Suffragettes and the Strand

Waking up in Canterbury to the rattle of linen carts being unloaded directly beneath our window was as good as any alarm clock.  With practiced precision The Heiress and I moved quickly from bed to breakfast and were soon on board the hi-speed train taking us to St Pancras, London.  The fields were still lying below a haze of fog and mist so there wasn't much of a horizon to watch quite along the way.  Coincidentally, one of The Heiress's friends and her beau were travelling on the same train, really helping my daughter feel a bit less sad about leaving Canterbury behind.

Arriving at last in Bloomsbury, we quickly unpacked and made way for the Museum of London.  A fascinating treasure trove full of artifacts from the time of the Romans, Londinium and present day.  I am determined to come back here yet again as it was my second visit and my travels partners never seem to want to stay as long as I do.  The Heiress was anxious to visit The Women's Library and see their exhibit 'The Long March to Equality'.  It was the section featuring the suffragette movement that we were riveted to and has certainly spurned me on to learn more about Millicent Garret Fawcett, Katie Sliddon, Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Davison.  Seeing their letters in person about the abuse and harassment they endured in an unrelenting pursuit for equality has touched me more than any documentary or chapter in a book.  See this exhibit if you possibly can.

Moving on next to the Strand The Heiress wanted to visit the Twinnings tea shop.  It's quite a narrow shop and was absolutely bustling with customers.  After choosing a few teas to sample back at home we made our way to the back of the shop where they house a small museum.

You really get a sense of just how precious tea was when it first arrived in England by the small tins it was kept in - or the very ornate canisters to display its importance or the owner's wealth.  We drank many cups of take-out tea to stay warm during our long days spent walking outdoors and were thankful the price has come down drastically! 

After sampling some tea poured by a lovely young sales lady we decided it was time for something to fortify ourselves before moving on to The Courtauld Institute of Art.  Ye Olde Cock Tavern has been on this site since 1887 and was a favourite drinking spot of Samuel Pepys, Charles Dickens and Dr Johnson...who could resist?  We had the most delicious steak and ale pie, mashed potatoes smothered in rich gravy and three kinds of fresh veg all glistening in butter.  Just the thing after being outside and on the move since early in the morning.

The sight of Somerset House lit up for the evening made The Heiress gasp.  It is quite a spectacular view when you don't have anything like it at home.  They are preparing the skating rink for the winter season and a lovelier evening spent outside in the cold, fresh air I can't imagine.  The Courtauld Gallery's late night meant we could squeeze in one more event before calling it a day and it was everything we could have hoped for.  If we had appeared dressed as a Roundhead or Cavalier for the Lely talk we could have got in for free but sadly there was no puffy shirt tucked away in my suitcase.

What I don't know about art could fill a massive library but I do enjoy stumbling upon works of art I have seen in books or highlighted in documentaries and I do so love to learn.  Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergere is one such piece that made my eyes light up when I first spied it.  So did Vincent Van Gogh's Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear, not as pretty as the Manet but definitely an iconic piece.  The Courtauld Gallery very much reminded me of The Wallace Collection in that they are manageable and intimate while being world-class in content.  Take a look at their website for a short clip featuring some of the collection, it's breathtaking and I will definitely be visiting again during my next trip. 

Tomorrow is Highgate and Hampstead...

A Husband Returns, Part I

An overnight flight and a couple of train rides delivered R to a very warm reception in Canterbury.  A sweeping tour of the campus, introductions to friends, the passing around of gifts and a short nap later it was time for The Heiress to show off the highlights of town life.  Canterbury Cathedral is the jewel in the crown and where the graduation ceremony for the university students usually takes place.  If you are familiar with the murder of Archbishop Thomas Beckett in 1170, then you will know it took place at this cathedral and if not then click here for details.

R took scads of photos of the High Street and interesting architecture but this one really struck me.  You can just imagine that at any moment a carriage will roll by or a peasant woman carrying a bundle of firewood will peddle her wares.  The contrast between the working man and the wealth of the church, the functional against the splendid, this photo is so simple but displays so much and I adore images that whip you back in time.  I was also completely enthralled with a story R was told about villagers sketching the window detail from above the front door on a letter for the post before addresses were common as a way of identifying the proper location.  Fascinating stuff!

Hopping on a bus, The Heiress gave her Dad a tour of Whitstable.  It was a cool day but they thoroughly enjoyed a bracing walk along the shore.  Huge piles of oyster shells deposited outside the nearby pub was an indication of just how popular the local catch is.  Choosing the table next to a roaring fire meant it was R's job to tend it, so every now and then he had to pitch on a log or poke at the embers while a band playing music from the 40s entertained the customers.  As he was basking in the warmth and glow he had a fright when he realized he had placed a bag containing something like twenty bars of chocolate from Thornton's under the table.  Thankfully all was well...phew!  A foreign sight was four dogs residing under the drinks table of their owners, something you would never see here but I wish we did.

After a weekend of being shown around the village by a gaggle of young lady friends of The Heiress and playing Dorm Dad it was time to move on to London.  This is Hogarth's House into which a dash was made for postcards and a peek around at my request.  The initial attraction which brought my husband to this area was a tour of Fuller's Brewery but I've decided to spare you the pictures of conveyor belts carrying kegs, a maze of pipeline, massive vats and transport vehicles.

Winding their way through the surrounding neighbourhoods they laughed at how the unmistakable aroma of yeast filled the air as the Thames flowed nearby.  My heart skipped a beat when R pointed out this photograph taken from the sidewalk looking down a lane (This is the house I mentioned, Mary).  It was a private drive so they couldn't venture along it but what I wouldn't give to know a bit more about the history of that house and what lies around the corner.  It also beckons to that bit of 'downstairs girl' that exists inside me and makes me want to take up a feather duster or copper pot.  Moving right along...

With only four days in London every second counted.  Covering hundreds of miles of tube track and city streets whether on foot or by cab, my two kept at it until exhaustion left them barely able to flick off the lights at the end of the day.  The Heiress and R saw two plays, Hay Fever which they enjoyed and The Ladykillers which they loved.  Admiring the flash of a brightly coloured sock on many men, my man chose an array for himself much to my delight.  A London Walk of the hidden pubs of London took them through alleyways and over cobblestones into several historic establishments, one being the hundreds year-old Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.  The photo above shows the London Aquarium taken during a ride on the London Eye.  The view of the city stretching before them was absolutely stunning and R marvelled at just how many people he spied on the banks of the Thames digging for historic treasure and sea glass.  An afternoon was also spent admiring the collection at the V&A, with R prodding the holes in the wall near an entrance left by shrapnel during WWII.  During a quiet stroll through Hyde Park to get away from the hustle and noise, father and daughter wondered how anyone could sit on a beach and do nothing during a vacation when there are so many interesting things to discover in such a fascinating city.  To each his own.  But this was most definitely a trip the two of them will remember for a lifetime.

Stay tuned for Part II of 'A Husband Returns' for the aftermath of souvenir shopping for a wife left behind.