The best sunsets are seen from a plane. This was on the way to Brisbane at the start of the trip.
We stayed in Llandrindod Wells, a victorian spa town in the centre of Wales. It is a beautiful place and has a lake surrounded by woods, just a short walk from town. The lake has a resident monster.
I love oak tress and there are lots of oak trees in this country. We were about a month too early for the autumnal colours which was a shame. Autumn is my very favourite season.
The funeral was held a couple of days after we arrived. One of the things about funerals is that you see people that you hardly ever see otherwise. People had travelled from far and wide to attend Phil's funeral. We caught up with KISA's brother and his partner.
And also his auntie and cousins and, of course, sisters too.
A rare family shot as it is not often everyone gets together.
One day we went for a drive to the next village called Builth Wells. It doesn't matter how I say it, I say it wrong! Pretty place, alonside the River Wye.
We helped KISA's sister harvest some carrots. They were very yummy that night for dinner.
KISA dug up the potatoes. This was a first for me, as I have never grown potatoes before, nor ever dug them up. We ate some of the little ones at dinner and they were so good.
He was working so hard..check out that frown!
Phil was a prolific gardener, he had tomatoes for the whole of Wales! Imagine what you would pay for these here in Oz at about $10 a kilo!
KISA and I visited with those who are no longer with us and who are sorely missed. This was in North Wales.
We drove up to the Wirral, where KISA used to live. We had a picnic at Parkgate. It used to be beside the river estuary, but the river went away. It is all marshy there now. It was a beautiful day.
At the very end of the esplanade at Park gate was a house. It is called Far End. Tickled my funny bone. I know - I am strange.
We went on a bit of a memory trip and visited all the significant houses in the area. This was KISA's mum's house.
This house used to belong to KISA. It is very nice inside, or it used to be when he lived there..
We also spent a night in Chester. It is a very old place, the Romans were here, and the city wall they built is still standing. We went for a walk around it. I was taken with this restuarant, we ate there that night and it was good.
Love, love, love the old buildings of the tudor era. All just a bit wonky, so quaint.
Loved this row of houses we saw on our wall walk. They are 17th century according to the blue plaque.
Some buildings the Romans left behind, the remains of a hypocast. Pretty smart they had central heating!
This seemed like an English street straight off the telly! Complete with a pub on the corner.
More ornate, slightly wonky buidings. Amazing they have survived so long and are still being used for everyday trading and living.
Before we left the area, we took a plant to Mark and Dorothy. Hope it survives the next couple of months.
We took a family history tour through Birkenhead. This time it was for me. My great grandfather emigrated from here in the late 1800s. His father (or grandfather - need to check)used to own one of these houses in Hamilton Square. I think it was the second or third chimney.
They are all offices now, the first one is Barclay's Bank.
My great great grandfather also owned a big house in Birkenhead. KISA and I went for a drive to try and find it. It is a very long road and we didn't have a number, just a house name and an old blurry photo from the 1930s, that my great grandfather took on a return visit in his senior years.
The ceilings are very high and I would need a stepladder to reach the shelf in the bottom of that cupboard, never mind the top one!
This is the original belfast sink. They are back in fashion now, but this one is very old.
This corner of the house has the dining room on the bottom floor and a bedroom above. The little circular window is a folly, there is no room under the roof, the owner said and he can find no way in there. He has been there twenty years and is still finding little nooks and crannies!
The balcony above the bay windows is a folly as well. There is no door leading to the balcony and never has been! Under the high part of the roof are the old servants quarters, it has been converted into an apartment, where the owner's daughter and her family live. The upper bay window is the main bedroom and below is the main living room.
This is the front of the house. It is absolutely huge, but is still a semi-detached. The other side is the neighbours place, though they share a wall.
This is the front gate posts. It was just amazing to get to go through the house and see the interior, in virtually the same state it would have been in when my great grandfather was a boy!
Once we got to Liverpool, we stayed with KISA's aunt while we visited with KISA's other sister and brother in law. KISA also drove past his old childhood home, though it has been spruced up recently, he said.
We also stayed a couple of nights with KISA's youngest older sister in a town near Blackpool. By the beach. Where the tide comes in only once a month or so. That is so wierd! But thats how it works!
And also his auntie and cousins and, of course, sisters too.
A rare family shot as it is not often everyone gets together.
One day we went for a drive to the next village called Builth Wells. It doesn't matter how I say it, I say it wrong! Pretty place, alonside the River Wye.
We helped KISA's sister harvest some carrots. They were very yummy that night for dinner.
KISA dug up the potatoes. This was a first for me, as I have never grown potatoes before, nor ever dug them up. We ate some of the little ones at dinner and they were so good.
He was working so hard..check out that frown!
Phil was a prolific gardener, he had tomatoes for the whole of Wales! Imagine what you would pay for these here in Oz at about $10 a kilo!
KISA and I visited with those who are no longer with us and who are sorely missed. This was in North Wales.
We drove up to the Wirral, where KISA used to live. We had a picnic at Parkgate. It used to be beside the river estuary, but the river went away. It is all marshy there now. It was a beautiful day.
At the very end of the esplanade at Park gate was a house. It is called Far End. Tickled my funny bone. I know - I am strange.
We went on a bit of a memory trip and visited all the significant houses in the area. This was KISA's mum's house.
This house used to belong to KISA. It is very nice inside, or it used to be when he lived there..
We also spent a night in Chester. It is a very old place, the Romans were here, and the city wall they built is still standing. We went for a walk around it. I was taken with this restuarant, we ate there that night and it was good.
Love, love, love the old buildings of the tudor era. All just a bit wonky, so quaint.
Loved this row of houses we saw on our wall walk. They are 17th century according to the blue plaque.
Some buildings the Romans left behind, the remains of a hypocast. Pretty smart they had central heating!
This seemed like an English street straight off the telly! Complete with a pub on the corner.
More ornate, slightly wonky buidings. Amazing they have survived so long and are still being used for everyday trading and living.
Before we left the area, we took a plant to Mark and Dorothy. Hope it survives the next couple of months.
We took a family history tour through Birkenhead. This time it was for me. My great grandfather emigrated from here in the late 1800s. His father (or grandfather - need to check)used to own one of these houses in Hamilton Square. I think it was the second or third chimney.They are all offices now, the first one is Barclay's Bank.
My great great grandfather also owned a big house in Birkenhead. KISA and I went for a drive to try and find it. It is a very long road and we didn't have a number, just a house name and an old blurry photo from the 1930s, that my great grandfather took on a return visit in his senior years.Not only did we find it, but we inadvertantly parked the car right outside it! We intended to walk the street to look for it and by chance just parked in front! I was so excited to find it not only still standing, but still used as a family home.
The owner was outside, repointing the chimney, and asked us if he could help when he saw us standing in the gateway, looking at the house. When we explained we were from Australia, and showed him the photo and told him the story, he invited us in! He took us into the kitchen and made us a cup of tea. He permitted us to take photos inside, though I was wary of breaching his privacy, so only took a couple of the kitchen and the outside.
The house is huge! It is still in its original condition, the kitchen was much the same as it would have been when my great grandfather was a boy! Check out the wood burning stove!
The ceilings are very high and I would need a stepladder to reach the shelf in the bottom of that cupboard, never mind the top one!
This is the original belfast sink. They are back in fashion now, but this one is very old.
This corner of the house has the dining room on the bottom floor and a bedroom above. The little circular window is a folly, there is no room under the roof, the owner said and he can find no way in there. He has been there twenty years and is still finding little nooks and crannies!
The balcony above the bay windows is a folly as well. There is no door leading to the balcony and never has been! Under the high part of the roof are the old servants quarters, it has been converted into an apartment, where the owner's daughter and her family live. The upper bay window is the main bedroom and below is the main living room.
This is the front of the house. It is absolutely huge, but is still a semi-detached. The other side is the neighbours place, though they share a wall.
This is the front gate posts. It was just amazing to get to go through the house and see the interior, in virtually the same state it would have been in when my great grandfather was a boy!
Once we got to Liverpool, we stayed with KISA's aunt while we visited with KISA's other sister and brother in law. KISA also drove past his old childhood home, though it has been spruced up recently, he said.
We also stayed a couple of nights with KISA's youngest older sister in a town near Blackpool. By the beach. Where the tide comes in only once a month or so. That is so wierd! But thats how it works! They took us to a Liverpool football game at Anfield, as her family have season tickets and we ate dinner at the stadium. They have restuarants there! They were playing a UEFA game against Bucharest. Liverpool won. The atmosphere was amazing, and I am not a sports fan usually.
They sang the "You'll never walk alone" song and everyone held up their scarves. Made me go all goosebumps.
Was a bit windy.
And a tad chilly.
Quite high up in the air. KISA and his big sis. His youngest big sis.
Big sis, her lovely hubby and beautiful daughter.
We had just been to the pub for dinner and a few drinks. I think we were all sleepy and well fed and just a tiny bit tiddly.
Must have been as we were wearing hats made out of coke tins. Very good recyclers these English folks...
Weeks two and three to come.....
They sang the "You'll never walk alone" song and everyone held up their scarves. Made me go all goosebumps.
Was a bit windy.
And a tad chilly.
Quite high up in the air. KISA and his big sis. His youngest big sis.
Big sis, her lovely hubby and beautiful daughter.
We had just been to the pub for dinner and a few drinks. I think we were all sleepy and well fed and just a tiny bit tiddly.
Must have been as we were wearing hats made out of coke tins. Very good recyclers these English folks...
Weeks two and three to come.....
1 comment:
Great to see the pics, and read the text Julie. Glad you've found the time to add these posts, and will keep an eye out for further ones. Cheers, JW.
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