Day 2, Happy New Year!

It's only New Years Eve Day and I am already exhausted.
I visited everything on my itinerary for today and the day is not over.  Tonight I will go down to the Thames River to see the fireworks.
I went to Trafalgar Square and visited the National Gallery.  There were moments I had to pinch myself and moments I felt like crying.  I saw: Monet's, Renoir's, Van Gogh's, Cezanne's and so many more.  Then I went to the Portrait Museum around the corner.  There were people everywhere and my patience was tried on more than one occasion.  My favourite moment was when I was studying a portrait of Prince Henry and Prince William.  I was only about two feet away and a woman came and stood between me and the painting.  Normally I would move over but she was facing me and not the painting as she was talking to someone behind me.  So I just stared at her as if she was the work and she eventually got the message. PATIENCE!!!!
Then I wandered St. Jame's Park and realized the Palace was at the other end.  I could not be this close and not go right to the gates.
Afterwards I went to the Churchill War Rooms.  What a fantastic museum.  I highly recommend this to anyone who visits this incredible city.
I returned back to Judi and Joel's place (friends from Nipissing who have let me stay in their flat while they are at home in Ontario) to rest before heading out again tonight.  I was nervous about going out so late but the bus stop is very close to my destinations.

Large Blue Cock outside the National Gallery.

Georges Seurat's Bathers at Asnieres I can't believe how large this is.  We studied the impressionist style but until you see it in person you can't comprehend it's magnificence.  Photos are strictly forbidden in the gallery but I wanted to show you the incredible size.

The Queen's Horse Guards

There it is, as seen from the hot dog vendor's in the park.  I was really looking forward to a real hot dog with real american mustard, but then he flattened the bun in a panini press (not everything is better from a press).

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Her crest on the gates

Guard on duty.

Big Ben.  for now I will take the opportunity for a picture, maybe on another day I will explore the Westminster Hall itself.

So tonight the fireworks, Happy New Year Everyone!

Day One in London

The best laid plans..........
                       are often interrupted by something better.

I made a plan and laid out the best way to get to my destinations.  On my Itenerary was the British Museum, Churchill's war rooms and the National Portrait Museum.
I visited the first Museum and wondered the expanse of artifacts for about two hours.

One of the main reasons for me visiting this museum was to see the architecture itself.

This brought back many memories.  When I worked at Reprints with Kevin someone lecturing on this crystal skull came to us for reprints.

This is just a small pendant, about 2 inches.

Tiffany blown glass.

So beautiful.

Then something happened on the way to the underground.  I spotted this.

The draw was too great.  There was a Matinee in just one hour and I received a great seat at a discounted price.  My World was Rocked.  the performance of "We Will Rock You" was exceptional.

There was a picture gallery of Freddie Mercury inside and the music was fantastic.

Maybe tomorrow I will be able to stick to the plan or maybe not.

Roman Helmet

I am now in London.  Ready to discover museums and art galleries, Windsor castle and whatever I find along the way.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to see Carlisle and the Museum.  My Uncle mentioned a Roman Helmet that was recently uncovered by a man with a metal detector, only about 6 inches below ground and after some restoration work it was sold at auction for 2.2 million pounds.  The buyer has remained anonymous but has generously allowed the public to view it at no extra cost besides the entrance to museum.  The helmet is one of the best of its kind ever found and dates as far back as the first century.

We explored other areas of the museum but this was by far the most exciting.
The night previous I was able to solve a memory mystery.  I was only 6 when I was last here and the small bits of memory I have are not easily understood.  But with the help of Ernest/Gene and John/Margaret we managed to figure out my recollection of an Easter in Thornhill.  I'm still unsure if it was me or my mother who was having the temper tantrum over an ice cream cone but at least I know who's house it was (Uncle John and Aunt Margaret).  Uncle Ernest drove me by my grandmother's old house and his post office also in Thornhill and it's nice to know that these memories were correct.

A Christmas to remember

I hope everyone reading this has had the opportunity to share time with their family this Christmas.  While I have missed my immediate family, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to be surrounded by my extended family.  I've missed my boxing day filled with great food, great laughs and games with Marjorie but this year brought nothing less with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins.

My cousin Brenda is truly an artist.  She made a Christmas cake and honoured me with a cardinal on top.  As many of you know, since my father's passing in 2004 Cardinals have become very symbolic to me.  They were one of his favourite birds and every time I see one they remind me of him and his love for us.  Here in England they do not know the beauty in a Cardinal, the birds are never seen here.  But for me I saw them in Christmas cards, Trinket boxes, and cakes.  I feel very loved.

Any similarity to Angry Birds is purely coincidental.

Isn't he cute?

This is Lake Buttermere.  On Boxing Day, we walked around the lake.  It took us about two hours and it was four and a half miles.

There was some sun but only on that hill, the fact that it quit raining for half a day was amazing.  We have been having the same severe storm that swept across Ontario this past week.  Many areas of England have been badly flooded.

One of the sites from around the lake.

I loved the clouds covering the mountain tops in this picture.

Holly is everywhere.

I hope you have had a great Christmas.  Happy New Year!

Lancaster

On Saturday my co-worker and I ventured out by car to the lakes.  Her home is south of my Aunt and Uncles but on the west coast.  She has grown up here in a place called Lancaster.  She informed me that the only things Lancaster is known for is the invention of linoleum and slavery.  After slavery was abolished, tunnels were dug to transport slaves into the cotton mills without being noticed.  She also gave me another tidbit of information.  This is were 400 women and girls were tried and hanged for being witches.
We stopped for a quick walk around Williamson Park.  This is a 40 acre lot with walkways and gardens.  It will be magnificent in the summer but not so much right now.  This gave me the opportunity to stretch my legs before getting on the train to ride up the coastline.  The scenery was beautiful until it was all taken away by the night sky.
We are just beginning to get the storm from Canada.  We are experiencing strong winds and lots of rain.  I'm sorry for all my friends and family who are struggling with the ice storm, wish I could be there for you if only to stay inside and bake Christmas cookies and decorate gingerbread houses.

Lord Ashton's monument to his late wife.  This is at the front of Williamson's Park.  There is also a butterfly conservatory behind this structure.

A beautiful stone courtyard in back of the monument.

I am in Egremont now, enjoying some quiet time with family.  I hope you all have a great Christmas.

Negative Nelly

Not much to share with you today.  I'm going to do some Christmas baking today and Ange said I could decorate her tree.  This will make it seem more like Christmas.  I am missing you all more than usual but looking forward to what the Christmas this year has to offer.  I am going back up to my Aunt and Uncles and then hopefully to London for New Years.
Sorry to all my friends and family.... I thought I took care of everything before leaving but I clearly forgot about your Christmas cookies, specifically the Chocolate Crinkles.  I now have backup (Ruthe) who has generously offered to make some of her own spectacular cookies for those who are suffering the most (Zach and Alex).
I don't know who the negative Nellie's were that told me winter in the UK was going to be grey and depressing but you were wrong.  OK, yes we have some of those days but this morning was not one of them.  I have a long walk to church but the gardens and park offer pleasant sights along the way.

Fuchsia is all over the place and in full bloom.  Holly plants are growing everywhere, much like a weed.  I only saw one with berries and it was full.   However, it was outside a home and I think If I had been bold enough to take a picture of it someone may have told me off.

People's Park used to be very run down and 'dodgy" but it is quite beautiful now. 

People's Park

Market

I just had to see the Christmas Market in Lincoln.  It is apparently the largest in the world. (No actual research was done to confirm this, but I do believe it.)  This is the same town with that incredible cathedral I showed you back in October.  Much like the climb to the roof top of the Cathedral, I can say that I've done it and I never have to do it again.  Start humming the 12 days of Christmas right about now.
-Thousands of people shopping
-Hundreds of craft tables selling
-Dozens of food vendors cooking
-Steep hills to climb
-Ideas for next year
-Swans a swimming
-Stores to explore
-MUSICAL BANDS
-Smells beyond yummy
-Rides to watch
-Balloons and Bubbles
-AND ONE CRYING BOY (I saw him at the start crying and hours later still crying).

There were many swans in the river but this one caught my attention.  He seemed to be the leader.

I found the contradiction of having a skating rink next to the river with the swans and boats very funny.  I was all ready to put on some skates but a closer inspection of the "ice" made me change my mind.  It looked as though it had not been flooded all day.

Some kind of snow princess handing out candy, she was scary and if she had offered me one of those bon bons when I was young maybe I would not have the sweet tooth that I do now.

Mistletoe

A beautiful bookstore/cafe.

Inside the Lincoln Castle there were many craft stands, this was one of my favourites.  There were some very large bubbles floating around and these smaller ones had some kind of gas in them that when they popped there was a poof of smoke.

The music was great, there was a fantastic rock and roll band, a great fiddler and his band and this one. I'm not sure what type of music you would call it but I really enjoyed it.

Then It was back to Grimsby, not as Grimm as you might think.  This is Abby Walk, it is a little gem in the heart of the town.

Thanks for all the Christmas cards everyone,  I am so lucky to have you each in my life.