Kew Palace

Today on the 8th of July, my friend and I went to Kew Palace and Kew Gardens.

Built in 1631, Kew Palace was built for a wealthly London Merchant called Samuel Fortrey. By the 1750s it was used as a school house for young Princes and bought b the Roal Family. After 1801 it became a Palace itself. King George III, Queen Charlotte and their children lived in Kew Palace during the infamous time of the King's apparant insanit, now recognised as porphyria. Queen Charlotte died at Kew Palce in 1818, and today we saw the chair that she died in. Slightl eery but interesting non the less. After her death it was no longer used as a Royal Palace but we learnt today that Queen Elizabeth had her 80th birthday in the Palace. It is located in a gorgeous picturesque setting in Kew Gardens and it was such a lovely day it made it seem all the more beautiful.

As usual I felt quite at home, but there was a strange eeriness that I didn't really like upstairs....spooky but still beautiful. Oh and I got my first pair of Hunter Boots or wellies, and I am super excited about! I got an original Hunter boot, in pink of course and they have been around in Britain for 150 years. Designed to battle Britain's rugged and wet terrain, these spectacular boots even have a Royal Warrant of HM from the Queen who wears no other wellies!

Fulham Palace

 When I first moved to Fulham Palace Road, the first thing I asked was whether or not there was a Fulham Palace. So distracted was I with everything else to see and do in London I didn't actually find out until very recently and here is what I found, 10 minutes walk down my street!

One of the least known and beatufiul palaces in London is Fulham Palace. Bishops have owned land there since the yer 690AD and used it as their country residence since the 11th Century. A mixture of Tudor, Georgian and Victorian architecture , Fulham Palace once boasted the longest moat in all of England believed to have been dug in the 10th Century or even by Romans. The Bishops vacated the property in the late 70s and it is now run by the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

While I was there, I had high tea with scones and cakes, frollicked and Irish Danced in the garden, followed the 1.4km Moat Trail around Bishops Park and the Palace, walked through Fulham Cemetary and All Saints Church as well as climbed some trees!

Hammersmith - Where I live in London

When I moved to London, I based my location on where to live somewhere that was near to the school I was working at. I had know idea about any boroughs or places in London and got lost many times looking at apartments and flats. When I did move, I moved to a studio in Hammersmith on Fulham Palace Road. Now I know, Hammersmith is in West London (West is best), neighbouring boroughs include Kensington and Chelsea, Putney and White City. I am in Zone 2. I live in Brandenburg House, a place I've mentioned in a studio flat in the basement at the front of the building. This is what it looks like now.

Here is some amazing history about the building in which I live. On Fulham Palace road there was a stretch of land between Fulham (Neighbouring borough near Chelsea) and the River Thames; this is where Brandenburg House was built. It was originally built by Sir Nicholas Crispe in the beginning of Charles I.'s reign. A general in 1647 moved here during the Civil War, and his troops afterwards plundered the house; but at the close of the war Sir Nicholas returned and restored his property to its former state. After his death in 1666 it descended to his nephew, who sold it seventeen years later to Prince Rupert, who gave it to Margaret Hughes (his mistress). It then passed through the possession of various owners.

In 1792 it became the property of the Margrave of Brandenburg-Anspach and Bayreuth, and at his death the Margravine, formerly Lady Craven, continued to live there. Faulkner gives a minute account of the house and a long inventory of all the pictures in it while it was the residence of this lady. She built a theatre near the waterside, and herself took part in the performances. Though Brandenburg House was situated in Fulham, it is often described and spoken of as in Hammersmith.

On May 3, 1820, Queen Caroline, wife of George IV, came to live at Brandenburg House, and on the fifteenth of that month was presented with a congratulatory address by the inhabitants of Hammersmith. She had been sent there after her husband the King, refused to let her attend his coronation. The Queen stood on the balcony of her residence and bowed her acknowledgments to the enthusiastic crowd. The Queen died in 1821, and the King caused the house to be destroyed shortly afterwards, it is said, in jealousy of her popularity. 

Below is the London Underground tube map, which gives a good indication of where I am situated. I am in Zone 2, near to Knightsbridge (Harrods) Kensington, Chelsea as well as not being too far from Picadilly Circus and central London. The Piccadilly Line is my favourite. (Dark blue line)

One more fun thing to do that I thought was pretty amazing; British Airways are having a massive conspiracy and trying to keep people in London during the Olympics. One fun feature is that on their website you can input your address and you can watch a British Airways plane depart from Central London and land on your street. Mine is a bit off but my postcode is W69HH if you would like to play!   http://taxi.ba.com/?source=R06TPC410941000

Paris

Paris.... It sounded like the most beautiful place to first explore Europe. It was not high on my to-do list, however when some of my friends suggested a girly trip I definitely wanted to go. Paris was so beautiful it is difficult to describe. All the cliche lines and movie scenes made me wonder what was so special about the city. Dubbed the City of Lights, it was truly a spectacular sight of beauty and wonder and an overall feel of romance, sophistication and elegance. Those people who have visited will know exactly what I mean.

I went with my two friends Amy and Gemma and we stayed in a quaint hotel with three single beds about 20 minutes on the Metro from the Eiffel Tower. We travelled by Euro Star from London St Pancras Station, a train that actually goes underneath the Channel between England and France. We began day one by climbing the Eiffel Tower and it was far bigger than I anticipated. It was very very high and I was slightly nervous going up but it was a breathtaking view from the top.

On day two we went to the Lourve and I saw the Mona Lisa and many other spectacular sights. I was intruiged by the buildings and what they were before they became a museum. we went to the Notre Dame Cathedral, a Catholic Cathedral that was smaller than I imagined but amazingly beautiful. I lit candles inside for the people that I love and those who are sadly no longer with us.

That night we went to the famous Crazy Horse, a burlesque style show of the perfect combination of sex and sophistication and with champagne made it all the more luxurious. We then had dinner very late in perfect view of the sparkling and twinkling Eiffel Tower and I was even given a rose!

On the third day we went to the Palace of Versailles and despite the rain, I felt quite at home. The extravagence and marvel of that palace is truly breathtaking and I had a great time imagining that I was Marie Antionette...

Finally we went on a river cruise that showed us all the impressive sights of Paris from the river Seine. It was so beautiful.

Paris was far more extraordinary and more beautiful than I imagined and I now know why people always talk about going there. I hope to go back soon with Adam as it truly above all the City of Love.

The Diamond Jubilee and the Empire

The jubilee weekend was an amazing experience and I am so happy I was in London to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II and her Diamond Jubilee. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Elizabeth II is the fourtieth monarch since William the Conqueror. She is also the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.I cannot speak of my time in Britain and after the jubilee and not comment on the question of republicanism and where Australia and even the monarchy sit in this modern era. The patriotism and jubilation that I witnessed this afternoon is something i have only seen in Australia when the Pope arrived in Sydney for World Youth Day in 2008. I can draw parallels from only from what I have seen myself, and have witnessed similar celebration at the Australia Day One Dayer match at Adelaide Oval. I have seen Brit and Aussie alike celebrating what it is to live in such amazing countries. I saw on the news that there were many protesters scattered along the Thames, however with the amount of white, blue and red desperate to catch of glimpse of the Queen, Catherine or even Philip, I am not sure that they would have had any success. It does however beg the question that many have asked and argued about over many, many years; What does Australia Day mean to Australians? And what does Australia Day mean to Indigenous Australians? Furthermore this weekend has made me think alot of Australia as part of the British Empire and what that means. I am not the first and google will lead you to many articles arguing many ways celebrating the monarchy and parliament and also what it means if Australia was to become a republic. As this blog is not the Herald Sun or The Advertiser, I do not intend to be controversial however I have been fascinated with the entire situation. All I can say is that this weekend has been a spectacular celebration of Royal Britain and I am happy to have witnessed such a weekend. A pageant along the Thames of the like has not been seen in 350 years and really was a once in a lifetime experience. The romanticism of a Royal Family, the history, the castles, the wonder is something that definitely has lured me in, however I feel like it always has.

From a very young age I wanted to go to Britain. I grew up on Enid Blyton and even collect to this day. The oldest thing I have is an original record of Noddy actually narrated by Enid Blyton herself which I have read is quite rare to find today. I dreamed of sixth form and boarding school in the English countryside, parents visiting at half term and getting 25p pocket money once a week. The books were usually all set in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s and although not a time I would have liked to live in but painted a picture of quintessential England and how magical it was to find fairies at the bottom of your garden, or a magical faraway tree in the middle of an enchanted wood. I often dreamt about the different lands I would find as I passed moonface and Silkie on my way up to the top of the tree. I can still hear my mums voice reading me the Magical Wishing Tree and one story in particular where they painted the Wishing Chairs wings back on to escape an awful land they had stumbled upon. My most favourite Enid Blyton story is the Naughtiest Girl in the School series and I loved that eventually she became prefect and head girl. Then along came Harry Potter, again a magical world of castles, the bustle of the amazing London and of course Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which reflects the great schools of London that still exist in phenomenal architecture and mystery. Perhaps these books were also the reason that I have become a teacher. The themes are clear however, England is a place I need to visit. Even when I met Adam at such a young age, I still imagined a time when I could go off and live in England. I am so lucky to have foundd someone who understands my dreams and let me run off and live them.

Britain has surpassed my expectations. I do go on about the Tower of London, Hampton Court, Epping forest, and if you ask any of my friends here it is now a running joke (and they indulge me) that I give them a random British fact before the day starts. I have been reading books by Christopher Winn and he writes a series called 'I never knew that about....' and the titles cary from London, Britain the English, Ireland etc. and the new one I am reading now is Royal Britain. With a combination of visiting the Tower of London, Whitehall, Hampton Court, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace as well as reading and reading and reading and googling and googling and googling and now know quite alot and am getting quite obsessed. I am hoping to use this newfound information and channel it and perhaps studying Tudor History or even Norman History and using it in someway....Everywhere I look there is something amazingly interesting about a place or thing that I had no idea about. Only yesterday I discovered that George IV (1820) very much disliked his wife and Queen, Caroline of Brunswick and would not allow her to be present at his coronation. She banged on the door of the abbey begging and screaming to be let in and was dragged away in disgust. That day she fell ill and died three weeks later in Brandenburgh House in Hammersmith. George later commanded the building be razed to the ground. I live in that house now in London. I mean how amazing is that!?

I could dazzle you all with a million facts however I am full of them, so next time you see me ask me for one before the day starts. I do like to link them to the occasion or day it is....ok one more. Today June 4th is King George III birthday and he was a huge advocate of Eton College. So every year they have a huge party and celebration on the Thames. Amazing. I am going to Winsdor on the 16th of June to kayak on the Thames and intend to spend the rest of the day at Windsor Castle and seeing Eton College, the school of 19 British Prime Ministers. Ok I'll stop the facts now officially....Well Cheerio Old Chaps!!!

Belfast - Northern Ireland

I have found myself hesitant to write a post regarding my recent trip to Belfast Ireland. It was, as anticipated, a beautiful place with a gorgeous landscape. I went to Belfast as much to attend the Irish Dancing World Championships and that was incredible. The standard of dance was breathtaking, the costumes AMAZING and more than enough Bling for any girl who loves pink and sparkles. I even found a MIMCO in Belfast and it had 70% off storewide. Was amazing to see one of my favourite Aussie brands again! I also bought myself some beautiful Irish Jewellery.

On my birthday I went to the most amazing and gorgeous little pub just down a side street in the city centre called Kelly's Cellars which I recommend to anyone who visits Belfast.

Kelly's Cellars is the oldest licensed premises in Belfast. The original two-storey pub was built in 1720 by Belfast merchant Hugh Kelly who kept it as a bonded warehouse in which rum, gin and whiskey were his mainstays. It was a meeting place for Henry Joy McCracken and the United Irishmen when they were planning the 1798 Rising. The story goes that McCracken hid behind the bar when British soldiers came for him. It is stunning and whilst there I enjoyed a glass of red, a pint of gunniess (well when in Ireland....) and traditional piping hot Irish Stew infront of a roaring fire on a cold Irish day. It was quintessentially Irish in my eyes and enjoyed myself thoroughly.

I do not know whether I expected too much from the city, whether songs like Carrickfergus had led me astray as well as tales of fairies and leprechauns alike; however; I felt myself somewhat let down by Belfast. Rather than jigging my way over the emerald hills I was caught up in several political and religious discussions, informed regularly which side of the city I was on and found the bus tour slightly depressing and clinging to a painful history that made me squirm with discomfort. I am very aware that I approached Belfast with a naive and fairyesque view that what had happened was in the past and of no consequence. I was quite literally the ignorant tourist, the silly girl and as a result of that I didn't quite know how to feel. I loved Belfast, but it was not what I expected.

I am not attempting to write a controversial blog, nor do I wish to crush anyones view of the city.

Belfast IS a beautiful city.

I did not expect to feel slightly patriotic when I went on a sightseeing bus tour, when quite unexpectedly the tour guide mentioned Australia in quite a unique situation. I feel for Belfast and it's painful history. I do not feel adequate enough, nor educated at all on the topic to comment successfully on it's history and stories. Perhaps I will return one day with a more formed view of the world rather than one that involves frolicking in the forest with fairies.

The Troy Game

Every day millions of children world wide play hopscotch. Every morning and evening hundreds of thousands of commuters use London’s railway and road systems. Deep in the highlands of Wales isolated shepherds cut strange symbols into the turf in order to protect their
flocks. These otherwise totally unrelated groups are all unwitting participants in the same
activity.

They are playing the Troy Game.

The Troy Game is a fantasy series by Australian author Sara Douglass. Born Sara Warneke in Penola, South Australia, Sara is now a world reknown author with over 15 books. A few years ago I read the series the Troy Game, a game that even surpasses Harry Potter as the greatest series I have ever read. Each book is set in four different times of the Great city of London. Firstly in Bronze-Age London where the Troy Game is established; the series then moves on to the 11th century during the reign of William the Conqueror. (Think Tower of London); and then to the mid 17th century during the time of the Plague and the Great Fire of London; and finishing during the London Blitz. Essentially for those who are not avid fans, the author attributes many of the great catasrophes and incidents in London's history to the ever growing Troy Game.

Years ago I loved this book before I had even set foot in the Northern Hemisphere, let alone London but I was determined that when I went...whenever that was..... to ensure I followed the tantalising instructions of Sara Douglass in the second book of The Troy Game series:

Authors Note: Darkwitch Rising

'This is a very special book to me. The book recalls for me a remarkable stillness in the most remarkable of cities. On Sunday 4th of May 2003, I was in London, exploring the back alleys of the south-eastern quadrant of the City. The City was empty, as it usually is on a Sunday. I was walking up to St Mary-at-Hill, following the steeple trail.'

'To my right I saw a tiny laneway- Idol Lane - and I caught a glimpse of something intruiging lurking amid the warehouses. So I walked up Idol Lane, mildly curious, found an open churchyard gate..and walked through. I'm never one to refuse such an invitation.'

'I found....No. I'm not going to tell you. If ever you're in London on a sunny Sunday (don't go there during a weekday when the city officeworkers will be enjoying the magic) eschew the lure of Buckingham Palace or the Tower. Instead take a packed lunch or a bottle of wine and walk up Idol Lane and through the open churchyard gate.'

'You'll find one of the reasons I love London so greatly; a living pieve of real London, and a very special silence.'

Her words stayed with me and when I arrived in London in 2012 I purposely began to read the series again knowing that the sites in the city of London I would actually be able to visit and get to know. Places like the Tower of London, Waterloo Station and Idol Lane I actually knew where they were; and visited them and was able to start to appreciate not only the history of London better, but the intricate labyrinthe that Douglass had weaved using London's famous landmarks as references for a story of fantasy linked intricately with historical places and events. For those of you who may have read the series and the author's note, I will not spoil it for you on this post.

But I urge you, as Sara did, to visit this gorgeous place as I did on a warm sunny day on the 25th of March 2012. I will post pictures of what I found on another blog post labelled SPOILER The Troy Game. In the meantime below are some pictures of Idol Lane... Weyland Orr's house would have been om St Dunstan's yard just opposite number 10, Idol Lane.

Idol Lane in the City of Westminister, London 1792.

This post is obviously dedicated to the magnificant Sara Douglass who died in September, 2011.