England – Travels with Ali

“The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men”

After much planning and anticipation we flew to London last week. Our itinerary included a month in America, visiting friends and relatives. A visit to my mum was also long overdue.

My mum was overjoyed to see us on the first day, but sadly on the second had to be reminded of who I was. That is the cruelness of dementia.

Things were going swimmingly, flights and hotels were all booked for the US. Unfortunately a few days ago my poor husband had to visit the emergency department. There were problems with his bladder. He is now awaiting further tests.

Health always comes first obviously, but that still doesn’t mean there isn’t profound disappointment over a long awaited trip. We have both received quite a scare and a wake up call. As soon as he is fit to fly we will be making our way home.

We did have a few lovely days before this catastrophe. A walk along the River Crouch, along from where my brother lives. Staying at my brother and sister-in-law’s has been a blessing. We also had a fun day in London catching up with some cousins. Although Anthony did nearly fall down the stairs from the top of a double decker bus! He just about managed to hold on, this is where things started to go wrong. Who knows, a coincidence perhaps?

London Gallery

These are photos of the Guild Church of St. Katherine Cree and with the Gherkin in the background. I love walking around the streets of London, admiring the old and new. Although I think they could spend a few pounds on cleaning up this lovely old church! It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, with the present building dating back to 1628.

Overlooking Regent’s Canal

The best laid plans of Mice and Men is from a poem by Robert Burns. It highlights the idea that even the most carefully planned things can be disrupted. The best way forward is to accept all things with equanimity and not to rail against events that cannot be changed. This is my mantra for the moment.

🎉 Enjoy VE Celebrations 🎉

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~ Hazlewood Castle, Tadcaster – A Historic Gem for a Memorable Overnight Stay ~

This year on our way back from Glasgow we had an overnight stay at Hazlewood Castle. I only happened upon this castle when looking at our route home and saw that it was also a hotel. I was extremely excited to find that it was quite reasonable for an overnight stay. We didn’t manage to get a room in the castle itself but in one of the buildings surrounding the place.

Hazlewood castle dates back to 1066 and was in the possession of Gamel, son of Osmund. It was during the time of King Edward the Confessor.

1086 Doomsday notes that it was given to Mauger le Vavasour by William de Percy.

From 1183 until 1826 it was in the hands of the Vavasour family and it was only due to the death of the 7th baron that it was passed to a relative – Edward Stourton, who then took the name Vavasour.

In 1290 it was granted a licence to crenallate the medieval building.

In 1908 it was put up for sale and the Vavasour family moved to New Zealand where they started the famous Vavasour Winery.

This of course is just a very short timeline and below is the history of events that took place during the different reigns. The family certainly had their ups and downs but always seemed to come together again.

Coincidentally Vavasour is one of my favourite Sauvignon Blancs so I was especially intrigued that the name was originally from France. The restaurant was also called Vavasour.

The surrounding buildings and gardens

The castle is situated in beautiful countryside and the views are amazing. We had a pleasant walk through the gardens and were also surprised to be given a key to enter the small chapel. I think the key must date back hundreds of years as it was extremely large and difficult to open the door.

The door to the chapel

Inside the Castle

This is a fabulous hotel for a night or two, great for an anniversary or birthday treat. There is also a day spa offering relaxing and revitalising treatments, ideal for a girls’ weekend away.

Also posting for Lens Artist Challenge, In the Garden, hosted by Ann-Christine.

~ On the Road, North to Glasgow ~

After spending the last few days in Essex it was time for a mini road trip to Glasgow, to see an old friend of Anthony’s. Following much discussion about how to make this trip, plane, train or automobile, we opted to drive. This way we could add a day either side of a two night stay in Glasgow.

Our first stop was a night at an old fashioned inn, in a place called Bilton-in-Ainsty, York. The inn was called The Tickled Trout.

Our room was up a rickety old staircase and looked out over the fields and country lane.

Perfect for one night and there was even a decanter of complimentary port on offer.

One of the reasons we chose this place was because of the menu, consisting of mostly fish dishes. It really lived up to our expectations.

I don’t think anyone could say that English food is the worst anymore, this was five star dining!

A good night’s sleep was had by both of us and after another gourmet meal for breakfast we had a short walk around the local village.

It did feel as though we were extras in a Mid-Somer Murder episode. It was eerily quiet and I saw a lady or two peeping over their hedges, pruning away.

St. Helen’s Church dating back to the 12th Century. It was built in 1150 by a family called Haget.

The village Bilton-in-Ainsty is mentioned in the Domesday Book and the name is Anglo-Saxon meaning Bilo or Billa.

Onwards and upwards then towards Glasgow with a lunch stop at Ullswater, the Lake District. Neither Anthony or I have ever been there.

From the tranquility of Bilton to the busyness in Ullswater. Not just cars but pedestrians everywhere. It was absolutely teeming with people and mid-week too. These small towns and villages have almost become caricatures of themselves. It’s good for local businesses though.

Anyway we enjoyed our short stop at Ullswater and the beautiful lake.

~ Perth to London with Qatar Airlines ~

The day finally arrived when we flew to London to visit my dear mum and enjoy some side trips during our stay in Essex.

We flew Qatar as I believe they are the best airline for long haul flights, and it is indeed a long journey from Perth. I wanted to sit upstairs and Anthony wanted to be on the lower deck, so we comprised and did one leg on each. The way to travel such long distances is to research the best pillow, I took my trusty Turtl again and it worked a treat. We had around two hours in Doha and I was amazed as to what had been constructed since last year.

There is a place now called The Orchard and is a 6,000 square metre indoor tropical garden. There is a huge water feature plus over 300 trees and 25,000 plants. It was a treat to walk around and immerse ourselves in nature while in a busy airport.

Finally arriving in Heathrow after 11 hour and 7 hour flights, we decided to stay one night at an airport hotel to recoup our strength.

After dropping our cases at my nephew’s we went straight to the home, sadly my mum did not recognise me at first but then just couldn’t believe I was really there. We sat and chatted for a while but her memory obviously has got that much worse. We promised to be back the next day.

The next morning brought clear sunny weather to my amazement as I was expecting cold and rain. I had a short walk down the lane and across the fields.

After this walk we drove to the home again and borrowed a wheelchair to take my mum for a stroll up the high street. She was over the moon to be wheeled out into the sunny day and kept asking me if I wanted a turn.

We stopped for lunch in an olde tea shop after buying her new shoes and clothes. There is a lovely old church in the high street so we had a wander around.

I couldn’t find out much about this church except that it dates back to the 15th century. I believe there was a church here during Saxon times and the building has a Norman chancel. I thought it looked very grand in the sunshine and the stone and brick work were beautiful.

My mum said she had a lovely time with us and couldn’t believe how wonderful it was to be out. It does make me sad to hear this but such is life and I’m glad we are able to do such a small service for her.

We have a fairly full itinerary planned for the next four or five weeks and I’ll be sharing all of this very soon.

~ Movement in Water ~

“Water is the driving force of all nature.“
~ Leonardo da Vinci ~

The challenge from Lens Artist this week is “Water in Motion” by Sophia @ Photographias.

Who doesn’t take photos of water? Everything about water, sea, rivers, lakes and waterfalls is just waiting for a photo. Here are some of mine over the years.

**Bleak day – New Year’s Eve UK from our hotel window**

I would love to see this in Perth right now! It’s just another day in paradise here but in dire need of rain as trees and plants die, as huge branches fall heedlessly to the pavement below.

**In the not too distant past – Gulfoss Falls, Iceland**

**Purpose built waterfall – Launceston, Tasmania**

**Wellington Dam, Collie, Western Australia**

*Watching Storm Eunice wreak havoc in Devon*

“I’ve seen your stormy seas and stormy women,
And pity lovers rather more than seamen”
~ Lord Byron ~

“For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),
It’s always our self we find in the sea.”
― e.e. cummings –

**Ramoji Film Studio, Hyderabad, India**

~ Enjoying Essex – Hullbridge and Fambridge ~

Hullbridge

A change of place for me this time in the UK, staying Hullbridge, Essex with my nephew who very kindly agreed to host me. My childhood home is now on the market as my dad passed away earlier this year and my mum is in a care home.

There is a country lane behind my nephew’s house which leads down to the River Crouch, a walk I took a few times.

As I walked past the first house I came upon this cute display opposite. Not technically their property but apparently if no-one contests this after nine years they can claim it, good to know but not sure if I would want the hassle!

The lane is surrounded by fields on either side and is used for horse riders, so I made sure to step aside when I heard the canter of hooves.

I came upon this black cat every time I walked down this lane, he seemed to be lying in wait for me and stretched himself out for a stroke.

I thought I might see a few cows in the fields but imagine my surprise when I came across alpacas!

It’s not a long walk, around 25 minutes to the river, but the flies, bees and wasps are a nuisance so I was happy to get to the end of the lane.

River Crouch

The owner might be waiting a while to sail this boat.

I met an old friend for dinner one night at a pub called The Anchor, situated on the edge of the River Crouch. Small pods had been erected during covid and made very cosy dining options.

Pods at The Anchor, Hullbridge

I did enjoy the late summer evenings in England, something we don’t have here in Perth. Daylight saving was introduced a few years ago but after a referendum was cancelled. Some of the reasons given, too much sun fades the curtains, the cows didn’t like it and people would rather wake up earlier and not stay up late. Different strokes for different folks!

Fambridge

There are two areas of Fambridge, North and South, divided by the River Crouch. We had dinner one evening at The Ferryboat Inn.

The Ferry Boat Inn dates back to 1591 and its timbers are steeped in history. The inn has seen many a colourful landlord with tales of treachery and horse snatching. There used to be a ferry boat operating between North and South Fambridge.

One thing England does well and that is a country pub. Even better if the pub is not part of a chain and has its own menu with locally sourced produce. Too many pubs have become part of a chain and have the same generic menu.

Linked to:

Jo’s Monday Walk
Water, Water, Everywhere

Streets, Murals and Rooftops of London

During our stay in England we found time to escape for a couple of day trips up to London. For Anthony is was all about retail and restaurants for me bars and buildings. Fortunately we each found what we were looking for.

I love walking around the streets of the City and up to Brick Lane it brings back so many memories from when I used to work in London. I remember working in quite a few of these older buildigs. I used to be a legal secretarial temp so had many jobs over 16 years. Although the old buildings are still standing there are many skyscrapers and new streets that I can’t always get my bearings. Not just buildings either but all of the old pubs are still there and I have definitely been in a few of those for after work drinks on a Friday.

Views from a Rooftop Bar

Walking to Brick Lane we saw that another fantastic building had materialised since our last trip, we discovered it was a new Hilton. I could see there was a rooftop bar with a balcony so we decided to head up and take a look. The bar is called Floratica and is decorated with stunning lights and plants. We sipped on cocktails looking out at the panaramic views of London rooftops.

Zoom in and there is St. Paul’s in the distance

After finishing our drinks we set out for Brick Lane, for me to see any new murals and Anthony to head to his favourite shop.

Murals and Sculptures

Fabulous mural by Benzi Brofman – an in demand Israeli graffiti artist – who paints murals world wide.

Doors and Knockers

Like many people I’ve always had a thing for doors and as we walked down Princelet Street, I wasn’t disappointed. On closer inspection I saw the intricate designs of the door knockers, they were so intriguing.

Princelet Street, Spitalfields is a quiet unassuming street and I didn’t think too much about it until I googled No. 4, The Red House. The street itself dates back to the 1700’s and the houses were occupied mainly by poorer Londoners and migrants fleeing religious persecution and other atrocities. In the early 18th century the street saw many occupants who worked for the famous Truman Brewery. Nowadays No. 4 is rented out for events and films. I found much of this information on a blog called Memoirs of a Metrogirl. It’s a most interesting read.

No. 4 Princelet Street
It doesn’t seem like it’s been painted since the 1700s, staying as authentic as it can.

All these houses are Grade II listed heritage houses and if you’re in the market for a move to London they sell for approximately £2,800,000. No. 18 looks like it could do with a new door.

By now it was almost time for dinner and Anthony had set his heart/stomach on a French restaurant he had found on Google. It was called Chez Elles. As per usual he ordered Deep fried Veal Sweetbread with gazpacho sauce and then the Steak tartare and for me it was French Onion Soup followed by Confit Duck. It was a great choice of restaurant, very quaint and decorated like an authentic French Bistro.

As we won’t be back to London for quite a while (I hope!) we had a grand day out, finding something for both of us. You can’t go wrong with a day out in London can you?

Joining in for Natalie’s Weekend Coffee and PPAC and of course Dan’s Thursday Doors which once again I’ve missed the deadline!

🚣‍♀️ An Afternoon in Richmond-upon-Thames 🚣‍♀️

One sunny afternoon during our stay in England we drove to the picturesque town of Richmond. It’s long been on my list after watching the fabulous Ted Lasso and I had been urging Anthony to spend some time there.

It was a Bank Holiday Monday when we headed off and I thought I was being clever by taking a longer route from Basildon to Richmond to avoid the ULEZ (ultra low emission zones) charges! Just before entering the road to Richmond we saw the sign “you are now entering ULEZ”. Anthony said what to do? We circled the roundabout once again and drove down another road to check the map again. Sadly we were not going to get away with this. It’s a £17.50 flat rate, cheaper than the train I suppose.

It’s important to remember to check this up on your return by typing in your number plate on the ULEZ website to pay this fee. I imagine many overseas tourists get caught out by this with hire cars only to find weeks later a huge amount from the hire car company on their credit card for the charge, fine and administration fee.

Once into Richmond it was then a case of looking for a carpark, as you can imagine everyone and their dogs were out in force. Eventually we found one, worked out the meter (why can’t they all be the same) and off we went in search of lunch.

One of the main attractions of Richmond is simply the river itself and despite the grey clouds with imminent rain, there were people aplenty rowing up and down the river. We saw many cafes and restaurants but all looked to be very full. We ended up in a pub called the Pitcher and Piano for a pint and a pinot.

After this we took a leisurely stroll along the river and through one of the parks and headed to the high street, where to Anthony’s delight there were many clothes shops open. He was over the moon with some new purchases he found on sale.

We tried to eat here but they were full, looks so quaint.

Seriously! They couldn’t think of anything better. I definitely prefer Aphrodite.

As we walked away from the high street and towards the Green, I saw what I had been looking for, alas not Ted but the street where he lived and the pub where they met for drinks. Oh the excitement.

I stood here and shouted this is it, this is the place. So very satisfying!

The Crown and Anchor in Ted Lasso, in reality The Princes Head

**The Old Tower in Friars Lane, part of the site where Richmond Palace once stood**

We really enjoyed visiting Richmond and it was a gorgeous afternoon. It’s definitely worth a visit especially if you can fit in the Deer Park as well.

First Week in the UK – Catch Ups and Celebrations

I’ve been in the UK for a week now and it’s flown by. I’m staying with my parents in Essex after not seeing them for almost a year, not the best time of year but my mum turns 90 (yesterday actually) and there is a big celebration for her.

So far I’ve had a day in London with Sarah from Travel With Me, a night out with friends from way back and a 90th birthday party.

The day in London with Sarah started at the Barbican where I had suggested we meet. I have no idea why that place came to mind because there wasn’t too much there. Anyhow we made our way to a cafe for coffee and a “get to know you” conversation. We had so much to talk about, it’s great to meet up with a complete stranger and get on straight away. It was my first time to meet a fellow blogger, hopefully not my last. My Dad sent me off with warnings about how did I know this was a real person or even a woman, the worry for a child never goes.

A few of our photos below of our wonderful day together. If you follow Sarah and myself then you will have seen some of these photos already.

After coffee we walked to St. Paul’s and looked for a place for lunch. We found a very cosy pub in a little alleyway called Williamson’s Tavern, former residence of the Lord Mayors of London. A walk across the Millennium Bridge after to walk off lunch and a visit to the Tate Modern to look at some of the fabulous art on display. Back across the Blackfriars Bridge and then we said our goodbyes. It was good to put a face to a name and make another friend too.

“Each new friendship can make you a new person, because it opens up new doors inside of you.”

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

The weekend was very busy with a family lunch on Saturday with two cousins, brother and family and my mum and dad. I had not seen my two cousins for over three years so we had lots to talk about.

Sunday was the big day and my mum’s 90th birthday. The party started at 2pm and finished around 6.30pm. My dad had hired a hall and my brother and sister-in-law had organised all the food. It was a wonderful celebration for my mum. She received so many cards, flowers, chocolates and all kinds of gifts.

“Age is simply the number of years the world has been enjoying you!”

I’ll be adding this post to Natalie the Explorer’s blog for weekend coffee share and public art challenge.

🐇 Kung Hei Fat Choi 🐇

🌼 Enjoying Essex – Hyde Hall Gardens, Chelmsford 🌼

I had been meaning to visit Hyde Hall Gardens for some time but the weather was always against us or we had other plans. So on the first fine day we decided to drive over and have a look. My dear husband seemed aghast when we arrived and found out it wasn’t an old building we were visiting but a vast garden!

Hyde Hall Gardens is owned and managed by The Royal Horticultural Society and covers more than 365 acres of land. It is divided up into different types of gardens ranging from Mediterranean, Australian/New Zealand, Winter, Vegetable and Dry gardens. There is a large nursery from which to buy plants from. There are panoramic views of the rolling hills and the Essex countryside. We had an amazing morning here walking around and marvelling at all kinds of plants, trees and flowers.

Sculptures by David Watkinson

Coppiced Willows
“Allow yourself to bend like a willow in the wind, so that you will not break”

“Daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty“
~ William Shakespeare ~

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope”
~ Lady Bird Johnson ~

As you can see it was a glorious day, bitterly cold but the sun was shining making the water glisten and the flowers look brighter.

Blooming magnolia tree

**Gabion Wall**
A gabion is a cage, cylinder or box filled with rocks, concrete, or sometimes sand and soil for use in civil engineering, road building, military applications and landscaping. – Source: Wikipedia

Finally time for a rest!

We enjoyed our time at Hyde Hall Gardens, it’s a great place to visit to stretch your legs and get your daily exercise. A place of peace and tranquility with many places to sit and rest and enjoy the magnificent views.

This is the last post for the “Enjoying Essex” series as we are now back in our homeland of Perth, WA. I hope you have enjoyed travelling along with us in Essex.

I’ve linked this post with a few challenges that I’ve enjoyed over the years.

Flower of the Day – FOTD
Pull up a Seat
Photographing Public Art Challenge – PPAC
Restless Jo’s Monday Walks

Category: England

“The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men”

London Gallery

🎉 Enjoy VE Celebrations 🎉

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~ Hazlewood Castle, Tadcaster – A Historic Gem for a Memorable Overnight Stay ~

The surrounding buildings and gardens

Inside the Castle

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~ On the Road, North to Glasgow ~

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~ Perth to London with Qatar Airlines ~

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~ Movement in Water ~

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~ Enjoying Essex – Hullbridge and Fambridge ~

Hullbridge

Fambridge

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Streets, Murals and Rooftops of London

Views from a Rooftop Bar

Murals and Sculptures

Doors and Knockers

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🚣‍♀️ An Afternoon in Richmond-upon-Thames 🚣‍♀️

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🌼 Enjoying Essex – Hyde Hall Gardens, Chelmsford 🌼

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London Gallery

🎉 Enjoy VE Celebrations 🎉

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The surrounding buildings and gardens

Inside the Castle

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Hullbridge

Fambridge

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Views from a Rooftop Bar

Murals and Sculptures

Doors and Knockers

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“Age is simply the number of years the world has been enjoying you!”

🐇 Kung Hei Fat Choi 🐇

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