Back home again

In addition to the first week spent in London, these final two days before my departure were fabulous. Night time in London and finishing up with things not done during the first week in London at the start of this amazing trip. Ive made a small selection of the hundreds of photos I took (trying not to double up on ones I took during the first week) It was a fabulous journey with memories to cherish forever.

The first afternoon and evening

...being a staunch British television fan it was a thrill to visit the BBC in London!

... paid a visit to the iconic British Telecom building (The Telecom Tower)where public visits are no longer allowed but they let us in the foyer and took some pictures - they were great!

...it was getting dark and the lights of London were dazzling! Christmas lights - beautiful!

..it was magical and so many people out enjoying the night

... the next day - I loved these buildings near pre-flight accommodation

...next day off to Westminster Abbey - spent 3 hours there - could have spent more - amazing! I would pay any amount to go inside and visit.

...the Tate Gallery was high on the list as well. The art was stunning, all of it ....

...but my absolute favourite was this oil on canvas by Canaletto painted 4 years after he arrived in England - Greenwich from the River......beautiful!!

        Walked aimlessly trying to cram in more last minute sights

...and finally to finish off a magnificent day dined at this old pub across the road before retiring and an early start the next morning for my departure from Heathrow.

... 'til my next adventure!

THE END

I have a feeling that Britain will call me back in 2019...stay tuned

And this trip too has come to pass...almost

I love the UK and have fallen in love with Wales. Tomorrow morning I make the journey to London and spend my last two nights and a day and a half there before my flight Wednesday morning for Australia where I'll spend the best part of two days with my dear friend Diane in Brisbane.

I am not looking forward to the long haul flight - I will suffer...and it will be hard hitting the Australian summer heat after the start of the European winter. I am looking forward to settling back in to my routine and refeathering my nest and of course planning my next adventure. Half the fun is in the research and planning.

Thank you for joining me on this wonderful journey and for both your Facebook comments and the lovely newsy emails. I especially love receiving emails. 
This ancestral quest has been absolutely wonderful, with a few things yet to be uncovered.

This chapter is now closed......unless I get some really great pics in London prior to departure. It will be a cold couple of days - unlike the perfect week enjoyed there for my kick off week.

The End

Stay tuned for my next travel adventure...who knows from where!

Betws y coed was calling

Betws y coed is my favourite village in the whole of the Snowdonia National Park - you may remember my solo overnight visit here several weeks ago Click HERE if you'd like a recap (photos only)  I immersed myself in the lovely shops again and visited inside St Marys which I hadn't managed to do last time and walked the river walkway which was lovelier than I could have imagined. I wanted one last visit to this magic place. I will miss Betws-Y-Coed.

...stunning St Marys - open, with just an honesty box for protection

.. a few minutes walk takes you from the tourist shopping strip to the hiking trails and easy walks

...winter is fast approaching - frost on the ground and autumn leaves turning to mulch

...it's expected to snow within the week, how gorgeous up here will look with a blanket of white

THE END

Who remembers Guy Fawkes night?

Went along to Llandudno last night for Guy Fawkes night. I remember my mother being most meticulous in making our Guy to burn on the bonfire on 'cracker night'. It was quite a sight. I have a photo somewhere of me holding on to my Guy. From memory fireworks were banned in the early 70's in Australia. Tell me what you remember of 'cracker night' :)  Here's some pics (my camera didn't capture fabulous photos as I don't know what settings to put it on for fireworks!) We drove up Great Orme and got a pretty good position. It was a freezing night and the rain came down as the display ended. I went to bed with the sounds and flashes of families in backyards setting off their rockets and bungers....talk about nostalgia!! I also remember the stores in the Townsville CBD being loaded up with the said years fireworks and we'd go in and buy up for the big night.

Never ever imagined I'd be part of a Guy Fawkes night ever again!

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Three days in Scarborough

Scarborough North Yorkshire England is much larger than I first thought - population around 60,000 (I had it at around 5,000!) It's the largest seaside resort in Yorkshire and one of the most popular holiday destinations for the British. It sports some wonderful architecture and its history goes back a long way. The 11th C Scarborough Castle looks over the north sea from atop the promontory.
The sun poked out momentarily a few times but mostly it was a gloomy overcast outlook. Thankfully it didn't pour rain so getting around was very pleasant.

...the town is built on high cliffs above the seaside front and 'cliff lifts' and 'funicular trams' date back to the 1800's and are a fabulous way to get back and forth. This one is 2 minutes walk from where we stayed

...this one is situated along the seaside a little further next to the famous Spa Complex

... the beautiful old Scarborough Spa (grand Victorian building) for all sorts of entertainment

...and looking down over her after going up the 'cliff lift'

...and looking the other way

...the night lights were very pretty

..there are penny arcades and amusement arcades galore along the sea front and so many cafes and restaurants! So very British.

...the Rotunda Museum and Scarborough Art Gallery

...lunched at the Grand Hotel and she's still grand but she's tired and aging

...two Churches of Scarborough  while walking the back streets
St Andrews

St Andrews United Reformed Church - 1864

and St Martin on the Hill 1862 - C of E. Lucky that we were able to go inside (good timing)

...stunning

...other gorgeous old buildings on the hillside under the castle

...rooftops! of course.

...'verbose' is the word that comes to mind if I attempted to tell you about my getting hopelessly lost or, about the train trip back to Colwyn Bay.  Best to tell both in person.
but....this is the very spot where I started my 'hopelessly lost saga'. The picture may look pretty, my experience was not. :(  Pacer trains, as long as I live I will never forget Pacers!

... on the last night out and about the clouds parted just long enough to enjoy a full moon

THE END