Newcastle | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

London cold winter wind

March 5, 2015 by David Herd

The Shipwrights Arms

London cold winter wind

London cold winter wind & lots of great pubs. I arrived March 1st 2015 the same date I arrived in 2014, at least unlike last year there was no rain, just icy cold wind. At least there are hundreds of great pubs to visit and escape from the wind.

The Hereford Arms

about 300 meters from Gloucester Road underground, a delightful little pub with a nice atmosphere and good food.

Hereford Arms

About a 8 minute walk from my hotel the Villa Kensington, I had dinner here on 3 occasions.

The Villa Kensington 10-11 Ashburn Gardens SW7

This excellent budget hotel is in a great location, only 2 blocks from Gloucester Road underground and surrounded by dozens of good restaurants. I booked through Agoda as usual and stayed in a newly renovated room for only 50 Quid or $98 usd including breakfast. Get a good discount through THIS LINK.

London cold winter wind

London cold winter wind and sunshine, but as I said before, the wind was icy. 🙂

Enoteca da Luca

I stumbled this delightful Italian restaurant at 21 Wattling St which is very close to St Pauls Cathredral.

Enoteca da Luca

The Terrine was excellent as was the red wine. I found the wine a little expensive however sadly I think that is just the norm in London.

Here is Julia at Enoteca da Luca

An excellent wine selection at Enoteca da luca, apparently there are a couple of other branches of this restaurant as well.

Jamie Oliver Barbecoa

Also is Wattling Street is this fabulous Jamie Oliver butchery.

London cold winter wind at St Pauls Cathredal

It’s so cold even the statues are hugging.

The Walkie Talkie and The Gherkin

There are some incredible glass skyscrapers being built in London. Check out my post of these exciting new buildings.

The Tower Bridge

The Tower bridge is still one of London’s best places to visit and photograph.

Leadenhall Market

Quite a beautiful old building.

The Bloomsbury Tavern 236 Shaftsbury Avenue

Typical London architecture.

The Princess Louise

Princess Louise 208 High Holborn is a traditional English pub that is very popular at lunch time. I enjoyed a nice sandwich and a couple of bloody Mary’s.

For London & UK hotels there are great discounts through this link.

The Princess Louise

One of the great joys of visiting London are the unique pubs.

Little Venice near Paddington station

My first visit to this area triggered by a crime novel I recently read. 🙂

Nice cafe in Little Venice

Coffee and cake at this delightful cafe.

Newton Abbott in Devon

I an find only two reasons anybody would want to visit Newton Abbott in Devon. First I understand it is quite famous for horse racing, secondly, and this was my reason, there is a low security prison where I paid a very good friend a visit. This is the 4th English prison I have been to in the last 8 years. Last year it was Stafford, before that Dovegate and finally Dorchester.

London Underground

If you are spending a few days in London make sure you buy an Oyster Card for the underground as well as the London busses. Only 30 Quid for unlimited travel, a terrific saving.

Holiday Inn Kensington

This is also a terrific location, in fact it is opposite my budget hotel the Villa Kensington. There is a huge price difference, 300 Quid for the Holiday inn and 65 for Villa Kensington.

One of my favourite songs about London.

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Here are the fantastic new London buildings

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Before I arrived in London I spent 4 days in Istanbul

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A stand out feature of this trip was my selection of hotels and apartments, everyone of them was in a perfect location…

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Europe before Covid-19 & mass immigration.

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London Shard Gherkin Walkie Talkie

March 3, 2015 by David Herd

The Gherkin

London Shard Gherkin Walkie Talkie

London Shard Gherkin Walkie Talkie are some of the ultra modern glass skyscrapers that are starting to dominate the London skyline. Not all Locals are happy about this break from tradition, however it is very difficult these days to stop progress.

On the building’s top level (the 40th floor), there is a bar for tenants and their guests featuring a 360° view of London. A restaurant operates on the 39th floor, and private dining rooms on the 38th.

Tower 42

Tower 42 is the 3rd tallest building in London after the Shard and 122 Leadenhall Street.

The Shard

Londoners seem to like giving nicknames to their new buildings.

The Shard

London’s tallest building, I intended to visit the lookout at the top however a price of 30 Quid talked me out of it. 🙂

The Walkie Talkie at 20 Fenchurch Street

This is my favourite building in London, there is a great story about how it magnifies heat and melts cars. During the summer of 2013, when the reflection of a beam of light up to six times brighter than direct sunlight shining onto the streets beneath damaged vehicles parked on the street nearby, including one on Eastcheap whose owner was paid £946 by the developers for repairs to melted bodywork. The reflection also burned or scorched the doormat of a shop in the affected area. The media responded by dubbing the building the “Walkie Scorchie”.

The Walkie Talkie

This is certainly my favourite modern London building.

122 Leadenhall Street

Lots of steel and glass in this fantastic skyscraper.

Lloyd’s Building

What style would you call this, modern metal? 🙂

London Shard Gherkin Walkie Talkie

The Shard of course is one the opposite side of the Thames.

The Walkie Talkie

The Walkie talkie is still my favourite, how many buildings do you know of that can destroy motor vehicles? 🙂

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Bath South West England

January 2, 2015 by David Herd

Wonderful city of Bath

Bath South West England

Bath South West England is quite a beautiful city. Located 97 miles (156 km) west of London and 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Bristol. In 2011, its population was 88,859.

The Royal Crescent in Bath

Many notable people have either lived or stayed in the Royal Crescent since it was first built over 230 years ago, and some are commemorated on special plaques attached to the relevant buildings.

The Royal Crescent now includes a hotel and a Georgian house museum, while some of the houses have been converted into flats and offices. It is a popular location for the makers of films and television programmes, and a major tourist attraction in its own right.

The Empire is a landmark building

Like many other cities I visit I took advantage of the open top tourist bus to see many interesting parts of the city. The Empire is a landmark building in Bath in the heart of the city was built in 1901.

Inside the Empire is Garfunkel’s an interesting restaurant and is part of a chain with branches in London and Edinburgh.

Roman Baths

Bath is famous for the Roman Baths that date back to when the first shrine at the site of the hot springs was discovered by the British king Bladud who built the first baths in 836 BC.

Bath South West England Pulteney Bridge

Pulteney Bridge was completed by 1774, and connected the city with the newly built Georgian town of Bathwick. Pulteney Bridge is open to pedestrians, but only buses and taxis can drive across.

The weir at Pulteney Bridge

Quite an impressive sight.

Bath Abbey

The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Bath Abbey, it is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery. Founded in the 7th century, Bath Abbey was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries.

Bath South West England

It is a pleasure to walk around this lovely city.

No motor vehicles here

Beautiful walkways with no traffic.

Bath South West England red wine with lunch

David Herd, Bill Austin and Simon Wilmont enjoying a nice lunch in Bath.

St Christopher’s Inn

Here is cheap accommodation in the heart of the city.

Sleeping rough in Bath

Hoping to earn a few quid playing the flute.

Very distinctive architecture in Bath.

Typical homes in Bath South West England

County Hotel Bath

Bath celebrity chef Martin Blunos has returned. This well known Chef has opened his latest venture at the County hotel. Martin became a fixture on the Bath culinary scene in the 1990s with his restaurant Lettonie which earned two Michelin stars. Simply named Blunos, the new restaurant will be dedicated to serving fresh fish and seafood and Martin says it will be very different from Lettonie.

Holburne Museum in Bath

The first public art gallery in Bath is home to fine and decorative arts built around the collection of Sir William Holburne. The foundation stone was laid in 1796 and the building was ready by 1799. Bath South West England is certainly worth a visit, not far away on the same river is Bradford on Avon, put it on your itinerary.

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Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

For something different check out the Italian coast

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The Italian alps is a nice area to visit

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Ancient Roman Bath House

April 25, 2014 by David Herd

Roman Baths

Ancient Roman Bath House

Ancient Roman Bath House complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The house is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing. The Roman Baths themselves are below the modern street level.

The name Sulis continued to be used after the Roman invasion, leading to the town’s Roman name of Aquae Sulis (“the waters of Sulis”). The temple was constructed in 60-70 AD and the bathing complex was gradually built up over the next 300 years. During the Roman occupation of Britain, and possibly on the instructions of Emperor Claudius, engineers drove oak piles to provide a stable foundation into the mud and surrounded the spring with an irregular stone chamber lined with lead. In the 2nd century it was enclosed within a wooden barrel-vaulted building, and included the caldarium (hot bath), tepidarium (warm bath), and frigidarium (cold bath). After the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the first decade of the 5th century, these fell into disrepair and were eventually lost due to silting up, and flooding. TheAnglo-Saxon Chronicle suggests the original Roman baths were destroyed in the 6th century.

Steam rising

The water that flows through the Roman Baths is considered unsafe for bathing, partly due to its having passed through the still-functioning original lead pipes, and up until World War II, it was advertised on the basis of the radioactivity it contained. However the more significant danger is now considered to be infectious diseases. In October 1978, a young girl swimming with the Bath Dolphins, a local swimming club, in the restored Roman Bath contracted meningitis and died, leading to the closure of the bath for several years. Tests showed that Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba, was in the water. The newly constructed Thermae Bath Spa nearby, designed by Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, and the refurbished Cross Bath allow modern-day bathers to experience the waters via a series of more recently drilled boreholes.

Fascinating place to visit

Probably was exactly the same many centuries ago.

Ancient stone coffins

I would not have enjoyed being a pallbearer. 🙂

Acting the part as the English love to do.

Taking a bath was not a simple chore. There was not one bath to use in a large complex such as the one at Bath. A visitor could use a cold bath (the frigidarium), a warm bath (the tepidarium) and a hot bath (the caldarium). A visitor would spend some of his time in each one before leaving. A large complex would also contain an exercise area (the palaestra), a swimming pool and a gymnasium. One of the public baths at Pompeii contains two tepidariums and caldariums along with a plunge pool and a large exercise area.

Ancient Roman Bath House

Does not look too inviting does it?

That water looks very unhealthy

This is no place for a swim.

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Entrance to the Baths

The entrance does not indicate the treasure inside.

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Beautiful Historic English Village

April 22, 2014 by David Herd

Bradford on Avon

Beautiful Historic English Village

Beautiful Historic English Village Bradford on Avon is a town in west Wiltshire, England with a population of about 9,326. The town’s canal, historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants make it popular with tourists. The history of the town can be traced back to Roman origins.

The town lies partly on the Avon Valley, and partly on the hill that marks the Vale’s western edge, eight miles southeast of Bath, in the hilly countryside between the Mendip Hills, Salisbury Plain and the Cotswold Hills.

Tithe Barn in Bradford on Avon

One of the best surviving examples of a monastic tithe barn in England, located in a peaceful setting beside the river Avon on the outskirts of Bradford-on-Avon. A lovely walk leads along the river between the town and the barn.

Tithe Barn

The barn was built in the 14th century by Shaftesbury Abbey, and it formed part of a complex of farm buildings run by the abbey, so if you want to be pedantic you could say that it is not actually a tithe barn at all, but part of a monastic grange. Most of these grange buildings were arranged around a rectangular courtyard, with the barn on one side of the yard. Most of the other buildings are gone now, but the barn still stands as it has done since the very early 14th century.

Tithe Barn

The most impressive feature of the barn is the cruck roof, crafted of thick timbers bent to support the heavy slate tiles. How heavy? It is estimated that the roof weighs 100 tons, so the cruck frame had to be incredibly strong to survive for so many centuries.

Houseboat

The Kennet and Avon Canal is a waterway in southern England with an overall length of 87 miles (140 km), made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by a canal. The name is commonly used to refer to the entire length of the navigation rather than solely to the central canal section. From Bristol to Bath the waterway follows the natural course of the River Avon before the canal links it to the River Kennet at Newbury, and from there to Reading on the River Thames. In all, the waterway incorporates 105 locks.

The Bridge Tea Rooms

The building dates back to 1502 and it has retained its character. low ceilings and exposed beams, you can hear every floorboard creak from the first floor.

Waitress in traditional dress

For local news bookmark this link for the Wiltshire times.

Scones, strawberry jam & cream

Here is my lovely niece Laura enjoying a traditional English afternoon tea.

The Swan Hotel

The Swan is a hotel in Bradford on Avon with the character and charm of an old country inn.

Beautiful Historic English Village

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Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

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Historic London pub on the Thames

April 10, 2014 by David Herd

Prospect of Whitby

Historic London pub on the Thames

Historic London pub on the Thames at Wapping is The Prospect of Whitby. It lays claim to being the site of the oldest riverside tavern, dating from 1520. It was formerly known as the Devil’s Tavern, on account of its dubious reputation. Before that it was officially called The Pelican. All that remains from the building’s earliest period is the 400 year old stone floor. In former times it was a meeting place for sailors, smugglers, cut-throats and footpads. A footpad is an archaic term for a robber or thief specializing in pedestrian victims. The term was used widely from the 16th century until the 19th century, but gradually fell out of common use. A footpad was considered a low criminal, as opposed to the mounted highwayman who in certain cases might gain fame as well as notoriety Why does this Historic London pub deserve it’s own post in my blog? Quite simple really, I have so many fond memories dating back 50 years when I was very young enjoying my first great overseas adventure.

The Prospect of Whitby in December 1964

Here is a classic photo of my friends at the Prospect of Whitby 50 years ago in 1964. There were Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, South Africans, English, and the very drunk lady in the bottom right hand corner was an opera singer from Yugoslavia. 😆

The guy with the pint & mouth open was my best friend & travelling companion, he went back to Oz before me & joined the army. Kieth Wagstaff with the beard was a kiwi who I travelled through Europe with. I have my arm around Shirley a cute pommie I was taking out occasionally. Simon in check jacket was Canadian.

Surely David Herd should be there.

I’m very disappointed my name is not on the sign. 🙂

Fire place at the Prospect of Whitby.

I don’t think this Historic London pub has changed much in 50 years, however the times I was there it was always packed to the rafters.

Historic London pub, naturally I ordered a Fosters

In the 17th century, it became the hostelry of choice of “Hanging” Judge Jeffreys, scourge of the Monmouth Rebellion. He lived nearby and a noose hangs by a window, commemorating his custom. He was chased by anti-Royalists into the nearby Town of Ramsgate, captured and taken to the Tower for his own safety. According to legend, criminals would be tied up to the posts at low tide and left there to drown when the tide came in. Execution Dock was actually by Wapping Old Stairs and generally used for pirates.

Lots of timber walls & creaking floors

Following a fire in the early 19th century, the tavern was rebuilt and renamed The Prospect of Whitby, after a Tyne collier that used to berth next to the pub. The Prospect was listed Grade II in December 1950. If you want to visit an Historic London pub this is one of the best. On the opposite side of the road (Wapping Wall) is the Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, now an arts centre and restaurant.

Nooks & crannies everywhere

The public house features briefly in an episode of Only Fools And Horses. When Uncle Albert goes missing in one episode, Del Boy and Rodney travel around London looking for him. Nicholas Lyndhurst is shown in one scene walking out of the pub. There is also a scene from the 1956 film D-Day the Sixth of June starring Robert Taylor and Richard Todd where Taylor’s character is seen with Dana Wynter’s character having drinks together during the Second World War in London.

Historic London pub on the Thames

Sir Hugh Willoughby sailed from here in 1533 in a disastrous attempt to discover the North-East Passage to China.

100 meters from the Prospect of Whitby is Shadwell Basin

A lovely lake just up the road from the pub, you can see Westminster in the background. Shadwell Basin is the most significant body of water surviving from the historical London Docks. It is situated on the north side of the river Thames east (downstream) of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge and west (upstream) of Limehouse. Unlike the rest of the London Docks which has been landfilled, Shadwell Basin, the most easterly part of the complex, has been retained.

It is now a maritime square of 2.8 hectares used for recreational purposes (including sailing, canoeing and fishing) and is surrounded on three sides by a waterside housing development designed by British architects MacCormac, Jamieson, Prichard and Wright. The residential buildings are four and five storeys with façades of alternating open arches and enclosed structure, echoing the scale of traditional 19th century dockside warehouses, with a colonnade at quayside. Shadwell Basin is a popular public route for cyclists, joggers and pedestrians with a walkway alongside the water as part of the linked open spaces and canals between the river and Hermitage Basin near St Katharine Docks to the west.

Historic London pub

To receive my latest posts please follow me on Twitter Follow @David_Herd Finally back to the 60s, the first photo is travelling to our favorite Historic London pub in Wapping on the tube, everybody is well dressed and in good shape. The 2nd photo is at the pub getting stuck into it. Finally we are all heading home to Earle’s court totally flyblown. 😆

Historic London pub

The pub has had many a TV or film appearances, even a feature in Only Fools and Horses. It is voted as one of the best Historic pubs in London, so a must visit.

On the way to Wapping

Everybody is quiet and well behaved.

At the pub

Things get messy very quickly.

Heading home

Totally flyblown.

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Piccadilly Earls Court London

April 9, 2014 by David Herd

Kensington-Piccadilly-Buckingham-Palace-Harrods

Earls Court Station

Piccadilly Earls Court London

Piccadilly Earls Court are great parts of London to explore and watch the passing parade. I like to stay in Earle’s Court because there are many hotels & I can take the underground straight from Heathrow.

You can buy a one day ticket for the underground for around 9 Quid which gives you unlimited travel, including to or from Heathrow.

Mowbray Court Hotel

Just around the corner is the Mowbray Court Hotel, the rooms are rather small but the price is right and the staff are very helpful, throw in free wi fi & it’s the perfect place for a traveler on a budget. The underground is so convenient, you can ride the tube direct from Heathrow or Piccadilly Earls Court.

Masala Zone Earle’s Court

I don’t often dine in Indian restaurants, however after reading the Trip Adviser review I visited Marsala Zone and enjoyed the food & the excellent service. Ranked 1,335 of 18,211 restaurants in London.

Convent Gardens

I saw Les Miserables a few years ago and admit I was a little disappointed compared to other musicals I have seen.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus connects to Piccadilly, a thoroughfare whose name first appeared in 1626 as Piccadilly Hall, named after a house belonging to one Robert Baker, a tailor famous for selling piccadills, or piccadillies, a term used for various kinds of collars. The street was known as Portugal Street in 1692 in honor of Catherine of Braganza, the queen consort of King Charles II of England but was known as Piccadilly by 1743. Piccadilly Circus was created in 1819, at the junction with Regent Street, which was then being built under the planning of John Nash on the site of a house and garden belonging to a Lady Hutton. The circus lost its circular form in 1886 with the construction of Shaftesbury Avenue.

Tour buses travel to Piccadilly Earls court

The “hop on, hop off” bus is a great way to see London.

Harrods

The store occupies a 5-acre site and has over one million square feet of selling space in over 330 departments making it the biggest department store in Europe.

Harrods food hall

Up to 300,000 customers visit the shop on peak days, comprising the highest proportion of customers from non-English speaking countries of any department store in London. More than five thousand staff from over fifty different countries work at Harrods.

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Guard Mounting, a formal ceremony in which sentries providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries.

Changing of the Guard

I must confess I don’t really know if this was the “Changing of the Guard” ceremony or some other British pomp, however the crowd was there in thousands. You can spend weeks around Kensington Piccadilly Earls Court, there are so many great places to see & explore.

London 1964

I thought I would throw this in for no particular reason. 🙂

Thanks for visiting my Piccadilly Earls court photo blog.

One of my favourite songs about London.

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Tower Bridge River Thames London

April 6, 2014 by David Herd

Tower Bridge London

Tower Bridge River Thames

Tower Bridge River Thames London is a combined bascule & suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name, and has become an iconic symbol of London.

The Bridge took 8 years, 5 major contractors and 432 construction workers to build. Two massive piers were sunk into the river bed to support the construction and over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the Tower and Walkways. This framework was clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone to protect the underlying steel-work and to give the Bridge a more pleasing appearance.

Tower Bridge River Thames

Certainly it’s the best of all the London bridges.

‘Girl with a Dolphin’

Nice sculpture next to the Tower Bridge

View from the Tower bridge London.

An interesting contrast of structures built centuries apart, the Tower of London with modern glass sky scrapers in the background.

The opposite side of the Thames

Standing approximately 306 meters (1,004 ft) high, the Shard is currently the tallest building in the European Union.

20 Fenchurch Street

20 Fenchurch Street is a commercial skyscraper under construction in London. It takes its name from its address on Fenchurch Street in the City of London financial district and it has been nicknamed The Walkie-Talkie because of its distinctive shape. It is the fifth-tallest building in the City of London.

The Tower of London

The Tower of London right next to the Tower Bridge has played a prominent role in English history. It was besieged several times and controlling it has been important to controlling the country. The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. From the early 14th century until the reign of Charles II, a procession would be led from the Tower to Westminster Abbey on the coronation of a monarch. In the absence of the monarch, the Constable of the Tower is in charge of the castle.

Lions at the Tower of London

Two medieval skulls found in the Tower of London belonged to a kind of lion that boasted a giant dark mane, according to a genetic study that sheds new light on one of the world’s oldest zoos.

Infamous as a place of torture and executions, and home to the Crown Jewels, the Tower was also home to lions, which were charismatic symbols of monarchy.

Now researchers have used DNA evidence to analyse two members of the royal menagerie, the oldest being late 13th to late 14th century (1280-1385) and ‘youngest’ 15th century (1420-1480), the only medieval big cat remains found in England.

They conclude that they were male Barbary lions, a species that hails from north Africa, where no natural lion population remains today.

Lion manes can vary from light blond to black and can be up to a foot long. But the Barbary, a subspecies extinct in the wild, had a magnificently regal mane, their equivalent of the Peacock’s tail that they used to turn on lionesses.

They were members of the royal “zoo”, which survived for more than 600 years after being founded by King John (1199 to 1216) and the lions are a sign that the UK enjoyed good relations with foreign monarchs, who presented exotic animals as gifts.

18 inch Mortars

The mortar on the left is of Spanish design, and dates from the 18th century. Unusually, both the base and the barrel have been cast as one unit. The calibre of the mortar is 13 inches, which seems to be a common heavy mortar caliber, as preserved British mortars at Crownhill Fort, Plymouth, are similar.

The range of this weapon would be around 3,000 yards, and it is likely to have been used as a fixed installation in a fortification, or at sea in a bomb ketch. These were unwieldy vessels but could produce deadly plunging fire against land targets, such as that provided by bomb ketches of the Royal Navy at both the First Battle of Copenhagen (1801), the Second Battle of Copenhagen (1807) and in many other engagements during the Napoleonic Wars.

When installed in a fortification, because the angle of elevation was fixed, the mortars would be carefully sighted (and sited) so that when a target reached a certain point (at a predetermined distance), the battery would open fire with telling effect, hurling their large, 200 lb, explosive shells at the enemy.

The other mortar is also a cast iron weapon (some older mortars and cannon were cast in bronze). This time the mortar has trunions, which allow the weapon to be elevated, in its carriage, to the required angle to engage attackers. It is of 16″ calibre and bears a maker’s mark ‘TW’; it is an earlier piece, and is dated ’1684′. Interestingly, it resembles Italian weapons of the period and is described as this.

The barrel, however, reveals a cast design of the ‘Lion of St. Mark’, the symbol for Venice and the Venetian Republic. This maritime power and trading giant dominated the eastern half of the Mediterranean Sea (and more) during the 17th century. The mortar came from Corfu, as a gift, and since the Venetian Republic ruled that island from 1401 to 1787, the markings on the weapon make perfect sense.

This mortar was presented to the British Government in 1842, during the Victorian era, at a time when Great Britain still ruled Corfu as a British Protectorate (it did so from 1815-1864). The Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands at this time was James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie, a noted Scottish diplomat, so it is quite possible that he was behind the gift of the mortar! All in all, these two weapons are fine examples of an ancient form of artillery.

Executions 1914-16

Approximately 7200 people were executed in the tower of London, most of these executions which took place during King Henry VIII rule. Executions depended on the crime with most executions done in public on the Tower Hill but private executions were conducted behind the tower walls. Private executions were considered too politically sensitive to carry out in the open.

Tower Bridge River Thames 1964

Here I am at the Tower of London in 1964. 🙂

Tower Bridge River Thames

Tower Bridge River Thames London is one of the “must see” icons in this great city, for more on London take a look at my Westminster post. If you would like to visit one of the oldest pubs in London which is off the normal tourist track take a taxi to the Prospect of Whitby hotel on the opposite side of the Thames.

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

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Europe before Covid-19 & mass immigration.

Brussels for mussels

Upmarket Portofino

Barcelona

Prague way back in 93

Amsterdam

Sarajevo

Beautiful Budapest

Fabulous Dubrovnik

Ancient Lisbon

Summer in St Moritz

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London Westminster Big Ben

April 3, 2014 by David Herd

You gotta love London

London Westminster Big Ben

London Westminster Big Ben is one of the most popular tourist areas of the city, people swarm like ants around Big Ben, the Abby & Parliament house, they queue for hours to ride on the London Eye.

Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of Westminster Palace in London, and often extended to refer to the clock and the clock tower.

Does anybody know what time it is?

Or as “Chicago” would say, “does anybody really care”?

Westminster Abbey London

Westminster Abbey, was originally known as the Collegiate Church of St Peter, it’s a large, mainly Gothic, church in the City of Westminster, just west of the Palace of Westminster.

Westminster Abbey London

Westminster Abbey London is steeped in more than a thousand years of history. Benedictine monks first came to this site in the middle of the tenth century, establishing a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs. The present church, begun by Henry III in 1245, is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the country, with the medieval shrine of an Anglo-Saxon saint still at its heart.

Westminster Abbey Sanctuary

In England, the right of sanctuary and officially recognized places of sanctuary had existed since the Anglo-Saxon days. The foremost among these places of refuge was Westminster Abbey London.

The London Eye

The entire structure is 135 meters (443 ft) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 meters (394 ft). It is currently Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel, the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over 3.5 million visitors annually.

One of my favorite places in Westminster

When you tire of the crowds and monuments head for a pub.

Westminster Arms Hotel

The are some terrific pubs in London, check out my London Pub link here.

Only a short walk to Downing St

When I finished lunch I took a short walk to Downing Street. However the street that caught my eye was the one below, reminded me of a couple of people I know.

You gotta love this street

Say no more, wink wink, nudge nudge. 😆

Downing St security

There are so many nut cases in London which explains why they need high security at Downing St.

A very unusual sight

Blue sky in London, must be photoshopped. 🙂

Beautiful at night

London Westminster Big Ben is a fantastic area to explore and enjoy, I will be there again in March 2015.

Sadly five people have died, with 50 injured – some critically – in a terror attack near the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday March 22 2017.

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Pattaya live webcam

Here are some more posts to check out

Pattaya Hilton

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

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Click here for another English post.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

From London I flew to Cape Town

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

A short flight from London is the wonderful city of Lisbon

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Here is a terrific London budget hotel. Great location opposite the Holiday Inn in Gloucester Rd. The hotel has just been refurbished and is very close to the underground which takes you direct to Heathrow for 6 Quid. Within 100 metres there are 3 Italian restaurants, 1 Thai and 1 Indian. Also a very good tavern & sports bar at the Holiday Inn.

Post by David Herd.

Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Amazing World Food

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Lake Como Lake Garda Italy

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Canon Camera Love Travelling

December 25, 2013 by David Herd

Hoi An in Vietnam

Canon Camera Love Travelling. When you grow up in Australia you soon realise that every other country in the world is beyond the sea. Somewhere in my teenage years I was bitten by the travel bug, I have been to 50 countries and 600 cities. Here is a collection of my favourite travel photos in no particular order, however the one above just happens to be my number one favourite.

Here is Bobby Darren with the appropriate song.

Copacabana

Perhaps the worlds best beach for people watching. Since my first trip there in January 1999, I returned another 7 times, with the last time being October 2010.

Future super models in Rio

As soon as I raised my camera they struck a pose, did not have to be asked to do it, the spirit of Rio

My boulevard of broken dreams.

W48th st & 8th ave Manhattan there is a nice French bistro, Pigalle. New York is my favorite city, it seems like six different cities molded together, there is such an exciting diversified collection of people and places make sure you give yourself enough time to soak up the atmosphere.

Tell us what you think Billy.

Canon Camera Love Travelling in Lisbon

Canon Camera Love Travelling Lisbon is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education and tourism. It is one of the major economic centers on the continent, with a growing financial sector and the largest/second largest container port on Europe’s Atlantic coast.

Koh Chang Thailand.

Koh Chang is the 2nd largest Thai island after Phuket. Stay in a bungalow on the beach and enjoy the terrific Thai food. In many ways Koh Chang reminds me of Koh Samui 15 years ago. I used to love Koh Samui in the 90′s but the more it developed the more the attraction faded.

Valparaiso in Chile

Valparaiso is by the sea in Chile about 100 kilometres from Santiago. I bet this fantastic house has been photographed millions of times, perched on the edge of a sheer drop you would not want to be a sleep walker. This is one of the escalators (Ascensores) connecting the harbor area to the hills, and the building is the restaurant Las Brujas.

Sanctuary Cove on Australia’s Gold Coast

The Gold Coast has many world class golf courses, it was the home of Adam Scott who is currently number 2 in the world.

Canon Camera Love Travelling in South Beach Miami

The fabulous art deco towers are unique examples of this form of architecture, they along the eight and a half mile stretch of Beach. All told there are twenty five towers guarding those who use the beach. At once functional and decorative, they contribute beautifully to the overall aesthetic of this Floridian resort city.

Beautiful faces in Rio De Janeiro

Carnival in Rio is awesome, it is really the greatest show on Earth. I was at the Sambadrome in 1999 and 2005, then I celebrated Carnival at a Bloco in Ipanema in 2008. I was way up in the bleachers in 1999 so in 2005 I paid about $500 to have a front row seat. Therefore I have been fortunate enough to have experienced Carnival from 3 different aspects.

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Fishing fleet in Nha Trang Vietnam

I went to Nha Trang twice in 2004 and hope to return July 2014.

Take us to your leader.

Once a year, when the great Rio De Janeiro carnival takes place, the coastal town Paraty which is located 250 km south west to Rio, holds a unique carnival. In Paraty’s Mud Carnival – (Portuguese: Bloco da lama) the costumes that its participants wear is black sticky mud which is smeared on their bodies.

The carnival preserves the ancient local tradition when the Indians smeared their bodies with black mud for medical reasons, and held ritual ceremonies in order to bring cure to the ill. In contrary to Rio carnival where the participants wear marvellous coloured costumes, in Paraty carnival the fiesta is based mostly on the simplicity of the junction between men and nature.

Fantastic seafood in Salzburg.

So much wonderful seafood on sale at a city nowhere near the ocean.

Salzburg is the fourth largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg’s “Old Town” has internationally renowned baroque architecture and one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps.

The Old Bridge on the river Arno in Florence

Florence is a beautiful city, I have been there 3 or 4 times and can’t wait to visit again. I saw a lot of the city and surrounding areas thanks to my good friend Francesca.

View from my condo in Pattaya Thailand.

I wake up every morning to this wonderful view of Pattaya beach.

Bookmark my webcam and check it out.

De Wallen Amsterdam

One of the truly great European cities, this is their famous red light district.

Gorgeous girls & Manneken Pis.

Brussels is a great city for food.

Roast pig at Tram Chim Saigon

HCMC or Saigon is a truly wonderful experience, I was there in 2015 and millions of $$$$ are being spent to transform this amazing metropolis.

From as early as 1980 I knew I would Have Camera Love Travelling around the world & often to Thailand, but I never thought I would live there permanently. However in October 2011 I left Australia and moved to Thailand. This is probably the final stage in my wonderful life.

Thanks for visiting my “Have Camera Love Travelling” post

Here are some more posts to check out

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

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Gold Coast Pattaya Cinque Terre

Rio de Janeiro Singapore Eastern Europe

Bangkok Bars Tokyo Cape Town Safari

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To receive my latest posts please follow me on Twitter Follow @David_Herd Click here to see one of my posts on Brazil.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out Vung Tau in Vietnam

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In Monte Carlo you can smell the money

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Rio beach babes

Florianopolis Brazil

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Amazing World Food

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Lake Como Lake Garda Italy

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The Shipwrights Arms

The Hereford Arms

Hereford Arms

London cold winter wind

Enoteca da Luca

Enoteca da Luca

Here is Julia at Enoteca da Luca

Jamie Oliver Barbecoa

London cold winter wind at St Pauls Cathredal

The Tower Bridge

The Bloomsbury Tavern 236 Shaftsbury Avenue

The Princess Louise

The Princess Louise

Little Venice near Paddington station

Nice cafe in Little Venice

Newton Abbott in Devon

London Underground

The Shard

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The Walkie Talkie

London Shard Gherkin Walkie Talkie

The Walkie Talkie

More posts for you to see

Wonderful city of Bath

The Royal Crescent in Bath

The Empire is a landmark building

Bath South West England Pulteney Bridge

The weir at Pulteney Bridge

Bath Abbey

Bath South West England

No motor vehicles here

Bath South West England red wine with lunch

Very distinctive architecture in Bath.

Holburne Museum in Bath

That’s all folks

That’s all folks

Roman Baths

Steam rising

Ancient stone coffins

Acting the part as the English love to do.

Ancient Roman Bath House

That water looks very unhealthy

Entrance to the Baths

More posts for you to see

Bradford on Avon

Tithe Barn in Bradford on Avon

Tithe Barn

Tithe Barn

Houseboat

The Bridge Tea Rooms

Waitress in traditional dress

Scones, strawberry jam & cream

The Swan Hotel

Beautiful Historic English Village

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Prospect of Whitby

The Prospect of Whitby in December 1964

Surely David Herd should be there.

Fire place at the Prospect of Whitby.

Historic London pub, naturally I ordered a Fosters

Lots of timber walls & creaking floors

Nooks & crannies everywhere

Historic London pub on the Thames

100 meters from the Prospect of Whitby is Shadwell Basin

Historic London pub

Historic London pub

On the way to Wapping

At the pub

Heading home

More posts for you to see

Earls Court Station

Mowbray Court Hotel

Convent Gardens

Piccadilly Circus

Tour buses travel to Piccadilly Earls court

Harrods

Harrods food hall

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Changing of the Guard

London 1964