It was a lovely day yesterday.
The sun was shining and the leaves on the trees are starting - very gradually - to turn golden yellow.
And the Hawthorn berries are in full swing.
I took some photos and I made some Irish Tea bread of which we had two slices while it was still hot - and very nice it was too - so nice in fact that I forgot to take a photo until after we had eaten it them!
11 comments:
I must one day visit the U.K..
My brother has gone to Europe dozens of times and has visited every major (and not so major) city just as many times. Of all the countries he has stayed in, his focus goes back to the U.K.. He tells me the English society is both cultivated and very clean.
I like the English rural areas, though, as I stated, I've never been to the U.K.. As a matter of fact, it's my goal to move one day from the American West Coast to a New England setting, where motifs of English architecture and scenery abound.
I would LOVE to visit rural New England one day. The pictures make it seem so beautiful.
Although I am from England and have lived in Australia at present I live in Germany. It is like England in some ways - the countryside is somewhat similar - but in other ways it is very different.
AGA is from Australia and Germany is very different to that part of the world although Victoria where my mother now lives, has a very Mediterranean look to it in parts.
I shall be back in England at Christmas (for the sales!) and then in April I am off to the Lake District - that is my favourite part of the World. Plus my father is buried there.
I love travelling. It is in my blood I think. My paternal family for many generations have travelled about the world...
Kirk-
You are from England but you live in Germany - that's wonderful! One observation I've made of Europe that has remained steadfast is that Europeans to get along with each other much better than America and its neighbors. Not that America is in any danger of going to war with either Mexico or Canada, but there is perceivable acrimony when extraordinary measures are employed to keep each other out. Europeans - and correct me if I’m wrong - have greater ease when crossing the border of one commonwealth into another.
Something I should have asked my brother but I’m going to ask you instead: If you live in the U.K. but want to spend a the weekend in France, how difficult is it bureaucratically to cross into France? Is a passport enough? Is a passport even needed?
Gosh, Kirk, I hope I’m not exasperating you with so many questions. I’ve long maintained an interest in Europe and very seldom do I get to communicate with anyone who is actually from there.:0)
Many blessings.
That's fine Tom. You can always ask me questions.
You do need a passport when going from UK to the Continent and when going from one European country to another. That is because of security. Authorities will want to know if you have permission to be here. When flying from England to the Continent you go through passport control but when flying within the Continent there is no passport control.
When you are driving or going by train there are no passport controls but you should always take your passport with you in case of a spot check. We have been spot checked going from Germany to the Netherlands by train and often, when staying at a hotel, they will want to see you passport so they can register it with the police.
The absense of border controls is thanks to membership in the EU.
As for acrimony. No not officially although I would not say that 100% in an ordinary sense. There are a lot of old divisions that relate back to historical events. Interestingly everyone seems to think that the other nationalities are pushy or bossy or lazy etc
Such rivalry often raises it head in the form of (relatively) good humoured banter but there are ocassions when it can get a bit less charitable. . . especially in the hands of nationalist goups.
Also there are still many people alive who went through the experiences of World War II and some find it hard to forgive or forget . . .
Yes I must admit that I do enjoy living in Germany. It is very central to everything and the quality of life is good. My only problem is that I just cannot get my head around learning German. French I am okay with but German just seems to elude me. . .
Kirk
Thank you, my friend, for your detailed response. Perhaps someday, in the distant future, we can sit down at a good German pub and you can tell me more about life in Europe.
I'm buying:0)
Two of my favorite young men becoming friends - how very, very sweet!
Kirk - Tom is my cyber-nephew but I have room in my heart for more than one nephew....
oh sorry - your bread looks yummy. I make one quite similar to what I am seeing...
Tom, I accept! Pilsner is what I like, or Dusseldorf's own Altbier...
Adrienne, how does one become a cyber-nephew? I like that idea!
The tea bread is really nice at room temperature with butter on it. They call it tea bread because you soak the fruit in tea (I used Darjeeling) for up to 12 hours before you use it...
It just "happens". Sort of an adoption like process.
You see - in the beginning Tom was a bit "tight". I guess you could call him sort of English. LOL
He used a bunch of big words and IMHO was a bit annoying. So in my rude and obnoxious manner I started to kind of pick on him. Not too badly as I'm not really a mean person. Lo and behold out came this sweet, caring, lovely young man and he just morphed into being my cyber-nephew.
If you want to be my cyber-nephew that would be just fine. Tom calls me Auntie A and loves to give me a hard time.
Well then Auntie A, this is your other Baroque loving cyber nephew. I guess that makes Tom my cyber-cousin
Oh how sweet - your cousin....
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