SKYWATCH FRIDAY - FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE - FIVE ON FRIDAY

More participants here at

Skywatch Friday

*****

1. I packed my travel  bag for two days in London, but as the weather was so changing I had to take hot and cold with me. So I packed, unpacked, packed unpacked and in between answered the phone, people wished me a nice trip.


2. We arrived in London very quickly 2 h from Brussels to St. Pancras Station.



We arrived at 9 leaving at 8 am, there is one hour difference between the two countries. From the pictures you can see what we have done the first day.





and then the second day. My friend has seen London 55 years ago and found it quite changed, Especially the old docks which are now "Little Dubai"

I am in lack of time, tomorrow I have the first cataracte surgery on my right eye so I am a bit nervous and will write about our London' adventures next week.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

Fast Blog

I LOVE LONDON

Letter L
 
The very first time I put my feet on London soil, must have been in 1986. At that time Mr. G. attended English classes and at the year's end they organized an excursion to London. Unfortunately we both don't remember the only reminder of this journey is a photo from both of us at Westminster.

I really discovered London in 1996 when our son went to London to work with an English fashion photographer. I still remember when I and his (at the time) girlfriend's mother stood at the ferry in Calais and see them going with their backpack on the boat, leaving home forever. I had a very heavy heart, a new life started for him and also for us.

As soon as he had found a flat with the help of his boss rather quickly I visited him. His flat was in Sydenham Hill an affluent locality in South East London. It was a council flat which belonged to a lady who was abroad and had rented it to him which normally was not allowed. Anyway the flat had two rooms, bathroom and a kitchen. His girlfriend had made it to a very cozy place all freshly repainted and nicely decorated. I really felt home and went there as often as I could. There I really discovered London. First of course all the touristic sites and then over the years more and more. When they bought a house in South Norwood, we bought furniture together and made it to their home. Each time I was there I discovered more from London. While they were working I visited all corners of  London and loved it.



I loved to sit in a Pub and in my little sketch book I draw the people in the Pubs sitting in a corner. Nobody ever disturbed me. Some of them I later painted in acrylic.

I was there one week after Princess Diana died and saw the with flowers covered Kensington Park. There were so many flowers that I hardly saw the park. The same was in front of the Buckingham Palace it was very sad. When the garbage lorry wanted to shovel all the flowers away, people got so angry with their Queen, that they stopped the truck and didn't let them through. I thought I would be in a riot !

We also spent all Christmases in London and I could see the different decorations each year. Unfortunately my son had to go to Amsterdam for the company he worked for after the photographer and my visits to London stopped for almost 7 years. Only in 2008 I saw London again. I had stopped there on my way to Eastbourne at the English South East coast. I was lost ! London had changed so much nothing was the same anymore. Even the people on Oxford street.

Ever since each year I make a break in London and tried to find my favorite places where I loved to go. Meanwhile the whole dockland had disappeared and most of the old Dockland wharfs and warehouses have been demolished, some have been restored and converted into flats. Most of the docks themselves have survived and are now used as marinas or watersports centres. Although large ships can - and occasionally still do - visit the old docks, all of the commercial traffic has moved down-river. A huge to me strange looking building had shown up called "The Shard", I saw it but never went in.



Each year there are other changes and works are going on everywhere in London. Sometimes I thought that London had become a big building plot. They work underground and streets are closed, new buildings show up each year. Trafalgar square has shrunk, no pigeons anymore to feed.

Despite all these changes I still love London and continue to go there whenever I can.

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

WEEKEND REVIEW JULY 25

When I wanted to leave the house to catch the Eurostar to London, it rained so much that Mr. G had to drive me to the Station otherwise I would have been wet like a cat.

But then in London to my surprise the sun was shining ! I had to go to Victoria station to leave my luggage there for the day. Carrying a suitcase up and down the stairs there was no lift, was not an easy task and I told myself I will rather take a bus next time if it would happen again that I had to change the train for Eastbourne.



Around Victoria station was big a mess, two years ago it was bearable but now you need 10 GPS to cross the street and find a bus stop ! A real labyrinth ! And what they are constructing is so ugly, when I think what a beautiful old place it was a few years ago. There were works going on a little everywhere and I did a sightseeing for cranes ! I thought building glass boxes had stopped after the Olympic games, but apparently it goes on.

Then I arrived at Covent garden, a nice place to sit and watch people when the sun is shining.



Of course thousands of people had the same idea as I. I bought a jacket potato with Cheddar cheese and found a chair to sit down.




A group of young musicians played some classical music



My intention was to visit the transport museum, but when I saw the crowd lining up, I thought it will be for the next time !



Looking up I saw this penthouse and wondered how much it would be worth, just overlooking Covent garden. Probably a fortune. Maybe it belongs to a company and this was the terrace for smokers.



Leaving Covent garden and looking for a bus to take me back to Victoria station, I ended up in China town ! Most of the people were Chinese or maybe British Chinese. When they spoke I couldn't find out if they were just discussing, fighting or telling a joke.

Finally I found a bus, I love to sit on the double deck,  and do real sightseeing. In the tube I feel like a mole !



What I didn't know was that there was a concert on Trafalgar square and the traffic was completely congested ! Fortunately I just arrived in time to take my suitcase and caught the train !

My friend Doug picked me up at the station, and it was so strange to see him alone without Anne. He drove me to my hotel and an hour later he picked me up again to show me the renovated house and then we went for supper. The house looks so nice now with a new kitchen new floors and freshly painted walls Unfortunately she only could enjoy this for 3 months before she passed away. so sad.

On Sunday morning it rained cats and dogs and on top it was very windy. Fortunately I kept myself busy with blogging and reading !

I had intended to walk and sit down at the beach,  but the weather became worse and worse. So Doug picked me up at my hotel and we went shopping together and then stayed the whole day at home. A friend of Anne came over and we had a cream tea together and a nice chat. In the evening Doug cooked for me, he was so happy to cook for somebody and we had roasted chicken with Broccolis, cauliflower, roasted potatoes and carrots. It was delicious. Often we were talking about Anne and digged out funny memories.

Despite the terrible weather, after all we had a very nice day !

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

1. Monday was the last day of my holidays in Eastbourne.



My friends took me on a tour through the South Downs a stunning landscape !



We went up to Beachy Head were the ground suddenly ends and if you don't pay attention you could just walk over the cliff and fall down. My friends didn't want to go near there, but I wanted and although I get already dizzy on a balcony of a second floor, here I felt nothing. But I was careful, I laid on the grass and bent my head down to see these beautiful white cliffs and took these pictures. Unfortunately this is also a very well known place for people who don't want to live anymore and just jump down the cliffs.



A range of cliffs is called the "Seven Sisters" where a restaurant is standing.



We ended our tour in a little village nearby Eastbourne and had tea and cake. Then it was time to pack my suitcase.

2. The next day I took the train to London



I wanted to visit the Mews and see the Royal coaches, but there were so many people lined up that I gave up and had lunch in this Pub near Buckingham Palace. When I took the picture I thought how time has changed, years ago I used to sit in Pubs and draw people, now I take pictures !



After I ride on the top of my bus, I stopped in Carnaby street for a coffee, before I went to the station, pick up my luggage which I had left there and took my train home. Mr. G. waited for me at the station and when I arrived home my cats didn't even greet me, apparently I hadn't been missed.

3. As usual after holidays there are quite some work to do, I unpacked my suitcase and pottered around.

4. Normal life started again with some shopping, it rained and I returned quickly home, there was a lot to do to sort out all the photos I had taken.

5. During school holidays we have no painting class. But as we are very eager students, some of us meet each week for painting. The truth is we don't paint very much we mostly chat more around a coffee ! So I went there and updated myself of the last happenings. The rest of the day I spent blogging in our garden.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

more participants here

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1.


The last day of my holidays in Eastbourne, I spent at home. I layed in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine and the seagulls sitting on the chimneys of the houses. Fortunately I did, because in the afternoon it started to rain ! My friend had to go to the hospital in Brighton for a check up. I packed my suitcase hoped that I didn't forget something as I usually do, but everything went well.

2.



I took my train to London in this cute little train station and had a last glance on the beautiful English countryside.

3.


When I arrived in London I spent the whole day with visiting and hopping on and off the bus. (see post below)

4. My Eurostar train was on time, but unfortunately just  before Brussels it stopped because an other train had blocked the rails and we had to wait for nearly an hour until the rails were free again. I started to chat with two Belgian ladies who had visited their daughters living in the UK.

Mr. G. picked me up at the station, everything had went well, he even had tidied the cupboards in the kitchen,  which had been in  a total mess ! I appreciated very much of course !



I was so tired that I just put down my suitcase which Pookie then used as bed during the night and went immediately to bed.

5. The routine life has me back, I went to my painting class, but we were only four and therefore didn't paint because we had too many things to tell about holidays, worries with our "children" (some of them are 50 ! but that doesn't matter) etc. After that I went shopping to fill in the empty fridge and then I was busy with sorting out my pictures and suddenly the day was gone.

LONDON MY WAY

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

On my way back home, I stopped for the day in London. I got rid of my suitcase for the "modest" amount of 9 £, bought a daily travel card and took the bus n° 10, which meanwhile I know very well. It should take me to Hydepark where I wanted to visit the Diana's memorial fountain. When I arrived there I changed my mind, thought it was so early and I should better go to the Buckhingham Palace before. The best way to see a maximum of London is to take the double decker buses which gives you a perfect sightseeing on the city.

And here my adventure started, thanks to my sense of directions, I got it all wrong ! I thought I should take the bus to Victoria Station and got out of n° 10 and let my vintage bones hop into the next bus indicating "Victoria".

Instead of arriving at the station I found myself suddenly on the way to Buckingham Palace. Very good I thought and "hopped" off.

The first thing I saw was this Buckhingham Palace shop !



I went in not to buy anything but just have a look on the products they sell. Of course it was all about the royal baby and the shop was full ! I thought the whole world gathered here because I heard all possible languages. Most of the tourists were Japonese, Germans and Italians. But also quiet a lot of Spanish tourists despite the catastrophic situation in Spain. Apparently there is still money to spend. From mugs to T-shirts you could find everything in honor of the royal baby. Without name of course, as it was published after the production of all these souvenirs.




When I saw a long line of people wanting to visit the Buckhingham palace. I decided to wait until the Queen would invite me for a tea another day when she is not in Scotland on holidays, and refrained from lining up !



Of course I had seen the palace before, but it was quiet a long time ago. When I compared the size of the guards with the balcony, I thought if the royal family is waving to the crowd they must look like colorful fleas, if you don't have binoculars.



The policemen who watched that people didn't smuggle in joked with the tourists and let them have pictures taken with them. It was really funny.



A girl took this picture of me in front of the Palace to prove that I had been really there.



After a last glance on the Queen Victoria who overlooked the tourists, I decided to walk down the mall.



All along the mall and not even in St. James park I could find a bench to rest, there wasn't a single one ! Finally I sat down on the feet of a statue and wondered why the city is so stingy with benches. After all there are other vintage people who want to walk along this way.

Suddenly I found myself on Trafalgar Square



It hadn't been my intention to visit Trafalgar Square, but as I was there I thought of the nice Pub I had been with Marie who lives in London, because my stomac cried out for a baked potato ! Of course I didn't find the Pub. But from far I saw the London Eye and thought I should go in this direction.



I "hopped" again on a bus and found myself in front of the Parliament ! How nice ! it was at least 20 years ago I hadn't been there. The old Big Ben was lurking over the buildings and I decided to say hello.



Which I did. He hadn't changed at all and I could listen to the 2 pm hour bells ringing.

My stomac was "ringing" too and I desperately looked for a place where I could eat a baked potato ! It became an obsession !



I arrived at the Thames where all sightseeing ships start their tour, and found a stall which sold not baked potatos, but Hamburgers and Hot Dogs ! Finally I gave up to look for a baked potato and choose a Hot Dog instead, which I had not eaten for ages. When you are hungry everything tastes good.

I sat there for a while and watched the tourists and looked over the Thames, before I decided to go back to Oxford Circus where I could catch my bus n° 10 back to Hyde Park and the Diana Memorial.



The bus I choose, drove and drove and no Oxford Circus in view. Instead I suddenly saw the modern building of the "Gherkin" from far and knew that I was totally wrong and in the opposite direction !
I quickly got out, and took another bus to Oxfor Circus, instead I mixed up Oxford Circus with Piccadilly circus, but in one way that was nice because I saw the St. Paul's Cathedral and also the blue trees of London.

At Piccadilly circus I changed the bus to Oxford Circus and had another nice sightseeing. Finally I found my bus stop back to St. Pancras Station where I had to catch my Eurostar train and of course it was far too late to stop at Hyde Park and see the Diana memorial !

I arrived in time at the Station, had a well earned coffee, and then checked in and sat in the train. Just before Brussels we got stuck for an hour, because an other train had technical problems.

Mr. G. waited for me in Brussels, and happy with my London tour, although a little different as planned I returned home.

ON HOLIDAYS IN EASTBOURNE

Since Friday night I am now in Eastbourne. I arrived Friday morning in London  got rid of my suitcase in the "left luggage"  and took the Bus n° 10 to Piccadilly Circus. Now I know that from ST. Pancras where the Eurostar train arrives the n° 10 takes me in  the city. I love to take the bus because sitting on the top of the bus I have a nice sightseeing look over the streets.



The old St. Pancras building became now a very elegant hotel, and the old Kings Cross station had completely changed and is now very modern. The whole area has changed !



After quiet a long walk I had a drink in this nice pub, before I walked over to Covent garden.



It hadn't changed since last year, the only new thing was a Jacket potato stall, and I was really sad that I just had eaten a sandwich before and wasn't hungry anymore ! It was the first stall selling baked potatoes on the street I have ever seen.



At 4 pm I took the train to Eastbourne and took these pictures out of the train window. I had a real nice view over the modern "sky scrapers" of London before we were driving through the beautiful English countryside.



On Sunday we were invited to friends living in a little town near the sea. We had a nice lunch in a Pub and when we got out it unfortunately started to rain. So we spent the afternoon in their beautiful cottage house, had tea and cake and Lilli the dog was happy to have so many people around.

t

Fortunately it rained over night and stopped on Sunday morning so we could go to the Ringmer Country Show. We had a lot of fun, I ate my jacket potatoe and we watched a horse and owl and falcon show. We walked around, but didn't buy anything. Lots of people were there and everybody was enjoying the show.



Late afternoon we returned but stopped underway in this beautiful Pub to have a drink. We sat outside in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine.

We all were quiet tired when we finally came home ! What a nice start into my holidays !