hampstead village, kaif, and keats

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Rama Arya

Hampstead Village in Inner London is the London address of the who’s who in the world of arts and showbiz. It has more millionaires within its boundaries than any other area in the UK. Past residents include Keats, John Constable, Henry Moore, Robert Louis Stevenson, Agatha Christie, T.S. Eliot … Some of its current residents are Boy George, Brad Pitt, Emma Thompson and Bollywood’s very own Katrina Kaif. However, don’t expect to bump into them as you walk around, because it won’t happen. 🙂 Continue reading →

cambridge, the university town

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Rama Arya

One cannot visit Oxford and not go to Cambridge. That would be sacrilege. Cambridge’s history is irrevocably entangled with that of the former. The story goes back to 1209 when a group of scholars left Oxford because of a dispute with the townsfolk and set up a separate University in Cambridge. The two “ancient universities” have many features in common and are often referred to jointly as Oxbridge. There is also a long history of rivalry between the two.

It was a beautiful day—the type where the skies couldn’t be bluer. Before I went into the University town I took a slight detour and visited the Cambridge American Cemetery. It is quite a treasure. Peaceful and lovely. The cemetery and memorial, run by the American government, commemorate the 3,812 American servicemen who died during the Second World War.

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the london underground—part 2

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Rama Arya

A couple of months ago I had done a photo essay on the Jubilee Line, London Underground. This time I chose the stations that have left a mark on me, even as I run through the platforms to catch the tube. Some are a riot of colour. In another, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes lives on in every single wall tile! The tube is absolutely amazing, each station unique. Continue reading →

medieval winchester

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Rama Arya

I completed my research paper and submitted it this week. I’m not too sure about the logic behind it but I always seem to forget to eat and sleep. So the first thing I did after submissions was refuel, in no specific order, and then I took my camera and wandered off, this time to Winchester.

Winchester is one of those towns which resonates with English history and lots of Williams, Alfred the Great (849-99) and Saint Swithin. The most famous William is William Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester (1366-1404) who remodelled much of the cathedral and founded Winchester College. Built on the banks of the river Itchen in Hampshire over the Roman town of Venta Belgarum, Winchester used to be the capital of Wessex and the Kingdom of England. Continue reading →

warwick—old town and castle

Posted on August 15, 2009 by Rama Arya

Warwick is the story of the Old Town with its Tudor houses and medieval church, and Warwick castle, a fantasy land owned by Madame Tussauds. It is also the story of the Earls of Warwick and the Earl of Leicester who were responsible for much of the shape the town took, both architecturally and historically. Continue reading →

richmond to hampton

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Rama Arya

Richmond and Hampton with a cruise down the river Thames. That’s the plan for the day.

The nice thing about travelling when you are older is you appreciate the finer nuances better. 😀 For one, I learnt that Richmond used to be called Shene and was highly popular with the royal family who lived in the manor house until Henry VII built Richmond Palace in 1501. It’s a little startling to take a turn and actually step back 500 years. Though much of the palace has been lost to time, the Maids of Honours Row, Wardrobe, Trumpeter’s House and Gate House still stand intact, now converted into rented apartments behind the historical facades.

Walking past the Victorian Richmond theatre, boutique shops and the Green which has held cricket matches since 1666, I reached the edge of the Thames to catch my boat to Hampton, as I was told Henry VIII would have done! The cruise is hypnotic with its serene landscapes intertwined with picturesque houses hugging the edge of the river. One feels one is somewhere far away in the country. But it is still London or to be technically correct, Greater London.

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georgian bath, roman bath

Posted on July 23, 2009 by Rama Arya

Bath has to be the most beautiful city in England. It is like a sliver of Europe with all its Baroque and Palladian splendour, but imbued with the elegance of the Georgian period—the reigns of the kings George I, George II, George III and George IV (1714-1830).

The weather was lovely. When you live in London, half your conversations end up revolving around the weather! But having blue skies and clear breezes is seen as something of a good sign. 😀

What do I say about Bath? I won’t go into the histories or the architects. There’s loads of it on the net. What rather came across, at least for me, was the lifestyle it represented. It echoes a period that Jane Austen revelled in writing about. The mornings spent drinking the spring waters which were believed to cure all kinds of illnesses, the corridors one went shopping in where musicians entertained, and come evenings, everyone’s flocking to the Assembly Rooms to play cards, drink coffee and do some ball room dancing. And exactly at 11 pm everyone left for their apartments to start the cycle again the next day. Funnily enough, they never ever got bored of it. It was the centre of fashionable life in England during the 18th Century or until Brighton took over. Continue reading →

tower of london—flirting with the beefeaters

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Rama Arya

When you live in London, it is only right that you do at least some of the absolutely touristy things the city is famous for, which includes going to the Tower of London, packed with swarms of holiday-makers. Most famous for the beheadings of Henry VIII’s (1491–1547) wives when they failed to provide blessed little boys, the Tower has to be on the top things-to-do list in every guide-book on this country. And does it live up to its name. Millions of tourists cannot be wrong. 🙂 Continue reading →

london’s dlr and docklands

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Rama Arya

I once took the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to get back to the city. It took me through the Docklands area, and I was smitten for good!

The DLR and Docklands are archetypical expressions of new age, steel and glass, corporate, moneyed urban planning. The Docklands used to be part of the Port of London before, but containerisation, air cargo and the bombing during the World War II blitz led to massive job losses and the area eventually became derelict and unused. The ensuing redevelopment (1981-98) has transformed the docks into THE key economic hub in London, complete with its own airport. Warehouses, once for storage and packing, are now up-market restaurants and apartments. Gleaming edifices by the docks house over 2,500 offices. And the DLR, as its artery, slices through the buildings, running on lines towering above the streets.

It was grey and cloudy, today. Perfect for good pictures. 🙂 Traipsing with my umbrella, backpack and camera, I managed to take the below images. I quite like them. I hope you do too.

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brighton: sun, sea, pebbles and george IV

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Rama Arya

Brighton is the story of George IV (1762-1830), the king who liked to party, party AND party, and whose patronage subsequently, turned the once small fishing village into one of the most ‘happening’ places in the country.

As Prince of Wales, and later Prince Regent, his life revolved around lavish gatherings, heavy drinking and an indulgent lifestyle. The Royal Pavilion, his palace designed by John Nash in 1822, testifies to it. I stood in the music and dining rooms with my mouth open and had to blink once, twice, thrice. Continue reading →