Exploring South West England
Arriving and the First Day’s Journey
We landed in London at Heathrow and immediately picked up our rental car and drove three hours to the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage site that stretches 95 miles from East Devon to Dorset. This spectacular coastline was formed almost 200 million years ago and features beautiful white chalk downs, limestone ridges and cliffs, and a rich fossil bed along the magnificent beaches. We had lunch plans at the Conservatory at The Pig on the Beach in Studland. A whimsical 23-bedroom country house with impressive gardens, The Pig overlooks the southern terminal point of the Jurassic Coast, Old Harry Rocks.
Gardens at Pig on the Beach
Old Harry Rocks
After lunch, we headed to Swanage, once a seaside resort for the rich and famous of years gone by and now a popular, seasonal tourist resort. We strolled the streets of the town and window shopped at the numerous small businesses. That evening we lodged at The Langton Arms, a traditional thatched roof, 17th century country inn located in the village of Tarrant Monkton and enjoyed dinner in Stables Restaurant, the hotel’s award-winning country pub located in the converted stables, complete with low ceilings and English country flair. Before heading out in the morning, we had the opportunity to explore the surrounding village with its many thatched roof homes and farms.
The Langton Arms
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Arriving and the First Day’s Journey
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Roger Pratesi
The Renaissance Man of the Pratesi Clan. An active photography hobbyist that led to teaching in a local college was put aside for a career as an adjunct professor of economics, statistics, and finance at three U.S. universities. A change in life created a change in careers and corporate America was his playground for more than a decade. The rewards of teaching never passed and Roger entered management consulting, which united his business skills and teaching skills. He retired from consulting as a Partner with the Boston Consulting Group. Throughout those years, photography remained a passionate hobby.
Life served up more unexpected changes and severe medical problems sidelined all careers while he focused on healing from Stage 4 cancer and heart problems. With cancer in check, life had to move forward, so he joined Gwen in her passion for food and travel. After all, he traveled the world in his prior careers and was interested in the culinary arts, but more importantly, he possessed the complimentary skill of wine and spirits knowledge as a long time collector, and consumer.
Today, he combines his loves for food, wine, travel, and Gwen with his business background and passion to teach and help others while capturing the journey in photographs, videography, and the stories of the people and places along the way. And, by the way, those medical problems are all gone. Enjoy Life. You only get one. It’s all about the people and the experiences.
