It wasn’t long ago that I had a glass of wine at the Skylounge atop the Mint Hotel Tower of London. As I sat there, I thought about the hotel’s grand location near the banks of the Thames right across from the Tower of London. The City, London’s historic and financial heart is literally just [...]
A guided tour of Westminster Abbey
A guest post by Andrea Kirkby. Westminster Abbey is one of the London landmarks that I always think takes an entire day to itself. I know some people ‘do’ it in an hour and a bit, but it is the sort of place that richly repays a more leisurely, lingering visit. And there’s far more [...]
Culinary guide to Cornwall
A special guest post by Sharmila Bousa, gourmand and Cornwall aficionado! When it comes to food it’s probably fair to say that we’d associate Cornwall with its famous crimped pasty, clotted cream ices dripping down a cone, waist busting cream teas and pilchards from Newlyn. All of this is indeed true, and wonderful (and not [...]
Unravelling the mysteries of theatrical Covent Garden
A guest post by Andrea Kirkby. Covent Garden wasn’t quite in at the start of London’s theatrical tradition – Shakespeare’s Globe for instance was south of the river and other early playhouses clustered in the East End – but it’s been the centre of London’s theatreland since the time of Charles II. Nell Gwyn acted [...]
Explore the temples of London
A guest post by Andrea Kirkby. Sometimes you know when you step into a place that it is holy. You feel the weight of the years, the atmosphere charged with silence and veneration; the air seems colder and thinner than in the street outside and there’s a sense of something invisible being there. I never [...]
My Velvet Escape travel tip: North Downs Way, England
“My velvet escape travel tip” is a guest series about what the name ‘Velvet Escape’ evokes and what that would be in the hometown or favourite place of the guest writer. With this series, I hope to uncover travel tips from places around the world to help visitors have a truly local experience. Today’s guest [...]
The splendour of the Lake District
Imagine green rolling hills that stretch to the feet of massive, boulder-like mountains. In the valleys, tranquil, finger-like lakes extend for miles, their forested shores occasionally interrupted by quaint settlements, grassy meadows and striking patches of daffodils. Crystal-clear streams and waterfalls abound. In the fields, white-faced Herdwick sheep graze peacefully, seemingly smiling at everyone who [...]
A weekend in St. Albans
To be honest, when Andy invited me and a few other travel bloggers to visit St. Albans last fall, I had no clue where it was and what to expect. I quickly did some research and learned that it’s a small town in Hertfordshire, about 30 kilometers north of London. I also discovered that St. [...]
Culinary delights in London
London is the cosmopolitan heart of England and visitors to the city will be overwhelmed with the fantastic array of eateries and styles of cuisine available to suit all tastes and budgets. Whether you are staying in hotels or holiday apartments London will not be a disappointment to you. Celebrity chefs At present, there is [...]
Picture perfect Leeds
A guest post by Darren Cronian. The photos in this post are courtesy of My Life in Leeds. My favourite places to take photos in Leeds The diverse array of landmarks, including rural open spaces and impressive buildings, reflects both its industrial past and multicultural side of the city so it is a great city [...]
About Keith Jenkins
I'm Keith Jenkins. In July 2008, I left my ten-year banking career to travel around the world. I've not looked back since.
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