July 4, 2010 - Independance Day

Greetings All,

I thought I would post a update of what we have been up to since our return to Liverpool from our short visit to London. The weather has been amazing and according to my brother-in-law, John, the driest he has ever seen it in all his years here. Hey I'll take some good hot summer weather anytime.

I decided that I wanted the flat to have a bit of colour and so we went in search of a nursery to get planters for the balconies.  After stopping at a couple of places, we finally found a proper nursery/garden centre near Ormskirk.  I asked for some assistance, as I wanted plants that would survive full sun and windy conditions. They got a young lady to help us and once I told her what I needed she asked how much land were we looking at?  Well needless to say Fred and I looked at each other rather sheepishly and pointed to the cart with three oblong planters.  She kindly smiled said oh I see and carried on to give us a number of choices. I opted for geraniums and later went back to pick lavender and two shrubs as she recommended.

So far so good the plants have survived.  For those of you who know me well, if it wasn't for my girlfriend Colleen watching out for our front garden in Ajax all would have been lost.  So now the place looks a little more homey.



We are still adjusting to some of the differences in the UK in the food department.  We had Fred's aunt and uncle over for dinner and as strawberries are in season, I decided strawberry pie would be a perfect dessert.  So I needed jello called jelly and corn starch called corn flour in the UK.  Jelly is quite different as it is a solid block of jelly that gets cuts into cubes rather than crystals as it is in Canada. Works the same though one cup of hot water and one cup of cold if you are making normal jello.

It is highly concentrated and you can smell the flavor in this case strawberry when the package is opened. It worked well and supper by the way was a success.

And now, finally to the title of this blog Independence Day.  As you may or may not know Liverpool Football Club is owned by George Gillett and Tom Hicks two Americans who have managed to screw up the club as well as place it in major debt.  To say they are disliked by any Liverpudlian would be a major understatement. The rally we went to today certainly made that point very clear.  Spirit of Shankly
the supporters union ran the rally with guest speakers, music and information on how they hope fans can buy shares in Liverpool FC so that any future owners of the club will not be able to saddle the club the level of debt that it has today.  The rally was held on the Plateau of St George's Square, in the City Centre. We met two elderly gentlemen who grew up in the Shankly era and one of the first questions they asked me was I American. Crap I've got to get someone to send me a badge that says I AM CANADIAN so that I don't get that question asked again.  After telling them that I was not American they apologized and we had a nice chat, they wished us well then carried on their way.
 
One speaker was Karen Gill the granddaughter of Bill Shankly.  She is the patron of the supporters' union and her speech was very moving.  So for a 500 pound investment you can purchase a share of the club. Something Fred wants to look into. How exciting to be part of a club you have supported since childhood.

 


Here is just a small look of some of the signage that was posted around the Plateau.

As if you have not guessed Independence Day  is to get free of The American Ownership the the Liverpool Foot Ball Club!

We have been checking out new pubs around town and once we leave the Rally we stop in at The Doctor Duncan for a pint of bitter and 1/2 pint of cider before heading home. This pub is a traditional style pub and quite nice.

Well that is all for now. We hope to visit some National Trust sites over the next two months and will keep you posted of any adventures.

Ta Ra for now,

Sandy & Fred

June 17, 2010 - Regents Park another Marathon Walk

Greetings All,

Today we were off again walking. We opted to take the tube up to Regents Park and then to walk back from there. While we have visited the Park on almost every occasion we have been to London we both really enjoy this park. This time the roses are the best we have seen them in bloom. The fragrance as you walk through Queen Mary's Garden is almost intoxicating. We spent almost an hour wandering around the grounds before heading back to the flat. On our way we decide to check out the Marriott's various properties in the area as we will be spending time at one of them this Christmas when Jonathan and Amy visit.  The weather today has turned very hot and sunny so walking on the hot cement now becomes hard.  We decided to take a detour though Hyde Park to get out of the sun, walk on some softer ground under the trees and cool off with a small ice-cream cone.  Chocolate mint, very yummy and refreshing. We continued on our way and came across another small park where we saw this amazing sculpture of a lioness and a kudu. The sculpture was commissioned by the Duke of Westminster for the opening of the Upper Grosvenor Gardens to the public on June 2000.

This is one of the things I love about London.  One each of our walks we continually discover new things and sites. Today we walked 5.2 miles and of course at the end of of walk stopped at the Gallery for a bit of refreshment.



Cheerio for now,

Sandy & Fred

June 16, 2010 - Windsor Castle and Area

Greetings All,  


Today we headed off to Windsor to visit the Castle and check out the surrounding countryside. Windsor is only a 45 minute drive from John's flat by the motorway but we take a longer route through the city and around Heathrow Airport.

Our last visit Windsor was by train in 1977 and did not go into the castle itself but walked around the town and had a great pub lunch as I recall. Of course the town has gone through numerous changes and upgrades in the last thirty three years. The old railway station has been upgraded with numerous eateries and boutique type shops. The riverside has also been cleaned up and offers cruises along the Thames on some old stream ships.

This time we spent most of our time in the castle itself.  While the entrance fee is a bit pricey sixteen pounds a person the tickets are good for a year so we can return again.  As we will be in London in September we plan to visit Windsor again as we were somewhat rushed this visit.


Windsor is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen.  Its rich history spans almost 1000 years.  The Castle covers an area of about 5 hectares (13 acres) and contains magnificent State Apartments furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection, St George's Chapel (one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 monarchs), and Queen Mary's Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature.

The tour is self conducted with a audio guide to give you information and guide you on your way.  Unfortunately, the taking of pictures is not allowed inside State Apartments or Chapel.  The Doll house is unbelievable  and was a gift to Queen Mary.  It is not a toy but a collection of miniatures that all work. Right down to a mini vacuum cleaner in the maids chambers. The State Apartments are extremely opulent and I comment to Fred I wonder if the queen has a place in her residence where she can be just a normal person, run around in her dressing gown and fuzzy slippers if she should so choose.  I somehow doubt it given the British sense of what is proper.

The round tower which fly's the Queens Standard when she is in residence, which is most weekends we are told, is over 800 years old and was the last refuge of defense during times of siege. The moat at the castle is a dry moat and has in modern times been converted to a lovely garden.   The tower itself was made larger by King James increasing the height of it during his reign.

Our last stop on our tour is St. George's Chapel.  The inside of the Chapel is beautiful and worship services are held daily.  Henry the VIII is buried here but we did not see his tomb this time. It was now later in the afternoon and a few bus loads of tourists has arrived making it crowded and very busy.  The craftsmanship of the carvings in the stonework continue to amaze us considering the tools available when these structures where built. A major point of interest in the Chapel is the Order of the Garter.

The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry, or knighthood, originating in medieval England. The Order is dedicated to the image and arms of St. George as England's Patron Saint, and is presently bestowed on recipients from British and other realms; it is the pinnacle of the honours system in the United Kingdom. Membership in the order is limited to the sovereign, the Prince of Wales, and no more than twenty-four members, or Companions; the order also comprises Supernumerary knights and ladies (e.g., members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs). Bestowing the honour has been described as one of the Monarch's few remaining truly personal, executive prerogatives.
Once knighted the coat of arms is displayed on wooden heads in the Quyre in the Chapel. These remain on display until the knight passes away. The heads remain empty until a replacement is made to the order. Toady there are three empty heads and one had notes underneath as the person had recently deceased. 

We finish our rather quick tour in just over 2 1/2 hours and do a quick walk around the town and riverbank and pick up pamphlets on the river cruises so we can partake when we come back in September .

Before heading back to London we take a drive around the surrounding countryside looking for a pub which John had mentioned to us for a late lunch/early supper.  Alas we do not find it and so head back to the flat the motorway, which is a little quicker although it is late in the afternoon and it is very busy.  After a bathroom break for Portia, we headed out for a supper of fish and chips at the local chippy.

Pictures will be posted to our Flickr site later once Fred has sorted them out.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred

June 15, 2010 - Marathon Walk Day 2 Embankment

Greetings all,

Today was a very cool windy day but a good one for walking.  After lunch we took a walk along the Thames Embankment.  This is a walk I always enjoys as there always seems to be something going on or unusual to see. We walked along the south bank of the Thames until we reached Blackfriars Bridge where the walkway was closed off due to construction of the new Blackfriars tube station.  We then walked across the bridge and headed along the north side of the river.  I stopped for a number of photo ops, some of shots I had taken previously but this time without people messing up my pictures. The dragons that mark the west edge of the City of London (It's approximately one square mile in Metropolitan London) once adorned the London Coal Exchange. The Royal Air Force War Memorial is nearby,  so I got a couple of good shots of it as well.

We continued our walk along the north bank to the Parliament Buildings.  Across from the Parliament Buildings is Parliament Square, a grassy area that is now home to a tent city of  squatter/protesters that really looks disgusting. Unfortunately they cannot remove them as they are peaceful but they really detract from the sites in the area.  Of course no walk would be complete without a stop for refreshment and a short rest for my weary legs. Today's stop is at the Morpeth Arms.  A 1/2 pint of cider for me and a pint of Bombardier for Fred enjoyed on the outside patio.

It was then a short walk back to the flat. Today we covered 5.2 miles in just over 2 1/2 hours.  Hopefully a few ounces lighter and the legs a little stronger.

Cheerio for now,

Sandy & Fred 

June 14, 2010 - Marathon Walk in London

Greetings All

Today we headed off to Hyde Park as I wanted to get some photos of sculptures I spotted when we drove in from Liverpool on Friday.  So we headed off walking to Hyde Park walking on a somewhat overcast and gray day.  When we arrived at Hyde Park we were unsure of where the sculptures were, I think that they were near Marble Arch.  We are at the wrong end of the park so we headed off in the direction of Marble Arch walking through the park.  A note to self here, when driving by try to take note of streets or landmarks so you know where you are going.  After taking my photos we continued our walk through the park with me continuing to take photos.  The horse head sculpture to the left is not named but was one of the sculptures that stood out as we drove by.

Once out of the park we walked through Knightsbridge an area we have previously visited.  We stopped for a bit of refreshment and a short rest at The Nags Head before heading off again back to the flat. In all we walked for for almost four hours and have covered 5.1 miles today.  I am exhausted but have enjoyed our day and hopefully lost a few ounces with the walk.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred

June 13 - 14, 2010 - London

Greetings All,

After a crazy drive to London (I think we jinxed ourselves) we arrived at John and Adrienne's Friday night to dog sit. They headed off to France on Saturday, while we spent the day relaxing and doing some food shopping.

Sunday June 13th. We headed off to the Marylebone Summer Fayre. This festival is a fund raiser for teenage cancer. Marylebone is a village within the city of London located just off Oxford Street. From the flat we took the tube to Oxford Circus and then walked around the Fayre taking in the sites and sounds. We stopped for lunch at a pub just off Oxford Street called the Lamb and Flag. A pub that has been in place since the 1850's. I had a great ploughmans sandwich,(ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato and branston pickle) on multi-grain bread and Fred has a rump steak sandwich. Of course with a 1/2 pint of cider for me and a pint of London Pride for Fred. Once fortified we continued our walk back to the flat.

Our walk took us by Berkeley Square which was originally laid out in the mid 18th century by the architect William Kent. The square is also home to London Plane Trees, some of the oldest in London, planted in 1789. The square features a statue by Alexander Munro, a Pre-Raphaelite sculptor, made in 1858 (see picture).  The square was also sang about in the song "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" made famous by Glenn Miller and Vera Lynn in WWII, then later by Rod Stewart and Harry Connick Jr just to name a few that have recorded the song. As well there are a number of elephant sculptures that are for a Save the Elephant Campaign. Corporations purchase the sculptures with the funds going towards saving the elephant. Unfortunately, so far, this has not been very successful. Our walk today was 4 miles and I am totally exhausted when we returned to the flat.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred

June 5 - 7, 2010 - Last Days in Canada

Greetings All,

June 5th. The weather finally turned nice. Jonathan and I headed off to the boat, while Amy stayed behind as the repairman was coming to fix the dryer. The drive out to the boat was kinda hairy and Jonathan tells me, as if I had not already guessed, he is an aggressive driver and hates driving in Vancouver. We arrived at the marina and he shows me the boat telling me what plans he has for it. Unfortunately we did not get to sail as the engine was not up to par and it was not worth the risk of going out without it. So I must wait until the next visit to go sailing, but I did enjoy the sun and time spent alone with Jonathan. After tidying up the inside of the boat we drove back to the apartment through Stanley Park. The sun has brought everyone out to enjoy the park and the hot sunny weather. Once back at the apartment, Jonathan prepared supper of homemade pasta (with his new pasta maker) and steak. We then relaxed for he balance of the night.

June 6th. Amy and I walked to get wine and dog food then dropped Jonathan off for a soccer game. Amy headed off to her friends Suzanne and Carmen, as Amy is getting help updating her resume due to the fact she will become jobless July 7th as the company she works for is relocating back to Ontario. Jonathan and I met up with them later for supper. Suzanne and Carmen made me most welcome and we had a great evening together. Before we knew it was 10:00 pm and we headed back to the kids place as I am leaving for Ontario in the morning.

June 7th. The flight back to Ontario was uneventful with a stopover in Calgary. Another civilized airport like Vancouver that offers free wifi. So the stopover flew by and before I knew it I was on the final leg to Ontario. Our friend Derek picked me up at the airport and I spent the night with Liz. After a couple of appletinis I had a great nights sleep.

June 8th. I spent the day catching up with Carol and Liz. Derek joined us for a lovely lunch together. Derek dropped me off at the airport. The drive usually takes about 20 minutes, but today it took an hour as there is a major accident, so a major slowdown. You have to love Toronto for that, something I truly don't miss. The check-in process for the flight to the UK was easy as I had my purse separate to go through security. The flight was uneventful and I had a great seat near the exit with no one beside me and a nice old gentleman in the window seat. Immigration in the UK was a breeze. I was fingerprinted (electronicly), my visa stamped and now my visa has been activated.

Back home and after a two day rest we headed off to London.

I survived my travels on my own and am glad to be home back with my sweetie.

Bye for now.

Sandy