Wanderlust

Today's writing prompt....I know, I know don't all faint at once I'm actually writing it today! 

As well as the picture above, a product of Sabrina's Etsy shopping I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) Caitlyn added the rest of the quote (oh and head over to her blog she has a giveaway!)

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost." 
— J.R.R. Tolkien (The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1))

I wander, and I get lost. But often I do it on purpose. I've just had a quick look and I can't believe I haven't written about this before!

I find cities are the best for this, I remember a particularly fruitful adventure in Newcastle. I had time to kill and nothing special to do so I set off in one direction and walked. I found the most amazing shop stocked with local handmade crafts and another that sold delicious whoopie pies.

The secret to getting lost is to allow yourself time. Never be pushed for time or you will panic. Always have an escape plan, smart phones are great for this (though I try not to fall back on mine if I can). Talking to people is unheard of these days I know, but seriously how do you think folks managed before we had our noses super-glued to a screen. Speaking of which, your best friends when getting lost are your eyes. Look around you, aside from seeing some of the most amazing things you will pick up the landmarks you will need to find your way back.

After saying all that I only managed to get lost once on my recent trip to London and I only had an hour to make it out. This particular occasion I didn't do it on purpose so I felt no guilt using said smart phone to navigate my way to Big Ben, however fate would have the last say doing so killed my battery! That little excursion did take me on an unexpected trip past St James' park which was pretty so I wasn't disappointed!

Where I did allow my wandering side free reign was in the galleries and museums I visited, even on a trip into St Pancras station. My eyes looked up and found art not just framed and on the wall but on the ceiling too.

This was one of my favourite pieces of ceiling art at The Courtland Institute Gallery.

I continued to look around and I found amazing architecture, not just the exhibits I had come to see.

One of my many favourite parts of the Victoria & Albert museum (hastily snapped as it is in the entrance hall and it was really busy that day!). Try to let the sculpture fade away and look around it, the building is just as beautiful...and massive. If there is ever a building to get lost in in London the V&A is the place to do it, so many places to hide in awe and wonder.

Finally, for you at least because this is only a whistle stop tour of my wanderings, St Pancras Station. The place that wasn't on my plan, the place we nipped into on a whim. The place of any wanderers dreams...The one that steals your heart. I will visit again, I may even eat in the booking office restaurant and truly soak up the atmosphere. If I am really lucky I might one day get to stay in the St Pancras Hotel (that one really is the thing of dreams). For now I will leave you with my snaps of St Pancras.

'Not all who wander are lost' but some of us get lost to discover something and maybe ourselves along the way. Don't forget to look to the clouds every now and again, you never now what you might see.

St Pancras

Yesterday's daily prompt from my fabulous writing group resulted from an impromptu visit me and the other half took into St Pancras station one evening whilst in London this week. A quick diversion on the way back to our apartment, only to discover the most fantastic things accompanied by beautiful notes tinkled from the ivories.

So here's the prompt and my ten minutes (plus interruptions)

"I have to go."

"I know."

"I just..." He sighed into her neck.

"I know." She repeated, her arms around his neck.

They'd been over this conversation a thousand times already and now the clock above them ticked off their last moments in each other's arms for who knows how long he felt the need to tell her all over again. Why wasn't she enough? She should be enough but he craved home and the wide open spaces so badly. He needed to be out of this city before it crushed him.

Stood together. Foreheads touching. Eyes closed. Their lips meet in one last caress. Slowly they move apart, he wasn't sure any more if he could do this.

Then she was standing alone under that god forsaken clock as he turned and walked toward his platform. Towards his train. Towards home and an emptiness he'd never fill.

Our Adventure

We're home, exhausted but home, packed full of memories of our adventures. Memories of smiles and discoveries, of objects seen to go with lessons learnt and stories heard. Of famous artists found for the first time and explosions in a lab. Of hotels and beds squashed together, of train travel over ground and underground. Such beautiful sweet memories I will hold forever, some of them captured and shared.

see original here on Pintrest

So this is our London.

 Day One - Off we go.

Our trip begins! Why are train stations always so cold?

And a two hour journey needs some entertainment!

When I visit London I can't stop looking around and noticing things that make me smile!

I love travelling on the tube. I also discovered that I love the look of wonder on my girls faces and the inquisitory discussions we had about trains travelling underground.

 

However we didn't go to London for the transport links. First stop...The British Museum.

The look of wonder and amazement and voracity with which Munchkin 1 went from one exhibit to the next. Devouring every Egyptian artifact and explaining their significance to me. Canopic jars are seriously disgusting might I add!

The next stop....for Mummy!

A flying visit, yes. But still I stood in awe at the Kings Library. This picture does not do the sheer scale and number of books justice!!

Day 2 - Open top bus tour!

I can't believe how much the girls enjoyed this. Even ice cold toes and noses didn't deter them for quite some time!

 Tower Bridge

 Big Ben, with the London Eye in the background

Reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

St Paul's Cathedral

A whistle stop tour of the Poetry and Dreams exhibition in the Tate Modern. Introducing Munchkin 1 to the likes of Picasso (who's work is ugly, by the way - her words not mine!)

Then on to Trafalgar Square and a visit to the National Gallery. We got involved in a feather and wing art installation. Listened to a story teller use the art work in the gallery to tell a story (really great) and then introduced Munchkin 1 to the likes of Monet (who she loved - that's mi girl!) Cezanne and Van Gough.

Day Three - Time to go home, nearly!

A trip to the Science Museum - Daddy's day ;-)

A demonstration of how to make a rocket fly into space and a quick experiment to see if the Munchkins could power electrical equipment with pedal power. I won't disconnect from the grid just yet though!

 

That left just enough time for a quick stop at Harrods....Oh how the other half lives!!

However I did discover some gorgeous lifts!

Oh and some cute friends too!

That was a packed couple of days, time to go home.....we're beat!

What special memories have you made this week?

I will leave you with this, Within Temptation. Nothing at all to do with London or the sweet memories made. It is however totally beautiful and the final gorgeous discovery of this break. Back to work tomorrow!

PS - In the last few days I have been bestowed 2 blog awards. One from the fabulously talented and witty blogess Katie at Nested and the other from my dear friend; the obnoxiously talented photographer and blogger Lee Johnson. I promise I will graciously accept these awards and compose appropriately lengthy speeches to said acceptances in due course! Today I think I have overloaded you lovely readers enough.....Stay tuned ;-)

Family Choice Tuesday Tunes

So in honor of the family trip to our nation's capital I have opened up this weeks Tuesday post to the clan.

Here are our songs that give you a little snippet of our trip.

The Husband's choice, not particularly original but it had to be included!

Munchkin Number 1's choice. British Museum for a little Egyptian spotting!

Munchkin Number 2 didn't choose this, but she wants to see where the Queen lives. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth I have taken the opportunity to include a slice of musical genius here!

Finally my choice, because we are on holiday after all. Ok so I have been busted for crow-barring in another of my favourite bands and I don't care (PS a little sweary at the beginning for those of a sensitive disposition!)

So the soundtrack to our break away. Hope you are having a good week, stay tuned on Thursday for the piccies ;-)

The Big Smoke

So, a few days ago I promised you an update on my trip to London. Well I had a wonderful time! At first glance taking close on 2 full days out of family life seems purely selfish, however by the time I arrived at the first museum I could officially term it a research trip!

I squeezed in visits to the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Royal Acadamey of Arts and the Tate Britain. My favorite has to be the V&A, the whole experience was magical. I felt like I had slipped in at the back door entering from the subway tunnel, almost like I shouldn't be there. I was like an excited child not knowing which way to turn. I made some great discoveries, got lost in the medieval section and saw some jaw dropping replica structures. There was one picture that I remember clearly; Rosalba Carriera's, The Syracusan Woman. I turned round and she seemed to be almost chastising me for moving throught the exhibitions so fast. Therefore, I have made a promise to myself to re-visit the V&A at some point to do it justice. The David Hockney exhibition at the Royal Acadamey of Arts was also a highlight.

The one thing that I love about London is the amazing variety of characters that are all around all the time. Does anyone else try to guess what peoples lives are like? I find it a very entertaining activity to guess the occupation of people on the tube or train in particular. Try it some time and see what you come up with. I can't help but try to attach a story to everything, people, places, pictures or sculptures. The only thing that struck me on this trip was how sad all the subjects of the paintings or sculptures are. I hope when future generations visit museums and look at 21st century art they don't get the impression that our generation were perpetually moping, life may be difficult at times but I would not say we are unhappy...are we?

PS the research was great and I have come away with loads of fantastic ideas :-D

Where did the week go?

I just don't seem to have had time to blog at all for the last few days. Between planning an impromptu trip to London and spending time writing following an inspirational trip to a local iron age hill fort, oh and the general day to day family schedule, there has been little time for anything else.

I am really looking forward to having a day to my self in the big smoke. Planned in are; a couple of art museums, an independent bookshop and a frozen yogurt bar (just to see if it is the same as I remember from America). It may seem strange to pack off my kids mid week to their Grandparents just to indulge my passions, but what the hell, I have a days leave that must be taken this week so why not use it to re-charge my cultural batteries! I will fill you all in on my adventure later in the week.

The other project occupying my brain space and time at the moment is a new character. She sprang up out of nowhere following a visit to a local iron age hill fort. Something I have to say I must have driven past hundreds of times assuming it was just another lump of grass with sheep. It was not until I visited it with a very knowledgeable tour guide that I realised it's significance to the area. He pointed out the sites of the settlement's huts (circular ditches to you and me), the perimeter fence (sorry that one was lost on me) and what would have been the paths into the settlement, all of which I would have walked past had I been on my own! By the time I got home Guinevere had materialised in my mind. I couldn't wait to get the kids and husband to bed in order to get some peace and quiet to write. Early the next morning, as I crawled into bed to warm my now very cold feet on the mobile hot water bottle otherwise known as my husband, I felt a great sense of accomplishment at the first short I have ever written. There have been various ideas in the past, numerous characters living in my mind and even a few pages written, however none had ever flowed properly or sounded right. This I am proud of, now I am just faced with the internal fight; Do I put this out there? Do I risk other people thinking that it is juvenile and not worthy? Then; do I post it on here if there is a chance that it may turn out to be more than a short? Or do I keep it to myself for the time being and wait and see what develops?

What do you think? Should we have the courage to put things out there? Or are there some things we write that should remain ours, just for a little while at least?