Michele's 2008 UK Diary

30th April 2008

On our first day in London we visited the Natural History Museum. The building itself is magnificent in its level of architectural ornamentation. Everywhere you look the animals and plants, ancient and modern, carved into the stone. Inside are treasures of the natural world. I have never seen so many fossils gathered under one roof. The mineral specimens in its Treasury are unbelievably beautiful. Amongst the specimens are collections of rings, including one which dispays 50 or so stones from the one mine in Burma, with a huge range of colours. Mind boggling. The picture is of a cast of volcanic ash which bears the footprints of a family of Australopithicines (related to the ancient ancestors of homo sapiens) who crossed it when it was still wet, some 3.8 million years ago.

Regards

Kevin pictures (top) volcanic ash footprints (bottom) natural history museum

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

30th April 2008

On the bus home. Have walked from SELFRIDGES to Covent Garden and back. Lunch at Libertys for a treat. I had the artisan cheese board with walnut bread, fig and pear chutney and 5 deliscious cheeses including one from Scotland which was sensational. It is called Stinking Bishop and is flavoured with a herb of that name. We took a deep breath when the bill came, an apron there costs $190. But the cache of the history of the company and its glorious building was worth it.

Michele picture (Covent Garden London)

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

29th April 2008

Dear friends,

I have said this before. I love London, I feel so excited to be here. It is the most marvellous meeting ground. Sit at any table anywhere in the city and every table will have a different accent or language being spoken.The museums we have visited so far have expanded our awareness of ourselves, our culture and our history in such extraordinary ways. I feel truly priviledged to be here.This morning I visited a gallery to see the latest jewellery trends and a delightful out of the way store that specialises in unusual bottons. Just bliss.

Michele

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

We are following Hadrians Wall - an amazing fortified wall which stretches from one side of England to the other. Corbridge is the biggest Roman town along the wall, with large graneries and barracks. The onsite museum has a wonderful collection of artefacts, although some of the finds now reside in the British Museum in London. This is an enamelled open work wheel brooch, which shows the level of detailed work that the old craftsmen were capable of.

Kevin

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

26th April 2008

Today all roads lead to London, but for us a small detour past Eleanors Cross an ancient monument to a much loved Queen. Tomorrow we hope to be up bright and early to visit Portobello markets, then on to the Natural History Museum with its wonderful building and amazing collections. It will be strange to be in one place for more than a night or two. I will miss the fields of Daffodils and baby lambs, the beautiful birdsong and even those impossibly narrow lanes, it has all been a wonderful adventure and too soon over.

Michele (top) Eleanors Cross Northhampton (bottom) Portobello Markets

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

Greetings all, We are in Whitby in Yorkshire. Where Captain Cook came from, but more importantly for us it is the home of Jet; that wonderful fossilised coal so beloved of Queen Victoria and used since pre- history for making beads. Having trawled the streets for hours looking at contemporary Jet jewellery we are now at the magnificent ruined Abbey on the cliff. A foggy day in Whitby, and the Abbey was looking its spooky best in anticipation of the goth festival the next weekend. This is about the location that Suttcliffe took his wonderful shot of the Abbey many years ago.

Michele

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

Breakfast in the hotel and we are awaiting our porridge. Yesterday we visited the pencil museum. When I was 8 years old all I wanted in the world was a box of 72 Derwent coloured pencils. To see where the pencil was invented and the history of Derwent pencils was a genuine treat. I have collected coloured pencil sets all my life and yesterday was no exception.

Michele

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

Hi there,

Today we head to the lake district. I have found a couple of good books on Roman jewellery in Britain and look forward to reading them. Life on the road is time consuming. One is forever packing and unpacking and heading to the next destination. Don't get me wrong I love it but it is my excuse for not writing more.

Regards Michele

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Dear friends,

We head for kevins ancestral home today, the cotton mills of Bolton, whilst he is photographing the holy shrines I will catch up on postcard writing. My fantasy of just sitting back and enjoying the drive was very short lived. Routes have to be planned. Accomodation calculated and organised, and corrections and updates reprogrammed. I've become quite adept at yelling at the GPS as she leads us onto yet another non existant road or down a badger hole. Much love M and K.


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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

Hello all

This is the Westbury White Horse in Wiltshire, carved in the 1600's or the 1800's into the chalk. It follows a tradition going back to prehistory, and followed by the armed forces during WWII. This one has been covered with concrete to preserve it, but it still makes an impressive sight. The hill is very steep, so it must have been a massive job to cover it!

Kevin

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

We have just caught a local whaler(small and open) now used for ferrying visitors to St Michaels Mount. 0ur voyage was accompanied by dolphins and the local sailing regatta. This castle was originally built by Benedictine monks in the first millenium and added to by various inhabitants. After the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII it passed into private ownership. It is an impressive sight on its own island at the bottom of England. Will write more soon, however I'm having trouble sending photos but I will keep trying. Michele


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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

Friday, 11 April 2008

"Kevin is out chasing follies on the windswept cliffs of Cornwall, gloriously pituresque. Our GPS has developed a penchant for country lanes the narrower the better. Port Isaac where Doc Martin was filmed was our first stop this morning. As we left the public parking area above the harbour the GPS led us down right into Port Isaac again, very steep with streets so narrow that to avoid scraping the houses on either side we had to pull in our side mirrors . Kevin has absolute faith in the GPS whilst I hold my breath and pray." Love M and K

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

Thursday 10th April

"Today we will venture to Dartmouth ,approached by ferry, it is a picture postcard of pastel coloured fishermens houses in a steep bay. Hope to send photos of where we have been so far tonight technology permitting."

Regards

Michele

http://www.mfwbeadedjewellery.com

Monday 7th April 2008

United Kingdom

"Dear folk, there is very little to write about jewellery at this stage,also the internet and even phone coverage is patchy out here in the wilds.However the thatched medieval villages, prehistoric sites and stunning snow covered counryside wiil form the basis for future stories I'm sure. We head towards Cornwall fortified by porridge and the TomTom. I don't know how we would cope without it." Michele and Kevin

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Michele's 2008 UK Diary

Thursday 3rd April 2008

Bangkok

"Life is lived on the streets babies are bathed food is consumed constantly cots tables chairs all crowd the footpaths, street vendors take up any spare space usually tending spitting woks or steaming couldrons with makeshift trestles groaning under the weight of any amazingly varied range of foodstuffs.There is obviously no space to walk so we walk on the edge of the road dodging the roaring tide of tuk tuks and scooters piled high with goods twice their size.we just saw a scooter carrying a new fridge in its box.The only jewellery I have seen is very yellow gold and in this heat, 40 degrees in the shade, I am not inclined to search out stones and not having the language puts me at too great a disadvantage ,so I will wait for the UK."

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