England
The Grahams have landed
Our journey begins in London, on the 17th November 2022.
First stop - Weald, Sevenoaks
Pall Mall greeted us with SA flags
Big Ben
Tower Bridge
Our first days in London were a wonderful blend of foreign and familiar. Having not been in the UK for nearly 20 years, it struck Nick and I how much SA has opened up to global trade in that time - brands that seemed exotic are now part of life - The Body Shop, M&Ms, even Mars Bars - it was interesting to feel more familiar than we thought we would. We were also really grateful to our cousins, Tim, Marguerite and family, and Claire, Guy and Rosie for hosting us so generously. Landing in this way brought threads of familiar stories - and new stories with familiar people.
What stood out as really different were the beauty and history of the buildings. Carys commented that it felt like "moving through a living museum, with new people living in new ways in old buildings". We were also reminded how Christmas is next level! So much festivity with lights, decorations and incredibly creative shopfront displays. It feels so twinkly and exciting!
Nicola's cousin Tim and family
Nick's cousin Claire and family
Carys met up with her good school friend, Ella, and mum, Louise, who have recently moved to the UK.
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child was phenomenal! A double dose of eye-popping magic that we are still trying to figure out...
The Natural History Museum was heaving with mummies, prams and minions (endless groups of tine school kids in yellow hi-viz jackets, corralled by haggard-looking teachers) A lot was amazing, but the bottles with specimens in formalin (some collected by Linnaeus!) got the Family Favourite vote.
The Science Museum was a surprise - unexpectedly artistic in its displays, and really interactive: Carys learnt how to weld in one display, and Daniel learnt how to programme a recycling robot.
The solar system globe was awesome!
Dreaming of a luxe Christmas
Such a festive feel on the streets
Harrods lit up
Oxford Street humming
Down time in Great Horwood
It was wonderful to be able to relax in the familiar setting of the Stables in Great Horwood with Di and Jeremy. Thank you so much for the hospitality, the laughs and all the fetching and carrying!
Down memory lane to Oxford
It has been 20 years since I lived and studied in Oxford. So much is exactly the same - very little changes when most of the buildings and institutions are ancient. The main differences were replaced shop names and the absolute ubiquity of Harry Potter! You'd swear Oxford was the birthplace of Harry, rather than a famous university town. It was also very unfamiliar being a tourist where I once was a local.
Blackwells' 7 floors of books could have sucked us in for the whole day!
Much sighing under the Bridge of Sighs
A reluctant porter let us in to Univ to look around. Not much has changed since 1663.
Nick at his old front door - 2 Magpie Lane.
The Oxford Natural History Museum has wonderful exhibits, far fewer visitors...
... no minions...
...and the incredible Pitt Rivers Anthropological Musem.
Items from around the world and across the centuries are grouped by function, e.g. 'umbrellas', 'tattoo instruments' and 'charms that ward off evil' - absolutely fascinating to see similarities and differences.
Picasso sculpture at the Tate Modern
The original Mondrian
Daniel's replica Mondrian
A great outing for art appreciation
The Tate Modern had a series of rooms with questions to stimulate seeing and thinking about art with fresh eyes. It started, "You might see artworks that make you question what art is. It could help if you look closely and think about:
What is your first reaction to the work? What does it make you think or feel?
What is it made of? Why has the artist chosen those materials?
Does the size of the artwork affect your experience of it?
Where is the artist from and when did they live? How has this influenced them?
What do you think the work is about?"
Coming across an enormous, plain blue painted canvas that was met with "But Mommy, why is this here? Is this proper art? I could do this!" these questions were great for taking the conversation broader than the standard "I like it / I don't like it" response.
It was also pretty amazing to see originals by Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Salvador Dali - and to think that those people actually created with their hands what we were looking at years later. AND best of all, the Tate Modern is free!