Lindfield 31.3.2018

Tomorrow is April and winter is just not letting up here on this little island. I still have the Cape Town trip to blog about but it's a big commitment. Life has been very busy. When we got back from South Africa in mid February, within a week I had started two new jobs. (I do freelance accounting). Never one to make things easy for myself, it's been a steep learning curve and has required a lot of focus. Everything else has taken a bit of a back seat and with the constant cold (and snow - more than I've seen in my 3 years here), the blog has really been neglected. Today I thought I'd just do a blog post about what is happening at the moment, and do the catch-up posts when there's a bit of time.

So, Lindfield. I've also started Tai Chi - that's another story! - and the class this week was held in Lindfield - a medieval market town. The High Street was originally an ancient north-south track that has existed for thousands of years, long before the Romans built their major road west of the village

 

After the class I took a walk up the High Street. We've driven through here often but it was great to stop and look at everything. It's a really pretty village with a lot of beautifully restored houses, interesting shops, a great bakery and a coffee shops. Quite posh. I love this wedding dress shop, by appointment only .. No really, I do really like the simplicity of the window, very effective.

The 272 bus. A good one to catch if you're heading for the station, it runs close to where we live too.

At the top of High Street is All Saints Church which dates from the 13th to the 15th centuries.

Tortured trees, these look like clenched fists. I think they are Lime Trees. And daffodils, trying so hard to make an impact on the grey.

Suitably tumbledown headstones.

Back out on to the High Street and down the way I came, on the other side of the street.

 

All this exercise! Tai Chi, for something so calm and gentle, is such a workout and weirdly, makes me happy (that's how I feel after each class).  A couple of years ago, back in Cape Town, Brenda tried to teach us but it we weren't good students. Recently I was looking for something which is physical as well as sustainable and good for stress.  So it seems, the right time and the right place. The point is, I was hungry. Time for tea.. and breakfast.

At the opposite end of the High Street is natural spring fed pond and some resident ducks. 

By now it was lunchtime and there was a real chill in the air. Time to head home. Perhaps the sun will come out tomorrow ...

Richmond 28 December 2017

The week between Christmas and New Year - almost everyone is on holiday and, unless you are 7 - 12 years old, extremely grateful that the crazy lead up to that one day of insane overindulgence on every side is finally over. Weather, cold and rainy. All those leftovers! Exercise definitely required. We drove up to Richmond and met up with Tessa and David in this still very festive pub.

10 miles southwest of central London, it is almost 60 miles for us, but worth the drive.

One of my Christmas gifts was the book Walking London by Andrew Duncan. Which is why, with a plan, we started off walking through the town, past the Theatre.

And The Cricketers pub, too early to stop though. No spectators either on this freezing morning.

Past the village green where much cricket must have been played. Lots of parks and open spaces here.

Refreshment station.

The sun wasn't warm enough to melt the ice in the shadow of the bike!

Christmas decorations are serious business here ...

I covet this wreath ...

It's a very posh area, we did the gawking touristy thing. It was fun.

Down on to the river bank. The Thames meanders for more than 10 miles through the Borough, linking Hampton Court, Richmond village and Kew Gardens with London. Mud here too. Pulling over onto a smooth green verge is not a good idea.

Imagine the views from this house.

As always on river fronts, lots happening; boats, people, birds.

Basking in the first sunshine in days. It must be a tough life being a bird in winter.

Back up to the High Street. This sign would make me think twice about crossing this bridge.

Isn't this a fabulous? The facade of the Odeon Cinema is Art Deco with 'neo-Egyptian touches'. It was built in 1930 and is a Grade II listed building.

Lots of history to be found in Richmond. It's going to require a return visit though. We walked and walked and walked and still saw only a small portion of what there is on show. I think we did walk off the Christmas extravagances though ...

Heading up the hill to Richmond Park - the largest royal park in London at 2500 acres. Created by Charles I in the 17th Century as a deer park.

We didn't go very far into the park cause we still had to get back down to the river and into the village and we were urgently needing some lunch.

This picture was taken at 3 in the afternoon and this ice was still there, despite the sunshine!

Down the hill, quite steep at this stage.

A grand house in the distance.

Photo Op

All in all, a lovely day out. Now just for that drive home.

Buchan Country Park 26 December 2017

Christmas flew past this year. Tessa came to visit, we all drank a lot of tea (and wine), we all ate too much, so a walk was urgently needed.  Catching a bus from Gatwick as the trains were on a reduced schedule, Buchan Country Park was pretty much on our way to send Tess back to London.

Crisp, clear, cold - the perfect day for a walk. It was going to rain later on so there was lots of people and dogs around.

And these two gorgeous girls ... Cousins

Icy reflections ..

Quite a while since they were this age. Time marches on ... 

And there was mud...

Kensington Palace 16 November 2017

Almost the end of the year, yes, I know I'm still way behind, but we'll get there.

On a Friday morning I headed off to London to see Princess Di's dresses. The exhibition has been on at Kensington Palace for a while but I thought I better get there before I miss it completely.

A cold, but sunny day, I hopped on the 148 bus heading towards Shepherds Bush.

The lion almost got the impala this time ... Quite a strange sight in the middle of the London traffic.

I'm a big public transport fan. Coming from virtually no public transport to a system that runs - despite the complaints and delays and cancellations, it does run - is a quiet thrill everytime I use it. If you have time, the bus system is a good way to see the city. Some of the bus drivers are great, friendly and helpful, others, rude and belligerent. You do need to know where you want to go.

Hyde Park, western side.

Keep walking till you see Queen Victoria ensconced on a plinth.

Follow the general flow of the people ..

and there you are. Quite interesting that they have no problem with cameras and taking photos.

To those of us of a certain age, all these dresses are instantly recognisable. She was the most photographed woman of her time. I felt quite nostalgic.

At 1.78 m - she was tall for a woman. What surprised me is how slender she must have been. These dresses are small.

Then out of the crowds into the cold, fresh air.

Past the White Garden, designed and planted in Princess Diana's memory. Rather bleak today, but the bones are there.

The Orangery.

Just peeping out of the foliage in the distance, the Albert Memorial, designed by George Gilbert Scott. You can't miss it - ostentatious, gaudy but fun.

Back out into Bayswater Road and  a swift walk for a couple of kms. One of my favourite things in London. You're anonymous, interesting people to look at, interesting things to see. Some find it lonely and unfriendly, but not me, it still gives me a buzz.