Out of town: Kew Gardens

Want a little break from all the hussle in central London? Take the tube or, even better, a boat out to Kew Gardens - what was once the King´s weekend getaway, is now open to the public and offers enough little paths through flower beds and rhododenron bushes to forget the city for a while. 

King George III was living here with his family, hidden away from the public because of his manic behaviour. He suffered from recurring bouts of convulsions and talked until the foam ran out of his mouth. Researchers believed he suffered from porphyria, the blue urine,  which caused his madness. In an acute crisis, he would write sentences of around 400 words, over and over repeating himself. When he was taken by convulsions, his pages had to sit on him to keep him on the floor.

Today, researchers have thrown doubt in the hypothesis of porphyria causing his mental decline. Medical documents from the time have shown that he was given a plant extract as a tonic that had, most probably, affected the color of his urine. He would be diagnosed with a manic disorder by today´s criteria.

Anyway, it was at Kew Palace where, when he was still well, he spent glorious summer holidays with his wife Charlotte von Mecklenburg-Strelitz and their 15 children. 

One can catch a little glimpse of how it must have been to be the King´s child when taking a tour through Kew Palace. 

Road Trip III: The Cathedral of Wells and Salisbury

With our little rental car we made our way down to Wells, on little curvy country roads lined by well-cut English hedges. My dad struggled with the gear and the left-hand driving so a lot of shouting was involved on that two-hour ride down to Wells. The cathedral was beautiful - majestic and serene, the landmark of the place. 

Once the sun came out, we stopped at a little pub and tried all their different ciders. Yay, we felt so English while sipping the cider and looking at those green slopes with sheep grazing quietly. 

The next day, we went over to Salisbury to visit an even more impressive cathedral where the Magna Charta is displayed. 

I was amazed by that water bassin that acts as a mirror to study the ceiling, the water was so still you wouldn´t even tell the difference between the original and the reflection in a picture!

Road Trip UK II: English Countryside

What a treat to have some greenery around you and enjoy a beautiful evening walk along the river...

and the quietness...no cars, no ambulance or police sirens nor any drunkards in the streets...for a few days, it was good to take a break of busy London :-)

Road Trip UK I: Bath

After weeks in a very uncomfortable bed in noisy London, I was very happy when my family came over for a little England road trip that involved sleeping in a comfy hotel bed in a peaceful little town :-)

Our first stop was the town of Bath, an ancient Roman settlement with little cobblestone streets, an impressive cathedral and the old Roman Baths that transfer you back to the days of Roman occupation with Minerva temples and other holy shrines. 

Afternoon Tea in York

A beautiful little town up north all charming and welcoming with a wonderful tea house - Betty´s!

They even had South African tea from the mountains of KwaZulu Natal! And very delicious scones! I loved the cake trolley with all kinds of sweets, cakes and pies - how can one resist?

Thanks for the lovely afternoon, Olivia!