UK Wanderings - PART 2 - Add a bit of Magic of The Large and Small Screen...

[queenie82]

Ok so watching the weather roll in we finished up on that side and crossed over to the Roman Town House

This photo was taken when we first arrived

The original footings of the original structures here

The original structure in this location

The replica Roman Town House

ooooo…the clouds are rolling in….

Aunty Em Aunty Em !!!!!

Ok here’s the plan…

Portico

Main Entry passage

Reception and Dining Room

One of the private rooms shows the different techniques used for rendering the interior of rooms. I ADORED seeing this. Ultra cool to me…
What can I say…
Maybe I need to get out more

Our final external shots before bolting back to the visitor centre

 

[PrincessInOz]

http://www.portmeiriononline.co.uk/product.asp?id=33248&random=&cid=&src=Search

[It's the story of my life... ]

I also bought a couple of prints the same size of some architectural plans, and a book about the village.

It's likely to be me...but are you talking about the Prisoner I will not be Pushed or is it one of the kiddy topics that I also see on my screen???

Okay. Off to catch up on the newest posts.

 

[queenie82]

It's likely to be me...but are you talking about the Prisoner I will not be Pushed or is it one of the kiddy topics that I also see on my screen???

Okay. Off to catch up on the newest posts.

This one...

 

[PrincessInOz]

Wroxeter Roman City

I like the bit in bold. Is the alternative....Instead of walking THROUGH the walls?

 

[queenie82]

I like the bit in bold. Is the alternative....Instead of walking THROUGH the walls?

Ah see you never know!! The poms aren't the brightest...

But seriously the reason they do this is because it is an audio guide and a really open area. So they want to make sure people go to the next number.

If you were just wandering it wouldn't matter...but there is a 'system'

 

[Sugarglider]

Portmeirion AND romans - SQUEEEEEEE!!!!

Portmeirion was wonderful - thanks for all those shots - I agree - it was so mixed up and yet magnificent! who wudda thunk a buddha and a stone boat! Reminds me of Mary Poppins and the Admiral who has turned his house into a boat.

MORE PLEASE!

 

[Mum from oz]

I have really enjoyed looking at all the photos. Portmeiron so disjointed yet it works. Really interesting looking place.

 

[queenie82]

Thank you for the kind comments. We will be returning to the history books soon...
But we have a new adventure for the next day...

 

[queenie82]

Our next merry adventure was to the London Zoo with the godchildren of DBF…and the princesses parents

I’d never been to London Zoo before, however many of us would have been near it when going to London. Certainly anyone who has been to Baker Street to visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum has been very close.

It is located in Regent’s Park and located just outside the Congestion charge zone so if you are motoring around by car using the carpark is a good option. Even if you are visiting London for the day the carpark is quite good just location wise. The carpark is also used as a waiting area for the London dog unit to hang out so it’s nice and secure…by default.
The parking is £14.50 per day…which anyone who lives in Sydney would think is a pretty fair amount tbh.

There are various train stations around the park although none is VERY close. There are also buses that service the area. The website is fairly useful http://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/

Of course…the quality of the zoo isn’t actually very good. It reminds me of the way Taronga Zoo was about 20 years ago. (although this zoo is flat ).
So at £20.50 per adult entry…it’s not somewhere I’d actually suggest going.
But…it was still a nice day out. The location was selected because one of the princesses had a school project on nocturnal animals and her father had enough two for one passes for tickets for all of us.
If you ever do want to visit a zoo while in the UK might I suggest the Colchester Zoo, which is a few hours northeast of London. But with Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Melbourne Zoo, Werribee and Healesville in Victoria I think we have a pretty good selection. Plus there’s always that place Animal Kingdom

Welcome to London Zoo
(and yes I’m wearing an earband. Brisk is the best way to describe that day…rather chilly…)

Our guide for the day was Princess number 2. She grabbed the map and off we went. I must say she didn’t do a bad job…as we got to Nocturnal animals pretty quickly.

Anyway onto the animals…

Straight past the birds of prey including Vultures…which decidedly stank as there were rotting rats in various states of decay across the exhibit

Next we found a few Lemurs…

Ommmmm…

Although one liked to hide

Then there were the (normally stinky) flying foxes/fruit bats. That is they are in Australia. In this exhibit they weren’t as many and they had glass which prevented stink transfer…and made photos difficult

When we went to head down to the Nocturnal Animals we found a very cool display of lights above the stairs

 

[queenie82]

The notoriously hard to photograph nocturnal animals. It was DBF’s mission to try and get some good shots for Princess Number 2. However this was the best he did.

The bats just don’t stop moving…

It’s a bit too glowing the red in the armadillo enclosure

And as for the others…it was all just too hard

But we moved onto the jungle outside

Finding some monkeys

 

[queenie82]

There was a sloth getting fed

Who got joined by a monkey while he was hanging around

And then thankful in a separate box…
A big spider…

We were then off to Africa

Where we found Hunting dogs

Some Binglees…aka Giraffe

Who intelligently were hanging out inside

Pumbaa

and Okapi

 

[queenie82]

We then went back inside to the reptiles. Where there were LOADS of reptiles. But very few Australian species. Apparently our lethal reptiles are a bit much for them

Everyone’s favourite…the Komodo dragon

Lizards and Snakes

A Turtle in hiding

And found flying turtles!!!

An alligator…sigh…no crocodile…no real reptiles…sigh…

More snakes and Lizards

Before going back outside…

 

[queenie82]

Birdies in the trees

Loved this one

Then off to Gorillas

Although it was all a bit much for some…

But the tigers had the right idea setting up for the night in their den…

Now at this point we then went to Penguin Parade which is actually one of the ‘newest’ exhibits in the zoo. However it closes half an hour before other parts so although we spent a while looking around we didn’t get any photos.

As we were at the shop and exit and the parents of the princesses were tired we decided to call it a day…except…we had missed the OUTBACK!!!
We left our fellow travellers and DBF and I hotfooted it off to the Outback

Which has Wallabies, Emus and Brolgas

After our visit to the poor suffering Wallabies out in the cold, we went back to the shops where the Princesses were having fun. I think that’s the most plush I’ve seen in a zoo store. Honestly. But it was the little handmade handbags that caught Princess Number 2’s eye. Made out of like a felt…most importantly it was PINK!

After they collected a range of things (including a book about Nocturnal animals!! Score…) they finished their purchases and we all left the zoo.

It was then home time…and our looooong drive back home to Shropshire. Leaving London at about 5pm ain’t the best move. But it was actually the 4 car accident (just nose to tail minor damage) that was the biggest delay. Not because it was major. But because at least one of the drivers must have insisted on getting the police before moving off the road. So they had to CLOSE the road to get them from the inside lane to the shoulder.

 

[usnuzuloose]

That bird was very pretty, love the purple on it. All the animals are interesting. Gorillas can be entertaining. Cant wait to see more. Did you go in the Sherlock museum? I think you said that. Well on your other ???? Can you finish just with pics? I really want to see.

 

[Sugarglider]

The birdie was gorgeous!
So what accent did the turtles have when they spoke? Is it english or are they also californian surfer dude?

 

[queenie82]

That bird was very pretty, love the purple on it. All the animals are interesting. Gorillas can be entertaining. Cant wait to see more. Did you go in the Sherlock museum? I think you said that. Well on your other ???? Can you finish just with pics? I really want to see.

No I've never been to the Sherlock Holmes Museum. I have a friend somewhat obsessed with Holmes who HAS been there but it's very expensive and basically a licence to print money.
She did enjoy it though.

The birdie was gorgeous!
So what accent did the turtles have when they spoke? Is it english or are they also californian surfer dude?

Totally AWESOME DUUUUUUUDE....
Just hangin' around

 

[queenie82]

Our final adventures were around Telford itself. Ironbridge and the surrounds.

The names in this area are confusing at times as they would change the name after famous people. For example Ironbridge…was called that AFTER the construction of THE Ironbridge. Before that it was called Coalbrookdale.
However because there were Iron works and other industry in the area prior to the bridge. There are certain industries that will be named with the earlier name.

This is now a World Heritage Listed area due to the historical significance of what happened here.
This is often referred to as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, although there is no single place it began.

Succinct from good ole Wiki
Ironbridge is a settlement on the River Severn, at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge, in Shropshire, England. It lies in the civil parish of The Gorge, in the borough of Telford and Wrekin. Ironbridge developed beside, and takes its name from, the famous Iron Bridge, a 30 metre (100 ft) cast iron bridge that was built across the river there in 1779.

The website for the organisation is http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/ and here is an explanation from them about becoming a World Heritage site

In 1986, the Ironbridge Gorge became one of the first group of 7 UK sites to be awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. The designation of the Ironbridge Gorge as a World Heritage Site recognised the area’s unique contribution to the birth of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, the impact of which was felt across the world. It was the achievements of pioneering industrialists including Abraham Darby, William Reynolds and John Wilkinson that led to the Ironbridge Gorge becoming by the close of the 18th century the most technologically advanced area in the world. The surviving built and natural environment with its museums, monuments and artefacts, including the world famous Iron Bridge of 1779, serve to remind us of this area’s unique contribution to the history and development of industrialised society.

So what is there to see here?

The Iron Bridge
Well obviously the bridge that really put this place on the map is one of the first things to see and is free to see. Although it is VERY important to understand that this bridge just made the existing industries MUCH easier to exist and expand.

East Shropshire was an important industrial area thanks to coal deposits near the surface. By 1635 annual production from Broseley and Benthall was around 100,000 tons per year mainly for export, but also for fuelling local clay industries and lead.

In 1776 the nearest bridge was 2 miles away at Buildwas. A ferry crossing carried people and goods over the river, but was difficult and dangerous, especially in winter. The Act to build a bridge remedying the situation received Royal Assent in March 1776.

This is the Bridge

When visiting the Bridge remember to spend some time looking at the shops between the bridge and the Museum of the Gorge. There’s some interesting ones

Including ones with tasty treats

But honestly there is a lovely batch of shops that are interesting.

 

[queenie82]

Then there is the collection of 10 museums/attractions that you can see on the one ticket, which are spread across the area. They are all priced individually, however the passport ticket is £22.50, which I think is pretty good. A family of 2A and up to 3C is £61.50. It is valid for 12 months and you can visit each of them as often as you want. Which for a local could be good at the China Museum for example as they sell various pottery which can be used for herb gardens etc.
You can even AFTER the 12 months visit any one museum you haven’t visited before.

These are open year round -
- The Museum of the Gorge (located just down from the Ironbridge)
- Jackfield Tile Museum
- Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron
- Engenuity (like a really small Questacon)
- Coalport China Museum
- Blists Hill Victorian town (like Old Sydney Town or Sovereign Hill…but cheaper!)
These were not open but are also included on the same ticket should you buy the passport ticket

- Darby Houses
- Broseley Pipeworks
- Tar Tunnel
- The Ironbridge and Tollhouse


We visited the Museum of the Gorge before visiting the Bridge. This is the outside, which shows the old tracks (well…where the tracks stood) that transported the coal from the works.

Toward the River Severn

Inside the Museum looking out

Then there is a fantastic model of the River Severn, which is on display inside. The museum isn’t very large. Nor is the Museum of Iron. However each is quite interesting.

It mentioned Perth…so it must be photographed

And a window…

 

[usnuzuloose]

Sounds like you had an awesome time. I am glad you shared it with us. You retain info about things so well. I enjoy the pics. You have done an excellent job! I would be lost in all those museums. That could take awhile.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I see a cupcake shop but no cupcakes. I'll have to stick with the popcorn.

Nice bridge, tho'.