Chapter 29

A London Sandwich.......3 weeks between trips.

Pip had a final two working weeks in Dublin to finish off his contract, do a hand over and then it was the two of us again.
Whilst he was there I did research and reading for our forthcoming trip, as the weather was a trifle damp and chilly!  How quickly it changed from drinks on the patio, to multiple layers, (we have purchased Thermal "unders" now, and no we won't be taking photos!), darkness at 4.45pm and temperatures hovering around zero at night!
Christmas is nuzzling its way into the shops and media.  One new book which hit the shelves for Christmas which I thought was amusing was, "Fifty Sheds of Grey"! This was the boys version of that erotic page-turner for girls. The quirky sequel was "Fifty Sheds Damper"! Someone here has a tongue-in-cheek sense of humour!

On our first weekend back from Oz, we headed into London to see another show, and this time we decided on "Let it Be" - a posh tribute to the Beatles, with over 40 greatest hits performed, from She Loves You to Hey Jude, with Sgt Peppers and Abbey Road in the middle.  It was at the Savoy theatre, (next to the Savoy Hotel), built in 1881 specifically for Gilbert and Sullivan productions by Mr D'Oyly Carte.  As you can imagine, charming and quaint inside. Interestingly, it was the first theatre in the world to be lit by incandescent electric lights...........still blazing today!

I ventured into London on my own to visit the National Portrait Gallery, while Pip was with the Leprechauns.  I do love this art gallery.  My favourite section is the modern portraits, with Judi Dench and Michael Parkinson the standouts. 
Walking through Trafalgar Square, I noticed a strange blue cock had made its home on a pillar!  Right behind Nelson!

Another place on my bucket list, which I have now ticked, was a visit to "The Old Bailey", one of the oldest and most famous courts in the world.  Actually called Central Criminal Court, it takes its nickname from the road on which it stands, and is built on the site of the former Newgate prison.  Trials of figures diverse as the Kray twins, Yorkshire Ripper, and Oscar Wilde have stood at the dock.  I sat in the public gallery of two cases - the murder of a 16 yr old boy, and the other, the death of an 11 month old boy, where the mother was on trial.  Both sad, but interesting.  The phone hacking trial was on with Rebeckah Brooks etc, but could not get into that court.  Security to enter the building was extensive, with no mobile phones allowed at all.

With a couple of days spare before we headed off to the continent, we popped up to see our friends near Stratford-Upon-Avon.  We love this part of England, and seeing the spectacular autumn displays in the woodlands and fields does give you a warm glow! 

View of River Avon from bedroom window

The English Midlands are blessed with a wealth of period homes and Packwood House, a 16C Tudor manor house in Lapworth, Warwickshire, is one we decided to visit while there.  We are ticking many off our list now.  The house has had many owners but it was the Ash family who purchased and lovingly restored this home, between the world wars, to create a 20C interpretation of Tudor living. The interiors are opulent and feature a fine collection of tapestries, stained glass and timber panelled walls.  Outside there are stunning perennial borders, sculpted Yew trees (over 100), woodlands and a lake. It has been described as, "A house to dream of, and a garden to dream in".  Just beautiful on the chilly, sunny autumnal day we visited.

Back to London by train to prepare for our jaunt onto the continent.  This started out as a quick trip to see our friends in Germany around my birthday for a couple of days, and has now grown into a three week exploration of places we have on our bucket list.
So........
Back to Ebbsfleet, again, to catch the Eurostar to Brussels this time!

Till the next blog
Love
Annie
Xxxx