Enjoy a beautiful sunset during a visit to Gran Canaria

Thanks to its location, the island benefits from a wonderfully warm year-round climate that’s scorching hot in the summer and pleasantly warm in the winter. So it makes a great place to visit if you’re hoping to top up your tan during the cold damp days of the British winter.

Gran Canaria is a haven for any type of relaxing holiday, including family trips, and you’ll find plenty of bustling beach resorts around the coastline that have many fun activities and watersports to enjoy. While you’re there, head to Maspalomas, a large bustling resort on the south coast, to enjoy its gorgeous beaches and nightlife. Discover the famous sand dunes, and make your way over to neighbouring Playa del Ingles for a knockout stretch of sand and a vibrant party atmosphere.

The sand dunes in Gran Canaria are known for their beauty

Whether you’re here for the beach, the sunshine, the watersports, or any one of Gran Canaria’s other star attractions, you’ll probably notice a medley of traditions and influences of the location’s distinctive culture. Despite where you can find Gan Canaria, which is closer to Africa than it is to Europe, the island is Spanish-owned. That means you can expect a pleasantly familiar Mediterranean vibe and tasty Spanish cuisine, along with various influences that have made their way over from North Africa and the Middle East.

Gran Canaria has a fascinating heritage too. Christopher Columbus arrived here in 1492 and anchored in the port town of Las Palmas, now Gran Canaria’s capital, so it’s well worth spending time exploring the city and finding out much more about its heritage as part of a day trip.

The picturesque town of Las Palmas on Gran Canaria

The post Fun in the sun in Gran Canaria appeared first on Double Barrelled Travel.

London, I will miss you… well the good bits of you anyway

But when we had a little bit more money, life was good. The cocktails, the bars, the sightseeing… it’s been fun, hasn’t it? There are parts of you that I will miss a lot. Many places can’t be replicated elsewhere no matter how hard other nations may try. There may be a British pub in Perth but it won’t be the same.

And there are parts of you I won’t miss at all. The filth, the crime, the crowds…

But what are my top 10? London, you’ll be please to know that although I could think of 10 things that I won’t miss, I thought of 11 things I will miss. I guess you’ve stolen my heart.

What I won’t miss about London

1. Need it be said? The weather. Yes, it’s a predictable number one. Just as predictable as the London weather. The weather is either drizzling, grey, drizzling or erm… grey. And it can get depressing. With the grey sky pressing down on you it even makes you feel a little claustrophobic at times. Some days I’d just long for the wide open blue sky and seeing the sun again to bring some brightness into my life.

Let’s admit it… no one comes to London for its weather

2. The mould. Hand in hand with the damp weather comes the mould. Every house we’ve lived at in London has been mouldy. At our last place, the mould even came through the wall from the bathroom into the lounge room and crept up the wall like an evil octopus’ tentacles looking to poke its spores into you. Urgh. Not hygienic at all.

This bathroom may look spotless but don’t be fooled – it was mouldy

3. Although I love a good gin and tonic, I don’t love paying £18 for one. Yes, that’s not a typo, £18. London is expensive. I guess it comes with living in a big city. But sometimes it can get a bit much. When we were dirt poor, we found it tough. I’m embarrassed to say that I once made Dave return a pack of toilet paper because he paid £7 for it and I could buy it elsewhere for £2! Every penny counted back then.

Enjoying a London cocktail at great expense

4. Speaking of expense, I won’t miss the price of transport. It is ridiculously expensive. For Dave’s weekly travel pass, where he goes four stops on the tube, he pays more than £30. And that’s a discounted rate because it’s a travel card. The London Underground has to be one of the most expensive tube systems in the world. It’s certainly the oldest which means the technology isn’t quite up to scratch. With all the delays you get from signal failures you have to wonder whether you’re getting your money’s worth.

5. Not to mention the tube is tiny. In fact, everything in London seems to be made for little people. There are a lot of small spaces. Dave often says that he’s too big for this country and I have to agree. Most of the cars in the city are two doors meaning Dave has to travel with his knees tucked under his chin.

Not just London but many places around the UK have tight spaces that were built back in the day for smaller people. This photo was taken in York.

6. Another thing that isn’t great about the tube is the crowds. If you get claustrophobic then going on a train in a pitch black tunnel 10 metres under the ground won’t be for you. Never mind that you have to face this pitch black hole with someone’s smelly armpit in your face. It brings a new meaning to the term ‘night sweats’.

7. And if you have a broken leg, are old or pregnant, you should forget getting the tube altogether. My friend was on crutches a couple of weeks ago and not one person got up for her on the tube. For a whole week. That’s 10 tube journeys without one person getting off their butt. Londoners aren’t the friendliest bunch and I won’t miss their rudeness. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t all of them. The Portuguese man in our corner deli is so sweet. But our neighbour’s kid once pissed all over our front wall and window. Our bedroom window. While we were standing outside. How old was the kid? About nine. And his mum stood there and watched.

Don’t come to London if you’re scared of crowds… because there’s a lot of ‘em

8.       Speaking of filth, Londoners have no idea about littering. They could be standing next to a bin and they’ll still throw their rubbish on the floor. I won’t miss the dirt and grime of rubbish-strewn London. I guess it’s not instilled in London kids that they should bin their rubbish. Maybe they didn’t see those horrible videos of dolphins getting caught in plastic beer ring packaging – images which still haunt me to this day.

9.        I don’t like paying for TV. For me, freeview should be just that – freeview. But in the UK you have to give £12 a month to the BBC for your TV license so you can watch the damn thing. Seeing as the BBC pays Dave his wages, this is somewhat ironic. But it’s meant to be so the BBC remains unbiased because it’s the public paying them, not the government. Hmmm… when some BBC executives got paid a £670,000 sum to leave the corporation it does leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

10.   And finally, number 10. I won’t miss the class system. It’s so evident here. You can almost tell from someone’s accent if they are from a wealthy background or not. And the first question you’ll always be asked is ‘What do you do for a living?’ It’s as if your career defines you. And once you answer you can be neatly placed into a box and the class system where you belong.

BUT ENOUGH WHINGING. I do love London and I will miss it. I will, I will, I will. And here’s why…

1. Boris Johnson as mayor! I love this guy. He’s a “bumbling buffoon” (his words, not mine) and he comes out with the most hilarious sentences in his posh boy accent that you just have to giggle. I do hope one day he’ll become prime minister but in his own words: “My chances of being PM are about as good as the chances of finding Elvis on Mars, or my being reincarnated as an olive.”

2. Speaking of great conversation, I will miss all the great conversations I’ve had at numerous dinner parties we’ve hosted. When I told my mum that I was moving to London she said to me, “Great, you’ll learn the true art of conversation.” It sounds snobby but it’s true. Londoners are so in touch with what’s going on in the world and it means that we can happily debate for hours about anything from politics to war. And we’ve had some drunken and heated conversations on some of these topics, trust me.

Our lounge room set up for yet another dinner party

3. Speaking of war and politics, the news here is great. And I’m not just saying that because my husband works at the BBC. Live reports keep you updated and rather than The Sunday Times in WA, The Sunday Times in the UK is a quality newspaper. You get real current affairs here, not just a dude babbling about someone’s cat caught up a tree. And if you haven’t heard of Jon Snow – Google him. He’s my favourite news presenter of all time. He absolutely grills his studio guests with flair. And his colourful socks are just the added sparkle.

4. Yes, London may be expensive but there are an unlimited number of things to do. In our four and a half years of living here, we’ve hardly been the same place twice. And I have a long list down to the floor of places I could still visit. It’s gonna be hard moving back to small town Perth after living in the city with so many amazing things to do and see.

The Southbank Christmas markets – just one of the many endless things to do in London

5. And just as there are an unlimited number of things to do, there are an unlimited number of pubs to visit. There’s no doubting it – British pubs are something else. No other nation can create a pub with the same atmosphere. I don’t know what it is. They are quaint, old-worldly and charming. Many of them have low ceilings and creaky floorboards, making it feel as though you’ve stepped back into the 16^th century.

London pubs are something else. This photo was taken at the Tooting Tram and Social in South London

6. Just as quaint as the British pubs is its countryside. Rolling green hills (something we don’t get much of back home in Australia) and wide open spaces with picturesque villages thrown in between. Whenever we need to escape the big smoke we head to the country. I’ll miss the British countryside and all its charm.

The UK countryside is picturesque and going there is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of London

7. Speaking of green spaces, I love London when it’s a sunny day. It’s not like Australia – everyone leaves the house and sprawls out on the green grass of the parks, letting loose their pale skin until it turns bright red. Everyone has a smile on their face and London turns into a little party town with a great festive atmosphere.

Park life – Londoners enjoying the sunshine in Green Park

8. And if you run out of beer while you’re sunning yourself, not to worry, you can head to an off-license (bottle shop in Aussie speak) and buy yourself some more. Because the shopping hours in London are awesome. Forget late night shopping, the shops are open on Oxford Street until 8pm every night. I’ll miss the flexibility this provides to my (drinking) lifestyle.

9. Ok, I may have whinged about London’s public transport previously, but it’s actually pretty awesome. You can get anywhere you need to go under the ground in a faster space of time than it takes to drive through the traffic. And if you’re out late and drunk, don’t worry. Because you can get home – at any hour. Because the buses run all night! Ok, they might be a little unsafe and smell like puke, but it means you don’t have to fork out money for an expensive cab fare. Hey, in Perth it doesn’t even matter if you’ve got the money, you can’t even get a cab because there’s none to be had. I will miss London transport (but my liver won’t).

Enjoying the quaintness of Oxford in the summertime

10. Speaking of transport, if you live in London and fancy a weekend in Paris, just hope on the Eurostar and you’ll be there in a couple of hours. Fancy sunning yourself in Dubrovnik? That’s an Easyjet flight for £50 and you’ll be there. Europe is on your doorstep. In Western Australia, we have to fly a few hours to even get out of the state. So living in London and have Europe right in front of my face has been pure paradise for my travelling spirit.

Popping over to Santorini for a holiday – just a quick EasyJet flight to Athens and then a ferry boat ride

10. But most of all, I will miss our friends. We’ve made some great friends over the past years and they’ve really made London feel like home. As I write this I’m starting to feel teary because I will really miss them, with all my heart. You can replace the scenery but what you can’t replace is true friendship.

I’ve made so many good friends in London – here I am with my friend Mags whose wedding I went to a couple of years ago. I will miss my London friends most of all

The post 10 things I will and won’t miss about London appeared first on Double Barrelled Travel.

Thousands of people flock to Edinburgh every year to appreciate what it has to offer. From the vibrant culture, including the Fringe Festival and the Military Tattoo, to the history and heritage of the city, you can guarantee you’ll find plenty of things to fill your itinerary. Edinburgh is one of those cities that’ll make sure you head back home feeling both enriched and uplifted.

Edinburgh is beautiful to explore, both it’s buildings and its scenery. This is Arthur’s Seat.

Click here to check the Travelodge website, where you will find some incredible deals ensuring your stay in the capital that won’t break the bank. Centrally located, your hotel will be a perfect base to explore the city and as it covers a fairly small surface area, you will be able to appreciate your surroundings with ease.

The quality of the attractions in Edinburgh is one of the reasons why people love visiting the city, but there are definitely some things that should be placed at the top of your to-do list once you’ve unpacked your bags and settled in.

Edinburgh Castle

You can’t really miss this fortification as it towers over the city. This vast monument of Edinburgh’s history is home to the Scottish Crown Jewels while the military history within its walls is impressive, to say the least.

Wander the castle, absorbing the history within before capturing a snapshot of this stunning landmark after nightfall, when its majestic beauty is lit up for all to see.

You can’t go to Edinburgh without visiting Edinburgh Castle, which towers over the town

Arthur’s Seat

The climb to the top of this hill may not be possible for those who are less able-bodied, but if you have the stamina to withstand the hike, it should be done because the views are unrivalled.

Starting in the city, the hike takes you through Holyrood Park before reaching the top of this extinct volcano. Don’t forget your camera – you’ll need to it for capturing the incredible panoramic vistas.

Climbing to the top of Arthur’s Seat will give you a great view over Edinburgh

The National Gallery of Scotland

This free attraction would be ideal to while away an afternoon in the capital. From Italian Renaissance to post-impressionism, the art displayed is magnificently beautiful. Some of the most famous artists of all time can be found in the gallery, including Raphael, Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh.

The National Gallery in Edinburgh features beautiful art works

Ghost Tours

Perfect for those who fancy a taste of the macabre, Edinburgh ghost tours are notorious for being eerie. Venture through the city’s cobbled streets and creepy lanes, whilst Edinburgh’s morbid history is relayed to you.

There are plenty of tours available in the city, but the Auld Reekie tour comes highly recommended by previous visitors to the capital.

A ghost tour is a great way to explore Edinburgh but be warned – they’re quite creepy!

Our Dynamic Earth

Perfect if you’re travelling with children, Our Dynamic Earth is a museum like no other. Its interactive nature means you can get stuck into the action while being transported through climates, solar systems and landscapes.

If you’re travelling with family, Our Dynamic Earth will keep the kids entertained

Take a trip to Edinburgh this summer and spend a couple of days appreciating what it has to offer – you won’t be disappointed.

The post Bonnie Scotland: Top 5 Edinburgh attractions appeared first on Double Barrelled Travel.

Naturally we’ll be doing a last minute tidy of the flat to make a good impression (except for that stubborn window mould, I figure its the London look) but my big worry is what should I show them. The last time my folks were in London it was the 1970s and things were a little grimmer than they are now. So what should they see now? Please add your tips to my wish list:

1. A cool museum – London is absolutely awash with history. We have taken the time to explore as many of its nooks and crannies as we can and my favourites are the big 5; The British Museum, The Imperial War Museum, The Victoria & Albert, The Natural History Museum and The Science Museum. But are there any others that capture your imagination or demand your attention?

The Imperial War Museum should impress my Dad…

2. A quirky pub - Nothing beats a proper British boozer and we will certainly be checking out all of our usual haunts. We love a good tipple- Gin and Tonic for Carmen and a real ale for me. But is there a quaint little place that your are intoxicated with? Share the secret please!

Where is London’s best cocktail/beer/wine to be found? We’ll happily search…

3. A fancy restaurant - London is brilliant for fine dining and Carmen and I have certainly tucked in as much as possible. We are going to go to some of our favs while my parents are here. We’re going to Heston Blumental’s Dinner by Heston and we’re also dining at The Worseley. We’ve been dying to go to the Michelin-starred Petersham Nurseries for ages, so we’ve booked a place there too. We recently dined at the Heaton, Butler & Bayne restaurant and it was to die for (review to come) so we’ve reserved a leisurely lunch there too. But is there anything we’ve missed?

My parents are both amazing cooks – where in London is worth ditching the kitchen for?

4. Markets and shopping - I’m sure my Mum is keen to do a bit of shopping and I am quite glad to leave her and Carmen to it. Where is unmissable? The best value? The coolest, rarest or damn most elegant? Carmen has quite a few places in mind but are there any hidden gems we should check out before we leave London for good?

Fresh and crunchy bread at Borough Market

5. An experience as ‘London’ as possible - I’m not talking about sniffing a stranger’s armpit in a crowded tube in rush hour, or drunkenly bashing into people on Oxford Street as you weave through the crowds to get the last tube. What can be done, seen, eaten or heard that can only be found in London? We’re definitely going to experience a pub quiz at our local, but is there anything else?

Perhaps Carmen and I have been in London a bit long…

Please do get in touch and suggest something – we would certainly appreciate it and we’ll write up what we think. Besides, if my parents hate it, at least I’ll have someone else to blame!

The post My parents are coming to London…help! appeared first on Double Barrelled Travel.

Why?

Well aside from it being a fraction of the price, The Portrait Gallery restaurant has one of the most spectacular views over London. I think it’s a bit of a hidden gem. Not many tourists seem to know about it and many Londoners go there after a lazy Sunday afternoon strolling through The Portrait Gallery.

The beautiful view from The Portrait Gallery allows you to spot many London landmarks

I often take any friends who are visiting London there. We recently took my mum and she loved it. It’s quite laid back and the large windows allow you to sit down and admire the view, no matter where you’re seated.

A champagne tea at The Ritz costs £57 per person, whereas for afternoon tea at The Portrait Gallery it’s only $29.95, so you can see the appeal.

The cake stand can certainly be shared between two as there’s many cakes and sandwiches to choose from

You get a good-sized portion of cakes and sandwiches for afternoon tea at the Portrait Gallery too. One cake stand can be easily shared between two. It comes with two sandwiches, scones, carrot cake, raspberry pavlova, millionaire`s shortbread, coffee éclair and a chocolate brownie. In fact I’ve never managed to finish off one serving on my own.

Plus, there’s a large selection of teas to choose from, so if you fancy something different they’ll most likely have it.

The cakes and scones tasted very fresh when we visited and the bread making up the sandwiches was soft without being soggy.

My host parents enjoying their tea. Or coffee in Jean-Jaques’ case – most French people prefer coffee to tea!

Unfortunately, the service wasn’t like it once was. When we entered, there were a number of empty seats next to the windows, yet we were seated at the back, besides booking weeks in advance. When we asked to be moved, it took them 10 minutes to shift us, before placing us in a window seat adjacent to where the chef was eating his lunch… whilst taking up a window seat.

Then it took them about 15 minutes to take our order, and the waitress even took another table’s order, that’d arrived later than us, before she took down ours. It was only when I whispered to my friends that the service wasn’t like it was previously that the chef went over to the waitress and told her to take our order.

So the afternoon tea at The Portrait Gallery is delicious and the view is certainly worth the price tag. But the service unfortunately is not what you’d get at The Ritz. I guess you get what you pay for.

Me about to tuck into my afternoon tea

What you need to know:

Cost: We paid about £40 between three. We got the afternoon tea without the champagne, which cost £19.95, plus two plates of extra sandwiches and a couple of coffees and a tea. The afternoon tea was just one stand and included one tea, but we found we could share it easily between three with the extra sandwiches.

When to go: It’s best to go when the sun is shining, to make the most of the view. However, I’d advise you book ahead because it gets busy, especially on the weekends.

How to get there: The Portrait Gallery is a short work from Charing Cross Underground station. Many buses service the area. The restaurant itself is on the top floor of the gallery.

What’s the best afternoon tea or high tea you’ve had in London?

The post Review: Afternoon tea at The Portrait Gallery appeared first on Double Barrelled Travel.

Well I wasn’t having any of that. My photos probably weren’t good enough to be stolen, but I wasn’t taking the risk. Maybe it’s the journo in me, but I’m a stickler for plagiarism and the thieving of one’s creativity.

But we’re back on Instagram now!

A photo I recently took on Instagram of London in the spring

Recently I met up with some lovely women bloggers at a Ladies in Blogging event in London to hear Julie Falconer from A Lady in London speak and everyone was talking about Instagram.

Because there was such an uproar about the new Instagram terms and condition (no surprises there), Instagram decided not to go through with implementing them. Which means it’s now safe to use Instagram without the fear of someone stealing your snaps.

So we’ve rejoined and I’ve become a little obsessed with it over the past week.

And if you’re thinking of joining, or have already and want to follow some new people, I thought I’d list for you my top 10 travel bloggers on Instagram so far that I’ve enjoyed following on Instagram, in no particular order.

1. Aladyinlondon

Julie from the travel blog A Lady in London is currently in Malaysia and has been taking lots of beautiful snaps of beaches which have me craving for some sunshine. Thankfully the sun is finally out in London today and I might be able to replicate some of the shots, minus the sand. Julie also takes some scrumptious photos of food that have me drooling.

2. LegalNomads

Speaking of food, Legal Nomad’s Jodi’s cuisine photos have got to be the best I’ve found on Instagram so far. And no wonder, as Jodi’s a great food blogger. *WARNING* Do not follow if you have a tendency to get hungry when you look at beautiful photos of food, as you will be forever starving as a Jodi follower.

3. AussieStompy

I met Kristin from A Pair of Boots and a Backpack at the Ladies in Blogging event and she gave me a few pointers about Instagram. One of them was to always put in your location, as Instagram randomly took one of her photos because she entered it as being in London, and displayed it on their homepage. This resulted in many new followers. But Kristin’s photos are beautiful, so they’re worth a follow regardless.

4. YTravelBlog

Caz and Craig from Y Travel live in Australia with their kids but they seem to be forever travelling to new places. And if they’re not, they’re taking beautiful beach shots of their home in Australia. I must admit, their photos do sometimes make me homesick for Oz, as they capture my home country’s natural beauty wonderfully. The magazine photo on their feed above was taken because they featured in it!

5. Uncornered_Market

Dan and Audrey’s photos on Instagram are something else. They’re really got the hang of using all the Instagram filters to their potential. Dan and Audrey mostly take photos of landscapes and capture them in such a way that they look like something out of a fantasy picture book. A MUST to follow.

6. CandiceWalsh

Candice is the blogger behind Candice does the World and her photos are a mish mash of everything you can expect to see from travelling. Some photos, like those of her sweeping landscapes, are stunning, and others, like her in a seaweed bath, are quirky.

7. NomadBiba

I love the photos from the blogger behind the Nomad Biba website (name unknown?). All her Instagram photos are very vibrant and colourful and scrolling through her feed makes you feel happy. She loves a bit of street art which makes her Instagram photos all the more interesting.

8. Lozula

Laurence and Vera from Finding the Universe’s photos are mind-blowing and he makes every cloudy sky look like a painting. It’s not really surprising that the images are so beautiful, as Laurence originally started their travel blog to showcase his photos and he has masses of photography talent.

9. Skimbaco

Not strictly a travel blogger but she does run an online magazine, Katja knows a thing or two about Instagram. And now you can too, because she’s putting all her knowledge into a book about how to use Instagram. So certainly a good un’ to follow.

10. Doublebarrelledtravel

Last but certainly not least is us! Please follow, as we have a measly few followers at the moment and it’d be great to connect with you all. As we hit the road in a few weeks’ time, our photos will certainly get more interesting. But in the meantime, we’re enjoying taking snaps of the beauty of London, and all the food we’re eating along the way.

Who’s your favourite Instagrammer? Who should we follow?

The post Top 10 travel bloggers on Instagram appeared first on Double Barrelled Travel.

And when you visit you certainly feel as though there is a gloomy atmosphere to the Palace. But rather than pushing me you away, for me I found it intriguing.

From the outside, Kensington Palace doesn’t look that impressive when compared to other palaces, but it has a fascinating history

Many people visiting London go to Buckingham Palace. It’s the famous royal building where the Queen works during the week and at their recent royal wedding, Kate Middleton and Prince William waved to the crowds from Buckingham Palace’s balcony.

But Kensington Palace is lesser known. Some tourists don’t even know about it, which makes it a delight to visit because the crowds are nowhere near as large as they are at Buckingham Palace meaning you can take your time to experience all the horrific stories that happened there.

I won’t let the curse of Kensington Palace affect me! Here I am at the gates of the palaces where thousands of bouquets were laid following Diana’s death in 1997

But let’s hope Kensington Palace isn’t forever cursed, as Kate Middleton and Prince William are to make it their official home following the birth of their first child later this year.

Hopefully Kate Middleton and Prince William won’t suffer from the Kensington Palace curse

So what can you see at this cursed place? Here are the top five most fascinating and haunting stories:

• 1.      Learn about the deaths of Queen Mary and Queen Caroline

When the palace was first built in 1690, William III and Queen Mary had hoped to escape the Palace of Whitehall because they thought it was ‘grimy’. In those days, Kensington Palace was in the country, not in the ever growing London area like it is now, and the pair thought that being out there would give them a chance to get some fresh air. They commissioned the famous architect, Sir Christopher Wren who also designed St Paul’s Cathedral, the build the palace.

Unfortunately, the fresh air didn’t do any good for Queen Mary, who contracted smallpox and died just a week after moving into Kensington Palace.

The beautiful interiors of Kensington Palace aren’t as grand as Buckingham Palace but they are still impressive

Queen Caroline’s fate was just as unfortunate. During her eighth pregnancy, her womb ruptured at the palace. Unsure of what to do, her doctors bled her before operating without anaesthetic. Ouch! Unfortunately, her condition worsened and she died when her strangulated bowel burst. What a way to go.

Many Queens who sat on the throne had horrible events happen to them during their time at Kensington Palace

2.      The tale of Princess Anne

Perhaps one of the most tragic tales in the Palace is that of Princess Anne, who succeeded Queen Mary when she died.

Queen Anne was married to George of Denmark and relentlessly tried to bear him a child. She had 17 pregnancies, with most of them ending in stillbirths or miscarriages. A few children were born, but none made it to their second birthday.

Then she gave birth to Prince William, but he died when he was 11 following his birthday party. A section of the Kensington Palace is dedicated to the haunted tale of Prince William’s death and it’s probably the creepiest part of the entire exhibition.

The steps leading up to the creepy exhibition dedicated to the death of Prince William

It’s said that on his birthday, Prince William danced so much that he fell into a fitful sleep, never to awake again. They’re not sure exactly what killed him but it was thought to possibly be a brain tumour.

The curse of Kensington Palace strikes again.

Kensington Palace might be cursed but its interiors are also beautiful

3.      The horrors of George II’s family life

George II is not looked upon as one of the greatest monarch who ever ruled England, far from it. In fact, he has been described as having a short temper and being ‘boorish’. George II despised his son, Frederick, and they fought over money until George II banished him from Kensington Palace.

A few years later, Frederick died after being hit in the chest by a cricket ball. Upon hearing the news, his father said ‘good’ and carried on playing his card game. Imagine that!

You can visit the card playing room where George II learnt of the death of his son at Kensington Palace.

A house of cards in the room where King George II found out about the death of his son, who he despised

1. 4.      The mourning of Queen Victoria

As part of a recent £12 million refurbishment of Kensington Palace, the life of Queen Victoria is told over 10 rooms. The Queen’s personal diaries and letters are displayed in the room where she was born, along with her royal cradle which is decorated in red velvet and gold.

One of Queen Victoria’s cradles, all decorated in gold and red velvet

You can also see where Queen Victoria first saw her beloved Prince Albert and where she mourned after he died.

For me, this is the creepiest part of the Queen Victoria exhibition. The room is draped in black and some of the mourning outfits Queen Victoria wore after the death of Albert are on display. She was so grief-stricken that she hardly left the room for days on end and the atmosphere is still gloomy to this day.

The spookiest part for me, however, is how she cut off a locket of Albert’s hair to wear it in a love heart pendant around her neck. Creepy or romantic? You decide.

This is the heart locket that holds the hair of Albert – Queen Victoria used to wear it around her neck after he died

5.      See the memories of unhappy women

Princess Diana and Princess Margaret lived unhappy lives behind the walls of Kensington Palace.

Princess Diana’s life was plagued with affairs and unhappiness, and Princess Margaret faced a bitter divorce from Lord Snowdon after living at the palace for a number of years.

Margaret and Diana lived at Kensington Palace in the 1970s and had rather lonely lives there, certainly in Princess Margaret’s case, as she had hardly any visitors.

Wallpaper at Kensington Palace – can you spot Princess Diana’s face?

Even Princess Diana’s friends seemed to have attracted some of the curse while visiting them. Rosa Monckton, Diana’s best friend, buried her six-month stillborn baby in an unmarked grave in the palace’s garden back in 1994.

And then of course, Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris a few years later. Mobs of mourners left flowers at Kensington Palace’s gates in memory of the Princess.

You can see beautiful portraits of both Princess Diana and Princess Anne adorning the walls of a room in Kensington Palace.

These are sad stories, but don’t despair, at the palace there is the chance to cheer yourself up by dressing in some of the outfits from that era.

Playing around in clothes from the 1700s with my French host dad Jean-Jacques

Have you been to Kensington Palace? Did it creep you out? Write your comments below!

The post The cursed palace: Top 5 haunted tales of Kensington Palace appeared first on Double Barrelled Travel.

What are your favourite spring time spots in London and around the world? Take a photo and show us!

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A band strikes an upbeat tune in the Borough Market. The guy on the far left was playing percussion on a metal tie!

When we’re travelling, Dave and I love to venture out to the nearest food market because what the vendors are selling can say a lot about the country and its traditions. In Portugal, you can find many pigs’ hooves – the locals are quite a fan of all things pork. In Morocco, you can choose a live lamb and they will slaughter it on the spot, facing Mecca so that it is Halal meat.

In France, there are many cloves of garlic to be found, and as if to smother the smell, an abundance of flowers.

Fresh and crunchy bread at Borough Market

But in London, the emphasis seems to be on the cheese, wine and anything gourmet. This is evident at Borough Market, where you can taste endless amounts of olives, fois gras and freshly brewed Chai tea. Although perhaps not all together…

A tasty cheese stall at Borough Market

There’s something for all tastes. If you’re a health nut, there are many freshly squeezed juices. If coffee is your thing, one of the best coffee joints in London, Monmouth Coffee, corners the market. And if you’re after good old British grub, I’ve tasted one of the best pork pies I’ve ever eaten at Borough Market.

Sipping fresh juice with my French host mum Mimi at Borough Market

If you’re hosting a dinner party, Borough Market the perfect place to come to purchase your food because the produce is guaranteed to be fresh and of the highest quality. But if you have a weak stomach, beware – some sights at the Borough Market can be a bit much.

The fish are very fresh. So fresh the lobsters are still swimming in the tanks and you can pick what you fancy. I wish I could say the same for the rabbits. Unfortunately these are certainly dead, suspended by their feet, blood pooling out of their heads and dripping from their bunny ears. These bunnies are certainly freshly slaughtered, and probably not the best view for a vegetarian.

Unfortunate rabbits hanging next to a butchers in Borough Market

But I’m no vegetarian and so I went hunting for meat. I found my fix at the Exotic Meat Company. You can taste most animals you’re probably more used to seeing at a zoo or an African safari, rather than in a counter fridge. There’s ostrich, water buffalo, springbok, kudu, bison, zebra, impala and crocodile.

But I settled on something a little more close to home – a kangaroo burger. I’ve heard that kangaroo is a lean meat and although I’m an Aussie, it’s not something I’m used to eating much of back home. Although it was the dish of choice for my dog.

Yes, that’s a queue for Monmouth Coffee. It must be good!

Geez, my dog Oscar had a good life! I used to walk him through the bush near my house and he loved to chase the kangaroos. Unfortunately, one day a kangaroo fell and broke its leg. When the bone popped out of its skin, Oscar went crazy for the taste of blood. My placid Labrador had morphed into a wild beast, trying to gnaw at the poor kangaroo.

I managed to pull Oscar away, yelling for help. Two residents from a nearby home found us and promised to call the RSPCA.

But even though this is still a nightmare in my mind, it hasn’t putting me off eating a kangaroo burger. And at Borough Market, the kangaroo burger was delicious.

Me chowing down on a kangaroo burger at Borough Market

What you need to know:

Cost: Borough Market is a great place to visit if you’re on a budget because it’s free to explore. Although be careful not to get too wrapped up in the experience because you might end up spending a lot of money on cheese and other gourmet delights like we did.

When to go: The market is undercover, protecting it from the unpredictable British weather, meaning you can visit come rain or shine. Borough Market is open for lunch 10am-3pm Monday-Wednesday and the full market is open longer hours on Thursday-Saturday. The market is closed on Sundays.

How to get there: Borough Market is in South East London and the closest tube and train station is London Bridge. If you want to make a day of it, why not tie in your visit with a trip to The Globe Theatre? Borough Market is right next door to this little slice of Shakespearean history.

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The Royal Observatory sits atop the big hill at Greenwich – we went on a beautifully sunny day so the view from the top was perfect

Greenwich is famous as the site of the Prime Meridian, the line from which all time zones are calculated. We get GMT, or Greenwich Mean Time from it, and it was created to help the world’s explorers and navigators tell where they were. Modern day travellers owe them a great debt.

If you remember geography, the globe is divided by lines of longitude that run top to bottom and lines of latitude that go across. You can use these lines to figure out where you are in the world; but in the old days they only had latitude. That was a big problem. Ships sank, got lost or took an age to get where they wanted to go because they lacked an accurate way to find out exactly where they were. The Royal Observatory was set up on a big hill above the naval town of Greenwich in 1851 to get to the bottom of it and a few other riddles about the sun and stars.

This is The Octagon Room at the top of the Observatory where astronomers did some of their stargazing. It was mostly used to impress visitors though!

They tried all kinds of things to solve the riddle of longitude. The weirdest I read was a thing called ‘The Powder of Sympathy’ which involved dipping a knife in a special kind of powder and scratching a dog with the blade. The dog would be taken on a ship and when it struck midday in London someone would plunge the knife into the bowl of powder which in theory would make the dog on the ship yelp and let the captain know it was midday in London so he could calculate his position. Rest assured it was discredited as an utter failure.

One of the more unusual ideas for measuring longitude…stabbing a knife into a mysterious powder to make a dog on a faraway ship yelp at midday

The basics of the idea to use something on a ship to tell the time were sound though, and when very accurate clocks were invented they became standard equipment on ships so they could calculate their position using Greenwich local time. The math goes likes this – the earth turns 360 degrees every 24 hours with each of those hours representing a 15 degree segment of the planet running east to west. They worked out that each degree gives four minutes local time difference – so if you know the difference you know where you are. I think I follow…

The Prime Meridian is a very popular tourist spot and the Royal Observatory displays old black and white photographs of dainty ladies posing at the metal line on the hill’s apex. These days there is an orderly queue of people waiting for their turn to stand where time begins. We couldn’t be bothered waiting so we just posed for a photo where the line runs through the building. Time is money people!

Synchronising our watches!

The best part about the Royal Observatory is the view. It’s quite a climb to get to the top but press on and you’ll see ferries on the Thames ploughing toward the skyscrapers in Canary Wharf clear as day. The park at Greenwich was used as the equestrian venue for the London 2012 Olympic Games and the town itself is very charming with classic buildings, buzzing markets and great pubs and restaurants. When we came down from the hill it was definitely time for a drink!

Greenwhich gives one of the best views of London, it’s well worth the climb to the top!

What you need to know

How to get there  - Greenwich is in the east of London so you can take lots of buses and overground trains but the best way is by ferry. You’ll get a river cruise past some of London’s most famous landmarks including Tower Bridge for the price of a one way ticket which is around £7.

How much – Admission to the Royal Observatory is free for under 15s but for those longer in the tooth it’s £7 with discounts for seniors and students.

When to go – Greenwich is ideal on a sunny day but be warned, the park will be absolutely chock a block!

Greenwich is a perfect destination for a sunny day

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