Rambling Traveler

Dogmersfield Park in Hampshire, England

2008-06-26T08:18:00.000-05:00

In England, we were lucky enough to stay at the Four Seasons Hampshire at Dogmersfield Park. During our free time, we wandered through the grounds, visiting the 18th century walled garden and walking down to Tundry Pond, before moving on to the Basingstoke Canal.

Walled Garden

Bridge over Tundry Pond

King Henry VII visited Dogmersfield Park in 1501 with Prince Arthur to meet Arthur's future wife, Catherine of Aragon. The young Prince Henry was also there, and would have met Catherine at the same time. Prince Arthur died soon after his marriage, and later on, Catherine became the 1st of Henry VIII's 6 wives.

Basingstoke Canal in Hampshire, England

2008-06-24T07:46:00.001-05:00

Barley Mow Bridge in Winchfield

During our stay in Hampshire, England, we walked along the Basingstoke Canal several times. I would love to have something like this within walking distance of our home.

Friday Photo Post: Tower of London

2008-06-20T07:13:00.000-05:00

Tower Bridge in London

2008-06-18T07:46:00.001-05:00

Walking across the Tower Bridge was even better than I expected. I was a total tourist, taking all kind of pictures, and I don't even care.

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

2008-06-16T07:09:00.002-05:00

I was framing this shot of Westminster Palace and Big Ben when the two red buses drove across the bridge... perfect.

Friday Photo Post: Westminster Abbey

2008-06-13T07:54:00.000-05:00

Things to do in London

2008-06-12T07:22:00.004-05:00

Queen Mary's Gardens in Regent's Park

Although we stayed in Hampshire for Doug's work trip, we had one full day in London on our own. With only one day, we had to make some tough decisions about what to see. In the end, we chose a morning driving tour of London to see the highlights and orient ourselves to the layout of the city. The driving tour included stops at Regents Park and Camden Market.

After lunch, we used our feet to get around, walking from Harrods to Hyde Park where we walked along the serpentine, then passed by the Wellington Arch, continued down Constitution Hill and stopped at Buckingham Palace. From the Palace, we wandered through St. James Park, stopped to watch the dismounted parade of the Guard at Horse Guards, then walked down to Westminster Abbey.

From the Abbey, we went on to Westminster Hall and Big Ben before crossing Westminster Bridge and catching one of the ferries on the River Thames. The ferry dropped us off at London Bridge where we went through the Borough Market before walking across the Tower Bridge and walking around the outside of the Tower of London. Another ferry ride took us back to the West End where we enjoyed dinner and a pint at a pub near the bus pickup. I'll be posting more photos from our walk over the next few days.

Yikes, that was a lot to see and do, but it worked out okay, and would actually be a nice 1st day itinerary for a stay in London. What would I do on the 2nd and 3rd days?

1. Yeoman Warders tour of the Tower of London
2. Tour inside Westminster Abbey
3. Visit the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms
4. See a Shakespeare Play at the Globe Theatre
5. Ride the London Eye- I initially dismissed the ride, thinking it wouldn't be worth the time or money spent, but then I saw the photos from other people on the trip, and they were very impressive.
6. Spend more time at Camden Market
7. Walk around Little Venice and Regent's Canal and other interesting neighborhoods.
8. Visit the British Museum and the Museum of London

I enjoyed London a lot more than I thought I would, and part of me wishes we had stayed in the city when we extended our trip. I can't regret going to Ireland, though, so we will just have to go back to London another time, hopefully when the exchange rate is better.

Thank you to Marilyn for the link to National Geographic's Free London article.

Buckingham Palace in London

2008-06-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure which was more enjoyable, seeing the Palace with its colorful guards or people watching at the Victoria Monument.

Related Post: Things to do in London

Pictures of London, England

2008-06-10T07:37:00.002-05:00

This is a building I admired in London. We walked by it going from Harrods to Hyde Park.

If memory serves, this photo was taken at the corner of Piccadilly and Duke of Wellington Place. We were leaving the Wellington Arch and heading down Constitution Hill toward Buckingham Palace. I caught the buses just as their light turned green and they drove toward us. I thought the building behind them made a nice backdrop.

This picture was taken during a short visit to Camden Market. I will spend a lot more time at this interesting place next time I'm in London.

Related Post: Things to do in London

The Gherkin, The Egg Shaped Building in London

2008-06-09T10:14:00.002-05:00

30 St Mary Axe, nicknamed "The Gherkin" is also known as the egg shaped building in London. Since it is more bullet shaped, or some might say phallic, there are several other creative names for this building. Whatever you call it, it adds an interesting touch to London's skyline.
I liked the contrast in this photo of the modern Gherkin behind the much older Tower of London. You can also see the Tower of London in the first photo, in the lower right corner.

Friday Photo Post: The Borough Market

2008-06-06T08:23:00.001-05:00

In case you needed more reasons to visit this wonderful market...

StumbledUpon: Almost Fearless

2008-06-05T09:59:00.004-05:00

Photo of Madrid by Adek2007 on Flickr

You can find the best blogs on StumbleUpon. It's how I found one of my favorites, Euros Ate My Dollars, and this morning, it led me to Almost Fearless, "a blog that follows one womans journey from corporate manager to free wheeling travel writer."

The author, Christine, recently quit her job and is planning to live abroad with her husband. Their first stop is Spain, where they are renting an apartment in Madrid for 3 months. So far, her posts are about deciding to live abroad, preparing for the move, and quitting her job. After reading through the archives this morning, I'm hooked. She started the blog less than six weeks ago, so it didn't take me long, but now I have to wait patiently for new posts.

Some of my favorite articles:
Getting the Nerve to Go
The Moment Before You Quit Your Job
10 Unexpected Costs of Owning Things

These are just a few, and I really could have listed her whole archive, so check it out and see what your favorites are.

See more of my favorites on StumbleUpon.

The Market Porter

2008-06-04T09:21:00.000-05:00

We found this pub right next to the Borough Market in London. People who work or live in the area gather here for a pint or two at the end of the day. We couldn't resist having our own, and soon joined the crowd. Between the market and pub, I think this would be a great place to live.

The Borough Market in London

2008-06-02T08:28:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite stops in London was the Borough Market on the south bank of the Thames near the London Bridge. There has been a market in that area since the Romans built the first London Bridge 2000 years ago, and in its current location since 1756.

Chegworth Valley Fruit Juices

Bread, wine, produce, fish, meat, cheese, dessert, candy and flowers are just some of the things you can find in this maze of stalls. I couldn't get enough of the sights, smells, and sounds of everything I came across. Tasting one of the brownies from one stall just added to the experience.

The market is open for wholesale trade every evening 2am to 8am, except Saturdays, and for retail sales:
Thursdays: 11am - 5pm
Fridays: 12pm - 6pm
Saturdays: 9am - 4pm

Hampton Court Palace

2008-05-28T09:40:00.000-05:00

During our stay in Hampshire, England, we visited one of King Henry VIII's palaces, Hampton Court. The Tudor palace was mostly torn down to make room for new buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren for King William III and Queen Mary II in the late 17th century, so what you see today is an interesting mix of architectural styles.

The astronomical clock in the above photo was made for Henry VIII in 1540. The clock shows "the time, month, day of the month, position of the sun in the zodiac, the phase and age of the moon. It also determined the time at which the moon would cross the meridian and therefore the time of high water at London Bridge, useful if you, like King Henry, travelled to London by Royal Barge." (from the Historic Royal Palaces website)

Privy Gardens outside the King's State Apartments

South Facade of the King's State Apartments

Tours of the palace provide fascinating stories about the royal families who stayed at Hampton Court. The vast Tudor Kitchens, impressive King's State Apartments, interesting Georgian Rooms, and beautiful gardens are just some of the things you will see.

Visit Historic Royal Palaces for more information about Hampton Court Palace.

Friday Photo Post: Gooseberry Falls in Winter

2008-04-04T08:01:00.001-05:00

Photos by Connor Cashman

Doug and the boys recently stopped at Gooseberry Falls State Park on their way to Lutsen Mountains. It looks a bit different from the summer.

From other Travel Blogs...

2008-03-31T09:41:00.002-05:00

Mykonos, Greece

Travel Tips:
Brave New Traveler shares 5 Tips Every Traveler Should Know About Internet Security. Find out how to protect your data when using internet cafes.

Amanda at Vagabondish has suggestions for using all 5 of your senses when you travel to get the most out of your travel experience.

Greg from Start Backpacking! has a guest post on The Traveler's Notebook about How To Take Better Notes For Your Travel Blog. One of his tips includes using those 5 senses to describe your experience. Even if you don't have a travel blog, these suggestions are also great for travel journals (and future scrapbooks!)

Travel Destinations:
BestHike.com recommends hiking in Hawaii with Kauaʻi - Hawaiian hiking paradise and hiking Waimea Canyon, Hawaii with kids.

Travel Bits:
Congratulations to Amy and Sloan from Reason to Wander for their recent engagement!

For more travel articles, check out the section marked From other Blogs in my sidebar.

Friday Photo Post: Mykonos, Greece

2008-03-28T07:32:00.000-05:00

Book Review: Going Dutch in Beijing

2008-03-26T10:42:00.001-05:00

An easy to read book full of interesting customs from around the world, Going Dutch in Beijing: How to Behave Properly When Far Away from Home by Mark McCrum is like a Miss Manners for travel. Chapters on greetings, gifts, food and eating, business etiquette and other topics share what to expect and how to act in different cultures.

What I like about the book is the way it not only tells you the customs, but in many cases, explains the reasoning behind them.

Why does that driver in Thailand tell you he knows where your hotel is, only to drive in circles all through town? It might be a bid to save face, not necessarily that he wants more money.

Why do some people only want to talk about personal subjects during a business meeting? If they are from certain countries, it could be because they won't do business with someone until they've gotten to know them on a personal level.

You will also learn when to show up for a dinner party and when you shouldn't finish all the food on your plate as well as how to act in several other situations. Many times, it is the opposite of what you expect. It can be startling to read what some cultures consider acceptable or offensive when it doesn't match your own beliefs.

This is a great book for learning about the different cultures you might experience when you travel. Keep in mind, variations of these customs might be practiced in different parts of the countries mentioned, but at least they'll be somewhat familiar to you.

Travel Bits: 2008 Travvies and a Travel Photo Contest

2008-03-25T07:20:00.002-05:00

Lake Superior, Tettegouche State Park in Minnesota

*Nominations are now open for the 2008 Travvies, to recognize the best travel blogs. Visit Upgrade: Travel Better to nominate your favorite travel blogs in one or more categories:

*In other news, Greg at StartBackpacking is sponsoring a "Crazy travel photo moment" contest at Spongefish. Go through your travel photos and pick your craziest to enter for a chance to win a $40 Amazon gift certificate.

Flickr Favorites: Today is a good day

2008-03-24T07:31:00.001-05:00

Fjord in Norway

These photos come from Today is a good day's Norway set on Flickr.

Friday Photo Post: Ashford Castle

2008-03-21T10:59:00.002-05:00

Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland

Photo by Ian Cashman

Related post on Rambling Traveler: Hawk Walk at Ashford Castle

Pulpit Rock in Norway

2008-03-20T11:33:00.001-05:00

Pulpit Rock by Marcus Ramberg on Flickr

On top of the world by Benoît Derrier on Flickr

Pulpit Rock, or Preikestolen, is located near Stavanger, Norway, about 208 km or 4 1/2 hours south of Bergen. Not for those with acrophobia as it rises 604 m above Lysefjord, but if you don't mind heights, the view is incredible. If you are considering a visit to the rock, Stavanger Travel has a nice description of the two hour hike to get there.

8 Tips for Traveling Simply

2008-03-18T11:40:00.003-05:00

Kao San Road at Sunset
by Permanently Scatterbrained on Flickr

***UPDATE*** Leo shares 36 of his favorite tips for traveling simply.

Leo at Zen Habits will be in Thailand for a couple weeks this summer. He is only bringing 1 small backpack, so he is traveling light, but he is asking for more tips for keeping travel simple and stress free.

Some of the suggestions from his readers include:

1. Slow down and take time to relax.

2. Pick one place and spend enough time there to really experience it.

3. Don't over plan your trip, go with the flow and leave room for unexpected opportunities.

4 Learn basic words and phrases in the local language.

5. Eat what the locals eat (and go where they go).

6. Pack a bandanna, scarf or sarong to use as washcloth and towel. You can also dampen it and wear it around your neck to cool off during humid days. A sarong can also be used as a sheet.

7. Scan important documents and email the encrypted files to yourself. If something gets lost or stolen, you'll have access to the information.

8. Bring wet wipes and Ziploc bags.

Check out the comments on his post for more travel tips, especially suggestions specific to Thailand.

*one of the commenters, Ann M., also suggested a great Lifehacker article about Getting Things Done Traveling Through Southeast Asia.

Flickr Favorites: neilalderney123

2008-03-17T10:26:00.001-05:00

St. John's Chapel - The Tower of London

St. James Park Going Yellow

These beautiful photos come from neilalderney123's London set on Flickr.