Flying out of
Aeroporto Internazionale Leonardo da Vinci di Fiumicino
in Rome, on the always comfortable British Airways, we enjoyed again
the unique way Italy accommodates the disabled and their equipment; like
many airports we've used, there are often terminals that are too far
from a lift for Em's powerchair to be gate-checked, and this was the
case here. However, their staff in bright yellow shirts- mostly early
20's, customarily attractive Romans- were very good at providing a
decent airport wheelchair and assistance in pushing to the gate. As we
had more than an hour before boarding, they let us go over to the fairly
nice cafe in Terminal 5 (for security-sensitive flights to the US and
Israel only, evidently...) and have our last Italian pizzas, albeit in
the airport.
Gosh, and guess who was on our flight...?
Ralph Fiennes, the English Patient himself!
We landed in London Heathrow a few hours later, and made our way (wheelchairs fully intact!) to the Sofitel
airport hotel in Terminal 5- a stylish, Spartan affair that proved
convenient, relatively inexpensive and very accessible. We freshened up,
and then caught the Underground right there at the airport to Green
Park, on the Piccadilly line. In preparation for the Olympic and
Paralympic games, many improvements have been made both in
infrastructure and signage: with a little prep and forethought, and some
walking, the Underground was just fine for Em's power chair. And also,
it seems, for the fellow in Native American regalia on the Tube with
us...
Back on the streets, we wandered east through Trafalgar Square and
Piccadilly Circus- a very apt name. The streets that make up that highly
tourist-trap-ridden area were packed with what I call Zombie Tourists:
shuffling along, semi-dazed by the overstimuli, no common sense...
We pushed through to Covent Garden, a quieter area with offices and
small businesses, including a recently opened restaurant cluster
featuring Jamie Oliver's (the Naked Chef, ladies?)
Union Jacks diner...
Making our way through the wood-grilled sausage & bacon, with house
ale and sage mustard; roasted baby beets smothered in Westcombe curd and
smoked seeds; the Woodman flatbread with mixed field & wild mushrooms, Westcombe Cheddar, red onion, tarragon & chervil; and a salad of heritage tomatoes, shallots and a tarragon & apple balsamic dressing...
I had a cocktail called the British Storm, with Pusser's Admiralty Rum,
our dandelion & burdock- chunky but delicious! We rounded out the
meal with Sticky Toffee Pudding ice cream- a true British delight! We
HIGHLY recommend this place as authentic, tasty and a good value for a
weary pair of travelers...
Off to Essex in the morning, with Em's parents and family Friend Katie, in our rented accessible Mercedes Sprinter van, from
Wheelchair Travel,
a nice family-run group. We motored up the M25 and onto the A-roads,
enjoying the unfamiliar radio broadcasts from the BBC and the vaguely
familiar vehicles one the road, from Vauxhalls, Peugoets...
When is the US going to get it's act together and start stocking 2 liter bottles of hard cider like
Frosty Jack's on our nation's grocery shelves? Not a bad semi-scumpy...
The Abbot Ale and the IPA- both brewed in Bury St. Edmund by
Greene King- are drinkable; the first is a malty smooth beer with a fair amount of mouthfeel, while the IPA is distinctly British with its subdued hops and mild body. The
Old Peculier, from the Theakston brewery in Yorkshire, has more of a kick and a lighter presence, along with slightly more carbonation. Very good brews...
If you can find it, the
Black Sheep Ale, also a Yorkshire beer, is very nice, with light caramel and smokiness, while still a traditional British beer best served at cellar temperature in a clean, room-temp glass.
This is a drink one finds only in the UK-
Pimm's is a gin-based liquor that is served with British lemonade, mint, cucumber, orange slice (any little fruit cocktail will do, really, including cherries and kiwis) over ice...
very refreshing, and at 25% alcohol by volume, a good session drink on the back patio with a book in the English sunshine!
My
favorite from this trip:
Landlord -from Timothy Taylor's, the West Yorkshire brewing company- may well be the best pale ale I've ever had, with a balanced flavor that crisply translates the clean flavor of hops and barley. Excellent.
Even though it was cheaper than the store-brand cider at Tesco's in the little village of Tiptree, the
Crofter's cider is very drinkable, and familiar enough in flavor for the uninitiated cider drinker from across the pond (not me, obviously, but hey...).
Crabbie's, a ginger beer with 4% ABV, is a fun summer drink not readily available in the States- I highly recommend you buy the full-pint bottles in the 4-pack and spend the afternoon imbibing in the shade! Lastly, the
Bombardier, the English equivalent to Pabst's, in my opinion...
The view from the back patio...
A British feast, with quiche, brown bread,
Branston Pickle (if you don't know, then you haven't lived...) Scotch eggs, sausage rolls, cheese, cheese, cheese...
Local chaps playing cricket...
Seared Pidgeon breast with fried quail egg, spring peas and garlic croutons, at the local pub in Great Totham,
The Bull.
On Saturday the 21st of July, we went up the road to the town of Braintree, to
Cressing Temple Barns, where the
2nd Annual Food and Drink Festival was held.Hundreds of purveyors of local products from eggs to breads, sweets to sausages, ciders and beer to sauces and dips, gathered in the stately grounds to share their wares... Very accessible, fun and inexpensive- a must for any foodie in the area!
The dark ale was a good 'un...
Every building had ramps to accommodate wheelers...
While I did not get to try the sausages labeled "faggots", I can recommend the pork with hops, and the wild mushroom sausage...
Tony Hopkins, the head butcher from the Farm 2 Table meat shop in Writtle, Essex, demonstrated how to remove choice and unusual cuts from a butchered lamb. Very interesting, and not something our delicate foodies in the States often broach!
"Sausage Tree..."
Earlier in the week, we had a lovely supper (steak and ale pie, yippee!!) in the village of Writtle, at the
Rose & Crown pub, followed by drinks and traditional British Isle music that the locals play late into the evening at the
Wheatsheaf just down the lane (I recommend the
Drop of Nelson's Blood ale, a local beer brewed by Farmer's Ales in Maldon). By the way, most villages have a Prince of Wales, or Rose & Crown, and certainly Wheatsheafs abound in the farming country of Essex!
ON our last Sunday, we drove into London (NOT recommended...) to visit my friend Chris and walk around a bit in the Backside area...
This book sale happens EVERY DAY!!!!!
The Millennium walking bridge acorss the Thames River...
The Tate Modern Art Museum...
Our fortnight or so in England was filled with family and friends, foods
exotic and traditional, all in a setting that, rain or shine, proved
that England is one of our favorite places. We highly recommend you
visit the Essex area- you can even stay in the tastefully
converted barn
we rented for the week- and enjoy all that Mother England has to offer.
Thanks for following us, and look out for our next blog... South Korea, anybody?! :)
