ALAÇATI BLUES

SCOTLAND'S DOORS 2

More Scotland doors here.  

A ONE DAY ESCAPE TO FRANCE

Since we came to London, for our Paris travels we were using EuroStar trains but today finally we experienced Dover-Calais ferries for crossing the channel for a short trip. The London-Dover train (2 hours) + Dover-Calais ferry (1,5 hour) system worked very well for us and the weather also was very helpful for having a little “air de France”.

Calais surprised us with its empty streets on a sunny Saturday. The 80’s music broadcast from the loudspeakers at the empty but christmas decorated Place d’Armes was little bit twilight zonish. The 55 metres high Calais Lighthouse visit with the accompanied by the lighthouse guide was the best part of the day. Climbing 271 steps of this lighthouse built in 1848, definitely worth.

At the end of the day, on the way back, we were the only ferry passengers without carrying huge bags full of beer cans, etc. and it was interesting to observe the amount of daily trade circulation/activity of people between two ports. 

WATER OF LEITH IN EDINBURGH

An oasis in the middle of Edinburgh. A beautiful walk way along the water under the trees. Peaceful, quite and just beautiful.  

THE SMELL OF THE AEGEAN SEA

Since three weeks we were in Turkey enjoying the last days of summer, eating fresh figs, fresh wallnuts, green tangerines, aegean fishes, goat cheese, laying down under the sun, swimming in cristal clear aegean waters with calamaries and fishes.

And we left our hearths in Aegean Sea, again...  

EDINBURGH

In July, we made a little road trip and big part of this trip was in Scotland. It was our first time in Scotland. We loved the country, we loved the people, specially Edinburgh. We felt there at home. Even, we have been regular customer to a pub during nine days we stayed there and made new pub friends, talked with them about the life, the city, the museums, the jazz, the poetry (specially Robert Burns), sports and -even we were agreed to not to talk about politics while drinking alcohol- little bit politics. Yes, it was a very special pub and we keep it to ourselves.

When we were talking about a trip to Scotland we were expecting a rainy and cold weather even in summer and for being in such northern part of the island, we were ready to it. Buuut, during our stay there, Scotland lived most hot two weeks since last twenty years and it was heaven for us (not for Scottish friends).

We will share more photos and details of this beautiful city but as an opening, we can say that we fell in love with Edinburgh. Is one of these old, characterful, amazing cities with beautiful people and we hope to go back there again.  

BIBURY IN COTSWOLDS

Cotswolds towns are one of our favorite destinations in UK. The second town we visited last week after Painswick, is Bibury which is a 600-700 persons populated little town.

The town’s most visited parts are Arlington Row and the riverside lined by beautiful stone cottages. Bibury is not a place to spend hours maybe but certainly worth to pop up even for a short walk to see these beautiful old cottages.  

PAINSWICK IN COTSWOLDS

Last week on our way to Silverstone for Moto GP, we visited two beautiful Cotswolds towns. The first town we stopped is Painswick. We walked on the narrow streets of the town and took some photos. We looked for a nice place to drink something but it was little bit like a ghost town and most of the shops were closed.

Anyway we enjoyed our walk on the streets lined of Cotswolds stone houses. The sun was not shining on that part of the day, pitty for the photos but it was nice to visit another town of this beautiful part of our little kingdom.  

SCOTLAND’S DOORS

Some Scottish doors from Edinburgh and Rosslyn Chapel.

More door photos here and here. 

LAKE DISTRICT: WINDERMERE

Lake District National Park in Cumbria is one of the most attractive touristic destinations of UK and was part of our little road trip we made few weeks ago. Because of being there only 2,5 days, our visit was concentrated around one of the most popular lakes, Windermere.

During our stay in Lake District, we visited little towns around Windermere, enjoyed three boat trips in the lake, made a gentile 4 mile walk along the lake from the Wray Castle to the Ferry House and enjoyed the incredible, beautiful sun. It was a total 2.5 day of well spent relaxing time. This time was more a touristic trip but for the next time we hope to rent a cottage in Western Lake District and enjoy the less crowded part of the national park. 

MORECAMBE

When we headed through the north two weeks ago, we were looking for a town to stop near our way to eat something. Then we saw Morecambe on the coast and remembred Hairy Bikers’ visit to Morecambe to see the production of potted shrimps.

Decision made and we choosed to taste Morecambe’s world wide famous potted shrimps. For being a Saturday, Baxters, the most famous producer’s place was closed. So we tasted Edmonson’s potted shrimps. Because of tasting for the first time in our lifes, we can not compare with others but it was tasty what we ate. It went so fast to our stomacs and we forget to take the photo of potted shrimps.

After the “let’s taste Britain’s flavours” activity, we walked on the promenade from one side to the other side of the town next to a sandy beach.

Conclusion: it was nice to taste the potted shrimps, Morecambe is a small coastal destination to spend maybe few hours but not one of our most preffered towns in UK.  

MARYLEBONE SUMMER FAYRE

Today there was a summer fair in our ex-neighborhood Marylebone. And it was a lucky, sunny day (mostly),  like a nice spring day. The fair was taking place in all the big streets of Marylebone and it was a mix of a big food market and a big playground (lots of children everywhere). Marylebone Farmers Market also was there like every sunday morning. 

There was lots of food everywhere, roasted meat, sausages, paella, etc. The most colorful ones were the cupcakes.  

London Cat’s choice in the fair for today’s breakfast: roasted meat and typical British summer coctail Pimm’s. 

LONDON'S DOORS

We love taking door and window pictures all around the world.

And these are few examples from London’s streets.

LONDON KIND OF SUMMER WEEKEND

Last summer (our first summer in our little kingdom), was a shock for our Mediterranean bodies. But this year, we are ready for what is waiting for us: 90 days of rain!

After a normal, rainy and windy summer week, this morning we had a little bit of sun. It was a good reason for a walk to London’s famous Columbia Road Flower Market to buy some new rosemaries, thymes, tarragons, peonies and lavenders for our terrace.

Afternoon? Some kitchen activity, making zucchini pickles in a “lovely” rainy afternoon...