TRAVEL THE WORLD - LONDON, ENGLAND

Westminster Abbey, photographed in 1997, is a very familiar London landmark.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - LONDON, ENGLAND

These photos of Picadilly Circus and a theatre at Picadilly were taken in 1997. To me, London is the most vibrant, alive city I've ever visited, and Picadilly is the centre of it all. I can't remember now if we went to see a play in this theatre, but whenver we are in London, we always go to the theatre. It just wouldn't be a holiday in England without our doing this.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - SCARBOROUGH, ENGLAND

It was raining in 1994 when we were in Scarborough, but nevertheless we walked down the sea front for a very long time until we reached an area of old, abandoned entertainment facilities. These were remnants of the days when Scarborough was a very popular spa and holiday destination. Many English spa towns declined as the railroad was replaced by the car for transportation. Here, in Scarborough, we saw a moldy looking swimming area and what could once have been a concert hall. Both were quite delapidated and very sad looking in the rain.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - WHITBY, ENGLAND

In 1994 we visited Whitby on the coast of Yorkshire. It is a charming old sea port. As it is built on a hill, there are many interesting view points and just walking through the town is very enjoyable even in the rain as it was when these photos were taken.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - WELLS, U.K.

This photo of Penniless Porch in Wells, England was taken in 1984. The building dates from around 1450 and was where the poor went to be given alms. I will always remember being here because of the colourful name which made it so easy to imagine the courtyard full of penniless people.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - NUNNEY CASTLE, ENGLAND

In 1984, while visiting England with my mother, I saw my very first castle - Nunney Castle in Somerset. Do you see the moat? Can't you just imagine the castle being attacked by a siege engine, perhaps with a catapult to breach the walls, while inside knights in armour would be scurrying about in a panic attempting to defend themselves?

TRAVEL THE WORLD - LYNTON, DEVON, U.K.

These three photos, taken in 2002, are evidence of the beauty of Devon's scenery and of why I love to go for long walks in England. The first two photos show the Bristol Channel near Lynton, and the last one was taken as we boarded the funicula to descend from Lynton to Lynmouth.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - LONDON, U.K.

When I visited the UK in 1984 with my mother, it had been eight years since my two-year stay there for university. One aspect of England that symbolized the country for me was its pageantry. Standing here for the changing of the guard at Horse Guards in London, it seemed that we were, in a small way, participating in one of England's rituals that was steeped in history.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - STOURHEAD, WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND

Stately homes of Britain that date from the 18th Century are a national treasure. Many, like Stourhead in the photo above, are examples of Neo-Palladian architecture - classical in style and very popular in 1720 when Stourhead was built. Colen Campbell promoted this trend when he published a catalogue of designs from the 17th Century by such famous architects as Inigo Jones and Christopher Wren. He was also the architect of Stourhead, one of the most famous British stately homes. The grounds, featuring a lake and a temple of Apollo, are especially worth seeing. We had a long walk there in 1984, admiring the lovely views, all carefully planned but made to look perfectly natural.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - WEST WITTERING, ENGLAND

This beach on the south coast of England near Chichester is beautiful even on such a cold, windy day. But what is most remarkable is how English people are able to enjoy the beach even in the most inclement weather. I've seen this time and again and must admit to being a great admirer of their determination not to allow the changeability of their weather to spoil their fun. This is also seen in the way they enjoy long-distance hiking or rambling, as they call it, even in the most bitter wind and rain.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - BATH, ENGLAND

This circle of 30 houses, photographed in 1984, is a very famous example of 18th Century innovation in British architecture. It was planned and developed by the Prince Regent, hence its name, the Royal Crescent. The architect was John Wood the Younger.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - YORK, U.K.

One of the most intense joys of traveling is experienced when you come upon something wonderful that is totally unexpected. This is what occurred in 1982 when my mother and I were walking in the Shambles, a district in the oldest part of the City of York. We rounded a corner and suddenly the facade of York Minster was immediately before us, so close it was impossible to photograph from that vantage point. This photo is from 1982. Later, in 1994, my husband and I visited York and had an extensive tour of the Minster including the crypt where you can see Roman remains in an underground area created in the 1960's during an excavation to stabilize the central tower of the cathedral.

TRAVEL THE WORLD, LONDON, U.K.

These 1997 photos are of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, U. K. This beautiful cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710. The importance of St. Paul's to the city and the country cannot be exaggerated. Since its opening, many of the most important funerals and celebrations in the country have been held in the cathedral and it remains London's most important landmark. It is all the more incredible that St. Paul's survived the wreckage that London suffered during the Blitz in World War II.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - GROSMONT, NORTH YORKS. U.K.

In 1994 at Grosmont in North Yorkshire we took a ride on a train with an old-fashioned steam engine. This was operated by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and it was a lot of fun, reminding me of the trains I took as a child on the CNR from my home at Flin Flon in northern Manitoba to visit my grandmother in Edmonton.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - NEAR SHREWSBURY, U.K.

This view of the English countryside, taken in 1994, shows one reason why Shropshire became my favourite destination for a day trip from Birmingham. How inviting this landscape is for the person who loves to walk! The photo was taken from Stiperstones. This name has been given to both the village and the adjacent nature reserve. The name, like so many in England, is interesting, and makes one curious about its derivation.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - WHITBY, ENGLAND, U.K.

To me Whitby in North Yorkshire will always be the town of the 200 steps. I first visited there in 1974 with my four-year-old son. We had a fun time climbing and trying to count all the stairs which took us from sea level up to the ruined abbey. The next day, we walked in the fog among the grave stones and ruins, listening to the eerie sound of the fog horns. Whitby had changed in the twenty years since my first visit. There were now crowds of tourists and the usual novelty shops that tourists frequent. It was easy to get away from this area, though, and to enjoy the charm of the town.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - STAITHES, NORTH YORKSHIRE, U.K.

Staithes, formerly a busy fishing port, lies within the North York Moors National Park. A very attractive town, it is now a major tourist destination. Because the geology of the area is of the Jurassic period, it is commonly called the Dinosaur Coast and attracts both professional and amateur geologists as visitors. We had good weather on the day we spent there om 1994. A chat with a few of the locals over a beer in the main pub near the port was very enjoyable.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - FOUNTAINS ABBEY, NORTH YORKSHIRE, U.K.

A nice change from the rainy time we had in Yorkshire in 1994 was the day we spent at Fountains Abbey. This is a World Heritage Site that is owned by the National Trust. It is a huge site that includes the largest abbey ruins in the country as well as the Studley Royal Water Garden. It was pleasant weather. We had a leisurely stroll and a picnic on the grass.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - BIGNOR ROMAN VILLA, ENGLAND

My mother and I had a holiday in England in 1984. Driving north of Chichester on a minor road in the countryside , we saw a sign post for a Roman villa. Intrigued, we stopped to see it and were amazed at the quality of the beautiful mosaic floors. As this was the first time I saw ruins from the ancient world, the day remains fresh in my memory some 25 years later. The floors are part of a Roman villa that dates from the 3rd Century AD.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - BIRMINGHAM, U.K.

In 1994, I spent a little time in downtown Birmingham, walking around familiar areas like the one in the photo. Every weekday for almost two years in the 1970's, I would transfer from one bus to another in the city centre on my way to university and home again in the evening. Although Birmingham is not a particularly attractive city, I have great affection for it, because of the wonderful people I met while I studied there.