This week we travelled to Lochinver on the north west coast of Scotland. It is a nine hour journey by car from our home in Yorkshire so we broke the distance by staying for a couple of nights in Stirling. We travelled to The King Robert Hotel on the Thursday, but as there were six of us we had booked into Bruce’s Cottage which is in the grounds of the hotel. The cottage was set out well for six adults and very clean and comfortable. We ate in the restaurant at the hotel. The food was excellent and exceptionally good value.
On the Friday, after a good nights sleep, we had breakfast before setting off to the Falkirk Wheel a short drive away. The wheel is the world’s only rotating boat lift, created to assist the swift passage of canal boats, rather than taking over five hours to travel up a flight of eleven locks. The gondola takes about five minutes to rotate, lifting the boats thirty five metres to connect with the canal above. It’s a pretty impressive sight from the ground and the mechanism and engineering behind it blew my mind. On the boat however it is very difficult to tell that you are even moving. Before you know where you are, you are high up on the canal overlooking the vast Scottish landscape.
After leaving the boat, the rain began pouring down, so we decided to head of towards the Helix Visitors Centre where we had a lovely lunch after which the rain had stopped a little. We then went outside to walk around the amazing Kelpies. They are a pair of thirty metre sculptures of steel horse heads, rising out of the ground in spectacular fashion. The sculptures are a fabulous sight and well worth a visit. As it stayed fine we walked further up the road and around the lake before heading back to the car before the rain came again.
We went back to the hotel for our evening meal and had another good night’s sleep before getting up to start the remainder of our journey to Lochinver. After picking up our shopping from the local Tesco, we went for breakfast at the nearby River House Restaurant. The food was absolutely gorgeous and the surroundings equally so!
Travelling towards Lochinver, we took another very slight detour to the scenic area of Aviemore. We visited the ski centre for a coffee break and a leg stretch. The ski centre was impressive, with lots of activities to do outside of the ski season. We then continued our journey north, towards Lochinver, another 3 hours away. The drive takes you through some stunning countryside and panoramic views. Seeing deer in the wild as you are travelling through is an added bonus. We finally arrived at our home for the week, Waterloo Lodge, high upon the hillside overlooking the harbour of Lochinver with a stunning view of Suilven.
It’s five years since we visited Amsterdam and it felt like time for a return visit. This blog is a little delayed as we went at the beginning of September. We went with different friends, who had never visited Amsterdam before. We travelled from Manchester Airport on Monday afternoon but stayed overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Manchester Airport. Although we are only about an hour from Manchester Airport, the journey can often take much longer and we felt that it would be nice to start the break relaxed rather than worrying about being in traffic and arriving late at the airport.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel was very clean, with large bedrooms and an extremely comfy bed. On the Sunday evening, we ate in the Asian Fusion Restaurant called Sampans. The food was extremely tasty. The staff were friendly and helpful. We had a relaxed evening ad a few drinks before heading off to bed
Our flight on Monday afternoon was delayed by about half an hour, but we landed at almost the correct time. Getting through passport control took some time, but we soon got a taxi and headed off to the Hotel.
We chose to stay at WestCord fashion Hotel on the outskirts of Amsterdam. We previously stayed here and found it to be comfortable, clean and with very friendly staff. Once again it did not disappoint. From the moment we checked in, the staff were extremely helpful and always cheery and smiling.
We did not go out in the evening but went to the restaurant and bar within the hotel. The food was good and the prices in the bar were reasonable, comparing well to the prices in the UK.
Heineken Brewery Tour
The following morning, we were booked in at the Heineken Brewery Tour. We headed out first thing and bought a multi-day ticket for the tram. This is really convenient as it travels all over Amsterdam, has a very efficient, frequent service and is always clean. It cost €26 for four days of travel. We travelled on the tram to the area nearest the brewery and looked for somewhere to have breakfast.
We found a lovely little café called Bakers and Roasters. We sat outside, as it was very warm and humid, although a little overcast. The breakfast was tasty. We all had “Sunrise Bircher”, which was overnight oats packed with fruit, nuts and seeds.
Afterwards we had a wander before heading to the Heineken Brewery. The tour was mostly self-guided but has some guides along the way to explain some parts of the brewery. It was an interesting tour and we took our time to read the information and watch the videos as we travelled through. I am always astounded by the amount of people who book a tour and then wander around with a phone in front of their face and don’t really look at what is going on or interact with anything.
The reading and listening paid off, as part way round there was a quiz and we were real swats, getting all the questions right and winning Heineken pin badges!
One section of the tour teaches you how to taste the beer rather than just drink it. We were asked to hold our glasses up to the light and describe the colour. My friend called out “Amber”, at which point the guide threatened to call security and throw her out! The correct answer in case you’re wondering, is gold.
Once we had completed the tour and free samples, we went to the rooftop, where there is a 360-degree view of the city. We had a further free drink there and enjoyed the view, until it started to rain, cutting the visit a little short.
We had a walk and a bit of sightseeing, but the rain continued, so we headed to the “Sex Museum”. It seemed that everyone else had also headed here to get out of the rain. The museum is entertaining to a point, but considering the things that people can access on TV and via the internet these days, it was nothing particularly shocking or unusual (or maybe my years at work has desensitised me). It was interesting to see the difference in cultural attitudes regarding sex as well as the way views have changed over the years. The overwhelming thoughts were it was a large pornography collection and “you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all”.
Rather than wandering in the rain for the rest of the afternoon, we headed back to the hotel. We had a coffee and a rest before showering and heading back out in the rain for something to eat. We chose a tapas restaurant and enjoyed a relaxing evening before returning to the hotel for the night.
A day of museums and sightseeing
The following day was lovely and sunny, so we set out mid-morning to have brunch before our booking for Anne Frank House. We finished our brunch quite early and went for a walk. We ended up in the gardens of the Rijksmuseuem. We sat in deck chairs enjoying the pretty gardens and the warm sunshine, before heading off to the museum. We had booked a half-hour introductory talk prior to entering the museum, which was well worth it, as it gave more insight into the Frank family and the people who helped them. Despite having visited the house before, it was still worth the visit and is it’s always good to be reminded of how awful humans can be to each other. After we came out of the museum, it started to rain.
We had booked onto a canal boat tour, but they kindly said we could postpone to another day due to the weather. We chose then to go to the Albert Cuyp Market. This was a huge market, with some nice stalls with food, gifts and household products.
Windmills in Zaanse Schans
On Thursday, we decided to take a trip out to Zaanse Schans. It was a beautiful sunny day. After some research we discovered that it was easy to get there by train from Central Station to Zaandijk Zaaanse Schans, followed by a short walk from the station.
We started off our day at the library close to Central Station. Although we had been here before, it is still an impressive building. We had coffee and cake, before heading off to the station. The trains run regularly and the return fare was just over €8. The platform was busy and it was clear that most people were heading the same way. The train journey was about 2o minutes and then we walked for 15 minutes before walking over the bridge on the river Zaan where we were treated to a spectacular view of the windmills.
Entrance to the area is free, but you can also opt to pay to enter some of the windmills and other museums on the site. We paid to visit the inside of the paint windmill, which houses two pairs of millstones, one for chalk and one for paint pigment. Going on on to the platform and hearing the sails whooshing by was great to see and the view was amazing. There is so much to see here, with gift shops, traditional clog making, cheese making, cafes as well as just walking around the beautiful area built on the dykes. The traditional Dutch timber buildings were reconstructed here from other areas in Amsterdam, giving an authentic feel. Although there were lots of tourists here, the place is huge and it never felt cramped. It was an excellent day out, helped by the beautiful weather.
Canal Boat Tour
On our final morning, we headed in the centre for breakfast. We ate at Kessen’s which was close to the start point for our canal boat tour. The food here was delicious, the café was sparklingly clean and the staff were really friendly.
We then went to board our boat for the canal tour. We booked with Flagship Tours, on an open canal boat. The guide was extremely entertaining. As well as being knowledgeable about the area, he also had personal anecdotes, which added humour to the tour. It was a really good way to spend an hour in the sunshine, finding out more about the area and seeing some of the sites. Unfortunately, after the tour, it was time to go back to the hotel and get ready for our return to England.
On Tuesday we woke up to sunny weather and started to make our way to Hawkesbury Junction which would be our home for the next couple of nights. We had passed through here on our outward journey, but did not stay.
Hawkesbury Junction, also known as Sutton Stop is really pretty area of the canal but also very busy. We arrived by mid afternoon and took the right turn, back on to the Coventry Canal. The mooring areas were busy. We filled up with water and managed to find a nice sunny spot a little bit further down from the junction.
We had a nice relaxing afternoon, before heading off to the lovely Greyhound Inn for food.
The next morning was a little overcast but undeterred we set off in an Uber to Coombe Abbey Country Park. By the time we arrived, the sun had come out and it had started to warm up nicely.
The park area surrounds a stunning hotel with its own lake, gardens and wooded walks. There are lots of varieties of trees, including some California Redwoods.
We walked on of the routes which was about 2 miles long, through wooded areas and past the hotel. We then stopped off for some lunch at the visitors centre before another little wander and heading back to the boat.
By late afternoon it was really hot and we got the chairs out and sat outside on the canal towpath enjoying the sunshine.
Another boat moored up next to us and the gentleman on board came out to chat. He recognised our Yorkshire accents and we all began chatting about home. After a few minutes of conversation, it turned out that he was from Earlsheaton and he and his wife had been friends with Andrew’s mum and dad. He then went to fetch his wife, who recognised Andrew straight away and so began an hour or so of reminiscing. It quite amazing to meet someone you know, by chance, moored next to you on a canal.
The sun stayed out long into the evening and we ate our tea outside, making the most of it. When the sun began to drop behind the trees and the midges came out, we went back inside to enjoy the rest of the evening playing cards.
On Saturday we started our return journey to Springwood Haven. Unfortunately it was pouring with rain first thing, but brightened up as the day went along. The locks were challenging, due to the number and the fact that we had to set each one on the way. Our overnight stop was back at the mooring near to The Two Boats Inn at Long Itchington. We had to moor a little bit further away from the pub as it was a busy area with lots of boats out on the canal.
Sunday was a beautifully sunny day and we started with the long stretch of double width locks, which was hard work in the heat, but a really pleasant journey alongside an older couple who appreciated the help and company through the locks. We then continued back to Braunston junction which again was busy due to the nice weekend weather. We had a walk along the canal, initially intending to walk into Braunston Village, but realising it was Sunday and as it was after 4pm, nothing would be open. Instead we stopped off for a drink at The Boathouse pub. We sat in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine before heading the mile back to the boat. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, fishing and reading.
Monday was once again warm and sunny. We set off on the long haul of the journey back to Ansty. Luckily there only a few locks at Hillmorton, which made the journey less arduous, but also meant we did not walk very far. The tow path is not great on much of this stretch and is still closed around the remains of the landslide. It was a day for mostly reading and watching the world go by. With a short stop off at Tesco for supplies, it was a long cruise of over eight hours to reach our overnight stop at Ansty.
Today we are still moored on the Saltisford Arm and decided to visit Warwick Castle. The day started off a little cloudy and breezy, but got brighter as the day wore on, meaning we were able to have a full day outside.
Warwick Castle is an absolutely amazing day out. On arrival we had a short wander through the grounds and looked at the itinerary of events for the day. We then made our way to “River Island” for the War of the Roses. On entry we chose to go on the side of the House of York (of course) indicated by the white rose. The opposing side was the House of Lancashire and the red rose. The next 30 minutes were filled with an excellent display of jousting, fighting, horse riding and story telling. We were encouraged to cheer on our knights and kings and boo the opponents. It was extremely entertaining.
Our next stop was The Falconers Quest, which was again some great story telling and an amazing collection of birds of prey and falconers. The whole thing was done with such precision and timing, with appropriate background music, making an impressive display, including some of the birds flying, extremely close to the heads of the audience.
Next up we took part in a tour of walls of the castle, with an interesting and knowledgable guide telling us over 900 years of the history of the castle. This was followed by a tour of the state rooms, again with a great guide who gave us lots of information and stories about the rooms.
We then visited the Horrible Histories maze, which was geared up for children, but as a Horrible Histories fan, I really enjoyed it. After much debate (I’m not the bravest when it comes to scary attractions) our final visit was to the Dungeons. This was an extra cost, but well worth it. A series if actors tell gruesome stories about ghosts, plagues and torture. Very entertaining and makes you jump in places but not as scary as I convinced myself it would be.
We definitely had a full day in Warwick Castle and there were still lots of things we didn’t get to see, so it will definitely be worth another visit in the future.
After leaving the castle called in a couple if the shops before heading to the “Tilted Wig”for a tasty meal.
When we returned to Saltisford Arm and our boat, the sun was still out and we managed to sit outside with a drink a perfect end to a brilliant day!
Before setting off this morning we were visited by a family of swans at the duck hatch. It was lovely to feed them through the hatch, until one of the parent swans began hissing at us and trying to get its head through the hatch. We bid a hasty retreat and shut the hatch, as none of us were keen on battling with protective swans.
Travelling from Braunston was a mostly rural area, peaceful through roaming countryside with no locks for miles. Just before our overnight stop at Long Itchington, are a series of wide locks, big enough for two boats. As there was no one else travelling in our direction, we managed the locks with a single boat.
It was a much shorter journey today and we arrived at our mooring spot close to the Two Boats Inn. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and we walked up into the village to buy supplies.
Ling Itchington was a very pretty village and although we walked up along the roadside, we managed to find a footpath through the fields, which brought us back on to the towpath. The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing in the sunshine, before heading off to the pub for tea.
Long Itchington to Warwick
The first part of our journey from Long Itchington took us through picturesque countryside once again. As we reached the Bascote staircase locks we were joined by another boat, and a lovely couple, meaning we could share the double locks and the work of setting all the locks between us, which meant we were able to get through the long series of locks within a couple of hours.
After mooring up for brunch, we continued our journey into Warwick, with a short stop at the big Tesco to stock up on provisions. This part of the journey is much more built up, passing industrial and residential buildings on each side of the canal.
We chose to look overnight at the Saltisford Arm, which is owned by a charitable Trust. Away from the main canal, this is a lovely little haven, with well kept grassed areas, a small shop and facilities for boaters. It certainly felt safer than being in the city centre and was worth the £10 per night fee.
As we arrived, it had started to rain and began to get heavier as the evening wore on, so we decided to cook food on the boat and stay in out of the rain.
Over the past couple of days we have met some lovely people on the canal, chatting about the weather (well what else, we are British?), where they were heading and admiring their boats. We have also unfortunately met some quite rude and condescending people, who on seeing a hire boat automatically assume you have no idea what you are doing and like to offer unsolicited advice often in the way of shouting “You need to slow down” even though the boat is only just ticking over. Thankfully the friendly people outweigh the not so friendly which is a good thing!
On Sunday we spent our day travelling back down the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, retracing our route to Fazeley Junction and on to The Coventry Canal. We had a fairly steady day, until reaching the Atherstone Locks, which were quite busy. Unfortunately the first half of the locks we were stuck behind an elderly gentleman, a lone boater who refused to let us help him with the locks and it took him what seemed like an eternity to get through each one. Luckily part way up, there were volunteers from the Canal and Rivers Trust who were assisting with the locks as just were travelling both ways. This speeded things up enormously and we manage to make it just in time for the table we had booked at The Anchor Pub.
We had an impressive roast dinner in the pub before heading back to the boat for a game of cards. Once again it was a fairly early night as all the fresh air had wiped us out and we were all shattered.
Day 4 – Nuneaton, Hawkesbury Junction and Ansty.
On Monday morning we awoke to the sound of rain pattering on the roof of the barge. Luckily by the time we got up and had a coffee, the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. We continued retracing our steps, stopping off at Springwood Haven Marina for a few minor faults with the boat (centre line had worn through, fridge wasn’t very cold and the battery wasn’t charging properly). Luckily whilst these little issues were solved we were able to have our breakfast, ready to set off for the day ahead.
We travelled down the canal, through the built up area of Nuneaton. Although this is a more populated area, it wasn’t as concrete as the approach to Birmingham. On the outskirts there were some lovely houses backing on to the canal. It didn’t take us long to pass through and we were back out into the countryside.
Through the slightly straighter area of the canal Julie and I decided to have a go at steering the boat, as Andrew had done it all up to this point. He very patiently talked us both through it and we did okay, but neither of us were keen on padding other boats, or going under bridges, of which there are many.
We then came to Hawkesbury Junction, which joins the Coventry and Oxford Canals. This is a very pretty area, with cottages by the lock and a lovely pub on the side of the canal. We didn’t stop at the pub, but may get chance to call in on the way back.
There is a stop lock which joins the two canals. The drop is only four inches of water, but was put in place after a dispute between the two canal companies. Once through the lock we travelled a short distance before mooring up for lunch.
I walked on the canal with Nick for the next hour, catching up with the boat at Antsy, mooring up ready for a couple of hours relaxation before heading off to the Rise and Castle Pub for tea. It was lovely to meet up with our friends who live in Coventry, so only had a short distance to travel.
We had a great meal and a catch up, then headed back to the boat for a game of cards, before heading off to bed.
It was lovely to return, with my husband and our friends for a third stay at Ruan Dinas, a beautiful house on the estuary of the River Fal in Cornwall. We were blessed with beautiful weather for most of the time. After an amazing summer in the UK, we were disappointed to see the weather forecast saying rain for the first week of our holiday, but thankfully this was not to be, and we were able to enjoy the last of the summer sun in beautiful surroundings.
The first couple of days were spent relaxing in the garden and by the river, as we were all exhausted from hard work in the previous weeks and the long journey. We managed to get out on our kayaks and paddle boards, as there was very little breeze and the water was really calm. I finally managed to get from kneeling to standing and back down again without any assistance, which felt like a great achievement. Now I can do it, I ask myself why it took so long!
Once we had recuperated, we were ready to enjoy some days out and about. We enjoyed repeating some of the things we had done on previous trips, but also visited some places we had not seen before.
Bodmin and Wentford Railway – A Murder Mystery
As we had one day of rain, we booked to go to a murder mystery evening on the Bodmin and Wentford Railway. On arrival, we were given a glass of bucks fizz and a pasty (it is Cornwall so no event is complete without a pasty)
We were then given directed to our table seat in one of the carriages of the train. As the train moved off, the actors moved down the train and a story unfolded of a valuable diamond being transported on the train in a secure vault, with a number of suspicious characters plotting to steal the diamond.
The acting was great and as the train came into the station to change lines, we were allowed onto the platform to ask questions of all the characters. Once we were back on the train, a murder occurred and we were all invited to walk down the train to look at the murder scene. We were then asked to identify the murderer and hand in our answers. Back on the platform the true identity of the murderer was revealed.
It was an entertaining evening, with an interesting story, amusing characters and good food. It was also excellent value for money. There is something special about travelling on a steam train and the murder mystery theme added an extra dimension to it, making it a worthwhile visit.
Pendennis Castle
The castle is an English Heritage site and is situated on the coast near Falmouth. From a distance you can see the Tudor Fortress, which was built by Henry V111, but in the grounds there is so much more to see. There have been many additions to the castle and its surroundings to protect it and equip it for the various stages and developments in warfare over the years.
Firstly, we visited the First World War barracks. This is set in a beautiful looking building with the Royal Artillery coat of arms above the door. It tells the history of the men who were stationed there during the war, for training before going to the front line in France and Belgium. It never ceases to shock me how many young men lost their lives and it was sad to hear and see their stories.
We then looked at the various guns and artillery spaced out amongst the walls of the castle, before going to see the developments made during the second World War, where the castle was fitted with equipment to defend against torpedoes and long-range guns from warships.
Lastly, we joined a guided tour of the Tudor Fortress. The guide was friendly and knowledgeable and brought the stories of the castle to life. It was a great tour and so much better than just looking around without the knowledge of the guide. The views from the top of the castle are well worth the climb to the top.
The visit would not be complete without visiting the café, which is situated in the barracks. It was a lovely setting and the food was excellent. Once again, we enjoyed a great day out, learned so much and had great value for money.
Bodmin Jail
We weren’t sure what to expect from Bodmin Jail, but having looked online, we decided it would be worth a visit. We booked a Heritage Guided Tour, which included “The Dark Walk”, which uses technology and theatrical effects to transport you back in time, telling the history of Bodmin and introducing the characters from the past who had been sent to Bodmin Jail. It was an effective way of telling their stories and setting the scene for the visit.
The rest of the tour was with a guide who took us through the history of the jail, its changes over the years and continued the stories of the characters we had been introduced to during the Dark walk. The tour was about two hours long and was crammed with information and anecdotes. It is macabre in places, but also truly fascinating. I never knew so many of our common phrases came from such a gruesome background.
Along the way, there were a few discussions around should it be punishment or rehabilitation, are prisons too soft, should the characters have met such a grisly end? It certainly gets you thinking about things and once again we came away having learned so much.
The Camel Trail
I haven’t ridden a bike for many years and was never a very confident cyclist, but agreed that it would be nice to hire bikes and cycle along the camel trail from Wadebridge to Padstow.
I started off very wobbly, but soon got into the rhythm. One thing I do have a problem with, is that when there is an obstacle in the way, I tend to veer towards it, rather than around it. It takes an inordinate amount of concentration to avoid doing this. Needless to say, there were a lot of walkers and cyclists on the path, so I had to be careful not to lose my concentration for fear of wiping out whole groups of people. Luckily my husband rode behind me all the way ensuring he rang his bell and coached me through. We managed to reach Padtsow, without killing anyone and only once being given a stern word from my husband for stopping suddenly without warning, causing him to brake hard to avoid running into the back of me or flying over his handlebars. Once we reached Padstow, I felt a sense of relief, but realised that I had lost the feeling in my hands as I had gripped on so hard.
We had a walk around the very picturesque Padstow, and some lunch, before setting off back on the bikes. I started to relax on the way back and felt more confident. There were no incidents or accidents, but at one point, a large group of people were walking along, taking up the whole of the path. Despite my husband ringing his bell, they seemed oblivious to anyone else needing any space, resulting in me shouting “Unstable cyclist coming through!”. I’m not sure what they thought of that, but they finally moved over to let me pass.
St Ives
We had visited St Ives a couple of years ago but had just come out of the pandemic restrictions. It was really busy, so we did not spend much time there as felt uncomfortable in crowds of people.
This time however we took the park and ride option from St Erth. Once you have parked, you take a 10-minute train ride into St Ives. The train runs along the coast, taking in beautiful views of the beaches on one side and some impressive houses on the opposite side.
St Ives is a gorgeous fishing village. The kind of thing you imagine when you think of Cornwall. The weather was stunning and as we walked along the harbour wall, we were amazed to see a seal swimming in behind the fishing boats, hoping to catch some leftover scraps of fish. It was captivating to see it in its natural environment and was an added bonus to an impressive day out.
This is quite a late post, as once again I have been so busy, I never got around to writing it at the time. During the glorious summer, I went to London with my husband and our youngest daughter and her boyfriend. We arranged to spend some time with our eldest daughter whilst we were there. We had an amazing weekend, with beautiful food and gorgeous weather. We were so busy and saw so many things, so were exhausted by the time we got home, but it was well worth it.
The British Museum and a Pleasant Surprise
We travelled by train, dropped our cases off and et our eldest daughter. Our first stop was the British Museum. It was extremely hot inside and we started off by looking at all the Egyptian relics. I had read reviews before I went and I had to agree with some of them, that there is nothing British about the museum. It is full of items “recovered” from other countries. It is great to see the artefacts, but I question the need to have so many items out of their natural environment. Although I love history and I am no expert, it did feel like there was just loads and loads of the same things for miles and miles. After about an hour, we decided to leave the museum and go and have some fresh air.
We walked down to Trafalgar Square and were excited to see the whole area was set up for the Women’s Euros. There were music acts on stage, food and drinks and football events around the square. The steps had been covered with coloured Astro turf. We got drinks and sat on the steps, spending the afternoon in the sun watching the events and people watching.
Come From Away
In the evening we were booked in to see Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre. On the surface, this musical has a strange premise, as it is about the terrorist attacks of 911, where the aeroplanes were diverted from landing in America, to Newfoundland, where thousands of people were accommodated by a small community.
The show was incredible. The small cast played several different characters in such a believable way. The singing and acting was astounding. There were moments of laughter and some very moving scenes. It was one of the best performances I have seen in a long time.
Changing of The Guard and New Introductions
This is an event that really surprised me. I remembered watching the Changing of The Guard as a child, but it was so much better than I remembered. The ceremony lasted about an hour altogether, with some beautiful band music, marching, ceremony and tradition. I love the sound of a brass band in the open air and this did not disappoint.
Recently, with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and seeing all the pomp and ceremony on TV, it made me feel so privileged to have seen this in real life.
Later in the day we went to The Bike Shed, a restaurant in Shoreditch. When I say restaurant, it also has a tattoo and barbers’ shop, merchandise and a motorbike workshop. The motorbikes arrive through the outside seating area. It is a fascinating place, with excellent food. This evening we also met our eldest daughter’s boyfriend for the first time. It was lovely to finally see him and to see our daughter so happy.
Afterwards we went to Junkyard Golf, where we had cocktails and great fun playing the crazy golf. It was a lovely, relaxed evening and we laughed constantly.
The Tower of London
We visited the Tower of London a few years ago, but there is plenty to see, so it is always worth another visit. On this occasion, we also walked through the moat area, which has been planted with a sea of wildflowers. As it had been quite hot, some of the flowers were probably past their best, but it was a lovely day, so it was nice to wander through in the sunshine.
We enjoyed looking around the historic Tower and visited as many of the areas as we could, learning lots about the Tudor buildings, but also the interesting exhibition about the Tower during more recent conflicts, where it was utilised for training the armed forces.
We couldn’t visit without seeing the Crown Jewels and although it was busy, the queue soon moved forwards and we were able to see the amazing exhibition. They are so impressive and beautiful to see under all the lights, which makes them look exceptionally sparkly and regal. In these times of austerity, it seems strange to enjoy looking at something so lavish and extravagant, knowing that the value of the jewels could help so many people in need, but I love the history attached to them and the amount of people waiting to see them, is testament to the value of them as a tourist attraction as well as their monetary value.
Grease
This has always been one of my favourite films and I have watched it so many times over the years. I have also seen the stage musical a couple of times in the past. The production at the Dominion Theatre was slightly different, with some aspects that were great and some not so good. The dance numbers and ensemble pieces were impressive and lively. However, Danny and Sandy seemed to have very little chemistry. The transformation of Sandy in the finale was lack lustre but did not spoil the amazing singing and dancing in the final stages of the show. There were times when the musical seemed to merge with the storyline of West Side Story, which was unnecessary and a little confusing.
It was an enjoyable show, very uplifting with great songs and Peter Andre was amazingly funny and entertaining.
Imperial War Museum and Camden Market
As well as all this, we managed to fit in a visit to the Imperial War Museum. This is an amazing place which really makes you think about the tragedy of war and the cruelty that humans can inflict on each other. It may not sound like the most uplifting of places, particularly the section on the Holocaust, but the personal stories make the experience moving and fascinating as well as horrifying.
We were all a little subdued when we came out of the museum but followed this up with a visit to Camden Market. I have never been her before, but really enjoyed the atmosphere of the market, the variety of shops and stalls, but most of all the extremely tasty street food.
All in all, we had a superb weekend. There was certainly a lot of variety from hilariously funny laughs to thoughtful, sombre moments. It was great to spend some time together as a family and I can’t wait to do it all again. The other thing, which was good to see, was the business of London itself and the return of international tourists to our country after a tough couple of years for the travel and hospitality industry.
I didn’t realise it was so long since I last wrote my blog. In one way, there doesn’t seem to have been very much going on, but me and my husband seem to have been so busy, I haven’t had time to sit down and write. I have taken on extra hours and responsibilities at the Food Bank, am still running our small business-Mezzy Creations and we are helping my renovate my daughters house. Alongside the other day to day things, there never seems a moment to spare. I decided this morning to try and sit down and write my blog, as I have always enjoyed doing it and don’t know why it has been sidelined so much.
Musicals are definitely back
One of the most exciting things to happen over the last few months, is that the theatres are open and I have had chance to go and see some amazing productions, including some I have not seen before. The first one was School of Rock, which we bought as a Christmas present for my daughter and her boyfriend. He had not been to see musicals at the theatre before, but loves the film. We thought that this would be a good way to introduce him to the theatre. It was an absolutely amazing show, with an outstanding cast of adults and children. It was so engaging from the very beginning, right up to the standing ovation at the end. I think we have a new theatre convert and it was such a joy hearing him singing the songs and talking about it over the next few days.
Six The Musical was also another show I had not seen before. This was one that had been booked last year, but was postponed, along with many others. I wasn’t sure whether this would be my cup of tea. Although I had heard rave reviews about it, I did not know if it would be more suited to younger people. I couldn’t have been more wrong! This was a lively production, with some great music, comedy and some wonderful performances by such a small cast. It is only a short musical compared to most, with no interval and it never stopped entertaining throughout. I was absolutely blown away by it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
We have also been to see The Book of Mormon, which we have seen in the past, but once again it didn’t disappoint. Although very inappropriate and probably offensive to everyone, it is very entertaining, hilariously funny and thoroughly enjoyable. The only issue is, it’s very difficult to find a song you can sing out loud once you leave the theatre.
Choirs are also back
Throughout the pandemic and for many moths afterwards, it has been very difficult to sing in groups. Thankfully we are now back at Batley Community Choir, although numbers have diminished which is such a shame. We have still managed to sing together and I know that those who go get so much out of it. It’s great to be able to sing in a group, even if you don’t have a brilliant voice. We were lucky enough to take part in a charity event with a number of local choirs, raising money for Kirkwood Hospice. It was a great evening, both to be able to sing again for an audience, but also to listen to the other choirs. I think we sounded pretty good too!
I have also started singing with a new choir, Leeds Musical Theatre Choir, which began earlier in the year. This is a choir on a much larger scale with over 100 singers. As it says in the name, the songs are all from musical theatre productions and the quality and volume of sound produced is phenomenal. Some of the singing is quite challenging, but being able to listen to others around you, really helps to get it right. I have to say though, sometimes I am so caught up in listening to the sounds, that I forget to sing.
If you’ve ever thought of joining a choir, but can’t read music or think your singing voice isn’t good enough, I recommend that you get in touch with your local community choir. No matter how big or small, it’s a lovely warm feeling singing with others, is great for you wellbeing and also a good way to meet new people.
Back on the canal boat
Another holiday which was delayed from last year, was our trip on a canal boat. We chose to complete the Black Country Ring, from Gailey Marina, as it was a route we are a little familiar with. The last time we went on the canals, we were with our friends who had been before, but this time we were with different friends, which supposedly made us the more knowledgeable ones!
We had an amazing week, blessed with really good weather. There is so much to see along the canals, with an ever changing landscape as you travel along.
Some of it has changed slightly particularly in the area where the scenery has been devastated to make way for HS2. Around Birmingham city centre, there is lots of regeneration going on, but also lots of neglected areas once you leave the city centre. I was appalled at the amount of litter and filth that was in the canal in various places. It is such a shame that people treat these areas of beauty with such disrespect.
We visited the Black Country Museum again, which is a brilliant place to visit. It is currently having lots of building work done, making areas to depict the 50’s and 60’s, which will be superb when it is completed. The work didn’t spoil the visit and at various places you can see plans of how the new areas are going to look once they are completed.
One thing that was great about the museum was the enthusiasm of the people who work there. They are so knowledgeable and have great tales to tell whilst staying in character. We were particularly entertained by a couple who were having a picnic to celebrate their wedding anniversary, and a young lady who was crocheting whilst travelling on the bus, all very entertaining.
Well I think I’m caught up for now. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I get chance to write again.
