Day One in England - Part I

After arriving at the lovely Drawbridge home, Bramblings, in the charming village of Matfield - Draw and I passed out and slept until noon.

Waking "refreshed" or maybe just determined to get this vacation thing going, we headed to Cherry Trees Tea Room for the annual "Glad to see you, let's get our cream tea" cream tea.

Now this is an American's Tea from Heaven.  I'm not much a fan of tea unless it's iced (practically a sacrilege in England) but for some reason English tea tastes okay.  Iced or otherwise.  Maybe it's because it accompanies homemade scones (NOT those hard triangular things that you find in the States) and this thick, delicious creamy stuff with the ungodly name of "clotted" cream, and jam.

***

Cherry Trees is this adorable, quintessential tea room located in the village of Matfield, across from the butcher shop and the two pubs that serve the 50-odd people that live in the village.

Cherry Trees also plays double duty as the village post office with a lovely Scots postmistress named Pauline.  Now talk about quaint: it ain't gonna get any quainter than that.

Every trip starts with a visit to Cherry Trees so that I know that I am well and truly in England as if the accents and the driving on the wrong side of the road isn't enough.

We had our tea and headed to the first stop on the itinerary that I'd written before we left home.

A word about itineraries: If you can't put them on a Post-It note then you're overplanning.  I'm the first to admit that my itineraries are quite detailed but I use phrases like "lazy walk", "a meandering drive" and "of a quiet evening" to make my itineraries seem very easy and very laid back.  And I'm also the first to admit that my itineraries are more a vehicle for daydreaming about the trip weeks and even months, before our trips.

Truthfully, when we stick to my itineraries I'm always a bit surprised.

This trip we managed to cram in most everything and a bit more, but it was transferred from the full page written in Word to a Post-It note and carried in Draw's pocket.  And all the while we were in England I never even looked at it.  The dreamin' was done and now it was time for the livin'.

So, first stop, Groombridge Place.  Day One and we're still on track.

Groombridge, which has been located next to my in-laws for as long as I've known them, was only added this year because of Pride & Prejudice.  Hoping to catch the essence of Lizzy Bennet (aka Keira) wandering through the fields around this charming house reading her book and stepping in horse poop.

Charming house that is a private home, lovely gardens that are open to the public.  Somewhat bizarre that there were peacocks and a Bald Eagle (I almost laid hand over heart and sang America the Beautiful) and a very tame owl perched pretty as you please, posing for pictures.

I did manage to walk the same ground as Lizzy-Keira (and Mr Darcy-Matthew) and ticked Groombridge Place off our list.  Much to my surprise there was no horse poop, but lots of bird droppings.

And I was able to snap some photos that did, indeed, reflect the home as I'd seen it so many times in that movie. 

***

And then, of course, we capped off the evening with another watching of Pride & Prejudice though this time it had the English ending with no "Mrs Darcy" kiss "Mrs Darcy" kiss "Mrs Darcy" kiss...  I missed not hearing Keira say "...in-can-descent-ly happy".  But even still enjoyable having seen the house in person.  Every scene at the Bennets had me yelling out "I saw that!"  "I know where that is!"  And, guess what, those birds chirping during the opening scene of the movie?  Yep.  They're still there chirping their little birdie hearts out.

 

***

There is a Part II to Day One but it's tea time.  So, hold that thought...

Comments

[Draw]

What a great day. Shame we didn't get up to Derbyshire, but there's aways next year. You're blog is helping me re-live the vacation. Bravo baby.