Duke Ct Gardens

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UK

Simple Facts about UK for NOW

• EU Membership: since January 1973
• Schengen Area: No
• Capital: London
• Official Language: English
• Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP)

Cambridge

If you have to choose between Oxford and Cambridge because you are short on time, I would pick Cambridge. Sorry, Oxford, no offense. This is simply because of River Cam. In addition to the illustrious history, architecture and lush lawns that are common between the two college towns, River Cam just makes Cambridge more idyllic, and memorable.

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Cotswolds

I'll return to the Cotswolds to wander through its rolling hills and picturesque villages. However, this is a place where you need a car to go around - that's if you are comfortable driving on the left-hand side of the road?

Generally speaking, Cotswolds is a region in south central England that spans across five counties, over half of which is in Gloucestershire. The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is the largest in England and Wales. It's known for its honey-colored stone houses and its rolling hills, hence the word "wolds". Everybody has his or her must-see villages. Here are a few of them: Northleach, Stow-on-the-Wold, Upper Slaughter, Lower Slaughter... There are also historical manor houses and gardens for you to loiter and imagine a different life in a bygone era. Sudeley Castle and Gardens, Snowshill Manor and Garden and Chastleton House and Garden are some that stand out. Sudeley Castle was once home to Henry VIII's sixth and last wife Catherine Parr and is now a private residence; Snowshill Manor is packed with eclectic treasures collected by Charles Wade over his life time; Chastleton House bears the historical significance that the rules of croquet were invented here. The latter two properties are managed by National Trust and all are open to the public seasonally starting from March.

Cotswolds is an affluent region, so value is not easy to come by. For a nice room and a good sit-down meal, The Colesbourne Inn is a safe bet.

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Lake District National Park

I'll return to the Lake District for its serenity and to see Buttermere.

You might have heard of Sarah Nelson's Grasmere Gingerbread. The first time I visited, the sweet smell of gingerbread immediately welcomed you upon entering the shop. You approached the counter leisurely to pick up freshly baked, warm gingerbread. It was heavenly! On my return visit years later, the queue stretched outside the shop. I had to move quickly along the line, pick up already cold gingerbread from a pile of it, pay and exist the shop without delay. The gingerbread was still good, but it just didn't match my first sweet memory of it... Maybe the third time's a charm?

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London

London was my hometown for a few months. It's a city mixed with tradition, modernity and diversity. Only a handful of cities in the world can claim that. I'll always return to London happily.

One thing people often complain about when visiting London is the weather. It's really easy - Simply duck in and out of museums or catch a show in the West End in inclement weather. All public museums are free and top-notch. Ticket prices for West End shows are generally lower than those in the US too.

The other thing people used to complaint about is the lack of variety of food in Britain, but not anymore in London. Over the past decades, there has been an influx of cuisines from different ethnic groups. For example, there are a lot more Asian restaurants to choose from nowadays. Just to name a few - Rasa Sayang offers Malaysian/Singaporean cuisine in Chinatown. You may see a line outside the restaurant, but the wait is not too long because of whole-floor seating in the basement. Rosa's Thai Cafe is a mini-chain with more extended menus in some of its restaurants. Kanada-ya has a £10 lunch special at two of its branches from Monday to Thursday. You have four choices of ramen or soba, plus a soft drink.

There are still the more familiar cuisines - Chettinad specializes in non-vegetarian Southern Indian cuisine. For the vegetarian version, call on Sagar Vegetarian by the same ownership next-door or at other locations. For the classic Sunday roasts, The George Pub & Restaurant does it well in a traditional pub setting.

Isn't London calling you?

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Ireland

Simple Facts about Ireland

• EU Membership: since January 1973
• Schengen Area: No
• Capital: Dublin
• Official Language: Irish, English
• Currency: Euro (€)

Dublin

Imagine London without the skyscrapers and the crowds, that's Dublin in a good way. And all the major British retailers are here - Boots, Holland & Barrette, Tesco, Marks & Spencer, etc. Dublin is very walkable. Dublin 1 refers to North City Center, while Dublin 2 is the South City Center. River Liffey acts as the dividing line. Dublin Visitor Center on O'Connell Street has maps for walking routes by neighborhood. If you fancy some Chinese food in Dublin, Lee's Charming Noodles on Parnell Street has big steaming bowls of noodle soup - a great value. For high quality authentic Hong Kong style roast duck, BBQ pork and pork belly, don't miss Duck in Dublin 2. If you are in the mood for middle eastern food, Zaytoon offers good value with big portions.

If you are coming to Dublin by ferry from London (with or without a car), there is one direct train daily at 9.10am from London's Euston station to Holyhead in Anglesey, Wales, where you can catch Stena Line at 2pm or Irish Ferries at 2.10pm. I believe both are similar. The train plus ferry ticket (without a car) is about £47 per person one-way without the early booking discount. Otherwise, it's £42 per person one-way with the discount. The journey takes about 3 hours.

One word of caution - Taxi ride from Dublin Port to Dublin 2 could cost you up to €30 with the rush-hour traffic. Just be prepared.

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