Merry Christmas! After last year’s aborted efforts to celebrate due to me seriously lacerating my left hand on the Friday before Christmas (and subsequent operation on Christmas Day, 2023) we’re looking forward to this Christmas, even more so than usual!

As the week leading up to Cbig day began (Christmas Day was on a Wednesday, this year), it was to be a week of catching up with friends and family…

Sunday, 22nd December

A very relaxed day. Time to catch up with our reading and to schedule all the Christmas programmes into the Sky Q box. We were looking forward to the Carol Concert later.

See my separate Post HERE for this year’s Carol Concert.

Monday, 23rd December

A super-chilled day where we invited Conor over to ours for Lunch He’s on leave from the Army until well into the new year, and it was great to catch up with all his news. It wasn’t a traditional festive meal – pizza and chips, but at least the napkins had a festive feel to them!

The rest of the day was spent on the mammoth task of wading through our Sky Q ‘festive’ recordings that have been growing over the past few weeks!

5.02pm: In the evening, I met up with Jo and we continued our daily walk routine. It felt good to be able to keep up the walking routine!

Tuesday, Christmas Eve

In the morning, Ann baked a cake and I cleaned the car! (living the dream, ehh!?)

2.20pm: More eating and more catching-up with friends today! This time, in the afternoon, it was over to Rosi and Dave’s for an extensive Buffet with our friends.

4.50pm: A brisk walk back to ours followed, attempting to work a few of the calories from the Buffet. . After a quick cuppa and some thorough testing of Ann’s cake, that she had made earlier. The only ‘serious’ job of the day? – we sorted out what we needed to pack for our two days away at Roger & Jane’s, tomorrow.

7.15pm: We finished the day watching the Doctor Who Proms. Much better than I imagined it would be having heard the same audio-only version earlier this year with Catherine Tate bloopering her way through her MC duties. Very disappointing back then, and she ruined the overall feel of the performance, IMHO.

Fast-forward to tonight and luckily, the bloopers seemed to be mostly tidied up in the edit suite (the character name is Ruby SUNDAY, not Ruby TUESDAY! Doh!!!) and tonight made for a very watchable and listenable concert, especially soprano Aida Garifullina whose voice was chilling and moving in equal measure (even if you’re not a fan of Who!)

9.05pm: Early night!

Wednesday, Christmas Day

5.47am: Merry Christmas! We were both awake early for no apparent reason! After a cuppa, Ann headed for the pool whilst I headed for breakfast!

9.15am: After Ann returned and after her light breakfast, we opened our presents.

Then it was off to Roger’s to be waited on hand-and-foot for the rest of the day and Boxing Day too!

10.52am: We’re off. I was expecting the traffic to be quite light being Christmas day, but the A14 (and especially the A1) were both quite busy. No hold ups though, and an hour-and-a-quarter later we’d arrived.

12.08pm: As we pulled in to the drive, the weather had remained mild and not a sign of rain! We were soon exchanging hugs and handshakes and getting unpacked.

We were soon settled in the Lounge and putting in our orders for drinks! . Whilst Ann opted for a sensible cuppa, I re-acquainted myself with an old friend – a bottle of Black Sheep Ale – a great start to the Christmas celebrations.

After a quick natter ‘righting the world’ (our first attempt today – more was to follow), it was lunch-time and we all headed for the kitchen – and a traditional Christmas Lunch.

1.25pm: What a feast! You really can’t go wrong with Roger & Jane on cooking duties and with Oli taking charge of drinks, the perfect Christmas Lunch unfolded…

Crackers completed the picture (with the jokes as corny as they come – but just how we like them!)

…but I was hopeless at assembling the ‘build your own Santa’ kit!

2.53pm: At just before 3, it was all over for another year, well almost. By a slim majority, we all decamped to the Lounge to watch the King’s Christmas Speech (on their rather excellent one-month-old 48″ OLED Samsung TV) accompanied by the Cheeseboard and a rather smooth 2019 Port. Perfect!

4.20pm: After the Speech, we returned to ‘putting the world right’ over a cuppa.

5.20pm: And then the highlight of the day (for me anyway!) – unwrapping our Christmas gifts to each other… From Oliver: 2 Guinness Tankards and 4 cans of Guinness to test them out! . From Roger & Jane: Tiptree Strawberry Gin, a Prisoner Graphic Novel and the DVD ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ (that completes my MCU 4K collection of DVDs) – until the next release! Thanks everyone! Spot-on gifts!

6.10pm: Forget the (heavily hyped) Gavin & Stacey finale, what we were all looking forward to was the latest Wallace and Gromit outing…

…and it didn’t disappoint! Superb animation, witty script and very ‘British’. Hat’s off to actor, Ben Whithead who has replaced the Late Peter Sallis as the voice of Wallace – an uncanny similarity!

7.20pm: More food in the shape of gammon sandwiches and a clever G&T that included frozen plum juice. Sounded strange, but tasted delicious!

9.35pm: With Ann flagging, we called it a night, leaving our hots to party on. What a great day!

Thursday, Boxing Day

7.01am: As usual, I was up first, catching up with the national news and writing this. Given the very pleasant conditions outside (well, it’s NOT raining) we’re all planning a walk later after breakfast.

10.25am: Boxing Day Breakfast awaits…

11.30am: As threatened planned – Boxing Day walkies!! A wander through and past Hanbury Manor in a loop and then down the hill to Thundridge Village.

Onwards to Thundridge…

We planned to get the annual family photo taking advantage of the good (ish) weather, but we never did!

12.55pm: Well, that certainly blew the cobwebs away! It had been the perfect weather for walking – but even nicer to return to a roaring fire!

As pleasant as it was outside, it was good to be back indoors! . We caught a little of the Boxing Day footy courtesy of Amazon Prime where we saw Fulham take on the mighty Chelsea – and win! 2-1!! We weren’t expecting that! Oli, (these days, an ardent Chelsea fan) was shocked!

3.14pm: Time for a late Lunch featuring the traditional cold-cuts complemented by a some yummy hot party food.

4.35pm: An excellent Lunch, but no Christmas would be complete without one of Jane’s Marzipan-laden Christmas Cake! Yes please! (twice!)

5.15pm: Time to catch up with some Christmas TV in the shape of 2024’s ‘Ghost Story for Christmas‘ from Christmas Eve. As usual, it was a creepy tale, again for this year, produced by Mark Gatiss entitled: ‘Woman of Stone’. A good 30 minutes of nerve-tingling story-telling.

5.50pm: Gosh! We nearly forgot! Boxing Day/Tree pressies! For me this year? A giant Toblerone from Ann and some beard moisturiser courtesy of R, J & O. Excellent!

6.26pm: With the traditions of Christmas fading fast, we ended the evening watching: ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare‘. A film by Guy Ritchie on Netflix that rivalled the John Wick franchise for body count (but was still surprisingly watchable and tastefully done, if that were possible!). Apparently, it was based on a true story! Ann retired early, feeling that she was going down with something horrible!

9.43pm: I turned in after the film ended to find Ann, upstairs, fighting-off the bugs! That didn’t bode well!! . It was our final sleepover tonight as we’ll be heading home after breakfast tomorrow.

Friday, 27th December

Good morning! A yummy breakfast was on the cards…

After breakfast, and after saying our goodbyes we headed home. It had been a great time at R, J & O’s for Christmas. Great food, great conversations and the weather even behaved itself too! Just a pity that Ann suffered towards the end.

11.58am: We were home around midday, after a slightly frustrating journey due to the ongoing improvements (of the improvements!) at the legendary ‘Black Cat’ roundabout. Ann went straight to bed whilst I headed for the local Aldi to pick up some essentials.

Saturday, 28th December

With Christmas almost over for another year (in our heads, anyway!), it was a day of clearing up and making room for all the gifts we received this. If, after reading this, you have the impression that all we did was EAT – you’d probably be right, so I was pleased that I only put on a couple of pounds over the festive period this year. I hear the words ‘Diet’ being suggested – yes, probably!

I’ve listed our usual annual Christmas TV watchlist below, and buried in it towards the end was an accidental discovery whilst browsing through Amazon Prime today (that was also shown at cinemas in November, but I somehow missed it). It’s an action comedy called Red One. If you like stories about Santa Claus, then this one, made this year – and still on at the cinema as I write this – it’ll give you that warm Christmas glow! Official reviews vary from ‘really poor‘ to ‘an enjoyable romp’, and it was certainly no classic, but if you fancy something a little different this year, it’s an enjoyable watch, whilst you finish off the last of the leftovers!

Just one last job… I popped round to John & Trish’s to set up their digital photo-frame, and then it was back home and feet-up for a short while.

4.40pm: I caught up with Jo for our evening walk. Drizzly and getting colder, but we both knew we needed to burn off some of those festive indulgences.

5.45pm: Back to watching Christmas TV! We finished the evening with the Chelsea Detective Christmas Special.

Christmas TV

As usual for us, Christmas TV played a large part in our Christmas celebrations. Our Sky Q box was therefore kept pretty busy – even whilst we were away.

= Don’t bother
= Only if there’s nothing else to see!
= Not bad!
= Worth a watch!
= Oh yes, very Christmassy!

All Creatures Great and Small – 1983 Christmas Special
All Creatures Great and Small – 2024 Christmas Special
A Christmas Carol (The Mark Gatiss Stage Production)
Beyond Paradise Christmas Special 2024
Call the Midwife Christmas Special (two-parter) (Is this running out of steam? It’s certainly not running short of graphic depictions of childbirth! Sugary sweet in a BAD way. Bah! Humbug!!)
Carols from Kings 2024
Christmas Ghost Story 2024 -Woman of Stone
Death in Paradise Christmas Special 2024 (New Copper!)
Doctor Who – The War Games (90-minute remastered episode). More information on my Blog HERE (Hats of the team for creating the ‘new’ regeneration scene!)
Doctor Who at the Proms 2024
Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024 – Joy to the World (Ultimately disappointing and I’m NOT warming to the new ‘Who’ character)
EastEnders Christmas Episodes (Even more tension than usual, but a well-put-together plot)
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale – Still to watch (but only to see what we missed – never really ‘got’ the attraction of this one)
Good Ship Murder Christmas Special (How did this get commissioned for another two series?)
Madame Blanc Mysteries Christmas Special (Good story!)
Mortimer & Whitehouse Gone Christmas Fishing (Simple and entertaining)
Outnumbered Christmas Special 2024 – Still to watch
Swan Lake – Still to watch
The Chelsea Detective Christmas Special 2024
The King’s Christmas Speech, 2024
The Red One (A surprisingly enjoyable Christmas Film)
Wallace & Gromit – Murder Most Fowl (Best programme this Christmas!)

So, that’s it for another year! My reindeer slippers are nearing the loft hatch and we’re planning to take down the decorations early new year – it seems to take so long to arrive, but is over in a flash! . Hope yours was a good one!

Christmas Past…

2023
(pretty-much ‘cancelled’ due to my hand injury!)
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010

…and probably for the last time in 2024…

Merry Christmas!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Christmas 2024 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Merry Christmas! This year, we had a bit of a dilemma for our annual Christmas Carol Concert!

Usually, we go to TWO with Jo & Janet – the local Church and the Salvation Army’s in town. But this year, it was one OR the other, simply because they were both on the same day and at similar times.

After a quick vote, we all agreed to skip the Army’s this year and go to St Edmund’s Church in Warkton Village for their Service at 4pm.

Almost a full house again this year where apart from Carol 98 and Carol 588 (that were both unfamiliar to many of us there) we were all in fine voice!

The not-too-preachy style by the local Rector that got the message of Christmas over perfectly well, suited us, and where, 40 minutes later, it was all over! Same time next year? Yes, probably!! . Merry Christmas!!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Carol Concert 2024 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

It was early evening, as we headed in the direction of Northampton and the town’s Cathedral – aka The Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate & St Thomas of Canterbury to listen to the London Film Music Orchestra.

Jo and Janet arrived at ours just before 4.30 and with Janet acting as chauffeur, we began our journey. Waze took us on an interesting route that seemed to avoid the A43 (no doubt it knew something we didn’t) and where we seemed to zigzag along all the minor roads between us and our destination!

In spite of the ‘scenic route’, we arrived in good time and where Janet bagged a parking space in the Cathedral’s car-park itself – just a few paces from the entrance. We then stood and queued for about ten minutes before being ushered in, heading for our VIP seats. It was an unusually early start for an evening performance – 6pm – with another immediately following it, so the Orchestra was clearly making the most of their visit to these parts!

Outside, the exterior wasn’t the prettiest scenes of worship, but just like us humans, it was INSIDE that mattered!

Actually, the inside was much prettier, just a little chilly!!

The event was very well-supported, and already half-full when we arrived. And they kept coming. Soon, all the pews were occupied and at that point, I wasn’t sure whether the comfort levels of the typical church seating were going to affect my appreciation of the event, but I needn’t have worried – they were uncomfortable, but the music was about to distract us, in a good way!

And if listening to the music of famous contemporary German composer, Hans Zimmer wasn’t enough, the evening included music by John Williams too AND it was illuminated as well . The lighting was very subtle (this was no ELO/Wembley/1978!) and so, perfectly suited the mood and the music – and the environment.

Complementing and contributing to the themes was Jasmine Faulkner who introduced the tunes and provided vocal support on many of the tracks. She had a fantastic soprano range, although, between tunes, the frequent encouragement for us to celebrate individual musicians from the orchestra between tracks became a little irritating! . Yes, it’s official, I’m a grump!

The ‘London Film Music Orchestra’ was founded ten year’s ago in 2014. They’ve played alongside Stormzy at the Wireless Festival and are well connected
with many contemporary Film and TV composers. At the time of writing they are performing across 60 venues across the UK.

Any good?

It was a great mix of music with eight scores by John Williams and six from Hans Zimmer. These included:-

E.T.
Jurassic Park
Jaws
Sherlock Holmes
Schindler’s list
Gladiator
Harry Potter
Inception
Interstellar
Man of Steel
Star Wars
Superman Returns
Indiana Jones
Pirates of the Caribbean

(It seems they dropped ‘Da Vinci Code‘ from the Programme).

And it was worth every penny. The sixteen-piece orchestra performed flawlessly, producing a really ‘big’ sound (more akin to 50 musicians!) augmented by the Cathedral’s acoustics. Everyone in the audience had a great view of the performance thanks to the two additional big-screen TVs flanking the pews. The only obstruction to ours was the occasional ‘yoof’ insisting on videoing the performance, with their hands fully stretched above them to get the best view (rather than to get closer to the ‘Owner’! )

The evening finished with the obligatory encore, where the Orchestra performed the ‘Cantina Song’ from Star Wars.

What a fantastic evening! The musicians were at the top of their game and the sound mix (fiendishly difficult to perfect in a Church or Cathedral) was outstanding and brought out the best in these iconic anthems. The performers also appeared to be enjoying the event as much as we were. Wow! Go see!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Zimmer Fame appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Fresh from our soaking at Deene Park a few days ago, we braved the elements and headed off to Cottesbrooke Hall today. The Queen Anne style House dates from 1702 and enjoys Grade I listed status. It has Gardens too!

It’s not the first visit for me (apparently, we came here 20ish years ago), although it might as well have been, as I don’t recall any of it!

The House opened at 2pm and when we arrived at around 1.45pm, there was already a queue.

True-to-form, just as we got out of the car, it began raining – but as we were on the first guided tour of the House (2.15pm), it didn’t matter much initially.

The House

The House is still occupied by the owners – The MacDonald-Buchanans – and because of that, no photography is allowed inside the House. That’s a shame because there’s plenty to see here, including a massive collection of paintings of race-horses. Unfortunately, our Guide wasn’t the most interesting we’ve met on our travels, and we were slightly relieved when the Tour ended after its allocated 40-minutes.

The Gardens

Next stop was the Gardens. That’s more like it – an opportunity for photographs! Unfortunately, the weather continued its cold-and-damp-plus-rain, which took the edge off our visit!

Then we had even more rain, so we hurried round. I’m sure if the Sun had been shining (or, at least if it wasn’t raining) we would have stayed for longer!

It was turning colder too! Time for a ‘strategic withdrawal’.

I think overall, as lovely as the House and Gardens were, the experience had been a tad disappointing. Perhaps on another day, when it’s hot(ter), and with a Guide who’s a bit more engaging, we might have a more positive view. See you again in 2039!!

Click HERE for the Website

Brixworth Church – ‘All Saints’

We headed back to the car and on the way back decided to take a short diversion to nearby Brixworth – more specifically, the Anglo-Saxon Church: ‘All Saints’. It’s pretty old, dating back, in parts, to the 7th century. Wikipedia comments: “It is the largest English church that remains substantially as it was in the Anglo-Saxon era. In all the time we’ve lived here, we never visited this village – and Ann confirmed the fact too! A truly impressive structure!!

It certainly boasted some impressive stained-glass windows!

It is the largest English church that remains substantially as it was in the Anglo-Saxon era – Wikipedia

This had been an impressive visit – definitely worth a look if you’re in the area!

Click HERE for the Website

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Cottesbrooke Hall and Brixworth Church appeared first on Steve's Blog.

The Blue Mosque and The Hagia Sophia are right here on our doorstep, but every day we’ve passed them, the queues have been far too long.

As it’s our last full day here in Istanbul, the plan today is to have an early breakfast and try and get to them both ahead of the crowds.

We’re also going to squeeze in a local Bazaar near the Blue Mosque and the Cistern Baths.

It seemed to be a good plan as there were no queues at all at The Hagia Sophia. Here are a few facts about the Mosque/Cathedral…

• One of the largest Cathedrals in the World
• Over 1500 years old
• Great examples of Byzantine Art and Architecture
• Has also been a Mosque
• Now a Museum

There is plenty to see here, and it runs to TWO floors…

…with some stunning mosaics…



…and as you would expect, it’s a pretty big place.

Currently though, there’s a lot of scaffolding in place as extensive renovation work continues, so it was best to look UP rather than ACROSS!

Next stop was Cistern Baths (Basilica Cistern). It was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian and is an underground chamber filled with columns partly submerged in water. Back in the day, this is where the locals collected their fresh water supplies.

We steered ourselves round a horde of oriental tourists all armed with the obligatory selfie sticks and headed for the ticket booth. Moments later, and for just 20TL (£3.75), we were soon heading down some very wet stairs into the darkness. It was more-or-less pitch black down there save for a few strategically placed downlighters.

There were plenty of signs up to warn visitors NOT to use flash, but that wasn’t stopping the hoards of camera-phone users regularly lighting-up the whole place. Clearly some enforcement was required here, if the relics weren’t to suffer! It was only the fact that our ‘proper’ camera was able to function (to a degree) in the dark that we got any pictures at all!

Whilst I recognise to need not to flood the place with lighting, it could have done with some ‘smarter’ type of lighting – it was almost impossible to see the settings on the camera and I think we ended up deleting far pics more than we kept.

Film fans will be pleased to hear that a James Bond film has been shot here (From Russia with Love) as well as one of the recent Dan Brown novels (Inferno). Worth a look, but watch your step, as it’s very slippery.

Continuing our Mosque Mania tour, next on our list was The Blue Mosque. Here come those factoids…

• Built between 1609 and 1616 years, during the rule of Ahmed I
• Erected on the sight of the old Royal Palace
• Sedefhar Mehmet Aga was the Project Manager
• The Mosque its name from the blue tiles on the interior
• Also known as ‘Sultan Ahmed Mosque’

Once again, there were no queues and after removing our shoes (placing them in the handily supplied plastic bags) and Ann ‘scarfing-up’, we were in! Good to see that the officials on duty were suitability-checking head-gear – I saw at least one disrespectful ‘twatty’ trying to get in by using her ‘hoodies hood’ as a head-covering’ – and it obviously failed because later, inside, she was wearing a brown scarf!

Being an active Mosque, it was a lot busier, but somehow, it all felt a bit lack-lustre

We’ve seen quite a few Mosques on our travels and I think all-in-all, although impressive, it wasn’t quite as ‘Wow!’ as some we’ve seen elsewhere. Still worth a visit though!

Then it was off to the local Bazaar – not so many Spice Shops though these days, mostly Jewellers and Carpet/Cushion retailers! – Oh, and quite a few obligatory cats too!

This led us to the entrance to imaginatively titled Mosaic Museum – not surprisingly, a museum full of ancient mosaics (from the site of the Emperor Justinian’s Palace).

Most of the 6th century finds were from excavations in the 20s, 30s and 50s, these were a great collection from times-gone-by – and all in pretty good condition too!

Impressive stuff and so much variety too! – Eagles, Deers, Snakes, Ducks and a horned, winged Tiger-ey thingy!

Our final morning stop was due to be the Carpet Museum but (as we discovered later) some little funster had turned the road sign round and consequently we headed-off in completely the wrong direction. We didn’t quite end up in Syria, but it felt like we’d travelled about the same distance!
 

On re-treading re-tracing our steps, we did eventually find it, but by then, we’d lost the Wilton will to live and headed back the Hotel for some well-deserved R and R!

Into the afternoon, and a trip to nearby restaurant territory – just across the road from the Mosques. We settled on Sura Restaurant (but there were loads to choose from) and it turned out to be outstanding, both in service and food quality and quantity.

Then it was back to the Hotel to pack, update the Blogs, ready for the taxi tomorrow morning. We finished the day with a Netflix Binge:- ‘Designated Survivor’.
    

Wow! It’s been a great break in the old part of the City and we feel we’ve got a real measure of the land, the people and the culture. It has been cold though, and I think that ‘took the shine off it’ a little. Still, I’m sure we’ll be back!

“Güle güle” Istanbul!

All the photographs from our short trip to Istanbul can be viewed HERE

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Turkish Delight: Day 3 – Istanbul (Mosque Mania) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Turkey on a Bus? No, not a packed lunch! Today, we took the easy way for seeing Istanbul – by Bus! – courtesy of Big Bus Tours. The morning trip was the ‘Red Route‘ and in the afternoon, the ‘Blue Route‘. Total cost, just under £30 each and that included both routes (free wi-fi too).

The Red Route is a two-hour hop-on-hop-off tour taking in over 20 landmarks. We picked up the Bus near the two Mosques in Sultanahmet, just a short walk from our hotel.

11.15. We’re off! It’s a cold morning, but they’ve thoughtfully closed the roof on the Bus to keep the heat in (what heat?) pic In hindsight, choosing to sit upstairs wasn’t one of our better decisions of the holiday – Even with the roof ON, it was freezing! Eventually, we moved to the lower deck where it was a healthy +2C

Maybe because it was a Saturday, but the majority of the trip consisted of moving from one traffic-jam to another (Istanbul can be a busy place by car). So, all-in-all, temperature and traffic combined, it turned out to be all a bit lack-lustre. I’m sure if the weather had been warmer, and the traffic quieter, it would have been more enjoyable – over 20 stops should be a really good way to get a sense of scale of this ancient city.

Symbolically (and eventually) we did cross the Bosphorus Bridge from Europe into Asia – and back again.

Because of the continued traffic congestion, our trip got us back to base a little later – at 1.30pm. We decided that as it was so cold (even with gloves, scarves and a double-layer), extreme measures were called-for in preparation for our second bus-trip of the day – the Blue Route.

So, it was a quick walk canter back to the Hotel, grab a hot drink, a nibble and then ‘suit-up’ with even more layers – and even a hat! (have you seen me in a hat? Scary stuff!)

We had about 20 minutes for the top-up of clothes before the Blue Route departed – and we made it with about 5 minutes to spare. The reason for taking this route was that it took us in the direction of a very, very (very) old Church in the old city – St Saviour in Chora – dating back to 1315. Armed with just a map and a heavy sense of purpose, we jumped off the Bus just a few stops later and headed into what could be described as ‘authentic Istanbul’. Of the four people we stopped and asked for directions, none spoke any English, but the international language of ‘pointing’ and ‘waving hands about’ worked – and after a thirty-minute yomp (mostly uphill) we eventually got to this unique destination.

Was it worth it? Oh yes! Although the Church was mostly closed-off because of extensive renovation work on its ancient collection of mosaics and frescos, what we did see was beautiful… and some!

We took a more direct walk back to base – a south-easterly direction taking in the following roads: Macar Kardesler Caddesi, Sehzade Basi Caddesi, Vezneciler Cad and then followed the Tram route back to where we’d started this morning. Macar Kardesler Caddesi and Sehzade Basi Caddesi were a bit like Oxford Street back in London although the first 20 or 30 shops (really!) were all Wedding Dress specialists – very bizarre… but definitely NOT a Bazaar!

Still, it would keep most most betrothed guys happy as Istanbul must be one of the few places in the world where you can literally pop next door for a Kebab, whilst the other-half is trying on her wedding shoes!

As we continued our walk, Retail Outlets gave way to loftier matters in the shape of the Monument Fatih…

…and the magnificent  Valens Aqueduct…

And of course, you don’t have to walk far here to encounter a Mosque you’ve not seen before – and this afternoon’s walk was no exception…

Another 25 minutes and we were soon back to familiar Mosques in the shape and size of The Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia – and therefore close to base. We were feeling pretty smug having walked ALL the way back – some four kilometres (which is good for us – and good for us!!). Next stop? Feet up for a few hours before heading out, back into the city in search of an evening meal.

7pm: Off into the City to find some nosebag! We didn’t need to travel far – five minutes later, we were being offered a seat in The Han an authentic looking Turkish restaurant, just down the hill from our Hotel.

Compared to a Saturday night back home, it was very quiet – but that meant we experienced great service! pic We managed Starters – Cheese Pancake for Ann, Mince Pancake for me…

…and then the main event – The Han Special Kebab…

…and to finish – A cup of Turkish Tea each…

Oh, and somewhere amongst that lot was a glass of white wine and two beers. Total cost? Just under £47! We then took the short walk back to the Hotel for a spot of Netflix. Tomorrow is our last full day here and we aim to see:-

• The Blue Mosque
• The Hagia Sophia Mosque
• A local Bazaar near the Blue Mosque
• Cistern Baths

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Turkish Delight: Day 2 – Istanbul (Turkey on a Bus) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Well, it wasn’t quite all of the them (see the photo below) and luckily, we didn’t have to go to ‘the top of the hill’ to see them.

What we did see (and hear) was 7 (of the 15) guys who are Choral Scholars from the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, performing in a close-harmony group, as part of their annual Tour. And, in short, they were just fantastic! As a bonus, if they ever decide to give up singing, their future as Raconteurs is also assured as they had us in stitches between the songs.

The Church was packed, and although the ticket sales were driven (slightly unusually) by Coleman’s the Stationers, it was a sell-out!

As you can see, it was a varied programme (our fave being Part 1), where they performed a very wide range of tunes – ‘Prayer of King Henry VI’ through to ‘Postman Pat’ by way of ‘In the Bath’! There was also some limited audience participation for the final track – ‘Minnie the Moocher’ (where I think some of the congregation got a bit carried away).

The Organ Interludes was just as spectacular with one of the ‘Men’ playing as if his life depended on it (and it may well have done, as we learned it was to be his final performance with the ‘Men’). He really made the organ come alive!

For many there, tonight was probably the best fun you can have on a Saturday night – and keep your clothes on! (well, maybe!?)

The Church had also laid-on some quality nibbles during the interval too! It all finished just before 10, and as David and Valerie were good enough to act as chauffeurs, we were soon home.

All-in-all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post The King’s Men appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We popped over to the Holy Trinity Church in Rothwell tonight to see the Kettering Citadel Band (supported by the Kettering Citadel Songsters) in concert. It was in aid of the Rothwell Corps and Community Project and there were over 100 people there.

Typically for Rothwell, parking was a ‘challenge’ with the main car-park in Bridge Street bursting at the seams (with other motorists circling). We headed back into Bridge Street and eventually found a space round the back streets.

We haven’t been to this Church for years – we reckon nearly 20 – and I’d forgotten how large it felt inside. It’s pretty old too, with the current building dating back to 1130.  Just like the car-park, it was packed inside, but helpfully, Keith who helps out at the SA in Rothwell pointed out the two types of seats – ‘church-like’ and those with a cushioned seat – I think we got the last two! A couple of Southern Softies us!!!!

It was good to see Richard and Pauline at the helm doing what they do best – and Jack was in top form compering the evening including some humorous and reflective messages – for obvious reasons, I won’t say his performance was EPIC though! (you had to be there!!!)

It was a varied evening of music, from the traditional to the modern, with the acoustics of the Church helping the Band and the Choir to sound even bigger and better – and grander – than normal.

All-in-all a great evening – all for a worthy cause too!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Kettering Citadel Band – In Concert appeared first on Steve's Blog.