Stratford - upon - Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon --a few glimpses.

The banks of the River Avon

The Courtyard Theatre

Ophelia on the River

'Swan River'

Cornwall - And she was the fairest among them all

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Cornwall, the pretty rose who dwelleth in the farthest corner of the British shores! If the lands of Britain were made of fair maidens then she would undoubtedly be the fairest of them all. Trust me. I know a thing of exceptional beauty when I see one. Afterall I was born into Gods own country and the place I call home is one of the most beautiful places on earth. So when I feel compelled to shower accolades on a place for its beauty words dont come easy  - but for Cornwall.

Inhabited since probably the paleolithic period, Cornwall is situated in the south-eastern most tip of mainland Britain. It is bordered to the north by the Celtic sea and in the south lies the English Channel. Its only land boundary is with the County of Devon. Since historic times Cornwall developed its own distictive culture and language. Cornish is considered to be one of the Celtic languages just like the Cornish people.

Though, over time and in the recent past especially, Cornwall has become a haven for the second homes of many of the affluent peoples from other parts of Britain.

My love affair with Cornwall began the day I set foot on Cornish soil. Before then she was simply 'that rugged coastline', with unimaginably high cliffs, that we all get to see on TV. From then she captured my heart.As you may well imagine going into intricate detail of the whole of Cornwall is beyond the scope of this blog, nor is it my intention. But there are a few gems that I discovered, some world famous and some not.

Let me begin with the Minack theatre. If there is one thing you have got to see in Cornwall then this is it (for me Lands End might be a close second only).

Minack theatre is a little gem tucked away about 10 minutes from Lands End, in Porthcurno. It is an open air theatre carved out of the granite cliff face in the 20th century overlooking one of the most beautiful visions of the Atlantic Ocean.

   

It is also the fruit of the remarkable vision and dedication of a woman called Rowena Cade who initially struck upon the idea to build a stage on these unforgiving rocks to stage the Tempest. The rock hewn seats of the theatre face the stage down below as well as the sea. Here we had the pleasure of enjoying a play with a very nautical naughty theme put together for the kids. There is of course a small restaurant and restroom facilities for the traveller. But nothing can parallel the view of the sea from the side of the cliff opposite the theatre. Its blue green waters lapping against the sands of the beach with the majestic backdrop of steep rockfaces are a sight to behold.

There is ofcourse another access to this beach nearby which dosent form part of the theatre premises. Both the theatre and beach nearby are worth every penny of the lengthy drive to get there.

Now lets get to Lands End, made famous by all those worthy people having the go from Lands End to John O' Groats for worthy causes in all seasons. Lands End is the most western and may be even most southern point of mainland England.The first day we attempted to visit, it was too rainy and dull so we decided to give it a miss.On our return attempt the skies had cleared and there was glorious sunshine awaiting us.

  

  Bearing in mind that I was quite pregnant during this visit, physical activity wasnt one of my favourate passtimes. But still we had to walk--along the cfiffside road that took one to something that looked like a promontory which played host to the First and Last Refreshment House of England.

 Along the way is the tourist quintessential of Land's end--the Signpost! The signpost that tells you the distance to wherever you want and  the opportunity to get a  picture taken of yourself standing beneath the signpost for some princely sum that I cared not to pay. But there is no doubt about the fact that the sea and the cliffs again provide for a breathtaking panorama.

The walks definitely made us thirsty and here the first and last refreshments house provided the much needed refreshment in the form of Ice-creams. On our walk back to the entrance we took another route which wasnt quite so picturesque but got us faster to the entrance where the Royal Navy were having their helicopter show.

The matter of food is not a silly one, infact it figures quite high in my list of neccessities, especially whilst on holiday. So where else to dine other than in the Famous First and Last Inn of England! So 'inn' we trooped through the back door which was kind of the front door because the front of the inn opened onto the road but the parking was obviously at the back. The inn claims to have been open since the 1620's and have  provided a haven for smugglers and shipwreckers as well. So all in all we were not in bad company.The following pictures are quite self explanatory and were found on the walls of the said inn.

The food was unremarkable but the sense of history was all pervading. After all Britain is more about history than anything else.

 The first I had heard of St.Ives was in the nursery rhyme 'As I was going to St.Ives, I met a man with seven wives...'. From my childhood I had always tried to compute the rhyme but never ended up with a satisfactory answer. It was only once I was well into my adulthood had I realised that the rhyme was a trick question rather than a mathematical brain teaser. The first thing I realised when we drove through St Ives was that it was never meant to be driven in! The road are ever so narrow, especially the ones closest to the beach. And hemmed in by dwellings in dark stone every inch of the way!

Regardless, the reason why tourists from all over Britain throng the sands of St Ives and walk the narrow cobbled streets is no secret. Its beautiful sandy beaches offers something for everyone. And when the weather is great there is hardly a shore on the British Isles that can vye for the sight of the colourful display of tents nestling beside the beautiful blue waters of the Cornish coast at St.Ives.                          

Our trip to St Ives culminated in one of its waterfront fine dining restaurants where we sampled some great British sea food. The lobster salad was beyond compare. The baked sardines looked a treat and the accompanying sauces and dips were worthy for a King. BUT unfortunately I cant remember the name of the place!

So on that very tasty note, I leave you my dear readers, until my next blog.

@ Copyright 2011 - Please do not copy or print any part of this blog including the photographs without written permission.

Scarborough - the city by the sea.

I take artistic licence in calling Scarborough a city--because in fact she isnt - not demographically anyway. But in stature she is much renowned and a much sought after maiden, by both  young and old alike!

For a peep into her byegone past read here.

Scarborough -from Skardaborg (Viking influence), is Britains first seaside resort and has been welcoming visitors ever since Elizabeth Farrow discovered spa water in 1620, and claimed the water had beneficial qualities.

I must confess that it was neither the spa waters nor her beautiful beaches that caused my feet to trod her sands. It was more of a mundane materialistic desire to eke out a living within her arms.
Her beautiful beaches and lovely parks simply added to her charms.

Our first trip to Scarborough included the quintessential beach walk, followed by a meal. Me being me, I couldnt resist departing before tasting some succulent crab cooked to perfection. Unfortunately, whilst I enjoyed the fare my other half decided to get an allergic reaction to our multi-clawed friend. Luckily for me it didnt turn out into an anaphylaxis and settled eventually with a couple of swollen eyelids and an itchy back.

The beaches of Scarborough are divided into the South Bay beaches and the North Bay beaches. Personally I would say I prefer the South bay and all it has to offer. It has lovely sandy beaches with the Victorian façade of the Grand hotel as an awesome backdrop(as seen in the picture to the right). Amusement arcades, cafes, and other entertainment facilities complete the personality of the South bay.

The famous Scarborough spa is also on the south side of town. Though public consumption of the Spa waters ceased in the 60's, the Spa continues to be a crowd puller by rebirthing itself into a 21st century entertainment venue with various conference and banqueting facilities with a spectacular view of the North sea.

The South bay is linked to the North bay by the Marine Drive, a victorian promenade. The North bay is usually the quieter of the two.

On the North side of town we also have the Peasholm Park. I've always loved walking through the glen within which the park is situated. It's so quiet and tranquil even in the heights of summer. A walk through the glen brings us to the lake and the Oriental themed park with its Central island and rowing boats and pedaloes. The key thing about peasholm park is that there is something for everyone. A quiet walk through the glen, beside the gurgling brook, for the solitary reaper; a boat to row and explore the lake and park for the more water inclined; some nice music played by the orchestra on the central island for the lazy relaxers; and even witness the Battle of Peasholm, a bit of juicy naval warfare while you are there!

Beyond all this are the remnants of the famous Scarborough castle which overlooks both bays from its high vantage point.  I must though confess that its paths are not one that I have traversed.

On a more 'modern' note the Victorian and Georgian architecture of Scarborough is something that one cannot escape from. In one word--its absolutely fabulous! I love the rows of terraces overlooking the sea, so grand in their appearance and eloquent in their stance. They speak of a time when grandeur was conventional and people were not shy to build retreats that healed.

The Valley bridge,which opened in 1865, crosses above Valley road and is a very beautiful sight in the night as its lit underneath with green lighting. Unfortunately it takes its rather inglorious fame from being the preferred suicide spot for those keen on making a swift exit from this life. Fortunately the huge mesh installed on either side of the bridge now hinders many in hastening their demise.

Strolling away from the gory, Scarborough is connected by rail and by road.

But personally I wouldnt say that you can get away  anywhere in a hurry. The long road that leads to York(the nearest city) was a nightmare when we lived there, simply because it was a single carriageway for the bulk of the journey and if you are caught behind slow traffic(which you are more likely than not in summer) then you are in for a painfully slow journey. And I should say that that was the single most important reason that I chose to leave when the opportunity arose.

But for tourists, this is Mecca -  with so much to see and do one keeps thirsting for more and invariably returns to North Yorkshires famous shores.

Halifax of West Yorkshire

As the train pulled into Halifax train station, one evening, so many moons ago, my heart was filled with a cocktail of emotions. Anticipation, hope, wonder, and a whole host of other indescribable childlike feelings.One thing I know is that fear wasnt one of them, nor trepidition, nor anxiety. This was the beginning of a new life in a new land, so many thousands miles from the place the heart called home.Though I know not why, I have never been anxious or fearful of facing a new place or a different land. Each new place in my life was like a new discovery. Something to explore, get to know, understand, and then maybe love or hate.

Halifax disappointed me. Not because it was Halifax, but because she was quite simply put monochromatic. Yeah, what a term to use! But it is the only single word that summed up my disappointment of my new life in this land. I wasnt used to buildings all being made in the same colour.Every street was lined by houses made of the same kind of brick, offering not much variation in the facade. Every street looked liked the other to my quite undiscerning eye. Closely built dull grey terraced houses with lines of washing hanging out to dry was a common sight in the inner alleys of the town.

Thankfully it was August and the grey skies were yet to come.

Our new life in Halifax began by sharing a single bedroom in the staff wing of Calderdale Royal Hospital, which had then only recently been awarded its foundation status. A couple of suitcases and bags and us! A shared bathroom, kitchen and laundry. It was here that I 'ate' my first mushroom fried rice lovingly prepared by my husband, the one that stubbornly refused to go down my throat. Mushrooms and I have hardly been friends ever since.

Anyway, lets get back to Halifax, that little gem nestled in the hills of West Yorkshire.

As I told you I was disappointed in the sameness of everything, one because I didnt expect anything of this sort, and the other because it made me even more home sick.

We soon found out that halifax was far from monochromatic once you begin to scratch the surface.

It was home to one of the most thriving banks in the region, The Halifax. At that time Halifax had as its headquarters a very imposing building in the heart of the town. Continuing with the monochromatic theme, but with a modern twist of some glass as seen in the picture.

We also found that Halifax was  home to many (approx 10% of its population) ethnic Kashmiris. If asked, the older generation would reply that they are from Azaad Kashmir - Azaad meaning 'free', mainly to indicate that they are not part of Indian Kashmir, as that region of the world is one of the most contested.

The very mutlicultural feel of the town is unmistakable.

Not only multicultural, but full of character and personality was this little damsel.

 The Halifax Market Hall was the center point for most of the day to day trading. I remember purchasing one of my first coats from within its walls. Have it still with me to be quite honest---that reminds me that I am in dire need of a good decluttering.

A piece of history most worthy of mention is the Piece Hall. Its arguably one the most awesome bricks and mortar creation of a market place that I have ever seen.

This Georgian lady is so grand in size and stature that its a must see for any visitor to the area.Though its now not simply a market place in the traditional sense of the word, trading still happens in varied forms such as cafes, shops etc and the many events that are regularly held here.

The most striking example of a lively arts scene is the Halifax Traditions Festival. We actually quite chanced upon it by surprise. One bright and sunny September morning, soon after we had arrived, we decided to explore a bit more of the town center. Much to our delightlful surprise it was the sounds of drums that welcomed us.This group of Indian dancers and musicians in their brightly coloured attire and full of joie de vivre was a heartwarming sight to say the least.

This was followed by a visual and auditory feast of many other traditional dance routines and musical offerings. The whole town centre undulating in one joyful rhythm of festivities. I feel that these kinds of events are essential to keep alive these traditional dance forms that might otherwise get forgotten in the pop and rap and roll of today.

On the left here is a group of young ladies dancing to the rhythm of their traditional music.

And below is another group of wonderfully skilled and artistic entertainers.

No story of Halifax would be complete without a mention of  EUREKA. Eureka is a National Childrens Museum that caters to 0-11year olds and offers them a fantastic day out with its many galleries and hundreds of hands on exhibits. It is one of the more ambitious projects that took shape in Halifax and attracts many visitors into the area.
Luckily for those visitors Halifax is well connected by rail and road. And for those who call Halifax home,its just a quick hop and a skip by train into Bradford and all that it has to offer.
So whats stopping you from visiting this hidden beauty that has so much to offer, if only one takes the time to explore and scratch beneath the surface of its monochromatic facade!