July was such a fun month, filled with new experiences and a visit to a new destination in Spain. I also loved enjoying England’s long, sunny summer days. Read on to see what I got up to in July.
Destinations visited:
Palma, Mallorca, Spain
Tewkesbury, London, Birmingham, and Cheltenham, England
Favorite destinations:
Mallorca, Spain — Mark and I spent a long weekend in Mallorca in early July. It was my first visit, and I loved it. We stayed just outside Palma, walking into the city for dinner and sightseeing one morning. We spent the rest of the trip relaxing by the hotel pool, and I would gladly return to explore more of the island.
Highlights:
Trying fun new experiences — July was filled with memorable firsts. I attended a T20 cricket tournament at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham. Although I knew little about cricket beforehand, my knowledge of baseball and Mark’s explanations helped me follow the action. I also visited the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival, where a realistic Wars of the Roses battle reenactment featured soldiers in full armor. To my delight, I attended the This Ain’t Texas festival in Cheltenham, which featured country music tribute acts and plenty of Americana. It was wonderful to enjoy a taste of American culture in England!
Enjoying Spain — I’ve recently realized that, aside from England and the United States, Spain is the country I’ve visited most—and I always enjoy returning. For me, its appeal lies in the relaxed culture, tapas and wine, sunny weather, beautiful cities, and the chance to stay near a pool or beach.
Markell embracing London — My son, Markell, had visited London before, but not much since childhood. We spent time there at the end of July, and it was wonderful to see him embrace a city I love so much.
Challenges:
Getting sick again — I caught a cold at the end of July, making it the fourth time I’ve been sick since moving to England in November—far more often than I was in the U.S. I’ve read that this can happen as the body encounters unfamiliar germs and adjusts to a new environment. So far, I’ve simply waited for each illness to pass without seeing a doctor. If it happens again, though, I plan to make an appointment because I’m frustrated by how often I’ve been getting sick.
Posts:
Coming up in August 2026:
I’m a little late posting this because we just returned from a few days in Madrid in early August. Markell is visiting now, and I’m enjoying having him here with me in England. After he leaves, the rest of the month should be fairly quiet, apart from Mark and me celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary on August 21. We plan to open a bottle of wine we bought in New Zealand last year and enjoy dinner at a nice restaurant in Cheltenham.
What are your plans for August?
Noelle Across The Pond 