Sister Four

The heaviest rain since I've been in England hit today, so various plans were changed and we headed off to the Hare Krishna Temple in Watford. It's a very beautiful old manor that George Harrison donated to the Krishna's and they have a Memorial Garden to George. A very moving experience and a peaceful place, was a shame about the weather. They have lots of weddings here and there was one in progress today. The George Harrison Garden A seat for meditation Dawn and Kerry in the rain  Use of fallen branches everything is recycled Tea and cake, of course and souvenirs at the shop. The gentleman behind the counter asked how we came to be there. When he heard that it was because of me and my Beatle obsession and that I was from Australia, he then gave me a book that has conversations with  John and George! He gave it to me as a gift, as it had been given to him, so put your name in the comments section if you'd like to read it then pass it...

This is also where the movies The Enigma and The Imitation Game was made. Very interesting. We explored the huts and the Manor House, saw a demonstration of a bombe machine with full explanations! Beautiful grounds Dawn and Carolyn heading into the Manor There is so much to see here, you could spend hours wandering through, lots of interactive spots and tables etc. Here are a few photos to whet the appetite! From the Imitation Game set display Actual codes to be deciphered Even the sign posts were in code! From Bletchly Park we went into Milton Keynes for dinner. The decision was made and Jamie Oliver's Italian got the nod! Great food, great company everything I've come to expect over here. As we drove home Dawn pointed out a bridge we drove under as the bridge where the train in the "Great Train Robbery" was held up. The train was backed up to Cheddington Railway, how's that for a bit of history! Cheers 

These lovley ladies have a lunch every month and I just happen to be in the town for this month's lunch. It's school holidays here so not all the ladies were in attendance today, but if they are all as nice and fun as those I met, well it's a shame Ettalong Beach is such a long way from Cheddington. The Old Swan was the venue for lunch and your typical English pub, the dining room was very elegant yet comfortable, service was excellent and the food tasty with lots of choices also very reasonable prices. Lots of chatter and laughs a typical ladies lunch. I must say I felt right at home! Maggie, Paul - The Old Swan Manager, and Dawn Loved the thatched roof Wandered through the village back to Dawn's where I made cocktails for the ladies. We started with Dry Martinis, alas no olives so made do with lemon. Dry Martini, shaken not stirred! The ladies liked them so much I was sent to the kitchen to create another. Hard at work creating cockt...

It was time to say Goodbye to Sarah and David - Dawn's parents who had kindly put us up for a couple of days. We headed of to explore Cardiff but started off with elevenses at Pettigrew Tea Rooms in Bute Gardens beside Cardiff Castle. Studding the menu Souvenir shopping was on the agenda followed by all the sights. Lots of the old buildings have been remodeled but some of the façades have been retained. I think I've mentioned that it's school holidays over here so it's busy but nothing I can't handle and very colourful. Now this building had been changed quite a bit but you can see the old bldg underneath The Beatles played 3 concerts here, one each year in 1963,1964,1965 It was The Capital Theatre back then. In the shopping precinct After checking in for coffee it was back to Cheddington and a light dinner the off to the pub across the road for a couple of drinks before bed. Oh yeah the pub across the road is The Three Horseshoes.

Had lunch at a gorgeous little Welsh pub in Ystradfellte - no seriously that's the name of the place A Bouquet of Buttons  I dined on homemade fish fingers and chips, the biggest I've ever seen. After lunch we wandered through some very picturesque villages, more strange names like Aberdars; Pontypridd, which is the birth place of Tom Jones; Porth; Trebanog, and back to Dawn's parents in Ermondstown. Heron Foxglove Mist over the forest Yep a sheep The sheep are just wandering around everywhere no fences also wild ponies which once we had to stop to let them cross the road. We went into Cardiff for dinner overlooking the bay along the river Taff. We had dinner at San Martino Restaurant an Italian restaurant very nice food and service great afterwards we walked around looking at  various street art and came across Tiger Bay the birthplace of Shirley Bassey. Kerry and David Sarah Overlooking the Taff River V...

So on Saturday afternoon I arrived in Cheddington,   a village and civil parish in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire. The parish has an area of 1,429 acres. The village is about 6 miles north-east of Aylesbury and three miles north of Tring in Hertfordshire. Staying with my friend Dawn and her husband Kerry. Dawn is Welsh, whilst Kerry is half Welsh and half English, Dawn's parents, David and Sarah and whom I met in New York City in 2012, still live in Wales in the village of Edmondstown, which is 14 miles (23kl) from Cardiff, the Capital. Now you have the background information on with the show!  Had a great first night we stayed in and over a lovely dinner (sorry Carolyn no photo available) chatted for ages during which plans for my stay were revealed. A visit to Wales to catch up with Dawn's parents and sightseeing! How good is this! So after breakfast on Sunday lazily sitting in the beautiful garden here and yes in sunshine, we got into our glad rags ...