Madrid

I left Florence and returned to Rome yesterday. Today I am in Madrid, arrived a few hours ago, spent almost an hour in the metro trying to find my way to Atocha train station. I thought my hostel was near there but it was not. So from Atocha train station I had to take a taxi. So here I am relaxing at my dorm bed in the hostel after having gone downstairs for some sangria and ham! Its raining and is quite cold. The last day in Rome was quite cold too after the rain. I'll be in Madrid only for a few days before I leave again, this time for Lisbon where I'll spend 10 days.

Florence, Italy

This is Ponte Vecchio over the Arno river in Florence. I took a free walking tour yesterday. I do recommend a walking tour from any organization because these local guides are full of information. I managed to go visit the church of Santa Croce which is a wonderful church, with not too many visitors. This is the place where people like Michelangelo, Leonardo and Dante are buried among other important historical figures. Florence like Rome is packed with visitors. Most people are eating the obligatory gelato. Gelato shops are everywhere. I still managed to enjoy myself and looking forward to returning here in the near future. The high speed trains makes train travel between Rome and Florence so easy and comfortable. What an improvement from when I was last here, over a decade ago.

The sweet life

La dolce vita or the sweet life indeed. Here in Siena is the home of panforte. Mmmmmmm or one can prefer 'la dolce far niente' which is less calorific. I think I'll take 'la dolce far niente.' or the sweet idleness!

Siena Duomo, Siena

My favorite after St Peter Basilica. It is contracted completely of black and white marble, the floors are tiled with biblical narrative, though parts are covered for protection, there are areas where they can viewed. I spent a good part of the day just visiting all areas of the cathedral and at the end had art overload. It was heavy going. I was in Siena some 20 years ago but this time I came specifically to see Siena Cathedral. Siena is an easy one and half hours by bus away from Florence. Its not as busy as Florence and I prefer it to Florence. Florence is one crazy city.

Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Situated next to the train station of the same name is very beautiful. I prefer this church to the cathedral. Its colonnaded cloisters and cemetery is completely frescoed. The frescoes are mostly intact. Few people visit this gorgeous church, the crowds and lines are mainly at the cathedral.

On my way to Florence

The lines for everything was super long. I waited for over an hour to get into the Duomo. I was very disappointed with the stark interior. The exterior looks so sumptuous but its interior didn't match its exterior.

Giardino di Ninfa

I arrived in Rome yesterday. I went to the garden at Ninfa today and have just arrived back in Rome. I took the train to Latina, from there a taxi took me to the garden. Ninfa was an ancient village which fell into ruins. The Caetani family purchased the whole village which wasn't very big and later descendants built a garden among the ruins. Ninfa is touted as the world's most romantic garden. There's no formal planting, it just follows the slope of the land and its numerous springs and streams making it one of the most unusual garden in the world.

Snakehead fritillaries

Jackpot! This was the motherlode. Cricklade has 80% of Britain's snakehead fritillaries, in 40 acres of wet fields. Snakehead fritillaries love wet soil and the purple ones are more abundant. Every year in April a purple haze covers over North meadow in Cricklade. Cricklade is a little village with one main street and no traffic lights. I took the train from London to Swindon, then a bus from Swindon to Cricklade. It was a 15-20 minute walk from downtown Cricklade to North meadow and there they were. What a spectacle. I was in Oxford yesterday and there were some there but the area was closed off. Here at Cricklade I could walk among them and it was so wonderful.

Oxford and snakehead fritillaries

London, here I come

I arrived in London yesterday. This is where I am staying, the Generator hostel in Bloomsbury. I love this area, its close to the tube and makes getting around so easy.

Lupins in Anaheim

Lupins in Southern California? It does happen. I've seen them years ago after lots of rain but sine the freeway has been expanded, they were lost! I wasn't looking for them a few days ago when I drove to Anaheim to see my dentist but there was this huge patch of it at a freeway ramp!

So I decided to drive here this morning at 5.30am with my camera, it was an hour's drive from where I live. It was a sight to behold. I was going to change my mind this morning but I'm glad I didn't. I don't know if next year we're going to have the kind of rain we had this season. It was an incredible opportunity, one not to be missed. I'm glad I went and took these pictures.

I always have my eyes peeled, a thing I developed when I travel, always looking out of windows so as not to miss anything. I had my eyes peeled that morning while driving to the dentist. 

101 Freeway California

Yesterday I drove up the California coast on the 101 freeway in search of wild flowers. We've had so much rain the past few months, I thought it'll be an excellent time for wild flowers to show up. It was still a little early for the central coast. However the hills was this emerald green that the countryside resembled more like an English countryside than a temperate Californian landscape and was so beautiful. It was almost a once in a long time happenstance, we had 6 years of drought. I explored little towns that I had only read about Online, Santa Margarita? Where was that? I knew about San Luis Obispo and Cambria. The drive was long, 4 hours each way but it was a good trip.

Time out

Whatever you do, wherever you are, always make time for coffee(or tea) and cake (carrot cake)! Happy New Year.

Blaze your own trail for 2017

A lot of my Facebook friends have consulted surveys about what their lives should be and where they should go. Why? Find it in your own heart what you would like to do and do it. Our family just buried a young family member, ask yourself, 'if you had life to do over, what would you do?' Then go out and do it. We are not here to occupy space. Someone once said, 'we have everything we need for this extravagant journey called life!' Ephesians chapter one reiterated, 'we've been given every spiritual gift...' There is no lack in our life, just lack of gumption! Lets blaze a trail through and lets do it. Bring in the new year, bring in 2017!

Excitement

The anticipation was palpable as I walked the 15 minutes to the front gate after being dropped off the bus from Rye. I had taken the train into Rye from London after changing trains at Ashford International. I googled how to get here and it was a lovely morning in June 2016. I walked past a few home owners working on their yards along the way. 'Good morning, is this the way to ....?' 'Good morning, they all replied, here it is. I have been traveling independently for decades and the last few trips have been doing it on my own. While it can be frustrating sometimes, it is mostly gratifying, to feel the freedom. I cannot understand what it feel like to be immobilized, not as much being physically incapacitated but more prevented by someone else whose interests are different. There was a time, very long ago, that happened but now that I've tasted this freedom, I will not surrender! The excitement I felt as I drew near the front gate of 'Great Dixter' garden, it was hard to contain. I made it and it did not disappoint! 'Great Dixter' is full of wild spaces filled with wild flowers. I have resolved that I will spend the rest of my life chasing wild flowers!

Last summer

I am having a very lazy summer here in Southern California. The weather has just been absolutely perfect, no temps over 80 deg F! The ocean breezes blows gently and rustle the leaves on the trees. I nap almost every afternoon. It's hard to imagine I was schlepping it in Europe all of last summer. Here I was eating smorrebrod in Helsingor, Denmark. It was so perfect! If you've not been to Scandinavia, you ought to go. Its like perfection! I loved my trip. I would like to do it again.

Petersham nurseries, Richmond

Take the tube to the end of the line at Richmond, then hop on a bus and you'll be dropped off outside of Petersham. This was my second trip. I remember years ago, it was very delightful. It still has the same delightful charm. This was the flowers at the main restaurant which require a reservation but they have a little cafe which sells salads, cakes, tea and coffee which does not require a reservation. This trip in June 2016 I took the bus to Ham house which was a mile further, then I walked the Thames path to Petersham. It was the loveliest day. England in June is glorious. There's only one June every year. Don't waste it. I intend to be out and about in England every June.

Next book

The cover is ready for my next Kindle ebook. I'm still writing the manuscript. I hope to incorporate a lot more pictures in this ebook unlike my previous work which is rather sparse where pictures were concerned.

Happy Sunday

Even as I prepare to go to church I remember the places that I've spent my Sundays. Sometimes its in a church in London, Bath or Rome. But sometimes its in another world like in Eastern Turkey with a few young companions. Here we were in Ani, the ancient city of bygone Byzantine times in St Grigor, an almost ruined church, still standing and with beautiful frescoes. It is such a blessing to have a glimpse into another time and another world. I remember saying 'the Lord's prayer' and singing a hymn and wondering the last time a service was held here......probably centuries ago.

Smallhythe

It was the home of Ellen Terry an actress on the British stage. She saw it when she passed by it in a horse and buggy going from Rye to Tenterden. Today that same dirt country lane is paved and the bus goes from Rye to Tenterden and back. I took the bus and got dropped off in front of Smallhythe place, a sweet little gem of a place. It is so beautiful and so delightful. I still feel tingles down my spine when I see this.