Posts Tagged ‘UK’

Upcoming Event: Trooping the Colour ~ 15 June 2013

Posted in London, Travels, tagged , , , , , on Wednesday, 20 February, 2013| 3 Comments »

One thing I’ve learned while living in London is planning ahead is essential. I’ve been attempting to plan at least five or six months ahead ~ events sell out quickly here.

“Trooping the Colour” is a ceremony which dates back to the 1700s. The reason for the ceremony, done before battle, was to ensure every soldier could recognize his unit’s colours (each Battalion had a brightly coloured flag) and so all ranks could recognize the colours at the assembly point after battle. As of 1748, the ceremony became part of the Sovereign’s birthday celebration when the trooping was done by the Grenadier Guards. Then in 1760, during George III’s reign, it was ordered that a parade should mark the monarch’s birthday. Except for wartime exceptions, it’s become an annual event.

This year, the birthday parade will be on 15 June 2013 (Saturday). If you’re interested in seeing the ceremony, tickets are chosen through a lottery and although I’m usually not very lucky with drawings, I sent my request in for any of the three “Trooping the Colour” ceremonies. There’s the official “Trooping the Colour” on 15 June but also two other rehearsal dates. The first rehearsal will be on 1 June and the second rehearsal will be on 8 June.

To be considered, send a self-addressed stamped envelope and a request for the amount of tickets you require (no more than 3 tickets per application) no later than 28 February to:

The Brigade Major
Headquarters Household Division
Horse
Guards
Whitehall
London SW1A 2AX

The drawing will be in early March and those selected will be contacted. Once selected, payment will be requested. The cost is currently not on the website. For additional information about the Parade events, click here.

Read Full Post »

London: Hairy Goat Photography Tours

Posted in London, Photography, Travels, tagged , , , , , on Monday, 4 February, 2013| 10 Comments »

I See. I Photograph. I Download. I Cringe.

When I download my photos, the vision I thought I captured isn’t quite what shows up in the photo. Occasionally, I’m surprised and it’s a great shot. Unfortunately, those are few and far between or I realize John took the photo. When my friend suggested taking a photography class, I jumped at the chance to improve my camera skills.

We showed up yesterday, along with three other ladies, at The Hairy Goat Photography Tours for what ended up being a 7+ hour beginners class. We all had a similar goal ~ taking our cameras off of auto! We spent the 4 hours learning about our cameras with our very knowledgable instructor Michael. After lunch, we ventured outdoors for practical applications of our new knowledge. Both Michael (the instructor) and Corinna (the owner) went on the walking tour so we had very individualized attention. First stop was Leadenhall Market which was very dark at the time. Great to practice ISO, aperture, and shutter speed settings. If you’re interested in taking a class with Hairy Goat while you’re in London, click here for more information.

Leadenhall Market, London

Leadenhall Market, London

Cheese Store

Cheese Store

I follow several blogs/websites whose photos inspire me such as Perry Sorenson Photography and Ron Scubadiver’s Wild Life ~ they do a great job capturing fabulous places and people. Makes me want to do the same ~ document life’s wonders!

Read Full Post »

London: View from The Shard

Posted in London, Travels, United Kingdom, tagged , , , on Saturday, 2 February, 2013| 6 Comments »

London has the tallest building in Western Europe ~ The Shard, the masterpiece of architect Renzo Piano. It rises to 1016 feet (309.6m) high.

Looking up at The Shard from London Bridge Tube Station

Looking up at The Shard from London Bridge Tube Station

The building is not without controversy among some Londoners ~ many despise the avant-garde style architecture. Much like they disapprove of the other modern buildings in London such as City Hall (aka Darth Vader Helmet) and the Gherkin. While the modern buildings are shunned in many European cities such as Paris and Vienna, London has embraced newer architectural styles which co-exist and compliment the historic buildings. I wouldn’t want to see a New York style skyline develop in London but one or two of these buildings are interesting and thought-provoking.

The Shard and Young's Pub (circa 1831)

The Shard and Young’s Pub (circa 1831)

The Shard consists of office space, the Shangri-la Hotel (floors 34-52), luxury residences each with 360° views (floors 53 to 65), and observation decks at levels 69 and 74 (about 800 feet). The additional 15 levels to the top consist of the spire. Interestingly, 95% of the construction material is recycled. The majority stockholder of the Shard is the State of Qatar. Seems Qatar is investing quite a bit in London’s commercial real estate market. They purchased the US Embassy and the Embassy will be relocating in 2016/2017 to a more modern and secure building.

Today was the second day The Shard was open to the public and we were happy to be heading up to the top at 9am. I bought my tickets over a month ago ~ took a chance we would have decent weather and we did! Although the sunny skies were beautiful and we had unimpeded views, a little cloud cover would have helped beat the glare on the windows.  Not only was London on view but many of us were fascinated with the workmen rapelling at the top of the building. Not sure exactly what they were doing but it’s not a job I would do.

Workers at the top of the Shard

Workers at the top of the Shard

I enjoyed my morning at the top of The Shard and marveled at the gorgeous views. To book tickets, which are £24.95 for an adult and £18.95 for a child, click here. We went during the first time slot because I’m adverse to large crowds but photo opportunities would probably better when the sun is overhead so you don’t get a glare on the windows.

Read Full Post »

Treasure Hunting at the Sunbury Antiques Market

Posted in London, Travel, Travels, tagged , , , , , , on Wednesday, 30 January, 2013| 8 Comments »

I ventured out to the Sunbury Antiques Market with two wonderful ladies ~ one being a previous “buyer” for a store specializing in antiques. Good thing because I know very little about antiques & vintage items. I was in awe of her knowledge and learned a lot just by listening to her talk to the vendors.

Leslie and Sonja

Leslie and Sonja

Sunbury Antiques Market is located at Kempton Park Racetrack and takes place on the 2nd and last Tuesday of the month. The doors open at 6:30 am and close at 2 pm. I would highly recommend arriving as early as possible as there are lots of buyers including those buying for the shops in London. Admission and parking are free. Bring cash ~ the ATM was bone dry by noon.

I have to admit, I was overwhelmed by all the furniture, crockery, china, glassware, kitchen items, lamps, rugs, fabric, jewelry, vintage luggage trunks, taxidermy (ugh!) and so much more. My favorites seem to be the French and Belgian vendors ~ I love the French Farmhouse style. There are rows and rows of vendors both outside and inside. According to the Sunbury Market website , 700 vendors populate the market and, after all we saw, I’m inclined to believe it.

Sunbury Antiques Market

Sunbury Antiques Market

Some of the vendors at Sunbury Antiques Market

Some of the vendors at Sunbury Antiques Market

The market is located between Hampton Court and Staines. The train from Waterloo (London) to Kempton Park Station takes 44 minutes and it’s an easy walk from the station to the market. Delivery men are available for hire and will transport your furniture/large purchases to London for a minimum of £50. One woman filled up an entire van with furniture and they charged her £100 to deliver all of it.

Although I saw several furniture pieces I’d love to have, such as the 1950’s coffee table and sideboard (all made of solid wood and in great condition), I ended up with just a couple of small pieces. My favorite purchase is the vintage tennis racquet from the 1960s (maybe 70s).

While no one will be hiring me to host “Antiques Road Show”, I do feel more comfortable about shopping at these types of markets. Next time, I might even try to bargain a little.

Read Full Post »

London: Week 22

Posted in London, Travels, United Kingdom, tagged , , , , , , , , , on Sunday, 13 January, 2013| 7 Comments »

We’re almost to the half way point of our living in London adventure & I already know I won’t want to leave this dynamic, exciting city. I feel like I finally have everything in place regarding the day-to-day living (utilities, banking, transportation) so now it’s all about exploring the city.

Our list of things to see & do in London, not to mention weekend trips outside of the city, seems to be growing rather than getting smaller ~ we keep getting wonderful suggestions. With 26 weeks left to go, it’s time to get serious about prioritizing. Problem is, I want to see it ALL! And sometimes I want to go back to the same place for a second look.

Yesterday, we went to The National Portrait Gallery. It’s located at St Martin’s Place, just off Trafalgar Square & behind the National Gallery on the right. There’s no entrance fee but I did rent the audio guide which is £3. The Gallery is set-up according to the year the painting was done,beginning with the Early Tudor period (1485). I loved the older portraits through to 1901, but was less interested in the more contemporary portraits. Somehow I missed the turn into several of the early 19th century rooms and didn’t realize it until I reviewed the gallery map when I got home. I missed the portrait of Jane Austen so I’m already planning a return trip.

This past Friday, the first official portrait of the Duchess of Cambridge was unveiled and has garnered a lot of strong opinions from the public. Seeing it up close and in person, my thoughts were that the artist put her in an awkward position. How do you tell a famous, talented artist you don’t like his portrait of yourself? If she complained, would the press skewer her for being vain? I’ve never seen Kate Middleton in person but the portrait showed dark circles and bags under her eyes which made her look much older than thirty. Or of a person who partied a little too hard the night before. Personally, I think it’s a poor portrayal of a vivacious, beautiful young woman and doesn’t capture her true essence for future generations.  Maybe the Duke and Duchess are happy with the “realistic” portrait of her and it really is only their opinion that matters but I can’t help but think there aren’t many options for them once the painting is completed.

It was early when we took the bus to The Portrait Gallery. We hopped off at the Charing Cross stop which is around the corner from Trafalgar Square and the Gallery. Early mornings in winter are proving to be the best time to see London without the large crowds.

View of Big Ben from Trafalgar Square

View of Big Ben from Trafalgar Square

Regents Street ~ heading toward Piccadilly Circus

Regents Street ~ heading toward Piccadilly Circus

Regents Street

Regents Street

Theater Royal Haymarket

Theater Royal Haymarket

Trafalgar Square Fountain

Trafalgar Square Fountain

Fountain in Trafalgar Square

Fountain in Trafalgar Square

The National Gallery

The National Gallery

Rocking Boy still on the 4th Plinth

Golden Boy still on the 4th Plinth

Lion at Trafalgar Square

Lion at Trafalgar Square

Leaving the Gallery, we walked around the corner toward Leicester square and finally made it to Wagamama ~ the portion sizes are huge and there are lots of vegetarian choices. I say finally because several friends recommended the restaurant chain to us before we left the states.

Wagamamas at Leicester Square

Wagamama at Leicester Square

Another reason I’m so happy living in London is, despite it’s size, it feels very safe. In the last few weeks, my daughter has been testing the honesty of her fellow Londoners. She left her phone on the tube a couple of weeks ago and  last week, she accidentally dropped her wallet. Thankfully, both items were found by nice gentlemen who contacted us via my phone. I’m listed as Mum in her contacts and as the “emergency contact” in her wallet. The man called me from Logan’s phone and I heard a deep voice of a grown man rather than my sweet girl on the other end. I’m sure he heard my confusion panic when I spoke because he quickly explained he found the phone on the tube. We’re very thankful for the kindness of others.

As I look at my London list and all my London guidebooks, I can’t help but agree with the quote:

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life……for there is in London all that life can afford.”- Dr Samuel Johnson, 1777

Read Full Post »

Back in Blighty

Posted in Germany, Travels, United Kingdom, tagged , , , , on Thursday, 3 January, 2013| 2 Comments »

When I lived in DC, I met a very nice British couple and when I invited them to a party at our house (a St Patrick’s Day party no less), the husband said “I’ll be in Blighty”.  At the time, I had no idea what Blighty meant and so I googled it.  Turns out it’s the name for Britain which was originally used by British Soldiers stationed in India who were trying to say bilāyatī (meaning Britain).

We’re back in Blighty after our wonderful week in Germany. Germany is so beautiful and what’s not to love: beer, no speed limit on the autobahn, lots of green open spaces, castles, snowy alps, beautiful cities and everything is very clean.  Although my German language skills are lacking, I did remember the most important phrase “Weißwein ~ trocken, bitte”

Having lived in Germany for many years, there are several cultural behaviors I’ve observed that still make me chuckle.  Just as I know people chuckle (or worse) when I commit typical American actions. Germans, for the most part, don’t have a lot of concern for personal space and I have a need for more personal space than most people.  It took me awhile to get use to that aspect of living in Germany.  The other is standing in line ~ not something most Germans do willingly.  I learned early on to guard my spot in line ~ no daylight allowed between me and the person in front of me.  Once I had an older woman in the Aldi store bump me with her grocery cart from behind.  I think she was hoping I’d step out of line so she could jump ahead, but after the third bump, without looking back, I put my foot on the front bottom part of her cart and pushed as hard as I could.  Finally, she stopped bumping me with that blasted cart.

The other day, when we got to the Easy Jet check-in counter at the Munich airport, the desk wasn’t open yet but a line was already forming.  Logan and I left John with the luggage (3 bags) and we went to get juice.  We were gone about 5 minutes and came back to see the desk was open but John was further back in the line than when we left him.  When I asked John what happened, he laughed and said he was too slow moving the bags forward so people just moved in front of him rather than wait until he moved the bags.  Never would that happen in the UK where queueing is an art form and rigidly adhered to ~ if someone dares to jump the line, they’ll no doubt be chastised.

I make these observations, not as a critique of the Germans, but because the customary actions made us feel even more comfortable being back there.  Just as we feel comfortable being back in Blighty where we know what’s the expected behavior.  Or as the saying goes “When in Rome…”

Read Full Post »

Hampton Court, UK

Posted in London, Travel, United Kingdom, tagged , , on Sunday, 23 December, 2012| 2 Comments »

A year in London allows me to visit places not necessarily on every tourist agenda but this week I visited a location at the top of most “what to do in London” lists:  Hampton Court .  A definite must see!

Hampton Court is an easy 30 minute train ride from London’s Waterloo station (round trip fare cost less than £10).  From the train station, you walk over the bridge and in about five minutes, you’re at the entrance to Hampton Court.  You could take a boat on the Thames from Westminster Pier but it takes four hours so I would suggest that on a warm summer day and then take the train back to London.

Hampton Court

There are beautiful gates at the entrance:

Hampton Court Entrance

Originally, Hampton Court was built by Cardinal Wolsey, beginning in 1514, when he was Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor.  His relationship with the king soured and , by 1525, Henry VIII took over Hampton Court as a Royal Residence.  The entrance fee is £ 16.95.  Once you’re in, there are free costumed guided tours of the State Rooms and there are free audio guides.  We opted for the audio guides so we could go at our own pace.

Hampton Court I

Cardinal Wolsey’s Rooms and the Renaissance Picture Gallery are used to showcase 16th and early 17th century paintings from the Royal Collection. The Royal Chapel was built by the Cardinal and is still in use ~almost 500 years!  It’s a gorgeous chapel (no photos allowed) with a vaulted ceiling.  The Chapel has been changed a little throughout the years but it’s been an active church the entire time.  There is a King James bible, commissioned in 1611 by King James I, still in use today.

The Clock in Clock Court:

Hampton Court Clock Courtyard

A lot of Henry VIII’s palace was lost during the reign of King William III and Queen Mary II. They hired Christopher Wren to rebuild the palace.  We walked through William III’s apartments, making sure we looked up in every room because the palace ceilings are beautiful:

Hampton Court Williams bedroom

The view from William III’s apartments to the gardens:

Hampton Court Gardens

…and the King’s really private room.

Hampton Court Williams toilet

King Henry VIII’s Great Hall:

Hampton Court Great Hall

Where the King and Queen sat when they ate in the Great Hall:

Hampton Court Great Hall King and Queen seating

Decorated ceiling in the Great Hall:

Ceiling in the Great Hall

Fountain Court:

Hampton Court Green Courtyard

Hampton Court Hallway

Pretty Christmas Trees decorating the windows outside the Royal Chapel:

Hampton Court Christmas Trees

The Henry VIII kitchens were fascinating.  It amazes me how much food was cooked/produced for the 600 + people in the court. The enormous fireplace in the kitchens:

Hampton Court Fireplace

One of the best parts of our visit was we had the place almost to ourselves.  It was a rainy, cold day so close to Christmas and there were no school field trips. I can imagine how beautiful the gardens and courtyards must be during the the spring. We also passed on checking out the Maze and the tennis courts so I will have to make a return trip before we leave and will take Logan with me.

Hampton Court II

Read Full Post »

Dennis Severs House

Posted in London, Travels, tagged , , , , , on Thursday, 20 December, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Even though I researched Dennis Severs’ House before going to visit, it wasn’t quite what I expected.  I must be one of the ones he referred to as “pigeonholed styles of intelligence” because I wanted a little more explanation about the rooms and perhaps a little more light (even if it was more candlelight) to see the rooms.  But I’m getting ahead of myself, let me start over…

A group of us expats met at the house at noon. There are very limited hours and days when the house is open to the public. For more information go to the Dennis Severs House website here. No talking or photographs are allowed inside the house.  I took a few photos outside but if you want to see additional indoor photos, click here for a photostream on Flickr.

18 Folgate StreetDennis Severs' House

18 Folgate Street
Dennis Severs’ House

Dennis Severs was an American artist from Escondido, California and he moved to London right after high school.  He was especially enthralled with the Victorian age and, in 1979, purchased a home (circa 1724) in East London, just steps from Spitalfields Market. He lived in the house from 1979 to 1999 and refurbished each of the 10 rooms to reflect the time periods between 1724 and 1914.  One room represents the Enlightenment Age, another the Romantic Age, and so on.  He lived in the house without electricity to better experience what it was like back then. His vision was for a person to feel like they stepped through the canvas of a painting and back in time.  The house is set-up as though the family living there just “popped out” for a minute.  There are food items on the tables, dishes in the sink, laundry hanging, a tea-cup spilled on the floor, etc.  Dennis Severs wanted those visiting to feel, smell, and hear the house.  He was adamant that it wasn’t a museum, but a spiritual experience.

The idea is great and I was so looking forward to it, but the execution proved harder to achieve. Letting yourself get lost in the experience is difficult because the rooms are small and you’re trying to avoid stepping into and in front of the other people.  A better experience would be to have the room to yourself, perhaps sit, and let yourself absorb the sights, sounds and smells.  That would require much better scheduling of visitors on the part of the Spitalfields Trust who owns the property.

I also didn’t like the typed notes found around the rooms which stated “if you’re looking at individual items, you’re not doing it right”.  It was jarring to say the least.  Who wants to be judged when you’re trying to get into the experience.  And who doesn’t look at individual items on display.  When I visit a friend’s home, I always look at their items on the mantel, in the windows and on their walls. Why else would they have them out in the living room?  The motto of the house is “Aut Visum Aut Non!” (You either see it or you don’t) ~ I get the feeling those running the visits don’t care one way or the other.

Would I recommend you go? I give a qualified yes.  Don’t go with any expectations of learning about a certain time period but go for the experience of seeing a “preserved” house and participating in something different.  I may return myself just to see if I get a different experience out of it, now that I know what to expect.

Dennis Severs House 4 stories and a basement

Dennis Severs House
4 stories and a basement

Read Full Post »

London: Camden Market

Posted in London, tagged , , , on Sunday, 16 December, 2012| 1 Comment »

There are several markets that combine to make up Camden Market in London and we started at the Inverness Street Market:

Inverness Street Market in Camden

Camden Market is off of Regents Canal, which was built in the early 1800s and  was instrumental in the development of the market area.  Unfortunately, once shipping became too expensive along the canal (1860s to 1870s), and other forms of transportation were used, the area was in disuse for many years. Thankfully, it was redeveloped in the 1970s and gets approximately 100,000 visitors each weekend.

Camden Lock

Camden Lock (2)

The area in and around Camden Lock was redeveloped into an arts, crafts, clothing and a very yummy food market.   There are tables where you can sit along the canal after grabbing a bite to eat from vendors serving foods from countries such as Peru, India, Jamaica, Thailand, Turkey, Mexico, Spain, Poland, etc.

Regents canal

Getting to the market was half the fun ~ we took a bus and got off at the Camden High Street stop.  The High Street has interesting, creative  artwork on the buildings.

Edgy Shops on Camden High Street

and the Union Jack Boot…

Union Jack High top

There’s a cool comic book store:

Comic book Store

A great place to get Halloween outfits is from the Victorian/Gothic/Pirate clothing store:

Shops on Camden High Street

There’s so much to do in Camden and, even during the day, it has a vibrant, edgy feel to it. The market is open 7 days a week, everyday except Christmas Day, from 10 am to 6 pm but not all vendors are there on the weekdays.  The tube stop is Camden Market but it’s a very busy station on the weekends.  So much so that on Sundays, Camden Market stop is an exit only from 1 to 5 pm.  If you want to catch the tube from Camden Market, it’s a short walk (maybe 10 minutes) to Mornington Crescent.

There is also a beautiful towpath which follows the canal.  From Camden, it goes towards Regents Park/Paddington or toward Kings Cross/Thames.  Originally, the towpath was used by the horses pulling the boats along the canal but now it’s for runner/walkers. There’s also a Regents Canal Museum behind Kings Cross Station.The photo below shows John and Logan on the path under Chalk Farm Road.

Regents Canal near Chalk Farm Road

It was a fun way to spend a Saturday morning and my only regret is we chose a Thai Restaurant on Camden High Street that turned out to be awful. Next time, I’m getting something from the food vendors at the market!

Read Full Post »

The Fourth Plinth Art Work at the Institute of Contemporary Art

Posted in London, tagged , , , , , on Tuesday, 11 December, 2012| 1 Comment »

On this crisp, sunny London day, my friend, Leslie and I snagged a front row seat on the upper level double-decker bus from Oxford Circus to Trafalgar Square.  A fun ride and just like riding the “hop-on, hop-off” bus without the hefty price and chatter. We were on our way to a wonderful art exhibit called “Fourth Plinth: Contemporary Monument” at Institute of Contemporary Arts.

In Trafalgar Square, there are four large plinths (definition of plinth = a block or slab on which a pedestal, column, or statue is placed) and one of the plinths has been empty until as recently as 1999. Since then, the Mayor’s office commissions modern artwork to display on a rotating basis.

Originally, the 4th plinth was supposed to hold the statue of King William IV but it was never installed.  The exhibit showed the model sized version of the artwork which have graced the 4th plinth to include video of Antony Gormley’s “One and Other” in which 2,400 people took turns on top of the plinth for one hour each and they could do whatever they wanted ~ some nakedness was involved.  Also on display are newspaper articles and opinion surveys.   Currently artwork by Elmgreen & Dragset called “Powerless Structures” is on the 4th plinth:

Rocking Boy

I love the Golden Boy and it’s a perfect representation of the “golden time” London is currently enjoying having had the Diamond Jubilee and the very successful Olympics this year. As I’ve researched more about the 4th plinth, it seems there’s a lot of controversy surrounding the idea of using it as a “stage” rather than putting a permanent artpiece there or leaving it empty.  My vote would be to continue the rotating artwork as it certainly has generated interest, reactions and lets everyone be an “art critic.”

Below is a photo of Logan in Trafalgar Square last August when we first arrived.  If you look over her right shoulder, in the far background, you can see the 4th plinth with the Golden Boy on the Rocking Horse.

Trafalgar Square

If you’re interested in visiting the exhibit, here are the pertinent details:

  • Free entrance (£3 suggested donation)
  • On display until 20 January 2013
  • Located at Institute of Contemporary Art, The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH
  • Opening Hours are 11am to 11pm Tuesdays through Sunday
  • There are several speaking events in conjunction with the exhibit, for more information go here

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »