…..thanks to Travelling at Wits End for hosting 31 Inspirations for November
Today’s theme is interesting advertisements. My selection comes from my trips to the cottage, signs on bus shelters and my recent trip to London, England.
….since there is no new challenge this week I decided to go back to Nancy Merrill’s blog and check out which challenge I’d missed
The challenge that I missed was Reflection
….I have a few more roses from Queen Mary’s Garden in Regents Park in London
…..it’s my daughter’s 39th birthday today and I remember as I was leaving to go to the hospital to bring her into this world there was one lone rose left on my rosebush
The name of this rose is ‘Blessing’. How appropriate.
…..after Highgate Cemetery
Down the hill from Highgate Cemetery we were directed to look for a pub that came highly recommended. Unfortunately when we got there the pub was being completely renovated and wasn’t open for business. We didn’t have to walk far before we found another place with a lovely patio. It was a little chilly to be sitting outside so we opted to go inside The Vine. Only one other table was occupied but the bartender greeted us and directed us to a table for four and handed us menus.
Normally an empty pub doesn’t bode well for good service or food but in this case it was completely the opposite. Our waiter was delightful and the food was delicious.
After a pint of larger or cider and a few sharing plates we headed off towards Camden Market.
With hundreds of stalls selling clothing, crafts, and food, Camden Market is one of Europe’s largest markets. It is divided into different markets. We started in the Camden Lock Market which is on the street level and next to the locks. There were lots of food vendors here and a variety of stalls selling anything from books, music and flowers to vintage clothes.
At first glance I thought the market was actually quite small but then we walked through a hole in the brick wall and we experienced a whole new world. There are literally hundreds of vendors in the Stables Market.
The Stables Market is located in historic former stables and the Grade II horse hospital which served the horses pulling Pickford’s distribution vans and barges along the canal. Many of the stalls and shops are set in large arches in railway viaducts.
It is very easy to get lost in this place. If you like this kind of market give yourself a couple of hours to really see this place and check out all the vendors.
……thanks to Nancy Merrill for hosting a Photo a Week Challenge
Small bridges over the canal in Camden.
Cable Stay bridge on the Thames in London.
Small Foot Bridges in Regent’s Park, London.
…one of my favourite days
One of my colleagues from bread making suggested that while we were in London we might want to check out the Highgate Cemetery where numerous famous authors, actors and politicians were laid to rest. It sounded interesting and it was an opportunity to take our first double decker bus ride.
We sat at the front of the bus for the best views of the neighbourhoods as we ascended the uphill climb to Waterlow Park.
It was a short walk through the park along paved pathways and over small footbridges to get to Highgate Cemetery.
Highgate Cemetery is divided into two separate areas: the East Cemetery is open daily to the public for a small entrance fee and one is able to roam through the grounds freely; the West Cemetery is only open to guided tours (unfortunately no tours were available on the day we went).
The eastern part of Highgate is a fascinating place to visit. The tombstones and gravesites along the paved pathways are very well cared for while deeper into the woods many stones are overgrown with ivy and falling over. In some ways the latter sites are the more interesting ones to look at. Many of the inscriptions have been worn away with time but some are still legible and give some insight into the lives of the families buried there.
One of the most famous ‘residents’ of Highgate is Karl Marx and most visitors who go there specifically look for his tombstone. He was originally buried in his wife’s grave on a small side path, but in 1956 a new monument featuring a gigantic bust by the socialist sculptor Laurence Bradshaw was installed in a more prominent location. Funds were raised by the Marx Memorial Fund, set up by the Communist Party in 1955.
It would take me too long to list all the famous people who are buried at Highgate. Many soldiers who died in both world wars are also buried here and the cemetery continues to serve the residents of north London to this day. George Michael, the English singer and songwriter who died in 2016 is buried in the west cemetery at Highgate.
Here are a few more gravesites that you may or may not recognize.
….to be continued.
…..in St. Jame’s Park near Buckingham Palace
…thanks to Fandango for hosting the One Word Challenge
My trip to London allowed me to take in numerous museums and art galleries. One of the things that I saw numerous examples of was abstract art. Here are just a few. Maybe you’ll recognize some of them.
Most of these paintings came from the Tate Modern. The first sculpture was outside the Museum of Modern Design.
….thanks to Cee for hosting the Fun Foto Challenge
From double decker buses, to boats, airplanes, spacecraft and trains…..
Mama Cormier 