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The Wanderer Returns

Tuesday 12 April 2011

I'm back!


I took an absolutely ridiculous amount of photos whilst I was away but I don't want to bombard you with too many of them cos, well, I don't want to be the boring "look at my eleventymillion holiday snaps!" girl. But having said that, we did go to lots of lovely places and they deserve to be shown off a bit, so please prepare yourself for at least three million photos.

There are none of the cottage because it was a bit 80's-tastic inside. Not really a problem though as we were out doing things most of the time. And at least the outside was colourful.


I muchly coveted the cat shutters on the cottage down the road though.


So, last Sunday we went to the Shell Grotto in Margate. Such a brilliantly English little place! It's tucked away down a tiny side street and you wouldn't even know it was there, but once you're inside it's the most fascinating thing. They have no idea how old it is or who made it but there are over 4 million shells decorating the walls and it's amazingly intricate. My photos mostly suck though. Gargh.


And then to Richborough Roman Fort, the old gateway to England for Roman troops.

Monday was for frolicking at the seaside.
Tuesday was a good old National Trust day out. We managed to cram in three places - Bodiam Castle, Batemans (Rudyard Kipling's home) and Sissinghurst. All absolutely wonderful.





Mowgli topiary, I think.


As if to further prove that I am an Old Woman, I was quite excited to meet Aled Jones at Sissinghurst. He was doing some filming for Songs of Praise and we got roped in to be background extras. If you want to see if you can spot me on the telly then apparently it's on on 15th May.




Wednesday we went to Sandwich which was LOVELY. I don't appear to have taken any decent photos of buildings though, just lots of the wonderfully named roads they have there. And our afternoon tea, obviously.




Thursday was Canterbury which is also v. nice. I forgot my camera though, d'oh! The only photographic representation of the day is the board game (Touring England) we played that evening.


Friday was our day out at Dover Castle which was also utterly brilliant. The main castle is one of the best I think I've ever been to and I love all the new Henry II interpretation, but there's tons else to see and do there, including some fascinating wartime emergency hospital tunnels. Also, a nice American man came up to me and rather randomly announced "cute SHIRT!" Why don't English men say such things?


The colours have turned out a bit bizarre in this one. I was pretending to be a tomb decoration in the shadow cast by some stained glass, as you do...


White Cliffs and the ferry terminal.




Then on Saturday we came home via Ightham Mote which is very, very beautiful.

That's the only Grade 1 Listed dog kennel in England, don't you know?



T'was a glorious holiday. We were super lucky with the weather as well - only one day with a little bit of rain and most days were gorgeously sunny.


Would it bore you all if I did some separate posts about the National Trust places? I really did take a lot of photos of them, but I'm aware not everyone is as much of a history nerd as I am...

37 comments:

  1. Your holiday looks so wonderful - I'm so jealous. Hope you had a lovely birthday as well. xx

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  2. Love your pictures and I'd be interested in more photos :)
    Sounds like you had a great time and were super lucky with the weather!
    http://cgdn.blogspot.com/

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  3. Cat shutters, ducks, a very old dog kennel and a ham sandwich...it's good to have you back Alex!
    Hope your birthday was fab,
    Z xx

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  4. I love Ightham Mote - as I scrolled down the post and saw the area you were in I was thinking 'why hasn't she gone to Ightham Mote?!' My favourite thing about it is the way it's decorated in different rooms according to the residents over the ages, and the gardens are pretty glorious too. I would love to see separate posts on the NT properties, but as you may have guessed, I too am a history nerd!
    Beth @ Baking and Brogues
    xx

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  5. Dearest Alex, what glorious weather you had! The photos are lovely. Yes please! Do more posts, I love anything National Trust and am a total history nerd.

    I've never been to Kipling's house but I will make the effort. I adore Sissinghurst.

    Happy belated Birthday!!!

    I've been waiting to find you something else before I send your parcel, but I might just send it anyway.

    Glad you liked the Bubbles post. Love, C xxx

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  6. Show the National Trust photos! I can never see too many photos of interesting places :)
    English men generally come up to me to say things like 'smile bab' as if I should be skipping down the road in delight all the time :z

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  7. oh wow looks like you've had a wonderful holiday, such lovely photos!! love the castle in the lake and the ham sandwich sign =)


    Bow Dream Nation xx

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  8. It's good to have you back, and I'm glad you enjoyed your holiday.
    I'd love to see more photos. I'm not into history but I like looking at interesting houses and gardens.

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  9. It wouldn't freakin' bore me!! Love these pix,I want to go everywhere you've just been,it all looks so lovely!Castles!! EEEK!
    OMG those cat shutters!!! I LOVE them! And the waddling ducks.And I love castles.I once wanted G to build me a castle out of mudbricks.He wasn't too keen.
    Great to have you back,yay for having a splendid time!!
    Love! xxx

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  10. Dear Alex, what a fabulous time you had and lucky to have such glorious weather, yes please more pictures, I am a complete history nerd too.

    I love your tomb decoration photo, genius!
    XXX

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  11. Wouldn't mind at all. I love your travel and history posts!

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  12. Oh, Alex- welcome back! Your holiday sounds like my idea of absolute heaven.
    I normally switch off slightly in photo heavy posts but yours are exquisite and captivating as ever!
    Please, please do some NT posts. There are enough of us NT geeks out here to be riveted, I promise you!
    ps- The one and only time someone I don't know has commented on my clothes, it was also an American man- a businessman, in NYC to be exact. They're just made differently. I loved it too, made my life!

    xxx Maddie

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  13. I always love visiting national trust places, being brought up on trips to them I think is why I love them so much and so posts on them definitely wouldn't bore me :)

    Glad you had such a lovely time :)

    Wonderful pics the one with all the books in is a room I would love to have, one day!

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  14. Woah that's like the most action packed holiday ever - amazing!!

    I could handle more photos of old stuff - I liked some of those ones the best in this post. And that one of you pretending to be a tombstone is actually kind of creepy - but in a good, arty way!

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  15. Firstly a belated Happy Birthday.

    Secondly great to have you back.

    And thirdly, yes please! I would love to see more pictures and hear all about it. Looks like you had a great time and the photos are fantastic. Love the duck, how sweet.

    X x

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  16. Show us the photos, show us the photos! Wow you went to some lovely places, makes me want to get out on some trips.

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  17. Alex - the petit garcon and I loved the photos! He was most impressed by the pretend tomb action - though I did have to explain you were nots dead! The castles were amazing and we are so near I think lots of day trips are a foot now for the holidays.
    Also the board game we need to get that too!!
    xx

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  18. Lovely photos Alex, glad you had the gorgeous weather :) I'm a history geek to so I'd love to see more photos.. x

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  19. Wow Alex, what a glorious holiday! You've given me loads of inspiration of places I'd like to go this summer, of all of them I've only been to Dover Castle (which is indeed fantastic). Great to have you back, and glad you had a lovely birthday xx

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  20. Gorgeous pictures, not at all boring!! It looks such a nice holiday.
    Love the cat shutters, and I've never played the board game, do love a board game though.

    xx

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  21. Looks like an amazing hol - you saw so much! Great pics, would def be interested in NT posts. xx

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  22. hahaha that 'ham sandwich' sign made me giggle. you were blessed with very lovely weather! you lucky thing.

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  23. Alex - your holiday looks wonderful. And yes, please do the National Trust post, to keep this history geek very happy. Just saw yr lovely comment on my own racing post; was especially touched as have been feeling rather sad since the deaths at Aintree and the subsequent controversy, with everyone shouting at once. So thank you.

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  24. Your holiday looks amazing! I LOVE National Trust places so yes please for more posts :D I love wandering around these gorgeous places where people once lived, it feels quite intrusive but it's so interesting!

    Maria xxx

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  25. how fabulous and what brilliant weather...I want to fo to Kipling's house!!

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  26. lady lady lady lady
    what a gem you are.

    these travels make me envious. i want to go to kiplings house. i want to see history.
    jealous (:

    sugar plum kisses~
    amy x
    www.amyflyingakite.com

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  27. Welcome home - you've taken some brilliant pics! Love the cat shutters and that LIBRARY with that GLOBE!!! Sigh...

    Yes please, more pics of the NT places :) xx

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  28. Wow I love all your pictures, looks like a lovely scenic place, and smiling hedges, awesomeness! :)

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  29. Your holiday looks and sounds wonderful. I'd love to see your NT pics - our family have been NT members since my girls were small, but I have rarely visited any of the properties further south than the Yorkshire area so would be most interested in your pictures. xxx

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  30. Ah, this looks lovely! The weather really was kind to you, and I'm glad you got so much done- I would be in need of another holiday after all of that sight-seeing! You know what? At times, you weren't a trillion miles away from where I live, and I feel inspired to comandeer a vehicle and do some exloring of the local area. Welcome back! x

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  31. Lovely pics and glad you got the glorious weather! Happy Belated birthday too x
    Kandi x

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  32. Yay welcome back missy! Sounds like you had a fantastic holiday. I love the area you visited but there are a few places I haven't been to. I'd definitely like to hear more about the NT places. Bodiam castle is on my list as a possible for when I'm down in May. Hope you had a lovely birthday too. I got you a little something but haven't been near a post office. x

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  33. Lovely pictures, I'd love to see more! I'm grinning away at Ham Sandwich and Knightrider Street like an idiot.

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  34. Welcome back.. you've been tagged - http://hazelsworldofjoy.blogspot.com/2011/04/ten-things-i-love.html
    hope you don't mind...

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  35. welcome back ! i love the ducks trying to keep up !! and looks like you visited some lovely places
    i would definitely appreciate more posts on national trust places! xx

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  36. You'll either love me or loathe me, but I have another Award for you on my Blog.
    Z xx

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