, 2014

“Travelers with a sense of adventure, and flexibility, make for the most delightful traveling companions.”

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Rio Grande Travel Visit Rio Grande Travel at: c/o Al Logsdon www.RGTravel.com 4331 Wyoming N.E. 505-245-9246 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111 Fax: 505-323-4546 Email: [email protected]