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Royal Ascot: Ladies Day 2013

Posted in Day Trip from London, Photography, Travels, United Kingdom, tagged Ascot, Betting, Hats, Horse Racing, Ladies Day, London, Photography, Royal Ascot, UK on Friday, 21 June, 2013| 12 Comments »

I was on the fence about attending Ladies Day at Royal Ascot but since the outing was being organized by a fun British friend, I decided if nothing else, I’d enjoy the company of my new international friends. Little did I know I would thoroughly enjoy myself once I got into the to the races ~ the atmosphere was formal, fun and something I probably won’t get a chance to do again anytime soon.

During the year, Ascot hosts a total of 26 days of horse racing, but the five-day Royal Meeting in June is the most famous with race goers dressed in formal attire. Before the races, many of those attendees enjoy the traditional Car Park Picnic or, as we call it in the states TAILGATING. Our package included Champagne, Wine, Beer, Buck’s Fizz (aka Mimosa) and a few snacks.

The first race ever held at Ascot occurred on 11 August 1711 at the instigation of Queen Anne but it was during George II’s reign when the race became the second most popular in England. The Royal Enclosure was established in the 1790s to ensure privacy for the royal family. In 1822, George IV commissioned the exclusive Royal Box and it was only accessible to guests with the coveted royal invitation. There are MANY dress rules for the Royal Enclosure so it’s just as well I was in the Silver Enclosure.

The five-day meeting of Royal Ascot starts on Tuesday with the Royal Procession entering the racecourse through the Golden Gates. The Queen and her party are in horse-drawn open-top carriages parading along the track in front of the race-goers. Each day has a theme and we chose to attend Ladies Day (Thursday) which features the prestigious Gold Cup event. Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot can be traced back to 1823 when an anonymous poet said of the Thursday Royal meeting as ‘Ladies’ Day… when the women, like angels, look sweetly divine.’

I thought it was funny seeing all the beautifully garbed ladies hanging out side the men’s toilets.

The international ladies in my group.

This lady had the right idea ~ just take the shoes off completely!

This was my vote for the biggest and most unusual hat of the day (that I saw) but there were obviously more elaborate ones in the Royal enclosure. Click here to see the fabulous hats.

Those heels make my feet hurt just looking at them. Pretty but painful.

This woman was an obvious “regular” of Royal Ascot. She seemed very comfortable with the whole thing.

It was a lot of fun to see all the beautifully dressed women attending Ladies Day. I got into the spirit of things by wearing a bright pink fascinator and carrying a matching pink handbag. I thought I was being “bold” but paled in comparison.

Several people came to the party in horse-drawn carriages.

And the men were dressed so elegantly.

“No Nay Never”

People watching was a lot of fun but the real excitement for me was actually placing a bet on a horse, watching it run and seeing it WIN! This was my first venture to a horse race and I can understand the excitement people feel from the thrill of the races. Since none of the ladies in my group knew a thing about betting on a horse, I “picked” a name from the list which at first glance I thought it said “No Hay Fever.” With my allergies raging these past few weeks, I thought that was the perfect horse to bet on. The name is actually “No Nay Never” but I stuck with it. On further research, No Nay Never is from the US and has a US owner and trainer so how could I not go with it. Odds were 6:1 when I placed my bet but I didn’t realize the odds could change. As the race got closer the odds went to 4:1 which would pay out less. Turns out, in order to keep the odds stated at the time of the bet, you have to say “Fixed Odds”. Oh, well ~ live and learn. I placed a £10 bet to win and made £40. Chump change for some, but I was thrilled.

“Times Up”

Since I got my feet wet with the first bet, I decided to go for “worse” odds in the hopes of a bigger payoff. I placed a £5 bet on “Times Up” to win the Golden Cup. But The Queen’s horse, “Estimate” came in first. Watching her face during the win of her horse was so nice. It was obvious she was truly and completely in the moment and so happy. In the past, The Queen has owned 20 winning horses at Royal Ascot but yesterday was the first Gold Cup a monarch has won in the 207 years of the race.

Ascot is located southwest of London. Since I don’t have a car, I took the Jubilee line to Waterloo then a train (about 50 minutes) to Ascot. Biggest worry was my hat getting crushed by the rush hour mob. It’s a bit of a walk from the Ascot train station to the Silver Enclosure so if you go, wear comfortable shoes to walk in. I ended up keeping my comfy shoes on even after getting into the race area ~ I’m in awe of the ladies who could pull off the 4+ inch heels.

I would definitely recommend attending Ladies Day. Be sure to wear a hat and DRESS UP!!

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London: Trooping The Colour 2013

Posted in London, Travels, United Kingdom, tagged Horse Guards, Kate Middleton, London, Photography, Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth, Queen's Birthday Parade, Royal Horse Guards, Trooping the Colour, UK on Tuesday, 18 June, 2013| 11 Comments »

Trooping the Colour, also known as Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday Parade was held this past Saturday, 15 June. Her birthday is actually on April 21 but the celebrations are numerous and culminates with the “official” Birthday Parade. She turned 87 years old this year and seems to be going strong. Tickets for the Parade are given out by lottery which I wrote about a few months ago (click here). Although I did receive lottery tickets for the Colonel’s review practice ceremony the week prior, John was able to get tickets for the Official Birthday Parade. Tickets cost £30 each.

The sheer number of Soldiers and horses was impressive. The parade included 19 officers, 626 soldiers, 225 musicians, 23 mounted officers, 219 mounted soldiers and 245 gorgeous horses.

Despite my allergies going crazy from the pollen and other unidentified particles flying through the air (London seems to be at the height of allergy season right now), I was thrilled to witness a British tradition that’s been going on since the reign of King Charles II (1660 -1685). In 1748, it was agreed the parade would be used to mark the official birthday of the Sovereign and it became an annual event as of 1760 during the reign of George III. I enjoyed seeing the grandeur, the band (so fabulous!), the Soldiers, horses and, of course, seeing the Queen.

Colour (yes, I’m spelling it the British way) refers to the regimental flags of the British Infantry. Since the times of Kings of Babylon, the flags have been used as a rallying point for Soldiers. The Colour being trooped was the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and, since the Queen was present, it was Queen’s Colour on parade. Hope I got that right!

The Queen has attended the parade and taken “the salute” since her accession to the throne ~ 61 years! Until 1986, she rode a horse to take the salute but since then, she’s taken the salute from the dais. Unfortunately, our seats didn’t provide a view of the dais.

Other Royal Family members participate in the ceremony as well. If you squint, as I did at the ceremony, you can see Kate (Duchess of Cambridge), Camilla (Duchess of Cornwall) and Prince Harry in the open-carriage. My understanding is this was Kate’s last public event until she gives birth.

Not a great photo but those mounted officers with the Blue sash(which signifies they are in the Order of the Garter) are as follows: On the far is Anne, The Princess Royal and a Colonel in the Blues and Royals. In the middle is Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Colonel Irish Guards. On the right is Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Colonel Welsh Guards. They followed directly behind the Queen’s carriage.

The Old Admiralty Building with the Bunker Seats and “hanging out the windows” seemed to provide great views.

The horses are beautiful and so well behaved. It’s obvious they are a bit spunky since they looked so pleased when they were finally able to do the “quick time” meaning then got to canter rather then walk pass the Queen.

The band sounded fantastic~ both those on foot and mounted. Have to say, I still don’t know how they play while riding horse back. Just riding a horse takes all my concentration!

There were hats and horses everywhere. I find it difficult to distinguish the different uniforms but I do know the blue plume on the hat means Irish Guards and the red plume means Coldstream Guards.

We didn’t have a good view of the Queen but David Cameron (Prime Minister) and other international dignitaries were close by.

Wasn’t quite sure what the pointing of the sword meant since it was being pointed directly at David Cameron but John explained it’s like a turn signal. Ah, that explains it…

At the end of the ceremony, we couldn’t resist snapping a photo with a foot guard. My favorite quote of the day was Logan stating “They really are the Red Coats”

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India: Mumbai

Posted in India, Photography, Travels, tagged Bombay, Gateway to India, India, India Subway, Mumbai, Photography, Slumdog Millionaire, Sugar Cane Drinks, The Taj Mahal Palace, Travels on Thursday, 13 June, 2013| 3 Comments »

Guest Blogger, John ~ final installment of his India visit: Mumbai

Our final stop in India was the financial capital of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. In many ways, it’s similar to Manhattan. It lies on peninsula surrounded by the sea and it has an impressive skyline.

We stayed at the iconic and historic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. It was built in 1903 and the view of the city from my room was spectacular (see photo above). In 2008, the hotel was attacked by terrorists and the security remains tight to this day.

The Taj Mahal Palace

Pool at The Taj Mahal Palace. It was great to cool off with a swim since the temps were so high.

By the time I got to Mumbai, laundry service was imperative. Each shirt, underwear and even socks came back “dressed” like this.

The “Gateway to India”, built in 1911 to commemorate King George V’s visit to Mumbai, is located directly across the street from The Taj Palace.

Locals gather daily at the Gateway to India ~ it has a energetic feel to the area. Great people watching and a beautiful location.

We went on a tour with “Reality Tours and Travel” to the Dharavi Slum. The area became well-known after the runaway hit of the movie: Slum Dog Millionaire. The pipes in the photo above are seen in the movie. Photos within the actual slum was prohibited but I was able to purchase postcards at the end of the tour which highlighted the day-to-day life in the slums. Dharavi is the largest slum in Asia and going on this tour gave a real appreciation of what true poverty is like. And 80% of the profits of all tours goes to education and health projects in the slum area. For more information about the tour company, click here.

As inviting as the subway entrance looked, we chose not to use the subway and walked around the town instead.

It’s true, there are cows everywhere!

India is a multi-religious country and one of the largest Muslim countries in the world. During the mid-day prayer, people lined the streets, faced Mecca and prayed.

During my visit to India, I ate many wonderful meals ~ mostly curry. Close to the hotel was a restaurant called Mondegar and it turned out to be a favorite for many of us. Even though we were in India, someone in our group insisted on ordering Chinese noodles. Back in London, we frequently get take out from a neighborhood restaurant in Marylebone called “Bombay Spice” but it may be a while before I’m ready for more India food.

On our last day in Mumbai, we took a self guided tour. We frequently saw roadside vendors making “Sugar Cane Water” for sale.

On our walk, we saw the beautiful Mumbai Train Station. Built in 1887, the Gothic style Victoria Terminus Railway station ranks as the busiest station in Asia. It was renamed the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (aka CST) in 1998 and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2004.

India is a huge country and we only got to see a very small part of it. Of all the places we visited during our week visit to India, I liked Mumbai the most. Next stop is Kathmandu…

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India: Handcrafted items from Agra and New Dehli

Posted in India, Photography, Travels, tagged Agra, Dilli Haat Market, India, Indian Artisans, Marble, New Dehli, Pashmina, Photography, Semi Precious Stones, Taj Mahal, Travel, Travels on Thursday, 6 June, 2013| 5 Comments »

Guest Blogger continued…

Upon closer inspection of the Taj Mahal, the workmanship of the building is amazing. All the designs and writings are done with inlay technique using precious and semi-precious stones.

After our visit to the Taj Mahal, we went to Marble Krafts to see a demonstration of the artisans making the marble inlays using the same technique as found on the walls of the Taj Mahal. The family artisans create their own designs but will do special orders as well. We were told during the demonstration that the artisans are descendents of the original craftsmen who worked at the Taj Mahal. But the tour guide also told us about the legend of the Black Taj Mahal which has been refuted. Hard to know what to believe…

The semi precious stones such as Lapis lazuli, Onyx, Jasper, Cornelian, etc are combined with various marble colors to create items such as small boxes, bathroom tiles, chess boards & table tops. The decorative art is known as pietra dura inlay which has floral and geometric patterns ~ creating a beautiful result.

I’ve had an opportunity to travel extensively but can’t always take my family. During my travels, I like to bring a little something home and I started bringing small locally crafted boxes for my daughter. This box seemed perfect to add to her collection.

Speaking of shopping, upon returning to New Dehli, a few of us decided to go to the Dilli Haat Market. What a great place ~ it is organized with stalls from all the different regions in India. Also, there’s a nominal entrance fee (about 20 rupees) which means there weren’t any pickpockets or beggars to distract while we walked around the stalls. The central food area looked interesting but since I had just recently arrived in India, I was still not ready to tackle street food.

Hand stitched pashmina.

Before I went to the Dilli Haat market, I had never heard of a pashmina but after speaking with the vendor from Kashmir, I was convinced I had to get one for my wife. He said the material came from the neck ~the softest part. Later I learned there’s a trick to telling a good pashmina. Pull it through a ring and if it goes through smoothly, it’s good quality.

For more information on:

Marble Krafts, click here.

Dilli haat Market, click here.

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India: The Taj Mahal and The Agra Fort

Posted in India, Photography, Travels, tagged Agra, Agra Fort, India, Monkey, Photography, Taj Mahal, Train, Travels, Tuk Tuk on Wednesday, 5 June, 2013| 14 Comments »

Even though India is high on my list of places to visit and the Taj Mahal is at the tippy top of the list, it’s doubtful I’ll be there anytime soon. John (my husband), on the other hand, spent the month of May on a school trip to India, Nepal and Bangladesh. I’ve been living vicariously through his stories and photos. And bonus, he’s agreed to share his travels here on Displaced Beachbums as a guest blogger ~ we’ll need a few posts to cover the three-week trip. Hope you enjoy reading about his adventures as much as I have. All photos taken by John.

We woke up early to catch the two-hour train ride from Delhi to Agra. The train ride was our first full day in India and we were bombarded by the cacophony of sights, sounds and smells. Having just come from London, the 42°C (107°F) temperatures were oppressive. The most striking aspect of the journal was the people ~ everywhere! Sleeping on the sidewalks, crowding on the trains. Sadly, many children begging.

Agra Train Station, India

Tuk-Tuks at the Agra Train Station

Entrance gate to the Taj Mahal.

We took a coach from the Agra Train station to a parking area not far from the Taj Mahal. Because they just cleaned the Taj Mahal complex, gasoline/diesel vehicles are not allowed due to the pollution. Only battery-powered vehicles are allowed (think giant golf cart). The Taj Mahal complex is massive ~ not just the one white building. The buildings surrounding the Taj Mahal are made of red sandstone.

The Taj Mahal was built as a memorial to the third wife of Shah Jahan. Her name was Muntaz Mahal and she died giving birth to their 14th child. The entire complex was completed in 1653. As you get closer to the building, the details become more apparent. You can go inside the building but you must take off your shoes or wear booties over your shoes. This is to protect the beautiful white marble floors.

Upon closer inspection, the minarets appear to be leaning slightly. This was actually incorporated into the design because the area is earthquake prone. The designers built leaning 5° outward so if they fall, they will fall away from the main building. The minarets are strictly decorative.

A view of the Taj Mahal from the entranceway. Not sure why there was so much digging going on ~ new sod perhaps.

Entrance gate from the inside.

After two hours or so at the Taj Mahal, we headed over to the Agra Fort which is about 2 miles away. During the 16th century, Agra was the capital of the Mughal Empire. In 1565, the huge red Agra Fort was built. It was built as a military structure but Shah Jahan changed it to a palace in the 17th century.

In 1658, The Shah’s son Aurangzeb seized power and imprisoned his father in Agra Fort where he could look out of his window to see his beloved Taj Mahal. He died eight years later and was buried inside the Taj Mahal beside his wife.

Taj Mahal as seen from Agra Fort

Entrance into Agra Fort ~ there’s a moat but currently no water is in it.

To my surprise, the entrance to the Agra Fort is guarded by a few monkeys (look closely). The monkeys didn’t bother anyone and it certainly added to the ambiance of the fort.

Beautiful Gardens inside Agra Fort

It was Sunday and there were a lot of local India families visiting the grounds.

What better way to start off a tour of South Asia then a visit to the famous Taj Mahal. It certainly set the tone for the trip…

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Day Trip from London: Stonehenge and Sturminster Newton

Posted in Day Trip from London, Travels, United Kingdom, tagged Country, Day Trip from London, English Countryside, London, Photography, Sheep, Stonehenge, Sturminster Newton, Travel, Travels, UK on Thursday, 30 May, 2013| 8 Comments »

I FINALLY made it to Stonehenge ~ it’s been on my “travel must-do” list for many, many years. There are more questions than answers regarding the reason Stonehenge was built. Lots of speculation but no definitive answers. The explanations for it being built range from “temple for human sacrifice” to “astronomy.” Due to the alignment of the stones, worship to lunar and solar beings is most likely (a Druid Temple). The circle is aligned with the midsummer sunrise, the midwinter sunset, and the most southerly rising and northerly setting of the moon.

More is known about the construction of Stonehenge. The original Stonehenge was a large earthwork or Henge which began about 3,100 BC. It consists of a ditch, bank, and the Aubrey holes. Aubrey holes refers to a ring of 56 mysterious circular cavities at Stonehenge and named after John Aubrey who discovered and recorded them in 1666.

The second stage of Stonehenge is thought to have occurred in 2150 BC. According to the Stonehenge website,82 bluestones from the Preseli Mountains in SW Wales were dragged to Milford Haven and then loaded onto rafts. These 4 ton stones were taken by water down the coast and then up the rivers Avon and Frome. They were then dragged overland again to outside Warminster in Wiltshire. Then, the final journey was mainly by water, down the river Wylye to Salisbury, then from Salisbury Avon river to west Amesbury. In all, it was about 240 miles.

The third stage: The outer circle was built around 2100 BC using Sarsen stones, which were from the Avebury area located about 25 miles north of Stonehenge. Some of these stones weigh 50 tons but the average weight is 25 tons. These stones couldn’t be transported by water so they had to use sleds. It is thought that it would have taken 500 men using leather ropes to pull one stone.

The final changes took place around 1500 BC when the bluestones were rearranged in a horseshoe and circle that is what we see today. Originally, there were around 60 stones in the bluestone circle but these were removed or broken up long ago. A few stumps are below ground level.

Experts estimate it took over 30 million working hours to built Stonehenge. Whew ~ I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

Years ago visitors were allowed to walk amongst the stones but, due to the ever-increasing number of tourists, it was fenced off in 1978. Currently, there’s a walkway around the stone structure which still allows a very close up view. There is a parking area within easy walking distance to the stones but a new visitor’s center is being built and, once that is completed, visitors will have to take a shuttle to the site. English Heritage manages the area and hopefully they will continue to protect and preserve it. There is a charge to enter the area (or you can peek in for free through the fence). If you plan to go, click here for all the latest rates and information.

Surrounding Stonehenge is the beautiful English countryside with the yellow fields in bloom and, of course, sheep.

After Stonehenge, we visited a lovely English town called Sturminster Newton (Dorset County). To me, the town was quintessentially English with its thatched roof homes, narrow roads, old graveyards, stone fences, cute shops/pubs, etc.

This was an interesting wall ~ didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the town but interesting nonetheless.

At the local church, the minister happened to be outside greeting people as they came up for an event. I enjoyed walking around this quaint town and it reminded me that, as much as I love living in Central London, it’s so nice to get out to the countryside for a reprieve from the hustle and bustle.

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Day Trip: Palace of Versailles

Posted in Day Trip from London, France, Paris, Photography, Travels, tagged Day Trip from London, France, Gardens, Hall of Mirros, Lafayette, Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Palace, Palace of Versailles, Paris, Photography, Travel, Travels on Monday, 27 May, 2013| 9 Comments »

Gold Entrance Gate, Palace of Versailles, France

My first recollection of the Palace of Versailles was in Junior High history class when we studied World War One. The signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which officially ended WWI, took place at the palace on 28th June 1919. Since then, I’ve read about and seen numerous documentaries about the French Revolution and, of course, the famous (or is it infamous) Marie Antoinette.

Versailles was the focal point of France’s Royal court from 1682 until 1789. It’s easy to envision it as a Royal Playground ~ Opulence is how most people describe it. It’s that and then some. It was built by Louis XIV because he wanted to remove himself and his courtiers from the intrigues of politics in Paris. It housed over 6,000 courtiers and, from what I’ve read, the gossip, jealousies and back stabbing would make a viper pit more enjoyable. By removing the nobles from Paris, it made Versailles very insular. That’s why I’m fascinated by General Lafayette who plays a part in the history of the palace of Versailles.

Marquis de Lafayette (Gilbert du Motier) went to Versailles at the age of 17. Even though he had a huge fortune and ties by his marriage to a powerful family close to Louis XVI, his independent spirit led him to a military career rather than a highly sought after court position. He was impassioned with the American Revolution and secretly organized a voyage to the New World against the king’s wishes. Quite a bold move for such a young man. By the age of 20, Lafayette was a Major-General in the American army and a close friend of George Washington’s. I’ve read that George Washington treated him like a son. Lafayette helped the Colonial Army win several battles, including the Battle of Yorktown in 1781 ~ losing this battle led England to grant independence to the Americans. After his experience in the Americas, Lafayette returned to Versailles and was welcomed by the King and Queen. But the ideas of liberty he learned while in the US were not forgotten and in June 1789, he drafted the first Declaration of the Rights of Man, a document closely based on the Declaration of Independence. On 14 July, 1789, the storming of the Bastille occurred and he was appointed (again against the Kings wishes) as Commander of the French National Guard. He was responsible for keeping order in Paris and so he played a large role in the French Revolution’s early days. Although he was part of the revolution, he did save Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette when people of Paris overran the château and killed the bodyguards defending the queen’s apartment. Although he saved them that day, he couldn’t keep them from being executed by guillotine in 1793. He was viewed as straddling the fence by both sides and fled France. In 2002, Lafayette was posthumously made an honorary citizen of the United States.

But let’s get back to the gorgeous Palace:

The Hall of Mirrors is a 235-foot ballroom lined with 17 floor to ceiling mirrors. The cost of these mirrors were staggering and, like the building of the rest of the Palace, the expenses drained the Royal coffers and sadly that meant not much left for the running of the country. It’s a very impressive room with chandeliers, statues, ceiling frescos and windows which open up to the gardens.

Chapel at Palace of Versailles, France

Louis XVI (age 16) and Marie Antoinette (age 15) were married in the beautiful White and Gold Royal Chapel in 1770. We weren’t allowed into the chapel which was OK by me since there were so many people visiting the Palace. It was nice to see the Chapel without anyone in it.

There were large paintings throughout such as this one :

Coronation Painting at the Palace of Versailles

One of the ceiling paintings at Palace of Versailles

I was especially enthralled with the frescos on the ceiling ~ so much so I got a neck ache from looking up for so long. They are stunning!

The Battle Gallery was interesting but, as I looked at the names on the marble busts, it was obvious I need to study a little more about French history because a lot of the names were unfamiliar to me.

Large Fireplace at Palace of Versailles

The Queen’s Bedchamber ~ not very cozy!

Statue of Artemis (Diana), Palace of Versailles

Looking out to the Gardens ~ so beautiful.

Gardens at the Palace of Versailles

Statue in the Gardens of Versailles

Loved these plant urns ~ unfortunately, they weren’t for sale in the gift shop.

It truly was sensory overload for me. I got to see a lot of the Palace and a little of the gardens but I feel I only touched the surface. We were limited on time and both of us didn’t want to miss the gardens so I felt a bit rushed the whole time I was at the Palace. I’m calling this visit a preview and will leave it on the “return visit” list. I would love to go back sometime when I can spend a day or two exploring the Palace.

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France: Day Trip ~ Paris and Palace of Versailles

Posted in Day Trip from London, France, Paris, Photography, Travel, Travels, tagged Day Trip, Eiffel Tower, Eurostar, France, London, Paris, Photography, Tour Groups, Train, Travel, Vacation on Friday, 24 May, 2013| 14 Comments »

With both John and Logan on their own travel adventures, a friend and I decided to catch the Eurostar train to Paris and Versailles for a day trip. Paris is a little over two hours from London so it makes for an easy to get there day trip. I visited Paris once before in 2004 and enjoyed seeing the familiar sights again. We decided to go with a fully escorted tour thinking it would save us the trouble of having to deal with purchasing tickets for Eiffel Tower and Versailles nor deal with transportation. In hindsight, I’m not sure it was worth it since we got stuck in severe traffic jams several times throughout the day (train and metro would have been so much quicker) which cut-in to the time we had to enjoy Paris. Ah, well…live and learn.

The Eurostar left London at 7:00am and we were in Paris at 10:15am. France is one hour ahead. It was my first time on the Eurostar and I was impressed. It was clean, on time and there was a decent selection of food/drinks.

Our first stop was the Eiffel Tower:

Looking up the Eiffel Tower, Paris

Inside the Eiffel Tower, Paris

The Eiffel Tower was built by French engineer Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair (Exposition Universelle ). It was built to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the French Revolution as well as demonstrate France’s technological advances in the Industrial Age. The construction took 2 years, 2 months and 5 days and the result is a very impressive technical and architectural achievement. Although the panoramic views from the 2nd floor are wonderful, I also love looking up into the inside of the tower from the ground level. Originally the Tower was built to last only 20 years but when the first radio transmissions were sent from the top of the tower, it became a permanent structure. Even for the people who opposed keeping it (many considered it an eyesore), the practical uses of the Tower outweighed the insult to the Frenchmen’s sense of aesthetics. Good thing for Paris since each year, almost seven million visitors make the trek to the Eiffel Tower.

View of the Seine River, Paris, France

View from 2nd Floor of the Eiffel Tower

View of the gardens from the Eiffel Tower

Another view from the second floor of the Eiffel tower

Statue dedicated to Gustave Eiffel, Paris

On my last visit to Paris, I was able to see the tower lit up at night but it stays light too late into the evening for us to see it this time.

A few sights from around Paris:

Statue in Paris

Paris, France

Balcony Smoke Break, Paris France

3,300 year old Obelisk of Luxor, Place du Concorde

Music Academy in Paris

Arc de Triomphe

Champs Elysee, Paris, France

After touring the Eiffel Tower and a quick bite to eat, it was time to journey to the Palace of Versailles but more about that in the next post…

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London: Gorilla Circus “Flying Trapeze School”

Posted in London, Photography, Travel, United Kingdom, tagged Adventure, Flying Trapeze, Gorilla Circus, London, Photography, Regents Park, Travel, UK on Saturday, 18 May, 2013| 3 Comments »

Guest Blogger: Logan, 15 years old

We are frequent visitors to Regent’s Park, many times as a short cut to a friend’s flat in St Johns Woods. A couple of weeks ago, we came across Gorilla Circus ~ Flying Trapeze School. They are located at the corner of Outer Circle Rd and Avenue Rd on the north side of the Regents Park. The closest tube station is St Johns Wood (Jubilee Line).

We stopped to watch the school for a moment but ended up staying longer since we were all mesmerized by the wanna-be acrobats swinging through the air. I could tell John and Logan were tempted. Me, not so much ~ I have limited upper body strength. Logan made arrangements for a class which took place yesterday. She agreed to be a guest blogger and here’s her story:

After seeing the Flying Trapeze School, I was interested in going but hadn’t looked into it any further. Coincidentally, my friend said she went to the school and loved it. She asked if I wanted to go with her and she made the arrangements for a class which was yesterday. The maximum number of students is 10 and we had 9 in our class. They told us we would have a warm-up, practice on the lower bar and then we would go on the flying trapeze.

First, we did basic warm up which included jumping jacks, stretching side to side, running in place and a few balance exercises. Then everyone went over to the lower bar, they explained we would hold the bar, bring our legs up, hook our legs onto the bar and reach back. There were two people helping everyone up on the lower bar so don’t be intimidated if you feel you wouldn’t be able to lift yourself onto the bar.

The instructors worked with you on your level of expertise so if you are more experienced, they offer more difficult “tricks.” Having never been on a trapeze, I was at the beginner level with the majority of the class. After my turn on the lower bar, they hooked a safety belt around my waist and we walked towards the ladder. It was very fast paced and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to do it but most of the people were worried too so it was reassuring. A few people wore jeans which I think made it more difficult. It’s better to wear tights/leggings.

We were briefed as to what would happen on the flying trapeze along with commands that would be called out. A person from the class was chosen to be an example and the instructors called out the commands which were:

Ready: bend your knees
HUP!: Gently jump from the platform with your arms extended straight out (locked arms)
Tuck: put your legs onto the bar
Release: drop your hands and reach out

After the lower bar practice, we waited for our turn. I was nervous but concentrating on watching the other people so I could learn from them. Climbing the ladder turned out to be the scariest part of the whole thing but you’re hooked to a rope just in case. Once at the top, there’s a platform assistant who hooks you into the safety ropes and he holds onto the back of your belt so you don’t fall off the platform while reaching for the bar. The bar is heavy so reaching out to grab it is difficult because it felt like it was going to pull me right off the platform. Thankfully, the platform assistant was strong enough to hold me back. I followed the commands and “hupped” ~ I’m very happy they don’t say jump because that sounds more terrifying to me. “Hup!” seemed much less scary.

Grabbing onto the bar

Ready To Fly

HUP!

Time to get those knees hooked!

Hands Off, Arms locked and reaching

Success….

Flying Trapeze

It was thrilling and I’m happy I did it. I want to go again. It’s an interesting work-out but the instructors are all very nice and supportive. There were all different age levels in our group. The minimum age is 8 years old but no maximum age. If you don’t “get it” on your first try, there’s usually time for another attempt. I think my parents would enjoy it so I’m hoping to go again with them.

I have to admit, watching my 15-year-old be brave enough to do the Flying Trapeze has at least peaked my interest in wanting to try it. Since it seems very safe and the instructors didn’t “shame” anyone who missed the “hand off”, I might go just for the fun of flying on the bar. If you’re interested, click here for all the pertinent details and let me know how you like it.

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Photobomb ~ Madrid Style

Posted in London, Madrid, Photography, Travels, tagged credittologan, London, Madrid, Photobomb, Photography, Spain on Sunday, 5 May, 2013| 13 Comments »

Urban Dictionary defines photobomb: “any time the background of a picture hijacks the original focus”

If you spend time around central London especially highly concentrated tourist spots such as Big Ben, Parliament, Tower of London, it’s obvious London is a photobomber’s dream. I still duck and attempt to stay out of other people’s photos but John has gotten into the game and loves to wave/smile big if he happens to run by when someone is taking a photo. More and more I notice people posing in my photos. Recently, while walking along the canal near Regent’s Park, a runner stopped mid- stride and asked me if I wanted her in my photo. Awkward! If I said “No” she might feel rejected and “Yes” seemed a bit creepy.

During our short weekend trip to Spain, my daughter Logan was taking photos at Plaza de Puerta del Sol when a very colorfully dressed man did his best pose. First he sees his chance:

Opportunity identified

..and he definitely steals the focus while doing his best vogue:

#Photo credit to Logan

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Posts Tagged ‘Photography’

Royal Ascot: Ladies Day 2013

London: Trooping The Colour 2013

India: Mumbai

India: Handcrafted items from Agra and New Dehli

India: The Taj Mahal and The Agra Fort

Day Trip from London: Stonehenge and Sturminster Newton

Day Trip: Palace of Versailles

France: Day Trip ~ Paris and Palace of Versailles

London: Gorilla Circus “Flying Trapeze School”

Photobomb ~ Madrid Style

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