After-reading - A trip to England

I visited to England in October from 10th to 17th 2014, with my friend Junko. It was JTB (travel agent) group tour. Fright was Virgin Atlantic from Narita to Heathrow. We stayed 2 days in Manchester, next 2 days were in Coventry, last 2 days were in London. The first day We went to Haworth in Yorkshire. Bronte sisters are famous. We visited their home and walked the town. felt nostalgia. Old drugstore I bought mint soups. It was nice. and moved to The Lake District. There were very beautiful area. We could take a ship in Windermere Lake. We went for walked lakeside, and went to Peter Rabbit 's shop. I bought a picture book for my doughter. Of couse the weather changed to rain.

Next day We moved Liverpool. visited Liverpool Cathedral. and went to The Cavern Club. When The Beatles were not famous they played here everynight, the stage still now and visited Chester Cathedral. We bought souvenir at the Rows. The Rows were very old a two-story building. Street was very nice!

Next day We moved Cotswolds visited three small villages. William Morris said 'Here is most beautiful village in England' to Bilberry. Still now beautiful. And moved to Stratford-upon-Avon. We could visit the Shakespeare's house.The day was raining, so we took a rest in the tea shop during freetime. After dinner we went to Tesco near the hotel, it was big supermaket. Enjoyed shopping! Next day we visited the Roman Bath, World Heritage and saw Stonehenge too! There were mysterious and miraculous stones. Before I watched some photo, people touched stones, but now we could not touch with ropes.

Last was London! we visited British Museum. There were many artistic goods from all over the world. Very exciting! And watched Bigben, Westminster Abbey. We had a plan to afternoon tea in the Orangery Kensington palace, but restrant had another reservation. It was very sorry to us, too bad! We changed another hotel's tea. Palace's museum shop was very interesting. We bought Prince George's memorial plates for sale! This afternoon we went to Liberty shop, Junko love making handcraft, a desire to go! We enjoyed shopping in Regent Street. We wanted to go Harrods but no time to went and we wanted to stay more one day in London! Almost night we went to hotel's Bar  drank local draft beer. Very very good England beer! Hotel's breakfast were very nice and we could eat Roastbeef, Fish and chips, cottage pie, afternoon tea. We enjoyed English foods. I think trip is enrich our life. England travel was good experience for me!

Posted for Yoko

Autumn safari - colour hunting in Nagano

 We are definitely into the wintry half of autumn now - and suddenly - as this time last week it was still just about OK to wear shorts out if it was sunny. It might still be sunny, but we also have what we call a "lazy wind" in Yorkshire - one that goes through you rather than around! Brrr....

This morning we went on a Bear Hunt with our Kids & mummies to the very local little park. However, just like in the story, we couldn't go through it, over it, under it or anything else :(  as it was fenced off with "No Entry" signs. Looks like they are replacing the slides and stuff (OK!)

Plan B! We are lucky to have a shrine at the top of the street, and it has a lot of old trees. Unfortunately, the monk is a flag-stealing nationalist...but that is another story! We rummaged and sorted, picked and collected like good Wombles on Wimbledon Common! Leaves in oranges, browns, yellows and russett reds, twigs & fronds, bits of bark, berries and even some mint. Haru-kun found a house-brick sized 'pebble' as well!

Rosy-cheeked we dumped our findings on the table back at Luna, and got into glueing. I've never glued a large rock to paper before, so we had to reach into the DIY locker and bring out the industrial stength stuff we used to block off the disused staircase! It's never coming off - but made for a collosally heavy collage!

While we stuck & pasted we talked a bit about eating funny coloured berries, and generally decided it was a bad idea unless we are sure they OK to eat - and mummy said so first :)

Do you like our autumn collages? What does autumn look like where you are?