Churchill – WrAnTz

If you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?

On first read of this question my mind went straight to the typical historic and celebrity figures.

Most of my historic choices like, Ghandi, JFK, Churchill etc. are dead. So that would be a very macabre setting indeed. But I’m guessing the food and drinks bill would be cheap. Given the journey they themselves took through some of the most turbulent times in our history. I wonder what they would make of the world that we now live in.

As for the celebrity option, I would lean towards those of a musical bent. No deep philosophical thinking is required. Dinner with the likes of David Bowie, Jeff Beck, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Manitas de Plata, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and the list goes on, and on, and on. What tales they could tell. What a dinner party that would be. No after dinner speeches, just a huge musical jam. What a blast that would be.

But, descending rapidly back to planet earth and reality. When all is said and done, I would truly only want to invite my friends and family. Historic and celebrity figures don’t know me, they would only be there because I asked. Friends and family would be there because they want to be there. They are the people who I feel most comfortable with. The ones who know my back story, who truly know me. The ones who will come back time and again.

Earlier in the year, we had the rellies over from Oz. During their stay we traveled up to visit Blenheim Palace, stayed overnight in Woodstock and did a small vaguely Downton Abbey related tour of the locale. The following are a few photo’s taken over the weekend.

Winston Churchill - No visit to Blenheim is complete without an acknowledgement to the great man himself. — Blenheim Palace – Winston Churchill – No visit to Blenheim is complete without an acknowledgement to the great man himself.

Blenheim1 — Blenheim Palace – Water Gardens

Blenheim2 — Blenheim Palace – Main Entrance

Blenheim3 — Blenheim Palace – The view below the Water Gardens

Blenheim4 — Blenheim Palace – Tranquility

Blenheim5 — Blenheim Palace – Rose Gardens, a blousy pink.

Blenheim6 — Blenheim Palace – Rose Gardens, I can still smell the scent.

Blenheim7 — Blenheim Palace – Rose Gardens, a luscious red, which is just how I like my wine.

Blenheim9 — Blenheim Palace – Rose Gardens, for shear exuberance. Reminds me of the Can Can

Blenheim10 — Blenheim Palace – towering, or is that lurking, above The Boat House

Blenheim11 — Blenheim Palace – Hidden Treasure

Blenheim13 — Blenheim Palace – view of the lake, from The Boat House

Blenheim14 — Blenheim Palace – Butterfly House, resident.

Blenheim15 — Blenheim Palace – Butterfly House, fancy some fruit ?

Blenheim16 — Blenheim Palace – Butterfly House, cheeky chappy.

Blenheim17 — Blenheim Palace – Butterfly House, this cheeky chappy followed us around and harangued us from every perch.

Bampton

Bampton in Oxfordshire is the “real” name of Downton, a name familiar with all Downton Abbey fans. As one would expect the real thing looks very different to the images presented on screen.

Bampton - Church View - Apparently No. 2 gets quite a makeover to become a pub in the series. — Bampton – Church View – Apparently No. 2 gets quite a makeover to become a pub in the series.

Bampton - Church View - A real cottage garden. — Bampton – Church View – A real cottage garden.

Bampton - The old Grammar School building, which now houses Bampton Community Archive, served as ‘Downton’ hospital. Unfortunately closed when we were there. — Bampton – The old Grammar School building, which now houses Bampton Community Archive, served as ‘Downton’ hospital. Unfortunately closed when we were there.

Bampton - St Mary’s Church, renamed for the series as St Michael and All Angels — Bampton – St Mary’s Church, renamed for the series as St Michael and All Angels

Burford

Burford is a small town on the River Windrush in the Cotswold hills in west Oxfordshire, England, about 18 miles west of Oxford, 22 miles southeast of Cheltenham and only about 2 miles from the Gloucestershire boundary.