tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61040672744945498022024-03-16T08:21:26.715-04:00My Traveling JoysFood, Travel and Expat Adventures in Turkey, Poland and BeyondJoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.comBlogger774125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-48385522324524092112022-10-28T17:13:00.003-04:002022-10-28T17:13:59.240-04:00Life as a Repat: 7 Shocks Moving Back to US from Abroad<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There’s an old adage,
adopted from the title of a 1940 Thomas Wolfe novel, that declares, “You can
never go home again.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">But what if your new “home”
is in a new place?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Since moving back to the
U.S. in August 2021, I’ve been trying to figure out my new home in <b>Charlotte</b>, <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/North%20Carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina</a></b>. After living abroad for 11 years as an <b><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/expat%20life" target="_blank">expat</a></b> with “homes”
in <b><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Istanbul" target="_blank">Istanbul</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Warsaw" target="_blank">Warsaw</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Melbourne" target="_blank">Melbourne</a></b> and <b><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b>, hubby
and I moved back to the US for his new job opportunity. I’ve gotten used to
moving around even though I lived the first 23 years of my life in <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Nebraska" target="_blank">Nebraska</a></b>,
a nice place to live but one I couldn’t wait to escape. I wanted to live in a
big city and see the world, and I’ve done all that.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">So, now what? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The truth is that London
had become like a second home, a familiar place where a lot of amazing things
happened in my life and where I established some wonderful friends. I really
miss my former life, at times, and sometimes feel out of place being an American
in America. It’s probably difficult for most people to understand unless you’ve
moved away from where you’re from. However, I’m always the optimist, and I’ve tried
to embrace our new city, reconnect with old friends and get out and explore as
much as possible.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b><u><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_kaZDozlPZm5KI-GaOYfXgZLsmEBn3rtX_C_Ea5O2RUpkJu3awZklgwkb1E5jWOLEQsW4FjQiGjJnfaqGXLon1qEpbzkdNaSS8fcI5dtezNh3lJraW80H-YxnnR8heerCr1LvAtzgTrWirjZS1Golz8FHPCpaxh5eVu5T9T1kTHD-6DQLY6gLrTt/s600/Autumn%20view%20of%20uptown%20Charlotte%20NC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_kaZDozlPZm5KI-GaOYfXgZLsmEBn3rtX_C_Ea5O2RUpkJu3awZklgwkb1E5jWOLEQsW4FjQiGjJnfaqGXLon1qEpbzkdNaSS8fcI5dtezNh3lJraW80H-YxnnR8heerCr1LvAtzgTrWirjZS1Golz8FHPCpaxh5eVu5T9T1kTHD-6DQLY6gLrTt/s16000/Autumn%20view%20of%20uptown%20Charlotte%20NC.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Autumnal view in our new city of Charlotte, North Carolina.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></u></b></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><u><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><br /></span></u></b><b><u><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent1;">But here’s a list of 7 Shocking Things Moving Back to US from Abroad</span></u></b></h2><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">1. Everything
in the U.S. is BIGGER!</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Americans seem to like
big trucks and even bigger houses. The average home in Charlotte is about 4,000
square feet – about 370 square meters. I wouldn’t even know what to do with all
that space! In London, we lived in a 2.5-bedroom flat that was about 105 square
meters (1,130 square feet), which lacked much closet space, but we made it
work.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELmbwdESqXaQjOKQZTAVqyFHp3qt5ogp9CbPdSxqPtlyeWnay1rUDmQV8U3-XYaacTTDWI4xz-luZmRZmuJoi8WwvUE-huw7Atpjb31zCkcX2M4rSB-S_ZBZ4Ba_LKamyG2TBQj7h-NRp3CRp2OHrWGYhVyoVlWtH9_v6-r_-l4_hbZ6LnhJU4fqd/s600/big%20houses%20in%20Charlotte%20NC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELmbwdESqXaQjOKQZTAVqyFHp3qt5ogp9CbPdSxqPtlyeWnay1rUDmQV8U3-XYaacTTDWI4xz-luZmRZmuJoi8WwvUE-huw7Atpjb31zCkcX2M4rSB-S_ZBZ4Ba_LKamyG2TBQj7h-NRp3CRp2OHrWGYhVyoVlWtH9_v6-r_-l4_hbZ6LnhJU4fqd/s16000/big%20houses%20in%20Charlotte%20NC.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Today, in Charlotte, we
rent a 3-bedroom apartment that measures 1,500 square feet (about 140 square
meters) with a large balcony. We have closets or storage space in every room,
so much so, that parts are unused. Americans don’t know how lucky they are to
actually have space. In London, we had a storage space under the stairs called
the “Harry Potter closet” that was stuffed with items we didn’t use very often
and was a pain to access if we did want to use something.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m grateful for our
spacious apartment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEq_b7OlTv_-tBPPKouMjxDZd5sAYsCtRFZgy4EmiGNg6aHbUU1p-wuJ8MnEmG4NxnFm-1T86k5OQNnNWUmB_ImZAeVW-rkyKE7DakUJ6LnpxAcn3GtujJPpnUB4ByVHq1lf3ZTVBs_JKdlXWw-lZM3NzKstOYGHGgiJFrGuVB8sikB7hZrc6AeWOL/s600/Moving%20day%20to%20big%20apartment%20in%20Charlotte%20NC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEq_b7OlTv_-tBPPKouMjxDZd5sAYsCtRFZgy4EmiGNg6aHbUU1p-wuJ8MnEmG4NxnFm-1T86k5OQNnNWUmB_ImZAeVW-rkyKE7DakUJ6LnpxAcn3GtujJPpnUB4ByVHq1lf3ZTVBs_JKdlXWw-lZM3NzKstOYGHGgiJFrGuVB8sikB7hZrc6AeWOL/s16000/Moving%20day%20to%20big%20apartment%20in%20Charlotte%20NC.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">2. America
is built for cars and public transportation doesn’t exist.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When we first arrived in
Charlotte, we bought hybrid bikes before we bought cars for two reasons. First,
we quickly realized that U.S. public transportation is nearly non-existent
outside of big cities like NYC and Washington DC. Charlotte does have two light
rail lines, but unless you live near them, they won’t help you much. So, I’ve
learned to cycle on the haphazard streets and bike paths here. Secondly, buying
a car was difficult as demand was high, and supply was low due to issues stemming
from the pandemic.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcjogSmsZvuErm_A4wJAEvTKXfelE5M0_XAKQh5LtSlPCn2mFRjs2DFxSdCFUtUSAT_MidvB0o5Aza5tYIfXCxrl6vJDwIv3Qr6bmO6wKyCpVFEIr32KbNCPC3rARB8yOwoMjl29wwIxMjw6nQ3xaRy8wX-Y9f0Ofkoamg6JVCJUAA-lfk7Q4gCiq/s600/Jason%20and%20Joy%20on%20bikes%20in%20Charlotte%20NC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcjogSmsZvuErm_A4wJAEvTKXfelE5M0_XAKQh5LtSlPCn2mFRjs2DFxSdCFUtUSAT_MidvB0o5Aza5tYIfXCxrl6vJDwIv3Qr6bmO6wKyCpVFEIr32KbNCPC3rARB8yOwoMjl29wwIxMjw6nQ3xaRy8wX-Y9f0Ofkoamg6JVCJUAA-lfk7Q4gCiq/s16000/Jason%20and%20Joy%20on%20bikes%20in%20Charlotte%20NC.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubby and me cycling in Charlotte.</td></tr></tbody></table></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After two months of being
carless and transporting groceries on my bike, I bought a used Mini – thus
bringing a piece of London back into my American life. My ‘lil Lizzie is
perfect for city life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cGsxQnURdpqPSMBuv5TnsUpOcV_uk3vvn2U7u7d0thcf7ErQeFpJ2egEgSu6C4zOTMnz7Adhorvui2KjYLV3gC8YWk3QcpSHvmNgJQmUUG98yhjkE2JiROFbvsdQkz0slv47ej3OwgDGhvny8tog_MjUxP4omOoPelGdSTb8S1Mzeirqn3Hn-bjq/s600/Joy%20and%20her%20red%20Mini%20North%20Carolina.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cGsxQnURdpqPSMBuv5TnsUpOcV_uk3vvn2U7u7d0thcf7ErQeFpJ2egEgSu6C4zOTMnz7Adhorvui2KjYLV3gC8YWk3QcpSHvmNgJQmUUG98yhjkE2JiROFbvsdQkz0slv47ej3OwgDGhvny8tog_MjUxP4omOoPelGdSTb8S1Mzeirqn3Hn-bjq/s16000/Joy%20and%20her%20red%20Mini%20North%20Carolina.webp" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">3. Prices
for some things are more expensive here vs. London.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">An American pint of craft
beer in Charlotte costs about $7USD on average for 16 ounces compared to £5-6
for 20 ounces (the size of an Imperial pint) in London. So basically, we pay
more for less beer here in the U.S – on average. Also, most UK pubs and
restaurants serve large pours of wine – 250ml or 8 fluid ounces – while the
average size of a U.S. wine pour is just 6 ounces.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Additionally, when we
first moved from London to Charlotte, I felt like groceries were very expensive
here. Sometimes, I’ve paid nearly $1 for one lemon or one lime, when I used to
get a whole bowl of citrus for £1 in London.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBF-_hZFEi0g4CGsAgaqgQ32_FUiFmBTGtmHAaKGwh7tptl0qi2JroL7kNeFC3zvS1QxVqR2r1U-y4vXfVknAc_nktFWlwP9xZN3ZdlUq7ImuzHl0ArQDg11RR5jVcS5QUs7DeIDPeg7b5hOZ_0exSBy0uUpAlIrTVv1KjLyMvjxdydsk5wBCo1ou/s600/Price%20of%20limes%20in%20USA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBF-_hZFEi0g4CGsAgaqgQ32_FUiFmBTGtmHAaKGwh7tptl0qi2JroL7kNeFC3zvS1QxVqR2r1U-y4vXfVknAc_nktFWlwP9xZN3ZdlUq7ImuzHl0ArQDg11RR5jVcS5QUs7DeIDPeg7b5hOZ_0exSBy0uUpAlIrTVv1KjLyMvjxdydsk5wBCo1ou/s16000/Price%20of%20limes%20in%20USA.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqh_YRZZS5H45TQYZGTftq8YBg28RJmueN-0SOVqLf25PQzo-IASd5YKzPaaOsVNYkHiv_WVRaiDZFYHa2PVwKgdUArF69DuoaFtwRzb21ktUmy9zvdIuGqCV8E1pmo8vS9cVdhT4sKKR1W_Q78VubQTiYy5FRfkpf0p8GfTuZQmCRodWWBysc09Yo/s600/Fruit%20stand%20in%20London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqh_YRZZS5H45TQYZGTftq8YBg28RJmueN-0SOVqLf25PQzo-IASd5YKzPaaOsVNYkHiv_WVRaiDZFYHa2PVwKgdUArF69DuoaFtwRzb21ktUmy9zvdIuGqCV8E1pmo8vS9cVdhT4sKKR1W_Q78VubQTiYy5FRfkpf0p8GfTuZQmCRodWWBysc09Yo/s16000/Fruit%20stand%20in%20London.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our local fruit and veg stand in London sold bowls of fruit very cheaply.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">But over the past year, I’ve
discovered that prices are increasing in both the UK and the US, partly due to
the pandemic and the Ukrainian-Russian war. In September, the US Bureau of
Labor Statistics announced that the <b><a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm" target="_blank">Consumer Price
Index</a></b>, which measures changes in the cost of food, housing, gasoline,
utilities, and other goods, rose by 8.2 percent over the past 12 months in
August — nearly a 40-year-high. The UK is also dealing with high inflation rates.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ4HhbgRDsrSuFvsDrZ6RW8dR_F9RBJwVJL67V3v3GjMRcnQ7_SJZD-PXblfGyW41dI3OSYEvtPgsSJb4XlVbrGeJhbLX12tdvsC_5PcxyGXpxKuFXlXFxcZ5Lte9eYxv-KjOpCtEGv5xy5UspLN_MH4FroSGOieSt6HckBW4AEAxT4wxPwMM6fY7/s600/Economist%20news%20for%20Britian%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ4HhbgRDsrSuFvsDrZ6RW8dR_F9RBJwVJL67V3v3GjMRcnQ7_SJZD-PXblfGyW41dI3OSYEvtPgsSJb4XlVbrGeJhbLX12tdvsC_5PcxyGXpxKuFXlXFxcZ5Lte9eYxv-KjOpCtEGv5xy5UspLN_MH4FroSGOieSt6HckBW4AEAxT4wxPwMM6fY7/s16000/Economist%20news%20for%20Britian%202022.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excerpt from The Economist magazine 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">4. U.S. domestic
flights are very expensive!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Since we lived abroad for
so long, we’re now trying to catch up with our old American friends and our
family. However, we’re finding it more difficult and expensive to do so. In May,
we paid $700 each for flights to meet up with a friend in September in <b>Albuquerque</b>,
New Mexico, whom I hadn’t seen since 2016. Even when travelling locally in
North Carolina, hotel prices average $200-300 a night. We both don’t remember
U.S. travel costing so much! Is this the result of a post-pandemic world?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrII5M7HMqxLRl7miwjfLd-yhSGaPDYIXb38ttBZYspyp0H6F_T2OgowhQ9EemABmFMNweQmtkrl0WYhtohaM211w4qU33sqkdRk1clWAIc98BoudfNOaeaHz8-ybQTtxIgRSM9m8BeD03m2QHrMl5pk9UYLe3My2HoBsTVXDniZc5Lc4kegH-EHJ6/s600/Joy%20and%20friends%20at%202022%20Alburquerque%20Balloon%20Fiesta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrII5M7HMqxLRl7miwjfLd-yhSGaPDYIXb38ttBZYspyp0H6F_T2OgowhQ9EemABmFMNweQmtkrl0WYhtohaM211w4qU33sqkdRk1clWAIc98BoudfNOaeaHz8-ybQTtxIgRSM9m8BeD03m2QHrMl5pk9UYLe3My2HoBsTVXDniZc5Lc4kegH-EHJ6/s16000/Joy%20and%20friends%20at%202022%20Alburquerque%20Balloon%20Fiesta.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When we lived in London,
we had access to five main airports and could easily travel to numerous
European destinations for less than $100 each. On one of my last girl trips in
July 2021, I flew roundtrip to Dublin, Ireland, for only £50 (currently $60USD),
but sometimes Ryanair advertises flights for only £5.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">5. U.S. healthcare
does seem better.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ll stipulate that the
type of healthcare you receive in the U.S. all depends on how good your
insurance coverage is. Fortunately, the coverage from hubby’s new job appears
to be outstanding. While I appreciated the “free” NHS system in the UK, it does
have its faults, mainly that it takes a long time to see a specialist. Since
I’m over 45 now, I was eligible to get a colon cancer screening, mammogram, and
skincare check at a dermatologist – all at a very low cost in the U.S. The UK
(generally) doesn’t start doing mammograms until a woman turns 50. I know too
many friends in their 40s who have had breast cancer scares, and I don’t want
to be one of them. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My only complaint here is
that my thyroid meds are more costly in the US. In the UK, I used to pay £25
for 6 months’ worth of meds compared to $12 per month in the US – approximately
2.4 times increase in costs. But since this is the only medicine that I take, I’m
quite lucky.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">6. U.S. companies
are stingy with vacation days.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In my part-time job,
which is under 30 hours per week, I’m not eligible for ANY paid time off. When
I want a day off, it’s unpaid. However, in the UK, the system in the hospitality
industry allowed me to earn paid time off depending on how many hours I worked.
And, even though my husband is working in an upper management position here in the
U.S., he receives 21 days of paid holiday compared to 25 days in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">7. Decorating like crazy for every holiday.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">People living in the UK
and Europe don’t decorate very much for the holidays like we do here in America.
(And I think the reason why is that people just don’t have storage space.) You’ll
see some Halloween decorations in London, but nothing like what I see here in
North Carolina with giant inflatable pumpkins and black cats in every yard. It’s
honestly a bit overwhelming to walk into Target, At Home or any other large home
store and see aisle after aisle filled with Halloween or Christmas décor. I’m
enjoying seeing the decorations as I drive through my city, but it’s definitely
a shock after living in such a different environment for so many years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-fx7u4Q4I73J7B0-zXq0aGujyNs-8-CzFMpV2Sejccjjrg-TfvgoVdKu9Dc5wjYepCJsk5UM-knh2skWUYzoX2_iGYEXPxYXGJuqLWGI8m745-eBUf_ZPoDp-5m48HRz02c38jOK9TjC4axfK9nFE82kTNUa3ebTw6tpDkOdfLAEaMUl37WANqNd/s600/Halloween%20decor%20at%20store%20USA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-fx7u4Q4I73J7B0-zXq0aGujyNs-8-CzFMpV2Sejccjjrg-TfvgoVdKu9Dc5wjYepCJsk5UM-knh2skWUYzoX2_iGYEXPxYXGJuqLWGI8m745-eBUf_ZPoDp-5m48HRz02c38jOK9TjC4axfK9nFE82kTNUa3ebTw6tpDkOdfLAEaMUl37WANqNd/s16000/Halloween%20decor%20at%20store%20USA.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m sure there are other
things that I’ve found different moving back to the U.S. I understand that it
also takes time to settle into what once was a very familiar environment. I’ve
heard of reverse culture shock, but I didn’t realize that’s what I would experience
once we moved back. So, if you’re reading this and you know me, please be kind
and know that I do enjoy living in America at times, but I also miss my other “homes.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Have you ever experienced
reverse culture shock?</span></i></p><p></p>
<script src="https://widget.bloglovin.com/widget/scripts/bl.js" type="text/javascript"></script><a class="bloglovin-widget" data-blog-id="7782071" data-img-src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=7782071" href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank"><img alt="My Traveling Joys" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=7782071" /></a><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkx1n_F6RdEAi5FNqfUkzF6GoC9diz-RWe_F_J8Rrtwhj6BJ5mAKfser5CmyiOdyAawf4rwrEW1Zp4htskfhT2-hvbLOQHtSJ7sP_x_fUvMh0QokLPWDOktPsQsvb3TYGl-Y1Ce4xC8YeRr0LcpkeZA7e9hQv9yQ8NQKiNy1wkdndca5GD8i6Og5Q/s600/Charlotte%20skyscrapers%20view%20at%20night%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkx1n_F6RdEAi5FNqfUkzF6GoC9diz-RWe_F_J8Rrtwhj6BJ5mAKfser5CmyiOdyAawf4rwrEW1Zp4htskfhT2-hvbLOQHtSJ7sP_x_fUvMh0QokLPWDOktPsQsvb3TYGl-Y1Ce4xC8YeRr0LcpkeZA7e9hQv9yQ8NQKiNy1wkdndca5GD8i6Og5Q/s16000/Charlotte%20skyscrapers%20view%20at%20night%202022.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Uptown Charlotte at night from one of the rooftop bars.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com2Charlotte, NC, USA35.2270869 -80.84312674.7713689174800322 -115.9993767 65.682804882519974 -45.6868767tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-38080613723196042172022-01-29T13:27:00.000-05:002022-01-29T13:27:08.973-05:00Looking Back and Best Meals in 2021<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Looking back at
2021 is tough as it was filled with a never-ending lockdown in the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">United
Kingdom</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and several losses.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Volunteering, sourdough
baking, making restaurant meal kits and cooking helped fill the voids, but those
were temporary fixes. Losing a loved one is always difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">2021 started with Britain
officially leaving the European Union, and some crazy Americans storming the
U.S. capitol 2 weeks before U.S. President Joe Biden took office.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">We celebrated
Biden’s inauguration from <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b> with homemade hamburger buns,
hamburgers, mac-n-cheese from a box and freshly baked apple pies. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5nB8QQG9XkdyCBKCsLAvWX4_ZRybgFx4HEeDYK_4HO4fjZZ0AzRU7i43EqaqKEUT9JAGQfz7lT-cnZIG4DELH-C7XDk2U8vFvbJi7PV4hU6nHcxmvPQRca3WxpwDPaZtJq4tn5El-qYs02mu8zZRZIzwlvzu_1z-Vnmo7dgCxt38ImmG9QboaiiWB=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5nB8QQG9XkdyCBKCsLAvWX4_ZRybgFx4HEeDYK_4HO4fjZZ0AzRU7i43EqaqKEUT9JAGQfz7lT-cnZIG4DELH-C7XDk2U8vFvbJi7PV4hU6nHcxmvPQRca3WxpwDPaZtJq4tn5El-qYs02mu8zZRZIzwlvzu_1z-Vnmo7dgCxt38ImmG9QboaiiWB=s16000" title="Homemade meal for Biden's inauguration 2021" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg57GThp9lbJyvibfjTgzqyPdGSNui54773bozA6NRSBQd8QH-92E3xopCs8HvanDAsM406mnHmQ--MzxO-jdl1HINtDZKAn1kaF9sbRTNFRBb5ynEaZc-ANXHFNY_65EAFRBjh75ImjvwjrkdgOkdSrYpK4ddzJIvmBHw67kRauAlUyBeKOew_N1bZ=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg57GThp9lbJyvibfjTgzqyPdGSNui54773bozA6NRSBQd8QH-92E3xopCs8HvanDAsM406mnHmQ--MzxO-jdl1HINtDZKAn1kaF9sbRTNFRBb5ynEaZc-ANXHFNY_65EAFRBjh75ImjvwjrkdgOkdSrYpK4ddzJIvmBHw67kRauAlUyBeKOew_N1bZ=s16000" title="Zoom cooking class spring 2021" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another Zoom cooking class from Africa to London.</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">On March 26</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">,
we celebrated another wedding anniversary in lockdown by cooking up a Caribbean
feast at home. We made jerk chicken and Jamaican peas and rice. Hey, might as
well try to “travel” somewhere, right?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhks-8snDWkGEDeQju14OOx8opZDPnPuRC3oHajpig2aL-RNbZM0CmZPVng_hx04zPMUZQ4ovNdUIFyezIYK0l6FY97JmOFOe01M-scYrL_NIfgh46o3MWX-dEPgPd_8ex9t9PV7RAspncUBZgVUq-XaYBGB6I8CjQNO8Tr7H5HCZ5B_Q80zrZFewK6=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhks-8snDWkGEDeQju14OOx8opZDPnPuRC3oHajpig2aL-RNbZM0CmZPVng_hx04zPMUZQ4ovNdUIFyezIYK0l6FY97JmOFOe01M-scYrL_NIfgh46o3MWX-dEPgPd_8ex9t9PV7RAspncUBZgVUq-XaYBGB6I8CjQNO8Tr7H5HCZ5B_Q80zrZFewK6=s16000" title="Homemade jerk chicken in London" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The UK lockdown
dragged on until April 12<sup>th</sup> when pubs and restaurants with outdoor
seating could FINALLY reopen – after being closed since mid-December 2020. On
April 12<sup>th</sup>, I also received my second Covid-19 vaccine that day, and
we left <b>London</b> as fast as we could. We were itching for a break from the
city, so we hired a car and headed to <b>North Yorkshire</b> for almost 2
weeks. Our holiday was filled with long walks and afternoon/early evening pub
visits so long as we were fully bundled up in layers. It was pretty chilly out.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgceIy39IbQSb4V5wT4G5V1pLpcWPaY4wkrXuy1Owdg5YZdeiFoMXRsse41ll1DM9o3ZtUVwDSCcRKb91vIoxoUrxUdbhY30q2fSh6gvstuIH3txLH9pjuhp79dqwZgYa7r05L044JVMDKMOVqFY8O331e2hmlRw8CpVktY9VFKkcu_WwhUCECLXL4w=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgceIy39IbQSb4V5wT4G5V1pLpcWPaY4wkrXuy1Owdg5YZdeiFoMXRsse41ll1DM9o3ZtUVwDSCcRKb91vIoxoUrxUdbhY30q2fSh6gvstuIH3txLH9pjuhp79dqwZgYa7r05L044JVMDKMOVqFY8O331e2hmlRw8CpVktY9VFKkcu_WwhUCECLXL4w=s16000" title="First pint in April 2021 North Yorkshire" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You don’t realize
how much of your UK life revolves around the pub until you can’t go anymore.
Not that we were total boozers, but we often went on long walks or bike rides
on the weekends and then stopped at a local pub for a drink and food.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKQh1i2KpRFBKR8qouyMkOQizEmQeYfIj10KFFKLNrT1V9fy6ZkxMTl4QuGKD9JwxZe2mvWanYHWdYpXcharQBu2NdoKWo2hoMW3UFs7q_wF5jI1d170_jgpiz-l-1vw4iyQTexnthcmUpn4DWEYt0OXOu26TPdIJxLSpyMnYEgoSIxaCy5JbumI4u=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKQh1i2KpRFBKR8qouyMkOQizEmQeYfIj10KFFKLNrT1V9fy6ZkxMTl4QuGKD9JwxZe2mvWanYHWdYpXcharQBu2NdoKWo2hoMW3UFs7q_wF5jI1d170_jgpiz-l-1vw4iyQTexnthcmUpn4DWEYt0OXOu26TPdIJxLSpyMnYEgoSIxaCy5JbumI4u=s16000" title="Hubby enjoys a pint at Yorkshire Dales Brewery" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">During our Yorkshire
staycation, the locals at the <b>Fox & Hounds Inn</b> in the wee village of
<b>West Witton</b> made us feel welcome.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">At the end of
April, we had a family emergency in the US and we flew back for nearly a month.
It was a very sad and devastating time for us all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Summer 2021<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The summer of 2021 was
filled with many summer BBQs with friends in London, fine dining experiences
and as many English side trips we could fit in…because it was to be our last
summer in London.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmvhMTsu0GNkJbnDF47TECXVSVWvIsd-S6hSeZFRAV3hIcPGenPpgf4MIQsj4HQtpteUGFdGUEl3itup0zwQLJ_Sj4fWnCWsE6jT0-vaRzP7P_xWsMWyE4QefwNvca3gr9miAV0GuPd_xPRArdcTOGZg0-lpz94PA4is-i2av1YyYbSfGJKtlm_74n=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmvhMTsu0GNkJbnDF47TECXVSVWvIsd-S6hSeZFRAV3hIcPGenPpgf4MIQsj4HQtpteUGFdGUEl3itup0zwQLJ_Sj4fWnCWsE6jT0-vaRzP7P_xWsMWyE4QefwNvca3gr9miAV0GuPd_xPRArdcTOGZg0-lpz94PA4is-i2av1YyYbSfGJKtlm_74n=s16000" title="Hubby grilling in our London garden" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW41n8zhb1Bvomebu99oOTLV78oN5mNNCpuA_q_Mut8wydXbgRxM3WiCjEkecjXzm-zm-H6JASId-TkvkioijrHtOyZK2_8eol1RQf-JJrppOhh9ZqjXcKyYoaIVqY5t51KopJsbaEsMw5XvrKZi-rp0QxiimrygjsDzqyO88L0ZEzz2IS_JCIZhiv=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW41n8zhb1Bvomebu99oOTLV78oN5mNNCpuA_q_Mut8wydXbgRxM3WiCjEkecjXzm-zm-H6JASId-TkvkioijrHtOyZK2_8eol1RQf-JJrppOhh9ZqjXcKyYoaIVqY5t51KopJsbaEsMw5XvrKZi-rp0QxiimrygjsDzqyO88L0ZEzz2IS_JCIZhiv=s16000" title="Turkish mezes at home in London" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In June, we visited <b>Stonehenge</b>
and, on the drive, back to London, we booked a tour at the <b><a href="https://www.bombaysapphire.com/us/en/" target="_blank">Bombay Sapphire Distillery</a></b>. Living in the UK for five years taught me to enjoy gin. Sitting
in the sunshine enjoying our gin cocktails and eating a picnic box filled with
local cheeses and charcuterie felt like perfection!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg51GDKyCa9jSUFfK0Iv35YRlAsc0mMfixByKjVFyZTLFSYA4BrCrpxr1qyvvcAuzT0j38qERH2kKYLljJuywrbQFSTrnb5JQZ5gsRLA8qYi8Bw-q17zhIMMa3fVD3GgB2tm-qp124wKJuiB42d0mSF94PtDVoTMd-BpgSGez5_RR5TPoWHBCtVq4tq=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg51GDKyCa9jSUFfK0Iv35YRlAsc0mMfixByKjVFyZTLFSYA4BrCrpxr1qyvvcAuzT0j38qERH2kKYLljJuywrbQFSTrnb5JQZ5gsRLA8qYi8Bw-q17zhIMMa3fVD3GgB2tm-qp124wKJuiB42d0mSF94PtDVoTMd-BpgSGez5_RR5TPoWHBCtVq4tq=s16000" title="Gin cocktails at Bombay Sapphire Distillery" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbEHS6N15tJMs8BK-7pdc4cHMCC1pwE84fFRYC6d0X-SsJ4YzfmLs1OCdzPkoo5pzVkHrZWxpgNNB0YfWjmbWX8l1Lq0ODHB5k7dTntjNItxP8eMSaZoR733KJKEd-jwzyiDV-lZwP3alQy1HGdEXx5DPXJZ7QAK0mSBDltHYGlkPodmfC0IfnzTiJ=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbEHS6N15tJMs8BK-7pdc4cHMCC1pwE84fFRYC6d0X-SsJ4YzfmLs1OCdzPkoo5pzVkHrZWxpgNNB0YfWjmbWX8l1Lq0ODHB5k7dTntjNItxP8eMSaZoR733KJKEd-jwzyiDV-lZwP3alQy1HGdEXx5DPXJZ7QAK0mSBDltHYGlkPodmfC0IfnzTiJ=s16000" title="Glass greenhouse at Bombay UK" /></a></div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Having been deprived
of restaurants for so many months, we decided to treat ourselves to a few
Michelin-starred lunches and dinners.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We booked a belated
birthday lunch at <b><a href="https://www.marcusrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Marcus</a></b> where we enjoyed 3 courses for </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">£55. Highlights were English asparagus with roasted
chicken fat mayonnaise, roasted salmon with Cornish new potatoes and a
buttermilk panna cotta with cherries for dessert.</span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl6iSacK4UBDLxHSXnSFQHxANE2gWGHacHfpfFckjyJ09_bKDbC6iIQaxDyyCZSvcS2XEBwlaM7h6uJsAvnDia7m5-gIQkKVUkAqtKXCFyMSfQMPZnuFrRLkIUuSmz-ujZSRanX9mGA5ec-EZkbvmD72OpqwRGOqvCVFcXvrOjbz5tf9Q6nkHSAgoW=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl6iSacK4UBDLxHSXnSFQHxANE2gWGHacHfpfFckjyJ09_bKDbC6iIQaxDyyCZSvcS2XEBwlaM7h6uJsAvnDia7m5-gIQkKVUkAqtKXCFyMSfQMPZnuFrRLkIUuSmz-ujZSRanX9mGA5ec-EZkbvmD72OpqwRGOqvCVFcXvrOjbz5tf9Q6nkHSAgoW=s16000" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAax7EoSQG2iBfm9aIu--O6A4PjRnsbc8WHJxwa1_C2z5FhzEjtmPr0INU23As8sChlGYlED_YOeszIch3P8YLJsnNo1LKjIJYPY_B1LVExiRuKUFZQp6WvdMHO4Ka0GLw1xgyGwE9nIBC0LMx-pzos-naUCYmeUdASaT-iNpkd5u1j8RWqRuyxj6G=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAax7EoSQG2iBfm9aIu--O6A4PjRnsbc8WHJxwa1_C2z5FhzEjtmPr0INU23As8sChlGYlED_YOeszIch3P8YLJsnNo1LKjIJYPY_B1LVExiRuKUFZQp6WvdMHO4Ka0GLw1xgyGwE9nIBC0LMx-pzos-naUCYmeUdASaT-iNpkd5u1j8RWqRuyxj6G=s16000" title="Summer 2021 tasting menu at Marcus London" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then, we joined our
Turkish friends at <b><a href="https://www.muranolondon.com/" target="_blank">Murano</a></b>, Chef Angela Harnett’s one-Michelin starred
restaurant in Mayfair, for a fabulous five-course dinner. Highlights included
crispy veal sweetbread with artichoke and fennel, risotto with summer truffles
and a perfectly-cooked beef fillet with bone marrow and black garlic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZIgrfGY0Nj7D8zPlokxSc8JZYyyLzm2IvZDdVK3kEh85l-h61n-osO2og52YXrH0dsUFnDHw9OtxsnEMQ5JR5cJJTYn5mHs38cLq633QcGKF2HHnHY53Trwd2FgBLGMIWeefz6XPTW-T14TVXRdM6USarPIOl7hkcbkmOA7t0Vza4rfT8rF0BbTW5=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZIgrfGY0Nj7D8zPlokxSc8JZYyyLzm2IvZDdVK3kEh85l-h61n-osO2og52YXrH0dsUFnDHw9OtxsnEMQ5JR5cJJTYn5mHs38cLq633QcGKF2HHnHY53Trwd2FgBLGMIWeefz6XPTW-T14TVXRdM6USarPIOl7hkcbkmOA7t0Vza4rfT8rF0BbTW5=s16000" title="Summer tasting menu at Murano London" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In July, we managed to
squeeze in one last trip to</span><b style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Scotland" target="_blank">Scotland</a></b><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> to sightsee and visit our friends
in the Scottish Highlands. On our first night, we stayed in a 19</span><sup style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-century
manor house that looked like a castle called the </span><b style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.kincraigcastle.co.uk/" target="_blank">Kincraig Castle Hotel</a></b><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">,
just north of Inverness. Our lovely dinner included local scallops with pickled
samphire and roast apple, Scottish lamb with watercress pesto and local cheeses
for dessert. Delicious!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiX-wBvjvWmCqtTqgXHoqCgTiLM7U683c33_iMgC4k8zU7S4B0frCaInpgpSYeQ6iAWEHuToS8e7C2HzCvtsED3ecEPJPuaUzdzKEX4pwwvUCMf-yippwGs6c5eFR0ECD_fq-Nxl9dmC48sPWMTsJG93ppKcZXEdGK5PG9T7ZsAZGAfLy9FMTFp1F-A=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiX-wBvjvWmCqtTqgXHoqCgTiLM7U683c33_iMgC4k8zU7S4B0frCaInpgpSYeQ6iAWEHuToS8e7C2HzCvtsED3ecEPJPuaUzdzKEX4pwwvUCMf-yippwGs6c5eFR0ECD_fq-Nxl9dmC48sPWMTsJG93ppKcZXEdGK5PG9T7ZsAZGAfLy9FMTFp1F-A=s16000" title="Exterior of Kingcraig Castle Hotel Scotland" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFh-WYdO131GEdt618ho01r8jar4EEJctanL6UfZYtpWf5TA_sXesrZpR1MRbH6STbaco2dsJW-VJaWvif2N12v0LMXBVPesrK2vNIREyF4euLS6_QCegVKR68t-UvHSTzlx5_yHUcnd1jDusOFb9lOHDkf6KE_50BN0-WCoIb1uFeXGsRLiERnvOE=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFh-WYdO131GEdt618ho01r8jar4EEJctanL6UfZYtpWf5TA_sXesrZpR1MRbH6STbaco2dsJW-VJaWvif2N12v0LMXBVPesrK2vNIREyF4euLS6_QCegVKR68t-UvHSTzlx5_yHUcnd1jDusOFb9lOHDkf6KE_50BN0-WCoIb1uFeXGsRLiERnvOE=s16000" title="Summer 2021 dinner menu at Kingcraig Castle Hotel" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">At the end of July, my
husband moved back to the US to start his new job, I stayed on in London to
wrap up our international move and to spend more time with friends. I was
reluctant to leave. We had lived abroad for 11 years and now we were returning
to the US. I felt like a foreigner in both places, but London had been my
“home” for the last five years.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One special goodbye
lunch was with my pastry girlfriend the elegant </span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.the-connaught.co.uk/restaurants-bars/helene-darroze-at-the-connaught/" target="_blank">Hélène Darroze</a></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">, a
three-Michelin starred restaurant at The Connaught Hotel. There were too
many dishes to remember, but highlights included my main of roasted Welsh lamb
and the desserts. Dining here is a definitely an experience that you won’t
forget!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVAqyuWoEv8nx4UEsFa5ERrYh9DLe7BGJ9uru-TcCeqAJWQXzw3DzChRCd9m0zm-7hBc_2NMnRk48Euu2p86cLFZpZ8n3se7UBPvch2Zy04Ee4RwXwShqyTig5sU76EC3fAMCeqrLvTL1Vm7BMPER4uhHOxgV518tvYh035l0SbsgW3PrOv5iQGcfL=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVAqyuWoEv8nx4UEsFa5ERrYh9DLe7BGJ9uru-TcCeqAJWQXzw3DzChRCd9m0zm-7hBc_2NMnRk48Euu2p86cLFZpZ8n3se7UBPvch2Zy04Ee4RwXwShqyTig5sU76EC3fAMCeqrLvTL1Vm7BMPER4uhHOxgV518tvYh035l0SbsgW3PrOv5iQGcfL=s16000" title="Summer lunch tasting menu 2021 at Helene Daroze" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">TIP: Often, fine dining restaurants like
the ones I’ve mentioned offer incredible lunch deals, which are usually a
fraction of the cost of dinner. Also, look for special menus posted on
restaurant’s websites or through reservations sites such as Opentable.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Looking back, I had a
lot of delicious meals with good friends during my last few weeks in London.
Whether we were having sushi, fancy cocktails or market hall lunches or
country-side pub lunches, it all seemed special.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moving back to the U.S.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At the end of August,
I said a tearful goodbye to the good friends I stayed with my last week in
London and joined my husband in <b>Charlotte, <a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/North%20Carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina</a></b>. I’ve written
about NC before on the blog because that’s where my in-laws live. Since we’ve
lived outside of the U.S. for 11 years, we decided that was probably time to
live closer to family for a while.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So far, Charlotte
seems like an alright place to live for a few years. The metropolitan
population is around 2.6 million people, so it’s a small city for us. We’re
having fun checking out the local breweries and restaurants. Two dining
highlights from 2021 revolved around smoked meat. Since we’re in the South,
we’re taking advantage of all the really good barbecue joints. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In October, we dined
at <b><a href="https://supper.land/" target="_blank">Supperland</a></b>, an old church that’s been converted to a barbecue restaurant,
for hubby’s birthday. Highlights included grilled oysters with burnt ember
butter that was poured out a ceramic teapot (outstanding!), charred broccoli
with bone marrow butter and grilled lamb neck. We’ll definitely be dining here
again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDa8fp-S1AFgTnvS5mv2WOvSiM4cHKJSAri63iJXT37f_cwX-k5GnWaywslgyjjeg0ZGMPV_R2oPs8v7rMO_OSHDHzoedd5xvQwzCFijf0ZOeCoyzd3-pwhE5EVMy4pX7GMA8cbf7bFGh2IbzY8__CNn4F7oPs7voaAFhPOc2T1GL4qY89Y09jxyBY=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDa8fp-S1AFgTnvS5mv2WOvSiM4cHKJSAri63iJXT37f_cwX-k5GnWaywslgyjjeg0ZGMPV_R2oPs8v7rMO_OSHDHzoedd5xvQwzCFijf0ZOeCoyzd3-pwhE5EVMy4pX7GMA8cbf7bFGh2IbzY8__CNn4F7oPs7voaAFhPOc2T1GL4qY89Y09jxyBY=s16000" title="Dinner at Supperland October 2021" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That same weekend, we
also had a friend visiting us from Austin, Texas, who had read about a popular barbecue
place about 45 minutes outside of Charlotte. <b><a href="https://www.jongsbarbecue.com/" target="_blank">Jon G’s Barbecue</a></b>, located
in the rural town of Peachland, is only open on Saturdays and serves BBQ until
it runs out. We arrived at 9:30 a.m. with our camping chairs and cooler in tow.
This was one of the strangest, but also coolest things we had done all for the
sake of good food.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Basically, everyone
hangs out in an orderly line, talking to your neighbors and then you get to
order your BBQ. We waited in line a little over 2 hours, but so far, this has
been the best damned BBQ that I’ve ever had. We ordered a little bit of
everything off the menu – pulled pork, smoked turkey breast, homemade sausages,
mouthwatering brisket and side dishes. Even the “cowboy candy” – jalapeno
slices cooked in simple syrup – was a delight!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizLAXR0Z0GLnLdvvUfV5iV1_xIFvuRdXqkzMOPwIjuaHoMY0Gvyg_76lya0LMmZK8DAqWMeqnTmPGxq0r9ZCyuyAZ4_dN-CovIKbypNZuznL-xIKej_oOblMRGMv_gLou3Zk4d_dceCOBsPM7Zk1RyRksTml-agwOvJ8TIJimVFrsDLNfi0FDUnz56=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizLAXR0Z0GLnLdvvUfV5iV1_xIFvuRdXqkzMOPwIjuaHoMY0Gvyg_76lya0LMmZK8DAqWMeqnTmPGxq0r9ZCyuyAZ4_dN-CovIKbypNZuznL-xIKej_oOblMRGMv_gLou3Zk4d_dceCOBsPM7Zk1RyRksTml-agwOvJ8TIJimVFrsDLNfi0FDUnz56=s16000" title="Long line for Jon Gs BBQ in Peachland NC" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMq67QwHNuh3bK6HfkauYh99-3uG2Lt-YVFSYaTQvqVogPH2eHy2Fw52QE6w9XoPzw_4ABhdtijNd0GvKYC-hBz61SyarOlfdAQxEgmjAspMEwf73W0n5AGQUZ_HapdgE8E9M9on5PcPyzI8sryrAbAdEKqGyhVVClBBlfH5W9_FGCrcLhSzZGKNqr=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMq67QwHNuh3bK6HfkauYh99-3uG2Lt-YVFSYaTQvqVogPH2eHy2Fw52QE6w9XoPzw_4ABhdtijNd0GvKYC-hBz61SyarOlfdAQxEgmjAspMEwf73W0n5AGQUZ_HapdgE8E9M9on5PcPyzI8sryrAbAdEKqGyhVVClBBlfH5W9_FGCrcLhSzZGKNqr=s16000" title="BBQ collage at Jon Gs BBQ in Peachland" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, 2021 was an
interesting year – filled with a lot of highs and lows due to the ongoing
pandemic. I’m hoping that 2022 will be a little bit kinder to us and that we’ll
continue to eat well.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-4430972405951892662021-12-30T12:58:00.001-05:002022-10-28T17:37:12.109-04:00Gingerbread Lane in Charlotte NCEarlier this month, I tried to get in a festive mood and check out some local gingerbread creations. <div><br><div>The Ballantyne Hotel hosted its annual Gingerbread Lane event which featured handmade gingerbread houses made by local children and amateur and professional adults. to view an enchanting display of gingerbread creations from Friday, Attendees could vote on their favorite entries with $1 minimum donation per vote. All proceeds will benefit Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital (LCH).</div></div><div><br></div><div>Two of my favorites were a Dr. Seuss-looking tree house as well as a pink confection reminiscent of an old English house. Here are some photos for your enjoyment. Maybe next year I'll get motivated enough to make my own gingerbread house. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br><br><br></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-73367182456881558282021-11-30T22:36:00.001-05:002021-11-30T22:36:39.809-05:00Repat: An American Thanksgiving For the past decade, I have usually celebrated <b>Thanksgiving</b> with friends in Istanbul, Warsaw, Germany or Melbourne. But this year was the first time in about seven years that we actually celebrated this American holiday with our family in the U.S.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div>In August, we re-patted to America to make a new home in <b>North Carolina</b>. Hubby's new job took us here, and we also chose the location because his family lives in the same state. I'm very thankful we got to eat a celebratory meal together, but it also felt a bit strange. I feel like part of me is still missing. <b>London</b> was a huge part of our lives for five years, and now it's not. </div><div><br></div><div>I guess I shouldn't dwell on what was, but there are a lot of emotions during the holidays. And lots of food as well.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-88462314016274339642021-08-31T18:36:00.000-04:002021-08-31T18:36:02.148-04:00Turkish Market Shopping in South London<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since living in </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Istanbul" target="_blank">Istanbul</a>
</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">for three years, I’ve enjoyed cooking Turkish food usually once or twice a
week at latest home in </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sometimes, I need
to find some special ingredients or Turkish products that I enjoy using such as
Turkish olive oil, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">beyaz peynir</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, pomegranate molasses, spices etc.
Fortunately, we actually do have two small Turkish markets in our neighborhood
of </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Battersea</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> where we live. One of the owners even proudly displays a
Turkish flag in his small shop.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But awhile back, I
decided to venture out to a special Turkish market called <b><a href="https://www.arenalocals.co.uk/branches" target="_blank">Cheam Arena</a></b>,
located in North Cheam, about an hour south of where we live by bike. This
store also is close to the London neighborhoods of Morden, Kingston and Epsom.
My Turkish friend, <b><a href="https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2012/03/turkish-market-in-cheam-england-fresh-ingredients-for-wonderful-feasts/" target="_blank">Ozlem of Ozlem’s Turkish Table, had recommended going to Cheam Arena</a></b>. But if you don’t live in this area and don’t own a car, then
it’s not so easy to reach.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lPGVQVbf14vwqubc2ZoeStyfNiRbefdJCvH37MkElDNcVKBIroVX4r3KQbme7wIeX-4MJhsxVTKjh-atUoKJ3MnrhIKoa9cdz2H7Dv3NKdYWuizP3kOkmS3D2yfzjbXgkh-D7OHeqTs/s600/Front+of+Cheam+Arena+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Store front of Cheam Arena in London" border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lPGVQVbf14vwqubc2ZoeStyfNiRbefdJCvH37MkElDNcVKBIroVX4r3KQbme7wIeX-4MJhsxVTKjh-atUoKJ3MnrhIKoa9cdz2H7Dv3NKdYWuizP3kOkmS3D2yfzjbXgkh-D7OHeqTs/s16000/Front+of+Cheam+Arena+London.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD346ayE_DcyEbnZZgxzTUdynSJqvvuUxUEnsl2PxTGI66u6ezI8yWcvZKHSyuaje3uuz_xYzxxGjOzect8GwjkPdBKc9ZdpxvZvWQ31h1S5w3V3ClYvGSfWrTgf-MPTFb0w4qAt1Y-8/s600/Bodrum+brand+products+at+Cheam+Arena+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bodrum brand Turkish products" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD346ayE_DcyEbnZZgxzTUdynSJqvvuUxUEnsl2PxTGI66u6ezI8yWcvZKHSyuaje3uuz_xYzxxGjOzect8GwjkPdBKc9ZdpxvZvWQ31h1S5w3V3ClYvGSfWrTgf-MPTFb0w4qAt1Y-8/s16000/Bodrum+brand+products+at+Cheam+Arena+London.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But during the
past year of the pandemic, I’ve biked my way around a lot of places in London,
so I loaded up my bike with my paniers and went shopping. The first thing I noticed
when I arrived at Cheam is that a lot of the produce was a bit cheaper than my
part of London. For example, lemons cost 5 for 1 pound in Cheam vs 2 for 1
pound in Zone 2 London. The only way I can buy cheaper lemons or any produce is
the Saturday street market on Battersea High Street.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_INhH7-9EEJZKSoiUgWoZf1JtJ6lLZGGf8Ta3G1bVrOE-S-uds-FL9I5kGG8V47qRDOyJVTsuuHzvUqr2bqsHoHh1q-z1xQAYcom72ZT_3WRlny2_17ToUibgYBAnHtZbF9rXf4fvx3Q/s600/Quince+and+tomatoes+Turkish+store+Cheam+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_INhH7-9EEJZKSoiUgWoZf1JtJ6lLZGGf8Ta3G1bVrOE-S-uds-FL9I5kGG8V47qRDOyJVTsuuHzvUqr2bqsHoHh1q-z1xQAYcom72ZT_3WRlny2_17ToUibgYBAnHtZbF9rXf4fvx3Q/s16000/Quince+and+tomatoes+Turkish+store+Cheam+London.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSyZZCdjlkp95F_2mC73n1TNYAPhLhBqGPCtgvDhdUWn_PxW0rbM_t-9sVW6c22U16pl5co2mRqTaeqWpkqIOsoBmPZIlB1eS9CCnUlA7HpPQi0LIA0iYK0VXcaLSVaBSpHDNRbCA8Jk/s600/Lemons+and+limes+at+Turkish+store+Cheam+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lemons and limes" border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSyZZCdjlkp95F_2mC73n1TNYAPhLhBqGPCtgvDhdUWn_PxW0rbM_t-9sVW6c22U16pl5co2mRqTaeqWpkqIOsoBmPZIlB1eS9CCnUlA7HpPQi0LIA0iYK0VXcaLSVaBSpHDNRbCA8Jk/s16000/Lemons+and+limes+at+Turkish+store+Cheam+London.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But Cheam Arena
also sold special produce like <i>sivri biber</i> and <i>dolma biber</i> (great
for stuffing), which I don’t often see in more central London.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoSyE9lUxwotb3xIGDb12D8hIydcMNz5hfzPx955vvD5NiJ64K4dXJMICod7VEqgpQmjLMSdy47GFROjHD_ydYXFhwiO9W0kXtLoVOUHFpqcs47FzBSkvBzk5SzAryyP0FYYCbpzsDts/s600/Turkish+sivri+peppers+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Turkish sivri and red peppers" border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoSyE9lUxwotb3xIGDb12D8hIydcMNz5hfzPx955vvD5NiJ64K4dXJMICod7VEqgpQmjLMSdy47GFROjHD_ydYXFhwiO9W0kXtLoVOUHFpqcs47FzBSkvBzk5SzAryyP0FYYCbpzsDts/s16000/Turkish+sivri+peppers+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEiFZa6uUOZPiZshnBhd84rqHVHdR9D4ZcwJdtsTqAlFXm7Ey03p_qrMwg2xa-Ckl48BbcHML4PJ2im9HOFO0GPFsk1dc609SOUFgL3i6mDN-Yl6tvVkKh73sdMrA4i6sglpUJDSQTyM/s600/Turkish+peppers+at+Cheam+Arena+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEiFZa6uUOZPiZshnBhd84rqHVHdR9D4ZcwJdtsTqAlFXm7Ey03p_qrMwg2xa-Ckl48BbcHML4PJ2im9HOFO0GPFsk1dc609SOUFgL3i6mDN-Yl6tvVkKh73sdMrA4i6sglpUJDSQTyM/s16000/Turkish+peppers+at+Cheam+Arena+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The lovely produce
alone is enough to make the trek down here.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But inside the
store, there are tons of other Turkish products that I like such as <i>sucuk</i>,
cheeses, less expensive pine nuts and pistachios and olive oil (1 litre for 6
pounds). I also couldn’t resist the freshly baked <i>baklava</i> section and
the tubs of olives. Yum!</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIt4W1IWSj_1D6-hkQyqU2WFsNLyKDSJMpSLfof7sghjduKgKwYwyDgRR7yLbq4IVZgI7eX6B5_O4rmeWAGCVM4Chv9BAcDxiEsHavILX736PxSv3Nr17BkjXZSeZUYWG-6zvxBfSWtzA/s600/Baklava+at+Turkish+store+Cheam+London.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIt4W1IWSj_1D6-hkQyqU2WFsNLyKDSJMpSLfof7sghjduKgKwYwyDgRR7yLbq4IVZgI7eX6B5_O4rmeWAGCVM4Chv9BAcDxiEsHavILX736PxSv3Nr17BkjXZSeZUYWG-6zvxBfSWtzA/s16000/Baklava+at+Turkish+store+Cheam+London.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bAVrQj_lxL2RR1ckrcw2sb56gIXrOk5qemh7MIxDQt2Zg4EptGh5vTnFC8o9yzHZfK7_9eolYyiMYixddl89H7-GCftyTUWXFRA3I-xqV6LGeOnocLcSbeGrP519vrWUmHZFDm8wg5g/s600/Olives+at+Turkish+store+Cheam+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bAVrQj_lxL2RR1ckrcw2sb56gIXrOk5qemh7MIxDQt2Zg4EptGh5vTnFC8o9yzHZfK7_9eolYyiMYixddl89H7-GCftyTUWXFRA3I-xqV6LGeOnocLcSbeGrP519vrWUmHZFDm8wg5g/s16000/Olives+at+Turkish+store+Cheam+London.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">By the time, I
left the store, my backpack was stuffed and so were my paniers. My bike definitely
weighed more going back home. I mean, check out my amazing haul! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwD4h6PkoNxzGc9K7Jpyi-UWM-6EYNvKUtBP4gczx6_WgtuXIJgpsU1rZ3zm23WSuD1rioS9Uju8OLPXID2DGQKWKS0eo1MfsccQq0mmHqCksf6L3xKg-1N-yAWOEBJ0kTuW_XqbYTSw/s600/Turkish+products+from+Cheam+Arena+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Turkish products in London" border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwD4h6PkoNxzGc9K7Jpyi-UWM-6EYNvKUtBP4gczx6_WgtuXIJgpsU1rZ3zm23WSuD1rioS9Uju8OLPXID2DGQKWKS0eo1MfsccQq0mmHqCksf6L3xKg-1N-yAWOEBJ0kTuW_XqbYTSw/s16000/Turkish+products+from+Cheam+Arena+London.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With all these
delicious ingredients, I couldn’t resist putting together a favorite Turkish
recipe: </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2012/12/lamb-kebabs-with-pistachios-on-flat-bread-served-with-roasted-peppers-onions-and-tomatoes-create-delicious-kebabs-in-your-home/" target="_blank">Ozlem’s Lamb kebabs with pistachios</a></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. I served the kebabs with
some roasted vegetables and a Turkish-style tomato-herbed salad. If you can
find inexpensive, preshelled pistachios, then the recipe comes together more
easily.</span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYAE-44jEURD5_GETFPuaZ5tDAKx5VVBu55KLzsmGAN4HXoDaP11PKHIvRwUGi662M4gd0KbXx47p-T7gd92wn81Pa6goqIJFjmRrjO4V4x5jeWyNV6QBBj0zBaQcmiUZT8p6X_Uqlls/s600/Turkish+pistachio+kebab+and+olive+salad+at+home+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Turkish pistachio kebabs" border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYAE-44jEURD5_GETFPuaZ5tDAKx5VVBu55KLzsmGAN4HXoDaP11PKHIvRwUGi662M4gd0KbXx47p-T7gd92wn81Pa6goqIJFjmRrjO4V4x5jeWyNV6QBBj0zBaQcmiUZT8p6X_Uqlls/s16000/Turkish+pistachio+kebab+and+olive+salad+at+home+London.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Afiyet olsun</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com1565-567 London Rd, Worcester Park, Sutton SM3 9AE, UK51.372491 -0.22672523.062257163821151 -35.382975 79.682724836178835 34.929525tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-49494919886950947022021-05-29T09:00:00.005-04:002021-05-29T09:00:00.238-04:00 5 Spots for Bluebells in South London<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another sign of spring in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">usually happens in mid-April, but the year because of our colder than usual spring, English bluebells didn’t start appearing until early May.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bluebells are native to western Europe, with the United Kingdom being having the densest population.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did you know that nearly half of the world’s population of bluebells is found in the U.K.?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">But please do not pick or step on the bluebells as they are a protected species.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Also, according to the National Trust, it can take 5-7 years for bluebells to bloom.<br /><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq86eI_PBBYqaXyopk7PXn1UwcS9Pyi4dMCQ4f6o9CyxGc_Z67sX4JF8Pg2ZgQPoYqiRv7cJJm_QHCRzYPObjZivCjVTmd1EhZX7POrC6xO2LWXdKwzrCp11vfuULYg-CHx7WUYi77mEQ/s2048/Bluebells+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq86eI_PBBYqaXyopk7PXn1UwcS9Pyi4dMCQ4f6o9CyxGc_Z67sX4JF8Pg2ZgQPoYqiRv7cJJm_QHCRzYPObjZivCjVTmd1EhZX7POrC6xO2LWXdKwzrCp11vfuULYg-CHx7WUYi77mEQ/w640-h427/Bluebells+in+London.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here are a five spots south of the Thames River where you can find pretty bluebells in London.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">Kew Gardens</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A seasonal favorite of mine is <b><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Kew%20Gardens" target="_blank">Kew Gardens</a></b>. Thanks to our annual membership, we visit here often. In March and most of April, we visited the gardens nearly every weekend. Finally, on April 27<sup>th</sup>, I started seeing bluebells on the western side of the gardens and in the woodlands surrounding Queen Charlotte’s Cottage.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3klN-kwPN1g3qebgn4d7oygEsqltC_5BAE6eQ3cAPY1pxsyC0o-sWbyN6nZsvBQXxiQNSjHJigFFwrq41WD79JBoA1R5OcCs-HswnC-HhHleZhqkfxZFRAGJjqsQMBpvkxnYpIfhY3to/s2048/Bluebells+in+Kew+Gardens+at+cottage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3klN-kwPN1g3qebgn4d7oygEsqltC_5BAE6eQ3cAPY1pxsyC0o-sWbyN6nZsvBQXxiQNSjHJigFFwrq41WD79JBoA1R5OcCs-HswnC-HhHleZhqkfxZFRAGJjqsQMBpvkxnYpIfhY3to/w640-h426/Bluebells+in+Kew+Gardens+at+cottage.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWzdWx1hk0Fr-BEi0na3AqXeKmUB-wipJjV5gzIPFVvVOYdAnQmxPs3rVoCyEBtFXMxdyC8sQHkPb4r74RQ5jGSWH4j3z8B__bvDuw4cEFM_HLWV_oS6IRkHJ0MNo-vUFU1NEIn1IAeQ/s2048/Wild+garlic+at+Kew+Gardens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWzdWx1hk0Fr-BEi0na3AqXeKmUB-wipJjV5gzIPFVvVOYdAnQmxPs3rVoCyEBtFXMxdyC8sQHkPb4r74RQ5jGSWH4j3z8B__bvDuw4cEFM_HLWV_oS6IRkHJ0MNo-vUFU1NEIn1IAeQ/w640-h426/Wild+garlic+at+Kew+Gardens.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">Battersea Park</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Close to home for us is <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Battersea%20Park" target="_blank">Battersea Park</a></b>. Because of Covid restrictions, we’ve spent a lot of time walking, jogging or cycling through the park this past year. You’ll find most of the bluebells near the southwest entrance into the park.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBaxAs5nNo6L3lp2KM79sU4jWhRfnagyuYETQKBq8LSuyBZsKwJwT-iHm2LMWqIR4UdE3KsxiMGf-R6rSwMcoPsu9CLXITkyW98zgNYQRK47Xeq8PPlCfrTbY_UToS48QKJV8BzuL2z0/s2048/Spring+bluebells+in+Battersea+Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBaxAs5nNo6L3lp2KM79sU4jWhRfnagyuYETQKBq8LSuyBZsKwJwT-iHm2LMWqIR4UdE3KsxiMGf-R6rSwMcoPsu9CLXITkyW98zgNYQRK47Xeq8PPlCfrTbY_UToS48QKJV8BzuL2z0/w480-h640/Spring+bluebells+in+Battersea+Park.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There's another special spot for bluebells at St. Mary's Cemetery in Battersea. I was cycling past here and could see the vibrant bluebells from the road.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtpaxilaFMvbKavP9LYC36rfSXL9al7SXFoRGs_Hzie0Bd_vonJZvXm0ldHrHcynC7r-pBvdPZNW2DHuaJmftm1JVi8LPTLCLPB6is3bu0BzDonAWkRQaz70RDvOmjrdSuXD6PSdqQr8/s1441/Bluebells+in+Battersea+cemetery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1441" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtpaxilaFMvbKavP9LYC36rfSXL9al7SXFoRGs_Hzie0Bd_vonJZvXm0ldHrHcynC7r-pBvdPZNW2DHuaJmftm1JVi8LPTLCLPB6is3bu0BzDonAWkRQaz70RDvOmjrdSuXD6PSdqQr8/w640-h640/Bluebells+in+Battersea+cemetery.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc0wymRU3wGC9mbvAYO23zZhfmE0KZflyMgK87-DAw3davjlBDIn0Q8nqsgpC6rO46P_240harGDH_bbTG6fIZLdcrYJZhroHWuDrteivP2xiXHlNPLp-QIctEgePayDzzlJBqMaF5-M/s2048/Bluebells+in+Battersea+cemetery2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc0wymRU3wGC9mbvAYO23zZhfmE0KZflyMgK87-DAw3davjlBDIn0Q8nqsgpC6rO46P_240harGDH_bbTG6fIZLdcrYJZhroHWuDrteivP2xiXHlNPLp-QIctEgePayDzzlJBqMaF5-M/w480-h640/Bluebells+in+Battersea+cemetery2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">Wandle River</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think I’ve cycled more this past year than I ever had in my life. When you spend most of the year either unemployed or furloughed, you find yourself with a lot of free time. The <b>Wandle River</b> is actually a tributary of the Thames in southwest London and actually has a pretty nice cycle/walking path that runs for 12.5 miles, starting near Wandsworth and leading south to East Croydon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Back in its industrial heyday, the Wandle River was the “hardest working river in London,” with more than 900 mills along its banks. You can still find two water wheels near Merton Abbey Mills and in <b>Morden Hall Park</b>. You’ll find quite a few bluebells in boths of these locations.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1Ws9_3Zj6teVUhGv-5BS3KgGPJ6MVSmnZ0ShCkSInkd5c3tIL3UalCMD3Sa-2EVPpro23sdEOze9C2q_rFDZW9PPetngv5sokcWge0XcWKV6J8qFZu-eJlaShCZI93B5QQjwG7s2PPk/s2048/Bluebells+by+Merton+Abbey+Mills+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1Ws9_3Zj6teVUhGv-5BS3KgGPJ6MVSmnZ0ShCkSInkd5c3tIL3UalCMD3Sa-2EVPpro23sdEOze9C2q_rFDZW9PPetngv5sokcWge0XcWKV6J8qFZu-eJlaShCZI93B5QQjwG7s2PPk/w640-h480/Bluebells+by+Merton+Abbey+Mills+London.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MTPpk2zt1tMWB8JvdWmXZnqXs2WvPBPQ9148qY1cs9XadrIvj3LE0TJFtKwovz3fJCdgeJsep129MZA2touYvyFXkAdMxhvZHT63Grg3vJJVDMwZiyQjID1XzGIo89lhOYUZcE6-ZAI/s2048/Bluebells+along+River+Wandle+in+spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MTPpk2zt1tMWB8JvdWmXZnqXs2WvPBPQ9148qY1cs9XadrIvj3LE0TJFtKwovz3fJCdgeJsep129MZA2touYvyFXkAdMxhvZHT63Grg3vJJVDMwZiyQjID1XzGIo89lhOYUZcE6-ZAI/w480-h640/Bluebells+along+River+Wandle+in+spring.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Near the end of the <b><a href="https://wandlevalleypark.co.uk/map/" target="_blank">Wandle Valley Park trail</a></b>, you may find some more bluebells near Carshalton Ponds. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij11yB17_uETXqt61Uq5VbB7MtsL5XroWYvnAAb3ApHQY2AnPUsCRJIBKqWBizhOnnclxCHZhqkhc_zUfkk7-3XrGzIvKJ8s55rvDZEyjeRYUUM5TBurFC-RWjDwWPQMM-0RLRtmsSgZA/s2048/Bluebells+near+Carshalton+Ponds+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij11yB17_uETXqt61Uq5VbB7MtsL5XroWYvnAAb3ApHQY2AnPUsCRJIBKqWBizhOnnclxCHZhqkhc_zUfkk7-3XrGzIvKJ8s55rvDZEyjeRYUUM5TBurFC-RWjDwWPQMM-0RLRtmsSgZA/w640-h480/Bluebells+near+Carshalton+Ponds+London.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">Lesnes Abbey</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Aftter living in London for nearly five years, I finally made it over to <b>Lesnes Abbey</b>, a 12th-century monastery founded east of Greenwich. The ruins of this medieval Augustinian abbey stand near the south bank of the Thames and was one of the first places suppressed by Carnidal Wolsey on behalf of King Henry VIII in 1525.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Behind the abbey site is a large area of woodland known <b>as Lesnes Abbey Wood</b>, created from the medieval monastic parkland. This is by far the most impressive area of wooded bluebells that I have ever seen in London. Mark your calendars to see the bluebells here next spring!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwpF-uj6RWeTIGPtAWL7U-zp6oHv82aIv4sKI7-k7nRU2Do_p9aLeHLmXizpzPb23hiU1Tb600YaI-dhL346-vPNpUMu9loE8YleNBydefOD05XjvLFstvX0cI_tabn9s5HHhK0kNEGE/s2048/Bluebells+field+at+Lesnes+Abbey+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwpF-uj6RWeTIGPtAWL7U-zp6oHv82aIv4sKI7-k7nRU2Do_p9aLeHLmXizpzPb23hiU1Tb600YaI-dhL346-vPNpUMu9loE8YleNBydefOD05XjvLFstvX0cI_tabn9s5HHhK0kNEGE/w640-h426/Bluebells+field+at+Lesnes+Abbey+London.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQZPb14pfRxmWE9O-SgQrpUVC30TuUqrzPtxt-xzuxqH91ioUn2Wvsa-si4galLTQEtjImlbWHHfK_e00xL9169-yYaM8JJQ6lilK5p4QUqab_TwvOqyIbDweRov-LifYrKtjEjUHikk/s2048/Bluebells+path+at+Lesnes+Abbey+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQZPb14pfRxmWE9O-SgQrpUVC30TuUqrzPtxt-xzuxqH91ioUn2Wvsa-si4galLTQEtjImlbWHHfK_e00xL9169-yYaM8JJQ6lilK5p4QUqab_TwvOqyIbDweRov-LifYrKtjEjUHikk/w640-h480/Bluebells+path+at+Lesnes+Abbey+London.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhve-F6Fa9OL0pznuX4-GBY2-7oPPymTMb9OHg37NfofCMVPyUyOVfQ_JnAvTc2g2OzqcqwKXX3VppWvQdleeBYKUFPwycOini9Sy-hQSWEGpZyZKFmRotT01zbN-Jt7n23dUnW7sLD49o/s2048/Bluebells+at+Lesnes+Abbey+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhve-F6Fa9OL0pznuX4-GBY2-7oPPymTMb9OHg37NfofCMVPyUyOVfQ_JnAvTc2g2OzqcqwKXX3VppWvQdleeBYKUFPwycOini9Sy-hQSWEGpZyZKFmRotT01zbN-Jt7n23dUnW7sLD49o/w640-h426/Bluebells+at+Lesnes+Abbey+London.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">From central London, take the train from London Bridge rail station to Abbey Wood and walk to the parkland.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">Wimbledon Park</span></b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wasn’t able to get to <b>Wimbledon Park</b> this year, but in the past, I’ve spotted bluebells while walking through the wooded areas. You can’t miss them, but please don’t step on the bluebells.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">Where is your favorite area to find English bluebells in London or elsewhere in the UK?</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><br /></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com4Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ, UK51.4791075 -0.156498123.168873663821152 -35.3127481 79.789341336178836 34.9997519tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-23298232515694364042021-04-30T17:50:00.002-04:002021-05-30T06:03:23.170-04:00 A London Spring in Battersea<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Most of this spring was spent under long-lasting Covid
restrictions in </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/daytrip%2520from%2520London">London</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. That has given me more time to appreciate the
changing seasons.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’ve walked and cycled numerous times through our
neighborhood of <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Battersea%20Park" target="_blank">Battersea</a></b> in southwest London as well as the surrounding
neighborhoods. I’ve seen the snowdrops appear in January and February followed
by sunny daffodils, then bright pink cherry blossoms in April and finally the English bluebells and purple wisteria
blossoms. The latter usually appearing in April through May.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The New York Times recently posed an interesting question: "After a year of languishing, New York City is flourishing. More so than usual?...Have the flowers changed or have we?"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I know that I've changed after experiencing life in a pandemic as well as several lockdowns. I’ve been waiting for my life to return to normal. I also know I've had more time to notice the spring flowers around me. How about you?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-15721364516019980772021-02-28T15:44:00.004-05:002021-05-30T05:59:34.208-04:00London in Snow Photo Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkr9CWKeSD5XRhEs89X72meU-Y7Zu7v-O7hKXngXmj2owwBEgOlp_yRQVc0dt3Jxdh1RXlzyFqPF21QBl398nowgoPsMgWFjRk4CvpQkAWpgzW9RnyRTQ77BC9AENutAxuamvasOtRtw/s1600/1614545046497607-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6104067274494549802/1572136451601998077" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">London</span></a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> rarely gets snow, but this year, we were
in for a snowy treat at the end of January and nearly an entire week in early
February 2021. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When it snowed on Sunday morning on January
24th, it felt like a fairytale. We wandered over to <b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6104067274494549802/1572136451601998077" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Battersea Park</span></a> </b>and
then over to Brompton Cemetery in <b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6104067274494549802/1572136451601998077" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Chelsea</span></a></b>. Londoners
acted like little kids out in the magical dusting of snow. Soon, the dusting
turned into fat, fluffy snowflakes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even though I grew up with several winter months
of snowfall in the US, I still enjoy having a few days of snow. The several
days of snow we experienced in London was just enough to (almost) forget that
we're still living through an international pandemic.</span></span></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ, UK51.4791075 -0.156498123.168873663821152 -35.3127481 79.789341336178836 34.9997519tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-23410921215047730382020-12-31T13:00:00.001-05:002020-12-31T13:00:00.512-05:00Good Eats: Best Meals in 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbFTZqSZKzd7ip9ia1jwYC_0JqwWzo21kzLWDAC1dtMDtO1KGrOD0KXW4nEQgtxi3MHQ7vCpi3Y3HE-woWlun4TsAjaf4zSoHrqJ05bjVnUrj8UEoIB1qfiZayyFVzg_GpM2Ers6F5x4/s600/lockdown+baking+cover+photo+London+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbFTZqSZKzd7ip9ia1jwYC_0JqwWzo21kzLWDAC1dtMDtO1KGrOD0KXW4nEQgtxi3MHQ7vCpi3Y3HE-woWlun4TsAjaf4zSoHrqJ05bjVnUrj8UEoIB1qfiZayyFVzg_GpM2Ers6F5x4/s16000/lockdown+baking+cover+photo+London+2020.jpg" /></a></div><p>T<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">raditionally, I’ve ended
the year on my blog by looking back at all the good dishes I’ve eaten during
the past year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, 2020 was a strange
year – with very little travel and eating out at restaurants – unlike previous
years. It’s a bit more difficult to recap the best meals I’ve eaten this year. However, most of the best meals in 2020 were homemade and eaten at home.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">January 2020</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The year started out
hopeful. One night, we met friends after work to take advantage of a 3-course
meal at <b>Gaucho</b> in the South Kensington neighborhood of <b><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b>.
While sipping my glass of red wine in the chic bar, I had no idea what the upcoming
year would have in store for us. Highlights: scallop ceviche and chicken
Milanese.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">At the end of January, we
flew to <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Spain" target="_blank">Barcelona</a></b> to meet up with American friends visiting from NYC. Highlights
from our dinner at <b><a href="http://www.canboneta.com/" target="_blank">Can Boneta</a></b> –known for its Catalan tapas and small
plates – included octopus with creamed potatoes and veal carpaccio.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMQtvXYzA85-tJ1RdDVCGuw3Dz3JTkFihaQ8Baw_iw9MoHtBg7fMYF76vrtY88WDvfnosGlZDFXPZEaHkP8CEJx1XRTgPiE3D_8Ti1t0j9iohCfBNdj0sDw9FIuK8kYYL8MyqksXQo4A/s600/Tapas+at+Can+Boneta+in+Barcelona+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMQtvXYzA85-tJ1RdDVCGuw3Dz3JTkFihaQ8Baw_iw9MoHtBg7fMYF76vrtY88WDvfnosGlZDFXPZEaHkP8CEJx1XRTgPiE3D_8Ti1t0j9iohCfBNdj0sDw9FIuK8kYYL8MyqksXQo4A/s16000/Tapas+at+Can+Boneta+in+Barcelona+2020.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGz7ZJJ3OZ2ZWQw4YISCS6weJFtAlvyCSa0yaPQ5aOx0qNI4ZDLCTV1LG8sOSzK0z8Ia-e4xreExvZBGKp7sRJjZVdLBUZIh4Xm_ez9wKYB6B6vtiuoFSb1upSCU0rBE8LcpGIGsvqMGs/s600/Octopus+at+Can+Boneta+in+Barcelona.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGz7ZJJ3OZ2ZWQw4YISCS6weJFtAlvyCSa0yaPQ5aOx0qNI4ZDLCTV1LG8sOSzK0z8Ia-e4xreExvZBGKp7sRJjZVdLBUZIh4Xm_ez9wKYB6B6vtiuoFSb1upSCU0rBE8LcpGIGsvqMGs/s16000/Octopus+at+Can+Boneta+in+Barcelona.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our last meal in Spain was
a tapas lunch at </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mercado de la Sagrada Familia</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> – cheap platters filled
with Spanish jamon and queso and a side of patatas bravas.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjPMIT7VWBvlFru5bScaIkZ2S6g474yngKmpOyFGDvMEZbOsumpJow8d5xWe2C6TQyDUAKH8Gto4xhvqNLjjtS0gIhuTQ16XV2NGXKsaNLyY3ttEqugmFl6eg0B5js8e-uADKjwjfK2o/s600/Spanish+jamon+in+Barcelona.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjPMIT7VWBvlFru5bScaIkZ2S6g474yngKmpOyFGDvMEZbOsumpJow8d5xWe2C6TQyDUAKH8Gto4xhvqNLjjtS0gIhuTQ16XV2NGXKsaNLyY3ttEqugmFl6eg0B5js8e-uADKjwjfK2o/s16000/Spanish+jamon+in+Barcelona.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">At the end of January, I
even managed to drive to </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Bath" target="_blank">Bath</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> for a day with two girlfriends. We enjoyed
an Italian lunch at </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sotto Sotto</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> with its vaulted cellars and bare stone
walls.</span><p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">February 2020</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We planned an overnight
trip to <b>Liverpool</b>, one of the larger English cities that we hadn’t visited
yet. We went to a food hall, a beer festival with hundreds of people and ended
the night at the Cavern Club – a crowded night club where the Beatles once
played. A weekend like this would be unthinkable right now.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylK21i4QT4vHkpvH1j08jnUkQNixeljXc96DgdTGkMjKlEfDSitJy3yhwzetF2Mo_Ijsr8k3wkA7WFNbGdCdquj_qFVWD6jeV84hIMF2c8wfb4xa9AVEp5WF5x5EywqgXxULFqLZJuh4/s600/Beer+festival+and+food+hall+in+Liverpool+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylK21i4QT4vHkpvH1j08jnUkQNixeljXc96DgdTGkMjKlEfDSitJy3yhwzetF2Mo_Ijsr8k3wkA7WFNbGdCdquj_qFVWD6jeV84hIMF2c8wfb4xa9AVEp5WF5x5EywqgXxULFqLZJuh4/s16000/Beer+festival+and+food+hall+in+Liverpool+2020.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">At the end of February,
we were supposed to go to Milan, which ended up being one of Italy’s epicenters
of the Covid-19 virus. We opted for a nice dinner out in London at <b><a href="https://www.eneko.london/" target="_blank">Eneko Basque
Kitchen & Bar</a></b>, which was offering 3 courses for £28. Highlights: beetroot
tartare, pork ribs and a decadent chocolate tart for dessert.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqut5PWn4POuI2NsMg4dN53IxQrdX5G_sF4ClKYqgGhdMvlmbgpXuwdj58BfEkrinf-hzaSKaXh68fir1vYLYUBY8Y9sfACaem7n_GjEX8x2b1JVTxP7J3HcRWn-GLjqV3QQWGwCi3VZA/s600/Dinner+out+at+Eneko+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqut5PWn4POuI2NsMg4dN53IxQrdX5G_sF4ClKYqgGhdMvlmbgpXuwdj58BfEkrinf-hzaSKaXh68fir1vYLYUBY8Y9sfACaem7n_GjEX8x2b1JVTxP7J3HcRWn-GLjqV3QQWGwCi3VZA/s16000/Dinner+out+at+Eneko+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">March 2020</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">On March 9<sup>th</sup>,
I flew to the US to visit family and celebrate the 90<sup>th</sup> birthday of
my husband’s grandmother. I made a two-layered carrot cake for the occasion.
I’m glad we had the chance to visit family before the pandemic took hold of the
entire world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBK4FUCjkC_CxNEIRas1h1mBFwQlKqByTK7MNnMKL9OcrYrdkC2sD6GM5YQVZbbBDIfbDarGg5bCM1w8i46KZtzzTIJ8vWbpIsBed80ficOucOaNufqtc0JVXKaNhotExLZkoVBzqEXs/s600/Homemade+90th+birthday+carrot+cake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBK4FUCjkC_CxNEIRas1h1mBFwQlKqByTK7MNnMKL9OcrYrdkC2sD6GM5YQVZbbBDIfbDarGg5bCM1w8i46KZtzzTIJ8vWbpIsBed80ficOucOaNufqtc0JVXKaNhotExLZkoVBzqEXs/s16000/Homemade+90th+birthday+carrot+cake.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Luckily, we flew back to
London, landing on the 16<sup>th</sup> of March – the day Prime Minister Boris
Johnson announced the initial UK lockdown. We were in for a bumpy ride.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">At the end of March, we
celebrated our 10<sup>th</sup> wedding anniversary in our garden at home
instead of on the beach in <b>Thailand</b> as we originally planned. I made a
an issahn-style pork salad and pad thai, and hubby made pina coladas to drink. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuVSYrFb3bTzDHILmNcIUhZ-DJbYuspovNzMt8DsUsXeA39WTPwkzpbRRmUxpIPshsvoBsc9Pp-XlGgMUizlp-VVFPqoY4jfIQLVxxdFd6mG1sXpOfqBeBd4TGO_UfaFmOCxHYLjHsds/s600/Homemade+Thai+food+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuVSYrFb3bTzDHILmNcIUhZ-DJbYuspovNzMt8DsUsXeA39WTPwkzpbRRmUxpIPshsvoBsc9Pp-XlGgMUizlp-VVFPqoY4jfIQLVxxdFd6mG1sXpOfqBeBd4TGO_UfaFmOCxHYLjHsds/s16000/Homemade+Thai+food+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">April through
Summer 2020</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And thus, this started the
beginning of our lockdown life in London.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I was furloughed from my
pastry job. Hubby was working from home. I began cooking all the time and joined
the sourdough baking bandwagon. I learned the ups and downs of feeding and
taking care of my starter and also had difficulties sourcing flour several
times.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiEpa0h00czzKki0gMjqmwHkmEmtdjdbz-kHCSgp8sxH4Au1gqcBkpl9j2ucJ-oojb0FVPPrMSd6gJuYeskka3ZclVQ-Ixj_Y2-YRDWET2N-aYysWOHb2aneNX48xVgAJlOCL-gG2FyQ/s600/Sourdough+baking+under+lockdown+London+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiEpa0h00czzKki0gMjqmwHkmEmtdjdbz-kHCSgp8sxH4Au1gqcBkpl9j2ucJ-oojb0FVPPrMSd6gJuYeskka3ZclVQ-Ixj_Y2-YRDWET2N-aYysWOHb2aneNX48xVgAJlOCL-gG2FyQ/s16000/Sourdough+baking+under+lockdown+London+2020.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I made Turkish kebabs, <i>pide,
sigari böreği, mucver</i> and <i>revani</i> – a semolina cake.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJbmRUGJl5aCMNUc5mKzEEpZsb-DliUq01WRFQ9qYqTUsR2nPxXYNR1-6fcocW9sbyO8FSz9eRECi3G8VA6aKHEvRrbFpNuZakBd1W43L1dvQeGYOAZCgC-zUgBUlNXgOX_3Y-ZHj8XY/s600/Homemade+Turkish+food+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJbmRUGJl5aCMNUc5mKzEEpZsb-DliUq01WRFQ9qYqTUsR2nPxXYNR1-6fcocW9sbyO8FSz9eRECi3G8VA6aKHEvRrbFpNuZakBd1W43L1dvQeGYOAZCgC-zUgBUlNXgOX_3Y-ZHj8XY/s16000/Homemade+Turkish+food+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I sometimes made Italian focaccia,
pasta, ravioli and pizza.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5dkwUF2SJKIqsih1Fj-alMZ84jKIprSe0wNGS-zkOeBoPqs672zdRYbRPlJlVoWYwSHEah2sI12WFBdav4U5wppCSOviyrJCTZyRZAAZTYfl0tWOZjzOGl8P26YRx2f9pFnYfftWJ2o/s600/Homemade+Italian+food+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5dkwUF2SJKIqsih1Fj-alMZ84jKIprSe0wNGS-zkOeBoPqs672zdRYbRPlJlVoWYwSHEah2sI12WFBdav4U5wppCSOviyrJCTZyRZAAZTYfl0tWOZjzOGl8P26YRx2f9pFnYfftWJ2o/s16000/Homemade+Italian+food+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We took advantage of the
sunny days and went on long bike rides and grilled outside.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIFQNwF_Ots2eB5NrxUEpYg3MP9bF-keCT4B4wK0M1tnWH9McEXewbW6HTiRT5woUgAqN3rrWNZkKa52wfHio4R9IU84hhZk_yX1RxhXE48FCo6rMhTjtV67Cm-9DWi_a-KDk2dnBr80/s600/Grilling+in+lockdown+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIFQNwF_Ots2eB5NrxUEpYg3MP9bF-keCT4B4wK0M1tnWH9McEXewbW6HTiRT5woUgAqN3rrWNZkKa52wfHio4R9IU84hhZk_yX1RxhXE48FCo6rMhTjtV67Cm-9DWi_a-KDk2dnBr80/s16000/Grilling+in+lockdown+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I baked bagels, challah
and cakes at home. I soon started donating treats to my friend’s business, <a href="https://www.theplattery.com/" target="_blank"><b>The
Plattery</b>, who started cooking for low-income people who needed food. (NOTE:
we’ll still be donating meals in</a> 2021, so <b><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/Vitalmeals/donate?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet" target="_blank">if you can help donate here</a></b>,
please do.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeOZE9mRmPceurhDXWO0yWztrzUB_p0tzYGVbDHeCo90N8TlFxgs2vCP3iNGmPI9Glr1tfGQiNMdBeJKbLQzYJ-jnI559ouONaEkF-NmWPjZi-OwtXkAoAvVCcAlBLAHESM9cQgV8xRw/s600/Cupcake+hot+cross+buns+baking+lockdown+London+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeOZE9mRmPceurhDXWO0yWztrzUB_p0tzYGVbDHeCo90N8TlFxgs2vCP3iNGmPI9Glr1tfGQiNMdBeJKbLQzYJ-jnI559ouONaEkF-NmWPjZi-OwtXkAoAvVCcAlBLAHESM9cQgV8xRw/s16000/Cupcake+hot+cross+buns+baking+lockdown+London+2020.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> </span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I made homemade tortillas
and pulled pork so we could celebrate Cinco de Mayo at home.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NOrD06wqRyqnrbVPwVi00knWUBur47esbR5CVfxf8f_TG2OVky-Anqdv03hdISvIgDZwTkKn6bXRdd1DaDf67Mddjzzbv9JV70cb-Pi1xqq2-iS_AWCHIIw2s2d0eUjacTVeYBfHG6A/s600/Homemade+cinco+de+mayo+dinner+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NOrD06wqRyqnrbVPwVi00knWUBur47esbR5CVfxf8f_TG2OVky-Anqdv03hdISvIgDZwTkKn6bXRdd1DaDf67Mddjzzbv9JV70cb-Pi1xqq2-iS_AWCHIIw2s2d0eUjacTVeYBfHG6A/s16000/Homemade+cinco+de+mayo+dinner+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We discovered a fish
delivery company called <b><a href="https://theupperscale.co.uk/shop/" target="_blank">The Upper Scale</a></b> and cooked our own seafood
feasts at home like French <i>moules frites</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX2ONcXoLgecoC9fuCWKEM1r8e0qJDu_clt9cN9pDvs6X3wkYr5adXJ_0zj5jFFCLE0Vy5oChW3G4uT0zZIMhVUbgetXrRy4JcUebN2dUOOR0yn3DV0DwEewd7k3DYqQ0WTKJtVo9vP4/s600/Homemade+moules+frites+lockdown+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX2ONcXoLgecoC9fuCWKEM1r8e0qJDu_clt9cN9pDvs6X3wkYr5adXJ_0zj5jFFCLE0Vy5oChW3G4uT0zZIMhVUbgetXrRy4JcUebN2dUOOR0yn3DV0DwEewd7k3DYqQ0WTKJtVo9vP4/s16000/Homemade+moules+frites+lockdown+London.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> </span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">July 2020</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">For more than three
months, cinemas, hair salons, museums, restaurants and bars were closed (except
for take-away and delivery services) in the U.K. The country’s first lockdown
ended on 4<sup>th</sup> of July.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Toward the end of July,
we booked our first trip post-Covid-19 restrictions and drove up to the <b>Peak
District</b> for a week. Our life didn’t change too much – hubby still worked
from “home” and I went on long walks and cooked at our rental cottage. However,
we did manage a few visits to the local pubs – as long as we could dine
outside.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LNN6z7Zo8ZzLipPneuJXQEJv6lk6jWqnwSsDGBoa3kDNmizySa6ih2B5-ys50fDiGIXQMqB2mRl3ZKfYbnPirhuo-EZBE2oIWAOo6DB_TYUiiLm5qpdOaxKVPi4bj48REdd2zAz9BvY/s600/Summer+dining+Peak+District+UK+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LNN6z7Zo8ZzLipPneuJXQEJv6lk6jWqnwSsDGBoa3kDNmizySa6ih2B5-ys50fDiGIXQMqB2mRl3ZKfYbnPirhuo-EZBE2oIWAOo6DB_TYUiiLm5qpdOaxKVPi4bj48REdd2zAz9BvY/s16000/Summer+dining+Peak+District+UK+2020.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">August 2020</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We booked our second
staycation and stayed in a rental cottage in southern <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Cornwall" target="_blank">Cornwall</a></b> for a
week. Sitting outside at a pub, smelling the sea air and eating fish and chips
– life never seemed so good!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShZ9pi8L3rZtch9DvgYv2a6229RrUVPwS9pNl9tw9zNTXJ07OoWalaikBCG4BVMon6W2YXPMyD5_CfPSWh8OWEWTrj7OIINUFyIzF9gkOjixrUt96By3BKkk7p9uj8boUvhGhBLaMeYU/s600/fish+and+chips+in+Cornwall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="449" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShZ9pi8L3rZtch9DvgYv2a6229RrUVPwS9pNl9tw9zNTXJ07OoWalaikBCG4BVMon6W2YXPMyD5_CfPSWh8OWEWTrj7OIINUFyIzF9gkOjixrUt96By3BKkk7p9uj8boUvhGhBLaMeYU/s16000/fish+and+chips+in+Cornwall.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">September 2020</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We ventured out of the
city again – this time we donned our facemasks and took our bikes on a train
heading to <b>Norwich</b> in the <b>County of Norfolk</b>. Over the course of
six days, we managed to cover 205 miles/325km on our bikes. We ate a lot of pub
meals to fuel up for our long bike rides and ended that staycation with a big
steak dinner.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKA7-DdwoZ8w938UZjIzxVhfWeMl_0bJvlENzJ-iwuhszr0ymmqC-VlavysTp4ZuXI0GODIJHqyuO9KxgifZBScu2sydEFlb6HT9XHAGpZ28rT4NIJgeJJHP04tf_Wno7o00BCr-AUtMY/s600/Steak+dinner+in+Great+Yarmouth+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKA7-DdwoZ8w938UZjIzxVhfWeMl_0bJvlENzJ-iwuhszr0ymmqC-VlavysTp4ZuXI0GODIJHqyuO9KxgifZBScu2sydEFlb6HT9XHAGpZ28rT4NIJgeJJHP04tf_Wno7o00BCr-AUtMY/s16000/Steak+dinner+in+Great+Yarmouth+UK.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">October 2020</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Although I’ve tried all
sorts of new recipes during lockdown, I started taking some online cooking
classes in October. I learned how to make pastel de nata from a Portuguese
woman in Lisbon and Argentinian empanadas from a lovely couple in Columbia.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJFMleq_FuxF-YKtjX_S0dq0FfAhGqC4L_YfBKEvtYco6z3VrRbPdZAs7i_87v5bwM2aCvPGQZIAB6IaSEchUKTUhT-mW5txBtAWGv4BOIpgfgGLdlCC2ElHA1p5LAyq3SySif8tidOI/s600/Pastel+de+nata+and+empanadas+at+home+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJFMleq_FuxF-YKtjX_S0dq0FfAhGqC4L_YfBKEvtYco6z3VrRbPdZAs7i_87v5bwM2aCvPGQZIAB6IaSEchUKTUhT-mW5txBtAWGv4BOIpgfgGLdlCC2ElHA1p5LAyq3SySif8tidOI/s16000/Pastel+de+nata+and+empanadas+at+home+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We also managed – just
barely – to escape to <b>Wales</b> for a couple of days for hubby’s birthday.
The foodie highlight of that staycation was cooking Welsh lambchops in our
nearly 200-year-old rental cottage.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvgd81EK2999_FZ8V-UJVPl0geDBtTcOJ36dXvXS1hXmfoqMMHTq0ZalzTLbfbN5iC7gqakT44tyUmBF31OFPJZprk4WJz_3caVaXhO1gFfr1e0xvbwiT9Q4l20VZ8BvbOpME5eLysYM/s600/Homemade+birthday+dinner+at+Welsh+cottage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvgd81EK2999_FZ8V-UJVPl0geDBtTcOJ36dXvXS1hXmfoqMMHTq0ZalzTLbfbN5iC7gqakT44tyUmBF31OFPJZprk4WJz_3caVaXhO1gFfr1e0xvbwiT9Q4l20VZ8BvbOpME5eLysYM/s16000/Homemade+birthday+dinner+at+Welsh+cottage.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">November 2020</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">My favorite foodie
holiday, <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Thanksgiving" target="_blank">Thanksgiving</a></b>, fell during our second lockdown. We still pulled
off a socially-distanced dinner with our neighbors and piled a table full of
festive delights such as grilled turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potato
casserole, roasted veggies and more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KpMDiWmJrAxWfDtuuuC-9FwbyHm0_Cp3GKkWhtyUfGPapZo51ZKjh41PHdGxsVXObOU96AmtypZJFXD_j4aPHD-xwI-wFyxEMgbn5AHCAoHVZdaLAtm9SL4cZEb9amC2iFxyM-9PEeo/s600/Thanksgiving+at+home+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KpMDiWmJrAxWfDtuuuC-9FwbyHm0_Cp3GKkWhtyUfGPapZo51ZKjh41PHdGxsVXObOU96AmtypZJFXD_j4aPHD-xwI-wFyxEMgbn5AHCAoHVZdaLAtm9SL4cZEb9amC2iFxyM-9PEeo/s16000/Thanksgiving+at+home+in+London.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> </span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">December 2020</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As mentioned in my
previous blog post – <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/2020/12/how-to-pretend-youre-in-paris-via-london.html" target="_blank">How to Pretend You’re in Paris via London</a></b> – we were
able to treat ourselves to one fancy meal out before London went into lockdown
– AGAIN!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOWOVF09K5ZP6AtAJjN9rQUuVpDSyYi3YWDmFluQmUuRflo-I4TNUIMSFrqYG_7syN5L3qmC2l_FbdhCNpX5QgZpnxFHyTxouVAcgid3_JuNjlHHGKq43hYGgEAf-_e0WDvGvRKbKEvg/s600/December+dining+at+Coq+dArgent+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOWOVF09K5ZP6AtAJjN9rQUuVpDSyYi3YWDmFluQmUuRflo-I4TNUIMSFrqYG_7syN5L3qmC2l_FbdhCNpX5QgZpnxFHyTxouVAcgid3_JuNjlHHGKq43hYGgEAf-_e0WDvGvRKbKEvg/s16000/December+dining+at+Coq+dArgent+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">This year has been all
about cooking and baking new recipes at home, becoming a pantry raiding
superstar and foraging for ingredients around the city. I’m thankful that I’ve
learned some new baking skills, but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to work in
restaurants and enjoy dining out with friends again in 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Wishing you all a Happy and
Healthy New Year!</span></i></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.127758323.197117063821153 -35.284008299999996 79.817584736178844 35.028491700000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-44141987992290943282020-12-30T18:39:00.001-05:002020-12-30T18:39:39.863-05:00Holiday Shopping at Borough Market I often create my dinner menus based on what I find at the market.<div><br></div><div>Today was no exception.</div><div><br></div><div>I cycled up to <b>Borough Market </b>to see what I could find. I ended up going with a French theme. Who can resist truffled cheese? Duck breast with duck-fat roasted potatoes. Oui. Please.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x98knfA_NTyrU0MaCa0J8HA2z7ddvZLm9gmW2Fv0rtRBptlyAIkk2PI9GBiE6RhF_XrNHdTFKs-vKDOIR3AcYqHA0KNzeFhCBhnTnSop__LMPRR_dHZqAbUVAcQgRrfDDjkFpf7yDN8/s1600/1609371560940327-1.png" width="400">
</a>
</div>Even if it's just the two of us to ring in the New Year, at least we'll dine well. Plus, overall, we're happy and healthy. </div><div><br></div><div>Wishing you a Happy New Year too!<br><br></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-78993808544863109852020-12-29T17:00:00.023-05:002020-12-29T17:00:01.828-05:00How to Pretend You’re in Paris via London<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDBy9jvN5C7BU_yb1e1d0LJ6cwrLP_u360oSyIqK9TyVSqWb5F_8Ib2NWwhyahxnFOuEJb4L6nRB_3nZJZ-c_qlHNASvMsj8ZK-ULsz5h34yHnpTT21TGiWlAXnXqvWpwFttpPv-6kvk/s600/Seven+Dials+at+Christmas+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDBy9jvN5C7BU_yb1e1d0LJ6cwrLP_u360oSyIqK9TyVSqWb5F_8Ib2NWwhyahxnFOuEJb4L6nRB_3nZJZ-c_qlHNASvMsj8ZK-ULsz5h34yHnpTT21TGiWlAXnXqvWpwFttpPv-6kvk/s16000/Seven+Dials+at+Christmas+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Last December, I spent a
day in </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Paris" target="_blank">Paris</a> </b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">meeting a friend, walking along some of my favorite streets
and eating some scrumptious French food.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Who would’ve known that 2020
would mean virtually no travel was possible, and that anyone from the UK would
be eventually banned from travelling to France? All thanks to Covid-19.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Even though taking a
quick train ride from <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b> to Paris is off the table right now, it
doesn’t mean that you can’t try to enjoy the best parts of a Parisian get-away
from London. During the past few months, I’ve tried to recreate some of my
favorite French moments at home.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">How to
Pretend You’re in Paris While at Home in London</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">DIY
Boulangerie</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">Start your day off right
with a typical French breakfast, which usually involves a tasty treat of carbs
and a cup of coffee or tea. I used to buy my croissants from Dominque Ansel’s
pastry shop before he closed earlier this year. However, there are plenty of French
offerings in London such as <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CHANTEROY" target="_blank">Chanteroy</a></b> in Fulham, <b><a href="https://www.oree.co.uk/" target="_blank">Orée</a></b> in Chelsea,
and even the Gail’s bakeries.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Eat French
Cheese</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I love the cheese shops
in Paris! And actually, to be fair, the UK has a pretty damned good selection
of cheeses too. But if you’re craving <i>fromage</i>, why not create your own
cheese board and throw in some tasty charcuterie as well? Look for brie, camembert,
comté and reblochon.</span><o:p style="font-size: 12pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpQjLzloKKob_-UugurHVHXUHCB7-VQTtWG3Z-bxoauC6tgmQVeiJonDaWqhSN3jtQOyhOX1vCViwjT9zfE6BF_-BHC1ISimJ-g-htd8KuOssMhQbRVEscpTqOa4-y4q2rPuBPDQClt8/s600/French+meat+and+cheese+platter+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpQjLzloKKob_-UugurHVHXUHCB7-VQTtWG3Z-bxoauC6tgmQVeiJonDaWqhSN3jtQOyhOX1vCViwjT9zfE6BF_-BHC1ISimJ-g-htd8KuOssMhQbRVEscpTqOa4-y4q2rPuBPDQClt8/s16000/French+meat+and+cheese+platter+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Enjoy a
Sweet French Pastry</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 107%;">From time to time at
home, I’ll make my own French eclairs or financiers. But if I don’t want to go
through all that fuss, I’ll head to <b><a href="https://www.laduree.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ladurée</a></b> or <b><a href="https://www.pierrehermeuk.com/" target="_blank">Pierre Hermé</a></b> in
Convent Garden or <b><a href="https://www.maitrechoux.com/" target="_blank">Maitre Choux</a></b> in South Kensington.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFERiyIyA4HeoKrht1HHr8YfLmwFqZdBAxnghkW3PPi04bLFi7gkjve8in6hczLHGoxfTe9UNB8mjDOeDEoGO90ATqSex2cD_1jOnYkucKletsZUN-tuc8T51ctBV27qT9l08jAzZBl9E/s600/Laduree+in+Covent+Garden+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFERiyIyA4HeoKrht1HHr8YfLmwFqZdBAxnghkW3PPi04bLFi7gkjve8in6hczLHGoxfTe9UNB8mjDOeDEoGO90ATqSex2cD_1jOnYkucKletsZUN-tuc8T51ctBV27qT9l08jAzZBl9E/s16000/Laduree+in+Covent+Garden+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnrJ90arbY2kTX0F2BLiMQfwv_uLWAqa8dOdu5AFuaAgxTe0LW55x-cMX0qPCZ1JbPRVIwZjEvPEqXPY8TdFPSj0p-vdabwOSQjVMkIGErRAh7WTdBY3lzgkBuVoIJCVpn5N-YAgiN-o/s600/Pierre+Herme+in+Covent+Garden+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnrJ90arbY2kTX0F2BLiMQfwv_uLWAqa8dOdu5AFuaAgxTe0LW55x-cMX0qPCZ1JbPRVIwZjEvPEqXPY8TdFPSj0p-vdabwOSQjVMkIGErRAh7WTdBY3lzgkBuVoIJCVpn5N-YAgiN-o/s16000/Pierre+Herme+in+Covent+Garden+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLy6ZH9G_eQ2xXSjzMByEetdzId03FoC04ac6C6ch8ybWnvivgRYlLux96BTe430dHACHYOqxk8OWKwDatTtibvTfHvIXs0Ir-4FLSSWkV_Y3TAD2eNSVCZVFb0Xc8lp9PNBdJe9iRYo/s600/French+pastries+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLy6ZH9G_eQ2xXSjzMByEetdzId03FoC04ac6C6ch8ybWnvivgRYlLux96BTe430dHACHYOqxk8OWKwDatTtibvTfHvIXs0Ir-4FLSSWkV_Y3TAD2eNSVCZVFb0Xc8lp9PNBdJe9iRYo/s16000/French+pastries+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7a_bH1yoAb-3b0M71LQTon5nCVOCCqyG8h8JhYlhCgJhs3rPxlqe1bl0B5k5LF2NzBrGHJJWXktjsVe_kbHg_0X22S8kBxplTwMiptyDrkRnn1V9GJ9MJVktW2G8PCTEf8pAzObYdoRU/s600/French+macarons+by+Pierre+Herme.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7a_bH1yoAb-3b0M71LQTon5nCVOCCqyG8h8JhYlhCgJhs3rPxlqe1bl0B5k5LF2NzBrGHJJWXktjsVe_kbHg_0X22S8kBxplTwMiptyDrkRnn1V9GJ9MJVktW2G8PCTEf8pAzObYdoRU/s16000/French+macarons+by+Pierre+Herme.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Shop like a
<i>Parisien</i> in London</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">My favorite place to buy
French products is at <b><a href="https://boroughmarket.org.uk/traders/le-marche-du-quartier " target="_blank">Le Marché du Quartier</a></b> at the Borough Market. The
options for foie gras are amazing as well as French <i>saucisson</i> and
cheeses. Sometimes, I even treat myself to a take-away duck confit sandwich.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVThkIAb6bnNKF1HjViu7dKlN971Sb5XjoU_eX3rXjtNzv6L3spl1AS4SpqFOggAcvJdv8qVM1ZmarPQmSac7wC-fNFkYZ4O2DX6ZJO7ntmi-Z-HV-HD0kkqoUl6AYyrkRAKDUlnExno/s600/Le+marche+du+quartier+and+duck+confit+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVThkIAb6bnNKF1HjViu7dKlN971Sb5XjoU_eX3rXjtNzv6L3spl1AS4SpqFOggAcvJdv8qVM1ZmarPQmSac7wC-fNFkYZ4O2DX6ZJO7ntmi-Z-HV-HD0kkqoUl6AYyrkRAKDUlnExno/s16000/Le+marche+du+quartier+and+duck+confit+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Make French
Onion Soup from Scratch</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">Oh la la, how about
making your own <i>soupe à l'oignon gratinée</i>? I love this traditional soup,
which is based on a homemade beef stock, lots of caramelized onions and topped
with cheesy bread. My go-to recipe is <b><a href="http://juliachildsrecipes.com/soup/julia-childs-french-onion-soup/" target="_blank">this one by Julia Child</a></b>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffma1tWmZDadLTvy8y9lNL5YI_Xq9f9_pGIxIsqfyOJqIGERGJSOs6UvCv9WTjLL-cvKzT6pY5TO7QYRD78-tOi6OnHMt0Brt2q78qZUNKeOKr05RO_2BxfB1rvZon8zYmhb_P7wgvOc/s600/Homemade+French+onion+soup+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffma1tWmZDadLTvy8y9lNL5YI_Xq9f9_pGIxIsqfyOJqIGERGJSOs6UvCv9WTjLL-cvKzT6pY5TO7QYRD78-tOi6OnHMt0Brt2q78qZUNKeOKr05RO_2BxfB1rvZon8zYmhb_P7wgvOc/s16000/Homemade+French+onion+soup+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dine like a
<i>Parisien</i> in London</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">Unfortunately, this
option is off the table for now unless you create a French meal at home or find
some decent French take-away food. Right after the second lockdown lifted on December
2<sup>nd</sup>, we made reservations at <b><a href="https://www.coqdargent.co.uk/" target="_blank">Coq d’Argent</a></b>, a fine-dining
French restaurant in the city. We booked an outdoor table under the heat lamps
so we could dine with a good friend of ours. We took advantage of the special
holiday menu – three courses for about £50.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">We’ve dined here before,
so I couldn’t resist the escargot! I ended up using my fingers to prevent a
Julia Robert’s moment. For my main, I had the haunch of wild roe deer, which
was cooked to perfection. And for dessert, I chose the traditional <i>bûche de
Noël</i> – which was filled with a frozen chestnut and white chocolate parfait.
<i>Très bien</i>!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8BQcJiKBJbWCeAbzruBkxEQWfiEi1BT5JHrHobWJKpEU9Co6jYnUyvLNHpUmItl2p4fqV7BPEZ2qgRz4UYE0mcwAuNt6apZX4tETqbDYqQpNubL8X-yqXAuiB6llvxjGIqPuIYK04F8/s600/Escargot+at+Coq+d%25E2%2580%2599Argent+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8BQcJiKBJbWCeAbzruBkxEQWfiEi1BT5JHrHobWJKpEU9Co6jYnUyvLNHpUmItl2p4fqV7BPEZ2qgRz4UYE0mcwAuNt6apZX4tETqbDYqQpNubL8X-yqXAuiB6llvxjGIqPuIYK04F8/s16000/Escargot+at+Coq+d%25E2%2580%2599Argent+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxiXXcjGDgtWrBGRc2ERkBBBgh_g_e8qyZRuhd6BdC5SHUIiwISDPXY7gXdWKBqYvyJ4-S81I-isZmdlnvfHXHn5zprB9VLmZffXFSSHRZ50E0ccknfi3U5LZZvcqFWhd11x6FrQjSL8/s600/Wild+roe+deer+at+Coq+d%25E2%2580%2599Argent+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxiXXcjGDgtWrBGRc2ERkBBBgh_g_e8qyZRuhd6BdC5SHUIiwISDPXY7gXdWKBqYvyJ4-S81I-isZmdlnvfHXHn5zprB9VLmZffXFSSHRZ50E0ccknfi3U5LZZvcqFWhd11x6FrQjSL8/s16000/Wild+roe+deer+at+Coq+d%25E2%2580%2599Argent+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJCipRxW4cITjED0FC7PqCLhYTjLaVE0P6mSKqNuRjUa21E0d13Cf6hxGZLkkIjz39QFrT0NC8cpPSSvRxLYbdn5bowbU70pX6sdJGvwYb1YA6zSql-DOHc3uIryD7ndim8wfdKUJxIA/s600/Buche+de+noel+at+Coq+d%25E2%2580%2599Argent+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJCipRxW4cITjED0FC7PqCLhYTjLaVE0P6mSKqNuRjUa21E0d13Cf6hxGZLkkIjz39QFrT0NC8cpPSSvRxLYbdn5bowbU70pX6sdJGvwYb1YA6zSql-DOHc3uIryD7ndim8wfdKUJxIA/s16000/Buche+de+noel+at+Coq+d%25E2%2580%2599Argent+in+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">Hopefully, we’ll be able
to return to Paris in person in 2021!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2FPP4CfnIEUXEuyiyWm-Xu1dWlTfn3AniV6oeDGhJlWzytUiSHKFq5hgC_MvxDYu-Yk9VNRaAkF-Uan5UtUdzOu8pRb3GuKInSQpEKM6e2-wGkCvKA5lPFyatn_Ru0kwWii57LbYlBU/s600/Mariage+Freres+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2FPP4CfnIEUXEuyiyWm-Xu1dWlTfn3AniV6oeDGhJlWzytUiSHKFq5hgC_MvxDYu-Yk9VNRaAkF-Uan5UtUdzOu8pRb3GuKInSQpEKM6e2-wGkCvKA5lPFyatn_Ru0kwWii57LbYlBU/s16000/Mariage+Freres+in+London.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; text-align: left;">Fancy some French tea?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBMz8AfxlYCcc0d9xgnCWebvwZjgapMb5ACRFo1yhFMfUZntpEJj3rvqJE0QvLv6z41Be62C1CMYpGQxOdURE12QTmOru-Qi-FxH70oTus0-Hm9bmBJ8XqVEvtdtyunVwPvXBpIvk2U4/s600/les+nereidis+in+London.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBMz8AfxlYCcc0d9xgnCWebvwZjgapMb5ACRFo1yhFMfUZntpEJj3rvqJE0QvLv6z41Be62C1CMYpGQxOdURE12QTmOru-Qi-FxH70oTus0-Hm9bmBJ8XqVEvtdtyunVwPvXBpIvk2U4/s16000/les+nereidis+in+London.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">And a snazzy French jewellery store.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
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<div><br /></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.127758323.197117063821153 -35.284008299999996 79.817584736178844 35.028491700000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-87643551364101744272020-12-27T18:56:00.001-05:002020-12-27T18:56:14.917-05:00Feast of the 7 Fishes Recap <div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Well, Christmas this year wasn’t exactly as we planned. Since <b><a href=" https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b> is currently in Tier 4 restrictions from Covid-19, we’re not supposed to “hang out” with anyone at home. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We decided to make our traditional <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Feast%20of%20Seven%20Fishes" target="_blank">Feast of the Seven Fishes</a></b> for Christmas Eve and serve the food outside in our communal garden. A few of our neighbors were able to enjoy the dishes with us as we ate outside.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The Feast of the Seven Fishes is part of the Italian-American Christmas Eve celebrations, and one that my husband’s family does to honor his family’s Italian heritage. Jason’s great grandfather came from Cassano Irpino, Italy, and immigrated to the U.S. around 1905. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The idea to celebrate Christmas Eve is to make sure you eat seven different types of seafood or fish.
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Here’s our menu: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Oysters served with a traditional French mignonette sauce </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gLvlGnX1PKKQCRpzsTlj9wqnKKY2NONebU3B7UNTYoEN6IG9OtdEXMq-2DnkwujCiTxUZ9WC-TmWqCpM_qdRk9NPUcCzdB3Sd1jEKfXTB1jfozGdRLSsRYb14HHc1lV9vOdEfqJxbSA/s600/Raw+oysters+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="463" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gLvlGnX1PKKQCRpzsTlj9wqnKKY2NONebU3B7UNTYoEN6IG9OtdEXMq-2DnkwujCiTxUZ9WC-TmWqCpM_qdRk9NPUcCzdB3Sd1jEKfXTB1jfozGdRLSsRYb14HHc1lV9vOdEfqJxbSA/s16000/Raw+oysters+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Yellow fin tuna tartare with a soy-ginger dressing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ig8sExiB97Qmvh4GB1QvlYTGeOOKiqvmVbRHvK4Dk8RdW66PsIC_osdepPKuIT7oLtRVSFZGno5U9qQcPSOsKsl2toNifVTeaKnXIgG_HiFTtTdzvg7sPFfRg2tH25k5OlOphxRP4yI/s600/Tuna+tartare+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ig8sExiB97Qmvh4GB1QvlYTGeOOKiqvmVbRHvK4Dk8RdW66PsIC_osdepPKuIT7oLtRVSFZGno5U9qQcPSOsKsl2toNifVTeaKnXIgG_HiFTtTdzvg7sPFfRg2tH25k5OlOphxRP4yI/s16000/Tuna+tartare+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Hickory-grilled sardines </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOb5AT2CHMkT13oWIMdT203mYtgs1lJaMtQWSlPsfkU8hjlj_QzHHk38CPfj6VzlrxLhEsHdzSjoNxsQbaxVswMluXwSoGBgOXw8IMj5iqnpI6dVq1TpNuYmdb-HlUzzWjvoHWGImp6Q/s600/Grilled+sardines+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOb5AT2CHMkT13oWIMdT203mYtgs1lJaMtQWSlPsfkU8hjlj_QzHHk38CPfj6VzlrxLhEsHdzSjoNxsQbaxVswMluXwSoGBgOXw8IMj5iqnpI6dVq1TpNuYmdb-HlUzzWjvoHWGImp6Q/s16000/Grilled+sardines+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Linguine and clams in a white wine sauce – a traditional dish always served by my mother-in-law </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2nOpzWcGrSuzJLlFAyrWk74PSi26jZ0YXWgMv-me5lfbk_XeOA9tKYjEi269NJ7Brubhy7T82KnfBJTnNAFUY5QCzEX70UyJWCv5hVDcChr3SzE2Fqrzt1LcmQoIBKhi61yEN6Iafh8/s600/Linguine+with+clams+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2nOpzWcGrSuzJLlFAyrWk74PSi26jZ0YXWgMv-me5lfbk_XeOA9tKYjEi269NJ7Brubhy7T82KnfBJTnNAFUY5QCzEX70UyJWCv5hVDcChr3SzE2Fqrzt1LcmQoIBKhi61yEN6Iafh8/s16000/Linguine+with+clams+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Pan-fried scallops in butter, garlic and chillies </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYk0WgUPC2SHWSxNwvktal-XIrP5S9XVCM3FYvXZ31OPdGJ4JtYGhRS_DdM-yE5lvl7CMhYUnSuTe-Y1fAn6Sj5UFTrrSL-72spw0G2T7B5cYaDP8ISjMIa-uymbuhDXGY2ok1XzXeIas/s600/Panfried+scallops+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYk0WgUPC2SHWSxNwvktal-XIrP5S9XVCM3FYvXZ31OPdGJ4JtYGhRS_DdM-yE5lvl7CMhYUnSuTe-Y1fAn6Sj5UFTrrSL-72spw0G2T7B5cYaDP8ISjMIa-uymbuhDXGY2ok1XzXeIas/s16000/Panfried+scallops+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Hickory-grilled salmon with honey-soy glaze and roasted brussel sprouts </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoH8_rulFfUG46Tr3dJMyJMxMmT4xPs5OpMMhshn8UXGWnv-i87ecLEEEtveaLrZoIHLFpvriIzbNY5fF9e5On93SRqW-6eN0AQoN0WaM2jXAXJbGEUeMTorSNz0VNjFwOSJFpNDQG6gw/s600/Soy-honey+salmon+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoH8_rulFfUG46Tr3dJMyJMxMmT4xPs5OpMMhshn8UXGWnv-i87ecLEEEtveaLrZoIHLFpvriIzbNY5fF9e5On93SRqW-6eN0AQoN0WaM2jXAXJbGEUeMTorSNz0VNjFwOSJFpNDQG6gw/s16000/Soy-honey+salmon+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Hake fillets baked with tomatoes, kalamata olives and capers </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Pf0Imdz7F3eOZHH6IuOw-vHqF5dP97Qdwx_mve1KxU2ywVCgn7xXVa3k9jFipVOY3WTNo7vdCG_KUhhOlMXwhVm_HkcaiNFF45e25wQGRU1KlOdnfoojRV4kYYFpFs1x7lfi7rwUkEs/s600/Hake+with+tomatoes+and+olives+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Pf0Imdz7F3eOZHH6IuOw-vHqF5dP97Qdwx_mve1KxU2ywVCgn7xXVa3k9jFipVOY3WTNo7vdCG_KUhhOlMXwhVm_HkcaiNFF45e25wQGRU1KlOdnfoojRV4kYYFpFs1x7lfi7rwUkEs/s16000/Hake+with+tomatoes+and+olives+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Hopefully, next year, we’ll actually be able to sit around a proper dining table and eat Christmas dinner together with our friends/family members.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDLxbjzh9Pm5WWVy-GFgDdnqLVyb1OEk3s61dqhp5f9t3cJtbA-8cgEGq8A50294WfHnAMqq-4Sywd4Z-vqwxJJMZ4i-wwVx0L55LBfptOzc79NAUhPmb5tPkRkYt0ikkjDmVC-c7J08/s600/Buche+de+noel+with+raspberry+cremeux+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDLxbjzh9Pm5WWVy-GFgDdnqLVyb1OEk3s61dqhp5f9t3cJtbA-8cgEGq8A50294WfHnAMqq-4Sywd4Z-vqwxJJMZ4i-wwVx0L55LBfptOzc79NAUhPmb5tPkRkYt0ikkjDmVC-c7J08/s16000/Buche+de+noel+with+raspberry+cremeux+Feast+of+the+Seven+Fishes+in+London.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">And for dessert, I made a classic French Buche de Noel with a raspberry cremeux inside and topped with a Chantilly cream and chocolate flowers.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><br /></div><div><a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>
</div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.127758323.197117063821153 -35.284008299999996 79.817584736178844 35.028491700000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-28969451013454027272020-12-21T13:05:00.003-05:002020-12-21T13:06:42.180-05:00Day Trip from London: Late Autumn at RHS Wisley<p><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 24pt;"><b>Day Trip from London</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 24pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp_AnXRsXpy6xy6sx1UHWf6y-wiGschEgeYYNYK7pKdaRwQvayzLaXXIlfQupizGSbKRQ_MznCxJ_hWz26EDt-ancXrNVC3Lwe-GG6447vEcIYPFuQzpL2nblVlaAKWkZ5dgAULPfILk/s600/Late+autumn+RHS+Wisley+gardens+photo+collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp_AnXRsXpy6xy6sx1UHWf6y-wiGschEgeYYNYK7pKdaRwQvayzLaXXIlfQupizGSbKRQ_MznCxJ_hWz26EDt-ancXrNVC3Lwe-GG6447vEcIYPFuQzpL2nblVlaAKWkZ5dgAULPfILk/s16000/Late+autumn+RHS+Wisley+gardens+photo+collage.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a sampling of the late autumn colors at RHS Garden Wisley.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I always find something
interesting to see in the English gardens – no matter what the season.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">By the first week in
December, I was finally able to book a weekend time slot to visit </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/RHS%20Garden%20Wisley" target="_blank">RHS Garden Wisley</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, a 240-acre botanical garden located southwest of London in </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Surrey" target="_blank">Surrey</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.
It wasn’t raining for once, so we decided to bike part of the way to the
gardens and organized another <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/daytrip%20from%20London" target="_blank">day trip from London</a></b>.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHqONSGLceq99z7bupQ7VLpETnmeWqPpnLJphBXt9X6XqbbXLJ7xzk6fxqbkpqAzYzZ1ZHBu5DcvnuEFrUW7Yb0lkSHWtYmNZEobv_bnB3GCBPyBN2LZrbTVDiMzxhckntTe6SO3S2Mw/s600/Bike+path+along+River+Wey+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHqONSGLceq99z7bupQ7VLpETnmeWqPpnLJphBXt9X6XqbbXLJ7xzk6fxqbkpqAzYzZ1ZHBu5DcvnuEFrUW7Yb0lkSHWtYmNZEobv_bnB3GCBPyBN2LZrbTVDiMzxhckntTe6SO3S2Mw/s16000/Bike+path+along+River+Wey+UK.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve visited the gardens
a couple of times, but hubby had never been. Normally, we would have planned
our day so we could do something outdoorsy and then have a pub lunch, but alas,
all pubs were closed because of new Covid-19 restrictions.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Even during a late English
autumn, you’ll still find plenty to enjoy at RHS Wisley. Upon entering, there’s
also a sign indicating which areas look interesting or have something currently
blooming. I took a photo of the sign as well as the map so we could plan our afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgownnmhQvqR5SWr6ZnPiwXg4F2NVzWMPwpHia5NKu9kSmGTuzvMkMHBXA02CU4Ha8k5S26PlJSXJ5Dz-Lc0_85pJS7aM1zOLD8gezYHL9Q_8nWijrt6UyqD-3Xe4k-fzCVlHv57aj3h8/s600/What%2527s+good+today+at+RHS+Wisley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgownnmhQvqR5SWr6ZnPiwXg4F2NVzWMPwpHia5NKu9kSmGTuzvMkMHBXA02CU4Ha8k5S26PlJSXJ5Dz-Lc0_85pJS7aM1zOLD8gezYHL9Q_8nWijrt6UyqD-3Xe4k-fzCVlHv57aj3h8/s16000/What%2527s+good+today+at+RHS+Wisley.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJ6QJEsk5Mx-5G25Z3WzPUtOO-20OsnD2g98SRcVu778k4HuofBkwYztqlOh9NASrS0SE2wM24Odo3I7pGT0C-jw4HfHtRFdiV0cC5e_dBJVL0BcKHD-SDQpRKgOvFZn0UmoYn_BAia4/s600/Xmas+balls+autumn+trees+at+RHS+Wisley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJ6QJEsk5Mx-5G25Z3WzPUtOO-20OsnD2g98SRcVu778k4HuofBkwYztqlOh9NASrS0SE2wM24Odo3I7pGT0C-jw4HfHtRFdiV0cC5e_dBJVL0BcKHD-SDQpRKgOvFZn0UmoYn_BAia4/s16000/Xmas+balls+autumn+trees+at+RHS+Wisley.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Throughout the gardens,
you’ll find several water features that are perfect for autumnal reflections. You
may even spot the large koi in the pod or the grey herons that sometimes roost
in the trees.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6QKTb4Zim36UM_aqsGSGpWyq9RxIdOnXwVBQVS138EMgpoyjEMpUTgSHrX7ReVaUJbddS-aBcJcwUslrSmdJp42_YBkeVSqQFbwB7NnFd8Pjtru2hbL7fBNoAqFXTbwXqiPoMW3H6sI/s600/Tudor+house+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6QKTb4Zim36UM_aqsGSGpWyq9RxIdOnXwVBQVS138EMgpoyjEMpUTgSHrX7ReVaUJbddS-aBcJcwUslrSmdJp42_YBkeVSqQFbwB7NnFd8Pjtru2hbL7fBNoAqFXTbwXqiPoMW3H6sI/s16000/Tudor+house+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8MFIDOZAgq8iRiSeQz0PQWBBnQwxTrtVQZHDAcaJdJ9u_WSoFRWayu7woZ-qYtwcf0GKFSq-eep30gT5ya32IHwuOEtOZaPF4ijY7lPRFX2pNFOomMgHK2-u1_aHniOTiUNrGmCvUok/s600/Water+fountain+autumn+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8MFIDOZAgq8iRiSeQz0PQWBBnQwxTrtVQZHDAcaJdJ9u_WSoFRWayu7woZ-qYtwcf0GKFSq-eep30gT5ya32IHwuOEtOZaPF4ijY7lPRFX2pNFOomMgHK2-u1_aHniOTiUNrGmCvUok/s16000/Water+fountain+autumn+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0WxSUbYj_YZYDH5SQ7TTHAyFC_uNuK20jzrxz7j6f_o0ceRlUBSFNlg0tS2h-cAKEjYzD4azb7pAhNyPFro47UepSYs8TJ5rK-c4sbFDdTGAoizYcV6iIxO6oKjwJln6RrFAR9S2VGI/s600/Late+autumn+reflections+at+RHS+Wisley+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0WxSUbYj_YZYDH5SQ7TTHAyFC_uNuK20jzrxz7j6f_o0ceRlUBSFNlg0tS2h-cAKEjYzD4azb7pAhNyPFro47UepSYs8TJ5rK-c4sbFDdTGAoizYcV6iIxO6oKjwJln6RrFAR9S2VGI/s16000/Late+autumn+reflections+at+RHS+Wisley+UK.jpg" /></a></div></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You’ll also find pretty
berries such as the bright orange sea buckthorn as well as the peculiar purple
berries on the “Imperial Pearl” (<i>callicarpa bodinieri</i>).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EILyrtXsIwfcX7Z6nAy15aq_bzFpUcgetPVCQ_e-HNTAEocxCD9G07N66ATocaukdYxmxHEk-3j4_-ZMDmazytMX6-6E1xSrwiCW9GZ67XWRCXwQpxUbWgPpHX0_lIhgoXdXFOJGvEQ/s600/English+red+robin+on+sea+buckthorn+berries+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EILyrtXsIwfcX7Z6nAy15aq_bzFpUcgetPVCQ_e-HNTAEocxCD9G07N66ATocaukdYxmxHEk-3j4_-ZMDmazytMX6-6E1xSrwiCW9GZ67XWRCXwQpxUbWgPpHX0_lIhgoXdXFOJGvEQ/s16000/English+red+robin+on+sea+buckthorn+berries+RHS+Wisley.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxx3EKZv8hHG2VJm1mxNJxo6MspWVkV5I-g1MhDc0pDkBA91UdTfEnIL7AyS67EkSrCJ4ZAowRxdvMGQ1M3LqCT_NGghAqOvgY8B2kVNG4FA3D4iz-4RFEs0ea8-V66EZOyVybuLQy5M/s600/Purple+Imperial+Pearl+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxx3EKZv8hHG2VJm1mxNJxo6MspWVkV5I-g1MhDc0pDkBA91UdTfEnIL7AyS67EkSrCJ4ZAowRxdvMGQ1M3LqCT_NGghAqOvgY8B2kVNG4FA3D4iz-4RFEs0ea8-V66EZOyVybuLQy5M/s16000/Purple+Imperial+Pearl+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIsBUEI70VAmEptk1ocoWfWLHy86IzAmRjQujLFXZtiJ32v8dCkPe8fT-Kbe8UMM3scHIFy510mAxfWKoVaovvTYsQGeHrJ9UxKXf3M3WzNnmvzXSuZ5wC8JJ0vS4394qYNCWy_zgV3g/s600/English+red+robin+on+yellow+bush+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIsBUEI70VAmEptk1ocoWfWLHy86IzAmRjQujLFXZtiJ32v8dCkPe8fT-Kbe8UMM3scHIFy510mAxfWKoVaovvTYsQGeHrJ9UxKXf3M3WzNnmvzXSuZ5wC8JJ0vS4394qYNCWy_zgV3g/s16000/English+red+robin+on+yellow+bush+RHS+Wisley.JPG" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Mixed Borders by the
Glasshouse provides something of interest in every season – currently seedheads
of perennials, some fennel-like plants and tall, golden grasses.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihP1FcprFlOJ0MWzN369a5dntOALj0TTbDmMUfSvNXh9yH7Hpmt_OztkL_DDrSoq50ni1cR81R8KGtpTMzOXFQR8AGTdgixtsAEXzR_nsPnyiKgpmoJvUrCPj50KPv0ICJ1IVlNXFPto/s600/Glasshouse+in+autumn+RHS+Wisley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihP1FcprFlOJ0MWzN369a5dntOALj0TTbDmMUfSvNXh9yH7Hpmt_OztkL_DDrSoq50ni1cR81R8KGtpTMzOXFQR8AGTdgixtsAEXzR_nsPnyiKgpmoJvUrCPj50KPv0ICJ1IVlNXFPto/s16000/Glasshouse+in+autumn+RHS+Wisley.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZIQwCKQNtx89WhOIUBVhShTIDfSYIdb5GXSySDAK30rJmQ7s8ARMF95kc61x6Dqljufyn9R_edbBLCBTsYhpDxjn8sHCOPE7WpsKofLLzpGtnPgqSwJC55mIOMhrY_Zt6aYTNPnLnEc/s600/Autumn+seedheads+at+RHS+Wisley+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZIQwCKQNtx89WhOIUBVhShTIDfSYIdb5GXSySDAK30rJmQ7s8ARMF95kc61x6Dqljufyn9R_edbBLCBTsYhpDxjn8sHCOPE7WpsKofLLzpGtnPgqSwJC55mIOMhrY_Zt6aYTNPnLnEc/s16000/Autumn+seedheads+at+RHS+Wisley+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74vpKtuoPOwIEJsxF6fHc85vsqOCysOZaQsBHuAeosymylxZ0k1sm_fwojKQcrUIdbzyuzUuM1SRDrQ3r_LpHce2LnrMKw8qbR3DKpCGtpqrlwZJczk5AWPEkwXWEFQ1P07ukT7MuAC8/s600/Tall+autumnal+grasses+at+RHS+Wisley+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74vpKtuoPOwIEJsxF6fHc85vsqOCysOZaQsBHuAeosymylxZ0k1sm_fwojKQcrUIdbzyuzUuM1SRDrQ3r_LpHce2LnrMKw8qbR3DKpCGtpqrlwZJczk5AWPEkwXWEFQ1P07ukT7MuAC8/s16000/Tall+autumnal+grasses+at+RHS+Wisley+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NmX-a3EoDGjAu61PAMnDYIPB_eIMKcbNjYNW_c3BI8xVmei0OI_Go0-UUYuATYjAjh70hI3_iFewc8OASkbBrnCwES8Ty1H9XFPMdjBToZPg5Nel0psH13I5xN9plKPVVvn7PBUo1Gc/s600/Red+hydrangea+leaves+RHS+Wisley+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NmX-a3EoDGjAu61PAMnDYIPB_eIMKcbNjYNW_c3BI8xVmei0OI_Go0-UUYuATYjAjh70hI3_iFewc8OASkbBrnCwES8Ty1H9XFPMdjBToZPg5Nel0psH13I5xN9plKPVVvn7PBUo1Gc/s16000/Red+hydrangea+leaves+RHS+Wisley+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Surprisingly, the Rose
Garden was looking exceptionally lovely even during the first weekend in
December. I was surprised to see so many roses still blooming that we wondered
if Wisley had a strange microclimate or if even hot water was pumped underground
around the roses.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiJIJMXwUzvt8J0-Qz-hHgv4aC2Iefs7wkqY74exPvyhiJAVf19UCVSQB-TQ9zEoAXxNsdWQ7gHf6y7zRb3NPL4vK4racqOsbPTSR0HqXYItvFUDV1Q9fRpcKsDXTHqhe_qkFQoYKRrQ/s600/Late+autumn+roses+collage+RHS+Wisley+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiJIJMXwUzvt8J0-Qz-hHgv4aC2Iefs7wkqY74exPvyhiJAVf19UCVSQB-TQ9zEoAXxNsdWQ7gHf6y7zRb3NPL4vK4racqOsbPTSR0HqXYItvFUDV1Q9fRpcKsDXTHqhe_qkFQoYKRrQ/s16000/Late+autumn+roses+collage+RHS+Wisley+UK.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Check out the interesting purple color of the Rosa Rhapsody in Blue “Frantasia.”</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmz5I9ScIlEhHMTT411270bfluB7012Eg5r6-8w07OotM3fPZJsKdXTfpi57ogNPhfgVDSg-LXna4CdNQtOqDcah69c9AjJkcLu52eWGS-p1Hfb24_RAdWUxIxZ6s9eniHToNvCD6guEE/s600/Late+roses+and+yellow+leaves+at+RHS+Wisley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmz5I9ScIlEhHMTT411270bfluB7012Eg5r6-8w07OotM3fPZJsKdXTfpi57ogNPhfgVDSg-LXna4CdNQtOqDcah69c9AjJkcLu52eWGS-p1Hfb24_RAdWUxIxZ6s9eniHToNvCD6guEE/s16000/Late+roses+and+yellow+leaves+at+RHS+Wisley.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Special
Sculptures at RHS Wisley</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Also, you can’t miss the
four larger-than-life sculptures – called The Four Seasons by
contemporary American sculptor and filmmaker Philip Haas. The figures are 3-D
interpretations of paintings by 16th-century Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo
and re-imagine the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter in human
form. The exhibition has been extended through May 2021, so you should have
time to see it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjn-c4arEJY6_BYcDyzIWgtVQnaFNKQOxW4IezyaWWMP2iq5TkNWF83q0jWkmtZx7ISfp_adWSalbqqMpiYhCNvbKzTerAK36hLavQuu8LHgz9dMmkjfJDlUW_C4aPquLXuIpJJbiQ40/s600/Four+Seasons2+sculpture+by+Philip+Haas+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjn-c4arEJY6_BYcDyzIWgtVQnaFNKQOxW4IezyaWWMP2iq5TkNWF83q0jWkmtZx7ISfp_adWSalbqqMpiYhCNvbKzTerAK36hLavQuu8LHgz9dMmkjfJDlUW_C4aPquLXuIpJJbiQ40/s16000/Four+Seasons2+sculpture+by+Philip+Haas+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEL2sn0kr5sKwvYk4MyhK16SDW7b9XE4ShP2Sm0yJwUvQrOvADYXT62A7rAJc6l-EeGL4VDSdYaq7qEHF8lE5Usm2NBOPJz1NtSnl52o6WSxkzmTVTrmSR7w4lA-2mlt-vypj6q2tf2U/s600/Four+Seasons+sculpture+by+Philip+Haas+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEL2sn0kr5sKwvYk4MyhK16SDW7b9XE4ShP2Sm0yJwUvQrOvADYXT62A7rAJc6l-EeGL4VDSdYaq7qEHF8lE5Usm2NBOPJz1NtSnl52o6WSxkzmTVTrmSR7w4lA-2mlt-vypj6q2tf2U/s16000/Four+Seasons+sculpture+by+Philip+Haas+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">What’s your favorite season
in England?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">How to
Reach RHS Wisley</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Honestly, you need a car
or a bike to easily reach Wisley. By public transport, you could take a train
from Clapham Junction to West Byfleet and then walk 3.5 miles to the gardens. Our
best option was to take the train to Weybridge and then cycle about 6.5 miles,
one way, on fairly quiet country roads. Maybe next time, we’ll try cycling the
entire 50-mile roundtrip to the gardens.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUNGcAVYNrSSmEm29iLUfp32b0z_teZm_RxLNTkeK8RyXStszG__KzuXPj5NHRjHQxoAOrX0AvBZ5l7HrWu4o43gsnGk8wfda3Ydps1FUfATf_YgZAdQrT0N3YE3626Itwu5-nGaYGro/s600/Christmas+tree+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUNGcAVYNrSSmEm29iLUfp32b0z_teZm_RxLNTkeK8RyXStszG__KzuXPj5NHRjHQxoAOrX0AvBZ5l7HrWu4o43gsnGk8wfda3Ydps1FUfATf_YgZAdQrT0N3YE3626Itwu5-nGaYGro/s16000/Christmas+tree+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Christmas tree in front of the Glasshouse, which was unfortunately closed <br />due to Covid-19 restrictions.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXKH0xEfRtCJcv-nwhqQFaw16ZKMzbd_UYyJhdj3wKv-f7ckrS48_7frn0DTY6O-fuDvViUWkFtnWw_VZsvoG_-Jnbl5TmbP2s61ZGNg6UsF-pbso_C7MsUN_7mvnyobRBxZ9_f9KEFQ/s600/Fennel-like+plant+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXKH0xEfRtCJcv-nwhqQFaw16ZKMzbd_UYyJhdj3wKv-f7ckrS48_7frn0DTY6O-fuDvViUWkFtnWw_VZsvoG_-Jnbl5TmbP2s61ZGNg6UsF-pbso_C7MsUN_7mvnyobRBxZ9_f9KEFQ/s16000/Fennel-like+plant+at+RHS+Wisley.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A strange plant that looks like fennel, but doesn't smell like it.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Ln, Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB, UK51.3136168 -0.473729123.003382963821153 -35.6299791 79.623850636178844 34.6825209tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-13806027688744230442020-12-08T07:44:00.005-05:002020-12-09T04:58:14.627-05:00Day Trip from London: Escaping to Wakehurst Gardens<p> <span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: times, serif; font-size: 24pt;"><b>Day
Trip from London</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><b></b></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnpXNZgfDVs5jDsX4mmXhUz93aYd5mtXh_0C-QIW6kTABCjUCjfrVq1xHARv39z9fy479BmOHngnIJFEB8VKBTdvUjvZLGRO1Bt0BcYdpSJghP8WxDfHG8zib6NLTQhvrxwoOMNR37mI/s600/Autumnal+colors+on+pond+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnpXNZgfDVs5jDsX4mmXhUz93aYd5mtXh_0C-QIW6kTABCjUCjfrVq1xHARv39z9fy479BmOHngnIJFEB8VKBTdvUjvZLGRO1Bt0BcYdpSJghP8WxDfHG8zib6NLTQhvrxwoOMNR37mI/s16000/Autumnal+colors+on+pond+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This year, cycling has
become one of my ways to escape from the real world. Just me and my bike on the
road or a muddy trail.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The day after the U.S. 2020
election on the 4</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> of November, I needed an escape. At that point,
I was devasted. Honestly, I was pissed off at America and couldn’t believe the
election results. I had to get out of our flat, </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/daytrip%20from%20London" target="_blank">out of London</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> and away
from the news.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">My escape plan was to
take my bike on the train partway and then ride out in the English countryside.
I was able to book a timeslot to </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.kew.org/wakehurst/visit-wakehurst" target="_blank">Wakehurst</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> – a beautiful botanical
garden consisting of 500 acres set in the heart of </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/West%20Sussex" target="_blank">West Sussex</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">. The
gardens were donated to the National Trust in 1963 and then leased to the Royal
Botanic Gardens, part of </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Kew%20Gardens" target="_blank">Kew Gardens</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">, starting in 1965. With our Kew
membership, I was able to enter the gardens for free.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The weather that day was
perfect with a slight autumnal chill in the air, but bright blue skies. Getting
out of the city and escaping to nature was the exact antidote I needed at the time. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I avoided getting too close to the 16th-century mansion on site because there were too many people gathered around there. Instead, I wandered through the garden paths and into the woodlands.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The gardens were filled
with brilliant shades of red and gold. Maple trees were at their peak. Even
some camellias and rhododendrons were already blooming since we had experienced
a mild autumn.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagx9hoDvOSeSo68by6LZMUS1htI7now7Iemks8MGNDCjnU-aK1eZya_BDxb2JPicrxM0_cPVPiyrFE-Npn_RjmyfXG6jZRuWsZv-jKJwW-WZDzUlgVTqkwxFXqcTKTXkugkmQnbNjK0E/s600/Red+maple+and+16th+century+mansion+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagx9hoDvOSeSo68by6LZMUS1htI7now7Iemks8MGNDCjnU-aK1eZya_BDxb2JPicrxM0_cPVPiyrFE-Npn_RjmyfXG6jZRuWsZv-jKJwW-WZDzUlgVTqkwxFXqcTKTXkugkmQnbNjK0E/s16000/Red+maple+and+16th+century+mansion+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQ9egnRiMqqHDIQQyqjljfHQmhX8GvX33xWcOh8QJOkEoOQPfx2qq4tAyKJDWG8mSmCbLFvZ4XbBmkvaQqpqbeA7OofH2s6cpCMUQ3_bYuXoAR0P0exStpXsHAqDhNyn5lJLgsge9Azw/s600/16th+century+mansion+clock+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQ9egnRiMqqHDIQQyqjljfHQmhX8GvX33xWcOh8QJOkEoOQPfx2qq4tAyKJDWG8mSmCbLFvZ4XbBmkvaQqpqbeA7OofH2s6cpCMUQ3_bYuXoAR0P0exStpXsHAqDhNyn5lJLgsge9Azw/s16000/16th+century+mansion+clock+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqxzYICtS7QwgWOfkFL5csQULTmNao6P3k_0kIBivYb3By86ee6Xr8pLUY2EPYklDzHkXnKLyJ_JDIwdmkYMUy9vxKwwTdj1az388GYpwEY-OoWHza9I42H25mzUaYqu6Qyu1TnLsOv8/s600/Bridge+and+autumn+colors+at+Wakehurst.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqxzYICtS7QwgWOfkFL5csQULTmNao6P3k_0kIBivYb3By86ee6Xr8pLUY2EPYklDzHkXnKLyJ_JDIwdmkYMUy9vxKwwTdj1az388GYpwEY-OoWHza9I42H25mzUaYqu6Qyu1TnLsOv8/s16000/Bridge+and+autumn+colors+at+Wakehurst.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuNXw4dCNrcc2OBgbSSkDasc22Ix6aBgN5KxebOQCG7gC-va1ZUhlW1btPdfbuVXRdNYZk88DeoxfmJXZtV5FPXPa4BmvuF_tnJ8YS6h_FaA1AlOCeLF8GwEtH9yyoAipAfc1-m2B9-U/s16000/Woodland+in+November+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmx-p4ReW8ex5m2UZTrcIT6Rrk3q6sOGp1ToKEwZSrLDkK3-VvmIt3rRH6sL_NM8zk3cqpDz45TADCSjJ22QzQRjayIIt5yfZ6iWUxsTZ7HtA6mb9gE5A2fNhzmCM6ovR9V9GQsfgWeXY/s600/Yellow+and+orange+maple+leaves+at+Wakehurst.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmx-p4ReW8ex5m2UZTrcIT6Rrk3q6sOGp1ToKEwZSrLDkK3-VvmIt3rRH6sL_NM8zk3cqpDz45TADCSjJ22QzQRjayIIt5yfZ6iWUxsTZ7HtA6mb9gE5A2fNhzmCM6ovR9V9GQsfgWeXY/s16000/Yellow+and+orange+maple+leaves+at+Wakehurst.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQk6vuzytOuD-nSQS4TXi00oNakD4-3ocGoeGL5CG5qBq6-uCHa-gGwpFe2ffEHLmO1LPtOhulKi3imwyMrTXjXAwSCk24Wz5o_c54KmGwsWH1PzjiyAO_LWsfNVZgI0r2HDjzZbo3KU/s600/Pink+camelia+blooming+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQk6vuzytOuD-nSQS4TXi00oNakD4-3ocGoeGL5CG5qBq6-uCHa-gGwpFe2ffEHLmO1LPtOhulKi3imwyMrTXjXAwSCk24Wz5o_c54KmGwsWH1PzjiyAO_LWsfNVZgI0r2HDjzZbo3KU/s16000/Pink+camelia+blooming+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7Q16FRNt_aZp1ZSshtjU7PCzBy9b-0RFpqIpt7FhPobJiq0xhIDpUFyGmyXP29NPRJZHJeXD0gFEoZVHXX94o2qLKr0_iWdV-7eNW1oDiXDbfHIKfpVP9NPggcOdSvI6GKBO4PSvu5s/s600/Rhododendrons+blooming+in+November+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7Q16FRNt_aZp1ZSshtjU7PCzBy9b-0RFpqIpt7FhPobJiq0xhIDpUFyGmyXP29NPRJZHJeXD0gFEoZVHXX94o2qLKr0_iWdV-7eNW1oDiXDbfHIKfpVP9NPggcOdSvI6GKBO4PSvu5s/s16000/Rhododendrons+blooming+in+November+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Westwood Valley at Wakehurst</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Westwood Valley is
supposed to represent the landscape of the eastern Himalaya below the
tree-line, with semi-evergreen forests of rhododendrons,
limes, magnolias, maples, alders, oaks, birches and pine trees. The valley has a large pond as well as a wetlands area.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7IlouEgKSFS__6I1BvINN0rd-R7W6GrlAhgTZcZYPhJkXbQzrVtaWjeJPjSsLZv7eWblVXY6W8XzmJ5baOzqNin7TwBTwQp-KbWM25XCGdo7yTS-RdoN3A5_ZGvXN0PrKrsWt2-DGjc/s600/Cattails+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7IlouEgKSFS__6I1BvINN0rd-R7W6GrlAhgTZcZYPhJkXbQzrVtaWjeJPjSsLZv7eWblVXY6W8XzmJ5baOzqNin7TwBTwQp-KbWM25XCGdo7yTS-RdoN3A5_ZGvXN0PrKrsWt2-DGjc/s16000/Cattails+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IBnGuSvmNlhe-D4m52nuwChvGdUyJtRxxdVNuQbk0-Ac8p69fgYIsbfEG9c7UN-qf4BjZmsotO3PSGy1qDcARH4w15s_x26fefyErQ7e9l4cawA_NovlF_Hx1mYYWgw_IeqfkTGr6uo/s600/Cabin+reflection+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IBnGuSvmNlhe-D4m52nuwChvGdUyJtRxxdVNuQbk0-Ac8p69fgYIsbfEG9c7UN-qf4BjZmsotO3PSGy1qDcARH4w15s_x26fefyErQ7e9l4cawA_NovlF_Hx1mYYWgw_IeqfkTGr6uo/s16000/Cabin+reflection+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUX8XZnfvmlvXv8J3DHL7V-2Hd1lh9v_NNo_AoSeiWeN4CQy-wPLsu_jduoVCTw6FkVoJNJ2UawMb8bb2t_o6l9gPp6l4fNq5F5sLmBCuG2c7g9PGTtKH5mpAz2mHVPXe-xVeJ1sPDJA/s600/Bridge+over+the+wetlands+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUX8XZnfvmlvXv8J3DHL7V-2Hd1lh9v_NNo_AoSeiWeN4CQy-wPLsu_jduoVCTw6FkVoJNJ2UawMb8bb2t_o6l9gPp6l4fNq5F5sLmBCuG2c7g9PGTtKH5mpAz2mHVPXe-xVeJ1sPDJA/s16000/Bridge+over+the+wetlands+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnvEoLVFWwXFSSlKn-ULl0mziSflPYKuV3c1DsRLl4X663Ub_U5KgrDi2mAQHcV0UOvKWZR4UZ6w36PcaQRzgrRVLDHLr4If2ZDpUjK_cOMK5_G59HnASrtClEtJIboVfsVmymPYem1c/s600/Autumnal+tree+reflections+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnvEoLVFWwXFSSlKn-ULl0mziSflPYKuV3c1DsRLl4X663Ub_U5KgrDi2mAQHcV0UOvKWZR4UZ6w36PcaQRzgrRVLDHLr4If2ZDpUjK_cOMK5_G59HnASrtClEtJIboVfsVmymPYem1c/s16000/Autumnal+tree+reflections+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x4htNPkBVJbUTzLpuU2OZSeo4P4BUWqj9pxcv2cu-QuHM3yTIhV3PKrJHCW1wf4Wg1XMIyf2_UsEA_i7v3q_zO5_rGl_64GRl3w1U9eesJ3HI41blqdHXM__bWY5SpheCR-zCjdgCEQ/s600/More+autumnal+tree+reflections+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1x4htNPkBVJbUTzLpuU2OZSeo4P4BUWqj9pxcv2cu-QuHM3yTIhV3PKrJHCW1wf4Wg1XMIyf2_UsEA_i7v3q_zO5_rGl_64GRl3w1U9eesJ3HI41blqdHXM__bWY5SpheCR-zCjdgCEQ/s16000/More+autumnal+tree+reflections+at+Wakehurst+UK.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After walking around
nature for two hours by myself, I was able to feel more peaceful. However, I
was able to take my anger out again later when I had to ride up some steep inclines
by an area aptly called Turner Hill.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">So, how are you coping with
this crazy year?</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>
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text-align: center;"><br /></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com1Wakehurst, Selsfield Rd, Haywards Heath RH17 6TN, UK51.067072 -0.088294522.756838163821158 -35.2445445 79.377305836178849 35.0679555tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-21544508033256546682020-11-30T17:11:00.002-05:002020-11-30T17:11:54.384-05:00Day Trip from London: Visiting Darwin’s Home<p><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: times, serif; font-size: 24pt;"><b>Day
Trip from London</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">With the rolling
green hills in the <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Kent" target="_blank">Kent</a></b> countryside, it’s difficult to imagine a more
perfect place for naturalist Charles Darwin to have called home.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqtKHW1Rmm5pMGFgyb_Fw0bIN12xbQ6UvQV51zOeHceppeWxFFTRv1O6cQcHeaRigInGmfLadTKWBJutpF7ani2pTTgEPADFogRShUmG0uz_ei4-GO_OGRkM8OHeFcfRWAfK8nFS5PI8/s600/Rolling+hills+in+autumn+Downe+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqtKHW1Rmm5pMGFgyb_Fw0bIN12xbQ6UvQV51zOeHceppeWxFFTRv1O6cQcHeaRigInGmfLadTKWBJutpF7ani2pTTgEPADFogRShUmG0uz_ei4-GO_OGRkM8OHeFcfRWAfK8nFS5PI8/s16000/Rolling+hills+in+autumn+Downe+UK.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Autumnal colors in the Kent countryside surrounding Darwin's Home and gardens.</span><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">A couple weekends
ago, we cycled out to Darwin’s former home, a Georgian manor 15 miles south of </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/daytrip%20from%20London" target="_blank">London</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">,
for 40 years—from 1842 to 1882. Since it was raining in the morning, we cheated
a bit and took the train to the town of </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Orpington</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> and then cycled the 14km
roundtrip which includes a steep hill leading up to the house.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgoZSjOZfBb1NIyViUbzhKDpgytFn1tNancORJjrYie9LfMbpHqLOA43chg51vR0NzndNmMlS40Jmah6x67uylVWLD08v_cHtBqp3hQWLYqIjwEpNv-fATNiQF7NfjHs4UEPo4RqggGY/s600/Charles+Darwin+portrait+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgoZSjOZfBb1NIyViUbzhKDpgytFn1tNancORJjrYie9LfMbpHqLOA43chg51vR0NzndNmMlS40Jmah6x67uylVWLD08v_cHtBqp3hQWLYqIjwEpNv-fATNiQF7NfjHs4UEPo4RqggGY/s16000/Charles+Darwin+portrait+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Our day out
revolved around using our English Heritage membership to gain entry to </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Charles
Darwin’s Home</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> for free, a stroll around the gardens and a pub lunch in the
nearby village of Downe.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUWqO_gj3DBmn7NPFiC_-EGXQfyU7cZUoeZyhTHKndIjE9P7Qw1pJ-Cnuacy0LdkeGalo02hTzX31WwS81pNKXdj7rwxyuGIPH7xj2RuOKuvX9Lnr-CE3zyKdYAlxQDUUSglna5Hp6e8/s600/Village+sign+for+Downe+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUWqO_gj3DBmn7NPFiC_-EGXQfyU7cZUoeZyhTHKndIjE9P7Qw1pJ-Cnuacy0LdkeGalo02hTzX31WwS81pNKXdj7rwxyuGIPH7xj2RuOKuvX9Lnr-CE3zyKdYAlxQDUUSglna5Hp6e8/s16000/Village+sign+for+Downe+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0G08K0VqOY857V5LOqc8d5D1P0Gpneo5yr-V1hN9cewiQgpzMF6FCu6Vf4u5ROaEP7pGE_hnKeXPnbtHTsuZgaJ1kxHyAjb_aqs94BbM6gbadCTuAMzqD2xpDZcx8g5RXESesAvkMWAk/s600/Cycling+to+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0G08K0VqOY857V5LOqc8d5D1P0Gpneo5yr-V1hN9cewiQgpzMF6FCu6Vf4u5ROaEP7pGE_hnKeXPnbtHTsuZgaJ1kxHyAjb_aqs94BbM6gbadCTuAMzqD2xpDZcx8g5RXESesAvkMWAk/s16000/Cycling+to+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Darwin was a
leading figure in the world of biology and his whose contributions to the
science of evolution transformed the way in which we all look at the natural
world – well, most of us, I suppose. His home, also known as Down House, was
the birthplace of “On the Origin of Species” – which caused quite a stir when
the book was published in 1859. You can even see Darwin’s chair where he sat in
his study while writing his famous book.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Today’s Down House,
owned by the English Heritage, serves as a small museum and homage to the Darwin
family and his prolific career as a biologist and naturalist. Darwin and his
wife, Emma, lived here with their 10 children. The house was a family home as
well as place for Darwin to read, research and explore the natural world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our educational visit
opened up my eyes to how thorough Darwin was in his studies and theories. Plus,
the grounds are lovely to walk around, especially in the autumn.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3cp8BKN5vDPxfApYWVpZrnDNhEZsIrIfpdH8FYAtqwC1DJ0136L5ArsorD09ppqa6DwoVtoznAcvmBNSj56MKzvP3HW41UxQna3xorbn58ujHUn7ujcOeCiH8S6HFxxWepWeW2QHEMs/s600/Exterior+of+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3cp8BKN5vDPxfApYWVpZrnDNhEZsIrIfpdH8FYAtqwC1DJ0136L5ArsorD09ppqa6DwoVtoznAcvmBNSj56MKzvP3HW41UxQna3xorbn58ujHUn7ujcOeCiH8S6HFxxWepWeW2QHEMs/s16000/Exterior+of+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeH1WB1i5__MFNS_o0PBk_6g1kxBIfAzXeSwfw7l4KTN-9gUv2_3rRfIjjyZ4sCMkH-sfIfyxL1vuOcmG2CEhzbybOSqgWGUUC_Ni_vTzEAjVJN1wHNryujjsYDJwcXJDDXwQNHd7p9A/s600/Fruit+trees+at+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeH1WB1i5__MFNS_o0PBk_6g1kxBIfAzXeSwfw7l4KTN-9gUv2_3rRfIjjyZ4sCMkH-sfIfyxL1vuOcmG2CEhzbybOSqgWGUUC_Ni_vTzEAjVJN1wHNryujjsYDJwcXJDDXwQNHd7p9A/s16000/Fruit+trees+at+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrvR4-hC_WmKMryXOFrtg7kpY7RVYc4rLVG4Y0LojaqAZ1uqpC_hV8UyvDiyM680sGeDtxzhf6CWSKGhJ73cnd7ZDqloeT1U0BrnOPCJNopF1ZINLWe5c0JDAXgHCniN4JPbAJhsKquE/s600/Gardens+at+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrvR4-hC_WmKMryXOFrtg7kpY7RVYc4rLVG4Y0LojaqAZ1uqpC_hV8UyvDiyM680sGeDtxzhf6CWSKGhJ73cnd7ZDqloeT1U0BrnOPCJNopF1ZINLWe5c0JDAXgHCniN4JPbAJhsKquE/s16000/Gardens+at+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWdA8qXpDMRWaW6eE9s9BAeXSuRzVLyuHZ41sdebSs730mTDXo2X-GRlYndlm3J8FrsnmpLcIbkeZ1IyI9H_zBCsHJjZpokChdkNMaVAuUT4d_74jRTvsh5K8Q3AM5rG7E828HsXzitA/s600/Mushrooms+at+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWdA8qXpDMRWaW6eE9s9BAeXSuRzVLyuHZ41sdebSs730mTDXo2X-GRlYndlm3J8FrsnmpLcIbkeZ1IyI9H_zBCsHJjZpokChdkNMaVAuUT4d_74jRTvsh5K8Q3AM5rG7E828HsXzitA/s16000/Mushrooms+at+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkHfoid3vHKK4Ks8OemZ82fGkJzNzosUTSRFlZ5IzdwbWmKCHih6xzm0HvfSOJN_qSmim7zZB-dMTci4u_jciXNMBcTdTpHuMbFLCVB1yBvNACWuS-xTvRF6uZcG_J0V8xWUFqVcqpm0/s600/Grazing+sheep+at+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkHfoid3vHKK4Ks8OemZ82fGkJzNzosUTSRFlZ5IzdwbWmKCHih6xzm0HvfSOJN_qSmim7zZB-dMTci4u_jciXNMBcTdTpHuMbFLCVB1yBvNACWuS-xTvRF6uZcG_J0V8xWUFqVcqpm0/s16000/Grazing+sheep+at+Darwins+House+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is just a
short photo post about our day trip from London to Downe and Darwin’s Home.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: times; font-size: large;">Village of Downe, UK</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8YemXtc2UZsJABFmkrAI4JOzHL2g0_kNec7F34ljARnmD84y6-sMPO_VB2v_v2J6bcrSyG5nq33swSpU_WJ7fs_Tkjh8wD3fQRmWNK7eFWhFd8Nusx-P1YJAGaqUpyanN48DKdzb_ZM/s600/Church+and+red+poppies+in+Downe+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8YemXtc2UZsJABFmkrAI4JOzHL2g0_kNec7F34ljARnmD84y6-sMPO_VB2v_v2J6bcrSyG5nq33swSpU_WJ7fs_Tkjh8wD3fQRmWNK7eFWhFd8Nusx-P1YJAGaqUpyanN48DKdzb_ZM/s16000/Church+and+red+poppies+in+Downe+UK.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSF6TLIRaDd4In6TSwXNXihbY_-PlzbIzJu3ULJ2abUVpmKcdLpMxxtUkCbiYz5PMQEOgVROgXIWwmIqxzf_U5pvkFZBbYcisfEyHqObTssOJUXF-aOwMLgv9ZVXn2dgsY-FBI0d6Q1k/s600/Downe+church+with+red+poppies+Remembrance+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSF6TLIRaDd4In6TSwXNXihbY_-PlzbIzJu3ULJ2abUVpmKcdLpMxxtUkCbiYz5PMQEOgVROgXIWwmIqxzf_U5pvkFZBbYcisfEyHqObTssOJUXF-aOwMLgv9ZVXn2dgsY-FBI0d6Q1k/s16000/Downe+church+with+red+poppies+Remembrance+Day.jpg" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v8xezfbRnQSYqFgY28c-AlXQwKu_mBjEqi4MjV9vfrXHXxtZYjcq1EwHmK4EgWP_eXavFIm7cDwdk5PpVc98UIYpjytNtJ68uKuHLOkU77rpXY2MW9smZdB-_PZQvHPmXYEeSYLqMww/s600/The+Queens+Head+Pub+in+Downe+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v8xezfbRnQSYqFgY28c-AlXQwKu_mBjEqi4MjV9vfrXHXxtZYjcq1EwHmK4EgWP_eXavFIm7cDwdk5PpVc98UIYpjytNtJ68uKuHLOkU77rpXY2MW9smZdB-_PZQvHPmXYEeSYLqMww/s16000/The+Queens+Head+Pub+in+Downe+UK.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Queen's Head was one of two pubs in the village of Downe, UK.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0wtqL8DQ5LUO3z2MYqasl1Qa3TmxImS6ooF9ftpISGC4CV9Oaet8-OnxBBTC2svUhfr9yBvse5EMzqBFeSPb8k66CUlKfUchwClqWvp3h5aAER39j-hbR5iuTIwczVpJfL74uQk2UX8/s600/Beer+garden+at+the+Queens+Head+pub+in+Downe+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0wtqL8DQ5LUO3z2MYqasl1Qa3TmxImS6ooF9ftpISGC4CV9Oaet8-OnxBBTC2svUhfr9yBvse5EMzqBFeSPb8k66CUlKfUchwClqWvp3h5aAER39j-hbR5iuTIwczVpJfL74uQk2UX8/s16000/Beer+garden+at+the+Queens+Head+pub+in+Downe+UK.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The pub has a large outdoor beer garden as well as an enclosed tent.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9zXbz_MC1p8ifGFE7IPdjXB2Y5HBqn9HKXDEmjlvFU6KbN2z-p79EZ_eMvoKzjpAQUcRFm1cX6m5_QDby1aphY9nEKa2NOkKPVVFltktJ5Xe_HZFkHW6kgiuwAc2oeTwHzk96b6ig9I/s600/Hearty+pub+lunch+in+Downe+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9zXbz_MC1p8ifGFE7IPdjXB2Y5HBqn9HKXDEmjlvFU6KbN2z-p79EZ_eMvoKzjpAQUcRFm1cX6m5_QDby1aphY9nEKa2NOkKPVVFltktJ5Xe_HZFkHW6kgiuwAc2oeTwHzk96b6ig9I/s16000/Hearty+pub+lunch+in+Downe+UK.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since we were a bit wet from our rainy bike ride, we opted for a hearty lunch, and <br />we tried to sit close to the outdoor heater in the beer garden.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUwJUwDXxReuLQnzqTcxiXURwZkvRi-nkoHt-c-1Eyq2iRm2GMsha_J-HrLvR8r8HIgjsg0zG39BeL7e2vqCGVLl7dXh_jVhrQXG49La9DeFYNxJGkrnAI_6lQ2EAYSa9aUwAwnCu0fY/s600/George+%2526+Dragon+pub+in+Downe+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUwJUwDXxReuLQnzqTcxiXURwZkvRi-nkoHt-c-1Eyq2iRm2GMsha_J-HrLvR8r8HIgjsg0zG39BeL7e2vqCGVLl7dXh_jVhrQXG49La9DeFYNxJGkrnAI_6lQ2EAYSa9aUwAwnCu0fY/s16000/George+%2526+Dragon+pub+in+Downe+UK.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">George & Dragon is the second village pub in Downe with a small beer tent.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE2FXuZanLYjAvlFfEdCLLLYaXVPSVM42wXDbN68vd7wLNimOTf0cnbjCjRj0S_Wn9Ov2SjPne8jbQRn7blftueMHpkdsqoxGKK9ENCFCYgFOhu9xvZ3aNpQQmmxy_WopjY9TutydPR9g/s600/Autumnal+leaves+in+Downe+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE2FXuZanLYjAvlFfEdCLLLYaXVPSVM42wXDbN68vd7wLNimOTf0cnbjCjRj0S_Wn9Ov2SjPne8jbQRn7blftueMHpkdsqoxGKK9ENCFCYgFOhu9xvZ3aNpQQmmxy_WopjY9TutydPR9g/s16000/Autumnal+leaves+in+Downe+UK.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lovely autumnal vines all the stone walls in Downe, UK, <br />and some blue skies after the rain.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0Home of Charles Darwin - Down House, Luxted Rd, Downe, Orpington BR6 7JT, UK51.330357500000012 0.052761823.020123663821167 -35.1034882 79.640591336178858 35.2090118tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-45028194029216435262020-11-25T06:00:00.001-05:002020-11-25T06:00:03.980-05:00Autumnal Scenes from Hampstead Heath<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
is such a vast city, there are many parts that I haven’t explored yet or rarely
visit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But 2020 – because
of Covid-19, being furloughed and then unemployed – has meant that I have a lot
of free time on my hands to explore more of London. One area that I returned to
recently is <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Hampstead%20Heath" target="_blank">Hampstead Heath</a></b>, an amazing 790 acres of ancient parkland
within the capital – only a 15-minute Tube ride from the city center or an hour
bike ride if you live in southwest London like I do.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEb7IpPF9e6Lxq8-tMqraH5YGqrj92a5SA1sJofuYcLb8vpxKLjhbts2t1mHpaoX92KuHiphXXZKii5lM5jXvU8vt-KE8KvIs-zhviObFgB_fKbTJjZXtWUxDjYPE5tXGes-bB_n_Njg/s600/Landscape+view+of+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="View of Hampstead Pergola in London" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEb7IpPF9e6Lxq8-tMqraH5YGqrj92a5SA1sJofuYcLb8vpxKLjhbts2t1mHpaoX92KuHiphXXZKii5lM5jXvU8vt-KE8KvIs-zhviObFgB_fKbTJjZXtWUxDjYPE5tXGes-bB_n_Njg/s16000/Landscape+view+of+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Autumnal view of the Hampstead Pergola in North London.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Hampstead
Pergola and Hill Garden</span></span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">One part of the
Heath that I wanted to explore was the <b>Hampstead Pergola and Hill Garden</b>,
which is located on the far western side of the park. If you cycle here like I
did, there is a pretty steady incline starting on Frognal Road and Lower
Terrace. I guess I didn’t notice the name of Windmill Hill before I approached
the West Heath section.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The <b>Hampstead
Pergola</b> – a fabulous 800-foot-long, wisteria-clad pergola – is Instagram
famous in the spring but looks just as lovely in the autumn. Long tendrils of
wisteria vines reach out as you walk through a tunnel lined with thick wisteria
branches. The pergola and its hill-top gardens make you feel as if you are in
Tuscany rather than London.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2TQMc5TysldJpGevwNYRQMUQvZU4jR_2-UigccDEJTOC8f5PP1-T-sQa456NZB7IlFPnh5Q-hOUH-KwpQBgtTJifnDk6RMBLsJnDQ8nXEEtBwPqRRoBmTvb31LIXF0qvWqSgo_hfFsM/s600/Vine+covered+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2TQMc5TysldJpGevwNYRQMUQvZU4jR_2-UigccDEJTOC8f5PP1-T-sQa456NZB7IlFPnh5Q-hOUH-KwpQBgtTJifnDk6RMBLsJnDQ8nXEEtBwPqRRoBmTvb31LIXF0qvWqSgo_hfFsM/s16000/Vine+covered+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIK8WgE-M7jebr8-nEH0UjDBqg1HguUz0Iga2k33Wvt3yomF8Ez9mQyAbO0J2H76dQPrnfz8bpiQUXobdJSr9G8RRxKwG0omMuZMzDwy1b3nHNfj-uQH6L_3gk6rQ68vDZpXYxmk-zFJg/s600/Vine+covered+walkway+at+Hampstead+Pergola+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIK8WgE-M7jebr8-nEH0UjDBqg1HguUz0Iga2k33Wvt3yomF8Ez9mQyAbO0J2H76dQPrnfz8bpiQUXobdJSr9G8RRxKwG0omMuZMzDwy1b3nHNfj-uQH6L_3gk6rQ68vDZpXYxmk-zFJg/s16000/Vine+covered+walkway+at+Hampstead+Pergola+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZFeWaW6ydCaN5gY9jajCvYjwVB1w52h1ngBq78n66HDP0FeQWNtfSmg4r-T-obiPqX9ZOPz8xKj88TMZ1hkLYQVVQ8raUcwR4rn_sLafkflbRibX9eXYrhtcCjnRgNW4m53yYx70nPs/s600/Spiral+dome+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZFeWaW6ydCaN5gY9jajCvYjwVB1w52h1ngBq78n66HDP0FeQWNtfSmg4r-T-obiPqX9ZOPz8xKj88TMZ1hkLYQVVQ8raUcwR4rn_sLafkflbRibX9eXYrhtcCjnRgNW4m53yYx70nPs/s16000/Spiral+dome+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR04OEpThlaCkKI7RWLAxHPJDjbIJMmCGXmdN9gWGb9WYOOneMhmg-MhdrZXE2AM3scaQNkosKtTcK0RD5qa2VwoYade8Rz4hL_c6V2fiDEWZZRxe2_QZ-67Wt2D6CS-B1a7rm0O4-EsE/s600/Ripe+grapes+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR04OEpThlaCkKI7RWLAxHPJDjbIJMmCGXmdN9gWGb9WYOOneMhmg-MhdrZXE2AM3scaQNkosKtTcK0RD5qa2VwoYade8Rz4hL_c6V2fiDEWZZRxe2_QZ-67Wt2D6CS-B1a7rm0O4-EsE/s16000/Ripe+grapes+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If only there were
vineyards as well! But I did find ripe grapes.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Peek through the
pergola and you’ll see part of the original Neo-Georgian mansion here,
<b>Inverforth House</b> (now privately-owned flats), owned by the Edwardian soap
magnate Lord Lever from 1904-1925.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZlYj0wPjJ6gmWbY_mVqHNrLP_poAXfcpmkS9NypHyEV-ad741ZClSJ0q7dH2BFFfBaz2exLGx7tm5vLCuBrJX6xftvUYb1NYCivIn8wYtcLqirGMFnalDrF165oHJajHK4lf1FvCuhw/s600/View+of+Inverforth+House+from+Hampstead+Pergola+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZlYj0wPjJ6gmWbY_mVqHNrLP_poAXfcpmkS9NypHyEV-ad741ZClSJ0q7dH2BFFfBaz2exLGx7tm5vLCuBrJX6xftvUYb1NYCivIn8wYtcLqirGMFnalDrF165oHJajHK4lf1FvCuhw/s16000/View+of+Inverforth+House+from+Hampstead+Pergola+UK.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is plenty to
photograph in the gardens in autumn – vibrant, crimson berries, autumn-colored
Japanese maple leaves and other golden foliage. In fact, during my afternoon
visit in late October, I often had to wait or step aside to take the photos I
wanted because there were too many people.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDiGgknfnuBjsoGO4u4uwci7uo1pa-RL0cnmVnYZYuX5keGSufW56uMqUHV8Y1NyOyv7emTvYuNkVAVx70B643MvQsepti1RwG_gplntVmMr3AYHCKk5jMpl92DMbRVJeNAiLWgT-sQs/s600/Autumn+colors+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDiGgknfnuBjsoGO4u4uwci7uo1pa-RL0cnmVnYZYuX5keGSufW56uMqUHV8Y1NyOyv7emTvYuNkVAVx70B643MvQsepti1RwG_gplntVmMr3AYHCKk5jMpl92DMbRVJeNAiLWgT-sQs/s16000/Autumn+colors+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDX_Q905Am4E7jD9ds4gpGtQfXY-9BeZm58uIaBxQFy9iF0FbHOylXRd_g7b5QbeyQE56vWVUU1D8PBgq4lPk4cvvIKcvyWIyqdKa-r95U_Cd_HKAgthDdpNv1RD2byeQ__CHiOkKypQ/s600/Pond+view+at+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDX_Q905Am4E7jD9ds4gpGtQfXY-9BeZm58uIaBxQFy9iF0FbHOylXRd_g7b5QbeyQE56vWVUU1D8PBgq4lPk4cvvIKcvyWIyqdKa-r95U_Cd_HKAgthDdpNv1RD2byeQ__CHiOkKypQ/s16000/Pond+view+at+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWtdYF60eFbOEBGrGKv2cOrGweyZHHWq_RRlGFJwZGShxMlK8KF-dkG-PIsGVcl4uYTvjFOHsVqAFlk85k382-vnkjSNTyC-zEzzJ0YZJpMnKDXCYr4_iO71F84aKFd5NGiiKXw0zFbs/s600/Terraces+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWtdYF60eFbOEBGrGKv2cOrGweyZHHWq_RRlGFJwZGShxMlK8KF-dkG-PIsGVcl4uYTvjFOHsVqAFlk85k382-vnkjSNTyC-zEzzJ0YZJpMnKDXCYr4_iO71F84aKFd5NGiiKXw0zFbs/s16000/Terraces+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcpws0_G36c4TfwcGetSc9RNbQsVBWKU9uRy0gypHoSv_ks727SWGbdaE49ESVdOHLHsMKuK-63MWSwEIeP3U1u-9y5iyJhO5ANwcCG0Rq4iWn2r_NCIdk6sD8jlZclqoR_0LfrRhoik/s600/Red+vines+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcpws0_G36c4TfwcGetSc9RNbQsVBWKU9uRy0gypHoSv_ks727SWGbdaE49ESVdOHLHsMKuK-63MWSwEIeP3U1u-9y5iyJhO5ANwcCG0Rq4iWn2r_NCIdk6sD8jlZclqoR_0LfrRhoik/s16000/Red+vines+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">And gorgeous shades of red and pinks in the gardens.</span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicx-40KfOKx9NJTuFU1E0SXZklkuVEWwY3al3Hv5juNKnmU7m1dPLLVfC2zahxjz4DZoxvOSNYzJFkeDYNJBDE9a-SmNjYU-z4GRXrRw-3Iw7GzoQXlUcz0VqECMwLqYbsRu34iUNJhNU/s600/Holly+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicx-40KfOKx9NJTuFU1E0SXZklkuVEWwY3al3Hv5juNKnmU7m1dPLLVfC2zahxjz4DZoxvOSNYzJFkeDYNJBDE9a-SmNjYU-z4GRXrRw-3Iw7GzoQXlUcz0VqECMwLqYbsRu34iUNJhNU/s16000/Holly+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvYBLk5XAsKzYuNVUNrfiY8uPXQ6qJol1B_Dz2XSI__sXibbzqJyMwXKLp1Z9t7yIUE21eQXBPaVVEqGfOumKXcUJCBSdu6Hd_Huv7Bni8s6GoWlL1Akk_3UqXcgyb96L5uBN9QyT3dg/s600/Pink+fushia+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvYBLk5XAsKzYuNVUNrfiY8uPXQ6qJol1B_Dz2XSI__sXibbzqJyMwXKLp1Z9t7yIUE21eQXBPaVVEqGfOumKXcUJCBSdu6Hd_Huv7Bni8s6GoWlL1Akk_3UqXcgyb96L5uBN9QyT3dg/s16000/Pink+fushia+at+Hampstead+Pergola+and+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08BbkOSvTRE01Lq3aEw4eknWZdvKB7DDCS70aHJC6d_ZiNnpAOvAYFImSgKgBH4lItlDX-FuoaTjASmeZgtM-r3qjcCti90OOwqqHjzK61aYo65IhGD4caZnEkC8r80oZt25RTCYwN-o/s600/Scarlet+firethorn+berries+at+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08BbkOSvTRE01Lq3aEw4eknWZdvKB7DDCS70aHJC6d_ZiNnpAOvAYFImSgKgBH4lItlDX-FuoaTjASmeZgtM-r3qjcCti90OOwqqHjzK61aYo65IhGD4caZnEkC8r80oZt25RTCYwN-o/s16000/Scarlet+firethorn+berries+at+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ32FMDicYDVyiU3KYvTA26LjGqtMvgtS7uSOFPo9uZwQQ9F6ygtm1qi_c-DOI2yFFxD0gEr4wph4RQHZK-zXOzcMq9yxcGeWLm0Dv8ZYXWsprOyzxksHNrtz6yS977AzRz6JDP-EdG3k/s600/Sunlight+on+autumn+leaves+Hampstead+London.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ32FMDicYDVyiU3KYvTA26LjGqtMvgtS7uSOFPo9uZwQQ9F6ygtm1qi_c-DOI2yFFxD0gEr4wph4RQHZK-zXOzcMq9yxcGeWLm0Dv8ZYXWsprOyzxksHNrtz6yS977AzRz6JDP-EdG3k/s16000/Sunlight+on+autumn+leaves+Hampstead+London.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzcsgn2oY923fYx3uacFi9SWqKES1rqx5z3-gQxg9woLa7FdGf0uy_-7CQNNuC0HY3Dziq1U4iona1bAo7xLPh8qYOpb1igi5sl4YXOEvM1iAaecqjGdIJuaJetLNS0Ql_yzM1UE86I4/s600/Autumn+Japanese+maple+leaves+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzcsgn2oY923fYx3uacFi9SWqKES1rqx5z3-gQxg9woLa7FdGf0uy_-7CQNNuC0HY3Dziq1U4iona1bAo7xLPh8qYOpb1igi5sl4YXOEvM1iAaecqjGdIJuaJetLNS0Ql_yzM1UE86I4/s16000/Autumn+Japanese+maple+leaves+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This would be the
perfect location for engagement or wedding photos!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kenwood
House and Prospect Hill</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">At the top of
Hampstead Heath is the <b><a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenwood" target="_blank">Kenwood House</a></b>, a 17<sup>th</sup>-century manor
house operated by the English Heritage. Unfortunately, I didn’t go inside the
house because tickets can only be purchased in advance. However, I did enjoy
the viewpoint from here at <b>Prospect Hill</b> looking out over the panoramic skyline of London.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1MZI91rssed8AZXwDc6yOyUC6pHQbBn1PdnCOEn8499uiOunqw64ucA5eAwUT0EHH-5JTGSe3eGWGD1fKxApZ-FaMlZ2lutRcgvYsPo_S_GUMq7VXtcSra_rIZhiIrvkTjNBxOTBvlI/s600/London+skyline+seen+from+Prospect+Hill+Hampstead+Heath.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1MZI91rssed8AZXwDc6yOyUC6pHQbBn1PdnCOEn8499uiOunqw64ucA5eAwUT0EHH-5JTGSe3eGWGD1fKxApZ-FaMlZ2lutRcgvYsPo_S_GUMq7VXtcSra_rIZhiIrvkTjNBxOTBvlI/s16000/London+skyline+seen+from+Prospect+Hill+Hampstead+Heath.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIlsgiq4Z6wFU5wynU-IyaXjBtK4GAhDC89bVNx6IWrHtVJ4-3Gft7kjYezYYOY4zg5cWSObskKprSd_1wO2GFGL_RpvZUjbxxDMxhdSZ_E8qi_J_wEK9Gs5di2dtfUR85ALfg0zM70s/s600/Autumnal+view+of+Athlone+House+Hampstead+Heath+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIlsgiq4Z6wFU5wynU-IyaXjBtK4GAhDC89bVNx6IWrHtVJ4-3Gft7kjYezYYOY4zg5cWSObskKprSd_1wO2GFGL_RpvZUjbxxDMxhdSZ_E8qi_J_wEK9Gs5di2dtfUR85ALfg0zM70s/s16000/Autumnal+view+of+Athlone+House+Hampstead+Heath+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDMp2tOoHXjaw52a6G8c-HEhyphenhyphenDToitQt_J5XKzsLzyv7oVhGlgLmJAW0asiAY_NCOxadiOYh5NqxjgK1P4X3dV1O_BsY4yYOe8hyphenhyphenPs2rYIuopyB5G96wArs4-A18Xi6Z5EdCJ7kho7Aw/s600/Autumn+relaxing+by+tree+in+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDMp2tOoHXjaw52a6G8c-HEhyphenhyphenDToitQt_J5XKzsLzyv7oVhGlgLmJAW0asiAY_NCOxadiOYh5NqxjgK1P4X3dV1O_BsY4yYOe8hyphenhyphenPs2rYIuopyB5G96wArs4-A18Xi6Z5EdCJ7kho7Aw/s16000/Autumn+relaxing+by+tree+in+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+UK.JPG" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you have time,
take a 20-minute stroll through the Heath to enjoy another viewpoint from <b>Parliament
Hill</b>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Highgate
Cemetery</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another site on my
Hampstead bucket list was the <b>Highgate Cemetery</b>, where Karl Marx, English
novelist George Eliot and the Dickens family are all buried. Unfortunately, due
to Covid restrictions, the cemetery, dating back to 1839, was closed so all I
could do was peak through the gates.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngHgYgR-f4tB_jSdS745pmYXm_pK5UtR2k02t_19MWT2VJvwSpJfTHiremDvjspyOP-abS2A0BShqdGu005ZeEsXOuEuoUSKJxEoKmsP3Xx0vsi9sP3NJIBXh91CC3dhzbX67FTA4QuE/s600/Gravestones+at+Highgate+Cemetery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngHgYgR-f4tB_jSdS745pmYXm_pK5UtR2k02t_19MWT2VJvwSpJfTHiremDvjspyOP-abS2A0BShqdGu005ZeEsXOuEuoUSKJxEoKmsP3Xx0vsi9sP3NJIBXh91CC3dhzbX67FTA4QuE/s16000/Gravestones+at+Highgate+Cemetery.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I guess this
historic cemetery will have to wait for another visit.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Highgate area
has a long history…the village of Highgate was established at the top of a
426-foot hill on the edge of the Bishop of London’s estate. The Bishop erected
a tollgate here around 1354, when the name of Highgate name was first recorded.
After 1380, when a new road from the City of London via Holloway was
established, many travellers took the new North Road past the “<b><a href="https://hornseyhistorical.org.uk/brief-history-highgate/" target="_blank">highgate</a></b>.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAJoAvpvSHft-CQvbTEe7VWb18MkFxBWKflJuKr-KZWf_ee2lMD50sfEH635a2n73fFBahgpiGAUZJ1p9Y_WUXbQRb_6hY6tAdjAQXrPmP3mNzK9mVWsEcdNVIuRwSNMjZ7aQb_F_vTQ/s600/Highgate+Cemetery+entrance+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAJoAvpvSHft-CQvbTEe7VWb18MkFxBWKflJuKr-KZWf_ee2lMD50sfEH635a2n73fFBahgpiGAUZJ1p9Y_WUXbQRb_6hY6tAdjAQXrPmP3mNzK9mVWsEcdNVIuRwSNMjZ7aQb_F_vTQ/s16000/Highgate+Cemetery+entrance+London.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ornate entrance for Highgate Cemetery in North London</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwPEYDTRuiwOmMc30JSDkR9p8GPPKjaR04gKUDDJwHWQCNkaKTd7ooP6T1bj5BpLJXAQ0zAdKVQCw_pN3lXcgjUQp6WVAMLXuk-T4dXIvOq5qJccU2Gs0SaYBi8u6iWr2AMN3rzy0TRk/s600/Private+Holly+village+sign+in+Highgate+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwPEYDTRuiwOmMc30JSDkR9p8GPPKjaR04gKUDDJwHWQCNkaKTd7ooP6T1bj5BpLJXAQ0zAdKVQCw_pN3lXcgjUQp6WVAMLXuk-T4dXIvOq5qJccU2Gs0SaYBi8u6iWr2AMN3rzy0TRk/s16000/Private+Holly+village+sign+in+Highgate+London.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another fancy gate for the private community of Holly estate near the Highgate Cemetery.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Waterlow Park</span></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since the cemetery was closed, I popped
in next door to <b>Waterlow Park</b>, a quiet, 12-hectacre park featuring numerous
trees and two duck ponds. During the late 1800s, Sir Sydney Waterlow, Mayor of
London, purchased this land and surrounding grounds and then gifted them be
used as a park to the London County Council in 1889. If you’re up this far
north, you might as well stroll through this tranquil park too.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwbUStgQen9jz18MMpe1SJUUbwKdalzG3UobJ6D8JTc-m0whdeqVN6uCFIxw0UHTcYywJ0p9UX9VyG3pllGA5HEoKmrpHKNJpLKKOwoM77OZ16jv_jCqLTkNKvjEbq3MEUnfwWMT7LZE/s600/Red+maple+at+Waterlow+Park+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwbUStgQen9jz18MMpe1SJUUbwKdalzG3UobJ6D8JTc-m0whdeqVN6uCFIxw0UHTcYywJ0p9UX9VyG3pllGA5HEoKmrpHKNJpLKKOwoM77OZ16jv_jCqLTkNKvjEbq3MEUnfwWMT7LZE/s16000/Red+maple+at+Waterlow+Park+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganpRFwrlPIuridTJ2foAcUw3pMAqUcyp7AMXz5pKLNWnuyEJEuxYgg1RxY2-RXeFcB-O0JJKssw-KH24KF-l0lU76lTr3zAXqUylcMCnPb-i7naDVIoI_IGDz-4DjG8yZUwLmSjC8qJI/s600/View+from+Waterlow+Park+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganpRFwrlPIuridTJ2foAcUw3pMAqUcyp7AMXz5pKLNWnuyEJEuxYgg1RxY2-RXeFcB-O0JJKssw-KH24KF-l0lU76lTr3zAXqUylcMCnPb-i7naDVIoI_IGDz-4DjG8yZUwLmSjC8qJI/s16000/View+from+Waterlow+Park+London.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hopefully, my
photos have convinced you to explore another part of London. I think it’s
always fun to get off the main tourist path and see what else is out there –
even in your own city!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">How
to reach Hampstead Heath</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The closest station
to Hampstead Park is the Overground stations of Hampstead Heath or Gospel
Oak. The Heath also is easily accessible to Hampstead Tube Station on the
Northern Line and you can walk through Hampstead Village on the way
to the Heath.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBp-ktX52v2_vqgKxl61T5OSehDNmw8wQwgdIm3m22FW8gvfHbjURk8zQwCF7YCUkmZto5OL0LcPVmcouhFKGpfEqXku1StqTydQjtbyX2B5HoD19oJs1K8A-ZwAXjBaJLv00Cdv51x4o/s600/Mounted+police+in+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBp-ktX52v2_vqgKxl61T5OSehDNmw8wQwgdIm3m22FW8gvfHbjURk8zQwCF7YCUkmZto5OL0LcPVmcouhFKGpfEqXku1StqTydQjtbyX2B5HoD19oJs1K8A-ZwAXjBaJLv00Cdv51x4o/s16000/Mounted+police+in+Hampstead+Hill+Garden+park.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">You might even see some of London's mounted police officers at Hampstead Heath.<br />Also the trails here can get a bit muddy for cycling.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com1Hampstead Heath, London, UK51.5608294 -0.162941623.250595563821157 -35.3191916 79.871063236178856 34.9933084tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-15761217662704701742020-11-13T03:00:00.003-05:002020-11-16T12:03:05.307-05:00Day Trip from London: Bedgebury Pinetum<h3><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; line-height: 34.24px;">Day Trip from London</span></b></h3><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A few weekends ago
we had a rental car and went looking for autumnal colors in the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/daytrip%20from%20London" target="_blank">Kent </a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/daytrip%20from%20London" target="_blank">countryside</a></b>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our destination
was literally picked after perusing a map and hubby selected a large green area
called the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.highweald.org/" target="_blank">High Weald</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, an Area of Natural Beauty. This expansive, wooded
area covers land within the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex in southeast
England. We narrowed our choice down further and decided to explore the trails
within the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.forestryengland.uk/about-bedgebury-the-national-pinetum" target="_blank">Bedgebury National Pinetum</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If any place was
going to have autumnal colors, it had better be an English forest.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Upon arrival, the
car park was chock-a-block, but once we got away from the main visitor’s center,
we were able to practice better social-distancing away from people.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYWdrKJwe-5DPPOjfGt3_r_IeD3x1LhR9HF48ORYQt4anM02ypzRSGq4MIPlOzc0uLoLm0Ssl17ceDg_Ymj9bsjsjT9rFgIOtp2hW_C3FC_F8HsoSXv57X15XcXCR8OqXDDiy_4fCa2o/s600/Trail+in+pines+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYWdrKJwe-5DPPOjfGt3_r_IeD3x1LhR9HF48ORYQt4anM02ypzRSGq4MIPlOzc0uLoLm0Ssl17ceDg_Ymj9bsjsjT9rFgIOtp2hW_C3FC_F8HsoSXv57X15XcXCR8OqXDDiy_4fCa2o/s16000/Trail+in+pines+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6SA4HijO54PPiDidTVFBo1M-V8D0Z64920u-IYr4gNpcy9l3hZhMzcuFr34Hd1yITc8yoLPocFfVn0MRDgDLhcm0TrBpkJ1jV4b-LkudvfIS6lt9KQYKeh6DzMjFFnR4DPY7CsVyrKk/s600/Pond+reflections+autumn+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6SA4HijO54PPiDidTVFBo1M-V8D0Z64920u-IYr4gNpcy9l3hZhMzcuFr34Hd1yITc8yoLPocFfVn0MRDgDLhcm0TrBpkJ1jV4b-LkudvfIS6lt9KQYKeh6DzMjFFnR4DPY7CsVyrKk/s16000/Pond+reflections+autumn+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNTbyLmhQGUQjJEDEoqlw_oAj8tpbd-F-FQF8e7ugBs2753Q8qdnuyPTp3pbcKk6hTJThyw3bMrHRH0pLOS4Auy7JU6ENQcXLs0lNw2VTpsBk3nUYIwJI7kBelDkxFe2nPIVrcfoNTqU/s600/Red+maples+lining+path+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNTbyLmhQGUQjJEDEoqlw_oAj8tpbd-F-FQF8e7ugBs2753Q8qdnuyPTp3pbcKk6hTJThyw3bMrHRH0pLOS4Auy7JU6ENQcXLs0lNw2VTpsBk3nUYIwJI7kBelDkxFe2nPIVrcfoNTqU/s16000/Red+maples+lining+path+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQ96jMEEj4wAi3jcSS-iP0RZqNW_C-FU_WpnbCPC8sPWKu64UkoYeiIOtHlTzWIHJ02buw8JQQMjoG0_hkjnXCMB1QWrnFeM8KXGYv_sKwbflBsPH9Iefl9ZSPC5wxywJxTRrkX_RhgE/s600/Red+maple+leaves+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQ96jMEEj4wAi3jcSS-iP0RZqNW_C-FU_WpnbCPC8sPWKu64UkoYeiIOtHlTzWIHJ02buw8JQQMjoG0_hkjnXCMB1QWrnFeM8KXGYv_sKwbflBsPH9Iefl9ZSPC5wxywJxTRrkX_RhgE/s16000/Red+maple+leaves+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bedgebury National
Pinetum contains more than 12,000 trees and has several walking and
mountain-biking trails and even a bike rental shop. The pinetum is the name
used to describe an arboretum (tree collection) that consists mainly of
conifers. Bedgebury is a partnership between the Forestry Commission and the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Kew%20Gardens" target="_blank">Royal Botanic Kew Gardens</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, which we’ve visited many times, and is one of a
handful of international botanical gardens that focuses specifically on pine
trees.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The forest provides
a beautiful setting for peaceful walks and a chance to escape the city. But don’t
forget to wear your hiking boots because the trails get awfully muddy. We saw
several dogs wearing mud up to their bellies that were happily running ahead of
their owners on the trails.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltaW1kSYaRqD7qQSDCcxUO2IIRazEDc6S-xlHL2KALtopAu7xAf4F3t0i2vVcFHWLxhWv9EHYSJX_mbF5WJEjo1xD0gxhuAVu0B0PMmZ7DsL1L1VjwnVszY67VZQbgKMnHzdp8SGJlUY/s600/Tree+reflections+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltaW1kSYaRqD7qQSDCcxUO2IIRazEDc6S-xlHL2KALtopAu7xAf4F3t0i2vVcFHWLxhWv9EHYSJX_mbF5WJEjo1xD0gxhuAVu0B0PMmZ7DsL1L1VjwnVszY67VZQbgKMnHzdp8SGJlUY/s16000/Tree+reflections+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIxqqrrI5t3NX6257NpnviofFOmFZ_2tVMK0S8x-htE73EfOugPmXBDA_ACKfqZkxw5tud2DITbsxtzhEtIXq-fQunAL8FiqCoW0i0UXEJvLyWQZ7Dozz9K3PC-hJkq7ao-51hr9bDfo/s600/More+pines+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIxqqrrI5t3NX6257NpnviofFOmFZ_2tVMK0S8x-htE73EfOugPmXBDA_ACKfqZkxw5tud2DITbsxtzhEtIXq-fQunAL8FiqCoW0i0UXEJvLyWQZ7Dozz9K3PC-hJkq7ao-51hr9bDfo/s16000/More+pines+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OK1ydKaciiFiJSzgOBCyIHTCykYGx5rrH3fRoQxBsrdjQ9ebkt1XHnOlQRnNqZVPtR-_Mb7b9ItG4Djdvl0yQM1lWfmEXU2Cae_0wRSbrbDS07pkBmKzMcR2vziovv6lCYKV8dOrpLo/s600/Shoes+in+fallen+leaves+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OK1ydKaciiFiJSzgOBCyIHTCykYGx5rrH3fRoQxBsrdjQ9ebkt1XHnOlQRnNqZVPtR-_Mb7b9ItG4Djdvl0yQM1lWfmEXU2Cae_0wRSbrbDS07pkBmKzMcR2vziovv6lCYKV8dOrpLo/s16000/Shoes+in+fallen+leaves+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEV43d8xPtb9WVB0xDW9kM1Fqbgd6GTWegLM4CZ7vJkT1C1L6riOCPjwCayEyXI1PNLHYaunspofz9sf8XCtpD5UNpEOF3bD-KXwxIu4OrwVi3tK3YQ4E8cNq0QWZ5aq7uOlGl9gC79dc/s600/Thorny+chestnuts+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEV43d8xPtb9WVB0xDW9kM1Fqbgd6GTWegLM4CZ7vJkT1C1L6riOCPjwCayEyXI1PNLHYaunspofz9sf8XCtpD5UNpEOF3bD-KXwxIu4OrwVi3tK3YQ4E8cNq0QWZ5aq7uOlGl9gC79dc/s16000/Thorny+chestnuts+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The pinetum’s
history actually dates back about 400 years when the previous owners, the
Beresford family, planted English Oaks in the local forests. The Beresford
family also was responsible for a large part of the landscaping, including
Marshal’s Lake, and introduced exotic trees such as the Lawson Cypress.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure where these oaks or cypress trees were located as
the map wasn’t that detailed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Still, we had a
pleasant enough day and spent about two hours walking amongst the trees. Of
course, I was busy taking photographs as we went along.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBiWlUPhnadA5k9wvHluEpOeREvQ990iGgfD4JJVIT_MV2A7yLvrroTdusE71I5_05t0eYHIvPbHswsh3qvTyn6szDs_UpYzb_qvdxlrLmFq8Zy9C4STrPtXl5uof-sWJfIxj9SSMZpw/s600/Amanita+muscaria+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBiWlUPhnadA5k9wvHluEpOeREvQ990iGgfD4JJVIT_MV2A7yLvrroTdusE71I5_05t0eYHIvPbHswsh3qvTyn6szDs_UpYzb_qvdxlrLmFq8Zy9C4STrPtXl5uof-sWJfIxj9SSMZpw/s16000/Amanita+muscaria+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg78t-m1ypybcIJ2lufCE0_ylVAIdamyKkZhchI0o1NwJAmtGSjkAqv7pXfBH9AtUr-IpcHmQOogxn7VtHIuWOR20HLsOOz-mBFm86YHZ6dl-tCoGsj9lBV88mzSrFH2aKr91f87P4w18/s600/Autumnal+leaves+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg78t-m1ypybcIJ2lufCE0_ylVAIdamyKkZhchI0o1NwJAmtGSjkAqv7pXfBH9AtUr-IpcHmQOogxn7VtHIuWOR20HLsOOz-mBFm86YHZ6dl-tCoGsj9lBV88mzSrFH2aKr91f87P4w18/s16000/Autumnal+leaves+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_AZI-6IHqHbp3g2VIJnSjpkiN-K8wEAu9Z1R84WWpEJMK9nAjntnk9xuamhAxIWpfR4C1JCUjB_GHxOoYObySh3sSq0vxyRbX3bzmVEj-QsgLLroGBH4WfctedrRibpEhPfaOUfFhYo/s600/Yellow+Hawthorn+berries+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_AZI-6IHqHbp3g2VIJnSjpkiN-K8wEAu9Z1R84WWpEJMK9nAjntnk9xuamhAxIWpfR4C1JCUjB_GHxOoYObySh3sSq0vxyRbX3bzmVEj-QsgLLroGBH4WfctedrRibpEhPfaOUfFhYo/s16000/Yellow+Hawthorn+berries+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAJURHRy1CjfhA5RlrqCA9Pz0yFlhGOTh85u0sG5J8BH5ZfPy2Nyo_5ZlDrpGF8fkrQVwQ9f2rceFTUoZgoAlCHWC1qokdHzGSjzhHvxKGb5i561l6a3p0c3JaZif3YLyqXf-yG7qVz4/s600/More+red+leaves+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAJURHRy1CjfhA5RlrqCA9Pz0yFlhGOTh85u0sG5J8BH5ZfPy2Nyo_5ZlDrpGF8fkrQVwQ9f2rceFTUoZgoAlCHWC1qokdHzGSjzhHvxKGb5i561l6a3p0c3JaZif3YLyqXf-yG7qVz4/s16000/More+red+leaves+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.JPG" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Like most of our
UK walks or long bike rides, we ended up at a pub afterwards. We nearly missed
the sign advertising a local brewery, </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.cellarheadbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Cellar Head Brewing Company</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, just
down the road from the forest. What luck!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjmu1EDsyHKU38F4JYMrNVAxom0TcfnkFsQxFj6KMIEyR24JfppTtN3SyPGcofcCk9QmjuRtReQVCZYqZDuGY5Ah2t20B_SGRVNU7-7sZcFqHmkTJaE53fD5AEfexkoY1q8bG1wKXwBw/s600/Cellar+Head+Brewing+in+Kent+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjmu1EDsyHKU38F4JYMrNVAxom0TcfnkFsQxFj6KMIEyR24JfppTtN3SyPGcofcCk9QmjuRtReQVCZYqZDuGY5Ah2t20B_SGRVNU7-7sZcFqHmkTJaE53fD5AEfexkoY1q8bG1wKXwBw/s16000/Cellar+Head+Brewing+in+Kent+UK.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This family-owned
microbrewery even uses local hops to make their beers. Kent has been growing
hops for hundreds of years and you still see remnants of the hop houses as you
drive around the countryside. It’s thought that the cultivation of hops was
probably first introduced from Flanders (Belguim) to England in the Maidstone
area of Kent at the end of the 15th century but production reached its peak
during the 19th century.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RulrKeWZPeMowR2yVja3anRr5fAXWWtrc23Bve7cR9HCsKN0m-CrrmdyXuVdd9QgHy2zdyvfMm0086LMxbc0b6EAkE2AhKB9qO5T7tf7Ih5ZghlK0ihRS8_GsGPgP_rI3LzedUTcymA/s600/View+of+High+Weald+from+Cellar+Head+Brewing+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RulrKeWZPeMowR2yVja3anRr5fAXWWtrc23Bve7cR9HCsKN0m-CrrmdyXuVdd9QgHy2zdyvfMm0086LMxbc0b6EAkE2AhKB9qO5T7tf7Ih5ZghlK0ihRS8_GsGPgP_rI3LzedUTcymA/s16000/View+of+High+Weald+from+Cellar+Head+Brewing+UK.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">View of the High Weald from the Cellar Head Brewing Company in Kent.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you’re out in
Kent, definitely check out the local pinetum and the brewery.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9QY4_Nta9EPwd8HDxFx989pIKp5FMrDz7wUdSyMMI8nfdDuQrDQFsurxPDWYl9BCAa5DlK7LN7afj4TW4TMOsAMCKOX9DnTwwvaJXzCNbC7aAG9PqaIyBK4j7uyl5asdvmgV5vqM5X0/s600/Tall+pines+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9QY4_Nta9EPwd8HDxFx989pIKp5FMrDz7wUdSyMMI8nfdDuQrDQFsurxPDWYl9BCAa5DlK7LN7afj4TW4TMOsAMCKOX9DnTwwvaJXzCNbC7aAG9PqaIyBK4j7uyl5asdvmgV5vqM5X0/s16000/Tall+pines+at+Bedgebury+Pinetum+UK.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
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Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, Bedgebury Rd, Goudhurst TN17 2SJ, UK51.072543 0.447730622.762309163821158 -34.7085194 79.382776836178849 35.6039806tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-77136820653196767372020-10-30T04:00:00.104-04:002020-10-30T04:00:07.527-04:00The Creepy Catacombs of Paris<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">With </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Halloween" target="_blank">Halloween</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
just around the corner, I am reminded of one of the spookier experiences from
our travels in Europe.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In 2016, we had just
moved to <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b> and some friends wanted to meet in <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Paris" target="_blank">Paris</a></b> for the
weekend. Someone suggested seeing the <b><a href="https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/history" target="_blank">Catacombs of Paris</a></b> as a different
activity to do. Now, this would not normally be my cup of tea as I get freaked
out easily, but we agreed to go as a group.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Catacombs are indeed
creepy. Perhaps even morbid, but also oddly interesting. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVYNBq-ZMxFoy6XQWxjLK-tJVG1OICusJPRbExv3hTG7Z9Pxv5kZkqCbsaF3wYVv9F0P73vdl7YFGGgBCRe0d2LqEjxtzCh_vKXytB9xd6oJowM6Y-bJSJR4ySMP35pdGGUcWFmYmoEw/s600/Skulls+and+bones+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Skulls in the Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVYNBq-ZMxFoy6XQWxjLK-tJVG1OICusJPRbExv3hTG7Z9Pxv5kZkqCbsaF3wYVv9F0P73vdl7YFGGgBCRe0d2LqEjxtzCh_vKXytB9xd6oJowM6Y-bJSJR4ySMP35pdGGUcWFmYmoEw/s16000/Skulls+and+bones+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr05l3g349KLw46Hvp1hjUgyEpH3H2UToi83MEksXVRLlzIn0XHHyOzbdXHEMc-AMzyoqj4eqyjhe89QoD16nYuGfyyKD1tO5QANLqeAEoZLP2nPbwO0v6KI4O3lbPWVkrPGryJx8A7oc/s600/Rows+of+bones+at+the+Catacombs+Paris.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Long row of bones Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr05l3g349KLw46Hvp1hjUgyEpH3H2UToi83MEksXVRLlzIn0XHHyOzbdXHEMc-AMzyoqj4eqyjhe89QoD16nYuGfyyKD1tO5QANLqeAEoZLP2nPbwO0v6KI4O3lbPWVkrPGryJx8A7oc/s16000/Rows+of+bones+at+the+Catacombs+Paris.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Catacombs of Paris
were “created” at the end of the 18th century because, basically, the city had run
out of room to bury its dead in the local cemeteries. In fact, in 1780, after a
bad rainstorm, rotting corpses washed out into the street from the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.paris-promenades.com/en/site_text/III.htm" target="_blank">Les Innocents</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">,
the city’s oldest and largest cemetery. Can you imagine?</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I shudder to think of
anyone who lived even close to this cemetery in the 18<sup>th</sup> century!
The city must have reeked of decomposing bodies!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">So King Louis XVI issued
an order to move the city’s dead. The first evacuations were made in 1785 to
1787 and started with the Les Innocents cemetery. The bones and skeletons were transported
at night to the former Tombe-Issoire quarries under the plain of Montrouge,
which at the time, was located outside the capital. The quarries date back to
the 14<sup>th</sup> century and much of the limestone extracted from here was
used to build Paris before the 18<sup>th</sup> century.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUgbGjjZmrhQdonWP-FFG6lM3dAM9UN55_g3_53dx8F-8Rlbw4djp2A6fVbIGBkyKtEuaHydxoXiaPuyP-HQaPQAYYzFe0MspnW-86PtxNeJSMjFfoOZktub7IV7-6IMOoGo2esZvFjQ/s600/Tunnel+view+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tunnel view Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUgbGjjZmrhQdonWP-FFG6lM3dAM9UN55_g3_53dx8F-8Rlbw4djp2A6fVbIGBkyKtEuaHydxoXiaPuyP-HQaPQAYYzFe0MspnW-86PtxNeJSMjFfoOZktub7IV7-6IMOoGo2esZvFjQ/s16000/Tunnel+view+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnUtqk2gC_QMxTpR4QyrMgeQDPXIbjCS3WhKErXVen3zk0p0k9dyb1tLZ3uvRZ8NKWcdlxuDfu8idPz06nyCFbRwlI_G5fF1UMnJ3oUCyciD-JSa61FVQD6pNGeMeorg0AN-0BomoHF8/s600/Limestone+walls+in+Catacombs+of+Paris.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnUtqk2gC_QMxTpR4QyrMgeQDPXIbjCS3WhKErXVen3zk0p0k9dyb1tLZ3uvRZ8NKWcdlxuDfu8idPz06nyCFbRwlI_G5fF1UMnJ3oUCyciD-JSa61FVQD6pNGeMeorg0AN-0BomoHF8/s16000/Limestone+walls+in+Catacombs+of+Paris.JPG" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUkpo1gbJIO2FVgHW4VcgXPMDFaVw3wGxy7CzPHQdfSYvXXCVOiQK4OlpbtzxVOrMTewjYBgj9zhcB4d6Nc6hTbp2wDq7QRht28z6jDS_RuSmbPIHaeHTJVjG74Cn9odWZOSk_5JPBIc/s600/This+is+the+empire+of+death+sign+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUkpo1gbJIO2FVgHW4VcgXPMDFaVw3wGxy7CzPHQdfSYvXXCVOiQK4OlpbtzxVOrMTewjYBgj9zhcB4d6Nc6hTbp2wDq7QRht28z6jDS_RuSmbPIHaeHTJVjG74Cn9odWZOSk_5JPBIc/s16000/This+is+the+empire+of+death+sign+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">As you pass into the ossuary, you walk under a doorway with the haunting inscription above: <br />“</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Arrête, c'est ici l'empire de la mort</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">!” (Stop! This is the empire of death!)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did you know there are at
least 320km/200 miles of tunnels from the old quarries under the City of Light?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And only a small portion,
covering 1.5 km/about 1 mile, of the Catacombs is officially open to the
public.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61oL0JHQ5KmR03_3fC9G9GMsjcS7ISWLSTfjjEv9-lsWcwzQeqTiJ1_9ZcktSzAkCSVN6zIil4GgSCmyvjQu7khiVr9DWk2A6bqQPsDpa9TxMlP0P9Cd6vKpblBz4uU3J992d2s1Y_q8/s600/Map+of+the+Paris+Catacombs.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Map of the Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61oL0JHQ5KmR03_3fC9G9GMsjcS7ISWLSTfjjEv9-lsWcwzQeqTiJ1_9ZcktSzAkCSVN6zIil4GgSCmyvjQu7khiVr9DWk2A6bqQPsDpa9TxMlP0P9Cd6vKpblBz4uU3J992d2s1Y_q8/s16000/Map+of+the+Paris+Catacombs.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg974BTrLUXweLaFFQjyvT5Anm5o5RmzzNnSrpy5SO2E3GLI6U_CoM_VdQSBWE2Fj2nW-ahLCEdbMnTFXurxV5kPN3rOejQ5Y9LxB2R5lB4-BObAUQ3FNM2CGIjRAi3D8SppHXWsgN9Kgs/s600/History+plaque+in+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="History plaque in Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg974BTrLUXweLaFFQjyvT5Anm5o5RmzzNnSrpy5SO2E3GLI6U_CoM_VdQSBWE2Fj2nW-ahLCEdbMnTFXurxV5kPN3rOejQ5Y9LxB2R5lB4-BObAUQ3FNM2CGIjRAi3D8SppHXWsgN9Kgs/s16000/History+plaque+in+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Between the late 18</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and mid-19</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> centuries, the
bones of more than 6 million Parisians were transferred to the Catacombs. In April
1786, the site was consecrated as the “Paris Municipal Ossuary” – an ossuary is
a place where human skeletons are stored. But the name “</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Les Catacombes de
Paris</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was introduced in reference to the Roman catacombs, and the name stuck.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In 1809, the Catacombs
were opened to the public by appointment and became a tourist attraction. At
first, the bones had just been dumped haphazardly into the old tunnels, but eventually,
the city’s inspector was charged with organizing the bones.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Today, you’ll find the
walls of the Catacombs lined with tibias and femurs punctuated with old skulls.
This sight is enough to make anyone feel a bit creeped out. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiS28h0i9hYgwwo5YMLp-QwADgPg9d6sW4NKmjQfebueIKIj9IDWPB7D9iRTcRu64WiczR3sqYw3nDsFqQLddTdKwrsdDbE-a8RsMWsL1loFa7Id-wzLq7qTTSjbHPfvpsqq8w3cmDVkw/s600/Bones+deposited+1787+Catacombs+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bones deposited 1787 Catacombs Paris" border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiS28h0i9hYgwwo5YMLp-QwADgPg9d6sW4NKmjQfebueIKIj9IDWPB7D9iRTcRu64WiczR3sqYw3nDsFqQLddTdKwrsdDbE-a8RsMWsL1loFa7Id-wzLq7qTTSjbHPfvpsqq8w3cmDVkw/s16000/Bones+deposited+1787+Catacombs+Paris.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzo9euKxF_WwOzX43UFIcjsMcLBgB6S2mD-ymIGHHHbl9cqp-nIlpK40nJF00vPG9TSzbnk3dMtVL67oYUlOq4dFAWClLJeStmIZpfikQDYxMmJKbR5GiujBG3SFL2WRavaTS65yEr2E/s600/Line+of+skulls+1804+Catacombs+of+Paris.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Line of skulls 1804 Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzo9euKxF_WwOzX43UFIcjsMcLBgB6S2mD-ymIGHHHbl9cqp-nIlpK40nJF00vPG9TSzbnk3dMtVL67oYUlOq4dFAWClLJeStmIZpfikQDYxMmJKbR5GiujBG3SFL2WRavaTS65yEr2E/s16000/Line+of+skulls+1804+Catacombs+of+Paris.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispOkiExbpqqbvjMfRMrYZYCXA2Bol8-GEy7_oevjZR5qtDI1Sfe6ssQMEBBOFpwf0AnkTRc1YfH2Rk5Vsx7jU0Ea1TiOnSE1qLaUXXxwYOtngReHbbcDL99ORLN433irsnH3rqKpGch8/s600/Bones+deposited+1859+Catacombs+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bones deposited 1859 Catacombs Paris" border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispOkiExbpqqbvjMfRMrYZYCXA2Bol8-GEy7_oevjZR5qtDI1Sfe6ssQMEBBOFpwf0AnkTRc1YfH2Rk5Vsx7jU0Ea1TiOnSE1qLaUXXxwYOtngReHbbcDL99ORLN433irsnH3rqKpGch8/s16000/Bones+deposited+1859+Catacombs+Paris.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeno_aR7N9gJQpu3vQHdEB0rJ4uK6IKbzPQPSGjMz58bvjdTJjfd5iQm2jDhyphenhyphenfF3T9b4-A8E1L2lu_O3DetoyCKh1xMq51V1BZ25XfX0unHiPdCx13WHpUuzsnjl0GxJ8bHrLBug8eAo/s600/Old+tombstone+in+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeno_aR7N9gJQpu3vQHdEB0rJ4uK6IKbzPQPSGjMz58bvjdTJjfd5iQm2jDhyphenhyphenfF3T9b4-A8E1L2lu_O3DetoyCKh1xMq51V1BZ25XfX0unHiPdCx13WHpUuzsnjl0GxJ8bHrLBug8eAo/s16000/Old+tombstone+in+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuCoUiAHsuXI9icUn05ORgpOVfj93l49ZncOHKx8oXQ_cAL8V8MbqYXaW9r1GECaQW3UCTqA3TZq5LBOt6WQjNdvCIKhwQ2vZTy8e8cOciPfGxZy_GAHjbhZUl_YVyt6xlMbW5Gbsfvs/s600/More+skulls+and+bones+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="More skulls and bones in Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuCoUiAHsuXI9icUn05ORgpOVfj93l49ZncOHKx8oXQ_cAL8V8MbqYXaW9r1GECaQW3UCTqA3TZq5LBOt6WQjNdvCIKhwQ2vZTy8e8cOciPfGxZy_GAHjbhZUl_YVyt6xlMbW5Gbsfvs/s16000/More+skulls+and+bones+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every now and then, you’ll
see a blank niche in the aging wall, and you have to wonder if someone didn’t
take a “souvenir” from the Catacombs.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Have you been to the Catacombs
of Paris? Or would you go?</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61onwkStN-6ioo57H3-sK4hf3jGPMNoB7FtnMuWYO0YKX7SDqogkXTO6iHTOgIuqwyM05OqZRj1B01Nurflp0C-pif7mSy-zq2tERwLSfyqa9LaZEmaq34RTnwLaKMm3HbIykl_eccno/s600/Huge+display+of+bones+in+Catacombs+of+Paris.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Huge display of bones in Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61onwkStN-6ioo57H3-sK4hf3jGPMNoB7FtnMuWYO0YKX7SDqogkXTO6iHTOgIuqwyM05OqZRj1B01Nurflp0C-pif7mSy-zq2tERwLSfyqa9LaZEmaq34RTnwLaKMm3HbIykl_eccno/s16000/Huge+display+of+bones+in+Catacombs+of+Paris.JPG" /></a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguy6IU2RmU2t0vGy99ejubaNGkdgUN2pfaCSHVvVKLmQeTYbJ6R1sWc0T8-EdNyrb6_0NP5qzbhXvRp5pT99wE8XM4u-f4qrCMb6zpyR3VpbtNjac8TsJ6fjE6xiJmIp6aq08zbg5a4jU/s600/Layers+of+skulls+and+bones+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Layers of skulls and bones Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguy6IU2RmU2t0vGy99ejubaNGkdgUN2pfaCSHVvVKLmQeTYbJ6R1sWc0T8-EdNyrb6_0NP5qzbhXvRp5pT99wE8XM4u-f4qrCMb6zpyR3VpbtNjac8TsJ6fjE6xiJmIp6aq08zbg5a4jU/s16000/Layers+of+skulls+and+bones+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" /></a></i></div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></i>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OK92aQYj_noBEf4x1XGXHIRvNFjHv-jbgSwva8nfqljxzphyphenhyphenKk80YFQNo-uIxEWMefEOqcVojl3EGejS3KeVAVNiVHzMKv3GgM_p2BmzHYUTVA57_ZQER-sZbcTIbkSjEInWmZd3CH0/s600/Creepy+skulls+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Creepy skulls Catacombs of Paris" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="419" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OK92aQYj_noBEf4x1XGXHIRvNFjHv-jbgSwva8nfqljxzphyphenhyphenKk80YFQNo-uIxEWMefEOqcVojl3EGejS3KeVAVNiVHzMKv3GgM_p2BmzHYUTVA57_ZQER-sZbcTIbkSjEInWmZd3CH0/w447-h640/Creepy+skulls+Catacombs+of+Paris.jpg" width="447" /></a></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0Paris, France48.856614 2.352221920.546380163821155 -32.8040281 77.166847836178846 37.5084719tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-48090691167071896842020-09-30T12:00:00.002-04:002020-09-30T12:00:04.059-04:00A Sunny Weekend in Malága Spain<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: medium;">A Mini Travel
Guide for 2-3 days in Malága</span></b></span></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sunny weekends in </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Spain" target="_blank">Spain</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sigh, I miss
hopping on a plane from </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and whisking off to Europe for a weekend.
It used to be so easy, but that was 2019. Nearly all of our travel plans for 2020
were cancelled or put on hold because of the international pandemic that is
Covid-19.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">So, I’ve been
using some of my furloughed/lockdown time to organize and edit photos from previous
trips. In mid-May 2019, we went to </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Malága</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> for my birthday weekend. This part
of southern Spain, known as the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Costa del Sol</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, has more than 320 sunny
days each year, according to </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.thelocal.es/20160816/its-official-costa-del-sol-is-sunniest-spot-in-spain" target="_blank">The Local Spain</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and confirmed by the national
meteorological agency. It’s no wonder that this area sees so many British tourists
as well as people from France, Germany and Italy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">And we were
desperately seeking sunshine.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRgK3gMJvQPnTeiDrXRWpp0k5JHvDW3JXIo37aQtDSSNGmnSQJhfIFGGDgIjKSIJmJXWfgtrKGPbNjo06SrpO6uR9XGR-QxOjb6q1_-Ld89XIU7lhVaUyqYho-StkaulAU86TCtYHXoo/s600/View+of+Malaga+from+Alcazaba.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Malaga, Spain" border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRgK3gMJvQPnTeiDrXRWpp0k5JHvDW3JXIo37aQtDSSNGmnSQJhfIFGGDgIjKSIJmJXWfgtrKGPbNjo06SrpO6uR9XGR-QxOjb6q1_-Ld89XIU7lhVaUyqYho-StkaulAU86TCtYHXoo/s16000/View+of+Malaga+from+Alcazaba.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Malága, Spain, and its port area, as seen from the Alcazaba fortress.</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you’re looking
for a budget-friendly, weekend-get-away from the dreary UK weather, then Malága
is a splendid option!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">One Night
is Enough in Benalmádena<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">After picking up
our rental car, we drove a short 15km to our hotel, the <b><a href="https://www.sunsetbeachclub.com/four-star-hotel-facilities/hotel-homepage " target="_blank">Sunset Beach Club</a></b>
in <b>Benalmádena</b>. It’s a very family-friendly hotel typical of British
package holiday-goers. Not our usual cup of tea, but the hotel’s pool was
wonderful and the view from our room wasn’t too shabby either. Suitable for one
or two nights.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGpygs-ZZKN7_YUerqSA20j_h6j1FB9jDglSIpWvfvXhZu3gTvkBnhbbby8YeTGQavNmj9j76WCAmdZXDf6iCyYFyoGWZhOfGLihM6SxEC8__tROUNOoftEQHHQ0qMRiMEH2YAOte5vw/s600/Pool+view+from+Sunset+Beach+Club+Benalmadena+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sea and pool view from the Sunset Beach Club in Benalmádena, Spain." border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGpygs-ZZKN7_YUerqSA20j_h6j1FB9jDglSIpWvfvXhZu3gTvkBnhbbby8YeTGQavNmj9j76WCAmdZXDf6iCyYFyoGWZhOfGLihM6SxEC8__tROUNOoftEQHHQ0qMRiMEH2YAOte5vw/s16000/Pool+view+from+Sunset+Beach+Club+Benalmadena+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not surprisingly,
given its location and climate, Benalmádena is one of the most popular holiday
resorts on the Costa del Sol of Spain. This area has a subtropical
Mediterranean climate, with summer temperatures an average of 30 ºC and a mild 17
ºC in winter. If you’re seeking solitude, this is NOT the place for you, but in
mid-May, the beaches weren’t too busy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">A Spanish
Birthday Lunch<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">After soaking up
some sunshine, we went looking for lunch nearby and found a cute seaside place
called <b><a href="http://www.lacalabenalmadena.com/" target="_blank">Restaurante La Cala</a>. </b>After seeing the grill master tend to his <i>espeto</i>
outside, we had to order these grilled sardines. <i>Espeto</i> is a traditional
dish of Malága – the sardines are skewered and roasted over a barbecue pit. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvMmBaKGeMSz9h99Gmn03o2x9YvpMXN3Fl8eOjs1zQmN4N6525VwgDgEvvRZautxMqaOBWAzhxiG0dVtYW9Yon02Yzv8zt3S9SmXedO5u9K9i2IEVkhGayCTg1ZIHpNnBwB4iCg0IImw/s600/Grilling+espeto+in+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvMmBaKGeMSz9h99Gmn03o2x9YvpMXN3Fl8eOjs1zQmN4N6525VwgDgEvvRZautxMqaOBWAzhxiG0dVtYW9Yon02Yzv8zt3S9SmXedO5u9K9i2IEVkhGayCTg1ZIHpNnBwB4iCg0IImw/s16000/Grilling+espeto+in+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsb_8BAgIIj77l4ceLGtUpqIG54ei6DQKMsIUD0jK72C-3Ni4HUMCvMkOPAwMYEzyn79Qr9CD-5S5VKUNF5zQ3xYrAkfV9QjAxGJDoZn1N64xH5zhvbnAfv4Lrkva24KZMx0knlVafC4/s600/Spanish+espeto+in+Benalmadena.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsb_8BAgIIj77l4ceLGtUpqIG54ei6DQKMsIUD0jK72C-3Ni4HUMCvMkOPAwMYEzyn79Qr9CD-5S5VKUNF5zQ3xYrAkfV9QjAxGJDoZn1N64xH5zhvbnAfv4Lrkva24KZMx0knlVafC4/s16000/Spanish+espeto+in+Benalmadena.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30V5ZT1QL5e9ipM6mfmkb4K-18cShS9Z4teGk0IWYGgYeWKewZU8DjwZ8KQd_ZauItxmAxGDCijZCBPXVs_7tXxKjt-zQUn6ptfCXbqHeY6TNlqEP1V6YxFAHM5KwYv9utnM1ZLtiO4s/s600/Salads+at+Restaurante+La+Cala+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30V5ZT1QL5e9ipM6mfmkb4K-18cShS9Z4teGk0IWYGgYeWKewZU8DjwZ8KQd_ZauItxmAxGDCijZCBPXVs_7tXxKjt-zQUn6ptfCXbqHeY6TNlqEP1V6YxFAHM5KwYv9utnM1ZLtiO4s/s16000/Salads+at+Restaurante+La+Cala+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd-R94ZB3sPLpWJ9BfGXFtCqLDsdcN6DCoTg4VAJ1Ur9C9t7Y7U-yFtLBCq2BRaE6dvPrSduT2GD92gVU7IQx7cGCcW7EUrxr-JQdJpAVJ3TK27jq-4nfIZWX6YHu32hfv03G088WROg/s600/Birthday+lunch+at+Restaurante+La+Cala+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd-R94ZB3sPLpWJ9BfGXFtCqLDsdcN6DCoTg4VAJ1Ur9C9t7Y7U-yFtLBCq2BRaE6dvPrSduT2GD92gVU7IQx7cGCcW7EUrxr-JQdJpAVJ3TK27jq-4nfIZWX6YHu32hfv03G088WROg/s16000/Birthday+lunch+at+Restaurante+La+Cala+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We ended up over-ordering
for two of us – a fresh tomato salad, roasted peppers, grilled calamari, grilled
octopus and, of course, the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">espeto</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. Add in a bottle of chilled, white Spanish
wine and a healthy dose of sunshine and I had a superb birthday lunch. The
portions were generous, and the prices were reasonable – especially for a
touristy area.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Seafood
Dinner for Two<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">After a long nap (we
had a 6:30 a.m. flight, so it was justified), we set out for a nighttime stroll
in Benalmádena. We passed a few beaches as well as the intriguing <b>Castillo
De Bil-Bil</b>, a former country villa built in 1927. The Moorish-style villa
is usually used for exhibitions, concerts and civil weddings – hosting the most
civil weddings in the entire province of Málaga.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyajmwdBKPMSEwXVCPuy_ssELpeSCaGBKGSYNgT-wgp8jHA3BfdmtskqblUl0RUPrUtx1vXjVqJxF8Sl9fP9mNjfqTZttMLGJixOyCHyChp9twJGM14jJc71SuwqAT6STPKj6aVc4Nvfw/s600/Castillo+de+Bil+Bil+in+Benalmadena+Spain+at+night.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyajmwdBKPMSEwXVCPuy_ssELpeSCaGBKGSYNgT-wgp8jHA3BfdmtskqblUl0RUPrUtx1vXjVqJxF8Sl9fP9mNjfqTZttMLGJixOyCHyChp9twJGM14jJc71SuwqAT6STPKj6aVc4Nvfw/s16000/Castillo+de+Bil+Bil+in+Benalmadena+Spain+at+night.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyM_QzUiWp3WXbFFl6PU9ErvWzhrzj8szPuxb4eQ7mi5sGJgIkC7lybzRX_QoI_6TzLDahrXWU02AEnySC_0MRl9CQ_k5fclERehJVJLWYzNgd0KR-u39L04xKjCQvEuJODLyevQ3cok/s600/Beach+at+dusk+in+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyM_QzUiWp3WXbFFl6PU9ErvWzhrzj8szPuxb4eQ7mi5sGJgIkC7lybzRX_QoI_6TzLDahrXWU02AEnySC_0MRl9CQ_k5fclERehJVJLWYzNgd0KR-u39L04xKjCQvEuJODLyevQ3cok/s16000/Beach+at+dusk+in+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Along the
boardwalk (<i>Paseo Maritimo</i>), you’ll find several fish restaurants as well
as British-themed bars that cater to the tourists. Some of the places seemed a
bit tacky, but we finally settled on <b>Restaurante Santa Ana</b>. Although <i>paella</i>
is a specialty of Valencia, it’s a dish we don’t often eat in London, so we
ordered the seafood paella. It was HUGE!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxsTYwAyCLAJYxR0x92lFAmrWmeIUl5ykt6P819OvPpX7w6HoINE7qhCSstodZtQFUsJoc_lBy2Sy0FAfjqtOUgmg8kVpoJK_d6jHCR_6LlhVqg8Vq9fIvbQk6aP08qQKXTE6tVib8Vo/s600/Spanish+paella+at+Restaurante+Santa+Ana+Benalmadena.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxsTYwAyCLAJYxR0x92lFAmrWmeIUl5ykt6P819OvPpX7w6HoINE7qhCSstodZtQFUsJoc_lBy2Sy0FAfjqtOUgmg8kVpoJK_d6jHCR_6LlhVqg8Vq9fIvbQk6aP08qQKXTE6tVib8Vo/s16000/Spanish+paella+at+Restaurante+Santa+Ana+Benalmadena.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dinner was very
reasonable – <i>paella</i>, wine and melon <i>con jamon</i> for dessert totaled
just 44 euros.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Exploring
Malága’s History<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Sunday, we
moved on to Malága – a city with a multi-layered past – entwined with the Phoenicians,
Romans, Moors and Spanish Catholics. I fell in love with the view from our
hotel’s rooftop bar and swimming pool, which I don’t have a photo of
unfortunately. We stayed one night at <b>NH Málaga Hotel</b>, a Spanish chain
hotel that is comparable to a Hilton.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiStmdqk2lcsjX0MoZkhdi60BYZFCO93JkaGMFsQIarfhs4Skh-RQd3gEctA29VG4LURdMsz8uvEiYyuORoZV06V1QqQDKRBrhlH0rHkNSUVLKBHdjM_z6Kj8h7c96-rzDfeELDXXLFEM/s600/Other+side+of+Iglesia+de+Santo+Domingo+de+Guzman+Malaga.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiStmdqk2lcsjX0MoZkhdi60BYZFCO93JkaGMFsQIarfhs4Skh-RQd3gEctA29VG4LURdMsz8uvEiYyuORoZV06V1QqQDKRBrhlH0rHkNSUVLKBHdjM_z6Kj8h7c96-rzDfeELDXXLFEM/s16000/Other+side+of+Iglesia+de+Santo+Domingo+de+Guzman+Malaga.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWy0A2OjJs-2EW3G2aTIBmf6OFUdsozrYO2Bfy565hz4O2mUsXzhelTq3jOKiPzKVU23Y9n3FKxRzyznODDQv513sOZciAGOXNR3qa10_X-4VZgBsJjBtW0iz0TDWBHxbDx8bIPQFYdg/s600/View+of+Iglesia+de+Santo+Domingo+De+Guzman+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWy0A2OjJs-2EW3G2aTIBmf6OFUdsozrYO2Bfy565hz4O2mUsXzhelTq3jOKiPzKVU23Y9n3FKxRzyznODDQv513sOZciAGOXNR3qa10_X-4VZgBsJjBtW0iz0TDWBHxbDx8bIPQFYdg/s16000/View+of+Iglesia+de+Santo+Domingo+De+Guzman+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wandering into the
city center of Malága, we found an electic mix of architectural styles – many of
the buildings were built in the 19<sup>th</sup> and early 20<sup>th</sup>
centuries. I loved the Art Deco facades and the small balconies stretching out
over narrow, paved laneways.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLI613sE66jBtxjBWC8rGM277w-zkVrXRkcTJGX6VeMRXZXW72cA2SZA_-Cb67q8jYISMyfDWUyZFYgTnrFF1QdRsau7HfKpMzRrqsyxgGlJ6B4Usd6Pn8FrenbjD9EEPsno-VPKAg_U/s600/Balconies+on+buildings+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLI613sE66jBtxjBWC8rGM277w-zkVrXRkcTJGX6VeMRXZXW72cA2SZA_-Cb67q8jYISMyfDWUyZFYgTnrFF1QdRsau7HfKpMzRrqsyxgGlJ6B4Usd6Pn8FrenbjD9EEPsno-VPKAg_U/s16000/Balconies+on+buildings+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WH_fvNVsU6cOZ_ApK834p0M76nxPU0B3bxwxw6T69ZHoQtbG9JBbwVjNxDlLHSrGP6tfpAw-RLgCiYn_XK1ZTq73qOXVou2SW8yENBpAtGXAUWNCzcFqjyUk-PnJxkoRO6jx5oPSCr8/s600/Plaza+de+la+Constitucion+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WH_fvNVsU6cOZ_ApK834p0M76nxPU0B3bxwxw6T69ZHoQtbG9JBbwVjNxDlLHSrGP6tfpAw-RLgCiYn_XK1ZTq73qOXVou2SW8yENBpAtGXAUWNCzcFqjyUk-PnJxkoRO6jx5oPSCr8/s16000/Plaza+de+la+Constitucion+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysy7Dpu5C2Cm0Tq-gt2Sl-uLY5wirBBwm6CysKBXXHClKkQQMSPfJFmvg_NObM7lcPPRVO4BcWotxkIHz80974tbB3I4qILcByXK1B3-7LKdIY1rwtg3UGpFIwlWjr7xs6W5Xvq0bJng/s600/16th+century+Iglesia+de+San+Juan+Bautista+in+Malaga.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysy7Dpu5C2Cm0Tq-gt2Sl-uLY5wirBBwm6CysKBXXHClKkQQMSPfJFmvg_NObM7lcPPRVO4BcWotxkIHz80974tbB3I4qILcByXK1B3-7LKdIY1rwtg3UGpFIwlWjr7xs6W5Xvq0bJng/s16000/16th+century+Iglesia+de+San+Juan+Bautista+in+Malaga.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQ1Rlp53uOTOr7xr40XCOV0KOVdGnYNjnyzVkYIrK7XAPhf6Y6smhsoMmc2btY1ZkyvnDQUF1yUw8hUuTkSzze2MuQVIIAMlAa1zimq_jThsjbq7NaioH64797369XQ_WUXw1HbkBRKM/s600/19th+century+building+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQ1Rlp53uOTOr7xr40XCOV0KOVdGnYNjnyzVkYIrK7XAPhf6Y6smhsoMmc2btY1ZkyvnDQUF1yUw8hUuTkSzze2MuQVIIAMlAa1zimq_jThsjbq7NaioH64797369XQ_WUXw1HbkBRKM/s16000/19th+century+building+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWDFxOAZaAXj3RiWRXCtJekczOqfBMdnuwvHJC0chdWUbm5pLXG8NmisNRVkrY9pDWeM6diWyAHeR0R0kNa1yQCG6gMGP_x-zol-kp75mQi_wduoM5wr7e8L6kZKnbvunVPQ6u3dOOIc/s600/Architecture+and+windows+Malaga+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWDFxOAZaAXj3RiWRXCtJekczOqfBMdnuwvHJC0chdWUbm5pLXG8NmisNRVkrY9pDWeM6diWyAHeR0R0kNa1yQCG6gMGP_x-zol-kp75mQi_wduoM5wr7e8L6kZKnbvunVPQ6u3dOOIc/s16000/Architecture+and+windows+Malaga+Spain.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of my favorite
buildings was the ornate </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Palacio Episcopal de Malága</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> situated in the
Plaza de Obispo. Parts of the building’s complex date to the 16</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
and 18</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> centuries. The complex houses the seat of the Archbishop of
Malága, government offices and art exhibitions.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6Fkf-KhqAUjfDSVDbSjLvJJOZYaVozLXs0UTaYl97XESo00bpxDZ7D68d1DX-GkT1pSGHoQNtjlQp60v507qHfG-LPeTFHeRRRJzcQjjyp5ujm4oK5Fej5BI72QpKOK2iVpvX1libFY/s600/Palacio+Episcopal+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6Fkf-KhqAUjfDSVDbSjLvJJOZYaVozLXs0UTaYl97XESo00bpxDZ7D68d1DX-GkT1pSGHoQNtjlQp60v507qHfG-LPeTFHeRRRJzcQjjyp5ujm4oK5Fej5BI72QpKOK2iVpvX1libFY/s16000/Palacio+Episcopal+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Must-see:
Teatro Romano <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Literally in the
city center is the <i>Teatro Romano</i> (Roman Theater) dating to the 1<sup>st</sup>
century and built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Surprisingly,
the theater was only re-discovered in the 1950s and was excavated. I’d highly
recommend going inside the <i>Alcazaba</i> next door, so you look down into the
ancient theater. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05ebXE9oXpVO33wHHhb0pNvBtDqfikdCTnqMlXDYyyrlVaZBTbaEPV-O8_fuWfdBCn3uhkI5iPGNNvWNPiIrtUgKKEaWXpqD9gI6ExshiXGpZHNO-cN_1z4I2FZxGqTa0JRSm717YEh8/s600/Teatro+Romano+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05ebXE9oXpVO33wHHhb0pNvBtDqfikdCTnqMlXDYyyrlVaZBTbaEPV-O8_fuWfdBCn3uhkI5iPGNNvWNPiIrtUgKKEaWXpqD9gI6ExshiXGpZHNO-cN_1z4I2FZxGqTa0JRSm717YEh8/s16000/Teatro+Romano+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2k0kXNxtB3zAQ5dcZMHAXsjeKd7zSwjVb_ESIGFn1BN8k5Bfw1CKqX-7Znz36Y4bFZ-tRv1QB0gbnkTxlRRH-URSHeQg45qYqPHSKBiqfq53G5FkRZUmKBCamIFR1en3vgP5QOWhZAU/s600/Teatro+Romano+spring+view+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2k0kXNxtB3zAQ5dcZMHAXsjeKd7zSwjVb_ESIGFn1BN8k5Bfw1CKqX-7Znz36Y4bFZ-tRv1QB0gbnkTxlRRH-URSHeQg45qYqPHSKBiqfq53G5FkRZUmKBCamIFR1en3vgP5QOWhZAU/s16000/Teatro+Romano+spring+view+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Must-see:
Alcazaba de Malága</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The <i>Alcazaba</i>
is a hilltop fortress built in the 11<sup>th</sup> century by the Moors who
ruled the Malága area for more than 400 years. We explored many of the fortress’
defensive towers, inner rooms and landscaped gardens and fountains. This
gorgeous building reminded me of a smaller version of the Alhambra in Granada,
which unfortunately, we haven’t seen in person yet.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5o7fQ4X_JnxezcfUEJPN_DuPdmMMWJP0POh5v583ST_2yFXnG5tJzdmpPxeehNCJ_jK7elP8FMtHgvGuxqD1491g0UKXWuLAwoQAUiyRdM12i7KSOr_lkxL86O2aiCvMhtfjSJeoYLVA/s600/Defensive+towers+at+Alcazaba+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5o7fQ4X_JnxezcfUEJPN_DuPdmMMWJP0POh5v583ST_2yFXnG5tJzdmpPxeehNCJ_jK7elP8FMtHgvGuxqD1491g0UKXWuLAwoQAUiyRdM12i7KSOr_lkxL86O2aiCvMhtfjSJeoYLVA/s16000/Defensive+towers+at+Alcazaba+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtOp37n55o_ImDcRFcHIpUIKEHmayjrJE3FrtPoWT-2Gmuf1gA2cIYQlIMq4EhBV_9NcyGgYuaYpLXPjZybhPBJEbip4z5vRQvwUHTfyHrp5iO9btklixWEyxvxEDUnjIp2QtcHzsro8/s600/Inricate+brickwork+inside+Alcazaba+in+Malaga.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtOp37n55o_ImDcRFcHIpUIKEHmayjrJE3FrtPoWT-2Gmuf1gA2cIYQlIMq4EhBV_9NcyGgYuaYpLXPjZybhPBJEbip4z5vRQvwUHTfyHrp5iO9btklixWEyxvxEDUnjIp2QtcHzsro8/s16000/Inricate+brickwork+inside+Alcazaba+in+Malaga.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnGAMPVLYIqTXXhHr8fQ6PUcjWM3UOKVYslYz2aF86eGCTyYqivLW43aS-smb_22PJaNPw75ujd2g26cinvc89tnLmZWGzP5iD4XdsfI1m6cI6AbRXyQ88qTbFUt8SpfnDaGCiqx-tKo/s600/Arched+doorways+inside+the+Alcazaba+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnGAMPVLYIqTXXhHr8fQ6PUcjWM3UOKVYslYz2aF86eGCTyYqivLW43aS-smb_22PJaNPw75ujd2g26cinvc89tnLmZWGzP5iD4XdsfI1m6cI6AbRXyQ88qTbFUt8SpfnDaGCiqx-tKo/s16000/Arched+doorways+inside+the+Alcazaba+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you visit
during spring, you can look out from the hilltop and see the vibrant purple
blooms of the jacaranda trees in the city.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-y5MDGP8ycsg8HdRle5gzmDwgCcVVUrkP49tW75sEniCJQXNPjz-h2k9e5mfbUZaDx4OQ25X4GGJ0Rk5ut9UasejIw39uR53CmVvFAhh3j0kmukDNlsMnAZvmsBRiJh1rUyPudrzzzw/s600/Jacaranda+trees+blooming+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-y5MDGP8ycsg8HdRle5gzmDwgCcVVUrkP49tW75sEniCJQXNPjz-h2k9e5mfbUZaDx4OQ25X4GGJ0Rk5ut9UasejIw39uR53CmVvFAhh3j0kmukDNlsMnAZvmsBRiJh1rUyPudrzzzw/s16000/Jacaranda+trees+blooming+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETtdwsBOrbJVShX9ByRWM1u8e559GvMQl8NbSspEV1WQjNZjHcXDYO4MPs3uByiFGbwkPKV6WQPkGa1nvaU3tXS7GXX_IhnOPOTzzbg-1Blp63bAtvdTnYY6U4Ci_l7ls4VArc5Grb-g/s600/View+of+Malaga+City+Hall+and+gardens+from+Alcazaba.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETtdwsBOrbJVShX9ByRWM1u8e559GvMQl8NbSspEV1WQjNZjHcXDYO4MPs3uByiFGbwkPKV6WQPkGa1nvaU3tXS7GXX_IhnOPOTzzbg-1Blp63bAtvdTnYY6U4Ci_l7ls4VArc5Grb-g/s16000/View+of+Malaga+City+Hall+and+gardens+from+Alcazaba.JPG" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Must-see:
Catedral de Malága</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Also located in
the city center is the <i>Catedral de la Encarnación de Malág</i>a, which was
built </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">on the ruins of
the former mosque of Aljama. This enormous cathedral was built over the years
of 1528-1782 in the Renaissance style and is divided over two floors. We didn’t
peek inside this cathedral because we’ve seen so many impressive European
churches these past few years.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_Qec8ver3xxBYd-Q9-pT8JumZymARU8kQGsTAZ3svMMeTd_1P1lxfXnnfcshulGt3dzefzahSlcsOAT5B2jL1LxoYgwqcuaanzMG0pIuwb5FbAb5NTKUQi_9xfC1xsm7K1-K1SC64rg/s600/Exterior+of+Catedral+de+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_Qec8ver3xxBYd-Q9-pT8JumZymARU8kQGsTAZ3svMMeTd_1P1lxfXnnfcshulGt3dzefzahSlcsOAT5B2jL1LxoYgwqcuaanzMG0pIuwb5FbAb5NTKUQi_9xfC1xsm7K1-K1SC64rg/s16000/Exterior+of+Catedral+de+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgJTwIug1zWuRYNdGqaNLOUBhSHrTvx1COIUeDetQvyJF_CJQWu0PAjw3OnmYSwdN-qSdDkXTJWRppGgJnXuJ1mQKQnlWxSQBGRD80YAbLAlhyphenhyphentyjqn307ttlXUka_Eaj7wUiqO05Dyk/s600/Churches+in+afternoon+sun+Malaga+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgJTwIug1zWuRYNdGqaNLOUBhSHrTvx1COIUeDetQvyJF_CJQWu0PAjw3OnmYSwdN-qSdDkXTJWRppGgJnXuJ1mQKQnlWxSQBGRD80YAbLAlhyphenhyphentyjqn307ttlXUka_Eaj7wUiqO05Dyk/s16000/Churches+in+afternoon+sun+Malaga+Spain.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Eat Turrón
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you have a
sweet tooth, you cannot miss out on trying Spanish <i>turrón</i>! <i>Turrón</i>
is a traditional sweet made from almonds, sugar and honey – similar to almond
paste. <b><a href="https://www.vicens.com/en/torrons-vicens?zenid=ec2ims11aqreofb45gh3b8rg90" target="_blank">Torrons Vicens</a></b>, a family-owned company in Malága, sells dozens of
varieties of <i>turrón</i> as well as nougat and chocolates. Delicious!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpgtaKVyUtnNCA28nY4CGol6J6yj_awIMeCQ1LEu_WTGpzH6wqPSvxRa5lImoypvhg2HBKljtyXYJDHGycsDwxFm8w-Q5fxu9JI-1OBwNoyuCNoKzCof7KO3IypORwTkC61rDezxj-BI/s600/Sweets+from+Torrons+Vicens+Malaga+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpgtaKVyUtnNCA28nY4CGol6J6yj_awIMeCQ1LEu_WTGpzH6wqPSvxRa5lImoypvhg2HBKljtyXYJDHGycsDwxFm8w-Q5fxu9JI-1OBwNoyuCNoKzCof7KO3IypORwTkC61rDezxj-BI/s16000/Sweets+from+Torrons+Vicens+Malaga+Spain.jpg" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Oh, there’s also <i>jamon</i>!
We ate two sandwiches with <i>jamon</i> and some <i>jamon</i> for dinner one
night. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-opRxOTl5bx8K5gdl15mq3ojpRWkjdmbPFcEm-3rZ6BS9E-MRR1IubJVd6dKoJkRFiNSwv9vbBoyAew5sSyz42O4DT5Aq3Sb9S4XREqK_Uq9igdOebZEHz8nBTMeiHcf9f-I7UCGE1c/s600/Rows+of+Spanish+jamon+in+Malaga.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-opRxOTl5bx8K5gdl15mq3ojpRWkjdmbPFcEm-3rZ6BS9E-MRR1IubJVd6dKoJkRFiNSwv9vbBoyAew5sSyz42O4DT5Aq3Sb9S4XREqK_Uq9igdOebZEHz8nBTMeiHcf9f-I7UCGE1c/s16000/Rows+of+Spanish+jamon+in+Malaga.JPG" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Street
Art in Malága</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Finding a bit of
street art in Malága was just a bonus. We love exploring European cities and
discovering <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/street%20art" target="_blank">street art</a></b>, especially from some of my favorite artists such
as the <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/2017/01/street-art-and-space-invaders-paris.html" target="_blank">Invader</a></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXLiCV_hUqDuadIN37tstl17gMCf85ouHLglerGN_xeqc40IaLAbjyaDLv5XVMAwvtLavYdbiGXlRGfSsgsayB5FhA2ZTHDDlSoOXDDI3sKn2KQvTEAEiRGKbBB4d_FtZhxYgtHFFu5w/s600/Invader+street+art+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXLiCV_hUqDuadIN37tstl17gMCf85ouHLglerGN_xeqc40IaLAbjyaDLv5XVMAwvtLavYdbiGXlRGfSsgsayB5FhA2ZTHDDlSoOXDDI3sKn2KQvTEAEiRGKbBB4d_FtZhxYgtHFFu5w/s16000/Invader+street+art+in+Malaga+Spain.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1_GZhHSGfvbkJIpotpZD-Z9_PG0cge4JIVAla3VNtWsfVbEUSgbWZFNZUWp5XRL2-3Sr-1WUx3gxJ7acdg1bzctEo0DP9bVkAfk_pskGSxwazjl0ZjtfVDxrh1Yf_O89EqqgEb6Wr80/s600/Spanish+woman+street+art+Malaga.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1_GZhHSGfvbkJIpotpZD-Z9_PG0cge4JIVAla3VNtWsfVbEUSgbWZFNZUWp5XRL2-3Sr-1WUx3gxJ7acdg1bzctEo0DP9bVkAfk_pskGSxwazjl0ZjtfVDxrh1Yf_O89EqqgEb6Wr80/s16000/Spanish+woman+street+art+Malaga.JPG" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Visit
Museo Picasso Malága<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Monday morning,
my husband left early to take a train to Madrid for work and I went on my final
day of sightseeing. I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and coffee at an outdoor café.
Then, I went to the <b><a href="https://www.museopicassomalaga.org/en" target="_blank">Museo Picasso Malága</a></b>, which houses more than 280
works donated by members of Picasso’s family. Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born in Malága
in 1881 but lived most of his life in France. I cheekily snapped two photos
while inside the museum, which also is a 16<sup>th</sup>-century palace.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6sB_skb7QwMnEmkBy7xktavecUTyXFzbGLXoEL9HBTJRuJmZ7hAN760mpUZyHkY81D-_Hj4AeTovkhlEAmsa-WPtV1QCNdMUjkGUf4pvWX89B5uoaf4hID5HJhmwNLZSF0n1Q_nKXnHE/s600/Picasso+prints+at+Museo+Picasso+Mal%25C3%25A1ga+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6sB_skb7QwMnEmkBy7xktavecUTyXFzbGLXoEL9HBTJRuJmZ7hAN760mpUZyHkY81D-_Hj4AeTovkhlEAmsa-WPtV1QCNdMUjkGUf4pvWX89B5uoaf4hID5HJhmwNLZSF0n1Q_nKXnHE/s16000/Picasso+prints+at+Museo+Picasso+Mal%25C3%25A1ga+Spain.jpg" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt;">Last
Beach Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">After my museum visit,
I decided to soak up some sunshine on the beach. There’s a popular city beach called
<i>Playa la Malagueta</i> near the port. The only issue is parking. I went
round in circles trying to find a parking spot, which avoided parallel parking,
and finally found a parking garage. The beach is full of pebbles, but it’s nice
enough for a bit of sunbathing.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWQKb_X37jlYRZkDJNvYIhnnhDCR_F4CsLxYeg3S-73skuYayhfhF1H6kpt5OBD9My4uxI02ip8rXK9BOONBybKrM0CGT_37IzG4s8945lNNclM7b1_aog_zqBAU7o4tGMDnFaVKVGdw/s600/Playa+la+Malagueta+in+Malaga+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWQKb_X37jlYRZkDJNvYIhnnhDCR_F4CsLxYeg3S-73skuYayhfhF1H6kpt5OBD9My4uxI02ip8rXK9BOONBybKrM0CGT_37IzG4s8945lNNclM7b1_aog_zqBAU7o4tGMDnFaVKVGdw/s16000/Playa+la+Malagueta+in+Malaga+Spain.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since I had a late
flight back to London, I drove back to one of the sandy beaches near Benalmádena
and spent the afternoon here under the palm trees.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3wTnyA1cZ4GdZJlWKI8PTreenbS1Z8B4zOdrU22-PW8gNuprPedxRFFvRtmoY76V6ymGFSWfr8LFPJqQQU168YS65P0R6Ssl4m_qYpaseamsjeaVmM5D6RkcuSMp6gjlPraSNfeEPfo/s600/Beach+near+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3wTnyA1cZ4GdZJlWKI8PTreenbS1Z8B4zOdrU22-PW8gNuprPedxRFFvRtmoY76V6ymGFSWfr8LFPJqQQU168YS65P0R6Ssl4m_qYpaseamsjeaVmM5D6RkcuSMp6gjlPraSNfeEPfo/s16000/Beach+near+Benalmadena+Spain.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Overall, I would
say that Malága offered something for everyone – a bit of history,
architecture, beaches, good food and sunshine. Definitely a good escape from
London for a couple of days! But obviously, only travel to this part of Spain when travel is safe to do so.</span></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com1Málaga, Spain36.7211784 -4.42171989999999948.410944563821154 -39.5779699 65.031412236178852 30.7345301tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-87346507370893786772020-09-10T03:00:00.010-04:002020-09-10T03:00:10.178-04:00Delightful Dahlias in Cornwall UK<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Driving down the
tiny, rural lanes in </span><b style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href=" https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Cornwall" target="_blank">Cornwall</a></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> means you often end up reversing or
finding a spot to pull over when you meet another car in the road.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But sometimes, you
might end up reversing because you saw the most incredible burst of color and
you just had to find out what it was. Luckily, I had checked in my rearview
mirror before doing this.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">In early August, during
our <b>UK staycation</b> in Cornwall, I was driving near <b>Penzance</b> and
happened to see this flash of color which turned out to be a field of dahlias
by the <b><a href="https://nationaldahliacollection.co.uk/" target="_blank">National Dahlia Collection</a></b>. This garden features more than 1,600
different varieties of dahlias and is free to visit from June to September. It
is impressive!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy70qv5o2dHzAFJ84t5bYR6bLO1HzUx8arHC8vSnEh-pXMBWwUgraKcS5RtjbJsjcoepjFbOLL0KanQPEMa2hLbL5KhfzMk7iLKccRUc9xBaGH_Ey6iPfUermnDb5JxwTa1OQjnRmUxsw/s600/Rows+of+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy70qv5o2dHzAFJ84t5bYR6bLO1HzUx8arHC8vSnEh-pXMBWwUgraKcS5RtjbJsjcoepjFbOLL0KanQPEMa2hLbL5KhfzMk7iLKccRUc9xBaGH_Ey6iPfUermnDb5JxwTa1OQjnRmUxsw/s16000/Rows+of+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RAzJ2Ii9HaSN0gk9yJolj3soAQuKp78WkyK7YFLKcC6foCRA1VYMddlnOutR-F7PIojKSEaEb39qEhHZc2y_mByivCyCB63IhUhNwSAEqcXKuY6q09gDXCqpOfgpJ86HvKXhdYbym3o/s600/Field+of+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RAzJ2Ii9HaSN0gk9yJolj3soAQuKp78WkyK7YFLKcC6foCRA1VYMddlnOutR-F7PIojKSEaEb39qEhHZc2y_mByivCyCB63IhUhNwSAEqcXKuY6q09gDXCqpOfgpJ86HvKXhdYbym3o/s16000/Field+of+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-77gUOMai-ljrWlj4Tqz-Nr_eCXTrgx8UuHBcY12vWq3j6Vgst6Z-YVIxaAOXqZD2NZLDIXAhUrM325bbfyXggebjFboE5EdvxO5JuZMJCdSlQlIEy-3w8zqduzZf_CdptNThAVVKbDY/s600/Field+of+dahlias+at+National+Dahlia+Collection+Cornwall+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-77gUOMai-ljrWlj4Tqz-Nr_eCXTrgx8UuHBcY12vWq3j6Vgst6Z-YVIxaAOXqZD2NZLDIXAhUrM325bbfyXggebjFboE5EdvxO5JuZMJCdSlQlIEy-3w8zqduzZf_CdptNThAVVKbDY/s16000/Field+of+dahlias+at+National+Dahlia+Collection+Cornwall+UK.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You can even see St. Michael's Mount located in Marazion in the distance here.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This collection
was first established in 1983 in Oxfordshire by a private collector, David
Brown, who wanted to preserve dahlias when the flowers were growing out of fashion
in the 80s and 90s. Over the years, the collection moved until it happened at
is current location. If you are a keen gardener, you can even order dahlia tubers
and garden ready plants online or at the collection when it is open.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dahlias are one of
those flowers that blooms prolifically from late summer to autumn. I’ve always
admired these <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/flowers" target="_blank">flowers</a></b>, but I don’t have much room at our London flat to grow
much more than some potted herbs and veggies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But the English
have long loved dahlias especially during the Victorian era. When the
Horticultural Society (later RHS) started regular flower shows in 1831,
its September event was dedicated entirely to dahlias. In 1881,
the National Dahlia Society was started in the UK.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you know that
by the 1930s – at the height of their popularity – there were 14,000 named
dahlia varieties?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And did you know
that dahlias are the national flower of Mexico? Dahlias are wildflowers in
Mexico and Central America but were brought to Europe by a Spanish expedition
in the late 1700s and later cultivated.</span></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "times new roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">On our trip, I
spent about an hour at the garden taking dozens and dozens of photos of the
colorful blooms and trying to capture the honeybees in action. Now, if only, I could have my own garden like this.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJrQvii08Y51eJ-8YRHNSuTPkU1VtmblDPa2iBxaqokatqEMNWR2IHfHSNsSJc2ySr1cgo01ldgTj5X4z36XEM9l6QV7SP_SFm8sEQrCT0hEW1ZUTbt4J6ch7pU06PWbLk7LphWxqI98/s600/Bee+in+middle+of+red+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJrQvii08Y51eJ-8YRHNSuTPkU1VtmblDPa2iBxaqokatqEMNWR2IHfHSNsSJc2ySr1cgo01ldgTj5X4z36XEM9l6QV7SP_SFm8sEQrCT0hEW1ZUTbt4J6ch7pU06PWbLk7LphWxqI98/s16000/Bee+in+middle+of+red+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2Hh6VUtN0Lem9Rz_C8lDXO_xc6jCqzeo5DWdqx-dALEDt03vQIQ9nT4SzgR63E2hY_RqX13GuR0aWZBonGzP8dCDQqdmbnViMIkqjVMZN-ht5dM6pLgMHxbslBOll3HvOF8s5qzwNJo/s600/bee+on+bright+pink+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2Hh6VUtN0Lem9Rz_C8lDXO_xc6jCqzeo5DWdqx-dALEDt03vQIQ9nT4SzgR63E2hY_RqX13GuR0aWZBonGzP8dCDQqdmbnViMIkqjVMZN-ht5dM6pLgMHxbslBOll3HvOF8s5qzwNJo/s16000/bee+on+bright+pink+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ_DMS3lppBuXmDauHildYAJOFR-5U9F_yKHoCTDDS-eUBddWhZhmUUrZZmx_jFOqNLYflVTmRK1vwECiTPnrFJYNuZl7JOtaJsdwH8IhKcPn8eh323jTNICC4Ylw5_M9nV7-T2N9WcE/s600/bee+on+red+and+white+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ_DMS3lppBuXmDauHildYAJOFR-5U9F_yKHoCTDDS-eUBddWhZhmUUrZZmx_jFOqNLYflVTmRK1vwECiTPnrFJYNuZl7JOtaJsdwH8IhKcPn8eh323jTNICC4Ylw5_M9nV7-T2N9WcE/s16000/bee+on+red+and+white+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkx7zXvk2HsIQjJu9PIbyUeYddSG4ua73O8yJtlXBCBch9-g6Flelwd3OvgxrBs9TVsMu0K3fphgaOjJ3LUbgI8QkxoU_1PBaxSVYdU0LNwsUkko0KLmfM6nXHcAbQ7lRX5Nk5qaVpUss/s600/Bee+on+red+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkx7zXvk2HsIQjJu9PIbyUeYddSG4ua73O8yJtlXBCBch9-g6Flelwd3OvgxrBs9TVsMu0K3fphgaOjJ3LUbgI8QkxoU_1PBaxSVYdU0LNwsUkko0KLmfM6nXHcAbQ7lRX5Nk5qaVpUss/s16000/Bee+on+red+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Pompon Dahlias</span></b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUAAeekGU0UoR8IDKnzIs1QMq7m2wUhDFA4LRgESl8K6ibCOxGxr0SUN-YNANy_HnFRfU07K0qcxgwKaM7OQfnBYMhUI3zz14GF5hUUDF0MM0-arhni3JlE9Ihu8yoUIiDoN5-W88Pz8/s600/Pink+pompon+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUAAeekGU0UoR8IDKnzIs1QMq7m2wUhDFA4LRgESl8K6ibCOxGxr0SUN-YNANy_HnFRfU07K0qcxgwKaM7OQfnBYMhUI3zz14GF5hUUDF0MM0-arhni3JlE9Ihu8yoUIiDoN5-W88Pz8/s16000/Pink+pompon+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDr3mCQhUyJWiZqzAkU9rYfU6QpLhWr9tM8y_VoPRrAeItlqEw_PdGYPqH-p3SL_bxqGs6PgHHaIX7EDdeRXkzumIu-7as0f6tRXHTAW_erTb-cRGzu81CNLJm0cbuOGSog5eVhOGp2kY/s600/Red+pompon+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDr3mCQhUyJWiZqzAkU9rYfU6QpLhWr9tM8y_VoPRrAeItlqEw_PdGYPqH-p3SL_bxqGs6PgHHaIX7EDdeRXkzumIu-7as0f6tRXHTAW_erTb-cRGzu81CNLJm0cbuOGSog5eVhOGp2kY/s16000/Red+pompon+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><b>Decorative Dahlias<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RDoj_dNNe3v3WdORvjU3LP-YuVGQmbzXcsXx58XokFMjnHU2UdCcFklAZHjJ7RJGA4glSP9mjXkapif2sdO0zL3KuGyYkejc_1wqc51qqlsf_pgxuqOieHlANvy9Pdidb7bcEkZNaLM/s600/Red+white+tipped+decorative+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RDoj_dNNe3v3WdORvjU3LP-YuVGQmbzXcsXx58XokFMjnHU2UdCcFklAZHjJ7RJGA4glSP9mjXkapif2sdO0zL3KuGyYkejc_1wqc51qqlsf_pgxuqOieHlANvy9Pdidb7bcEkZNaLM/s16000/Red+white+tipped+decorative+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WQtrnlCuV8SEZTu_FQZJfSLjsGeaT6_dvn6pqXP_0Z2H0zpk4X2g5FfTBAiO7A1Q-jsF5oAtGlJTf5zkLcfZuJLL6PcD5vZ4bPw6IgAa0de_Bgzhuq3y4Vq5L6dXYSSsULACxVolkb8/s600/Pink+tipped+white+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WQtrnlCuV8SEZTu_FQZJfSLjsGeaT6_dvn6pqXP_0Z2H0zpk4X2g5FfTBAiO7A1Q-jsF5oAtGlJTf5zkLcfZuJLL6PcD5vZ4bPw6IgAa0de_Bgzhuq3y4Vq5L6dXYSSsULACxVolkb8/s16000/Pink+tipped+white+dahlia+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tHBVvT8t9QvVT2HxB366S7PCieuSw77YNTHeOmt8gQmZM3IdIIXauXwJQPp5ii3eQZXyKVNbc1Q8KNChqOqQMqOYoA8XHwRufPHjxOt1jMwCUBvY7IrZSmlRGCZrgdnbtcI6x1vb638/s600/Orange+decorative+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tHBVvT8t9QvVT2HxB366S7PCieuSw77YNTHeOmt8gQmZM3IdIIXauXwJQPp5ii3eQZXyKVNbc1Q8KNChqOqQMqOYoA8XHwRufPHjxOt1jMwCUBvY7IrZSmlRGCZrgdnbtcI6x1vb638/s16000/Orange+decorative+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><b>Waterlilly Dahlias</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><o:p><b></b></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWi52ArbiIL4ZI9pIzHUySIp_E5MLEiq7CX112EWfm3syctyN_R210eEnFEGYyEGEWMdkV9soXCubGScgS_htW9HoPKw4gYnc2-yXhjQuyu2jBmV2Ga_GaIkMNhzMHx1Lj_P4SXqVyT0/s600/Pink+waterlilly+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWi52ArbiIL4ZI9pIzHUySIp_E5MLEiq7CX112EWfm3syctyN_R210eEnFEGYyEGEWMdkV9soXCubGScgS_htW9HoPKw4gYnc2-yXhjQuyu2jBmV2Ga_GaIkMNhzMHx1Lj_P4SXqVyT0/s16000/Pink+waterlilly+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><b>Misc Dahlias</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zHqumbgvgasAUHUBJ-Xqz7MXDAbJ0Eadqrm3-GTv2bONe3XEKSP73AVYnuupiT__hxDeBRtk_ceVe1Kep4JC9RyhwJnjiIfraJ5fv5XpUnSmKbESYoTaV24-BBBqp-XEifqd74ZHwoI/s600/Deep+red+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zHqumbgvgasAUHUBJ-Xqz7MXDAbJ0Eadqrm3-GTv2bONe3XEKSP73AVYnuupiT__hxDeBRtk_ceVe1Kep4JC9RyhwJnjiIfraJ5fv5XpUnSmKbESYoTaV24-BBBqp-XEifqd74ZHwoI/s16000/Deep+red+dahlias+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznPtuogTdc-fv1VxIjSEri-xqIy2wf4fSUyTpMzvjcEOe5NMgBCe2t8sbflwn7D76ayq6ygGFP3iA0QL09a7K7EfZtAgj9Uwyt1hwk6aqZWuxkM1vIwOuv0PAAm7qZqDYmPF4a_53_XE/s600/Yellow+dahlia+w+purple+foiliage+Cornwall+UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznPtuogTdc-fv1VxIjSEri-xqIy2wf4fSUyTpMzvjcEOe5NMgBCe2t8sbflwn7D76ayq6ygGFP3iA0QL09a7K7EfZtAgj9Uwyt1hwk6aqZWuxkM1vIwOuv0PAAm7qZqDYmPF4a_53_XE/s16000/Yellow+dahlia+w+purple+foiliage+Cornwall+UK.JPG" /></a></span></div><p></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><p></p>
<a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTeMvfvyHpnOpUOT09FqY71lqKDzZwrXyUQl0wuJa71i_iVYUEF3Xz-68YbhKzo7FHVjKx6DUbQOa3N9A3AlaVh2TDxnPXm-q5CcBx-RRIfsOmi-z4JAbWmH_VItU1E1jqI4AktRQGUg/s600/Pretty+Dahlias+collage+Cornwall+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTeMvfvyHpnOpUOT09FqY71lqKDzZwrXyUQl0wuJa71i_iVYUEF3Xz-68YbhKzo7FHVjKx6DUbQOa3N9A3AlaVh2TDxnPXm-q5CcBx-RRIfsOmi-z4JAbWmH_VItU1E1jqI4AktRQGUg/w427-h640/Pretty+Dahlias+collage+Cornwall+UK.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com2National Dahlia Collection, Varfell Ln, Longrock, Penzance TR20 8AQ, UK50.1376734 -5.492100421.827439563821152 -40.6483504 78.44790723617885 29.664149600000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-43453380786357075462020-09-01T06:20:00.004-04:002020-09-01T12:51:41.706-04:00Day Trip from London: A Pick-Your-Own Farm Visit<div><h3><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; line-height: 34.24px;">Day Trip from London</span></b></h3><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Even though I love living in a city like <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b>, I do miss my country roots at times. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">So to recreate my <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Nebraska" target="_blank">Nebraska</a></b> life, I recently gathered a few girlfriends and we set off for a pick-your-own farm about an hour's drive southwest of London for a <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/daytrip%20from%20London" target="_blank">day trip</a></b>. Without having hired a rental car for an entire month due to Covid restrictions, we never would have reached the <b><a href="https://www.crockfordbridgefarm.co.uk/" target="_blank">Crockford Bridge Farm</a></b>, a family farm near Weybridge, Surrey. But what a delightful farm! </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqkdJP5yNcbJXBT1UWKk_ocyZ0vdDnzhoVtEVOp6EPJCgLwG8S1oF3pfhvdLKoRrXStjisf95AGsmBZcQy9EJCBh4xqwhL_RvoU2lKYouuPXpWoQZZFrJWCxDNOF2Fpa5eQyAmcZY_zQ/s600/Crops+to+pick+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqkdJP5yNcbJXBT1UWKk_ocyZ0vdDnzhoVtEVOp6EPJCgLwG8S1oF3pfhvdLKoRrXStjisf95AGsmBZcQy9EJCBh4xqwhL_RvoU2lKYouuPXpWoQZZFrJWCxDNOF2Fpa5eQyAmcZY_zQ/s0/Crops+to+pick+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" /></span></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We had a small map of the farm and the different crops we were able to pick that day. I ended up with a kilo of plump raspberries, some strawberries and 6 ears of corn. I also helped my girlfriends pick runner beans and I bought a few other goodies at the farm shop. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMt3JWa7KhCeTEDU2SLh3oCVXvBVyNyFJ7FxSkX-YGePXrZ0d11R7_wHYxKpJ2BiX8U-PI5I-NEqwSILJ1GS2oD4O8THbAt1DoeWQh_l5FXzrmGNoxIplKIeC4_Uhv5nt0d3ldb4wcqU/s600/Garden+sign+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMt3JWa7KhCeTEDU2SLh3oCVXvBVyNyFJ7FxSkX-YGePXrZ0d11R7_wHYxKpJ2BiX8U-PI5I-NEqwSILJ1GS2oD4O8THbAt1DoeWQh_l5FXzrmGNoxIplKIeC4_Uhv5nt0d3ldb4wcqU/s0/Garden+sign+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0W4EWPoglo93ytQ7XxRq-aL_KzBkEISIDemRf2UtdsL_fm-GiQVgGeWWJKp5Jyn6cYlS9twGtzyCVY81X6keuLUamG0VgIFwB3K6oRI21TTNLYBRqEhfMkn3z_q4Dx4lb3DBK-lbS8u0/s600/Sprouting+Shire+sign+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0W4EWPoglo93ytQ7XxRq-aL_KzBkEISIDemRf2UtdsL_fm-GiQVgGeWWJKp5Jyn6cYlS9twGtzyCVY81X6keuLUamG0VgIFwB3K6oRI21TTNLYBRqEhfMkn3z_q4Dx4lb3DBK-lbS8u0/s0/Sprouting+Shire+sign+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHdtDc8VxCsbGdNj68M7fKQ7LNxCa-7PLPQwa77kl5RKtNE_NPl3NyOZUPHAvkdU8SwT3Ig7uF1dNLsD3watKItLqOoKJ8OlFxnkRL0QJtvH02M2A0rEWwRNUY9cYojRpxwsZTpMR2pc/s600/Picking+raspberries+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHdtDc8VxCsbGdNj68M7fKQ7LNxCa-7PLPQwa77kl5RKtNE_NPl3NyOZUPHAvkdU8SwT3Ig7uF1dNLsD3watKItLqOoKJ8OlFxnkRL0QJtvH02M2A0rEWwRNUY9cYojRpxwsZTpMR2pc/s0/Picking+raspberries+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfeKYUb6sRmLfCHpkjJwpxfyCRYNc4OBilhzgOwmGHRgxoEWXQvJtAZP8_x6Ad6GkzYIDXIKkHahPD69ZMUn4XsIkv-9eQ9USDwwSx6KGrrgjEkNmWmPfyBklSAFEV9gzDRH8k52ZXZ4/s600/Summer+raspberries+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfeKYUb6sRmLfCHpkjJwpxfyCRYNc4OBilhzgOwmGHRgxoEWXQvJtAZP8_x6Ad6GkzYIDXIKkHahPD69ZMUn4XsIkv-9eQ9USDwwSx6KGrrgjEkNmWmPfyBklSAFEV9gzDRH8k52ZXZ4/s0/Summer+raspberries+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKPSfbanHmZK2OCnX8bYij9tow5-CZ4jlpAchForhTFgfl1bbkMYQP02sPeTtFg6vZXVqRU1BjBqZaerrxF5OUygEoKoQinxsWJ7pAzpumNNmcgf-1JwElxQsw6tnoo-iI2eRRoyT52I/s600/Joy+in+corn+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKPSfbanHmZK2OCnX8bYij9tow5-CZ4jlpAchForhTFgfl1bbkMYQP02sPeTtFg6vZXVqRU1BjBqZaerrxF5OUygEoKoQinxsWJ7pAzpumNNmcgf-1JwElxQsw6tnoo-iI2eRRoyT52I/s0/Joy+in+corn+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRi7_Fj5xfHwYPfWHlBMti6cUuB2v_sncl3VVEOw7VdeY6v_ycgDV3yt70o6BAk8hYqe8RPaHsw-p8YL4yMFLY32cXm5sIlghTz-FbU2HIWmf0gFSmLfmf35ccB-Jo9oK1_Z5wD7p4Row/s600/Strawberries+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRi7_Fj5xfHwYPfWHlBMti6cUuB2v_sncl3VVEOw7VdeY6v_ycgDV3yt70o6BAk8hYqe8RPaHsw-p8YL4yMFLY32cXm5sIlghTz-FbU2HIWmf0gFSmLfmf35ccB-Jo9oK1_Z5wD7p4Row/s0/Strawberries+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Bmwni_C_gA1kc1TeQnkDLAtEPuY1niBh5raOePN_UoH2kJEzk5122jEFp2X3Nmg-Nu_XYzgCe_1PfHfHUIu0Eg9M8fatUrIPeyXtL9aRno70IHoMBMKzEXigDxQTYS6jH6r49NV7_tg/s0/Runner+beans+tunnel+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span></div><div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We had a fun day out from London and brought back some farm goodies to cook with at home.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvXYbNEaaBuD9eqNDn0DKKm8otHV-briOa9LeQQiKf-ybj_sUCb8l0xkUdIWoplQ96KKdVg-6n8F4gh5k67dvkgAUMLjd1tVeGEU0IfxlMvFgNKZzJ9E3Mk5lADJiggA0buuf7dLMl6w/s600/Gelato+and+jams+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvXYbNEaaBuD9eqNDn0DKKm8otHV-briOa9LeQQiKf-ybj_sUCb8l0xkUdIWoplQ96KKdVg-6n8F4gh5k67dvkgAUMLjd1tVeGEU0IfxlMvFgNKZzJ9E3Mk5lADJiggA0buuf7dLMl6w/s16000/Gelato+and+jams+at+Crockford+Bridge+Farm+UK.jpg" title="Gelato and jams at Crockford Bridge Farm UK" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Homemade gelato for lunch and plenty of jams and spreads at the farm shop.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a class="blsdk-follow" data-blsdk-counter="false" data-blsdk-type="button" href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/my-traveling-joys-7782071" target="_blank">Follow</a></span><script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s);js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.bloglovin.com/widget/js/loader.js?v=1";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "bloglovin-sdk"))</script>
Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0New Haw Rd, Weybridge, Addlestone KT15 2BU, UK51.3648007 -0.4834649999999999223.054566863821158 -35.639715 79.675034536178856 34.672785tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-73612906194974616422020-07-31T18:56:00.001-04:002020-09-01T06:34:52.682-04:00Street Art in Shoreditch post Covid19<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">On
a recent Thursday in </span><b style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, I took the train into the city – but this
was my first time on public transport in more than 120 days.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Life
post Covid19 is a bit odd. I felt anxious being on the train. I wore a face
mask, which is mandatory on all London public transport. My train carriage was
empty most of the time, so I felt pretty safe. However, I always had my hand
sanitizer and antibacterial wipes ready – just in case.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I
took the London Overground train from Clapham Junction to <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Shoreditch">Shoreditch</a></b> –
so I could get a haircut. Beauty salons in the UK were able to reopen on July 4th
and I waited a week just to give it some time before I scheduled a haircut. I
hadn’t had a haircut since September last year – nearly 10 months ago.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Shoreditch
was eerie. Gone were the bustling streets. Brick Lane was devoid of any tourists
and really any people at all. There were no street vendors. Gone was a lot of
the more artistic street art – only to be replaced with tagging and graffiti
art. Everything felt different and odd.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s
a glimpse of what my journey into Shoreditch looked like.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFySXUat6tcRY3hS1V3mxx1mAqbGBq_fbKwenVhhfoAf4kPd39Mlv9SwnOz118UFcYAg36i92OkviVduW-muFhDfxwNhhSkWSBRup7Vn_P85lLh1K3O9yQyqcmCXZ238zqwqee7lX9p0Y/s600/Black+Lives+Matter+streetart+London+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFySXUat6tcRY3hS1V3mxx1mAqbGBq_fbKwenVhhfoAf4kPd39Mlv9SwnOz118UFcYAg36i92OkviVduW-muFhDfxwNhhSkWSBRup7Vn_P85lLh1K3O9yQyqcmCXZ238zqwqee7lX9p0Y/s0/Black+Lives+Matter+streetart+London+2020.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSXlWDUts_eO5zeNWFuxlMV55-1h-a_aurV9LnZ5_XFqRBjs1u-eHAstlg8LplJZt4P-7zWzb_Ar8iLNZk6I0tZO7moVgh2C6azG4wKHntvkKNDoE_MKp_yLp7nc0cbKhFOuo10yzbyk/s600/Brick+Lane+post+covid+London2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSXlWDUts_eO5zeNWFuxlMV55-1h-a_aurV9LnZ5_XFqRBjs1u-eHAstlg8LplJZt4P-7zWzb_Ar8iLNZk6I0tZO7moVgh2C6azG4wKHntvkKNDoE_MKp_yLp7nc0cbKhFOuo10yzbyk/s0/Brick+Lane+post+covid+London2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM2yiwbEgg4UvEXyqCRocP5HXXnnayXuOg5PTZmXEE4Sx6f3IU_Fb4LU7xZCCifEkWCQVcF7C_sF4RBSLACBtT3LiQNg9qSD2-pNkq8j0fduVAcozIa0qs3IcS1o16wuf_U6acSTESXI/s600/Brick+Lane+post+covid+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM2yiwbEgg4UvEXyqCRocP5HXXnnayXuOg5PTZmXEE4Sx6f3IU_Fb4LU7xZCCifEkWCQVcF7C_sF4RBSLACBtT3LiQNg9qSD2-pNkq8j0fduVAcozIa0qs3IcS1o16wuf_U6acSTESXI/s0/Brick+Lane+post+covid+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbNGj01zOzBjUGhIPTGo_N5OX0pf9v4Rzxs9c20x1uUeyCoa5-Y82BTenqLpUy3arlOpdvOp70KomtELRTd7JpKdM9Emlf3Zlymrh98UiFA8QmOSkTk2wNxYTAajmpG2yKwXzkQJtA6A/s600/David+Speed+London+neon+streetart.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbNGj01zOzBjUGhIPTGo_N5OX0pf9v4Rzxs9c20x1uUeyCoa5-Y82BTenqLpUy3arlOpdvOp70KomtELRTd7JpKdM9Emlf3Zlymrh98UiFA8QmOSkTk2wNxYTAajmpG2yKwXzkQJtA6A/s0/David+Speed+London+neon+streetart.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4l_szNz8Lky8ilYXiPVdWpjEfRDlI5rqU5oO6E31Kl0pc75fDCy1YJSjP7RVh1l9Oy6TmcoIFAZH4ZyzyErGyTYNbvdDPLfSu2gC8n9jnagJsroiDcZ50Ct3KmNx5SnP7twHcg1tuCM8/s600/I+can%2527t+breathe+David+Speed+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4l_szNz8Lky8ilYXiPVdWpjEfRDlI5rqU5oO6E31Kl0pc75fDCy1YJSjP7RVh1l9Oy6TmcoIFAZH4ZyzyErGyTYNbvdDPLfSu2gC8n9jnagJsroiDcZ50Ct3KmNx5SnP7twHcg1tuCM8/s0/I+can%2527t+breathe+David+Speed+London.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.127758323.197117063821153 -35.284008299999996 79.817584736178844 35.028491700000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-59405643630099932832020-06-01T08:00:00.000-04:002020-06-01T08:00:01.368-04:00Foraging for Elderflowers in London<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Along
many of London’s cycle paths and rivers, you will find an abundance of tiny,
white clusters of elderflowers blooming right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Elder
trees seem to be quite common in the <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b> area as well as the rest of
the UK. The elder tree (‘Sambucus nigra’) is common everywhere except the far
north of Scotland and frequently grows along hedgerows and woodlands. These
trees produce lovely, lightly perfumed blossoms beginning in May through June. By
August, those flowers will have transformed into deep claret elder berries,
which are often cooked down with sugar and used to make jams, syrups and even
wine. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBw1IHEt-P5CNVAJIdXOVFYm25Nk6Ga0BxeSp65ZdFT3LiwpslN6G4ZKsveAQdPcey5LnEqY0LQhcJmzT9oMIrrZwYW8UaOC194JIayzgGR1cMJpAm3Sgg55CahB37Fx0z-xDbQfVK8GQ/s1600/Upclose+elderflower+white+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBw1IHEt-P5CNVAJIdXOVFYm25Nk6Ga0BxeSp65ZdFT3LiwpslN6G4ZKsveAQdPcey5LnEqY0LQhcJmzT9oMIrrZwYW8UaOC194JIayzgGR1cMJpAm3Sgg55CahB37Fx0z-xDbQfVK8GQ/s1600/Upclose+elderflower+white+flowers.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFBtof2tUy6SmxjCDBUC4KBNQjZJw56gmkLNAVIQtFgu4KXLaAeU81QWQ6XYZJpaD8QDIAeQElby-hqAc7ozVDwvSp8AWX8uy_m27eWNsubt0G3qjL-zJMCMsa19Z5j_5uYhJk62gYSg/s1600/Making+elderflower+cordial+600p+London.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFBtof2tUy6SmxjCDBUC4KBNQjZJw56gmkLNAVIQtFgu4KXLaAeU81QWQ6XYZJpaD8QDIAeQElby-hqAc7ozVDwvSp8AWX8uy_m27eWNsubt0G3qjL-zJMCMsa19Z5j_5uYhJk62gYSg/s1600/Making+elderflower+cordial+600p+London.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One
of the best areas that I have found elderflowers in London is along the </span><b style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">River
Wandle</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, which is a tributary of the Thames in the southwest part of the
city. There’s a wonderful cycle/walking path that mostly follows the river and runs
for about 12.5 miles (20km) from East Croydon Station to the Thames Path near
Wandsworth Town train station. (See </span><b style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://wandlevalleypark.co.uk/map/" target="_blank">map of Wandle Valley Trail</a></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqL_ehAa7UpYe2nOX1QXR3zcoEONrK7Ud5z8RDMRvi6MyC6zeRIxUpS1eFBsN7KxRDCU1-e0JvLJ7duzhmfVCCkdUeveHaPeM2pB-BNWu7vXQa5eASjeAJSTnnEiaLdbVdB2B1kKcl3Hs/s1600/River+Wandle+bike+path+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqL_ehAa7UpYe2nOX1QXR3zcoEONrK7Ud5z8RDMRvi6MyC6zeRIxUpS1eFBsN7KxRDCU1-e0JvLJ7duzhmfVCCkdUeveHaPeM2pB-BNWu7vXQa5eASjeAJSTnnEiaLdbVdB2B1kKcl3Hs/s1600/River+Wandle+bike+path+London.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4k_DHFz0AhBMko-8Y1wEdbyyKILiFDxg8oej8qvoznpwIHnJcIQlozW1f4nPcLVVokSTzkpqgPd4RXwt-k6yL6ZQqJcfJ9WuxJhJHRnty3X5msOHudl0YDU9hOx4RB0_7EoXIeUJX1Y/s1600/Elderflowers+along+River+Wandle+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4k_DHFz0AhBMko-8Y1wEdbyyKILiFDxg8oej8qvoznpwIHnJcIQlozW1f4nPcLVVokSTzkpqgPd4RXwt-k6yL6ZQqJcfJ9WuxJhJHRnty3X5msOHudl0YDU9hOx4RB0_7EoXIeUJX1Y/s1600/Elderflowers+along+River+Wandle+London.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If
you decide to go foraging for elderflowers, here’s my advice:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> * </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bring
a plastic bag and scissors or small gardening trimmers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> *</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pick
the flowers on a dry, sunny day because the scent will be the strongest then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> *</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Cut
the stalks carefully and keep the flowers upright so you don’t lose the precious
pollen, which is the source of that unique flavor and fragrance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> *</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Place
the flowers carefully into your plastic bag and inspect them later once you are
home. Do not wash the flower heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> * </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wear
long pants. Most of the elder trees I have found are nestled in between tons of
nettle plants, which cause an itchy rash if you rub up against them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Last
year, I made a huge pot of <b>elderflower cordial</b>, and I did the same thing
just a few weeks ago. Brits seems to love using elderflower cordial in fizzy
drinks, cocktails and desserts. So I’ve wholeheartedly adopted this custom
while living here. I enjoy topping up my sparkling water with a spoonful or two
of homemade elderflower cordial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While
researching recipes for elderflower cordial, I found a variety of recipes
involving all lemons or sometimes a mix of lemons and limes. This year, I used the
zest and the juice from one lime and two huge Sicilian lemons, which yielded a pale-yellow
color in my cordial and a delicate taste. Last year, I used a more equal mix of
lemons and limes and I think the flavor was stronger. However, I think I prefer
the taste of using a greater quantity of lemons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Homemade
Elderflower Cordial</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1.5
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>L. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>water
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">750
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>g. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>granulated
or caster sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">40
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>g. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>citric
acid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>ea.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>zest and juice of a lime<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6-8<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>ea.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>zest
and juice of lemons<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>ea.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>large
elderflower heads (If small, use two or three to yield 1 flower head.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1.
Place the water and sugar into a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook until all
the sugar is dissolved. Add the citric acid. Remove from the heat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2.
Add the elderflowers and citrus zest and juice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3.
Cover the pot with a lid and leave out at room temperature to let the flowers
steep for at least 24 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4.
When ready, pass the cordial through a sieve lined with a muslin cloth to catch
any debris and the discarded zest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5.
Pour the cordial into clean bottles and store in the fridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
recipe will yield about 2 liters, so it’s perfect for gift-giving a few bottles
to your friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Cheers!</span><br />
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Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0River Wandle, United Kingdom51.4164544 -0.180585651.2580089 -0.50330910000000006 51.5748999 0.14213789999999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-44915201147637748782020-04-30T18:46:00.003-04:002020-04-30T18:46:43.093-04:00Beautiful Wisteria Blooms in London’s Battersea Neighborhood<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">A
Detailed Post on Where to Find Wisteria Blooms in Battersea</span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Spring
in <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b> follows a fairly consistent pattern: snowdrops, crocus,
magnolia trees, cherry blossoms and then the vibrant, purple wisteria vines. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While
you’ll often find older wisteria vines climbing up fancy Victorian houses in
posh areas such as Chelsea, Kensington, Holland Park and Hampstead Heath, I’ve
found plenty of lovely wisteria in my own <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Battersea%20Park" target="_blank">neighborhood of Battersea</a></b>. Wisteria
in London usually blooms during April and part of May.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55YoVubAAxXwfWuh-Y7Q3mOZodjxshAfNCA5QBOG7DRJOc8uvmIOXMJFQCDdHRIySWmKEjte0cG6gndka-QmOpfbuBoxzZuvp8Ty7mHH8PoZevJo_JNatVgxYefMEAU4dFjPjz2TBrtY/s1600/Upclose+old+wisteria+vines+Battersea+Park.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="900" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55YoVubAAxXwfWuh-Y7Q3mOZodjxshAfNCA5QBOG7DRJOc8uvmIOXMJFQCDdHRIySWmKEjte0cG6gndka-QmOpfbuBoxzZuvp8Ty7mHH8PoZevJo_JNatVgxYefMEAU4dFjPjz2TBrtY/s400/Upclose+old+wisteria+vines+Battersea+Park.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Living
here for nearly four years means I’ve seen the seasons change and have found
plenty of opportunities to walk or cycle around – even under Covid19 lockdown
conditions. I took most of these photos over the last two years, but a few I
took during the past month. Keeping mainly safe at home means I’m also pining
for sunny days when I used to cycle around the city and the English countryside.
Hence, my desire to peruse old photos and write a new post on my nearly forgotten
blog. </span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
miss other things in life that used to be more consistent – like going to work,
finding flour, going to the pub. Sigh, but such is life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anyways,
perusing through my photo archives unearthed these wisteria photos for you. Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Battersea
Park</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Battersea
is a mix of architecture. During the late 1800s, many factories were set up along
the Thames and near the railway, so housing estates – containing numerous small
rowhouses – were built for workers. You’ll still find many of these old rowhouses
west of Battersea Park and south of the main railway lines, running east to
west. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZO_cLRYM33Y0Zy-wRA8eMij1JOAUj16cDtrlz8DsqhvpoTmG0xa4bJxHLTcsX4iftQ-vx35c_Cl9l74SyJAkj0QCX0AhQxwBC06IOcRAD7aB3tp7E5aSQTAhsMIiU7oMWxJIVYIPphQ/s1600/Wisteria+on+Frere+St+in+Battersea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZO_cLRYM33Y0Zy-wRA8eMij1JOAUj16cDtrlz8DsqhvpoTmG0xa4bJxHLTcsX4iftQ-vx35c_Cl9l74SyJAkj0QCX0AhQxwBC06IOcRAD7aB3tp7E5aSQTAhsMIiU7oMWxJIVYIPphQ/s400/Wisteria+on+Frere+St+in+Battersea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHl_g1qs9SBJJ5yK4VdWLP9qruZ9Sd6cFGyX2Pnj57ndrBZIGGy85UPpfrRs1fKHIrD22rhYfiYdDiOatyDn0ZduDSfvJpDY_xOZzngul_zY3kNaCZyZq9vNI3Ic9Ss1Qt1IUeGcsYa8/s1600/Wisteria+and+roses+on+Warrier+Gardens+in+Battersea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="900" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHl_g1qs9SBJJ5yK4VdWLP9qruZ9Sd6cFGyX2Pnj57ndrBZIGGy85UPpfrRs1fKHIrD22rhYfiYdDiOatyDn0ZduDSfvJpDY_xOZzngul_zY3kNaCZyZq9vNI3Ic9Ss1Qt1IUeGcsYa8/s400/Wisteria+and+roses+on+Warrier+Gardens+in+Battersea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6E7G8DB7TGfwKgfWNA4LlcmPalMAE5FsTdpcjPfqvfIZ7uj2q0kYgDIa21dMmHge1yM8sUsUbGVjDsHDVOmgX8lUAPwrxGqGrjk_y_iQCIK7P_jb20xmyc2TLb2_kDyS2R8ZzKRDXtI/s1600/Wisteria+near+Battersea+Park.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="900" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6E7G8DB7TGfwKgfWNA4LlcmPalMAE5FsTdpcjPfqvfIZ7uj2q0kYgDIa21dMmHge1yM8sUsUbGVjDsHDVOmgX8lUAPwrxGqGrjk_y_iQCIK7P_jb20xmyc2TLb2_kDyS2R8ZzKRDXtI/s400/Wisteria+near+Battersea+Park.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9w82CR8tl0l0L8oJAaIHvvihZNVXeut4MOh8JB3hjm1VVb8WEbSjspR0wgxgzhmz1kQDhQ1kVXEChNWVmjArcW-VcOkbGC9mo3cDHduL9GPdJ2CjgtaefHRbjK9-ZEXndY9G8GhD8ss/s1600/Wisteria+on+Battersea+Bridge+Road+in+Battersea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="900" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9w82CR8tl0l0L8oJAaIHvvihZNVXeut4MOh8JB3hjm1VVb8WEbSjspR0wgxgzhmz1kQDhQ1kVXEChNWVmjArcW-VcOkbGC9mo3cDHduL9GPdJ2CjgtaefHRbjK9-ZEXndY9G8GhD8ss/s400/Wisteria+on+Battersea+Bridge+Road+in+Battersea.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wisteria on Battersea Bridge Road</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDs4hoMyz32V2Kzjn3RyCnw_Ez79eVXKx5cWtfi2BoepScWCKdtZTzjSpgw_IDwoo_OrFmtj0SIWDiH5X2PwIp1JDscOghlik4JNl_Qcgic7GCwhr8fqFondnoU2KHk6hGpHOlP0DL4fY/s640/Wisteria+over+doors+collage+in+Battersea.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wisteria often grows over doorways like in these photos near Battersea Park.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo50DT8gI8amlYV5kf2Ul1yiUVboZdC7ir2diju7UnQp55E5mK3oBmQzRoq6CeStiVGl1DvpSjAxKafqJtluO-zzKlVs5dDRE3zLfEE9gqL_E_Y3ggBZaNAJw2ZkjJeUeQHIYq79T7-QI/s1600/Wisteria+comparisons+on+Lurline+Gardens+in+Battersea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo50DT8gI8amlYV5kf2Ul1yiUVboZdC7ir2diju7UnQp55E5mK3oBmQzRoq6CeStiVGl1DvpSjAxKafqJtluO-zzKlVs5dDRE3zLfEE9gqL_E_Y3ggBZaNAJw2ZkjJeUeQHIYq79T7-QI/s400/Wisteria+comparisons+on+Lurline+Gardens+in+Battersea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOLkq4Lep0hA53wbM2EYZ-wOUm-Cj7gjvImZm8STgfgTcaPmLnJmxjt2BBUrV6jcOKIFkDrqqWZ_9-2xXPjDSQjUI3p79kTQDXUJVdKcpxIhO9_H_DA29fcUTGVibq2A2NHj9TOksb4c/s1600/Wisteria+comparisons+in+Battersea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="630" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOLkq4Lep0hA53wbM2EYZ-wOUm-Cj7gjvImZm8STgfgTcaPmLnJmxjt2BBUrV6jcOKIFkDrqqWZ_9-2xXPjDSQjUI3p79kTQDXUJVdKcpxIhO9_H_DA29fcUTGVibq2A2NHj9TOksb4c/s640/Wisteria+comparisons+in+Battersea.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Interestingly, many of the two-storied rowhouses along and surrounding Eversleigh
Road have plaques dating to 1873 and 1874 on the facades.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y2v4ZUAr9Et44428pu1APRqNbhgQHIeyGPEHNwgc2lWWoI81TZ3XjwkzxpjwCNW9Q_9wzmUbv1qdpEYN2aWVJbftaxiaTBLKiHZNZvgQzJ22YmQ0eYlzGSwuMjzZXqRYNYsKCaeH9FA/s1600/Wisteria+on+1874+rowhouses+in+Battersea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="900" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y2v4ZUAr9Et44428pu1APRqNbhgQHIeyGPEHNwgc2lWWoI81TZ3XjwkzxpjwCNW9Q_9wzmUbv1qdpEYN2aWVJbftaxiaTBLKiHZNZvgQzJ22YmQ0eYlzGSwuMjzZXqRYNYsKCaeH9FA/s400/Wisteria+on+1874+rowhouses+in+Battersea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">Now, it’s not all cute rowhouses in Battersea. Post-World War II, a large part of this area was swept away in a vast municipal re-building plan. Ugly public housing estates and high-rises were built once the heavily bombed debris was cleared away. And then, there are the more modern, concrete high-rises built in recent years that also lack any botanical life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">But, there are still plenty of streets that I enjoy
passing by in Battersea.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Clapham
Common</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As
I cycled closer to Clapham Common, I found larger, more stately-looking
Victorian houses. Most of the houses along Clapham Common North Side are swathed
in gorgeous wisteria vines. Also, feel free to take a wander along Orlando
Road, Macaulay Road, The Chase and Victoria Rise. Technically, most of Clapham
falls in the Lambeth borough, but it’s not too far away.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJcg7H6Oe7nejXvhMRPxu9sxOs_uRepawMvlF0o9wtqlqNy1XijS39a32i_6v9z2_lo9uy9UTjabBJhv2k8J9Ceyf2kZh29qaUZQXSY6EEknwDgdFxbzYgdc4MRmKna4xEnmOIpxHW-c/s1600/Sunlight+on+wisteria+Clapham+Common.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="900" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJcg7H6Oe7nejXvhMRPxu9sxOs_uRepawMvlF0o9wtqlqNy1XijS39a32i_6v9z2_lo9uy9UTjabBJhv2k8J9Ceyf2kZh29qaUZQXSY6EEknwDgdFxbzYgdc4MRmKna4xEnmOIpxHW-c/s400/Sunlight+on+wisteria+Clapham+Common.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGjuFhxwliGSph4SQZCBJgvy2cJWJz73sTRc0TefmO8m145GLDYcGWyW7OfL3QuAVIJNw6LNQmHkvv8ECFYQZ4X5vPQljwaiIe9DnAufqNEOgNXPe_z_iWFO_EOq-S_niw4lOgo6gW3g/s1600/Wisteria+on+brick+wall+Clapham+Common.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="900" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGjuFhxwliGSph4SQZCBJgvy2cJWJz73sTRc0TefmO8m145GLDYcGWyW7OfL3QuAVIJNw6LNQmHkvv8ECFYQZ4X5vPQljwaiIe9DnAufqNEOgNXPe_z_iWFO_EOq-S_niw4lOgo6gW3g/s400/Wisteria+on+brick+wall+Clapham+Common.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYQTh10j9mf16jxDaJsfIOFDUdJ-pY8uN6ZHObPpfTtQJEWnWLG3uBKHfc9Rru_Zee_uIP7ebtuKgca8d1AKXegodE1y8uaTCp8QCikThYcXJYeE2Ud_PqGxjF-Px5_d3cgmAEWCuSTk/s1600/Old+wisteria+on+white+wall+Clapham+Common.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="900" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYQTh10j9mf16jxDaJsfIOFDUdJ-pY8uN6ZHObPpfTtQJEWnWLG3uBKHfc9Rru_Zee_uIP7ebtuKgca8d1AKXegodE1y8uaTCp8QCikThYcXJYeE2Ud_PqGxjF-Px5_d3cgmAEWCuSTk/s400/Old+wisteria+on+white+wall+Clapham+Common.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lU470kMACsAGuCdai5mfK-xJbKhO9F3slnmI5EBBgqacqKAaYgwcGKReKghTwViloydKUwwNs0XUYh2GBUw7vnPaeaHc4pgX7yT-DIj9yDLRSMS1bZo5N1ZgG5_SzFsdwntuP46gv78/s1600/Wisteria+on+pink+house+Orlando+Road+Clapham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="573" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lU470kMACsAGuCdai5mfK-xJbKhO9F3slnmI5EBBgqacqKAaYgwcGKReKghTwViloydKUwwNs0XUYh2GBUw7vnPaeaHc4pgX7yT-DIj9yDLRSMS1bZo5N1ZgG5_SzFsdwntuP46gv78/s640/Wisteria+on+pink+house+Orlando+Road+Clapham.jpg" width="404" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of my fav photos: pink on purple located on Oralndo Road in Clapham.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">English
Architect Sir Charles Barry, best known for his role in designing the Houses of
Parliament during the mid-19<sup>th</sup> century, lived at The Elms, 29-32
Clapham Common North Side. The building is currently used as part of the Royal
Trinity Hospice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMZ7IFUL8yNcAxqNYTyFMRFLJh-By3eI8KyEV0-IeRXTl-vr2o7Aeobs8ysUL5ESXe1vHL6jYHEDomnNMEBe-YTZH2s_bS-KPlOdIr9MB3z7u2ZSrXBQ-_PH232KpBIGkptttpXXZO2Q/s1600/Wisteria+on+house+by+Sir+Charles+Barry+Clapham+Common.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="900" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMZ7IFUL8yNcAxqNYTyFMRFLJh-By3eI8KyEV0-IeRXTl-vr2o7Aeobs8ysUL5ESXe1vHL6jYHEDomnNMEBe-YTZH2s_bS-KPlOdIr9MB3z7u2ZSrXBQ-_PH232KpBIGkptttpXXZO2Q/s640/Wisteria+on+house+by+Sir+Charles+Barry+Clapham+Common.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Wandsworth
Common</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then
west of Clapham Common towards Wandsworth Common, you’ll find another style of
architecture. Most of these Victorian houses are three-stories tall and free-standing,
meaning not attached to the neighboring houses like the rowhouses. Obviously, there
is more money in this part of the neighborhood, with the stretch of Northcote
Road nicknamed “<b><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/welcome-to-londons-nappy-valley-1411054531" target="_blank">Nappy Valley</a></b>” for the “yummy mummies” that patrol the
area with their prams.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsKbYvh2-vjb_-EiA9gf7A_B89esDLEgRwCZrbIo4852jc6YipMiwvxAGZ0uzqj6zWQMQyTeuHuQo9kNoAmFQ-6z6ZjqohgfiJ4pC36ugcfLH_cxb07cSEIgp4BPW27mYQj2gmxAub4A/s1600/Wisteria+over+doorways+Wandsworth+Common.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="900" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsKbYvh2-vjb_-EiA9gf7A_B89esDLEgRwCZrbIo4852jc6YipMiwvxAGZ0uzqj6zWQMQyTeuHuQo9kNoAmFQ-6z6ZjqohgfiJ4pC36ugcfLH_cxb07cSEIgp4BPW27mYQj2gmxAub4A/s640/Wisteria+over+doorways+Wandsworth+Common.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Still,
this is a nice area to cycle or walk through. Sometimes, I’ll cycle down own
street and then make a loop onto the next street so I can take photographs in
the neighborhood. You’ll find quite a few houses along Bolingbroke Grove that
are covered with wisteria vines as well as some houses just south of Wandsworth
Common.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CeaxxS9UUDYmBPj7gno9jdOTksNmbt25cMthJDTJwHSF6aMSQPyWv8rubz6My1PaFCwIciFHDwDsfqWfG8Zs1NPt9uKMPtehTNBgzr-3kgq0MFHBa_1DvgPqHHAB-LjoqwnQtIg7gig/s1600/Old+wisteria+vines+on+house+Wandsworth+Common.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="900" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CeaxxS9UUDYmBPj7gno9jdOTksNmbt25cMthJDTJwHSF6aMSQPyWv8rubz6My1PaFCwIciFHDwDsfqWfG8Zs1NPt9uKMPtehTNBgzr-3kgq0MFHBa_1DvgPqHHAB-LjoqwnQtIg7gig/s640/Old+wisteria+vines+on+house+Wandsworth+Common.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-ONWknSS7u9Ln-pJZT4IHkTapPXpUbhhn-lJjXHW4IivNT-HSzmGCM395mJeqXQ0DK5ejDOPntEsU_WDbgBzTIfCKzsVdJwnPbVHyCgVQhrIvtmZc3WfWshutv_q1xcwOjFdgzSeHsE/s1600/Wisteria+on+house+on+Mallinson+Road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="900" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-ONWknSS7u9Ln-pJZT4IHkTapPXpUbhhn-lJjXHW4IivNT-HSzmGCM395mJeqXQ0DK5ejDOPntEsU_WDbgBzTIfCKzsVdJwnPbVHyCgVQhrIvtmZc3WfWshutv_q1xcwOjFdgzSeHsE/s640/Wisteria+on+house+on+Mallinson+Road.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sigh…Flowers
keep on giving no matter what is happening in the world!</span></div>
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Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com0Battersea Park, Battersea, London SW11 4NJ, UK51.4791075 -0.156498150.216229999999996 -2.7382850999999997 52.741985 2.4252889tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6104067274494549802.post-29373247724038334382020-03-31T18:16:00.001-04:002020-09-09T13:58:40.028-04:00Lovely Orchids at Kew Gardens in London<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Before
the world became consumed by everything related to Covid-19, I simply used to
enjoy the beautiful flowers out and about in </span><b style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/London" target="_blank">London</a></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">During
February and half of March, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Kew%20Gardens" target="_blank">Kew Gardens</a> </b>in
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">London</span> hosted its annual <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Orchids%20Festival" target="_blank">Orchids Festival</a></b>. The 25<sup>th</sup> annual orchid festival featured the incredible
wildlife and vibrant culture of Indonesia – an archipelago of more than 17,000
islands, including Java, Borneo, Papua and Bali. The festival showcased Indonesia’s
diverse landscape from tropical rainforests to spectacular volcanos, which was
the main focus in the central pond area. Here, the garden staff had created a
volcano with orchids!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiq2NP_fzNfhyphenhyphenHBR3UZH4upcR9boWIClbxEY16Z5HKeq6KjnZoo9xt9tcusOa15IZ0csDrb8BWFnsb1bxl1jcZaLZHfs_jlR6eWspo77dlugAUrhKKmCWIzceglhihIkKNEOJU2TwlVc/s1600/Orchids+and+water+pond+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiq2NP_fzNfhyphenhyphenHBR3UZH4upcR9boWIClbxEY16Z5HKeq6KjnZoo9xt9tcusOa15IZ0csDrb8BWFnsb1bxl1jcZaLZHfs_jlR6eWspo77dlugAUrhKKmCWIzceglhihIkKNEOJU2TwlVc/s1600/Orchids+and+water+pond+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did
you know that Indonesia has at least 4,000 species of orchids, as well as many
other plants that can be found only on certain islands in the archipelago? We’ve
only visited <b><a href="https://www.mytravelingjoys.com/search/label/Bali" target="_blank">Bali</a></b> so far, but I would love see more of this beautiful
country?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Every
year, the Orchids Festival at Kew Gardens never fails to impress me. The
displays are filled with such vibrant orchids as you can see from my photos.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbB_AKGbxupd2gkOmsRDE_BLN86fZgp3LKV7VYYuRPBRSgmV22inlL3mF4Xh4jDvDmvjcSr2QOzHHyoYxy4JS8dUG_Huxp-g1TeV427IAL3UoUktEXOpdzrJ1oxTpGK-JcmU_Xp1iGrE/s1600/Cacti+and+orchids+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbB_AKGbxupd2gkOmsRDE_BLN86fZgp3LKV7VYYuRPBRSgmV22inlL3mF4Xh4jDvDmvjcSr2QOzHHyoYxy4JS8dUG_Huxp-g1TeV427IAL3UoUktEXOpdzrJ1oxTpGK-JcmU_Xp1iGrE/s1600/Cacti+and+orchids+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNl9yS35qFfg38gM39uuxPVu0h7A89BBQrvxSn0xkKut_ZooUupQgEsg9XqKasw3xwtCotqeiptVADHDRF_848X4Xx2GFszujVjcVS1uMPwzfzUDGojQsGIBeXdbq0aau89fdL0Dg0Js/s1600/Arch+of+orchids+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNl9yS35qFfg38gM39uuxPVu0h7A89BBQrvxSn0xkKut_ZooUupQgEsg9XqKasw3xwtCotqeiptVADHDRF_848X4Xx2GFszujVjcVS1uMPwzfzUDGojQsGIBeXdbq0aau89fdL0Dg0Js/s1600/Arch+of+orchids+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Blue Orchids</b></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Although these <i>Phalaenopsis</i> orchids were dyed blue, there really are rare blue orchids in Indonesia. In 1938, British entomologist Evelyn Cheesman collected samples of the extremely rare blue orchid </span><i style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dendrobium azureum</i><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. In 2017, a local Indonesian conservationist discovered examples of this rare species out in the wild.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aymdAH7NOgu_vYcJfIDrjbgSCeknhFCPxxV3AxHxTT-nAwYFAx75kNKw_mq5DG6t8L29L2cwkoVEd792HIiSWnhcOzCCBPJJ9OG-cxWgfwf2YXp2Tq1WHdisfId3xgWjDYzQ_rB5ruo/s1600/Indonesian+blue+orchids+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aymdAH7NOgu_vYcJfIDrjbgSCeknhFCPxxV3AxHxTT-nAwYFAx75kNKw_mq5DG6t8L29L2cwkoVEd792HIiSWnhcOzCCBPJJ9OG-cxWgfwf2YXp2Tq1WHdisfId3xgWjDYzQ_rB5ruo/s1600/Indonesian+blue+orchids+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Z Orchids</b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Zygopetalum</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
orchids have small blooms and only consist of 15 recognized species. The
blooms usually are green and brown striped or speckled and have a velvety lip.
They are quite unique!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oKBvof5V8AYX2sXA1UbHnJk8iFQjy9dKGWjguTvlOgprX3eZK_p7MSUe-wd75ZMJLEK5eWm9X1YgpKu7efDKo5VaN-43G7ZHf9sifLQqFDaiWwly3pwKK79oh_hPVCETFMpCwnbY3Dc/s1600/Violet+zygopetalum+orchids+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oKBvof5V8AYX2sXA1UbHnJk8iFQjy9dKGWjguTvlOgprX3eZK_p7MSUe-wd75ZMJLEK5eWm9X1YgpKu7efDKo5VaN-43G7ZHf9sifLQqFDaiWwly3pwKK79oh_hPVCETFMpCwnbY3Dc/s1600/Violet+zygopetalum+orchids+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Pitcher Plants</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bizarre pitcher plants, a type of carnivorous plants, made a good showing at the festival as well. The bulb part of the plants trap the bugs that the plants feed on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyUuk8UnsF6rcEMDkQKAyRwtEomjT1xAwfPNpT8OmIK74WZ-lGjrwnXTclc76RcDPJMXcnHVdOUkbibQioH7zSmTF1vqIv8UIzYm0mWn6nUEQLr5WXofT36uwVcWUyHEHiNz-a7BU9dU/s1600/Orangutan+made+from+plants+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyUuk8UnsF6rcEMDkQKAyRwtEomjT1xAwfPNpT8OmIK74WZ-lGjrwnXTclc76RcDPJMXcnHVdOUkbibQioH7zSmTF1vqIv8UIzYm0mWn6nUEQLr5WXofT36uwVcWUyHEHiNz-a7BU9dU/s1600/Orangutan+made+from+plants+at+Kew+Gardens+London.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">A cute orangutan made from plants amongst the orchids.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who
knew that orchids bloom in nearly every shade of the rainbow and beyond?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Hope
you enjoy the orchid photo show! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Joyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11920366609527181388noreply@blogger.com2Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9, UK51.4787438 -0.29557331.027872299999995 -41.604167 71.9296153 41.013021