Food

A Weekend in York

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Last weekend we travelled to York for the weekend with my brother and sister in law. York is a beautiful city and is only about an hours drive for us, which makes it easily accessible.

We were later setting off than we intended, for a number of reasons, but we eventually arrived in York at around 8pm. It was a much needed break and we had been looking forward to it all week, but were a little bit stressed out and very tired by the time we arrived. Luckily, when we arrived my lovely sister in law presented us with freshly cooked pizzas which were very much needed after a long day. After eating and a good chat, putting the world to rights, we went off to bed.

We were staying at “Clearly Apartments” on Bootham Crescent, which is a short walk into the city. The apartment was a little surprising at first. It was smaller than I had expected (and how it appeared on the photos), with not much space for four adults to sit comfortably. There was a very small kitchen area, a dining table in the corner and a sofa and armchair. It was darkly decorated, which made it seem a little bit dreary. There were two bedrooms and two bathrooms which were all clean and tidy. The ensuite was a little bit of a squeeze, but over the weekend we got accustomed to the space and enjoyed our weekend together.

An Outdoor Treasure Hunt

Our daughter bought us a Mystery City Treasure Hunt for Christmas, as she knows we like escape rooms and quizzes. This was specifically for York and was based on the Gunpowder Plot. It was in a book rather than on phones, which worked really well. You could also use the QR code to get extra visual clues via your phone if you needed them. The hunt took us around many streets of York with clues outside buildings, pubs and places of interest. Some of the clues were really straight forward and some were a little more difficult to find and solve. It took us about 4 hours all together, including a lovely stop for coffee and cake in a little coffee shop. Luckily the weather was great and we walked over 12000 steps which was pretty good for just wandering around the city. I would recommend one of these city treasure hunts, as it helps you to learn about the city itself, gets you walking and thinking, as well as working together as a team.

A couple of highlights of the day were seeing the statue of Paddington on a bench in Minster Yard, which we had our photo taken with as our grandson is a huge Paddington Bear fan. The second was the coffee shop we called at, which was tucked out of the way in Coffee Yard, at Barley Hall. We probably would not have otherwise come across this place had it not been for the treasure hunt. I had cake, but the others had black pudding sausage roll, which was apparently amazing!

After finishing the hunt, we headed through the market and shops, before heading back to the apartment. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching the rugby, reading and just chilling out.

Great Food at The Churchill Hotel

On the way in to York on Friday night we passed The Churchill Hotel which had a lovely beer garden all lit up with fairy lights and braziers near the tables. Having had a quick look at the menu, we decided to book for our meal in the evening. What a great decision that turned out to be.

The hotel is stunning, obviously on a Churchill theme, with quirky furniture and decorations. The staff were extremely friendly and attentive. The food was amazing! It was all clearly freshly cooked and although it took a while to arrive, we weren’t in any rush and it was lovely just to sit in the nice surroundings.

There was a set menu, with plenty of choice and you can choose to have two or three courses. We all chose to have mains and puddings. The main courses were hot and very tasty, with just the right amount of food to leave room for a desert. The Baked Alaska was one of the best deserts I have tasted for a long time, with a warm brownie topped with caramel ice cream and soft marshmallow meringue.

It was so good that on the Sunday afternoon, we returned for lunch as we struggled to find anywhere in the city centre which wasn’t packed. the food was great, although they got my brothers order wrong and he had to wait for it to be recooked. However the Baked Alaska was just as good the second time.

Castle Museum

On Sunday we headed to the Castle Museum. I haven’t been here for years, probably since i was a child. The entrance tickets allows you to return again anytime within the next 12 months, which is always good.

The museum is good with a variety of exhibits on show, including a fashion exhibition, with clothing throughout the years. There are period rooms showing how homes have changed over the years. Each one has a story behind it, to help explain what was going on at the time. It was interesting to see how fashion has changed from minimalistic to having every surface full of nick knacks. Kirkgate is an area of reconstructed shops on cobbled streets, which are incredible and it was great to wander around the streets as they were dating back as far as Victorian times (or “back in the day” as referred to by my husband for most historical periods)

The 1960’s exhibition was fascinating having lots of the items we all recognised from our childhoods. There is also an exhibition about the First World War. This was interesting and moving in parts, following the stories of people who had lived through the war. It was also a real eye opener reading the cost both in finance terms and the lives that were lost and changed forever as a result of the war “to end all wars”(If only that were true)

One of my favourite parts of the museum was the prison exhibition. The Castle Museum had been a prison for many years and some of the cells and other rooms now form part of the exhibition. I find it fascinating how the views of crime and punishment have changed over the years. It added a little extra interest to read and hear the stories of the people in the felons cells, why they were there and what happened to them. People being imprisoned for debt was one of the saddest things to hear alongside hearing that a woman who killed her husband would be tried for treason. Seeing the conditions people were held in and how things have changed really interests me and I spent quite a while in this exhibition.

A Work In Progress

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For any of you reading my blog over the last few years, you will be aware I have had a constant battle with my weight. I have always been a yoyo dieter, with an all or nothing attitude. I am either sticking to a diet 100% or I am completely off it, consuming everything and anything that I think I shouldn’t be eating. I have tried all the usual avenues of slimming clubs, weight loss shakes and online diets. Each time I have lost weight, but always put it all back on, each time becoming heavier

A Diabetes Diagnosis

During the earlier summer of 2024, I started to feel generally unwell. My eating was out of control as I was craving sugary foods all the time and eating far too many processed foods. I was constantly tired, my joints were aching, I was irritable and had tummy upsets most of the time and had started with a pain in the right hand side of my stomach. After going away on holiday a couple of times and feeling unwell i decided that I need to see the doctor. I presumed that it was my IBS that was flaring up, particularly due to my bad eating habits.

At the end of September I went to see my GP, who listened to all my symptoms and carried out a number of tests to check for anything serious. Luckily all the tests came back without any major concerns, apart from my blood sugar being very high and my liver function being poor. The tests for these were completed again four weeks later. At that point my liver function had improved, but my blood sugar had increased (HbA1c test) and was now at 68. It was at this point I was informed that when I had been for a wellness check 2 years prior to this, my blood sugar was slightly high at 48 and I was considered diabetic at that point. Unfortunately no one had ever given me these results and my blood sugar had slowly been increasing over two years.

I was prescribed metformin to try and reduce my blood sugar and was referred to the diabetic nurse for further advice and other health checks which I now needed. The appointment with the diabetic nurse was at the beginning of December. Prior to the appointment I tried to cut down on the amount of sugary and processed foods I was eating. I had just read Ultra Processed People by Chris van Tulleken, which was a real eye opener regarding the ingredients in processed food and the reasons why it was so difficult to stop eating them.

A change in direction

After my appointment with the diabetic nurse, I was ready to start a drastic change in my eating habits. Luckily I had no issues with my feet when they had been checked, but was advised to be really careful with my feet, particularly as I love walking around in bare feet, even outside. I was also referred for an eye screening, which again came back clear.

Once I had made the decision to change my eating habits, I found it exciting exploring what I should avoid eating and the types of foods that I could actually eat, which I had avoided whilst on “low fat diets”. I was advised to eat lots of protein, full fat dairy products, lots of vegetables and not as much fruit. I found it easier to fill up and stay full, without snacking all the time. I thought avoiding rice, pasta, bread and potatoes as the basis for my meals, but once I got going I really started to enjoy it. It was the first time in most of my adult life that I wasn’t concentrating on eating to lose weight. I was now concentrating on eating healthily, keeping full and reducing my blood sugar.

I started to really read the ingredients on packages of food and avoiding anything that had a lot of ingredients in them, particularly ones that I did not recognise the names of. I started really thinking about anything that I might have as a treat and asking myself if it would be worth it rather than just eating mindlessly. I did have a few setbacks along the way and occasionally slip back into bad habits of eating things like cereal for breakfast, toast and sandwiches for lunch, or having a day where I really just want to eat cakes and biscuits.

The really exciting thing about all this was that I started to lose weight steadily but each week my weight was dropping. I was not counting calories, points or sins and I wasn’t starving myself. I was eating good healthy foods, healthy fats, nuts, eggs, dairy produce and adding a small amount of carbs to some of my meals.

Reintroducing Exercise

Once I had lost a little bit of weight I decided that I needed to start introducing some proper exercise again. Although I love walking, I knew that in order to tone up and keep the weight off I would have to do something more than just going out for a walk. My daughter Izzy had just completed her training to become a personal trainer and wanted to specialise in women’s fitness, particularly around pregnancy, post natal and menopause.

I joined the gym and she helped me to build a programme around the areas I wanted to improve. As I was losing more weight, I was unhappy with the tone of my skin and the flabbiness around the areas where the fat had gone. Izzy helped me with some weight training to help build muscle around where I was looking a bit floppy and also concentrated on “functional fitness”, which will help me keep flexible and mobile as I get older.

The exercise and healthy eating has really made a difference. Izzy took photos of me in January and again in April, as its quite often hard to see the changes in yourself. I was really pleased with the changes I had made and when I went on holiday this year and throughout the warm weather through the summer I have felt more confident wearing shorts and other outfits that I would not normally wear.

Just keep going

By March, my blood sugars had come down to 48 and I had lost over two stones in weight. By June, this had dropped to 42 and another half a stone in weight. I was taken off the metformin and was no longer classed as diabetic. I still need to lose some more weight, but I still need to concentrate on keeping healthy, avoiding the sugar and the processed foods. I am still being monitored and remain under the supervision of the diabetic nurse.

I have slipped back into some old habits over the summer months, particularly cold fizzy drinks, ice creams and picnic foods, which are all high in sugar and processed ingredients, However I still eat really healthy meals and try wherever possible to keep within the guidelines. I know that this is not a quick fix, or losing weight for a special occasion, this will be a lifelong journey and in order to keep as fit and healthy as possible I need to just keep going.

Izzy is really great at motivating me, both with healthy eating, exercise and just the general encouragement whenever I need it.

If you are looking for some help with a fitness plan I have copied Izzy’s link below.

https://www.instagram.com/improvewithiz/

A Sunshine break in Gran Canaria

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It’s been a little while since we had a relaxing holiday in the sun, so it was great to be able to get away to Gran Canaria for a week. Me and my husband, Andrew travelled with our eldest daughter Meg and her partner Ed, and our youngest daughter Izzy and grandson Walter. We had booked all-inclusive at the Tui Blue resort Orquedia at Bahia Feliz. This is the first time we have been all-inclusive and it was definitely a good choice.

First plane journey with a toddler

We took a mini bus to Manchester airport from our home address, which meant that we could all travel together. The booking in process and security all went smoothly, with everyone being friendly and helpful. The flight was delayed for around an hour, but once aboard, our grandson was allowed to go sit in the cockpit and have his photo taken. All the air crew were amazing, assisting all the young families onboard. Our grandson Walter was really settled through most of the flight and when he did become tired and upset at one point, the cabin crew took him and my daughter to sit in the crew area so that she could calm him down, which was reassuring. He didn’t fall asleep at all on the plane, but nodded off when we got on the transfer coach.

Hotel Orquedia

The hotel had everything you needed for a great week away. The rooms were spotless, as was the rest of the hotel. The grounds were picturesque, with plenty of areas of shade or sun, whichever you prefer. There were a number of swimming pools, including a splash area for toddlers, a shaded shallow pool for babies, a shallow pool with a slide for children, a deeper pool for inflatable and a larger pool for swimming and the daily activities. There were a couple of playgrounds and a number of buildings where children could go and play, which were in addition to the paid children’s clubs. My grandson loved going to the stay and play which was in a lovely air conditioned building with lots of tubs of toys.

The restaurant was light and airy, with a seating area outside. The food was excellent, with plenty of choice for each meal. There was also a snack bar and drinks by the pool. We all enjoyed the food throughout the week, eating a variety of fresh healthy foods, fruit salads, vegetables, as well as lots of desserts. It was great that we were all able to eat different foods and try things which we might not normally eat.

All the staff were friendly and ensured everyone was having a great time. We couldn’t have asked for anything better from a hotel.

Enjoying family time

The week away gave us a lot of time to spend together as a family. The first couple of days were spent by the pool, relaxing and enjoying the surroundings. We were in and out of the pool and the playgrounds. We took it in turns to keep an eye on Walter or to take him for a walk through the grounds when he was tired. In the evening, we all got together to go down to the restaurant, and then afterwards into the pool bar for the evening entertainment. Each night there was a children’s disco. There was then a quiz, which we joined in most nights. We often came second or third, but never won! This was then followed by a show by the entertainment team, which were good fun.

Having a decent nap during the day meant that Walter could stay up later and enjoy the entertainment, although he often prepared to go out into the grounds and the playground to run around. When he went to bed on an evening, it gave me and Andrew chance to spend time with Meg and Ed.

Throughout the rest of the week we had more time to relax, as well as join in with some of the activities. It was a lovely balance of spending time altogether, people doing their own thing. I took Walter to a couple of the organised activities for toddlers. Our two daughters spent a morning together. Meg and Ed went off to spend some time on their own. Me and the girls enjoyed a few of the exercise classes including aqua aerobics, yoga and the very adventurous yoga and Hit classes on a paddle board in the pool.

We got to meet some nice families and it’s always great to see how easily little children make friends. On an afternoon, we would often see the same families walking around pushing prams trying to get their toddlers to sleep.

On a couple of the afternoons the bar was open for “happy hour” where there was a cocktail of the day, snacks and a musician playing. It was so relaxing sitting under the shade outside listening to music in such lovely surroundings.

Palmitos Park

We had a trip to Palmitos Park one day, travelling there by bus, which took around 45 minutes. It was an extremely hot day, but the zoo was not too busy and there was plenty of shade. Walter enjoyed seeing all the animals and liked the lizards and crocodiles more than any of the bright coloured birds or furry animals. During the day there was a dolphin show, which was very entertaining and also educational. Although it was a really good day out, I am always in two minds how I feel about animals in captivity. It gives children a chance to see animals up close, which they otherwise may not have chance to do. The zoo promotes the rescue and protection of the animals, but I much prefer to see the animals out in their natural habitat.

Overall we had a great holiday. We all came home with a suntan, relaxed and having enjoyed some quality time together. What more could you want from a holiday?

Return to Amsterdam

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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.

Back on the Canal (7)

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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.

A Weekend Break In London

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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.

A Break At Center Parcs Whinfell Forest

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When I retired in January 2020, I wanted to treat my family to a special holiday, so we booked to go to Las Vegas and New York. Sadly due to the pandemic, this got cancelled. After some discussion about waiting and rebooking, we decided that none of us knows what may happen in the future. With that in mind, we booked a break to Center Parcs, initially for February 2021, but this also got postponed and we finally managed to get there in October. I went with my husband, our eldest daughter and her friend, and our youngest daughter and her boyfriend. It was a brilliant weekend and well worth the wait.

An Afternoon Of Laughter

We arrived slightly late at Whinfell Foret, due to being stuck in traffic for a while. Once we had checked in, we were straight to the pool, as we had booked a session for the afternoon. The “tropical Paradise” is a large swimming area under a dome. There are slides and chutes, as well as a wave pool and a rapids area. We did spend a fair amount of our time in the outdoor pool, which is a tempting tropical temperature on a fresh autumn day.

We left the pool area a couple of hours later, as we could now make our way to the lodge. Some of us walked up, whilst the others went to bring the car with all our belongings. It seemed like a long walk on that first afternoon, but once we knew our way around the forest paths, the walk seemed to get shorter each time.

The lodge was absolutely spotlessly clean. we quickly allotted the three bedrooms and each one had a bathroom, so we all had our own spaces to retreat to. We unpacked some of our things and then it was off to our next activity – football pool.

The sports area was nice and quiet, so we were soon on the “pool table” and were told we were the last spot of the day, so could stay as long as we wanted. The object of the game is to kick a white ball which then knocks one of the coloured ball into one of the pockets. The same rules as normal pool, but using your feet instead. Sounds simple and in theory it was, but as some of us have no coordination, the ball was off the “table” more than it was on. We played in various combinations of teams and there was a lot of witty banter going on. I laughed so much my sides were aching.

It was then back to the lodge, where we cooked pizzas and snacks for tea, had a few drinks, then played Pictionary Air, which involves drawing items for your team to guess, with the added hurdle that you are drawing in the air and only your team can see what you are drawing. again we laughed all the way through.

It was then off to bed for some rest, ready for the activities the next day

Aerial Challenge And Bowling Fun

The following morning, after a freshly cooked breakfast, we set off to take part in the Aerial Challenge, which is an obstacle course high in the trees, ending with a zip wire back into the village area. we were all booked on to take part, but there was a massive shock for me. As you were being fitted for safety gear, you were then placed on the scales as there is a weight limit. It was here where I was told (thankfully very discreetly) that I was too heavy to take part. I was really disappointed, but also extremely angry with myself for once again allow myself to gain so much weight. However I pulled myself together and became the official photographer for the others taking part.

They all managed to complete the course and I was so proud of my youngest daughter who was terrified of being up so high, but managed to calm her nerves and terror with a little coaxing and encouragement. She was so pleased to have overcome her fear and not let it beat her. It was great to hear her screaming in triumph as she came down the zip wire.

We had a break for a coffee and a walk back to the lodge for lunch, before making our way back to the village centre for our ten pin bowling session. It is a while since we have been bowling, but we soon managed to get back into the swing of things and had an amusing afternoon, mostly taking the mickey out of each other.

We then had another session booked in the pool, so we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon on the slides and in the pools

We went back to the lodge for a rest and a shower, as we had booked a meal that evening in the Lakeside Lodge. It was clear that there was a shortage of staff, but the service and food was pretty good, until a very large group arrived and we were virtually left in the lurch. As a result of this we didn’t order any desserts or further drinks and made our way up to the sports bar to play pool, this time on a proper table with cues (not that I’m much better at that)

A Not So Restful Sunday

On the Sunday morning, we had split activities at first. Some of us played table tennis, whilst the others went to the golf driving range. I was the only one that knew how to play and particularly how to score, so it was nice to show the young ones how to do it.

We were then booked in for an archery lesson, so we walked to the outdoor activity centre, where we were given an hours lesson in target archery. We all seemed to get the hang of it fairly quickly and took up the challenges set by the instructor, who pleasant enough, but not quite as funny as he seemed to think he was.

There were a few misses of the target by most of us, resulting in a search for arrows in the grass. There was one slightly hairy moment when the instructor shouted “stop”, just as I had pulled my bow back, and I didn’t know what else to do but let go. Luckily it was an amusing moment rather than causing any harm!

We went back to the lodge for lunch and a few games before a sauna and then getting ready for our evening meal. We had booked “Hucks” which was advertised as an American Diner. The waiter came and told us that we had to book everything on the app and then reeled off a list of things that weren’t available. The food was okay, but not very inspiring and definitely felt like it was mass produced. It was definitely overpriced and a little disappointing.

We then went to the bar in the village centre. I wanted to go into the amusements area, where all the coin operated games are (very childish I know, but I still love to do this). We ordered some drinks and sat in the bar, but it had a very different feel to the rest of our experience of Center Parcs and was more like being in a cheap pub, with children running amok whilst their parents drank and ignored them. We decided to go back to the lodge and have a few drinks in peace.

Swimming And Pancakes

On the Monday morning we had a quick breakfast and packed up our lodge, before heading off for another session in the pool. As it was the first session of the morning, it was really quiet, so we decided that we would try all the slides and rides before they got too busy. It was great to be able to just get on and off them as we wanted without queuing. We also managed to get in the jacuzzi whilst it was quiet. We ended the morning with a nice relaxing float in the warm outdoor pool.

We were all then really hungry. My daughter and her boyfriend were desperate to try the pancake house, so we sent my husband in to charm the hostess into getting us a table. He did a magnificent job and in no time at all we were sat enjoying the pancakes with gorgeous sweet unhealthy toppings.

We then went into the sports centre for a few games of pool before setting off home.

I had an amazing weekend and I am sure that the others enjoyed it too. It was so nice to spend time with our daughters and to see the young people getting on so well. The banter and laughter made the weekend so much fun. Despite it being such a busy, active weekend, I was really tired, but also felt refreshed by the whole experience. I feel so blessed to have these wonderful moments with my family and to make such great memories.

Cornwall Revisited (3)

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Eden Project

We had visited Eden Project back in 2009 when our girls were still quite young. I remembered this as a really great day out. Unfortunately, on this occasion we were a little disappointed with the experience and felt it was overpriced. Luckily, we managed to book using Tesco Clubcard Vouchers, which made it worthwhile, otherwise the steep £35 per person would have been a bigger blow (we are from Yorkshire after all!).

The Biodomes have some amazing plants and trees, which are fascinating to see. There is also a lot of information about recycling, climate change and sustainability. Reading about the destruction of areas of rainforest and people and animals being driven from their homes for mass production and profit is pretty heart breaking and made me think more about this than being preached at or watching protestors on the television.

There are some areas of the project that really look tired and need some revamping. It feels a little run down. There are also areas that are not open, due to “Covid” which should really be taken into consideration when looking at the ticket price.

The gift shops stock some beautiful sustainable products and gifts, but again they are expensive, and it is a bit sad that sustainability may only be affordable for those with lots of money to spare.

We had a good morning but were really expecting to have a full day there, so were really surprised when we had seen everything and were on our way back to the cottage in the early afternoon.

Luckily the sun had come out, so we were able to get the kayaks out and spend the afternoon and evening paddling up and down the estuary, which was great fun.

We made fish finger sandwiches and potato wedges for tea, which we took down to the fire pit,where we sat relaxing and watching the glorious sunset. What a perfect end to the day!

Marazion Beach Day

We packed up the car with our kayaks and paddle boards and headed to the beautiful area of Marazion, to the beach overlooking St Michael’s Mount. Having seen how beautiful and calm it was on our previous visit, we decided that it would be a perfect place to practice and improve our skills on the paddle boards. Once we had set up camp (we still take so much stuff every time we go out!) and had a bit of lunch, the tide had started to come in, giving the perfect opportunity to paddle in safety.

From the beach, the water looked very calm, and we were convinced that it would be as easy as paddling on the lake. We couldn’t have been more wrong. I was knocked off my board by a wave as soon as I had got on before I even had chance to stand up. My husband paddled along with his usual confident air, and we were all extremely impressed with his proficiency, until he was knocked off by a wave and he disappeared into the water (we didn’t laugh much!). It certainly wasn’t easy to stand up and to be honest, I gave up and decided to just sit on my board and paddle. The others managed to stand, but it was not easy. My friend spent the afternoon practicing getting back on to her board, but was not particularly successful and we could hear her screaming and laughing right across the beach.

We had a fabulous afternoon but were extremely tired and a little bit wind swept by the time we left the beach. We decided to call in Newlyn for fish and chips on the way back, so we didn’t have to go to the trouble of shopping and cooking food. Later that evening as we sat at the cottage, we were all struggling to stay awake after the exertion and all the fresh air. Needless to say, we all slept well.

Thank you to my friend Julie for allowing me to steal all her amazing photos to use in my Blog.

Cornwall Revisited

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After having such an excellent time in Cornwall last year, we decided to book the same cottage for this year (we actually booked it whilst we were still there as we had a feeling that holidays abroad would not be on the cards). We set off on Thursday lunchtime, meeting our friends and staying overnight in Bristol, before travelling down to Cornwall on Friday. We had a short stop off in Polperro for the extremely tasty crab sandwiches at the museum tea rooms on the harbour. Our  cars were even more packed than last year, after the purchase of the paddle boards and more recently inflatable kayaks. Luckily, we managed to squeeze everything in, with a little room to spare to pick up the click and collect order at Tesco in Truro.

We arrived Ruan Dinas in Coombe early Friday evening. The cottage is just as we remembered it and this year, we have the added bonus of staying for two weeks.

We all spent the first couple of days relaxing around the cottage, the garden, and the riverside, with a short trip to the garden centre and a wander around the shops in Falmouth. I also had my first go at fishing, but didn’t catch anything, which was okay as no one else did either.

My husband was the first to be brave enough to take his paddle board onto the estuary straight away. The rest of us were a little more cautious. We were convinced that the tide would wash us out to sea within minutes, but we soon realised that this was not the case. I took my board out the following day, and me and my husband paddled up and down the river a couple of times, with our friends in their kayak.  I must admit I stayed kneeling all the time, as I didn’t feel confident enough to stand up in the tidal water.

Enjoying The Sunshine

On Tuesday it was a beautiful sunny day, so we decided to paddle the kayaks up the estuary and have breakfast at the garden tea rooms. Unfortunately, when we got there, the tea rooms were closed.  After making our own breakfast, we paddled a little further down the river, around the large ferry which is moored up in the widest part of the estuary, and in and out of a few of the coves. The river was surprisingly calm and easy to paddle. We even sat in the kayaks in the sunshine for a while, just relaxing and watching the world go by.

After lunch we set off to the pitch and putt in Falmouth. We had an amusing afternoon, one we had negotiated the grumpy attendant, who opened a window and served us through a tiny gap. He was not amenable to any queries and slammed the window shut after pointing out the signs which said the café and toilets were not open. The fact that he was so rude, just set us off in fits of laughter, which continued around the course.  None of us are particularly good, but it all adds to the enjoyment.

Making the most of the glorious sunshine, we drove down to Swanpool Beach, where we were tempted by the quirky named ice creams at the beach café. I chose “Malt Pleaser”, which was a Cornish vanilla ice cream cone covered in Maltesers. After sitting for a while, we walked along the coastal path to Gilly Vase Beach, stopping to take in the outstanding views. At Gilly Vase, we strolled through the beautiful gardens before heading back on the coastal path to Swanpool.

Driving back from Swanpool, we took the scenic route and came across Pendennis Shipyard. It was fascinating looking at the huge ships in dry dock and seeing the people at work who looked like tiny ants in comparison to the ships.

Messing About On The Water

The following day we booked to take our Kayaks and paddle boards to Stithians Lake for the day. The idea was that it would be a safer expanse of water to practice our skills and improve our technique. It was a warm sunny day and we had packed the car the night before, ready to set off early in order to set up camp (we have so much stuff between us, including an event shelter, four paddle boards, two kayaks, a gas stove, chairs, food in two cool boxes, wet suits, towels and changes of clothing).

Stithians is one of the South West Lakes and is a large expanse of freshwater, with all the facilities to launch your own boats, hire, or even take lessons. I decided to get some practice in on my paddle board first. After lots of attepts at standing up on my own, I eventually managed to stand up with help from my husband. I was paddling along merrily for quite a while, before the wind got up and started making the water quite choppy. Needless to say, I was soon off my board and into the water. I managed not to panic but couldn’t manage to get back on my board at such a depth, so swam almost the length of the lake using my board as a float.

After lunch, I had another go. This time the wind made me drift into the banking at the other edge of the lake. At this point I should have gone from standing to kneeling but wasn’t quick enough and as I hit the bank. I fell forwards, face planting the board. Once I had recovered (and stopped laughing), I decided to sit on my board and paddle back to the shore, which took some doing as the wind was constantly trying to blow me in the opposite direction.

It was at this point we decided to give the kayaks a go. We paddled around the edge of the whole lake, which was easy when going in the direction of the wind, but much harder work when going against the wind.

After an amazing but tiring day, we headed back to the cottage, where we cooked a meal and then took drinks down to the firepit on the jetty. We sat toasting marshmallows and laughing at our antics.

My Food Bank Challenge (3)

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Well the second week of the food bank challenge has proved more challenging than the first. I have definitely needed a few more tweaks and additions than I did last week. A couple of times I have had to add fresh vegetables to my processed meals as I have just found them so bland and I have also mixed fresh vegetables so much.

On Saturday evening I was treated to a Chinese takeaway and a bottle of prosecco, which was really nice, but I know that a lot of people who are using the services of a foodbank would not be able to afford to buy extra takeaways.

On Friday evening my daughter cooked tea for me and my husband, which consisted of fresh prawns, cream chees, chillies, linguini and garlic bread. Again this was so delicious, but definitely not on the list of items from the foodbank.

On the plus side, the spread that I had initially has lasted me for the two weeks and I still have some left. I have not drink a full jar of coffee or used a full jar of chocolate spread. I also still have bread left as I am running out of ideas of what to put on or in my bread and there are only so many beans and spaghetti that one person can eat in a week. I have not used any of the sugar at all, as I do not have any in my tea or coffee.

Milk has been an issue again and I definitely cannot manage with only one litre of milk per week. Even though I have had porridge made with water this week, I still have not had enough milk.

I am definitely eating too many carbs and I find that I am eating more calories than usual, but it is not keeping me as full for as long, which means I seem to be snacking more often, which is not really a good habit to get into.

This week at the food bank we had eggs and cheese, which is really good news for me as it means that I can up my protein intake and also add a little more variety to my meals. It also gives me an extra choice of something to put on or in my bread.

Here’s to week Three!