Category Archives: Travel

An Old Favorite — Broadway

07 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by in England, Travel

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We try to come to England every few years, and when we do we love to discover new hidden gems that we haven’t seen before.  But there are still old favorites that warrant a revisit. I love going back again and again.

Broadway in the Cotswolds, a couple of hours outside of London. Photo by me

One of these special places is Broadway in the Cotswolds.

I think this was the first village I ever visited on my own outside of London many years ago, and I have been a couple of times since with My Beloved Brit.  But the weather was so perfect this past spring when we were in the area that we decided it was time to revisit.  It did not disappoint.

The yellow stone is so distinctive to this area, and the entire high street is lined with them. photo by me

We were lucky enough to get a room for a night at our favorite hotel, The Broadway, an old half-timbered stone property from the 16th century that has retained its historic style.

The half-timbered Broadway Hotel. The perfect country retreat. photo by me.

And for this visit, we saw that they had done a complete refurbishment that was stunning.  They managed to bring a contemporary design twist to the interior without losing the sense of tradition in the hotel at the center of the town green.

The pub in the hotel picks up the country theme with modern design twists. photo by me

We loved it, and decided to stick around and dine in the pub after a walk through town to renew our old acquaintance.

The High Street in Broadway from the green. photo by me.

A very special place.  I am sure we’ll return.

 

 

 

Topiary

04 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by in England, Gardens, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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There was a great excitement at the Chelsea Flower Show in London this past May about the use of topiary in landscaping. A classic element of gardening had made a stunning reappearance at the show, and it made me aware how much the feature is used in British gardens.

As we drove around we did notice the most amazing shrubbery…

A long shaped hedge at Penshurst Place. Photo By me.

…clipped and trained in the most wonderful, fanciful shapes.

Outside a castle in Scotland. Photo by me

I can’t image the amount of time and care that goes in to creating and keeping these lovely sculptures alive and in trim.

Topiary in Scotland. Photo by me.

But the effort is greatly appreciated…even the most simple.

Simple topiary at Sandringham at the gates to the old stables. Photo by me

I have started looking for them, and comparing their beautiful shapes. It’s great to know they can survive even in these modern times when something that might take years to accomplish seems less popular. With topiary, patience is definitely a virtue

A whimsical bush in Broadway, The Cotswolds. Photo by me

I love the artistic, sculptural quality of them.

I love how this mimics the stone. Photo by me

And the surprise of seeing these fabulous shapes when you least expect them. The English love their gardens and are willing to spend hours on achieving great beauty. And we love discovering them.

Clipped foliage borders the lawn at Houghton Hall. Photo by me.

Ye Olde White Harte Inn

27 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in Burnham-on-Crouch, England, Sailing, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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When you are traveling, it is always lovely to come back to a place that you have stayed before, and find welcoming each and every time.  When we are in Burnham-on-Crouch, My Beloved Brit’s favorite sailing spot for decades, we stay on the seafront at The White Harte. In honor of Burnham Week this week, I thought it was the perfect time to re-visit an old favorite.

The White Harte on the seawall side of Burnham-on-Crouch. Photo by me.

The White Harte is located on the “seawall” facing the River Crouch, with easy access to the yacht clubs, restaurants and old friends who live in town.

The front door of The White Harte, “G. J.Lewis, licensed to sell Beer, Wines, Spirits & Tobacco. Licensed in pursuance of Act of Parliament for Music & Dancing.” Photo by me

On our trip this year we were able to reserve our favorite room, #6, and were pleased to find that it had been newly refreshed with classic floral drapes, and new carpet.  The room is on the back of the inn facing towards the high street rather than the seafront, but it is roomy and can accommodate our massive amount of luggage–and it is only one flight of steps up from the parking area, so easier to haul the luggage to the room.

Almost all the comforts of home, room #6 at The White Harte. Photo by me

One of the best parts of our stay is the full English breakfast in the dining room that looks out on the seafront walk.

Outside the front door of the old inn–the seawall is the perfect place to gather if the sun comes out. Photo by me.

So as we eat our breakfast, we can watch the dog walkers and the odd boats sail out for an early morning move up the river.

My Beloved Brit managed to get a full English breakfast with sausage and bacon, almost every morning. I loved watching early morning walkers along the sea wall. Photo by me.

There is an active pub downstairs from our room…

A corner of the White Harte’s pub, a favorite gathering place in town. Photo by me.

…where most evenings you can find a friendly face to share a pint with and catch up on the latest “dock talk”, the grapevine of information that constantly runs through Burnham.

The pub downstairs from our room. It’s quiet in the morning, but by lunch it comes alive. Photo by me.

Of course, as the saying goes, what starts at one end of the seawall changes considerably by the time it gets to the other end, but it still keeps the lines of communications open.

The seawall stretches from one end of town to the other and is a great place to run in to friends and find out the last news…”dock talk”. Photo by me.

MBB has known John Lewis, the inn’s proprietor, for many years, and his father before him. I love Burnham.  It is like coming home for me, and with the sailing involved and the old familiar faces, it’s even a better stop for MBB.

Burnham Week 2012

24 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in Burnham-on-Crouch, England, Sailing, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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The sailing regattas of summer are an annual event met with great enthuiasm by English sailors–men and women.  The tradition continues starting this week on the East Coast of England in Burnham-on-Crouch, from Saturday August 25, through Saturday the 1st of September. It’s Burnham Week 2012.

The boats stand ready for race week in Burnham. Photo by me.

I know My Beloved Brit would love to be there, but this year he’ll have to be content to follow his mates on the internet.

Burnham was quiet when we there in June, but next week it will be a mad house. Photo by me.

He’s already been in touch with the line up from his yacht club, The Crouch, always steely competitors.

That is the Crouch Yacht Club on the far left (with the flag pole) facing the river, and the seawall of Burnham-on-Crouch beyond.  Photo by me.

There are 21 categories for the different fleets, but entries so far are lighter than when he sailed them in “his youth”.  The combination of a tough economy, and lack of available crew has cut the number of boats entering for the full week, but not the spirit of the sailors and spectators.

The “race box” on the top floor of the Burnham Sailing Club. A committee member sits up here to sound the horns, check the times and be in contact with the racers. The Crouch Yacht Club is right next to it on the sea wall. Photo by me

Let the races begin!

Inn Spirit is a worthy competitor for Burnham Week, and one of several boats My Beloved Brits will be following next week. Photo by me

 

Tides

21 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Cornwall, England, Travel, United Kingdom

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For such a very well-mannered country, the tides of England are pretty darn dramatic. Especially in Cornwall. It was so very evident wherever we went on the southwest coast.

The beautiful tall ships tucked in a safe harbour in Charlestown

But nowhere were the large tides more obvious than in Charlestown, where the big, old ships are berthed.

You might see a lovely bay, or small port, with the boats floating about, and when you came back a couple of hours later there is nothing but mud, and the poor boats are left high and dry.

The tide comes in at the entrance to the protected harbour at Charlestown. Photo by me

 

Poor boats left in the mud when the tide goes out. Photo by me

The change in sea level is very steady and goes from very high to very low in about six hours.

..and the tide goes out

Luckily the Brits know all about the sea, and have devised clever hideaways to protect their ships from the outgoing tides — like the lock system here in Charlestown.

The ships are carefully protected during low tide behind the locks. Photo by me

It’s a lovely feat of engineering that pumps the water in to the holding area if needed as the tide goes out. Someone actually closes the locks on the tides schedule. I imagine he keeps his alarm clock well maintained.

Water is pumped in to keep the ships high but not dry as the tide goes out. Photo by me

The system keeps the boats safe and protected no matter the time of day.

All tucked in for low tide. Photo by me

And if there are no walls to hold it back…

A beach in Cornwall near Carlyon Bay. Photo by me.

…the tide may just take a bit of England with it out to sea.

White Cliffs and P&O: Dover

22 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in cars, England, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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My beloved Brit and I took  break from the beautiful gardens of Kent when we were in England this summer to drive down to The White Cliffs of Dover and have a visit with his aunt and uncle who have lived in that area for years.

The White Cliffs loom above the coast everywhere. Photo by me

We went right down to the seafront to a classic hotel we knew from past visits for a lunch overlooking the English Channel. We could watch the huge ferries come and go between Dover and France over our leek and potato soup. Perfect for a chilly rainy day in England.

The old Churchill hotel is now a Best Western, beautifully redone. Photo by me.

We lingered over lunch as we watched the ferry traffic come and go outside the window.

 

It was a bit rainy during parts of the day (how unusual) and still the trucks lined up in great ques beneath the White Cliffs waiting to take their place on the massive boats that came and went through the sea wall with frightening regularity.  It was great fun.

MBB’s uncle, and aunt, had worked on, and with, the ships for decades, including the P&O Line, better known as the “Pooh Line”.  His uncle, who had worked for years with Dover Port Authority, told us over lunch that some of these boats carried more than 500-1300 cars and lorries per trip, plus cargo, and explained some of the navigational intricacies of the crossing which only takes a bit over an hour to cross to France.

It was a fascinating couple of hours, and we left with a reconfirmation of just what it meant to be a huge island nation.

The coast of Dover, England’s border on the English Channel. Photo by me.

The rest of the world is always across a stretch of sea, and you are connected to the outside world in many ways, but one of the most important in England is boats in all shapes and sizes.

A path to explore

18 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, England, London, paintings, sketching, Travel, Uncategorized

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It is always good going to my gallery in Rehoboth Beach.  I get to see the other work…

Santo Mirabile (mobile) and Rose Minetti (painting) at Gallery 50, photo by me

 

…and discuss with Jay (the owner of Gallery 50 Contemporary Art) my thoughts on my art.  This trip has confirmed a thought  process I had been having about exploring cities in a social context.  The gallery sold one of my favorite new small paintings, “Gallery View”, the week before My Beloved Brit and I arrived.

“Gallery View”, oil painting by me

I had been giving a lot of thought, after all my travels, that I wanted to explore social interaction in three major cities…NYC, London and Paris (3 of my favorites) and see what they had in common and what made them unique.

Cy Twombly at Tate Modern, London

The Louvre, Paris, photo by me

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, photo by me

The blending of location and culture has always intrigued me, and this was an interesting progression to take in my art. I’ve looked at cities before, and the interaction of their inhabitants.

“Metropolitan Spring”, painting by me

MBB and I have discovered, living in a more rural area, that we really are urban animals.  There is nothing I like more than the feel of hot pavement under my feet taking me to explore a great museum, or view an array of shop windows or wander into a park.

“The Voyeur”, painting by me from a park seen in England

A cafe in the Tuileries, Paris, photo by me

I will probably focus on the leisure activities of the cities…what people do when they just want to relax and unwind…and of course it will revolve a lot around what I do with my free time.  So as I explore museums and parks and walking around great cities, I imagine these new pieces will go in that direction.

Playing boules in The Tuileries, Paris. Photo by me

But that is the beauty of a new series.  I am never quite sure where it will take me.

Oxford

11 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in England, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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The new Inspector Lewis series has started back on Masterpiece Theater this past week on Sunday nights.  Oh joy!

I had driven through Oxford once before years ago, but never really had a chance to see it at any length. When we were in England last month, we decided to take the day and wander through the streets where Inspector Lewis, one of my favorite BBC characters, investigates crime.

Oxford University. Is the filming equipment set up for BBC’s Inspector Lewis? Photo by me.

Oxford is a big old university town.  The different schools and colleges are scattered throughout the city, from the historic to the more modern.  You can just feel the scholastic atmosphere everywhere you go, and we did get a chance to peek in to several of the college courtyards.

A college courtyard, hidden gems, scattered throughout the University. Photo by me.

It’s hard to tell where the school ends and the city begins. The main streets were filled with students on a particularly warm day, and every other building seemed to have some academic credential posted on it.

Everywhere you turned, you were made aware that this was a big college town. Photo by me.

You could see the students everywhere with their bicycles casually leaned against a wall while they lingered in a café or shop.

Bicycles were the key mode of transport. Photo by me.

Parking was next to impossible, so you saw bikes, and buses and people walking with backpacks everywhere.

Bicycles everywhere in Oxford. Photo by me

The gold-colored walls are the same as in the nearby Cotswolds, and the architecture was amazing. Around every corner was another gorgeous building in that beautiful stone.

The gold stone is reminiscent of the Cotswolds, which Oxford is really part of. Photo by me

It was fascinating to see how the old and new blended so seamlessly. And, I must admit, t was just fun to be in a city again after a weeks in the countryside.

The modern students walk the historic streets in Oxfords main downtown. Photo by me

So much of it seemed so very familiar.  Was the inspector nearby?

Houghton Hall, The Gardens

07 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by in England, Gardens, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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Houghton Hall, the early 18th century hall of Great Britain’s First Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, had two very distinct draws for my interest besides the main mansion.

One was the Deer Park, which I discussed in my last post.

The front lawns of Houghton Hall stretch for miles down to the deer park. Photo by me

The deer on the lawn. They certainly weren’t shy. Photo by me.

The other was the magnificent 5-acre walled garden. An area of the garden has been retained as a kitchen garden, but most has been laid out as a series of ornamental gardens in various styles.

The beginning of the walled gardens Photo by me

It was lovely, and had so many twists and turns, we weren’t sure where to begin. So we began in the middle.

Photo by me.

Down the center was a long alley with gorgeous borders. The wider north borders are planted with hot colors-reds and oranges-while the south borders are in cooler blues and whites.

At both ends are charming surprises that make you want to linger and enjoy the view

The Rustic Temple makes use of a collection of deer antlers found in the park. Photo by me.

I love when they have intimate surprises at the end of these long vistas of flowers.  It just makes you want to sit and take it all in.

At the other end of the long alley of flowers is the glasshouse. Photo by me

And in between, there are small garden rooms that strike off from the main aisle on paths behind the hedges.

Long passageways gave entry to the different garden areas. Photo by me

Each has its own personality.

A fountain that balances fire on top of the water – the Water Flame – is quite dramatic. Photo by me

One “room” featured some friendly bees in their hives. Photo by me.

Just when you thought you’d seen them all, you would discover one you had missed.

A resident in one of the garden rooms. Photo by me

Truly magnificent.

Another passageway. Photo by me

As we toured the main house you would catch glimpses of the lawn through the windows.  And as classically beautiful as the hall was with magnificent wall coverings and fabrics, I was happiest outside overlooking the park.

Houghton Hall, the home of the first prime minister, and still a politically active family. Photo by me

We even managed as we left the house to see a small white plane taking off from across the fields. Magic!

 

A small plane…

…takes off over the green.

 

and takes off in to the sky. Photos by me.

Houghton Hall, The Deer Park

05 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in England, Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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Last but not least in Norfolk, we visited the large, beautiful estate of Houghton Hall.  We often found that these grand family estates had something that made it a twist different from the next, and this estate was no exception.

The gates to Houghton Hall. We were first in line. Photo by me

Houghton Hall is a beautiful country house built in the Palladian style and renowned for its many deer that roam the 1,000 acre estate.  Houghton actually has a purebred controlled breeding program of descendants from royal stock from Sweden and Denmark as well as other countries. And the deer were out in force, roaming the large sweeps of lawn.

These white deer are not albino, just a particular breed

Or they could be found hiding behind a grove of trees on the front lawn.  There are many species including European Red Deer, Chinese Water Deer as well as stock from India and Japan.

Shy Red Deer Photo by me

The perfect setting for them, they seem amazingly docile and tame, but i still managed to keep a bit of distance between us.

Roaming free, the happy deer of Houghton. Photo by me

Just wandering around the grand front parkland I walked down to see them hiding in the groves of trees…

Just having a bit of a rest under the trees. Photo by me.

The front view from the Deer Park. Photo by me

and as soon as I walked back to the house, they came out for a graze.  They were as interested in me as I in them.

The deer came out from the trees as soon as I moved away.

A beautiful spot for grazing.