Mum booked our holiday this week. We're off to Devon! I'm never been that way before and am looking forward to it. As she has booked our holiday I have now booked my trip home. I'll be leaving Jul 22 and getting back Sept 9th. I'll be there to help celebrate Mum's 80th birthday!
I've been thinking about what to post this week - perhaps thinking a little too much! Anyway, trip planning has got me thinking of home and, in truth, making me a little homesick so I'm going to post some pictures of home.
Waterfront
When I was growing up the waterfront at Ipswich was in decline. Once the factories and industry closed down there were just burned out buildings, buildings that were falling down and the whole place was filthy. I grew up in Stoke Park so walking into town we walked past the waterfront. I spent a little time when I was a teen at a snooker club down there. Now it's really pretty, a lovely place to take a walk on a sunny day.
Ipswich Martyrs Memorial
The Ipswich Martyrs were nine people burnt at the stake for their Protestant beliefs around 1515-1558. The executions were mainly carried out in the centre of Ipswich on The Cornhill, the square in front of Ipswich Town Hall. At that time the remains of the medieval church of St Mildred were used for the town's Moot Hall. Later, in 1644 Widow Lackland was executed on the same site on the orders of Matthew Hopkins the notorious Witchfinder General. I find the whole Witchfinder General thing fascinating which probably explains why I kinda like this memorial.
It's in Christchurch Park which was mentioned in last week's post.
Ipswich Blackfriars
There isn't a lot of it left now. I hadn't seen it for years but I knew I had visited it once-upon-a-time so while Mum and I were out for a walk we went looking for it. It was once a Dominican Friary founded in 1263 and dissolved in 1583. Definitely a hidden gem!
Cornhill
This is the centre of Ipswich. When I was a kid the Post Office was there. I remember spending good times hanging around with my friends and (when I was older) visiting the pub. This is all going to change soon as they are planning to revitalise it.
Looking out of my Mum's kitchen window she has the most glorious sunsets. They are so beautiful and colourful.
Technically, I guess it will be six because mostly I miss Mum. I can't wait to see her again. We visit each week, once by phone and once by Skype, but it isn't the same. We have virtual hugs but not real ones. It's especially hard this weekend as it is Mother's Day here in America. I am counting the days until I see her again and we have another adventure.
Oh, I hope you get to visit your mother again soon. It must be terribly difficult to be so far apart. I think of so many who have moved from Britain to Canada or the US. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I enjoyed your photos of Ipswich.
ReplyDeleteIt seems such a long time to wait but time seems to fly by so your visit will be here before you know it. Nice to see the photos of Ipswich. Take care.
ReplyDeleteHello Sharon. I'm visiting from Amy's Five on Friday link up and have enjoyed seeing some of the interesting landmarks of your home town of Ipswich. I know you must be looking forward to coming to UK in July and seeing your Mum. I used to miss my Mum so much when we twice lived in Italy. It sounds as if you'll have a good long time over here in the UK with a holiday in Devon too. That's great! I hope your weekend is a good one.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will love Devon! I love it but, then, I'm biased as I've lived here since I was 6 years old, coming from deepest Lancashire in the days before the Clean Air Act and when there were loads of factory chimneys in the North, belching out acrid smoke and fumes. Devon seemed positively idyllic then, and still is. The tourists bring in much-needed revenue, so save up your pennies - for pennies make pounds! - and bring them and spend them in Devon! Each part of the country is different, but wherever you go, I hope you love it!
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
I meant "county" not "country" - South and North Devon are very different, North being more rural, and South being more heavily populated but more gentle in its landscape.
DeleteMargaret P
We're going to Paignton apparently. I'm really looking forward to it. I've always wanted to visit Devon. I'll be sure to bring lots of money though it's the space in the suitcase that's the trouble. Last year I had to pay for an extra case on the way back! I can't resist. I end up buying books, crafty stuff and waaaayyy too many craft magazines.
DeleteThe fate of the so called witches was terrible in the Middle Ages. We had witch-hunt also in Finland but in a minor scale. And to think of that they usually were quite ordinary women, allthough a bit out of the common norms. It's great to live nowadays and be allowed to be who you are :)
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to look forward to being with your mother on mother's day! At 80....she must be very spry. GOOD for HER. Tell us all about it when you return.
ReplyDeleteAs for the rest of your post...what a wonderment of the history and culture in the area. Love to visit there myself.
I enjoyed looking at your photos of Ipswich, it is somewhere I have never visited. Enjoy your time in Devon with your Mum, we are off there in August and I cannot wait. We are rather creatures of habit and have been to the same place for the last few years but we love it so much it is hard to stop going there. xx
ReplyDeleteLovely to see more of Ipswich, I haven't ever visited so I really enjoyed seeing more of it with you. I hope that you have a wonderful time with your Mum away and celebrating her birthday, it sounds as though it will be a wonderful time with lots to look forward to!! Thank you for joining Five On Friday this week, hope you have an enjoyable weekend!
ReplyDeleteOhhh such lovely flowers. I've been enjoying everyone's blossoms while I wait for my own. I also enjoyed your tour, thanks for taking us along. It's always nice to see places in blogs that I'll probably not ever get to visit.
ReplyDeleteHow very nice to have this trip to see your mum booked. Ipswich looks like a nice place to visit. I enjoy traveling to the U.K. There is so much interesting history so much older than the U.S.A. Enjoy your planning!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for Skype, it makes things easier but a visit is definitely something great to look forward to. :-)
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to be seeing your Mother. You're right, Skype is good, but it's not the same as in person.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos of Ipswich. You must be so lookng forward to seeing your Mum again and also to be going to Devon. I have very happy memories of childhood holidays around Teighnmouth and Shaldon, we used to go to the same B&B every other year and the owners became family friends:)
ReplyDeleteWe went to Ipswich for a long weekend a couple of years ago and I loved it. I was particularly amused by Coprolite Street, because I know what coprolite is. (fossilised poo!) Apparently a local firm (Fison's?) used it in fertiliser.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your photos of Ipswich. I hope you have a lovely time with your mum when you go back, my mum is just 7 mins drive away, so I am lucky.
ReplyDeleteDiana
Wow that sunset - amazing. What a great capture!
ReplyDelete