Travel theme: Beaches

Last month I visited one beach, which was very nice and interesting for me, I am going to share it with you for this week’s Travel Theme. At south England, close to Porstmouth and Southampton there is an island called Isle of Wight. At this island there you can visit an Osborne house, complex, that was built for English Queen Victoria, her husband Albert and their family. Part of the properties is also beach, at which the Queen learned to swim.

Osborne beach

For getting to the water she used a special carriage, that brought her to the water directly from the beach.

Bathing machine

More info about it you can find on this shot.

Made for a queen

Unfortunatelly the day we visited the beach was very cold and cloudy, so we were not able to swim, but at least we were collecting nice stones and shells.

At the beach

Weekly Photo Challenge: Up

What you see when you look up in cathedrals in England? See my shots for Weekly Photo Challenge: Up.

Travel theme: Time

Time is this week’s Travel theme. I have for you just a few of Prague’s sun dials. The first one is from the Little Town in Prague. One from the main square…

Little Town Square, Malostranské náměstí

… and this one is really hidden and to find it you have to ask me for getting you there. In case you visit Prague and you find it on your own, make a shot and send it to me :-).

Hidden street

For this one you would have to be as lucky as we were with my husband to get to the monastery garden at Strahov, read more here.

Strahov monastery, secret garden

This clock can’t be freely visited as well, as it is in the yard of the Hospital Na Františku in the Old Town. It is located in a less visited part of Prague, but when you go to St. Agnes Convent for Exhibition of Gothic art, take a look at this one, but do not disturb the people in hospital. The second is not sun dial, but it is so beautiful and from the same place that I post it here :-).

Yard of the Hospital at St. Francisco (Na Františku)

To see this one you have to climb Astronomical Tower at Klementinum, as I did for my post here.

Klementinum

My bonus shot is from London, from the place called Seven Dials and when you are there, find all seven dials on the square. You will find six of them on the top of the column (the small metal rounds on the spire), but where is the seventh one?

London, Seven Dials

London Markets

From my point of view what Prague is missing are markets, not only with fresh fruit, but also with funky dress and other goods. We have just one open market in city center which is Havelsky trh with fruits (a bit expensive, be careful the price depends on weight and not per pack) during weekdays and mostly tourist goods at weekends. The other big market is in former Holesovice Slaughterhouse, covered vegetable market and shops and stalls with cheap dresses and other goods. Rather new are regular Farmer’s Markets on several squares, but the offer is still the same: expensive vegetables and milk products.

Therefore, what I love on city of London are its markets.

On Camden Street I like the houses with huge eye-catchers on the buildings.

This won't be found in Prague

Camden Street

At Camden Lock I love the channel with small boats, exotic food, hand-made jewels, books, small cafes.

Camden Locks

Camden Lock Market mosaic

Different then is Brick Lane with second hand goods and close Old Spitalfields Market with vegetables and fruits.

Maybe you would choose from Barbie collection on Brick Lane?

Old Spitalfields Market

During our walks in my beloved Greenwich we found a hidden market hall with high quality handmade products. I realy liked this one.

I am sure every single one of these would fit me well.

Fans in Greenwich

Brixton Market  reminds me of oriental souks in Middle East. Variety of fresh fishes and other meat (whole pigs and chickens), on the other hand beautiful decorated fabrics, hollow ware, that’s what you can find there.

Brixton Village - shops, cafes, delis, vegetable, food stores

Not easy to choose.

Electric Avenue, venue of Brixton Market

We fancy metal commercials

And at last the most famous Portobello Road with antique goods. Last but not least, my favourite place, on Saturday full of tourists and stalls, colors and music everywhere.

And if you like movie Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, then you can’t miss this place. I still didn’t find the building where Hugh lived, neither his small shop with travel books, but I keep on seeking.

On the market I always admire antiques, nice flowers, on-street-prepared food, but also vegetables and fruits.

Antique and fruits, good mixture

London Theatre

During our visit to London it was really difficult to resist the offer of shows of West End Theatres. First, you are offered on the reception desk and then all the commercials are calling for your attention. And of course, they got me.

Show Guide

Rock of Ages – Shaftesbury Theatre

You can compare West End theatre in London with New York’s Broadway theatre, they are mainstream, commercial, professional and as this seeing a West End show is a common tourist activity in London.

Theatre Map

I have to mention here one of the first theatre in London, which is Globe Theatre associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s playing company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613.

A modern reconstruction of the Globe, named “Shakespeare’s Globe”, opened in 1997 approximately 750 feet (230 m) from the site of the original theatre.

Les Miserables

The lengths of West End shows depend on ticket sales. Some of the longest runs were Les Misérables, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera. The longest-running show in the world, which has been showing since 1952, is Agatha Christie play The Mousetrap.

But now back to my experience.

The show offer was really huge, but my final selection was done from: Billy Elliot (unfortunatelly the most far theatre), Singing in the Rain (they had not tickets for that evening) and Wizard of Oz (I just read the story for the first time), and the last one won.

The entrance to London Palladium

The interior of the theatre

The performance itself was perfect, beautiful, professional, I enjoyed it a lot! However, what I noticed some small signs showing the difference between Prague culture and London one. In Prague you go to the theatre dressed well in the evening dress (except tourist, which I understand, but it is a pitty), you put your coats and jackets to the cloakroom where it is taken care of by a person, you don’t have to keep them all the time on your knees during the show. On break you have your drink in glass, the wine in goblet, and for sure you don’t abandon your garbage to the floor.

The roof, the Wicked Witch came over my head through the hole there, and also the Flying Monkey …

In Prague at the end of the show there is an applause, which last as long as the theatre-goer is satisfied with the performance and the cast goes to the stage as long as is asked, in London after short applause the curtian is pulled down and people left, leaving behind them floor full of plastic pots from drinks or ice-creams, empty packs from sweets etc.

The Safety and Final Curtain

I know that the trend is that Prague culture have been closing to the London one, not an opposite way, but I am really sorry for this.

Palace Theatre Entrance

But to a better end, after the show on front of the theatre stood a line of bike-riksha’s ringing their bells and it would be really enjoyable to close your evening with this experience.

Riksha’s in front of the theatre

Despite what was written above, I plan to go to London and visit another theatre show again, I really would love to see Billy Elliot this time, hoping it will be still on, as it is from May 11, 2005.

Victoria Palace with Billy Elliot

Just a half of the offer

Or would it be Wicked?

London Gardens

Last week I have spent in London for some work. At home yet I looked for the place we would live and look, what I have found on the Google Map.

Russell Square on Google Maps

And now even closer look.

It’s not on the floor, it’s in the air!

Yes, it’s there.

The first thing we came to that place I checked, if the airplane is there, and what do you think? Yess, it was there!

Russell Square is small but nice park close to the British Museum and I really like the view of it with a little bit of snow but fountian working.

The snowballs were made of snow but partially from the mud, sun was shining through the trees and the atmosphere calls you to sit there for coffee and enjoy the quiet place.

Winter fountain

Where is the rest of the Snowman?

Cafe on Russell Square

After spending some time on Russell Square we went to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, to visit squirrels and birds there. We entered the park at the place, where the big fight between Mark and Daniel happened in Bridget Jones The Edge of the Reason. The fountains here are nice in all weather.

Would not want to fight between the ice …

The weather was perfect, rather warm (take into account we came this morning from Prague where was about -20 Celsius, which is -4 Fahrenheit).

Beautiful winter scene

The wild life in the gardens is very fresh. We saw mices, rabbits, but mainly squirrels and birds, unfortunatelly nothing with us to feed them.

Other pictures from this serie are in a blow a little, as I tried to run away from the closing squirrell, she seemed to be landing on my head soon

The gaggle going to the water

The walk around Serpentine was really beautiful and in summer it must be really great to finish it in the nice Summer garden on the water.

Cafe with beautiful view