Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Good morning from Marlow on Thames :)

My name is Karim and I live in Marlow on Thames.

Those of you who have been in the forum for years might remember my Postcards from England topic where I shared my journey of discovery in pictures & historic anecdotes.

Since I did not travel much since my last post in the forum and lost my dear Mum 2 and a half years ago, I did not have much to share and I must say that looking after my little garden here in Marlow did help me tremendously to go through grief and I am utterly delighted to say that I am happy, confident & positive again and very much looking forward to opening the third chapter of my Poscards from England and share my new adventures with you.

My career in Hospitality took my New Zealand ( Russell, Bay of Islands ), Australia ( Sydney ), Canada ( Montreal ) , UK ( Windsor ), Luxembourg and now Marlow on Thames for the past 7 years.

I simply everything Victorian and like many of my Fellow Frenchies, I am huge fan of everything quintessentially British staring with afternoon tea of course !

After 2 and a half of a very difficult struggle with grief, I finally decided that time had come for me to step back into the world last Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed discovering the Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre, Winchester & Canterbury Christmas Market and a delightful day at Covent Garden and the Somerset House Ice Skating Rink.

And it is in the most unexpected way that I received a reminder that I had not posted for a while - a sweet understatement considering that my last post dates back to December 2018 :o- that I checked my Postcards from England 2nd Chapter topic and found out that pictures I thought I had lost for ever and therefore had not seen for 7 years were all there and this truly filled my heart of Joy as this brought me back to a very happy time in my life.

Beyond travelling which I adore, I also love History & the little anecdotes of it, gardening, photography and I also create miniatures on a 1/12th scale mostly mini foods as a hobby.

I will be embarking on a brand new journey of discovery around England that will take me from historic gardens & arboretums to steam train journeys, historic towns & castles, seaside resorts, food festivals and all sort of fun places that I am so looking forward to visit :D

So here it is to opening a new happy chapter in a brand new year and I thank you all for welcoming me back after all these years !

Best wishes,

Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Steeped in history, Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire is one of England's largest houses, home to the Dukes of Marlborough and the famous William Churchill and very popular all year round.

I had visited the castle many years ago and could not resist visiting it again this year for its festive illuminated trail that I can only describe as truly spectacular and enchanting.

We started our journey on one of the coldest days of the season with a visibly frozen ground with remains of the previous day's snow and let's just say that the experience was refreshing with just one little degree outside so the cheerful stands offering mulled wine & other hot drinks were very popular with visitors.

We arrived at the castle at 17.00 with evening settling and we were greeted with a colourful big wheel and the entrance courtyard to the palace two cheerful merry go rounds with old fashion horses very much in the spirit of Mary Poppins, the Orangery restaurant that was closed at the time but serves afternoon teas and the beautiful gift shop and its parlour serving hot drinks and a very welcome warm heaven from the outside freezing cold.

Then walking into the grand courtyard of the palace is like stepping into a fairytale of colours & graphics animating the beautiful classical facade in tune with the cheerful songs being played. The courtyard itself is filled with various Christmas stalls offering Christmas decorations, sweet treats, mulled wine & hot drinks, with many offering a taste of their products and I could not resist the drunken monk Cheddar from the cheese stall.

I must say that the value for money, quality & variety is actually better in the main palace's gift shop when it comes to Christmas gifting / shopping.

The Christmas illuminated trail is very popular and must be booked in advance for an average 45 minutes walk. Stepping into the trail where every beautiful light display is matched by its own music taking you into a different experience & mood as you make your way through the path is something truly magical.

I especially enjoyed a beautiful display of doves first lighted in blue then white from the ground to the top of trees very reminiscent of the dear ones we have lost in our lives, then a magnificent tree illuminated as if covered with diamonds, a cheerful walk with snowmen and then quite literally through gingerbread men, a magical arch tunnel filled with fairy lights very popular with selfies lovers and then the main attraction with the magical water feature playing in tune with the music for a spectacular display of water and colour, a beautiful cascade with changing colours and as we walked back to the castle a real life gingerbread house and at the end of the trail Santa Claus himself greeting the visitors at his cute little North Pole cottage.

With the freezing weather many visitors stopped by the stalls selling Churros, Crepes, Pizzas and even Paella in a very festive atmosphere.

What I really loved about this experience is that it allows you to step in the Christmas magic while walking for miles in nature under a starry sky and take in the fresh air for a truly unforgettable experience.

I did not visit the main palace Christmas interior display on the Peter Pan's Neverland theme as it came with a rather steep £39 supplement which I found excessive while already on site and in possession of an illuminated trail ticket but no doubt that it must be truly gorgeous.

A highly recommended experience to put anyone in a festive mood.

Wishing you a lovely day !
Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

On a crisp early December morning I set off to London in busy train to Paddington then the Tube to the Temple station with a couple of minutes walk to Somerset House and its winter wonderland ice skating rink.

Located on the Strand and overlooking the River Thames, Somerset House is a large classical building complex built by Sir William Chambers from 1776 onwards.

Over the centuries, it hosted the Salt, Stamp, Tax, Navy Offices to name but a few and to this days public records from births to deaths as well as marriage certificates.

Over Christmas its grand courtyard turns into a Winter Wonderland with and enchanting ice skating rink with festive food & beverage chalets and its own DJ playing the music and of course a majestic 40 feet tall Christmas tree dressed with giant red baubles.

I first visited Somerset House in the early afternoon before heading towards Covent Garden and again in the evening to try & capture the magic of its atmosphere by day & night.

It truly has the Wow factor in its beautiful setting with a festive vibe that will delight children and adults alike as depicted in the last picture :DKarim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Located just a few minutes walk away from Somerset House via the Kings College and world famous theatres of the West End and of course the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden is one of the liveliest areas of London boasting with restaurants, bars, pubs and shops.

Its name dates back to the 12th century when it was then part of Westminster Abbey and named as the "Garden of the Abbey & Convent" or "Covent Garden" by the Abbot.

After the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, young King Edward VI commissioned some fine houses to attract wealthy tenants as an Italian style arcade square.

But the area soon fell in disrepute when taverns, theatres, coffee houses and brothels opened up so much so so that by the 18th century it was known as the red light district of London.

And in 1830 an act from the Parliament to control the area and create a market with a neo classical building by Charles Fowler hosting the Floral Market, the Charter Market and in 1904 the Jubilee Market.

It remained London's main market until 1974 until the market itself was moved 3 miles away to Nine Elms because the traffic congestion at the time and Covent Garden became the tourist attraction that we know today with the famous Apple Market with its Arts & Crafts and the colourful Jubilee Market with its many food stalls and Artisan stands.

The area is served by its own Covent Garden Tube station since 1907.

The spectacular Christmas tree located in the West Piazza measures up to 60 feet tall or 18 meters high and is traditionally sourced at Woods Farm in the West Midlands.

I will never forget the giant golden bells with red bows hanging from the ceiling :)Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

In the ever changing world of French Patisserie few brands have remained as iconic and long lasting as Laduree with their world famous Macarons immediately associated with Paris and loved by the Japanese to the point of cult following.

I remember decades ago walking down a street in Paris and passing one of their boutiques thinking "Laduree, so chic" with the immediately recognisable pistachio green colour of their posh tearooms and packaging, but never got around to taste one their famous Macarons until my outing to Covent Garden yesterday.

Often associated with the tragic Queen of France Marie Antoinette as featured in Sofia Coppola's decadent movie, the original Macaron was actually imported much earlier than her time by the Queen of France Catherine de Medcis when she brought one of her Florentine Chef to Paris and was more like a cookie made of almond paste.

Louis Ernest Laduree first opened a boulangerie that burned down in the La Madeleine district of Paris and later became a patisserie after its refurbishment.

Under the influence of the Baron Haussman the town's architecture quickly evolved into majestic avenues and buildings welcoming the era of "La Belle Epoque" and with the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition Women became more socially & intellectually involved in the Parisian life. And this is when Jeanne, Wife of Ernest Laduree invented the concept of the "salon de the" or tearoom mixing "cafe" and "patisserie" as we know it today.

Surprinsingly enough it is only in 1930 that the great great cousin of Ernest Laduree, pastry chef Pierre Desfontaines came with the idea of assembling two Macarons together with a ganache in the middle and therefore created the macaron that we know today.

Laduree is located in the main building of Covent Garden with a small patisserie shop on the ground floor and the tea room at the top of the stairs under the roof and is as cute as expected with a lovely little terrace overlooking the west piazza.

Their afternoon tea was lovely with their special "Marie Antoinette" blend of Chinese & Indian black teas with hints of rose petal, citrus fruit & honey and the famous Macarons were tasty but I will remain faithful to my beloved Carrot Cake of my little Hillier garden centre :)Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Many years ago - I'm not going to say how many! - I took my Australian Mum around Britain in my VW Beetle. I stayed in Youth Hostels each night, and she at B & B's. I had a large-scale map, and that's all. We generally avoided large cities. It was a wonderful journey - simply wonderful - and I recommend it for anybody game to "play it by ear". Years later, I drove my wife and new-born baby around Britain in a Kombi van, staying each night at camping grounds. Again with a large-scale map, and again with no set itinerary. I can't think of a better way to see what Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) has to offer. Until the day she died, Mum remembered every day's offerings, pretty much. At the age of 70, she sold up in Australia and spent the rest of her life bussing around Britain by herself. She was especially taken with the south-west of England, where her ancestors had emigrated from, but loved every part of the Island - yes, and Marlow too!. So I strongly support the OP's recommendations to see everything there is to see - by either car or bus. Good luck to all who do.

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful memories dear Gordon :)

Your dear Mum was so right in her philosophy when it comes to enjoying Life.

And her spirit of adventure very obviously lives on through you and your children and I just can imagine the fun it is to tell all these adventures of WV Beetle & Combi van around the UK to the new generation :thumb:

One thing that I have learned from my own dear Mum is that Life is made for Living !

Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Karim. It might amuse you to know that my son was born in "The Shrubbery" birthing hospital in High Wycombe, and spent the first few months of his life in a house we had rented in Cadmore End. Can't get much closer to Marlow than that, eh? To this day, wherever he is in the world he supports the Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. And a few years ago he took time off from his personal wanderings to spend a whole season working for the Club as "Man in Charge of the Kit"! They still give him a "shout out" during every radio broadcast of the team's progress through the Footie season.

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Funny indeed as I do work in Hospitality and we have welcomed the High Wycombe Wanderers FC many times over the years as well as other teams :thumb:

Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Far away from London's bright lights & sophistication, travelling to the Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre was the highlight of my holiday, first because I love everything Victorian and secondly because it reminds me very much of how our grand parents used to shop at Christmas long before the shopping malls & Amazon dot com, dressing up for the occasion and wandering through the festive stalls to find that meaningful lovingly made Artisan gift and come back home their hearts filled with Joy.

We started our journey from the South in a bitterly cold morning with a freezing fog and ice over the roofs and ground. The fog finally lifted when we reached Warwick and then a beautiful bright sunny day took over but still with freezing cold temperatures.

Located by the river Severn in the West Midlands, Worcester is a historic town with a beautiful medieval district with gorgeous Tudor style timber black & white buildings and a majestic cathedral.

Worcester's association with trade & merchants dates back to 1189 when it received its first royal charter.

The city's main trade in medieval times was the cloth, then gloves and later on woodworking, metalworking and to this day the famous Royal Worcester Porcelain and Lea & Perrins makers of the traditional Worcester sauce.

The Worcester Victorian Fayre is quite unique in England as it hosts over 4 days a Christmas market with no less than 200 stalls selling everything Artisan made from wool to jewellery, glass, pottery, mosaic, stained glass, embroidery, printed artwork, beauty products,leather goods, crochet, perfume and of course all kind of beautiful Christmas ornaments as well as one of the best offer of locally produced food & drink I have ever seen with mulled wine & cider, delicious German style sausages, burgers, crepes, pulled pork, hot apple crumble and stalls of cheeses, sweets, Artisan beers & spirits, pastries, chocolates, some granted the Great Taste Award 2024. And of course not to forget the beautiful Craft Fair hosted at the decorated Guildhall.

This one of a kind Christmas fayre is located in the most picturesque medieval streets of the town : Friar St, Cornmarket, High St, New St, Pump St and the Shambles.

Live attractions range from Stilt Walkers, live Street Musicians, concerts on Cathedral Square including school choirs, musicians bringing joy to the crowd with Christmas music & carols. I loved the Swan & Dyer's Winter Warmer duet and the Midland Sinfonia ) not to forget the utterly adorable school choirs singling their tunes.

Special appearances of Sherlock Holmes & Dr Watson on stilt, the ever grumpy Scrooge, the very judgemental Temperance Lady and in the infamous Gin Lane all the unsavoury & cheeky Victorian characters of the night will bring you back to Dickensian times.

There is of course a fair with traditional merry go rounds and other attractions very popular with families & kids.

I found the fayre perfectly organised with a presence of stewards with their yellow vest to assist the crowd and it is the very first time that I saw a Police motorbikes escorting the many coaches out of the town due the intense traffic.

Rules are very strict when it comes to the theme and any stall holder caught no dressed up as a Victorian will be heavily fine and banned from exhibiting again at the fayre.

Many people came back with bags filled of Christmas gifts for their loved ones and the atmosphere & conversations were so joyful just like as if we all stepped back in time https://www.playmofriends.com/forum/...assic/love.gif

Wishing you a lovely day :)Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Located on the river Stour and just 8 miles away from the sea, the beautiful city of Canterbury in the county of Kent is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a very popular tourist attraction with one million visitors each year for its Cathedral alone.

On a beautiful sunny & crisp December morning, the first thing that I noticed when stepping into the streets was the presence of a very invigorating & refreshing sea breeze and how pretty the city is with its gorgeous medieval half timber Tudor style buildings with a touch of modernity in colours used to pimp up the shops, bars and restaurant that make it quite irresistible not to photograph.

The second thing one notices how young the population is in town due its very popular university and the highest ratio of students to general residents in the country. The city also host the oldest school in the world dating back to 597 AD, The King's School located in the precincts of the Cathedral.

Canterbury is an ancient walled city dating back to Roman times with 8 gates including the medieval Westgate which is 60 feet tall and the largest surviving city gate in England.

The city is famous for its medieval Weaver's houses built by the Huguenots in the mid 16th century when they introduced the silk weaving trade. By the 17th century, 40% of the population were French speaking Huguenots.

One of the most beautiful pubs is actually the Weaver's Arms located on the river.

The city was already thriving in medieval times with a population of 10 000 that quickly dropped after the Black Death and the dark medieval times saw wrongdoers including talkative ladies who gossiped too much being caged at the town's pillory at the Bullstake, now known as the Buttermarket.

The magnificent Canterbury cathedral truly dominates the scenery by its sheer size and it once again has a connection with France in which that the might William the Conqueror brought with him Caen stone from Normandy, a fine grain limestone of a creamy colour that is easy to lay and use for sculptural work. Both Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London were built with Caen limestone.

The Christmas festivities of the town were located in three main areas : Whitefriars Shopping Centre, St George's St ( aka High St ) and the Cathedral's Precincts.

The sight of the Christmas stalls and its merry go round at the feet of the majestic cathedral is simply breathtaking.

I was really impressed by the sheer number of restaurants, bars, pubs and boutiques and the types of cuisines offered to visitors.

I enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea at the quaint & cosy Falstaff hotel as a lovely break from the busy streets and later on a delicious mulled wine at the beautiful Cosy Club and its gorgeous decor of framed artworks and vintage lights.

Canterbury will from on be one of my favourite city in England and a must visit place for those who haven't experienced it yet.

Wishing you a lovely day :)Karim

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Karim:)

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

Karim:)

Re: Postcards from England Chapter 3
 

After such an enchanting day in pretty Canterbury, Winchester that I visited on the following day had a lot to live up to in terms of expectations but it did in its own beautiful way.

Steeped in history, the beautiful city of Winchester on the river Itchen in the county of Hampshire was once the capital of England following the unification of the country at the time of Alfred the Great and remained as such until London took over during during the Norman Conquest in 1066.

The city walls built by the Romans cover an area of 56ha.

After the Roman conquest of Britain Winchester then known as Venta Belgarum was already the capital of the Belgae. It's current name comes from Wintanceaster ( Fort Venta ) in Old English.

Under the reign of King Alfred the Great, the city grid's changed to provide a better defence against the Vikings.

During the Middle Ages the city was an important centre of the wool trade.

Winchester Cathedral that dominates the scenery is one of the largest in Europe with the longest nave and greatest overall length.

The Winchester City Mill located on the river Itchen is the oldest of its kind dating back to 1086 and is still in service.

Jane Austen spent her final weeks in Winchester and is buried in the cathedral.

What strikes the visitor the most when arriving in the city is the truly magnificent & impressive Guildhall that hosts the city council in a gorgeous neo gothic style with its main tower topped by a copper roof.

Then onto the busy Broadway or High Street with its classic market stalls, many shops, restaurants, bars & pubs and beautiful black & white half timber buildings of the Tudor era.

Winchester is very much a town with many hidden historic treasures to discover as you make your way through the cobbled streets like the Buttercross dating from the 15th century and then through the quaint Little Minster St with its medieval buildings to the beautiful City Museum and finally the magnificent Cathedral dominating the scenery by its sheer size.

From a Christmas vibe point of view, nothing can prepare you to the sight of the most extravagant & spectacular Royalty inspired gilded mulled wine station in the world located at the entrance of the Cathedral with its giant copper vats and the last picture I took before leaving the town was a tall man standing over it brewing the fragrant wine with a giant stick and dressed with a top hat in the sunset.

A little lane by the side of the Cathedral leads to the main Christmas market with its 120 beautiful chalet style stands offering a lovely selection of food and drink as well as Artisan made Art & Crafts including the only glass baubles I saw this season and once again absolutely gorgeous chestnut roasting stall, mulled wine stall and caramelised nuts stall straight out of the Victorian era.

The live street musicians, the joyous atmosphere of the Cathedral Christmas market with the yummy smell of freshly made food and fragrant mulled wine, and its many architectural treasures Winchester and authentic Medieval atmosphere has lot to offer to the visitor for an unforgettable day out.

I enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea at the Royal Hotel located in the quiet St Peter's St with its beautiful festive door wreath & main entrance's Christmas tree overlooking a little garden in winter as a lovely and comforting break from the festivities with a Black Forrest flavoured tea.

This holiday has been truly enchanting and I very much hope that you felt the magic & festive spirit of these places through my pictures and little stories :thumb:

Wishing you a lovely day :)Karim