What's more romantic than walking hand in hand through fields of lavender in bloom? Or running through the rows? It was rather a magical wander through Mayfield's Farm as the flowers waved in the breeze and bees hummed a soft tune. It smelled fantastic as row after row of purple blooms surrounded us and it was a visual feast, as well!
They grow 25 acres of Folgate, Mailette and Grosso varieties of these lucious-scented buds in Banstead, Surrey, just 15 miles from Central London. How's that for a bit of country in the city? Sometimes the call of the cobblestones has to give way to Mother Nature.
They grow 25 acres of Folgate, Mailette and Grosso varieties of these lucious-scented buds in Banstead, Surrey, just 15 miles from Central London. How's that for a bit of country in the city? Sometimes the call of the cobblestones has to give way to Mother Nature.
It was magical as we strolled through the rows of flowers, sipped lavender lemonade and enjoyed lavender ice cream. Not far away and definitely worth the trek!
Lavender fields forever -- a bucket-list check-off!
Crazy Camden Towne and Locks
Wading (almost literally, as it was raining quite hard) through Camden Town and Locks is always a kick! A borough in north west London (part of inner London), it's advertised as a "haven of counter culture and a warren of fashion and curiosities by the Regents Canal."
Justin, Elise, Mike and I dodged the raindrops as we viewed the boat locks while the water rose and fell & boats passed through, munched on tapas, perused vintage shops & market stalls, and reveled in a scrumptious Kinderbueno milkshake from a favorite haunt: The Cereal Killer Café. Yeah, it's a zillion kinds of cereal from all over the world with 20+ kinds of milk and add-ins that include everything from fruit to malted milk balls. Yum!
On another visit, Mike and I floated our boat - i.e. cruised on the traditional narrowboats that travel between Little Venice and Camden Lock. They pass through Regents Park on a royal waterway that's over 200 years old with views of wrought iron fences and elegant Georgian and Victorian houses, and where famous people such as J.K. Rowling, Earl Spencer and Madonna have or do live.
It's such a quirky, weird area that has color and kitsch around every corner, and it's a favorite!
Bean Bags and Rubens
The Banqueting House, Whitehall, has quite a colorful history! It is:
- the only remaining piece of the Palace of Whitehall (the rest was destroyed by fire) which stretched an incredible distance from Trafalgar Square to where Parliament now sits
- an amazing "pleasure palace" as they are called where during it's hey day it was home to lavish court parties, dances, masques and plays
- the first neo-classical style structure in England and, as such, trans-formative to English architecture
- the place where King Charles I was beheaded for treason on a scaffold in 1649
- home to 9 magnificent and mammoth original paintings by Sir Peter Paul Rubens
These paintings are affixed to an enormous ceiling in the Banqueting House and primarily feature The Apotheosis of James I, The Union of the Crowns, and The Peaceful Reign of James I. Billed as "a masterpiece from the golden age of painting" and the only surviving in-situ* paintings by Rubens, they are impressive to be sure! *Had to look that one up! "In-Situ" means "in position" i.e. works that are made specifically for a host site.
My favorite part though is how they are best viewed in this huge room. The area is empty, save a throne and 10 or so bean bags in which to nestle while you look up and admire the famous artists' works without craning your neck. Bean bags and art -- love it!
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