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The Legend of King Arthur

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The myths surrounding the legendary King Arthur permeated the county of Somerset well before the infamous Glastonbury music festival. Somerset itself is hilly and covered by fields of green with many villages spread throughout the land - an absolute MUST-SEE when you're overstimulated from the city.  Glastonbury Abbey Glastonbury itself is a very in-tune village of seers, mystics and fortune tellers, and boasts the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey - the final supposed resting place of the aforementioned king and his Guinevere.  The ruins of the Abbey are visible as soon as you reach the centre of the village of psychic shops and lovely cafes, as they tower over the tops of the 2-storey buildings. The abbey  has Christian origins from the 7th Century, and grew over time into a very wealthy and sacred place of worship that could rival the importance of Canterbury's.  The myth goes that King Arthur was over 7-feet tall, and the abbey honoured him in a black marble tomb in the...
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Theatre, Shows & Concerts

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London is no stranger to theatre and captivating an audience's imagination on-stage; so naturally, I took advantage of living close to London's West End (like Broadway, but British), home to 40 theatres throughout a radius from Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Tottenham Court Road. Check out this full map of all of London's theatres. For more information about London's West End, read this well-written blog for more tips.  I mentioned attending the two-part play based on the Harry Potter series in a previous post , which takes place 19 years after the trio graduated from Hogwarts.  Of course, London is home to so many more off-West End, "indie" theatres, as well (and of course, without the extravagant ticket prices).  Mischief Theatre The Play that Goes Wrong I'm a HUGE comedy fan, so when I heard about The Play that Goes Wrong , I knew I had to get tickets. The story line follows a murder mystery format, with the characters attempti...
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Shakespeare's Stratford & Warwick Castle

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Located about 2 hours north-west of London's centre is the county of Warwickshire and the most well-known writer, William Shakespeare. I was able to visit his hometown through a Golden Tours bus trip , which travelled through the scenic Cotswolds villages, a visit at Warwick Castle and Stratford-upon-Avon, and finished off with a short stop in Oxford.  Warwick Castle This 1100-year old castle has been transformed into a live-history attraction with something to do around every corner. You are able to explore the castle and its grounds with many opportunities to learn its history and what life was like in the past.  The castle also offers many medieval shows for your entertainment, like a jousting match and the UK's largest birds of prey show that showcases the terrifying beauty and skills of 8 different species owls, hawks, eagles and more.  Some rooms within the castle were also decorated as they would have been during its days of occupation.  The various attractio...
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London Transport

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One of the major reasons why I decided to settle in London during my time in the UK was because of it being the epicentre of transport throughout the city, and the rest of the Kingdom.  Whether you travel on foot, or by bike, bus, taxi, overground/train, plane, tube or ferry, it really is easily accessible. In fact, the underground system is still expanding with a brand new  Elizabeth line being installed (with an estimated completion date within 2021), and other projects on existing lines .   The World's First Underground When the Industrial Revolution spread throughout Europe, the use of trains had become paramount for transportation, as many people moved out of the countryside into major cities for work. As the population of London tripled within the 1800s, so did the need for faster and less obstructive modes of transportation — this meant the phasing out of using the canals and narrowboats within the UK. A connecting tunnel between the north and south sides of...
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English Food

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Overall, I had an "interesting" gastronomic experience while in the UK. Generally speaking, "English" food is quite bland and brown (I found that they use very little seasoning or herbs in their dishes). On the other hand, many international flavours and restaurants have made it in the country, creating more variety and choice.  I'm not one to take pictures of my food, but I did get a few shots of some dishes for the sake of this blog. Buon appetito! Traditional Pub Grub They are the equivalent to Tim Hortons in Canada - they're everywhere! Some offer extensive menus alongside an equally intimidating drinks menu; while others stop serving dinner at 7pm. Pub grub can be hit and miss, I've noticed; but then again, you wouldn't go to a pub to specifically eat.  Pub food is typically high in carbs and protein, with a side of potatoes and gravy. The English love their meat pies for their convenience, and historical and cultural significance, so I wanted t...
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