Until recently Britain was portrayed as a culinary wasteland, home to overcooked, boring food and an abundance of uninspired bland chefs. There were only a few tasty exceptions to their miserable repertoire — namely, fish 'n' chips, tea, beer and dessert.

The sounds of the city entering through the swinging door of the celebrated Ritz London late at night are strangely subdued, muffled under moisture-laden clouds hovering over a slumbering Piccadilly. This elaborate palace with its imposing pink-hued marble pillars standing tall, crystal chandeliers sparkling overhead, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors, is the perfect finale to a dream-filled London evening.

With the recently celebrated 75th Anniversary of VE Day, commemorating the end of World War II in Europe, A Royal Night Out, currently streaming on Netflix, couldn’t have been re-released at a more appropriate time. This delightful film, written by Trevor De Silva and Kevin Hood, and exquisitely directed by UK director Julian Jarroid (Brideshead Revisited,) was originally released by Lionsgate on May 8, 2015.

Let me give you two intriguing books to consider. One this month and, in May, a truly remarkable tome about Field Marshall Rommel, and why you should consider buying both the Churchill and Rommel books.

Do you know what a NARROW BOAT is? You might well wonder why I pose such a question – I mean it should be obvious: a boat that’s very slim and trim. Well, you’re almost right. A Narrowboat (notice NO hyphen) epitomizes the often weird and many wonderful ways of tourism in Great Britain.

Are you still looking for that unique, even offbeat present? What about a book? Aaaah, but not just any book, the travel related books featured here are ones you’ll wish you’d known about before you read this article. In all my travels and in what I read, I always seek out the truly distinctive and out of the ordinary, and the following 4 books are in that category

If I told you one of the most romantic ways to get to one of Britain’s most spectacular resorts is by cruise ship, you might think I’d gone – as the British might say – a little batty. Then again consider it serves up a typically Upper Crust, very High Society drink called Pimms Number One. Believe me, it’s the most refreshing drink this side of London.

Are several lumps of sugar worth putting in an historic museum? That may sound like a funny question, but the fact is that yes they are – especially if they’re part of the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms (CWR) in London.

To refer to one of the mightiest, most significant architectural masterpieces in Great Britain as a “building,” does NOT do it justice, nor does it fully convey the reason why you need to visit St Pauls Cathedral in London – but here’s the thing – can you get the last 36 or more words into a headline?