The lost apothecary Sarah Penner

What’s a movie or book that inspired you to travel?

« Travel 🧳 with art and through art » Jessica de Vreeze

One book has the power to change the course of a journey.

When I read The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, it inspired me to travel to London, bring a friend and our husbands along, register for mudlarking permits, and spend a day mudlarking* on the banks of the Thames—long before it became the trend it is today.

There’s something magical about letting a story escape its pages and become part of your own life. Since then, I’ve always loved books that make me want to see places with new eyes, follow forgotten paths, and discover the history hidden beneath our feet.

What also stayed with me was the way the novel weaves together the lives of women across different centuries, moving through time while revealing how their struggles and choices echo one another. One woman risked everything—including her own safety—to help other women at a time when they had almost no rights or choices. Another found the strength to walk away from a life that no longer reflected who she was, leaving behind the comfort of familiarity in search of something truer.

It is a reminder that empowerment takes many forms, and that every generation of women has found its own way to take that next step forward.

*Mudlarking is the practice of exploring the Thames foreshore at low tide in search of historical objects lost or discarded over centuries—from pottery shards and clay pipes to coins and pieces of glass. A permit from the Port of London Authority is required to search the tidal Thames foreshore. More information and permits: https://pla.co.uk/thames-foreshore-permits

This being shared I m always inspired by art in any form to travel. 😘 and I travel through art. 💕💕💕💕

With love and light,

Jessica