Mind the Gap

Alarmingly this poster summarises the great fear of many cyclists. The newspapers regularly document the death of some bike rider or another crushed to death between a lorry and wall or fence.

National Portrait Gallery Concerts

Every Friday evening both the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery in London have free concerts. Usually it consists of one or more classical musicians. We have heard opera, Spanish guitar, cello, and piano so far. It is first come first serve for the stool seating. Above is an opera singer accompanied by a pianist.

Suffolk, UK: Evening Walk

We probably set out a bit late on our walk in the country side. The sky was partly overcast and starting to darken. It seemed a bit light when we knew where we were going. Wisely we left our GPS/Sat-Nav and our flashlight at home. (Because who wants to carry extra stuff?) It was quite beautiful and I took my time taking pictures. I took the bridge while Nigel decided it was far more fun to take the bog. The view from the bridge. The sun is setting and Nigel points out I shouldn't delay us by taking more pictures. As we stop to look at the map, I take more pictures. We are going the wrong way, it turns out. We head back over a long farm field. past a windy road. I am still taking pictures which alarms Nigel even more. We take a wrong turn into a muddy farm and don't realise it until we are really not on a path anymore and just ruining some farmer's cabbage plants. We turn around by which time it is dusk. We finally make our way back when we can barely see anything anymore, all the while debating who has more mud caked on their boots.

Suffolk, UK: The Cottage

We are relaxing for the week in a little cottage in Suffolk. It could be a converted barn...but I am not sure. The Lounge is very cosy with a giant fireplace. I just love the colours...turquoise and pink. And the floor is just old stones. The table would sit at least 10 people. And our welcome basket included fresh bread and butter, bacon, farm eggs, and produce. Does this mirror remind anyone of an old dutch painting? (hint: Arnolfini and his Bride) The amazing kitchen reminds us of what we want to do with ours. Although the English country cottage look and the Victorian look are a bit different. The master bedroom is cosy set in the rafters. Old sewing machines are used several times as desks. The view from the window just looks out onto farmland (that we later learn is full of clay). The entire upstairs has beautiful old original floorboards. The second bedroom (which we get a discount if we don't use) has a single bed... ...and a double. The bathroom is very nice and I love the handmade green tiles above the sink. The hallway for an extra sleeping space. And down the stairs back to the living room.

Dorset, UK: All Other Destinations

Our last day in Dorset we really boot it around the place! We stop in the small town of Wareham and wander the one main street. We find a "farmer's market" and feel very awkward being the only people in there. We are watched by all 10 vendors and feel like everyone is hoping and expecting us to buy their homemade jams and baking. I can't even bring myself to sample the brownie bits put out because I feel so self conscious! A quick stroll to the local river and back stretches our legs. We head towards the coast again and pass huge tracts of farm and grazing land. We again reach the coast where we find much more rustic beach houses than in Bournemouth. The beach is pretty secluded and we try to figure out how to get up on the cliffs. Ah ha...we find the path! We can now see the point we are trying to reach. There are precipice that we can balance out onto to get a view. I grow extremely nervous and suddenly remember one of my recurring dreams in which I am on the edge of a cliff, just trying to walk by, and there is a strong gravitational force sucking me over the edge. I have had this dream ever since I was a kid and now can't get it out of my mind as I balance over a small bridge of grass linking a chunk of cliff that sticks out just a bit further from the edge. I sit my bum down on the grass to calm down and Nigel gets a picture. Refusing to move closer to the edge I take a picture from where I am sitting of Nigel. The point is famously called "Old Harry Rocks". It is stunning. We can look across the inlet and see the white cliffs of Dover mimicking the white chalk cliffs we are standing on. On the way out we pass a great looking pub. Next we drive to Swanage and wander around the quaint village. Nigel's best friend's father used to be the minister at this Methodist Church in Swanage. Back on the road we pass through a military zone. Strangely, it shows the road on our road map but our Sat Nav (GPS) shows no indication of a road until we are actually on it and then it a dotted line appears on which we are driving. I am assuming Sat Nav does not display military zones. Our final destination is Lulworth Cove. It is literally a small collections of houses in a valley with a beautiful cove on the ocean. The cove. The rock formations are brilliant. You can see a group of high school students out on a field trip having a geology lesson at the top of this hill. There is a very long hike up a mountain and the view looking back at the cove and village is magnificent! The top is pretty nice too, but we head back down again. Some of the thatched roof stone houses in the village of Lulworth.