The Art That is the Louvre

Have you ever been to the Louvre in Paris? It is an amazing place filled with art treasures of the world. But what of the building? Do you ever admire the wonderful buildings that house the art that we go to see? These photos are not of the art that is in the Louvre. They are of the Louvre that is itself an amazing work of art. I hope you enjoy them.

Inside the Circle - A visit to Stonehenge

For so many years I have wondered if I would ever get the chance to visit Stonehenge. And then I had left it so long that the next thing I heard was that no one could enter the circle but could only walk around, a distance away, on the other side of a fence. At that point I put off the idea of ever seeing Stonehenge.
Well today all that changed. After some research I discovered that there are companies that have permission to take tour groups inside the Stonehenge circle. There are a couple of hitches of course, the cost is several times more than a regular tour to the site and you go outside the regular open hours. That means a very early morning or a late evening. But to have the privilege of entering Stonehenge? I decided it was worth it - and it was.
What a gift it was to enter this World Heritage Site and 3,000 year old stone circle. It is a gift of wonderment at the mysteries of the site and its construction. This little blog cannot begin to describe what is known and surmised about the history of Stonehenge. As research continues some questions seem to be answered, and new questions arise with new discoveries.
What I do know is the awe I felt at being in such a place. Looking up at the huge lichen covered stones with enormous lintels (top stones) balanced between them makes one feel like just a small, temporary dot in time; which of course one is but we seldom actually have that realization. And then there are the smaller 'blue' stones that form a circle within the larger circle. What are the mysteries attached to them? There are even lichens, that are found nowhere else but Stonehenge, growing on some of the stones. These add to the beauty but must not be touched because of their fragility. And there is so much more at this site that is mysterious and fascinating. The visit was money and time well worth spending.

An interesting public holiday

What does a tourist do on a sunny public holiday in London when you know that the streets and parks will be filled with fun and sun seekers in this already bustling large city? After today I think the answer is to be flexible and willing to change plans. My plans started by wanting to take the 'tube' and explore different points around the city, including a walk along the Thames and take in the sights of Westminster. Well, first I was confronted at Victoria Station by a wall of fans headed to the soccer game. OK, I headed out of there and took the bus to Westminster. A short time later helicopters were hovering in the skies and there was a never-ending cacophony of sirens as multitudes of police cars swarmed past. A quick check of the trusty iPhone showed that the city centre was invaded by a large, not entirely peaceful, crowd of racial protesters, and another group, protesting the protesters, heading towards them.
Not particularly wanting to be in the middle of noisy soccer fans or a potential riot, I decided to escape to the only place I could think of - the River Thames. And not too soon. A few minutes after we has left the dock,we could see the crowds of protesters marching along right where we had been . I joined the cruise and spent a lovely afternoon seeing the sights of London from the water. The highlight of the afternoon was the opportunity to get off at Greenwich and walk up to the observatory. It is a lovely walk through quaint streets and then a lovely hillside park. The reward for your effort is to explore the place from where Greenwich MeanTime is measured. GMT is the global.time standard; the zero point for world time. And how cool it is to be able to stand right on the zero degrees meridian; and even cooler to stand with one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one in the Western Hemisphere.

Break time anyone?

Sometimes all you need is a cup of tea or coffee to put a little extra pleasure in your day. And when you are in London what better way to add to that pleasure than taking a break at Harrods or Selfridge's? You might not want to pay the prices for the goods in these luxury stores but you can have the luxury experience right in the tea shop. I have now had morning tea at Harrods with lovely china and waitresses all dressed in black with long aprons. The wonderful treat that you see was actually a small luxury - about a half inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long. And I had afternoon coffee in Selfridge's beside the window, just whiling the time away, enjoying a very nice cappuccino. And then of course there's lunch. What would be a lunch on a London Sunday if it wasn't in Jamie Oliver's restaurant, Union Jack's, at Covent Garden. Now with the food bases covered I had better get out and see some other sights in London. By the way, just to clarify, I did NOT enjoy these treats all on the same day.

PARIS IN SPRING

I cannot believe how the time has flown by. At some point I will get an opportunity to write about my trip to Paris and Giverny. But for now I will just add a few photos so you can see how beautiful it is.

A CURNOW'S CORNWALL

My ancestors were from Cornwall
They rest in churchyards near.
I came to seek their stories
And a heritage held dear.
I walk beside their footsteps, along the rugged cliffs,
Above the crashing of the waves,
Among the golden gorse,
In awe of so much beauty,
As wind whistles 'round my ears.
The clouds make trails across the sky
In shades of grey and white.
The trees of green, the Scilla blue,
Make such a blessed sight.
Among the hedgerows of the fields,
Awash with green and gold,
Stone walls draw patterns o'er the hills
And across my Cornish heart.
Picture perfect villages with
Pubs of warmth and cheer,
Welcome all who come to sit
And savour Cornish beer.
Quaint cafes by the sea
Provide a welcome rest,
For those who come for tea and scones,
With jam and clotted cream.
I'm so glad to be in Cornwall
Where my ancestors lie so near.
The friendly Cornish people
And their beloved dogs and cats
Remain forever in my heart
In this place forever dear.

In The Footsteps of my Ancestors

Mawgen is a small, delightful country village on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. Today I am here to explore the footsteps of my Cornish ancestors. I am sitting here on a bench, listening to the birds, feeling the sun's warmth and enjoying peaceful lunch of Cornish pasty and coffee My view across the narrow road is of a row of delightful stone cottages. One is called Primrose Cottage - that pretty well describes the quaintness of the village. Being in the village of my maternal ancestors, going back at least to the 1600's, makes this a very special day for me. I spent a very long time wandering around the church and graveyard where they were christened, married and buried. I even found two of their graves from the mid 1800's. The church itself dates back to the 1200's. It was very moving for me to sit in the same church and walk the same lanes as my ancestors of over 300 years ago. I am truly blessed

LEAVING ENGLAND; ENTERING CORNWALL

Yes, I learned that lesson very quickly. The Cornish are Celtic, like the Scots and the Welsh. And they deny that they are English. They are Cornish - England is that country further north. So I travelled by rail from England to Cornwall, the land of my maternal ancestors.
The train journey to Penzance in Cornwall is quite delightful. I must admit that I am biased because I have a passion for train travel. The UK is certainly a place to feed that passion. There is just something so delightful about being rocked gently as you speed through the green, bucolic countryside. Emerald fields in gently rolling hills, bordered by hedgerows, serve as home to seemingly very contented sheep and dairy cows. Every now and again there is the sight of a small village with its cluster of red brick or stone cottages, and the ubiquitous church spire. Between the villages one can see winding country roads hidden between the high hedges that shield the farms and villages beyond. And then there are the canals. I wonder what it is like to idle away the day in a long canal boat; one's only effort being to come to alertness as you pass through the locks that enable the boats to travel even when the canal level changes height.
As we travelled south the rail line meandered beside the River Exe past Exeter and Exmouth. The shores are dotted with villages and towns and the water is a veritable highway of recreational boats. And then there I was, in Penzance. And, with typical Cornish hospitality, I was met at the station by Keith, of Tucker Car Hire, where he presented me with my little blue Toyota and then led me into the countryside to my accommodation. I think I'm going to enjoy Cornwall.

"Oh to be in England now that spring is here"

Robert Browning expressed it so well. I am in England and it is spring. My blogs that follow for the next few weeks will describe my travels in England and in and around Paris. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy having the experiences and then writing about them.

What a great treat to find that after a tiring flight from Vancouver there is an express train from Heathrow Airport to Paddington Station. Well it seems that getting from A to B at Heathrow is a bit more about following the crowd than it is about following the signs. The trip to the station takes many twists and turns through hallways that all look the same with few signs to distinguish where they lead. But, experienced traveller that I am, I used all my skills to follow the crowd and ask directions of everyone in sight. I did reach the train without too much stress and the 15 minute ride is definitely a convenient way to get into London. Convenient, but not cheap by Canadian standards. The ride cost about $30 Canadian (twenty pounds). That is one fact that has become very evident in the short time I have been here. The European economic crisis makes everything expensive.
To pay $300 for a room so small that I can reach from side to side with only about 12" of space left at the end of my spread arms made me shudder to the bottom of my wallet. However, I am very lucky to be able to have this amazing trip and afterwards I get to go home to a much more comfortable economy. I heard on the news that many people here are paying 'interest only' mortgages, which means they have no chance of ever owning their homes and in fact are losing them to the banks.
That's one of the many advantages of travel. I get to experience how others live, see the wonderful sights, and to also develop a greater appreciation for what I have at home.