The Great British Invite

Went to Palladium at High Street Phoenix and saw the Great British Invite,a venture to promote UK to people in Mumbai.I studied in a school set up by British missionaries in Mumbai.

The stall had a table set elegantly for Tea ...I had no idea that Afternoon or Low Tea (where light snacks and tea are served on low set tables) was different from High Tea which had fish,meat and baked dishes.There are several places in London that serve high tea.In Mumbai,in most places,Low Tea is served as High Tea

The event had a lucky draw the prizes of which free tickets to UK.Tara Brown and Alan Kingshott were there,both of whom work for the Laugharne Castle and Tower of London respectively.

Saw Kate Middleton's stunning black lace dress designed by Alice Temperley

There were British clothes and accessories to try on which we did and it was fun!

I did miss the food display they had a few days ago as I was working at the time.

I have visited England some years ago and what's striking are the beautiful, lush green parks.Anyone can sit there,read a book and watch swans glide by.

My parents visited the Lake District in the county of Cumbria which inspired Wordsworth and couldn't stop raving about the beauty of the landscape

The St James Park,Hyde Park and Regent Park are parks I visited in London and highly recommend to visitors

Not far away is the Oxford Street and its myriad shops.One can even go through "Food Halls" in Selfridges and Harrods where food from all over the world is for display and sale.The Underground Tube is such an easy and economical way to commute in London.There are maps everywhere and anyone can travel without difficulty.

We have friends in London...a stylish couple Mahesh and Rashmi Patel (and their kids Anita and Neil)  who took us all over to see the city and also introduced us to the high life there.It was at their place that I tried Smoked Salmon with Bagel and Multigrain Bread for the first time.Summer meant Barbecue in the garden which Mahesh uncle did with great gusto.Another day Rashmi aunty made Swiss food.She and I also went on a hop-on,hop-off sightseeing bus and had street food.One morning, they took us for the "Builders Breakfast",a hearty meal that workers would eat.

Being art connoisseurs,they took me to the Barbican Centre in the City Of London.

I took a train to Norfolk to visit our friends,the Patels(Suresh and Kailash and their kids Jay and Rajan) who lived in Norwich.Close to their house was a stream on the banks of which one could see ducks waddling...such a pretty sight.What I remember about Norwich food are baked Jacket Potatoes.They took me to the a local pub... it was more a place for the community to meet and have food rather than being just a drinking hole.

The Patels also took me to magical Sandringham Estate,owned privately by the Royal Family.It was here I had High Tea for the first time! This is the place that the Royal Family visits at Christmas time.We walked through the palace and its lovely gardens and saw many a pheasant on the lawns.

On another trip to England, I visited Stratford Upon Avon,the birthplace of William Shakespeare.All around there were gorgeous flowers and in the garden I came across a statue of Rabindranath Tagore.Every May,his birthday in celebrated in this garden.

My friend and I gorged on the local ice creams.It's another thing that the Patels gorge on Kulfi here,likewise!

The Shakespeare Theatre is close by and one can watch plays there.

We also visited the Cotswolds,the English countryside where honey colored limestone is used for all houses.Here you can visit Farmers' Markets

Britain is about arts and history,about museums and theaters,about natural beauty and educational institutes,food and drink.Noted food author Simon Majumdar had written a book called "Eating For Britain"on what constitutes British food.I came across some etiquette tips to follow in UK.I think I need to explore its culinary side again.