O I do like to be beside the seaside....

E

Well we do love to be beside the seaside so the short trip to Margate was welcomed, a short drive from London it hardly seemed any distance at all with occasional glimpses of the Kent countryside through the motorway barriers.

A quick look around Margate made it clear that this cute spot is an opportunity awaiting its time and for a place that has retained almost all of its 'old town' it will be interesting to see how it is dealt with. 

In much of the old town all that can be seen are the original buildings many of which are a composite of brick and a local material, flint. Flint buildings are probably not exclusive to Margate but in the numbers present they certainly look distinctive. In contrast though is the newly built Turner Gallery on the waterfront. A bit like the Guggenhiem in Bilboa  (not in style but in intent) placed in Margate because of the fascination Turner had for the place (he said it had the biggest sky in Britain) but perhaps to provide a draw card for Margate and it seems to be working.

Greg and Warren took the time to show off their prized allotment and with good reason. They have much more flat garden area than we do! A bit of garden envy emerged but as there were no tomatoes to be compared as the final arbiter G&W win on square feet alone.

The unavoidable happened as we had to venture to the shopping centre for provisions and although some considerable restraint was on display, some space-consuming purchases were made, not bad after a month on the road.

We had a very productive afternoon sampling some of the local ale houses and Greg is seen trying his hand out behind the bar. Lucky for some it was only momentarily. It took a little bit more effort to get up next day. Greg and Warren have been great hosts providing sumptuous feasts at ever turn and taking us on trips to the very picturesque countryside and seaside. The countryside is very beautiful and full of glimpses into Ye Olde England. We particularly liked Broadstairs, the seaside town where Dickens wrote a few of his novels. 

All in all it has been a fabulous chance to relax and recuperate from our hectic time in the US and prepare us for the next exciting part of the trip. Greece and blue waters tomorrow.

Chelsea Smile

Well the long awaited event finally happened  and it was definitely one of the holiday highlights and will be remember for a very long time. It was the long anticipated the Chelsea Flower Show, and what a treat it turns out to be. A little slow in starting off but once into our stride it turns out to be a fantastically well organised event and an absolute assault on the senses. Never have we been exposed to so much flora in one place and it takes some time to get a grasp of which displays are the competitors and which are the merchandisers! 

Finding a neat source of nasal antagonisation we share with everyone else, we move amongst a serious crowd intent on seeing what some clever designers have been able to do with some plants, some sticks and some stones! Serious gardens from some very clever people and it seems never to end. Five hours later we end up back in Sloane Square where we find a refreshing wine and the news that we qualify for a complimentary rickshaw ride to see what local businesses (we are talking Tiffany, Cartier, Zara, Mont Blanc et al) have done to continue the floral theme. 

Not to be disappointed, Mary stumbles across the shop that won the local competition and who are offering complimentary garlands the offer of which is readily accepted and promptly posted to FaceBook! Along the way some retail activity is encountered but modest enough not to upset the single bag policy adopted at the outset of this adventure. All in all, it is agreed that the Chelsea Flower Show is a highlight and a must-see for anyone travelling to London in May. We had another treat thrown in with the Baron Knights playing. Some of you may remember them from their hey day but suffice it to say they don't look anything like they did but they had the crowd rocking and a rolling.

The evening finished nicely with fab grub ( English speak) at the local pub with Warren.