Day 17, 18 & 19: SCOTLAND

Tim and I went to Edinburgh over the weekend. We LOVE it there! Here is the organ in a local church there. It was a very modern design that was put in a very old gothic cathedral. It was beautiful!

A view of the arches and old stone holding still holding the building up.

The ceiling was very detailed. The only lighting in the church was a few lamps that were powered by generators. They didn't dare run wires through the ornate detailing.

This is where the Queen lives on the weekends. I would like my second home to look like this!

Architecture+Design!! This sign speaks truth. There is an amazing amount an variety of architcture and design in Scotland. From 800 year old buildings to the modern city building, design is incorporated in all city planning.

The green engulfs you! Aw, so gorgeous. This is a glimps of the castle from a graveyard.

A sample of the great architecture. The windows on this building are amazing. The glass is all etched, as opposed to stained with color, this refracts the light in a graceful way.

A shot down the Royal Mile. What a cobble city street may have looked like hundreds of years ago.

A great piece of art we found stuck away in a castle ruin.

Every lady wears a hat to big events. I thought this purple hat looked quite lovely on me!

We saw a real Scotsman playing a real Scotish jig with real bagpipes, in Scotland! Ya can't get more Scotish than that folks! Diddly dee....

Day 16: Architectural Association and Kew Gardens

This was a model we saw at the Architectural Association that a student had built. As you walked through the model, each circle has pictures the gave details and pictures to better portray the project goals and ideas. It was amazing!

Another student project. This used cardboard to portray an idea. I love the different use of texture and pattern and how it creates a piece of art.

The Japaneese garden at Kew. This was one of my favorite spots. So serene!

This plant attacked me. I barely escaped alive!! There are some very interesting flowers and plants. This is one of the scarier ones. Check out my flower blog to see more!

Day 15: St. Paul's Cathedral

Susan sitting on the famous steps of St. Paul's Cathedral. The same steps you see in Mary Poppins!!

A close-up of the columns on St. Paul's. The magnitude of the building is so great! The inside was magnificent. We climbed the 500+ steps to the very top. It was a gorgeous view.

A constable patroling the streets on her beautiful horse. What a perfect job! We also liked the bold colors of the Ted Baker store in the background.

Look at the great colors and patterns of these toasters. If these were energy efficient, it would be a great way to market them to the public.

Day 14: Hampton Court
Welcome to the beautiful Hampton Court!

I love these chimney's! Each one has a different and unique pattern! There were hundreds to be found on this one castle. They add a lot of character. Beautiful!

The entrance ceiling is beautiful. It was carved from stone and has lasted through the wear and tear of nature very well.

This was the banister leading up to the prisoner rooms of the castle. I think it has a fun and funky design.

Sidenotes: Check This Out!!!
There are fabulous things everywhere you look! Here are things I like to look at while wandering around Europe....

Flowers!
http://susan-london.blogspot.com/

Shoes!
http://susan-shoes.blogspot.com

Doors!
http://susan-doors.blogspot.com

DAY 12: Kent and Leeds Castle

This was the most amazing and beautiful place we have been to!

This was the floor pattern of a grotto placed in the center of a maze.
Wouldn't it make an icredible tile pattern in one of my designs!

















The maze that we toiled through to find the amazing grotto. Hint: follow the kids...they know the way!

The yellow drawing room in Leeds castle was amazing!
This detailing was my favorite part of the room.



















The Library was one of my favorite rooms.
All the books were categorized by color...it was very pretty.



















The queens bathtub!
How would you like to take a bubble bath in this little tub!!



















A corner of a bedroom....what a quiant little grouping.

Beautiful green gardens and paths lead to the Castle.

A beautiful day. The sky and the reflection look like they are straight out of a painting!

A little cottage and a lovely garden. We ate a picnic lunch here and watched epople make-out!



















A courtyard in the center of the castle. I love this tower -- the mix of materials is very appealing.

Day 11: Portobello Road

Lamps hung made a big statement and added some class to a busy market street. I love how big the are!

There are not many garbage cans on the side of the road. Usually people take care of their rubbish -- the streets are really clean. But here the rubbish just started stacking up!



















This statue started smoking when I walked by...dun dun dun!



















A pink limo...'nuf said.

Day Nine
Today we visited Blenheim Palace and Oxford.

This is the gold leafed gate. What a lovely entrance...to the pasture!!!!! Wow.

These columns create a beautiful curve!

The shrubs are perfectly manicured into artistic swirls.

Day 10
OYO! Holly, Tim and I ventured off to Cambridge today. We took a two hour walking tour of the city. We learned all about Cambridge University and the colleges within, we saw Pembroke college and the Christopher Wren church house there. We loved seeing the school and loved our funny tour guide! We took a 45 minute punting tour also! We just laid back on blankets and pillows and enjoyed the river! It was a great day...one of my favorite spots so far!
We decided to climb a tower in one of the smaller churches here. This is us taking a time out on our way up the tiny spiral staircase.