“The Grove”

It was a hectic weekend – kicking it off Friday evening was an industry event at “The Grove”, a luxurious golf resort twenty miles outside of London. I was amazed at how close the quiet and idyllic resort is to London’s hustle & bustle. Besides the canal, rolling-green hills, centuries-old trees and fine English horticulture, the food was fresh and local.

Greenwich

Yesterday I visited friends in Greenwich where they took me on their own personal walking tour of the borough. We visited Greenwich Market, the Maritime Museum and the park and sat by the river at the Trafalgar Tavern. For such a beautiful day, the park was surprisingly roomy. At the plaza we spied a Royal home and re-hashed the recent Royal Wedding (the good, the bad and the ugly of which there were many hats that fit the bill…).

The Farnborough Air Sciences Museum

We spent the day in Farnborough, where “British aviation was born”, and visited the Farnborough Air Sciences Museum with our neighbors. M’s eyes lit up – he was quiet happy to put on his “engineering hat” in explaining the evolution of flying (balloons, kites, planes – in a nutshell) and how planes work.  I, on the other hand, was not quite in my element. But it was a gorgeous day and we celebrated the fact that we found our friend’s father’s name on a post-WWII report about German fighter planes.

Brighton

On Saturday we visited Brighton, an easy day excursion outside of London. Like all our trips to the country and seaside of England, we were astounded by the culinary delights of local pub food. At the Druids Head we ordered the standard fish and chips with a side of mushy peas plus a shi-shi goat’s cheese & hazelnut salad accompanied by a local ginger beer. After lunch we explored Brighton’s downtown area, the rocky beach and the Brighton Pavilion, but the pub lunch was the highlight of the day.

Oxford University

This afternoon we took a tour of Oxford University’s campus. It was interesting to learn that C.S.L. and J.R.R.T. both studied at Oxford at the same time; they were even friends. Oxford Uni has the oldest Gothic-style tower in England. Much of the architecture is medeival in style, and the color of the stone reminiscient of Bath. The final verdict? M and I both agreed that Cambridge University has a prettier campus than Oxford University.

Blenheim Palace

This morning we visited Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site, outside of Oxford. Blenheim Palace is Winston C.’s birth place. On a tour, we saw his mother’s birthing room and listened to recordings of him addressing his country. I overheard one elderly woman comment to her friend, “They don’t make statesmen like Churchill anymore, do they?!” After touring the palace, we walked along the lake and visited the gardens. The palace grounds are beautiful; we enjoyed strolling through the sweeping vistas amidst ancient trees and through piles of colorful fall leaves.

Bayham Summer Party

Today we spent one of the final days of summer at Bayham in Kent.

Paella in Cambridge

This weekend we visited Uncle D in Cambridge where he taught us how he makes his signature dish, paella.

Cotswolds

Visiting the Cotswolds is like stepping into a Jane Austen novel. I didn’t know places like it still exist. The Cotswolds is a string of villages connected by footpaths and narrow roads, dotted with widely dispersed stone homes separated by sweeping vistas. Lavender wisteria which decorates many of the stone houses and the acres of canary-yellow rapeseed fields reminded me of our recent trip to France’s Loire Valley. The Cotswolds is the most remote place we’ve ever visited during our time living in England: the rural setting is abundant with cows and horses, and as many sheep roam Kingham as squirrels scamper in Green Park. Whoever said English food is tasteless has never left London to eat at a little pub in the countryside. English cuisine is at its best in the remote towns outside of London; the Eight Bells in Chipping Campden did not disappoint. To top of the fish & chips with mushy peas and lamb burger, we had home-made, organic chocolate-orange and fresh berries ice cream, a perfect conclusion to a countryside visit.

Cambridge

Of the trips we’ve taken in England, our visit to Cambridge is my favorite. Cambridge is a feast for architecture lovers: it is a beautiful city to walk around and marvel at the colleges and churches. The student population gives the city a youthful energy; Cambridge is definitely not a “stuffy” place to visit despite the fact that it is the home of England’s best science and math university. Of course, a trip to Cambridge isn’t complete without punting on the River Cam, a relaxing boat ride after a long day of exploring. (Check out yoga buddy CC’s travel photos since moving to London at http://www.christinerchung.com/gallery/Welcome.html).