England

     Good morrow, viewers.

     Today (or yesterday, I should say), my personal peregrination took me to England.  I must say, it suited me prodigiously.

     I began my journey at Midnight, with a cup of English breakfast tea, and 2 Hobnobs, which I consumed whilst watching the 1972 BBC mini-series Emma based on Jane Austen's beloved novel.  The story is set in Surrey, but I'm not sure where the filming took place.

    

     After getting about half-way through it, I was obliged to take a nap for a couple of hours, since I needed to spend the morning babysitting for a friend. 

 

     At around 1:30 p.m., I was able to resume my travels, and finished watching Emma whilst a ate a ham sandwhich, and a cup of Earl Grey tea.

 

 

     Incidentally, the sandwich is named after The Right Honourable John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who was a British statesman.  Earl Grey tea is assumed to be after the 2nd Earl Grey, who was the British prime minister in the 1830's.

 

     I did not put together an elaborate costume this time, but inasmuch as the rose is the flower of England, I wore rose jewelry, and scented myself with rose water.

 

     A little while after lunch, I watched Shakespeare Re-told: Much Ado About Nothing (2005), which is set in modern England, in the Wessex region.  It is a very charming version of my favourite Shakespeare play.

 

     While I watched it, I had some pretzels and crackers dipped in pub cheese, which tasted something akin to nacho cheese, but less artificial.

 

 

 

     Later in the afternoon, I had a traditional Devon cream tea, which consists of English black tea with cream and sugar, and a split scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam.  I cannot tell you how long I have wanted this.  I was able to procure a tiny jar of clotted cream at World Market the other day, which made this experience possible.  And it was lovely.  I'd have it every day, were it possible.

 

     I used some of the fine English china given to me by my grandmother.  Pretty, what?  They're part of a large set; she gave me several place settings for my trousseau.

 

     After tea, I looked at art by my favourite English artist, John William Waterhouse.  He did several paintings of women with dark red hair, which I think is beautiful.

 

 

     Here are a few portraits of English actors that I did a few years ago.  Mind you, these are not examples of "fan-art".  Speaking generally, I find British features aesthetically pleasing, and I enjoy drawing them.

     For dinner, my mum made a pot roast, and for the side dish, we made cauliflower cheese (cauliflower covered in cheese sauce, and broiled).

     After dinner, I watched The Young Victoria (2009), a portrayal of the young monarch's ascention to the throne, and her courtship/married life with Prince Albert.  The Young Victoria was filmed at many locations, and many historical landmarks in England.

      For dessert, I had a tiny steamed pudding in a pool of creme anglaise (English cream).

   

After that, with songs by The Beatles playing in the backround, I settled into my little chair by my bookcase with a pot of "Ernest Hemmingway tea".

     Choosing a book was not at all easy; most of the books I own are English classics, and all of them quite admirable; it didn't seem right to leave any of them out, so I read my favourite bits from all 30 of them.  I do love books...

    And there was the end of my English experience; 24 hours, 30 books, and 6 cups of tea later.