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SCHOOL UNIFORM DATES BACK 460 YEARS

By guest blogger David Ellis

THERE’S a school in England that to maintain traditions dating back to when it began caring for children of the “fatherless and poor” over 460 years ago, still outfits its pupils today in the uniforms of all those years back.

Christ’s Hospital School pupils have worn the same Tudor-era uniform for over 460 years. (Christ’s Hospital School)

And it still provides a free education to children of families in need, having been founded at the instigation of a young King Edward VI after listening to an impassioned sermon about those “fatherless and poor” delivered by the Bishop of London in early 1552.

Edward rallied around him prominent church and business leaders and wealthier private citizens, and in November of 1552 declared open Christ’s Hospital School in empty State buildings he gave in Newgate Street London.

Within a year over 500 pupils had enrolled, and Edward himself as Patron signed a Royal Charter the following year giving the school royal recognition and assistance.

Sadly, he was to die of tuberculosis just eleven days later, never to see all the good he was to help create, and in 1666 most of the school’s buildings were destroyed in The Great Fire of London, but no lives were lost.

                                                 Pupils march to lunch in the school’s dining hall. (Christ’s Hospital School)

Christ’s Hospital School today is located near Horsham 70km south of London, and has a near-900 boarding and day pupils, with a good proportion attending on bursaries and scholarships provided by wealthy modern-day donors to cover the costs of their education, board, travel, uniforms, sportswear, and even weekly pocket money.

By contrast, for parents able to pay for their children to board at the school it costs around the equivalent of AU$20,000 per child for each of the three annual terms, and for day pupils up to AU$13,500 per term.

And the school uniform still consists of a long blue coat, matching knee breeches for boys and skirts for girls, yellow socks, and a white neck band from the Tudor era all those years ago.

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NORWAY

The highs and lows of Norway

Aside from the magnificent scenery of mountainous landscapes and silky smooth fjords, there are trains to take, boats to sail and amazing aspects of Viking heritage to be had in this small but big-on-experience country.

Norway is currently one of the richest countries in the world, and it’s brushing up on its hospitality. Visitor numbers to this divine Nordic country are growing rapidly every year, and for many reasons! The scenery, the myths and legends, the amazing cruises, the books and TV shows that have exposed a dark side of criminal fiction, the emerging gourmet foodie scene and the famed Northern Lights.
You can find mountains, glaciers and deep coastal fjords not too far away from the capital city of Oslo. What was once a rather traditional and conservative city, Oslo is now known for its extraordinary architecture. Over the past couple of decades, monumental structures have changed the skyline of the city and given it a splendid modern edge. For example, the Oslo Opera House (below) sits by the harbour and its angles give the appearance of a building rising from the water. Pur Nork is a cool design shop selling original curiosities and high quality design items, and in the new borough of Tjuvholmen you can see modern architecture adding interest to the varied precincts of Oslo.

Galleries, theatres and cultural pursuits in the city are many, and a special treat is to visit Oslo’s Viking Ship Museum. There are three mighty ships here, all named after their place of discovery: Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune, the most impressive and ostentatious of which is the Oseberg. The burial chamber beneath where it was found held the largest collection of Viking-age artefacts ever uncovered in Scandinavia.
And the food. There is the greatest variety of quality food to be had in and around Oslo, catering for all budgets and all tastes. Norway is an expensive country for travel, so pick your restaurants carefully and when you go for the big splurge, the Michelin-starred Maaemo has its welcome mat out. This is a beautifully minimalist restaurant with an elegant décor. The food is sourced locally and a team of chefs work as artists to present amazing food in a totally modern setting.
Other restaurants and cafes can be found in what were pompous bank and insurance buildings that have now come to life as foodie hubs. Asian food is popular, and with Oslo’s close proximity to the sea, lots of Japanese food is to be had. Try Alex Sushi and Hanami for exquisite seafood.

In a large warehouse on the edge of the Oslo port is Vippa, which is the city’s newest and hippest food, culture and music center. On Thursday’s through to Sunday, food trucks offer a diverse range of cuisines accompanied by a DJ or live music. This is the place to witness the sunset in the Oslo fjord.

Beautiful Bergen

Another wonderful city in Norway is Bergen, the capital of the fjords! Bergen sounds, feels and tastes like nowhere else. Fresh seafood and many other local delicacies are part of the vibrant café, museum and gallery scene.
The streets of this pretty city are lined with wooden houses and fairytale cottages, with the dramatic backdrop of the seven mountains behind it. The medieval Hanseatic wharf of Bryggen, with its 60 historic buildings in succession is on the UNESCO World heritage list, and dates back to the 12^th century.

Bergen is the starting point for cruises to the dramatic Sognefjord.Taking a cruise in Norway is an unforgettable experience.
Norway’s most popular fjord tour is Norway in a Nutshell, which is available all year round, takes about nine hours and moves you through some of the most stunning landscapes in Fjord Norway. The trip comprises a fjord tour, the Bergen Railway and the Flam Railway, and is one of Norway’s most popular round trips.

Norway in a Nutshell starts from the railway station in Bergen with a trip on the beautiful Bergen Railway from Bergen to Voss. Bergen Railway is the highest altitude railway in Northern Europe, and around 100km of the line runs through wild mountain terrain.

At the railway station in Voss, you will take a bus, and the trip continues to Gudvangen. In summer, the bus goes via the Stalheimskleiva hairpin bends, the 1.5km stretch of road that winds its way down the Nærøydalen valley from Stalheim.

Once you have arrived in Gudvangen innermost in the Nærøyfjord, you embark on a boat that will take you to Flåm. The Nærøyfjord is one of the narrowest fjords in Europe, and the trip to Flåm takes around 2 1/2 hours.

Flam (pronounced Flom) is an incredibly pretty town that is a UNESCO World Heritage listed habitat. The community here incorporates a handful of riches: one of Norway's top attractions, the Flam Railway; the Flam Railway Museum; the historic Fretheim Hotel; the boutique Heimly guest house; the Toget restaurant and cafe; the Fjords Ferry Company and Aurland Shoe Factory (selling rather spiffy, bespoke penny loafers).

From Flåm, the trip continues on the Flåm Railway, one of the steepest normal gauge railways in the world, and the 20km-long train ride is a fantastic journey that offers panoramic views of some of the wildest and most magnificent mountain scenery Norway has to offer, including the famous Kjosfossen waterfall. The train ride lasts for roughly an hour.

At Myrdal station, you change trains to the Bergen Railway for the trip back to Bergen.

You can then take a bus from Bergen to catch a local ferry and cruise the Geirangerfjord to the end of the line. The wonderful deep water Geirangerfjord is a fjord in the Sunnmore region of More og Romsdal county and is a 15 km-long branch off the Sunnylvsfjorden. The tiny village of Geiranger is at the end of the trip, and it is from here you can catch a ride to Trondheim, a lovely medieval seaside city. The end of the season, mid September- October is a good time to make this trip, as it is quiet with not many people around. It is a relaxed cruise with just a few passengers and a crew who are ready to take a break. The waterfalls, still in full roaring flight, all have names and stories, and way, way up on top of the cliffs there is evidence of modest farms. These holdings are now deserted, and the Norse Gods would be the only ones who could tell how they were built and how the hardy farmers raised goats, farmyard animals, birds and children. The story goes, and it must be true, that children were tethered safely so they didn't fall down the sides of these mighty crystalline rock walls that nature has given the appearance of a location for a gruesome fairytale.
The ferries here are stealthy and run quietly across the glassy waters of the world's grandest fjords - nature's finest.
When Norway is on your travel ticket, make sure you indulge yourself on the Flam Railway, stay in Flam and try to cruise all the extraordinary, stupendous fjords.

Visit: www.visitflam.com
Words by Bev Malzard https://travelgaltravels.com

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In praise of cheeses

Not one to generalise but to me Spain is a pretty macho country. So to meet a revered (by her male colleagues) female cheese maker was not only a delight but extremely (extrema) educational. After a long lunch that almost overlapped dinner in Trujillo, one of the medieval towns of the Extremadura region, we took a gentle, digestive stroll around the square then to bed to dream of more jamon! We hadn't reached the realm of cheese yet. So, on to a cheese factory next day that was a filling, fun, fulfilling experience. We are heading to the World Heritage city, Caceres, and making a pre emptive strike for cheese beforehand at Casar de Caceres to watch the process of making a local, legendary cheese called Torta del Casar. 

Because of import laws in Australia we can’t get this raw milk cheese to eat! So here we were ready to see how this slice of heaven is made and by whom.

Only two brands of this cheese is made in Spain. Happy sheep send their milk here and the 72 hour process of turning milk into a raw milk, unpasturised cheese begins – and it’s all down to step-by-step tradition, a clean and perfectly timed process and all at the hand of the master (mistress) cheesemaker – Narcisia Municio. Narcisia (above) is a rarity in the business and one of a handful of female cheesemakers. And what cheese she makes.
We tried the end product and if a little tear of pleasure was spilt – I’m not ashamed.

Blessed are the cheesemakers . . .

Visit: www.spain.info

and the writer Bev Malzard was a guest of the Spain Tourism Board.

Quirky Facts about British Food

1.           There’s a pub in Britain that holds two Michelin stars

Pub food at Michelin star level? SHOCKING. After we all saw the film ‘burnt’ starring everyone’s favourite Bradley Cooper, it gave us a glimpse into the immense amount of pressure that is involved in becoming a Michelin star restaurant. Britain’s Pub The Sportsman located in Kent, Southeast England, has managed to achieve just that. The hyper-local ingredients take pride in provenance to a new level. With vegetables from the garden, and pork and lamb from the farms next door, you’d be crazy not to taste the finest quality pub food in history.

2.           Afternoon Tea was known as ‘Scandal Water’ in the 19^th Century

It may have been the 19^th Century, however some things just don’t change. Getting your girlfriends together and spending a few hours gossiping over a cup of English breakfast tea used to be referred to as ‘Scandal Water’. As time went on it was referred to as afternoon tea. What better way to catch up on the latest goss whilst sipping on a fragrant cuppa and nibbling on the daintiest little sweet treats. You can take a sip of ‘scandal water’ at super cool hotel The London EDITION, where the specialised tea pairs with different sweet or savory dishes.

3.           Kate Moss makes an exception to her rule “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”… only because she’s in her hometown.

That’s right everyone, Kate Moss does eat! The English born supermodel helped launch a fish and chip bar, with the help of good friends Anna Wintour and Lindsey Lohan. Sexy Fish, located in London provides a theatrical atmosphere, with interior best described as mid century glamour and Europe’s largest Japanese Whiskey collection. Sexy Fish is just one of Britain’s many stylish and delicious Chinese and pan-Asian restaurants. For Michelin-starred Chinese try Hakkasan Hanway Place, you’d be crazy not to try its Peking duck with caviar, and grilled wagyu with king soy sauce.

4.           Despite myths, the Brits do eat more than Cornish Pastries.  

From vegan to Halal, Britain has a wealth of restaurants, cafés and bars that cater for everyone. A common misconception made by many is that Britain is extremely limited in their cuisine options, however we have proven this to be incorrect. For your finest organic food being healthy, ethical and flavoursome try Kitch, Canterbury, southeast England. Those looking for a Vegetarian experience should make their way to Primrose Hill. While Primrose Hill hosts Britain’s largest selection of vegetarian restaurants, you can’t go past Manna, the capital city’s oldest Vegetarian restaurant. With a menu that has been fine-tuned over the years, dishes will take you on a round-the-world trip without having to leave your table (and for a slither of the price).

5.       There are more than 700 cheeses produced in Britain.

Britain’s love of cheese is thought to date back to Roman times and was even mentioned in a book dated back to 1086, written for King William the Conqueror. According to The British Cheese Board,  (yes there’s a Board dedicated to cheese – where do I sign up?) today there are more than 700 different cheeses produced in the UK, including several varieties of Cheddar, Caerphilly, Double Gloucester plus all the delicious varieties. You’ll be rolling around Britain like a cheese wheel! 

6.           Love Oysters? There is an entire festival dedicated to the seafood itself.

If you’re after fresh fish Selsey and Shoreham in West Sussex are your go-to areas. With two of the few remaining fishing fleets on the south coast, you won’t get fresher fish anywhere! Lovers, you heard it here first - if you’re looking to shake things up and love oysters, you cannot go past the Whitstable Oyster Festival that takes place every summer and takes over the town…Did someone say “aphrodisiac”?

7.           Think of your two favourite foods. Now combine them together. Chocolate and booze you say? #STOPIT

Chocolate is thought to have come to Britain from Europe in the 17th century and started being sold in London’s elite chocolate houses first as a luxury drink. Combining chocolate and alcohol – absolute genius! The British didn’t stop there, they took it one step further and have integrated it into a number of meals – to taste-test, head to Cocoa Ooze in Aberdeen and order a chocolate taco! How did we not think of this sooner?

8.           Britain holds the smallest pub on the planet

This may have not been a major surprise to you…. But you will be shocked at just HOW small The Signal Box Inn actually is. This tiny timber structure is a former railway signal box. You read correctly. As the ultimate mini-bar, it can seat just four customers plus two standing at an absolute squeeze. Despite the diminutive size, it serves a large choice of cask ales, lager, bitter, spirits, wine and cider, an absolute must go to British pub! After a few drinks you’ll get very friendly with the other patrons, no doubt!

For your chance to try any of the above classics, book your holiday NOW to Britain through STA Travel. Lay-by your flights for just $99 – your stomach will be thanking you for it.

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To book your next adventure, visit an STA Travel store, www.statravel.com.au or call 134 782.