Travel writing – Page 3 – Wander With Stella

Thekkady

The performer that started the show, rolled, raised, lowered, shuffled, circled and otherwise manipulated only his eyes such that your eyes hurt just watching…

The drive from Munnar to Thekkady takes about three hours and continues to be as awe inspiring as the drive from Kochi to Munnar. The picture below gives a good idea of the Shola Forest predominant in the Ghats.

Botanical Garden but No More Flowers…I Promise

Thekkady is quite distinctive from Munnar, has more of a National Park Vibe than does Munnar which for its part is really just a jumble of a town that straddles the highway for the purpose of commerce. The area around Munnar is what makes it a destination whereas Thekkady itself has some actual charm. The big draw for me was Periyar National Park, famous for its flora and fauna. It is also a Tiger Reserve and a great way to see the Park is on a boat cruise. We got extremely lucky by all accounts as we cruised Periyar Lake seeing bison, elephants and deer, all relatively rare sights given that it was a midday sailing.

After paying a bus fare that got me into the park and up close to the lake I purchased a ticket for the boat cruise and while I waited I had some fun people watching and some monkey antics as well. On the cruise I came to regret my decision to be lazy and leave my Nikon with telephoto lens at home. My iPhone just doesn’t cut the distances and my animal shots would have been much more satisfying.

These ladies happily agreed to have their photo taken

Seeing this and not to be outdone these ladies volunteered to be photographed. I love it!

I did alert the owner and he shooed the little fellow off…

Wow just wow! Everyone on the boat was excited.

Cruise over and bussed back to the entrance, I met up with Srihari who took me to my Hotel. Really nice rooms and pool and I had a few hours to relax before the evening activities of a Kalaripayat Martial Arts performance followed by a performance of Kutiyattam the traditional dance of Kerala.

The arena where the martial arts demonstration happened was packed and by an enthusiastic audience of all ages. I sat beside an elderly woman who didn’t hold back when demonstrating her approval, clapping and yelling when something exciting happened. It was really fun. A combination of Kerlalan traditional martial arts and weapons, with extreme yoga poses and acrobatics it was quite entertaining and I was glad I went and equally glad that I avoided the audience participation part as seen below, although I did suggest that the avid older lady fan beside me volunteer which elicited giggles and chuckles.

Increasing number of backs to hurtle over and finish with an aerial tumble.

Immediately following the Martial Arts event I walked to the nearby theatre to see Kutiyattam, India’s oldest living theatrical art form, possibly 2000 years old. Starting out in temples as a story telling form of worship it advanced in the 20th century to stage and theatres. The meaning of the word Kutiyattam is ‘acting and dancing together’. The dance is performed in a specific manner and a lot of rules must be followed. The dance can only be presented by men of Chakiar caste and the music is played by men of the Nambiear caste. All of this was explained to the audience before the performance began. A very deliberate slow moving performance which relies heavily on extreme eye movements.

The performer that started the show, rolled, raised, lowered, shuffled, circled and otherwise manipulated only his eyes such that your eyes hurt just watching. In this first part only the eyes moved everything else was stony still. After the eye tumbling and with controlled breathing, fine facial movements and hand gestures, the story unfolds. Eventually other actors join the stage and the story becomes more dynamic. The music consisted of a drum, conch shell, cymbals and flute. A bit surreal the performance definitely gave the flavour of otherworldly beings as it was intended to do.

Back to my hotel and a good nights rest in a rather swanky hotel whose name escapes me. Tomorrow we leave the mountains and rolling hills of the Western Ghats and return to the Malabar Coast to the city of Alapuzza, south of Kochi.

The Road to Munnar and the Kerala Ghats

The history of the Western Ghats is written in tea leaves..

I had such a good experience with my one day tour that I booked through Nicy Charly at Sight City Tours & Travels, that I decided to go all in with them and book my full itinerary with them. I don’t usually do this, because I am avoiding commercialising my Blog, but this company was outstanding both in their prices and their organisational skills and of course I was lucky and got their star driver again. If you visit Kerala I would highly recommend Nicey. She can be found on Facebook

So Srihari and I set out for Munnar, not too early, and arrived four hours later, but not without several stops.

My Fearless Driver Srihari KS after Lord Vishnu, Lion of Prosperity, Divine Krishna

Being a lover of colour…India fits the bill

Along the way to Munnar there are several suggested stops in the guide books including these two waterfalls, Cheeyapara and Valera one of which is waiting for the Monsoon season to return to glory and the other one that is just hanging in there.

I expressed an interest in Ayurvedics and Srihari suggested we stop at one of many Ayurvedic Farms along the way. I paid for a tour with a practitioner and he ushered me about the garden naming all the plants and their medicinal purposes. Very interesting but a great deal of information to absorb in a short time. Of course there was a retail outlet attached to the farm and I purchased some herbs and spices used for various health related purposes.

Ayurvedic Medicine for Skin Disorders – Type of Burrweed

The higher we got into the Ghats the more beautiful the scenery became with the contours of the slopes planted with tea and of course many road side attractions and Srihari humoured me with many stops for exclaiming and photographing the alluring landscapes.

Terraced Tea Plantations following the steps of the Western Ghats

This is Why I Came for the Beauty and the Colour

I’m sorry but you don’t know green until you’ve
been to the hills of Kerala

Finally at 1880 meters, we arrived at top station and of course the views were never ending, much like India itself,

Kerala is known in India as “God’s own country” for a reason

At one point I saw a sign for a botanical garden and I’m sorry but I had to stop and of course photograph madly and chat up the other garden fans. One family I met were from my home town Calgary and lived not far from the neighbourhood that I grew up in. The cheeky grandson told me his grandfather was single, hint, hint, until he was caught out as the man’s wife rounded the corner.

A garden feels like home to me, so many flowers are the same the world over and the sense of familiarity when seeing them outside of your own back yard, reminds me of the commonalities in this world. (I warned you I took a few pictures.)

Green goes with so many other colours…especially if you stop at a Botanical Garden

The trip to Munnar was so wonderful just when you thought it couldn’t get any prettier it would. The hotel that Nicy had booked for me had a definite alpine feeling and I instantly felt at home and was told that I had been upgraded to a chalet room all of my own. Lovely balcony with views over the garden and the valley, pool and great food, mostly vegetarian and delicious.

In the hotel dining room people were very friendly and I met a young foursome from Pune, Chtrapati Shivaji Nagar near Mumbai. Each couple had been married one year and were super into taking their picture with me and even came one morning to knock on my door so we could take one from my balcony. Following the selfie stage they moved on to the FaceTime stage with their families back home and I was introduced to parents and siblings and grandmothers who were all very happy to meet me. Young and sweet and definitely enjoying their vacation.

Laxmi & Anand Kade and Arti & Shubham Shinde

Likewise in the cabin next door the young couple asked to come over to meet me and I said of course. Selfies and calls home to meet the families ensued and I began to feel like somewhat of a celebrity.

Anika’s Wedding Photo Now Screensaver! Stunning or what!

Three nights in Munnar allowed lots of time for road tripping and visiting the Matupetti Dam and Lake, very scenic and surrounded by Shola Forest. According to Mr. Goggle the Shola Forest are rolling grasslands adorned with evergreen vegetations and stunted trees and spectacularly are now part of an ecosystem that is older than humanThe only disappointment was not being able to visit Eruvikulam National Park said to be home to 26 species of mammals. Leopards and tigers being the main predators with seasonal visits from elephants. But it had been closed as it was breeding time for the deer in the park.

Four Doctors and a Chef – More selfie requests

After spending several days exploring the spectacular growth patterns of the tea plant I wondered how I could have gone on so long drinking the stuff and yet knowing so slittle about it. Well that ignorance is gone following my tour of a tea museum and a processing plant.

The history of the Western Ghats is written in tea leaves. The cool temperature, the soil conditions and the local labour force were the exact right conditions for the British Empire to reap the benefits. When India gained its independence local coops took ownership of many of the factories but today many are owned by multinational corporations based in India such as Tata one of the biggest Indian conglomerates.

The tea museum run by the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company showcases the history of tea cultivation in Munnar since 1876 when tea was first planted in here. On display are several rare artefacts and curios as well as evocative photographs from an era of settlement and isolation and a rail engine wheel of the Kundaly Valley Light Railway, that transported men and material between Munnar and Top Station during the early part of the last century, before then everything was carried by humans or livestock.

Then at the Nullatanni tea processing plant we were walked through the process of harvesting and processing the leaves until the final stage where they are sorted into three levels of quality. Interesting tour and of course I bought some White Tea which I look forward to trying when I get home.

From what I could see education is highly regarded in Kerala, apparently having one of the highest rates of literacy in the country. Large schools, often resembling hotels are government run, church run and private and are frequent sights even out in the countryside, resulting in a 93.9% literacy rate.

Three nights at Arbour Resort Srihari and I say goodbye to Munnar and venture on our way to Thekaddy a town about two hours by car.

Kochi the city, Kerala the state and India…well you know, the country

In case you’re wondering exactly where I am at the moment…

Find the State of Kerala…look down, way down

Then find the city of Kochi on the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea

This being my last day of two whole days in Kochi I have been busy squeezing in as much as possible. I hired a diver with an AC car (it being only 35 C) to take me to the must see sights in Kochi. It was well worth the 2300 Indian Rupees (40 CAD) to be taken through the crazy busy streets from my hotel to the Fort Kochi area where much of the history of the Malabar coast was unfurled.

Amazingly good driver in some very robust traffic.

So many layers of influence converged on this slice of the planet mainly in the name of spice and as all food lovers will tell you that is not a minor consideration. First came the Portuguese, then the Dutch, then the British and finally, after many squabbles, they all went away. Fortunately, they did not abscond with all the spices. They did however leave their mark and Fort Kochi is the place to see it.

As a nod to its precolonial past, Kochi was a princely state ruled by the Maharaja. A surprise to me, “Kochi” includes a group of islands and towns, including Ernakulam, Mantancherry, Fort Cochin, Willingdon Island, Vypin Island, and Gundu Island. The urban mainland areas included the neighbourhoods of Trikkakara, Eloor, Kalamassery, and Trippunithura. That’s a mouthful right? The islands can be reached from the mainland where I stayed by both frequent ferries or several bridges, or better yet if you don’t mind very close quarters there are several hotels on Fort Kochi.

Kochi was a fishing village until, in the 14th century, water erosion caused it to be separated from the mainland but created a safe inside harbour. The Portuguese came and settled in the late 15th C and founded the first European settlement on Indian soil at Kochi in 1500. Fort Kochi remained a Portuguese possession until it was conquered by the Dutch in 1663.

Cantilever Nets Based on Ancient Chinese Method

Under Dutch rule (1663–1795) Kochi had its greatest prosperity, shipping pepper, cardamom and other spices and drugs as well as coir (coconut shell fibre – think doormats), coconut, and copra (dried coconut seeds used for oil and animal feed).

Locked up Tight but some interesting looking very old graves.

According to the museum in the old Mattancherry Palace, the city’s ethnic and religious groups, including its Hindu majority and the Muslim, Syrian Christian, and Jewish minorities, shared in the city’s prosperity.

Interestingly I sat beside a man on the plane from London whose heritage was Jewish. His people left Europe in one of the pogroms to settle in Kochi as spice farmers and merchants but have assimilated and become Catholic over the generations. I also read that the Jewish community in Kochi was the oldest in India, claiming to date from the 4th century. They trickled in over the centuries and lived peacefully until the Portuguese imported the ideas of the Inquisition.

At Fort Cochin is St. Francis Church, built by the Portuguese in 1510 and reputedly the first European church on Indian soil. It was for a time the burial place of Vasco da Gama before his remains were taken to Portugal. Other churches as well as Hindu temples, mosques, and the historic synagogue at Mattancherry all stand in the area.

St. Francis Church History – I don’t expect you to read it but if you do well good on you!

British rule over Kochi lasted from 1795 until 1947, when India became independent. (Watch the movie Gandhi)

A system of inland waterways running parallel to the coast provides Kochi with cheap transportation, and picturesque lagoons and backwaters that attract tourists.

Backwaters as they are known surround the islands
in front of the mainland.

The mainland part of Kochi is one endless jumble of noisy streets, buildings, commerce, life being lived, people constantly on the move using every conveyance possible to get to their jobs, homes, schools, whatever the case may be. In one single block on the main streets you pass a multitude of businesses, homes and schools. Scooters dart between Tuk Tuks darting between cars darting between trucks, daring between buses. You get the drift. (Nothing to my Mexican friends)

My Uber Tuk Tuk Ride

Street scenes always of interest, can present some forms of urban irony wherever you go and I took the opportunity to snap this one. If you know that the woman on the right in the photo is a beggar with a severe limp, you will get my drift.

The good the bad and the ugly all in one moment

Just when I was beginning to recover from jet lag and get the hang of things it was time to leave Kochi but not before I visited the Lulu Mall a temple of consumerism at its best. If this mall was in Vancouver I would not be able to afford to shop there. It has every shop knows to man the world over and is very expensive by Indian standards. My driver/now friend Sreehari told me that the average person does not shop there. That includes me! It is huge and shiny and even has a Starbucks! Of course.

And so Kochi until I pass through on my way to Sri Lanka in a few weeks time, thank you for a lovely stay and special shout out to the Ginger Kochi Hotel! I highly recommend it should you find yourself able to visit Kerala.

Scotland

Scotland in the winter is no less beautiful than Scotland in its other seasons.

Scotland in the winter is no less beautiful than Scotland in its other seasons. Leafless trees are black lacy webs against ever changing skies. They edge the vistas of rolling hills, farm dykes and river ways. The countryside is surprisingly green for January, signs of rainy days just gone, but now the no temperature has dropped and low lying fog lolls in the valleys and standing water is glazed with thin sheets of ice.

Flying to Aberdeen from Gatwick seemed a better option when train prices were comparable but the flight took less than two hours. I am so blessed with having met friends traveling and or visiting at home and so I had a warm welcome at the Aberdeen airport and transport to Tullynessle where my friends Jane and Alan live on a farm just outside of Alford near Aberdeen.

They purchased their ‘listed’ historic stone farm house in the 80’s and brought this 100 plus year old property into this century, installing enough mod-coms to raise a family and establish careers and a keep a farm. A warm fire and nights spent watching tellie with days of outings to surrounding villages for lunch and shopping passed too quickly.

The farm of my host Alan and his family was certainly a favourite outing. I was shown around the farm and the various cow barns, organized according to when and if they would calve. The cows were huge and curious and would move close to the rails for a better look at their Canadian guest. Welcoming or snoopy, hard to say but not at all menacing. Even the 1000 pound bull named Charlie was quietly chewing his cud and paid us no attention as he reposed in his private stall.

A Wee Train Trip

Glasgow

Leaving my lovely friends and hosts in Tullynessle I ventured by train to Glasgow to stay with my friends Robert and Julie and their family, where I was reminded how lucky I am to know people in Scotland and England because you can’t beat the warmth of their hospitality. The scenic train from Aberdeen to Glasgow doesn’t seem long enough, so beautiful and clear was the day.

I had spent time in Glasgow in the past and Julie and I had wandered the city on foot to visit museums, gardens and art galleries and so on this visit, at my request, we ventured to the countryside around Glasgow.

On a day trip a short ways from Glasgow, we visited Mugdock Park where we walked the paths and around Mugdock Castle. The ruins of an old castle (no shortage of them in Scotland) were interesting.

On another excursion I finally laid eyes on Loch Lomond, made fast in my mind by the song I learned as a child. “You take the high road, and I’ll take the low road and I’ll be in Scotland afore ye…” Right…we all know the words.

We had a lovely walk along the lake where Robert partook of his passion….cold water swimming, declaring it to be much warmer than on Hogmanay.

Cold Water Swimming in Loch Lomond

Neither Julie nor I cared to test his theory. Instead we enjoyed a walk along the lake and after Robert dried off we lunched in a lovely country pub, Tom Weir’s Nest and then visited the manor on the other side of the Loch where Julie and Robert were married. A beautiful spot for a memorable occasion.

Not sure if Julie really wanted to share!

From Wedding Day to Grandpa…so happy to meet little Ollie!

Edinburgh

Many years since I was in Edinburgh to see the Fringe Festival and the Tatoo. But this time I had more time to wander the city and see the sights I hadn’t seen on that first trip.

Everything I wanted to see was quite walkable from my flat on Castle Terrace and I ventured out to see the City of Edinburgh Museum, the Scottish Art Gallery and various monuments around the city. I walked the famous Royal Mile and visited a Gallery dedicated to weaving and fabric arts. A busy place, steeped in history and easy to navigate I would love to go back and spend more time out and around the city.

The Scott Monument Dedicated to Sir Walter Scott

A Frozen Ross Fountain in Prince’s Garden

Busy Streets in Front of the Waldorf Astoria

Westgate to Birmingham (Well Sort Of) on to Plymouth and Polperro Cornwall and Back to Westgate – Kind of a golden triangle only rainy.

The city of Walsall where my lovely hosts live in a Victorian era house that they decorate beautifully for the holidays.

To say that I took the train from Margate to Birmingham to visit friends would only be partially accurate because they actually live in Walsall a town just outside of Birmingham.

However, my lovely hosts Charn and Shem met me under the impressively large bull in the Birmingham New Street station and we proceded out into the bustling core of the city.

What knowledge I had of Birmingham was limited to picturing it as a dilapidated steel mill town that had seen better days and more recently to the images from Peaky Blinders. I was surprised when we spilled out onto the crowded streets surrounding the train station, to see a vibrant, bustling downtown core festooned with Christmas decorations.

Our first stop was to visit a pub that had been the “local” for a friend I knew back home who sadly had passed away in March. It was comforting to imagine Dave there in his younger days with his friend and my host Shem. The place was packed with punters, clearly not taking a break from pints between Christmas and New Year’s. The Old Joint Stock pub itself has a beautifully ornate interior, including a glass domed ceiling, and was once a bank building.

The Old Joint Stock Pub – Dave’s Local from days gone bye

After a few, we left the pub for an Italian restaurant for great food, conversation and company. Dinner done, we ventured out of Birmingham to the city of Walsall where my lovely hosts live in a Victorian era house that they decorate beautifully for the holidays. Every room was decorated and the ornaments on the tree were collected over many years and from many holiday destinations.

Great hosts Shem and Charn planned a day out to visit the local Art Gallery that was featuring an exhibit by South Asian woman focused on cultural identities, inclusivity and belonging. This multi media exhibit included video, displays and a variety of multimedia art pieces, all very colourful and brilliant statements. For a small gallery it was well curated and the main collection donated by two local women included a wide range pieces. Curation of note for sure.

After a walk through the town and the Walsall Arboretum, we arrived home and Charn prepared Indian dishes, including curries, samosas and pakoras. Early the next morning Charn and Shem drove me back to Birminham New Street station and I boarded the train for Plymouth, where my nephew and his family met me and we travelled on by car to Polperro where we were to spend New Years.

Polperro Cornwall – Year 2 of Fancy Dress for New Years

Our return to Polperro for New Years was made possible by the lovely Renata who booked our accommodation. A slightly larger party we rented a three bedroom stone house perched on the edge of the Polperro harbour. The stormy sea was right under my bedroom window and we had several days of storm watching. The weather curtailed outdoor activities but the cottage was cozy and warm and every window had a different view of the sea rolling by roiled up by a storm named Henk. Binge watching Poldark added to the scenario as here we were in that very setting,

The weather took a break for New Years Eve which was good because following a pub crawl in fancy dress (costumes) the town ends in the village square for the countdown and the singing of Auld Lang Syne. Fireworks over the harbour were a suitable ending to a fun night with a chance to say a hearty goodbye to 2023 and welcome 2024.

What Do An 80’s Rock Star, A Baby Shark and a Canadian Lumberjack Have in Common?

The Long and Winding Road Home to Margate

Budapest for the Christmas Markets

As I was going to be in England and a friend mentioned Budapest for the Christmas Markets, I could hardly say no. I had never been to Hungary and it had long been on my list of places to visit. Just over a two hour flight from Heathrow we arrived late in the day and went by taxi to our air BnB in District V, the central area of Budapest.

As an introduction to the city we used the Hop on Hop off Bus which offered a perfect opportunity to have an overall view of the city, giving us ideas of what we wanted to make a point of getting back to for a longer look.

Written up as the most Beautiful Restaurant in the World but too long a line up!

Our BnB location was within walk distance of the St Stephen’s Basilica Christmas Market which in the end was our favourite of the markets. Seemed a little less crowded than some others, the food was wonderful and there was a light show set to the Nutcracker Suite beamed onto the front of the Basilica. Named after Stephen, the first King of Hungary, it is the largest church in Hungary and home to one of King Stephen’s mummified hands.

Love the sellers at the a Christmas Markets

The stalls were full of Hungarian Christmas goodies and crafts and sitting outdoors at picnic style benches and tables was not the least unpleasant in spite of the chill in the air.

Everything from candy to honey, home decor and the famous melt in your mouth chimney cakes made fresh at every market

The Danube River divides the Pest and Buda sides of Budapest and several bridges span the river, dotted with cruise boats and especially pretty at night. On the Pest side which is where we stayed are some of the sights we visited including the impressive Parliament Buildings, the Grand Market Hall, the Jewish Quarter surrounding the Dohány Street Synagogue and the museum dedicated to the memory of Holocaust victims.

One of many squares lit up for Christmas

The Jewish museum is well worth the visit, although it is gut wrenching to hear some of the stories and view the photos from Budapest during WW11, it is a necessary reminder, especially timely today. Visitors from all over and from all religions appear to be drawn to the Synagoue and Museum and certainly the interior of the synagogue is very impressive. The streets around the synagogue are great to wander after a visit and give you an idea of the density of Jewish population in that area at one time.

The National Museum of Hungary is housed in a stately palace. It is a vivid account to the lengthy and turbulent history of Hungary from the earliest of times to the present day and while there we took in a special exhibit called Brides of Hungary, a tribute to women in different time periods and the dresses that reflected the style of various decades. With feminist leanings it went beyond fashion and provided glimpse into the lives of women over time.

Bride’s Exhibit

The Grand Market is just that, huge, multi-layered and full of Hungarian art, craft, food, clothing, accessories and of course at this time of year Christmas gifts. Well worth a wander and not to be missed, the neighbourhood around the market is great for a wander as well.

On the Buda side of the Danube we visited Buda castle by taking the beautiful wooden funicular up the side of the hill to the castle itself. At the top we had a great view of the city on both sides of the river and were able to wander back to our hotel across the Chain Bridge, so names for the chains it hangs from.

Also on the Buda side of the river we visited the Gellert Thermal bath, one of many that make Budapest a draw for their healing properties. Built in the Art Nouveau style between 1912 and 1918, it has several hot baths each labeled with their particular temperature, a massive numbers of lockers, and spa services including massage. A bit of a maze and challenging to navigate it was a very relaxing way to spend a few hours.

The food in Budapest deserves special recognition and we were able to sample several notably Hungarian dishes and drinks including. As you can imagine Goulash or Gulyas was on most restaurant menus and served at the Christmas markets as well. A popular dish it is a hearty and warm stew filled with beef, paprika, onions and potatoes and sometimes served with spetzel like noodles. Delicious and warming especially outside at night.

Chicken paprikas (Csirke Paprikas) is astonishingly red because of the amount of sweet paprika mixed with tomatoes, garlic and sweet peppers in. Sour cream is added and delicious chewy dumplings make the dish very filling. A must try in Budapest in.

Of course the signature dish of Hungary is Goulash and nothing beats a warm bowl at an outdoor market.

We also indulged in Chimney Cakes which we saw cooked over barbecue coals at one market and in a special rotisserie like oven at another market. A doughnut like batter is wrapped around a wooden form and rotated over heat until done, sprinkled with sugar while it cooks gives a cartelized effect and when removed from the wooden form this confection stand erect like a chimney. Quite delicious and definitely shareable.

Meat Pancakes (Hortobagyi Palacsinta) are thin pancakes filled with savoury chicken or beef minced into small pieces. Once filled the pancakes are rolled into burrito like shapes and baked and then covered with a paprika sauce and of course a dollop of sour cream. Mmmmm

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves (Toltott Kaposzta) the Hungarian cabbage roll is made from cooked, pickled cabbage and filled with minced pork, paprika (of course) and rice. When I ordered this dish at a Christmas market it came with sausage and grilled vegetables and went down well with mulled wine.

A very popular dish with the Hungarians was a deep-fried flat bread (Langos), crispy on the outside while soft on the inside, it is sprinkled with cheese and topped off with sour cream. Looked delicious but one can only eat so much so I didn’t have the room to try it.

I hope to visit Hungary again when I have more time and I’m able to see other parts of the country. It has a quietness about it that you don’t find in other European Capitals. People seem less hurried and definitely friendlier, especially the people who work with tourists like myself. Until I return Budapest, keep your magic alive.

Share this: WanderwithStella

Share this: WanderwithStella

Share this: WanderwithStella

A Wee Train Trip

Glasgow

Edinburgh

Share this: WanderwithStella

Polperro Cornwall – Year 2 of Fancy Dress for New Years

The Long and Winding Road Home to Margate

Share this: WanderwithStella

Share this: WanderwithStella