Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
Apr 25th 2018, 11:31 pm
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Re: Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
Karim
Apr 25th 2018, 11:49 pm
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Karim
Apr 26th 2018, 12:12 am
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Karim
Apr 26th 2018, 4:55 am
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Karim
Apr 26th 2018, 5:08 am
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Karim
Apr 26th 2018, 5:20 am
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Karim
Apr 26th 2018, 5:31 am
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Re: Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
Thank you so much for following this postcard and see you soon for a discovery of Windsor, city in which I lived for 8 years and have not revisited for 10 years, where the Royal Wedding will soon take place 
Karim
Karim
Apr 27th 2018, 9:24 pm
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Re: Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
Welcome to Bath !
Good evening,
I hope that you are all well and enjoying the explosion of colours a glorious Springtime has brought to the UK - and France - in a matter of a few days after the mini heatwave we experienced last week. The weather has gone back to "normal" but every sign of Springtime is there for us to see everywhere.
A glorious Springtime also accompanied my first travel experience in the UK discovering the beautiful World Heritage city of Bath which I found to be very impressive from the moment I set foot on its ancient paved streets.
There is so much to see in Bath in terms of wonderful architectural details that historic references that one feels very humble when trying to unlock its mystery and many charms for the first time and I would really recommend allowing two days to capture its true spirit.
Like many before me, I associated Bath with Jane Austen's novels and the famous Pump Room, but nothing can prepare you to take in the sheer grandeur and magnificence of the Royal Crescent which on the April day I visited it greeted me with a full bloom daffodils filled lawn.
Like many before me, I associated Bath with Jane Austen's novels and the famous Pump Room, but nothing can prepare you to take in the sheer grandeur and magnificence of the Royal Crescent which on the April day I visited it greeted me with a full bloom daffodils filled lawn.
Founded by the Romans who built a temple dedicated to Sul, a Celtic God and Minerva, the Goddess of healing, Bath soon became associated with it public baths supplied by hot springs.
After the Romans left, the Saxons invaded England and in 973, Edgar, the first King of England was crowned in Bath.
During the middle ages, people would come from far to bath in the hot springs hoping it would cure their ailments. It is interesting to note that as early as 1661, Bath water was bottled and sold.
During the middle ages, people would come from far to bath in the hot springs hoping it would cure their ailments. It is interesting to note that as early as 1661, Bath water was bottled and sold.
At the time, the main industry was the manufacture of woollen clothe.
By the late 17th century, Bath was still a quiet market town until an extravagant wigged adventurer who had just dropped out Oxford University, the Army and the Law, and earned his money as a gambler took advantage of the visit of Queen Anne to the city in 1802 to make a fortune and influential friends. His name was Richard Nash aka the Beau Nash, a man on a mission to transform Bath into a fashionable resort filled with spectacular new buildings, orchestras, balls and his gambling circles, a city that would rival London as the place to be seen.
I started my day walking along the river Avon to the picturesque Pulteney bridge, then to Bath Abbey with a spot of lunch at Sally Lunn who was a young French refugee who found work in a bakery in which she prepared a round and generous bread known as the Sally Lunn bun which became a popular delicacy in Georgian England, still served today in the original house, since 1482 !
I then headed towards the Roman Baths and boarded the sightseeing hop on hop off bus which took me around the city and up to the hills to the refreshing and tranquil environment of the Victoria Park heavenly on the late afternoon.
Bath truly is a treasure of a town which I will revisit as there is still so much to learn and see about it.
I cannot resist sharing with you an amusing anecdote about the young Victoria who long before she became Queen visited Bath at the tender age of 11 years old for the opening of the Victoria park located next to the Royal Crescent, spent 2 days in the city before returning to London. But her visit did not meet Bath's fashion standards with a local newspaper reporting "her ridiculous dress and fat ankles". Needless to say that the future Queen did not take it well and NEVER came back to Bath again in her lifetime.
On her 50th Golden Jubilee, the Mayor of the Town had all the Dignitaries lining on the platform, a huge brass band and a multitude of little Children waving little flags...and when the Royal Train approached the City, a very bitter Queen Victoria asked the train speed to be doubled and all the blinds to be lowered so that she could not see this "odious" City 
If unlike Queen Victoria, you are planning a visit to enjoy the many charms of Bath, the Bath Festival will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a plethora of multi arts talents from 11th to 27th May 2018.
And for those who enjoy stepping back into times, why not attending the Jane Austen Festival Regency Costumed Summer Ball held at the Guildhall on Saturday 07th July 2018 with doors opening at 18.30, dancing at 19.00 and carriages at 11.00pm, simply irresistible
I wish you all a great week-end 
Karim
Karim
Last edited by victorian67; Apr 27th 2018 at 9:27 pm.
May 1st 2018, 9:24 am
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Re: Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
Welcome to YORK !
Good morning from sunny but nippy Marlow as the short lived mini heatwave we experienced last week was soon followed by "bloody cold" days as one my Friends told me yesterday when I mentioned the "nippy" word
Being a Traveller ever since I earned my first salary, I have always researched the places I was about the visit, starting in 1988 with a tour of Greece which had me becoming a library rat on classical Greece, then a cruise on the Nile inspired by the Agatha Christies 1970's movie Death on the Nile on the SS Time Machine, which had me knowing all about the different dynasties. But I must admit, that my decision of heading towards YORK was a last minute one, with no other clue about the city than it was related to the House of YORK. Yes I know, that is not much 
So it is with a totally opened mind that I first set foot in YORK on a glorious April day filled with Spring blooms at the bottom of the wall surrounding the city. A city wall walk which, like in Chester, offers great views over the city.
In the few hours that followed, I fell in love with YORK which has since then become my favorite city in the UK and I later succumbed to the charms and diversity of scenery of the North Yorkshire
I later learned that the city walls of YORK with foundations dating back to the Roman occupation are the most complete example still standing in today's England and include 4 main gates or "bars" : Bootham, Monk, Walmgate and Micklegate bars ).
I then headed towards the towering Minster Cathedral which is visible from as far as the eye can see and would dwarf any human being standing next to it by its sheer size. The Northern Europe largest Gothic cathedral took nearly 250 years of ingenious building works before it was consecrated in 1472.
The Shambles were my next sight of wonder with a name synonymous with a maze of twisting, narrow lanes which are part of the charm of the city of YORK and are arguably the best preserved medieval street in the world.
The Shambles was a street of butchers’ shops and houses, many complete with a slaughterhouse at the back of the premises. The meat was hung up outside the shops and laid out for sale on what are now the shop window-bottoms. It is still possible to see some of the original butcher’s meat-hooks attached to the shop fronts.
Lacking modern-day sanitation facilities, there was a constant problem of how to dispose of the waste produced by the slaughter of animals in the city. The pavements are raised either side of the cobbled street to form a channel where the butchers would wash away the waste and blood twice a week.
In some sections of the Shambles it is possible to touch both sides of the street with your arms outstretched. The architecture which now appears so quaint had a very practical purpose. The overhanging timber-framed fronts of the buildings are deliberately close-set so as to give shelter to the walls below. This would also have protected the meat from any direct sunshine.
Being a keen model train amateur since the age of 7 years old, I have always been fascinated with everything related to trains and the magnificent YORK train station and National Railway Museum were a must see for me.
The railway came to YORK in 1839 and by the early 20th century, it employed 5.500 people, being a major railway centre. It is when I later researched the history of the railway in and around YORK that I learned about the "NAVVIES" who in Victorian times were synonymous with gang of people who contributed to build the railway throughout Britain. By 1850, their work force gathered over a quarter million men - a force bigger than the Army and the Royal Navy put together - who helped laying 3000 miles of railway line across the country in very difficult and dangerous working conditions.
The National Railway Museum features iconic steam locomotives such as the Mallard, the Rocket and many more, not to forget Queen Victoria's Royal Train - possibly the one who doubled its speed when passing through the "infamous" city of Bath -...
And finally a little anecdote about YORK's most infamous character, Dick TURPIN who became a highwayman who after he shot and killed a man, fled to Yorkshire. He stole horses in Lincolnshire and returned with them to Brough to sell, a trade which was exposed while he was in Beverley House of Correction having shot his landlord’s cockerel.He gave his name as John Palmer.
He was then moved to York Castle, from where he wrote to his brother asking for help. His brother refused to pay the sixpence due on the letter and it was returned to the local post office – where Turpin’s old schoolmaster recognised his handwriting. His identity was revealed and he was sentenced to death.
At his hanging at Tyburn, Turpin hired five professional mourners to follow him up the scaffold and he put on a show for the large crowd.
His body was dug up by a labourer and taken to the garden of a surgeon, who paid for corpses for illegal medical dissection. But York people discovered what had happened and descended in an angry mob on the surgeon’s house, and Turpin was laid to rest for good. The doctor and the labourer were arrested and fined.
Turpin became a legend after his death
No visit to YORK will be complete without a welcoming pause at the ultra quaint and tiniest coffee shop I have come across - and God knows I have been to a few - located at Lendal Bridge over the River Rouse and a must see.
I invite you to follow my footsteps as I discovered the magnificent city of YORK by a glorious Springtime day ...
Karim
Last edited by victorian67; May 1st 2018 at 9:50 am.
May 1st 2018, 9:32 am
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Re: Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
Karim
May 1st 2018, 9:33 am
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May 1st 2018, 9:36 am
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May 1st 2018, 9:38 am
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Re: Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
How could I possibly resist the charm of Circles Cafe
Karim
Karim
May 3rd 2018, 8:53 am
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Re: Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
Good morning 
I hope that you are all well and ready to welcome at last Springtime which is
coming to the UK this week end with temperatures in their 20s.
The mini heatwave was short lived and followed by a rather cold weather which had us all wrap up again in winter coats and scarfs.
But it seems that things are about to change as I can assure that in the British Isles everyone is on the starting blocks to enjoy all the delights of such a long expected Springtime.
I often think that I do not know any other nation in the world so prompt to adapt to a sudden change of weather in order to make the most of it than England who has master the Art of dressing up to the occasion
I would like to thank BristolUK and Feelbritish for their comments on my thread and will welcome all your suggestions of places of interest to visit around the UK.
I am beyond excited to jump aboard the modern version of the Marlow Donkey on my way to Windsor on Saturday morning and revisit a place I have last seen in April 2008 and a town I truly loved being part of for 8 wonderful years
I wish you a great relaxing week-end wherever you are around the world
Karim
I hope that you are all well and ready to welcome at last Springtime which is
coming to the UK this week end with temperatures in their 20s.
The mini heatwave was short lived and followed by a rather cold weather which had us all wrap up again in winter coats and scarfs.
But it seems that things are about to change as I can assure that in the British Isles everyone is on the starting blocks to enjoy all the delights of such a long expected Springtime.
I often think that I do not know any other nation in the world so prompt to adapt to a sudden change of weather in order to make the most of it than England who has master the Art of dressing up to the occasion
I would like to thank BristolUK and Feelbritish for their comments on my thread and will welcome all your suggestions of places of interest to visit around the UK.
I am beyond excited to jump aboard the modern version of the Marlow Donkey on my way to Windsor on Saturday morning and revisit a place I have last seen in April 2008 and a town I truly loved being part of for 8 wonderful years
I wish you a great relaxing week-end wherever you are around the world
Karim
May 7th 2018, 11:40 am
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Re: Postcards from England 2nd Chapter !
Welcome to Royal Windsor !
Windsor City Map
Royal Windsor located in the Royal Borough celebrating the Royal Wedding on 19th May 2018, quite a statement for a city which will make the international news headlines in the weeks to come...
But my visit to Windsor was more a trip down memory lane as I set foot on the Windsor & Eton train station for the first time in a decade on the first day of what is set to be the warmer and sunnier May Bank Holiday week-end in 40 years. It is rather amusing that England which is often associated with rain is often pictured in my Postcards basking under a glorious sun and this Saturday was no exception.
I am not a nostalgic person by nature, more inclined to move forward than looking back over my shoulder, but I was nevertheless a little apprehensive of revisiting a place I loved living in and being a part of for 8 years.
And as I was taking one last glance at the magnificent castle before embarking on my journey back towards Marlow, my heart was filled with the joy that the Windsor I knew back then was still the beautiful Windsor of today which truly enchanted, once again.
As soon as I stepped out on the train platform, I was immediately greeted with banners and a multitude of Union Jack flag buntings announcing
the Royal Wedding as they would in Medieval times and giving the whole city a joyous and festive feel.
The British Nation loves celebrating and the Royal Wedding will be no exception as many will raise their glass to the good health of Harry & Meghan in pubs all around the country. And maybe a pint of the Harry & Meghan Windsor Knot limited edition beer launched this March by a Berkshire based Brewery using locally grown barley on the Windsor Royal Farm and also Champagne yeast, if you please.
Weather wise, after a short lived mini heat wave illustrated in my Postcard on Marlow, the 2 weeks that followed were cold enough for us all to wrap again in winter coats and scarfs until this week-end when England is finally awakening for good to a sunny Springtime at last. And I can assure you that each and everyone of us here in the UK, have been waiting for that moment all winter long, more ready than ever to grab a pair of sunglasses, tee shirt and shorts and finally step outside and enjoy the sun. And this is precisely what myself and a crowd of tourists coming from all over the world did on that gorgeous Saturday.
The first thing that catches the eye of the visitor is the Castle which is visible from almost everywhere in town and beyond and dominates the scenery by its sheer size which one truly appreciates when trying to take a panoramic picture of it from High St or simply sitting on the lawn that surrounds it at the bottom of its imposing walls.
Located 25 miles away west of London, Windsor offers no less than 2 Victorian train stations : Windsor & Eton Central Station located opposite the castle and now part of the luxurious Royal Windsor Shopping Centre and the Windsor & Eton Riverside Station located by the river. For the amateurs like myself of everything Victorian, a replica of the Great Western steam locomotive named the Queen as per association with Queen Victoria's Royal Train is still visible in the Windsor & Eton Central Station. Both lines are still operated by the Great Western Railway to this day and the stations in their preserved Victorian style are some of the cutest I have seen in the UK.
Karim
Last edited by victorian67; May 7th 2018 at 12:23 pm.