As has long been our pattern, we flew through Heathrow — partly because it’s the only nonstop from Phoenix, and partly because we love squeezing in a bit of time in  London. A show, a good meal, a museum visit, a wander through familiar Tube lines… it feels like slipping back into a city we know well. Julianna, as many of you know, lived in London for fifteen years, so we’ve learned the routes, the shortcuts, and of course, the best pubs.

This trip, though, we headed north to Harrogate to take cooking classes at Betty’s. We first discovered Betty’s in York many years ago, and ever since, I’ve dreamed of taking one of their classes. In true British style, most classes come with tea service — many with lunch as well — and the best part is always the people. You end up chatting with locals who happily point you toward their favorite places to eat or explore. Over the years, during visits with Julianna, I’ve taken various classes in Britain: cooking, knitting, photography—anything that allows me to expand my knowledge of something I enjoy while meeting local people who share my hobbies. I ended up going to Jordan with a photographer I met in one of my classes.

We took Artisan Bread and the Art of Chocolate; we had to leave behind some of the chocolates and bread for our Airbnb hosts. The classes were challenging to book, so if you are interested, get on their mailing list and plan!

Betty’s Cooking School

TRAVEL AGENTS, SITES AND SERVICES

Anna at Bin Majid Tourism arranged our trips to Qatar and Oman. See link above for her contact information.