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Posts Tagged ‘England’

England’s South Coast – A Look At Some Of Its Sights And Attractions

August 22nd, 2010 No comments

There are many incredible places to visit and sights to see on England’s South Coast. But before we get to that, let’s discuss what England’s south coast is comprised of. England’s South Coast is part of Southern England which includes the southern counties of England. The UK considers Southern England to include South West England, South East England, Greater London and the East of England. So having established some geographical boundaries, here are some places to go on England’s South Coast:

The cliffs of Beachy Head and the Lighthouse b...Image via Wikipedia

- Beachy Head: 5km or 3 miles south of Eastbourne is a snowy white cliff at the end of the South Downs. It has popular views and is reached by a lovely footpath. It is known for its striped lighthouse. The cliff path that passes through Cuckmere, Haven and Seaford is 3.5 miles or 6km long and provides a great hiking opportunity.

- Bramber Castle: is a place to see the ruins of a gatehouse built by the Normans. It is an English heritage Property found on the west side of Bramber Village.

- The Kent Battle of Britain Museum: is in Hawkinge. It’s an old armory that contains the Luftwaffe Room, the Aircraft Armaments Room, the R.A.F. room and an art gallery.

- The Eurotunnel is England’s newest and fastest transport system. It crosses under the channel between Folkestone, Kent and Coquelles, France. It was completed im 1994. There is a visitor center in Folkestone and The Exhibition Centre in Cheriton, near Folkestone. The Exhibition Centre is dedicated to the construction of the Eurotunnel.

- Borde Hill Gardens in Haywards Heath: is set on 200 acres of Sussex woods and parkland. It is a renowned botanical garden and displays a fabulous variety of colour through all seasons.

- Romney Marsh: is 50,000 acres of flowers that extends along the coast from Hythe. Visit in the spring when the flowers are the most beautiful.

- Mermaid Street: offers enchanting strolls in Rye. You will see The Mermaid Inn, a 15th century pub notorious as a meeting place for smugglers. Henry James lived out his last years here in Lamb House, a 19th century Georgian building, while writing his beloved novels “The Wings of the Dove” and “The Golden Bowl”. Don’t miss the Old Hospital. It’s a triple-gabled, half timbered 15th to 16th century building.

This is just a small sampling of the many things to do and see on England’s South Coast. Be sure to learn about the many other attractions of this beautiful area of England.

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London Trips – First Time In London

March 6th, 2010 No comments

A trip to London can be quite exciting for the first-time visitor. As the capital city of England, there is much to experience in London. With millions of residents packed into this vibrant cultural melting pot, London is always bustling with activity, regardless of the day of the week or the month. You should make a list of sights to take in, as otherwise you might end up missing out on one of London’s highlights.

London has been around for more than 2,000 years. While few visitors have the time to take in all that London offers, there are some places more enticing than others. Take the time to see Westminster Abbey, the Tower Of London, and the Houses Of Parliament. You might want to consider taking them as part of a guided tour, as learning a little about their histories will give you an even better appreciation of them.

Also, be sure to find time for the House of Lords, the House of Commons, and the accompanying clock tower. You have probably seen the clock tower, called Big Ben, on TV, and it is even more impressive when you see it in person. It has four 23-foot faces that light up at night. The minute hands alone are 14 feet long. It is not open for public tours, but standing back far enough to see it is a rewarding view.

There are lots of palaces and historic buildings to visit. The Queen of England lives in the most famous of all them, which is called Buckingham Palace. The changing of the guard outside is a sight to see. Tourists will gather long before the appointed time just to see the grand guards in their world famous red and black uniforms. The hat itself is legendary.

Depending on the time of year, catch a sporting event. London has some of best stadiums in the whole world, and five Premier League football (or soccer if you prefer) teams, including Arsenal and Chelsea, who have genuine football superstars in their teams. As well as football, you can take in a game of cricket or football. Attending a tennis match at Wimbledon is also an option if you happen to be in London during June or July.

As a final point, remember to pack your camera and take lots of photos!

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Thailand: My First Night in Pattaya

January 10th, 2010 No comments

It was seven-ish and I was sitting in a nice-enough room overlooking the front entrance to the pub above which I had just moved in. The pub was the Pig and Whistle on Soi 7 in Pattaya. Across the way was a big hole, which they were hoping to construct a hotel in and next door to that, just opposite me, was a tiny bar with one lady sitting on a stool outside it. Not that there was a wall there, it was open on two sides. The Soi was lovely and peaceful, I thought. I also thought that I might go and sit in that little bar and talk to that woman, if my friend was late, because I would surely see him arrive from two metres away, the width of the Soi.

So, I went to the bar in the pub at 19:15 to await my friend who said he would meet me at 20:00. It was much busier than thirty minutes earlier but not noisy and I sat at the bar. The first thing a barmaid did was say hello, give me a menu and step back. I did not really want to eat, I only wanted a beer as I presumed we would be dining together later, but I wanted to read the menu anyway.

‘A pint of Boddington’s', I said. It arrived and the girl began laying a setting for me. I tried to explain that I was not hungry, but it was no good. Like in Spain, most people eat and drink at the same time. All the while the girl was smiling at me. Then she said: ‘You live upstairs? My name Charli. What you want to eat?’. So, I gave in and ordered something and rice.

‘You first time in Thailand? You no can eat. Too spicy’, she said with a grin. ‘Oh’, I replied, ‘but I want to try. ‘I put only 50-50 for you’, she said and went.

I battled my way through that meal and it took a Boddingtons and a bottle of water. Charli had been accurate, it was too hot for first-time foreigners and she had reduced the chilis by 50%. I have always heeded a Thai’s guidance on food ever since.

I changed seat to by the window to see what was happening as it was dark by 19:30 and I was curious. Within thirty minutes Soi 7 had changed completely. I could see hundreds of ladies and tourists milling about. I wanted to go out and join in or at least sit in the quiet bar across the way, but I’m ashamed to say that I was too scared, so I sat put, rivetted to the Pig like a rabbit in a hunter’s beam.

My friend walked in on time and after we had been chatting for an hour, he said: ‘Drink up, I have someone I want you to meet’. This was it, we were going into that mele. A waitress opened the door for us and the racket and the heat were terrific. Particularly the noise. Every metre at least two or three girls would yell: ‘Hello, sexy man, you want a drink’. Trying to say no courteously to each call was out of the question, so I just stuck close by to my pal.

Luckily, we only had about fifty metres to stroll and we sat down in another bar. My friend said hello to several women and then said, this a girl I have been going out with for some time. I was flabbergasted as I had never heard him talk about her, ever. She was gorgeous, but could not speak English, so I sat in the pandemonium in silence. Not for long through, as my friend said, I have a blind date for you and he introduced another girl to me who was equally beautiful, but with whom I could speak a little. She was captivating and I was captivated. The pandemonium seemed to pass away, but it was only because I was concentrating on my new friend. The four of us had the best time and the best food I had ever had in my forty-nine years of existence.

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The Fascinating City Of Sheffield – South Yorkshire, England

December 28th, 2009 No comments

The fascinating city of Sheffield – South Yorkshire, England can boast of a current population of at least 535,000 residents living in this attractive metropolitan borough. In and of itself, the Sheffield Urban Area can count more than 650,000 people and the area as a whole has continued to grow apace over the centuries. It has gradually shifted from being mostly industrial in nature to now being economically more diverse than ever before.

Sheffield’s name actually is derived from the name given to the river that runs through its center; the River Sheaf. It came to perhaps its greatest prominence in the past in the 19th century, when it was known for the production facilities and skill of its workforce in producing high-quality steel and the products made from that metal. It is also the city that gave birth to stainless steel, and it experienced much growth during the Industrial Revolution.

Over time, improvements in steel and iron production in other parts of the world would mean that Sheffield would lose its place as the center of such production in the 1970s and 1980s. This coincided with the collapse of the coal mining industry in the area (and throughout much of England) at the same time, though Sheffield — never one to rest on its laurels — began an overhaul of its economic base in the 21st century to great effect.

This success is made evident through the fact of the diversification of its economy, which has also helped to contribute to a 5 percent annual growth rate over the last several years. The city’s rate of growth actually exceeds that of the wider Yorkshire and Humber region in which it is located, in fact. In terms of monetary valuation, Sheffield can boast of a gross added value of more than 7 million British pounds.

The city is also appreciated for its efforts to carve out as much green space as possible, with over 61 percent of Sheffield consisting of such spaces. A concerted effort by the local city council, and area residents, in directing and carrying out the planting of trees whenever possible helps to ensure that the town will continue to add to its green areas. This helps to contribute to the scenic beauty of the town, which is built on several hillsides.

As far as history goes, there seems to have been human activity of one sort or another since at least the Upper Paleolithic era, more than 12,800 years ago. Most of the actual area of Sheffield, though, are considered to have originated with the Anglo-Saxons and Danes of the second half of the first millennium. By 1296, the burgeoning town had been granted a charter to hold a weekly market. It became known for knife production in the 14th century.

Sheffield resides in the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, which boasts a current population of more than 1. 3 million residents. The county is also landlocked, having no access to the sea, and can trace its modern history to 1974 when it was created as a result of a national effort to streamline local governing areas. Four separate metropolitan boroughs make up the county, including that of Sheffield’s.

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The Steamship Carnatic Diving Holiday

December 18th, 2009 No comments

The story begins in August 1869 when the Steamer “Venetian” sailed from Liverpool for Alexandria with a cargo bound for Bombay. Shortly afterwards the “Pera” sailed from London with passengers for the same destination. This was at a time when the Suez Canal was nearing completion and due to be opened within three months.

Even at this late stage, however, few could imagine how such a new “seaway” would change the shape of world trade forever. Up until now, ships had unloaded passengers and cargo at Alexandria from where they would be moved by land to Suez – over 200 miles away, before joining another vessel and resuming the journey. In this way, the longer and more perilous route around the Cape of Good Hope was avoided.

The passengers on board the Pera had enjoyed an uneventful crossing to Gibraltar and a similarly quiet journey taking in almost the entire length of the Mediterranean before their ship grounded off Alexandria – where they remained for three hours until floating off with the tide.

Despite this minor mishap, they were, nevertheless mostly at ease and looking forward to joining the more opulent “Carnatic” – the pride of the P & O fleet. The long trek to Suez was a frightful journey in the most oppressive of conditions – but there really was no alternative and everyone knew they would soon be enjoying cool evening sea breezes once again. In the meantime, the Masters of both the Pera and Venetian had played their part and were already heading back to England.

Progress overland was always slow, so it was not until the second week of September that Captain Jones was able to supervise the arrival and stowage of both passengers and cargo. He exercised great care – some of that cargo was very valuable and he had to make sure every single item was accounted for and thoroughly checked.

Finally, he was able to confirm a total of 230 passengers and crew in addition to a cargo of cotton bales, copper sheeting, Royal Mail, and 40,000 specie – as bullion was called in those days.

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