Mark & Gill

Safely home after the usual long flight. Great times were had and we will miss the early morning grandies visits, stories, games, family outings, baby chinos and pretzels! Enjoying beautiful sunny weather today and catching up. Lovely to see family here and catch-up on Amelia cuddles. The gardens at home are very lush and some serious work is now required.

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All good things come to an end and so do trips and visits to the family in London. Has been wonderful to spend time with everyone and especially with the grandsons. Today’s outing was to a Google kids party with the boys dressed up and looking magnificent as the Gruffalo and the Mouse. Awesome costumes and cutest models!Had a quick stroll into Hyde park after lunch and then afternoon tea at Ottolenghi’s in Belgravia. Beautiful food from a great Israeli chef, restaurant owner and cookery writer.  Very posh area and I tried to pretend the driver in the Rolls parked by the curb was my personal driver.

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A fine old day for a stroll around Kew Royal Botanic Gardens.

Lots to see with autumn colours, beautiful vistas, the lake, old glasshouses, a great treetop walk, good indoor and outdoor childrens’ playground and of course the many displays and plantings grouped together (like the Holly Walk originally laid out in 1874). We probably only saw a half of the gardens.

Micah enjoyed searching for clues in a specially set up children’s experience related to deadly and disgusting plants. He also got a Venus Fly Trap plant now called Kew.

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Cambridge has grown substantially since the University of Cambridge was established in 1209 by scholars fleeing from Oxford. There are 31 autonomous Colleges making up the university and a self-governed community of scholars. The buildings as well as the academic reputation and free thinking, attract much attention (consistently in top 5 of world universities I believe) and lots of visitors.

Wandered in the courts of Christ’s College, grounds of King’s College and peeked through gate at St John’s College. Buildings are of course very old and quite beautiful. Many of colleges have restricted access (except to members, Fellows and fee paying tourists in some parts) so just enjoyed what was open and available. Saw some staff wandering in their gowns and students looking both serious and relaxed!

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Cruised down a bit of Suffolk Coast and seaside villages of Lowestoft and Southwold this morning. Lowestoft is the most easterly point in the UK. Quite low lying and on edge of the broads. Had a large coffee at the Lighthouse Diner – the level of the huge flood in 1953 – quite a way from the water. Village has a huge seawall that is part of the North Sea cycle trail and holiday parks with portacom type homes as well as traditional row houses and hotels along the seafront and a large lighthouse. Also has a couple of piers with entertainment and slot machines but modest and shut down for winter. One of the bigger industries is Birdseye Foods …a name from the past. Reasonable port with fishing and some Northsea Oil servicing.

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Dampish start to the day with the temperature dropping quite a bit by day’s end and the wind blowing a gale. The sea tonight at Great Yarmouth is really whipped up and there are not many people on the promenade! Great Yarmouth (Norfolk) is a seaside resort with a Marine Parade and a “Golden Mile” of amusement parks and attractions – like a cross between Brighton/Las Vegas. Glad we are not here in summer when it is really busy. Very glitzy. OTT with what looks like every kind of attraction you might want, or not!

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Heading away for a few days to East Anglia and the counties of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

Lovely autumn colours as we headed through parts of Essex aiming for the Stour River Valley and Dedham Vale area. Enjoyed the little villages of Stratford St. Mary, Dedham, East Bergholt and finally Flatford. Lots of little country lanes (Give Way), pastel coloured houses and picturesque countryside scenes.  The views here inspired many of the paintings of John Constable nearly 200 years ago. Indeed very charming and nice to see identified spots at Flatford such as Bridge Cottage, The Bridge, The Lock, The Granary, Valley Farm, Flatford Mill, “The Hay Wain” view and Willy Lott’s House. Fortunately not crowded with visitors at all – maybe because it was a little hard to find!

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Quick trip to Sevenoaks this morning – bit of family nostalgia. Sevenoaks is a market and commuter town 20ish miles from Central London and where the Browns were last known to have lived in the UK. Went via the Dartford Crossing, a major road crossing of the Thames – bit congested but mostly seemed to be due to the toll booths – 2×2 lane tunnels go north with  4 lane cable stayed southbound bridge. Found a nice spot for lunch in Sevenoaks village.

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Saturday family trip to Borough Market in Southwark, Central London – one of the oldest fruit, vegetable and fish markets in London City located at the south end of London Bridge. Gorgeous old buildings- art deco style. Very busy place, standing room only on our visit. Yum food stalls amongst the trading stalls and vibrant atmosphere. We ate our lunch in the grounds of the adjacent Southwark Cathedral.

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Fun times and lots of walks with the family which seem to gravitate to the coffee shop en route or end up there for coffee, pretzels and a babychino. For Matt’s birthday (15th ) we also had a nice lunch at the marketplace. For some it was dumplings but others had the best-est pies ever! Scrummy light pastry and delicious fillings – nicest is chicken and fennel. Micah and I made a birthday cake for Matt. Lots of fun and it tasted yummy too.

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