I love when my passions naturally intersect. This blog should tell you that I am a travel fanatic. Additionally, I am a Girl Scout – a member of my local council’s Advisory Board, former board chair, troop leader and lifetime member. So when a friend and former board colleague asked me to join her on a a mission to visit all five World Association of Girl Guide and Girl Scout (WAGGGS) World Centers over the next few years, I committed on the spot. Six months later, we met at Pax Lodge, the WAGGGS center in Hampstead, London, England.
Pax Lodge opened in March, 1991 and was named as a tribute to the Baden-Powells, founders of the scouting movement in England and inspiration to Juliette Gordon Lowe who brought Girl Scouting to the U.S. Pax, the Latin word for peace, not only signifies the importance of peace and inclusion in girl guiding and scouting but was present in the names of the Baden-Powells’ homes in England and Kenya.
Pax Lodge is part of the Olave Centre, named for Baden-Powell’s wife, Olave, which also includes the administrative offices of the WAGGGS World Bureau.
Pax Lodge operates like a hostel – since opening, it has hosted hundreds of thousands of overnight guests and day visitors from more than 65 countries, most of these girls and women seeking international friendship through their connection with guiding. We were warmly welcomed by the Pax staff – predominantly young adults who hail from all over the world to work for minimum of two years at the lodge. Our room, labelled Denmark for one of the WAGGGS countries, was on the second floor. It was simple, but sufficient – we had opted for a room with private bathroom and shower. We shared the lodge over the course of our stay with a Girl Guide middle school troop from Wales, a mother and her two adult daughters from Manchester, a family from France and a couple from Canada. Like a hostel, we shared breakfast and common areas with everyone.
Once settled, we ventured out looking for a place to eat dinner. Pax Lodge is located in northeast London in a beautiful residential area, two blocks from the Northern line of the underground. Next door was a beautiful, historic building that we thought was a church – like the lodge, it was surrounded by magnolia trees in full bloom. Later we learned, this impressive building was actually a recording studio!
The flowers and trees were in full bloom. Spring in London – I would not have guessed it would be so lovely! Our timing was perfect as magnolia and cherry trees only flower for a week to ten days and all it takes is one windy or cold day to destroy the delicate pink buds.
Restaurants, pubs and small shops lined the main street. We walked a bit but eventually stopped in the local pub, the Belrose, for dinner. The bar was packed with fans watching the football (soccer) match between Manchester and Liverpool. We found a small table in the corner from which we could watch both the ‘telly’ and the fans. The match was close and went into overtime; the crowd was equally split between the two teams and fans cheered and groaned as the two teams fought for the win.
Eventually, Liverpool persevered and scored – it was entertaining to watch the intense reactions of both the winners and the losers. The pub cleared within 15 minutes of the end of the match and we ate our meal in relative quiet. At the end of the evening our waiter brought our bills inserted within the pages of a classic book – a unique touch.
We walked back to the lodge – this would be our base for a few days to explore London and its surrounding areas. Tomorrow, our plan is to explore castles!