From Lincoln to London

Wow, thats all I can say!  Well actually I will say much more but WOW would suffice.  I have had an amazing two weeks off.  The first week was spent with my family as you may have already read.  And the last was spent with my friend from high school, Sangita.  We spent the first day in Cleethorpes and the second in Lincoln.  This was my third visit to Lincoln and still I'm seeing new things.  In fact on my way home by train I passed an area of Lincoln I have not explored so I think there will be more visits in my future.
We then made our way to London.  We stayed in Notting Hill which was beautiful and no I did not see Hugh Grant.  I was looking though.  Our first day there we went to the Portebello Market.  I thought the Camdon market was big but this one made it look like a country fair.  There had to be people in the tens of thousands and vendors every where you looked.  The following day we went to a couple small galleries and the Tate Modern.  What a day, I think we figured we were walking for about ten hours.  The icing on the cake was the next day.  We went to Harrod's.  I never imagined to enjoy myself as much as I did.  The architecture, the history, the window designs, the displays, the expensive one of a kind items, the food area, the escalators and elevators.  It was an experience anyone would enjoy.  I was sad to say goodbye to Sangita, we had only a few days to catch up on many years but I cant wait to visit her at her home in Rome come October.

I think my next miniature will be a candy shop, so this is research.

Sangita and I at Lincoln.

The Cathedral from a different view point.

Then on to London

These blossoms were so pretty.

Wall to wall sewing machines in a clothing store.

Our hotel is the one on the left with the Pot Pourri's.

Tulip at Embankment and Victoria Garden.

Harrod's

Window Display, a woman's dressing table with reflection of the street.

Paper sculpture

Humpty Dumpty sat on a Fabrege sign having a cup of tea.

Figs anyone?

The Egyptian Escalator

Ice Cream bar

A Children's riding car, only 34,000 pounds.

Dress/costume shop, on average the outfits were around 350 pounds.

Beautiful Glassware

Glass Sculpture/Cosmetics

This creation was a glass commisioned piece bought by Harrod's and recently installed in their newly refurbished Grand Hall.  Ironically enough the staff had no idea where to find it.  Lucky for me Sangita was determined to find it or I would have just given up and not been witness to it's amazing glory.

We stopped for lunch in this quaint restaurant before heading over to the Victoria and Albert Gallery.

Court yard inside the Victoria and Albert.

I am so glad to have more than just a holiday here.  I could never get to see all this in just a couple weeks.  I know that I'll be back again and I will subject you to more images than you can ever imagine.

Scrapbook

So I'm back in Grimsby again.  I'm looking forward to the next week as a friend from high school is visiting and we are going to London for a few days.
Crewkerne was wonderful and relaxing but the family was the best part.  I was shown more of this beautiful country and I am so thankful for every minute I get to spend here.  I realize the gift I've been given.  I would never have been able to do the things I've done as a visitor.
One of the downfalls I experienced was a slow internet.  It is a compromise of living on a gorgeous hillside.
This is just a scrapbook of images I want to share.
First the said "Hillside" called Fosse Way.  I am trying to not show you the same things twice, so forgive me if I do.

looking sown the hill

Then we went to Montecute House

You know me and this is Amanda and Philip.

The strangely sculpted hedges around the garden.

Then we (Amanda, her children and myself) went to Wells

My cousins all attended school here so I was given a very personal tour by Amanda.

Entrance to the west lawn of the Wells Cathedral

I showed you the whole car earlier

A genuine mote around the Bishop's Palace.

I want a scooter like this but pink.

West side of the cathedral.

Clock inside the cathedral

Then it was on to Lyme Regis but I've shown you most of the beauty already.  So on to Bath.

In my mind this was much more ornate.

Front of the Abby

a lighting fixture inside

The water which is still from the well.

An actress, with a "do" from the times.

The Romans had heated flooring. the well water was flowing under the floor which rested on these pillars.

An artist's work.  The boar had something to do with the Romans.

Victoria Park, taken primarily for my Canadian friends.

"Bath Time"

I had a great day yesterday getting to know my cousin Philip, oh yeah, and we did this catch up in Bath.  I have to say that while the town was beautiful and the history was amazing I enjoyed my time with him more.  We walked for hours taking in the sights and sounds.  The Roman baths were like stepping back in time (1900 years).  The water still flows from the spring into the baths, I think it's over 170,000 litres a day and it was the perfect temperature (for me) to bathe in.  I sampled the drinking water but it was also hot and not a flavour anyone would want to bottle.
On Thursday My Uncle took me to Lyme Regis, also know as the Fossil coast due to the large amount of fossils but it is also the home of the Cobb.  The Cobb is a large break wall that you can walk out on which was featured in the movie "The French Lieutenant's Woman" with Meryl Streep.  My cousin and her two children joined us and we had a great visit before they headed home.  I think if I ever moved here the decision of where in England to live would be difficult.  I've seen three different coast lines and while the two most beautiful would be strong favourites, the third actually has employment.  Oh well not a decision I have to worry about.

Dad's brother, my Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary and myself.

The Cobb

Lymeregis coastline on a beautiful April day, the temperature was about 20 this day.

In Bath

Incomunicato

Because we are situated on a hillside, the internet and phone capabilities are very limited.  I will post more pictures when I get back to Grimsby.  I am enjoying the opportunity of getting to know my Aunt and Uncle as well as my cousins Philip and Amanda (and Amanda's wonderful family).  Yesterday we went to Montecute house.  The house along with the gardens and artwork was beautiful.  Today Amanda and her children took me to visit Wells.  The architecture, the layout of towns built hundreds of years ago and the grandure of it all was mesmerizing.

Montecute House, in Montecute, how .......cute.  That's how I remembered the name.  You might think this is silly, but I have had to learn about 300 student's names and so many new places with foreign names that tricks like this are invaluable.

In front on the Bishops Palace at Wells Cathedral in Wells.  I was willing to break the rules and jump over a barrier to get a picture of this car, but then the driver got in and pulled up to us.  Then he kindly got out to speak to someone and thus I got this amazing shot. (Thanks to Amanda's son who called us back.)

West side of Wells Cathedral.

Vicars close, this is one of the oldest roads in Europe.

Another touch of spring.  It was a beautiful day today, when the sun was out it must have been close to 18 or 20 degrees.

Windwhistle Hill

I arrived yesterday in Crewkerne to visit my Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary.  The train ride was just under 7 hours which seems extreme when the drive would have been considerably less, but I do not feel confident enough to drive by myself for that length of time in a place I am not familiar with.  Plus, the train fair was about a quarter of the cost.
Crewkerne is in the south west corner of England.  The landscape is similar to the lake district minus the lakes.  My dad visited here in the late 80's.  I remember vividly how he lit up when describing the area specifically the narrow roads and Joe's garden and I can totally relate.  He said "you could reach your arms out to the side and touch the hedges on both sides" I think he was embellishing the truth.  You would need to have extremely long arms.

While it looks like an autumn picture it is not.  It is actually a sunset picture.