https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-11-09 https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/cheerio monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3be6d768-3bb5-4247-b936-db07bdbf25f6/tempImageDfscvC.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e6eb0a4-b67f-479c-9084-f0efe8df659c/tempImage0kHhTD.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out For our final morning on Tuesday the choice was easy: pancakes! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f2b9bab3-f5e3-4f7b-b460-5de5c05a56cb/tempImagea2FUCg.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out A painting of Beck Hall before the dining room was added. Our total bill for four nights at our Yorkshire Shangri-La averaged just $298 per night, including our room, parking, dinner, all drinks, desserts, breakfast, & tips—an extraordinary bargain, especially considering the exceptional food‼️ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/651fe9dd-8ce7-4599-a18a-aed76c104b74/tempImagebgpdET.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out On the way to York we made a quick stop to see the Knaresborough Viaduct, which carries the Harrogate line over the River Nidd in the charming Yorkshire village of Knaresborough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a998b553-7457-4944-9a6f-6f11cbbd241b/tempImagedOxcoA.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out The ornate viaduct & tranquil river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b9332225-10c5-47fd-bfbf-10ea20e0d5ea/tempImageXJdzKM.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out I dropped Amanda & our gear at Yorkshire Railway Station & then returned the car to the nearby Enterprise. Afterward I made a quick trip into York. Of course, I used the medieval York City Walls path where I could! Yorkminster Cathedral is in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2c07b304-38f3-4a3e-992a-fd8bcee20358/tempImageXRl7n0.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out I ran by the fictional home of Patience Evans from the York-based detective series Patience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aeeffbcb-133b-4989-a351-ae9095376fc9/tempImagezLGhGM.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out The fictional home of Patience Evans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d74c49ff-92b3-4995-96b3-ffb32a504954/tempImage3r1Z84.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out On my way back to Amanda I stopped at Rise. Coffee on Museum St for a matcha & mocha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d2a4a968-8495-43ba-a05f-91402502b1d7/Screenshot+2026-09-24+at+12.04.41.png Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out In the first HP movie only, they used the footbridge inside York Railway Station as London's King's Cross Station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/57185fc9-d426-4507-b2b6-ce98d025737f/Screenshot+2026-09-24+at+12.04.22.png Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out This was the scene where Hagrid shows Harry into the station but then suddenly disappears after giving Harry his ticket. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3a235e91-7c34-4282-b796-974b44efed76/tempImageDWptFH.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out Us on the York Railway Station footbridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aec249c4-73e9-431d-91e8-637d554eaa8d/tempImageC01DJa.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out The two stations share many similarities; however, there was definitely some computer graphics needed to give the station its on-screen magical feel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e71627f5-1349-4cc0-9bd2-71519c0e5fc6/tempImagetbok9u.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out Waiting at the platform in York for our LNER train to London. I’m sorry to report that our train arrived at Platform 3. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1b3782d7-feb0-48cd-addc-42b045c141c8/tempImageyy3QTY.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out Beginning in Inverness, our LNER Azuma train arriving in York. The name Azuma means East in Japanese & pays homage to the train's design roots, which are based on Japanese bullet train technology from Hitachi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/361d0ec5-dce9-4166-9476-2affacfe5b44/tempImageCkv6Q6.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out After arriving at King’s Cross Station in London at 4 pm, the 173-mile journey taking only 2 hours! We checked bags into storage, did some shopping, & had dinner before taking the Heathrow Express to the Hilton Garden Inn London Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/da13c97d-f431-45f8-8089-44bd01b2021b/tempImageavBbAI.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out Deeply grateful to have the time & means to enjoy such an epic journey, our sad faces tell another story: we had finally been reduced to Starbucks before boarding our Wednesday morning flight home to LAX. ☕️✈️ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5e0ad504-e7d8-4089-abce-539d868c9730/tempImagexahucN.jpg Blog - Cheerio! - Make it stand out On board British Airways Flight 283, departing LHR at 10:30 am. We definitely prefer flights that chase the sun. Just like The Beatles, we’ll “follow the sun.” As we deplaned at LAX around 2 pm, a flight attendant actually said to Amanda, “Cheerio!” “One can love many places and still miss home.” —Emma M. Lion “One should go away long enough to know the cotton-soft contentment of coming home.” —Emma M. Lion https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/more-dales monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ddf6d437-05c7-4c9a-bd05-4dc306ae5e80/tempImageSQlxcm.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f8d1f7ea-b4bc-45b5-b53d-ab10dd7f18db/tempImageY6Tq3F.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Every Sunday morning should taste this good. We both agreed these were quite possibly the best pancakes we’ve ever tasted. The menu description was American-style pancakes, berry compote, oat yoghurt, & agave syrup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c69fd3f8-0815-48bf-a2ce-60f26ae04d63/tempImage8whUuz.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out My smashed avocado, smoky cured carrot, & rocket. Somehow the carrot really works! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/545aaf63-d504-4355-bc01-0d68afd7af79/tempImageoWGvR8.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out A pre-hike mocha in the hotel’s snug. The wood paneling is inscribed with the date 1689. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/96d1acbe-a8c7-4b37-a6b8-a43b24dd1720/tempImage3TSu82.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Rub the turtle’s head for good luck on the hike. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a36ac9dd-1af7-4cff-b48d-7a2fb37902d9/tempImageQlwMcm.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Those clever, clever Brits. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dfe96d8f-9af3-4ddf-8ad0-ec82c9b32a59/tempImageGwgHBP.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out A glorious Sunday in The Yorkshire Dales. For I have learned To look on nature….And I have felt A presence that disturbs me with the joy Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused… —William Wordsworth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/387ccd84-9f5a-4134-a264-dba1030481f2/tempImagepH1zQn.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dffed138-7e09-43c3-93d8-beeff22c186f/tempImagef1ksyF.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/876768f5-8283-4c6f-ab19-c2199173ca1b/tempImageyqxdAq.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Nearly to our destination. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9a279779-c64b-4c8a-a7e2-93468cb8ae2f/tempImageU8bx93.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Janet’s Foss—According to legend, the waterfall is named after a Queen of the Fairies who was reputed to live in a small cave located right behind the cascading water. Foss is an old English word for a waterfall or a section of a river where the water drops over rocks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f9cdfb4f-8704-4a70-8267-3a6022d12197/Screenshot+2026-09-20+at+19.00.44.png Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Janet’s Foss was the location used to film the scene where Helen happened upon James wild swimming under the waterfall (S1:E2). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2f611491-c2a8-4ab2-a564-82359ebe03c3/tempImageQH62PC.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale We did another hike on Monday with Amanda playing the role of Helen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9442f7cf-d0e0-4905-82cf-b339752b2c05/tempImagesQjsew.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Returning to our Sunday walk: we then followed the stream path back into the village… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aaa2d99e-caee-47af-91f5-8516fb8f99bf/tempImageh5bkZH.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out …finding this delightful little forager along the way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/69072901-9913-446f-a304-a8fa90a4ae2d/tempImageCLrbpX.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e2746bdd-d4c4-4a7b-bf21-17acbdbfafa0/tempImageTsQBSs.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out The 2.5 mile loop with Amanda apparently wasn't enough for me, so I headed out on my own 4.5 mile odyssey with my first destination being Gordale Scar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c78c5746-f2dd-4adb-b647-dda3029c9c5d/tempImageVeqUUj.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Over the last one and a half million years, Malham has been covered by at least three great sheets of ice. Each time these glaciers melted, huge torrents of water poured off the plateau above Gordale, scouring away the rock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/915dce63-5f12-4353-8b7c-4cb49165dcac/tempImageP5oV4q.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Ice & rain further eroded the limestone, producing the extraordinary chasm that we see today. Looking out of the canyon back toward the trailhead takes your breath away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/94a3f025-3305-4ac9-8d38-19e6df6f0e7e/tempImageXNrRoz.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out On the trail to the top of Malham Cove. Beck Hall sits in the grove of trees near the center of the image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/281d6345-1594-44a1-a445-4bbdf1dadadd/tempImage4yajbi.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Amanda’s idea of how to spend the second half of the afternoon—hygge! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b9a24305-cbde-4016-8eea-aa4529a1adca/tempImagePSJ47W.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Reaching the top of Malham Cove. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/87408fa2-8327-4ab1-bc68-b9aa158871da/tempImageY30ct7.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out What a view! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/80511be4-38a8-4d53-810b-e278ec945705/tempImageWosGPX.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out The glaciers that created Malham Cove also helped form the barren rocky landscape on top of it. The famous “limestone pavement” was scraped bare by the ice over 12,000 years ago. Since then, slightly acidic rainwater has dissolved the rock away along faults & cracks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/df28ff74-02d1-428c-8471-22fbc3fd70b8/tempImageTc6N2E.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Swinging “kissing gates” are a favourite way of crossing boundaries along England’s footpaths. A little more fun are step stiles—essentially wooden ladders built over dry-stone walls. But my absolute favourite are the stone steps that neatly protrude from either side of the wall, creating a wonderfully fun way to cross. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/de42ca4d-11c5-439f-b123-3515b6258edc/tempImageu0N3KR.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Those steps took me to Yarnthawe Barn, which was used as Mr Dobson’s barn on All Creatures Great and Small due in no small part to the dramatic backdrop of Malham Cove (S5:E6 Glass Half Full). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8ea4433a-436f-42a7-a399-3fc42f5d78d3/tempImageAv0mGL.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out How could you not fall instantly in love with The Yorkshire Dales?! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/eb3c13c2-14ec-4ba7-96cd-e465788be0c7/tempImageVOAFO4.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out For dinner I had the Casear-Style Salad with romaine, crispy tofu, avocado, fried capers, multigrain croutons, crispy kale, & cashew parmesan. It may be hard to believe, but the crispy kale was a delicious treat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5719eca8-eefb-4ced-bcc5-72be4435b5f9/tempImage97VYu9.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out Amanda had the Korean Rice Bowl with gochujang chili ginger chicken, soy beans, roasted sweet potato, kohlrabi slaw, crisp shallots, & charred red pepper mayo. We’re both obsessed with the gochujang sauce! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/30b5184e-2a94-4ada-8a67-cb2d24a5ba64/tempImage6o1OPT.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale - Make it stand out For dessert, we shared a chocolate bread-and-butter pudding with salted caramel sauce & vanilla-pod ice cream—the perfect ending to a deeply enjoyable Sunday surrounded by the glorious beauty of nature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ce0342ba-abcd-4788-8158-4605acc96dfc/tempImagetQdEdC.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale What a lucky woman getting to wake up to this every morning! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3fc309d4-c36d-4a6b-ad23-7115196d5826/tempImagelxRLMt.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale And I’m the luckiest man alive! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dcd4c356-c6ab-4f42-bc17-f4c707bf5a63/tempImageheDU9T.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale We haven’t shown them before, but we each enjoyed a flaky & fluffy pain au chocolat from the breakfast bar every morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6dce1bd2-295a-4f43-a5b8-15e3c406b18d/tempImage9ABKqk.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale Like the tide to the moon, Amanda was helplessly drawn again to the pancakes on Monday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2418785d-3916-4bb4-8443-223140824111/tempImagedykEDF.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale For me, variety is the spice of life, so I was drawn to the sausage & scrambled tofu sourdough bap. (In the UK, a bap is a soft, round bread roll that is typically spilt in half & filled with savory items like bacon, sausage, or fried eggs.) I asked for a side of their stellar charred red pepper mayo—yum! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/70816d56-4af4-4eba-8aff-054bb6839a33/tempImageExTKXv.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale After breakfast we drove up the famous Malham Rakes (a rake is a steep narrow track up a hillside), past Malham Tarn (a tarn is a small mountain lake or pool, usually formed by glacial activity), & along this impressive northern ridge line of a glaciated dale (a dale is a valley). The park’s dales were formed by ancient glaciers carving deep U-shaped & V-shaped valleys into upland limestone & gritstone—creating the stunning landscape. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/617641c1-eb25-44d4-8a13-28d7f5728798/tempImagewNj61h.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale The village of Arncliffe below sits at the intersection of two perpendicular glaciated dales. Arncliffe means Eagles' Cliff—a rather fitting name for this dramatic Yorkshire Dales village. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/469c4d9e-5bb6-4767-90ab-d03576c6343d/tempImageKsd9Wa.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0b677b58-b77a-4e2d-84b8-d7c58ff19fac/tempImageKWvAYR.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale Though we had visited Arncliffe before, we had missed that this house was used to film the “back” of the veterinary surgery from All Creatures Great and Small. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5fa8d8f9-1b99-4d1e-85d1-07f82195c42b/tempImageQLUv3k.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9d870943-daad-431e-be90-4cbd625d8c64/tempImagesjDCpb.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale The property name is Carr Farm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ac2bd40e-1601-4d13-b471-164189607015/tempImageVNTOzh.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale Looking inside the small barn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/80c7adab-75ea-4cf7-9d1e-eb38c59fc2b7/tempImageqYHn8w.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale Near the entrance of St Oswald's Church are these remarkably well-preserved old village stocks. They retain the original wooden frame, the iron locking mechanism, & even the small stone stool where the accused would sit while restrained. These were used for centuries to punish minor offenses, such as public drunkenness or vagrancy. Offenders were locked by their ankles in full view of passers-by. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8bc85c8b-3467-4295-b40b-f64f0a68d98e/tempImageiz0sX7.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale An intricate Celtic cross in the St Oswald's Churchyard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f09ebeab-9848-4e47-b60a-7f6ccc6e562b/tempImageDpyUSo.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale Amanda with the tranquil River Skirfare running behind the church. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dd504ad8-90e4-4aca-9fc5-a666535bbb71/tempImageF1Nkgv.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/61159701-a048-40b1-9665-cbdaee056537/tempImageVa5cc8.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale When we returned from our drive to Arncliffe, there were cows on the hill crest above the hotel. They are fans of the hotel’s vegan ethos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/69cdda1d-20a3-42ce-bd23-c180af9ce0f3/tempImage1E6jQA.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale After our drive, we decided to read our books by the fire in the hotel’s snug. I had my mocha & we shared a little slice of million-dollar tart heaven. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7be23826-e295-4774-92e0-b2327dc53b6d/tempImageyfji3S.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale In the afternoon we took a four-mile walk so Amanda could enjoy Gordale Scar & the waterfalls. We crossed this adorable bridge along the way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a05aaf03-7692-4d48-a9c7-4bdf1fc79995/tempImage9layjo.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale Us at the Gordale Scar waterfalls. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aa193062-43cc-41d0-a4e0-a23e6d510725/tempImageNuiuyN.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale We’re really going to miss these views! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/81ed9033-0497-490b-8bab-16fe3b770797/tempImageXQjfOp.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale After our hike, we made tea and returned to the snug to sit & read by the fire. Amanda started her new book Theodora’s Tea Shop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/44728242-032d-4409-a6ac-887cccfc60aa/tempImagez7JLvX.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale I continued reading the new memoir from Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e42bd41f-8313-465a-b988-86cdcdf93504/tempImageLz4yD7.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale For our final dinner we had this flavorful sweet potato & ginger soup—so great, especially on this misty evening. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/36ae6c53-f10f-480f-93a5-f7174cb9522f/tempImagePKXWw8.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale Amanda had the Caesar salad I had last night. I had the plant beef & Guinness suet pud, with beetroot & potato gratin, seasonal greens, & proper gravy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fdda4597-a919-4f0b-9181-b5ee654ab411/tempImagecRYEnu.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale The crust was made of polenta. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/20b8950b-85f7-4dff-9645-7186a9b08669/tempImage0MSiLd.jpg Blog - Over Hill & Dale Raspberry & Elderflower cheesecake, with butter biscuit base, elderflower gel, dried raspberries, & honeycomb. It was more mousse-like, which was great because we couldn’t have managed a heavy cheesecake. And so, regrettably, our three-week food-porn channel comes to a close! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/beck-hall monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e6c38bfd-95d1-4b89-b283-8fcb2c50f41f/tempImageFtLrc0.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8813f893-c891-4c8d-a872-f1e84fa4da46/tempImagexC0yrc.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out All day Thursday during our Magical Mystery Bus tour Amanda was thinking about & missing her dad, knowing how much he would have loved peeking into the lives of The Beatles. On Friday morning, we were walking from our hotel toward the parking garage when she looked down & saw a single “dime” (5 pence) on the pavement. It was a very emotional moment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/46b6de3c-74ad-4418-86bd-25b54278da85/tempImagehzyU5v.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out We dropped our gear in the secure parking garage (ask us about getting in & later finding the car unlocked), & then walked to breakfast. After The Vibe & Down the Hatch left us underwhelmed, Lovelocks swooped in to save the day—and our Liverpool food experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a7c446b6-af86-4afb-ac9f-14da6312f51c/tempImagehrfrvc.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Amanda loved their matcha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/23faf8aa-5603-49e1-b06b-93b16c8b2f75/tempImageMvffKM.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Tasty mocha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0a0f0453-e6be-4528-9c20-6ad26a37336b/tempImageffoLEx.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out If this image doesn’t capture us both at our very cores, I don’t know what does—two slices of sourdough vs a Full English (vegan style). One little moment that feels so wonderfully, unmistakably us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/37dbd416-195d-40c4-b40d-bf7dbda2e441/tempImaget0Cm9c.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Wandering Liverpool https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b2937498-e45d-43f9-9587-7eb0d37f8387/tempImagerFVDFK.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a9822ae5-db42-48c1-9b7b-508e44d820b2/tempImagesOhuil.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out A two-story Lush! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d6ee796d-c239-4477-b3f8-18ab2df3a0e7/tempImageNOtxVX.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out On our way to Beck Hall we stopped in Newton-le-Willows for petrol & a potty break at Tesco, where Amanda found “dime” #2 at the self-check till. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/857fe280-a62b-4ecb-8da1-8d2e952622ec/tempImagelwunmT.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out A historic 1705 coaching inn reimagined as a cozy countryside escape, Beck Hall is celebrated as England's first fully plant-based hotel. The 2-hour drive included plenty of rain & some lovely single-track roads toward the end to make it extra challenging, but we arrived safe & sound. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/308841f1-6a58-4c2a-8448-14b81d95b41e/tempImagekCGJ4h.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Ready for our first dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3c72954d-10ed-4332-a908-344ef2e237d5/tempImageK2W4dm.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out These keema matar (“mince & peas”) samosas were pure flaky-dough perfection, filled with beautifully spiced tempeh & green peas, served over a bed of raita & pickled mango purée. Absolutely exquisite! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b4c611f9-5869-4c68-bbce-faaf348485a5/tempImagef0o9u8.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out I swore no more beer, but the Ilkley Brewery Beck Hall Blonde cask ale melted my resolve. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0935aecc-9575-4de1-86f6-7a306d8d0d47/tempImagem8M72g.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Amanda had the wild garlic pesto linguine with plant chicken & toasted sunflower seeds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8cea1060-5750-41da-98b7-0948c49ea872/tempImage6TtL7C.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out On the left: glazed gochujang (red chili paste) tofu with hot chilli ginger glaze & black & white sesame seeds. Heavenly! On the right: white bean & red pepper hummus with Kalamata olive tapenade & fried capers. Yum! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b3a0d214-8d26-458e-813a-f251c41730dc/tempImagefrDZIO.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out The pièce de résistance—a vegan vanilla crème brûlée that was too good for words. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0aa42005-5396-4e7e-ba8e-fa25c31047db/tempImagePOqMD3.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out My scrambled tofu on sourdough with smoky lardons, roasted red pepper mayonnaise, & avocado for Saturday breakfast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5942f2a5-508b-45b2-a46f-ea619dd2c2c2/tempImagetRdmlr.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out The rain had passed, so I enjoyed my morning mocha beside the swollen river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ee2b5378-ee3d-4f1f-9e3a-4b19e07a2e23/tempImageZlyPUu.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Riverside reading https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8321f0da-08ce-4876-a661-6c5fc6605d8d/tempImageLdSzHi.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c1f5d972-e3ec-4f91-962d-9b9a4e7256e9/tempImageN8ycNK.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out The only way to reach Beck Hall is over this charming stone footbridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1af05a0e-78eb-42e2-891f-4e639c38ac6e/tempImageIe5FWj.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/514c52c1-02c9-43b6-ae26-4725bf6790a4/tempImagekumEMb.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4666e909-165f-41c5-9466-f5c1ed378cf2/tempImageEABnxL.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out “What are men to rocks and mountains? Oh! what hours of transport we shall spend! And when we do return, it shall not be like other travellers, without being able to give one accurate idea of any thing. We will know where we have gone—we will recollect what we have seen. Lakes, mountains, and rivers shall not be jumbled together in our imaginations….” —Pride and Prejudice, Vol 2, Ch 4 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ca660529-afb8-4c34-9127-1df4a28b5460/tempImageYGa6p0.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out In the early afternoon we drove to Parcevall Hall Gardens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6e9de309-ec9d-4966-955d-196e99ee18e7/tempImageEuYbvm.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out A wonderfully fragrant English rose. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/68e13dd5-8d09-459d-a5bb-bdb1f2fb6620/tempImageGItt0G.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Ballerina Fuchsia hedging https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5d0b6812-8bd5-4fc2-8540-81543467ad4c/tempImagePEfqss.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Perhaps not a bona fide toadstool, but it does have a red cap. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/abe19324-8396-4588-9637-79ea01b5f633/tempImageFNJ6CR.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out The limestone hillsides of The Dales. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b6d93e97-608a-4440-9a91-286ae70eaf63/tempImagevFKJhS.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2e1e2e01-2871-4774-b036-89545156dea5/tempImagemS6dlt.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out With time on our hands, we did a little garden photo shoot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/72c7c700-d0ac-4a20-a68b-40ffdb93940d/tempImageXWVUEu.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0e39d19d-0a1f-46fb-8f28-e11910c9e129/tempImageQOLAII.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out “Sitting in an English garden, waiting for the sun. If the sun don’t come, you get a tan from standing in the English rain.” I Am the Walrus, The Beatles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/881165f0-1fef-4e06-ab9f-67a0354aaaf8/tempImagelwOO8c.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ca0b8adc-9097-4005-b69d-0ac1f6889121/tempImageuzerbg.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/66b7e48b-fe6d-43b7-9921-9627c0e667db/tempImageujIaFb.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/34ddefbc-75b6-4a7d-8bf9-cacb4489d09b/tempImageZiiusU.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/35035ddd-6f8c-4316-bb1c-0aae9b7c6093/tempImageFqiMFN.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5d7c40c2-71b5-4e7a-8c96-c591c8071ee7/tempImageakR5aH.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1932678c-54ed-471c-be53-82bbb037f455/tempImageuu5MqM.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ce2d3bad-3fa7-43db-9ad5-c296b2255299/tempImage8GoFMx.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/510495b0-7dc7-4719-8f3e-d7776b2e835e/tempImageoxs4Zr.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Amanda’s beloved hydrangea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ce962b82-f59a-4fc6-85a5-2cc5ee7f3e4e/tempImagetciWz1.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/194ba77d-93ee-45ea-907b-407b2694b3bf/tempImagesZbFKf.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out After our stroll through Parcevall Hall Gardens, we headed to Grassington for dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1c280e00-c7f7-4649-8250-824cec7bc4de/tempImagevbyrD2.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Outside the car park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/60ab05f0-574f-4d50-925c-5b059c635bad/tempImageysNJQK.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out The sign at the entrance to the Grassington village square. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dfdaee3a-2c76-4f67-8f10-6267e95d6d4a/tempImage1LQtxU.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out As a rather happy accident, a 1940s fête was filling the village square in Grassington, making the whole place look as though we’d wandered onto the set of All Creatures Great and Small. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/afcce8e4-7ba2-4148-b806-457710d2c95f/tempImageUjZ9kO.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c208fa9d-9b11-4840-8993-4edd18541254/tempImagepr47JO.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c6caab87-4637-4db5-b4d8-4be8fd3f304f/tempImageI6DiBy.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b07f7cd2-8628-4ed0-9b48-7b2cdffaf685/i001422981.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Tristan to James, “He let you drive the Rover?” (We visit this location in our next post.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/558e8451-b42e-4c5b-9283-066c0519fc17/tempImage17hDfa.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out In another bit of serendipity, the fête had on display the actual 1935 Rover 12hp Tourer owned by Siegfried in the latest remake of All Creatures Great and Small. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/07e4f26b-aa90-43e4-a26c-df7e05ee21a5/tempImageuWaBcg.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Vintage 1930s MG, which looks crazy similar to the Rover. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/52022020-9e0d-4182-aaca-abe07c1e0502/tempImageaQAKEI.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Possibly a 1936 Austin Six Hertford Saloon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/20bf8ea0-2729-40fd-828b-0f2976b19b40/tempImageUgwzyL.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Possibly a 1930s British Austin saloon, most likely an Austin 10/4. This was the actual car that stood in as the 1933 Vauxhall Light Six “hooptie” with passenger seat that slides backwards & highly intermittent brakes that Siegfried gives James to drive. Amazing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8dc0be89-f676-4d1f-a619-1a68ae9bbf98/tempImagedrV9YU.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out You’d be hard-pressed to find an English country cottage without a wooden duck. These slightly eccentric & whimsical items of home décor are quintessentially British. We’ve been seeing them everywhere for the past 17 years, so it seemed high time we had one too! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4d6e0032-9e88-4cf7-8c1b-1d90f6eeadf9/tempImageKVNWJR.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Say hello to Debbie Duck of Darrowby, standing at the front door to the veterinary surgery. The dcuk company (the name emphasizing the UK) hand-carves & hand-paints each duck. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/adf1d526-a2d2-4e2f-8f0e-b3d8538e1a16/tempImage5Icccw.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Steve on the steps of the veterinary surgery in “Darrowby” FaceTiming with Jeff, Madi, & Emma. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8209bd1a-0252-46dd-8f35-8dada6dd5821/tempImageTbGC1Z.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out We made a dinner booking at The Devonshire, the pub that stands in as the exterior of The Drovers Arms in All Creatures Great and Small. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/54bb3755-2e96-4847-b777-d08a911f87b6/Screenshot+2026-09-20+at+18.59.47.png Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out The Drovers Arms is unmistakably The Devonshire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6677a277-12e9-4348-a651-ef651a11ed0a/tempImage3g0vou.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out So clever! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/31590a16-1156-43c2-9857-d991bc69eeaa/tempImagegCEX4J.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out The jolly good fun continued inside the pub, of course. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/442cfc47-51a7-4d87-96c0-b5294c6813f1/tempImagetvn5Fg.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Waitress dressed like Rosie the Riveter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/223e7438-81c7-412d-9472-c13815c58298/tempImageBSq90r.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1733dc0d-3101-4f3a-8ad1-65479a0f4395/tempImageeKdZkw.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/55979194-7981-436c-ab9e-d89e3d71cda3/tempImage2NuLQQ.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out An extra cold Guinness & a Timothy Taylor’s Drovers Best cask ale. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/17e2685a-d581-41dd-a6fe-4a00cd6ed648/tempImageyYzAOg.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Amanda loved her butternut squash risotto with miso & vegan parmesan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/90692494-25b2-484b-9c87-4ed3862fa3a3/tempImageMQP6Rt.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out My wild mushroom, sweet potato, chestnuts, spinach & kale Wellington served with roasted new potatoes, sautéed fine beans & carrots, & vegan gravy. All I can say is, “WOW!” A British classic at its finest—with exceptional roasted potatoes! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3a2c0fcd-79f3-4799-9028-61a3f1c87187/tempImageA5FgBr.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out By the time we finished our dinner, the village square had settled & many of the familiar sites from All Creatures Great and Small were recognizable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3e2925c1-c1e8-48ec-8487-db4801a43740/tempImage2uJc8m.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/79b6929f-db4d-4175-9f79-48a58fd1f35e/tempImagemLBKg9.jpg Blog - Beck Hall - Make it stand out Oh Tricki Woo, what a day we had! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/beatlemania monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/58e0acdb-fa71-420a-8106-c2529cc53976/tempImage107fr0.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/68d0b6ee-2ff4-456f-bb83-1cc99eb71cb0/tempImageT38eHs.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Thursday’s drive from Wrexham took about an hour, with the Queensway Tunnel carrying us beneath the River Mersey & into the heart of Liverpool. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d5c2d205-1c57-4335-bb83-a1321777262a/tempImageX7Z7ou.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out We left the car in a parking garage & walked a short distance to The Vibe Plant Based Café, where Amanda ordered a hazelnut hot chocolate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fc3ab26b-2baa-49de-8fe9-441e4a9b66c8/tempImageTsoZau.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out For breakfast she ordered Faux Rocher pancakes, which ended up being too sweet & with tasteless pancakes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/960103c7-b004-45d3-a914-529c1dfb448a/tempImageZw4NGz.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Figuring it was nearly autumn, I skipped the mocha in favor of a pumpkin spiced latte, which was a bit disappointing to be honest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2f7d117b-c4f5-4b19-97a5-9c9a5c75d89a/tempImagerChTSh.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The saving grace was the tofu egg scramble & whipped avocado on sourdough toast, which were really good. After yesterday’s stellar lunch at Lot 11 in Wrexham, The Vibe was an overall mediocre experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c152874d-5247-4612-a879-f28316f49dea/tempImageITPOFK.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The Beatles Statue along the Liverpool Waterfront. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4c5fa637-f8c0-4920-9041-6856a38a2534/tempImageyJg0Zn.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out “Roll up, roll up. The Magical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away.” At the nearby Royal Albert Docks we boarded our Magical Mystery Tour bus for the 12:30 tour. (No psychedelics involved!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9ee62490-40c1-4385-bee5-1aae478ed641/tempImagenudjMp.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out From the bus looking down at 9 Madryn St (near the end on the left) where Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey) was born in the "Welsh Streets" area of Toxteth/Dingle. The next street to the right is Powis St, which was a major filming location for Peaky Blinders. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/22778315-0646-4a33-a1dc-5d7df2631c00/tempImageUjeGCt.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Ringo moved about 2 blocks away to 10 Admiral Grove where he lived as a small child until The Beatles found fame. This Ringo Star mural on High Park St sits between his two former houses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f48c1c0d-1a62-44ed-b785-c04bd276cecf/tempImageRiRskR.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out “Penny Lane is in my ears & in my eyes, there beneath the blue suburban skies.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/55d19c3f-e9df-4d81-9174-4c9533cc3c1c/tempImageCersJD.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The OG Penny Lane sign, signed by Paul McCartney during Carpool Karaoke with host James Corden in June 2018 (no longer discernible). (Taken Friday) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/24ac6f2b-6c3a-4884-8d9b-405fcfb9595a/tempImagehykMOe.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The old fire house near Penny Lane has been converted to housing but retains elements of its original purpose. “Penny Lane, there is a fireman with an hourglass and in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen. He likes to keep his fire engine clean. It's a clean machine.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0d2cd1c7-0b6e-4075-8ad3-c7d41ed1bba6/tempImageygC3F5.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The “shelter in the middle of a roundabout.” (Taken Friday) “Behind the shelter in the middle of a roundabout, a pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray. And though she feels as if she's in a play, she is anyway.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fb6045fe-7498-4a7a-890e-174c29eb718d/tempImageIJhcvR.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out “You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one..” (Taken Friday) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6104c258-3cea-4805-9d8e-eb92035bce75/tempImage2HvCqF.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Our bus stopped next in front of this pub to visit George’s birth home. The tour guide said we could use their loo if needed—the irony was not lost on him! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0c2211fc-a124-4131-9656-0c5141d62f21/tempImageri3ng7.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out George Harrison was born on this cul-de-sac in the small two-up two-down Victorian terraced house with the blue plaque at 12 Arnold Grove. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2b14a463-0857-491a-a646-bb567741a109/tempImageDqLxGl.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out “Let me take down ‘cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields.” John Lennon regularly "bunked" over the stone perimeter wall to explore the wild, unmanicured gardens of the Salvation Army children's home (orphanage) at Strawberry Field. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/105d04c9-3fcd-4f82-9c5b-78e582efc7af/tempImageRPnyZb.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out John added an “s” to the song title Strawberry Fields Forever. He used to sit in a particular tree there, thus the lyric, “No one I think is in my tree.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8df1b574-d1a3-4656-870b-c9306e4382f8/tempImage47PRBt.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out He lived with his Aunt Mimi at the time & she used to get upset with his visits. He was dismissive, saying no one was going to hang him for it, thus the lyric, “And nothing to get hung about.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8ef6c427-aef1-474b-961b-58e89b6d679b/tempImageESiWeB.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The semi-detached property at 251 Menlove Ave, which belonged to John's Aunt Mimi & her husband George Smith. John moved here at the age of five after his mother was persuaded it would be better for him to live with his aunt. The house was closed for filming. They are currently filming four movies, one about each of the Fab Four. Apparently, the idea is to see all four films & thereby collectively “experience” The Beatles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0869e559-91ad-489d-91ed-23e2604913c0/tempImagehzpnps.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Our final stop was here where the McCartney family lived in a modest mid-terraced home at #20. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f8d3f407-1304-4f75-899a-40bbed25abda/tempImagecTk9uU.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Paul’s room was above the front door & it was here that he & John wrote & rehearsed many of their early songs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/33fc2f47-de3c-4389-9c75-60cb9ff24c8a/tempImageNVPgAU.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Paul’s mother was a midwife who was often called Mother Mary, so the lyric is about her rather than the Virgin Mary: “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom: let it be. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom: let it be.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e5e331ea-83e6-4418-bb8e-04ca1bf21d8b/tempImageG1Eo4T.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Paul McCartney auditioned for the Liverpool Cathedral choir in 1953, when he was 11, and was not accepted. (Taken Friday) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/47adcd44-2f74-4331-9486-751997e2a451/tempImageQLlxEh.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out In 1991, nearly four decades after being rejected as a choirboy, McCartney returned to Liverpool Cathedral to premiere his own Liverpool Oratorio with the cathedral choir. (Taken Friday) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e4932b5f-8a13-4987-83a1-184b31377576/586644733_1274240368074491_5370501063191359173_n-2.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Liverpool Cathedral has the distinction of being the longest cathedral in the world, stretching 619 feet from end to end—a breathtaking scale that makes its vast interior feel almost endless. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/77be10c2-3ae2-4860-bafc-a58e575c9c54/tempImageajRYbe.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out On our way out of town on Friday, we stopped at St Peter’s Church in Woolton. On July 6, 1957, Paul saw John perform with The Quarrymen at the church’s annual fête (at the church hall across the street at the back of this image). A mutual friend introduced them & Paul then impressed John by playing several rock ’n’ roll songs & demonstrating how to tune a guitar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/21eb6f3d-90b3-4bcc-8fc0-bdd490555aa0/tempImage65Hql3.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Paul & John spent time hanging out & sunbathing near this graveyard as teenagers. It is believed they borrowed the name Eleanor Rigby from this headstone. “Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been; lives in a dream.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b8d6d411-e3e2-4950-8236-67c15fdcd359/tempImage6YirwG.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out “Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name. Nobody came.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9a0f8578-e281-412a-a446-3d6f501d6021/tempImageB8QNoY.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Paul originally named the character "Father McCartney" in early drafts of the song, basing him on his own father, Jim McCartney. He changed the name to McKenzie because he felt embarrassed using his actual family name in the lyrics. He picked the rhyming, similar-sounding Irish surname to distance his family from the sad story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5e1dc33f-b2bc-483c-94bf-aa70bd237a65/tempImageCOSwRO.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Coincidentally? a separate headstone with the name McKenzie is also located a few yards from Eleanor’s. “Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e1198852-6b29-4160-843e-03b62dd22c8c/tempImageByvtlZ.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Our Magical Mystery Bus with driver Dennis & guide Del (our photographer). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/350b5100-7f15-4723-8cd6-a154f3e89463/tempImageLePKGi.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Mathew Street—Home of The Cavern & birthplace of The Beatles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9f934393-95e3-4880-8adc-999fa3252d21/tempImage9wrdU4.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Intending to visit The Cavern, we entered The Cavern Pub instead at 5 Mathew St. It was a happy accident though because both are operated by the same company & the pub had loads of music memorabilia on display—including Amanda’s beloved MJ! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1669f5f7-005f-49bf-b8b2-1c6dd89e4a91/tempImageUnDPH4.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out In Sep 1988, at the height of his fame, Michael Jackson came to Liverpool to play at Aintree Racecourse, where he Included a special Beatles Medley in his set. Some 125,000 flocked to see him, then the largest concert ever performed by a solo artist in the UK. Michael donated an official staff Tour Jacket to be raffled off to support Radio City's Cash for Kids charity. The Cavern proudly beat all other bids to be able to exhibit this piece of local musical history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7b47249d-9a69-4883-87cb-f3dbda7c9b86/tempImage62ofbz.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The Cavern at 8–10 Mathew St is the legendary underground live music venue that originally opened in 1957, where The Beatles played 292 times. If you’re interested, look up more on how they got their start here, it’s truly interesting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7e9f8834-e4a3-4143-9cc0-be9e47163211/tempImageowULWo.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Though the original cellar was filled in during 1973 for a railway project, it was meticulously rebuilt nearby on 70% of its original footprint using original salvaged bricks & reopened in 1984. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ece5db41-e2a3-4fde-a749-f784e8afe09a/tempImage5hE4Mw.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The club was built in the basement of a warehouse on Mathew St, where the existing brick-vaulted cellar provided an inexpensive, naturally sound-insulated space for a jazz-turned-rock-and-roll club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/33e176d0-9273-438b-a05d-c97538adeaa5/tempImageA0tIcV.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The subterranean setting also helped create the dark, intimate, almost cave-like atmosphere that became part of the Cavern’s identity—and its name. Check out this Local Group! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5da68eb8-d13b-4b10-8f7a-68a5af965661/tempImageymgUkm.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Today, live music is still performed here every day. It will come as no surprise, though, that during peak tourist hours, playing The Beatles is obligatory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/73c66cea-0bb4-4a09-95e8-4f5b2ed3ff8b/tempImageGlBpgF.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/912b9629-39fe-42fe-8e93-d518dcc66a01/tempImageBtbtyT.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4f5f2a2e-de9e-494b-b9c9-037ea5d672dc/tempImageXB3rFX.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6e9aaadb-c404-4c0a-a395-8f8af53034c9/tempImage6lfIiM.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aaa1ae6e-5cf5-4b6f-ac95-9208d82be220/tempImageiXfna1.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out I think this is meant to look spiritual or inspirational, but it comes off creepy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/33de0168-596a-4c1c-b9df-6ec2af936f77/tempImageoqETQM.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6cda40ce-78e3-48c6-9d94-37b77ed1c737/tempImagevaKtfs.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out We ate dinner at Down the Hatch, an all-vegan restaurant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c3e92421-7498-4296-a78d-e42a7c324b47/tempImageMzhieR.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Amanda had a Caesar salad, side of baked mac & cheese, & garlic bread. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/958b3eb0-e7a9-4daf-a47c-f11ddd933866/tempImageqP66MO.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out I had a an Italian herb meatball patty burger. Perhaps our expectations have been raised by all the exceptional food we’ve enjoyed so far, but Down the Hatch earns a decidedly middling B− from us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ae449568-47d5-4587-a5a5-cd3252ddb013/tempImagej4qTcF.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out After dinner we grabbed limited belongings from our car in the parking garage, walked to the Premier Inn Liverpool City Centre (Lime Street), checked in, dropped our gear, & took a bus to the Philharmonic Dining Rooms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6dee76e3-ec39-43fc-9a19-6187a3d346f0/tempImageYV0fSo.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out The magnificent Philharmonic Dining Rooms—“The Phil” to locals—is a Grade I-listed Victorian pub. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/61594700-7560-43c5-81b6-503da9f19ea4/tempImageH0pHMu.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Built between 1898-1900 opposite the Philharmonic Hall, this “gin palace” is renowned for its lavish Victorian interior—stained glass, carved mahogany, mosaics, ornate plasterwork, & even its famous pink-marble gentlemen’s toilets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c1f40fbd-9415-44bd-b27a-3ff86b3cce11/tempImageCflZrg.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out Paul McCartney performed at the pub as a young musician & returned in 2018 with James Corden, when the pair filmed a surprise performance for Carpool Karaoke. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/373752a0-1ad5-42a0-a4de-06db1a11211d/tempImageAO9gpq.jpg Blog - Beatlemania - Make it stand out McCartney’s impromptu appearance with Corden brought the legendary Liverpool pub—and its connection to the Beatles—back into the spotlight. https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/wrexham monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/44f374a5-adbf-4be5-8999-d2b27298ed28/tempImagehFx9tD.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3ee5d3f4-47a8-49eb-a250-6cae5fef28a9/tempImage0gwNXK.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out On Tuesday morning, we enjoyed a farewell breakfast at The Cozy Café before bidding our lovely little cottage adieu. My hash browns, sun-dried tomatoes, & piquanté peppers, served on a bed of fresh greens & chili jam, were a delightful treat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e40df73e-7da2-403c-a2af-86c7543abbff/tempImageO1kg5l.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out We stopped at the Ludlow Tesco Superstore for some chocolate biscuits & a bag of Billington's Demerara Sugar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/daf504f3-350c-4968-8c8f-57e93757d396/tempImageseqrbJ.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out We then walked 3 miles in the Mortimer Forest hunting for toadstools . Sadly, we found none. However, our forest bathing did reveal many other small delights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f6eadec9-8331-4cc0-89c7-95ffc3f14853/tempImagePvkJKz.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6b6b7650-423e-4e23-a894-33c73be0b706/tempImage69id0Z.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/53e4085d-c15d-4771-a8e9-1f7af3f11cb9/tempImageLSLxV1.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9a1957e6-8de2-431c-958e-321355218c8b/tempImage3dt3CL.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0f886b5c-c11f-425a-b359-bd14532670cf/tempImageYpDzzV.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d367d353-e211-4153-adab-891d0db6591b/tempImageRIWDrC.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0a999d6f-1f80-4749-8a07-fe9625e52093/tempImagemL5siu.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/76a00182-77c4-464e-bdd2-7163c3336484/tempImageGWSYr6.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/98397538-d36b-4a92-a7e8-df4950a6caee/tempImagepqxJRW.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/264f99fd-f848-497a-bece-f6c7b5e6ac32/tempImageBUWHe0.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out In Wrexham we checked out the Minors Monument, famous from the opening credits of Welcome to Wrexham. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5dd5f4a7-8d0f-4801-a766-8a2f252daa52/tempImagetHdz0U.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Between the hike & the drive, we were knackered, so we retired to our room at Premier Inn Wrexham City Centre for some downtime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8aa725fa-32f1-4866-97cc-1aa0288b170c/tempImageO3XulS.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out No longer in Airbnbs, we spent most of Wednesday morning at Dolly Tub Launderette doing laundry. Afterward we were fortunate to have selected Lot 11 for lunch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/433ef9e1-c22b-48bf-8c26-340471feb316/tempImageBDWETm.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Amanda’s London Fog https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/30d1d555-ede2-4403-b308-2658ce3c47d9/tempImage1Cc7L4.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Mocha for me please https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d1c5bd55-3263-44c2-986b-7cf88ba4da5f/tempImage2fjJUG.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Amanda was hesitant, but her bravery was rewarded with this tasty sweet potato falafel & hummus on sourdough sandwich. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ee0fd169-ebc9-40b7-8cff-874f58faa464/tempImageVgq4ok.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out My Lot Smashed Avo was served on a thick chunk of fresh sourdough bread with rocket, hummus, & chili jam drizzle. Lot 11 was 10/10! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/21fab1ce-c917-411d-bcad-012db50017eb/tempImageCLlF5P.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out The traditional Seven Wonders of Wales are a group of notable landmarks in North Wales, famously listed together in an anonymous late-18th or early-19th-century rhyme. They include the Wrexham Steeple: the ornate 16th-century tower of St Giles' Church in Wrexham (actually a grand tower rather than a steeple). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4bf417fc-e386-40b0-96c3-ebe88e537791/tempImageMUYFmf.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out The grave of Elihu Yale. Born in Boston in 1649, Elihu spent much of his life in England, Wales, & India. A controversial & often ruthless figure, he amassed a considerable fortune & made substantial donations to the Collegiate School of Connecticut, which was renamed Yale College in his honor & eventually became Yale University in New Haven. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ede078e8-60b8-47ae-93f7-e52a42cac079/Screenshot+2026-09-16+at+18.47.03.png Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Wrexham Tower at Yale University in Connecticut is a replica of St Giles’ Church in Wrexham, Wales. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c86308ee-b011-40f9-ac8d-485647b9150e/tempImagePEHfxm.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out The inscribed stone near the base of the church tower. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e0fe1637-d2cb-4584-b4e0-449792c614b1/tempImage9Hfl8n.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out An inscribed stone taken from St Giles' Church in Wrexham, Wales, was placed at the base of the Wrexham Tower in Saybrook College at Yale University in the USA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3b482bdb-fab9-459d-9702-5869f795334d/tempImagePFQaLN.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out At the end of WWII, the 129th General Hospital US Army gave a flag to Wrexham in gratitude for the town's hospitality (left). This flag was replaced in 2005 & the original has since been preserved. In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion in China, US Marines & the Royal Welch Fusiliers served together. The USMC colors (right) were presented to the Fusiliers at the church in 1945. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/927dbf10-0609-445f-9611-8866f14891dc/tempImageu47sJK.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Elihu Yale purchased this painting of King David on the lyre in Rome & later donated it to the church. It is thought to be quite valuable.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/000611ef-4061-441d-93ad-a73f63f28acb/tempImageNDbAhq.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out One of the angels in the church ceiling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/60c64b01-0947-4cd9-b21b-10828ac0c64b/tempImagenNt4TJ.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/944a64a9-b96a-4384-a197-e4b1f5a7fbcb/tempImageq6Kd45.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out The mural of Paul Mullin on the side of The Fat Boar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/005c13c0-fef2-4c7f-91ac-c92373d50b2f/tempImage8XozYE.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Joey Jones mural on the west wall of The Turf. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8af38e8f-d13d-44d9-8ee4-d1c2e630d652/tempImageXSjGew.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out It’s finally time to visit The Turf‼️ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7476aa70-cc4e-44ea-98c6-a3d6dfa28a4b/tempImageZkbfns.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out The Turf Butty Van is an institution from the TV series. The Kop Stand, a concrete terrace built in 1952, was demolished to make way for this new 7,750-seat‍ addition thanks to the infusion of cash after Rob McElhenney & Ryan Reynolds purchased the club in Feb 2021. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/356fb3f7-2c38-4457-8b80-f557cee44594/tempImageACY4w2.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Rob & Ryan say “Welcome to Wrexham” in Welsh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/88b7a268-6526-4758-b44f-21303331d8c8/tempImagelV6pSC.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Team manager Phil Parkinson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3cb5ef6f-251c-45f3-b68f-43f8857078c0/tempImageiPrnkz.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out The long-anticipated time for a pint inside The Turf.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/21bb46e3-8ba1-423a-b35d-8453119d9255/tempImageMjwHsz.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Front door https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b259c7f8-3461-4f77-97a7-a4a880447d71/tempImageUJuo2I.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Ordering two Wrexham Lagers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/706f5cd6-af1e-4ab5-bb1c-eb4835397747/tempImageZtjW72.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Mullin & Parkinson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1431304c-ee32-4eb5-b5de-072719d92c76/tempImageMkAMub.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/18f04f10-0265-49f8-85f4-301e009fa001/tempImagenU1aTM.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Golden glory https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2af7cafa-7f49-471d-9714-1442804d29cd/tempImageMa3m5x.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/42cc3ed7-aa4f-43a6-8631-0b13713ed97c/tempImagewxfxmU.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Pub memorabilia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a364befc-53fb-4f49-93b2-83ae4b4c5f74/tempImagefEDb0s.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Prince William visits The Turf in March 2024 & pulls a pint alongside Rob McElhenney. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/47332988-4557-4504-bf35-c0738faad687/tempImage8jBZOm.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out Thank you to our new Canadian friends for one final picture before we leave The Turf. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a0c361cf-003d-4580-945f-c8c1c218a7ac/tempImageKrMaUP.jpg Blog - Wrexham - Make it stand out On our way to Liverpool on Thursday morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0fca2029-227d-4725-b5c2-470dc578c639/Screenshot+2026-09-28+at+12.50.52.png Blog - Wrexham https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/12745a25-e2f1-4d02-bf6a-3b771ef1153e/IMG_8209.jpg Blog - Wrexham https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/hay-on-wye monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f7dbc71a-5bec-4a38-b097-ca39b2b74160/tempImagePJYfCE.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a0c29485-23ed-4ef2-9057-b2833ec4e9d8/tempImagew1wCTx.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Our train did not leave Bath until 10:30, which gave us time to grab a final mocha at Society Café. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b7ee52eb-713b-48aa-b2a6-4c69d6e41d19/tempImagegOYiIE.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Our train left about 30 minutes late, but the ride to Bristol was only 13 minutes. The #8 bus took us from the train station to a stop about 0.3 mile from Enterprise Rent-a-Car. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5432e121-1be0-4d91-bed5-a3b2c3157bfa/tempImagevkWYJE.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out We parked & walked up to the Clifton Observatory to see the Clifton Suspension Bridge spanning the Avon Gorge & the River Avon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/067f69b1-4a2f-4474-b726-cacf48ea007b/tempImage4MofHu.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Amanda with her Kimomo matcha which features matcha from the Kagoshima region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b9e44ed2-d366-4507-a9ea-2a373024d2bc/tempImageAPjR9U.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out From Bristol we drove to Tinturn Abbey on the Welsh bank of the River Wye, made famous when William Wordsworth penned the poem Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/cc2d99bc-bca4-4d11-ac37-8e1dd79dcfc0/tempImagel9hJfM.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out The Queen Inn in Cwmbran, Wales, is frequently ranked among the very best vegan restaurants in the world—a remarkable achievement for the staff of this unassuming village pub. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c44e3205-47b5-433e-b78e-5f30362e7786/tempImageOH6uft.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Tiny Rebel is Wales’ largest independent craft brewery located in Newport, South Wales. This was their cask ale & it was very refreshing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bc540dde-3936-4a70-b1b7-7f0f2ecfd3a0/tempImagealXIVD.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out For a starter we ordered the spiced “lamb,” hummus, & pita bread platter. I lost my bloody mind eating this exclamation‼️ The pita was pillowy soft, the hummus creamy perfection, & the “lamb” was out of this world! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f2ef1d70-89e0-4be0-a7eb-406cbfaaefdf/tempImageMIO3Gv.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out The Sunday roast menu worked by selecting your roast, so I chose the garlic mushroom crumble in the ramekin. All roasts included seasoned vegetables, “roasties” (roasted potatoes), Yorkshire pudding, sage stuffing, & a boat of gravy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7934d617-a63e-4a26-8976-13e058211358/tempImageGrfD9V.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out The food was so delicious I had to take a moment to compose myself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fcb253fb-1304-4e11-a62f-0b3bed14dbe8/tempImage0qHXMu.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Amanda’s roast (top of plate) was the chicken en croûte with mozzarella, basil, & sun-dried tomatoes. She absolutely loved it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/eb84b050-9845-41aa-a110-5f3004ab130c/tempImageJ5UWWP.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Jaffa orange fudge cake & ice cream for dessert. Our dinner proved beyond any doubt that its reputation as a world-class vegan restaurant is thoroughly deserved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a55df01d-f9b0-43c6-b3a1-41415c3933e5/tempImageDonRpH.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out The small stream & waterfall in front of the pub. The staff were wonderfully friendly, adding to the warmth of an already delightful experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7c659fb5-774d-49dc-8b45-1223802098bc/tempImageyO1Kpb.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out From The Queen Inn, we drove to our Airbnb: The Tiny Townhouse in Hay-on-Wye. It was tiny in the best possible way—full of cozy cottage warmth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/655c93e1-bb3f-4f70-86d0-4dbcb6114422/IMG_0133.JPG Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out 5 Heol Y Dwr was simple but nicely appointed & near enough the center of town to be convenient yet quiet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e0d77dd2-c67e-4258-95ab-074adc7bd47e/tempImageqnnHwi.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e4db815b-51a1-4dc5-9b65-0d38a67f23a1/tempImage8FYfFI.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/942f6fd0-0553-4653-ada0-d357f03c412f/tempImagew2q65Y.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e980bff5-6bdd-4939-982f-7144d4b33f43/tempImagehWJJXO.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Wales, lush it is! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d084a8bf-c11b-48da-8e6d-a6573f6834e7/tempImageAJezBl.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Monday’s breakfast tea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5e6125c1-d840-4d44-9fae-e90f257946a2/tempImageMNdbgc.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Mocha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7731029f-6819-4686-80fd-9d9ed3043f8b/tempImagehWBWWC.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Hazelnut pain au chocolat https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/14e9e8df-b732-41ab-a9fd-4c86c317580f/tempImagezXu0s3.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Sourdough toast…so Amanda! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7c3a81ba-fe5e-48b4-8fe3-0fcb4e52d46b/tempImageliaMkU.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Avocado bagel…so Steve! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/21e85a87-2c84-4c49-b28d-6ae53a39bf4b/tempImageTRl1br.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out We’ve been fed… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c4743c7d-1f49-4245-a2e8-3f5b4a40c082/IMG_0134.JPG Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Feet are properly attired… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bd8136a6-fc8f-4cd1-9017-2d07c20a2cfa/tempImagelXibMF.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Let Book Polooza begin! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2011c536-9e9d-48ce-9bcd-07e718554271/tempImageIsgPmV.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9184bb3e-924d-43d6-9e6a-4be9c20a057a/tempImage6GR08p.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whilst there are soon to be 9 volumes released in the US, the first two volumes have just hit the UK shelves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f41402d3-673a-442a-ab3f-3a4b1a9c9df8/tempImagetayynZ.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out We loved this shop name & the 3D book sign complete with spine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b7a29435-c579-48f5-a9d6-97c22375fd34/tempImage8akyiO.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/146b41b7-cdce-4916-aa36-6b66d1ef69a7/tempImagekAJchT.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Amanda bought a lovely copy of Jane Eyre here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1a651ab0-c17b-4c15-a4e2-e6457a8bf317/tempImagebjM6l1.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Hay Town Clock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9fade328-9375-40af-87e9-f9871ff440cc/tempImagefWHsfC.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Hay Castle in the center of town. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dbaf8097-c52b-4e90-96fa-1227f5cb9814/tempImage9HeU7D.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1ffa7a88-6875-4e8a-a20c-a0387323fef5/tempImageRCKjFc.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out River Wye https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/223e5193-9474-45f0-b47d-6fbb69d69289/tempImageYnDE0S.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out We had dinner with the locals at Three Tuns free house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/013ccde0-0ba2-42e9-b0ef-c01a8077a2a3/tempImagea20cc1.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Great atmosphere https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/960f207a-c9dd-4fdf-87f5-68c980fbe3eb/tempImageeDGayh.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d9f90227-7d1d-494e-bec4-299ed158d59d/tempImagefcDxMj.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out Another great local cask ale was imbibed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e0b452c9-3b33-40ec-8032-87d797c67b78/tempImage6CeVgK.jpg Blog - Hay-on-Wye - Make it stand out For dinner I had portobello mushrooms & new potatoes in a caponata with micro greens. We’re continually amazed by what great food these small pubs turn out! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/bath-1 monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0e11d0b2-5d89-4048-8944-368e0e2dfe78/tempImageU7lAcP.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2325b579-8756-4a59-8079-ce13039c4496/tempImagevyLmnG.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out On Friday morning, we took the 10:30 Great Western Railway train from London Paddington to Bath Spa, arriving at 11:45. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c2c0fe37-b984-4d94-b3ed-9eeb1c5f5d3f/tempImageOqllmx.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Decorations in town. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2f1c4092-72cd-4309-bd57-075ecd4cc849/tempImage9VX4eY.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a3866c38-030b-4aa3-b2ff-1d884c4036f7/tempImageIzaM43.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Entering the fabled Abbey Green, where a magnificent London Plane tree presides over the historic courtyard. Our apartment is the white door in the distance, along with the two windows to the right. We stayed on Abbey Green with Dan & Elizabeth in June 2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/70ea966c-5fba-4710-b06e-48c2bcae9890/tempImageT4hePO.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Amanda beside the entrance to 2 Abbey House. As in real estate, where you stay on trips is often all about location, location, location. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/306ed3e6-69dc-4850-992a-e62b1e169ded/tempImagexo4fkO.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out We dropped our bags inside our Airbnb & then took an Uber to Hare & Hounds situated on a scenic hilltop above Bath. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/68a8b9e7-8239-4cde-88dd-a072f162e0e4/tempImageO7iY0w.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9c74df6b-0bf7-45bf-84f5-119d8c8775ea/tempImage76Piqx.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out I’ve wanted to sit on this patio ever since our 2009 trip. Seventeen years later, we finally made it happen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4f7e6eda-edc0-401f-95c8-bbb26cc127fd/tempImageINXm3d.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out My cask ale brewed just down the road from the pub. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e834af09-bb48-4dd6-919a-9a2052926095/tempImagem4svzI.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7eec0e33-5af6-4e12-9425-adea2e32f55a/tempImagehJJRsH.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out The Coronation chickpea ciabatta with roasted chickpeas, lightly curried mayonnaise, lettuce, & poppadoms was so good we plan to try & recreate it when we return home. Of course, no pub meal would be complete without “chips.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/35a72deb-e976-433c-8cbc-2181db6ed806/tempImageRgaNWJ.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Turned out there was a bus stop at the pub—who knew! A short bus ride & we were back in Bath where we bought a fresh loaf of sourdough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/261177bd-e95c-4807-9387-e3c43903c73e/tempImage71Vc0O.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Bath Abbey, beautiful as ever. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e14f8157-c947-44ab-8eac-679b499ac84e/tempImageY3LTLN.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out At Topping & Company bookstore we bought a copy of Frankenstein. Mary Shelley started writing the book at the Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva in Switzerland, but wrote a large portion of it later in rented rooms at 5 Abbey Churchyard. The original house was torn down in the 1890s to make space for an extension to the Roman Baths & Pump Room. The plaque behind Amanda memorializes her stay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8f2792a7-d5f5-4082-a71e-994236c054d1/tempImagezINZ38.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Having watched Wayne’s World too many times, we assumed we had “backstage passes” to see Tom Bailey from Thompson Twins. Despite arriving late for the pre-show meet-and-greet, we were early enough that they still permitted us to attend. ‍ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2f8c4cde-2155-41fc-8d8d-4f506d70ac2b/tempImage8vHoQc.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out We had a nice chat with Tom, who is a fellow vegan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3d609a11-1208-4975-bfed-b6e9f8991db9/tempImageIcwN53.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out He signed a tour poster & an early-release CD. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d34beeb9-0b3c-42ba-9195-1dd6a1728c97/tempImagerYIEf6.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out We’ve been listening to his music since the early 1980s, so meeting Tom in person was a real treat—made all the more special by doing so on his home turf here in the UK. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5b634bf7-bda0-489c-91c7-d291666023e2/tempImage3DG92G.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out The UK band Blancmange was the opening act (they never broke into the US market in the 1980s). In the middle of the first song the lead singer quietly asked security if fans could approach the stage & they agreed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/cdf151eb-65a0-4ed8-b77a-454fa0764664/tempImageMmjxSn.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out After Blancmange & while they set the stage for the Thompson Twins, we took a spot at center stage, where we stayed for the entire concert. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f83de6b4-d06d-4a5b-967c-297862cdae5a/tempImageQwaJeo.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out All these photos are taken without zoom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6a30ca88-c162-41a2-84d0-fda94aceac98/tempImagegXNErM.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/33c29190-ef57-46fc-8193-1be5947a44d3/tempImageUdnzvl.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dc3f4ece-f051-4cc5-9624-962d2da0619b/IMG_0109.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Of course the grand finale was Hold Me Now, which we consider “our song.” At one point, Tom came right up & looked directly into Amanda’s phone—amazing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ee293186-f2c9-4a7c-be14-e802850c9ccb/tempImageulZoIN.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Just before going a cappella for the end of the song, Tom threw the pick he was using to play Hold Me Now to Amanda! I don’t think I have to worry… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/21cc8f2e-3ba9-4f3a-a0b9-533dfc2ebf33/tempImage1C5STA.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out The band takes a bow. We will never forget this night‼️ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/97b7811c-fb83-4ab8-aeec-0f7000e0db75/tempImageeL4KmC.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out The view of Bath Abbey from our bedroom window on Saturday morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e7dff051-851d-4cc3-9fbb-110968d23d26/tempImageG7PMHg.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out After toasted Warburton’s crumpets at home, we enjoyed coffee & tea at my favorite: Society Café on the High St. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6d8a0873-2723-4999-ac41-82cb5b301ad8/tempImageNkUj5o.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Then it was off to enjoy the Jane Austen Festival. Here, participants gather on the lawn in front of Bath’s Royal Crescent before the 23rd annual Grand Regency Promenade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/11e486eb-385a-408d-9858-1425c238b518/tempImage4ClLRP.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Many people went all-in on their Regency costumes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b1ed95b9-0cee-410a-a825-0bfd98c05bf5/tempImage3b9hMa.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c7dc0bd6-6311-42ea-b979-686db6ead836/tempImageYcdIaL.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Taking a not-so-Regency cell phone photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a672ceb2-0841-427c-9341-dd701bd435f5/tempImagenTleSR.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Even some dogs wore Regency attire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/24ea2092-e4ec-42f4-a52b-325aab7352ca/tempImageBicPLv.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/50e65333-7327-49f2-ab95-5ae47f7dbab8/tempImageA5PnWQ.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ea6b4057-d031-42f6-a154-694c6db4ef45/tempImageTZ9N5B.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out The promenade begins down the eastern extension of Royal Crescent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/56742d5b-a812-4c00-999f-4388c4507b87/tempImagekWoFaN.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e428cb8-0f27-413d-8faf-8ebcfd35aa53/tempImageVHUMzH.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Picnic at the ready. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f16d575d-e149-4da5-b3f8-6ba13166c1d4/tempImageygfFYv.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/875ad74a-df0b-442e-a5da-fe04a077c4b8/tempImageYPxiWG.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/530c458e-b970-4184-a1f1-1e9bf983fb5c/tempImageX0PTOv.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/42568c64-1802-441a-9a23-e24a25b78d01/tempImageTbZiE5.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c7c56bcf-7c38-45b8-8836-2a5c552f376d/tempImageHzXb7c.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e3076491-75fd-4d74-874e-c5c30abdc3d9/tempImageemrzCr.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Looking up Gay St toward the magnificent trees in the center of The Circus. The internet says there are “more than 2,000” participants, but I’d be quite surprised if the number were really that low. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b27c9367-82ee-4ed4-9d49-3318f5f55e51/tempImageZUSjRx.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out After the parade, our UK matcha mission continued at Matcha Thing in Bath. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d3686816-3b30-48fa-a447-8a85ee47a54c/tempImageWjNxdX.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bc5b6fe6-dbd1-4f7d-b2e7-240f583c1f46/tempImageqTMDka.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out The city was filled with people in Regency attire all week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/903f9263-e8e2-4a24-95e6-49892b2451db/tempImageWXtwOf.jpg Blog - Bath - Make it stand out We spent the afternoon “taking the waters” at Thermae Bath Spa, getting a hot-stone massage, & then eating a delicious dinner at Thaikhun—the same place Amanda took me in 2023 for my 53rd birthday. Bath never disappoints! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/six monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/798ffd48-7af7-4501-8e2a-5d0afecada39/IMG_7478.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a03b3eb3-7081-4159-b353-ee29f8e8efc2/IMG_7435.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Day 6, our final day in London. We returned to Church of St Magnus-the-Martyr to see the model of London’s medieval bridge. The archway is under the tree & the old main roadway was to the right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/92be6c15-eec5-419d-88f8-0a11e13a9263/Picture1.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out To improve flow, buildings were eventually removed from the bridge. From 1763 until the demise of the old bridge in 1831, this archway was the main pedestrian entrance onto the bridge. Millions of people must have walked through it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c2b95c33-072e-4641-a30b-b71e5161716c/Picture2.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out View from The Monument to the Great Fire of 1666 looking toward the church & bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0a538d95-e6c6-4950-ba1c-c14bc92a6587/Picture3.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out (Looking the opposite direction.) The new bridge opened in 1831 & the old bridge was demolished over the next two years. This bridge was dismantled in 1972, shipped to Lake Havasu & replaced with the current structure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8ef99c44-aa0d-464a-8631-71fcec4d0b1a/tempImageT56d1F.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out T S Eliot wrote that, “the walls of Magnus Martyr hold inexplicable splendour of Ionian white & gold” & held that “the interior of St. Magnus Martyr is to my mind one of the finest among Wren’s interiors.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c5776b23-fe28-4548-b2f9-5cea27ed1a6e/tempImagecaTCel.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out The remarkable model of medieval Old London Bridge inside St Magnus-the-Martyr vividly recreates the crowded medieval bridge, complete with its houses, shops, gates, & fortified towers. We’ve long harbored the fanciful dream of stepping through time to wander this bridge & Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in medieval days. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/957ce32d-de14-4401-b87f-761f3e17f151/tempImage6PnIP0.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out The model was created in 1987 by David T. Aggett, a Metropolitan Police officer & liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers; he spent nearly three years building the 13-foot-long model, which depicts the bridge as it appeared around 1400. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a9b89eab-152a-485e-bf64-0c9041223e9a/IMG_7432.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out A particularly charming detail is the tiny policeman on the bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7dc39df2-6a1c-435d-8817-752f86bb3a78/tempImageAQbwUf.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Sitting on a sharp corner in Mayfair & decked in a timbered façade, leaded stained glass windows, & intricately carved woodwork, the Coach & Horses is a time capsule hidden amongst its modern neighbors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/90926532-c348-403a-9660-31ac68da0467/tempImageYDcPnz.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out A coaching inn has been on this site since the 1730s. What a building! Its unique shape adds greatly to its character. The late Queen Elizabeth II was born just down the street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/54c12739-3945-4f15-9c1a-6b184f18d05f/IMG_7438.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out A proper pint of real ale! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e990e0de-d402-4528-832a-de42600c3f06/tempImage6hDFUJ.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Amanda’s half pint, apropos of Laura Ingalls. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/00834daa-43ce-429e-9552-c33a2a1a1630/IMG_7443.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Immersing ourselves in the old world charm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6089f357-96b2-4056-a4fc-96d23ef43e1f/IMG_7452.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out I’ve always loved that the pubs invest so much effort into their signage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d1b9d340-2e96-49fc-b107-2c081b83796f/IMG_7458.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Seven Dials is a road junction & neighborhood that retains its 17th-century street-plan. In 1694, a large sundial column was erected at the center of the circle where the roads converge. Ingeniously designed, it featured six faces, with the column itself serving as the gnomon—the shadow-casting element—for a seventh dial. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/54ebac40-d57f-4e71-a218-950436b17e27/tempImageJdLmtA.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Charles Dickens wrote about the area & Agatha Christie chose it as the setting for her 1929 novel The Seven Dials Mystery. We’ll remember it for the cute shirts we bought there for our lovely granddaughters! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ac763e48-8c12-48bf-95a4-47deadc5ae01/IMG_7466.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Hilarious sign on Cecil Court. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fe9f8078-dadc-41cc-898a-6168c85a06e5/tempImageGvIWUM.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out We miraculously found a bottle of Sprinkbank 15 & also a bottle of Jameson Crested. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/91c1c49e-a080-4c5d-962a-d03ce20ea9c7/tempImagefSROmU.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Time for a wee dram https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/196096b1-16ec-4f1e-91b3-935ef60e5753/tempImage6nIEAl.jpg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Gotta loves those matchas! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/21a220b7-79a7-45ee-8294-957c9eaedc00/IMG_7474.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out We ate a lovely dinner here between the two acts of Harry Potter & the Cursed Child in April 2025, so it seemed fitting to return for dinner before seeing Six. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/09aa35dc-0215-4419-a8d2-dc1e42b72263/IMG_7469.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Inside, Circolo Popolare is a riot of Sicilian exuberance—20,000 bottles glowing from floor-to-ceiling shelves, cascades of greenery overhead, twinkling lights, & richly layered décor creating the feel of a magical Mediterranean garden. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/98698b3f-08d0-44e6-b72f-28e58d5ef6d3/IMG_7473.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Such a fun place to enjoy dinner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/88e54956-763a-48eb-8f04-fe26b5cd76a6/IMG_9997.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out The signage for Six outside the Vaudeville Theatre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/83486b0c-7309-4f73-b96f-f23af941e785/IMG_7475.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/eafe3f12-411a-4e09-8cc8-45bcca0244f2/IMG_7477.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Our seats at the front of the Dress Circle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e41ebe40-d512-4217-aa6b-b9d5dd00e36c/IMG_7480.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out The musical was hilarious & so much fun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5f8384b6-d1d9-4d89-9970-25b523b4107d/IMG_7482.jpeg Blog - Six - Make it stand out Such a fitting finale to our time in London! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/hampstead-heath monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dbe897a2-c82c-469d-a648-523845d20938/IMG_0921-2.jpg.webp Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4108fb98-304d-4596-8428-18198ef348db/Wide-paths-in-the-woods-in-Hampstead-Heath-1024x747.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out “It was weather ordained for a walk.” —Emma M. Lion Wednesday was all about Hampstead Heath—the vast, ancient expanse of rolling meadows, wooded hills, ponds & wild open countryside in north London. It is also one of the wealthiest & most exclusive neighborhoods in London. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4882c553-4ebb-4ac0-8a67-17b85987d01e/kinda-co-spirulina-blue-cheese-3176690.jpg.webp Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Escape to the Country is a British show a bit like House Hunters in the US. One episode featured the work of Kinda Co. who make vegan cheese, so our first stop in Hampstead Heath was at Planet Organic to purchase a farmhouse cheddar & blue “che*se.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/87d14bb5-80a5-409e-91d1-59a91227f59f/tempImageL482Id.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out We then walked to Karma Bread where we picked up a freshly-baked sourdough loaf & two fresh cinnamon rolls. Soon we were ambling along a path in the shade of ancient trees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a48c86cb-9061-4f8d-8258-d024e8687218/tempImagetZs5lk.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out We meandered up Parliament Hill (aka Kite Hill) & found this bench with views over the Heath & beyond. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a8389917-fe8c-4ebc-9e78-4afd2437f009/tempImagei5Km2k.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out The bread & che*ses were as exceptional as the view. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/91d51f67-a04a-4c7c-bff6-b14ce93b622d/tempImageMZ0SIy.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f03b8809-12b0-432a-a7aa-440470e1babf/IMG_9973.jpeg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out “Our Spot” on the Heath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4f634c73-3b6d-47b7-9691-97c842f94c64/tempImageZu95Tx.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out “I am set for a day of far walking and long thoughts.” —Emma M Lion The far walking was perhaps father than expected, but our path eventually led us to the sprawling & wooded Highgate Cemetery. “When the living irritate, best to spend time with the dead.” Pierce about Highgate Cemetery, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4ccf3188-112d-469d-b39c-8b843d9f860e/tempImageJrmB7z.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Amongst the roughly 170,000 people buried across its east and west sides is Karl Marx. Expelled from Germany & France for his revolutionary ideas, Marx moved to London in 1849 as a political refugee & spent the last 34 years of his life there, writing works like Das Kapital at the British Museum. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2837ad4e-9183-471b-a40e-dc485733b716/tempImaget6Ktz2.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out The cream-colored, turreted, gothic lodge at the west entrance was once the residence for the cemetery superintendent. There were two distinct chapels on opposite ends—one for Anglican services & the other for “Dissenters” or “non-conformists.” Through the archway, a large open courtyard was designed to let horse-drawn funeral carriages turn around easily. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b9c9fbd4-7b91-4680-9161-03e1baa73660/IMG_9974.jpeg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Lovely Waterlow Park neighbors Highgate Cemetery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bea55411-3764-4451-937b-56d16b28d81d/tempImagefj35hy.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out We were tempted but decided against trying to search for George Michael’s grave in Highgate Cemetery, but we managed to find the next best thing in Waterlow Park—a memorial bench dedicated to Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (George Michael). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/19966c4f-f23f-4006-96ae-55898302c386/tempImagetMA2tQ.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Fortunately, we found a nearby bus route to take us to Kenwood House. Amanda standing against the front façade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/de2084e9-2954-4d00-8a9a-d3cbb1c3eda3/tempImagenb9hXD.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Our 2:30 guided tour included this lovely library & a survey of the astonishing collection of art work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/539a1b1a-5f93-4e39-b3fa-584d32cd0760/IMG_9984.jpeg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Edward Cecil Guinness—the Irish philanthropist, businessman, & head of the Guinness brewing family—purchased the house in 1925 to save it from development & filled it with his personal collection of 63 elite paintings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e80452e-49e3-4489-99ad-e8d807e3d08a/tempImageDWvmT1.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out You may recognize the rear elevation from the 1999 rom-com Notting Hill where Hugh Grant visits the set where Julia Roberts is filming a period drama & overhears her dismissing him to a co-star by calling him a “dithering sort of bloke” & saying he is “just an old friend” who means “nothing to me.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ee006427-19f3-408c-be40-a8be9663bad4/tempImage25mWHy.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out If for no other reason than the cheekiness of the name, we had intended on both of our previous trips to eat at Temple of Seitan. Well, we finally made it for Wednesday dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1cf80689-4c76-4251-8bb6-8d5933f1856e/tempImagehWS6fS.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out My burger. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/16dc59f6-49b9-4677-858b-0f1876ab93d5/tempImagej9Swse.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Amanda’s chicken strips & fries. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5a813fc7-0c09-4161-bcb9-7ae4cfd73d14/tempImage3r6HMg.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out Oreo shake & cookie. Not our healthiest choice so far, but everything was so delicious! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/edee9b4b-9554-4f0f-86a9-8c1c5178fb68/tempImageGJTOUo.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out After dinner we took the Tube back to The Scottish Stores & the Tennent tap was fixed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f5547eb3-c49d-41b5-a8aa-b383a824bee2/tempImageVnIAv1.jpg Blog - Hampstead Heath - Make it stand out On our way home, as we approached King’s Cross Station, the entrance gates were being pulled shut & a recorded message was telling everyone to exit the station immediately due to an emergency. Thinking it could be terror-related, we left the area, walked to the next Tube station, & rode home. From what we can tell, a sounding fire alarm led to the station’s closing & evacuation. https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/tuesday monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5d7b70ea-7e55-48df-b54e-44a93ff473c6/tempImage7LY583.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/eb330e66-09a0-4fc8-ab86-e6dd53cca775/tempImageHSw2fJ.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out A while back we watched Season 1 of The Art Detectives on PBS where they uncovered a lost painting by J. M. W.Turner. The show highlighted this Claude Lorrain painting—Seaport with the Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba (1648)—& his masterful use of light, which inspired Turner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e3e3e954-28c1-4473-bf40-b8d51134829f/tempImagerWkpoV.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Turner’s Dido building Carthage (1815) showing his fascination, like Claude, with landscape & subtle, shifting light effects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fd56966c-e057-414e-ab73-c7f0392f26c1/tempImageZZCQze.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Turner gave his painting (right) to the National Gallery on the condition that it would be displayed beside the Claude (left), whom Turner deeply admired. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/56a182b0-779e-4d9a-b0d7-90ac737330d9/tempImageV25CHo.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Between 1875-1914, 61 of these buildings were built around London. Most were staffed by an attendant who sold food & (non-alcoholic) drink to cabbies. The green huts were not allowed to be larger than a horse & cart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/48cede78-2f5e-4dc4-a2e2-b4b296ac4b6b/tempImagedVvUtc.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out On the Golden Jubilee (pedestrian) Bridge looking south toward Big Ben. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b051fe30-0379-40d7-a7a0-b0526ba14073/tempImageWJovJ8.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The King’s Arms pub on Roupell St in Waterloo. Built around 1830, the area features rare Georgian/Victorian architecture that lacks modern clutter. The pristine terraces are frequently used to double for working-class northern towns in past decades. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/258febe9-7936-47da-a248-5a0ba2469b04/tempImagevzcR7Y.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The pub retains its rare two-bar partition. The larger “saloon bar” with its horseshoe-shaped bar (behind us) was historically a more comfortable/formal section associated with a somewhat higher social status (& often higher prices). The smaller “public bar” is a more basic drinking space. At the King's Arms, those two historic bars are still physically separated by the unusual partition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/03ce7aff-7691-4d28-9644-30e8d613c109/tempImageTR2jPp.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Finally! God bless the Brits for their real cask ales! Photos taken from the smaller “public bar” looking into the larger “saloon bar.” The partition is to the right. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Legend, No Time To Die, Call the Midwife, Slow Horses, Silent Witness, Bridget Jones's Diary, Pennyworth, & EastEnders have all set scenes on the street and/or inside the pub. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/144222a2-a6d1-4801-bf76-a78a784953d3/tempImageKSt7NK.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out From The Kings Arms we took a red double-decker bus to Temple Church. On our last trip the church was closed for Easter services, so it was great to finally see inside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/62acb31e-67d4-4323-bb5b-cecf31c74a1d/tempImagerSsZ5o.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The church's circular nave, the oldest part of the building, was built by the Knights Templar & consecrated in 1185. Its unusual circular design was deliberately modeled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, particularly the rotunda surrounding Christ's tomb. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/45397a0a-fd7a-4ab5-bdf4-223395014cfc/tempImagecavxaj.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out These ancient spiral stairwells seem to carry inspiration in every turn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dc67c9f5-e404-4734-9e6f-a723c419d0c4/tempImagetkEwg6.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Church organ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e27e09af-c9df-4413-b43d-a82d216d0534/tempImageftZX7g.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Following the Great Fire of London in 1666 (which the church itself miraculously escaped), architect Christopher Wren heavily refurbished the interior, adding the wooden screen behind the altar. The screen was placed into storage before WWII which is how it survived a firestorm during the Blitz. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bc1be397-4b54-4425-a837-6e888b214a94/tempImageGghRq7.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Twinings was a short walk from Temple Church. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b6766e39-f444-4304-81d2-1451dec45b51/tempImageCUgN0O.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/10774d27-a86c-446a-b7aa-765f57cc7d57/tempImage3f3usp.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out We so love London’s remarkable layering of old upon older, where centuries seem to sit comfortably beside one another. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1fab093a-6c06-476e-af98-efe60d7c8f2c/tempImageXYBweZ.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Next, we visited the home of Samual Johnson (1709–1784) who was an English writer, critic, & lexicographer, best known for compiling the hugely influential Dictionary of the English Language (1755), one of the most important English dictionaries of its era. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7fcbcdb8-1752-41a5-b3e5-d110546975ff/tempImageutyvKt.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The household's only entrance had to be secure. The spiked iron bar above the door stopped burglars lowering children in through the window & the chain is hung on a corkscrew latch so that it can't be lifted up by a hook from outside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a20d43ad-6d4d-47ed-88e9-fb514f1d25b2/tempImageXJkSxj.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Amanda in front of the wig cupboard, originally used to store wigs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fbe88a1a-f53a-4e9f-9718-2bdcffe77f88/tempImageP2as1x.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Its size allowed a chair to be placed inside, meaning the wig-wearer could sit, close the doors behind them, & powder their wigs without a mess being made in the room. This is where the term powder closet (now powder room) comes from. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e7dac6ae-d308-452c-a679-8d939e577774/tempImageP2ZlkK.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out This little cupboard was used to store candles & candlesticks which could be lit downstairs before lighting the way up to bed. Such a neat old house! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4edfe15c-dc02-4e64-ac5a-f34dd776cbb1/tempImageww4B2A.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The old house was simply magical. “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” —Samuel Johnson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/14d6fa68-e269-4801-b98e-b25dbbb0de38/tempImageylrwY6.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out In Gough Square below is a statue of one of the most famous cats in literary history: Johnson's feline companion Hodge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a61283de-bf3c-4782-9cc0-b9ca6bc6b99f/tempImage1aD8ce.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d5cf3c57-7a98-48e0-9954-44a6594eb8c1/tempImagevSmMd1.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Just blocks from Johnson’s home is one of London’s oldest & most iconic pubs, rebuilt after the Great Fire of London, which began on Sept 2, 1666, in a bakery on Pudding Ln & burned for four days, destroying much of the medieval City of London. Our visit on Sept 8, 2026, was nearly exactly 360 years after the fire broke out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/53caba41-9ea6-4506-84cb-512e9b14c6d2/tempImageMXSzdn.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out A pub has stood on the site of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese since 1538, prior to which the site formed part of the guest house of the 13th century Carmelite Monastery. The Chop Room is the traditional dining room, centered around a long oaken table where, over the years, Dr. Johnson, Charles Dickens, Oliver Goldsmith, & many other celebrated figures once sat & dined. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4d4b5076-1949-4f35-b909-9a2d07003425/tempImageSKjIMB.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The pub is a wonderful warren of rooms & crooked passageways. We discovered this little alcove one level down, where even ducking wasn’t quite enough to save my head from the old stairwell. We then descended another level into the ancient cellar to order our drinks. What an experience! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7ef19f8f-a534-4a40-962b-d121f5270343/tempImageQWCL0o.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The remaining part of London Stone. Its original purpose is unknown, although it may be Roman & related to once nearby Roman buildings. It originally stood in the middle of Cannon St & was later set in an alcove in the wall of St Swithin's church on this site. The church was bombed during WW II & later demolished. London Stone was placed in this alcove in 2018. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/74274c8e-a974-4eea-b6bd-c87b31b41152/tempImagelqPyn4.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out We then went to Church of St Magnus-the-Martyr to see the model of Old London Bridge inside. We arrived too late, so we’ll return on Thursday. This archway is part of the church but was also once a key part of Old London Bridge. The first timber crossings over the River Thames were built by the Romans & many such bridges were destroyed & rebuilt between c. 50–400 CE. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/15a60306-4a40-4510-9f99-950fa10365d0/tempImageOIkJDk.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Old London Bridge was the famous medieval stone bridge built almost exactly over the Roman alignment. It stood for over 600 years from 1209–1831. It came to feature houses & shops on top, but buildings were later removed between 1757-1762 to widen the roadway & improve traffic flow. Around this time, this archway became the main pedestrian entrance from the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5cd3ecca-f12e-447a-b7c2-43e3a7412755/tempImagePjLWEb.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out A piece of an old Roman wharf dating from c. 75 CE. This was found on the nearby Fish Street Hill in 1931, illustrating just how far the banks of the Thames have moved over the space of 2,000 years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7eeae56f-e412-4b43-abbf-5d7dbe95f292/tempImageFs9XUq.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The Southwark Gateway Needle stands on the bank opposite & points toward Church of St Magnus-the-Martyr. This was once the south entrance onto the medieval Old London Bridge & the only way into the city other than by boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a0b78092-6ee6-4d80-b72b-25001ebfc0cc/tempImageEUbTXQ.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out The King’s Arms, a Victorian pub on Newcomen St in Southwark. The fine stone coat of arms used to say GIIR, for George II, and was fixed on Stonegate in 1728, the entrance to Old London Bridge from the Southwark side. When the gate was demolished in 1760, it was removed, the inscription changed to 1760 & GIIIR for the current king, & put up on this tavern. Walking London is to walk through living history! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dadc7005-1f05-43a6-aed3-8eda4c999ed5/tempImage5Zr3rH.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Borough Market, one of London’s oldest food markets, unfolds beneath a beautiful canopy of Victorian ironwork, glass, & modern structures, sheltering a lively maze of stalls beneath the railway arches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e679774a-737e-47f0-9270-c0f21de91659/tempImagexpSOcG.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Here is where we found Whisk by Jenki—yet another winner! Amanda did research London’s best matcha offerings, so it should come as no surprise that we’ve enjoyed them all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6931b5bf-ec63-4f73-98be-b01f8a91c638/tempImagea0k6S9.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out “Mary and I sat on a bench near the Southwark Cathedral this afternoon, eating sandwiches and boiled eggs prepared by Agnes.” —Emma M. Lion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4c0a4419-0197-4745-a6f9-890a3157cc6e/tempImagezvgPh6.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out For Tuesday night’s dinner we made a booking at Plants of Roslyn, located on the South Bank between London & Tower Bridges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2367a0b5-6887-45f8-ad5b-27062e95933e/tempImageaYHFvf.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out We shared the Som Tum Papaya Salad.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d019fdcc-aea9-4389-99da-f2b76603a355/tempImageYF2qeV.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out …and the Tom Kha Coconut Soup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/67a9d788-c40d-498e-be20-f984bd4fb6a1/tempImage1wX6gX.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out Amanda’s Hainanese Chicke’n Rice was perfection! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6462d036-6535-433d-afb8-e7412aafc4ba/tempImageqSb0aS.jpg Blog - Tuesday - Make it stand out I had the Ayurvedic Tofu Massaman Curry. We’ve enjoyed a lot of truly delicious food this week, but this one takes the top prize! “…I did enjoy my walk across London. The city was full of movement and the sort of noise that makes a day stand on its own two feet.” —Emma M. Lion https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/sunday monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bd25b5c6-7609-4d7b-b0ea-1d8170539746/tempImagevxql6g.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/13d59035-a421-4158-aefe-e8c2c2a26b8a/tempImageBNcRkh.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out On Sunday morning, we took the 274 bus from our apt to Primrose Hill. The driver was aggressive enough to have been HP’s Ern from the Knight Bus. Believe it or not, this was our very first time riding an iconic red double-decker bus in London. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/939b9dce-2d9f-4e6d-a8d8-fd5ec1351aba/tempImagek5dK4l.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Graced with lovely weekend weather, Primrose Hill was chock-a-block with dogs. “It is a glory to be in London again…settled so near Primrose Hill.” —Emma M. Lion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/715971e9-6173-4dee-ae80-be5e93580bac/tempImagexyJk78.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Standing at the Primrose Hill Viewpoint with the Shakespeare Oak behind my left shoulder & central London in the distance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/913c3844-f8f5-4e73-8ea9-24b3d1544c0c/tempImageCKDmDr.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out “I took myself out of the house and up to the crest of Primrose Hill. It was less for the exercise and more to feel I had accomplished Something Great.” —Emma M. Lion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c4f6359b-d106-4be7-a0a7-e249ab756737/tempImage8gpMAg.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out William Blake viewed Primrose Hill as a mystical place where the physical & spiritual worlds met. He claimed to see divine & spiritual visions in nature rather than just physical objects. The low wall in front of me is inscribed with Blake’s quote, “I have conversed with the spiritual Sun. I saw him on Primrose Hill." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/71e4c2c1-be36-4219-9e4d-bd953aa79cb8/IMG_4776.jpeg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out From Primrose Hill, we wandered down the western slope toward the imagined setting of St Crispian’s, the fictional town that has become so wonderfully real to us through the pages of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/73a85010-d711-4404-aa2c-42fbb01b3853/IMG_4775.jpeg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Volume 9 is due out this autumn…we can’t wait! Strike that, just got word we have to wait until Feb 2027. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8e501575-01d2-4c22-b2c7-edcc3cd8624e/tempImageFlfJAJ.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out The rather posh neighborhood bordering “St Crispians.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/29873460-6aed-4e87-9ab9-d901bc346e36/tempImage0sGe9r.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out From Primrose Hill we walked south to Regent’s Park where we took this photo standing on Long Bridge overlooking Boating Lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/19da0ca9-9b1d-4a8a-a851-4e018023c752/tempImageWxx1WQ.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Waterfall near the Japanese Garden in Regent’s Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/74d55563-e046-4639-bd8c-20b29c680b8e/tempImageoJOeg1.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Inside the famous Daunt Books Marylebone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1bc19ccc-c349-465f-a933-a7e7e36fa7f6/tempImageGdStfe.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Our London matcha pilgrimage continued with yet another cup, this time from How Matcha! in Marylebone. So far, Saturday’s matcha from Blank Street Coffee in Camden has been the winner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e2fbd83c-485f-46f1-9b05-b7543dd3ca62/tempImagedymL8q.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out We both loved the beautiful floral adornments to this Marylebone house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/463c0c5f-052d-4679-a55c-cc96ecd03bcd/tempImager2ftSP.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out The Wallace Collection has the most impressive collection of armory we’ve ever seen. Among the vast array of art, however, we noticed a decreeable theme—the nip slip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fce0e765-1d3b-4b73-ba13-6745ec34d85b/tempImagebWdIka.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Which descended rather quickly from there. Lute player indeed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4bdbfe3d-b137-40f1-a3cf-cf7c822a847e/tempImageuDJcL1.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Anarchy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/560fe9af-4788-4a6b-939b-076f2cab8fc1/tempImagepcjuP1.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Of course, it was Jean-Honoré Fragonard's (1732–1806) treasured rococo painting The Swing that actually drew us to the museum. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/78524d5c-2517-4626-8a52-ec40d7e60411/tempImagep7eLQg.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Amanda learned about this painting during an art history class at Ventura College in the early 1990s, so it was a poignant moment to finally see the painting in person nearly four decades later. It really was exquisite! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/432fe0d6-3dba-4fae-8cc7-19a0303cbf06/tempImage1Dt2RE.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out On our April 2025 trip we unknowingly passed within 20 feet of the Alan Rickman memorial bench in the South Flower Walk in Kensington Gardens. We were sure to visit today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b629a062-dcfc-43ef-be59-4f46872f35fb/tempImageIPjCYC.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out The inscription reads, "It would be wonderful to think that the future is unknown and sort of surprising. —Alan Rickman” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/661e1af1-08c9-47e4-b196-cf2c2810d5e6/tempImagevmAJvw.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out A popular South African plant-based milk & cafe brand uses the name okja. Their branding notes that while it is officially pronounced "oak-jah," it is a playful nod to the Afrikaans phrase "OK, ja" (which means "OK, yes”). We found this vegan bakery a block from Unity Diner & picked out breakfast pastries for Monday morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/60231d52-80ca-462c-80ea-d49d41d0a413/tempImagew9o70q.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out The Sunday Roast is a celebrated English tradition. During our 10 months living in country we never thought to explore vegan versions. We fixed that on this trip with three vegan Sunday roasts, starting here at Unity Diner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/660d5555-0d5b-46a9-bc2d-209f96c99537/tempImagee5t042.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Yorkshire pudding, roasted chicken, sage stuffing, crispy roasted potatoes, miso glazed carrots, cracklings, Brussel sprouts, cheesy cauliflower, & more. Everything was exceptionally delicious! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/51df45ea-40bb-430e-bf1d-559d819709e9/tempImageZIClTk.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out After finishing the salted caramel cake, we were thoroughly stuffed—and grateful that walking home would help work it off. It was a deliciously filling end to an equally fulfilling day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/63c511ca-2908-4b39-a0a9-e3ef3861e4f1/tempImageOk6NCe.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out On Monday morning, we snuck in our okja pain au chocolat & morning bun to enjoy with our Blank Street matcha (our trip favorite) & mocha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dbe66f8b-6816-4ce3-98d8-df465e875815/tempImagex2B2PN.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out We then joined a tour that climbed 334 steps into the belfry of Elizabeth Tower. There, we marveled at the clock’s ingenious mechanism, walked behind the massive clock faces, and stood just three feet from Big Ben as it struck noon with 12 bone-rattling bongs. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast the Liberty Bell (1752) & Big Ben (1858). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dd694706-4c61-4161-bd1d-1087564584bf/tempImageFvOW06.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out We felt exceptionally fortunate to have secured tickets & immediately knew we could count this among our very best travel experiences. If you can, book the 10:45 tour to experience all 12 glorious bongs! We had to check in our phones at the bottom, so we don’t have any photos of the tour. We did get this nifty certificate though! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7d4d2107-02fa-411a-9576-6266410079bd/tempImageKQJ11F.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Before there was Buckingham Palace, Henry VIII created a grand royal palace at White Hall in 1529-30, nearly all of which was destroyed by a massive fire in 1698. Banqueting House (in white) is one of the only surviving buildings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4fe91df7-8d47-4e4b-a1f9-b8479f51de6d/tempImageBwwJPg.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Banqueting House is rarely open, so we were grateful to make it inside today to witness the ceiling paintings known as The Glorification of King James I. These nine paintings by the renowned artist Peter Paul Rubens were commissioned by Charles I to commemorate the reign of his father James I. They celebrate King James' wise rule & peaceful reign, the union of England & Scotland, and, at the center, his apotheosis (elevation to divine status). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b8a4cadd-3f96-436a-be52-1b1b07be51bd/tempImagefB6rUx.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out We also came because this place witnessed one of the most momentous scenes in British history. On January 30, 1649, Charles I was led through the second-floor window behind us onto a scaffold, where he was beheaded after insisting on his divine right to rule as an absolute monarch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/54b8395d-d430-4cf4-8e3f-e31b7e57e167/tempImageTVXLFX.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Charles I reigned for 24 years before his execution. His son Charles II reigned for 25 years. Unfortunately, I don’t think Charles III has that much longevity left in him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1be04205-e52d-4787-855e-2ce062b32208/tempImageQo6HGz.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Passing by MI6 Secret Intelligence Service. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d13d6cd5-e2eb-43ef-8598-997af26a693b/tempImageQlRZtu.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out We took a Thames Uber boat from Embankment to North Greenwich. Along the way, we noticed the old London City Hall with the glass exterior removed. The building appears during the dramatic opening sequence of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when Death Eaters attack London, showing office workers inside looking out in shock as the sky darkens and the Millennium Bridge collapses. City Hall has since moved & the building is being reimagined. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c322d03f-3763-4fb9-a3c2-c8eb1d1182fc/tempImageTsHkgw.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out We then took the London Cable Car from the Greenwich Peninsula (near The O2) to the Royal Docks on the north bank. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/49aff954-4d52-4ae5-8652-9828f0b5672c/tempImageMLZvDv.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out From here we could see the Thames Barrier (above my finger). This engineering marvel is a retractable barrier system built to protect London from exceptionally high tides & storm surges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0ce744be-800d-45a0-a258-35927517bb5c/tempImage6ulyCH.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out The new London City Hall was built here, near the north end of the cable car ride. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/36ddc5cd-b038-470b-a458-ba9be9af263a/tempImageTu0pJw.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out What a goof! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ebd53d56-413c-40c2-852d-725425cba400/tempImageQvReEg.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out We ate dinner at Planet Vegan, a vegan Sichuan Chinese restaurant in Camden. Amanda’s Kung Pao Chicken. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6d6c2aaf-6c88-48cd-862a-007ac7ed9df4/tempImagecu04fN.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out My Vegan Beef in Black Bean Sauce with Green Peppers. Both were 10 out of 10 tasty! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f36deb24-87c0-4e61-9633-3ad1b2bea6ec/tempImageNt5SaF.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out After dinner we took the Tube to King’s Cross Station, hoping to get a Tennent beer, Scotland’s favorite lager, which is rarely found on tap in England—except here at this London Scottish pub. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/39b9a916-3c88-4b6d-b419-0669fae2f48f/tempImageqzrlbM.jpg Blog - Sunday & Monday - Make it stand out Ugh! The tap was out of order! So, we got a Hawkstone for Pam, who enjoys watching Jeremy Clarkson’s show Diddly Squat Farm. Hopefully we’ll get a chance at a Tennent later in the week! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/across-the-pond monthly 0.5 2026-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2c3ee21c-b010-4e0e-bcee-359c43d3c786/tempImageFG8SoY.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/289b81d3-a842-4337-b5f7-695421d96339/IMG_7170.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out On board our British Airways flight from LAX to London Heathrow on Thursday afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d8cdc2a4-034a-4ac3-b252-e72d44188b35/IMG_7174.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Now Friday, we dropped our bags at our Airbnb in Camden & took the Tube to King’s Cross Station, where it was high time for a matcha pick-me-up from Frothee. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/cfa1f04b-d669-4b31-b613-9ab6cf08ef24/IMG_7175.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Amanda’s matcha & my “dirty” matcha, with a shot of espresso, were the delicious energy boost we needed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5b32bdfb-68d5-476f-b6ec-e490d6a6a4ce/IMG_7176.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Amanda at Word on the Water—The London Bookbarge moored on Regent’s Canal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/42c7a456-0b8d-4b1f-b9fc-8d6a5b84ca43/IMG_7177.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Purusing the books onboard the barge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2dffddd9-1463-4bde-963c-361ee526b88b/IMG_7179.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out After dinner at our perennial favorite—Dishoom. The weariness is evident, but the food was delicious as always. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a0c9a421-cedb-47de-a106-50a3faae6059/IMG_7204.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out We are now the proud owners of this Matka token. On future visits, like on the final day of this trip, we show our token to the server discreetly when asking for the bill. They will return with a wooden board, a brass pot (the matka), & a single die. We shake the pot & roll the die on the board. If we roll a six, our entire dinner is on the house! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/10b0de87-d400-41a0-86df-b3bbe7f798d8/IMG_7184+%281%29.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Amanda near the ornate gates to St Pancras Old Church, one of England's oldest Christian sites. When Roman Catholic missionaries brought relics of St Pancras to a chapel here in the 6th or 7th century, they gave their patron saint’s name to the surrounding land—and, centuries later, to the famed railway station. Dickens uses the churchyard in A Tale of Two Cities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3fc4fc64-b350-402e-9b60-7790aeaac39b/5500.jpg.webp Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out During the 1860s a railway line was being built over part of the churchyard. The novelist & poet Thomas Hardy oversaw the needed exhumations & had the displaced headstones staggered around the large Ash tree outside the church. In time the tree grew into the headstones. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e7f05044-e9d5-488d-99b1-483e95cfd6ef/IMG_7181+%281%29.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Sadly, the Hardy Tree collapsed overnight on December 27, 2022 (while we were living in Edinburgh). The small woodland of towering trees surrounding the church creates a tranquil oasis amid the whirl and bustle of the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/de785ef9-abc8-4df1-b31f-b109e48411a9/tempImagexIPm2l.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Saturday morning began at Attendant Coffee in Fitzrovia, located in a former Victorian underground gentleman’s toilet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/42b2ae9b-3eab-4f00-b569-5ae30bc9348b/tempImageHtBnsV.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Six former full-height urinals were fitted with a countertop & now serve as bar seating. The coffee was exceptional…must be the water! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/044a5408-b89e-453d-88d2-986b3e182b92/IMG_7188.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Avocado toast & mocha served à la commode. Post Script—This was the best coffee of the entire trip. Flush with flavour, it was a real number one, & it took the urinal cake! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1f2f5618-33f0-4533-a882-e5d28c156eb1/IMG_7190.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Langstaff at The Langham Hotel, where Emma M. Lion occasionally has tea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8038c3a0-9e22-4087-9851-7e9b93bdbe76/tempImageejNu8e.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out At noon we toured the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. No photos were permitted until we were here in the back garden. I had the last word though: I’m one of the few, to do a poo, in a Buckingham Palace loo! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2e3107b3-4710-486e-8c4a-40d15940f911/IMG_7195.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out At 2 pm, we joined a small-group walking tour through the private gardens of Buckingham Palace. As expected, photography was not permitted in this secluded part of the grounds, leaving us to simply take in the experience & enjoy the surroundings. Afterwards, we treated ourselves to a lovely soft-serve cone, complete with the Palace’s signature wafer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7071f1b9-c0ab-4af8-959d-b5f5f7f0eefa/tempImageAmoumI.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Our third & final stop at Buckingham Palace was at The King’s Gallery for the Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style exhibit. The first dress was this gold lame & lace evening gown by Norman Hartnell that she wore in Wellington, New Zealand, during her Commonwealth Tour of 1953-54. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/be72dffb-42bc-4077-a7ef-bf0504733266/tempImage7oySJW.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out The sheer scope of the collection is staggering, reaching all the way back to her first birthday dress. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/db8e9da3-355a-46a4-91f5-4022e5ab9e6e/tempImagegTNvhw.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f76f4208-164f-44ae-86f3-5ab808ed8805/tempImage0jyoda.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3de63744-ae8d-4cf3-a0f1-2cf8318dbc99/tempImagerXbqcK.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/473950f7-91ea-4ff9-90e1-a08665420620/tempImage9krcw3.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Wedding dress https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d0cabef9-bb70-46d7-a236-16eddd120f3d/tempImageEQPIKl.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Wedding dress https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f9e3a6f2-03f9-45fe-84b8-04a1178fdadb/tempImageszgkto.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out The detail work on so many of the dresses was simply extraordinary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/63e52f53-a550-4d51-9c74-1a2353906614/tempImagek91E0E.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out The dress Amanda most wished she could wear. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5641f131-0959-42c7-af44-5fe999b69ad2/tempImagetfAdqf.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Some of the brilliance of the blue is lost in the image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d9038e88-7f48-4d53-b23d-38d4dc2f8870/tempImageW9s0A5.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fdfed3b6-272b-4857-bb0e-65e40efc02d0/tempImageGQiA9k.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out For a visit to Japan, this dress was a nod to the kimono & the falling cherry blossoms of Sakura. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e3f5f63a-7d12-43e5-9c5f-f801a2d3ceb6/tempImageTx1qoz.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Amanda with the coronation dress, which borrowed elements of her wedding gown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/46d20c3d-06a8-478a-8170-4f6dfa2c4efa/tempImageV7i4Od.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Coronation dress, which included embroidered images for England, Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland, & all Commonwealth countries. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5b3509eb-170b-493e-88e2-f07570fa0fa8/tempImagewjdh6N.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out The Scottish thistle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4bd1f288-cc79-443f-a5ed-5842366de5b8/tempImageluwFvg.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out The Irish Shamrock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bd144682-b6f0-4ff5-9d8c-63fd5db61fc4/tempImageMduJDR.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out The English rose https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a46ffc90-7cb1-4f32-97f5-b0ada299d97f/tempImages1t49i.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out The Welsh leek https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fe65a3cc-f786-4605-abae-b818ddcafd4a/tempImages5bRDJ.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b8c859b5-9ffe-4458-910d-7b8a637a4c5b/tempImageI1WBi1.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c6689a44-2ed5-4db1-b428-c84c47cbd407/tempImageKrREV2.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/be287053-9ff2-4537-aa71-e73c6cc699cb/tempImageYXrkbw.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a932dac8-4e88-4cab-8aab-a0280e377719/tempImageIzc7vd.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/24f78470-85e5-49d7-91a6-21b409f2df26/tempImagefEQl5R.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e70b3461-db84-4789-82ae-29a3a89332ac/tempImage4zXYdg.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Many examples of the Queen’s fine millinery. The sensational exhibit was as exquisitely curated as the wardrobe it celebrated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0abe8ddb-658f-4c8f-974f-ac0f2a6dae1e/IMG_7197.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out We returned to Camden for dinner at 100% vegan Purezza Camden, where Amanda enjoyed this Caesar salad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f534e594-1731-419b-8978-12ef84465339/IMG_7198.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out Steve’s masterpiece cheesy, tomato, & aubergine Parmigiana Party pizza. Every pizza begins with wholegrain sourdough made fresh on-site each morning. Deliziosa! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/85e17444-a88e-41a0-8944-b6b5ce1252ee/IMG_7196.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out I’m a total sucker for good roasted potatoes, so once I saw them on the menu, I was compelled. Good, but not as amazing as the ones I had with Dave in Polignano a Mare back in January. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/083bfc54-c9e8-4657-929c-6e29f29cb7a7/IMG_7199.jpeg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out A glorious tiramisu. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/04470c9c-86d0-4386-84e9-c69efea99c74/tempImageEfjxH7.jpg Blog - Across the Pond - Make it stand out We closed out Saturday night with a half pint of Guinness & a pint of Camden Hells Lager at The World’s End pub in Camden. https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/au-revoir-paris monthly 0.5 2025-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6b16435c-a4cb-4a2c-a181-719de61383fc/tempImageLWmcor.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out After lugging our bags down the stairs, we took the Métro to Gard du Nord and dropped off our bags at a Radical Storage drop-off business. We then made our way to our favorite breakfast spot: Cloud Cakes on the lovely Place St. George. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8f241dfb-9330-4f28-a366-a4dacf801b6c/tempImage3QUefo.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Breakfast was amazing as always and we will sorely miss their flaky croissants and pain au chocolat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/afbb001a-80a1-4c0b-83ac-7fe8e8475ff9/tempImageWvAdRi.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out One final hot chocolate for Amanda. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d1014989-c11a-40b5-8551-246bfcc224ec/tempImagehBNL6a.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Amanda bought a mug so we can always remember our go-to breakfast place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d7ba7a7e-c0b9-4b44-b2f5-6159e562629c/tempImagewIrK1g.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out After breakfast we went to the hilltop views of Montmartre and the gorgeous Basilique du Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart) de Montmartre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fe335937-185f-4cbd-8c1f-93e589cd81d3/tempImageAPXpBJ.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out I made my way up the stairs while Amanda took the funicular service. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/242a21a6-65c3-4926-8b39-eb7c4f196407/tempImagecCtnB7.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out As mentioned in the last previous post, people have found plenty of other places to secure their Parisian love locks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ec96d9f9-1d51-4a77-b29c-b0337306c103/tempImageY9jvDe.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Reunited at the top of the steps. The Eiffel Tower is just out of view to the right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2ee25724-dc6a-4a0f-977a-754c3a3dd376/tempImageRdUbnq.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Montmartre was positively teaming with people. The line to enter the beautiful basilica wrapped around two sides of the building, so we quickly abandoned the idea of going inside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5b396896-0d8b-4ba8-8510-0e581312eafd/tempImagefnOuOU.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Le Consulat is an iconic French restaurant located in the heart of Montmartre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f3a34eb9-7adc-445c-82a9-d04211ebf526/tempImageSKoMzR.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Once frequented by famous artists like Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, Monet, Toulouse Lautrec, and Utrillo, the restaurant exudes history and charm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/06f2c8ca-430d-45ab-be0f-d050af5b60cc/tempImagepM1AFr.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out We sat inside and made a toast to the ghosts of artists gone but not forgotten. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/193f034e-1807-4cdf-8ee2-c6b2acbde8ee/tempImageuzZGPc.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out The name of this restaurant translates as “Feeling Peckish.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/93c61cc6-9f35-480a-b4de-70a96b9b1164/tempImageuXBfy6.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Street artist in Montmartre’s famous Place de Tertre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/86dd6f87-f5f3-47d9-a711-5a78b1bcff0a/tempImageFROV8W.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out It is believed that La Maison Rose became famous because of Utrillo paintings. But Élisée Maclet (sadly forgotten) painted La Maison Rose and Montmartre long before Utrillo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f8bd9bc2-f17c-4432-9864-c6059eaa5231/tempImage1gRGvr.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out This iconic spot was frequented by a multitude of artists, including singers who performed in Pigalle and Montmartre cabarets. In the 60s and 70s, film artists, writers, and singers such as Albert Camus, Alain Delon, and Dalida, were clients. Mindy and Emily enjoy a drink and dinner here in S1:E5 of Emily in Paris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b9ec6e40-2b77-490b-83ac-ac20c57018b6/tempImage9bQtJK.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Our final stop in Montmartre was Le mur des je t'aime (Wall of I Love You). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d932bb4c-e947-49ba-ac73-158e788b20f2/tempImageDKbxju.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out I love you in English above our heads. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5e5aa8b6-fea1-47f1-8a3f-00acd693928b/tempImageWakfGL.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out The phrase “I love you” is featured 311 times in 250 languages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d10fef5c-7fd4-41bb-b0d3-914b20aed6f0/tempImageOM2zHG.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Amanda noticed Parisians who had their Métro Navigo cards in their purse and simply touched their bags to the sensor. It was a very proud moment when she successfully mimicked this small Parisian life hack. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/51a6de20-8910-4f00-9374-b98dccc7dbd6/tempImagegTKU3K.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Raspberry and dark chocolate sorbet at Berthillon, the iconic tea shop on the quaint Île Saint-Louis, the smaller of the two islands in the middle of the Seine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ef1566dd-7b86-4cc4-b27a-03845a8ce388/tempImageluAvfH.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out La Chaumière and Le Flore en l'Île are two iconic restaurants on the west end of Île Saint-Louis. Luc chats with Emily about Paris life while seated at Le Flore en l'Île in S1:E1 of Emily in Paris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/be760717-b6c2-49dd-b667-25903da737b6/tempImageATYVWf.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Standing on Pont Saint-Louis, the bridge that connects the two islands in the Seine—our parting shot of the incomparable Paris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7ce697c8-9fe3-4af1-be47-efe0a3bcb8b6/tempImageQh19ki.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out At Gare du Nord on the travelator down to the Eurostar train that will take us from Paris to London at speeds up to 186 mph and will make the journey in a little over two hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d2d4b840-d44b-4268-a471-e81e2d7d4881/tempImageGFqjgW.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Even when you make great use of the Paris Métro, which we did, it is still an enormous city and getting around requires a lot of walking. For our five days in Paris we walked just shy of 36 miles (80K+ steps) for an average of 7+ miles a day (16K+ steps). This is why we are traveling internationally now. Keeping up this pace is a younger-person’s game! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1f7b662e-00f7-4165-8659-39ece3ae8b07/tempImagexrCpSq.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out All aboard and headed back to London. In London Eurostar arrives at King’s Cross Station, though sadly not at Platform 9¾. We took our luggage to another Radical Storage so we could enjoy a final dinner at Dishoom, the same place we ate when we arrived in London nearly a month ago. As always, it was a glorious dinner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5c6e168f-3f16-4cf0-8caa-e14f49a1ec66/tempImageLHzaCk.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out After dinner, we retrieved our bags and took a final ride on the London Underground from King’s Cross to Paddington Station. From there, we took the Heathrow Express to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3. There was no shuttle to our hotel, so we took a famous London black cab. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e3fa54e-1026-4861-8e83-136ed08b4471/tempImage3wSIFH.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out In our many trips to London, this was our first time in a black cab. It was actually pretty fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b88911a8-651c-4d12-a6e0-391806049db6/tempImagekHZlKY.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out Our driver may not have been a great photographer, but he delivered us safe and sound to our hotel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fb6f4c8d-aab6-41cc-808b-98aa4dcacf38/tempImageGcOCiN.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Paris - Make it stand out On Friday morning British Airways Flight 265 departed promptly at 11:35 a.m. The Boeing 777-300 landed in San Diego just before 3 p.m. We spent the night with Matt and Erica and the Sianis, and then flew Alaska Airlines to SLO on Saturday morning. It was wonderful to be home, our hearts and minds filled with so many great memories of our adventures in England, Belgium, Netherlands, and Paris! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/une-dame-et-un-homme monthly 0.5 2025-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/61287956-6367-4414-b1ad-d9ba6326faaa/tempImageyAUcT6.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out After the day of mourning messed up our plans to visit Notre-Dame on Tuesday, Wednesday was our final shot at getting inside. It was a bit like the Walking in Memphis song as we made our way there “in the middle of a pouring rain.” Gratefully, between being earlier in the morning and the rain, there was no queue. However, they still had us run through the full maze of back-and-forth queuing barriers like lab rats, just to ensure we were good and soaked through by the time we made it inside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fc731b2b-7a39-4e44-a470-f04856a3a914/tempImageYsjnKG.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Notre-Dame is a French phrase meaning Our Lady. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3984969b-ce51-40ad-9997-366d9a95739f/tempImagekX4bpX.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out It will come as no surprise that Catholics place tremendous importance on Mary, a fact that is reflected throughout the cathedral. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fbb0fbe4-f329-45ad-b38c-7efdec720957/tempImage4UZBf5.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The large memorial for Pope Francis. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/323fe4fa-d131-446b-960a-8f298e054f89/tempImageiOyBph.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f7f80279-97fb-4e78-be62-a9841679c077/tempImagePhbwga.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Notre-Dame Cathedral boasts three magnificent rose windows over its main portals. This is the South Window, also known as the “south rose” or the “midday rose.” It was given to Notre-Dame Cathedral by the King of France Saint Louis IX in 1260. Its theme is the Last Judgment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/33419081-b37a-416a-9e7c-86e3a9994a07/tempImageOlYeFp.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The North Rose Window was crafted around 1250. It is the only rose window to retain its original glass, with most of the 13th century glasswork still intact. It depicts Mary enthroned holding the Christ Child. Surrounding them are images of kings and prophets of the Old Testament, with 16 prophets in the inner circle of medallions and 32 kings and judges in the outer circle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1ebeb7e9-74d8-4b40-93a1-70dd79e6bfd6/tempImagekccKeF.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The reverse of both sides of the choir are covered in detailed screens of various Bible stories. The partial relief on the left is the wedding in Cana, followed by the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the Last Supper. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d391be34-562d-4f53-908c-56b19dabf2a4/tempImageodHXtk.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Mary, pregnant with Jesus, visiting her cousin Elizabeth, herself pregnant with John the Baptist. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/84d07020-5e88-4bcf-84ca-5eb6e7ae0f52/tempImageTNPD0M.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The risen Christ (holding a shovel?) appears to Mary Magdalene. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5610cfab-882c-4865-a9d4-6fc173cbd676/tempImage3ysN7Z.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The high alter features a sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding her crucified son with angels attending. A gold cross, which does not have the figure of Christ hanging on it, stands above. Out of devotion to the Virgin Mary, King Louis XIII wished to have a new high altar constructed for Notre-Dame. This vow was realized by Louis XIV in the 18th century. To honor both kings, the statue on the right is of Louis XIII, kneeling, offering his royal crown to the Virgin. Just barely visible on the left is Louis XIV in coronation attire imploring the Virgin, with his right hand on his chest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d7200019-a41f-4c3c-b627-78a0db506247/000_1fp2s4.jpg.png Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Though blacked with soot, miraculously the high alter survived the ravages of the massive 2019 fire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/254f30bd-0251-4a41-b523-1501fc87ae66/tempImageyk6Tqi.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Notre-Dame Cathedral claims to hold relics that include Jesus’ crown of thorns, a nail from the True Cross, and a sliver of the True Cross. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d09a1ad9-eb77-454c-8608-718c25f96e61/tempImage4OKNgp.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The relics are held inside this reliquary, an altarpiece of marble and cedar wood. The radiant halo symbolizes Notre-Dame’s rebirth as a cathedral of light. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3bafcbf6-f278-49a3-8e05-a73559014490/190418071542-01-notre-dame-relics-rescue-intl.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out On December 13, 2024, the crown of thorns was returned to Notre-Dame, marking a deeply moving moment for Parisians and pilgrims alike. The relic, which survived the devastating 2019 fire, had been stored at the Louvre since the blaze. The return procession, attended by over 400 members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, saw the crown—held by a knight in full regalia—walk from the Louvre to Notre-Dame, drawing crowds of onlookers. Surrounding the crown are intricately designed gilded bronze thorns, evoking the crown’s Byzantine roots. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/652b8e12-82e5-4eb8-84c0-908727811127/90.png Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The crown, acquired by King Louis IX in 1239, was originally housed at Sainte-Chapelle before being moved to Notre-Dame in 1806. Beginning on January 10 of this year, the crown is displayed every Friday (as shown above). We were not in Paris on a Friday, and so could not have seen it on display. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2dd505af-f1e9-4c5b-86a4-b530cd288391/tempImagefDaurj.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out I found The Count and Countess of Harcourt sculpture strangely captivating. Henri-Claude d’Harcourt was the sixth son of Henri, Duke of Harcourt, Marshal of France, who passed away in 1718. A count and lieutenant-general of the king’s armies. Upon his death in 1769, his widow, Marie-Magdeleine Thibert des Martrais, Countess of Chiverny, wished to honor him. Her wealth allowed her to commission a renowned artist: the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/df9223c2-7bf0-4651-9b5f-07bb274a6495/Notre-Dame_mausolee-comte-harcourt_vue-ensemble.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Her instructions to Pigalle: “At one end of the sarcophagus will be the guardian angel of the said Lord Count of Harcourt who, seeing the said Lady Countess of Harcourt approaching, will lift the stone of the tomb with one hand and hold the torch of Hymen [wedding torch] with the other; Mr. the Count, who, after appearing to come back to life for a moment by the warmth of his torch, will free himself from his shroud and extend his languishing arms to his wife… Behind Mr. the Count will be Death holding a hourglass to show Mrs. the Countess that her time has come. Mrs. the Countess, at the foot of the sarcophagus, will express through her posture the impatience she has to reunite with her husband; at the sight of this reunion, the guardian angel will extinguish the torch of Hymen [wedding torch].” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/abd870ad-36c3-4157-b332-d0b70f7fca5a/tempImage40BSgN.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1dd61512-5199-489e-ab30-91291a5666a2/tempImagee4EWGy.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The cathedral has been beautifully restored following the fire and I’m so glad we were able to visit. I’m sure many will be upset by my next comment, but my overall impression was ho-hum. Of the many cathedrals we have visited, this was one of the least interesting, I’m sorry to say. Perhaps on such a drab and dreary day there was no light streaming in through the many stained-glass windows. Whatever the cause, my overall impression was underwhelm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7239b777-938a-417d-a589-3b4b48e650de/tempImager8NmeH.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Just outside of Notre-Dame Cathedral embedded in the concrete of the public square is a small geographic marker known as Kilometer Zero. It is the starting point from which distances are measured to other cities in France. The marker reads, “Point zero for the roads of Paris.” This point was established by King Louis XV in 1769. The brass plaque from the center was likely removed while heavy construction was underway on the cathedral and replaced with this metal plate. Presumably, the brass plaque will be returned soon, as construction is winding down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ef81dff5-5de0-4e17-8d33-42ae2f89dd4c/tempImage2jXoaF.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out About 1/10 of a kilometer from Kilometer Zero on the Left Bank of the Seine is the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore, which routinely advertises its location within the radius of Kilometer Zero Paris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ae31f4c9-b7c4-4627-a356-5c54e4780cee/tempImagerLKJwe.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out After the locks were removed from Pont des Arts (bridge), people have found many other places to leave their Parisian love locks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/66357b31-b2f0-46e6-acd3-03614806be7a/tempImageyFHIa4.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out One more thing on our list: see Monet’s Water Lilies. We were less fortunate when queuing to get inside the Musée de l'Orangerie. After an hour standing in the rain, we finally made it inside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d622c2ae-5089-473d-91be-c798c1657aad/tempImageHRLtMi.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Though while standing in line we questioned several times whether it was worth it or not, we were very glad we stuck it out. To see the murals in person is an exceptional experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/09949d4c-85cd-449a-8356-938f4379e75a/tempImagejOkjly.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out From the very beginnings of his great project, Monet imagined a panoramic arrangement "enveloping the whole interior in its unity.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e926835c-f104-4f5f-b8da-ff646ff95032/tempImageCYQKtk.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out The Musée de l'Orangerie houses eight of the great Nymphéas (Water Lilies) compositions, created from panels assembled side by side. These compositions are all the same height (6.5 feet) and are hung across the curved walls of the two elliptical rooms, enhanced by the east-west alignment of the museum and natural light filtering in through the ceiling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d261d3b4-aa22-434a-9949-58363f0effe2/tempImageO1piGd.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out In the end, by drawing up successive plans for the space that would accommodate the Water Lilies, he was able to clarify and refine his ideas, moving "from a circle to an oval, and finally to a double ellipse [two adjoining rooms] forming the symbol for infinity.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/55e3fae7-bd97-4af1-89e9-bfa959135a07/tempImagej462H5.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out We particularly enjoyed the panels with trees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a07b49d7-681e-47df-a445-7e5db31b5738/tempImagen0RFJ4.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0da39599-775a-4ebb-a825-2a2d2ae88f98/tempImagehKTvdo.jpg Blog - Notre-Dame & l’Orangerie - Make it stand out After the museum we finally had breakfast, and then returned to our apartment to pack and get ready for our Thursday departure from Paris and return to London. https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/triomphe-amp-tribulation monthly 0.5 2025-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aa931440-3afd-45eb-bc49-569ba51f8f58/tempImageKX6Sb9.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Tuesday was dedicated to the simple purpose of waiting in the long line to get inside the newly reopened Notre-Dame Cathedral. As you probably know, Pope Francis died on Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday is a public holiday in France. So what do you suppose the country’s most significant Catholic Church did all day Tuesday? Yep! We got up early and made the journey down to the cathedral only to find a person with a bullhorn telling everyone the cathedral was closed for a day of mourning and mass. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f04311e5-c33f-4b32-97ac-9332ab230354/tempImageNLBBDx.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out We quickly switched over to our Wednesday agenda and headed for the Arc de Triomphe. Amanda agreed to go up only if there was a lift. The website said there was, so she agreed. Here are some of the 284 steps up to the terrace. Turns out the lift was reserved for people with limited mobility only. As you can see, my lovely bride was less than thrilled with the climb. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/86ded9a5-4f91-4461-9703-e6d125ba2d20/tempImage7B0HuM.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Once on top, Amanda had to reluctantly agree that this is probably the best viewpoint in all of Paris. This is looking down Avenue des Champs-Élysées. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/de3fabf7-6a8e-4a0b-a713-94d880326c11/tempImageIWPI6K.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out The Eiffel Tower is much higher, but there is something about the Arc’s central position with all the grand boulevards like radiating spokes that really makes the view extra special. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5b3389eb-14ee-48c2-87b0-1025ff9a0d5e/tempImage9DGD0E.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out With rain forecasted for Wednesday, the cathedral being closed was a blessing in disguise, as we had gorgeous weather today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b5719a93-2944-47d9-82a2-f64c34e00974/tempImageTHM36c.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f140f6d7-0099-4274-a038-fe5174bafe0d/tempImageXEJ29F.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Montmartre and Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur on the hill in the distance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/736750c0-4a7e-416c-8edf-ffa5bf37e5e0/tempImagejUzDCD.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Beneath the Arc de Triomphe, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier holds an unidentified member of the French armed forces killed during the First World War to symbolically commemorate all soldiers who have died for France throughout history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/619053e7-c611-42ab-9abd-e255e5d4d7f3/tempImageudQltG.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Afterward we strolled down Champs-Élysées. Here we saw they were doing a complete make over on the Yves Saint Laurent store. Checkout how they covered the façade while they work! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bcce8ff6-c9f3-44cc-883c-b898cd8c604b/tempImageuYiX6V.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out From the triumph of the Arc to the sadness of the Place de la Concorde. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/af5487e6-844a-48dd-8bd0-4094920eb1b3/tempImagep9f2WT.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out These days the country and city prefer to emphasize the artistic obelisk and twin fountains, but this was the square was one of three spaces where people were executed by the guillotine during the French Revolution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/189a403b-e682-4c72-ab8c-66760feaa4be/tempImagedPrYyA.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out The Luxor Obelisks are a pair of ancient Egyptian obelisks over 3,000 years old carved to stand either side of the portal of the Luxor Temple in the reign of Ramesses II (c. 1250 BC). We were shocked to learn that the right-hand (western) stone was moved in 1836 to the Place de la Concorde in Paris, while the left-hand (eastern) obelisk remains in its original location in Egypt. So this obelisk, covered with hieroglyphs celebrating the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II, is the genuine article! The bronze plaques on the base illustrate the techniques used for its transport from Egypt to Paris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e521b09a-179f-4e81-a9e0-d36859edbdad/tempImage5DUM4h.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Of the 2,498 persons guillotined in Paris during the Revolution, 1,119 were executed on the Place de la Concorde. This is the plaque commemorating where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were executed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0dff2648-e348-482e-ae55-2d69ddc894cf/tempImagemmCstp.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Cool halo around the sun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aab348dc-24df-49b9-9862-98ccb7c67bb2/tempImage04uHEm.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in front of the Louvre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7445d787-8ced-4ea4-9a11-ce882c11eeb4/tempImageUnDJJt.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0da43409-5cd7-4c77-83cf-ab23028706f0/tempImageRoaucx.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out On the Pont des Artes—the bridge that once had thousands of padlocks attached to it. In 2015, the city removed the locks from the bridge's railings due to safety concerns and structural damage caused by their weight. The locks were replaced with glass panels to (mostly but not entirely) prevent them from being reattached. Behind us is Île de la Cité and Pont Neuf. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/116f7688-d9ca-421b-9539-3a81c8ef3d4c/tempImage43xRP5.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Some of the many Bouquinistes of Paris (booksellers of Paris) along the banks of the Seine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/85b83e22-e629-4904-9198-4ce60a99f6b1/tempImageAuSkJP.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out One more quick stop in Shakespeare and Company. I love all the things that are not allowed inside and the one thing that is! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/64f4809f-5513-4ba8-afa1-a54acd1957aa/tempImageGjARXD.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out The great western towers of Notre-Dame as seen from Square René Viviani across the Left Bank. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/372a7b6e-827c-4901-84c2-b5d2d114ee57/tempImageZiK3nj.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out A little afternoon snack. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/76f4fa66-45ba-437f-9024-8a6a95cd6a67/tempImagemKpJ66.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out We had dinner at MESA de HOY restaurant, which was conveniently close to our apartment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/52410982-bcca-4032-9e8e-8b7d164c33f2/tempImageyEJcTP.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out The front is half café, half flower shop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d083c44c-470b-4abc-993a-fe59c24d4354/tempImageEP5cAh.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Broccolini tempura with "Romesco" sauce. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e94c3386-9cd8-484c-aaa7-10d85753b49c/tempImageGEmYV4.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Pasta "cacio e pepe" shiitake. Amanda liked it, but thought it was a bit on the bland side (and that’s coming from Amanda!). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3ae98970-f25a-4bf6-b6e0-bf02d28b5dc1/tempImageSTktCZ.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Oyster mushroom tacos with "salsa macha.” Oh man, were these good! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5d5b1395-af0a-46a3-b827-e6640b90ef3a/tempImage0rdiDY.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Chocolate cake, vanilla sauce, and whipped cream—phenomenal! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/11c758b9-39b8-4469-b195-1e62fb160c26/tempImageQkFfdc.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out It occurred to us that one of you may want to visit us and not know how to get to our apartment. When you exit the Pigalle Métro station, look for the bright orange Pharmacie with the Trigra Man pills advertised in the front window, with the caution broken bed warning sign. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d7e61067-14f3-4599-a1a7-91ed56f727db/tempImagepd1zLF.jpg Blog - Triomphe & Tribulation - Make it stand out Continue passed the pharmacie until you see the large red and yellow flashing Sex Shop sign. Turn right, and we’re halfway up the block on the right. We love and miss you all and will see you soon! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/claude-monets-house monthly 0.5 2025-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b4d32538-06e3-472a-972e-69d698b178ac/tempImagevqGOaD.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Monday was dedicated to visiting Claude Monet’s house in Giverny. However, our bus did not leave until the afternoon. So, our first stop was Cloud Cakes for breakfast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8c5c6118-cdf6-4f04-8b12-87b8630f1b2d/tempImage6NNYCZ.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Only one Métro stop away from our apartment, this became our favorite breakfast spot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9130976f-5ffd-4c43-b5c9-cbc3ca574fc2/tempImageiWUYLq.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out When I first read Tofu Scramble Pancakes on the menu I was skeptical. I decided to go for it anyway and ended up enjoying it so much, I ordered it again on Wednesday. Like my mother always asked, “How do you know you don’t like it if you haven’t even tried it?” Thanks for the nudge mom! ❤️ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4250c294-13c1-4874-acaa-40d70e743757/tempImagea9uktr.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Amanda had their Cloud Breakfast, which came with a hot chocolate, freshly squeezed OJ, fresh baguettes served with butter and jam, and a croissant. I don’t know how they make their croissants, but they have perfected the art. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b35fb75b-2bc8-4bf1-9ebf-fdb273923d85/tempImagebl0Vpg.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out After breakfast, we visited the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann to see its famous dome. Along the way we found Will’s idea of Paris fashion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a91b26e6-564f-4c0a-879d-32f14fc679c7/tempImage0RDCt4.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out The steel-frame art nouveau glass dome ringed by loggias (archways) makes this mall popular in movies and TV series (of course it was featured in Emily in Paris). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0f129cb2-c13b-4858-a1bd-fe7aca9e0637/tempImageU37w0I.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4f1460ea-85c7-49f8-b0dd-df5b0774b48e/tempImageg4gd6X.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out By accident, we took one too many escalators up, which was how we discovered the mall also has a terrace viewpoint we somehow had never heard about. (Apparently my mom had told me about it, but I wasn’t listening. Sorry mom!) The building behind us is the Palais Garnier, the Italian-style opera house. Enjoy this view, because the stunning façade was completely covered up while they do construction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f0f4d21f-0f0a-4fbf-8242-cf6c5131c102/tempImagefXd9rJ.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out There is also an all-vegetarian rooftop restaurant here called Créatures, but it does not open each year until May. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ebf00260-fd0f-4340-8563-d84f12434f34/tempImageraDNPA.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out We think it was in London that I lost my North Face Paris T-shirt. It just so happened that we were in Paris, so we were able to get a new one. (Footnote: I had never taken the shirt in the first place; now I have two!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0c45275c-4e3b-4983-b325-6b6fc7722492/tempImagehTu119.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out The Champ de Mars is the large park on the opposite (east) side of the Eiffel Tower, and this was where we took all our night photos during our last visit—the ones with all the massive rats! On this trip, we wanted to view it across the way from the Jardins du Trocadéro. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5afa834d-7ce5-4d30-b66a-f6a737e67793/tempImageSVZDMm.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out While you do have a nice elevated viewpoint, it looks pretty much the same from the west side. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/13561074-e24a-40d8-a1e2-0edebceb7005/tempImageXlfRFK.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1106dca5-b902-45f7-b9df-739e80ff6de5/tempImageLFgqqz.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/19e612e4-1ed1-48f2-add3-070e91dcae44/tempImagel7emCW.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0df37eb9-b7a3-4bae-8fe3-ae52a1ff8bf9/tempImage9ZOvPC.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Our double-decker bus left right on time at 2:30 p.m. for the hour-plus ride to Giverny. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e26513a4-117d-4c97-b359-5c6d98e21262/tempImageG36PLb.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out “I must have flowers, always, and always.” —Claude Monet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6d605d58-482f-46d3-bae3-4b5e03809f69/tempImageIfFfiR.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out For thirty years, from 1895 until his death in 1926, Claude Monet (the most famous of the Impressionist painters), found inspiration in the "water garden" of his Giverny estate in Normandy, in his famous water lily pond, and the white water lily. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0d51f76d-bb38-4af2-af7b-bd00c0fd6c0a/tempImageeUnsxV.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Monet was always fascinated by the light interplays and cloud reflections on water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/cdbb06f7-a953-487d-8fa2-50997dae7f9d/tempImageXc4GEp.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out In 1893, he acquired land at the bottom of Clos Normand, on the other side of the train tracks, and diverted the Ru, a small branch of the River Epte. The pond created by this diversion would become the water garden that features on the picture rails of the world’s greatest museums. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/cfb2b912-b64b-4e1f-85b1-c3076faf3776/tempImageff2Wpg.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Toward the end of April, the water lilies remained dormant at the bottom of the pond and will sprout again once the temperature of the water rises. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/006a5ba0-e65a-428a-b556-56310574ab56/tempImageEIcNyQ.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out In S2:E4 "Love Is on the Run" of Emily in Paris, Emily joins Camille in a boat from the dock across the pond. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f240f487-85f8-44c1-8aed-7f272e1c32f7/tempImageJIzjLZ.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Monet planted water lilies at the bottom of the pond: “I love water but I also love flowers. That’s why, once the pond was filled, I thought about adorning it with plants. I got a catalogue and simply chose at random.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f9090a29-e2ec-49f1-970a-03f742e1f1d2/tempImageWZUu2g.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out The famous bridge in the distance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/31132d20-1804-46ea-a993-7fa18a2ecc19/tempImageuPHrkV.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Oh, the vibrancy of spring! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/648b4f3c-11eb-44f3-b4b5-8b304fa017bd/tempImagePk9rva.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out “A flower blossoms for its own joy.” ―Oscar Wilde https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/75b7df01-05d2-4ac1-869c-f8c10bc6b0b7/tempImage2aJO1K.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Monet produced more than 250 paintings, over 40 of which were large format. Designed entirely by Monet, starting in 1893, the Japanese-style water garden on his Giverny estate was a constantly evolving creation, changing in appearance according to the time of day and the season, and offering new perspectives to visitors as they move around. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1b138df3-2b21-45e0-b9f2-534b66b62ad7/tempImageVWArL2.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Amanda standing on the bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/15c6e708-4ed3-424e-b23d-7a1cec2716ba/tempImage84PfEQ.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out The artist's main themes are to be found here: his love of the infinite, the passage of time, the interplay of reflections on water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/459ff055-368e-411c-9d43-bae7b336eddd/tempImageWtdxfw.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out “The earth laughs in flowers.” ―Ralph Waldo Emerson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a53e8fed-96b7-4ac8-af01-524f2d5625e7/tempImageSXpVna.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out The Monet family home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0a87ab61-3c33-46c1-a18a-ec237913893f/tempImagenaGf3d.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/40f0155e-c595-460b-9cb7-41f2893765f0/tempImage69aTFT.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out “Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the mind.” ―Luther Burbank https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/55faab53-07d0-4d17-879b-1ca302b9450a/tempImagesG17Up.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8aac954b-dcbb-4563-aaec-0862a289ef04/tempImageY5CqUY.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out A portrait of Monet in the huge studio that he had specially built at the Giverny house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e374eb96-88cc-44ca-8ab4-ed40e01481e9/tempImageHZsGzX.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Me in that same studio. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1296be1d-e1ac-4e42-9764-73d43a9245f6/tempImageB8NAOt.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Looking out Claude and his wife’s 2nd floor bedroom window. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/73a7b6cd-38d5-4bdc-8a19-b27c3b05a536/tempImagenmL4cP.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out The lovely blue tiled kitchen also appears in the same Emily in Paris episode. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e1fd4621-dc9c-41c3-8559-d0e3c331e831/tempImageheh2zh.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out There may not have been any water lilies on the pond yet, but the front garden was bursting with gorgeous color. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e27396d6-474b-406b-977e-3d1f4e821707/tempImageVSwKJd.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/45802610-1c65-40f4-b7e1-fceaf386f558/tempImagekhYeyw.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c3c68814-f4e2-49e9-bbbb-6604199bcffa/tempImageKcm8el.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bdd91871-5c9d-46f9-93e6-6ab8ce3916e7/tempImage6uy32o.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aaf8c1fd-cca4-49e4-9b65-3033383cb947/tempImagezMIF7i.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/eefbce19-d873-4734-ac09-beffb975cfbf/tempImageAxwj4q.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7d91574e-849e-4ff7-ae83-b7ee3628e2b1/tempImageqluDIY.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e991bf10-b1c5-434d-b276-8bd37cd32441/tempImageoAbhkx.jpg Blog - Claude Monet’s House - Make it stand out This seems like as good a picture as any to end on. Amanda said Claude Monet’s house was the most beautiful place she had ever been. It’s hard to disagree. https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/trianon monthly 0.5 2025-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/35438989-6f4f-45a5-9b5f-0f07d76660ae/tempImagejh1287.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out By the morning the rain had passed. This is the Pigalle Métro station near our apartment. Between 1900 and 1913, Hector Guimard was responsible for the first generation of entrances to the underground stations of the Paris Métro. His Art Nouveau designs in cast iron and glass dating mostly to 1900, and the associated lettering that he also designed, created what became known as the Métro style (style Métro) and popularized Art Nouveau. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8f54377c-e897-412a-9228-d26231df28ee/tempImagef49pYA.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out It was Easter morning and a service in French and Latin at Nortre-Dame was out of the question. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/710624b2-155f-4e2b-9191-b3cec7f5ecb1/tempImageTCeRgi.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Seeing as our primary goal for today was to visit the Estate of Trianon at the Palace of Versailles, and this did not open until noon, there was plenty of time to travel over to the 11th Arrondissement and try a vegan pâtisserie (pastry shop). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/37ec2e7b-4a88-4a7f-a4b7-fe79f53b285d/tempImagedN2LgJ.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out We had wanted to visit VG Pâtisserie on our last trip but ran out of time. It’s easy to understand why there was always a line and why they were just given an award in 2025. Such a great start to the day, with some snacks for the road. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fb9fd311-5dc5-49c8-8dec-634b7a1fb873/tempImagelGrse9.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out The RER is the regional train service that takes you outside the metropolitan area. When we exited the Métro station to walk to the RER station, this was our path—the view somehow never gets old! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fa9d4783-8b7e-4ba3-a098-fb8f2175fcee/tempImage58WkZN.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out At the entrance to Château de Versailles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c4279132-0779-40d4-81d1-d79a1b303ce4/tempImageAH32ib.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out The Grand Trianon (in the background above) was first built at the request of Louis XIV as a retreat for himself and his official mistress. The mistress later requested the Petit Trianon be built as a charming setting that could “amuse the king.” A get-a-way from your get-a-way, so to speak. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/100d67a5-9c7d-4cb6-bade-a78439274435/tempImage2yzlJ1.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out After Louis XIV died, and after his son Louis XV died, the new King Louis XVI presented the Petit Trianon as a gift to his wife Marie Antoinette. The young queen (married at 14 years old) renovated the space, notably having an English-style garden planted to replace the old greenhouses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e3ce6b5f-506a-4ccf-b2f6-94ebf681b5e8/tempImagelmopG0.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Marie often took refuge at the Petit Trianon to escape the pomp and etiquette of the Court of Versailles, which sometimes weighed on her. She surrounded herself with close friends and organized intimate soirées, without always taking the prerogatives of her time and rank into account. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d8cf8d7f-8dee-4ef3-a73c-2113f0a971de/tempImagegmzmG9.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out A visit to the Petit Trianon is a moving immersion in the everyday life of Marie Antoinette, a deeply human queen. Inside the Petite Trianon, a portrait of Marie when she was still eating cake and had her head. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/61bcbac6-6a4a-4212-b9a9-14649ab8b6d9/tempImageCCIyDM.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1f8f14f9-3832-460f-8382-487194d512bc/tempImage8dmZZB.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/759c8092-8165-4943-809c-685cd80ebb9e/tempImagevLjkyN.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out The real treasures at the Estate of Trianon were in the gardens behind the Petit Trianon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d627a0ea-981b-4e55-92f6-03d541e46168/tempImage1Mepki.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out This is the bridge to the Temple of Love. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1d91c6b4-72bc-4354-a838-685a3664193b/tempImage9KbOXc.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Marie-Antoinette could see the Temple of Love and Cupid from her room in the Petit Trianon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4bcc474c-4e42-4da5-8385-4f451d4704c2/tempImage3o4B7B.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out When you live in one of the world’s grandest palaces, sometimes you just need a little space for relaxing walks, or to host small gatherings away from the hustle and bustle of palace life. Which is why Marie Antoinette had the Queen’s Hamlet constructed between 1777 and 1783. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1834c586-74ca-4db6-acf0-9cbbf26dcbfc/tempImageQ1pv6p.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out This place was next-level cool. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ef0ba902-18d8-4c0c-b618-03a8d5f604bd/tempImagenK1xcp.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1e1a47ea-e7ba-42b2-afad-041bc4536f84/tempImagetOiGAG.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out The model village was built around an artificial lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1a9c3a80-fa62-454b-a9f7-b2c51bd3ee3e/tempImageqnhEce.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out The rustic exteriors concealed interiors which were carefully-decorated and often richly furnished, where the queen could host small parties for invited guests. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/23d3d46b-b346-40b6-989b-7483deb5d541/tempImage4wodR3.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/24dc6032-17e1-4394-8183-94a6cb0f3fb1/tempImageeBFcf9.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2cfd1828-b211-4ab5-bc6f-c950f58a2b7f/tempImagekUrcJm.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4163a220-67d2-47a6-aa12-3a5f66c439fd/tempImagefEg96H.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/072990ac-d91b-47d6-9c06-b3731f22fa15/tempImageRpTV2P.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out The Hamlet also included a functioning farm, as the queen insisted it be included to serve an educational role for the royal children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/41e23c4f-9ba1-4f85-86a9-ad417f69f4ca/tempImagevJzjBm.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a58647d6-8b2a-4daa-b0e0-0c3f948923dc/tempImagezFb3Si.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2d2647ed-31a0-492a-adfe-9f0a11c497c0/tempImageMXIoOJ.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out The Queen’s Hamlet was built at great expense while many in her country where poor and starving. She was accused of emptying the royal coffers. With all the hype, it’s difficult to make an informed assessment of her. In the end, every attempt to win back public opinion failed, and when the Revolution broke out, the Queen was a truly hated figure—for which she paid the ultimate price. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/064eb1f0-2be9-48b2-bec1-bae4f5bc1821/tempImageoPrjKM.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c32da445-d985-431f-8ee9-7c1573e91ec5/tempImagey28hxQ.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7d660d59-56bd-49f3-bb9b-23c459cc35ad/tempImages2cVz0.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2ffa9934-f12d-440e-9297-7716a3aa305a/tempImageIAmeXj.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fa508193-43ca-4678-b060-4485aaa67bcc/tempImageb7UzB4.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out To enter the Versailles Palace Gardens, you must purchase a “Passport” ticket for €32 per person. However, it is possible to do what we did and walk to Trianon and only pay €12 to visit the Estate of Trianon. We then payed €5 each for a tram ticket that took us inside the Palace Gardens. It was a total life hack that got us inside the Palace Gardens for only €15 rather than €32. Right as we jumped on the tram, it started raining. We made it just in the nick of time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2430660c-a1f3-40f2-961b-6f9c238d882d/tempImagenlOdvP.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out During our last visit, we were simply too exhausted to visit the gardens and groves. On this trip we made it a point to wander the many garden spaces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1632f9b6-cf6f-4b44-8344-7372e2760d85/tempImageJifnDn.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out This garden and fountain were inspired by the legend of the fall of the Giants in Greek and Roman mythology. Punished for trying to climb Mount Olympus to dethrone the gods, the giants were buried under a heap of rocks, as illustrated here by the figure of Enceladus, whose suffering is conveyed by the powerful water jet gushing out of his mouth like a cry of pain (the fountain was off for this photo). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ff5e5023-5ad1-4d6c-a83c-2f9209b6d770/tempImageKiEtxs.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4b8f4a33-b74f-405b-a30e-ee34b2729dec/tempImageO849ih.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out As you can see, the rain not only didn’t last long, it all but vanished. Here we are in front of Apollo’s Fountain looking toward the Palace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1fd172ef-97eb-4bdd-ae7f-28643b6275a5/tempImageANLC4B.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out This statue is of the Greek god Apollo rising from the sea in a four-horse chariot inspired by the legend of the Sun god. King Louis XIV gave himself the nickname of the “Sun King” because he believed he was like the sun to France. He believed he was chosen by God to rule and that everything revolved around him. He made the sun his royal symbol. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8b4caab5-ce86-4a31-a361-5afcd4d43436/tempImageHBdtPt.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out The Great Lawn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/21484f93-e17c-40aa-bdc9-1368351e23d2/tempImage1EQovL.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Latona’s Fountain. The Lycian peasants is a short tale from Greek mythology centered around Leto (known to the Romans as Latona), the mother of the Olympian twin gods Artemis and Apollo. The mother goddess Latona attempted to bath her children in and drink from a spring she found in Lycian. But the local people tried to stop her, stirring the bottom of the spring so that the mud would come up. Enraged over their lack of hospitality, Latona turned them all into frogs, forever doomed to swim and hop in the murky waters of the spring (notice all the frogs around the fountain). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0dbc9f5e-e25a-4177-94e3-fd095480a309/tempImagepNEp9s.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Near the Palace looking toward Latona’s Fountain, the Great Lawn and Gardens, and the Grand Canal in the distance. It was so great to finally make it through the vast garden spaces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9753986c-c157-461f-a332-8f5c26b4c0da/tempImageZg8Fgd.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out South Partere. (From the French word meaning on the ground, a parterre is a formal garden laid out on a level area and made up of enclosed beds, separated by gravel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6969a474-cb3d-4f9a-a990-56b0b10ab5fe/tempImage4DGOAe.jpg Blog - Trianon - Make it stand out Some 22,000+ steps and 10 miles of walking later, we were finally back in our apartment. For the second night in a row, the lovely sounds of a steady rain lulled us to sleep. https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/bonjour-paris monthly 0.5 2025-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6a30a3d7-cdef-45b3-bee5-c99ffc689348/tempImage1i4QUu.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out Early Saturday morning we bid farewell to the Haarlem studio that had been our home for just over a week. In this photos, our apartment was right around the corner, behind the white building on the left. This bus stop could not have been more conveniently located. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/79c9479a-44a2-4f4f-a3d2-c5c263b478eb/tempImageHaIfOI.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out You just use your phone to tap-on and tap-off the bus. The R-NET 300 bus saved us a lot of walking between our apartment and the Haarlem train station. At some point we figured out that this bus also goes to the airport. Instead of taking a bus to the Haarlem train station, a train to Amsterdam, and then another train to the airport, we just hopped on this bus and arrived at the airport about 30 minutes later—easy peasy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d3a22e25-c363-4418-abe9-0bad947469f3/tempImageCwbywl.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out We had plenty of time to relax in the airport waiting for our departure. Unfortunately, our Air France flight was delayed by an hour, so we didn’t push back until about 12:40 p.m. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6627d387-f5a7-4cc2-8fa2-2fff93580726/tempImageMKZ0Ui.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out Looking through the window of our Airbus A220-300 at a large and colorful tulip field toward the center of the image. Farewell Holland! We certainly had a wonderful time! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/faeed05a-b45b-49ae-86cd-c761eb04e450/tempImageabdk8p.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out Amanda says “stairs are number one”! Seventy-five steps climbed, only 15 left to go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d32c214c-931a-4886-9a3b-2dc8e60f28a3/tempImagei0C9GL.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out It took us nearly eleven—sometimes death-defying—hours to get here, but our reward was the Eiffel Tower through our apartment window! Oh Paris, your bus drivers may be complete dog shit, your RER line in need of repair, and your Métro turnstile system positively prehistoric—but you do get a pass—because you are Paris! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d1631e4e-2327-4596-81c2-2c778c06f25b/tempImageGWlVwL.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out This is our building from the street. We are the top two dorrner windows on the left, directly above the green door. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/53f5e6a4-2237-4187-a9bd-e469e1b07a8c/tempImageb0dfzM.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out We had hardly eaten all day, so we were thrilled that Green Farmer’s was a short walk down the street. My bacon cheeseburger with its amazing “pink” sauce and Amanda’s crispy chic’n Caesar salad were both super delicious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c3b16648-f775-4316-a8ea-4251cbf923dd/tempImagemZs2eC.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out The Moulin Rouge was really close, so we popped by for a quick photo after dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8657d41c-2361-46be-918f-1ab8c1863c5c/tempImage6Zhjul.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out As it turns out, the Moulin Rouge is the most tame thing along Boulevard de Clichy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5b4d7ae9-91f0-49c0-b896-50cc2f471cc5/tempImageAbv1nh.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out This place is more red light district than Amsterdam’s Red Light District. I suppose Paris is the City of Lust—I mean Love. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/621f8c11-b1d7-4ab3-8810-8dceb3d323d7/tempImagefakdlT.jpg Blog - Bonjour Paris - Make it stand out Anyway, we are finally back in our apartment and the sound of falling rain is lulling us to sleep. Bonne nuit from Paris! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/vaarwel-amsterdam monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b9b8492d-1771-454a-b5fa-24f3dd13c542/tempImageX4YpRM.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Zaanse Schans is a collection of historic windmills and wooden houses that were relocated for preservation from across the north of Amsterdam. In leaving the train and walking toward the village, we passed the large deZaan Cocoa plant. It could have been Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory we were passing given the luxurious aroma of melted chocolate filling the air. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9381e3f6-c1b5-4159-934b-9bac3bf27b0d/tempImageTfAdOz.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Love the shoe rack filled with Dutch wooden clogs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/29078b96-f9ff-410b-bb05-8eae9d0e79c6/tempImageoQ0WN3.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Just some of Zaanse Schans’ collection of windmills. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2ae0322d-e206-401d-984e-8873f0854ad3/tempImagesDc0cL.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Amazingly, the De Kat mill was built in 1664. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/befdd041-8b40-47f8-810a-beec4fc42e48/tempImagegNmPKt.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out The De Kat mineral mill continues to produce high quality paints and pigments. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/61fe5206-d597-4236-833e-5ffe44a55803/tempImageWjM1Ff.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out The enclosed room keeps the various pigments separated while being ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2481c5c1-1116-450b-9710-5c653b281bc3/tempImagepmNlSk.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Heading up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/854c4ce7-217a-4af4-8911-f61ca708c29d/tempImageud4McU.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Everything made of wood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b77e5c12-2a1b-435f-86b8-300ad4a306dd/tempImagezCG8QN.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Love the thatched roof and the cloth sails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/593ddd7b-474c-446a-8a5f-3b308a6be9a0/tempImageAWM3CR.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/65124330-6ef7-4493-820d-bde753053359/tempImage4HjTYb.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4f482f1b-338c-4e26-8cd6-544a947f57cc/tempImageZ2UIHa.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out At the end of the day, we give Zaanse Schans a C. It tops most lists of places you must visit while in Holland, but if someone is pressed for time, you could skip this place without much heartburn. It was overrun with tourists and going inside the working windmill was the only real highlight (for us anyway). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c006deb2-35ab-43e3-8277-1e722e37dc57/tempImage6ZUTDF.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Since we were already out, we decided to return to Amsterdam for a third and final time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/efb22425-f9cd-4008-a1ba-31019d6ce69f/tempImage4Q7cPV.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out On Saturday I enjoyed the bitterballen at Vegan Temple Bar so much so that I wanted to have them again. Amanda found that Vegan Junk Food Bar (VJFB) also made them, so we decided to give the bitterballen at VJFB a try. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b10128e5-76e4-42e4-bbe9-27c48e649711/tempImageWaMbgt.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out VJFB offered traditional, Thai, and mac ‘n’ cheese. I liked the traditional and Thai, but I’m surprised to report that the mac ‘n’ cheese version was the clear winner. Just writing this makes me want to place an order of all mac ‘n’ cheese bitterballen! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9f50610f-32f6-4371-a57c-76f4de614ff3/tempImagea5uMHf.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Check out how you enter this underground parking garage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8fa28354-a76b-4f3d-9e1f-3ec2f4a561a3/tempImageBZtA1p.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Wild! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6504780f-2db8-48c8-bab6-10d9b82be8b5/tempImagemOlhZM.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Next we walked through the Bloemenmarkt (flower market). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6e8f6e1c-fbd2-41b9-af65-b7bfc8a776c0/tempImageeJVijz.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out There were plenty of packaged vegan stroopwafels, but this was the only place where they made them fresh to-order. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d87bb747-83e7-4c99-bd0e-8332e9dc6685/tempImageZC00PP.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Amanda had Oreo sprinkles on her chocolate and I had hazelnuts—delicious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7a77424d-e73b-4585-a530-d80872fc0581/tempImageeFSUXl.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Having already visited The American Book Center (ABC) and Waterstones (a UK chair) in Spui Square on Wednesday, we, of course, had to visit The English Bookshop today. Most bookstores in Netherlands largely offer books in Dutch. These three shops were notable exceptions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/99848ded-dddd-44d6-b5e9-f12bcc59c4e4/tempImage12GW0r.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out We had dinner at Sukhothai Thanee Thai food. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1b971c7c-49b8-444f-b7c6-e5c960d2d899/tempImage2uANl4.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out This was an upscale place so we didn’t want to take a bunch of photos. When we were at our hotel in Khao Sok National Park in Thailand with John and Sabrina in March, John introduced us to the Thai papaya salad and it was amazing. We tried it again here and it was as wonderful as it was in Thailand. Thanks for the recommendation John! The middle dish is red curry with pumpkin. Our favorite was the far dish: stir-fried tofu, vegetables, and cashew nuts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6b91fde8-86b3-4132-9659-3ad03dd4814a/tempImaget91FHw.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out Dessert was sweet mango, sticky rice topped with coconut cream and crispy mung beans, and coconut ice cream with crispy mung beans. Everything was exceptional. (And yes, we ate entirely too much food today! But, hey, when in Amsterdam…) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9c39dd69-b4bb-4e20-abb0-1aaf11856cb2/tempImageciYxXr.jpg Blog - Vaarwel Amsterdam - Make it stand out We hadn’t realized it until Thursday evening, but in addition to all the buses and trams above ground, the city also operates the Amsterdam Metro. There was a station nearby, so we rode Metrolijn 52 back the train station—pretty futuristic. From there it was back to Haarlem. We used Saturday to do laundry and get ready for an early departure on Sunday morning for Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. We will remain eternally grateful for our amazing adventures in Holland! Next stop—Paris! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/haarlem monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/19f6bfec-6710-4d21-9124-5e23e86df4d9/tempImagePiiMps.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Though less well-known than Amsterdam, Haarlem is also a city of canals, church spires, cobbled streets, and gorgeous architecture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0a9f1d09-ab0d-4ab0-993d-da91d27bcd58/tempImageFTW9yW.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The one thing that’s conspicuously missing in Haarlem is the crowds—except the night the Dutch Flower Parade arrives in town, of course. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/feb352b0-93e1-4195-b628-b6945ff7a584/tempImage4uVD3z.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg comprise the region known as the Low Countries. Netherlands means low-lying country, and with an average elevation of only 98 feet above mean sea level and 26% of the country below mean sea level, water is everywhere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/12f05732-8078-408f-b256-981348f0e1dd/tempImagepk8Lnx.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Haarlem feels like you’re living in a cozy Dutch town rather than an international metropolis like Amsterdam. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/90541a3a-0886-46ec-b20a-c9f3a5e94380/tempImageB5SGsS.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Such a cool cantilevered drawbridge. The country is Netherlands, not Holland. That is because Holland is only a region within Netherlands. Holland means wood land, and there are two Holland provinces: North and South Holland. Amsterdam and Haarlem are in North Holland, while Keukenhof and the tulip fields are in South Holland—along with the famous cities of The Hague, Delft, and Gouda. However, the word Dutch is still used to refer to its people, language, and culture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/290e4dfa-ee2e-4705-a5c6-65aa41f5e249/tempImagevOMh3f.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The sign reads “Bicycle Shed” and inside is a massive bicycle parking garage—only in Netherlands! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0ec70d40-bbd9-4c0a-84ef-6d9aba0c5a90/tempImagepzVQzO.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Amazing old architecture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2e09d193-171d-4794-aca0-cda0c052b5d9/tempImage3rTudc.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6e3defe2-d7de-4c3a-83c0-92b005fd8bcb/tempImagegkKo13.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Shorto’s book inside The American Book Company (ABC) in Amsterdam. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b9005ccf-bc4c-43ae-8487-ccb1c8cb994f/tempImagezA2W19.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out We found this great store in Haarlem, which incidentally sold traditional Dutch baby toys. We may or may not have bought one or two. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/955e68c0-d8b9-43e3-8ea9-99374becaec8/tempImagehYHUlA.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The Netherlands just landed #5 on the 2025 list of “happiest” places to live. No doubt all-weather 4-seater e-bikes like this are part of the reason. We saw very few cars in Netherlands. In fact, at any given time we were more likely to be run over by a speeding bicycle than a car. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5db97133-d33b-4d5c-af47-0f831121a7bc/tempImagebWBito.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Since being here, we’ve seen hundreds of kids out riding bikes (when was the last time you saw that?). Every day we’ve seen moms and dads walking their kids to school or on bikes together. We’ve seen a lot of people well in to their 70s and possibly their 80s riding bikes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d77271ff-1cb4-440c-a410-3c6833ed4152/tempImagepxaLyQ.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out It seems clear that a major emphasis on family time and frequently moving about in the out of doors go a long way in explaining why the Dutch feel so content and fulfilled. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a8563dbf-b48a-443b-8eda-7bfd716a7969/tempImageFhzTyX.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out We were thrilled when we found Bagels & Beans in Haarlem. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/99471ed6-d578-478e-ab0a-efa8740f0ed7/tempImage3JXb4T.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Their motto is, “We are anti-herd, contra masses, & 100% against stress.” Translation: “We are not Starbucks.” Which means come in, sit down, and enjoy the place. Amanda ordered tea which was loose leaf and served in a clever steeper. My cappuccino was velvety smooth and delicious, with zero sugar needed to enjoy (sorry, stirred it before the photo). Each came with a little packet of chocolate nibs for pairing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/801a6c23-79c7-44bc-b9ac-d02ad53e8fa4/tempImageu5Vt3B.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out And then there was the bagel! First you select your sandwich. No one will be surprised that I selected the Avocado. Next you choose your bagel type (an Everything…perfectly toasted). Finally, you pick a style of their homemade flavored vegan cream cheese (sun-dried tomato please). All put together it was a taste experience! Their avocados are from Spain and, I must say, it was avocado perfection. It was breakfast heaven! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d7dd6c3d-8c5f-4fbb-ae6f-66cde2a4d2ea/tempImage48pHd4.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out In Amsterdam we walked to the largest of the Red Light Districts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d6a0a04b-7ccf-4a84-aed3-47a985acd154/tempImagedSXFOd.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The area seems to be an older part of Amsterdam with amazing Venice-like canals and architecture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4d6f9fa6-e3bf-430b-a894-f165d6d3d483/tempImagekzXCSJ.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Some of these buildings look like they might topple over at any minute, though they will probably outlast most modern homes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/eacee5cc-41c1-486e-acff-ed983ba24ba8/tempImageWFDBjH.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Signs everywhere indicated at €240 fine for taking photos of the sex workers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ad9e6d5e-4363-4669-92dc-02014586a4b7/tempImage6LD9dh.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Since it’s around noon and all the windows have their red curtains drawn, I don’t think I’m at risk of being fined. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/db7b1b0c-06d4-4a15-acd0-1a706675521b/tempImage1oPsjl.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out So as not to disappoint, here’s your chance to see something lurid in the windows—Renaissance style. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c0fefe13-5040-453c-9627-97478a1bea9a/tempImagehSVtUo.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Dirty old sailors! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6cbc2d33-2816-495a-be7e-371c9d6e45a4/tempImageg3SMGy.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out No where else in the city did we see this except in the Red Light District: signs for AEDs—hilarious! (Sorry to disappoint, we didn’t visit the museum.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bbeb3af9-d7b8-496f-9cf2-399ec22432e6/tempImageFtt0rP.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Equally apropos was the cash machine right outside the peep show shop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c496657e-3443-4822-94d9-8d368fffd3aa/tempImagefybMD7.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out I loved this sign, especially the way he’s arching back and bracing himself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2bf7a13a-154a-4227-8258-6f772188a8f3/tempImageb7JYTQ.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out But even more interesting were the streetside public urinals. Where does the drain flow I wonder? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2b747896-8e4f-4720-bc18-a0e13a2b243c/tempImagePPrbJW.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out One thing you quickly recognize being inside Dutch buildings is that very little can be carried up and down the stairs. Which is why they have ingenious devices like these to move larger household items in through the windows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2114a22c-c859-4d29-8a81-31ffc8e7d102/tempImageQWZlZg.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Wooden shoes anyone? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/68b84f6a-a26c-46b0-93fd-4689b1f00425/tempImageImPra2.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Amsterdam was founded around the year 1275 and got its name from the combination of “Amstel” (the river where the city originated) and “dam” (the structure built to regulate the Amstel). Dam Square marks where the dam, and the historic city center, once stood. The National Monument behind us stands in Dam Square. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9ab31d05-4c12-47a1-995e-da453c39edbf/tempImageQ99SPN.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The National Monument is for the remembrance of WWII, which had particularly poignancy being in Netherlands. The relief entitled De Vrede ("Peace"), consists of four chained male figures, representing the suffering endured during the war. The figures on the two sides represent the Dutch resistance. Weeping dogs are at their feet, represent suffering and loyalty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/137dbfea-6925-4cb4-bcfd-7cf014d550e2/tempImage7MfKk9.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out How cool are these buildings? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/54e06e32-c4cf-47b6-af6c-cefb4f2e96d7/tempImageLyVF1Z.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a0afd4b6-3ea4-4bbd-a6dd-464a8744e182/tempImageFTQgV7.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/16dc4626-413c-40ce-9f79-132ff27bc7c8/tempImageNWdeFE.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out You can see the gap between the houses growing wider as you move upward. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4e3f20c9-db52-4681-82d0-3e3267c2fa43/tempImagegK8PHh.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out A river of bicycles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5259b6b0-163c-4822-9f78-e1a0345bff27/tempImageNfoZ73.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out A delectable vegan dark chocolate croissant, courtesy of Madame Croissant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/cb186c7e-72c4-4228-ab02-431291037205/tempImage73EcKA.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The Anne Frank Monument outside Westertoren church, near the Secret Annex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/18bc19fe-9e9d-44af-b6c2-c41a65dcb2be/tempImagegVT26w.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Looking down the canal toward the front house and Westertoren church. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/89bde3f4-d383-4cf2-9a91-28366383d4cb/tempImageCNKDiu.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8f45ccad-0e3b-4a94-a847-d9fb51ca6e75/tempImageJFjWjU.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Delivery service Dutch style. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/597b112e-adfe-4a4b-b4ab-d5a4d7aa588b/IMG_3309.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Our visit to the Secret Annex did not begin until 6: 45 p.m., so we headed to dinner nearby.(Tours are sold-out every day and run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/46e06695-481d-4865-ba21-0fcc182541b0/tempImageIIWKKP.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/67496f4a-2c55-41f2-9582-50dcf05e27d9/tempImageDOLhIN.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The moment I saw my aloo gobhi (potatoes & cauliflower), I knew it was going to be amazing. The spice blend was out of this world! Amanda loved her chana masala, but said Dishoom remained in top position. Well, this one landed solidly in second place then. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/87e555d1-f038-4c98-b01b-d6f24b726704/tempImage0Pemmk.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out After dinner, another lovely canal view on our way to the Anne Frank House. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fc01e1f9-e4ff-47d5-b976-4b4c781de458/tempImageTxKulm.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/91498d63-c387-4f97-b658-d147d425c0a3/tempImageaXahMh.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The house and annex highlighted in red. The chestnut tree in the courtyard behind the Annex. Westertoren church and its belfry in the foreground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b2e24a14-bfdb-4aa0-834b-a858e755b450/tempImagenHGWsB.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out Original bottle of Opekta produced by Otto Frank’s company in the factory below and in front of the Annex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3d7bca6e-f7e9-4a7a-b1cb-689e7c26e92f/tempImageqTuItC.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out It’s difficult to comprehend that Otto Frank was an artillery officer in the German Army in WWI, only to later be vilified by his country. Against all odds he survived the Somme and the Holocaust. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/79cdf9ed-1b83-4b5e-8538-0889c78b83d5/tempImagej1iiMo.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out After the orientation program held in the adjacent building, no photographs were allowed in the house or annex. In this case I have to respect the rationale: it is a memorial space and hordes of people standing around taking selfies would cheapen the experience. The tour started in the ground floor of the warehouse, which was a single, connected space. The cobbled floor was original and it felt like standing on hallowed ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8eb6e58e-375d-4d23-91e6-ef3778fa190c/5a1bx55vlsa71.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out After viewing the upstairs offices, we climbed the stairs to the landing where the original bookcase stands open (Otto Frank entering ☝️). To say it was a deeply emotional moment to walk past the bookcase and step through into the Secret Annex would be an understatement. The audio tour paused while inside the Secret Annex and everyone slowly made their way through the rarified space in near silence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ae3f680d-ee00-4933-a401-97059bb35d62/kamer_anne-overzicht_alle_wanden.jpg__2160x1296_q85_ALIAS-5_3_big_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out The Nazis cleared the Secret Annex after it was discovered. When it was made into a museum, Otto asked that it be left as it was. This was the room where Anne slept. Many of her original pin-ups remain on the walls. Through the doorway to the room Otto, Edith, and Margot shared (back right), you can see glass covering where the girls’ heights were marked on the wall—heartbreaking! It was sobering to learn that the family was sent off to the concentration camps from the Amsterdam Centraal train station, the same one we took a selfie in front of when we first arrived. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b5d60ec4-fba8-4135-8cfb-04db1af8c424/tempImages1sDZ6.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out We always knew this would be an emotional experience, so it was lovely to walk outside and find the sky warmed by the glow of a beautiful sunset. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a0cdb18c-0ff1-4acb-8bc0-23778f1ca641/tempImageMyZ6sO.jpg Blog - Haarlem & Anne Frank - Make it stand out “Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy." —Anne Frank https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/tulips-tulips-tulips monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d4a12e31-165d-404d-a509-7136f66b2d3f/tempImagedF3djj.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out It all came down to Monday. This was the day that sparked the idea for our entire trip to Europe. Absolutely no pressure, but everything before and after this were just icing on the cake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/55f518ee-b091-4e4e-9622-dc66fb5ec8e5/tempImagegKw0uq.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Countess Jacoba van Beieren (Jacqueline of Bavaria) (1401-1436) used Keukenduyn (kitchen dunes) as hunting grounds for the kitchen of Teylingen Castle. Keukenhof Castle replaced Teylingen in 1641 and the estate grew to encompass an area of over 200 hectares. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/75b70a90-b9a0-4cec-b598-a188437a2346/tempImagec32EAX.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out In 1949 a group of 20 leading flower bulb growers and exporters came up with the plan to use the estate to exhibit spring-flowering bulbs, signaling the birth of Keukenhof as a spring park. The park opened its gates to the public in 1950 and was an instant success. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/72b8913a-ca59-4088-b5ef-6951de7af05f/tempImage30UtR6.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Last year was the 75th “edition” (as they call it) of Keukenhof. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/345c0225-f53a-44e3-b0c2-b5c429aaf2fc/tempImageI1ffUh.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Keukenhof is now one of the world’s largest flower gardens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7263f7a0-eb62-4308-8906-d1dff68f2304/tempImageGYDpDc.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out With some 7 million flower bulbs planted in the garden annually, it’s one jaw-dropping view after another as you wander around the magnificent 80-acre wonder-scape. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/17a22377-713e-4175-a4be-3bb2b6b0f62a/tempImageuEyYfj.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Between us we took nearly 400 images, so we’ll do our darnedest to only show the best of the best. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c0da0b10-bfcc-41e5-a54a-e89ee575ca99/tempImageacBUnz.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out It’s not only the flowers: the lawns, bushes, and trees were beautifully planted and meticulously maintained. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bfbb50d1-4a40-4290-9a00-8b5532fe4735/tempImagebCFGGn.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/86f69db3-7331-4bf3-8b1f-678244045970/tempImageLyCLbS.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5739815f-4ef1-439e-96ba-e20c3ef1aa5a/tempImagehBWfDz.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out The large pond is well over 150 years old and is the oldest extant part of Keukenhof. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e598937a-f304-4136-b051-c0920203161b/tempImagez3VQno.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out What you can’t appreciate from the photos are the birds singing in the treetops—they really lend a celestial air to the experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9006b44a-05a7-41bf-8849-4efc88572549/tempImageqGWTtu.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/00bc0352-9050-4c8c-bb48-8447d884176e/tempImage5HXMto.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/177ae312-be10-4624-9755-f166ed2b3969/tempImagezguNgF.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/decb953e-31cc-4ca7-a8a5-82010e778608/tempImageJ4YZar.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b34208d6-f805-41c6-929d-7fcea1602878/tempImageD2Nmni.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ccd52770-9626-4839-9290-05c6780eb619/tempImagep6D2iZ.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b8900cce-6cd0-4bac-ad1f-70ea6ddcf431/tempImage3hn8HU.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/77d95225-0036-4752-810f-6d41ff77cfbd/tempImageU4RRGQ.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3997a756-4dd0-42b6-8603-a818234192c5/tempImageOVrm7C.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9d0d6da2-8f59-4dfe-bd31-0bc829f8ee84/tempImagezAISW8.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/501b3a4d-f9c5-416d-9d62-47fd30219ea9/tempImageQxhLri.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Maybe not tulips, but Amanda couldn’t resist getting a picture with her favorite: hydrangeas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/38f3983e-437c-428f-9286-1442e7da2e8c/tempImage3nBcTS.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/04f114cc-cd66-4524-ad9d-b4f30d0432b9/tempImage7UVBzZ.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Just outside the gates of Keukenhof, we rented bikes to visit two other sites in the Bollenstreek—Holland’s Bulb Region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/813101fd-4437-4eba-830e-42b23889f963/tempImageealc26.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out We first rode 2.6 miles to The Tulip Barn. Once Holland became a destination for tourists wanting to see endless fields filled with tulips, the farmers began finding their flowers trampled by careless visitors looking for photographs amongst the flowers. Several spots such as this now offer tourists the opportunity to walk through fields of tulips while protecting farmers’ crops. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d89492f4-0afa-4d0c-8a4a-9cd6f84898fc/tempImaged0DFd3.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Our sentiments exactly! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f03c805b-1af8-4bec-be14-343bebbe5b20/tempImageaNzvEH.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out We finally got our chance to “tip toe through the tulips.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9c32ebe7-80f6-4b38-ad9a-2a248285396b/tempImage2rMQ7y.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9330d92c-05f1-49c1-9fb2-ad5c576318da/tempImageI9w7Oy.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e6317cd6-313c-4f0b-a3f6-aed5e3336c45/tempImageEclJiV.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f39c1063-2fe3-4881-903e-6c266bc6be23/tempImagesO5k1j.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/233886b2-e3a9-4163-ad77-1556c833502a/tempImageV7lMcB.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2ad2d9aa-9502-4195-a04d-df3e515e767e/tempImageJuWfRq.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/915d32f5-e57d-459c-9588-0186bde6c981/tempImageM6edkn.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7fdb7768-2877-49f8-a232-03eaa45acda4/tempImagedKvvoD.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/84f46a1d-6c52-4820-ab88-71380a991cb6/tempImageyPpWLs.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out We barely made it out the gate from The Tulip Barn when we rode past a field filled with hyacinths and Amanda just had to stop—such a fragrant flower. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b59694f3-0eef-40b5-b1ed-941379de6149/tempImageMfue44.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out We next rode 3.1 miles to Tulip Experience Amsterdam. After walking all morning and biking nearly 6 miles, it was time for some sustenance at their café called de witte zwaan (the white swan)—not a bad view, eh? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6214a8cf-e639-4adc-a915-0397f75c7910/tempImagedAFDTR.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Never seen this before. I thought I might not appreciate the culinary blend on my sandwich, but I wound up really enjoying the curry ketchup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6436b82c-d86f-493b-8ceb-ce96a1f93105/tempImageaSQMDE.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0566a986-40bd-491f-a1fc-1e466b36863f/tempImagebfixi9.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Enough learning… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2b1d2f94-95cb-4d39-b947-ed37cc85235b/tempImagem3zLDG.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Roll that beautiful tulip footage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7052c1d9-5040-4869-ad62-b75b3218d74d/tempImageSHspRn.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/557a50f5-087e-4ab7-975c-d3b1ff4c23ea/tempImage8c6KJD.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bdcc7084-becb-493e-86d1-e294905c4599/tempImageRdWjq4.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c42a3424-ed1a-43f3-8a73-44e52c7fc1b1/tempImage2PrPps.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out You know it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/93b3e931-ef9d-4b29-adf7-8091a432f957/tempImageccW7AU.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out From Tulip Experience Amsterdam we rode to S. Pennings & zn. This ended up being a mistake, but the uptick was that the route back to Keukenhof then took us along the Steengracht Canal. As Amanda will tell you, this was her favorite part of our 9.5 mile loop—and that’s saying something given how beautiful parts of our earlier journey were. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f1fb2941-cca0-46ad-af7f-715199b66fa4/tempImagesjUCJi.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out To ensure we could rent bicycles before the afternoon rush, we left Keukenhof around 10:30. After visiting The Tulip Barn and Tulip Experience Amsterdam, we turned in our bikes and returned to the park to see a few sections we had missed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/49001a3b-0281-4597-ba18-86fd6a8600fb/tempImageYKLfGo.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out What a difference a few hours makes. Our peaceful oasis from the morning had been fully overrun with people in the afternoon. The crowds mostly seemed to swarm near the entrance, so it was less congested further inside the park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c9468eac-24cf-4d7b-9f79-0abf15969a24/tempImageTF5B2L.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/66fdba2d-3775-4a4c-b7f3-c9cf8d2c0936/tempImagevY7Bfi.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d5372dc4-99cc-4550-87c6-3962a9186679/tempImageIUsYKG.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5e52bb71-ee9e-4272-adf0-3411822dce52/tempImageDXgIay.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3560516b-2ad5-43bf-be41-a1278e20730d/tempImageJdusBx.jpg Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out In the end, we saw it all. This was truly the experience we had hoped for—expectations exceeded! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6ae6b7cc-03b0-4f0b-8d2e-1f34c910d956/IMG_7698.PNG Blog - Tulips, Tulips, Tulips - Make it stand out After walking nearly 7 miles and biking nearly 10, we were finally all tuliped out and ready for the bus back to Haarlem. During the ride, Amanda played her game Strands. The spanogram was Spring Flowers and included tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil. Now, how is that for a wonderful coincidence?! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/tulips monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6891e5b3-e02c-4ca7-9bf9-ecd756070a90/tempImage6kaGNS.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out Our apartment is steps from the street named Gedempte Oude Gracht. The street’s name comes from the Oude Gracht canal that the street covered over In 1859 after its waters became fetid. Now a popular thoroughfare, on Saturday evening it was the termination point of the annual Bloemencorso Flower Parade. The parade begins in the morning 26 miles to the south. Throughout the day, it slowly winds its way north, with stops along the way, until it finally reaches Haarlem at night. I stepped out of our apartment a bit past 10:30 p.m. and the parade was still making its way down the street, the nearly full moon highlighting rain clouds blowing in from France. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8200c6ae-0ba3-49e5-a936-6b1dd3e85825/tempImager3cWYq.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out It seems the whole of Haarlem turned out for the event, the lateness of the hour given little consideration. I suppose I’m a cynical old man now, but the parade was the same as any other: flowered floats, cars adorned with flowers, marching bands—all the usual suspects. Sadly, being in Holland did little to impress upon me a need to stay and watch much more than a small portion of the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1a87cc73-d3d4-42f6-b5dc-50e06c81f5ce/tempImageQrSTvF.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out One reason we were not overly motivated to watch the parade at night was that, once the parade stops in Haarlem, the floats are left in place and you can check them out throughout the day on Sunday. Little did we know, they simply park the floats all down Gedempte Oude Gracht, so they are right out our front door! The rain fell overnight, clearing by the late morning. Given such a magnificent day, everyone was drawn outside to admire the floats up close. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ec74cd2d-31f7-4cfb-8415-55ed34db74c2/tempImagetuF4tg.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out This photo was taken from the middle of Gedempte Oude Gracht, between two floats. Our apartment is in the all white building down the street (our door is under the small red triangle sign). When we picked this spot, we had no idea we had positioned ourselves so well for the festivities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/58d6d3c2-d88c-424b-b6ae-568dce7febfa/tempImagefSh6Je.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out More floats https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b8dc15c0-660d-4973-b894-a7918b33962a/tempImage6e5slJ.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b4904dc9-0b4e-403f-bc35-7e471fc745c6/tempImagexIR9s2.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out It seemed like all of Holland rolled into Haarlem to enjoy this idyllic Sunday. This is Haarlem’s Grote Markt, its central square. You almost can’t make out Grote Kerk (Great Church)/St. Bavokerk ("Church of St. Bavo") amidst all the carnival rides covering the old cobbled square. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/26d4905f-5c5f-487f-bf2c-4df0425fa230/tempImageTPTACw.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out Modernity blends with the ancient. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4508fa24-c012-4200-bd93-95e54d4a316f/tempImageA6Tz3k.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out The festival encouraged us to walk about the city more, which gave us an increased appreciation for what a beautiful city we were privileged to call home this week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/773dde43-28af-4db1-b404-e7b207b73c85/tempImageRz1lDw.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out Though briming with people, the charm of the quaint old streets was undeniable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fa88d854-fff7-4a14-87c2-f507e5ad4338/tempImageQtnWo9.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out It all changes on Sunday evening though. The floats will move on, as will the masses of people. For the time being, however, the clear skies and festive energy were infectious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d6cfa4c0-2a27-40d1-8489-e5966bda445c/tempImagexCdkfp.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out Another museum that was unexpectedly sold out when we went to purchase tickets was the Corrie ten Boom House Museum here in Haarlem, very near the Grote Markt square. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/710be12f-5069-4edc-a4f9-f747377d34ac/tempImagelnw9pW.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out This was the watch shop and residence of the ten Boom family, where they provided a hiding place for Jews and others who were persecuted and hunted by the Nazi regime. The family became part of the Dutch underground resistance and oversaw a network that smuggled Jews to safe places. A secret room was built in Cornelia’s (Corrie) bedroom behind a false wall. The room could hold six people and had a ventilation system installed. A buzzer could be heard in the house to warn refugees to get into the room as quickly as possible during security sweeps through the neighborhood. It is estimated that around 800 Jews were saved by the ten Booms’ efforts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/49e5ddfc-7836-41f7-8982-64eee2747d34/tempImageabs0D6.jpg Blog - Dutch Flower Parade - Make it stand out As with the Frank family, the ten Booms were eventually betrayed by a Dutch informant. They were arrested by the Gestapo here on February 28, 1944. The group of six people hidden by the ten Booms at the time remained undiscovered. The ten Booms received a letter one day in prison stating, "All the watches in your cabinet are safe," meaning that the refugees had managed to escape and were safe. Corrie ten Boom survived Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. However, Casper (father) died due to imprisonment in Scheveningen, Betsie (sister) from Ravensbrück, Wilhelm (brother) from Hilversum, and Christiaan “Kirk” (Wilhem’s son) from onbekend. Corrie passed away in 1983 at 91-years of age in her home in Placentia, California. Their Christian faith compelled them to action, regardless of consequence. I was more than a little shocked to read in Russell Shorto’s book Amsterdam, that Netherlanders remain largely embarrassed by how many of their people took advantage of the Jews and others who were targeted by the Nazis. Tragically, those that helped hide the Frank family and the work of the ten Boom family were not the norm, a fact that gave me great personal pause—would (will) I have the courage and conviction to do what these brave and heroic people did? https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/amsterdam monthly 0.5 2025-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0defed74-41e1-4191-9ef7-51bf5f220079/tempImageHQIbzQ.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out The Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place was such an ideal location. On Friday morning we walked out the hotel’s front door and were steps from the escalator down to the tram system. The tram took us to South Station (Gare du Midi), where we boarded this Eurostar train. This photo is us having just arrived in Amsterdam. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1178d438-d7ff-4115-a5a5-e51ee3bc6ebe/tempImageTCD150.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out We decided to stay in Haarlem, which is about 11 miles due west of Amsterdam. We had to take another train from Amsterdam to Haarlem. While on board the train, we figured out that the R-NET 300 bus delivered us from the train station nearly to the front door of our rental—which beat the heck out of 15 minutes of lugging suitcases down uneven sidewalks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7eccd801-5da8-4d0a-b8fb-38ccc9011c5a/tempImage3C1bMs.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out We were early for check-in, so we stopped by Mama’s Soup for some, well, you guessed it, soup. My broccoli soup was served in the green tureen and you might be able to guess the flavor of Amanda’s soup. Both were excellent homemade soups. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3d5e405c-5dce-4005-9ad2-3ba5433a1cec/tempImagepwdmpK.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out The owner graciously allowed us to check in a bit early. We popped in a load of laundry and then headed out for groceries. As expected, the steps were steep and narrow—very Dutch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dd5e6300-e97e-4e57-98bd-d55df7648931/tempImageESOVwI.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Here we are in Will’s favorite part of AH Grote Houtstraat (Translation: Albert Heijn, the largest grocery chain in the Netherlands, located on Grote Houtstraat street. Grote Houtstraat means Big Wood Street. Yikes! The kids are going to have fun with that one.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/67efaa13-9d75-4af2-acee-fd41aeb765ab/tempImageTTIar7.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Look Pam: broccoli! Nearly everything was labeled in Dutch, and we don’t speak “freaky deaky Dutch” (Austin Powers Goldmember), so you better believe we were using Google Translate on the regular. Now this will blow your mind: How do you say father in Dutch? It’s vader. I guess we shouldn’t have been so surprised when we heard the line, “Luke, I am your father.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6b29b1cc-472d-4a53-9382-cb626307d4d8/tempImageup9jxD.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out When you’re finished at the self-check register, a tiny stub of paper like this one pops out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f83565a7-ecb4-49a1-94c6-2a4456d25f22/tempImagepQspVg.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out As you try to exit, you must scan the barcode so the security bars swing open and allow you to leave the store. One final stop at Boulangerie Oscar (Oscar’s Bakery) for fresh bread and we were all set, Dutch style. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f767d1d7-1b0b-4216-b0c7-7d7b115efe9e/tempImageJTfvnI.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Amanda and I wear retainers to keep our teeth straight, and we need tabs to soak the retainers in to keep them clean. We bought more tabs from Etos in Haarlem. Etos is Netherland’s version of Boots from the UK, their store names are even written in the same script. Somehow the single massive word Gebitsbruistabletten translates as Dental Effervescent Tablets. Extra Sterk means Extra Strong and the tube contains 30 stuks (pieces). I just got a kick out of this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f594e261-4a70-4799-afab-b38fe0cff434/IMG_2895.PNG Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Back in our apartment I captured this image on Find My after Dave had just landed in Rio de Janeiro—wild! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/56611659-d5d7-4b51-aa43-e77a260b89a9/tempImageaIRW6x.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out On Saturday we took a train back into Amsterdam. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3d3f1bc5-4cc4-4375-8673-601445c09e65/tempImageoJaYWM.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out The original idea for this trip was to visit Amsterdam, so it was great to finally be in the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f299565a-74b7-4dfd-82f2-ceb045324990/tempImageLuS8Ew.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Tulips in front of our coffee shop. Across the street is the neo-Gothic Magna Plaza shopping center, which faces Dam Square. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f3e85f8e-f6f3-4749-a02d-1f1ff4a3132d/tempImageIuYBMH.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out We wandered along the streets and the canals until we arrived at probably the best-known building in Amsterdam—Otto Frank’s business premises at Prinsengracht 263. This was a private home built in 1635 between two warehouses. Recall for later that the front of the building contains three doors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/19e0fdac-7373-4654-a3ae-06ce9aa65ffe/tempImagejuqttF.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out In October 1938, Otto Frank took over Pectacon—a German pectin and spice company—from its founders. In 1940, Otto rented this building for his company. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f8a9cdd9-9e4d-4a61-8d96-97c8cbc292cd/navigatiemodel_-_voorgevelaan.jpg__2160x1296_q85_ALIAS-5_3_big_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out The building Otto rented included the main house (which you see in our photos) and its annex. The land along the Amsterdam canals was in high demand, which is why many of the properties are narrow and long. In order to create more living, working, and storage space, so-called “annexes” were built in the backyards of existing houses. As with many such houses, the first and second floors are connected by internal stairs; however, the third floor and attic are often separate residences reached through a different front door. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/810e2a89-d0ae-4247-80b1-379fae1a2b38/IMG_20190106_162751_dev_2.web.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out To allow daylight into both houses, the main houses and the annexes were separated by a courtyard. Here the courtyard is covered by a peaked, white roof (below the yellow oval). Along the far side, a narrow corridor connected the house and annex. However, only the first and second floors were connected. To reach the third floor and above, you had to go outside (the door at the far left is shown open) and use a separate staircase to reach the upper floors. At the landing (yellow oval), a door led to the house, but a bookcase was placed in front of the entrance to the upper two floors and attic of the annex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f45ad1d0-3f6a-4f4e-85d3-ac358838a06a/tempImageV90Fga.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Less than a block away is Westerkerk, the church whose bells Anne Frank mentions in her diary. Rembrandt is also buried inside. Surveying the swarms of people outside the museum, it’s startling to realize the impact of Anne’s young life. The Secret Annex, the chestnut tree, the church bells—all known the world over because of one ordinary person who wrote a journal. We will be visiting the Anne Frank House on Wednesday. “In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit.” —Anne Frank https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/98af4810-95bc-4793-b02b-acf2eeca5d14/tempImage8h4rgF.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out It would be hard to pick a favorite canal view, they are all so captivating in their own way. This is the view to the front of the Anne Frank House (as it is now known). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b86a6a01-aae7-415a-9803-4095642eb84d/tempImageZ6JW0d.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out On Reestraat bridge over Prinsengracht canal, looking back on Anne Frank’s Westerkerk (church). The Anne Frank House is just beyond the church. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4878bb68-52a2-466b-aa9b-4b57583adf23/tempImageMHBCxf.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out The same bridge as above with Amanda standing near the red sign. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dac6653a-48de-4f50-a5b5-920aa57f672f/tempImageLlubb2.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Houseboats were once the poor person’s way to live in Amsterdam. They are now prime real estate and quite expensive. This owner really chose to spruce up the place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aca91676-6116-49af-91b4-c1cc4a077f62/tempImageSyjDSW.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out These guys have got the right idea on a warm and sunny day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4f7cac3e-1b11-4eca-a3f6-f4b118a7c827/tempImagenmj1nb.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Everywhere you look, it’s just so beautiful. We did a canal cruise, but our boat was bigger and did not go on inner canals like this. We recommend looking tours on smaller boats so you can cruise the interior waterways. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/58dbc90b-fc73-482b-b1dc-94be5aec503c/tempImageLHds6S.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Much like the famous Dancing Houses nearby on Amstel (and so many others throughout the city) this place on Spiegelgracht is quite crooked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aae6ae3a-6729-44d3-9433-2c817942bd17/tempImagersEU9W.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Wild! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/45a940cd-ebda-44ae-a6df-c698817d0bd6/tempImagesLwMwF.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/48373fcc-da20-40ce-9bd0-4d5a561355da/tempImagevV94Lv.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Much as we prepared well in advance, many of the museums filled up before we could book. This is the Rijksmuseum, which houses many Dutch masterpieces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c9e758c2-1805-47f8-be35-7a9e046352f0/tempImageYHK7dq.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out It’s too nice a day to be indoors anyway. Here we are in the gorgeous little Rijksmuseum garden. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/79fd8d0d-f101-42b2-a619-9e86838bf6eb/tempImagexIe5Fj.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aa1a596f-e450-4325-a8a4-92f63abd527e/tempImageOh4UBn.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Mercury and Psyche https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/553af3df-461c-4fda-8910-d0cff01be702/tempImageBmKzKP.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out We feel like the tiredness is showing on our faces here. After a lot of walking and being in the sun all day, we were thrilled to find Vegan Temple Bar for dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5582adde-5854-4dfd-8711-5003a2bc5f35/tempImage1NhItd.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out Amanda had pesto pasta and I had the Smoky Temple Burger. The balls are a vegan take on bitterballen—a Dutch snack consisting of a very thick meat stew that is refrigerated until it firms, rolled into balls, breaded, and fried. Poor quality bitterballen is made with horse meat—yummy! As with our haggis, we’ll stick with the vegan bitterballen, which turned out to be super crispy and delicious! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7609707d-fadf-4bea-b4d7-3a5e57fb8901/tempImagev99qrE.jpg Blog - Amsterdam - Make it stand out A lovely German beer to go with my burger. We’ll be back on Wednesday for more Amsterdam. https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/au-revoir-bruxelles monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/88adf79b-6b44-4323-9c79-ed136acde0a6/tempImageVafhQQ.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out We returned to Buddy Buddy for brunch. This time we knew better—deux pains au chocolat s‘il vous plaît. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0ca7a80f-6aa5-41cb-92f4-b3e4483db569/tempImageW3MYZz.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out We then took the metro to the very northern part of Brussels to see the Atomium. Zoom in to see the guy hanging off the very left particle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0442b5bd-8456-4fce-95a0-c712ee24748a/tempImage1z9Mt7.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out Each of the particles within the giant stainless steel atom are connected by escalators. I’m sure it was all quite interesting, but paying $55 for us both to visit Atomium and the neighboring Mini-Europe exhibit just didn’t seem worth the cost. We settled for the external views and being able to say “we’ve been there.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2dcb0597-43fe-40fe-8c70-1042e148a430/tempImageVgVEfe.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out I love funny signs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6fd44471-9148-4680-9eaf-4be417f4ba67/tempImageU6JA9W.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out These are two related favorites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c16b7590-b8d7-4574-bf97-567872f066fb/tempImagem8q4fY.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out Back in central Brussels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a807e0aa-586b-42ce-8c61-81e0195940fe/tempImage8szfG6.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out It was our final day in Belgium—the official birthplace of French fries—so we made one last pilgrimage to Frites Atelier for their magnificent, triple-cooked, extra-crispy frites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/adb549ad-fb80-4827-a862-27b844f4d26c/tempImagexnVUBL.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out I wondered why there is an apple on their napkin. Pomme means apple in French, so is it “apple fries”? Turns out many languages use the word “apple” to refer to the potato as an “apple from the ground,” and “apple” is often used generically to refer to a fruit. So, the Garden of Eden’s “apple” may not necessarily be an apple as we Americans think of it today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e5b55e00-c874-4046-9c7e-7fc6bb079695/tempImageYvyqof.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out From fries to chocolates. Mary Delluc first opened a shop on this location on rue Royale in 1919. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/972d35e8-2ff5-49a5-96b7-6cdbce4b68c2/tempImageH7mGbP.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out Today, Mary Chocolatier is considered one of the most refined artisanal chocolate makers in the world. Can’t wait to savor our selections! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/89169823-fcac-4e64-8fae-4dc7c77ea6a5/tempImageweJNgu.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out We also added a few chocolates from Neuhaus, chocolatiers since 1857. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0fb3031b-be63-42aa-b762-b0f55e082452/tempImageJuF68I.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out I’d like to say these will make it home to share, but it’s unlikely. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d9211ac7-2359-4cdc-a10e-c542565bc871/tempImageFdTq22.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out We just learned on this trip that The Smurfs were created by Belgian comics artist Peyo. We learn something new every day! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7541a428-b134-48f6-a89b-ac01cad4e044/tempImagejfORda.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out As we were next door to Manneken Pis, we peeked around the corner to see if he had a costume change…and he did. Today he was a chef. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/feb92cb5-d3ef-49ac-a8fe-1002f11a5e15/IMG_2859.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out If you go online you’ll see that his entire wardrobe for the month is picked out for him. Today was the 10th, so his wardrobe is listed as “cook.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ed89349a-440a-4b6d-bbef-a15ad1259a64/tempImageSxUgBl.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out We tried to soak in the ambiance during one final walk through the Grand-Place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6ed39cdd-8028-42a1-8e10-285c26bbe2ff/tempImageO2XEsH.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out The detail work is so intricate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/71bcd039-9467-467f-a6cc-654f9916ec82/tempImageuhbJMd.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/72687bc0-52a2-44eb-950b-7a771fd204e3/tempImagew8wnod.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out One last waffle! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6f7e4a2d-87fc-4f74-9be1-a01c33733fd2/tempImagePXk4XB.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out And we know the perfect place to enjoy it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/134eea17-db00-45b4-9c97-07491d12c81d/tempImagehpnJqP.jpg Blog - Au Revoir Bruxelles - Make it stand out Yummy! We finished off our stay with a Belgian Beer Tasting Experience from 7:45 to 9. Our host was a student here from Texas and our fellow tasters were from San Ramon, CA; Ireland; and Russia. We finally learned that lambic beers don’t add yeast but allow natural, wild yeast present in the air to enter the wort, producing a “spontaneous fermentation” process. We tried Oude Gauze Boon and a Kriek—very interesting! It’s off to Amsterdam tomorrow morning. Until then… https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/bruges monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/781eda12-434d-42f3-b8e1-8979257e2e6f/02784000-a309-436e-a0e8-3484e50d3f5f_screenshot.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out “Here’s the chocolate. It’s from Bruges. That’s in Belgium.” —Dr. Evil to Mini Me https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2f7ca2bd-f4c1-4cdf-8b03-d990a69eead5/tempImageNmJQNH.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out We woke early so we could catch the 8 a.m. train in Brussels and make it to Bruges by 9. The walk from our hotel to the Central train station was a quick 10-minute walk, so we arrived calm, cool, and collected. Panic quickly set in because the signs indicating which of the six platforms our train would depart from were quite confusing. We asked a worker and ran to that platform, only to find out he was wrong. We finally made it to the correct platform with about five minutes to spare. Phew! ‍ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/839776d1-b7bd-4edd-9824-4ead8c9d0bc0/tempImage09DNzG.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out In Bruges, we got on the correct bus, but headed in the opposite direction we intended. Once we finally figured out the bus system, Amanda found the perfect salve for nerves frayed so early in the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e4f95368-2c39-45e1-865c-ffe661a1fe31/tempImagecldQpN.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out We began our tour of Bruges with a canal tour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/247f7a62-1693-46e6-8a5a-83bdc94603a8/tempImageAZdnkI.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Forget mind the gap, in Bruges it’s mind your head. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2915c0d3-b1ad-4a3f-810b-a7e29ac65fa2/tempImagef6T9wo.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/82748d15-f5e4-4fc7-b170-300fc507e0ac/tempImageKgln4n.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out This city is next-level beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/65c41ff6-06fb-4f4d-b926-ead60371cec3/tempImageCfi9Lu.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/27f8ab88-66df-4d01-832b-84ba916bbb3b/tempImagen9O69Y.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a5fbe5c5-265f-4dc1-b293-71449445c322/tempImageFXVbAD.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d8044cda-895c-4df6-a160-8f96a98de210/tempImageHZI8J8.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6f61e13f-1707-4045-8fe7-16460f426cf2/tempImageryfmaT.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Fresh Belgium chocolates on a canal boat—bonus! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ecb64d02-0609-4ef3-af9d-a3f873cba9f2/tempImage2YMrNX.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out The house used in the 1959 movie The Nun’s Story staring Audrey Hepburn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/24750943-4207-436d-8bea-e7c0230bcf4b/tempImageTiLVrx.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out A pair of beautiful swans share their canal with us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f984eb9e-44ec-4a23-a674-6a3770d17faa/tempImageK1Z3jI.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Every stretch of the city is filled with architectural perfection. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/475b7ab9-f1ae-4be8-8682-7f560c0618e0/tempImagebXKxsK.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out The place on the left is a B&B. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/102189b9-ec5e-4f19-9698-2ca9b8152b3f/tempImagenwMEnE.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out St. Bonifacius Bridge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6dad2def-b63d-4161-bc6b-a62b11c9faac/tempImageLuVLjg.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Church of our Lady behind St. Bonifacius Bridge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ef984d20-90f2-4d00-ace0-bcae7c01c224/tempImage8T6al4.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Another tour boat making its way down the canal. I shudder to think how busy this place must be during the summer months. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/51164117-d193-42a0-9946-417c28548c4a/tempImageQXOZb9.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out The Burg (Middle Dutch for Fortress) is a former fortress and one of the main squares and one of the oldest parts of the city. The Burg was originally surrounded by walls and had entrance gates. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f920cb8c-2012-4185-8af1-03d71b2f9a5e/tempImageaNmpz6.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Deep in the corner of the Burg is Basilica of the Holy Blood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/26a484c5-702b-43f6-ab0d-c1802a8b0882/tempImage0ZcJ6R.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/87b603e6-59af-4fef-9fb4-2b894ddfbcae/tempImageiyYDt5.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Surprisingly, the elaborate artwork is not the Basillica’s primary draw. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b130880b-5a4b-4e98-b470-02f8e6952a1d/tempImagenYwaAE.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out The priest in the distance is sitting in front of a wooden case allegedly containing a relic holding the actual blood of Christ. We walked passed and saw the relic, but photos were not permitted. Joseph of Arimathea owned the garden where the body of Jesus was placed. He washed Jesus’ bloody body with cloths and then wrapped his body in a shroud. Allegedly, the cloths soaked in Jesus' blood were kept in Jerusalem like the other Passion relics. Current theory is that the Bruges relic was taken during the fall and looting of Constantinople in 1204 and brought by crusaders to Western Europe and eventually to the Basilica. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2b16dc19-07bc-48ee-a829-0df47c5a3ed8/tempImageNBfD9v.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out A charming passageway that was once a gateway to the Burg. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/37c7f442-3acf-4fd9-9c8a-89db0b373672/tempImage2ZlXll.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7e3f0380-8b3a-47ef-8817-0c16c3121a22/tempImageBV7O7E.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Meringues https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/85a2e0e6-161b-4620-86ee-3b402df7ac1a/tempImage5w8qVp.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Springtime in Bruges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f29f2d4c-1be2-43d1-917b-46811c4420b0/tempImageAmf2EZ.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4089637f-f41d-48f3-9c73-d379a46eb4f9/tempImageNuN0VV.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out The Provincial Court overlooking Bruges’ Grand-Place/Grote Markt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e7b9c279-7b9e-42ff-947b-ec1ec87be44e/tempImage41ekM1.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out One of the most photographed views in the city: Rozenhoedkaai or Rosary Quay (pronounced “Key”) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/71c066bf-f680-461b-ab73-2544de526085/tempImageF81UYI.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out We ended our day in Bruges with a beer on the “beer wall” behind Amanda. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3e1844da-a9c5-48c8-ab78-6c295c079483/tempImageAt4PpR.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Rosary Quay and the “beer wall.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d4a83d46-4f13-4f64-90cd-379cbcad0e5a/tempImagemtzz0n.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out The classic “stepped façade“ common in Bruges architecture . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bb4f34bc-0253-4341-a898-e0d9bce5e1c5/tempImagev37oLq.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b924962e-b32f-46bf-a8e4-82c37673f66d/tempImagekbvP21.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out The four food groups of Belgium. I love the ribbon: “Look Out Below”! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fca5670d-3179-4b96-8a6e-891367071329/tempImageZroQ4F.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Medieval charm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a463ae02-d9ca-4b8f-901b-943546f34bfe/tempImagezT2oME.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/88d8c9e5-d073-4d14-ac60-64e9898f742f/tempImageZZSo0K.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out We had chocolates this morning, must be time for a waffle at Chocolate Bar Bruges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e531f63-7c9d-4252-bcdd-2375e09c6ded/tempImageAgIuMx.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out We’ve been averaging about 6 miles a day and 13K+ steps, so hopefully we’re working off all the goodies we’re consuming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1b7c6f7a-66b8-46b1-b113-a5d300bedee8/tempImageiachYA.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Ending our day in Bruges at the “beer wall.” Two local brews: Amanda has a Blanche de Bruges and I have a Fourchette. Santé! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6afa64e4-0a30-4a63-9d31-311a121cbfc4/tempImageIdlGua.jpg Blog - Bruges - Make it stand out Bruges was such a delightful city to visit. You simply could not walk without stopping to gawk at some new and beautiful site. Now, add to that image walking down ancient cobbled streets and continually smelling fresh waffles baking. Bruges was like a dream! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/brussels-part-deux monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/46dd689f-f3e6-4881-bf5e-0798177098ac/tempImagev71TXr.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out We started Tuesday morning with breakfast at Buddy Buddy coffee shop. The shop crafts organic nut butters from peanuts, almonds, and hazelnuts and uses them as the basis for their drinks and pastries. Amanda had a praline hot chocolate and a chocolate, peanut butter, & sea salt cookie (right). I had a praline mocha and pain au chocolat. The cookie was great, the drinks were velvety and delicious, but it was the pain au chocolat that stole the show. It was the perfect mix of flaky and dense richness that easily rivaled the traditional version. The perfect way to start the day! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a1bcc443-0efe-4b3b-aba6-cdc414384cb8/tempImage0r5uDH.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out We hoped back on the metro and then walked to the European Parliament. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/688ce564-a9e7-4612-b775-2365eac1a742/tempImageXy4opK.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/213c53c3-6425-46d7-8ae0-1563713aa07c/tempImageUJflp2.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e4538431-77bf-4a96-8898-0db89822a268/tempImagesV35p6.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f3b27466-3702-489a-a3d8-ec9612266c66/tempImageMzdbjS.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out The metro then delivered us to the Monument du Cinquantenaire which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Belgian Revolution, when the independent Kingdom of Belgium seceded from the Netherlands. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/72842401-1ad3-4907-9f3e-99a69bc6369b/tempImagekxDydG.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/156fc360-798e-404d-9024-875104e70174/tempImagecWGbC4.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out On average it rains 200 days a year in Belgium, which calculates out to 55% of the time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/afe76f31-2964-4e29-aa9e-d0e27fcb3059/tempImageoYM04A.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Apparently, we managed to defy all odds by having four consecutive warm and sunny days to explore the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/aaa66e68-f95a-4e9b-869e-6c3101419bb3/tempImagesEMzQK.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out This Golden Retriever was loving life chasing a stick his owners threw into the fountain in Parc de Bruxelles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1342b63e-5712-49cc-a7b3-43dc27be22bf/tempImageXYaDaa.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c180a525-5117-4c08-8a0f-103e25fcba60/tempImagedfTOsK.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2a8f082c-312e-4b55-8150-cc8e93f6ddff/tempImagefMnwFH.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5e6259fd-0602-405b-aab7-33fda36e4df3/tempImagenF3ZPt.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Belgium Chocolates—the perfect afternoon snack. Item #4 ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0c0df95c-4dc6-4677-beef-49e72b277756/tempImagenOwQQn.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out The Royal Palace of Brussels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/16341d98-3c6f-4ca1-9279-da2a2282dee2/tempImagemhTIjo.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out The Brussels-Capital Region is governed by the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, which includes a Minister-President and four ministers, two of whom are French-speaking and two Dutch-speaking, along with three State Secretaries, at least one of whom must be Dutch-speaking. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e3f336c2-2fa1-498d-b403-0455548a9fee/tempImagedWNFVZ.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Such beautiful buildings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e02cd2f3-75c7-4b0b-ba15-7d3dca343990/tempImageIVeeI0.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Mont des Arts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/69a1b346-e4d0-4f02-809d-25fdcd7ad509/tempImageAHRCJ6.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Then it was finally time to visit Manneken Pis (Dutch for Little Pissing Man). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a1b14e58-29af-404b-a2c4-de54a4f0a48b/tempImageQ6VT7v.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out The little guy is continually changing his costumes. Today he was dressed in an outfit representing Actiris, the regional employment office in Brussels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6f293d1c-fca6-4cc8-8288-e771d816cffc/tempImageszV3YF.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out He has had so many outfits over the years that there is an entire museum nearby dedicated solely to his many outfits. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/237aa247-06db-4320-bc5d-0e6c6fe79692/tempImageEwfU0i.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/38378f3d-1a79-43ef-b270-ef1e24579982/tempImageu8gsgU.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/abf197c2-01c1-454b-9e2c-fbfb4b43af22/tempImageV6hJOI.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out On the side of the museum is a mural celebrating 30 years of Pis. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0cc13faa-6ac9-4a13-9a42-52c4674ae015/tempImageZZghcY.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out The side of this restaurant reads: Drink. Eat. Pee—which pretty much sums up life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5616ebd7-2b1f-4876-bb53-d1519845c03b/tempImageMF9Fn1.jpg Blog - Brussels Part Deux - Make it stand out We ended the day with dinner at Liu Lin. Amanda had the Crispy Chicky Bowl (right) and I had Liu’s Coconut Curry (left), with a side of veggie prawn crackers. It was a delicious way to end the day. In case you’re wondering, we had chocolates for lunch, a waffle as an afternoon snack, fries and beer for dessert—all four Belgium food groups were enjoyed on day deux! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/brussels monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7a137ad5-4ddf-4826-85ae-c3c19dd03bc7/tempImageDEL8Ii.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out All aboard the 9:01 a.m. Eurostar at St. Pancras International in London. Soon we were under the English Channel for 20 minutes, through France, and on to Brussels, Belgium. We managed to get on the tram from the train station and make our way to our hotel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8330b4b0-fb4f-499a-9a6b-6f1a16966031/tempImageAQpd8P.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out We dropped our bags at the hotel and made our way to the Grand-Place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f015a4c4-f45e-4d88-aeeb-2c1ed3c77068/tempImageHMKIMX.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out The Grand-Place (French for Grand Square) is also known as Grote Markt (Dutch for Big Market). With so many mesmerizingly beautiful buildings on all four sides, it’s difficult to know where to focus your attention. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/cdb49354-b552-4087-b749-5eae917edb71/tempImageY3P6mA.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out Belgium is famous for four things: waffles, beer, French fries, and chocolate. We wasted no time checking #1 off the list… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a4ad0fd8-2760-4d13-9bb5-6c68eca07e52/tempImage3ckGAi.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out Erica, surprisingly these are also GF! AND…you would have no idea if someone didn’t tell you. Très délicieux!! ✅ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/99401164-e696-491a-a39b-5e42f71d2a29/tempImage1iyFNo.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out The streets are brimming with olde world charm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3dba16e5-2057-41d3-9303-204547cc6f71/tempImagegVmrGz.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/175917a9-e1fe-4547-838a-3ea2e5669942/tempImage0AQ3eB.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out Belgium may be famous for four things, but Brussels is also famous for three slightly naughty peeing statues. We saw the two lessor-known ones today. This is Jeanneke Pis, Dutch for Little Pissing Joan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d08b1616-c1a6-4a0a-bc03-7d3e39836321/tempImage4EewMe.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out Joan is rather realistic in her depiction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0f68c82b-c7e0-4ab1-b366-fd28d3335678/tempImageX4s36F.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out And then there’s this little scamp, Het Zinneke (Dutch for the mutt), who is sometimes called Zinneke Pis to match the more well-known two-legged Manneken and Jeanneke. We’ll visit the famous Manneken Pis tomorrow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dd4fd740-0008-4b32-93ed-35d7575bd2df/tempImagewiiKOS.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out This guy is a bit more conservative than his human counterparts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f53412d0-4140-4f9e-b74b-63edd422b7a7/tempImagejwgfe0.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out We stopped in Delirium Taphouse to checkout the second thing Belgium’s is famous for—bière. Amanda had a Campus Premium lager/pilsner from Huyghe Brewery based in Melle, East Flanders, Belgium. I had a Bersalis blonde ale from Oud Beersel, an artisanal lambic brewery based in Beersel, Belgium. ✅ ✅ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/625a322f-aa4b-452a-829f-1e19533d0c5a/tempImageHxk8Ku.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out Finally, it was time for some of the famous Belgium frites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c1b62be4-ce8e-4bda-9beb-331e518fce3c/tempImagevbR7w5.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out “French fries” actually come from Belgium, not France. During WWI, American soldiers stationed in Belgium, where French is spoken, encountered the dish and mistakenly attributed it to France, even though frites are a Belgian specialty. The Hoegaarden Wit (white) bier was refreshing and especially tasty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e6d02d5e-54c5-4125-8e68-1fd23728c2ad/tempImagew4IDsS.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out Frites Atelier uses Zeeland clay potatoes, known for their slightly earthier and richer profile. They first boil them in hot water to fluff them up, then they fry them in vegetable oil, and then fry them a second time to make them extra crispy. Sooo delicious! ✅ ✅ ✅ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/abc10e83-2a2e-4fd1-83e6-3ae3fa6722ec/tempImageLea2sh.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out Frites Atelier is also famous for their variety of homemade sauces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b1b6a1cc-b3ad-49ce-9367-19ce3fa66bb5/tempImageiJFXoJ.jpg Blog - Bienvenue à Bruxelles - Make it stand out For the love of all that is holy…WHY?! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/three-more-days monthly 0.5 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/916adcdf-d628-48a7-85dc-e368cc4b40a2/tempImageH3OL9a.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out We did laundry on Friday morning and then headed out to visit the Charles Dickens Museum in the afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e50a943e-7a3c-4c19-bb33-9fcfced6407b/tempImageZEYFyw.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Charles Dickens lived in several homes in London, but the most notable and the only remaining one is 48 Doughty Street. (The museum purchased Number 49 to run reception, a café, restrooms, and meeting spaces in the adjacent property, so I guess we should have taken our photo one door over.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/dc3510da-d41f-4283-bcce-e2d1cc81aed9/tempImageth9dED.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out He lived in this Georgian terraced house in Bloomsbury, London from 1837 to 1839. The museum is arranged over five floors reflecting the domestic layout Dickens would have known. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1e778638-e0f8-42ea-9a71-932f4dae5c4d/tempImageSDYgHN.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Charles, his wife Catherine (above), and their first child moved into Doughty Street in 1837, the year Queen Victoria began her reign. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/421f7d42-7a22-4dd7-b6f7-f4b6cc8652d3/tempImageWP7iIC.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out He arrived a little-known young writer. When he and his growing family left almost three years later, he was an international superstar, having written The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, and Nicholas Nickleby. This is the desk and chair at which Dickens wrote many of his later works, including A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Our Mutual Friend. It stood in the bay window of the study at his home, Gad's Hill Place, overlooking the front lawn with its sweeping drive (below). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a55f9805-131c-477b-ba33-4739f159be7e/81973699_dickensdeskpainting.2.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The desk and chair were honored in this haunting engraving entitled The Empty Chair by artist Luke Fildes. Lamenting Dicken’s death, it shows his writing desk and chair abandoned in his study. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7bd5bec9-a580-4741-98a0-3543a9d21abc/tempImageBTJlrz.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out This unfinished painting by Robert W. Buss, featuring the desk and chair, came to be known as Dickens's Dream and was painted after Dickens's death to celebrate the author's vivid imagination. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f4560f7d-fd5e-467f-8842-85cdd2d6c255/tempImage0l6Q2n.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out His brother-in-law, Henry Burnett, recalls observing Dickens sitting in this chair in this corner of this room one evening, writing Oliver Twist. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8ac0ad00-7ccb-4acb-abd8-5e3032a1e8d6/tempImageWL1DYn.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The building block behind us is the south stretch of Claremont Square. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e329b4e-b270-4a10-bcfe-58f4eaddc0b4/tempImagew2cZjC.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Claremont Square is a muggle neighborhood in Islington, London. However, to the wizarding world in the movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, this is Grimmauld Place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bb2b3b5a-045a-4cf6-8ca0-1ad541458943/tempImage6rekeY.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The scene opens with a bin lorry slowly moving down the street before Mad Eye Moody, Harry, Tonks, Shaklebolt, and two other wizards emerge through this gate. Moody taps his stave on the ground thrice and then the buildings magically begin expanding, completely unnoticed by the muggles watching telly within. The doorway exposed is 12 Grimmauld Place, the Black family's ancestral home and Order of the Phoenix headquarters. (See Number 23, the middle black door above.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/eeceb92d-7d8d-45ef-8c14-6fbb98aeaec3/tempImagewX3Nbo.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out We popped in King’s Cross Station for a spot of tea and were reminded of a funny story from our 2015 visit. A young boy ran out of the toilets behind Amanda, followed by his mother and older sister. Amanda heard the sister ask her mother, “Did he really just do a poo? He was only in there for like five seconds!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e37f67b4-4022-4137-92eb-98ed372711db/tempImageoBc5z3.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out On our way to dinner in the East End we passed this “chippy” (fish and chips shop). This is the neighborhood where the serial killer Jack the Ripper committed his crimes in 1888, and the name is a wonderful pun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2dee42a1-cf30-4961-95fc-defa4c806e43/tempImageFa5CVx.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out After becoming a monk, Renshōbō (originally Kumagai Jirō) vowed to always face West, and he famously rode his horse backward to achieve this, as he traveled from Kyoto to the Kantō region of Japan. The act of riding backward is symbolic of his commitment to his monastic path. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d500105c-7980-4bc6-b003-d0abbe16d4ac/tempImageCY0Do1.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out We were in San Diego when Amanda got an Instagram notification that Unity Diner was reopening in London. Their opening day was today, Friday, April 4, 2025. We immediately made a booking. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1bfb420c-92ec-483c-a515-3f11691a981e/tempImagemlOnNG.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out I ordered a Forest Road POSH Lager. Once Amanda tasted it, she ordered one too. Delicious! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2ea25113-0a7a-4c38-b990-ddf9d7a3e00e/tempImagesq7V1r.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Amanda ordered the Classic Caesar Salad. They used shredded, seasoned mushrooms as the chick’n. The flavor was good, but she did not care for the chewy texture. My Double Bacon Cheeseburger, on the other hand, was hands down the best vegan burger I have had since making the switch five years ago. I would go back just to order this again! We also had an amazing Chocolate Torte for dessert. Unity Diner is a non-profit restaurant whose proceeds support Surge Sanctuary in England. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e87b73b-1839-41c4-9c73-d6010ea241e8/tempImageF9pAXo.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out You know you are living in a place that is often cloudy, cold, and rainy when a glorious Saturday comes along, because the entire population heads outdoors. We walked from our apartment on the north, through Kensington Gardens, to the Albert Memorial on the south. We found ourselves among hundreds of pedestrians, large groups of runners, bicyclist, parents pushing prams, and dogs, dogs, dogs that filled the paths and green spaces under clear skies and the warm sun. The premature death of Prince Albert at 42 years of age was a shock that sparked a wave of mourning across Britain. His wife, Queen Victoria (1819-1901), commissioned this magnificent memorial to her beloved husband. At the bottom of the Albert Memorial, the “Parnassus Frieze” depicts 169 figures of genius like Shakespeare and Beethoven. The only woman is the Pharaoh, Nitocris. Dogs keep artists Hogarth and Veronese company. The four marble sculptures above the frieze represents agriculture, manufacture, commerce, and engineering—linking Prince Albert to industrialized Britain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ff238009-2151-44c7-92b6-ed519272a7b5/tempImagez2ylV8.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Each corner is marked by representations of continents that contributed to the Great Exhibition of 1851, which Albert helped to organize. This plinth represents the continent of Africa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1fbabda9-0f4b-4b67-9594-a6386ee4fbaf/tempImageZXfyjd.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Asia plinth. Prince Albert was the driving force behind the Great Exhibition of 1851. The event was held at Hyde Park, inside a huge glass palace built for the occasion. This ambitious event showcased cultural and industrial objects from around the world, attracting six million visitors. It was Albert's idea to use the profits from the exhibition to create a neighborhood of educational, cultural, and scientific institutions. Nicknamed “Albertopolis,” this area includes world-famous sites like the Natural History Museum, Royal College of Art, and Royal Albert Hall. The Albert Memorial sits on the exact spot where the central axis of the Great Exhibition meets the central axis of Albertopolis. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/923b1d59-d9f8-4943-bab5-1292f8fbdd0b/tempImageem7MUe.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Europe plinth. Following their wedding in 1840, Prince Albert won favor in his new country through sheer hard work. Albert believed in modernization and was a generous patron of the arts, as well as science and innovation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c937743f-5ac7-4ae4-9add-5b2c85eaccee/tempImageNizoSr.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The Americas plinth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bc628968-7bb7-45ea-981a-bb9dc3c3f37f/tempImageM6zjUQ.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The idea of their marriage was initially encouraged by family members, but the couple fell deeply in love. It’s all it bit creepy though considering they were first cousins—exactly like if Rachel and Matt married. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1128c1f0-35c5-4922-8250-5ad8132b8b39/tempImages6GM26.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The cross at the top indicated Albert was a Christian prince. The cross stands above two tiers of angles, representing heavenward aspiration. Below the angles, the four figures on the corners represent the “moral virtues” of prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice. The four figures in between depict the “Christian virtues” of faith, hope, charity, and humility. The triangular mosaics represent the arts of poetry, painting, architecture, and sculpture. Below are eight sculptures (only two can be seen), in two tiers that represent the sciences. The four at the bottom symbolise astronomy, chemistry, geometry, and geology. Rhetoric, medicine, philosophy, and physiology are just above. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6ad42c5a-9328-4f2e-86ce-cbd534f0f022/tempImageMl4qWr.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The elaborate V&A Café inside the Victoria and Albert Museum. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/16307b1b-3334-40f7-99b3-279c214d5d62/tempImageiSuAw7.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Time for a mocha and a spot of tea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/309f0cc0-9714-4258-9ee4-b0364c682148/tempImagex8h6sj.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Back in the garden in front of our apartment (basement below the green door) to enjoy the afternoon sun, more tea, and our books. A most pleasant London Saturday indeed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4ec592ab-2d78-40ff-b723-51ac4cc767b4/IMG_3197.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Our last full day in London was Sunday—the entire reason we planned our flight through Heathrow in the first place—to see a performance of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre in London’s famous West End. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fd1c5986-63a3-4f92-8383-f2dc4e4d06c9/tempImageigC9er.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Outside the Palace Theatre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d9663c65-aa5b-4bf0-8cfe-a1ad9674e273/tempImageLibwvK.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out When the Palace Theatre was opened in 1891, it was the most ornate entertainment venue in London and described as “the handsomest music hall in Europe.” The Phantom of the Opera, one of the most successful musicals of all time, was written while its composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, lived in his flat at the top of the theatre. Les Misérables played here for 19 years before Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opened in 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/069f867f-1780-439b-b457-a1d6c5f4b088/tempImagefukGEC.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out We purchased great seats at the front of the Dress Circle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8af576c9-e860-4fed-b4b7-c8ce8639e97a/tempImageYsjPDf.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The play opens where the final movie ends, at King’s Cross Station Platform 9¾ with Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, & Astoria seeing their children off to Hogwarts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3445cd2a-f810-428d-982b-133b2cf79d92/tempImageYENo5m.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/81c0a0e4-8fae-4e4a-b39c-93cad677dc8d/tempImageY4OguO.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The Palace is apparently home to the ghosts of Charles Morton (1904), Anna Pavlova (1931), & Ivor Novello (1951). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1485dcf0-610e-45e0-892e-83f386911406/tempImageQZL6HL.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The play is in two parts. Part I began at 1 p.m., and with the intermission, ended at about 3:45 p.m. with this scene of Voldemort Day! Just before the first half ended, two huge dementors appeared on the stage…and then a third one came out from the box seat to our right and flew right up to us before slowly making it’s way to the two upper balconies. It was some seriously impressive theatrics to say the least! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3fba8a54-ebbb-4d86-947d-67cb06c951fa/tempImageb6s1Dz.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out On the recommendation of my good friend Tina Bayles, we made a 4:15 booking for dinner at Circolo Popolare (Italian for the “popular circle”). This restaurant is not to be confused with Circulo Populare, which apparently is the traffic circle in front of Trafalgar Square and the complete opposite direction from the theatre as the restaurant! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9ac875b8-4dc0-4404-b1c2-fd2fe3d45bc4/tempImagexXjO6y.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out I cannot believe we had never heard of this place. Even at 4:15 in the afternoon, it was packed with people—popular indeed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/62c97df2-85cd-4ebb-9eda-e18fd15eacff/tempImage9dm5sP.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out The interior is filled with a mind-bottling collection of empties. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f76803dd-a538-49f1-8249-663340457f3d/tempImageZR1kc7.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Amanda had a glass of Grappa Il Prosecco Nonino that put to shame any other Prosecco we may have had in the past. We started with some focaccia—Bella!. Amanda had pasta with a plant-based ricotta—Bellissino! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/12fcdc37-fa08-4907-85f5-abb2532e5bca/tempImage5E2CN2.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out I had a lovely, breaded and lightly fried eggplant (aubergine) with tomato sauce. Suffice it to say, neither of us had had pasta or sauce like this before—Delizioso! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b38f721c-edcc-4238-ab11-2d4531d6f9fc/tempImage9wb6vH.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Saluti Tina! Prego! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/912e7afb-b104-4426-b0a9-3470623b1c46/IMG_3198.jpg Blog - Charles, Albert & Harry - Make it stand out Dinner was amazing! As was the second half of the play. We laughed, we cried—it truly was an experience we will remember and treasure. https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/downton-amp-binsey monthly 0.5 2026-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c5e5810d-a5e3-4712-ab80-bd3e1e57c27e/tempImageOrcmUk.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out On our walk to pick up our rental car we passed The Wild Table of Love sculpture just outside Paddington Station. The plaque reads, “The Wild Table of Love by internationally renowned artists, Gillie and Marc, features a banquet table full of delicious food, hosted by internationally beloved hybrid characters, Rabbitwoman and Dogman. Sharing their table with ten of the most endangered animals in the world, they are opening their hearts to the wild world, promising to protect them from the threat of extinction. When we sit and share a meal, we share friendship and support. With two empty seats at the table, you can join the family of love, becoming a protector of wildlife and saving many species from the threat of extinction. This is part of the broader 'Love The Last' project, a social movement driven by public art to raise awareness, funds, and support for endangered animals across the world, encouraging people to take action before we lose these animals forever.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/42826c4f-0000-4de0-bf74-61d9b119cd7e/tempImageXGhdKW.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Our rental was a Nissan Qashqai, the name under which the compact SUV is known in all countries except in the United States. The Qashqai are Turkic people who live in mountainous Central and Southwestern Iran. In the U.S., the car was rebadged the Rogue Sport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/378e1589-a25c-475b-8b6f-6e4f0f47ed0f/tempImage7uU9Ya.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Foul King John https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f3b35a96-a008-4bd5-891e-524903a45fa1/prince-john-872x600.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2077f58c-5048-4b47-97c2-d1f79f8372e8/tempImagebpG4f3.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Our first stop was at Runnymede. In this meadow met King John and his supporters, the rebel barons, and Archbishop of England on June 15, 1215. The first jury originated from Clause 39 of Magna Carta, which states: “No free man shall be arrested or imprisoned or disseised [property taken] or outlawed or exiled or in any way victimized, neither will we attack him or send anyone to attack him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers [men of equal status] or by the law of the land.” From 1215, all trials were held in front of a jury of 12 local men, who decided the verdict. It wasn't until the twentieth century in Britain that women were called as jurors. The Jurors sculpture above was created in 2015 by British sculptor Hew Locke. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b88b81e3-e2a3-4d83-91f5-16d3ad961490/tempImageph0VdN.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Also at Runnymede is the Kennedy Memorial. The memorial is entered by passing through this gate. The quote on the front is from his inauguration as president in 1961 and the quote on the back is from his address to the American University in Washington D.C. in 1963. These were carefully chosen to reflect Kennedy's exceptional ability as a speechmaker and the enduring impact of his words, inspiring future generations to strive to make a better world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/860a2c23-f9b8-4637-8dec-eedc957961ce/tempImageHkAoXA.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Amanda is standing on American soil inside the U.K. The memorial, and the land it is on, was given to the people of the United States after President Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963. The memorial was funded by public donations and the U.K. government, while the land was donated by Queen Elizabeth Il who dedicated the memorial to Kennedy in 1965. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/856b5c49-6fbd-452a-8ba6-222dfe3b88b1/tempImageYLOfMY.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Architect Geoffrey Jellicoe designed the steep, 50-step path, reflecting the number of American states. The 60,000 granite setts that make up the path represent the trials of the individual pilgrim on their personal journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/421b60a9-2d10-4549-b648-83a0d0c110b1/tempImageH9wrB9.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out At the top is this seven-ton rectangular memorial made of Portland stone. Here the steps level off to encourage visitors to pause and reflect on Kennedy's life and tragic death. To the right of the memorial is a stone path that leads to two Seats of Reflection overlooking the Thames, representing the President and First Lady. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0b98c488-7b83-4088-b892-c5acfa030312/tempImageGt6Mqd.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out On the hilltop overlooking the meadow of Runnymede and the River Thames just beyond. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7137ee3e-46b9-4544-b0c8-477c80bfadb7/tempImage971bEm.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The first meeting of the American Bar Association (ABA) after the Second World War took place at Runnymede in 1957. Over 5,000 guests from America and Britain celebrated their shared legal traditions by unveiling the first large scale memorial to Magna Carta at Runnymede. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/116effb9-6537-490b-9814-3d584707ea7a/tempImagev3UsWh.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out After America freed itself from British rule, the ideals of Magna Carta inspired the American Bill of Rights and Constitution. Unlike Britain, where the monarch is the ultimate lawgiver, in America it is the collective will of the people as represented by the Constitution—Freedom Under Law. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/af2c2191-9f23-46e1-a099-13cdea2970ed/tempImagerjRmZW.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out On March 16, 1994, the Prime Minster of India, Parnaparthi Narasimha Rao, planted an English oak tree here alongside a memorial stone that reads, “As a tribute to the historic Magna Carta: a source of inspiration throughout the world and as an affirmation of the values of Freedom, Democracy, and the Rule of Law which the People of India cherish and have enshrined in their Constitution.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9d339923-7cc6-47aa-a90a-e150e42b7dab/tempImagesjDvSY.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f141f8f8-e341-4b7d-8392-e0eb4ab9732b/tempImage0XXb84.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Our second stop was to Picket Post Close. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/64ef6b1b-155a-4e1a-af4b-15461df8d30f/tempImagemevKP8.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out 12 Picket Post Close was the original exterior for Number Four Privet Drive, Harry Potter’s childhood home, which he shared with Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley “Dinky Duddydums” Dursley. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/03eab8ea-fc25-4151-935d-4b8627b0d2a2/resize.png Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Rather than being in Little Whinging, Surrey, the home is situated in the predominantly muggle town of Bracknell, Berkshire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0aee77b6-22cd-4c81-a1b6-594965928fa1/tempImageunHYfJ.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out This home was only used as Number Four Privet Drive in the first Harry Potter film. Most wizards who have been on the Warner Bros. Harry Potter studio tour will know that Privet Drive was replicated in a studio for the subsequent seven wizarding movies. (Looking at this photo and the one above, it seems the neighbors to the left did a bit of remodeling over the garage. Looks like they added CG chimneys too.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/fcbd155f-4a56-4f77-9f87-61112f3a7845/tempImageEgDKxY.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Stop 3 was to the incomparable Highclere Castle, better known the world over as Downton Abbey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1e7fc48b-5d09-46a5-b3e9-18df45350947/tempImageaDWDMZ.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out This incredible green man was carved into a large tree stump on the drive up to the house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e8362dc-213a-4aae-8cbf-a6ba8b93ae77/tempImageNpUrWB.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The house is rarely open, so we were quite pleased to see there were openings during our short stay in London. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/400c3117-b773-4e63-b5c5-1999eca74e3c/tempImagexxEXWn.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out In the secret garden. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8de8a375-9559-4ab1-b48c-576db9b3bfbb/tempImage29kY1z.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6b35d1d4-df28-4fbc-865d-6dd9476997cb/tempImagerajwGF.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out At the famous front door. Sadly, there are no photographs allowed inside. We can only report that standing in the famous towering salon, next to the green silk walls of the drawing room, below the many portraits in the dining room, and touching the books and red couches in the library were nothing short of thrilling! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5e73314a-1fc3-46c3-a19c-913d3929ce72/tempImageYD6uOW.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The greatest moment of all, of course, was walking down the grand staircase! We couldn’t take any pictures, so we just had to walk down slowly, sliding our hands over the handrail and savoring every moment! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/378da41b-34d2-41fa-a353-fa404d2aeb6a/61964751.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out One of Amanda’s many YouTube influencers recommended this book. She read it, loved it, and recommended it to me. I too really enjoyed the story, which is largely set in the small village of Binsey, just outside Oxford. Binsey became our fourth and final stop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f2ae344b-ea68-4816-a5ed-108fbc2f7612/tempImageem8RGN.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The story includes other real-life locations including the charming pub known as The Perch and the tiny parish church of St. Margaret’s, aka The Church and The Perch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b1f2eef6-2193-401b-9115-9a23a770bbc1/tempImagetP6qkH.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The church farmhouse mentioned in the book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/73eff09d-b95f-42a1-a2bc-56e89c8ae46b/tempImageYcagy1.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Approaching St. Margaret’s, where legend says St. Frideswide, the patron saint of Oxford, built an oratory (small chapel) in Saxon times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e658910d-e20d-47e2-923e-44957162c343/tempImage2DQMeI.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Born about 680, the daughter of a Christian nobleman, Frideswide was pursued by the Mercian prince Algar, who wished to marry her. She escaped to Binsey, where she worked for three years as a swineherd. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/38b4cbc7-7fdd-48fb-ad46-e1c8ac943e83/tempImagefvtGjV.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Meanwhile, Algar, in search of her, was blinded by lightning. Frideswide cured his blindness with water from St. Margaret’s Well, which she caused to appear close to the west end of the church by praying to St. Margaret of Antioch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0d3fb232-1e37-4e39-8d39-77abc27f88c9/tempImagesppjOI.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The well is incorporated into The Secret Book of Flora Lea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f2e48ecd-ae4e-4304-9d6e-788921b403af/tempImageqKxGdX.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out In medieval times, “treacle” meant “a healing liquid.” In Chapter 7, “A Mad Tea-Party,” of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the dormouse tells Alice a story about three sisters, Elsie, Lacey, and Tillie, who lived at the bottom of a well and "lived on treacle.” Carroll attended university at Christ Church college in nearby Oxford and based the well on his visits to St. Margaret’s Church. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c5bbcba0-a0b5-4a39-a04c-4f3391a1af92/tempImageZvBgIM.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The church entrance and aging belfry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d44b44d3-c7f4-4bb0-a10e-99fa9bee882f/tempImage7sr6yq.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Such a bucolic setting so close to bustling Oxford. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4f022470-552d-419d-bd15-77e4d66998f4/tempImageQ8j5lx.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The banks of the River Thames from which Flora Lea disappeared. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/e1c0e13e-9256-46c2-b1e3-9d61b63ce206/tempImageJknoQR.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Swan on The Thames. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/352701f5-eabb-433d-82c8-d035fa77c528/tempImagetWhnGX.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The riverside entrance to The Perch pub. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/021510dc-dbb6-406e-b10e-b3b7e2206e69/tempImage8O62NV.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Dinnertime! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ccdfd2d3-a546-438b-8d22-046e1e2a1667/tempImage22xqkI.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out This being England, dogs are “very welcome”! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7d6d4667-a21f-4af3-8599-0a746e214f15/tempImagedoI6HX.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The pub’s back lawn on a glorious day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7d8d0fc9-7f6e-4f22-a8da-e8a3885de0f8/tempImagenjtVOJ.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The willow tress were so beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ff265df8-c161-450d-a111-4a81e19cb4ef/tempImageTpBnIG.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Looking toward where we sat for dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/32e7d2ea-95fc-4ddc-a6dc-06ead93d5451/tempImageM59VLB.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/c3fcf71b-13a0-47f6-9b88-e29ced5f91bc/tempImagewRMeTa.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out A bottle of fizzy water from nearby Blenheim Palace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7fb69c40-d065-4b8b-949b-1a8cfa0286f4/tempImagepPwNRd.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Our sentiments precisely! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/60de0455-6cdb-4c9e-8297-c24f1b687bf0/tempImageXoZLmc.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Amanda had the Spring Vegetable & Wild Garlic Pearl Barley Risotto, while I had the Perch Vegan Cheeseburger with house ketchup & triple-cooked chips. We both enjoyed a pint of local ale. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/937f9cae-6b8d-4f68-9b62-cc8231001ba7/tempImagejynl13.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Dark Chocolate Tart for dessert. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/584595c9-2ccf-4fef-92dc-6267de7606e4/tempImagejuUzti.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out It was too nice out to sit indoors, but, as you can see, the interior is pretty darn charming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2a5dab97-61b6-4340-bfc0-241e48feb9c7/tempImageM9SpXL.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Back in “watch-your-head” land. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3414bc34-92bd-4d89-b26e-404e0eecba6a/tempImageI9D9Gk.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out A drawing of Alice in Wonderland on the mantel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ed5e77cd-e226-41a4-ac87-08957ef088bf/tempImagexj8f3n.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The thatched roof is topped with a perch finial. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ab4b1f00-dfd5-4201-83f7-f563ab463479/tempImageghvodg.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out The front entrance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9f93d73a-9386-4aee-9a3e-a152a283a68b/tempImagebp047S.jpg Blog - Downton & Binsey - Make it stand out Pubs—the crowing jewels of England! https://www.overthehillandacrossthepond.com/blog/feels-like-home monthly 0.5 2026-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b7a9f5c9-e8ee-4efc-b593-aa349c220e9e/tempImages0xJYG.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Will and Karina dropping us off at San Luis Obispo Airport on March 30. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/2de8637e-2bdf-4e3b-a1f3-7e8ee956170d/tempImagezEeHOO.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out At San Diego Airport on March 31, Amanda found a dime from her dad and a quarter from Grandma Nini. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/1ec9be4c-9134-41d1-a2fd-35f8458f8c06/tempImagewERTtL.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out An Alaska Embraer like the one we took from SLO the day before. Behind it, our British Airways Boeing 777, by far the largest airplane at the airport. The plane had a delayed departure from Heathrow, so our flight back to Heathrow was delayed by about two hours from the start. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/61db498e-2e5e-4e3c-ba85-86f5c077705b/tempImageVgZmrA.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Champagne in hand, the plane pushed back from the gate. After sitting still for a few minutes, the pilot came on and said the generator for the right engine would not kick in. We had to go back to the gate (back “on stand” as the British pilot put it) and get the generator replaced. We left just shy of 9 p.m., over four hours behind schedule. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/300fd81a-67c9-449a-87bc-569fe72cf209/tempImageQ5kP0p.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out The Heathrow Express platform at Heathrow Airport—oh how we’ve missed hearing “mind the gap”! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/b9d79a88-6129-48c7-b8b0-145be7a84d90/tempImageesX3mc.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out For you Will, the famous exterior of St. Pancras Station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/298dae69-2cf7-4eba-ad9b-126d580b07d7/tempImageZROJal.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out After checking in to our rental at 38 St. Petersburgh Place, we took the Tube to Dishoom King’s Cross near Granary Square. The food was bursting with flavor as always and the perfect comfort food after two long days of traveling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3aced237-a860-4e6b-aa12-bfaaf9572910/tempImagetEquUx.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Wednesday morning and we were back in hog heaven: Warburton’s crumpets and Billington’s sugar for our tea—exceptional as always! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3dc20871-32fb-4a82-8f22-5247d4129f8a/tempImageoFNzaT.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Through the gate at the very left and down some stairs is our cozy basement apartment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/34b638be-81b1-4d1b-9ae0-8af784a5f47c/tempImagehVYpOG.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out St. Matthew’s Bayswater just outside our door. The bells chime every 15 minutes, but go silent after 10:30 p.m.—a bit late for our taste, but they do add charm and character to the peaceful neighborhood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d744d4e4-ce84-4175-af64-cb608ad07d49/tempImageDkZKMm.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out In the Bayswater Central Line Tube station, the train time chart marked the death of Val Kilmer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/bd64f45f-9464-4e9e-b17e-0237e44f833d/tempImage2SXfdP.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Foyles bookstore in Soho—book lovers’ nirvana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/afdde65c-936a-4eeb-bfc2-213847956ef5/tempImage8cWXwc.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Time for a morning cup of Joe in the upstairs café. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/36c8b04b-3e78-4a14-b9b5-179c5080f709/tempImagebMVE69.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out “Harry, it's you that has to go on, I know it. Not me, not Hermione, you." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0d377d8f-555b-4046-9015-767cc8530a0f/tempImagehvWXSr.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out “What exactly is the function of a rubber duck”? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6ce36d48-9f7d-4efd-9d1a-ee776cd22a08/tempImageaCj2AT.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Goodwin’s Court, a notably Diagon Alley-esque street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9a530992-7486-409d-90ae-de32305555de/tempImagea83JuB.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out On the door: “Wizards Welcome; Muggles Tolerated” and a Gryffindor plaque. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/da7859ff-0e27-42e9-afbd-0cd151407459/tempImagewbbefk.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Will: the store where we bought you your London beanie. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/74968274-0124-4f26-a09b-f9d94a55c510/tempImageAuTHIZ.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out American William Waldorf Astor owned the mansion at 2 Temple Place on the Victoria Embankment. He was among the first to own a telephone, so he had this bronze lamppost with two cherubs placed at the entrance to remind everyone of his prized possession. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/609764a5-6f8b-4e98-a40f-5b778ede628e/tempImagey1XyOo.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out On the roof he had this weathervane of the caravel Santa Maria in which Columbus sailed to the Americas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7d019038-6e53-472a-b18c-22b32ceebf25/tempImagePYvKO7.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Tulips even before we get to Holland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3aa6ff3e-08de-44fe-ab30-4dd50ac7e114/tempImagelnB7Md.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out The English sure do know how to make beautiful gardens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/033899f8-e9d7-40fc-bf91-20ba45249eef/tempImageIWu5uE.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/07227e10-2a1e-4391-b867-81f70e7d4556/tempImaget4Wfj9.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/10e3903e-b897-4bce-88ba-88ed17fc1559/tempImagebFIOhE.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Temple Church was built by the Knights Templar and made famous by Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. The church was hosting an Easter performance and was closed for practice, but we could hear the dramatic music booming from inside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5f84558c-389e-4f17-8104-0b27f2d907be/tempImageSUIN8j.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out A Knight Templar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/8d98fae3-9b67-4406-be4d-e2166b888f22/tempImage0Kiq93.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out The church has deep connections to the ideals and principles of the Rule of Law and Magna Carta from the early 13th century. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/4b67eafd-fb70-4299-8fa4-221cb822a465/tempImageUrn3mH.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out The Black Friar pub was built in 1875 on the site of a former Medieval priory. Dominican friars wore long black mantles that earned them the nickname the Black Friars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7084b4f9-3659-42e4-8fd8-7d620383b1a7/tempImageV0fxCc.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out 20 Fenchurch Street, aka the Walkie Talkie, with the famous Sky Garden on the top floor. When the building first neared completion, a man parked his Jaguar underneath, and when he returned two hours later, parts of his car had melted. The concave design of the Walkie Talkie had reflected the sun's rays down onto the streets below. A sunshade had to be fitted to ensure this would not happen again before it opened in 2014. The press dubbed it the “walkie-scorchie” and the “fry-scraper.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/a5128f9b-f463-454d-8945-092169224052/tempImagehdcXEa.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Considered London’s smallest sculpture: two mice eating a piece of cheese (on Philpot Lane, just outside the Walkie Talkie). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/d3411968-8e88-48f9-a1c0-4d0b291ac798/tempImageegAW6M.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out The Sky Garden entrance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/26aba2d9-b978-49ea-a330-d7968ca7e286/tempImage6OwXgD.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Inside the Sky Garden https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/479fbe09-1d88-4e2f-b1f9-447fb3560bce/tempImagehlhAGi.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out On the Sky Garden balcony overlooking the Shard, the Thames, and London Bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ed087504-7d72-4394-9c4a-ac0bd73dac5c/tempImage2MTHXA.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Classic Aperol Spritz cocktails before dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/ec00a426-5987-4e9b-a7e5-fda6bf47c22b/tempImagejEvaeX.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out The Shard https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/f037d53f-3f5f-4847-8735-0265efdf9659/tempImageF1T33k.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out A church was first built on the site of this garden in Saxon times. It was restored by St. Dunstan in 950 AD and then rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire in 1697. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/6ab19869-ff29-4552-bb9c-b7b3e6f50f16/tempImageq4y5bU.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Only the tower of the Wren church survives. The garden was laid out following severe damage to the church in the Blitz, and opened as a public space in 1967. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/3d8d7510-1563-4a51-b194-46c7b6ec7bd6/tempImageeHmHIh.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Back down to the Tube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/5fc5e790-1e64-4b72-8ef3-f9d28d05ae01/tempImage1rLqRh.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out The Reflection Garden near St. Paul’s Cathedral. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/7da26079-9ae7-4d16-8c8f-1c382f70c58c/tempImage7P97rM.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/0579fd14-2f66-4903-8290-4138c146ca95/tempImageE8q1Wp.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Amanda’s photo of a photoshoot at the Reflection Garden. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/41a502c5-4cb0-4e36-be5c-185a4419b454/tempImageAnlT30.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out The Three Graces near Piccadilly Circus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/eb6c484a-6c8b-45d6-af21-5ed1fcf1dd0e/tempImageKJ1aOZ.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Dinner at Waxy O’Connor’s. The inside of Waxy’s London is very cool, but the interior of the original Waxy’s Glasgow was more impressive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/457b9989-2778-4b38-8f21-c92fc60c14ca/tempImageMqjHEa.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Bang Bang Cauliflower Katsu curry and a Birra Moretti lager. Yummy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/36858f65-e3a6-4e84-be93-a5e5e3a8cd96/tempImage7NKwhh.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Caesar salad with bac’n. Delicious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6316ac875e466d1a05276f24/9e316259-96bf-4cc2-af86-db7ff5dd5b82/tempImage6WP2Hm.jpg Blog - Feels Like Home - Make it stand out Sticky toffee pudding with ice cream was the perfect end to another perfect day in our favorite city! 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