Travel companions..............

In 2012 my son took me to England for 9 days. We went in August. My cousin Jennifer who lives in Australia is going to London for a week this year. She asked if I would go. Jason and I discussed it but I feel its too soon. I really need to pay off some bills. This has unsettled me though. I long to go home.

So I have been thinking. I talked with Jason because we were going to try to go this year. We decided we would try for 2015 but for him its not a positive thing. Well my daughters friend Laura (who we call cousin Laura) heard that I had said I want to try to go every 18 months. She wants to go too. So............I will be talking to her soon. She also wants to go to Italy, her husband does not. So I think we may sort something out. If I am really good this year and pay off some bills like I planned, well then I can borrow some of my retirement savings for a nice trip like that. My husband is not keen on a cruise.

So with this in mind I now have two travel companion possibilities. All I need is money. I was looking at a brochure that came in the mail and I chose 2 trips. One is England and Ireland, it goes into Wales and Scotland and that would be terrific. I know both Laura and Jason would like that one. The other would have to be Laura as Jason has been to Italy and wants to go to places I do not. Now to save, to plan and plot. I figure after I do those two trips, Tristen will be a bit older and Gerry will get his passport. I would love to take Tristen to England but he is just too young yet. None of us would enjoy it. SO, this will be a major challenge.

The good thing about the British trip is that there is one full day of free time in London. I could meet up with my aunt and cousins on that day. So..........I will be showing this to Laura and Jason and see what we can come up with. I really really want to spend more time in England. I also want to see other countries so I will write a list and come up with some plans. It as always will depend on the economy and so many other things. Still its a goal and we all need to have goals right?

London Enbankment...............

Did you know that what we know as "the enbankment" along the River Thames was once 22 acres of water meadows. The land was reclaimed and the walls built to enclose the river so that at high tides or flood time the city remains safe. It had to be an amazing challenge at the time. Now of course the Thames Barrier is the big wonder, but without the enbankment London would not exist as it does today. The River Thames is the life blood to London. The wharfs along the river hold the Markets. World famous, and you sure know when you get close to Billingsgate, the fish market at Canary Wharf. This was not what I was going to write about though. When I was "courting" and living in London we would walk through the East End and I learned a lot just walking around the city. I knew my way around back then, could not do that today but I do sometimes dream about it. My boyfriend was from Dagenham in the East End...........I learned a lot from him about the city, not all good. Dont ask me now why I was with him its a long story but at least I got to know London.I also learned about life. The enbankment walks are much used in the same way as they always were. Strolling along the river on a sunny afternoon or starry evening,For me it was a magic place. Especially at night. We would stroll through back streets, you would be amazed at some of the architecture of the hidden places. The Enbankment itself has history for those who look, and maybe that is part of my fascination. Egypt. Egyptology. Cleopatra's Needle, that has nothing to do with Cleopatra but is authentic and has quiet a story behind it. It was over a thousand years old in Cleo's time. Then the Sphynx who watch it, they were set the wrong way apparently and do not guard as they are supposed to and are forever destined to look at the "needle" a bomb came close to destroying them in WW2. You can still see the marks from shrapnel. When I talk of the embankment thats the part I mean, in fact there are enbankments all along the Thames but the City of Westminster is what I was familiar with. I used to know the area inside out but not any more. I would not be able to negotiate the streets now. Maybe once I spent some time there. Bodicea she still stands there as she has for a very long time You can gaze down at that river and know its the same old river that the Romans first saw and the Vikings lost a ship in. They found that one hot summer when the water went down. We would walk from there across Tower Bridge and (shame on us) we carved our initials on the bricks. You walk past the Tower where traitors used to be executed and I would often get the tube at Tower Hill to go back to Putney Bridge. So very long ago now. No I didn't marry that person and he is gone now. I was in love for a brief time and maybe its because I loved London rather than him???? How do I know I was 18.


Linking up with Little red house, mosaic Monday

Living in London........

I lived in London in the early 1960s. The best time ever to be in the city. I was 18 years old in 1964 and wanted to work in London. My parents did not like the idea. I was naive and didn't realize that they really had no say in it, but back then they sure did. Back then we did as we were told, more or less. Anyway an agreement was reached and I could work in London and come home on the weekends. So Friday night I would catch the train home and Monday morning back I would go. I worked for N.A.A.F.I that was the institution that supplied food to the armed forces. I was a "key punch" operator. (another story) So it was that I moved to "Heathlands" a womens hostel run by NAAFI. We had a matron who was in charge and set the rules. The hostel was an old mansion and was so interesting. Could be spooky too. We had a cook as well as the Matron and someone cleaned I suppose but I dont remember seeing anyone. Maybe we had chores. I dont remember. Heathlands was between Wimbledon and Putney. We lived right opposite Wimbledon Common. To get to work we had to go into Putney, walk or thumb a lift, or if lucky a bus. From there the underground. It was quite a trip to get into work. It was fun because all of us were going to the same place. Some days the girls would report seeing an up an comming young actor on the bus in the morning, soon everyone would know Oliver Reed. So once I settled in to living and working in London eventually I didn't go home every weekend. London was calling. What a wonderful city it is. Exploring the city at night and walking where ever we wanted with no fear for safety. Sitting in the subway in the early hours of the morning no one ever bothered us. This was the time of the Mods and Rockers. The birth of the mini skirt. Walking the streets of London seeing the models so tall and beautiful shopping along Bond and Oxford street. The West End. Going to shows. we would go to the overseas club and see the Arabs who were going to the London colleges so exotic to us in their robes. So romantic we thought. We met all kinds of people. The streets in London had their Buskers and street entertainers. So much to see and do. We could sit in the middle of Picadilly circus and watch the world go by, the lights of the huge advertisements overhead. Eros overlooking everything. Trafalgar Square was also a good starting point because we could walk down the Mall and through the parks in the evening. A calm in the midst of all the hustle and bustle. I could write forever about life in London. In the 1960s the British music scene was just beginning and by the time I was living there it was in full swing. Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton set the styles, the music was The Stones and Marianne Faithful then the Liverpool lot but I was faithful to my London bands. Mick Jagger had been going to the London School of Economics and some of the new bands were upper class kids. Rebellion was in the air. Not violence but change...........London was the place to be.

A New Year.................

I think this year especially I am ready for a new year. A symbolic clean slate. A new beginning. I don't bother with the celebrations any more. I would just as soon sleep it through these days. It was not always so. I do remember probably the very best New Years Eve was spent in Trafalgar Square. I was living in Putney at the time, well between Wimbledon and Putney. I was working in London then. Well my boyfriend and his friend Len took me to Trafalgar Square for the New Year's Eve. I don't remember too much about the evening. I do remember people were dancing in the fountains, hanging in the trees and just having a great time. People sitting on the lions and I bet they would have climbed the column if they could. I have never been in such a crowd before. I can not remember fireworks. When Big Ben struck midnight, there was such a roar from the crowds.......... The whole crowd shifted, it was time to catch the last bus or the last train to get home and so the crowd headed towards the tube stations. We were carried along and I showed my boyfriend how I could take my feet off the floor and still travel. I suppose the danger of the situation did not occur to me at that age. There were kids dancing on the roofs of cars in the traffic jam that developed. Had to climb over cars to get to the subway. We made it home and I caught the last bus home. What a night. There have been better New Years eve parties since but nothing ever as memorable. Hooking up with Alderberry Hill and Make the scene Monday..................#55 Sharing with Blue Monday and Smiling Sally..............

Typically English............

I was putting some pictures into my album to save and it made me think............what is it that we think of when we think of England. I am sure its different for everyone but for me I can show in a few pictures. Not the deep down attachments that I personally have, but the icons that are uniquely English that everyone knows so well. Most of these are not my own pictures and are taken from the web. I am hoping no copyright it violated. As always just let me know and I will credit your picture or remove. No infringement is intentional. First the iconic Phone box.....this one with Big Ben and focused in London Then the red buses.........we all knew our number, mine was #6 The beautiful Horse Guards .....and the Household Cavalry London would not, could not be London without them. The red post box on a stone wall what could be more English? How about the patchwork fields? The Village church in English countryside. I think that the small English villages are unique and what people want to go and see.........and have a wonderful cream tea or ploughmans lunch at a local Pub. What could be more English than that............the Pub. I could go on, the Beatles, The Tower, Tower Bridge, ST George the Royal Family........so many things scream out England but......I could only choose a few. I love my country and will forever be English.

Bucket List................

I have never really thought of a bucket list, then Evie started one. She being 15 it seemed a tad pointless but on the other hand hers was what one would think typical for a teen. What would mine be? 1/.........Has to be to live long enough to raise Tristen and set him on a straight path to adulthood. That's a given. My first and foremost obligation and desire is to be there for him. 2/.........I think that I would like to travel more. Going home was an experience and having done that I really want to go back. I want to see my home land again while people I love are still healthy, and while I am too. I could write a list of places I would really like to see. Paris and Marseilles and maybe Provence. Rome and some of the Mediterranean countries/cities like Venice and Athens. I would like to see Russia and Africa or at least some of it. There is still a lot of travel in the USA and Canada that I would like to do 3/ ...........Maybe take a cruise. 4/............Get our debt under control so that we can leave something for Tristen. 5/............Get a home in the U.P of Michigan. Either a camper or a small home in the woods. 6/............write a book of poems illustrated by me. 7/............Take some more classes. Photography and painting. Then do some good work. 8/............ I am sure that there are more things I can add in time but that's what comes to mind. What would your bucket list be?

Last Day....off to London.......

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford. -Samuel Johnson We got up early to catch the train into London. Its so nice having public transport. I think those who do, can not realize how difficult it can be without it. We started the day at the Tower of London, we wanted to try to avoid the rain. So decided we would do all the inside things first and dodge the showers. If you have not been to the Tower its a must for history buffs. If you don't know about it I will let you read up on it because there is just so much history in that one place. Suffice it to say it was started by William the Conqueror.For nearly 1000 years the Tower of London has stood in its place on the Thames, serving over the centuries as a royal palace, prison, place of execution, stronghold for riches, and the symbol of the monarchy in England Tower Bridge from the Tower of London The guards....They look so young. The Yeomen........and they are real soldiers not just tour guides. Always on duty and always watching and yes they will give you information and spin yarns for you. No pictures in here...........The vaults for the Crown Jewels and other treasures. Magnificent. This was new for me............the place of execution. Prior visits just had a plaque on the green. This is nice. Ann requested a sword "I have but a little neck and I hear the swordsman is very good" The rest got the axe and if they were lucky a good headsman It's very moving to see the carvings in the stones on walls in the tower rooms where the high born's were kept. Thinking of them as they waited not knowing sometimes what their fate would be. Traiters Gate............damp,dank and mysteriously threatening. Very intimidating. The access from the river is now bricked up but does not detract from it on the inside. In the tower there is a museum with just so much to see its a place to keep going back to. There is armour worn by Henry VIII and I could go on there is just so much to see. We next stopped at the British Museum. Again there is way too much to show here but my favourite is always the Egyptian exhibition. Although this time I was thrilled with the Persian and Assyrian Out and about here is a British Icon........... Trafalgar Square still had stuff up from the Olympics. We walked a lot but this day we took cabs too. We did pass this shop and drooled Here are some street entertainers. Another thing I love about London. The way that the people interact on the streets. We saw some people with really good voices singing in the area around Covent Garden but this was not in that area. Anyone seen the Mall this empty? The barricades still up and no traffic (from the Olympics and Jubilee concerts.) This is the Palace. Buckingham Palace that is. Isn't she beautiful? These are the gates to St James park and the flowers in the gardens outside. It was raining so we missed walking through the park So very tired, we took the train back home to Mark and Maries. What a great day out. So much we did that I have no space to write it all. I know I will remember things and probably add things to they posts as time goes on. Meanwhile none of this could have been possible without Liz and Rodney, Mark and Marie and of course Jason who bought the tickets and got me involved. I hate to fly but I have to say it was not that bad................could have done without the 8 hour wait at Chicago on the way home but everything went well. This last picture is of the trip over as we came in to Dublin Ireland.