Teatime, Falkland Islands style.........

January 14, 2013 - West Point Island, West Falkland Island

Good visibility - mostly sunny 

Wind W 3; Sea: smooth; Air Temp. 17C (62F)

 Paula, three fellow passengers, and Dimitri, one of the expedition team's naturalists and Zodiac drivers.....on their way to afternoon tea.

I've enjoyed several afternoon teatimes in some unusual and quite unexpected places this past year..........including high above the desert on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, tallest building in the world, and literally on the edge of Victoria Falls at Livingstone Island on the mighty Zambezi River in Zambia, Africa. 

Being born and raised in Britain, English tea is always a welcome drink reminding me of home wherever it is served............even at 4 PM when here in my very own cottage kitchen in America's southeast.

Now I'm adding another memorable teatime............on West Point Island, a remote, privately owned island in the British Falkland Islands - number 2 on the map.

M/S Expedition anchored in the island's protected bay and a short Zodiac ride brought us ashore under brilliant blue skies.

Zodiacs landing at the settlement's jetty. 

The beautiful island stretches over 2,700 acres and is owned by a farming family. The settlement, which includes their charming farmhouse, is on the hillside behind the trees.  

Before tea, we worked up quite an appetite with a mile and a half uphill trek to dramatic Devil's Nose and surrounding cliffs.  Here again we viewed rookeries, visible on the left above, of nesting Black-browed albatross and more Rockhopper penguins with chicks. Paula and I opted to ride back down in the Land Rover to the farm.

Back at the charming farmhouse there was much to enjoy. After removing our muddy boots we were invited inside. 

When I spied the dining room table literally groaning under the most amazing selection of homemade cakes and sweet treats I've ever seen, I felt quite guilty that I'd not walked back! Sorry, in the crush of many excited and hungry travelers squeezing into the room, all armed with steaming cups of tea, I forgot to take interior pics.  

Edited: Paula sent me her picture of the tea table above - 

thanks P. You can see what it's like inviting 136+ people to tea!

Imagine having that many beautiful china cups and saucers too!

Instead I headed back into the garden, found a bench with friends among beautiful flowers and birds - this is a Pipit in the foxgloves - while scoffing goodies, sipping excellent tea, and experiencing wonderful hospitality extended by the family who live here.

This garden structure was interesting...........

.............and so much more gentile and enjoyable than the way the media blasts weather reports to us here at home!

Paula, with our friend and fellow traveler Bob, enjoying a cuppa under the honeysuckle......I can smell the perfume from here.

The tussock grass and granite hills of West Point Island.

Another memorable teatime for me.

Do you have a favorite place for taking afternoon tea? Have you enjoyed a cuppa in a really unusual place somewhere in the world................would love to hear your teatime stories.