No jo mo dhjetë in Hot town, summery in the city - 2017

I’m a tour guide and have to ensure someone has the bestest time and have the goodest memories EVAH!! So, where would I be and what memories would I hope to leave them with?

I’ve done the old tour guide thing a few times with friends who have visited. In London I always liked to take people to South Bank as it’s such an interesting area with so much history. A stop in at Gabriel’s Wharf is essential, with a mooch in the shops and Pie Minister pie for lunch. We’d see Shakespeare ‘s globe and the Tate Modern, the OXO tower (which has window panes in the shape of the word OXO to get around the anti advertising rules of the time). I’d point out Charing Cross Station which looks very much like a giant tarantula and the old Bridge supports from when the rail bridge was moved. We’d go over ALL the bridges and talk about their histories.

Outside of London we would go to Glastonbury - not the festival but the town. We would eat at Rainbows End or Blue Note Cafe and would mooch in the witchcraft and healing crystal shops. Then we would hike up Glastonbury Tor, heading up through Bove Town, past the magical trees and the cow fields. We would pop into avalon Orchard to appreciate the trees before the final Short Sharp Shock uphill to the top. We would look at the view and I would point out Wells Cathedral in the distance and (if the weather is clear enough) Cheddar Gorge. After we had spent some time, we would come back down the other way and, if the White Spring was open, we would go and visit, being respectful (unlike many other people) of the signs requesting that photos aren’t taken. We would appreciate the shrines and the feeling of peace and spirituality while in there. Afterwards we would pop into the Chalice Garden. A beautifully laid out garden of quiet reflection which houses a well in which Joseph of Arimathea allegedly filled up the Holy Chalice while on his pilgrimage. We would visit the Holy Thorns, allegedly descendents of one which grew when the aforementioned Joseph stuck his staff into the ground on Wearyall Hill. We would find all the murals and drink hot chocolate while eating cake in one of the other cafes in town.

Both are amazing place with their own personalities which I absolutely love to visit.