Leamington Spa

Yesterday we went for a drive to Leamington Spa which is about 21 km from our casa. Babe wanted to checkout another Nikon from the London Camera Exchange (LCE). It was a lovely drive on a very cold but bright morning.

We strolled along the High Streets with its elegant Regency architecture and wide pavements.  At the LCE, Babe was like a kid let loose in a candy shop. He came out with another camera to add to his vast collection. I think we will be checking out this shop often :-).

We then checked out one of the jewels in the Leamington Spa crown, the award winning Jephson Gardens. It was named in honour of Dr Henry Jephson (1798-1878) who had helped to promote the healing properties of the town's spa waters.

This delightful Victorian oasis were dotted  with memorials to notable past citizens of the town, fountains, the usual feathered ones (ducks, swans, geese and pigeons), and an impressive collection of mature trees. We were busy snapping away.

Within the gardens was a spectacular tropical Temperate House complex with exotic plants from around the world. I just couldn't resist posing dressed as the Michelin man surrounded by tropical plants. We'd hot chocolate in the stunning Restaurant in the Park with its expansive glass walls overlooking the ornamental lake and the River Learn.

We didn't checkout the Royal Pump Rooms or the Old Town. That will be on the next visit. We checked out a few specialist shops. We had to rush home before the football fans leave the Ricoh.

Second-half goals from Leon McKenzie and Leon Best gave the Sky Blues a hard-fought but deserved victory over non-league Blue Square Premier side Kidderminster in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. Well done boys.

I spent the rest of the days dismantling the Xmas decorations, storing them away for the next time. It's seen as bad luck to keep trimmings up after Twelfth Night which is before the end of the evening of 5 January, I think. The casa looks very bare. I wonder what did I put in the first place???

Just over a week since the aerial assault began, Israel has launched a ground offensive in Gaza. This gives Palestinian militants their first chance to trade blows on a more or less equal footing with the Israeli army in the current conflict.

What seems certain is that Hamas' desire to fight in the heavily populated urban areas, and Israel's apparent willingness to prosecute its war there, could have a devastating affect on Gaza's long-suffering civilian population who have nowhere else to go. The end will be catastrophic. My prayers are for these innocent civilians.

We cannot revive the dead, nor repair the damage caused by the arrogance and megalomaniac behaviour of the protagonists of both sides.