Why I Have Fallen in Love with Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey, Season 5 - I am here!

So over the holidays, I really and truly had some down time - time where I had nothing to do. So I retreated to my couch, with copious amounts of wine and snacks, and Netflix. I had heard so much about Downton Abbey, which up to that point, I had never watched, and I really wanted to see what the big deal was about. And so I clicked on Season 1, Episode 1.

I am now getting ready to stream Season 5, Episode 1 - such is the addiction that has developed. I must say, I really do enjoy the show. But why is it so buzzworthy?

For me, it is:

A period piece set in Britain- I love anything historical and I love period pieces. The show starts off in the pre-World War I era and follows an aristocratic family and their servants. So you get everything fun and puzzling about British aristocracy and the servant class of the day - from the high brow accents and silly traditions, to the lower brow accents and quirks. From the sinking of the Titanic, to the house getting electricity, phones, a refrigerator and an electric whisk, and the race relations of the time - re-living these significant milestones and curious events through the story is fun; to be reminded of just how novel it all was at the time. This, in the age of rapid paced technology, where I can have a conversation with my phone, is a change of pace.

I watch it while getting ready for work on my tablet. I know. I need help!

The best of both worlds - So you have the aristocrats and you have their servants, and that is part of the allure as well. You are not saddled with having to listen to Mary Crawley all episode long, because really - what do they do? Have breakfast, have tea, have dinner, walk around the room, brush their hair, ponder their future lives. You are not saddled with having to listen to Mrs Patmore all episode long because really - what do they do? Make breakfast, make tea, make dinner, walk around the village, clean up, ponder their future lives. lol. You get the best of both worlds, with some pretty amazing storylines in-between. Seriously, the  show does well to highlight the struggles of the working class and the conditions they had to endure to survive in some cases, juxtaposed with the sometimes flippant lives of the upper class, with their teas and dances, though they too had their own issues to deal with.

Dowager Countess, played by Maggie Smith

Amazing character and plot development - I am not sure if there is any one character that you like or hate all the way through. Thomas Barrow for example - as loathsome as he can be - still had his moments. He has a soft and vulnerable side which we do see from time to time and even I will admit, without spoiling it for anyone who has not watched it yet, I have felt sorry for him at times and even rooted for him to stay.

Mary Crawley's place in my heart also fluctuates as she is a complex hybrid of snob and bleeding heart. That being said, with the characters being so diverse, the stories keep getting more interesting. Not only that, the plots don't drag on for weeks and weeks. So it is like a soap but without the coma.

* Spoiler alert ahead - don't read the red text*

I also like how, like Game of Thrones, major characters get snuffed when you least expect it. That being said - spoiler alert... skip the next paragraph, newbies.

Lady Sybil's death was epic! I have replayed that scene about 10 times. That has to be the best piece of television production, direction and acting I have seen in ages, i.e. Tom Branson makes me bawl every single time! Every single time!!!!!

I will say though, Tom Branson and the Dowager Countess, played by the ever wonderful Maggie Smith are constant favourites. The Dowager Countess' droll one-liners are everything! On the flipside, Lady Grantham's voice is sooooo grating on the nerves. I like the chick but why does she always sound like she is trying to soothe the helpless?

Matthew and Mary Crawley

The un-Scandalous love - In the era of the maddening Olivia/Fitz/Jake love triangle and all the accompanying sex scenes - heterosexual and homosexual - which sometimes can be too much to bear, it is really a breath of fresh air to just go back to Austen-like love, minus the debauchery. Where men courted women with prose and not with lines referring their private parts. Really, it is about emotions that everyone can relate to on a very basic level. I have not seen a pale bottom, a nipple, not even an ankle in the 4 seasons of the show I have watched so far. While clearly the debauchery did indeed exist in the time, I am glad that the show chose to go the modesty route, staying true to the spirit of the period and not bringing the 21st century's thirst for lust and R-ratings to the fore. The in-breeding is as raunchy as it gets here. I mean, Mary Crawley and Matthew Crawley are cousins.

It almost makes you long for a time gone by when men were gentlemen, and women were ladies and did not cheapen relationships or devalue emotional connections and friendship. Prudish love is underrated!

The landscape and the fashion - To a lesser extent, I love England as you know. The old castles and great aristocratic houses, the wide expanse of beautiful countryside. The weather - not so much. The fashion of the time is not my favourite, as compared to say, the 60s and 70s, but it is quite fun to see how modestly women dressed back then. No cleavage, no wardrobe malfunctions - and yet the men were still keen.

Do you watch it? Do you like it? I am about to go watch the first episode of Season 5 now. Toodles.

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Selling Stones in the Ground

Stonehenge - a national treasure in England. An attraction most tourists flock to when visiting the UK. As a history buff myself, it was surely to be on my list when I trekked around England, and indeed, one day in brown traveller life, I ventured to Wiltshire to check it out.

There it was - the ring of standing stones, one of the most famous and recognisable sites in the world.  Was I willing to pay the £7.50 (the fee at the time; it is now double the amount) to go in? No. This may seem like sacrilege to many, but no...was not feeling it. Why?

Stonehenge - from beyond the fence.
I have small hands which fit through the fence nicely with my camera. lol.

1. I really was not willing to stand in the line for an hour just to see rocks in the ground
2. I could see the site just fine from where we were standing
3. When you paid the entrance fee, you did not get much closer to the site than if you stayed outside the fence
4. You had to fight up with the dozens and dozens of tourists and one lady complained bitterly later that she could barely get close to the stones
4. It did not fill me with the same sense of wonder I felt when I first laid eyes on the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa for example.

So no...it left me a bit deflated and disappointed, but not with any regret. I saw the site very well even from where I was standing outside the fence. I did not feel like being inside would have provided me with any real value. My photos looked pretty good, even though a wire fence separated me from the site. I even posed in front of the wire fence with a big smile on my face. And with my £7.50 still in my pocket, I was able to have a very nice meal later in the day.

Another "this is it?" moment was the tour of Kew Palace (not the gardens, which were a masterpiece, just the palace), Honolulu, and let's not forget the more recent Llandaff Ghost Walk in Cardiff, and these tours in particular have led me to believe that with the right packaging, you can sell anything to a gullible tourist.

Pigeon Point, Tobago

That being said, Trinidad and Tobago has more than its share of natural wonders and it is heartening to see that there is a lot more effort in recent times to create unique tours and experiences for visitors and locals alike. I would love to see more though. I mean, we are not lacking in entrepreneurial spirit as evidenced from the lovely people who charge you to babysit your mobile phone outside the US embassy. Nope. We can do anything we set our minds to. From the natural wonders like the Caroni Bird Sanctuary, Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool and Asa Wright, to culinary adventures for the foodie traveller, or cultural immersion via tours and day-trips, shows and the like, we have a lot to offer. I mean people are selling spooky ghost stories and drawing pretty decent crowds. We have folklore - great folklore. We have history. We have rocks in the ground - the Growing Stone in Biche. We have amazing cuisine. Diverse and interesting cultural traditions. We have so much! We just need to be a bit more creative and outgoing in terms of how we market these wonders.

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Shakespeare in England and the Llandaff Ghost Walk in Cardiff

On my last full day in Cardiff, we decided we would make a girls' lime/girls' day out and we crossed the border back into England for a lovely sunny day out in Stratford-upon-Avon. For those who did not know, S-u-A is the birthplace of ole Billy Shakespeare, and what I loved about the town is the lovely quaintness of it all. From the cobblestoned streets to the old buildings - very lovely.

Beautiful day for a stroll along the River Avon

Beautiful day to sail the River Avon

William Shakespeare's House - another cliched tourist attraction

The ghost of Shakespeare? He was very amorous with me I must say.

We did partake in some modern day girls' day out activities like shopping, drinking and getting ice cream, but it was really just about some down time and taking in the scenery of the place.

Back in Cardiff, I had a quick change of clothes as we prepared ourselves for the Llandaff Ghost Walk. Now, my disclaimer is that I did not plan this outing. It was planned for me. However, we were going to approach it with a laugh and I did indeed hope for the best, not knowing quite what to expect.

The walk itself was scheduled for the eerie hour of 8.30pm, and the group of suckers adventurers met at the ancient city cross just a few steps from the Llandaff Cathedral. Now the walk started off on a bit of a promising note with the guide (will get back to him shortly) giving us a historical/plausible sounding account of the "cursed" cathedral whose spires were destroyed time and time again, until finally being blessed by some whodunit. That part was interesting.

Llandaff Cathedral just as the sun started to set at 8.30pm
- just as we set off for the Ghost Walk

The rest - well...it went downhill after that and so did we, as we made our way into the belly of the field around the cathedral and then to the cemetery. The guide was just over-the-top for me - too over-the-top. It was almost like a slumber party where someone tells bad horror stories around a flashlight in the dark bedroom. It was ridiculous. I am not going to discount the possibility of ghosts and other such supernatural beings, but the stories of men in black gliding across the field, balls of light chasing co-eds and winged women knocking at windows to steal one's soul, all told in the pitch blackness of this cemetery - well, it made me roll my eyes, yawn, stretch and dream of cider in the pub. I went back to the reviews to see if anyone else agreed with me and nope - I was alone in my skepticism. This was rated the #2 tour/attraction in Cardiff - even ahead of the lovely Cardiff Castle. Bollocks.

Still, my friends and I made the best of it, snickering in the dark and scaring each other to keep from falling asleep, but I would not recommend this if you are a rational human being. That was how the trip to Cardiff ended and that was almost the end of my vacation - which ended back in London, with friends, dinner and drinks, a free upgrade on my flight the next day and an uneventful flight back to Port of Spain.

I am already thinking - where can I go next - but then I opened my credit card statement this morning and well, I will not be going anywhere anytime soon. :-)

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Lost in Translation...in Reading

I spent a good deal of my time in Reading and not in London. I must say, with the exception of the rude and intolerable Pakistani bus driver, the people in Reading were a breath of fresh air. Granted, most of the people hanging around during the day were in their twilight years since Reading is a commuter city, with the chunk of the people commuting into evil London for work. It was funny. During the day, loads of pensioners and empty bars and restaurants. It was truly a bit surreal. At one point, I felt like there were definitely more stores and shops than there were people. We went into a pub – what was clearly the busiest pub on the waterfront – and there were 2 other people in there. In the evening! A far cry from the sweaty underarm crowds and throngs of London.

But everyone was super polite. Every single person got off the bus and thanked the bus driver. The rare young person got up to give up their seats. There was no loud, annoying passenger or aggravating teenagers. Of course, the rude Pakistani driver tainted the idyllic paradise that was Reading. I got on the bus and quickly realized it did not have the bus stop monitor which usually signals what the next stop would be. Not being from Reading, and on a solo adventure, I had no clue where I was going and simply asked this gem of a driver to stop when he got to Stop X. Oh but this was too hard…he could not do that and made a grand production of it. The nice lady who got on the bus acknowledged his universal stupidity and kindly offered to tell me when I was approaching my stop. The only profanity on the bus at that point came from me as I had to let him know what I thought of him. Nothing too caustic, I promise. Lol

Still…Reading. It’s no London!!

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Visiting the Queen and Rocking the Runway

In all the time I have been here, I had not yet been to Windsor.

Now you know I have a special relationship with the royal family, having been part of the royal wedding earlier this year. I loved Windsor and I had a great time. Being in London all the time makes you appreciate everything outside of London even more, especially a town as beautiful as Windsor. The tour of Windsor Castle was amazing, and though we did not meet the queen (we called ahead and she said she would be out), being a lover of castles, this was fabulous to me. I especially loved the Royal Exhibition celebrating Prince Philip's 90th birthday.  No photography was allowed inside the castle I'm afraid but here are a couple shots from outside.

Truly a lovely day out. The weather was perfect (it was actually warm!), the sights were wonderful, and the company was fantabulous. :-)

And after weeks of anticipation, Project Runway hit the tv screens last night and Anya Ayoung-Chee showed the "horrified" Tim Gunn and the sceptical Michael Kors and Nina Garcia that she can keep up with the fashion Joneses. Though she admitted she only learnt to sew after applying to be on the show, she showed that one can do anything if there is enough determinaton and commitment. She not only silenced her critics but she was one the designers with the highest scores this week. Trini power!

I was so proud of her - she did well and her outfit was totally fabulish!

Photo credit: Project Runway/Lifetime.com

Hope everyone has a great weekend planned? I will be dissertationing and trying to bring sexy back with a much needed visit to the salon. I may have to cut my hair off but anything is better than the dire straits it's in now - with hair falling out everywhere. Ugh. Depressing.

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Summer hits the UK...at least for a day

Summer means watersports...even in the UK!

Summer finally came home. Even though I recognise it may be a very short visit, I really aim to maximise each sunny day for fear I may not see another one. It has been a great weekend. I am totally knackered this morning. From drinks on Friday evening with the Swiss, to drinks on Saturday afternoon and some very amusing French people, to drinks on Sunday with a Brit...hmmm...sensing a trend here. Cosmopolitan, I am! lol.

In any event, when the sun is out, happy people play! Yesterday, with the weather being absolutely gorgeous I decided to take a day trip to the seaside town of Brighton. The adventure began with just getting off the bed since I really lived up to the term "Happy Hour" at my bar. The warm shower picked me up and off I was to meet my friend and catch my train. It seemed like everyone had the same idea because not only were there picnic baskets, rugs, swimsuits and suntan lotion at every turn, but the train was crammed past capacity. People were standing, rear ends were squooshed against my face (I was lucky to get a seat) and the air con had to be ramped up to high to keep an already grumpy crowd happy.

So we get to Brighton and I need to use the loo and bravely made my way to the Brighton train station loo. Clean yes, but I was not ready for the naked girls in the middle of the room. I mean seriously, could you not have worn your bikini under your clothes instead of stripping to nothing in the middle of the bathroom in full view of unsuspecting patrons? There I am trying to fix my lipgloss and these two girls are in the reflection, stark naked and chatting as though they were in a bar - totally non-plussed.

But the day was splendid. Started off a little shaky though. I mean, THIS was not what I had signed up for!

Mist mist and more mist.

The weather forecast did predict mist until around 1pm, so we decided to visit the Royal Pavilion first. The skies had gone from grey to blue by the time we got there.

The Royal Pavilion in Brighton, East Sussex

The people were out in their numbers. Fat people, thin people, old, young, white, black, gay, straight - everyone loves a summer day. A real summer day!

The people came out in their thousands to enjoy the sun in Brighton

And I love drinks. We had some wine and people watched and I worked on my tan. lol. And I did in fact come home with a slight tan. Can you believe it? Not that black people tan, cause we do, but that I could tan in England?? The shock!

Vino! Really nice rose for a warm Sunday in Brighton

Great view from the Pier. Lovely day in the end.

The view from off Brighton Pier - so beautiful I almost cried. I missed summer!

We ended a great day with dinner on the warm terrace of ASK in Brighton, where I prayed seagulls would not attack me for my Ravioli di Marittimo. Perfect end to a really fun day...in the sun! This Trini loves sun you know.

I did not need to sleep in layers and layers of clothes last night. Bliss. I am just totally knackered but today is sunny for a little while so may take the bus to somewhere. If I can pull myself off the bed.

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Amazons - fierce women. Amazon.com - fierce shopping.

Every year I would make my birthday wish list, send it to my friends and I did not expect anything really, but it was always great fun cause they always liked getting my crazy email with my wish list. It was actually my friend, Lyndon who one year actually got me something off my wish list, and my mum as well. I then stopped doing wish lists and started travelling for my birthday and just loved getting emails and texts from my friends and family. I am really easy to please.

But I have done a wish list, (to your left) which was really born out of the fact that I realistically cannot shop as I am used to and this list is a hybrid of my lust list and my necessity list. You will be able to spot the differences - which is lust and which is a necessity. lol. You will also see missing from this wish list the one thing I really want, but Amazon has not partnered with British Airways for some odd reason. The horror!!! I have kept prices at a minimum in the off chance someone actually gets me something but really...give me my moment to cyber shop and satisfy my cravings.

Also, working from home is a real challenge. I idle when I am home. I got nothing done all day - except for the wine and the chocolate fingers. Yet I am still hoping it snows hell hard tonight and tomorrow, so I don't feel any residual guilt about taking another day off and saving myself from going out into that white madness. I am too tropical and hot blooded for my own good!

And I empathise with the Brits on losing out to Russia. It would have been a spectacular tournament no doubt. But still, I got to look at Becks. That's your trophy right there, England. Russia ain't got nothin' like that!!!

Photo credit: BBC Online
David Beckham in a last ditch effort to bring the World Cup home. Pity.

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Quick, hopefully painless update

So I have been cryptic about the stuff that's been on my mind for weeks now, but with everything happening just as God wanted it to happen, I guess I can let you all know that I am relocating for a while. As soon as they tearfully let me go, the Brits have tearfully started my welcome back party. I am leaving my life in Trinidad for a bit to head back to good ole Blighty to study, explore, soul search and take a load off. It was not a very easy decision but it was the best decision for me. I leave in a couple of weeks on my new adventure. I swear...I can start the book now. Blessed I am, and bountiful is my life.
(and you go...wow...just so??)

Now that you have picked yourself off the floor, I have more bad news, but I am hopeful that this will not be a major problem. I saw it becoming a major crisis because having been exposed to Sky and the rubbish they show, I realised...OMG...Grey's Anatomy!!!

It hit me that unless I could access the same streaming sites I access now after a long day at the office has caused me to sleep away the Grey's hour forcing me to stream the episode the next morning, then I am screwed and my Grey's loving fan club is screwed!!! I am hoping to find a solution to this predicament ASAP so I can stay in the loop and in touch with my Grey's girls and guys.

And yesterday it became apparent that my life was taking a huge huge dive. I saw the awesomest pair of black and brown heels and they fit me perfectly and then I pictured myself rushing from train to tube to bus, and in that picture, I was wearing flat, comfy shoes and not these beautiful heels and depression hit me like a ton of bricks. And my blog name will certainly lean more towards the flip flops and sneakers and maybe, hopefully some cute boots, but definitely not heels. I have already instructed mumsy to vacuum seal my beautiful animal prints, my red leather pumps, my gun metal slingbacks for fear of dry rotting. Damn you public transportation! Damn you!

But the silver lining in all this, just think of the adventures I can blog about for the next 14-15 months of my life. I mean, unemployed Trini in London, the chronicles. Can you see it?

To the few people who did know and helped in the decision making process and gave moral support, gracias. You guys and gals are the best people in the world and I love you to bits. To all my peeps, I am still here basically. You don't see me anyway but I will talk to you as often as I can via this medium.

So...now you know. Leave your comments and pledges of financial support below. More of the latter hopefully.

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It ain't easy being Green

So the big game was today. The Mighty Lions were taking on the team from the USA, the "soccer" nation. The game eventually ended very disappointingly, with the USA pulling back a goal with the help of the English goalkeeper, Robert Green, who clearly was thinking about getting some tonight instead of thinking about holding on to the damn ball. This goal hopefully will not be his legacy.



Need a still?

Another? Yep. This dude will probably not be sleeping very well tonight. It ain't easy being Green.

But another disturbing component of this game was the USA kit. I swear, they just needed to step up and go "I am Carlos Bocanegra. Miss USA...or...umm...Mr USA." What's the beauty pageeant sash like stripe about? Very not cool for a bunch of burly football men. Their red kit is the same style, with a blue sash.

But thankfully Becks kept it manly and sexy.

The Argentines thankfully pulled off a win this morning so my Saturday, which was adjusted, swapping shopping and wine bar, for leftovers and football, was not a total bust. Diego Maradona looks pretty good for a man who has been to crack and back.

Habib Bellaid plays with Algeria tomorrow (Kay, are you ready?), so the eye candy moment would be during that game. But the Germans also play tomorrow so I am in full football loving mode then. And I am now, with the excitement of one Habib-esque guy, in full vacation countdown mode as well.

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