This weekend I travelled back in time.

We went to stay with friends who we know through our work in the Philippines. They live in a beautiful old manor house along the River Stour, which quite literally encompasses every vision I have ever had of a ‘dream house’. Our hosts were impeccable. We were served champagne and smoked salmon hors d’oeuvre in the drawing room, before being seated in the dining room for the best of British. And then cheese, wine, conversation, walks, tweed, open fires, oysters, a Rolls Royce, and lots of laughter.

The men were all Oxford old boys. Perhaps the conversation topics were at times a little out of my league - but it was so wonderful to be among learned friends and give my intellect a real work out.

Having lived and worked in different corners of our world, and having seen some of the good, the bad and the ugly things that the British have done, I am not always quick to proclaim our greatness as a nation. But this weekend, I was reminded of some of the people, history and ideals that give us a reason as Brits to be proud.

Of course, as far as musicians go... well, I do have to cheekily claim that we do produce the best of the best.

And we even had decent weather!


All Photos taken by Michal S. Joachimowski