I finally got around to posting (and organizing - which was the bigger task) all of my photos from the trip. They are in "rough" chronological order of when we did things, but they are organized by topic and some of the really bad shots are taken out:
Disneyland Paris - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619510065337/
Eiffel Tower - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619593543944/
Musee d'Orsay - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619510157905/ (one of my photos of the clock from inside Musee d'Orsay is being used in an online Paris guide!!)
Musee Rodin - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619593780420/ (my favorite place in Paris)
Gayle and I at the Arc d'Triomphe - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619594010416/
Paris Day 2
The Louvre and Tuilleries Garden - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619510818469/
Musee l'Orangerie - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619511086937/
Notre Dame - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619511201545/
Batobus ride around Paris - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619511321167/
Off to London
TGV and Eurostar - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619594950748/
Random London shots - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619513073299/
Westminster Abbey - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619513166671/ (one of my favorite spots in London)
Big Ben - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619596640914/
Flight on the London Eye - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619597585358/
The Guard warming up at the Barracks - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619514419203/ (an unexpected highlight of the trip)
Hyde Park & Kensington Palace - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619598178822/
Tower of London - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619598379924/
John Wesley Museum - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619515034079/
Windsor Castle/St. George Chapel - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicki22/sets/72157619598683222/
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Our last blog entry for the trip!
Well here it is folks - our last blog of the trip.
Kara: We had planned to spend our last day in the UK out at Oxford but as we told you
yesterday we altered the plan a bit and so instead we headed out to Windsor so we could get back a bit earlier in the day and get packed and ready for our flights home tomorrow.
We headed off to the train station, got our tickets at the little self-serve machines, and got right on the train that departed about five minutes later. Unlike yesterday where we would have had to go up to another underground/train station, this train left right from our station which was most convenient. The train ride was pleasant enough and took only about 45 minutes.
We arrived at Windsor/Eton Riverside station. We walked a few short blocks to the main visitor entrance of Windsor Castle. All I can really say about the Castle is - WOW! What an amazing and impressive place. Pictures do nothing to expose the incredible size and sprawl of the castle. Its setting up on a hill only adds to the grandeur as you approach this place.
Gayle: I had visited Windsor Castle on my previous visit to England and was glad to make a return visit. My memory had downplayed the size, but I was immediately reminded of why I like it so. It was curious to see the rooms that had been destroyed/damaged by the fire, as all of the trims and paints were so much brighter than the other rooms. In the renovation they included a new octagonal room that now connects the public state apartments with the actual residence. Of course the residence was roped off from us. :(
For the first day ever on this trip, it was sprinkling rain. Although not a good combination when visiting Windsor, I was glad Kara had to finally experience a typical weather day here.
Because of the precipitation, the changing of the guard was not held, but instead a smaller ceremony. This included the "Castle band" and they were shockingly good. Add to that they were playing fairly contemporary music, it was quite enjoyable.
Kara: We toured both the state apartments and Queen Mary's dollhouse - both were quite impressive. We also went through St. George's church which was the site of Charles and Camilla's wedding a few years ago. It was a beautiful church. Small in comparison to St. Paul's or Westminster but still beautiful.
It was time to leave the castle and we decided to grab lunch before heading back to London on our return train. We had passed a pub on our way in that I was interested in having lunch in. Gayle wasn't so sure about the idea, but they had fish and chips on the menu so she said it would be okay. So we proceeded into the Horse and Groom for lunch of Shepherd's Pie for me and Fish and Chips for Gayle. We took a bit of ribbing from the bar-keep for not adding a pint of ale to our meals, but neither of us is much for beer. We knew we'd be having a different kind of pint a bit later in the day.
Gayle: Oh yeh, the Dollhouse. It's a precise replica of then-Queen Mary's home, and we mean precise. Artists were commissioned to paint miniatures of the painting, and it was complete with working electricity and running water!
We tranported back to London without incident, but Kara was having an ice cream craving. So a stop at the mini-mart was required.
Kara: We found this 24 hour mini mart that's really one long shelf in the middle with a freezer at the back and a cooler down the other side. Not much of a store, but they've had everything we've needed or wanted in the way of snacks, water, etc. I was in serious need of ice cream and two weeks of ads for Ben and Jerrys, which must be quite big here, had nearly done me in, so we both grabbed a pint of Ben and Jerrys Half Baked, which is a luscious combo of vanilla and chocolate ice cream with brownie and unbaked chocolate chip cookie dough. We should have grabbed a pint to share but we didn't. One of us ate her pint dry the other gave up half-way in. We'll leave you to figure out which was which.
For the evening we grabbed food from the local eateries behind the hotel and are spending the evening packing, posting, and getting ready to head out tomorrow. While we're both looking forward to being home, seeing family and friends (and our kitties) and sleeping in our own beds, it's been a great trip. We've walked more than 75 miles, seen some of the most famous sites in London and Paris, had a few restful days of vacation time, and just spent a lot of time hanging out and laughing. We hope you've enjoyed taking this journey with us - we promise not to bore you too much with our photos when we return.
Gayle: So we are hoping for an uneventful flight to Cleveland & then on to Indy tomorrow. It has been a good trip, and I'm certain I could not travel with anyone this long, other than Kara. Yet, I think this trip may have been a day or two too long. We just went, went, went and didn't really take anytime to rest, which caught up with us. Each day in London we did less and less. On my part, I'm definitely more tired now than before the trip even started; this is not a good thing. It will take some time to get back on Eastern time, so bare with us.
Oh - & I can virtually guarantee one thing. Part of our conversation on the plane home will be... planning our next trip! Stay tuned!
Kara: We had planned to spend our last day in the UK out at Oxford but as we told you
yesterday we altered the plan a bit and so instead we headed out to Windsor so we could get back a bit earlier in the day and get packed and ready for our flights home tomorrow.
We headed off to the train station, got our tickets at the little self-serve machines, and got right on the train that departed about five minutes later. Unlike yesterday where we would have had to go up to another underground/train station, this train left right from our station which was most convenient. The train ride was pleasant enough and took only about 45 minutes.
We arrived at Windsor/Eton Riverside station. We walked a few short blocks to the main visitor entrance of Windsor Castle. All I can really say about the Castle is - WOW! What an amazing and impressive place. Pictures do nothing to expose the incredible size and sprawl of the castle. Its setting up on a hill only adds to the grandeur as you approach this place.
Gayle: I had visited Windsor Castle on my previous visit to England and was glad to make a return visit. My memory had downplayed the size, but I was immediately reminded of why I like it so. It was curious to see the rooms that had been destroyed/damaged by the fire, as all of the trims and paints were so much brighter than the other rooms. In the renovation they included a new octagonal room that now connects the public state apartments with the actual residence. Of course the residence was roped off from us. :(
For the first day ever on this trip, it was sprinkling rain. Although not a good combination when visiting Windsor, I was glad Kara had to finally experience a typical weather day here.
Because of the precipitation, the changing of the guard was not held, but instead a smaller ceremony. This included the "Castle band" and they were shockingly good. Add to that they were playing fairly contemporary music, it was quite enjoyable.
Kara: We toured both the state apartments and Queen Mary's dollhouse - both were quite impressive. We also went through St. George's church which was the site of Charles and Camilla's wedding a few years ago. It was a beautiful church. Small in comparison to St. Paul's or Westminster but still beautiful.
It was time to leave the castle and we decided to grab lunch before heading back to London on our return train. We had passed a pub on our way in that I was interested in having lunch in. Gayle wasn't so sure about the idea, but they had fish and chips on the menu so she said it would be okay. So we proceeded into the Horse and Groom for lunch of Shepherd's Pie for me and Fish and Chips for Gayle. We took a bit of ribbing from the bar-keep for not adding a pint of ale to our meals, but neither of us is much for beer. We knew we'd be having a different kind of pint a bit later in the day.
Gayle: Oh yeh, the Dollhouse. It's a precise replica of then-Queen Mary's home, and we mean precise. Artists were commissioned to paint miniatures of the painting, and it was complete with working electricity and running water!
We tranported back to London without incident, but Kara was having an ice cream craving. So a stop at the mini-mart was required.
Kara: We found this 24 hour mini mart that's really one long shelf in the middle with a freezer at the back and a cooler down the other side. Not much of a store, but they've had everything we've needed or wanted in the way of snacks, water, etc. I was in serious need of ice cream and two weeks of ads for Ben and Jerrys, which must be quite big here, had nearly done me in, so we both grabbed a pint of Ben and Jerrys Half Baked, which is a luscious combo of vanilla and chocolate ice cream with brownie and unbaked chocolate chip cookie dough. We should have grabbed a pint to share but we didn't. One of us ate her pint dry the other gave up half-way in. We'll leave you to figure out which was which.
For the evening we grabbed food from the local eateries behind the hotel and are spending the evening packing, posting, and getting ready to head out tomorrow. While we're both looking forward to being home, seeing family and friends (and our kitties) and sleeping in our own beds, it's been a great trip. We've walked more than 75 miles, seen some of the most famous sites in London and Paris, had a few restful days of vacation time, and just spent a lot of time hanging out and laughing. We hope you've enjoyed taking this journey with us - we promise not to bore you too much with our photos when we return.
Gayle: So we are hoping for an uneventful flight to Cleveland & then on to Indy tomorrow. It has been a good trip, and I'm certain I could not travel with anyone this long, other than Kara. Yet, I think this trip may have been a day or two too long. We just went, went, went and didn't really take anytime to rest, which caught up with us. Each day in London we did less and less. On my part, I'm definitely more tired now than before the trip even started; this is not a good thing. It will take some time to get back on Eastern time, so bare with us.
Oh - & I can virtually guarantee one thing. Part of our conversation on the plane home will be... planning our next trip! Stay tuned!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Wednesday and Thursday - YEAH we're caught up!
Gayle: Well, looks like we’re still a day behind and want to make this one quick to enjoy a quiet evening.
So yesterday (Wednesday) was to be our second full day in London, but the length and pace of this trip was really catching up with us. Thus, we altered “THE PLAN” yet again. This morning we were first headed to the Tower of London. The real reason for this inclusion was the Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels. I definitely wanted to see these and here’s a quick synopsis of why…. The mascot of my HS is a King, but we really use a crown in all of the logos, graphics, etc. The crown is an important symbol in my life, not really from the HS as such, but rather from our state championship marching band. (Read: “Geek” at your leisure.) And this crown is apparently modeled after a very famous crown.
Luckily, we arrived just after opening and finally had no line to get a ticket. We browsed the gift shop first since it was not busy. And oh there were crowns everywhere! (I think I heard a whimper from my credit card!) And so we were through the gate where we were lucky enough to join one of the official tours.
Kara: Tours at the Tower of London are conducted by “Beefeaters” who are known for being gregarious and funny in their story telling. We followed this particular Beefeater past the Bloody Tower and Traitor’s Gate and a couple of other story-telling spots about the (numerous) deaths and dismemberments that happened here at the tower before we headed off to see the Crown Jewels.
The exhibit at the Tower of London for the Crown Jewels is well done with three or four different films in queuing areas – although we didn’t have a need to queue. Then you proceeded into pretty narrow passages to see several of the royal scepters and swords before finally going into the vault – a real vault with VERY thick walls and doors – and getting on a moving walkway that takes you past the crown jewels. No lollygagging here.
We purchased a few items in the gift shops, walked along the tower walls to take a few more pictures, stopped to read more of the history of the tower, snapped a bunch of photos including a couple of good shots of the Tower Bridge. Apparently most people think that it is London Bridge that is one of the iconic symbols of London, but it’s really the Tower Bridge that is featured in most pictures, movies, and post cards.
Gayle: VERY sadly, we were not permitted to take photos of the Crown Jewels. :-( So, just as they planned, I purchased several momentos, including a book on the history of them. Next, we were off to St. Paul’s Cathedral. But first we needed lunch. Needing some beef (!), we popped into the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Apparently we arrived just in time, as soon the line was too the door. Nothing really special here.
So this morning I was feeling sorry for St. Paul’s. After visiting Westminster, I thought “St. Paul’s better bring it.” Well, it really didn’t. St. Paul’s is the location where Charles and Diana were married. It’s much lighter than Westminster, making for a better positive location. But otherwise, that’s about it.
Kara: Gayle’s right that St. Paul’s had a lot to compete with in Westminster Abbey. I appreciated the lightness of it and truly believe that the ceilings in St. Paul’s must be seen in person to be truly appreciated. One of the special memories I’ll have from this trip though are the “worship” experiences we had in both Westminster and St. Paul’s. One other at Westminster we’ll get to momentarily. However, at Westminster they pause once every hour for a moment of silence and to say a prayer. We arrived at Westminster just in time for this and were actually seated right in front of the older altar at the time of the prayer. While we visited St. Paul’s they were holding noon time mass which was coming to an end when we arrived. We sat down until the mass came to an end and prayed the Lord’s Prayer as a part of the mass. Both were memorable experiences as was another we had a Westminster later in the day, but I’m getting a bit ahead of myself.
We toured St. Paul’s on our own – no audio guide here. The tour ends in the crypt area with many beautiful plaques and monuments. There seemed to be more honor paid to military veterans in St. Paul’s than in Westminster. We stepped back outside and sat on the steps in front of St. Paul’s to figure out our next stop. And, of course, being girls no vacation would be complete without a little shoe shopping.
Gayle: We next arrived at Oxford Circus and immediately understood the “circus” part. The tube station had access on all 4 street corners, which was a bit disorienting. Strangely, Kara got us headed in the right direction. However, it was so busy with slow service, we decided it wasn’t worth the time or effort. So, we headed home.
Kara: We rested a bit and read for a while – both of us now well into our books we brought with us to read on vacation. I had wanted to go to an Evensong service at Westminster to hear the choir sing and since we didn’t have plans for the evening we decided this would be a good night to go. We headed over to Westminster about 40 minutes before the service started and when we turned the corner to the gate where you enter for worship there was a HUGE line of young people – some sort of school group. The usher stopped us but we told him we were there for worship and he let us pass. We took the last two seats in the back row. It was standing room only. Unfortunately the choir doesn’t sing on Wednesday nights but it was still an interesting and unique way to close the day and we did get to hear the pipe organ being played and even sang with it. I wasn’t really a “moving” experience but it was certainly was memorable.
Gayle: At first I wasn’t real keen about going back to Westminster for the service, but the more I thought about the more I’m glad we did this. It wasn’t so much the service, but the significance of the place, its history & meaning, and all it has been through – how God has been there each step of the way – and how this tourist site can make people stop and think about their relationship with God, no matter where they are from or what brought them here. I’m really glad we did this.
Then we headed to the Westminster shop, which we’d just browsed previously and picked up a few more momentos. Finally we had supper at an Italian restaurant located right at the back exit of our hotel. An early night was to be had, as we were headed to Oxford on Thursday – or so we thought….
Kara: So that brings us to this morning. We had planned, as Gayle said, to go to Oxford today. We knew we wanted an early train in order to get out to Oxford in time for the possible tour at Christ’s Church – the real reason we were going out there. We got up, headed out in plenty of time, and went to the ever confusing Waterloo station to get our train tickets. We had to take the tube from Waterloo up to Paddington to catch our train. With train tickets in hand we headed down to the tubes and immediately found that getting to Paddington this morning was going to be nearly impossible as every line headed in that direction had some sort of signal failure. That meant every line that was operating was jam packed. At this point, we both decided that we’d rather spend a relaxing day in London and actually take a vacation day on our vacation than try to stress ourselves with subways and busses and trains to try to make a tour that we weren’t even sure was going to run. So, the helpful train information office cashed in our tickets for us and we headed back to the hotel to regroup and figure out what we wanted to do with a free day in London.
Gayle: I have a slightly different version of this, but will spare the minute details. Let’s just say there is usually one meltdown per trip and today was it for me. The introvert in me screamed, “ENOUGH!” I was tired of planning tube transfers and being packed in a subway train like a sardine, etc. So this turned into “American Day” in London. We scrapped Oxford altogether & I’m hoping Kara won’t regret this. We headed back to the hotel and simply lounged for an hour or so.
Kara: I don’t regret it and enjoyed the day today regardless of where we were. I had attended a worship service the Sunday before we left in which the pastor talked about John Wesley’s original church in London. I had Googled it before we left and brought information with me on the church in case we happened to make time for a visit. So, we headed out on the metro which was operating better by this time and went up to the John Wesley Church and Museum. It wasn’t much to see, but I got some interesting photos and gifts for my folks which I think they will enjoy.
We left and headed back down to our area of town to have lunch at The Wellington. We arrived a bit before the kitchen opened, but enjoyed drinks while we read through a few brochures for things going on in theatres on the West End. Lunch was absolutely delicious – we each had baked potatoes and shared a “starter” plate called – rightly enough – the Statesider platter which featured a lot of VERY good American style fried appetizers. An absolutely delicious lunch!!
Gayle: Lunch was awesome! The platter included garlic bread, fried mushrooms, onion rings, chicken fingers, potato skins, and nacho chips! We then headed back to the hotel for some relaxed reading time before Americanizing the day even more. We learned early on our hotel is quite near the London IMAX, apparently the only IMAX in England. So we took in the new Star Trek movie, which was pretty good. By now it was supper time and still feeling a bit lazy and “American” we grabbed Subway sandwiches to bring back to the room and watch an episode of NCIS on the laptop!
Tomorrow we’re headed out to Windsor for our final full day of the trip…. (And yes, we will actually go out there!)
So yesterday (Wednesday) was to be our second full day in London, but the length and pace of this trip was really catching up with us. Thus, we altered “THE PLAN” yet again. This morning we were first headed to the Tower of London. The real reason for this inclusion was the Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels. I definitely wanted to see these and here’s a quick synopsis of why…. The mascot of my HS is a King, but we really use a crown in all of the logos, graphics, etc. The crown is an important symbol in my life, not really from the HS as such, but rather from our state championship marching band. (Read: “Geek” at your leisure.) And this crown is apparently modeled after a very famous crown.
Luckily, we arrived just after opening and finally had no line to get a ticket. We browsed the gift shop first since it was not busy. And oh there were crowns everywhere! (I think I heard a whimper from my credit card!) And so we were through the gate where we were lucky enough to join one of the official tours.
Kara: Tours at the Tower of London are conducted by “Beefeaters” who are known for being gregarious and funny in their story telling. We followed this particular Beefeater past the Bloody Tower and Traitor’s Gate and a couple of other story-telling spots about the (numerous) deaths and dismemberments that happened here at the tower before we headed off to see the Crown Jewels.
The exhibit at the Tower of London for the Crown Jewels is well done with three or four different films in queuing areas – although we didn’t have a need to queue. Then you proceeded into pretty narrow passages to see several of the royal scepters and swords before finally going into the vault – a real vault with VERY thick walls and doors – and getting on a moving walkway that takes you past the crown jewels. No lollygagging here.
We purchased a few items in the gift shops, walked along the tower walls to take a few more pictures, stopped to read more of the history of the tower, snapped a bunch of photos including a couple of good shots of the Tower Bridge. Apparently most people think that it is London Bridge that is one of the iconic symbols of London, but it’s really the Tower Bridge that is featured in most pictures, movies, and post cards.
Gayle: VERY sadly, we were not permitted to take photos of the Crown Jewels. :-( So, just as they planned, I purchased several momentos, including a book on the history of them. Next, we were off to St. Paul’s Cathedral. But first we needed lunch. Needing some beef (!), we popped into the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Apparently we arrived just in time, as soon the line was too the door. Nothing really special here.
So this morning I was feeling sorry for St. Paul’s. After visiting Westminster, I thought “St. Paul’s better bring it.” Well, it really didn’t. St. Paul’s is the location where Charles and Diana were married. It’s much lighter than Westminster, making for a better positive location. But otherwise, that’s about it.
Kara: Gayle’s right that St. Paul’s had a lot to compete with in Westminster Abbey. I appreciated the lightness of it and truly believe that the ceilings in St. Paul’s must be seen in person to be truly appreciated. One of the special memories I’ll have from this trip though are the “worship” experiences we had in both Westminster and St. Paul’s. One other at Westminster we’ll get to momentarily. However, at Westminster they pause once every hour for a moment of silence and to say a prayer. We arrived at Westminster just in time for this and were actually seated right in front of the older altar at the time of the prayer. While we visited St. Paul’s they were holding noon time mass which was coming to an end when we arrived. We sat down until the mass came to an end and prayed the Lord’s Prayer as a part of the mass. Both were memorable experiences as was another we had a Westminster later in the day, but I’m getting a bit ahead of myself.
We toured St. Paul’s on our own – no audio guide here. The tour ends in the crypt area with many beautiful plaques and monuments. There seemed to be more honor paid to military veterans in St. Paul’s than in Westminster. We stepped back outside and sat on the steps in front of St. Paul’s to figure out our next stop. And, of course, being girls no vacation would be complete without a little shoe shopping.
Gayle: We next arrived at Oxford Circus and immediately understood the “circus” part. The tube station had access on all 4 street corners, which was a bit disorienting. Strangely, Kara got us headed in the right direction. However, it was so busy with slow service, we decided it wasn’t worth the time or effort. So, we headed home.
Kara: We rested a bit and read for a while – both of us now well into our books we brought with us to read on vacation. I had wanted to go to an Evensong service at Westminster to hear the choir sing and since we didn’t have plans for the evening we decided this would be a good night to go. We headed over to Westminster about 40 minutes before the service started and when we turned the corner to the gate where you enter for worship there was a HUGE line of young people – some sort of school group. The usher stopped us but we told him we were there for worship and he let us pass. We took the last two seats in the back row. It was standing room only. Unfortunately the choir doesn’t sing on Wednesday nights but it was still an interesting and unique way to close the day and we did get to hear the pipe organ being played and even sang with it. I wasn’t really a “moving” experience but it was certainly was memorable.
Gayle: At first I wasn’t real keen about going back to Westminster for the service, but the more I thought about the more I’m glad we did this. It wasn’t so much the service, but the significance of the place, its history & meaning, and all it has been through – how God has been there each step of the way – and how this tourist site can make people stop and think about their relationship with God, no matter where they are from or what brought them here. I’m really glad we did this.
Then we headed to the Westminster shop, which we’d just browsed previously and picked up a few more momentos. Finally we had supper at an Italian restaurant located right at the back exit of our hotel. An early night was to be had, as we were headed to Oxford on Thursday – or so we thought….
Kara: So that brings us to this morning. We had planned, as Gayle said, to go to Oxford today. We knew we wanted an early train in order to get out to Oxford in time for the possible tour at Christ’s Church – the real reason we were going out there. We got up, headed out in plenty of time, and went to the ever confusing Waterloo station to get our train tickets. We had to take the tube from Waterloo up to Paddington to catch our train. With train tickets in hand we headed down to the tubes and immediately found that getting to Paddington this morning was going to be nearly impossible as every line headed in that direction had some sort of signal failure. That meant every line that was operating was jam packed. At this point, we both decided that we’d rather spend a relaxing day in London and actually take a vacation day on our vacation than try to stress ourselves with subways and busses and trains to try to make a tour that we weren’t even sure was going to run. So, the helpful train information office cashed in our tickets for us and we headed back to the hotel to regroup and figure out what we wanted to do with a free day in London.
Gayle: I have a slightly different version of this, but will spare the minute details. Let’s just say there is usually one meltdown per trip and today was it for me. The introvert in me screamed, “ENOUGH!” I was tired of planning tube transfers and being packed in a subway train like a sardine, etc. So this turned into “American Day” in London. We scrapped Oxford altogether & I’m hoping Kara won’t regret this. We headed back to the hotel and simply lounged for an hour or so.
Kara: I don’t regret it and enjoyed the day today regardless of where we were. I had attended a worship service the Sunday before we left in which the pastor talked about John Wesley’s original church in London. I had Googled it before we left and brought information with me on the church in case we happened to make time for a visit. So, we headed out on the metro which was operating better by this time and went up to the John Wesley Church and Museum. It wasn’t much to see, but I got some interesting photos and gifts for my folks which I think they will enjoy.
We left and headed back down to our area of town to have lunch at The Wellington. We arrived a bit before the kitchen opened, but enjoyed drinks while we read through a few brochures for things going on in theatres on the West End. Lunch was absolutely delicious – we each had baked potatoes and shared a “starter” plate called – rightly enough – the Statesider platter which featured a lot of VERY good American style fried appetizers. An absolutely delicious lunch!!
Gayle: Lunch was awesome! The platter included garlic bread, fried mushrooms, onion rings, chicken fingers, potato skins, and nacho chips! We then headed back to the hotel for some relaxed reading time before Americanizing the day even more. We learned early on our hotel is quite near the London IMAX, apparently the only IMAX in England. So we took in the new Star Trek movie, which was pretty good. By now it was supper time and still feeling a bit lazy and “American” we grabbed Subway sandwiches to bring back to the room and watch an episode of NCIS on the laptop!
Tomorrow we’re headed out to Windsor for our final full day of the trip…. (And yes, we will actually go out there!)
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Here's Tuesday!
Okay - we're still a day behind but yesterday was REALLY long and today not terribly better. We're off to Oxford tomorrow but should be back early so will hopefully catch up then. Here you go!
London – Tues. June 3
Gayle: We’ll try to put something quick together, as we’ve changed THE PLAN again. We’re headed to Oxford tomorrow (Thurs.) and will have a very early morning train to try to catch a semi-planned tour. So where were we? Oh yes, Tuesday. This was our first full and big day in London. We had an incredible night’s sleep in our new hotel and really didn’t want to get up! Yet, there were places to be seen!
We started with a quick breakfast in the room and made up sandwiches for lunch. As we’d taken photos of Big Ben (which are actually the bells inside the tower) and Parliament, our first stop was Westminster Abbey - & boy was it an incredible place to start. The initial things you notice are the enormous size and stunning architecture. The audio guide was included, and we listened to the majority of it. We both agreed early on we could spend at least half a day here. There are crypts memorializing most every British king, queen, close family members, and other plaques and such dedicated to others who have impacted the world and Great Britain. It really hurt that we couldn’t take any photos in here, but that would have taken literally all day. One of most recent and remembered occurrences at the Abbey was the funeral of Princess Diana.
Ok – time for Kara to take over as I jump in the shower….
Kara: I agree that Westminster Abbey was by far one of the most stunning places I’ve ever visited. We had planned to go to The Guard’s Museum on our way to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. The night before, we had discussed maybe cutting this out as we had a lot on the plan and might need to cut it down some. We took a leisurely walk from the Abbey towards Buckingham Palace along “Birdcage Walk” which passes right along the edge of St. James Park. We started to see signs for the Guard’s Museum as we neared Wellington Barracks and discussed again whether or not we should go in. Then, we noticed there were guards out in the front of the Barracks drilling so I stopped to take some photos. The additional royal guards had musical instruments in their hands, and we quickly realized they were going to be warming up here before heading off on parade towards the palace. We staked out prime spots right at the gate where they would exit. When they broke in to “Copacabana” we both started laughing. I hope you all could see the video and enjoyed it. When we get home to a good Internet connection, I’ll upload the other videos we took to my Flickr page so you can see those. We both got video of them playing both Copacabana and the Theme to “Star Wars”. As they exited the gate we were truly right on the edge of the sidewalk, which I hope also made for some good photos (haven’t had a chance to really look at them yet but will try to post a few if we can).
We walked/ran the rest of the way down Birdcage to try to get a look at the action at Buckingham Palace. The Rick Steve’s travel guide I had said something about a lot of yelling and shouting and standing and moving and he was right – the ceremony itself really isn’t all that exciting – at least what we could see of it wasn’t. I’m really glad we got to see the Guard like we did – it was much more entertaining. I realize as I’m writing this I didn’t get a picture of Buckingham Palace, but I wouldn’t have done it justice. It was quite beautiful though.
Gayle: I’m cutting in comments here, as Kara got a ton written in the last few minutes. Kara & I are both huge lovers of music in addition to being band geeks – and yes – there is a difference! I too was really glad we got to see the band playing outside of the formal ceremony. After that I really didn’t care about the official changing of the guard.
Kara: As we continued walking (we left during the ceremony and went around the crowd) we were looking for a tube station and perhaps a “loo” which we both wanted to find. We couldn’t find either of what we wanted but ran smack into the Hard Rock Café. While they couldn’t help us with the tube station, we could get lunch and a bathroom. So we had a nice, relaxing lunch in the Original Hard Rock café. It definitely hadn’t been a stop on the plan – but that’s why we make plans – so we can enjoy the other things that happen along the way by accident.
Gayle: Okay, we’ve eaten at enough Hard Rocks in our day that the novelty ran out long ago, but hey, it was food we were guaranteed to like and there was that whole “loo” situation! We both got salads, but most of you who know me even a little, know I’m a lover of dessert. I really wasn’t thinking about getting any as it was so warm out, but the special of the day was banana pie. Now I like (not love) banana pie, but it’s tough to find in restaurants, so I’ve got to take advantage of such opportunities. The pie itself was nothing special – tough pie crust & banana pudding with bananas. But here’s the special part, they topped the whipped cream with fresh strawberry sauce. Now I like, not love, strawberry-flavored things. (It’s not a fruit I will eat straight.) And if I’d known it came with the sauce, I would have asked to not include it. But wow would I have been wrong. Wowza that sauce was awesome! (Mae – I took a picture just so you can replicate it!) It was by far the best thing I’ve had to eat on this trip and that is totally sad.
Kara: We left Hard Rock and still couldn’t get to a Tube station to get to Hyde Park. The problem was we wanted to see (I wanted to see) the Diana Fountain which is in Hyde Park almost to Kensington. No tube stops really allow you to do that easily so we decided – probably wrongly – to walk through Hyde Park. This is an absolutely beautiful and HUGE public park and since it was a beautiful, sunny, 80 – 85 degree day it was quite busy. The walk was nice and easy – very flat – but quite long. Unfortunately, the Diana fountain wasn’t really all that exciting to see. I appreciate the approachable, usable nature of it, and how that represents how she was perceived by the people so architecturally I get it, but it’s not a “site” you really need to visit unless you want to play in the water.
Gayle: Note to those visiting London soon (Adam, Marissa, Madison, Briana, etc.), Hyde Park is GIGANTIC. I would NOT recommend walking the entire thing. We definitely regretted this all too soon. But it’s the perfect spot to hang out, have lunch, paddle boat, play Frisbee, etc.; you get the picture.
Kara: After seeing the fountain, we headed down to Kensington Palace. There are three separate exhibits to see here – Diana’s dresses, the King’s and Queen’s apartments, and an exhibit on the place of debutantes and debutante balls in London history/society. All were interesting, but the audio guide in the King/Queen apartments was really long in a few places and kind of boring. The rooms also were quite dark (they keep it that way to preserve the fabrics). However when you combine full stomachs, a long walk, heat, and a dark room the only thing I think either of us wanted to do when we came out was take a nap.
Gayle: Actually, I wanted to jump in a fountain….
Kara: But, none of that – we had one more stop to make – Harrods! We tubed up to Knightsbridge and exited nearly in the door of Harrods. We walked through several of the halls including going up to Pet World on the 4th Floor (Amanda – tell Dippy and Fluffy that I’m sorry I didn’t find anything for them). We both did load up on a couple of things for ourselves and gifts for friends and family back home before we got on the tube to head back home.
Gayle: Although one of my favorite bags in the world is from Harrods that I got 9 years ago and still use today, I actually bought nothing for myself. Shocking! Harrods is always overwhelming and we were just too hot & tired to put in that kind of effort.
Kara: Now Gayle and I have been best friends for more than 16 years now, and we’ve shared a lot. However, I don’t think I’ve ever been as close to her (literally!) as I was on the tube on the way from Knightsbridge down to Waterloo station. There had been many delays on the London Underground system during the day and you could tell they were straining to keep up. If any of you are thinking about coming to the 2012 Olympics here, you might want to think again if you have any issue at all with claustrophobia. The tubes here are already packed and it’s not even a busy tourist season yet. I don’t know where they plan to put all the Olympic events, but in our opinion, this is NOT a city ready to host a games – and particularly not if you’re traveling with someone in a wheelchair or who requires extra assistance or has any mobility issues.
Gayle: As for our experience trying to get home on the tube, I was physically closer to some of those people there than guys I’ve dated! Ewww.
Kara: We arrived at Waterloo station and for the first time on this trip got completely turned around. By this time I was “pua” (a reference to our Hawaiian vacations – look it up in any Hawaiian – English dictionary). However, we turned around a few more times before I finally convinced Gayle to let me hail a cab and get us home. We were literally one roundabout and a street from home but we were so completely turned around I’m not sure how long it would have taken us to get there. We grabbed a sandwich at Subway and came back to the room to relax and head off to bed.
Gayle: I’m still ticked that I got turned around and couldn’t get us home. Waterloo station and the surrounding streets make no sense whatsoever.
Well, we’ve got an early train to catch tomorrow morning and with any luck we’ll have a double installment tomorrow night in order to get caught up with this blog. Hope you laughed at least once; we sure have!
London – Tues. June 3
Gayle: We’ll try to put something quick together, as we’ve changed THE PLAN again. We’re headed to Oxford tomorrow (Thurs.) and will have a very early morning train to try to catch a semi-planned tour. So where were we? Oh yes, Tuesday. This was our first full and big day in London. We had an incredible night’s sleep in our new hotel and really didn’t want to get up! Yet, there were places to be seen!
We started with a quick breakfast in the room and made up sandwiches for lunch. As we’d taken photos of Big Ben (which are actually the bells inside the tower) and Parliament, our first stop was Westminster Abbey - & boy was it an incredible place to start. The initial things you notice are the enormous size and stunning architecture. The audio guide was included, and we listened to the majority of it. We both agreed early on we could spend at least half a day here. There are crypts memorializing most every British king, queen, close family members, and other plaques and such dedicated to others who have impacted the world and Great Britain. It really hurt that we couldn’t take any photos in here, but that would have taken literally all day. One of most recent and remembered occurrences at the Abbey was the funeral of Princess Diana.
Ok – time for Kara to take over as I jump in the shower….
Kara: I agree that Westminster Abbey was by far one of the most stunning places I’ve ever visited. We had planned to go to The Guard’s Museum on our way to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. The night before, we had discussed maybe cutting this out as we had a lot on the plan and might need to cut it down some. We took a leisurely walk from the Abbey towards Buckingham Palace along “Birdcage Walk” which passes right along the edge of St. James Park. We started to see signs for the Guard’s Museum as we neared Wellington Barracks and discussed again whether or not we should go in. Then, we noticed there were guards out in the front of the Barracks drilling so I stopped to take some photos. The additional royal guards had musical instruments in their hands, and we quickly realized they were going to be warming up here before heading off on parade towards the palace. We staked out prime spots right at the gate where they would exit. When they broke in to “Copacabana” we both started laughing. I hope you all could see the video and enjoyed it. When we get home to a good Internet connection, I’ll upload the other videos we took to my Flickr page so you can see those. We both got video of them playing both Copacabana and the Theme to “Star Wars”. As they exited the gate we were truly right on the edge of the sidewalk, which I hope also made for some good photos (haven’t had a chance to really look at them yet but will try to post a few if we can).
We walked/ran the rest of the way down Birdcage to try to get a look at the action at Buckingham Palace. The Rick Steve’s travel guide I had said something about a lot of yelling and shouting and standing and moving and he was right – the ceremony itself really isn’t all that exciting – at least what we could see of it wasn’t. I’m really glad we got to see the Guard like we did – it was much more entertaining. I realize as I’m writing this I didn’t get a picture of Buckingham Palace, but I wouldn’t have done it justice. It was quite beautiful though.
Gayle: I’m cutting in comments here, as Kara got a ton written in the last few minutes. Kara & I are both huge lovers of music in addition to being band geeks – and yes – there is a difference! I too was really glad we got to see the band playing outside of the formal ceremony. After that I really didn’t care about the official changing of the guard.
Kara: As we continued walking (we left during the ceremony and went around the crowd) we were looking for a tube station and perhaps a “loo” which we both wanted to find. We couldn’t find either of what we wanted but ran smack into the Hard Rock Café. While they couldn’t help us with the tube station, we could get lunch and a bathroom. So we had a nice, relaxing lunch in the Original Hard Rock café. It definitely hadn’t been a stop on the plan – but that’s why we make plans – so we can enjoy the other things that happen along the way by accident.
Gayle: Okay, we’ve eaten at enough Hard Rocks in our day that the novelty ran out long ago, but hey, it was food we were guaranteed to like and there was that whole “loo” situation! We both got salads, but most of you who know me even a little, know I’m a lover of dessert. I really wasn’t thinking about getting any as it was so warm out, but the special of the day was banana pie. Now I like (not love) banana pie, but it’s tough to find in restaurants, so I’ve got to take advantage of such opportunities. The pie itself was nothing special – tough pie crust & banana pudding with bananas. But here’s the special part, they topped the whipped cream with fresh strawberry sauce. Now I like, not love, strawberry-flavored things. (It’s not a fruit I will eat straight.) And if I’d known it came with the sauce, I would have asked to not include it. But wow would I have been wrong. Wowza that sauce was awesome! (Mae – I took a picture just so you can replicate it!) It was by far the best thing I’ve had to eat on this trip and that is totally sad.
Kara: We left Hard Rock and still couldn’t get to a Tube station to get to Hyde Park. The problem was we wanted to see (I wanted to see) the Diana Fountain which is in Hyde Park almost to Kensington. No tube stops really allow you to do that easily so we decided – probably wrongly – to walk through Hyde Park. This is an absolutely beautiful and HUGE public park and since it was a beautiful, sunny, 80 – 85 degree day it was quite busy. The walk was nice and easy – very flat – but quite long. Unfortunately, the Diana fountain wasn’t really all that exciting to see. I appreciate the approachable, usable nature of it, and how that represents how she was perceived by the people so architecturally I get it, but it’s not a “site” you really need to visit unless you want to play in the water.
Gayle: Note to those visiting London soon (Adam, Marissa, Madison, Briana, etc.), Hyde Park is GIGANTIC. I would NOT recommend walking the entire thing. We definitely regretted this all too soon. But it’s the perfect spot to hang out, have lunch, paddle boat, play Frisbee, etc.; you get the picture.
Kara: After seeing the fountain, we headed down to Kensington Palace. There are three separate exhibits to see here – Diana’s dresses, the King’s and Queen’s apartments, and an exhibit on the place of debutantes and debutante balls in London history/society. All were interesting, but the audio guide in the King/Queen apartments was really long in a few places and kind of boring. The rooms also were quite dark (they keep it that way to preserve the fabrics). However when you combine full stomachs, a long walk, heat, and a dark room the only thing I think either of us wanted to do when we came out was take a nap.
Gayle: Actually, I wanted to jump in a fountain….
Kara: But, none of that – we had one more stop to make – Harrods! We tubed up to Knightsbridge and exited nearly in the door of Harrods. We walked through several of the halls including going up to Pet World on the 4th Floor (Amanda – tell Dippy and Fluffy that I’m sorry I didn’t find anything for them). We both did load up on a couple of things for ourselves and gifts for friends and family back home before we got on the tube to head back home.
Gayle: Although one of my favorite bags in the world is from Harrods that I got 9 years ago and still use today, I actually bought nothing for myself. Shocking! Harrods is always overwhelming and we were just too hot & tired to put in that kind of effort.
Kara: Now Gayle and I have been best friends for more than 16 years now, and we’ve shared a lot. However, I don’t think I’ve ever been as close to her (literally!) as I was on the tube on the way from Knightsbridge down to Waterloo station. There had been many delays on the London Underground system during the day and you could tell they were straining to keep up. If any of you are thinking about coming to the 2012 Olympics here, you might want to think again if you have any issue at all with claustrophobia. The tubes here are already packed and it’s not even a busy tourist season yet. I don’t know where they plan to put all the Olympic events, but in our opinion, this is NOT a city ready to host a games – and particularly not if you’re traveling with someone in a wheelchair or who requires extra assistance or has any mobility issues.
Gayle: As for our experience trying to get home on the tube, I was physically closer to some of those people there than guys I’ve dated! Ewww.
Kara: We arrived at Waterloo station and for the first time on this trip got completely turned around. By this time I was “pua” (a reference to our Hawaiian vacations – look it up in any Hawaiian – English dictionary). However, we turned around a few more times before I finally convinced Gayle to let me hail a cab and get us home. We were literally one roundabout and a street from home but we were so completely turned around I’m not sure how long it would have taken us to get there. We grabbed a sandwich at Subway and came back to the room to relax and head off to bed.
Gayle: I’m still ticked that I got turned around and couldn’t get us home. Waterloo station and the surrounding streets make no sense whatsoever.
Well, we’ve got an early train to catch tomorrow morning and with any luck we’ll have a double installment tomorrow night in order to get caught up with this blog. Hope you laughed at least once; we sure have!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Copacabana
Okay - I'm not sure this will work or not, but I think you'll be able to see the first of the two videos I took of the Royal Guard band. This one features them playing Copacabana - http://www.itookthisonmyphone.com/kmonroe/Europe/mediadce4f5ce93814805a0fe8a7729ba0ebc
Good, but exhausting, day in London
Hi all! This is Kara. Gayle has declared she's not blogging tonight and that we'll do a double post tomorrow. I thought I should at least give a quick update. We had a great day in London today - highlighted by getting to hear the Royal Guard band (the guys in the black Q-tip style hats) playing Copacabana and the Theme from Star Wars as warm ups at the Guard's Barracks just before the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Great pictures and videos to follow eventually, but the connection isn't great tonight either so I'm not even going to try with those.
We also ate lunch at the original Hard Rock cafe and had a wonderful server and very good food. Walked through Hyde Park and Kensington Garden which was pretty, but a REALLY long walk on already tired feet so we were both pretty spent by the time we got to Kensington. Enjoyed the palace, although got a little bored with the audio guide in places. Left Kensington and endured the "Tube" again to go to Harrods. Had fun shopping in Harrods and buying souvenirs and a few gifts for you folks back in the states.
Came home and got a little turned around coming out of Waterloo station so just grabbed sandwiches and came back to the room to get through showers and a bit of planning for tomorrow. All in all a good day. We'll give you all a full update tomorrow.
We also ate lunch at the original Hard Rock cafe and had a wonderful server and very good food. Walked through Hyde Park and Kensington Garden which was pretty, but a REALLY long walk on already tired feet so we were both pretty spent by the time we got to Kensington. Enjoyed the palace, although got a little bored with the audio guide in places. Left Kensington and endured the "Tube" again to go to Harrods. Had fun shopping in Harrods and buying souvenirs and a few gifts for you folks back in the states.
Came home and got a little turned around coming out of Waterloo station so just grabbed sandwiches and came back to the room to get through showers and a bit of planning for tomorrow. All in all a good day. We'll give you all a full update tomorrow.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Daily Conversation - Transfer from Paris to London
Good day & Cheerio!
It’s Kara starting off the blog again tonight as we take turns using the blow dryer. We’ve had a full day and are ready to get a bit of rest before we hit the streets of London again tomorrow.
We had breakfast as usual at Sequoia Lodge in Paris and then went back to our room to do a final check that we had all of our things and then headed off to the train station at Disney (Marne-le-Valle Chessy). Yesterday we walked to and from the parks using the walkway along the lake at the resort complex. Because the buses were continuously slow during our visit we decided we’d just walk with our backpacks and duffels. It was not a bad walk, and we arrived at the train station about an hour in advance of our train – apparently far too early by European standards. We waited until our TGV train arrived and then boarded bound for Lille, France.
When we had booked our train tickets several weeks ago, Gayle and I “agreed” (or rather I suggested and she apparently rolled her eyes at me via our phone call) that we would get the “low” first class tickets for our train rides today. That gave us a served meal on the Eurostar and first class seating on both trains. Apparently until today Gayle had thought I was nuts for booking this extra luxury, even though it was a very affordable luxury, but I’ll let you tell her if it was a good decision or not, while I go take a turn with the blow dryer.
Gayle: (From above, it’s also important to know Kara was going to try to call home at 9am this morning. 9am Paris time. To which I reminded her it was only 3am at home and calling at this time probably wasn’t a good idea!) So, we’re at the train and this issue of the 1st class tix, eh? Yep, Kara definitely made the right call on this one. It was like 1st class on an airplane, except there was more room, no security, no waiting, no re-circulated air, a huge window… I think you get the picture. In fact, on the TGV train from Disney to Lille, France there were only about 5 others in our entire train car, including the cutest little dog who took a nap in the aisle!
We were both really excited about the EuroStar simply for the class of service and of course, the speed. One of the best things today was the UK Border Control officer; it was SO nice to finally hear a non-French accent! Literally seconds after pulling out of the station they were taking our drink and lunch choices. We received a nice lunch with salad, entrée, dessert, bread, and “beverages”! J I captured a few seconds of video to illustrate the speed, but not sure if we can get it to upload from here…. The only annoyance was the constant pressure changes from passing other trains, going through tunnels, and of course, being under the English Channel. Very soon we arrived at St. Pancras Station where the real adventure began.
Each of us brought a rolling duffle and rolling backpack. Luckily there were “lifts” (elevators) at this station, so all was well, minus the significant crowds. We stood in line for a Tube (subway) ticket to one of the stops nearest our hotel. (We probably should have just used our pounds in the self-serve kiosks instead.) Got tickets and were off to the Tube! But when we arrived at Westminster Station, life started to get a little mean. There were two sets of stairs (up) from the platform to the main station level. (Umm, hello? It said this station was handicap accessible! Apparently that was only if you were transferring lines!) There was no lift, so dragging our bags was, well, an exhausting drag. We finally make it outside and no kidding, there are another couple sets of steps to traverse. Huffing & puffing, I proclaimed, “I love America!” Over the bridge and through hordes of people, we finally make it to our home for the next 5 nights: the Marriott County Hall. This hotel sits right on the Thames, over the bridge from Big Ben, and immediately behind the London Eye. This is where I wanted to stay since my previous visit here in 2000. Check-in was seamless and our room is divine. It’s a good thing we’re doing the trip in this order, Paris then London, because our room here has everything the Disney one didn’t. (I could go on and on about this, but will spare you.)
Once we recovered from our baggage Olympics, we set out to get the lay of the land and find dinner. We walked around Parliament and Westminster Abbey on our way to supper at The Abbey. This is a bar/restaurant we found on the Net. I was joking with Adam Smith that it was kinda like Scotty’s, but in London. Oh, but it was so much more, as it had class and sophistication. It was one of the nicest bars I’ve ever been to and would happily return. We had our requisite 1st night in London fish & chips and then stopped at a convenience store for a few snacks for breakfasts, etc.
Too soon it was time to head out, as we had pre-reserved tickets for the London Eye. Wow. No picture ever allows you to truly understand the scale of this massive ferris wheel. In fact, I started to get a big anxious, but as they say here, it turned out to be “brilliant”! We then investigated the area behind the hotel and stumbled upon a lovely Italian café/restaurant, which we plan to visit later this week, as well as the back entrance to the hotel.
For London it’s incredibly warm, nearing 80 degrees. Gratefully our room air conditioner is more than up to the task, unlike what we endured at Disney. So at least for me, I’m planning on my first good night’s sleep of the entire trip tonight. With that, I’m off – wondering if I will read any of my book before I drift off to dreamland in the cushy and cool bed.
Tomorrow? Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, and much more, including… Harrods! (I think my credit card just screamed.)
Kara: I’m back from the blow dryer and think Gayle has captured everything so with this we’ll just say good night!
Gayle: PS…Yes – we know we now own 60% of GM – it’s the only thing on British television!
It’s Kara starting off the blog again tonight as we take turns using the blow dryer. We’ve had a full day and are ready to get a bit of rest before we hit the streets of London again tomorrow.
We had breakfast as usual at Sequoia Lodge in Paris and then went back to our room to do a final check that we had all of our things and then headed off to the train station at Disney (Marne-le-Valle Chessy). Yesterday we walked to and from the parks using the walkway along the lake at the resort complex. Because the buses were continuously slow during our visit we decided we’d just walk with our backpacks and duffels. It was not a bad walk, and we arrived at the train station about an hour in advance of our train – apparently far too early by European standards. We waited until our TGV train arrived and then boarded bound for Lille, France.
When we had booked our train tickets several weeks ago, Gayle and I “agreed” (or rather I suggested and she apparently rolled her eyes at me via our phone call) that we would get the “low” first class tickets for our train rides today. That gave us a served meal on the Eurostar and first class seating on both trains. Apparently until today Gayle had thought I was nuts for booking this extra luxury, even though it was a very affordable luxury, but I’ll let you tell her if it was a good decision or not, while I go take a turn with the blow dryer.
Gayle: (From above, it’s also important to know Kara was going to try to call home at 9am this morning. 9am Paris time. To which I reminded her it was only 3am at home and calling at this time probably wasn’t a good idea!) So, we’re at the train and this issue of the 1st class tix, eh? Yep, Kara definitely made the right call on this one. It was like 1st class on an airplane, except there was more room, no security, no waiting, no re-circulated air, a huge window… I think you get the picture. In fact, on the TGV train from Disney to Lille, France there were only about 5 others in our entire train car, including the cutest little dog who took a nap in the aisle!
We were both really excited about the EuroStar simply for the class of service and of course, the speed. One of the best things today was the UK Border Control officer; it was SO nice to finally hear a non-French accent! Literally seconds after pulling out of the station they were taking our drink and lunch choices. We received a nice lunch with salad, entrée, dessert, bread, and “beverages”! J I captured a few seconds of video to illustrate the speed, but not sure if we can get it to upload from here…. The only annoyance was the constant pressure changes from passing other trains, going through tunnels, and of course, being under the English Channel. Very soon we arrived at St. Pancras Station where the real adventure began.
Each of us brought a rolling duffle and rolling backpack. Luckily there were “lifts” (elevators) at this station, so all was well, minus the significant crowds. We stood in line for a Tube (subway) ticket to one of the stops nearest our hotel. (We probably should have just used our pounds in the self-serve kiosks instead.) Got tickets and were off to the Tube! But when we arrived at Westminster Station, life started to get a little mean. There were two sets of stairs (up) from the platform to the main station level. (Umm, hello? It said this station was handicap accessible! Apparently that was only if you were transferring lines!) There was no lift, so dragging our bags was, well, an exhausting drag. We finally make it outside and no kidding, there are another couple sets of steps to traverse. Huffing & puffing, I proclaimed, “I love America!” Over the bridge and through hordes of people, we finally make it to our home for the next 5 nights: the Marriott County Hall. This hotel sits right on the Thames, over the bridge from Big Ben, and immediately behind the London Eye. This is where I wanted to stay since my previous visit here in 2000. Check-in was seamless and our room is divine. It’s a good thing we’re doing the trip in this order, Paris then London, because our room here has everything the Disney one didn’t. (I could go on and on about this, but will spare you.)
Once we recovered from our baggage Olympics, we set out to get the lay of the land and find dinner. We walked around Parliament and Westminster Abbey on our way to supper at The Abbey. This is a bar/restaurant we found on the Net. I was joking with Adam Smith that it was kinda like Scotty’s, but in London. Oh, but it was so much more, as it had class and sophistication. It was one of the nicest bars I’ve ever been to and would happily return. We had our requisite 1st night in London fish & chips and then stopped at a convenience store for a few snacks for breakfasts, etc.
Too soon it was time to head out, as we had pre-reserved tickets for the London Eye. Wow. No picture ever allows you to truly understand the scale of this massive ferris wheel. In fact, I started to get a big anxious, but as they say here, it turned out to be “brilliant”! We then investigated the area behind the hotel and stumbled upon a lovely Italian café/restaurant, which we plan to visit later this week, as well as the back entrance to the hotel.
For London it’s incredibly warm, nearing 80 degrees. Gratefully our room air conditioner is more than up to the task, unlike what we endured at Disney. So at least for me, I’m planning on my first good night’s sleep of the entire trip tonight. With that, I’m off – wondering if I will read any of my book before I drift off to dreamland in the cushy and cool bed.
Tomorrow? Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, and much more, including… Harrods! (I think my credit card just screamed.)
Kara: I’m back from the blow dryer and think Gayle has captured everything so with this we’ll just say good night!
Gayle: PS…Yes – we know we now own 60% of GM – it’s the only thing on British television!
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