Andrew's Travels

Andrew's Travels

traveled in 66 countries Read more🌍Cambridge

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Suffolk Traveler
Newmarket
June 20, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Newmarket is best known as the home of English horse racing and is located in a corner of Suffolk that nudges into Cambridgeshire. Originally a small village, Newmarket's transformation in fortunes is due its association with racing and royalty which extends back into the 17th century. The crucial event was the construction of Newmarket Palace by King James and a lodge for what would be the future King Charles I; they both loved the area and made frequent visits - as did grandson / son King Charles II who became a devotee of horse racing. Although the original palace and lodge are gone, a small portion of Charles II's residence still exists in the two lower storeys of the nineteenth century house known as Palace House Mansion (the bulk was swept away in the Regency period).

Newmarket is an easy 15 mile drive from Duxford and as you enter the town there is a statue on the roundabout outside the National Stud (a thoroughbred horse breeding farm) that gives an indication of what Newmarket is all about. The National Horse Racing Museum in the town centre is an interesting visit and well worth a look around. Back in town, we pass the Jockey Club Rooms - where there is a magnificent statue of the horse "Hyperion" in the courtyard - and see the beautiful clock tower at the top of Newmarket High Street that commemorates Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1887. We also pass Nell Gwynn's cottage where there is an image of King Charles II on the wall; Nell was a "celebrity" actress of the Restoration Period and a long-time mistress of the king.

Newmarket is all about horse racing though, and a few years ago I took my father, a racing fan, to Newmarket Races to celebrate his 80th birthday year. A couple of pictures of our "day at the races" are included for completeness (and in his memory).Read more
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Museums of Cambridge Traveler
Kettle's Yard; The Liberty of Doubt
June 14, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
This was our first visit to the contemporary art gallery next to Kettle's Yard house and we attended a new exhibition by Ai Weiwei (born 1957, Beijing, China), one of the world’s most renowned and significant artists; he was joint architect of the Bird's Nest stadium built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. From 2009, however, he has been a Chinese Exile due to his activism; he spent some of this time living in Cambridge, but moved in 2020 to live in Portugal.

His Liberty of Doubt exhibition sets out to explore both the freedom of the West has in contrast to China and other authoritative regimes, and the differing traditions in the art of the East and West (ie ancient and modern) in relation to authenticity. He has mixed his own artworks with historic Chinese objects; the antiquities on display were acquired by Ai Weiwei at an auction in Cambridge in 2020, and some have been identified some as original and others as counterfeit.

Highlights that we saw included the following:

Chinese lacquered Greystone fragmentary hand, clutching a bottle; probably the hand of a Bodhisattva.

Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn; in 1995, Ai Weiwei intentionally dropped a Han Dynasty urn while being photographed – simultaneously destroying and making - and drew attention to the Chinese government’s widespread destruction of the country’s heritage. This exhibit was actually made from Lego bricks (in 2015).

Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola Logo, 2014; one of a series in which Ai has painted the Coca-Cola logo onto an ancient vessel - burnishing an historical Chinese artefact with a globally recognisable brand, he considers the place of China within contemporary consumer culture.

Blue and White Porcelain Plates, 2017; Inspired by the ancient Greek story of The Odyssey, Ai reflects on the cyclical nature of history in the imagery of these plates, drawing a correlation between the journey undertaken by Odysseus and the ongoing global refugee crisis. The plates show six themes: War, Ruins, the Journey, Crossing the Sea, Refugee Camps, Demonstrations.

Marble Surveillance Camera with Plinth, 2014; since 2008, Ai’s studio compound in Beijing has been surrounded by over two dozen surveillance cameras put in place by the authorities - following this intrusive act, Ai has frequently investigated the theme of surveillance in his work.

The Chair for Non-attendance, 2013; originally made to commemorate a friend who was detained by the Chinese state, it was presented in 2013 at the Stockholm Film Festival, where Ai had been invited to be a juror, but was prevented from attending due to being barred from leaving China by state officials.

Marble Takeout Box, 2015; the locally produced Styrofoam takeout box is the most ubiquitous takeaway container in China, yet the country is the nation that has produced the highest quality porcelain in the past.

Marble Toilet Paper, 2020; the whole world was in a panic in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and unnoticed and everyday objects suddenly became scarce in all the supermarkets and this work lays bare how fragile civilized progress actually is.

Three of his documentary films were also featured; Coronation (2020) about the pandemic in Wuhan, Cockroach (2020) about the student protests in Hong Kong and and Human Flow (2017) about the global migration crisis - we did not see these.

An interesting afternoonRead more
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Museums of Cambridge Traveler
Kettle's Yard; The House
June 14, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Kettle's Yard is part of the University of Cambridge Museums consortium and was originally the Cambridge home of Jim Ede and his wife Helen; they moved to Cambridge in 1956 and converted four small cottages into one house as a place to display Ede's collection of early 20th-century art. Ede was a curator at the Tate Gallery in London, and as such it is biased towards works from the British avant-garde of the first half of the 20th century. In 1966, Ede gave the house and collection to the University of Cambridge, but continued living there before he and his wife moved to Edinburgh in 1973; the house is preserved as the Ede’s left it, making a very informal space to enjoy the permanent collection, and in 1970, the house was extended.

Kettle's Yard is located in a quiet corner of Cambridge, overlooking St Peter’s Church, and is a beautiful house filled with beautiful objects placed to create a harmonic whole; a visit to the house has to be booked in advance. Our small group starts by ringing the bell, as visitors had to do when Ede maintained an 'open house' each afternoon, giving any visitors, particularly students, a personal tour of his collection. Our guide shows us the downstairs area and explains how everything - including arrangements of pebbles, sculptures and paintings - has been left in its exact place. On the next floor we see a lounge area and internal balcony which leads to the gallery extension downstairs (there is a bedroom area up another flight of stairs) - this gallery, also used for small live musical performances, is delightful. It was amazing to see how the four cottages had been joined together and the way it had all been laid out with great care and attention to detail.

There is also an exhibition gallery on two levels next to the house, which has been built in a contrasting modernist style (see next post).Read more
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Museums of Cambridge Traveler
Fitzwilliam; Hockney's Eye
June 14, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
David Hockney (b.1937, Bradford) is one of the most influential artists of our time; the exhibition "Hockney's Eye: The Art and Technology of Depiction" is in both The Fitzwilliam Museum, where his art is integrated across several picture galleries against the background of his dialogue with the "Old Masters", and The Heong Gallery (part of Downing College). Hockney’s Eye explores the artist’s pioneering modern experiments in bringing hand, eye and optical instruments together inventively.

In his use of cameras, digital drawing, the iPad and digital film, Hockney is following a tradition of creative experiments with optical devices that goes back from Ingres’ camera lucida to Canaletto’s camera obscura and right back to the birth of Renaissance naturalism in the fifteenth century.

Fitzwilliam

Our walk through the museum overs many aspects of his work via separate sections in several of the galleries:

Gallery 3 (British Art, 16-18th century); "Doing portraits" - his self-portrait, those of others and ipad self-portraits; pictures are visibly related to work of predecessors such as Hogarth

Gallery 6 (Italian Art, 14-16th century); "Perspectives on perspective" - includes a very interesting video on the optical rules of linear perspective

Gallery 7 (Italian Art, 18th century); "A lens on the Grand Canal"

Gallery 8 (Spanish and Flemish Art); "Hockney and Brueghel"

Gallery 10 (Octoganal exhibition space); "Seeing them watching us" - front of house staff at the National Gallery, London

Gallery 17 (Flower Paintings, Inlaid Furniture and Clocks); "What a shadow shows us" and "How to make flowers last"

Gallery 15 (Dutch Art, 17-18th century); "Perspective; orthodox and reverse" - how can a picture convey what we actually see?

Gallery 14 (Exhibition space); "Artists and optical aids" - use of optical tools such as camera lucida, camera obscura, concave mirrors

Gallery 12 (Exhibition space); "Time Travel" - digital videos synchronised and presented on nine monitors; also ipad pictures

Heong Gallery

This charts Hockney’s pioneering modern experiments from the 1960s to the present day in bringing hand, eye, and optical instruments together; this includes photo collages and pictures derived from the use of mirrors.

All in all, a great morning out seeing some good art and having an interesting experience.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiNice pictures, Andrew !
6/20/22Reply
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Poland Traveler
Gdansk - The Shipyard and Museums
May 24, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We walk up to the shipyard area; outside is the Monument to the Fallen Shipyards Workers of 1970 which commemorates the 42 or more people killed during the Coastal cities events in December 1970; in 1980, Lech Walesa emerged to rouse crowds of strikers here, leading to the formation of the Solidarity movement and ultimately to democracy for Poland and most of the Eastern bloc. Still active, the shipyard area seems to be slated for redevelopment and general gentrification and we enjoy seeing the old cranes and perimeter buildings while they are still there.

Behind this is the European Solidarity Centre, a museum and library devoted to the history of Solidarity, the Polish trade union and civil resistance movement, and other opposition movements of Communist Eastern Europe.

We walk to see the Polish Post Office; now a museum, the building is historically significant because it was one of the first sites targeted by the German Army when it invaded Poland on 1 Sept 1939 and WWII started; from the Polish perspective, a group of postmen held out against SS troops for almost a day and this feat is commemorated by a monument.

It is a short walk from here to the Museum of the Second World War, built in the style of a leaning tower with glass facade. We visit this museum and it is very interesting.

Back at the Motlawa Riverfront, we cross over to the small island of Olowianka (Granary Island) in the river and pass the Polish Philharmonic Concert Hall and the National Maritime Museum.

Then it is back to the hotel to head off to the airport for the flight back home. A great trip to Poland is over.Read more
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Poland Traveler
Gdansk - Old Town 2; continued
May 23, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We turn left after the Green Gate along the Motlawa Riverfront - the heart of the old port, it is now a bustling restaurant area - and reach the iconic Gdansk Crane (best viewed from the other side of the river, which we did); this restored 15th century port crane is now part of the National Maritime Museum.

We walk up the picturesque ul. Mariacka, where rich merchants used to live, towards the Church of St Mary; this is the largest medieval brick-built church in Europe, taking 150 years to complete and has been rebuilt after being destroyed in WWII. It is also famous for its astronomical clock built in 1464-1470 by Master Hans Duringer; our timing is fortunate as we see it do its stuff at 11:57am. We also ascend the 407 steps to the top of the 78m tower for some great views. Outside is the Royal Chapel, used as a place of worship for Catholics when St Mary's became Protestant.

We see the Arsenal, the finest example of a Dutch Mannerist style building in Gdansk; this former weapons and munitions store is now filled with shops and an art gallery. Our walk takes us past both the Old Town Hall (also Dutch Mannerist) and the Old Market building on our way to visit the Church of St Catherine. This is the oldest and most important church in the Old Town and houses an exhibit of Tower Clocks in the Gdansk Science Museum which is situated in part of the tower - this is 76m tall with even better views of the city and the shipyard area from the top than from the Main Town Hall.Read more
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Poland Traveler
Gdansk - Old Town 1; The Royal Way
May 23, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Gdansk is a city on the Baltic coast of northern Poland with a complex history, having had periods of Polish, Prussian and German rule, as well as periods of autonomy as a free city-state.

An important shipbuilding port, from 1918 to 1939, Gdansk lay in the disputed Polish Corridor between Poland and Germany, the political tensions here culminated in the Invasion of Poland in 1939 and WWII. The city was destroyed during WWII, but is now painstakingly rebuilt.

We start our exploration by walking the Royal Way along ul. Dluga (Long Lane) and Dlugi Targ (Long Market). Along Long Lane we pass the Highland Gate, marking the route's beginning, the Prison Tower (now housing the Amber Museum), the Golden Gate (ceremonial gateway to the city) and pass many beautiful, tall and narrow houses built in Flemish style before reaching the Main Town Hall. We visit this; it is now the seat of the Gdansk Museum and has reconstructed interiors - the Red Room is of particular note and has a beautiful ceiling.

The road widens as we reach the Long Market and Artus Court - the historic meeting place of the town's elite - with the bronze statue of Neptune's Fountain in front of it and the Golden House, with a fine facade, beside it; the Royal Way ends at Green Gate, built as a residence of visiting Polish Kings.Read more
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Poland Traveler
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Warsaw - City Centre
May 22, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Warsaw is not all "old" buildings; there are many high rise and modern buildings in the city centre.

We start at the Palace of Culture and Science; this was built 1952-1955 and was a gift to the people of Warsaw from the nations of the USSR. An emblem of the city, it now comprises a concert hall, cinema, two museums, Congress Hall, offices,academic institutions and private companies! It is 237m tall, and built with inspiration from the Empire State Building in Nwe York. Behind it is Swietokyzyska Park and we cross this and look for the hidden away Nozyk Synagogue; this is the only active Synagogue in Warsaw and exceptionally beautiful.

We walk on to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Pilsudski Square; close to it on ul. Krolewska are the Zacheta Building, housing the National Gallery of Contemporary Art, and the Evangelical Church of the Augsberg Confession, a neo-classical domed building. The lovely Saxon Gardens nearby are the oldest Public Park in Warsaw and are adjacent to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

We see examples of how new building has encroached upon old building as we walk back to see old buildings, near our hotel, used during the Warsaw Uprising and also the last remaining fragment of the Old Ghetto Wall.

Then it's off to Warsaw Centrale Station to catch our train to Gdansk.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi Wow
5/23/22Reply
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Poland Traveler
Warsaw - Royal Route to Lazienki Palace
May 21, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
We take the bus 106 again to Mariensztat and walk up to the Old Town again to start the "Warsaw - In Your Pocket" walking tour of The Royal Route.

The full Royal Route links the city's three Royal residences; Royal Castle, Lazienki Park's Palace on the Island and the Wilanow Palace. We cover the first part, taking in the many historical buildings, parks and monuments on the way to Lazienki Park via Warsaw's two main high streets, ul. Krakowskie Przedmiejscie and ul. Nowy Swiat.

Starting at the Royal Castle on Plac Zamkowy again, we walk down ul. KP past St Anne's Church, the Adam Mickiewicz Monument (he was a literary figure) to reach the fenced and guarded Presidential Palace. We visit the Church of the Nuns of the Visitation (Fryderyk Chopin attended as a youth) and pass some buildings of the University of Warsaw to reach the Holy Cross Church; this is the final resting place of Chopin's heart (in a sealed urn) and the interior is exceptional.

After an intersection, the road becomes ul. Nowy Swiat, and definitely more trendy. We reach the modern art installation that is the famed Palm Tree, situated in the middle of a roundabout! At Plac Tlzech Krzyzy, a roundabout with St Alexander's Church on it, the Royal Route becomes ul Al. Ulazpowska and we walk down here, passing a statue of Ronald Reagan opposite the US Embassy, to reach the western perimeter of Lazienki Park.

We pass Belvedere Palace, the residence of Polish Presidents 1918 -1995; this can only be viewed from the Royal Route and no visitors are allowed. We enter Lazienki Park and see the Art Nouveau Chopin Monument, the open-air Theatre on the Island and the magnificent semicircular Myslewicki Palace before reaching the Palace on the Island. The name derives from the fact that it was originally a private bath-house before being bought by the last king of Poland in 1772 and converted to a private residence.Read more
TravelerNow I know what you were writing on the train to Gdansk! 🤣
5/23/22Reply
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Poland Traveler
Warsaw - New Town
May 20, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
The New Town (Nowe Miasto) is next to the Old Town and became a separate urban entity in 1408; it was also mostly destroyed during WWII andhas been rebuilt.

We enter from the Old Town via the Barbican and pass the Church of the Holy Spirit and Church of St Jacek to enter the cobbled Ulice Freta, the main road in the New Town. We reach the triangular shaped New Town Square and the rebuilt Church of St Kazimierz, with its elegant green dome and beautiful interior. We also visit the nearby Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary.

We then walk back down Ulice Freta and turn right along Ulice Dluga to see the Monument to the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, commemorating the heroes of this event.

It has been a great afternoon, thanks to the "Warsaw - In Your Pocket" guide book.Read more
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Poland Traveler
Warsaw - Old Town
May 20, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We arrive in Warsaw Centrale Station before 1pm after a good train journey from Krakow. Luckily our room at Hotel Ibis is ready and we set off for the Old Town on bus 106 to Mariensztat with a street map and the "Warsaw - In Your Pocket" guide provided by the hotel to start our 2km walking tour of the Old Town (Stare Miasto). This was founded at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, but was almost completely destroyed during WWII and has been rebuilt.

We start at Plac Zamkowy and see Zygmunt's Column, the oldest secular monument in Warsaw; this king moved the capital here from Krakow. Opposite is the Royal Castle, a symbol of Polish independence. We enter the Cathedral of St John and see the Jesuit Church next door, before visiting Ulice Piwna (Beer Street). We walk along the defensive city walls, Podwale, past the Jan Kilinski and Little Insurgent monuments to reach the Warsaw Barbican, guarding the North entrance to the Old Town.

We walk back to the Old Town Market Square, with its beautiful and colourful town houses; there was originally the town hall in the centre, but following its demolition in 1817, a statue of the Warsaw Mermaid, the protector of the city, takes its place. There are museums here; we enjoy a view over the River Vistula from Gnojna Gora (what was the old dung mound for human and domestic waste!) before making a wish at the nearby Wishing Bell.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiWe haven‘t been to Poland yet. Your report is great. We will probably do it at some point (Heidi) enjoy
5/22/22Reply
TravelerYou must visit. We travelled independently; everything organised by Helen (= Heidi? )
5/23/22Reply
Wolfgang und Heidi😂👍
5/23/22Reply
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Poland Traveler
Wieliczka Salt Mine
May 19, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Wieliczka is approx 30 minutes outside Krakow and famous for its ancient salt mine, which opened 700 years ago and is still in operation (for maintenance only). Rock salt is a valuable mineral that fuelled Krakow's growth (and, from a tourist income perspective, still does so today!)

The mine is unique in the world for its corridors, sculptures, chambers and galleries that have all been excavated and carved by hand. There is a 2 km tourist route on three levels through a network of underground galleries reaching a depth of 135m.

An amazing experience.Read more
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Poland Traveler
Krakow - Podgórze
May 18, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
South of Kazimierz, but on the other side of the River Vistula, is the district of Podgórze.

Located at 4 Lipowa Street in the post-industrial part of Podgórze called Zablocie, is Oscar Schindler's Enamel Factory. When WWII started in 1939, Oscar Schindler (a German himself) initially employed Jews from the nearby Ghetto because they were expected to be paid less than Polish employees. He soon came to care about their fate, however, and - using personal connections and bribes - managed to save approx 1,000 people from certain death in concentration camps and to survive WWII. The administrative building of the former factory now houses a permanent exhibition called "Krakow - the time of occupation 1939 - 1945" featuring many personal accounts. It was very interesting and informative.

After the German invasion in 1939, part of Podgórze became the Ghetto for Krakow with 25,000 people crowded into it; this area had walls built around it with tops resembling Jewish grave headstones - we see a 12m long fragment of the wall.

Zgody Square is not far; this was the starting point for deportation to camps. Now known as Ghetto Heroes Square, it features an art installation of dozens of large iron chairs; this was inspired by abandoned furniture after the liquidation of the Ghetto. At the corner of the square is Pod Orlem Pharmacy; now a museum, the former Eagle Pharmacy was operated by a Pole, Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who was entitled to remain in the Ghetto - it was the only Pharmacy there. As well as providing medicine, the pharmacy acted as a secret meeting place and Tadeusz and his staff acted as runners connecting Jews in the Ghetto with those outside. It is of particular interest to us as Helen was a Pharmacist.

At the west side of Podgórze we see the beautiful St Joseph's Church and cross the River Vistula back to Kazimierz via Father Bernatek's Bridge; also known as Love Bridge, it is noted for its acrobat statues above head height.Read more
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Poland Traveler
Krakow - Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter)
May 18, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
South of the Old Town, but still north of the River Vistula is the Jewish Quarter of Krakow, Kazimierz (this is where our hotel is located).

We start in the beautiful Ulice Szeroka, where there are nice restaurants (see later), and visit the Remuh Synagogue and Cemetery. This is one of the two still active synagogues in Krakow; the original Remuh was destroyed in WWII, but it has been rebuilt and tombstone fragments have been incorporated into a wall sound the cemetery; we walk through this and see many interesting tombstones.

Futher along is the Old Synagogue, now a museum, and nearby are both the High Synagogue and Tempel Synagogue (also active, with the Jewish Community Centre next to it).

We cross Plac Nowy - well known for its Zapienka (Polish pizza), other street food and neighbouring bars - and carry on to visit the huge 14th century Church of Corpus Christi, with its magnificent interior and dominating tower. We walk west through Kazimierz to see Pauline, Church on the Rocks (Skalka), a monastery and church built on a rocky outcrop close to the River Vistula.

We walk back to Plac Nowy and see what is known as Schindler's Alley (used as a location in the film "Schindler's List"). Back in Szeroka we have an excellent outside dinner at Ariel Restaurant and enjoy live music from a neighbouring restaurant as we eat, before popping inside to hear more live music at ours.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiWell done
5/22/22Reply
TravelerThanks; I'm sure you're enjoying you Balkan trip, we loved ours.
5/22/22Reply
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Poland Traveler
Krakow - Stare Miasto (Old Town)
May 17, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Our route from The Wawel to the Stare Miasto (Old Town) takes us past the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, with its Baroque facade, the Church of St Andrew next to it and on to the Franciscan Church; this has amazing interior decoration which is not immediately apparent to the naked eye. We walk alongside the Bishops Palace on to the Collegium Maius, the oldest building of the Jagiellonian University (itself one of the oldest universities in Europe); it has a beautiful arcaded courtyard.

We turn right and reach the Main Market Square, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. The Town Hall Tower is the only remaining element of the town hall buildings that used to be here; it is next to the magnificent Cloth Hall, which has been part of the city's trade since the 13th century (the rebuilt Hall now mostly sells jewellery and souvenirs). Outside the main entrance to the hall is the Adam Mickiewicz Monument, commemorating a 19th century poet. Close by is the Gothic St Mary's Basilica, an iconic site of Krakow, with a magnificent altar inside; it is also famous for the hourly trumpet call in all four directions (which we hear).

We walk up Ulice Florianska towards St Florian's Gate; this is part of the Royal Route (which we have followed - with diversions - from Wawel Hill to the Main Market Square and on to the Florian Gate); the gate was once part of medieval fortifications. We divert again to the Slovacki Theatre and its grounds before doubling back to the Barbican; this is the oldest remaining element of Krakow's defences, and one of only three such outposts still existing in Europe.

We cross over to Plac Matejki, which is dominated by the Grunwald Monument, constructed in 1910 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald.Read more
TravelerLovely photos
5/19/22Reply
Wolfgang und HeidiHave a good time in Poland
5/19/22Reply
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Poland Traveler
Krakow - The Wawel
May 17, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
A good flight to Krakow yesterday; about time too - this self-organised trip should have happened 2 years ago, but was postponed for some reason....

The Royal Complex on Wawel Hill, overlooking the River Vistula, is considered a symbol of Polish Statehood and the first historic ruler of the country settled here in the 10th century.

We enter the 4-winged Royal Castle (built 1505-36) by crossing the Italianate arcaded inner courtyard; some of the castle is closed to visitors, but we can visit the Royal Apartments - there are tapestries, ornate ceilings, stoves, furniture etc to see and admire. We also visit the small Royal Gardens at the rear of the castle.

Wawel Cathedral (of Saints Stanislav and Waclaw) is the most important temple in Poland; many Kings, wives and national heroes are buried here. Several chapels have been built around the main nave, and it is extremely beautiful inside. The bell tower is part of the specified walking route and the 12-ton Sigismund Bell is of particular ineterst; there are good views from here as well. We also visit the Royal Tomb and Cathedral Museum as part of our Cathedral visit.

We leave The Wawel and take the scenic Royal Route to Krakow's main market square and beyond...Read more
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RHS Gardens Traveler
RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey
April 11, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Wisley is the historic home of the Royal Horticultural Society and houses one of the largest plant collections in the world.

We follow the recommended trail on the RHS Wisley map, starting at perhaps the most iconic view of Wisley; the old Laboratory building set among a terraced landscape with the striking Jellicoe Canal in front of it. We then pass by the Conifer Lawn, take the Wisteria Walk, see the Mixed Borders and Cottage Garden and walk up the hill to see the sculpture of a Drinking Horse Head entitled 'Still Water'. We walk through the Wildlife Garden, with its wicker structures providing a haven for wildlife, and see another sculpture outside the RHS Hilltop building; Hilltop is the new laboratory and the "Home of Gardening Science"; it is the UK's first dedicated horticultural scientific centre of excellence. There is an interactive exhibition here that demonstrates the benefits of gardens for wellbeing; there are also great views from the top.

We see the fruit tree collection (pleached) and cut across to the Bonsai Walk; from here it is a walk back via the Alpine Meadow and Rock Garden to The Glasshouse. This amazing building is 12m high and huge; entering it is like walking into a jungle with its tree ferns, tall palms, lush-leaved creepers and dazzling flower displays and there are three climatic zones to explore (tropical, moist temperate and dry temperate). We leave and walk through the Oakwood to reach the Walled Gardens and the Water Lily Pavilion; from here it is along the Equinox Borders to enjoy the Riverside Walk to the Heather Landscape. Then back through Howards Field and the Pinetum, the oldest tree collection at Wisley; there are some interesting tree sculptures to see here.

An excellent 3 hour walk with lots of interesting things to see.Read more
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Wiltshire Traveler
Cherhill White Horse and Avebury
April 10, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Cherhill is a village that lies close to an old coaching road which ran from central London to Bristol. We cross the new version of this road - the A4 - and head up the hill, enjoying good views of the Cherhill White Horse and the Cherhill Monument (aka the Landsdowne Monument) on the Cherhill Downs.

We reach the Landsdowne Monument first; this is a Grade II 38m tall stone obelisk erected in 1845 now owned by the National Trust - access to the summit is not permitted at present due to renovation work. Close to it is the Cherhill White Horse which was cut into the chalk hillside in 1780 and may have been inspired by the Westbury White Horse; it is now also owned by the National Trust. We pass the banks and ditches of the Oldbury Hillfort and as we move between the two monuments and then head downhill to walk along the Old Bath Road running parallel to the A4 before crossing again to the other side to go to Yatesbury village. We then head back towards Cherhill via Compton Bassett.

It is a short drive from Cherhill to the Avebury World Heritage Site; we visited the stone circle henge on a previous visit, but still have some unfinished business here. We see Silbury Hill, a Neolithic (2,300 BC) artificial chalk mound; at 39.3m high and with a 167m base diameter, it is the largest prehistoric mound in Europe. It is a short walk from here to visit the West Kennet Long Barrow; this is a Neolithic (3,650 BC) chambered long barrow that was used as a burial chamber for a short time. It is has been partially reconstructed with a side chamber that can be explored - a "spooky" experience.Read more
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Wiltshire Traveler
Devizes; Caen Hill Locks / Roundway Down
April 9, 2022 in England ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C
Devizes is a town on the Kennet and Avon Canal; this is actually a waterway that comprises 3 sections;
1) Bristol to Bath via the natural course of the River Avon,
2) the Canal itself linking the River Avon to the River Kennet at Newbury, and
3) Newbury to Reading via the natural course of the River Thames.

We follow the course of the canal along the Caen Hill Lock Flight between Lower Foxhangers and Devize;; this canal flight allows boats to accommodate a change in height of 237 feet over 2 miles. This amazing feat of engineering, completed in 1810, comprises 16 locks for Caen Hill and another 6 at the Devizes end; there are large side ponds at each lock and the complete structure is now recognised as a scheduled ancient monument. It is truly incredible to see.

We now follow the course of the canal along the outskirts of Devizes past the Devizes Wharf and the former warehouse to pass large houses with gardens down to the water. We cross a bridge and walk up to the small hamlet of Roundway before carrying on to Roundway Hill to pass the Devizes Millenium White Horse, cut in 1999.

Further up Roundway Hill is Roundway Down, a steep, chalk grass covered down with great views; there is a triangular shaped Iron Age Hill Fort dating from 600 BC on top. The hill fort is also known as Oliver's Castle because a great battle was fought on Roundway Hill in 1643 during the English Civil War.

It is a long walk down to Devizes, but another great day has been spent.Read more
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Wiltshire Traveler
Devizes; Town
April 8, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Devizes is a market town situated on the Kennet and Avon Canal and has an incredible 500+ listed buildings. The town originally developed around an 11th century Norman motte and bailey castle, but very little remains of this as it was destroyed in the 17th century during the English Civil War; the site is now occupied by a privately owned Victorian-era castle.

We start at St John's Church, also Norman in origin as it was the garrison church for the castle; the castle is visible from the area around the churchyard. We walk down St John's Court, past the Old Town Hall and the Boots Building to the Market Place; it is surrounded by 18th and 19th century buildings and has a magnificent Market Cross and Fountain.

We walk along the Brittox, originally connecting the town and castle, and explore further seeing both the Shambles Market and St Mary's Church (also Norman) before reaching another significant site; the Wadworth Brewery, established in 1875 and well known for its 6X beer (a personal favourite).Read more
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The Jurassic Coast Traveler
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16. Sidmouth to Orcombe Point
April 7, 2022 in England ⋅ 🌬 8 °C
We set off along Sidmouth Esplanade enjoying the view to the east (Salcombe Hill) and to the west (High Peak) before passing the outskirts of Connaught Gardens and starting the ascent up Peak Hill. We have a good view of the Big Picket Rock and Little Picket Rock as we follow the path up High Peak.

There are spectacular views of Ladram Bay and its red sandstone stacks; we pass Smallstones Point and walk southwest along the coastal path past Brandy Head, a historic RAF Observation Post (now available as holiday accommodation). We reach the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve at the mouth of the River Otter - a saltmarsh and mudflat habitat - and loop up and down a short way to reach the outskirts of Budleigh Salterton and its pebble beach; it is a very attractive small town.

We follow the cliff path and enjoy views back to Budleigh Salterton and Otterton Ledge and ahead to Straight Point, now an MOD area. We cross a large static caravan site to reach the High Land of Orcombe and Orcombe Point, the most westerly Point of the Jurassic Coast; this status is marked by the " Geoneedle", an obelisk monument unveiled in 2002 representing the variety of stone found along the Jurassic Coast.

Walking the Jurassic Coast has been a fantastic experience. Click on the blue "The Jurassic Coast" link at the top this post to see the whole trip.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi Wonderful 👍😊
4/8/22Reply
Wolfgang und Heidi Wow !!!
4/8/22Reply
TravelerSome lovely photos
4/9/22Reply
2 likes
The Jurassic Coast Traveler
15b. Sidmouth; Byes to Donkey Sanctuary
April 5, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C
The Byes in Sidmouth is an attractive green corridor that follows the River Sid from Sidford, a small village on the outskirts of Sidmouth, to the sea at Sidmouth; there are footpaths, open fields and parkland here. The Donkey Sanctuary is a British charitable organisation devoted to the welfare of donkeys and is based a few miles outside of Sidmouth, near Trow.

We start in Sidmouth at the picturesque Toll House on Waterloo Bridge that crosses the River Sid; it is actually a Grade II listed council home. Along the Byes we pass some weirs and explore Margaret's Meadow, before crossing the river to the village of Fortescue. It is then a steep climb through woods and across a field to reach the road for the descent to the village of Salcombe Regis; this is a tiny unspoilt village with a beautiful Norman Church and has a lovely churchyard. We then cross more fields to reach Slade House Farm, the home of The Donkey Sanctuary, home to over 500 donkeys and mules; it is interesting to walk round and see the animals.Read more
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The Jurassic Coast Traveler
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15a. Sidmouth; Town
April 4, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Sidmouth lies at the mouth of the River Sid in a valley between Salcombe Hill to the east and Peak Hill to the west, and is characterised by red-coloured rock cliffs; it is a gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

Sidmouth was a fashionable and popular Regency and Victorian resort and still has many Period buildings and a mile-long Georgian Esplanade; there are two beaches - Sidmouth town beach to the east and Jacob's Ladder beach to the west.

We walk along the beautiful Esplanade and then into town to see Sidmouth Market (a building) and walk along Old Fore Street before doubling back to the Parish Church; the museum is closed, unfortunately. We head down to the Esplanade and walk the rest of this and then up Clifton Terrace; there are three fine thatched houses here decorated in "cottage orne" style. We carry on up the hill to reach Connaught Gardens, Sidmouth's showpiece public gardens, overlooking Jacob's Ladder Beach; they are lovely and the so-called Clocktower cafe occupies a former lime kiln. There are excellent views to both west and east from up here.

We then walk back the edge of town up Glen Road past the magnificent Royal Glen Hotel; this was a former residence of the Duke of Kent, the father of Queen Victoria. Then it is along Glen Goyle, a secluded area, and Bickwell Valley, an impressive collection of fine detached houses in large gardens, before walking back to our holiday rental.Read more
Wolfgang und Heidi Lovely pictures 😊
4/4/22Reply
TravelerSome wonderful photos
4/4/22Reply
TravelerThank you. I have recently upgraded my mobile and am pleased with the improved quality of the images.
4/7/22Reply
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The Jurassic Coast Traveler
14. Beer Head to Sidmouth
April 3, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
We walk up to Beer Head, enjoying the lovely views both forward and back. Beer Head is a vertical-walled white chalk headland leading to the Hooken Cliffs, another undercliff walk along a huge landslip with the cliffs above us.

We reach Branscombe Mouth, cross over to walk above the village of Branscombe and then walk along Weston Cliff to Weston Mouth. Up from here we stop to look around Weston Plats, a 19th century clifftop market garden area farmed by villagers from Brannscombe, on an undercliff where donkeys transported seaweed for fertiliser from the beaches and harvested crops back to the village.

There is a steep ascent and then a walk along the Higher Dunscombe Cliff top and then more steep ascent up steps to reach the "Frogstone", placed here in 1965 by helicopter. We then walk through South Combe Farm and enjoy excellent views from Salcombe Hill before descending to Sidmouth, crossing a bridge over the River Sid to reach the Esplanade for a view back to the cliffs we have just come down.Read more
Wolfgang und HeidiThats real nice Andrew. We have shitty weather here
4/7/22Reply
TravelerThanks, we have been lucky.
4/7/22Reply
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The Jurassic Coast Traveler
13. Seaton and Beer
April 2, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Seaton is s small town and fishing harbour located at the mouth of the River Ax and facing onto Lyme Bay.

We see the Seaton Wetlands in the distance - a freshwater grazing marsh comprising 3 local nature reserves - before passing the small harbour and walking along the seafront to the older part of town, the cultural quarter. Here we see the Jubilee Clock Tower (1887), the old Town Hall (now the Gateway theatre), the high Street and the Seaton Lion at the entrance to a shop (formerly a hotel). A short walk along the shingle beach and then it is up to the village of Beer.

Beer is a pretty coastal village one mile west of Seaton; it grew up around a smugglers' cove and caves which were once used to store contraband goods (we were not able to visit the caves).Read more
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The Jurassic Coast Traveler
12. Lyme Regis to Seaton
April 2, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
We walk along the seafront, past the Cobb, and up a very steep ascent to join the path along the Jurassic Coast. This takes us through the Undercliff National Nature Reserve, a 7 km wilderness area that contains rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Creataceous periods. The paths are difficult in places; it is like going back in time, seeing the ferns etc. There has been a lot of tree felling to manage Ash dieback. The thick forest means that there are only occasional views of the cliffs above and the sea below.

This is a very active coastal area and there have been many landslips over the millenia that have shaped it. The most recent was in 1839 on Christmas Eve; a massive section of cliff slid seaward in an event known as the ‘Great Landslip’, causing a chasm to form behind the landslide block which is now known as Goat Island. We cross this and emerge onto fields and cross to a lane which leads to a path across a golf course. It is then a steep descent to the Axmouth Bridge over the River Ax and into Seaton.

A very different experience to other parts of the Jurassic Coast walk.Read more
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