Train journey from point B to C.
Day 54-26/11/09
Today I had to send a few letters though the post, one which has to arrive at it's destination on monday. The main town center post office was closed because of a power failure, so I was re-directed to one by the Abbey. (What a pain!) The post office lady told me "Walk by the Abbey, and you will pass the Dun Cow pub on your right". This little detour would take me down some streets I have not yet ventured. I got the rest of the directions and did eventually see the Dun Cow pub on my right. Well two things; I really enjoy the name of all the English pubs here they are all different and unique and second I loved this cow perched up top of the pub. I decided to research what "Dun" meant and came across a wikipedia article (I know, it's not always accurate, though it is interesting!), explaining what Dun meant (dull shade of brownish grey): but did you know that the Dun Cow is an old English Folklore? Neither did I. You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dun_Cow The next thing I found interesting was this fact: The Dun Cow, Shrewsbury is one of the oldest public houses in the UK, built by Rodger De Montgomery, first Earl of Shrewsbury circa 1085 as a hostel for the highly skilled masons and master builders bought in to oversee the construction of St. Peter and St. Pauls, (later known as the Abbey). It continues to be a public house and claims to have accommodated many famous people.
Who woulda known?! And to think, if the normal post office would have been open I would have never see the Dun Cow, and found out this info. One of the oldest public houses in the UK? Amazing!
Day 53- 25/11/09
Tonight I went to see the Christmas lights turned on. It seems this is a huge tradition over here that everyone comes to the town centre, does a countdown, and a celebrity turns the lights on. Naturally I went to see what it was all about. The cast of the panto "Peter Pan" were the celebrities, there were about a thousand kids and teenagers, the countdown was done, the lights went on, fake snow shot from a cannon, and everyone slowly walked out of the square singing "Merry Christmas Everybody" by Slade. (A song I don't think came out at home). The night had an element of Christmas magic to it.
Day 52- 24/11/09
Marks & Spencer has some great products, and sometimes it's the description that sells me on the product. Like these blueberries for example. These muffins I made from my goddess cookbook sure were scrumptious, and I am sure the blueberries played a part in that. (Also for those of you looking at the price, this punnet works itself to be around 2 pound 50 which is $4.39 Canadian. Totally worth it.)
Day 51- 23/11/09
I find it to be a visual treat to look down a passageway, and see a scene like this. So quaint and beautiful.
Day 50- 22/11/09
I took a walk to check out the flood waters, but I have a photo referencing that. I also made a loaf of bread which was lovely, but as I have mentioned before bread does not photograph well. So, on my walk today I saw some owls...The first bit of street art/graffiti I have seen around the town in a while.
Day 49- 21/11/09
Nothing gets you into the Christmas mood on a rainy day like setting up the tree! It doesn't bother me that it's not December yet. All the longer to enjoy it my dears....
Day 48- 20/11/09
View of the river now that the rain from Wales has come down to our area. The river is usually less than half this width. See Day 5 for a photo from last month, you can clearly see the difference. Flood warnings all around!
Day 46- 18/11/09
Nativity costumes. The star of Bethlehem made me do a double take: "Is that really a star costume?! Amazing".
Day 45- 17/11/09
I went to the bakery today and bought a lovely loaf of bread; bread does not photograph well. Would you appreciate a photograph of bread? No. Instead, here is the window display at Marks and Spencer - Christmas is in full swing!
Day 44- 16/11/09
I took a trip today to Tanners wine merchants, a beautiful wine store with lots to choose from and a greater selection than my old fave at home, Willow Park. However, Tanners did not carry any Canadian wines! (Maybe I could be the new Canadian wine liaison?) Nonetheless, this is a new fave store in town. Why wouldn't it be, it sells wine!
Day 41- 13/11/09
"Storms set to batter county" is splashed across the front of the paper today. Clearly this is the calm before the storm as this photo was taken in the morning. The seasons have changed with the loss of the leaves-though the grass underneath is still green. To update you, the storm is currently raging outside. (Is that ok Eli?)
Day 40- 12/11/09
Went to Birmingham today to find some vintage shops. This took me down some of the "grittier" streets of the city. This was the back of the change room door, great images.
Day 37- 9/11/09
Taking the last train from London back home. Delayed at the station because of a fatality, delayed at the station for longer because there was no driver, delayed on the tracks outside of Birmingham for signaling problems. This photo is of the empty train just after midnight arriving at the station I was to change trains at. Clearly missed that train as the station was closed. Got off here to wait with 35 others for cabs to take us to our towns....Cab arrived, followed by a 50 min cab ride home by a cabby who was clearly lost.
Day 36- 8/11/09
Remembrance sunday ceremonies at the cenotaph in London. The amount of veterans in the parade was staggering. In the grey jacket just above and to the right of the police mans hat is Prince William about to lay the wreath. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/gallery/2009/nov/08/remembranceday-military
Day 35- 7/11/09
This is a good one. I hope I can do my best to capture this character. I met an old student and her friend in London for the morning. We planned a street art day, me taking them to an area of the city(East London around Brick Lane) filled with street art/graffiti- where it was on every wall in small alleyways and streets. The walls had been cleaned up a bit since I last saw it, but we did see some amazing pieces. A very fun day with the two girls, its exactly what I needed. During our walk we went by a building that had some great pieces inside-chairs and tables, shoes, mirrors, light fixtures. We stared mouths open pointing out the great pieces. The man inside walked over to the windows and motioned us to come in....We went in and I said..."What is this place??" (As it was so unique in how all the stuff was placed around the room, I couldn't find any rhyme or reason to it, but really what a dumb question). He looked at me confused and says "um...A store! Do you not have stores in America?".....
We laugh say "of course we have stores in CANADA". This opens up a can of worms with him discussing the difference between Canada and the States, why can't he call us Americans, though we are still North Americans ect. The conversation may sound dry but his energy and enthusiasm for every word that he spoke was amazing. We talked about London and why its so great, as he was born and raised and been there his whole life. He asked about Canada and we said it was "wholesome, and beautiful, and unique"....My old students friend is from Ireland, and lived in Canada last year, she also starts to explain how fantastic it is.
Confused he asks us "So if Canada is so great, so wholesome, why are you here?!".....This gets us all into another discussion of how we know each other and why we are here. We go back to Canada and I start selling him to visit-and of course focus on Alberta and BC-lakes, mountains, great cities, nice people, cowboys and the stampede. He lost his mind when we told him about cowboys and the western side of our country. He loved it. He also asked about Mounties and if they still exist, and why the French wants to become their own country.
I could have stayed talking to him for hours more. Genuine and full of life, so friendly. However we had more art to see. Before leaving I asked to take a photo of him in his shop and he was like "Sure! But wait, let me get this leather jacket on, its amazing, its going to make the photo".
This guy made my day.
Day 34- 6/11/09
Located at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. This is the home of Greenwich mean time, and the prime meridian of the world. Thats right people, the world. Longitude 0 degrees,0'0".
Day 32- 4/11/09
Nothing better on a rainy English afternoon then a gingerbread latte and the new Vogue. I enjoy the ease of getting British Vogue here compared to searching around each Chapters store at home for it!
Day 31- 3/11/09
Today I took the bus for the first time in town. It's a bit different than home as you are to tell the driver where your stop is, and your fare will change depending on how far you go. As it was my first time, I wasn't sure of the cost, and where to get off exactly. I quickly made "friends" with a nice old lady waiting for the bus as well. She told me about the fares, and said I could sit by her, as she would tell me when to ring the bell for my stop.
She asked if I was American, but quickly changed her question to- "Canadian?"....(I must have twitched when she first said American). Of course she has a friend in Canada- as everyone does. We had a lovely chat about grocery stores, the recession, and the weather till she told me to ring the bell, as my stop was approaching.
The reason why I was taking the bus was a little outing to the large grocery store just out of the town centre. I enjoy going here as there are thousands of more products than in the smaller stores, and ALL of them are new to me. I want to buy them all, and at the same time, photograph the cute and different packaging. One thing I can't get over each time I go is how many isles there are filled with sweets. Today I counted FIVE. FIVE isles (and I am sure I missed a couple) filled with chocolates and biscuits, and cakes, and pies, and lollies, and sweets, and puddings. Christmas chocolates, boxed chocolates, individual chocolates, cakes for birthdays, ice cream, hot puddings and cold puddings and tarts....I could go on. I love it here.
Day 30- 2/11/09
Moss growing on brick and lovely curly little fence. If we had 365 days of rain at home, I still think it would be too dry for moss to grow like it seems to here!
Day 29-1/11/09
I've seen the star at the top of this photo more than once in the evening-however isn't it too bright to be a star?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
