This is England

I took a trip back home this summer for three and a half weeks in an attempt to reconnect with what I thought was lost. We arrived in London early July from Halifax Nova Scotia. The first thing that struck me was the lack of air conditioning in public spaces in comparison to Canada. We sat waiting for our train at Euston Station absolutely sweltering. I met a nice chap and his son from Liverpool and we chatted about life post Brexit. I mentioned that we left the UK for Canada six years ago and his words to me were “It’s the same but a bit shitter”. Which I guess pretty much sums it all up and what with the pandemic added into the mix, it’s been a rough period for Old Blighty. A serendipitous encounter with Eddie Redmayne livened up our train journey when Annabella accidentally rolled her suitcase into the back of his legs and had to apologise. She said “Mum don’t look, but it’s the man from Les Misérables”. Of course I looked and to my amazement it actually was! He appeared to be traveling on the same train as us with his family heading north. No one else seemed to notice him and I felt happy that he and his family were left alone to go about their journey without the being pestered due to the burden of his stardom.

We spent our first week with family in and around Staffordshire. We stayed a few days at a sweet mill cottage in the peaks with my sister. It was nice to connect with my family, in particular my sister and nieces. We had a jolly good old time filling out boots with scrumptious goodies from Marks and Spencer’s at the cottage, we drank lovely wine and chatted for hours. We took a trip out one day to Moorland Pottery in Burslem. They produce designs that celebrate, reflect and enrich Great British culture and its diversity. I absolutely love their Stokie Ware collection and already have a couple of pieces at home.

Next stop was Bedfordshire for a few days to see my father and brother in law. I love spending time with Colin’s Dad he is a gentle and intellectual soul whom I could listen to for hours. It was lovely to reconnect and I didn’t want to leave. I feel that as family gets older, each time you leave them knowing that you are heading back to a different country it breaks your heart a little bit wondering about how many more times you will see them again. The mood was a little low as we left for Devon that morning.

We arrived in Buckfastleigh a picturesque market town located in the South Hams district of Devon. The town has a rich history, dating back to the Saxon era, and there are many fascinating landmarks and attractions to explore such as the South Devon Railway, a heritage steam railway that runs between the town and the nearby town of Totnes. The railway is a great way to explore the beautiful countryside surrounding Buckfastleigh and to experience the nostalgia of steam travel. Along the way, you can take in the stunning views of the River Dart and the rolling hills of the South Hams.

We spent a few days pottering around the steam railway and took a ride on the train to Totnes, we also visited the otter and butterfly sanctuary there which was a sweet family owned business. Annabella got her first haircut in Buckfastleigh. I had been her stylist since she was a little girl and this was her first trip to a professional hairdresser. It was a bit of an emotional moment for me and a part of her journey as a teen to pursue her own identity without Mum doing everything for her. The haircut was a success.

On the Wednesday evening back at the little cottage we were staying at we were watching a bit of TV on the bed when we heard a humming noise from the corner of the bedroom. To our horror there was a swarm of flying ants coming up from underneath the floorboards and covering the walls and the window. We called the owners and they gave us instructions and said they would come around the next day. I managed to get rid of most of the ants but Annabella insisted on sleeping downstairs this evening as she said the thought of them was making her itch. Never a dull moment!

Onwards to St Ives next. We had the pleasure of staying in a sweet fisherman’s loft right by the harbour with beautiful views of the beach and ocean. I loved watching the boats bobbing about from the kitchen window and chatting with the seagulls who appeared at the window each morning when I was making coffee.

Once a sleepy fishing community, St Ives came to life in the late 1880’s and has thrived ever since, helped by its unique micro-climate and quality of light. Art aside, there’s plenty on offer here to guarantee an interesting and invigorating visit. We took great delight in visiting Tate St Ives and got to see the Casablanca Art School Exhibition. Tate St Ives is the first museum in the UK to explore the intense period of artistic rebirth that followed Morocco’s independence, forged by the experimental teaching methods of the Casablanca Art School in the 1960s and 1970s.

Of course when you are in Cornwall you must do as the Cornish do. That being eat at least one Cornish pasty. My very favourite was the shortcrust traditional from St Ives Bakery. So densely filled with traditional ingredients and absolutely delicious.

On departure from St Ives we caught the early morning train to London, changing in St Erth. If you ever have the pleasure of traveling to this beautiful part of the world. The train journey from St Erth to St Ives really is a must. It is such a scenic coastal journey and only costs a few quid.

On arrival to London we hoped on the tube to our hotel which was a traditional pub in Waterloo called The Wellington Hotel. The hotel actually featured on Most Haunted and was said to be haunted by the ghost of a proud old soldier. The building has had a colourful history serving as an infirmary in the past and also a live music venue for bands such as the Rolling Stones and The Who. The accommodation had many winding stairs and no lift but the authentic London feel of the place accommodates for the inconvenience of lugging your suitcases up many flights of stairs. Breakfast was also included and the menu is extensive.

The next morning we filled up with a full English and ventured off on foot to see a glorious exhibition and I actually got a bit tearful. Andy Warhol: The Textiles. Dating from his early career as a commercial designer and illustrator in the 1950s and early 1960s, Warhol’s textiles are now considered an important part of his body of work. These designs added considerably to his ability as an artist, which was then almost entirely devoted to realising the demands and deadlines of professional clients, leaving limited room for fantasy and vision.

After refuelling with afternoon tea we set off on the tube to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see another exhibition to support our fashion fanatic daughter Annabella’s personal project at school this coming year. Diva! It was absolutely magnificent! The headset and music throughout took it to another level. Celebrating the power and creativity of iconic performers, exploring and redefining the role of ‘diva’ and how this has been subverted or embraced over time across opera, stage, popular music, and film.

After a busy day we concluded with a cocktail and a smoothie at Harvey Nics and dinner at Harrods pasta bar. We arrived back to the hotel full as bed ticks with tea, jam, biscuits and souvenirs from Harrods food hall. It was a wonderful day in one of my favourite cities.

The next morning we ventured off to see Yayoi Kusama’s sold out Infinity Mirror Rooms exhibition at the Tate Modern. I was glad we got tickets months ago or I would have been sad to miss this one. Infinity Mirrored Room – Filled with the Brilliance of Life is one of Kusama’s largest installations to date and was made for her 2012 retrospective at Tate Modern. It is shown alongside Chandelier of Grief, a room which creates the illusion of a boundless universe of rotating crystal chandeliers.

We spent our last day in London with my sister and my eldest niece. We had fun visiting the National Portrait Gallery, enjoyed a picnic in Green Park and took the girls to see the new Barbie movie. I even borrowed some herbs from the moat at the Tower of London to bring back home to Nova Scotia with me. I made cracking roast potatoes with these the following weekend on my return.

Sadly what should have been one last day out on the Sunday turned out to be a washout due to us feeling unwell. A few days on our return this turned out to be COVID, and we were worse for wear for a good few weeks over August.

On reflection of this trip now back home here in Nova Scotia. I feel that I can finally appreciate the life that we have built for ourselves in Canada but also at the same time a part of me still mourns the life that we left behind in England and all of its vibrancy. Both countries have much to offer but I feel at this point in our life Canada has nurtured and cared for us as a family. Life feels wholesome here. Don’t get me wrong the past six years have been incredibly challenging but this has helped us to grow both as a family and on individual levels. No one knows what the future holds but for the foreseeable future Canada is home and I look forward to becoming a Canadian citizen next year.