Hardy's Candy store - Step back in time

Hardy's Candy Store:  London

I thought I had walked through the looking glass into a time in London that I have only read about or seen in movies.    No, it was Hardy's just down the street from St. Pauls.

After reading all of the Harry Potter stories I thought I had arrived at Honeydukes sweet shop.   They  did not carry Bertie Bott's Every flavour beans or chocolate Frogs or even exploting bon bons but they did have an endless selection of  sweets that have a long history in the UK



                                                                                    

I entered to take a look and stayed to learn about the many, many candies.   some are recreations from by gone eras and many are sweets I have never heard of. while browsing or gaping at the selection several patrons entered in business suits and ordered a bag of their favorite.  Was it for a child at home or was it for a snack on the train…… So much to choose from.   You could ask for any type of jelly, toffee, or sweet that you wished and the delightful candy lady knew exactly what jar to find them in.  The colors were dazzling. When I return to London I shall have to try several with the strangest names….

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I entered to take a look and stayed to learn about the many, many candies.   some are recreations from by gone eras and many are sweets I have never heard of.
while browsing or gaping at the selection several patrons entered in business suits and ordered a bag of their favorite.  Was it for a child at home or was it for a snack on the train……

So much to choose from.   You could ask for any type of jelly, toffee, or sweet that you wished and the delightful candy lady knew exactly what jar to find them in.  The colors were dazzling.


When I return to London I shall have to try several with the strangest names….

Meeting kind Locals: The Heart Lady

                                                                                                                                                                      

Small Towns Have Great People!
Often I pass the monuments and museums for hours of walking the streets of a small town or city.
If I were at home I would never speak to a stranger in a shop or market but as a traveler I ask questions, inquire about life in their town and generally become annoying.
Today I am in a town of only 1,100.  That is about the size of the subdivision I live in.

This tranquil location overlooks a lake or perhaps it is the end of the fiord.  While hiking I was startled to hear birding in the fields and trees on both sides of the road.   Living in a city or large town you can forget there are sounds that do not emanate from a machine.


Today I met the HEART LADY

At the start of my hike I passed one of the only shops open since the vacation season does not start for a few weeks.  And with climate changes ever stop on this trip has been abnormally cold.    This art store is almost a co op with other local artists having products displayed but the predominant products are pottery.    

What caught my eye immediately was the hear theme throughout her work.

Gallery Ulvik in Ulvik Norway is the showcase for Ingvild Seljiseth Winters work, or the Heart Lady.
ingvild.winters@gmail.com.      There are hand knit items, jewelry, glass ornaments, paintings and many clay pieces.    It was difficult to choose what I would take home as a treasure and after selecting a ‘knitted’ wire bracelet I left for my hike.   But shopping is like hunting, you don’t want to think of the one that got away.

So on my return to town I stopped in again to pick up my heart mug.   Now I can think of Ulvik with morning coffee

Travel Warrior Taking a Ride

I hate the word cruising…… it has all the connotations you expect,  non stop eating, dressing up for dinner, bragging about the NUBMER of cruises you have taken not the unusual experiences.

I like to think of this as water transportation…… I can visit 7 countries in 1/5 the time by train or plane and not have to worry about the travel connections or dragging a suitcase behind me.

  So I keep a low profile and try to blend into the crowd of two by twos……

Yesterday there was a lunch for all the solo travelers……..what a shock………………
1.  we are all OLD
2.  mostly female
3.  talk too much
4.  not very interested in each other

Perhaps this is why we all solo travel.  I had hoped to ask that question to this group but never got beyond hello and listening to each of them speak…..

Things I do Like:
multiple computer classes offered at no cost
few children on board
kindness of the crew (so far)
excellent food, a BIG surprise after the bland selection offered by larger ships

Some Challenges
washing the deck at 5 am and splashing the windows of my room ……
getting up at 5 am
waiting until 9 pm to eat dinner so the other diners do not sit there with such pity for me on their faces
having the waiter yell at the top of his voice ‘you are alone’   while I reply  ‘yes, and glad about it’
8 formal nights
wearing the same thing every 3 days,   truly depressing


The adventure has just begun and it shall be great!