Amsterdam

 

This year, I'd been determined to squeeze as much as possible into our summer break. And I think I've just about managed it. I can't quite think that this time, next week, I'm going to be sitting back at my desk. But for now, I'll try not to think about that. I'm in denial. And, so much for me getting any jobs done in the house, over the summer. It looks like the decorating will need to wait a while longer. 

Our journey to Amsterdam was as straightforward as it could be. A train ride, a flight, and then another train. And before we knew it, we found ourselves outside Centraal Station, in the middle of the most beautiful, bustling and vibrant city. 

We spent much of our first day there walking alongside the canals, admiring the architecture, and trying our very best to avoid the cyclists! I'm not great with directions at the best of times, and the many canals only added to my confusion. Still, it was a great way of exploring the city. Fortunately, we found our where we were staying quite easily. A cute little hotel, down a side street, right in the heart of the canal district. And most importantly, our room had the best coffee machine.

The next day, we enjoyed a short cruise along the canals on one of the many boat tours they have available. Our entertaining tour guide was really informative, and very amusing with his rather colourful, but tactfully worded, tales of the various services that Amsterdam has to offer. It was also really lovely to see the all the beautiful, narrow houses from a different perspective, and hear all about the city's 17th-century Golden Age.

By sharp contrast, in the afternoon, we visited the Anne Frank House, where we were able to visit the Secret Annex for ourselves. Before we reached the annex, we passed through various rooms in the museum, where we could learn all about the events leading up to the family going into hiding. An incredibly moving experience. 

The next morning, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast right beside the canal. A birthday treat for me. 

Then we took a short ferry trip across the water to North Amsterdam, where we caught the bus to Zaanse Schans, an open air museum where we got to experience the inside of a working windmill, sampled various cheeses, and watched some traditional clog making. Well, when in Holland... It was also where I enjoyed my first ever hot chocolate with rum. It won't be my last. 10/10 would recommend :)

On our last morning we enjoyed another leisurely breakfast, then went for walk along the canals nearer the centre, and much busier part of the city. We really did need to keep our wits about us. There were so many bicycles, trams and cars.

A few streets away from the hustle and bustle, we visited one of the historic canalside brown cafes to try a slice of their famous apple pie. The cafe originally openened in 1642, and is one of the oldest brown cafes in Amsterdam. I suspect it has changed very little since that time, as it looked steeped in history, Delft tiles and a LOT of dark brown wood. As for the apple pie - it was amazing!

Back soon. 

J. X

Catch-Up

Despite the very best of intentions, I've been a bit rubbish about posting here lately, although I'm hopeful that will change, just as soon as autumn term begins and I'm back into some sort of routine once again. I can't think that by this time next week, Lily will have already completed three full days at secondary school. She seems ready for the challenge, even if I am not :)  She tried her uniform on earlier, and I'm happy to say it all still fits. She has, of course tried all the items on as we've bought them, just not everything at once. It's quite scary how grown up she looks.

I commented on Billie Jo's blog, earlier, that I am feeling a little mournful at summer's impending end, but this year it feels even more poignant. Changing seasons in every sense. I never particularly enjoy the slow transition between summer and autumn, waking up each morning never quite knowing what the weather will have in store. Summer has felt all too short here, this year. The evenings are becoming dark much earlier now and the morning air feels cool and fresh. 

Having said that, we've actually had a really lovely summer break.  Lake days have been fewer than in previous years, but the kayak has been a really great investment. Lily absolutely loves it. Our old camping stove still serves us well for boiling the water for our hot chocolate. 

I finally managed to make good on a promised walk up Red Screes. It was a beautiful evening, and the views were spectacular. 

In between days of decluttering and decorating the kitchen, we've enjoyed walking through the fields and seeing the sunflowers.

This year, my birthday was spent taking part in The Lakeland Festival of Light. 

We enjoyed a visit to Settle, to enjoy the Flowerpot Festival.

A lovely couple of days were spent in Hebden Bridge, staying in a beautiful apartment, right on the edge of the town. 

We spent a pleasant morning walking along the river at Hardcastle Crags.

And an afternoon walking along the canal. We loved seeing the narrowboats and imagined what it would be like to live on one. After much discussion, we decided against the idea :)

We called in at Howarth on the way home. Then stopped off at Skipton, for our lunch. Chips, eaten by the canal. 

We've foraged the first ripened blackberries. They've been washed, weighed and now stored in the freezer. Some of them will be used to make Blackberry Vodka, and the rest  will be used for compote, just as soon as I've got my hands on some elderberries.

This afternoon, I've spent some time in the garden. I've pulled weeds, cut the grass and washed out the bird box. This will be allowed to dry, then I will paint it again, before next spring. The pumpkins are still growing well, and there are plenty of potatoes and beetroot left for us to enjoy. It won't be long before I'm tidying it all, in time for the winter months. 

J. X

At Home

 

It's funny that even though I have more time on my hands than usual, I'm finding it trickier to post. I think it's down to having less structure to my days, and little concept of real time. I'm struggling to remember what day it is. Not that I'm complaining, as that will all change in a few weeks, when school starts again for the autumn term. Just this once I have been remarkably well organised, and Lily has everything she needs to start secondary school, including the 'right' kind of bag and coat :)

Yes, I used the word 'autumn'. Although the days are still delightfully and most definitely summer, the evenings are becoming that little bit cooler and certainly darker. Along with my upcoming birthday, the middle of August also signals the arrival of late summer here. Rowan berries are beginning to turn a vibrant red and blackberries will soon be ripe enough for picking, but as always, I will be clinging on to my favourite season for as long as I possibly can.

This year, I have spent quite a bit of time de-cluttering the house. Whilst on my summer break, this has gathered pace and I am now noticing a significant difference. In the kitchen, all the cupboards have been emptied and sorted. Items that haven't been used for some time have been discarded - well, sent to the charity shop - and the walls have received a fresh coat of paint. It looks so much better already, but I will be giving it a second coat of paint tomorrow, then hanging my new blinds. I really need to put down some new flooring, but that might need to wait a couple of months. After that I will be starting on Lily's bedroom, but I will be fitting this in as and when I can. One step at a time.

Both cats have been spending a lot of time outdoors, enjoying the good weather. But at home, when she's not guarding my clean laundry, Mog has found herself a new sleeping spot, on top of Lily's (yet to be de-cluttered) toy box. Boo, on the other hand, has taken to sleeping on top of the hob! He is the sweetest cat, but certainly not the brightest.

The garden is beginning to looking a bit weary now, and although the hydrangeas are still looking fabulous, many of the flowers are past their best. I've already harvested and enjoyed some of the potatoes, and the beetroot will need pickling soon. The lemon trees are still doing well, and the experimental pumpkins are growing fast. Who knows, I might be carving a home grown one this Hallowe'en. 

J. X

Belfast

Just two days after returning home from our recent trip, we were off on our travels again, only  this time we were flying. After a very early (even by my usual standards) start, we enjoyed an incredibly smooth flight, arriving in our destination of Belfast by mid-morning. Why Belfast? Well, quite simply because it was somewhere we had never been before :) And we had such a good time.

After a late breakfast, we checked our bags in at the hotel and went for a wander around. Again, we were blessed with some lovely weather for our sightseeing. This came as quite a relief, as in an attempt to get all my clothes into just my hand luggage, I had taken the unusual and possibly reckless decision to leave my waterproof jacket at home. 

Our hotel was down beside the River Lagan and we needed to cross over the footbridge, passing The Big Fish and The Beacon of Hope (or Nuala with the Hoola), whenever we went into the city centre. We didn't notice at first, but The Albert Memorial Clock, which came in very useful for helping us to find our bearings, has a slight lean to it.

The City Hall is such a beautiful building and it was here that we ate our picnic lunch in the garden each day. Inside, there is an exhibition outlining the history of Belfast, and gives a fascinating insight into the city and it's culture, with a rather poignant Reflection Space, where we were able to read individual's lived experiences of The Troubles. It is also well known for it's many stained glass windows, which commemorate various historical events, and contributions to the city by individuals and organisations. 

On our second morning in Belfast, we walked the Maritime Mile. This took us out towards The Great Light and beyond, passing Titanic Belfast, SS Nomadic and HMS Caroline. The last photograph above is taken from what would have been the slipway where the Titanic first launched. As is often a tradition these days, people have placed padlocks there, engraved with their names and significant dates. 

In the afternoon we walked back into the centre of Belfast, where we were able to take in the views across the city from the very top of the shopping centre. You can see the clock tower and the huge Harland & Wolff cranes, which dominate the skyline. The glass roof acted like a greenhouse and it was incredibly hot in there, so we didn't hang around for very long. Instead we went to indulge ourselves in a little bit of shopping. I know! I'm not entirely sure who I am any more ;)

After such a busy day, it was a relief to sit down and enjoy our evening meal, before taking in the sunset from down by the riverside. There was also a brief pause to experience a drink in McHugh's. A lively Irish bar and the oldest surviving building in Belfast.

On our final morning we visited Titanic Belfast. This imposing building, located at the side of the Titanic Slipway where we had been the day before, houses a brilliant and interactive exhibition telling the story of The Titanic. Seeing the exhibits and reading about the personal experiences from some of  the individuals on board the ship was a captivating experience, especially discovering certain details I hadn't been aware of previously.

Then all too soon, it was time to return home. We had a brilliant time in Belfast and I would definitely like to go back again some time.

After a busy couple of weeks it feels good to pause and catch my breath. The beginning of the school year is almost upon us, which means there will be uniform to sort out and a new daily routine to navigate. There is definitely a change in the air, and autumn is fast approaching. I have resigned myself to the fact that summer, this year, was in fact the three weeks of good weather we experienced back in June. 

J. X

Summer in the City

 

Last weekend, Lily and I went on our previously postponed trip down to London, and even though we didn't get the high temperatures that had been forecast, it was at least warm and and sunny, which made sightseeing a far more pleasant experience than it would have been a week earlier.

Once we'd arrived and dropped off our bags, our very first stop just had to be the new water park on Clapham Common. Now I realise this wouldn't rank high on most people's London itineraries, but ever since our previous visit, when it was still in it's construction stage, Lily had been desperate for it to be open. This happened officially at the end of July and it has since proved to be incredibly popular. It is a great facility and Lily had a wonderful time running in and out of the various water features and fountains, while her big sister and I spent a lovely afternoon chatting in the sun.  I didn't take long before I decided that something fizzy was in order, and so we treated ourselves to some passion fruit martinis :)

The following day began with a trip on the cable cars at Greenwich. It was only a short ride, but was a lot of fun to do and gave us some amazing views across the city. 

I had been a little worried in that it was rather breezy that morning, but thankfully our car remained quite steady.

Moving away from Greenwich, we enjoyed a quick walk along an unusually quiet Oxford Street, then went for a wander around Covent Garden. It had been years since my last visit, but it hadn't changed a bit, and was still just as lively and bustling as I'd remembered. There were so many people milling around here, and lots more just stood about watching the street performers. It was nice for a little while but it felt good to then make our escape to Regent's Park, where we could relax and enjoy our picnic lunch and a much needed cup of coffee, followed by a walk around the beautiful rose garden. 

From there, our morning took on a more gentle pace. Away from the busy streets we walked along the canal to Little Venice. The tow path was lovely and quiet, and it certainly didn't feel like were right in the centre of such a large city. The slower pace was welcome and the brightly painted houseboats were such a delight to see. 

The next morning, we walked along by the Thames. Because we couldn't visit London and not see Big Ben! Stopping off at the Jubilee Gardens near the London Eye, we walked right along South Bank towards Millennium Bridge, then across to St. Paul's Cathedral. From there we headed to The Monument (on my list to visit next time), before catching the tube to Euston, for our journey home.

Being such a contrast to the slower pace of life I'm more accustomed to, I do enjoy our trips to the city, and yet, I'm often surprised at how easily we both adjust to it  when we arrive. 

But for now, it's good to back home,  for a short while at least :)

J. X