My dear friend John and I meet a couple of times per year to go to visit somewhere different, somewhere cultural, so this time we chose to go to the State Opening of Buckingham Palace.
The idea had formed early in the year but it was on our Wedding Anniversary, that during our trip to visit Westminster Abbey, that Emily asked how John and I had known one another. I explained our connection and how we meet and John's interest in History meant that we could visit fabulous places and enjoy a private tour. Our next visit, Buckingham Palace (BP). Wow, i'd love to come to BP. Said Emily. And well, it led to John inviting her on our next trip. Sadly Dusan had to work and couldnt get the day off so my friend Vicki from work took his space.
Our day started at Horseguards Parade where John talked us through the history of the location as we made our way to BP.
We started our visit at the Royal Gallery and then onto the Royal Mews, Home of all the Carridges. Wow. You wouldn't believe the detail in these royal coaches. Some even included modern day suspension. The Mews took approximately an hour to visit and hear all about each of the coaches. We then needed a break and found our way to a nice English Pub for a spot of Luncheon.
From here we made our way to the main attraction, BP. Naturally it was Airport style security and for the first time in our day we were instructed to turn our mobile phones off. Having cleared security we collected our headset and tunned in to the first number. The Audio Tour told us all about the Palace and the history of each room. Upstairs in the grand Ballroom, we could see Kate (Duchess of Cambridges) Wedding Dress. It was an amazing day. Full of culture, history and amazing views. Sadly as we excited the Palace into the BP Gardens, the rain was pouring down. We got soaked walking back the station before John offered us a ride back to Waterloo. What a great start to my holiday :-) X
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Cocktails!
It wouldn't have been that long ago that I would have been excited to be going to Brighton Pride, in fact we always used to go for the whole weekend. But with Dusan having been in Croatia recently, a weekend off would have not been possible for him and so that meant a simple Day Trip. Alex & Mikey and I were going to go down for the day on the train, but the memories of former years where the train system, inadequate on the best of days, completely broke down leaving thousands of revellers stuck on non air-conditioned trains with no facilities for hours in hot temperatures. It was enough to put us all off. That along with the fact that despite its close proximity to London the fares are quite astounding. It was also the first year that the Pride event was not free. A huge shame, considering how many thousands of people the event brings to the City of Brighton & Hove. I believe they say last year there were around 135,000 people in Preston Park. I particularly like the way that as the Parade makes its way from the sea front to Preston Park the entire cities population comes out for what the locals often call the "Gay Parade".
But due to lack of contributions in the collection buckets over previous years, the costs were getting too high and they decided to charge this year. In a year of all these cuts and high taxes it seemed a crazy thing to go. Why not slap a £1 per Person, per ,tax on all hotel rooms. That in itself would cover the cost of the cleanup and security etc. Several times over the last week I have logged on to the Pride Website and looked at buying tickets. There was no option to have the tickets sent and in addition to the ticket, there was a compulsory collection fee. Tickets had to be collected from a location in Brighton, on the day. You would have thought they could have sent a unique code to a smart phone and that be used on the door eh?
So with Saturday having arrived and us all feeling rather exhausted from a heavy week (Was it all the Riots on the news that made everyone exhausted?)we opted for Plan B. I met Alex & Mikey at Pizza Express in Saint Christopher's Place and enjoyed a leisurely lunch before shopping for Swim Wear in Selfridges. Well I can't be seen wearing last season's trunks can I?
We then made our way to Soho for some drinks. Giraffe just off Old Compton Street honour their Happy Hour 7 days per week with selected cocktails 50% off till 1900. Fabulous. So we sat and sipped watching the boys go by from the upper loung bar. The weather was hot and humid, the drinks were chilled and company fabulous. It may not have been Pride, we may not have seen the Parade but we had fun and after the exhausting week we'd all had, was just what the Doctor ordered!
But due to lack of contributions in the collection buckets over previous years, the costs were getting too high and they decided to charge this year. In a year of all these cuts and high taxes it seemed a crazy thing to go. Why not slap a £1 per Person, per ,tax on all hotel rooms. That in itself would cover the cost of the cleanup and security etc. Several times over the last week I have logged on to the Pride Website and looked at buying tickets. There was no option to have the tickets sent and in addition to the ticket, there was a compulsory collection fee. Tickets had to be collected from a location in Brighton, on the day. You would have thought they could have sent a unique code to a smart phone and that be used on the door eh?
So with Saturday having arrived and us all feeling rather exhausted from a heavy week (Was it all the Riots on the news that made everyone exhausted?)we opted for Plan B. I met Alex & Mikey at Pizza Express in Saint Christopher's Place and enjoyed a leisurely lunch before shopping for Swim Wear in Selfridges. Well I can't be seen wearing last season's trunks can I?
We then made our way to Soho for some drinks. Giraffe just off Old Compton Street honour their Happy Hour 7 days per week with selected cocktails 50% off till 1900. Fabulous. So we sat and sipped watching the boys go by from the upper loung bar. The weather was hot and humid, the drinks were chilled and company fabulous. It may not have been Pride, we may not have seen the Parade but we had fun and after the exhausting week we'd all had, was just what the Doctor ordered!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Phew
I have to confess that it is a huge relief that thankfully the looting and rioting in London seems to have stopped. What kicked off on Saturday as something that you heard on the television was too quickly something you were seeing on the street's all around you. With the whole of Liverpool Street Staions shops closed by 1700 on Tuesday evening, one can't help but realise that this past week has affected the economy far more than the day it dipped due to the Wills & Kate Royal Wedding.
By Wednesday and Thursday Evening you could really feel a police presents everywhere. People mover vans and riots trucks passing up and down every street within a few minute invervals. The news reported that the Metropolitan police had some 16,000 officers on the streets on Tuesday evening.
Of course they are still talking about cutting the police forces by some 20% which seems crazy considering the recent events.
The longer term problem is not how to stop the troubles but how to prevent it happening again. For years we have known the youth show no motivation to really aspire to great things. How can we restore that in our young people?
I remember when I was a child we all had dreams of what we wanted to be. A Vet, a Nurse, a Doctor, A Policeman, A Teacher. Everyone had their own aspirations and we strode towards those goals.
Lets hope that the powers that be can find ways to motivate our youth once more.
By Wednesday and Thursday Evening you could really feel a police presents everywhere. People mover vans and riots trucks passing up and down every street within a few minute invervals. The news reported that the Metropolitan police had some 16,000 officers on the streets on Tuesday evening.
Of course they are still talking about cutting the police forces by some 20% which seems crazy considering the recent events.
The longer term problem is not how to stop the troubles but how to prevent it happening again. For years we have known the youth show no motivation to really aspire to great things. How can we restore that in our young people?
I remember when I was a child we all had dreams of what we wanted to be. A Vet, a Nurse, a Doctor, A Policeman, A Teacher. Everyone had their own aspirations and we strode towards those goals.
Lets hope that the powers that be can find ways to motivate our youth once more.
Monday, August 08, 2011
Recipee for disaster?
Turning in to the Radio on Saturday evening and hearing breaking news of "an Incident" forming in the Tottenham area. I thought no more of it and thanks to being caught up in Moulin Rouge on DVD didn't watch television again until Sunday morning. The scenes of terrible riots in the Tottenham and Wood Green area were simply shocking. Video footage of a whole double decker bus burned out and the burt ruins of what were formerly shops and homes.
While it is shocking to see and disasterous for those affected you do wonder that if the current cuts were are all being forced to endure will not simply make things worse. If Police budgets are to be cut by 20% who will jump in to help the unreast then? We don't have a Civil Guard to aid in these circumstances. Meanwhile the cost of education is rising and a University Degree is now likely to cost £9000 per year. Will this mean a fall in those going on to further eductation? The very people that voted these increases were all priviledge to Private Education and lived through a period when they received a grant to get through University. Not a £9000 per year bill. Mind you, we are a country that has been taught to rely on credit for the things we need. Looks like Education is falling into the same pitfall. One that is only time delayed. We struggle at work to get people with certain IT Skills. I can't help that think that by cutting acccess to education is causing a longer term problem and potentially a generation that will be left on the side line. We should be looking at the skills shortage and ensure our young people are learning them today so that they can fill them tomorrow. I hope it doesn't lead to more unrest but with the cuts just begining to kick in I can't help but feel that the current plans are going to lead to a recipee for disaster. Fingers Crossed it doesn't!
While it is shocking to see and disasterous for those affected you do wonder that if the current cuts were are all being forced to endure will not simply make things worse. If Police budgets are to be cut by 20% who will jump in to help the unreast then? We don't have a Civil Guard to aid in these circumstances. Meanwhile the cost of education is rising and a University Degree is now likely to cost £9000 per year. Will this mean a fall in those going on to further eductation? The very people that voted these increases were all priviledge to Private Education and lived through a period when they received a grant to get through University. Not a £9000 per year bill. Mind you, we are a country that has been taught to rely on credit for the things we need. Looks like Education is falling into the same pitfall. One that is only time delayed. We struggle at work to get people with certain IT Skills. I can't help that think that by cutting acccess to education is causing a longer term problem and potentially a generation that will be left on the side line. We should be looking at the skills shortage and ensure our young people are learning them today so that they can fill them tomorrow. I hope it doesn't lead to more unrest but with the cuts just begining to kick in I can't help but feel that the current plans are going to lead to a recipee for disaster. Fingers Crossed it doesn't!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)