Old Alresford, Hampshire

I just want to give a shout out to my favorite cousin, Ping who's like the older sister that I never have. I used to trail behind her like a shadow, generally being the pesky little cousin but she never minded. We used to sneak into her room and chat all day. She would come up with crazy ideas and got us into trouble with her mom. She was obsessed with hairstyles and unfortunately, I was the only available "model" to experiment on. Thirty years on, I found out that she has now taken to plaiting her students' hair if they'd done particularly well during their piano lessons! I guess some things will never change. When I was 12,  my aunt decided I was to be a flower girl at her wedding. Ping appointed herself to be my personal make up artist. All I remembered was the cute hairstyle and plenty of white shimmer powder on my nose to highlight my already rather pointed nose. She is wise, has a heart of gold and is one of the most generous person I've ever had the privilege to know. I love her to bits. Happy belated birthday, Ping!

It's every mother's nightmare  - the half term break. Or any holidays for that matter. I've promised Lil L that I'd take her to Old Alresford, a quaint and picturesque Georgian village in Hampshire. It is also the home of the Watercress Railway line which runs Thomas trains twice a year. In fact Alresford is also UK's capital of Watercress farming. The town centre has many upmarket and unique shops. There's the millennium trail that takes you down a country trail along the Itchen and into the reservoir. The colorful Georgian terraced houses were built after the great fires in the 17th century. You've got the Pink House, Donkey House, Old Post Office House etc etc. Old Alresford is not to be confused with New Alresford despite its proximity. The latter is a rather dull place with residential estates and nothing else of interest.

Houses were built to accommodate horse carriages with stables built behind the entrance.

They have a town butcher that supplies the usual as well as game meat such as mallard duck, venison, pheasant and rabbit.

These days cafes are all the rage but no English town is complete without its very own pub.

Broomsticks. In preparation for Halloween.

I've been to Caracoli cafe previously. It's a cafe cum deli. It's also a great place to rest your weary legs and have a cup of coffee to go with a slice of cake. 

For those of you who aren't familiar with the effects of sugar on children. Let me show you a few photos to prove it. This is what happens when you give a precocious little girl a massive cup of hot chocolate with gazillions of marshmallows along with a piece gingerbread pumpkin. 

By the time Lil L had finished all the marshmallows as well as half her cookie, she started displaying rather strange behavior - Miming.

Deranged  (think Jack Nicholson's Joker)

crestfallen

ecstatic otherwise disguised as a Colgate commercial



A failed attempt to look mournful






Since having Lil L, I have developed skin thicker than the buffalo hide. One has to. Let's just say we got plenty of odd stares thanks to Lil L who'd insisted that she needed to protect her hair from a slight drizzle.




And this one's for the grandparents.