Jul
29
What in the earth has happened to British/English villages? They’re ghost towns. Shops are boarded up, the average age of the population is old, the general condition is tumbling down, dirty and generally sloppy.
The second half of our little British Break was spent driving through various Cotswolds villages looking at properties (not for us!) and generally touring the sights and sounds of our heritage.
The only savings grace was the many pot plants and hanging baskets which papered over the cracks.
Very sad. While we understand that England is in an age of austerity, this has not happened overnight. Decay is gradual.
[The above two pics were shot in Wootton. Character but quiet to the point of ghostly!]
[A fun discovery in Stroud was seeing South African Nomu spices in a deli window.]
Unfortunately, Stroud which had great memories for us, was a major disappointment. From a really rickety railway station to filthy streets to daggy looking people, we couldn’t wait to drive on back into the countryside.
[Lovely Victorian Jubilee clock]
It was great to be back in Yattendon and comfort! Peeping out of the upstairs flat window we say a double rainbow - quite unusual.
The technical definition of a Double rainbow means a double reflection of the sun’s rays inside the rain drops which refract the rays just like a prism apart from reflecting them once(single rainbow) or twice(double rainbow).
A deeper meaning garnered from Yahoo is: one represents a soul leaving as one enters this reality simultaneously, which is supposed to be very rare event. Another old saying is that when sunlight is coming with the rain still falling that the devils beating his wife.- it’s an ‘old deep south’ saying. Take your pick!
On the Saturday we went in search of ‘action’. And, found it in Windsor. At last, crowds of people all enjoying themselves. Naturally, the Castle is a magnet but the shops were busy, the restaurants brimming and everyone generally having a happy time. Language? Hardly a word of English anywhere!
One of our favourite walks in Windsor is over the Eton bridge into the tiny village of Eton, famous, naturally, for its post school. Here’s a peek into a closed mews area off the Eton High Street. Money!
It seems that one of the ways the young lads impress the local ladies, is to jump off the Eton bridge into the Thames river below. We witnessed such a parade:
[After the first jump, another dare perhaps?]
[Yep, here we go again!]
[Eton buildings]
[A Windsor street scene - worthy of www.popyacollar.com?]
Back in Yattendon we had sundowners in the garden then bade farewell to the UK with the cows razing contentedly.
Next stop Heathrow! Terminal 5.
Lovonne and Simon xx
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OMG thats me and stuart jumping from the bridghe
im the one in red skinnies 