The day started lovely and after a great full Breakfast at the B&B we were off to downtown York to meet our tour group….only problem is or was—that we had difficulty finding the location of the tour…

Now you have to understand that places in their old town can have multi-level names…like the area, the square and the streets not to mention major churches and abbeys and the like in the area…..we finally established we were in the right area, hooked up with some people who were going too and then set down……the driver was a bit late due to traffic into York…but we finally got it all together and were ON THE ROAD AGAIN.

As you might have noticed the English Countryside is full of churches—many older than even me….it makes for interesting viewing.

and then there are the sheep–white, white with black face, black all over…long horn, short horn, no horn….they’re everywhere and more and they make up a lot of the view and even more of the economy

and the yellow stuff—we call it canola—you know the oil . Again it makes up a lot of countryside and economy…not to mention being a major part of my allergy make it—as a 2nd cousin of ragweed it makes me sneeze and snuffle and grumble rude words under my breath.

and we transgressed off the beaten path were everything is made of stone—and if I was really smart (which as you know I’m not) I could tell you what part of the country I was in by just viewing some of those hard escapees from the earth.

and one can’t forget that placed strategically about the country are little gems of existence PUBS—most with interesting names….even more with a great sign with the name on it and that’s not going into the food (most) and DRINK (all) seem to have available until about 11 pm.

Our first stop—a place on the road below in Kilburn–home of the famous White Horse  which overlooks the village and the Vale of York.

The huge horse was built by local school children–we only viewed it from below—but there is a an escarpment foot path that allows you to see it lose up and personal.

dogs while they may not register high on the economy side they do register high on the many of them in Britain and then some….they’re everywhere.

AND Ireland isn’t the only place that’s green…

Next stop:  the lovely little town of Helmsy

This is a market town with lots of those Greystone houses.

It lies in a hollow of the River Rey at the edge of the York moors

IT HAS A quant ruins of a castle (12-13th c) nearby as well

And this hot Italian will Pour your coffee.

Then it was into the North York Moors with its attractive steep sided valleys that break up the mass.

The land is full of moorland villages, early Christian Crosses and the ruins of abbeys are scattered about.

While the Cleveland Way circles the northern edges of the park.

there’s a bench where I’m taking the picture from and our guide explained to us that he often comes here on his days off and reads.

then it was Whitby where we had 3 hours of free time, with options to climb the 199 steps to view Whitby Abbey (inspiration for Dracula by Bram Stoker.

or we could visit the Captain Cook Museum, enjoy the beach, the waterfront and fishing port

Lots of places to shop for everything from souvenirs to Whitby jets…and don’t forget the Gothic fashion .

Whitby is also noted for it’s locally caught fish & chips at the Magpie Café.

The resort and harbor are picturesque and stand in the mouth of the River Esk and the North Moors National Park.

It has been (and still is) a fishing village for hundreds of years…it was also at one point a whaling port

There are terraces for the fishermen’s cottages beneath the East Cliff and there is still a fishing fleet

It was here at the Synod of Whitby in 663AD, that the divided Church of England accepted the authority of the Catholic Church.

We didn’t make it up to the remains of the Abbey on the East Cliff.  You can see the 13th c building (first abbey was 657 built by St. Hilda and it was at this first Abbey that a monk–Caedmon wrote the song which is considered to mark the beginning of English Lit.  and a cross commemorates him at St. Mary’s.  All this is reached by 199 steps…with large landings for when the coffins were carried up here for funerals…they needed a big space to put them down every so often.)

There is also the home of Captain John Smith (who lived here as a young man and a museum of local history.

But our time at Whitby came to a close….unfortunately I forgot where we were suppose to meet the bus and so held everybody up–unusual for me and very embarrassing.

Next stop Grosmont to drop off passengers to take a ride on the NY Moors Railway.  Susi and I opted out of that we would be spending lots more time on a train.  Grosmont is a village.  There was a priory established here in the 12th c.  It continued on until Henry VIII started with his divorces an dissolved the monasteries in the 16th c.  The village was established in 1830 when the Whitby Pickering Railway was buit.  by the 1860s it was involved in iron ore extraction.

We picked them up in Goathland Railway Station

This station might be more familiar to you if I tolk you that it was the location for Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter movies.

Goathland was also the fictional village of Aidensfield in the BBC TV series HEARTBEAT.

So saying goodbye to our furry friends we headed back to York.

and our wonderful B&B with large rooms, great breakfasts and fun people….York B+B.

That morning with the help of a cab we left out hotel and made our last stand in Nottingham at the train depot….we loved the beautiful midland city and hope to return again soon….hint to the City—your citizens are not happy with the job you’ve done publicizing your city…and we agree…I stumble on (and loved) this city quite by accident and the number of Brits I’ve spoken with since who have never been there is sad.

But anyway we went to the station and headed out again–

England is a small but ancient and beautiful country and I enjoyed my train trips as well as my tours and other events.

Their trains are clean and comfortable and while this one didn’t have a lunch service or WIFI they did have a pass through cart with all manner of goodies many not so good for you.

There are all manner to see—in case some things we would just as well not remember wee have dependence on.

But then you can always read or like some crazy people you know take picture after endless picture of anything and/or everything that fittered past your window.

A couple of hours later and we were in York….the secret (don’t ask) Capital of the north.  York is an ancient has proved very important in the long history of its existence.  Constantine (an emperior)—proclaimed himself ruler here on learning of his father’s death and would eventually go on to rule the Roman world—which included Britian, excluding the Scots whom the Romans put a wall up keep away….which gives you some idea of how much they liked the barbarians from the north.

York is also a city of enjoyable activities…many wonderful historical sites including about 3 miles of the original Medieval wall (the lower half being a bit Roman as well.

We caught a cab—they actually had a que (line) here so it was easy….and it was off to the B+B York.

As we moved along we tried to establish the B&B as our cab driver had no idea who they were.  Once we arrived we were able to establish that the York B&B name has been awhile for a bit of time but that some of the locals knew it as the Grove.  It’s even situated on St. Peter’s Grove.

The city is full of ruins, huge churches an all manner of old and new to delight the mind and stun the eye.

The place turned out to be lovely—and as I set in the last one Susi and I are sharing this trip it is hands down the best…..and I just got a big Amen from Susi as well.

We couldn’t check in yet, but they put our luggage in a safe place so se could wander the city to our heart’s content.

The houses on our walk….take a left on St. Peter’s Grove and continue until it ends (right across from the School by the same name)…turn left under the cross walk and continue on till you reach one of the city gates (there are several usually connected to the old wall) which are called Bars.

St Peter’s School is the fourth oldest School in the world.  Founded in the Dark Ages of Britain 627 AD, after the Romans had retreated from our shores and when England was carved up into several kingdoms, much of its early history is sketchily drawn. However, some facts are clear.  https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/st_peters/about/history_of_st_peters

The name ‘bar’ has its origins in the bars – barriers or simple gates – that were used to block the gateways to keep people out. Originally the bars were relatively simple structures. Over the years they became increasingly elaborate and complex.  http://richardiiiexperience.com/discover-medieval-york/about-the-city-walls/the-walls-1250-to-1600/

continuing on the street past hotels and much more in this popular town for visitors–particularly fellow Brits.

Including one dedicated to a former PM

and then we finally made the gate.

up to the most famous building in town–York Minster–a Cathedral which to the Church of England is the 2nd in the land–only outranked by Cantebury…it’s beautiful and amazing and possesses the largest amount of medieval glass in England and it ranks high in the rest of Europe as well.

building is a patchwork quilt of many periods. A Roman well hides beneath the stage, 12th century remains of what was once a hospital mingles with the Georgian interior, while the Victorian façade is fused with award winning 1960s poured concrete design. The amalgam of architecture is a fine example of how builders of the past would reuse sound walls and encompass them within their development.

The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster …The title “minster” is attributed to churches established in the Anglo-Saxon period as missionary teaching churches, and serves now as an honorific title.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_Minster

Lunch found us in this lovely Italian Restaurant in safe care of this handsome gentleman.

after some great food we were off again,

Then there was a return to a more typical weather pattern and luck for me the pound store (like dollar store) had umbrellas out for those  of us who forget it’s a necessity.

We continued to walk on despite being rained on…enjoying the history all about us.

We passed over the River Ouse:  The York district was settled by Norwegian and Danish people, so parts of the place names could be old Norse. Refeering to the etymological dictionary “Etymologisk ordbog”, ISBN 82-905-2016-6 dealing with the common Danish and Norwegian languages – roots of words and the original meaning: Os – the mouth of a river. The old norse wording oss, gradation form ouso https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Ouse,_Yorkshire

This old church is a site that teaches adults and children about archeological digs and searches, which I think is a great idea. ….but after long walks we finally decided on turning our feet toward home…

Where we checked in and got cozy for an early evening after a long day of walking through history.

.

Susi makes a new friend at Edinburgh Castle

 Hey there we’re on the London bound train 1 hr from Edinburgh and 3 plus to London…but back to Nottingham.

 First let me tell you that this was my first visit and totally fell in love with the place…it’s an active, vibrant center and yet it’s friend and attractive not to mention full of well preserved historic areas.

 

and me trying out a whole new style

 

These actually are the only pictures we got in the museum as there are no pictures allowed.  The museum however has a long gallery of it’s permanent collection as well as special short terms exhibits. 

 

Other exhibits includes a gallery on the 1831 riot–when the rioters actually burned the castle.  interactive exhibits which includes objects from the period and animations along with first hand witness accounts.

 

There’s also exhibits on the city’s long history and some features on its best known resident Robin Hood.

 

And now some odds and ends on the way.

 

I’m not sure this one is very friendly Susi

 

YEP THAT’S THE FAMOUS statue of Robin Hood

 By the way another legendary resident of Nottingham was Wm. Booth who founded the Salvation Army was born in an outlying district of the town.  The poet Lord Bryan went to school here and inherited an estate (formerly a religious house) but due to lack of funds he spent little time there and eventuly sold the property.

 

and what would Robin be w/o his Merrie Men

 Nottingham was one of Britain’s first industrial towns and was the center of the riots that shook industry in the early 19th century aimed at the new  industrial machinery.

 

 and then there’s more–you know how those outlaws are—lurking about everywhere

 Nottingham Castle by the way is one of those places setting on the caves.  In fact the castle covers a sheer labyrinth of man made caves and tunnels as well as the mandatory secret passage.  Included amoung this gaggle of holes in the ground are King David’s legendary dungeon and the person I’d rather han g with, the Duke of New Castle’s wine cellar.  Some of the caves date back to Medieval Times.

 

If you look at this picture you can see an entry way into one of the multiple entrances to the caves beneath the old castle walls.

One of the areas that is very famous is Mortimer’s Hole–the site of where the border lord and lover of Isabella (She’wolf, French origins and English Queen) who assisted her in killing her husband Edward II (the gay prince in Brave Heart—she the princess who met with Mel/Wallace)..  But I’ll tell you more about that later—He was held here awaiting transfer to London where he was eventually drawn and quartered (just like Wallace)

 

But we have arrived at our next destination and lunch as well

 

Ye Old Trip to Jeresulem

A pub and dining place.

Crusaders, caverns and ale casks. 

Serving flagons of ale since 1189.  You can stand outside and imagine when men were recruited to accompany a king of Merry Old UK to the Holy Lands and a little thing called the crusades—even my historically deprived Yank friends might have heard of this one Richard the Lion Heart.

 Nottingham continued to grow rapidly, especially after 1845 when a great deal of land around it was released for building.

  

Inside we found customers of an appropriate time frame (just not ours)

 Nottingham got its first gas street lighting in 1819.  However like all towns in the early 19th century Nottingham was a dirty, unsanitary place.  There was a cholera epidemic in 1833, which killed 330 people.

The back rooms here are actually caves as the back of the building is built into the Stone.  Things scattered about the place are an old wooden model of a galleon that is said to be cursed and promises that anyone who cleans it will die a mysterious death.  It’s now very grimy and enclosed in a glass case.   

There’s a chair that is suppose to increase your hope of pregnancy (a bit too much of the ale and a walk home with someone seems more likely to accomplish that)

 

Susi Making MORE friends

 In the early 18th Century Daniel Defoe described Nottingham as one of the most pleasant and most beautiful towns in England.

  

 From the late 17th century salt glaze stoneware was made in Nottingham.  In the 18th c. the hosiery industry boomed.  There was also a lace industry although it was quite small.

 Ben and friends (sorry I’m bad with names–my dad’s name was Ben….so) that I met while exploring the old Trip–trip means a place to rest or sleep and was a resting place for men on their way to the Crusades…I think these guest haven’t any plans for the holy lands—but I may be wrong.

Georgian Nottingham grew rapidly.  By the middle of the century the population had passe 10,000.  By 1801 it exceeded 28,ooo.  By the standrads of the time nottingham was a large and important town;

 

Then for the cavements–I had arranged a visit ahead of time (they collect a few bob for charity) and we went down into the area where they keep their kegs and where history was made.  This area use to be where ale was brewed for the castle and there were passageways from here up to the earlier castle on the hill. 

 In the early 12th century Isabella had, with the assistance of her lover Mortimer—whom I have mentioned before–killed her husbband King Edward II amd proclaimed her son (Edward III) king with her regient.  This situation went on until in 1330.  Isabela and Mortimer were in Nottingham and her son Edward with several followers entered the castle by entering the passageway in this basement–now walled off and arrested Roger Mortimer and though his mother cried for his life Mortimer was later transported to London and executed.  By doing this Edward successfully ended the regency and began his reign.

 

 

The walled up entrance to the castle passages.

 

Then on to our next stop a much newer place…

 

THE GALLERY OF JUSTICE

where we discovered Nottingham’s horrible history.

As we walked on a journey through time to explore

original prison cells. caves, dungeons and courtrooms.

THEN ON THE ROAD (OR RATHER SIDEWALKS) AGAIN;

and our last planned visit:

The Salutation:  A rambling old place  (1240) which got its name from the Archangel Gabriel salutating the Virgin Mary–an ancient sign used for drinking places.

Nottingham for the well-to-do it was elegant and genteel (althought always, there were poor people)  In the 18th century there was a piped water supply although it was expensive and not many people could afford it.  From the 1760’s oil lamps lit the streets.  The first theater in Nottingham was built in 1760 and a general hospital in 1782.

Our intrepid bar tender

and her re-enforcement

and this fish monger about the pub selling prawns and the like

and a gentleman from the past just  passing through on his way to a meet up with some spirits

Lyndsey From Nottingham Pub

We met her when we first entered and before the evening was over we were at a table talking and laughing and drinking a few….whatevers.  Susi did her palm reading and me I just babbled as usual.  Lyndsey and the two of us plus a third lady who was alone but whom I kidnapped and added to the party had a great evening, discussing blogs, life and what ever else came into our lives—it was a bit of fun and friendship in a place far away from our original sites and yet finding friends and common ground which just made our trip.

Lyndsey’s also has a blog—and I’m adding it to this one as it’s  on Nottingham (warning it has a picture of me)–

“Lyndsey Davies”

http://wadnderlynz.com/2016/05/23/when-in-nottingham/

check it out it’s a great chronicle of the lives and loves, the down and gritty living from destination to destinations–the things you forgot and the things you wish you had.

LOVE TO LYNZ…..FROM THE DIVA

See you all tomorrow

Onward to another Day:  Tuesday 5/17:  and away we go again in Nottingham.

Nottingham began in the 6th Century as a small Saxon settlement called Snotta Inga ham.  the Saxon word ham meant village, Inga meant Belonging to and Snotta meant A man.  So it was the village owned by Snotta.  Gradually the name changed to Snottingham and then just Nottingham.

First stop was the Catholic Church across the street.  Where we wandered about observing and photographing.

The Cathedral Church of St. Barnabas was opened in 1844. Prior to that, the Church of St. John the Evangelist, on George Street, had been the home to Nottingham’s band of Catholics.

A Beautiful church which our hotel manager highly recommended we visit.  We met a beautiful Irish Lady cleaning about the church (sorry no picture)

Nottingham, the first point where the Trent can be forded inevitably grew into a town.

More pictures of the lovely church:

then walking to our first destination

In the late 9th centuries the Vikings conquered the part of north east England and turned the city into a fortified settlement (burgh) complete with ditch around it and an earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top.

Two great officers we met along the way, who welcomed us to the city and helped us find our way—which if you know us is easier said than done.

Finally recaptured by the English and with a new bridge across the Trent in 920 AD, Nottingham was a busy little town of several hundred persons which even had its own mint.

Next stop  Nottingham Castle

We climbed up the hill and the rock to visit the museum which includes an art gallery, history of Nottingham and much more

The building really a 17th c. mansion on the site of the original castle set in impressive grounds.

Where we met Friar Tuck guarding the entry.

The original castle was destroyed in 1651 by Parliamentary forces and latter replaced in 1831 by an Italian style palace which belonged to the Duke of Newcastle which was burned down by unhappily citizens in 1831–and the current building was eventually built.

Oh yeah and this guy.

on 10/10/1831 rioters attached and burned down Nottingham Castle.

That concludes the Museum grounds and great view….Part II will have inside the museum as well as an ancient (think Crusaders to the Holy Land use to stop there) pub as well as a Jail with lots of Nottingham Crime and punishment and we’ll end at another ancient pub and introduce you to some new friends as well as a new blog I want you to check out.

Pictures around town just cause I can

Met this handsome young artist during the tour in White Chapel

After two hours on the train we’ve finally arrived (5/16)

catching a cab at the train depot our first effort–no ques (lines) here we just grabbed one as soon as it dropped off someone–Sue had less luggage so she grabbed the poor man and wouldn’t let him move until I dragged the luggage off.

Until the 20th century Nottingham was world renowned for its lacemaking

Our destination this lovely business hotel within walking distance of the most interesting parts of the city (oh and by the way that church just pictured is a Catholic one just across the street from our home away from).  We checked in and stow our bags…and ran away

The town is known for it’s Victorian Buildings, it’s Lace Market as well as newer restaurants, bars, shops and places like our hotel.

Exploring this city proved fun with its number of hills on the bank of the River Trent (which is only navigable as far as the city for vessels up to about 200 tons)….since we both weigh a few hundred less that that we figured we were good to go.

The Lace Market during the days of the British Empire was a world leader in  lace making and the Market is still full of expressive examples of 19th c industrial architecture.

The following are our meandering about town on our way to things to see:

and then we reached Old Market Square with lots of room to set and meet up—there were fountains and it’s beautiful old building

AND then more wanderings:

This was a very interesting pub name

LOTS of foods you’d recognized…the first time I went to London in 2002 their burgers were rare (to find not bloody) and terrible–this year they’re everywhere and excellent—I didn’t try their Mexican so can’t give you info on that.

and then there’s a little fact that much of the city is built on (as in this case), in or over (as in a basement you’ll see later) rock–see above formation

Which they often patch with brick.

IT’S everywhere–you eventually get use to it.

Though some of the combinations were a bit weird

Things for friends:

Special for Glenda T—

One for David and Brian B.

Things that  that I thought was worth an extra picture:

For the top of a cake—I always wanted to marry a hero….

a shop with everything from adult toys to magic trick—now what more could you want in a store????

Ok more later today—it’s 8 pm here and we’re taking off for a hot night on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh—or at least a pint and a nip of bangers and mash for our kip…….It’s 3 there…..you all area still dragging through your Monday.

It all started at the White Chapel Museum of Art—a museum that was put here when the area was the city’s worse slum to educate the poor wretches in the finer arts.

All led by this man—who it’s rumored may have actually had some one on one contact with his subject:  London Graffiti and Street Art

The Free Tour company promises that our tour will introduce us to some of the most amazing and innovative street art we would ever see!

And so we wandered down streets that Jack the Ripper might well have tread.

For street art enthusiasts around the world, London’s East End is the top of a must-visit list of world wide street art locations,

And with our guide who obviously was Very knowledgeable we were at a distinct advantage.

Oh and my advise—be sure to keep a look out for the mushrooms.

we’re ready to show it all to you

Free tours are a very interesting concept, while you have to sign up for the specific tour (i.e. This one) there is no price….once the 2 hour (over in this case) is finished you give your guide what you think he earned–or refuse to pay completely—-and interesting concept I thought.

Jam packed full of eclectic, interesting, shocking, and beautiful street art

As we ventured further and further into the  back alleys and byways of this land which had been a wretched receiver of emigrants for several hundred years now he art became larger, bolder and almost everywhere.

this area of London is practically blanketed in some of the most famous street art in existence –

Through modern London’s crowds in an old and once apparently doomed London areas to see the art that has become so much a part of our urban existence.

we traipse along these cobbled streets, exploring all the art there is to see

IT is like going thru an art gallery of streets, allies and other urban areas—it is foremost art and enjoyable in ways you never thought of

from massive murals and pieces that take up entire buildings –

to the tiny hidden pieces you’d miss if you didn’t have anybody to tell you where to look!

We saw them all and were in awe at many of the wonderful works of art.

            ‘  

In fact everywhere you looked there were items of interest.

hidden pieces you’d miss if you didn’t have anybody to tell you where to look!

This entire outer wall of a commercial building is next to a playground and is unbelievable in its scope and detail.

    

Here be dragons

discover that Brick Lane and the alternative neighbourhoods of the East End are really treasure troves of goodies!

Some areas are wall to wall and boogle the mind

Learn why immigrants made the East End their home,

check out where Beckham has a star,

how this eclectic community evolved from Victorian slums to its’ present-day trend-setting district, –

It was a great tour—If you are in or headed for London…sign up for it—Please    http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/london-tours/walking-tours/london-graffiti-and-street-art-tour/

we also went to the Gypsy Gardens I told you about previously

and

‘

and a London Street Faire that goes on every weekend.

Wanderings about Victoria Station near our hotel room in London

PEOPLE WE MET AT THE SHAKESPEARE PUB NEAR VICTORIA

No this is not our hotel, but one can dream

THIS IS FOR MISTY

LEAVING LONDON 5/16

The Train Station

From the train

our hotel in Nottingham

Tomorrow walking about the Lace Market in Nottingham

By the way we arrived in York today.

Once upon a time long ago in an age called Aquarius there lived a community of young people (and I was one of them) who believed in love and brotherhood, in giving peace a chance, in treating all men equal despite their creed or color.  We longed to go  back to the land, to grow our food and make our own clothes…..after being beaten about by the death of our friends in wars that make no sense–to be honest few of them do–and being pushed about when we protested and even killed (four dead in Ohio) we tried to provide a better place….some of us dropped out of the Establishment completely, some like me tried to change things from within….We preached love and peace and eventually all but a few of us melted into the main line establishment that we insisted we could reform…we didn’t  and life went on and we became only a bitter sweet memory.

You can make the mountains ring

Or make the angels cry.

and then I went on a Graffiti Tour (I will do a special report on that tomorrow night) and found that I may have been wrong about the world forgetting those values that we pledged to and then failed….that there might be people who still love peace and brotherhood, who had in their own way (and in the middle of London) returned  to the land forming a place where you can set and talk and be yourself In this case in near Brick Lane in East London I found if not the rebirth of that dream at least a great alternative..

Nomadic Community Gardens breathe life into disused parts of cities, which become places where nature and community thrive.

Though the bird is on the wing
And you may not know why

IT is a place where artists cab ply their trade and build their dreams into concrete manifestations of their talents.  A place were  you can be creative w/out being put to a critical evaluation….for who can critique your deepest renderings except yourself.

1Love Community is a social initiative seeking to create actual, substantial, viable change and improvement to the quality of life of people in the city.

Some may come and some may go
We shall surely pass

For what dreams may come to us when we let our spirit soar?  The possibilities as we suspected in the 60’s are limitless……and so I discovered in this place of friendly people and mythical beasts.

It is a grassroots network outreaching into local communities to provide support, knowledge and activity that enriches and engenders health, responsibility and security not just to the urban environment but to its inhabitants therein

When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last

For this is the kind of place where what you sow in the soil can be reaped in your very soul…..where you redeem yourself from the day to day existence of the city and your job and the grind that beats you down and blights your joy.

In Fleet Street Hill E1 – just off Brick Lane we took over use of a derelict wasteland and converted it to use as a community garden for local residents & various activities geared towards bringing people together.

We are but a moment’s sunlight
Fading in the grass

Where plants are watered and friendships harvested

Commencing on May 2015 running until Mid 2016. This project is now run and managed as “Nomadic Community Gardens” by Jimmy and other local residents…

If you hear the song I sing
You will understand (listen!)

It is a place where beauty is in the eye of the artist that creates it and treasured by the beholder who enjoys it.

The team is made up of many like minded souls from different fields that cross over to create positive change for people and places…

You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand

And so I roamed about this land that so reminded me of my own generation and my own dreams….of the places I had seen and the people I had met….a time of peace and love that still has a special place in my heart….and I felt a kinship to this place and people over 4,000 miles from my home.

Just one key unlocks them both
It’s there at you command

Empowering People… Enlivening Places

So all I can say is you made me feel at home and like I’d gone back to a kinder place and time  AND I THANK YOU FOR IT.

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

You can find out more at: www.nomadiccommunitygardens.org

Sunday 5/15–our first full day in London…..this by the way is the Breakfast area at our hotel—they do a continental every morning—Yogurt, and cereal, sweat rolls and that kind of thing…..

So far the weather has been sunny and each day a bit warmer….too hot for even a light jacket.

‘No Act of Kindness No Matter How Small is Ever Wasted’   Irish street artist Karma

Then on to the subway for our days adventure…..White Chapel here we come.

The White Chapel area was named after its white-washed St. Mary’s Church and was home to bell-founders and metal workers whom the city didn’t want due to the noise that their work caused.  Bells were made here for Westminster Abbey were cast–the bell that would become America’s Liberty bell…Big Ben was actually recast here.

Next stop was the White Chapel Art Gallery Café for a spot of coffee

This lovely lady waited on us

and this handsome man was there to help too

The gallery was founded in 1901, and is an independent gallery with an excellent international reputation for high quality shows of major contemporary artists.

If you repeat a lie often enough it becomes politics.  Mogul.

White Chapel was once the horrid slums that hosted the outcasts and refugees from around the world.  It also was the hunting grounds of one Jack the Ripper, one of the most famous monsters and a murderer never captured, nor identified that left the mutilated bodies of 9 prostitutes scattered about this area.

We unfortunately didn’t get here in enough time to see the gallery which was and is still free–brought to the dark and forbidding slums of London to introduce the poor and unfortunate to the finer things in life

Sometimes being the only one who isn’t desperate to be noticed makes them pay attention.  Morley

A walk about in the area found us at Altab Ali Park.  The park is a small park .^] Formerly known as St. Mary’s Park, it is the site of the old 14th-century white church, St. Mary Matfelon, from which the area of Whitechapel gets its name. St Mary’s was heavily bombed during The Blitz in 1940,  ll that remains of the old church is the floor plan and a few graves.  The park was renamed Altab Ali Park in 1998 in memory of Altab Ali, a 25-year-old Bangladeshi clothing worker, who was murdered on 4 May 1978 in Adler Street by three teenage boys as he walked home from work.

In 1664 3/4 of the people who lived here earned less than a pound a year.

You’re never too young to think big.  Mr. Brain Wash

Then to our main event of the day…Free Tours By Foot on Graffiti and Wall art in the alternative, trendy, gentrified, London’s East Side….a most vibrant and exciting area of London town.

This area once lined with cheap coaching houses and its streets full of hay carrs, vegetables, drays of beer and herds of sheep and cattle until the 1920’s.

It’s easier if you try.  WrdSmth

but it’s getting late and I’m scheduled for a very early train to York tomorrow so we’ll do the tour then hang in their guys and sorry.

This area is the place of Dickens’ Fagan and his Artful Dodgers.

Follow your heart.  Scampi

Ok Finishing up Saturday: (5/14)

On our first day in London we decided to visit the Westminster Cathedral….But I had forgotten to get directions until we found one of the London You Are Here signs.  After investigating we had a fair idea on what and where we were going

SO handy camera in hand we were off.

we wandered thru London

Seeing London above

and below ground.

Looking for a Catholic cathedral in London Town

The world’s first traffic light was erected outside the House of Commons in 1868. It blew up the following year, injuring the policeman who was operating it.

London is one of the most civilised places in the world for the procedure of making architecture and urban design. Renzo Piano

and we really enjoyed the search and all the lovely buildings that we saw.

 

A Beer Wave of 388,000 Gallons (or 1.4m L) flooded London in 1814 after a huge vat ruptured

 

It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside. -Arthur Conan Doyle

All kinds of interesting people about looking for that Cathedral

and then:

There it was down an alley way…that’s the tower above another building.

Westminster Cathedral on Ashley Place.  The building is Byzantine style echoing the great Basilica of St. Marks, Venice.

 

Over 300 languages are spoken in London, one of the most diverse cities in the world.

You are now / In London, that great sea, whose ebb and flow / At once is deaf and loud, and on the shore / Vomits its wrecks, and still howls on for more / Yet in its depth what treasures! –Percy Bysshe Shelley

 

This is the principal Catholic Church in England

and the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster.

It was began in 1895 and remains unfinished.

The church ran out of funds to finish the facing 14 stations of the cross carved by Eric Gill

The church contains a very medieval item….the body of St. John Southworth–a priest from a Lancaster family who studied and took the priesthood in France and returned to Protestant England.  He was arrested and tried under Elizabeth I and was drawn and quartered.  The Spanish minister took the body to France…it was not rediscovered until 1922 when it was brought back to England and placed in a clear casket in one of the side chapels of the church.   (that’s a picture of the chapel below and that glass between the candles is the saint’s crystal coffin–I did not take a picture of the body it just seem tooo…..)

Oh that tower by the way is 237′ tall and has a lift—that’s an elevator for those of you across the pond which supposedly give good views of London….while we visited the museum of treasures we didn’t make the tower as one of us doesn’t like towers.

The church is a mix of Byzantine and Romanesque and includes a great gold cross with Christ crucified.  There is also a grand Lady Chapel.

and then we were off and about London again

Sam Smith’s caused a bit of a stir with the latest refurbishment of one of their pubs. From the owners of the lovingly restored Princess Louise, this is a bit of a surprise.  Well, it turns out a few people were upset with the name change, to one which pre-dates the current (already very old) one. Even Archbishops (who should’ve been grateful it wasn’t bought by Nandos) waded into the non-event.  http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/bars/the-windsor-castle-victoria-review-7427051.html

Traffic in central London moves at the same speed as horse-drawn carriages a century ago.

Dinner at a NYC style Italian restaurant at the Mall at Victoria Station

The food was good and the place was very well done.

Here’s our waiter and a fellow Blogger

In the new Victoria Place Shopping Centre, situated inside London Victoria Train Station, our Frankie & Benny’s restaurant is ideal for a quick bite to eat before a train journey or trip into London! With great tourist attractions close-by, bring the whole family and we guarantee you’ll leave with a smile – and a very satisfied appetite!

 

Our room in London–very energy efficient

 

Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner,
That I love London so;
Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner,
That I think of her wherever I go.
I get a funny feeling inside of me,
Just walking up and down;
Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner,
That I love London town.
Hubert Gregg

We left London this morning (5/16) and look what we missed:

A six-metre tall green monkey statue sailed down the Thames this morning; the latest of London’s riverine publicity stunts.

Made of 110,486 fabricated green tea leaves, the huge primate is depicted clutching a mug, encouraging people to try green tea.  DAMN