Oxford, UK

Buildings in Oxford demonstrate examples of every English architectural period since the arrival of the Saxons, including the mid-18th-century Radcliffe Camera. Oxford is known as the "city of dreaming spires", a term coined by poet Matthew Arnold.

Practising

Today was a really beautiful, peaceful and very still day. Cold, admittedly, but lovely.

We decided to visit Wakehurst. I've been suffering with a head cold since yesterday. The stress of everything has finally caught up with me and, together with the heavy downloads of energy occurring leading up to 11/11/8, knocked me for a six. The walk through nature did me the world of good.

Lewes, UK

Archaeological evidence points to prehistoric dwellers in the area. Scholars think that the Roman settlement of Mutuantonis was here, as quantities of artefacts have been discovered in the area. The Saxons built a castle, having first constructed its motte as a defensive point over the river; they gave the town its name.^[3]

Our Travels

Greg and I love travelling and exploring.

We are both are South African, but have been living in the UK for 17 years. We have found it a very central location.

I felt the need to document these travels – whether short day trips or epic holidays and encompasses Greg’s recent passion for photography, as well as my love of flora, our combined delight in fauna and the world around us…oh and of course…each other.

Our earliest travels were on a very tight budget, so much of our early holidays with two children in tow, were spent in tents, our faithful ‘old banger’ (with a cheerful backfire or two!) piled high always managing to get us where we needed to be. Despite the budget restrictions, we had fabulous times.

Iceland

Iceland's Blue Lagoon - beautiful isn't it?

 

From Wikipedia:
'Due to the special geological location of Iceland, the high concentration of volcanoes in the area is often an advantage in the generation of geothermal energy, the heating and production of electricity. During winter, pavements near these areas (such as Reykjavík and Akureyri) are heated up.
Five major geothermal power plants exist in Iceland, which produce approximately 26.2% (2010)^[1] of the nation's energy. In addition, geothermal heating meets the heating and hot water requirements of approximately 87% of all buildings in Iceland. Apart from geothermal energy, 73.8% of the nation’s electricity was generated by hydro power, and 0.1% from fossil fuels.^[2]'

Wisley Garden, UK

RHS Garden Wisley is a "garden" that goes on forever and forever. I have not uploaded even a quarter of the pictures as there is so much to see, but hopefully this will give an idea of what to expect.

Broadwater Warren, High Weald, UK

Broadwater Warren - Set in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Beauty near to Royal Tunbridge Wells, big changes have been happening at Broadwater Warren.

When the RSPB took over the reserve in 2007, it was a large conifer plantation with just a few remnants of heathland surviving. The vast majority of major restoration works have already taken place as part of our ten year project to restore the historic open landscape of the Weald and improve the surrounding woodland for wildlife. 

Treehouse living in France

 

Here are the pictures of the treehouses that we slept in at Domaine de Poiseuil.

On our trip down to the Med, we stayed in two separate treehouses:

Our farewell trip to France

My mother arrives from South Africa on Wednesday. I've not seen her for about 5 years as my stepdad has been, and still is, too ill to travel.

Chartwell, UK

Chartwell - spring time at the home of Sir Winston Churchill.

Monaco/Monte Carlo

Every year when we go to France, we visit a friend who stays in Menton (on the French/Italian border). It is about a two hour walk along the boardwalk to Monte Carlo, but we've never managed to have the time to do it.

Ready or not - here we come

Je t'aime on the boardwalk to Monte Carlo

This is sort of a continuation of my previous blog posted on 27 Sept - Open and Vulnerable.

This past weekend has been quite intense. Today has been a chill out day of R&R.

Open and vulnerable

Last week, whilst walking along the beach at twilight, we came across a very large dead jellyfish in the shallows buffeted by the small waves. I've seen little blue bottles washed up on the beaches but never a jellyfish of this size - you'd be hard pressed to hold it with both hands without it spilling over the sides. It was opaque/white with purple edges.

Because it was so unusual, I figured that there was some kind of message, so I looked it up.

"Jellyfish: The transparency of the jellyfish teaches the inner source within each of us. We have an enormous amount of power within us to draw upon. We can turn on the light even in the depths of darkness through the wisdom the jellyfish. It often shows up just when you believe there is no hope left.

Arles, France

In the shade of a fig tree in the Theatre Antique

Yeeks, man...feeling rather rough- or maybe not rough - more tired than anything. A night of chills and heat, that feeling of not being able to bear having even a sheet covering my body even when cold, together with a banging headache. And constant dreaming, very weird dreams when I did sleep. And this morning my little netbook was struggling. Sure sign that there has been an upgrade in energy.

Arles, France photos

Arles - "The city has a long history, and was of considerable importance in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. The Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981. The Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles in 1888–1889 and produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his time there. An international photography festival has been held in the city since 1970."

This ancient city in the Camargue delta of the Rhone River, has a rich history that stretches back two thousand years.

Vibrant soothing calm and peaceful...and some irritation!

Here we are in France once again, six months after the last visit. Lately each time we come here on holiday, the energy is different...although the change feels radically different, I can't quite pinpoint exactly what is different...or if it is merely me that has changed...maybe a bit of both.

I have so much to say about what I experience each time I get here...but I have no idea where to start or how to explain them. The natural beauty surrounds, soothes, brings pleasure and joy...and sometimes irritates me. I assume that too much happiness gets to those bits of me that aren't feeling joyful and nudges them into reacting.

Aigues Mortes, France

Aigues Mortes - "Aigues-Mortes is located in the Petite Camargue some 90 km (56 miles) north-west of Marseilles and is a French commune in the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. The medieval city walls surrounding the city are well preserved."

One of the many places in France that we have visited over the years. This was a winter visit.

Carcassone, France

Carcassone - "The city is famous for the Cité de Carcassonne, a medieval fortress restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1853 and added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997."

A walled medieval city with a poignant history.

Cannes, France

Cannes - "Cannes (French pronunciation: ​[kan], in Occitan Canas) is a city located in the French Riviera. It is a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival and Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. It is a commune of France located in the Alpes-Maritimes department.

The city is also famous for its luxury shops, restaurants, and hotels. On 3 November 2011 it played host to the G20 organisation of industrialised nations."

Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert and surrounds, France

 

Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert - "Situated in a valley near Montpellier in southern France, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded in 804 by Guilhem (Guillaume) au Court-Nez, duke of Aquitaine and a member of Charlemagne's court."