In Which Karen's Sight-Seeing Train Runs Out of Steam

We started Saturday by waking up early-ish to get breakfast and catch the Tube back to Tower Hill. We got to the Tower of London at 9:30 am and went straight to the Crown Jewels. 

After getting our fill of outrageously large diamonds, more exhibits about the Queen's 60th anniversary Jubilee (of her coronation) and a viewing of a small bathtub-sized punch bowl we moved on to the Beefeater tour. 

We then toured the armor in the White Tower (the oldest part of the tower). 

After NOT purchasing the world's greatest souvenir (a rapier-style marshmallow roasting stick) for $30, 

we left the tower and took a boat ride in the Thames to Westminster Pier. 

We picked up some lunch at Pret a Manger and we ate it standing in line for Westminster Abbey. 

We toured the Abbey and then sat on the steps to finish the remains of our lunch. 

We walked down Whitehall St., past the Prime Minister's house. There was some cycling event going on and quite a few streets were closed to traffic (why we walked instead of taking the bus). 

After passing a protest by some Middle Eastern group, we went to the National Gallery to see highlights of the collection. 

At this point, my sight-seeing train -- which had been functioning in overdrive-- ran out of steam. Both of us were tired, thirsty, and completely exhausted. So we took a break for afternoon tea. We went to Brown's Hotel (Winston Churchill's favorite). We took our sweet time and just sat. And sat. And ate. 

Afterward we slowly wandered for a while, browsing at a British grocery store. Then we tubed (is that a verb?) our way home and crashed. Bed never looked so good!

More in London

Today a crazy thing happened-- at least for this Oregonian. When we woke up it was cloudy, overcast and slightly drizzling-- and I was so happy and thankful!! (Bet you never thought you would see that!) After the heat of the day before, the cool overcast morning was a welcome relief. Hallelujah for clouds! It warmed up by afternoon, but I enjoyed the cool while it lasted. 

We had a quick breakfast at our hotel and then toured the State Apartments at Buckingham Palace. 

After a look in the queen's backyard, er, uh, royal gardens, we walked out to the front of the palace near Victoria monument. We made it just in time to catch the last few minutes of the Changing of the Guard ceremony. 

We walked along St James Park to Tragalgar Square. After watching tourists get their pictures taken on the huge lion statues we walked north, stopping to take a peek in St Martin-in-the-Fields church. Then we kept walking towards Covent Garden, stopping at Dishoom- a delicious Indian restaurant- for lunch. 

We meandered our way through various street performers (including a floating yoda, a floating man balancing only on a stick he was holding on the ground

and a magician trying too hard to be funny tied up in chains.

I took Megan's picture in front of the clock tower featured in the opening scene of My Fair Lady.  

We browsed the many stalls and shops-- from a kitchen gadgets store featuring dolls with cheese grater skirts to the cutest store full of teapots, tea accessories and loose leaf teas of all types. 

We made the mandatory stop at Ben's Cookies (one of Jen's London favorites) -- so good! The triple chocolate cookie with cold milk is the stuff of after-school snack dreams.

We then waited at a bus stop to catch the second half of our Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour from the day before. We breezed through The City and financial district and then hopped off at The Tower of London to catch the views of Tower Bridge. We weren't going to go to the Tower of London (I had been before), but after being there we decided we needed to make it there (unfortunately they had already ended all the tours for the day). 

We took the tube back to St. Paul's (including a two-station loooong transfer), arriving hot, sweaty and panting just in time for the Evensong service (yes, it's true that we were trying to avoid paying $22.50 just to get in to see the place and not just zealously displaying our 'Anglican' devotion). The service was a great opportunity to sit and enjoy the cathedral (and did I mention sit?), but unfortunately the choir wasn't singing that day. :(

We went back to our bus tour to catch the remaining highlights. Here is the clock tower with Big Ben. 

Houses of Parliament (from the bus). 

We then made our way through Kensington to Royal Albert Hall for a BBC Proms concert. It featured the world premiere of a new work ("Cosmic Dance" by Narsh Sohal) and an amazing performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto.

We were in the choir behind the stage so we got to look at the conductor over the shoulders of the musicians. This was especially cool during the world premiere work-- it had a lot of percussion and we were looking right over the shoulders of the percussionists. From at position, it seemed more like a ballet than a musical work. You could see each musician moving in their turn. We also had a fantastic view of the pianists hands during the concerto. 

Apparently in London you have to pay $6 to get a printed program. Not needing extra paper, I decided to pass. Having a mystery pianist isn't the end of the world, right? It wasn't until later we realized that because of our lack of program we left early and missed the Tchaikovsky symphony played during last 45 minutes of the concert (apparently there were two intermissions, not one and it didn't end at 9:30pm -- oops). 

After the concert-- er, uh, second intermission-- we hopped on a bus that took us to Notting Hill Gate and then back on the tube to our hotel for a quick wi-fi connect with the world back home before going to sleep. 

Bashing About London

We caught a train from Bath to Paddington, catching glimpses of countryside during the trip,

and then took the tube to Bayswater. I brought the beautiful (but heavy) flowers that Dave sent me in Bath for my birthday. 

London is hot. Our hotel doesn't have a/c (not so good). It is a cute London townhouse, but it has no elevator and we are on the third floor. Our first official London activity after checking in was laying on our bed in front of the fan for half an hour.

We then summoned he energy to go to Marble Arch where we caught he first half of a hop on hop off bus tour to Leicester Square. We hopped off to get half price tickets but instead decided to fulfill Meg's lifetime dream of Les Mis in London when some last minute seats became available. 

Afterward we celebrated my birthday with Peruvian tapas (and a pimentolada-- piña colada with puréed red pepper)

and made our way home through Picadilly Circus and Regent's Street. 

From Bath to London

This morning we had breakfast in the original kitchen of our 1790's Georgian townhouse.

We then walked through the winding backstreets of Bath to the Assembly Rooms and the Fashion Museum.

It's hard to get used to looking the opposite way when you cross the streets. I still haven't gotten used to the flow of traffic here. 

Back in Jane Austen's time, the Assembly Rooms were used for holding balls and parties, playing cards and having tea.

After a walking through the rooms we went to the lower floor to the Fashion Museum. Maybe bonnets and corsets are on their way back in? Maybe not. 

We went to the Jane Austen centre but didnt have time to catch a tour so we had tea in their regency tea room before heading back to our B and B and catching a cab to the airport. 

Bath! Jane Austen! Bath!

Today Megan and I touched down at London Heathrow for the beginning of our European adventure. Our flight for in two hours late, after which we took a train to London and another train to Bath. 

For those of you who are not Jane Austen-ites, Bath is a setting in many of her novels and a place of pilgrimage for her fans. We are staying in a Georgian townhouse that was here during Jane Austen's lifetime (built in 1791). This is our personal sitting room, decorated in the style of the period. 

Bath is a great place to explore on foot.

We crossed the scenic Pulteney Bridge into the historic centre of Bath. 

Then we went to the Pump Room (yes, the same one in Persuasion!) and had a spot of afternoon tea with scones and clotted cream. 

Then we explored a bit on foot, first to Bath Abbey, then to "the circus" (Latin for circle-- a giant circle of buildings), the Crescent (same concept, different shape) and some gardens. 

After a quick stop at Boston Tea

party (yes, in Bath) for smoothies and Butternut Squash Feta Salad with Pine Nuts we were off to see the ancient Roman Baths (fed by a natural hot spring), lit by torch at twilight. 

In our meanderings we came across the first place to sell "Sally Lunn" bread (one of Camryn's favorites). 

We finished our day by wandering back to our bed and breakfast and enjoying an elegant Jane Austen-like repast of beef jerky and chocolate covered pretzels whilst amiably enjoying a brief repose in our sitting room.