Bucket List visit - part 3 of 9: Boat Trip down the Thames to Greenwich ...

This is something I had never done – or really had never thought about doing!  So I was very happy to tag along to tick off another experience … or more likely open my eyes as a way to get to Greenwich along the river.

Lonely Planet's Thames Hop-On-Hop-Off  River Cruise
see here
Greenwich is to be found where the meander is shown.

London arose from the Roman fort ‘Londonium’ two millennia ago … it has enjoyed its eras – for example those Roman times: and how - we keep finding relics …

Westminster Bridge, by the Houses of Parliament,
our starting point

Once the Romans withdrew … the Vikings came and plundered its wealth … but from the late 800s AD Alfred the Great and his Anglo-Saxons drove out the invaders to lay claim to their port and establish a new golden age of trade along old man River Thames.

Ethelred the Unready

The Vikings came again, Ethelred the Unready needed Olaf the Norseman to help upset those plunderers and recapture the city: they pulled the early London Bridge down – so the Vikings left.

Benedictine Monks had in the 700s settled further up the river on Thorney Island – the early Royal residence of King Canute, then Edward the Confessor - and we know who came next: the man that conquered.

It was Edward who had established the historic division between the centre for trade – the City of London –and that of government – the City of Westminster …

… which William endorsed when he conquered England in 1066 – by issuing what is known today as the “William Charter” – see my post on this amazing tiny piece of treasured parchment.

The Tower of London outside the eastern
walls of the City of London

We left on the boat trip from near enough Thorney Island … now under Westminster Bridge, and the Houses of Parliament and other iconic buildings … the Thames has been tamed (perhaps!) … it is now confined not being allowed to spread its wings out into flood plains that are no more.

William the Conqueror built the Tower of London … which lies outside the City of London walls – yet is today still an iconic landmark for tourists and visitors alike …

View from Greenwich Park looking
north over the Thames and on into London

We cruised down the Thames towards Greenwich - being regaled with numerous interesting subjects which we noted – to the riverside gateway to London, founded by those Romans with empirical desires back in the day. 

Greenwich too has had its fair share of history … it shone in the Middle Ages – Henry VIII and Elizabeth I made sure of that.

Arms of the Metropolitan Borough of
Greenwich - granted 15th July 1903 -
by the College of Arms

Greenwich held its ground for centuries, occasionally foregoing its ‘popularity’ … but revival is rarely far away - as is happening now that that Tudor Palace has been found and is being excavated, conserved and partially restored for us in the 21^st century to see.  (My Painted Hall post - part 5 ).

Now we are here – we will have some lunch, wander along the river, visit the Painted Hall, by-pass the Cutty Sark, before jumping onto our cruise ship for its return to Westminster Bridge – knowing that when we arrive at Parliament we will be walking over the home of 8^th century Benedictine monks of Thorney Island.

On our return trip I will highlight a few of the riverside places of interest that we passed.

Ready for fooooood? - lunch comes next …

My post on The William Charter - a parchment treasure from 1067 AD (950 years ago)

Flooding in London and Europe going back one thousand years - another of my eclectic posts!  

Go here to look at the route: Thames River Services - the sightseeing spots are quite clearly highlighted ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Bucket List visit - part 2 of 9: Theatre and Jack Horner ...

We were off to London town to see the musical “An American in Paris” … an amazing show; the story had been radically improved and I must say it was quite entrancing and magical …

First we needed a pub lunch and decided to get to the theatre retrieve our tickets … and then find somewhere to eat … if I’d had my wits about me (which I didn’t!) – we’d have gone into Fitzrovia …

… the historical bohemian home to writers as Virginia Woolf, George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Rimbaud – just over the road and few lanes in … but we stuck to Tottenham Court Road.

This is the Inn of Court sign for the Fuller Pub near
Chancery Lane, Holborn - it was an old bailiff's office

And settled on the Jack Horner Ale and Pie pub – one in a chain of Fuller’s Brewery establishments – set up to take advantage of the former bank premises that are springing up around the country – which are then and now being converted into ‘eateries’ …

… it was a pub in the 1800s, was bombed and destroyed during the war – then became a bank – but then Fullers bought the building and turned it back into a pub … who says things don’t go round and round …

… we didn’t have a pie – too heavy to sit with as we watched the musical.  One of us had vino ... I had water!

I knew nothing about the story … but the show dazzled, Gershwin’s music enthralled, the set design and choreography were magnificent … and I was entranced. 

Craig Lucas delights us by creating, in 2014, this “book musical” whereby songs and dances are fully integrated into the story we see on stage …

Jane Asher

The two principal dancers came over from the New York show – Robert Fairchild from the New York City Ballet, while Leanne Cope is part of the Royal Ballet …

It’s had amazing write ups – and I link across to the Guardian’s review … which gives a flavour of the set design and costumes …

So we were lucky with such an excellent story, cast, music, dance … with the bonus of Jane Asher as a strait-laced, high bourgeois figure just longing to toe-tap her way into the dance.

It was a wonderful afternoon … and we came out enthralled by it all …

Little Jack Horner, sat in his corner,
eating his Christmas pie;
he put in his thumb, and pulled out a plum,
and said "What a good boy am I!"

Then we needed a drink … … quite unintentionally we found another Fullers on our way back to Victoria Station for the journey home – “The Admiralty” in Trafalgar Square: so as you can see Fuller’s Breweries have tapped into British culture in one way or another …

 … an ale and pie, or a refurbished bank (vaulted ceilings, ornate chandeliers, original features) and an appropriately named pub sign.

A dance sequence

We had a happy day … and I hope you can pop over and read the Guardian’s write up and see the wonderful photos of the show … I’ve seen a couple of other bloggers who’ve seen a show in the States … so it’s a well established musical – but this new particular extravaganza was just brilliant …

Another adventure in the next post …

The Guardian's review ... 5 star one ... 

The Guardian's review (Gene Kelly) ... more about the story line 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Bucket List visit - part 1 of 9: Eastbourne first ...

I recently had a friend over from South Africa … she was here mainly to see a friend further west, who isn’t very well, but came and spent three nights with me - so we could get to London and do a couple of things on her bucket list …

Beautiful plum hollyhocks in Meads

It was lovely to see her, catch up with news from friends in SA, and to do something somewhat different … she also needs to take things easily … so it was mostly taxis for the short journeys …

We met at the local train station, coming up for lunch at a local pub in Meads village, an early development up the Downs, away from the town centre …

The Pilot Inn – what better way to start a brief sojourn than at the Pilot … situated at the foot of the Downs, but we’d come up – sorry I’m in that mode at the moment!  you’d think I’d been drinking, or would have been … but 'twas not me at lunchtime … before we got home.

Goat's Cheese with Caramelised
Red Onion Tart

One of us had goats cheese and caramelised red onion tart, beetroot and mixed leaf salad with balsamic glaze and some pink Pinot Grigio …

… the local resident had the dressed crab with salad, new potatoes, granary bread and butter … I forgot to take a picture … still these will do very well.

Crab with a salad ...I waited for my
smoked salmon in the evening

Gosh at times I miss my mother … there was a crab outlet just below where she lived in Newlyn, in Cornwall … and how often did we go down to the crabbery and get crab for our meals …

Cranberry bread

We’d already decided that we’d stay here and travel up and down to London by train for each of the two days … it was cheaper, than staying in London, which we’d considered … but meant we were back in our own surrounds mid evening and able to get up in them.  More relaxing …

Lots of smoked salmon with some
salad pieces, and the bread 

The first night … I’d got a variety of goodies in … and in the end we had lots of smoked salmon, mixed salad leaves, salad pieces, cranberry, orange, and pumpkin seed bread loaf – I don’t eat bread usually … but have on occasions been having this bread which is delicious!

Late evening view onto the reef ...

After tea and a rest, then settling into the flat I now needed a drink … and we were set for lots of nattering and looking out at the view from here … Sainsbury’s Sparkling Pinot Rosé has been waiting (since Christmas I think!) for the right occasion and this is the description given:

Pinot Rosé Vino Spumante Extra Dry … and it really did taste like this: “Intense aromas of violet and rose with the fresh flavours of strawberry and raspberry.  Perfect with light pasta dishes” – well we failed there … but the wine was delicious … and we had plenty of food to keep us happy.

Next time we’re off to London town … there will be a few of these shortish recalls of her visit and time here ... not sure how many, but as I go on I'll let you:   it won't be as many as 23 ... that I wrote up for the West Country tour I did in 2015/2016 ... possibly six of them ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher 

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Bran Tub # 14 : Blaschka Glass Flowers, Harvard …

I wrote about the Blaschka father and son and their amazing ‘flower sculptures’ four years ago – but have just found the postcards I brought back from Harvard after a visit in 1976 …

The four cards I found with their descriptions I set out below ...

 

ECHINOCEREUS ENGELMANII (Parry Rumpler) 

(Model 529)

An abundant cactus in the American southwest and adjacent parts of northern Mexico.  In fashioning this model, in 1895, the artists Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka used extreme accuracy in such details as the numerous stamens.

FRAGARIA VESCA L. var.   SEMPERFLORENS Duch. 

X F. VIRGINIANA HYBRIDA  (Model 796)

This cultivated hybrid, known as Monthly Strawberry, was modelled by R Blaschka in 1929 and shows some of his finest techniques in reproducing plant texture in glass.

ASPERGILLUS HERBARIORUM  (Wigg.) Fischer   (Model 785)

Mould, magnified in the model 250 times, on the surface of the pear fruit.  This model made by R Blaschka in 1929 forms part of a series showing fungal diseases of fruits.

CALTHA PALUSTRIS Linn.  (Model 475)

Marsh Marigold or Cowslip, a species which grows in swamps and meadows from Newfoundland to South Carolina and west to Minnesota and Iowa.  Modelled in glass in 1900 by Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka.

I notice that Harvard have re-housed, cleaned and restored the acclaimed Ware Collection … a unique collection of over 4,000 models, representing more than 830 plant species.

The Harvard site has four beautiful photos of the extensive works and a short 6 minute video on how the flowers were restored for the 21^st century.

c/o Harvard's site
Professor Pfister waxed lyrical about these
glass Red Maple leaves

As you’d expect from Harvard … a professional take on the restoration of the flowers … introduced by Donald H Pfister, Professor Of Systematic Botany, who was there as a graduate student in 1968 and is still there today.

We meet Wes Fleming the glass sculptor, who is restoring any damaged exhibits … and he notes that no-one has come near the Blaschkas in creating specimens like those in the Ware Collection … amusingly he says his tools are similar to those used by the Blaschkas … much like those we use at a BBQ!!

We see the restoration of the cabinets in which the botanical specimens were displayed – during deconstruction they found signatures of the case-makers from 1893, which have become part of the exhibition.

Book available in the shop

The displays now follow classification and show how the flower is built in nature – the art, as well as the way of understanding the organism.

Each section of the life-size model is remarkably accurate … this was so the species could be studied year-round.

Well this exhibition has stayed with me for over 40 years … I would now love to see it again … with all its exceptional works of art newly cleaned and displayed.

Please enjoy and if you can get to Harvard to see this extraordinary collection of famous treasures, which is internationally acclaimed – I highly recommend you make a plan.

Here’s the University’s link … Glass Flowers: The WareCollection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants

The video of Harvard restoring its famed glass flowers.

Then here’s my earlier post from almost exactly 4 years ago, which contains some more historical background on the Blaschkas and their glass botanical models.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We Are The World Blogfest … # 6 – aware youngsters give such generosity of spirit and thought …

… In Darkness, Be Light – a blogfest of creative posts on all manner of subjects … highlighting positivity to let more light into our lives --- we the lucky ones …

Two stories about 10 year olds this month … both extraordinary which will make you sit up and think … and readjust the way you look at the world …

First off - a kid, who could not type – not because he wasn’t technically capable – but because he had no hands, nor - for that matter - feet …

Early on he was fitted with prosthetic limbs … so he was able to get around … but without hands – how do you live … here’s a lad with personality and determination to lead an independent life …

Ever heard of Zion … Zion Harvey has recently received the gift of a double hand transplant … his ambition was to swing a baseball – successfully ticked off.

He is so chuffed with life … he’s got one left hand AND one right hand … so says the 10 year old.

 “They can always help me.  When I fall down, I’ll get right back up.”

His consultant commented … “he’s a remarkable human being, let alone child or adult”.

Incredible … do take a look at any Youtube clips you can find for your country – he’s infectious ... his smile, his laughter, his joie de vivre !!

He wants to write to the donor's parents ... to let them know they have given him the miracle of having hands ... he has this goal - he can write his name ... so it won't be long before a thank you letter gets sent off.

Number two – a young Afghan refugee “the little Picasso”, Farhad Nouri.  He lives in a refugee camp with his two younger brothers and parents in Belgrade, Serbia, having fled Afghanistan two years ago …

He must be a brilliant artist – well you can see: he is – he spends his days drawing sketches – he is earning some money from an exhibition … and those earnings are going towards a Serbian family who cannot afford to pay for life-saving treatment for their seven-year-old son …

… "I want to help him and to show other people how they can help him" ... 

Two wonderful kids … thoughtful, determined to make the best of life, and to care for others …

Zion: How the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia helped him ...  

Farhad:  Shown sketching - and telling us in English how much he loves drawing and art ... 

We are the World ... in Darkness, be Light ...

Hosts for this month’s linkup are:   Simon Falk, Roshan Radhakrishnan, Inderpreet Uppal, Lynn Hallbrooks, Eric Lahti, and Mary J Giese

If you’d like to contribute a post, please Click on this Link that will allow you to see who is participating and a place for you to add your own post.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Senior Moments … such is life in the fast lane!

I needed some cash … off to town I poddle – it’s not far – about half an hour each way … down going down, and up coming back … strange that – but when you live on the edge of the Downs – life can be a little topsy-turvy.

Eastbourne town from flat - where I go down
from the Downs!

Find bank, go inside, insert card and enter PIN, get statement … just to make sure and see status … ask for money – it will give it to me … and reverse the process …

… wander out of the banking hall – to get a bit of shopping for the friend who is visiting – ah! …… what did I do with the cash … oh oh …

… back into the bank I go – by my machine (NB the ‘my machine’!) there’s a man – now that’s a strange being! – he’s at right-angles to the cash machine … so I potter up and ask ‘is my money there?’

… a little bemused this equally senior man is by this question – ah ha … realisation … oh it’s her money … yes it is – 'oh good I say' … we both turn to the machine - - - oh no it’s not!  It’s been swallowed …

Swallows - but not swallowing dosh

… having set the scene I shall shorten this escapade … having thanked said senior man – who now can’t use that machine! because it’s gone into blink mode … I go to find a customer services representative …

… explain my situation to her show her my slip and she checks – but no money returned … the machine has well and truly swallowed it!

View from flat at low tide - Beachy Head is just
round the corner

I’m not worrying … and the rep says – look it should be back in your account tonight, if not tomorrow morning … I’m still not worrying – why worry?!  It’s all been recorded via video in the bank … (presumably!) …

Next morning off (down) to town I go, still poddling, to check in with the bank – slot my card in and check the statement … nothing … off to another customer relations chap – oh hello … tale retold … he says don’t worry – please go and sit down (in a little room!) and I’ll be back shortly - he then goes off to the nether regions to check things out …

… I meanwhile think … (I do think - occasionally … I promise you! - just occasionally some wires in the grey cells get a little crossed) where’s my card … not in the machine, right another more thorough look through pockets, in my bag etc etc …

… back comes my friendly man rep – oh I smile brightly ‘have you got my card’ – “no” – he smiles and off he goes back to where he’s just comes from – those nether regions …

Looking north from back of flat (my flat only faces
the English Channel) with the Downs in the background

… humbly, I apologise, smiling sweetly and thank him hugely for the returned card – but no money … he’s spoken to the manager and says they’ll check that cash machine and see if they can find the stash of cash I’d like to get my grubby little paws on … and it should be back in the account tonight.  He took my phone number to ring me to let me know …

I went off to a Memoir Writing Class … guess what the 10 minute topic was … Senior Moments – the others were unimpressed!!

After my class – here we go back to my saga – but with an interlude! … I went off to see my cousin who does a number of jobs for the tennis tournaments around the country and was down in Eastbourne for a competition. 

When I got home the bank had phoned and they’d have my money, or I could pick it up the next day.  Yes, I don’t carry my phone around with me … it can rest its little chops up here – and usually does.

Now the third day – I go back down the backside of the Downs to the bank … with a thank-you note for the reps who’d been helping – they were pleased … and I withdrew my cash – yeah it gave it to me … my brain remembered it needed to take said cash as the machine regurgitated it …

Red Arrows 2016 - view from flat

So all’s well in the grey land of sunny Eastbourne!  We have had the Red Arrows team, part of Airborne, giving us displays for 3 days – so I’ll probably need my ears tested next week!

Nope – this senior citizen is alive and well, standing and laughing happily …

… just had a friend from South Africa staying – but am slowly getting back to normal …

So tell me – what are your senior moments, middle-age moments, happy thirties moments, youthful exuberance moments or just plain childish moments?!


PS - if there's lots of eclipse posts - forgive me, but I won't comment
on many ... I can see there'll be lots and lots ... 

See you for the We are the World Blogfest next week: end of the month ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories