Some Journeys Turn Out to be Quests

Sometimes one doesn't realise until it's over that your journey was a Quest. I knew I'd had a loss, but I didn't know I was looking for something until I accidentally found it. So I am especially fortunate.

In Edinburgh David and I chose a ring made by a local jeweller, Alchemia, so we could include David's home city in the process. Buying from the person who actually designs and makes the object, in a place that is significant, feels different to just buying jewellery from a retailer where the item is far removed from the makers.

 

Of course other Journeys begin now. The simple one is me returning to Perth. Then for David to be allowed to move to Australia. The ongoing journeys will be in the hearts of our families and friends, as they grow to accommodate new connections and broader horizons.

David has four daughters and a number of grandchildren. They have been generously welcoming, though it can't be easy having an Australian come and take your father away to the other side of the planet.

Of course it will be lovely to back home in Perth for Spring, just as the days here are becoming shorter.

My dogs may be pleased to see me too. They probably think I was taking a long time at the grocery store ( where are our bones?!).

E

Good-bye Ferry Meadows Park and Back Garden.

Good-bye Summer. Hello Spring.

 

 

Impersonal Shopping and Monopoly Housing

In the UK, there seem to be even fewer independent shops than in Australia. And an enormous number of Charity Shops. There is a store called Argos which sells Everything ( non-perishable). You can order online and have items delivered to the door, Pronto and for less than the busfare into town. At least it's pronto in P'Boro, - may be different in London. There are Argos shopfront Stores too, where you can go in, look at the catelogues, order and pay on the terminal, and have it brought out from the warehouse. Is this the Way of the Future......?

It sort of makes sense for boring stuff you don't need to see, like DVD players or irons.

J

By far, the majority of housing is extremely uniform, throughout the country. Now I understand why those Monopoly houses look as they do. It is perfectly adequate and Australians could learn a lot about not having unnecessarily large houses. Britains could learn a lot about individualising their dwellings. But they seem to like it this way. Whatever! Brown bricks, brown trim and brown tiled roofs just make me want to dash around pots of coloured paint.

Busways, walkways and wide paths for bikes and gophers make street life very pedestrian friendly. Peterborough has won Awards for this...not everywhere is the same. It takes longer to get to the local shops by car than to cycle, because of the way the roads are designed, giving built-in incentives to avoid driving.

Yes, the UK has discovered Al Fresco dining too, along with the rest of the world. We have a voucher to dine here, and had better use it soon, as I leave for Perth soon.

Of course you can get a more expensive version of a Monopoly house with its own garden, in an outlying Village.

 

 

Och Aye, it's a Grand Place.

Off to Edinburgh we went. In a train. The Festival was on, so lots of tourists. We were not tourists.

First we raided the Bank of Scotland. But, oops, they'd already raided themselves and left only debts behind.

Oh No, what's this....an Australian street performer. Yeah Mate, I can crack a whip too. ( tho' it's been a while...)

Off to the Castle, that's more like. What a fabulous view. All the stands were set up for the Military Tattoo.

We saw the Crown Jewels and the famous Stone of Destiny, but no photos allowed. Serious rocks.

We stayed on Princes Street, with a view like this from the restaurant. Almost forgot to eat.

 

The Pipes, the Pipes are calling.....we're sure to be back.

 

 

Summer Wasps and Random Stuff

My lone outdoor potplant is thriving. It's quite liberating to be able to give all ones gardening attention to it, rather than spreading attention too thinly over many.

I have an equally thriving indoor one. I tried many times to grow these New Guinean Impatiens in Perth, but turns out they like an English Window Box.

Last week I was at this Village Station. It made a restful contrast to the King's Cross Station in London.

 

Though there's always buses. We walked past this traffic jam of buses. They were stationary because of a minor traffic accident blocking the road.

Me, setting off to London. Photographic evidence in case I was never seen again!

After London, a trip to Cambridge is recommended for recovery. Preferably including Tea at Harriet's where a beautiful pianist plays on Sundays.

 

 

 

Chandeliers and Chihuly. Ceilings and Rooftops.

Chihuly's spectacular glass sculpture in the foyer of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Scary isn't it?....maybe it's a glass alien. Or Chihuly's idea of a table decoration.

Look at all these lovely roofs colliding and overlapping. From the sixth floor of the V&A.

This is David's shot...he liked all the angles against the sky.

Ahhh, back to Provincial Peterborough with pretty flowers.