A castle, a cottage and a college in the countryside.
When I think of England, I think of idyllic pastoral scenes of rolling hills and green pastures dotted with wildflowers. I think of picturesque villages with Tudor-style cottages and winding country lanes. I think of having cream tea and scones in a rose garden. I think of old stone castles on top of a hill, flanked with towers and turrets. I think of misty moors, vast, lonely and haunting. I think of lush woodlands with babbling brooks and wild meadows. I think of magic and knights and mythical lands, of Arthur, Merlin and Camelot, of the merry men in Sherwood Forest. I think of England as told in the story books and fairy tales that I grew up reading.
Did England live up to my imaginings? Given that our time was very much limited and we had but a glimpse of all that England had to offer, I would still say yes, it certainly did. All it took was a couple of days out in the English countryside and that was it, I was madly in love with everything England. In fact, I would have happily spent the rest of our tour just exploring England. But since it was not to be and I wanted to pack in as many sights in a day as possible, we went on a day trip that took us around the countryside to see a medieval castle, an English village and a university town.
The English Countryside
Warwick Castle
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Shakespeare's Birthplace
Oxford: Christ Church College
 |
|
Like all day tours with several destinations, there was a feeling of being rushed. While we did see the major sights, I kept wishing we had more time to wander around at leisure. There was so much more to see and it rather difficult to take a nice photo when we were constantly being herded. I was also very
disappointed to learn that there would be no stopping at the Cotswolds, even just for a photo-op. It was a charming drive though as we passed by rows and rows of cozy cottages with thatched roofs and crawling ivy and roses, each one prettier one than the last.
Passing through the Cotswolds
 |
| Crappy bus photos in HDR. |
But even with all the
shortcomings of the tour, it could not detract from the absolute beauty
of the English countryside. Oh, I knew it was going to be beautiful but seeing it firsthand was beyond breathtaking. The scenic views made even the long bus ride
pleasant. I tuned out the
tour guide and gazed dreamily outside the window, lost in my daydreams
of roaming the countryside. I had this sudden and
intense desire to move to England and live in a tiny but quaint cottage. I
was utterly - and I still am - enchanted with England and since we
left, I have been longing and dreaming of our return.
The drive back to London - more greenery and...
manors, churches, cottages and...
a Tudor-style Mcdonald's!
oh wow, england is indeed wonderful, you take good pictures dear. i gotta say i love that mcdonald's building, looks so different from what we got here. and also shakespeare's house, so beautiful.
ReplyDeletebtw, i am your new follower, if you have the time, i hope you can also check out mine, http://coffeehan.blogspot.com
have a lovely day :)
Thanks Marjorie but really, my pictures don't do the place justice - especially the ones taken from the bus. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll check out your blog now and follow you. Have a lovely day too! :)
England is a dream haven. To say it is a "nice" place is an understatement. Inspiration is everywhere. No wonder the country has produced a lot of classic and well-known literary authors of all time like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre), among others. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful photos and information. Keep it up! :)
@Anonymous Yes! I totally agree. During our tour, I must have sounded like a broken record, proclaiming everything we saw as beautiful or picturesque or charming. And even then, all those adjectives weren't enough to describe the utter loveliness of England. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog! :)
You're welcome! Oh England, why were we not born there? Haha! Yep, i agree with you. One still find it surreal to have finally seen the place. Such a beautiful and majestic place to be in. You have been given the chance to visit and explore. Thank God for that wonderful opportunity. :)
ReplyDelete"One still finds it surreal", i mean. :)
ReplyDelete@Anonymous Exactly the question I've been asking, haha! And surreal is the word! Sometimes, when I look at our pictures, I still can't believe that we've actually been there. I just wish and hope there's going to be a next time. :)
ReplyDeleteThere will be, just believe. Also, it is a good thing that you are with someone who shares the same passion as yours. Fairytale-like it is. :)
ReplyDelete@Anonymous Yes, and that is the biggest blessing of all. :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, I would love to visit England some day! I'm a new follower from Book Blogs. I would love a follow back at http://endlessdaysofbooks.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThank you Candace, I followed you back. I look forward to perusing your blog. :)
Delete