Natural-Born Leader (A roadtrip to Blenheim Palace & Bicester Village)

Some people are destined for greatness. They are natural-born leaders, acute strategists; great orators who in their speeches are able to move nations, inspire millions and are remembered through the generations.

Our roadtrip to Oxfordshire on Saturday 'uncovered' one such leader - Sir Winston Churchill.

Prior to the roadtrip, I must admit, I knew little of the man. All I knew was that he was the ex-PM of UK, the one who saw England through World War II.

I didn't know what a stirring orator he was, nor that he was a prolific writer and painter. I certainly didn't know he belonged to a family line of Dukes (of Malborough) and was half-American (his Mama was American).

The roadtrip to Oxfordshire was taken with Reuben and Ori. We hired a car and with Dee at the helm, set off for what I thought was to be a major shopping trip. In our email exchanges, we'd placed Bicester Village (pronounced 'Bice-ter') as our primary destination, and Blenheim Palace as the 'side-trip'. Bicester Village is a retail haven for shopaholics. It houses all the major brands in a tight colony - from Tod's to Dior, Polo Ralph to Ferragamo; simply utter a brand and chances are, you'd find it at the Village. Bicester promises discounts of up to 60% but truth is, the prices are still VERY, VERY steep.

Well, at least to me.

For a housewife who's accustomed to purchasing items below 10 pounds (or 20 at most!), there was no way in hell I could part with 50 quid - certainly not on some designer tog or accessories! Fuuur-geddit!

At the end of the day, the only one who went away with any purchases, was Reuben. The rest of us couldn't bear to dip into our savings/pockets, I think. :)

Anyway, the 'side trip' ended up being a greater highlight for me, so more on Blenheim and Churchill...

Blenheim Palace
Boasting to possess 'the finest view in England', this Palace certainly did not disappoint. And we were fortunate to be there in time to see it decked up in Christmas lights and decorations.

Once again, my photos do not do the estate any justice (time for an upgrade!). Hampton Court was breathtaking but this, was something else. As with any palace, you'd expect a certain level of opulence and grandeur and whilst Blenheim possessed these traits, it had in addition, a quiet beauty. The gardens surrounding the estate seemed like scenes from a postcard, or impressionist-type paintings. Unending acres of greenary, willowy trees, peaceful rivers - all (seemingly) untainted and unspoiled. I marvelled that people actually woke up to such beautiful scenary when they held residence at Blenheim. Those lucky buggers...

Besides trying to capture the scenic landscape from different angles, I also took numerous pictures of autumn trees. I'm starting to think landscapes are better photographed in the Fall. I don't know what it is, but I'm of the opinion that this season - with its warm hues of orange, gold and brown, deciduous trees, and blueish grey skies - lends more 'character' to a scenary? As Keats describes it, autumn is a 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness'. How beautifully put.

Churchill
Blenheim is also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill so we got to see his birthroom, displays showing the correspondences between him and his parents and his life as a soldier, amongst other things. There were 2 notable exhibits showing the 'other' side of him: 1) Churchill as a painter (his paintings were used on Hallmark cards, imagine that!), and 2) as a son and loving husband. I enjoyed being 'acquainted to' the more personable side of him. This is how exhibitions should be, I thought. They should reveal more about the real life of the historical figure, not merely extol the public persona.

It's amazing how many quotable quotes came from just one man. In his lifetime, Churchill made hundreds of stirring speeches, all of them containing a plethora of memorable quotes and witticisms. Here are some of my favourites picked up at the exhibitions:

• I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat...You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival
• Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour, and be in readiness for the conflict; for it is better for us to perish in battle than to look upon the outrage of our nation and our altar
• Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.
• Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.
• Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.

As I walked away from Blenheim, I knew my stay in the UK had been enriched by this visit. And I was filled with a new-found respect and admiration for this great legend...


Postscript: We ended the trip with a drive into Oxford. Reuben initially suggested having dinner at 'The Eagle and Child', the frequent watering hole of J.R Tolkien and C.S Lewis. But upon reaching the pub, we declared it too smokey and child-unfriendly for Danielle. Sorry guys, you couldn't revel in the walls of the 'greats' becoz of Danielle. But thanks so much for being accommodating...