RafflesTravels

After a hectic previous day which involved a sporting concussion and some time in our wonderful NHS, I was advised to take a couple of days off work to recover.  That same evening, I was determined not to miss a delightful Ash Wednesday service, with only lower voices, which my son F was part of. It was a calm finish to a crazy day. I also had to attend as I need to be close to my wife in case I had any further issues from my head injury. The morning was glorious and I was keen to get some sun. Where better to start the recuperation than a slow cycle through Battersea Park to the iconic Battersea Power Station.  As I entered the well maintained and modern surrounds of the Powerstation, I was greeted with a group exercising to loud music in the Bear Grylls workout centre. My sore head made me wince at the site. I began my time here lapping up the sun on the old “Coal Jetty” where 240 tonnes of coal was delivered per hour during the power station's heyday of doing what it w...

A call came in from Mrs R that my daughter had forgotten her white ankle socks and that if I did not get them to her school then she would get a uniform point against her. I deliberated for a second about how minor this was, but the reaction of my wife and daughter to not doing it forced my hand. So off I went with socks in hand to Putney via my trusty bike.  After delivering the socks I needed to make it somewhere in time to take a work call - where better than the V&A! Great WiFi. After doing my thing, I had a bit of free time and so strode over to the Great Cast Courts section - the original Victorian place to go, where the world was brought to you. Cast Courts, for those that do not know, contain cast and electrotype (cast injected with bronze) copies of many of the great artworks and architecture from around the world. For Victorians they were the height of modernity. They were open in 1873 at the V&A. They gave access to great works at a time where it was difficult to...

Welcome readers to my first RafflesTravels experience which I will use to share knowledge and experiences with fellow travellers. On a grey Saturday morning I was tasked with marking my sons attempt at a History GCSE paper. One of the questions was around Elisabethan exploration. This simple question opened up a world of facts about Queen Elisabeth and the so called “Golden Age”. With a healthy mark achieved in the test, a renewed exuberance for English history, and a bit of free time before F’s science tutor, I was determined to use the time wisely. Confidently, I demanded that it would be a good idea to solidify F’s knowledge by a quick trip to the National Portrait Gallery. Reluctantly, F agreed, knowing that it is never quick going to central London on a Saturday afternoon. Gaming was the sacrifice. After a brisk 5km walk from Hyde Park Corner, we reached our destination. We snuck in via the cafe entrance avoiding the queue at the main entrance. Feeling smug, we went straight to th...