Conker is a shop in Totnes that sells handmade leather shoes in a myriad of colors. After poking around a bit, I decided I needed to have a pair of two-toned pink boots! Oh yes, light pink and magenta! Then…

Near the hilltop and to the right is a path to Totnes Castle dating back to the Saxons. It’s a round stone structure with a second level that allows you to walk around the perimeter atop the stone wall. It’s…

Yesterday I spent the afternoon in Totnes, a 15 minute train ride from Buckfastleigh and a 20 minute walk from the station. The walk to the town center is a beautifully wooded path along a river. The path connects to…

As I walked to the train station yesterday, most drivers that passed me on the lane smiled and waved, so did residents outside their homes–if they didn’t actually greet me with a Good morning. A man visiting from elsewhere in…

I got a glimpse of Buckfastleigh (pronounced buck-fast-lee) while riding in on the South Devon Railway. The River Dart is the centerpiece of the general area and a contributing factor to the lush landscape. Kilbury Manor, the B&B I’m staying…

I took a high speed train with the National Rail System from London into the County of Devon. The train delivered me to Totnes, a town near the southern coast. But I needed to get to Buckfastleigh, a town a…

I’m on a train, heading to Totnes–a small town in southern Devon, near the coast. From there, I’ll take a 15 minute ride on the local steam train to Buckfastleigh, where I’ll be staying at a B&B for the next…

The Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens houses a dramatic sample of butterflies.

After visiting the Temperate House at Kew Gardens, I passed by the pond where swans were tending their cygnets. I then strolled through a lovely flower garden and on to the Davies Alpine House, a small modern glass house with…

After leaving the Palace at Kew Gardens, I walked on to Rhododendron Dell, which is exactly that, a dell bursting with rhododendrons in light pink, violet and magenta. I passed by a small lake where a group of visitors were…

The Waterlily House at Kew Gardens is a small tropical greenhouse built in 1852. It showcases a variety of waterlilies, ferns, papyrus and hanging gourds. Besides the lilies themselves, I was particularly intrigued with the waterlily buds, either submerged in…

Kew Gardens, located in West London, comprises over 300 acres of land with a myriad of attractions, including numerous glass houses, gardens, a palace (a very small palace), restaurants and shops. First I visited the Palm House, a tropical rainforest…