In September 2015 we have moved to Saffron Walden.
On the first weekend we went to Cambridge, and pictures below were taken that lovely sunny September day.
Category: anglia
Brighton and Seven Sisters walk from Seaford / September 2015
London / December 2017
We have been to London a few times, but this time first time after major Dinosaur changes in Natural History Museum and first time ever in Science Museum.
Both are great ! We would spend all day there but there were more attractions to see that day.
For those who want to visit: both museums are
Natural History Museum
Bristol and Fiesta Balloon Festival / August 2017
We visited Bristol mainly because of the annual event – Fiesta Hot Air Balloon Festival, apparently the biggest in Europe.
We were waiting with anticipation for balloons uplift at 6pm, but they did not ascend ! Disappointment !?! Yes, the evening was lovely, weak wind, sun, a bit chilly for summer evening, but still great weather to start. Organizer spread the word on Social Media about no delayed uplift for the evening. So, we spent 3 hours in few thousands crowd of people to watch balloons. None came up ! I mean, only one yellow one đ
However, the evening glow at 9pm-9.30pm that was magical ! All balloons glowed together with music rhythm. Great experience though ! Unforgettable đ
Click to enlarge.
Hartlepool, County Durham / March 2015
We visited Hartlepool after Whitby to have a sleep and go to the Maritime Museum on the next day. It is an ordinary port city, however it was a main target of German attacks during WWI.
MONKEYS
Monkey’s and Hartlepool ? Yes, the legend comes from Napoleonic Wars:
Hartlepool is famous for allegedly executing a monkey during the Napoleonic Wars. According to legend, fishermen from Hartlepool watched a French warship founder off the coast, and the only survivor was a monkey, which was dressed in French military uniform, presumably to amuse the officers on the ship. The fishermen assumed that this must be what Frenchmen looked like and, after a brief trial, summarily executed the monkey.
Historians have pointed to the prior existence of a Scottish folk song called “And the Boddamers hung the Monkey-O”. It describes how a monkey survived a shipwreck off the village of Boddam near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. Because the villagers could only claim salvage rights if there were no survivors from the wreck, they allegedly hanged the monkey. There is also an English folk song detailing the later event called, appropriately enough, “The Hartlepool Monkey”. In the English version the monkey is hanged as a French spy.
“Monkey hanger” and Chimp Choker are common terms of (semi-friendly) abuse aimed at “Poolies”, often from bitter footballing rivals Darlington. The mascot of Hartlepool United F.C. is H’Angus the monkey. The man in the monkey costume, Stuart Drummond, stood for the post of mayor in 2002 as H’angus the monkey, and campaigned on a platform which included free bananas for schoolchildren. To widespread surprise, he won, becoming the first directly-elected mayor of Hartlepool, winning 7,400 votes with a 52% share of the vote and a turnout of 30%. He was re-elected by a landslide in 2005, winning 16,912 on a turnout of 51% â 10,000 votes more than his nearest rival, the Labour Party candidate.
The monkey legend is also linked with two of the town’s sports clubs, Hartlepool Rovers RFC, which uses the hanging monkey as the club logo. On tours it would hang a monkey on the posts of the rugby pitch to spread the story. Hartlepool (Old Boys) RFC use a hanging monkey kicking a rugby ball as their tie crest.
Source: Wikipedia
Let’s go back to the Hartlepool Maritime Museum we have visited and enjoyed đ
Hartlepool Maritime Museum
HMS Trincomalee
Seals from Norfolk, UK / April 2017
Bank Holiday Weekend trip to Horsey Gap, Norfolk to see the seals ! đ
Seals:
Evening Walk around village in Essex / April 2017
As we live in Saffron Walden, Essex, our walks always trace paths around village. One particular route we do as often as we can – 5 days a week goes around fields.
We usually pass little forest (or bushes if you wish), fields and a pond.
Yeasterday there was a time to test Hoya polarizer filter, I also had chance to capture moon đ
Every day is different as the weather, sky, sun, hence I have an opportunity to capture magical moments of nature:
Knaresborough and Mother Shipton’s Cave / Spring 2014
Mother Shipton’s Cave (or “Old Mother Shipton’s Cave”) is at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England, near to the River Nidd. Nearby is a petrifying well which is the oldest entrance charging tourist attraction in England, open since 1630. It is associated with the legendary soothsayer and prophetess Mother Shipton (c. 1488 – 1561), born Ursula Southeil, wife of Toby Shipton. According to legend she was born in the cave. The cave and dropping well, together with other attractions, remain open to visitors.Â
Horses on the way to South Stack :) / WALES 2014
Wales South Stack
South Stack Lighthouse
South Stack Lighthouse
South Stack Lighthouse
South Stack Cliffs
South Stack Cliffs
South Stack Cliffs
South Stack Cliffs
South Stack Cliffs
Lighthouse
Cliffs as birds homes
Photography by Paulaart18 