Last week was my second visit to Madrid, and so I had already done most of the tourist stuff. I just checked off a few quirky bits off the list. So here is a fast run through…
A visit to Círculo de Bellas Artes
I made my way to this not for profit arts venue to have brunch in their beautiful cafe. The cafe has a sculpture of a naked woman lying dead on the ground in the centre or the dining room. This lady is supposed to be Aphrodite, when after being left heartbroken from unrequited love, she throws herself off a cliff to her death. I thought it seemed quite poetic and dramatic of course. There are other sculptures in the room and lovely ceiling paintings.
The venue also offer a scenic rooftop lookout point, and regular exhibitions.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
I visited this art museum as one that I have not been to before. Not all the art was for me, but I did like the below piece about Expulsion. The light and shadows in the painting are done really well, and it reminds me of a scene from Lord of the Rings.. ha!
Mass at Inglesia de Santiago
I travelled to the Santiago church three times in one day to try to get hold of my special pilgrim passport, from their volunteers. After I eventually got it done and stamped, I was there just in time for the mass and so decided to join in. I didn’t understand most of what the vicar said (in spanish) but I still felt cleansed and grateful.
A meal at Botin
I had seen the ‘world’s oldest restaurant’, Botin, from the outside in my last visit to Madrid. To get a table there though, you need to book a few weeks in advance. I was having a stressful day (going shopping 😖) and was walking past so decided to ask if I could come in for a drink as I am alone. I had no booking and I thought it might be a waste of time, but not only did they let me in because I was solo, they let me have a full meal! Huge result!
I had half a jug of sangria and a plate of mushrooms, garlic and ham, and was completely cheered up again! I also had the pleasant surprise of befriending two lovely ladies from Denmark on the next table. We were chatting and toasting for my whole dining experience, so I wasn’t solo after all!
As usual, Madrid was very pleasant, and I experienced much more of the local nightlife and culture this time round. I will probably go back again and again in the future.
After an excellent and short train journey from Seville, I arrived in Cordoba. Once the Capital of Islamic Spain, this city is a beautiful mix of styles and culture.
I arrived in the evening and enjoyed the lively atmosphere of the city as it was filled with people bustling to shops and restaurants under the sunset sky. The city actually reminded me a lot of Pisa, the sort of place that is usually seen as a day trip, and is quite suburban, but actually has a lot to offer.
I had a wonder around the city outskirts, and came back around along the riverside. The city’s river is its focal point, and most of the historic area is by the riverside.
The river is also home to the beautiful Roman bridge, which happens to be another Game of Thrones location! It was actually used with CGI to create the bridge to ‘Volaris’, still counts though. Another one off the list. ✅✅✅
Me at roman bridge in Cordoba, another GoT location.
The buildings around the city are also very pretty, and often you can spot silversmiths, leather workshops and tile shops. These have been the ancient crafts of this town for quite sometime, and still are now. If I could carry a tile in my backpack, I would have got one to stick somewhere at home.
The town also boasted an unusual amount of ice cream and cake restaurants. I was struggling at one point to find regular food! I did enjoy my ice cream milkshakes though, as temperature was still around 30’c.
Mesquita Cathedral
The Mesquita (meaning mosque) is what most people visit Cordoba to see. You can see why when you visit. I was excited to see the building but it truly left me speechless, (well other than repeatedly saying ‘WOW!’)
The site was originally home to a roman temple, but later the foundations were used to build a mosque,when Spain was under muslim rule. When the catholics conquered the area, the mosque became a cathedral. The original mineret tower was wrapped around with a christian structure, and much of the mosque internally was maintained as it was so remarkably beautiful. The christians did do three extensions to the building over the time though. This included getting permission from the King to build a traditional catholic chapel inside. Whilst pretty, most people agree that it is very out of place within this beautiful mosque.
Within the mosque, the builders actually reduced costs by recycling columns and pedestals from the previous roman temple, which makes each one unique. The craftsman that provided some of their columns also left their trademark logo and signature on their pieces provided, which can still be seen. I love a bit of ancient graffiti!
I had a guided tour during my visit which was very helpful. The guide provided a lot of detail about the history and showed us what to look for. The entrance area / plaza is actually available for anyone to visit for free. It is only the inside of the temple that is ticketed, and this is limited and to restricted hours.
My tour also included a tour of the jewish quarter and a former synagogue. These are free to see generally. The jewish apparently moved into the centre of the city after the muslims were expelled for a period.
Alcazar Gardens
In my short visit to the city, I also decided to book a visit to the Alcazar there. You must have a reserved time slot, and the website is abit tricky, but just persevere with it! It is only five euros and worthwhile. The Alcazar building itself was quite small and hollowed out, but I went for the gardens. They were lovely…
Full of fountains, flowers, sculptures and impressive topiary, I parked myself on a bench, and sketched the scene in the sunshine for an hour.
Before I knew it, time was up and I had to head to the bus station. Cordoba should definitely be on your list to visit. There is so much culture here, and it has a very friendly feel.
Following on from a week in Portugal, I decided to travel four hours by bus, to one of Andalucia’s best known cities, Seville (or Sevilla).
The journey to Seville was reasonable by bus, and cost only about €30 from Lagos, Portugal. There was no border restrictions and I didn’t even have to go through a passport check. The only downside was that the bus was very hot! It was 30’c outside and hotter inside the bus. Thankfully, we made plenty of service station stops to get some air and water.. (makes me sound like a car haha).
On arriving to Seville, I was able to walk the short route to my hostel. I definitely had lots of strange looks though, carrying a huge backpack and sleeping bag on my bag in 30’c weather. I must have looked mad, in a place where no one even owns a coat, as apparently it hasn’t rained for five years! I stayed at the La Flamenka hostel in the city centre, and this was a lovely place to stay. The staff and volunteers were very friendly and helpful and the environment makes it really sociable. Due to a chilled out kitchen and terrace layout, I was able to strike up conversation and befriend a Brazilian, a Norweigan, an Austrian, and a Barcelonina. Great practice for my language skills! All guests were solo travellers too, so we all had that in common.
La Flamenka hostel terrace at night
Alcazar
On my first day, I had prebooked a visit to Seville’s Alcazar through Viator, which also included a guided walk of Santa Cruz neighbourhood, and a visit to the Cathedral & Giralda.
I have visited Granada’s Alhambra on a previous trip, so I knew somewhat of what to expect in this Alcazar visit. The Alcazar in Seville is still beautiful though, and has its own charm. It seemed to have a lot more gold in the decoration and many more tiles and christian influence too.
The site also had several lovely gardens which set themselves apart as unique, due to different sections being created based on different styles from around the world. There is a french garden, italian, and even english! The english garden is home to many wondering peacocks, I was wondering if I had missed something in this, are peacocks English…? 🤔
I also ticked off another Game Of Thrones filming location from my list! The site was used as one of the locations for imaginary kingdom of ‘Dorne’. ✅✅✅
GoT location in Seville’s Alcazar
There is also a hidden away area in the garden which is quite cool. That is the mistress’ bath underground. Apparently, the Peter ‘the cruel’ built this bath for the the lady he was wooing, so she would have somewhere refreshing to relax. Considering the heat here, that seems like an act of true love to me! The bath is accessed through a tunnel and is a very pretty space.
Sevilla Alcazar Bath
Seville Cathedral
Connected to the Alcazar, is Seville’s Cathedral. The Cathedral is built on the site of the former mosque. The mosque was gradually destroyed after the Christian conquest of 1248, except for the minaret or Giralda that remains today. The cathedral is very grand inside as you would expect from any catholic cathedral, but it does have some additional advantages.
There is the Giralda, which actually means ‘weather vane’, (I had to question the guide about this as I knew tower is ‘torre’.) You can climb this to the belfry area and get a good view of the city. Wierdly, it has 35 ramps rather than staircases, so there really is no excuse!
Giralda
The cathedral also makes links to lots of important figures. I was very excited about the abundance of seashells used as shapes in the decor to symbolise Saint James (Patron Saint of Spain) and the symbol of my upcoming pilgrimage.
Sign of St James
They also pay tribute to Justa & Rufina, in the cathedral and all over the city. These were two sisters who lived as potmakers across the river, in 3rd century. They became martyrs when they refused to take part in a pagan festival due to their faith and broke a statue of Venus. For this, the authorities, imprisoned, tortured, starved and killed them. They are remembered all over the place!
Santa Justa and Santa Rufina
Lastly, the Cathedral is the place that you will find the only DNA certified tomb of Christopher Columbus. His body has moved around the world to different countries before finding its way back to Spain. It makes sense that he is in Seville, as he set sail from nearby town of Huelva, before first discovering America.
Not only is this an interesting figure but the tomb itself is very beautiful and unique. Columbus is not buried underground, but is actually overhead. His tomb rests on the shoulders of four men which represent the different kingdoms of Spain (Castile, Leon, Aragón and Navarre) symbolising that not one kingdom can claim his accomplishments, but they belong to all of Spain as a union.
More art
As well as seeing beautiful art and sculptures at the Cathedral and Alcazar, there are many pieces in city plazas, numerous churches and galleries/museums.
I visited both the church of San Salvador in the centre and Santa Ana church in the neighbourhood across the river, called Triana. I would definitely recommend wondering into Triana, as it has a very sociable vibe and lovely views from across the river. Prices are slightly better too. Both these churches were very cheap to visit, under 5 euros each.
I also enjoyed free admission and air conditioning 😀 from the art museum ‘Museo de bellas artes de Sevilla’. The art displayed in this ex- convent is a mix of very renowned artists such as Murillo and Picasso. I must admit that I was not a fan of all the Picassos as they are so odd. There were many portraits and religious art that I loved though. The building is really beautiful and has many courtyards to sit and relax in. The gallery is only two levels so not too intense which is nice.
Seville’s fine arts museum
Other ideas for a fun time in Sevilla:
Spend some extra time across the river in Triana. The atmosphere is great here and you can also visit the local food market at the bridge for an affordable and fresh lunch.
Visit one of the many convents in the city and purchase something from a nun. Many convents and monasteries sell goods to sustain themselves, often you can get homemade sweets. I went to one in Sevilla, and bought from a nun though a strange turntable window!
Visit the Plaza de Espana and the park. The plaza is an obvious tourist spot, and very pretty, but the adjoining park of Marie Luis, is full of beautiful places to sit and relax in the shade.
Head to the big mushrooms in the sky! The huge ‘setas’ monument is named this because it is the shape of mushrooms. Get there a little before sunset, and you will see wonderful views of the city.
Overall, I thought Sevilla was a very romantic and beautiful destination. It was also easy to walk around and had good transport connections, and of course reliable weather! I would certainly visit again.
Many of us have been unable to travel lately due to the pandemic. This means that we have needed to get a little creative with how we spend our spare time to keep it interesting. Day trips out are a big part of this, and in this blog I will give you some tried and tested quirky day trip ideas for you to explore!
With most of our leisure time being spent nearer to home this year, why not try something a bit unusual in your area.
Metal detecting
Metal detecting dig find
Many people have an interest in metal detecting with so many TV programmes about discoveries and salvages. I decided to have a go, and see if I could find some long lost treasure. A lot of people head to beaches, and back gardens with their metal detectors, and you do have to consider permissions from landowners when you do this. You might also need to agree the split you will get from any profit you make!
I wanted to try some fields, and my dad happens to have some land that I could investigate. The fields have been used for a few centuries by nurseries, farmers, scrap yard owners, and for other unknown purposes. This makes it a very mysterious place under the earth.
In the first two hours around 20 items were found, including several door handles, a light switch and a pig feeder, which could be recycled into a lovely bird bath.I didn’t find my fortune on that occasion, but I will keep looking. Either way, the experience is a fun one, and you do get a thrill from digging something out and trying to figure out what it is!
If you get really into this activity, you can apparently upgrade to a smarter metal detector which will tell you exactly what the metal is, so you can narrow your searches. This is a fun way to spend half a day with a friend or as a family, just bring your metal detector, a spade for everyone involved, and be prepared for everyone to get filthy!
Beach cleaning/litter picking
I like to keep the planet clean, and so naturally I hate litter! Of course, within waterways and oceans, the pollution, especially plastics, is extremely harmful for animals and us. If you want to do your part, or teach your kids about giving back, and the harm of littering, then a clean up event is great fun!
Many local groups and national charities such as the Marine Conservation Society, will organise beach and river clean ups, and other litter pick events regularly. These tend to be with a group of differently aged volunteers, and the group leader will provide you with a high viz, litter picker, gloves and bin bags. These events are especially popular during the off season when less people are visiting the beaches and riversides. ‘Keep Britain Tidy‘ creates several campaigns throughout the year in Britain, to encourage people to take pride in their open spaces and keep them litter free, such as the ‘Great British Spring Clean’ event.
I have done several litter picks before, and I always feel good afterwards, it is also a great way to get some exercise, and enjoy outdoor spaces that you may have not visited before. It can be quite addictive, and you can become quite competitive about how much you pick up. I got so into it, at one event, that I was climbing the sea barriers to retrieve a discarded shoe and fishing nets!
Foraging
Ever wondered if you could survive an apocolyptic event? Well, a day out foraging, might give you some idea. You may have tried the odd herb, or picked blackberries before, but you can go much further!
Foraging is becoming more popular as people become more interested in their green spaces, and lots of people are providing information on how to do this, and what greens to look out for in your area. You can even go on foraging tours and events to learn all about it. The Woodland Trust provide a great monthly calendar on what to look out for when you are out and about. The organisation will also allow you to forage in several of their woodlands, as you must ask permission before foraging in an area. You should also be sure of what you are picking, no poison berries! Lastly, you should minimise your impact, by only picking the fruit (not the plant) and only take what you need.
chestnut husk
On my visit to the woods, I downloaded two apps on my phone to identify edible plants and see how they were to be consumed. Woodland Trust also has an app for identifying trees. I have previously collected blackberries, nettles, dandelions and chestnuts. I have been able to use these items to make teas, desserts, and soups, but I know there are lots of recipes available to try. Autumn is certainly the best time for this activity, I would like to try to find more varieties of nuts in the woods… if I can beat the squirrels to them! I would also be really interested in spending a day with an experienced forager, to learn about some of the more unheard of plants.
Exploring community gardens
community garden near me
If you live in an urban area, you may be unaware of a network of community gardens that are taken care of by locals. There is more and more demand for green spaces within towns and cities, and locations that locals could grow their own food & cutting flowers. There are a few national schemes that you can use to look up gardens and social farms in your area, some are open all the time, and some have set open days. Some examples are Social Farms & Gardens, Community Supported Agriculture, and National Garden Scheme. You can also speak to your local parish council about what is nearby to you.
I love to explore local community gardens and allotment areas when I am out walking. You can see the individual styles that have been incorporated across the plots and garden spaces, and get some really quirky ideas for your own gardening. It is a lovely contrast to a formal garden at a stately home, and it is also free, so lots of reasons to visit! If you explore enough that you like, you might even find that you want to volunteer to get involved with one local to you.
Geocaching
Geocaching is an activity of following GPS co-ordinates to find hidden containers that others have placed. Often these are hidden in very creative hiding spots, and when you find the container, you can add your name to a list of finders inside. Geocaching has a huge following, and is a great way to make your next walk a bit more interesting. Geocaching.com calls the activity ‘the world’s largest treasure hunt’ and invites you to download the application onto your phone for free and get started!
Me geocaching in norfolk
I have done this with quite a few different friends, and some containers are easier to find than others. A friend of mine once had me looking around all of Covent Garden for a specific geocache, for over an hour. We found it though! The buzz of finding it is quite satisfying, and I can see why people get really into doing this on their days out. Geocaching is so popular, you are very likely to have some in your area, so why not give it a go?!
Bird watching
If you love getting outside and experiencing nature then birdwatching is a popular hobby to take up. There are so many nature reserves dedicated to wildlife conservation, and offering brilliant facilities for ‘twitchers’ to enjoy. I have enjoyed visiting various RSPB nature reserves in my time, and have my own pair of binoculars! You can take it as seriously as you want to, but the more dedicated you are, the more likely you are to spot a rarer bird.
I am happy with whatever bird I see, as long as it surpasses the status of a pigeon… It is quite interesting to learn the different bird names though, and actually try to identify what you are looking at. You can equally do the same thing with creepy crawlies, if you are more that way inclined!
Crabbing & Rockpooling
Just a ‘ponds throw’ from bird watching… (see what i did there..) looking for crabs can be quite a fun way to spend a few hours, especially for kids. This is a really popular activity where I am from, in Norfolk. Every day that the sun is shining, there are people sitting at the edge of a beach pier, hanging bacon from a string, in the hope of catching a crab. Equally, you will see kids jumping over rocks to dig for crabs in the shallow pools of the beach.
Norfolk crabbing
I have done this with my family, although with little success (my fishing skills are lacking). My sisters were normally the ones to find the crabs, and then we would enjoy looking at the little fellow for half an hour, before gently releasing him back into the sea.
Church / Cemetery crawling
Those of you that like history, and specifically ancestry, may find this to be a particularly wonderful day out, especially in the days where you want to be indoors or in the shade. There is so much history to a parish church, and most are open all the time for visitors to walk in and explore. Equally cemeteries have become an attraction in themselves…
I started to take an interest in walking around cemeteries so that I could find specific graves of ancestors, and discovered Ancestry.co.uk and a website where you can find and record grave stones in local cemeteries to keep records up to date, and digital for all researchers. Once I then started visiting the cemeteries more, I began to appreciate the artwork, verses and style of the various tombstones. A lot of people also like to visit cemeteries as part of tours, or on their own, to pay respect to well known public figures that are buried there.
A final reason that they are nice to visit, is that they are generally beautiful, peaceful and often wild places to relax in. Many UK cemeteries have become accredited as mini nature reserves, for their wildlife credentials. I have even had a picnic in a cemetery before, as it was a pretty spot and also pleasantly shady on a warm day!
Fossil hunting and Flint knapping
If you want to do something that is really unique and one to write home about, then consider the world of geology! There are several locations across the UK where you can get permission to go fossil hunting, or join an organised event. The UK Fossils Network seems to be a great source of information about locations within the UK, and also guidance on how to do this activity safely. I have so far been unsuccessful in my lone wonderings to find fossils, but I may try one of the group events as it seems that they provide the equipment and safety bits you need to get more serious about it.
If you want to do something even more niche, then you may want to consider learning about flint knapping! I haven’t tried this myself, but I understand that you can take workshops in this, in my home county. Flint knapping is the act of finding flints, and then hitting them into the shape of weapons, that you would have used in prehistoric times!
Self guided tours/ trails
Taking yourself on a self guided tour of a city or town is a really traditional and easy way to spend a day out. Lots of locations will provide you with a map or app for following a trail of blue plaques, or local murals. In some locations, you can even walk up to a local statue and listen on your phone to a recording about who the figure was. This is part of the ‘talking statues‘ scheme.
I have walked several self guided trails in different cities, and have found that the more interactive, and unusual, the better. I especially like to do trails where you have to follow clues, as i find this more challenging. ‘Treasure Trails‘ is a great scheme that offers trails with clues to solve at different levels, across the UK.
Go Go Hares trail
Racehorse trail
Wheelbarrow trail
To summarise…
If you are heading out for the day, why not make a proper day of it, and try an experience you won’t forget! I hope the above ideas may have tickled your imagination, and made you think about what is nearby to where you live.
I recently had a visit to St Paul’s cathedral in central London, and found it to be a stunning example of architecture, art and history. This church is recognisable across the world as an important site for ceremonial events, and a centrepiece to the historic London skyline.
Surrounding St Paul’s
St Paul’s cathedral is in the centre of London and has a dedicated underground station down the street, St Paul’s station. It is recognisable from a distance, by its large dome, but I also think of the front of the building and its iconic steps and open space…. this may be somewhat led from my childhood memories of watching Mary Poppins! The church is used in the film for the song ‘feed the birds’…
Feed the birds!!!!
I know you’re probably singing it along in your head now! Oops! Sorry!
Around the cathedral, there is a plethora of shops and restaurants to enjoy, and on the site, St Paul’s also has a well kept set of gardens and cemetery to meander within. St Paul’s is also in close proximity to the iconic Millennium bridge, and the Museum of London.
What’s on offer
We booked our tickets into St Paul’s the day before, and this was well worth doing, as we were able to walk straight into a clear queue, past many people that had just walked in. As part of your ticket, you can access an audio guide and headphones that have lots of useful information about the cathedral. It breaks the content up into different sections of the cathedral geographically, by topic, or how much time you have. So, if you only want the highlights version then you can still benefit from an audio guide.
There are also guided tours freely available throughout the week at lunch times, as well as private tours which you can book. If you want to slip into the background and enjoy the atmosphere, you can also take part in a daily service of Eucharist or Evensong. The full schedule of services can be found on the St Paul’s website.
Me listening to my audio guide
Architecture
The architecture within the cathedral is very striking. I really enjoyed taking photographs of the church from different angles, as there are so many arches, curves and also geometrical shapes, both high and low. The styles and colours of white and gold, did remind me more heavily of a European cathedral, specifically, ones I have seen in Italy. The church certainly did not feel English. I think this is rather ironic, considering it is one of the biggest religious attractions that international visitors see, and represents the country across different medias around the world.
The original St Paul’s was much more English looking, and looked similar to cathedrals of Salisbury, Canterbury or Norwich. That church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, and this new structure was built between 1675 and 1710. The architect, Christopher Wren, attempted to approve several designs before the King eventually signed off on the plans. It seems that Wren attempted to put his own twist on the Baroque style which was becoming popular in Europe at the time, interestingly as a counter action against Protestantism. He coined this as ‘English Baroque’.
The similarities between the two styles are obvious though, if you take a look at the two images below of the towers of St Paul’s vs Santiago de Compostela, Spain… you can see for yourself!
St Paul’s also boast some very beautiful English features, including 18th century delicate wooden carpentry, the third largest organ in the UK, and of course a good level of stained glass windows!
The ground floor of the cathedral is not the only level available to visitors. Visitors can also go up to the galleries, and go downstairs into the crypt of the cathedral. Other crypts that I have seen, have had very rough walls, dingy smells and pokey spaces. This is not the case at St Pauls, I was really suprised at the look and feel of the crypt. It is a large, reasonable open, and light space. It actually has a very modern, and contemporary feel to it. This seems so strange, in such a historic building. In this part of the cathedral, there are some memorials and tombs of important figures from English history, such as Norfolk’s very own Horatio Nelson. There is also a chapel space to sit peacefully, toilets and a gift shop!
Artwork
There is a mix of artwork at the cathedral, from beautiful ceiling paintings, to wooden and stone sculptures. The focus is clearly on the magnificent ceiling paintings of bible figures and scripture such as the apostles, and so in the nave, the sculptures/memorials are fairly thinned out except for a few large pieces. On the other hand, in the south aisle alongside the nave, there are several memorial sculptures detailing key figures in English history and their achievements.
Steps to roof and galleries
Arguably, the most iconic part of St Paul’s Cathedral is the dome, and within the dome and below it are two galleries that visitors can see. Unfortunately, these were both closed when I visited, but I still had the ‘pleasure’ of climbing the 376 steps to the roof, before I discovered I could not access the galleries that day. On the bright side though, whilst the stairs left me breathless (not in a good way), there were lots of seats to stop at on the way up, and medieval graffiti carved into the walls that i could appreciate whilst trying to stabilise myself!
View from St Paul’s – Shard
The climb wasn’t a waste! From the roof, you can still walk around the dome and see the London skyline, including the shard, sky garden, london eye, and look more up close at St Paul’s bell towers. I actually happened to be on the roof when the bells were ringing out, which I thought was pretty special.
View from St Pauls – London Eye & Bell Tower
Overall, I think that St Paul’s was very interesting, had a great booking system, and good content. I was disappointed that I could not see the galleries, but the views made up for it, and I understand their need to do renovations, especially whilst they are quieter. I would recommend a visit, and if you are brave enough, climb the steps and listen to the bells…. equally if you really do struggle, there is an elevator… they just wouldn’t let me use it!
Coventry has been declared the city of culture in the UK this year, and it is not hard to see why. On a weekend away in Coventry, a few weeks ago, I discovered that the city is bursting with culture, art and life!
I always like to visit new places, and Coventry was a great choice when deciding on a weekend away this year, as it is smack bang in the middle of the country, and so was easy for me to meet a friend there, who lives across the other side of the UK.
We stayed in a gorgeous AirBnB only ten minutes from the city centre. Within our accommodation, we enjoyed a full entertainment system, a garden and barbecue, a hot tub and even a lovely welcome pack of snacks. We enjoyed some late night cocktails in the tub and even saw a fox in the garden, at the ‘Foxes den‘, I would definitely recommend a stay.
Enjoying the hot tub!
I thought it would be a good idea to use the nearby park and ride to travel into the city, and better for the environment, but this ended up being a moral about never assuming you already know what is best! The park & ride ended up costing us about £8 and we still had to wait 30 minutes for a bus. I believe that just simply using the bus service from our accommodation would have been cheaper. Equally, we discovered on the second day, that there are actually some ridiculously cheap car parks in Coventry city centre, so never assume! It is always worth checking out Just Park or Parkopedia to be sure!
Visual arts
I was aware that Coventry had been declared the City of Culture this year, but I wasn’t sure how much culture was on offer. My previous experiences of the city had been rushed conferences and a university open day many years ago. From the first day of wondering the city though, I could see the reasons it had achieved this accolade.
There are thought invoking sculptures and visual art pieces throughout the city, as well as various performances and events. There were lots of colours around through walkways, decorations and painted buildings. I especially enjoyed a rolling fountain instalment in front of one of the main shopping centres.
Lady Godiva
There is quite a lot of references to Lady Godiva around Coventry. Including a large statue in the centre of a vibrant square full of restaurants. According to legend, Lady Godiva was a woman who rode through the city of Coventry, completely naked in protest against her husband’s high taxes of the poor people of the city. The story says that she asked all the town people to close their window shutters and not look upon her, but one man looked and was immediately blinded as a result. This was ‘peeping Tom’. Obviously, this story is very debatable, but it is nice to have folk stories like this and Lady Godiva, as a key figure, is clearly well celebrated by the city.
Lady Godiva Statue
Peeping Tom
Lady Godiva Statue
History
The city of Coventry has been around since before the Norman invasion of 1066, and dotted around the city are small remnants of the old walled city that once stood here. You can wonder through the old priory gardens, a medieval almshouse that is known as one of the finest examples of a timber work building in England, and of course the old cathedral ruins. The original cathedral was a priory dedicated to St Mary, and was founded as a Benedictine community by Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and his wife, Lady Godiva in 1043. This fell into neglect following the dissolution of the monasteries, under Henry VIII. Later, the parish church of St Michael was consecrated as the cathedral of Coventry in 1918. This cathedral did not stand for long though, as it was unfortunately the victim of bombing during the second world war, and was burnt down a long side many other buildings in the city. Shortly after, the community decided to rebuild the new and current cathedral as an act of faith, trust and rebirth. The building was consecrated in 1962 and still stands today next to the ruins of the old cathedral.
The old cathedral still has fragments of original stained glass hanging in place, easy for passersby to see. It is also a useful open space now, which can be used for events and exhibitions. There was even a classic car show inside the space when I visited. The space also has a number of sculptures that are captivating to the eye, especially the reconciliation statue. This symbolises the reconciliation and reunion of neighbours, loved ones, and countries following the second world war.
Old Cathedral Ruins
Reconciliation statue
Medieval Almshouse
The new cathedral
The current cathedral is a work of art in itself, it is a large cement based building, but has huge stained glass windows, and wide open spaces. It is a great example of a modern cathedral that has still mastered being a place of peace and reflection. We did have a booked time slot for the cathedral, but this wasn’t actually checked when we arrived, and we were able to just walk straight in.
Nightlife
Whilst I was visiting, the city centre was holding a cultural festival in the assembly garden grounds, which seemed to be a pop up seating area with bars, mobile catering, stages and performance tents. Something that we booked for only £20 each was the Circolumbia show, which was brilliant value for money, and a great start to the evening. This was a circus, acrobatics, singing and dancing performance, that was done entirely by Columbian artists and themed on Columbian culture and music. This was so brilliant, and i spent a lot of the time during the show, gripping my seat, as the performers were doing things like standing on top of each other’s heads!
I also had a brilliant night at a bar/club called ‘The Yard’, which is known as the best and biggest LGBTQ+ venue in the city. The venue offered such an amazing time, we were there on a Saturday night, and they run a drag / cabaret show every weekend, so we were able to enjoy this. There was seating inside and outside, and we spent the evening dancing away with cocktails in hand, and managed to get an Uber back very cheaply at the end of the night.
Me at the Yard Coventry
Me at The Yard, Coventry
In conclusion, I think Coventry is certainly full of culture, and a great place to let your hair down and just have a relaxing time, with lots of entertainment and engaging arts to be engrossed in. I would definitely revisit. It is also worth mentioning that it is in close proximity to Leicester, Nottingham & Birmingham, if you wanted to make multi centre tour out of the trip!
Now the lockdown has been lifted, I decided to make a visit to the seaside location of Brighton, to spend time with my mum and visit my sister whom lives in the area. The city is certainly a busy location for visitors with a wonderful mix of urban appeal, coastal scenes and a national park close by.
Brighton is a colourful, and quirky area on the coast, within the city of Brighton and Hove. It is only 47 miles or about an hour on the train from London. I drove to the area from Norwich, and stayed in a lovely AirBnB place just 20 minutes away in Hassocks. In order to truly appreciate the town, it seems important to wonder through the entire breadth of the area there.
Brighton has great public transport links with multiple train and bus connections into the town. Whilst car parking is available in the town, it is very expensive in general. You can access much of the on street parking after 8pm and if you use websites such as ‘JustPark’, you can find cheaper parking spaces that are privately rented out. We took the train on one day, which was great quality and cheap, and we also found free car parking via ‘JustPark’ in a bingo hall car park.
On first arriving, the coastal promenade and pier seemed quite similar to many other UK seaside towns, and my first impression was not good. It seemed quite dirty, and ran down, with a horrible mix of 1960s buildings, letting down the setting of neighbouring Victorian architecture.
As I explored other roads though, it became clear that different elements of the town have their own feel, and have been transformed to meet the leisure demands of visitors and residents. The town has several hills running up from the coast, and as you wonder around, you will find streets that have been painted different colours and other buildings linking to the rainbow icon that is linked to Brighton’s LGBTQIA+ scene.
LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) scene
Brighton has historically become a sanctuary for those in the LGBTQIA+ community to express themselves, thrive, and a base for challenging prejudice behaviour. Many key locations such as the Marlborough pub & theatre or ‘the marly’ and Kemp town have been created as landmark locations.
There is also a collection of landmark events such as ‘Brighton Pride‘ and ‘Trans Pride‘, and famous names that have made the town their haven and home, including key figure Oscar Wilde. In recent years, the community have struggled to keep hold of these statement locations, due to increased demand for development of housing, gentrification and the use of the LGBTQIA+ identity becoming an attraction itself, perhaps unethically, through the promotion of tourism. This has led to political friction between economics of the town, and the community identity. Currently, a large part of the LGBTQIA+ community are protesting against Brighton Pride, and other activities that create the feel of LGBTQIA+ people becoming a circus attraction. This phenomenon is known as pink washing.
Throughout the town, there is lots of street art expressing different social issues, topics and just generally impressive art. There is no cathedral in the city but a church that is considered to be the area’s nearest best thing, is St Bartholomew’s church, which is very large. The reason for this, is that the Victorian building was created to be approximately the size of Noah’s Ark, upside down. There is also an upside down house in Brighton… what a strange place!
Mural
St Bartholomew Church
The Lanes & other popular spots
When it comes to spending your pennies, and enjoying food/drink as well as shopping, it seems that there are three main spots that are popular.
There are several chain stores and restaurants in the cheaper ‘marina’ area down the coast from the centre. This is accessible on foot by walking along the coast, a 20 minute bus ride, or by car.
When walking along the beach promenade below the road, you will see a number of restaurants, shops and attractions in what is known as the ‘seafront arches’. We visited the queer friendly ‘Loading Brighton’, a gaming café linked to ‘the marly’, and spent a few hours there enjoying milkshakes and board games in a few comfy sofas. You will also find the Brighton fishing museum in this stretch of bricked arches.
The most well known location for shopping and eating is an area further within the town, named ‘the lanes’. I had a feeling of what to expect here, as Norwich also has ‘the lanes’ as a concept. In Brighton, it is a network of small streets and alleys, that are bustling with independent shops and eateries. We also went down one road that was temporarily closed, which I can only assume was a Covid related innovation by the council. The retailers and restaurant owners were using this an opportunity to spill out into the street, and create a great market vibe. It was very busy, and full of bargains!
The Lanes
Royal Pavilion
Just beyond the lanes, you will enter into the cultural quarter, this is the home of the world famous Royal Pavilion and Brighton Dome. This estate in the centre of the city is a Grade I listed former royal residence. Building work began in 1787, and acted as a seaside retreat for King George IV. George had an interest in Asian stylings and wanted to design the building and its interior to reflect his interest in Indian & Chinese design, although he never visited these countries himself. John Nash is the architect responsible for the current design, which was interesting to me as I am familiar with this well known Georgian designer. John Nash has also done a lot of work within Norfolk (my home county), in partnership with landscape designer, Humphry Repton, who also influenced the pavilion’s design.
The detail of the decorations within the many rooms is very inspiring to see. Visitors are constantly coming face to face with images of dragons, fish and snakes. Giant chandeliers and beautiful stained glass also hangs overhead. The palace buildings are also surrounded by charming gardens full of roses and shrubberies, the gardens are open to the public at all times.
Once built, this extravagant building was used as a pleasure palace for the King, and later, was a retreat for Queen Victoria, and her family. The building has a room dedicated to information about Queen Victoria’s visits, based on historic records including her own diary entries. She wrote in her first visit “The Pavilion is a strange, odd Chinese looking thing, both inside and outside; most rooms low, and I only see a little morsel of the sea from one of my sitting-room windows, which is strange, when one considers that one is quite close to the sea.” She visited several times with her family, and enjoyed the easy rail connection between London and Brighton. Eventually, she decided to sell the building, as she felt too much amongst the public in the centre of town. It was later sold to the town council, and is the only royal palace in the country that is currently not owned by the crown.
During the First World War, it was transformed into a hospital for Indian soldiers. This was partially as a political move, to provide propaganda to India as an important country within the British empire. This element of the pavilion history is also exhibited within your visit to the attraction.
I truly expected to enter a shell of a building, and was hoping that at £16 per ticket, it would not be a waste of money. I was pleasantly surprised! The pavilions exterior and interior are amazing, and the information available for visitors is widely ranging. The attraction offers an audio tour that you can use on your phone, regular signs, and volunteer guides on duty. We were also told that our tickets would act as an annual pass, which is brilliant, and meant I could come back the following day for a second look!
Surrounding Brighton
We were staying slightly outside Brighton and had access to a car, meaning it was easy to discover surrounding areas. We decided to visit the Jack & Jill Windmill which provided a beautiful view of the South Downs National Park, and we also visited the lovely town of Lewes.
South Downs National Park view
Lewes is built on the hills of the Ouse Valley, and is a delightful country town, with plenty of historic buildings and pleasant green surroundings to enjoy.
At the top of the hill is the castle which was built shortly after the Norman invasion in 1066. The battle of Lewes took place here and was one of two important battles within the Second Barons’ War. King Henry III was staying within the safety of the castle and nearby priory before heading into battle against the 6th Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort. The king was defeated in this battle. There are several pieces of interpretation around the site that you can access for free, that provide information about the battle and key locations. You can buy a ticket to enter the castle enclosure and museum, or walk around the castle walls and through the castle gate for free, as it is part of the public walkways.
Within the town, you will also find several other buildings varying in age, from Norman, to the Tudor period and beyond. Some key locations include the priory, Ann of Cleves house, and also the pretty St Michael’s church which has a round tower dating from around 1200.
The town has many of the normal shops and chain cafes, but also hosts many independent retailers with unique goods to trade, and lots of information on the walls to tell you the significance of the street you are on.
Overall, I was very happy with my weekend in Brighton and the surrounding area. It definitely offers a diverse range of activities depending on your interest. I know that I have only scratched the surface though, so I look forward to going deeper into the area’s offering in the future.
A few months before the country locked down due to the pandemic, my partner surprised me with a weekend trip to the Lake District National Park. Considering it was January, we had a great time exploring the beautiful scenery in this area.
Driving around the Lake District, we found ourselves making good use of first and second gear, as we climbed the huge hills. It is a long drive from Norfolk but very pleasant, as you get into lakeland and can enjoy amazing views, and feel like you are suddenly in another country.
We stayed in a lovely little B&B, (of which there are many..) in Bowness on Windermere, on the side of the Windermere lake; England’s largest lake. This is a busy village in the National Park, and has several amenities, and The World of Beatrix Potter attraction. We did see this from the outside, but we didn’t go in. Even though I loved ‘Peter Rabbit’ as a child, I cannot really get away with it now! Interesting fact though… the area gets lots of Japanese visitors, as they love Beatrix Potter stories!
We had a great stay in the B&B as it felt really traditional but had lots of nice modern decor. Plus we had great breakfasts, could get recommendations/free maps and also they gave us free fudge!
One of the other great things about staying in Bowness on Windermere, was the close proximity to the lake’s ferry service. There is an information centre and booking office where you can buy tickets for the ferry cruises that run regularly up and down the lake. The Windermere Lake Cruises company offer several boat services taking different routes around the lake, you can also charter a boat. We crossed the lake to Ambleside and it was quite a rainy trip across, but it was January… and it meant we had rainbows! There was some information provided on the cruise and there was an inside and outdoor space.
When we arrived in Ambleside, the sun came out and we started a 3 hour hike up Loughrigg Fell. This ‘low fell’ felt very mountainous to us, and clearly I am not ready for Scafell Pike quite yet!
The hike had absolutely beautiful views and different things to see on the way up and down…. including a false peak (be ready for that heart wrenching moment). We had a tasty picnic on the way up, and were sat next to a bird of prey that was simply perching on the cliffside.
Bird sitting on the rocks at Lake District hike
After being battered by wind at the peak, we started carefully making our way down. On the way down, we enjoyed views of the lakes, streams and a huge watery cave. When we eventually finished we could enjoy sitting on our cruise back looking over our gorgeous photographs, and relaxing. Later in the evening, we took advantage of a special pamper package that the B&B had running with a nearby health centre, and spent the evening in the pool and jacuzzi, soaking our muscles!
Peak
Cave
There were also plenty of places to dine out in the area and relax. We had a couple of lovely dinners both near to our B&B in Bowness on Windermere, and in Windermere town itself. If we had been there for longer than a weekend, we would have visited more of the towns and villages around the lake. Unfortunately, we only really had the Saturday, and then a long drive back on Sunday. We did drive from the top to the bottom of the lake before turning out on a misty morning, and the views were still breath taking.
I think I would definitely visit again for some more hikes, mixed in with good food. I would like to stay for a week. I would probably stay there during the winter again as well as I hear it is very busy in the Summer, and I wouldn’t want too many tourists to spoil our tranquil experience.
Oxford, known as the city of dreaming spires has been the home of inspirational scholars for centuries and last weekend I caught a glimpse into their world by taking a look at the famous Oxford University buildings and nearby historic attractions.
At the beginning of our weekend trip we checked in to the luxury De Vere hotel, Milton Hill on the outskirts of Oxford nearby the town of Abingdon. Milton Hill has impressive facilities such as a gym, pool, jacuzzi and sauna. Also the lounges dotted around the hotel are great for relaxing with a morning hot chocolate and a good book, which i did several times to make a good start to the day.
Whilst the facilities were great and there is plenty to keep you occupied I would say that parts of the hotel are due for a bit of redecorating. The pool changing rooms were fairly nasty and our en-suite bathroom was in need of replacement bath panels.
A university of open spaces and open minds
Christchurch Meadow
Oxford is known for its impressive university buildings and being home to a string of academic accomplishments. When wondering the streets of Oxford you will see a number of art and literary exhibitions, Shakespearean plays and theatre performances.
Hobbit illustration
Chronicals of Narnia illustration
Henry 8th drawing
A tour of the Bodleian library is very worth while as this is the second largest library in Britain and one of the oldest. The library started as only a few books donated to the university and kept in the local church before Sir Bodley began building the beautiful 15th century library and quadrangle. During our tour of the library we heard many interesting stories about life studying in the library and the love and tender care gone into the keeping of the books there. It is said that J. R. R. Tolkien spent a lot of time in the library scribbling on the back of his subject notes, ideas for his novel.
There is also a variety of open spaces to enjoy including Christchurch Meadow and the Botanical Gardens. The gardens have some great things to see and in Autumn this can be especially beautiful. The price of the gardens are fairly low and you can get a good few hours of enjoyment from seeing the peculiar plants on offer.
Back in the city centre you will find a mixture of shopping, bars and traditional pubs. We tried out a few of the many restaurants in the city including Banana Tree, a very unusual Indo- Chinese restaurant. Be warned though that this is a city for cyclists and parking can be a real nightmare! There are very little spaces in the town and what there is tends to be expensive… On the bright side there is many park and ride locations around the city.
Not far from the city…
Nearby to Oxford is another friendly town called Abingdon. We visited this town to explore the shops and enjoyed a lovely Italian meal at Bella Napoli. This wonderful little slice of Italy served us up a great three course meal that was delicious and authentic.
We also spent a day at Blenheim Palace. The palace was a reward to the victorious Duke of Marlborough and home of Sir Winston Churchill. It still stands as a home to the family as well as a brilliant visitor attraction. The grounds host trees, gardens, a butterfly house, maze and also the historic house which offers regular tours, informing you of the interesting history.
Blenheim Palace
Me in a tree!
Blenheim maze
Our tour guide told of how the estate was almost lost several times over history, due to the poor maintenance and money squandering of some of the previous Dukes. It was three times over that the women of the family saved the estate from destruction, which I thought was pretty impressive considering that women were normally thought of as second class citizens back in the 18th century.
A great tip to remember when visiting the palace is that the admission you buy for the palace can be converted into an annual pass for free! Just visit the kiosk when you get inside and they will put your pass ID together for you. A great thing to have for any future visits!
Next stop.. Cambridge
With one university city done, I am now planning my trip to the next one. Cambridge it shall be, and in the lead up to Christmas I am sure there will be lots of exciting things to explore.
Budapest also known as “Paris of the East”, “Pearl of the Danube” or “City of Spas” is one of Europe’s best hot spots for culture, nightlife and relaxation. Everything you need for a few summer days away… This summer I explored the city and was pleasantly surprised.
Budapest View
Arriving in Budapest
Flying from Stansted to Budapest was simple and cheap although we were a little bit disappointed with the infamous Ryanair service as with it being a late flight we hoped to just quickly get away with our cabin bags but when we got to the gate we had our bags taken away and put in hold meaning we would have to wait extra time at the airport to collect… a little bit frustrating.
Transport from the airport can be done in two ways; either a bus then metro train or a taxi, we went with the later. At such a late time it seemed easier to get a taxi this time round even though i would normally always travel like the locals on public transport. The taxi rank had a stand where you could get a ticket with the accurate cost of your journey on so there was no chance of getting scammed which is common with many Budapest taxi services. The drive was only 30 minutes and took us through Pest and over the Chain Bridge to beautiful Buda where our fabulous apartment awaited.
View from Margaret Bridge
This was my first stay in an AirBnB apartment and I was pleasantly surprised, we had great views and were situated in the Castle Hill District very close to the well known Chain Bridge and Buda Castle (not really a castle anymore but a palace). From the apartment and view points on the Buda side such as the palace and Gellert Hill you could see the historic river Danube and several luxury river cruise ships, many of which i remembered learning about and promoting in my previous agency work.
Getting around
There were many ways to see the city including river boat trips, buses, bicycles, trams, metro trains, suburban trains (HEV) and of course by foot!
I tried several of these methods and found them all to be really easy, frequent and punctual. A single ticket is only 350 HUF which is roughly £1 and you can go as far as you want with this on one line on any of the on land transportation. After buying your ticket simply validate it in one of the station machines and then hop on board! Walking around the city is also an option as there are many pedestrian routes and squares to explore. Budapest is one of many European cities that offer free walking tours, these last between 2-3 hours and give you plenty of information on local culture and history, and tips for places to go during your stay.
History of Budapest
The history of Hungary and Budapest in particular is very interesting having been heavily involved in both WW1 & WW2 on the side of the Central & Axis Powers and having also had history with the Roman empire and the Turkish.
Parliament view
Parliament Budapest
Parliament
Buildings such as Parliament & the Royal Palace look stunning and are full of stories too. Parliament hold regular tours but they are extremely popular so it is wise to book ahead. There is also a memorial exhibition outside the building and underground which tells the story of one of the worse massacres in European history, which happened outside the capital building in 1956, known as Bloody Thursday.
This was during the Hungarian revolution where tensions had been boiling between the citizens of Hungary and the Soviet Union rule. During a peaceful protest that day 800 civilians were shot down. Details, footage and witness accounts of the day are present at the underground memorial. This is a very sad but interesting memorial which helps to really build a picture of the oppression that might have been felt throughout the city back then.
The Royal Palace sits within Buda Castle (now only bordering walls remain) on Castle Hill and is home to the Budapest National Gallery and History Museum. Within the walls you will also find the beautiful Matthius Church and Fisherman’s Bastion where you can get great views of the city whilst enjoying a lovely meal on the balcony. This is a very popular area and so getting there early in the day is best for avoiding queues.
Follow the signs and take an elevator and you will come to the Hospital in the Rock. This museum was used as a hospital in WW2 as well as later becoming a top secret nuclear bunker. The very informative tour in here will walk you up to 17 metres underground through rooms that would have been used then and talk you through the difficult conditions for patients and staff. It is very interesting and peculiar and I would definitely recommend this! It costs 4000 HUF (roughly £10) and tours last an hour.
This wasn’t the only thing in the rock! Further a long the Buda side you will find the Cave Church that was sealed with cement in the war to stop people from worshiping but later reopened again for the people. You can wonder around the church for a very good price at only 500 HUF (£1.35) and listen to the interesting history though the self guided audio tour. It is also a nice cool escape from the heat outside in the summer.
In general there are vast amounts of historical buildings to see in Budapest which is surprising when you see the photos of how the city was left following air raids and riots in the various conflicts. There are also many memorials around the city, several of which are still being contested today by many locals. Some of the most interesting include: Gellert Hill, Heroes Square and the Shoes on the Promenade.
Budapest Gellert Hill
There are also several interesting religious buildings including churches, St Stephen’s Basilica and of course the Jewish Donahy Street Synagogue which centerpiece’s the Jewish quarter that exists today. The synagogue is also home to the striking Holocaust Memorial Park which holds memory to the 400,000 Hungarian Jews that were murdered by Nazis.
Matthias Church
Cave Church
Synagogue
Matthias Church
Matthias Church in distance
St Stephen’s Basilica
Whilst much focus is given in Budapest to the suffering and war over the past century, there is also a strong Roman history in the city and if you take the suburban (HEV) train a little out past the pretty Margaret Island you can visit Aquincum which is home to a large roman conservation area. We had a brilliant morning in this attraction which made you feel like you suddenly were in Rome! We got in for free as on the last Saturday of every month under 26 yr olds are free of charge but we would have been happy to pay for this place… The site had several remains including; Roman public and private baths, forum buildings, fountains, homes and shops. The site also has what they believe to be the painter’s house with a typical roman lifestyle set up, a cafe and a brilliant museum with interactive games.
Aquincum
Aquincum
Aquincum
FOOD!
Hungarian food was delicious and cheap, a great combination! We were fairly adventurous over the week and tried several stews and also the mysterious Langos which is Budapest’s favourite snack. I was a little on the fence with this snack as it was very strong on the grease factor! …But my friends and the rest of the city seemed to like it so perhaps it’s just me!
For my fellow traveller’s birthday we enjoyed a special lunch at the beautiful New York Cafe which was inspired by Italian renaissance and is a very classy place for a lunchtime meal. Also the prices aren’t too bad!
New York Cafe
City of Spas
It is clear to see why Budapest is nicknamed the ‘City of Spas’. We visited two very different bath houses in Budapest and enjoyed the minerals and 40’c heat of the water, as well as some jacuzzi jets and luxury treatments. It was a very nice way to relax and soak our sore feet after days of walking around the city. We visited Széchenyi Thermal Bath, the most popular bath in the city in the evening when it was all lit up, and this was definitely much more of a family site with several outside pools, jets and a whirlpool.
In contrast we also spent an afternoon at Veli Bej Bath which is one of the oldest baths in the city, much smaller and much more relaxed. This traditional Turkish bath has waters rich in calcium, magnesium, hydrogen-carbonate, sulfate and sodium to help ease joint pain and post-injury healing. A deep back massage was the perfect way to end the holiday and the spa and treatments were extremely good value at only £10 for a massage! I felt they were really too low in price as the service was professional and quality…
Széchenyi Thermal Bath
Veli Bej Bath
Overall, Budapest was definitely more than I was expecting… A vibrant culture, interesting history, great food and brilliant value, what more could you want! I would definitely visit again and next time I plan to try out more of the nightlife and work my way through more of the Hungarian cuisine.
Go Go Chlo 