A visit to Tring, Hertfordshire

On the weekend we drove up to Tring, Hertfordshire, to visit Donna and Patrick.   The weather was very gloomy and cold, but we had a lovely time.   And it was great to spend time with Donna and Patrick.

On Saturday morning we stopped at the Akeman restaurant and cafe, for a soothing and revigorating cup of coffee.  Well we actually stopped at the auctions first, but coffee does tend to be foremost on my mind.

Donna giving her mum a loving kiss!

TheTring Auctions.   This was actually the first stop for the day.  An amazing place.   Sheds full of old furniture, and new furniture, bikes, pictures and bric a brac.  I had my eye on some pottery bowls, which sold for 40 pounds.   I was prepared to offer 10 pounds but bidding started at 30 pounds, so that was me out of the picture.   Royal Doulton apparently.  I would also have liked to try and bid on some serving spoons, but realised it would take about an hour for the auctioneer to get around to auctioning them, and gave up.   Coffee beckoned at that point.

Walter watching the auctioneer in one of the furniture sheds.   It was a very interesting experience, but much patience is needed, I think.   When we lived in an old Victorian house in Henley Beach, South Australia, we filled our house with old furniture.   Now all we aspire to is modern Ikea furniture.   Such a pity.

After coffee we decided to drive to Berkhamsted, in order to go for a walk.    Berkhamsted is a very upmarket town in Hertfordshire, but spoilt by traffic problems.  Too many cars!   Everywhere.  I really had to make a concentrated effort to keep them out of the following photographs.   I also had to work hard at avoiding being run over by a car too.  Very annoying.

An expensive boot display in one of the shops.

We stopped for a moment in front of the local church.

The entrance to the private school, Berkhamstead School, with plenty of boarders.   Very old England.

A totem pole standing incongruously among the expensive English houses.

The Grand Union Canal, with ducks sitting peacefully on the water.

The day was perfect for reflections in the water.

The usual array of narrow boats lined up beside the canal.

We drove back to Tring, through the village of Cow Roast.   Imagine having to tell people that you live in Cow Roast!

Finally back to the pub, The Castle, for a quick drink.   Guinness for the men, and soft drinks for Donna and me.   I must admit the Guinness looked very tempting, with the perfect amount of foam on top.    The All Blacks were playing against England, on the television.   No football rubbish in Tring.

And then off home where we left the men to watch rugby -Wales against Argentina.    Patrick comes from Wales so he was keen to support Wales.   Donna and I went off to Hemel Hempstead for some shopping therapy.  Everyone was happy.    New Zealand won their game.  And Wales too.  I must not forget that.