This year I decided not to spend my summer holiday in Estonia, instead I travelled to France and England to explore a few new places. In Northern France I visited Verdun, Villers-Bretonneux and Amiens; historic places from World War One that I remember learning about at school. I paid my respects at the Australian National Memorial, the site where over 10,000 Australian soldiers are either buried or commemorated. Sadly so many young men lost their lives in this area during WWI.
Next I caught the ferry over to England and visited Oxford, Bournmouth, Salisbury and the Cadbury's World of Chocolate museum in Birmingham. One of the highlights of my holiday was the trip to Highclere Castle, the filming location of the hit TV show Downton Abbey. Over the years I have really enjoyed watching this series and was sad when it ended. Highclere Castle has been open to the public for decades but its popularity has increased in recent years due to the success of the show. The summer season tickets were completely sold out when I looked online but luckily I was advised tickets are also available at the gate if you arrive early. So I did. Unfortunately photography was not permitted inside the building but I did have a good look around and took a stroll through the grounds afterwards. It was well worth the visit!
Yesterday I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Growing up in Australia she was a fixture in our lives; her image was everywhere and her speeches always inspired and instilled confidence. The Queen dedicated her life to service and will be dearly missed. It is the end of an era. Puhka rahus.