Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.
In Birmingham. I cheated, it’s a city.
I haven’t visited everywhere in England but I’ve done a lot of it, mainly in the days when each town and village was quirky, unique, with individual independent shops. Local coffee and tea shops no chains. When no town had a McDonalds.
I used to clothes shop on holiday and had a legendary wardrobe all purchased in privately owned stores. It was wonderful.
Now I go to places and unless they have something unique about them, such as Windsor, the shops are gone, the chains are in, the character is compromised.
Don’t get me wrong, much of England is beautiful with lovely architecture and some local pubs are holding on. If you’ve never been, you’ll be looking at it with fresh eyes. I just miss England my England.
It’s not even so much the actual shopping, unique shops stick in the memory, they have character, everything is different. In those shops you meet people with a passion for what they do, who have time to chat. Who can suggest things you may enjoy. You come back with a little of the place to put in your home and smile at the memories as you walk past it.
It really showed up when we repeated our honeymoon trip for our 25th. We went to the Lake District, I was so excited as the unique shops there were possibly the best, and I wanted some Lakeland slate as a keep sake. I was told to go on line. All the unique shops were priced out of the high street. I wanted Lakeland slate from the Lake District where I could picture where I bought it and remember the conversation with the person who made it.
At home I have a few items from Sedona in Arizona, and I’m right there when I look at them. I can see the shops, so different, and the red rocks. I still get a ‘wow I was there’ feeling.
When you walk into a town and see the same shops, turn round and you could be anywhere, it’s unsatisfying. Why did I drive two hours to have coffee in the same store? We have those shops l ten minutes from home.
If you’re not English you will still see beautiful and interesting places that will stand out in your memory. So many of them. But it’s the smaller towns that I miss. And I feel for the people that so much of their individuality has been taken away from them.
Togetherness
My friend’s mum used to work in her local grocers, everyone knew Iris, and she was always there for a chat, maybe a cuppa, and many a lonely elderly person would pop in for nothing much, find a friend, stop a while, and not be alone all day.
She knew if she hadn’t seen someone and would check, maybe take some food round.
I’m sure it’s still in England, I haven’t been able to have holidays for years, and I still have places to visit. I’m also more prepared for the culture shock.
Dangers of the past
Life changes. I like all the modern things, I’m not made to spend my days harking back to a past I can’t have back. I’m a Gemini, I appreciate it all.
For young people this is their past, for new visitors this is England. They will see it without the overlay of memories.
The real truth is that I have visited a lot of my own country, but in this beautiful island I haven’t visited all of Wales, or much of Scotland at all. So I still have a great deal to look forward to not far from home.
I also love flying (when it goes smoothly) and there is an entire world out there. Plenty of new experiences available.
Never get stuck in the past being better, unless you’re thinking of the period of relative peace in the 1990s when beautiful Russia was out there with us, sharing her treasures. It was magical. I thought the world had learned. China also opened up her treasures to us. The Doomsday Clock was at its furthest from midnight since it was set up.
Let’s all think back to that time and visualise it again, and wish it for the whole world.
If you live in the past you’ll miss so much that modern life has to offer. Wisdom says that now is all we have, that is true, don’t waste it. Don’t age prematurely. Be an explorative two year old always.
Just remember that laying on the floor bellowing and drumming your feet and fists isn’t an attractive look when you’re any older than 5.
🤣
Deb xx
Deb Hawken - Amorah 