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16 February 2006

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Holidays.
2004 hasn’t seen any ‘proper’ holidays for us yet, nor have we booked anything but we have had some time away - as you can see below. Daughters (their weddings and houses) are expensive and incomes are not expandable! We are looking, though, at some relatively inexpensive (a-a-a-ah-h!) option for a break. Australia may have to wait, again!

April did see us visiting the South East at Easter time and we spent a day in London, doing what typical tourists do - seeing the Tower of London including the incredible Crown Jewels. I can’t get over the craftsmanship and age of some of the things that we saw. Alongside the cruelty and viciousness of some of the things that went on there.

We went to Hampton Court...... .........and its gardens which were beautiful in the Spring sunshine.

In June 2004 we spent a few days based in Bexhill on the South Coast but spent most of the time inland, looking at National Trust properties there. The most attractive was Scotney Castle Garden. It was quite large and also accessible. The old building in the centre appeared to be a ruin but was very picturesque. It was surrounded by a moat, adding much to the overall impression.

2003 did see us going to Malta in February, Alnwick for a week in June, Dunoon for 4 days in September and Bexhill for 4 days in October. Which isn’t bad, really, when I write it down! Particularly when some time in Cambridge and a photographic rally for Geoff are added. Some of the photo’s in the Gallery were taken on these holidays.

Malta

I found the bit of Malta that we saw, very interesting - even though it was February and generally, a bad winter for them. The English connection from the past was quite strong, with belisha beacons on the pedestrian crossings, and familiar traffic lights and driving on the left.

What seemed odd, to me as an outsider, was that the normal spoken language was local, but that the vast majority of notices, signs and shop-fronts, were in English. (English was widely understood and spoken.) Great as a tourist, trying to get around.

We were very lucky in happening, by sheer chance, to be in Malta at the time of their Carnival. Such an all-embracing and all-inclusive event. The insanity taken quite seriously. And you can’t get away from Coca-Cola. Teenagers regarding this as good fun and parents determined that their offspring were going to enjoy it whether they wanted to or not.

Some of the buildings were truly old and fascinating. there were so many churches and ancient things. A number of churches had two clocks. One told the right time and the other-quite deliberately- didn’t. We were told that this would confuse the devil, and keep him away.

[Tower of London] [Hampton Court Gardens] [Scotney Castle Garden]