WHAT'S IN A NAME???

Guest blogger ~ post written by JPE

I've become very curious about the suffixes

found in London names.

There are ---hams everywhere, such as in Tottenham, Wickham & Buckingham; and 

---bury, as in Salisbury & Canterbury.

Of course, we find the same suffixes in the US too.

It turns out ---ham is related to our word for

"home" & refers to a homestead or settlement.

The word "hamlet" also derives from this origin.

Both ---bury & ---borough

derive from the German "burgh" or "berg"

meaning castle.

A ---bury was an enclosed settlement.

The word "borough" evolved to define a county or region. Many cities in the UK & US continue to have 

divisions by "boroughs."

Canterbury means the "walled settlement of Kent." 

So, what is a ---wick, as in Chiswick or Gatwick? 

 What is a ---ton, as in Kensington or Winston?

 How about ---coomb or ---combe, as in Batcombe or Lyncombe?

AND, what is a ---stoke, as in Northstoke or Graystoke? 

Finally, how about ---ford, as in Stanford or Oxford? 

Did I peak your curiosity?

the answers can be found at these very

COOL websites.

Institute for Name Studies

Origins of Some Name Places

THESE FEET ARE MADE FOR WALKING!

CAN YOU GUESS WHERE OUR FEET TOOK US TODAY?

First CLUE?

Incredibly beautiful stained-glass windows...

located on this beautiful wall...

Second CLUE??

MEDUSA - Goddess of Petrification
greeted us in the FOYER!

Third CLUE???

...this was one of the display cases!

We
BROWSED...

"My reflection"  ~  Taking the pic 
with the massive granite stairway in the background

Of course, in the Natural History Museum, 
you would expect to find
a statue of...

...Charles Darwin

QUESTION??
were we more impressed 
with the architecture of this building 
OR the exhibits? 

here is the link to their website
Natural History Museum - London



For our next destination,
we got off the TUBE at this station...

some of the TUBE stations have TILE ART!

~ Glimpse of our destination ~

First CLUE? 

NEWTON figuring some calculations!

Second CLUE??

the courtyard was full of QUOTES....

Third CLUE???

...the foyer looked like this!

Final CLUE????

The British Library - opened in 1997!

visited the 
"Magnificent Maps: Power,
Propaganda & Art"
exhibit...


I've always thought of maps
as a geographical document!!?!


but learned...

• maps were also works of art

• propaganda pieces

• expressions of geographical pride

• tools of indoctrination

Sir John Ritblat Gallery

is the location for a "rotating display

of the library's MOST precious items.

we saw...

• the Magna Carta

• Shakespeare's First Folio

• Gutenberg Bible

• a Beatles song written on the back 

of a child's birthday card

(John Lennon's handwriting - card to his son)

DINED

at the "SHAKESPEARE Pub"

(3 minute walk to our final destination)
which was???

...the Victoria Palace...

...our feet are hanging in there!


Tomorrow ~ packing!
ummm...
tea at "the Orangery"

WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!!!

Our flat is located half-way between the 

South Kensington Tube Station &

the Sloane Square Tube Station.

BIBENDUM BUILDING

Sloane Ave & Fulham Rd

AMAZING landmark on our street!

Terence Conran (Conran Designs)

restored this building!

...formerly a "tire" company, 

it is now a

flower stand, outdoor cafe,

a high-end restaurant, 

and Conran Design Store.

BIBENDUM BUILDING

...evidence of the Art Deco design
is found in wheel over the entrance to
the restaurant, outdoor cafe & flower stand. 

BIBENDUM BUILDING

...one of the "amazing"
Art Deco 
stained-glass
windows!!

BIBENDUM BUILDING

...plaques with various models 
of cars circle the building!


WE LOVE THIS BUILDING!!!

FLAT IS ON THE 6TH FLOOR

Leaving the South Kensington Tube Station, 

we walked down Sloane Avenue 
looking for our flat!

The streets are NOT well-marked...

tired, sweaty & pulling our 

wheelie bags + backpacks,

we ASKED for HELP!

"Where's the Nell Gwynn House?"

 The guy at the corner store

pointed to the large building on the next corner...

Ummm... had no idea we would be staying

in such a large building (24 hour doorman)...

Missed meeting our "greeter"

& after some confusion,

we got the key to our flat!

Check it out here!

Nell Gwynn House - Sloane Ave, Chelsea APT #635

After

unpacking & showering,

we were ready to check out

the neighborhood!

SAINSBURY MARKET

...our neighborhood market!

the flat has a "dorm" size fridge

~ so we shop often!

I think the clerks are going to 

MISS US!!??!

~ BENEFITS of renting a FLAT ~
no living out of a suitcase
(could spread our stuff out)
the flat has a "tiny" washer/dryer
(a LOAD = 2 towels + 1 washcloth + 1 bathmat)
we cooked most meals
(London is not known for it's food) 
FREE high-speed internet
(took our Dell notebook - checked email, 
blogged, SKYPE'D w/friends + family, 
looked up museum info, 
booked tickets, & located sites & tube stations)
experienced living in a London neighborhood
(shopped in local stores, 
had "cuppa" tea / coffee in local cafes, 
used local TUBE stations)

 DRAWBACK???
no room service
(ummm... we can live without that!) 

NELL GWYNN

So, who WAS 

Nell Gwynn??

After a bit of research, 

I learned she was one of the 

first female actresses in London theater.

Although she was illiterate,

she was gifted with a quick wit, & kept company 

with some affluent, influential people!!

NELL was the mistress of 

King Charles II of England.

Would we rent a flat again??
YOU BET!!!

DEBUT!!!

"DEBUT"

at

Shakepeare's Globe Theater

for the performance of

"ANNE BOLEYN"

starring
JPE & CEE
as

"GROUNDLINGS"

In the post,
 Tour 'Round the GLOBE
 I mentioned 
we would be taking our "seats"
as "groundlings"
meaning - we didn't actually 
SIT ANYWHERE!

we STOOD for 
the 2 1/2 hour performance!
& LOVED EVERY MINUTE!

Our tour guide had mentioned
 "performances must-go-on"
even if it rains!
It had rained for 3-4 hours during the night
NOPE!  
we wouldn't need our raincoats!

YEP!
we did!

YES! 
the play continues!
with the cast &
front three rows of the boxes 
getting damp...

& the "lowly groundlings"
getting MORE than damp!

 ALL part of the "MUST-HAVE-EXPERIENCE"!

VIEW of ROYALTY BOXES
Huh! this doesn't look like royalty!
we actually had closer views 
of the actors & actresses

planning a trip to London?
this is

A MUST-HAVE-EXPERIENCE!! 

Shakepeare's Globe Theater

SECOND DEBUT!!! 
Following a tasty, hearty dinner
in the Crypt at St Martin-in-the-Field's
(we had a "cuppa" tea & scones
here ~ more than ONCE!!?!; 
made brass rubbings 
& used their very clean WC's ~
whenever we were near this area)

"ROMANTIC" 
...candles were lit 
in all the church windows
...tea lights adorned
all the church pillars

PRE-CONCERT 
ORCHESTRA PIT

BELMONT ENSEMBLE
played several of our favorites

Pachebel - Canon

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons

during the 2 hour performance

"This ensemble was established 

to enable exceptional music graduates 

the opportunity to bridge the gap 

between leaving conservatoire &

finding full-time employment, 

within a professional environment."

"They are considered a "fixture"

on the London music scene &

rely on enterprising programming

& box office receipts to fund

performances."

(info taken from concert program)

more information at
Belmont Ensemble

FABULOUS!

DATE-TIME w/JPE!

WEEKWORD = BALANCE

WEEKWORD = BALANCE 
Covent Garden banner (London)

This week's word was chosen by
MARY

Check Mary's BLOG 
to see what the other bloggers
have posted as their response to
BALANCE

What keeps me in

B-A-L-A-N-C-E??

"NATURE" 
KEW GARDEN flowers (London)

"MUSIC" 
Portobello Market Musician (London)

"HUMOR" 
Portobello Market t-shirts (London)

"EXERCISE" 
DOVER street sign (London)

"HEALTHY FOOD"
 Covent Garden food vendor (London)

"TIME to be CREATIVE" 
Bath street art (London)

"TEA & TIME TO REFLECT" 
KEW Garden (London)

"A NICE BATH" 
Leeds Castle - Lady Baillie's Bathtub (London)

LONG, WINDING ROAD!

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

NO ANSWER?? THEN RING THE BELL!

Following an 80 minute bus ride SE of London,
we pulled into
the gatehouse for
LEEDS CASTLE

A place of opulence... comfort... and beauty...

Luscious, fragrant lavender scents the air at the front door.

In 1926, Olive Wilson Farmer (later becoming
Lady Baillie) fell under the magic spell of 
LEEDS CASTLE. 

Coming from an aristocratic background,
she used her acquired wealth

to purchase & then refurbish the 500 acre
castle area for viewing by today's public.

 

Lady Baillie's bedroom w/needlepoint pillow

Side view of castle... moat & beauty! (pic by JPE)

Lady Bailie's beautiful English garden

Grain was milled here during the war!

Lady Baillie LOVED animals & birds...

~ Early history - Leeds Castle ~

Leeds Castle was built in 1119 & passed into royal hands in 1278, as part of the Queen of England’sdower (settlement widowed queens received upon the death of their husbands). In addition to serving as a residence for six different medieval queens & several private families, it also served as a garrison (place for military troops), a prison, a hospital (WWII)  and a convalescent home.

~ Visiting the Castle ~

Tour buses, families on "holiday" and mommies w/strollered children visit the castle & its' grounds.There is a special playground area for children - with picnic tables, benches  & a play structure.  Our tour didn't allow us time to wander thoroughly wander the grounds... we missed the bird aviary, the boxwood hedge maze, and the golf course (sorry Dad!!).

Canterbury Cathedral

Next STOP...

One of England's most important 
religious destinations;

prime destination for religious pilgrims; 

sometimes called

the English Vatican!

The exterior of  
CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL 
is showing its age!?!!

Begun in 597, the church is a 
patchwork of various architectural designs,

best viewed inside the nave.

Loved the color & detail of the pulpit!

Pulpit overhang

Pulpit box

Detail of carvings

Nave architecture

Ceiling design + wooden carvings along the nave

Drove to  
DOVER 

(sea coast) 

for a breath of fresh air

and a view of DOVER CASTLE

(pics didn't turn out)!

OUCH! this is the beach in Dover!!!

Our LONG, WINDING ROAD Trip

ended with a ride on

the Thames River

from Greenwich to Embankment...

NOPE! this is not London Bridge!! but Tower Bridge...