Waddesdon Manor

One of the 42 manors owned by the Rothschild family, Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1957.  In it contains an exquisite collection of French furniture, decorative arts and paintings.  The Meissen as well as Sevres porcelain collections were spectacular.  Nearly all the rooms had at least one extremely ornate clock.  In all, the treasures housed in this manor illustrate the impeccable taste of the Rothschild dynasty.

Waddesdon Manor

The Aviary

The "olde worlde" pub - The Crown - where we stopped for lunch.

Food: 1 out of 5.  Service: 2 out of 5. Heating: 0 out of 5.

Arundel Castle

My first outing on home soil, on a breezy and bright spring day, was to Arundel Castle at West Sussex.  This magnificent architecture in Gothic style was matched by the grandeur of the finely preserved interior, exquisite furniture, and an excellent collection of paintings including three beautiful pieces by one of my favourite painters Canaletto.  Alas, photography was not allowed inside the Castle.

The Castle grounds

Sweeping view of the South Downs from The Keep

The Collector Earl's Garden

All the garden furniture is made in wood

Goodbye Kansas

This is my last blog about Kansas.

Kansas has been such a unique experience.  The people that I have met have all touched my heart in one way or another.  The place that I spent the last 6 months was basking in the warmth of a much-awaited spring on my last day, brushing away the last hint of a very harsh winter.  So harsh that for a few days in February the passenger doors of my rental car were jammed by hard ice.

A last glance, from my camera phone

A memento from Kansas

I left my heart at Chicago

This is my penultimate blog on the America that I have come to like and enjoy since September 2009. 

On 31st March, as I bid America farewell, I stepped into Chicago, armed with a CTA ticket and compliments from a charming Customer Services Assistant at Chicago O'Hare.  A wide blue sky warmly welcomed me, and a stroll along Navy Pier neatly closed this episode of my professional life.

An azure blue sky

Downtown Chicago

The Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier