Summer in England!

When we first moved to the Netherlands over a year ago, I was fascinated by how the Dutch celebrate summer. I loved watching people sunbathing in the open parks of Amsterdam, dining at outdoor cafes, and flocking to the North Sea for a day at the beach. In fact, on hot summer days, I often ask myself "do people here work???" because the neighbourhood is packed with locals who take days off specifically to enjoy the sun. Love it.

My fascination with the differences between Dutch summers and Canadian summers led me to wonder what summer is like in other parts of the world. Thus, Life Abroad's "Summer Around the World" Series was born.

Today I'd like to introduce my first feature blogger, the lovely Saskia from the blog Saskia's Spot. Saskia lives near London, England with her husband and cat. Her blog is filled with beautiful photography (she's an incredibly talented photographer that inspires me on a daily basis...seriously, her photos are amaaazing) and daily musings about life in England. Plus she's Dutch, so of course I have a soft spot for her blog :)

Saskia in the summer

Grab a cuppa and a crumpet and take a look at how Saskia celebrates summer across the pond in glorious England!

Where do you live?
On the outskirts of London, UK.

What is your idea of a perfect summer day?
I would start in Selfridges food hall, shopping for some delicious bites to eat later that day. I would grab an ice cream and wander around Soho before walking to Hyde Park. There I would lay down a blanket and picnic with my husband. Bliss!

What is the summer weather typically like in England?
Not so great at all. It's normally mild but rainy, unfortunately.

Is there a special summer food that defines your country?
Strawberries and cream! Yum!

What do people do in England to "beat the heat"?
This isn't a problem for us! If we are (unusually) enjoying a gloriously hot summer then no one here wants to beat the heat at all! Everyone seems to make as much of it as possible, having bbqs, drinking beer, eating ice cream, sunbathing, dressing in skimpy beachwear and of course getting horribly sunburnt!

Please list five things that visitors to England should experience this summer.
~(This is for next summer as it's unfortunately finished now...) Wimbledon
~Picnicking in Hyde Park
~Rowing on the Serpentine
~An open air theatre performance at the Globe or Regents Park Theatre
~Visiting Brighton for the day - the perfect English seaside resort!

Saskia's summer photography

Thanks for participating in the first installment Saskia!