Essex Walks--- Finchingfield

Finchingfield

3/Aug/ 2015

I am pretty sure, that day, we went to Freeport in Essex ( my favo place, I don't buy anything apart from going into the health food shop there to purchase some nibbles), then driving along the road. Marcus asked me where I wanted to go, I didn't have nothing in my head where I wanted to go for walks....

Then he told me another story, which I heard before, when he used to be a biker story. He tells me same stories every now again, I have an octopus in my ears (it's a Japanese expression we say, it means" heard that story many times", in a nut shell...), why it's octopus, I don't know. Oh, I remember now, strictly speaking, it's not an octopus, it's more like acne/pimple. We used same word and pronunciation, but in writing, it has different characters. Still, I'm not sure origin of expression came from... 

Anyway, when he used be a biker, he rode his bike with his mates and stopped off this quaint village for some drinks. He remembered, but wasn't sure it actually existed. Those days he was a bit naughty too, it might've been in his imagination. Well, he was driving away, took a few wrong turns, after 20mins or so, found it. This cute quaint English village actually existed. It was called Finchingfield. 

Wow, this must be bikers' where to go place. On that day, hundreds of bikes in and out of village. There was an old pub on the green, many people had drinks from there and drinking on the green. there were people who were having picnic, afternoon tea and eating ice creams...

found some geese by the side of road

We walked in the village a bit and found cute old building. It was Finchingfield Guildhall. Nicely and tastefully restored inside and downstairs was museum with local history. Upstairs room was very nice and kitchen attached to it, and is for hire. I can't wait when Marcus hires place and do some workshop. It will be fantastic!

Museum downstairs

Lady who wrote 101 dalmatians who once lived in Finchingfield

Then we sat on the green, I had my ice cream and we chatted away.  

what an lovely afternoon.

Found a posh classic car too

Has an cute face 

Norfolk walks--- Burnham - Overy - Staithe

Burnham-Overy-Staithe

4/July/2015

It was hot sunny weekend, unusual for England. We never seem to have proper summer here. If we have, doesn't last long. That is one of reasons why English people love complaining its weather. They are funny, they complain whatever weather is. Sunny, hot, cold, grey, rain and many other...

When sun is out, there are people complain how hot it is. we don't get many days like that here, so, I don't moan. I love my hot sunny day. Not for working, but going out to the sea!

I hadn't had much time on the beach this summer, when it was sunny and hot, I was always working. I love my lazy beach holiday, who doesn't. Laying on the beach watching sky, listening to the sound of sea, people watching and have some chilled drink at a cafe/bar on the beach.... Maybe next year, I can go back to La Gomera.... or Greece or anywhere with pretty beach to chill out....

Anyway, Marcus picked me up on that morning. We stopped at the Waitrose in Swaffham on the way, headed to our destination... Burnham-Overy-Staithe.

This is where we always go in Norfolk, it has what we love, lovely footpath, huge sky, beautiful sea and beach. We normally walk on the footpath to the beach. But on that day, we adventured across the "river". We did it before once, it was a bit short cut. Tides was out too, so we decided to across the "river". 

Really muddy...

After 10mins or even less, we realised that was mistake, I knew that then, it wouldn't be much of short cut. It would take longer and awkward to get to the beach. I blamed on Marcus. Poor thing, he always gets blamed by me. Well, he does that to me too, so, 50-50, right?.:-)

My legs with sticky mud!

Marcus with sticky mud!

Look at our legs, covered in sticky mud... Whenever I put my legs on, they got sucked into the mud!!! When I took them out, it made such funny noise and sticky clay-like substance stuck on my legs! Of course, took us longer to get down to the beach. Worth every effort though, once I saw the beach and the sea. It was absolutely beautiful.

I forget how huge the Norfolk sky is. Brought up in Tokyo, never really saw and even thought of size of sky, when I realised how huge sky was, it was revolutionary for me.

It was hot, but windy at the same time. We didn't have any sun blocker (I never use them) lotion or sun tan lotion. We didn't feel that hot to have sun burn. That was another distorted thinking, we actually got sun burn....

It was fun to slided through fast running streams, watching what naughty seagulls were doing. It was a bit windy at the same time, this was sandy beach, wind carried sands and time to time, we got covered...

Then I saw a little bee thing came to me to refuge from sandy wind. It wanted to hide in my dress. We were sitting together for a while till I released into the wild again. The bee must've been flown by strong wind from near by woods... I really hoped that day, the little bee managed to get to the wood.

Bee trying hide himself inside my dress

By the way, sandy beach reminded me of Japan. When I was a kid, I used to go and stay my granny and cousins in Fukushima (yes, near the nuclear reactor is. This is a separate story, but when I was 14, I actually had an argument with locals not to have them, it was loooong time ago....). There was my favo beach, it was sandy beach. We used to bury each other in the sand. Very warm, chilled at the same time, very relaxing.... Realised later, it was Japanese thing. So, I asked to Marcus to bury for me. I hadn't done that since I was in school. Taste of Japan! 

We spent all day. That was fun. We walked back along the footpath this time. 

Then we drove back to Suffolk.

When I had my bath, realised we got sun tan with a bit burn. A bit sore, but we didn't mind. Vitamin D!

Now, counting days to my next annual leave...

Long Weekend--- Glastonbury

Happy Totoro

20/June/2015

Hooray, this was my very first time visiting famous Glastonbury. We weren't there for the festival, we were there to stay for a night. It was summer solstice following day, the festival was the following weekend, so as you can imagine, it was pretty busy down there.

To be honest, I was still feeling a bit shit (please read previous blog for this..), I wasn't enjoying or letting go 100%. So by the time we got to Glastonbury, I pretty much made my mind up not to enjoy myself, I didn't know that time that was what I was doing, I was moaning a bit. 

Anyway, where we stayed was "Chalice Well". It had a beautiful garden. We were very lucky to get a room for the night. Lovely energy and it also had natural water coming out in the garden. Water was magic healing water, it was a bit too strong irony taste if not to used to it. There was another natural water coming out just outside of the Chalice well garden. I loved the water too. Yum Yum. We even took empty bottles with us to fill them in with the magic water.

Having a cuppa in the garden on our arrival...

Magic healing water

We stayed in the house next door to the main house. What an lovely house! Very comfy and just like staying at home.  We shared with a lady who was staying there for just over a week. We met the lady, she told us she just finished attending some goddess workshop whatever that was. Anyway, the house had 2 bedrooms, lounge, lovely kitchen, bathroom and dining room. No internet and use of mobile. I think sometimes it's good to cut off from them to have peace and quiet... And I didn't miss that either. (only for 2days...)

Glastonbury in general, it was a bit too hippy for me, however, I loved the wholefood/health food shop on the high street! Can we have a shop like that in Suffolk please!!!! Or please someone give me some money or win a lottery! I would loooove to open and run the shop like that. We went into the shop and bought lots of foods, both eating that night and following morning, also rests were taking home...souvenirs!

Guess what, I had some feeling anyway. Surprise, surprise, I bumped into someone I knew from Bury St Edmunds in the afternoon. On our way to the health food shop! I just laughed I couldn't believe it, and we had a chat on the street. Her and her husband were staying in their friends house, doing some house hunting. They were planing to move down there! Good on them! They were on their way to Chalice wells garden to meet up their friends. What a small world.

Tigger-Pooh loved the Healing water too!

In the evening, we spent some time in the garden. After garden was closed, it went really quiet, so different from day time! We spent our time in every part of the garden, chilling out. What an gorgeous garden, beautiful flowers, and very very well looked after. Even grumpy Norie could feel "love" in the garden. (sounds a bit corny, but it was "love" I was feeling...) 

Now I look back, I didn't let myself enjoy and feel what I was feeling while we were there. Since we came back, realised how beautiful the garden was, both its energy, flowers and the garden landscape. I am actually in love. How many times I've asked Marcus about the Chalice Well.... I really miss it. Magic place. Lay lines go through there too. 

In the morning, we got up early, Marcus went outside to do qi gong, I did yoga in the house. The lady who was staying there, came back from summer solstice sunrise meditation on the top of the Tor, she kindly stayed in the kitchen till I finished my practice. Bless her, she didn't need to do that. We had our breakfast, before the garden was open to public, we spent more quiet time in the garden.

Magic Chalice Well

Chalice well & Totoro

When we were leaving, she came to us and thanked us. Not sure why, then told me she saw us how we looked after ourselves and she realised she wasn't looking after herself and decided to take care of herself. Bless...She made my day.

We packed our car and filled our water bottles, we walked up to the Tor. We did circular walk. I enjoyed that. we met and saw some funny people on our way there and back. 

The Tor

They used to hung people there

My bum was a bit sore by the time we got back to Suffolk. I slept really well, I was snorie Norie...
Can't wait for my next visit...

I think they were a bit tired too...man & his dog...

Long Weekend---Devon, West Country, England

Lyndford Gorge

20/June/2015

I was still in bits that day. I  attended yoga practical assessment on 19th and didn't go very well for me. I was actually in tears when I got back to the "Doll's House" previous day. Then I felt pissed off, a bit angry, it was natural for me to go through those feelings and all this was part of the process. 

I tried to let go what happened on previous day. I wanted to enjoy rest of my stay on my mini holiday. I don't get to have opportunities to come this far often, so I wanted to make the most of what I had with Marcus and time. 

So, that day, we checked out the "Dolls House" pretty early, packed our bags into the car and drove off. First we visited Brentor, where Michael line (ley line) goes through. In Bury St Edmunds where I live, both Mary and Michael lines go through here. So, it was lovely to visit the other side of the ley lines. 

Oh, Brentor, what an lovely cute church on the top of hill. Very peaceful, soft and spiral. I loved it! We had our breakfast there. Love to spend some more time there....

Lovely Brentor Church

St Michael

Now, we drove off to Dartmoor national park, Lyndford Gorge run by national Trust. Near Tavistock in Devon. To be honest, I didn't know what to expect, saw on the internet, google image, I could see it was green...

We parked our car and went in. (National Trust member is free) I was quite excited, at the same time still feeling sadness and anger, working on my feelings.... This walks in the Gorge really made my day that day. What an beautiful place! I never ever visited place like that in U.K. It was green and air like La Gomera, up and down like France, I really felt "Am I in England?"

Water, water water! Magic water falls! Clear and beautiful water. Everywhere I looked green, peace and rocky. My feet were in water every time we saw the river. Just that feeling I love, hearing and listening to the sound of water, smelling it, gives me strong urge to put my feet in and when I do, feel soooo good. Magic. 

When we found magic waterfall (one of them there) we put our feet in and spend long time playing in the water. There were some family having picnic, their dad looked at us and gave us thumbs up. No one else were playing in the water. My shorts were wet, but I didn't care. It was fairly warm day, would dry quick. Water was cold but nice and fresh, our feet was wet all the time till we got back to the car. It was the best walk I ever did in U.K, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can not wait to visit again!

Lovely water!

Then we drove off to .... Glastonbury!