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Posted on Jul 20, 2008 by 
For those of you who grew up in the country, you would probably love to relive that experience. For those who are purebred city people, then you might want to have a taste of what growing up in the country is like. That is, being surrounded by animals and fields, being out in the open air.
If you like animals and you want to experience something like a county fair, then I suggest that you head on over to the Rare and Traditional Breeds Show at Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex. What should you expect? About Britain announces the event:
Our biggest show of the year! Over 500 cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry of numerous rare breeds will be taking part in the show, the largest in south east England. Bring the family to see orange bristled Tamworth pigs; the Pygmy goats, not much more than one foot high; Gloucester Old Spot pigs with their dramatic black blotches, Longhorn cattle with majestic curly horns and Southdown Sheep with their teddy bear faces and dumpling shape and many many more. Other attractions include country craft and trade stands with farm and animal themes and the Museum’s own team of working Shire horses.
The exact venue of the show is the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, which is worthy enough of a visit on its own. The highlights of the Museum include historic homes, farms, and workplaces. These have been restored and all efforts have been made to keep them as close to the original as possible.
The show runs on the 20th of July from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. Ticket costs:
Adults £8.50, over 60s £7.50, children £4.50, family ticket £23.30 includes a full day’s entry to all Museum buildings and outdoor exhibits.
Photo courtesy of Dunechaser
Long rambling walks in the countryside, the unmistakable scent of fresh air, the peacefulness that one finds only outside of the city – these things and more are what you can expect from a visit to Cumbria. Cumbria is a shire county in Northwest England and is predominantly rural. It is actually considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the whole country.
Being predominantly rural, the Cumbria area is one of the best places – if not the best – to go walking in England. If going on leisurely walks is your idea of relaxation, then Cumbria should definitely be on your list of places to visit.
The two main footpaths in this area are the Cumbrian Way and the Dales Way. If you take the former route, you will start by the sea side and head on northward to experience some of the most spectacular sceneries. The latter route will take you west into Yorkshire. Either way, you will have a one of a kind walking experience.
Of course, there are other options for those who are not “heavy duty walkers.” There are countless other footpaths wherein you can take more leisurely and shorter walks. Cumbria Calling lists down some of them:
• Buttermere - a two hour walk takes you all the way round this lovely lake
• Derwent Water Ferry - take the Derwent ferry from Keswick to Hawes End. Walk to Lodore Falls and take the ferry back to Keswick
• Stiffer than a stroll, but possible without being a mountaineer is to climb Skiddaw from Keswick.
• Ullswater ferry and walk. Take ferry from Glenridding pier to Howtown. It is then a three hour walk back along the lake shore to Howtown
• Take the ferry from Bowness to Sawrey, walk along the lake shore to Bass Rock, return through the National Trust woods
• Grizedale forest. There are a number of waymarked walks. Details from Forestry Commission
• Round Grasmere. A pleasant walk all the way round the lake at Grasmere will take about two hours
So put on your walking shoes and head on over to Cumbria!
Photo courtesy of Pikaluk
No, I am not talking about the parties that high school students look forward to each year in the United States and other parts of the world. This “prom” is a bit more, let’s say, cultured. I am talking about The BBC Proms or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts. Does that suit your taste better?
The Proms is an age old tradition in the UK. It started way back in 1895 and lasts for 8 weeks during the summer period. Today, one can look forward to over 70 concerts throughout the whole season. The concerts are held at the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington, London – well, at least most of them.
This year, The Proms start on July 18 – tomorrow. The first night will be featuring music by the classical greats – Strauss, Mozart, Messiaen, Beethoven, Elliot Carter, and Scriabin, among others.
A little more information on The Proms from Wikipedia:
Proms is short for promenade concerts, a term which arose from the original practice of audience members promenading, or strolling, in some areas of the concert hall during the concert. Promming now refers to the use of the standing areas inside the hall (the arena and gallery) for which ticket prices are much lower than for the reserved seating. Single concert promming tickets can be purchased, with few exceptions, only on the day of the concert, which can give rise to long queues for well-known artists or works. Prommers can purchase full or half season tickets instead for guaranteed entry, although not guaranteed standing position. A number of Prommers are particularly keen in their attendance, and see it as a badge of honour to achieve the grand slam of attending every concert of the season.
Photo courtesy of wallyg
How costly is your lifestyle? Do you think that you spend less than the average person in your country? How about comparing your lifestyle to people from other countries? Well, if you find yourself comparing your lifestyle to the British people, then you just might find out that you are not living such a costly lifestyle at all.
I read a report published earlier this year about the cost of the British lifestyle. It was published by Metro.co.uk. Based on this report, the British lifestyle is the third most expensive in the world. The report states:
The study by the bank HSBC found that money in every other country in the world, apart from Norway and France, would go further.
It examined how long the typical British salary would last if people maintained their standard of living, including eating out in a restaurant twice a week.
It found that the average British salary would run out after 11 months and one week in Norway, while in France it would run out after 11 months and two weeks.
But, at the other end of the scale, a year’s British salary would last four years in Iran, two years and ten months in India and more than two years in Peru, Egypt, Argentina and Costa Rica.
Interesting – I always thought that our cousins from across the ocean lived costlier lifestyles than us. Then again, this study was conducted months ago and perhaps, with the changes in the economy, lifestyles have changed as well.
Photo courtesy of fishyfish_arcade
I wrote something about visiting Bath, one of the most popular tourist spots in the UK, some time ago. If you remember, Bath is a World Heritage Site as designated by UNESCO and this is one reason that Bath is as popular as it is today.
Recent developments, however, might be putting this charming British town at risk. Apparently, there are some building developments in the city which might lead to the stripping of the designation by the UNESCO. The said developments are actually plans to construct homes – thousands of them – in the Western Riverside area, and this is only part of the whole picture.
The Guardian reports:
The development has been described by the Bath Heritage Watchdog as ’something akin to a massive Soviet-era housing project’.
Deborah Aplin, managing director of Crest Nicholson Regeneration, which is behind the Western Riverside development, said that it had written support from the government and English Heritage. ‘This land has been derelict for more than 25 years and our scheme will help regenerate this part of an otherwise beautiful city,’ she added.
I think that it is understandable that some citizens of the city would want to push Bath forward by opening the city to development and progress. However, it is also understandable that the city’s stature as a World Heritage Site could be affected. After all, certain criteria must be met in order for a place to be designated as such.
The issue will be discussed during UNESCO’s annual conference. I guess we just have to wait and see what happens.
Photo courtesy of Ian Muttoo
Curry may originally be an Indian dish but there is no doubt that London offers some of the best variants of curry. This could largely be due to the fact that London is a melting pot of cultures and there is a large number of people from South Asia in the city. So, anyway, could the curry in London be better than what other countries have to offer?
I would not dare answer that question but I do know that a restaurant in London is serving what it hopes to be the world’s hottest curry. AFP reports:
A London restaurant was serving up Thursday what it hopes will be confirmed as the world’s hottest curry, with even the chef admitting it is “too extreme” to keep on the menu.
Vivek Singh at The Cinnamon Club grabbed some of the hottest chilli peppers known to man to create the Bollywood Burner, a lamb-based dish with a fierce kick.
The curry is so hot that diners are asked to sign a disclaimer confirming they are aware of the risks involved before daring to eat it.
The Bollywood Burner is being submitted to Guinness World Records for verification of its status as the planet’s hottest curry. The verdict should be announced within three weeks.
I wonder what risks are involved if you eat a dish that is too hot to handle? I don’t really know. What I do know is that although I love curry and could eat it several times a week, I am not too strong in the spicy department. I probably would not be trying the Bollywood Burner anytime soon.
Want to have children? Have you been trying for years to no avail? Then I suggest that you head on over to Dorset in southern England. Just outside the village of Cerne Abbas, you will find a legendary chalk figure – The Cerne Abbas Giant. It is also called the Rude Man or the Rude Giant due to its exposed phallus.
So why should you visit the Giant if you want to have children? Legend has it that if a childless couple made love (on a certain part of the giant), they would soon have children. Another legend says that if a woman walked around the figure three times, she would keep her lover faithful to her. Oh, just make sure you’re fit enough to do three rounds – this giant is not called a giant for nothing!
The Cerne Abbas Giant’s is thought to be created way back in Ancient times. However, its history has only been traced to the late 17th century. Wikipedia presents one version of its origins:
Some believe that the giant was carved during the English Civil War by servants of the Lord of the Manor, Denzil Holles, and was intended as a parody of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell was sometimes mockingly referred to as “England’s Hercules” by his enemies. The Hercules connection is strengthened by the recent discovery of an obliterated line perhaps representing an animal skin (see below). The suggestion that the figure is Hercules was first made in 1764 by William Stukeley.
Whoever the Giant may really be, the fact remains that it is one of the more popular sights in that part of England.
If you watch even a bit of the telly, then you probably know about Jamie Oliver. One of the most famous celebrity chefs today, Jamie Oliver has been in the limelight for quite some time now. Aside from his shows – and there are quite a few of them – he has been involved in a campaign that aimed to promote better food for children. He has been known to lobby in the government for this purpose.
So why is he under fire today? Well, apparently, the famous chef has recently launched a line of products which do not follow the same lines as his previous declarations for safe food. His new line of pasta sauces is unfit for the children’s consumption – at least according to his critics.
The Guardian reports:
Jamie Oliver, who spent years campaigning to improve the food children eat, has left parents and health campaigners bewildered after it emerged that his latest pasta sauce contains twice as much salt as the Turkey Twizzlers he famously railed against.
It has now emerged that some of Oliver’s sauces, which are produced in Italy for a company set up by him, contain so much salt they would not be allowed to be served to primary school children.
His spicy olive, garlic and tomato sauce, which is sold in supermarkets and is popular with busy parents, contains 3g of salt per 100g - up to six times as much as some rival products, and twice as much as the equivalent weight of the much-maligned Turkey Twizzlers.
The chef’s reaction to all this? His spokesperson says:
…they are designed to be eaten in the Italian way - one jar with at least 500g of pasta - feeding four to six people. Because they are more concentrated than rivals you don’t need as much - and the salt content is dissipated.
There are countless places to visit if you decide to travel in the UK. One of the most beautiful places to go is the city of Bath. This city is located in the southwestern part of England and is famous for a lot of things. To say the least, it has been designated as a World Heritage Site.
This year, the annual Taste of Bath Festival is going to be held from the 3rd of July till the 6th of July. Visitors are in for a treat of the senses as the best chefs of the area congregate to present a wonderful culinary experience. Many local restaurants will be participating in the festival – you only have to take your pick. More than this, you can also participate in hands on cookery classes, in which you can learn how to make delectable dishes using the freshest local produce.
There are four different types of tickets which you can choose from:
Standard-£12
Entry only. (Children aged 6-14yrs - £8, Children under 5 - Free)
Premium-£25
Entry plus £15 worth of Crowns.
VIP-£40
Entry plus £15 worth of Crowns, entry to VIP area and a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne.
Connoisseur-£65
Entry plus £15 worth of Crowns and exclusive entry into the Laurent-Perrier Champagne Masterclass and Connoisseur’s Lounge.
In case you are wondering, Crowns are the official currency for the festival and each Crown is worth 50p. I’d say that the entry fees are not such a bad deal, don’t you think?
Photo courtesy of Randy Son of Robert
While the Americans (and other nationalities of the world) may relish waking up to the aroma of coffee, there is no doubt that the British prefer sipping a hot cup of tea in the morning (and mayhap other parts of the day). I love coffee, I am not denying that, but there are times when I simply need tea as my drink for the day. One of my favorites is the English Breakfast Tea, which I can drink at any time of the day. What is this tea anyway?
The English Breakfast Tea is usually a blend of different black teas. The blend may consist of teas coming from areas such as India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Malawi and China. The fact is that the English Breakfast Tea was first invented in Edinburgh, Scotland by a man named Drysdale, a well known tea master. His idea was to market the blend under the label Breakfast. The rest is history.
This kind of tea is a perfect accompaniment to the traditional English breakfast and goes well with milk and sugar. If you want a more technical description of this tea, here is Mr. Breakfast’s take:
It is a robust, full-bodied beverage with light floral undertones (sometimes referred to as “coppery”). When blended with milk, it produces a comforting aroma eerily similar to warm toast and honey. And as we know, the olfactory receptors in our noses are responsible for 80% of what we perceive as flavor.
Indeed, English breakfast tea can give you a warm fuzzy feeling just as you brush away the cobwebs of sleep in the early morning. Why not have a cup today?
Photo courtesy of Scott Feldstein
