Travel Throwback Thursday.

While clearing out my hard drives I stumbled across some photos from a quaint little village called Great Dunmow in the UK. It had it's charms and also had its moments of share frustration that goes with the territory of living in a small town, but I look back with fond memories either way. The experience was one that was filled with share happiness and sometimes not so happiness, lol.

I spent most of my free time, which was not much, in this very pub, staring out this very window missing my family and friends back home. Just looking at this picture brings back so many thoughts and feelings I had back then.

I worked 3 jobs while finding time to study during the day, this image of the high street was taken on one of my many late night and early morning walks to or from work, the quiet streets and constant rain was somewhat comforting and made me see the beauty in the village. This curry place across the road "Eastern Spice" was one of my favourite take-aways. It was run by authentic Indian family and they made the best curry in all of Dunmow.

I spent a lot of time roaming the streets day and night taking photos and just trying to capture the essence of the town and the subtle beauty that lay beneath it's somewhat rough inhabitants, there was certainly a cross section of very interesting characters from the truly Posh hiding out in the country side(sticks) to the rough soccer hooligans who were born there and somehow could not get away. When I first arrived many of the residence warned me. They used to say "Be careful this town will swallow you in." and they were not far off, as I planned to stay for 1 year to do some extra studies to supplement my degree, and instead I ended up staying for 7 years. :-)

This was the pond in the centre of the town and was right next to the library where I spent quite some time, researching and using the internet to chat to family back home. I would often sit on the bench feeding the ducks and taking photos. I also planted a tree in the corner of the field as a remembrance of my existence there, I recently spoke to a friend who still live there and she said the tree has grown and standing sturdy, and each time she walks by it reminds her of me, so seems it did work :-)

The Festival took place once a year and it was a day of celebrating heritage, all the different nationalities that made up Dunmows community came out to show off there country and represent who they are. Of course there was day long celebrations with funfair, food and drink.

Snowy days were my favourite, since we in South Africa never experienced proper snow, I was always excited to wake up to a snow covered town. The excitement I felt seemed to have been contagious as the locals and my friends would join in the celebration of snow.

The village had some interesting architecture, and since that was my field of study, I spent some time going out taking closer look at the structures in and around the town.

There is so much more that I can write about the town and it's fascinating people, but will leave that for another day. I do have this latent desire to go back there some day and just walk down those streets just for old time sake, I think I will pencil that in.

*Happy week everybody, remember to always find the beauty around you.*

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