British Library Tour

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Interesting<br />that in the world's largest holding library</div><div style="text-align: center;">you are unable to check out a book</div><div style="text-align: center;">and need special permission to touch one</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While I had visited this library before,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I went back for a proper tour just a few weeks ago<br />(there isn't much to see on your own, so a tour is a must)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiileLig5Y0oPxwmIKSC6y0vWxVojoWl_WDjg-FPu4AJDbbEUXPPFQMmNY6vrZ1t359WAiCBNVmHDHscp_7Lh93TBZKB67CIshKFUz_PGKe0jdhu7KVSahjtMQDLZxHJUdZajmvYgcY7znV/s1600/photo+4-041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiileLig5Y0oPxwmIKSC6y0vWxVojoWl_WDjg-FPu4AJDbbEUXPPFQMmNY6vrZ1t359WAiCBNVmHDHscp_7Lh93TBZKB67CIshKFUz_PGKe0jdhu7KVSahjtMQDLZxHJUdZajmvYgcY7znV/s1600/photo+4-041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the UK and Ireland</div><div style="text-align: center;">a copy of every publication is donated to the British Library</div><div style="text-align: center;">for the sake of archiving the printed word</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Besides books, the British Library archives</div><div style="text-align: center;">store catalogs, maps, games, stamps, playscripts, and musical scores</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Moving images as well as sound recordings</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as music, animal sounds, and regional accent samples are stored as well</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Three million new items are added to the collection each year,</div><div style="text-align: center;">some of which are donated from other countries in different languages</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Miles of shelving are added annually to accommodate new additions</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While the main library is in London</div><div style="text-align: center;">other branches are in Oxford, Cambridge, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, and Dublin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Contrary to most libraries,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the British Library organizes their books according to book size</div><div style="text-align: center;">because the Dewey Decimal System would be too time consuming for reshelving books</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When a book is returned</div><div style="text-align: center;">it is placed at the end of the shelf next to books the same size</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpHS_AnMR2fjcTGIwxGpTjdMthHegY7f7BtOyGMyN0aKCpwWqu1rmGPl348BVmr7CsckuyF_rtOXxacp2vfK4Olf8i04VJKHb8VXSeMuVOPWTZ86Fg1F0eB2yFlTg9xk26DabDVN30ryV/s1600/photo+5-038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpHS_AnMR2fjcTGIwxGpTjdMthHegY7f7BtOyGMyN0aKCpwWqu1rmGPl348BVmr7CsckuyF_rtOXxacp2vfK4Olf8i04VJKHb8VXSeMuVOPWTZ86Fg1F0eB2yFlTg9xk26DabDVN30ryV/s1600/photo+5-038.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King's Library and public tables</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If one wants to look at a particular item,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a registration process must be completed</div><div style="text-align: center;">and permission is granted based on genuine scholarly purpose</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is mostly university students, professors, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and industry researchers who are granted access</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As nothing can be checked out,</div><div style="text-align: center;">items only can be viewed in monitored reading rooms</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Magna Carta is the most requested item (and denied)<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5tt0sm5AHxms0wJDOAwqvFyt9bwtX2dbq0YnlwfTwJIYIWD5_sxYZAeB7-MfdViDwEyB0yj75SVBkZNPn3autWvnTBp47PXw61hTy2xzEC3PIUEJcwF9caYm4U7dkCND3mg3hwtRtH7U/s1600/photo+3-035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5tt0sm5AHxms0wJDOAwqvFyt9bwtX2dbq0YnlwfTwJIYIWD5_sxYZAeB7-MfdViDwEyB0yj75SVBkZNPn3autWvnTBp47PXw61hTy2xzEC3PIUEJcwF9caYm4U7dkCND3mg3hwtRtH7U/s1600/photo+3-035.JPG" width="502" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading Room</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When an item is requested, it goes through a system between the walls that reminded me</div><div style="text-align: center;">of luggage at an airport with trays on automated tracks<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BG3BLPLKPvhdX9KDe7RB7BlRkc0JNHVP5sXdlOYsbNnK-MO_ItPQk3WJ0yjrqHhI27ju-7TCjBHrGefBu9sq143ws6hVX8EvzsuPmpiwjI2igtXka7p3MGs3wdDEva3qRg5qY3obujXU/s1600/photo+1-046.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BG3BLPLKPvhdX9KDe7RB7BlRkc0JNHVP5sXdlOYsbNnK-MO_ItPQk3WJ0yjrqHhI27ju-7TCjBHrGefBu9sq143ws6hVX8EvzsuPmpiwjI2igtXka7p3MGs3wdDEva3qRg5qY3obujXU/s1600/photo+1-046.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Seventy people work in the basement 80 feet below ground</div><div style="text-align: center;">where items are stored on 20-foot high bookshelves</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The lowest level of the building is filled with pumps</div><div style="text-align: center;">since the basement rests below the water table and River Thames<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The King's Library holds King George III's collection</div><div style="text-align: center;">which is considered one of the most important from his era</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally donated to the library when it was part of the British Museum,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the collection is now housed in a customized area with a clever fire plan<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3txxsWDu6ixEjYuV_fcumzR7JPnj8J3fv2X7MdyhlqaSFr-Lhqmmk5AVUNMMwK2EQRm6WA4Jnd4DqX3AwkRzjE9pFtoF6h9l-Uue6Pk7TZi99DJo1WcL8UmGEn2aR4mlBtLesUjeYb1z/s1600/photo+5-041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3txxsWDu6ixEjYuV_fcumzR7JPnj8J3fv2X7MdyhlqaSFr-Lhqmmk5AVUNMMwK2EQRm6WA4Jnd4DqX3AwkRzjE9pFtoF6h9l-Uue6Pk7TZi99DJo1WcL8UmGEn2aR4mlBtLesUjeYb1z/s1600/photo+5-041.JPG" width="586" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King's Library</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In case of fire elsewhere in the library,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a fire retardant gel would fill the space between the double glass panes</div><div style="text-align: center;">and King George's collection would be pulled out of the skylight to safety</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Since water would create a lot of damage to books in case of fire,</div><div style="text-align: center;">other precious books are stored in an emergency blast freezer corridor</div><div style="text-align: center;">This means a vacuum sucks out air and blasts the area with cold air (-18<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">°</span></span>C) to freeze books</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then those books are transported to freezer holds in area grocery stores for safekeeping<br />Sounds like a movie!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Next time I would love to attend Conservation Studio: Behind The Scenes Tour</div><div style="text-align: center;">Offered monthly, this will be on my list for next time :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>- all images my own -</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Link: <a href="http://www.bl.uk/whatson/tours/index.html">British Library Tour</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored tour)</span></div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; 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British Library Tour

Interesting that in the world's largest holding library you are unable to check out a book and need special permission to touch one Whil...

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The Lake District

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">For the long holiday weekend</div><div style="text-align: center;">we took a quick zip to the Lake District, </div><div style="text-align: center;">the largest and most visited National Park in England </div><div style="text-align: center;">located near the Scottish border</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPCEAuKW7eBGrAkkrhyeRUbP7Uhat9TUQCTY7y8nfjRBRmuZSOQqi81WfKpcVhoPmElHq0lbCc4Se68do_Rb8JckPUQd-kmgWD6qng4ZT5LylF15ZnScFrPr8Gyi0zwHc4QgS_4AbSVVn/s1600/DSC01358-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPCEAuKW7eBGrAkkrhyeRUbP7Uhat9TUQCTY7y8nfjRBRmuZSOQqi81WfKpcVhoPmElHq0lbCc4Se68do_Rb8JckPUQd-kmgWD6qng4ZT5LylF15ZnScFrPr8Gyi0zwHc4QgS_4AbSVVn/s1600/DSC01358-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can see how this area has inspired so many authors</div><div style="text-align: center;">including William Wordsworth and Arthur Ransome</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTdCRcUBEYxsj2wbYATOGFnuqnhraJcGu9T1_dWJF5lYdJ5LnDVPHaA9dioupsqbtmoKUJiJdELOHGo8f9HYR8MLEamHvAKT2PRaCSzGnJ9RcxjwwrIccaVlZ9wbpgWz2xwXx67JdbTNy/s1600/DSC01325-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTdCRcUBEYxsj2wbYATOGFnuqnhraJcGu9T1_dWJF5lYdJ5LnDVPHaA9dioupsqbtmoKUJiJdELOHGo8f9HYR8MLEamHvAKT2PRaCSzGnJ9RcxjwwrIccaVlZ9wbpgWz2xwXx67JdbTNy/s1600/DSC01325-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The area is known for its </div><div style="text-align: center;">long, thin lakes</div><div style="text-align: center;">hills (known as 'fells')</div><div style="text-align: center;">verdant countryside (indicating it rains a lot) </div><div style="text-align: center;">and hardy Herdwick & Swaledale sheep</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GVkbUwKQuv3buCH_0UWn9qvV7JG4l8OHT71UgiXXLIIkDVBJuBn0tr0zjxEar8dZhGk56wwkr0AQMd2jPNnOVJG7HgE6a9pFuhG3rxUpWrlBD-bl9cUwjY0zkPsddc2VigiabNUpC9OB/s1600/DSC01383-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GVkbUwKQuv3buCH_0UWn9qvV7JG4l8OHT71UgiXXLIIkDVBJuBn0tr0zjxEar8dZhGk56wwkr0AQMd2jPNnOVJG7HgE6a9pFuhG3rxUpWrlBD-bl9cUwjY0zkPsddc2VigiabNUpC9OB/s1600/DSC01383-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Aren't you in love already?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLxOtuIY2ZVH70L1dvvWb0GZ-YGhUQSKaTRmjUdApM1EA80c_-5CCDm_WcyB_nKq1iFPSExsikM_ip6QWeeSFa1xrDfLsns0oaNG_xuxQWFp6fFAt1GIbk9J_yCWIGWioeAhy0iyopJZ1/s1600/DSC01574-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLxOtuIY2ZVH70L1dvvWb0GZ-YGhUQSKaTRmjUdApM1EA80c_-5CCDm_WcyB_nKq1iFPSExsikM_ip6QWeeSFa1xrDfLsns0oaNG_xuxQWFp6fFAt1GIbk9J_yCWIGWioeAhy0iyopJZ1/s1600/DSC01574-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TTUI3OIRNOzdXQ3ZP67lLHHIwGg6DR3pPWTzB8RTZXIRECR3w21ORVCWSS0mDvDYDOPsz9W9EQMhlkboFaMgtRjxk0wQRWuVIxgHVzsxwgC01WgTnJ2uApf7h9_rQFU-kPzkN_BgWKZv/s1600/DSC01443-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TTUI3OIRNOzdXQ3ZP67lLHHIwGg6DR3pPWTzB8RTZXIRECR3w21ORVCWSS0mDvDYDOPsz9W9EQMhlkboFaMgtRjxk0wQRWuVIxgHVzsxwgC01WgTnJ2uApf7h9_rQFU-kPzkN_BgWKZv/s1600/DSC01443-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsALpgV-6GqVKgmmrdDzI6mCHMT3fBsHxdF_6x5BqXNDfUCbjDSMVZitUtzvSjr1_-S4QdsVmJ9RZbMSl9TfJ6FaoM12zbwpRf9UqLNthwqURRwoaafggXqc09otPOVKX1D5IHfbewMfiU/s1600/DSC01413-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsALpgV-6GqVKgmmrdDzI6mCHMT3fBsHxdF_6x5BqXNDfUCbjDSMVZitUtzvSjr1_-S4QdsVmJ9RZbMSl9TfJ6FaoM12zbwpRf9UqLNthwqURRwoaafggXqc09otPOVKX1D5IHfbewMfiU/s1600/DSC01413-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We visited Beatrix Potter's 17th-century farmhouse, <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top/">Hill Top</a>,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which was a real highlight</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We saw local village locations that appear in her books</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as this letter box</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrnacTBmvA76RLJzlfbpJ8j0shBUMfnMaBIFZ5wZS7c0p4zRTi0GNULdQhcBEiAzfAqHM9salsLQelIgj0LP5N0M-B7KAiT-0Mn8F8RMHmVKhBvyupWoG0RoQQhx4QfFLtE1obYT8XC1O/s1600/DSC01455-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrnacTBmvA76RLJzlfbpJ8j0shBUMfnMaBIFZ5wZS7c0p4zRTi0GNULdQhcBEiAzfAqHM9salsLQelIgj0LP5N0M-B7KAiT-0Mn8F8RMHmVKhBvyupWoG0RoQQhx4QfFLtE1obYT8XC1O/s1600/DSC01455-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queen Victoria was the first to put her 'royal cypher' on new postboxes<br />Here, 'GR' indicates this letterbox was placed during the reign of King George V (<i>George Rex</i>)<br />Queen Elizabeth II's royal cypher is EIIR (<i>Elizabeth II Regina</i>)<br /><i>Rex/Regina</i> is Latin for king/queen</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />So glad we fit in this last trip!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well worth the five hour drive :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all images my own -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; 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The Lake District

For the long holiday weekend we took a quick zip to the Lake District,  the largest and most visited National Park in England  located near ...

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Downton Abbey Film Locations

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Highclere Castle is the primary film location</div><div style="text-align: center;">for ITV's popular <i>Downton Abbey</i> television series</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Highclere Castle is open to the public select days each year</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCx65Vz-LRyMmwpZWN0Ri3zRjqCv70kywPNozpqdaMu98DRxZ5lG2bfrGcG7IcSf8ZxgFBjC9tcmYB8NsmqxeVdYVChyphenhyphenvnaVnayT9zNXO6XlmtXw-mchLSyJk_HcOq845_nPIRx8sx95IT/s1600/Downton_Abbey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCx65Vz-LRyMmwpZWN0Ri3zRjqCv70kywPNozpqdaMu98DRxZ5lG2bfrGcG7IcSf8ZxgFBjC9tcmYB8NsmqxeVdYVChyphenhyphenvnaVnayT9zNXO6XlmtXw-mchLSyJk_HcOq845_nPIRx8sx95IT/s1600/Downton_Abbey.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Downton_Abbey.jpg">wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although I won't have a chance to visit Highclere Castle, </div><div style="text-align: center;">I recently had tea at Byfleet Manor </div><div style="text-align: center;">(aka Lady Violet Crawley's house in the series)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not too far from London,</div><div style="text-align: center;">this private home opens to the public for tea parties, special events, and pre-arranged tours</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOIXJQkXb08-rG9x7Tbzn5d0No_8xwEpW_X_cqAC_ldiclyj-4sDYB-6wWDEdFaLsn8hA3FD9cWaWdRzi3xSOaU1RAiaHAKyy7lwj3ZS35TkJj9aLwAXOOoCxlgiQlmN2WFmQ9U-0UAjo/s1600/DSC01231-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOIXJQkXb08-rG9x7Tbzn5d0No_8xwEpW_X_cqAC_ldiclyj-4sDYB-6wWDEdFaLsn8hA3FD9cWaWdRzi3xSOaU1RAiaHAKyy7lwj3ZS35TkJj9aLwAXOOoCxlgiQlmN2WFmQ9U-0UAjo/s1600/DSC01231-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The original portion of the house was built in 1670</div><div style="text-align: center;">in the location of a previous palace belonging to Henry VIII</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Two wings were added later</div><div style="text-align: center;">and each lived in by different residents today</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Hutton family resides in the middle portion,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which is used for filming</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGPJSbHyBo3kguX-O3QmDVQjri62eecVAgtEIgHidp-hAJ3-kpC-D83I6e0hP-wVrZzY-iIX3yFZldIMFKfkB9_0wGQkbMtd9aDXY3AK9bKVOaTVdiiUjrwAsxo3dLy9qr06Wruch4FOW/s1600/DSC01247-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGPJSbHyBo3kguX-O3QmDVQjri62eecVAgtEIgHidp-hAJ3-kpC-D83I6e0hP-wVrZzY-iIX3yFZldIMFKfkB9_0wGQkbMtd9aDXY3AK9bKVOaTVdiiUjrwAsxo3dLy9qr06Wruch4FOW/s1600/DSC01247-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most filmed room for 'Dower House' of Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A great story unfolded thirteen years ago...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">With a newborn in her arms,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Julie Hutton watched in horror as her dog ran off and bit a man </div><div style="text-align: center;">who turned out to be a judge</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As you would expect, </div><div style="text-align: center;">a policeman came knocking at her door to take the dog away</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The policeman took pity on the emotional new mom and did not take the dog,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and impulsively the Huttons bought Byfleet Manor with its fenced yard</div><div style="text-align: center;">(which she saw in a flier) </div><div style="text-align: center;">in an effort to save their pet</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It worked - the dog was saved</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXhpHKN2Ze6clTQvWbQ9TRDxDlN5JnzAklRgIqMKjMhAPS-xd_MKwWEvaXniVa44ZzNCPufrIhJ7rLYPIjp-InhXh36chYQKP_4bmShIpv4IrZqA1N_XjJIRn9572N4oxhY3L8rmr7HOA/s1600/DSC01237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXhpHKN2Ze6clTQvWbQ9TRDxDlN5JnzAklRgIqMKjMhAPS-xd_MKwWEvaXniVa44ZzNCPufrIhJ7rLYPIjp-InhXh36chYQKP_4bmShIpv4IrZqA1N_XjJIRn9572N4oxhY3L8rmr7HOA/s1600/DSC01237.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Years later, a stranger knocked on their Byfleet Manor front door </div><div style="text-align: center;">and asked if the house could be used for filming a television show</div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Downton Abbey</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They said yes</div><div style="text-align: center;">and interestingly all 'Dower House' scenes for the season are filmed in just one day</div><div style="text-align: center;">(plus one day to clear out the room and another day to put it back together)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlZJy-bmWBWzERCnavW1PRTkmgSfW36uVFEVoNC4SgnlvIvqItDulGYYkMFNwviqIh8mbOcA-uM0Ogj1l7g8dMXAPFb38Mg7EbWYBtdiqlvuPw0DmwRU6xJmVhF-SGi7Fe4OKRlz1G1O4/s1600/DSC01238-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlZJy-bmWBWzERCnavW1PRTkmgSfW36uVFEVoNC4SgnlvIvqItDulGYYkMFNwviqIh8mbOcA-uM0Ogj1l7g8dMXAPFb38Mg7EbWYBtdiqlvuPw0DmwRU6xJmVhF-SGi7Fe4OKRlz1G1O4/s1600/DSC01238-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a peek at the Hutton's beautiful garden within the 24 acre property</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv28jAGIuBVRIL1e4h_RdxRBV_qVqKqel9nNkRJhITqRLT9v92BXBViLGmoI_Z0_4ZiKxkQU-LbUxSp7LYJfgIqtuPYNKCN41slbYbvNQKvcgXRvOcbWl1JQVQ6wxqopcj16uN0pKzj7m/s1600/DSC01250-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv28jAGIuBVRIL1e4h_RdxRBV_qVqKqel9nNkRJhITqRLT9v92BXBViLGmoI_Z0_4ZiKxkQU-LbUxSp7LYJfgIqtuPYNKCN41slbYbvNQKvcgXRvOcbWl1JQVQ6wxqopcj16uN0pKzj7m/s1600/DSC01250-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and one of their pet pigs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wmVXuxYvknTkCRVQhWLf108Qsjltq7NHethwGbdjvXIOeyPCt8dvXmeL2Tt_w6lk_lSalt2DfnlQ2FXvbdAtmDFfe6mZGreBMBdxlJ_fNnqjy7gF_5K5z7vmxqn0Ue88DaQdRKKf9ZrJ/s1600/DSC01260-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wmVXuxYvknTkCRVQhWLf108Qsjltq7NHethwGbdjvXIOeyPCt8dvXmeL2Tt_w6lk_lSalt2DfnlQ2FXvbdAtmDFfe6mZGreBMBdxlJ_fNnqjy7gF_5K5z7vmxqn0Ue88DaQdRKKf9ZrJ/s1600/DSC01260-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I find this animal lover's story to be a great reminder -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When life sends you a lemon,</div><div style="text-align: center;">it could be for lemonade</div><div style="text-align: center;">:)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- images my own, excluding first one -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Links: <a href="http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/">Highclere Castle</a>,<a href="http://www.byfleetmanor.com/"> Byfleet Manor</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; 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Downton Abbey Film Locations

Highclere Castle is the primary film location for ITV's popular Downton Abbey television series Highclere Castle is open to the public ...

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The Orient Express & Agatha Christie

<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">A murder mystery lunch on the Orient Express train was<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i>the perfect</i>activity to kick-off our book club’s latest choice,<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">‘Murder On The Orient Express’ by Agatha Christie<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSMITJQDnMeivF7qGz_kaRrGjtn_PbSXN9eDd6EEr8h4UhhUB4XsMaN1_o-eY-jPb50Jkap6UUhZjvBr1PeS_ECicKYKU2PTz-OMYqG9oHcUQUlfNC-n-lLXWwyHgIU_CcC-lcam3y__O/s1600/DSC09162-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSMITJQDnMeivF7qGz_kaRrGjtn_PbSXN9eDd6EEr8h4UhhUB4XsMaN1_o-eY-jPb50Jkap6UUhZjvBr1PeS_ECicKYKU2PTz-OMYqG9oHcUQUlfNC-n-lLXWwyHgIU_CcC-lcam3y__O/s1600/DSC09162-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Each train carriage had its own personality and history<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">I believe our car was built in 1927<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">I imagine the Titanic had a similar air of opulence and elegance</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Spectacular!<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZajR0S14mqV20vWHJwkOUfm0La7un87YLutjD9kx6Zz1ZzHJIXoLLrpmzMkl67UmDz7eEbzoi4jkXtJ3bKkKDIaieBu4NBCY7jjLtsqLWVOmVF-ANvRlPTHu9wAagi7j2MYnut8TEGuIF/s1600/DSC09165-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZajR0S14mqV20vWHJwkOUfm0La7un87YLutjD9kx6Zz1ZzHJIXoLLrpmzMkl67UmDz7eEbzoi4jkXtJ3bKkKDIaieBu4NBCY7jjLtsqLWVOmVF-ANvRlPTHu9wAagi7j2MYnut8TEGuIF/s1600/DSC09165-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Departing from London Victoria Station</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The train traveled in a loop for five hours <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">through the Kent countryside and<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">past towns such as Ashford and Whitstable<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The food kept coming with first class attention to service and detail <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16pwK1nMFOS57gO3y8ITs1doOcu7MobKGt07l7j6Tn38QRHgKh2O97atK_tQ-G28W39hetKjHdwsOKieFx3W9Xany0IWnxf5PGrBGw6ElcD6ImtqHbbxRTP89DZfAENTs0oG1XaZN1BeS/s1600/DSC09178-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16pwK1nMFOS57gO3y8ITs1doOcu7MobKGt07l7j6Tn38QRHgKh2O97atK_tQ-G28W39hetKjHdwsOKieFx3W9Xany0IWnxf5PGrBGw6ElcD6ImtqHbbxRTP89DZfAENTs0oG1XaZN1BeS/s1600/DSC09178-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whizzing past Kent oast houses</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Meanwhile, we had a murder mystery to solve<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">They informed us that an English aristocrat had been poisoned during a recent dinner party<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The dinner guests/suspects of the crime walked through the train<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">giving clues about themselves and others<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">We were encouraged to ask questions to help unravel the truth<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDQeRrBACzRtziwCYa4zkxXjp4EojK9AiQ6tsvtzhyphenhyphenxSbnoKMpeqPgmB3hxIMeetNdce8h8urEdXBvN8Ct8zmItdhfnc_X-H9Bk-VbOYANDhBr2OCXTvjeqzpXMPitMbt9aGIMs1ryRYt/s1600/DSC09175-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDQeRrBACzRtziwCYa4zkxXjp4EojK9AiQ6tsvtzhyphenhyphenxSbnoKMpeqPgmB3hxIMeetNdce8h8urEdXBvN8Ct8zmItdhfnc_X-H9Bk-VbOYANDhBr2OCXTvjeqzpXMPitMbt9aGIMs1ryRYt/s1600/DSC09175-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two suspects</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Our table figured out the who, but not the why<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">I was tickled by the unexpected twist of the motive<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The murder mystery lunch uses the same script for three years<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">It just so happened our script was retiring after our trip<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYtmtemdqW0dpQ2w8_oN61dsrR2W1d7kdu9_jVZwybdyksmFAS_WTdkgr_YFUaBMECvJNU7XGHSFyBEPXCDpqxMo_x1NVXoqaGduaPQN_C9QrQZU_3jiD1wxwuXOO4a3g3QjlHSVKBB07/s1600/DSC09180-004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYtmtemdqW0dpQ2w8_oN61dsrR2W1d7kdu9_jVZwybdyksmFAS_WTdkgr_YFUaBMECvJNU7XGHSFyBEPXCDpqxMo_x1NVXoqaGduaPQN_C9QrQZU_3jiD1wxwuXOO4a3g3QjlHSVKBB07/s1600/DSC09180-004.JPG" width="514" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">I was surprised to learn Agatha Christie is<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">the third most widely published author of all time in any language<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare,<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">the Queen of Crime has sold over a billion copies of books in English<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">and another billion in 100 foreign languages<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Celebrating its 60^thanniversary in London’s West End this year, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha Christie’s ‘Mousetrap’ is the longest running play in history<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXuu9XGZl5u3yOLW_V4KhTrUaly9WrPxG6nRGPrImUX1o33_PwvBRYWXiFvRF5rPr_biP3kk7x95Jotv4OIHR-0N7pu3ZvM59RSRfMvhbfCgF6GKq1eUJ2qDpxJN-1Sv_fV_5cXzJqo-r/s1600/Agatha_Christie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXuu9XGZl5u3yOLW_V4KhTrUaly9WrPxG6nRGPrImUX1o33_PwvBRYWXiFvRF5rPr_biP3kk7x95Jotv4OIHR-0N7pu3ZvM59RSRfMvhbfCgF6GKq1eUJ2qDpxJN-1Sv_fV_5cXzJqo-r/s1600/Agatha_Christie.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agatha Christie<br />via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie#Books">wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Born in 1890, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha had a ‘happy childhood’ in Torquay, Devon <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">with her American father, English mother, and siblings<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Coming from an upper middle class family, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">she was well-traveled <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">On a trip to South Africa,<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha became the first British woman to surf standing up<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">During World War I, the author and playwright served locally<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">in the Voluntary Aid Detachments<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> where she learned a lot about pharmaceuticals (and poisons) <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">while caring for the wounded</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">By 1916, she started writing mysteries partly due to a bet with her sister Madge<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">She attributed her inspiration to Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYQPzCPVIfeB3KrB40OhoPo2GAgK6uN89ZBmU-aI3WrinYOg5ddgiZ7QnupPHgXGoSfaU3KqO9VItnrK-NQSsWypDHsS92k2XnydMAGMySbpub4y9QPUUmvyocF3lcw5faZRkez7RS1Dp/s1600/P_Investigates_BJ_HB_UK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYQPzCPVIfeB3KrB40OhoPo2GAgK6uN89ZBmU-aI3WrinYOg5ddgiZ7QnupPHgXGoSfaU3KqO9VItnrK-NQSsWypDHsS92k2XnydMAGMySbpub4y9QPUUmvyocF3lcw5faZRkez7RS1Dp/s1600/P_Investigates_BJ_HB_UK.JPG" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />via Agatha Christie <a href="http://www.agathachristie.com/about-christie/christies-life/poirot-is-born/">website</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The numerous Belgian refugees present in the English countryside during WWI </div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">led to the creation of Christie’s famous Belgian detective character, Hercule Poirot</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">On August 6, 1975, Poirot became the only fictional character to have an obituary <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">in <i>The New York Times</i> due to the character’s death in ‘Curtain: Poirot's Last Case’</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The book actually was written in the 1940s but locked away by the author until 1974</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb0KsESV3p4G0oFFkRXTkr2_P1LPy1YmKT1rgpSSyY8dK7KTmhHVcOk1QCSm5KRRITOGgGIDc2wR13hO5iYyowY9uDAVk7mQUq0XuPqI8565Z6a9VVLVeYh5UYLjCOf7kIUKzHNpof-yf/s1600/photo+1+%25287%2529-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb0KsESV3p4G0oFFkRXTkr2_P1LPy1YmKT1rgpSSyY8dK7KTmhHVcOk1QCSm5KRRITOGgGIDc2wR13hO5iYyowY9uDAVk7mQUq0XuPqI8565Z6a9VVLVeYh5UYLjCOf7kIUKzHNpof-yf/s1600/photo+1+%25287%2529-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newlands Corner</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">It is worth mentioning that in 1926, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha Christie became a bit of a mystery herself <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">when she disappeared after ditching her car at nature reserve, Newlands Corner in Surrey<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">After a nationwide manhunt, <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">she was found 10 days later in Harrogate, Yorkshire without an explanation</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Then in 1928, Agatha fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams of traveling on the Orient Express<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">She traveled to Baghdad to an archaeological site at Ur<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">where she met her second husband on a subsequent visit<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15RSBRApZ2vfLgwxVR-wnqElIygpVHky2B3xMIhbYN_CqwDe972N1QPIKVsj1MkJyVkLa0lOK6ShzsFhYRVuRRbFcNGZLrQUYXfmL_rohUmQJOFAgiym1c9pvCaYTgs7tpUbZ0p_OBm5u/s1600/Agatha_at_Petra___500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15RSBRApZ2vfLgwxVR-wnqElIygpVHky2B3xMIhbYN_CqwDe972N1QPIKVsj1MkJyVkLa0lOK6ShzsFhYRVuRRbFcNGZLrQUYXfmL_rohUmQJOFAgiym1c9pvCaYTgs7tpUbZ0p_OBm5u/s1600/Agatha_at_Petra___500.jpg" width="632" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drawn to archaeology, Agatha visited Petra<br />via Agatha Christie <a href="http://www.agathachristie.com/about-christie/christies-life/a-new-start/">website</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">‘Murder on the Orient Express’ was written<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">in the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey in 1934<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The ornate hotel was built to host Orient Express passengers<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The last public appearance for Agatha Christie was <o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">opening night of the film ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ in 1974<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">She said it was ‘a good adaptation’ but ‘Poirot’s moustaches weren't luxurious enough’<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The film was nominated for six Academy Awards with</div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Ingrid Bergman winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Agatha Christie peacefully passed away in her Oxfordshire home in 1976</div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos my own unless otherwise noted -</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Related posts: <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/sherlock-holmes-in-london.html">Sherlock Holmes In London</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Murder Mystery Lunch: <a href="https://www.orient-express.com/web/uktr/journeys/4_186336.jsp?ic=oe&ip=collection&icr=bp_murdermystery">Orient Express</a> (if have a group, ask for discounted rate)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Sources: Official Agatha Christie <a href="http://www.agathachristie.com/">website</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie">Wikipedia</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

The Orient Express & Agatha Christie

A murder mystery lunch on the Orient Express train was the perfect activity to kick-off our book club’s latest choice, ‘Murder On The Orient...

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C.S. Lewis

<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5iwCvNAMC6dk1IoqAAN49Yp3Exg0ZCnltYR7viseZ3ja3GInO6iCcrAciwpwzkNTduiAsvrQeT5RyHRlBVJAxtPO56NyTSSti4uP_PW_fM2M9WVw8jdogk1ujxUTP_j1NEtY4GYzwTLV/s1600/DSC05444-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5iwCvNAMC6dk1IoqAAN49Yp3Exg0ZCnltYR7viseZ3ja3GInO6iCcrAciwpwzkNTduiAsvrQeT5RyHRlBVJAxtPO56NyTSSti4uP_PW_fM2M9WVw8jdogk1ujxUTP_j1NEtY4GYzwTLV/s640/DSC05444-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Last week I traveled to Oxford</div><div style="text-align: center;">to visit the home of C.S. Lewis,</div><div style="text-align: center;">who is famously known for writing</div><div style="text-align: center;">'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Today,</div><div style="text-align: center;">his home 'The Kilns'</div><div style="text-align: center;">is not a museum but a residence</div><div style="text-align: center;">that houses visiting scholars</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So many fun things to tell you,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but I'll try to stick to just a few...<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbNH9Y37ucQaLPK2-rnmaVgewj0TLhVGdTQD9c_a1dhdUFrgUHtGVlcknwaOv86UBgYpPI-A99_ioQRnyChDfk53Of4uxUs1DEmSLiZeOy9ewKF48r0btSiTo71Cja6C9BwtoE1oeBSgm/s1600/DSC08450-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbNH9Y37ucQaLPK2-rnmaVgewj0TLhVGdTQD9c_a1dhdUFrgUHtGVlcknwaOv86UBgYpPI-A99_ioQRnyChDfk53Of4uxUs1DEmSLiZeOy9ewKF48r0btSiTo71Cja6C9BwtoE1oeBSgm/s640/DSC08450-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having lost his bedroom key, <br />C.S. Lewis had to enter & exit his bedroom by the exterior stairs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1898</div><div style="text-align: center;">and was also known as 'Jack' in memory of his dog</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He was a professor at Oxford and Cambridge Universities</div><div style="text-align: center;">in Medieval and Renaissance Literature</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lewis knew many foreign languages<br />including Norse, Greek, and Latin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He would play Scrabble with his brother</div><div style="text-align: center;">and wife with two sets of tiles<br />- words in any foreign language were permissible -<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkfIk3sZ_jzslkDu5KYjIzvGGhE2Sjku4Le0rMThUKqQlT_ZDos671Cs-I21c1QCHWjuiKK3B66x_lgGPCIgNCMX4KLFS4G2LpvC_b58V5BxdDb1zdzzrnmJKkqnU2bf0CsC7_wQu56xe/s1600/DSC08435-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkfIk3sZ_jzslkDu5KYjIzvGGhE2Sjku4Le0rMThUKqQlT_ZDos671Cs-I21c1QCHWjuiKK3B66x_lgGPCIgNCMX4KLFS4G2LpvC_b58V5BxdDb1zdzzrnmJKkqnU2bf0CsC7_wQu56xe/s640/DSC08435-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dining room where they played Scrabble</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">C.S. Lewis loved his house, The Kilns</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As he married later in life, he had had quite the bachelor pad</div><div style="text-align: center;">that was 'held up by books and cobwebs'<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hqRDjU_XHHZy0mSfJ4xKlsETQ4KS9G4v-TyhdhANH0XGC2-HtbyCOSts-Y0NsXI5vw9ctJZAC7rIIHLbBCJDz99wjCqlitGTMdK41PSiS3Q0zgCKttHuzMmrvP7oCnvQmqZljTma0fJl/s1600/DSC08433-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hqRDjU_XHHZy0mSfJ4xKlsETQ4KS9G4v-TyhdhANH0XGC2-HtbyCOSts-Y0NsXI5vw9ctJZAC7rIIHLbBCJDz99wjCqlitGTMdK41PSiS3Q0zgCKttHuzMmrvP7oCnvQmqZljTma0fJl/s640/DSC08433-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where C.S. Lewis chatted and smoked cigarettes with friends in his home</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">With the help of photos,<br />the C.S. Lewis Foundation decided<br />to restore the house as to how it looked during WWII,<br />including blackout curtains<br /><br />You may remember<br />the four children in 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'<br />sent to the countryside home of an old professor<br />to find safety during WWII<br /><br />Likewise, C.S. Lewis housed 4 children (all girls) during the war<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifLc06rTWZWnnXZqiPEyCZs1jIbmYnOG6rbBdvk3W0acIshUr25bSHE_KH0GDsT4VD3TWlIYEsIq76YgC3cWgmgStFll_QKLusWAlCStZT0b-FvSRUvj27y7X7Rffqct12lZWOpivZASY/s1600/DSC08446-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifLc06rTWZWnnXZqiPEyCZs1jIbmYnOG6rbBdvk3W0acIshUr25bSHE_KH0GDsT4VD3TWlIYEsIq76YgC3cWgmgStFll_QKLusWAlCStZT0b-FvSRUvj27y7X7Rffqct12lZWOpivZASY/s640/DSC08446-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is where C.S. Lewis most likely wrote his fictional books</div><div style="text-align: center;">(his nonfiction books probably were written in his office on campus)<br /><br /><div>From this window, C.S. Lewis would have viewed the nearby pond and woods</div>which were likely inspirations for his Narnia setting</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Interestingly, he did not use a typewriter,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but dipped his pen into an inkwell<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He claimed that during that pause to dip his pen</div><div style="text-align: center;">came his greatest creativity<br /><br />Although best known for 'The Chronicles of Narnia' written for children,<br />Lewis wrote 47 works of non-fiction, 11 fiction, and 4 poetry collections<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT76yzuPOoqW1t4T0rx90cdGcm9xec8mOGFYicet91NovLBoaaGt1aSQ6xIZ-0Yg0wH4QM44KrcZDi4iM7ktnTt5rVjs5mcvJdDHNLjscfSjNnzkk1iQfgoM_n4ksGoNM8fniJfV0SpG6/s1600/DSC08466-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT76yzuPOoqW1t4T0rx90cdGcm9xec8mOGFYicet91NovLBoaaGt1aSQ6xIZ-0Yg0wH4QM44KrcZDi4iM7ktnTt5rVjs5mcvJdDHNLjscfSjNnzkk1iQfgoM_n4ksGoNM8fniJfV0SpG6/s640/DSC08466-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of his closest friends was J.R.R. Tolkien</div><div style="text-align: center;">who wrote 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings'<br /><br />Both men were professors at Oxford University,<br />served during WWI<br />and wrote during WWII<br /><br />They were passionate about words, languages, myths, and their religious faith<br />(Tolkien worked for the Oxford English Dictionary<br />defining words beginning with the letter 'W'<br />and later was a codebreaker during WWII)<br /><br />With unusual common interests<br />and fairy-tale success,<br />they were two peas in a pod, really<br /><br />In fact, it was Tolkien who influenced atheist Lewis to become a Christian<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3jHq12C3bbe5L8DReSVtcRR44ku5ZgqIHvbEkfFSiEnuPMhfjt5YNHR0flpie71p9MSH77Ouskb0niajz1vl40Y5IPUO5Yp7UPRW76mGo0pTj3RqAasXJ9EAFmMPpoyRmElZ6loJA3nS/s1600/DSC08460-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3jHq12C3bbe5L8DReSVtcRR44ku5ZgqIHvbEkfFSiEnuPMhfjt5YNHR0flpie71p9MSH77Ouskb0niajz1vl40Y5IPUO5Yp7UPRW76mGo0pTj3RqAasXJ9EAFmMPpoyRmElZ6loJA3nS/s640/DSC08460-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pond and woods on C.S. Lewis's property</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />'The Chronicles of Narnia' series and 'The Lord of the Rings'<br />hold elements from fairy tales and mythology from other cultures<br />including Norse, Roman, Greek and Persian<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lewis, Tolkien, and a few other fellow writers</div><div style="text-align: center;">gathered at this pub weekly to discuss their current works<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They called themselves the 'Inklings'<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEVnYD4CiTLqPT3c0ShC44_j4OKnWBC0BvtxYNDKvOM1HYsAfzGLhTNAxyWkGUnCuVLaK6bZ7MeITmmBZvEXwq7j9VkSRpujnxBUNzdVDVxbc4ScA65qX_UQaKCd-iA60LNOdKXdZ7NE_/s1600/DSC08469-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEVnYD4CiTLqPT3c0ShC44_j4OKnWBC0BvtxYNDKvOM1HYsAfzGLhTNAxyWkGUnCuVLaK6bZ7MeITmmBZvEXwq7j9VkSRpujnxBUNzdVDVxbc4ScA65qX_UQaKCd-iA60LNOdKXdZ7NE_/s640/DSC08469-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aka 'The Bird And The Baby' Pub</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />In this pub<br />the Inklings talked, drank, and shared their latest writing projects,<br />providing constructive criticism of each others work<br />from 1939 - 1962<br /><br />Lewis's 'Screwtape Letters' and Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings'<br />were brought to the table here<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdHjFgg19ee8YSU1AQnmZPSnLPBL0iKR7jhQ0YI48XTgSabSwmCuV0FXcR-cU3wWy0Ydif5dOxWzgJ4J7-5un80trFAiH1Q_E2PGf24_JUeXGktD11mLqC4CcFD4TGqoSQlBumemlNGxH/s1600/DSC08475-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdHjFgg19ee8YSU1AQnmZPSnLPBL0iKR7jhQ0YI48XTgSabSwmCuV0FXcR-cU3wWy0Ydif5dOxWzgJ4J7-5un80trFAiH1Q_E2PGf24_JUeXGktD11mLqC4CcFD4TGqoSQlBumemlNGxH/s640/DSC08475-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />C.S. Lewis died fifty years ago on November 22nd,<br />the same day President Kennedy was assassinated<br />and author Aldous Huxley of 'Brave New World' died<br /><br />After Lewis died,<br />his furniture and possessions were auctioned off uneventfully<br />and the multiple acre estate was sold off<br /><br />Today, 'The Kilns' is no longer a house in the country<br />but in the middle of a working class neighborhood in Oxford<br /><br />His pond and woods are open to the public as a Wildlife Trust nature reserve<br /><br />On November 22nd of this year,<br />a memorial stone will be placed in C.S. Lewis's honor at<br />Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey<br />in the good company of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIM658zX-wzk_hZGFMEelEaOJOxyGrFdwrx4v0ZEDgaCjfiD5pTzuqtQ9b1PoFiXLEpTC-p04RXknCgQBJh9IqkaT2SGmWR2tZVZ1uDFBAJ8bfUe5lPoC45rLi46qd-ebjrh5z4HEl9OL/s1600/il_570xN.283609557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIM658zX-wzk_hZGFMEelEaOJOxyGrFdwrx4v0ZEDgaCjfiD5pTzuqtQ9b1PoFiXLEpTC-p04RXknCgQBJh9IqkaT2SGmWR2tZVZ1uDFBAJ8bfUe5lPoC45rLi46qd-ebjrh5z4HEl9OL/s640/il_570xN.283609557.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fine art print for sale via <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/JaneHeinrichs?ref=l2-shopheader-name">Jane Heinrichs</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />And to think this is how it all started...<br /><br /><i>''</i>The Lion <i>all began with a picture of a Faun carrying an umbrella</i><br /><i>and parcels in a snowy wood.</i><br /><i>This picture had been in my mind since I was about sixteen.</i><br /><i>Then one day, when I was about forty, I said to myself,</i><br /><i>'Let's try to make a story about it'.''</i><br /><i>- C.S. Lewis</i><br /><br />He is such a great story<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photos by me -</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Read more about children evacuated during WWII <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/english-children-of-wwii.html">here</a></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Tours by appointment only, <a href="http://www.cslewis.org/ourprograms/thekilns/kilnstour/">here</a></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Source: </span><a href="http://www.cslewis.org/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">C.S.Lewis Foundation</a>, <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://www.wikipedia.com/">Wikipedia</a>, </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11/29/cs-lewis-narnia-facts-_n_2209399.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Huffington Post</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

C.S. Lewis

Last week I traveled to Oxford to visit the home of C.S. Lewis, who is famously known for writing 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe...

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Fascinating World Of Ian Fleming

<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For our book club</div><div style="text-align: center;">we read Ian Fleming's 'Dr No' (1958)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I think we were all surprised by how good it was,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a bit dated </div><div style="text-align: center;">yet entertaining</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although 'Dr No' was Fleming's seventh book,</div><div style="text-align: center;">it was his first novel to be turned into a film (1962)</div><div style="text-align: center;">- Fleming knew cinema was the way to make real money -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That signature James Bond theme has been used since 'Dr No'</div><div style="text-align: center;">with its surf style rock, popular in the early 1960s</div><div style="text-align: center;">A classic!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhows6vqNr2FyX2VPSGuFrIDMdlNtiQimpOklfKAg5hpwVwQZuSZuevvv91kn9MpRes6y6b2OL_Y8HJTX_Tdw0DbjLTbR0BevvBD1U86hA_UDFKd_EUKxn45oBNY6T5go7sk7riJ618b4Kw/s1600/Ian_Fleming,_headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhows6vqNr2FyX2VPSGuFrIDMdlNtiQimpOklfKAg5hpwVwQZuSZuevvv91kn9MpRes6y6b2OL_Y8HJTX_Tdw0DbjLTbR0BevvBD1U86hA_UDFKd_EUKxn45oBNY6T5go7sk7riJ618b4Kw/s640/Ian_Fleming,_headshot.jpg" width="576" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian Fleming, author of James Bond series<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Fleming">wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian Fleming was born with money and connections</div><div style="text-align: center;">In fact, Winston Churchill was a friend of his father's</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fleming's grandparents owned a high-end flat </div><div style="text-align: center;">where the US Embassy in London now stands</div><div style="text-align: center;">(the irony in that - with all its spies!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian Fleming was a bit like his James Bond's character -</div><div style="text-align: center;">a life filled with men's clubs, women, fancy cars, and a good time</div><div style="text-align: center;">He traveled in wealthy circles in Mayfair</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffBa7llsV0FPuVJy1UUSlypyOuGNuk8locbQTI0p9iSukejGNT3GWobC6ZH6aTdi0SMV3oII38bcKBhGsBkCtPUL3dYG-9I9tJYXPHVW6Tp4otb57eOyrp0rK-ymsqWl3_sakLaZOeAf_/s1600/800px-DB5-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffBa7llsV0FPuVJy1UUSlypyOuGNuk8locbQTI0p9iSukejGNT3GWobC6ZH6aTdi0SMV3oII38bcKBhGsBkCtPUL3dYG-9I9tJYXPHVW6Tp4otb57eOyrp0rK-ymsqWl3_sakLaZOeAf_/s640/800px-DB5-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aston Martin, one of James Bond's famous cars<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_James_Bond_vehicles">wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Unlike his father and brother, </div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian did not go to the front lines of war</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Instead, he was behind a desk </div><div style="text-align: center;">in London's Naval Intelligence Office during WWII</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Once the war was over,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ian Fleming worked for The Times</div><div style="text-align: center;">with the agreement that he could take time off every winter for three months</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In those months,</div><div style="text-align: center;">he stayed in his Jamaican home, 'Goldeneye', and produced one book every year</div><div style="text-align: center;">with the quest to write the best spy novel the world had ever seen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGssQYRQNm9xZEtLZyVt4AiG_hw0Fsn3a9yxBpQWf6ByadbAx9HExbwnv17hP5_C0TGqd0vtrH54ezImVZQU_Db0UoJmfKn646MwcGqUcYOflEXl-wFakuh9ArTMYir1k4wdkYzsM2i73p/s1600/GoldeneyeEstate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGssQYRQNm9xZEtLZyVt4AiG_hw0Fsn3a9yxBpQWf6ByadbAx9HExbwnv17hP5_C0TGqd0vtrH54ezImVZQU_Db0UoJmfKn646MwcGqUcYOflEXl-wFakuh9ArTMYir1k4wdkYzsM2i73p/s640/GoldeneyeEstate.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian Fleming's Jamaican home where he wrote annually<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Fleming">wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He had the idea that his main character should be a boring man </div><div style="text-align: center;">that to whom extraordinary things happened</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Trying to think of a boring name, </div><div style="text-align: center;">Fleming looked at his bookshelf and saw the very plain name </div><div style="text-align: center;">of American ornithologist, James Bond</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Fleming was an avid birdwatcher)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And so it came to be the most famous fictional spy name</div><div style="text-align: center;"> with the ornithologist's blessing</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-tl7-qk_a9Y_0gW9tM4RqpOWY9yfwUn_aAWvMAEo8BA7Huq8VHYY3zFRQkxVNGCRlrwrsandyfjv9lOuYf7AqdUa5FAUnd91WKCd69MSByzHGCWEqsSqpKfMD0xrnnyHQTdG4CSmz_Rw/s1600/James_Bond_1974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-tl7-qk_a9Y_0gW9tM4RqpOWY9yfwUn_aAWvMAEo8BA7Huq8VHYY3zFRQkxVNGCRlrwrsandyfjv9lOuYf7AqdUa5FAUnd91WKCd69MSByzHGCWEqsSqpKfMD0xrnnyHQTdG4CSmz_Rw/s320/James_Bond_1974.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real James Bond, an American ornithologist<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bond_(ornithologist)">wikipedia</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">To me, the James Bond series is a story of success and determination</div><div style="text-align: center;">as Ian Fleming had always wanted to write these great spy novels</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But his wife and high-brow friends thought his books were in bad taste</div><div style="text-align: center;">and Fleming received harsh reviews from UK critics</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Then Fleming got a lucky break after meeting President Kennedy on a trip to D.C.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The US President listed 'From Russia, With Love'</div><div style="text-align: center;">as one of his favorite books in Life Magazine after they met</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">With this introduction to the American audience, </div><div style="text-align: center;">Fleming's films and books became successful in the US</div><div style="text-align: center;">and were well received</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrNcVGesLwJ7O3p-z33saPKqN7ICTkugo0R9qYkA7qh_8T7SX_JfacqVojxLAsoVFipxWlRZ0LVV44SAr5iyz0Msl2fZwhWXLU-fqqyrPh4-eKd7PY1e36Pw21W5LOwjDa2M34IMdcJ9f/s1600/51WxLtqGDmL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrNcVGesLwJ7O3p-z33saPKqN7ICTkugo0R9qYkA7qh_8T7SX_JfacqVojxLAsoVFipxWlRZ0LVV44SAr5iyz0Msl2fZwhWXLU-fqqyrPh4-eKd7PY1e36Pw21W5LOwjDa2M34IMdcJ9f/s640/51WxLtqGDmL.jpg" width="449" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bond-Remastered-Dr-1-disc-DVD/dp/B000MR9F0W/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1380796513&sr=8-5&keywords=dr+no">Amazon</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't think of any other film series with such longevity, </div><div style="text-align: center;">with classic quotes and an easily identifiable theme song</div><div style="text-align: center;">that has woven itself into our culture today</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Eon Productions has been making James Bond films for fifty-one years</div><div style="text-align: center;">with another film due within the next few years</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bond continues to be the longest running film series </div><div style="text-align: center;">and second highest grossing film series after 'Harry Potter'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In fact, more men have walked on the moon</div><div style="text-align: center;">than have played James Bond in film</div><div style="text-align: center;">(only six in fifty years)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I grew up watching Roger Moore,</div><div style="text-align: center;">so to me, he will always be THE Bond</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you have a favorite James Bond actor?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- on a random note but must mention, Fleming also wrote 'Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang'! -</div><br /><br />More In Bond Series ::<br /><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/bond-girl-for-day-or-two.html">Bond Girl For A Day Or Two</a> (local activities)<br /><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/interview-of-bond-girl.html">Interview Of A Bond Girl</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Richard Walker from </span><a href="http://www.walks.com/" style="font-size: small;">London Walks</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Fleming" style="font-size: small;">Wikipedia</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Fascinating World Of Ian Fleming

For our book club we read Ian Fleming's 'Dr No' (1958) I think we were all surprised by how good it was, a bit dated  yet entert...

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Bond Girl For A Day Or Two

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">While our book club has covered many wonderful authors and correlating activities this year,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have to say this James Bond study has been my favorite so far</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It has been ridiculously fun!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's the lowdown...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zipping through London along the River Thames</div><div style="text-align: center;">at a top speed of 35 knots,</div><div style="text-align: center;">this RIB boat ride had us grinning from ear to ear</div><div style="text-align: center;">with a few bugs in our teeth</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Vowing to bring our kids next time,</div><div style="text-align: center;">this is the best way to see London from the water</div><div style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.londonribvoyages.com/">London RIB Voyages</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg404mHKxVzty_8r62y1bBA2Oa3NQ_eJKrURZfzjvxXJXFrEGjXl1Jwo0tsJQUxvBCzgDk6vxk0xPLKAXkPfzu_Mmu5XDSugMFoPwYzmSdDcrEU14AHux1oEAQWDJ68123A02UHCKtICJUV/s1600/DSC08349-0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg404mHKxVzty_8r62y1bBA2Oa3NQ_eJKrURZfzjvxXJXFrEGjXl1Jwo0tsJQUxvBCzgDk6vxk0xPLKAXkPfzu_Mmu5XDSugMFoPwYzmSdDcrEU14AHux1oEAQWDJ68123A02UHCKtICJUV/s640/DSC08349-0021.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We opted for the James Bond themed ride - Bond music included</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Visit tucked-away <a href="http://dukeshotel.com/">Duke's Hotel</a> in the heart of London</div><div style="text-align: center;">where Bond's author, Ian Fleming, enjoyed his martinis</div><div style="text-align: center;">and Sean Connery celebrated being cast as James Bond</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(also a frequent Bond film location)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPY8jbNN5jzNz3j7Wuk_GsM2t1sDY5d1bo7R86FcrTrc_1_jJE6r2SX-8-Lf2cVVcAffysx9qS104RGpki_N9UaJ2_3yPERV-KS-93fPGRkEijaX51GPcz3DyObSXF6y17nJR9-GsA78fw/s1600/DSC08267-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPY8jbNN5jzNz3j7Wuk_GsM2t1sDY5d1bo7R86FcrTrc_1_jJE6r2SX-8-Lf2cVVcAffysx9qS104RGpki_N9UaJ2_3yPERV-KS-93fPGRkEijaX51GPcz3DyObSXF6y17nJR9-GsA78fw/s640/DSC08267-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Offers afternoon tea and/or martinis concocted from a table-side cart</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Celebrating </div><div style="text-align: center;">'50 Vehicles. 50 Years.',</div><div style="text-align: center;">Beaulieu's <a href="http://www.beaulieu.co.uk/">National Motor Museum</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> is exhibiting the creatively cool collection of</div><div style="text-align: center;">jetpacks, submarines, cars, motorcycles, and flying contraptions</div><div style="text-align: center;">featured in Bond films</div><div style="text-align: center;">(ends January 5, 2014)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkt8KdsB2URpGxCXYMDW4ckdGqySakUtpBPyPl4MQkOk381U4xcdeVS0o1ufbSTfVusbTk84gddVBcT-RDHEme5SflyY3Sp9uJVlE5OpeYkcGQKhvKBG69D04wNZcXXMo1WO4ie-ErV-R/s1600/Photo+37-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkt8KdsB2URpGxCXYMDW4ckdGqySakUtpBPyPl4MQkOk381U4xcdeVS0o1ufbSTfVusbTk84gddVBcT-RDHEme5SflyY3Sp9uJVlE5OpeYkcGQKhvKBG69D04wNZcXXMo1WO4ie-ErV-R/s640/Photo+37-003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge hit with my son</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Worthy of a standing ovation, Richard Walker's enthusiasm rubbed off on all of us</div><div style="text-align: center;">as we learned the backstory of author Ian Fleming</div><div style="text-align: center;">and true accounts of spies operating in London during his time</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A two hour guided walking tour by <a href="http://www.walks.com/">London Walks</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVY2SqYNvXg2J-CFjgBbXVLTT5l3_kG3wRKY_dAaMuMpr3SGbSpGXBHbgKisLvhBxQStHo6p9xZgYkt_AZFSiBLiJS3sRyjdYtUSVqoI3lle2uGjAdbn2ghKHxZDODxcVLgpeJx1f5y7cv/s1600/DSC08255-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVY2SqYNvXg2J-CFjgBbXVLTT5l3_kG3wRKY_dAaMuMpr3SGbSpGXBHbgKisLvhBxQStHo6p9xZgYkt_AZFSiBLiJS3sRyjdYtUSVqoI3lle2uGjAdbn2ghKHxZDODxcVLgpeJx1f5y7cv/s640/DSC08255-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We spied Eon Productions, the film production company producing James Bond film series</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shaken, not stirred...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lastly, we strutted over to <a href="http://www.windmilltaverns.com/jacks/">Jack's Lounge</a> in London's Southwark district</div><div style="text-align: center;">for a cocktail class with some friendly competition within our group</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Learning about bartender tools and how to properly shake a drink,</div><div style="text-align: center;"> we made yummy Passion Fruit Martinis and </div><div style="text-align: center;">complicated Flaming Orange Cosmopolitans</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkU7W0__UeGuaQYvpv7ZZMv6lyS9a9aNuh0tf_-q1eiFnS1E6rIVH-o0ApH7T8wJx8D9BA5-32Mz2yuwqSW_RaN1YEBjhgGS2vFLlFWeAs8ioc59Hzoqt1Wej-1jx0TCIRc40_d3bOtWuw/s1600/DSC08373-0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkU7W0__UeGuaQYvpv7ZZMv6lyS9a9aNuh0tf_-q1eiFnS1E6rIVH-o0ApH7T8wJx8D9BA5-32Mz2yuwqSW_RaN1YEBjhgGS2vFLlFWeAs8ioc59Hzoqt1Wej-1jx0TCIRc40_d3bOtWuw/s640/DSC08373-0021.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a few ideas we didn't get to...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Through <a href="http://britmovietours.com/bookings/spy-movie-outer-london-tour/">Brit Movie Tours</a>, </div><div style="text-align: center;">visit Pinewood Studios where many Bond movies have been filmed</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/exhibitions/iwm-london/horrible-histories-spies">Imperial War Museum</a> is hosting Horrible Histories: Spies</div><div style="text-align: center;">as a fun interactive exhibition in London for families</div><div style="text-align: center;">(on my 'must do' list) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Be a stunt car driver for the day on a challenging specialized track</div><div style="text-align: center;">Give high speed parallel parking a try after you make a reverse spin</div><div style="text-align: center;">Offered by Top Gear's <a href="http://www.paulswift.com/ultimate-stunt-driving.asp">Paul Swift Precision Driving</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">near Guildford, Milton Keynes, and Durham</div><div style="text-align: center;">(would be a total blast with my husband)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And there's more!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Find out more about Ian Fleming and Bond in my next post</div><div style="text-align: center;">:)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photos by me -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More In Bond Series ::</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/interview-of-bond-girl.html">Interview Of A Bond Girl</a><br /><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/fascinating-world-of-ian-fleming.html">Fascinating World Of Ian Fleming</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Bond Girl For A Day Or Two

While our book club has covered many wonderful authors and correlating activities this year, I have to say this James Bond study has been my...

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